Mauricio Pochettino was right about Chelsea with his rant this week. When they won the league ahead of his Tottenham side in 2017, it was a success built on cheating. Chelsea confessed.
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Hull at Stamford Bridge (kick-off 15:00). Fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson is in the same position, with the 36-year-old not ready to be involved this weekend but Alonso "hopes" he can be for the next game.
The US manager’s relationship with the international job has changed with a full World Cup cycle beginningI hope, in this lifetime, you find someone who loves you the way Mauricio Pochettino loves Tottenham Hotspur. The grip Spurs have on his heart seems the stuff of a literary classic: his imperfect partner who called things off at the first sign of trouble must merely check in on him occasionally to rekindle hopes of a reunion.Perhaps a bit extreme, but this week’s revelation – that he’d return to Tottenham even if they were relegated and chalking his absence up to imperfect timing, not the part about handing the club a decade-old title – has implicity laid out the terms of his return as United States manager. Others may always have interest in his services, and a certain North London suitor will never get the door slammed in their face outright. Continue reading...
Spain's pursuit to host the 2030 World Cup final is being challenged by Morocco FA, with its president Fouzi Lekjaa naming a 115,000-seat stadium as the venue for the game. Preparations for the 2030 World Cup are already underway, set to feature the first tournament held across six nations, with Spain, Portugal, and Morocco serving as primary co-hosts. However, a high-stakes power struggle has emerged regarding the final venue after Morocco FA president Fouzi Lekjaa identified a planned 115,000-seat facility in Morocco as the target destination. Spanish news agency EFE reported Thursday that Lekjaa, during a political address in Bouznika, Morocco, declared the country would secure the final for the 2030 edition. “The province of Benslimane will have the honor of hosting the 2030 World Cup final,” he said. The proclamation drew immediate pushback from Spanish sports executives, who have long positioned Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabeu as the logical centerpiece for the final match. However, the venue remains unconfirmed, as FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, retains final decision-making authority over tournament match assignments. Morocco have launched an ambitious infrastructure initiative to support their co-hosting duties, anchored by a record-setting stadium project. Benslimane, the municipality highlighted by the Morocco FA president, sits 60 kilometers (37 miles) outside Casablanca and will house Hassan II Stadium, a $1 billion USD project built for a projected capacity of 115,000 seats. Upon completion, it will stand as the largest soccer-specific stadium in the world. Digital renderings of the Stade Hassan II stadium in Morocco. (Populous via Handout/Getty Images) While Lekjaa has publicly laid claim to the 2030 final, FIFA have yet to formally confirm host venue designations across the tournament. For comparison, MetLife Stadium (rebranded as New York/New Jersey Stadium during international competition) was not officially awarded the 2026 World Cup final until February 2024, reflecting the extended timeline governing bodies typically utilize before announcing final selections. Spain FA also pushing to hold the final Numerous structural decisions remain unresolved for the 2030 World Cup, including whether opening-stage fixtures assigned to Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will expand beyond initial celebratory matches, as well as final field expansion logistics. Regardless of format adjustments, the destination of the final remains the ultimate prize, one Spanish executives are unwilling to relinquish without a fight. Speaking to reporters in Ceuta, RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) president Rafael Louzan called for diplomatic alignment between bid partners: “Spain has to work with those with whom we signed the bid. We can’t say: now you’re in, now you’re not… We have all signed an acceptance of a bid, and the bid, as you know, is what it is. Therefore, we must work on that.“ Louzan subsequently reinforced Spain’s posture regarding the location of the final match, outlining the country’s historic qualifications. “The pity was that, regarding the final, it wasn’t made clear, completely clear, where that final has to be played. Spain, a two-time world champion and current number one in both men’s and women’s football, has to host that final. We will all work together, because we have no other choice, so that we can deliver the best World Cup in history,” explained the RFEF president.
Chelsea signed Palestra for £47million from Atalanta but he picked up an injury before making his debut. Now Confidential can reveal the latest on his return.
Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea should be stripped of their 2016-17 Premier League title for financial rule breaches and the honor awarded to the side he led to the runner-up spot. Chelsea was fined £10 million ($13.4 million) in July and given a suspended two-window transfer ban in relation to breaches of Premier […] The post Pochettino calls for Chelsea to be stripped of 2017 Premier League title appeared first on Soccer America.
Cristiano Ronaldo's dream to claim the 2026 World Cup with Portugal has begun, currently at the Round of 32. Cristiano Ronaldo, even at 41 years old, remains a central figure for both his club, Al Nassr, and the Portugal national team. Still drawing global attention, the key question now is when the legendary striker will take the field again. Cristiano Ronaldo’s next game with Al Nassr is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, when they visit Al Khaleej for Matchday 7 in the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League at Ego Stadium. The Portuguese star heads to the game after scoring the opening goal in the 2-1 win against Abha. The icon’s 2026-27 international campaign with Portugal following the 2026 World Cup is set to begin on Thursday, September 24, when they host Wales for Matchday 1 of the of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League. The forward’s last World Cup game came on July 6th, where Spain beat the Selecao in the Round of 16 with a narrow 1-0 win. In the 2026-27 season, which he has stated could be his last one as professional soccer player, the Portuguese icon scored 3 goals and provided 0 assists in 5 games for Al Nassr, while netting 5 goals in 5 UEFA World Cup qualifiers and 3 in the 2026 World Cup for Portugal, with his personal account in 979 career goals. Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal celebrates scoring a goal. Ronaldo faced long break due to FIFA schedule After his stunning bicycle-kick goal against Al Khaleej, Cristiano Ronaldo was rested for Al Nassr’s midweek AFC Champions League Two match. But from that point forward, the Portuguese star endured a 24-day gap without competitive action, a result of the upcoming FIFA competition schedule. From December 1 through 18, Qatar hosted the second edition of the FIFA Arab Cup, with the final between Morocco and Jordan played at Lusail Stadium, the same venue as the 2022 World Cup final. With several Saudi Pro League players involved, including stars of the Saudi Arabian national team, clubs, including Al Nassr, were unable to meet domestic player requirements, forcing the SPL into a temporary pause during the tournament.
With the 2026 MLS season already underway, questions are being raised about when Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will play his next game. Lionel Messi is still making history at 38 years old, remaining a cornerstone and captain for both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. With the 2026 Major League Soccer season now underway, fans are wondering when they’ll see the forward back in action. Lionel Messi’s next match with Inter Miami is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, when the Herons host Nashville SC at Nu Stadium for the 2026 MLS. The Argentine star heads to the game after delivering an assist and be the first player to reach 1,350 goal contributions in the 1-1 draw against Chicago Fire. As for his next game with Argentina, there is no game scheduled yet, but the next matchups will be in the upcoming extended international break in September-October. Still, Lionel Messi has already announced his retirement from the national team, marking the end of an era at the Albiceleste. During the World Cup, Messi featured in all eight matches for Argentina scoring eigth goals to cement his legacy as the second all-time top scorer in the torunament with 21 career World Cup goals. As for the 2026 MLS campaign, Messi has featured in 21 official matches so far across all competitions for Inter Miami, scoring 18 goals with 11 assist registered thus far. Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF during the MLS match against LAFC. Lionel Messi and the task of defending the World Cup title The year 2026 will be especially significant for Messi, not only because of Inter Miami’s ambitions but also because he’ll head into the 2026 World Cup aiming to defend the title. The triumph in Qatar in 2022 marked one of the defining peaks of his career, and now in North America he’ll enter another tournament wearing the champions’ badge for the first time. Drawn into Group J, Argentina will open its campaign against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16, in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. The second match will be against Austria on Monday the 22nd in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, before closing the group stage against Jordan on Saturday the 27th, also in Texas. The Argentina FA has announced that the national team will base itself in Kansas City during the tournament, though training facilities have yet to be confirmed. Expected to be his final World Cup appearance, Messi will have a chance to add to his record haul with a squad coached by Lionel Scaloni that remains one of the strongest in international soccer after winning the last World Cup and back-to-back Copa América titles.
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