Arsene Wenger wants all the World Cups, Marta distributes Ls, and more: Freedom Kicks for March 17, 2021

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone. I hope you all have your green on today and will celebrate responsibly. Leave Amateur Hour in the pre-pandemic life and enjoy with a nice beverage at home or amongst some socially distant friends. Before you discover your Irish roots, here’s the news from yesterday:

Arsene Wenger: Play World Cup and Euros every two years and ‘kick all the rest out’ - BBC

Arsene Wenger wants the World Cup and the Euros to be played every 2 years and all the other competitions to go away. Now, I know some of us will react irrationally to that idea, but honestly, I think Dr. Evil can speak for all of us:

What to do when Marta hands you an L - All for XI

Marta is out here disrespecting lives during Orlando Pride’s preseason, and we’re all here for it.

USWNT will play France in second European April friendly - SSFC

The USWNT will take on France on April 13th in Le Havre. Back in 2019, the USWNT lost to France in Le Havre in a January friendly. The next time the two teams took the field, however, this happened...twice:

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

MLS players with most to gain during Olympic qualifying - MLS

There are quite a few MLS players who are on the U.S. U-23s for Olympic qualifying with something to prove. They will all need to prove they can get the United States back to the Olympics in men’s football. Their quest starts tomorrow.

Fenway Sports Group interest in the NWSL? Even with LeBron James, there’s reason for skepticism - The Athletic

LeBron James is becoming a partner in Fenway Sports Group, and on their wish list is to bring a NWSL team back to Boston. However, one can only look at what FSG has done with Liverpool FC’s women’s team as a cautionary tale.

Rapinoe: USWNT jersey equal pay fight not U.S. Soccer - ESPNFC

Megan Rapinoe says she can still fight for equal pay while still putting on that U.S. Soccer jersey. The fight for equal pay is all that’s on her mind.

Jeremy Ebobisse is Done Letting Microaggressions and Overt Racism Slide - Portland Monthly

Jeremy Ebobisse is a man who is doing a lot to tackle racism and racial inequity in the game of soccer, and he’s doing it at a very young age. I’m proud of my fellow Duke Blue Devil.

That’s all for today. Stay safe everyone!