“It was good… I think just against certain opponents, it just feels better… It’s just funny because certain teams they just they just bring that out. And it’s like you do it and they are like, ‘Ahhhh.'”

Trinity Rodman has repeatedly found herself at the center when USWNT go against South America, and there is a clash. The clearest example came against Colombia during the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup quarterfinals.  

The United States won the game 3-0, but Rodman became part of almost every clash during the game. The match had already produced 2 yellow cards for each team, and that was by the 21st minute.  

Then Rodman stepped into a big clash involving Alex Morgan and several Colombian players. 

Morgan appeared to exchange words with Colombia’s Catalina Usme and Carolina Arias during the fight. Rodman moved toward the group and positioned herself between Morgan and the Colombian players.  

She pushed the Colombian’s away before the players separated and play continued. Rodman later found herself involved in another clash during the stoppage time. When an opponent continued pressuring her, Trinity Rodman was heard shouting, “Back the f**k up.” 

The moment became bigger because Rodman was not reacting from the sidelines. She assisted Jaedyn Shaw for America’s third goal and provided an assist for Shaw’s third goal.

Her impact and confrontations made her one of the match’s biggest talking points. By the final whistle, the United States had won comfortably despite the tensions. 

That edge appeared again against Argentina in the 2026 SheBelieves Cup opener. Rodman entered in the 62nd minute before Milagros Martín was booked for a late foul. Rodman fell heavily, grabbed her back, and remained on the ground and got treatment. Reports later said she appeared angry after noticing Argentine players laughing while she was down.  

Those words came through lip-reading, however, so they remain an interpretation rather than confirmed comments. 

The Argentina incident also carried extra concern because Trinity Rodman has battled recurring back problems in the previous season. She spent much of 2025 recovering from injuries. And these moments show exactly why Rodman says that South American teams get under her skin, especially Brazil and Colombia. And this just proves it. 

The post Trinity Rodman’s Viral Angry Fight Leads to an Honest Confession appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“With DC, getting drafted there so young, that was like my first time in DC straight from my one semester in college. I grew the biggest connection to it. I was obsessed with DC. As I got older… I was like, ‘this is my home.’ So even now, when my mom gets mad because I am from California, I am like, ‘Nah, DC is my spot.’ Just a home feeling,” said the soccer star.

Trinity Rodman made history in January 2026, when she signed a new three-year deal worth $6 million with the Washington Spirit until the 2028 season. The reported $2 million annual deal made her the NWSL’s highest-paid player ever. Her agent also described her as the highest-paid female soccer player in the world.  

But the record contract carried more weight because Rodman had been without a club after her previous contract ended. For months, her future remained uncertain, even with overseas clubs waiting with offers. 

Rodman’s previous Spirit contract expired after the 2025 season, leaving her with options to choose from. Clubs in England reportedly showed interest, giving Rodman a genuine chance to start her career in Europe.  

She did admit that there were moments when she felt she was ready to leave America and try something new and different. But she kept returning to one thought: there was still more she wanted to prove with Washington. That unfinished business eventually became a major reason behind her resigning. 

At the same time, Washington also needed Trinity Rodman because losing another star would have hurt the league badly.  

Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson had already left the NWSL to play for Chelsea. The possibility of Rodman following them created even more pressure around her uncertain future. To make her stay in the USA, the NWSL responded by introducing the High Impact Player rule for certain players.  

That change gave Washington the extra spending room they needed to complete Rodman’s record deal. 

For Trinity Rodman, there was also plenty left to accomplish after her first championship with Washington. She helped the Spirit win their first NWSL title as a rookie in 2021. But since then, it hasn’t been anything good. “We have redeeming to do,” Rodman said, making her motivation for staying very clear. She wasn’t returning simply because Washington offered the biggest deal available to her. She came back to prove herself. 

The agreement was a win-win for both Rodman and the Spirit. Washington kept its biggest star, while Trinity Rodman gained stability and another chance at winning the title with her favorite team.

The post “My mom gets mad”: Trinity Rodman Went Against Her Mother Amid Record-Breaking Contract appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“I’m Trinity Rodman, and I’m not going to lie, being in a couple in the public eye is not for the weak,” she said in a podcast with Kylie Kelce. She continued and said, “It’s a blessing in so many ways… Too many people have too many opinions that they need to speak on. And it’s just like, ‘mind your own business.’ That’s it.”

Trinity Rodman pushed back against the “fans” who made her relationship with Ben Shelton a big talking point after recent events. The soccer star had flown to Montreal after playing for Washington Spirit earlier that day. Rodman went to Shelton’s hotel before his Canadian Open match with Joao Fonseca.  

And what followed was a simple reunion that quickly became something much bigger than it needed to be. 

Shelton opened the door, looked stunned, then briefly closed it before opening it again moments later. Rodman initially found his reaction funny because she knew he had not expected her. But the comment section soon gave those few seconds an entirely different meaning.

Rodman later explained what actually happened during her surprise visit. She said she first thought Shelton looked shocked before checking what fans were saying online.  

After seeing the comments from fans, Rodman pushed the claims of cheating to the side completely. She made it very clear to everyone that there was nobody else in Shelton’s room when she arrived.  

The couple then moved on from the moment, with Shelton later beating Fonseca 6-3, 7-6(3). 

The incident also gave Rodman another reason to explain why public relationships can become difficult.

The pair reportedly started dating in March 2025. It was subtle clues that they left on social media at first before posting pictures and officially confirming it later the same month. Since April 2025, Rodman has been appearing at Shelton’s matches.

Shelton’s win added another layer to a day that started with Rodman’s surprise visit. The win marked the 30th win of his season and sent him into the quarterfinals. Rodman’s visit was never about creating attention, but simply supporting Shelton before his match.  

Instead, a few seconds at a hotel door became enough for fans to question their relationship.

The post Trinity Rodman Shares Tough Side of Public Relationship With Ben Shelton: “Not for the Weak” appeared first on EssentiallySports.

According to The Times report, “Liverpool’s owner Fenway Sports Group is poised to sell about one-third of the club to a consortium of billionaires, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.”

Meanwhile, the soccer club could announce a major development within the next week. The proposed deal carries a $2 billion price tag and would put the club’s valuation near $6.1 billion. Moreover, the change would bring several of the world’s wealthiest figures into Liverpool’s ownership group, adding another layer of intrigue around the Anfield side.

Simply put, Jeff Bezos alone is not joining LeBron James & Co. There are more names like Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, and Eduardo Saverin, one of the co-founders of Facebook.

Amit Bhatia left Queens Park Rangers’ board after 18 years, handing his stake to Ruben Gnanalingam. His father in law is valued at $32 billion. Meanwhile, Forbes puts Jeff Bezos above $364 billion, while Eduardo Saverin exceeds $24 billion. Saverin previously pursued Chelsea with a failed consortium.

But Bezos, however, has avoided sports ownership. He even declined an opportunity to buy the Seattle Seahawks, making his Liverpool interest especially intriguing.

Now, the soccer club may have deeper pockets, but the rules still set clear boundaries. The Premier League allows clubs to commit only 85% of football revenue plus net gains or losses from player sales toward squad costs.

Moreover, Liverpool must follow UEFA’s stricter 70% limit because of its regular presence in European competitions. So, greater financial strength still comes with plenty of spending restrictions.

LeBron James’ Liverpool connection

LeBron James made a $6.5 million move in 2011 that would later reshape his business portfolio. He bought 2% of Liverpool FC, then owned by Fenway Sports Group. At the time, James was only a year into his six-year, $109 million Miami Heat contract.

A decade later, James joined FSG and exchanged that 2% Liverpool stake for 1% of the wider company. Today, Liverpool carries a $6.2 billion valuation, while FSG stands at $10 billion across its assets. As a result, James’ original investment represents a 1,567% return and roughly $100 million in FSG equity.

LeBron took a leap of faith with FSG 15 years ago, and it gave results. Now, even Jeff Bezos wants to experience the perks of being a soccer club owner.

The post Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos Open to Joining LeBron James in $2 Billion Effort appeared first on EssentiallySports.

While the lightweight division continues to move on without him, and questions swirl over when he’ll fight again, the former champion has been spotted partying in Ibiza with Spain and Barcelona star Ferran Torres, fresh off winning his country the World Cup.

Videos of the pair celebrating inside a packed nightclub have quickly gone viral across social media. And as expected, the footage immediately sparked comparisons to Conor McGregor and his own post-title-loss stretch, when the Irish superstar leaned into the celebrity lifestyle after his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov, a period many point to as the start of his decline.

The Conor comparisons directed at Topuria aren’t new. Long before the Ibiza footage surfaced, other fighters had already accused him of borrowing McGregor’s image. Ahead of their UFC 308 featherweight title fight, Max Holloway called Topuria a “copycat.”

“This guy’s a copycat,” Holloway said. “Down to the tattoos, to his aura, to the way he’s approaching fights, the guy’s a copycat. He’s just trying to steal stuff. He’s already trying to steal McGregor’s aura, and now he’s trying to steal somebody else’s thing.”

Paddy Pimblett made a similar case after Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to claim the vacant lightweight title, with their rivalry running hot at the time.

“He’s trying to be Conor McGregor,” Pimblett said on UFC Unfiltered. “He’s got the same tattoos. He even said the other day, ‘I’m gonna put my balls on your forehead,’ which is sort of what McGregor said to Chad Mendes. He’s just a carbon copy of McGregor. You see some people now saying he’s better than McGregor, but he’s not. In their prime at the same time, McGregor would have knocked him out with the straight left.”

With the lightweight picture already moving on without him, Topuria’s timing has drawn extra scrutiny. Analysts including Daniel Cormier have pointed to Arman Tsarukyan as the fighter best positioned for the next shot at Gaethje’s belt, given his current win streak and activity level, while Gaethje himself has yet to name his preferred opponent and told Joe Rogan he isn’t in a rush to return either. Topuria has yet to announce when he’ll fight again or who he’ll face once he does.

Fans React To Topuria’s Ibiza Trip

The parallels to McGregor’s post-Khabib stretch didn’t take long to show up in the replies.

“Down the Conor route,” one fan wrote. Another added, “McGregor tradition goes on.” One user dug up an old McGregor quote and posted it alongside the video: “Partying is weakness for the soul, my friend.” – Conor McGregor.

Others suspected Topuria might be heading toward the same mistakes. “Money takes everyone’s aura. He never getting the belt if this is what he is doing with his free time,” one fan wrote. Another commented, “Come on guys, he’s gotta follow the McGregor pattern, it’s party time.”

Some pushed the comparison further still. “And the downfall begins (Conor style),” one wrote. Another simply posted, “CONOR CAREER 2.0.” A third added, “The McGregor arc .”

One fan pointed to the fight itself as the turning point. “Gaethje destroyed him, it’ll never be the same anymore,” he wrote.

For now, Topuria’s next move, in the Octagon or otherwise, remains an open question, one his own timeline will have to answer.

The post Ilia Topuria Partying With Ferran Torrez at an Ibiza Nightclub Raises Several Eyebrows appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“Reports indicate that the MLS is analyzing a change in the salary cap rules,” reporter José Armando mentioned on X. “If that becomes a reality, it is the exit route for the post-Messi era at Inter Miami. Jorge Mas could fulfill his desire to finance a team that wins multiple championships.”

MLS could soon be seeing one of the biggest financial changes in its history. Reports suggest the owners will be discussing a proposal that would simplify the current salary cap while allowing the clubs to spend a bit more freely.  

Designated players are expected to remain, but several complicated roster rules could disappear under the new model. If approved, the proposal would reshape how every club approaches transfer windows, especially Inter Miami. 

The timing makes this discussion even more significant because Inter Miami cannot build around Lionel Messi forever.  

Messi will turn 40 during the 2027 MLS season, meaning the club’s long-term planning should have already begun. Replacing the greatest player in the history of the sport with another global superstar is never an easy task.  

But a more flexible salary system could instead allow Jorge Mas and David Beckham to strengthen multiple positions with quality players. 

Under today’s rules, every MLS club operates with a $6.425 million budget. Clubs must also work through General Allocation Money, Targeted Allocation Money, and Designated Player regulations before completing transfers.  

Each team can register three Designated Players whose salaries sit outside the normal salary restrictions. Those rules often leave clubs balancing paperwork and roster limits instead of focusing on soccer decisions.  

That is exactly what MLS wants to change before the 2027 season starts. Reports indicate that the General Allocation Money and the Targeted Allocation Money could be removed from the system entirely.  

Clubs would receive more freedom to spend across their entire squads instead of thinking too much about the budget. Designated Players and incentives for signing young talent are both expected to remain in the future too. 

For Inter Miami, those changes could completely alter how the club attacks transfer windows after Messi.  

Rather than chasing one superstar replacement, Miami could strengthen several areas with experienced and quality players.

The post MLS Salary Cap Rule Change Could Open New Era for Inter Miami After Lionel Messi appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Around 9:30 a.m. local time, a passerby spotted a body floating near the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier and immediately alerted the authorities. Emergency crews rushed to the scene and pulled 26-year-old Waite from the water, but despite their efforts, she could not be revived. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities have since confirmed that the cause and manner of her death remain under investigation, with the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office yet to release its findings. Police have also stated that if the death is ultimately ruled a homicide, the investigation will be handed over to the department’s Homicide Unit.

The news came as a shock to those who knew Waite, especially because she had recently begun an exciting new phase of life. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, she had moved to San Diego as she prepared for her upcoming wedding. Just a month before her death, Waite announced her engagement on social media, sharing a collection of smiling photos alongside the simple caption, “He Promises.”

Those closest to Waite are still struggling to make sense of the loss. Friends remembered her as someone excited about the future, especially as she looked forward to starting a new chapter with her fiancé.

If we take a look at her career, long before moving to California, Waite had already left her mark on the soccer field. The defender suited up for Central Washington University during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, making 15 appearances and contributing two assists.

Even off the pitch, she was just as accomplished, earning a place on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic Team in 2019 before graduating with a psychology degree in 2021, a field that reflected her passion for helping others.

Investigations are still going on, and it’s yet to be confirmed if there was any foul play in this.

Bryn Waite’s family and friends share thoughts about her after her untimely demise

As tributes poured in, Central Washington University remembered Waite as more than just a soccer player. The athletic department said she would “be remembered as a caring teammate and member of the Wildcat community.” They also highlighted how excited she was to start her new chapter with her fiancé in San Diego

Athletic director Dr. Dennis Francois also paid tribute to the former defender, saying, “It’s moments like these, when a person’s life ends way too soon, that remind us how precious life truly is and how much they were loved by others. Bryn was a very talented student-athlete excelling on the field and in the classroom. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bryn’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.”

Brian Waite prefers to remember his daughter not for the tragedy that took her life, but for the joy she brought to everyone around her. He even went on to describe her as “incredibly thoughtful and loving and kind and selfless,” saying she had a rare gift for making strangers feel like lifelong friends.

Even her friends highlighted her gentle nature and generous heart, recalling how she always made time to listen and care for others.

One friend, who had met her through church only days before her death, remembered her love for animals, the beach, and the people closest to her, adding that she had a way of making every conversation feel meaningful.

She had recently moved to California and was preparing to begin a new chapter with her fiancé. And guess what? Just three days before her death, she posted a photo of herself driving at night on Instagram with a simple caption: “It only gets better.” Those words now carry a heartbreaking weight for everyone she left behind.

The post Ex-Soccer Player Found Floating Offshore in Heartbreaking News appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“An All-Star game with no All-Stars. 11 Liga MX players have opted out of the All-Star game… And to make it sting a bit more, Messi’s never once played it since he got to MLS… You can’t parade soccer players around mid-season like it’s the NBA — football isn’t built that way,” wrote Solana after the news of the players dropping out.

The idea behind the MLS All-Star Game has always been simple enough. Bring together the league’s biggest names, create a different kind of spectacle, and give fans one memorable night during the season.  

But with kickoff against Liga MX now just around the corner, that picture has started to change. Liga MX will be without 11 selected players, including Keylor Navas, Nahuel Guzmán, Gilberto Mora, and Brian Rodríguez. 

And adding to that misery, MLS has also lost Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, Hugo Cuypers, and Mbekezeli Mbokazi before kickoff. 

That has now left many fans wondering if the All-Star Game still delivers what it has been promising for years. 

The growing list of players that don’t want to play is not really about them avoiding the game. It is more of a scheduling problem that has followed the All-Star Game for several years.  

Unlike most exhibition games, this game comes mid-season, when clubs are still chasing points. At the same time, many teams are also balancing domestic cup fixtures and the CONCACAF Champions Cup. 

That is exactly where MLS and Liga MX differ from leagues like the NBA.  

The NBA schedules its All-Star Game during a planned midseason break when every team is on a break. Players can enjoy the event before returning to the competition without worrying about any important fixtures.  

Soccer simply does not have that luxury because important games come almost every single week. So, the clubs have little reason to risk important players, especially for an exhibition with no impact on trophies. 

Lionel Messi‘s absence perfectly explains why many clubs have taken this approach.  

FIFA requires every player involved in the 2026 World Cup final to receive a mandatory 21-day recovery break. That rule has already kept the Inter Miami captain out of his club’s last two league matches. Liga MX teams have also decided the same by protecting their key players before the demanding domestic and continental fixtures continue.  

Those decisions may disappoint the fans, but they also reflect the reality of how packed the MLS calendar is. 

The fans might still get to watch MLS stars like Son Heung-min, Thomas Müller, and Evander, who are available for selection. But until soccer finds a proper window for this event, clubs will continue to protect their players and focus on the league.

The post Analyst Tears Apart MLS Copying NBA All-Star Game With Recent Announcement appeared first on EssentiallySports.

On The Daily Show, the two-time Women’s World Cup champion suggested the controversy may have unsettled a team that had been thriving until then.

“Certainly not well,” she said when asked about the situation. “It didn’t give them the boost, maybe, that they were thinking it would or that Trump was hoping that it would.

“I don’t know. It seemed like it kind of, like, threw them off their game. They had such a good vibe. I feel like they had that underdog kind of vibe going. And then you-know-who got involved, and everyone was like, ‘Nope. We don’t like it.'”

Rapinoe even joked that Belgium’s players may have found extra motivation.

Looking back to the actual incident, Balogun’s case was unprecedented. It marked the first time since 1962 that FIFA had overturned or, more accurately, suspended the implementation of a World Cup red-card suspension, making the decision one of the tournament’s biggest talking points.

But this wasn’t the first time we saw Megan Rapinoe raising her voice on this issue, nor was it the first time she showcased her dislike for Trump’s actions. Rapinoe had raised similar concerns weeks earlier on her podcast, ‘A Touch More: The Beautiful Game,’ where she described the controversy as a “circus” that distracted the team from its primary focus.

“I think the distraction got to the team for sure in some type of way,” she said, “Whether it was, you know, this red card situation, whether it was being in a public discourse with this president, all of the, you know, shenanigans and chaos that comes with the feelings on both sides of that. Whether you agree with it or not it’s, it’s just like it’s a lot to contend with.”

Coming back to the present, Megan also floated another intriguing possibility: That the U.S. might actually have been better off sticking with the group that had reached the knockout stage without Balogun, arguing that Mauricio Pochettino’s teams often perform best as the “underdogs.”

“We sort of went from like being an underdog, and we’re making this amazing run, and we’ve totally captured the hearts and minds and the attention of the nation to like losing Balogun, which I think probably would have been better for us to play without (Folarin Balogun),” Rapinoe during her chat with ‘A Touch More: The Beautiful Game.’ podcast. “I know that sounds crazy, but like just the way everything played out.

The debate over the USA President’s involvement is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. However, Rapinoe learned early how off‑field attention can surround a team and never show up in the match report.

Megan Rapinoe’s speaks out on criticism faced by the U.S. team after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

In 2019, Rapinoe made headlines by declaring she had no intention of visiting the White House if the United States women’s soccer team successfully defended their title. Her remarks drew a swift response from Trump, who accused her of disrespecting the country, the White House, and the American flag, while urging her to “finish the job” before making such comments.

The USWNT did exactly that, lifting the World Cup in France. But even after the 13-0 victory over Thailand, Rapinoe and several of her teammates chose not to accept Trump’s White House invitation, keeping the divide firmly in place.

Then, four years later, the debate returned. The USWNT suffered a shock Round of 16 exit at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, losing to Sweden in a dramatic penalty shootout. Soon after, Trump used the defeat to criticize the team. Rapinoe wasn’t convinced.

Speaking to The Atlantic’s Franklin Foer, she dismissed Trump’s remarks, saying what Trump said was “fake,” adding, “It’s a compilation of hit words and hot-button words that don’t actually make any sort of sense or square with reality at all.

“And it didn’t make sense to me: In 2019, we were ultra-confident, ultra-swaggy—and won everything. And even though we won, we did it in bad taste, according to our critics. This time, we weren’t confident enough, and we don’t have the right “mentality.” And so we lost. It’s just so disingenuous. There’s no way for us to win, and there’s no way for us to lose.”

The exchange became another chapter in the long-running back-and-forth between Rapinoe and Trump, and this latest reaction from the soccer star is just another part of it.

The post “Threw Them Off”: Megan Rapinoe on FIFA’s Decision for USMNT at World Cup appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Plashkes reacted to the incident on X on July 23, writing, “American soccer always has been and always will be a joke.” His comment came after watching a video shared by @br_betting, which captured the shocking mistake during Inter Miami’s first MLS match after the World Cup break.

The mistake in the viral clip took place in the 18th minute. Inter Miami defender Ian Fray threw a simple pass to goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo, while Chicago Fire Forward Robert Lewandowski was on his heels. Ríos Novo attempted a first-time clearance, but he completely missed the ball. His swing sailed through the air, and the ball rolled past him and slowly made its way to Inter Miami’s net for a gifted goal for Chicago.

It was just a goalkeeper who lost a routine kick and made a mistake. What’s shocking was that this was the same keeper at the goal for Lionel Messi’s team in their championship-winning run last season. Chicago Fire players immediately celebrated the unexpected goal, while Inter Miami teammates Micael and Ian Fray went over to comfort Ríos Novo after the mistake.

@br_betting shared the video with the caption: “Have the soccer bug post World Cup and bet on some MLS.. WHAT THE —- IS THIS GOAL?!????? ” However, Ríos Novo’s mistake did not decide the match.

Inter Miami overcomes goalkeeping disaster to secure 3-2 win

The post MLS Goalkeeper’s Blunder Right After FIFA World Cup Raises Questions Over American Soccer appeared first on EssentiallySports.