NWSL

Trinity Rodman tops list of 21 best women players 21 or under | ESPN
Welcome to the next generation of women's stars age 21 or under, as players from England and the United States dominate.

San Diego Wave FC make big adjustments to win in North Carolina - LAG Confidential
Learn more about OL Reign’s next opponent.

Other women’s club soccer

Historic day for Minnesota Aurora FC ends in 1-1 draw with Green Bay Glory
A moment nearly a year in the making became a reality Thursday night at TCO Stadium in Eagan as Minnesota Aurora FC took the pitch for the first time in franchise history.

Star Female Athletes Are Fighting for More Financial Control—and Winning - WSJ ($)
Soccer player Alex Morgan and others are leveraging their growing popularity to push for change; ‘we’ve been undervalued as athletes our whole lives’

Lucy Bronze to leave Manchester City when contract expires this summer - BBC Sport
England defender Lucy Bronze will leave Manchester City when her contract with the club runs out on 30 June.

MLS

A week of optimism shrouded in sadness - LAG Confidential
We must do better.

LA Galaxy to host Sacramento Republic June 21 in U.S. Open Cup - LAG Confidential
The tournament march continues.

LAFC’s issue against the Galaxy? It’s all mental - Angels on Parade
Two perspectives on why LAFC keep biffing this game.

The story behind the most famous photo shoot in American soccer history - The Athletic
One summer day in 2002, U.S. national team stars posed for some photos. Seventeen years later, they still get people talking.

Other men’s club soccer

Overload risks footballers’ health, study finds, as Salah and Mané face game 70 | Soccer | The Guardian
A culture of overload in elite men’s football is putting players’ health at risk, a new Fifpro study has found, days before the Champions League final

OFFICIAL: Brenden Aaronson joins Leeds United - Through It All Together
He’s here. We've signed someone early in a window.

Brenden Aaronson officially transfers to Leeds United - Stars and Stripes FC
He joins the English club on July 1st

Kylian Mbappe: Ligue 1 president Vincent Labrune writes to La Liga boss Javier Tebas over 'attacks' - BBC Sport
The president of Ligue 1 says attacks by La Liga counterpart Javier Tebas over Kylian Mbappe's new deal at PSG are "unacceptable".

Pitch invasions: Football 'cannot gamble' over incidents - PFA - BBC Sport
Football "cannot afford to take the gamble" of a player or manager being seriously injured during a pitch invasion, says the PFA.

Uefa asked to make more space for wheelchairs at Champions League final | Champions League | The Guardian
Only 76 wheelchair-accessible spaces are available for the Champions League final despite 550 bays at Stade de France

‘Short and thin’ – Luis Díaz’s long road from Barrancas to Liverpool | Liverpool | The Guardian
We travel to the Colombian’s home town in La Guajira to speak to friends and family about the winger’s formative years

CBS goes all in with UEFA Champions League final: “We've finally found our groove” | US Soccer Players
Coordinating producer Pete Radovich talks about how CBS is covering the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League final and their different approach.

Premier League without VAR: Arsenal in Champions League, Man United out of Europe, Leeds relegated
Fans always argue about which Premier League teams get the better of the VAR decisions, and this season we aim to find the definitive answer.

US National Teams

Luca Koleosho hasn't closed the door on USMNT despite Canada call-up - source
Espanyol's Luca Koleosho has accepted a call-up from Canada but has not closed the door on representing the USMNT, a source has told ESPN.

Other international soccer

Canada Soccer cancels Iran friendly amid opposition
Canada Soccer has cancelled a friendly between the men's national team and Iran next month, the national governing body said on Thursday.

Chile name Argentine Berizzo as new coach after World Cup qualification failure
Argentine Eduardo Berizzo is the new coach of the Chilean national football team, replacing Uruguay's Martin Lasarte, the South American country's football federation announced on Thursday.

Puget Sound soccer

Culture

Giant Options | Unearthed Arcana | Dungeons & Dragons
Explore character options related to the magic and majesty of giants! This playtest document presents new subclasses for the barbarian, druid, and wizard, and a collection of new feats, all for use in Dungeons & Dragons.

How to Mashup D&D Sourcebooks For Versatile Storytelling - Posts - D&D Beyond
You’re thumbing through your copy of Candlekeep Mysteries, and your DM brain is starting to feel gears click into place. Already you imagine how you’ll present certain NPCs, the way you’ll milk the suspense of discovery for your players. There’s just one problem. You’re already deep into a campaign set in Wildemount, and there’s just no room in your schedule to run another game.

What to Watch

Friday

4:00 PM PT Orlando Pride vs Washington Spirit on CBS Sports Net. As a Reign fan I insist on a draw.

7:00 PM PT Las Vegas Lights vs El Paso Locomotive on ESPN+. Two playoff caliber sides deserve your attention. Go Locos, where former S2 coach John Hutchinson leads and Nick Hinds roams at left back.

Saturday

12:00 PM PT (that’s noon) Liverpool vs Real Madrid for the UEFA Champions League title on CBS/Univision/TUDN/Paramount+. One of these teams may earn the right to play the greatest team in Concacaf — us.

3:00 PM PT Los Angeles FC vs SJ Earthquakes on UniMas/TUDN/Twitter. As a Sounders fan I want a draw in every West v. West match.

6:00 PM PT Sporting KC vs Vancouver Whitecaps on ESPN+. This should be awful. Maybe even funny.

Sunday

12:00 PM PT US vs San Diego Wave at Lumen Field and on Paramount+. Bold Together.

3:00 PM PT LA Galaxy vs Austin on UniMas/TUDN/Twitter. I’d be fine with LA losing.

6:30 PM PT Seattle Sounders FC vs Charlotte FC on FS1 and Fox Deportes