I've seen a lot of fans lately (on other platforms) complaining about stoppage time at the end of matches being too long (typically 9 minutes).

I assumed the amount of time was to partially account for the mandated hydration breaks in addition to any injuries, since the first halves also often have 9ish minutes added on.

Am I wrong in thinking that? Are the refs only adding time for injuries and it's just a coincidence that it has been 9+ minutes lately during these extra hot days?

I started playing soccer when I was 5 or so, and I guess I had some speed and aggression and basically showed potential. By the time I was 7/8, my dad was on the hunt for competitive team for me to play for, and he found one about 45 minutes away.

We would drive to the practices twice a week and a game once per week. My entire life felt like it revolved around soccer, and soon enough I began to pray for rain so that practice would get canceled. I was the youngest on the time and so incredibly shy, the other girls hardly talked to me and often made fun of me. The beginning of it all is blurry to me, but at some point the coach became extremely abusive. I was the youngest on the team, and he would insult me all the time. I remember he called me an idiot, would tell me I sucked at drills, would scream that if I messed up again I would have to do sprints the rest of practice. Keep in mind I'm an extremely shy 8 year old girl and he's a grown man. But somehow I was good enough to make the team the next year. I never told my parents about any of the abuse because it was so shocking that I almost couldn't confront it, and my dad was so proud of me for being a good athlete. I just didn't know what to do. I do feel like the coach singled me out, I don't totally know why, but I feel like I tend to be an easy target.

Flash forward to middle school, and I make the team, and of course all the girls on the team are the 'popular girls' and then there's me, still a shy awkward kid, but decent at the game. I felt like soon enough the coach began to pick on me a lot. Then there was one game, where literally all I did was make a cross across the field before the midline which he deemed dangerous, and he screamed at me that I was "DONE", pulled me off the field, and didn't play me for more than 30 seconds per game the rest of the season. I was so humiliated in that moment, I have relived it nearly every day, and I'm 27 now. I was never the same after that, never looked forward to going to soccer, just kept playing it until I graduated high school because I didn't know what to do with my life. I spent the rest of my 'career' on the field passing as soon as I could, never taking a shot, and just wanting it to be over.

After taking nearly a decade off, I've finally gotten back into soccer through a recreational league, and I absolutely love it. I love it so much I can't imagine hating it. It's so hard for me to imagine dreading soccer now because it's the highlight of my week. And also, I'm good! My training is still there, I score goals, I dribble, I'm quick. I also love watching it. I just...I wonder what things could have been like for me if I hadn't been surrounded by these terrible adult men who decided to make me feel like shit. Or I had just not felt like a complete loser on the team all the time and been such an easy target. I know for a fact I play better today than I did in high school, and not because I've gotten better skills, but just because I don't have shit self-esteem.

Part of me wishes my parents never signed me up for competitive and just let me enjoy myself in rec league. But I don't know. Anyways, I just wanted to share my story and see if anyone else experienced something similar. Maybe I'm a whiny baby, idk, but all I know is I went from loving soccer to absolutely hating it, to loving it again.

I just saw online that the league logo changed into the link and photo provided below:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Première_Ligue

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/74/Premi%C3%A8re_Ligue.png

I was just wondering why the rebranding and transition into the restructure and rebranding process?

I watched the champions league on YouTube on dazn channel for free so was wondering if the epl for women also shows on YouTube for free

I’m looking to buy some women’s kits. Particularly Jule Brand, as she is my favorite player. However, I can’t find her jerseys on Wolfsburg’s website. I found her Germany kit but they don’t have my size and it’s almost $200 dollars. Any help/direction is much appreciated!