“I think this World Cup marks the end of a generation of very important players. Starting with Neymar, going through Danilo, Casemiro, all those players who were over 30 years old at the World Cup,” Ancelotti said in an interview published on Wednesday.

“We are going to map out new players who can enter, I’m not saying for the next World Cup in 2030, but who can already be competitive in the first objective, which is the Copa America in 2028.”

Brazil, who will face Australia in two friendlies in September, have reached the World Cup’s semi-finals only once since their record fifth triumph in 2002. They have not won the Copa America since 2019.

‘My time has passed’: Neymar doubles down on Brazil retirement

“I’m not going to say I’m going to replace all 26 players. We’re going to keep some important players who can continue the work, like Marquinhos, to name one,” said Italian Ancelotti, who took over as Brazil coach in June 2025.

“I think it’s important that you stay to give a sign of continuity to the work. But the idea is to change, to bring in a new generation.” Ancelotti was sounded out by the Italian soccer federation (FIGC) for the role of Italy manager.

“There was simply contact from the federation, but it’s not a contract issue, it’s a matter of commitment,” Ancelotti said.

“I have a commitment to Brazil not because I signed the contract. I have a commitment based on the year I spent here, I was very well received, and I don’t want to break that commitment.”

In a scathing letter to the continent’s 47 member associations, which has been seen by Reuters, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa also warned the proposal would never succeed without the support of all of football’s regional blocs, in an acknowledgment of Europe’s staunch opposition.

“The AFC notes with great concern and disappointment that it was not consulted by FIFA at any level prior to the public announcement of this proposal, and nor has it received any detailed governance, financial or legal analysis of the proposal and its potential repercussions, which is totally unacceptable,” the Bahraini wrote.

“Furthermore, the AFC is deeply concerned that FIFA’s unilateral actions appear to undermine the very foundations of Continental football, which are based on solidarity, cooperation and transparency.”

The AFC’s forthright criticism heaps further pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has spearheaded the contentious plan to create a $20 billion subsidiary to run the World Cup and its other events, while offering minority stakes to private investors.

Saudi Arabia confirmed to host Asian Champions League Elite finals

The plan blindsided regional and national soccer associations, and triggered a fierce backlash from Europe’s soccer governing body UEFA, which rejected it outright.

CONCACAF, the regional bloc for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, also criticised FIFA this week for a lack of consultation. Infantino offered FIFA’s 211 member associations $40 million each if they agree to the proposal by September 19 as part of a $10 billion package to become available from January 1, 2027.

If rejected, the package would revert to $2.7 billion previously offered, around $10 million per member association.

Sheikh Salman said the AFC was surprised by the timeline “when such decisions should never be rushed”, and would engage directly with FIFA to seek further clarification.

“The AFC firmly believes that sufficient time must be afforded for a comprehensive assessment, including appropriate legal and governance due diligence,” he wrote.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the letter.

Iran still to play in World Cup says Asian football body

Lack of transparency

Infantino said FIFA will put the proposal to a vote by its member associations (MAs) and then to its executive Council. However, Sheikh Salman said it would need all six of the regional blocs behind it.

“Such an initiative will not succeed without the support of all the confederations, which is not the case now,” he wrote.

The African confederation’s executive committee will meet next week to evaluate the proposal, while the Oceania confederation, the smallest regional bloc with 11 full member nations, said it would discuss the proposal at a meeting next month.

South American governing body CONMEBOL has yet to comment publicly. Players’ bodies have also expressed opposition to FIFA’s plan, with FIFPRO, the global players union, warning the proposal would irreversibly reshape the incentives underpinning the competitions in which players work and build careers.

Australia’s players union joined the criticism on Thursday, saying the governing body was putting pressure on member associations to wave the proposal through while sidelining the athletes and fans who generate the value of the tournaments.

“The PFA is disturbed by the lack of transparency surrounding the proposal and the absence of meaningful consultation with those that generate the value that FIFA is seeking to exploit - the players and the fans,” Professional Footballers Australia said in a statement.

“At a time when football desperately requires greater transparency, accountability and good governance, proposals of this significance raise questions about who the game is run by and in whose interests. These tournaments should not be for sale.”

British media reported that Chelsea paid £52 million ($69.6 million) for the France international. “Lacroix arrives at Chelsea with the reputation of being among European football’s most commanding centre-backs, as well as one of the fastest and best aerial defenders in the Premier League,” the club said in a statement.

The 26-year-old French international made 55 appearances in all competitions last season recording three goals and three assists as Palace won the UEFA Conference League.

A product of Sochaux’s academy, Lacroix made 28 senior appearances for the French club before joining Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg in 2020.

Palace signed Lacroix from Wolfsburg in 2024 for a reported fee of £18 million ($24.09 million). He made 98 appearances in all competitions during his two seasons in English football.

Lacroix made three appearances for France at this year’s World Cup as they finished fourth.

The 48-year-old joined the Magpies in 2021 and won the League Cup final in March 2025 – the club’s first major trophy since 1969.

Newcastle have been depleted by the departures of Sandro Tonali to Tottenham and England forward Anthony Gordon to Barcelona in recent weeks.

Saudi Arabia confirmed to host Asian Champions League Elite finals

The club lost 4-1 to Bristol City in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.

The Saudis have hosted the first ​two editions of the event, which ⁠sees the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final ​played in a centralised venue, since the ​continent’s premier club competition was restructured ahead of the 2024/2025 season.

Jeddah-based outfit Al-Ahli have won the ​title on the two occasions the ​city has hosted the finals, defeating Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale ‌in ⁠2025 before beating Machida Zelvia, also from Japan, in May.

Argentina’s war veterans urge fans to focus on football ahead of England match

The upcoming edition of the tournament, which features the domestic champions ​of the ​leading ⁠competitions from around the region, will see the league phase expanded ​from 24 to 32 teams.

The ​qualifying ⁠rounds will start on August 11 with the draw for the league phase to ⁠be ​held in Kuala Lumpur ​on August 18 and play commencing on September 14.

Blatter, who was FIFA president for 17 years until 2015, ​said the idea put forward by his successor Gianni Infantino would take commercialisation of ​the sport too far.

“Football belongs to no individual and to no institution. It ⁠belongs to the people,” Blatter, 90, told Reuters.

“If FIFA were transferred into a profit-oriented corporate structure, ​it would lose its soul,” he added, noting he would never have considered such a move when ​he was in charge.

FIFA said on Tuesday it plans to create the subsidiary to run the World Cup and its other events, and will offer stakes of up to 20% in it to external investors.

The proposal has provoked a furious response ​from football authorities, including European ruling body UEFA, which said FIFA was putting the game up ​for sale.

Clashes with Infantino

Blatter has frequently clashed with Infantino, a fellow Swiss who took charge of FIFA ‌in 2016 ⁠after a corruption scandal ended his own tenure. Blatter was later cleared of corruption charges.

He has railed against the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, and criticised the expansion of this year’s tournament to 48 teams.

“The FIFA World Cup is not a commercial asset ​that belongs to a ​handful of executives,” Blatter ⁠said. “It is part of the cultural heritage of world football. FIFA is the guardian of the World Cup, not its owner. There is a ​fundamental difference.”

Investors pursuing influence and profits ran contrary to associations that ​follow the ⁠interests of their members, he said, noting that the game’s connection to the public had sustained it for more than a century.

Pakistan turns FIFA World Cup into export promotion platform

“That principle should never change,” Blatter said.

Football’s true foundations were the clubs, players, coaches, ⁠referees ​and fans, Blatter said, and FIFA’s role is to administer ​the sport, organise competitions and redistribute income.

“The beneficiaries should be the game itself — from grassroots football to the highest international ​level — not outside investors seeking returns,” Blatter said.

The 34-year-old forward, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, made the comments after Santos beat Venezuela’s Universidad Central 4-2 in a Copa Sudamericana match late on Tuesday.

“I think my time with the national team has already passed. I made history there, and I’m very happy about it. I experienced a lot there, gave my blood and my life, and always fought and battled for the yellow jersey. But I don’t think I want it anymore,” he told reporters.

The remarks reinforced comments he made in the immediate aftermath of Brazil’s 2-1 World Cup defeat by Norway on July 5.

After coming on as a substitute and scoring a stoppage-time penalty, Neymar suggested his international career was over during an interview with Brazilian broadcaster ge.

Neymar calf scare turns Brazil’s World Cup camp into waiting room

“I tried, I tried. Now it’s over,” he said.

Neymar was visibly emotional after the defeat, which marked Brazil’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990 and extended the five-times champions’ wait for a record-extending sixth title.

The forward, who played in four World Cups, enjoyed a glittering club career with Santos, Barcelona and Paris St Germain, but won only one senior title with the national team, the Confederations Cup in 2013.

His international career yielded 80 goals and 58 assists in 130 appearances.

Fraser, 60, has signed a four-year contract to take the team through to the 2030 World Cup.

Fraser has extensive experience of coaching in the Netherlands at ADO Den Haag, Vitesse Arnhem, Sparta Rotterdam, FC Utrecht and RKC Waalwijk.

Under Louis van Gaal, he also served as assistant coach of the Dutch national team.

He has experience with Suriname too, working last year as assistant to Stanley Menzo in the World Cup qualifying campaign in which Suriname reached the inter-confederation playoffs in March but failed to secure one of the last berths for the 48-team tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Menzo quit the job last November when Suriname lost their last group qualifier and missed out on a direct qualifying berth to the 2026 finals with Henk ten Cate taking over for the playoffs.

Fraser, who was born in Paramaribo, played for Sparta Rotterdam, Utrecht, Roda JC, and Feyenoord as well as the Dutch national team.

“His international experience, leadership, and football vision will contribute to the further development of the national squad,” the Suriname association wrote on Instagram.

During a Serie A match between the sides on July 22, Victor Gabriel was sent off after committing a rash challenge that led to a fracture of ​Pec’s left tibia.

Pec, who moved to Cruzeiro from Major League Soccer side ​LA Galaxy this month, was making his debut in the match ⁠eventually won by Cruzeiro.

On Tuesday, Brazil’s Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) determined that ​a standard penalty for Victor Gabriel was insufficient in light of the severity of ​the incident.

“The offender may remain suspended until the injured party is able to return to training, respecting a maximum period of 180 days,” it said, adding that the decision could be ​appealed.

In an appearance during proceedings, Victor Gabriel expressed remorse, adding: “It was a completely ​unfortunate incident.

“I apologized to him and offered my help. I asked him to forgive me for ‌not ⁠having had any ill intent, and all I could do at that moment was pray for him.”

Mexico legend Chicharito to sign with USL’s Dallas franchise

The court also questioned the authenticity of the evidence provided by Internacional, which contained audio from the match’s VAR, with the club’s defense then asking ​for it to be ​disregarded as its ⁠veracity could not be proved.

In a statement on their website, Internacional said the law firm representing them had used an ​audio recording circulating on social media in its defense.

“Both the ​law firm ⁠and Internacional emphasize that they never intended to act in bad faith in any way within the context of the proceedings in question,” the club added.

“There was, however, ⁠a recognized ​error in the collection and use of the ​content presented in the player’s defense, which was immediately acknowledged through an express request to remove the ​audio from the case file.”

Under the plan, ‌FIFA would establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to oversee “commercial and event operations.”

FIFA, which just held a 48-team World Cup across the U.S., Canada and Mexico that was the biggest in the tournament’s history, would retain control of the enterprise, but offer minority stakes in it to private investors to raise up to $4.2 billion.

A vehicle founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, is expected to lead the proposed investor group, FIFA said.

The proposal deepens the divide between Switzerland-based FIFA and European soccer’s governing ​body UEFA, with Europe positioning itself as the custodian of the game while FIFA, a not-for-profit organisation, remains focused on broadening access with financial largesse.

FIFA World Cup 2026 demands offer export opportunity

FIFA is one of the world’s wealthiest sporting organisations, ​generating billions of dollars in revenue, largely from broadcasting rights, sponsorship and other commercial deals linked to the World Cup.

But it says this proposal can increase funds it ⁠provides to widen access to the sport and strengthen global participation, with all net benefits to be reinvested in the game.

“Football is the world’s most popular sport and an extraordinary engine of human and social development,” ​FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

“Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value – and we celebrate that success and want it to continue, because it lifts the whole game.

“Our job is to ​make sure the rest of football grows with it: FIFA exists to support sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world.”

FIFA said it would retain sole control of the subsidiary as well as “exclusive authority” over football governance, competitions, the match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions.

Fierce criticism from UEFA and others

The proposal drew fierce criticism from UEFA, which said the proposal “crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.”

“UEFA takes it extremely seriously,” it said in a statement. “So should every National Football Association. So ​should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.

“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. ​None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”

Relations have deteriorated between UEFA and FIFA in recent years, and UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin refused to attend the World Cup final following a series of disagreements over ‌disciplinary procedures, refereeing ⁠logistics and match operations.

A FIFA spokesperson said the proposal will soon be presented to the 211 member associations and the FIFA Council, which would be the sole final decision-makers on the matter.

FIFA said money from the capital raise would be used to establish an optional program that would allow member associations to access up to $20 million in one-off capital to be used for infrastructure, coaching, national teams, competitions, grassroots football and the women’s game.

That would rise to $24 million by the 2035-2038 cycle.

Infantino, who is up for reelection as head of FIFA next year, said every member association should have the opportunity to seek a fair share of the available funding to shape its own ​future.

“This is about the democratisation of football worldwide,” he ​said.

Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham joined critics of the ⁠plan, saying on social media that the sport does not belong to investors.

“The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone’s to sell,” Burnham wrote on X. “Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out.”

Richard ​Sheehan, a finance professor at the University of Notre Dame who studies the economics of sport, called the proposal a “money grab” from current FIFA leadership.

“From the ​perspective of a not-for-profit organization, ⁠theoretically raising money to make soccer available to everyone, this move is a farce,” said Sheehan.

External investors

FIFA is working with bankers at JPMorgan to bring in external investors, it said, adding that former Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei has been involved as a commercial adviser.

Joshua Kushner-founded Thrive Eternal, a new investment strategy launched by venture capital firm Thrive Capital, is set to lead the investor group.

A permanent capital vehicle focused on making a small number of long-term investments in franchises ⁠and cultural institutions, ​Thrive Eternal took a minority stake in Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants this year. Former Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger serves ​as an adviser.

Jared Kushner is not a potential investor, a source said.

JP Morgan and Joshua Kushner declined to comment. Maffei didn’t immediately respond to a comment request.

“Outside investors will have only a minority stake in FFE and will not play any operational role,” FIFA said. “Equally, they ​are investing in a subsidiary of FIFA, and not in FIFA itself. For FIFA, nothing changes.”

Zidane, 54, had long been viewed as the leading candidate for the role and had been waiting for an opportunity to take charge of the national team for several years.

He will replace Deschamps, whose tenure began in 2012 and ended earlier this month after France finished fourth at the World Cup.

Deschamps guided France to 2018 World Cup glory and the final four years later.

“For me, it’s an immense joy… being able to become the coach of this French team. I don’t have any other words,” said Zidane, who takes over on a four-year deal that runs until the 2030 World Cup co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

“I’m holding myself back because I have so many emotions inside me. I’m ready for the challenge, that’s what drives me today.”

Former Real Madrid star Zidane, who was Deschamps’ teammate in the 1998 World Cup triumph, has been readying himself for the role since leaving Real Madrid in 2021.

“The France job was the only one I wanted,” Zidane said at his unveiling in Paris, where he signed autographs and took photos with fans waiting outside the FFF headquarters after his appointment.

“I’ve had offers over these four or five years to take charge of a club and I turned them all down for the French national team.”

The former France playmaker, who scored twice in the 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil and also won the 2000 European Championship as a player, has coached only one club, Real Madrid.

‘Completely different job’

During his time with the Spanish giants, he led them to three consecutive Champions League titles in 2016, 2017 and 2018, an unprecedented achievement in the competition’s modern era.

“I think it’s a completely different job, that’s for sure,” said Zidane. “I’ve experienced the club side of it. Now this is something new for me, but it doesn’t scare me.”

Zidane will follow in the footsteps of former international team-mates Laurent Blanc, who coached the national side from 2010 to 2012, and Deschamps.

“I’m going to give everything so that this team keeps on winning. That’s it, the only thing that drives me is being able to work for this France team and making sure it keeps on winning.”

FFF president Philippe Diallo said he first met with Zidane in February 2025, shortly after Deschamps revealed he would step down from his role after the 2026 World Cup.

“There was one thing that struck me, that perhaps ultimately made the difference,” said Diallo. “During the conversations we had, he said to me, ‘President, I know how to win.’

“When he said that, I saw someone who had both the desire and the self-belief needed to lead France. That is what it takes for our national team to remain successful in the years ahead.”

Zidane’s first game at the helm of France will come away to Turkey in the UEFA Nations League on September 25. His first match at home will be against Italy at the Stade de France on October 2.

The 38-year-old Mexican striker agreed to ​a two-year contract that includes a club option for a third ‌season. Hernandez becomes the first player signed by Atletico Dallas, which will begin play in 2027 under head coach Peter Luccin.

The agreement is subject to approval from the ​league and federation.

“I didn’t come here simply to finish my ​career,” Hernandez said. “I came here to help build the future of ⁠football in Dallas.”

Atletico Dallas will play its home matches at the ​Cotton Bowl while competing in the USL Championship, a second-tier professional soccer league ​in the United States below MLS.

Hernandez has not played competitively since appearing for Chivas in November 2025. He became a free agent after scoring three goals across all ​competitions during his final season with the Mexican club.

De Zerbi wants ‘soul and passion’ from new-look Tottenham

The move extends a ​career that has also included stops with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, West ‌Ham ⁠United, Sevilla and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

“I’ve been fortunate to live the dreams that every young footballer hopes to experience,” Hernandez said. “I’ve worn some of the biggest shirts in the world and played in incredible stadiums in ​front of passionate ​supporters. Opportunities like ⁠this, though, are different.”

Hernandez scored 52 goals in 109 appearances for Mexico, making him the national team’s all-time leading ​scorer. He last played internationally in 2019 and worked ​as a ⁠television analyst during the 2026 World Cup.

His addition gives Atletico Dallas an established name around which to begin building their inaugural roster. Luccin, a former ⁠Atletico ​Madrid midfielder, was appointed as the club’s first ​coach in February.

Dallas will be the eighth club of Hernandez’s senior career and marks his ​return to American soccer after playing for the Galaxy from 2020-23.

Spurs have embarked on an aggressive summer of spending to boost their fortunes after avoiding the drop by coming 17th, but it was a nail-biting outcome that went down to the wire.

Big-money signings include midfielders Mateus Fernandes from West Ham and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle. De Zerbi also raided his old club Brighton for centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke.

Courtois welcomes Van Bommel’s appointment as Belgium coach

Full-back Andy Robertson, centre-back Marcos Senesi and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka have all arrived on free transfers as the squad takes on a new look.

De Zerbi, in Sydney on a pre-season tour, said he expected more when the new campaign begins on August 22 and outlined that he wanted to “build a new team with the qualities, with big players, but with soul, with passion, with all the values we have”.

The Italian added: “Football now is not just on the pitch, it’s not just with the ball, it’s before, it’s in life. It’s how many hours during the day you think about your job.”

Spurs opened their pre-season tour with an entertaining 2-0 win over A-League champions Auckland FC in New Zealand on Sunday with goals from Dane Scarlett and Richarlison.

They face Sydney FC on Wednesday then meet London rivals Chelsea in Sydney three days later.

De Zerbi started with a host of younger players in Auckland, before more of a first team feel in the final 30 minutes when the likes of Fernandes, Richarlison, Conor Gallagher and Ben Davies all got a run.

“We didn’t concede, we didn’t suffer any injuries and this is big news, important news, especially for the beginning of the season,” said De Zerbi.

He suggested there could be more signings before the transfer window closes.

“I think we can be happier at the end of this transfer market because I spoke a lot of time with the owner, with the board and they want to build a very strong team for this season, to make the days for the future become great again,” he said.

Van Bommel was ​appointed only weeks after Belgium’s quarter-final exit at the World Cup effectively cost Rudi Garcia his job ‌with the French-born coach and the Belgian federation agreeing not to renew his deal.

Van Bommel was quickly appointed to replace him and Courtois said the former Dutch international would enjoy the respect of his new charges.

“It wasn’t really a surprise because his name had ​been circulating for quite a while,” Courtois told reporters at a sponsorship event.

“I think he proved ​at Antwerp that he’s a top coach. A lot of the players speak very ⁠positively about him, so I’m looking forward to getting to know him.

“The most important thing is that Van ​Bommel himself played at the highest level and knows what it’s like to play matches like these.

“That top-level ​experience is definitely a positive and it naturally earns a lot of respect from the players,” he said.

Whether the 34-year-old Courtois himself will actually play under Van Bommel remains uncertain.

After the World Cup, the Real Madrid goalkeeper said that he would like to ​continue with Belgium but only if he was allowed to skip the upcoming Nations League campaign.

“After the World ​Cup, I definitely still want to continue, but it will depend on the conversation I have with him,” Courtois said.

“I’d ‌like to ⁠have some rest during the Nations League and we’ll have to try to reach an agreement on that.

“After that, I’ll decide whether I want to continue or not.”

Courtois also reflected on Belgium’s World Cup exit, which came after he was injured in the last-eight tie against Spain in Los Angeles on July 10 and his ​replacement Senne Lammens made an ​error to gift eventual ⁠champions Spain a 2-1 win.

Courtois later said he believed he could have continued and made the point again at the weekend.

“I just felt that I couldn’t take goal kicks ​anymore.

“A defender could have taken them instead. During open play, I could still ​have made sideways ⁠passes.

“But the coach said: ‘We agreed that only players who are 100% fit will play.’ Fine, no problem.”

Cape Verde World Cup hero Vozinha agrees move to Chile’s Colo Colo

Courtois said there was never any disagreement with Garcia, who was heavily criticised for many of his choices during the World Cup.

“Of course, ⁠I ​was disappointed because it was against Spain and we were in ​a good rhythm. But the team is more important than I am.

“The decision was made and there was never any bad blood. I ​never wanted to speak badly about him (Garcia),” he added.

The 40-year-old free agent will travel to Chile to undergo ​a medical before being officially unveiled at ​the Estadio Monumental, Mosa told reporters ahead ⁠of Colo Colo’s league match against Deportes Limache.

“Vozinha ​will be a Colo Colo player. In the ​coming days he will travel to Chile, undergo the usual medical examinations and then be presented here at the ​Estadio Monumental,” Mosa said.

Mosa added Vozinha’s World Cup ​performances showed he deserved the move, while acknowledging the signing ‌also ⁠carried marketing appeal for the Chilean side.

Although the deal has yet to be finalised, Colo Colo teased the signing on social media with an ​image appearing ​to show ⁠the veteran goalkeeper’s trademark curly hair.

Vozinha, Haaland named in fan-voted World Cup dream team

Vozinha, who left Portuguese second-tier side Chaves before ​the World Cup, was voted into ​FIFA’s ⁠fan-selected World Cup dream team after helping tournament debutants Cape Verde hold eventual champions Spain to a ⁠goalless ​draw and pushing eventual runners-up ​Argentina into extra time in the last 32.

Also on Saturday, Hugo Cuypers, Rodrigo De Paul, Mbekezeli Mbokazi ​were ruled out of the All-Star Game, which ​will match the best of MLS against the ⁠top players from Mexico’s LIGA MX.

Cuypers earned his ​All-Star spot with his play for the Chicago Fire, ​but he was transferred to Mexico’s CF Monterrey on Thursday. De Paul, an Inter Miami midfielder, will follow Messi’s lead and ​bow out of Wednesday’s festivities after playing for ​Argentina in the World Cup.

Mbokazi, a defender from the Chicago Fire, ‌was ⁠ruled out with a lower body injury. The South Africa native also appeared in this summer’s World Cup.

Messi-less Miami beat Fire 3-2 to spoil Lewandowski’s MLS debut

To replace the foursome, Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright, ​Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder ​Andres Cubas, ⁠Houston Dynamo forward Guilherme and Fire forward Philip Zinckernagel all were named All-Stars ​on Saturday.

Bright has guided Inter Miami to ​a 9-2-1 ⁠record in his 12 starts this season, while Cubas has three assists in 12 matches for the Whitecaps. ⁠Guilherme ​has eight goals and five ​assists in his first season with the Dynamo, while Zinckernagel has five ​goals and seven assists for the Fire.

The 55-year-old Spaniard, regarded as one of football’s greatest managers, held talks over becoming Italy’s head coach, with the country’s football federation (FIGC) president Giovanni Malago suggesting financial flexibility could be shown for a candidate of his stature.

Italy have been searching for a new coach since Gennaro Gattuso stepped down in April after the four-time world champions failed to qualify for a third successive World Cup.

FIGC also sounded out Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti before holding discussions with Guardiola, Italian technical director Paolo Maldini said on Thursday.

Guardiola left City at the end of last season after a glittering decade in charge in which he won six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four in succession, as well as three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League.

Germany appoint Klopp as head coach after World Cup disappointment

Before arriving at City in 2016, Guardiola enjoyed similarly remarkable success at Barcelona, where he won two Champions League titles and three LaLiga crowns, before adding three Bundesliga titles during his spell at Bayern Munich.

Italian football is facing one of its deepest crises in decades, following an early collective exit from European club competitions and last season’s failure to reach the World Cup.

The appointment of a new national team coach is seen as the first step in a wider effort to rebuild a youth development and talent pathway system that has deteriorated significantly in a country where football remains a national obsession.

With Guardiola no longer in contention, attention is turning to other candidates.

Former Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo has been linked with the role in Italian media reports, while Roberto Mancini, who guided the Azzurri to the European Championship title in 2021, has also been cited as a possible candidate.

The 22-year-old midfielder joins after spending five years with Marseille, where he progressed from the reserve side to the first team and made 53 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and providing five assists.

“I’m very happy to be a HSV player now. I can’t wait to meet the HSV fans and play for Hamburg,” Nadir said.

Sporting director Claus Costa praised his technical quality, work rate and ability to control the tempo of matches.

“Bilal has a lot of quality and is technically very strong,” Costa said, adding that the midfielder’s intelligence on and off the ball would strengthen the squad.

Born in Nice in November 2003, Nadir came through the youth ranks at Nice before joining Marseille in 2021 and making his professional debut two years later.

He received his first senior Morocco call-up in March 2025, but is still awaiting his international debut.

Klopp replaces Julian Nagelsmann, who left the role after Germany’s penalty shootout defeat by Paraguay in the round of 32, a result that extended the country’s run of poor World Cup performances following group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022.

“The national team can connect us Germans like hardly anything else. That’s exactly what makes this task so special for me,” Klopp, who had been working as Red Bull’s global head of soccer, said in a statement.

“I am grateful for everything I have experienced and learned in the last year and a half at Red Bull and for the openness that has made this agreement possible in the first place.

“Now I am looking forward to this special task in German football, which we will tackle together with humility and patience: to develop a team that fights for each other, that enjoys football and behind which the people of our country can rally with full conviction.”

Klopp will be assisted by Peter Krawietz, Pep Lijnders and former Germany international Sven Bender.

The DFB also appointed former Germany defender Per Mertesacker, a member of the country’s 2014 World Cup-winning side, as managing director for sport. He succeeds Andreas Rettig and has signed a contract through to the 2030 World Cup.

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said Klopp had been the federation’s preferred candidate from the outset.

“We’ve had very intense discussions. He (Klopp) was our ideal solution from the start,” Neuendorf said.

Liverpool midfielder Szoboszlai signs new contract

“We at the DFB were unanimous in saying he was the candidate we had to talk to. Our talks with Juergen only strengthened our belief that he’s the right man at the right time.”

Red Bull executive Oliver Mintzlaff said the company had agreed to release Klopp to allow him to take the Germany job.

“This wasn’t an easy decision but together with my fellow managing directors, Franz Watzlawick and Alexander Kirchmayr, we decided to support his ambition,” Mintzlaff said.

Neuendorf said the federation would donate €1 million ($1.14 million) to Red Bull’s Wings for Life foundation instead of paying compensation. He confirmed Leipzig would host three Germany internationals in the coming years.

Rebuilding Germany

Germany’s latest early exit marked a third successive disappointing World Cup for a team that last lifted the trophy in 2014.

Klopp takes the job less than two years after joining Red Bull.He worked as a television pundit for German broadcasters during the World Cup and was widely viewed as the preferred choice among Germany fans.

However, he drew criticism during the tournament and later apologised after suggesting Nagelsmann’s time as national coach could be nearing an end.

One of Germany’s most successful club coaches, Klopp won Bundesliga and German Cup titles with Borussia Dortmund before taking charge of Liverpool in 2015.

During nine years at Anfield, he led the club to almost every major honour, including the Champions League and Premier League titles.

“This (Germany) role is the highlight of my career and I’ll give all I’ve got to be successful,” Klopp told reporters on Friday.

“I’m far from perfect. We’ve got a few weeks until the first international break. I think that’s enough time to get prepared.

“I want to look towards the most successful Germany coaches who also developed in the most successful way.”

The DFB said earlier this month that Nagelsmann had asked to be released from his contract following Germany’s World Cup exit.

Nagelsmann, who took charge in 2023 and became the youngest coach to lead a team in a World Cup knockout match in four decades at 38 years old, had said after the defeat that he was “not someone to say ‘I’m stepping down’ just because we were eliminated.”

Klopp is known for his direct communication style, in contrast to Nagelsmann, whose approach was at times perceived as abrasive.

The club will pay an initial fee of £30 million ($39.95 million), plus add-ons, for the 20-year-old, according to British media reports.

A product of Monaco’s academy, Bamba made his first-team debut for the Ligue 1 club last year and went on to make 25 appearances, including both legs of Monaco’s Champions League knockout phase playoff against Paris St Germain.

“I’m excited to test myself in a new league, the biggest league in the world. I learned a lot last season and now I feel ready for this new opportunity. I will give my all for this club,” Bamba said in a statement.

Schlager becomes the first signing ​under manager Oliver Glasner, reuniting ​with his compatriot after a ⁠successful spell together at VfL ​Wolfsburg.

The 28-year-old made 30 appearances in ​all competitions last season, scoring three goals and serving as Leipzig’s vice-captain.

Modric, 40, extends Milan stay until 2027

Schlager started ​all four games for Austria ​at the World Cup and has 55 ‌caps ⁠for his country.

“The club has big ambitions and so do I. I want to be back ​in European ​competitions ⁠and we have a good chance of achieving ​that. It is the best ​feeling ⁠to play international football during the week, and I want ⁠to ​experience that again,” Schlager ​said in a statement.

The 40-year-old has made ​37 appearances and scored two goals ⁠since joining Milan on a ​one-year contract last year.

The 2018 ​Ballon d’Or winner enjoyed a glittering spell at Real Madrid, winning 28 major ​trophies.

Widely regarded as Croatia’s greatest ​player, Modric has represented his country 202 ‌times, ⁠scoring 29 goals.

World Cup helps propel Peacock to record subscribers

He also featured in his 10th major international tournament at this year’s World Cup, ​at which ​Croatia were ⁠eliminated by Portugal in the round of 32.

Milan, ​seven-times European champions, finished ​fifth ⁠in Serie A last season and have turned to former Manchester ⁠United ​manager Ruben Amorim to ​revive their fortunes.

The 32-year-old, who moved to the U.S. when ‌she joined National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Gotham FC in June after six-and-a-half years with Chelsea, said Australia’s top women’s league required further development despite the progress it had made in recent years.

Kerr said the competition had ​previously benefited from the presence of national team players and Australians returning from stints ​overseas.

“We need to find a way to get all the best players ⁠back,” Kerr told ABC Sport on Friday.

“If it paid enough and it was a top ​league, a lot of us Matildas would go back, but to better ourselves for the national ​team, we have to go overseas.”

Player pay has been a key concern in the A-League Women, which offers lower salaries than Australia’s other major women’s domestic competitions and less than overseas soccer leagues.

World Cup helps propel Peacock to record subscribers

A-League Women ​players earned minimum salaries of A$26,500 ($18,486) last year, lower than their counterparts at the NWSL ​whose minimum earnings in 2025 were $48,500.

A new collective bargaining agreement bumped NWSL players’ annual earnings to $50,500 in 2026. ‌Trinity ⁠Rodman, the highest paid player in NWSL history, earns more than $2 million a year.

“The A-League was thriving, or the W-League back then was thriving when the national team players and players from the NWSL, players from England were coming over,” Kerr said.

Several of Australia’s leading internationals, including ​Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, ​Katrina Gorry, Kyra Cooney-Cross ⁠and Mary Fowler, now play in Europe.

Kerr said the A-League Women compared favourably with the NWSL in some respects, but still required greater ​backing to continue its growth.

“The A-League’s probably more similar to the ​NWSL. It’s ⁠more transitional, probably on the same level as the NWSL off the pitch with things like that,” she added.

“But I think the A-League probably needs a little bit more investment, a little bit ⁠more ​time.”

The A-League Women and the NWSL were once among the ​world’s premier women’s leagues, but most of Australia’s top players now play in Europe, with a few Matildas based ​in the United States.

The streaming service this summer aired live Telemundo’s Spanish-language coverage of ​the World Cup. The event being ​hosted in North America meant many games ⁠aired in primetime, boosting viewership numbers to ​record levels for all affiliates.

Sharing a quarterly summary ​that showed profit for the first time in the service’s six-year history, Comcast revealed an additional two million ​subscribers for the April-June quarter, taking the ​streamer’s total up to 48 million.

Revenue also rose to ‌approximately $1.9 ⁠billion, while earnings reached $189 million.

Argentina defender Otamendi retires from international football

All figures were ahead of estimates.

Co-CEO Mike Cavanaugh warned that profitability may still vary quarter to quarter, while also ​expressing confidence ​that Peacock’s ⁠involvement in the distribution of such sports programming as the NFL, ​MLB, NBA, Olympics and the Premier ​League ⁠will continue to provide stability.

“In six years, it’s gotten to incredible scale at a pace ⁠that ​we’re very proud of and ​very much dovetails with the strategy for how we build ​and program NBC itself,” Cavanagh said.

The 38-year-old centre back ​made 139 appearances for his country and ​was part of the squad that reached ⁠this year’s World Cup final in ​the United States, in which the defending champions ​were beaten 1-0 by Spain.

“Today I have to write the most difficult words of my career,” Otamendi ​posted on Instagram. “As fate would have it, ​my last match was a World Cup final. It wasn’t ‌the ⁠result we wanted, but I’m leaving with my head held high, knowing that this team gave it their all right up ​to the very ​last second.

Messi-less Miami beat Fire 3-2 to spoil Lewandowski’s MLS debut

“Thank ⁠you, Argentina, for allowing me to fulfil the dream of becoming ​a world champion.”

Otamendi recently joined Argentine ​giants ⁠River Plate after ending a successful 16-year spell in Europe, where he played for Porto, ⁠Valencia, ​Manchester City and Benfica.

He ​represented his country at four World Cups.

Klopp, famed for his success during stints as coach at Borussia Dortmund and especially Liverpool, has been in talks with the DFB about trying to lead Germany – long a football powerhouse – back to prominence.

On Thursday, the DFB invited the media to a press conference on Friday morning at 11am (0900GMT) at its Frankfurt headquarters, without specifying the topic.

That is because the DFB’s governing bodies have not yet met to formally approve the deal with Klopp, according to reports from AFP’s sports subsidiary SID.

Klopp, 59, is among the most decorated football coaches of his generation and is expected to sign a contract with Germany that runs until 2030, the date of the next World Cup.

Since 2025, Klopp has been under contract with Austrian energy drink maker Red Bull as “Head of Global Soccer”, where he oversees the football clubs affiliated with the company such as RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls.

According to German media reports Red Bull will release Klopp from his deal without a transfer fee, instead accepting a million-euro ($1.1 million) donation to Red Bull’s Wings for Life charity foundation, which supports research into spinal cord injuries.

The DFB dismissed former head coach Julian Nagelsmann after Germany crashed out of this summer’s World Cup in disappointing fashion, losing to Paraguay on penalties in the round of 32.

That means the German men’s team has suffered three straight World Cup debacles since winning their fourth title in 2014.

Germany made first-round exits in both 2018 and 2022. They have won just one knockout match at the past five major tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals as hosts at Euro 2024.

Klopp had successful coaching tenures at German clubs Mainz – where he was a player for more than a decade – and Dortmund.

He then became a legend at Liverpool, where he coached the English side to a league title in 2020 – ending a 30-year drought. He also led the club to a Champions League triumph, their sixth European crown.

Citing fatigue, Klopp stepped down from the Liverpool job in 2024.

Uruguayan veteran Suarez captained Miami with Messi and fellow Argentine Rodrigo de Paul missing four days after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final.

Vozinha, Haaland named in fan-voted World Cup dream team

The 37-year-old Poland striker Lewandowski was making his MLS debut having signed from Barcelona after they were crowned Spanish champions.

“After just two days with my new team, I didn’t expect everything to work perfectly in my first game,” said Lewandowski, who started for Chicago and played 63 minutes.

“I also need a bit more time, and I’m sure that next time we’ll play with fewer mistakes than today in defense.

“If we defend better, we can win this match next time,” added Lewandowski, a prolific goalscorer who also starred for Bayern Munich from 2014-2022 and has more than 700 goals for club and country.

Messi says Argentina’s defeat by Spain left immense pain

It was 20-year-old Plambeck, a product of Miami’s youth system, who emerged as the unlikely hero, coming off the bench to score the 87th-minute winner.

Lewandowski had an attempt blocked in the 14th minute, but the Fire got on the board four minutes later through a calamitous own goal.

Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo, starting in place of Canada World Cup keeper Dayne St. Clair, took a swing at a routine pass back from Ian Fray only to miss and see the ball roll into the net.

Suarez levelled from the penalty spot in the 27th minute and put Miami ahead in the 51st, firing home after being set-up by a brilliant backheel from German Berterame.

Chicago’s South African Puso Dithejane made it 2-2 in the 67th minute only for Plambeck to have the final say by volleying home the rebound for his first Miami goal after goalkeeper Chris Brady had parried Suarez’s close-range shot.

The victory left Miami second in the Eastern Conference with 34 points, five behind Nashville, and coach Guillermo Hoyos said there was no rush for Messi and De Paul to return.

“A World Cup is something immense, and there’s physical and mental wear and tear, and they deserve their space,” he said.

“We’ll be waiting for them whenever they can come back and are in the right condition to be here.”

Vozinha topped the goalkeeper vote with 39.6% after a string of ​impressive displays for World Cup debutants Cape ​Verde, taking the place in the team ⁠despite Spain’s Unai Simon winning the Golden Glove, ​which is selected by a FIFA technical group.

The 40-year-old, ​who was without a club after leaving Portuguese second-tier side Chaves before the tournament, made seven saves as Cape Verde ​held eventual champions Spain to a goalless draw. ​He also helped take eventual finalists Argentina into extra time ‌in ⁠the last 32.

World Cup final draws record 63 million viewers across Fox and Telemundo

Haaland captured 27.5 percent of the forward votes after leading Norway to their first World Cup quarter-final.

The Manchester City forward scored seven goals ​in five appearances, ​including a ⁠double as Norway eliminated five-time champions Brazil 2-1 in the round of 16 ​before their run ended against England.

The ​duo ⁠feature alongside stars Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham in the lineup.

Team:

Goalkeeper: Vozinha (Cape Verde)

Defenders: Pedro Porro (Spain), Lisandro Martinez (Argentina), ⁠Dayot ​Upamecano (France), Marc Cucurella (Spain)

Midfielders: Rodri (Spain), Michael Olise (France), ​Jude Bellingham (England)

Attackers: Lionel Messi (Argentina), Erling Haaland (Norway), Kylian Mbappe (France)

Held in New Jersey, the final ​remained scoreless until Spain broke through in the 106th minute to secure a 1-0 victory.

Fox’s English-language broadcast attracted 38.9 million viewers, while Comcast’s Telemundo and ‌its Peacock streaming platform pulled in another 23.9 million viewers for the Spanish-language coverage, the companies said.

The combined audience far exceeded the 22.3 million US viewers who watched the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.

The strong viewership capped what analysts said was a solid run for the tournament’s broadcasters, with Fox and Comcast paying roughly $485 million and $600 million, respectively, for rights packages that included the World Cup, according ​to media reports.

‘Great American Sleepover’ softens US image abroad, but World Cup charm campaign hit some bumps

Several knockout-stage matches also outperformed recent championship games in other major US sports.

The Round of 16 meeting between England and Mexico drew nearly 45 ​million viewers, well above the roughly 27 million who watched Game 7 of Major League Baseball’s World Series, when the Los Angeles ⁠Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays in extra innings, and the nearly 25 million who tuned in for Game 5 of the NBA Finals, where the New York Knicks ​ended a 53-year title drought by defeating the San Antonio Spurs.

While the figures remained below the nearly 126 million viewers who watched Super Bowl LX, when the Seattle Seahawks ​defeated the New England Patriots, they marked a significant milestone for a sport long overshadowed in the U.S. by American football, basketball and baseball.

The tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico for the first time, benefited from prime-time kickoff slots for American audiences. Fans were also drawn by what could be the final World Cup appearances of a generation’s biggest stars, including Argentina’s Lionel Messi and his ​long-time Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The last time the U.S. hosted the tournament was in 1994.

Fox One, which had the English-language streaming rights in the U.S., recorded 2.8 million ​sign-ups in June, its strongest month since the service’s launch in August and more than double the 1.1 million sign-ups generated during NFL Playoffs in January, according to industry tracker Antenna.

Soccer’s popularity ‌among Hispanic audiences ⁠also drove strong turnout on Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo.

“Ratings have blown past internal forecasts for both networks, and it’s not close,” said Vicente Navarro, managing partner at soccer-focused marketing firm GotDigital.

Navarro said a marquee 30-second advertising spot in the knockout-stage matches cost as much as $1 million, more than double 2018 levels. Major advertisers included PepsiCo, Home Depot, Anheuser-Busch and Coca-Cola, according to market intelligence firm SensorTower.

For comparison, a 30-second Super Bowl advertisement typically costs about $8 million or more.

Water breaks prove lucrative for fox

Beyond the ratings, the tournament also proved lucrative ​for broadcasters, helped by new so-called hydration ​breaks that split matches into four segments ⁠and created additional advertising opportunities.

Some experts said the extra ad slots helped offset TV rights costs and drew interest from beverage and food brands.

Fox, led by Lachlan Murdoch, is expected to make at least $250 million from hydration-break advertising alone, according to a June report, opens new tab ​by the Hollywood Reporter.

Telemundo did not run ads during those breaks.

“The new inventory definitely creates more spending for the World ​Cup,” said Luke Stillman, ⁠a managing director at research firm Madison and Wall. “It would be surprising if the structure wasn’t a permanent fixture now going forward, and therefore the broadcast rights are going to be more valuable going forward.”

Still, it remains unclear whether some of the tournament’s Americanized elements, including a major halftime show that drew comparisons with the Super Bowl and led to a 27-minute interval, well ⁠beyond soccer’s ​sacrosanct 15-minute halftime period, will endure.

FIFA also announced, opens new tab the World Cup champions will for the first time receive ​a ring in a nod to “one of the most recognisable American sporting traditions.”

The next World Cup will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco in 2030, followed by Saudi Arabia in 2034. Both tournaments are likely ​to feature less favorable kickoff times for U.S. viewers, which could weigh on future ratings.

Liverpool have signed Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz, but lost Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate, while Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are sidelined through injury. “I think it’s difficult to say a number (of players needed) when the market is open, and you have to be always open to new options to improve the squad,” the Spaniard told reporters in Chicago on Tuesday.

“There are obvious situations that we know where we need to sign players. A winger, for example — we definitely need to sign a winger.

“But there are other situations that we will have to analyse what the market gives you, what’s the cost, how we also see the players we have. We have some tricky positions where we have injured players that we trust but is still not the ideal situation.”

Messi says Argentina’s defeat by Spain left immense pain

Salah, Konate and Robertson’s departures have also left Liverpool with a dearth of experience in their squad.

Goalkeeper Alisson is another veteran whose future at Anfield is uncertain, but Iraola said he was keen to keep the Brazil international.

“I think he’s someone that definitely will help us in this process of adaptation of the new signings, of the new players, the young players,” he added. “We need the references like Virgil (van Dijk), like Alisson, like Joe Gomez, players that have been here for a long time.

And I’m sure we will have this help, yes.“

Liverpool begin their pre-season preparations with a match against Sunderland in Nashville on Saturday, before taking on Wrexham, Leeds United, AS Monaco and Como.

They play their first game of the Premier League season away to Newcastle on August 23. ‑Reuters