O atacante Rafael Navarro deve ser confirmado como reforço do Palmeiras na próxima semana. O jogador, que se destacou na campanha campeã do Botafogo na Série B, deveria chegar a São Paulo próxima segunda-feira (20), mas houve uma mudança e ele aterrissará na capital paulista na terça-feira (21) para realizar exames médicos no Verdão. A informação é do jornalista Venê Casagrande.
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O atleta não aceitou renovar com a equipe carioca e, por isso, deve chegar “de graça” ao Maior Campeão Nacional, que terá de pagar apenas as lutas pela assinatura do contrato. O vínculo discutido tem a duração de cinco anos.
Navarro foi o craque do título do Botafogo na Série B. Ele marcou 15 gols e deu nove assistências na campanha. Ele marcou marcou seu primeiro gol como profissional justamente contra o Palmeiras, ainda pelo Brasileirão de 2020, em fevereiro de 2021, em empate por 1 a 1, no Allianz Parque.
Leeds United supporters might feel a little frustrated with their side's transfer business come the end of the day, knowing that the likes of Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray all walked away for mega bucks during this transfer window.
The Whites haven't quite splashed the cash when it comes to their own incomings, however, with Ao Tanaka entering the building for a fee in and around the £3.3m mark on deadline day, which could prove to be a shrewd pick-up from Fortuna Dusseldorf down the line.
The Japan international might well end up shining at Elland Road, but he won't be joined through the door by this expensive new recruit, who Leeds reportedly were chasing before a rejection then firmly stopped them in their tracks.
Leeds had major bid rejected for Zagreb star
According to Croatian outlet Sportske, Leeds were at one point chasing the services of Dinamo Zagreb star Martin Baturina as a last gasp statement purchase, with a bid even being put forward by the West Yorkshire titans.
That bid was in the region of an eye-watering £25m according to the outlet, with Zagreb accepting that bumper offer, before Baturina then rejected the advances of the Whites, owing to the fact he didn't see Leeds as the best place to continue his footballing development.
This could well have been the out-there signing Leeds fans were crying out for, with the potential there for the 21-year-old to have been a bigger talent than Gustavo Hamer if the expensive capture was secured.
It looks unlikely that Leeds will win Hamer's services, with this ambitious deal for Baturina – which would have been a record-breaking buy for the Championship – also unfortunately falling to the wayside.
What Baturina would have offered Leeds
Once labelled as being a "jewel" according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, it's fair to say there's a lot of hype in the air surrounding Baturina's future in the game.
From 125 senior games in the Zagreb ranks to date, the Croat ace has bagged 16 goals and picked up 31 assists, with five of those assists coming during the infancy of this season alone, as Baturina starred in the Champions League qualifying stages and back in regular league action for his boyhood employers.
Stat
Baturina
Minutes played
80
Goals scored
0
Assists
3
Touches
70
Accurate passes
40/47 (85%)
Key passes
5
Big chances created
3
Shots
3
Successful dribbles
4/5
Duels won
6/9
As can be seen looking at the table above, Baturina has now arguably outgrown his current location, with a devastating display going forward from the Zagreb youngster helping his side sweep past Istra on the opening day of the new HNL season with ease in a 5-0 demolition job.
Therefore, snapping up the electric attacking midfielder might well have been an excellent purchase to make to fill the void left behind by Rutter going to Brighton and Hove Albion, if a £25m move had indeed got off the ground.
Hamer is, of course, more well-adjusted to the demands of the EFL – when comparing side-by-side with Baturina who has only played in his native nation – but the Zagreb gem arguably has a higher ceiling than the 28-year-old.
The former Coventry City man does have two goals and one assist already next to his name from five clashes this season, adding to his second-tier career total of 44 goal contributions from 125 contests, but splurging out on Baturina would definitely have been seen as a bigger signing of intent from the promotion-chasing Whites.
Daniel Farke and Co will just have to hope one or two more deals can get over the line, away from any other talk, as the clock ticks ever closer to the window shutting.
Graham Smyth: Leeds to fly over £4m+ player for medical ahead of late move
While the Premier League starts on Friday night, Manchester United's season began on Saturday with a closely fought loss to Manchester City in the Community Shield.
Erik ten Hag's side may have come out of the match empty-handed, but they looked competitive, and with several signings expected to join in the coming weeks, they could be in for a successful campaign.
The biggest name set to join Sir Jim Ratcliffe's revolution is Matthijs De Ligt, but another name recently touted for a surprise transfer to Old Trafford is Sander Berge.
The Norwegian midfielder is a talented player, but it could be argued that he's not of the level to help take the club forward, which is why fans should be excited about recent reports which have now linked a far more impressive midfielder with the Red Devils.
Manchester United transfer news
According to a recent report from Football Insider, United are now targeting AS Monaco's Youssouf Fofana.
France'sYoussoufFofanaduring the press conference
The report claims that Ten Hag is now prioritising a move for a new number six, and one of the players the club is looking at is Fofana, who has been impressing for Les Monégasques for years.
However, Ratcliffe and Co will need to present a compelling case to the 25-year-old, as the report has revealed that he is currently leaning towards a move to Italian giants AC Milan.
youssouf-fofana-premier-league-west-ham-transfers
The potential price is not mentioned in the story, but reports from last week revealed that a fee of around £30m should be enough to complete the deal. While that's not an insignificant amount of money, if the club could bring in Fofana over Berge, it would be worth it.
How Fofana compares to Berge
Okay, so while both players are primarily central and defensive midfielders, let's kick off this comparison by looking at their raw output, as while their main job will be to help out with defensive work and breaking up the opposition's attack, in the modern game they'll be expected to help out in attack themselves at points.
France international Youssouf Fofana
In this battle, it's an easy win for Fofana, as in his 35 appearances for Monaco last season, he scored four goals and provided four assists, equating to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 4.37 games.
In contrast, Berge could not provide much attacking impetus for Burnley last year, scoring just two goals and providing two assists in 40 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every ten games.
France midfielderYoussouf Fofana.
Okay, how about their underlying numbers, then? When we compare what's going on under the hood, is the Frenchman again the clear winner?
Unsurprisingly, in practically every relevant metric, the Paris-born "monster," as data analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed him, comes out ahead, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, shots and shots on target, key passes, passes into the final third and penalty area and shot and goal-creating actions all per 90.
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.28
0.13
Non-Penalty Goals + Assists
0.27
0.09
Progressive Carries
1.77
1.92
Progressive Passes
8.30
4.91
Shots
1.74
0.75
Shots on Target
0.43
0.09
Passing Accuracy
81.2%
88.1%
Key Passes
1.33
0.87
Passes into the Final Third
6.47
3.86
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.43
0.48
Shot-Creating Actions
3.34
2.01
Goal-Creating Actions
0.33
0.24
Tackles Won
1.30
1.38
Blocked Passes
0.93
0.87
Blocked Shots
0.23
0.60
Interceptions
1.23
0.69
Errors Leading to a Shot
0.03
0.06
Successful Take-Ons
1.30
0.60
Aerial Duels Won
0.57
1.92
Ball Recoveries
7.67
6.05
Moreover, even in the slightly closer fought defensive metrics, the former Strasbourg ace does well, blocking more passes, making more interceptions, completing more ball recoveries and making fewer errors that lead to an opponent's shot, also per 90.
Ultimately, whether by pure output or their underlying numbers, it's clear that Fofana is a vastly superior midfielder to Berge. Therefore, if United have the opportunity to sign him for around £30m this summer, they must take it, as he'd be a brilliant addition to Ten Hag's side.
After Mazraoui: Man Utd in talks to sign "electric" upgrade on Luke Shaw
Manchester United could solve their ongoing left back issues with this buy.
Aston Villa put in an enterprising performance last weekend against West Ham United to get the news season off to a dream start. The Villans came away from a tough trip to the London Stadium with all three points thanks to an impressive 2-1 victory, in a huge season for the club; they will play in the Champions League for the first time since its rebrand in 1992.
Indeed, it was goals from debutant Amadou Onana and Jhon Duran, who has been embroiled in a summer of transfer controversy, that gave them the win. The Columbian was close to joining the Hammers during the transfer window, but a move did not materialise. Those goals came either side of a Lucas Paqueta penalty, but Villa held on to get all three points.
Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran
The Villans’ first home game of the season, on Saturday evening, will see them host Arsenal in one of the toughest fixtures of the season. The Gunners will be hoping they can finally break their streak of consecutive second-place finishes and win the Premier League this season.
However, matchdays are not just the sole focus at Villa Park for the moment. With the transfer window still open until the 30th of August, Villa may well look to add to their eight signings and have actually been linked to one of the Gunners’ players.
Aston Villa target Arsenal defender
The player in question here is Arsenal and Scotland international left-back Kieran Tierney. The former Celtic star has struggled to find a permanent place in Mikel Arteta’s side over the past few seasons, and could now leave the club this summer.
According to a report from Caught Offside, the Villans are one of the sides linked with the Scot this summer. The report states that there is ‘confirmed interest in the player’ from his former manager in North London, Unai Emery.
Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney.
However, the former Celtic defender has interest from right across Europe. The Bhoys are one of the clubs interested in bringing their former defender back to the club, with Premier League side Newcastle also considering a move, as well as Spanish trio Girona, Sevilla and Valencia.
In terms of a price for Tierney, the 27-year-old is reportedly available anywhere between a fee of £25m and £30m, a price that ‘will be considered suitable’ by technical director Edu and his colleagues.
Why Tierney would be a good signing
Last season, Tierney had a loan spell in La Liga, at Spanish outfit Real Sociedad. However, it was an incredibly frustrating campaign for the defender, who picked up three different injuries, meaning he played just 27 games in all competitions. 20 of those appearances came in the Spanish top flight, with the Scot grabbing two assists along the way.
Kieran Tierney
Should he make the move to Villa Park, it would see a reunion with former boss Emery. The Spaniard – who signed the defender on a £25m deal from Celtic in 2019 – coached him for just nine games, but the 27-year-old still managed to get two assists, and it could certainly be considered a short but sweet partnership.
However, Emery would not be the only reunion for Tierney should he make the move to Villa Park. He would, of course, get the chance to play with Villans captain and Scotland teammate John McGinn. The left-back has played with the 29-year-old midfielder 40 times in total for Scotland, and the pair have combined for four goals in that time.
Tierney and McGinn record together
Stat
Number
Games together
40
Minutes
3009
Joint goal participation
4
McGinn goal, Tierney assist
3
Tierney goal, McGinn assist
1
Stats from Transfermarkt
McGinn plays as a false winger on the left-hand side for Villa, tucking inside when his side have the ball to act as a number 10. Should he link up with the Arsenal defender at club level, it would see the pair form a partnership down the left wing, with Tierney having the licence to overlap his international teammate down the left-hand side.
This could be the start of a deadly partnership between the pair, who already have the foundations of a relationship on the pitch thanks to their exploits together for Scotland. Given the fact they have already combined for four goals, it could be a fruitful partnership from a goalscoring point of view, too.
Scotland left-back Kieran Tierney.
The 29-year-old Villa captain was impressive in front of goal last season. He played 35 times in the top flight last term, finding the back of the net on six occasions, and grabbing four assists. It is certainly a run of goalscoring form he could improve on further should he continue the productive relationship with Tierney.
Tierney was described as a “warrior” by legendary left-back and Arsenal invincible Ashley Cole, and for around £30m, could be a smart pickup for Villa before next Friday’s deadline.
Although he has struggled with injuries throughout his career, the left-back is still a player of great quality. Given his experience playing under Emery, and established partnership with McGinn, he could be an astute signing by the Villans as the deadline fast approaches.
Emery could boldly bench McGinn & unleash Aston Villa's "sensational" gem
The Midlands side take on Arsenal this evening at Villa Park
Owner Jorge Mas wants to extend Messi, says he 'would fully expect' the Argentine on the roster for stadium opening in 2026
As expected, Inter Miami confirmed Friday that manager Tata Martino is leaving the club, with the 62-year-old Argentine citing "personal reasons" for his departure.
“It has been an honor to work at such a special club, and to lead such a special team," Martino said at a news conference, alongside managing owner Jorge Mas and president of football operations Rail Sanllehi. "I’ve enjoyed my stay at Inter Miami and will treasure the memories made and relationships forged here for the rest of my life. I depart with nothing but gratitude for my time here and would like to offer sincere thanks to everyone that made it possible.
"For strictly personal reasons, I have to leave Inter. I can’t come back next year, I need to be in Rosario."
The news comes weeks after Miami, the 2024 Supporters' Shield winners and No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, crashed out of the postseason in the opening round, falling to Atlanta United.
The club is embarking on a journey to find their next manager, while preparing for 2025 and the years beyond. While they did not confirm reports that Miami is set to hire Javier Mascherano, Lionel Messi's former Argentina and Barcelona teammate, as Martino's replacement, Mas and Sanllehi spoke about what the future of the club looks like, the status of Messi's contract, and ambitions for the organization.
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Martino out, Mascherano in?
With Martino departing, multiple reports surfaced Friday that Mascherano is set to become the club's next coach, with ESPN reporting the two sides are in contract negotiations. The 40-year-old most recently led the Argentina U23 team at the Paris Olympics, where they were heavy favorites for the event. However, they took second place in the Group Stage, and exited the tournament in the quarterfinals after a feisty 1-0 loss to Thierry Henry's France.
Mas said that Messi has a key role in the hire, and that hiring a coach with an MLS resume is not necessarily a prerequisite.
"Experience in MLS would be good, but I don't think it's the principal criteria. I think it's more about how you manage the roster with unlimited potential," Mas said. "I spoke to Leo on Saturday after he and Tata spoke. I asked him what is important to you and what is important to get the best of our roster. How do we improve? Leo shared with me his thoughts, not dissimilar to what I explained.
"Without a doubt a familiarity with Leo and the other stars is an advantage in every aspect. I want Leo to feel comfortable with the new trainer and coach. We went out and spearheaded that. Leo gave me what I asked him, which is input. But that was his involvement and engagement with me."
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Messi to extend?
Messi's contract, meanwhile, is set to expire at the end of 2025, but the two parties do hold an option to extend his deal in South Beach. In an ideal world, the are hoping to keep him past 2025, as they open their new soccer-specific stadium Miami Freedom Park the following year.
“Leo and I will sit and discuss the future. As I’ve said before and I will repeat now, I would fully expect for the opening for our new stadium in Miami in 2026, after a trophy laden 2025 season, that Leo Messi will be our No. 10,” Mas said.
In 2025, Miami will have a chance at multiple trophies, including the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Leagues Cup, MLS Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup.
"He's an amazing leader within this building, and that is a tribute to him as a player," Mas said. "As I've said before: he's a competitive beast who wants to win. And that's a trademark that he shares with his owners."
AFP
Miami going global?
Expectations are elevated for Miami in 2025, following what team president described was a "disappointing exit" from the postseason. Not only does that include trophies, but includes the footprint of the franchise as a global team.
“We didn’t create this club just to exist. We created this club to establish excellence and to compete at the sport’s highest levels – not only in North America or in the hemisphere but worldwide,” Mas said. “And we have a great opportunity next summer at the Club World Cup, which is a beautiful challenge.”
The Club World Cup isn't their only ambition, though. Mas hopes to have Messi represent the in the Copa Libertadores.
“I would love to see Inter Miami in the Copa Libertadores, because we aspire to play against the best clubs in South America,” Mas said. “There’s also a very selfish part of me: it’s the only competition that Lionel Messi hasn’t played in."
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What next?
The club is heading into 2025 with ambition, on and off the touchline. However, they will need to revamp their roster and figure out how to adjust without a few key components in the squad.
Star winger Paraguayan winger Diego Gomez is expected to leave the club in January, with Premier League side Brighton set to bolster their attack with his signature. Luis Suarez, 2024 MLS MVP nominee and starting striker, is out of contract and the club is currently in negotiations with the Uruguayan about a potential renewal.
"Suarez has been an amazing addition to our team, what he’s done this year was spectacular," Mas said of the 37-year-old. "Jordi Alba, in my personal opinion, had the best season a left back ever had in the history of this league. We’re going to continue having the best team we can, there are no budget limitations, we will bring the best players we can from anywhere in the world."
As they continue to work on deals to sign Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee, Manchester United could be set to lose one of Erik ten Hag's most experienced players with talks reportedly opened.
Man Utd transfer news
The Red Devils have taken their time in getting going this summer, but after extending Ten Hag's contract, they turned straight to reinforcements in the form of De Ligt and Zirkzee. Whilst those respective deals are yet to be confirmed, all signs are pointing towards at least the latter arriving to hand those at Old Trafford a much-needed attacking boost this summer.
Joshua Zirkzee for the Netherlands
Zirkzee starred for Bologna last season as they shocked Serie A to qualify for the Champions League. Now, the young Dutchman looks set to swap Italy for Old Trafford and the chance to add the spark that the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antony failed to provide for Ten Hag last season.
What's more, at just 23 years old, Manchester United are also getting a player seemingly only destined to get even better. But as Zirkzee arrives, an experienced member of their squad could be on his way out.
Man Utd in pole position to sign £25m "menace" who starred at Euro 2024
The Red Devils have set their sights on another defender…
ByTom Cunningham Jul 12, 2024
According to L'Equipe, Al Ittihad have opened talks to sign Casemiro from Manchester United in a deal that would see the midfielder call it quits at Old Trafford after two contrasting seasons. The Brazilian endured a campaign to forget last time out, in which Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher called on him to end what became a Premier League nightmare.
Carragher said on Sky Sports via 90Min after Manchester United's humiliating 4-0 thrashing by Crystal Palace: "I said at half-time he [Erik ten Hag] has got to bring Casemiro off, I know he's got kids on the bench.
"But I think Casemiro, deadly serious, should know tonight as an experienced player that he should only have another three games left at the top level, the next two league games and the cup final, and then he should be thinking, 'I need to go to the MLS or Saudi'. I'm deadly serious. His agent, the team of people around him, they need to tell him, 'this has to stop'."
Now, the former Real Madrid man, who cost United a reported £70m in 2022 and earns a reported £350k-a-week, could follow Carragher's advice by completing a summer departure to Saudi Arabia.
"Aggressive" Casemiro needs summer exit
As harsh as Carragher was, his verdict was right last season. Casemiro struggled to match the pace of the Premier League in what is quite the fall from the defensive colossus that won everything there is to win at Real Madrid. At 32 years old, he's unlikely to return to that level with things, instead, only likely to get worse at Old Trafford at such an intense level.
Once described as "aggressive" by Manchester City legend Pablo Zabaleta, Casemiro needs a summer exit more than most at Old Trafford in an attempt to avoid ending his career in the face of critical headlines. As Kobbie Mainoo emerges too, United already have a ready-made replacement lined up.
Daryl Mitchell has described getting his maiden Test century as “surreal”, after he stroked 102 at his adopted hometown in Christchurch. New Zealand were 599 for 6 at tea and had a lead of 302, but the captain Kane Williamson allowed the team to keep batting, something Mitchell was grateful for.Mitchell, who was unbeaten on 69 at the time, made the most of the extra time, as he and Kyle Jamieson smacked 60 in 4.5 overs to increase New Zealand’s total to 659.Related
Find of the season Kyle Jamieson has 'a real strong desire to improve' – Kane Williamson
The records Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls broke
No. 1 in sight for New Zealand after Kane Williamson 237, Henry Nicholls 157, Daryl Mitchell 102*
“It probably hasn’t sunk in yet, to be fair, it’s pretty surreal at the moment,” Mitchell said. “I was given two overs to start after tea, so I thought after two overs we were off but obviously very grateful for Kane and the coaching staff to allow me to get that milestone. I was swinging pretty hard there at points to try and get there and very grateful for that to happen. I was just happy to go out there and try and be busy and contribute to trying to put a total on for us to try and get 10 wickets.”With two days still left in the Test, New Zealand hold all the cards, having already dismissed Pakistan’s opener Shan Masood for a duck in the second innings, ensuring they lead by 354 runs. Mitchell credited Williamson’s sublime double-century for putting the hosts in such a commanding position.
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“Obviously Kane’s 238 .. that’s pretty amazing and he has set us up for a chance to win this Test match,” Mitchell said. “He is a freak, isn’t he? He’s amazing. He makes the game look so easy at the moment and the way he’s going about things, it’s cool to see him doing so well. For me I’ve played against Kane when I was about 14 years old and now to be playing test cricket with him as well. He’s a very special player and probably will easily go down as New Zealand’s greatest.”Pakistan were dismissed for 297 on the opening day, and they did not help themselves with their poor fielding either, as New Zealand capitalised on several dropped catches. Williamson and Henry Nicholls went on to stitch a partnership of 369 runs for the fourth wicket, the best ever at the Hagley Oval. Among the bowlers, Naseem Shah (0-141) and debutant Zafar Gohar (0-159), had particularly forgettable outings, bowling a combined 58 overs without a single wicket.”As a fast bowler there isn’t any excuse,” Shah said on a day when he also bowled nine no-balls. “The wicket was good as it had bounce and I was getting the seam out of it but then there were mistakes which I shouldn’t have done. I was pushing hard to bowl fast hence over stepping. As a fast bowler with no balls, it really shatters your confidence and I am trying to get back on track. During games you can’t really help it out but can learn from your mistake. Test cricket isn’t easy, you have to bowl in one area consistently for a lot more time and you can’t afford to change the line. These are world class players and you can’t give them enough room.”A lot of damage has been done with no balls and those dropped catches. It makes you disappointed, but then you can’t do much about it because it’s part of the game. You can’t stop bowling if anyone dropped your catch but you come in hard and create more chances. It happens in cricket and that is what the learning curve is for us. We have to regroup and come hard with the ball next time.”
انتهت مواجهات الجولة الرابعة من مباريات المجموعة الرابعة لبطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية، التي تضم أندية الزمالك والمصري من مصر، وإنيمبا النيجيري وبلاك بولز الموزمبيقي.
وتواجه الزمالك مع المصري، اليوم الأحد، على ملعب برج العرب بالإسكندرية، حسم التعادل السلبي بدون أهداف نتيجة المباراة.
وبهذه النتيجة، يصل فريق الزمالك إلى النقطة الثامنة، محافظًا على صدارة ترتيب المجموعة، من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية.
بينما فريق المصري، يحتل المركز الثاني، في ترتيب المجموعة، برصيد 5 نقاط.
طالع | الزمالك يتعادل مع المصري سلبيًا ويحافظ على صدارة مجموعته في الكونفدرالية
وفي المباراة الثانية بين بلاك بولز وإنيمبا، حقق فريق إنيمبا النيجيري، الفوز بنتيجة 4-1، خلال المواجهة التي أقيمت اليوم أيضًا بنيجيريا.
وبذلك، يتواجد فريقا إنيمبا وبلاك بولز، في المركزين الثالث والرابع على الترتيب برصيد 4 نقاط لكل منهما. ترتيب المجموعة الرابعة في كأس الكونفدرالية بعد تعادل الزمالك مع المصري
1- الزمالك – 8 نقاط.
2- المصري – 5 نقاط.
3- إنيمبا النيجيري – 4 نقاط.
4- بلاك بولز الموزمبيقي – 4 نقاط.
يمكنكم متابعة ترتيب مجموعات كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية بشكل محدث باستمرار.. من هنا
From Raquinho to MLS After Dark, GOAL looks at the quirkiest moments in the league this season
Major League Soccer has grown leaps and bounds since its inception in 1996. There are now 29 teams with a 30th in San Diego FC coming next season. There are now billion dollar valuations for a quartet of clubs. The league is now ranked ninth in the world by Opta in terms of global competitiveness.
Despite all of that – and the fact that MLS sits among the most successful sports entities in the U.S., alongside counterparts in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB – the league still remains quirky.
In fact, in some ways, that's exactly part of its charm.
While the other established leagues have long-standing foundations set in stone, MLS is a league that feels like the ink is still drying on a Bob Ross-esque canvas. There are happy accidents painted every year, with new trees and rivers formed in their place.
In an effort to showcase the fun of North America's top flight, GOALunveils the Alternate MLS Awards. There are five categories: "Most MLS Moment," "Best Goal," "Moments where Messi realized he was in MLS," "The Peter Vermes Lifetime Achievement Award," and wrapping up with a look at the "Best and Worst Kits" in MLS this season.
Up first, GOAL US writers present their winners for the Most MLS Moment of the season.
Tom Hindle: The "However" VAR explanation
This starts with some credit to the league. Announcing VAR decisions, and explaining them, is a pretty good idea that really should be expanded to the whole sport. Fans in stadiums so often do not know what VAR checks are all about, so having someone articulate the whole scenario is a good thing. BUT there's a limit to that.
What isn't as cool, though, is the showmanship that seems to have come with it. Perhaps it's the American-ness of the sport, or maybe it's just silly, but this announcement, as theatrical as can be, is pure, unadulterated MLS. A message to referees: it's not about you!
AdvertisementJacob Schneider: MLS After Dark at its finest
Can we talk Real Salt Lake's 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rapids on May 18?
Leading 3-2 with five minutes left in regulation, the Rapids capitulated in stunning fashion on the road, with RSL bagging goals in the 85th, 88th and 96th minute to secure a victory. The momentum came out of nowhere, and it was a true #MLSAfterDark moment.
Ryan Tolmich: Raquinho!
One of the main reasons folks love MLS so much is the hilarity that can transpire, and is there anything more hilarious than a damn raccoon on a soccer field?
Raquinho immediately solidified his place in MLS lore the moment he emerged in Philadelphia. The league itself put out stats for the newest MLS hero, who provided the type of viral moment that makes this league so fun.
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Alex Labidou: Burrito Joint FC beats MLS reserve team in Open Cup
OK, so this is not technically a moment in the MLS regular season, but it happened to an MLS club — the Timbers 2 — so it should still count.
For all of the things MLS has done right, the decision to largely field reserve sides in this edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was wholly unpopular with many fans. On March 19, in the opening round of this year's tournament, justice was served — in a tasty, tortilla-wrapped form.
El Farolito FC, a team composed of semi-amateurs and backed by a popular San Francisco burrito restaurant, stunned the Portland Timbers 2, winning 2-1 at Providence Park of all places.
Following LAFC's claiming of the U.S. Open Cup this season, Commissioner Don Garber mentioned the league is actively looking to solve the issue of having more senior sides participate in the historic tournament. While he didn't reference this result as one of the reasons why, he didn't necessarily have to…
O presidente do Botafogo, Durcesio Mello, comemorou, nesta terça-feira, a decisão da Prefeitura do Rio que declarouo entorno do Nilton Santos como “Área de Especial Interesse Cultural, Turístico e Desportivo”. Em nota oficial, o mandatário destacou que o decreto reconhece os impactos culturais e econômicos do estádio na comunidade.
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– O Estádio Nilton Santos está consolidado como uma referência no Rio. Esse decreto é sensacional por reconhecer os impactos culturais e econômicos da casa do Botafogo na comunidade. Certamente, teremos uma valorização ainda maior do local, tanto em retorno de marca quanto em possibilidade de geração de novas receitas. Vamos continuar trabalhando com afinco para transformar o estádio e explorar todo o seu potencial – comemorou Durcesio.
Agora, as ruas e áreas perto do estádio passarão por uma valorização e terão novos equipamentos de lazer. A intenção é promover o turismo no local e, consequentemente, no próprio Nilton Santos.
> Veja a tabela da Série B
Vale lembrar que o Nilton Santos foi palco dos Jogos Pan-Americanos de 2007, Olimpíada do Rio e Paraolimpíada do Rio, de 2016, e, mais recentemente, a Copa América. O LANCE!, inclusive, noticiou que a diretoria do Botafogo debatia estas questões com Eduardo Paes desde o fim de maio.
– Há um diálogo permanente com o mercado na negociação dos nossos ativos. O Nilton Santos passa a ter ainda mais representatividade e oportunidades de negócio, mas para que se concretizem na plenitude é necessário a ampliação do prazo de concessão do estádio e da destinação de uso – comemorou o CEO Jorge Braga.
VEJA A NOTA OFICIAL DO BOTAFOGO NA ÍNTEGRA
A Prefeitura do Rio decretou, nesta terça-feira, o entorno do Estádio Nilton Santos como “Área de Especial Interesse Cultural, Turístico e Desportivo”. Para o Botafogo, a regulamentação significa a primeira importante conquista de uma série de movimentos estratégicos que visam a valorização da casa alvinegra. Nos últimos meses, o Presidente Durcesio Mello participou de reuniões com o poder público municipal em prol do fomento às atividades no local, e vibrou com a decisão.
“O Estádio Nilton Santos está consolidado como uma referência no Rio. Esse decreto é sensacional por reconhecer os impactos culturais e econômicos da casa do Botafogo na comunidade. Certamente, teremos uma valorização ainda maior do local, tanto em retorno de marca quanto em possibilidade de geração de novas receitas. Vamos continuar trabalhando com afinco para transformar o estádio e explorar todo o seu potencial”, destacou o Presidente Durcesio Mello.
Construído para os Jogos Pan-Americanos de 2007, o Estádio Nilton Santos foi erguido no antigo terreno da Rede Ferroviária Federal, na Rua José dos Reis, no bairro do Engenho de Dentro. Entre grandes espetáculos que foi palco ao longo dos 14 anos de história, destaca-se a Olimpíada Rio 2016. Recentemente, o entorno do estádio foi abraçado pela população para a prática de atividades culturais, esportivas e gastronômica, tornando-se um “point” na zona norte.
“Há um diálogo permanente com o mercado na negociação dos nossos ativos. O Nilton Santos passa a ter ainda mais representatividade e oportunidades de negócio, mas para que se concretizem na plenitude é necessário a ampliação do prazo de concessão do estádio e da destinação de uso”, afirmou o CEO Jorge Braga.