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Paredes underwent surgery on the same foot that kept him out for the majority of the 2024-25 season

Paredes undergoes foot surgery at WolfsburgRequired on same broken foot that sidelined him in 24-25Winger was breakout star of Paris Olympics for U23 USMNTFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kevin Paredes, the 22-year-old U.S. men's national team winger, underwent surgery for a broken foot – the same injury that sidelined him for the majority of the 2024-25 season at Wolfsburg.

Paredes returned from the initial injury in the spring and featured in preseason for Wolfsburg . However, he had pain in his right foot and opted to undergo a procedure with a specialist in Munich.

“It’s hard to go through this again,” Paredes posted on Instagram. “Unfortunately, I had to undergo another operation on the same foot that put me out of action last season. But I remain focused on my recovery and am determined to come back stronger. 

"I’ll be back soon, ready to give everything for my team!”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Paredes, who has three senior caps, was the breakout star of the 2024 Olympics for the U23 USMNT. He scored two goals and recorded one assist, while leading the team in chances created (11) and fouls drawn (12).

Upon returning to Wolfsburg, he broke his foot in training while preparing for the 2024-25 campaign with the Bundesliga side. It limited him to just two regular-season appearances.

In a statement posted, the German club said: "VfL Wolfsburg will have to do without the services of Kevin Paredes for the foreseeable future after the US winger had an operation on his foot on Monday. The procedure went smoothly, and VfL would like to wish Kevin a full and speedy recovery."

Paredes' injury will mean he will miss both the September and October USMNT senior camps, which puts his World Cup roster hopes in jeopardy.

DID YOU KNOW?

Paredes was named U.S. Soccer's Young Male Player of the Year in 2023, following in the footsteps of both Gio Reyna and Christian Pulisic.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PAREDES?

Paredes' Wolfsburg contract expires at the end of the season, and his surgery will sideline him "for the time being," though The Athletic noted a return before October seems unlikely. 

Lionel Messi is in the conversation for the greatest sportsman or athlete of all time, but the Argentina legend has revealed who he thinks is the real ‘GOAT’.

Tiger Woods called Messi the "greatest soccer player I've ever seen"

Messi secured his legacy as perhaps the greatest football player in history when Argentina were crowned World Cup champions in 2022, beating France on penalties in the final.

Ahead of that game, Tiger Woods claimed Messi is ahead of the rest: “He’s the greatest soccer player I’ve ever seen, I mean, you say Pele and Maradona but I just still think that what Messi does with the ball is stupid. It’s stuck to his foot.

“He makes people miss [and] with that left foot of his it’s made many a goalkeeper look bad.”

The Barcelona legend has won the most Ballon d’Or awards in history with eight, 12 major top flight titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues, as well as a whole collection of other trophies, cups and individual awards.

Legendary manager Pep Guardiola has repeatedly said Messi is the “best player ever”, comparing him to superstar figures in other sports, including Woods.

The type of player whose artistry transcends beyond just what we see on the pitch, Messi was even called “amazing” and “magic” by his greatest competitor, Cristiano Ronaldo.

There are plenty of superstar athletes who would throw their hat in the ring for the ‘GOAT’ throne, but Messi himself believes one man stands above even his own accomplishments.

Messi: Michael Jordan is the Greatest Athlete Of All Time

Speaking on the Clank! Podcast in 2024, Messi revealed he believes NBA legend Michael Jordan is the one true ‘GOAT’.

Jordan won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls, incredibly holding a 6-0 finals record and being named the finals MVP in all six, while he also won the regular season MVP award on five occasions, which is second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Points per game

30.1

Assists per game

6.2

Rebounds per game

5.3

Steals per game

2.3

Blocks per game

0.8

NBA Championships

Six

NBA MVPs

Five

The 62 year-old was known for his sheer will and competitiveness, driving his teammates to succeed through brute force if necessary, with Scottie Pippen admitting he was a “difficult person to deal with” but a “great teammate” because he was “competitive 24/7”.

Messi’s former PSG teammate, Kylian Mbappe, believes that LeBron James is the best ever, but Jordan’s reputation and impact as one of the first true globally recognised superstars puts him alone on the pedestal.

Kylian Mbappe named NBA 'Greatest Of All Time' as his idol – not Michael Jordan

The Real Madrid superstar has had his say…

ByBen Goodwin Jun 26, 2025

Anil Kumble, Mushtaq Ahmed, Alana King and Piyush Chawla talk about what it was like to watch that magic ball

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jun-2023June 4 marks the 30th anniversary of a delivery that changed the game. At Old Trafford, Shane Warne sent down his first ball in Ashes cricket. From over the wicket, it curved out of his hand, drifted outside leg stump, pitched and turned sharply past the bat of a startled Mike Gatting to take off stump. A new chapter in Ashes – and cricket – history was written that day. We spoke to a selection of legspinners from across generations about the impact of that delivery.Can you recall when you first saw the delivery from Warne to Gatting?Anil Kumble, former India bowler and captain I saw it later. I was possibly playing somewhere – I don’t remember. That was the first time he was playing in England, and bowling at Mike Gatting, who was, by far one of the better players of spin in that English side. And ripping that from outside leg stump, drifting and taking the off stump was a perfect delivery for any legspinner – or any spinner for that matter. I think it not only had an impact on that particular game but also on the minds of English batters from there on when it came to facing Shane Warne.Alana King, Australia bowler I first watched it at a very young age when I was getting involved in cricket, and legspin especially. Looking up to Warnie when I was a kid, I just got told by many people at my junior cricket club and everyone involved in cricket in my life, “You’ve got to watch this ball.” Ever since, it just keeps popping up.Related

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The ball of the century

Mushtaq Ahmed, former Pakistan bowler: A month before this Test, Australia were playing Somerset and Ian Healy brought Warne to me after the game. We had a chat for about an hour and a half, discussing how to read the English pitches, how to work around rain, gripping the ball…He was a great bowler, no doubt. When I saw that delivery, it felt amazing, because it’s a dream ball. I was busy with Somerset and watched the ball in the highlights later in the day.2:25

Kumble, Mushtaq and Chawla on the magic ball

Piyush Chawla, India bowler I was 14-15 years old and I’d heard so much about that particular delivery, so I went on YouTube to see it. As a legspinner it was a dream ball, the way it drifted in the air, pitched on leg stump and then hit off stump, and Mike Gatting, one of the better players of spin bowling, he also had no clue about it. So that was something really amazing to watch. It is very difficult to get those kind of revs on the ball, like he got. His ball used to pitch somewhere around sixth, seventh stump on the leg side; mine is around fifth stump. Both our bowling actions were different, so it was very difficult to copy him.What made the delivery so special?Mushtaq As a legspinner, I’ve never seen anyone else do it. The beauty of the ball is that it fully drifted in the air, like a fast bowler bowling an inswinger. Mike’s head was following the line and the moment he committed himself to play it, the ball pitched sharply. I don’t think anyone other than Warne could do it.Chawla When the legspinner pitches on or outside leg stump, the ball generally drifts in onto the legs of the batter and then it spins away. But that ball drifted a long way, pitched almost on sixth or seventh stump outside the leg stump and from there, spinning such a long way before hitting the top of off – you can say it was something like a miracle. The most important thing for any spinner is to get dip, drift and revs. We all knew Warnie had strong wrists and broad shoulders, and because of that he got such a good revs. The other important aspect of spin bowling is the hip drive: his hip drive was so high, it was almost over the stumps, which is very rare to find. The combination of all those things and the effort he put into the ball allowed him to get that kind drift, dip and spin.King When you watch that delivery, and obviously being a legspinner, you see how many revolutions Warnie put on the ball, the drift he got – it just makes it so much more special. That’s the dream of a leggie. You’ve put that many revs on the ball, got that nice drift, pitched outside leg stump and hit the top of off stump. That was incredible. Every legspinner dreams of that and it was just as perfect, perfect a legbreak as has ever been bowled.Anil Kumble on Warne: “The amazing thing about Warne was how he bowled batters around the legs. Yes, people have misjudged sweep shots, but here was someone who could literally go behind your back and get you out”•Aijaz Rahi/Associated PressKumble I think because it was his first [Ashes] ball, it was by an Aussie against an Englishman, and it was the Ashes, it was really special. He spun the ball a big mile and he gave it a massive rip.Does it stand the test of time 30 years later?Chawla Hundred per cent. It is a beautiful sight to see the ball pitching on leg stump and squaring up the batter – it is a drama ball for a legspinner.King Absolutely, hands down. Don’t think anyone comes close to bowling something like that. He was a once-in-a-generation player for that reason, the amount of spin that he got. That was early on in his Test career too, so what he went on to do – over 700 Test wickets – it all started with that ball. Think that delivery will always be the pinnacle of legspin.Kumble That ball is one which certainly stood out. There have been many similar bowled dismissals since then, but, yeah, an important Ashes series, first ball by an Aussie spinner playing in his first game in England.Mushtaq Ahmed: “Warne was a bowler who never relied on pitches. He used his skills to take wickets and that is why we used to call him Sher Khan”•Richard Heathcote/Getty ImagesMushtaq It will always be an unplayable one. There was a delivery Adil Rashid bowled in an ODI to Virat Kohli in England, and Yasir Shah bowled one to Kusal Mendis – these are balls us legspinners dream of. I used to bowl my googly way outside off, making the batsman leave it, and it suddenly comes in between the legs to dismantle the stumps. That can’t be matched. Shane’s ball will be enjoyable to watch even 60 years later.How important an influence was that delivery on the rise of legspin?Kumble We all sort of looked up to someone like Warnie. I had various conversations with him and Muthiah Muralidaran in that era, and we had conversations with Mushtaq Ahmed as well. India has always had a focus on spin right from the golden era, before I played. But I don’t think teams like Australia or England have had that kind of spin dominance, and Warne brought that about. He had a major influence, and for me as a fellow legspinner, it was a learning as well. I watched Warnie bowl whenever I had the opportunity.Mushtaq That ball changed the way people thought about legspinners in Tests and one-day cricket. Teams started looking for legspinners. When I was coaching in England, we used to talk about getting a legspinner from grassroots or county, that even a half-good legspinner had a chance.King Don’t think it was just legspin, it was spin bowling in general. Everyone wanted to become Warnie, or pick up some form of spin because of how much fun it was. When you can do stuff like that, be so crafty with the ball – he made it fun again. Legspin was kind of losing its value in the game and all of a sudden Warnie comes into the game and you were like, “Yeah, I want to be like him, that looks fun” and it’s exactly the reason I picked up the art of legspin. And I think lots of leggies around the world have drawn inspiration from him.A mic-ed-up Warne bowled Brendon McCullum in a 2011-12 BBL game after setting up the dismissal on commentary•Chris Hyde/Getty ImagesChawla Legspin is one of the most difficult arts in cricket. Getting that rhythm right daily, bowling at the same spot. The way Shane Warne used to bowl, it was magical. Every legspinner wanted to be like him. But Warnie was really special: the kind of art he had in his hands, I don’t think many bowlers are gifted with that.Is there another Warne moment or delivery that stands out for you?King There was a Big Bash game, he was playing for [Melbourne] Stars and bowling to Brendon McCullum, and he was mic-ed up. McCullum was sweeping him quite a bit and [Warne] literally said it live on TV, “I’m going to bowl it a bit quicker, a bit flatter, and I want him to play the same shot and hopefully get a wicket.” And believe it or not, he talked through how he got the wicket, and that’s just an incredible mindset. He just knew the game so well. That sticks in my mind because he knew exactly what the batter was doing and wanting to do.Chawla Andrew Strauss at Edgbaston in 2005. The ball pitched in the rough and Strauss tried to get his pad in the way but it went through and hit the wicket. People say if you bowl in the rough, it will spin, but getting that kind of spin even from the rough is very difficult. I must have watched that ball around 100 times. The most important thing for a legspinner is the pace, because if you don’t have that pace behind that ball, it’s very difficult to beat the batter – then he can adjust. Here, Strauss was trying to put his pad in the way to defend, but he had no clue how it spun. It was no fault of Strauss. That ball was so special that I think anyone would have got out on that particular delivery.Mushtaq I know of big-name batsmen who used to say that they knew his delivery was drifting and knew that they wanted to block it, but he still got their wicket. The ball to Andrew Strauss at Edgbaston in 2005 spun from miles to get his leg stump, but that one used the rough to gain spin. The ball he bowled to Gatting was special because the pitch was flat. When you don’t get support from the pitch, and need to use your natural variation and power to make it drift – that makes it special.Andrew Strauss had no answer for Warne’s ripper at Edgbaston•Hamish Blair/Getty ImagesKumble I am sure there have been many memorable deliveries, and he bamboozled many batsmen in taking 700-plus wickets. The amazing thing about Shane Warne was how he bowled batters around the legs. I don’t think we had seen that happen often. Yes, people have misjudged sweep shots, but here was someone who could literally go behind your back and get you out. That, to me, was the true sort of image of someone like Shane Warne.As a legspinner, is there a better feeling than sending down the perfect legbreak?Mushtaq There is no bigger joy for a legspinner than when the ball is turning hugely and you beat the batsman over and over. Pitching the ball on the fifth or sixth stump and the batsman thinks it’s going away, but it comes in and cuts through your pads to dismantle the stumps – that gives you immense satisfaction. Warne was a bowler who never relied on pitches. He used his skills to take wickets and that is why we used to call him Sher Khan.King It’s all about rhythm. You want to be as smooth as possible in every delivery. When you release the ball, you know it’s got so many revs on it and everything is smooth. When I release a good legbreak, I’m like, I’m in with a chance here. Natural variation can happen, but I know when I’m bowling at my best, everything is smooth, it’s not forced.Chawla No. Because it doesn’t come that easy. Legspin is an attacking option. The joy of getting a wicket by defeating the batter with drift, dip, guile is something else.

Manchester United have confirmed the signing of RB Leizpig striker Benjamin Sesko for a reported fee of £74 million.

Sesko signs for Man UtdMoves for reported £74mSet for unveiling on SaturdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After days and weeks of negotiations, United have secured the services of the 22-year-old on a deal until 2030. The striker, who has been signed for £74m ($100m), joins a new-look attack that features summer recruits Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT SESKO SAID

The Slovenian international, who scored 21 goals last season, referenced United's glittering history and the project they are on under head coach Ruben Amorim as part of the reasons why he joined the club.

He told United's website: "The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future. When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon. From the moment that I arrived, I could feel the positive energy and family environment that the club has created. It is clearly the perfect place to reach my maximum level and fulfil all of my ambitions. I cannot wait to start learning from Ruben [Amorim] and connecting with my team-mates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

United will hope Sesko can hit the ground running after struggling for goals last season with a frontline of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. One of those players may leave following the 6ft 5in striker's arrival but there is no guarantee the youngster will solve their goalscoring problems at Old Trafford. This is another big-money signing that could go wrong if things don't start well for Sesko and United cannot afford to sign another flop.

(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Sesko is reportedly going to be unveiled at Old Trafford on Saturday as his new team take on Fiorentina in their final pre-season friendly. He could make his club debut on August 17 as their Premier League season begins at home to Arsenal.

Deal for English county confirmed after former majority owner Rod Bransgrove sells stake

Nagraj Gollapudi30-Sep-2024The GMR Group, the newly unveiled owner of Hampshire, is “keen and open” to buying a majority stake in the Southern Brave franchise in the Hundred. That confirmation has come from Grandhi Kiran Kumar, GMR’s corporate chairman, who recently sealed a multimillion-pound deal which has made Hampshire the first English county to have overseas ownership.ESPNcricinfo understands that GMR Group’s parent company, GGPL, will initially hold a 53% stake in Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd, Hampshire’s parent company, with a completed 100% acquisition expected within the next 24 months. The overall deal, which was sealed earlier this year, is close to £120 million, half of which is understood to be operating debt. The equity part of the deal is worth £43 million.It is understood that GMR, an Indian infrastructure conglomerate that owns teams in various T20 leagues, including the Delhi Capitals in the IPL and WPL, have paid 53% of that equity amount upfront with the remainder to be be paid in a phased fashion. There is also an incentive element in the deal which is related to the performance component, but the exact nature of how that will work will be worked out by all parties soon.The process does not guarantee GMR’s acquisition of Southern Brave, the Hundred team who play at Hampshire’s Utilita Bowl, though they are clear favourites to acquire full ownership. The ongoing sale of equity in the eight Hundred teams by the ECB will involve 51% stakes being transferred to host counties – in this case, Hampshire – but the process includes a mechanism which would require GMR to pay fair market value for the remaining 49% before that transfer happens.Grandhi told ESPNcricinfo on Monday that the acquisition of Southern Brave was part of his plan. “We will evaluate as we go forward,” he said. “Certainly, we are happy to work with ECB. We are certainly very keen and open.”Jofra Archer is Southern Brave’s star player•Harry Trump/Getty ImagesBoth parties have stressed that the Hundred was not a significant part of the original plan when Rod Bransgrove, Hampshire’s majority owner, first pitched the idea of selling his 60% stake in the company. It was in June of 2023 when India and Australia were playing the World Test Championship final at The Oval that Grandhi was alerted to a possible investment opportunity in Hampshire.As the months went by, GMR started looking at the opportunity seriously. While the cricketing aspect of the deal was appealing, GMR, whose core business remains in infrastructure, was equally – if not more – attracted to five-star Hilton hotel and golf course at the Utilita Bowl.”We come from an infrastructure background,” Grandhi told ESPNcricinfo. “We are into airports, roads etc. When you see this, it is quite amazing with what they have done. When we visited the facilities, including the hotel, we were impressed.”The entire concept is very nice, especially the fact that it was developed with keeping the fans in mind. Rod [Bransgrove] and his management team have kept the cricketing and sporting culture intact. I was quite amazed with the other facilities like the golf course. It is quite inclusive.”Kiran Kumar Grandhi (left) sits on the IPL auction table•BCCIGrandhi assured Hampshire fans and members that GMR do not intend to “come and takeover”. He said: “We are looking at this opportunity holistically. The Hundred [opportunity] came only recently. Our discussions with Hampshire started nearly one-and-a-half years ago. When I heard about the opportunity I said, ‘Why not?’ The first six months went knowing each other and become comfortable. The deal happened much later.”The deal makes GMR Group the majority shareholder in the club, after Hampshire’s former chairman, Rob Bransgrove decided to sell his 60% stake in the company. Bransgrove will, however, continue as group chairman until at least September 30, 2026, with David Mann retaining his role as group CEO.While its business focus has been in the infrastructure business, GMR Group made its first major sporting investment in 2008 when it bought Delhi Daredevils. In 2018, GMR sold a 50% ownership stake in the Delhi franchise to Jindal South West (JSW), a fellow Indian business heavyweight. In cricket, the GMR Group also owns the Dubai Capitals franchise in the UAE’s ILT20 and has a stake in Seattle Orcas in MLC.The potential for overseas investment in Hampshire derives from Bransgrove’s original bail-out of the county in 2000, when he secured the club’s move from its 116-year home at Northlands Road in Southampton to the Utilita Bowl, on the outskirts of the city.Related

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In so doing, he converted Hampshire from a members-owned club to what was then known as Rose Bowl PLC, and oversaw the building and development of the venue – which now includes the Hilton hotel and Boundary Lakes Golf Course, with plans for more additions currently under consideration with Eastleigh Borough Council.The Utilita Bowl hosted its maiden Test match against Sri Lanka in 2011, while in 2020, its on-site hotel and remote location made it an ideal venue for the ECB’s bio-secure summer during the Covid pandemic. The ground hosted three Tests against West Indies and Pakistan, and six white-ball matches against Australia and Ireland.”This is the fulfilment of a dream for me and, I hope, for all Hampshire Cricket supporters,” Bransgrove said. “Beyond our team’s accomplishments on the field over the past 24 years, we have transformed our stadium into a premier Test Match and events venue and one of the most exceptional cricket and leisure facilities in the country. We have also been pioneers in the development of women’s cricket and have consistently innovated throughout this relatively short history.”After a thorough selection process, we chose GGPL as our partners due to their shared values and commitment to our vision. We believe GGPL is the perfect organization, with the right people, to build on our proud legacy. Becoming the first English cricket club to join an international cricket group will open exciting new opportunities as we embrace the globalization of this great sport.”Rod Bransgrove (left) and David Mann (right) were GMR’s guests at the ILT20 in February•ILT20In 2021, Hampshire also hosted the inaugural World Test Championship final between New Zealand and India, again with Covid restrictions, while in 2027, it is due to host its maiden Ashes Test.Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, said that the deal “demonstrates the global interest” in investing in English cricket and underlines “the continuing appeal of county cricket.”Gould said: “This is an exciting time for Hampshire Cricket, and I’d like to welcome GGPL to cricket in England and Wales. I am pleased to see their commitment to continuing to develop Hampshire’s cricket teams and pathways and enhance facilities at Utilita Bowl, and their respect for the traditions of the game in this country.”I’d like to thank Rod Bransgrove for all he has done in transforming Hampshire and creating a world-class stadium, and look forward to continuing to work together in his role as Group Chair.”