Soccer

Donald Trump just unloaded on Megan Rapinoe and the USWNT ... calling them "leftist maniacs" who cost the United States a gold medal at the Olympics.

The former President went off Thursday morning ... stunningly claiming the women's team's kneeling protests and political comments were the reasons they didn't win gold in Tokyo this summer.

"If our soccer team, headed by a radical group of Leftist Maniacs, wasn’t woke, they would have won the Gold Medal instead of the Bronze," Trump said.

"Woke means you lose, everything that is woke goes bad, and our soccer team certainly has."

Trump's rant didn't stop there ... he went on to say the team's protestors should be kicked off the squad, and then criticized Rapinoe for her political statements and her play.

"They should replace the wokesters with Patriots and start winning again," he said.

"The woman with the purple hair played terribly and spends too much time thinking about Radical Left politics and not doing her job!"

As we previously reported, several members of the USWNT took knees prior to the kickoff of the Olympic games this summer ... a continuing effort by the squad to raise awareness for injustice across the globe.

Several members from other national squads also took part in the kneeling protests during the Games as well.

The Gold Cup is returning to the U.S.A. -- and the champions celebrated with an all-out rager for the ages ... including a makeshift Slip 'N Slide, chugging booze from the trophy and having a T-Pain jam session!!

Sunday night's finals match between the U.S. and Mexico was nothing short of an instant classic ... with Miles Robinson nailing a header 117 minutes into play to put the Red, White and Blue up 1-0, which would be enough to secure the victory.

With a dramatic win like that, the guys had to let loose once the championship was secured ... and they didn't have to go far to get it going -- after all, the game was in Las Vegas!!

But, before the champs could even make it to the strip, they decided to get it poppin' by having a booze fest in the locker room ... with Sebastian Lletget and Paul Arriola diving on the ground and trying to slide as far as they could!!

Eryk Williamson also had a blast -- chugging right from the Gold Cup!!

Eventually, the guys had to take the celly to the Vegas strip, hopping in vans where goalie Matt Turner -- who played out of his mind -- was really feelin' himself to "Buy U A Drank" by T-Pain!!!

The guys finally made it to the Bellagio to continue the rage fest ... and at the time of this post, we're not completely sure if they ever went to bed.

It's vacation time for Lionel Messi ... and the soccer megastar is enjoying his annual getaway on the Spanish waters with his wife, kids, and bestie, Luis Suarez!!!

Of course, Messi and Suarez are as close as it gets ... and the gang has been known to tour Spain on expensive boats during the summer months over the past few years.

2021 is no different, with both families bringing their kids along for a bit of R&R ... and fellow pal Cesc Fàbregas coming along for the ride.

Messi has a lot to celebrate -- he's fresh off his Copa America victory with Argentina ... the first of his career!!!

Messi's wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, Suarez's wife, Sofia Balbi, and Fàbregas' wife, Daniella Semaan, look to be enjoying the trip ... and they all look incredibly stunning!!

We can't forget to mention the fellas, though -- they look just as shredded as you'd expect ... after all, they are world-class athletes.

The MLS just released a statement to TMZ Sports ... saying, "Ms. Travieso’s allegations have no merit as her job, along with her entire department and 20 percent of League Office positions, was eliminated in November of 2020 as a result of the dramatic impact of the pandemic on Major League Soccer’s business."

"Ms. Travieso was not removed from her job duties for any other reason. Major League Soccer is committed to providing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment and takes these allegations very seriously."

"We are constantly working to ensure our employees feel safe and supported in the workplace."

A former media executive for Major League Soccer claims she lost her job for speaking up about racial issues within the organization following the killing of George Floyd ... so she's suing.

Karine Travieso, who is Black, has filed suit against MLS along with 2 of her former bosses, alleging she was removed from job duties, excluded from meetings and unjustly blamed for other employee's mistakes after speaking at a Juneteenth event in 2020.

According to the legal docs, obtained by TMZ Sports ... Travieso began working for MLS in 2017 and worked her way up to a role of prominence ... despite what she describes as a work environment lacking diversity and inclusion.

She also describes multiple incidents of perceived racial stereotypes, such as one of her bosses allegedly implying in 2018 that there needed to be extra security at the 2 Chainz MLS All-Star Concert because Black people would be attending.

According to Travieso ... she mostly stayed silent about stuff like this until George Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, sparked nationwide protests and raised awareness about the plight of Black people.

She claims she encouraged MLS honchos to release a statement about Floyd's death like other major sports leagues after several days of silence, and they finally did ... but she points to it as another example of the soccer org dropping the ball.

Then, according to the docs, Travieso spoke at the Juneteenth event and "opened her heart about racial discrimination" and how she felt she couldn't raise race issues with MLS execs.

She says she cited the 2 Chainz incident as a reason MLS needed to incorporate unconscious bias training, called on "white allies" within the org to help, and pointed out there was "little to no Black representation in the decision-making positions and upper echelon of MLS."

According to Travieso ... her speech was met with praise by colleagues, but MLS did nothing to follow up on it. Instead, she claims she began to be treated differently by her bosses, was no longer invited to meetings she'd previously been a part of, and was removed from certain roles within the company.

She says she reported this to HR in October, and then a month later ... she was informed she was being laid off due to the circumstances with COVID-19 and some business restructuring.

Travieso's suing for race discrimination and retaliation, and she's seeking damages. We reached out to MLS ... no word back so far.

Athletes wasted no time making a statement against injustice as the Olympic competition kicked off this week ... with soccer players taking a knee before their matches on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, the International Olympic Committee released a strict policy for the 2020 Games ... banning any sort of demonstrations or protests on the field of play, during ceremonies or at the podium ... and anyone who broke the guidelines would face severe sanctions.

But, the IOC eased up on its rules leading up to Tokyo ... allowing athletes to "express their views" before or after the competition, as long as it is not disruptive or targeted against specific people, countries or organizations.

Members of Great Britain's and Chile's women's soccer teams took advantage of the relaxed policy by getting on one knee before their opening match at the Sapporo Dome hours ago ... a demonstration that would have resulted in harsh punishment if the amended rules didn't come into play.

Team USA and Sweden also dropped to one knee before their match ... as well as Australia and New Zealand.

British police say they've arrested 4 people for racially abusing Black England soccer players following the team's Euro 2020 loss ... and officials say the hunt for more is nowhere near over.

Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka -- who are all Black -- were ambushed by racial slurs on social media after they each missed key kicks in England's shootout loss to Italy on Sunday.

The comments and remarks were vile -- many featured the n-word and others contained violent threats -- and it got so bad, UK police launched an investigation into it all.

And, in an update on the probe Thursday, British officials said they've arrested four in connection with the online attacks ... adding more arrests could be coming soon.

"We are working very closely with social media platforms, who are providing data we need to progress enquiries," British police official Mark Roberts told reporters.

"If we identify that you are behind this crime, we will track you down and you will face the serious consequences of your shameful actions."

Of course, in England, it's illegal to make racist statements or threats, as there's no First Amendment protection.

Jessie J is glad Prince William spoke out against racists targeting Black players on England's soccer team after their championship loss -- she says it's a sign of great progress.

We got the English singer Tuesday leaving Crossroads Kitchen in L.A. and asked her if William's comments show the Royal Family learned from the recent racism scandal with Meghan Markle.

Jessie says Prince William calling the disgusting comments "totally unacceptable" is a big step in the right direction.

As we reported ... England's soccer officials also condemned the racial abuse directed at their players after missed opportunities during England's penalty shootout with Italy in Sunday's Euro 2020 championship match.

Heartwarming scene in England on Tuesday ... a vandalized mural of soccer star Marcus Rashford was repaired -- all while crowds of anti-racists gathered around it to show their support.

The wall art was defaced after Rashford was one of several England players who missed crucial kicks in England's penalty shootout loss to Italy in Sunday's Euro 2020 final.

The vandalism was crass ... there were swear words and other vile things drawn on the picture of Rashford -- and police say they're treating the whole thing as a racially motivated incident.

But, the community surrounding the mural in Manchester rallied to cover up the graffiti shortly after it was tagged ... leaving messages of love and unity.

And, on Tuesday, when a street artist repaired it back to normal ... dozens showed up to cheer on and display messages of anti-racism.

"There’s been an outpouring of kind of love and solidarity," an official who helped initially put up the mural told TheJournal.ie, "and it’s really heartening."

23-year-old Rashford has dealt with a ton of abuse since Sunday's game ... in addition to the defaced mural, he and other Black stars dealt with threats and racist comments on social media.

It got so bad, Prince William released a statement condemning it all ... and police even said they'd launch an investigation into the online comments.

Prince William says he's flat-out "sickened" that Black England soccer players were the targets of racial abuse on Sunday ... calling the disgusting comments "totally unacceptable."

Racists spewed vile words toward Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka -- who are Black -- after they all missed kicks during England's penalty shootout loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 championship match ... and it didn't take long for William to rush to their defense.

The 39-year-old issued a stern statement on social media, writing, "It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behaviour. It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable."

William's words are certainly commendable -- given the racial abuse that the players received ranged from n-word-filled rants to flat-out threats -- but, they didn't come without some criticism from observers.

Some on social media wondered why William didn't issue a similar statement after Meghan Markle told Oprah earlier this year that she had been subjected to racial abuse from members of the Royal Family.

As for England soccer officials, they, too, condemned the racism that their players were subjected to ... saying they were "disgusted" and "appalled" by it all.

"We're disgusted that some of our squad -- who have given everything for the shirt this summer -- have been subjected to discriminatory abuse online after tonight's game," the team said.

"We stand with our players."

Added England's Football Association, "The FA strongly condemns all forms of discrimination and is appalled by the online racism that has been aimed at some of our England players on social media."

"We could not be clearer that anyone behind such disgusting behaviour is not welcome in following the team. We will do all we can to support the players affected while urging the toughest punishments possible for anyone responsible."

The Metropolitan Police say they're aware of the comments ... and are now vowing to investigate it all, saying in a statement Sunday, "This abuse is totally unacceptable."

"It will not be tolerated and it will be investigated."

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also condemned the racist remarks, adding in a statement of his own, "This England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media."

Tom Cruise made the rounds in London for the city's mega sports weekend, but he was still mindful of COVID-19 protocols ... at least while mingling with fans.

A day after Ethan Hunt dropped in for the Wimbledon women's singles final, he made his way over to Wembley Stadium to watch the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy.

Tom was all smiles as he obliged some fan requests for a quick pic before he headed in to watch the match Sunday evening, but take a look ... he was also very cautious about it.

The "Mission Impossible" star kept his mask on until it was time to say cheese, and even then he mostly kept his distance ... telling folks to keep a flying-V formation.

As you may know ... the Delta variant has been responsible for the most coronavirus infections in England recently, so it seems Cruise is taking that risk seriously.

Then again, once he was inside Wembley Tom ditched the mask and showed off his famous face ... while sitting near other famous faces, like Kate Moss and David Beckham.

Cruise really took advantage of being in England this weekend while shooting "M:I 7" ... as we reported, he and his co-stars also attended a Wimbledon finals match on Saturday.

Prince George is just like any other English person around the world right now -- cheering on his national team at the UEFA 2020 Final ... and freaking out when they scored early.

The 7-year-old son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was shoulder-to-shoulder Sunday at Wembley Stadium in London ... where England was facing off against Italy for the last match of the tournament, in which all the European national teams competed for the gold.

His pops, Prince William, was seen showing his boy the ins and outs of the game ... at one point crouching down to Georgie's level and pointing out what was down on the pitch below.

George seemed quite attentive throughout -- but when England scored first in the opening few minutes of the match ... and he and his old man celebrated together in what made for an awesome (and viral) moment that most of the UK noticed with glee.

So, yeah ... the kid's a big fan of the game. And, although he probably has his folks (and entire national heritage) to thank for that ... some are also giving big ups to his great-grandfather, the late Prince Philip -- who was a HUGE sports fan, especially for English football.

The Duke of Edinburgh -- who died earlier this year at the age of 99 -- famously visited Wembley himself waaay back in the day ... and actually greeted the national England team in person, shaking the players' hands on the field, and no doubt enjoying himself too.

Some are joking that Prince George might just be Prince Philip reincarnated -- and by the looks of how excited he is right now watching this ... they may just be right.

Sweet moment for the Royal Family. BTW, it's 1-1 now -- Italy tied it up, and there's only a few minutes left in regulation. Don't let George down, Team England!!!

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez's wife is demanding her estranged husband PAY UP, accusing the international soccer star of being a deadbeat dad who's not stepping up as a parent to his 2 ... this according to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

33-year-old Hernandez -- a member of the L.A. Galaxy -- is the MLS' leading scorer ... and one of Mexico's biggest soccer stars.

According to the docs, Sarah Kohan married Chicharito in 2019 and has 2 kids with him ... but filed for divorce in February. She claims the Mexican star has been ignoring his family since the split.

"You do not participate in the day-to-day parenting of your two minor children," Kohan's attorney claims in the court docs.

She also says Chicharito has been putting his kids in physical danger ... failing to put a fence around his pool because he didn't like the "aesthetics."

There's more ... Kohan also says Hernandez still believes he can crawl into her bed, uninvited ... saying he just thinks he can "ignore the fact that you are separated and can crawl into [Kohan's] bed with her and go under the covers without her permission."

Bottom line, Kohan says Chicharito earns over $8 million a year playing soccer ... and she wants him to fork over around $100K a month for child and spousal support.

Kohan's attorney says, if she hopes to ever see a dime, the court will have to force Hernandez to pony up.

College athletes will FINALLY be able to rake in money off their name, image and likeness ... with the NCAA making the groundbreaking decision Wednesday to suspend its current rules.

The NCAA's board of directors voted to implement an interim policy starting Thursday ... which will allow all incoming and current student-athletes to start cashing in on endorsement deals immediately.

NCAA president Mark Emmert released a statement on the decision ... saying, "This is an important day for college athletes since they all are now able to take advantage of name, image and likeness opportunities."

"With the variety of state laws adopted across the country, we will continue to work with Congress to develop a solution that will provide clarity on a national level.

"The current environment -- both legal and legislative -- prevents us from providing a more permanent solution and the level of detail student-athletes deserve."

The organization says the temporary policy will remain in place for all three divisions until new federal legislation or NCAA rules are adopted.

Players still will not be able to be paid as a direct result of their athletic performance ... but this now allows them to make money off opportunities like signing autographs, social media deals, advertisements and camps.

The decision comes right as several states were set to make it illegal to follow the NCAA's rules preventing student-athletes from these money-making opportunities.

Soccer legend Mia Hamm is making history yet again ... her rookie card just set a record for the most expensive female sports card ever -- smashing the previous record!!

The 1992 Sports Illustrated for Kids rookie card -- graded a PERFECT 10 by PSA -- hit the auction block at Goldin Auctions a few weeks back ... and it's a thing of beauty.

Over the weekend, the card sold for $34,440!!!

The huge sales price makes this card the most expensive female card ever ... more than doubling the previous record -- a $16k Alex Morgan card.

It's not a surprise that Hamm's card made history ... she's a soccer icon.

Mia played forward from 1987 to 2004, winning 2 Olympic gold medals with the USA women's soccer team and is a 2-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion.

She was also the first female inducted into the World Football Hall of Fame (2013) and even has a building named after her at Nike headquarters.

Hamm also held the record for most international goals (158) by a woman -- or man!

President Joe Biden is heaping praise on two high profile athletes who came out this week -- Carl Nassib and Kumi Yokoyama -- hailing them as courageous and inspiring.

Of course, 28-year-old Nassib -- a star defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders -- became the first active NFL player to come out as gay.

Kumi Yokoyama is a star soccer player for Team Japan and the NWSL's Washington Spirit. The 27-year-old came out as a transgender man on Sunday and uses they/them pronouns.

Both athletes are now getting shout-outs from the White House -- with Biden tweeting late Tuesday evening.

"To Carl Nassib and Kumi Yokoyama -- two prominent, inspiring athletes who came out this week: I’m so proud of your courage," Biden said.

"Because of you, countless kids around the world are seeing themselves in a new light today."

As we previously reported, Nassib's announcement was met with widespread support from top athletes, celebrities and officials. Ditto for Yokoyama.