Human Interest

In the last week, many in the football world have come together in the wake of the devastating earthquake that hit Mexico. It’s a wonderful to see soccer fans everywhere unite to help in the recovery process for Mexico, one of the world’s most devoted soccer nations. But it’s important to not forget about Puerto Rico.

Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal is an example for younger generations. He miraculously saved a header in the game against West Brom.

Rafa Márquez has rejoined Atlas after a month’s separation. Early in August, Márquez’s name was featured on a Specially Designated Nationals list by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. 

In that report, Márquez was accused of using several of his businesses as fronts for a drug trafficking organization lead by Raúl Flores Fernández.

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake shook Mexico City Tuesday. Reports of several collapsed buildings around the city have been confirmed by the authorities, and the Copa MX Round of 16 match between Club América and Cruz Azul scheduled for Tuesday night at the Estadio Azteca was postponed.

Here are some images featuring the Estadio Azteca after the quake.

Bibiana Steinhaus was the center referee for a Bundesliga match between Hertha Berlin and Werder Bremen on Sunday.

Houston is trying to return to normal and the Dynamo are returning to Houston. After a two-and-a-half-week layoff, the Houston Dynamo are back at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday with a match against Colorado, with proceeds going to Hurricane Harvey relief. 

The Dynamo will have a number of promotions to support Houston’s rebuilding process. 

Zinedine Zidane is now as famous a manager for Real Madrid as he was a player for the club and the France National Team. He is also infamous for ending his international career with a headbutt on Italy's Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final.

It has been over a decade since that incident, but it's clear it still weighs on Zidane's mind in terms of both what it means for his legacy and the example it sets for young fans. Of course, this is to be expected when you ram your head into another man's solar plexus with a few million people watching.

There was no soccer this week at BBVA Compass Stadium, home to the Dynamo of MLS and Dash of NWSL. There were more important things to worry about in the United State’s fourth-largest city, inundated with up to four feet of water from Hurricane Harvey. 

Instead of hosting Sporting KC on Saturday and the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, BBVA became a collection site for Harvey relief donations, an orange beacon to the ravaged city.