Football transfer news

Major League Soccer have announced their plans to launch a new professional football league in 2022 with the purpose of completing a player’s pathway to professional soccer.

The league is also intended to redirect excitement and thrill to cities that currently do not have a professional soccer team nearby. 

The new format will consist of 20 clubs at first along with the potential for independently owned teams. The inauguration is set to kick off in late March 2022 and conclude with playoffs in the fall and a championship match in early December, mimicking Major League Soccer. 

Official names, logos and participating teams will be revealed soon, while the application process for expansion clubs are scheduled to be unveiled over the course of this year, according to MLS’ website. 

For now, MLS President and Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott released a statement detailing the excitement and passion behind the project. 

A new league to complete the player pathway from @MLSNEXT to MLS.

Coming in 2022.

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 21, 2021

“We are excited to launch a new league to complete the professional pathway between our academies and the MLS first teams,” said Abbott in a league release.

“In addition to providing more opportunities for MLS-caliber players, the new league will develop a diverse talent pool of coaches, referees and front office executives while also attracting fans who previously were unable to support a local club in their hometown.”

The league will provide the crucial bridge between academy and professional football for individuals, accelerating the development of talent through a competitive environment as opposed to the traditional training method. Given that 20 percent of MLS roster slots are currently occupied by homegrown athletes, this new league offers a possibility for that number to expand and more academy players to get the chance to thrive professionally.

This new opportunity exists to cater to the growing demand and interest for professional soccer teams around the country. As the popularity for football increases in the United States and MLS continues to expand into cities, this new league provides more opportunities for local fanbases.

A general method of measuring how good a footballer is to people who aren’t big fans of the sport is a simple eye test. Do they look like they’re talented?

It’s sometimes been rebranded and rehashed as ‘the alien test’ – would x player impress an other worldly being? Would they fear them if they had to face them in a Space Jam-like standoff?

Mikkel Damsgaard is a player who has obvious quality. The Sampdoria man has a jink and a twist and a turn that most flair players possess, a reading of the game that at the very least earned him a start for Denmark in their crucial Euro 2020 match against Russia on Monday evening.

If you asked a casual fan (or an alien) to identify the one man on the pitch who plays for Barcelona, they probably wouldn’t have singled out Martin Braithwaite, but almost definitely would have been drawn to Damsgaard. He plays with grace and finesse, every touch of the ball a caress rather than a punt, compared to the more rugged game honed by Barça’s actual number nine.

• First player born in the 2000’s to score a European Championship goal
• Youngest Scorer for Denmark at a major tournament
• Featured in ??? 21

Mikkel Damsgaard has got a bright future! ??pic.twitter.com/Z2dwzBiaso

— 90min (@90min_Football) June 21, 2021

That’s not to take away from Braithwaite what an accomplished professional he is – he was among Denmark’s best players once again – but Damsgaard gave Denmark a moment for the country to remember forever, opening the scoring with a looping effort from range not too dissimilar to that of strikes from compatriot Christian Eriksen.

Denmark’s whole tournament lost nearly all significance following the events of their first game, but their squad has reacted admirably. They came flying out of the traps against a strong Belgium team, and put Russia to the sword to salvage any hopes of qualifying for the last 16.

Damsgaard – again, just 20 – has been Eriksen’s direct replacement, but he looks and plays like a seasoned pro, a touch of the Inter midfielder’s game seeping through. He hardly seemed daunted taking such responsibility in a must-win game for Denmark, drifting deep and between lines in order to make his slight physical presence felt.

Denmark eventually strolled to a 4-1 win, shutting Russia down and pressing them off the park. Damsgaard played a huge role in that, kicking off proceedings on a famous night in Danish footballing history.

How about that to kickstart your legacy?

Belgium edged to a 2-0 win over Finland that secured their status as winners of Euro 2020 Group B.

And heartbreakingly for Finland, they are now unlikely to progress to the last 16 due to Denmark’s superior goal difference.

It was far from a pretty game in St Petersburg as both sides settled into a rhythm early on that screamed ‘a draw suits both sides’.

But Belgium’s superior quality began to shine through as the game wore on, and they found themselves in front deep in the second half when Thomas Vermaelen’s header cannoned off the post and in off the despairing Lukas Hradecky.

As news of Denmark’s rampant lead over Russia began to spill through, Finland knew they needed something from the game to finish second and secure qualification. So when Lukaku turned in the box and fired in a wonderful low strike, they knew it was lights out for their Euro 2020 campaign.

“He’s toying with them!” ?

Romelu Lukaku gets his goal this time…

Watch and listen on the BBC https://t.co/n38T8cFysK#FINBEL #Euro2020 #bbceuro2020 pic.twitter.com/rpFucV5qGn

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 21, 2021

The result means that Finland, Denmark and Russia all finish on three points, and since the three-way head-to-head is level, the Danes superior goal difference sends them through.

Belgium, meanwhile? They’ve taken nine points from nine, and look in very good shape.

Here are your player ratings from a dramatic night in Group C.

Lukas Hradecky (GK) – 6/10 – A few strong saves in the first half as he was kept fairly busy by a potent Belgium attack. Great stop to deny Jeremy Doku and absolutely nothing he could do about the OG – so unlucky.

Joona Toivio (CB) – 7/10 – Defended valiantly on the right of the back three and won most of his individual battles.

Paulus Arajuuri (CB) – 8/10 – Nearly found himself on the wrong end of an own goal early on but largely managed the game well enough and headed everything that came his way into touch.

Daniel O’Shaughnessy (CB) – 6/10 – I’ve checked and yes, he is actually Finnish.

Jukka Raitala (RWB) – 6/10 – Kept Hazard quiet enough early on. Struggled after Jeremy Doku was moved out to the left flank but recovered to enjoy a decent game.

Robin Lod (CM) – 4/10 – Wasn’t able to get much time on the ball and seemed to give it away as often as he found his man.

Tim Sparv (CM) – 6/10 – Held things together at the base of midfield and did a lot of shouting. Brought off late on as his legs began to go.

Glen Kamara (CM) – 6/10 – Commentators: it’s pronounced Ka-MAH-ra. Not Camera. Ffs.

Jere Uronen (LWB) – 5/10 – Ran the channels well but struggled defensively until he was replaced for the final 20 minutes.

Joel Pohjanpalo (CF) – 3/10 – Literally did nothing. Not a thing. Subbed with 20 to go.

Teemu Pukki (CF) – 5/10 – Often had to drop deep to get a touch of the ball thanks to Finland’s perilously low block. Didn’t do much on the rare occasion it found him.

Rasmus Schuller (Sparv, 59) – 6/10

Nikolai Alho (Pohjanpalo, 70) – 6/10

Joni Kauko (Uronen, 70) – 6/10

Thibaut Courtois (GK) – 6/10 – Probably wishes he’d brought his slippers with him.

Jason Denayer (CB) – 7/10 – Strolled it for the most part.

Dedryck Boyata (CB) – 8/10 – Immense performance as he frequently stepped out to win the ball and slam the door in the face of Finland’s rare ventures forward.

Thomas Vermaelen (CB) – 6/10 – Didn’t have much actual defending to do, but never gave the ball away despite attempting a number of ambitious long-range passes. Celebrated the goal as if it was his own and it may as well have been.

Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard each start their first game of #EURO2020 this evening! ? pic.twitter.com/j0KFF8tOMw

— 90min (@90min_Football) June 21, 2021

Leandro Trossard (RWB) – 6/10 – The Brighton man gave a decent account of himself but good lord, he is not a wing-back.

Axel Witsel (CM) – 7/10 – What Witsel actually does is a bit of a mystery, but he seems to be a very important part of the Belgian side.

Kevin De Bruyne (CM) – 8/10 – Belgium’s quarter-back created several chances from nothing on his return to the starting XI. Because he’s Kevin De Bruyne, and that’s what he does.

Nacer Chadli (LWB) – 6/10 – Looks a more natural fit for the wing-back role than Trossard, but his crossing needs work.

Jeremy Doku (RW) – 7/10 – Fluidly switched positions with Hazard on the flanks and his quick feet caused problems for both Finland wing-backs. Nearly had his third international goal in the first half.

Romelu Lukaku (CF) – 8/10 – Made his presence felt with some dangerous runs in behind early on, and steadily grew into the game to deliver a fearsome performance. Thoroughly deserved his third of the tournament.

Eden Hazard (LW) – 5/10 – Will he ever be match-fit again?

Thomas Meunier (Trossard, 74) – 5/10

Michy Batshuayi (Doku, 74) – 5/10

Christian Benteke (Lukaku, 84) – N/A

Football could look very different in the future as new technology becomes an increasingly important part of the sport. The basic game as we know it won’t change, but assistance from technology could boost both the players and improve fan experience.

Football has already come a ridiculously long way since the first universal rules were drawn up almost 160 years ago. And with society ever more intertwined with technology, football will have little choice but to embrace the tech as well.

“Think micro sensors in shoes and shirts, or even nanochip implants. And, of course, sports fans will also be served increasingly tech-enhanced sports entertainment, with information-enriched viewing like first-person views,” says futurist Richard van Hooijdonk, whose detailed report sheds light on what the future has in store for an ever-changing sport.

“Which football fan doesn’t want to experience what a football player sees, feels, hears, and even senses, and – most importantly – how fast he kicks the ball?”

Perhaps the most obvious way technology will continue to be used in football through training to enhance players, taking them to higher levels than ever before.

Heart rate monitors, GPS trackers, advanced monitoring and camera systems, apps to track official games and training sessions recorded by drones are already in use to collect vast information.

Analysing the information can lead to improved performance. Technology, such as adidas smart jerseys used by the German national team tracking distance, speed and pulse, can help optimise training schedules, develop game strategies and even help identify irregularities, patterns or changes in player performance that may indicate an upcoming injury.

Being able to predict certain injuries before they happen could be a huge advancement.

In terms of recovery, experts in Germany have been developing RoboGym, a robotic weightlifting device to help athletes improve performance and shorten recovery time following an injury. It is gentle on joints, preserves muscle strength and also helps prevent injuries. Training exercises can even be adapted to individual players, stored to a cloud and accessed on any machine.

Artificial intelligence can be used can be used to discover all-important marginal performance gains by keeping a player in top condition or predicting when an injury might happen.

For example, more than 50 clubs around the world are already using the Zone7 artificial intelligence programme, which inputs data from medical profiles, fitness assessments and wearables to determine which players might be at risk of suffering an injury.

The system provides green, yellow and red indicators for a player’s daily risk level, which gives coaches insight on whether it is necessary to lower training intensity.

An estimated one millions training sessions have already been recorded with Zone7, with the system achieving 95% accuracy and leading to a 75% reduction in injuries.

Player health monitoring is more important than ever following the distressing scenes of Christian Eriksen’s collapse and resuscitation at Euro 2020, while Iker Casillas had suffered a heart attack in training in 2019 and immediately sought to gain a better understanding of his health.

IDOVEN is a company that has created technology based on artificial intelligence that consists of a monitoring kit continually keeping track of an athlete’s heart while training and resting, with the aim of identifying potential heart problems and preventing them.

It is thought that artificial intelligence can automate the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias, saving time and therefore lives through remote diagnosis and early detection.

When it comes to improving the game itself, goal-line technology is now a well established part of elite modern football, with cameras crucially able to determine whether the ball has crossed the goal-line and should be considered a goal or not.

But where the reach of technology could continue is the use of robotic assistant referees, which FIFA could have implemented by the time of the next World Cup in 2022. In fact, robotic assistant referees have already even been piloted at he most recent FIFA Club World Cup.

One system under consideration is Tracab developed in Sweden, making use of AI-driven ball tracking, combined with limb tracking and skeletal modelling. Chyron-Hego, the firm behind Tracab, claims it can ‘determine the exact moment of a critical ball pass and the precise location of involved players and their limbs relative to the goal line’.

It is automatic and can send an alert in the case of an offside, meaning a video assistant is able to review any such incident much faster.

Technology may change ways in which football engages with fans, with virtual reality and holograms potentially a huge shift in the fan experience. A VR headset, for example, can put you anywhere in the world, even allowing supporters to mimic the experience of watching a game in a stadium sat next to a friend, who may well be on the other side of the world.

The advancement of technology could even allow for live hologram broadcasts, allowing fans in an empty stadium to watch a realistic projection of a game as if it was being played there. Japan’s bid for the 2022 World Cup even included promises to develop such technology to make it possible.

Southampton’s new 2021/22 home kit has augmented reality features, which means that scanning it with a smartphone can make players like James Ward-Prowse appear in a fan’s home.

The MLS all-star game in 2018 saw goalkeeper Brad Guzan equipped with a microphone and earpiece, allowing him to directly communicate with broadcasters and be interviewed during the game. This could be further developed to help increase engagement and entertainment.

Another MLS trial of technology saw the referee at the 2019 All-Star game wear a Go-Pro camera, giving fans the chance to live a first-person experience of the match, witnessing close up just how players and officials interact with each other on the pitch.

Click here for the fascinating full article on ‘The future of football is all about high-tech innovation’ by futurist Richard van Hooijdonk and his team.

Richard van Hooijdonk is a trendwatcher, futurist, international speaker and World Economic Forum panellist. Together with his international team he investigates how technology impacts the way we work and live. Van Hooijdonk is a regular guest on radio and television programmes, and his inspiration sessions have been attended by more than 550,000 people around the world. He has more than 1,500 publications to his name, including articles, whitepapers, and e-books

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Uruguay will look to earn their first win of the 2021 Copa America when facing Chile on Monday in Cuiaba.

La Celeste fell 1-0 against Argentina on Friday in their tournament opener, while Chile have collected four points from their two matches. Should they earn a victory against Uruguay, Chile will seal their place in the quarter-finals. 

Uruguay’s defeat against Argentina marked their fourth consecutive game without a win in all competitions. Despite standing strong against Argentina and securing a point, Chile’s recent performances remain widely inconsistent. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the match…

When is kick off? Monday 21 June, 5pm (ET)
Where is the match being played? Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá
What TV channel is it on? Fox Sports 1, Univision
What live stream is it on? TUDN app, Univision NOW, Fox Sports app

Alexis Sanchez will be the only player missing for Chile’s match against Uruguay at Copa America 2021. Charles Aranguiz and Arturo Vidal will likely feature in the midfield after performing well in their previous two tournament matches. In the back, Gary Medel and Guillermo Maripan have both impressed and will be expected to maintain their level ahead of rivals Uruguay.

Blackburn Rovers forward Ben Brereton Diaz is the player to watch after making his international debut in the match against Argentina and scoring in the 10th minute against Bolivia. 

Uruguay manager Oscar Tabarez has a fully fit squad to choose from for the match against Chile. The Uruguayan line should consist of Manchester United forward Edison Cavani and Atletico Madrid star Luis Suárez. Though the two failed to stand out against Argentina, they will be looking for revenge against Chile. Nicolas de la Cruz and Facundo Torres will look to support the two forwards by keeping the back secure.

Chile: Bravo; Isla, Medel, Maripan, Mena; Pulgar, Vidal, Aranguiz; Brereton Diaz, Meneses, Vargas

Uruguay: Muslera; Vina, Gimenez, Godin, Gonzalez; Torreira, Valverde, Bentancur, De La Cruz; Cavani, Suarez

Uruguay dominates in the historical record against Chile, having won 46 out of a total 82 games played between the two teams. La Roja has recorded only 19 victories against Uruguay, but currently hold a stronger record outside of their history.

The two have not drawn in their last eight matches, with Uruguay winning five and Chile three. Their last match took place in October 2020, where Uruguay won 2-1 with an opening goal from Luis Suarez. 

Despite their historical record, Uruguay has been struggling to dominate matches recently. Their attack might contain Cavani and Suarez, but the two have failed to score in any definitive way in Uruguay’s last five matches. While Chile’s Copa America run is successful at the moment, the team historically freezes against rivals Uruguay. 

Prediction: 1-1