Serie A side Juventus signed Nick Woltemade on loan from Newcastle United late in the summer transfer window. While the German is yet to make his debut for the Bianconeri, big praise has come from Juve legend Gianluigi Buffon.
The Germany international has a frustrating 2025/26 campaign with the Magpies. Ex-Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe often used him deeper on the pitch and this led to a fall in prominence.
A move to Juventus is now viewed as a shot at redemption. Buffon spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about Juve's business in the summer and placed special emphasis on Woltemade.
The ex-keeper said: "I'm curious about Woltemade. I want to see if his physicality, his 198 centimeters (6'4") combined with excellent technique, will be as dominant as I expect."
Buffon also revealed belief that Woltemade can make the same impact as Zlatan Ibrahimovic during his younger days.

#woltemade #summer #serie #nick

Werder Bremen have set their sights on Bayern Munich youngster Arijon Ibrahimović as they look to add another attacking option to their squad.
According to DeichStube, Werder have already contacted Bayern to discuss a potential loan move for the 20-year-old. The interest has also been confirmed by Sky, with initial talks between the two clubs having taken place.
However, there is one major obstacle: Werder would first need to offload an attacking player before they could make room for Ibrahimović. Until then, the move is unlikely to progress beyond the exploratory stage.
Ibrahimović is highly rated in Bremen, with the club having followed his development during his loan spell at Heidenheim last season. The versatile attacker can operate on the wing as well as in central midfield and could provide additional options for head coach Daniel Thioune.
For Bayern, both a loan and a permanent transfer are currently being considered. The German champions have reportedly become open to letting Ibrahimović leave after initially planning to keep him as part of their first-team squad. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl has also indicated that a sale could be possible if the right opportunity arises.

#bayern #squad #move #munich

Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl taking to the media to inform Arijon Ibrahimović that he is available to be sold, without ensuring that the player was fully aware of what was going on, is a bad look for the club — and also a legitimate story per Bild.
Sport1 broke the initial story, but now it seems as if the heat between the two sides is real:
Max Eberl's recent statements about Arijon Ibrahimović caused a big lack of understanding on the player's camp. Eberl's sudden willingness to let Ibrahimović go came as a huge surprise to the player. After all, the club extended Ibrahimović's contract this summer, announced in the public press release that he will be permanently included in the first team rotation this season, and the player was promised the role of Luis Díaz backup after a conversation with Vincent Kompany. The fact that the management has already changed their minds has come as a surprise to the player's camp. In addition to that, Eberl's public comments on the matter are especially what bothered Ibrahimović and his entourage.
Naturally, this has led to the emergence of new rumors, including one linking the young attacker to Werder Bremen. However, for that kind of move to go down, Werder Bremen would have to shed some its own roster weight, per Bild (as captured by iMiaSanMia):
Max Eberl's recent statements about Arijon Ibrahimović caused a big lack of understanding on the player's camp. Eberl's sudden willingness to let Ibrahimović go came as a huge surprise to the player. After all, the club extended Ibrahimović's contract this summer, announced in the public press release that he will be permanently included in the first team rotation this season, and the player was promised the role of Luis Díaz backup after a conversation with Vincent Kompany. The fact that the management has already changed their minds has come as a surprise to the player's camp. In addition to that, Eberl's public comments on the matter are especially what bothered Ibrahimović and his entourage.

#vincent

Erling Haaland has chopped off his trademark long blond hair, and Zlatan Ibrahimović is not impressed.
The Manchester City star, 26, unveiled his dramatic new buzz cut on Sunday, August 23, ahead of his team's Premier League season opener against Bournemouth.
Haaland documented the transformation in a YouTube video **** led "New Season, New Hair!!" and admitted he was a little nervous about making the change because of a warning Ibrahimović had previously given him.
"The only thing is, Zlatan told me never cut your hair because your strength is in your hair," Haaland said.
After getting the chop, Haaland called Ibrahimović to reveal his new look.

#season #erling

Whether it be Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gareth Bale or Erling Haaland, football has witnessed some iconic man buns over the years.
However, Haaland has decided to begin the new Premier League season with a new - and very different - look.
The Manchester City striker revealed on social media that he had shed his famous blonde locks, posting the caption: "New season, new trim."
Haaland will be hoping his new look brings even more goals as he aims to get off the mark when Enzo Maresca's side face Bournemouth at 14:00 BST on Sunday.
Before cutting his hair, Haaland joked around by showing off some images of his previous hairstyles during his career, and some questionable ideas of how his new hair should look.

#look #season #zlatan #gareth

New season, new hair for Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland.
Haaland has become famed for his exceptional goal-scoring and his trademark long hair over the past several years.
Ahead of the new Premier League season, though, the Norway international has opted for a new look.
The striker shared a video on his personal YouTube channel of his transformation from long locks to a buzz cut.
In the video, Haaland called another long-haired striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, for his reaction, along with former Man City coach Pep Guardiola, Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher and Man City teammate Jack Grealish.

#city #premier

For many Bayern Munich supporters, Arijon Ibrahimović remains one of the club's most intriguing young talents. After spending last season on loan at Heidenheim, the 20-year-old returns to Säbener Straße with valuable Bundesliga experience and a growing list of believers, including Heidenheim head coach Frank Schmidt.
Speaking about Ibrahimović's future, Schmidt offered a measured, but optimistic **** sment.
"I can only judge the time Ari spent with us and how satisfied we were with his performances. He is still a young player who took his first significant and consistent steps in the Bundesliga last season. Just think of the match in Munich with three games left in the campaign — if you saw what he produced on the pitch that day, you could already see the potential and believe that he is only at the beginning of his career," Schmidt told Sport1 (as captured by iMiaSanMia). "He still has the ability to make huge steps forward, but he also has a lot to learn. I'm convinced he can achieve that in the environment at Bayern Munich, but nothing will come automatically."
Schmidt clearly believes Ibrahimović has the talent to establish himself at Bayern Munich, but he also emphasizes that potential alone will not be enough. Development requires consistency, hard work, and taking advantage of every opportunity.
That is likely the reality Ibrahimović will face this season. Bayern Munich's squad is loaded with attacking talent, meaning every training session and every minute on the pitch will matter. Still, earning regular Bundesliga minutes at Heidenheim should leave him far better prepared for the challenge than he was a year ago.

#bayern #munich #every

18' — Binder is through on goal but Arijon Ibrahimović got in the way and was flagged for offside.
14' — TOR! Tim Binder cuts in and passes straight to a Leipzig player. The ball fell kindly to Luis Díaz who promptly put the ball away for the opening goal.
10' — Laimer decided he cannot continue, and he has been replaced by Sacha Boey.
8' — Konrad Laimer goes into a challenge with David Raum and felt discomfort; Laimer is currently receiving treatment.
2' — Leipzig get an early chance but couldn't convert.

#leipzig #ibrahimovi

In the second half, once some of the first team regulars came on, you could see Bayern Munich turn up a gear. Arijon Ibrahimović even came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, not to mention the triple chance near the end. Unfortunately the fitness levels of the team still seem pretty low so the score remained 2-1.
Full time: Jeju SK 1-2 Bayern Munich.
78' — Subs: We finally have Luis Díaz back!
75' — Still no goals in the second half so far. Bayern Munich keep surging forward.
60' — Subs by Bayern Munich:

#munich #subs #team #came

Robert Lewandowski is officially up and running in the MLS.
The former Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich striker scored his first two goals for Chicago Fire in just his third appearance, leading his new side to a 2-1 victory over Charlotte FC. Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 20th minute before netting the winner in the 68th to seal all three points.
Elsewhere in MLS, another familiar Bundesliga face also got on the scoresheet. Lewandowski's former Bayern teammate Thomas Müller converted a penalty to earn the Vancouver Whitecaps a 1-1 draw against Los Angeles FC.
With both former Bayern stars already making an impact in North America, it will be intriguing to see whether they can enjoy the same level of success in MLS as European icons such as Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Wayne Rooney.

#bayern #borussia

Bayern Munich proved to be ahead of the curve with the signing of Moroccan star Ismael Saibari. However, his injury in the game against Canada in the round of 16 ended his run at the World Cup. Now, after examination by Bayern's medical team, the versatile forward is set to join his teammates in the second week of August after they return from their Audi Summer tour.
Per a report by Kicker's Frank Linkesch, Saibari's injury has been inspected by the Bayern medical team in Munich. The diagnosis has revealed a torn muscle fiber in his thigh. The 25-year-old will be missing on the annual Audi Summer tour. The tour will be back in Asia from the 1st to the 8th of August, in the cities of Jeju, South Korea and Hong Kong. Die Roten will be facing Jeju SK FC and the Premier League's Aston Villa respectively.
With Saibari out for another 10 days, returnee Arijon Ibrahimović is likely to get game time in the upcoming friendly fixtures. More players are expected to return from the injury wing for Bayern including Serge Gnabry, Lennart Karl and Alphonso Davies. With the new signings, the club have beefed up a slim but high quality attacking roster to better cope with the gameload.
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#injury #munich #august

France is through to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup thanks to a 2-0 win over Morocco, and Michael Olise is once again the focus despite Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé being the goalscorers. Football icons Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović raved over Olise’s performance and likened him to former NFL quarterback Tom Brady:
Henry: I want to talk about the pass of Michael Olise. As soon as you get the ball, it’s over. We’re here in Foxborough… Tom Brady, that’s one of your loop passes in between.
Ibrahimović: He did amazing again. He was the point guard. The ‘Tom Brady of France’ today. When you have a player like Olise, don’t think. Just run and the ball will arrive – and it will arrive exactly where you want it.
– FOX Soccer as captured by X account iMiaSanMia
The 24-year-old Bayern Munich winger is the darling of the media for all the right reasons: his creativity and technique is on display for the world to see.

Pau Cubarsi continues to justify the growing excitement surrounding his development, with the Barcelona defender producing another composed display on the biggest stage of international football.
The 19-year-old played a leading role in Spain's dramatic 2-1 victory over Belgium in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, a performance that even caught the attention of former Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Spain looked set for extra time after first-half goals from Fabian Ruiz and Charles De Ketelaere left the contest finely balanced.
However, substitute Mikel Merino delivered the decisive moment in the 88th minute, firing Spain into the semi-finals and keeping their hopes of lifting the World Cup alive.
While Lamine Yamal received the official Player of the Match award, Ibrahimovic believed another Barcelona academy graduate deserved the spotlight after an outstanding defensive display.

Zlatan Ibrahimović has never been one to mince his words. So why start now? In the time since retiring from active football, the Swedish superstar has also made a name for himself as a TV pundit on 'Fox Sports', among other things. As usual, he has been firing off one-liners left and right. A number of World Cup nations also got a taste of his sharp tongue after being knocked out of the tournament. Among them was the German national team.
For his punchy remarks, he also occasionally resorted to stereotypes.
"The USA are out. So your American Dream is over. Next time, call it football, not soccer, okay?"
"Portugal? Close. But close isn't enough."
"Mexico? Enjoy your tacos. Amigos, adios."

Switzerland have drawn Argentina as their next opponents in the World Cup quarterfinals, following their penalty shootout win against Colombia in the Round of 16, and head coach Murat Yakin feels this is a winnable match for them.
While acknowledging that facing Argentina is far from ideal, Yakin believes there are areas where they can hurt them, as the reigning World Cup champions struggled against Egypt and Cape Verde in their past two knockout games. If it weren't for Lionel Messi's heroics, La Albiceleste would've been eliminated already.
"We're playing against the world champion. There's nothing better than having this opportunity. But it's also been clear, over the last two matches, that Argentina is vulnerable," Yakin said during a recent press conference.
"I think we have earned our opponents' respect. Tactically, it's going to be an interesting match. We are capable of rattling the world champions. For a nation like Switzerland, playing a quarter-final against Argentina is a massive moment. So, expectations are huge. I think I'll still need a few hours, maybe even a day, to fully realize what is happening to us," he added.
MORE: Lionel Messi 'became an animal' in Argentina's win over Egypt, says Zlatan Ibrahimovic

According to a report from Sky Germany’s Kerry Hau, Bayern Munich will, indeed, keep young attacker Arijon Ibrahimović, as was initially reported by Transfermarkt (BFW story here).
The plan for the former Heidenheim loan star is to use him as a backup across all four attacking positions:
Arijon Ibrahimovic has extended his contract with FC Bayern until 2028! Complete agreement. Signature imminent, as first reported by Transfermarkt. The decisive factor in the decision was a conversation with Vincent Kompany, who has offered the 20-year-old a backup role for all attacking positions. Another loan is not currently planned! SkySportDE
Without anything official being released, it sure seems like Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany will be more open to rotating this season and could be more willing to rest the trio of Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Díaz, who were absolutely sensational last season, but will likely need more breaks coming off of a heavy club workload and a World Cup.
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Cape Verde lost on Friday, but won the respect of just about every soccer fan on the planet.
Representing a country of around 530,000 in their first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, Cape Verde took defending champion Argentina to their absolute limit. In a match that will be talked about for years, they matched Lionel Messi and his squad 1-1 in regulation and went toe-to-toe in extra time before Argentina finally found a way to eke out a 3-2 victory and move on. Not only did Cape Verde come incredibly close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, but they proved to the world that they belong on the biggest stage.
Afterward, both Fox Sports soccer ******* ysts Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović, legends in their own right, praised the tiny nation’s team and offered a poetic appreciation of their heart, passion, and accomplishments after the team finished the tournament with three draws, including one against Spain, and no regulation losses.
“I can stand there and give applause to Cape Verde because it was all about Cape Verde,” said Ibrahimović. “Small island with big dreams. And they almost rocked a big giant. But these guys, they’re heroes. These are heroes.
“They became idols of that small island and they are stars. They didn’t lose any game during 90 minutes. Important to say. They almost made it in this game. I think the whole world didn’t believe it was possible.”

Arijon Ibrahimović is set to sign a new contract with Bayern Munich, according to reports from Transfermarkt. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder is expected to put pen to paper next week after deciding to continue his development at the German champions.
The report states that Ibrahimović's current deal, which runs until 2027 with an option for a further year, will be replaced by a new contract running until 2028.
The decision comes despite significant interest in the Germany Under-21 international following his productive loan spell at Heidenheim. Clubs including Werder Bremen, Hamburger SV, Freiburg, Augsburg, Villarreal, Brighton & Hove Albion and Hull City were all reportedly monitoring his situation.
According to Transfermarkt, the decisive factor was a series of positive and trusting conversations with Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany. The Belgian is said to have outlined a clear sporting perspective for Ibrahimović, convincing the youngster that his future lies in Munich.
Ibrahimović also strengthened his case during the closing weeks of last season. His standout display against Bayern in Heidenheim's dramatic 3-3 draw at the Allianz Arena, where he registered a goal contribution, reportedly reinforced the club's desire to keep him. He followed that performance with another two goal contributions against Köln a week later.

The U.S. Men's National Team is officially advancing to the Round of 16, but their historic 2-0 knockout stage victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night was somewhat overshadowed by a significant officiating controversy. In the 64th minute, star USMNT forward Folarin Balogun was shown a straight red card following a lengthy VAR review for what appeared to be an unintentional, follow-through challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic.
The controversial decision forces the USMNT's leading goalscorer to miss the highly anticipated round of 16 match against Belgium, sparking immediate outrage from fans and former players over the strict, VAR-driven protocols. Unsurprisingly, it was French football legend and Fox Soccer ******* yst Thierry Henry who delivered the ultimate defense of the American striker, completely dismantling the referee's decision with four words that should resonate for the USMNT fanbase.
The short of it? "Have some common sense."
Henry's comments came during the post-match breakdown alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Rebecca Lowe and directly addressed the controversial decision, as The Mirror detailed.
"You need to have some common sense," Henry said. "Where is the player supposed to put his foot there in that situation?"

An Iranian political scientist once accused by the feds of working as an unregistered influence agent for Tehran has filed a $1 billion lawsuit against FIFA, ******* ociation president Gianni Infantino, and an unknown number of anonymous FIFA officials after the nation's World Cup team was eliminated from competition by a controversial on-field call.
Lotfolah Kaveh Afrasiabi, who, among other things, served as an official adviser to Iran's nuclear negotiation team when talks were underway with former president Barack Obama, is petitioning for class-action status on behalf of up to 91 million "Iranian nationals and/or Iranian-Americans who supported the Iran football national team and who were emotionally scarred by the flagrant discrimination against their beloved team," according to a civil complaint filed June 30 in federal court.
In it, the 68-year-old Afrasiabi takes issue with FIFA's "double standard, hypocrisy and outright discrimination" against the Iranian squad, which was stripped of a game-winning goal last weekend against Egypt following a video review that determined the scoring player had been offside. As a result of the 1-1 tie, Egypt advanced to the tournament's knock-out stage for the first time ever, while Iran was sent home.
Afrasiabi's complaint contends there exists "[c]lear and incontrovertible" proof that FIFA's "VAR" system, or, Video ******* istant Referee, made an "erroneous" decision "deliberately designed to deprive Iran of victory" in the June 26 match. The move to invalidate the goal by centre-back Shoja Khalilzadeh was immediately "slammed by the Fox Sports commentator [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic as a 'theft' requiring FIFA's apology to Iran, in light of the clear evidence that an Egyptian defender was well behind the Iranian players," according to the complaint.
"In effect, Defendants' actions complained of herein convinced the Plaintiffs and others similarly situated that Iran was 'robbed' of victory and the chance for advancing to the knock-off stage of the World Cup, thus creating a traumatic experience of victimization on their part," the complaint states.

Former LA Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is certainly making a name for himself with the American audience during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Ibrahimovic is part of the FOX Sports team ***** yzing the World Cup alongside Thierry Henry and former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas.
The 44-year-old is known for his confident personality and may well have come across the radar of American supporters during his season with the Galaxy between 2018 and 2019.
However, his punditry role on FOX is surely likely to be viewed by more people, and Ibrahimovic is certainly putting his own stamp on proceedings.
The former Sweden striker jokingly overtook hosting duties during the FOX show looking ahead to Portugal’s World Cup game against Colombia in Miami on Saturday night.

With his imposing physique and towering height of 1.93 metres, Jean-Philippe Mateta (28) is not the sort to go unnoticed on the pitch. A striker often labelled as 'old-school', which sets the tone in a modern game of football increasingly focused on excessive intensity. To make his mark, the Crystal Palace player has therefore had to adapt.
Which he has managed to do perfectly, revealing a far more well-rounded profile than the mere 'fixed point' that some people imagine players of his type to be. In an interview with L'Équipe, Mateta revealed how he worked to develop the mobility and pace that have now enabled him to become a leading Premier League striker, whilst brushing aside the preconceptions **** ociated with his physique.
"We have to adapt to what football has become. The first player I saw doing that was Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He's tall, agile, and he draws everyone in," explains the former Olympique Lyonnais player. "I also watch what (Victor) Wembanyama does in basketball because he's very tall (2.24 m). I do a lot of exercises to work on that agility, such as stretching, core training and yoga. It's also important for us to work on our backs."
It's been a long-term endeavour, but one that finally paid off for Mateta this summer when he was named among the 26-man squad selected by Didier Deschamps for the World Cup. The very definition of giving yourself the means to achieve your ambitions.
GFFN | Léo Aschi

Alexi Lalas has been accused of "unwatchable" World Cup 2026 punditry for Fox Sports by former USA teammate Eric Wynalda.
Lalas has former part of the primary team of ****** ysts for the American broadcaster, alongside Thierry Henry, and Zlatan Ibrahimović, and anchored by Rebecca Lowe.
The chemistry between the trio of pundits has been criticised by many, with Henry and Ibrahimovic's apparent disdain towards their colleague.
While Lalas' views have also divided opinion, with the Guardian labelling his style as "trollish, hyperventilating garbage."
But ex-USMNT colleague Wynalda has now joined the negative reviews of Lalas, telling The Soccer Media Podcast: "I think it's been unwatchable at times.

Fox Sports has **** embled a motley crew for its coverage of the North American-hosted 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup this summer, with a top panel consisting of Alexi Lalas, Thierry Henry, and Zlatan Ibrahimović, and anchored by Rebecca Lowe.
Despite what has appeared to be clear disdain from Henry and Ibrahimović toward Lalas, Lowe has insisted that there is "a lot of respect" between the panelists. However, those insistences have done little to curb others from declaring open season on Lalas and his hot takes and half-baked **** ysis; from The Athletic's Andrew Marchand penning a column wishing Lalas hadnever learned English to The Guardian's Aaron Timms claiming that Lalas specialized in "trollish, hyperventilating garbage."
Now, one of Lalas's most heralded teammates on the USMNT, Eric Wynalda, has thrown his hat in the ring.
"I think it's been unwatchable at times," Wynalda told John Shrader during an appearance on The Soccer Media Podcast. "Yeah, I think, I mean, I think a lot of people feel that way. I mean, Alexi is, kind of true to the Fox brand, has been told: this is what we need you to do, start a fight, say some things, insult some people, say something outlandish that no one will believe, and we'll see how many people will click into that. I think the American public has grown up now. I think our community, our soccer community is way too knowledgeable to fall for that anymore."
Eric Wynalda has covered the Bundesliga, the UEFA Champions League, and the FA Cup for Fox, so if anyone has an inside track on what the network wants from its soccer **** ysts, it'd be him.

Belgium and Iran played to a 0-0 draw in group stage action of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, and Fox Sports soccer ***** yst Zlatan Ibrahimović was very honest about how bored the match left him.
To open the FS1 postgame show, Fox Sports host Rebecca Lowe asked Ibrahimović for his thoughts on the match.
“First half, I almost fell asleep,” Ibrahimović said. “Second half, I fell asleep. This game, nothing. Not a lot to talk about. Another draw. So, let’s see what happens in the upcoming game. But, yeah. I’ll let my colleagues (analyze the match).”
Ibrahimović, a Swedish former soccer star, vowed to wake up American audiences in his role as a World Cup studio ***** yst when Fox hired him, but it seems that even he can struggle to stay awake for the entirety of World Cup coverage.
On the same postgame show, Ibrahimović told Lowe, “I don’t have followers. I have believers.”

We all know someone like Alexi Lalas. He’s the ranter whose rants never actually say anything, the life of the party at the party no one enjoys attending, the “big personality” who’s always misjudging the size of the room. He’s corporate America’s idea of a fun guy, the type of workplace “character” whose business trip hangover never stops him from being first at the hotel breakfast buffet, hair wet, Untuckit shirt untucked. He would absolutely dominate karaoke night at a conference on infrastructure finance. If only this were the limit of Alexi Lalas’s actual impact on the world, our culture would live in blessed ignorance of his existence. But in the real world Alexi Lalas is not a small-time menace working the floor at an infrastructure conference. In the real world Alexi Lalas is American soccer’s brightest media star, and he is everywhere this World Cup.
When Lalas’s Roger Ramjet jaw thrust into frame on Fox Sports at the start of this tournament, it’s fair to ****** ume that many viewers felt a sense of dread similar to that expressed in the Grand Theft Auto meme: “Ah ****** , here we go again.” Lalas’s ubiquitousness every World Cup is American TV’s answer to the Iran War: no one wants it, everyone hates it, and as it drags on, it inevitably becomes a face-saving exercise in damage limitation. But there was also a glimmer of hope: for this tournament Fox has enlisted a pair of elite European strikers, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to terrorize Lalas and shake proceedings up. Steered by Rebecca Lowe, this new-look panel has promised a slightly more sophisticated approach to covering the tournament than the yahooing belligerence that has been Fox’s stock-in-trade at the last two World Cups.
Related: Take me home: why Country Roads has struck a chord at the World Cup
Zlatan is a dud, the late-career Samir Nasri of pundits – all minimal effort and visible exhaustion. But Henry is magnificent, which is no real surprise for those of us who follow his work through the Champions League season on CBS. And he has already begun to work his blood-twisting magic on the Maga hack at the far-right end of the panel. Brazil-Morocco, Netherlands-Japan, and France-Senegal have all had their admirers, but for sheer drama and eviscerating beauty they have not come close to matching Fox’s on-set ****** le fight. The French aristocrat vs the all-American idiot: Henry-Lalas is the real battle of this World Cup.
Henry’s now-viral humiliation of Lalas in the studio kickaround segment the other day – passing the ball with one foot then dragging it away with the other, leaving the defender with 96 caps for the US men’s national team to dance with thin air – was absolutely filthy, and in the arena of on-set debate the action has been no less processional. This has been less a battle than a slow-motion scalping, and the good news is it still has weeks left to run.

Alexi Lalas has never met a hill he didn’t want to die on, and this week’s hill is, of all things, vocabulary.
A fan pushed back on the Fox Sports studio ***** yst for repeatedly saying “soccer” instead of “football,” arguing that even American players make the switch in overseas interviews as a basic show of respect for the global game, but Lalas was unmoved.
“Yeah…that’s not gonna happen,” he wrote. “I call it soccer. I own it proudly. I never apologize for it. If you grew up calling it soccer and changed out of insecurity or some misguided belief it makes you more authentic/credible…it doesn’t. It’s cringe. It makes you look like a weak poser.”
It’s worth noting that this is the same Alexi Lalas who called James Corden a “full kit ***** ” on live national television earlier this tournament, leaving Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and Rebecca Lowe visibly stunned at the desk. There is apparently some British words he is perfectly comfortable deploying on American TV for an American audience, but “football” is not one of them.
His colleagues on that desk — Lowe from NBC’s Premier League coverage, Henry from CBS’s Champions League coverage — have spent their careers speaking to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic and presumably say “football” without anyone accusing them of being posers for it, or questioning their authenticity. And Zlatan, who spent his career playing in England, Spain, France, and Italy, before coming over to the States to play for the LA Galaxy, probably says it too.

Could the United States really win the World Cup?
After two opening victories, by an aggregate 6-1 scoreline, that is the wildly optimistic question being posed to many US television pundits, including Fox's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who answered a simple "Yes."
While aware they are still vast underdogs against traditional powerhouses like Spain, France and Argentina, the US players were not exactly afraid to stoke those hugely ambitious dreams either, after beating Australia 2-0 Friday.
"I think we came here to compete, and to compete, you have to win every game," US star midfielder Malik Tillman told AFP in Seattle after the win.
"In the end, if you want to win the tournament, same again, you have to win every game. I think that's also our goal for the next one."

Why World Cup fans are convinced Zlatan Ibrahimovic hates Alexi Lalas originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Fox Sports broadcast has given fans a variety of scenes. On one side are viewers eager to hear what legendary forward Zlatan Ibrahimović has to say in his **** yst debut, while the other seems to be cringing at whatever Alexi Lalas adds.
Along with playing opposing positions during their playing careers, the two have appeared to clash more than viewers are comfortable with. Some find the exchanges humorous, while others are confused by what they’re watching.
Some World Cup broadcast regulars think Ibrahimović has had just about enough of Lalas’ antics and is not hiding his displeasure with the American.
Here’s why many World Cup viewers think the Swede has a strong dislike for the former USMNT player.

Take it from Rebecca Lowe, the anchor of Fox Sports’ top panel for this year’s World Cup: The trio of Alexi Lalas, Thierry Henry, and Zlatan Ibrahimović is not nearly as toxic as it seems on air.
While Lowe acknowledged in an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show on Friday that Fox ****** embled an “unusual” mix of personalities for the studio this summer, she insisted there is “a lot of respect” between colleagues, and they are all locked in on covering the North American-hosted World Cup the way it deserves.
“It’s so fun. I mean, it’s an unusual panel, let’s call it what it is,” she said. “But in a good way. I’m not sure anyone (could have) dreamt that up, but I’m so glad they did. I’ve gotta be honest, I’m so glad they did. I am having the time of my life with these guys. They’re all so different, but they’re all so good in different ways, and the four of us are having a blast.”
In several instances already this World Cup, the panelists have ****** ed heads over their takes, and on a more personal level. Mostly, tensions have risen when Ibrahimović has tried to dunk on Lalas, who was a lesser player yet pushes more aggressive opinions. But earlier this week, both Ibrahimović and Henry were aligned against the American commentators, Lalas and game ****** yst Landon Donovan, who ripped France’s national team for a lackadaisical first half in its opener.
On with Patrick, Lowe referenced viewers who “think they know” what’s going on among the panel, correcting the record on behalf of her cohosts.