New USWNT manager Vlatko Andonovski begins his reign tonight with a friendly against Sweden at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, and I’ve got to say, he’s already impressed me with his training methods.
Let me show you Exhibit A and then I rest my case.
It’s easy to get cynical about the Brasil Global Tour sponsored by Chevrolet, which is simply adspeak for the series of globetrotting friendlies that the Seleção contests in between Copa Américas, World Cups and World Cup qualifying.
In the preposterously bloated football calendar, nobody likes a meaningless friendly. But what’s Brazil supposed to do during the international break with no qualifying stage for the 2020 Copa América and with 2022 World Cup qualifying matches not beginning until March of 2021?
You just can’t escape Liverpool these days, even during the international break, which can’t end soon enough.
Liverpool has won 17 straight Premier League matches, a run that includes winning the Champions League trophy at the end of last season. The Reds are already eight points clear of Manchester City atop the league table and look poised to run away with the title.
When Germany and Italy lineup in international play, you stop what you’re doing and take notice — even if the players on show are in their 40s, 50s and 60s. On Monday, a team of Azzurri Legends — with a starting XI comprised entirely of ’82 and ’06 World Cup-winners — played against a team of Germany All-Stars in Fürth.
There’s so much about Paul Scholes that we are yet to understand. We’ve been studying the specimen for over 25 years, but as soon as we think we’re close to a breakthrough with regards to how this terrestrial animal has eyes going every which way, we are mystified by some new behavior.
The midfield instigator was roaming around the confines of the Etihad Stadium today with 50,000 spectators training their inquiring eyes upon him, and he delivered this . . . this thing.
Neymar returned to the pitch for the first time since June in a friendly against Colombia on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. He had a goal, an assist, nearly died and even saved Dani Alves’ life.
It was just another day in the life of Neymar.
After finishing fourth at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the England women’s national team has reconvened under Phil Neville with a squad that includes established stars like Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze and Toni Duggan, but the Lionesses are clearly building for the future with their sights set on capturing UEFA Women’s Euro 2021 on home soil.
The Women’s International Champions Cup kicks off Thursday — and it’s kind of a big deal.
While the men’s International Champions Cup is just a glorified list of preseason exhibitions, the women’s version actually means something. Aside from the UEFA Women’s Champions League, it’s rare for women’s clubs to face off against clubs from other countries, let alone continents. There is no Club World Cup for women, so the Women’s International Champions Cup fills the gaps left by FIFA’s lack of commitment to the women’s game.
Believe it or not, the International Champions Cup is still going on.
Juventus and Atlético Madrid met at Friends Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, for the final ICC match on Saturday, though most fans have long since turned their attention to actual matches, like Liverpool and Manchester City routing overmatched Premier League foes.