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The Herons began their campaign with three points behind goals from Robert Taylor and Diego Gomez

There are still a few concerns… about fitness, about injuries, about defending. Those concerns will linger, for sure, but they don't matter at the moment as Inter Miami's 2024 MLS season is off to a winning start.

Lionel Messi and co. began their campaign with a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake, with the Argentinian icon playing his part in both goals. Robert Taylor netted the first, with Messi providing the official assist and RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath providing the other by failing to make the stop. Messi, then, combined with longtime running mate Luis Suarez in the second half to set up Diego Gomez, helping put the game to bed just as the lead was starting to look a bit unsafe.

It wasn't a perfect performance from Inter Miami, not by any stretch. The best teams in MLS won't really be afraid of this Miami team, at least not yet. There are still obvious weak points to be exploited and, if RSL were just a bit more confident and crisp, they would have done so.

Fortunately for Messi and Co., though, they didn't. One win down, plenty more to go. The 2024 season is off to a solid start.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Chase Stadium…

Watch Inter Miami with the MLS Season PassStream nowGoalkeeper & Defense

Drake Callender (6/10):

Didn't have too much to do as Miami largely controlled play. Made two solid saves, though, in a game where it would have been easy for him to lose focus a bit.

Jordi Alba (7/10):

You know what you're getting from Alba. Contributed to the attack and made a few good defensive plays when called upon. Made his presence felt.

Serhiy Kryvtsov (6/10):

Generally solid from the veteran, but it was all a bit nervy early in the second half. They survived, though.

Tomas Aviles (6/10):

Had a few really bad giveaways, but he made up for them by making the play afterward. The optimist will credit him for recovering, but the pessimist will remember preseason and have a few concerns.

DeAndre Yedlin (6/10):

Was lucky not to concede a penalty in the second half. Other than that, though, no problems.

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Sergio Busquets (7/10):

Passing was fantastic as he helped Miami control the game. Was caught offside on one crucial sequence but, other than that, the Spanish star did everything right.

Diego Gomez (8/10):

Did a whole bunch of running and nearly got an early goal, forcing a fantastic save from MacMath. Knew his role and played it well before being rewarded with his goal late to ice the game.

Julian Gressel (5/10):

Really, really struggled. Wasted several chances and had a few bad, bad touches. His resume speaks for itself, so we won't overreact, but this wasn't a very good debut.

GettyAttack

Robert Taylor (7/10):

A bit lucky on the goal but, hey, he'll take it. MacMath's howler made Taylor the first goalscorer of the MLS season as he looks to build upon his incredible second half of 2023.

Luis Suarez (7/10):

Did some good things particularly when he dropped deep and got a big assist on the second goal. The pace, though, just isn't there, so he'll need some really good service to put up big numbers on his own.

Lionel Messi (8/10):

Assisted the opening goal, had a hockey assist on the second and created a viral moment or two, headlined by his ridiculous touch over an injured Andrew Brody. Could have created another goal or two if his teammates were a bit crisper.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

David Ruiz (6/10):

Went down with an injury, but shook it off to provide the fresh legs in midfield Miami needed.

Jena Mota (6/10):

Replaced Taylor to add a bit of life to the attack, but didn't get a chance to do much.

Noah Allen (6/10):

Tossed in to help protect the lead, but the second goal shortly after his introduction took away any real nerves.

Tata Martino (7/10):

Felt like he had waited a bit too long to make his subs as Miami's legs looked heavy, but it all worked out in the end. His XI was largely spot on, although it was at least partially dictated by fitness.

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Loads of Leeds fans have been giving their verdict on the setback against Norwich, and they’re fuming with the performance of Luke Ayling.

Leeds lost their spot as the kings of the castle on Saturday evening, falling into second place in the table as Norwich thumped three goals past them at Elland Road.

Mario Vrancic opened the scoring with a delightful free kick that Kiko Casilla had absolutely zero chance of stopping, and Teemu Pukki got one of the easiest goals of his life after Adam Forshaw had given the ball away in midfield.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

Vrancic added a third in the second half when his deflected effort snuck through the legs of Casilla, and Patrick Bamford’s late header was little more than a consolation.

Ayling has been a popular figure at Elland Road over the last couple of years, but the versatile defender is having a poor season.

Perhaps it is a result of the two knee injuries he has suffered over the last 18 months, but the 27 year-old has the turning circle of a cruise ship and the passing ability of Caleb Ekuban on roller skates.

That may be a little harsh, but the right-back was constantly caught in possession against Norwich and it’s not the first time this season he has been completely off the pace.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, look away now Luke…

Germany have won the 2023 U17 World Cup after a narrow penalty shoot-out victory over France in Indonesia.

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Germany win maiden U17 World CupFrance made a comeback from being 2-0 downWent down in an intense penalty shootoutWHAT HAPPENED?

Germany dominated the early exchanges, with Max Moerstedt coming close to scoring in the opening moments. However, it was Paris Brunner, a standout player from Borussia Dortmund, who opened the scoring from the spot to hand Germany the lead. In the second half, Noah Darvic extended Germany's lead with a goal on 51 minutes.

Saimon Bouabre struck first for France to ignite a comeback before Mathis Amougou found the leveller just five minutes from regulation time which forced penalties.

Tidiam Gomis missed his attempt while Almugera Kabar scored for the Germans to be crowned global champions.

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Brunner was awarded the Golden Ball for his stellar performances throughout the tournament. He rose to the occasion when the stakes were high as he netted a brace in the semi-final against Argentina and also in the title decider.

Agustin Ruberto won the Golden Boot after scoring eight goals. Meanwhile, French goalkeeper Paul Argney was awarded the Golden Glove for his safe hands between the sticks.

DID YOU KNOW?

Brunner showcased his exceptional talent as the joint-top scorer of the U17 Euros, earning him the prestigious gold Fritz Walter medal – the highest youth award in Germany for his age group. In the U19 Bundesliga, the 17-year-old has demonstrated his goal-scoring prowess, netting 10 times in just eight games this season.

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@fifaworldcup_esWHAT NEXT?

The U17 World Cup often gives fans a glimmer of future superstars. Brunner and Ruberto have definitely stolen the spotlight with their performances in the attacking third and it remains to be seen if any of the European elites go after their signature in the upcoming winter transfer window.

Barcelona's teen sensation Lamine Yamal has signed a new contract that ties him to the club until 2026, it has been reported.

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Yamal already signed contractNow tied to club until 2026Barca to hold formal ceremonyWHAT HAPPENED?

The 16-year-old signed the contract as far back as July, ahead of the club's pre-season tour of the United States, Fabrizio Romano reports.

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Yamal's previous contract only ran until the end of the season but the Catalan side have ensured he will remain at the club for the time being, tying him to a new deal that runs until 2026.

The club will make an official announcement and hold a formal ceremony where Yamal will put pen to paper on Monday, October 2.

DID YOU KNOW?

Yamal made his Barcelona debut in La Liga towards the end of last season. At just 15 years old, that made him the youngest player to feature for the club's first-team. This season, he went on to become the youngest starter in the club's history and the youngest to supply an assist.

He also became the youngest player to ever represent and score for the Spain national team and then broke the record for the youngest player ever to score in a Euro qualifier.

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Before his new contract is made official, Yamal will likely feature when Barcelona face Sevilla in La Liga on Friday.

Bukayo Saka hailed Arsenal fans' after they mocked Burnley supporters with brutal chants as the Gunners sailed to a 5-0 trouncing at Turf Moor.

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Saka scored a brace in Arsenal's 5-0 winFans humiliated home support with chantForward loving their songsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Saka continued his remarkable form with another Premier League brace, marking the second consecutive weekend where he showcased his prowess on the road. Following his two goals against West Ham last Sunday, Saka replicated his performance with another double in Arsenal's emphatic victory over Burnley.

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The atmosphere was electric as Arsenal fans revelled in the team's success. In a moment of jubilation and to taunt the Burnley supporters, Arsenal fans unveiled a new chant that resonated throughout the stadium: "Who put the ball in the Burnley net, half our f*cking team did."

WHAT SAKA SAID

Saka was elated to hear the Gooners taking a dig at the opposition fans and said: "Yeah it was a lot of fun out there. I really enjoyed it and it's nice to see the fans coming up with new chants and stuff. I just loved it, so I enjoyed it."

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SAKA CAN'T CALM BEFORE UCL

Arsenal will be competing in Europe's marquee club competition when they take on Porto in the Champions League. After a strong start to the domestic season, Saka can't wait to replicate that form against the Portuguese outfit on Wednesday night.

"The boss has told us we’re the first Arsenal team to win five in a row at the start of the year, so it's a nice achievement and we'll definitely build momentum going forward," he said. "Definitely now that, not only that I'm playing well, the team's playing well, we're scoring a lot of goals because we've got some really important fixtures coming up, starting on Wednesday and I can't wait to go there. I'm really excited. So yeah, looking forward to it and hopefully we can take this form into that game as well.”

The teenager has the talent and commercial appeal to become the face of the Catalan club but can he succeed where past prodigies failed?

In 2006, a young player out of the Barcelona academy signed a deal with adidas. The agreement, reportedly worth around $500,000 per year, felt like a hefty investment for a 19-year-old. After all, the player hadn't yet played a full season of professional football. By the end of the previous season, he had scored six goals and added three assists. He only had 11 top-flight starts to his name.

That deal, for that player, Lionel Messi, proved to be a bargain for Adidas. Now, 18 years later, another La Masia graduate has done the same thing. Lamine Yamal, another right-winger out of the Barcelona academy, penned a long-term agreement to be one of the faces of adidas' global football brand. He will be the only other player in the world to wear Messi's exact boots – adding a visual link to a spiritual connection that has been drawn between the two for some time.

And though it will lead to immense pressure on the teenager, it is an ideal arrangement for the Balugrana. Since Messi left, the Catalan club have lacked a central marketable star – a world class presence who can not only change a game but also sell shirts in spades. Yamal, the newly minted face of adidas, can be that player.

adidas partnership with Lamine Yamaladidas partnership with Lamine YamalThe adidas deal

Yamal's deal was announced in a very modern way. A brief video showed Yamal, sitting on his childhood bed, clad in all-adidas gear, smiling at the camera. The alarm clock next to him beeps, and shows the time "3:04" – a reference to the area code he grew up in. Yamal laces up Messi's boots, and is then shown running onto a football pitch. He throws up his signature celebration, before breaking out a series of tricks and flicks.

It's comparable to the ad Jude Bellingham, another young star, recently featured in for the famous brand. This was a well-thought-out thing, something meant not only to curate an image but also highlight a burgeoning talent.

The company explained their choice, too.

"Adidas is proud to confirm Lamine Yamal joining the adidas family as of today, wearing the X Crazyfast; perfectly suited to his agile and explosive style of play on the wing. Lamine grew up in Rocafonda, 40 minutes from his club’s training ground, and remains proud of his roots in the area," it said in a statement.

"The partnership announcement film that has been posted on adidasFootball channels in collaboration with Lamine celebrates his football journey and connection to the 304, Rocafonda’s area code," it added.

The exact terms of the deal have not been made public. But the video alone shows that this is a serious commitment to an exciting talent. And Yamal deserves it, too.

Advertisement(C)GettyImagesThe search for Messi's successor

There is a prevailing sense that the Blaugrana have been searching for a player like Yamal for some time. The idea of a 'new Messi' has long haunted the halls of La Masia, Barcelona's famed youth academy. At times, it seems like an obsession.

He comes from a long-line of supposed Messi successors – most of which have been unequivocal failures. Bojan, Messi's contemporary at the club, burned out fast – and later admitted that the comparisons to the world's best left a serious mark on his mental health. Giovani Dos Santos and Riqui Puig received much the same treatment – and never delivered on the promise.

The closest thus far has been Ansu Fati. He seemed an ideal replacement. Fifteen years younger than Messi, but a similarly exciting player, he was given the No.10 shirt when the Argentine reluctantly left for PSG in 2021. But that, too, proved to be too much for the teenager, who, four knee surgeries later, is struggling to make the grade at Brighton.

GettyYamal up to the task?

Yamal, it would seem, is the closest thing the Blaugrana have developed to a viable replacement.

The positional similarities are here: Yamal is a left-footed right winger. The skills are, too. Yamal can beat a player with his dribbling prowess and find the bottom corner with an angled shot.

He also has just enough swagger about his game to wow the Barcelona faithful without overplaying in key areas.

The stats – five goals and four assists in all competitions – don't jump off the page. But superstardom stretches beyond numbers. It's about the intangible qualities. Yamal has them.

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GettyA godsend for boring Barcelona

It's something that the current Barca squad is missing all over the pitch. A cursory glance at the starting XI shows a number of very talented and likeable footballers – but no global megastars. The word 'Galactico' is only used in a different major sporting city in Spain.

Still, players of that same stratospheric talent are hard to come by. The Blaugrana have always had at least one. Messi and Neymar were there at the same time. Before them were Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff.

This iteration of Barca – outside of burgeoning star Yamal – doesn't really have one. Robert Lewandowski will go down as a legend of the game. But his fame doesn't stretch beyond football; and he isn't one for massive ad campaigns, either. Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong are all midfield artists, but share the same issue.

Ronald Araujo, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Jules Kounde and Ilkay Gundogan all have social media presences – almost all footballers do these days. Still, none of them are impactful enough to make waves beyond football fan communities. You'd struggle to find a kid on the streets of Catalonia aspiring to be a tidy French full-back.

It is ironic that this all comes just nine months removed from a season of immense success. Barca coasted their way to a first Spanish top flight title since 2019 last season, claiming La Liga by 10 points. But the manner in which they won didn't catch the eye. This was an excellent defensive team that only let in 20 goals all season. They scored 15 fewer than in the 2020-21 campaign, a season in which the Blaugrana finished third. Put more simply: this version of Barcelona is boring.

United States men's prospect Duncan McGuire hit the Griddy for Orlando City while celebrating his first goal of the season Wednesday evening.

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Duncan McGuire opens 2024 accountBags goal for Orlando City, hits Griddy celebrationTouted for big Olympics roleWHAT HAPPENED?

In their Concacaf Champions Cup match against Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC, the USMNT prospect bagged the opening goal in a 3-0 victory for the Lions. Following his strike, he celebrated by hitting the Griddy dance while being swarmed by teammates.

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McGuire is one of the most sought after strikers in MLS at the moment, and was unfortunately the victim of a failed transfer abroad in January. Despite traveling to England and even taking pictures in the club's kit, Blackburn officials failed to submit the paperwork on time to complete his transfer.

As a result, he returned to Orlando and is set to play with them at least through the summer transfer window.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MCGUIRE AND ORLANDO CITY?

The Lions are back in action to open their 2024 MLS season Saturday evening against CF Montreal. They'll look to kickstart their season with three points against the Canadian club.

Raphael Varane will reportedly be using Harry Maguire as inspiration at Manchester United, with the World Cup winner losing his starting berth.

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Ex-France international stuck on the benchEngland centre-half has taken his placeRed Devils willing to shuffle their packWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite savouring World Cup glory with France back in 2018, while landing four Champions League crowns during his days at Real Madrid, Varane has found himself stuck on the bench of late as Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag shuffles his defensive pack.

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Eyebrows have been raised as Varane is forced to fill a role among the substitutes, with former United captain Maguire – who appeared destined to be heading out of Old Trafford at one stage as he was frozen out of the starting XI – returning to favour as Ten Hag seeks a winning formula.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to , Varane has “accepted the decision is a tactical one” and that there is “always a way back for a player under Ten Hag”. Questions have, however, been asked of how he has taken the news of being a substitute – with there little interaction with United’s coaching staff when being introduced in the 79th minute of the Red Devils’ 1-0 Premier League win over Luton.

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Ten Hag has sought to justify his decision to drop Varane when quizzed on the subject, saying: “Harry is playing very well and there is internal competition." Maguire and Lindelof have become United’s go-to centre-half partnership, but further tactical tinkering remains a distinct possibility and Varane is willing to bide his time and wait for another opportunity to come his way.

Harry Kane has posted a touching tribute to Franz Beckenbauer after the death of the Bayern Munich legend.

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Kane posts tribute on InstagramBeckenbauer died on MondayEngland striker joined Bayern in summerWHAT HAPPENED?

Kane took to social media on Monday after Beckenbauer's death was announced, and joined a deluge of tributes from across the football world. The former defender, of course, became one of the greatest footballers of all time during his time in the Bundesliga, and he won the league both as a player and a manager in Bavaria.

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Kane quoted Bayern's own tribute to Beckenbauer and wrote: "In my time at the club so far it's clear what he meant to Bayern and to football in this country. My thoughts are with his family and friends."

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Kane only joined Bayern in the summer but has had a remarkable start to life in the Bundesliga. In 15 league games thus far, he has scored 21 goals. Bayern are currently second in the table, however, four points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen with a game in hand.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

They are likely to pay tribute to one of their greatest ever players in their next fixture. Bayern face Hoffenheim on Friday.

Chelsea legend Eden Hazard decided to retire from the sport despite Saudi Arabian teams offering him agreements worth £1 million per week.

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Hazard retired in the summerObi Mikel reveals Hazard had offers from SaudiSuffered from physical ailments towards end of careerGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

After a 16-year professional career, the Belgian declared last month that he was hanging up his boots. It followed a tumultuous four years at Real Madrid during which he sustained injuries on a regular basis. In four seasons, Hazard only played 76 games for the Spanish powerhouses due to frequent physical problems. John Obi Mikel, Hazard's former Chelsea teammate, claims that even with his fitness issues, Hazard still received many lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia.

AdvertisementWHAT JOHN OBI MIKEL SAID

The former Chelsea midfielder revealed the chat he had with Hazard on Rio Ferdinand's Vibe with Five.

"Should I go to Saudi Arabia, where I’m going to take a million a week, and then what? I got about two or three offers to go to Saudi Arabia," Hazard said.

"He said, 'Mikel, I’ve got a lot of money. You know how I live my life. I don’t spend too much money. So, I have money now to live with my family and to bring up [my children]."

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Despite the fact that several of the top players in the world, like Karim Benzema, Neymar, and Cristiano Ronaldo, had moved to Saudi Arabia, he rejected the call from the Saudi Pro League. At Chelsea, Hazard won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, the League Cup, and two Europa Leagues. That came after he and Lille won the 2011 Ligue 1-Coupe de France double.

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WHAT NEXT FOR HAZARD?

Hazard hasn't revealed his plans for the future, however, his understanding of the game has made fans believe that he could become a coach in the future following in the path of his former teammate Fernando Torres.