Chelsea’s ownership group has reportedly beaten Manchester United and Manchester City in the chase for Mohamed Zongo, one of Africa’s most exciting young footballers, with the Burkina Faso midfielder set to join Strasbourg in 2027 when he turns 18. The deal, agreed with Sporting Football des Cascades Tenakourou, marks the latest step in Chelsea’s long-term recruitment project, which has increasingly focused on identifying global talent years before they reach senior breakout status.
Portugal secured their first-ever Under-17 World Cup title courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Austria in the final in Qatar on Thursday and Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the greatest Portuguese player of all time was first in line to offer his congratulations with a simple but very effective message to his huge audience of 668 million followers on Instagram.
Manchester City and Manchester United have entered a fierce battle to sign Burkina Faso sensation Mohamed Zongo, the 15-year-old attacking midfielder who dazzled at the U17 World Cup. Both clubs have already held talks with the Tenakourou Academy as Europe’s elite begin circling for a prodigy who produced goals, assists and man-of-the-match displays to lead Burkina Faso to the quarter-finals.
England have been eliminated from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in spectacular fashion, losing 4-0 against Austria in the round of 16. Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez's red card shortly after the Young Lions fell behind early in the second half proved to be a crucial moment, with Austria eventually going on to run up the score-line in the latter stages of the knockout tie.
Reigan Heskey, the son of former Liverpool and England legend Emile, has overtaken Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho with his goals at the Under-17 World Cup. England secured their spot in the last 32 in Qatar as they finished second to Venezuela in Group E. The Young Lions then eased into the last 16 of the tournament as they got the better of South Korea on Saturday.
The United States saw their FIFA U17 World Cup run end in the Round of 32 after a dramatic 1-1 draw and a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Morocco. Jude Terry’s early strike had the Americans in control for much of the match, but Abdellah Ouazane’s 90th-minute equalizer forced the shootout that ultimately sealed their exit.
Orlando City and Louisville City share the record for the most USL Championship titles, each winning the championship two times. Orlando City won in 2011 and 2013, while Louisville City won in 2017 and 2018.
How many teams are in the USL?
The 2024 season of USL will see 24 teams compete for the league. When the league was founded in 2011 as USL Pro, only 12 teams contested. That number rose to 14 in 2014, 24 in 2015, 30 in 2017, 36 in 2019, and now back at 24.
Who has made the most USL appearances ever?
Jamaican midfielder Kenardo Forbes is the player with the most appearances in USL history, having featured in 303 games.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the USL?
With 105 goals (and counting) in 249 games, Jamaican forward Dane Kelly is USL's leading goalscorer of all-time.
Who is the youngest player ever in the USL and how old was he?
Axel Kei, a centre-forward, holds the record as the youngest-ever player in USL Championship history. He made his debut in 2021 at the remarkable age of 13 years and 282 days.
Which famous players have played in the USL?
Jamie Vardy, Gareth Bale, James Maddison, John Stones, and Darren Bent are some of the most iconic players to have played in the Championship.
Which famous managers have managed in the USL?
Alen Marcina, Mark Briggs, Trevor James, and Noah Delgado are among the most popular coaches in USL history.
What is the biggest stadium in the USL?
Protective Stadium, which is where Birmingham Legion FC play their home games, is the biggest stadium in the USL with a capacity of 47,000.
Who is the most expensive player in the history of the USL?
Fanendo Ali is the most expensive player in USL history, being bought for $1 million (allocation money) by FC Cincinnati in a trade with Portland Timbers.