Jose Mourinho

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez announced that Mourinho has agreed to leave the club after this season. Mourinho and Real Madrid will part ways by “mutual consent,” and neither party will pay any compensation to the other, according to the Guardian.

“We had a frank conversation, we analyzed a number of things, and we took the decision that after three years it was time to end the relationship,” Perez said. “It is never nice when you have to leave but we thought it was the right decision.

“The balance of Mourinho’s time here is positive. We have made a very important qualitative leap and we are back where this club should be. For six years we were knocked out at the last 16 of the Champions League and were not even seeds. We have now been semi-finalists three years in a row. Maybe for mere mortals that would be enough but not for a club like us. We are not satisfied because this club is so demanding but you have to look at where we came from. The word ‘failure’ is not appropriate.”

Mourinho took charge in 2010 after winning the UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan. His first two seasons were largely successful, as Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey in 2011 and La Liga (Spain’s first division) in record-breaking fashion in 2012. He signed a new contract (which was supposed to expire in 2016) last summer, but things soured in the Spanish capital shortly afterwards.

Fissures which formed between Mourinho, star players and senior club officials during those first two seasons became chasms in the third. He repeatedly clashed with Sergio Ramos, Iker Casillas and Mezut Ozil in the early days of the 2012-13 campaign, which was part of the reason Real Madrid sputtered at the start of the season.

Reports of unrest in the dressing room dominated the headlines from August through November. In early December, reports saying the relationship between Mourinho and Perez had completely broken down emerged in the Spanish press. They claimed that Mourinho would leave the club in June and were ultimately proved correct.

Real Madrid hopes to replace Mourinho with current PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti. Ancelotti wants the job, but he has one year remaining on his contract. PSG has denied his and Real Madrid’s requests for permission to speak. That could change if the two clubs reach a compensation agreement.

Meanwhile, Mourinho is widely expected to replace Rafa Benitez as Chelsea’s manager, but he could also take the PSG job if it opens up. The return of “The Special One” to Stamford Bridge will be one of the summer’s most anticipated moves. He will reportedly look to bring Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo  back to England with him, but Real Madrid, Manchester United and PSG will do everything in their power to ensure that does not happen.

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The 2012-13 English Player of the Year is set to sign a new contract with Tottenham, which should keep him at White Hart Lane for at least one more season, the London Evening Standard reports.

“Standard Sport understands the Wales international, who scored his 31st goal of the season in the 1-0 win over Sunderland yesterday, has committed his future to the club with a £130,000-a-week deal and will remain at White Hart Lane next season,” the report says.

“An announcement is expected to be made by the club shortly, which will provide Tottenham fans with a huge lift after losing their bid to beat Arsenal to a place in the top four.”

Bale, 23, signed a new contract after the 2011-12 season, but this latest one rewards him for yet another fine campaign. He led Spurs to a fifth-place finish in the league and the quarterfinal of the UEFA League. His fine form, especially in the second half of the season, saw him sweep the player of the year awards and add polish to an already glistening reputation.

Tottenham operates under tight salary constraints, but it is prepared to break it in order to give Bale a raise. A host of top clubs are reportedly interested in signing him, with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City and PSG in hot pursuit. Tottenham has no interest in selling the 23-year-old, as it hopes to build a team around him that is capable of challenging for domestic and European titles.

Tottenham has sold many of its star players in recent years, but it seems to be holding firm on Bale. Exactly how long it can keep him in North London remains to be seen. The report adds that Bale’s contract contains a clause which would allow him to leave in the summer of 2014 if an interested team offers over  £50 million ($76.1 million) for him.

Next summer is a long way off, and Bale will be a transfer target this summer. His new contract protects his value and strengthens his ties with Tottenham. It also makes it more difficult for another team to tempt him to force a transfer for the sake of more money. He already got it from a place he loves and is loved in return.

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On Sunday, the Chelsea reserve goalkeeper’s son scored a goal that will go down as the cutest moment the club has produced in ages.

The toddler dribbled a ball toward the goal, captivating the crowd which urged him on. It literally stole the show, as veteran fullback Paulo Ferreira stopped in the middle of his farewell speech (he’s retiring after nine seasons as a Chelsea player) to watch young Turnbull.

The crowd and goal scorer celebrated with gusto, putting an exclamation point at the end of Chelsea’s strange and turbulent season.

See young Turnbull’s goal in the video below.

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Franck Ribery

The French winger scored one of the best goals of the  2012-13 season on Saturday, displaying perfect technique as he volleyed home a shot with power and precision. It was the second of two goals he scored on a day when he was at his absolute best.

Ribery’s superb strike came in the second half of Bayern Munich’s 4-3 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach. The thrilling contest marked the end of a fine Bundesliga campaign for rampant Ribery and record-breaking Bayern.

Ribery scored 10 goals (and added 15 assists) in the 27 league games in which he played, saving the best for last.

Although he captured the 2007–08 German Footballer of the Year award (after an outstanding first season at Bayern), manager Jupp Heynckes thinks 2012-13 has been the pinnacle of his impressive career, according to FIFA.com.

“Franck’s having a superb season, probably the best of his career It’s no real surprise he scored twice,” Heynckes said. “He’s been unbelievably team-oriented the whole season. That’s where he’s come on incredibly.”

Ribery and Bayern hope to stay at the top over for a little while longer. They face domestic rivals Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday and Stuttgart German cup final on June 1.

Ribery will have a busy summer after the ball stops rolling. He hopes to sign a contract extension, which would give him the chance to end his career at Bayern. French club Paris Saint-Germain is monitoring the situation, and it could launch a transfer bid if Ribery doesn’t sign a new contract.

The contract isn’t even Ribery’s most pressing summer issue. The 30-year-old will stand trial in June after he had sex with an underage prostitute in 2008. He could face up to three years in prison  if he is convicted in a French court of paying to have sex with a minor.

Observers would never know Ribery has trouble in mind judging by his recent play and moments like this.

See Ribery’s volley in the video below.

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The 38-year-old burst into tears as he walked off the field in his final game as a player. The emotional moment brought the Ligue 1 (French first division) game between Paris Saint-Germain and Brest to a temporary halt, as Beckham’s PSG teammates hugged him one-by-one before he made his way to the bench.

Beckham was used mainly as a substitute during his four-month stay in Paris, but he took center stage on Saturday. He captained his team, started in the midfield and even had an assist during the 81-minute finale.

When Beckham’s number was called, the crowd at PSG’s Parc des Princes (which included former French President Nicolas Sarkozy) chanted his name and gave him a standing ovation. The fans were joined by both sets of players and coaches. The former England captain could not hold back the tears as his 20-year career came to a close.

Beckham said he struggled to keep his emotions in check for most of the second half, according to the Associated Press.

“To end my career in front of a crowd like that, with players like that, it’s very special,” he said. “It started about 20 minutes before that, to be honest. I started thinking and then, you know, I couldn’t concentrate by then, and it was difficult. You know, you try to hold the emotion back because it is what it is, but it’s difficult.”

Beckham is a world-famous celebrity, but his iconic status rode on the back of his considerable soccer success. He always put the game ahead of his many extra-curricular activities, which makes the emotional send-off a fitting one.

See Beckham’s final moments as a professional soccer player in the video below.

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Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@Squawka

An Australian television personality fell victim to a classic teleprompter prank Wednesday. It was something straight out of the hit movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

The real-life television host was reading a script off of the teleprompter as highlights of Chelsea’s victory over Benfica in the Europa League final were broadcast. Everything was going according to plan until she reached the end of her prepared remarks: “The Blues defeating Portuguese side Benfica in Amsterdam …”

It was there that a colleague added a little treat to the end of her script, and the host couldn’t help but read all the way to the end.

See the hilarious prank in the video below.

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Beckham’s ability to strike a dead ball — hitting it over a wall of defenders with power and making it dip or swerve past a goalkeeper with grace — set him apart from his peers. It was a weapon his teams used to their advantage, as any free-kick inside of 40 yards instantly became a scoring opportunity.

Beckham converted 65 of them into goals during his illustrious playing career. He scored 29 for Manchester United, 14 for Real Madrid, 12 for the L.A. Galaxy, seven for England’s national team, two for Preston North End and one for AC Milan. Of the 114 goals Beckham scored between 1993 and 2013, more than half came from set pieces.

Beckham announced his retirement on Thursday, effective at the end of PSG’s 2012-13 season. Fans and pundits are recalling his finest moments, many of which include his free-kicks. We’re all familiar with the feeling of anticipation as he ran up to the ball. The same applies to that feeling of déjà vu we felt as the ball nestled in the back of the net.

Watch all 65 of Beckham’s free-kick goals in the video below.

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The Chelsea captain missed his team’s UEFA Europa League final against Benfica with an ankle injury, but you’d never know it based on the trophy presentation and victory lap. Terry participated in the postgame celebrations wearing his full Chelsea uniform.

The sight wouldn’t be so strange had Terry not spent the entire game wearing a slick suit complete with a matching tie and vest. But Branislav Ivanovic scored the winning goal late in stoppage time, and Terry ran off to change. He emerged minutes later wearing Chelsea’s jersey, shorts and socks.

Frank Lampard captained Chelsea in Terry’s absence, but he shared the honor of lifting the Europa League trophy with the injured Terry.

Chelsea winger Eden Hazard missed the final because of a hamstring injury. He wore a suit during the game and kept it on for the postgame revelry.

Terry became the butt of many Internet jokes last year when he traded his suit for a uniform at the UEFA Champions League final. Once again, but changed into his full uniform to hold the European Cup aloft with Lampard. The only difference was that he missed last year’s Champions League final due to suspension.

Terry holds the Europa Leauge trophy in full Chelsea gear below.

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Rogers is the subject of trade talks between Major League Soccer’s L.A. Galaxy and Chicago Fire. The Galaxy are hoping to acquire his rights, which would pave the way for his return to professional soccer and MLS, FOX Soccer reports.

“The Galaxy is officially interested in getting his rights, in having the right to sign him,” Fire president of soccer operations Javier Leon said Tuesday. “We’re going to have a conversation with them about what it would take to consider giving up on a player that we feel strongly would be a starter on our team.

“If at this moment the Galaxy are going to say they want him, we would expect to get a similar value. Therefore we will speak to them and we’ll listen to what they have to stay.”

Rogers is out of contract and has been practicing with the Galaxy in recent weeks, which suggests he is considering making a comeback. He reportedly would only consider playing in Los Angeles so he can be close to his hometown and family.

The 26-year-old most recently played in England with Leeds United and Stevenage. Prior to that, he starred in MLS with the Columbus Crew, where he was part of teams that captured the MLS Cup in 2008 and the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2009. He also played 18 games for the U.S. national team between 2009-11. Columbus traded Rogers’ MLS rights to Chicago in February (before his announcement), meaning the Galaxy must work out a deal with the Fire in order to acquire him.

NBA veteran Jason Collins revealed his homosexuality in April, but he is a free agent and not currently on a roster. If Rogers returns to the field with the Galaxy, he would become the first openly gay male professional athlete to play a major team sport in North America.

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Roberto Mancini

Mancini was fired as Manchester City’s manager on Monday, exactly one year after ending the club’s 44-year quest for domestic supremacy. He departs after three-and-a-half years, two major trophies and one long-running saga about his job security.

“Despite everyone’s best efforts, the club has failed to achieve any of its stated targets this year, with the exception of qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League,” a club statement said.

“This, combined with an identified need to develop a holistic approach to all aspects of football at the club, has meant that the decision has been taken to find a new manager for the 2013-14 season and beyond.”

Two words in City’s statement, ”failed” and “holistic,” are more important than all others, for they sum up Mancini’s exciting, yet turbulent, reign at the Etihad Stadium.

Overall, Mancini was no failure as City’s manager. Winning the Premier League and FA Cup ensures that label can’t stick. The tangible success City achieved on his watch ended generations of fans’ suffering, and his reputation remains intact in England, Italy and beyond. He won’t see out the last four years of his £7.5 million-a-year [$11.5. million] contract, but he’ll begin his job search with a pocket stuffed with one year’s salary severance pay. Napoli, AS Roma, Inter Milan, AC Milan, PSG, AS Monaco and Chelsea are just a few of the clubs that are reportedly interested in hiring him. Others will emerge in the coming weeks.

But Mancini’s time at City wasn’t exactly successful either. He joined the world’s richest club in December 2009, spent close to £300 million ($458 million) assembling his squad, won and lost leagues and cups and couldn’t advance past the group stage of the UEFA Champions League … before he lost his job.

The real failure is that the 2012-13 campaign will go down as a missed opportunity for both Mancini and City. They stunned Manchester United and other domestic rivals by winning the league last season. Had they built on that success and progressed on the field, all the talk would be about City’s looming era of domination and its bright future under Mancini. Instead, both club and manager must assess what happened, reset themselves and put things right next season.

City’s stalled for a number of reasons, many of which concern the second keyword: “holistic.” There was a fundamental disconnect between how Mancini behaved and how he should have behaved in these unique times and circumstances.

Mancini’s job was under threat as late as April 2012 when it looked like United would win the league. United collapsed, City surged to victory and Mancini was rewarded with a lucrative, five-year contract extension. Normally, this would have strengthened his position, as the new deal represented the full support of owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak.

But everything changed — first in August when Ferran Soriano was hired as City’s new CEO, then in October when Soriano recruited another former Barcelona administrator, Txiki Begiristain, as director of football. The club started moving forward and Mancini wasn’t the one driving. He acted like he was, and that won him few friends when (and where) it counted.

Mancini’s man-management shortcomings saw him clash with star players — including captain Vincent Kompany and goalkeeper Joe Hart – both publicly and privately. He repeatedly blamed City’s failure to strengthen in the summer transfer market, particularly its fizzled pursuit of Robin van Persie, as the main reason for its weak title defense (doing so both in public and in private).

Mancini’s inability (or unwillingness) to strengthen ties between City’s youth and senior teams is another oft-cited reason for his dismissal. The same can be said about his personal relationships with senior officials, especially youth director Brian Marwood in addition to Soriano and Begiristain.

By most accounts Mancini was aloof and abrasive with players and bosses inside the walls of the club, while he came across as combative and domineering when discussing them in public. Could he still train players, prepare for opponents and manage egos in the dressing room? Yes, but his attempts at exerting total control at the very time when he lost itleft him isolated, an island unto himself. Mancini either would not or could not adapt to changing circumstances. Players and bosses saw this months ago. It was made clear to the public Monday.

Some say Mancini’s firing was too harsh or ruthless and that he should have been given another year on the job. City was out of the Champions League in December, Mario Balotelli (Mancini’s troubled but talented “son”) was sold to Milan in January and United all but wrapped up the league title by late February. City bosses would have been well within their rights to fire him two months ago. They might have looked better had they done so before news of their courtship of Manuel Pellegrini turned Mancini into an object of sympathy. Mancini’s clandestine 2009 arrival creates a strange symmetry to the whole affair.

The end of Mancini’s era is holistic failure on his and the club’s part. There’s a thin line between success and failure at the elite level of the game, and Mancini’s final season shows what can (and often does) happen when all members of an institution aren’t pulling in the same direction. City finished second in the league, runner up in the FA Cup — a record which fails to meet the demands of the club’s 10-year plan.  Blame the owners. Blame Soriano, Begiristain and Marwood. Blame Kompany, Hart and the other players. Certainly blame Mancini. For years, City has had a reputation as a bit of a madhouse. The estimated $1 billion Mansour has poured into the club since 2008 hasn’t really changed that perception, and that is one expensive and holistic failure in itself.

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The 18-year-old goalkeeper made his professional debut for Moldovan soccer team Milsami-Ursidos on Saturday, and he won’t soon forget what happened. Mitu scored one of the worst own-goals in soccer history … just ten minutes into the game.

After making a save, Mitu got up and tried to throw the ball to a defender. The ball had other ideas, as it slipped out of his hand and went straight into the goal.

The gaffe clearly embarrassed Mitu, but he kept his composure in the immediate aftermath. His teammates and coaches followed suit and didn’t yell at him. They didn’t want to make matters worse for the young shot-stopper.

However, opponents Rapid Ghidighici took care of that for Mitu. They scored a last-minute goal to win the game 2-1.

Mitu has the rest of his career to make amends for that error, but don’t expect him to replace Victor Valdes as Barcelona’s No. 1 this summer.

See Mitu’s shocking own-goal in the video below.

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Coentrao was at the center of one of the soccer season’s great bloopers on Saturday. The Portuguese fullback sat on the bench — as he often does — just before Real Madrid’s game against Espanyol. The problem is that he wasn’t supposed to be there.

Coentrao wasn’t included in Real Madrid’s 18-man gameday squad, meaning he should have been watching the game from a luxury box alongside Pepe, Sergio Ramos and other spectating teammates.

As Coentrao sat down, Iker Casillas (who has grown increasingly familiar to the view from the bench) was the only one who seemed to notice something wrong. Casillas whispered something to Coentrao — we’ll bet it was “what are you doing here?” — but it still didn’t register.

It was only after Coentrao’s other teammates caught on and started mocking him that he realized his mistake. He got up to leave, but it was already too late. Under-fire manager Jose Mourinho joined in the fun. Cristiano Ronaldo then confirmed what most were thinking: Coentrao’s a bit of a space cadet.

Watch Coentrao take the seat of shame in the video below.

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The veteran midfielder is set to extend his Chelsea career into its 13th year. The Blues will offer him a new contract this week which he will happily sign, according to the Mail.

“And it also appears that — almost by weight of public demand — the west London club will award one of football’s nice guys with a further 12-month contract extension,” the report says.

Lampard’s good news comes just days after he broke the club’s all-time goal-scoring record. He scored twice on Saturday — his 202nd and 203rd goals in Chelsea colors — to pass Bobby Tambling‘s longstanding mark.

For much of the season, it looked like Chelsea would decline the chance to keep Lampard and let him leave as a free agent this summer. His existing contract expires in June and the L.A. Galaxy were leading the chase for Lampard, having offered him a lucrative contact to come to Major League Soccer.

Lampard considered the offer, but he always preferred to keep his family in England and finish his career at Stamford Bridge.

“I’d love to carry on as long as I feel I can do and I feel I’m fit,” Lampard told Sky Sports on Saturday. “I’d love to do that, for another three or four years. I’d love to emulate those boys.

“Ryan Giggs [has] got an aura around him. All the players at the club look up to him. He’s the mark.”

At the beginning of 2013, Chelsea was determined to move on from the era of the “Old Guard” (a group of influential veterans including Lampard, captain John Terry and Ashley Cole), but public pressure and the expected return of Jose Mourinho have made the Blues slow their revolution, according to the Star.

“Manager-in-waiting Jose Mourinho has persuaded owner Roman Abramovich to reward the club’s record scorer with a new contract, similar to the one fellow England star Ashley Cole signed earlier in the season.

“Chelsea had hoped to announce his deal prior to Wednesday’s [UEFA] Europa Cup Final against Benfica.

“But it is understood Lampard’s agent, Steve Kutner, was yesterday [Sunday] still trying to net the best possible terms.”

Lampard became a Chelsea and Premier League legend by marrying his talent with a fierce determination and commitment to professionalism. Those qualities helped him score double figures in the Premier League for ten straight seasons. His coaches, teammates and fans never lost sight of that legacy and they have seemingly made sure that Chelsea directors don’t either.

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Photo via Facebook/Chelsea Football Club

Mancini will be fired from his job as Manchester City’s manager this week after failing to build on last season’s success. Malaga manager Manuel Pellegrini is the overwhelming favorite to replace Mancini on the City bench, according to  the Telegraph.

“While his departure has yet to be confirmed, the Telegraph understands that his contract will be terminated before City depart for a post-season trip to the United States next Monday [May 20] and that the home game against Norwich City on May 19 will be his last — unless the club acts before the Reading clash,” the report says.

“Mancini’s hopes of seeing out the remaining four years of his £7.5 million-a-year [$11.5. million] contract are over, however, with the only issue now revolving around the timing of his dismissal.”

Mancini will leave City after three-and-a-half years of turbulent excitement at the Etihad Stadium. He oversaw the club’s rise to the forefront of the English game by assembling and managing a star-studded squad to unprecedented success. He helped end a 35-year wait for a major trophy when City captured the FA Cup in 2011. He guided City to glory in 2011-12, capturing the Premier League title and ending a 44-year search for domestic supremacy.

But City’s progress stalled in 2012-13, as it failed to advance out of the UEFA Champions League group stage, finished a distant second to Manchester United in the Premier League and lost to Wigan in the FA Cup final on Saturday. Although Mancini signed a lucrative contract extension last summer, his failure to hit specified targets this season has no reportedly prompted City’s board to part ways with the Italian.

Mancini retained the fans’ support throughout this difficult season, but he publicly clashed with the board and a number of players at various points. Mancini repeatedly assured the media that he had the backing of City owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, but that changed in late April when Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football, met with Pellegrini’s agent, Jesus Martinez, in Madrid. Mancini’s contribution to the club’s trophy case and impressive win percentage of 59.2 (forged over 191 games) was not enough to keep the confidence of City’s decision-makers.

City’s Abu Dhabi-based owners have grand ambitions for the club, and they have already spent untold riches to take City to the top of the English game. But they want more and have entrusted Begiristain and CEO Ferran Soriano with the task of positioning City for long-term success. If Mancini thought he was an essential part of those future plans, he was wrong.

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David Moyes

Moyes will replace Sir Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United on July 1. The current Everton manager signed a six-year contract with the Red Devils on Thursday, according to ESPN.

“It’s a great honor to be asked to be the next manager of Manchester United,” Moyes said. “I am delighted that Sir Alex [Ferguson] saw fit to recommend me for the job. I have great respect for everything he has done and for the football club.

“I know how hard it will be to follow the best manager ever, but the opportunity to manage Manchester United isn’t something that comes around very often and I’m really looking forward to taking up the post next season.”

The 50-year-old Scotsman built a reputation as one of Britain’s top young managers by working wonders at Everton with a limited budget. His departure ends an 11-year tenure at Goodison Park. His current contract expires in June, so United will not have pay Everton compensation to land its man.

“I have had a terrific job at Everton, with a tremendous chairman and board of directors and a great set of players,” Moyes added. “Between now and the end of the season, I will do everything in my power to make sure we finish as high as possible in the table.

“Everton’s fantastic fans have played a big part in making my years at Goodison so enjoyable and I thank them wholeheartedly for the support they have given me and the players. Everton will be close to me for the rest of my life.”

Ferguson was instrumental in the decision to pursue Moyes, believing that his successor has the ability to carry on the legacy he created over 26-plus years.

“When we discussed the candidates that we felt had the right attributes we unanimously agreed on David Moyes,” the outgoing United manager said. “David is a man of great integrity with a strong work ethic. I’ve admired his work for a long time and approached him as far back as 1998 to discuss the position of assistant manager here. He was a young man then at the start of his career and has since gone on to do a magnificent job at Everton. There is no question he has all the qualities we expect of a manager at this club.”

United director and icon Bobby Charlton says United will stay on course under the new manager. He thinks Moyes’ arrival represents the continuity and long-term thinking that were hallmarks of the Ferguson era.

“I have always said that we wanted the next manager to be a genuine Manchester United man,” Charlton said. “In David Moyes, we have someone who understands the things that make this such a special club. We have secured a man who is committed to the long-term and will build teams for the future as well as now. Stability breeds success.

“David has tremendous strength of character and recognizes the importance of bringing young players through and developing them alongside world-class talent. At United, I think David will be able to express himself. I’m delighted he has accepted and I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Moyes will inherit a Premier League title-winning squad which doesn’t much of a makeover. One of his first challenges will be to sort out Wayne Rooney‘s future (the star forward wants to leave the club this summer), but he’s already done that once before — in 2004 at Everton. Whatever else the future has in store for Moyes at United, he will have the backing of club heavyweights as he takes on the coming challenges.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Henry scored both goals in the New York Red Bulls’ 2-1 victory over the Montreal Impact on Wednesday night, but it was his second that is grabbing headlines around the world.

The veteran forward netted in the 88th minute using a bicycle kick. He had his back to the Impact goal but still managed to strike the ball powerfully and accurately. It is undoubtedly a leading contender for 2013 MLS’ “Goal of the Year” award.

Henry, 35, joined the Red Bulls in 2010 as a “designated player” — a distinction which allows MLS teams to pay star players (like David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Denilson) wages which exceed the salary cap. The former Arsenal and Barcelona star’s $4.4 million salary tops MLS. It’s not hard to see why.

Watch Henry’s wonder-goal in the video below.

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Thumbnail photo via Facebook/Thierry Henry

The English soccer star is determined to leave Manchester United this summer, having told outgoing manager Sir Alex Ferguson in late April that he is looking for a fresh start, according to the Telegraph.

Ferguson’s response to Rooney was that United would not sell him, and on Wednesday, a United spokesperson said “Wayne Rooney is not for sale.”

Rooney reportedly did not submit a formal transfer request, but he could do so in the coming weeks or months if he chooses to.

Bayern Munich, AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain are closely monitoring Rooney’s situation with an eye on launching a transfer bid for him, but they face competition from one of United’s domestic rivals.

“It is understood that Rooney, 27, has no desire to move away from the Premier League and that Chelsea is his most likely destination,” the Telegraph reports.

Interested clubs are expected to bid around £25 million ($38.9 million) to £30 million ($46.7) for the United forward. Chelsea has already made contact with Rooney’s agent and Blues’ owner Roman Abramovich has personally sanctioned a £30 million transfer, according to the Mirror.

Rooney’s future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months, as his status on the team has diminished this season. Ferguson has made Robin van Persie the focal point of the United attack, and he now uses Rooney as a support striker or attacking midfielder instead of playing him closer to the opponents’ goal as in prior campaigns.

Rooney’s role was made clear in early March when Ferguson left him out of the starting lineup in a crucial UEFA Champions League game against Real Madrid. Reports claiming Ferguson had become frustrated with Rooney’s ongoing fitness issues and was ready to sell him dominated the headlines in the days following United’s Champions League exit.

Rooney’s contract expires in 2015, but it is common for players to either sign extensions or face transfers as they approach the final year of their existing deals. He is United’s highest-paid player, reportedly earning £250,000 a week. United officials are thought to be hesitant to continue making such a financial commitment to a player whose best days might be in the past.

Rooney and Ferguson clashed in October 2010 when the star forward requested a transfer, saying United lacked ambition. Ferguson convinced Rooney to sign a new contract five days later. The two were again at odds in December 2011 when Rooney broke curfew and Ferguson benched him in United’s next game.

But Ferguson will retire at the end of May. David Moyes will succeed the legendary United manager, and one of his first tasks as manager will be to address Rooney’s situation. It’s an interesting bit of symmetry, as it was Everton manager Moyes who sold Rooney to United in  2004 for £27 ($40.7 million).

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The Revolution acquired Juan Agudelo on Tuesday, trading allocation money to Chivas USA in exchange for the 20-year-old forward. Agudelo is expected to join the team later this week, according to a club statement.

“We’re very pleased we were able to complete this deal with Chivas USA,” Revolution general manager Michael Burns said. “While Juan is a young player with tremendous potential, he also already has a lot of experience both inside our league and internationally with the U.S. National Team. We believe Juan will improve our attack and make us a better team.”

Agudelo is a fourth-year MLS player, and the Revs will be his third team. He also has 17 appearances with the U.S. Men’s National Team, despite his young age.

He burst onto the scene in late 2010 when he debuted for hometown club New York Red Bulls. His impressive performances earned him a call-up to the senior national team, where he was a regular for much of 2011.

But his form dipped in 2012, as he struggled to break into the Red Bulls’ starting lineup. He was traded to Chivas USA in May 2012 and went on to make 26 appearances, scoring five goals and adding four assists.

Agudelo’s presence should strengthen the Revs’ attack which has scored just four goals in eight games this season (joint-worst in MLS). Forwards Jerry Bengston, Saer Sene, Diego Fagundez, Chad Barrett and Dimitry Imbongo face newfound competition in Agudelo, which should help the Revs ease their scoring woes.

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Photo via Facebook/Chivas USA

The Manchester United manager is considering retiring after this season, and he could make an announcement as early as this week, the Telegraph reports.

Ferguson, 71, has been United’s manager since 1986. The Red Devils clinched the 2012-13 Premier League title last month — their 13th under the legendary United boss.

It was thought that Ferguson would remain in charge for at least another season (perhaps grooming David Moyes to become his successor), but rumors saying he would step down immediately have gathered steam this week.

United’s press office has not commented on the reports. The club is partially listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and rules require it to promptly disclose information about changes to its management.

“With United now forced to adhere to the strict rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange in terms of the release of significant information relating to the running of the club following last August’s partial flotation, any change of management would fall within those requirements,” the Telegraph reports.

“As of Tuesday night, no statement over Ferguson’s future had been issued by United.

“However, with sources close to the players confirming that the squad’s golf day had been overshadowed by suggestions that the Scot would be making an announcement ahead of Sunday’s clash with Swansea at Old Trafford, any ongoing uncertainty is unlikely to be allowed to continue to the point where it would affect the confidence of investors and, in turn, United’s New York share price.”

Ferguson has been bullish about United’s future prospects in recent weeks. In his program notes ahead of last Sunday’s game against Chelsea, Ferguson said he looked forward to leading United into a new era of dominance.

“We will get better and if we apply ourselves in our normal fashion, I see our 20th league title as nothing but the start of another decade of success,” Ferguson wrote.

“Whether I will be here to oversee another decade of success remains to be seen, but I certainly don’t have any plans at the moment to walk away from what I believe will be something special and worth being around to see.”

The has often said his health would be a deciding factor in deciding when to retire. He will reportedly have an operation on his hip during the offseason, and some expect the procedure to keep him off the sidelines until September (next season starts in mid-August).

Few would have foreseen Ferguson walking away after winning the title in such emphatic fashion, but that appears to be a possibility.

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Last week, Calderon scored a once-in-a-lifetime goal by controlling the ball, flicking it up to himself, falling to the ground, then expertly finishing the volley while still lying on the grass.

The veteran Ecuadoran striker couldn’t have picked a better time to perform the feat. He struck early in the second half of the Quito, Ecuador, derby between his team, Deportivo Quito and local foes LDU Quito. His team was leading 1-0 when he scored. His volley secured the win and gave Deportivo fans something to brag about until the end of time.

Watch Calderon’s strike in the video below.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.