Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: May 26, 2026, 5:44 PM ET

World Cup Roster Movements

Mauricio Pochettino named a 26-man roster for the USMNT on Tuesday, featuring stars Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and Weston McKennie. While the selection stayed true to Pochettino's style, analysts suggest his midfield risks could create a domino effect during the tournament. This announcement follows leaks in New York City and prior speculation regarding who would make the final cut. In a separate national team development, former coach Gregg Berhalter noted that his firing might provide his son, Sebastian, a clearer path to a starting role.

International squad news continues as Spain included Lamine Yamal but notably left out all Real Madrid players. Meanwhile, Morocco included captain Achraf Hakimi despite an injury sustained during the Champions League semi-finals against Bayern Munich. Colombia confirmed a 26-player group led by Luis Diaz and James Rodriguez, the latter of whom returned from illness to secure his spot. Other notable inclusions include Jose Cordoba as the sole UK-based player for Panama and Thomas Partey in Ghana's preliminary list.

Premier League Transitions

The Premier League enters a period of upheaval as Pep Guardiola departs Manchester City after 10 seasons. To mark the exit, Michael Jordan joined other stars at a farewell party honoring the manager's legacy. City is already negotiating with Enzo Maresca to succeed him, though Guardiola refused to advise the club on a specific replacement. This managerial shift comes as the League Managers' Association reported that over 200 coaches lost their jobs last season, reflecting a volatile "hire and fire" culture.

At the other end of the table, West Ham suffered relegation to the Championship despite a 3-0 victory over Leeds. The club's 14-year top-flight run ended in disappointment, leading to reports that Scott Parker or Gary O'Neil could replace Nuno Espirito Santo. Similarly, Tottenham avoided relegation on the final day, though Gary Neville described their season as "pathetic" and urged the ownership to conduct a review of their failure.

Transfer Market & Club News

In Scotland, Rangers finalized a deal to sign striker Lawrence Shankland from Hearts. Shankland described the move to his boyhood club as a dream, while analysts question if he will become Scotland's main striker for the World Cup. Other Scottish moves include Graeme Shinnie leaving Aberdeen upon his contract's expiration and Nicky Clark appointing his father as an assistant at Queen of the South.

Women's football faces a major shift as Alexia Putellas announced she is leaving Barcelona after 14 years. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner is being pursued by London City Lionesses, who have already made an offer for her services. In the WSL, Manchester City secured a contract u-turn by signing Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw to a new four-year deal, making her one of the highest paid players globally.

European & International Results

Liverpool's era of dominance saw an emotional end as Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson departed following a 1-1 draw with Brentford. The club's recent spending spree, which totaled £415m, has left coach Arne Slot to navigate a roster transition. In Italy, Antonio Conte is leaving Napoli one year after winning the Serie A title. Meanwhile, AC Milan fired coach Massimiliano Allegri and CEO Giorgio Furlani following what the club termed an "unequivocal failure" of a season.

Other international results include Mamelodi Sundowns winning their second African Champions League title via a 2-1 aggregate win over AS FAR. In Portugal, second-division Torreense stunned Sporting to win the Portuguese Cup with a 2-1 extra-time victory. In the US, Inter Miami won 6-4 over the Philadelphia Union, though the victory was overshadowed by a leg injury to Lionel Messi in the 72nd minute.

Other Sports Briefs

In tennis, Coco Gauff began her title defense at the French Open with a 6-4 6-0 win over Taylor Townsend, while Cam Norrie retired in his opening match against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo. In golf, Wyndham Clark won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and Richard Sterne ended a 13-year drought by winning the Soudal Open. Additionally, Tyson Fury announced a warm-up fight in Dublin for August 1. In the NBA, the New York Knicks reached the Finals for the first time since 1999 after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers.