Politics

Vini Jr. is the people’s 2024 Ballon d’Or champ. If that makes it any better.

Monday morning struck the world with some of the biggest news of the year as reports revealed that ‘clear’ Ballon d’Or favorite, Vinicius Jr., was to not travel to Paris, France, for the prestigious award’s ceremony — meaning the star Brazilian and Real Madrid forward was imminently snubbed from taking the golden ball home.

BREAKING: Vinicius Jr will NOT travel to Paris as Real Madrid know he will NOT win the Ballon d’Or.

BRUSSELS, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Players have never been closer to going on strike amid growing discontent towards soccer's governing bodies, notably FIFA and its revamped Club World Cup that is being compared to a 'Super League', the head of players' union FIFPRO Europe said on Monday.

David Terrier was speaking to Reuters after FIFPRO Europe, the European Leagues association and Spain's LaLiga accused FIFA of "abuse" as they filed a joint complaint about the global governing body's international match schedule to European Union antitrust regulators.

Megan Rapinoe has stepped into the Korbin Albert controversy with a clear shot at the 20-year-old United States women’s national team midfielder.

Albert has been facing a tidal wave of backlash after fans discovered reposts on her TikTok that featured anti-LGBTQ+ posts. 

Albert also was caught liking a post that was celebrating and making fun of Rapinoe’s Achilles injury that ended her career in last year’s NWSL Championship game.

The Korbin Albert controversy kicked off Wednesday night when United States women’s national team fans discovered her far-right political reposts and likes on social media.

The reposts that got USWNT fans the most upset were on TikTok. It appears Albert’s account reposted videos about people needing to “be saved from being gay or transgender.”

Poland and Israel players declined to play the first minute of their European Under-21 Championship Qualifying match as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.

According to media reports, soccer's governing body UEFA, did not approve the minute of silence on Friday. Reuters has contacted UEFA for a comment.

Poland Israel players refuse to play first minute

UEFA refused to hold a minute of silence before the Euros U21 qualification match between Israel and Poland.

FELCSUT, Hungary, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Israel scored an 88th-minute equalizer to grab a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in their European Championship qualifier in neutral Hungary on Wednesday to keep alive their hopes of reaching next year’s finals in Germany.

The match was due to be played last month but was postponed because of the security situation in Israel following the conflict with the Palestinian group Hamas.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday asked President Joe Biden's administration for its views on whether the justices should take up the U.S. Soccer Federation's bid to bar a lawsuit accusing it of conspiring with FIFA to prohibit foreign teams from playing official matches in the United States.

Mainz 05 have terminated Anwar El Ghazi's contract following the forward's social media posts in connection with the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Bundesliga club said on Friday.

The Dutchman was suspended in October following an earlier comment about the conflict but had been cleared to return to training on Monday after showing remorse, the club had said.

However, El Ghazi posted a new statement on Wednesday that the German club said was 'incomprehensible' and that they would examine it from a legal perspective.

Why are EPL players wearing armbands?

Premier League players, managers and match officials will wear black armbands for the next round of matches as a mark of respect for those affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict, the English top-flight league said on Friday.

"We hope for peace, and our heartfelt sympathies are with the victims, their families and the communities impacted," the league said.

Former United States women’s national team captain Carli Lloyd was a guest on the new CBS show “Kickin’ It” with Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies. During the episode Lloyd shared why she refused to kneel at the Olympics and conversations she had with Megan Rapinoe back in 2016.

The cast of the show also had a short moment to discuss their reactions to Lloyd’s answers after she had left.

Two of the big questions that Abdo asked Lloyd were why she refused to take a knee before the bronze medal game vs. Australia and the feelings between her and Rapinoe.