MILWAUKEE-Asked restaurant host:
“God, did you hear about the Champions League ball?”
Host: “No.”
Me: “Died. Will be redesigned after Nike won the rights.”
Thought he would cry.

No more stars: Champions League ball to be redesigned The star ball design has been in place since 2001, but will end with Adidas’ exit as supplier starting in 2027

Strangely sad about this. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

I'm an optimistic guy so will choose to ignore whatever the hell is happening with the upper 3/4ths and dap up a fellow Tabasco Hater

Just Undo It ™️

Nike’s high-tech 2026 World Cup jerseys have a shoulder problem The sportswear giant says they’re aware of the strange seam behavior seen on some of its new shirts, and are investigating how to address it

Hey, that very strange shoulder seam “bulge” on the new Nike kits? I talked to them about it and they’re weighing what to do about it. Such a bizarre quirk to an otherwise stellar set of kits.

Me, on @us.theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

We're on strike! Don't visit propublica.org on April 8

We’re on strike today! Support our fight for a fair contract by NOT visiting the @propublica.org website or engaging with ProPublica stories today.

Tell ProPublica’s management you won’t cross the picket line: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

Nike’s high-tech 2026 World Cup jerseys have a shoulder problem The sportswear giant says they’re aware of the strange seam behavior seen on some of its new shirts, and are investigating how to address it

Nike is aware of the bizarre shoulder stitch issue seen on their new World Cup jerseys for several countries, and they are weighing what to do about it.

@mlsist.bsky.social is on it: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

2 weeks? 2 weeks! YouTube video by Gordini

Incidentally, scenes from a movie about a nincompoop who waltzes into a disastrous situation he completely does not understand. youtu.be/lJhHjACjJjA?...

There are a LOT of worst parts. Almost no wrong answer.

First Ballot Hall of Famer Rick Steves did two fantastic episodes of his show from Iran where you don't just see the beauty of an ancient, historic civilization, but plenty of young folks blasting heaters like in the OP's video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYoa...

A black and white pic of Iranian-French graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi holding a cigarette in her hands. Beside her pic is a text of her words: "The world is not divided into countries. The world is not divided between East and West. You are American, I am Iranian, we don't know each other, but we talk together and we understand each other perfectly. The difference between you and your government is much bigger than the difference between you and me. And the difference between me and my government is much bigger than the difference between me and you. And our governments are very much the same..."

I feel like now is a good time to share this again

A world leader saying this about any civilization is self-evidently deranged. Saying it about a civilization that takes special pride in their contributions to humanity hits especially hard for me. And that's before even considering what he might actually do. We deserve scorn for electing this man.

It's funny how people can "own" little tiny bits of internet real estate; I'll never be able to see a Hobbes avatar again without immediately clocking the user as Jon.

USMNT striker Patrick Agyemang will miss World Cup after ‘serious’ achilles injury The US striker had gone down with a non-contact injury in the 37th minute of Derby County’s match against Stoke on Monday

Well, this fucking sucks. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

MLS weekend wrap: Revel in the joy and agony of absurd long-range goals In the era of VAR where most goals get picked apart, strikes from distance offered a much-needed immediate emotional hit

NEW: MLS resumed play after the March intl window, marked by the rare emotional hit that accompanies long range goals (intended and otherwise).

Plus: Son plays provider, Steffen's shift to forget, Yeboah the matchwinner, Farrington-Musa, Philly bad, and CHARA🟨👑. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

USMNT striker Patrick Agyemang leaves Derby County game on stretcher The US striker went down with a non-contact injury in the 37th minute of Derby County’s game against Stoke

NEW: John Eustance declined to speculate on Patrick Agyemang's status after the US striker exited Derby's match on a stretcher.

"Hopefully, it’s not as bad as what it might be. Until we get the scan results, we’ll have to wait and see.” www.theguardian.com/football/202...

hot damn that's a hell of a goal from folarin balogun

a man in a suit and tie is kicking a soccer ball on a field with the words watch the football ALT: a man in a suit and tie is kicking a soccer ball on a field with the words watch the football

and the lesson is

Still from the awesome scene in Big Lebowski where the cop says "Leads?" over and over.

"LEEDS?!"

Zavier Gozo wows me every single time I see him play.

USMNT World Cup squad predictions: how we see the 26 for 2026 Mauricio Pochettino faces several tough decisions to name a squad for the 2026 World Cup hosts

NEW: A frustrating March window begs tough questions about Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for the World Cup. @anabnos.com, @mlsist.bsky.social, and I picked our #USMNT rosters, and disagreed on…

- GK3
- Two defense roles
- NO midfield spots
- AM3
- ST3

Hear us out:
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

USMNT World Cup squad predictions: how we see the 26 for 2026 Mauricio Pochettino faces several tough decisions to name a squad for the 2026 World Cup hosts

Did some #USMNT World Cup squad predicting w/ @jeffrueter.bsky.social & @mlsist.bsky.social. Pretty wild how we all made slightly different picks yet we will assuredly somehow all be proven correct! www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Is this Mexico's most soccer-obsessed city? | Football Cities World Cup Travel Guide Ep 2: Monterrey YouTube video by JonArnoldFC

You be the judge.

Help me get those numbers up & show sponsors or media companies it's worth investing in this type of storytelling that mixes sports + curious travel.

youtu.be/v93pQ9sWW_8?...

We regret to inform you that Paul the Octopus is racist

Pre-World Cup results have you worried? They probably shouldn’t For examples of how little a team’s form in the World Cup run-in matters in the tournament itself, look no further than the US

Hopium. Copium. Call it what you want.

But I've cracked open the history books and found that the United States men's national team's friendly results in the spring windows before a World Cup have zero bearing on their success.

(That also applies to the England team, BTW.)

Column @theguardian.com

Guardian power rankings: France lead the way with Senegal and Japan in top 10 From Algeria to Uzbekistan, our writers and contributors from around the world assess the state of the 48 nations to qualify for the World Cup

Heard you guys like power rankings! www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Really good big picture look at CONCACAF’s men after a rocky March, capped by Jamaica falling to (a very good and deserving!) DR Congo, leaving the confederation with one less team in a home-region tournament.

@jonarnoldfc.bsky.social’s a must read on the region.

Messi, mascots, tickets and Trump: 48 questions for the 48-team World Cup After Tuesday’s playoff matches decided the final six spots, the tournament field is set. We answered 48 questions as the countdown to 11 June begins

And then there were 48!

@mlsist.bsky.social, @jeffrueter.bsky.social, @ellabrockway.bsky.social and I tackle 48 questions you might have about the 2026 World Cup. It'll be here before you know it.

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Time to worry? Christian Pulisic cuts frustrated figure amid career-worst US rut The American star hasn’t scored since 2024 for the US, but he and manager Mauricio Pochettino are taking it in stride

Nobody on the US men’s national team is worried about Christian Pulisic’s severe lack of goalscoring form.

At least, nobody is saying they are. @mlsist.bsky.social from Atlanta: www.theguardian.com/football/202...