Amazing

Lionel Messi's transfer to Inter Miami has set MLS on a path to the stars. Literally. And the Magic Messi effect on MLS is just getting started.

It's a record that you'd imagine can never be broken, but that's exactly what you would've thought about the previous mark. In 2022, on a Wednesday night in Sunderland, the world record for the longest penalty shootout ever was set when Washington and Bedlington Terriers went 27 rounds — taking 54 penalties total — after a 3-3 draw in the Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo has yet again left the competition behind as the five-time Ballon D'Or winner was named Instagram top earner for the third year in a row. He beat out some of the world's most famous celebrities, influencers, and athletes to earn his crown as the top paid person on Instagram in 2023.

Ronaldo, who in July was ranked as the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes for the first time since 2017 following his move to Saudi Arabia, has now topped the 2023 Instagram Rich List, a global marker of online influence.

Sacramento Republic FC of the United Soccer League made history on Tuesday by signing a 13-year-old player to a professional contract.

Da'vian Kimbrough, who is 13 years, 5 months and 13 days old, signed with Sacramento to become the youngest pro player in U.S. soccer history. The record most recently belonged to Maximo Carrizo, who signed with New York City FC's senior squad on his 14th birthday in February 2022.

The club also claims that Kimbrough is the youngest professional athlete in American team sports history.

MELBOURNE — A second-half goal by Catalina Usme fired Colombia to a 1-0 win over Jamaica on Tuesday and carried the South Americans to their first Women's World Cup quarterfinal.

The captain's 51st-minute strike sent Colombian fans into delirium at a packed Melbourne Rectangular Stadium and ensured the last American team in the tournament will battle England for a place in the last four.

"We are representing the whole continent of South America," Colombia coach Nelson Abadia told reporters.

David Beckham's reaction to Lionel Messi's late-game free kick against FC Dallas is pure joy.

It came in the 85th minute of Inter Miami's game versus FC Dallas in the Leagues Cup as his side needed an equalizer.

Here's the free kick in case you missed it.

PERTH — Debutants Morocco stunned Colombia 1-0 in their final group match in Perth on Thursday to reach the last 16 of the Women's World Cup at the first attempt along with their opponents.

The 72nd ranked Moroccans scored through Anissa Lahmari's toe-poke after a saved penalty at the end of the first half but their passage was only secured after South Korea held twice champions Germany to a 1-1 draw in the other Group H match.

The greatest story at the 2023 Women's World Cup belongs to South Africa after Banyana Banyana (The Girls), ranked 54th in the world, shocked 16th-ranked Italy, quarterfinalists back in 2019, to reach the Round of 16 for the first time ever.

South Africa entered the match having only just earned their first-ever World Cup point in a 2-2 draw with Argentina, but anything less than a victory over Italy would've condemned Banyana Banyana to group stage elimination.