Latest news with #LuisSuarez
BreakingNews.ie
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Roy Keane meets Luis Suarez and Segio Busquets at Inter Miami training
Roy Keane is not a fan of posing for pictures but he made an exception for Inter Miami stars Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. The Manchester United legend is taking a stateside holiday and he visited the Inter Miami training ground. Advertisement The Manchester United legend posed with former Barcelona stars Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Photos: Inter Miami However, there was no sign of Lionel Messi. Keane met the players ahead of the MLS side's Club World Cup last-16 clash against PSG on Sunday. It's unclear how the meeting came about, but Keane's former teammate David Beckham is a co-owner of Inter Miami.
The Guardian
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Despite unfulfilled bombast, this Club World Cup has been saved by the soccer
Inside the corporate monstrosity hides something that's actually quite lovely and joyful and organic. It's burrowed down real deep, beneath layers and layers of maximalist nonsense. But it's in there somewhere, a good soccer tournament, cloaked by all the avarice and bombast, in spite of itself and those responsible for it. It's true: the Club World Cup and its new summer format haven't been all bad. The group stage, which concluded on Thursday, offered fun and competitive teams. It served up a few genuinely enthralling games, especially in the clashes between the European and South American sides. The fans of some teams – the indefatigable singing and chanting of Boca Juniors' and River Plate's barras; the churning sea of red hopping up and down for the Urawa; the clapping and singing Wydad fans; the drumming and dancing Brazilians crisscrossing the nation in the wake of their four thriving clubs – injected the proceedings with exactly the kind of summer tournament folklore and fever you should hope for. We've even seen some kit design excellence – thank you, Botafogo. We've gotten some Lionel Messi almost-heroics and then some certified Messi heroics. We were given a vintage Luis Suárez goal, bullying the ball into the net. We saw the European champions Paris Saint-German savage Atlético Madrid 4-0, only to turn around and lose to one of those pesky Brazilian sides, Botafogo. Like many World Cups, there was a European giant that disappointed in not making it past the groups. This time, it was Atléti. While the Brazilian delegation offered up good teams and good fans, the Argentinian mission only sent good fans, bringing color and noise as both River and Boca were knocked out in the group stage and looked decidedly overwhelmed even by mediocre opposition. Meanwhile, Flamengo comprehensively beat 10-man Chelsea 3-1. Borussia Dortmund was held scoreless by Fluminense and almost embarrassed by Mamelodi Sundowns, flirting with giving away a 4-1 lead. The only group not to yield compelling theater was G – which was dominated by Manchester City and Juventus (until City smashed Juve 5-2), at the cost of Al Ain and Wydad – since Group H saw Real Madrid stunned by a Al-Hilal in a 1-1 tie. After all the overcooked buildup and grandiose promises, the tournament's opening fell flat, clouded over by the rumors of Ice raids. That the urgency in the action arrived eventually should be credited to the non-European teams. They have been the primary suppliers of the fun. Still, all of these pleasing displays of soccer and the things that make it wonderful have materialized as a kind of act of defiance. A great many things are still wrong with the unwieldy Club World Cup. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion The venues are too big. While 14 games have drawn over 50,000 fans, there have been no sellouts. The impact of good crowds was diminished by Fifa's insistence on playing in America's biggest arenas. Another 14 games drew fewer than 20,000, suggesting using Major League Soccer facilities for a lot more games might have been a good idea. It was also a grind, with four games a day for most of the group stage, and requiring a finalist to slog through seven matches on the back of, or in the midst of, the punishing domestic club seasons. The timing is all wrong, confronting the players with the same catastrophically hot weather that will bewitch next summer's World Cup proper. There was Fifa's cowardice in removing anti-racism signage, and then bringing it back for a single day. For 63 games, we must suffer the ludicrous spectacle of bored players ambling through the thin puffs of smoke and shimmering lights as an announcer gives them the full heavyweight-championship-of-the-world boxing match treatment during pre-game introductions. Also, whatever the hell that was in the Oval Office with Donald Trump, Fifa president Gianni Infantino, and the bewildered Juventus players and executives – hopefully a nadir in Infantino's persistent cozying up to Trump. It's a lot – probably too much – of everything. And in failing to meet its own impossible ambitions, the Club World Cup has made no imprint whatsoever on the culture. And yet the idea of the thing clearly isn't the problem. There is a more modest, pared-down version of this competition that could be a success, with an emphasis on the competition rather than the revenue and the overplayed stakes. If it was brought along slowly and nurtured as a growth play, rather than announced as the biggest thing to ever happen right at the outset, there is an event there that could enrich the sport. Eventually. This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question? Email soccerwithjw@ Jonathan Wilson is on vacation, so we'll have a series of guest writers on the newsletter. We've also changed up the schedule. This week's is on Friday to coincide with the end of the Club World Cup group stage. The next one will come on Monday 7 July, once the semi-finals are set and the Gold Cup has been won. We'll be back in your inbox every Monday from then on.
The Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Roy Keane meets Inter Miami superstars like Luis Suarez but fans reckon he ‘must be disappointed'
ROY Keane got to meet Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi not Lionel Messi while visiting Inter Miami's facility. The Corkman has jetted stateside to take in the knockout stages of the inaugural - and controversial - Club World Cup. 4 4 4 The MLS outfit have a daunting last-16 match-up ahead of them against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday. But at least Keane got to meet some of their most recognisable squad members while they're still in the competition and still in chipper form. Aside from a few followers noting he's bearing quite a resemblance to Mel Gibson these days thanks to his white beard, most of the comments connected to the Instagram post centred on one man who wasn't featured. Shane reckoned: "Must be disappointed to not meet Messi." While Curtis suggested: "Could use him against PSG keep them straight." Sean hailed: "The best Irish player of all time." And finally, someone else surmised en Espanol: "Roy livin la vida buena." Messi is set to face his former club in the knockout stages of the Club World Cup - and, like many reunions with old colleagues, it may not end well. Inter Miami - sixth in the MLS Eastern Conference - face a formidable challenge against the Ligue 1 giants. Luis Enrique's PSG began their campaign in style with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid. David Beckham in hospital as Victoria shares picture of star with arm in sling & sweet 'get well soon daddy' message However, they appeared to lose momentum in a surprise defeat to Brazilian side Botafogo, and looked far from their fluent best in a 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field. Now into the knockout rounds, PSG are expected to find another gear, with a potential quarter-final clash against either Flamengo or Bayern Munich looming. The bookmakers clearly agree, pricing the Parisian giants at 1/6 to win in 90 minutes, while Jordi Alba described PSG as 'the best team in the world right now'. As for Inter Miami, they came close to topping Group A but conceded two late goals against Palmeiras, setting up this tough tie. It would have been Botafogo otherwise. ABOUT TO GET MESSI? Still, they have shown they can compete at this level - sandwiching a win over Porto between draws against Palmeiras and Al Ahly. The Florida-based side are unbeaten in six matches across all competitions, scoring 16 goals in that stretch - a solid run of form but unlikely to trouble their imperious opponents. Sorry if it sounds disparaging to all those Inter Miami supporters out there - but this could easily be a cricket score providing PSG can snap out of their two-game malaise. And they should be able to. The European champions looked a completely different class during their Champions League success, and their 5-0 final win over Inter Milan only highlights their ability to humble even the best. Suarez and Messi, both aged 38, should have their work cut out against such a young, quick, powerful and dynamic PSG side. Inter Miami have also shipped a colossal 29 goals in their last 13 games in all competitions. PSG, meanwhile, have scored 3+ goals in five of their last seven games.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Messi and Inter Miami stars prepare to face former coach Luis Enrique and PSG in Club World Cup
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and their Inter Miami teammates took the field at their practice facility Thursday for another training session. There wasn't much different about what they did: dribbling drills, some laughs, interactions with coaches. But this training was more important than most. In a few days, Inter Miami will play one of the biggest matches of its five-year club history when the Herons take on French juggernaut Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup round of 16. The storylines will be plenty. Inter Miami will be a heavy underdog against Paris Saint-Germain, winners of last month's Champions League final in a 5–0 thrashing of Inter Milan. It will be uncharted territory for Messi, who rarely has in his decorated career entered a match as anything other than the favorite. It will be the first time Messi faces his former club since his exit from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 after two seasons. He also will be facing his former Barcelona coach, Luis Enrique, now the coach of PSG, who has had a big influence on Messi and several Inter Miami stars. Messi was coached by Enrique for three of his 17 seasons with Barcelona. The Spanish coach led Barcelona from 2014 to 2017. He won nine titles, including two La Liga trophies, three from Copa del Rey, and one Champions League. Messi, Suarez, and Brazilian star Neymar played together under Enrique for three memorable seasons, forming the famed MSN trio that combined for 364 goals and 173 assists. 'He has been very important to my career,' Suarez said of Enrique, 'what I learned from him and just being around him. I had a competitive DNA before I played for him, but he upgraded it even more.' Miami's Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets also played for Enrique, and coach Javier Mascherano considers him a great friend. 'I have said this many times, but Luis Enrique is the best coach in the world,' Alba said after Miami's draw with Palmeiras on Monday, 'not only just as a soccer coach but also in the way he manages the whole group, which is spectacular. He's a phenomenon. We'll meet him and hug him, but when the referee blows the opening whistle we're going try to beat him, which is what all of us here are trying to do.' Mascherano, 41, also played alongside Messi, Suarez, & Co. when Barcelona won the treble under Enrique in 2015. 'I have a special relationship with him,' Mascherano said. 'I have a special relationship with his family. Obviously it will be very special facing him. It will be an honor for me facing a great coach. One of the greatest coaches I've had in my career.' The knockout stages of the Club World Cup begin Saturday, and Inter Miami's showdown with PSG is Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Despite entering the tournament on somewhat of a slump, Miami became the only Major League Soccer team to advance to the Club World Cup round of 16 after playing Palmeiras to a 2–2 draw earlier this week, finishing runner-up to the Brazilian club in Group A. That was after the Herons secured a 2–1 victory over two-time European champion Porto on a trademark free kick by Messi, who, along with his longtime teammates, has driven Miami's belief that it can make a statement on the global stage. Suarez noted how important advancing to the knockout stage was for the club's trajectory, but the Herons know the odds for Sunday's matchup. They know they'll be the underdogs. They insist they're ready for the challenge. 'Now that we are facing likely the best team in Europe – the Champions League champion – we will try to maintain the same commitment and unity and play a great match,' Mascherano said. 'If there is something this sport has proven is that anything can happen in any match. And who's to say that Sunday will not be our day. Sometimes things happen.'
Associated Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Messi and Inter Miami stars prepare to face former coach Luis Enrique and PSG in Club World Cup
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and their Inter Miami teammates took the field at their practice facility Thursday for another training session. There wasn't much different about what they did. Dribbling drills. Some laughs. Interactions with coaches. But this training was more important than most. In a few days, Inter Miami will play one of the biggest matches of its five-year club history when the Herons take on French juggernaut Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup round of 16. The storylines will be plenty. Inter Miami will be a heavy underdog against Paris Saint-Germain, winners of last month's Champions League final in a 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan. It will be uncharted territory for Messi, who rarely has in his decorated career entered a match as anything other than the favorite. It will be the first time Messi faces his former club since his exit from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 after two seasons. He also will be facing his former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, now the coach of PSG, who has had a big influence on Messi and several Inter Miami stars. Messi was coached by Enrique for three of his 17 seasons with Barcelona. The Spanish coach led Barcelona from 2014 to 2017. He won nine titles, including two La Liga trophies, three from Copa del Rey and one Champions League. Messi, Suarez and Brazilian star Neymar played together under Enrique for three memorable seasons, forming the famed 'MSN' trio that combined for 364 goals and 173 assists. 'He has been very important to my career,' Suarez said of Enrique, 'what I learned from him and just being around him. I had a competitive DNA before I played for him, but he upgraded it even more.' Miami's Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets also played for Enrique, and coach Javier Mascherano considers him a great friend. 'I have said this many times, but Luis Enrique is the best coach in the world,' Alba said after Miami's draw with Palmeiras on Monday, 'not only just as a soccer coach, but also in the way he manages the whole group, which is spectacular. He's a phenomenon. We'll meet him and hug him, but when the referee blows the opening whistle, we're going try to beat him, which is what all of us here are trying to do.' Mascherano, 41, also played alongside Messi, Suarez & Co. when Barcelona won the treble under Enrique in 2015. 'I have a special relationship with him,' Mascherano said. 'I have a special relationship with his family. Obviously, it will be very special facing him. It will be an honor for me facing a great coach. One of the greatest coaches I've had in my career.' The knockout stages of the Club World Cup begin Saturday, and Inter Miami's showdown with PSG is Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Despite entering the tournament on somewhat of a slump, Miami became the only Major League Soccer team to advance to the Club World Cup round of 16 after playing Palmeiras to a 2-2 draw earlier this week, finishing runner-up to the Brazilian club in Group A. That was after the Herons secured a 2-1 victory over two-time European champion Porto on a trademark free kick by Messi, who along with his longtime teammates has driven Miami's belief that it can make a statement on the global stage. Suarez noted how important advancing to the knockout stage was for the club's trajectory, but the Herons know the odds for Sunday's matchup. They know they'll be the underdogs. They insist they're ready for the challenge. 'Now that we are facing likely the best team in Europe — the Champions League champion — we will try to maintain the same commitment and unity and play a great match,' Mascherano said. 'If there is something this sport has proven is that anything can happen in any match. And who's to say that Sunday will (not) be our day. Sometimes, things happen.' ___ AP soccer:
