The best footballers in history would thrive in any era. With evolving styles, discourse and perceptions, some players gain recognition too late, or seem ill-fitted for the era of their circumstance. If ever there was a player made for his exact moment, it is Spain’s Rodri. Defensive midfielder, box-to-box, deep lying playmaker, he can do […]
La Liga named Lamine Yamal its Player of the Year, an honor previously won by both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Just as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated La Liga for years, this new era appears destined to belong to Lamine Yamal. The young Barcelona winger was named the league’s best player of the season after a standout campaign. “A wonderkid! Barcelona star, Lamine Yamal wins La Liga Player of the Season,” the Spanish league announced Friday on its official social media accounts alongside a photo of the 18-year-old holding the trophy. The same post highlighted four other players as Yamal’s main challengers. Kylian Mbappe finished second after an impressive season with Real Madrid despite the club’s lack of silverware and his injury struggles. Also featured among the contenders were Villarreal’s Nicolas Pepe, Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi, and Real Betis’ Pablo Fornals. Lamine Yamal played a decisive role in Barcelona’s title-winning campaign, recording 16 goals and 12 assists in 28 matches — an average of one goal contribution per game. Despite dealing with a groin issue early in the season and a hamstring injury that sidelined him during the final stretch of the campaign, the winger established himself as the team’s primary attacking threat. He even carried much of the offensive burden during the absences of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, the other star attackers in the squad. A WONDERKID! 🪄@FCBarcelona star, Lamine Yamal wins #LALIGAEASPORTS 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍!#LALIGAPOTS | #PREMIOSANUALESLALIGA— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) June 5, 2026 Yamal follows in Messi’s footsteps In previous years, Lamine Yamal had already shown flashes of brilliance with Barcelona, earning the La Liga U-23 Player of the Season award in both 2024 and 2025. This year, however, he took another step forward and claimed the league’s top individual honor, which had been awarded to Raphinha the previous season. In doing so, Yamal surpassed Lionel Messi as the youngest player ever to win the award. The Argentine forward first claimed the honor at age 21 after starring during the 2008-09 season. However, when comparing the two, Lamine still has a long way to go. Messi holds the record for the most La Liga Player of the Year awards with nine, including a streak of five consecutive wins. After his first recognition in 2009, he also won the award in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Cristiano Ronaldo trails far behind Despite enjoying a brilliant nine-year spell with Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to establish himself as La Liga’s dominant individual star and spent much of that era competing with Lionel Messi’s overwhelming influence. As a result, CR7 won the league’s Player of the Year award only once during his nine seasons in Spain, claiming the honor in 2014.
After a dramatic final day in the Segunda Division, the club secured a crucial league position that keeps promotion hopes intact and sets up a high-stakes postseason battle for a place in La Liga. Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of seeing Almeria return to Spain’s top flight remains alive, but the road ahead is now clearly defined. After a dramatic final day in the Segunda Division, the club secured a crucial league position that keeps promotion hopes intact and sets up a high-stakes postseason battle for a place in La Liga. The Spanish club, in which Cristiano Ronaldo recently became a co-owner, endured an emotional afternoon before finally securing the opportunity to continue its promotion push. What comes next could determine whether Almeria returns to the elite level of Spanish soccer after four years away. Almeria entered the final round knowing that a place in the promotion playoffs was far from guaranteed. Despite occupying a strong position in the standings, results elsewhere threatened to derail the club’s ambitions throughout the afternoon. As scores unfolded across Spain, the Rojiblancos slipped down the live table and briefly found itself outside the playoff places. At various moments, the club dropped from third to fourth, then fifth, sixth, and even seventh place, leaving promotion hopes hanging by a thread. The tension inside the stadium grew as rival clubs continued to win their matches. Almeria needed a breakthrough and knew that one goal could completely change the picture. Arribas’ goal to be crowned top scorer and secure a place in the play-offs 👑⚽#LALIGAHighlights pic.twitter.com/2oOjO3dn3I— UD Almería (@UDAlmeria_Eng) June 2, 2026 That decisive moment arrived shortly after halftime when Sergio Arribas converted a penalty, giving Almeria a 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid and securing third place in the final Segunda Division standings. The result represented a massive achievement considering the pressure surrounding the occasion. After suffering consecutive defeats before the final round, Almeria responded when it mattered most. One promotion spot remains While Racing Santander secured the Segunda Division title and Deportivo La Coruna earned automatic promotion by finishing second, only one promotion place remains available. That final spot will now be contested by Almeria, Malaga, Las Palmas, and Castellon, with only one club eventually joining Racing and Deportivo in next season’s La Liga. The playoff system has been part of Spanish soccer since 2011 and consistently delivers dramatic finishes. This season appears no different, especially considering how competitive the race remained until the very last day. Almeria’s journey almost ended before it truly began, but Arribas’ penalty ensured the club remains in contention. Ya quedaron definidos los Playoff de @LaLiga2 para el ascenso a @LaLiga ¿Quién creéis que asciende? pic.twitter.com/I0eUKHcucY— Borja (@AlamyFutbol) June 1, 2026 Why the third place finish could be crucial Finishing third brought more than just qualification for the playoffs. Almeria earned home advantage throughout the promotion playoffs, a significant benefit under Segunda Division regulations. If a tie remains level on aggregate after both matches and extra time, the higher-ranked team advances automatically. That means their league position could prove decisive if any playoff encounter becomes deadlocked. The club’s players and supporters celebrated the achievement, knowing they had successfully completed the first stage of their mission. However, the most difficult challenge is still ahead. The playoff path is now confirmed With the regular season officially concluded, the promotion playoff bracket has been finalized. Almeria will face Castellon in the playoff semi-finals, while Malaga will take on Las Palmas in the other semifinal. The first leg between Almeria and Castellon will be played at Castalia Stadium on Saturday, June 6, with the return leg scheduled next Tuesday, June 9, at t
Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen has indicated his desire to leave Stamford Bridge over a lack of regular game time. The 24-year-old told head of global goalkeeping Ben Roberts he wants consistent first-team football, having joined from Villarreal for £20.7m in 2024. Under former head coach Enzo Maresca, Jorgensen largely acted as Robert Sanchez's understudy, before being rotated in and out under successor Liam Rosenior.
Roberto Ayala revealed details about the way Lionel Scaloni will decide Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In just over a week, on June 1, the deadline set by FIFA for national teams to confirm their 26-player squads for the 2026 World Cup will expire. Argentina have yet to make that announcement, and Roberto Ayala revealed details about Lionel Scaloni’s method for making the final decision. “Each member of the staff makes their own list,” Ayala revealed during a recent interview with Clank. “In the conversations we have, he asks whether each of us has our list ready. Then we send them to the group chat we have, and finally Leo decides.” The former Valencia defender explained that there are as many as six different lists before Scaloni makes the final call. One obviously belongs to the coach himself, who has the final word, while the others come from assistants Roberto Ayala, Walter Samuel and Pablo Aimar — all former national team players as well — plus Matias Manna (match analyst) and Luis Martin (fitness coach). Despite the number of lists involved, Ayala admitted the staff members are usually on the same page. “There are very few differences between us. One more name or one less,” he said before explaining how coach Scaloni handles the process: “He opens the discussion so we can talk things through and different topics come up. Those are our preliminary conversations.” Scaloni’s doubts ahead of the World Cup Argentina were one of the few teams to officially announce the list of 55 players submitted to FIFA on May 11. From there, reports indicate that Scaloni made a preliminary cut to reduce the number to around 35 players, though he has yet to finalize the definitive 26-man squad. One of the main reasons for the caution is the considerable number of players dealing with physical issues whose recovery processes are being evaluated on a day-to-day basis. Most of them also play in defensive positions, which complicates planning: goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and defenders Cristian Romero, Gonzalo Montiel and Nahuel Molina are among them. Ayala explains the debates within Argentina’s staff In the same interview, Roberto Ayala gave details about the criteria Scaloni will use to determine Argentina’s final World Cup roster. “About 80% of the list is already set. There are others we still have to evaluate, whether because of form or physical condition. We also have to consider that something could happen to someone or that a player could still be doubtful,” he explained. “So what do we do then? Do we add a defender or a midfielder? We have to look at the versatility of the players and what they can give you. Whether in some cases we need to play with three or five defenders, and which players can offer you more things,” added the former defender. “We lost (Juan) Foyth, who was important, because he was a reliable center back and a fullback who always delivered,” Ayala lamented, referring to the Villarreal player who suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury earlier this year. “All of that gets evaluated and resolved in a short amount of time.”
According to reports from AS, Real Madrid are following the development of their former academy defender Rafa Marin very closely after his impressive season in La Liga with Villarreal.Although Marin t...
Players hope their workaholic manager will let his hair down if he wins competition for fifth time in IstanbulTwo years ago, during Aston Villa’s first European adventure under Unai Emery, Vicente Iborra was asked about a manager he knows better than most. “He is a coach that takes into consideration every detail which might happen in the match,” said Iborra, then of Olympiakos. Iborra has winner’s medals from all four of Emery’s Europa League triumphs – three on the spin with Sevilla, the last with Villarreal five years ago – before which the injured midfielder delivered a stirring dressing-room speech. “You have the chance to make a lot of people happy,” he said, by way of opening gambit.On Wednesday, against Freiburg, Emery hopes to lift the trophy for a record-extending fifth time. Before Villa beat Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals, Vítor Pereira spoke on behalf of the masses when he called Emery the king of the Europa League. This is Emery’s sixth final, he’s only lost one, and he’s seeking his first silverware with Villa. Continue reading...
Antoine Griezmann stated that he "made a mistake" the moment he left Atletico Madrid to join Lionel Messi's Barcelona in 2019. Antoine Griezmann bid farewell to the Atletico Madrid faithful in his final home appearance at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Sunday against Girona. In an emotional scene in front of a packed stadium, the French legend admitted that leaving the Colchoneros to join Lionel Messi‘s Barcelona had been “a mistake.” Regarded at the time as one of the best players in the world and having already signed a contract extension, Griezmann completed a move to Barcelona in 2019 for €120 million. However, the anticipated partnership with Messi never truly clicked, and his two seasons at the club yielded only a Copa del Rey title in 2020-21, with disappointment in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. Taking the microphone and addressing the supporters from the center of the pitch in tears, Griezmann delivered a farewell speech that left no one unmoved: “First, thank you all for staying. This is incredible. Second, I know many forgave me, and some still haven’t: I ask for your forgiveness again. I didn’t realize the affection I had here; I was very young and, well, I made a mistake. I re-evaluated things and we did everything we could to come back and enjoy being here again.” Despite more than a decade at the club, La Liga and the Champions League remain the two major honors that eluded Griezmann at Atletico. The irony is not lost on anyone that the Colchoneros‘ last La Liga title came in the 2020-21 season, the very campaign in which Griezmann was away in Barcelona. Antoine Griezmann of Atletico de Madrid speaks to the crowd at the Metropolitano. He reflected on that unfulfilled chapter with characteristic honesty, while making clear that the supporters’ love has meant everything to him. “I haven’t been able to bring a La Liga title or a Champions League, but this affection is worth more to me. I will carry it with me for the rest of my life. Now, yes, I’m finishing up. Fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts, thank you very much for bringing the kids here, to teach them that Atleti is the best thing in the world,” he stated. At Barcelona, Griezmann posted 35 goals and 17 assists across 102 appearances, a figure that stands in stark contrast to his legacy at Atletico, where he made 500 appearances, scored 212 goals as the club’s all-time leading scorer, and reached the milestone of 100 assists with his contribution against Girona on Sunday. Now 35, Griezmann will move on to MLS to continue his playing career. Griezmann’s oath after Orlando City tenure With one La Liga game remaining against Villarreal, Griezmann’s next chapter will take him to the East Coast to join Orlando City, where he will inevitably cross paths with Messi once more in a potential Florida Derby against Inter Miami. But once his days as a player are behind him, his commitment to Atletico remains unshaken. Speaking in the press room following his on-field farewell, Griezmann made a heartfelt promise about his future: “When I finish in Orlando, I’m going to return here. To Madrid, to the club, and to win trophies from another side (of the game). Hopefully, someone better than me comes in and gives us the Champions League.“
Sevilla will receive Real Madrid on Matchday 37 of the 2025/2026 La Liga season. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the game live in the USA. Here are all of the details of where you can watch Sevilla vs Real Madrid on US television and via legal streaming: WHO Sevilla vs Real Madrid WHAT Spanish LaLiga WHEN 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT • Sunday, May 17, 2026 WHERE ESPN+, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, and ESPN Deportes STREAM WATCH NOW Match Overview Sevilla enters this high-stakes clash at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán with a clear objective: secure La Liga survival. After a turbulent season, the team has found a crucial run of form, winning four of their last seven matches and stringing together three consecutive league victories for the first time in two years. A win here would mathematically guarantee their place in the top flight, adding immense urgency to their performance. Standing in their way is a Real Madrid side with nothing left to play for but pride. Locked into second place after conceding the league title, Los Blancos are navigating a disappointing end to their campaign. While they have more points at this stage than they did last season, the atmosphere is one of frustration. This match pits Sevilla‘s desperate fight for survival against a wounded giant looking to make a final statement. Tactical Analysis & Match Context The trajectories of these two clubs could not be more different. Sevilla is on a sharp upward curve under manager Luis García, collecting 12 points in his seven-match tenure and showcasing renewed resilience, highlighted by a stunning 3-2 comeback victory over Villarreal. In contrast, Real Madrid is limping to the finish line, with off-pitch issues and a sense of deflation hanging over the squad despite their undeniable talent. The tactical battle will likely see Sevilla leverage their home advantage and survival instinct to press with high intensity. Their recent success has been built on collective effort and the contributions of homegrown talent. Real Madrid will rely on moments of individual brilliance from their world-class attackers to break through. The key will be whether Sevilla‘s organized, motivated unit can neutralize the sporadic but lethal threat posed by Madrid‘s stars. For Sevilla, the motivation is simple and powerful: secure safety with one game to spare. Every point is vital, and they cannot afford to let up. For Real Madrid, the challenge is to demonstrate professionalism and character. Despite a season that fell short of expectations, the club’s standards demand a strong performance, making this a test of their resolve against a team fighting for its life. Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends Historically, this fixture has been overwhelmingly dominated by Real Madrid. Los Blancos are currently on a four-game winning streak against Sevilla and are undefeated in their last 14 encounters, a run that includes 12 victories and only two draws. This long-standing dominance gives Madrid a significant psychological edge heading into the match. A look at the last five meetings reinforces this trend. Real Madrid has won four of the last five, including the reverse fixture earlier this season, which ended in a 2-0 victory at the Bernabéu. Prior results include a 2-0 win, a 4-2 victory, and a 1-0 win for Madrid, with a single 1-1 draw breaking the streak in October 2023. From a data perspective, Real Madrid‘s defense has been particularly effective against Sevilla, keeping three clean sheets in their last five matchups. Sevilla has managed to score just three goals in that same period, underscoring their difficulty in breaking down the Madrid backline. The last two games between the sides have both ended with a 2-0 scoreline in favor of Real Madrid. Squad News & Projected Lineups Both squads enter this critical match with significant injury concerns, forcing tactical adjustments from both managers. Sevilla will be without several key players, including Isaac Romero, Manu Bueno, and Marcão. While
