• Lionel Messi begins his sixth World Cup campaign with Argentina national football team on Tuesday evening in Kansas City
• The 38-year-old Inter Miami CF forward could approach Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals during the tournament
• American fans receive a final opportunity to watch the Argentina captain compete internationally on home soil
• The defending champions open their campaign with the advantage of Messi’s familiarity with MLS stadiums and travel conditions
• Messi enters the tournament free from pressure, having already secured his legacy with the 2022 World Cup victory

Few moments in Major League Soccer history match the drama of that evening in 2023. Lionel Messi, then aged 36, stood 30 yards from goal, ready to take a free kick just days after his stunning arrival in the United States. Inter Miami desperately needed a miracle during the closing stages of his debut match.

With one swing of his left boot, the Argentine delivered a masterpiece. His match-winning strike curled past the goalkeeper and into the net. The goal reminded everyone of the genius that had already established him as arguably the greatest player ever. Supporters in the stadium watched with open mouths, unable to believe what they had witnessed.

For many present that night, simply seeing Messi in an MLS shirt felt more unreal than the goal itself. By 2023, the World Cup winner was already a familiar face on American television screens. Fans had previously only seen him in person during occasional summer friendly matches. Now, in the final years of his career, he had rejected other offers to finish his playing days in the US.

The past two-and-a-half seasons have brought mixed but largely positive results. Messi helped Miami win their first league championship and established the club as MLS leaders. However, something unexpected also occurred.

When he first joined Miami, Messi had just lifted the 2022 World Cup trophy. He had suggested that tournament would be his last. Before now, the only significant moment of his international career that Americans saw firsthand was his brief retirement after the 2016 Copa América Centenario, when he cried during a press conference following final defeat.

Of course, he returned to the national team and won the 2024 Copa América on American soil. He enjoyed life in Miami both on and off the pitch. Gradually, the possibility of a sixth World Cup appearance became reality. American supporters now have an unexpected chance to witness his international farewell in person.

Messi follows legends like Pelé, who played in the US during the 1970s, and David Beckham, who arrived thirty years later. Unlike those icons, Messi came solely to play football rather than promote the sport. He has certainly grown his business interests here, but his brand was already global. His presence feels more like a gift to American fans than a marketing project.

Few experts rank Argentina as favourites for this summer’s tournament. Many place Spain, France and England ahead of them. Messi currently has 13 World Cup goals, three behind Miroslav Klose’s record of 16. He might also earn his 200th cap for his country during the competition.

The idea of watching Messi lift another World Cup trophy appeals strongly to neutrals. His legacy needs no further proof. Another title would simply add to his legend rather than define it.

He appears ready for the challenge, partly because his MLS experience means he knows many stadiums well. He is also used to travelling long distances between matches, a common feature of the American league. The forward seems relaxed, telling journalists last week that he is “savouring every moment” of this final chapter with Argentina.

American football supporters are equally eager to enjoy every second of his North American farewell. Messi is effectively in extra time now. Winning the tournament would merely confirm his status as the best. He plays without the burden of expectation that followed him as a young talent or as a star seeking his first World Cup.

This freedom could help his performance, though great players often thrive under pressure. We will see his response starting on Tuesday evening in Kansas City, as his American adventure continues.

• Alan Rothenberg transformed the USSF from a volunteer group into a professional body within four years
• The 1994 World Cup remains the most attended tournament in history with 3.6 million tickets sold
• Major League Soccer launched two years after the tournament, building on its success
• Football has recently overtaken baseball to become America’s third most popular sport
• Extensive Premier League television coverage has accelerated the game’s growth in recent decades

When Alan Rothenberg accepted the top job at the United States Soccer Federation in 1990, he inherited an organisation run like a local charity. Just six full-time staff worked from a small portable office in Colorado Springs. Yet this tiny team faced an enormous deadline: hosting the world’s biggest sporting event in just four years’ time.

Rothenberg brought valuable experience from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He understood that Americans love grand spectacles. His strategy involved packaging the 1994 World Cup as essential entertainment rather than just sport.

Many people thought his plan would fail. When FIFA chose America to host the tournament, critics laughed. A Brazilian official famously remarked that giving the World Cup to the USA was like taking the World Series to Brazil. The country’s professional league had died five years earlier, and the national team had failed to qualify for nine of the previous ten World Cups.

Rothenberg refused to listen. Six months before the opening match, he held the tournament draw in Las Vegas. He turned a normally boring procedure into a glamorous showbiz event featuring Barry Manilow and comedian Robin Williams. Williams entertained the crowd by deliberately mispronouncing FIFA general secretary Sepp Blatter’s name as “Sepp Bladder.”

The opening ceremony continued this Hollywood theme. Television star Oprah Winfrey presented the show, which included singer Diana Ross taking a penalty kick as part of a musical act. She missed the goal, but the entertainment worked. Fans purchased tickets in record numbers.

Over 90,000 supporters filled the Rose Bowl in Pasadena to watch Colombia play Romania in an early group match. By the end of the tournament, organisers had sold 3.6 million tickets. This makes the 1994 World Cup the best-attended edition ever held. The American team reached the knockout stages after defeating Colombia, achieving their first World Cup victory since 1950.

This triumph persuaded businessmen to invest in a new professional league. Major League Soccer started in 1996, two years after the World Cup finished. The early seasons included unusual rules like shootouts to decide drawn matches and countdown clocks. These American-style innovations disappeared after the national team surprised everyone by reaching the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals in Japan and South Korea.

Football now ranks as America’s third favourite sport, recently passing baseball according to research by The Economist. Roger Bennett, presenter of the popular Men in Blazers podcast, believes extensive television coverage of the Premier League has driven much of this recent growth. English top-flight matches now reach millions of American homes every week, building upon the foundation that Rothenberg’s 1994 tournament established.

• Matt Freese is expected to start in goal for the United States at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
• The 27-year-old made his international debut only one year ago, in June 2025
• He rejected a chance to join Manchester United as a teenager to study at Harvard University instead
• Freese graduated with an economics degree in 2022 while playing professional football
• He did not become a full-time goalkeeper until he was 16 years old

Matt Freese stands ready to guard the United States goal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Just twelve months ago, the shot-stopper had never played for his country. Now, the New York City FC player is set to be Mauricio Pochettino’s number one choice between the posts.

The 27-year-old’s journey to football’s biggest stage is far from typical. Born to a famous brain surgeon and a hospital executive, Freese grew up in a home that valued schoolwork above sport. Despite this, he turned down an offer from Manchester United as a young man. He chose to attend Harvard University instead. He finished his economics degree in 2022.

Freese explained that sport gave him a clear way to compete. He enjoys the simple nature of winning and losing. This competitive spirit drove him toward athletics, even when his family focused on academic success.

As a child, Freese tried many sports. He was best at lacrosse. However, his true love was always football. He decided to become a goalkeeper after watching a neighbour play the position for a local high school team in South Carolina. He was only eight years old at the time. He did not play in goal in a real match until he was eleven. He did not specialise as a keeper until he was sixteen or seventeen. This is very late for a future World Cup player.

Freese believes this late start helped him. He never felt tired of the sport. His love for football actually grew stronger when he reached nineteen or twenty years old.

The keeper also played other sports growing up. He believes this helped him develop many physical skills. He says the position needs hand-eye coordination, speed, strength, and quick thinking.

Freese moved house many times as a child. His family finally settled in Philadelphia when he was ten. There, he fell in love with local teams like the Eagles and the 76ers. He also supported the Philadelphia Union. His mother took him to their first ever match. However, the club rejected him from their youth programme when he was twelve. He was playing other sports at the time and was overweight. He worked hard and later earned a place in their academy.

As a teenager, he trained with Liverpool and Manchester United in England. He admits he did not understand how big this was at the time. He played without fear. Manchester United wanted to sign him, but his parents wanted him to go to university. He kept his promise to try one year at Harvard. After that, he decided to turn professional.

Freese wanted to play for the US Olympic team in 2020. He knew he had to leave college to get picked. Playing for a struggling Harvard team would not help his chances. He turned professional but continued his studies. He graduated in 2022.

He says studying helped his football career. During his first professional year, he suffered many injuries. He felt unprepared for the long season. When he returned to classes, he found balance. The schoolwork gave him a routine and took pressure off his shoulders. He believes learning keeps the brain sharp and helps him learn new football systems quickly.

Freese did a university project about penalty kicks, though he refuses to discuss his methods. He says he still has many shoot-outs left in his career.

His father’s parents came from Germany, but he never met them. His older brother introduced him to football. They played together in the garden. Freese says his brother was his first goalkeeping coach.

At New York City FC, he wears shirt number 49. This honours his mother’s father, who was an American Football player and Air Force pilot. He cannot wear this number at the World Cup because the rules only allow numbers up to 26.

His nickname is “Matty Ice,” given because he comes from the same area as American football star Matt Ryan. However, his brother calls him “Booger,” a name from when he was six years old.

Freese only made his national team debut in June 2025. He says he lives by a quote from basketball executive Daryl Morey: “Opportunity is not a l

• Allan Saint-Maxinin has reached an agreement to join Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC
• The 29-year-old will sign as a Designated Player, replacing outgoing forward Wilfried Zaha
• He departs RC Lens after just five months where he won the Coupe de France
• The French club wanted to retain him, but the American offer proved too strong to resist

Allan Saint-Maximin is preparing to exit French football for the United States. The 29-year-old winger has reached an agreement to join Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer.

The French attacker will arrive in North Carolina as a Designated Player. This special status allows the club to pay him a salary above the league’s normal limits. He is taking the spot left by Wilfried Zaha, who has already confirmed his departure from the team.

Saint-Maximin only moved to RC Lens in February after ending his contract with Mexican side Club América. Despite spending just half a season with the northern French club, he made a strong impression. He scored four goals and provided three assists in 13 appearances. He also won his first professional trophy when Lens lifted the Coupe de France.

The club’s management had hoped to keep the player for next season. However, the opportunity to play in America proved too attractive to turn down.

• Robert Lewandowski will leave FC Barcelona as a free agent when his contract expires.
• Chicago Fire manager Gregg Berhalter confirms direct talks with the Polish striker and his representatives.
• The veteran forward rejected a new deal at Barcelona that offered reduced playing time and lower wages.
• Clubs from Italy and Saudi Arabia are also competing for his signature.
• Lewandowski has no international commitments this summer after Poland failed to qualify for the World Cup.

The 2025-26 season has finished for FC Barcelona. The club now turns its focus to the summer transfer window. One major task is finding a replacement for Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker is set to leave the Camp Nou as a free agent.

Barcelona offered him a new contract to stay. The deal proposed a smaller role in the squad and a significant pay cut. Lewandowski refused these terms. He now plans to continue his career elsewhere.

Several teams across Europe and the Middle East want to sign him. Italian clubs and sides from Saudi Arabia have expressed strong interest. However, Chicago Fire appear most determined. The Major League Soccer club are working hard to bring the goalscorer to the United States.

Gregg Berhalter, the Chicago Fire head coach, has spoken openly about their pursuit. He confirmed regular contact with the player and his entourage. Speaking to Przegląd Sportowy Onet, Berhalter stated his belief that other offers exist for the striker. He said a player of such high calibre would always attract interest from top clubs.

Berhalter expressed confidence in his club’s proposal. He highlighted the large Polish community in Chicago. He believes Lewandowski would strengthen the team and raise the profile of the entire league. The manager described the potential signing as fantastic for the city and the sport in America.

Lewandowski does not need to rush his decision. Poland did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals. This gives the 37-year-old time to assess his options carefully. While Chicago Fire push for an agreement, the striker continues to consider proposals from other continents.

• Lionel Messi left the pitch in the 72nd minute of Inter Miami’s clash with Philadelphia Union on Sunday
• The 38-year-old captain touched his hamstring and went straight to the dressing room with a concerned look
• Argentine journalist Gastón Edul reports the change was purely precautionary with no muscle tear diagnosed
• Messi wanted to avoid risking his fitness ahead of the 2026 World Cup this summer
• The forward has netted 13 goals and provided 7 assists in 16 MLS appearances this term

Football supporters across Argentina held their breath when Lionel Messi signalled to the bench during Sunday’s fixture. The World Cup winner exited the match against Philadelphia Union with twenty minutes remaining after feeling discomfort in the back of his thigh.

At the time of the substitution, the score stood at four goals apiece. Inter Miami eventually secured a 6-4 victory with late strikes from Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. However, attention quickly shifted from the result to Messi’s physical condition.

Thankfully, early reports from Argentina have calmed nerves. Reliable sources close to the national team confirm Messi requested the withdrawal himself as a safety measure. He experienced tightness in his hamstring but has suffered no actual muscle damage.

The decision to leave the pitch early makes sense given the calendar. This was Messi’s final club appearance before he joins Lionel Scaloni’s squad for the World Cup. The tournament likely represents his last chance to compete for football’s biggest prize at international level.

Messi has refused to guarantee his participation in recent months. Yet his excellent form in Major League Soccer suggests he remains sharp enough to contribute. Should Scaloni include him in the final selection, the Barcelona legend will equal Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of six World Cup tournaments.

• 1.FC Köln reach agreement to sign LAFC attacker David Martínez
• Player scheduled for final MLS appearance against Seattle Sounders on Monday
• German club plan official unveiling ceremony in July 2025
• Transfer fee required as contract runs until December 2027
• England-born winger has contributed nine goals in 21 matches this season

Journalist Fernando Petrocelli reports that David Martínez will join 1.FC Köln this summer. The 20-year-old forward currently plays for Los Angeles FC in the United States.

The Bundesliga side expect to present the player in July. They plan to make the announcement official during the pre-season period.

Martínez will feature in his farewell match for the MLS club on Monday afternoon. LAFC face Seattle Sounders in that fixture.

The young talent still has a contract with the American team until December 2027. Therefore, Köln must pay a transfer fee to secure his signature. The exact amount remains undisclosed.

The left-footed dribbler was born in England. He moved to the United States in the summer of 2024 for €3.2 million.

Martínez usually operates on the right wing. However, he can also play on the left flank or through the centre. He has found the net nine times in 21 appearances for LAFC.

• Antoine Griezmann played his final home match for Atletico Madrid against Girona on Sunday.
• The 35-year-old will join Orlando City in the MLS when the summer transfer window opens.
• He apologised to supporters for his controversial move to Barcelona in 2019, calling it a mistake.
• Griezmann is the club’s all-time leading goalscorer after two spells totalling ten years.
• He provided an assist for Ademola Lookman in the 1-0 victory over Girona.

Antoine Griezmann has said an emotional goodbye to Atletico Madrid supporters. The French forward played his last match at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Sunday.

The 35-year-old helped his team secure a 1-0 win against Girona. He created the winning goal for Ademola Lookman. This was his final appearance at the stadium before he moves to Orlando City in America.

After the match, Griezmann spoke directly to the fans. He said sorry for leaving the club to join Barcelona in 2019. He admitted this decision was an error.

“I was very young,” he told the crowd. “I did not understand how much love I had here. It was a mistake to go to Barcelona. I am sorry.”

The striker also thanked manager Diego Simeone. He said Simeone helped him win the World Cup and feel like the best player in the world. He also praised club captain Koke, calling him a true legend. Griezmann thanked his wife and parents for their support during difficult times.

Griezmann is Atletico’s record goalscorer. He first joined the club in 2014 and returned in 2021 after his time at Barcelona. His move to the MLS will end his career in European football.

• Uli Hoeneß criticises Thomas Müller’s final months at Bayern Munich
• Bayern offered Müller a learning sabbatical before club return
• Germany icon chose MLS move with Vancouver Whitecaps instead
• Post-playing role at Bayern remains available for 36-year-old

Uli Hoeneß has delivered a harsh assessment of Thomas Müller’s last campaign at Bayern Munich. The supervisory board member claims the club legend spent more time talking to journalists than playing football during his final months.

Hoeneß told DAZN that Müller effectively became a media representative rather than an active squad member. He believes the forward cleverly marketed himself despite spending most matchdays on the bench.

The Bayern chief insists he holds no personal grudge against the 36-year-old. However, he questions whether the player focused too much on his public profile when his pitch contributions had declined.

Hoeneß revealed he offered Müller a unique pathway back to the club after retirement. This plan involved a six-month sabbatical to study operations at major American sports franchises and top European clubs like Manchester United.

Müller rejected this proposal in favour of continuing his playing career. He signed for Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer instead of taking the educational break.

The former striker admits he fully understands this choice. Hoeneß stated he would return to training within ten minutes if he discovered a fountain of youth, as no job compares to being a professional footballer.

Despite the criticism, Hoeneß confirmed the executive offer still stands. Müller could still return to Munich in a leadership role if he gathers the necessary experience from his time in North America.

• Don Garber says hackers posted an insult calling BC Premier David Eby dishonest on his X profile.
• The incident occurs as the Vancouver Whitecaps threaten relocation to the United States due to stadium financial issues.
• The Canadian club claims its current lease at BC Place makes it impossible to remain profitable in Vancouver.

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber has alleged that his social media account was compromised following a controversial post that attacked a senior Canadian politician. The incident has intensified scrutiny over the future of the Vancouver Whitecaps.

On Wednesday evening, a message appeared on Garber’s X profile accusing British Columbia Premier David Eby of dishonesty using childish language. The post emerged just hours after Eby released a video message pledging government support to keep the football club in the province.

Garber later insisted that unauthorised individuals had gained access to his profile. He published an explanation at 10pm Pacific Time, stating the security breach had been resolved and thanking Premier Eby for their recent meeting. Dan Courtemanche, an MLS communications executive, also informed supporters that the commissioner had been the victim of hacking.

The timing of this social media incident is particularly sensitive. Garber is currently in Vancouver attending the FIFA Congress, where he has been discussing the Whitecaps’ stadium situation with local authorities. The club has warned that it may move to an American city such as Las Vegas or Phoenix unless it secures a better financial arrangement.

The Whitecaps currently play their home matches at BC Place, a stadium owned by the provincial government through PavCo, a state-run corporation. The team argues that its current lease agreement makes it impossible to operate profitably in Vancouver, even after recent negotiations to improve the terms.

Chief Executive Axel Schuster recently explained that while the revised deal provides some relief, it fails to address fundamental financial problems. The club has signed preliminary agreements to build a football-specific ground within the city, though officials acknowledge this project would require several years to complete.

Sources indicate that Garber was having dinner with senior US Soccer Federation officials when he learned of the offensive post. Like many high-ranking sports administrators, the commissioner does not personally manage his social media accounts and had not published a personal update on the platform for several years prior to this incident.