Leagues

7:56 PM ET Associated Press World Cup winners Argentina topped the FIFA rankings released on Thursday for the first time in six years. Argentina’s two wins in friendlies last month ended the one-year run at the top for Brazil, who lost 2-1 at Morocco and fell to No. 3. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga,

5:14 PM ET England beat Brazil in a penalty shootout in a thrilling inaugural Women’s Finalissima on Thursday, the second straight international trophy hoisted by the Lionesses at a jam-packed Wembley Stadium. Tied 1-1 at full-time, Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses beat Brazil 4-2 in the shootout to improve their unbeaten streak to 21 games, a record

11:49 AM ET Liverpool have been charged by the Football Association (FA) over failing to control their players during Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Manchester City. Several Liverpool players crowded around referee Simon Hooper as they pleaded for him to show City midfielder Rodri a second yellow card for a challenge on Cody Gakpo. – Stream

12:00 PM ET When the Premier League is boasting the betting favorites for all three European competitions well into the spring — Manchester City in the Champions League, Manchester United in the Europa League and West Ham in the Conference League — you know things are going pretty well. When City’s and Arsenal‘s title odds

9:00 AM ET Leandro Trossard was Arsenal‘s “Plan B” when he arrived at the Emirates in a transfer worth up to £27 million from Brighton & Hove Albion in January. But the winger might just prove to be the most significant Premier League signing of the season and the one who delivers the key ingredient

4:30 AM ET Tor-Kristian Karlsen Transfer speculation is already mounting over the future of several €100 million-plus players this summer — among them Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen — but Europe’s elite clubs are also looking at signing some emerging talents with exciting potential who

8:43 AM ET Mike Dean’s future as a VAR is in doubt after he was taken off selection in the Premier League with performance levels part of the decision, sources have told ESPN. Dean, 58, has not been appointed to a game in the Premier League or FA Cup for two months, when he was

6:06 PM ET Davy Klaassen was left bloodied after an object thrown from the stands hit him in the head. EPA/KOEN VAN WEEL Ajax Amsterdam‘s Davy Klaassen suffered a head injury from an object thrown from the stands, causing a lengthy delay, before his team edged bitter rivals Feyenoord away in Rotterdam on Wednesday to book

6:51 PM ET Sam Marsden Moises Llorens Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said Wednesday’s crushing 4-0 Copa del Rey semifinal defeat to Real Madrid is difficult to digest but insists it will not stain a potential LaLiga title. A second half hat-trick from Karim Benzema and a Vinicius Junior goal helped Madrid overturn a 1-0 first

5:03 PM ET Karim Benzema scored a second consecutive hat-trick as Real Madrid hammered Barcelona 4-0 at Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday to set up a Copa del Rey final against Osasuna in May. Benzema, who also netted a treble against Real Valladolid at the weekend, scored three times in the second half to silence

2:59 PM ET Chelsea are in talks with Frank Lampard to become the club’s interim head coach as they continue to search for a permanent successor to Graham Potter, sources have told ESPN. The 44-year-old has emerged as a potential short-term solution to take charge until the end of the season as negotiations remain ongoing

11:48 AM ET Nearly 900 Liverpool fans who attended last year’s Champions League final in Paris have filed legal action against European football’s governing body for personal injuries allegedly caused by chaos outside the stadium. Law firm Leigh Day filed a lawsuit against UEFA and UEFA Events on Monday, according to publicly available records of

4:30 AM ET At least this time Lionel Messi would not have been surprised; being booed by his own Paris Saint-Germain fans is not something new to him. The last two home matches might have been difficult, but last season, after losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League, the whole Parc des Princes whistled

4:59 AM ET Lionel Messi is actively considering a move to Saudi Arabia that would see him join Al Hilal, the city rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al Nassr, when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires this summer, a source familiar with negotiations has told ESPN. Having opened talks with Messi and his advisors late last year,

4:48 PM ET Freiburg stunned favourites Bayern Munich 2-1 in their German Cup quarterfinal on Tuesday thanks to a second-half stoppage-time penalty from Lucas Hoeler. In a shock defeat for the Bavarians — and new coach Thomas Tuchel’s second game in charge — Hoeler sent keeper Yann Sommer the wrong way to book their spot

10:32 PM ET Liverpool have called for an end to “vile chants” about the Hillsborough Stadium disaster after they were heard during Tuesday’s goalless Premier League draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The 1989 FA Cup semifinal was the scene of Britain’s worst sporting disaster when 97 Liverpool fans lost their lives after a crush

6:35 PM ET LONDON — Chelsea cannot afford to let their season drift like Tuesday’s performance against Liverpool did. Following Graham Potter’s sacking, the Blues are a club in stasis, temporarily guided by an interim head coach with no experience of leading a side at the highest level. Bruno Saltor, a member of Potter’s backroom

5:37 PM ET LONDON — Chelsea and Liverpool extended their miserable Premier League seasons by playing out a dismal goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in the home team’s first game since the sacking of manager Graham Potter. Reece James and Kai Havertz saw goals ruled out by VAR for Chelsea and Mateo Kovacic missed an

1:42 PM ET Cesar Hernandez The match between Club America and Leon spiraled into chaos after referee Fernando Hernandez kneed Lucas Romero in the groin. no_source Liga MX referee Fernando Hernandez was given a 12-game suspension after kneeing Leon’s Lucas Romero in the groin during a regular season match in Week 13, the league’s disciplinary committee

8:46 AM ET Chelsea are considering between five and seven different managers to replace Graham Potter as head coach, although Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is not in the running, sources have told ESPN. Potter was sacked on Sunday after less than seven months in charge as the first managerial appointment of the Todd Boehly/Clearlake