Soccer Wiretap

Juventus has emerged as the frontrunner to sign USMNT forward Folarin Balogun this summer, according to Mundo Deportivo. The 25-year-old, currently under contract with Monaco, appears set to leave the club before the end of the transfer window.

Balogun drew global attention during the World Cup round of 16 loss to Belgium, a match overshadowed by controversy after his red card from the round of 32 against Bosnia was overturned. President Donald Trump reportedly contacted FIFA directly regarding the suspension, sparking widespread international attention even though the reversal ultimately did not help the United States advance.

The USMNT struggled to offer Balogun service in that match against Belgium, a performance affected in part by the intense scrutiny surrounding him. Still, he scored three goals across the tournament and reinforced his standing as an in-form forward heading into the summer transfer market.

Juventus already features forwards Jonathan David and Lois Openda and recently added promising 19-year-old Jeff Ekhator. Despite that depth, the Serie A club remains interested in Balogun as a means of elevating its attacking options. Monaco is expected to demand around $57 million to let him leave, and it remains unclear whether Juventus can meet that price given its current financial position.

Juventus already has fellow USMNT players Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah on its roster.

Balogun has also drawn interest from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund and Premier League club Sunderland, though both are considered less likely destinations than Juventus at this stage.

Lionel Messi ranks first among all players in WhoScored ratings for the 2026 FIFA World Cup heading into Sunday's final, posting an 9.12 rating with 8 goals and 4 assists. Messi is the overwhelming favorite to win the Golden Ball at 91 percent on Polymarket. 

Norway's Erling Haaland sits second at 8.14, followed by France's Kylian Mbappe at 8.04.

Brazil's Vinicius Junior and England's Jude Bellingham round out the top five, with Vinicius posting a 7.90 rating on 4 goals and an assist, and Bellingham at 7.74 with a goal and an assist.

Spain fullback Pedro Porro ranks sixth overall at 7.73, contributing 4 goals and 2 assists from the right side. His attacking partner, Lamine Yamal, sits considerably lower at 34th with a 7.24 rating on a single goal.

Germany's Florian Wirtz rounds out the top seven at 7.73 with 3 assists, while Mexico duo Julian Quinones and Roberto Alvarado occupy the eighth and ninth spots. Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo completes the top 10 at 7.56.

Messi also ranked first in the 2022 World Cup when he had a mark of 8.25 with seven goals and three assists. Messi ranked third in the 2014 World Cup at 8.10 when Argentina reached the final and lost to Germany.

2026 FIFA World Cup WhoScored Ratings:

1. Lionel Messi, Argentina: 9.12 (8 goals, 4 assists)
2. Erling Haaland, Norway: 8.14 (6 goals, 0 assists)
3. Kylian Mbappe, France: 8.04 (8 goals, 3 assists)
4. Vinicius Junior, Brazil: 7.90 (4 goals, 1 assist)
5. Jude Bellingham, England: 7.74 (1 goal, 1 assist)
6. Pedro Porro, Spain: 7.73 (4 goals, 2 assists)
7. Florian Wirtz, Germany: 7.73 (0 goals, 3 assists)
8. Julian Quinones, Mexico: 7.64 (4 goals, 1 assist)
9. Roberto Alvarado, Mexico: 7.60 (0 goals, 3 assists)
10. Cody Gakpo, Netherlands: 7.56 (3 goals, 1 assist)
11. Ousmane Dembele, France: 7.54 (5 goals, 2 assists)
12. Ismaila Sarr, Senegal: 7.48 (4 goals, 1 assist)
13. Achraf Hakimi, Morocco: 7.46 (1 goal, 2 assists)
14. Yan Diomande, Ivory Coast: 7.43 (0 goals, 1 assist)
15. Leandro Trossard, Belgium: 7.42 (2 goals, 2 assists)
16. Lisandro Martinez, Argentina: 7.38 (1 goal, 1 assist)
17. Mostafa Shobeir, Egypt: 7.38 (0 goals, 0 assists)
18. Harry Kane, England: 7.36 (6 goals, 1 assist)
19. Charles De Ketelaere, Belgium: 7.35 (3 goals, 1 assist)
20. Diogo Costa, Portugal: 7.33 (0 goals, 0 assists)
21. Matias Galarza, Paraguay: 7.32 (1 goal, 1 assist)
22. Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain: 7.32 (5 goals, 1 assist)
23. Virgil van Dijk, Netherlands: 7.32 (1 goal, 1 assist)
24. Stephen Eustaquio, Canada: 7.31 (2 goals, 0 assists)
25. Aurelien Tchouameni, France: 7.30 (0 goals, 1 assist)
26. Rodri, Spain: 7.29 (0 goals, 0 assists)
27. Jhon Arias, Colombia: 7.29 (1 goal, 0 assists)
28. Alex Freeman, USA: 7.28 (1 goal, 1 assist)
29. Vozinha, Cape Verde: 7.27 (0 goals, 0 assists)
30. Kai Havertz, Germany: 7.27 (3 goals, 0 assists)
31. Mohamed Salah, Egypt: 7.27 (1 goal, 2 assists)
32. Nuno Mendes, Portugal: 7.27 (1 goal, 0 assists)
33. Diney Borges, Cape Verde: 7.25 (0 goals, 0 assists)
34. Lamine Yamal, Spain: 7.24 (1 goal, 0 assists)
35. Elliot Anderson, England: 7.23 (0 goals, 1 assist)
36. Malik Tillman, USA: 7.21 (2 goals, 1 assist)
37. Matheus Cunha, Brazil: 7.20 (3 goals, 0 assists)
38. Raul Jimenez, Mexico: 7.20 (3 goals, 0 assists)
39. Pico Lopes, Cape Verde: 7.19 (0 goals, 0 assists)
40. Lucas Paqueta, Brazil: 7.19 (0 goals, 1 assist)

Both World Cup semifinal matches this week set new viewership records for English-language broadcasts in the United States, with each game topping the previous mark within 24 hours. Wednesday's Argentina-England semifinal averaged 15.063 million viewers on Fox, edging out Tuesday's Spain-France match, which had averaged 11.462 million viewers and briefly held the record.

Argentina defeated England 2-1 in a dramatic finish in Atlanta, with Enzo Fernandez equalizing in the 87th minute before Lautaro Martinez scored the winner four minutes later off a Lionel Messi assist. The match peaked at 22.177 million viewers between 4:45 and 5 p.m. ET and marked Fox's most-watched Wednesday afternoon telecast in network history. Viewership was up 131 percent compared to the average for Fox's 2022 World Cup semifinal broadcasts.

Tuesday's match saw Spain win 2-0 on goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro, sending Spain to its first World Cup final since 2010. That broadcast peaked at 15.560 million viewers at 4:45 p.m. ET and represented a 76 percent increase over the 2022 semifinal average on Fox.

Both matches surpassed the previous English-language semifinal record of 6.595 million viewers, set by the France-Morocco match in 2022.

Telemundo and Peacock also recorded historic numbers for Spanish-language coverage. The Argentina-England match drew a combined 11.4 million viewers in total audience delivery, marking the most-watched World Cup semifinal ever in Spanish-language media and a 139 percent increase over Argentina's 2022 semifinal audience. Tuesday's Spain-France broadcast drew 9.8 million viewers across Telemundo and Peacock, up 154 percent from Spain's last semifinal appearance in 2010.

The ratings surge follows a broader record-breaking tournament for U.S. broadcasters. Fox's coverage of the United States' round-of-16 loss to Belgium on July 6 averaged 33.086 million viewers, becoming the most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history, while Telemundo's broadcast of Mexico's July 5 match against England ranked as the most-watched Spanish-language telecast ever in the country, according to NBCUniversal research.

Aston Villa completed the signing of World Cup breakout star Johan Manzambi from Freiburg on Friday, in a deal reported by British media to exceed $67 million, a record fee for a Swiss player and for Villa. 

The 20-year-old midfielder had also drawn interest from Newcastle before a viral moment following Switzerland's quarterfinal loss last Saturday hinted at his decision. Video captured Manzambi confirming to Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez that he would be joining Aston Villa.

Manzambi previously faced Villa while playing for Freiburg in the Europa League final in May, a match Villa won 3-0 to end a 30-year trophy drought. He was named the competition's young player of the season for that campaign.

The transfer surpasses the previous Swiss record set by Granit Xhaka, who moved from Borussia Monchengladbach to Arsenal in 2016 for roughly $51 million.

Manzambi emerged as one of the breakout performers of this year's World Cup, scoring three goals and adding two assists across four appearances before suffering a knee injury in training ahead of Switzerland's round-of-16 win over Colombia. He began the tournament as a substitute before becoming a starter following a two-goal performance off the bench in a 4-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Switzerland coach Murat Yakin deployed Manzambi in a more advanced, creative role during the tournament, a departure from the deeper midfield position he typically occupied at Freiburg. Manzambi began his career with Servette in his home city of Geneva before moving to Freiburg at age 17 without ever appearing in the Swiss top flight. Swiss outlet Tribune de Geneve reported that Servette did not negotiate a sell-on clause that would have entitled the club to a share of this transfer fee.

Villa's midfield has seen significant turnover this summer. Attacking midfielder Youri Tielemans departed for Manchester United on July 14, and a source told ESPN that France defender Lucas Digne is set to complete a summer move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Mauricio Pochettino said he will announce a decision on his future as United States men's national team coach next week. The Argentine manager is currently negotiating a contract extension with U.S. Soccer that would run through the 2030 World Cup.

Pochettino, whose current deal expires at the end of this tournament, addressed his future during an interview with Spanish radio Cadena Cope on Thursday.

"We are evaluating it, looking at it," said Pochettino. "They [U.S. Soccer] have made me an offer to continue, and we will see. Next week we will [make] a decision."

The former Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager drew reported interest from several European clubs earlier this year. U.S. Soccer remains hopeful he will stay despite the team's disappointing exit in the round of 16 against Belgium, a result that eliminated the tournament co-hosts.

Pochettino, 54, took over the USMNT in September 2024 and guided the team to strong group-stage performances, including a 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 32, before the elimination against Belgium.

With his focus now turned to Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and his native Argentina, Pochettino offered high praise for the matchup.

"Yes, absolutely," said Pochettino, when asked whether it would be the best final in 40 years. "Everyone is eager to watch the World Cup champions and Copa America champions take on European champions Spain. They both deserve to be in the final. I think it's the best game you can watch nowadays. I have no doubt this is going to be one of the most important games in history. For me there is no favorite. Argentina have the confidence of having won the Copa America and World Cup. For Spain, this is a big challenge to take on [Lionel] Messi's Argentina. But Spain players can handle it."

Messi, 39, set up both of Argentina's goals in Wednesday's 2-1 semifinal win over England. Pochettino identified limiting Messi's influence as central to Spain's chances of winning the title.

"The further away Messi is from your goal, the better," said Pochettino. "You have to put a lot of pressure on Argentina to stop them linking up with him. That's crucial. These days, man-marking is impossible. Spain will try to press Argentina and impose their own team play. I think Argentina is a team that manage the flow of the game very well, showing great patience throughout the match. They have that aura that Messi exudes, even at almost 40, he still has that charisma and the respect of his opponents. That makes them a formidable side, but Spain is a very well-organized team."

Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain remains unaffected by air quality warnings across the New York and New Jersey area, sources told ESPN. Health alerts were issued after wildfire smoke from Canada spread across large portions of the northeastern United States.

FIFA does not consider the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to be at risk, with the weather forecast expected to improve, sources said. A separate MLS match between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Chicago Fire was postponed Thursday at Soldier Field due to poor air quality conditions in that region.

The National Weather Service's New York office addressed conditions in a social media post Friday.

"Smoke still lingers today, especially towards the south, but it should be less intense than yesterday in our region. The smoke may thicken again in the overnight into Saturday morning," the agency wrote.

New York's Office of Emergency Management described air quality as "unhealthy for everyone" Friday, an improvement from Thursday's designation of "very unhealthy."

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with FIFA president Gianni Infantino later Friday, with White House FIFA Task Force executive director Andrew Giuliani among administration officials monitoring the wildfire situation, according to a White House official granted anonymity to discuss internal talks.

Weather has disrupted the tournament on multiple occasions already. England's match against Mexico in Mexico City was delayed an hour due to severe weather, while France's match against Iraq was halted for more than two hours.

Spain midfielder Mikel Merino addressed the situation ahead of Sunday's final.

"For a game that is as important as a World Cup final, you have to be able to shut out external factors as much as possible," said Merino. "Luckily, we are being careful with every detail thanks to the federation and the organizers of the World Cup."

Spain practiced outdoors in East Hanover, New Jersey, on Thursday despite hazardous conditions, a decision that drew concern from experts who felt the session should have been moved indoors. Requests to FIFA and the Spanish Football Federation asking whether an indoor alternative was considered went unanswered.

Air quality improved Friday, though uncertainty remains around potential rainfall of up to 1.25 inches expected Saturday. Argentina enters Sunday's final seeking a second consecutive title after defeating France in the previous final, while Spain is chasing its second World Cup championship since 2010.

Spain are favored at approximately 58 percent, according to Polymarket.

England and France meet Saturday in Miami for the third-place playoff. The tournament's Golden Boot race also remains unresolved, with France's Kylian Mbappe and Argentina's Lionel Messi tied at eight goals apiece, and France's Ousmane Dembele and Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal each with five. Goals scored in the third-place match will count toward final totals.

Despite England's disappointing semifinal exit to Argentina in which they squandered a 1-0 lead late in the second half, multiple sources familiar with the squad's dynamics described the atmosphere as largely positive and cohesive throughout the World Cup. The momentum began with an opening win over Croatia in Dallas, a comeback win over DR Congo in the Round of 32, and an instant classic against Mexico at the Azteca in which they held a 3-2 win after going down to 10 men.

Manager Thomas Tuchel emphasized collective bonding over individual stardom throughout the buildup to this tournament, building what players internally referred to as a "brotherhood." Winger Anthony Gordon summarized that mindset following England's round-of-16 win over Mexico.

"Killing our egos," said Gordon, "and putting ourselves beneath the end goal."

England set up its base camp in the quiet suburbs outside Kansas City, a choice partly meant to keep players away from the intense scrutiny they typically face at home. Their hotel doubled as a recreational hub, stocked with a pool table, dart board, swimming pool, basketball court and an outdoor fire pit where players regularly gathered. Midfielder Jude Bellingham brought the card game Skyjo into the squad's rotation of downtime activities.

Bellingham, who at times seemed withdrawn during Euro 2024, appeared far more engaged with this group, aided by the presence of close friend Jordan Henderson. Henderson remained a steady presence even after fracturing his wrist following the Mexico victory, returning briefly to Kansas City for surgery before rejoining teammates for the remainder of the tournament.

Sources indicated that several fringe squad members grew increasingly restless as the seven-week trip stretched on, especially those who rarely saw the field. Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo emerged as the clearest example, visibly frustrated as playing time never materialized and often among the first to exit the pitch following matches.

Even so, the overall mood inside the squad stayed largely positive across the World Cup, according to sources, a notable difference from some of the friction that reportedly surrounded England camps under previous coaching regimes.

The Football Association's first choice to lead England into this World Cup as manager was Pep Guardiola, with whom it reached a verbal agreement in 2024 before he chose to remain at Manchester City, according to a new report from The Athletic. That decision ultimately led the FA to Thomas Tuchel, a Champions League-winning manager, who was appointed that October with the explicit goal of ending England's 60-year wait for a World Cup title.

Tuchel is safe in his job despite England's semifinal exit to Argentina. His contract included clauses that could have allowed either side to end the partnership had England been eliminated before the quarterfinals. But despite the manner of the defeat, which has caused widespread frustration domestically, and the fact that Guardiola, now available after departing Manchester City at the end of the season, would presumably still be interested in the role given his prior agreement to take it, Tuchel appears certain to continue in the position.

Guardiola's departure from City opened the possibility of revisiting that earlier interest, but sources indicate the FA remains committed to Tuchel, who signed a contract extension in February running through Euro 2028. That tournament will be played on English soil, where the team will again be considered among the favorites.

Guardiola could possibly be revisited as manager depending on the results of Euro 2028 and ahead of the 2030 World Cup. Guardiola is not expected to immediately take another managing job following his extended run at City.

Jurgen Klopp, who was Guardiola's primary peer in the Premier League, recently accepted the managerial job with Germany. Luis de a Fuente appears entrenched as manager of Guardiola's home country of Spain.

New York City FC confirmed interest in signing Christian Pulisic but acknowledged AC Milan has no intention of selling the American star. NYCFC president Brad Sims addressed the situation Thursday at a Major League Soccer event promoting the league's return.

"If you ask any of my 29 counterparts across the league if they would be interested in having Christian Pulisic on their team, I'm pretty sure you'd get 29 yesses," said Sims.

ESPN reported last month that Milan had already rejected an approach from NYCFC for Pulisic. His current contract runs through June 2027, with a club option to extend the deal an additional year. Pulisic currently has a $46 million valuation, according to Transfermarkt. There would also be significant commercial benefits for Pulisic to play in MLS.

Sims acknowledged the pursuit remains unlikely given Milan's stance.

"Would MLS from a league standpoint love to have Christian Pulisic here? I think the answer to that would be yes," said Sims. "If AC Milan doesn't want to give him up, then it's dead in the water. And so I think ultimately we're believers that Christian wants to play in MLS, wants to be back home and at whatever the point in time that is, we would think and hope that New York City FC would be very high on his list of teams that he would want to play for."

Pulisic, an attacking midfielder from Hershey, Pennsylvania, turns 28 in September. He joined Milan three years ago following stints at Borussia Dortmund from 2016-19 and Chelsea from 2019-23. He has scored 33 goals in 90 international appearances but endured a difficult World Cup, failing to score and recording just one assist while battling injuries throughout the tournament.

Pulisic missed one U.S. match entirely and exited two others early, ultimately fracturing his right leg during the round-of-16 loss to Belgium.

"I felt really good this summer with the guys and I thought my level was high," said Pulisic. "It's disappointing I didn't quite have the moments I was hoping to and to try to help us to get over this next step of beating a really good team."

Pulisic scored 10 goals in his first 15 appearances for Milan last season but finished the campaign in a career-worst scoreless stretch, failing to find the net in 19 matches after Dec. 28.

Thomas Tuchel said England's approach to possession-based soccer needs to change if the team hopes to win major tournaments, while confirming he remains fully committed to staying in the role. His comments came after England's World Cup semifinal exit to Argentina.

England appeared on course for its first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute goal put them ahead in Atlanta. The team then grew passive and conceded twice late, falling 2-1 after goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez.

The result marked the fourth time England has surrendered a lead in a major knockout match under similar circumstances, following previous collapses against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semifinal, Italy in the Euro 2020 final, and Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Tuchel addressed whether a shift in England's mentality is possible following the latest setback.

"If it happens, then it has to be changed," said Tuchel. "But I'm not sure, I always try to think in football terms, in football matters. I haven't seen the data yet but I think right after the goal, the momentum swings completely in ball possession, chances and it drops dramatically. We got too passive within our structure. I tried to help, not to become more passive with a back five but to be more active, to be quicker out to the wingers, not to open up the gaps between the back four.

"We encouraged everyone to step out, to be more active within the structure, but we just struggled. We couldn't find any duels any more which was why we dropped deeper and deeper, which was never the plan but it happened. We needed to get back on the ball otherwise you cannot break the pressure and you cannot get the momentum back. I think ball possession plays a crucial role. It's maybe not in our DNA like it is in the Spanish DNA or Argentinian or Brazilian DNA to take the ball, control the game and the ball, which is also a big problem."

Tuchel faced criticism for his in-game decisions, including replacing goalscorer Gordon with defender Ezri Konsa midway through the second half. The German manager, who signed a contract through 2028 before the tournament, received backing from the Football Association and reaffirmed his desire to lead England into the home European Championships.

"Yes, 100%. There is still enough to improve, and I am more than happy to do that," said Tuchel. "I've loved it. I loved every day. I said after the [Norway] game that I see a disconnect from what I see in training on a football level and within the games, I think we can impose ourselves more on the ball. I still think we can show how good football players we are. I think that is still in us, as I see it in training and in every camp. And here also at the World Cup. I still feel there is an extra level that we need to conquer and need to step up to the next level to get the big prize."