Soccer

An unruly spectator stormed the pitch and punched a player in the face during a Europa League match on Thursday ... and his reward was getting dropped with a vicious right hand before being dragged out by security.

It all went down at Philips Stadium in the Netherlands .... where PSV was playing Sevilla FC.

During the contest, a man ran onto the field and punched Sevilla goalkeeper, Marko Dmitrovic -- but the fan was in for a rude awakening because the Serbian star was ready for the smoke.

Check out the clip ... the guy comes face to face with Dmitrovic before teeing off, but Marko demonstrates quick reflexes and drops the fan to the ground with one punch.

Once Dmitrovic leveled the guy, who was wearing a black jacket, blue jeans, and sneakers when he did the ambush, Marko tried to subdue him until security intervened.

Players on the field began running in Dmitrovic's direction once they realized what was happening ... and eventually, a swarm of people surrounded the man.

The guy attempted to put up a fight while on the ground by trying to break free from Marko's grasp ... but he was unsuccessful, and security ultimately booted him from the match.

Storming the pitch is a common tradition in soccer ... but in this instance, the fan got more than he bargained for and chose the wrong goalkeeper to put his hands on.

Legendary BBC football (soccer) commentator John Motson, one of the most well-known voices in the sport, has sadly passed away, his family announced Thursday. He was 77.

Motson's family released a statement about his passing, writing ... "It is with great sadness we announce that John Motson OBE died peacefully in his sleep today."

Motson -- also referred to as "Motty" -- started calling games for Britain's national broadcaster in 1968 ... and his stellar career spanned 50 years.

The BBC said John covered 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, and 29 FA Cup finals ... before calling his final match in 2018.

John -- best known for his signature sheepskin coats -- also covered more than 200 England matches and commentated on over 2,500 televised games.

Tributes came pouring in after John's death had been announced ... with the Prince of Wales sending his regards to Motson's family for their tragic loss.

"Very sad to hear about the passing of John Motson - a legend whose voice was football. My thoughts are with his family and friends," Prince William and Kate Middleton tweeted from their official Prince and Princess of Wales Twitter account.

LAFC star Kellyn Acosta's home was broken into last week ... and three of his pricey watches were taken in the burglary -- this according to law enforcement sources.

Cops tell TMZ Sports ... the incident happened at Acosta's Los Angeles-area home after thieves made their way into the residence through a door and allegedly rummaged through the house, before making off with three of the 27-year-old soccer player's Rolexes.

As of now, our sources say the watches appear to be the only thing taken.

No arrests have been made ... but we're told police are not ruling out the possibility that it was an inside job. An investigation remains ongoing.

Acosta, who initially began his MLS career with FC Dallas, joined LAFC last season -- and started 28 games ... scoring two goals.

Acosta was also part of the 2022 U.S. World Cup team that advanced to the Round of 16.

Forget cards and fruit baskets ... Jake Paul just thanked a mogul in Dubai for letting him use his gym this month with a way better gift -- a Man City jersey personally signed by superstar Erling Haaland!!

The YouTuber-turned-boxer brought the "thank you" present out to Umar Kamani at The Kamani Club this week ... after the PrettyLittleThing founder opened up his gym's doors to allow the 6-0 boxer to train for this weekend's Tommy Fury fight.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Paul got the No. 9, blue jersey signed by Haaland himself -- before framing it and handing it over to Kamani.

Of course, the gift was super meaningful -- as Kamani is known to be a huge Man City fan.

The 34-year-old appreciated the gift ... thanking Paul and wishing him good luck against Fury in a social media post.

"A great camp from #TeamPaul at @thekamaniclub over the last few weeks," the post read, "wishing you the best of luck in your upcoming fight."

YouTuber iShowSpeed's dream of snagging Drake on his live stream finally came true -- but it was very quickly shattered when he laid on the schmooze a little too thick for Drake's liking.

The award-winning streamer connected with Drake Wednesday night, and immediately drew 50,000 viewers as he jumped up and down with excitement and disbelief he was finally linking with the megastar rapper.

At first, Drizzy returned the gratitude ... praising iShowSpeed for amassing such a big following over the years. They also vibed on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate -- turns out they're both on the Ronaldo bandwagon.

But, then the convo fizzled as iShow started dropping a bunch of compliments on Champagne Papi -- like, "Bro, your voice is so sexy!!! How is it so smooth like that?"

That was all Drake needed to hear, because he instantly hit the big red button, which sent iShowSpeed into a pretty hilarious tantrum.

The Internet personality pleaded his case to his followers, saying he misspoke, but Drake was long gone by then.

Arne Espeel, a Belgian soccer goalkeeper, has tragically passed away after he collapsed following a saved penalty kick during a game over the weekend.

He was only 25.

The terrible incident happened during Winkel Sport B's game against Westrozebeke at Sportpark Terschueren in West Flanders Province on Feb. 11.

When Winkel was up 2-1 in the second half of the game, Espeel saved a penalty kick ... but a few seconds later, according to local reports, he dropped to the ground on the pitch.

Medical professionals tried to save Espeel with a defibrillator, but he was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy was scheduled for Monday to determine the cause of death.

Espeel's teammates mourned his loss on Monday ... placing flowers at a goal mount -- while over 1,000 fans, friends, family members reportedly showed up for a walk of silence in Sint-Eloois-Winkel.

"Winkel Sport is in very deep mourning by the sudden death of Arne Espeel," the team said in a statement following his death.

"We wish family and friends of Arne our heartfelt condolences in this heavy loss. Football is an afterthought."

Stunning model Ivana Knoll says she's been getting a ton of business offers after being dubbed the "World Cup's Hottest Fan" ... but there's one venture she's never going to explore -- OnlyFans.

The Croatian supporter joined Michael Babcock and Lucas Widman at the TMZ office to talk about her chaotic rise in fame ... and Ivana says her inbox has been flooded with potential money-making opportunities -- but she's picky about who she works with.

"I usually don't take everything that they offer me, because I like to work with brands who I like, and not many of them, because I like to present what I really like, not just what is paid to me."

"If I don't smoke, I cannot promote cigarettes."

Ivana says during the World Cup, she received about 10 calls a day and 20 emails from agencies trying to get her on OF ... but makes it clear no dollar amount would get her to do adult content.

"I was like, 'I don't know why they cannot accept that I don't want to open one,'" she added.

"I don't judge, I'm just not that kind of person. It's not for me. I tried to explain that it's not about money always, I care about reputation."

Ivana says despite the immediate money she'd make on the subscription-based platform, it would also hurt her chances with other brand deals in the future ... and that's a risk she's not willing to take.

Former Premier League star Christian Atsu, who played for Chelsea and Newcastle, is missing after a massive earthquake hit Turkey on Monday ... with multiple outlets reporting he's feared to be trapped underneath rubble.

The 7.8-magnitude quake rocked the country at 4:17 AM -- killing scores of people and leveling buildings ... and according to local reports out of Turkey, Atsu has not been seen or heard from since the shaking began.

Newcastle officials tweeted they're "praying for some positive news." The Ghana Football Association added in a tweet of its own, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Christian Atsu and our brothers and sisters in Turkey and Syria. We remain hopeful for positive news."

Atsu, a 31-year-old winger, joined Turkish club Hatayspor back in September ... and had just played in a game for them hours before the earthquake on Sunday night, scoring a goal.

He had previously played for Al-Raed in Saudi Arabia in 2021-22.

According to reports, more than 2,300 people have died due to Monday's earthquake ... with many more missing -- as search and rescue efforts remain ongoing.

Mason Greenwood -- star forward for Manchester United -- is no longer facing charges for attempted rape and assault ... after he was arrested for the alleged crimes last year.

The Greater Manchester police announced prosecutors dropped the charges on Thursday ... saying the 21-year-old soccer player will "no longer faces criminal proceedings in relation to this."

As for why they opted to no longer pursue the serious charges, The Athletic spoke to prosecutors handling the case who said it was a "combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light", saying "there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction."

Police Superintendent Michaela Kerr issued a statement after the decision was made, saying, "this decision has not been taken lightly."

"Despite the media and public’s interest in this case, we have decided not to comment on it in any further detail."

As we previously reported, a woman made allegations against the soccer star on social media in early 2022 ... and Greenwood was later arrested and charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behavior and assault causing bodily harm.

At the time, Greenwood -- who signed with Man United in 2018 -- was suspended by the team after the allegations came to light.

Nike also ended their deal with Greenwood saying they were "deeply disturbed by the allegations."

A mannequin wearing a Vinicius Junior jersey was hung by a rope from a bridge hours before a big soccer match in Madrid, and now police in Spain are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime.

Images of the act show a human-sized doll hanging by its neck, wearing Vini Jr.'s #20 Real Madrid jersey, underneath a sign that reads "MADRID ODIA AL REAL" -- translated, it means "Madrid Hates Real".

It's believed Athletico Madrid fans were behind the disgusting stunt ... as the teams are playing each other Thursday night, and they're big rivals.

The bridge is located near Real Madrid's training complex.

Of course, most fans were horrified by the act ... and quickly alerted authorities, who immediately went to remove the mannequin and banner.

Police are now trying to identify who's responsible, and they're treating the act as a potential hate crime.

La Liga issued a statement denouncing the hanging in effigy, saying ... "We strongly condemn acts of hate against [Vini Jr.] Intolerance and violence do not fit in football. As on previous occasions, #LaLiga will urge the investigation of the facts in search of the conviction of those responsible, requesting the most severe criminal sanctions."

While it's believed Atletico's fans were responsible, the club distanced themselves from the act, and stressed the importance of respect within the rivalry.

"Club Atletico de Madrid communicates that such acts are absolutely repugnant and inadmissible and shame society. Our condemnation of any act that attacks the dignity of persons or institutions is categorical and unreserved. The rivalry between the two clubs is the greatest, but so is respect. No individual, whatever their intentions or colors, can tarnish the coexistence between different supporters."

"It is everyone's responsibility to avoid this. We do not know the perpetrator or perpetrators of this despicable act, but their anonymity does not avoid their responsibility. We hope that the authorities succeed in clarifying what happened and that justice helps to banish this type of behavior."

Real Madrid also released a statement ... saying the club "would like to thank the support and expressions of affection received after the unfortunate and disgusting act of racism, xenophobia and hatred against our player Vinicius."

"We express our firmest condemnation of events that violate the fundamental rights and dignity of people, and that have nothing to do with the values ​​that football and sport represent."

The club continued ... "These attacks like the ones our player now suffers, or those that any athlete can suffer, cannot have a place in a society like ours."

K-pop superstar Lisa from BLACKPINK posed for a pic with a diehard Blink on Wednesday ... and that fan just so happened to be soccer superstar Neymar!!

One-fourth of the popular group shared the snapshot to her Instagram story just minutes ago ... showing the two celebs smiling from ear-to-ear.

As it turns out, the Paris Saint-Germain striker has been a BLACKPINK supporter for a while now ... he's shared their music videos on his Twitter, and even danced along to their song, "How You Like That," while streaming PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds back in 2021.

In fact, the superstar athlete has even used the group's skins pack on PUBG as he played in front of his 2.1 million followers.

The interaction was mutually exciting for the two stars ... as Neymar shared the pic on his own Instagram as well.

FYI -- Lisa and Neymar combine for 289 million followers on Instagram ... as they're some of the most-followed accounts in their respective fields.

Soccer superstar Vinícius Júnior will be among the G.O.A.T.s when he sweats it out at home from now on ... 'cause he just got an incredible new mural of his favorite athletes inside his gym!!

TMZ Sports has learned -- the 22-year-old Real Madrid winger hit up famous artist René Mäkelä for a truly one-of-a-kind art piece inside his home ... which features realistic images of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and fellow Brazilian footballers Ronaldo and the late Pelé.

We're told Vini Jr. idolizes these superstars ... and ya gotta assume staring at the legends will provide some extra motivation during workouts.

Dubbed the "Idols Wall," the whole thing stands almost 23 feet wide and over 7 feet tall ... and was made with oil and acrylic paint.

It's a very fitting piece for the guy -- Vini Jr. is one of the best young stars in the sport ... and he's fresh off his first World Cup appearance for Brazil.

As for the artist, Mäkelä has worked with a ton of big celebrities in the past ... including Madonna, Chris Brown, Cam Newton, Manny Machado, Jarvis Landry, Matt Kemp and more.

Charlotte FC will honor its beloved soccer player Anton Walkes this week -- with a celebration of life memorial service at the Bank of America Stadium.

The Major League Soccer team released the details on the event ... days after the defender and midfielder tragically died following a boat accident in Miami.

The ceremony will be held on Tuesday at CFC's home facility, which holds over 70,000 seats.

"Anton was an incredible father, friend, and teammate, who shared his joy for football and life with all those around him," the team said in a statement.

"We ask that you join us in remembering the impact he had on us all."

The team is asking fans in attendance to wear Charlotte FC merch in Walkes' honor.

As we previously reported, Walkes was found unconscious after a two-boat crash in Miami on Jan 18. Anton was driving one of the vessels.

He was pronounced dead the following morning at a local hospital. The crash is under investigation.

Fans and fellow athletes have paid tribute to the 25-year-old including Lakers' Dennis Schroder who penned a message on his sneakers for the team's Jan. 20 game.

"RIP 🕊️🕊️🕊️ Anton Walkes," Schroder said in an Instagram post, "This Win was for you My dawg. We gonna miss you brother!"

"Hope you in a better place right now & I’m gonna make sure you going to be proud of us all!"

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.