Stats

United States men’s national team midfielder Luca de la Torre scored his first goal of the 2023-24 season in style on Wednesday with a disgusting backheel goal.

De la Torre opened the scoring of Celta Vigo’s 3-1 Copa del Rey victory vs. Valencia in the 13th minute off a corner kick.

Valencia goalkeeper Jaume Doménech failed to punch the ball out of his box and some quick pinball action inside the 18-yard-box resulted in the ball heading straight for the 25-year-old American.

De la Torre only had a second to react and he turned the chance into an amazing goal.

LONDON — Argentine Lionel Messi retained the FIFA men's player of the year trophy on Monday, beating Manchester City's treble-winning Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and France's Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé to the award.

Spain's 2023 World Cup winner Aitana Bonmati was voted the best women's player of the year.

Messi, who also secured the men's award in 2022 after guiding Argentina to World Cup victory, clinched the Ligue 1 title with PSG alongside Mbappe following that success, before moving to Major League Soccer team Inter Miami.

United States men’s national team forward Christian Pulisic has put his dogdays of Chelsea behind him and is now one of the brightest stars in Serie A being named December’s Player of the Month.

Pulisic churned out quality performances for Milan throughout the month and tallied two goals and two assists. The 25-year-old provided a goal contribution in four of Milan’s five league games in December.

Pulisic named Serie Player of the Month

United States women’s national team and San Diego Wave center back Naomi Girma was a brick wall in defense last year and has deservedly been named the 2023 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year.

Girma is the first pure defender to win the award in its 39-year history. 

Naomi Girma Player of the Year award

USMNT defender Antonee Robinson has become one of Fulham’s best players in the last pair of Premier League campaigns. His top-notch performances in one of the best leagues in the world are reflected by insane on-field statistics worthy of recognition. He’s become an all-around defensive machine.

Antonee Robinson finishes 2023 as the only Premier League player with "triple 90" stats

Jedi Robinson welcomed the new year with an outstanding statistic that places him above some of England’s best defensive players.

Christian Pulisic came on as a substitute and supplied an assist to Rafael Leão during AC Milan’s 4-1 Coppa Italia Round of 16 victory vs. Cagliari on Tuesday.

Milan were favorites to win the game and had just played a Serie A game on Saturday vs. Sassuolo where Pulisic scored the winner.

Stefano Pioli rested several of his usual starters including the likes of Pulisic, Leão, Olivier Giroud and goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Wayne Rooney has been dismissed as the manager of Birmingham City after less than three months in the role, the second-tier Championship club said on Wednesday, after a winless run left them hovering above the relegation zone.

Rooney was appointed Birmingham manager in October when the club were sixth in the table, but they have since fallen to 20th place, six points above the relegation zone.

Rooney took over from John Eustace after resigning as coach of Major League Soccer (MLS) club D.C. United, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.

Christian Pulisic struck again on Saturday as he scored the game-winner in AC Milan’s 1-0 victory vs. Sassuolo in Serie A.

The United States men’s national team forward has reinvented himself in Italy since the summer transfer from Chelsea and has been one of Milan’s best players this season.

Pulisic’s goal at San Siro was one of the few highlights for Milan as Stefano Pioli’s side struggled to create goal-scoring opportunities against the side sitting 17th in the Serie A table.

The 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal on Saturday, Dec. 23, brought in more viewers than any other Premier League game in U.S. history, announced NBC.

A total of 1.96 million viewers tuned in to NBC, Peacock and other NBC Sports Digital platforms to see the top of the table clash.

The mark of 1.96 million English-language viewers surpasses the previous record held by a game between Arsenal and Manchester United on Jan. 22, 2023, which hit viewership numbers of 1.92 million.

Liverpool vs. Arsenal game breaks U.S. viewership records