Charlotte to host MLS All-Star game in 2026 for first time, AP source says
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not been made official. MLS commissioner Don Garber is expected to confirm the venue on Wednesday at a news conference in Charlotte.
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New York Times
22 minutes ago
- New York Times
‘There are no words' – Lionel Messi and his record-breaking scoring for Inter Miami
Two years into his time with Inter Miami, Lionel Messi remains the game-changing superstar he has been throughout his career. Messi, who won the MLS Most Valuable Player award in 2024 with 20 goals and 16 assists in just 19 games played in the regular season, seems intent on increasing his output this year. Miami set the record for most points in a season last year en route to the Supporters' Shield, and the club is again on pace to finish first atop the regular season standings thanks to Messi's recent form. Advertisement Entering Wednesday night's match vs. FC Cincinnati, Messi has scored multiple goals in five consecutive regular-season games, the first player in MLS history to do so. No other player had ever done it in four. You'd be forgiven for having it slip out of your focus, as the streak straddles the Club World Cup. Messi scored two goals in a pair of wins over CF Montréal and the Columbus Crew on May 28 and May 31, respectively. Miami then played four games in the FIFA Club World Cup, with Messi's free kick goal against Porto earning MLS their only win in the tournament and ensuring that Miami would be the only MLS team to advance to the knockout stage. 53' ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? 🐐 Messi scores a GORGEOUS free kick goal and @InterMiami are now leading 2-1 versus @FCPorto! Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #MIAFCP — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 19, 2025 Since returning to MLS play, Messi has seemed intent on making a statement as rumors swirl about his future — even as sources close to Miami and the player have insisted that he is nearing an extension to remain in South Florida. Messi has scored two goals in each of his last three games — all wins — over Montréal, the New England Revolution and Nashville SC. That lifts Messi's season tally to 16 goals — tied with Nashville's Sam Surridge for the league lead — and seven assists in 16 games played. While Miami is five points back of the Philadelphia Union, who sit in first place in the Supporters' Shield table, it has three games in hand. Miami is setting the pace with two points per game — ahead of the Union's 1.95 pace – and is 6-2-2 in its last 10 games, having not lost in MLS play since May 17. It's riding a five-game winning streak, which coincides with Messi's latest goal binge. Advertisement 'There are no words. What he continues to do is incredible — breaking records every three days,' Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the Nashville win. 'It's what I have said a thousand times in this room: He's the flagbearer of this team, he sets the standard for how we compete, he is the leader, the one who obviously encourages his teammates, shows them how we have to keep going, and, above all, maintain at this moment the tone we are setting. 'It's a blessing to be part of this stage of his career.' While the goal tally is remarkable in itself, how it has been achieved is even more so. The shot map below showcases the wide range of strikes by Messi, including five from outside the box — more than 22 of the 30 MLS teams have managed in their entire campaigns. And it was a long-range effort that kickstarted the multi-goal streak in Miami's 4-2 victory over Montréal in May. Scored in typical Messi fashion, he quickly shifted the ball to create an opening, aided by teammate Sergio Busquets, who cleverly blocked the onrushing Montréal midfielder Victor Loturi, before Messi curled a precise shot into the bottom corner. The second also came from his repertoire of trademark finishes. No player has perfected the dinked finish quite like Messi and his uncanny ability to generate the perfect loft, regardless of the goalkeeper's proximity or height, was on show again as he dinked the ball over Jonathan Sirois from close range. For all his ability, a streak like this can't persist without a healthy dollop of good fortune. In the following match against Columbus Crew, Messi was gifted his first goal thanks to some disastrous goalkeeping from Nicholas Hagen. The Guatemalan 'keeper made a costly error, miscuing a goal kick straight into Messi's path on the edge of the area. Messi gave Hagen the chance to atone for his blunder with an uncharacteristically underhit lob, but the goalkeeper only managed to palm it goalward. He was less charitable with his second 10 minutes later, this time his lob from just inside the area was perfectly calibrated. He kept the streak alive with a brace in his next match, again against Montréal. No player has completed more take-ons than Messi's 3.9 per 90 minutes in MLS this season, and both goals against Montréal demonstrated the jinking movements that continue to make him so feared throughout the league. The first saw the Argentine dart into the area and swiftly shift his body weight to carve out space for another arrowed finish into the far bottom corner, but it was the second that was truly breathtaking. Picking up the ball from Luis Suárez near halfway, Messi embarked on a long, mazy dribble, leaving a trail of confusion as bamboozled Montréal defenders collided while trying to stop him. He evaded them at every turn before rifling a shot into the top corner from close range. Ankara Messi, Ankara Messi, Ankara Messi Ankara Messi, Ankara Messi . 🐐 — Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 6, 2025 After two relatively routine efforts, in his next match, a 2-1 victory against New England, there was one glaring omission in his scoring streak: a free kick. Against Nashville, he duly obliged, opting for measured placement over whipped power, as he guided an effort from the edge of the area into the bottom-left corner. After this and his staggering effort against Porto in the Club World Cup, he's now up to a staggering 69 career free kicks. Leo en su idioma. 🔊 ¡El golazo de tiro libre de Messi vs. Nashville en español! 🎙️ @brunovain — MLS Español (@MLSes) July 16, 2025 This phenomenal streak has been a self-contained showreel of the myriad ways Messi can put a ball into the back of the net. And based on this evidence, he's far from done.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Watch on 9: North Carolina athletes up for big awards in 2025 ESPYs
The stage is set for the 2025 ESPY awards Wednesday night, and you can catch all of the action live on Channel 9. The annual event recognizes excellence in performance in men's and women's sports across numerous categories. Athletes and attendees will be at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. Advertisement North Carolina is also making a strong showing at the awards. Duke University standout Cooper Flagg is nominated in two categories: best college athlete in men's sports and best breakthrough athlete. North Carolina Women's Lacrosse star Chloe Humphrey is nominated for best breakthrough athlete, and UNC Soccer's award-winning forward Kate Faasse is nominated for best college athlete in women's sports. The Tar Heels Women's Lacrosse team is also nominated for Best Team, up against championship-winning professional franchises like the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Florida Panthers, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Philadelphia Eagles. SPECIAL SECTION >> Channel 9 Sports Stories Advertisement It all starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday, tune in to Channel 9 for the awards and the performances. Then, stick around for WSOC Tonight at 11. (VIDEO: Mooresville girls' flag football player nominated for national award)
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Derek Jeter Picks World Series Winner Without Hesitation
Derek Jeter Picks World Series Winner Without Hesitation originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The first half of the 2025 MLB regular season is now in everyone's rearview mirror, and it will soon be back to work for all 30 teams in the big leagues, with the MLB All-Star break concluding on Tuesday night. Advertisement Ahead of the second half of the season, former New York Yankees superstar shortstop Derek Jeter dropped his World Series prediction, which he shared after the National League defeated the American League in the Midsummer Classic at Truist Park in Atlanta. "So this year I am going with the New York Yankees," Jeter said while doing his broadcasting duties for Fox Sports. Aaron Judge (99) of the New York Yankees looks on during the 2025 MLB All-Star Davis-Imagn Images Known as "The Captain," Jeter also picked the Chicago Cubs to represent the NL in the Fall Classic while seemingly adding some pressure on the shoulders of New York general manager Brian Cashman ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Advertisement "[The] Yankees are gonna beat the [Chicago] Cubs in the World Series. Going with the Yankees because [Brian] Cashman basically said he's all in, so I expect the Yankees to do something at the trade deadline." The Yankees could use a boost via a trade, as they have seen the Toronto Blue Jays overtake them for the top spot in the AL East. New York entered the All-Star break just second in the division standings with a 53-43 record, trailing the 55-41 Blue Jays by two games. That is not to mention the red-hot Boston Red Sox, who are on a 10-game win streak and are just three games out of first place in the AL East. Aaron Judge and the Yankees went all the way to the World Series in 2024 but got dominated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. Related: Yankees' Aaron Judge Sends Juan Soto Message Before MLB All-Star Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
