Goalkeeper · #53 · Brazil · 26 yrs
From marvelling at teenage wonderkids to tracking the world’s largest coffee pot, our team of writers outline their expectations for the jamboree in North AmericaUse our Bracketology to click your way through the group stage and the knockouts to crown a championSpain and Portugal in the final, with Spain winning. I’ve played our Bracketology game 20 times and gotten 20 different paths but Spain always end up winning. Alexander Abnos Continue reading...
Award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan has been dropped from officiating at the World Cup after being barred from entering the United States. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Alexander Cooley, Claire Tow Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, explains that "we're seeing the Trump's administration adherence to hard-line immigration laws clash against the reality of what you need to stage a truly global event".
Juventus’ summer striker search is intensifying on multiple fronts, with the club accelerating their pursuit of Alexander Sorloth while simultaneously making enquiries for Gabriel Jesus and Nicolas ...
Following a disappointing season, Liverpool have decided to reshape their squad under Andoni Iraola. As an attacking reinforcement, the Reds are reportedly targeting the return of Darwin Núñez on a free transfer from Al Hilal. Darwin Núñez completed a €53 million transfer to Al Hilal in 2025, arriving as a marquee attacking signing. However, Karim Benzema’s arrival pushed him out of the sporting project, leading to his exclusion from the Saudi Pro League squad list. As a result, the Uruguayan striker is targeting a return to the Premier League, with the Reds reportedly pursuing his return on a free transfer in the summer of 2026. According to Graeme Bailey, via teamTALK, the Reds are considering a possible return for Núñez as a backup striker. Having been left out of Al Hilal’s sporting project, the forward is expected to push for a return to Europe this summer as a free agent, having gone a long period without playing. After leaving a strong legacy at the club, a return to Anfield could help him rediscover his best form. Despite Liverpool’s interest, they have not submitted any offer for the Uruguayan striker, meaning his return is far from a reality. In addition, Al Hilal could push to receive some compensation from a potential transfer, as he remains under contract until 2028. Therefore, negotiations may be far from straightforward, but his performances at the 2026 World Cup could be key in reshaping his professional future. Darwin is not coming off the best season of his career, as he failed to win the starting role at Al Hilal, while Benzema ultimately pushed him out of the team. Nevertheless, he could take advantage of Marcelo Bielsa’s trust in him with Uruguay to shine at the World Cup. If he manages to do so, not only would Liverpool push to sign him, but other Premier League clubs could also enter the race, as his contribution goes far beyond just scoring goals. Darwin Nunez of Al Hilal celebrates after scoring Darwin Núñez could shake up Andoni Iraola’s rotation at Liverpool Ahead of the 2026–27 season, Liverpool would be looking to have different attacking alternatives under Andoni Iraola. With Alexander Isak recently returning from an injury and Hugo Ekitike sidelined with a long-term injury, the potential return of Darwin Núñez would be an absolute success. While he would not be an immediate starter, he could offer plenty of attacking options that fit the head coach’s needs. During his time with the Reds, Darwin managed to stand out both as a center forward and as a left winger. With his explosive pace, change of rhythm, and tactical intelligence, he earned a place in Klopp’s rotation. The same could happen under Iraola, as Cody Gakpo’s future is not entirely clear and the Uruguayan striker could fill a similar role. However, he would only arrive as a free agent.
US soccer icon Alexi Lalas talks exclusively to World Soccer Talk about the growth of the game in the United States, his fears over player complacency, and his outlook for the USMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup. We are just a few days away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will see the United States take on Paraguay in Los Angeles in their tournament opener, and one man who will be keenly watching is Panayotis ‘Alexi’ Alexander Lalas. Three decades after representing the USA in the World Cup on home soil—back when the US didn’t even have a professional soccer league—Lalas is now one of the country’s premier soccer pundits, proudly watching over as the beautiful game has taken hold in the USA. “It warms the cockles of my old, red-headed American heart how far we have come. I am incredibly proud of what America has become in terms of a soccer-playing nation,” stated Lalas in an exclusive World Soccer Talk interview. “We’ve still got a long way to go, but it’s pretty unprecedented when you look at how far we have come in a relatively short period of time. “There’s the element of being a proud papa, if you will, but I don’t rest on my laurels. I can still make mistakes, I can still get better. I love what I do, and they can pry it from my cold, dead, red-headed hands, and they’re all young and really, really good. I love the fact that we have progressed both on and off the field so quickly and so far. It does make you proud when you look back and see how far we have come.” Born on June 1, 1970, Lalas was born in Birmingham, Michigan to a Greek father, Demetrios Lalas, and an American mother, Anne Harding Woodworth. Whilst he didn’t start playing soccer until he was 11, Lalas quickly emerged as one of the best players in the state before attending Rutgers University between 1988 and 1991. Lalas then departed to focus on the U.S. national team, competing in the 1992 Summer Olympics before making his mark in the World Cup. These stellar displays in the heart of defense would see Lalas join Calcio Padova, becoming the first American to play in Serie A, before making the move to the nascent Major League Soccer in 1996. He proved indispensable for the New England Revolution until clashing with head coach Frank Stapleton and making the move to Ecuadorian First Division Club Emelec for a month, returning and then being traded to the MetroStars. After a year in the Big Apple, Lalas then headed to the Kansas City Wizards before moving to the LA Galaxy, where he won a boatload of trophies including the MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield. He retired in 2004, calling it quits on a legendary career that saw him score 9 goals in 96 caps. And after working as a president and general manager for the Galaxy, MetroStars, and San Jose Earthquakes, Lalas decided to make the move into punditry. Lalas has spent the bulk of the two decades establishing himself as one of the nation’s top soccer commentators alongside the likes of Rodney Marsh, initially with ESPN before signing with Fox Sports. And this summer, just as he has done ever since Fox started broadcasting World Cups in 2015, he’ll be dispensing his unique commentary and no-holds-barred style to millions of TV viewers across the United States. But whilst he is rooting for the Stars and Stripes to go all the way, he isn’t overly convinced of the USMNT’s mental resilience to handle the pressure and excel on the world’s biggest stage. “This happens in families: you want better for your kids, and sometimes that means you give them things that you didn’t have. And yet, when you do that, that means they become complacent, they accept it, they come to not value these types of things. The same thing can happen to the team when they are given everything, but I would rather that they had more. I’m all for the Eye of the Tiger and the Spartan approach, I get that, but that train left the station a long time ago.” “Really, what it comes down to is, as a young player, what are you instilling in them? Are you in
