The Magpies have brought Jaouen to St James' Park for around £18.5m, even though the 20-year-old goalkeeper has never experienced top-flight football before.

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle about how fast the deal has been arranged, Howey said: "I think it's good rather than having things drag on. They've wanted to identify a goalkeeper. Everybody's got their views on [Aaron] Ramsdale and Nick Pope, but you listen to the stuff I've read about this goalkeeper, he's quite well thought of for a young goalkeeper.

"To pay £18.5m, it could end up being a very good signing. We'll just have to wait and see.

"I really do hope it works out, but we've seen over the years goalkeepers with really big names come to the Premier League and absolutely bomb.

"I can remember when Peter Schmeichel started and he struggled a bit but ended up being the best goalkeeper ever in the Premier League alongside the likes of David Seaman.

"It's good that it's done, but I'm pretty sure the Newcastle fans will be wanting a lot more of that, whether that's coming or going."

Howey added that Newcastle might have had the upperhand by being able to offer first-team football to Jaouen over reported interested parties Chelsea and Real Madrid.

"He might have looked at it as you're pretty much going to start, whereas at other teams he might not be. And he might be at the stage of his career where he wants to play.

"I don't think I'd be happy going to a club knowing that, for at least a season or two, I wouldn't be featuring. When I sign for a club I want to play for them. I just think that for those other two clubs it might be a case of coming and not playing yet, if you ever do."

Listen to the full interview above or on BBC Sounds

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When acclaimed soccer writer Paul Tenorio followed Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team to Dallas for one of the superstar’s first road games in America in 2023, the scene outside the team’s Renaissance Plano hotel was strangely calm. A few fans lingered behind barriers. Nothing unusual. Nothing chaotic. Not yet.

Then word spread: Messi was inside.

Within hours, the hotel became a frenzy. Crowds swarmed the lobby, packed the entrances and jammed every floor. As Tenorio rode the elevator to his room, it stopped on each and every floor, fans piling in each time — smashing every button in sight in the hope that, when the doors slid open, Lionel Messi would be standing there waiting for them.

That, says Tenorio in “The Messi Effect: How the Global Legend Changed the Future of American Soccer” (St. Martin’s Press), is the Messi effect: part athlete, part rock star, part religious experience. “By most any measure, Messi in Major League Soccer (MLS) has been an overwhelming success,” he writes.

Born in June 1987, Lionel Messi grew up in Rosario, Argentina, a small kid with a massive talent — and a serious growth hormone deficiency that threatened his future in soccer. 

At 13, his family made a life-changing move to Spain after FC Barcelona agreed to cover his medical treatment and development. From those humble, uncertain beginnings, Messi rose to global superstardom, winning everything in the game and cementing a legacy that many consider the greatest in the history of the sport.

After 18 years at Barcelona, Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain in France but left within two years to join Inter Miami, one of the newest franchises in MLS and partly-owned by Brit superstar David Beckham.

For a league desperate for a boost, both in terms of quality and publicity, Messi was the dream recruit.

“He is so enormously popular globally and I also think he is the greatest of all time, right?” Tenorio tells The Post. “And Americans want to be close to athletes like that. They want the very best and they want that authenticity. And I think that speaks to the growing football culture in this country.”

What made Messi’s impact all the more impressive was that his was a personality seemingly at odds with that needed to carry a league or even a sport. Introverted and very private, he rarely gives interviews and you almost never hear him speak, let alone in English. “His aversion to media obligations would eventually become one of the defining features of his time in MLS,” writes Tenorio.

Contrast that with Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese superstar and Messi’s lifelong rival for the title of the world’s greatest player.

The two men couldn’t be more different. 

Ronaldo, now 41, is the preening superstar with an ego to match while Messi prefers the quiet life when he’s not playing.

Instead, Messi does all his talking on the pitch, where he has won everything there is to win in the professional game, from league titles, cups and Champions Leagues galore with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain to Copa Americas and, of course, the World Cup with Argentina in 2022.

There’s also the small matter of eight Ballon d’Ors, awarded each year to the world’s greatest player— three more than Cristiano Ronaldo.

But while Ronaldo fled to Saudi Arabia in 2022, earning a reported $230 million a year with Al-Nassr, Messi chose to take his many talents to the United States and MLS. 

He may have been what Tenorio calls an “odd hero” for MLS, but his presence in the league has given it a boost at a critical juncture. “It’s a weird dynamic between the League and Messi because they really needed a spokesman, like David Beckham was, but he’s just not that person,” says Tenorio. 

“And yet his popularity is still so overwhelming that he’s been able to pull them into conversations that they otherwise wouldn’t be in — and that’s all down to his unique ability on the field.”

In October 2025, meanwhile, Messi signed an extension to his deal and this time it guaranteed him equity in the club too, much like Beckham received when he retired from playing. “I think it’s an acknowledgement that Messi is a once-in-a-generation opportunity in the way Beckham was too,” says Tenorio. 

“When we think about the impact David Beckham had on American soccer, it’s not the two MLS Cups he won with the LA Galaxy, it’s Inter Miami, and Messi going there. 

“That has changed the face of the league.”

Beckham, alongside Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas, was instrumental in persuading Messi to move to Florida, not least as he had been through the same experience when he left Spanish giants Real Madrid to join Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.

The pair spent three years courting the player, finally convincing him to join in the summer of 2023. As MLS commissioner Don Garber said in 2007: “There’s no Messi in MLS if David didn’t come into our league in 2007.”

Since he made the move, Inter Miami have done all they can to make Messi’s life in the US as relaxed as possible; they even stage Messi’s son’s games at one of their facilities so he can attend in peace, safe in the knowledge that he won’t be mobbed.

But they’ve also made it worth his while.

When Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40, joined Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, he did so with a $230 million-a-year carrot dangling under his nose. 

Messi could have followed him to the Middle East and earned just as much, if not more, but instead chose to move to the United States, signing a two-and-a-half year deal in July 2023, worth a reported $150 million over the life of the contract, as well as lucrative revenue-sharing deals with Apple TV and Adidas.

For years, MLS has taken on an array of high-profile imports from the global game, like English superstars Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, European players such as Zlatan Ibrahimović and Thierry Henry and South Americans including Kaká and Carlos Valderrama.

They were all players of world renown, but the majority were all some way past their best.

The difference with Lionel Messi, even though he’s now 38, is that he is held to a higher standard than any player who’s gone before him. “No disrespect to those players,” says Tenorio, “but the reality is that when you’re Messi, you’re being measured against Maradona and Pelé, right? 

“You don’t have the luxury of having a bad season or not winning a trophy somewhere.”

While Messi is contracted through 2028, he will be 41 when the deal runs out and the question of what he — and MLS — might do next remains the most intriguing of all. 

Messi has already confirmed that he is not interested in becoming a coach, nor would he like to go into television commentary or analysis. 

MLS, meanwhile, will need to do something radical to replace the man who has sold out stadiums across the country and given the competition a truly global profile. “What’s keeping those fans there once he’s gone?” asks Tenorio. 

“I truly feel MLS is at this critical point in its history where it has to make a decision about what it wants to be. If they can put more quality on the field it can become the dominant league in North America.”

“MLS needs to change its roster rules so it can do more than just sign star players like Lionel Messi — it also has to build stronger overall squads around them. By spending more efficiently and improving the quality of play across the league, MLS can create more competitive games, attract bigger audiences and ultimately secure better media deals that reinvest in the product on the field.”

But as transformative as Messi’s American chapter has been, the spotlight is beginning to shift. 

With the 2026 World Cup looming and Argentina preparing to defend the crown Messi delivered in Qatar, the final act of his career is no longer centered on building MLS — it’s about cementing an international legacy that may never be matched. 

Gavin is an award-winning author and journalist with over 20 years experience. He has written many critically acclaimed books, including a biography of the American golfer John Daly, “Letting The Big Dog Eat,” and “Once In A Lifetime: The Incredible Story of the New York Cosmos.”

Martin O’Neill is poised to continue as Celtic manager after a successful interim tenure.

O’Neill won the Premiership and Scottish Cup double in the second of two short-term roles this season. He rejoined the club 20 years after leaving last October and was back again in January after Wilfried Nancy’s disastrous eight-game reign.

Confirmation from Celtic of O’Neill’s new deal is expected soon and will come after several Celtic fan groups opposed the potential appointment of Robbie Keane because of his previous role at Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The former striker, who had a brief loan spell at Celtic as a player, was strongly criticised by pro-Palestinian campaigners for not resigning as a result of the conflict in Gaza.

Keane’s wife revealed in 2024 that their family had been targeted with death threats because of his association with the Israeli club, prompting them to install video cameras at their home in Dublin.

Now, amid reports that Celtic have held talks with Keane over the managerial position, supporter groups have voiced their strong disapproval of his potential appointment.

A group calling itself “Celtic Fans for the Liberation of Palestine” has released a statement which has apparently been endorsed and co-signed by 67 different fan groups and fan-led media.

“As Celtic fans, we oppose the proposed appointment of Robbie Keane as manager of Celtic Football Club,” the statement reads.

“Celtic supporters have a long and proud history of solidarity with the Palestinian people. For us, Robbie Keane’s decision to manage Maccabi Tel Aviv during the genocide in Gaza is impossible to ignore.

“To choose to manage a club in Israel while, less than 40 miles away, the same country was using indiscriminate weapons of mass murder against a defenceless people is unconscionable.

“Celtic was founded by a community shaped by the legacy of genocide, displacement and famine. Our club’s roots lie in solidarity with those who suffered injustice and oppression. We cannot forget where we came from, nor turn our backs on those facing genocide today.

“At a time when Celtic requires unity and collective purpose, this appointment would be deeply divisive among the support. It would also represent a predictable and uninspiring choice at a moment when greater ambition is needed.

“We urge the Celtic board to listen to supporters’ concerns and reconsider this appointment. No to Keane.”

Keane, who played for 11 different clubs over the course of a prolific 21-year playing career, took over at Hungarian side Ferencváros in 2025. He won the Hungarian league later that year before winning the country’s domestic cup in 2025-26.

Despite being eligible for reinstatement, former Philadelphia Union sporting director Ernst Tanner has not resumed duties with the club, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation said this week, in part because he has yet to complete his league-ordered restorative practices training.

Tanner was suspended through 1 June by Major League Soccer after a league-ordered investigation found he had violated “policies and standards of professional conduct required of League and Club leadership”. That investigation, which concluded in March, was the league’s second inquiry into alleged misconduct by Tanner; he had previously been investigated after an MLS Players Association complaint alleged multiple instances of racist, sexist and homophobic behavior.

Related: MLS executive who built a powerhouse faced allegations of sexist, racist and homophobic behavior

MLS initially closed its initial investigation when it was unable to substantiate those complaints. The Guardian’s own investigation late last year substantiated many of those complaints and raised additional concerns, prompting the league to reopen its investigation and, eventually, suspend Tanner without pay. Neither the league or Union offered any clarity into which specific allegations the investigation substantiated. Tanner has denied the allegations against him.

MLS declined to comment on Tanner’s status. The Philadelphia Union did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

The Union named former academy director Jon Scheer as sporting director last week, while also firing head coach Bradley Carnell after a franchise-worst start to the season. At the time, Union owner Jay Sugarman addressed Tanner’s status.

“Ernst right now is still in the restorative process,” Sugarman said at a press conference. “We’re going to wait to see how that plays out. The reports we’ve gotten so far is that he’s taken it incredibly seriously. I think he was always planning to step back and go back to Germany at the end of his contract year so we’re running out of time as it is, but we’re going to have conversations with him once we get all the information from the league and the specialists who are working with him.”

When asked whether Tanner could be assigned a different role at the club, Sugarman said it was “premature” to discuss a return before he sees the results of Tanner’s league-ordered training.

During his time at the Union, Tanner built the club into a powerhouse and a model for MLS franchises looking to compete on a tight budget. The Union’s academy system, which Tanner helped construct and oversee, is among the league’s finest, having produced multiple members of the US roster at this summer’s World Cup.

The Union sit in last place in the Eastern Conference and are in the midst of one of the worst seasons in MLS history. They return to play on 22 July, against the New York Red Bulls.

Midfielder Ronald Donkor signed a three-and-a-half-year contract extension with Red Bull New York, keeping the 21-year-old in Harrison, N.J., through the 2029-30 MLS season. 

The burgeoning Red Bulls midfielder had been in the final year of his original contract, which he signed with the club back in 2023, and his new deal includes an option for the 2030-31 season. 

“Ronnie has developed into a really important member of our club, and we are very excited to keep him with the club for the long-term,” Red Bulls head of sport Julian de Guzman said in a statement. “He is a very hard worker that gives his all for our club and we are looking forward to seeing him continue to succeed here.”

Donkor scored his first career goal in Major League Soccer in April when the Red Bulls played to a 4-4 draw against D.C. United on April 22, with Red Bulls head of global soccer and legendary soccer manager Jürgen Klopp in attendance. 

The Accra, Ghana native has recorded a career high for MLS starts, with 14, along with career bests in assists (four) and minutes played (1,183). 

While speaking with reporters in April, Donkor credited new Red Bulls head coach Michael Bradley and assistant coach Ibrahim Sekagya for his improvement this season. 

“They are the people who are just making me who I am now,” he said. “Because even if things are not going well, the way they talk to me, the way they push me, that makes me go forward more.” 

Bradley described Donkor as an “integral part” of the Red Bulls this season and said that he has a “very bright future ahead of him.” 

Donkor’s career began in the West African nation of Mali, where he played for Guidars FC. 

The news of Donkor’s contract extension comes as Major League Soccer’s season is paused for the World Cup. 

The Red Bulls have had an up-and-down start to the 2026 season, but had entered the break earning points in their final four matches and winning three of their last four contests. 

Red Bull New York is 6-5-4 through 15 games and currently sits in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Soccer, the world’s most global and popular sport, unsurprisingly has clubs worldwide boasting lucrative values and revenue numbers.

According to CNBC’s 2026 soccer valuations, the top 10 teams are all based in Europe. La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona lead the way, with the former valued at $7.5 billion to come in first and the latter in second at $6.4 billion.

Six teams in the Premier League dominate all other leagues within the top 10. Manchester United fell one spot from last year, ranking No. 3 overall at $6.3 billion, though still enough to lead its fellow English competitors.

Liverpool ($6B), Manchester City ($5.55B), Arsenal ($4.8B), Tottenham ($3.4B) and Chelsea ($3.35B) are the others. The Gunners took the biggest jump of any team in the top 10 with a 20% one-year value change, while their London rivals in Spurs and Chelsea each went down by 4%.

Germany’s Bayern Munich ($5.35B) and France’s Paris Saint-Germain ($5.3B) round out the top 10.

Major League Soccer gets its first entries within the top 15. To no surprise, Inter Miami, anchored by Lionel Messi, ranks highest at No. 14. CNBC senior sports reporter Michael Ozanian explained the team’s 60% growth within the past year to be valued at $1.6 billion.

“They have a new stadium, they’re going to have by far the most revenue in the history of Major League Soccer,” Ozanian said. “Lionel Messi has been a tremendous draw for them in selling tickets …

“Speaking of Lionel Messi, he’s given a certain exemption for a star like that and sort of the way he gets paid. He’s been given some stock options with the team as part of his contract. So with MLS teams coming in as a buyer that the league covers the cost of players … [it’s] one of the reasons why this year we have seven MLS teams on the list despite the fact that their revenue is nowhere near the level of European football teams.”

The other MLS clubs within the top 30 are NYCFC at No. 15 ($1.55B), LAFC at No. 18 ($1.3B), LA Galaxy at No. 19 ($1.2B), Atlanta United at No. 23 ($1B), Austin FC at No. 24 ($910M) and Columbus Crew at No. 26 ($900M).

Soccer, the world’s most global and popular sport, unsurprisingly has clubs worldwide boasting lucrative values and revenue numbers.

According to CNBC’s 2026 soccer valuations, the top 10 teams are all based in Europe. La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona lead the way, with the former valued at $7.5 billion to come in first and the latter in second at $6.4 billion.

Six teams in the Premier League dominate all other leagues within the top 10. Manchester United fell one spot from last year, ranking No. 3 overall at $6.3 billion, though still enough to lead its fellow English competitors.

Liverpool ($6B), Manchester City ($5.55B), Arsenal ($4.8B), Tottenham ($3.4B) and Chelsea ($3.35B) are the others. The Gunners took the biggest jump of any team in the top 10 with a 20% one-year value change, while their London rivals in Spurs and Chelsea each went down by 4%.

Germany’s Bayern Munich ($5.35B) and France’s Paris Saint-Germain ($5.3B) round out the top 10.

Major League Soccer gets its first entries within the top 15. To no surprise, Inter Miami, anchored by Lionel Messi, ranks highest at No. 14. CNBC senior sports reporter Michael Ozanian explained the team’s 60% growth within the past year to be valued at $1.6 billion.

“They have a new stadium, they’re going to have by far the most revenue in the history of Major League Soccer,” Ozanian said. “Lionel Messi has been a tremendous draw for them in selling tickets …

“Speaking of Lionel Messi, he’s given a certain exemption for a star like that and sort of the way he gets paid. He’s been given some stock options with the team as part of his contract. So with MLS teams coming in as a buyer that the league covers the cost of players … [it’s] one of the reasons why this year we have seven MLS teams on the list despite the fact that their revenue is nowhere near the level of European football teams.”

The other MLS clubs within the top 30 are NYCFC at No. 15 ($1.55B), LAFC at No. 18 ($1.3B), LA Galaxy at No. 19 ($1.2B), Atlanta United at No. 23 ($1B), Austin FC at No. 24 ($910M) and Columbus Crew at No. 26 ($900M).

Soccer, the world’s most global and popular sport, unsurprisingly has clubs worldwide boasting lucrative values and revenue numbers.

According to CNBC’s 2026 soccer valuations, the top 10 teams are all based in Europe. La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona lead the way, with the former valued at $7.5 billion to come in first and the latter in second at $6.4 billion.

Six teams in the Premier League dominate all other leagues within the top 10. Manchester United fell one spot from last year, ranking No. 3 overall at $6.3 billion, though still enough to lead its fellow English competitors.

Liverpool ($6B), Manchester City ($5.55B), Arsenal ($4.8B), Tottenham ($3.4B) and Chelsea ($3.35B) are the others. The Gunners took the biggest jump of any team in the top 10 with a 20% one-year value change, while their London rivals in Spurs and Chelsea each went down by 4%.

Germany’s Bayern Munich ($5.35B) and France’s Paris Saint-Germain ($5.3B) round out the top 10.

Major League Soccer gets its first entries within the top 15. To no surprise, Inter Miami, anchored by Lionel Messi, ranks highest at No. 14. CNBC senior sports reporter Michael Ozanian explained the team’s 60% growth within the past year to be valued at $1.6 billion.

“They have a new stadium, they’re going to have by far the most revenue in the history of Major League Soccer,” Ozanian said. “Lionel Messi has been a tremendous draw for them in selling tickets …

“Speaking of Lionel Messi, he’s given a certain exemption for a star like that and sort of the way he gets paid. He’s been given some stock options with the team as part of his contract. So with MLS teams coming in as a buyer that the league covers the cost of players … [it’s] one of the reasons why this year we have seven MLS teams on the list despite the fact that their revenue is nowhere near the level of European football teams.”

The other MLS clubs within the top 30 are NYCFC at No. 15 ($1.55B), LAFC at No. 18 ($1.3B), LA Galaxy at No. 19 ($1.2B), Atlanta United at No. 23 ($1B), Austin FC at No. 24 ($910M) and Columbus Crew at No. 26 ($900M).

North American soccer is bracing for a seismic move in the transfer market. Legendary French striker André-Pierre Gignac has reportedly all but decided his next steps away from Liga MX, with an imminent move to MLS to become Orlando City’s new star signing.

The end of a golden era at Tigres

The shocking news was revealed by journalist Diego Armando Medina on RG La Deportiva radio. According to the reporter, the French forward’s spell with Tigres UANL has come to an end. The player’s bags are already packed, and the decision is irreversible: he will not continue with the Monterrey-based club, even if they are crowned champions in the Champions Cup Final.

A new adventure in MLS

At 40 years old, the all-time leading scorer for the San Nicolás de los Garza side will look to test himself in American soccer. Negotiations with the Florida franchise are at a very advanced stage. “Gignac is very close to confirming his move to Orlando City in MLS,” Medina stated, foreshadowing the end of one of the most glorious chapters in Mexican soccer history.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

Ryan Richter, the head coach of the club's developmental team, Philadelphia Union II, was named Carnell's replacement on an interim basis.

The move came less than a year after Carnell led the Union to the best record in the MLS in his first season as head coach. Philadelphia was the top seed in the playoffs before being eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Carnell didn't make it halfway through his second year, as the team opted to make a move with the Union at 1-10-4, the worst mark in the 30-team league.

Union principal owner Jay Sugarman praised Carnell's professionalism and expressed confidence in Richter during the search for Carnell's permanent replacement. Richter served as the first team’s assistant head coach from 2022-24, before being appointed to serve as Union II’s head coach in January 2025.

Scheer has been involved with the Union since 2018 and worked in various roles, including director of academy and professional development and most recently as interim sporting director.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

In October 2025, Bradley Carnell was celebrating the Supporters' Shield his Philadelphia Union team won for being the most successful side in the MLS regular season. Now he is back on the job market, having been fired Wednesday, May 27 with the Union sitting in last place.

Carnell oversaw a madcap match against Inter Miami earlier this week, the Union's final contest before MLS breaks nearly two months for the 2026 World Cup. Despite being ahead 2-0 after 10 minutes, the Union were level at 4-4 heading into the halftime break and ended up falling 6-4 to Lionel Messi and Co.

That was the eighth winless match in a row for the Union, with their only win in the first 15 matches coming against CF Montreal.

It's not the first sophomore slump of Carnell's managerial career. After leading expansion St. Louis City SC to the top of the Western Conference with 56 points in the 2023 campaign, Carnell was let go July 1, 2024 with the team wining just three of its first 20 games.

What other changes are the Philadelphia Union making?

In addition to Carnell's departure, the Union announced Jon Scheer as the sporting director. Scheer had been serving as the interim during an investigation into Ernst Tanner, who MLS investigated for allegations of inappropriate and insensitive comments.

The Union have a pair of players in the World Cup — Haiti's Danley Jean Jacques and South Africa's Olwethu Makhanya — but won't return to action until July 22 against the New York Red Bulls.

Philadelphia Union fire head coach Bradley Carnell originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Union fired their head coach Bradley Carnell amid a disappointing start to the season.

The Major League Soccer (MLS) club announced Carnell’s firing on Wednesday, May 27. They plan to begin a global search for their next head coach immediately. Ryan Richter – who coaches the team’s affiliate Philadelphia Union II — will be the club’s interim head coach.

“On behalf of the Philadelphia Union organization, I want to thank Bradley for his dedication and commitment to the club during his time here,” Jay Sugarman, the Philadelphia Union’s Principal Owner, said. “He brought professionalism and passion to his role, and we appreciate everything he has contributed to the team and the organization. We are confident that he will find success in his future coaching endeavors.”

Carnell was hired as the Union’s fourth head coach in team history in January 2025. He led the team to a Supporters’ Shield crest – an annual award given to the MLS team with the best regular season record — and was named the Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year in 2025.

However, the Union struggled under Carnell in the 2026 season. They currently have the worst record in the league at 1-10-4.

“I want to thank the fans, the players, the staff, and everyone involved with this club for the support and commitment during my time here,” Carnell said. “I’m proud of what we accomplished together and grateful for the relationships and memories we built along the way. To my staff and especially the players, thank you for your hard work and dedication through both the highs and the challenges, you inspired me every day and I appreciate the opportunity to have been part of this team.”

The Union also announced Wednesday that they named Jon Scheer as their new Sporting Director. With the role, Scheer will oversee the club’s sporting operations, including player recruitment, roster management, scouting and technical strategy.

“Jon has consistently demonstrated strong leadership, a deep understanding of our club philosophy, and a clear vision for the future of the Philadelphia Union,” Sugarman said. “As we enter a new chapter for the organization, we are confident in Jon’s ability to lead our sporting operations and get us back on track with a culture centered around development, ambition, and sustained success.”

Scheer previously served as the Union’s Director of Academy and Professional Development and most recently as interim sporting director.

“I’m honored to take on the role of Sporting Director for the Philadelphia Union and want to thank our ownership group, as well as the mentors, colleagues, and staff members who have supported me throughout my time with the organization,” Scheer said. “This club has built a strong identity rooted in development, hard work, and a winning culture, and I understand the responsibility that comes with leading that vision forward. I’m committed to helping drive the Union back to the standard our supporters, organization, and community expect.”

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Where do you go after Lionel Messi, Major League Soccer? ?

This is not just a question MLS will ponder, but one soccer in general has been thinking about for some time. It has led to a desperate trend of labelling every promising youngster the “next Messi”, but such was (and remarkably still is) the Argentinian’s quality, that there may not be another player at his level for decades. There may never be one.

If the wider soccer world is struggling with this, what chance does MLS have? It will be almost impossible to replicate the social media hits, the record-breaking attendances across North America, the Inter Miami shirts seen around the world and the unprecedented media coverage of the league.

Related: Guardiola leaves Manchester City as one of the game’s greats – and someone who knows its dark heart | Barney Ronay

The solution may be more obvious than it first appears, and may be better for the sport in the US than any player, even Messi. Its feasibility increased on Friday when it was officially announced that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City this summer.

If you’ve reached a peak in one area by signing the best player ever, the best next step is lateral. The league should not target a player but a manager to become MLS’s crown jewel. And who better to provide a link to Messi after his departure than his mentor.

There could be an upside for Guardiola too. He has achieved everything he can in European club football – from the Champions League to domestic titles and cups – so why not move to a different continent altogether?

This is reflected in the role he will assume immediately on leaving Manchester City. He will become a “global ambassador” at City Football Group, with responsibilities that include “giving technical advice to clubs in the group”, one of which is MLS’s New York City FC.

Another possible move away from the day-to-day of club coaching would be to manage a national team. Guardiola has been linked to the USMNT job in the past, but he has suggested he wants to take a long break from coaching. “I need to breathe a little bit and relax. I will be out for a while,” he said on Friday.

The timing of his sabbatical – and a possible return – could align well with NYC FC’s move to their own soccer-specific stadium at Willets Point in Queens. The lure of a new beginning in a new stadium in New York could be attractive for a coach who already has a relationship with the city, having chosen it as the base for his year-long break between the end of his time with Barcelona in 2012 and the beginning of his tenure at Bayern Munich in 2013.

“New York represented a fresh start,” Guardiola biographer Martí Perarnau wrote in his book, Pep Confidential. “He wanted a chance to switch off, forget the past, and discover new ideas. This was an opportunity to recharge his batteries and top up the reserves of energy that had become so depleted.”

New York City seems like the last place for someone to “switch off”, but elite managers like Guardiola, who are constantly looking to improve and evolve, never really have down time. A recharging Guardiola plugged in to New York City to learn, expand horizons and then apply that to future managerial projects. “He chose New York for his sabbatical because the city intrigued him … He thrives on New York’s culture,” the Financial Times noted in 2013.

A recent line of clothing released by Man City to mark Guardiola’s 10 seasons at the club features a large “P” for Pep, where a team logo would normally be. It was distinctly American in its look, perhaps influenced by his interest in US sports culture.

“This is something that happened during his time in New York for his sabbatical,” says Jon Mackenzie, author of the upcoming book, The Spectre of Pep: How Guardiola Haunts Modern Football Tactics.

“He’s just a curious guy with a lot of interests outside football, and I suspect he would treat the opportunity to be in the US as a way of expanding his horizons again. He might find the US a generative place to be from a cultural and intellectual perspective.”

When it comes to those modern tactics, MLS would present a challenge unlike any other Guardiola has faced. At the same time, just as a domestically dominant Bayern gave him a chance to experiment with new ideas with a slightly lower risk of losing matches, MLS offers the chance to use the extended group stage that is the regular season to experiment and try to build a playoff-winning setup within the league’s roster limitations.

It would also go some way towards answering another question often sent the way of Guardiola: what could he do with more limited resources? While there is increasing flexibility, a salary cap restricts the wage bill outside the league’s designated players such as Messi and another former Guardiola student, Thomas Müller. There are no limitations on what a franchise can spend on staff, though, opening the door for an ambitious owner to make a move.

Where better for Guardiola to try to change soccer than in the country where it is not the only game in town? Where the top division is regularly omitted in discussions of the region’s “big leagues”, but where participation levels are high, and there is a long-held belief that there is huge, untapped potential. A City Football Group club about to get its own soccer-specific stadium within New York’s five boroughs could appeal.

MLS won’t be able to find its next Messi because there isn’t one, but attracting the guy who helped make Messi the player he is could have an even bigger and longer-lasting impact on the US game.

Lionel Messi was substituted during Inter Miami's latest Major League Soccer match because of "muscle fatigue" in his left hamstring, his club said on Monday.

There had been fears that the 2022 World Cup winner had suffered an injury during Inter Miami's 6-4 win over Philadelphia Union.

However, the MLS club announced that medical tests showed that it was nothing more than "an overload associated with muscle fatigue".

"The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress," Inter Miami said.

Having set up two of Miami's four first-half goals on Sunday, Messi clutched his leg in the 73rd minute after taking a free-kick and was immediately withdrawn in the team's final game before the World Cup break.

The 38-year-old went straight down the tunnel but appeared to be walking normally.

"He really was fatigued," Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said after the game when asked about Messi's condition. "He was tired; the pitch was heavy and when in doubt, the standard approach is always to ensure you don't take any risks."

Messi has not formally confirmed he plans to play for defending champions Argentina in the World Cup, which begins on 11 June.

However, he is widely expected to make a record-equalling sixth appearance at a World Cup, with the tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Argentina's squad is due to be named next week, with their opening game against Algeria on 16 June.

Since moving to Miami in 2023, the Barcelona legend and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has carefully managed his workload but has still spent spells out of action with hamstring issues.

He has 12 goals and eight assists in 14 MLS games this season, only one behind the leader in each category, having scored a league-leading 29 goals and assisted 19 times in 28 games during the 2025 regular season.

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Portland Timbers have confirmed that they have parted company with head coach Phil Neville by mutual consent.

Neville's final match in charge was Sunday's 3-1 defeat to San Jose Earthquakes that left the Timbers third from bottom in the Western Conference, eight points adrift of an automatic MLS play-offs spot.

Speaking on Monday, Neville, 49, thanked all those involved with the club for his time in Oregon but conceded that he had failed to deliver the results required this term.

"I realise we are in a results business, and the results haven't been to the expectation of this football club," Neville said.

The former England and Manchester United defender joined the Portland Timbers in 2023 five months after being dismissed by Inter Miami.

He was also previously in charge of the England women's team, leading them to the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup.

And while the club set a new scoring record and he led the Timbers into the play-offs in his first two seasons at the helm - before losing in the opening round and the first round respectively - the timing of this decision arrives with the league heading into a break for the World Cup.

Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy, added: "Phil brought enthusiasm and passion to the role, and it was a pleasure to work with him. We wish Phil all the best in his next opportunity.

"This off-season we had pointed discussions about the areas we needed to build on and improve.

"Ultimately, we have not seen the progress we've needed to, and, most importantly, results have fallen well short of expectations."

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The move comes following Portland's 3-1 loss at home to the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night. The Timbers are 4-8-2 this season and sitting in 13th place in Major League Soccer's Western Conference.

Neville finished with a 27-31-24 record at the helm of the Timbers after joining the team ahead of the 2024 season. In a statement, Neville thanked the Timbers' front office, players and supporters.

“I realize we are in a results business, and the results haven’t been to the expectation of this football club. To the Timbers Army — you are the reason I felt inspired to try and bring success to this club,” Neville said. "Keep getting behind the players and the club in this wonderful city. I will miss you all.”

Before he was hired by the Timbers, the former Manchester United defender was coach at Inter Miami, where he finished 35-42-13. Neville also coached the England women's national team at the 2019 Women's World Cup.

With the Timbers, Neville replaced Giovanni Savarese, who led the team to the MLS playoffs in four of his five-plus seasons in Portland.

“In my nearly two decades of owning and operating the Portland Timbers, there are very few people I have enjoyed working with more than Phil Neville,” owner Merritt Paulson said. “Phil has outstanding leadership qualities and a boundless sense of positivity even in the face of adversity. I cannot thank Phil enough for his tireless dedication to this club and the Portland community, which he and his family truly embraced.”

The search for a replacement is underway. Portland did not immediately name an interim coach because MLS currently is on hiatus for an international break and the men's World Cup starting June 11.

In addition to his lengthy playing career in the Premier League with Manchester United and Everton, Neville also appeared in 59 matches for England’s national team, playing in three European championships.

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Phil Neville is no longer in charge of the Portland Timbers after they announced they had “mutually parted ways” with their head coach.

“In my nearly two decades of owning and operating the Portland Timbers, there are very few people I have enjoyed working with more than Phil Neville,” said Timbers owner Merritt Paulson. “Phil has outstanding leadership qualities and a boundless sense of positivity even in the face of adversity. I cannot thank Phil enough for his tireless dedication to this club and the Portland community, which he and his family truly embraced.”

Related: ‘I was upset for him’: how Real Salt Lake reacted to Diego Luna’s USMNT exclusion

Neville’s final match in charge of the Timbers was a 3-1 defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes that left the team 13th in the MLS Western Conference, well short of a playoff place. The club made the playoffs in Neville’s first two seasons in charge – in 2024 and 2025 – losing in the opening round and the first round respectively. On Monday, Neville admitted he had not taken the team as far as he would have liked.

“I’d like to thank Merritt Paulson, Ned Grabavoy, and the entire Portland family for their unwavering support in giving me the job and standing behind me,” Neville said after his departure was announced. “To my staff, thank you for your incredible loyalty and hard work. And to the most incredible bunch of players: thank you for the effort, the good times, the good results, the bad results, and all the laughs we shared together. I realize we are in a results business, and the results haven’t been to the expectation of this football club. To the Timbers Army – you are the reason I felt inspired to try and bring success to this club. Keep getting behind the players and the club in this wonderful city. I will miss you all.”

Portland was Neville’s second head coaching job in MLS. He was in charge of Inter Miami from 2021 to 2023, leaving shortly before the arrival of Lionel Messi helped change the club into title contenders. He was also in charge of the England women’s team, leading them to the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup.

LAFC (7-5-3) snapped a three-game losing streak and a four-game winless stretch.

LAFC has won six straight and is 9-0-1 at home against the Sounders in the regular season. Seattle has two wins at BMO Stadium in the MLS Cup playoffs, most recently a 2-1 victory in extra time to advance to the 2024 Western Conference final.

Tyler Boyd played a cross from the right side to the back post, where Tillman put away a sliding half-volley to give LAFC a 1-0 lead.

Hasal, who had his first shutout since 2022 for Vancouver, made his second consecutive start (his third this season) in the place the injured Hugo Lloris, who is out (leg) indefinitely. Lloris leads MLS with eight shutouts, including an MLS-record six straight to open the season.

Andrew Thomas had two saves for the Sounders (7-3-3).

Seattle has allowed 11 goals this season, tied with Nashville — the points leader in all of MLS with 33 — for the fewest in the league.

The Sounders are 3-2-2 and have conceded just four goals on the road this season.

Seattle's Danny Musovski subbed on for Paul Rothrock in the 69th minute and hit the crossbar with a shot from the center of the area in the 76th.

The Sounders lost 2-0 at home against the LA Galaxy on May 16 to snap a nine-game unbeaten streak dating to a 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake on Feb. 28. The loss to the Galaxy also snapped Seattle's 22-game home unbeaten streak across all competitions.

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In other action around the National Women’s Soccer League, the Kansas City Current topped the Portland Thorns 3-1 and the Orlando Pride beat San Diego Wave 1-0.

On a breakaway in the 11th minute, Chicago forward Jordyn Huitema was fouled near the top of the box by Bay defender Aldana Cometti and received a red card as a result. The ensuing free kick by midfielder Brianna Pinto was denied by goalkeeper Jordyn Silkowitz.

Despite being down a player, it appeared as if Bay FC (3-5-2) took the lead on Taylor Huff’s right-footed shot in the 39th minute. After video review, the goal was called back due to offsides.

Attempting to stop a long ball over the top, Silkowitz came out of her box and handled the ball resulting in Bay FC’s second red card of the game in the 63rd minute.

Chicago (3-8-0) finally broke the deadlock through Swanson’s left-footed blast in the 70th. In just her second game back from maternity leave, the forward scored her first goal since July 6, 2024.

Swanson was subbed off in stoppage time after going down from a challenge of defender Maddie Moreau.

The Stars snapped a four-game losing streak with the win.

LaBonta and Chawinga score in Current comeback

The Current tied an NWSL record by extending their home unbeaten streak to 22 games with their win over the Thorns.

Portland forward Sophia Wilson opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a left-footed shot that beat goalkeeper Lorena near-post for the 1-0 lead.

Current captain Lo’eau LaBonta leveled the match in the 41st with her first goal of the season.

Reigning MVP Temwa Chawinga was left wide open and calmly finished for her sixth goal of the season and the 2-1 lead in the 63rd. Chawinga found substitute Haley Hopkins in stoppage time for the margin.

All three losses and goals allowed for the Portland Thorns (7-3-2) have come on the road.

The Current (6-5-0) remain undefeated in five home matches this season.

Payne scores for Pride on the road

After missing last season due to injury, Nicole Payne scored her first professional goal in just her third game back for the Orlando Pride (4-5-2).

In first half stoppage time, Payne’s pinpoint shot from outside the box provided visiting Orlando the 1-0 lead that they would never relinquish to the Wave (7-4-1).

Anna Moorhouse made five saves for her fourth clean sheet of the season.

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Columbus fired first-year head coach Henrik Rydstrom on Sunday. Laurent Courtois, who had been a Crew assistant coach and the former CF Montreal manager, got a win in his first game since being named interim coach.

Patrick Schulte finished with two saves and had his third shutout this season for the Crew (4-7-4). Mohamed Farsi had two assists.

Atlanta (3-9-2) has scored 14 goals this season, tied with Philadelphia and Kansas City for the fewest in MLS.

Bangoura opened the scoring in the 24th minute. On the counter-attack, Diego Rossi tapped a pass to Farsi, who played a first-touch pass around charging goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos to Bangoura for the point-blank finish into a wide-open net.

Rossi — whose chip-shot over Hoyos harmlessly ricocheted off the back post — put away a first-touch shot, off a cross by Farsi on the counter-attack, from just inside the penalty box that made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time.

Hoyos had two saves.

The Crew beat Atlanta 3-1 on the road April 4 behind two goals from Wessam Abou Ali — who suffered a season-ending knee injury in a 1-1 tie with Orlando City on April 12.

Columbus played Philadelphia to a 1-1 tie last Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak.

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Paintsil staked the Galaxy to a 1-0 lead with an unassisted score in the 30th minute and Santos answered in the 41st with assists from Jack McGlynn — his fourth — and defender Antônio Carlos — his first.

It was the third goal this season for Paintsil after he found the net 10 times in each of his first two seasons.

Santos has eight goals in his first 14 appearances in the league.

Jonathan Bond finished with five saves for Houston (7-6-1). Bond made 89 starts with the Galaxy from 2021-23.

JT Marcinkowski saved three shots for Los Angeles (5-5-5).

Houston had played a club-record 13 straight matches without a draw to begin a season.

The Dynamo lead the all-time series 15-14-14 after the two clubs played to a pair of 1-1 draws last season.

Up next

The league takes a break for the FIFA World Cup and will return to action on July 16.

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Farrington scored for the sixth time this season to give Dallas a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute. The PK was awarded after Farrington was fouled by Rapids midfielder Paxten Aaronson.

Aaronson answered in the following minute with his fourth goal of the campaign to knot the score at 1-1. Georgi Minoungou and Wayne Frederick had assists.

Moreno's PK came in the 45th minute, sending Dallas into halftime with the lead. The kick came after Minoungou fouled Ran Binyamin.

Jonathan Sirois had five saves in his second start for Dallas (7-4-4). He made 89 starts for CF Montreal in the previous three seasons.

Nico Hansen did not have a save for Colorado (5-9-1) in his sixth start this season and the 16th of his career.

Dallas began the day in fifth place in the Western Conference before winning for the fourth time in its last five matches. Dallas leads the all-time series 37-30-20.

The Rapids advanced to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals for the first time since 1999 after beating the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Up next

The league takes a break for the FIFA World Cup and will return to action on July 16.

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San Jose beat Portland at Providence Park for the first time in 20 tries (1-14-5) since the Timbers joined MLS in 2011.

The Earthquakes (9-3-2) have 32 points, one behind MLS-leading Nashville.

Judd opened the scoring with a rolling shot from the edge of the box and fired a rising shot from the center of the area to make it 2-0 about 10 minutes later.

Daniel De Sousa Britto — known simply as “Daniel” — had six saves for the Earthquakes.

Antony Alves Santos (known as “Antony”) scored in the 18th minute for the Timbers (4-8-2).

Judd became the third player in club history to score a goal in four consecutive away games, joining Chris Wondolowski (three times, last in 2014) and Raul Diaz Arce (1999). Judd had three goals in his first 40 away matches in MLS.

San Jose, which had allowed eight goals in the first 12 games, conceded six in the back-to-back losses going into Saturday.

James Pantemis had four saves for the Timbers.

San Jose’s Timo Werner, who has four goals in as many starts this season, has missed the last five games due to a hamstring injury and 20-year-old midfielder Niko Tsakiris (groin surgery) — who has two goals and seven assists this season — has missed four straight.

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The Red Bulls took a 1-0 lead in the 4th minute when the first-year forward took passes from Gustav Berggren and 18-year-old Julian Hall and scored. Berggren's first assist this season was his second in 16 career matches.

Ruvalcaba used another assist from Hall, along with one from 21-year-old rookie Rafael Mosquera, to score three minutes into stoppage time and the youngest team in the league led 2-0 at the half.

Ruvalcaba has seven goals through his first 15 appearances. Hall already has a career-high four assists after collecting one in his first 38 matches. Mosquera has two assists and has come off the bench in nine of his 10 appearances after debuting and playing nine minutes in a match last season.

Calvin Harris scored for the second time this season to cut it to 2-1 in the 61st minute. Manu García had his fourth assist and rookie Taylor Calheira added his first in his 10th appearance.

That was the only blemish against Ethan Horvath, who finished with seven saves for the Red Bulls (6-5-4) in his 15th career start.

Stefan Cleveland totaled two saves in his fifth start for Sporting KC (3-9-2), which falls to 1-4-2 at home.

New York is 3-0-1 in its last four outings and improves to 3-3-2 on the road.

The Red Bulls take a 23-22-15 lead in the all-time series between the charter members.

Up next

The league takes a break for the FIFA World Cup and will return to action on July 16.

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Nashville (10-1-3) has won three in a row and has 33 points, one more than Western Conference-leading San Jose.

Sam Surridge, who returned from a four-game absence, subbed on for Ahmed Qasem in the 72nd minute.

Nashville is the only MLS club still undefeated (6-0-1) at home this season and has a plus-14 (23-9) goal differential at Geodis Park.

Woledzi gave Nashville a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute. Bryan Acosta played an arcing ball from the right side to the back post and Woledzi banged a header off the bottom of the crossbar into the net.

Cristian Espinoza played a corner kick to the back post, where Palacios headed home a finish that ricocheted off the hand of goalkeeper Matt Freese into the net to open the scoring in the 17th minute.

Nicolás Fernández converted from the penalty spot to make it 1-1 in the 23rd minute.

Brian Schwake had three saves for Nashville.

NYCFC (5-6-4) had its three-game unbeaten streak snapped.

Freese finished with four saves.

Maxi Moralez missed his first game for New York City since he suffered a torn ACL last Saturday in a 1-1 tie with the New York Red Bulls. The 39-year-old Moralez has spent each of his 10 MLS seasons with NYCFC and has 30 goals and a club-record 91 assists in his career.

Nashville in 4-0-1 at home against NYCFC, 4-3-2 overall.

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Toronto (3-6-5) has lost three in a row and is winless in eight straight, dating to a 3-2 victory over Colorado on April 4 — the last of a four-game unbeaten streak.

Chris Brady had three saves for the Fire (8-4-2).

The Fire is 14-14-14 against Toronto.

Lod opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. On the counter-attack, Hugo Cuypers played a centering pass from the left side to Maren Haile-Selassie, who tapped a first-touch pass to a charging Lod, who beat goalkeeper Luka Gavran one on one to give the Fire a 1-0 lead.

Gutman headed home a corner kick played in by Philip Zinckernagel to give the Fire a 2-1 lead in the 65th minute.

Josh Sargent returned from a three-game absence (thigh) and scored a goal that made it 1-1 in 34th minute. Alonso Coello, on the counter-attack, played a through ball to a charging Sargent for a first-touch finish that slipped under the crossbar.

Cuypers, who leads MLS with 13 goals this season, snapped his string of consecutive appearances with a goal at 10 games — the third longest in league history.

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Montreal trailed 4-2 heading into stoppage time before Owusu scored for the third time in the match and the ninth time this season. The PK was awarded after he was fouled by Keisuke Kurokawa

Synchuk, 19, followed with his first goal this season and his second in 22 appearances after subbing into the match in the 67th minute

Rookie Louis Munteanu scored his fifth goal — unassisted on a header off a deflection in the 9th minute to put DC United in front and Jared Stroud scored for the first time this season — unassisted in the 28th minute for a two-goal lead.

Owusu found the net for the first time after a long run in the first minute of stoppage time to cut it to 2-1 at halftime.

Tai Baribo scored his seventh goal — on a PK in the 51st minute for a 3-1 lead. Brayan Vera's foul on Lucas Bartlett led to the kick.

Montreal pulled within 3-2 in the 61st minute on another goal by Owusu. Former Red Bulls midfielder Wiki Carmona assisted.

Bartlett scored his second goal of the campaign to give DC United a 4-2 lead in the 87th minute.

Thomas Gillier, 21, had six saves for Montreal (4-8-2) in his 21st career start.

Sean Johnson turned away four shots for DC United (4-5-6), which remains unbeaten in six straight matches..

Montreal improves to 1-6-1 on the road, while DC United is 2-3-2 at home.

Montreal has gone 3-2-2 since Philippe Eullaffroy took over as interim coach on April 12.

The all-time series is tied 10-10-12.

Up next

The league takes a break for the FIFA World Cup and will return to action on July 16.

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Evander, who has seven goals and five assists in his past five games, is the first player in club history with at least two goals and two assists in a single game.

Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan earned his 75th regular-season win in just 151 games, tied with Seattle’s Brian Schmetzer fastest to the mark in the MLS post-shootout era (since 2000).

Kevin Denkey scored his club-leading ninth goal this season in the 77th minute and Tom Barlow capped the scoring in the first minute of stoppage time.

On the counter-attack, Evander played a cross from the left side to a charging Mboma Dem for a first-touch finish from just beyond the penalty spot in the 52nd minute and Evander rolled a shot from inside the penalty arc inside the right post to make it 4-2 in the 58th.

Cincinnati (5-5-5), which snapped a three-game winless streak. has scored multiple goals in a club-record (MLS era) eight consecutive games.

Roman Celentano had seven saves.

Martín Ojeda converted from the penalty spot to open the scoring in the 16th minute and scored on a free kick from 24 yards out to make it 2-2 in the 48th for Orlando (4-9-2). Ojeda has 11 goal this season, nine in the last seven games.

Evander, on the counter-attack, took a pass from Pavel Bucha and rolled a shot from the left side of the area inside the back post to give Cincinnati a 2-1 lead in first-half stoppage time.

Mboma Dem headed home a corner kick played into the area by Evander to make it 1-1 in the 42nd minute.

Orlando has allowed an MLS-worst 44 goals this season.

Maxime Crépeau had five saves.

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Joaquín Pereyra played a ball into the area from about 27 yards out on the left side and González flicked a header inside the back post to make it 1-1 in the third minute of stoppage time. The 21-year-old González made his sixth career appearance in MLS.

Minnesota won both matches with RSL last season and has a six-game unbeaten streak in the series.

Zach Booth opened the scoring with his first career goal in the 22nd minute. Zavier Gozo, beyond the top of the penalty arc, pushed a pass wide to right corner of the area, where Booth pushed it forward with his first touch and then blasted a shot into the top-netting.

Minnesota's Mamadou Dieng appeared to have scored on a header, off a corner kick played in by Tomás Chancalay, in first-half stoppage time, but was caught offside and the goal was nullified.

Minnesota (6-5-4) is winless in four straight. Drake Callender did not have a save.

Rafael Cabral had one save for Salt Lake (8-4-2)

RSL are 1-3-2 on the road this season.

Minnesota’s Kelvin Yeboah did not play, and missed Friday training session, due to “internal matter.” Yeboah leads the club with eight goals this season.

According to reports, RSL’s Diego Luna. who did not play (muscle tightness) Saturday, and the 19-year-old Gozo have been left off the U.S. men’s national team roster for the World Cup. The official announcement of the roster is Tuesday.

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Daniel Edelman scored his first goal for St. Louis to cap the scoring in the 90th minute.

St. Louis (4-6-4) is unbeaten, with three wins, in its last four. The 30-year-old Lundt started in place of Roman Bürki (quad) and had his third career shutout.

Austin (3-7-5), which fired coach Nico Estévez and sporting director Rodolfo Borrell on Monday, has lost three consecutive games and is winless in four straight. Davy Arnaud served as interim coach against St. Louis, but the club did not indicate if he will coach the team beyond that.

Eleven different St. Louis players have scored a goal this season — tied with four other teams for most in MLS.

Fall, a 22-year-old defender in his second MLS season, put away a sliding first-touch shot that skipped into the net to cap the scoring.

St. Louis took a 1-0 lead when Tomas Totland's cross was headed into the net by Austin's Guilherme Biro for an own goal in the 40th minute.

Brad Stuver had four saves for Austin.

St. Louis defender Dante Polvara went off due to an apparent injury and was replaced in the 23rd minute by Lukas MacNaughton.

Austin beat St. Louis 2-0 at home May 3.

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The US men’s national team roster for the 2026 World Cup will be unveiled on Tuesday, and according to head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the team is suffering from a talent deficit.

“We are USA,” he said after a 2-0 loss to Portugal in March, which followed a 5-2 loss to Belgium three days earlier. “And we are competing against Belgium, Portugal. I think for sure Belgium and Portugal have in the top 100 players, few or some players playing in that top 100. I think we don’t have [that].”

Some could argue that there are a few US players that could crack that list, but it definitely doesn’t feature a critical mass, or any near the top of it. The Guardian spoke to several current as well as former coaches, academy directors and executives about why.

***

Catching up

We can start from a point of agreement: the pool is getting better.

“I think we’re getting close to being a league or a country that produces a top-50 player,” said Pablo Mastroeni, Real Salt Lake manager and former USMNT midfielder.

“I think there’s no question that every year there’s more and more good players. Are there more exceptional players? That’s what everybody’s looking for,” said former USMNT midfielder Tab Ramos, who served as U-20 national team head coach, an assistant on Jürgen Klinsmann’s USMNT staff and US Soccer youth technical director.

Related: Haaland’s Norway to Ronaldo’s swansong: Who are the most likely first-time World Cup winners?

“[The ’94 World Cup squad] was nice … but those players were nowhere near the top,” said San Jose Earthquakes academy director and the club’s former manager Luchi Gonzalez, who led the academy then first team of FC Dallas and served as an assistant on Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT staff. “And now we’ve got players in the top 200 maybe, or top 300, so we’ve made progress but it’s slow progress. We got to be realistic that it’s going to continue to be slow progress.”

The challenge, then, is how slow progress plays in a global scene where, unlike the US women’s national team, the American men are chasing the standard rather than setting it, aiming for a constantly moving target.

“It’s not a time trial, and to show improvement, you’ve got to be accelerating faster than other players around the world,” said Sunil Gulati, the former president of US Soccer.

“Certainly, in a lot of ways, we’ve made strides,” said former USMNT manager Bob Bradley. Bradley coached in college soccer, MLS and abroad, where he became the first American to lead a Premier League team. “But when you’re stacking up players against the best players in the world, the best clubs in the world, what happens from a young age in so many of the traditional soccer countries, we’re still playing catch up.”

Indeed, the US has only had a functional men’s league for the last 30 years of its modern history. And that league, MLS, has only recently started to truly prioritize player development. US Soccer initially led that effort through its Development Academy system, which began in 2007 and folded in 2020. MLS took control of the boys pipeline later that year by launching MLS Next, which now has more than 260 clubs. In 2022 MLS launched Next Pro, its own lower division, separating its reserve teams from the United Soccer League ecosystem.

“In the top level countries around the world, it is the domestic leagues that play a big role in player development. MLS, when it started, wasn’t really in a position to do that other than the players who were playing in first-team games,” Gulati said. “That’s changed dramatically.”

As MLS’s first-ever signing, Ramos has seen the league grow from 10 teams playing in American football stadiums to a 30-team competition in which every team operates and funds their own academy structure, with many playing in their own facilities.

“We couldn’t necessarily ask any more of MLS, and where MLS has come to and what they’ve done over the last 30 years,” Ramos said. “So at the top level, I think we’ve accomplished a lot more than likely we thought we could.”

***

Culture

When he was 11 years old, Ramos and his family immigrated to the US from Uruguay, one of only eight countries to win the men’s World Cup. The head start – the sheer, uninterrupted history – top-flight soccer had there goes hand-in-hand with another obvious ingredient fuelling their advantage.

“We just don’t have a soccer culture in this country,” Ramos said. “And in the last 30 years, that hasn’t really improved that much.”

He highlighted how the attention and resources of a community can revolve around their high school football games, and not just under Friday night lights in Texas at a stadium that could cost more than $50m, but even where he lives in southern New Jersey. His daughter attends the games with her dance team, which draws him there too. He’s not sure he witnessed the home team score a touchdown all season, but culturally, by default, the town still turned out to support them better than the men’s soccer team who won their conference.

Related: I wrote a book about the last 40 years of US men’s soccer. Here is what I learned | Leander Schaerlaeckens

In addition to allocation of resources, the clear consequence of the crowded American sports landscape is soccer losing its top athletes altogether or for too long during the precious window for development.

Mastroeni said he has marveled at the athleticism of the French national team, most of whom he felt could’ve been college football players. Gonzalez believes if there wasn’t the competition with other sports and all male youth athletes were funneled towards soccer the result would be at least 10 players in the top 50. But he also cautioned that it’s about more than participation numbers, which actually compare favorably to the countries the US is chasing.

“It’s the culture of the game. It’s not there, living the game, it’s not the majority [of people] here,” Gonzalez said. “Even good talent and good players, they’re not in survival [mode], it’s not their dream to play in a Champions League. Some kids, it is, and it will be a reality, like Christian [Pulisic]. With time, you’re going to see more of them.”

Acknowledging soccer may not ever be “our game” but just one among others, he’s still optimistic the US will produce multiple top-20 players in his lifetime. Bullish about the prospects born in 2008 and 2009 now breaking through at the professional level – including Red Bull homegrowns Adri Mehmeti and Julian Hall, Philadelphia Union and Manchester City-bound Cavan Sullivan and Borussia Dortmund’s Mathis Albert – Red Bull New York academy director Sean McCafferty has “no doubt” an American player will be regarded as top-50 soon. Ramos thinks a top 20-30 player developed in the US “could come anytime” but because of their passion, upbringing and environment rather than some new initiative.

“[Argentina’s way is] the players playing on their own, is the players playing everywhere,” Ramos said. “It’s happened organically.”

***

Youth soccer

To Bradley, the most important stage of youth development starts before a child has even joined a team.

“How many kids grow up in a house where the ball is there – or a small ball, or a tennis ball – and where, in some ways, they are introduced to all parts or some parts of the game when they’re little? To develop a passion, to make sure that the foundation for being good with the ball is all there,” he said.

Related: USMNT World Cup squad prediction: how Mauricio Pochettino’s call-ups determine the 26

Indeed, perhaps the three best prospects so far of the academy era in the US – Pulisic, Giovanni Reyna and now Sullivan – were all raised by parents who both played soccer at a collegiate level or higher. While an increasing percentage of American parents understand the sport, Gonzalez points to Denmark, where publicly funded or professional academies provide grassroots programming.

“In an ideal world, if I had the right budget, I would create a grassroots program that at least works with the youngest players the right way, like in Spain and Portugal, and then have it trickle into our academy one day … There’s not enough care and attention in Zone One, in the grassroots,” Gonzalez said. “So what we get are deficient players at U-14. Really good players, players that will be in the national team, players that will play pro, but they’re not going to be world-class.”

Gonzalez also pointed to the mentality factor, referencing the extremely competitive youth environment in Uruguay, Argentina and Mexico where a game is a “war” that an American sports psychologist would probably find traumatic, and a competitive edge among players from wealthier European countries, too.

Juxtaposed with any of those nations, particularly one like Uruguay with just 3.5 million people, the size and population of the US does guarantee talent slips through the cracks, while its wealth engenders greed, politics, and fragmentation in youth soccer. The pay-to-play model is not unique to the US but Ramos noted that the best players, including himself, have usually been able to play for free.

Today every club part of MLS Next is required to have a scholarship framework, and MLS Next Pro president Ali Curtis believes opportunities for kids have significantly expanded over the past decade. Nevertheless, both he and Bradley stress that the sport can still spread to “all neighborhoods”.

“That is very important,” Curtis said. “You want to make sure that you have kids that are from poorer areas and poor neighborhoods that are connected to our sport.”

To Bradley, the challenge doesn’t stop there.

“It’s not only getting kids started in the game, but it’s then identifying the right ones and then helping get them get to places, coaches, fields, games that help them,” Bradley said. He added that some promising coaches must juggle other jobs to make ends meet, preventing their own development as well.

Issues like affordability, accessibility and travel demands will keep inviting criticism of the American system. But according to Marlon LeBlanc, head coach of Brooklyn FC, the notion that youth soccer is broken is “really, really, really, really uneducated and alarmist in manner”.

“I think there are a lot of things that we are doing right in terms of youth development,” said LeBlanc, who coached in college, the Philadelphia Union academy and led their second team as well as the US under-18 national team. “I do believe that it’s better than what it was five years ago, better than what it was 10 years ago, and better than what it was 30 years ago. It’s a different landscape. I think that there’s a lot to be excited about.”

***

The jump to the pros

At the academy and youth national team level, international competitions offer reason to believe the US is gaining ground. LeBlanc winning the Uefa Friendship Cup with the U-18 national team in 2025, including wins over France, Argentina and Portugal, is an example of that. The hurdle in producing top players that LeBlanc highlights is the very end of the development timeline, where talent and hype collides with the need for first-team minutes. LeBlanc brings up the fact that most of the top 50 players in the world would be considered attacking players, while young American attackers in MLS often find their transition to the pros blocked as teams tend to spend more at their position on big-name players.

Related: Grisly injuries, a murder and a disappeared hero: the forgotten stories of US World Cup history | Jonathan Wilson

“How often do you see a No 10 that’s an American? How often do you see a No 9 that’s an American? How often do you see wingers that are Americans and playing regularly in Major League Soccer? You’d be hard pressed to think of them,” he said.

LeBlanc acknowledges signs of progress this season, including the Red Bulls’ Hall and Orlando City forward Justin Ellis, but points to the norm of teenage wingers at big clubs in Europe such as Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) and more recently Max Dowman (Arsenal) and Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool) being entrusted early with meaningful minutes.

Still, while American players who secure a European passport can move there as soon as the age of 16 – like Pulisic, Reyna and now Albert with Dortmund – McCafferty maintains they can still benefit from starting their career in MLS.

“I don’t think that going to Europe is always the best answer. I think what we’re seeing in our league here is these young players can play in stadiums with tens of thousands of people, real pressure,” he said. “Whereas if they’re at a club in Europe where he’s playing in front of two men and a dog [at academy level], that doesn’t develop you, right? And so we want to make sure that these young players almost get the chances earlier.”

Red Bull New York and Real Salt Lake are at the forefront of the youth movement this season in MLS, which seems closer to an inflection point than an anomaly. Both those clubs have prioritized player development and clearing the path to first team opportunities.

“Sometimes I look at some players [at other teams] and they’re just blocking pathways. And for me, the young, exciting players that are coming through, give trust to more of them,” McCafferty said, adding that players’ eventual transfer is a return on what all clubs ought to realize is not an expense but an investment.

He reckons the US has maybe reached double digits in terms of academies with the appropriate full-time staff, and that there remain elite academies abroad far ahead, noting the scale of the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan strategy.

“We are just learning that [selling model],” Gonzalez said. “In Dallas, we had $40m to $45m in transfers from kids coming just from the academy in a three-year period. And that was like, holy shit. That was a wake-up, like, ‘Wow, this is a legit business.’”

“I think our league was always about trying to prove that we were good enough, and it’s really hard to do that if you have a whole league of just young players. And so I think now we’re comfortable with who we are as a league,” Mastroeni said. His RSL winger Zavier Gozo made a late push for the World Cup squad and seems set to be the next notable American export to Europe. He’s one of the faces of the latest generation to ignite hope that it can lift the USMNT to a level, always relative to the rest of the world, that it’s never been before.

“I still think we probably live in a generation of impatience or, if I’m being even a bit more harsh, entitlement. It takes time,” said McCafferty. “We are in the infancy stages of this.”

Seattle at Kansas City — FS1

MLS: San Jose Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers — Apple TV

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

MLS: New England Revolution vs. Charlotte FC — Apple TV

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

Today, the NWSL announced that Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina will receive additional discipline after her violent conduct red card.

In addition to the automatic and mandatory one-match suspension, the league has suspended her an additional match – total of two matches.

“Upon further review, the Disciplinary Committee determined each incident also constituted a violation of Section 12.4.11, “Major Game Misconduct,” of the League Operations Manual.“

She will serve her suspension during the team’s May 24 match against San Diego Wave FC and May 29 match against Bay FC.

New York City FC great Maxi Moralez questioned what his professional soccer playing future holds in a Thursday post on social media after the club announced he suffered a ruptured ACL in his left knee and will undergo surgery in the coming weeks. 

Moralez, who is one of the most decorated players in club history, seemed to hint that the injury could be the end of his career, writing that there are “so many unanswered questions.” 

“At this point in my career, who knows if it will end this way (I don’t know),” Moralez, 39, wrote on X. “So many things going through my head, sadness, a lot of disappointment, so many unanswered questions. Thank you all for the love received.” 

At the very least, Moralez’s 2026 MLS season is likely done, though the club did not provide a timetable for his return other than to say he “will begin rehab immediately after” his surgery. 

Moralez had suffered a non-contact injury during Saturday’s Hudson River Derby showdown with Red Bull New York at Sports Illustrated Stadium. 

The NYCFC great had to be taken off the pitch on a stretcher after he went down in the 35th minute.

NYCFC head coach Pascal Jansen was guarded over news about Moralez since the injury occurred, and said following the club’s U.S. Open Cup loss to Columbus on Wednesday night that the club was “waiting on confirmation of a few things.” 

The New York City FC No. 10 has made 15 appearances across all competitions this season and has a goal and nine assists to his name. 

Moralez’s importance to the club is hard to minimize as NYCFC’s top playmaker.

Questions surrounding his future popped up after the 2025 season, before Moralez eventually announced in January that he would return to New York City FC for another season. 

“This Club is home for me, and I’m motivated to keep helping the team and working toward our objectives. We know what we’re capable of as a group, and my focus is on giving everything I have to help us compete and win trophies this season,” Moralez said in a statement at the time. 

Moralez has recorded 41 goals and 85 assists over 280 appearances in his 10 years with the club. 

He was a member of the 2021 NYCFC squad that won the MLS Cup and helped the club win a Campeones Cup title in 2022.

The Thorns passed the regular-season record of 568 minutes without allowing a goal in the 64th minute of the match at Providence Park.

Elsewhere in the National Women’s Soccer League, San Diego forced a late 2-2 draw against Houston, and Angel City defeated Kansas City 2-1 at home.

In the 30th minute, Vignola struck a first-time volley from outside the box. Bay (3-4-2) looked to clear the ball after Portland’s corner kick attempt but Vignola ran onto the ball and fired the shot right back.

McKenzie added the Thorns second score off a cross from Sophia Wilson in the 77th minute, marking her first career NWSL goal.

The last goal Portland allowed at Providence Park was on Oct. 4, 2025, also against Bay FC.

With the win Wednesday night, the Thorns (7-2-2) now hold the No. 1 spot in the league standings, jumping the San Diego Wave by one point.

San Diego’s stoppage time goal forces draw against Houston

Trinity Byars scored five minutes into stoppage time to pull the the Wave into a draw with the Dash.

There were 13 minutes of stoppage time needed in Houston after goalkeeper Jane Campbell exited the match in the 83rd minute with a head injury.

Byars’ right cleat collided just above Campbell’s right eye which required the game to stop for several minutes as the training staff tended to the open wound.

Despite trailing for most of the match after Dudinha gave the Wave (7-3-1) the lead in the 20th minute, the Dash rallied late in the second half. Rookie Kate Faasse fired a shot from just outside the box in the 70th and Kat Radar momentarily gave Houston the lead in the 89th.

With the draw, the Dash (3-5-2) snapped a three match losing streak but still has not earned a full three points since April 3rd.

Angel City young stars snap five-game winless streak

Nineteen-year-old Kennedy Fuller had the winning strike in the 72nd minute to give Angel City the win at home.

Giselle Thompson put Los Angeles (4-4-1) on the board quickly in the ninth minute, for Angel City’s second fastest goal of the season.

Ally Sentnor scored late in the first half to equalize for the Current.

Kansas City (5-5-0) had an opportunity to take a lead early in the second half off a penalty kick but Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson came up with the save.

Angel City snapped a five-game winless streak.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

New York City FC’s hopes of advancing in the U.S. Open Cup tournament were dashed Wednesday night in a 1-0 loss in the quarterfinals to the Columbus Crew, ending their hopes of securing at least one of three trophies this season.

Max Arfsten’s goal in the 59th minute was the death blow for NYCFC, which had been riding a high with wins in three of their past four MLS matches, including one over Columbus.

Nevertheless, the Crew dominated possession Wednesday night and put eight shots on target, while New York City FC failed to record one.

“There’s one minor mistake in defensive principle that we don’t have it 100 percent and we get punished for that moment,” NYCFC head coach Pascal Jansen said about the difference for his team in the loss.

“Which is a sad thing, because I think even though they had a little more possession than we did at one point in the game, it was an unnecessary goal to concede.”

Arfsten scored what would be the game-winning goal from inside the box after a stutter-step move to shake the NYCFC defender and then blasted the shot past Matt Freese.   

New York City FC has not gone further than the quarterfinals in the U.S. Open Cup in the club’s history and would have put them a step closer to winning a major trophy. NYCFC had been coming out of a rough stretch that saw them go winless in league play from the middle of March into May. 

“When you lose a game the way we did tonight, we’re all sad because we were all very focused on putting ourselves in a good position to go to the semifinal. That is something that we didn’t achieve,” Jansen said. “We’re very sad that we were not able to get closer to winning a trophy, because once you’re in the quarterfinal, it’s just a few games away to get yourself in the final and compete for that trophy, so that’s the sad thing from today.”

Jansen was asked directly if he felt his club had the roster to compete for a trophy this season, and the NYCFC coach sidestepped the question. 

NYCFC entered the match down a key player in Maxi Moralez, who was injured in the club’s 1-1 draw with Red Bull New York on Saturday.

They lost another player in warmups after Keaton Parks had a groin issue flare up, forcing Jansen to turn to Johnny Shore to start in his place.

The NYCFC coach did not have an update on the status of Moralez, and when asked by The Post about the injuries that have occurred during warmups — Talles Magno had also been injured before a match earlier this season — he hinted that the condensed schedule played a part in the circumstances.

“When you have to play multiple games in a short period of time, that puts more pressure on the roster in general,” Jansen said.

““So we just have to find out what’s going on with [Parks] in this moment and try to prevent it from happening again.”

Major League Soccer has had discussions with the International Football Association Board, global football’s rule making body, about trialing the use of a stopped clock in matches.

A continuously running clock that does not stop for fouls, set pieces, injuries and the like is foundational to the way time has been kept in the sport almost from its inception. However, the use of a clock that stops is commonplace in other American sports like basketball and gridiron football. It was even briefly used in MLS itself from its 1996 founding until the end of the 1999 season, and is still used in US college soccer.

Paul Grafer, vice-president of competition for MLS, told the Guardian that reintroducing a stopped clock is “one thing that we often talk about” when discussing the future of the game.

Related: Arsène Wenger’s ‘daylight offside rule’ is on trial in Canada. Will it work?

“When are we going to move away from all of these stopgap procedures and see if we can address gamesmanship and match manipulation by having the referee have a [stopped] clock?” Grafer said. “We’re open to trials around the world, and working with Ifab.”

In a statement, Ali Curtis, MLS’s executive vice-president of sporting development, confirmed to the Guardian that the league has had “preliminary conversations with Ifab around future areas of innovation, including concepts such as a stopped clock, increased transparency around timekeeping, and other measures designed to improve consistency and fan understanding”.

Ifab most recently debated the use of a stopped clock in 2017, deciding instead to tinker with the rules in more subtle ways. The organization introduced measures to combat time-wasting ahead of the 2022 World Cup, with referees adding previously-unheard-of amounts of stoppage time to the end of matches.

Sources within Ifab told the Guardian this week that the organization shelved those initial stopped clock efforts out of concern that the unpredictable length of games would create issues for broadcasters. Others at Ifab expressed a more philosophical concern: that the idea of a 90-minute match was simply sacrosanct.

A source within Ifab said on Tuesday that, in their view, MLS would face an uphill battle in terms of implementing any significant changes to timekeeping.

“[Ifab] allows and introduces trials if there is wide interest in a topic,” that source said. “This one has very little support at the moment.”

MLS has in recent years become a proving ground of sorts for rule changes and technologies that have eventually earned global adoption. This summer’s World Cup will feature new measures aimed at combating time-wasting surrounding injuries and substitutions, measures which were first pioneered in MLS Next Pro, MLS’s developmental league. The rules were later adopted by MLS itself before Ifab added them to the laws of the game.

The league was also among the first globally to work with Ifab on implementation and testing of VAR, having partnered with the lower-division USL to do so in early 2017. The league eventually adopted the technology in all matches ahead of the 2018 season.

Any adjustments to timekeeping would probably follow a similar path.

“We’re always in conversation about potential trials and rules so it would be one where we would be formally submitting a proposal and seeking their acceptance,” Grafer said. “Our usual operating procedure is to trial these new rules in Next Pro. It’s the perfect incubator for those types of opportunities. We’d then look at the data and see if it’s good for the game.”

The current conversation around using a stopped clock is not a new one in MLS circles, or even internationally. On its founding in 1996, MLS not only stopped the clock during pauses in play, but also had the clock itself count down instead of up, another convention still used in college soccer in the US. In its planning stages before the inaugural season, MLS also considered using a 60-minute iteration of the stopped clock and went as far as to trial it in the lower-division USISL in 1995.

MLS did away with its countdown clock after the 1999 season along with the 35-yard shootout, which the league had previously used to decide tied games in the regular season. “Our core audience has spoken,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber, then in his first season at the league, told media at the time. “And we have listened.”

Nearly three decades later, elements of the league’s old timekeeping standards are coming back into view.

“These discussions [with Ifab] are exploratory,” Curtis said. “But they reflect a broader commitment across the global game to examine how the sport can continue to modernize while preserving what makes soccer unique.”

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Austin FC started play in 2021 in front of sell-out crowds in a city that previously had no professional sports team. It made the playoffs in its sophomore season but has since struggled to match the energy off the field and within the four lines of the field.

Estevez returned the club to the playoffs last year in a first-round exit and also pushed Austin to the final of the U.S. Open Cup. But a 3W-6L-5D start to the MLS season and early USOC elimination at the hands of lower-division Louisville City led directors to make a change.

"I think the evaluation has to be at the end of the season, right? Give time to see if I can get the team in the playoff, right? Because at the end of the day I perceive because of this six years - some of these years didn’t go in the right way - I’m grabbing all these years where I wasn’t here," Estevez said after the SKC loss. "For me, it’s like I’m having a bad five months.

"We play a final, the first time in the history of the club. No one expected that and not so many teams play finals. Then, we qualified in the playoffs. This moment is my lowest moment in the club. That’s right. But I feel like I’m carrying four years where I wasn’t here."

But Estevez won't get the chance to try to put the team in the playoffs, with Austin FC retaining Excel Sports Management to lead a new coaching search as the World Cup break approaches.

More: Sam Sarver's beer-chug celebration will go down in MLS lore

There are simple adages which help us navigate this mad world. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When it heaves a beer your way on the field at PayPal Park, you give it a hearty chug.

The San Jose Earthquakes have been the season’s surprise outfit, storming to the top of a competitive Western Conference in Bruce Arena’s second season. In their final home fixture before the World Cup break, they stormed back against a valiant FC Dallas to find an 80th minute leveler, giving the crowd dreams of a comeback before the final whistle.

Instead, Dallas seized their opportunity. Sam Sarver had only entered in the 84th minute, fresh legs to harry the Quakes backline and spoil their hopes of a winner. Instead, he did something far more significant. Sarver’s scamper ended in a cool finish to ensure all three points for Dallas.

As if the sequence wasn’t already mad enough, Sarver reveled in his role as match winner. He took a couple teammates for a scuba dive off the ad boards, perhaps a homage to MLS cult hero Roger Levesque. While we don’t condone the San Jose faithful’s throwing of beers and debris at the 23-year-old, Sarver acted with an improviser’s instinct to “yes, and” by shotgunning one of the cervezas – a BAC-boost to get through the rest of stoppage time.

When life throws you a stadium beer, you best crush it.

This wasn’t just an underdog’s job well done. Dallas have had a resurgent year after a tumultuous 2025. Head coach Eric Quill has closed ranks and made his team incredibly tough to play against: well-stationed in defense, and opportunistic whenever they spring forward.

It helps to have arguably MLS’s best pure center-forward, mind you. Petar Musa looks poised to crest Croatia’s squad at the World Cup and, should he perform well, should command interest from European clubs this summer. Off the bench, Sarver and Musa’s sometimes strike partner, Logan Farrington, adds considerable initiative off the ball and goalscoring prowess. Farrington has five goals and two assists in 698 minutes this year. Sarver has three goals in 182 minutes after leading their Next Pro affiliate North Texas SC with 19 goals in 2025, earning the league’s MVP honor.

Related: $28.3m Messi is MLS’s top earner again, making more than twice as much as Son

Under Quill, who led North Texas from 2019 to 2021, no team commit so deeply to the bunker-and-counter bit, per Futi. That has kept them in games with the West’s contending class, with the win against second-place San Jose further evidence after they contained breakout Real Salt Lake a week earlier.

Whether Musa stays or goes will play an outsized part in whether they can return to the conference final for the first time since 2015. Until then, scenes like Saturday’s show this team have fully moved past last season’s disastrous signing of Luciano Acosta and are relishing the aftermath – whether the opposing fans supply their post-win drinks or not.

While San Jose will rue three dropped points at home, they can take some comfort that their rivals atop the West also dropped a result …

Guilherme helps Houston lift off

Few outsiders knew what to expect when the Houston Dynamo announced the signing of Guilherme. A native son of São Paulo, the 31-year-old has had a nomadic career. A compatriot coach brought him to Saudi Arabia in 2020, but he returned to Grêmio in 2022 and seemed set for domestic journeyman status after moving to Santos.

He didn’t have the most glittering resume of MLS’s winter signings, but the Dynamo saw an on-ball wizard who could fit into Ben Olsen’s system. Houston offered a more prominent role (and a lower caliber of opponents’ defending) than he’d had in Brazil, as well as better facilities and in-stadium support than he saw in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Guilherme has been in blistering form, with seven goals and four assists in his first 13 MLS matches.

His latest goal proved pivotal in Saturday’s win over Vancouver and was emblematic of how he’s taken MLS by storm. After playing a short corner late in a scoreless home contest against the mighty (albeit short-handed) Whitecaps, Guilherme mazed into the box and finished to turn one point into three for the Dynamo.

His fearlessness in possession can put defenders on skates, and he has the deft footwork to advance upfield on his own. He averages 2.9 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, the sixth-best in MLS, while his 12 goal contributions have him comfortably among the top 10 in the league in that category.

Guilherme is remarkably adept at scoring from low-likelihood looks, with five of his first seven strikes having been forged by solo efforts.

This may be a strong first impression while opponents refine their gameplans, but Guilherme has helped the Dynamo outperform expectations. Houston closed Saturday sixth in the West, while Guilherme is a credible contender to be the club’s second All-Star pick since 2018.

MLS has long been hospitable to crafty Brazilian dribblers, from Ilsinho’s super-sub turns with Philadelphia to Ibson’s all-gas-no-brakes approach in Minnesota’s midfield. His profile may not have jumped off the page at first glance, but his performances have made him appointment viewing on a team that desperately needed an entertainer.

“There is not a lot he can’t do,” Olsen said after the win. “Right foot, left foot, he can provide, he can serve, he is good in the air, he is a great athlete, and he is a great soccer player.”

Phil Neville does Miami

Inter Miami finally found a first victory at their new home, Nu Stadium, strolling to a 2-0 win over the Portland Timbers. The match doubled as Phil Neville’s first match against his former club since he was dismissed six weeks before Lionel Messi signed in the summer of 2023. True to expectation, it was Messi who led the landmark result at a stadium that already boasts a stand named in his honor.

Playing behind a strike tandem of Luis Suárez and Germán Berterame, Messi tested Portland early and often, placing four of his nine shots on target. His goal came from a give-and-go up the channel with Suárez that took a helpful backheeled prod from Telasco Segovia. Messi then created Miami’s second, dancing into the box before squaring the ball to Berterame, who finished nicely.

Speaking with Apple’s broadcast at halftime, Neville said he was happy with where his low-defensive block was stationed but wanted to see better tackling. Seemingly, the plan was for his players to win the lion’s share of one-on-ones with Messi and Co – a bold strategy, as most teams that succeed against Miami show more initiative in all phases.

To their credit, Portland were sharper with their challenges after the break, winning 60% of duels (including 78% of aerials) in the second-half after claiming 44% (38% aerially) in the first half. Days after being named to New Zealand’s squad for the World Cup, Finn Surman handled a downhill Messi scamper with grace in the 67th minute, forcing the Argentinian to his left for an off-center shot which Surman capably blocked. Containment may have been easier as Miami eased off after half-time: Miami created a healthy 2.45 xG worth of chances in the first, per Fotmob, while generating just 0.59 xG after the break.

This was Miami’s fifth win in seven games since Javier Mascherano’s shock departure, although only one came against a team ranked among either conference’s top eight.

Odds and ends

• While Dallas and Houston left the weekend on a high, Austin FC are left to survey the wreckage. They suffered the ignominy of defeat against lowly Sporting Kansas City, seeing their 1-0 lead in the 78th minute squandered in a home fixture they expected to win. Questions abound about the club’s direction under sporting director Rodolfo Borrell, whose impressive CV working for Barcelona, Liverpool, and Manchester City hasn’t translated to success in Austin. In an accidental 2010 World Cup homage, the matchwinner from Stephen Afrifa curled like a Jabulani.

• Wilfried Zaha was the headline omission from the Ivory Coast’s squad for the World Cup, missing out after starting for the Elephants during Afcon 2026. He seemed ready to prove a point on Saturday, slotting home the opening goal in Charlotte’s 3-1 win over Toronto FC. Zaha still has plenty to sort out this summer, as his loan deal expires at the end of June along with his contract at Galatasaray.

• Orlando City continue to bide their time until Antoine Griezmann arrives after the World Cup, drawing 1-1 with Atlanta United. With attacking midfielder Martin Ojeda still in rare form, Griezmann projects to be needed up top, where his movement and accurate shooting would be a boon for a club who have been without a dependable center forward since they sold Daryl Dike in 2022.

• Dike, for what it’s worth, will hit free agency at the end of next month, and could be in demand among MLS teams as he looks to get his career back on track after an injury-riddled tenure with West Brom.

• The Columbus Crew have gone back to the drawing board, dismissing Henrik Rydström after a poor 1-1 draw at lowly Philadelphia. Hired this winter after Wilfried Nancy’s departure, Rydström promised to win via relationism but lasted just 14 games. Former Crew 2 head coach Laurent Courtois will oversee the team for the interim, while Nancy remains without a post after his brief role in Celtic’s title-winning season.

Messi scored the opening goal just after the half-hour mark, starting a move with a pass to Luis Suarez, then getting the ball near the penalty spot and finishing with his left foot.

More: Lionel Messi is MLS' highest-paid player. See who else made the top 25.

Messi makes no mistake for his 12th goal of the year. 💫@InterMiamiCF lead 1-0 at home. pic.twitter.com/QqiFVtiTgS

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 17, 2026

In the 42nd minute, Messi set up Mexico international German Berterame for a shot from short range, laying off a tricky pass after playing a one-two with Suarez and drawing in a number of Timbers defenders with his run in the box.

Messi assists, Berterame finishes. Wow. What a run. 😎 pic.twitter.com/RGsxFTcVS9

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 17, 2026

On many nights, Messi would've added a second by nearly putting a stoppage-time free kick over the wall. But a stunning save by Timbers goalkeeper James Pantemis denied the Argentine a 13th goal of the season. Messi's tally instead remains 12 goals and six assists this season.

The win snaps a frustrating streak for Inter Miami that saw it settle for draws in the first three matches at the new venue and collapse in a rivalry game against Orlando City, conceding four unanswered in a 4-3 defeat.

German Berterame also scored for Inter Miami, which had three draws and a loss at its new 26,000-seat stadium before Sunday’s victory.

Messi opened the scoring with his 13th goal of the season in the 31st minute. Luis Suárez sent a pass inside to Telasco Segovia, who flicked a pass on to Messi, who beat Portland goalkeeper James Pantemis from 12 yards.

Inter Miami padded the lead on Berterame’s goal in the 42nd minute. Messi dribbled past two defenders and centered to Berterame, who converted inside the left post.

The Timbers had the first scoring threat when Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair deflected Cole Bassett’s shot from the edge of the large area in the 11th minute.

The familiar singing, cheering, flag waving and drum beating from Inter Miami’s organized supporters’ groups “La Familia” were absent until late in the match. The groups reportedly are upset that the players have not acknowledged their presence in the new stadium and remained silent as a form of protest before they began singing in the 85th minute.

The match was the first between the teams since Portland coach Phil Neville was fired as Inter Miami’s coach in 2023, shortly before Messi started playing for the Herons.

Neville is close friends with Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham and told reporters after the Timbers got to South Florida late last week that he was aware Messi choosing Miami would likely mean a coaching change. The club has had four coaches since, including two interim bosses, all of them from Messi’s native Argentina.

“At the start of the (2023) season, I was under no illusions that probably when/if he came in that I wouldn’t be here, and that’s totally fine,” Neville said, referring to Messi. “I understood football.”

Sunday was also the first Inter Miami match since the team revealed that forward Tadeo Allende had what was described as successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee “to address the discomfort he had been experiencing in recent weeks.” There’s no timetable for his return.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

Inter Miami finally picked up their first win at the Nu Stadium, dispatching the Portland Timbers with relative ease Sunday evening.

Lionel Messi provided a goal and an assist in the opening 45 minutes to see the Herons jump out to an unassailable lead.

While Portland did manage to wrestle the control in their favor in the second-half, their disjointed attack failed to pounce Miami's drop in energy, despite the best efforts of star winger Kristoffer Velde. 

The win sees Miami move into first place in the Eastern Conference, level on points with high-flying Nashville who are currently in action against LAFC. 

Before the World Cup break, Miami will play once more as they take on basement-dwellers Philadelphia. 

Meanwhile, struggling Portland will host San Jose next weekend. 

The Crew also fired assistant coach Theodor Olsson and analyst Mak Pakhei. Laurent Courtois will be the interim head coach.

Rydstrom was hired last Dec. 31, and the Crew have struggled throughout his debut season. The team is 3-7-4 and is 13th in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference and 26th in the Supporters’ Shield standings.

Courtois was Montreal's coach in 2024, leading the team to its first playoff berth since 2022. He played for West Ham United, Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

The Columbus Crew have parted ways with head coach Henrik Rydström after just 14 games in charge. 

The Swede took over after the departure of the highly successful Wilfried Nancy, but with just three wins from their first 14 MLS games, Rydström's Crew side have failed to live up to expectations mightily. 

According to The Athletic's Tom Bogert, Rystdröm never 'got buy in' from the Columbus dressing room. 

“We unfortunately have not capitalized on opportunities or produced the results that our Club and supporters deserve," said Columbus General Manager Issa Tall in a statement.

"We are confident that we have the talent on our roster to consistently compete for championships, and we believe this change best positions us to accomplish that goal with the number of matches we have left this season.

"We thank Henrik for his commitment to the Crew, and we expect a successful transition based on Laurent’s familiarity with our Club, players and league.”

Crew assistant, and former CF Montréal head coach, Laurent Courtois will take over on an interim basis. 

Callum Osmand’s goal in the eighth and last minute of stoppage time sealed a 3-1 win for Celtic on Saturday and sparked wild celebrations among its fans, with hundreds running onto the pitch and getting close to Hearts’ dejected players.

Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland was reportedly punched by a Celtic fan as he tried to leave the field, with the game appearing to end before playing the full amount of stoppage time.

The Hearts delegation quickly left Celtic Park and players were still dressed in game uniforms when they got off the team bus at their Tynecastle Park home. The club said “reports of serious physical and verbal abuse towards our players and staff” were “deeply disturbing” and called for the “strongest action possible to be taken” by Scotland’s soccer authorities.

In a statement released Sunday, the Scottish Professional Football League said it was awaiting the report from its match delegate regarding any specific incidents that took place.

“But, regardless, supporters entering the field of play in any circumstances is wholly unacceptable,” the body said, “and puts those participating and working at a match at risk.”

The SPFL felt it necessary to make clear that “prior to awarding the trophy, we were informed by the match referee that the match had ended and had not been abandoned.”

“Yesterday’s match showed off the very best of the Scottish game and the drama and excitement that it is rightly famed for,” the statement added.

Celtic was crowned champion for the fifth straight year and 14th time in 15 seasons, while Hearts — the long-time leader — was denied a first Scottish league title since 1960.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Sam Sarver wasn't content with merely scoring a stoppage-time winner on Saturday. The FC Dallas forward then produced a celebration that will instantly go down in MLS lore.

With the game between Dallas and the San Jose Earthquakes tied 2-2 in second-half stoppage time, Sarver found the net on a breakaway opportunity to give his side a late lead. The visitors would win the match 3-2.

Sarver took the opportunity to engage in a coordinated scuba celebration with his teammates, falling over theatrically from the ad boards.

The choreography didn't go down well with the San Jose fans, who showed their displeasure by showering Sarver and his teammates with projectiles – including a beer can that wasn't quite empty.

Sarver picked up the can and proceeded to chug its remains – though it's unclear how much he actually drank. Most of the Modelo appeared to get on the forward's face, which was probably for the best given there were still several minutes left in the game.

SAM SARVER IS BOX OFFICE!

A potential game-winner and a plethora of celebrations to match. 🍻 pic.twitter.com/LHchMZDzGL

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 17, 2026

“My coach at Indiana, Todd Yeagley, told me about a player from way before I got there that used to do that scuba celebration, and he yelled at him for it because he didn’t want him to get hurt," Sarver said after the game.

"And I was like, ‘It’d be funny if we did that.' After we did that, they were throwing some beers on the field, so I decided to chug one.”

This means everything to us pic.twitter.com/fft0Ltemtn

— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) May 17, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FC Dallas forward Sam Sarver produces beer chug goal celebration