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Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/TNS

Ken Sugiura: Down against Inter Miami with changes ahead, it's last call for Atlanta United

Sports / Soccer /

ATLANTA — The clock is ticking down for Atlanta United. Its season of underachievement and disappointment may be reduced to one final match, Saturday against uber-team Inter Miami at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Saturday is Game 2 of the best-of-three series of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Atlanta United is down 1-0, and only a magnificent ...Read more

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Crowd of 70,000 expected for Inter Miami MLS playoff game at Atlanta United on Saturday

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — When Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates arrive at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday for Game 2 in their first-round MLS playoff series, they should be prepared to find a fired-up crowd of 70,000 fans and a fearless, upset-minded opponent.

Atlanta United opened the stadium to full capacity for the game, anticipating ...Read more

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Neymar to Inter Miami? Rumors heat up after Brazilian star buys Bal Harbour property.

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — Is Neymar headed to Inter Miami?

Once upon a time, that would have seemed ludicrous. Not anymore.

Whispers that the Brazilian soccer superstar might someday join former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba grew to louder rumblings in recent days after Neymar bought a $26 million waterfront ...Read more

Sounders' homegrown stars looking to put Seattle on their back in MLS playoffs

Sports / Soccer /

RENTON, Wash. — Leading your hometown city or state to a pro championship is supposed to be a rarity — and certainly achieved alongside a roster full of transplants who may not know the best way to dodge traffic or where to get the best cup of coffee.

Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty) is the latest to join an illustrious list of hometown/...Read more

Chris Arjoon/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Dave Hyde: Inter Miami get opening playoff win, Messi gets first step toward necessary title

Sports / Soccer /

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Sometimes sports make evolutionary steps forward, and you might have watched one begin Friday night as Lionel Messi started his first MLS playoffs at Chase Stadium. Or maybe you simply watched the Messi-centric filter on TikTok.

However you prefer him, as international sports icon or dedicated social-media star, Messi ...Read more

Suarez, Alba score as Inter Miami beats Atlanta United, 2-1, to win MLS playoff opener

Sports / Soccer /

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi celebrates his goals with superhero poses and this week launched a Captain Messi action figure toy.

Fresh off back-to-back hat tricks for country and club, on a beautiful, balmy Friday night, Messi was poised to be a hero in his first MLS playoff game against Atlanta United. But it was his close friends ...Read more

Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/TNS

Messi's salary tops 22 other entire MLS payrolls. Here's the full Inter Miami salary list.

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — It remains to be seen whether Lionel Messi will lift an MLS Cup trophy with his Inter Miami teammates or win league MVP, but one thing is certain: The Argentine legend will finish the 2024 season as the highest-paid player in MLS history, according to the latest league salary guide from the MLS Players Association, which was released ...Read more

Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/TNS

Messi, Inter Miami open playoffs vs. Atlanta United Friday. Here's what you need to know.

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — The MLS playoff stage is set for Lionel Messi and his supporting Inter Miami cast, who are in the spotlight as they kick off the postseason as the top seed at home Friday night against Atlanta United.

Atlanta squeaked into the Eastern Conference wild-card game with the ninth and final slot and beat CF Montreal in a thrilling match ...Read more

David Santiago/Miami Herald/TNS

A cologne. A sneaker. A toy. Messi is everywhere as Inter Miami kicks off MLS playoffs.

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — Get ready to see, hear, and even smell Messi Mania as Argentine icon Lionel Messi and top-seeded Inter Miami kick off the MLS playoffs at home Friday night.

If you think Messi has been showing up in a lot of commercials and headlines all season, brace yourself. The Messi marketing push just went into overdrive with the launch of a ...Read more

Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS

Tom Krasovic: Wave's decision to fire Casey Stoney midseason didn't work out

Sports / Soccer /

SAN DIEGO — Back when the San Diego Wave were deep into a victory drought that would exceed four months, I wrote they’d eke out a playoff berth.

My prediction stands now as a shanked shot.

Saturday’s 4-1 road loss to the Kansas City Current dropped the Wave to 5-13-7 this season and ensured San Diego won’t be the subpar team that gets ...Read more

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images North America/TNS

Messi hat trick off bench helps Inter Miami make MLS history with 6-2 win vs. New England

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — In a storybook ending to his already remarkable first full MLS season, Lionel Messi scored a hat trick over the span of 11 minutes after coming off the bench in the second half to lead Inter Miami to a 6-2 win over the New England Revolution in the regular season finale on Saturday.

He electrified the Chase Stadium home crowd with a ...Read more

Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/TNS

Messi will be on roster for Inter Miami home finale vs. New England, but may not start

Sports / Soccer /

Supporters’ Shield? Check.

Top seed and home field advantage for the MLS playoffs? Check. Check.

Heading into the regular-season finale against the New England Revolution Saturday, Inter Miami has already established itself as the team to beat in the MLS Cup race.

But there is one regular-season prize still up for grabs: the MLS points ...Read more

This is what Lionel Messi had to say about his future after receiving MARCA award

Sports / Soccer /

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi returned home from a hat trick in Argentina to a red-carpet welcome at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, where on Thursday he accepted the MARCA America Award, a lifetime achievement award from the Spanish sports media company.

A few hundred invited guests were on hand as the trophy was presented to the ...Read more

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Messi scores hat trick for Argentina, here's what's next as he returns to Inter Miami

Sports / Soccer /

Like everyone else who watched Lionel Messi score a hat trick and deliver two assists for Argentina Tuesday night, his Inter Miami teammates were bewildered.

“Unreal,” defender Noah Allen said smiling Wednesday morning before training, when asked about Messi’s performance in the 6-0 Argentina victory over Bolivia. “He’s still got it, ...Read more

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Kevin Baxter: Mauricio Pochettino understands his 'responsibility' with World Cup fast approaching

Sports / Soccer /

AUSTIN, Texas — If there was any doubt about whether the U.S. men's soccer team was under new management, it faded Saturday when fans arriving at Q2 Stadium for Mauricio Pochettino's first game as coach were handed a poster bearing his face, the same face that stared out from a red banner behind the south goal.

"It was a massive shock for me,...Read more

David Santiago/Miami Herald/TNS

A brief moment with hero Lionel Messi has some fans risking it all to meet MLS star

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — Inter Miami and Toronto FC were locked in a scoreless tie at the 86-minute mark last Saturday, both teams desperate to find the back of the net, when suddenly, during stoppage for a free kick, a young fan in a No. 10 Barcelona jersey jumped over a BMO Field barrier and sprinted onto the field in hopes of getting a selfie with Lionel ...Read more

Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

'He wants to win.' How US Soccer landed star coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Sports / Soccer /

AUSTIN, Texas — Before new coach Mauricio Pochettino had even left the locker room for one of his first training sessions with the men's national soccer team, many of his players were already bathed in sweat.

Under Pochettino, even stretching has taken on a new emphasis.

"Everything feels a little bit more intense," forward Ricardo Pepi said...Read more

Matt McNulty/Getty Images North America/TNS

Greek soccer player George Baldock found dead in home swimming pool

Sports / Soccer /

George Baldock, a soccer player for Panathinaikos and the Greek national team, was found dead Wednesday at 31 years old.

Baldock was reportedly discovered unresponsive in the swimming pool at his home in the suburbs of Athens.

No other details regarding the circumstances or the cause of his death were made available, according to state news ...Read more

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Kevin Baxter: For Galaxy assistant coach, Olympic medal-winning grandmother was his inspiration

Sports / Soccer /

LOS ANGELES — Nick Theslof's grandmother taught him to ice skate at about the time he was learning to walk, which really didn't prove to be much of a life skill since Theslof went on to play professional soccer, not hockey.

But there was another lesson Theslof learned from his grandmother simply by being near her. And it has proved infinitely...Read more

Jason Mowry/Getty Images North America/TNS

Messi helps set MLS attendance record, trains with Argentina for upcoming games

Sports / Soccer /

MIAMI — Major League Soccer announced Monday that it set a regular-season attendance record of more than 11 million fans with 16 matches yet to be played. It comes as no surprise that Inter Miami star Lionel Messi had a massive impact on ticket sales.

The overall average MLS attendance this season is up to 23,240, surpassing last year’s ...Read more