Rosalia to Become First Artist Featured on FC Barcelona’s Men’s & Women’s Team Home Kits

Posted on March 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rosalia is picking sides…

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the 30-year-old Spanish singer and songwriter’s Motomami, the Grammy-winning album’s logo will be emblazoned on FC Barcelona’s jerseys for their El Clásico match against Real Madrid.

Rosalia becomes the first artist to be featured on both the men’s and women’s teams home kits as part of Barcelona’s partnership with Spotify.

The limited-edition shirt with the Motomami logo will also be available for fans to purchase.

Rosalía follows Drake who, in October, had his OVO brand owl logo placed on the front of the FC Barcelona men’s jerseys for the match after becoming the first artist to surpass 50 billion streams on Spotify.

“We’re honored to give up our space on the FC Barcelona shirt to celebrate Rosalía – the most streamed Spanish artist on Spotify in 2022,” Marc Hazan, vice president of partnerships, Spotify said in a statement. “It’s a chance to continue the celebration of our unique partnership with FC Barcelona and continue to bring the worlds of football and music together.”

In 2022, Rosalía was the most-streamed Spanish artist in the world on Spotify, with streams of her tracks growing by more than 110% year over year, and she was also the most-streamed female artist in Barcelona, according to the company.

Juli Guiu, vice president of marketing, FC Barcelona, added: “Seeing such a renowned artist as Rosalía on the beloved Barça jersey is a wonderful surprise for our fans around the world. Music and football form a special partnership with a long future ahead of them and we are happy to add another chapter to the story alongside the world’s most popular music streaming platform, Spotify.”

Barcelona’s El Clásico match will take place on March 19. The women’s team will then also wear the Motomami jerseys at their match on March 25.

Both team’s players will also be curating the El Clásico Matchday playlists featuring the top songs to motivate the players in the build up to the matches, which will, of course, include their favorite Rosalía songs.

Rosalía’s Motomami peaked at No. 3 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart. It won the Latin Grammy for album of the year. Most recently, Rosalía confirmed a joint three-song project with boyfriend and fellow artist Rauw Alejandro titled RR, set for release on March 24.

Lionel Messi Named Best FIFA Men’s Player

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is this year’s Best…

The 35-year-old Argentine professional footballer was named Best FIFA Men’s Player at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, beating Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid‘s Karim Benzema.

Messi won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina in December — the country’s first in 36 years — ending his wait for the only major honor to have eluded him in his career.

“It’s amazing. It was a tremendous year and it is an honor for me to be here tonight and win this award,” said Messi, who sat next to Mbappe throughout the ceremony at the Salle Pleyel.

Monday’s award was Messi’s second FIFA The Best title, his first coming in 2019. He has also won a record seven Ballon d’Or awards.

“I want to express my thanks to [coach Lionel] Scaloni and my teammates; without them I would not be here,” Messi added. “I achieved a dream I had been hoping for so long and finally I achieved it. It’s a dream for any player; very few people can achieve that and I was lucky enough to do so.”

Messi scored seven goals at the World Cup in Qatar — including a brace in the thrilling 3-3 final victory on penalties — finishing one behind Golden Boot winner Mbappe.

Messi has scored 16 goals in 27 games in all competitions this season, as well as registering 14 assists, as he chases his second Ligue 1 title in two years at PSG.

Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas won the Best FIFA Women’s award for the second year running, while Argentina’s Scaloni and Emiliano Martinez got the honors for top men’s coach and goalkeeper, respectively.

Rodrygo Helps Lead Real Madrid Past CP Cacereno in Copa del Rey Play

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rodrygo has helped Real Madrid notch an important win…

A second-string Real Madrid side edged fourth-tier CP Cacereno 1-0 in the Copa del Rey last 32 with a late goal from the 21-year-old Brazilian professional footballer as they bid for their first triumph in the competition since 2014.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti made nine changes to the team that won 2-0 at Real Valladolid on Friday, resting several key players including Karim Benzema and Vinícius Junior.

Real Madrid went into the break locked at 0-0 versus Cacereno, with a crowded stadium seeing little action in the opening period.

It took 69 minutes for Real to break the deadlock when Rodrygo eluded the Cacereno defence to get into the box where he elegantly placed his shot into the top-right corner.

The Santos youth product celebrated by honoring the late Pele, replicating his iconic punch in the air.

Cacereno mounted a late push to get an equalizer, but Real Madrid went into defensive mode and ran down the clock.

Real Madrid Has Agreed to Sign Endrick on Five-Year Contract from Palmeiras

Posted on December 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Things are about to get Real for Endrick…

Real Madrid has agreed a deal to sign the 16-year-old Brazilian soccer wonderkid on a five-year contract from Palmeiras, according to ESPN.

Sources said the transfer is worth €72 million, although Endrick will only be able to move to Madrid in 2024, when he turns 18. The deal will begin when the transfer window opens in July 2024, according to sources.

The official announcement depends on Endrick signing the contract and other details thought to be formalities, given both sides have reached an agreement on the terms of the transfer.

Endrick’s release clause was set at €60m, and sources said Real Madrid added €12m to that figure to ward off competition from other clubs and account for taxes.

Sources had told ESPN the forward was being pursued by Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, but the 14-time Champions League winners now appear to have won the race for his signature.

ESPN previously reported that Real Madrid were using a similar strategy to the one which helped them sign Vinicius Junior in 2017 to incorporate another young Brazilian into their squad.

Endrick only made his senior Palmeiras debut on October 6 but helped the Sao Paulo team win this year’s Brasileirao title and became the youngest goal scorer in the club’s history when he scored twice against Athletico Paranaense on October 25.

Enzo Alves, Son of Soccer Legend Marcelo, Signs First Contract with Real Madrid

Posted on December 4, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Enzo Alves is following in his father’s footsteps…

The 13-year-old son of Brazilian Real Madrid legend Marcelo has signed his first contract with the club.

Enzo has featured for Madrid’s academy teams since 2017.

The teenager confirmed the news in an Instagram post on Saturday, saying “My first contract with the best club in the world. Very happy.”

Enzo is a highly rated center forward who plays for Real Madrid’s under-14 side.

He is represented by the agency founded by his father, Group Doze.

Marcelo left Madrid last summer after 15 years at the club, during which he won five Champions League and six LaLiga titles, to join Olympiakos in Greece.

He captained Madrid last season to a Champions League and LaLiga double — although playing a reduced role on the pitch — to become the most decorated player in the club’s history with a total of 25 trophies won.

Marcelo has had a difficult start to life in Greece, making just two substitute appearances in the Super League so far this season.

Several European Soccer Clubs Vying for Brazilian Wonderkid Endrick

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

He’s still a teenager, but Endrick could be playing soccer in Europe soon…

Paris Saint-Germain has made a €45 million offer for the 16-year-old Palmeiras teenager, but the Brazilian team swiftly dismissed the proposal for the forward, according to ESPN Brazil sources.

In a meeting with the player’s agents, the Ligue 1 champions said they were willing to extend the negotiations and meet the player’s release clause of €60 million, sources said.

PSG has been in contact with Endrick’s family for some time and have enlisted their Brazilian forward Neymar to reach out to him. The French giants are confident of getting a deal over the line, sources added.

Chelsea is another team that have been following Endrick’s development and showed interest in matching the €60 million price for the Brazilian wonderkid.

Sources have told ESPN that Chelsea has hosted the player and his family at the club’s training ground, with the Blues’ Brazilian defender Thiago Silva invited to meet his compatriot and convince him to move to London.

People close to Endrick tell ESPN that the final decision will rest with the player and that his dream is to play in the Premier League.

“I don’t pay attention to rumors, I know that to play in Europe, I have to perform well here,” Endrick said this week to the French website So Foot.

“I watch the Champions League, the Premier League, LaLiga, the French championship, the Bundesliga. I look to learn from these stars and see what I can imitate, but I don’t have a favorite club.”

Sources told ESPN that Real Madrid and Barcelona also showed interest in acquiring Endrick and may intensify their pursuits in the coming days.

Endrick could only go to Europe in 2024 when he turns 18. His contract with the Brazilian champions runs until 2025.

Since his debut with Palmeiras on October 6, Endrick has scored three goals and provided one assist in six matches, helping the Sao Paulo team win the 2022 Brasileirao title.

Aged 16 years, three months and four days, he became the youngest goal-scorer in Palmeiras history when scoring twice against Athletico Paranaense on October 25.

Ilie Sanchez Hits Game-Winning Penalty Kick to Give Los Angeles FC Its First MLS Cup Title

Posted on November 6, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Ilie Sanchez has helped lead the Los Angeles FC to its first Major League Soccer championship…

The 31-year-old Spanish professional footballer hit the game-winning goal in an epic championship match at Banc of California Stadium against Philadelphia Union to give the LAFC the teams first MLS Cup title

Sanchez and his LAFC teammates beat the Philadelphia Union on penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw for the ages – and also making the hosts the first team to complete a Cup-Supporters’ Shield double since Toronto FC in 2017.

Gareth Bale’s thunderous 128th-minute equalizing header sent the game into penalty kicks, showing exactly why the Black & Gold signed the superstar forward this summer as he left Real Madrid. That canceled out a possible man-of-the-match performance from Philly center back Jack Elliott, whose first equalizer booked extra frames, and then his go-ahead 124th-minute strike pushed the Union on the verge of a first MLS Cup trophy.

But Bale came up huge with the final whistle nearing, and back-up goalkeeper John McCarthy took the hero’s cape in the PK shootout by saving two Union efforts – from Jose Martinez and Kai Wagner – after Daniel Gazdag sent the Eastern Conference champions’ first attempt over the crossbar.

LAFC first got scores from Denis Bouanga and Ryan Hollingshead in PKs, then Ilie Sanchez’s game-winner from the spot sealed a 3-0 advantage for the Black & Gold from 12 yards out.

From there, celebrations ensued for the Western Conference champions before their 3252 supporters’ section – all in a final that pitted the league’s top two teams against each other for the first time since 2003.

Fernando Hierro Named Sporting Director of Liga MX’s Chivas

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Fernando Hierro is headed to Mexico…

The 54-year-old Spanish former soccer player and former Spain sporting director and manager has been named the new sporting director of Liga MX‘s Chivas.

Monday’s announcement comes less than a week after previous sporting director Ricardo Pelaez was fired and a day after the dismissal of manager Ricardo Cadena.

With Hierro in charge, Chivas’ new leadership will have a few months to prepare for the upcoming 2023 Clausura season.

“It’s a fantastic challenge,” Hierro said. “It’s a different project, a project that carries many millions of Mexicans in its soul.”

Well known for only using players with Mexican heritage, Chivas have a unique setup that relies on domestic talent.

Chivas has a massive following and the second-most Liga MX championships (12) in history, but have not reached a Liga MX final since winning the title in 2017.

Hierro will seek to revive the slumbering giants and his first major task will be bringing in a manager that can help with the process.

“We’re looking for a coach that knows how to work with young people, who knows the league or who has been working closely with the league, also, who has trained in the big leagues in Europe,” Hierro said about the managerial search. “Those are the characteristics we have in mind that the person must have.”

Chivas struggled to just five wins in the 2022 Apertura season as they limp into the play-in round of the playoffs with a ninth-place finish.

Against Puebla on October 9 in the first round of the postseason, Chivas finished with a 1-1 draw in regulation time before being knocked out 5-4 in an ensuing penalty shootout, denying them a place in the final eight of the Liguilla. Cadena and Pelaez were then fired last week.

Before taking over Chivas, Hierro had two previous stints with the Spanish Football Federation as sporting director from 2007-11 and 2017-18. In 2016-17, he managed Real Oviedo.

In the 2018 World Cup, the former Real Madrid player took charge as manager of Spain, stepping in at the final moment when Julen Lopetegui was fired before the tournament.

He made 601 appearances for Real Madrid during an 18-year playing career which saw him win three Champions League titles and five LaLiga titles. He also won 89 caps as a player for Spain.

Bayer Leverkusen Considering Xabi Alonso for Manager Role

Posted on October 4, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Xabi Alonso may be headed to Germany…

Bayer Leverkusen is considering firing current manager Gerardo Seoane and looking to appoint the 40-year-old Spanish football manager and former professional player as his replacement, according to ESPN.

Seoane will be in charge for Leverkusen’s Champions League Group B game with FC Porto on Tuesday, but his future is uncertain after a poor start to the Bundesliga season with the club sitting 17th after picking up five points from eight games.

Alonso has been out of work since leaving Real Sociedad B in May after a successful three years in charge.

Sources told ESPN that he would welcome the challenge of turning around Leverkusen’s season.

Seoane managed Leverkusen to a third-place finish in the Bundesliga in his debut campaign last year, qualifying for the Champions League, but they have struggled so far this season.

Sources told ESPN that Alonso has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Seoane over the last week.

Germany’s Sport1 reported that Leverkusen had contacted Thomas Tuchel, who was sacked by Chelsea last month, but the former Borussia Dortmund coach turned down the approach.

Alonso is highly rated as a managerial prospect. He starred as a player for Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich before retiring in 2017.

He began his coaching career with Real Madrid’s academy before taking over Sociedad’s B team in 2019, leading them to promotion to the Second Division in 2021 for the first time in 60 years before departing this summer.

Sociedad had been keen to keep him on board as a potential future first-team manager, but the performance of Imanol Alguacil in the role meant that was not an option in the short-term, and Alonso preferred to seek a new opportunity.

Marcelo Signs with Greece’s Olympiakos

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Marcelo has a new side…

The 34-year-old Brazilian professional soccer player has signed with Olympiakos after leaving European champions Real Madrid in the summer, the Greek champions have announced.

The club did not reveal the details of his contract but Greek media reported that the former Brazil international signed a one-year deal with an option for another year. He has also been registered to play in the Europa League campaign.

Marcelo, who made 546 appearances for Real Madrid since joining in 2007, left at the end of last season as the most decorated player in the club’s 120-year history with 25 trophies — including five Champions League titles.

“We’ve spoken and we’ve decided it’s best like that,” Marcelo said in confirming his exit after being an unused substitute in May’s Champions League final victory over Liverpool. “I’ve already done everything I had to do at Madrid. I’ve been lucky to be here for 15 and a half years at the best club in the world.”

Marcelo had dismissed retirement and wanted to continue playing in Europe instead of returning to Brazil.

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