Off the Pitch
This Product Designer Turned Making Soccer Balls Into An Art Form
Count Jon-Paul Wheatley among the thousands of us who tried his hand at a new hobby during the Covid-19 pandemic. He’s just been a little more successful at it than the rest of us. Making good on a background in physical product design, Wheatley bought a set of leather-working tools and set out to make a soccer ball. Now, videos of his creations garner millions of views on TikTok.
Watch: Sacha Kljestan Gave Emotional Gun Violence Press Conference After Galaxy’s July 4 Game
LA Galaxy and former USMNT midfielder Sacha Kljestan gave an emotional press conference on Monday after his team’s 4-0 victory against Montreal on Monday. Kljestan wasn’t in the mood to talk about the game and instead spoke on the tragic shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, which killed seven people and injured dozens.
Kljestan made it clear that he wasn’t talking as a politician but as a human being and a father. He wouldn’t stay to answer questions after talking for roughly two minutes.
Are Qatar World Cup Stadiums Air Conditioned?
Among a laundry list of other problems, one of the more practical issues facing the on-field play of the 2022 World Cup is the temperature. After FIFA announced Qatar would host the tournament, many critics immediately pointed out that temperatures regularly exceed 113 F during the summer months. To ease concern and combat these fears, FIFA made the decision to move the tournament to the winter and announced there would be air conditioning inside the stadiums, yet several questions remain.
Nothing Is Free Forever: How Much Does ViX+ Cost? What Leagues Can You Watch?
Since TelevisaUnivision launched its free streaming platform ViX last March, we knew there would be a paid/premium version of the service called Vix+ coming soon. And guess what? That moment is now: ViX+ will debut on July 21, directly impacting how you watch soccer and your finances.
What's Vix+ price? What leagues can you watch? Here are the answers.
The18's 2022 Summer Vibes Playlist
It's the season for porch sitting, barbecuing and lawn games, but every backyard party needs a summer vibes playlist to throw on Spotify. If you're looking for new music, we've got you covered with this 33-song playlist of recent releases.
Clocking in at just over two hours, feel free to mix yourself a cocktail, press play and enjoy a journey through rock, rap, electronic, reggaeton, indie, punk and everything else.
Report Says Cristiano Ronaldo Has Asked Manchester United For A Transfer To A New Club
Cristiano Ronaldo has asked Manchester United for a summer transfer before next season per a report from The Times. Ronaldo still has a year on his United contract but after the club failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League last season, he has put in a request to leave. Where will the next Ronaldo transfer end up being?
Megan Rapinoe Will Become First Soccer Player In History To Be Awarded Presidential Medal Of Freedom
History was made on Friday when U.S. Soccer announced USWNT star Megan Rapinoe will become the first soccer player to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. U.S. President Joe Biden will award Rapinoe, along with 16 other recipients including gymnast Simone Biles, the medal on July 7 at the White House.
Chiellini Is All In At LAFC And That’s A Terrifying Prospect For The Rest Of The League
Exactly halfway through the season, LAFC is far and away the best team in the league. And LAFC is only going to get better with Giorgio Chiellini and Gareth Bale set to join the club soon. During Wednesday night’s romp over FC Dallas, fans were treated to their first glimpses of Chiellini at LAFC, and coach Steve Cherundolo gushed over the Italian’s desire to improve the team.
Zlatan Ibrahimović Signing New Milan Contract That Goes Beyond 41st Birthday
The conclusion of the 2021-22 season would've been a fitting moment for Zlatan Ibrahimović to retire. Despite struggling with persistent Achilles and knee problems, Ibrahimović managed to appear in 23 Serie A matches for Milan, scoring eight goals and providing three assists, to help the Rossoneri capture a first Scudetto in 11 years.