Joe Allen says he is taking a break from football after leaving Swansea City and admits his future could lie away from the game. The central midfielder retired from professional football in May 2025 but was part of Vitor Matos' backroom staff after the Portuguese boss replaced Alan Sheehan as Swansea head coach in November.
Henrik Rydstrom vowed that the Columbus Crew will put in the work needed to rectify their slow start to the MLS season, after falling to yet another defeat. Rydstrom watched on as Columbus were beaten 3-0 by New York City FC at the weekend, with Hannes Wolf’s hat-trick dealing the Crew their sixth league loss […] The post New York Red Bulls v Columbus Crew: Rydstrom vows to turn disappointment into results appeared first on Soccer News.
MLS veteran Felipe Martins talks exclusively to World Soccer Talk about the "difficult process" of retirement, his battle with a heart defect, and his new role at The Island F.C. One year ago, Felipe Martins’ life changed forever. After a 17-year playing career that took him from Brazil to Italy to Switzerland to Canada and the U.S., Martins called it quits on soccer and transitioned to a new journey of coaching. “I realized that it was time to retire in the middle of 2024. I started to see it and feel it; physically, I could continue, for sure, but mentally, I was struggling,” stated Martins in an exclusive World Soccer Talk interview. “I think that was the moment for me where I was starting to see that, ‘Yeah, I think it’s time.’ It was very difficult, it still is very difficult, but now I’m in a process where I have understood that soccer has given me so many things. People of soccer treated me in a certain way because of what I could provide, and because of who I am.” “Friends that I’ve lost, I understood that they were there just because of what I could provide, and also who I was—even family. The reality is that after you retire, you basically have nothing to offer anymore, and people just disappear, you know? But it was a moment where I could connect more with myself and understand that nobody owes you anything. You just need to take care of yourself and always do the best for yourself, because people will always be just people. It’s a transactional relationship where you give something, and they give you something. It’s very difficult to find people who really like you for who you are, and not for what you can provide.” Born on September 30, 1990, Martins was raised in Engenheiro Beltrão, Brazil, but left at the age of 10 to pursue his luck in Santa Catarina and then Rio de Janeiro, before eventually heading to Europe and joining Calcio Padova in 2008. However, he would play just five times before being diagnosed with a minor heart defect: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Unable to play in the league, Martins left the Italian third tier and, after a brief hiatus, made the move to Swiss outfit FC Winterthur. After bouncing around Switzerland at Winterthur, FC Lugano, and FC Wohlen, Martins headed across the Atlantic and joined MLS expansion side Montreal Impact (now CF Montréal), where he played alongside legendary defender Alessandro Nesta. He established himself as a vital cog in midfield with 14 goals and 21 assists in 107 appearances, leading them to their first two trophies as an MLS club after winning the Canadian Championship in 2013 and 2014. Martins then reunited with ex-Montréal coach Jesse Marsch at the New York Red Bulls, where he registered 10 goals and 10 assists in 125 appearances and guided them to the 2015 Supporters’ Shield as well as a trip to the 2017 U.S. Open Cup Final, before returning to Canada ahead of the 2018 season. After a fairly brief spell with the Vancouver Whitecaps, Martins then took his talents to D.C. United, where he cemented his status as the team’s midfield linchpin until tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in training on September 1, 2020. But rather than break, Martins merely bent and quickly reasserted himself as a leader in the Black and Red’s midfield. “My proudest moment was when I came back from my injury, you know what I mean? I think it’s the moment that just solidified who I am and who I was. Coming from an injury is never easy, but I think I’ve done very well since I was injured, and I came back from my ACL injury in 2020. You lose speed, you lose explosiveness, but my part is just that it was tough mentally to overcome that challenge, and I think I did the best way I could at the moment.” Martins then made the move to Austin FC in 2022, helping them reach the playoffs for the first time and make it all the way to the Conference Finals, earning praise from the likes of Troy Townsend for his performances, before eventually taking his talents to Orlando City. However,
Inter Miami and Orlando City will face off this Saturday in the most anticipated Major League Soccer matchup of the weekend, with all eyes on Lionel Messi. This Saturday brings another edition of the Florida derby, with Inter Miami under pressure to secure a win at Nu Stadium against Orlando City to remain among the contenders in Major League Soccer. Lionel Messi will be in the starting lineup. The Herons went through a midseason coaching change, but it did not affect them. Under Guillermo Hoyos, they have put together a strong run of results that has them sitting second in the standings with 19 points, three behind leaders Nashville SC. However, Inter Miami still have unfinished business: winning for the first time at Nu Stadium. The venue officially opened in early April, and since then they have played three matches there—against Austin FC, New York Red Bulls, and New England Revolution—drawing all of them. On the other side will be Orlando City, who are currently experiencing a very different reality from their rivals. They did not start the season well and sit 14th in the Eastern Conference, with just two wins in 10 matches. Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos. While they await the arrival of Antoine Griezmann, who will join after finishing the 2025–26 season with Atletico Madrid, the Lions need to improve their performances in MLS, and Saturday’s clash presents an ideal opportunity to begin that turnaround. Confirmed Inter Miami lineup For this match, head coach Guillermo Hoyos will be without two key squad members: Sergio Reguilon and Mateo Silvetti are out due to injury. The good news is that Lionel Messi is fully fit. Inter Miami’s confirmed lineup is: Dayne St. Clair; Ian Fray, Maximiliano Falcon, Micael, Noah Allen; Rodrigo De Paul, Yannick Bright, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi; Luis Suarez, German Berterame. Confirmed Orlando City lineup In recent weeks, Orlando City have alternated wins and losses in MLS. Their last match was a 4-3 victory over New England Revolution, which gives them momentum heading into Saturday. However, the challenge will now be much greater, and head coach Martin Perelman will need to design an effective defensive strategy to contain Lionel Messi. Orlando City’s confirmed lineup is: Maxime Crepeau; Griffin Dorsey, Iago, Robin Jansson, Adrian Marin; Braian Ojeda, Luis Otavio, Martin Ojeda; Ivan Angulo, Tiago, Justin Ellis.
In just three months at San Jose Earthquakes, Timo Werner was named as April Player of the Month, a feat not even Lionel Messi at Inter Miami wasn't able to achieve. Timo Werner has become a vital piece for a San Jose Earthquakes side currently dominating the 2026 MLS season, with the German star claiming his first Player of the Month award just three months after joining. With such an immediate impact, Werner has managed to establish himself as a dominant force on the pitch even faster than Lionel Messi did upon joining Inter Miami. After logging just 13 minutes across three Bundesliga matches for RB Leipzig in the first half of the 2025-26 season, Werner sought a move away from Germany during the winter transfer window. On January 29th, he was officially announced as the newest member of the SJ Earthquakes, taking one of the club’s Designated Player spots. While his league debut started slowly, tallying 200 minutes in his first four appearances and missing three others, April proved to be his breakthrough. With a league-high seven goal contributions (four goals and three assists) in April, Werner was voted the MLS Player of the Month. The Earthquakes enjoyed a formidable run in April, pulling off five consecutive wins while outscoring opponents 16-5. The German star returned from injury against Los Angeles FC with a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win, continued his streak against Austin FC, and finally netted a brace with an assist to spark a 3-2 comeback road victory over St. Louis City. Player of the Month ⏰🗞️ | #Quakes74 Forward Timo Werner Named MLS Player of the Month for April 2026➡️ https://t.co/M3j6wWrh4b pic.twitter.com/Pzq1N3XL6g— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) April 30, 2026 Just three months since his January arrival, Werner has already etched his name into the MLS history books. By winning the Player of the Month award for April, he became only the second German player to earn the honor, joining Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar, who has won the award twice. How long did it take Messi to win his first MLS POTM? Lionel Messi currently sits tied for 5th all-time with five MLS Player of the Month awards, level with Luciano Acosta and trailing only legend Chris Wondolowski, who holds the record with seven. However, in terms of immediate impact from his debut, Werner has actually outpaced the Inter Miami ace. Following the expiration of his PSG contract, Messi joined Inter Miami on July 15, 2023, with more than half of the season already completed. The Argentine made his MLS debut against the New York Red Bulls on August 26, but he was limited to just five more appearances that campaign due to recurring injuries. After regaining full fitness and settling in with Inter Miami, Messi’s first MLS Player of the Month award arrived in April 2024. During that month, he recorded a staggering six goals and four assists in just four matches. While Messi claimed his first award in his fifth month of active league competition (accounting for the unified Feb/March window), Werner secured his in just his second.
