According to the latest reports, Mario Balotelli is on the verge of joining Marseille from Nice in Ligue 1. Despite the timing being pretty perfect to join Major League Soccer, it’s not happening. We’re just as disappointed as you are. 

With Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Balotelli all in MLS, we could’ve replayed our own version of Euro 2012.  

Kylian Mbappé sure loves his birthday.

The French starlet turned 20 on Thursday, Dec. 20, having already accomplished more by that age than most footballers can only dream of in their entire careers. 

Before turning 20, Mbappé won a World Cup, two Ligue 1 titles and one French Cup. He scored nearly a goal per game (73 in 150 for club and country) and became the first teenager since Pelé to score in a World Cup final.

It was a wonderful moment back in May when Mario Balotelli, after a four-year absence from the national team, scored his first goal for Italy since June 14, 2014, and his return to form with Nice in Ligue 1 was cemented. Fast forward seven months and it’s all turned sour again for the 28-year-old.

With findings from MARCA, we now know the latest effective minutes per game from Europe’s big five leagues for the 2018-19 season.

Tuesday's blockbuster friendly between France and Uruguay (a World Cup quarterfinal rematch) at the Stade de France was supposed to be a chummy occasion, as evidenced by Antoine Griezmann’s half-and-half boots. However, the match was marred by a gruesome-looking, albeit totally accidental, shoulder injury to Kylian Mbappe.

The 19-year-old phenomenon came off following the injury and then attempted to resume playing, but he ultimately succumbed to a substitution in the 36th minute.