Neymar had an exchange with an opposing fan during the match between Coritiba and Santos in Brazil, with the 2026 World Cup becoming the center of attention.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than a month away, speculation continues to grow over whether Neymar will be part of Brazil’s final 26-man roster. During Santos’ latest match against Coritiba, the forward had a brief interaction with a fan in which the topic came up.

“You’re not going to the World Cup,” a Coritiba supporter shouted at Neymar during the closing minutes of this week’s match at Couto Pereira Stadium, where Santos earned a 2-0 victory to advance to the sixth round of the Copa do Brasil.

The 34-year-old forward, who was leaving the field after being substituted for Gabriel Barbosa in the 84th minute, did not react angrily as he has in previous incidents involving fans. Instead, he responded with a smile: “You’ll be staying at home.”

From his past controversies, Neymar has likely learned that getting involved in arguments with supporters — whether opposing fans or even Santos fans, as happened a few weeks ago — is rarely worthwhile. However, the calm way he handled the moment also probably reflects a much more optimistic mindset regarding his chances with Brazil.

Neymar respondendo provocações da torcida do Coritiba.

Os torcedores estavam gritando “Não vai pra Copa”

pic.twitter.com/BCWl1mtFYt

— DataFut (@DataFutebol) May 14, 2026

Although there has been no official confirmation, reports indicate Neymar was included in the preliminary 55-man roster submitted to FIFA earlier this week. If true, it would mark the first major sign of confidence from Carlo Ancelotti toward the forward since taking over the national team nearly a year ago, although it obviously does not guarantee him a place in the final squad.

Neymar finding strong form with Santos

Neymar’s ambition to finish the first half of the season in top condition and reclaim his place with the Brazil national team has pushed him to work intensely to rediscover his best physical and sporting form. And that effort is beginning to pay off.

For the first time in more than three years, the forward has been able to play regularly without injury setbacks. In fact, he has started 12 of Santos’ last 18 matches across the Brazilian Serie A, Copa do Brasil and Copa Sudamericana, while also completing the full 90 minutes in most of them.

Ancelotti speaks about Neymar

With Neymar continuing to improve physically and on the field, the final decision now rests with Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian coach must determine whether Neymar can provide solutions during the World Cup and whether he will be physically capable of handling such a demanding tournament and packed schedule.

“Neymar is an important player for this country because of the talent he has always shown,” Ancelotti admitted during a recent interview with Reuters. “But he has had problems and is working hard to recover. He has improved a lot recently and is playing regularly. It is, obviously, not such an easy decision for me. We have to weigh up the pros and cons carefully.”

Portland Timbers head coach Phil Neville spoke about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Sunday’s matchup against Inter Miami.

Inter Miami will play their second-to-last match before the Major League Soccer season pauses for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, when they host the Portland Timbers at Nu Stadium. Head coach Phil Neville spoke about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the game.

“I was lucky enough to play with one of the greatest in Cristiano, and on Sunday I’ll be out to coach against one of the greatest, which is an honor,” Neville said during Friday’s press conference in Miami, shared by reporter Jose Armando on X.

The former English defender played alongside Ronaldo between 2003 and 2005 during his final seasons at Manchester United, when the Portuguese forward had just arrived from Sporting CP as a teenager. Together, they won the 2003-04 FA Cup under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Neville later praised Messi’s commitment since arriving at Inter Miami and explained how it has positively impacted MLS. “I love, and I loved it with the other stars here like Sergio Busquets and Alba, that when they score, they celebrate. They’re not here for a holiday. They’re not here just to pick up whatever money they’re earning. They’re here to win,” the Portland coach said.

Phil Neville sobre Lionel Messi y las figuras de Inter Miami:

"Están aquí para ganar y no vienen por dinero; hemos tenido jugadores que vienen a esta liga por una pensión"#InterMiamiCF #Messi pic.twitter.com/RQXiaBFewm

— José Armando (@Jarm21) May 15, 2026

“There was a game, I think it was in Orlando, they were maybe 2-0 down, and the greatest player in the world is arguing with maybe the goalkeeping coach from Orlando on the bench,” Neville recalled. “That, for me, inspires the whole league. What them guys are doing shows their hunger, their desire to be the absolute greatest every single day.”

Phil Neville reflects on his time at Inter Miami

When Lionel Messi agreed to join Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, the club had decided to hire Gerardo Martino just one week earlier. The Argentine coach arrived as the replacement for Phil Neville, who had held the position since January 2021.

Asked whether he regrets not having the opportunity to coach Messi at Inter Miami, Neville was completely honest: “I had incredible relationships with the owners, so it didn’t just happen in seven days. At the start of the season, I was under no illusions that probably, if he came in, I wouldn’t be here. And that’s totally fine.”

Phil Neville estaba al tanto de que podía salir del club si Lionel Messi llegaba a fichar con Inter Miami:

"Uno de los dueños del equipo es mi mejor amigo y no nos guardamos secretos"#InterMiamiCF #Messi pic.twitter.com/T4eTmzQ94m

— José Armando (@Jarm21) May 15, 2026

The coach then discussed his relationship with David Beckham, his former Manchester United teammate and an Inter Miami executive: “One of the best friends of my life is the owner of the football club, so it’s not as if we kept secrets from each other during that period.”

Inter Miami searching for first home victory

Despite enjoying a strong 2026 MLS season and currently sitting second in the Eastern Conference standings, Inter Miami still have unfinished business: earning their first win at their new home.

Since the official opening of Nu Stadium in early April, the Herons have played four matches there, recording three draws and one loss. On Sunday, they will look to end that streak against the Portland Timbers. If they fail to do so, they will have another opportunity seven days later when they host the Philadelphia Union in their final match before the break.

A record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo was surpassed by Bruno Fernandes after receiving the Player of the Year award at Manchester United.

Manchester United are finishing the 2025-26 Premier League season in excellent form, firmly established in third place in the standings. A major reason for that success has been the performances of Bruno Fernandes, who won the club’s Player of the Year award and surpassed a mark previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo.

“It had to be him. Bruno Fernandes has been crowned our Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for a record fifth time,” Manchester United announced Friday through a social media post.

Since the creation of the trophy in 1988, no player had ever won it five times, highlighting the enormous impact Fernandes has had on the club since arriving from Sporting CP. He previously won the award in his first season in 2020, as well as in 2021, 2024 and 2025.

Until now, Bruno shared the top spot in the rankings with two other players. Cristiano Ronaldo and David De Gea had each won the award four times. The Portuguese forward earned it in 2004, when he was just 19 years old, as well as in 2007, 2008 and 2022, while the goalkeeper won it in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.

It had to be him.@B_Fernandes8 has been crowned our Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for a record fifth time 😍👑

🤝 @adidasFootball pic.twitter.com/G35axGaoXe

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 15, 2026

As a result, Bruno Fernandes not only surpassed Ronaldo and De Gea for the most trophies won, but also matched the Spanish goalkeeper’s record by becoming just the second player to win the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award three consecutive times.

What is the Sir Matt Busby award?

Created in 1988, the Sir Matt Busby trophy is an award presented to Manchester United’s fans’ player of the season. Voting takes place near the end of each campaign and is open to anyone registered on the club’s official website. That allows supporters from around the world to express their opinion and help select the team’s standout player.

Originally, the trophy was called the MUFC Members Player of the Year award, but in 1995 it adopted its current name in honor of Sir Matt Busby, the legendary head coach who managed the Red Devils from 1945 to 1969, and then briefly from 1970 to 1971.

In addition to Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo and David De Gea, other stars to receive the award over the decades include Brian McClair, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney, Bryan Robson, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Marcus Rashford.

Matthijs de Ligt will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the Netherlands because of physical issues.

It is common in the months leading up to every World Cup for important players to be ruled out because of injuries, dealing major blows to their respective national teams. This time, the bad news came for the Netherlands, as Matthijs de Ligt has officially been ruled out.

“After 6 months of treatment and working hard to get back, surgery was the only option left,” the Dutch defender wrote Friday in a post published on his official Instagram account, alongside a photo of himself in a hospital bed.

“I’m disappointed I couldn’t help the team the last 6 months and obviously missing out on the World Cup,” De Ligt later added, referring to his lengthy absence with Manchester United this season and the missed opportunity to play for the Netherlands this summer in North America.

Finally, the 26-year-old shared an optimistic message regarding his future after undergoing back surgery on Friday: “I am looking forward to doing everything to get back in front of the fans and feeling better again.”

De Ligt appeared in just 14 matches for Manchester United this season across the Premier League and Carabao Cup, scoring one goal. In December, he began dealing with back problems that ultimately prevented him from returning to the field, effectively ending his club season.

Bad news for the Netherlands

Matthijs de Ligt had not been a priority for head coach Ronald Koeman in recent years, especially while playing a secondary role at Bayern Munich. However, after arriving at Manchester United, the defender had regained importance, to the point of starting in the Netherlands’ final match of 2025, a 4-0 victory over Lithuania in November.

However, because of his back issues, De Ligt was unavailable for the March FIFA international break, and now surgery has officially ruled him out of the 26-man squad that will compete in the World Cup. It marks the second major loss for Koeman, as Xavi Simons was also ruled out weeks ago because of a serious knee injury.

Japan also dealing with injuries

The Netherlands will compete in Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Tunisia, Sweden and Japan. The Asian side also suffered a significant setback this week that will affect preparations for the tournament in North America.

“Kaoru Mitoma will not be part of Japan squad for the World Cup 2026, decision confirmed,” reporter Fabrizio Romano wrote Friday on his official X account. “Brighton winger, out due to hamstring injury suffered recently as he won’t recover in time.” In addition, another of Japan’s stars, Takumi Minamino, has also been ruled out because of a knee injury suffered in December.

Rodrigo De Paul spoke about how he and Lionel Messi are preparing to compete with Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

For years, there has been uncertainty surrounding whether Lionel Messi would be part of Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He has never publicly confirmed it and has consistently cast doubt on the possibility because of his age, but over the last few days the picture has become much clearer. First, Lionel Scaloni included him in the preliminary 55-man roster, and now Rodrigo De Paul has revealed that both players have been preparing for the tournament for quite some time.

“I talk a lot with Leo about the World Cup and the excitement we have,” De Paul said during a recent interview on Lo Del Pollo. “For the last two or three months, we’ve been preparing for it with a training plan beyond what we do at the club level, thinking about the World Cup.”

The Inter Miami midfielder then provided more details about those preparation sessions: “The two of us push ourselves physically to arrive in the best possible shape. We’re doing double sessions that we planned ourselves, and we have our own fitness coach. We’ve been working hard and things are going well.”

This is closely connected to the doubts Messi had publicly expressed whenever he was asked about the 2026 World Cup. Considering that he will turn 39 during the tournament, his main concern has always been whether he will feel physically capable of competing in the most demanding soccer event in the world.

“I’m very excited. I think Argentina will once again be one of the main contenders,” De Paul assured. “I see conviction and hunger in my teammates to keep achieving things. This team is fully committed to giving everything it has.”

The mental aspect of preparing for the World Cup

During the same conversation, Rodrigo De Paul spoke about how he and Messi are preparing not only physically, but also mentally for this summer’s tournament in North America. “You live constantly thinking about the World Cup. As it gets closer, those thoughts come into your head much more often. You live with fear, uncertainty, excitement and a lot of emotions that come with the World Cup,” the midfielder explained.

“I motivate him a lot, I build him up all the time,” De Paul admitted while describing his relationship with Messi. “He motivates me too, but he’s more steady than I am. I’m more up and down, so I have a lot of low moments and he helps me. When I go low, I really go low. He stays balanced and consistent. We complement each other well.”

True to his personality, Rodrigo also joked about what those training sessions with Messi are like. “I record everything. ‘No, stop it, why are you filming me?’ he tells me. ‘Well, Shorty, maybe things work out for us, we make a documentary or something and make some money,’” De Paul revealed.

Argentina’s final roster is getting closer

Argentina were one of the few national teams that publicly released the 55-man preliminary roster submitted to FIFA earlier this week. Lionel Scaloni now has two more weeks to make the final cuts and confirm the official 26-man squad.

Reports indicate that the head coach will take as much time as possible before making the announcement, considering the deadline is June 1 and club competitions will not conclude until May 30 with the UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.

Belgium have confirmed their roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring stars such as Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.

As expected, Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne headline the Belgium national team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will begin on June 11 in North America. Despite his struggles with Napoli this season, Romelu Lukaku was also included in the squad.

FIFA set June 1 as the deadline for each federation to confirm its final 26-man roster once all club competitions have concluded. However, some countries chose to announce their squads earlier, as France did.

The same happened with Belgium, who officially unveiled their final World Cup squad this Friday during a press conference held by head coach Rudi Garcia. Courtois and De Bruyne stand out as the team’s biggest stars and among the few remaining members of the golden generation that elevated the national team into Europe’s elite more than a decade ago.

The presence of both players is especially significant considering they each dealt with physical issues this season. Courtois missed eight Real Madrid matches between March and April because of a muscle injury, though he recovered in time to play in last week’s El Clasico against Barcelona. De Bruyne, meanwhile, suffered a considerably more serious hamstring injury that sidelined him for four months with Napoli before returning in early March.

The Class of ’26 for the #FIFAWorldCup 📚 pic.twitter.com/Vdb8WvMsI1

— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) May 15, 2026

Romelu Lukaku will play in the World Cup

Much like Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku also battled physical issues this season that limited his playing time with Napoli. However, his situation was far more severe than that of his Belgium teammates.

The 33-year-old striker appeared in just seven matches during the 2025-26 campaign across Serie A, Coppa Italia and the UEFA Champions League because of recurring muscle injuries. That obviously impacted his performances, as he scored only one goal over the last nine months.

His lack of playing time at club level naturally created uncertainty around his place with the national team. Lukaku appeared in only two of Belgium’s last 10 matches, with his most recent appearance coming in June 2025. Nevertheless, head coach Rudi Garcia trusted his experience and quality enough to include him in the World Cup roster.

“Romelu has recovered, but he’s out of shape, and I’m not sure he’ll be able to start the matches. But he’s our best striker, Belgium’s all-time leading scorer,” said Garcia during Friday’s press conference. “We have five weeks to get him back to full fitness so that little by little he can help the team.”

Belgium roster for the 2026 World Cup

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Racing Strasbourg)

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting), Maxim de Cuyper (Brighton), Koni de Winter (AC Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), Thomas Meunier (Lille), Nathan Ngoy (Lille), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Axel Witsel (Girona)

Forwards: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Lille), Romelu Lukaku (Napoli), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica), Diego Moreira (Strasbourg), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal)

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez spoke highly of Cristiano Ronaldo.

With less than a month remaining before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo appears ready to once again lead Portugal in pursuit of glory. Head coach Roberto Martinez recently shared his thoughts on the veteran forward.

“Cristiano continues to have a great desire to win and I see no sign that his level has dropped since he came to Saudi Arabia,” Martinez said during a recent interview with the German Press Agency (DPA) after attending the Saudi Pro League clash between Al Nassr and Al Hilal.

In that match, CR7 was in the starting lineup and remained on the field for 82 minutes before being replaced by Abdullah Al-Hamdan. It marked his 35th club appearance of the season across the domestic league, the King’s Cup, the AFC Champions League Two, and the Saudi Super Cup. Overall, the 41-year-old forward has recorded 28 goals and five assists.

“He is playing exceptionally well and has proven his importance to the Portuguese national team. His passion continues, even after all the successes and achievements he has reached, and having that hunger is quite remarkable,” Martinez later added.

That level of form has not only been evident with Al Nassr, as Ronaldo has also remained a key player at the international level. This season, he has played in five of Portugal’s eight matches across World Cup qualifiers and friendlies, scoring five goals. His absences came because of suspension and a hamstring injury suffered earlier this year.

Ronaldo has no special privileges with Portugal, Martinez says

Despite his superstar status and having firmly established himself as the greatest player in Portugal’s history, Cristiano Ronaldo does not receive special treatment within the national team setup, according to Roberto Martinez.

“Achievements alone are not enough to guarantee a place in the national team. It is also necessary to contribute to the team’s success,” the coach said during the same interview. “Although he is the captain and has achieved unprecedented success that demonstrates his exceptional talent, he has the same responsibilities as any other player on the national team.”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s upcoming challenges

While the 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up as the biggest event of the year, and the tournament is now less than a month away, Cristiano Ronaldo remains focused on important club objectives before then.

Saturday could become a historic day for Al Nassr, as the club has a chance to secure two titles. On one hand, they will face Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final, while in the Saudi Pro League they will also be monitoring Al Hilal’s result against Neom. If Karim Benzema’s side fails to defeat Neom, Al Nassr will automatically be crowned league champions. Otherwise, the title race will be decided on Tuesday.

After being left out of France’s squad, Ayyoub Bouaddi has reportedly decided to represent Morocco ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

On Thursday, France announced its final 26-player squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ligue 1 star Ayyoub Bouaddi was not included, a decision that reportedly led him to choose to represent Morocco instead.

“Massive news for Morocco: Ayyoub Bouaddi has decided to represent Morocco as national team over France,” reporter Fabrizio Romano wrote Thursday on his official X account. “Plan confirmed… as Bouaddi did not appear on Deschamps’ list.”

Bouaddi was one of Lille’s standout players during the 2025-26 Ligue 1 season, with the club currently sitting third in the standings with 61 points, behind only champions Paris Saint-Germain and Lens. Lille will close out its league campaign this Sunday against Auxerre.

Across Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Europa League, the defensive midfielder made 41 appearances this season and recorded one assist. Those performances, combined with the fact that he is only 18 years old, have made him the subject of transfer rumors ahead of the summer window, with PSG, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich among the reported suitors.

🚨🇲🇦 Massive news for Morocco: Ayyoub Bouaddi has decided to represent Morocco as national team over France.

Plan confirmed as @Santi_J_FM reported as Bouaddi did not appear on Deschamps’ list.

Lille top talent wanted by several clubs will be in Morocco’s World Cup list. 🌍🆕 pic.twitter.com/wxvEgwqDKF

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 14, 2026

Morocco could add a high-quality player

According to Fabrizio Romano’s report, Ayyoub Bouaddi “will be in Morocco’s World Cup list.” That means that, beyond his personal decision to represent the national team, head coach Mohamed Ouahbi plans to include him in the roster.

Born in Senlis, France, on October 2, 2007, Bouaddi is of Moroccan descent, giving him the option to represent either country under FIFA rules. At the youth level, the midfielder previously played for France’s U-21 team, including appearances in March of this year against Luxembourg and Iceland.

Morocco aiming to make World Cup history again

The addition of Ayyoub Bouaddi would give Morocco even more depth heading into the 2026 World Cup. In recent years, the team has benefited from recruiting talented players with Moroccan roots who were born and raised abroad, particularly in Europe.

Using that formula, Morocco built a competitive squad featuring stars such as Bono, Achraf Hakimi, and Sofyan Amrabat, who helped lead the national team to a historic fourth-place finish at Qatar 2022. More young talents could now join that core, including several players who won the FIFA U-20 World Cup last year. With that combination of experience and youth, Mohamed Ouahbi’s squad is shaping up as a serious contender for this summer’s tournament in North America.

Ivan Toney and Julian Quinones reached a historic scoring milestone in the Saudi Pro League, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo in the process.

Cristiano Ronaldo is on the verge of winning his first Saudi Pro League title since joining Al Nassr during the 2022-23 season. However, he has been overshadowed by Ivan Toney and Julian Quinones, who achieved a historic scoring record.

“For the first time in RSL history, two players hit the 30+ goal mark in the same season,” the Saudi Pro League announced Thursday through a social media post alongside photos of Toney and Quinones.

The English striker remains at the top of the league scoring chart thanks to the 31 goals he has scored for Al Ahli, an impressive achievement considering he has played only 30 matches. He crossed the 30-goal mark last week with a hat trick against Al Fateh before adding another goal Monday against Al Taawoun.

Quinones, meanwhile, sits second in the rankings with 30 goals. He reached that total on Thursday after scoring Al Qadsiah’s opener in a 2-0 win over Al Hazem. The Colombia-born player, who represents Mexico internationally, has maintained a perfect ratio this season with the same number of goals as matches played.

For the first time in RSL history, two players hit the 30+ goal mark in the same season 🔥

Ivan Toney 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Julian Quinones 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/wJc1rWCPLX

— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) May 14, 2026

Cristiano Ronaldo falls behind

In the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League scoring standings, Cristiano Ronaldo sits in third place behind only Ivan Toney and Julian Quinones. With Al Nassr, the Portuguese star has recorded 26 goals in 29 matches, highlighting his enormous impact on a team that is one step away from winning the title.

It is worth noting that Ronaldo missed four Al Nassr matches during this Saudi Pro League season. Two of those absences came in February, while the other two occurred in March because of a hamstring injury that also kept him out during the FIFA international break with Portugal. Those missed matches proved decisive in the race to finish as the league’s top scorer.

Has Cristiano Ronaldo ever reached 30 goals in the Saudi Pro League?

The Saudi Pro League highlighted Ivan Toney and Julian Quinones on Thursday because it marked the first time that two players have surpassed the 30-goal mark in the same season. However, there have been previous cases of players individually reaching that milestone, and Cristiano Ronaldo is obviously one of them.

The Portuguese forward delivered his best Saudi Pro League campaign during the 2023-24 season, when he scored 35 goals in 31 matches. That remains the only time he has crossed the 30-goal barrier. His first appearance in the league came during the 2022-23 campaign, when he arrived midway through the season and still managed to score 14 goals. In 2024-25, Ronaldo had what has so far been his least productive season, recording 25 goals in 30 matches.

Lionel Messi will be without one of his most important teammates at Inter Miami, as Tadeo Allende has been ruled out for the club’s upcoming Major League Soccer matches.

As Inter Miami approach the final matches of the semester looking to close the gap at the top of the Eastern Conference standings in Major League Soccer, one of Lionel Messi’s key teammates will be sidelined for an extended period: Tadeo Allende.

After missing the Herons’ most recent matches, the Argentine player’s situation was addressed by the club through an official statement published on its website this week: “Forward Tadeo Allende will travel to Barcelona, Spain to undergo a specialized evaluation of his right knee by Dr. Ramón Cugat at the Instituto Cugat.”

Inter Miami later provided additional details regarding the next steps in the forward’s recovery. “In the coming days, the appropriate course of treatment will be determined in coordination with the Club’s medical staff once the player returns to Miami,” the statement added.

However, regarding the timeline, the news is not encouraging: “At this time, Tadeo Allende will be unavailable for the team’s upcoming matches, and his recovery progress will determine the timeline for his return to sporting activity.”

🩺 Injury Update presented by @BaptistHealthSF
for Tadeo Allende.

Details: https://t.co/3JbPjGYpye pic.twitter.com/rdDEiHVRiH

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 14, 2026

When will Allende be able to play again for Inter Miami?

The confirmation that Tadeo Allende will miss Inter Miami’s upcoming matches means he is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Regardless of the severity of his knee issue, the schedule itself will keep him out of action for an extended period.

The Herons will face the Portland Timbers this Sunday, and one week later they will close out the semester by hosting the Philadelphia Union. Once that match is completed, the 2026 MLS season will enter a break due to the World Cup.

The league will not resume until after the FIFA tournament final is played. Inter Miami’s first scheduled match after the break is set for July 22 against the Chicago Fire at Nu Stadium. That means Allende is facing at least two months without official matches.

Allende’s importance to Inter Miami

While Lionel Messi is clearly the undisputed star of Inter Miami, a significant part of the club’s 2025 MLS title run was due to Tadeo Allende. The Argentine forward was the team’s most decisive player during the playoffs, recording nine goals and two assists in six matches.

During the postseason, Allende and Messi formed a highly effective partnership that helped the team make the difference in crucial matches. After the break, Inter Miami made a $5 million investment to permanently acquire Tadeo, but so far he has not been able to replicate those performances. This season, Allende has played 11 matches across MLS and the Concacaf Champions Cup without registering a goal or an assist.

FIFA confirmed that the halftime show during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final will feature performances by BTS, Madonna, and Shakira.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11, when Mexico and South Africa face off at Estadio Azteca. From there, the tournament will feature more than a month of matches leading up to the July 19 final. FIFA has now confirmed that BTS, Madonna, and Shakira will perform during the halftime show.

“The world’s biggest stage. An even bigger purpose. On July 19, the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final Halftime Show is coming to New York New Jersey Stadium, featuring superstars Madonna, Shakira, and BTS, curated by Coldplay‘s Chris Martin!” FIFA announced this Thursday through a post on its official social media accounts.

This represents a crucial innovation for soccer, as matches traditionally do not include halftime shows. The organization of major sporting events in the United States in recent years has helped change that, adopting decisions inspired by events such as the NFL’s Super Bowl.

To make this possible, however, traditional soccer rules for these matches had to be adjusted. The standard 15-minute halftime break was extended to 30 minutes to allow for the stage setup on the field, the performance itself, and the removal of the structure before play resumed.

The world's biggest stage. An even bigger purpose. On July 19, the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final Halftime Show is coming to New York New Jersey Stadium, featuring superstars @Madonna , @shakira , and @bts_bighit , curated by @coldplay ‘s Chris Martin!
 
A FIFA World Cup first, the… pic.twitter.com/OblQmXTW1M

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 14, 2026

Other soccer events that featured halftime shows

These recent innovations in soccer had their first major test during the 2024 Copa America final, the first time a halftime show was included in a major international soccer final. When Argentina and Colombia completed the opening 45 minutes of that match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Shakira took the stage to perform a short concert for the 65,000 fans in attendance and the millions watching on television.

The same happened again in the United States during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. In the final played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0, J Balvin, Doja Cat, and Tems performed during halftime.

The 2026 World Cup halftime show will also support charitable causes

Beyond bringing together world-famous artists to entertain the millions of fans watching the final around the globe, the 2026 World Cup halftime show will also serve a charitable purpose.

“A FIFA World Cup first, the Halftime Show supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, a landmark initiative working to raise $100 USD million to expand access to quality education and football for children around the world,” FIFA announced. “Throughout the tournament, USD 1 from every ticket sold to FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches will be donated to the Fund.”

Spain’s preliminary roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup reportedly includes Lamine Yamal, but leaves out two veteran stars: Alvaro Morata and Daniel Carvajal.

This week, all 48 national teams participating in the 2026 World Cup submitted their preliminary player lists to FIFA. In Spain, the biggest headlines involve the inclusion of Lamine Yamal and the omissions of Daniel Carvajal and Alvaro Morata.

“To the World Cup, without Morata or Carvajal. That’s how it will be. Because neither the defender nor the striker are included in the list of 55 players the RFEF submitted to FIFA on May 11,” Marca reported this week. “Performance and consistency have been burdens too heavy for both.”

Carvajal has been affected by a series of injuries — muscular problems, knee issues, and more recently a foot injury — that prevented him from playing regularly for Real Madrid this season. He has appeared in just 20 matches across La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League, while completing the full 90 minutes only three times during the current campaign.

Morata has played more matches despite suffering a muscle injury in December. However, his main issue has been performance, as he has struggled badly to stand out at Como 1907. In 28 appearances across Serie A and the Coppa Italia, the striker has recorded just one goal and two assists.

A new era for Spain

Without Daniel Carvajal and Alvaro Morata, and with Jesus Navas already retired, Spain are now without the three captains they had at Euro 2024 just two years ago. That reflects an ongoing generational transition within the squad, now increasingly built around a younger core led by Lamine Yamal.

Despite the muscle injury he suffered several weeks ago that prematurely ended his season with Barcelona, the 18-year-old winger is obviously included in the 55-player squad selected by Luis De La Fuente. He is also expected to remain part of the final 26-man roster.

The main doubts, however, concern Yamal’s availability. His physical recovery over the next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether he will be ready for the opening group-stage matches or instead focus on being fully fit for the knockout stages, something the coach De La Fuente views as the priority.

De La Fuente discusses Spain’s roster decisions

Speaking with Europa Press, Luis De La Fuente explained the criteria behind both the preliminary squad and the final 26-man roster that will represent Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“These decisions are not made overnight or casually with friends. They are the result of 10 months of analysis and very rigorous study,” explained the coach. “When this list is finalized, which is the most critical phase of the work, you have to prepare for every possible situation that can happen during a match.”

In addition to sporting considerations, De La Fuente admitted he also values the human side of his players: “I’ve spent three years working with the best players in the world and also the best people. It seems like being a great player and a great person are mutually exclusive, and that’s not true… Between a good person and someone who is not as good, I choose the good person.”

Preston Plambeck will join Lionel Messi as part of the Inter Miami squad for the remainder of the 2026 Major League Soccer season.

Inter Miami are playing their final matches before Major League Soccer pauses at the end of May due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In that context, Lionel Messi will have a new permanent teammate after the club signed Preston Plambeck.

“Inter Miami CF announced today it has signed Academy graduate Preston Plambeck to a contract running through the end of the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) season,” the Herons explained in a statement published on their official website Wednesday. The club also detailed that the deal includes options for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 seasons.

Plambeck is a 20-year-old midfielder who developed in Inter Miami’s academy and gradually climbed through the ranks before joining the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side in 2025. Since then, he has recorded three goals and three assists in 26 appearances for Inter Miami II.

Those performances earned Preston the opportunity to join the club’s senior squad this year and make his MLS debut under Guillermo Hoyos. The coach gave him his first chance on April 25, when he replaced David Ruiz in the 69th minute of a 1-1 draw against the New England Revolution. Last weekend, Plambeck added another 12 minutes in the 4-2 victory over Toronto FC.

Work pays off. ⚡️

Academy graduate Preston Plambeck signs with the First Team ✍️🩷

🗞️ Details here: https://t.co/bvRZAa4F0P pic.twitter.com/nYQWOR359p

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 13, 2026

An interesting addition for Inter Miami

Preston Plambeck’s involvement with Inter Miami’s first team, along with the decision to sign him to a professional contract for the remainder of the season, is tied not only to the qualities the young midfielder has shown so far, but also to the need to solve an issue the Herons have faced this year.

After Sergio Busquets retired at the end of 2025, Inter Miami have struggled to rebuild their midfield. David Ayala arrived as a signing expected to fill that role, but injuries and inconsistent performances have complicated those plans. Yannick Bright has largely taken over those responsibilities, but the two-game suspension he served several weeks ago exposed the lack of depth on the roster in that area.

That forced Hoyos to experiment with Rodrigo De Paul, David Ruiz, and Telasco Segovia in deeper roles, something that did not work particularly well because it left Lionel Messi with less support in the creative phase. That is why having Preston Plambeck consistently available could become a useful option for Inter Miami moving forward.

Plambeck’s comments

In the same statement released by the club, Preston Plambeck shared his thoughts on becoming a professional soccer player. “I’ve worked my whole life to reach this moment, and I want to make my family proud,” said the young midfielder. “I think my pathway through the Academy and the Second Team helped shape me by teaching me discipline and helping me understand the Club’s style of play through all the coaches who guided me along the way.”

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off on June 11 with a new format featuring 48 teams divided into 12 groups.

Mexico, Canada, and the United States are ready to host the biggest sporting event on the planet. Between June 11 and July 19, they will stage the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will feature an expanded format with more teams and additional rounds.

The biggest change in this year’s edition will be the increase in participating national teams. Instead of the traditional 32-team field used in recent decades, 48 countries will now compete in the tournament. Naturally, that expansion has forced a format change that will make the competition longer with the addition of an extra knockout round.

The group stage will begin on June 11. The 48 participating teams will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each, with every team playing three matches. Once all group-stage games are completed, the knockout stage field will be finalized.

The top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the Round of 32, while the eight best third-place teams will also move on. That means qualification scenarios and knockout matchups likely won’t be determined until the final day of the group stage, as all third-place teams will need to be compared to decide the last spots.

The teams competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Mexico, Canada, and the United States secured automatic qualification as tournament hosts. The other 45 teams earned their places through the World Cup qualifiers played across FIFA’s six confederations.

Europe has the largest representation in the tournament with 16 teams: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.

Africa follows with 10 teams: Algeria, Cape Verde, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia. The AFC will have nine representatives: Australia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, New Zealand qualified from Oceania.

In CONMEBOL, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay secured their places in the tournament. Meanwhile, CONCACAF will have six representatives: alongside Canada, Mexico, and the United States as hosts, Curacao, Haiti, and Panama earned their spots through the World Cup qualifiers.

The groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place on Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C. There, the 48 teams were divided into 12 groups, a crucial factor for the development of the tournament. The group composition not only determines the opening stage, but also shapes the potential knockout-stage matchups.

Group A Mexico South Africa South Korea Czech Republic	Group B Canada Bosnia and Herzegovina Qatar Switzerland	Group C Brazil Morocco Haiti Scotland
Group D United States Paraguay Australia Turkey	Group E Germany Curacao Ivory Coast Ecuador	Group F Netherlands Japan Sweden Tunisia
Group G Belgium Egypt Iran New Zealand	Group H Spain Cape Verde Saudi Arabia Uruguay	Group I France Senegal Iraq Norway
Group J Argentina Algeria Austria Jordan	Group K Portugal DR Congo Uzbekistan Colombia	Group L England Croatia Ghana Panama

The knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Once every team completes its three group-stage matches, the knockout stage field will be set. The action will begin with the Round of 32, whose opening match is scheduled for June 29.

From that stage onward, every match must produce a winner. If the score is tied after 90 minutes, teams will play 30 minutes of extra time. If the match remains level after extra time, the winner will be decided by a penalty shootout. The same format will apply in every knockout round, including the final, which will be played on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

How to watch the 2026 World Cup

Fans in the United States will have several options to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup live. While broadcast details may vary by match, games will air on FOX, Telemundo, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, Peacock Premium, Tubi, and FS1.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be played across 16 different venues spread throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature several innovations compared to previous editions. Not only will there be a new expanded format with 48 teams, but it will also be the first World Cup hosted by three different countries. That has increased the number of venues to a total of 16.

The United States are the tournament’s main host nation, meaning most of the matches will be played on U.S. soil. As a result, 11 of the 16 venues are located in the country. In addition, most of the tournament’s marquee games will take place there, including the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The largest stadium at the World Cup will be AT&T Stadium in Dallas, which has a capacity of 94,000 spectators. Behind it is Estadio Azteca in Mexico, which was completely renovated for the tournament and, with a capacity of 83,000, will become the first stadium to host three different World Cups after previously doing so in 1970 and 1986.

On the other end of the scale, the smallest stadium in the tournament will be BMO Field in Toronto — one of only two venues in Canada alongside Vancouver. The stadium is home to Toronto FC of Major League Soccer and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, and it has a capacity of 45,000 spectators.

Venues in the United States for the World Cup

On the West Coast, three cities will host matches during the 2026 World Cup. SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco will represent California, while Seattle will host games at Lumen Field, where four group-stage matches and two knockout-stage games will be played.

Texas will also feature two host cities during the tournament. Alongside AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Houston’s NRG Stadium will also host matches. In addition, Kansas City will stage six games, including Lionel Messi’s debut with Argentina against Algeria.

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, which has a capacity of 65,000 spectators, will host several important matches, including the third-place game. Meanwhile, one of the semifinals will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

The final three venues on U.S. soil will also be located on the East Coast. Along with the previously mentioned MetLife Stadium in New Jersey/New York, the tournament will also feature Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and Gillette Stadium in Boston.

Venues in Mexico for the 2026 World Cup

Of the three host nations, Mexico are the country with the richest soccer tradition. Two of the most iconic World Cups in history were held there: the 1970 edition won by Pele’s Brazil and the 1986 tournament inspired by Diego Maradona’s Argentina.

Now Mexico will have the honor of hosting the opening match, which will feature Mexico and South Africa on June 11. The selected venue for that game is Estadio Azteca, which will also host two additional group-stage matches and two knockout-stage games.

The other two venues in Mexico will be Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Monterrey, which has a capacity of 53,500 spectators, and Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Guadalajara, where 48,000 fans can attend. Mexico will play their second group-stage match there against South Korea.

Venues in Canada for the 2026 World Cup

Unlike the United States and Mexico, this will be Canada’s first experience hosting a World Cup. They will play all three of their group-stage matches at home, traveling from one side of the country to the other.

Canada’s opening match will take place on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to that game, the venue will host four other matches, including one in the Round of 32. The country’s other venue is BC Place in Vancouver, which has a capacity of 54,000 spectators and will host a Round of 16 matchup as its marquee game.

The 16 venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

CITY	VENUE	CAPACITY
Dallas – United States	AT&T Stadium	94,000
Mexico City – Mexico	Estadio Azteca	83,000
New York/New Jersey – United States	MetLife Stadium	82,500
Atlanta – United States	Mercedes-Benz Stadium	75,000
Kansas City – United States	Arrowhead Stadium	73,000
Houston – United States	NRG Stadium	72,000
San Francisco – United States	Levi’s Stadium	71,000
Los Angeles – United States	SoFi Stadium	70,000
Philadelphia – United States	Lincoln Financial Field	69,000
Seattle – United States	Lumen Field	69,000
Boston – United States	Gillette Stadium	65,000
Miami – United States	Hard Rock Stadium	65,000
Vancouver – Canada	BC Place	54,000
Monterrey, Mexico	Estadio BBVA	53,500
Guadalajara, Mexico	Estadio Akron	48,000
Toronto, Canada	BMO Field	45,000

After rumors surrounding an alleged conflict that led to his departure from Inter Miami, Javier Mascherano spoke publicly about Lionel Messi.

Just four weeks ago, Javier Mascherano unexpectedly stepped down as Inter Miami head coach in the middle of the 2026 Major League Soccer season. Since then, rumors of a possible conflict with Lionel Messi have fueled speculation, and now the coach has finally addressed Leo publicly.

Mascherano attended an event in Mexico this weekend tied to El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, as a legend of the Catalan side. There, he spoke with reporters and, among other topics, was asked about how he has seen Messi in recent weeks.

“Good, good. Honestly, he always looks good,” Mascherano replied. While the coach did not explicitly say anything controversial and even smiled while answering the question, his unusually brief response drew attention and opened the door to further speculation.

Mascherano’s abrupt resignation was officially described as being due to “personal reasons” in the statement released at the time by Inter Miami, and so far neither side has provided further clarification. A similar situation occurred at the end of 2024, when Gerardo Martino also stepped down as the club’s head coach.

“¿Cómo se lo ve a Messi para el Mundial? BIEN, BIEN, SIEMPRE SE LO VE BIEN. ¿LISTO?”.

Javier Mascherano, ex DT de Inter Miami. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/AKGKj6gaJP

— Sudanalytics (@sudanalytics_) May 12, 2026

The relationship between Messi and Mascherano

Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano were teammates with the Argentina national team between 2005 and 2018, playing together in four World Cups, four Copa America tournaments, and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. They also shared the field at Barcelona between 2010 and 2017.

That close relationship was considered one of the main reasons why Inter Miami chose him as head coach despite his limited managerial experience, which consisted mainly of his stint with Argentina’s U-20 national team.

Throughout those years, whenever Mascherano was asked about Messi, he consistently praised him heavily — something that was notably absent this time. “I’m fortunate because I get to enjoy Leo up close. Sometimes people see him on television, but I’m closer to him. Leo is the best player to ever play this sport. He keeps proving it, and I’m very happy with him,” the coach said last year, in stark contrast to his short response this week.

Mascherano speaks about Argentina and the 2026 World Cup

In addition to discussing Lionel Messi’s current situation at Inter Miami, Javier Mascherano also spoke about his expectations for Argentina with the 2026 FIFA World Cup just one month away.

“Argentina have a team that is in very good form, and that creates huge expectations,” Mascherano said before wishing Lionel Scaloni’s squad success. “Hopefully they can win the championship again. That’s what all Argentinians want.”

Following the draw against Al Hilal, Cristiano Ronaldo sent a message of encouragement to Al Nassr as the club continues its pursuit of the Saudi Pro League title.

Al Nassr drew 1-1 against Al Hilal on Tuesday, missing a golden opportunity to clinch the Saudi Pro League title. Cristiano Ronaldo, however, shared an optimistic message with the club’s fans afterward.

“The dream is close. Heads up, we have one more step to take!” Ronaldo wrote on his official Instagram and X accounts on Tuesday, just minutes after a bizarre mistake by goalkeeper Bento denied Al Nassr both the victory and the title.

“Thank you all for the amazing support tonight!” the Portuguese forward added, acknowledging the thousands of fans who backed the team during the crucial clash against Al Hilal, as well as the millions around the world who continue to follow him throughout every stage of his professional career.

Despite its brevity, the message reflected a dramatic shift in Ronaldo’s mindset within just a matter of minutes. In the immediate aftermath of the final whistle, he appeared deeply affected by the missed opportunity for Al Nassr, to the point that television cameras captured him still sitting on the bench while being comforted by members of the coaching staff.

Fans strongly rallied behind Cristiano’s words. Within just a few minutes, the Instagram post surpassed 500,000 likes and 15,000 comments, most of them containing messages of support for the 40-year-old star. The same happened on X, where the post also generated more than 80,000 likes and 7,000 comments.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s upcoming challenges

Cristiano Ronaldo’s optimistic message is fitting considering the challenges that await him in the short term. Al Nassr are just one step away from securing not one, but two titles this season — and it could happen as soon as next Saturday.

First, Jorge Jesus’ team will attempt to lift the AFC Champions League Two trophy when they face Japan’s Gamba Osaka in the final at Alawwal Park. There, Ronaldo will have the opportunity to win the sixth continental trophy of his career, after capturing one UEFA Champions League title with Manchester United and four with Real Madrid.

That same day, he could also celebrate winning the Saudi Pro League title. While Al Nassr will not play, Al Hilal will face Neom. If Karim Benzema and his teammates fail to win that match, they will no longer have a chance to compete for the league trophy, officially handing the title to Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr.

And even if Al Hilal win that game, Al Nassr will still remain top of the standings with a two-point lead. That means a victory next Tuesday against Damac would secure the trophy regardless of Al Hilal’s result against Al Fayha happening at the same time.

Al Nassr were on the verge of winning the Saudi Pro League title, but a costly mistake by Bento denied Cristiano Ronaldo the chance to celebrate.

The Saudi Pro League delivered its biggest match of the season on Tuesday. With Al Nassr on the brink of the title, a late mistake by Bento kept Al Hilal alive and prevented Cristiano Ronaldo from celebrating his first trophy in Saudi Arabia.

With two matches remaining in the 2025-26 season, Al Nassr entered the game knowing that a victory would secure the title, as it would eliminate their rivals’ chances of catching them in the standings.

And Jorge Jesus’ team appeared to be taking care of business. In the 37th minute of the first half, Mohamed Simakan gave Al Nassr the lead after scoring from a scramble inside the box. Aware of how valuable that advantage was, they defended well for the remainder of the match, giving their opponents very few dangerous opportunities.

However, that resistance collapsed on the final play of the game. With Cristiano Ronaldo already on the bench after being substituted by Abdullah Al-Hamdan, goalkeeper Bento failed while attempting to clear a throw-in and scored a bizarre own goal that allowed Al Hilal to equalize, keeping the Saudi Pro League title race alive.

¡NO SE PUEDE CREER! 😱 Autogol del portero Bento que evita el grito de campeón de CR7 y compañía. #SPLenFOX #FOXDeportes pic.twitter.com/Y6POeZRrsZ

— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) May 12, 2026

Perhaps the strangest part of Bento’s mistake is that the goal was only possible — and ultimately counted — because of the goalkeeper’s touch. FIFA rules prohibit teams from scoring directly from a throw-in, meaning the ball must touch another player, either teammate or opponent, before entering the net. That means if Bento had simply allowed the ball to go into the goal untouched, the score would have been disallowed and Al Nassr would have secured both the victory and the title.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s wait for a title with Al Nassr continues

Cristiano Ronaldo came within seconds of ending the title drought that has followed him since arriving in Saudi Arabia in January 2023. Since then, Al Nassr have failed to win any of the three Saudi Pro League seasons they have played, while also falling short in the King’s Cup, the Saudi Super Cup, and the AFC Champions League Elite.

That context helps explain Ronaldo’s reaction after Bento’s own goal. Once the match ended, TV cameras captured the Portuguese forward on the bench, visibly devastated and still lamenting the missed opportunity.

All of us right now 😢 pic.twitter.com/d2XGs0XPsc

— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) May 12, 2026

What does the Saudi Pro League race look like now?

Al Hilal’s late equalizer leaves the Saudi Pro League title race wide open. Al Nassr still lead the standings by five points, but there is one important detail working against them: Al Hilal have played one fewer match, meaning they control their own destiny to close the gap.

On Saturday, May 16, Al Hilal will face Neom. If they fail to win, Al Nassr will officially be crowned Saudi Pro League champions. But if they earn the victory, they will move within just two points of first place with one match remaining. That final round will take place only three days later: on May 21, Al Hilal will take on Al Fayha, while Al Nassr will face Damac.

The updated Major League Soccer salary rankings have been released, with Lionel Messi leading the list ahead of other stars such as Son Heung-min and Thomas Muller.

Lionel Messi’s superstar status is based not only on his performances and numbers with Inter Miami, but also on his massive salary in Major League Soccer. There, the Argentine forward holds a clear advantage over other global stars such as Son Heung-min and Thomas Muller.

This Tuesday, the MLS Players Association published the 2026 Salary Guide on its official website, a report detailing the earnings of every player in the league as of April 16 of this year. Messi sits at the top of the rankings with total annual compensation of $28.3 million.

That figure is made up of two components. First, Leo earns a base salary of $25 million. Added to that is extra compensation that “includes any marketing bonus and any agent’s fees, both annualized over the term of the contract.” That formula determines the Average Annual Guaranteed Compensation, which does not include performance bonuses or other agreements and compensation.

To put Messi’s financial dominance in perspective, his total earnings exceed the entire wage bill of 28 of the 30 MLS clubs. Inter Miami, naturally, are one of the two exceptions, with LAFC being the other.

The 2026 Spring Salary Guide is now available.

The guide reflects annual base salary and annual guaranteed compensation data for all players under contract with MLS as of 4/16.

 ➡️https://t.co/0VTNxMHodH pic.twitter.com/Zw45jc4e8S

— MLSPA (@MLSPA) May 12, 2026

Highest salaries in MLS

In addition to having Lionel Messi at the top of the rankings, Inter Miami also have another player inside the top three highest salaries in MLS. Rodrigo De Paul ranks third with an Average Annual Guaranteed Compensation of $9.6 million.

Second place belongs to Son Heung-min, who earns approximately $11.1 million per year with LAFC. While that is still an impressive figure, it represents just over one-third of Messi’s earnings, highlighting the Argentine forward’s financial edge at the top.

Thomas Muller, another of MLS’s marquee stars, sits much lower in the rankings. The German forward is 12th on the list with an Average Annual Guaranteed Compensation of $5.1 million with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The highest-paid players in MLS:

1- Lionel Messi – Inter Miami – $28.3 million

2- Son Heung-min – LAFC – $11.1 million

3- Rodrigo De Paul – Inter Miami – $9.6 million

4- Hirving Lozano – San Diego FC – $9.3 million

5- Miguel Almiron – Atlanta United – $7.9 million

6- Emil Forsberg – New York Red Bulls – $6 million

7- Sam Surridge – Nashville SC – $5.9 million

8- Riqui Puig – LA Galaxy – $5.8 million

9- Jonathan Bamba – Chicago Fire – $5.6 million

10- Hany Mukhtar – Nashville SC – $5.4 million

Top spending teams in MLS

Based on the information released by the MLS Players Association, it is also possible to identify the teams currently spending the most on player salaries. Inter Miami, unsurprisingly, lead the league with a total wage bill of $54.6 million, followed by LAFC in second place ($32.7 million) and Atlanta United in third ($27.9 million).

Casemiro weighed in on the comparison between Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar.

There is no doubt that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been the biggest stars in soccer over the past two decades. In that same group, however, there could have been a third member: Neymar. Still, Brazil teammate Casemiro spoke about the reason why that never fully happened.

“For me, from my generation, the best were Cristiano, Messi, and Neymar,” Casemiro began during a conversation on the YouTube channel of former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand. “Neymar is maybe a little below them because he didn’t win many titles.”

That argument has some merit. At the collective level, the Brazilian forward has enjoyed an extremely successful career, winning 31 trophies with Santos, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Al Hilal, and the Brazil national team. That puts him reasonably close to Messi’s 47 titles — the most by any player in soccer history — and Ronaldo’s 35.

However, it is in the individual honors where the comparison becomes difficult to sustain. While Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards and three FIFA The Best honors, Cristiano has claimed two FIFA awards and five Ballon d’Or trophies. Neymar, meanwhile, has never won a world player of the year award, with his best finish being third place.

Beyond those numbers, Casemiro made it clear that his admiration for Neymar remains enormous, rooted in the talent the forward displayed on the field. “He was… In training sessions, in games… every touch of the ball was ‘wow,’” said the Brazil player. “But Cristiano and Messi were from another planet.”

Casemiro proposes a new role for Neymar with Brazil

The conversation with Rio Ferdinand came amid ongoing debate over whether Neymar should be included in the 26-man roster that will represent Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Casemiro shared his opinion on the matter, suggesting the forward should have a reduced role.

“If it were my decision, I would take Neymar to the World Cup, but I would tell him he wouldn’t play every game,” the midfielder explained. “Bring him on when the match is under control and he can give us an assist that changes the game. We don’t have players like that right now, but the decision belongs to Ancelotti.”

Neymar reportedly on Brazil’s preliminary squad

Speculation surrounding Neymar is expected to continue for several more weeks, as reports from Globo Esporte and Lance! indicate that Carlo Ancelotti included Neymar among the 55 players on Brazil’s preliminary roster. Still, that does not guarantee his place at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

In the near future — no later than June 1 — the coach will have to make the final cut and determine the 26-man roster. There, Ney will compete for a place in a race where he does not have the advantage, having not been part of any previous call-up under Ancelotti.

In addition to Neymar’s inclusion, the preliminary list features another major storyline: the absence of Estevao. The young Chelsea winger was left out of the World Cup because of a serious muscle injury suffered in England weeks ago, joining a growing list of Brazilian stars ruled out, including Rodrygo Goes and Eder Militao.

Wayne Rooney shared his thoughts on the possibility of Trent Alexander-Arnold being left out of England’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In less than a month, every national team must submit its final 26-man roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In England’s case, all signs currently point to Trent Alexander-Arnold not being part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans, something Wayne Rooney addressed.

During a conversation on his own podcast, the Manchester United icon questioned Alexander-Arnold’s absence, considering the defender has not been included in Tuchel’s recent call-ups. “No disrespect to Ben White – I think he’s a fantastic player – but for him to be in the squad and playing ahead of Trent is mind-boggling,” Rooney said.

In fact, the last time the Real Madrid right-back was selected at international level was in June 2025. Since then, the Three Lions have played eight matches, with Tuchel using six different players in that position: Ben White, Tino Livramento, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, Ezri Konsa, and Reece James. The latter is the only one who has been in the starting lineup more than once.

Rooney also did not appear fully convinced by the Chelsea defender. “Reece James isn’t the most defensive,” Wayne said. “In terms of the lads who are there, you wouldn’t say they’re the best defensively anyway, any of them.”

What has Tuchel said about Alexander-Arnold?

Considering his past with Liverpool and the fact that he is currently a Real Madrid player, Alexander-Arnold remains a high-profile figure in England. That is why his absence has been the subject of repeated questions for Thomas Tuchel in recent months.

“We created a slightly different game model when he was not in camp in September, October, November. It was a game model built on intensity, built on positivity, built even in the profile of the right full back on overlaps on underlaps, very intense,” the coach explained in an interview with ITV in March.

“So it was a slightly different profile of players who were with us in camp and who performed so well. He should have maybe deserved a second chance,” Tuchel admitted. “He’s on the long list and everyone is still in the mix, but at the moment, some other guys are just ahead of him.”

Alexander-Arnold still has a chance

As Thomas Tuchel himself explained, Trent Alexander-Arnold will be included in the preliminary list of 35 to 55 players that England are set to submit in the coming days. That keeps him in contention for one of the spots on the final 26-man roster for the World Cup, which must be finalized no later than June 1.

However, his chances appear slimmer compared to players such as Reece James, Tino Livramento, and Ben White, who have been more involved with England over the past year and offer a different profile from the Real Madrid star.

Inter Milan forward Yoan Ange Bonny has decided to represent Ivory Coast instead of France, meaning he could face Germany at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ivory Coast will be part of Group E at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will face Germany, Ecuador, and Curacao. For that challenge, they will be able to count on Inter Milan forward Yoan Ange Bonny, who turned down the chance to represent France.

“Inter striker Yoan Ange Bonny will represent Ivory Coast and not France with immediate effect, decision made,” Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano reported on Saturday through a post on his official X account.

Born on October 25, 2003, in Aubervilliers, France, but of Ivorian descent, Bonny had the opportunity to choose either national team at the international level. In fact, he represented France at youth level through the U-21 category.

However, upon reaching senior level, the 22-year-old forward had to make a definitive decision, considering FIFA allow players to switch national teams during their youth careers but are far more restrictive with senior players. In that context, Bonny chose to embrace his family roots.

🚨🇨🇮 Inter striker Yoan Ange Bonny will represent Ivory Coast and not France with immediate effect, decision made.

It’s all confirmed as Ivory Coast can dream with Amad Diallo and Yan Diomandé. ✨ pic.twitter.com/29KuIRp3FV

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 9, 2026

Ivory Coast receive boost ahead of the World Cup

Yoan Ange Bonny’s first opportunity to join the Ivory Coast national team came earlier this year, when head coach Emerse Fae included him in the preliminary squad for friendlies against South Korea and Scotland during the March FIFA international break.

From that point on, the striker began the administrative process with FIFA to become eligible to represent the African nation ahead of the 2026 World Cup. His addition could prove significant for Fae’s squad, which will face the challenge of advancing from a group featuring Germany as the clear favourites, with Ecuador and Ivory Coast battling just below them.

Now, Bonny will need to earn a place in the final 26-man roster, which is expected to include several high-level stars who have been part of the national team in recent years. Among them are Amad Diallo, Yan Diomande, Nicolas Pepe, Franck Kessie, Simon Adingra, and Seko Fofana.

Bonny’s performances

Bonny’s hopes of being part of Ivory Coast’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are backed by his recent performances at club level. After standing out with Parma over four seasons, the forward joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2025, where he has recorded seven goals and eight assists in 41 appearances across Serie A, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, and the UEFA Champions League.

Despite Real Madrid’s recent negative numbers with Kylian Mbappe, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised the French forward.

Real Madrid are heading into Sunday’s El Clasico amid a crisis fueled not only by poor results, but also by internal conflicts. In that context, even Kylian Mbappe’s role has come under scrutiny, something Barcelona coach Hansi Flick dismissed.

“He’s one of the best players in the world, come on,” Flick responded during Saturday’s press conference when asked by a reporter whether Real Madrid currently play better without Mbappe. “On the pitch, he has unbelievable quality.”

The Barcelona coach then highlighted the French forward’s strengths: “In every situation, he’s very dangerous. In the box, he’s unbelievable. In front of the goal, he’s for me, for his quality, at the moment the best one.”

The narrative surrounding the supposed “burden” Mbappe represents for Real Madrid has gained traction in recent weeks, as the team started posting better results in matches in which he was unable to be part of the starting lineup due to physical issues.

In the last six matches in which Real Madrid had Mbappe in the starting lineup, they managed to win only once, while with him absent or coming off the bench, Los Blancos won seven of their last eight matches.

Will Mbappe start in El Clasico against Barcelona?

Kylian Mbappe missed Real Madrid’s last La Liga match — a 2-0 victory against Espanyol last Sunday — due to a muscle injury. That naturally cast doubt over his availability for El Clasico against Barcelona, with only seven days to recover his best physical condition.

However, the forward’s progress throughout the week was positive. Little by little, he rejoined training alongside the rest of his teammates, and on Saturday he took part in the session normally. That gives him a strong chance of being in the starting lineup at Camp Nou.

Mbappe’s record in El Clasico

Since arriving at Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, Kylian Mbappe has faced Barcelona six times, with an overwhelmingly negative record: five defeats and one victory. That statistic becomes even more striking considering that three of those five losses came in finals.

On an individual level, however, Mbappe has lived up to expectations. In those six matches against Barcelona, the French forward scored six goals, including a hat trick in the 4-3 defeat during the 2024-25 La Liga season.

Lionel Messi delivered a standout performance for Inter Miami against Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Inter Miami needed a strong performance to move past the tough loss against Orlando City, and they got exactly that on Saturday in Canada during Matchday 12 of the Major League Soccer season. Lionel Messi scored one goal and provided two assists.

During the first half, the Herons struggled to show their best form, wasting several chances while goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair made a number of key saves to keep the opposition off the scoreboard. In that context, a goal from Rodrigo De Paul allowed them to head into halftime with the lead.

From that point on, it was the Messi show. In the second half, he first assisted Luis Suarez after taking advantage of an opposing player being down on the field, and minutes later he also set up Sergio Reguilon — who had just come on moments earlier — for the 3-0 lead.

In the 75th minute, the Argentine forward finally got his chance to score when Rodrigo De Paul delivered a drilled cross from the right and found Leo inside the box. Messi had no trouble finishing clinically with his left foot to extend the lead to four goals.

Messi strikes! 💥

Leo becomes the fastest player in MLS history with 100 goal contributions. pic.twitter.com/PYEfsbWaxy

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 9, 2026

Inter Miami relax again

Last week, Inter Miami held a 3-0 lead over Orlando City in the first half, but they took their foot off the gas and allowed their rivals to complete a comeback and earn a historic victory at Nu Stadium. And on Saturday, something similar happened in Canada.

After building a four-goal lead in the 75th minute, the Herons appeared to lower their intensity and allowed Toronto FC to get back into the match. Emilio Aristizabal first took advantage of a mistake by David Ayala to score, and minutes later he found the net again with a header.

In the final minutes of the match, the hosts pushed to get even closer on the scoreboard and even created a few chances to do so. However, the goal difference and the little time remaining proved impossible to overcome, preventing them from repeating Orlando City’s feat.

Messi reaches 100 MLS goal contributions

In addition to playing a key role in Inter Miami’s victory, the goal and two assists allowed Lionel Messi to reach another milestone by becoming the fastest player to record 100 goal contributions in Major League Soccer history.

One of one. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/GF7Y8P9o8t

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 9, 2026

The Argentine forward needed only 64 matches to register 59 goals and 41 assists in MLS regular-season play. That places him well ahead of the player who previously held the top spot on the list: Sebastian Giovinco needed 95 matches to reach those numbers with Toronto FC.

Amid a turbulent week marked by the altercation between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni, Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa shared his thoughts on the matter.

Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni have been at the center of a hectic week for Real Madrid, just ahead of facing Barcelona in a match that could prove decisive in the La Liga title race. In that context, Alvaro Arbeloa addressed the situation.

“I have to say two things,” the Real Madrid coach began during Saturday’s press conference. “First, I am very proud of the firmness, speed, and transparency with which the club acted. And second, the players have already expressed their regret. They acknowledged their mistake. They accepted the consequences of what they did and apologized to the fans, the club, the locker room… and to me. That is enough for me.”

After defending the personal and professional qualities of Valverde and Tchouameni, insisting that they “represent very well what Real Madrid are about,” Arbeloa added: “I’m not going to burn my players at the stake publicly, because they do not deserve that.”

The coach then took an unexpected turn in his remarks and pointed to what he considers the real issue. “The fact that things happening inside the locker room are being leaked seems like treason against Real Madrid to me,” he said firmly. “An absolute act of disloyalty toward this badge. And it makes me very sad.”

Arbeloa recalls similar fights between teammates

During the same press conference, a reporter asked Alvaro Arbeloa whether he truly believed the conflict had not been that serious and had instead been exaggerated by the media. “Look… I had a teammate once who picked up a golf club and hit another teammate with it,” the coach responded.

“These are situations that should not happen between teammates, but they have always happened. Everywhere. And I’m not justifying it, not at all. But of course I’ve experienced even worse situations,” added Arbeloa, who played for Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruna, Liverpool, and West Ham between 2002 and 2017.

Real Madrid prepare for El Clasico

Amid this backdrop of internal conflict and chaos, Real Madrid now face the final major challenge of the 2025-26 season. On Sunday, they will visit Barcelona at Camp Nou in a match they must win to prevent their rivals from clinching the La Liga title.

“Let’s not forget that tomorrow is Barcelona vs. Real Madrid,” Arbeloa said amid the nonstop questions regarding the conflict between Valverde and Tchouameni. “It is the match that draws the most attention in the world… I hope it will be a great match against a great opponent.”

Inter Miami are visiting Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, and all eyes are on Lionel Messi.

The 4-3 loss to Orlando City last week was a major blow for Inter Miami. They now need to recover both mentally and on the field, which gives Saturday’s Major League Soccer clash against Toronto FC enormous importance. In that context, Lionel Messi will start and lead his team in search of a victory.

The Herons are currently a bit behind in the Eastern Conference standings. Although they sit in third place with 19 points, four behind leaders Nashville SC, they have played one more match than each of their closest rivals in the table, meaning their position could potentially worsen in the near future.

That is why Saturday’s match in Canada is so important. Inter Miami will face a lower-quality opponent, which represents a good opportunity to bounce back and get back on track with a victory. However, Toronto FC will not make things easy for Messi and his teammates: they will try to end their five-match winless streak and pull off an upset against the reigning MLS champions.

Confirmed Inter Miami lineup

Head coach Guillermo Hoyos will welcome back several players for the match in Canada. Sergio Reguilon is available after spending several weeks sidelined with physical issues, and the same goes for David Ayala. On the other hand, Ian Fray will not be available, meaning Facundo Mura will be the right-back.

Inter Miami’s projected lineup is: Dayne St. Clair; Facundo Mura, Gonzalo Lujan, Micael, Noah Allen; Rodrigo De Paul, Yannick Bright, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi; Luis Suarez, German Berterame.

Confirmed Toronto FC lineup

The Reds did not have a bad start to the MLS season, but their level has declined as the campaign has progressed, to the point that their last victory came more than a month ago. Now, coach Robin Fraser faces the challenge of ending that negative streak against Messi and company.

Toronto FC’s confirmed lineup is: Luka Gavran; Kobe Franklin, Zane Monlouis, Walker Zimmerman, Raheem Edwards; Alonso Coello, Jonathan Osorio, Malik Henry, Markus Cimermancic, Daniel Salloi, Deandre Kerr.

FIFA are planning to hold opening ceremonies featuring major artists in each of the three host countries for the 2026 World Cup: Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

Final preparations are being made for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will begin in just over a month, and more details about the tournament plans are gradually emerging. Since this will be the first edition of the competition hosted by three countries — Mexico, Canada, and the United States — it will feature several unique elements compared to previous tournaments.

“FIFA are planning to hold opening ceremonies at each of the first games of the World Cup featuring host nations this summer, as well as special ceremonies to mark America’s 250th anniversary at games in Houston and Philadelphia on July 4,” journalist Adam Crafton reported Friday in The Athletic.

The first match of the World Cup will take place on Thursday, June 11, at Estadio Azteca, where Mexico and South Africa will open Group A. “This will feature performances from the multi-Grammy-award winning Mexican rock band Mana, as well as popstar Alejandro Fernandez and singer Belinda,” the report states. Los Angeles Azules and Tyla are also reportedly expected to participate.

One day later, Group B action will begin at BMO Field in Toronto, where Canada will face Bosnia and Herzegovina. The hosts are also expected to have their own pregame show. According to The Athletic, Canadian singers Michael Buble, Alanis Morissette, and Alessia Cara are among the stars set to perform at the event.

The United States to host multiple special events

Like Mexico and Canada, the United States will also have its own opening ceremony when the USMNT make their World Cup debut against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, June 12.

“Katy Perry is lined up as the headliner. Other American talent signed up by FIFA includes the rapper Future, as well as Bangladeshi-American Sanjoy, who is a Los Angeles-based DJ,” Adam Crafton reported. In addition, South Korean girl group Blackpink and Paraguayan artist Marilina Bogado have also reportedly been hired by FIFA.

But that will not be the only special occasion for the United States. During the World Cup, the country will also celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Because of that, the matches played on July 4 will include special celebrations, although few details have been revealed so far.

The teams participating in those two matches have not yet been determined, since both games belong to the Round of 16. The first will take place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and could feature France and Germany if both teams finish first in their groups and then advance through the Round of 32, although there is also a chance the USMNT could be involved. The other match will be held at NRG Stadium in Houston, with Mexico, Canada, Brazil, and the Netherlands among the potential participants.

Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho voiced their support for Neymar’s inclusion in Brazil’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Despite the tournament being just around the corner, it is still unclear whether Neymar will be part of Brazil’s squad. Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear that he will consider the forward only if he is in perfect physical condition, making every match crucial in that pursuit. Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, both former teammates of Ney, recently shared their thoughts on the matter.

“Does Neymar have to go to the World Cup?” Messi was asked during a recent interview on Lo Del Pollo. “I can’t be objective. Neymar is a friend, and obviously I would love for him to be at the World Cup and for good things to happen to him. He deserves it because of the kind of person he is,” the Argentine forward began.

“It would be great to see him at the World Cup because of what he means to Brazil and to soccer. Hopefully he can be there,” Messi later added. The Argentine star played alongside Neymar at Barcelona between 2013 and 2017, and later at Paris Saint-Germain from 2021 to 2023.

“At the World Cup, we want the best players to be there, and Ney, no matter what condition he’s in, will always be one of them,” Leo said, dismissing the doubts many have raised because of Neymar’s physical problems in recent years. “I can’t be objective because for me he always has to be there.”

Messi discusses his relationship with Neymar

After spending six years together in Spain and France, and also facing each other several times internationally in matches between Argentina and Brazil, Neymar and Lionel Messi built a friendship that remains strong to this day, despite no longer seeing each other regularly.

“We talk from time to time, and we have a friendship that goes back many years,” Messi explained in the same interview. “He has a very special charisma. He doesn’t pretend to be someone he’s not. He lives his life exactly as he is and acts according to what he feels and thinks, without caring about the repercussions. He lives his life, he’s happy, and he’s very genuine.”

Ronaldinho also pushes for Neymar

Almost simultaneously with Lionel Messi’s comments, another soccer legend also expressed support for Neymar’s return to the Brazil national team ahead of the World Cup. “It would be crazy,” Ronaldinho said about the possibility of Neymar being left out of Carlo Ancelotti’s 26-man squad for North America 2026 during a conversation with Denilson shared by GeGlobo.

Ronaldinho Gaúcho não ficou em cima do muro. Ele levaria o Neymar pra Copa: "É o melhor deles todos". No Esporte Espetacular deste domingo, Denilson conversa sobre Copa do Mundo, carreira e samba com Ronaldinho Gaúcho. #esporteespetacular pic.twitter.com/yEyu2epsu9

— ge (@geglobo) May 8, 2026

“The only way I would understand it is if there’s some injury issue,” added the 2005 Ballon d’Or winner. “But if he’s healthy, there’s no way he shouldn’t go, right? With all due respect to everyone else, in my opinion, he’s the best of them all.”

Canada addressed the injury suffered by Alphonso Davies just over a month before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Alarm bells rang in Canada on Friday after it was confirmed that Alphonso Davies suffered an injury while playing for Bayern Munich. The issue will require several weeks of recovery, putting his return date dangerously close to the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Alphonso Davies suffered a muscle injury in his left hamstring during Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, as confirmed by an examination by the FC Bayern medical unit,” the German side announced in a statement published on its official website on Friday.

The left-back had started the match against PSG on the bench and entered in the 67th minute in place of Josip Stanisic. Shortly after coming on, he assisted Harry Kane for Bayern Munich’s equalizer, although it was not enough to prevent elimination. During his nearly half-hour on the field, Davies also picked up the injury that has now sidelined him.

“The Canada international will therefore be out of action for several weeks,” the statement added. While that does not provide an exact timetable for Davies’ return, it does offer some indication of what could happen in the near future.

Alphonso Davies suffered a muscle injury in the back of his left thigh during the semifinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain and will therefore be out for several weeks.

We wish you a speedy recovery, Phonzy ❤️‍🩹

🔗 https://t.co/BqawKk0wvr pic.twitter.com/fq2n6VNMXT

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) May 8, 2026

Bayern Munich still have two Bundesliga matches remaining this season, although they carry little significance with the title already secured. The situation is different for the May 23 clash against Stuttgart, where Bayern will compete for the DFB-Pokal title. However, it seems difficult to imagine Davies being fully recovered in time for that match.

Canada respond to Alphonso Davies injury

News of Davies’ injury resonated not only in Germany, but naturally in Canada as well. “We’re behind you, Captain,” began the message shared by the national team Friday on its official X account. “We are in close contact with Alphonso and remain in touch with Bayern’s medical team following his recent setback.”

We’re behind you, Captain 🇨🇦

We are in close contact with Alphonso and remain in touch with Bayern’s medical team following his recent setback.

Our focus is on supporting his recovery and providing every available resource, including specialized soft tissue expertise, to give… pic.twitter.com/XGPpKsorSP

— CANMNT (@CANMNT_Official) May 8, 2026

Regarding the next steps, Canada explained: “Our focus is on supporting his recovery and providing every available resource, including specialized soft tissue expertise, to give him the best possible pathway back to full fitness ahead of the FIFA World Cup.”

Canada will open their 2026 World Cup campaign on Friday, June 12, against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first Group B match at BMO Field in Toronto. That gives Alphonso Davies more than a month to regain full fitness and arrive at the tournament in optimal condition.

Lionel Messi spoke about Argentina’s chances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Argentina are 39 days away from making their debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Algeria on June 16 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Lionel Messi recently discussed the national team’s chances in the tournament.

“We have to believe, just like Argentinians always do whenever there’s an official competition, whether it’s the Copa America or the World Cup, but also understand that there are other favorites ahead of us who are arriving in better form as a group,” Leo said during an interview on Lo Del Pollo.

“It’s a World Cup, and we know it’s always complicated because of the quality of the national teams involved,” Messi added before going into detail about the opponents he considers strongest. “France are looking very good again, and they have a lot of top-level players. Spain too.”

Continuing his analysis, the 38-year-old star mentioned a South American powerhouse. “Brazil, even though they haven’t been at their best lately, are always contenders and have the players to compete in every major tournament.”

Finally, Messi pointed to “the powers” that are traditionally among the favorites because of their history and talent. “Then there are the usual ones, Germany and England,” Leo said. He added another team as well: “And Portugal, who also have a very competitive national team.” He also acknowledged that underdogs are always possible. “Then there’s always some surprise team, strange things you don’t expect beforehand. There are a lot of national teams at a high level.”

Which opponents have eliminated Argentina during the Messi era?

Lionel Messi’s cautious approach when discussing the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes from personal experience. Before becoming world champions in Qatar 2022 and winning back-to-back Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, Argentina suffered several painful defeats in major tournaments that left a mark on Leo and gave him a clear understanding of what it means to compete at the highest level.

In three of the four unsuccessful World Cup campaigns he took part in, Messi experienced Germany’s superiority firsthand. Argentina lost to them in the quarterfinals of Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010, before later falling again in the final of Brazil 2014. Four years later in Russia, it was France who eliminated La Albiceleste in the memorable 4-3 Round of 16 clash.

At the continental level, Messi also endured difficult defeats against regional rivals. Brazil beat Argentina in the 2007 Copa America final and again in the 2019 semifinals. Chile eliminated Leo twice as well, defeating Argentina in the finals of 2015 and 2016, while Uruguay knocked them out in 2011.

Messi believes in his teammates

Despite the caution he expressed, Lionel Messi also showed confidence that he and his teammates will give everything they have to achieve success at the 2026 World Cup. “The national team are doing well. Right now, several players are dealing with injuries or a lack of rhythm, but Argentina will always compete and give everything, just like this group have done ever since they came together,” the forward said in the same interview.

Real Madrid announced the punishment for Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni.

In the middle of a turbulent week, the conflict between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni took another turn on Friday. Real Madrid announced the financial sanctions that will be imposed on both players: fines of €500,000 (approximately $590,000) each.

“Real Madrid C. F. announces that, following the events that led to the disciplinary proceedings initiated yesterday against our players Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni, both appeared today before the investigator assigned to the case,” begins the statement published on the club’s official website.

“During their appearance, the players expressed their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to each other. Furthermore, they extended their apologies to the club, their teammates, the coaching staff, and the fans, and both have made themselves available to Real Madrid to accept whatever sanction the club deems appropriate,” Los Blancos added.

“Under these circumstances, Real Madrid has decided to impose a financial penalty of five hundred thousand euros on each player, thereby concluding the corresponding internal procedures,” the club announced, officially bringing the matter to a close.

Official Announcement.

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 8, 2026

The sporting situation for Valverde and Tchouameni

As made clear in the statement published by Real Madrid, the club consider the matter closed following the financial penalties imposed on both players. That means neither Federico Valverde nor Aurelien Tchouameni will face any sporting consequences.

However, the situation leaves both players in very different circumstances. As a result of the altercation, Valverde suffered a blow to the head that required hospitalization, and the injury will prevent him from being part of the squad for Sunday’s El Clasico against Barcelona.

Tchouameni, meanwhile, is in perfect physical condition and, with the possibility of a club-imposed suspension now ruled out, has a strong chance of being included in the squad traveling to Catalunya. Whether or not he features in the starting lineup will depend on the decision of head coach Alvaro Arbeloa.

Real Madrid injuries for clash against Barcelona

Federico Valverde is not the only player who will be unavailable for Sunday’s match against Barcelona. Due to physical issues, Daniel Carvajal, Eder Militao, Rodrygo Goes, Arda Guler, and Ferland Mendy will also miss the game. In addition, Kylian Mbappe is expected to arrive less than fully fit after dealing with muscular problems over the past week that kept him out of the squad for the win over Espanyol.

Lionel Messi opened up about his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.

For nearly two decades, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated world soccer, collecting countless trophies and individual awards along the way. Even now, as both players approach the final stages of their careers, they remain the sport’s biggest stars. The Argentine forward recently reflected on that rivalry.

During an interview on Lo Del Pollo, Messi was asked whether the constant comparisons with Ronaldo were a media creation or if there was actually bad blood between them. “Those comparisons or competitions are something natural in the world of soccer. It’s normal, just like it happens with clubs or national teams, but it was never anything beyond sports,” Leo began.

“I was at Barcelona and he was at Real Madrid, playing Clasicos, and we were competing for everything both collectively and individually, so people were always comparing us,” the Argentine star added, referring to the 2009-2018 period when both players dominated La Liga.

“What both of us achieved made the rivalry even bigger,” Messi admitted. Indeed, for a decade, he and Cristiano split the most prestigious individual awards in soccer. Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008, while Leo claimed his first the following year, and from then until 2018, no other player won the award until Luka Modric.

“We didn’t meet often except during matches or award ceremonies, where everyone was always watching to see whether he or I would win. But we were always on good terms,” explained the Inter Miami player. “Now we’re far away and at different stages of our lives, but what happened was a beautiful sporting rivalry.”

When was the last time Messi and Ronaldo faced each other?

To find the last meeting between Messi and Ronaldo, it is necessary to go back to January 2023. At the time, the Portuguese forward had just arrived in Saudi Arabia from Manchester United, and a friendly match was organized between Paris Saint-Germain and the Riyadh Season Team, a squad made up of players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal. PSG won the game 5-4.

However, the last official match between the two stars came much earlier. In the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League group stage, Juventus defeated Barcelona 3-0 thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo brace, just months before Messi was forced to leave the Catalan club for PSG.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup could be the final opportunity

Six and a half years after that last official match between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, their careers have taken very different paths. Playing on different continents, an official meeting between Inter Miami and Al Nassr appears extremely unlikely. Because of that, international soccer may be the only remaining possibility.

Although neither player has confirmed it, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will almost certainly be the final major tournament for Messi and Ronaldo with their respective national teams. There, the possibility of Argentina and Portugal meeting is not entirely unrealistic.

The quickest path for that to happen would be for both teams to finish second in their respective groups — something unlikely given the quality of their opponents — which would set up a potential Round of 16 clash. In a more logical scenario, with Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and advancing through the knockout rounds, they could instead meet in the quarterfinals.