Mexico keeps on winning soccer silverware over the United States, this time with a blowout win.
El Tri beat the U.S., 5-0, in Sunday’s 2025 Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship for a second straight title in that competition.
All five of Mexico’s goals in the tournament’s final – played in Alajuela, Costa Rica – were scored by Mexican-American players. Juan Carlos Martínez Jr., who had two goals in the final and won the Best Player Award, was born in California and plays for the LA Galaxy academy.
Mexico’s three other goals in the final were scored by: Paxon Ruffin, born in Florida, who plays in the youth ranks of Liga MX club Monterrey; Da’vian Kimbrough (Sacramento Republic FC); and Lisandro Torres (LAFC academy). Kimbrough and Torres were also born in California.
In 2023, Kimbrough signed with Sacramento, which is part of the USL Championship, as a 13-year-old to become the U.S.’s youngest soccer professional. According to ESPN, he was believed to have been the youngest professional in team sports in the major leagues in North America, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and WNBA.
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It’s been a banner year for El Tri‘s soccer teams, especially on the men’s senior side. Mexico won its first Concacaf Nations League title in March over Canada, snapping the U.S. men’s national team’s hold on that competition. Mexico then followed that by winning its 10th Concacaf Gold Cup in July with a 2-1 win over the USMNT.
Along with the U-15 title, Mexico also won the Under-20 Concacaf title on Aug. 5. That was Mexico’s 14th U-20 crown and its first since the 2015 edition. The U.S. had won the previous three editions.
Mexico and the U.S. are serving as co-hosts (along with Canada) for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, and it’s great to see the rivalry and talent on the pitch between the two sides continue to grow for years to come.
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Thrilling groups revealed for Superfinals and promotion battles.
The Official Draw for the Euro Beach Soccer League (EBSL) featuring Division A Superfinals, the women’s competitions, and Division B promotional finals has been completed, paving the way for an intense week of high-stakes beach soccer action in the picturesque coastal city of Viareggio, Italy, from 9–14 September. This year’s event follows a spectacular regular stage that spanned four European cities.
With the groups now set, anticipation is building for crowning new champions while underdogs aim to upset the established powers. The Men’s Superfinal battle for the EBSL crown features a stacked Group A with Italy, Belarus, Portugal, and France, promising fireworks from the outset, while Group B brings together Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Denmark in what could be equally unpredictable clashes. Leading into this climax, Italy dominated the regular stage by claiming two stage titles—in Castellammare di Stabia and Chișinău. Spain and Belarus each secured one stage victory, in El Puerto de Santa María and Batumi respectively. Adding intrigue, Portugal enters as the defending 2024 Superfinal champions, while Italy aims to reclaim glory as the 2023 winners.
The Women’s Superfinal promises equal excitement, Portugal, Poland, and Switzerland will clash in Group A, setting up interesting battles, while Spain, Ukraine, and Italy chase continental glory from Group B in a group laden with offensive talent and defensive resilience. Poland arrives as the defending 2024 champions, having claimed the title in a breakthrough performance last year. Meanwhile, Spain, who dominated with back-to-back victories in 2023 and 2022, will be eager to reassert their supremacy, making this a wide-open contest for redemption and new milestones.
Over in the Division B Promotion Final, it’s all-or-nothing for Lithuania, Azerbaijan, and Belgium in Group A, as these emerging sides vie for a shot at promotion to the elite level next season, while Kazakhstan, Romania, and Malta will decide their fate in Group B through gritty, do-or-die encounters. This segment of the event highlights the depth of European beach soccer, where lower-division teams have the opportunity to earn their place among the top tiers, potentially shaking up the landscape for 2026 and injecting fresh competition into the top-tier league.
Viareggio Awaits The paths are drawn, and in just a few weeks, Viareggio will witness high-stakes beach soccer and the roar of national pride. Whether it’s the Superfinals or the battle for survival, one thing is certain, performance will decide who takes the crown.
Watch the Euro Beach Soccer League Viareggio 2025 LIVE & FREE at beachsoccertv.com.
Bafana Bafana secured their first win at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) after defeating Guinea 2-1 on Monday evening.
African Nations Championship
Result: South Africa 2-1 Guinea
Date: 11 August 2025
Venue: Mandela National Stadium
Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki made one change from the draw with Algeria, as free agent Keagan Dolly came in for Keagan Johannes, who was not included in the matchday squad.
South Africa got off to the perfect start as captain Neo Maema opened the scoring inside 10 minutes after collecting a pass from Thabiso Kutumela before rifling the ball into the far corner.
Guinea had to wait until the 28th minute for their first big opening of the first half, as the ball dropped kindly for Alhassane Bangoura in the box, but the captain sent his shot wide of the target.
However, Guinea got their reward eight minutes later when Mohamed Bangoura raced clear down the left flank before pulling the ball back for Moussa Camara, who sent a fine finish to the far corner.
The South Africans restored their lead ten minutes after the halftime break when Kutumela bagged his second goal of the competition by turning home a low cross from Wayde Jooste in the box.
Molefi refreshed the team with 20 minutes on the clock as Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo, Menzi Masuku and Terrence Mashego made way for Kaketso Majadibodu, Fortune Makaringe and Tebogo Tlolane.
Guinea threw bodies forward in search of the equaliser and they went close with two minutes left on the clock when Mohamed Bangoura saw his shot deflect onto the crossbar, before Mohamed Diabate could only steer his header into the side-netting from the rebound.
Bafana were able to see out the closing stages and claim the win to move up to second spot in Group C.
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Borussia Dortmund’s defensive worries deepened Monday with central defender Niklas Sule expected to be out for two months with a right calf injury sustained during a friendly game against Juventus.
Süle suffered a muscle injury and had to go off just before halftime during Sunday’s match against the Italian team. He had only replaced Mats Hummels in the 19th minute of the veteran defender’s farewell game. The 36-year-old Hummels, who played for Roma last season after leaving Dortmund for the second time in 2024, was bidding an emotional farewell to the Dortmund fans.
Dortmund was already without the injured Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can, exacerbating coach Niko Kovac’s shortage of defenders before the team starts the season against Rot-Weiss Essen in the first round of the German Cup on Aug. 18. Dortmund starts its Bundesliga campaign at St. Pauli on Aug. 23.
Spain’s women’s national team is making a coaching change two weeks after reaching the final of the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro.
Montse Tomé will not have her contract renewed and will be replaced by former player Sonia Bermúdez, the Spanish soccer federation said Monday.
Another former Spain player, Iraia Iturregi, was named the team’s second coach.
The decision was made by the federation’s board members after Tomé led Spain to the Euro 2025 final, which it lost to England in a penalty shootout on July 27.
“The board of directors would like to express its gratitude for Montse Tomé’s work, professionalism and dedication in her various roles during her time as a member of the national teams at the Spanish soccer federation, particularly during her time as national team coach,” the federation said.
Tomé replaced former coach Jorge Vilda following the team’s World Cup title in 2023. She led Spain to the title of the inaugural Women’s Nations League in 2024. Her current contract with the national team was valid until the end of the month.
Tomé was the first woman to coach the senior women’s team in Spain. She had been an assistant to Vilda during the World Cup and was promoted in the fallout of former federation president Luis Rubiales’ nonconsensual kiss of player Jenni Hermoso during the World Cup’s awards ceremony in Australia.
Spain has enjoyed some peace and stability since Rubiales was convicted of sexual assault for the kiss that ignited one of the worst crises in Spanish soccer.
The outrage surrounding the scandal led to widespread changes and improved conditions for the women’s national team. Spanish society called for more support for women, and sports officials ultimately were forced to review outdated protocols related to the women’s squad.
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Bermúdez was a Spain captain — with 63 appearances and 35 goals internationally — and also played for Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, among other clubs. She retired as a player in 2020, and her first job as a coach was with a Real Madrid youth team.
Bermúdez had been coaching the youth squads of Spain’s national team. She was currently with the under-23 squad.
The board that made the decision was composed of 30 members, half of them women.
Spain’s next match is in October in the semifinals of the Nations League.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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Lamine Yamal playing an actual regular-season match for Barcelona at the home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins? It could happen.
Soccer fans in the U.S. have long been used to seeing some of Europe’s biggest clubs play exhibition matches and friendlies during the summer, but now Spain’s LaLiga is closer to hosting a regular-season match stateside.
And it would include the league’s defending champions.
The Spanish soccer federation on Monday approved a request for the match between Barça and Villarreal to be played in Miami on Dec. 20. The federation will now seek approval from soccer governing bodies UEFA and FIFA.
The 17th-round match in LaLiga would be played at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Staging a match abroad has been part of the league’s goal of promoting soccer and its brand in other countries. The league is in a long-term partnership with sports and entertainment group Relevent Sports, which is part of Stephen Ross’ portfolio of companies including Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Dolphins, the Formula One’s Miami Grand Prix and the Miami Open tennis tournament.
LaLiga has been pushing to host a regular-season match in the U.S. for numerous years, similarly to the way the NFL has hosted games in Europe, Mexico and Brazil.
In 2018-19, the Spanish league proposed a game between Barcelona and Girona. Another game between Villarreal and Athletico Madrid for the following season fell through.
Interestingly enough, the Dolphins will be playing a regular-season game in Spain – taking on the Washington Commanders on Nov. 16 at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium – home of Barcelona’s longtime rivals, Real Madrid.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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