USA

A 99-year stay in Germany’s top flight (including a place in the Bundesliga since its foundation in 1963) was brought to a dramatic end for Hamburger SV on Saturday afternoon after the club’s 2-1 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach was rendered meaningless by Wolfsburg’s win against Cologne on the final match day.  

The MLS Players Association released salary data for the 2018 season this week, and we now know the MLS highest paid players for the current campaign.

The U.S., Canada and Mexico have joined together to bid for the right to host the 2026 World Cup. The only opposition is a bid from Morocco (outlined here), which has picked up a surprising amount of backers, from large portions of Africa to European nations like France and Germany. But the U.S. 2026 World Cup bid received an odd boost on Thursday.

For all of Toronto FC’s financial ambition, signing players like Sebastian Giovinco, Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley, Gregory van der Wiel, Ager Aketxe and Victor Vázquez in recent years, the club hasn’t focused on one vital position: center back. And thus, with recent injuries to regular defenders, an intriguing new Michael Bradley center back experiment has unfolded at BMO Field in recent weeks. And it’s something the next USMNT coach might want to consider. 

With Juventus set to take on the MLS All-Stars on August 1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Old Lady legend Edgar Davids was on hand Wednesday to do a bit of scouting for his former club. The 45-year-old also did a bit of what “The Pit Bull” does best: he hammered something. 

D.C. United is desperate. Ben Olsen’s club is in dreadful need of a striker and the owners want a big-name star to draw the masses to Audi Field when it opens in July. And that is exactly why a newly reported Wayne Rooney D.C. United transfer rumor is so gosh darn juicy. 

According to ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, the Chicago Fire are currently in Madrid to hold talks with Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres, who’ll be out of a contract following the completion of the LaLiga season (which ends on May 20).

Rocco Commisso migrated to the U.S. from Italy at the age of 12 without a word of English, except maybe ‘no’, ‘yes’ and ‘may I use the bathroom, please.’ You know, the essentials. The Italian-American later founded Mediacom Communications Corporation, MCC, of which he’s also the CEO. The MCC is the fifth-largest cable television company in the country, which also makes the 68-year-old a Forbes billionaire. 

On top of that, Commisso is an avid soccer fan, whose views on the beautiful game are often provocative. 

What was in that water, Didier Drogba?

Phoenix Rising was playing LA Galaxy II in the USL on Friday night and the home side at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex did not get off to a strong start. The visitors scored three first-half goals and held a two-goal advantage heading into the break. 

But then, deep into the second half, Didier Drogba stole a kid’s water bottle from the sideline and everything changed. Drogba immediately assisted a goal with a corner kick and seven minutes later put Phoenix ahead with a penalty kick as the Rising won 4-3.