Former LAFC boss Cherundolo to lead United States at 2028 Olympics
Steve Cherundolo will lead the United States’ men’s team at their home Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. The United States reached the quarter-finals of the Olympic football tournament in Paris two years ago, having not competed at any of the previous three editions of the Games. And ahead of participating on home soil next time out, they have turned to Cherundolo, who won 87 caps for the USA between 1999 and 2012. After turning to management, Cherundolo led Los Angeles FC to an MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield double in 2022, as well as the U.S. Open Cup in 2024. He stepped down at the end of the 2025 MLS season, which ended with a Western Conference semifinal defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps. Proven winner with a wealth of experience Steve Cherundolo is ready to lead us to @LA28 https://t.co/R4uwi720Kl pic.twitter.com/1yBY4QjfCh — U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) July 9, 2026 “Representing the United States at the Olympic Games is one of the greatest honours in sports, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this team,” Cherundolo told U.S. Soccer’s website. “I believe we have an exciting group of players with tremendous potential, and I’m looking forward to building an environment where they can challenge themselves, grow together, and represent our country with pride. “Our responsibility is to compete with courage, humility, and a clear identity, one that reflects the values of U.S. Soccer and gives our supporters a team they can be proud of.” The post Former LAFC boss Cherundolo to lead United States at 2028 Olympics appeared first on SoccerNews.
Gnabry keen to get back among the goals for Bayern after missing World Cup
Serge Gnabry is counting down the days until he is able to celebrate scoring for Bayern Munich again, after an adductor injury dashed his World Cup dream. Gnabry was absent for Germany’s disappointing campaign in North America, which ended via a penalty shoot-out defeat to Paraguay in the round of 32, after sustaining the issue in April. He was ruled out for an “extended period” after being injured in training, meaning he also missed the end of Bayern’s Bundesliga-winning campaign and their Champions League semi-final defeat to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain. Gnabry scored 10 goals and provided 12 assists across all competitions in 2025-26 (after the Club World Cup), with only Harry Kane (68), Michael Olise (48) and Luis Diaz (45) tallying more goal involvements for Vincent Kompany’s team. As the winger continues his rehabilitation ahead of Bayern’s season curtain-raiser against Borussia Dortmund, in the DFL-Supercup on August 22, he is desperate to get back among the goals. Asked how he was progressing in an interview with Bayern’s website, Gnabry said: “Very good, because I can feel I’m making progress with every session. That’s fun. “Of course, it’s much more fun to work with the team, I must admit. I miss the lads, team training, the intensity when the ball is involved. The focus in rehab is mainly on endurance, which isn’t exactly the most fun, as you can imagine. “But it’s crucial for being able to play again. The days are long; it’s often the same routine with a lot of repetitions and exercises – it’s a very different challenge. “I keep reminding myself: you’re doing all this to be able to play again. I’m just looking forward to really enjoying football again and playing with a clear head. “I could do hardly anything during the first seven weeks – I missed football the most then. That’s why I can hardly to wait to finally play again, score a goal and celebrate it with the fans – that’s always the highlight for a striker.” After the DFL-Supercup, Bayern will open their Bundesliga campaign at home to Stuttgart on August 28, before visiting second-tier Osnabruck for a DFB-Pokal first-round tie. The post Gnabry keen to get back among the goals for Bayern after missing World Cup appeared first on SoccerNews.
Alonso: Potential of young squad attracted me to Chelsea
Xabi Alonso says the potential in Chelsea’s young squad was a key factor that enticed him to take the manager’s job at Stamford Bridge. Alonso agreed a four-year contract with the Blues in May and formally took the reins on Thursday, as their players returned for pre-season training. The arrival of the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid boss comes off the back of a tumultuous season in which Chelsea parted company with Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, with Calum McFarlane having two spells as interim manager, the second of which included a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Alonso built his managerial reputation in Germany, leading Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in 2023-24, though they did lose the Europa League final to Atalanta. The Spaniard then lasted just half a season at Madrid, though, with rumours of unrest behind the scenes leading to his dismissal in January after winning 24 of his 34 matches (70.6%). Alonso’s historic links with Liverpool, for whom he made 210 appearances as a player between 2004 and 2009, ensured there were eyebrows raised when he joined Chelsea. But with the Todd Boehly regime having spent over £1.5billion on transfers since 2022, mostly on young players, Alonso is excited by the tools at his disposal. “To be part of this club, it’s a great club, one of the best in the world, with great success over the last few decades,” he told Chelsea’s website. “It’s a big privilege to be part of it, and now I’m looking forward to the challenge. “The message is we want to share that belief that good things will come if we are together, and we create this strength. “It has to come from us to bring the energy, but together, we can achieve great things in the coming years. “The potential of the team and squad made me very excited to find a squad I can work with, create a football idea and bring excitement to the stadium and connect with the fans.” Chelsea have already been busy in the transfer market, bringing in Marco Palestra and seeing Geovany Quenda arrive in a pre-agreed deal, with those two fees totalling £91m (€107m). The average age of the players used by Chelsea in the Premier League last season was 25 years and 12 days. Throughout the season, 16 different players who are currently under the age of 24 got minutes for Chelsea, who did not hand a single minute to a player aged 30 or above. Moreover, of the 10 players who played the most minutes for the Blues, seven had joined the club before turning 24. Alonso’s first competitive game at the helm will be a short trip across west London on August 24 to face Fulham, who recently appointed his Madrid successor, Alvaro Arbeloa. The post Alonso: Potential of young squad attracted me to Chelsea appeared first on SoccerNews.
‘England are clear favourites’ – Haaland ups the ante ahead of World Cup showdown
Erling Haaland has started the mind games ahead of Norway’s clash with England, who he claims are “clear favourites” to win Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final. Norway, featuring at the World Cup for the first time since 1998, and England face off in Miami with a place in the last four on the line. England and Norway have met 12 times prior, with this their first meeting since a 1-0 friendly win for the Three Lions in September 2014. Overall, Norway have won just two of those 12 matches (D3 L7), failing to score in any of their last four. Haaland has scored in each of his last 14 competitive outings for Norway (27 goals in total), finding the back of the net in all four of his appearances at the World Cup so far (seven goals total). The last player to score in each of his first five games at the tournament was Colombia’s James Rodriguez in 2014, while the last European player to do so was Germany’s Gerd Muller in 1970. However, he sees England as being the big favourites to progress. “I think everyone should stay humble – but they should be confident of progressing, definitely,” Haaland said of England during a press conference. “I think there are some clear favourites out there. “I think England is one of them, so I think every single one of you should put pressure on the English lads!” 1 – Erling Haaland is the only player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to: – score with his left foot – score with his right foot – score a header – score from inside the box – score from outside the box Lethal. pic.twitter.com/rR3a5tvQ4M — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 9, 2026 Opta’s supercomputer is backing Haaland’s prediction, forecasting an England win in regulation time (50.1%). There is a 25.5% chance Norway will win within 90 minutes. England, though, have been eliminated from five of their last six World Cup knockout-round matches against European opposition and each of their last three in succession. Their latest defeat saw them lose 2-1 to France at the quarter-final stage of the 2022 tournament. “It’s a special game, definitely,” added Haaland, who was born in England and is one of the stars of the Premier League. “I think for me, it’s super special because I play in England, and I’m born in England, and you also play against team-mates and everything. “So it’s a bit, not weird, but it’s a funny game, and it’s going to be nice.” England came through their frantic last-16 tie with Mexico City battered and bruised, and the Three Lions discovered on Thursday that Jarell Quansah, who was sent off in that match, has received a two-game ban. Dan Burn came on from the bench to help England see off Mexico, making a joint-game-high six clearances despite only playing 26 minutes. And the Newcastle United man is relishing going up against Haaland. He said: “I do enjoy playing against Erling purely just from a physical point of view. “I quite like that sort of physical battle, and I get on well with him on the pitch. We do get on quite well, although you’d have to ask him if he thinks the same thing. “If I’m asked to do that, I’ll be more than ready and more than happy to do that. “But obviously I also know that we’ve got sort of four other centre halves here who are also top-quality players and have played this whole tournament because of that too.” The post ‘England are clear favourites’ – Haaland ups the ante ahead of World Cup showdown appeared first on SoccerNews.
Pulisic a doubt for AC Milan’s season opener after microfracture
Christian Pulisic could miss the start of AC Milan’s Serie A season after suffering a microfracture and bone bruise in his right leg. Pulisic sustained the injury during the United States’ World Cup round-of-16 loss to Belgium, being forced off in the second half. It was his second injury of the tournament, having also missed a group-stage match due to a calf issue. Neither Milan nor the USA have confirmed how long he is set to be sidelined, though Italian media reports say he could be out for three to six weeks. Christian Pulisic has been diagnosed with a microfracture and bone bruise of the tibia/fibula in his right leg suffered during the match against Belgium. U.S. Soccer and AC Milan will be collaborating on his recovery plan. pic.twitter.com/YMoOedpTxd — U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) July 9, 2026 That means he could be available for Milan’s Serie A opener against Torino on August 23, though he will also have missed much of pre-season. Pulisic has struggled for form in recent months; he netted eight goals and registered four assists in the Italian top flight in 2025-26 but did not hit the back of the net after the turn of the year. In fact, he has not scored in any of his last 19 league matches for Milan, registering just two assists in that time. The post Pulisic a doubt for AC Milan’s season opener after microfracture appeared first on SoccerNews.
Mingueza becomes Sage’s first signing at Crystal Palace
Pierre Sage has sealed his first signing as Crystal Palace boss following the arrival of Oscar Mingueza from Celta Vigo on a free transfer. Mingueza has signed a four-year contract with the Conference League champions. The full-back came through Barcelona’s academy before joining Celta in 2022, going on to make 147 appearances in all competitions. He registered six assists in all competitions for Celta in 2025-26, the joint-second highest tally in the squad, while only Iago Aspas (57) created more chances than he did (44). In fact, only two LaLiga defenders – Trent Alexander-Arnold (45) and Andrei Ratiu (55) – created more chances across all competitions last term than Mingueza. Mingueza was also named in the Europa League Team of the Season after helping Celta reach the quarter-finals. They were knocked out by eventual runners-up Freiburg. Welcome to South London, Óscar Mingueza pic.twitter.com/ynMogmSi2D — Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) July 9, 2026 “I think it’s a really good place for me and for my family to be in London, and I’m really excited,” he told Palace TV. “I already want to start training and playing. “I think it’s an exciting time. It’s something that made me want to come to Crystal Palace – the new coach, the way he plays and that the last few years at this club have been really good. “I hope we can continue going on, and we will try to win more trophies.” Mingueza’s signing comes the day after Palace tied Daichi Kamada to the club with a new one-year extension through to June 2027. The post Mingueza becomes Sage’s first signing at Crystal Palace appeared first on SoccerNews.
Wales captain Wilson delighted to see Bellamy stay
Wales captain Harry Wilson was delighted to hear head coach Craig Bellamy would not be joining Burnley. Bellamy was in talks to join the Championship club as their new head coach, having previously worked as part of the Clarets’ backroom staff during Vincent Kompany’s tenure. However, he could not agree a deal with the Clarets, who parted company with Scott Parker after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed in April. The 46-year-old was appointed as Wales boss in 2024 but failed to lead them to the World Cup, as they lost on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina in a play-off semi-final tie. He did, however, help Wales earn promotion in the Nations League, going unbeaten in League B against Turkiye, Iceland and Montenegro. “Yes, obviously from a selfish point of view, I’m delighted that he stayed,” Wilson told BBC Sport. On this day in 2016… Our first appearance at a major tournament semi-finals. pic.twitter.com/afDC0P4vVM — Wales (@Cymru) July 6, 2026 “I think since he’s come in 18 months, two years ago, he’s definitely made me a better player. “He’s definitely made our country a better team. “The way he plays, the ideas he’s got across to us, the way he sees football, from a personal point of view, it’s benefited me and I think if you ask everyone in that squad, they’ll say the same. “So, yes, I’m delighted he’s staying because we’ve got a massive Nations League campaign and then beyond that, a home Euros as well.” Bellamy will lead Wales in their Nations League, League A campaign, where they will face Portugal, Norway and Denmark in Group 4. Then, all eyes will turn towards qualifying for Euro 2028, where Wales are one of five host nations, but none of those sides will be automatically awarded a place at the tournament. Instead, two spots will be reserved for the best-performing host nations that fail to qualify. The post Wales captain Wilson delighted to see Bellamy stay appeared first on SoccerNews.
Putellas wants to ‘reinvent’ herself in WSL with London City Lionesses
Alexia Putellas believes she can “reinvent” herself with London City Lionesses, describing her move to the Women’s Super League upstarts as the biggest challenge available to her. On Tuesday, London City announced the landmark arrival of the two-time Ballon d’Or winner on a three-year contract, following her recent exit from Barcelona. Putellas left Barca on a free transfer after winning 38 trophies in 14 years with the Catalan giants, including four Champions League crowns and 10 Liga F titles. She played 507 games for Barca while scoring 232 goals. Melanie Serrano (516) is the only player ahead of her for all-time appearances for the women’s team, while nobody can match her goal return. Last season, as Barca reclaimed the Champions League trophy, Putellas led all players in the competition for goal involvements (14), shots (38), chances created from open play (36), big chances created (10) and through-balls (nine). Given her recent success at the very top level, Putellas’ decision to join a team that only played in the WSL for the first time last season, finishing sixth, has come as a surprise. But the 32-year-old’s main objective when choosing a new club was to test herself. “The criteria I followed were the same as the ones I follow every season: To challenge myself, to push myself to my limits, to reinvent myself,” she said as her unveiling, as quoted by ESPN. Good morning, London City fans pic.twitter.com/FCqMf0bwDn — London City Lionesses (@LC_Lionesses) July 9, 2026 “So, all of those made me think about what situations, what clubs I could get that at. The biggest challenge was London City. That’s what really motivated me. “It’s going to be like my fuel and my engine, all of those challenges: an independent club, moving to a new country, to a young team, which is different to an established team. “A lot of people were asking me, ‘Why do you like to complicate things like this?’ I say: ‘If I didn’t have that, I couldn’t be the player I want to be.’ “I constantly need a bit of a challenge. And this was the biggest challenge I had on the table.” London City have been busy in recent weeks, also signing former England goalkeeper Mary Earps, as well as Grace Geyoro, Delphine Cascarino, and Jana Fernandez. And Putellas is particularly excited about the prospect of playing in England, adding: “I know that the league is improving. “It’s one of the best leagues in the world, and for me, the most competitive league in the world. “For me, it’s very important, these things. Even more in a World Cup year, so I want to compete every weekend.” The post Putellas wants to ‘reinvent’ herself in WSL with London City Lionesses appeared first on SoccerNews.
New Brentford forward Wilson relishing Thiago link-up and eyeing 100 Premier League goals
Callum Wilson is excited by the prospect of playing with Igor Thiago and is hopeful of reaching 100 Premier League goals quickly after joining Brentford on a free transfer. Wilson has penned a one-year contract at the Gtech Community Stadium, following his departure from West Ham. The 34-year-old scored seven goals in 32 Premier League appearances last season despite only 11 of those outings being starts, as they were relegated to the Championship. Only Jarrod Bowen (nine) netted more league goals for the Hammers in 2025-26, which represented a bounce-back campaign for Wilson on an individual level, after he failed to net in 18 outings for Newcastle United in the competition the previous season. Excluding that 2024-25 campaign, Wilson has scored at least seven goals in eight of his last nine Premier League seasons, and he is on 95 overall in the competition. Wilson netted 41 top-flight goals for Bournemouth and 47 for Newcastle, before his stint at West Ham. And one of his aims in West London will be to bring up his century, as he told Brentford’s website: “I don’t shy away from the fact that I’m five goals away from 100, so I feel like five chances are going to come pretty quickly here and it’ll be a great opportunity to achieve that.” A master of his art Callum Wilson is here pic.twitter.com/KASjrhbai0 — Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) July 9, 2026 Keith Andrews’ side only missed out on European qualification on goal difference last season after finishing ninth, with striker Igor Thiago netting 22 times to finish second in the Golden Boot race behind Erling Haaland (27). Asked about the Brazilian’s outstanding campaign, Wilson said: “Many people in my position as a striker, off the back of Thiago having a fantastic season, would probably shy away from the challenge of joining the club. “For me, it’s about coming and sharing the load, helping out as a striking department and also adding my qualities as well. “We’re different strikers, but sometimes I’m guessing we’ll play together as well, so it’ll be nice to be part of it and help the team climb up the league. The club were so close to Europe last year and, this year, hopefully, we can get over the line. “[Thiago] had a fantastic season. I’m here to push, to compete and, like I say, it’s about being a striking unit or department. “Strikers don’t score 20-plus goals for no reason; there’s obviously service behind that and team-mates who are looking for you. There are going to be opportunities.” The post New Brentford forward Wilson relishing Thiago link-up and eyeing 100 Premier League goals appeared first on SoccerNews.
Olmo backs ‘indispensable’ Pedri to bounce back for Spain
Dani Olmo believes Pedri is “indispensable” for Spain and backs the midfielder to bounce back from his performance against Portugal. Spain reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Portugal, courtesy of Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time winner. Pedri failed to make his usual impact for Spain in the victory, struggling to penetrate Portugal’s backline while only winning one of his five duels; he won five of his seven duels against Austria in the previous round. Spain also scored their winner after Pedri was replaced late on, but Olmo defended his compatriot and Barcelona team-mate. “Pedri is a spectacle to watch, to train, and to play,” said Olmo. “Every time I see him, he’s spectacular. “With and without the ball, having him on the field, knowing Pedri is playing gives you an extra boost. “He’s a player we have to have and need on the pitch; he’s indispensable for us.” 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆.#VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/1XtsQxqBjj — Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) July 8, 2026 Spain face Belgium for a place in the semi-final; they are unbeaten in their last 11 meetings with Belgium in all competitions (W9 D2) since a 1-2 defeat at Euro 1980. Indeed, La Roja have won their last five games in a row against the Red Devils by an aggregate score of 13-1. This will be Spain’s sixth World Cup quarter-final. After being eliminated from each of their first four from 1934 to 2002, La Roja won their last 1-0 against Paraguay in 2010 en route to lifting the trophy. Luis de la Fuente’s side could meet France in the last four, but Olmo refused to look past their clash with Belgium. “We’re only thinking about Belgium; it’s the World Cup quarter-finals, and that’s the priority,” said Olmo. “The quarter-finals come before the semi-finals. “Belgium is a very complete team; they have the best goalkeeper in the world and are very tough. They have exceptional players who we have to be very careful with.” The post Olmo backs ‘indispensable’ Pedri to bounce back for Spain appeared first on SoccerNews.