Around the Forest: Les Bleus win the World Cup!

Portland

Davies: The World Cup champion Diego Chara reminds me of | MLSsoccer.com
The Portland Timbers extended their unbeaten streak to 12 games on Sunday, after a 0-0 draw against Western Conference rivals LAFC. They find themselves sitting in fourth in their conference with two games in hand on the leaders, FC Dallas.

LAFC's Bob Bradley compliments Timbers, Savarese happy with performance | MLSsoccer.com
Several minutes before the end of the first half during the Portland Timbers’ first visit to Banc of California Stadium Sunday, LAFC midfielder Benny Feilhaber gave referee Silviu Petrescu a piece of his mind after Portland's Diego Chara tackled Carlos Vela and the official waved play on.

Major League Soccer

Big Question: What's going on with the Quakes? | Matchday Central | MLSsoccer.com
Bobby Warshaw and Calen Carr take a look into the confusion over the sub of Fatai Alashe in San Jose's loss to Montreal.

Toronto FC to face Tigres UANL in Campeones Cup | MLSsoccer.com
We now know the matchup for the inaugural Campeones Cup: Toronto FC vs. Tigres UANL. The two teams will play at BMO Field on September 19 after Tigres defeated Santos Laguna 4-0 in the Campeon de Campeones on Sunday night at StubHub Center. The match pitted the winners of the 2017 Apertura (Tigres UANL) and 2018 Clausura (Santos Laguna) against each other.

Armchair Analyst: Rooney's DC debut, Atlanta lag & more from Week 20 | MLSsoccer.com
Week 20 is now in the books, and so's the World Cup. Allez les Bleus! Let's take a look at the weekend that was in MLS:

Atlanta United noticing a formula when teams visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium | MLSsoccer.com
Given his team failed to take all three points at home at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, from a team that played a man down for most of the second half, Atlanta United head coach Tata Martino was surprisingly serene about the result during the post-match press conference.

Chris Wondolowski comes to defense of embattled coach Mikael Stahre | MLSsoccer.com
The summer of discontent continued for the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night as a winless streak stretched to 11 games following a 2-0 loss to the Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo and there were plenty of rumblings surrounding embattled coach Mikael Stahre.

Are Atlanta United the "gold standard"? Their supporters think so | MLSsoccer.com
It's another massive crowd in Atlanta on Sunday, as Atlanta United face the Seattle Sounders. Their supporters took the opportunity to weigh in on their team's status in MLS.

Real Salt Lake's Mike Petke delivers heated comments after loss to Loons | MLSsoccer.com
Real Salt Lake head coach Mike Petke was ejected from his team's Week 20 match against Minnesota United FC following his sideline protests against the decision to allow Minnesota's opening goal which he felt was triggered by a foul committed by MNUFC's Darwin Quintero.

Wayne Rooney electrifies Audi Field in winning DC United debut | MLSsoccer.com
As D.C. United’s subs began warming up behind the touchline shortly after halftime, the cheers rumbled down from the imposing banks of Audi Field’s south end at the prospect of Wayne Rooney’s approaching debut.

World Cup

France storms to second World Cup title with final victory over Croatia
It had been 20 years. Twenty years and three days, to be precise. Twenty years since French streets filled and the Champs-Elysees transformed into a resplendent sea of humanity, the only apt comparison the liberation of Paris. On Sunday, when Kylian Mbappe struck to put the result of the World Cup final beyond all reasonable doubt, the sequel began.

14 winners, 14 losers from the 2018 World Cup, the best of the modern era
Now that the golden confetti has fallen – the rain-drenched medals draped, exuberant hugs exchanged, the Champs-Elysees overflowing with euphoria – we can comfortably pose the question: Was the 2018 World Cup the greatest World Cup ever?

The real winner of this World Cup is Vladimir Putin
A few times during Sunday’s World Cup final, the camera panned to the man who had made it all so, Vladimir Putin. The Russian strongman-cum-president-for-life had coveted a World Cup, done whatever it takes to get one, and then delivered a joyous edition of the world’s biggest sporting event.

French players teach president how to dab - Watch
French President Emmanuel Macron was on-hand Sunday at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium as Les Bleus bested Croatia in the final to claim their first World Cup triumph since 1998. Macron was in a visibly jubilant mood as France stormed to a 4-2 win over a spirited Croatian team.

World Cup 2018: Top 18 moments, goals
Soccer is a game of physical and tactical struggle, often misinterpreted as monotony. A game of slow builds, often coming undone, engraved into history as slow teases. And then … BOOM. The moment arrives, its orgasmic release unique, its instant excitement unrivaled. The slow teases – the scarcity – have made it so.

United States

Timmy Chandler is waiting for a USMNT call-up - Stars and Stripes FC
“When they call me up for the national team, I’m there,” Chandler told Jonathan Tannenwald of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I miss it. I see all the players go to their national teams, and I want to fly to the States and play for my country. But the coach decides who plays, and I just wait for him to call me.”

Kyle Scott leaves Chelsea for SC Telstar loan - Stars and Stripes FC
Dutch second division club SC Telstar announced the addition of Chelsea midfielder Kyle Scott on loan. According to the club’s official website, the 20-year old American “has a personal agreement and closes next week if all the paperwork is in order.”