EPL & Leagues Kick Off this Weekend
The English Premier League kicks of this weekend with games across Peacock and the occasional USA network or NBC game. I will start keeping track of the American’s overseas as a few have made moves including Matt Turner from Arsenal to Nottingham Forest along with fellow American GK Ethan Horvath. Tyler Adams looks to be on the move to Chelsea – where Pulisic left to join Italy’s AC Milan along with Yanus Musah. Tim Weah and McKinney will team up in Italy at Juventus so it might be time to get Paramount plus for Serie A Italian League games and Champions League of course. I will make my official predictions next week – but rest assured Arsenal, Liverpool, and Man City will be in the top 4. Still working on the others and where my precious Fulham and American’s Tim Ream and Jedi Robinson will end up. All the games this weekend are below – but the big game is Sunday 11:30 am on Peacock Liverpool vs Chelsea. Wow News on Spurs Harry Kane finally choosing to join Bayern Munich rather than stay at Spurs in search of the EPL Goals record – stories below.
Sat Games
7:30 am Peacock Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest (Horvath, Turner)
10 am Peacock Everton vs Fulham (Ream, Jedi)
12:30 pm NBC New Castle United vs Aston Villa
Sun, Aug 13
9 am Peacock Brentford vs Tottenham
11:30 am Peacock Chelsea vs Liverpool
WORLD CUP CONTINUES WITH France/Australia Sat 3 am & England/Colombia Sat 5 am on Fox
If you are waking up late – today’s world cup games are must see TV !!
Spain scored late to secure their first ever trip to the Semi-Finals of a World Cup, while Sweden continued its impressive run and held on to beat Japan 2-1 to advance. England and France will look to make it a European sweep of the Final 4 – vs the home side Australia (with Sam Kerr) back in the mix, and the only team from the America’s Colombia. Its an All American Ref Crew for England vs Colombia Sat am. (see Ref section below).
Of course the fallout is still coming in the USWNT after their first ever ouster before the Semi-Finals as we expect to hear any day that American Manager Vlatko A is no longer our coach. The US has just 9 months to ready a squad to compete in the Olympics in France in July. Already Rapinoe and Julie Ertz have retired from international play and the thoughts are right back Kelly O’hara will announce soon as well. The ladies are scheduled to return to NWSL play earlier than anyone expected this summer.
Huge congrats to all those Carmel FC players who made their high school teams !! The Carmel Soccer Programs – Carmel Girls & Boys Ranked #1 in Pre-Season. The CHS Ladies start on Sat 11 am at Murray Stadium vs HSE, while the Boys are underway at Zionsville 11:30 Sat?
Preview Indy Girls High School
Boys preview:Indy-area’s top goalies to watch in 2023 Indy Boys High School – Top Mids
Boys preview:Indy-area’s top defenders to watch in 2023 Indy Boys High School – Top Forwards
Carmel FC GK Training starts Monday, Aug 14
Mondays – Shelbourne Field 2 U11/U12 5-5:45 pm U13+ 5:45 -6:30 pm w/Coach Shane Best
GAMES ON TV
Fri, Aug 11
3 pm USA Burnley vs Man City EPL starts
8:30 pm Apple Season FC Charlotte @ Inter Miami (Messi, Busquets,Yedlin)
Sat, Aug 12
3:am FOX Australia vs France QF3 WC
6:30 am Fox England vs Colombia QF3 WC
7:30 am Peacock Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest (Horvath, Turner)
10 am Peacock Everton vs Fulham (Ream, Jedi)
12:30 pm NBC New Castle United vs Aston Villa
2:45 pm ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs RB Liepzig Super Cup
3:30 pm ESPN + Athletic Club vs Real Madrid
7 pm ESPN+ Miami FC vs Indy 11
Sun, Aug 13
9 am Peacock Brentford vs Tottenham
11:30 am Peacock Chelsea vs Liverpool
3:30 pm ESPN+ Getafe vs Barcelona
Mon, Aug 14
9 am USA Man United vs Wolverhampton
Tues Aug 15
4 am FOX Semi Final #1 WC
7 pm Apple MLS Philly Union vs Inter Miami (Messi)
Weds Aug 16
6 am FOX Semi Final #2 WC
3 pm CBSSN Man City vs Sevilla (UEFA Super Cup)
Fir, Aug 18
2:30 pm ESPN+ Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich
2:45 pm USA Nottingham Forest vs Shelfield United
Sat, Aug 19
4 am FOX WORLD CUP 3rd place Game
9 am ESPN+ Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig
10 am USA Fulham (Ream, Jedi) vs Brentford
10 am Peacock Liverpool vs AFC Bournemouth
12:30 pm NBC Tottenham vs Man United
3 pm USA Man City vs New Castle United
9::30 pm ESPN2 San Diego Loyal vs New Mexico United USL
Sun, Aug 20
6 am FOX WORLD CUP FINALS
9 am USA Aston Villa vs Everton
9:30 am ESPN + Union Berlin vs Mainz
11:30 am USA West Ham United vs Chelsea
1:30 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Cadiz
2:45 pm Para+ Udinese vs Juventus (Mckinney)
3:30 pm ESPND Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid
7:30 pm Apple TV Columbus Crew vs Cincy
7:30 pm MLS Pass Inter Miami (no MESSI) vs Charlotte
Mon, Aug 21
2:45 pm Para+ Bologna vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah)
3 pm USA Crystal Palace vs Arsenal
Wed, Aug 23
7 pm Para + Cincy (Vasquez) vs Inter Miami (MESSI. Busquets, Alba)
8 pm ESPN+ Memphis vs Indy 11
US Women + World Cup
Andonovski may be first casualty for USWNT
Australia-France, England-Colombia head to Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal matchups
Matildas’ World Cup Quarterfinal Takes Over Aussie TV
Spain sneaks by Netherlands in quarters
World Cup: Women’s soccer will soon crown a new queen after Sweden beats Japan
Women’s World Cup 2023: Will Sweden triumph after reaching another semi-final?
England reach World Cup dividing line as Sarina Wiegman faces crunch decision
The World Cup tips David Beckham is giving to England star Alessia
MLS – Leagues Cup
Charlotte FC takes on Inter Miami in Leagues Cup quarterfinals
Lionel Messi in Nashville? How Nashville SC could host Inter Miami in Leagues Cup final
How to See Inter Miami vs Charlotte
Messi Scores 2 and a PK in 4-4 Miami OT win on PKs @ Dallas
EPL
USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams’ deal with Chelsea reportedly collapses
Predicting the 2023-24 Premier League table
Premier League predictions: Do any of our writers think Man City can be beaten?
Harry Kane to call time on Bayern Munich move if deal with Tottenham is not agreed this week
Aaron Ramsdale deserves to remain Arsenal’s No 1 – despite David Raya’s likely arrival
Harry Kane travels to Bayern Munich to complete $110 million transfer
Harry Kane has Bayern Munich medical with transfer from Tottenham almost complete
Life after Harry Kane: what ‘mourning’ Tottenham fans can expect
Kane arrives in Germany ahead of ‘imminent’ Bayern Munich move
David Raya: Brentford boss Thomas Frank expects goalkeeper to complete Arsenal transfer
World
FRANCE Ligue 1 Season Preview
GERMANY Bundesliga Season Preview
ITALY Serie A Season Preview
SPAIN La Liga Season Preview
Dortmund keep losing stars, but still manage to challenge Bayern onstantin Eckner
Goalkeeping
Degea to Real Madrid for Injured Courtois?
Matt Turner to Nottingham Forest in EPL
What a Save to Beat US from Musovich
Top Boys Goalkeepers Pre Season in Indy
Top Girls Goalkeepers Pre Season in Indy
Reffing
How can Corners Not Be Subject to VAR? Penalty ? No Way?
No Doubt this is a Red Card England Game
Premier League changes for 2023-24: Longer games, referees to clamp down on bad behaviour
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Why Nottingham Forest signed Matt Turner: Strong in the air and a superb shot-stopper
By Paul Taylor and Matt PyzdrowskiAug 9, 2023
The signing of Matt Turner from Arsenal is the first of two major pieces of incoming transfer business Nottingham Forest hope to complete this summer to bolster their goalkeeping options.United States international Turner will almost certainly be in goal, back at the Emirates Stadium against the club he just left, for Saturday’s 2023-24 Premier League season opener, having made a £10million ($12.7m) move to the City Ground. However, Forest remain determined to bring Dean Henderson back as well, following last season’s successful loan from Manchester United.In the meantime, they have made a significant addition in Turner.While he will be a familiar face at the Emirates after his one season there, the 29-year-old might be a lesser-known quantity to some Forest fans, given the limited game time he saw for Arsenal after a transfer from MLS last summer.Our Forest correspondent Paul Taylor (PT), along with The Athletic’s goalkeeping expert Matt Pyzdrowski (MP) — an American who spent over a decade playing professionally in Swedish from 2011 — takes a look at what Turner brings to the table, why he wanted to sign for Forest and what it means for the club.
Why has Turner made this move to Forest?
The reality is that he wasn’t going to get close to being first-choice at Arsenal.He knew that to lock down his place as the No 1 for the USMNT, who co-host the World Cup in 2026, he was going to need to leave the north London club he only joined a year ago.While it may seem an obvious move, it won’t have been an easy decision to give up the prestige and glamour of being at a Champions League club for one that had to fight hard to avoid relegation to the EFL last season and, let’s face it, accept the financial implications that come with it.So for Turner to be mature enough to understand that and say, “I’m hungry, I’m not OK sitting on the bench. I want to play!” is a smart and proactive position to take and speaks volumes about his character and ambitions.
Turner playing for Arsenal in the FA Cup last season (Photo: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
It’s the kind of move his international team-mate Zack Steffen didn’t make early enough after joining Manchester City in 2019. Steffen waited a season too long to leave City (joining Middlesbrough of the Championship on loan for last season) and his development stagnated. This ultimately cost him a squad spot at last year’s World Cup — something that at one point would have been unthinkable.Turner is coming off a very strong CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer, where he captained the U.S. and played a key role, highlighted by his heroics in their shootout win over Canada in the quarter-finals. He was arguably the only American player on his team to walk away from the tournament with any credibility (they lost in the semi-finals to Panama).Moving now, when he’s in form and confident, is ideal. MP
Why do Forest want him?
When on-loan duo Henderson and Keylor Navas returned to their parent clubs at the end of last season, it left a huge void in the squad and there was a growing sense of trepidation that head coach Steve Cooper’s side might start the season without having signed replacements.Forest have always wanted to bring Henderson back and there is a belief that it will happen, once he is back to fitness after the January injury that ended his season early. But the arrival of Turner eases the pressure on that front.The club also explored the idea of trying to bring Navas back from Paris Saint-Germain, but the finances involved were prohibitive — particularly when it came to potentially signing both him and Henderson.One benefit of signing Turner and Henderson is that they are both likely to increase in value if they flourish at the City Ground. Henderson is 26 and Turner three years older — still relatively young for goalkeepers.Forest will keep 36-year-old Wayne Hennessey as a third option between the posts, while looking to move on Ethan Horvath — another U.S. international. George Shelvey, a 22-year-old who has done well in pre-season but is yet to make his senior debut for the club, will be sent out on loan to gain experience. Presuming the deal to bring Henderson back from Old Trafford gets completed as well — which is likely to be another loan with either an obligation or an option to make the move permanent — Forest will have two high-quality players fighting it out to be first-choice in Legendary Forest manager Brian Clough understood the value of having a good goalkeeper — as he demonstrated when he paid a then significant £270,000 ($344,000) to sign Peter Shilton in 1977 — and that ethos has not been lost at the club 46 years later. PT
What will Turner bring to the Forest team?
One of the biggest question marks for Turner on his arrival at Arsenal a year ago was his ability with the ball at his feet.Turner admitted this was an area of his game that needed to improve if he wanted to take the next step in his career, and at Arsenal he was in an ideal place to do so.Their manager, Mikel Arteta, encouraged Turner to take even more risks than he was used to with the U.S. and his MLS side, New England Revolution, and, judging by his performances over the past 12 months, it’s clear that has paid dividends.While it would be wrong to suddenly classify him as an expert passer, he has undoubtedly improved and grown in confidence — especially in regards to his decision-making — and in a short amount of time added a more expansive skill set to his game.t Forest, it’s unlikely that Turner will be called upon to play out from the back in a similar way regularly, but he is more than capable of doing so if required. It is more likely that he will be required to play long, accurate passes to his wingers and forwards to stretch the opposition and try to catch them on the counter. This is something he is comfortable doing, which is good news for Forest.But his biggest strengths have always been his athleticism and shot-stopping.The test for him will be how he handles the pressure of being on a team most people expect to be in the bottom half of the Premier League, with the threat of relegation again a possibility.It will also be interesting to see how he responds after making his first big mistake. Will he learn from it or not? Dealing mentally with errors is something that every goalkeeper has to do and the ability to bounce back quickly is what defines them.
Judging by his performances, it is unquestionable that Turner improved in his year with Arsenal and he now has a chance to prove he is good enough to be a No 1 in the Premier League. MP
Why do Forest want Henderson too?
Forest did well to land a player of Navas’ quality and experience in the January window once it became clear Henderson was going to be sidelined for a considerable amount of time. It was a truly vital mid-season signing and a key factor in their eventual top-flight survival.
Navas played 17 games, including big wins over Brighton, Southampton and Arsenal.
Henderson suffered an injury in January (Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
But the club do not want to have to be scrambling around for such a last-gasp signing again next January if they suffer similar injury misfortune. Rather than having to pull a rabbit out of their hat as they did with Navas, they want to be proactive.
Their desire is to have two quality players fighting it out for the first-team spot — competition for places would help to keep both Turner and Henderson on their toes, regardless of who is in the team. PT
What would the impact of Henderson signing be on the team dynamic?
It has the potential to set up one of the more intriguing goalkeeper battles in this season’s Premier League.
Coming off his injury and being cast aside at United, where £43million Andre Onana has been signed from Inter Milan to replace the departed David de Gea, Henderson will feel like he has a lot to prove, and he won’t be happy sitting on the bench and missing valuable game time with a European Championship squad place with England next summer surely in his sights.
It will be interesting to see how he handles that, should it happen, and also to see how it impacts Turner and the rest of the goalkeeping group. Though it’s quite possible they will support one another, it may potentially challenge the relationships the pair have with each other, and even with the club — much in the same way it did between Henderson and De Gea at United.
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Also fascinating is the fact Turner and Henderson are so similar in their ability as goalkeepers. They are both more traditional in terms of their strengths — strong in the air and good shot-stoppers.
Both will be expecting to be the one to play and there are also those national-team implications for each of them. It will be a very delicate and difficult relationship to navigate. The key for Cooper and the rest of his backroom staff will be to handle the situation well.
What will encourage Forest is Henderson’s attitude last season.
Despite being a loan signing, he moved to the area and, more than that, when sidelined with injury, stayed around rather than return to United and even travelled to away games. He remained a familiar face around the training ground too, even once he had undergone surgery and it was clear he would not play again last season. Such a mentality will be vital again now. PT/MP
Forest already have one U.S. international goalkeeper in Horvath… is Turner an upgrade? And how will all this impact the USMNT?
Steffen’s sporadic and limited game time for Manchester City, in addition to his inconsistent form when he did play, left the door open for Turner’s rise to claim his country’s No 1 jersey.
It is perhaps ironic that those roles have now shifted. Steffen made 45 appearances for Middlesbrough last season and was one of their best performers as they made the promotion play-offs. In total, he played 4,050 minutes of club football in 2022-23, while Turner managed just 630 (way down on what he was registering in MLS).
Though Steffen is currently recovering from knee surgery, Turner knows that another year on the bench at the Emirates would risk seeing him lose his place in the national team. That is a big reason why he has left Arsenal and why he hopes to be the No 1 at Forest.
Turner celebrates after the Gold Cup shootout victory over Canada last month (Photo: Jeff Dean/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Another goalkeeper who had a strong 2022-23 and is in the conversation for the USMNT No 1 jersey is Horvath.
Loaned out to Luton Town, he played a huge part in their promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs, registering a total of 4,620 minutes on the pitch, keeping 20 clean sheets in 47 appearances. However, overall Horvath is seen as being a step below Turner — with the latter a much more well-rounded goalkeeper.Should Turner come in and perform at his best, he has the potential to single-handedly win Forest several points this season. MP(Top photo: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
The Premier League Bad Predictions Amnesty 2023-24
Carl AnkaAug 11, 2023 43
The Premier League is back tonight, promising thrills, spills and all manner of footballing chaos.
Our team of writers at The Athletic have gone to great effort to make some sensible predictions and season previews for 2023-24. But for those who want their football forecasts to talk about xVibes more than xGOT, this week has brought a return of our Bad Prediction Amnesty.
This is how it works: before a ball is kicked for a new season, you tell us your biggest, most instinctive prediction to do with it.
Hello friends, the Premier League returns this week.
So it’s time for the Bad Predictions Amnesty.
watched a pre-season fixture but think a team’s new striker will score a hatful? Put it in the amnesty.
Taken a look at Kenilworth Road and reckon there’ll be some Luton-flavoured disruption? Vent to the amnesty.Reckon a manager looks a little more flustered than usual and is headed for the sack? That’s a hot take for the amnesty.We’re looking for opinions that only the overconfident part of the football brain can create. Like when a player stands over a penalty and you “just get the feeling” the angle of their run-up is wrong, so they are obviously going to miss.
You can redo your prediction at the end of the January transfer window, and change your gut feeling if your gut is feeling twitchy.Then, when it’s all over, we all look back at our predictions, have a laugh and realise how attuned our football senses are to the sport we love so much.
We’ve received thousands of responses and predictions via social media. Remember: the idea of our amnesty is not to be proven correct. It’s to purge yourself of that nagging footballing thought you have rattling in your head before the season starts and to have a good laugh with fellow-minded fans too.
Here’s how the upcoming season will unfold, according to our Bad Takes.
Rule changes are going to cause havoc
With all the extra stoppage time, a team will score TEN goals in a game this season.— Dan Bardell (@danbardell) August 7, 2023
The 2023-24 season comes with an array of new officiating rules that will be sure to bring about fresh tactics and approaches to a matchday. The EFL got started last weekend and saw games with 10 minutes-plus of added time, in both halves, along with yellow cards for time-wasting, kicking the ball away and any hint of dissent.Couple that with another “let it flow” edict for referees, and we will have matches where players have to play for longer than ever before while having fewer stoppages for robust challenges. As such, our amnesty was full of predictions that this season will lead to outright chaos.Multiple double bookings and late dismissals in games. Numerous added-time muscle injuries. Plenty of last-gasp winners, many of which will come from the penalty spot.A new requirement — asking for all but one member of a team’s coaching staff to remain seated and away from the touchline — has been dubbed the “Jason Tindall Rule” by some fans, who believe the Newcastle United assistant to be most at risk of extra bookings.
Record number of red cards in injury time. And, linked, record number of games decided by an injury time penalty.— David Whitley (@mrdavidwhitley) August 7, 2023
The sensible prediction is to believe the relevant decision-makers will realise the flow of games has become increasingly untenable before quietly doing away with the new rule’s harsher sanctions.The predictions shared in this amnesty suggest we’re set for a record amount of late goals and sendings-off this season, as managers forget they are now allowed to use up to five substitutions across a game.
The 20-assists record is finally broken
Trent Alexander-Arnold breaks the assist record— Brad (@DymondFormation) August 8, 2023
It happens every three or four seasons. A player will start a league campaign in good passing form and earn several assists in a short space of time, creating a conversation about this being the season where someone will finally dethrone Thierry Henry.His 20 assists for Arsenal in 2002-03 is one of the stranger curios in Premier League history. For one, Henry also managed to score 24 league goals that year. For another, Arsenal didn’t win the league, finishing second — five points behind Manchester United.
His assists record has been equalled, by Kevin De Bruyne in 2019-20, but not beaten. Paul Pogba got off to a flyer in 2021-22, with seven in his first four games, but added only two more the rest of the way. Cesc Fabregas (18) and Mesut Ozil (19) came close in 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively.
To break the record, someone will likely have to play every available minute throughout the season, take some set pieces and have an array of attacking options ahead of him.
Rest assured, if the record is broken in 2023-24, The Athletic will have a meaty feature for you all to read, including a deep-dive on how Henry earned 20 assists in a season where Arsenal didn’t end up as champions.
But for now, we wish good luck to any pretenders to the assist-king throne. Currently, Trent Alexander-Arnold is the amnesty’s leading candidate.
This leads us to…
Darwin Nunez is set for a terrific second season
It’s time for DarwinSzn 🫡— Hari Sethi (@Hari_Sethi) August 7, 2023
There aren’t many fans who believe Erling Haaland will be beaten for this season’s Golden Boot, but plenty think Darwin Nunez is going to make a good fist of it. The Uruguayan had a topsy-turvy debut season with Liverpool, scoring nine Premier League goals in 29 appearances but looking a little awkward doing so. Nunez is physically dominant in a way few strikers are, but last season he was inconsistent in his application and prone to the occasional baffling on-field decision.
It’s hoped the 24-year-old has ironed out some of the stranger quirks for the coming season. Now taking English lessons and with a greater appreciation for Jurgen Klopp’s style of football, Nunez could be a crucial part of a healthier and revamped Liverpool.
Newcastle are going to have a turbulent season…
What would represent a good 2023-24 season for Newcastle? The sensible, considered answer can be found here, but there is an acknowledgement that they find themselves in a tricky situation. Newcastle would ideally like to consolidate themselves within the Champions League places, but they are doing so at a time when the ‘Big Six’ have all looked to strengthen.
Three senior signings have arrived at St James’ Park this summer too, but there are questions (from those less familiar with the club) as to whether any of Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento truly move the needle.
It happens to plenty of clubs who try to make the leap from having a good team to having a good squad.
Many are predicting an unfortunate stumble, and possibly a managerial change to boot.
…but Luton will be fun
https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenNa
Luton’s home ground to become a fortress and they stay up with ease!!— Ramzy (@Ramzy_Sports) August 7, 2023
If you’re reading this, you’ve definitely seen what the away fans’ entrance to Kenilworth Road looks like.
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You’ve probably
Luton end with a better away record than their home record— Jamie (@JamieCutteridge) August 7, 2023
The Premier League new boys play direct, physical football with two strikers, plenty of hard running and an aggressive front press.
The optimistic reading is Luton will steer themselves to safety using a style of football that would make Sean Dyche’s Burnley blush. The pessimistic reading is they will find the top flight a step beyond them, suffering a Premier League relegation on a par with the ignominy of Derby County’s 11-point 2007-08 horror show.
Whatever happens, Kenilworth Road will be the backdrop for many a memorable moment over the next nine months.
And so many, many more…
This is but a sampling of the many predictions you have given us.
A number of you believe Kai Havertz is about to have a goalscoring purple patch having swapped Chelsea for Arsenal. Plenty predict Richarlison to take over from Bavaria-bound Harry Kane and make a good fist of being the central striker at Spurs.
Graham Potter to return to club management this season. Michael Carrick will be a top-flight boss before the campaign is over. Morgan Gibbs-White to be so impressive for Nottingham Forest he receives a senior England call-up.
No one is quite sure which European competition Chelsea, Brighton or Aston Villa will find themselves in for 2024-25, but nearly everyone thinks Bournemouth will prove a top-half surprise package.
All your predictions will be stored to look at again, with more knowledgeable eyes, in a few months’ time.
(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
Season preview
ASN’s 2023/24 European season preview: a detailed look at each American player in Europe
ASN’s Brian Sciaretta gives a detalied look at each of the American players throughout Europe as the 2023/24 season prepares to get underway.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTED AUGUST 09, 2023 11:50 AM
A NEW SEASON IS upon is in Europe. Some leagues have already begun, and some leagues are nearing their kickoff. This past offseason has seen a lot of changes and there are still several American players who can or should be moving before the transfer window closes. But most of the stage is set for the coming season.
Most leagues feature a number of American players, and each has their own set of possible goals in the months ahead. Here is a discussion of each of the players in each league and what are the realistic goals in the coming season.
THE PREMIER LEAGUE
There has been a lot of movement regarding Americans in England this year at several levels. The Leeds relegation and Christian Pulisic’s exodus has changed the landscape. But there is still a significant presence.
First, there is the duo at Fulham which overperformed last year immediately after promotion.
Tim Ream was perhaps the best American player in any league in 2022/23. It ended early with a broken arm and that limited his preseason. But Ream will soon be 36 and the obvious question is how much longer can he stay at one of the highest levels in the game? He is only signed at Fulham through this season. For now, he is still a big player, and he has a spot on the national team. We will learn a lot about Ream this year. Is he still a national team player for the Copa America? Does he want to stay in Europe beyond this season? Father Time wins all battles, but Ream is aging like fine wine.
Antonee Robinson also had a very good season for Fulham in 2022/23 where he made big strides in his game and finally showed himself to be a player who belongs in the Premier League and is a lock starter on the national team. He doesn’t need to do anything more than keep it up, build off last season, and prove he can keep doing this season after season.
Chris Richards showed a high ceiling at times last season for Crystal Palace. But he’s now 23 and he needs to play regularly. We know his talent, but minutes have been too elusive for him due to a steady flow of injuries. In 2022/23, he played just 442 minutes and was injured for the World Cup. The most first-team minutes he has played in a season has been 1300. What he needs is to simply stay healthy and play regularly. He is likely to continue to play with the national team if he is healthy, but he needs minutes to be at his best heading into the Copa America.
Auston Trusty took a very positive first step in England last year. The move from Colorado to Arsenal didn’t really impress given the common ownership. But Trusty then went on loan to Birmingham City, played 4000 minutes and was the team’s player of the season. He used that to earn a legitimate transfer from Arsenal to newly promoted Sheffield United. Sheffield United needs defenders and Trusty can help them in their three-man backline. It should be expected that he plays real minutes, and it will be a huge challenge for Sheffield United to stay up. If they do, Trusty will likely have played very well. If Sheffield United are relegated, Trusty will be very prepared to help them in the Championship. But there is no question that this move will help raise his profile and allow him to compete for a spot on the national team.
Matt Turner is still yet to make his Premier League debut after spending all 2022/23 as the backup at Arsenal. Now he is set to be the first-choice goalkeeper at Nottingham Forest after securing a full transfer. Forest will likely be in a relegation battle and Turner’s play could help be a factor whether they remain in the Premier League. This is also great news for the national team who finally have stability for their top keeper.
There are also other issues for Americans in the Premier League. Folarin Balogun probably won’t be with Arsenal beyond this window. Arsenal wants to sell him, and his value won’t be any higher in January. It’s just a game of chicken for how long they can hold out and what their price is.
The good news for Matt Turner at Forest also means that Ethan Horvath shifts to the backup option. But he is good enough for the Championship at least. But will any teams there (or perhaps on the continent) make a push for him? Sticking with Forest, Alex Mighten is still there but he needs a loan or a transfer to play. His loan to Sheffield Wednesday was a disaster last season as it was canceled at the end of the January window and he was forced to play with Forest’s reserve team.
Luca Koleosho declined a spot on the U.S. U-20 team to play for Italy’s U-19 team, but in theory he could still switch back to the USA. But Koleosho, a winger, has impressed at Burnley and could be in line for a breakout season.
Finally, Gaga Slonina played for Chelsea’s U-23 team and isn’t ready for the first team yet. But there could be loan options for him this season at some point.
SERIE A
No other top European league has seen a huge bolster of American talent than Serie A. In a league where it used to be rare to see American players based, there are four top U.S. national team players there at two of the most historically powerful Italian teams.
Christian Pulisic is the biggest name in American soccer, and he is now at AC Milan after a rollercoaster tenure at Chelsea where he won the Champions League and also struggled with injuries and for a steady starting job after an endless flow of managerial changes. Expectations should be high for Pulisic. He is back in the Champions League, he is rated by Stefano Pioli who has more security than anyone at Chelsea, and Pulisic should also be playing with a chip on his shoulder. Pulisic has now reached a point where he is in his prime. He’s not seen as a player for the future. Milan wants him for what he is now. The only thing stopping Pulisic now are injuries. He needs to avoid those and be ready for a 2000+ minute season.
Yunus Musah will join Pulisic at Milan but there are far more questions surrounding Musah than Pulisic. For Musah, it’s about the final product. We see how he can effortlessly dribble through the midfield and he’s become a lock starter for the national team. But the question is creating and scoring goals. Last season, he failed to score and had just two assists for Valencia. He can and must be better at Milan and the leash will not be nearly as long under Pioli. Milan clearly believes Musah will become a more complete package, but it’s by no means a sure thing. That’s the most important thing for Musah over the course of the season – to show more creation and actual quantifiable goal production for Milan.
Weston McKennie is perhaps the most surprising American player of 2023. His move to Leeds was a surprise. His struggles there to help the team avoid relegation were a surprise. His failure to trigger his option to buy on his loan to Leeds was a surprise. His remaining with Juventus after his loan was a surprise. Finally, his very impressive preseason for Juventus was perhaps the biggest surprise. He is back in top form at Juventus, but can he keep it up and can he help Juventus remain a solid top four team in Italy. We know McKennie can perform well at the highest of levels, but can he be reliable to perform this way for an entire season under the pressure of one of world’s most storied clubs? He’s done it as a member of the supporting cast at Schalke and Juve. But the next step is to be in the main cast.
Tim Weah is now also at Juventus and for the first time in his career, he seems set to begin a season in a set role. At PSG, Celtic, and Lille he floated from winger, to center forward, to right back, and to wingback. But now at Juventus, he seems set to play this wingback role. Weah, 22, looks comfortable and happy in this role. Perhaps this consistency of a position will allow him to go from a promising player to a dependably good player. Assuming he can stay healthy (and he is still yet to play a 2000 minute season at the first team level) there is no reason to feel anything but optimistic about this move.
Aside from these players, there still could be some interesting movement for Americans in Serie A. First, Folarin Balogun has been linked with Inter Milan and Arsenal has reportedly rejected offers for the U.S. national team forward. If Inter Milan eventually come to terms, that would put yet another American presence at the top end of the league – which would be a staggering development. If Inter Milan end up spending an enormous sum on Balogun, he will play.
Finally, keep an eye on Tanner Tessmann who impressed last season in Serie B with Venezia. There is reported interest from within Serie A for an August transfer.
THE BUNDESLIGA
Among the top European leagues, the Bundesliga is typically the home to the most American players given that it has fewer restrictions on foreign, non-EU players. This continues to be the case as at least nine players should be regularly in the matchday squads. There are also youth players knocking at the door at several clubs.
Gio Reyna is the biggest American name in the league but he’s also the biggest mystery. He puts up very productive numbers based on minutes played, but last season he rarely started. He also still struggles with injuries, and he hasn’t been able to participate with Dortmund’s preseason. He’s played less than 1100 minutes the last two seasons combined. There is no question about his talent. But will this be the season he can put it all together in all three areas: 1) staying healthy, 2) earning a starting spot, 3) continuing to produce. Dortmund will want to sell Reyna at some point, but he’s only going fetch a real sum if he can do all three. For Reyna, success could be determined as to when he will be at 100%.
Brenden Aaronson didn’t put up the numbers he wanted last year at Leeds United but now he will head to the Bundesliga with a Union Berlin team that is in the Champions League. The expectation and goals should be that he improves at Union Berlin where he is playing in a less physical league and is surrounded by better teammates compared with the level of the league. This is probably the move he should have made after Salzburg. Confidence will be key.
Jordan Pefok will also be at Union Berlin, but the open question is his confidence level as the season opens. He began 2022/23 in terrific form but then struggled shortly afterward. After September 17, he only scored one goal and he lost his spot in the starting XI. Was this a matter of confidence, or was it Bundesliga defenders figuring him out and taking away his strengths? There should be concern given how he has struggled in top leagues before. He was once a promising player in Ligue 1 but then faded before finding success in Ligue 2 and in Switzerland. We will learn a lot about Pefok this season as to whether he is simply someone who thrives at lower levels? Regarding the national team, the arrival of Balogun and the improvement of Ricardo Pepi has moved him down the ladder (and he was already behind Josh Sargent and Haji Wright). He also faces new competition from players like Brandon Vazquez. On many levels, he needs to have a big year.
Paxten Aaronson was denied a release by Eintracht Frankfurt to play in the U-20 World Cup because it seems like the club has a clear path for him. He showed some promise in the preseason and there should be hopes that he gets regular playing time. A 2000-minute season seems unlikely, but if he can impress off the bench early in the season, it should open doors for potential starts. Eintracht are clearly happy with the younger Aaronson and have a patient approach. He should get opportunities early in the season. Internationally, Aaronson could benefit tremendously from the Olympic team if Eintracht are willing to release him.
Timothy Chandler is now 33 and is clearly playing out the string of what could be the final years of his career. He’s a bench option for Eintracht these days and he hardly plays. Last season, he was only on the field for 81 minutes. It’s hard to see his situation improving much.
Kevin Paredes picked up an injury in preseason with Wolfsburg and won’t return until a few weeks into the season. The U.S. U-20 winger looked sharp last season, but it was almost entirely as a sub. He made a respectable 22 appearances but only started once (where he didn’t play well). The key for him once he returns to health is to show he can be an effective starter, even if it is just occasionally. He needs to far surpass the 512 minutes he earned in 2022/23. Internationally, he is another player who could benefit tremendously from the Olympic level to bridge the gap from the USYNT to the USMNT.
Joe Scally faded out of the starting lineup towards the end of 2022/23 when only played two minutes for Borussia Monchengladbach in the final five games of the season. Heading into the 2023/24 preseason, it appeared as if Scally would face competition for the starting right back job. But that changed dramatically in July when it was announced that Stefan Lainer had cancer and would miss several months. It was also revealed that Monchengladbach would not seek another right back. Scally, 21, has the starting job at M’Gladbach as a result. It’s not the way anyone would want to beat out competition, but Scally needs to take advantage of the opportunity to ensure he is the right back M’Gladbach want.
Lennard Maloney and 1.FC Heidenheim were the unlikely winners of the 2.Bundesliga last season and many in Germany are predicting the club won’t survive in the Bundesliga. That’s probably a fair assessment. But Maloney has a nice opportunity to test himself in Germany’s top tier where he will likely continue as a defensive midfielder (after converting from central defense last season). He desperately wants to play for the U.S. national team and playing well in the Bundesliga could give him the opportunity he craves.
John Brooks arrived at Hoffenheim midway through last season after a failed move to Benfica. In his return to Germany, he helped Hoffenheim climb out of the relegation zone and comfortably into midtable. Now 30, Brooks is a very experienced central defender who has a great understanding of the Bundesliga. He should be an anchor in the team’s backline once again after he was the team’s player of the month to end 2022/23. Will it get him back in the picture with the U.S. national team? Gregg Berhalter preferred other players last year and he will likely continue to explore other options the rest of 2023. But if Brooks is thriving at Hoffenheim heading into the Copa America and other central defenders are struggling, Brooks could be back in the mix.
Pellegrino Matarazzo is the only American manager in the top European leagues to start 2023/24 and it was a tough assignment for him to right the ship at Hoffenheim last year when he took the job in January. But eventually he did and Hoffenheim climbed out of the relegation zone in the final month of the season. Expectations should be that Matarazzo continues to improve the team back to where it should be – midtable. He’s a very good manager and is certainly continuing to make a big name for himself in Germany.
Elsewhere in Germany there are other players who are at the youth levels looking to break through. Quincy Butler has been making the bench this preseason at Hoffenheim after previously playing on the team’s bench. Damion Downs made the bench a few times for FC Koln last season and featured this preseason for the first team. He should be back with the second team to start the season but could get a look later in the season. Like Downs, Malik Sonogo is knocking at the door with the first team at Union Berlin while also playing with U.S. youth teams.
Malik Tillman has been training with Bayern Munich this preseason after a very productive loan last season with Rangers. He looks set for a loan to PSV this season.
Also, Borussia Monchengladbach has been looking at FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez for most of 2023. Cincy doesn’t seem willing to let Vazquez go before the end of the 2023 season, but would M’Gladbach look to acquire him in January (possible buying him in August and then loaning him back through 2023)? We will see.
LA LIGA/LIGUE 1
With several American players featuring in the top leagues of Spain and France, only one U.S. international is in the mix between the two leagues to start 2023/24.
Luca de la Torre had an up and down season with Celta Vigo in 2022/23. He eventually cracked the team’s starting XI where he had some good games and some subpar games. He only managed a couple of assists (with no goals) and had some good games and some bad games. Celta Vigo flirted with relegation but managed to escape at the end. The goal for de la Torre should be to remain as a starter despite upgrades at the club. If he does that, he must help guide the team to a safer season in 2023/24 where there is never any doubt about relegation. With the national team, he remains a solid backup option but there will be emerging competition among the younger group of players who are mostly U-23 players now. He should be feeling some pressure for both club and country in 2023/24 and it is up to him to prove he is still the better option.
THE EREDIVISIE
The Eredivisie will have its biggest presence of Americans in many years as a number of players have found their way into the league.
Ricardo Pepi remains in the top Dutch flight, but things are much different. He has gone from a relegation team to perennial powers PSV Eindhoven. He could also get the chance to play in the Champions League. While it won’t be as easy for him to see the field due to competition, he should be able to see the field on a regular basis, at worst as a sub. Expectations should be high for Pepi as he has already shown he can score in the Eredivisie – but now he should only see his play elevated by better teammates. It’s an appropriate step up and while Pepi might not play enough to reach double digits like he did last year, he should be effective.
Djordje Mihaiolvoic will finally get his first full season in the Eredivisie after joining AZ Alkmaar last December. When he joined AZ, it was tough for Mihailovic, 23, as he was trying to break into a team that in the middle of an overachieving season. His playing time was limited and most of his appearances came as a late substitute. Now with a full preseason with players starting off on an equal footing, more should be expected. Success for Mihailovic is starting most of his appearances and finding a way to create chances for a team that should finish in the top five.
Agustin Anello is an Olympic eligible winger who desperately wants to play for the United States for the first time at any age level. The Miami area native went on loan from Lommel (2nd tier Belgium) to Hajduk Split where he was a regular substitute. Hajduk declined its option to buy Anello, but Anello quickly secured an impressive move to Sparta Rotterdam. Anello played regularly in the preseason but we will see if Sparta sees him as a starter. That is unclear but he will get opportunities. From there, it is up to him. If he takes advantage, he could get a starting job and opportunities with the U.S. U-23 team.
Taylor Booth impressed last season and earned a spot on the U.S. national team by March. After a rocky first few weeks with Utrecht, Booth was the league’s player of the month for November. Eventually he cooled off a little, but he needs to stay at the level of being one of Utrecht’s better offensive players. He also needs to show he can handle the physicality of the league better for him to eventually force a sale and take a bigger role with the national team (and he’s also Olympic eligible as well). Booth has the ability to improve, and this season will also help set his ceiling.
Anthony Fontana singed a new contract with newly promoted PEC Zwolle after he performed well on a short term contract for the last two months of 2022/23. The former Philadelphia Union homegrown hardly played in Serie B with Ascoli but he moved to Zwolle shortly after his contract was terminated. He’s likely a bench option for Zwolle to start the season, but success would be impressing and moving into the starting lineup and helping Zwolle avoid relegation back to the Eerste Divisie.
Elsewhere in the Eredivisie, Malik Tillman is linked with a loan to PSV from Bayern Munich. Such a move would likely include an option to buy. That would be a nice step up for Tillman after his successful time from Rangers.
Also at PSV, Richard Ledezma is still with NYCFC on loan and could rejoin PSV later in the season. His loan to NYCFC has been successful in getting him playing time, but he has not dominated in the way it would take to indicate he is ready to play regularly for PSV. It might take another loan.
Defender Kik Pierre is with Excelcior and while he could only play for the USA if he filed a one-time switch. That seems highly likely as his Dutch dreams seem distant. But he’s also not good enough yet for the USA. To get there, he needs to stay healthy and play well. But staying healthy has always been tough for Pierre and he is already injured to start this season.
THE BELGIAN FIRST DIVISION
The first division in Belgium will once again be busy with up to five Americans set to be regular contributors on matchday squads.
Mark McKenzie is the most prominent American in the first division. The central defender has locked down a starting job with Genk and has occasionally worn the armband. The start to the season hasn’t gone well as Genk has been bounced from the Champions League. But there should be a high bar for success this year for McKenzie. He should be one of the best central defenders in the First Division and help Genk into being a top two or three team. If that happens, McKenzie should be in a great position to be sold in 2024 and continued looks with the U.S. national team.
Bryan Reynolds will return to Westerlo after he had a very good season there on loan from Roma. He impressed so much that Westerlo purchased Reynolds directly from the Italian club. He has a high ceiling as a right back but needs quality coaching to get to that level. But he’s in a great spot to play every single game with a team and develop. Internationally, Reynolds seems likely to be the Olympic team’s right back.
Griffin Yow while he is injured to start the season, Yow is a very good pick to be a surprise this year among Americans abroad. Yow was actually Westerlo’s best player in the preseason and looks as if his game has come a long way from his DC United days behind the scenes. The winger from Virginia is another Olympic option and while making that team will be tough for Yow, it’s not an unrealistic goal either.
Sam Vines is a huge question mark heading into this season with a Royal Antwerp team who won the First Division. Vines made the move to Antwerp in 2021 but has dealt with serious injuries. First a broken collarbone shortly after he got there. Then last November, his World Cup hopes were eliminated when he broke is tibia in training. While he was a regular starter before his tibia injury, he never played again the rest of the season. In preseason and the start of the season, he’s been a sub. But success for him would be reclaiming his starting spot. But 100% recoveries from a broken tibia are tough to predict.
Marlon Fossey was one of the breakout Americans in 2022/23. After his youth career stalled out at Fulham (and with U.S. youth national teams) due to repeated injuries, Fossey finally turned his career around last year when he joined Standard Liege on a free transfer. He emerged as a regular starter as Standard’s right wingback. His athleticism in covering the right side was impressive and, even more impressively, he stayed healthy the entire season. One more healthy season could make him a nice asset for Standard to sell. Internationally, the right back position is crowded for Fossey but he could force a look if he builds off last season.
Finally in Belgium, it’s been a sad story with Owen Otasowie who isn’t being paid by Club Belgium and the club seemingly never know his whereabouts. It wouldn’t be surprising if we’ve seen the last of him as a professional player.
SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
There isn’t as big of an American presence in Scotland this season after Malik Tillman and James Sands left Rangers, Ian Harkes left Dundee United, and Matthew Hoppe’s loan from Middlesbrough to Hibernian unsuccessfully ended. But there are still important payers.
Cameron Carter-Vickers is regular starter for Celtic and is an important player to the team’s backline. He had knee surgery offseason but started the team’s first game of the season, a 4-2 win over Ross County. Clearly, Carter-Vickers needs to dominate Scotland again since he was on the Premiership’s Team of the Season for 2022/23. Anything less would be disappointing. His games in European play and in Old Firm games are critical because they are the few times he will be tested with Celtic. He was on the World Cup team and will have competition if Richards gets healthy and McKenzie plays well with Genk. But he’s in a good position too with Berhalter coming back.
Dante Polvara returned to Aberdeen from a successful loan stateside with the Charleston Battery. The new coaching staff at Aberdeen likes him so he has clear goals which would mark success: 1) starting regularly and 2) making an impact for an Aberdeen team which could finish as high as third place.
Joe Efford is healthy after being sidelines for most of the 2022/23. The winger needs to break back into Motherwell’s starting XI, but he didn’t have a great preseason so he has work to do.
Scott Pittman is the all-time appearance leader for Livingston and is a club legend. But now over 30, his starting job isn’t as secure. Getting back into the starting XI and helping the team to a top-half finish would be success.
THE 2.BUNDESLIGA
There isn’t as much of an American presence in the 2.Bundesliga with Lennard Maloney getting promoted and Ryan Malone leaving for Ingolstadt in the 3.Liga along with American manager Joe Enochs getting relegated with Jahn Regensburg. But some big names remain.
Julian Green returns to Greuther Furth after a disappointing season. Two years ago, Green was key to Furth’s promotion. Then in the Bundesliga, he rarely played as they were relegated. Last season, he was lackluster as Furth limped to a midtable finish. But he had a nice preseason and a solid start to the season. We don’t yet know what Green will show up this season, but the early signs are that he could be at the level where he was three seasons ago in a successful season – which would be a big improvement.
Maxamillian Dietz looks to be a starter for Greuther Furth after years in the reserves. Last season, he made a few first team substitute appearances, but he started the club’s preseason games and the first two games of 2023/24. He plays the right side of a three-man backline. At 21 years old, he is eligible for the U.S. Olympic team so his goals should be starting for Furth, helping the team in a promotional race, and getting into the U.S. U-23 team (which needs defensive depth).
Terrence Boyd successfully restarted his career starting last season at the age of 32 when he was one of the best center forwards in the 2.Bundesliga with Kaiserslautern. His national team days are over, but it should be a nice goal for him to help in the Kaiserslautern revival as an offensive threat. He’s one of the better “feel good” stories with his charismatic personality. He could still hit double digits again.
Fabian Hurzeler was a remarkable story getting St. Pauli’s managerial job a month before his 30th birthday. When he took the job, St. Pauli was almost in the relegation zone. By the end of the year, St. Pauli was a contender for promotion. Hurzeler’s goal this year should be to have St. Pauli in contention for promotion. After last year, that is realistic.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP
There is a lot up in the air regarding Americans in the Championship. Will Zack Steffen and Ethan Horvath return with different teams after good seasons? Will Tyler Adams move on from Leeds despite being injured since March? Meanwhile, Matthew Hoppe moved away on loan while Jonathan Tomkinson could also still move away.
Josh Sargent has a lot on the line as he is now the top forward at Norwich since Teemu Pukki was sold to Minnesota. Sargent is a good forward and he can and should hit double digits again. But can he go from being a good forward to a forward who can lead a team in a promotional race? That is a high bar but that is a bar that Norwich set for him. He has a ton of responsibility and handling that well would impress Gregg Berhalter.
Also with Norwich City, former U.S. national team forward David Wagner is the team’s manager and the pressure will be on him to get the team into the playoffs, at least. Meanwhile, U.S. U-23 hopeful Jonathan Tomkinson had a mediocre loan to Stevenage in League Two last year and the defender from Texas might need another loan.
Daryl Dike has had a tough time since joining West Bromwich in 2022. He simply can’t stay healthy and is not supposed to be healthy until later in the year with an Achilles’ injury. It’s very disappointing news given how likable and charismatic Dike is. The goal for Dike is simply to get back on the field and stay healthy. Could he do better? Of course. But seeing him healthy for an extended period would be a great start.
Haji Wright is now with Coventry – who paid a club record for the American forward after he broke out in the Turkish Super Lig with Antalyaspor with 31 goals in all competitions over two seasons. But when a club pays that high of a price, it expects something in return. Namely, Wright will need to be a forward who can reliably produce goals for a team that expects to be in a promotional race. Last season, Coventry narrowly missed out on promotion in a shootout loss to Luton Town in the playoff final. After Coventry sold star forward Viktor Gyokeres to Sporting CP in the offseason, Haji Wright will be expected to fill that void and deliver. The pressure on Wright is enormous and the bar has been set high.
Duane Holmes made the move away from his hometown club, Huddersfield, and is now with Preston North End. At 28 years old, he needs to be consistent and steady for a club which finished 12th in 2022/23 but who has ambitions to push for the playoffs. A tenacious midfielder at his best, he has far more opportunity at Preston North End than with a limited Huddersfield team.
Lynden Gooch and Sunderland pushed for back to back promotions in 2022/23 but fell short in the playoffs. Gooch has had spells in and out of Sunderland’s starting XI. Now playing right back, he has grown nicely into the position. The goal for him is to start most of Sunderland’s games and help it continue to be in the playoff mix.
Vaughn Covil started at the beginning of last season for Hull City before suffering a torn ACL which not only ended his season, but it eliminated him from any possibility of playing with the U.S. U-20 team last cycle. He’s back now and the goal is for him to simply get back on track to where he was before the injury. It might take a loan away from Hull City.
Jaheim Headley played a lot of minutes last year for Huddersfield and he had some impressive moments. The 21-year-old left back has told people, however, that his goal is to play for Jamaica.
YANKS IN OTHER LEAGUES
Rokas Pukstas is one of the top American teenagers now and he is now a lock starter for Hajduk Split. He started off 2023/24 in terrific fashion with two game winning goals in the first two HNL games. He ended last season winning the Croatian Cup (where he drew a penalty). But unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury and will miss the next two months. It’s a setback given the strides he had been making. But his goal should be to continue to emerge as an important player for Hadjuk Split, win games/trophies, and eventually force a sale. Internationally, he seems like a strong candidate for the U.S. Olympic team next summer.
Erik Palmer-Brown earned a move from Troyes in France after their relegation to Panathinaikos FC, who finished second in Greece and are still alive in Champions League qualifying. For Palmer-Brown, 26, he now gets to join a team that is surrounded by better talent – as opposed to midtable or relegation level talent. It’s a great move for him mentally to be able to win. He should aim for a spot in the starting lineup (which he always seems to do, no matter where he plays) and he should also aim to be one of the better centerbacks in Greece. Internationally, he seems to be behind several other players on the national team but perhaps winning will help him (like it did for Carter-Vickers). He also wouldn’t be a bad overage selection for the U.S. Olympic team.
Alex Mendez has had an up and down time the past two seasons with Vizela in Portugal. He’s been in and out of the starting XI while occasionally having some big games. He’s still only 22 years old and time is on his side but the goals this season should be a 2000-minute season (he was around 1400 in his first two Vizela seasons) while also being productive to help Vizela push into the top half of the season.
Alejandro Alvarado had a disappointing season with Vizela in 2022/23 where his first team minutes completely evaporated, and it cost him a spot on the U.S. U-20 World Cup team. His career doesn’t seem to be in a great place and he simply needs to do whatever he can to play regularly.
Benji Michel was a good sub option for Arouca after joining the Portuguese club in January. Arouca finished firth last season to earn a spot in the qualifying rounds of the Conference League (where they will face Norway’s Brann). Michel, 25, only started once for Arouca and earning more starts should be his priority.
Justin Che moved from FC Dallas to Brondby in Denmark after Hoffenheim declined to purchase him following the end of an 18-month loan in May. In between, he played at the U-20 World Cup for the U.S. team. Two things for Che, he needs to gradually develop as a player and start to get regular playing time. He also needs to figure out a primary position after floating between right back and central defense the past two years.
Christian Cappis is also at Brondby and his minutes have been uneven (1049 minutes in 2021/22 and 982 minutes in 2022/23). There have been reports he might be exploring a move back the USA, which would be fine if this is where he can play. He probably will leave Brondby if he remains only an occasional starter.
Sebastian Soto moved last year to Austria Klagenfurt to jumpstart his stagnating career. He saw limited minutes and scored one goal. He is now hurt with a back injury to start 2023/24. Whenever he returns, he will need to crush it. At 23, it’s getting late early for Soto and the hype from his U-20 days is now over. He is still yet to show anything professionally.
George Bello also has struggled in recent years. He began to fade in Atlanta and then that continued when he moved to Arminia Bielefeld as that club suffered back-to-back relegations. Bello’s minutes evaporated by the end. Now he’s at LASK in the Austrian Bundesliga, and that would be fine expect that the club also recently signed long-time left back Rene Renner to a long time deal. Renner regularly plays nearly every minute for the club, so Bello joined a team where he is clearly the backup. If he gets any meaningful opportunity, he must take advantage of it. Otherwise, Bello is not going to play much.
Emmanuel Sabbi has been an effective winger for OB Odense with most of his goals coming against the bottom half of the Danish Super Liga. The strong winger has probably found his level at age 25 but OB’s sporting director has recently said Antalyaspor in Turker has been interested.
EDIT: there are now reports out of France that Sabbi will be on the move to Le Havre who were just promoted to France’s Ligue 1. That is a big step up for Sabbi and a rare chance for him to break into a top league.
YANKS STILL ON THE MARKET
As we near mid-August, there are still several American players who could be on the move. These will be big stories for the remainder of the window.
Folarin Balogun increased his stock with a tremendous season in 2022/23 with Reims on loan from Arsenal. Inter Milan want him, and he could succeeded there and in many other places. It just comes down to Arsenal setting a realistic price.
Tyler Adams is still with Leeds United and there is interest from Premier League teams who would pay the release fee for Adams because they see him as a starter. Still, it becomes tough to move an injured player and Adams hasn’t played since an injury in March.
Sergino Dest had a terrible loan in 2022/23 to AC Milan and he is back with a Barcelona team that doesn’t want him. He will land on his feet with a good but not great club. To get back into the highest levels of the game, he needs improve in certain areas while having a coach who appreciates his style of playing. Among top managers, Dest isn’t for everyone.
Tanner Tessmann impressed last season with Venezia as a big and athletic midfielder who is also skilled. It would be a surprise if he remains with Venezia for the duration of this season. A move this summer still seems very realistic.
Gianluca Busio was also with Venezia but his minutes were erratic. He’s expensive for Venezia and the club would likely want to move him. But who will come in with a high enough offer for Venezia. A move back to MLS could work, but which teams will pay a few million for him? That doesn’t seem realistic.
Malik Tillman raised his stock nicely on loan with Rangers and he also isn’t in Bayern Munich’s plans. The reports of PSV seem like an appropriate step for him take, even if it is on loan.
Ethan Horvath returned to Nottingham Forest after his loan to Luton Town last season ended with his purchase option not being picked up despite a successful promotion. Is he really going to be Turner’s backup? It seems like he has done enough to show he is a keeper who can be a valuable asset to a Championship team looking for promotion.
Zack Steffen is also in limbo after returning to Manchester City after his loan to Middlesbrough resulted in his purchase option not being picked up. He’s a strong candidate to move since he is now No. 3 at City. He needs a good move for his national team career.
Reggie Cannon is a free agent after terminating his contract with Boavista. There have been reports of interest from Koln and Rayo Vallecano, but Cannon needs to be careful that clubs are not simply taking a flyer on him since he is now free. He’s in a tricky spot.
Caden Clark moved to Leipzig from the New York Red Bulls in January but didn’t play for the German team. In fact, Clark is yet to play a game since September 18, 2022 (nearly 11 months ago). He fell out of the U.S. U-20 squad too. There were reports that Twente was interested in him on loan. But he’s in a spot where he desperately needs to play. Almost any option that gets him on the field is a good one.
Konrad De la Fuente has had a miserable 18 months. He’s fallen out of favor at Marseille and he didn’t play on his loan to Olympiacos. Now there are reports that SD Eibar in Spain’s Segunda wants to bring him in on loan. That’s great. De la Fuente needs to play and reverse the downward trend. A big thing to watch with de la Fuente is his professionalism. How hard will he work to improve?
Uly Llanez is another young player in limbo. Still signed to Wolfsburg, he spent the last two seasons on loan to St. Poelten of Austrian’s second tier. He doesn’t want to go back there for a third season but Wolfsburg probably doesn’t have a lot of options for him either. His career has been stuck in the mud for a long time now and it isn’t clear how this will be fixed.
Linehan: This World Cup’s anti-USWNT outrage isn’t just hateful, it’s irrational
By Meg Linehanug 9, 2023
Here we are again.The U.S. women’s national soccer team, can you believe it, has done something to elicit a flood of commentary, criticism and right-wing vitriol. But in a novel twist, this time it was prompted by an on-field result — a World Cup round of 16 loss on penalties to Sweden, the first time in 12 years that the team has stumbled on the world’s biggest stage, with team lightning rod Megan Rapinoe missing her first-ever World Cup penalty kick in the process.
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Clearly, a lot of people have been waiting for this to happen.
On social media, former President Donald Trump attributed the loss to current President Joe Biden, adding that many of the players were “openly hostile to America,” among more unhinged contempt. Political commentators, almost all right-leaning, have parroted this talking point, with former Fox News and NBC host Megyn Kelly declaring on her SiriusXM radio show that she was “thrilled” the U.S. lost. Players’ public stances on a number of social, cultural and political issues have repeatedly been cited as offenses that constitute “revel(ing) in anti-American vitriol,” as Texas senator and former Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz put it on Twitter. So too are their marketing deals, their hairstyles, the awards some have won…everything down to the clothes they wear and the way they choose to celebrate existing at the peak of their profession.
Somehow, these voices have been given weight despite the fact that it’s likely few if any of them actually watch the USWNT, or women’s soccer, or women’s sports in general on a regular basis. And it’s all in addition to social media’s rotten waterfall of bigotry; hate speech masquerading as commentary, posted by trolls masquerading as serious people.
They’ve all gotten their chance to gloat. So here we are again.
When the U.S. women won the World Cup in 2019, conservative politicians and talking heads had a playbook they followed to the letter. The equal pay fight was at its zenith, kneeling for the national anthem was a hot topic, and Trump was trading barbs with a U.S. team that was at the center of those conversations. In a way, one could understand the uproar that accompanied that moment. The discussions at play were significant and real enough that nothing felt forced.
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Four years later, no actual discussions are on the table — just wedge issues conservatives are gleefully pushing in the hopes of scoring political points.
Consider the fact that so many of the people heaping invective on this U.S. team are doing so while trumpeting the need to “protect women’s sports” – something that has never been about reducing harm for athletes or calling for increased investment and resources, but has always been about a deeply hypocritical politicization of women’s sports, about erasing trans people from public life and denying them the joy of playing at any level, and about policing the behavior of women.
These are all things that several members of the USWNT drew attention to last year, when they wore wristbands reading “Protect trans kids” during a friendly in Texas. Now, at least in part because of that stance, the players are in a target zone of hate.
More from The Athletic…
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The backlash actually has very little to do with the World Cup performance. You can tell because it didn’t start with the team’s loss to Sweden, or the awful performance against Portugal, or the lackluster draw against the Netherlands. It first became noticeable at the earliest possible moment, before the United States’ opening win against Vietnam, when some team members sang the national anthem and some did not. That, somehow, was enough to cause a ripple of outrage — a small one, but big enough that USWNT defender Naomi Girma was asked about it at a subsequent press conference.
The USWNT press corps — people like me who cover this team on an everyday basis — chose not to engage in that topic because it clearly wasn’t about singing the anthem. If it had been, I might have pointed out that most of the USA baseball team didn’t sing the anthem in the final of the World Baseball Classic this year, or that the USA men’s basketball team didn’t sing the anthem in the Olympic gold medal game in 2021. I could have pointed to a significant number of USMNT players who didn’t sing the anthem at the last World Cup, or identified the same among other countries who have competed in New Zealand and Australia over the last few weeks.
I might even have pointed out that the U.S. law concerning behavior during the playing of the national anthem (U.S. Code Title 36, Chapter 10, Section 171) makes exactly zero mention of singing. What it does mention, though, is standing. That isn’t something that was debated rationally very often in the buildup to World Cup 2019, but at least there was a basis to do so.
The 2023 outrage has never been rational. It’s just one group shouting regardless of whether anyone is listening or not. It is rooted in misogyny and sexism, racism, homophobia and transphobia — all the antitheses to the things this team has stood for collectively and individually.
We could be talking about all of the many reasons why the USWNT failed; the actual soccer that was played, coaching mistakes, or larger systemic issues that will need to be addressed by the U.S. Soccer Federation moving forward. All those things contributed to the team’s earliest exit from a World Cup in tournament history. Becoming too “woke,” whatever that means, certainly didn’t hurt them this time, just as it didn’t help them when they won in 2019, or even in 2015.
While the attacks are crude and meritless, they have at least proven that the platforms of the USWNT as a whole, and those of players like Rapinoe, are significant and far-reaching. They have power, enough to be considered both a target and a threat. That’s still a deeply uncomfortable if not outright dangerous position to be in — there is a real, human cost to this vitriol we are forgetting as we debate whether to engage or not.
The bigger question here is: Who are we listening to right now, and why?
Is it someone like Fox Sports commentator and former U.S. men’s national team defender Alexi Lalas, who declared the USWNT “polarizing” because of their “politics, causes, stances and behavior,” at least to a certain “portion of America?” I wonder if he has followed his own train of thought long enough to consider how his network’s coverage of the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar had its own political approach, from choosing to ignore Qatar’s lengthy history of human rights abuses directly related to that World Cup, to segments like the one in which Lalas appeared in a thobe alongside Qatari influencer Khalifa Al Haroon (also known as Mr. Q).
Perhaps instead we should be listening to the voices that know this team, this sport, and the USWNT’s legacy that extends beyond the field. There are numerous current and former players who have provided excellent analysis through the World Cup, and players from other national teams who have credited the USWNT with growing the sport. If the U.S. women’s national team had clearly been acting out of step with what was expected of them, surely these are the people who would be able to tell.
“The U.S. women’s national team, they’re pioneers,” Sweden forward Kosovare Asllani told Tobin Heath in a clip posted following her team’s win over the U.S. “You are raising the game, you’re opening doors for the rest of the community, the rest of the world. You’re first with everything.”
She also mentioned she had told an American journalist not to “talk sh–” about the USWNT.
I still can’t help but resent even having to write this column. I resent having to spend a single second of a single minute of a single day at this World Cup — a tournament of upsets and excellence — thinking about what bad-faith politicians and commentariat have to say about the USWNT loss. All of this is so cynical, so manufactured and so cheap. It’s not about soccer, nor is it about the facts, nor has it ever been. They’ve been waiting to see this team stumble, and they’ve finally cashed in on their chase to poison the USWNT’s World Cup platform for their own gain — especially in the case of Rapinoe.
Something she said four summers ago still works at this moment, though.“I think that I’m particularly and uniquely and very deeply American,” Rapinoe said, addressing her own view of what patriotism means. “If we want to talk about the ideals that we stand for, the song and the anthem, and what we were founded on, I think I’m extremely American. ”This team, more than ever before, represents the diversity of the United States. Keeping the spotlight on them as players, as humans, and on their platform and their “politics, stances, causes and behaviors” — as if any of those are anything but standing on the right side of history — is the best way to ensure they win, even if they are out of the World Cup.Otherwise, we’ll just be right back here again.(Photo: Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Meg Linehan is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers the U.S. women’s national team, the National Women’s Soccer League and more. She also hosts the weekly podcast “Full Time with Meg Linehan.” Follow Meg on Twitter @itsmeglinehan
We will be back stronger’
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Japan cruised through the World Cup group stages and shocked the tournament with a 4-0 demolition of Spain in their final match.
They then easily beat Norway 3-1 to set up today’s quarter-final with Sweden, where many pegged them as favourites.
But it was Sweden who triumphed in the end, bringing to a close Japan’s high-octane football at this World Cup.
“We fought so hard because we wanted it,” captain Saki Kumagai said. “We want to go to the next round, of course. We will come back stronger.”On his side’s journey at the tournament, Japan coach Futoshi Ikeda added: “The team grew and the players grew out of this World Cup. We were able to demonstrate that on the world stage, which is a fact.”We also lost this match, which is also a fact. But the players, their work at this World Cup, is something that we need to assess positively.”
‘We want to go the whole way’
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Sweden are not resting on their laurels after that 2-1 win against Japan in their quarter-final.
The European side, who beat the USWNT on penalties in the round of 16 on Sunday, were 2-0 up in their quarter-final and survived a late comeback from the Japanese to seal a place in the next round of the World Cup.”Obviously, we’re not happy with a semi-final, we want to go the whole way,” captain Kosovare Asllani said. “I believe strongly in my team and we’ll be more than ready for (the semi-final on) Tuesday.””We were very happy with the win against the U.S., but we knew we had to recharge and think about Japan,” midfielder Kosovare Asllani said. “We knew we were going to play a very skilled and technical team, and we didn’t want them to have a lot of time on the ball, because that’s when they’re the best.”Sweden will face Spain in Tuesday’s semi-final, after Jorge Vilda’s side beat the Netherlands 2-1 earlier on.
Russo anticipating a physical Colombia team: ‘We’ll be ready to go’
England forward Alessia Russo spoke with reporters ahead of her team’s quarterfinal match against Colombia on Saturday. Here’s what she said:
(Is there) more pressure as a starter rather than coming off the bench?
“I think there is always weight on your shoulders when you play for your country. It is different, but your job is the same and your focus is the same. When I went into the Euros, it was my first tournament and I just wanted to make sure I stayed in the moment and enjoyed every second of it. That’s been my mindset coming into this.
“Yes, obviously what you do on the pitch is most important but how you go into games is really crucial too. For us, as players, we know the standard and how to get the best out of each other so it’s just about staying in your zone and knowing what’s right for you.”
Colombia’s friendly against Ireland was called off, abandoned, before the tournament because of perceived over-physical behaviour. … Are you ready to get a kicking from defenders and are you ready to give a bit back?
“I think Colombia, yes, are a physical team and aggressive but so are we. It’s something that we’ve faced before in this tournament and we’ve stepped up. That’s part of the game now, it’s getting more physical, it’s getting stronger. Players are quicker and faster. I think in this tournament the level has been so high and it’s great to see, and I think you all know as much as I do that no one ever in this tournament is an underdog. And they [Colombia] have put on some really good performances in this tournament and, when Saturday comes, we’ll be ready to go.”
Most games at this tournament have been almost a battle. Are you expecting more of that this weekend? And what’s it like as a player, to be in that sort of classic tournament match, where it becomes almost like a slog?
“I think it’s great that you can’t take your foot off the gas for one second and, not that we could in the Euros either, but you can see it, every game is so, so tight and that just shows the level of the game right now which is amazing. Yes, we’re expecting that on Saturday for sure. Colombia are a great team and they’ve got some great players, so it’s going to be, from minute one to the final whistle goes, it’s going to be tough.”
Do you think it’s significant that Sarina (Wiegman) is the last female coach in the tournament?
“It’s great for young girls that want to go into coaching. We always say about inspiring the next generation and to go out and play football and get as many young girls involved as possible, so to know that they can be a coach as well and see Sarina on the biggest stage is incredible. She’s one of the best managers I’ve ever played for so to have her as our leader and our role model is something that we really appreciate.”
What’s she like in tournament scenarios? She seems very cool. Is that the case? And you all seemed so calm for the penalties…
“Yes she’s very cool and she’s a very calm head, which is so important when you’re in high-pressure moments. She’s a winner, she knows how to win, and she’s done it before. Yes, she has the full respect of everyone and I think it’s great to have someone leading us that knows how to deal with those high-pressure moments, as well as [someone who] keeps everyone calm on the pitch.”
(There was a) video of you on social media the other day as a young person with a pair of football boots. … What do you think that young Alessia would think seeing you now and, when you see that, does it give you perspective on what you’re achieving now?
“I think it’s things like that make you realise and just relax a little bit. These moments in these tournaments can be really high-pressure but I think that little girl would have been dreaming about a World Cup ever since she was born. So to be able to be living in that moment now is something that I’m so grateful for but it’s so nice to be able to relate back to being that little kid when times are hard and pressure is on because that’s who you’re playing for, and that’s why you’re here.”
You’re quite a physical player. … Is that something you’ll relish if that comes up against Colombia?
“Yes I’m quite a big player in terms of my height and stature, so I’d like to think I could hold my own. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I couldn’t. But yes, I think the strength-in-depth in the squad is amazing and you’re tested every day in training to be strong in those moments. I’m coming up against Millie Bright most days in training, so I think if there’s ever a test it’s right there. So yes, you prepare for those moments every day in training.”
The role of a No. 9…what are some of the big differences you’ve noticed, compared to the WSL, at the international level? Especially at a World Cup, coming up against defenders that you won’t usually meet?
“I mean, I don’t think it differs too much because I think the standard of the WSL is so high. And the centre-backs that you play against are mostly internationals anyway. So I think it’s pretty similar but you have very little time on the ball and you’ve got to be really quick in your decision-making, and then when you’re in an around the box you have a split-second to get your shot off or you miss your moment, so I think, yes, it’s just about trying to be one step ahead and making sure you never miss a moment.”
I know you won’t tell us what formation you’re going to play but how much do you practice the two formations?
“We prepare for everything.”
England’s Russo talks her ‘pinch-me’ Beckham moment
England forward Alessia Russo spoke with reporters ahead of her team’s quarterfinal match against Colombia on Saturday. Here’s what she said:
(Is there a) different dynamic in the squad, given the competition for places and changing team?
“I think the dynamic of this team is what makes it so special. It’s been the same ever since I stepped into the squad. We have such a good team spirit and togetherness and I’d like to think that you can see that on the pitch in how we celebrate and enjoy each other’s moments.”
How have you found playing in a two with Lauren Hemp?
“I love playing alongside all the attackers in this team. We have so many different strengths and it’s great. When I’m up and around the box you enjoy yourself. Hempo and I have lots of conversations and it’s good. But you can see the strength in depth in this squad.”
(Is it) easier to get on the ball when you have someone with you? The mid-block has made it hard in this tournament for some strikers.
“It’s always nice when you have players around the box. That happens in this team regardless of the formation that we’re playing. I think my job as a No. 9 is pretty similar, whatever the formation. But it’s always nice when there are more of us.”
Can you tell us about meeting David Beckham?
“It was amazing actually. He has been one of my idols — and heartthrobs! — ever since I was a little girl. It is one of my biggest highlights off the pitch to sit and have a normal conversation with someone who you would watch on the world stage when you were a young girl. It was amazing. He was really nice. It was a pinch-me moment in terms of what women’s sport nowadays has done.”
Harper (Beckham’s daughter) said (Russo) was her favourite player.
“I was buzzing. Everybody is a fan of the Beckhams, aren’t they?”
What was your takeaway from it?
“It was a completely World Cup-focused conversation, and it was nice to not only hear from him about what he did on the pitch, but how he felt in the moments of the World Cup. He says that it was the biggest highlight of his career, a moment that obviously he will never forget. He said that his best and biggest memories were in an England shirt. It is something that you can really relate to. For me, stepping into my first World Cup is something I’ve dreamt of ever since I can remember.”
Does it show the size of the occasion, given his highs and lows?
“He said that you should never lose sight of what you guys are doing as a team. I think sometimes we are always in the moment and all we see and compete for every day is the pitch and training. But there’s an impact away from that and that’s really special to hear. Hearing that Harper is a huge fan is nice to hear.”
Swapped shirts?
“Yeah. I was buzzing for his shirt but he took mine as well.”
Has he been in touch over the course of the tournament?
“He messaged me after one game — I think the China game — but it’s just nice to hear that players are following the tournament. For all of us, these are our idols.”
What did the message say?
“I can’t actually remember. The time difference has thrown me off.”
Spain leave it late against Netherlands
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Earlier, Salma Paralluelo scored an extra-time winner to earn Spain a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands and a place in the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time.
The 19-year-old Barcelona winger broke the 1-1 deadlock when she latched onto a through ball, and unleashed a shot that went in off the post
“It means everthing for me, it was a unique moment, great euphoria … I’m extremely happy,” Paralluelo said.
Sixth-ranked Spain, who had not advanced past the round of 16 in two previous two World Cup appearances, will face Sweden for a place in the final in Auckland on Tuesday.
“We went to extra time, but the team kept on believing,” said coach Jorge Vilda. “They played on an extraordinary level, all players, and it was a match with a lot of emotional decisions, and the goal from Salma, it was sheer joy.”
All the goals came late in a tight game with Mariona Caldentey scoring Spain’s first from a penalty kick in the 81st minute after Dutch defender Stefanie Van der Gragt had handled the ball inside the box.
Van der Gragt, in her final match before retirement, earned some redemption when she equalised in the 91st minute to send the contest to extra time in front of 32,021 fans at Wellington Regional Stadium.
But Paralluelo had the final say, meaning the ninth-ranked Dutch — runners-up to the United States four years ago in France — followed the USWNT, Germany, Canada and Brazil out of the tournament.
Sweden hold off Japan fightback to reach semi-final
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Sweden held off a late Japan fightback to reach the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup for the fifth time with a 2-1 win at Eden Park on Friday.
Five days after ousting four-time champions the United States in the last 16, the Swedes dominated the 2011 title winners for most of the evening to book a last-four date with Spain at the same stadium on Tuesday.
The result means a tournament full of surprises so far is without a former winner in the semi-finals.
Defender Amanda Ilestedt gave Sweden the lead with her fourth goal of the tournament in the 32nd minute, with Filippa Angeldal adding the second from the penalty spot just after the break.
Riko Ueki missed a 76th-minute penalty and fellow substitute Honoka Hayashi’s goal 11 minutes later proved too little, too late as Sweden held firm under pressure to progress.
All 54 American-born players who played in the World Cup, but not for the USWNT
By Kudzi MusarurwaAug 9, 202339
Part of the World Cup viewing experience for many Americans is rooting for more than one team: the U.S. women’s national team and the country they or their parents may have immigrated from. The same concept can be seen among the players in the tournament.
The diaspora of multiple countries is prevalent across the United States. At the international level, playing for the U.S. isn’t always the first choice or, in other situations, even an option.
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This year, the Women’s World Cup expanded to 32 teams, increasing the chances of Americans playing for nations that aren’t the U.S. — in fact, 54 players in this year’s competition were born in the U.S. and represented another country that makes up their identity.
Casey Phair (left) is the youngest player to appear in a World Cup. Photo by Bradley Kanaris, Getty Images.
Casey Phair became the youngest player at a World Cup when she took the field for South Korea — she’s also currently enrolled at The Pingry School in New Jersey. The Philippines are by far the team with the most American-born players, with 18 of the 23 players playing for the country. Jamaica, who made the knockout round in its second-ever World Cup, also has double-digit U.S.-born players. With the Reggae Girlz elimination Tuesday, there are only three American-born players left in the competition.
Only two teams featuring American-born players. The expectation is that those players won’t see much of the field during the next round of the knockout stages, due to their place in the overall roster for their country. Here’s a look at the American-born players who took part in the World Cup as members of teams other than the USWNT.
Colombia
- Angela Baron – Keller, Texas
- Elexa Bahr – Buford, Georgia
The last team with American-born representation, Colombia booked its ticket to the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time in team history. Neither Baron nor Bahr have featured for Colombia in this tournament. They aren’t considered in contention for starting spots or as players who can come on and change the game for Colombia due to Baron being superseded by Daniela Arias, Monica Ramos and Jorelyn Carabalí in defense, while Linda Caicedo, Lady Andrade and Mayra Ramirez keep Bahr on the bench up top. They may only see minutes at the tournament if an injury happens to those above them in the depth chart, even with Colombia advancing to the quarter-finals.
The Netherlands
- Damaris Egurrola – Orlando, Florida
Highly sought-after by the U.S., Spain and the Netherlands, Egurrola decided to play for the Dutch and has seen minutes at the World Cup as a substitute in all of the Netherlands’ games so far. She has Jill Roord, Jackie Groenen and Danielle van de Donk in front of her in the midfield depth chart, but many view Egurrola as a player set to star soon for the Netherlands. They are still at the World Cup, so chances are Egurrola will continue to feature as a substitute for as long as the Dutch are in the tournament.
Despite their journeys ending before the quarter-finals, some of the other players on this long list managed to make their mark in a significant way for their country.
Argentina
- Sophia Braun – Beaverton, Oregon
Braun made her debut at the World Cup in a defeat against Italy at right-back. Despite the loss, she showed glimpses of quality which were amplified by her goal in Argentina’s draw against South Africa. Braun is also capable of playing as a defensive midfielder, which she showed in the game against Sweden. Argentina didn’t make it out of the group stages, but Braun was a highlight for the team.
Canada
- Simi Awujo – Atlanta, Georgia
At 19 years old, the Atlanta native did not make an appearance at the World Cup. With midfielders like Jessie Fleming, Quinn, Sophie Schmidt and Julia Grosso ahead of her, Awujo will have to look to the future for minutes with Canada. The tournament did provide an opportunity for Awujo to gain valuable experience, even with the team going out in the group stage.
Haiti
- Chelsea Surpris – Crowley, Texas
- Danielle Etienne – Richmond, Virginia
- Lara Larco – Boca Raton, Florida
- Milan Pierre-Jerome – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Noa Ganthier – Boca Raton, Florida
Surpris (right-back) and Etienne (midfielder), from Texas and Virginia respectively, were the only American-born players to feature for Haiti at the World Cup. Surpris started for Haiti in their final group match having been kept as a substitute in the other games, while Etienne only saw time as a substitute as she came on in the 81st minute against China. With Haiti now out of the World Cup, no other American-born player featured for Haiti at the tournament.
Ireland
- Chloe Mustaki – Lima, Ohio
- Courtney Brosnan – Millburn, New Jersey
- Kyra Carusa – San Diego, California
- Marissa Sheva – Sellersville, Pennsylvania
- Sinead Farrelly – Havertown, Pennsylvania
Brosnan, Carusa and Farrelly have established themselves as starters for the Republic of Ireland at goalkeeper, striker and midfielder. Unfortunately for them, Sheva and Mustaki, Ireland’s World Cup dreams were over after the group stage and the loss to Canada. Throughout the tournament, Brosnan and Farrelly were standouts for Ireland and, while Carusa didn’t manage to get on the scoresheet, she was a vital hold-up player for the attacks.
Jamaica
- Allyson Swaby – Hartford, Connecticut
- Chantelle Swaby – West Hartford, Connecticut
- Cheyna Matthews – Lynn, Massachusetts
- Havana Solaun – Gainesville, Florida
- Kameron Simmonds – Midlothian, Virginia
- Kayla McKenna – Skokie, Illinois
- Kiki Van Zanten – Buffalo Grove, Illinois
- Liya Brooks – Eugene, Oregon
- Peyton McNamara – Norwalk, Connecticut
- Solai Washington – Brookhaven, Georgia
- Sydney Schneider – Dayton, New Jersey
- Tiernny Wiltshire – Elmer, New Jersey
Almost all of the Jamaican players listed here would be considered key members of the team, but the Swaby sisters are its heartbeat. With dominant defensive displays in the draw against France in their opening game at the World Cup and a win against Panama, Jamaica made a massive statement. After a brilliant defensive display by the Swaby sisters, Jamaica made it to the round of 16 for the first time in its history. On top of that, Allyson Swaby can add a goal to her World Cup resume, a 65th-minute winner against Panama, and the goal that ultimately sent them through to the knockout stages.
The youngest players on the team, Washington and Simmonds are worth noting as well. At 17 and 19 years old respectively, the pair are seen as Jamaica’s future.
Despite their defensive efforts, the Swaby sisters couldn’t stop Colombia from knocking them out of the tournament. They, and the rest of the players listed above, did all they could to push Jamaica further than it has ever been at the World Cup and should be proud of their achievements.
New Zealand
- Ali Riley – Los Angeles, California
The captain of the co-hosts started off her World Cup campaign with an improbable win against Norway, but the defeat against the Philippines and draw with Switzerland showed Riley and her teammates an early exit. Over 99,000 people combined were in attendance for all three of New Zealand’s games and Ali Riley captained the team throughout. The hosts didn’t make it past the group stages but the fan attendance shows that they captured the support of the nation, and Riley was pivotal throughout those matches.
Nigeria
- Ifeoma Onumonu – Rancho Cucamonga, California
- Michelle Alozie – Apple Valley, California
- Toni Payne – Birmingham, Alabama
- Yewande Balogun – Washington, D.C.
Both Onumonu and Alozie have been standout performers for Nigeria, but it’s Payne who makes the team tick. When she’s on song in that midfield, Nigeria can threaten any team in the world, as shown by their recent performance against Australia. Payne runs that midfield with a dominant and confident air. Nigeria pushed England right to the end, only losing out on penalties. This was a showcase for how far Nigeria has come as a team and the contributions made by Payne and Alozie in particular, helped them on their impressive journey.
Panama
- Carina Baltrip-Reyes – Austin, Texas
- Riley Tanner – Grand Rapids, Michigan
It’s been tough going for Baltrip-Reyes, Tanner and Panama. Baltrip-Reyes started for Panama at this World Cup as a center-back in their 4-0 loss to Brazil, and Tanner came on in the second half as a forward. Baltrip-Reyes also featured in the final game against France and did well enough for her team at right-back. A 6-3 loss isn’t usually something you want to write about for a team but with all that Panama came through to qualify for the World Cup, scoring three goals against a solid French side cannot be discounted. They were in a difficult group with France, Brazil and Jamaica, but can look back at their time in Australia with more hope for the future than disappointment.
Philippines
- Alicia Barker – Woodinville, Washington
- Carleigh Frilles – Fairfax, Virginia
- Chandler McDaniel – Orange, California
- Dominique Randle – Seattle, Washington
- Hali Long – Cape Girardeau, Missouri
- Isabella Flanigan – Fairmont, West Virginia
- Jessika Cowart – Fairfield, California
- Kaiya Jota – Baldwin Park, California
- Katrina Guillou – Washington, D.C.
- Kiara Fontanilla – Fullerton, California
- Malea Cesar – Newport Beach, California
- Olivia McDaniel – Laguna Beach, California
- Quinley Quezada – Rosemead, Califórnia
- Reina Bonta – New Haven Connecticut
- Ryley Bugay – West Lafayette, Indiana
- Sarina Bolden – Santa Clara, California
- Sofia Harrison – Montgomery County, Maryland
- Tahnai Annis – Zanesville, Ohio
The star of this team, and the name many should keep paying attention to in the U.S., is midfielder Bolden. She scored the goal that put the Philippines into the World Cup for the first time in its history and then proceeded to score the goal that won the game against New Zealand. The story for these talented players ended with a heavy defeat against Norway, which saw them exit the World Cup in the group stages.“When you go up against quality players like Norway have, it’s a way to gauge how far you as a player have to go to compete with them,” Bolden said after the match.
South Korea
- Casey Phair – Warren Township, New Jersey
It was a tough start to the World Cup for the 16-year-old striker from New Jersey. South Korea lost their opener to Colombia 2-0. Head coach Colin Bell was very careful with his management of Phair, making sure to not ask her to do too much due to her age and development level. Phair was given the start against Germany in South Korea’s final game and almost produced a fairytale moment. Only three minutes in, she was sent through on goal and only a great save by Merle Frohms prevented the Phair from giving South Korea a dream start. South Korea found the back of the net three minutes later and held Germany to a draw, sending one of the tournament favorites out at the group stages.
Switzerland
- Noelle Maritz – Newport Beach, California
Maritz shined in Switzerland’s backline and has helped set up her nation with the easiest path to qualification in Group A. After a solid win against the Philippines, a draw with Norway and a draw against New Zealand, Switzerland qualified for the round of 16. Switzerland tried to keep its steady defensive shape against Spain in the round of 16 but couldn’t stop the team who managed to find enough quality to knock out the Swiss. Maritz again was a steady presence, but it wasn’t enough to stop them leaving the tournament early.
(Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)
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Union pushes past Querétaro to set up showdown with Lionel Messi, Inter Miami in Leagues Cup
Drexel product and Paoli native Chris Donovan played hometown hero, scoring the game-winner in the 101st minute.
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The Union’s Leagues Cup quarterfinal win over Querétaro had everything: a 30-minute power outage, Jesús Bueno’s first goal for the Union, Chris Donovan scoring in front of his hometown crowd, and shoves traded between teams after the final whistle.
One thing it didn’t have was Lionel Messi, but don’t worry — he’ll officially be at Subaru Park on Tuesday with Inter Miami to take on the Union in the semifinals.
“We look forward to hosting the greatest player of the history of the sport in our building,” Union manager Jim Curtin said. “I think it will definitely be the loudest Subaru Park will ever be. It’s a great matchup, and one that if we play like tonight, we’ll be in big trouble.”
The last time the MLS and Liga MX teams faced off resulted in a 5-1 Union thrashing July 22 in the group stage. Friday’s match was quite different, with the Union finally pushing past Querétaro, 2-1, in the 101st minute thanks to Donovan’s goal.
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“We didn’t play good. We didn’t create a lot, but if you really look at it, did they create a ton?” Curtin said. “You know, they had some possession for sure. But they didn’t really hurt us; Andre didn’t have to do too much. The 5-1 game, you knew it wouldn’t look like that, because they’ve gotten better as this competition has gone on.”
Querétaro also had made a goaltending change since its last game at Subaru Park, replacing Alejandro Arana with 22-year-old Fernando Tapia, and won its next three matches. Tapia only conceded one goal in that span and made 12 saves.
Quick lead
The Union tested Tapia early with a shot from Mikael Uhre that he saved in the first minute of play, but they broke through in the 10 minute. Jack McGlynn evaded two defenders and a deflected shot found Bueno through traffic, who tapped the ball by a reaching Tapia.Jesus Bueno earns his first #DOOP with the Union & gets us on the board in the 10th minute! 😈Jesus Bueno marca su primer gol con la camiseta del Union para ponernos arriba en el marcador 🇻🇪#DOOP | #PHIvQRO 1-0 pic.twitter.com/nbnTGiUBzg— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) August 12, 2023
Bueno was the hero in the Union’s round of 16 victory last week, scoring the penalty kick that ultimately lifted the Union past the New York Red Bulls. His goal on Friday night officially was the Venezuelan midfielder’s first with the Union.
“Jesús has been a revelation this year,” Curtin said. “Always has been a solid, steady player, but I think he’s taking this game to another level.”
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The Union outshot Querétaro, 7-3, in the first half, with three of the Union’s shots coming on target and only one for Querétaro.
Unfortunately for the Union, Querétaro’s second shot on target was the equalizer. In the 65th minute, Ángel Sepúlveda corralled a cross pass from Jaime Gómez and launched the ball past Andre Blake to knot the score, 1-1.
Julián Carranza exited in the 81st minute with an injury and was subbed for Quinn Sullivan.
“Julián reached for a ball and then felt something in his lower hamstring … I don’t want to speculate too much, and he’ll get an MRI,” Curtin said. “But this is kind of part of the the grind, the gift and the curse of it, of advancing in this competition, right? You see some injuries start to mount up for teams.”
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» READ MORE: Jim Curtin blasts ‘little brother’ Red Bulls after Union’s latest win over New York
Donovan converts
The Union’s last two games in the Leagues Cup had gone to penalty kicks, and, for a while, it looked like Friday’s match was headed that way once again. In Leagues Cup matches, games that are tied after regulation bypass regular extra time and head straight to penalties.
While the Union had its chances to pull back ahead, sending several shots wide and into the stands behind the goal, the game remained deadlocked heading into stoppage time.
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“It is human nature to maybe have a an eye on the next game, so I tried to guard against that as best I can,” Curtin said. “But sometimes, you know, it’s human nature. These guys are people. And sometimes the excitement of that maybe got us a little distracted.”
In the 101st minute, Donovan finally found the back of the net on a redirected cross pass from Kai Wagner. The Drexel product and Paoli native played hometown hero to set up a date with Messi’s Inter Miami.It’s pretty surreal to score one where you know that extra time is just about to expire as well, and you know that Messi is on the other end of it,” Donovan said.
CHRIS DONOVAN SCORES IN STOPPAGE TIME & SENDS US TO THE SEMIFINAL!!! #DOOP | #PHIvQRO 2-1 | #LeaguesCup2023 pic.twitter.com/uWvmcnB9sV— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) August 12, 2023
High tensions
Tensions were high on the pitch throughout the game, with multiple scuffles between the teams broken up by the referees. Six yellow cards were handed out to Querétaro players and one to José Andrés Martínez. The home fans at Subaru Park loudly took issue with the 15 fouls called against the Union, while Querétaro collected 15 fouls of their own.
Omar Mendoza’s second yellow card resulted in his ejection in the 99th minute. Wagner’s kick from outside the box came inches away from putting the Union back in front, but it clanged off the post.
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After Donovan found the back of the net moments later, players streamed out onto the pitch from both benches to trade words and pushes, but no supplemental discipline has been laid.
“At the end, it was a little bit [of] chaos probably, but that’s how it is, that’s how you play Mexican teams,” Wagner said. “They both bring the intensity, and that’s what we need sometimes.”
Gázdag’s status
The Union were without leading scorer Dániel Gazdag on Friday, as he went down with a knee injury in the second half against the New York Red Bulls. Gazdag netted three of the Union’s five goals in their last meeting with Querétaro.
Curtin said before Friday’s match that Gazdag had been diagnosed with a Grade 1 knee sprain and that he was not ruled out for the semifinals.
Published Aug. 12, 2023
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