Tag: MLS

Inter Miami confirms Messi has ankle ligament injury, out indefinitely

The Argentina star could be set for an extended spell on the sideline

Inter Miami has announced that Lionel Messi has suffered a ligament injury in his right ankle and will be sidelined indefinitely.

Messi was injured during the Copa América final against Colombia on Sunday, with the Argentina star severely turning his ankle during a play in the first half.

The 37-year-old managed to play on, but collapsed to the turf while running in the second half and had to be substituted in tears.

Messi watched on as Argentina would win the final 1-0, with his ankle swelling severely while he sat on the bench.

On Tuesday, Inter Miami released a statement indicating that Messi is set for a spell on the sidelines.

“After a medical evaluation, it has been determined that Leo Messi has suffered a ligament injury in his right ankle,” the MLS club said. “The captain’s availability will be determined by periodic assessments and the progress of his recovery.”

Messi has been sensational for Inter Miami during the 2024 MLS campaign, tallying 12 goals and 13 assists in just 12 games.

Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino had already ruled Messi out of the club’s next two games prior to the diagnosis, with the injury almost certain to keep the Argentina star out of next week’s MLS All-Star Game.

Messi also appears at risk of missing some, if not all of Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup title defense. The tournament featuring every team from MLS and Liga MX kicks off on July 26.

[lawrence-related id=78177,78170,78095]

Sullivan, 14, nears history after making Philadelphia Union matchday squad

The midfielder will break Freddy Adu’s record for youngest player in MLS history if he enters the match

Cavan Sullivan will be part of the Philadelphia Union’s matchday squad for Wednesday’s game against the New England Revolution, head coach Jim Curtin has confirmed.

It will be the first time Sullivan has made the first team’s matchday roster, and it could be a history-making night at Subaru Park.

If he appears in the game, Sullivan, who will be 14 years and 293 days old, will break Freddy Adu’s record by 13 days as the youngest player in MLS history.

At his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Curtin said that the midfielder has earned his chance to make history.

“Tomorrow he will be in the 20 because he’s earned it, if you look at his performances in the Union II games and the goals that he scored,” Curtin said.

“We are missing a few guys, obviously that goes his way when you have [Jack] McGlynn and [Nathan] Harriel away as well [with the U.S. Olympic team], but Cavan’s earned the right to be in the 20 if you just go through the numbers and he’ll get that opportunity now.”

Sullivan signed the richest Homegrown Player contract in MLS history back in May, which included a clause that will see him join Manchester City when he turns 18.

Since then, Sullivan has been featuring with Philadelphia Union II in MLS NEXT Pro, and has scored in each of his last two matches.

[lawrence-related id=68130,55966,78170]

‘I want to be limitless’ – Crew head coach Nancy addresses USMNT rumors

This wasn’t exactly a denial from the 47-year-old Frenchman

Responding to a question about the vacant U.S. men’s national team position, Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy said he wants to be “limitless” and always push himself forward.

Nancy has been mentioned as a candidate to replace Gregg Berhalter, who was dismissed last week in the wake of the USMNT’s stunning group-stage exit at the Copa América.

The Crew boss has developed a sterling reputation since taking over CF Montréal in 2021. After moving to Columbus ahead of the 2023 season, Nancy turned the Crew into MLS Cup champion and took them to the Concacaf Champions Cup final this year.

Nancy has not only had success in terms of results, but has done so while instilling a proactive style of play that allows his team to win while also controlling matches.

That has made the 47-year-old a top candidate for the USMNT job, despite a lack of experience at the international level.

On Saturday, after his Crew side secured a 5-1 win at LAFC — coached by another USMNT candidate in Steve Cherundolo — Nancy addressed the USMNT rumors in a way that suggested he is at least open to the possibility.

“I don’t talk about rumors, simple as that,” Nancy said in his post-game press conference.

“Like I said, I am limitless. I want to be limitless so the idea is to push myself, to challenge myself, but at the moment I’m here. I’m happy here. We’ll see in the future.”

Watch Nancy address USMNT links

[lawrence-related id=77886,77059,77852]

‘He destroyed us!’ – McCarty questions Luna Olympic snub after RSL masterclass vs. Atlanta

The veteran midfielder said Atlanta United “felt the wrath of his snub”

Dax McCarty admitted he was baffled by Diego Luna being left off the U.S. men’s national team Olympic roster, a snub that inspired the Real Salt Lake star to a “masterclass” performance against McCarty’s Atlanta United side.

Luna was left off the USMNT squad heading to France, with Colorado Rapids playmaker Djordje Mihailovic named to the team as an overage player in his place.

After receiving the news of his omission, Luna tallied three assists and a goal in Real Salt Lake’s 5-2 win over Atlanta United last weekend.

McCarty was on the receiving end of Luna’s star performance, saying on his Major League Journeymen podcast that the 20-year-old has a right to feel aggrieved about being left off Marko Mitrović’s 18-man roster.

“With Atlanta United, we unfortunately just got our butts kicked by Real Salt Lake and Diego Luna was absolutely fantastic. He was the best player on the field,” the veteran midfielder said.

“We don’t know what goes into these decisions, we can only judge it for what it is. I think Luna has has a right to be perturbed because he absolutely destroyed us with Atlanta. It was a masterclass of a second half from him. We felt the wrath of his snub.”

McCarty played alongside Mihailovic with the Chicago Fire when Mitrović was an assistant coach, saying that he believed the coach opted for the overage Mihailovic over the age-eligible Luna due to his longstanding relationship with the now-Rapids playmaker.

“I think it came down to what overage players are available. What overage players can we bring, and is it going to be Diego Luna or Djordje Mihailovic?” McCarty said. “If we can get Djordje Mihailovic released from Colorado, the preference was Djordje. That’s clear because Marko has a relationship with Djordje, he’s known Djordje for years.

“I’m curious what Marko has seen in the U-23 camps that we don’t know about that led him to the decision to say, ‘I’m not going to bring Diego Luna, who’s age eligible but I’m going to bring Djordje instead.’

“For me it came down to that: Djordje Mihailovic versus Diego Luna. I think Diego Luna should be there.”

[lawrence-related id=77888,77607,77531]

Cherundolo doesn’t exactly deny he’s in the mix for USMNT head coach

The LAFC coach couldn’t guarantee he’d be sticking around for the entire season

Steve Cherundolo seems to be aware he is a legitimate candidate for the vacant U.S. men’s national team coaching job.

U.S. Soccer dismissed Gregg Berhalter on Wednesday, with sporting director Matt Crocker saying that a search for a new USMNT boss is already underway.

One of the leading candidates appears to be LAFC head coach Cherundolo, who has developed a strong reputation since taking over the MLS side in 2022.

The 45-year-old won MLS Cup and the Supporters’ Shield in his first season in charge, and has LAFC at the top of the Western Conference this season as well.

Cherundolo was a stalwart at right back for the USMNT for more than a decade and played his entire club career with German side Hannover 96, where he also began his coaching career.

Coincidentally, Cherundolo found himself speaking to the press on Wednesday just hours after Berhalter was fired, as LAFC defeated New Mexico United 3-1 in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match.

In his post-game press conference, Cherundolo was asked about the now-vacant USMNT job, and opted to keep his answer vague.

“I think it wouldn’t be the right time to speak about other things,” he said. “I’m LAFC coach, and I am very proud to be LAFC’s coach and we have something really good going here, and we’re excited to be in the semifinals. So I understand the ask but I am going to talk about LAFC tonight.”

But when a reporter followed up by asking if Cherundolo intended to be LAFC coach for the remainder of the season, the coach let his guard slip.

“I am LAFC head coach right now and that is my job, what I do every single day,” he said, clearly fighting hard to suppress more information.

“Tomorrow morning training is at 11:15 and I will be there for that.”

Watch Cherundolo address USMNT speculation

[lawrence-related id=77852,77602,77059]

USMNT prospect Bajraktarevic hints at switch to Bosnia and Herzegovina

The USMNT may be about to lose one its top-rated teenage prospects

Esmir Bajraktarevic looks like he could be leaving the U.S. men’s national team behind.

The New England Revolution attacker, one of the most promising teenagers in the American player pool, has strongly hinted in recent weeks that he is set to switch his international allegiance to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bajraktarevic’s parents fled Bosnia in the early 1990s amid a devastating war, eventually settling in Wisconsin where Bajraktarevic was born and raised.

The 19-year-old has only represented the U.S. at the international level thus far, playing at several youth levels and making his senior debut this January against Slovenia.

But rumors over a switch to Bosnia and Herzegovina began to swirl last month when fans noticed that Bajraktarevic had switched the flag in his Instagram profile from the U.S. to Bosnia.

The teenager spoke to The Blazing Musket after Wednesday’s Revolution win over Atlanta, hinting that he was indeed leaning toward switching to his parents’ home country.

“Yeah, I mean, obviously, I’m very proud to be Bosnian,” Bajraktarevic said. “Playing for the national team is definitely something that I’ve dreamed of since I was little. I mean, I’m not ready to announce anything or to say much right now but yeah, I’m just proud to be a Bosnian [and] it’d be great.”

Bajraktarevic was called into the final pre-Olympics camp for the USMNT last month, and appears to have a decent chance to be called in to the final 18-player roster when it is announced on Monday.

[lawrence-related id=74218,57599,77072]

USMNT assistant Callaghan named Nashville SC head coach

The position represents Callaghan’s first full-time head coaching role

Nashville SC has confirmed the appointment of U.S. men’s national team assistant B.J. Callaghan as head coach.

Callaghan leaves U.S. Soccer after initially joining the USMNT staff in 2019. The New Jersey native served as the USMNT’s interim head coach last year, leading the team to the 2023 Concacaf Nations League title and the semifinal of the Gold Cup.

The 43-year-old’s departure from the USMNT was announced just two days after the team was eliminated from the Copa América.

“Taking the head coach position at Nashville SC is an incredible opportunity and an exciting next step in my career,” Callaghan said in a Nashville SC release. “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to [USMNT head coach] Gregg Berhalter for his mentorship and support throughout my time with the USMNT. The experience I’ve gained here has been invaluable, and I’m deeply appreciative of the relationships and memories made along the way.

“While I am thrilled to embark on this new journey, it is bittersweet to leave a team and staff that I believe in so deeply. I have full confidence in the exceptional coaching staff we have in place and know the team is in great hands. As we approach the 2026 World Cup, I’ll be cheering on the team every step of the way. Thank you to everyone at U.S. Soccer for the support and camaraderie – it has truly been an honor.”

The position with Nashville represents Callaghan’s first full-time head coaching role. Callaghan will join the club on July 22, and his first game in charge will be a Leagues Cup match against Mazatlán FC on July 31.

“We are so excited to usher in this new era for Nashville Soccer Club with B.J. as our head coach,” said general manager Mike Jacobs.

“B.J. has a tremendous amount of experience that spans all levels of soccer at the highest levels of the game and has excelled throughout the MLS ecosystem. He is an exceptional leader who gets the most out of the players and teams that he has coached and brings a hard-working and relentless mentality to our club. B.J. is ready for this opportunity to continue to build and develop a winning culture and is the right person to drive our club’s ambition for success.”

Callaghan takes over from Gary Smith, who was fired in May. Smith spent seven seasons as head coach, and had been the only person to hold that position in franchise history.

Nashville currently sits in seventh place in the 15-team Eastern Conference.

[lawrence-related id=77285,77059,20682]

USMNT midfielder Morris joins Middlesbrough from Columbus

The 22-year-old midfielder has made the jump to Europe

Middlesbrough has confirmed the signing of Aidan Morris on a transfer from the Columbus Crew.

The 22-year-old midfielder joins the Championship side in a reported $4 million move, and has signed a four-year contract.

Morris has become one of the highest-rated midfield prospects in MLS in recent years, having made over 100 appearances for the Crew and won two MLS Cups despite his young age.

A fixture with U.S. youth national teams, Morris made his senior USMNT debut in January 2023 and has earned five caps thus far.

“He suits our style of play, he’s strong, he likes to get on the ball, and he plays off both feet,” said Boro head coach Michael Carrick.

“He’s a good age, but he’s already had a taste of success and he has a good amount of experience. We’re excited to work with him.”

Morris was called into the most recent U.S. pre-Olympic training camp, and looks to be a solid bet to compete in the games in France next month.

“Watching Aidan’s growth as a player and person during his time at the Crew has been a true privilege, and we greatly appreciate his dedication to the club and our city,” said Crew general manager Issa Tall.

“Aidan has always been focused on learning and improving, and he’s an exceptional role model for our academy players. We are proud of what Aidan accomplished individually and with our club as he made a significant impact in the Crew’s history. He always aspired to play in Europe and earned the opportunity, and we look forward to him further displaying his form and character as he joins Middlesbrough.”

[lawrence-related id=21312,74218,72609]

Canada Soccer ‘disturbed’ over Bombito racial abuse following Messi tackle

The Canada defender was targeted after a second-half tackle on the Argentina star

Canada Soccer has released a statement condemning racial abuse leveled at one of its players following Canada’s 2-0 defeat to Argentina in Thursday night’s Copa América opener.

The federation didn’t name the player who was abused, but defender Moïse Bombito received abuse online, posting on his Instagram story: “My beautiful Canada. No room for that bs.”

The Colorado Rapids also released a statement on their social media in support of Bombito, who plays for the MLS side.

“We’re extending our love and standing beside Moïse Bombito,” the Rapids said. “Discrimination and racism should never find a place in our sport, on social media, or within our society.”

Bombito was targeted after a rough challenge on Argentina superstar Lionel Messi late in the match in Atlanta. Messi was down on the turf for several minutes after a crunching tackle from Bombito, who first got the ball but then followed through Messi’s ankle. No foul was called on the play.

Messi ultimately returned to the match and delivered an assist on a late Lautaro Martínez goal that wrapped up the points for Argentina.

“Canada Soccer is aware of and deeply disturbed by racist comments made online and directed at one of our men’s national team players following tonight’s game,” a statement from the federation said. “We are in communication with CONCACAF and CONMEBOL about this matter.”

[lawrence-related id=76100,75441,74141]

Source: FC Cincinnati makes bid for USMNT star McKennie

Could the USMNT star be heading back to his home country?

U.S. men’s national team midfielder Weston McKennie will have several options if leaves Juventus this summer, and they won’t all be from Europe.

A source tells Pro Soccer Wire that FC Cincinnati has made a bid for McKennie, with the MLS side willing to go as high as $15 million in an effort to secure the USMNT mainstay as a Designated Player.

FCC is understood to be one of several MLS sides interested in McKennie, who is set to enter the final season of his contract with Juventus.

Talks between McKennie and Juventus over an extension have reportedly hit a dead end, and the Bianconeri now appear to be open to selling the Texan this summer rather than lose him for free in 2025.

McKennie was recently rumored to be nearing a move to Aston Villa as part of a swap deal, but that transfer now appears to be off due to McKennie’s failure to reach an agreement with the Premier League side.

This past season for Juventus, McKennie played in 38 matches across all competitions and amassed nearly 3,000 minutes of playing time, recording a career-best tally of 10 assists.

FC Cincinnati is currently second in the MLS table but leads the league in points per game. The Ohio side sees McKennie’s possible addition as a major boost for its aim to win both MLS Cup and the Concacaf Champions Cup.

McKennie came up through the FC Dallas academy, but has never actually played in MLS. As an 18-year-old, the midfielder turned down a homegrown contract offer from FCD in favor of a move to German side Schalke.

Pro Soccer Wire has reached out to FCC for comment, and this article will be updated if there is a response.

[lawrence-related id=76011,75900,67798]