Controversial

Ousmane Dembélé winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or didn’t sit right with everyone with the father of runner-up Lamine Yamal being one of the most vocal.

Mounir Nasraou, Yamal’s father, was irate that his 18-year-old son didn’t become the award’s youngest winner in history on Monday. Nasraou went as far as to say that Yamal not winning the award was incredibly disrespectful.

Lamine Yamal father reaction to Ballon d’Or

Nasraou didn’t want to say that Dembélé’s triumph was a robbery, but he may as well have said it with his fiery tirade about the 2025 award.

Ticket sales for the 2026 FIFA World Cup officially began on Wednesday with VISA cardholders able to apply for a chance to purchase tickets. There’s plenty of controversy around the sales process and New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani is taking a firm stand.

One of the chief complaints about FIFA’s World Cup tickets is the “dynamic pricing” set to be implemented. While FIFA were proud to announce that fans could attend group stage games for as low as $60, that number could change based on demand.

Grimsby Town's unforgettable League Cup second round triumph over Manchester United has come with a $27,018 fine for fielding an ineligible player.

Fourth-tier Grimsby stunned United by eliminating them on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw in normal time last week. However, the EFL said on Tuesday that midfielder Clarke Oduor, who had joined on loan from Bradford City the previous day, was registered one minute past the 12:00 BST deadline.

Grimsby Town ineligible player

Olympique de Marseille made the right decision to place France midfielder Adrien Rabiot and English winger Jonathan Rowe on the transfer list after their dressing room bust-up which left a player unconscious, manager Roberto De Zerbi said on Friday.

The two players had an altercation after Friday's 1-0 loss at Stade Rennais despite the hosts being reduced to 10 men in the first half.

Crystal Palace said on Tuesday they are seeking legal advice on possible next steps after the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed the club's appeal against UEFA's decision to demote them from the Europa League to the Conference League.

European soccer's governing body made the decision over Palace's multi-club ownership rule breach because at the time of assessment on March 1 the John Textor-founded Eagle Football Group were majority owners of fellow Europa League side Olympique Lyonnais and also held shares in Palace.

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is disregarding the prestigious award these days with the Al Nassr star calling it “fictional.”

Ronaldo (and Lionel Messi) were left off the 30-man nominee list for a second straight year. The 2025 edition comprised almost entirely of players in Europe’s top five leagues including SEVEN players from Paris Saint-Germain.

LONDON — Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey appeared in a London court on Tuesday, charged with raping two women while he was a player for the English Premier League soccer club.

Partey, a Ghana international, is accused of five counts of rape relating to two women, plus a charge of sexual assault against a third woman, between April 2021 and June 2022.

The 32-year-old, who British media have reported is close to joining Spanish side Villarreal on a free transfer, sat in the dock dressed in black during the brief hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Lionel Messi’s bodyguard, Yassine Cheuko, has been banned from all technical areas for the remainder of the 2025 Leagues Cup following a post-match incident after Inter Miami’s opening game against Club Atlas on July 30.

The controversy erupted at the final whistle when Cheuko was seen pushing and shoving members of the Atlas squad in an apparent effort to shield the Inter Miami players amidst a conflict between clubs.

The incident, widely circulated on social media, drew sharp criticism and led to disciplinary action from tournament organizers.

The U.S. men's national team has increasingly become a hub for dual-national talent, thanks to the country's diverse population and global diaspora.

However, while many current dual nationals playing for the USMNT like Sergiño Dest, Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson and Johnny have chosen to don the red, white, and blue at the senior level, several high-profile players have opted to represent other nations despite their eligibility for the U.S.