Sport
Messi Remains the Highest-Paid Player in MLS for the Second Year in a Row
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has once again been named the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer for the second year running. This was revealed in new figures released by the MLS Players Association, which shows Messi earns a guaranteed $20.45 million. That amount only covers part of his income, as he also cashes in from endorsement deals with brands like Adidas and his revenue-sharing deal with Apple, the league’s broadcast partner.
Reports from Sportico suggest Messi could earn as much as $150 million throughout his two-and-a-half-year contract with Inter Miami, which began in the summer of 2023. Toronto FC striker Lorenzo Insigne sits second on the list with guaranteed earnings of $15.44 million. Third place goes to Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Sergio Busquets, who earns $8.5 million, followed by Atlanta United’s Miguel Almirón at $7.87 million, and San Diego FC’s Hirving “Chucky” Lozano with $7.63 million.
Sport
Super Eagles Star Calvin Bassey Opens Up on Nearly Walking Away from Football
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
Sport
CAF Fines Egypt $5,000 Over Post-Match Media Violation After Zimbabwe Clash
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Sport
Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle Opens Up on Benching Big Names
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
