World Football

Kevin Durant reportedly is now a minority stakeholder in French soccer giant Paris Saint-Germain, according to Peter Rutzler of The Athletic and football reporter Fabrizio Romano.

Rutzler reported that, "According to sources with knowledge of the agreement—granted anonymity to protect relationships—Durant's investment firm Boardroom has bought a 'single digit millions' shareholding in the Arctos fund which has invested in PSG."

Boardroom, the media and entertainment brand co-founded by Durant, confirmed his investment into PSG on Monday:

The club, meanwhile, shared a video two days ago of Durant touring the PSG facilities:

The U.S. private investment firm previously purchased a 12.5 percent stake in PSG, per Rutzler. Durant reportedly met with club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi last week during his stay in France for the Paris Olympics.

"It was an honour to welcome Kevin Durant to the Campus today and to witness his passion for Paris Saint-Germain and his recognition of the excellent sports facilities at our new PSG Campus training centre," said Al-Khelaifi said following Durant's tour of the club.

"Kevin is an inspirational athlete, investor and all-round role model, both on and off the pitch," he continued. "We are extremely proud of his connection to the Paris Saint-Germain family as we share the same values and vision. We look forward to strengthening our ties and working together with Kevin and Boardroom to bring the best in sport and entertainment to fans around the world."

It is unclear if PSG—which also has teams in women's soccer, handball, judo and esports—is interested in branching off to basketball as well. Many European clubs renowned for soccer, like Spain's Real Madrid and Barcelona, also have successful basketball teams.

If the club did go that route, Durant would be a logical advisor, given his successful NBA career that has included two championships, an MVP award, 14 All-Star Game nods and four scoring titles.

Musician Drake reportedly helped to raise €40 million ($43.7 millIon) to help save Italian soccer club Venezia from bankruptcy.

"I got a call from Brad Katsuyama, co-owner of Venezia and a good friend of mine. He explained the problem to me in a simple way: Venezia has to raise €10 million in a couple of weeks, and then at least €30 million in a few months, or the club will go bankrupt," Drake's chief brand officer and a part of his management team, Matte Babel, told the Italian edition of GQ (h/t Francesco Porzio of CBS Sports). "Venezia is an incredible city, and Venezia has always been a special club. I spoke to Drake, then Brad, and I discussed the details of how we could help. Within two weeks, we had a deal, and raised the money needed to pay salaries and avoid bankruptcy."

GQ Italia noted that a number of North American investors joined the efforts and Venezia's ownership group created an Operating Committee to "oversee the strategic direction of the club," (h/t Michael Saponara of Billboard).

In addition, the Italian club made a sponsorship deal with Drake's NOCTA line at Nike.

Venezia, which is based in the Italian city of Venice, has been an operating club since 1907. It has spent 38 seasons in Serie B and 13 seasons in Serie A, and was promoted to Italy's top flight this past season. The club's best finish came in the 1941-42 campaign, when it finished third in Serie A.

Drake is no stranger to the world of sports and sports betting, often popping up courtside at Toronto Raptors games.

"Matte was my first call when I knew the club needed help," Katsuyama told GQ. "Drake's value to any football club is undeniable, given his scale as a global superstar and the reach of his brand. This intersection of culture and sport is exactly where we want to be, and the chance to collaborate with a brand like NOCTA, who is moving along the same lines, is incredibly valuable."

France and Spain will clash Friday in the finale of the Olympic Men's Soccer tournament, a battle between the two best teams throughout the two-week tournament.

Both teams tout explosive offenses capable of putting the ball in the net, seemingly at will, while France possesses a defense that has conceded just one goal all tournament long. It will be a showdown of strengths on one of the grandest stages in international play.

Find out when and where to watch the high-stakes game, as well as the players who will undoubtedly influence the outcome, with this preview of the gold medal match-up.

Viewing Info

Time: 12:00 p.m. EST

TV: USA Network, Telemundo

Streaming: Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, fuboTV

The Match-Up

Each team features a top scorer in these Olympics.

Fermin Lopez of Spain found the goal four times and added an assist while France's Jean-Philippe Mateta also scored four goals.

Both are potent scorers and instrumental in their team's ability to put a game out of reach early and often. That should not change in Friday's game but it may be another French player who proves the difference in the titanic clash.

Michael Olise has scored twice but more importantly, is responsible for four assists, proving he is an excellent setup man.

Mateta and Olise make for a one-two punch that has been difficult for any opposing defense to contain, let alone stop. They rank third and fifth, respectively, in Olympic scoring and the latter's ability to find the open scorer has proven instrumental in the host country's unbeaten run through the tournament.

Spain has the offense to score right along with the French, thanks to the fueling efforts of Lopez. The 21-year-old has been one of the two or three best players in the tournament and figures to be a face of Spanish soccer for years to come.

He is an extraordinary shooter who manages to find the net from various spots on the pitch. That he can score with his right and left foot makes him that much dangerous at a very young age.

The question is whether they can penetrate a defense that has been stellar all tournament long, giving up its first goal in the semifinal round against Egypt.

The difference may ultimately be the La Roja's ability to hold up defensively.

The team has given up a goal in every one of their matches in this tournament except for their quarterfinal round win over Japan. The team has been caught with players out of place, either due to poor schematics or a lack of attention, allowing free scoring opportunities for the opposition.

If that happens Friday, France will exploit it early and often en route to the country's first gold medal since the 1984 games in Los Angeles.

The USMNT isn't chasing small fish in its search for a new manager following the Gregg Berhalter era.

According to The Athletic's Paul Tenorio, former Tottenham, PSG and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is a "top target" for the country.

Per that report, "Sources said that the federation was still considering multiple candidates as of last week, but Pochettino is seen by some as the favorite in the pool, and U.S. Soccer is engaged in conversations with his camp."

It would certainly be a high-profile hire.

Pochettino, 52, has several impressive career highlights, including leading Tottenham to the Champions League final and PSG to a Ligue 1 title. His one season at Chelsea in the 2023-24 campaign didn't go to plan, however, as the Blues finished just sixth despite a series of high-profile additions in the transfer market.

Chelsea did win their final five Premier League matches to close the season, an indication that perhaps Pochettino was righting the ship. It wasn't enough to save his job, though, as his disagreements with the sporting directors ultimately proved unresolvable and led to a mutual parting.

Pochettino's profile means he won't come cheap, but that apparently isn't a concern for the USMNT.

"It's a really competitive market out there, salary-wise, and we have to be competitive to get the level of coach that I believe can take the program forward in terms of achieving the results that we want on the field," U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker told reporters. "It's a priority. It's something we're prepared to invest in and something that we will be investing in."

It's also an appointment that the United States has to get right. The Americans boast arguably the most talented young core in its history, but Berhalter wasn't able to raise the level in meaningful ways. Advancing out of the group stage at the 2022 World Cup was positive—as has been the recent dominance of Mexico—but beyond that, the USMNT often underachieved.

The Americans don't want to disappoint at a 2026 World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. A Pochettino hire would undoubtedly be a major statement from U.S. Soccer.

Spain and France will compete Friday for the Olympic gold medal as the two best teams from start to finish in this year's Games.

France has remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, while Spain has lost once in a 2-1 defeat to Egypt in the group stage.

Ahead of the gold-medal match, find out when and where to watch, the current odds for the game and a prediction.

Viewing Information

Time: 12 p.m. ET

TV: USA

Streaming: Peacock and NBCOlympics.com

Current Odds

France: +150 (bet $100, win $250)

Draw: +205 (bet $100, win $305)

Spain: +215 (bet $100, win $315)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Prediction

The French defense has been the difference in this year's Olympic Games.

Les Bleus have conceded just one goal the entire tournament in their semifinal victory over Morocco. They block, intercept and limit the number of shots on goal. They make scoring difficult while showing an ability to put the ball in the net almost at will.

Their 11 goals in these Olympics tie them with their opponent, Spain, for most in the tournament.

The biggest issue facing France as it attempts to win its first gold medal since 1984 will be the pressure to win at Parc des Princes. Les Bleus are playing on home soil, in front of what is sure to be a raucous crowd.

Will the pressure to succeed prove too much for the men's team?

Spain is young, possesses excellent ball skills and can exhaust opponents simply by running them around the pitch. Like France, La Roja are excellent scorers who can keep up with opponents, thanks to their ability to find the net quickly.

If the French allow the pressure to get to them, they could easily find themselves in an unfamiliar position in these Olympics: at a deficit.

Still, Spain's defense can be suspect, as evidenced by the fact that it has allowed a goal in every match except its quarterfinal showdown with Japan. That leaves them susceptible to a potent French attack, which could well prove to be the difference.

Ultimately, finding a weakness in the French team is nearly impossible. It has played every facet of the game flawlessly and should be rewarded Friday with a gold medal four decades in the making.

Prediction: France takes the gold medal.