Soccer

Thalia Chaverria, a 20-year-old, junior soccer player at New Mexico State University was found dead in her home earlier this week. Cops are investigating, but don't believe foul play was involved.

The Las Cruces Police Department was called to the New Mexico home of Chaverria, who hailed from Bakersfield, CA, around 7 AM Monday morning for an "unresponsive woman." When first responders arrived, Thalia was already deceased.

Police say they "have no reason to believe Chaverria’s death is suspicious or the result of criminal activity."

New Mexico State's Athletic Director Mario Moccia released a statement addressing Chaverria’s death.

"[Monday] we lost an amazing young woman, and we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of a member of our Aggie family. Thalia had a vibrant personality and those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her knew she had a bright future ahead of her," Moccia said.

"The New Mexico State community is very tight-knit, and this tragedy is felt throughout. Our most sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Thalia's family and friends in this time of mourning."

Head coach Rob Baarts also commented ... "The sudden loss of Thalia has completely rocked our Aggie soccer families' world. T was an inspiration and rock to this team. She will be missed but not forgotten. Her spirit will be with us every day, on and off the pitch. I will always love you T!"

Thalia, a defender, was going into her third season with the Aggies ... where she was expected to play a pivotal role on the team.

Last season Chaverria started 20 games, logging nearly 1,800 game time minutes ... a season in which NM St. earned its first-ever WAC conference title in women's soccer.

In the wake of the awful news, a Chaverria family friend has started a GoFundMe to help cover expenses related to the death.

Megan Rapinoe is retiring from soccer -- but she's got one last thing to achieve on her checklist before doing so ... winning another World Cup.

The longtime U.S. women's soccer legend -- who's been on the national team since '06 -- made the announcement Saturday at a presser, telling reporters this upcoming tourney would be her last as a professional ... and that she'd be hanging up her cleats afterward.

She does say there'll be more to come for her down the road -- presumably meaning she'll still be involved in soccer in some capacity -- but first, her focus is on snagging the gold.

During her remarks ... MR got a little choked up as she reflected on her storied career, thanking teammates, coaches, fans and everyone who's supported her over the years. She also touched on the game itself and commented on just how far it's taken her in her life.

She also shouts out her partner, WNBA star Sue Bird, for giving her inspiration in coming to the decision -- ICYMI, SB announced her retirement from pro basketball just last year.

Megan's thoughts are touching ... and it's a huge moment, seeing how she's been on several U.S. Women's Soccer teams, having played with some of the greats of the modern era. She's played with the likes of Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo and so many others ... and is, by and large, considered to be one of the final players of the old guard to still be on the pitch today. She's also served as a captain on the team for years now.

Of course, her accolades are many. Megan's helped the U.S. win the World Cup twice, and she's also led the U.S. to a gold medal in the Olympics before. MR's won a lot of awards, too, including the Golden Boot and Golden Ball from FIFA for her standout performances.

Jay-Z just made a massive splash in the soccer world ... his Roc Nation Sports International agency opened shop in Brazil, and now represents one of the biggest international soccer stars alive, Vinicius Jr.!

Hov and Roc Nation landed Vini Jr. after acquiring famed Brazilian soccer agency, TFM ... which reps over 100 soccer players, including the international soccer star.

Of course, if you're a soccer fan, you know 22-year-old Vinicius Jr. ... winger for Real Madrid (and the Brazilian National Team), is widely considered one of the most talented players in the world. Period.

For as great as he is on the pitch, he's equally as popular off it ... counting nearly 40 million followers on Instagram alone. Speaking of social media, Vini posted a photo hanging with Hov in late May... and we're told the stars spoke about the potential partnership.

With the move, Roc Nation believes they're positioned to become an even bigger player in the soccer world.

“In terms of football, Brazil is the center of it all. I strongly identify with a culture that has such an incredible passion for sport and music. Our influence in this game is growing and this move shows our intentions to the world,” RNS president and founder Juan Perez said in a statement.

TFM Agency founder Frederico Pena will now act as lead for the new RNS wing.

"Roc Nation embodies the pinnacle of culture, sports, and entertainment. It made perfect sense to join Roc Nation, elevate our operations, and provide our athletes with comprehensive, global representation," Pena said.

John Berylson, owner and chairman of English Football League team (EFL) Millwall FC, tragically died in a single-car crash in Massachusetts Tuesday morning.

He was 70 years old.

Berylson was driving his 2019 Range Rover around 8 AM when police say he lost control of the vehicle, which rolled over, and ultimately hit a tree. Despite rescuers' best attempts, John succumbed to his injuries.

"John’s sudden and tragic passing will unquestionably impact all those who were fortunate to have known him," Millwall Football Club said in a statement.

"He was a truly great man, incredibly devoted to his family, and a person of such remarkable generosity, warmth, and kindness. He lived a storied life, one full of colour and joy, and was infinitely thoughtful of others with an endless desire to share his immense knowledge and experiences to help people."

"John reveled in the club’s underdog status and mentality," the statement continued. "He related strongly to such values and identity and adored Millwall supporters. He was fiercely loyal to all his staff, and both they and the fan base will miss him beyond measure."

Millwall -- which just began preseason training camp in Spain -- honored Berylson during practice on Wednesday.

Berylson, who first became involved with Millwall in 2006, was very involved in philanthropy ... running the Amy Smith and John G. Berylson Foundation. He was also a trustee of the Smith Family Foundation, which awards grants of approximately $15 million a year, according to its website.

John is survived by his wife, Amy, and three children, Jennifer, James, and Elizabeth.

The paddock just got a bit more crowded -- Ryan Reynolds, Michael B. Jordan and Rob McElhenney are hopping on Formula One's massive rise in popularity and investing in the Alpine Racing team!!

Renault, Alpine's parent company, announced the news on Monday ... saying Otro Capital, RedBird Capital Partners and Maximum Effort Investments (which includes the trio of actors) are taking a 24% equity stake in the organization ... which is worth $218 million.

Otro Capital's Alec Scheiner will get a seat on Alpine's board of directors as part of the deal.

This is yet another sports venture for RR and RM, who famously bought Welsh soccer team Wrexham AFC back in 2020. Reynolds was also recently interested in purchasing the Ottawa Senators, although his bid did not move forward.

Alpine couldn't be more thrilled with the deal ... saying the partnership "will bring successful sports & media experience and operational expertise in building high-growth companies."

Alpine is currently fifth in the Constructor standings this season with drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon ... who are notably covered in the hit Netflix series, "Drive To Survive."

F1 has reached new heights in America in recent years ... with the sport adding races in Miami and Las Vegas.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez beat the heat in the best way possible -- the stunning couple showed off their incredible physiques while lounging on a yacht in Italy this week ... and the pics are a fuoco!!

The soccer superstar and his partner took their kids out for a luxurious getaway near Sardinia this week ... and it looked jam-packed with fun festivities like jet-skiing and diving into the water for some swimming.

The whole group posed for some pics during the trip ... with everyone giving two thumbs up.

Georgina went with a sexy green bikini for the outing ... and the Al Nassr striker chose some short Dolce and Gabbana trunks.

The 38-year-old icon -- who is in the middle of a MASSIVE deal worth up to $200 million a year -- will get to spend a lot of time with his loved ones during his time away from the pitch ... as his Saudi Arabian team has a few weeks off before returning to competition.

Inter Miami goalkeeper Nick Marsman -- who's slated to be teammates with Lionel Messi later this summer -- was attacked by a spider at a zoo recently ... and the bite was apparently so bad, the soccer player had to spend several days in the hospital.

Marsman's wife, Nathalie den Dekker, explained the scary situation in a series of Instagram posts this week ... saying the 32-year-old was in a medical facility for three days after a poisonous arachnid sunk its teeth into him.

Thankfully, though, she said he's been released ... and is now home recovering.

"Happy to have you back home," den Dekker said in one of her posts. "Now get well soon."

It's unclear how much time the MLS goalie -- who's Inter Miami's primary backup behind Drake Callender -- will need to miss while he regains his strength.

A huge matchup between the U.S. men's national soccer team and Mexico on Thursday night was stopped early ... after fans in the crowd continuously chanted anti-gay slurs at players.

The shouts could be heard throughout the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal contest at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas ... and when the game entered the 89th minute, referee Ivan Barton paused the action to try to get it all under control.

Minutes after play resumed, however, the chants continued ... leading Barton to call it all off.

Following the game, CONCACAF officials condemned the fans' actions ... while American goalkeeper Matt Turner told reporters it all "goes against everything that we stand for on our side."

"We've been very vocal and open about the strength of our team being our diversity, the strength of our nation being its diversity," Turner added. "So, to use something so divisive during a game, a spirited game -- and maybe the play sort of set the flares off in the stands, but it has no place in the game."

As for the action on the pitch, it, too, was marred. Four red cards were doled out -- as the two squads repeatedly got into wild skirmishes.

In fact, during one of the melees, USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie had his jersey nearly ripped off his torso.

"It was a mess," U.S. captain Christian Pulisic said following the contest. "But I was disappointed in the end. I really wish some of our guys kept their heads a little bit better. It just turned into something that wasn't this beautiful game that we love."

Usain Bolt's speed certainly isn't limited to the track ... 'cause the Jamaican sprinter flew past his opponents to score an impressive goal in a charity soccer match on Sunday!!

The 8-time Olympic gold medalist ditched his running spikes for some cleats at the Soccer Aid for UNICEF event ... and he wasn't just there to show face -- he balled out!!

Bolt -- fittingly rocking a No. 9.58 jersey to represent his world-record 100-meter dash time -- broke things open 23 minutes into the competition ... zooming past the last line of defense to put the ball in the back of the net for team World XI.

The best part of the highlight came when Bolt celebrated the goal -- first, he did English soccer star Marcus Rashford's signature move ... before switching up to his famous "To Di World" point alongside former French pro Patrice Evra.

Bolt's teammate Tommy Fury was the first to run up and congratulate him ... and it was smooth sailing for their squad the rest of the match, thanks to Robbie Keane's pair of goals.

Former One Direction member Liam Payne wasn't all upset about England's 4-2 loss to World XI ... considering the game raised more than $14 MILLION for the humanitarian organization.

Bolt previously flirted with the idea of playing soccer in the States -- remember, he told us back in 2018 he'd listen to offers from MLS teams if they came with the money.

Gear up to turn to the dark side of the Force, Inter Miami fans ... Alexi Lalas tells TMZ Sports that after adding Lionel Messi this week, he can see the team now becoming a "super club Death Star!"

We spoke at length with the Team USA soccer legend just hours after Messi confirmed he'll play for Miami's MLS squad in 2023 ... and Lalas said the move is a tectonic-plate-shifting one for the sport in America.

He told us he expects it to attract millions more to the game in the States -- and raise the MLS' profile significantly.

He also, though, predicted it could alter the fabric of Inter Miami tremendously ... telling us he's envisioning Messi recruiting some big names to the team -- and turning it into a villain-like superpower in the near future.

"We're already seeing incredible names now being linked to coming to Inter Miami," Lalas said. "It's almost as if they're in the process of potentially creating this MLS super club Death Star, and the hate-watching is going to be absolutely epic!"

Lalas said if it does, indeed, take that turn ... he's anticipating it to create some serious rivalries in the U.S. league -- which would be a big boon for fans here in the States.

"I know if I was on another team -- a less sexy team, for example -- and Miami was doing all of this," he said, "and one of the greatest to ever play is there, I would want to kick his ass."

But, Lalas did offer fans to proceed somewhat cautiously at least initially ... explaining to us that, currently, the Inter Miami roster is not exactly the best -- which could lead to some early frustrations for Messi.

Then again, he told us he's fully ready to see flashes of brilliance from Messi ... despite his roster's limitations and his 35-year-old age.

Selena Gomez isn't shy about taking risks when it comes to her love life ... announcing to a large group of (possibly) single dudes she's single and sharing the clip with the world.

The pop star posted a TikTok video Thursday, which showed her watching a soccer game while wrapped in a blanket, yelling, "I'm single. I'm just a little high-maintenance. But I'll love you soooo much."

It's clear from the footage Selena was poking fun at her current dating situation, which has been relatively quiet ... but it's clear she's available and looking for Mr. Right.

Selena's fans seemed amused, but also identified with her relationship struggles. Some of them wrote in the comments section, "so relatable," "hilarious," and "so real."

Selena even included a caption that read, "The struggle man lol."

It's not the first time she's joked about her relationship status ... Selena hosted Saturday Night Live in 2022 and talked about it in front of a studio audience,  "I would like to say that I'm looking for my soulmate. But at this point, I will take anyone."

It's safe to say Lionel Messi is the Taylor Swift of soccer ... 'cause the Argentinian legend's move to Inter Miami has fans rushing to buy tickets to his games -- and they're selling for way above face value!!

Messi's shocking decision to come play in the U.S. after two years with Paris Saint-Germain resulted in a busy day for secondary market sellers ... with ticketing tech company Logitix telling TMZ Sports there were four times the amount of sales on Wednesday than the past 169 days combined.

We're told the average price for a home game seat has skyrocketed ... going from $15 to $230, a whopping 1,398% increase.

Inter Miami away games are even feeling the Messi effect ... increasing from $53 on average to $251, a 374% difference.

The Inter Miami ticket sitch is similar to what Swifties experienced when Taylor's 'Eras' tour started selling seats ... with some shelling out a LOT more than face value to check out the show.

Messi's contract with the MLS club reportedly includes an option to join team ownership, as well as a split of the profits from the Apple TV broadcasting deal ... but it was still surprising the World Cup hero turned down a rumored offer of more than a BILLION dollars to play in Saudi Arabia.

Shakira is apparently taking a small breather from Lewis Hamilton ... the singer hit up Wednesday's NBA Finals Game 3 without the racecar driver -- though her new rumored love interest didn't miss much, 'cause the tilt ended up being a laugher.

Just a few days after she was spotted getting cozy with the 38-year-old following his second-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, the "Hips Don't Lie" crooner pulled up solo to the Kaseya Center in Miami ... in order to cheer on the Heat vs. the Nuggets.

She had some killer seats -- sitting right on the sideline -- but Jimmy Butler and the home team didn't give her much to clap about ... they got smacked, 109-94.

It's unclear if her public appearance without Hamilton means much -- Lewis could simply be just preparing for the June 18 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal -- or perhaps they're putting whatever was happening on ice. Then again, the Heat play in Miami for Game 4 on Friday -- so maybe he's just waiting for a weekend hang?

Other celebs outside of Shakira were also there ... it was a star-studded crowd that featured J. Cole, Future, G-Eazy and DJ Khaled.

Soccer superstars Neymar and Paul Pogba had some courtside chairs for the contest too ... with Neymar showing big love for Butler while there.

NBA legends Magic Johnson and Dwyane Wade also came by ... and even Floyd Mayweather showed up for the action as well.

The Heat are now down 2-1 -- but maybe another celeb-packed stadium this weekend will help them even everything up?

Ugly scene during the UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday ... soccer star Cristiano Biraghi was pelted with trash while on the field -- and one of the objects hit him so flush, it opened a gnarly wound on his head.

The incident happened during the first half of West Ham's heated tilt with Fiorentina at Fortuna Arena in Prague ... after Biraghi's Fiorentina squad was awarded a corner kick.

You can see in footage from the game's broadcast, West Ham supporters were so upset over the call -- they launched empty cups at Biraghi's head.

Initially, the 30-year-old defender was unnerved by the trash-throwing -- aiming some sarcastic claps back at the unruly fans -- but when he realized he was bleeding profusely from the back of his noggin, he sought out medical attention.

Thankfully, while the gash looked bad, he was able to put a bandage on it and continue.

Refs, though, did have to pause the game -- while a public address announcer urged fans to refrain from throwing objects on the pitch.

At halftime, BT Sport commentator and ex-soccer star Joe Cole ripped the supporters for "moronic behavior."

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Lionel Messi just confirmed he is, indeed, heading to America to play for Inter Miami CF.

Lionel Messi is moving across the pond ... the Argentinian soccer superstar has reportedly agreed to join MLS club Inter Miami CF in a HUGE move for the sport.

The news broke on Wednesday ... with Fabrizio Romano reporting Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players to ever to hit the pitch, has decided to join the David Beckham-owned organization this summer.

Both sides have yet to confirm the move ... but a formal announcement is expected Wednesday.

The 35-year-old's contract with PSG officially expires at the end of June ... and he reportedly had a ton of lucrative offers waiting for him as he figured out his next move.

Messi, a captain of Argentina's World Cup-winning national team, received interest from his former club, Barcelona ... and was also courted by Saudi Arabia, which was willing to shell out hundreds of millions of dollars to get him to join Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the Saudi Professional League.

Anwar Megbli -- a player for the U.S. Livorno 1915 semi-pro soccer club in Italy -- tragically died after a traffic accident over the weekend. He was only 18.

The incident happened in Italy on Saturday -- according to local outlets, Megbli was riding on the back of a moped with his friend when they were rear-ended by a vehicle, throwing them to the ground.

Megbli was airlifted to Cisanello Hospital in Pisa ... where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. His friend is still recovering in the hospital.

The Livorno semi-pro football club paid tribute to Megbli on Monday ... saying it's mourning the loss of their striker.

"Everyone at the club sends their deepest condolences to his family in this moment of profound sorrow," the team said in a statement.

"Farewell, champ. You will always be one of us."

Megbli was a promising striker in the sport ... and suited up for the senior squad multiple times last season. He previously played for the USD Castiglioncello, which also paid tribute to its former player.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the driver of the vehicle that struck Megbli and his friend, according to The Sun.