National Teams

USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter has finalized his 26-man roster for a pair of friendlies against Jamaica and Northern Ireland at the end of March, although seven of those players will only be available for the Jamaica match before heading back to their club sides because of mandatory quarantine restrictions.

STOCKHOLM — Sweden's record goalscorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his return to his country's international squad following a five-year hiatus by declaring "The return of the God" in a social media post on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old was named in coach Janne Andersson's 26-man squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Kosovo, five years after the striker retired from the national team.

Arsene Wenger says FIFA should consider holding the World Cup and Euros every two years and that a review of the international match calendar will consider compressed qualifiers and enforced breaks for players.

The former Arsenal manager is Chief of Global Football Development at world soccer's governing body and a close advisor to president Gianni Infantino.

Wenger said the current four year wait for a World Cup is unfair to players and the focus should be on "competitions of meaning," including the European Championships.

This year's Copa América will go ahead with only 10 teams, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Monday, as it abandoned plans to replace Australia and Qatar, the two sides who withdrew due to fixture congestion.

"As is traditional, CONMEBOL invited teams from other confederations," the body said in a statement. "However, the suspended matches and delays brought about by the pandemic that affected world football impeded other nations from participating."

MADRID - Luis Enrique has named four uncapped players in Spain's 24-man squad for the upcoming triple header of World Cup qualifiers against Greece, Georgia and Kosovo later this month.

Barcelona's 18-year-old forward Pedri, Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, Eibar attacker Bryan Gil and fullback Pedro Porro of Sporting are the new faces in a squad that only contains six players from Spain's “big three” clubs.

MADRID - Valencia forward Yunus Musah has committed his international future to the United States, U.S. Soccer said on Monday.

Musah, who turned 18 in November, was eligible to represent Gregg Berhalter's side as he was born in New York to a Ghanaian mother who was on holiday visiting relatives at the time.

YOU CAN’T SPELL MUSAH WITHOUT USA

The selection process for the Canadian team competing at this month's Concacaf men's Olympic qualifying tournament may have been hampered by Covid-19 and other issues but head coach Mauro Biello remains confident in his squad.

Nine Toronto FC players were on the provisional roster but, due to positive Covid-19 tests at the MLS club's training camp, none made the 20-player squad named on Wednesday that will compete in the March 18-30 tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico.

BERLIN — Germany coach Joachim Löw will step down from the role he has had since 2006 after the end of this summer's European Championship, he said on Tuesday, ending his run as the current longest serving national team coach.