Soccer

This is pretty awesome ... fans at Thursday's LAFC game unveiled a HUGE tribute to Kobe and Gianna Bryant -- and started a stadium-wide, spine-tingling "Ko-Be" chant at the same time.

The tifo -- soccer's term for in-arena visual displays -- popped up shortly before LAFC's Concacaf Champions League match against Club Leon in Carson, CA.

And, you can see in video of it all ... it's massive -- and amazing.

Fans raised purple and white placards that spelled out the Nos. 8 and 24 ... while a banner with Kobe and Gigi's faces plus the words, "Kobe & GiGi Forever," raised behind the goal.

Soon after ... the entire stadium joined in a raucous "KO-BE" chant as well.

Team star Carlos Vela also wore a captain's armband that had Kobe's initials and jersey numbers on it.

The LAFC match was the team's first at home since Kobe, Gianna and 7 others were tragically killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 in Calabasas, CA.

An MLS soccer coach is learning the hard way ... DON'T SING ALONG WITH SONGS THAT FEATURE THE N-WORD!!

FC Cincinnati head coach Ron Jans just resigned after a player complained he used the n-word out loud in the team's locker-room.

The player filed the complaint with the Major League Soccer Players Association -- which notified FC Cincinnati team officials ... and an investigation was conducted.

Jans has admitted he used the n-word in the locker-room but insists he wasn't trying to attack anyone ... he was simply singing along with a song that was playing.

And no, we don't know which song he was singing along with (we're curious too).

Jans spoke with the Cincinnati Enquirer about the incident and when asked if he has any regrets about the way things went down, he gave this response ...

"I wouldn’t have sung the word, that’s for sure. I learned that lesson. But I am who I am and if it doesn’t fit in this locker room, I think for a lot of players it was a good match and sometimes an excellent match but not with all of them."

There are also allegations Jans made insensitive comments about slavery during a team trip to Washington D.C.

Jans was initially suspended pending the results of the investigation, but club president Jeff Berding announced Tuesday the coach has officially resigned.

“As Major League Soccer’s investigation unfolded and some themes emerged, Ron offered his resignation and we agreed that it was the best course of action for everyone involved with FC Cincinnati,” Berding said.

“We place the utmost importance on a strong culture within our club, beginning in our locker room, and that every person connected with FC Cincinnati feels valued, respected and trusted."

The statement continued ... "Racial and cultural diversity is a major part of what makes the game of soccer so special, and we place the highest priority on respecting every person involved in our game."

"This includes absolutely everyone associated with our club, from our locker room and front office, all the way through to our fans."

J.J. Watt and his fiancee, Kealia Ohai, are planning to say their "I Dos" soon ... like, possibly this weekend soon.

The Houston Texans star and the Chicago Red Stars soccer star applied for their marriage license this week in Harris County, Texas ... which means they have 90 days from the date they filed for the license to tie the knot.

What's interesting ... Watt's been posting on his social media the past few days from an undisclosed tropical-looking location. You know, the type of spot perfect for a wedding ... especially right around Valentine's Day.

If they do end up getting hitched this weekend, it will be almost 9 months after they got engaged -- J.J. popped the question back in May 2019.

Of course, this came more than 2 years after the couple became Instagram official in early 2017.

Here's what you get for the man that has everything ...

Cristiano Ronaldo was surprised by his smokin' hot GF with a brand-new Mercedes for his 35th birthday ... and TMZ Sports has learned the whip cost nearly $1 MILLION!!

The insane present was given to Ronaldo after a dinner date in Italy on Wednesday night ... and CR7 -- a dude who's worth a BAJILLION dollars -- seemed legit stunned by the gift!!

The ride -- reportedly a 1-of-10 vehicle -- was draped in a red bow ... and Ronaldo's friends helped him celebrate it by dousing him in confetti and a rendition of "Feliz Cumpleanos."

Ronaldo's longtime GF, Georgina Rodriguez, said of the present in Spanish, "Congratulations to the man of my life! I can't wait to transport our love with your gift."

The ride is seriously insane ... it's got 800 horsepower, goes 0-to-60 in 2.9 seconds, and reportedly costs around $875,000!!!

Of course, Ronaldo is a huge car collector ... the dude reportedly owns around 20 super fancy rides -- so Georgina definitely won this bday.

The body of a 21-year-old college soccer player was found being devoured by sharks in Western Australia ... after the man went missing in the ocean last week.

Rising star Eric Birighitti -- from Perth, Australia -- was a stand-out player for Hastings College in Nebraska and won a national title with the team in 2016.

Birighitti was at Twilight Beach near Esperance last Thursday when he was swept into the ocean by a swell. Friends tried to save him with a life preserver ... but the current was too strong.

The man's body was discovered on Tuesday when the sharks were spotted attacking the corpse in the water, witnesses tell to 9 News Perth.

"My sister and my father saw the sharks attacking the body. And it was quite a big one, they say," the witness told the outlet.

Birighitti's college team released a statement on his death, saying, "The Broncos family are saddened to hear about the sudden passing of Eric Birighitti."

"Eric played for Hastings during the 2016 & 2017 season and won a national title with the team."

THIS IS NOT A PHOTO FROM 2010!!!

This is Cristiano Ronaldo wearing an iPod Shuffle -- and it was shot TODAY!! In 2020!!!

The Juventus superstar arrived at Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy to take on Cagliari Calcio on Monday sporting the Apple music device, which was discontinued back in 2017.

CR7's being clowned on social media for the device -- no one can figure out why such a rich, powerful and stylish guy wouldn't update his tech! We did some digging, you can find a Shuffle on eBay for like $20.

Some people think he's using it as a distraction to take the attention off of his new top knot hairstyle!

FYI, Apple stopped updating the Shuffle in 2010 -- letting it die a slow and painful death after realizing most people were using their phones for music storage instead of a separate device.

LA Galaxy star Jonathan dos Santos is havin' one helluva start to his 2020 ... hitting up the beaches in Mexico with not only one gorgeous bikini-clad lady -- but TWO gorgeous bikini-clad ladies!!!

The 29-year-old MLS midfielder is enjoying his time away from the soccer field this week by catching some rays in Cancun ... and the views are spectacular.

Oh yeah, and the beach is pretty cool lookin', too.

JDS has been playing in LA for 3 years now ... and has recently said he wants to retire a member of the Galaxy when it's all said and done. We take it his retirement plan involves more beaches and babes.

In total, there were more than 2 hotties with dos Santos in the water ... but that headline wouldn't have been as creative, now would it have???

International soccer superstar Franck Ribery is ringing in the new year in style ... by rockin' a sick, new Rolex from his wife ... and it's got a price tag of a whoppin' $120k!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the French baller has been talking for a while about getting a nice timepiece ... so his wife, Wahiba, decided to hook her hubby up with the one-of-a-kind Rolly!!

We're told Wahiba hit up Franck's longtime friend, Gabriel the Jeweler, to come up with the fancy Sky Dweller ... which features 35 carats of VVS diamonds.

On top of that, Gabriel hooked it up with Franck's jersey number right below the Rolex crown!!

We're told this is the only watch of its kind ... and is worth a total of $120,000!!!

Who's a good public urinator?!? You are, yes you are!!!

Ruff day for the lads at Sheffield United ... who were getting ready for their big Premier League showdown with Liverpool on Thursday when a dog ran onto the field at Stanley Park and peed all over a practice cone!

At first, the players seemed a bit confused as to why the dog was there -- but when the 4-legged fan lifted his leg and opened fire, you can hear the whole team crack up laughing.

Funny moment ... but now, they've gotta focus quick -- Liverpool is #1 in the Premier League. They're 18-0-1 on the season so far and look unstoppable.

Meanwhile, Sheffield United is in 8th place ... they're 7-5-8 this season, but they've won 3 out of their last 5.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's statue is still taking a beating from pissed off fans ... the international soccer superstar's life-sized tribute in Sweden had its nose cut off and got a new paint job.

As we previously reported ... Ibra's statue outside the soccer stadium in Malmo has been under attack since he bought an ownership stake in another Swedish pro team, Hammarby -- which operates out of Stockholm.

The thing has been through a lot since it debuted in October -- it's been sprayed with paint, had a toilet seat around its arm and a noose around its neck, been set on fire ... and most recently, somebody tried to saw off its feet.

The vandalism continued on Sunday when an angry fan somehow managed to cut off the statue's nose ... and then spray-painted the entire body.

ICYMI -- we spoke with Ibra about the constant statue attacks ... and he played it off like he didn't know what we were talking about (but the dude *HAS* to know about it).

Authorities in Malmo have been investigating the vandalism ... and workers were already power-washing the statue to remove the paint.

Maybe it's time to put the thing in a glass box??

Shahdon Winchester -- international soccer star from Trinidad and Tobago -- died on Thursday at the age of 27 ... after the car he was riding in crashed and caught fire.

Winchester -- a soccer vet who made his international debut in 2010 (he has 23 international caps) -- died alongside a highway in Trinidad on Thursday morning.

The soccer star was reportedly riding with his girlfriend and 2 other men when the car crashed and became engulfed in flames ... killing all 4 passengers.

Firefighters responded to the scene ... but none of the passengers could be saved.

Great news for Hope Solo ... the soccer superstar announced she's pregnant with twins --more than a year after she almost died during a tragic miscarriage.

"Miniature soccer team on the way," Solo announced while cohosting "BeIN Sports USA" with George D. Metellus ... "One boy and one girl."

Solo is married to ex-NFL tight end Jerramy Stevens.

Earlier this year, Solo revealed her struggled with fertility to Elle Magazine -- explaining how she had become pregnant in early 2018 ... but things did not go as planned.

A week after learning she had miscarried twins, Solo felt sick and in pain -- and was told one was ectopic (which means the pregnancy happens outside the uterus).

Solo says she needed surgery to remove her fallopian tube and was told she was "hours from dying."

38-year-old Hope told Elle she began IVF treatment soon after -- and now she's preggo again!

No word on when the babies are due -- but Solo joked that when they're born, they could be the next big U.S. soccer stars.

Solo is the greatest female goalkeeper in Team USA soccer history -- and famously won the Golden Glove (given to the best goalkeeper) for the 2011 and 2015 World Cup.

You'd think international soccer superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic would be a LITTLE upset that vandals keep targeting his statue in Sweden ... but it seems the guy couldn't care less.

The massive statue of the Swedish-born star -- located outside of the soccer stadium in Malmo -- has been defaced multiple times since it was installed back in October.

It's been set on fire, sprayed with paint, someone hung a toilet seat from the arm, a noose around the neck ... and just a few days ago, someone used a saw to try and cut off his feet!!

So, when we saw Zlatan leaving Delilah in West Hollywood over the weekend, we asked how he felt about the damage to his beloved statue.

"I didn't see it," Zlatan told TMZ Sports ... a shocking reaction considering the constant attacks have been covered by every major media outlet in the world from CNN to ESPN, the BBC and more.

In fact, police in Malmo have told reporters they're actively investigating the attacks.

So, why is Zlatan's statue being targeted?

The short answer is Malmo supporters are pissed at Ibra for buying an ownership stake in another Swedish pro team, Hammarby -- which operates out of Stockholm.

Angry Malmo fans feel Zlatan betrayed their team -- since he started his career in Malmo. Some critics have even referred to the star as "Judas" and spray-painted the name on the door of a property he owns.

Cristiano Ronaldo is still happily unmarried ... despite reports he secretly wife'd up his longtime girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, during a recent trip to Morocco.

TMZ Sports spoke with CR7's team which confirms the reports are FALSE -- "He hasn't gotten married."

The rumors all stemmed from a report out of Italy, where 34-year-old Ronaldo plays soccer for FC Juventus.

Novela 2000 cited a "source" that claimed Ronaldo and Georgina got hitched earlier this summer in a "low key ceremony." The report also claimed Ronaldo has since changed his will to include 25-year-old Georgina.

But, alas, it's all BS.

Ronaldo and Georgina have been dating for years and it seems like marriage is just a matter of time. Just last year there were huge engagement rumors after Georgina flashed a massive diamond ring at a Portugal game in Russia. But, she later told media it was NOT an engagement ring.

Ex-soccer star Sergio Contreras -- aka Koke -- was arrested in Spain on Tuesday as part of a massive drug raid ... and cops say they recovered a TON of hashish.

Literally, a metric TON.

36-year-old Contreras is pretty famous in Europe -- he made a fortune playing for big teams like the Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille and the famous Greek team Aris Thessaloniki.

But, ever since his pro career ended in 2016, cops say he's been RUNNING a major drug ring out of Southern Spain.

On Tuesday, cops launched a multi-city raid ... nabbing 20 and seizing nearly $800,000 in hash, which is made from the resin of the cannabis plant.

Cops also recovered a stash of guns -- including pistols and rifles.

A source told the Associated Free Press that Contreras is the "head of the organization."

Contreras was taken into custody and is currently being held in Malaga, an upscale beach community.

"You wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan."

Soccer superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic's stint with the L.A. Galaxy has come to an end ... and in true Zlatan fashion, the 38-year-old left with an epic message for his former organization and its fans!!

"I came, I saw, I conquered. Thank you @lagalaxy for making me feel alive again," Zlatan tweeted. "To the Galaxy fans - you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You are welcome."

"The story continues...Now go back to watch baseball"

Ibrahimovic finished with 52 goals, 17 assists and 1 crotch grab in his 2 seasons with the Galaxy.

Zlatan and the Galaxy mutually agreed to part ways earlier Wednesday ... and the Galaxy thanked him for essentially wrecking the MLS for 2 seasons.

"Since his arrival in 2018, Zlatan has positively influenced the sport of soccer in Los Angeles," team prez Chris Klein said in a statement.

"We are grateful for his work ethic and passion. We thank Zlatan for his professionalism and immeasurable impact on the Los Angeles community and the soccer community in North America as a whole."

Up next?? Probably a return to Europe.

Farewell, new friend ... and thanks for the soundbites.