ATLANTA — Tennessee football fans will get two free cookies because Braylon Staley scored a touchdown against Georgia Tech.
Staley is UT's current so-called "Cookie Monster" for Moonshine Mountain Cookie Co., which gives fans two free cookies when the wide receiver scores a touchdown as part of his NIL deal.
The 18th-ranked Vols played Georgia Tech on Saturday, Sept. 12. But fans can pick up their free cookies on Monday, Sept. 14, at Moonshine Mountain Cookie Co. in Knoxville.
Staley's 20-yard TD catch in the second quarter earned the free cookies for UT fans.
Staley is UT's latest "Cookie Monster" for Moonshine Mountain Cookie Co. as part of an annual NIL deal. That ******* le was held by cornerback Alontae Taylor in 2021, wide receiver Cedric Tillman in 2022, wide receiver Bru McCoy in 2023-24 and kicker Max Gilbert in 2025.

#cookies

Stillman Valley High School has announced the Athletic/Activities Hall of Fame Class of 2026, recognizing a coach, former student-athletes, community supporters and championship teams for their achievements and contributions to Cardinal programs.
The inductees will be honored as part of Homecoming festivities Sept. 25, according to a community announcement. The class includes girls basketball coach Bobby Mellon, former student-athletes Michelle ******* er Rogers and Dan Godfread, Friends of Athletics honorees James and Russ Elliot, the 2002-03 Scholastic Bowl Team and the 1989-90 Chess Team.
Mellon has led the Stillman Valley girls basketball program since 2010 and has compiled a 252-105 varsity record. During his tenure, the Cardinals won five regional ******* les, two sectional championships and a Big Northern Conference championship. Mellon also has earned Illinois Basketball Coaches ******* ociation District Coach of the Year honors five times.
Fager Rogers, a member of the Class of 1996, competed in volleyball, basketball and track and field. She helped two girls basketball teams qualify for the state tournament and qualified for the IHSA State Track Meet in the hurdles. Her honors included Girls Track MVP and SVHS Female Athlete of the Year.
Godfread, a graduate from the Class of 1985, became one of the school's most accomplished basketball players before continuing his career at the University of Evansville. He finished his collegiate career with 1,386 points, 737 rebounds and 226 blocked shots while earning first-team all-conference recognition.

#Basketball #mellon #team #stillman

The Tennessee ****** ans revoked Jared Stillman's credential. Depending on who you ask, this is either a franchise standing up to a loudmouth who dared them to do it, or an organization delivering a blueprint to other franchises on how to silence local critics.
Teams that travel this path usually end up with more negative coverage. You can't deliver a 6 and 28 record over two seasons, change your front office and coaching staff, and then complain about unfavorable attention. Winning changes the local conversation.
I went through this in St. Louis with the Rams and in the Bay Area with the Raiders. Kevin Demoff, Amy Trask and Marc Badain were all fantastic. All knew their results shaped the local coverage. Win games and people are happy. Lose games and fire people, and criticisms follow. It's that simple.
Stillman is a longtime Nashville radio host. He broadcasts now on YouTube, and recently went viral after a testy exchange with quarterback Cam Ward. On his show the next day, he said the ****** ans wouldn't be foolish enough to pull his credential over it. He felt the backlash would be brutal and make them look like the softest organization in the NFL.
A day later, they did it anyway.

#credential #went #tennessee

Credentialed access to cover professional sports teams is not a right. It's a privilege. Franchises grant media access to those who actively cover the team or league in a professional manner and have an audience to serve. They have every right to grant access, just as they have the right to pull it. Yesterday, the Tennessee ***** ans decided to pull social commentator Jared Stillman's credential, literally a day after Stillman said on his program that the organization was "not that stupid" to do so.
Whether you agree or disagree with the ***** ans' decision is irrelevant. What matters most in situations like this is transparency.
This isn't about whether Stillman should be credentialed. The ***** ans had already made that decision long ago. They granted him access after his departure from 102.5 The Game and his move to an independent platform. The question now is simple: Why specifically was Stillman's credential pulled?
Because without transparency, the result is distrust and uncertainty.
Make no mistake about it, there haven't been many great things to say about the Tennessee ***** ans over the past four seasons. Because of the team's lack of success, there also isn't much positivity surrounding the franchise at the moment. Stillman's commentary serves as Exhibit A.

#right #tennessee #credentialed #cover

The Denver Broncos have set their 53-man roster, and all eyes are now set on Arrowhead Stadium for a Monday Night Football clash with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1. But the news that Jonathon Cooper was placed on the commissioner's exempt list is a bit of a hurdle, even if it was expected.
Cooper will be unable to practice with or play in any games for the Broncos as long as he is under that status, raising a critical question: Do the Broncos have enough in the pass-rushing department?
Nik Bonitto remains one of the league's best pass-rusher, but the Broncos will have to turn to Jonah Elliss until Cooper is able to rejoin the team. Behind them, the only other edge rushers on the roster are Dondrea Tillman and second-year player Que Robinson.
Former Broncos star Von Miller was available for quite some time and many fans wanted to see that reunion. Instead, the Dallas Cowboys signed Miller. Should the Broncos consider another option before the season kicks off?
The Broncos led the league in sacks last season and were able to generate pressure from all over the defensive alignment. It's likely that coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph are highly confident in the players they have, but a veteran option should at least be considered.

#Broncos #cooper #option

His brother has won the Champions League twice; now he himself is being drawn to the Bundesliga. There is likely something to celebrate in the Doué household, as Guela Doué, the brother of PSG star Désiré Doué, apparently is on the verge of a move to Bayer Leverkusen.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano and kicker, Bayer are set to pay around €38 million to RC Strasbourg.
The 23-year-old right-back only still has to complete his medical, and then nothing will stand in the way of signing the contract.
That would make the Ivory Coast international Leverkusen's most expensive new signing, overtaking Malik Tillman. Tillman was signed from PSV in 2025 for €35 million.
It would likely be the next transfer coup for Bayer, after media reports had already confirmed the return of Moussa Diaby (just under €30 million). Bayer's transfer spending, which already stands at €99 million, is therefore likely to rise significantly once again.

#bayer #tillman #brother #league

The Browns confirmed the release of wide receiver Cedric Tillman on Thursday afternoon and they also announced that they've replaced him on the roster with another 2023 third-round pick.
They have claimed cornerback Mekhi Blackmon off of waivers. Blackmon was cut loose by the Colts on Wednesday.
Blackmon entered the NFL with the Vikings and he was traded to the Colts ahead of the 2025 season. Blackmon appeared in 15 games as a rookie, missed 2024 with a torn ACL and played in all 17 games during his only year in Indianapolis.
Blackmon has 105 tackles, three interceptions, a sack and a fumble recovery for his career. ***** uming he makes it through Sunday's cut to 53 players, he'll try to add to those totals in his third NFL stop.

#blackmon #cedric #thursday #mekhi

Donny Bogicevic - Back Problems
Jarell Quansah - Red Card
Montrell Culbreath - Foot Injury
Wehen Wiesbaden ( vs Wurzburger Kickers 2026-08-14): Florian Stritzel, Philipp Hercher, Justin Janitzek, Fabian Greilinger, Jakob Lewald, Jordy Gillekens, David Suárez, Tarik Gozusirin, Ibrahim Ati Allah, Moritz Flotho, Sinan Karweina
Bayer Leverkusen ( vs Hamburger SV 2026-05-16): Mark Flekken, Jarell Quansah, Robert Andrich, Edmond Tapsoba, Montrell Culbreath, Aleix García, Exequiel Palacios, Álex Grimaldo, Malik Tillman, Patrik Schick, Ibrahim Maza

#jarell

POPLAR GROVE, Ill (WTVO/WQRF) — North Boone football is coming into year two of the Brett Fredrick era. Everyone on the team is continuing to build on what they learned last year.
"I was very proud of that group last year, being our first year together and coming together as the season went along." Said head coach Brett Frederick. "This group is determined to take the next step, to continue to carry on and to take the things they learned from a year ago and from those that were around us that maybe aren't here anymore."
The Vikings lost a handful of players from last season, including quarterback Grady Condon, wide receiver Brad Dahl, and lineman Phillip Davis. North Boone also lost offensive coordinator Chris Weber, as he is now the head coach at Stillman Valley. Leaving a hole that Coach Fredrick and his ****** istants are gladly able to fill.
"Fortunately, the system that we have been using for quite some time." Said Coach Frederick. "I am pretty well versed in it, so I can slide over to the offensive coordinator responsibilities without having to change terminology and scheme entirely."
With a smaller group leaving from North Boone, it means a lot of returning experience for the Vikings, along with a lot of the younger talent stepping into new roles.

#coach #fredrick #frederick

Melbourne Central Catholic won a playoff game for the second time in three years in 2025, reaching the regional semifinals to cap a 3-8 season.
The Hustlers begin a new era under head coach Ryan Schneider, who will look to take the team to heights he reached at Cocoa.
"(Practice) has been great. The kids are working hard. The coaching staff has done a great job putting together a plan to get us ready for our first game," Schneider said. "We've been improving every day, but that comes with the hard work that these are kids doing. It's a great group of young men who are focused and really moving in the right direction."
Schneider said the transition has been smooth this offseason, learning the players, and the players learning his system. A strong foundation of returning players is what enticed Schneider to take over at MCC.
"It makes all the difference. I would haven't come here if it wasn't a well put together program," Schneider said. "With coach (Willie) Tillman saying he would be the athletic director, that was another main reason why I came here. A chance to work with him and learn from him has been great. He does a great job. I think we really have great things on the horizon for us."

#great #game

Schalke unveiled a retro away jersey on 6 August and within two-and-a-half hours, their stock was sold out – a reported 40,000 jerseys, according to Kicker.
"I don't know how many clubs have ever done or achieved that," S04 CEO Matthias Tillmann told Sky Germany. "You can't plan something like that, it's just crazy."
Schalke's historic club crest dons the chest, a move which was well received by fans.
"If we manage to achieve sales throughout the entire season as planned, then we will sell more jerseys this season than in any single year of the last ten years," added Tillmann.
Made by Adidas, few predicted Schalke's success. "They work with many different clubs and have seen it all," said Tillmann. "But the comment from an Adidas employee to me on Thursday said: 'You're the boss of one of the craziest clubs in Europe'."

#clubs

The Denver Broncos got mixed news on the injury front on Monday.
First, the good news: After sitting out practice on Friday and Saturday, Broncos outside linebacker Drew Sanders (undisclosed) and rookie wide receiver Joseph Manjack (back) returned to practice on Monday following the team's day off on Sunday.
Now, the concerning news: Denver center Luke Wattenberg "went down hard" during a one-on-one drill and did not return. Alex Forsyth filled in at center after Wattenberg left practice. When asked about Wattenberg after practice, coach Sean Payton said the team will evaluate him, but he thinks "he'll be fine." Hopefully that's a good sign for the team's starting center.
Elsewhere on the injury front, Broncos outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman worked on a side field with a wrap on his leg and tight end Caleb Lohner (knee) also remains sidelined. Lohner, who was already on the roster bubble going into training camp, will likely need to get back on the field sooner rather than later if he's going to have a good chance of making the squad this summer.
Denver also has two players on injury lists: offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo (knee) on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and linebacker Jordan Turner (unknown) on the non-football injury (NFI) list.

#good #linebacker #Monday #lohner

The Georgia Bulldogs are once again on the losing side of a battle for an elite recruit they desperately need in their 2027 class. This time it's defensive lineman Seth Tillman.
The Georgia Bulldogs missed on four-star defensive lineman Seth Tillman, the No. 11 defensive lineman in the 2027 Rivals 300, who committed to Clemson over Georgia, South Carolina, and Michigan.

Tillman holds a 92.06 composite rating on Rivals Industry, ranks as a top-115 player nationally, and is the No. 2 player in South Carolina. While Georgia appeared to be second in this recruitment, the Bulldogs now turn to the defensive linemen already in their 2027 class as they continue building depth along the front.
This isn't a devastating blow for the Bulldogs, largely because Tillman is an in-state recruit for Clemson. He hails from Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he played at South Pointe. Getting an in-state kid to stay home is always a tough battle, and Clemson clearly had the edge here. Tillman visited Clemson five times and Georgia five times, with South Carolina logging four visits, and Kentucky and Michigan each getting two.

That said, this is still a meaningful miss. Tillman could be a big-time player for Clemson. He's a four-star now, but plenty of scouts believe he could earn a fifth star by the time he arrives on campus. A lot of people see Byron Young in him, the former Alabama defensive lineman who was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders in the third round a few years ago. That comparison alone tells you the kind of ceiling Tillman carries.
His combination of size, length, and first-step quickness stands out. Prior to his senior season, Tillman measured 6'3, 300 pounds, and he could still grow into that frame. His arms measure over 33 inches, so the length isn't terrible, but you hope it continues to develop. He's highly productive in high school and makes plays in the backfield at a high rate.

Tillman has the skill set to create disruption from multiple spots along the front. He lines up as a big defensive end and in 3-technique alignments, but he could even slide to nose tackle with improved size. That kind of versatility is what makes him such a coveted recruit, and it's why Georgia wanted him in this class.
The Bulldogs still have the No. 16-ranked class in the country and the No. 8 class in the SEC, so this isn't a situation where the sky is falling. Georgia already has 4-star defensive lineman Antoine McKoy committed, along with three-star defensive lineman Waylon Wooten and a few edge rushers. The defensive line room isn't bare by any stretch.

Georgia could have used a player like Tillman, though. When you lose out on a prospect with potential five-star upside and a legitimate NFL comparison, it stings regardless of where you stand in the recruiting rankings. The Bulldogs will keep pushing to add talent along the front, but Clemson landed a good one here.

We don't want to waste your time — this post is not about what's next in terms of who will coach the USMNT moving forward or the roles of Christian Pulisic and Malik Tillman in the future of the program.
MORE — What we learned, big and small picture, from USMNT's World Cup
No, this is about the nitty gritty. What competitions are next for U.S. Soccer's men's side — the women have a World Cup next summer in case you're unaware — and what will the Yanks be doing between the end of this tournament and the 2030 World Cup in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco (and, for three games, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay)?
There's also the matter of a home Olympics in Los Angeles, a U-23 competition led by program legend Steve Cherundolo which is bound to draw some bigger names to the overage pool (only three players over the age of 23 are allowed to join a roster).
MORE — USMNT's results, fixtures as they are announced

The USMNT may have been eliminated by Belgium from the World Cup, but Malik Tillman was able to make history along the way.
Mauricio Pochettino's side suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat in Seattle against the European side, with their tournament coming to an end.
Despite the disappointment, there were some significant positives to take from the World Cup for Pochettino and his men.
USA supporters were left frustrated by their World Cup exit given the scoreline, which did not reflect kindly on what has been a promising past few weeks.
The only goal of the game for the USMNT came from 24-year-old Tillman, with the goal etching his name into World Cup history.

Jeremy Doku was a second-half sub in Belgium's 4-1 Round of 16 victory over hosts USA at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Men's Team
Our 24-year-old winger sat out the first 67 minutes of the game in Seattle before replacing Dodi Lukebakio with the Red Devils already 3-1 up.
Atalanta's Charles De Ketelaere had been the star up until that point, scoring Belgium's first two goals either side of Malick Tillman's equaliser for Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT.
Belgium were firmly in control just before the hour mark, when Hans Vanaken leapt on a mistake from goalkeeper Matt Freese to double their advantage.

The USMNT's World Cup run comes to a crashing, embarrassing halt after a 4-1 dismantling by Belgium in the Round of 16. Hosts Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros try to process a complete tactical and fundamental capitulation on home soil. Despite winning the possession battle with 57%, the Americans looked paralyzed by fear and completely disconnected on the pitch. This allowed a heavily rotated Belgian squad playing without Kevin De Bruyne or Jérémy Doku to exploit amateur defensive errors from start to finish.
MLS on Apple TV ***** yst Taylor Twellman joins the studio to deliver a brutal reality check on the current state of US Soccer. The guys pull no punches dissecting individual disasters, including Sergiño Dest's fatal ball-watching on Belgium's early goals and 38-year-old Tim Ream being targeted and posterized in aerial duels. They also ***** yze Christian Pulisic's rough night where he was dispossessed 11 times before exiting with a calf injury. This left Malik Tillman as the lone starting bright spot after scoring the USA's solitary goal.
Beyond the pitch, the crew debates the psychological toll of the Folarin Balogun red-card reinstatement saga and Donald Trump's external political meddling. Looking ahead to the future, they review Mauricio Pochettino's cryptic post-match comments regarding his uncertain future with the federation. They debate what structural changes—from youth academy coaching overrides to a high-pressure promotion and relegation culture—are desperately needed to bridge the gap between American athleticism and elite international football intelligence.
Timestamps:
(0:18) – USMNT out of the World Cup: how did the USA capitulate 4-1 to Belgium?

Jeremy Doku and Belgium progress into a FIFA World Cup quarter-final after defeating co-hosts United States in Seattle on Monday night.
A brace from Charles De Ketelaere spear-headed a ruthless Belgian display in Seattle, silencing the home support and bringing a bruising halt to the United States' World Cup journey.
De Ketelaere initially caught the defence napping by tapping home a ninth-minute cross from Nicolas Raskin. While Mauricio Pochettino's men found fleeting life courtesy of a heavily deflected Malik Tillman free-kick, their joy was instantly erased just two minutes later as De Ketelaere nodded home his second.
The structural cracks in the American lines completely gave way in the second half, punctuated by a disastrous error from goalkeeper Matt Freese that allowed Hans Vanaken to capitalise from distance.
To put a devastating exclamation point on the performance, substitute Romelu Lukaku entered the fray late on to squeeze home a clinical, tight-angle finish deep into stoppage time.

For a while, it seemed the only story in the lead-up to the US men's national team last-16 matchup against Belgium was the presence of Folarin Balogun. In the end, Balogun's presence didn't really matter at all. Not on the field, at least.
The forward was serviceable in the USMNT's 4-1 loss and even earned the foul that led to the Americans' lone goal, a deflected free-kick off the foot of midfielder Malik Tillman. He was far from the dynamo he'd been in the US's other World Cup matches. But Balogun alone would never have saved a US team who were comprehensively dismantled by a technical Belgian side.
The fact that Balogun did not appear on the scoresheet was probably good news to a certain subset of fans and pundits – and certainly to Belgium's coaches and players, all of whom have claimed that the Monaco forward shouldn't have been involved in the match in the first place. Balogun was slated to serve a red-card suspension in Monday's match but ended up in Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI instead after the US Soccer Federation – along with Donald Trump's administration – pushed for and received a stay in that punishment.
Related: Ragged USA crash out of World Cup with last-16 defeat to Belgium
That perceived politicking turned what should've been a celebratory affair, a chance for the US to declare themselves among the world's best teams at a home World Cup, into a circus, one that put America as a whole under the microscope. The US had bigger problems Monday, but one wonders how much the intensity of the discourse surrounding Balogun contributed to the US's dreadful performance.

How Folarin Balogun, after all that, couldn't save USA vs. Belgium originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
At the time FIFA made its decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's one-match ban due to a red card, it seemed like a game-changing update for the United States.
It turned out that Balogun couldn't lift the USMNT on his shoulders in the World Cup Round of 16 against Belgium. Whether the striker was on the field or not, this was going to be the night things ended for the USA at this tournament on home soil.
And while there are those saying Balogun played poorly, that's unfair.
He drew the foul with stout positioning that led directly to Malik Tillman's free kick goal.

The United States are hoping to prolong their dream home World Cup as they face Belgium with a place in the quarter-finals on the line.
Mauricio Pochettino guided the US to only their second-ever knockouts win as they brushed aside Bosnia and Herzegovina, with star man Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman scoring in Santa Clara.
However, the co-hosts are now at the centre of controversy after Fifa had Balogun’s red card from that game wiped, reportedly after being lobbied by the White House.
USA v Belgium LIVE: Balogun to start in World Cup after Fifa rejects appeal following Trump intervention
Belgium, who produced the most dramatic win of the tournament against Senegal in the round of 32 to reach this stage, have branded themselves “astonished” at the decision and will look to overcome what many has seen as preferential treatment towards the host nation.

After FIFA's controversial decision to lift Folarin Balogun's suspension, USMNT welcome Belgium in Seattle as the Round of 16 action continues at the World Cup. Their top-scorer starts up front, despite his red card in the previous round against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
After the dismissal of the Monaco striker, who scored the opener at the stroke of half-time, Malik Tillman sealed the victory for Mauricio Pochettino’s men with a direct free-kick goal. Bayer Leverkusen’s midfielder is on the starting lineup once again, while Gladbach's duo Joe Scally and Gio Reyna are on the bench.
Meanwhile, Arthur Theate is dropped to the bench by Rudi Garcia after he started the last two games for Belgium. Lille's centre-back Nathan Ngoy won his place back from Eintracht Frankfurt's defender. Belgium came from a two-goal deficit in the Round of 16 to beat Senegal in extra-time. As expected, the French coach made several changes including dropping Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku to the bench.
USA XI: Freese; Freeman, Richards, Ream ©, Robinson; Tillman, Adams, McKennie; Dest, Balogun, Pulisic
Belgium XI: Courtois; Castagne, Mechele, Ngoy, de Cuyper; Onana, Raskin; Lukebakio, Tielemans ©, Trossard; Charles de Ketelaere

Rudi Garcia’s bold choices!
Tonight at 2 a.m., the United States face Belgium in Seattle in the World Cup Round of 16.
The official lineups are in.
For the USA, Folarin Balogun starts! For Belgium, Rudi Garcia makes a big statement by leaving Jérémy Doku and Kévin De Bruyne on the bench!
USA: Freese - Freeman, Richards, Ream, Robinson - Adams, McKennie, Tillman - Dest, Pulisic, Balogun

What time is USA vs. Belgium? Live stream, TV channel, kickoff schedule for World Cup Round of 16 match originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
USA and Belgium square off in the Round of 16, renewing acquaintances from their 2014 World Cup meeting at this same stage, a match the Red Devils came away with 2-1 win.
Getting back to this point wasn't easy for either team. The USA advanced by beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0, with Folarin Balogun opening the scoring in the first half and Malik Tillman adding a late second-half goal.
Belgium's road was much ***** pier, with the Red Devils down 2-0 to Senegal as late as the 85th minute before Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans found the net within three minutes of each other to send the match to extra time, where Tielemans netted the winner on a 125th-minute penalty.
The rosters look a lot different this time around. None of the USA's 2014 squad remain, but Belgium still has several familiar faces: Thibaut Courtois is still manning the net, while Kevin De Bruyne and Lukaku are both still in the squad.

The United States are hoping to prolong their dream home World Cup as they face Belgium with a place in the quarter-finals on the line.
Mauricio Pochettino guided the US to only their second-ever knockouts win as they brushed aside Bosnia and Herzegovina, with star man Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman scoring in Santa Clara.
However, the co-hosts were also dealt a ****** ing blow in that match with Balogun controversially seeing red - a decision that could not be overturned, to the ire of Pochettino.
This means the US will have to do without their in-form striker against Belgium, who produced the most dramatic win of the tournament against Senegal in the round of 32 to reach this stage.
Here’s everything you need to know.

USA and Belgium face off this Tuesday at the Lumen Field in World Cup.
In their last match, USA prevailed 2-0 against Bosnia & Herzegovina (World Cup 2026). In their last fixture, Belgium won 3-2 against Senegal (World Cup 2026).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Belgium winning 5-2.
USA ( vs Bosnia & Herzegovina 2026-07-02): Matt Freese, Alex Freeman, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Malik Tillman, Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun
Belgium ( vs Senegal 2026-07-01): Thibaut Courtois, Timothy Castagne, Arthur Theate, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper, Hans Vanaken, Youri Tielemans, Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, Charles De Ketelaere

In a recent report, Fichajes stated that Liverpool are eyeing a move for Bayer 04 Leverkusen playmaker Malik Tillman. It has been claimed that the Reds are showing interest in recruiting the United States talent in this transfer window.
Tillman enjoyed a decent campaign at the German club as he put in a few eye-catching displays for them in the final third. The 24-year-old scored eight times and earned one **** ist in 42 matches for Bayer 04 Leverkusen last season across all competitions.
The United States talent is currently one of the best attacking midfielders in the Bundesliga. Thus, Liverpool would do well to get him on board this off-season.
His current contract at the German club will run out in the summer of 2030, which could make it tough for the Reds to sign him on the cheap later this year.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JULY 01: Malik Tillman #17 of the United States celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

In the 82nd minute of Wednesday’s game, Malik Tillman sealed the victory for the USMNT. After carefully lining up his shot, Tillman drilled a free kick into the back of the net to give the United States a late 2-0 lead over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
That kick occurred after Tillman made a curious decision. Before taking the free kick, he decided to change his cleats. Was that a strategic move? Did he simply have a pair of lucky cleats he was keeping for this exact moment?
Nope, turns out the reason for the cleat change was much more practical. Tillman made the swap because he got stepped on earlier in the contest and had a hole in his right cleat.
After the game, it was clear that his cleat wasn’t the only thing that took damage in the incident. Tillman appeared in front of reporters wearing a ***** sock on his right foot. There was also a hole in his sock, suggesting the cleat pierced through his shoe and broke some skin.
Despite the way things looked, Tillman didn’t seem too concerned about the injury moving forward. He said the issue was “nothing too bad,” describing it as “just pain, I guess.”

At the 2026 World Cup, England, the United States and Belgium have all made it through to the next round, but none had an easy time.
In Atlanta, England faced a real danger of an early exit against DR Congo. They went behind in the match, but striker Harry Kane scored twice to turn the game around. England won 2–1 and moved into the Round of 16. Their next match is a big one: a clash with Mexico at the famous Azteca Stadium.
Before this knockout game, England had finished top of their group. They beat Panama 2–0, with goals from Jude Bellingham and Kane, and also won 4–2 against Croatia. Their only group game without goals was a 0–0 draw with Ghana.
In Santa Clara, in the knockout stage, World Cup co-host the US moved into the last 16 of the tournament with a 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday.
Folarin Balogun opened the scoring in Santa Clara before being sent off in the second half, but Malik Tillman sealed the win with a free-kick goal.

Fans celebrated outside the stadium in Santa Clara, California, after the United States secured a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach the World Cup last 16.
Folarin Balogun opened the scoring before being sent off in the second half, leaving the hosts to play with 10 men.
Malik Tillman doubled the lead with a free-kick in the 82nd minute to seal the win. Supporters praised the team's determination and the atmosphere inside the stadium, while some described Balogun's red card as controversial.
The United States will now face Belgium in the last 16 as they continue their home World Cup campaign.