There wasn't many like Jedi in 2024.
In a heartwarming and unforgettable moment, U.S. men’s national team legend Tim Howard surprised Fulham and USMNT star Antonee "Jedi" Robinson with yet another thing to add to the left-back’s extraordinary form: Robinson is U.S. Soccer's Male Player of the Year for 2024.
Antonee Robinson is the U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year pic.twitter.com/0qGMhrw4xM
Manchester City failed to win again on Thursday with a 1-1 draw against Everton that saw Phil Foden pulling shorts down on opponents in another lackluster performance.
Thursday’s result means that Pep Guardiola’s side have won just one of their last THIRTEEN games across all competitions. It’s a poor run of form never seen from Pep’s City teams over the previous years.
One moment from Thursday’s draw that provided an accurate representation of City’s current situation was Foden clinging on to Armando Broja’s shorts for dear life.
Celtic defeated Rangers on penalties in the Scottish League Cup on Sunday and can thank United States men’s national team defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Carter-Vickers, who will turn 27 on New Year’s Eve, has had his ups and downs this season. On Sunday he had one of his highlights of the season as he somehow stopped a Rangers counterattack despite being outnumbered four-to-one.
United States women’s national team and Portland Thorns defender Becky Sauerbrunn is hanging up her boots after 16 incredible years with the national team. The 39-year-old announced her retirement via social media on Tuesday.
Becky Sauerbrunn retirement
A Christian Pulisic assist vs Real Madrid opened the scoring of AC Milan’s surprising 3-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Pulisic’s corner kicks have garnered attention this season after he scored an Olimpico goal against Club Brugge in Milan’s previous Champions League game.
Juventus pulled off a dramatic comeback vs. RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday to win 3-2 despite being a player down. The club’s winning goal came after a brilliant Weston McKennie tackle on Leipzig star Xavi Simons.
In the closing minutes of the game Leipzig looked to have a dangerous counterattack on their hands with Simons leading the charge. McKennie, who had played the entire game, tracked him down and put in a perfect tackle to stop the attack.
Juventus would the go on to score the game winning goal with the possession that McKennie won back.
France's World Cup-winning defender Raphaël Varane announced his retirement from football at the age of 31 on Wednesday, bringing down the curtain on his successful career after suffering a serious knee injury.
Varane made 93 appearances for France from 2013-22, playing a key role in their victory at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as well as their runners-up finish four years later in Qatar. He retired from international football in 2023.
Varane retires
The nominees for the Ballon d’Or (best soccer player of the year) were released on Wednesday and five American women were named to the 30-player shortlist. Shockingly, star defender Naomi Girma wasn’t one of the five.
The Ballon d'Or is an annual award determined by French magazine "France Football."
Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Lindsey Horan and Alyssa Naeher were the five USWNT players nominated for the prestigious award.
Portugal defender Pepe has retired from football, the 41-year-old said on Thursday.
Pepe's last game came at Euro 2024, where Portugal were defeated by France on penalties in the quarter-finals, and he became the oldest player to appear at a European Championship finals tournament.
Pepe retires
OFFICIAL: Pepe announces his retirement at 41 years old.
878 games, 34 trophies and one of the best defenders around for years…
United States women’s national team defender Naomi Girma is cementing herself as the top center back in the world during the 2024 Summer Olympics. Her head coach Emma Hayes agrees as the 24-year-old has played every minute of the campaign so far.
Girma has led a stout USWNT defense to the gold medal match only conceding two goals in the process. Throughout the tournament Girma has had different center back pairings due to a Tierna Davidson injury.