Soccer

FC Dallas has just been kicked out of the MLS' restart tournament ... citing a major coronavirus outbreak within the organization.

The league is hosting its MLS Is Back tournament at ESPN's Wide World Of Sports Complex in Orlando starting this week ... as a way to pick back up where things left off in March.

But, the bad news for FCD -- the team had 11 cases (10 players and 1 coach) test positive while in Orlando ... forcing the MLS to step in and stop the team from participating.

FCD head coach Luchi Gonzalez addressed the move ... saying, "As we continue to focus on the well-being of our players, coaches and staff who are in isolation in Orlando, we understand it is not in their best interests to compete at this time."

"While we’re disappointed, the health and safety of our traveling delegation as well as our league partners is our highest priority."

So, FCD is out of the restart tourney ... but the team can still re-join the rest of the season once everyone is healthy again.

Major League Soccer says its players are NOT getting the Fyre Festival treatment inside the Disney bubble -- claiming the players who posted sad sandwich pics are NOT inside the restricted area.

Toronto FC defender Omar Gonzalez posted a pic Tuesday showing an "MLS Is Back" In-Room dining menu which describes some delicious-looking, expensive food options ($65 for lunch!) ... cut next to an unimpressive sando in a brown box.

He tweeted out, "Yummm" ... leading people to believe the widely-touted Disney bubble was looking more like a sham than a glamorous experience.

Omar's teammate Eriq Zavaleta added fuel to the fire by posting another unappetizing sandwich pic. Not a great look.

But, our MLS sources tell us ... those two players are not yet in Orlando -- they're still in Toronto.

The league is unsure who shot the photos -- but reps say the food was served at a quarantine site OUTSIDE the official bubble where players are required to stay for 10 to 12 hours until they are cleared to enter.

There is basic food service at the quarantine site -- like sandwiches, etc -- but since it's essentially a layover spot, the food service isn't as robust.

Once players are allowed into the Walt Disney World bubble environment, it's a completely different story.

We're told players will get "banquet meal" service served in their club meal rooms -- and so far, the feedback on the food has been super positive.

Also, all players will have access to 4 restaurants in the bubble -- including Shula’s Steak House, Todd English Bluezoo, Il Mulino, and Kimonos sushi restaurant.

We're also told, "Players do not pay for meals."

So, yeah ... the travel meal might not be the fanciest food in the world, but MLS insists they're not pulling a Billy McFarland.

A Championship league soccer team is backtracking big time after they used a cardboard cutout of Osama Bin Laden to fill seats at a game this week ... yeah, BIG PROBLEM!!!

Leeds United had banned live fans from attending games during the COVID-19 pandemic ... but welcomed supporters to send in photos which they would place in the seats to simulate a crowd.

Someone sent in Bin Laden -- and NO ONE CAUGHT IT.

So, when Leeds took the field to play Cardiff City at Elland Road stadium on Sunday ... there was the world's most hated dead terrorist sitting right in the front row.

A spokesperson for Leeds United told BBC the team "will ensure there are no more offensive images" used in the future.

And, to add insult to embarrassment, Leeds lost the game 2-0.

Of course, the real OBL was killed by U.S. Navy SEALS during a raid on his compound in 2011.

A semi-pro soccer club is taking Bruce Arena's advice ... swapping out the national anthem before games for another tune.

National Premier Soccer League team Tulsa Athletic announced Wednesday its decision to eliminate the "Star-Spangled Banner" from pre-game activities at home games  ... saying it will play "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie instead.

Why? Here's the statement from the club ...

"After carefully reviewing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' lyrics and meaning, including the 3rd verse which mentions 'No refuge could save the hireling and slave / From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave ... ' Tulsa Athletic came to the decision that the song does not align with the club’s core values."

"While this verse is rarely sung, Tulsa Athletic does not believe 'The Star-Spangled Banner' represents or unites their diverse players, fans and community."

"We believe 'This Land Is Your Land' not only captures a powerful patriotic sentiment, but that it does so in a far more inclusive way."

Tulsa Athletic co-owner Sonny Dalesandro says TLIYL "speaks to this country being built and shared by every person of every race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. It represents a future Tulsa Athletic is committed to striving for."

The team will kick off its new tradition during a special Equality Cup match against Minneapolis City at Veterans Park in Tulsa. No date has been set.

Of course, the news comes in the wake of ex-Team USA Soccer coach Bruce Arena saying the playing of the national anthem before games is "inappropriate."

An airplane toting a "White Lives Matter" banner flew over Manchester City's soccer game against Burnley on Monday ... and now, cops say they're investigating.

The scene was disturbing ... just minutes after players took a knee to show support of the Black Lives Matter movement -- the plane circled around Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England.

Reports say the banner was visible for several minutes ... and players -- who have all decided to replace their last names on their jerseys with the words "Black Lives Matter" -- said afterward they were sickened by the message.

Now, cops have vowed to launch a probe into the matter ... writing in a statement Tuesday morning, "We are making enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident."

"We will then be in a position to make an assessment as to whether any criminal offences have taken place."

Burnley's officials also condemned the banner -- which was allegedly paid for by a Burnley fan -- writing in a statement of their own, "This, in no way, represents what Burnley Football Club stands for."

"We will work fully with the authorities to identify those responsible and issue lifetime bans."

Bruce Arena -- the former head coach for the U.S. Men's National Team -- is calling for an end to pregame Star-Spangled Banner renditions ... saying straight-up "it is inappropriate."

"I think it puts people in awkward positions," Arena told ESPN this week. "We don't use national anthem in movie theaters or on Broadway, or for other events in the United States."

"I don't think it is appropriate to have a national anthem before a baseball game or an MLS game."

Don't get it twisted, Arena -- a New York native and a current coach in the MLS -- says he's as patriotic as they come and understands why players kneel during the song.

But, Arena makes it clear he believes the whole thing is just unnecessary ... kneeling controversy or not.

"Think about it," Arena said. "In Major League Soccer, most of the players that are standing on the field during the national anthem are international players. They are not even Americans."

"So why are we playing the national anthem? With all due respect, I live in the greatest country in the world but I think it is inappropriate."

Of course, back in 2016 and 2017 at the height of the kneeling protests in the NFL ... some pundits suggested doing away with the anthems altogether to assuage the issue.

Tyrell Robinson -- a former winger for legendary soccer club Arsenal -- is now facing prison time after pleading guilty to allegations he performed sexual acts with a 14-year-old.

22-year-old Robinson, according to multiple reports, showed up to Bradford Crown Court in England on Tuesday to fess up to the charges.

The ex-Bradford City player reportedly admitted to engaging in sexual activities back in August 2018 with a 14-year-old ... while also admitting he made and distributed an indecent picture of a child as well.

It should be noted Robinson did DENY a charge in court that he distributed an indecent photo of a child back in 2017 ... and prosecutors are not moving forward with that charge.

But, a judge told him he now faces time behind bars over his guilty pleas ... saying incarceration will be on the table at a sentencing hearing at a later date.

Details surrounding the alleged 2018 incident with the 14-year-old are unclear ... but authorities said early in the case they were hitting Robinson with an "engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a child" charge.

Robinson, who will reportedly be on a sex offenders' registry after his guilty pleas, was seen leaving court in a black mask and red, puffy jacket.

The Premier League is finally back after 100 days off due to COVID-19 ... and the players made a profound statement at kick-off by taking a knee to honor George Floyd.

All players for Aston Villa and Sheffield United -- as well as the referees -- participated in the demonstration on Wednesday ... showing solidarity with the fight against police brutality and social injustice.

Along with taking a knee, all players are wearing "Black Lives Matter" on the back of their jerseys.

The EPL acknowledged the gesture on Twitter ... saying, "There is #NoRoomForRacism, anywhere."

The players made their intentions clear in a joint statement last week ... saying, "We, the Players, stand together with the singular objective of eradicating racial prejudice wherever it exists, to bring about a global society of inclusion, respect, and equal opportunities for All, regardless of their colour or creed."

Every team in the Premier League will wear "Black Lives Matter" threads when the season restarts ... with the powerful message replacing names on the back of players' shirts.

Check out one of the kits posted by Sheffield United on Tuesday ... the unis not only feature "BLM" on the nameplates, they also have a "Black Lives Matter" patch on the sleeve.

Players from all 20 teams came up with the idea to show solidarity with the movement earlier this month ... and will wear the special jerseys for the first 12 games once the season returns from COVID-19 suspension.

The players released a statement on the decision, saying, "We, the Players, stand together with the singular objective of eradicating racial prejudice wherever it exists, to bring about a global society of inclusion, respect, and equal opportunities for All, regardless of their colour or creed."

"This symbol is a sign of unity from all Players, all Staff, all Clubs, all Match Officials and the Premier League #blacklivesmatter #playerstogether."

Ben Carson believes President Donald Trump could soften his stance on athletes kneeling for the national anthem ... saying he'll "work with" POTUS to understand the message.

Of course, Trump has been one of the most outspoken critics against kneeling ... and recently said he'd stop watching soccer and football if protests continued.

POTUS also famously said to fire any "son of a bitch" who knelt, back in 2017.

Carson -- the Housing and Urban Development Secretary and the only black member of Trump's cabinet -- discussed the issue on the Hugh Hewitt Show ... saying he will try to get POTUS to understand the real reason behind the movement.

"Well, I don't think he has manifested as much animosity in that region lately," Carson said Monday. "And, I think we just continue to work with him. He'll get there."

The national anthem protest has become a major topic of discussion following the death of George Floyd ... with NFL names like Adrian Peterson, Baker Mayfield and Bill O'Brien saying they will kneel this upcoming season.

Add "team owner" to Kevin Durant's massive resume ... 'cause the NBA champ just bought a stake in the Philadelphia Union of the MLS!!

The Union announced the partnership on Monday ... saying KD bought 5% of the team ... with the option to take on another 5% down the road.

Durant's official title will be "investor and community partner" ... and the team will work with his Thirty Five Ventures on marketing and community outreach.

"I’m excited to partner with the Philadelphia Union for years to come," KD said in a statement. "My team and I connected instantly with the Union coaching staff and leadership, as well as the team’s story."

Durant says the team will work with his Kevin Durant Charity Foundation to make an impact in the communities surrounding Philadelphia as well.

Principal owner of the Union Jay Sugarman spoke about the new partnership, saying "The partnership between Kevin and the Philadelphia Union is based on a set of shared values and philosophies."

"We want to be known as an innovator in our league and a team that is never satisfied with the status quo. Kevin brings us unique perspectives as a person, as a champion, and as a sports icon."

"Combined with his competitive drive and forward-thinking mentality, we believe Kevin adds a key piece in reaching our ambitions for the club."

A teenage soccer player in Mexico allegedly murdered by police scored the final goal at his own funeral Friday ... and the video of it will bring you to tears.

The powerful scene all went down in Oaxaca ... where teammates decided to honor their fallen 16-year-old friend by setting him up for one last shot attempt.

Check out the clip, the boys positioned his casket so they could redirect a soccer ball off of it ... and when the ball slid past the keeper into the makeshift goal -- things got emotional.

All of his teammates surrounded the casket, hugged it and sobbed uncontrollably.

Sports reporter Guillermo Schutz posted the vid to social media ... captioning it in Spanish, "In Oaxaca, this is how they bid Alexander a final goodbye, the 16-year-old teen murdered by municipal police. His friends honor him with one last goal. We're all crying."

The footage was so touching ... even former UCLA hoops star Lorenzo Mata had to share it on Twitter.

Powerful stuff.

MLS is taking a page from the NBA -- returning to play in July with a tournament at Disney World in Orlando ... and all 26 teams will participate.

Major League Soccer announced the plan Wednesday morning -- the Welcome Back Tournament -- a World Cup-style competition consisting of a group stage followed by knockout rounds.

After the tourney, the teams will play the rest of the 2020 MLS regular season ... but tourney games WILL count toward regular-season standings.

And, get this ... the winning team will earn a spot in the 2021 Concacaf Champions League tournament!

FYI, the CCL tourney is made up of the top teams in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

The Welcome Back tourney kicks off on July 8 -- with the Final set for August 11.

All games will take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber issued a statement saying, "The opportunity to have all 26 clubs in a controlled environment enables us to help protect the health of our players, coaches and staff as we return to play."

"We also recognize that the death of George Floyd and others has focused our country on issues of racial injustice, inequality and violence against black men and women."

MLS winger Aleksandar Katai's wife's disgusting comments about protesters just cost him his job with the LA Galaxy ... with the team deciding to part ways with the player due to her "racist and violent" words.

The 29-year-old Serbian met with the team earlier this week after Tea Katai called for people to kill protesters -- which she referred to as "disgusting cattle" -- on Instagram.

The Galaxy released a statement condemning Tea's since-deleted comments on Wednesday ... saying "Earlier today, the LA Galaxy were made aware of a series of racist and violent social media posts by Tea Katai, the wife of LA Galaxy midfielder Aleksandar Katai."

"The LA Galaxy stands firmly against racism of any kind, including that which suggests violence or seeks to demean the efforts of those in pursuit of racial equality."

The team decided the next step was to wash its hands of the Katais on Friday ... calling the move a mutual decision.

Aleksandar -- who joined the squad in December -- released a statement against his wife's comments earlier this week, saying "These views are not ones that I share and are not tolerated in my family."

"I strongly condemn white supremacy, racism and violence towards people of color. Black lives matter. This is a mistake from my family and I take full responsibility."

Liverpool F.C. players decided to team up and send a powerful sign of support on Monday ... with the whole team taking a knee together to honor George Floyd.

LFC shared the image of 29 players kneeling near the center of the field at the Anfield stadium ... featuring the words "Unity is strength. #BlackLivesMatter."

The players reportedly came up with the idea to kneel as a sign of support for the movement while training ... and several players like Virgil van Dijk, James Milner and Andy Robertson have also shared the impactful shot

The gesture adds to the global outcry for justice ... with celebrities and athletes coming together to protest following Floyd's death.

Jadon Sancho of Dortmund also dedicated one of his goals to Floyd over the weekend ... wearing a shirt that read "Justice for George Floyd."

Roger Federer is finally #1 on the Forbes Highest-Paid Athletes list -- but it's all because two superstars took a pay hit thanks to COVID.

The 38-year-old tennis superstar reportedly raked in $106.3 million from June 1, 2019 to June 1, 2020 (in pre-taxed earnings) from prize money and endorsements.

Federer earned $6.3 million in prize money -- but the bulk of his financial haul comes by way of endorsements ... $100 MILLION from deals with companies like Uniqlo, Credit Suisse, Mercedes-Benz, Rolex and more.

Cristiano Ronaldo clocks in at #2 ($105 million) and Lionel Messi is #3 ($104 million) ... but Forbes points out their take would have been higher if not for the coronavirus pandemic.

"The two soccer icons earned a combined $209 million during the past 12 months, a $28 million drop from 2019, due to salary reductions at many European soccer clubs when league play was halted in March," Forbes says.

Might not be a big deal to you ... but we know some athletes take the Forbes list VERY seriously -- remember when Conor McGregor told Ronaldo to his face that he was coming for that top spot?!

Rounding out the Top 5 is Neymar ($95.5 M) followed by LeBron James ($88.2 M).

Other notable athletes include Tiger Woods at #8 ($62.3 mil), Carson Wentz at #10 ($59.1 mil), Conor McGregor at #16 ($48 mil), Tom Brady at #21 ($45 mil) and Naomi Osaka at #29 ($37.4 mil).

2019 marks the second year in a row Floyd Mayweather's failed to make the list ... after being the highest-paid athlete of the decade.