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Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will be Germany's No. 1 at the 2018 World Cup if he makes the final squad, says national team manager Oliver
TORONTO — It’s been a rough MLS season so far for injury-ravaged Toronto FC. But there were smiles all round this week as players collected their championship bling, a sparkling reminder of their record-breaking 2017 campaign.
The impressive rings look like the red TFC emblem has been dropped on a icy bed of diamonds.
"We’re really happy with them. I think it’s brought an MLS ring to a new level," said team president Bill Manning.
"It was something we wanted the players to be proud of," he added.
More than 170 diamonds, spread on white and yellow gold, with a string of individual touches, lift the giant rings out of the ordinary.
The jewelry was made by Baron Championship Rings of Tecumseh, Ont. The company specializes in championship bling, having created rings for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Sparks, Hockey Canada, Toronto Argonauts, London Knights and Raptors 905 among others.
The diamonds came from Houston-based Uptown Diamond.
Judy Tanenbaum, wife of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment chairman Larry Tanenbaum, played a major role in helping design the rings, said Baron sales director Arthur Horton.
Eighteen players, included the now-retired Benoit Cheyrou, plus team officials were presented with the rings at a private luncheon Monday at Casa Loma, a majestic castle home completed in 1914 by Sir Henry Pellatt that now serves as a tourist attraction and special events host.
Each player got a personalized package complete with ring, picture of the MLS Cup trophy with the TFC logo on it and their name and what looks like a bottle of Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Brut Gold Champagne, which retails for $649.95 at the LCBO.
The rings have the red-garnet-coloured Toronto FC emblem in a black circle on the front, framed with the words MLS Cup on top and Champions below.
The player’s name and number — complete with diamond — are on one side. The Philip F. Anschutz Trophy and team motto "All for One" adorns the other.
The team’s 20-5-9 regular-season record and MLS record 69 points are inscribed on the inside of the ring. There are three stones stamped into the bottom of the ring to mark the three trophies won: the MLS Cup, Canadian Championship and Supporters’ Shield.
Baron says it takes 10-12 weeks to make the rings. The process starts with a 3-D modelling program, which becomes a wax model that is casted.
The MLSE order called for 795 rings, with the exact bling varying over five different tiers.
"Every (MLSE) staff member is getting one," said Manning, who already has an MLS championship ring from 2009 with Real Salt Lake and a USL ring from 1999 with the Minnesota Thunder plus an NFC Conference champions ring in 2004 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
That includes the soccer team’s "go-to babysitters" and BMO Field security.
"When we say all for one, it does mean everybody," said Manning
The staff rings are slated to be handed out Thursday.
The TFC boss declined to say how much the player rings cost.
"But I’ll tell you that we as a company invested a lot of money not only for the players but our staff," he said.
Suffice to say you could probably buy a modest economy car with the cost of the deluxe players’ ring.
The TFC players were quick to show off the new bling on social media. Striker Jozy Altidore posted a photo of himself wearing the massive rink on his little finger.
"I would pinky swear, but my pinky ring is too big," he wrote.
Italian forward Sebastian Giovinco posted a close-up of his ring-wearing hand with the caption "The Lord of the Ring."
"Got a Ring!!!" tweeted defender Chris Mavinga, with several shots of his new jewelry.
Baron Championship Rings is a family affair, founded some 30 years ago. Richard Baron started with a Toronto jewelry store that did class and other rings but the business expanded into championship rings about 10 years ago.
Baron and Jostens, based out of Minneapolis, are the big players in championship bling. Jostens did the rings for the Houston Astros, Seattle Sounders, Pittsburgh Penguins, New England Patriots and Chicago Cubs to celebrate their recent titles and have partnered with the reigning NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles.
By the Bling
A look at the Toronto FC player championship rings:
— Each one has an approximate 3.30 carat weight.
— The ring includes 132 round brilliant diamonds, 42 princess-cut black diamonds, 2 custom-made black onyx stones (for the T logo), and a red garnet stone (with Toronto encrusted in it).
— The ring is 10-karat white gold ring with a 14-karat yellow gold star at the top.
— Each rings weighs about 80 to 85 grams (depending on finger size), measuring 30 by 34 millimetres.
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has asked to leave the club, his agent Pini Zahavi has said.
Lewandowski, 29, has scored 151
LONDON — Striker Roberto Firmino has decided to join Brazil’s squad earlier in London for pre-World Cup training, in a sign he is keen to challenge Gabriel Jesus for a place in the team’s starting lineup. The Liverpool player arrived at Tottenham’s training center late on Monday and took fitness tests on Tuesday. “I had […]
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LIVERPOOL, England -- Liverpool have announced a deal to sign Brazilian midfielder Fabinho from Monaco.
The clubs agreed a transfer
Ceres Negros went on a three-goal flurry in seven minutes as it fought back to subdue Stallion Laguna, 3-2, on Saturday to firm up its hold of top spot in the Philippines Football League (PFL) at Biñan Football Stadium in Laguna.
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KIEV, Ukraine — With his back to goal but eyes on the incoming cross, Gareth Bale connected with the ball while leaping in the air and sent a scissor-kick arcing into the top of the net. Fusing athleticism and technique, it was a mesmerizing sight to behold from the Real Madrid forward. Rarely has there […]
The post Wonder-goal, gaffes, injuries as Madrid seals Champions League 3-peat appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
KIRKLAND, Wash. — Prosecutors in Washington state have dropped domestic violence charges against former U.S. national team star goalkeeper Hope Solo.
Solo was charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault in 2014 after police said she assaulted two family members at a home in Kirkland, east of Seattle. The case was delayed by appeals.
KING-TV reports that city prosecutors dropped the charges Wednesday, saying the witnesses in the case wanted to move on with their lives and did not want to participate in a trial. An attorney for Kirkland, Melissa Osman, wrote in court documents that the circumstances were unlikely to be repeated.
The longtime national team goalkeeper and two-time Olympic gold medallist recently ran unsuccessfully for president of the U.S. Soccer Federation. She has called for equal pay and equal treatment for the U.S. women’s team.
KIEV, Ukraine — Price hikes and canceled flights are ruining the Champions League final for some fans two days before Real Madrid and Liverpool even kick off. Some owners of hotels and hostels in Kiev have raised prices by more than 10 times for Saturday’s game, while the city’s two airports have been unable to […]
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SAN FRANCISCO — A bronze plaque honoring soccer star Brandi Chastain got a red card Tuesday after a social media outcry over its unflattering portrayal of the athlete. The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in San Francisco said Tuesday it will redo the plaque, which was unveiled a day earlier and quickly panned by […]
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Defending champion Ceres-Negros and Davao Aguilas seek to bounce back when they clash on Wednesday night in the Philippines Football League at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.
The post Ceres has eyes on lead appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
Relive 10 of the best stories that amused and amazed in this season of football around the world.
It's that time of year again when we here at Toe Poke pause a moment to take stock of the season just gone -- the thrills, the spills, the truly, truly dreadful penalty kicks (stay tuned!).
Here are our various winners and indeed losers from 2017-18 ...
Redemption of the season
November brought with it redemption for one of the biggest laughing stocks of last season, as Portuguese artist Jose Antonio Navarro Arteaga was handed an artistic reprieve.
Arteaga is of course the man who made a hash...
Hakan Calhanoglu was the focal point of AC Milan's attack in a 5-1 win over Fiorentina.
AC Milan ended their season in style with a 5-1 win over Fiorentina at the San Siro on Sunday. A Patrick Cutrone brace, and goals from Hakan Calhanoglu, Nikola Kalinic and Giacomo Bonaventura secured all three points, with the Rossoneri sealing sixth place in Serie A to qualify directly to the Europa League group stage next season.
Positives
Milan fully deserved their comprehensive win as they responded well to going behind and produced some quality football to secure a comfortable victory....
LONDON -- Antonio Conte insisted that he cannot change and warned that Chelsea will be losing a "serial winner" if they decide to let him go
The Philippine Azkals will leave no stone unturned in preparing for two major tournaments in the next eight months.
The post No stone unturned appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
Sportsnet wants to know what you think, so have your say by voting in the poll and posting your opinion in the comments section below. Then tune in to Sportsnet’s Premier League coverage on Saturday morning as soccer commentators James Sharman, Craig Forrest and Danny Dichio debate “The Big Question.” We’ll mention the best reader comments on air.
Saturday, May 19
• FA CUP FINAL: Chelsea vs. Manchester United, 11:30 a.m. ET (Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet World)
Lionel Messi says it would be a "huge blow" to Barcelona if his former teammate Neymar left Paris Saint-Germain for Real
Vancouver Whitecaps captain Kendall Waston has been named to Costa Rica’s 23-man roster for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Russia.
This will be the defender’s first-ever World Cup appearance. He was named to Costa Rica’s provisional 30-man roster in 2014 but was one of the team’s final two cuts.
Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson announced Watson had been named to the team after the team’s practice Monday as the players gathered at centre field. Defender Sean Franklin sprayed some water on Waston, whose wife and young son surprised him on the pitch.
“It’s a huge accomplishment,” Watson said. “I feel very happy, very proud. There are a lot of emotions going on at this moment.
“In my mind I remember four year ago. It’s a different feeling. Now I can enjoy this moment.”
Group play commences on June 14, with Costa Rica facing Serbia (June 17), Brazil (June 22), and Switzerland (June 27) in Group E. Prior to the tournament, Costa Rica will face Northern Ireland, England, and Belgium in a series of friendlies.
Waston is expected to join the national team following Vancouver’s match against New England Revolution on May 26 at BC Place.
Waston scored an added-time equalizer against Honduras in qualifying last year to punch Costa Rica’s trip to Russia.
MILAN — Juventus has extended its record streak to seven Serie A titles after its 0-0 draw against 10-man Roma on Sunday was enough to secure the trophy with a match to spare. There was even more reason for the team to celebrate as coach Massimiliano Allegri, who has now won four successive league and […]
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PARIS — Neymar won the French League’s Player of the Year award on Sunday, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain teammates Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe.
Marseille winger Florian Thauvin, the other nominee, finished fourth in Sunday’s Ligue 1 awards ceremony in Paris.
"I would like to thank all of my teammates," Neymar said on beIN Sports television. "I’m honoured and very happy with our season. I couldn’t have won this trophy without my teammates."
Neymar scored 19 league goals and set up another 13 in only 20 games for French champion PSG.
He has not played since cracking a metatarsal in his right foot against Marseille on Feb. 25. He had surgery in Brazil in March and has resumed light training and ball work as he bids to be ready for the World Cup, which starts next month in Russia.
Second-place Cavani won the award last season and is the league’s top scorer again this season with 28 goals, while Thauvin is next with 22. Mbappe has netted 13 since joining from deposed champion Monaco.
PSG coach Unai Emery, who is leaving at the end of the season, won Coach of the Year after guiding PSG to a domestic treble.
However, PSG once again fell short in Europe after going out in the last 16 of the Champions League for the second straight season.
Rio Ferdinand has admitted club rivalries "killed'' England's chances at major tournaments while their so-called "golden generation'' were
After humiliation on home soil for Brazil in 2014, Ian Darke and ESPN's expert panel feel redemption could be in the cards for Neymar and company.
The possibility of Dani Alves missing the World Cup is not just bad news for the Brazilian right-back. Among Tite's most trusted players, the Paris Saint-Germain man is more than just a guaranteed starter. He is a leader, captain, role model, key figure for Neymar and has many other attributes that are valued by the coach, who is set to name his squad on Monday.
According to his spokesman, Alves suffered "a high detachment of the anterior cruciate ligament with posterolateral sprain." The right...
Sir Alex Ferguson is no longer in intensive care following <a
BACOLOD CITY—Ceres-Negros hopes to return to winning ways in the AFC Cup when it clashes with Yangon United of Myanmar in the first leg of the Asean zone semifinals at Panaad Stadium here.
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LONDON — Arsene Wenger is a man in demand as he prepares for life after Arsenal. Asked if he has received any job offers since announcing he would leave Arsenal at the end of the season, the 68-year-old Frenchman says “yes, more than I expected.” Wenger didn’t reveal who or where, and says he will […]
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The Five Stripes picked up a road-win at the Chicago Fire thanks to goals from Ezequiel Barco and Josef Martinez, raising their unbeaten streak to eight games.
Representatives of the Chicago Fire are in Madrid in the hope they can land current Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres, sources have confirmed to ESPN FC.
Fire general manager Nelson Rodriguez is scheduled to hold talks with Torres' representatives on Tuesday, the sources said. Spanish radio Cadena Cope was the first to report that the Fire's reps had traveled to Madrid.
The Fire are in pole position among MLS teams to land Torres because they holds Torres' discovery rights. The Montreal Impact,...
BARCELONA, Spain — Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted because of a leg injury at halftime in Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw at Barcelona on Sunday.
But Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is confident that Ronaldo will play against Liverpool in the Champions League final on May 26.
"He doesn’t feel good now, but I don’t think it is anything serious," Zidane said. "We will have him ready (to play)."
Ronaldo’s right ankle was hurt when Gerard Pique stepped on it while unsuccessfully trying to stop him from scoring an equalizer in the 15th minute.
Ronaldo was briefly attended by team doctors on the pitch and then continued to play for the rest of the first half.
The Portugal forward, however, was replaced by Marco Asensio at halftime.
Ronaldo will then join Portugal at the World Cup next month.
STOKE, England — Stoke was relegated from the Premier League after a 10-year stay as it crashed to a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The 19th-placed Potters went into their penultimate game of the season desperate to boost their survival hopes with what would have been a first victory in 13 matches.
Stoke took the lead through Xherdan Shaqiri’s 43rd-minute free kick at the bet365 Stadium, but James McArthur equalized for Palace in the 68th and Patrick van Aanholt netted the winner in the 86th.
Stoke is three points behind 17th-place Swansea with one game remaining, but the Swans’ midweek fixture against third-bottom Southampton means Paul Lambert’s side cannot escape the drop.
Lambert replaced the fired Mark Hughes as manager in January.
Palace lost its first seven games but is now mathematically safe, completing the considerable upturn in its fortunes after Roy Hodgson succeeded Frank De Boer early in the campaign.
Defending champions Australia will renew their rivalry with Syria at next year's Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates after the pair were
Toronto FC will be aiming to end a six-match winless streak across all competitions when they host the Philadelphia Union on Friday as -190 favourites on the MLS odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The Reds’ early-season struggles in MLS action continued with last weekend’s 2-2 draw with the visiting Chicago Fire as a -170 wager, dropping the club to 0-1-2 in its last three league outings ahead of Friday night’s matchup at BMO Field.
Toronto’s slow start has left the defending champions mired in last place on the MLS Eastern Conference table and slipping on the odds to win the MLS Cup. The Reds have looked shaky at both ends of the pitch during their spring swoon. The club has been outscored by a 13-6 margin through its first six league matches, suffering clean sheet losses on three occasions.
TFC’s slow start in MLS play has coincided with an impressive run in this year’s CONCACAF Champions League. The club demonstrated its championship form while outgunning opponents by a 13-9 margin, but fell short of a berth in the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup with a heartbreaking loss on penalties to Chivas Guadalajara in the CCL final 10 days ago.
However, a date with Philadelphia may be just what the Reds need to break out of their funk. Toronto rides a five-match unbeaten streak against the Union, capped by a 3-0 win in their last meeting on August 23.
Pegged as lengthy +500 underdogs in Friday’s contest, the Union are coming off a 3-2 win over DC United as -145 home favourites last weekend, but are a dismal 0-4-10 in 14 road dates since May of last year, and have failed to score in two road losses this season.
Elsewhere on the MLS betting slate this weekend, the Montreal Impact look to halt a four-match slide as they take on the visiting New England Revolution as +110 favourites on Saturday, while the Vancouver Whitecaps visit Minnesota United as +215 underdogs.
The Impact’s defensive woes continued with last weekend’s 4-1 loss to Atlanta United as +750 road underdogs. Montreal has now surrendered 16 total goals in four straight losses after tallying consecutive clean sheet wins over Toronto and Seattle, and must contend with a Revolution squad that is pegged as a +235 underdog after picking up points in its past two road dates.
The Whitecaps eked out a 2-0 home win over Real Salt Lake last weekend, to pay out on -110 odds and end a three-match losing streak during which they scored just one total goal, and are unbeaten in two previous meetings with the Loons, who enter Saturday’s contest as a solid +125 wager.
ROME — First it was Juventus. Now it’s Roma. Both Italian clubs were eliminated from the Champions League following questionable decisions by the referee. And both are demanding that the video assistant referee (VAR) be installed immediately in the top club competition. The VAR has already been introduced in Serie A this season and will […]
The post ‘An absolute joke’: Roma furious over referee’s decisions appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
European football federations stand to earn up to $75 million every two years if FIFA’s plans for new global league are approved.
The extent of the windfall is outlined in a letter from FIFA President Gianni Infantino to members of his ruling council, which has been seen by The Associated Press.
Infantino said an international consortium would underwrite guaranteed revenues of at least $25 billion over 12 years to create the Global Nations League on a two-year cycle for more than 200 national teams and expand the Club World Cup from an annual eight-team competition into a quadrennial event for 24 participants.
The global league plan was developed by UEFA , where Infantino was general secretary until 2016, to replace friendlies.
A complex format starts with regional qualifying groups with promotion and relegation, leading to intercontinental finals brackets in seven divisions. The pinnacle is an eight-team mini tournament of teams from five continents, including three top European countries and two South American. It would likely be hosted in one nation in as few as eight days in October or November of odd-numbered years.
In a proposal configured for Europe, FIFA forecasts that the five top nations could each be guaranteed to receive $37.5 million to $50 million to play six games in the initial phase of the GNL.
Each team qualifying for the “Final 8” competition would bank $15 million and another $5 million for being runner-up or $10 million for winning the GNL. FIFA would compensate countries who lose the dates currently reserved for friendlies they organize.
The overhaul of international football would herald the end of the mostly unloved Confederations Cup that functions as a warmup event for World Cup host nations. Germany only collected only $4.1 million for winning the event last year.
FIFA would have a 51-per cent stake in a joint venture with the investors that would run the new competitions and an agency would be used to commercialize the competitions, including selling television rights.
FIFA’s 37-member ruling council still needs to approve the two competitions. Gaining the consent of UEFA could prove difficult given how a 24-team Club World Cup , featuring 12 European teams, could devalue the Champions League.
“Obviously, should you feel that more time is needed for the Nations League as it does not only concern FIFA, the project could also be split and the two competitions could be discussed separately,” Infantino wrote in the letter seen by the AP. “This would probably entail a change in the financial terms related to the Nations League, but it could certainly be explored further.
“Should the confederations show their willingness to move forward, an extraordinary FIFA Council meeting would be called around mid-May to finalize FIFA’s position on the strategic matters impacting this project.”
Infantino, who hosted talks on the new competitions with officials from football’s six continental governing bodies on Monday, said the GNL will “strengthen and enhance” international football with more competitive matches.
“Matches would be ensured for all national teams and this format would offer a concrete, guaranteed, long-term financial security for all of FIFA’s member associations and substantially increase their current revenues. This would significantly support the member associations’ efforts in football development on their territories.”
Here is a breakdown of the proposed distribution of GNL revenue to European nations in the group stage for playing six games over two years:
— 5 countries: $37.5m-50m;
— 5 countries: $15m-20m;
— 7 countries: $11.25m-15m;
— 5 countries: $7.5m-10m;
— 33 countries: $5.62m-7.5m.
Prize money for the GNL Final 8:
— Division 1: $15m per team plus $10m for winner and $5m for runner-up.
— Division 2: $5m per team plus $5m for winner and $2.5m for runner-up.
— Division 3: $3m per team plus $3m for winner and $1.5m for runner-up.
— Division 4: $2m per team plus $2m for winner and $1m for runner-up.
— Division 5: $1.5m per team plus $1.5m for winner and $0.75m for runner-up.
— Division 6: $1m per team plus $1m for winner and $0.5m for runner-up.
— Division 7: $0.5m per team plus $0.5m for winner and $0.25m for runner-up.
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