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Argentina's Lionel Messi waves after receiving the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament at the end of the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Lionel Messi says he is coming to Inter Miami and joining Major League Soccer. After months of speculation, Messi announced his decision Wednesday, June 7, 2023,to join a Miami franchise that has been led by another global soccer icon in David Beckham since its inception but has yet to make any real splashes on the field.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) **FILE**

Messi joining Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami after exit from Paris Saint-Germain

By Tim Reynolds - Associated Press

England players comfort teammate Bukayo Saka after he failed to score a penalty during a penalty shootout after extra time at he Euro 2020 soccer championship final match between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. Missing penalties in a major international soccer final was bad enough for three Black players, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, who were on England's national team. Being subjected to a torrent of racial abuse on social media in the aftermath made it even worse. Saka, who has more than 1 million followers on Twitter, remains on social media despite the abuse after England's Euro 2020 loss. (Carl Recine/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Soccer players demand change for rampant online racist abuse, turn to AI for protection

By Steve Douglas and Jerome Pugmire - Associated Press

From left, AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng, Massimo Ambrosini, Giampaolo Pazzini and Antonio Nocerino sport jerseys reading "AC Milan against racism" as they warm up prior to the start of the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Siena at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013. The manifestation of a deeper societal problem, racism is a decades-old issue in soccer — predominantly in Europe but seen all around the world — that has been amplified by the reach of social media and a growing willingness for people to call it out. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, File)

Racist abuse of Vinicius Junior highlights entrenched problem in soccer

By Tales Azzoni and Steve Douglas - Associated Press

England's Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Bukayo Saka, from left, reach out to Marcus Rashford after he missed a penalty in the penalty shootout of the Euro 2020 soccer final match between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. Black players like Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka have flourished even after being targeted online for missing penalties in England's shootout loss to Italy in the European Championship final in 2020. But a third Black player who also missed a penalty and was racially abused, Jadon Sancho, has struggled on the field ever since. (Laurence Griffiths/Pool via AP, File)

Racism on the soccer field took a toll on Black players in England

By James Robson and Jerome Pugmire - Associated Press

In this photo provided by Saudi Press Agency, SPA, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, May 19, 2023. (Saudi Press Agency via AP)

Saudi Arabian soccer league to get more state funding from policy backed by crown prince MBS

Associated Press

Napoli's Marek Hamsik, of Slovakia, celebrates after scoring during a Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Udinese, at the Napoli San Paolo stadium, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. Former Slovakia and Napoli captain Marek Hamšík announced on Thursday, June 1, 2023, he is retiring from soccer at the end of the season. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta, File)

Former Slovakia captain Marek Hamsik to retire from soccer at end of season

Associated Press

Pitches of a soccer club is pictured in Frankfurt, Germany, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. A 15-year-old soccer player remained hospitalized Tuesday with life-threatening brain injuries after being struck by an opposing player in a post-match fight during an international youth tournament in Germany. A 16-year-old from a French team was jailed pending further investigation by a judge in Frankfurt, where the match with a team from Berlin took place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

German soccer mourns death of 15-year-old who died after tournament brawl

Associated Press

This shows a general view of the Arena Lviv stadium in Lviv, western Ukraine, on Feb. 16, 2015. Two soccer teams exiled from cities in war-battered eastern Ukraine play each other Sunday, May 28, 2023 in the safer western part of the country with the league title at stake. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

Ukraine soccer league set for a title-deciding game in a remarkable, war-hit season

By Graham Dunbar - Associated Press

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, left, confronts Valencia fans standing in front of Valencia's Jose Luis Gaya during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Real Madrid, at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 21, 2023. Repeated racist insults against Brazilian soccer star Vincius Junior have unleashed a heated debate in Spain about tolerance for racism in a society that is becoming rapidly more diverse on and off the field. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz, File)

Spain takes action against racism after Vinicius case, but punishing fans remains a challenge

By Tales Azzoni - Associated Press

Brentford's Ivan Toney during the Premier League soccer match between Brentford and Bournemouth at the Community Stadium in London, England, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. Toney has been suspended for eight months by the English Football Association for breaching its betting rules. The FA says the England international was banned “from all football and football-related activity with immediate effect” until Jan. 16, 2024. He was also fined 50,000 pounds ($62,000). Toney had faced 262 charges of breaching the FA’s betting rules between late February 2017 and late January 2021 but the FA said it “withdrew 30 of these breaches and he admitted to the remaining 232.” (AP Photo/Leila Coker, File)

Ivan Toney’s ban from soccer was reduced because of gambling addiction

By James Robson - Associated Press

Ireland's Katie Taylor, the undisputed Lightweight champion, speaks to the media during a press conference in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, May 18, 2023. Taylor’s success has been paving the way for young Irish fighters as women’s boxing gains popularity around the world. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Female athletes making waves, topping lists in Irish sports scene

By Ken Maguire - Associated Press

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, centre, walks past head coach Carlo Ancelotti, front left, after being sent off the pitch during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Real Madrid, at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 21, 2023. The game was temporarily stopped when Vinicius said a fan had insulted him from the stands. He was later sent off after clashing with Valencia players. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

After abuse against Vinicius Junior, Spanish soccer acknowledges it has a racism problem

By Tales Azzoni - Associated Press

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola reacts after Bernardo Silva scored the opening goal during the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, May 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Man City delivers masterpiece against Real Madrid that was 7 years in the making

By Steve Douglas - Associated Press

Mohamed Mansour, co-owner of the new Major League Soccer team in San Diego, speaks during an announcement for the new team, Thursday, May 18, 2023, in San Diego. Major League Soccer has awarded San Diego its 30th franchise, which is co-owned by Mansour and the Sycuan Tribe, and set to join the league in 2025. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego to receive 30th Major League Soccer franchise

By Anne M. Peterson - Associated Press

Deputy Felipe Carreras, commission rapporteur, speaks during the first meeting of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry that investigates the scandals of manipulation of football matches, at the headquarters of the Chamber of Deputies, in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Brazil's lower house of Congress opened a probe into a soccer match-fixing scandal that has rocked the sport in the South American nation. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Brazil’s Congress opens probe into soccer match-fixing scandal

By Mauricio Savarese - Associated Press

Miami Fusion's Tyrone Marshall (15) assists Kansas City Wizards' Scott Vermillion after the two collided while going up for a header in the first half of a soccer match Aug. 29, 1999, in Kansas City, Mo. Four more former professional soccer players have been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The Concussion Legacy Foundation says they were found to have the degenerative brain disease that has been linked to concussions in athletes, combat veterans and others who have sustained repeated head trauma. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)

U.S. soccer officials to discuss head injuries as 4 more ex-players diagnosed with CTE

By Jimmy Golen - Associated Press

PSG's Lionel Messi gestures as he warms up before the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient, at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Sunday, April 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) **FILE**

Messi the latest pawn in proxy rivalry in Middle East

By Steve Douglas - Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid reacts after a score by Tobias Harris in the first half during Game 2 in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets, Monday, April 17, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton) **FILE**

76ers’ Embiid earns his first NBA MVP trophy

By Dan Gelston - Associated Press

Brazil's Ronaldinho Gaucho shows the official ball during the draw for the 2019 Copa America soccer tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019. Brazil great Ronaldinho is launching a worldwide street soccer league to give talented young players an opportunity to showcase their skills and follow the same path to stardom as the former Barcelona player. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File)

Ronaldinho launching worldwide street soccer league

Associated Press

FILE - Brazil's Pele is hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates after Brazil won the World Cup final against Italy, 4-1, in Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, June 21, 1970. A Brazilian dictionary has added “Pelé” as an adjective to use when describing someone who is “exceptional, incomparable, unique.” The announcement by the Michaelis dictionary on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, is part of a campaign that gathered more than 125,000 signatures to honor the late soccer great’s impact beyond his sport. (AP Photo, File)

Brazilian dictionary adds ‘Pele’ as adjective

By Mauricio Savarese - Associated Press