Soccer Monday: Messi takes New York, hey Jude and FIFA suspends Rubiales
Kick off your week with all the action from this past weekend
It was a busy weekend across both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Over in Europe, stars shined as leagues continue to set a tone for the start of the season. On this side of the pond, the spotlight was firmly on MLS.
Here are the three big stories you need to know about:
3. Messi mania comes to New York
With Inter Miami leading the New York Red Bulls 1-0, Lionel Messi entered the game in the 60th minute for his first MLS regular season appearance.
The Argentine superstar gave the Red Bull Arena crowd of 26,276 a show, scoring in the 89th minute en route to a 2-0 win. The Florida club had taken the lead in the 37th minute from Diego Gomez.
Inter Miami remain undefeated since Messi debuted in the Leagues Cup last month. Ever since, they have won Leagues Cup and reached the U.S. Open Cup final. The win against the Red Bulls snapped an 11-game winless streak.
“Nothing surprises me anymore from him,” Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino said.
2. Bellingham’s brilliant start
A second-half goal by Jude Bellingham lifted Real Madrid to a third straight win on Friday, downing Celta Vigo 1-0 in La Liga to maintain a perfect start and in first place with nine points.
The 20-year-old star once again led the Spanish giants’ attack — tallying for the fourth time in his first three La Liga matches — after Rodrygo had missed a penalty earlier in the second half. The goal came nine minutes from the end on a brilliant header off a corner kick.
Also in Spain, Girona moved into second place following a 2-1 win on Saturday at Sevilla. Barcelona, meanwhile, fought back to secure a 4-3 win at Villareal on Sunday with Robert Lewandowski bagging the winner in the 71st minute.
Villarreal were the better team throughout the match, but a never-say-die Barca scored at key moments, helped by a brilliant performance from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal, who created most of their opportunities, including an assist and two shots that hit the woodwork.
1. FIFA suspends Spanish FA chief
FIFA suspended Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales on Saturday while its disciplinary committee investigates his conduct following the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney.
The ruling came down six days after Rubiales forcibly kissed Spain’s star player Jenni Hermoso — who said she did not give her consent — while also grabbing his crotch in a lewd victory gesture with Spain’s Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter Sofia.
FIFA said Rubiales has been removed from his duties for 90 days “pending the disciplinary proceedings opened” last Thursday.
Rubiales had refused to resign prior to the FIFA suspension. Meanwhile, Spain’s government — via its Higher Council for Sports — has filed a lawsuit alleging Rubiales violated the country’s laws through sexist acts. Spain’s secretary of state for sports, Víctor Francos, said they would also move to temporarily suspend Rubiales if the courts agrees to hear the case.
In other news: English Premier League clubs have spent a record $2.45 billion on players during the summer transfer window, according to an analysis from Deloitte. Two transfers, for example, have been for more than $125 million each — with midfielders Moises Caicedo joining Chelsea and Declan Rice for Arsenal — compared to none last summer. … Cameron Carter-Vickers is set to miss the U.S.’s next four games after being ruled out for two months by Scottish club Celtic because of a hamstring injury. The center back was substituted as a precaution during halftime of Celtic’s win at Aberdeen in the Scottish league on Aug. 13. … The San Diego Loyal, led by former USMNT star Landon Donovan, will cease operations after their fourth season in the United Soccer League’s second-tier League Championship. Owner Andrew Vassiliadis cited the inability to find locations for a stadium, training facility and academy. The team has played at Torero Stadium, a 6,000-seat venue on the campus of the University of San Diego. MLS announced in May that San Diego will become its 30th team when it joins the league in 2025.
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