Soccer

John Berylson, owner and chairman of English Football League team (EFL) Millwall FC, tragically died in a single-car crash in Massachusetts Tuesday morning.

He was 70 years old.

Berylson was driving his 2019 Range Rover around 8 AM when police say he lost control of the vehicle, which rolled over, and ultimately hit a tree. Despite rescuers' best attempts, John succumbed to his injuries.

"John’s sudden and tragic passing will unquestionably impact all those who were fortunate to have known him," Millwall Football Club said in a statement.

"He was a truly great man, incredibly devoted to his family, and a person of such remarkable generosity, warmth, and kindness. He lived a storied life, one full of colour and joy, and was infinitely thoughtful of others with an endless desire to share his immense knowledge and experiences to help people."

"John reveled in the club’s underdog status and mentality," the statement continued. "He related strongly to such values and identity and adored Millwall supporters. He was fiercely loyal to all his staff, and both they and the fan base will miss him beyond measure."

Millwall -- which just began preseason training camp in Spain -- honored Berylson during practice on Wednesday.

Berylson, who first became involved with Millwall in 2006, was very involved in philanthropy ... running the Amy Smith and John G. Berylson Foundation. He was also a trustee of the Smith Family Foundation, which awards grants of approximately $15 million a year, according to its website.

John is survived by his wife, Amy, and three children, Jennifer, James, and Elizabeth.

The paddock just got a bit more crowded -- Ryan Reynolds, Michael B. Jordan and Rob McElhenney are hopping on Formula One's massive rise in popularity and investing in the Alpine Racing team!!

Renault, Alpine's parent company, announced the news on Monday ... saying Otro Capital, RedBird Capital Partners and Maximum Effort Investments (which includes the trio of actors) are taking a 24% equity stake in the organization ... which is worth $218 million.

Otro Capital's Alec Scheiner will get a seat on Alpine's board of directors as part of the deal.

This is yet another sports venture for RR and RM, who famously bought Welsh soccer team Wrexham AFC back in 2020. Reynolds was also recently interested in purchasing the Ottawa Senators, although his bid did not move forward.

Alpine couldn't be more thrilled with the deal ... saying the partnership "will bring successful sports & media experience and operational expertise in building high-growth companies."

Alpine is currently fifth in the Constructor standings this season with drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon ... who are notably covered in the hit Netflix series, "Drive To Survive."

F1 has reached new heights in America in recent years ... with the sport adding races in Miami and Las Vegas.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez beat the heat in the best way possible -- the stunning couple showed off their incredible physiques while lounging on a yacht in Italy this week ... and the pics are a fuoco!!

The soccer superstar and his partner took their kids out for a luxurious getaway near Sardinia this week ... and it looked jam-packed with fun festivities like jet-skiing and diving into the water for some swimming.

The whole group posed for some pics during the trip ... with everyone giving two thumbs up.

Georgina went with a sexy green bikini for the outing ... and the Al Nassr striker chose some short Dolce and Gabbana trunks.

The 38-year-old icon -- who is in the middle of a MASSIVE deal worth up to $200 million a year -- will get to spend a lot of time with his loved ones during his time away from the pitch ... as his Saudi Arabian team has a few weeks off before returning to competition.

Inter Miami goalkeeper Nick Marsman -- who's slated to be teammates with Lionel Messi later this summer -- was attacked by a spider at a zoo recently ... and the bite was apparently so bad, the soccer player had to spend several days in the hospital.

Marsman's wife, Nathalie den Dekker, explained the scary situation in a series of Instagram posts this week ... saying the 32-year-old was in a medical facility for three days after a poisonous arachnid sunk its teeth into him.

Thankfully, though, she said he's been released ... and is now home recovering.

"Happy to have you back home," den Dekker said in one of her posts. "Now get well soon."

It's unclear how much time the MLS goalie -- who's Inter Miami's primary backup behind Drake Callender -- will need to miss while he regains his strength.

A huge matchup between the U.S. men's national soccer team and Mexico on Thursday night was stopped early ... after fans in the crowd continuously chanted anti-gay slurs at players.

The shouts could be heard throughout the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal contest at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas ... and when the game entered the 89th minute, referee Ivan Barton paused the action to try to get it all under control.

Minutes after play resumed, however, the chants continued ... leading Barton to call it all off.

Following the game, CONCACAF officials condemned the fans' actions ... while American goalkeeper Matt Turner told reporters it all "goes against everything that we stand for on our side."

"We've been very vocal and open about the strength of our team being our diversity, the strength of our nation being its diversity," Turner added. "So, to use something so divisive during a game, a spirited game -- and maybe the play sort of set the flares off in the stands, but it has no place in the game."

As for the action on the pitch, it, too, was marred. Four red cards were doled out -- as the two squads repeatedly got into wild skirmishes.

In fact, during one of the melees, USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie had his jersey nearly ripped off his torso.

"It was a mess," U.S. captain Christian Pulisic said following the contest. "But I was disappointed in the end. I really wish some of our guys kept their heads a little bit better. It just turned into something that wasn't this beautiful game that we love."

Usain Bolt's speed certainly isn't limited to the track ... 'cause the Jamaican sprinter flew past his opponents to score an impressive goal in a charity soccer match on Sunday!!

The 8-time Olympic gold medalist ditched his running spikes for some cleats at the Soccer Aid for UNICEF event ... and he wasn't just there to show face -- he balled out!!

Bolt -- fittingly rocking a No. 9.58 jersey to represent his world-record 100-meter dash time -- broke things open 23 minutes into the competition ... zooming past the last line of defense to put the ball in the back of the net for team World XI.

The best part of the highlight came when Bolt celebrated the goal -- first, he did English soccer star Marcus Rashford's signature move ... before switching up to his famous "To Di World" point alongside former French pro Patrice Evra.

Bolt's teammate Tommy Fury was the first to run up and congratulate him ... and it was smooth sailing for their squad the rest of the match, thanks to Robbie Keane's pair of goals.

Former One Direction member Liam Payne wasn't all upset about England's 4-2 loss to World XI ... considering the game raised more than $14 MILLION for the humanitarian organization.

Bolt previously flirted with the idea of playing soccer in the States -- remember, he told us back in 2018 he'd listen to offers from MLS teams if they came with the money.

Gear up to turn to the dark side of the Force, Inter Miami fans ... Alexi Lalas tells TMZ Sports that after adding Lionel Messi this week, he can see the team now becoming a "super club Death Star!"

We spoke at length with the Team USA soccer legend just hours after Messi confirmed he'll play for Miami's MLS squad in 2023 ... and Lalas said the move is a tectonic-plate-shifting one for the sport in America.

He told us he expects it to attract millions more to the game in the States -- and raise the MLS' profile significantly.

He also, though, predicted it could alter the fabric of Inter Miami tremendously ... telling us he's envisioning Messi recruiting some big names to the team -- and turning it into a villain-like superpower in the near future.

"We're already seeing incredible names now being linked to coming to Inter Miami," Lalas said. "It's almost as if they're in the process of potentially creating this MLS super club Death Star, and the hate-watching is going to be absolutely epic!"

Lalas said if it does, indeed, take that turn ... he's anticipating it to create some serious rivalries in the U.S. league -- which would be a big boon for fans here in the States.

"I know if I was on another team -- a less sexy team, for example -- and Miami was doing all of this," he said, "and one of the greatest to ever play is there, I would want to kick his ass."

But, Lalas did offer fans to proceed somewhat cautiously at least initially ... explaining to us that, currently, the Inter Miami roster is not exactly the best -- which could lead to some early frustrations for Messi.

Then again, he told us he's fully ready to see flashes of brilliance from Messi ... despite his roster's limitations and his 35-year-old age.

Selena Gomez isn't shy about taking risks when it comes to her love life ... announcing to a large group of (possibly) single dudes she's single and sharing the clip with the world.

The pop star posted a TikTok video Thursday, which showed her watching a soccer game while wrapped in a blanket, yelling, "I'm single. I'm just a little high-maintenance. But I'll love you soooo much."

It's clear from the footage Selena was poking fun at her current dating situation, which has been relatively quiet ... but it's clear she's available and looking for Mr. Right.

Selena's fans seemed amused, but also identified with her relationship struggles. Some of them wrote in the comments section, "so relatable," "hilarious," and "so real."

Selena even included a caption that read, "The struggle man lol."

It's not the first time she's joked about her relationship status ... Selena hosted Saturday Night Live in 2022 and talked about it in front of a studio audience,  "I would like to say that I'm looking for my soulmate. But at this point, I will take anyone."

It's safe to say Lionel Messi is the Taylor Swift of soccer ... 'cause the Argentinian legend's move to Inter Miami has fans rushing to buy tickets to his games -- and they're selling for way above face value!!

Messi's shocking decision to come play in the U.S. after two years with Paris Saint-Germain resulted in a busy day for secondary market sellers ... with ticketing tech company Logitix telling TMZ Sports there were four times the amount of sales on Wednesday than the past 169 days combined.

We're told the average price for a home game seat has skyrocketed ... going from $15 to $230, a whopping 1,398% increase.

Inter Miami away games are even feeling the Messi effect ... increasing from $53 on average to $251, a 374% difference.

The Inter Miami ticket sitch is similar to what Swifties experienced when Taylor's 'Eras' tour started selling seats ... with some shelling out a LOT more than face value to check out the show.

Messi's contract with the MLS club reportedly includes an option to join team ownership, as well as a split of the profits from the Apple TV broadcasting deal ... but it was still surprising the World Cup hero turned down a rumored offer of more than a BILLION dollars to play in Saudi Arabia.

Shakira is apparently taking a small breather from Lewis Hamilton ... the singer hit up Wednesday's NBA Finals Game 3 without the racecar driver -- though her new rumored love interest didn't miss much, 'cause the tilt ended up being a laugher.

Just a few days after she was spotted getting cozy with the 38-year-old following his second-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, the "Hips Don't Lie" crooner pulled up solo to the Kaseya Center in Miami ... in order to cheer on the Heat vs. the Nuggets.

She had some killer seats -- sitting right on the sideline -- but Jimmy Butler and the home team didn't give her much to clap about ... they got smacked, 109-94.

It's unclear if her public appearance without Hamilton means much -- Lewis could simply be just preparing for the June 18 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal -- or perhaps they're putting whatever was happening on ice. Then again, the Heat play in Miami for Game 4 on Friday -- so maybe he's just waiting for a weekend hang?

Other celebs outside of Shakira were also there ... it was a star-studded crowd that featured J. Cole, Future, G-Eazy and DJ Khaled.

Soccer superstars Neymar and Paul Pogba had some courtside chairs for the contest too ... with Neymar showing big love for Butler while there.

NBA legends Magic Johnson and Dwyane Wade also came by ... and even Floyd Mayweather showed up for the action as well.

The Heat are now down 2-1 -- but maybe another celeb-packed stadium this weekend will help them even everything up?

Ugly scene during the UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday ... soccer star Cristiano Biraghi was pelted with trash while on the field -- and one of the objects hit him so flush, it opened a gnarly wound on his head.

The incident happened during the first half of West Ham's heated tilt with Fiorentina at Fortuna Arena in Prague ... after Biraghi's Fiorentina squad was awarded a corner kick.

You can see in footage from the game's broadcast, West Ham supporters were so upset over the call -- they launched empty cups at Biraghi's head.

Initially, the 30-year-old defender was unnerved by the trash-throwing -- aiming some sarcastic claps back at the unruly fans -- but when he realized he was bleeding profusely from the back of his noggin, he sought out medical attention.

Thankfully, while the gash looked bad, he was able to put a bandage on it and continue.

Refs, though, did have to pause the game -- while a public address announcer urged fans to refrain from throwing objects on the pitch.

At halftime, BT Sport commentator and ex-soccer star Joe Cole ripped the supporters for "moronic behavior."

Lionel Messi is moving across the pond ... the Argentinian soccer superstar has reportedly agreed to join MLS club Inter Miami CF in a HUGE move for the sport.

The news broke on Wednesday ... with Fabrizio Romano reporting Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players to ever to hit the pitch, has decided to join the David Beckham-owned organization this summer.

Both sides have yet to confirm the move ... but a formal announcement is expected Wednesday.

The 35-year-old's contract with PSG officially expires at the end of June ... and he reportedly had a ton of lucrative offers waiting for him as he figured out his next move.

Messi, a captain of Argentina's World Cup-winning national team, received interest from his former club, Barcelona ... and was also courted by Saudi Arabia, which was willing to shell out hundreds of millions of dollars to get him to join Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the Saudi Professional League.

Anwar Megbli -- a player for the U.S. Livorno 1915 semi-pro soccer club in Italy -- tragically died after a traffic accident over the weekend. He was only 18.

The incident happened in Italy on Saturday -- according to local outlets, Megbli was riding on the back of a moped with his friend when they were rear-ended by a vehicle, throwing them to the ground.

Megbli was airlifted to Cisanello Hospital in Pisa ... where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. His friend is still recovering in the hospital.

The Livorno semi-pro football club paid tribute to Megbli on Monday ... saying it's mourning the loss of their striker.

"Everyone at the club sends their deepest condolences to his family in this moment of profound sorrow," the team said in a statement.

"Farewell, champ. You will always be one of us."

Megbli was a promising striker in the sport ... and suited up for the senior squad multiple times last season. He previously played for the USD Castiglioncello, which also paid tribute to its former player.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the driver of the vehicle that struck Megbli and his friend, according to The Sun.

A Premier League soccer referee and his family were mercilessly heckled, and even had a chair thrown at them, by out-of-control AS Roma fans ... and now local police have launched a criminal investigation.

The incident occurred in Budapest ... where 44-year-old ref Anthony Taylor, who is English, was in a cafe with his family, waiting for their flight. Unfortunately, several Roma fans recognized Taylor, and that's when things turned ugly.

Several videos show Taylor, who appears to be with his wife and several other people, getting shouted at by a large group of "fans" as airport authorities attempted to whisk them to safety.

At one point, a fan even threw a chair towards Taylor.

"The Italian citizen involved in the incident was apprehended by the police and criminal proceedings have been initiated on charges of affray," the airport later announced in a statement.

The Roma fans were upset their squad lost to Sevilla by penalty kick after ending regulation tied 1-1 in the Europa League final. Taylor handed out 13 yellow cards during the game.

After the game, but before the airport incident, Roma manager Jose Mourinho was seen confronting the referee in a parking lot, hurling expletives at him.

Mourinho could face a fine and/or suspension for his behavior.

As for the ugly behavior at the airport ... it's drawn widespread rebuke from everyone from the referees union to the Premier League itself who blasted the fans for the way they acted.

"[We're] aware of videos circulating on social media showing Anthony Taylor and his family being harassed and abused at Budapest Airport," the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said.

"We are appalled at the unjustified and abhorrent abuse directed at Anthony and his family as he tries to make his way home from refereeing the UEFA Europa League final."

The Premier League also issued a statement, saying they were "shocked and appalled by the unacceptable abuse" Taylor and his family endured.

The PL added Anthony is one of their most accomplished and experienced officials, saying  "No one should have to suffer the inexcusable behavior they had to endure."

Harry Kane is doubling down on his plans to switch from football to football -- the Tottenham star says he's still interested in becoming an NFL kicker after his soccer career is over ... saying he understands it'll be a ton of work, but he's down for the challenge.

The 29-year-old English striker reaffirmed his intentions during a sit-down with Michael Strahan on "Good Morning America" ... making it clear he's not joking about hopping over the pond to take a stab at American football.

"It's something I want to definitely explore," Kane said on Wednesday. "I know it will be a lot of hard work. I'm not expecting to just walk up and start kicking field goals."

"It will be a lot of practice, a lot of hard work," he continued. "But, yeah, it’s something I'd love to do. The NFL is something I've been following for about 10 years now, and I love it. So, yeah, I would love to give it a go."

Kane has previously talked about becoming an NFL kicker in years past ... but despite showing off what he can do with the pigskin, some critics like legendary leg Morten Andersen have scoffed at the idea.

Kane isn't the only soccer star to show interest in the NFL -- as we previously reported, USWNT hero Carli Lloyd floated the idea back in 2022 after spending time with her hometown Philadelphia Eagles.

Megan Thee Stallion may or may not have a new boo thang, but what she definitely does not have is new music on the horizon.

The H-Town hottie is admitting the last few months have mentally drained her, and, in a new interview with InStyle, she says she's withdrawing from the rap rat race ... for now.

She adds, "Fans can expect new music when I’m in a better place. Right now, I’m focused on healing."

Megan's last project, "Traumazine," was released in August 2022 with the gold-selling Dua Lipa collab, "Sweetest Pie," but the album was also a struggle to be released ... due to her ongoing legal drama with her label 1501 Entertainment.

With her time freed up, Megan says she's focused on her latest deal as Revlon's brand ambassador -- but her actions show she's also focused on getting to know Belgian soccer star Romelu Lukaku a little better.