​Lionel Messi bestowed President Donald Trump with a bejeweled pink soccer ball during a White House ceremony honoring Inter Miami for winning last year's MLS Cup. Miami beat the Vancouver Whitecaps in December for the Major League Soccer title, and the Argentinian superstar was named the league's MVP for the second consecutive season. "Leo, you came in and you won, and that's something very hard to do, very, very unusual and frankly, there's a lot more pressure put on you than anyone would know, because you sort of expected to win, but almost nobody wins," Trump said. Messi, who entered the ceremony alongside Trump, joined Inter Miami in mid-2023 to great fanfare. He did not speak during the event, which turned political at times with Trump addressing the war with Iran, the situation in Venezuela, a possible future announcement regarding Cuba and even tariffs. Addressing Messi — who famously avoids speaking out on politics — the president stuck mostly to sports. "You could have gone anywhere in the world. You could have chosen any team in the world, and you chose to go to Miami. I don’t blame you. The weather’s extremely good. Do you go to Doral? You go to Doral and play golf?" Trump said, referencing a golf course he owns. "I just want to thank you for bringing us all on this ride, because you are hot and talented and a great person." Among the other Inter Miami stars in attendance were Luis Suarez, Tadeo Allende and Rodrigo De Paul. MLS Commissioner Don Garber sat next to Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House's World Cup task force. Also attending were retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez and members of Trump's cabinet. Inter Miami was the first MLS team to be invited to the White House during Trump’s two terms in office. Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, led Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022. The 38-year-old is expected to play again for Argentina this summer when the tournament is hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Soccer's global showcase has been clouded by recent events, including the war with Iran and turmoil in Mexico following the death of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera in a military operation. Iran is part of the World Cup field of 48 teams and is set to play a pair of games at SoFi Stadium in Southern California and another in Seattle during the group stage. Trump opened the ceremony with comments about the conflict with Iran but did not mention the World Cup. Following military action by the United States and Israel last week, Iran’s top soccer official, Mehdi Taj, said the country could not look to playing in the World Cup with "hope." "I really don’t care" if Iran participates, Trump told Politico this week. "I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes." It's not clear what would happen if Iran pulled out of the World Cup. No team that has qualified for the tournament has withdrawn in the past 75 years. The World Cup kicks off on June 11 when Mexico plays South Africa in Mexico City. During the ceremony, Trump spoke about how he saw Brazilian great Pele play with the New York Cosmos. He looked to Messi: "You may be better than Pele," then asked the crowd, "Who’s better?" Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas said his team has "changed the culture of football in the United States of America forever." "We can play with the big boys, we can play with the heavyweights. Our league can be one of the top leagues in the world," Mas said. "And it is this ability to dream, to persevere, to have no obstacles ahead of us, that we will continue to be successful. And hopefully, Mr. President, this is not our only visit here celebrating an MLS Cup championship." It was the first White House visit for Messi. He was invited by the Biden administration to be presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January 2025 but could not attend because of a scheduling conflict. Inter Miami will remain in the area to play D.C. United on Saturday. Read More

​Phoenix Raceway (Avondale, Ariz.) — The venue is kind of new but it’s the same old INDYCAR question heading into the second race of the season. How are teams going to beat Alex Palou? "We need to improve and be better — but I think the whole field needs to try and do that for sure," said Marcus Ericsson, who finished sixth in the season opener last Sunday at St. Petersburg. The INDYCAR teams made a quick turnaround and race Saturday at Phoenix Raceway, a 1-mile oval that last played host to an INDYCAR race in 2018. Why the rush? To join NASCAR in what is a mega weekend of U.S. motorsports in the desert at a track where both NASCAR and INDYCAR have rich histories. Here’s what to know going into the event, including comments from drivers from their chats today with me and other reporters, the day before practice and qualifying Friday for the 250-lap Good Ranchers 250 on Saturday (3 p.m. ET, FOX) followed by NASCAR's Straight Talk Wireless 500 on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1) in the Desert Double. Are fans and drivers rooting against four-time INDYCAR champion Alex Palou? Palou has won the title the last three years, including in 2025 when he won eight races, and now is 1-for-1 in 2026 after his St. Pete win. "I can feel it when there's driver intros, and there's some people that just come at me and be like, ‘Can you stop winning?’ But I feel like we're past that," Palou told me and other reporters. "There's people that used to say that, they now are cheering for us. So it's good." [PHOENIX WEEKEND: INDYCAR as Support Series Makes Sense] Palou isn’t concerned about people outwardly rooting him to lose "Last year was magical and this year, that was great [at St. Pete]," Palou said. "But it's not that we have an edge on everybody. We have an amazing team, and we execute very well. "But it's not like we go out and it's like, ‘Oh yeah, look, it's easy.’" He’s not considering himself a favorite this weekend at Phoenix. "It's going to be a struggle for the 10 car [of me]," Palou said. "We didn't have an amazing test. We had an OK test. So we know we have to work quite a lot." Is this a NASCAR event or an INDYCAR event? This has been the regular NASCAR spring weekend at Phoenix as part of a West Coast swing for several years. To add a little boost to this weekend, INDYCAR was added for a doubleheader Saturday with NASCAR's O'Reilly Series and then the Cup race Sunday. INDYCAR does have a rich history at Phoenix as this is the 65th INDYCAR race at the track. It has brought up the topic on whether INDYCAR is the "support" series. INDYCAR veteran Graham Rahal noted that the INDYCAR driver motorhomes are not parked in the same area as the NASCAR driver motorhomes even though there is space in that lot. "We shouldn't be viewed as a support series," Rahal said. "These are two of the highest level professional series that there are in the country. Let's just treat each other with that respect. ,.. Let's just try to figure out a way to make it a little bit more cohesive for everybody." [MORE MOTORSPORTS: INDYCAR, NASCAR Drivers Pick All-Time Favorites] How is Mick Schumacher doing? The rookie and former Formula 1 driver seems OK after an opening race where he didn’t even finish the first lap before getting collected in an accident. Schumacher spent the rest of the race on the pit stand trying to understand what the engineers are looking for during a race. "It was important for me to go back to pit stand and see what the engineers were talking about, what we would have done maybe differently in certain scenarios, just to kind of pretend like we did the race, to be able to analyze, take away key elements of it," Schumacher said. Will the INDYCAR drivers cut the apron like the NASCAR drivers do? No. They cannot. The rule for all INDYCAR ovals except Indianapolis reads: "At Oval Events, Drivers must not place any of the four wheels of the Car below the solid boundary line at any time." Prior to their test here last month, the drivers were asked by INDYCAR officials if they thought the rule should be amended. "I think there was one or two guys raising their hands, but there didn't seem to be like a lot of interest," said INDYCAR's Meyer Shank driver Felix Rosenqvist. "I feel like somehow you just want to be inside the lines. But NASCAR makes it work. I don't think it really changed anything." [INDYCAR POWER RANKINGS: Scott McLaughlin Big Mover After St. Pete] Who has raced here before? There are five INDYCAR drivers who have raced at Phoenix previously. Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden both have wins, while Will Power has a second, Alexander Rossi has a third and Graham Rahal has a fifth. The cars are a few hundred pounds heavier now with the aeroscreen and the hybrid. "I liked it a lot more," Rahal said about the test and how the cars handled compared to 2018. "The last couple times we were here. there were some massive crashes [with the high] cornering speeds. ... I feel like the drivers in a little more control. "Then it was like, just how crazy are you? And are you going to stay flat and you're going to hang on?" So who’s the favorite for the INDYCAR race? The consensus is that Team Penske, which typically is strong on the short ovals, will be strong this weekend. David Malukas, who replaced Will Power at Team Penske, was fastest on the first day of testing at Phoenix last month. Rossi was fastest on the second day. "We know the Penske files will be good around here," said McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard. "They were competitive at the test, very competitive, just as we always see them on one short ovals." Can Tyler Reddick go 4-for-4? After three races, it’s hard to bet against Tyler Reddick, no? Then again, he set a new standard for wins to open the NASCAR Cup Series season with three in a row, so the odds of him getting to four in a row are slim. Reddick hasn’t won in any series at Phoenix. He has led only twice in 12 Cup starts and has just two finishes better than 20th in his last five starts at the track. [NASCAR POWER RANKINGS: SVG, Ryan Blaney Making Moves] Cup teams are getting into the meat of their season as far as different type of tracks as they have the 1-mile Phoenix and then the 1.5-mile Vegas over the next couple of weeks. "I'm really excited to see what we have for speed and pace over the next two weekends because we've worked really hard to improve things here," Reddick said in his news conference after winning at Circuit of the Americas. "We've worked hard to kind of rethink how we get around Phoenix, and we've just kind of doubled down on the things that we've been improving at Vegas." So who's the favorite in the NASCAR race? Go back to the answer on the INDYCAR side and you'll find the answer here. Team Penske, once again, is the favorite. Ryan Blaney won the last race here in November. Joe Gibbs Racing's Christopher Bell won it a year ago. But the Penske drivers seem to shine here. And just like for their INDYCAR brethren, a win would be coming at the right time. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. Read More

​Crunch time is coming. The start of this summer’s World Cup is less than 100 days away. It’s an exciting time, no doubt, but for players, these can be nervy days. Especially right now, given that the U.S. men’s national team hasn’t been together since November. A lot has happened since then, and the upcoming March training camp – which features matches against Belgium (March 28) and Portugal (March 31) in Atlanta – is of the utmost importance because it's the last one before Mauricio Pochettino's final 26-man roster is announced. Those who get called up in March will feel some relief, while those who don't will feel their stress levels rise. Here's who has improved their cases, who has work to do: Stock Up Johnny Cardoso, Midfielder, Atlético Madrid Cardoso made this list last week after scoring his first goal for the club. This week, he started and played 90 minutes in Atleti’s 3-0 loss to Barcelona. Despite the defeat, they advanced to the Copa del Rey final on 4-3 aggregate. After battling injuries, Cardoso seems to finally be getting into a rhythm at a big La Liga club. He hasn’t played for the USA since last summer and hasn’t had a statement game to prove to Pochettino why he deserves a World Cup roster spot yet. But, perhaps his recent club performances and consistency might earn him a March call up. Weston McKennie, Midfielder, Juventus McKennie is no doubt the hottest USA player right now. Whether he’s scoring goals or showing off his versatility and playing different positions for coach Luciano Spalletti, his name is constantly making headlines. And he’s likely at the top of Pochettino’s list for March camp. This week, McKennie signed a new deal at Juventus that keeps him with the Serie A club until 2030. McKennie will reportedly make $7 million per year – a well-earned deal given he’s scored eight goals so far this season. "McKennie has been a powerful tool on both the right and left wings for [manager] Luciano Spalletti, winning the hearts of the fans, and he is now reaping the rewards of his daily hard work in training," Juventus said in a statement. Antonee ‘Jedi’ Robinson, Fullback, Fulham It’s a relief for USA fans to see Robinson in the "stock up" section here. Robinson went 90 for Fulham in a 1-0 loss to West Ham on Wednesday – it was his first Premier League appearance since Feb. 1 (he started in a FA Cup match vs. Stoke City on Feb. 15). He’d been dealing with a minor ankle issue, which was concerning because Robinson had previously missed so much time after recovering from a nagging knee injury. But playing the entire match and not having to gradually build up fitness is huge. Fulham next plays Southampton in a FA Cup match on Sunday. Josh Sargent, Striker, Toronto FC Finally, the saga is over. Sargent has left Norwich City and joined Toronto FC for a reported $22 million in fees. The striker signed a five-and-a-half year contract that will keep him with the MLS club through June 2031. While the drama surrounding Sargent’s desire to move closer to family in North America is behind him, what’s still ahead is the fact that there’s not much time left to impress Pochettino. Sargent has had his chances, but has struggled to score goals for the national team. Maybe if he can get off to a quick start in Toronto, things will be different? We'll see. His form may have dipped in the last month after he was demoted to train with the U21 team in Norwich while waiting for this transfer. Even so, it’s a net positive that he’s back in MLS ahead of a pivotal summer. Stock Down Diego Luna, Forward, Real Salt Lake Luna is still out with a knee injury and has not played in a match for his club yet this season. After a breakthrough season in 2025, Luna seemed like a lock to make Pochettino’s World Cup roster. He still should, but his availability for March camp will be key. RSL travels to Atlanta this weekend, so we’ll get a health update then. Matt Turner, Goalkeeper, New England Revolution Turner, who was the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper at the 2022 World Cup, lost his spot to Matt Freese less than a year ago. Freese, who plays for NYCFC, started the last 12 matches of 2025 for the U.S., including every game in last summer’s Gold Cup. Turner is the ultimate competitor and wants his spot back. So much so that he joined the Revs last summer on loan from Lyon through June 2026. He’s playing more now, which is a plus, but the club is 0-2 to start the season. Pochettino will have to see much more from him in order for Turner to replace Freese. Christian Pulisic, Forward, AC Milan Pulisic is going to be the face of the United States squad at the World Cup this summer. There’s no question about that at all. But his current form is mildly concerning. The star forward has not scored a goal in nine straight matches for AC Milan. If this drought continues, it will be an unfortunate story line that Pulisic will have to address during training camp later this month. Read More

​Tua Tagovailoa is coming off one of his worst seasons as a pro, throwing for 2,660 yards with 20 touchdown passes and a career-high 15 interceptions for an 88.5 passer rating. The Dolphins quarterback started 14 games last year before being benched for the final three in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers. Tagovailoa has struggled to stay healthy over his six NFL seasons, missing significant time due to concussion issues in addition to rib fractures, finger fractures and a back injury. However, the Alabama product has played winning football, posting a 44-32 record as a starter, reaching the playoffs once during his time in Miami and making the Pro Bowl in 2023 after leading the NFL in passing yards that season. Selected No. 5 overall in the 2020 draft, Tagovailoa is just 28 years old. Like Super Bowl-winning QB Sam Darnold — who bounced from the Jets to the Panthers to the 49ers to the Vikings to the Seahawks — he could restart his career in another spot. In fact, one NFL scout I spoke with compared Tagovailoa's situation to the spot Darnold was in just a few years ago. "Tua has three seasons where he was highly productive and that’s hard to ignore for a team looking for a starter," an NFL scout told me. "The new regime in Miami may be just the fit and the answer for him. But an overall change in scenery and fit might be it also, ala Darnold." The Dolphins would like to trade Tagovailoa but will likely have to cut him, designating him as a post-June 1 release to help pay down some of the $99.2 million in dead money on the books. Tagovailoa is due $54 million in guaranteed salary for the 2026 season, and $3 million of his 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the new league year next week. Here are three teams that would make sense for Tagovailoa to revive his career. 3. Arizona Cardinals The Cardinals are starting over — once again — by releasing quarterback Kyler Murray and hiring new head coach Mike LaFleur. The former Rams offensive coordinator brings with him a quarterback-friendly system that relies on running the football and the play-action game to take pressure off the QB to carry the offense. Arizona also is a warm-weather team that plays indoors, which would benefit a quarterback like Tagovailoa. He doesn't possess a strong arm, but he is accurate, throws with anticipation and excels as a play-action passer. He would give LaFleur a low-cost option who still has tread on the tires and could excel in his offensive system, serving as a bridge quarterback until the Cardinals find a long-term developmental prospect. [RELATED: 3 Best Team Fits for QB Kyler Murray in NFL Free Agency] 2. Atlanta Falcons New head coach Kevin Stefanski drafted a left-handed quarterback in Dillon Gabriel while coaching the Cleveland Browns. Stefanski now takes over a team with a left-handed quarterback as the team’s projected starter in Michael Penix Jr. So, why not bring in a left-handed quarterback in Tagovailoa to start until Penix returns from the partially torn ACL he suffered last November? Tagovailoa would be a good fit in Stefanski’s system, a West Coast-based scheme that leans on running the football and play-action passing. The Falcons play in a dome, which should serve Tagovailoa well. Plus, Atlanta has a solid offensive line and one of the best groups of offensive weapons in the league, led by running back Bijan Robinson, tight end Kyle Pitts and receiver Drake London. 1. Los Angeles Rams Rams coach Sean McVay helped to revive the career of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has had his best seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a 2022 stint in Los Angeles. And we’ve also seen transformations in the careers of QBs Darnold, Geno Smith and Daniel Jones after they left their original teams. Could Tagovailoa experience a similar turnaround serving as the backup to Matthew Stafford for a season in L.A.? There’s a decent chance that Rams backup Jimmy Garoppolo will have an opportunity to become a starter for another team in free agency. If that happens, Tagovailoa could sign with the Rams and learn for a year under McVay as the backup to Stafford. And if the 38-year-old NFL MVP decides to retire after the 2026 season, Tagovailoa would be in place to take over as the starter in 2027. Even if Stafford sticks around, working with the offensive guru McVay for a year could change the trajectory of Tagovailoa's career. He could find a starting job elsewhere in 2027 and rewrite the narrative of who he is as player in the league. Read More

​The NCAA has filed an appeal in the eligibility case of Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. In the appeal, filed Thursday with the Mississippi Supreme Court, the NCAA argues that Chambliss has "exhausted his eligibility" to play Division I football because he has already played four seasons in a five-year period, the maximum allowed under NCAA rules. A Mississippi judge last month granted Chambliss a preliminary injunction against college athletics’ governing body, giving him an extra year of eligibility that would allow him to play in 2026. The NCAA had previously denied Chambliss' request for a waiver. Chambliss began his college career at Ferris State in 2021, redshirted his first season and did not play in 2022 because of medical issues. He played two more seasons at the Division II school in Michigan, leading the Bulldogs to a national championship before transferring to Ole Miss before the start of last season. The 23-year-old Chambliss led the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Reporting by The Associated Press. Read More