Dribble Diaries

When NJ/NY Gotham FC announced the signing of Brazilian forward Gabi Portilho, who has a 2026 contract with a 2027 extension option, they managed to surprise everyone. Considering the titles and pivotal performances that this athlete utilized to alter the game's outcome on the field by utilizing her ingenuity and movements, it's not a small signing. The club is placing a wager on both her skill and her capacity to improve the team's standing in the NWSL. Between 2020 and 2024, 29-year-old Gabi Portilho established herself as a superb player for Corinthians. In addition to winning 15 crowns in five seasons, the stats speak for themselves: 162 games, 29 goals, and 24 assists. But what really makes her stand out is her deft footwork and deft dribbling. The talented Portilho is a quick attacker who generates, penetrates defenses, and helps her teammates win. She was a vital member of both the Brazilian National Team and Corinthians because of this exact technique. Portilho sc...

Whether Marta will play for the Orlando Pride, the NWSL champions, in 2025 is the biggest question. Orlando Pride, the NWSL Champion and Shield winner, is a strong contender for the 2025 campaign. Bringing Marta back on board is currently the biggest move. She is currently in negotiations with the organization. Orlando Pride captain Marta Da Silva was well-known throughout the world before she joined the team in 2017. From 2000 to 2009, she was listed as one of Sports Illustrated's Top 20 Female Athletes of the Decade. With 17 goals, she leads both the men's and women's totals and is the all-time World Cup goal leader. She has won FIFA Women's Player of the Year six times and is the first player to score at five World Cups. When this team won the NWSL Shield and Championship, she was the squad leader. Since 2019, they are the first squad to do that. More importantly, the Pride are now the first Orlando-based professional sports team to take home a major league trophy...

With the acquisition of the gifted goalkeeper Lorena from Brazil's national team, Kansas City Current took a step closer to securing its position as one of the top teams in women's soccer. With a 2027 contract that can be extended to 2028, this former Grêmio player has a strong portfolio and is prepared to have a direct impact on the team's performance the next season. Her arrival represents a bold investment in the team's future. It is rare for a NWSL team to sign a player who is renowned worldwide for her technical prowess. Lorena, who is only 26, has already shown that she has what it takes to be among the league's top goalkeepers. She is a vital member of Kansas City's team because of her consistent play, leadership, and decisive performances throughout her career. During her introduction, head coach Vlatko Andonovski used a lot of adjectives: "Lorena has proven to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world at the highest levels." This only show...

Marta is unquestionably the embodiment of greatness in women's soccer. However, until recently, the Brazilian monarch has never lifted the NWSL trophy. That all changed drastically in 2024, when she, at the age of 38, helped the Orlando Pride win their first league title. Marta ultimately capped off her storied career with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit, thanks to a goal from goal-scoring powerhouse Barbra Banda. Marta, 38, demonstrated to the world that age is just a number in a league brimming with young stars and athletes at the pinnacle of their physical abilities. Her season statistics? Incredible stats: 26 games, 11 goals, 1 assist, 52 vital passes, and 42 successful dribbles. Unreal, right? However, statistics only reveal half the story. What actually struck everyone was how she led her squad, both on and off the field, with an unrivaled sense of purpose and enthusiasm. The final was one of those nerve-racking games where every touch of the ball felt like it coul...

The USWNT's keys to victory in the Paris 2024 Olympics gold medal match put pressure on Emma Hayes' world-class players to execute one final outstanding performance in France. Since Emma Hayes came in the United States two months ago, the U.S. Women's National Team has witnessed a much-needed comeback. After a few disappointing years filled with performances unworthy of a gold medal or a World Cup, the Stars and Stripes have reestablished themselves as one of the powerhouses in women's soccer at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The USWNT won all five of their matches in France this summer, including a tough semi-finals encounter against Germany, and will now face Brazil for the gold medal on Saturday, August 10. If Hayes' team wants to leave Paris with the ultimate prize, they must overcome the Selecao, which France and Spain failed to do in the knockout stage. Here's a summary of four keys to victory for the USWNT ahead of their gold medal match. USWNT's keys to ...

"When you see everyone collecting medals left and right, you say to yourself: 'Now, it's our turn'," said France head coach Thierry Henry after his team qualified for the Men's Olympic Football Tournament final for the second time in their history. Henri Michel's squad won gold in the Los Angeles Games 40 years ago. Henry's team hopes to replicate this success on home grounds. Spain stands in their way; they are one win away from winning the country's second gold medal in the Men's Olympic Football Tournament. This would be a huge feat, similar to their predecessors' success in Barcelona in 1992. In the women's competition, the United States will look to win a record-extending fifth Women's Olympic Football Tournament gold medal when they face Brazil in Paris on Saturday. Emma Hayes' squad has won all of their games, but they have faced strong competition in the knockout rounds against Japan and Germany to keep their title dre...

The top leagues of European football begin next week, but there's enough of football to whet the appetite this weekend for what's in store in 2024-25. The Olympics, Football League, and Community Shield are among the appetizers coming up, and we've selected five must-see games for this weekend. Wrexham Vs Wycombe Wanderers Wrexham, the EFL's version of FC Hollywood, moves up the English football pyramid this season, returning to the third tier for the first time in two decades. Wrexham's high-profile ownership by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has created a whirlwind for the club, which is entering League One following two consecutive promotions. Five of the club's six summer acquisitions have moved down a division to join The Red Dragons, who will be confident of at least retaining their status. Given competition from big-spending Birmingham City, the addition of former Charlton captain George Dobson is a coup, while Dan Scarr has promoted from this divisio...

All four remaining teams in the Women's Olympic event will compete on Tuesday evening.   This is what occurred. Brazil triumphs over defensively frail Spain. Brazil advanced to the Olympic final against the United States with a wild 4-2 victory over Spain. Disaster struck Spain early on as the ball was returned to goalkeeper Cata Coll, who mishit her clearance into Brazil's Priscilla, which rebounded off Irene Paredes and into the net. Spain gradually recovered and gained a footing in the game, but just as Brazil surprised them at the start of the first half, they did it again at the conclusion. Gabi Portilho headed home a wonderful cross from Yasmin deep into additional time, giving Spain enough to think about at halftime. In the second half, Spain was not looking like themselves, and they were punished by a powerful Brazil when Adriana ultimately nodded home after her initial attempt had hit the bar and pinged about the penalty area. Salma Paralluelo headed home from a ...

Marta had intended to end her international football career on a high note, but not like this. Following her participation in the Olympics, the Brazil captain is set to conclude a glittering career on the international scene. Marta's swansong may have been cut short when she was sent off shortly before halftime in Wednesday's Group C match against Spain. The 38-year-old was given a straight red card for a high-footed lunge that struck La Roja's World Cup-winning hero Olga Carmona in the head. Is this Marta's last appearance on the big stage?