Lionel Messi may now be dazzling fans in Miami, but Barcelona remains close to his heart. The Argentine legend and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, threw a spectacular FC Barcelona-themed party for their eldest son Thiago’s 13th birthday, complete with the club’s iconic colours, the “Mes Que un Club” motto, and a cake shaped like Camp Nou — a touching nod to where it all began for La Pulga.
Former USMNT star Brad Friedel has told GOAL how Inter Miami could “limit the risks” involved in a deal that would see Neymar reunited with Lionel Messi. The ex-Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward is seeing a move to MLS speculated on. Neymar will become a free agent at the end of the year, as his contract in Brazil with Santos runs down, meaning that a new challenge in North America could be sought.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their home comforts in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
Led by Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga, Los Angeles FC cruised into the next round of the MLS Cup Playoffs with a dominant 4-1 win over Austin FC in Game 2 on Sunday night. The star duo tormented Austin’s back line from the start, combining to seal a sweep of the first-round series and book LAFC’s spot in the Western Conference semifinals.
Nashville managed to withstand the power of Inter Miami and Lionel Messi, earning a 2-1 victory on Saturday night to force a decisive third game in their MLS playoff first-round series. They took advantage of their home crowd and a strong start to contain Las Garzas, who came close to equalizing late in the match through their Argentine captain.
Nashville started strong and held on to an early lead to beat Inter Miami in game two of their first round MLS playoff series, 2-1, on Saturday night. Lionel Messi scored the only goal for Miami, who threatened late but were unable to find a stoppage time equalizer, and could now face a second straight opening round elimination after taking a 1-0 lead.
Inter Miami will look to reach the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in club history when they face Nashville SC Saturday in the second leg of the opening playoff round at Geodis Stadium. The visitors are under pressure to win and close out the series, while the hosts will aim to force a decisive third game.
The MLSPA revealed MLS player salaries for 2025, and for the third straight year, Inter Miami's Lionel Messi is the highest paid player in the league. The report offered insight into new additions, including LAFC's Son Heung-Min, Messi's teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the Vancouver Whitecaps' Thomas Muller, and Colorado Rapids' Paxten Aaronson.
On the heels of a breakout season with both Orlando City and the U.S. Men's National Team, Alex Freeman has been named MLS Young Player of the Year. With his win, Freeman becomes the first Orlando City player to win the award in its current iteration and the second to earn this recognition overall after Cyle Larin's Rookie of the Year win back in 2015.
Lionel Messi acknowledged that Inter Miami’s defensive lapses proved costly in their 2024 MLS first-round playoff loss to Atlanta United. Reflecting on that setback, the Miami superstar said the team has made progress under first-year head coach Javier Mascherano, as Miami opened the 2025 MLS playoffs with victory over Nashville SC.
Son Heung-Min shone in his MLS playoff debut, impressing throughout despite no goal contribution, as LAFC opened their pursuit of the MLS Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Austin FC. An own goal from Brendan Hines-Ike and a strike from Nathan Ordaz sealed it for the Black and Gold, who will aim to close out the best-of-three series next Sunday at Q2 Stadium.
MLS, in partnership with EDGE Sound Research, will debut “Embodied Sound” during the Oct. 29 playoff match between LAFC and Austin FC - which also marks Son Heung-min’s first MLS postseason appearance. The technology uses real-time object tracking to isolate the soccer ball as its own audio source, letting viewers hear and feel every touch, pass, and strike with unprecedented clarity.
MLS NEXT Pro announced North Texas SC forward Sam Sarver has been named the 2025 MVP after a breakout campaign that saw the 22-year-old captain rewrite his club’s scoring history and finish near the top of the league’s charts. Sarver’s award caps a season in which he finished as the runner-up in the Golden Boot race and earned a spot on the league’s Best XI.
Ex-Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez’s time at Club Leon is coming to an end, with the Mexican side deciding not to renew his contract beyond the 2025 Apertura tournament. The Colombian playmaker will soon be on the move again, in search of what could become the 13th club of his career, as he weighs up offers from Mexico and abroad.
James Rodríguez is reportedly set to leave Club León at the end of the Apertura 2025, as his contract expires in December and neither side intends to renew. With only six months remaining before the 2026 World Cup, the former Real Madrid star will have to find a new destination and could either stay in Liga MX or make the move to MLS.
U.S. international and Vancouver Whitecaps centerback Tristan Blackmon was named Major League Soccer's 2025 Defender of the Year, a reward for an unexpected breakout campaign. Blackmon, 29, spearheaded a defense that allowed just 38 goals in the regular season - second in the league. He is the first player in team history to win the award.
Lionel Messi has revealed his GOATS from basketball and tennis while describing Argentina legend Diego Maradona as his "greatest idol". The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner reflected on the various icons who helped inspire his journey from a boy in Rosario to a global superstar. In his eyes, no one stands taller in the football world than Maradona, the legendary forward who inspired the Albiceleste to the 1986 World Cup.
Los Angeles FC star Son Heung-min says he "can't wait" to return to Tottenham so he can bid a proper goodbye to supporters. The South Korean forward wants to step back into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and thank the supporters who shaped his Premier League legacy. His time in north London ended in the summer as LAFC sealed a £20 million ($27m) deal to lure him to California.
Lionel Messi has urged MLS chiefs to overhaul the league's transfer rules to continue the rapid growth of the competition and bring more of the world’s best players to the United States. The Inter Miami star wants wide-sweeping changes to the Roster Rules, which are often seen as archaic and cumbersome, and have been accused of holding back MLS teams from buying top-tier world talent.
Lionel Messi has revealed the key criteria that will determine whether or not he lines up for defending champions Argentina at next year’s World Cup. The virtuoso forward is enjoying life in America with Inter Miami, but will turn 39 during next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and his inclusion in the Argentina squad is not guaranteed.
The Colorado Rapids have announced that head coach Chris Armas will leave the club after the two sides mutually agreed to part ways. The decision comes after the Rapids narrowly missed the playoffs on the final day of the season. Armas had a 33W-36L-13D record across all competitions during his time with the club.
Hirving “Chucky” Lozano could be nearing a return for San Diego FC after missing recent matches due to an internal issue. The Mexican international was left out of the squad for Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers in the MLS Cup Playoffs opener, marking his second consecutive absence. Head coach Mikey Varas indicated that Lozano may be available for the second game of the best-of-three series, provided his progress continues smoothly throughout the week.
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