Before the 2022 World Cup, the idea of Lionel Messi extending his contract with French multi-champion PSG seemed a safe bet. Back from Qatar, however, that certainty has started to crumble and the leading narrative around the player's future is pointing to a sensational return to Barcelona. 

Is Messi returning to Barcelona?

Of course, there are a lot of rumors going around, but the blaugranas fans are feeling optimistic after the club's vice-president Rafa Yuste and coach Xavi spoke on Friday about how much they wish for Messi's return to the team. 

Javier Hernández se muere por volver a la Selección Mexicana. Pese a toda el agua que ha pasado bajo el puente desde su última convocatoria a fines de 2019 y el veto que sufrió en la era Martino, el delantero nunca renunció a su deseo de volver a vestir la playera verde del Tri. Y ahora, con el inicio de un nuevo proceso, ese deseo está más vivo que nunca.

Pepis rule.

Last Friday, Ricardo Pepi (age 20) made his triumphant return to the USMNT by scoring a brace against Grenada — his first international goals dating back to October 2021, a drought that ultimately cost him a place on the World Cup roster.

A grain of salt. Perhaps the perfect idiom for MLS Matchweek 5. As teams traversed the FIFA-recognized international break, it became abundantly clear that some squads were better at handling life without their superstars than others. This imbalance made for some surprising results, but overall, a thoroughly entertaining week of games. 

Jordan Morris tallied four times to put him atop Major League Soccer's goal-scoring race as the visiting Seattle Sounders overcame an early deficit and defeated 10-man Sporting Kansas City 4-1 on Saturday night.

Léo Chú had three assists and goalkeeper Stefan Frei made two saves for the Sounders (3-1-1, 10 points), who snapped a 10-match road winless streak (0-9-1), the longest in franchise history. William Agada scored and John Pulskamp made three saves for Sporting K.C. (0-3-2, 2 points).

Arsenal are just 10 games away from their first Premier League title in 19 years, but any true Gooner will tell you that the piece of silverware they want more than any other is the one they last lifted seven years ago in San Jose, California: the MLS All-Star trophy.

St. Louis City became the first Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion team to win the opening four games of their inaugural season, beating San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 on Saturday, but their record start was not a surprise for coach Bradley Carnell.

After comeback wins against Austin FC, Charlotte FC and Portland Timbers, goals from from Nicholas Gioacchini, João Klauss and Tomáš Ostrák helped St. Louis ease to victory in their second home game since joining the league.

Despite only beginning the club's sixth season in Major League Soccer, LAFC have already begun tapping into the hot bed of talent in Southern California with exciting homegrown players like Erik Dueñas, Christian Torres, Nathan Ordaz and Tony Leone all on the roster.