🔬 The Debrief from Sunday's high-scoring MLS action
We had three more MLS games to dive into in MLS on Sunday, and the 270 minutes of football provided us with 12 goals, and plenty of narratives to digest.
Let's dig into some of the biggest talking points.
📸 Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
The day was kicked off by Minnesota United snatching a win over NYCFC in the Bronx, with the visitors fending off a late fight-back to secure all three points. Tani Oluwaseyi continues to be a revelation for the Loons, scoring the side's opening goal inside one minute.
ONE. MINUTE. IN. ⚡️Tani Oluwaseyi opens the scoring with his fifth of the season for @MNUFC! pic.twitter.com/hvsQ9tAmxC
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 6, 2025
On the other side of the country, San Jose got back to winning ways with a thumping 6-1 win over D.C. United at PayPal Park. The dynamic duo of Josef Martínez and Chicho Arango both found the back of the net for Bruce Arena's side, with the former rolling back the years and bagging three.
👑 KING JOSEF 👑Josef takes over sixth on the all-time scoring list with career goal 118. Legend. pic.twitter.com/HnkveujLsO
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 6, 2025
Finally, struggling Toronto managed to secure a surprising point in Miami in the final match of the evening thanks to a Federico Bernardeschi goal. Lionel Messi did pull the Herons level and had another goal ruled out, but Toronto will be overjoyed with the point on the road, and perhaps should have won it late in the match.
The skill from Bernardeschi... 😍 pic.twitter.com/mM10x9h2IP
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 7, 2025
📸 Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
San Jose's Josef Martínez has been on the end of plenty of individual accolades in his time as an MLS star, but he deserves more recognition for his performance against D.C. United on Sunday.
The Venezuelan bagged a hat-trick in the Quakes' victory, and in the process he continued to climb up the all-time goalscoring charts in MLS. Martínez now has 120 regular season goals in his MLS career, moving up to 6th all-time outright.
6th goal, Josef's 3rd.120 MLS GOALS FOR THE KING. pic.twitter.com/9TdqNmrbHI
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) April 6, 2025
Most hat tricks in MLS history:7 - Josef Martinez5 - Bradley Wright-Phillips5 - Chris Wondolowski5 - Diego Serna5 - Stern JohnTonight was Josef's first hat trick since July 21, 2018. We'll hear from him on MLS Wrap Up tonight. #MLS #Quakes74 #ATLUTD https://t.co/srL8t02T4E pic.twitter.com/Zf33d60H0F
— Kevin Egan (@kev_egan) April 6, 2025
Another day in the life of Lionel Messi, another milestone.
With his first-half goal against Toronto FC, @InterMiamiCF's Lionel Messi (44 goal contributions in 29 games) surpassed Gonzalo Higuaín for the most goal contributions in club history, accomplishing the feat in 38 fewer matches. pic.twitter.com/l2qUUMbWGY
— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) April 7, 2025
As Miami dropped points in surprise fashion, the Herons missed out on a chance to reclaim first place in the Eastern Conference and go level at the top in the Supporters Shield race.
Meanwhile, Minnesota's early win ensured they jumped back into the top-three out in the west, with fellow winners San Jose moving up into eighth — the first of two wildcard spots.
📸 FREDERIC J. BROWN - AFP or licensors
While we have to wait another week for MLS action, there are some major Concacaf Champions League ties reaching their conclusions during the week. All of Inter Miami, LAFC, LA Galaxy, Vancouver Whitecaps are in continental action
📸 Leonardo Fernandez - 2025 Getty Images
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New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Canada summer transfer primer: Latest on David, Buchanan, Larin and more
TORONTO – This summer is shaping up to be one of the most important in recent memory for the Canadian men's national team. It's about to enter the Gold Cup as one of the tournament favorites. With a near-full strength squad, which sets itself apart from the U.S. men's national team, Canada has one of its best opportunities to win its first trophy since 2000. Doing so would fill this team with confidence ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil. Advertisement And for many of Canada's players, the World Cup presents both a challenge and an opportunity this summer. They know Canada head coach Jesse Marsch wants his players logging heavy minutes on their club sides heading into the World Cup. How they approach this upcoming season could be crucial to where they land on the World Cup roster. For the likes of, say, Alphonso Davies and Moïse Bombito, this summer might not be a priority. They know they're in terrific standing with their clubs in top leagues and will use that to propel them towards the World Cup. But for others, this summer represents a potentially pivotal moment to move to a new club – and possibly secure the playing time and the World Cup spot they're after. After a week spent around Canada's men's national team in Halifax and Toronto, here's what we're hearing about the future of a number of key players. This status of this summer's most discussed transfer option – not just in Canada, but across the soccer world – remains the same: David has options across Europe's top leagues vying for his services. As things stand, he's waiting for the right combination to emerge from an interested club: an attractive project (Champions League participation is justifiably high on his list of interests) and a financial package that makes sense. 'I want a club with ambition that wants to do something,' David told The Athletic last week. 'Obviously, I would love to fight for titles, to win titles. A team that's competitive, that has ambition, really, with a good sporting project.' Don't be surprised if David, linked heavily to Napoli and Juventus, stays true to himself and exercises patience throughout the summer. Participation in the Gold Cup feels more and more likely. Koné's high-profile transfer to Ligue 1's Marseille last summer did not unfold as hoped: he made just nine appearances, drew the ire of manager Roberto de Zerbi and was loaned mid-season to Rennes. Advertisement Despite being under contract, Koné is unlikely to return to Marseille, with another loan or permanent transfer on the table. The sticking point could be finding a club that wants to pony up the cash for Marseille after the Ligue 1 side paid in the region of £15 million for Koné last summer. A return to Rennes is still possible, but only if the club is willing to find the kind of money to turn Koné's loan deal into a permanent buy option. Could he be on his way to another new club, his fourth in just over a year? 'In football, there's a lot of changes. So, I'd be OK with that,' he told The Athletic. The experience in France was a humbling and eye-opening one for the prodigious No. 8. From the benefits of private physios to adding extra hours to his training regimen, Koné learned how vast the gap is between newcomers and those who compete regularly in Europe's top leagues. For his part, Koné seems to have a better understanding of how to be successful in Europe. He told The Athletic that in his next club, he wants 'an environment where I can showcase my skills, my talent and I could just grow and learn, because that's what I want to do: grow and progress and be the best player I can be. You're never going find an organization that's going guarantee (playing time), that just comes with work. For me it's the most important is to find an environment where I could be myself and learn and grow.' Whenever a forward bursts onto the scene by averaging a goal every 126 minutes en route to winning the Belgian Pro League, there's going to be questions about that player's future. Despite interest from clubs in France and England, though, the safe bet is for Promise David to stay in Belgium next season. He still has plenty to learn about the training demands of a European club. David will play more regularly next season as well, including in the Champions League. Advertisement The honesty David shared with The Athletic about a possible move should should speak for itself: 'I've never been in a position where I have options to move,' David said. 'People were telling me in January, a bunch of options started popping up. People were like, 'Are you going to take off?' And I was like, 'The grass is f—ing green here.' You can go somewhere else and maybe the grass isn't as green as you thought. I mean technically you can say, 'Yeah, I did conquer Belgium.' And I didn't play a full season but then – I didn't even play a whole season. So maybe I should sit there and soak up as much training as possible. If my team decides to sell me, because they damn well can, I'm ready to go, but I'm happy with where I'm at. I'm not pressuring myself to go for it. If there's a better option that suits both parties, and everybody's happy with that, sure, why not? Pack up my bags and move. But I just extended my lease, it'd be a damn shame.' Expect the up-and-coming central midfielder to make a move this summer to Europe, with Belgium's Anderlecht the frontrunner to sign him. 'If the project is good for me, I would open to (a summer transfer), because I think for my future I would love to be able to get to play in Europe and experience that,' Saliba said. Canada's coaches have come to adore how well Saliba owns the space in the middle of the park with his ball-winning ability, dribbling and size. They see what others around MLS have seen, as Saliba has stepped into a more regular starting position. Saliba needs to be pushed at a higher level to have a chance of winning starts at the World Cup, though. Of the many positive takeaways from Canada's 4-2 friendly win over Ukraine, Buchanan's resurgence has to be at the top. Canada's best player at the 2022 World Cup has fallen on trying times: a move to Inter Milan didn't lead to consistent minutes, and a horrific injury at Copa América cut into his playing time and development. He only looked to be finding his footing toward the end of a mid-season loan to La Liga's Villarreal. But Buchanan's goal and two assists on Saturday had him turning a corner. 'I feel like my old self,' Buchanan said postgame. Advertisement Canada's coaches like how Buchanan played in more of a right midfield role with Villarreal as opposed to the right wingback role he occupied with Inter Milan. They want him to occupy more central areas of the pitch and be more connected to the team's forwards. That way, Canada believes he can be more effective in transition. So what does that mean for Buchanan's immediate club future? It's worth wondering if the positional versatility he'll gain from a strong Gold Cup this summer could make him more valuable to Inter. Could newly-appointed Inter manager Cristian Chivu sense Buchanan's versatility and try him in different positions as opposed to right wingback to make him fit? Chivu's recent history working with and developing younger players in Italy could help Buchanan's case in Milan. 'When the time comes at the end of the season, I guess that's when I'll reflect,' Buchanan told The Athletic in March of his club future. That time is now, and it certainly feels like the hyper-determined Buchanan could return to Inter to fight for his place next season. After a remarkable second start for Canada in which De Fougerolles commanded play in the back against Ukraine, things could soon turn at the club level for the uber-intelligent teenager. De Fougerolles is out of contract with Fulham come July 1. It's believed Fulham has expressed genuine interest in re-signing him. But is a return to Fulham – and possibly the Under-21 side – the best path for a player who looks more than ready for regular first-team minutes? That's the priority for De Fougerolles right now: Getting into a senior environment ahead of the World Cup. 'I need first-team football,' De Fougerolles said declaratively. 'I'd like a loan. I think I can obviously push for it to play first-team minutes. Obviously if Fulham want me around, I'll gladly stay and be around the team. But a loan would be amazing. So just to play 40 professional games a season, I feel like that's part of the game that maybe I'm missing. With the Under-21s, it's less competitive. So if I were to go to a League One or a Championship team, I think every game would be competitive and that would give me something that I haven't had much of, and I think that experience would really put me in a good space.' Advertisement While De Fougerolles mentioned two English leagues, don't be surprised if he considers top-tier options outside of Europe's biggest leagues. A move to a team that develops young players is starting to feel more likely, with options in Belgium, the Netherlands or Austria as possibilities. After becoming a frequent starter in a variety of positions for Hajduk Split at just 21, it sounds like Sigur and his camp are pushing more than ever for opportunities outside of Croatia. A team in the Netherlands or Belgium that plays in European competitions makes sense. Increasing his understanding of how different European teams play ahead of the World Cup is a priority. 'Honestly, I think it's more down to what the club wants,' Sigur said of a possible move. 'I have a contract (through) 2028, so there's been a little bit of communication, but I think it was clear that when I come back from the Gold Cup, we're going to come to a decision. And obviously there needs to be concrete offers and offers that make sense for me to go. Obviously, with World Cup coming up, I want to be playing. And I've been in Hajduk three years now. So I know I am well respected there. I'm going to be one of the more senior players, if that's even possible. I'm only 21, but a lot of guys are going to move on, and it's a really young team.' After a strong first half to the season in La Liga, the longtime Canadian forward cooled. Larin scored just two goals in his final 16 La Liga appearances this season. Despite having a contract until 2028, Larin sounds ready for a different opportunity. 'I would love to stay in Spain and play at the top level. I've done well there. I played well with Valladolid. It's just about finding a team that fits my style. When I played with Valladolid (on loan in 2023), we created chances. When I get chances, I can score. But when you don't get chances, it's harder to score,' Larin told The Athletic. As things stand, Larin's spot as a starter at the 2026 World Cup doesn't feel assured. He knows from experience that he needs regular playing time to be at his most effective. 'Leading up to (the 2022 World Cup), I wasn't playing so much. It was very difficult. I had to put in more work to play and my fitness wasn't there. I played a big role when I played in the World Cup 2022 in Qatar, but I could feel my fitness a little bit,' he said. Advertisement While Larin wants to stay in Spain, would he consider a mid-season move to MLS? The Brampton-born striker, who starred at Orlando City before bolting for Europe, might not be at that stage just yet, but he would consider it. 'If the option was there and the time was right, I would have to evaluate it,' he said. Oluwaseyi is in the middle of his best professional season: he has eight goals in just 16 MLS appearances. Marsch and the Canada coaching staff remain high on Oluwaseyi and his ability to execute their pressing demands while still creating opportunities. Others are seeing Oluwaseyi elevate his play, too: it's believed there are clubs in France, Belgium and the English Championship currently monitoring him. Still, the probability of a move this summer feels low, at least for now. 'There's enough to think about at Minnesota. There's a lot to do at Minnesota, so I think my focus is just there for the most part,' Oluwaseyi said. Oluwaseyi is instead a candidate to turn a few memorable performances at the World Cup into a move in 2026. 'I'd be lying if I said as a player I didn't want to challenge myself,' Oluwaseyi said. 'I feel like Minnesota or MLS has been a pretty good challenge. And another challenge comes along that, that is the right one for me, and I'll definitely be up for it.' The emerging defender is under contract with Bristol City until 2027. After spending last season on loan with Crewe Alexandra in England's fourth tier, Knight-Lebel will not look for another loan this summer. Expect him to push for a regular spot with Bristol City and try to play as many Championship games as possible. Knight-Lebel's inclusion in every Canada squad since October suggests he's in the mix for a World Cup spot. Not just fighting for, but getting games at Bristol City could fortify that spot.
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Argentina vs Colombia: How to watch Lionel Messi play Tuesday before Club World Cup
Argentina vs Colombia: How to watch Lionel Messi play Tuesday before Club World Cup Show Caption Hide Caption Former USMNT player Cobi Jones talks Messi at the FIFA Club World Cup Former USMNT player and MLS champion Cobi Jones describes his anticipation of seeing Lionel Messi perform at the FIFA Club World Cup Sports Seriously Lionel Messi will play with the Argentine national team in front of his beloved Argentinian fans in a World Cup qualifier against Colombia on Tuesday night. The match will be Messi's first match in his home country this year, and his last before re-joining Inter Miami to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup later this week. It's also a rematch of the 2024 Copa America final, which Argentina won last July. Messi will start the match at Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni said on Monday. "Leo will play from the start. Let's hope people enjoy him and the team," Scaloni said. Here's everything you need to know about the Argentina vs. Colombia match: What time is the Argentina vs Colombia match? The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina). How to watch Argentina vs Colombia on TV, live stream? The match will be broadcast by Telemundo in the U.S. Here's a link to watch soccer on Fubo. Is Messi playing in Argentina vs. Colombia match? Yes, Messi is expected to play and will be in the starting lineup. Messi came off the bench in Argentina's last match, playing nearly 40 minutes in their 1-0 win in Chile last Thursday. Julián Alvarez scored the only goal in the match. Before re-joining Argentina earlier this month, Messi played in all seven of Inter Miami's matches in May. What are the CONMEBOL standings for World Cup 2026 qualifying? Argentina has already qualified for the next World Cup, sitting atop the CONMEBOL standings with 34 points. Ecuador (24 points), Paraguay (24), Brazil (22), Uruguay (21) and Colombia (21) round out the top 6 from South America – all of which would qualify for the World Cup. When does Messi play in the FIFA Club World Cup? Messi and Inter Miami will play in the Club World Cup opener on Saturday against Egyptian side Al Ahly at 8 p.m. ET inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Inter Miami will also play FC Porto (Portugal) on June 19 in Atlanta and SE Palmeiras (Brazil) on June 23 in Miami to conclude the group stage. Will Lionel Messi play in World Cup 2026? Messi has yet to declare whether he will play in the next World Cup with Argentina, the defending champions.
4 hours ago
One year from World Cup opener, FIFA leaves questions unanswered on tickets and security
NEW YORK -- A year from the largest World Cup ever, there has been no announcement on general ticket sales, prices for most seats, location of a draw or security arrangements as FIFA has mostly avoided disclosing details of an event set for 16 stadiums across the United States, Mexico and Canada. There is uncertainty about whether fans from some nations will be welcome — 11 of the venues are located in the U.S., where all matches will be played from the quarterfinals on. Security is a concern, too. At the last major soccer tournament in the U.S., the 2024 Copa America final at Miami Gardens, Florida, started 82 minutes late after spectators breached security gates. 'That was certainly a reminder and a wake-up call if anybody needed it that those types of things are going to be used in terms of the ultimate assessment of whether this World Cup is successful," said former U.S. defender Alexi Lalas, now Fox's lead soccer analyst. U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from 12 nations exempted athletes, coaches, staff and relatives while not mentioning fans. Vice President JD Vance made what could be interpreted as a warning on May 6. 'Of course everybody is welcome to come and see this incredible event. I know we'll have visitors probably from close to 100 countries. We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game,' he said. 'But when the time is up they'll have to go home. Otherwise they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem,' he added, speaking alongside Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. The 1994 World Cup sparked the launch of Major League Soccer with 12 teams in 1996, and $50 million in World Cup profits seeded the U.S. Soccer Foundation, tasked with developing the sport's growth. MLS now has 30 teams, plays in 22 soccer specific stadiums and has club academies to grow the sport and improve talent. Next year's tournament will include 104 games, up from 64 from 1998 through 2022, and the 11 U.S. stadiums are all NFL homes with lucrative luxury suites and club seating. It also will be the first World Cup run by FIFA without a local organizing committee. 'The legacy initiative of 2026 is around how we ensure that soccer is everywhere in this county," U.S. Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson said. "How do we ensure that every American can walk, ride their bike or take public transit to a safe place to play soccer? How do we make it to where every school in America has soccer accessible to their students? And how do we make it to wherever every American can truly see themselves in the game?' Interest in soccer has vastly increased in the U.S., with England's Premier League averaging 510,000 viewers per match window on NBC's networks last season and the European Champions League final drawing more than 2 million viewers in each of the past five years on CBS. However, CBS broadcast just 26 of 189 Champions League matches on TV in 2024-25 and streamed the rest. MLS drew about 12.2 million fans last year, second to 14.7 million in 2023-24 for the Premier League's 20 teams, but MLS has largely disappeared from broadcast TV since starting a 10-year contract with Apple TV+ in 2023. Apple spokesman Sam Citron said the company does not release viewer figures. In a fractured television landscape, different deals were negotiated by FIFA, UEFA, MLS, the NWSL, the USSF and the five major European leagues. 'You basically have over 2,800 game windows per season aired in the United States and so that requires distribution largely on streaming platforms like Paramount+ or ESPN+, but it's difficult for new fan adoption and it makes reach kind of challenging,' said Gerry Cardinale, managing partner of RedBird Capital Partners, which holds controlling interests in AC Milan and Toulouse and owns a non-controlling stake of Fenway Sports Group, parent of Liverpool. 'Kids today are getting weaned on Premier League football and Serie A football, and when you watch that as a product, it's hard for MLS to compete.' The 1994 World Cup, a 24-nation tournament, drew a record 3.58 million fans for 52 matches. Ticket prices ranged from $25-$75 for most first round games and $180-$475 for the final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. FIFA, which has about 800 people working at an office in Coral Gables, Florida, says it will announce information on general tickets in the third quarter. It wouldn't say whether prices will be fixed or variable. Hospitality packages are available on FIFA's website through On Location. For the eight matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, including the final on July 19, prices range from $25,800 to $73,200 per person. FIFA appears to be using variable pricing for this year's Club World Cup, played at 12 U.S. stadiums from June 14 to July 13, and some prices repeatedly have been slashed. Marriott Bonvoy, a U.S. Soccer Federation partner, has been offering free tickets to some of its elite members. Asked about Club World Cup ticket sales and team base camp arrangements, Manolo Zubiria, the World Cup's chief tournament officer, hung up four minutes and five questions into a telephone interview with The Associated Press. Brendan O'Connell, the publicist who arranged the interview, wrote in an email to the AP: 'The guest was not prepared for those questions.' FIFA's media relations staff would not make FIFA president Gianni Infantino available to discuss the tournament. Ahead of the 1994 World Cup, FIFA announced in May 1992 the draw would take place at Las Vegas on Dec. 18 or 19, 1993. FIFA has not revealed plans for this year's draw but appears to be planning for Las Vegas on Dec. 5. Regular ticket sales began in February 1993 for the U.S. soccer family and general first- and second-round sales started that June. Fans submitted lottery applications in October 1993 for games from the quarterfinals on. While not detailing ticketing plans for next year's tournament, FIFA is spreading it beyond the host cites and lists about 60 possible base camps for teams to use, paired with hotels. Some are fancy — The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia — and some more Spartan — the Courtyard by Marriott Mesa at Wrigleyville West in Arizona. Thousands of arrangements must be coordinated. Major League Baseball is drawing up its schedule to ensure that the four teams whose ballparks share parking lots with World Cup stadiums — in Arlington, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Philadelphia; and Seattle — won't play home games on the dates of tournament matches. Boris Gartner, CEO of La Liga North America, a joint venture of the Spanish soccer league and Relevent Sports, said the 2026 World Cup should be viewed as just another step in the sport's long-term growth in the United States. 'If you have a clear understanding of the market and the audience, a clear understanding of the value that these properties bring to media companies, and you mix content with a commercial strategy, with the right media distribution strategy, this is something that will continue to grow over the next two decades," he said. 'If more people are watching the NWSL, more people are going to be interested in soccer that could potentially end up watching a Bundesliga game or La Liga game.'
