With the first pick of the 2019 MLS Draft, FC Cincinnati takes … a timeout.
As if you needed any more proof of the superfluous nature of the MLS SuperDraft these days, expansion club FC Cincinnati needed to take a timeout before making the first pick of the 2019 draft on Friday in Chicago — not to mention the quirk of even being able to call a timeout.
The Las Vegas police issued a warrant for Cristiano Ronaldo’s DNA on Wednesday in relation to an investigation regarding rape allegations made by Kathryn Mayorga dating back to 2009. Authorities want to see if Ronaldo’s DNA matches DNA on a dress owned by Mayorga, according to a law-enforcement source. The news was first reported by TMZ and later reported by the Wall Street Journal.
When Tierna Davidson made official her decision to forgo her senior season at Stanford and enter the 2019 NWSL College Draft days before the draft, it became pretty apparent who Chicago would take with the No. 1 pick.
Stanford, thank you for everything you have given me. You’ve changed my life. Looking forward to a new chapter this year! #gocard pic.twitter.com/bgAjKX4ZPQ
As has been well-documented, the emergence of signing young international players with Targeted Allocation Money and the increased regularity of moving Homegrown Players up the ranks has made the MLS SuperDraft less meaningful than ever (not that signing a 22-year-old who’s spent the last four years playing a three-month long season was ever a recipe for success). That’s not to say that a few of the 2019 selections won’t contribute in meaningful ways, but it’s just that — a few.
Wednesday marked the third day of training at the USMNT’s annual January camp, and judging by all the social media responses, your perception of how Gregg Berhalter is doing on the job is greatly influenced by one of two things: Either (1) you don’t understand that this isn’t a FIFA international window — the requirement for European clubs to release players — and you’re outraged by the amount of MLS inclusions or (2) you understand that no European players can be called, and that includes midfielders Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, but you’re mad as hell that Michael Bradley is there.
The 2019 Women’s World Cup in France begins on June 7 with the hosts playing against South Korea at the Parc des Princes in Paris, and the tournament ends on July 7 with the final in Lyon. In between, FOX Sports, the U.S. broadcast rights-holder for the event, has promised to beef up coverage by announcing a collaboration with Twitter.
The 2019 schedule for Major League Soccer — which will be its 24th season — was released Monday (including the MLS 2019 TV schedule on ESPN), with action beginning on March 2. There’s a lot to get excited about beginning with Day 1, including FC Cincinnati’s inaugural game (away to the Sounders at 10 p.m. ET on FS1), Wayne Rooney’s D.C. United hosting defending champion Atlanta (6 p.m.
January 11, 2019, marks the 19th (and hopefully last) edition of the MLS SuperDraft.
There's been a lot of news surrounding American players abroad in Europe lately.
We’ve suspected as much since late October, but Mexico has finally unveiled former Atlanta United manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino as boss. Martino is fresh off being named the 2018 MLS Coach of the Year after guiding Atlanta to the MLS Cup in only its second year of existence.
Martino’s club experience also includes stints in charge of Newell’s Old Boys and Barcelona, while at the international level he’s previously managed Paraguay and Argentina.