Off the Pitch

Zenit Players Take Pitch Holding Puppies And Malcom Couldn’t Be Happier

Brazilian winger Malcom hasn’t quite hit the heights expected of him after a $46 million transfer to Barcelona in the summer of 2018. He lasted just one season in Spain before he was shipped off to Russia. But just look at the man now; I don’t think he could be any happier.

Malcom and Zenit St. Petersburg players walked onto the pitch for a Russian Premier League match against FC Rostov on Friday carrying puppies in their arms. It was all part of an attempt to get these good boys and girls adopted from local shelters. 

Why The World’s Most Popular Player, Team Are Going A Month Without Being On U.S. TV

Another week of Manchester United football, another week U.S. networks decide the world’s most popular player on the world’s most popular team isn’t worth putting on TV. Anyone trying to find Manchester United on TV over the last month has been sorely disappointed.

Canada’s Quinn, Alphonso Davies Named To Forbes’ 30 Under 30

Canadian soccer is on the rise — even Forbes is taking notice. Forbes unveiled its annual 30 Under 30 lists on Wednesday, with two Canadian national team players making the grade in the sports category: OL Reign’s Quinn and Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies.

Qatar And LGBTQ+ Soccer Fans Set For 2022 Collision Course, Host Reveals Fuzzy Rules For Visitors

Nasser Al Khater, CEO of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, spoke to the media on Tuesday reassuring that LGBTQ+ fans will be allowed to attend soccer’s biggest tournament next year. The assurance from Al Khater wasn’t completely transparent as LGBTQ+ supporters will need to be wary during their trip to Qatar.

Minnesota Women’s Soccer Unveils 3 Potential Names; It Can’t Go Wrong

Beginning in May 2022, the USL W League begins play with Minnesota’s community-owned soccer team among the competitors. The division is a pre-professional league that effectively represents the third-tier in America, behind the NWSL and the recently announced USL Super League.

Arsenal Defender Fights Off Bat-Wielding Robber

Arsenal defender Gabriel fought off an attacker wielding a baseball bat during an attempted robbery at his north London home in August, the Daily Mail reported.

Gabriel, 23, and a friend were followed home by two men wearing masks and hoods who tried to steal his car, phone and watch, the report said.

A Lot Of People Watched MLS On Thanksgiving, But Not The Massive Number Being Reported

Last week, I felt privileged to attend the first-ever MLS game on Thanksgiving. It was an odd event I couldn’t not attend. Turns out, a lot of people tuned in to watch on FOX — just not the massive MLS TV ratings being reported elsewhere. 

After Winning Seventh Ballon d’Or, Messi Admits Lewandowski Should’ve Won Last Year

Lionel Messi won his record-extending seventh men’s Ballon d’Or on Monday. Anyone who watched him carry both Argentina and Barcelona over the last year knows he absolutely deserved it. But even Messi admitted on Monday that Robert Lewandowski deserves the 2020 Ballon d’Or.

Ronaldo Finishes 6th In Ballon d’Or Voting, Doesn’t Attend Ceremony And Still Steals The Show

Lionel Messi edged Robert Lewandowski for the men’s 2021 Ballon d’Or, the Argentine’s record-extending seventh trophy as the best men’s player in the world. But Cristiano Ronaldo, who didn’t even attend the award show in Paris, still managed to make it all about him.

Messi, who this year helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa América and Barcelona win the Copa del Rey (lol), was also named the world’s best men’s player in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019. 

Lisbon Club Confirmed To Have 13 Cases Of New Omicron Covid-19 Variant

LISBON — Portugal detected 13 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant on Monday, all involving players and staff of top division soccer club Belenenses SAD, one of whose players recently returned from South Africa, health authority DGS said.

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