Soccer

Brazilian soccer star Dani Alves was reportedly detained Friday in Spain ... where he's being held on sexual abuse charges.

Alves, 39, is accused of inappropriately touching a woman under her clothes without consent (in Spain, sexual assault can cover anything from groping to rape) in a Barcelona nightclub on New Year's Eve, according to reports.

The woman filed a report after the alleged incident ... and once local police were made aware of the situation, they took witness statements.

Alves -- a champion with several clubs, including Barcelona, Juventus and Paris-Saint German -- has denied any wrongdoing, claiming he's never even met the alleged victim.

"I would like to deny everything first," Alves said. "I was there, in that location, with more people, having a good time. Everybody knows that I love to dance. Having a good time, but without invading the space of others."

"I'm very sorry, but I don't know who that young lady is. I don't know who she is. I've never seen her in my life."

Pro soccer player Anton Walkes -- defender and midfielder for Charlotte FC -- tragically died after a boat accident in Florida, the team announced.

He was only 25 years old.

The Major League Soccer club said Thursday the organization is devastated by the news.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Walkes was found unconscious and received CPR from Miami Fire Rescue after a two-boat crash near the Miami Marine Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Walkes, who was operating one of the vessels, was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died from his injuries. The crash is under investigation.

"He was a tremendous son, father, partner and teammate whose joyous approach to life touched everyone he met," Charlotte FC owner David Tepper said.

"Anton made those around him better people in all areas of life and represented Charlotte FC to the highest standard both on and off the pitch."

The England native started his soccer career at 16 when he signed with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. He was loaned to Atlanta United before joining League One club Portsmouth in 2017, where he played for several years.

Walkes returned to ATL in 2020 ... where started in 64 games.

Walkes was selected by Charlotte with the second pick in the 2021 MLS Expansion Draft.

"There are no words to describe the sorrow of everyone in Major League Soccer today after learning of the tragic passing of Anton Walkes of Charlotte FC," MLS said in a statement.

"Anton was a talented and dedicated player who was loved by his teammates and fans."

"We extend our deepest condolences to his partner, family, friends and the entire Charlotte FC family."

A soccer fan opened up his wallet in a big way to nab a trip to the Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi exhibition on Thursday ... dropping a staggering $2.6 MILLION to score a VIP ticket to the game!!

Saudi officials had put the once-in-a-lifetime pass to the event up for an auction earlier this month in order to promote the game ... promising that the winning bidder would get the red carpet treatment when Messi's Paris Saint-Germain team plays Ronaldo and Saudi All-Stars in a friendly in Riyadh.

The initial bid was $266,000 ... but, eventually, Saudi businessman Mushref al-Ghamdi closed things out with a $2.6 million offer -- and he was pumped for the purchase.

According to Saudi officials, the lucky football fan will now get to meet both Messi and Ronaldo at the game. He'll also get access to the teams' locker rooms -- and the trophy presentation afterward.

The money, meanwhile, will be going to a good cause ... it was announced this week it'll all be donated to charity.

The game will not only feature Messi and Ronaldo -- France star Kylian Mbappe and Brazil star Neymar are expected to compete as well.

Rinat Akhmetov -- the billionaire owner of the Ukrainian soccer club Shakhtar Donetsk -- is taking a third of Mykhailo Mudryk's $75.8 million transfer fee from Chelsea and giving it back to his country ... donating $25 million to help soldiers fighting against Russia.

The 22-year-old winger's move to Chelsea was announced on Sunday ... in a record deal for any Ukrainian team.

Akhmetov -- who's reportedly worth around $4.3 billion -- addressed the transaction on Monday ... saying it's a bittersweet moment for him.

"On the one hand, I am happy for Mykhaylo and proud of him," Akhmetov said in a statement. "This guy is leading by example, showing that talent and hard work can make the impossible possible. I am absolutely confident that the entire Europe will acclaim Mykhaylo's brilliant and fine play."

"On the other hand, I have never made it a secret that my dream is to win European trophies. This means that players like Mudryk should be invited to our club, to our Ukrainian championship, and we should win European trophies with such players, rather than root for them, even when they play in the world's top clubs."

"Unfortunately, it is impossible now, as Ukraine is fighting the horrendous and unjust war waged against us by the Russian Federation. But, I am confident that we will win."

To do his part, Akhmetov says he is launching the Heart of Azovstal to help soldiers in Mariupol and their families as they continue to protect their country.

"Their acts of bravery are unparalleled in the modern history," Akhmetov said. "It is them, their sacrifice and courage that helped contain the enemy in the first months of the war and let all of us feel the inevitability of the Victory of Ukraine now."

Akhmetov says the massive $25 million donation will provide financial assistance for medical and prosthetic treatment, psychological support and more.

Danielle Reyna -- the mother of USMNT player Gio Reyna -- is admitting she's the individual who notified U.S. Soccer about a 1991 domestic violence incident involving Gregg Berhalter.

As we previously reported, Berhalter claims someone outside the organization was attempting to get him fired by exposing an altercation from when he was an 18-year-old college freshman ... in which he kicked his now-wife, Rosalind, after an argument.

Danielle -- who's married to ex-Team USA captain Claudio Reyna -- says she told U.S. Soccer about the incident because she was unhappy with how Berhalter spoke about her son following the World Cup.

Shortly after USA was eliminated, Berhalter said he was close to sending a player home for his actions on and off the field ... and although he never named Gio, it was clear who he was talking about.

Danielle released a statement on Wednesday ... saying, "I thought it was especially unfair that Gio, who had apologized for acting immaturely about his playing time, was still being dragged through the mud when Gregg had asked for and received forgiveness for doing something so much worse at the same age."

Danielle -- who played for the USWNT in 1993 -- also claims Berhalter is making his 1991 incident out to be less serious than it actually was.

"Without going into detail, the statements from yesterday significantly minimize the abuse on the night in question," she added. "Rosalind Berhalter was my roommate, teammate and best friend, and I supported her through the trauma that followed."

Danielle wasn't the only one pissed -- Claudio also released a statement to ESPN ... saying he spoke with U.S. Soccer officials about how Berhalter was handling his son, but denies making any sort of demands.

"While in Qatar, I shared my frustrations about my son's World Cup experience with a number of close friends, Earnie [Stewart] and Brian McBride among them. However, at no time did I ever threaten anyone, nor would I ever do so," Claudio said Wednesday.

FYI -- Gio barely played during the World Cup ... despite expectations he would play a big role in America's run.

U.S. Soccer is investigating the Berhalter incident ... as well as "potential inappropriate behavior towards multiple members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization."

U.S. Men's National Team manager Gregg Berhalter claims someone recently tried to get him out of the job by exposing a violent incident with his now-wife in 1991 ... and now, U.S. Soccer is investigating the matter.

49-year-old Berhalter released a lengthy statement on the situation just minutes ago ... saying an individual outside the organization approached U.S. Soccer during the World Cup and claimed they had information that would "take me down."

The information -- according to Berhalter and his wife, Rosalind -- stems from an incident back in 1991 ... when an 18-year-old Gregg kicked her after a heated argument outside a bar.

Berhalter says he was a college freshman and had been dating Rosalind for four months at the time of the physical altercation ... but adds, "There are zero excuses for my actions that night."

Berhalter says he immediately apologized and took full responsibility for his actions ... and even though police were not involved, he sought counseling to make sure he never acted in that manner again.

"The lessons learned from that night over three decades ago became the foundation for a loving, devoted, and supportive relationship, which we honored and celebrated with our 25th anniversary this past weekend," Berhalter says.

U.S. Soccer launched an investigation into the 1991 incident back in December ... and on Tuesday, the organization announced it is also looking into the person who came forward with the information.

"Through this process, U.S. Soccer has learned about potential inappropriate behavior towards multiple members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization," U.S. Soccer said.

"We take such behavior seriously and have expanded our investigation to include those allegations."

Sources tell us the individual who brought the incident to light is someone Gregg has known for decades ... who was acting out of frustration with how he was managing the USMNT.

Thousands of fans poured into Brazilian streets on Monday morning to pay their respects to Pele -- as the funeral for the late soccer legend got underway at a famed football stadium in Santos.

People decked out in #10 jerseys and clad in yellow and green attire lined up to get a glimpse of the former footballer's coffin at Urbano Caldeira Stadium ... and some camped out for hours to be the first allowed into the ceremony.

For the services, Pele's body was placed under a tent on the field at the venue -- the same place where he scored hundreds of goals for Santos FC for nearly two decades.

Early on, Pele's family members were seen standing by his casket -- hugging and kissing him.

Many soccer stars from across the globe are expected to attend the funeral later on.

The whole ceremony is being live streamed ... and is expected to last several hours before Pele is laid to rest at the Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica cemetery.

As we reported, Pele died at a hospital in Sao Paolo on Thursday ... after a lengthy battle with cancer.

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Pele was paid $120K by a major sneaker company to bend down at midfield and tie his shoe before a 1970 World Cup match ... giving birth to a bitter feud between Puma and Adidas!

Pele's death has unearthed all kinds of stories about the soccer legend, who died Thursday at the age of 82, following a lengthy battle with colon cancer ... including when the greatest player ever was paid the equivalent of $1 million (in 2022 w/ inflation) to tie a Puma soccer cleat, according to Joe Pompliano, who told the story.

It all started in 1924 when Adolf and Rudolf Dassler started a shoe company, Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory. The shoemaker was successful, and Jesse Owens even wore their brand during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, where Owens dominated in front of Hitler, winning 4 gold medals.

But, by 1948, the brothers had a falling out and decided to go their own way ... each starting a sneaker company of their own. Adolf created Adidas and Rudolf, Puma. The brothers swore to never do business with one another.

Things changed in the late 60s when the brothers buried the hatchet and began communicating again, all in the interest of self-preservation. Adolf and Rudolf made a "Pele pact," an agreement that both companies would stay away from Pele, the biggest sports star in the world, fearing a sponsorship negotiation could bankrupt both companies.

Unfortunately for Adidas, Puma didn't exactly abide by the pact. Prior to a World Cup quarterfinal match in 1970 between Peru and Pele's Brazil, Puma paid the soccer superstar $120K to walk toward midfield just before the start of the game, bend down, and tie his Puma shoe.

Of course, Puma wanted to capture the moment on video ... so to ensure they didn't miss the moment, the shoewear company reportedly went as far as to pay the cameraman!

Brazil beat Peru ... and ended up winning the entire World Cup. It was Pele's record third.

The Pele-Puma partnership didn't come to an end with the '70 WC ... the deal was a smash success for everyone involved.

Brazilian soccer legend Pelé -- arguably the greatest football player ever -- has died.

The three-time World Cup winner passed away at a hospital in Sao Paulo surrounded by loved ones following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Pelé was initially diagnosed with the disease in 2021, and had been in and out of medical facilities over the past year to help him fight it. But, sadly, his condition worsened recently ... forcing him to spend the last two months in a hospital bed.

Pelé was able to watch the 2022 World Cup in his final days ... and even penned a congratulations post on his social media page to Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe after the epic Argentina vs. France final last weekend.

He had also written an emotional note to Neymar after a huge performance for Brazil earlier in the famed tournament.

Pelé joined Brazil's national team when he was just 16 years old ... and won his first-ever World Cup at age 17 in 1958. He went on to lead Brazil to two more titles in the event, winning it all in 1962 and 1970.

He's widely regarded as one of the best goal scorers ever -- with Cristiano Ronaldo previously calling him "the greatest player in football history."

He was 82.

Fans all wanted a piece of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe memorabilia in the hours after the two soccer stars put on a show in the World Cup final ... with auction officials telling TMZ Sports the demand for their items rivaled that of Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

Officials from PWCC Marketplace tell us that following the Argentina vs. France tilt on Sunday -- items associated with Messi and Mbappe became the most sought-after in their auction space.

Per a rep from the auction house, searches for Messi rose 345 percent from his normal average. Mbappe queries, meanwhile, rose 363 percent.

"Messi was searched nearly three times more than Michael Jordan, more than four times more than LeBron James, and more than five times more than Tom Brady," PWCC exec Jesse Craig said.

"Messi gilded his career with this victory, and demand for his cards clearly rose in concert with the achievement. The numbers highlight how important an exciting game is for demand in player assets."

According to a rep for the org., Messi items that were sold on Sunday following the thrilling W.C. finale finished with prices that were "an average 93 percent higher than their insurance value." As for Mbappe, the rep said the French star's items "finished an average 17 percent higher."

One of the most notable sales from the two? A 2017 Topps Messi card fetched $14,400.

Soccer legend Pele's health has taken a turn for the worse ... with local doctors announcing his cancer has advanced, and he is currently receiving "elevated care" for kidney and heart issues, according to the AP.

The 82-year-old's daughter shared an update on Tuesday ... saying the family will remain with Pele at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo over the Christmas holiday "for various reasons."

"We, as always, thank you for all the love you show us here in Brazil as well as around the world!" Kely Nascimento said on Instagram.

"Your love for him and your stories and prayers are a HUGE comfort because we know we are not alone."

Kely says the family will make the holiday extra special ... and have plans to celebrate at the hospital.

"We are going to turn this room into a Sambódromo (just kidding), we will even make caipirinhas (not kidding!!)."

"We wish everyone who celebrates a Christmas that filled with family, full of children, some fighting 🤷🏽 ♀️ and TONS of Love and Health !!"

Pele is considered to be the greatest soccer player of all time -- having won World Cup titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

There have been conflicting reports regarding his health recently ... with Kely denying last month the Brazilian hero was experiencing complications during his chemotherapy treatment.

Absolute chaos unfolded in the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, as the World Cup champions held their victory parade -- and things got so out of control, players had to be evacuated from their celebration via helicopter.

Argentina, fresh off defeating France in the World Cup on Sunday, were met with millions of fans on Tuesday to celebrate their win -- their first since 1986 and third overall.

Fans were understandably excited that the men's soccer team could once again call themselves world champs ... and it showed throughout the parade.

There were so many people on the streets that the festivities had to be cut short ...  and Argentina players had to abandon their team buses and fly over the city instead.

We know championship celebrations can get out of hand ... but this parade was unlike anything we'd ever seen.

A video posted on social media shows the moment two fans attempted to jump onto Argentina's team bus ... which certainly posed a safety issue for the squad and others involved.

The first guy, who appeared to jump from a fixture as the bus drove by, stuck his landing. But the second guy slipped as he jumped and fell off the back of the bus and to the ground, causing the vehicle to stop.

No word on if the dude got hurt ... and we certainly hope that's not the case, but stunts like this put into perspective just how much this World Cup championship means to Argentina fans.

The women who took their tops off in Qatar following Argentina's World Cup win have made it out of the country unscathed ... avoiding arrest despite their risqué celebrations drawing the ire of many in the conservative state.

The Lionel Messi fans, ID'd on Instagram as Milubarbiie and Noe -- aka La chica del topless -- showed on Tuesday morning that they both made it to their respective homes without issues.

The two posted videos, revealing neither were arrested in Qatar ... despite speculation that they could be thrown behind bars for revealing a whole lot of skin after Argentina beat France in the World Cup final on Sunday.

Noe joked about being in the clear from her seat on an airplane ... saying in a caption on one of her vids that she wanted the flight to take off before people came looking for her.

Milubarbiie, meanwhile, said in a selfie video that she had made it back to Europe, a place she missed dearly while cheering on Argentina in the soccer tournament.

The homecomings were great news for the duo ... as Qatar officials had urged visitors to avoid wearing "excessively revealing clothing in public" in order to avoid potential conflict with authorities.

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Lionel Messi is the G.O.A.T. on the pitch AND on social media -- the soccer superstar is now responsible for the most-liked Instagram post of all time!!!

The 35-year-old accomplished the feat by sharing pics of his World Cup celebration with Argentina to his 403 million followers shortly after securing the title ... captioning the post, "CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!!!!! 🌎🏆"

The pic quickly became one of the most popular posts in the platform's history ... and just now, it officially dethroned the viral egg pic from 2019 (remember that?) at the top of the most-liked charts.

Messi's post currently has 62.6 MILLION likes ... while the egg has fallen behind at 56.9 million.

It seems like Messi fans aren't gonna let the egg take back the top spot any time soon ... considering they're in the comments taunting the once-popular post with pro-Leo statements.

A triumphant return to Argentina on Tuesday nearly turned disastrous for Lionel Messi and a couple of his other star teammates ... who were all almost thrown off the roof of a bus by a low-hanging street wire.

The scary moment happened as Messi and the Argentinian national team were taking laps around Buenos Aires to celebrate their World Cup title over France.

Messi -- sitting beside Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi -- didn't see a power line coming his bus' way ... and it almost clocked him and his teammates right in the heads.

It actually ended up clipping Paredes -- who lost his hat in the collision -- but, thankfully, all of the guys were able to move out of the way ... and keep the World Cup party going.

The scene was WILD in Argentina as the guys made their way through Buenos Aires following the close call -- thousands of fans lined streets for the second day since the big win ... this time, with some climbing to the top of the city's Obelisco to cheer on the soccer team.

It was chaos around the guys' bus, too ... as everyone tried to get an up-close look at the new world champs.

Despite the scare earlier in the day and the pandemonium in the streets ... everyone made it back home OK -- including Messi, who took the World Cup trophy with him to bed.

"Buen día!" he said in his caption on the pic.

Thousands of people flooded Buenos Aires streets to celebrate Argentina's World Cup victory on Sunday ... and the wild scene was all captured on breathtaking drone video.

The party went down just minutes after Lionel Messi and the Argentinians beat France in penalty kicks -- with a sea of people packing into the country's capital to celebrate the W.

In the drone footage, you can see fans lining streets for what appeared to be miles ... all going crazy over the big victory.

Some waved flags, some chanted and cheered ... and all, clearly, had a blast.

No word on when -- or if -- the party died down ... but the country's supporters had every right to throw the bash, seeing as it was the nation's first World Cup title since 1986.

The game, meanwhile, is being considered by many to already be the best in W.C. history ... it was a nail-biter that featured 6 goals followed by intense PKs.

Messi scored two total, and buried his lone penalty kick attempt. Later he was given the tournament's Golden Ball -- the award for best player at the event.