Atalanta wins Europa League, Inter Milan gain new American owners, and more: Thursday Freedom Kicks
Happy Thursday, everyone. We’re getting close to the holiday weekend, but before we do, let’s catch up with some news over the past couple days.
Atalanta win Europa League as Lookman hat-trick ends Leverkusen’s unbeaten run (The Guardian)
In a stunner, Atalanta win 3-0 in the Europa League Final behind an Ademola Lookman hat trick, the first in the Europa League Final since 1969. They beat Bayer Leverkusen, handing them their first loss in 52 matches this season.
Inter Milan get American owners after missed payment (ESPN)
Apparently Inter Milan owners Suning (Chinese company) missed a €395 million payment from an agreement they had with American company Oaktree Capital Management. Since they missed that payment, OCM declared that they are the new owners of Inter Milan in a stunning announcement.
Loudoun United lost on the road on Tuesday night in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 to LAFC, 3-0. The matchups for the quarterfinals in July:
-Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Dallas
-Atlanta United vs. Indy Eleven
-Sacramento Republic vs. Seattle Sounders
-LAFC vs. New Mexico United
Budapest gets 2026 Champions League final amid San Siro doubts (ESPN)
With the San Siro potentially closing in a couple years (and the Inter Milan news not helping), UEFA awarded the 2026 Champions League Final to Budapest’s Puskás Aréna. Oslo will host the 2026 Women’s Champions League Final.
USWNT 23-player roster announced for June friendlies (SSFC)
The first roster to compete with new USWNT coach Emma Hayes on the sidelines is here, and United Spirits are back! Six Spirit players made the training camp: Aubrey Kingsbury, Casey Krueger, Hal Hershfelt, and Trinity Rodman making the 23-player roster and Croix Bethune and Katie Wiesner making the training roster.
Bethune, Hershfelt talk USWNT call-ups amid standout NWSL rookie seasons (Pro Soccer Wire)
Bethune and Hershfelt talk about their USWNT call-ups with the GOAT, Jason Anderson. We can’t wait to see them in camp!
WNBA rookie star Angel Reese becomes co-owner of DC Power FC (Pro Soccer Wire)
A surprising announcement the other day, as Angel Reese was introduced as a co-owner of DC Power FC. Sounds like more celebrity investment is coming soon, but Reese’s involvement brings some street cred around these parts.
NWSL U-19 ranking: Shaw, Moultrie lead best young players (ESPN)
Jaedyn Shaw leads ESPN’s list of best U-19s in the NWSL. Chloe Ricketts placed 15th on the list.
Hey Spirits: Goals, golazos, and more hot takes than usual (DP)
We got a new Hey Spirits episode ready to take you into the holiday weekend!
DC United said goodbye to Mohanad Jeahze yesterday, and could be saying hello to David Schnegg very soon.
World’s longest penalty shootout record broken in Israel (ESPN)
56 rounds! That was the penalty shootout between two Israeli teams, the longest in world soccer history. I’m tired just thinking about it.
‘Irreplaceable’ Toni Kroos walks away early at the top, a mic-drop moment (The Guardian)
Toni Kroos announced the other day that he will retire from professional soccer after the Euros, much to the shock of millions around the world. He’ll go down as one of the greatest midfielders there ever was, and I’m sad that I’ll no longer get to see him in the Real Madrid camiseta blanca.
Vincent Kompany’s Burnley team got relegated in their first season back in the EPL, but it sounds like he won’t be going down with them. Bayern Munich reportedly have made him their leading candidate to take over for Thomas Tuchel…wow.
AC Milan star Pulisic named finalist for Serie A Best Midfielder (Pro Soccer Wire)
Christian Pulisic had a great year for AC Milan, and he’s now up for Serie A’s Best Midfielder. He definitely has been one of the best in the league.
Human rights group urges FIFA probe Saudi pre-World Cup vote (ESPN)
International human rights lawyers have pressed FIFA to conduct a probe of Saudi Arabia’s 2023 World Cup bid to make sure that they are meeting the organization’s human rights requirements before being awarded the tournament.
Copa America teams will be allowed concussion substitutions (Pro Soccer Wire)
Not only will teams be allowed to have 26 players at Copa América this summer, coaches will be able to utilize a 6th sub if there is a head injury or concussion protocol.
Chelsea confirms five coaches to join Hayes’ USWNT staff (Pro Soccer Wire)
Emma Hayes is bringing most of Chelsea’s staff with her to the USWNT, as 5 coaches will leave Kingsmeadow for the United States.
Finally, the KC Current are in 1st place in the NWSL, but GM Camille Ashton still has announced her resignation, throwing their season into a state of confusion.
Hope to see some of y’all at Audi Field this weekend!
Soccer never fails to produce drama. The constant back and forth at both Bayern and Barca, Intern’s ownership status, Chelsea canning Pochettino after he steadies the ship…and then there’s so much actual soccer this summer.
Yeah, I didn’t realize how many. At least four major tournaments, if you split the Olympics into men’s and women’s (as one should). Copa America and the Euros. We as fans will be happy, the player strain will be real.
Hat’s off to Leverkusen for a tremendous effort this year.
Absolutely. They were one extraordinary performance from Lookman, of all players, from having a real shot at a fully undefeated season. Spectacular effort
Hey, I think Emirates owes me money. Do I get Man City?
Donald, I’m gonna need you to fit more news stories into the freedom kick. 😉
I feel sorry for Kompany, honestly. Best case scenario, he does well and they fire him in two years for vibes. Worst case, it’s a disaster, and it torches his confidence and his career. All so he can be finally the person to tackle the ultimate problem- an entitled old guard refusing to move out of the way for promising youth, and using their influence to destroy anyone who tries to make them.
As a Bayern fan, I like Kompany as a dude, he is class. I have no idea how good of a manager he is for a colossus like Munich.
Kompany is indeed a likable and classy guy, I worry for him at Bayern. They have some real issues with player and management power there that tend to eat up managers. My main suspicion is that the higher ups view him as a win-win, succeed or fail. Either he delivers, and they hold onto him for a while, or they blame him for any issues that arise with the transition I mentioned above.
I’m more a Dortmund fan, find Bayern to be a toxic giant. Hope Kompany thinks better of it.
Bayern was certainly a toxic giant this year. I am going to visit a game in Munich next year, but I wonder if it will all be a sad event.
I wish Dortmund luck in the UEFA finals. I wonder if they see him as a place-holder for Klopp.
DC has signed some players from Austria (notably DPs Branko Boskovic, Hamdi Salihi, and Taxi Fountas), but I believe that Schnegg would be the first Austrian player to suit up for DC.
That 56 rounds of pk shootout just makes me tired and stressed out just thinking about it.
The Red Bulls signed John Tolkin to an extension. He’s way up near the top of the Players in MLS I Irrationally Dislike list. Probably because he’s a) good; b) often scores against us; and c) is a Red Bull.
So what if he somehow ended up in the black and red?
I mean, we got somewhat comfortable and even relied upon Felipe…
Some of us were pretty happy to see him go.
His haircut last year was what made me (irrationally) dislike him more than the average Red Bull.