Carlo Ancelotti attends his first match in Brazil
Julián Alvarez was voted by the Atlético de Madrid fans as their best player of the year. The Argentinian attacker talks about his debut season at the club and discusses their ambitions ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.
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USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Bayern Munich icon Thomas Müller to Whitecaps in latest MLS transfer blockbuster
The MLS hot stove has arguably never been hotter, with Germany and Bayern Munich icon Thomas Müller completing a move to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the latest major move this summer. Müller, 35, is by some measure the biggest star in Whitecaps history, and arguably for any of Canada's three MLS clubs. He is expected to arrive in Vancouver next week for a press conference, and will train with his new teammates the next day. "I'm looking forward to coming to Vancouver to help this team win a championship," said Müller in a Whitecaps press release. "I've heard great things about the city, but first and foremost I'm coming to win. I've had great conversations with [CEO] Axel Schuster and [head coach] Jesper Sørensen, and now I can't wait to play in front of the supporters and to see all of the fans come out to BC Place as we head towards the playoffs." Müller is an all-time great at Bayern, which has long dominated German soccer. A native of the club's home state of Bavaria, Müller joined Bayern's academy as a 10-year-old, spending 25 years with one of Europe's biggest clubs. During that time, Müller played in 756 games (more than anyone in team history), scoring 250 goals. Müller lifted 33 trophies as a Bayern player, including 23 in major competitions like the Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League, and FIFA Club World Cup. His final appearance in a Bayern shirt came on July 5 in Bayern's 2-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain during this summer's Club World Cup. The attacker joins a Vancouver side in the midst of their best season since joining MLS in 2011. The Whitecaps currently sit second in the Western Conference on 45 points, one behind impressive expansion side San Diego FC (with the Canadians holding a game in hand). The 2014 World Cup winner is not the only major star to join an MLS team recently. One of Vancouver's major competitors in the Western Conference, LAFC, is set to announce Son Heung-min on Wednesday after putting up the largest transfer fee in MLS history to sign the former Tottenham captain. In July, Inter Miami signed Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, adding to a star-studded roster that includes Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. Here's what to know about Bayern Munich star Thomas Müller's move to MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps: Leagues Cup: Inter Miami vs. Pumas UNAM: Time, TV, is Lionel Messi playing tonight? Thomas Muller to Vancouver Whitecaps: How MLS deal works Thomas Müller's move to the Vancouver Whitecaps seems like the simplest thing in the world: he's a free agent, the Whitecaps came up with a contract offer to his liking, and Vancouver has the roster space necessary to add an international player. However, MLS is among the world's most complicated leagues, with a rulebook that could rival the NFL's in some ways. While the on-field rules are still simple — outside of some very minor tweaks regarding things like players leaving the field quickly when substituted, MLS has not modified the sport of soccer — the regulations regarding roster rules, player transfers, and assets used are all notoriously convoluted. In this case, Vancouver is having to jump through two separate hoops. First, to sign Müller at all, they needed to make a separate, asset-for-asset trade with FC Cincinnati thanks to MLS's "discovery priority" rules. Discovery priority — essentially a formalized process of calling dibs on first rights among MLS teams to negotiate with a player — exists to keep MLS teams from bidding against one another when pursuing players who are not currently in the league. It's a holdover from the league's early days, when team owners and league officials could remember the demise of the original North American Soccer League in the mid-1980s. NASL teams spent beyond their means on players, with the league eventually folding as a result. In Müller's case, FC Cincinnati had the top discovery claim on him, which makes for an awkward fit on the surface. After all, how can any MLS team "discover" a global star who has won the biggest competitions in the sport? Furthering the confusion, MLS teams have long figured out that you can still offer hypothetical terms to a player without having discovery priority, as long as you can also afford to make a deal to acquire top dibs somewhere along the way. Despite the problems with nomenclature, the issue here was simple: Cincinnati had genuine interest in signing Müller, and MLS rules require teams with discovery priority to either seriously pursue signing the player in question, or hand the right to negotiate over to another team. Cincinnati reportedly made a serious push to sign Müller, as did other clubs around the world, but ultimately the Bayern legend preferred the offer from the Whitecaps. Cincinnati confirmed on Wednesday that they had received $400,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM, one of several intra-MLS assets that operate like currency for trades, temporary salary cap expansion, and more). In the Müller deal, Vancouver is sending $200,000 in 2025 GAM, $100,000 in 2026 GAM — teams are allocated a base amount of GAM every season, along with additional GAM depending on competitive outcomes — and a potential for $100,000 more from their GAM stockpile to Cincinnati in 2026 if certain, unspecified conditions are met. Believe it or not, this is the state of play after MLS has taken steps to simplify its rules and add transparency. That includes allowing teams to trade actual dollars for players for the first time, which has already been used for several multi-million moves, including FC Cincinnati bringing MVP candidate Evander over from the Portland Timbers for $12 million in February.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Arsenal Face Villarreal with Madueke and Gyokeres in Line for Action
Arsenal vs Villarreal: Debut Anticipated as Arteta Assesses Injuries Madueke Ready for First Appearance in Arsenal Colours There is an undeniable thrill to watching a player take their first tentative steps in new surroundings — especially one who arrives with the weight of expectation. Arsenal's £52 million summer signing, Noni Madueke, is poised for his first appearance in red and white tonight as Villarreal visit the Emirates Stadium for a high-profile pre-season friendly. Having joined after representing Chelsea at the Club World Cup, Madueke missed Arsenal's pre-season tour of Asia but has returned to training ahead of schedule. His commitment is clear; the winger has already integrated with Mikel Arteta's squad in a bid to hit the ground running. 'It was a short one but at least that one is off now and when they play against Villarreal now, I'm sure it will be a bit different,' said Arteta, referencing the club's recent loss to Tottenham. Photo IMAGO Gyokeres and Madueke Offer Fresh Options in Attack Another intriguing subplot is the potential home debut of Viktor Gyokeres, who made a brief appearance in the defeat to Spurs. Arteta, typically cautious with new arrivals, has confirmed that Gyokeres' minutes will be managed carefully, especially since the striker missed Sporting's pre-season before making the switch to Arsenal. Tonight's match provides an opportunity for both Madueke and Gyokeres to start building rhythm ahead of the new season, with Arsenal fans eager to see how the duo can complement established stars like Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard. Injury Concerns Mount Before Villarreal Clash Arteta's preparations for Villarreal are complicated by a growing injury list. Riccardo Calafiori, who impressed during the Asia tour, missed the Spurs clash with a knee issue. Leandro Trossard is also a doubt after pulling up with a suspected muscle injury. 'He felt a little tweak, I think he tried to turn and he was pushed and he felt something muscular so we'll have to assess him,' explained Arteta. Gabriel and Jurrien Timber remain sidelined as they continue rehabilitation from earlier surgeries, and Gabriel Jesus is ruled out entirely with a knee problem. Predicted Arsenal Lineup Against Villarreal With several players unavailable, Arteta is expected to field a blend of first-team regulars and newcomers. The predicted XI (4-3-3) features Raya in goal, with a defence of White, Saliba, Kiwior, and Lewis-Skelly. Ødegaard, Zubimendi, and Rice are likely to marshal the midfield, while Saka, Havertz, and Martinelli spearhead the attack. Kick-off is at 6pm BST today, Wednesday, 6 August 2025, at Emirates Stadium. The match is available via the official Arsenal website and app.
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Chelsea men's and women's teams celebrate trophy wins at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea presented the FIFA Club World Cup and their summer signings to supporters at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday as they celebrated the five trophies won by their men's and women's teams last season. The celebration in front of several thousand fans in the West Stand of the stadium featured on-pitch interviews with club captain Reece James, head coach Enzo Maresca, winger Pedro Neto as well as Chelsea women captain Millie Bright, head coach Sonia Bompastor, Erin Cuthbert and Catarina Macario. Advertisement Chelsea women completed a domestic treble in 2024-25, lifting the League Cup and FA Cup as well as winning the Women's Super League (WSL) for a sixth successive year. All three trophies were placed on plinths on a stage erected on the Stamford Bridge pitch in front of the West Stand, with official stadium announcer Lee Parker conducting proceedings. Our two managers. 🤝💙 — (C)helsea FC Women 🏆🏆🏆 (@ChelseaFCW) August 6, 2025 Many of the Chelsea women's squad were not in attendance so soon after this summer's European Championship, but the men's first team were introduced individually to rapturous applause, with Enzo Fernandez bringing out the UEFA Conference League trophy and the biggest cheers reserved for Cole Palmer and player of the year Moises Caicedo. Chelsea's new faces were also given a warm welcome from the Stamford Bridge crowd. Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Dario Essugo and Estevao were all among the last names to be introduced, with the Brazilian teenager flashing a broad smile as he made the penultimate entrance. Then it was the turn of James and Maresca, sharing the honour of carrying the vast Club World Cup trophy across the pitch to its plinth, 24 days after lifting it in New Jersey. 'It means a lot to me personally,' James said of winning the competition, raising his voice to be heard over chants of 'He's one of our own' from the West Stand. 'I've been here in difficult times and had struggles myself, so to win this trophy at the end of a tough season means a lot.' Maresca added: 'I think we showed this season how strong we are, but football is never enough, you are always trying to do more, to improve. This season is the same target: try to improve players and to improve the team.' Asked for his message to Chelsea supporters ahead of the new season, the Italian replied: 'The message for me is quite clear: the players need the fans, so it's important that they are always behind them. This is my main message.' Advertisement Chelsea's men and women paraded all five trophies in front of the West Stand before exiting the pitch. Fans in attendance were shown a video on the big screen of James carrying the Club World Cup into the club's trophy room and placing it among the club's historic silverware, then smiling to the camera and walking away. (Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
