​U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino is gearing up for his first World Cup leading the United States, with their official 26-man roster revealed on May 26 for this summer's 48-team tournament. But if Pochettino decides to leave the job after the World Cup, who could fill his shoes? Would U.S. Soccer try and hire another coach with extensive European experience? There is one candidate that will be continuously brought up among fans and commentators alike. Pep Guardiola is expected to leave Manchester City to step down from the Premier League squad after 10 years in charge. His next coaching destination, however, is still unknown. FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas weighed in on how the USA could be a landing spot for Guardiola. "If Pep Guardiola is available, you would be dumb not to take a call and sit down and see how he thinks about these things. Mauricio Pochettino, I think he’s going to move on, and he’s going to have some wonderful opportunities," Lalas said on Monday's edition of "Alexi Lala's State of the Union." Pochettino has led the Stars and Stripes since 2024 and enters his first World Cup as head coach. However, the Argentine has expressed his interest in returning to coach in Europe – having previously led Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. If Pochettino does leave, Lalas tabs Guardiola as a solid option – but notes that the United States may not meet Guardiola’s talent level. Guardiola’s coaching résumé is one of the best in the business. The Spaniard took over at Barcelona in 2008, leading Lionel Messi and Co. to three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies. He then headed to Bayern Munich and won the Bundesliga three times. In his 10-year stint with Manchester City, he clinched the Premier League six times in seven years, the League Cup four times, two FA Cups and a 2023 Champions League win. "For all of his success and his intelligence when it comes to the game, he still has to apply it to a very different scenario, both in terms of being international, but also in terms of being a lesser team relative to the elites. Pep has established his greatness, making great teams that much greater. And the U.S. is not a great team that he is falling into," Lalas said. But what makes Guardiola a prime target for the United States' next coach? Guardiola took a one-year coaching break and moved to New York following his four-year stint with Barcelona. He learned English, spent time with family and even caught a few MLS games. Especially with his reported interest in one day coaching a national team, Lalas tabs the USA as a potential landing spot for Guardiola. "You absolutely make that call, you might even get that call. We know Pep famously took a sabbatical. Where did he go? He went to the United States. It might appeal to him," Lalas said. Read More

​Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has been sentenced to serve 30 days in jail after testing positive for marijuana in violation of the terms of his probation for his role in a crash that left multiple people injured on a Dallas highway two years ago. The Texas State Attorney’s Office said Tuesday that Rice was ordered to go to jail now as part of his original sentence for the third-degree felony of racing and causing bodily injury. Rice is set to be released on June 16, which is five days after Chiefs' minicamp ends. The Chiefs declined to comment on the case. Rice, 26, pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury in the March 30, 2024, crash. As part of his sentencing, it was initially ruled that Rice would be able to serve his 30-day jail sentence at any point during his five years of probation. Rice was also required to pay the victims for their out-of-pocket medical expenses, which totaled about $115,000. Rice was driving a Lamborghini Urus SUV at 119 mph (191 kph) when he made "multiple aggressive maneuvers around traffic" and struck other vehicles, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said that after the crash, Rice failed to check on the welfare of those in the other vehicles and fled on foot. Shortly after his sentencing, Rice apologized for his role in the crash, saying he had "a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the damages that my actions caused." "I am profoundly sorry for the physical damages to person and property," Rice added in the statement. "I fully apologize for the harm I caused to innocent drivers and their families." A month after Rice's sentencing, the NFL suspended him for six games for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Rice had 53 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns in eight games last season before he was placed on injured reserve due to concussion-like symptoms. Rice tore his ACL the previous season, limiting him to only four games in 2024 after a breakout rookie campaign in 2023. News also broke on Tuesday of Rice's recent surgery. Before serving his 30-day jail sentence for a probation violation, Rice underwent a clean-up surgery last week in Dallas to remove loose debris and inflammation from his right knee, ESPN reported. The procedure is expected to sideline Rice for the next two months. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read More

​Gerrit Cole is scheduled to return from Tommy John surgery Friday night and make his season debut for the New York Yankees against Tampa Bay. Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced the plan Tuesday before his team's game against Toronto. Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, hasn't pitched in the major leagues since October 2024 in Game 5 of the World Series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. "Been a long time," Boone said. "We're thrilled to get him back." Even after fellow Yankees ace Max Fried landed on the 15-day injured list last weekend with a left elbow bone bruise, Boone said the team still intended to have Cole make a seventh minor league rehabilitation start this week before rejoining the big league rotation. But after the 35-year-old right-hander threw 86 pitches over 5 1/3 innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against the Syracuse Mets on Saturday night, Cole and the Yankees changed course. "When we all looked at it and just considered all the variables, it checked all the boxes," Cole said. He will start the series opener at Yankee Stadium against the AL East rival Rays, who swept three games from New York last month in Florida and entered Tuesday with the top record in the majors at 31-15. "I expect it to be intense. Tough matchup. Lot of balls in play. Control the running game," Cole said. "Lot of pressure from the other team." Reporting by the Associated Press Read More