Soccer

Carli Lloyd wasn't feeling all the smiling and dancing after the USWNT scored a draw vs. Portugal, narrowly advancing in the World Cup ... she called out her former team, saying they're fortunate they're not going home!

If you missed it, the U.S. Women's National Team faced Portugal early Tuesday morning, barely escaping with the 0-0 tie ... after Portugal's Ana Capeta's extra time kick nearly netted the game's first goal. Fortunately for the U.S., the ball deflected off the goalpost.

With the draw, the U.S. advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup ... and players were clearly happy, celebrating on the pitch.

The visual didn't sit right with Lloyd -- a 2x Olympic gold medalist and 2x World Cup winner -- who took a shot at the team after another uninspiring effort on the field.

"I have never witnessed," the 41-year-old said on FOX Soccer, "and just seeing these images for the first time at the desk – I have never witnessed something like that."

"There's a difference between being respectful of the fans and saying hello to your family, but to be dancing, to be smiling."

Lloyd continued calling out the USWNT, crediting the goalpost with saving the game for 'Merica.

"I mean the player of that match was the post. You are lucky to not be going home right now."

USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski responded to Lloyd's comment, saying it was "insane" to question the mentality of the team.

But, Lloyd's not the only one who's questioning the USWNT ... and many fans have been none too pleased with the results on the field (3-0 win over Vietnam, draws vs. Netherlands and Portugal).

"People across America stayed up super late or woke up IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT to watch yall play a half-hearted game, at best. You put more effort into your outfits and pre and post-game dance moves and than you did the actual game," one fan commented.

"You're letting down fans that are, and have been, dedicated to this team and it's honestly so disappointing. Get your focus where it needs to be and actually play like a team and a group we can be proud of, win or lose."

The USWNT returns to the pitch on August 6 in the round of 16 as they continue their quest for a historic, third straight World Cup victory.

Do that ... and we're sure Carli Lloyd will take the photos for you!

A field invader during the Wrexham vs. Manchester United game found out very quickly he should've just stayed in his seat ... because moments after he stormed the pitch -- he was decked by security.

The man's wild run during the much-anticipated exhibition soccer game all went down on Tuesday night in San Diego at Snapdragon Stadium.

In the second half of the tilt ... the fan, for some reason, hopped over a stadium wall, stripped off his shirt -- and took a joyride through the players on the field.

Video shot from fans inside the venue shows the man was able to avoid guards for a while ... but once they caught up to him, they plowed him into the turf.

Somehow -- despite the brutal blow -- the guy was able to get up ... though he was eventually led off the field in cuffs.

Lionel Messi Mania is in full effect down in South Florida -- the soccer superstar scored two more goals for his new Inter Miami team on Tuesday night ... and a ton of celebs were there to celebrate.

The former Barcelona star suited up for the MLS squad for the second time in less than a week ... and he dazzled once again.

Coming off a game in which he netted the match-winner ... Messi poured two more balls into the net in just 78 minutes -- lifting his team to a 4-0 win over Atlanta United.

As it was last Friday night in his debut, celebs flocked to DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale to get a glimpse of the soccer G.O.A.T.

DJ Khaled, P Diddy and Camila Cabello were all there ... and Inter Miami owner David Beckham and his wife Victoria Beckham rolled out the red carpet for them.

The A-listers sat in front-row seats ... and, at one point, DJ Khaled's son even got in on the action, helping escort Messi onto the field before play officially began.

Khaled was pumped over it all afterward ... thanking Beckham for the experience in an IG post.

Lionel Messi's clearly looking to make South Florida feel more like home ... the new Inter Miami star was spotted house hunting over the weekend -- scoping out a massive mansion in Fort Lauderdale.

The 36-year-old -- fresh off scoring the game-winning goal in his debut for David Beckham's MLS squad last Friday -- used his day off on Sunday to check out the potential new spot for him and his family.

Messi's wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and all of their tykes joined the footballer on the trek ... looking at a big place that was right along the Intracoastal Waterway.

No word yet if Messi liked it enough to put an offer on it ... but one thing is obvious -- the guy can certainly afford whatever price tag it came with.

As part of his new 2.5-year deal with Inter Miami, he'll reportedly make roughly $5 MILLION per month!

Of course, he's already shown he's worth it ... 'cause he lifted his new squad over Cruz Azul with a free kick in the 94th minute of his first match with the team.

Terrifying moment before the Real Madrid vs. AC Milan game on Sunday ... ESPN analyst Shaka Hislop collapsed while he and his broadcast partner were live on-air breaking down the upcoming action.

As Dan Thomas and Hislop were on the Rose Bowl turf in Pasadena giving their pregame report for ESPN ... Hislop -- a former MLS goalkeeper -- appeared to drift in and out of consciousness.

He took a couple steps backward ... before he stumbled forward, falling into Thomas, who wasn't able to catch the 54-year-old as he crumpled to the ground.

Immediately, Thomas called for help ... and medics raced to the scene to tend to Hislop.

The former footballer was eventually helped off the field ... and, thankfully, Thomas announced later in the game his good pal is seemingly going to be OK.

"As it stands, it's good news," Thomas said. "He's conscious, he's talking. I think he's a little embarrassed about it all -- he's apologized profusely."

"Obviously far too early to make any sort of diagnosis," Thomas continued, "but the important thing is that Shaka's conscious."

Thomas then said he had also spoken with Shaka's family following the scary medical issue, and they told him "things are looking OK."

Hislop -- who also played for Newcastle United and West Ham United -- became a noted soccer analyst following his retirement from the game in the late 2000s.

The U.S. Women's Soccer team wasn't feelin very patriotic during their World Cup opener -- and it showed on their faces ... with mostly closed mouths during the National Anthem.

The U.S.'s debut game against Vietnam went down Friday in New Zealand, and a lot of people couldn't help but notice that most of the American players were choosing not to sing along to "The Star-Spangled Banner" while the famed music played before kickoff.

It was awkward -- the camera pans across the entire row ... and just about everyone, except for a few stray players, had their mouths shut. Some even had their arms behind their back.

The starters who opted to skip the Nat'l Anthem included ... Alex Morgan, Andi Sullivan, Sophia Smith, Naomi Girma, Emily Fox, Trinity Rodman and Crystal Dunn, among others. A couple were notably mouthing the words ... Alyssa Naeher and Lindsey Horan.

To make matters worse ... the Vietnamese players were pretty much all singing their national anthem, loudly/proudly it seems -- with hands over hearts. Ditto for just about every other international team we can see -- FOX is cutting all the national anthems on their social page.

On its face, it looks like every other country -- besides the U.S. -- is belting out their tunes.

It remains to be seen if the U.S. is going to do this every time they play another team -- the National Anthem will, in fact, be blared before each of their matches ... and since it seems like they're making a statement -- it has, no doubt, pissed off some along political lines.

Kim Kardashian is taking her soccer mom game to the next level ... bringing son Saint with her to Lionel Messi's first game with his new Major League Soccer club.

Kim and Saint are among the celebs in the house for Messi's debut with Inter Miami ... she says they're there to support Saint's passion for soccer, and root on his favorite player, Messi.

Remember ... Kim and Saint have been to soccer games around the world this year, we saw them back in March at a match in Paris.

Kim and Saint are seeing some familiar faces at the game ... because Tristan Thompson is also in the house.

Serena Williams made sure to catch Messi's first game ... and LeBron James did too, even sharing a moment with the soccer star before the game.

Messi's new Inter Miami team is playing Mexican club Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale ... and he's coming off the bench and expected to play the last 30 minutes.

The G.O.A.T.'s getting a boat ...Tom Brady just announced he's joining a new electric boat racing league as a team owner!!

The former NFL superstar and the newly formed E1 World Championship league made the move officially official on Thursday morning ... revealing the ex-QB will now compete against teams owned by tennis star Rafael Nadal, Formula 1 star Sergio Perez, former soccer star Didier Drogba and more beginning in 2024.

The league promises to be packed with action ... featuring all-electric ships that move on tight courses at speeds of over 100 kilometers per hour.

"UIM E1 World Championship combines several things l love," Brady said when announcing his ownership stake in the league ... "speed, intensity, being on the water, intense competition, and innovative leaders."

He added, "My message to our competition: be prepared for second place because we are aiming for the top! LFG!!!"

45-year-old Brady also said he was pumped that the league -- which is aiming to have 10 teams with mixed-gender pilots -- will be more environmentally friendly than other racing sports.

As for how Tom got started in the process ... he told CNN this week he fell in love with the boating culture following his move to Tampa Bay in 2020.

And, yes, he did say he plans to get behind the wheel of the boats sometime soon -- even though he won't be a pilot when official races begin next year.

"You're damn right I'm going to be in that cockpit at some point," Brady said. "I love speed! I love driving fast!"

A mass shooting broke out in New Zealand near where the U.S. women's national soccer team is gearing up for this week's World Cup ... but, thankfully, officials for the squad said all of its players and staffers are safe.

According to New Zealand police, gunshots initially rang out on Wednesday morning at a construction site in Auckland's CBD -- just a few miles from where the USWNT and other countries are slated to compete in the prestigious soccer tournament.

Police said a shooter opened fire inside the site at around 7:22 AM ... and then continued moving through the building while repeatedly discharging his gun.

Cops say when they arrived on scene, officers attempted to engage the gunman ... who had barricaded himself inside of an elevator shaft.

"Further shots were fired from the male," cops said in a statement ... "he was located deceased a short time later."

Authorities say two people -- plus the suspect -- died during the incident. Several others, they added, were injured.

The USWNT said in a statement following the tragedy that "all of our USWNT players and staff are accounted for and safe."

"Our security team is in communication with local authorities," team officials continued, "and we are proceeding with our daily schedule."

New Zealand officials added that while the situation was "alarming," they believe the incident "has been contained and is an isolated" one.

"We can also advise that this is not a national security risk," they said.

The World Cup is slated to kick off in Auckland on Thursday ... when New Zealand takes on Norway at Eden Park.

Yo Gotti's co-ownership of MLS soccer team D.C. United has opened new doors for the "Rake It Up" rapper ... making a trip to the White House to hang with the First Lady!!!

The CMG boss kicked off his MLS All-Star Week on the South Lawn of the White House Monday as an invited guest. Gotti was part of a youth soccer clinic designed to raise awareness for the sport with future generations.

Sources tell TMZ Hip Hop that Gotti and Jill Biden had a great chitchat on the South Lawn about his own children's growing love for soccer ... and he connected with officials from the Biden-Harris Administration throughout the day.

Gotti joined D.C. United in 2021 and has been proactive in ingraining himself in the soccer community.

We're told he'll be joining the TV booth for the MLS All-Star Game later this evening, as 2 D.C. United players and their coach Wayne Rooney are on the roster.

A bunch of rain couldn't kill Lionel Messi's vibe at his big Inter Miami introduction on Sunday -- the soccer superstar was happy as ever as he made his grand entrance with his new team.

The lavish celebration was delayed two hours due to a pestering thunderstorm ... but there was no way the thousands of fans at DRV PNK Stadium were going to miss out on seeing the Argentinian striker's first appearance with the MLS club.

Messi cracked a joke about the downpour while addressing the crowd .. saying, "Tonight, we’re doing this Miami-style in the rain. This is holy water!!"

He also got serious during his speech ... saying he's thankful for all the local fans giving him a warm welcome ever since he touched down in the States.

"Truthfully, I'm very excited, very happy to be here in Miami and be with you," Messi said. "I'm eager to start training and to compete. I come here with the same desire to compete, desire to win and help the club to continue to grow."

Messi -- who's reported to make up to $150 million overall during his time with Inter Miami -- also doubled down on his decision to venture to MLS ... saying it's going to be a positive experience for both sides.

Team owner David Beckham also took the mic to share a few words ... saying it's a "dream come true" to have Messi join the family.

Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy was found not guilty of rape and attempted rape at a retrial on Friday ... and the soccer star was overcome with emotion following the verdict.

The three-week process came to an end at Chester Crown Court in England, where Mendy broke down in tears after learning his fate.

The French footballer had been accused of raping a 24-year-old woman at his mansion in 2020 ... after she claimed he asked to see intimate pictures on her phone and told her to get naked. She said she made it clear she did not want to have sex, but when she went to get her phone off the bed, Mendy proceeded to rape her.

A 29-year-old woman also accused Mendy of molesting her in 2018, when she claimed he walked in on her while showering and tried to force her to have sex on his bed.

Mendy also faced serious rape allegations made by four women or teenagers ... but earlier this year, he was cleared of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault after a lengthy trial.

Lionel Messi's move to Miami apparently didn't come with a personal shopper ... 'cause the soccer legend was spotted out at a Publix on Thursday -- roaming with the normies to make sure his cupboards were stocked with cereal.

Just two days after he touched down in Florida to begin his new career in the MLS ... Messi evidently needed some food for his crib so badly, the $600 million man took it upon himself to hit up a local supermarket to nab some groceries.

The 36-year-old soccer G.O.A.T. pushed his own cart and traversed through some gawking fans to make the run ... and at the end of it all, he walked away with what appeared to be several boxes of sugary breakfast treats.

The footballer, though, seemed to have a relatively easy time being out in public ... while he did pose for a selfie with at least one fan at the store, most seemed to let him go about his business without bothering him.

Of course, that's a stark contrast from his usual norm in Argentina ... where most of his nights out involve being swarmed by hundreds of fans.

But, Messi is still getting the VIP treatment, at least in some parts of his new home ... while out at a dinner earlier this week, he had to deal with several people who had lined up to get a glimpse of him on his way to his car.

Messi is slated to be formally introduced by Inter Miami on Sunday ... so it might be another few days before the mania around the soccer player really kicks off in South Beach.

Thalia Chaverria, a 20-year-old, junior soccer player at New Mexico State University was found dead in her home earlier this week. Cops are investigating, but don't believe foul play was involved.

The Las Cruces Police Department was called to the New Mexico home of Chaverria, who hailed from Bakersfield, CA, around 7 AM Monday morning for an "unresponsive woman." When first responders arrived, Thalia was already deceased.

Police say they "have no reason to believe Chaverria’s death is suspicious or the result of criminal activity."

New Mexico State's Athletic Director Mario Moccia released a statement addressing Chaverria’s death.

"[Monday] we lost an amazing young woman, and we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of a member of our Aggie family. Thalia had a vibrant personality and those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her knew she had a bright future ahead of her," Moccia said.

"The New Mexico State community is very tight-knit, and this tragedy is felt throughout. Our most sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Thalia's family and friends in this time of mourning."

Head coach Rob Baarts also commented ... "The sudden loss of Thalia has completely rocked our Aggie soccer families' world. T was an inspiration and rock to this team. She will be missed but not forgotten. Her spirit will be with us every day, on and off the pitch. I will always love you T!"

Thalia, a defender, was going into her third season with the Aggies ... where she was expected to play a pivotal role on the team.

Last season Chaverria started 20 games, logging nearly 1,800 game time minutes ... a season in which NM St. earned its first-ever WAC conference title in women's soccer.

In the wake of the awful news, a Chaverria family friend has started a GoFundMe to help cover expenses related to the death.

Megan Rapinoe is retiring from soccer -- but she's got one last thing to achieve on her checklist before doing so ... winning another World Cup.

The longtime U.S. women's soccer legend -- who's been on the national team since '06 -- made the announcement Saturday at a presser, telling reporters this upcoming tourney would be her last as a professional ... and that she'd be hanging up her cleats afterward.

She does say there'll be more to come for her down the road -- presumably meaning she'll still be involved in soccer in some capacity -- but first, her focus is on snagging the gold.

During her remarks ... MR got a little choked up as she reflected on her storied career, thanking teammates, coaches, fans and everyone who's supported her over the years. She also touched on the game itself and commented on just how far it's taken her in her life.

She also shouts out her partner, WNBA star Sue Bird, for giving her inspiration in coming to the decision -- ICYMI, SB announced her retirement from pro basketball just last year.

Megan's thoughts are touching ... and it's a huge moment, seeing how she's been on several U.S. Women's Soccer teams, having played with some of the greats of the modern era. She's played with the likes of Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo and so many others ... and is, by and large, considered to be one of the final players of the old guard to still be on the pitch today. She's also served as a captain on the team for years now.

Of course, her accolades are many. Megan's helped the U.S. win the World Cup twice, and she's also led the U.S. to a gold medal in the Olympics before. MR's won a lot of awards, too, including the Golden Boot and Golden Ball from FIFA for her standout performances.

Jay-Z just made a massive splash in the soccer world ... his Roc Nation Sports International agency opened shop in Brazil, and now represents one of the biggest international soccer stars alive, Vinicius Jr.!

Hov and Roc Nation landed Vini Jr. after acquiring famed Brazilian soccer agency, TFM ... which reps over 100 soccer players, including the international soccer star.

Of course, if you're a soccer fan, you know 22-year-old Vinicius Jr. ... winger for Real Madrid (and the Brazilian National Team), is widely considered one of the most talented players in the world. Period.

For as great as he is on the pitch, he's equally as popular off it ... counting nearly 40 million followers on Instagram alone. Speaking of social media, Vini posted a photo hanging with Hov in late May... and we're told the stars spoke about the potential partnership.

With the move, Roc Nation believes they're positioned to become an even bigger player in the soccer world.

“In terms of football, Brazil is the center of it all. I strongly identify with a culture that has such an incredible passion for sport and music. Our influence in this game is growing and this move shows our intentions to the world,” RNS president and founder Juan Perez said in a statement.

TFM Agency founder Frederico Pena will now act as lead for the new RNS wing.

"Roc Nation embodies the pinnacle of culture, sports, and entertainment. It made perfect sense to join Roc Nation, elevate our operations, and provide our athletes with comprehensive, global representation," Pena said.