Minnesota
Minnesota United signs former Miami midfielder, U.S. National Teamer Julian Gressel
Minnesota United signed nine-year MLS veteran midfielder Julian Gressel, who quickly joined the Loons on the practice field Tuesday morning.
Inter Miami waived Gressel in an apparent salary-shedding move after he was unable to crack the lineup so far this season under new head coach Javier Mascherano. He appeared in 32 games last year, helping Miami finish with the best record in Major League Soccer.
Gressel is under contract through the 2026 season with a club option for 2027.
Click the video box on this page to watch Julian Gressel’s press conference during his first practice session with Minnesota United, and head coach Eric Ramsay on signing Gressel, coming off the team’s first loss since the season opener and this weekend’s match at Austin
Born in Neustadt, Germany, the 31-year-old was the MLS Rookie of the Year in 2017, playing for Atlanta United in their first season in MLS. He recorded an assist in a memorably snowy debut at Huntington Bank Stadium as Atlanta faced Minnesota United in the Loons first-ever home game as an MLS team.
He’s also played six matches with the U.S. Men’s National Team, won two MLS Cups (Atlanta 2018, Columbus 2023) and a U.S. Open Cup (Atlanta 2019).
Through the first ten games of the season, United enters this weekend standing 4th in the Western Conference (4-2-4). Their next match is at Austin on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
More, from Minnesota’ United’s official announcement of Gressel’s signing:
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (April 29, 2025) — Minnesota United today announced that the club has acquired versatile MLS veteran Julian Gressel off waivers. Gressel is under contract through December of 2026, with a club option for 2027.
“I’m really excited to be here at Minnesota United and to get integrated into the group,” said Julian Gressel. “I can’t wait to get started with the guys and continue the momentum that has been established within the team.”
“We welcome Julian and his family to Minnesota and are excited for him to join our team,” said MNUFC Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad. “Julian brings an impressive depth of MLS experience and championship pedigree to Minnesota. He is a proven winner and competitor and our hope is that he will contribute those qualities to our team and continue to push our club forward throughout the rest of this season and beyond.”
A veteran of MLS, Julian Gressel joins Minnesota United from Inter Miami CF where he played for the South Florida side during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, making 32 MLS regular-season game appearances and providing nine assists. Gressel was a mainstay and played a vital role with the Miami squad that captured the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield trophy as the team with the most points in that season, notably a single-season record with 74 points.
The German-born, United States international began his career in MLS when he was selected as the eighth-overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft by Atlanta United FC. With Atlanta, Gressel made nearly 100 game appearances, earning 2017 MLS Rookie of the Year honors and helping the team capture the 2018 MLS Cup championship and 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles. He then was traded to D.C. United and featured prominently for the team from 2020-2022 before being sent to Vancouver Whitecaps FC, competing for the Canadian side from 2022-2023, winning back-to-back Canadian Championships. During the summer of 2023, Gressel was sent to Columbus Crew, where he played a key role and helped the Ohio team lift the 2023 MLS Cup trophy.
Overall, across all MLS competitions (regular-season and MLS Cup Playoffs) since 2017, Gressel has made an impressive 258 game appearances (232 starts), where he has provided 67 assists and has scored 28 goals, to-date.
Internationally, Gressel has represented the United States. He was called up to camp for the first time in January of 2023 and was then named to the final squad ahead of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup, where he earned his first cap in a group-stage victory over St. Kitts and Nevis. To-date, Gressel has made six game appearances for the Stars and Stripes.
Transaction: Minnesota United acquires Julian Gressel off waivers. Gressel is under contract through December of 2026, with a club option for 2027.
A Minnesota mother spent her Mother’s Day serving other moms less fortunate than her.
On the holiday all about making her feel special, Tynika Smith was the one doing just that for people living on the street in Minneapolis.
“I want to see them smile,” she said. “I like this. Everyone is eating, everyone has a bag. This is what I strive for.”
Tynika spent her weekend at her Bloomington home cooking and putting together gift bags filled with beauty items like makeup and jewelry.
“It comes out of her own grace and her own heart,” said Monie, a woman who’s been in and out of homelessness for two years. “That’s a mom right there. She cares about people, and these aren’t even her kids.”
Smith distributed coats in the same place this past winter.
She brings her daughter along on these visits for a reason.
“I instill humanity [in her],” Smith said. “Show empathy. These people are human at the end of the day. They’re down on their luck, I get it, but it doesn’t make them any less than anybody else.”
Smith spends her own money on the food and gifts and also takes donations from the community.
“It’s really hard out here, and especially for Mother’s Day, it makes people feel a lot better,” Monie said. “Feel like you’re remembered.”
Smith’s planning a barbecue in a public park next month for Father’s Day.
Minnesota
Minnesota legislators enter final week of session without a budget deal. Here’s where things stand.
The standoff also extends to the state’s essential infrastructure projects.
Lawmakers didn’t pass legislation to authorize bonding last year. Now, they’re in agreement that the state needs to invest in its roads and bridges, repair dams, and clean up its drinking water. But with the looming deficit, they’re in stark disagreement over how much to spend.
The House GOP and DFL have agreed to a $700 million bonding target.
Sen. Sandy Pappas, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Capital Investment Committee, is urging fellow lawmakers to authorize almost twice that much. In a hearing Thursday to go over a $1.35 billion suite of potential projects, Pappas warned it would be difficult for lawmakers to pass a bonding bill two years in a row. She said the state should invest now rather than trying to pass smaller bonding packages this year and next.
“I just don’t know what will happen with interest rates; that’s another concern,” Pappas said. “Construction costs are constantly going up. And the fact that we didn’t do one last year — there’s just a lot of need out there.”
Sen. Karin Housley, the ranking Republican on the committee, emphasized that $1.35 billion is the Senate DFL’s proposal. The GOP, she said, wants to stick to $700 million.
Minnesota
Minnesota United vs. Inter Miami live updates: Is Lionel Messi playing? Time, how to watch
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Lionel Messi is in Minnesota with Inter Miami, and likely to play in May 10’s game against Minnesota United at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Messi has already posted his matchday Instagram story previewing the match, a sign he intends to play.
It will be Messi’s first game in the state and against the club since joining Inter Miami in July 2023. And it’s a matchup between two of the best clubs in Major League Soccer.
Minnesota is second in the MLS Western Conference, while Inter Miami is fourth in the Eastern Conference after winning the MLS Supporters’ Shield a season ago.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Minnesota United vs. Inter Miami match, and stay tuned here for live updates from USA TODAY Sports:
The match is available on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.
Messi’s status will be confirmed when Inter Miami announces its starting lineup an hour before the match.
Luis Suarez won’t play vs. Minnesota
Messi will be missing his longtime running mate in Luis Suarez — the Uruguayan star did not travel with the club to Minnesota due to personal reasons.
Messi scores goal in Inter Miami’s last match
Messi scored a goal, while Luis Suarez scored and assisted another in Inter Miami’s 4-1 win on May 3 vs. New York Red Bulls. It was a bounce-back victory for Inter Miami after they lost three straight matches for the first time since Messi joined the club.
They were eliminated by Vancouver in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup in two matches, and dropped a home match to FC Dallas.
Inter Miami is led by coach Javier Mascherano, who played at FC Barcelona with Inter Miami stars Messi, Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
Minnesota looking up at Vancouver in MLS standings
Minnesota is second in the MLS Western Conference with 19 points from five wins, two losses and four draws – trailing Vancouver (26 points). Forward Tani Oluwasey leads Minnesota with five goals, while Designated Player Joaquín Pereyra leads with four assists. They are led by second-year coach Eric Ramsay, a former Manchester United assistant coach.
Messi, Inter Miami upcoming schedule
- May 10: Minnesota United vs. Inter Miami, 4:30 p.m. ET
- May 14: San Jose vs. Inter Miami, 10:30 p.m. ET
- May 18: Inter Miami vs. Orlando City, 7 p.m. ET
- May 24: Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
- May 28: Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET
- May 31: Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET
Messi, Inter Miami schedule for Club World Cup
- June 23: Inter Miami vs. Palmerias, 9 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)
- June 14: Inter Miami vs. Al Alhy, 8 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)
- June 19: Inter Miami vs FC Porto, 3 p.m. ET (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)
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