I don’t know how we got here.
I mean, there’s no denying the popularity of eSports games like Overwatch, Dota 2 and League of Legends, but a Swiss league match between Young Boys and FC Basel was halted in the 16th minute yesterday while fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch, a PS4 controller (damn, that’s like $50) and unfurled massive banners in protest of eSports . . . things have escalated so quickly.
PSG cruised to a 3-1 away win against Rennes on Sunday thanks to goals from Angel Di Maria, Thomas Meunier, and Eric Maxim Chuopo-Moting. They sit atop Ligue 1 with a five-point cushion above second place Lille.
PSG bounced back from defeat at Liverpool with a decent win away at Rennes!
It’s been a rough road for Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches ever since his massive transfer from Benfica to Germany in May of 2016. After making the breakthrough at his boyhood club during the 2015-16 season and carrying that superlative form into Portugal’s historic Euro 2016 triumph, Sanches’ career abruptly hit the wall.
Mascots — the oversized, creepy creatures controlled by people who can’t possibly have great relationships with their mothers — are widespread in American sports. But a lot of people wonder: do soccer teams have mascots?
For better or worse, they do.
Soccer mascots range from the weird to the cute, but they’re always weird. Did we mention they’re weird?
First things first, I mean absolutely no disrespect to Marta. When I tackled the impossible task of ranking the 18 greatest female soccer players of all time last week, I concluded with Marta in the top spot. She’s an unreal footballer, but 2018 hasn’t exactly been the best of the 32-year-old’s career. And yet here she is as one of three finalists shortlisted for The Best FIFA Women’s Player 2018.
PSG defeated Nimes 4-2 in an action-packed Ligue 1 encounter Saturday that saw Neymar open the scoring and celebrate in front of a sign at Stade des Costières that called him a crybaby. The Brazilian, who’ll be representing the Seleção in friendlies on U.S. soil next week, was substituted off in the 91st minute having taken his total to four goals in four league games following the World Cup.
Borussia Dortmund, without the injured Christian Pulisic, traveled to face Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga’s Friday night fixture. It was, if we’re being honest, a bit boring, with just three shots on target the entire match. Not even the second-half introduction of American Bobby Wood could spice things up, with the teams finishing in a 0-0 draw and few Dortmund vs Hannover highlights to speak of.
D.C. United’s big name signing has proven that he’s brought a little magic with him from overseas, igniting a hot-streak for the capital club that's seen them go five games unbeaten and making a serious push for the playoffs.
The exciting energy and good spirits that come with opening day of the season were soured by a group of Lazio fans on Saturday. Before the Serie A opener, a group of Lazio loyals distributed flyers to those on their way into the Stadio Olimpico telling female fans to steer clear of their “sacred space” within the stadium known as the Curva Nord.