Latest news with #soccerfans
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Little green man becomes little green woman with soccer ball for Euro 2025 in Switzerland
People walk by a pedestrian light with a woman kicking a soccer ball in Basel, Switzerland, to honor the Women's European Championship being hosted by the country, Friday, July 4, 2025. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP) A pedestrian light features a woman kicking a soccer ball in Basel, Switzerland, to honor the Women's European Championship being hosted by the country, Friday, July 4, 2025. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP)/Keystone via AP) A pedestrian light features a woman kicking a soccer ball in Basel, Switzerland, to honor the Women's European Championship being hosted by the country, Friday, July 4, 2025. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP)/Keystone via AP) People walk by a pedestrian light with a woman kicking a soccer ball in Basel, Switzerland, to honor the Women's European Championship being hosted by the country, Friday, July 4, 2025. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP) A pedestrian light features a woman kicking a soccer ball in Basel, Switzerland, to honor the Women's European Championship being hosted by the country, Friday, July 4, 2025. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP)/Keystone via AP) BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Law-abiding pedestrians wait for the green woman kicking a soccer ball before they cross the road during the Women's European Championship. Authorities in the Swiss city of Basel have installed 12 of the altered pedestrian crossing lights at locations frequented by soccer fans while the country hosts the nearly month-long tournament. Advertisement Some are located near the soccer stadium, others near the train station. 'They will stay until the end of the Women's Euro — maybe even a few days longer,' says Nicole Ryf-Stocker, spokeswoman for Basel's transport department. Ryf-Stocker said the idea and design was provided by the St. Gallen civil engineering department, while the lights were manufactured by the same company that manufactures Basel's traffic lights. 'We thought the idea was fantastic and were allowed to use it,' she said. Basel will host the final on July 27 among other games. ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Messi fans fill Stade Saputo as Inter Miami visits Montreal: 'Messi is worldwide'
MONTREAL — Pierre-Paul Foisy can't count the number of times he's visited Stade Saputo to cheer on CF Montreal. The Lionel Messi superfan, however, has no problem shedding Montreal's colours when his hero is in town. Advertisement Instead of sporting blue, black and white, Foisy wore a pink tracksuit and a goat mask — for 'Greatest Of All Time' — as Messi's Inter Miami took on CF Montreal on Saturday night. 'Messi is worldwide,' said Foisy, standing next to his son, Jeremy. 'The level of player he is and what he can do with the ball, it's incredible. 'I'm a CF Montreal fan deep down, for sure. But when you have someone of that magnitude, you can't be disappointed about people switching sides.' Widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Messi is an eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient as global player of the year and a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022. Advertisement Hundreds of fans swarmed a downtown Montreal hotel to catch a glimpse of the global icon after he landed in Montreal on Friday night. Many more, including Foisy, held signs and lined the streets in Miami pink and Argentina blue outside Stade Saputo hours before kickoff to watch Messi walk off the team bus. A heightened police presence, extra security and numerous additional fences surrounded the stadium grounds to handle the circus. Messi waved to a large group of fans yelling his name through a fence from a distance before entering the building. 'Oh my God, I can't believe it,' said fan Kamar Assaf, wearing an Inter Miami jersey. 'It's my dream since I was a little kid.' Advertisement Assaf drove from Toronto with her partner, a Cristiano Ronaldo superfan, to see her idol live for the first time. They waited until Miami dropped out of the Club World Cup in the round of 16 last Sunday with a 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Had Miami won, the MLS match would have been postponed. There was also concern Messi wouldn't travel because of a heavy schedule of games, but Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano dismissed the idea of leaving his superstar in Florida. This marks Messi's fourth match on Canadian soil, and second in Montreal. The 38-year-old played his first professional game in Canada on May 11, 2024, when he was held off the scoresheet in a 3-2 Miami win over Montreal. Advertisement Foisy, who bought season tickets last season, went viral on social media that night for wearing his goat mask. On the heels of Messi's move from Europe to Miami in 2023, CF Montreal sold out its 15,000 season tickets last year for the first time since the club joined MLS in 2012. The club did not reveal how many it sold this season. Many spectators on Saturday only attended for one thing. "I came only to see the CF Montreal games for Messi,' said 15-year-old fan Julien Massri, with the Argentine flag painted on each cheek. 'He's the one that made me like playing soccer, so he's a really special person for me. Advertisement 'Everything about him — his dribbles, his shots, his flair, his skills … his intelligence on the pitch and his leadership is something special for me.' Some dyed-in-the-wool CF Montreal fans, however, weren't so pleased about the Messi fans invading Stade Saputo in large numbers. Tony Martino, a leading member of the '1642 MTL' supporters' group, said he understood why people cheered for Messi, who's 'probably the greatest soccer player of all time,' but added he wouldn't follow suit. 'It's not a surprise,' he said at the supporters' group's tailgate, held on the opposite side of the stadium from where people gathered to greet Messi. 'That being said, we're in Montreal, we are not here for Messi. Advertisement 'It is a little annoying in a way, kind of, to see people overtaking the stadium, but I'm here for one team.' Martino said he planned to chant a little louder than usual in the supporters' section, knowing CF Montreal fans could be outnumbered. 'We'll make sure that the flags will be flying,' he said. 'If Messi is in our area and somebody behind me tells me, 'Hey move your flag, I want to see Messi,' you won't see Messi.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2025. Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Diogo Jota gave Liverpool fans goals and a glorious song. He will never be forgotten
Initially it was hard to make out the words. Then when I knew the words I found it hard to sing them. Mainly because there seemed to be too many, leading to lines being tripped over and bafflement with the sound of everyone around me sticking with it. But they were, so I did too, and eventually I got it, and loved it, and, as such, I sang it, over and over again. 'Oh, he wears the No 20 / He will take us to victory / And when he's running down the left wing / He'll cut inside and score for LFC / He's a lad from Portugal / Better than Figo don't you know / Oh, his name is Diogo!' Liverpool supporters love a song and few in recent years have been belted out with as much joyful lustiness as the one dedicated to Diogo Jota. Based on Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival, it took some Reds longer than others to grasp but we eventually all did and so it roared from the stands of Anfield and elsewhere. A brilliant celebration of a brilliant player and one we expected to continue chanting for a few more seasons at least. And no doubt we will, but its words will now be tinged with sadness. Grief, even. These things are simply not meant to happen and, more than anything, Jota's death is a personal tragedy. He was 28, recently married, a father of three and lost his life alongside his brother. One can only imagine the immense heartbreak being felt by his family and friends. And you only have to glance across mainstream and social media to see his passing has had a wider impact, few places more than at the club he called home for the past five years. Not for the first time, Liverpool Football Club are in mourning. Staff and players have paid their own tributes to Jota, as have fans, seen most vividly with the array of flowers, shirts, scarves and messages of condolences left outside Anfield after news from Spain emerged on Thursday morning. The collective sense of shock and devastation is palpable, as well as heartfelt, because Jota was adored by those who watched him play after his arrival from Wolves for £45m in September 2020. And yes, we knew he wasn't better than Figo, but we could also see that he was good. Seriously, seriously good. Quite simply, Jota was a supreme goalscorer. There were 65 in 182 appearances and when he got a chance he more often than not took it, something you inherently felt watching him and which is backed up by data. As the statistics-based football writer Andrew Beasley posted on Bluesky, 39 players have had 50-plus shots on target for Liverpool in the Premier League, with Jota's 47% conversion rate the highest of them all. More than Mohamed Salah, more than Michael Owen, more than Fernando Torres. And what made Jota's potency especially noteworthy was that he was neither particularly big nor fast. Instead he found his way to goal via a combination of quick thinking, bravery and determination, traits that came together to produce his trademark move: the drop of the shoulder, the surge through defenders, the shift of weight and, finally, the ice-cold shot. To some extent Jota's biggest strengths were also his biggest weakness, in that his willingness to take physical contact from opponents in order to score or set up a teammate to do so – he also provided 22 assists at Liverpool – led to collisions that on more than one occasion sidelined him for an extended spell. And injuries were sadly a notable aspect of Jota's time at Liverpool. He missed more than 150 games through various bone breaks and muscle tears, and the absences became so frequent and lengthy that Liverpool fans increasingly felt he could be sold this summer or become a back-up option. Whatever the future might have held, Jota would always have been cherished by Kopites. It took us a year to watch him in the flesh given his arrival coincided with the Covid-hit behind-closed‑doors season but from a distance a bond was quickly established, not only because of his goals and commitment but also because of a hugely likable nature. And soon he could be enjoyed up close, with his song taking off during the 2021-22 season, his most prolific at the club, with 21 goals scored in 55 appearances (with many indeed coming from the left wing), a contribution that was key to Liverpool winning two domestic trophies and coming agonisingly close to an unprecedented quadruple. And the goals continued, many of them memorable, including winners in a 4-3 victory over Tottenham in April 2023 and a 1-0 triumph over Everton in April of this year that moved Liverpool a step closer to winning a 20th league title. Indeed, Jota's last act as a Liverpool player was lifting the Premier League trophy at a joyous Anfield after the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on the final day of last season. The next time players and fans convene there the mood will be strikingly different. But the Jota song will again be sung and he will again be celebrated. It's the least we can do for a player, a person, who gave us so much.
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Diogo Jota gave Liverpool fans goals and a glorious song. He will never be forgotten
Initially it was hard to make out the words. Then when I knew the words I found it hard to sing them. Mainly because there seemed to be too many, leading to lines being tripped over and bafflement with the sound of everyone around me sticking with it. But they were, so I did too, and eventually I got it, and loved it, and, as such, I sang it, over and over again. 'Oh, he wears the No 20 / He will take us to victory / And when he's running down the left wing / He'll cut inside and score for LFC / He's a lad from Portugal / Better than Figo don't you know / Oh, his name is Diogo!' Liverpool supporters love a song and few in recent years have been belted out with as much joyful lustiness as the one dedicated to Diogo Jota. Based on Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival, it took some Reds longer than others to grasp but we eventually all did and so it roared from the stands of Anfield and elsewhere. A brilliant celebration of a brilliant player and one we expected to continue chanting for a few more seasons at least. And no doubt we will, but its words will now be tinged with sadness. Grief, even. These things are simply not meant to happen and, more than anything, Jota's death is a personal tragedy. He was 28, recently married, a father of three and lost his life alongside his brother. One can only imagine the immense heartbreak being felt by his family and friends. And you only have to glance across mainstream and social media to see his passing has had a wider impact, few places more than at the club he called home for the past five years. Not for the first time, Liverpool Football Club are in mourning. Staff and players have paid their own tributes to Jota, as have fans, seen most vividly with the array of flowers, shirts, scarves and messages of condolences left outside Anfield after news from Spain emerged on Thursday morning. The collective sense of shock and devastation is palpable, as well as heartfelt, because Jota was adored by those who watched him play after his arrival from Wolves for £45m in September 2020. And yes, we knew he wasn't better than Figo, but we could also see that he was good. Seriously, seriously good. Quite simply, Jota was a supreme goalscorer. There were 65 in 182 appearances and when he got a chance he more often than not took it, something you inherently felt watching him and which is backed up by data. As the statistics-based football writer Andrew Beasley posted on Bluesky, 39 players have had 50-plus shots on target for Liverpool in the Premier League, with Jota's 47% conversion rate the highest of them all. More than Mohamed Salah, more than Michael Owen, more than Fernando Torres. And what made Jota's potency especially noteworthy was that he was neither particularly big nor fast. Instead he found his way to goal via a combination of quick thinking, bravery and determination, traits that came together to produce his trademark move: the drop of the shoulder, the surge through defenders, the shift of weight and, finally, the ice-cold shot. To some extent Jota's biggest strengths were also his biggest weakness, in that his willingness to take physical contact from opponents in order to score or set up a teammate to do so – he also provided 22 assists at Liverpool – led to collisions that on more than one occasion sidelined him for an extended spell. And injuries were sadly a notable aspect of Jota's time at Liverpool. He missed more than 150 games through various bone breaks and muscle tears, and the absences became so frequent and lengthy that Liverpool fans increasingly felt he could be sold this summer or become a back-up option. Whatever the future might have held, Jota would always have been cherished by Kopites. It took us a year to watch him in the flesh given his arrival coincided with the Covid-hit behind-closed‑doors season but from a distance a bond was quickly established, not only because of his goals and commitment but also because of a hugely likable nature. And soon he could be enjoyed up close, with his song taking off during the 2021-22 season, his most prolific at the club, with 21 goals scored in 55 appearances (with many indeed coming from the left wing), a contribution that was key to Liverpool winning two domestic trophies and coming agonisingly close to an unprecedented quadruple. And the goals continued, many of them memorable, including winners in a 4-3 victory over Tottenham in April 2023 and a 1-0 triumph over Everton in April of this year that moved Liverpool a step closer to winning a 20th league title. Indeed, Jota's last act as a Liverpool player was lifting the Premier League trophy at a joyous Anfield after the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on the final day of last season. The next time players and fans convene there the mood will be strikingly different. But the Jota song will again be sung and he will again be celebrated. It's the least we can do for a player, a person, who gave us so much.
Washington Post
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Some fans question US readiness for 2026 World Cup after Club World Cup experience
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Lifelong soccer fan Victor Dumois expressed concern about the United States co-hosting the 2026 World Cup after attending a recent Club World Cup match in Miami. 'I think after the Copa America, a weird phenomenon has occurred here,' said Dumois, who is from Spain. 'There's people that don't like the World Cup being in the United States.'
