Soccer

Reece James -- a Chelsea soccer star and member of England's national team -- claims his home was burglarized Tuesday ... and he says it was all captured by security cameras.

James says the incident went down while he was away from his house playing in a game for Chelsea ... claiming the footage shows clear as day how thieves stole a giant safe from his home.

In the video, you can see what appears to be four men pushing their way through a gate on James' property to get access to his house.

The men then appear to look into James' windows ... before breaking in using a giant sledgehammer.

James says you can see in the video the guys stole a safe from his place ... and then hauled it all the way outside and into a getaway car.

"They managed to collectively lift a heavy safe containing some personal items of mine into their car," James said.

The 21-year-old footballer says some of his priceless soccer awards were in the safe ... adding that law enforcement has been notified and is investigating.

"I am appealing to all my Chelsea and England fans to help identify and turn in these low life individuals who will never be able to rest easy as the evidence is mounting against them," James said.

"The police, my advisers and Chelsea FC (and many others) are all behind me as we have firm leads on who the perpetrators are. We are closing in on them."

James said, thankfully, nobody was home or injured during the incident.

Soccer's G.O.A.T. apparently has a problem with sheep ... 'cause Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly had to move mansions this month -- after baaing animals on his property kept waking him up!!!

Shortly after departing Juventus for Manchester United ... Ronaldo and his fam moved into a 7-bedroom pad in the UK -- but packed up and bolted to another palatial estate just days later.

As for why, The Sun says it's because sheep on the first property could not stop making racket!!

The report claims the soccer star was losing sleep over the creatures' sounds ... so "it was decided it was best if he and his family moved."

Don't worry ... Ronaldo's new place is apparently just as badass as the first -- minus the noisy sheep -- with The Sun reporting it's got a cinema room, a pool and a big garage.

Clearly, the moves haven't affected the 37-year-old's play on the pitch -- because he's been stellar in his return to Man U, scoring three goals in his first two games.

Of course, he did have an incident where a wayward warmup shot this week knocked a security guard in the head ... but, hey, with more sleep on the way -- we're expecting far less of that and far more goal-scoring.

The player union representing the U.S. Women's national soccer team is speaking out AGAINST the U.S. Soccer Federation's "identical deals" proposal ... saying the whole thing is nothing but a publicity stunt.

The USSF recently announced its plans to unite the men's and women's squads under the same collective bargaining agreement by offering identical contracts.

"U.S. Soccer firmly believes that the best path forward for all involved, and for the future of the sport in the United States, is a single pay structure for both senior national teams,' the USSF said Tuesday.

"This proposal will ensure that USWNT and USMNT players remain among the highest-paid senior national team players in the world, while providing a revenue sharing structure that would allow all parties to begin anew and share collectively in the opportunity that combined investment in the future of U.S. Soccer will deliver over the course of a new CBA."

The women's team is now breaking its silence on the matter ... calling BS on the deal, claiming it's anything but fair.

One of the issues ... World Cup prize money. The women -- who won the WC in 2019 -- receive about $40 million for winning the world's biggest soccer tourney.

Meanwhile, the men make around 10 times more ... raking in over $400 million.

So, you see why the women are calling the fairness offer nothing more than a publicity stunt.

Now, it's important to note that it's not the U.S. Soccer Federation entity that sets the World Cup prize money.

FYI, the women's team filed a $66 million lawsuit against the governing body in 2019 for gender discrimination ... but the suit was dismissed. The women are currently appealing the decision.

Star player, Megan Rapinoe, also spoke out demanding for equal pay at the White House back in March.

Cristiano Ronaldo sprang into action to help a security guard prior to his Manchester United match on Tuesday ... after one of his practice shots hit and seemingly injured the staffer.

The 36-year-old soccer superstar was getting in some practice kicks prior to his first Champions League game with Man U since 2009 ... when the ball soared over the goal and hit the guard.

The staffer fell to the ground and laid on her back as Ronaldo leapt over the fence to check on her. Ronaldo looked visibly concerned as the staffer was tended to.

No word on the security guard's current status -- we'll keep you updated as soon as details are released.

As for the game, Ronaldo was able to find his accuracy and hit the back of the net early in the match against the Young Boys of Switzerland to give Man U a 1-0 lead ... but an equalizer came in the 66th minute.

Of course, Ronaldo just rejoined Man U last month, after being a superstar with the team from 2003-09 ... and so far, it's been nothing but success.

Being the son of one of the most famous athletes ever is a gift and a curse ... so says Alexi Lalas, who tells TMZ Sports Romeo Beckham will experience both highs and lows throughout his soccer career.

Of course, David Beckham's 19-year-old son just signed with Fort Lauderdale CF over the weekend ... the sister club to Inter Miami CF, which the soccer icon co-owns.

We spoke with Lalas shortly after the signing ... and he's giving props to the kid for taking on the challenge of following in David's footsteps.

"Probably not easy running around with that name on the back of your jersey," Lalas said.

But, AL says Romeo's probably not even concerned about living up to the pressure ... adding, "I don't think he's worried about that. I certainly don't think his father's worried about that."

"As long as he's having a good time and he's good, he can be his own man and figure it out himself."

Lalas says the Beckham last name will provide more opportunities for him ... but will also undoubtedly make certain things harder as well.

"It opens doors for you but it also can provide some barriers for you so as long as he appreciates the opportunity he has and does the work, I'm all for it."

We know what you're thinking -- is this a case of nepotism?? Lalas has an interesting take.

"We all have our different opportunities and our different privileges and our different advantages in life. That's just the way life is. Life isn't fair and soccer isn't fair but it's what you do with 'em and, obviously, you have to appreciate him and respect him."

The Cristiano Ronaldo move from Juventus to Manchester United is official ... and the soccer superstar couldn't be happier about it, saying, "I'm back where I belong!"

Man U formally announced the Ronaldo signing Tuesday ... and it wasn't long after that Cristiano got emotional about running it back with the team he had so much success with from 2003 through 2009.

"Everyone who knows me, knows about my never ending love for Manchester United," Ronaldo said in a statement on his Instagram page.

"The years I spent in this club were absolutely amazing and the path we've made together is written in gold letters in the history of this great and amazing institution."

The footballer continued, "I can’t even start to explain my feelings right now, as I see my return to Old Trafford announced worldwide. It’s like a dream come true."

Ronaldo became a legend in his first stint with Manchester United, winning his first-ever Golden Boot award as well as his first-ever Ballon d’Or honor with the Red Devils.

Manchester City soccer player Benjamin Mendy has been suspended from his team after he was charged with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

The Cheshire Police announced the charges against the 27-year-old on Thursday ... saying three complainants accused the soccer player of sexually assaulting them between Oct. 2020 and Aug. 2021.

The police said Mendy will remain in custody ... and appear at Chester Magistrates' Court on Friday.

After the shocking arrest, Man City released a statement ... explaining Mendy has been suspended indefinitely.

"Manchester City can confirm that following his being charged by police today, Benjamin Mendy has been suspended pending an investigation," club officials said.

"The matter is subject to a legal process and the club is therefore unable to make further comment until that process is complete."

Mendy signed with Man City in 2017 -- winning the English League Club twice and the Premier League three times.

Soccer star Harry Kane is channeling his inner Wolf of Wall Street -- 'cause he says he's NOT LEAVING Tottenham ... this, after reports of a full-court press from Manchester City.

Of course, the 28-year-old striker has been affiliated with Tottenham since 2004 ... and has been on the senior squad since 2009.

But, there were rumblings the English national team captain could bail for greener pastures this summer ... with Man City's Pep Guardiola publicly admitting the club wanted Kane.

Kane put the rumors to rest on Twitter earlier Wednesday ... saying, "It was incredible to see the reception from the Spurs fans on Sunday and to read some of the messages of support I've had in the last few weeks. 👏⚽"

"I will be staying at Tottenham this summer and will be 100% focused on helping the team achieve success. #COYS"

A wild brawl broke out during a French soccer match Sunday ... with fans invading the pitch and trading violent blows with players on the field.

The insane scene all went down toward the end of the Nice vs. Marseille tilt in France ... when Marseille forward Dimitri Payet was hit by a bottle that was thrown from the stands.

In broadcast footage from the game, you can see after Payet hurled the bottle back toward fans ... an absolutely chaotic scene was ignited.

People in the stands began throwing more trash at players ... before they ultimately stormed the field and went after the footballers.

Video from the stadium shows fans and players shoved each other wildly ... and at one point, one man appeared to be knocked out by a vicious punch to the face.

Fortunately, after a delay of over an hour, officials and security workers were able to get players to safety. The rest of the match, though, was ultimately canceled.

One of the most INSANE cards ever created -- featuring signatures from eight sports legends including Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather -- has just hit the auction block, and it could sell for the price of a brand-new car!!

The piece is wild -- it's got autographs from McGregor, Mayweather, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, Errol Spence Jr., Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Chloe Kim on it ... and Leaf Trading Cards says it's the only one of its kind ever created.

TMZ Sports has learned bidding on the card at Goldin Auctions just began this week -- and we're told the expectation is for it to ultimately sell later this month for somewhere around $20,000!!

And, given the names on the piece -- and how Giannis' star has absolutely exploded this summer -- seems like a pretty great price to us.

As for how the card was obtained ... we're told someone actually pulled it in a box break -- which, yeah, talk about great luck.

The card was given an 8 grade by Beckett ... with a perfect 10 for its sharp corners.

A 19-year-old soccer player from Afghanistan's youth national team has been identified as one of the people who tragically fell from a U.S. military aircraft on Monday at Kabul airport, authorities confirm.

"It is with great sadness that Zaki Anwari, one of the players of the national junior football team of the country, died in a bad accident," The General Directorate of Physical Education and Sports of Afghanistan said on Thursday.

"The late Anwari among hundreds of young people who wanted to leave the country, fell down in an accident from the air."

Video footage from the chaos shows people frantically hanging on to a C-17 aircraft at the Kabul airport as hundreds tried to escape after the Taliban takeover.

Several people managed to hang on to the plane during takeoff before falling to their deaths ... and Anwari was apparently one of the victims.

"May he rest in heaven and pray to God for his family, friends and sports colleagues," the General Directorate added.

Lionel Messi is worth so much money, even his boogers come with a hefty price tag -- 'cause a tissue he allegedly used earlier this month is on sale for a staggering $1 MILLION!!!

According to multiple reports, the person who snagged the handkerchief that Messi used during his Barcelona farewell press conference back on Aug. 8 has now listed it on an international auction site for a small fortune.

In the listing, per Rojak Daily, the seller claimed the tissue contained Messi's "genetic material" ... and therefore could potentially be used to someday clone the soccer superstar.

Ethics aside, the seller seemed to believe that potential was worth the massive asking price.

Of course, unclear if there are any serious potential buyers ... 'cause, after all, the item -- while certainly historic -- is super gross.

At Messi's newser, he wiped his nose and his eyes multiple times with the tissue ... and yeah, probably not something worth sinking $1 million into.

Then again, can you put a price tag on creating multiple Messi's ...

U.S. soccer legend Hope Solo says Megan Rapinoe was so passionate about getting their squad to kneel, she would "almost bully" her teammates into joining the demonstration.

The 40-year-old former goalie joined "All of US: The U.S. Women's Soccer Show" podcast when she was asked about former President Trump's criticism of the "Leftist Maniacs" on Team USA.

Solo -- a World Cup champ and 2x Olympic gold medalist -- admitted that kneeling for The Star Spangled Banner was a polarizing issue.

"I think the kneeling thing can be very divisive. I do appreciate the fact that there's no National Anthem right before the game. To really remove that decision from the athletes. Because that's very tough, it's tough," Solo says.

"I've seen Megan Rapinoe almost bully players into kneeling because she really wants to stand up for something in her particular way. But it's our right as Americans to do it in whatever way we're comfortable with."

In 2016, Rapinoe became the first women's soccer player to kneel ... in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick.

Of course, the women's team was on the receiving end of a verbal attack from Trump ... who blamed the teams lack of success (the bronze medal winning team were favorites to take home gold) on their "radical left politics."

"If our soccer team, headed by a radical group of Leftist Maniacs, wasn't woke, they would have won the Gold Medal instead instead of Bronze," DT wrote in a statement blasting the team.

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

FC Barcelona ain't wasting any time moving on from the Lionel Messi era ... the soccer squad just scrubbed a giant pic of the legend off a huge mural on its stadium wall.

The photo of the 34-year-old former Barca superstar had been front and center at Camp Nou in Spain for a long time ... but less than a week after Messi's departure was confirmed, stadium workers got to removing it.

Two men in hard hats jumped in a crane and ripped down the photo piece-by-piece ... leaving -- perhaps fittingly -- a giant empty space on the wall.

As we previously reported ... Messi and Barcelona officially went their separate ways back on Aug. 5, after the team said financial obstacles prevented a new contract from being hammered out.

Messi -- who called leaving Barcelona "very difficult" -- has since signed with Paris Saint-German, and he was treated like an absolute rockstar upon arriving at his new home Tuesday.

The soccer star was showered with cheers and chants ... and the city even popped off fireworks after his signing became official.

Christian Pulisic is leaving the Swoosh -- the American soccer star just inked a massive deal with Puma!!

The Chelsea midfielder -- who was previously under contract with Nike -- made the announcement Monday via Instagram ... saying, "Now it’s time to start a new chapter and create new memories."

"Today I’m joining a new family, the #PumaFam and together we are going to inspire the next generation of players out there."

The 22-year-old said in an interview with Complex that it was an "easy choice" for him --- especially since the brand wants his take on things and is giving him more freedom.

"I mean one of their biggest points and another massive reason why that seemed like an easy choice is because yeah, they want me to give my ideas, talk about what I like and that they want to see that and use that as well."

The corporation is also working on CP's own signature line --  with Pulisic saying they've already created a "really cool graphic" logo and he "was blown away right when I saw it to mix with the name and the brand."

Puma also released a statement, saying Pulisic's "journey has been incredible and has really paved the way for so many young American players who dream of playing in Europe for the world’s biggest clubs."

CP's been killin' it -- becoming the first American to win the Champions League with Chelsea in May and scoring the GW goal for the USMNT in the CONCACAF Nations League in June.

The brand added, "Not only have we signed an amazing talent, but a fantastic person off the pitch who wants to continue to grow soccer in America, a goal PUMA has committed to support."

And, you might see CP wearing some custom-made Pulisic ULTRA 1.3’s at the Super Cup Final Wednesday to celebrate his new deal.

No word on how much the deal is worth ... but there's serious money in endorsement deals.

Ever wanted Lionel Messi AND Cristiano Ronaldo's autographs on one item??

Well, you're in luck if you've got some serious cash laying around -- 'cause a card featuring the two soccer legend's signatures just hit the auction block ... and it's an INSANE piece!

The Leaf Superlative Sports "Superlative Trailblazers" card features a picture of Ronaldo on the top half, paired with a piece of one of his white Real Madrid jerseys and his slick blue signature.

On the bottom half, Messi's autograph is accompanied by a swatch of one of his sky-blue Barcelona kits.

In the bottom left corner, meanwhile, you can see the card is numbered "1/1" ... meaning it's the only one of its kind in existence!!

As for the back of the card, Leaf Trading Cards guaranteed its authenticity there with a huge "congratulations" note.

Bidding for the item at Goldin Auctions is set to end this weekend ... and our sources say the card could sell for around $20,000!!!

Not a bad price at all considering Messi's now moving on to a new team and cards with his Barcelona swag will become even rarer.