Happy Friday! There`s a fantastic combination this holiday weekend with lots of tournament football taking place both in the United States and across the Atlantic. Pardeep Cattry brings you the latest updates as matches are coming thick and fast.
Remembering Diogo Jota
The football community is mourning the tragic death of Liverpool forward and Portugal international Diogo Jota, aged 28, and his younger brother Andre Silva, 25. They died in a car accident in Spain on Thursday.
This devastating news prompted an outpouring of tributes for Jota and condolences for his family and loved ones, including his wife Rute Cardoso, whom he married less than two weeks prior, and his three young children. A moment of silence was held before Thursday`s Women`s Euro matches, including Portugal`s game against Spain, where players from both teams wore black armbands. Many fans displayed images and signs paying tribute. Jota`s teammates and colleagues worldwide took to social media to remember him not only as a brilliant player but also for his significant impact as a person.
Tributes from the Football Community
This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can`t see it! I`m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother Andre. Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father! We will miss you so much! All my prayers, thoughts and power to Rute, the kids, the family, the friends and everyone who loved them! Rest in peace.
They say that we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget you.
For the team and the Club, we`ll try to cope with this together… however long that takes. For me, I want to talk about my mate. My buddy. The bloke I loved and will miss like crazy. I could talk about him as a player for hours, but none of that feels like it matters right now. It`s the man. The person. He was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real. Full of love for the people he cared about. Full of fun. … I can`t believe we`re saying goodbye. It`s too soon, and it hurts so much. But thank you for being in my life, mate – and for making it better. Love you, Diogo.
USMNT Heads to Gold Cup Final vs. Mexico
The U.S. Men`s National Team is set to clash with Mexico in the Concacaf Gold Cup final on Sunday. This eagerly anticipated match between the region`s dominant teams is their first final encounter in four years and represents a prime chance for this young USMNT squad to conclude their summer positively.
Mauricio Pochettino`s side secured their place in the final with a 2-1 victory over Guatemala in Wednesday`s semifinal. The performance was a mixed bag for the inexperienced USMNT. Diego Luna was the star, scoring two goals within the first 15 minutes, continuing his rapid ascent with the national team and strengthening his claim for a spot on the next World Cup roster. The 21-year-old now boasts three goals and four assists in 11 USMNT appearances, suggesting Pochettino is likely to reshape the midfield in the coming months, potentially featuring fellow Gold Cup standout Malik Tillman and possibly impacting Gio Reyna`s role unless he shows strong club and country form.
Sunday`s final offers the best opportunity for Luna, Tillman, and others to impress and potentially secure Pochettino`s first significant victory with the USMNT, while also highlighting areas for growth. While Pochettino`s experimental Gold Cup roster has successfully identified new attacking options, the defense leaves room for improvement. Luna`s early goals helped the USMNT survive a shaky defensive display against Guatemala, but Mexico is expected to pose a tougher challenge for both potential World Cup wingbacks Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman, as well as the center backs likely headed to the World Cup, Chris Richards and Tim Ream.
There will be positive takeaways from this summer`s run regardless of Sunday`s outcome, but winning the Gold Cup, the last piece of silverware available before the World Cup, is crucial for the USMNT to chart a true path to redemption after a year of disappointing results.
More Football Headlines
- Remembering Diogo Jota: On the pitch, Diogo Jota was not only a successful player but embodied the beautiful game at its finest and will be remembered for his consistently entertaining style of play.
- Thomas Partey Charged: Former Arsenal player Thomas Partey has been charged in the U.K. with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, based on incidents that occurred between 2021 and 2022.
- USWNT Defeats Canada: The U.S. Women`s National Team achieved a 3-0 win over Canada on Wednesday, with a young group continuing to impress during coach Emma Hayes` period of experimentation.
- Club World Cup Quarterfinals: With the last eight teams remaining in the Club World Cup, here is a ranking of the quarterfinal matchups scheduled for this weekend.
- Chelsea`s Strikers: Chelsea currently has 20 strikers under contract. As pressure mounts to offload some, here is a ranking of every single one of them.
Expert Football Bets
For the Club World Cup match between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund on Saturday at 4 p.m., a suggested bet is for Vinicius Junior to score (+130). Real Madrid is the clear favorite to reach the semifinals, having defeated Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final just over a year ago. Vinicius Junior scored in that final and is likely to do so again on Saturday, especially as Xabi Alonso`s attacking approach for Real Madrid takes shape. While Kylian Mbappe`s status is uncertain, Vinicius has been a constant in the lineup at the Club World Cup, alongside emerging talent Gonzalo Garcia, making him a strong candidate to add another goal to his impressive record for Los Blancos.
Where to Watch Football
Information about programming on CBS Sports Golazo Network, a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to providing extensive coverage of top football competitions globally. The network can be streamed for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV, and Paramount+.
- Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m. & Special 10 a.m. ET edition): The network`s flagship morning show helps fans start their day with highlights, interviews, and major football storylines. Also available as a podcast.
- Champions League Today (1 p.m. ET): Pregame studio analysis hosted by Kate Scott with analysts Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, and Micah Richards.
- The Champions Club (5:30 p.m. ET): Poppy Miller, Mike Grella, Nigel Reo-Coker, Tony Meola, and Jimmy Conrad provide live reactions and match analysis, breaking down all the action from the Champions League final.
- Scoreline (7 p.m. ET): Scoreline is the destination for fans to catch up on the biggest global football news and results, match highlights from top competitions, and all the must-see goals from the day`s matches, airing seven days a week.
Adrian Whitmore