A bunch of folks got in on the Roster Reveal for the US Women’s World Cup team. The Prez, Taylor Swift, Shaq, Tina Fey, Blake Lively, theestallion, Mia Hamm, and so many more helped in the reveal. ESPN Vote for the Best Soccer Player – at least some should vote for Sophia Smith.
US Men play St Kitts & Nevis Tonight at 10 pm on FS 1
So the US got an important tie down the stretch vs a very good Jamaica team – setting up tonights game two of the Gold Cup opening round vs St. Kitts & Nevis tonight at 10 pm on FS1. Cincy forward Brandon Vasquez scored the game tying goal in the 88th minute after GK Matt Turner saved the day with a PK save in the first half. Moving ahead – game two tonight is a game where the US needs to put up some goals like 6, 7 or 8 to nothing. I look for a complete change in starters tonight as the US will probably look to rest some starters. I see a 6-0 win for us tonight with Vasquez putting up 2 or 3 goals and Zendejas as least 1 if not 2. That will set up a chance to outscore Jamaica as we look to win the group on Sunday on Fox 7 pm vs T&T.
Shane’s Starters
Vasquez
Cade Cowell/Mihailovic/Zendejas
Busio/Sands
Jones/Miles Robinson//Jalen Neal//De Andre Yedlin
Gaga Slovenka
MLS
The MLS All-Star Game Roster has been announced they will face Arsenal and American GK Matt Turner in DC on Wednesday night, July 19th. Apple has a special on 50% savings to watch the MLS All-Star game as well as the Full MLS Season pass –which shows all the games – including those that Lionel Messi will play in for Inter Miami when he starts sometime in mid July.
Indy 11 Ladies Play last home Game this Friday, Boys Fire Works Sat 7:30 pm @ the Mike
The Girls in Blue are back in action this Friday, June 30 for the final regular season match of 2023 when they host St. Charles FC @ Grand Park in Westfield for the third time this season. The teams have split the season series so far, with each team winning on the road. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET and will stream on Eleven Sports. The Indy 11 W are 7-1-1 atop the USL W League’s Valley Division. Tix for this final game are just $8 or call 317-685-1100. The Boys won last week 2-1 including this fantastic strike from Carmel’s own Cam Lindley who was on ESPN’s top plays of the day for this screamer. They will host their Firework’s Celebration after this Sat’s game on July 1st at 7:30 pm @ the Mike vs the San Diego Loyal. Tix avail via indyeleven.com/tickets.
The squad should be in fine shape to advance, as its next two matches are against Saint Kitts and Nevis (Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET) and Trinidad and Tobago (next Sunday, 7 p.m. ET).
Context: This wasn’t the star-heavy team that took home the Nations League trophy a week ago, however — goalkeeper Matt Turner, who saved a penalty to keep the game within one goal, was the only holdover in the starting lineup. (And somewhat oddly, red-carded Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest began their suspensions last night despite not even being on the roster.)
USMNT draws Jamaica in first CONCACAF Gold Cup match: What this means for the U.S.
By Paul Tenorio and The Athletic StaffJun 25, 2023
The U.S. men’s national team completed a 1-1 draw against Jamaica in the first group-stage match at the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Saturday. Here’s what you need to know:
Damion Lowe scored the lone goal for Jamaica in the 13th minute.
Brandon Vazquez scored the equalizer in the 88th minute. It was his second career goal for the U.S.
The U.S. men outshot Jamaica 13-6 while winning the possession battle. USMNT had 68 percent possession while Jamaica’s was 32 percent.
The USMNT’s next match is against Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What this means for the U.S.
Vazquez’s goal salvaged a 1-1 draw and what would have been just the second time ever that the U.S. lost in the Gold Cup group stage. (The first and only time was in 2011 to Panama.) The draw leaves the U.S. in a fine position to advance out of the group stage, as the top two teams from each group advance to the knockouts, and the U.S. will be favored in their next two games against Saint Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago.fter Saturday’s draw, goal differential will likely factor into seeding, so the U.S. will need to bag as many goals as possible on Wednesday night against a Saint Kitts and Nevis team against whom they are heavy favorites. — Tenorio
What is the takeaway from this draw?
It wasn’t pretty, but it’d be tough to argue that Vazquez’s goal wasn’t a justified equalizer for the USMNT. The U.S. was playing a decidedly different squad from the team that won the Nations League trophy just last week in Las Vegas. Goalkeeper Matt Turner, who saved a penalty to keep the game within one goal, was the only holdover in the starting lineup, and the lack of firepower in the attacking end was evident, as was a massive difference in how the U.S. was able to push the game through its midfield. While Jamaica had multiple Premier League players in its lineup, the U.S. featured a squad made up of North American domestic players based in either MLS or Liga MX.
The U.S. had a couple of dangerous moments, but never really looked fluid or dangerous as they did with their best players on the field against Mexico and Canada in Las Vegas. Players like Aidan Morris and Alan Soñora struggled, the U.S. gave up a goal on a defensive set piece and Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake made several important saves to stymie the Americans. It looked like Jamaica was going to pick up the win, but the U.S. controlled so much of the ball and had Jamaica on the back foot for much of the second half. Eventually, Vazquez found the goal when Jamaica failed to clear Jesús Ferreira’s cross and salvaged the result.
There aren’t going to be a ton of positives to pull out of this one. The U.S. should be more decisive in games like this, even with the clear talent in the Jamaica lineup, and it will need to play better to advance in the knockout stages. — Tenorio
Backstory
The U.S. entered the CONCACAF Gold Cup on a high after winning the CONCACAF Nations League on June 18. USMNT defeated Canada 2-0 with Chris Richards and Folarin Balogun scoring the goals. It was USMNT’s second Nations League title in program history.USMNT is defending champion of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In 2021, the squad defeated Mexico 1-0 in the final, capturing the country’s seventh Gold Cup title.
United States 2023 Women’s World Cup squad: Every player on the roster analyzed
U.S. women’s national team coach Vlatko Andonovski announced his 23-player roster for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Undoubtedly, he wouldn’t have minded if FIFA had upped the squad size to 26 players, as they did for the 2022 men’s World Cup.
With a deep and talented pool to select from, the usual strain of selection was made more difficult by injuries to crucial players. Midfield magician Catarina Macario couldn’t come back from last summer’s ACL tear, while in-form forward Mallory Swanson suffered a torn patellar tendon in an April tune-up friendly against Ireland.
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But no omission will be felt more off the field than that of Becky Sauerbrunn. Last week, The Athletic broke the news that the captain will miss this tournament due to a foot injury suffered in an April NWSL match. While the absences of Macario and Swanson were anticipated for months due to the severity of their injuries, there was hope that Sauerbrunn could anchor the defense once more. Instead, the door is opened for a pair of young center backs to begin carving their own legacies out from behind their legendary leader’s shadow.
There will be bona fide stars watching the World Cup from home like most of us. But make no mistake, this is still a deep and talented roster. The question now is how will it come together, largely on the fly.
Here are the 23 players included, and what they offer, as the United States aims to win a third consecutive Women’s World Cup and a record-extending fifth since the current tournament’s inception in 1991.
Naeher has been the program’s trusted woman in goal since the aftermath of the 2016 Olympics, which saw the U.S. fall to Sweden in the quarterfinals in what was Hope Solo’s last national team game. Naeher has remained consistent for the United States, keeping clean sheets in 8 of her 12 starts since January 2022. Only once has she allowed more than one goal among those dozen matches, the 2-1 defeat at Wembley against England.
It’s fortunate for Naeher’s sake that she’s firmly entrenched with the team because Andonovski reinforced in April that the roster’s hardest calls would be informed by players’ form at their clubs.
“If they are goalkeepers, don’t get scored on; if they are forwards, score goals. Obviously, (have) good performances,” the USWNT coach said. “There’s a group of players that we feel very comfortable with and we’ve communicated with them that all we’re going to need from them is to just maintain an OK form, a decent form.”
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The Chicago Red Stars have been the NWSL’s worst defensive team, allowing 31 goals across 12 games; no other club has allowed more than 23. Naeher has picked each one out from the back of the net, roughly 2.6 times per game. That’s nearly identical to the post-shot expected goals she’s faced (2.5 per game), suggesting she isn’t performing any better than one would expect from a first-division goalkeeper.
Andonovski will expect her consistent form when donning the national team’s crest, as she’s shown before time and again.
On the opposite end of the “recent form versus earned reputation” spectrum, we find Washington Spirit leader Aubrey Kingsbury. Throughout most of the World Cup qualification cycle, Naeher and Casey Murphy were joined in their reflex drills by A.D. Franch. However, a sharp dip in Franch’s form ( she’s the only goalkeeper who’s allowed more goals per 90 than Naeher, with 2.8) left the door open for Kingsbury to earn a place on the roster.
Kingsbury’s goals prevented rate of 21.6% ranks third among domestic NWSL goalkeepers, while she also matches Naeher’s long distribution accuracy. Her sole international cap to date came in the 9-0 friendly win over Uzbekistan in April 2022, leaving her with little experience at this level. Still, it’s a deserved honor for an oft-overlooked veteran in form.
Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage) — 27 years old, 14 caps
Even with Kingsbury starting 2023 off strong, it’s likely that Murphy is the de facto second option in goal. Murphy currently leads the NWSL with six clean sheets for the Courage, keeping her from jeopardizing a roster spot. The bygone cycle allowed her to cement her place as Naeher’s understudy, thanks in large part to expert shot-stopping which was on display in a SheBelieves Cup clash with Japan.
She played 90 competitive minutes in that match against Japan with World Cup center back pairing Alana Cook and Naomi Girma. At minimum, it’s likely she’ll inherit the No. 1 shirt from Naeher whenever she hangs up her gloves. Until then, however, she appears tested and ready to step into this tournament if needed.
Center backs
Alana Cook (OL Reign) — 26 years old, 24 caps
Admittedly, the drafting of this piece began with Sauerbrunn’s name atop the section. Now without its longtime anchor, the USWNT backline will look and play differently than it has in World Cups past — likely with Cook at the heart of it all. Recruited for England during Phil Neville’s tenure, the former PSG defender committed to the United States in October 2019 before leaving France for the NWSL in 2021.
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Gone are the days when simply tallying tackles, interceptions, clearances and the like adequately size up a defender. Instead, we used true tackles (a player’s tackles attempted plus fouls and challenges lost) and true interceptions (their interceptions plus blocked passes) to better get a sense of how Cook has grasped a starting role for Andonovski.
While her tackling may not stand out from the pack, her ability in the air as well as her interception acumen make her a difficult defender to work around for opponents. Cook seems likely to be the U.S.’s top center back throughout the tournament…
…depending on who you ask. If Cook has made herself the central defender of the present, then Girma is the one of the future — and also the present, if we’re being honest. Girma became the first player in NWSL history to win defender of the year and rookie of the year in her debut 2022 campaign. She did so with a very well-rounded game, able to time a tackle expertly while also bringing a calm presence when the ball was at her feet.
In San Diego, she’s had a chance to provide leadership beyond her years to a defensive unit. While this will be her first World Cup, she’s been able to test herself against a world-class regional rival (Bunny Shaw of Jamaica) and did well to contain the Manchester City striker during the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship. If all goes to plan, she’s destined to be one of the faces of the program for years to come.
Sonnett’s spot on the roster was likely secure regardless of Sauerbrunn’s status. As a versatile player who can help at right back, defensive midfield, or central defense, however, it’s likely that her utilization this summer will look very different than it may have otherwise. Versatility has long been a trait that Andonovski values and few have it quite to the same extent as the Marietta, Georgia native.
After spending most of the 2023 season as OL Reign’s starting defensive midfielder, Sonnett earned her first regular-season start in central defense. Understandably, her role was still a bit nomadic given her skillset. However, it could have been a “cram for the exam” performance for what could be a more regular assignment at the World Cup.
Without Sauerbrunn, Tierna Davison and Casey Krueger, this is a very thin group. Other “break glass in case of emergency” options include veteran full back Kelley O’Hara or returning Julie Ertz to her 2015 World Cup position.
Full backs
Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage) — 24 years old, 28 caps
For the first time since Meghan Klingenberg exited the player pool in 2017, the United States finally has a player who is a dedicated left back for their club. Over the past five-plus years, both Andonovski and predecessor Jill Ellis opted to shift right-footed midfielder Crystal Dunn to the defense’s port side. Fox’s emergence has given a left-footed alternative who’s more than capable of excelling at this level — though Andonovski has often deployed Dunn on the left and Fox on the right.
Fox has averaged 2.2 shot-creating actions (passes, fouls, or take-ons that set up a shot) per game in her first year with the Courage, adjusting seamlessly after a winter move away from Racing Louisville. While that’s good news if she works overlap with Sophia Smith, her unique deployment this season should also keep her from being redundant in the final third when Megan Rapinoe sees the pitch. The reigning World Cup golden ball winger is a more traditional winger than Smith’s inverted approach, and Fox has shown to be quite capable of tucking toward the central third when moving forward. That unique versatility should make her a key player in this tournament — and, given her age, for many years to come.
In the years between Klingenberg and Fox, USWNT fans have been left to ask: “What if our best midfielders played out of position?” Dunn made headlines this winter when she told GQ that she “loses a part of herself” by abandoning her strong-footed instincts to patrol the left flank for her country. Now with a legitimate left back option in the fold, we may finally get to see a slightly less selfless deployment of 2021 CONCACAF Player of the Year.
With Portland, Dunn plays on the right side of a 4-3-3 midfield as their left back role is, perhaps ironically, filled by Klingenberg. There, she isn’t shy to cover plenty of ground and put her dominant foot to good use. She’s one of seven NWSL players to average at least two shots and two chances created per 90 minutes among qualifiers, and could better tap into that all-around threat on the right. Firmly in her prime and back to her best after missing much of 2022 due to pregnancy and postpartum recovery, Dunn is still among the most important players on this or any team in the field.
Kelley O’Hara (Gotham FC) — 34 years old, 157 caps
A starter for the team in 2019, O’Hara may be equipped to fill the “steady veteran leader” role which her predecessor Ali Krieger occupied four years ago. After missing much of 2022 with a hip injury, the Fayetteville, Georgia native has returned to her dependable self in her first season with Gotham, albeit with a more defensive approach to the position than she displayed before her injury setback.
After averaging 2.99 true tackles per 1,000 opposing touches in 2021, that rate has spiked to 5.79 this season. Her vertical doesn’t seem hampered a bit, upping her rate of aerial duels won from 60% to 72.7% after her recovery. Her presence may serve as a necessary counter-balance for the more attacking tendencies of Dunn and Fox. In Sauerbrunn’s absence, her role as a World Cup-winning veteran may be especially vital to the team’s budding defensive unit.
Playing against OL Reign this season requires an opponent to keep their head on a swivel. Let the ball progress up the left and it’ll inevitably be squared back by Megan Rapinoe. Catch your breath as it trickles to the right, and it’s likely Sofia Huerta who will do the same — with even more accuracy, finding her target at an impressive 39.6% clip, the second-best rate among any NWSL player averaging at least 1.5 crosses per game (trailing roster snub Sam Coffey).
That synergy working the opposite flank from Rapinoe could be an invaluable escape valve if an opponent is able to contain the United States into the second half. With her club teammate likely to be rotated as Sophia Smith starts on the left, the duo could potentially enter in tandem and stretch a narrow opposing defense to create pockets of space. Not that she couldn’t handle starting responsibilities, mind you: she’s played all but two minutes to date this season in the NWSL.
Midfielders
Lindsey Horan (Lyon) — 29 years old, 128 caps
While the cast around her has rotated a lot over the past four years, Horan has been a constant in Andonovski’s side. She’s the only member of this roster who isn’t playing in NWSL, having decided to stay with Lyon after spending the past season on loan. There, the Golden, Colorado native played 750 minutes in a Champions League campaign, scoring twice and adding as many assists while starting alongside Dutch duo Damaris Egurrola and Daniëlle van de Donk.
Simply, Horan can bring a bit of everything to the team in possession as well as going forward. In 2019, she started four of the U.S.’s 7 matches, ranking 11th among field players with 358 minutes.
The breakout player from four years ago, Rose Lavelle won the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third-best player. At this point, opponents will know exactly what to expect from her. She’s a technical player on the ball, able to deliver a ball through two or three defensive lines with precision. Further up, she can dish sublime backheeled assists or take her own shot with equal effectiveness. When she’s on the ball, it’s best to just let Rose cook.
Unfortunately for her and this team alike, the injury bug has done what so few defenders can. Lavelle has played just 178 minutes for her club this season as she works to recover from a knee injury which she suffered in the same April friendlies against Ireland. If Lavelle is hampered into the knockout rounds, it could radically change the way Andonovski sets his side up.
Julie Ertz worked hard to overcome a sprained right MCL (suffered in May 2021) before further extending her leave after giving birth to her first child. She was a surprise inclusion in the April friendlies after nearly two years away from the national team. She’s logged 484 minutes for her California club since April, popping up in plays all over the pitch.
Despite her lengthy absence from the national team, it’s hard to forget how vital she was to the team’s success in France. Her absence was felt over the nearly two years following that Olympic heartbreak, despite tidy play from Andi Sullivan in the 6. However, nobody in the pool can quite match her bite in midfield.
Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit) — 27 years old, 44 caps
Sullivan had a tough assignment stepping in for Ertz but capably held her own to keep the team’s shape. She’s shown the requisite selflessness to keep the ball moving ahead of her, doing the hard work to chase down opponents and slow their momentum on the break. Her 4.36 true interceptions per 1,000 opposing touches rank favorably to Ertz’s clip (4.58), while her 9.28 ball recoveries per 90 minutes are sixth among qualified NWSL midfielders.
It isn’t all about the defensive side of the game, though. No NWSL midfielder with at least 500 minutes sends more of their passes at least 35 yards deep, making up 16.5% of all of her distribution. Hers may be a thankless role, but it’s been a vital one whenever she’s called into action.
Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit) — 24 years old, 24 caps
A breakout turn in the Spirit’s run to the 2021 championship kicked off what’s been a steady role for Ashely Sanchez in Andonovski’s plans. She’s logged 24 caps in a year-and-a-half to wedge her way into the picture. She led Washington in assists, shots and shots on goal in 2022 — the latter two being particularly impressive as she lined up in midfield.
She’s far from picky with her shot selection, letting fly with a low 0.08 xG/shot rate. However, that confidence will come in handy as opponents look to congest the defensive area to neutralize the USWNT’s scoring threats, particularly Alex Morgan and Sophia Smith. Simultaneously, her willingness to set teammates up could help mitigate for Swanson and Macario’s absences while giving Lavelle more time to get back to her best.
If anyone came out of 2020 in a better way than they’d entered it, it was Kristie Mewis. At that stage, it had been six years since her last involvement with the national team — the same year which saw her younger sister, Sam, debut. The next four years were nomadic. She switched leagues and clubs on an annual basis before settling in with the Houston Dash in 2017. Fast forward three years and one ACL injury recovery, and it was the elder Mewis who broke out in the NWSL Challenge Cup, sealing her long-awaited return to the national team with a goal nine minutes into her pseudo-second debut.
She stayed among the player pool thanks to her versatility. She’s able to play box-to-box or more creatively, with a balanced split of her attacking-half passes across the left, central and right thirds. No NWSL central or defensive midfielder sends more passes into the attacking third per 90 minutes than her rate of 8.45, while her 2.14 non-PK shots per 90 rank fourth among her positional peers. It may have come later than expected, but there’s no doubt that she’ll relish in her World Cup debut.
Of all the members of this roster, perhaps none are more of a surprise than DeMelo. The do-everything midfielder has become the second uncapped player to be named to a U.S. Women’s World Cup squad, joining Shannon Boxx (2003). It isn’t a case of Andonovski drawing on the element of surprise, however. DeMelo is a tireless box-to-box midfielder who can expertly read space.
While she’s untested in senior international competition, she has fared well for Louisville in NWSL action. She’s second among non-attacking midfielders in shots per 90 (2.81), fourth in chances created (1.78) and sends 30.5% of all of her completed passes at least 10 yards closer to the opponent’s goal (trailing only Ertz). Her lack of experience may drop her down the pecking order, but if and when she gets minutes, it’s likely that she won’t leave the broadcast camera’s range of vision at any point.
Forwards
Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign) — 37 years old, 199 caps
C’mon. It’s Megan Rapinoe. You know, the reigning Golden Ball winner? One of the few players whose star shines brighter than her performance on the pitch? For all of her growing list of off-field pursuits, the roster’s oldest member has shown that she can still ball with the best of them this NWSL season.
Rapinoe’s big-game mettle is second to none. She may play a more rotational role than she had four years ago, but as her all-around great form in the 2023 season has shown, she isn’t just on the roster to be an on-field coach. In time, we’ll learn if there’s a sequel to The Pose.
Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave) — 33 years old, 206 caps
C’mon. It’s Alex Morgan. The joint top scorer at the last Women’s World Cup? The four-time CONCACAF Player of the Year, five-time FIFPRO Women’s World XI honoree who has twice been a member of the Time 100 Most Influential People list? While her international scoring rate has slowed since 2020 (0.4 goals per cap, down from 0.63 through 2019), her golden boot-winning display in the 2022 NWSL season reminded everyone she’s still got it.
This season, she’s played more selflessly. She often collects the ball in the wide left channel, leading to a 2.48 non-PK shots per 90 clip which ranks third on her own team. However, she’s atop the Wave’s assist charts despite missing two games, suggesting she may be ready to share the burden of goalscoring with…
Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns) — 22 years old, 29 caps
Just as Morgan once deputized Abby Wambach before taking over starting striker responsibilities, Smith is in pole position to continue the litany. She is absolutely dynamic on the ball, leading the NWSL in post-shot expected goals (8.26, showing expert placement on frame), shots on goal per 90 (3.15) and touches in the box (10.86 per 90) while ranking third in assists per 90 and fourth in progressive carries.
U.S. Soccer’s 2022 female player of the year, Smith is both the present and future of the attack. If Morgan’s recent scoring rate sustains into the tournament, it’ll almost certainly be Smith who makes up for that dip.
A breakout star of the NWSL season, Thompson is the first teenager to represent the United States on a Women’s World Cup squad since 1995 (Tiffany Roberts and Holly Manthei). She’s versatile and fearless. She can play on either wing and is nimble when working through more veteran opposing defenses.
“She is an exciting player,” Andonovski said in April. “I almost want to say, sometimes for an 18-year-old, it’s borderline arrogant when she goes at you.”
Thompson’s youthful verve could make her a breakout star this summer, too.
The forward section skews heavily toward goalscoring and chance creation. That’s natural — only real sickos prefer watching a front-line press than someone looking to light up the scoreboard. But it’s that unsung part of the role which Williams excels at and one which this U.S. side will benefit from greatly. Only three NWSL attackers average more true tackles per 1,000 opposing touches (6.92), while her 66% true tackle win rate is third league-wide.
That isn’t to say that Williams can’t contribute to the attack, of course. Quite the opposite: her 0.61 post-shot expected goals per 90 rank third in the league behind Smith and Ashley Hatch. Entering the season, Williams told The Athletic that her aim was to be “the best Lynn Williams I can possibly be … (which) will hopefully get me on the team.” With an MVP-caliber performance in the first portion of the season, she has done exactly that.
Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit) — 21 years old, 17 caps
The way in which Rodman plays the game is a delight to watch — unless your team is facing her. There’s an absolute urgency to her game, a willingness to make runs behind the back line to open the game in attacking phases, and a seemingly magnetic pull toward the ball when defending. She made herself impossible to drop even before Swanson’s injury. Since landing on the NWSL Best XI as a rookie in 2021, she’s kept herself in the conversation for the national team.
She’s picked her target better over time, improving her post-shot expected goals rate from 0.35 in 2021 to 0.46 in 2023 (an 11% increased likelihood of scoring when her attempt goes on frame). Her 6.96 take-ons per 90 are third-best this season among forwards, while 29.1% of her attacking carries advance at least five meters toward the goal. Both her style of play and her off-field persona have her poised to reach superstar status in the coming years — although, a regular role in the U.S. attack this tournament could accelerate that timeline.
(Photo: Joe Puetz/Getty Images, John Todd/USSF/Getty Images; Design: Eamonn Dalton)
Why uncapped Savannah DeMelo made the USWNT World Cup roster
DeMelo, who plays as an attacking midfielder for Racing Louisville in the National Women’s Soccer League, is the only player on the World Cup roster for the U.S. women’s national team who has yet to make her senior international debut.
She isn’t totally new to the USWNT picture: DeMelo was called into USWNT camps twice last fall, once in September as a replacement for Trinity Rodman and once in October. But neither of those call-ups resulted in any actual minutes. She hadn’t been called to any USWNT camps this year, either — until now, that is, when she was named on Wednesday to the USWNT’s World Cup team.So why did a player with no appearances for the USWNT earn a coveted roster spot? Here’s what the 25-year-old brings on the field, and why she forced coach Vlatko Andonovski to pick her.
Let’s start here: Racing Louisville’s most recent win against the Kansas City Current. It’s the 64th minute and Louisville leads 2-0 thanks to Savannah DeMelo, who scored the game’s opener by blocking Current goalkeeper Cassie Miller‘s attempted clearance and assisted the second goal. Racing Louisville are pushing for a third goal when DeMelo gets on the ball at the edge of Kansas City’s box. Almost immediately, an attack springs to life.DeMelo sees forward Uchenna Kanu making a run behind the opposing back line. Even with her back to both the goal and her teammate, DeMelo spots Kanu’s run.
Most players in DeMelo’s situation would take an extra touch to turn, face forward and settle themselves before feeding the runner. Not DeMelo.She doesn’t waste any time, opting for a backheel pass into Kanu’s path to avoid letting the defense back into the play.
Kanu can’t quite control DeMelo’s pass and the sequence ultimately fizzles. Still, the whole play helps illustrate the key components of DeMelo’s game: She’s creative and quick — both in physical speed and her ability to read what’s happening on the field — and she changes games in a way that few others can.
Playing her second professional season after being selected fourth overall in the 2022 college draft out of USC, DeMelo has developed into a full-fledged star in the NWSL, which is the league where almost all of the USWNT talent pool plays club soccer. In explaining his decision to select her, Andonovski put it plainly: “Her performance in the league was one of the biggest reasons why she’s on the team. And based on the needs that we have in terms of the opponents and different situations that we may face, we see Sav being very important to us going forward.”Often playing as a No. 10 playmaking midfielder behind a striker in Racing Louisville’s 4-2-3-1 shape, DeMelo is at her best when she can impact the game in central areas.Despite occupying an attacking midfield role, DeMelo doesn’t always get to enjoy the freedom and high touch count that typically come with the No. 10 position. Racing Louisville tend to play against the ball and are averaging just 47.0% possession this year, which means she doesn’t touch the ball as much as some of her positional counterparts. According to FBref, DeMelo is in just the 40th percentile among NWSL midfielders in touches per 90 minutes this year with 48.2.
Why Savannah DeMelo has a case for midseason NWSL MVP
Jeff Kassouf talks about Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo’s impact and why she has a case for midseason NWSL MVP.
Still, DeMelo doesn’t need a ton of the ball to make her mark. She has five goals and a pair of assists so far in 2023 and according to American Soccer Analysis, she’s seventh among all regular NWSL starters in expected goals (xG) plus expected assists (xA) per 96 minutes (the equivalent of a game plus stoppage time). Expected goals and assists measure the likelihood that a shot or an assist leading to a shot will result in a goal. Her numbers mean DeMelo is one of the absolute best in the league at both finding quality shots for herself and setting up her teammates for good shots in the attack.The only players above her in that xG+xA ranking? USWNT star Sophia Smith and two of Smith’s teammates with the stacked Portland Thorns, along with Washington Spirit striker Ashley Hatch, who just missed out on the USWNT’s World Cup squad, legendary attacking midfielder Debinha, who will likely be Brazil‘s star at the World Cup, and Kansas City winger Cece Kizer.That, folks, is what we call good company.DeMelo has great vision and pairs smart decision-making with quality execution in every phase of the game. In possession, she pulls out creative through-balls and flicks like the one already discussed against Kansas City. On counterattacks, she acts almost as a point guard for Louisville, drawing in opposing defenders before finding the perfect pass …
She also adds great service and scoring threat on set pieces, an area of the game where the USWNT tends to build an advantage. This right-footed strike from last year against the Orlando Pride, for example, was hit beautifully. The goalkeeper never had a chance.
Still, it’s not just DeMelo’s on-ball threat that makes her such a valuable player. What she does away from the ball is equally impressive.
With savvy off-ball runs and a clear understanding of how to find and exploit space, DeMelo is a constant thorn in the side of defenders all over the NWSL. She frequently pushes forward to add another number inside the 18-yard box.
This sequence from a recent Racing Louisville game against the North Carolina Courage illustrates her smart movement. As defender Julia Lester drives down the right wing, DeMelo is part of a band of three runners near the top of the box. While Lester makes her move on the right, DeMelo takes care to read the movement of her two teammates inside the box. One starts to break hard toward goal, while the other starts curving a run toward the front corner of the six-yard box.
With her teammates pushing back the Courage’s defense, DeMelo realizes that she doesn’t have to sprint toward the end line to find a pocket of space.
All she has to do is be patient, hold her run, and she can let the play come to her.
And so it does. The ball falls to DeMelo, who had found the pocket of space she needed, and while she can’t direct the bouncing ball on frame, she helps turn a possession into a high-quality chance — that’s exactly what the world’s best players do.DeMelo knows when to hold her runs and she knows when to run right at opponents. She has seemingly boundless energy, which makes her a major defensive asset for Louisville. You can see some of that energy on this play against Kansas City where DeMelo makes a hard, winding run out of midfield to press three Current players and push the ball into the back of the net.Between her efficiency, creativity and hard running, DeMelo is a true game-changer in the NWSL. She could be one for the USWNT, too. Her vision, speed of play and set-piece threat can help the Americans break down some of the compact blocks they’ll face this summer. Her movement and decision-making in transition can add even more heat to the team’s already scorching counterattacks. And her defensive effort and quickness can take Andonovski’s press to the next level.
It won’t be easy for her to earn minutes for the USWNT at the World Cup in a position filled with other capable and more established players. Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, Ashley Sanchez and Kristie Mewis, who are all in the squad, have each had bright moments for both club and country in a similar attacking midfield role.
But if given the chance this summer, DeMelo has the skills to become one of the USWNT’s mainstays — and even a household name.
Can Jimmy ‘El Actor’ Lozano lead Mexico to Gold Cup glory?
ESPNFC
It’s fitting that Mexican soccer’s latest telenovela-like drama is supposed to be resolved by a coach who’s sometimes referred to as “El Actor.”Born to entertainer parents (hence his nickname), Jaime Lozano didn’t seek the same limelight his mother and father occupied. Instead, soccer came calling through a career as a player and manager, but after a recent crisis arose in the distance from Mexico‘s men’s national team, the coach who often goes simply by “Jimmy” now finds himself as an unexpected leading man.His new marquee role: Reviving the national team as interim manager in the Concacaf Gold Cup.Following a frustrating third-place finish in the Concacaf Nations League last week, which included a bleak 3-0 loss to their United States rivals in the semifinal, Mexico dropped Diego Cocca as coach on Monday after just a few months in charge. Scrambling to find a solution before the start of the Gold Cup this weekend, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) appointed Lozano as interim for the tournament.Desperate for success after a discouraging 2022 World Cup and just one title in all competitions since 2016, Mexico will now place all of their hopes on the shoulders of their 44-year-old hiring. Will the script work for El Tri, or will it prove to be another major box office flop?
How Mexico got here
Before we discuss Lozano and the Gold Cup, let’s first assess the prequel.In the past few years, progress for Mexican soccer has stalled on multiple levels. The senior men’s team, who stumbled out of the group stage of Qatar 2022, have failed to clinch a title in the past two editions of the Nations League and the previous edition of the Gold Cup. Looking at the men’s youth side, the U20 squad failed to qualify for the 2023 U20 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. As for the women’s senior national team, they fell short in qualifying for the upcoming Women’s World Cup and next year’s Olympics.A long list of staffing changes at the FMF followed since last summer and by February, Cocca was selected as the new coach for the men’s senior team. Characterized by his cautious style of play that prioritized results by any means, there were immediate doubts about the Argentine manager, who didn’t use the most attractive methods of playing soccer.Unconvincing performances and narrow results emerged, as did new bosses for Cocca with more FMF staffing changes this spring, leading to scrutiny of his 2W-3D-0L record ahead of this month’s Nations League knockout round. Although his team defeated Panama 1-0 in last Sunday’s third-place match, the miserable 3-0 loss to the U.S. in the preceding semifinal was enough to solidify his fate. By Monday, new FMF commissioner Juan Carlos Rodriguez made it official.”This phase has been flawed by the disorder in decision-making, by the lack of processes, rigor and transparency in appointments, and by a perfect storm in the bad habits that we’ve been dragging for so many years,” Rodriguez said.”The natural thing to do would be to wait for the end of the Gold Cup, but today we don’t have time to waste. So I inform you that I’ve made the decision to terminate the contract of Diego Martin Cocca and the members of his coaching staff.”Cocca, flanked by media after his flight back to Mexico City, seemed perplexed by the decision.”I did everything I could and they didn’t let me continue,” the coach said as he walked through the airport.
Who is Lozano and what can we expect from him
With Cocca out of the picture, is Lozano now the mild-mannered but youthful hero that El Tri need? A former left-back who has represented the Mexican national team and a handful of Liga MX clubs, Lozano quickly developed from an academy coach and assistant into eventually the coach of Queretaro by 2017.
A chance with Mexico’s youth national team then arrived in 2018, which is when his star would truly rise. Lozano and El Tri‘s youth teams would go on to finish third in the 2019 Pan American Games, as winners of the 2020 Concacaf men’s Olympic qualifying title, and later as bronze medalists at Tokyo 2020. Despite a mixed bag of results at the club level with Queretaro and later with Necaxa in 2022, the up-and-coming coach is widely seen as one of the more promising managers in Mexican soccer.That, coupled with his experience with many of the former youth national team players who are now senior players, is what led to his appointment.”I thank you for agreeing to lead the team from now to the end of this [Gold Cup] tournament, the players know you and love you well, Jaime,” Rodriguez said on Monday. “Thank you, Jimmy, to you and your staff, for coming to support Mexico in the midst of this crisis.”From the 23 players included in the Gold Cup roster, which dropped Alexis Vega due to injury and replaced him with Roberto Alvarado on Tuesday, Lozano thrived in the 2020 Olympics with a strong core of 10 current call-ups: Guillermo Ochoa, Jorge Sanchez,Cesar Montes, Johan Vasquez, Luis Romo, Carlos Rodriguez, Sebastian Cordova, Henry Martin, Uriel Antuna and Alvarado. In fact, that number would be at 11 if not for Vega’s injury.
Assuming he’ll go with the game plan seen in Tokyo 2020, we’ll see a 4-1-4-1 or 4-3-3 formation that focuses on a counter-pressing style. Instead of winning by any means like Cocca, Lozano will want to be more on the front foot and take charge in the opposition’s end of the pitch. Set pieces will be key, and so will a willingness to let his central midfielders roam from their positions.
In the attack, he tends to give freedom for his wingers to search for and take on 1v1 situations. If there’s too much of a defensive overload, he’ll probably aim to rapidly switch the ball through long passes or his roaming midfielders. Defensively, he’ll likely ask his wingers to help regain possession and sit back when needed. Depending on the opponent, his fullbacks also have a tendency to be more reserved, in order to help compensate for the creativity allowed for the midfielders and wingers.
But that’s all in theory from what he has done in the past at the youth national team level.
On paper, Mexico should be at least more fun to watch than the more conservative setup under Cocca, but whether or not it will work immediately is another conversation.
Can Mexico earn Gold Cup glory?
That is, of course, the big question.
No matter the fact that Lozano has just four days to prepare before Sunday’s group opener against Honduras in Houston, the bare minimum for Mexico will be winning the Gold Cup. While that won’t be easy for an El Tri side that has retreated from its former status as the giant in the region, the national team setup will have no excuses when you consider that fellow title contenders such as Canada and the U.S. are sending MLS-heavy “B” teams to the tournament.
Even though the roster is out of form — and missing some key injured players like Jesus “Tecatito” Corona and Hirving “Chucky” Lozano (no relation) — man for man, Mexico should be the superior team in the Gold Cup.
Should is important to emphasize there. Lozano has the know-how and squad to get the job done, but the obvious factor of limited time to prepare is one that can’t be ignored.
Looking ahead, the group stage should be an interesting gut check to see where exactly the team is at. After playing Honduras this weekend, El Tri will then face Haiti on June 30 before closing out the group stage against tournament invitee Qatar on July 2.
More than likely, Mexico are expected to qualify for the knockout round, where they will have an opportunity to regain respect in the region and a title, but after some of the issues seen in the Nations League, there’s a chance that last week was just the beginning of a very long summer.
Whatever happens, it’ll make for some intriguing fútbol cinema.
The US claimed its 2nd straight Nations League Trophy after a rather easy 2-0 win over Canada Sunday night in Las Vegas. After dominating Mexico 3-0 and 75% possession, the US bounced back with a different approach they used their counterattack with Gio Reyna leading the way in the 10 spot – driving us into the attack. Reyna is the only player on the US Roster who can do this, Reyna was a part of both goals as his excellent corner kicks led to CB Chris Richard’s first US Goal early on. Later in the half with Musah controlling the Dmid slot Reyna sent Balogun thru for this goal. Goal again in proper Spanish. Reyna was seriously the Man of the Match in just 45 minutes of play as he got injured just before the half. The team did not return to that level of play without him – though we had chances. Pulisic again had lots of attention and excelled in his role of captain (here raising the trophy). I thought Joe Scally showed we have a solid backup at right/left back as the Borrusia MGladbach man shut down Bayern’s Alphonso Davies for most of the night. I thought Aaronson was also a fine sub for Mckennie who was also out on a red card. Finally Walker Zimmerman teamed will with CB Chris Richards was Miles Robinson was out with a slight knock. Great job by Asst coach BJ Callaghan who started with a strong attack to put us up 2-0 and then settled in to nice 5 man back in the last 20 minutes just to show his coaching acumen to adjust late-game. Two clean sheets for Matt Turner who really wasn’t tested in the final yet still won GK of the Tourney, while Pulisic rightfully won the Player of the Tourney. The US definitely celebrated big time – Trophy lift —- full highlights 2-0 over Canada. Highlights from US 3-0 over Mexico.
US Sends MLS Strong Group to Gold Cup Starting Saturday & Berhalter as Coach
The US will look to a new group of mostly MLS players to try to win their 2nd straight trophy this summer – like they did in 2021. The games kickoff on Saturday at 9:30 pm ET on Fox Sports 1 in Chicago (tix still avail) as the US faces Jamaica. (Full Gold Cup TV Schedule) all of the games will be on Fox, Fox Sports 1 & 2 (thank goodness) mostly each night at 6:30 or 7 pm and 8:30 or 9 pm and of course on weekends. The US will play again Wed, Jun 28th 9:30 on FS1 and Sunday on Fox 7 pm vs T&T. Can’t wait to see what combinations BJ puts out there as we look for key backups at a # of positions. Remember next Summer we will be playing in the Olympics (July 24-Aug 10)& the Copa America (June15-July15 2024) so improving our depth will be a key. All the reason I don’t understand why Berhalter is not taking over this week. I am ok with the appointment – who else is out there? Patrick Viera – the fired, relegated Mgr at Crystal Palace? Henri, the fired Mgr at Montreal & CBS pundit ? Are are joking? I would have been ok with our current best US Mgr overseas in Jesse Marsch – but I think he really wants to stay at the club level for now. In the states – LAFC’s Cherundalo someday but he’s not ready – needs to manage in Europe first. Who else ? Now Hopefully Berhalter has seen what’s happening and will do less tinkering and more letting the boys play. But I think its nuts not to credit Berhalter for what this very young team has done this week, the commardaree that the team has, how they have welcomed dual nationals with open arms, how the fight for each other and stick up for one another. This is the Golden Generation – time to at least get to the finals of the Gold Cup, to the Finals or Final 4 of Copa America at home next summer and hopefully bring home a medal from the Olympics.
USMNT GOLD CUP DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB/COUNTRY; CAPS/GOALS):
GOALKEEPERS (3): Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 12/0), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea/ENG; 1/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 26/0)
DEFENDERS (8): DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; 2/0), Aaron Long (LAFC; 32/3), Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati; 23/1), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; 2/0), Bryan Reynolds (Roma/ITA; 3/0), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 21/3), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; 1/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami; 78/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Gianluca Busio (Venezia/ITA; 9/0), Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar/NED; 6/1), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; 2/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 32/3), James Sands (New York City FC; 8/0), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez/MEX; 2/0)
FORWARDS (6): Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; 3/0), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 18/8), Julian Gressel (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 2/0), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; 52/11), Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati; 3/1), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 3/1)
Women’s World Cup Roster is Announced
Coach A has announced his 23 person roster and it’s a good mix of returnees and new exciting young players to try to give the US a record 3rd straight World Cup Victory. Rapinoe leads the way at 37 year’s old – with Alex Morgan expected to have a huge leadership role as well. Interesting to see who can take over for captain Becky Saubraum who at 37 will miss the World Cup with injury. (lots of stories below) and more to come next week. Roster
U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; CAPS/GOALS) – 2023 FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
GOALKEEPERS (3): Aubrey Kingsbury* (Washington Spirit; 1), Casey Murphy* (North Carolina Courage; 14), Alyssa Naeher*** (Chicago Red Stars; 90)
DEFENDERS (7): Alana Cook* (OL Reign; 24/1), Crystal Dunn** (Portland Thorns FC; 131/24), Emily Fox* (North Carolina Courage; 28/1), Naomi Girma* (San Diego Wave FC; 15/0), Sofia Huerta* (OL Reign; 29/0), Kelley O’Hara**** (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 157/3), Emily Sonnett** (OL Reign; 74/1)
FORWARDS (6): Alex Morgan**** (San Diego Wave FC; 206/121), Megan Rapinoe**** (OL Reign; 199/63), Trinity Rodman* (Washington Spirit; 17/2), Sophia Smith* (Portland Thorns FC; 29/12), Alyssa Thompson* (Angel City FC; 3/0), Lynn Williams* (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 52/15)
* First Women’s World Cup ** Second Women’s World Cup *** Third Women’s World Cup **** Fourth Women’s World Cup
Nations League & Euro Qualifying
Some great games in Europe for the Nations League Finals and Euro Qualifying. Still some games on Tuesday afternoon 2:45 pm. The Spain vs Croatia game was awesome for a 0-0 game after 120 minutes – tons of shots and some really good saves by both GKs (full highlights)– (see GK saves below) here’s the shootout final.
MLS
Reports out of Miami that Messi at 60 million per season will be making much more than any football/basketball/Baseball players in the US – hey he’s been the best player in the World for a decade now and still has game – I can’t wait to see him play somehow. Hopefully they can figure out how to get his Barcelona buddies Sergio Busquets and perhaps Jordi Alba and even Luis Suarez or Angel Di Maria as well. Wow that would be worth a drive to Chicago/Columbus/Cincy or Nashville to see.
GAMES WORTH DRIVING TO
Speaking of Drive – Gold Cup Opportunities abound to see the US Men in person with the US game vs Jamaica this Sat in Chicago 9:30 pm ET (tix avail as low as $35 each), Wed – June 28 in St Louis @ 6:30 pm (tix as low as $60), Sun- July 9 Quarterfinals in Cincinatti @ 5&7 pm (tix as low as $75). I might even have 2 sitting with me available for Cincy as I plan to go. You can’t complain about US fans not showing up in Las Vegas if we aren’t willing to drive a few hours to support our US teams.
Indy 11 Ladies Play last home Game next Friday
The Boys in Blue return to action Saturday when they travel to Hartford Athletic at 7 pm on ESPN+. (Preview) In the first meeting on June 10, the teams played to a 1-1 draw at Carroll Stadium. The Girls in Blue are back in action next Friday, June 30 for the final regular season match of 2023 when they host St. Charles FC @ Grand Park in Westfield for the third time this season. The teams have split the season series so far, with each team winning on the road. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET and will stream on Eleven Sports. The Indy 11 W are 7-1-1 atop the USL W League’s Valley Division. Tix for this final game are just $8 or call 317-685-1100.
What to Watch
The Gold Cup leads the games to watch this weekend – as the US men will play an extremely fired-up Jamaica team that has brought in a # of European stalwarts to face what will be a B team for the US at 9 pm Saturday on Fox Sports 1. Just before at 7:30 pm MLS leading Cincinnati travels to Wayne Rooney’s DC United on free Apple TV for a key match-up in the East. Sat has a 2 of the top 5 teams in NWSL facing off at San Diego @ 10 pm on Paramount plus with US World Cup players Alex Morgan & Naomi Girma facing OL Regin with Lavelle, Huerta and Alana Cook. Sunday has Mexico facing Honduras at 8 pm on FS1 – we’ll see if Mexico’s new coach can right the ship as Mexico brings their A team. Wednesday the US plays @ 9 pm on FS from St. Louis vs St Kitts & Nevis.
Goalkeeping Coach Shane will start low cost GK training for those interested next week and thru the summer – U12 groups of no more than 8, Older aged groups of no more than 6. EMail: shanebestsoccer@gmail.com if interested.
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What U.S. soccer can take from Nations League to Gold Cup
Jon Arnold ESPN FC Jun 23, 2023, 09:09 AM ET
There was Christian Pulisic enjoying a champagne shower. Folarin Balogun running in behind a Canada center-back to finish off a pristine pass from Gio Reyna. Weston McKennie channeling a Renaissance painting when kissing the badge of his ripped shirt.United States men’s national team fans enjoyed plenty of sights during the Concacaf Nations League final four, seeing the Stars and Stripes thump rival Mexico 3-0 in the semifinals and roll past Canada 2-0 in the final. The Gold Cup will look different.For one, it’s a much longer tournament. The USMNT kicks things off Saturday against Jamaica, before playing two more group matches against Caribbean teams. Provided it advances, it would need to win three more matches to lift its eighth Gold Cup and tie Mexico as the most successful team in the continental championship.While those visions of the team’s top players celebrating a trophy may be enough to tide U.S. supporters over until the 2024 Nations League final four or next summer’s Copa América played on home soil, the U.S. program still would love to defend its Gold Cup title and continue to leave no doubt as to which program currently sits atop Concacaf. In order to do so, the U.S. will have to answer a number of questions on its road to the final in Inglewood, California
What role will the Nations League holdovers play?
Five players who enjoyed the Nations League celebrations will shake off any lingering buzz and be part of the Americans’ Gold Cup campaign. Two of them are goalkeepers, with Matt Turner and Sean Johnson both on the squad. Center-back Miles Robinson is back after missing Sunday’s final vs. Canada with a hamstring issue.
That trio is well known to U.S. fans though the question is whether Turner, wearing the No. 1 shirt on the roster announced this week, will keep backstopping the U.S. for the whole tournament or will step aside to allow Johnson — or U.S. U20 goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina — opportunities, especially in the group stage.
More intriguing are the two Liga MX-based players who were in the Nations League squad but didn’t see minutes. Club América winger Alejandro Zendejas and FC Juarez midfielder Alan Soñora both could play important roles for the U.S. during the Gold Cup.
Zendejas in particular feels like a player who will be asked to shoulder a heavy load. In the midst of a strong season with América, the Mexican American winger committed his future to the U.S. program, but played a supporting role as Pulisic and Tim Weah slashed through their rivals in the Nations League. The 25-year-old should get a chance not only to see minutes but to take a leadership role on a young team, showing fans why the U.S. staff was so excited to secure his commitment.
Is Callaghan really that dude?
The memes about B.J. Callaghan, the interim to the interim manager, are funny. But there’s truth behind the image macros.Callaghan was, and maybe still is, a relative unknown appointed after previous interim manager Anthony Hudson left for a job in the Qatar Stars League. An assistant on former and future U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter’s staff, he had little head-coaching experience entering into the Nations League. Yet he had the U.S. unified, understanding the game plan and executing it in two of the best games the team has played since doing the Nations League/Gold Cup double in 2021.A longer tournament will mean more decisions for Callaghan to make, both when it comes to keeping the group happy and fresh off the field, while also working out the best tactics for opponents that differ in their styles and approaches. Saturday’s opener against a Jamaica team led by Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrímsson will be a tough tactical battle to win early in the tournament. While the Reggae Boyz enter the Gold Cup in poor form, winless in 10 including official matches and friendlies, the roster for this tournament includes stars who rarely have been together on the field.The impending return of Berhalter casts a (slim, sneaker-wearing) shadow over the tournament. We know Berhalter will be back, and while Callaghan is deploying many of the same concepts Berhalter put on the field, he’s not the long-term boss.Could Callaghan raise his profile further and leverage another successful tournament into another head-coaching chance? Does he even want to? We’ll know midway through July.
Who’s going to score the goals?
Balogun and Ricardo Pepi each getting on the scoresheet during the Nations League, plus Pulisic finding his scoring form, helped answer what has been one of the biggest questions for the U.S. since its failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. With none of those players on this roster, the job will fall to a new crop of forwards.Jordan Morris and Jesus Ferreira are among the most experienced players on the roster, and they’ll will push for starts on the wing and at center-forward respectively. Each comes into the summer in great form, with Ferreira scoring 10 goals and adding two assists this season for FC Dallas while Morris has nine goals for the Seattle Sounders.They’re joined on the roster by FC Cincinnati forward Brandon Vazquez, who scored 19 goals for FC Cincinnati last season and has four goals and a pair of assists for the Lions this year. Vazquez brings a different profile than Ferreira, and scored against Serbia in a January friendly.Herculez Gomez and Sebastian Salazar debate the biggest storylines and break down the best highlights that soccer in the Americas has to offer. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
In any tournament as long as the Gold Cup, the U.S. will need multiple players to find the back of the net if they are to lift the trophy. This team has talented individual attackers, but they can’t afford to revert to bad habits seen often in the Berhalter era: keeping the ball, but being too cautious entering the final third or the penalty area.
Will the Gold Cup be someone’s breakout tournament?
A dozen players on the United States’ 23-man roster have six caps or fewer, so there are going to be players asked to step up wearing the national team shirt who have never done so before — or have had chances on a much smaller stage, such as this winter’s friendly match against Serbia. Nine players on the roster are yet to appear in an official match for the U.S.Among those are San Jose Earthquakes attacker Cade Cowell, one of the standouts of the United States’ run to the quarterfinals of the U20 World Cup in Argentina earlier this month. Cowell and goalkeeper Slonina are the only two players on that team to be named so quickly to the senior roster, and Cowell’s attacking instincts may make him a nice addition for Callaghan, whether from the start or as a second-half-change option.While there is experience at most positions — including right-back, where DeAndre Yedlin arrives with 78 caps — someone has to play on the other side if the U.S. sticks with a back four. DeJuan Jones, Jalen Neal and John Tolkin are MLS-based outside-backs who will look to pin down a place in this tournament’s standard starting XI, and FC Dallas product Bryan Reynolds also will look to earn minutes after a season with Belgium’s Westerlo on loan from Roma.And, still just 24, Djordje Mihailovic could provide the U.S. a dynamic option in midfield, having spent the past six months in the Eredivisie with AZ Alkmaar.
Every national team manager wants to see depth in the player pool, and opting for a totally different squad from one tournament to the next tests that depth. Yet, it could result in U.S. players rising to the occasion, and giving Berhalter more options for the games he’ll oversee in the fall and on the road to the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
Analyzing the USWNT’s World Cup roster: Surprises, snubs, more
Caitlin Murray, ESPNJun 21, 2023, 11:57 AM ET
The roster that will lead the U.S. women’s national team through the Women’s World Cup this July has been decided, and it certainly is not without gambles and surprises.
In announcing his World Cup roster on Wednesday, coach Vlatko Andonovski balanced conservative, expected picks — Alex Morgan as striker and Lindsey Horan in the midfield were obvious — with riskier choices, including a slew of young players making their first World Cup squad. When Andonovski had the choice of sticking with players he was very familiar with or rolling the dice on someone new, he wasn’t afraid to take a chance.
Now Andonovski has ended up with a roster that has the usual mix of veteran experience and young talent but leans more on younger or untested players than the previous two World Cups, which the USWNT won.
Three players — Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Kelley O’Hara — have made their fourth World Cup team, and 14 players will be competing in their first World Cup, compared with 11 debutants in 2019 and eight in 2015. And unlike those previous two tournaments, most of the debutants are expected to be the USWNT’s starters, with the likes of Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman or Lynn Williams figuring to lead the USWNT’s attack with Morgan up top, and the core of the USWNT’s defense being two new center-backs, Naomi Girma and Alana Cook.So, with all of that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the big surprises of the roster, and the conundrums that Andonovski’s squad selection leaves behind to be answered only in the USWNT’s tournament opener on July 21.
Pressure’s on Alex Morgan without a backup striker
In the simplest terms, Morgan’s role for the USWNT is part goal-scorer and part distraction.With Morgan as the target striker up top, the USWNT is often trying to feed her the ball so she can score, something she has been doing a lot lately for her club, the San Diego Wave. She has five goals in her past 10 club games this season, after a league-leading 16 goals in 19 games last year.But Morgan is also a magnet for defenders, and she’s sometimes relegated to the unglamorous role of pulling apart defenses off the ball so her teammates can score. On the ball, Morgan’s holdup play and her ability to provide service to the wingers around her is an underrated part of her game that she has developed over years as the USWNT’s lone center-forward in its current system.
And on this roster, the USWNT is really going to be counting on Morgan to be both the goal-scorer and the non-goal-scorer up top because there is no direct replacement. The only other dedicated striker who has had significant minutes for the USWNT up top over the past couple of years is Ashley Hatch, and she didn’t make the cut.Hatch came off the bench for Morgan or started in 15 of the USWNT’s past 25 games, including five of the USWNT’s seven games in 2023. Ultimately though, as good as Hatch has been in NWSL, her contributions for the USWNT were far less compelling.So who is Morgan’s backup? Who is going to come on for her late in games when the USWNT needs to push for a goal with fresh legs? Players such as Lynn Williams and Sophia Smith can play as center-forwards, and they have experience playing up top for their clubs. But they’ve primarily played on the wing for the USWNT, meaning Andonovski is going with a lesser-tested option than if he had simply brought Hatch.
Another wrinkle is that Smith is probably going to be a starter throughout the tournament, and Williams has a strong case as well. If those two aren’t Morgan’s backups, then Andonovski is looking at a player who really is — for club and country — primarily a winger or a midfielder. Could Andonovski be considering midfielder Ashley Sanchez or winger Trinity Rodman as backups for Morgan? We’ll see.Perhaps Andonovski looked at what former coach Jill Ellis did in her 2019 World Cup-winning run and decided he could make better use of the extra roster spot Ellis used on a backup for Morgan. In 2019, Morgan’s backup was Jessica McDonald, a striker who played only 45 minutes the entire tournament. Carli Lloyd, a midfielder, started playing as a free-roaming, withdrawn striker instead, negating the need for another dedicated striker.But in a scenario where Morgan gets injured, this decision could have major implications for how the USWNT plays.
The least surprising ‘surprise’ inclusions: Julie Ertz, 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson
If you’ve tended to follow the USWNT only in actual competitions — like, say, last year’s double-qualifiers for the World Cup and Olympics, or the recent SheBelieves Cup invitational — you might’ve assumed Ertz was still out of the national team picture — having stopped playing soccer after the 2021 Olympics — and you might not even be familiar with Thompson.
But the USWNT’s last two friendlies before Andonovski picked his roster — a pair of relatively comfortable wins over Ireland — changed what the USWNT squad looked like. First, after a 610-day absence from soccer, Ertz made a surprise return and picked up where she had left off, running pocket to pocket in the midfield and flying into tackles. Then, Thompson got her first start (third cap overall) and, despite being just 18 years old, she looked as if she belonged at the senior USWNT level.
For Ertz to make this roster, Andonovski had to change his standards and go against his word: he had insisted repeatedly that players would earn call-ups based on their club form, but Ertz had been without a club since late 2021 when Andonovski called her into the USWNT’s final camp before selecting his World Cup roster. The mere fact she was called in at all felt like an admission that Andonovski needed her too much to stick to his word. It felt like, by calling her in at all, he planned to select her for his World Cup team.
In truth, the USWNT had missed Ertz ever since she stepped away from the game — her marauding, bruising brand of midfield enforcement was not something any other player possessed. Andonovski has tried shoehorning other midfielders there, such as Lindsey Horan, but it limited what made them great. He tried a double pivot, essentially asking two players to do the work Ertz used to do alone, but it left the USWNT unbalanced going forward.
Andonovski seemed to settle on Andi Sullivan, but her deep-lying, distributing style as a defensive midfielder lacked the bite the USWNT sorely missed. With Ertz’s return, Andonovski got his solution, and she could be a starter in New Zealand for the USWNT’s opening game.
For Thompson, a starting role seems less likely, but her form in the NWSL right now is indisputable. She’s been scoring audacious goals, which only punctuate her pacey explosiveness and her ability to weave her way through defenders with the ball stuck to her foot.At 18, Thompson is the youngest player on the roster and the second-youngest in USWNT World Cup history, and she plays with a fearlessness that is hard to beat. That is probably also what makes her so compelling for Andonovski: with her talent, she should be part of the USWNT for years, and allowing her to experience her first World Cup is an investment in her development.If Ertz’s lack of club form forced Andonovski to go against his word when he selected her, Thompson’s selection allows Andonovski to proclaim he did what he promised: Thompson’s club form demanded a World Cup spot.
The real surprise inclusions
World Cup rosters tend to lend themselves to surprises. With everything on the line, high stakes and each roster spot undergoing the utmost scrutiny, coaches tend to go with their guts.Ellis, who won back-to-back World Cups during her tenure, revealed some big surprises in 2019, bringing in defender Ali Krieger and midfielder Morgan Brian (now Gautrat) despite neither having been involved in the USWNT leading up to the tournament. In Krieger’s case, she didn’t even get a camp invite for two years until Ellis abruptly brought her in for the final camp before the World Cup.Yet Ellis was going back to players she knew well, veteran players she had seen play in World Cups. In the end, she didn’t trust the new players she had brought in and wanted to stick with what she knew. As she put it during her roster announcement in 2019: “Some of the players you don’t ever know until that moment that they’re in the pressure-cooker of a World Cup quarterfinal or semifinal.”That’s what makes Andonovski’s roster surprises so different and perhaps riskier. He called up Savannah DeMelo, a player with zero appearances on the international level, and Aubrey Kingsbury, who earned one cap in 2019.DeMelo, a midfielder, was first called into a camp in September 2022 as a replacement player when Rodman got injured for two games against Nigeria. She was then called into camp in October 2022 for games against England and Spain. But she didn’t get a single minute across any of those matches.
Kingsbury, a goalkeeper, was called up several times through 2022, but she never played a minute and hasn’t had a call-up in 2023. Her inclusion means that Adrianna Franch, the backup goalkeeper Andonovski called in for every USWNT camp this year and was far more familiar with, stays home.
Andonovski is making these two decisions, it seems, based on their play in the NWSL, which is the league where almost all of the USWNT’s roster competes. DeMelo and Kingsbury have been sensational in their respective positions for their clubs in 2023. DeMelo was named NWSL Player of the Month for May, about the time Andonovski was surely narrowing down his roster.
Jill Ellis compares current USWNT to her World Cup winners
President of San Diego Wave FC Jill Ellis talks about the differences between the current USWNT team and her teams in the past.It’s also worth noting that calling in an uncapped player isn’t without precedent. Defensive midfielder and U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Shannon Boxx made the 2003 World Cup team based on club play. Debbie Keller made the 1995 World Cup squad too, but, well, things were different in 1995 — there were no clubs, so it had to be based on college play, and her college coach at UNC was also the outgoing USWNT coach.
Let’s be clear: Andonovski is rolling the dice here. It’s unlikely Kingsbury, presumably the third goalkeeper behind starter Alyssa Naeher and backup Casey Murphy, would ever get on the field. But DeMelo is taking a roster spot that could’ve gone to a midfielder such as Taylor Kornieck, someone who played in 10 of the USWNT’s past 17 games. Or that spot could’ve gone to a backup for Morgan, or another defender…
A defense lacking veteran experience without Becky Sauerbrunn … and Tierna Davidson
Center-back and USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn was on the USWNT roster until sometime last week, when Andonovski accepted that she would not be able to recover from a lingering injury in time. Losing her so close to the start of the tournament is a serious blow to the USWNT.On and off the field, Sauerbrunn is a leader and role model. At 38, she would’ve been the oldest player on the USWNT roster, offering an experienced, calming presence, having been through three previous World Cups. She’s also been a confidant of Andonovski, who has openly talked about seeking her advice.With 216 appearances, she would’ve been the most capped player on the roster and anchored the back line. But now, a relatively young duo — Naomi Girma (15 caps) and Alana Cook (24 caps), each of them competing in her first major tournament — will probably be the starting center-back pairing.Despite the lack of World Cup experience without Sauerbrunn, Andonovski has opted not to bring in Tierna Davidson, the most experienced natural replacement he had available. With 48 caps, including the 2019 World Cup and the 2021 Olympics, under her belt, Davidson would’ve been arguably the most like-for-like swap for Sauerbrunn.Instead, it appears the lone backup for Girma and Cook will be Emily Sonnett. She certainly has experience — with 74 caps, including the 2019 World Cup and the 2021 Olympics — but much of it has been at fullback, given her role as a utility defender. Of 630 possible game minutes in 2023 for the USWNT, just 45 of them came at center-back for Sonnett. Her club, OL Reign, has even tried her out at defensive midfielder this season.Sonnett’s “jack of all trades, master of none” profile along the back line could be concerning. Her ceiling as center-back isn’t as high as Davidson’s is at her best. And if Sonnett doesn’t work out or injuries happen, Andonovski might need to ask Ertz to reprise her former role from the 2015 World Cup or ask a fullback to step into the central defense.There are probably two reasons Andonovski went with Sonnett over Davidson. The first is that Davidson hasn’t been playing that well in the NWSL. Part of it is just that her team, the Chicago Red Stars, has been struggling, but her individual performances haven’t been her best.The second reason is that Sonnett’s versatility gives Andonovski more options. World Cups aren’t always about the best 11 players but rather the best 20, and having players who allow for extra contingency plans can make all the difference. Andonovski needs to squeeze as much depth as possible out of 23 roster spots (with three required to be goalkeepers), and having a player like Sonnett, who can play anywhere along the back line in a pinch, might have made it hard for him to discount her as a call-up.
Injuries and roster absences change the USWNT’s World Cup — and the team’s chances
You might notice that a lot of the talking points from this roster involve contingency plans and worries about lack of backups. That’s partly because a World Cup requires such an examination, but it’s also a testament to how the USWNT has been devastated by injuries.
In addition to Sauerbrunn’s late exit, consider the injuries to Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario. The two of them were without a doubt the USWNT’s best attacking players over the past couple of years, and you can’t easily replace the two best players on a roster.
Then consider that Samantha Mewis, the USWNT’s key midfield linchpin at the 2019 World Cup, has also been out with an injury. On top of that, look at Rose Lavelle, who did make this roster but hasn’t played since an injury with the USWNT in April. Only then does it become clear why we are talking so much about contingencies and surprise inclusions.
The Americans are far from the only team slammed by injuries — England and France are two favorites that especially look hampered — but it’s hard to look at this roster and not wonder: Are the players who aren’t there going to decide the USWNT’s chances?
Debate settled: Reyna, Balogun ensure United States is kings of Concacaf
Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 18, 2023, 11:48 PM ET
Richards put the USMNT on top in the 12th minute, heading home Giovanni Reyna‘s corner. Balogun then doubled the advantage in the 34th minute with a deft finish from Reyna’s through ball that got past Milan Borjan in the Canada goal.anada did what it could to get back in the game, and enjoyed a hefty 62-38 edge in possession. But despite finding star attacker Alphonso Davies in some good positions, the visitorswere unable to make a dent in the U.S. lead. U.S. interim manager B.J. Callaghan went to a five-man back line late on and, despite some tense moments, the hosts were able to see out the match and hoist the Nations League trophy once again.Honor is due to Callaghan as well. He came into a difficult situation — being the interim to the interim — and was spot-on with his decisions. Keeping him on the staff would have to be a priority for Gregg Berhalter when he takes over for good.
Rapid reaction
1. U.S. reaffirms king of Concacaf mantle
There had been plenty of chatter prior to Sunday’s match as to who exactly should be declared king of Concacaf. Canada certainly had an argument to make in its favor. Not only did the Reds take four points off the U.S. during World Cup qualifying, but they finished top of the Concacaf standings. The U.S. could point to the fact that it is the reigning Gold Cup and Nations League champion, and went deeper in the World Cup.It’s a debate that will no doubt continue to rage, but on the basis of this match, the U.S. looked a cut (or two) above when the game was in doubt. Every time the U.S. went forward in transition in the first half it looked dangerous, especially when Reyna was on the ball. The movement up top continually befuddled Canada’s back line, as witnessed by Balogun’s clever run and finish off Reyna’s inch-perfect through ball.Set pieces, long a staple of the U.S. attack, were an area where it had a significant advantage as well, with Richards’ manhandling of Canada counterpart Alistair Johnston allowing him to nod home Reyna’s corner in the 12th minute to put the U.S. ahead.The U.S. was left to soak up plenty of pressure in the second half, especially with Reyna forced off at halftime because of injury. Canada was also intent on pushing forward given the first-half deficit but couldn’t get the goal that would have added some tension to the game’s final moments.Instead, Canada was left to endure taunts of “Stick to hockey!” as the game wound down.
2. Reyna and Balogun: The start of something special?
By his own admission, Balogun didn’t have his best game in Thursday’s 3-0 demolition of Mexico. But part of this was down to where and how he was getting the ball. Too often he was fed with his back to goal instead of being given the ball in the channels with room to run. That made him easier to defend, even as he put in a shift, and led to a somewhat ineffective performance.That was a lesson taken to heart by not only Balogun, but Reyna as well. The U.S. found its new forward with room to run more often, and he was much more dangerous, with the goal the prime example.Alas, Reyna’s performance was cut short by a calf injury and he was replaced in the second half by Luca de la Torre. Reyna could have been cleaner on the ball as well, but his moments of magic far outweighed his missteps and, based on these two games, he looks to have found a home in the center of midfield. Oh, and please let Reyna take set pieces from now on. The quality in his delivery amounted to a huge upgrade in this department. And best of all, it looks like some chemistry with Balogun is well on its way to being established.This leads to an intriguing question, however. If Tyler Adams, Reyna, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah are all healthy, which one sits? At this stage, McKennie would seem to be the odd man out, but that is by no means a slam dunk. In the future it will likely come down to health and form, but Reyna seems a lock.
3. Canada with some questions to ponder
This was supposed to be Canada’s coming out party, a time to end its title drought by winning a trophy for the first time since the 2000 Gold Cup. Instead that wait will have to continue, though the start of the Gold Cup later this month will give the Reds another opportunity.In the meantime, there are some problems in need of solving. Canada’s back line looked absolutely flummoxed by the movement in the U.S. attack. At one point in the 41st minute, Scott Kennedy engaged in what could only be described as a rugby tackle on Balogun that went unpunished only because Reyna was running with the ball at his feet. Kamal Miller didn’t fare much better.Manager John Herdman will also need to find a way to get Davies more help. Joe Scally, Brenden Aaronson and Timothy Weah all ran with the ball at the Bayern Munich star, and when Davies had possession, the U.S. threw two and sometimes three defenders him, basically daring someone else in the Canada lineup to beat them. Usually, the dual threat of forwards Cyle Larin and Jonathan David is enough. But this time, it didn’t happen.Davies did shake loose a few times, including one first-half shot that was well saved by U.S. keeper Matt Turner, but there was almost always a second defender to halt his progress, and he was lacking in end product when he did deliver the ball into the box. It’s an issue that the U.S. has faced with Christian Pulisic in the past, and Canada will need to come up with a solution of its own. Tajon Buchanan was thought to be a player who could provide some balance, but he was limited to 30 minutes as a substitute.
Best and worst performers
BEST
Giovanni Reyna, U.S.: Sure, he played only 45 minutes, but he made his time on the field count with two sublime assists.
Folarin Balogun, U.S.: Even beyond his goal, Balogun was a constant threat all night, and the understanding between him and his teammates is only going to get better.
Chris Richards, U.S.: In addition to his goal, he marshaled a U.S. back line that bent but didn’t break. Also helped keep Larin and David mostly in check.
WORST
Scott Kennedy, Canada: Simply had no answer for the movement and mobility of the U.S. attack, and Balogun in particular.
Alistair Johnston, Canada: Was badly outmuscled on the U.S. opener. He simply needs to be stronger in that situation. He struggled on the ball as well.
Jonathan David, Canada: On a day when Canada needed a big performance, he had one first-half shot that missed and another one late that was wide of the target. The latter miss summed up a frustrating night.
Highlights and notable moments
Richards opened the scoring Sunday from a classic USMNT set piece.
Not to be outdone, Balogun also bagged himself his first senior international goal.
Once ahead, the USMNT rarely looked troubled and held on to lift the Nations League trophy.
Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)
– The United States secured its ninth major trophy Sunday (7 Gold Cups, 2 Concacaf Nations Leagues).
– Richards’ goal in the 12th minute is the quickest in any game of his career. It’s his first time scoring in the first 30 minutes of a game.- Richards’ goal was the third-fastest by a USMNT player in a final in the past 35 years. Only Clint Dempsey (10th minute in 2009 Confederations Cup) and Michael Bradley (8th minute in 2011 Gold Cup) have a faster one in that span.- Balogun (21) is the second-youngest player to score for the USMNT in a final over the past 35 years, after 18-year old Giovanni Reyna in the 2021 Concacaf Nations League.
U.S. beats Canada to win Nations League as Balogun opens account
ESPN
Jun 18, 2023, 11:02 PM ET
Folarin Balogun scored his first goal for the United States in its 2-0 win over Canada on Sunday in the Concacaf Nations League final at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.First-half goals from Chris Richards and Balogun put the U.S. on its way to a team record third-consecutive title in Concacaf competitions following wins in the 2021 Nations League and Gold Cup.
“I’ve only here a short amount of time, but already I feel a part of it and I feel a part of something bigger,” Balogun said after the match.The U.S. was without Sergino Dest and Weston McKennie, both of whom were out for the match after picking up red cards in a fiery semifinal win over Mexico on Thursday. Interim coach B.J. Callaghan, still overseeing the team after Gregg Berhalter was rehired Friday, started Joe Scally and Brenden Aaronson in place of his two suspended players.”We’re looking beyond to the 2026 World Cup, and we need to perform in high-intensity knockout games,” Callaghan said. “That’s something that we learned from the World Cup.”Richards kept the momentum from Thursday going for the U.S. with an early goal, powering a header from Giovanni Reyna‘s corner kick past Milan Borjan in the Canada goal in the 12th minute.The U.S. doubled its lead later in the first half with a classy finish from Balogun, who picked up a through ball from Reyna after a giveaway from Canada and fired past Borjan from a tight angle to notch his first goal for the Americans since committing his international future to the team.
The Brooklyn-born Balogun, 21, scored 22 goals in 39 games in all competitions for French League 1 club Reims last season, the most ever for an American in a top-five European league.Reyna, who was stellar for Callaghan in the first half, came off at the break after being on the receiving end of a hard foul from Canada’s Richie Laryea and was replaced by Luca de la Torre.
Canada looked dangerous at times in the second half, but a resolute U.S. defense and more solid play in goal from Matt Turner, who had four saves, kept John Herdman’s team off the scoresheet as the U.S. was able to win the trophy for the second time.”It’s another step in the right direction,” said U.S. captain Christian Pulisic, who scored twice in the semifinal win over Mexico. “It’s just going to be about these knockout games. Come those big tournaments, Copa America, World Cup, it’s time to get tough.”We got to step up and score the goals when it counts and keep them out of our goal.”The result means the U.S. extended its home unbeaten streak against Canada to 22 games dating back to 1957, while Canada remained without a title since the 2000 Gold Cup.”We’re just not in that killer area of the pitch,” Canada coach Herdman said. “We’ve talked about this post-World Cup. It’s in the boxes where Canada’s suffering. You don’t get time to work with the players. There’s no time. But we need this September window.”We need the resources where we can actually put a camp together, where I can work for six days on the things that make the biggest difference moving forward.”In the consolation match earlier Sunday, Mexico held on to beat Panama 1-0 to take third place in the four-team final.
Reyna stars in new attacking role as USMNT beat Canada
Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 19, 2023, 03:10 AM ET
LAS VEGAS — Gio Reyna may have only played 45 minutes in the United States‘ 2-0 win over Canada in the final of the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) on Sunday, but it was long enough to have made a huge impact.Reyna assisted both USMNT goals — a corner that was headed home by Chris Richards and a deft through ball that Folarin Balogun drilled past Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan — and even though Reyna hobbled off at half-time with a calf injury, he put in a fine display in the center of the U.S. midfield.”Gio’s performance tonight is a performance that you expect. It shows his quality on the field, his ball security, his ability to take on two, three players and connect passes,” U.S. interim manager B.J. Callaghan said.”What I’m really proud of him is we’ve challenged Gio to do more work off the ball on the defensive side, and he’s absolutely risen to the occasion.”During the previous international window, Reyna had been deployed mostly out on the wing, but of late he has moved into a more central role, adding dynamism to the U.S. attack.”When [Reyna is] inside there, I like that position a lot for him,” said U.S. captain Christian Pulisic, who won the CNL Best Player Award. “I think he’s dangerous. He causes a lot of problems and you could see that today.”The U.S. entered the tournament enduring some chaos, as Callaghan was named interim manager late last month after the previous interim manager, Anthony Hudson, left to take a managerial post with Qatari side Al-Markhiya. Despite the CNL marked the first time Callaghan had taken on a manger’s role in the professional ranks, he led two superb U.S. performance against Mexico and Canada paid off.He will get a chance to further hone his managerial skills in the Concacaf Gold Cup, which starts on June 24.”I’m just super proud of the group,” Callaghan said. “We’ve been faced with adversity. We’ve been faced with obstacles and challenges and it’s only brought us all together. So my personal feelings, I’m absolutely elated for all of the guys, all of the staff, everyone that just continues to put so much into this.”To have those two performances is just a way for us to show the country and the world how committed and collected we are. There’s something special happening with this team.”Canada manager John Herdman said he felt preparation was the difference between the two teams on this occasion, especially on set pieces, where the U.S. was a threat all evening. That led to a complaint about a lack of resources, in this case the limited number of training days he had with his team. He even called out the Canada Soccer Association for not doing more to help his side.”We’ve got to figure this out financially,” Herdman said. “We’ve got to get serious about winning a World Cup. When you’re playing at home, you get a chance to win it. You get a chance to get a quarterfinal, semifinal and then get on that road to win it. We’re not serious.”We brought a World Cup to our country and we’re not serious about winning it. You see how close our team is tonight. Tactically, we were there. Chances, shots, we were there. The margins were so tight tonight, so tight. We’ve got to get real. We’ve got to get real and quick.”
Gio Reyna, Folarin Balogun and the next step for the USMNT: Nations League takeaways
Two years ago, the U.S. men’s national team entered the CONCACAF Nations League final in desperate need of some validation.They were without a marquee win in a tournament final. There was a belief internally that the potential of the group was real and the team was ready for big moments, but they needed the proof. An emotional, extra-time win over Mexico provided just that sort of confirmation.The whole of the last cycle was about those types of moments. The U.S. was fielding one of the youngest teams in the world. Each game provided something new on which that core would be tested. The ups and downs of CONCACAF qualifying showed that, as did the World Cup.The U.S. had some good moments in Qatar, most notably a strong outing in a draw with England and a win they had to gut out in an especially intense group finale against Iran. But after a loss to the Netherlands at the start of the knockout stage, the team felt, as current interim manager B.J. Callaghan said, “a little bit unsatisfied.” He echoed something Gregg Berhalter said Friday in the press conference announcing his return to the team: it was about finding a way to perform in those big knockout games.
“We don’t look at (the Netherlands loss) as a setback, we look at it as an opportunity to grow,” Callaghan said. “And now for us, we came in here motivated as an entire group that we want to get better. We want to get more battle tested. We want to be more experienced in knockout, high-intensity games. … And that’s the message, is to continue to battle test this group, so that when we get to 2026, the players can perform at the highest level, with the highest level of confidence that they can accomplish it.”If the last cycle was about growth and gaining experience, this cycle is about meeting expectations. This team is no longer defined by its youth. There is a belief they are entering their prime. This week served as the first opportunity to prove they were the favorites in the region and to meet the pressure that comes with that position.The maturation of the team felt evident against Canada, even in the performances of some of the youngest players on the field. Gio Reyna, the 20-year-old whose role was limited by injury for much of the last cycle, tuReyna had a goal and assist in the 2021 final, but his play from the middle of the field against Canada showed that he can provide the U.S. with a different dimension in the attack — if he can stay healthy. Reyna politely declined to speak with reporters after the game on Sunday, per a team spokesman, but Pulisic talked about how Reyna influenced another final with a top performance.“When he’s inside, I like that position a lot for him,” Pulisic said. “I think he’s dangerous, he causes a lot of problems. And you could see that today.”Pulisic was asked if he has seen any growth from Reyna, especially after the drama both in Qatar and after it. There will be plenty of attention around the midfielder in upcoming windows after the U.S. opted to bring Berhalter back as head coach.“For me, there’s no issue with Gio at all,” Pulisic said. “I mean, what happened, happened. For me, I have a great relationship with Gio and I enjoy playing alongside him. He’s a great player, and he’s gonna help us moving forward, no matter who the coach is. That’s clear. So he’s done a great job coming in and we’re gonna continue to build off that.”Another young player who alters the way this U.S. team looks is Folarin Balogun, 21, who scored his first goal for the U.S. since committing to the program in May.Balogun looked comfortable in his first two games and provided a real threat up top. Reyna fed him with a pretty pass inside the box in the 34th minute, and Balogun turned and powered a shot past Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan. If there is one improvement from the last cycle that will come simply from personnel, it’s the No. 9 spot. Balogun is a potential game-changer, and he said he feels there is much more to come simply by gaining experience with this group.“When you’re new to something, it really doesn’t come overnight,” Balogun said. “I’m still not at my peak. I’m still learning a lot. For sure tonight was difficult, I’m not going to underplay it.”There were other signs of the advancement the U.S. is hoping to make. The back line benefitted from the play of center back Chris Richards, who featured in five World Cup qualifiers but missed the tournament due to injury. Richards was arguably one of the U.S.’s best players across both Nations League games. The U.S. was also more dangerous on attacking set pieces, with Richards getting his first goal off of a Reyna corner kick and the U.S. creating problems all game long.Attacking set pieces was an area where the U.S. felt they weren’t good enough over the previous cycle. Berhalter mentioned it during his press conference on Friday. But they were consistently dangerous against Canada, and Reyna’s service certainly helped in that area. Pulisic said the team didn’t do anything “incredibly different,” but worked on the area with some new staff members, and Callaghan said it was a phase of game they had identified to improve and thus work on in camp.“The U.S. were unbelievable on set pieces,” Canada coach John Herdman said. “Every set piece we were there by fingernails. The organization, the timing, the variety was so difficult to deal with.”Most notably, perhaps, was how pragmatic and comfortable the U.S. looked in their approach. Players and Callaghan said afterward that Canada caused real problems and forced the U.S. to push themselves to keep the lead, with sliding clearances and blocked shots, but the U.S.’s willingness to sit back, absorb pressure at times and adjust their game came off as much about savvy as anything else. The U.S. had just 279 passes to Canada’s 513, but managed to have 112 touches in the final third to Canada’s 187, outshot Canada 7-4, and ultimately finished with higher xG, 1.66 to 0.63, per ESPN.“They never played out (of the back) once, which is odd for the U.S., but they’re managing the game,” said Herdman, perhaps slightly overplaying how much the U.S. had looked direct. “This is a team that has won multiple tournaments now, multiple trophies and they recognized they weren’t getting style points, they were getting a trophy. And at the end of the day that’s all that matters.”It’s a lesson the U.S. learned in the last cycle, but one they know they need to hammer home over the next three years. Regional dominance is now a must, but it will not be the only gauge. They will be expected to win these games and these finals, and the 2024 Copa America will be a massive test against better opposition. The reality is that the U.S. won’t have many opportunities to prove themselves in those big knockout games, but this week provided at least some confirmation that the momentum many around the program felt upon leaving Qatar was real. (Photo: John Todd/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
USMNT wins second straight CONCACAF Nations League title as Balogun scores first U.S. goal
Folarin Balogun scored his first goal in a United States uniform and Gio Reyna had two assists as the U.S. defended its CONCACAF Nations League title with a 2-0 win over Canada on Sunday.
Canada found a bit more of the game early in the second half, but the U.S. was again creating opportunities. A three-minute sequence from the 54th minute through the 56th saw a Balogun shot blocked out for a corner, a Richards header pushed off the crossbar and a Balogun shot from close-range get cleared off the goal line. Cyle Larin put a shot over the crossbar in the 67th minute that could have cut the score in half. Jonathan David also had a look in the 94th minute, but Canada couldn’t convert.With the win, the U.S. has now won trophies in its last three CONCACAF tournaments. The U.S. beat Mexico in the 2021 Nations League final and also won the 2021 Gold Cup, defeating El Tri in that final, as well.
What does this win mean for the U.S.?
It was a busy week in Las Vegas. First, a hugely eventful and intense 3-0 win over rival Mexico in the semifinal Thursday night that continued a six-game unbeaten streak against their bitter rivals. Then, Gregg Berhalter returning as men’s national team coach, which was announced Friday. Finally, a decisive win over a Canada team that finished atop CONCACAF’s World Cup qualifying table last spring.The victory essentially says that, for now, the U.S. is the top team in the region — though it’ll have to defend that moniker again in the Gold Cup, albeit with a team that will be missing all of its biggest names. For this U.S. team, the 2021 Nations League win was a validating moment that the team was headed in the right direction.These games have been all about carrying momentum forward from Qatar, and capturing another Nations League trophy certainly did that. — Tenorio
What went wrong for Canada?
Canada looked woefully unprepared for the athleticism and attacking talent the Americans presented. Canada’s center backs in particular had little answer for the United States, especially on set pieces, which should call into question John Herdman’s choice to start Scott Kennedy over Steven Vitoria.Their problems weren’t limited to defending, however: When the likes of Alphonso Davies did manage to find space in behind the United States’ defenders, there was a complete lack of creativity and synergy with the final pass. What’s most concerning if you’re Canada is that the team’s play in both boxes was identified as a major area of concern coming out of the World Cup.
And these same concerns re-emerged in their first final in 23 years. — Kloke
What happens now for Canada and the United States?
Both the U.S. and Canada will now pivot to the Gold Cup. The U.S. start camp this week in Chicago and host Jamaica in the opener on June 24. Canada opens its tournament on June 27.The U.S. will play with a very different roster in that tournament. Just five players from this Nations League team will play a part in the Gold Cup: Sean Johnson, Matt Turner, Miles Robinson, Alan Soñora and Alex Zendejas.Like the United States, Canada likely will not bring a full-strength squad to the Gold Cup with Davies’ camp already stating he won’t play in the upcoming tournament. That takes some of the shine off the tournament and it means Herdman won’t have another chance to make proper tactical adjustments to his team when it matters.Ahead of the 2024 Copa America, presuming Canada qualifies, continued improvements need to be made from the coaching staff to prove they can get the best out their most talented group of men’s national team players ever. — Kloke
USMNT analysis American Soccer Now –
Analysis: USMNT dominates Canada in 2-0 win for Nations League triumph
The USMNT has won the 2023 CONCACAF Nations Leauge with wins over Canada and Mexico. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks it all down with his thoughts and analysis
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTED JUNE 19, 2023 10:30 AM
THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL TEAM has won the CONCACAF Nations League for the second straight cycle following a comprehensive 3-0 rout of Mexico in the semifinal followed by a comfortable 2-0 win over Canada in Sunday’s final. Over both legs, so convincing were the performances that there was no weak link in the starting lineup for either game.
Entering into Sunday’s final, there were some questions about the team’s approach given the suspensions to Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest. But interim manager B.J. Callaghan opted to keep it simple. He replaced Dest with Joe Scally in a 1v1 swap. With McKennie out, Callaghan had a choice. He could have gone with Luca de la Torre who is a possession-based midfielder and many figured would get the start. Instead, he opted for Brenden Aaronson to once again prioritize pressing and quick transition into offense.
In central defense, Callahan made one chance from the Mexico win in that he opted to start Walker Zimmerman over Miles Robinson as Robinson is still not regularly starting games in quick succession as he gradually works his way back from his Achilles injury.
Right off the bat, it was a different approach for the U.S. team than the win over Mexico. Most notably, the U.S. team was willing to concede possession and instead hit quickly in transition or on set pieces to make the most of limited time on the ball.
That strategy worked out perfectly. Canada had the ball for the most part, but all the best chances came to the U.S. team.
The U.S team struck first in the 12th minute on a rare set piece delivery from Gio Reyna. The Dortmund playmaker’s ball into the box found Chris Richards who headed it down past Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan for a 1-0 lead.
Then in the 34th minute, the U.S. team forced a turnover and hit Canada in a lightening quick transition. Reyna collected the ball, moved towards the box to create a passing lane for Balogun. His pass sent Balogun in alone on Borjan and the newly committed American hit a powerful ball into the back of the net.
The #USMNT is doing just want a favored team should do. Take the opponent out early, crush hope. Balogun scores is first for the #USMNT. Canada completely flustered. 2-0 pic.twitter.com/TTdwKiC1Bs— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) June 19, 2023
The United States had a 2-0 lead at the half and the numbers told the story. Canada had most of the ball but offered very little. The United States played with far more of a purpose when it had the ball and the game felt over.
2-0 #USMNT over Canada – US content to concede possession and just be lethal with the ball – US had just 43% possession & completed 103 passes. Canada competed 169 – Weah, Balogun, & Pulisic have completed just 14 passes combined – but shots & chances all heavily favor the US— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) June 19, 2023
The only blemish for the U.S. team in the opening half was Reyna taking a tough tackle from Alistair Johnston. Reyna was forced out of the game to start the second half and was seen gingerly walking on the sidelines and on the field after the game.
On the field, the second half was largely uneventful and the U.S. team had no problems seeing the game out. Richards nearly scored a second when he hit a header off the crossbar. The U.S. team continued to have the better of chances but were unable to find a third.
But the game finished like it started. Canda with impressive possession stats but the U.S. perfect in creating lethal opportunities.
Possession: Canada 64%, USA 36%
Completed passes: Canada 417, USA 178
Total Shots: Canada 12, USA 15
Duels won: Canada 52, USA 56
The U.S. team walked away with Nations League title in pedestrian fashion. Two multigoal wins, two clean sheets – both against opponents who qualified for the 2022 World Cup.
Here are some thoughts on the game
MUSAH’S DEFENSE
One of the big takeaways from the win over Canada as well as the semifinal win over Mexico was the play of Yunus Musah, who was asked to help fill in for Tyler Adams. At the club level, both players are very different. Musah is a smooth ball-carrying midfielder looking to dribble into attacking positions. Adams is a more of a straight defensive midfielder looking to win balls while being relatively simple in possession.
But Musah was effective in these games doing many of the things Adams does. Musah was just 16/32 passing against Canada but he won 3/4 of his tackles, had 10 ball recoveries, he won 8/9 of his ground duels and was 2/2 in aerials. He committed no fouls but was fouled four times. Against Mexico, Musah won 7/10 of his duels, committed two fouls and drew three fouls. He was also 37/42 in his passing.
It was an open question heading into these games as to how the U.S. team would fill in without Adams. Many figured McKennie or Johnny Cardoso. Few expected Musah but he showed a surprising ability to defend well and win possession deeper in central midfield. Some teams crumble when they miss a player or two. Good teams find ways to move forward without missing key pieces.
The USMNT won a final against a World Cup team without McKennie or Adams in the midfield. That is something that few expected just a few years ago.
BALOGUN: EARLY RETURNS POSITIVE
The early returns for Folarin Balogun with the U.S. national team are positive. His 34th minute goal was so quick, so well executed, and so well read that it offers a glimpse of a new attack that the U.S. team now has. He also forced a goal line clearance and a big save from Borjan.
Balojun is still very new to the U.S. team – and it shows. He’s understandably not completely in-synch with his new teammates. Against Mexico he only had 17 touches over 75 minutes and completed eight passes. Against Canada he had 26 touches over 76 minutes (completing just five passes).
But when he was with the ball, his impressive instincts took over. In the fall, the U.S. team will have a series of friendlies and it will be important for the U.S. to build up chemistry with Balogun to get him the ball more in dangerous positions. The more he gets on the same page, the more lethal the attack. The Nations League was just the first few steps, and they were impressive steps.
REYNA IMPRESSES/HURT?
Gio Reyna had a great first half against Canada. He assisted off a corner kick and then assisted to Balogun on a lethal transition. He was making something dangerous happen every time he had the ball.
The good news is that early indications are the calf injury which forced him out of the game will not likely affect him being ready for the start of preseason. The question for Reyna is improving his defense and staying healthy. The first is likely. The second, we will have to see. Recurring injuries have been a massive problem for Reyna.
With Gregg Berhalter returning, there is so much speculation over how the two will coexist moving forward. Berhalter admitted there is work to do and that he plans to meet with Reyna before September. But given that Berhalter had so much backing from a majority of the team, it could have been problematic for Reyna in the locker room if his parents were the reason Berhalter did not return.
As I’ve said before, Berhalter’s return will force Reyna to have to mature in order to resolve a relationship. It’s possible. The good news is that both Berhalter and Reyna have all the motivation in the world for it to work out. Both would look bad if they couldn’t patch it up.
BACKLINE STOOD OUT
The backline was tremendous in both games and the team should feel comfortable moving forward. For one, Chris Richards was able to play for the national team and he had two of his best performances yet for the USMNT. The question for him is to 1) stay healthy (this has been tough for him and 2) find a way to play regularly. He might get a shot this summer to earn a starting place at Crystal Palace due to potential player movement. If that happens, he needs to take advantage to further his career.
Walker Zimmerman had a fine game for the U.S. team and he filled in perfectly for Robinson. He helped with key clearances and defensive plays. The combination of Richards and Zimmerman worked well. Zimmerman is an intriguing option to be an Olympic team overage selection as the team will need 7-8 central defenders between the Copa America and the Olympics.
Joe Scally had a very difficult assignment being matched against Alphonso Davies on the opposite side but he handled it much better than expected. Antonee Robinson, meanwhile, is so steady at left back and he routinely delivers quality outings.
Overall, these were just a great two games for the backline. Everyone performed well.
MOVING FORWARD
The U.S team impressed in these games in large part because so many players were able to detach themselves from a tough European season and then move into a USMNT environment and play well. The culture and camaraderie is strong in this group – and that has probably played a huge role in why Berhalter is coming back. B.J. Callaghan is filling in very nicely, but he is also a reflection on Berhalter.
These two wins were a nice launchpad for the new cycle. The talent is there. The team unity is there.
Next summer will be two huge opportunities in the Copa America and the Olympics. The depth of the player pool will be seriously tested. As well as the U.S. team played in these games, there are still big questions over depth. Key backup positions are not claimed. Many players are in tough positions with their clubs and are one bad decision from suffering another lost season. New players will continue to emerge and compete against established players. Some of the new players will win out. Then, of course, there will be injuries.
The future is impossible to predict and there will be surprises. But for all the talk about the program “losing time,” these wins show that the team really isn’t in a bad place at all.
RATINGS
THE STARTING LINEUP
Matt Turner: The New Jersey goalkeeper made four saves, two were tricky, but none were very difficult. He didn’t make any mistakes. Rating: 6.5
Antonee Robinson: A steady outing with a few important defensive moments – a big blocked shot and a big clearance in the second half. Canada offered nothing down his side of the field. Rating: 6.5
Chris Richards: Combined very well with Zimmerman for a good centerback. Terrific header on his goal and he nearly scored another when he smashed a header off the crossbar. Rating: 8.0
Walker Zimmerman: A very good outing from the veteran. He was instrumental snuffing out danger whenever Canada pressed. He nearly had an assist on a nice header to Balogun into the box in the first half. He also came close to a goal with an early volley that he just missed inside the right post. Rating: 7.0
Joe Scally: The Monchengladbach defender helped eliminate Canada’s best player, and one of the best left-sided players in the world in Alphonso Davies. Rating: 7.0
Yunus Musah: His passing wasn’t great, but his duel winning and defense up the spine helped the U.S. team effectively deal with the loss of Adams. Rating: 7.0
Brenden Aaronson: The Leeds United attacking mid worked hard to press and win balls. He threw Canada off their game a bit in the midfield. Rating: 6.5
Gio Reyna: He played just a half, but he made the big plays. The U.S. team has been week for a long time with set piece delivery, but Reyna fixed that in his first assist. His second was just a dagger through Canada’s backline. Rating: 8.0
Tim Weah: Weah was routinely dangerous. He forced a big save from distance early in the game. His crossing was a little off but he was handful for Canada’s backline. Rating: 6.5
Christian Pulisic: The Chelsea winger wasn’t as lethal as he was against Mexico, but he still drew a lot of attention from Canada’s defense to make their lives difficult. Rating: 6.5
Folarin Balogun: His one goal was extremely impressive and he came close to scoring two other times. IT will be something to watch when he is completely in-synch with his teammates. Rating: 8.5
SUBSTITUTES
Luca de la Torre: The Celta Vigo midfielder played the second half but wasn’t terribly involved, 0 shots and seven completed passes. Rating: 5.5
Johnny Cardoso: He wasn’t flashy, but Cardoso played solid defense in the midfield during his 22 minutes. Rating: 6.0
Ricardo Pepi: The forward came into the game in the 76th minutes and was asked to play a lot of defense further up the field in starting the press. He accomplished his goal. Rating: 6.0
Auston Trusty: The defender played the final 11 minutes and had just two touches in helping to see out the win. Rating: NR
Autopilot? USMNT jet past Canada to win Nations League on cruise control
Charles Boehm Monday, Jun 19, 2023, 02:02 AM MLS.com
Usually, it’s not a compliment when a player or team is described as being ‘on autopilot.’ The term connotes coasting, complacency, lack of awareness or hunger.So perhaps we need a new word for what the US men’s national team are doing right now. Because the nation that just won a second straight Concacaf Nations League did so under the leadership of their second interim head coach of the year, with two influential starters sidelined by suspensions. And they did it by soundly defeating a Canada side that more or less ate their lunch during 2022 World Cup qualifying.“I would say the last two games embody what we’re trying to challenge our players with as we continue to evolve this team,” interim boss B.J. Callaghan told reporters after the Yanks’ assured 2-0 win over Les Rouges at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. “And we’re looking even bigger. We’re looking beyond, to the 2026 World Cup.”Canada, too, are hosting that tournament in three years’ time, and are dreaming big about the possibilities it offers. John Herdman’s squad entered Sunday’s match with experience, motivation, a clear identity and principles, and real hopes of finally underlining their arrival in the Concacaf elite with a first trophy in more than two decades.
Checking all the boxes
And yet, at times, this win felt less like a cup final than a programmatic checklist for the USMNT.Get a first goal and a complete striker’s performance from new recruit Folarin Balogun? Check. The Arsenal man’s movement and finishing were sublime on the US’ second strike of the night.Keep Gio Reyna in the fold and coax out his best levels of form and fitness in the wake of the scandal that erupted at the World Cup? Check, albeit with a first-half calf injury. Liberated by the No. 10 role at the epicenter of a 4-2-3-1 formation, the New York City FC academy product’s vision and technique were the difference in this one, as he logged assists on both goals.“It shows his quality that’s on the field, his ball security, his ability to take on two, three players and connect passes,” said Callaghan of Reyna. “Also what I’m really proud of him is, we’ve challenged Gio to do more work off the ball on the defensive side, and he’s absolutely risen to the occasion. When we speak about going forward, he’s a committed player to this team, just like all of the other guys on this team, as you can see their commitment to each other and to the identity of the team and the way that we play.”Reassert the consistent menace the USMNT once posed on free kicks and restarts but let slip of late? Check. Chris Richards opened the scoring on the night with a thumping header, and even Herdman praised the variety and danger of the Yanks’ set pieces.“They had a lot of variation, that’s what I noticed tonight,” said Herdman. “The height differential is really evolving now for the US. I mean, that was – every player was outmatched, actually. And that was one of the challenges going into this match. And you see they’ve just got better variety now and there’s high quality, so someone’s put attention into that. That was tough tonight.”
Noted Callaghan: “Obviously, there’s the preparation and trying to find areas of weakness maybe in the opponent that you can exploit. There’s a lot of time spent with the players on the field, doing deliveries and creating the timing, and all of that. And so I think, for us tonight, it sort of all came together. And it is an area that we are focused; like you you mentioned.
Mitigate the danger posed by CanMNT superstars Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David? Check, via committed defending and a cat-and-mouse tactical game with Herdman & Co. that marked a pragmatic evolution from once and future coach Gregg Berhalter’s proactive dogma.“They’re really well coached. They’re really well organized,” said Callaghan of Canada. “They’re another team that’s adaptable, moving in and out of multiple shapes and positions, and switching guys all over the field. So I would say it was quite a chess match tonight.“We thought if we were able to reduce enough space behind the back line and try to keep them all in front of us, we’d have a chance. If they were able to get behind us, we knew that it could be problems, and I thought our guys executed the game plan as well as they could. And I understand that we suffered for long stretches of the time, but that’s how finals work.”
Big game experience
Berhalter, restored to his previous position by the head-turning decision made and announced by U.S. Soccer in real time as this CNL finals weekend was unfolding, won’t take up his daily duties around the national team until after the Gold Cup. That aspect of his rehiring was a bit puzzling.But if this young, supremely talented and increasingly confident squad can sweep aside their closest regional competitors this comfortably under temporary leadership, perhaps Berhalter can afford to ease his way back in after all. With Concacaf trophy hauls becoming a regular habit again, the USMNT may well be able to raise their eyes to the horizon a bit and dream bigger.“We need to perform in high-intensity, knockout games, and that’s something that we learned from a World Cup [in Qatar last fall],” said Callaghan, whose side dispatched Mexico 3-0 in Thursday’s semifinal. “Maybe we left there a little bit unsatisfied, from the World Cup, because of the knockout game [a 3-1 Round-of-16 loss to the Netherlands] and the performance.“But we don’t look at it as a setback, we look at it as an opportunity to grow. And now for us, we came in here motivated as an entire group that we want to get better. We want to get more battle-tested, we want to be more experienced in knockout, high-intensity games. And this just gives us, again, the confidence, two good moments to do it, and we can look forward to the Gold Cup.”
USMNT Player Ratings: Gio Reyna dismantles Canada in Nations League final
Casey Dunau Monday, Jun 19, 2023, 12:04 AM MLS.com
Canada came out with a bold game plan in the 2023 Concacaf Nations League final, one that showed the burgeoning regional power’s confidence against the US men’s national team: Mark the midfield tight, dominate possession and dare the Yanks to take advantage of the space in behind.It didn’t work. The US scored twice in the first half and mostly cruised from there to earn the 2-0 win and their second-straight Nations League trophy on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.Gio Reyna’s quality led the way with two assists, while Chris Richards and Folarin Balogun each scored once to make the US the unquestioned top dogs in Concacaf.
It wasn’t the busiest night for the Arsenal goalkeeper, with Canada only managing four shots on target, yet Turner came up big on two first-half saves when the final result was still anything but secure. It was the type of professional performance you expect from an unquestioned starter.
Normally one to fly up and down the flanks, Robinson stayed home for much of the match, and to great effect. He survived the first half admirably when Canada were overloading his side and also came up with huge interventions on the back post whenever the opposite side of the USMNT’s backline broke down.
Richards put in an outstanding shift from wire-to-wire, scoring the match’s opening goal with an impressive header off a corner kick and nearly grabbing a second with another powerful header in the latter 45. He also shut down Canada’s lethal striking duo of Jonathan David and Cyle Larin, often stepping aggressively from the backline to break up the Reds’ build-up play.
Zimmerman proved a steady leader once again on a USMNT backline that featured relatively fresh faces in Richards and Scally. The quickness of Canada’s attackers caught the veteran flat-footed once or twice, but the Nashville SC center back also came up with some big interventions and started much of the team’s buildout from the back.
Scally had a phenomenal first half, shutting down the left side of Canada’s attack and popping up in good places in attack. A second-half switch from the Reds to move Alphonso Davies higher up the field caused the Borussia Mönchengladbach fullback more problems, but all-in-all, he still performed well against a world-class player.
Learning Musah can do the job as a lone defensive midfielder is a massive development for the USMNT, who struggled at the 2022 World Cup for lack of depth at the position. The only thing limiting the Valencia midfielder from a higher rating was Canada’s aggressive pressing, which forced the US to bypass the midfield in buildout play for much of the match.
Canada’s tight marking in the midfield didn’t allow Aaronson to find much of the game in attack, but what he lacked going forward he made up for in work rate and grit, tirelessly pressing when out of possession and throwing his body around, often against bigger players, in 50-50 duels.
The only thing holding Reyna back from a higher score was the calf injury that caused him to be pulled at halftime. Other than that, it was pretty much a perfect match from the Borrusia Dortmund playmaker. The quality is always there, and showed through on his two assists, but arguably more inspiring was his defensive buy-in, starting the second goal sequence with a smart defensive header to break up Canada’s build-up play.
Fair or not, Pulisic is dominant enough at the international level that his performances will ultimately be judged by end product, where he came up just short on Sunday. Still, his ability to act as an outlet in space was crucial for the team, and his leadership showed through in his tireless effort and willingness to scrap for his teammates.
Unlucky not to grab a brace, Balogun showed every bit of the quality USMNT fans have been salivating for since rumors of his switch from England to the USMNT first surfaced. Last year’s fourth-leading scorer in France’s Ligue 1 buried his clearest chance of the night with silky ease, but beyond that, his off-ball movement, quality touch and strength on the ball were a nightmare for Canada’s defense.
Weah is class personified, and he showed that throughout the match as one of the team’s most productive players in the final third, where his creative movement and combination play caused Canada fits and ultimately played a huge role in the US’ second goal. His defensive effort in the second half to help slow down Davies was also phenomenal.
8.0
B.J. Callaghan
Head coach
It’s a perfect 2W-0L-0D record with a +5 goal differential and a regional trophy for the interim coach – all against the USMNT’s top two regional rivals. Callaghan showed great trust in his team’s fortitude by starting a skillful, attack-minded group against a physical Canada side, and the team rewarded him by showing up for every duel, ultimately allowing their advantage in quality to shine through.
His second-half substitutes, which included moving to a back five to end the match, all played out exactly as hoped.
De la Torre is growing into exactly the type of player USMNT need him to be – capable of starting, coming off the bench, adding quality going forward and toughness in defending. He regularly transitioned the team from back to front in the second half and nearly created a goal with a smart off-ball run that caught Canada’s defense napping.
Another positive development in the USMNT’s defensive midfield department, Cardoso came in and “did a job” in the second half, protecting the US’ backline by any means necessary.
The US were pretty much in “see the game out” mode for the duration of Pepi’s outing, but the young striker selflessly committed to the team effort with tireless backtracking when needed, even if he wasn’t able to replicate a killer goal to see the game off like he did against Mexico.
Trusty was added as a third center back late in the match, effectively snuffing out any Canada hope of lumping balls into the box for a miracle comeback.
USMNT striker Folarin Balogun rules out loan away from Arsenal next season
Folarin Balogun has ruled out going on loan again next season amid uncertainty around his future.
The Arsenal forward has spent the previous two seasons on loan at Middlesbrough and Reims and enjoyed a particularly successful spell in Ligue 1 last term, finishing the campaign with 22 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions. The Athletic reported in April that Balogun wants to continue operating as a first-choice striker next season. Balogun’s Arsenal deal runs until 2025 but he has featured just twice in the Premier League for the north London club since making his debut in 2020. Arsenal signed forward Gabriel Jesus last summer, and Eddie Nketiah deputised while Jesus was sidelined during the 2022-23 season.“What I can say is that I definitely won’t go on loan again,” Balogun said. “I’m not sure (about) the discussions that are going to take place, I’m not sure what’s going to happen.“But I’m just committed to now, I try to stay present. I obviously want to enjoy the moment with my team and my family.”Balogun was speaking after scoring his first senior international goal for the U.S. in Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Canada, a result which saw the U.S. defended their CONCACAF Nations League titleThe 21-year-old committed to representing the U.S. in May, having also been eligible to play for England and Nigeria.Balogun made his senior U.S. debut in Friday’s 3-0 victory over Mexico and got off the mark for his country with a first-half goal against Canada.“It’s amazing. It’s amazing. I mean, it’s a dream scenario for me,” he added. “To be here now, the transition is amazing. I’m just overwhelmed with delight.“I think the thing that surprised me the most was just the actual talent in this group.“I think there are so many players who are going to go on to have top careers, who are all so young, including me.”The U.S. are next in action on June 25 when they face Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The Real Gio Reyna Stood Up
At the perfect time. Starts and Stripes By Rob Usry@RobUsry Jun 18, 2023, 9:08pm PDT
Please forgive the Eminem pun.
Giovanni Reyna has been hyped up to the American soccer public since he was 14 years old. I still remember seeing an Adidas commercial way back in 2018 featuring the young talent who hadn’t even signed a professional contract yet and was playing for NYCFC youth teams. The son of a USMNT legend was always going to have those expectations on his shoulders if he sniffed the spotlight. After all the controversy and noise swirling around him over the past year, everything seemed to fall by the wayside during these four days in Vegas. What we witnessed was a kid out on the field doing what he loves to do. No distractions, no hoopla. Just an extremely talented soccer player proving just how good he really is.
His 45-minute performance against Canada in the Nations League final will likely go down as one of the best individual efforts in USMNT history. Before kickoff, fans and pundits alike saw the starting lineup B.J. Callaghan decided on and worried about the lack of a defensive midfield presence. It didn’t take long for Gio to show everyone that you don’t need defensive-minded midfielders if one player can control the midfield by himself:
This performance felt like a culmination of years of hype combined with glimpses of brilliance finally colliding to produce something truly special. Reyna has shown signs of being a dominant USMNT performer before but has never consistently put his stamp on a match like he did against Canada. Not only did he control the midfield with his technical excellence, he combined that with the playmaking skills that earned him so much plaudits as a young phenom. His exceptional set-piece delivery helped the U.S. secure an early goal, while his natural skill from the run of play unlocked the Canadian defense a second time. A perfectly-timed and weighted throughball to Folarin Balogun to run onto and finish was stuff dreams are made of:
The first of what I am sure will be many. Flo Balogun goal. Gio Reyna 2 assists. Goals coming from everywhere this week for USMNT .pic.twitter.com/vDCpITNIEj— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) June 19, 2023
Reyna’s mix of skill, technique, vision and tenacity is unlike we’ve ever seen within the USMNT player pool. He is the type of player this team has been waiting for. His performances in these two Nations League matches is proof that he must be included in any full-strength lineup put out as long as he can stay fit.
There’s a long and winding road to the 2026 World Cup. If this run of form can be consistently duplicated, there’s no doubt that Gio should be the one driving this team towards that momentous occasion. If everyone watching can see that, there’s no doubt that Gregg Berhalter will to.
USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn to miss World Cup through injury
ESPN Jun 16, 2023, 05:57 PM ET
United States captain and veteran defender Becky Sauerbrunn will not be included in the squad for the Women’s World Cup because of a foot injury she suffered in April.Sauerbrunn, who won two World Cups with the USWNT, confirmed in a statement she will not recover in time from her injury and will miss the tournament, which kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.”Heartbroken isn’t even the half of it. But that’s sports for you and that’s life,” Sauerbrunn said. “I had hoped and worked and hoped some more to make it back in time to help lead the team at this World Cup, but after lots of discussion, unfortunately, there’s just too much variability in my return to play timeline.
Sources told ESPN that Sauerbrunn suffered a setback of her foot on June 3 when she played for the Portland Thorns FC her first match since the injury.”I’ll be home, working as hard I can to get back on the field as quickly as I can. It’s been an honor to work and play alongside this incredible group of athletes. They have my unwavering support.And, more importantly, they have my unyielding belief,” the 38-year-old defender added.”This program has always been about the collective and I have no doubt that the twenty-three players on the final roster have everything they need-in their feet, their heads and their hearts-to bring our fifth trophy home. To my teammates, I love you.”Sauerbrunn is one of several injured American players to miss the tournament, after attacker Mallory Swanson went down with a knee injury in April.Midfield stalwarts Sam Mewis and Catarina Macario are also sidelined for the title-holders.Sauerbrunn, 38, is one of the team’s longest-standing players with 216 international appearances. She helped the Americans to World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. Her most recent international appearance was a friendly against Ireland in April.Head coach Vlatko Andonovski is set to announce his 23-player squad imminently and reports said he informed players Thursday of whether he planned to include them.
USWNT lineup: Projecting the 2023 World Cup starting XI
Claire Watkins June 19, 2023 Just Women’s Sports
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The USWNT kicks off the group stage of the World Cup against Vietnam on Friday, July 21. (John Todd/USSF/Getty Images).
Players for the U.S. women’s national team will reportedly get the call they’ve been waiting for this week, as head coach Vlatko Andonovski names his roster for the 2023 World Cup. We’ve already discussed who we think might be on the plane to New Zealand, with most of the question marks surrounding players on the fringes of the final 23-person roster.
The team’s preferred starting XI is slightly more certain, though a number of injuries have cast doubt in key areas, most notably on the backline with captain Becky Sauerbrunn confirming her absence due to a foot injury. But if the U.S. had to play the World Cup final tomorrow, here’s how I think the team should line up.
Naomi Girma is a locked-in starter for the USWNT at the World Cup. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
The backline
Alyssa Naeher, GK
Naeher’s save percentage with the Chicago Red Stars this season has given many fans reason for pause, but given the backline she has in front of her, experience should still win the day. Casey Murphy hasn’t been immune to nerves on the international level, with communication sometimes suffering in consequence. Naeher has experience being vocal with her defense, which gives her the edge in a different training environment.
Naomi Girma, CB
Girma has consistently been one of the best American center-backs for club and country since her arrival to professional soccer in 2022. If she can play every game for the USWNT in the World Cup, they would be foolish not to start her.
Alana Cook, CB
Longtime USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn was originally one of my choices to start alongside Girma, as her experience and form still place her in the top tier of the USWNT defender pool. But Sauerbrunn’s absence, announced over the weekend due to injury, tips the scales. While her possible replacements come in with much less international experience, Alana Cook notched the most minutes of any U.S. player in 2022, which should make the transition into a major tournament easier.
Emily Fox, OB
Fox is almost an underrated asset for the U.S. as an outside back. She can comfortably stay on the flank as a wide outlet, she’s a solid 1v1 defender, and she has the ability to cut centrally in possession to give her team a variety of looks in the attack. She also has crucial positional versatility, which will likely land her at right back in order for her to be paired consistently with Crystal Dunn.
Crystal Dunn, OB
Dunn, a natural attacker who plays midfield for the Portland Thorns, shares many of Fox’s attributes while also bringing experience from past international success. Dunn recently completed her first full 90-minute performance for Portland in the NWSL after returning from the birth of her son last fall, and she should be ready to play key minutes for the U.S. at outside back in New Zealand.
Ashley Sanchez seems like the best choice to replace Rose Lavelle as a starter due to injury. (James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
The midfield
Andi Sullivan, DM
Even with the return of Julie Ertz, Andi Sullivan should be the first choice starter for the U.S. in the defensive midfield. Ertz has played limited minutes for Angel City FC thus far, and while her profile as a player hasn’t changed, she’s still not completely up to full speed. Sullivan has been her usual excellent self for the Washington Spirit in 2023 and deserves the full backing of the coaching staff as the USWNT’s first choice.
Lindsey Horan, AM
Horan should be well-rested going into the World Cup, having ended her season with Olympique Lyon in early June. When Horan is at her most mobile, she’s a very effective box-to-box midfielder who can also provide necessary defensive coverage when the team is in defensive transition. International midfield battles tend to be more physical than in club play, and Horan’s experience in a number of roles firmly places her in the starting XI.
Ashley Sanchez, AM
Typically, the role of the veteran playmaker for the USWNT is filled capably by Rose Lavelle, but the 28-year-old hasn’t played a competitive game since picking up an injury in the middle of April. So far, Lavelle’s place on the World Cup roster doesn’t seem in jeopardy, but she might make more sense as a substitute than as a player relied upon for a full 90 minutes at this moment. So enters Ashley Sanchez, who is having a productive season thus far for the Washington Spirit as a creative midfielder.
Lynn Williams could lead a rotating cast at left wing after Mallory Swanson’s injury. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
The attack
Lynn Williams, LW
One of the more wide-open competitions for playing time in the U.S. system comes at left winger, with Mallory Swanson’s injury absence making way for a rotating cast at the position. Trinity Rodman is capable of filling the same role, as is Megan Rapinoe, but Williams’ form in the NWSL and her defensive commitment to Andonovski’s shape gives her the edge.
Alex Morgan, CF
Williams, Rodman, Ashley Hatch and Sophia Smith can all shift centrally when called upon, but no one is as capable with their back to goal as Morgan, who has perfected the hold-up center forward role for the U.S.. Morgan’s responsibilities aren’t always just as an out-and-out scorer; she also plays in the trenches, creating space for the wingers to enter. More than that, she is an important leader on a frontline that is relatively inexperienced in major tournaments.
Sophia Smith, RW
Like Girma, Smith is one of the easiest starting decisions for Andonovski to make. She’s built up USWNT experience in the last two years, she’s one of the best American attackers in the NWSL, and she will have a chance to make this World Cup her own in her first major tournament appearance.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
Savannah DeMelo: Meet the uncapped USWNT star heading to the World Cup
Emma Hruby June 19, 2023 Just Women’s Sports
Savannah DeMelo is crowned by Racing Louisville teammate Ary Borges after scoring a goal against the Washington Spirit in June. (Amber Searls/USA TODAY Sports)
Savannah DeMelo will feature on the U.S. women’s national team roster for the 2023 World Cup, The Athletic reported Friday. Who is the 25-year-old midfielder? And what can USWNT fans expect from the national team newbie? Just Women’s Sports introduces the world to the rising star.
Who does Savannah DeMelo play for?
Racing Louisville selected DeMelo with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft. The midfielder is in the midst of her second season with the club.
Has she played for the USWNT before?
DeMelo received call-ups from the national team in September and October of last year. She joined the USWNT ahead of the September friendlies against Nigeria as a replacement for forward Trinity Rodman, who missed the camp due to a family commitment, and then she made the trip to the October friendlies in England and Spain. While she has two training camps under her belt, though, she has yet to feature in a game for the USWNT.
What is DeMelo’s style of play?
DeMelo provides depth at the midfielder position as a player who can work both sides of the ball. In her second professional season, she also has shown her scoring touch. Since the beginning of May, she has been involved in eight goals (6 goals, 2 assists) across all NWSL competitions, which is two better than any other player in the league in that span, per OptaJack.While she started the year outside of the national team pool, she kept herself on USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s radar with a ferocious start to the NWSL season. As Andonovski has stated, NWSL play is a big factor in his roster decisions. And there are few playing better in the league right now than DeMelo.She has scored in three of her last four matches, including in Sunday’s 2-0 win against Gotham FC, and she has eight goals across all competitions this season. She finished the 2022 season with four goals total.On top of her goal-scoring abilities, DeMelo also brings a solid defensive presence. A good shot blocker, she also helps her team to win the ball back, averaging 4.38 interceptions per game in 2022. And as good as DeMelo looked in 2022, she’s even better in 2023, which has earned her a spot on her first World Cup roster.
Three different players score for the Girls in Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Thursday, June 22, 2023) – Three different players scored as Indy Eleven defeated Lexington SC, 3-0, Thursday night on the road. With the win, Indy improves to 7-1-1 to stay atop the USL W League’s Valley Division, while Lexington falls to 2-6-1. The Eleven also earned the season series over LEX 3-0, with wins at Lexington on May 21 (3-0) and at home June 9 (2-0).
Sam Dewey got the scoring started, just as she did in the last match-up in Lexington, with her fourth goal of the season as a Hal Hershfelt cross found Dewey alone on the back post for an easy tally in the 29th-minute. The assist was the first for Hershfelt in 2023.
The Eleven tacked on a pair of back-to-back unassisted goals to close the first half with Katie Soderstrom (43’) first taking it herself into the 18-yard box and playing a ball back across the goal line and into the back of the net for her fourth of the season. Maddy Williams (45+1’) then took advantage of a Lexington giveaway in the back to score her third of the season and in consecutive matches.
The result was decided in the first half as neither team found the back of the net in the second frame. The teams were deadlocked with nine shots apiece in the match, with Indy holding the 4-2 advantage in shots on target. Nona Reason earned her fourth clean sheet of the season making three saves.
The Girls in Blue are back in action next Friday, June 30 for the final regular season match of 2023 when they host St. Charles FC for the third time this season. The teams have split the season series so far, with each team winning on the road. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET and will stream on Eleven Sports.
USL W League Lexington SC 0:3 Indy Eleven Thursday, June 22, 2023 Toyota Stadium | Lexington, Ky.
2023 USL W League Records Indy Eleven: 7W-1L-1D (+21GD), 22pts Lexington SC: 2W-6L-1D (-8GD), 7pts
Scoring Summary IND – Sam Dewey (Hal Hershfelt) 29’ IND – Katie Soderstrom 43’ (also scored opening goal last time at LEX) IND – Maddy Williams 45+1’ Discipline Summary None Indy Eleven lineup: Nona Reason, Jenna Chatterton, Grace Bahr, Annika Creel (Greta Kraszula 45’), Grace Kugler (Trinity Watson 45’), Sam Dewey (Susie Soderstrom 61’), Hal Hershfelt (Lizzie Sexton 66’), Ella Rogers, Addie Chester, Maddy Williams (Kristina Lynch 61’), Katie Soderstrom (Sam Slimak 76’)
IND substitutes: Emily Edwards
Williams scores twice to help Indy to shutout win
WESTFIELD, Ind. (Sunday, June 18, 2023) – Maddy Williams scored her first two goals of the season to lead Indy Eleven to a 4-0 win over Kings Hammer FC Sunday at the Grand Park Sports Complex.The USL W League Valley Division leader Eleven improve to 6-1-1 on the season, while Kings Hammer falls to 1-5-1. Indy also sweeps the season series, having defeated Kings Hammer, 1-0, on May 24. Williams’ first tally came just nine minutes into the match off a cross from Addie Chester on the left side. Williams caught the keeper moving across the net and connected with a header into the top left corner. She followed it up just 10 minutes later, as she took advantage of the Kings Hammer keeper caught off her line and played a volley in from the top of the 18 courtesy of a Lizzie Sexton assist.Indy outshot Kings Hammer 11-1 in the opening frame, including five shots from Williams.The series of firsts continued for the Eleven in the second half as Sam Slimak and Grace Bahr scored their first goals of the season. Slimak took a one-time touch to the near post off Sexton’s second helper of the game, while Bahr hit a perfectly placed free kick into the upper 90 to extend the lead to 4-0.ndy outshot the visitors 17-1, led by Williams. Chester, Slimak and Sam Dewey each added two shots apiece. Nona Reason wasn’t forced to make a save on the day and earned her third clean sheet of the year.The four goals scored are the most since Indy scored eight in its 2023 season opener. In its two seasons, the Eleven have reached the four-goal threshold three times and scored three-plus goals on 10 occasions. Overall, Indy has outscored its opponents 21-3 this season.The Girls in Blue are back in action Thursday when they travel south to face Lexington FC in their last regular season road match of 2023. Indy is 2-0 this season against Lexington, outscoring them 5-0. Kick is slated for 7 p.m. ET and will stream on Eleven Sports.
USL W League Indy Eleven 4:0 Kings Hammer FC Sunday, June 18, 2023 Grand Park Sports Campus | Westfield, Ind.
2023 USL W League Records Indy Eleven: 6W-1L-1D (+18GD), 19pts Kings Hammer FC: 1W-5L-1D (-17FD), 4 pts
Scoring Summary IND – Maddy Williams (Addie Chester) 9’ IND – Maddy Williams (Lizzie Sexton) 19’ IND – Sam Slimak (Lizzie Sexton) 65’ IND – Grace Bahr 74’
Indy Eleven lineup: Nona Reason, Jenna Chatterton (Rafferty Kugler 71’), Grace Bahr, Trinity Watson, Lizzie Sexton, Sam Dewey (Kanna Matsuhisa 46’) (Sam Slimak 57’), Greta Kraszula (Nicole Kevdzija 71’), Ella Rogers, Addie Chester, Maddy Williams (Katie Soderstrom 46’), Maisie Whitsett (Merel Houweling 71’)
Indy 11 Women’s’ Update from BYB
There’s a lot to be updated on the state of the Valley Division. So, buckle in folks. Our loss to St. Charles only hindered our 3 point lead over Racing Louisville. Our win on Sunday did in fact knock out Kings Hammer. Currently, Lexington (7 points,) St. Charles FC (5 points,) & Kings Hammer FC (4 points) are all eliminated. Yesterday evening, St. Charles was set to continue their newfound luck as they took on Racing Louisville. After entering a weather delay with a score of 1-2, the match was for all intense and purposes, cancelled and rescheduled. The match will restart from the beginning on Monday, June 26th. This is actually huge as it gives St. Charles a new chance to take down Racing Louisville. However, it won’t be right after their victory over us. Racing Louisville will host St Charles on the 24th, then travel to St. Charles on the 26th, then back on the road to Kings Hammer on the 29th. A lot of short turn around for Racing that hopefully leads to a fall. Our ladies in blue will be heading down to Lexington this Thursday to play their final road game. Then our ladies will be back home for the last time during the regular season on the 30th to hopefully get revenge over St. Charles. Ending the season tied on points with Racing Louisville is a GOOD thing. We own the FIRST tiebreaker. However, we want to knock them out, out right! We play last, meaning we will know what HAS to be done heading into the final game. Meaning, EVERY VOICE, EVERY DRUM, EVERY HORN MATTERS! Last season we did not get the chance to host our lone playoff game. Most likely, this will be the case again this season. So, if you want to show support in person for these ladies, make plans now to show up on Friday, June 30th at Grand Park.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Saturday, June 17, 2023) — Indy Eleven fell, 2-1, at Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday as the Legion’s Enzo Martinez scored in the 89th minute to earn Birmingham three points. The Boys in Blue generated a number of quality chances early on, with Roberto Molina, Sebastian Guenzatti and Aodhan Quinn registering shots on goal in the first 17 minutes. Birmingham Legion would respond with a few chances of their own, and despite allowing Indy to win possession (59%-41% in the first half), prevented the Eleven from any other opportunities for the remainder of the half.Birmingham struck first in the 55th minute when Diba Nwegbo took a pass from Anderson Asiedu and scored his first professional goal to give Legion FC a 1-0 lead. Indy Eleven would respond right away. Just over a minute later, Eleven captain Guenzatti took a pass from Harrison Robledo and ricocheted a shot off a Birmingham defender into the back of the net to tie it at 1-1, scoring his third goal of the season, which ties for the team lead. Following Guenzatti’s tally, Birmingham Legion took control of the game, outshooting the Eleven 7-2 over the next 27 minutes. In the 89th minute, Martinez took a feed from Neco Brett and beat Yannik Oettl to the far post for his sixth goal this season, giving Birmingham the 2-1 lead.From there, Indy was not able to muster up another shot, and Birmingham went on to earn the win at home. For the game, Indy Eleven was outshot 17-8 but tied Birmingham in shots on goal 4-4. Next up, the Boys in Blue stay on the road and head to Connecticut to play Hartford Athletic with a 7 p.m. ET kickoff Saturday, June 24. The match will stream on ESPN+.
USL Championship Regular Season Birmingham Legion FC 2:1 Indy Eleven Saturday, June 17, 2023 Protective Stadium – Birmingham, Alabama
Wow what a game – the US absolutely dominated Mexico as much as I have ever seen. Seriously we dominated possession and shots and goals. Pulisic was the BEST player on the field – this first goal a fantastic bit of footwork before his 2nd goal where he just outhustled the defense (much like the World Cup) and tucked it in again. Finally Pepi did a great job on this goal – putting El Tri away at tres a cero!! Sad to see that Mexico took it dirty after falling behind and they just absolutey lost control – McKinney certainly rubbed it in as he drew a Red Card for trying to defend his teammate while his shirt was ripped off of him – creating this iconic moment. I thought the front line of Balo with Weah on the right and Pulisic on the left was deadly – especially with Gio Reyna unlocking the door at the 10. McKinney and especially Yanus Musah dominated the midfield – with Musah showing HE is our best D mid behind Adams – heck lets be real – he looked as good as Adam’s has looked in that slot last night. In the back Chris Richards slid right in and showed his worth with fantastic passes from the back and timely saves. Miles looked a little rusty but showed no reason not to trust him vs Canada. Jedi and especially Dest were outstanding on the edges. The subs De La Torre especially did a fine job and finally what about that line-up by Interim Mgr – Asst to the Asst BJ __ coached his but off and made the right decisions in the starting line-up, the continuation of the attack and the subs he made when. Full Highlights
The Mexican soccer program is as low as I can remember in a long time. Seriously until Berhalter and the US beat them in the Nation’s League Final 2 years ago – they had not lost under Tata Martinez in like 10 games – now they were eliminated in 3 games in the World Cup – and they just got flat Embarrased by a FAR SUPERIOR US Squad. Folks may question Berhalter – but this change took place under his watch – this domination took place with his players – basically playing his system. I will have more on Berhalter being named the New/Continuing Coach of the US – but overall I am ok with it. I honestly don’t know who else is out there who is better right now.
USA vs Canada Nations League Final 8:30 pm on Univision & Para+.
This promises to be one heck of a game – Canada has finally turned the corner and is looking to show their dominance in North America after finishing first in World Cup Qualifing. They have to go thru our Defending Champs however. Of course the US will have to play without Serginio Dest and Weston McKinney. It will be interesting to see if they plug in De La Tore in the middle or flip things and get Brendan Aaronson in there. On the right back I assume Joe Scally will get his chance to prove he’s up to facing a world class player in Bayern Munisch’s Alphonso Davies – who scored last night. I think the rest of the line-up remains unchanged – though I expect to see Pepe come in earlier for Bolagun especially if he doesn’t score.
Shane’s Starters for Sunday 8:30 pm Para+, Univision
Turner
A Robinson, Chris Richards, M. Robinson, Joe Scally
GOALKEEPERS (4): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 12/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 26/0)
DEFENDERS (7): Sergiño Dest (AC Milan/ITA; 24/2), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 8/0), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 34/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 21/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 4/0), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City/ENG; 1/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 39/3)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 6/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 14/0), Weston McKennie (Leeds United/ENG; 43/11), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 25/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 18/4), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez/MEX; 2/0),
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 30/7), Folarin Balogun (Stade Reims/FRA; 0/0), Taylor Booth (Utrecht/NED; 2/0), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen/NED; 14/6), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 58/23), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 29/4), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 3/1)
Notes
The latest FIFA Women’s rankings came out before the World Cup this summer and the US is of course #1 followed by Germany, Sweden and England. There are some cool commercials starting to hit the airwaves in what promises to be a ratings bonanza this summer – oh and 1 million tickets have already been sold for the World Cup down-under. . The US Women’s World Cup roster should drop some time next week as the send off series starts July 9th but it sad to see Becky Sauerbrunn our Centerback and captain at 38 will miss because of injury. (Lots of stories below). On the men’s side looking to watch the game Sunday night and don’t have Paramount Plus – Try it Free here. Love this commercial from Champions League – this is definitely me. Oh and this one. Wonder what kind of difference Messi to Miami makes? Inter Miami is now the 5th most popular team on Instagram in the US – tickets for games Messi might play in have gone from $30 a ticket to over $450 on average. I am looking for games in Chicago or Cincy or Nashville if you have any 😊
Full Weekend of Europa Action
Europa Nations League Finals are this weekend on Sunday on Fox at 3 pm – Spain vs Croatia!
Happy Father’s Day to you Coaches and Refs out there !!
Huge congrats to our Carmel FC Indiana ODP State GoalKeepers in St Louis this weekend for the Midwest Olympic Development Tourney. Olivia Aft 2012 and Emme Bukovac 2010. #carmelfcGKU
Carmel FC’s Olivia Aft 2012 Indiana ODP State Team Goalkeeper had a clean sheet in their first win over Mizz Green 3-0 Fri. Another clean sheet Sunday in 2-0 victory. Carmel FC Goalkeeper Emme Bukovac 2010 started in goal today for the Indiana State 2010 ODP game.
Speaking of Goalkeeping Coach Shane will start low cost GK training for those interested next week and thru the summer – U12 groups of no more than 8, Older aged groups of no more than 6. EMail: shanebestsoccer@gmail.com if interested.
The United States will be aiming to extend their reign as CONCACAF Nations League champions, when they face fellow finalists Canada in a first-ever title-crowning game between these two North American neighbors.Interim head coch BJ Callaghan will be aiming for an impressive feat of claiming his first trophy after less than three weeks in charge, which would give the coach momentum before he turns his attention towards the Gold Cup beginning several days later.The former assistant’s first game at the helm – Thursday’s commanding 3-0 humiliation of Mexico in the semifinal – was overshadowed by emerging rumors of Gregg Berhalter’s return as permanent head coach, which was finally confirmed the following day.While this does make Callaghan’s short run in the coming weeks seem a bit of a lame duck session with the coach-in-waiting looking on, success in either or both of the hurdles will certainly give a boost to his CV should he have developed a taste for being the man in charge.On the surface, the relative ease of Thursday’s win might give a false air of confidence heading into Sunday’s final against Canada, however the recent trajectory of the opposition combined with several notable disadvantages faced by the USMNT should ensure that there is no clear favorite.
The United States and Canada have never met in the final of any CONCACAF competition prior to Sunday. The Canadians’ two winning campaigns in the Gold Cup and its predecessor the CONCACAF Championship came back in 2000 and 1985, where they respectively defeated Colombia and Honduras in the final game.In recent years, however, they have had the Americans’ number in an increasing number of games in official competitions. They did provide the lone blemish on the team’s record in their run to the inaugural Nations League crown in 2019, with John Herdman leading the team to a 2-0 win over Berhalter’s squad in their first group-stage meeting.This was followed by Canada’s impressive run to end up first-place in CONCACAF World Cup qualification, where Herdman again gave his team the edge with a 1-1 draw and 2-0 home win in their two meetings.While this did not portend any success for the team in their eventual failed, three-loss World Cup campaign, they have picked up right where they left off with a strong showing to reach Sunday’s final.
They defeated Panama in a relatively straightforward 2-0 semifinal, with star attacker Jonathan David being the main catalyst through a goal and assist, and were also able to come through the game completely unscathed in terms of injuries and suspensions.Herdman arguably has superior attacking firepower than the Americans’ last opponent Mexico, led by Lille’s in-demand forward David, who will once again be a major summer target of top European clubs after scoring 24 goals in the recently competed Ligue 1 season.Forward Cyle Larin also had an impressive run with La Liga’s Real Valladolid in his half-season loan, scoring eight and setting up another three in 19 league games, while Brügge’s Tajon Buchanan and FC Bayern wing attacker Alphonso Davies will also wreak havoc on Callaghan’s back line.
Davies is still returning to full health after suffering an injury with Bayern in late-April and only played the last half-hour against Panama. However, he did make the most of his time by scoring the team’s insurance goal, and could be given the nod by Herdman on the left to take advantage of stand-in US right-back Joe Scally.Compared to their significant attacking pedigree, the rest of the likely Canadian starting XI is a step down, although not without some degree of quality. The pair of Portuguese-Canadian players based in the Primeira Liga, defender Steven Vitória and midfielder Stephen Eustáquio were also standout performers on Thursday night, and Herdman has generally set up the team to absorb the pressure of their opponents just long enough to exploit any momentary openings that might appear amidst the frustration.Still, it would be difficult to expect the Canadians to have their way in controlling the flow of the game and having as many opportunities for ruthlessness as they did against Panama on Thursday.Even with both Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest out of the final due to red card suspensions, Callaghan still has enough quality, in particularly in the back line and main attack, to exploit any talent imbalances on the field.With neither McKennie nor the injured Tyler Adams available to provide a disruptive presence in the midfield, Callaghan will have to rely on either Luca de la Torre or Johnny Cardoso to line up alongside Yunus Musah in the middle.However, once again going with two defensive-minded midfielders for a second straight game, this time out of necessity, Callaghan will be able to field a deadly front four. Placing the trio of Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna and Tim Weah behind front-man Folarin Balogun worked like magic against Mexico, however Brenden Aaronson, Ricardo Pepi or Alejandro Zendejas could also slot into the formation without too much of a loss in quality.
Dest will most likely be replaced on the right side of the defense by the young Scally, if a direct swap is deemed the best course of action. However, Callaghan could take a cue from Lille head coach Paulo Fonseca and shift Weah into the more wingback role. This would free up another of the front attacking spots for one of the aforementioned options, and would arguably be one of the more aggressive lineups that American fans have seen in several decades.Regardless that side of the defense will surely be a target point for the likes of Davies and David on the Canadian side, all the more so because the rest of the American back line is as rock-solid as they come.Barring any unexpected, and ill-advised twists, Miles Robinson will start in central defense, alongside either Chris Richards, who was adequate versus Mexico, or the more, experienced but less mobile Walker Zimmerman. This leaves Antonee Robinson in his traditional left-back role, and Arsenal understudy Matt Turner in goal.The game will kick off at 5:30pm local west-cost time, 8:30pm eastern US time, at the Allegiant Stadium near Las Vegas.
Pulisic shines, Balogun debuts in chaotic U.S. win vs Mexico
Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 16, 2023, 05:00 AM ET
LAS VEGAS — Thursday’s Concacaf Nations League (CNL) semifinal against Mexico was the U.S. men’s national team’s version of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” in that there were enough deviations from perceived reality to fill a feature-length movie.
There was the news that emerged just before kickoff that Gregg Berhalter will be making an unexpected return as U.S. manager. This after the U.S. Soccer Federation let his contract expire last December, investigated him for a domestic violence incident that was made public by the family of midfielder Gio Reyna, and then concluded it was satisfied with his explanation and maintained he was still eligible to return. In the meantime, the USSF employed not one but two interim coaches: Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan. It then used a search firm to hire a sporting director, Matt Crocker, who simply led the USSF back to where it was in December — handing Berhalter what is technically his second stint as U.S. manager. The game against Mexico was chaos, and not just because the U.S. prevailed 3-0 instead of its usual 2-0 scoreline. There were two goals from Christian Pulisic, a third from substitute Ricardo Pepi and four red cards — two for each side.The lopsided scoreline brought out the usual anti-gay chant from El Tri fans, and with Step 1 of Concacaf’s anti-discrimination protocol already enacted, referee Iván Barton blew his whistle with only seven of the 12 minutes of second-half stoppage time played. Concacaf insisted that the game was not abandoned and that it was stopped at Barton’s discretion. It later issued a statement that it “strongly condemns the discriminatory chanting” and that “the Confederation is in the process of urgently establishing further details and reports from security and match officials and will make a further statement in short order.”That didn’t change the U.S. team’s thoughts on the crowd’s behavior.”[The chant] goes against everything that we stand for on our side,” said U.S. keeper Matt Turner. “We’ve been very open and vocal about the strength of our team being our diversity, the strength of our nation being its diversity. So to use something so divisive during a spirited game … it has no place in the game.”
Oh, and the U.S. was led on the sideline by Callaghan, who was serving as a head coach for the first time at the professional level. No problem. While Callaghan led his side to its most lopsided scoreline against Mexico in official competition, he will probably be in charge for only one more game: Sunday’s final against Canada. That said, his postmatch comments had him sounding as if he’d been in the role for ages.
“We were confident in the game plan that we were able to put together, and I think the performance from our side speaks for itself,” he said. “We couldn’t be more happy with the performance, but at the same time we also understand that we need to turn the page and already start the recovery and preparation process to play versus Canada.”
Everything that transpired served to overshadow the biggest pregame talking point: the debut of Arsenal forward (and designated savior) Folarin Balogun. The U.S. has been looking for a dependable No. 9 for years, though historically there have been some good ones. Eric Wynalda was at one time the leading U.S. scorer with 34 career goals, and Brian McBride spearheaded the U.S. attack for a considerable period as well. (Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey spent much of their international careers as midfielders.)But recent years have seen the U.S. struggle to get much, if any, production out of the spot. So when Balogun scored 22 times in 39 league and cup appearances on loan at French side Stade de Reims this season, and then declared for the U.S. at the expense of England and Nigeria, U.S. fans began to dream big.Fulfilling such sky-high expectations will have to wait a bit. Balogun had some bright moments, including a layoff to Pulisic that sparked an attack that ended with the U.S. captain shooting over the bar from just 10 yards. But overall he was somewhat subdued. He had the fewest touches of any U.S. starter and rarely threatened in the attacking half. Some of that was down to his lack of familiarity with teammates, who rarely gave Balogun the kind of passes into the channels that allowed him to use his speed.”I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t my best game,” Balogun said. “I think it’s important; at the same time I have to be realistic coming into a new environment with new teammates. And of course I’m playing in a semifinal, so it’s never going to be an easy game of football, but at the end of the day, I’m just happy we got a result.”Yet Balogun still managed to endear himself to teammates and fans when, in the 69th minute, he chased down Mexico defender César Montes, dispossessed him and drew a foul that resulted in a red card to Montes. It also sparked a melee that saw U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie get ejected as well.The chippiness didn’t end there, as U.S. defender Sergiño Dest was sent off after a scrap with Mexico substitute Gerardo Arteaga, leaving both teams to finish the game with nine players each. As much as Callaghan tried to back his men publicly, it did take some luster off the win. McKennie and Dest will be suspended for Sunday’s win, a reality that wasn’t lost on Pulisic.”It’s crazy. All year round, I’m never a part of games like this. And then I come here and it’s like, suddenly, everyone is just … it was a mess,” he said. “But I was disappointed in the end. I really wish some of our guys kept their heads a little bit better. It just turned into something that wasn’t this beautiful game. We did enough to show off on the field with our play that we deserve to be winning that game and a dominant performance, and now that all this, this stuff happened, it just takes away from the way we played.”
Gomez slams ’embarrassing’ anti-gay chants during USMNT vs. Mexico
Herculez Gomez speaks after USMNT vs. Mexico was ended early by the referee due to anti-gay chants.Pulisic was at the heart of that dominant performance, putting the U.S. ahead in the 37th minute by pounding on a Mexico turnover and finishing past Memo Ochoa. Then he doubled the advantage just seconds into the second half by redirecting Tim Weah‘s pinpoint cross after he was played into space by McKennie.It was as complete a team performance as the U.S. has had against Mexico since the turn of the century. The defense was barely noticed, in a good way. The U.S. was superior in its chance creation and its finishing. And Pulisic’s performance drove home an undeniable fact: Balogun might be the shiny new toy, but this is still Pulisic’s team, as evidenced by his goals and leadership.
It’s Berhalter’s team again too. There were several reasons for Berhalter not to return. The domestic violence incident remains tough to get past. So does his handling of Gio Reyna after the World Cup when he all but outed the midfielder for having a bad attitude and nearly sent him home. A second cycle, when messages can get stale, was yet another reason to move on to a different manager.The reasons the USSF’s leadership brought back Berhalter will be revealed in the coming days. But the vast majority of players, at least those who spoke publicly, backed him in recent weeks. Pulisic was among those who gave Berhalter strong support, and he reiterated that after the match.”You can see, today is a testament of the work that [Berhalter] put into this team,” he said. “B.J. picked up right where he left off, and it’s a testament to him, a testament to this team, the way that we just continued and just put on performances like that. So if that’s not enough evidence [to support Berhalter], that’s all right. People are going to hate.” As satisfying as the victory was, the U.S. still has one more game to win to repeat as CNL champion. Canada’s skill and speed on the wings will be tough to get past, especially without McKennie and Dest. But the U.S. is determined to do whatever it takes to prevail, no matter how much chaos it might encounter.
Analysis: Epic Thursday sees the USMNT pound Mexico 3-0 amid news of Berhalter’s return
ASN’s Brian Sciaretta wrote a lot to cover a wild Thursday full of USMNT news. It started with a fantastic performance from the USMNT in a 3-0 win over Mexico that devolved into chaos for the final 20 minutes. Then it ended with the return of Gregg Berhalter – after the Gold Cup. Here are Sciaretta’s thoughts on it all.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTEDv JUNE 16, 2023 1:00 PM
THURSDAY NIGHT WAS one of the most surreal days for the United States men’s national team because of dramatic series of events that few expected. First, there was the performance of the team, then there was the opponent, and this was wrapped into an ugly but unforgettable final 20 minutes that will be one of the most iconic chapters in a fierce rivalry. Somehow, that was all overshadowed by significant coaching news off the field. All this happened in the span of about three hours.
It’s tough to put into words and you almost don’t know where to start.
Might as well start with the game along with some thoughts on it. The overall performance from the U.S. team was excellent in a 3-0 win.
TRES A CERO
Interim manager B.J. Callaghan opted to go with a very offensive lineup. Without Tyler Adams, Callaghan opted to not even play with a No. 6 defensive midfield and instead attack relentlessly. It worked. The game was not as close as the score indicated.
The United States struck first in the 36th minute when it was Christian Pulisic pouncing on poor Mexican defending. Jorge Sánchez couldn’t handle a short pass inside his own box from Edson Álvarez and Pulisic was there for a quick finish. This came just minutes after Pulisic missed a golden chance after a dazzling run.
Then just a minute into the second half, it was the U.S. team again finding plenty of room to attack from out wide. Weston McKennie played Tim Weah up the right side. Weah then slid the ball across the goal to set up a streaking Pulisic for a close finish.
Then finally in the 78th minute, substitute Ricardo Pepi struck just three minutes after coming into the game. Sergino Dest swerved through a dispirited Mexican midfield before playing Pepi in a lone on Guillermo Ochoa. Mexico protested for an offside call, but VAR correctly upheld the goal. The final 20 minutes of the game, however, will be the defining story of the game. It was ugly and heated. McKennie and Dest were sent off and will miss the final vs. Canada. The game finished 9 vs. 9 and El Salvadorian referee, Ivan Barton, blew the final whistle seven minutes into a scheduled 11 minutes of extra time given the heated nature of the game.The United States will now face Canada in Sunday’s final.
NO RUST
It was fair to wonder about the level of rust and confidence for several players. Matt Turner, Chris Richards and Sergino Dest hadn’t played much for six months. McKennie, Musah, Pulisic, and even Tim Weah had tough seasons.
The players all talked about it being a relief to be with the USMNT on the heels of tough seasons. But could the players stop their club issues from spilling into the U.S. team? The players did that far better than I expected. It was a clean break. There was no sign that Pulisic and Chelsea had a nightmare of a season or that Dest was simply not wanted on loan at AC Milan.
It’s not ideal to have to do this all the time. But it is interesting to see the change in mentality the players can make when quickly changing teams.
Will the team be able to continue this against Canada? You have to like their chances after the Mexico game.
PULISIC IS A GAMER
Pulisic was easily the MOTM. It wasn’t even just the two goals. He was completely throwing Mexico off their game with his dangerous runs. Even when his finishing let him down, Mexico was frustrated trying to stop him – often. It’s very important to note that Pulisic drew four fouls in this game because it was the only chance Mexico had to stop him.
Like Landon Donovan, Pulisic is a different player when he puts on the USMNT jersey. Regardless of what is going on in his club career, he makes things happen and other teams take note.
It’s also effort. Pulisic might have only completed nine passes in this game, but he was 7/7 in his ground duels, and he had five shots. When he has the ball, he knows it is his time. Even after being criticized this season at Chelsea, Pulisic knows that when he has the ball for the USMNT that it is his time to deliver.
ROBINSON VS. MEXICO
Miles Robinson had another big game for the U.S. team. To date, most of his biggest tasks have come against Mexico and he has thrived in the rivalry game. Aside from one friendly early in his career, he has played Mexico in four competitive games – each time he has started the game.
In those four competitive games, he has played 380 minutes and Mexico has yet to score. He even scored the winning goal against Mexico in the 2021 Gold Cup final. His athleticism, speed, and physical nature in the box has been an ideal fit.
Performances like this will have him continue to be in the top four central defenders selected for call-ups.
It looks like he will be heading abroad after this season as he will soon be a free agent. He needs to get that decision right and select a team that wants him. If he isn’t a starter, it will set back a lot of the progress he has made.
PEPI STAKES HIS CLAIM
The big story in the lead-up to this game was, of course, Folarin Balogun. The Arsenal striker scored 21 goals for Stade de Reims in Ligue 1 and was going to be the national team’s long-awaited answer at forward. He still might be.
But the real story in this game is Pepi’s reaction. The former FC Dallas forward is coming off a strong season in the Eredivisie on loan at Groningen. Despite playing for a poor relegated team, Pepi still scored 12 goals.
Balogun played well enough in his debut. He drew fouls and connected effectively with his teammates during some dangerous moments. But Pepi came into the game with a purpose, almost to emphasize that he is not conceding the starting forward job to Balogun. He had a clear chip on his shoulder and a point to prove to fans, coaches, and his team.
It’s all good. Competition makes everyone better and makes everyone always have to be on top of their game. This includes Balogun. He’s not going to walk into the starting lineup. He is going to have to produce to be there.
This also relates back to last year with Pepi not making the World Cup team. Was he a controversial cut? Sure. But people are trying to compare the Pepi we see right now as the one that got cut. That wasn’t the case. Pepi went 51 weeks without scoring a goal for club or country (October 2021 through October 2022). He especially struggled in the team’s final friendlies before Qatar.
Pepi right now is in a much, much better place. He’s finishing and he’s putting himself in great positions. At Gronginen he never got many opportunities because of the team’s lack of quality, but he still scored regularly. With the USMNT on Thursday, he scored three minutes after coming on in his first chance.
Pepi has responded to a wave of adversity the past year – getting cut from the World Cup team, not producing after he was Augsburg’s most expensive ever signing, getting sent to a terrible Eredivisie team amid fans whose poor behavior suspended play four times, getting “recruited over” at the USMNT with Balogun, etc.
He’s a better player for it all.
MEANINGFUL FINAL 20 MINUTES
Breaking down the final 20 minutes of the USMNT – Mexico game is almost worthy of a book. But it had been brewing from early in the game as referee Ivan Barton lost control. He failed to card players early to settle things down.
Then when the U.S. team turned the game into a rout and Mexico couldn’t get anything going, frustration from El Tri took over. Their players baited the U.S. team into physical altercations because the result wasn’t going to change.
Yes, U.S. players lost their cool. The U.S. team should have known better because they were the team with more to lose and a final to play. Mexico could afford to bait and play dirty because their tournament (apologies to the third-place game) was over. The U.S. players – namely McKennie and Dest – needed to understand they had more to lose by getting sent off.
That being said. The ugliness of the final 20 minutes could be enormously beneficial in the long-term even if they hurt the team’s chances in the final. It is these types of games that give meaning to the “brotherhood” concept the team says they have. These types of incidents have a way of galvanizing teams and proving that players have each other’s backs.
As for CONCACAF, it is their own fault that this type of soccer gives a negative reputation to the region. Their lack of a real penalty for Mexican chants is the reason why it still happens.
Also, the final 20 minutes were also a cumulation of unpunished Mexican history. How many times can McKennie take hands to the face, neck, or head over the years before he responds? CONCACAF has to protect U.S. players or eventually they are going to protect themselves.
The U.S. players not keeping their cool almost becomes a necessity when players such as these below are completely unpunished (not even yellow cards).
The final 20 minutes were the result of CONCACAF simply lacking the will to get control over situations and letting them spill out of control.
USMNT PLAYER RATINGS
STARTERS
Matt Turner: The New Jersey keeper made the saves he had too, which weren’t many. Rating: 6
Antonee Robinson: The Fulham left back was his steady self and defensively shut down his side but wasn’t involved in too many attacks: Rating: 6
Chris Richards: Looked sharp despite limited minutes this season. Mexico struggled to get things by him. Rating: 7
Miles Robinson: His athleticism and physicality helped him dominate the box defensively. The Atlanta United centerback was also effective passing out of the back. Rating: 7
Sergino Dest: The right back has had a tough season, but his dribbling and quality on the ball gave Mexico fits. He assisted on the third goal and was part of the first. But he shouldn’t have lost his cool and been sent off. That puts the U.S. in a bad position for the final. Rating: 6.5
Yunus Musah: The Valencia midfielder’s dribbling in the midfield helped the U.S. team dictate the pace of the game. He made a nice pass in the buildup to the opening goal. Rating: 6.5
Weston McKennie: A red card marred what would have been a nice game. His pass broke open the play for the second goal. Defensively, he was frequently in great positions to help fill the gap left by Tyler Adams’ absence. Rating: 6
Gio Reyna: The Borussia Dortmund midfielder grew in strength as the game progressed. He kept Mexico on their heels and his passing helped keep the pressure on. He nearly assisted on dangerous Pulisic header. Rating: 7
Christian Pulisic: The Chelsea winger was the best player on the field by a large margin – and he could have scored more than his two goals. It wasn’t just his goals, he threw Mexico completely off their game. Rating: 9
Tim Weah: A very solid outing for Weah, who was the U.S. team’s second most dangerous player over the entire game. He assisted on the second goal, was in the buildup to the first goal, and he created gaps of space on the right side of the field. Rating: 8
Folarin Balogun: the anticipated debut of the talented forward was a little muted. Eight completed passes, one shot, and 17 touches over 75 minutes isn’t a sign of heavy involvement. But he had some nice moments of hold-up play and he drew three fouls. Rating: 6
SUBSTITUTES
Ricardo Pepi: He came off the bench with a purpose and delivered a big goal. Rating: 7.5
Luca de la Torre: The Celta Vigo midfielder helped the U.S. team with possession as it got ugly. Rating: 6
Walker Zimmerman: The veteran defender brought some maturity to the game once it became a mess. He made some nice defensive players late as Mexico pressed – including three clearances. Rating: 6.5
Brenden Aaronson: Eight touches, 3/3 passing, in nine minutes of work. Rating: NR
LOOKING AHEAD TO CANADA
So how does B.J. Callaghan handle Canada on Sunday now without McKennie and Dest? It is going to be tricky because Canada is better than Mexico right now. There should be enormous concern over the U.S. right side because it will have to defend Alphonso Davies, who is one of the best left-sided players in the world.
Callaghan is going to want to keep as much of his core together after a dazzling display against Mexico. But there are legitimate questions as to how to deal with the absences.
Callaghan can opt to do straight swaps and keep everything the same. The likely means Joe Scally in for Dest and de la Torre in for McKennie. But are these like-for-like swaps enough defensively.
De la Torre, in particular, is a very different player than McKennie. Is Johnny Cardoso a better option?
Then you have Scally and the responsibility of going up against Davies. The problem is that central defense is also going to have to deal with Jonathan David.
Another potential option could be a 3-4-3 with Weah and Robinson has wingbacks, de la Torre and Musah in the middle. Then an attacking trio with Pulsic and Reyna outside with a forward. The three central defenders could then provide cover for the wings. That formation could be best, but only if the U.S. team has been practicing with it.
The loss of McKennie and Dest are certainly complicating how the U.S. team can play for the final.
There is also the question of starting either Pepi or Balogun for the final. It’s hard to argue against Pepi.
Callaghan has tough decisions. It’s not going to be an easy game to manage.
BERHALTER TO RETURN
The big news of the day came shortly before kickoff when multiple reports indicated Gregg Berhalter was rehired to manage the USMNT for the 2026 World Cup cycle. This will cumulate with the first World Cup on U.S. soil since 1994.
Opinions on this are wide ranging. On the broadcast of the game, Clint Dempsey acknowledged that Berhalter did a good job but asked why they needed these past six months just to rehire the same coach. Charlie Davies, meanwhile, questioned who was available in the current budget and rules over how much they can pay the men’s coach compared with the women’s coach.
There are fans who don’t like Berhalter. There are fans that do. There are fans who liked Berhalter’s performance but who question the wisdom of giving a second cycle to a manager after it didn’t work with Bruce Arena, Bob Bradley, or Jurgen Klinsmann. There are others who say this cycle is different given the youth of the player pool and the need for continuity. There are others that believe the Reyna situation should have disqualified him.
Obviously a lot has changed at U.S. Soccer since Qatar. Earnie Stewart is out as the Sporting Director. Brian McBride is out as the general manager. Will Wilson is out as the CEO. Matt Crocker is in as the Sporting Director. J.T. Batson is in as the CEO. Oguchi Onyewu is in as the VP of Sporting. Sportsology was retained as an outside consulting firm during the process.
An entirely new group was brought into the front office, took their time, and decided to bring back Berhalter.
But cutting through all that, the one constant has been the players. We don’t yet know how much the players were interviewed or considered in this process. But the press release included this paragraph.
“Crocker outlined the ideal competencies for the head coach, which included building lasting relationships with staff and players, [emphasis mine] planning and effectively driving a vision-led identity, pushing innovation and boundaries, and being a decisive decision-maker. Within these categories, he utilized advanced data analytics, sophisticated metrics, and cutting-edge hiring methods to profile and rank each candidate. During the course of several weeks, candidates were evaluated through all of these filters and went through a battery of practical and psychological testing.”
During this camp leading up to the Nations League, the players started speaking up for Berhalter. This includes several of the team’s most important players. Tim Weah said he hopes Berhalter would come back.
“I think [Berhalter] should be considered,’ Pulisic said. ‘I think he did a great job with the team. He brought us a long way. I think a lot of people and a lot of guys in the team especially would agree with that [emphasis mine].”
The last sentence is key. It wasn’t just Pulisic and Weah. Outside of the Reyna debacle at the World Cup, the bond on this team is strong. If Pulisic is saying that a lot of people agree with him that Berhalter did a great job with the team, it’s probably true that many of the team feels the same way.
The feelings among the players shouldn’t dictate the big-picture direction of the program. That is why there is a line between the front office, the coaches, and then the players. But my guess is that it played a big role here. There is not going to be a lot of player turnover this cycle compared with the previous cycle when most of the core was quickly ushered out. There will be new players making their way into the team, but the core is largely known.
On top of that, Crocker said in his U.S. Soccer introduction that when he watched the World Cup, he liked how the team played and he liked the confidence/attitude of the players. It’s not hard to see that as a compliment to Berhalter.
It’s also questionable to state that this team lost a lot of time by not going back to Berhalter immediately. Since the 2022 World Cup, the team has been run by Berhalter’s staff. Things have not been taking a radical departure under Anthony Hudson and Callaghan. Plus, some useful steps were taken. Reyna was brought quickly back into the team so that it wasn’t a lingering issue. Folarin Balogun was also signed into the team to bring a potentially big scoring option.
The money question is whether Berhalter is the right person for the job? We saw reports Patrick Vieira, was a candidate, but we don’t know the complete list of candidates. Berhalter indeed grew and developed as a manager during the last cycle. By the end, he had a strong comradery among the players and they all played hard for him. There are, of course, legitimate questions. Could he have rotated his squad better in the World Cup? Should Pepi have been there despite a tough year?
But what is Berhalter’s ceiling as a coach? If he improved during the last cycle, does that mean he will continue to improve? What are his future visions for the team and how realistic are they?
The good news is that the Copa America next year will be an excellent measuring stick as to how much further along this team is from Qatar. With Berhalter’s rehire and the core now in their prime, the expectations should be that the team will be much better since U.S. Soccer has elected to stay on the same path. But how much further down that path will they be?
Meanwhile, Callaghan will coach the team through the Gold Cup.
“B.J. will continue to lead through the Nations League Final and the Gold Cup tournament this summer while I work collectively with Gregg on some of the big-picture items away from the team,” Crocker said.
National Writer: Charles Boehm MLS.com
A surreal Concacaf night: Berhalter reports shade heated USA-Mexico rivalry
Charles Boehm Friday, Jun 16, 2023, 03:07 AM MLS.com
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, we’re often told.This was most definitely not the case at Allegiant Stadium on Thursday night, as Christian Pulisic donned his hero’s cape once again to lead the US men’s national team to a 3-0 trouncing of their bitter rivals Mexico to book their spot in Sunday’s Concacaf Nations League final – and neither the scoreline nor the dominant performance were the biggest story of the evening.Pulisic, El Tri’s chief tormentor for much of the unbeaten run the Yanks have now extended to six matches, bagged a brace on either side of halftime, this time truly fulfilling the “Captain America” sobriquet by donning the armband vacated by Tyler Adams’ injury absence. Paralyzed by an increasingly toxic relationship with their supporters and the awkward generational transition happening in their player pool, Mexico once again were simply unable to match the pace and intensity of the reigning CNL champs.
“I can speak all day about Christian,” gushed interim coach B.J. Callaghan postgame. “The level of maturity that he has, the leadership that he displays, it’s not always the most vocal, maybe it’s not always the most public, but when you see him step on the field tonight and put in that level of performance, and set the standard for our group, you can only have a ton of respect for him.“It’s why he wore the captain armband tonight, because that’s the type of performance he expects out of itself, and that’s the type of performance that we have come to expect from him.”
Berhalter: Back soon?
But what really won the night was the surreal interweaving of live television, real-time reporting and rancorous on-field antagonism as news broke during the run of play – first from The Athletic and later confirmed by multiple media outlets – that Gregg Berhalter is set to be restored to the USMNT’s head coaching post after more than half a year in limbo, with an official announcement expected on Friday.As fans and pundits absorbed this head-turning development, flooding social media with the full gamut of reactions to a coach who has polarized opinions around the program, the game itself devolved into farce. Mexico’s flaring frustrations led them to foul the US with escalating violence and bile, with large numbers of their fans in the stands regressing to loud renditions of the homophobic chant that has gotten their team in so much trouble with FIFA and Concacaf in recent years.The simmering anger sparked into an outright melee when César Montes petulantly hacked Folarin Balogun to the turf after the USMNT debutant tracked back to dispossess him of the ball.Salvadoran referee Iván Barton red-carded Montes, then brandished the same color to Weston McKennie as Balogun’s new teammates rushed to his defense. Control of the proceedings was long gone, though, and Barton later had to send off Sergiño Dest and Gerardo Arteaga as well. The match finished with nine yellow cards, four ejections and 17 fouls committed on each side, a nasty spiral of misbehavior that will inevitably hurt the United States more, because they’re now without two key starters for Sunday’s final vs. Canada, who dispatched Panama with ease in Thursday’s early game.And yet…“In no way am I embarrassed,” Callaghan declared afterwards.These are rivalry games, these are derby games, things like this happen across the world,” he said. “We have a strong culture in our team and what happens is, it comes from a good place. They care about each other so much in that locker room that they’re standing up for each other. Sometimes does it have an issue where we take a red card? Yeah, but when you know where it comes from, you can accept it. And it’s a learning lesson for us all.”
Performance vs. discourse
Like kittens watching a tennis match, the audience could only snap its collective head back and forth as the discourse processed so much happening at once.U.S. Soccer and new sporting director Matt Crocker evidently spent six-plus months and significant sums of money and effort to interview somewhere around 10 candidates for USMNT head coach, only to decide that the old coach would be the new one again. Even after the soap-opera drama that erupted around Berhalter, Gio Reyna and his parents during and after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.Then word of that decision made its way into the public domain DURING the team’s biggest game of the year to date.“We’re taking away from the performance that these boys had tonight. That we should be what we’re talking about: beating Mexico 3-0,” declared USMNT legend Clint Dempsey, who described himself as “confused” by the federation’s decision on CBS’s postgame show. “It’s great to get the news, but I still feel like it ruined the night in terms of, we’re not talking about the performance of these players. It was a big victory and good to see.”
It surely wasn’t anyone’s ideal way of learning who would steer the program towards the massive opportunity of the 2026 World Cup on home soil. But if the rival that once towered over the North American region can be dispatched this easily with an interim coach at the helm, perhaps the identity of the coach matters less than the superlative young talent of the USMNT’s burgeoning player pool.
Have Mexico really become this much of an afterthought?
“The performance from our side speaks for itself; we couldn’t be more happy with the performance,” said Callaghan. “But at the same time, we also understand that we need to turn the page and already start the recovery and preparation process to play vs. Canada.“We don’t look at ourselves as the kings of Concacaf,” he later added. “We’re constantly trying to improve and grow as a team, to compete against the highest levels of international football. And for us, this is just a continuation of putting good performances together, learning from those performances and continuing to try and grow and grow and grow as we continue now to look towards the 2026 World Cup.”
USMNT Player Ratings: Christian Pulisic powers chaotic Nations League win vs. Mexico
But the job’s not completed, and the Yanks must now navigate past a Canadian side that beat Panama, 2-0, earlier Thursday. The bordering nations meet Sunday with silverware on the line (8:30 pm ET | Paramount+, Univision).
As the temperature cools from a match that included four red cards, a Christian Pulisic brace, a Ricardo Pepi goal and plenty of drama, here’s who stood out.
The Arsenal backstop didn’t have much to do on a night where his defense held El Tri to one shot on goal. But he did make a highlight-reel save on a late opportunity that was ruled offside, showcasing his elite shot-stopping ability.
Jedi was sound in defense along with the rest of the backline, but the nitpick would be he didn’t make as much use of the attacking gifts in this one that make him such a valuable asset.
The talented right back had a stellar all-around shift, then capped it off with a gorgeous run and assist on Ricardo Pepi’s capping goal. His rating is only knocked because of his late red card, a preventable moment even in the chaotic context of the match.
Another rating that could have been higher if not for an unfortunate red card. McKennie was having a vintage performance before his sending-off followed the first of two wild second-half fracases.
If not for the heroics of Christian Pulisic, Musah had a case of the man of the match, doing all the dirty work in midfield and in ball progression that makes him so valuable to this group.
Reyna’s raw gifts remain evident every time he’s on the ball, and he was in his groove throughout this contest, also helping spearhead the sequence that led to Pulisic’s first goal.
The USMNT captain was electric throughout the match, and was rewarded with a crucial brace that powered this result. When Pulisic is cooking like this, it takes this team’s ceiling to a whole new level.
The most-anticipated USMNT debut in recent memory didn’t net Balogun a goal, but it’s probably no coincidence that the three-goal outburst coincided with his arrival to the lineup given the attention he’s bound to draw from opposing defenses.
A menace on the right side, Weah was one of the team’s most dangerous players and put the ball on an absolute platter for Pulisic on the USMNT’s second goal for a delightful assist.
7.5
B.J. Callaghan
Head coach
With news dropping from The Athletic right before the match that Gregg Berhalter is set to return to the USMNT sidelines, Callaghan’s first match as interim coach couldn’t have gone much better on the scoreboard, even if the nature of the result was arguably somewhat overshadowed by the chaotic, ejection-riddled second half.
Brought on with Ricardo Pepi in the immediate aftermath of the first red cards, de la Torre helped see out the wild finish, though the match was all but decided for the duration of his shift.
Zimmerman’s late cameo can be considered a successful one, as El Tri didn’t come particularly close to generating any late goals that could’ve made it interesting after his entrance.
Spelling Tim Weah as a late entrant, the lopsided scoreline didn’t really call for Aaronson’s usual calling cards of lung-busting runs and all-out energy.
Scally didn’t come on until the 89th minute with the match well decided, which didn’t leave him enough time to show much of the type of impact he can make.
Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT return comes with newfound momentum, and a to-do list
In the tunnel inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, asked about the news that could shape the next three years of their international soccer careers, most U.S. players seemed unsure of how to respond. Yes, Gregg Berhalter, who led the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup before his contract expired amid a complex scandal that garnered worldwide attention, would return as coach of the U.S. men’s national But no official announcement had been made. Important conversations still needed to be had behind the scenes.
Star winger Christian Pulisic, however, essentially said he would let what just happened on the field in Las Vegas do the talking: a resounding and occasionally chaotic 3-0 victory over Mexico in an ill-tempered CONCACAF Nations League semifinal in which both teams finished with nine men.
“If you can see, today is a testament of the work that (Berhalter)’s put into this team,” Pulisic said. “And (interim manager B.J. Callaghan) picked up right where he left off, and it’s a testament to him and testament to this team the way that we just continued and put on performances like that. So if that’s not enough evidence, then that’s all right. People are gonna hate no matter what.”
The match featured ample examples of the type of intensity we have come to expect from games between the regional rivals: Weston McKennie’s ripped jersey, tussles breaking out between both teams, four red cards and lovely goals from Pulisic and Ricardo Pepi.
Weston McKennie walks away from a scuffle. (Louis Grasse/Getty Images)
After all that chaos, the message was a clear one from Pulisic, one of the players who had come out in support of Berhalter returning to the national team. After six months of uncertainty and two interim managers, there is momentum to build upon. Players are ready to get the 2026 World Cup cycle started in earnest. The win over Mexico was a good start.
There are plenty of questions now as to how this U.S. team will move forward after Berhalter officially returns to his previous position. There are some obvious issues that must be addressed, namely his relationship with one of this team’s star players, Gio Reyna. The well-documented off-field issues between Berhalter, Reyna and Reyna’s parents, Claudio and Danielle Reyna, led to an investigation into the coach around a 30-year-old incident in which he was found to have kicked his then-girlfriend, now-wife Rosalind Berhalter.
One of the first things Berhalter will have to do after he is officially re-hired is sit with Gio Reyna, one of the top young talents in the U.S. team, and figure out a way to move forward.
Gio Reyna played centrally against Mexico on Thursday. (Candice Ward/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
On the field, the U.S. will look to improve in some areas, especially on the attacking end. The U.S. showed in Qatar that it was able to get into good spots in the attack, especially through transition play. But the players often weren’t able to convert those movements into goals — or even into scoring opportunities.
Some of those problems could be aided by the arrival of more competition at the No. 9 spot. Folarin Balogun made his debut for the U.S. against Mexico, starting and playing 75 minutes. Pepi, who did not make the World Cup squad, entered the game as a substitute and scored. Consistent production at that position would be a welcome development.
More importantly, the U.S. attack looked fluid. The players looked comfortable together. Berhalter has to find ways to continue to foster that, and Reyna once again will factor in. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder appeared in a central role on Thursday, which he did not do in the last cycle under Berhalter — though it should be noted that injuries severely limited his playing time in the 2022 cycle. It will be interesting to see if Berhalter continues playing Reyna in that position, or returns him to the wing where the vast majority of his U.S. appearances have come.
The chemistry on Thursday night was a sign of the growth that can happen on the attacking end of the field — and is already happening, Weah said.
“I think everyone was pretty sad about losing at the World Cup because it’s one of the biggest stages, if not the biggest stage,” Weah said. “But I feel like we’re also young. It was definitely a learning curve for us. I think we learned from it. And now we’re trying our best to bounce back and refocus. … We just have to continue step by step. We just have to stick together as a family.”
Weah pointed to the second goal as a sign of that potential.
“We work on a lot of things, but this one was just natural,” he said. “I know once Weston (McKennie) gets the ball, (Dest) gets the ball, I know that I have to make that movement…Everyone’s in tune with the mechanics. So I think it’s super dope that we have that movement. I mean, as you see if Gio (Reyna) goes outside, I come in. If Serge goes in, (I move out). It’s just, it’s beautiful to watch. I think training plays a huge, huge part in what we do.”
Players in this team believe their chemistry, and the culture within the group, are the key to its trajectory. Some of them said that Berhalter was a key part in building it, but all believed that no matter who the coach was, that culture was going to sustain.Now, Berhalter must maintain and grow that culture as he re-enters the picture. He’ll have to do so with the outside noise that has long surrounded his tenure as coach, noise that only amplified around Thursday’s news. Berhalter is a polarizing figure, and the negativity is most visible on social media. Finding ways to win back those fans, or at least to guide the team through that negativity, will be another important task.
In the end, it seems there was a belief that Berhalter would be able to tap into something more with this group than any other candidate considered by new U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker – a list that included Jesse Marsch and Patrick Vieira, according to sources briefed on the search process. He’ll get a big chance to prove his new bosses at his old workplace right — or wrong — next summer in the Copa America.The last World Cup cycle was about helping the U.S. men’s program find its way out of the gut punch of missing the 2018 World Cup, and doing so with a new generation of players that filled the fan base with hope.Now those players will have real expectations on their shoulders, and will be facing their own questions about growth. Several key players have uncertain club futures, from Pulisic to McKennie, Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Dest, Pepi and Balogun. Their next steps could have major implications for their careers, and for the USMNT’s trajectory by extension.
Paul Tenorio is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer. He has previously written for the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, FourFourTwo, ESPN and MLSsoccer.com. Follow Paul on Twitter @PaulTenorio
Gregg Berhalter: ‘Work to do’ in rebuilding relationship with Gio Reyna as coach returns to USMNTBy The Athletic Staff2h ago49
Gregg Berhalter said there is “work to do” in “trying to rebuild” his relationship with Gio Reyna during his first news conference since the U.S. men’s national team announced the coach’s return to his previous position Friday. Here’s what you need to know:
Berhalter will not be coaching the CONCACAF Gold Cup in an effort to avoid creating “the environment of Gregg puts his boats straight back on, slides back into the environment and it’s very much business as usual,” U.S. Soccer Federation’s sporting director Matt Crocker said.
Crocker added that there are “some real big ticket items around some real strategic stuff over the next couple of seasons we need to map out first.”
U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson confirmed that the board of directors’ vote to bring back Berhalter was not unanimous. There was one individual who “did not vote in the affirmative,” Batson said.
Support from USMNT players
Multiple star players, including Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah publicly voiced their support for Berhalter in the lead up to his return, and Crocker was asked how much input the athletes had in the search for a coach.
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“I kept them up to speed throughout the process. I was also keen to tap into their skills because I don’t have context. I haven’t been in a camp with them yet. Asking them questions around, ‘What are the key skills that you want in a head coach?’ That enabled me to develop a really comprehensive coaching framework or competency framework, so the players are actually a part of this process al the way though,” Crocker said.
How big was the search?
Crocker said there were “zero restrictions” on who he spoke to for filling the role, “whether they’re in contract, out contract, what leagues they’ve come from. It’s been a world-wide search, so I made sure from the beginning that I wanted to bring the best candidates to the table.”
What else was said about Reyna?
“Gio is an important player to this team. He’s an extremely talented individual and I have the obligation and the commitment to coach him like I coach every other player. I want to get the best out of him. We want to get the best out of him, and we know that if we can unlock his talents, he’s going to be a game-changer for this program,” Berhalter said.
When asked when he’d speak to Reyna, Berhalter said “the most important thing for (Reyna) right now is to focus on playing in a final and winning a final. I can imagine after that he’d want some vacation, and meeting with me is not the priority. It’s for him to get rest and prepare for the upcoming season. We’ll have time to do that — it is a priority — but we’ll have time to do that before the September window.”
Backstory
As the U.S. coach from 2019-22, Berhalter won the 2021 Nations League and Gold Cup trophies, qualified for the 2022 World Cup with the youngest team in the world and then got out of group play at the World Cup with strong performances against Wales, Iran and England. The Americans’ five points were tied with the 2010 team for most in a group stage by any USMNT at a World Cup.Berhalter, 49, currently has the highest win percentage of any USMNT coach with a 37-11-12 record.
USMNT defender Auston Trusty finding his place after successful loan with Birmingham City
Auston Trusty sits comfortably in a Manhattan Beach hotel lobby, onlooking a cloudy Westdrift golf course where he has spent much of his downtime since arriving at U.S. men’s national team camp. Just in from a training session in preparation for the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal, the former Philadelphia Union homegrown smiles as he recounts his favorite moment from the recent English Championship season — a breakthrough year for him at Birmingham City on loan from Arsenal.
“There’s been a lot of really cool moments this year, but I think my favorite moment was my first game against Luton (Town). I had no idea what to expect,” he said. “It was my first experience of English football. The fans and the craziness in that unique stadium, it was all super, super cool.”
On the opening day of the 2022-23 season, Trusty lined up at left center back, helping his side keep a clean sheet in the 0-0 draw. During one of Luton’s attacks, Carlton Morris made a diagonal run into the box, crossing into Trusty’s zone. The defender slid in an attempt to stop Morris’ momentum, but the striker cut back, evading Trusty. Despite the slide taking him out of play, he recovered quickly to block Morris’ attempt on target from close range.
“That’s when the first USA chant started,” Trusty described. “I don’t know who started it, but they were right behind me. They started chanting ‘USA, USA.’ Thinking back now, I’m getting chills.”
For Trusty, to be instantly embraced by the Birmingham supporters — having moved to the Championship on loan after completing a transfer from the Colorado Rapids to Arsenal — was a comforting surprise.
“For some reason, I thought I had more to prove being American, and maybe you think other people think the same too,” he said. “I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder. But when I heard them cheer ‘USA’, I was like, ‘Okay, these guys have my back.’”
The 24-year-old has a message for Americans in the sport who may feel inferior among the grandeur of English football: Don’t. Since the 1994 World Cup, which helped spur the creation of Major League Soccer, countless Americans have traveled to Europe and succeeded as players and coaches. After spells in England and Germany, Landon Donovan remains as much a household name across the Atlantic as he does in his home state of California. And Brian McBride, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey and Christian Pulisic, among notable others, have proven American internationals have what it takes to carve long careers in the Premier League. While England has a proud heritage, boasting the world’s most popular league and claiming the tag “the home of football”, Trusty did not feel an ounce of prejudice from supporters, teammates or coaches regarding his nationality.
“The Birmingham supporters latched on me. It helped me tremendously; it really, really did. The British like banter, and it’s a little different than American – it’s kind of more ruthless and brutal, but it’s love,” he said. “When you first see that, you take it personally, but once you get into the atmosphere and learn the culture, you see it’s actually like a show of love.”
Trusty leaving MLS and making an immediate impression in the Championship was, by his own admission, quite an accomplishment. England’s second tier is unlike football he had previously experienced, describing it as, “nothing you can explain unless you actually go through it. It’s no joke. Like 100% a grind every single moment: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.” Four goals and 44 league appearances later, he left as the Birmingham supporters’ player of the season.
Before the World Cup break, Birmingham had started to put together a run of positive results and sat within reach of the play-off places. But, amidst several failed takeover attempts and a fire at their Wast Hills training ground in early March, forcing them to train at a facility outside of the city previously used for rugby, the wheels fell off their season and they were drawn into a relegation fight. Still, Trusty remembers his first campaign in English football with a beaming grin on his face.
“I look back at it smiling; I was just so happy. You go through ups and downs; truly, there were so many ups and downs for the team this year, and we grew closer together. It’s been a really good opportunity for me and the best place to go alone. It was just really beneficial for me,” said Trusty. “The staff, coaches and teammates accepted me right from the bat. I didn’t feel any type of way towards anybody – everyone just wanted to win.”
While at Birmingham, Trusty was asked to play several roles across the backline under head coach John Eustace. Though he sees himself as a center back moving forward, Trusty primarily played as the left central defender in a back three or as a left fullback when Eustace switched from his favored wing-back formation to four in defense. Having grown up as a striker and filled almost every role from back to front, he sees gaining experience across various roles as an attribute that sets him apart.
“When guys are hurt, and we need people to step up, I’m not gonna say no to my coach. I’m going to go and do the best job I can,” said Trusty. “I thought I did fairly well in the games and stepped up when I could. You just gotta do what’s best for the team. If I can show that I can play left back, that shows my versatility, and it helps grow my game as I can see it differently: how to time tackles, your timing of making runs and getting the whip (on crosses). There are so many aspects to left-back, and then playing LCB is a mixture of both roles.
“Playing in these positions, your touch and the way you receive the ball gets better and also helps you think about how other positions receive the ball. How am I playing the ball to my teammate? What does it look like for him? This picture is so different when playing in different positions. There’s no downside to it. It’s just helping you break through, gain and grow in your mindset and gain further appreciation for your teammates.”
His performances at St. Andrews, Birmingham’s home ground, helped earn him a selection to the USMNT’s camp in March. Though he’d been called up before, with a strong season in England’s second tier under his belt, then-interim head coach Anthony Hudson gave Trusty his first senior cap in a 7-1 win against Grenada in a CONCACAF Nations League qualifier. In his view, that call-up, over three years after his first, was the perfect time to pull on the stars and stripes for the first time at the senior level. Though a goal from Grenada’s Myles Hippolyte took the glean off a convincing team performance where Trusty assisted Weston McKennie’s second goal, the center back showed the promise necessary to remain firmly in the national team’s plans
“It was a huge accomplishment for me and really cool to win in that fashion. It was like it couldn’t have gone better,” he said. “I felt confident, I felt like a leader on the team, I felt like a leader on the field and I felt like I’d been there before. I had opportunities when I was 19 or 20, and I was on the bench, but I think it was the best thing for me because, with more experience, I came onto the field with a different mindset than I would have when I was younger.”
Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall, with a combination of athleticism and speed, the left-footed center back is a physically imposing presence. Paired with his technical ability, ranking in the 95th percentile or better in progressive passes (1.16), tackles (2.21) and blocks (1.80) per 90 among center backs across Opta’s “Next Eight” competitions (MLS, Championship, Brazilian Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie, Liga MX, Portuguese Primeira Liga, Copa Libertadores and the UEFA Conference League), Trusty belongs among the USMNT’s young and talented players.
“B.J.’s a great coach,” said the Media, Pennsylvania native. “I’ve known him since I was probably eight or seven. He has worked his way up from Villanova assistant coach and Union Juniors coach to now the national head coach, which is sick; that’s so cool. I’m just really happy for him. He’s had this opportunity, and I’m happy that I made the camp and can help show the world that he’s a good coach.
“I have nothing but good things to say about B.J. He’s helped me out so much. He’s spent countless hours with me one-on-one, working on my game. He’s brutally honest, and whether it’s in a good way, he’ll tell you how it is. He’s a good guy to have around this organization, whether as a coach or a head coach.”
But Trusty isn’t resting on a long-term friendship with the coach as a route into the national squad; he’s earned the opportunity through hard work and quality performances. With a place in the final of the Nations League on the line in Thursday’s match against Mexico, the group is motivated to continue on its path towards success, particularly with the prospect of playing in the 2024 Copa América and 2026 World Cup on home soil on the agenda. With just one cap to his name, he is not firmly a member of the core of the squad yet, so through demonstrating his skill in training, making on and off-field relationships with his teammates and staying dedicated and present, his eyes are firmly on becoming an established part of the senior setup.
“My only focus is just to keep proving myself and showing my teammates that I can do the job and be that guy,” he said. “That will also show the coach that I am that guy and can be that solid core that I’ve proven I can be in the past different teams I’ve been on, especially now after playing in the Championship, where (my performances) have to be respected. My only focus is showing my teammates what I can do and being reliable at center back.”
Trusty has stayed out of contact with his agent since the end of the season to focus on the national team and spending quality time with his family — who he has missed greatly since moving to the United Kingdom — despite the prospect of a move this summer. Contracted to Arsenal, who he stayed in regular contact with throughout his period on loan in Birmingham, Rangers are interested in a transfer, though they could face competition for his signature given his age, quality and experience in England’s second tier.
It’s a common theme among the current USMNT call-ups. Like Trusty, the newest U.S. international Folarin Balogun is returning to Arsenal after a stellar season on loan in France’s Ligue 1. Teammates Pulisic, McKennie, Yunus Musah and several others could also be on the move this summer.
“I definitely speak to the other players (about potential moves) because we’ve all been in these environments. The football world is very small, so if you’re in a situation a lot of guys have been in, it’s good to talk to people here because not too many people, at least around me, other than my agent and the team, are going to understand the ins and outs fully,” Trusty said. “We all talk about it all day, all different scenarios and situations, which is good and helps me figure things out. But my mind really is focused on the national team right now. It’s hard for me to focus on (the transfer window) because it’s almost like I’m doing a discredit to the national team because it’s such an honor and privilege to be here.”
Whether it’s by prompting the Birmingham City supporters to chant ‘USA’ after a last-ditch tackle or earning his first cap for the national team in a dominant win, Trusty has a knack for making a lasting first impression.
Lionel Messi’s announcement on Wednesday that he intends to come to Major League Soccer to play for Inter Miami was one of the most important moments in the history of MLS and American soccer.
It was also one for which the league was not prepared.
Multiple league and team sources confirmed that MLS and commissioner Don Garber were not ready for any public announcement about Messi coming to MLS, as first reported by Fox Sports. The league indicated as much in their own public statement, in which they wrote they were “pleased” that Messi had stated his intent to join Inter but, “work remains to finalize a formal agreement.”
One week later, that final agreement is still a work in progress.
No contract between Messi and MLS has been signed, or even finalized, and the lack of an agreement has had a ripple effect on how the league and Inter Miami promote Messi’s arrival. It has also impacted the timeline of multiple deals being negotiated in tandem with Messi’s contract, from a new coach to the players set to join Messi in the summer transfer window.
Part of the reason for that is the complicated nature of the deal.
The proposed contract includes the option to purchase an equity stake in Inter Miami, and part of the deal also necessitates discussions with Apple regarding revenue share on new subscriptions for the MLS Season Pass service. A source briefed on the current negotiations said the Apple deal will be based on revenue driven by new international subscribers. There is also the structure of the compensation itself, the tax implications of how the contract is drawn up, as well as things like marketing and image rights. Those negotiations go down to granular levels, like which entities own rights to Messi’s name and the No. 10 for use on different products, for example.
Due to MLS’s single-entity structure, players sign contracts with the league, not individual teams. As such, Garber has been keeping other team owners abreast of the negotiations with Messi.
The summer transfer window opens in MLS on July 5. After that point, Messi (and new signings across the league) can be added to rosters and eligible for selection in official competitions. Messi is currently in China with the Argentina national team, but it has been reported that he is expected to depart before the team goes to Indonesia on June 19th in order to go on vacation. When he joins Inter Miami is very much still a part of negotiations.
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Sources say there are discussions with the league about Messi taking part in the MLS All-Star Game in some way.
The Athletic reported Messi’s potential debut will be on July 21. But sources close to the league and D.C. United, who are hosting the event on July 19 at their home stadium, Audi Field, said the hope is that Messi might play a part in those festivities.
One source close to the league’s broadcast operations at Apple said that the tech giant is understandably keen to get Messi involved in some way. The All-Star Game is part of MLS Season Pass, the league’s streaming service on Apple TV+. Sources elsewhere around the league describe that desire as a “no brainer”.
A source familiar with D.C. United’s All-Star plans say that the club has been told that whether Messi participates in those festivities in any way is largely up to the player himself; the club, that source said, has been told that Messi wants to make a decision on his involvement after taking some time off
What remains unclear is what exactly Messi’s involvement in the All-Star Game, which would presumably come before he plays a competitive minute for Inter Miami, would entail. One source at D.C. United, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter, said the idea of having Messi take part in the league’s skills competition, typically held the day before the All-Star match itself, has been considered. Another source suggested he might play in the game itself, going on to say that they’d assume Messi would be a coach or commissioner’s pick.
Another option would simply be for Messi to make an appearance at the game or the festivities surrounding it, which feels most likely, should he be involved.
Inter Miami faces its own logistical challenges. Multiple sources familiar with the club’s preparations for Messi say that many facets of the team’s travel — hotels, charter flights and the like — are being reevaluated. MLS teams currently use charter flights to get to away matches but the level of comfort on the airplanes they use isn’t much greater than the public, commercial flights they used before going to an all-charter setup post-COVID-19.
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Everything else is secondary to Messi officially putting pen to paper on a contract. Meetings between Miami and the league are consuming time that could be dispensed towards the coaching search, roster upgrades and more, but none of it matters until this intended deal is signed.
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USA vs Mexico Nations League Semi-Final 10 pm on Univision
Yes CBS who I just lauded for the BEST coverage of the Champions League Final on big CBS last Saturday is absolutely screwing us US Soccer fans by not putting the Thursday night 10 pm Nations League Semi-Final game from Las Vegas on normal TV. You have to have Paramount + to see it in English or Univision in Spanish. I will be watching in Spanish thank you – I give the middle finger to CBS and Para+ for BETRAYING our country and US soccer fans nationwide. Thank Goodness Fox has the World Cup is all I can say. I am so very upset. Of course if you would like to see Canada play Jamaica at 7 pm Thursday in the other Semi-final – well fine that game is on Univision and CBS Sports Network. But THE BIGGEST SOCCER GAME IN THE US – USA vs MEXICO – Dos a Cero – we need to pay to see that. Which means the American Outlaws can’t gather to watch the game in English at bars. (Para+ has no deal with bars), casual fans who might tune in – now that they heard about Messi and are wondering why this rivalry USA vs Mexico in soccer is considered one of the best/dirtiest/most intense rivalries in all of sports? No you can’t watch either. And kids who are off of school – perhaps wanting to see the US men play? Ha!! I am Fuming !!! Paramount Plus – Try it Free here or see it on Univision.
Anyway on to the game – I have to admit I have a bad feeling about this one. Even though Mexico is horrific right now – with what – maybe 3 starters playing in Europe – and a brand new coach, I just have this feeling the US responding with our Assistant to the Assistant to the Head Coach – is not a good look. Yes of course I am thrilled to see newcomer Balogun – and honestly we have darnnear our best starters from the World Cup available with a motivated Pulisic (looking to impress suiters like Milan or Juve now that he’s leaving Chelsea – thank god), and McKennie (looking to impress EPL teams after his flame out at Leeds –NOT United States of America any longer), and Musah looking for a job after his La Liga team got relegated.Anytime GK Matt Turner is between the Pipes – I am fine and that back line looks solid – as Miles Robinson looks to have recovered from his blown knee. Really excited to see Weah/Reyna/Pulisic behind Balogun to see if he can help us score more.
Shane’s Starters for Thur night vs Mexico 10 pm Para+, Univision
The latest FIFA Women’s rankings came out before the World Cup this summer and the US is of course #1 followed by Germany, Sweden and England. There are some cool commercials starting to hit the airwaves in what promises to be a ratings bonanza this summer – oh and 1 million tickets have already been sold for the World Cup down-under. The US Women’s World Cup roster should drop some time next week as the send off series starts July 9th. (Lots of stories below). On the men’s side this Cool video reminding how the US got to the Nations League Semi-Finals Thursday night. Looking to watch the game Thursday night and don’t have Paramount Plus – Try it Free here. Love this commercial from Champions League – this is definitely me.Oh and this one. Wonder what kind of difference Messi to Miami makes? Inter Miami is now the 5th most popular team on Instagram in the US – tickets for games Messi might play in have gone from $30 a ticket to over $450 on average. I am looking for games in Chicago or Cincy or Nashville if you have any 😊
Indy 11 Women Thur night 7 pm @ Grand Park Sports Complex
Indy Eleven is back for its second home match in a row when it hosts St. Charles FC. Indy still holds the top spot in the USL W League Valley Division with 16 points while St. Charles sits fifth in the division with two points. A pair of second half goals lifted Indy Eleven over Lexington SC, 2-0, last Friday night at home to rise to 5-0-1 atop the USL W League’s Valley Division. Second half sub Katie Soderstrom broke the scoreless tie with her third goal of the season to put the Eleven ahead in the 60th minute. Soderstrom had a pair of chances just three minutes earlier that were denied by the Lexington keeper but connected on a through ball from Addie Chester into the lower right side of the net. Indy’s leading scorer Maisie Whitsett did what she does best and doubled the Eleven’s lead with an 81st-minute header off a Soderstrom cross. It was Whitsett’s sixth goal of the season to give the Girls in Blue a 2-0 lead. The Boys in Blue got a A late equalizer from Jack Blake salvaged a tie for Indy Eleven at 1-1 at home. Indy moves to 4-5-4 on the season. Full SchedulePromotions
Happy Father’s Day to you fellow Coaches and Refs out there !!
Location: Shelbourne Fields – CCCSC – 3451 W. 126th St., Carmel (Ages: 18 – 35) $105 Sign Up
Grab your friends and make your own team or sign up and we’ll place you on a team, you don’t have to live in Carmel. Games will take place on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. Dates: June 18, 21, 25, 28 & July 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 Sign Up
GAMES ON TV
Wed, June 14
12 noon FS1 Netherlands vs Croatia
7:30 pm Para+ Washington Spirit vs NC Courage (Fox, Murphy) NWSL
8 pm Para+ Racing Louisville vs Houston Dash NSWL
8 pm Pata+ KC Current (Franch) vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL
10:30 pm Apple LA Galaxy vs Houston
3 am FS2 Replay Netherlands vs Croatia National league Semi
Thurs, June 15
2:30 pm FS1 Spain vs Italy Nations League Semi
7 pm CBSSN TUDN Panama vs Canada
7 pm Grand Park Indy 11 Women vs St. Charles
9 pm FS2 Spain vs Italy Replay
10 pm Para+, TUDN USMNT vs Mexico Nations League Semi’s
Fri, June 16
2:45 pm FS1 Malta vs England Euro Quals
2:45 pm FS 2 Poland vs Germany
Sat, June 17
9 am FS1 Lithuania vs Bulgaria Euro Quals
12 pm FS1 Norway vs Scottland Euro Quals
2:45 pm FS 2 Iceland vs Slovakia Euro Quals
4 pm CBS San Diego (Morgan, Girma, Korniack) vs Angel City (Ertz, Thompson)
7 pm Para+ NC Courage (Fox, Murphy) vs Orlando Pride (Marta) NWSL
7:30 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Birmingham City
8:30 pm Apple Nashville vs St Louis City
10:30 pm Apple San Jose vs Portland Timbers
Sun, June 18
9 am FS1 Nations League 3rd place
2:45 pm ?? Nations League Final ?
4 pm CBS Racing Louisville vs NY Gothem (Williams, Ohara, Mewis) NWSL
6 pm Para+ Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns NWSL
6 pm Para+, TUDN CONCACAF Nations League 3rd Place
9 pm Para+, TUDN CONCACAF Nations League Final ? Canada vs US/Mex
Sat, June 24
9:30 pm USMNT vs Jamaica (Soldier Field) Gold Cup
Wed, June 28
9:30 pm USMNT vs ?? St Louis Gold Cup
Sun, July 9
4 pm Fox? USWNT vs Wales Send-off
5/7 pm Fox Sports? USMNT Gold Cup Quarter Finals ? in Cincy
The Real Reason Man City won the Treble – I visited and had a talk with Pep while at the Champions League win over Bayern in the Semi-Finals in early April.
We know the likes of Christian Pulisic, Walker Zimmerman, Matt Turner and Weston McKennie are going to start but there are plenty of spots up for grabs as this young USMNT side look to continue to impress whoever is coming in as the new permanent head coach.Below is a look at the predicted USMNT lineup, with some analysis on who should start in a huge game against a new-look El Tri side.
How to watch USMNT vs Mexico, CONCACAF Nations League stream link
Kickoff time: 10pm ET Thursday Where: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas TV channels, streaming in English: Paramount Plus TV channels en Español: Univision
Matt Turner is going to start in goal, while the back four pretty much picks itself with Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson at full back and Walker Zimmerman at center back. Chris Richards could start over Miles Robinson and the battle for the second center back spot will be really intriguing to watch in the coming years.In central midfield, there is no Tyler Adams through injury so Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah will likely fill the two deeper roles. Luca de la Torre could start in this role too but will likely play his part off the bench.There are plenty of options in attack and it is all about getting the balance right. Timothy Weah playing at right wing is a must, while Christian Pulisic on the left is also guaranteed. Gio Reyna starting in the No. 10 role is also expected, as he and Brenden Aaronson do battle for that central creative role.Up top, Folarin Balogun is the man everyone wants to see as the Arsenal youngster will finally make his USMNT debut. Ricardo Pepi was in superb form in the second half of the season in the Dutch top-flight so he could have a big impact off the bench too.
USMNT, Mexico face crucial summer at Nations League, Gold Cup
Cesar Hernandez ESPNFC Jun 14, 2023, 01:25 PM ET
This summer is a pivotal one for the men’s national teams of the United States and Mexico. Beginning with their Concacaf Nations League semifinal Thursday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — and an ensuing final or third-place match on Sunday — both teams will then need to quickly switch gears before the start of another competition: the Gold Cup, which begins later this month.For the U.S. men’s national team, as defending champions of both titles, this summer is all about maintaining regional dominance despite going all of 2023 without a permanent coach. If you’re keeping track at home, the USMNT is on its second interim coach, B.J. Callaghan, after Anthony Hudson accepted a club job in Qatar earlier this month. Hudson, who took over after Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired in December, had been expected to lead the USMNT at both these summer competitions.Adding a further wrinkle to the summer schedule is the USMNT’s gameplan to split their their roster into two squads. One filled with European-based stars such as Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie will make the trip to Las Vegas, while a Major League Soccer-heavy roster will lead the way at the Gold Cup.
As for Mexico, they’ll head into these games feeling arguably more pressure as the former longtime giants of North America. Seeking to wrestle back respect and status in the region, new manager Diego Cocca has selected his best group of players for both the Nations League and Gold Cup. Hired in February, the Argentine has taken small steps forward since the World Cup disappointment with a five-game unbeaten streak. Hoping to make a statement in his first year, Cocca will be judged on whether he can at least claim one piece of silverware back from their U.S. rivals this summer.
It’s safe to say that preparations for the 2026 World Cup have officially started, so here’s where the United States and Mexico stand right now.
What have both teams been up to since the 2022 World Cup?
After a World Cup round-of-16 exit that neither surpassed nor fell below expectations, the USMNT have since had a rocky behind-the-scenes journey.In early January, U.S. Soccer announced that Hudson would take over as interim after revealing an investigation into a domestic violence incident in 1992 regarding the out-of-contract Berhalter and his wife Rosalind. The incident was disclosed by the mother of USMNT forward Giovanni Reyna after Berhalter’s comments at a leadership conference about an unnamed player, who was later confirmed as Gio.By late January, sporting director Earnie Stewart and general manager Brian McBride left the U.S. Soccer Federation, later leading to the hiring of Matt Crocker as sporting director in April (with an official start date in August). Then, late last month, Hudson stepped away and was replaced by Callaghan — a less than ideal situation as Crocker continues to interview candidates for the permanent coaching spot.It’s worth noting that while the interview process and coaching search is ongoing, Berhalter remains in the running to be rehired after that investigation found he didn’t break any laws or U.S. Soccer policies, and that he and his wife corroborated the events that happened.Results-wise for the USMNT, things have been a bit more calm on the pitch. Despite the staffing changes behind them, the U.S. breezed in their March matches with wins over Grenada (7-1) and El Salvador (1-0), as well as April’s 1-1 draw with Mexico in an oddly timed friendly that stretched their unbeaten streak against El Tri to five games.
Clint Dempsey ‘not happy’ with state of USMNT
Clint Dempsey joins “Futbol Americas” to discuss the state of the U.S. men’s national team ahead of the Nations League and Gold Cup this summer.Mexico have also had plenty of staffing changes. After a dreary early exit in the group stage of the World Cup and the departure of former manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino, Rodrigo Ares de Parga was selected in January as the Mexican Football Federation’s (FMF) new executive director of national teams. Cocca was chosen as men’s national team manager in February and by May, Jaime Ordiales left his role as sporting director for the men’s national teams.Although Cocca has built a good on-the-field foundation with his undefeated streak and a place in the Nations League knockout rounds, that hasn’t eased any worries about narrow results, with El Tri picking up three draws — against the U.S., Jamaica and Cameroon — from his five games in charge.
Players to watch: USMNT’s Balogun, Mexico’s Gimenez
Lots of eyes and attention this week will be on the expected USMNT debut of Folarin Balogun, 21, the Reims forward who committed to the United States over England last month. On loan from Arsenal, Balogun finished the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season as the joint-fourth top scorer with 21 goals (only behind Kylian Mbappe, Alexandre Lacazette and Jonathan David) and could easily be one of top players of the Nations League knockout round.”It’s a fantastic opportunity, not just for me, but for the team,” Balogun said last week about his likely debut. “Mexico and the U.S. have a big rivalry, so I’m looking forward to it. And, of course, there would be no better way to introduce myself than playing against a big opponent where it matters.”Balogun’s numbers have been impressive this season, as he became the first USMNT player to score at least 20 goals in a season for one of Europe’s top five leagues.
Alongside him, a number of his new USMNT teammates would greatly benefit from a good Nations League run. Players such as captain Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United) Weston McKennie (Leeds on loan, from Juventus), Sergiño Dest (AC Milan on loan, from Barcelona) and a handful of other key figures could use a nice change of club scenery that’s propelled by solid summer showings.A strong showing in Las Vegas would especially help Pulisic, who finished with just one goal for Chelsea this season after missing time with a knee injury and amid talks of a potential permanent transfer away from Stamford Bridge.”It’s been a really tough season for me personally and for our team of course at a club level,” Pulisic said last week. “So for me it’s just about coming in here and having a fresh start and being able to be a part of a team that hopefully can come out and win some games.”Better performing players at the club level, like Ricardo Pepi (Augsburg on loan, from Groningen) and Auston Trusty (Birmingham City on loan, from Arsenal), could also gain a leap to a different club through notable Nations League games.
Leading the charge in their place is Santiago Gimenez, who won the Dutch Eredivisie title with Feyenoord. With 17 goals in all competitions since January, the 22-year-old is one of the latest breakout European stars and an enticing transfer option for a bigger club abroad. On the flanks near Gimenez in the Mexico front-line, it’ll be a four-way race between Chivas’ Alexis Vega, Atlas’ Jonathan Ozziel Herrera, AEK Athens’ Orbelin Pineda and Cruz Azul’s Uriel Antuna for starting spots.Elsewhere in the Mexico roster, a handful of players such as Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Luis Chavez (Pachuca), Johan Vasquez (Cremonese on loan, from Genoa) and Cesar Montes (Espanyol) could help give fuel to transfer rumors through impressive performances in upcoming matches.Let’s not forget Barcelona right-back Julian Araujo, either. He made his senior debut with the team during a friendly last week in Tokyo against Vissel Kobe. Boosted by his appearance for the LaLiga giants, the California youngster who once represented the USMNT could quickly turn into a game-changing figure for El Tri.
The best-case scenarios: Trophies and momentum toward ’26
If the USMNT can retain both the Nations League and Gold Cup titles with two wildly different rosters, it would be a testament to the depth of the player pool and the continued growth of American men’s soccer. Aiming to peak at the 2026 World Cup, more transfers abroad could follow in the near future for the USMNT setup that is gaining more respect in recent years.
Even without a full-time manager in place, it’s worth noting that during a news conference on Tuesday, Aaronson stated that the things have remained the same with someone like Callaghan that has been an assistant for the USMNT for four years.”He knows how we want to play, he knows the players that we have,” Aaronson said. “Not much has changed.”A win or draw against Mexico has often been regarded as a big accomplishment for the USMNT, but a win Thursday would make it six matches without a loss to El Tri — a potentially remarkable stat.For Mexico’s best-case scenario, stealing both titles would highlight that they can once again turn the North American tides in their favor. With Cocca guiding a gradual transition into a younger squad, Mexico could shed its image as an aging and uninspiring roster that is far past its prime.Within an inflated domestic transfer market that often makes it difficult for Liga MX players to move abroad, there’s also a chance that Cocca can provide a platform for more young options in the national setup, thereby making them more visible for potential transfers to European clubs.
The worst-case scenarios: Coaching chaos, or a Canada takeover?
In a situation where the USMNT fail to hold onto both the Nations League and Gold Cup title, it would be easy to assume that the behind-the-scenes disarray has permeated onto the field. With the interim of the interim taking charge and no full-time manager just yet, it’s not tough to imagine a scenario in which the team’s individual talents won’t be enough to compensate for the lack of a consistent leader on the sideline.
There’s a lot of excitement regarding the potential of the up-and-coming USMNT squad, but problems this summer could also signal the possibility of wasting that talent or not giving the right groundwork for those American players to properly thrive.
If El Tri don’t win either trophy, the main narrative within the Mexican soccer world will be about the continued regression that the sport is taking on the men’s side. No matter the changes of manager or staffing at the FMF, a lack of trophies this season would mean that more serious improvements and changes would need to be made for the team that only has one regional trophy since 2016.
Pulisic: Berhalter should still be considered for USMNT job
Christian Pulisic shows his support to Gregg Berhalter as USMNT prepares their Concacaf Nations League semifinal clash vs. Mexico.
Also there is the question of whether Cocca would be fired if there’s no summer championship. Mexico’s soccer federation (FMF) is notorious for having little patience with their coaches, but Cocca can take solace in knowing that those in charge would give him the benefit of the doubt… for now.
“We’re starting a process,” Ivar Sisniega, executive president at FMF, said Monday about how bad results wouldn’t guarantee a firing for Cocca. “The objective isn’t right now, it’s the 2026 World Cup.”
Of course, there could be a situation in which neither Mexico or the U.S. succeed. Panama and Canada, set to face off in the other Nations League semifinal on June 15, will both be in the running for the title and will also be contenders for the Gold Cup. The Canadians are certainly a team who could make noise as they try to build on their World Cup appearance in Qatar (their first since 1986), and can make the case of having the best player in the region in Alphonso Davies — who plays as a defender for Bayern Munich but as a winger for his national team.
At the Gold Cup, countries like Costa Rica, Jamaica, Honduras and El Salvador won’t be pushovers. With regional dominance up for grabs, it all kicks off this week.
Analysis: Callaghan names USMNT roster ahead of Nations League semifinal
United States iterim manager B.J. Callaghan named a 24-player USMNT training camp roster ahead of the Nations League semifinal. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks it down and looks at the Gold Cup provisional roster which will be used to field a separate team.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTED
ONE DAY AFTER being named the interim manager of the United States men’s national team, B.J. Callaghan has named a 24-player roster for at training camp ahead of the final rounds of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League where the U.S. team will meet Mexico in the semifinal on June 15 in Las Vegas.It was difficult for Callaghan to assemble this roster given injuries to key players. U.S. Soccer indicated a number of players who were unavailable due to injury
Tyler Adams
Cameron Carter-Vickers
Daryl Dike
Ethan Horvath
Tim Ream
Josh Sargent
Zack Steffen
Malik Tillman
During the media call, Callaghan said that Kellyn Acosta was left off this roster due to “an abundance of caution” in him dealing with an injury that has limited his time at LAFC.With that, here is the roster and some thoughts.
THE ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (4): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Josh Cohen (Maccabi Haifa/ISR; 0/0), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 12/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 26/0)
DEFENDERS (7): Sergiño Dest (AC Milan/ITA; 24/2), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 8/0), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 34/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 21/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 4/0), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City/ENG; 1/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 39/3)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 6/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 14/0), Weston McKennie (Leeds United/ENG; 43/11), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 25/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 18/4), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez/MEX; 2/0),
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 30/7), Folarin Balogun (Stade Reims/FRA; 0/0), Taylor Booth (Utrecht/NED; 2/0), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen/NED; 14/6), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 58/23), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 29/4), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 3/1)
MIDFIELD QUESTIONS
The biggest question mark for this team is the problems in the midfield with Tyler Adams injured. It has been a long-standing issue on this team as to who plays the No. 6 position when Adams can’t go. Kellyn Acosta had the job for awhile in qualifying, but Acosta has only recently returned from injury with LAFC and he is not on this roster (Callaghan said that Acosta’s absence is due to him “dealing with a little bit of an injury”). Obviously, this is a massive platform for Johnny Cardoso in Brazil, but Cardoso has only had limited minutes with the USMNT and is yet to be a standout performer. He’s a prospect but now it looks like he will have a real opportunity to prove himself as a player who can handle important responsibilities.
But the rest of the midfield has a lot of questions that should be a concern to the team.
Weston McKennie: tough season with Leeds United, who were relegated.
Yunus Musah: tough season with Valencia where he is no longer starting and has 0 goals with two assists.
Gio Reyna: productive season but he only played 612 minutes for Dortmund in 2022/23
Luca de la Torre: has been part of Celta Vigo’s possible collapse which could end in relegation this weekend. Like Musah, he has 0 goals and two assists on the season.
Alan Sonora: he only had eight appearances and three starts for a Club Juarez team that was poor in Liga MX.
Johnny Cardoso: Has played well recently for Internacional in Brazil but has yet to standout for the USMNT.
That is going to be a big area of concern for the team and will the midfield be lacking in confidence ahead of the Mexico game?
PLAYERS COMING OFF TOUGH SEASONS
It’s not just the midfield either. Another dominant theme of this roster is the significant number of players who are coming into this camp on the heels of difficult seasons. Callaghan will have to hope that players are able to distance themselves from the year that they had.”I look at it as an opportunity for these guys,” Callaghan said. “A lot of them have come through some stressful seasons. What I can tell you, when these guys get together, they really enjoy their time together. So this is almost an opportunity to give them a release, a place where it’s safe for them to be themselves. They can get away from that pressure. They can enjoy themselves. They’re back in the United States enjoying all the things that you know, that they’re used to. And so for me, this is just an opportunity for them to put that aside, really focus on something that they’re really passionate about, which is the men’s national team. Another thing they’re really passion about is competing and winning another trophy.”
Just some of the areas of concern: Sergino Dest has been out of AC Milan’s plans since January and hasn’t even been making the bench. Chris Richards had just 442 minutes with Crystal Palace this past season and hasn’t played regularly since 2021. Matt Turner didn’t play a minute in the Premier League in 2022/23. Joe Scally has lost his starting spot at Monchengladbach in recent weeks. Walker Zimmerman has been dealing with injuries the past six weeks and Miles Robinson has shown progress in his return from an Achilles injury but is still not quite there.
In forward, Christian Pulisic and Chelsea had a well-documented tumultuous season. Tim Weah has played mostly fullback for Lille because it was his best way to even play. Alex Zendejas has dealt with injuries at Club America. Brenden Aaronson was also part of the Leeds team that was relegated.
In terms of players arriving in very good form, the list is short. Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, Taylor Booth, and Ricardo Pepi have done well. A few have been mixed. But Calllaghan will now have to deal with a team where most of the players have had a rough time.
BALOGUN MAKING HIS DEBUT
As expected, Folarin Balogun will be making his debut for the U.S. team after scoring 20 goals for Stade de Reims in Ligue 1 and filing for his change of association from England.”In terms of Flo,” Callaghan said of Balogun. “He was one of the guys, one of the first guys I called when I got the news. We had a great conversation. I can tell you that his commitment to the U.S. is unwavering. He’s excited to come in with the group. He’s someone that I spoke to about embracing the brotherhood that we have. It’s a welcoming environment The guys are going to welcome and they’re all excited and he’s excited. But at the same time, I challenged him and I said, listen, you have to put yourself out there and you have to integrate with the group.”
All eyes will be on him, but Callaghan is taking two forwards with Balogun and Ricardo Pepi, who is also coming off a nice season in the Eredivisie with a bad Groningen team. If Balogun can boost the team’s offense, it could be a spark of energy that helps boost many of the players who arrive not playing well.
“Ricardo Pepi is a guy who’s coming off of a great season, scored big goals for us already,” Callaghan added of the competition between Balogun and Pepi at striker. “And it’s going to be fun to watch these guys compete – as professional athletes and guys that want to make an impression on the U.S. men’s national team. That’s what you want. You want competition. I expect this to be a great camp for both of them.”
USA vs. Mexico, 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals: Scouting Mexico
The USMNT is looking to retain the title. By Brendan Joseph Jun 13, 2023, 7:00am PDT
The United States Men’s National Team opens a busy summer with the first of two tournaments, starting the busy slate in the semifinal round of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals. The program is looking to defend the inaugural title, although the approach is being made from a far different position than the previous edition, currently under an interim manager. For the second time this year, the opponent is Mexico, adding another chapter to the rivalry lore. The match is set for Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, a 61,000-seat venue that opened in July of 2020.This is the 76th all-time meeting between the two nations, with the visitors holding a 36-22-17 advantage and the recent Allstate Continental Clásico ending in a 1-1 draw. Ranked 15thinternationally by FIFA, Mexico qualified for the Nations League Finals by finishing atop League A Group A in unconvincing fashion with a 2-0-2 record. El Tri tied Jamaica twice (1-1 and 2-2) and racked up two wins against Suriname (3-0 and 2-0). Recent friendly results include a 2-0 victory over Guatemala and a 2-2 draw with Cameroon.Mexico is led by Diego Cocca, who was appointed to the manager role last February, his first job at the international level. The 51-year-old retired defender has extensive experience leading Godoy Cruz, Santos Laguna, Tijuana, Atlas, and Tigres UANL, among other club oufits. He has won three league titles and is known for his pragmatic “defense-first” style. Cocca named a 23-player roster for the Nations League Finals featuring some but not all of the program’s big names. The domestic Liga MX is home to 14 of the call-ups, with the usual representation from Santos Laguna, América, Monterrey, Cruz Azul, UANL, Pachuca, and Atlas. Centre-back Néstor Araujo and Wolverhampton striker Raúl Jiménez are in camp but were left out of the final group.
***
GOALKEEPERS (3): Carlos Acevedo (Laguna), Luis Malagón (América), Guillermo Ochoa (Salernitana)
DEFENDERS (8): Julián Araujo (Barcelona B), César Montes (Espanyol), Johan Vásquez (Cremonese), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk), Israel Reyes (América), Jorge Sánchez (Ajax), Víctor Guzmán (Monterrey), Jesús Gallardo (Monterrey)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Edson Álvarez (Ajax), Luis Romo (Monterrey), Carlos Rodríguez (Cruz Azul), Sebastián Córdova (UANL), Orbelín Pineda (AEK Athens), Luis Chávez (Pachuca)
Cocca has a preference for formations with a three-player back line, the deployment of which would require a holistic shift from Mexico’s traditional 4-3-3 set-up. He inculcates an orderly, defense-first style with “a highly-coordinated midfield core and pacey wing-backs” that look to harry the opposition and push into an aggressive attack. “Pragmatic” is the operative word, the understated limitation of opportunities and maintaining a solid structure that can lead to great success at the international level.
Almost two decades since his senior debut, Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa continues to backstop for El Tri and recently spent half of a season helping Salernitana avoid relegation from Serie A. The 37-year-old maintains the necessary athleticism to pull off the acrobatic wonder-saves that can tilt the balance of matches. He has displayed renewed vigor as a shot-stopper with complete controls the goalmouth, rendering most long-range opportunities moot.Johan Vásquez thrives when shutting down dribblers on the outside, launching himself into tackles and scything away the ball. The 24-year-old can be a danger on set pieces and leaps above the crowd to win headers. In the central role is César Montes, who recently made the jump to Europe and joined Espanyol in the winter, making 18 total appearances in the second half of the season. He is a tough, technical presence and can be an occasional scoring option. The trio should be completed by Israel Reyes of América, a versatile dramatist who makes himself a focal point of the action. His combination of hard-nosed defending and productive forays into the attack designate him as one of the more intriguing all-around talents on the field.At left wingback is Jesús Gallardo, the modern option looking to push into the final third and overlap with the winger. He attempts to beat opponents off the dribble and will also occupy an advanced position up the field if the manager is attempting to press. On the other side of the formation is Jorge Sánchez of Ajax, a more defensive option with well-timed tackles, interceptions, and blocks. The 25-year-old is a fairly-accurate passer and can launch incisive crosses when match proceedings slow to a more adagio tempo.As expected, Mexico has seemingly endless options in the engine room. One of the best talents in the region, Edson Álvarez serves a key role, dropping deep to serve as an additional centre-back. The soon-to-be-former Ajax midfielder is impressive in the build-up phase, provides defensive cover, and wins an almost-impossible number of headers per 90 minutes. With a 3-4-3 formation, the choice could be made to deploy another protective player, which calls for Luis Romo of Monterrey. The 28-year-old is similarly strong in the air and looks to make late runs to the top of the opponent’s box, setting up for a long-distance shot.Having made his senior international debut this year, Atlas’ Ozziel Herrera is quickly emerging as a favorite of the new manager with three caps. The 22-year-old drives the ball into the final third with his loping stride and is always looking to put the ball on frame. On the other side of the formation is fleet-of-foot Uriel Antuna, currently on the books at Cruz Azul. He ended the Liga MX Clausura on a roll with three goals in as many fixtures, using his intelligent movement and exploitative nature to get behind opposing back lines.
Leading the formation is Henry Martín, who recently wrapped the best season of his career with 27 goals and 11 assists in 42 matches for Club América, doing his best work on frenetic counter-attacks. Whether the 30-year-old can finally convert his scoring touch to the international stage remains the eternal question that has beguiled El Tri. Standing at 5’10”, he is something of a dying breed as a fox-in-the-box striker, reliant on intuitive movement and an incomprehensible attraction to the ball that could be less charitably described as “luck.” His long-distance shooting is also accurate enough to prevent defenders from backing off and stacking the area.
This is the second match between the rivals in the past three months, which could be complemented by a third at the Gold Cup. While the USMNT appears to be on the upswing with a talented young core, Mexico always manages to show up in these fixtures and provide a challenge. Relying on some of the program’s remaining veterans, Cocca could put together a safe gameplan that is able to disrupt the match flow and turn proceedings into a cagey counter-attacking affair.
The match is scheduled for Thursday, June 15th at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Pacific. Viewing options include Paramount+, TUDN USA, Univision, and FUBO TV (free trial).
USMNT announces 23-man roster for 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup- GK Matt Turner leads returnees
By The Athletic Staff 48m ago
The U.S. men’s national team revealed its 23-man roster for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Monday. Here’s what you need to know:
Sixteen of the 23 players are based in Major League Soccer. FC Cincinnati and Seattle Sounders lead the list of 12 MLS teams represented on the roster with two selections each.
The roster features seven players from the 2022 FIFA World Cup team: Jesús Ferreira, Aaron Long, Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, DeAndre Yedlin, Johnson and Turner.
The USMNT opens group play against Jamaica on June 24 in Chicago.
What they’re saying
“This is a group that we have a lot of confidence in as we look to win another Gold Cup trophy,” USMNT interim manager B.J. Callaghan said in a release. “It’s a roster that has a good mix of veteran players that have World Cup experience and younger players have earned an opportunity to come into camp and represent the United States in the Gold Cup.“Many of these players have performed well at their clubs as well as the previous opportunities that they have had in the national team environment. We’re trying to expose as many players as possible to tournament competition. Some have a lot of experiences that we continue to build on, while others are just starting out. In all cases it will be valuable for the group moving forward.”
Backstory
The USMNT will be in search of a second straight and record-tying eighth confederation championship this summer. Turner and Robinson earned Best XI honors during the team’s 2021 title campaign and are two of six returnees from that championship squad. The 28-year-old Turner also won the Golden Glove as best goalkeeper at the 2021 Gold Cup, recording five clean sheets and allowing just one goal in six matches.The U.S. is part of Group A this year along with Jamaica, Nicaragua and a team that will be determined through the 2023 Gold Cup Prelims. Either Curaçao, French Guiana, Sint Maarten or Saint Kitts and Nevis will be the fourth team based on the Prelims draw. USMNT stars like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and newly-committed Folarin Balogun are part of this year’s Nations League Finals roster. Team USA faces rival Mexico in that tournament’s semifinals on June 15 in Las Vegas.
Complete 2023 USMNT Gold Cup roster (club/country; caps/goals)
Goalkeepers (3): Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 12/0), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea/ENG; 1/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 26/0)
Defenders (8): DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; 2/0), Aaron Long (LAFC; 32/3), Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati; 23/1), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; 2/0), Bryan Reynolds (Roma/ITA; 3/0), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 21/3), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; 1/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami; 78/0)
Midfielders (6): Gianluca Busio (Venezia/ITA; 9/0), Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar/NED; 6/1), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; 2/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 32/3), James Sands (New York City FC; 8/0), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez/MEX; 2/0)
Forwards (6): Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; 3/0), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 18/8), Julian Gressel (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 2/0), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; 52/11), Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati; 3/1), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 3/1)
Folarin Balogun breaks down ‘long process’ to commit to USMNT: ‘I just went with my heart’
Folarin Balogun made his first public comments to reporters since filing a one-time switch to represent the U.S. men’s national team on the international level, saying Thursday the move wasn’t based on any external “noise” and he just “went with (his) heart.”The 21-year-old Balogun, who was eligible to represent England and Nigeria as well, committed to the U.S. in May.
“It was a long process, to be honest,” said Balogun, who scored 21 goals this season on loan at Reims in France’s Ligue 1. “I was out in Orlando just doing some training and then the (U.S.) squad was also in Orlando as well at camp, and the manager reached out to me, he said that it’d be good for me to come in and have some food and sit down and talk with him. I was with my agent as well, so the timing was good. We spoke about a lot of things and he just explained the vision for U.S. Soccer. In the end, we had a discussion, I went back home, I still had some time to obviously think and take in what he was saying and then I came to my conclusion.”The wait around Balogun’s decision included plenty of off-field recruitment. U.S. fans certainly caught the attention of Balogun and his agent when the fans deduced via Instagram that he was in Orlando at the same time as the U.S. team, and they inundated his social media with U.S. flag emojis. England manager Gareth Southgate, meanwhile, answered questions about why Balogun had not been called up to the senior team. Southgate said the Three Lions would not give players opportunities just because they could play for other countries and said that if Balogun continued to produce at the professional level he would get a chance with England.Balogun, however, said none of it factored into his decision.“In terms of my decision to come here, it was just really, it was an internal decision between myself, my family and my agent,” Balogun said. “It wasn’t anything to do with the comments of Gareth Southgate or anything to do with noise that I heard from outside. It was something I wanted to do, something my family supported and at the end of the day, I just went with my heart and went with what I thought was best.”
Balogun is expected to make his U.S. debut next Thursday in a CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against rival Mexico. He joined the team for his first camp a few days ago in Los Angeles, where preparations for the semifinal were underway. The U.S. won the inaugural Nations League in 2021.Balogun said he doesn’t feel much pressure to live up to the hype in his first games.“The impression of the group has been really, really good,” Balogun said. “I came in a bit late because my season finished a bit later, but as soon as I got here, I said ‘hi’ to the boys, they were really friendly, made me feel welcome. I’ve been out for dinner with a few of them. I’m just settling in, getting to know everyone. There’s been a lot of noise surrounding me coming but I feel like this is just the nature of the sport. I’m obviously used to competing and I’m used to the pressure of playing at Arsenal and having that expectation of yourself. The pressure I have for myself is internal, so what I hear on the outside is never going to be more than what I expect for myself.”Balogun said watching the U.S. at the World Cup he saw “a young, hungry team — a team with a lot of ambition,” and that while it didn’t make an impact on his decision, “I really, really believe in the way U.S. Soccer is heading.”“They are now a side, from watching them at the World Cup, that want to compete,” he said. “They feel like they should be winning these (big) games and I saw that. And now being in camp and seeing the tactics the way that I’m seeing and the way (interim manager B.J. Callaghan) is talking to us, he’s definitely encouraging us to be a dominant team and to go out there and win games.”The U.S. will be led this summer by Callaghan, an assistant under former coach Gregg Berhalter who stepped into the top role less than two weeks ago. Callaghan replaced another former Berhalter assistant, Anthony Hudson, who had held the interim job since the start of the year. Hudson left U.S. Soccer to take a job managing Qatari club Al-Markhiya SC.
With Callaghan in charge, it’s not certain yet whether Balogun will step directly into the starting lineup in his first games with the U.S., or whether he’ll come off the bench. U.S. forward Ricardo Pepi is also in camp and is coming off of a season in which he scored 12 goals on loan with Groningen in the Dutch Eredivisie. Pepi has been linked with a move to top Dutch side PSV in recent days.Balogun said he will be ready no matter the role.“It’s still very early, I’m still getting to know my teammates on the pitch and off the pitch,” Balogun said. “And of course, this is not something that will come overnight. So there’s an element of patience that we all need to have in order to get the right relationships, but we’re definitely working towards that. … I’m coming in with a mindset that I need to earn my place. I’m not assuming I’m going to come in and start. That’s not really the mentality I have in life.“So I’m looking to just impress the manager and if he feels that it’s right for me to play, then that’s great. And if not, if he wants me to come on and try to make an impact, then that’s what I’ll do.”(Photo: John Dorton / USSF / Getty Images for USSF)
USWNT remain top of FIFA rankings before Women’s World Cup
The United States will head into the Women’s World Cup as the top-ranked team in FIFA’s rankings.The latest rankings from the world governing body sees the USWNT – the defending world champions – maintain the top spot they have held since June 2017.European champions England are fourth with Germany and Sweden above them. France round out an unchanged top five.Spain are up to sixth while Brazil are now eighth, both jumping one spot ahead of Canada and the Netherlands respectively.Australia, who will host the tournament alongside New Zealand, complete the top 10.This summer’s tournament kicks off on July 20 and will run to August 20.Tournament debutants Zambia will be the lowest-ranked team represented, coming in at 77th in the world.
The nations in the top 10 of FIFA’s women’s world rankings will all be playing in the World Cup, as well as 22 others.
Four of those teams head into the tournament outside the top 50, with 77th-placed Zambia the lowest-ranked nation competing.
Panama (52), Haiti (53), South Africa (54) and Morocco (73) are the other teams facing a tough task to get out of their groups.
Here is how the groups were drawn:
Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
Group B: Australia, Canada, Nigeria, Republic of Ireland
Group C: Costa Rica, Japan, Spain, Zambia
Group D: China, Denmark, England, Haiti
Group E: Netherlands, Portugal, United States, Vietnam
Group F: Brazil, France, Jamaica, Panama
Group G: Argentina, Italy, South Africa, Sweden
Group H: Colombia, Germany, Morocco, South Korea
When are the games taking place?
The two opening games — New Zealand vs Norway and Australia vs Republic of Ireland – kick the tournament off on July 20. The following fortnight will decide the group stage, with each day across the two weeks involving either two, three or four games. That varies depending on where you are watching the games from. Once the group stage has concluded on August 3, there will be one day without any games before the knockout stage begins with the last-16 ties. Two will be played on each day between August 5 and 8. Then, there are two more rest days before the four quarter-finals.
They will follow a similar pattern with a pair on each day on August 11 and 12.
The two semi-finals will be played on August 15 and 16.
The third place play-off is on August 19, with the final a day later on August 20.
Group stage: July 20 – August 3
Last 16: August 5 – August 8
Quarter-final: August 11 & August 12
Semi-final: August 15 & 16
Third-place play-off: Saturday, August 19
Final: Sunday, August 20
How can I watch it?
Good question. Currently, there are no broadcasters in the UK, France, Germany, Italy or Spain allowed to broadcast the Women’s World Cup due to disputes with FIFA regarding the cost of the rights.
The Women’s World Cup will be broadcast in the US in the same format as the men’s tournament at the end of last year.Back in 2015, FOX and Telemundo signed a deal with FIFA to show all of the men’s and women’s World Cup matches between 2018 and 2026. This will be the fourth World Cup they have shown in that time — men’s in 2018 and 2022, women’s in 2019 and 2023 — with the last World Cup of their broadcast cycle being the marquee tournament: the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Who will make the USWNT roster for the 2023 Women’s World Cup?
Nicholas Mendola Mon, Jun 12, 2023, 3:09 PM EDT·3 min read
The United States women’s national team can make it an unprecedented three Women’s World Cups on the spin, giving it more consecutive titles than any other nation’s claimed cumulatively since the tournament began in 1991.That would be some honor for a hallowed program that went 16 years between titles before winning in 2015 and 2019.The quest to play in the Sydney-based final is coming up fast. Who will be the players selected by Vlatko Andonovski in a bid to make it a “three-peat” this summer?
That could change over the next few weeks due to possible injuries, as Catarina Macario’s ruled herself out, Megan Rapinoe went off injured for OL Reign this weekend, and Mallory Swanson’s already been ruled out following an April patella tendon tear. All three would’ve been considered locks for most of the cycle.Only 35 players have been called into USWNT camp over the last 12 months, and that includes Rapinoe and Swanson.
Analysis: Kingsbury’s the long shot here as the only one of the bunch with under 10 caps (and she has one).
Defenders
Sofia Huerta Becky Sauerbrunn Kelley O’Hara Tierna Davidson Emily Sonnett Alana Cook Crystal Dunn Casey Krueger Emily Fox Naomi Girma Hallie Mace Carson Pickett
Analysis: Fox, Krueger, or Davidson could be the odd person out here, and some have suggested that O’Hara’s place isn’t solid either due to injury. We’ll say she gets the nod in a bid to be a part of all three rosters. That’s often how this has worked in recent years, even if it wasn’t under Andonovski’s rule.
With just over a week until its World Cup roster is revealed, the U.S. women’s national team has a new injury worry.Veteran winger Megan Rapinoe had to depart OL Reign’s 2-1 win over the Kansas City Current on Saturday with an apparent calf issue.Rapinoe was in the starting 11 for the Reign, but within the first 45 seconds she could be seen touching her lower leg and trying to loosen up an issue that she suffered off the ball.After a chat with the training staff and an attempt to jog it off as play continued, the Reign opted to make a change, with Veronica Latsko entering the game in the seventh minute.“She’s OK, I think. I truly don’t know the severity of it,” OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey told the media after the game. “I’m glad she could get out quickly and not have to push through it.”
USWNT roster reveal looms
With just over a month until the World Cup kicks off, even a fairly short-term issue at this point could keep a player from being fully fit for the tournament.TheWashington Post has reported that USWNT players will be informed if they’ve made the roster in less than a week, with an official announcement to follow shortly after.
Rapinoe battled an injury earlier in 2023, missing the USWNT’s January camp. While it is possible that she simply experienced some calf tightness, a full-on strain would make it very difficult for the star of the 2019 World Cup to be available for this summer’s edition.
Losing out on Rapinoe would add to a long list of USWNT attackers who are on course to miss the tournament. Catarina Macario has ruled herself out after a torn ACL suffered in May 2022, while Christen Press — while not giving up on her chances of being available for selection — has not yet returned to play after a similar injury. Starting left forward Mallory Swanson suffered a torn patellar tendon in a USWNT friendly earlier this year, and in all likelihood is months away from taking the field again.
Rapinoe’s teammate for club and country, Rose Lavelle, has not played since April due to a knee injury, though she appears close to a return.
In The Journey to the Cup, The Athletic tells the stories of players and teams as they work towards a place in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Follow along as we track their progress as they prepare both mentally and physically for a chance to shine on the game’s biggest stage.
In a call with The Athletic to promote her partnership with Abbott addressing child malnutrition, she didn’t even say the words “World Cup.” Instead, as she discussed how NWSL games can run quite long now due to VAR decisions, she said that playing the extra time is “definitely good practice for players getting ready for big tournaments.”Yes, unnamed players getting ready for random big tournaments. Could be anyone, really.Ertz isn’t oblivious, of course. She knows and we know and she knows that we know that she’s angling for a Women’s World Cup roster spot this summer.“It would be a joy to be on that roster,” she said.But the timeline for Ertz to get her legs back under her is short even for an experienced U.S. women’s national team player who knows exactly what to do and what will be expected of her — all while she continues to take on projects dear to her like feeding children and her 9-month-old son starting walking. There are fewer than 50 days to go until the World Cup kicks off, and even less time until USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski names his roster in mid-to-late June.
“Fifty days is a short amount of time when you wait for four years. It’s also a lot of time for a lot: to be focused, to be the most prepared, to try and peak at the most perfect time,” Ertz said. “I think my whole process, especially coming back from pregnancy, is (to) be fast but don’t hurry.”
As a veteran player, the two-time World Cup winner knows better than most that she’ll have to fight for a spot on a roster that had been somewhat ticking along without her for nearly two years before she got a run out in the team’s April friendlies against the Republic of Ireland. That’s not to say they didn’t miss her. At times, the United States midfield has needed some bite of the particular kind that Ertz is so good at providing. And she hasn’t looked completely out of step since then, gradually getting more minutes with Angel City, where she signed a one-year contract in April.As with many players returning, Ertz said that while her fitness and technical touches are coming along, the final elements to click into place will be speed of play and decision making. It helps that she has her return games out of the way for both club and country.“The first (game is) always the hardest,” she said. “You always have so much emotion, excitement, all this anticipation, noise, all that.”Club performance, in particular, is key. In a March media call, Andonovski said, “She needed to join a professional team to get consistent games to give us a chance to furthermore evaluate her before the World Cup.” With only a few months back in NWSL, Ertz said she felt the jump in play from her Angel City debut against the San Diego Wave to her performance against Portland Thorns, and she felt a jump again from Portland to her next game against the Washington Spirit.An early sign of Ertz’s comeback was a classic near-post header against the Thorns, a well-timed run on a free kick to dink in the ball in the 79th minute in a move familiar to longtime fans. Another sign is that when Ertz is available she has played solid minutes, going from 72 minutes against the Wave in late April to 100 minutes against the Spirit in May.So far, Ertz has been a net positive on the field for Angel City. When she’s clicking, she can add to the team’s press. She was able to jump right in for her first ACFC game against San Diego in April and helped maintain pressure in the Wave’s half with four recoveries high up the field that ended the San Diego’s possession and started Angel City on the ball again, although they ultimately lost 2-0.As Ertz noted, there was marked improvement against Portland, a game that definitely showed that her positioning is still there. According to Wyscout, she had 14 recoveries, 10 of them in Portland’s half, and frequently won the first ball off of Portland’s goal kicks, which contributed to her 10 interceptions. She had 10 interceptions against the Spirit as well. But Ertz’s most recent game against the Chicago Red Stars saw a dip, with only two interceptions in the 58 minutes she played.
Julie Ertz 2023 output for Angel City FC
OPPONENT
MINUTES
GOALS
SHOTS
vs. San Diego
72
0
0
vs. Portland
84
1
1
vs. Washington
90
0
0
vs. Chicago
58
0
3
*not including stoppage time
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It’s a small sample size to draw from, but from the way Andonovski has spoken about Ertz, there’s a sense that he prefers to look at her best performances rather than her worst and bet accordingly.
“We know the quality of the player that (Ertz is) and that if she comes anywhere near her best that she will certainly help us win a World Cup,” Andonovski said in March.
Later, responding to a question about choosing between healthy players who have been available for selection for the last year and a half versus someone coming back from injury or prolonged absence, Andonovski said, “Everything will be taken into consideration. What is someone’s best, and what is someone’s 80% or 90%? If somebody’s 80 or 90% is still better than somebody else’s best, then too bad…. We are very well aware that we’re not going to be able to take players that are not able to play 90-minute games, or we’re not going to be able to do that with multiple players. We may take an exception or a player that we know that in the first couple of weeks of the World Cup, we’ll be able to get them to 90 minutes.”
Right now, Ertz is focused on where she is, establishing relationships with the players around her, specifically her fellow midfielders Dani Weatherholt and Savannah McCaskill, and center backs Paige Nielsen and Sarah Gorden. Gordon, in particular, is a familiar comfort for Ertz, who spent years with her at the Chicago Red Stars and said her work rate this season has been “phenomenal.”
“I think (Gordon and Nielsen) bring confidence to the team which brings confidence to the next line,” Ertz said. “I can think of a lot of breakaways that they’ve had great footwork and been able to break up a lot of really good play collectively.”
On the other side of the equation, Ertz’s work at holding mid allows Angel City to push McCaskill higher, where she’s much more useful in tugging strings for players like Claire Emslie, Alyssa Thompson and Jun Endo, as opposed to having to dig the ball out of the midfield herself. You can see this in Angel City’s distribution out of the back where Ertz is often a target for goalkeeper DiDi Haračić to set up the rest of the team’s push, with Ertz receiving in the central area and looking upfield to play into space.
Ertz is aware that the team (currently in 11th place) is not quite delivering on what is, on paper, an ability to punch quite hard at opposing team goals, and she thinks everyone can tighten up play across the board, herself included.
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“If you’re getting scored on it means you’ve got to score more,” she said, matter-of-factly. “You see some good builds at times, you see some great set pieces as well. So I think it’s really just putting a full — I feel like it’s never just 90 (minutes), it’s 98 minutes, whatever — you gotta put a full-on 100 minutes into games.”Ertz can do the 100-minute games now, although it might take some more time to build her fitness into doing that for three or four games in a row. But it looks like the building blocks are there. “You want to continuously grow and peak at the right time,” she said.The implication of peaking at the right time is that there’s a “big tournament” that could use her at her peak. But again, Ertz didn’t speak in any absolutes and said peaking during the World Cup window was crucial for Angel City, too.“You got to get points, especially at this next third (of the season),” she said. “Points are really important for us and our team knows that.”Ertz seems well grounded in her day-to-day. Case in point, she had an excused absence from Angel City in May to open up her House of Hope children’s community center in Philadelphia, and she’s doing media to promote her partnership with healthcare company Abbott and the Real Madrid Foundation to talk about global child malnutrition.Ertz said she and her husband Zach talked about the projects and felt moved to help children in need well before they had their own child, Madden, in August 2022.“We’ve been able to travel the world and live in different states and really learn about what’s truly going on, and sometimes you’re so focused on one thing — especially in our sport — that it’s important to look at the bigger picture,” she said. “People need people at the end of the day, and I think sometimes (we) forget what is going on in the world and how to help.”There’s been no effort to push Madden towards soccer or football, Ertz said. With two championship-winning athlete parents, what she really wants is to support whatever he loves to do, even at nine months old.“(He’s) trying to walk so I’m trying to support him in good body mechanics,” Ertz said with a smile. “He’s definitely a determined, independent little guy.”If having to keep one eye on a very mobile baby at all times isn’t enough grounding, Ertz also said she has her religious faith. With the laugh of someone extremely busy — media tour, baby on the verge of walking, game day to prep for, national team roster imminent — Ertz said her approach to asking for support from her faith is adaptable.“You never want to get too ahead of yourself. But you also don’t want to hold yourself back,” she said. “So I think it’s also important to dream and have a goal. But you don’t ever want to expect anything and think you just get something.”
“TheJourney to the Cup” series is part of a partnership with Google Chrome. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo: John Todd/USSF/Getty Images)
Steph Yang is a staff writer for The Athletic covering women’s soccer in the United States. Before joining The Athletic, she was a managing editor at All for XI and Stars & Stripes FC and a staff writer for The Bent Musket, as well as doing freelance work for other soccer sites. She has covered women’s soccer for over seven years and is based out of Boston, Mass.
Your explainer on every NWSL team’s tactical identity and style (in 100 words or less)
Joseph Lowery
Jun 12, 2023, 10:42 AM ET
We all know the teams. We all know the stars, too. But how well do we know what actually happens on the field in the National Women’s Soccer League? How do each of the 12 teams in the league play? And how do teams try to get the best out of their star players?
We’re here to answer those questions by looking at each NWSL team’s on-field strategy and tactical identity. There’s a catch, though: we’re analyzing each team in rapid-fire fashion using 100 words or less. Let’s get to the analysis.
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Angel City FC
Coached by Freya Coombe, Angel City prefer a back four and use a 4-4-2 in defense and either a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 in possession.
Coombe encourages her team to control the ball: they’re third in the NWSL in possession (53%). Angel City like to spread the field and build from the back, using defender Sarah Gorden‘s technique and speed at right center-back to help them break forward.
Angel City can string together some lovely possession sequences, but they lack precision in the final third to turn that possession into chances. That’s the next step for this team.
Chicago Red Stars
Once Mallory Swanson went down with an injury, Chicago’s biggest asset — a vertical, hard-running, flexible forward — disappeared. Since her injury, the Red Stars have been searching for the right combination of players and tactics to give them an edge. They’ve used back threes and back fours and tried players like Yūki Nagasato all over the field.
None of their tactical choices will compensate for losing Swanson, but using Nagasato as an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 with right-back Casey Krueger providing service has promise. Still, it’s difficult to imagine Chicago climbing far up the table.
NJ/NY Gotham FC
If you want energy — and lots of it — Gotham have you covered.They love to press, usually out of a 4-3-3 shape, and are the most active defensive team in the NWSL. Gotham record a defensive action outside of their defensive third after every 9.3 passes from their opponents, which is the league’s top mark, per Opta.Lots of their pressure comes as counter-pressure after they lose possession. Gotham are fourth in the NWSL in possession (52.5%) and spread the field to isolate their forwards against opposing full-backs. When they successfully create those one-v-ones, good things happen.
Houston Dash
Playing out of a 4-3-3 in recent weeks, Houston have a clear midfield structure with a No. 6 defensive midfielder playing behind two box-to-box No. 8s, and wide players that rotate between different vertical channels. They also have a quality striker in Diana Ordoñez and wide attackers with varied profiles. Players know where to position themselves, especially in deeper spells of possession.
And yet, the Dash have the fewest touches in the final third in the NWSL per 90 minutes, per FBref. The ball must move faster in both possession and transition to turn Houston’s ideas into consistent results.
Kansas City Current
After a coaching change earlier this year and brutal injury luck, the Current are trying to find their identity. They’ve tried several different shapes and personnel groupings, using offseason signing and playmaker Debinha centrally and in the half-spaces.
All of the pieces haven’t clicked yet, but Kansas City have the potential to be a solid defensive team and an effective attacking one.
They’ve opted for a compact defensive block for large stretches of the year that limits their opponents’ space. In attack, Debinha’s string-pulling should maximize her teammates’ smart movement. We’ll see if the talent and the structure come together.
North Carolina Courage
You don’t often see full-backs dictate attacks, but that’s what U.S. national team defender Emily Fox does for NC.
Fox defends as a full-back in a 4-2-3-1/4-4-2 shape, but pushes into midfield in possession. Her movement shifts North Carolina’s attacking structure into a 3-2-5, where the back three allows Fox and midfielder Denise O’Sullivan to run the middle.
No team in the NWSL keeps more possession than the Courage (58.5%) and they’ve clearly spent time on their attacking setup. They don’t create much — 10th in the NWSL in expected goals or xG — but there’s thought behind their play.
OL Reign
Few teams in the NWSL adapt to their opponents better than OL Reign.Laura Harvey’s team doesn’t need to dominate possession every game. Instead, they play in a fairly pragmatic 4-2-3-1 shape, using a mixture of high pressing and savvy mid-block defending to frustrate opponents.When they have the ball, most of their attacks flow through Megan Rapinoe on the wing. Per FBref, Rapinoe hits the second-most crosses per 90 (10.5) than any regular NWSL starter. The Reign probably rely too much on crosses, but there’s no denying that Rapinoe’s quality in the final third is an asset.
Orlando Pride
Using either a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, Orlando prefer to play against the ball: they’re eighth in average possession (48.3%) and fifth in direct attacking speed in the NWSL, per Opta.While they’re not always blindingly quick building through midfield — and Marta, who plays as either a No. 10 or as a narrow right winger, appears to have lost a step — rookie striker Messiah Bright and Brazilian winger Adriana both love to run behind the opposing backline.Adriana, in particular, has been valuable in transition with her dribbling for the Pride in her first NWSL season.
Portland Thorns
If there’s one NWSL team that can rely on talent to brute force wins, it’s the Thorns.
Portland have a default structure: they attack and defend out of a 4-3-3 shape, using a single pivot (defensive midfielder Sam Coffey) to set the tempo in possession. But it’s the Thorns’ top-end talent and depth that makes them stand out.
With Crystal Dunn and either Christine Sinclair or Olivia Moultrie finding pockets of space as the No. 8s ahead of Coffey, and forward Sophia Smith punishing opposing defenses with her speed and control in tight spaces, Portland are incredibly difficult to stop.
Racing Louisville FC
Louisville’s tactical approach isn’t flashy: they use a 4-2-3-1 in possession and defend in a 4-4-2 shape. But their system does a good job of playing to the strengths of their strongest individual players.
They average the second-least possession (47.5%) and have the fastest attacks in the NWSL, per Opta, which gives midfielder Savannah DeMelo plenty of chances to lead counterattacks. DeMelo often acts as a point guard, making quick ball progression decisions while Jaelin Howell breaks up plays as a No. 6.
Louisville’s recipe isn’t one for mind-blowing attacking play, but they certainly don’t let opponents relax.
San Diego Wave FC
Manager Casey Stoney has a vision. That’s clear when you watch the Wave play.
With their biggest advantage coming through their spine, Stoney’s team doesn’t dominate games in wide areas or high press regularly. Instead, San Diego use compact defending, vertical passes to the 6-foot-1 Taylor Kornieck at the tip of midfield, and runs behind opposing defenders from striker Alex Morgan & Co. to create problems.
Because the Wave are built around their spine, losing Kornieck like they did for a stretch this season can derail them. However, Jaedyn Shaw‘s emergence as a flexible, clever attacker gives Stoney another tool.
Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit might just have the most distinctive tactical approach in the NWSL. Under Mark Parsons, the Spirit are hyper-focused on playing quickly and directly out of a 4-4-2 diamond shape.
So far this year, they have fewer sequences of 10 passes or more than any team in the league. With Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman up top, Washington have a traditional No. 9 (Hatch) and a forward who can stretch the field and drift into the wide areas on the counterattack (Rodman).
A two-forward front with four midfielders stacked underneath helps Washington zig when others zag.
Indy Eleven: 5W-0L-1D (+16GD) 16pts; 1st in Valley Division
St. Charles FC: 0W-4L-2D (-18 GD) 2pts; 5th in Valley Division
Setting the Scene Indy Eleven is back for its second home match in a row when it hosts St. Charles FC. Indy still holds the top spot in the USL W League Valley Division with 16 points while St. Charles sits fifth in the division with two points.
Series vs. St. Charles FC Thursday marks the second meeting between the two teams with the Girls in Blue walking away from St. Charles with an 8-0 win in the first match of the 2023 season.
Recent Meetings: May 10, 2023 | Away | W 8-0
Last Time Out WESTFIELD, Ind. (Friday, June 9, 2023) – A pair of second half goals lifted Indy Eleven over Lexington SC, 2-0, on Friday night at the Grand Park Sports Campus. With the victory, Indy improves to 5-0-1 atop the USL W League’s Valley Division, while Lexington SC falls to 2-3-1. Second half sub Katie Soderstrom broke the scoreless tie with her third goal of the season to put the Eleven ahead in the 60th minute. Soderstrom had a pair of chances just three minutes earlier that were denied by the Lexington keeper but connected on a through ball from Addie Chester into the lower right side of the net.Indy’s leading scorer Maisie Whitsett did what she does best and doubled the Eleven’s lead with an 81st-minute header off a Soderstrom cross. It was Whitsett’s sixth goal of the season to give the Girls in Blue a 2-0 lead.Indy also dominated the first half of play, led by Kanna Matsuhisa who had three of the Eleven’s four shots in the frame. The Girls in Blue had the upper hand for the final 10 minutes of the half as well, as Lexington’s Kelsey Kiesling was ejected in the 35th minute, and the visiting team was forced to finish the match a player down.
The Eleven outshot Lexington 19-4 in the match, including 15 in the second half, led by Soderstrom’s six. Emily Edwards earned her third shutout of the season in goal, making three saves.
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, June 10, 2023) – A late equalizer from Jack Blake salvaged a tie for Indy Eleven in a 1-1 match with Hartford Athletic Saturday night at Carroll Stadium. Indy moves to 4-5-4 on the season, while Hartford sits at 2-7-4.An early scuffle in the sixth minute off an Indy corner led to a caution for Hartford’s Antoine Hoppenot and a red card for Adrian Diz Pe to put the Eleven down a man for the remainder of the match. The Hartford goal came not long after in the 11th minute when Kyle Edwards took advantage of a giveaway on Indy’s back line to set himself up one-on-one with Yannik Oettl to slot it in the lower left corner of the net.Hartford outshot Indy 5-3 in the first frame, with three on target to the Eleven’s zero, but Indy held the narrow 51%-49% advantage in possession.The playing field was leveled in the 49th minute when Hartford’s Triston Hodge was shown his second yellow of the match and ejected. Indy found the equalizer in the 85th minute off a long throw into the box from Douglas Martinez that found Sebastian Guenzatti waiting just outside the center of the six-yard box. Guenzatti collected the cross and laid it off to Blake for his second tally of the season. It was also the second assist for Guenzatti of 2023.Indy held the 56%-44% edge in possession for the match and outshot Hartford 15-14. Martinez and Rissi led the Eleven with three shots apiece and Oettl registered three saves. The Eleven played the final minutes of the match with nine men after Gustavo Rissi was shown a red card in stoppage time. Next up, the Boys in Blue hit the road to take on Birmingham Legion FC for the first of two straight road matches. Kick is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday. Indy returns home Saturday, July 1 against San Diego Loyal SC. Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium and specially-priced group tickets and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.).
USL Championship Regular Season Indy Eleven 1:1 Hartford Athletic Saturday, June 10, 2023 Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.
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Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
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OMG – so much news so little time. So word is Lionel Messi is signing with MLS’ Inter-Miami set to join David Beckham’s team sometime this summer. What will this do for MLS? Lets just say I am scrambling to get tix now! The Best player in the World over the past decade – fresh of a World Cup win for Argentina – this raises MLS both in the US and around the World. Wow ! Wow ! Wow !
Champions League Final Sat 3 pm on CBS – Man City vs Inter Milan
CARMEL FC COACHES AND FRIENDS – Anyone want to gather to watch? 2:45 pm Game starts at 3 pm.
CBS is going all out with wall to wall coverage live from Instanbal, Turkey– The pregame starts at 1:30 pm with the best in the business Kate Abdo on site on the field with Jamie Carragher, Thierry Henry, and Micah Richards, Peter Schmeichel, Jenny Chui. Burna and Anitta will headline the pregame concert and my favorite Anthem in all of sports We Are the Champions will get things started at about 2:45 pm. Over 400 million (4 times the Superbowl) will be watching Worldwide – a # only matched by the World Cup and the Olympics. So tune in and enjoy!! Here’s the outtro from last season’s Final-the most watched European game to be seen in the US ever. Of course Man City will be the big favorite and is looking to become just the 2nd English team ever to Win the Treble – The League, the FA Cup (3-1 over Man United) and the European Title. Man United last did in back in the 1990s with David Beckham. I was fortunate to attend my first ever Champions League match this year when I traveled to England Carmel FC – and I saw Man City and Erland Haaland pound Bayern Munich at the Ettihad 3-0. It was an amazing atmosphere and the City Stadium I will admit was magnificent. Man City is looking to win their first ever Champions League trophy – and I think they will bring it home over Inter 2-1 in a hard fought match over Inter Milan. Its still must watch TV on Saturday – plan to tune in! (Tons of Stories Below)
Notes
Huge news that Zlatan is retiring after his injury plagued season. As obnoxious as he was – he was always one of my favorites – his interviews especially in the US were hilarious and he always backed up his claims with some outrageous goalssome of his great quotes. Congrats to England’s West Ham United who won the Europa Conference league 2-1 over Fiorentina on Wednesday Link – Bittersweet for West Ham as star midfielder Declan Rice is probably headed to Arsenal next year. The US Boys U20 were dumped from the U20 World Cup 2-0 to Uraguay joining Brazil, Argentina and Japan as surprise losers. Italy faces Korea Thurs eve at 5 pm on FS2 before the Finals on Sat at 5 pm again on Fox Sports 2. LAFC failed in their attempt to become the 2nd straight MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League Sun night as they lost to Leon 1-0 falling 3-1 on aggregate. My Seattle Sounders are still the only MLS team to win the competition over Mexico’s Liga MX. Inter Milan’s Romeo Lukaku with a cool interview talking about his rise to Champions League star.
ALEX MORGAN PLAYS @ LOUISVILLE – Fri 8 pm
Louisville will Host Alex Morgan of the NWSL’s #2 Ranked San Diego Wave at home at Linder Stadium this Friday night at 8 pm and tickets are still available less that $12 each. Wave players joining Alex from the US Women’s National Team are midfielder Taylor Kornieck and defenders Naomi Girma, and Abby Dahlkemper. The game will also be on Paramount + and Sirius FM at 8 pm Friday.
Location: Shelbourne Fields – CCCSC – 3451 W. 126th St., Carmel (Ages: 18 – 35) $105 Sign Up
Grab your friends and make your own team or sign up and we’ll place you on a team, you don’t have to live in Carmel. Games will take place on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. Dates: June 18, 21, 25, 28 & July 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 Sign Up
GAMES ON TV
Wed, June 7
3 pm Para+ West Ham vs Fiorentina Europa Conf Final
8 pm Gozalo Para+ Birmingham Legion vs Inter Miami US Open Cup
9:30 pm Para+ Real Salt Lake vs LA Galaxy US Open Cup
10:30 pm Apple LAFC vs Atlanta Unted
Wed, June 8
1:30 pm FS2 Uraguay vs Isreal U20WC
5 pm pm FS2 Italy vs Korea
Fri, June 9
7 pm Grand park Indy 11 Women vs Lex
Sat, June 10
3 pm CBS Champions League Final Man City vs Inter Milan
5 pm FS2 U20 WC Finals
7 pm TV8 Indy 11 vs Hartford
Mon, June 12
12 noon FS2 Germany vs Ukraine
Wed, June 14
12 noon FS1 Netherlands vs Croatia
7:30 pm Para+ Washington Spirit vs NC Courage (Fox, Murphy) NWSL
8 pm Para+ Racing Louisville vs Houston Dash NSWL
8 pm Pata+ KC Current (Franch) vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL
10:30 pm Apple LA Galaxy vs Houston
Thurs, June 15
2:30 pm FS1 Spain vs Italy Nations League
7 pm CBSSN TUDN Panama vs Canada
10 pm Para+, USMNT vs Mexico Nations League Semi’s
Fri, June 16
2:45 pm FS1 Malta vs England Euro Quals
2:45 pm FS 2 Poland vs Germany
Sat, June 17
9 am FS1 Lithuania vs Bulgaria Euro Quals
12 pm FS1 Norway vs Scottland Euro Quals
2:45 pm FS 2 Iceland vs Slovakia Euro Quals
4 pm CBS San Diego (Morgan, Girma, Korniack) vs Angel City (Ertz, Thompson)
7 pm Para+ NC Courage (Fox, Murphy) vs Orlando Pride (Marta) NWSL
7:30 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Birmingham City
8:30 pm Apple Nashville vs St Louis City
10:30 pm Apple San Jose vs Portland Timbers
Sun, June 18
9 am FS1 Nations League 3rd place
2:45 pm ?? Nations League Final ?
4 pm CBS Racing Louisville vs NY Gothem (Williams, Ohara, Mewis) NWSL
6 pm Para+ Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns NWSL
6 pm Para+, TUDN CONCACAF Nations League 3rd Place
9 pm Para+, TUDN CONCACAF Nations League Final ? Canada vs US/Mex
Sat, June 24
9:30 pm USMNT vs Jamaica (Soldier Field) Gold Cup
Wed, June 28
9:30 pm USMNT vs ?? St Louis Gold Cup
Sun, July 9
4 pm Fox? USWNT vs Wales Send-off
5/7 pm Fox Sports? USMNT Gold Cup Quarter Finals ? in Cincy (tix avail)
Man it was a beautiful night of reffing at Trinity Park last Sat night under the lights with the Moon in the background with Justin B and Carl B from Fishers.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Heading over to the Badger Field for Training? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
=====================RackZ BAR BBQ ======Save 20% ======================
Lionel Messi to join MLS side Inter Miami after PSG exit despite Barcelona, Saudi Arabia interest
Messi revealed news of his move to the United States in an interview with Barcelona-based publications Mundo Deportivo and Sport.
He said: “I’ve made the decision that I’m going to Miami. It’s still not a done deal 100 per cent. I’m missing a few things but we’ve decided to keep going down the path.
“If the Barcelona thing didn’t work out, I wanted to leave Europe, leave the spotlight and focus more on my family.
“I had a lot of hope that I’d be able to come back (to Barcelona), but after living what I lived through and the exit that I had (from Barcelona), I didn’t want to come back to be in the same situation: to wait and see what was going to happen or leave my future in the hands of another person.”
The Athletic reported on Tuesday that MLS and Inter Miami were solidifying details around the potential signing of the 35-year-old.
Messi left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season after his two-year contract with the Ligue 1 side expired. The World Cup winner, as reported earlier this week, had wanted his future to be resolved in the coming days.
Barcelona, whom Messi left to join PSG in the summer of 2021, had repeatedly expressed interest in re-signing the Argentina star.
The Catalan club also received approval from La Ligafor their financial viability plan on Tuesday, allowing them to register new contracts and sign players, but significant financial hurdles remained at the Camp Nou as far as a Messi return was concerned.
Lionel Messi won the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar. Photo: Getty Images
Messi had also received a proposal from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, which had been on the table for several months and could have seen the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner command around €400 million a year.
Messi would arguably be the most high-profile acquisition in the history of MLS and represent a huge coup as the United States gears up to jointly host the 2026 World Cup.
When will Messi move to Miami?
Analysis by Paul Tenorio, Felipe Cardenas and Pablo Maurer
The question of when Messi makes his debut remains very much up in the air. The secondary transfer window for MLS opens up on July 5, which means that is the first day Messi would be available.
Miami has away games on July 8 and July 15 before playing at home on July 21 and July 25 in the Leagues Cup, MLS’s new venture with Liga MX.
Should Miami advance out of that group stage, they would have more Leagues Cup games. Their next MLS home game is not until August 20, at home against Charlotte FC.
They then play on the road at New York Red Bulls before welcoming Nashville SC to Ft. Lauderdale on August 30.
One source briefed on league discussions floated that the Leagues Cup game against Cruz Azul on July 21 could see Messi make his debut. Tickets for that game have since sold out.
Other sources have suggested Messi would wait to debut in regular-season MLS play, which would keep him off the field until late August.
The decision undoubtedly will have a huge impact on fans who already started snatching up tickets for the games beginning with that July 8 road match in D.C.
How are MLS and Inter Miami enticing Messi?
MLS’s offer to Messi involves contributions from the league’s two biggest commercial partners.
Multiple sources involved in or briefed on the high-level league discussions said earlier this week that MLS and Apple have discussed offering Messi a share of the revenue generated by new subscribers to MLS Season Pass, the league’s streaming package on Apple TV+. Both sides view Messi’s potential involvement in Major League Soccer as a boon; Apple and MLS signed a 10-year, $2.5billion agreement this spring. On Tuesday, Apple revealed that a four-part docuseries chronicling Messi’s five World Cup appearances would stream on Apple TV+.
AppleTV’s verified Twitter account tweeted the word ‘Miami’ on Wednesday, before the tweet was deleted.
Adidas, which is among MLS’ largest corporate sponsors, has prepared its own potential arrangement to entice Messi to the United States, multiple sources briefed on those plans told The Athletic on Tuesday. Messi is being offered a profit-sharing agreement with the sportswear giant, those sources said, which would involve the player receiving a cut of any increase in Adidas’ profits resulting from his involvement in MLS.
Adidas has partnered with MLS since the league’s inception in 1996. The two sides renewed their partnership earlier this year, signing a six-year, $830million extension that runs through 2030. The German manufacturer supplies kits to all 29 MLS teams and also designs the league’s official match ball and is the league’s official footwear sponsor.
Messi himself has a long-standing relationship with Adidas, which started in 2006. In 2017, he signed a lifetime footwear sponsorship deal with the company.
Inter Miami — the lowdown
Inter Miami were established in 2018 and have been contesting MLS matches since 2020.
They are owned by brothers Jorge and Jose Mas alongside former England captain David Beckham, who played MLS football with LA Galaxy between 2007 and 2012 after more than a decade at Manchester United and four years at Real Madrid.
Inter Miami currently play at the 18,000-seater DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, but permission has been granted for construction to begin on Miami Freedom Park, a $1billion (£860m) stadium complex that will give Inter Miami a spectacular home.
The club endured a tumultuous period post-launch as they entered MLS during the COVID-19 pandemic and were later punished for breaking budget rules.
Their challenging spell has continued this term, with the franchise bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and currently seeking a new manager after sacking Phil Neville.
Messi to Inter Miami hot takes: What move to MLS means for the player, Barcelona and fans
The prospect of a player who led Argentina to the World Cup less than six months ago playing his club football in the United States has sent shock waves through the sport.
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What led Messi, the seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, to make the move stateside? What impact does such a stellar signing have on MLS and soccer in the U.S.? How does the disappointment of Messi not returning to Barcelona affect the club for whom he won 35 major trophies and whom he left as their record goal scorer? And will the forward’s fans, who regard him as the GOAT, follow him on his new journey?
The big picture: Messi opts to conquer new ground than revisit his past
And so, he has decided. Major League Soccer has won the Lionel Messi Final Four bracket, defeating Saudi competition in the final after both advanced past romantic long shots: the financially hamstrung Barcelona, where he spent 21 years, and Newell’s Old Boys, the hometown team he supported as a boy.Messi’s contract with PSG expires at the end of this month, but really, more than a free agent signing, this move is more like a corporate joint venture between Inter Miami, MLS, the league’s broadcast rights holders (Apple), Adidas and the Lionel Andres Messi Corporation. We’ve been here before in 2007, when David Beckham — who, as if to prove the circularity of human existence, is a part-owner of Inter Miami) joined the LA Galaxy. And frankly, it would have been pretty much the same thing if he had opted for the Saudi Pro League, except there it would mostly be one source footing the bill: the country’s sovereign wealth fund.
(Indeed, in what to some may appear as a classic cart-before-the-horse move, Messi signed a reported $400 million contract with the Saudi tourism board … assuming he guaranteed them exclusivity, don’t expect him to be shilling for the delights of South Beach any time soon.)
Commercially, Messi will bring eyeballs to U.S. domestic soccer like nobody before him. More than Beckham, more than Zlatan Ibrahimovic — and for old-timers, more than Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer and Pele, if only because we live in a far more connected world today. Messi is not a natural pitchman, lacking both Ibrahimovic’s quotability and Beckham’s charisma, but hey: he’s Messi. He delivered the World Cup for Argentina less than six months ago, he has seven Ballons d’Or at home (winning the last of those 18 months ago) and he has scored more than 800 goals for club and country in his career.
He’s not the first legit GOAT candidate to play in North America because Pele was there in the 1970s, but the key difference is that half a century later, Messi will land in a very different country — one that is more diverse and more soccer-savvy, and one where he’s seen as a legitimate athlete, not a guy who plays the sport because he’s too uncoordinated to play baseball, too small to play basketball and too weak to play football.You also suspect that Messi can deliver on the pitch. His two years at PSG ended in acrimony, with Messi booed by his own fans and most seeing his stint as a gigantic waste of money. He turns 36 in a couple of weeks and has neither the stamina, nor acceleration, he once had. In fact, he spends much of the game literally at walking pace: he doesn’t press at all and the team has to be built around him. Yet he still delivered a league-leading 14 assists while scoring 16 goals, none of them from the penalty spot, for PSG. That’s because, interspersed with his placid strolls around the pitch, are sudden bursts of genius and acceleration that still befuddle most opponents, the sort of thing you can keep doing even into your late 30s. (Well, if you’re Messi anyway.)
Maybe it was inevitable that, having finally conquered the World Cup, he would opt to conquer a new world rather than revisit his past, ultimately plumping for North America over the Gulf. Fans in North America should count themselves lucky. Because if you attend the right MLS game, you may be able to one day tell your grandkids that you saw Messi in the flesh. Just like your dad tells you he saw Michael Jordan, your grandfather tells you he saw Muhammad Ali and your great-grandfather tells you he saw Babe Ruth.That’s the category of superstar in which Messi exists. — Marcotti
Messi can take MLS to the moon — and beyond
Securing one of the biggest prizes in world soccer in Messi provides a surge of rocket fuel to an organization that is in desperate need of a lift.
Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas has been angling to acquire Messi practically from the moment he and co-owners Beckham and Jose Mas were awarded the team in 2018. Now he has his man.
There will be inevitable comparisons to when MLS convinced Beckham to join the Galaxy in 2007, and there are similarities in that there are financial incentives beyond salary that helped cinch the deal.
In Beckham’s case it was a discounted price on an MLS expansion team, which in a bit of serendipity became Inter Miami. Sources confirmed a report from The Athletic that Messi has an option to acquire an ownership stake in Inter Miami, although a source with knowledge of the situation said it will not come at a discount like Beckham’s deal did.service is being offered to Messi. Any agreement involving Adidas would strictly be between the player and the company, and it wouldn’t directly involve MLS, despite the German company outfitting the league’s clubs exclusively since 2006.
All of that said, the times — and needs — of MLS are different. When Beckham signed on in 2007, MLS was still trying to get off the launch pad with just 13 teams. His arrival not only set the stage for other stars such as Thierry Henry and Kaka to come over, but also helped accelerate an expansion boom that by next season will have reached 30 teams.
Messi’s arrival is poised to take MLS to the moon, or even beyond. He is arguably the greatest player who ever lived, something Beckham never was.
The league has been laying the foundation for this move for years, with the increased continental footprint combining well with the global reach of its recent broadcast rights deal with Apple TV. With the 2026 World Cup set to take place in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, the potential is there to greatly increase revenues for all parties involved in the deal.
As for Inter Miami, Messi is a massive antidote for a last-place team who have struggled to generate quality chances, with their expected goal (xG) mark of 0.82 per 90 minutes the worst in the league. If former teammate Sergio Busquets also arrives, so much the better, although there will need to be some adapting to a league that is several notches below what they are accustomed to, not to mention the weather and travel demands. The sight of Messi playing in an 18,000-seat stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will take some getting used to.
Why Lionel Messi heading to MLS would make sense
Rodri Faez explains why Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami in MLS would make more sense than a move to Saudi Pro League.
Yet there is certainly an “others will follow” type of vibe to Messi’s arrival. If that’s the case, money should follow as well. — Carlisle
Messi couldn’t wait for Barcelona again
Barcelona supporters and even some of the club’s hierarchy were split when the possibility of Messi returning surfaced. There were those who thought, after blooding a new generation of youngsters and winning a first LaLiga title since 2019, it was time to turn the page as Messi approaches the end of his career.
There were others, though, who were caught up in the romance of a homecoming for the club’s greatest ever player. Forced to leave in 2021 because Barca could not afford to register the contract they had offered him, this was a chance for Messi to say goodbye properly to fans who have chanted his name in the 10th minute of every home game at Spotify Camp Nou since March. Besides, there is an overwhelming argument to be made that he remains among the best players in the world. Six months ago he led Argentina to the World Cup, while he registered 21 goals and 20 assists across all competitions for PSG this season.
What at first seemed a pipe dream slowly began to feel like a reality. Even some supporters who had been happy to pass on Messi got on board with the idea that, as the club’s vice president Rafa Yuste said at any opportunity, love stories should have beautiful endings.
At the centre of the charm offensive was Barca coach Xavi Hernandez. Throughout the past two weeks, he has made it clear across several interviews that he wanted Messi back, that the forward would provide the missing creativity in the final third and that, with Xavi’s help, Messi would get his fairy-tale ending at the club.
With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps it was a last throw of the dice from Xavi, aware that the chances of bringing him back were slipping away. They slipped away because, like in 2021, Barca could offer no guarantees they would be able to register his contract.
Regardless of what Messi actually earned, LaLiga would have factored his salary in at around €25 million, based on his previous contracts. Barca, who can only spend 40% of what they save or earn because of financial restrictions imposed by the league for exceeding their spending cap, would need to raise more than €60m to inscribe Messi. It could have been possible by August, maybe even July, but certainly not now.
fter waiting in 2021, Messi could not face such uncertainty again. In the immediate aftermath of the news, his move to Miami feels almost like a second Barca exit given all the hope that had been generated in recent weeks. — Marsden
The fan’s perspective: Messi’s arrival a catalyst for growing fan base
Aside from the business standpoint, it’s important to see the significance of Messi’s move to Inter Miami and MLS as a rocket-ship-sized needle-mover for the league and the overall U.S. fan base. The stars are aligning in so many ways that it’s creating a proverbial constellation. Miami, the Latin American capital of the world, will welcome Messi; his wife, Antonella; and their children like adopted royalty, and his presence alone will be another factor — perhaps the biggest — in driving the soccer market in America, where the sport is already rivaling the top three most popular in the nation.
There are millions of children in the U.S. who wear “Messi” shirts as opposed to Patrick Mahomes or Steph Curry. It’s not coincidental. Soccer in America is a growing mountain, and Messi is arriving in a league with developing markets, a massive distributor in Apple, a competitive nature and a city where he doesn’t even need to learn English, one that celebrates the flavor of Latin American and immigrant culture. Oh, and a country that’s hosting the World Cup in 2026.
That’s why this is a major move for the U.S.-based soccer fan. There is already a growing community of fans, especially young ones, whose idol has been Messi. Now, they can see him live across the country. The same goes with the impact of those who want to play the sport and see Messi as a promoter of the beautiful game. Not forgetting that this does wonders for up-and-comers such as his Argentina teammate and Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada, and how we might see even more talented players from all over the world — specifically South America — arrive to the league. Argentina’s federation also plans to build a brand-new training facility in Miami, making it the nation’s hub in the U.S.
MLS is the most diverse sports league in North America. With Messi, the impact will be that much bigger. In 2007, Beckham aggressively moved and affected the trajectory of MLS with his arrival to the Galaxy. Now, as Inter Miami owner, he is once again responsible for pushing it to even higher altitudes with the arrival of his friend, Messi. — EchegarayHow signing Lionel Messi will impact Inter Miami, MLS and American soccer
The Athletic Soccer staffJun 7, 2023
A previous version of this piece was published in November 2022. We have updated it here in light of Lionel Messi’s announcement that he will sign for Inter Miami of MLS.
By Pablo Maurer, Jeff Rueter and Felipe Cárdenas
After David Beckham and his Inter Miami partners were awarded MLS’s 25th franchise in late January 2018, the man who revolutionized the league as a player for LA Galaxy shared a video message from Lionel Messi on his Instagram account.“Who knows, maybe in a few years you will give me a call,” Messi concluded after congratulating Beckham on the new project.Six years later, Messi’s video message has come to fruition, as he announced that he will sign for Inter Miami despite offers from Saudi Arabia and Barcelona.It took a lot more than a friendly invitation to get the Argentine superstar stateside, though. Miami and MLS have laid out a king’s ransom for the recent World Cup champion, who many peg as the greatest player in the history of the game. Messi will reportedly get a piece of MLS and Apple’s broadcast partnership, and Adidas, among the league’s oldest sponsors, is also said to be chipping in to bring the Argentine to Miami. Undoubtedly, he will be the highest-paid player in the history of MLS.
No player transaction in MLS history has ever been rife with as much drama and uncertainty as Messi’s move to Miami. Over the past six years, Miami’s ownership has never shied away from their interest. In 2021, Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas told The Athletic, “David and I are working very hard at making something like that happen, which I think is not only transformational for Miami, but I think for the league.”Across MLS, others mirrored his sentiment. The league’s commissioner, Don Garber, said in March that the league was prepared to get creative to lure Messi, a once-in-a-lifetime talent.Miami, of course, were not the only ones interested. Paris St-Germain made their own attempts to keep Messi, and Barcelona made a play as well. Maybe the biggest threat to any MLS deal came from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, who offered a reported $400 million per year for Messi’s services.
In the end, Messi chose MLS.
Pele acknowledges the crowd in Giants Stadium (Photo: George Tiedemann /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Messi’s arrival in the U.S. will be the latest in what has been a trend of transformational footballers advancing American soccer with their presence, starting with Pele in the 1970s and continuing with Beckham in the 2000s.No single player in the history of American men’s soccer has had as seismic an effect on the trajectory of the game in this country as Pele. The Brazilian legend famously joined the New York Cosmos of the nascent North American Soccer League in 1975. The Cosmos, backed by the corporate might of media empire Warner Communications, were seeking to do what no other soccer club in American history has ever done: make soccer truly, deeply relevant in this country. For a brief time, it appeared as though they might succeed.Pele’s mere presence with the Cosmos certainly had some short-term benefits: the club’s average home attendance increased from around 3,500 fans in 1975 to around 45,000 by the time of his departure after the 1977 season. Three times, the Cosmos drew over 70,000 fans to watch Pele at Giants Stadium, an unheard of feat in that era. Think about it this way: after his departure, there were some teams in the league whose attendance for an entire season was lower than what the Cosmos drew for a single game during Pele’s tenure.
Away matches featuring the Cosmos became featured attractions; his presence attracted other giants of the game to the NASL — George Best, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and more. What Pele could not do, however, was save the NASL. His outsized impact on the Cosmos inspired an upward trend in spending that would eventually contribute to the demise of the league in 1984.
Pele’s impact, beyond a shadow of a doubt, was generational. In the 1970s, when Cosmos president Clive Toye approached the Brazilian in an attempt to lure him to the States, he made a fairly simple pitch — you’ve won many games and many trophies. In the United States, you have a chance to win an entire country over and be a soccer missionary.
In a way, it worked. Though the NASL collapsed, the kids who watched Pele during his three-year stay in the United States became the U.S.’s first great generation of soccer players, the pioneers who qualified for the 1990 World Cup and featured four years later in the 1994 edition of the tournament on home soil. From the wreckage of the NASL, the founders of Major League Soccer — some of whom had also owned NASL clubs — learned their own lessons. They chose a more reasonable path of financial prudence, one that helped keep the league alive for nearly twice as long as the NASL ever existed.
Beckham waves to fans after playing his last game for LA Galaxy (Photo: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)
All of this meant that when Beckham arrived in MLS in 2007, the league was better equipped to make the most of their new global superstar than the NASL ever was. That season, the league had 13 teams, just three more than its inaugural season in 1996 — including newcomers Toronto FC, who paid a $10 million (£8.7m) expansion fee to join MLS — and an average league-wide attendance of 16,770 (over three million in total).In 2023, MLS has 29 teams — including newcomers St Louis City SC – with a 30th on the way in San Diego.That supercharged growth is largely thanks to Beckham.“Without doubt, MLS has more global awareness than at any other time in our history and has more legitimacy in the United States because of David,” MLS commissioner Don Garber told the New York Times in November 2007. “Every measure of our business has grown because of him. We have sold more than 300,000 Beckham Los Angeles Galaxy jerseys, which was 700 times the number of Galaxy jerseys sold in 2006. Merchandise sales overall have gone up two or three times. International TV sales have gone up from next to nothing to distribution in 100 countries, with live games in Asia and Mexico.”Messi’s presence in MLS could potentially have a similar effect on league-wide attendance, international exposure, merchandise sales and in attracting other talented players as Pele and Beckham before him, even though he is joining a league that’s in a stronger position than either of his predecessors. It is difficult to imagine that any MLS stadium would not be full to watch a man that many peg as the greatest player in the history of the game. If anything, MLS’ soccer-specific stadiums, many of which hold 18,000 to 30,000 people, might not be big enough to maximize gate revenue when Messi comes to town, given that crowds of 60,000 to 80,000 turned out to see Messi on a Barcelona pre-season tour in 2017.It feels possible that some MLS clubs would consider hosting Inter Miami matches in larger venues – local NFL or college stadiums – though that remains to be seen. It’s also a tricky calculus. Do those teams surrender a potential home field advantage in exchange for a cash windfall? Prices on the secondary market for Miami matches across MLS have already begun to rise.MLS clubs could also simply raise the prices of the seats in their undersized stadiums to match demand, something that feels entirely possible.The economic impact Messi would have on Inter Miami alone is its own story.
If the numbers PSG reported during Messi’s stay in Paris were any indication, Inter Miami will become among the most popular brands in American sports. According to a report from Marca, PSG generated €700million in revenue over the course of one year after his arrival.
The report cites an investigation by Argentine outlet El Economista, which reported that since Messi joined the club, PSG had added 10 new sponsorship deals ranging from €3m to €8m each. Image rights and match day sales also skyrocketed, as did demand for Messi’s No. 30 PSG shirt. In July 2021, Diario Ole in Argentina revealed that only Real Madrid had sold more shirts than PSG since Messi’s arrival in France, with 60 percent of PSG shirts sold being Messi’s.
On social media, PSG saw its following increase astronomically. PSG gained 5.6 million followers the week after announcing Messi’s signing and have since added 15 million new followers across its social media platforms. PSG also became the most followed French company on Instagram. Messi’s personal Instagram following of 468 million dwarfs LeBron James’ 154 million and Tom Brady’s 14 million.
Messi’s departure had it’s own effect on the brand: PSG lost 2 million followers on Instagram in the weeks after it became clear he wouldn’t return.
“He is the most impactful player on the planet. Moving to any MLS club would fundamentally change the fabric of the league,” AJ Swoboda, managing director for the Americas at sports consultancy Twenty First Group, told The Athletic’s Matt Slater in 2021.
Messi is a marketer’s dream. Not only could he significantly alter the brand equity of both Inter Miami and MLS, but he seems likely to boost his personal interests, as well. Particularly as North America prepares to host the 2026 World Cup and more money than ever before is poured into the game by businesses operating in the U.S. The group that put together North America’s 2026 hosting bid projects the newly expanded, 48-team event will make $14 billion in revenue for FIFA — a massive increase on the $235 million in rebuke generated by the last World Cup hosted in the US in 1994.
By establishing a substantial presence in the U.S., Messi seems set to become an even greater focus for sponsorship dollars. He could even follow in Beckham’s footsteps further by owning an MLS club himself one day — perhaps one in Las Vegas. The Athletic reported on Tuesday that MLS and Inter Miami’s offer to Messi included the option to purchase part of an MLS team after leaving the league or retiring as a player.
The timing of his arrival feels perfect for MLS.2023 marked the beginning of what the league is billing as a groundbreaking 10-year broadcast agreement with Apple. Every one of the league’s matches is broadcast on MLS Season Pass, the a streaming service contained within Apple TV+.The foundation of MLS’s $2.5 billion agreement with Apple rests on subscription sales, a portion of which could go to Messi as part of his deal according to The Athletic’s recent reporting. Apple has made slightly more than 40 percent of its MLS inventory available for free to anyone with an internet connection this year, but the remaining nearly 60 percent of MLS games are only available to Season Pass subscribers.MLS long had poor viewership for its nationally broadcast matches under previous media rights deals with traditional cable and over-the-air networks. According to Sports Business Journal, average MLS regular season viewership fell six percent on the Fox family of networks to 198,000 per game last year. Spanish-language telecasts on the Univision networks dipped 14 percent to 244,0000 from 2021. Average viewership for MLS matches on ESPN’s English-language networks grew by 12 percent, but that figure was driven by a doubling of the number of matches shown on the ABC broadcast network. The average viewership for matches on ABC actually went down by seven percent to 469,000 this season, while average viewership on ESPN fell two percent to 252,000 in 2022.
What was once a small domestic market feels much larger with the presence of Messi. What’s more, the league and Apple have both touted the availability of Season Pass abroad, another potential revenue stream for Apple. Messi alone will no doubt get a decent amount of new subscribers through the door.
Inter Miami play at the temporary DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
And then there are on-field matters. To put it lightly, Inter Miami won’t have the supporting cast that Messi enjoys with his national team or PSG, or anything like the assembly line of quality young players he elevated at Barcelona. In fact, following the imposed sanctions for breaking the league’s budget rules and assessments that Inter Miami “launched a brand, not a team,” Miami has plummeted to the bottom of the league. Phil Neville, the club’s most recent manager, was sacked last week. Inter, who are led by interim head coach Javi Morales, are currently in discussions with former Atlanta United head coach Tata Martino for a permanent job. It feels like a very Messi-oriented hire.
Current Paraguay national team coach and former Galaxy boss Guillermo Barros Schelotto, a Messi family friend and an MLS legend as a player, set a unique set of parameters that an MLS side would have to meet in order to lure the Argentine to the league.
“(In MLS) I’d expect him to play for one of the teams in Los Angeles, Miami or on a team with an Argentine influence — someone who can work closely with him, whether that’s a coach or an executive,” Barros Schelotto told The Athletic before Messi signed with PSG.
So does Messi make Miami instant MLS Cup favorites? Vegas will likely say so, but the realistic answer is no.
Those sanctions against Inter Miami extend through the end of this year, leaving the club hamstrung to retool the squad in certain ways. That, more than anything else, will likely keep them from being MLS Cup favorites until 2024 at the soonest. This year appears to be a wash, though in MLS, where nine teams make the postseason in each conference, it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that Inter could turn things around.“But it’s Messi!” some will say. However, history has shown that one individual alone can’t conquer MLS like an NBA superstar might.Take Beckham as an example. He joined LA Galaxy at a time when an MLS team’s best path to contention was to build through the American college soccer system. He had a worthy attacking ace in Landon Donovan at the height of his powers — and he still didn’t win the MLS Cup until his fifth season with the team. Thierry Henry joined a perennial contender in the New York Red Bulls and didn’t even make it to the MLS Cup final. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was irresistibly prolific in front of goal during his two seasons with the Galaxy, but MLS remains the only league in which he’s played without winning a major trophy.The best comparison to Messi joining Miami in the summer window would be one from recent memory. Toronto FC made Lorenzo Insigne the highest-paid player in league history when he left Napoli to collect $14 million per season last year. The Euro 2020-winning winger was joined by Italy team-mate Federico Bernardeschi and former international left-back Domenico Criscito, but after starting the season so poorly before the Italian cavalry arrived, Bob Bradley’s side finished as the league’s second-worst in 2022.This year, things have gone from bad to worse. Bernadeschi and Insigne’s relationship with each other – and with the club as a whole – has soured. Toronto, which has the highest payroll in MLS, are arguably the league’s worst team.Simply having the best player in the league isn’t a guarantee of success on the pitch. In fact, only two of the last 14 MVP winners played for the eventual MLS Cup winner (Robbie Keane of LA Galaxy in 2014, Josef Martinez of Atlanta United in 2018).Messi will instantly make Miami appointment viewing, fill the club and league’s coffers and influence a new generation of American fans and players, but don’t think his presence alone will automatically turn Miami into an MLS Cup winner.(Photo: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images; Design: Sam Richardson)
Why Lionel Messi didn’t return to Barcelona – despite both wanting a deal
Barcelona was Lionel Messi’s preferred option from all the offers he had on the table and Barcelona senior sources were desperate to get him back. But like every team that wanted to sign Messi — and any transfer Barcelona have wanted to do over the past two summers — it was not that simple.
“I had offers from another European team, but I didn’t even consider it because my idea in Europe was only to return to Barcelona,” Messi said in an interview with Sport and Mundo Deportivo. “After winning the World Cup and not being able to join Barcelona, it was time to go to MLS and live football from another perspective, enjoying more my daily life. Obviously, I’ll have the same responsibility on my job and desire to win everything and doing things right. But being more calm.”
Last week, Barcelona sources, who were granted anonymity as they did not have permission to discuss this transfer, indicated it would be very difficult to complete a deal for Messi. Barcelona could not, as it stood, offer Messi guarantees that he would be registered with the club.
This has been an ongoing issue for Barcelona. La Liga has rules around salary caps. If a team goes over their allotted amount — which is based on financial performance in recent seasons — they are unable to register a player and therefore unable to use them in the league. It does not matter if they are able to pay them or not.
This was the issue when Messi left Barcelona in 2021. He had agreed a new contract but because of the salary cap rule they were unable to register him — and therefore he had to leave. He ended up joining Paris Saint-Germain.
It did not end with Messi’s exit. Last summer, Barcelona signed Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde. Lewandowski, Kessie, Christensen and Raphinha were only registered in the days before the season began after Barcelona activated a series of ‘economic levers’. Kounde was registered just before the window closed.
La Liga has recently approved Barcelona’s viability plan for next season but with some conditions. They are still above their salary limit. In order to keep reducing the limit, La Liga will only allow Barcelona to spend 40 per cent of any money they raise through sales and loans on new signings. For example, if they sell a player who reduces their salary bill by €100million, they would be able to register a player with a €40m salary.
Barcelona, therefore, had to find further capacity to sign Messi. And they had very little time to do so.
Messi had already verbally agreed with the club that he would have a salary of approximately €25m (£21m) a year. This means they would have needed to free up around £70m in salaries to register him.
That’s a lot for Barcelona to do at speed and Messi clearly wanted to make a swift decision about his future. Barcelona would have struggled to close big sales like that in the near future, as head coach Xavi has not even spoken to the players he’d like to leave. Ferran Torres, Franck Kessie and Ansu Fati could be among those players.
After returning from their friendly in Japan, Xavi essentially told the players he would see them on July 10 when pre-season begins. While conversations are still expected to happen sooner rather than later, they were not soon enough to influence Messi’s decision.
The only way Barcelona would have been able to complete a deal for Messi is if he had decided to wait for them. This would have given them the time to sell the players they need to. Xavi essentially said this in recent interviews when he pointed out that Messi had “99 per cent of the power”. This did not impress people close to Messi, who thought it added pressure to a situation the player was growing tired over.
There was serious risk involved in waiting for Messi. His last experience of dealing with Barcelona served as a severe warning and reduced his trust levels with the club. The trauma from that would leave him with little confidence they would be able to do that.
Just two years ago, Barcelona only told him at the last minute he would have to leave as they could not register him. In a mirror-image of those events, a crucial meeting between Laporta and Jorge Messi took place just before Barcelona landed in Japan for Tuesday’s friendly against Vissel Kobe.
A source close to Messi, who has been kept anonymous as they did not have permission to speak about this decision, said: “If in 2021 the relationship (between Barcelona and) La Liga looked more or less fine and, eventually, they kicked us out; what can we expect now when their relationships are going through, reportedly, a rough patch?”
Messi said last night: “I wanted to come back, but at the same time with the way I left the club, I did not want to find myself in the same situation, which was waiting for whatever can happen and leave my future to someone else’s hands.”
There was also another concern for Messi. Barcelona are already executing cost-cutting actions within the club in order to fight against their financial problems. Regular employees from several departments at Barcelona were concerned about their job security, while the club have also planned a 15 per cent cut across the other sports they play — which include basketball, handball, hockey and futsal.
Messi’s camp highlighted over the past few weeks how unpleasant it would be to have his name tied to this. He has a special relationship with Barca TV, the club’s in-house network which is going to shut down in the summer. Barca TV recorded his first clips playing for Barcelona as a youngster and his first interviews. He has had good relationships with Barca TV employees over the years.
“I heard Barcelona had to sell players or make pay cuts and the truth is I didn’t wanna go through that or feel responsible about something like this,” he said in confirming his move to Miami.
Due to all of his concerns, Messi’s camp has now moved quickly to sort out his future with guarantees, less than a week after his exit from Paris Saint-Germain was first made clear.
This might seem odd, given president Joan Laporta and Messi’s father, Jorge, met on Monday. It now looks as though it was partly a desperate attempt for a last-minute solution but also a matter of optics. It’s a good look for Barcelona if they make it seem like they put in every effort to make a deal happen, even if it was impossible. It also makes it clear to the world — at least on the surface — that the Messi family love Barcelona and how keen the player was to return to his footballing ‘home’.
Instead, he will now move to Inter Miami and play in MLS, following in the footsteps of other greats like Pele and David Beckham in moving to the United States.
While Messi will not make an emotional return to Barcelona this summer, it is clearly not for a lack of desire or trying on either part. His future has ultimately come down to Barcelona’s finances and La Liga rules — much like his exit in 2021.
Inter Miami pushing to land Lionel Messi over Barcelona, per sources
Multiple sources briefed on the negotiations said there is growing hope that Inter Miami could close a deal to bring the World Cup winner to MLS as soon as this summer. Those sources also warned that confidence in a deal with Messi has fluctuated week to week and even day to day. All sources in this story were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing negotiations.
One source briefed on the high-level league discussions said MLS executives were told Messi’s decision is down to Inter Miami or Barcelona and that joining a club from Saudi Arabia is “not under consideration.” That same source mentioned a potential date for Messi’s MLS debut, should he sign: Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup match against Mexican side Cruz Azul on July 21, currently set to be held at Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium.
Reports about Messi’s imminent decision have emerged from Europe, South America and Asia, and have run the gamut this week, but momentum seems to have shifted toward Inter Miami in recent days.
“The league has gotten very creative with all of this,” one MLS stakeholder said of a potential deal to bring Messi to MLS on Tuesday morning. “Everything is on the table.”
MLS’s offer to Messi involves contributions from the league’s two biggest commercial partners.
Multiple sources involved in or briefed on the high-level league discussions said earlier this week that MLS and Apple have discussed offering Messi a share of the revenue generated by new subscribers to MLS Season Pass, the league’s streaming package on Apple TV+. Both sides view Messi’s potential involvement in Major League Soccer as a boon; Apple and MLS signed a 10-year, $2.5 billion agreement this spring. On Tuesday, Apple revealed that a four-part docuseries chronicling Messi’s five World Cup appearances would stream on Apple TV+.
Adidas, which is among MLS’ largest corporate sponsors, has prepared its own potential arrangement to entice Messi to the United States, multiple sources briefed on those plans told The Athletic on Tuesday. Messi is being offered a profit-sharing agreement with the sportswear giant, those sources said, which would involve the player receiving a cut of any increase in Adidas’ profits resulting from his involvement in MLS.
Adidas has partnered with MLS since the league’s inception in 1996. The two sides renewed their partnership earlier this year, signing a six-year, $830 million extension that runs through 2030. The German manufacturer supplies kits to all 29 MLS teams and also designs the league’s official match ball and is the league’s official footwear sponsor.
Messi himself has a long-standing relationship with Adidas, which started in 2006. In 2017, he signed a lifetime footwear sponsorship deal with the company.
Sources across the league who have been briefed on talks varied in their confidence level of whether Inter Miami and MLS would be able to win the race to sign Messi. One source classified it as 50-50. Another said even Inter Miami team executives are split on whether they think it will happen. The negotiations are being led by Inter Miami owners Jorge and Jose Mas, those sources said.
Messages left for Inter Miami spokespeople and Jorge and Jose Mas were not returned as of publication.
Messi’s deal likely would include the option to purchase a percentage of an MLS team upon the end of his time as a player in MLS, multiple sources briefed on the discussions said. That would at least resemble David Beckham’s contract with the LA Galaxy, which gave him the option to purchase an MLS expansion team for $25 million. That option eventually became Inter Miami.
Miami has been hoping to sign Messi almost since its inception. When the expansion team was officially announced in 2018, Messi posted a video on social media congratulating Beckham and saying, “Who knows, maybe in a few years you can give me a ring.” The club has worked to build up connections to Messi and even has links to his longtime club, Barcelona. Miami’s chief business officer is Xavier Asensi, the former Barcelona chief commercial officer and member of the Spanish club’s executive board. In April, Beckham, who finished his playing career with Paris Saint-Germain, visited the club’s training facility and was photographed with Messi, which fueled rumors about the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s potential arrival to MLS.
Should Messi come to Miami, he could be greeted by a familiar face. Multiple sources involved in or briefed on Miami’s coaching search confirmed to The Athletic that preliminary talks have taken place between Inter Miami and Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who is currently without a job after leaving his post with the Mexico national team in December.
Martino, 60, coached Messi and Argentina to consecutive Copa América final appearances, including the 2016 edition that was held in the U.S. Martino also managed Messi at Barcelona from 2013-2014.
Martino won an MLS Cup as manager of Atlanta United in 2018. Despite disagreements with Atlanta’s sporting department regarding player signings, Martino led the two-year-old club to a league title in 2018, his second and final season in MLS. His influence on player recruitment was paramount to Atlanta United’s immediate success.
A source close to Martino, who requested anonymity due to the nature of their relationship, told The Athletic that Messi and Martino got along fine when they worked together. They weren’t close and they weren’t distant either, the source said. Seven years later, both player and manager have matured in different ways. Messi, once considered a failure with his national team, is now a World Cup champion. Martino is coming off a tumultuous four-year campaign with Mexico with a keen interest in returning to MLS. Inter Miami declined to comment on potential coaching candidates.
“MLS is my weakness,” Martino told The Athletic in April. “I was part of an extraordinary project with Atlanta United that had a clear direction, a lot of communication and similar objectives that were established very quickly and executed. After coaching in MLS, I became attracted to it. I like the league. The possibility of returning to MLS is always there.”
MLS commissioner Don Garber told The Athletic in March it would likely take a creative deal — like the one Beckham had when he joined the LA Galaxy in 2007 — for the league to land Messi.
“You’re dealing with perhaps the most special player in the history of the game,” Garber said of Messi. “So when there are rumors of him connected to Miami, that’s great. And if it could happen, it would be terrific for MLS, it would be terrific for Messi and his family, and like everything with us, we try to run every opportunity down. I can’t give any more details than that because we don’t have them.”
Messi signed a two-year deal with PSG last season after spending the previous 17 years with Barcelona. The French side won its 11th Ligue 1 title this season, with Messi netting 16 goals with 16 assists in 32 league games. He added four goals over seven games in Champions League play. PSG reached the Round of 16 in Champions League in 2022-23 before falling to Bayern Munich.
Inter Miami, founded in 2018, is co-owned by Beckham. It went 14-6-14 last season, finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference, and is 5-0-11 this year. Even before they kicked a ball, Inter Miami was expected to eventually field a team of stars, an MLS version of Galácticos. This was due mostly to comments that Mas has made publicly.
“David and I have been working really hard, we have aspirations of bringing the best players here and Leo Messi is a generational player, arguably the best player of all time,” Mas told the Miami Herald in 2021. “I am optimistic Messi will play in an Inter Miami shirt because I think it will complete the legacy of the greatest player in our generation and will meet with the ambitions of the owners of Inter Miami to build a world class team.”
“This town wants to be turned on, you know what I mean?” Neville said in February. “I think this club is far from working-class. It’s got to have a little bit of glitz and glamor. It’s gotta aim for the moon rather than the stars. That comes with the location that we’re in. The people of Miami want to be turned on. They want South Beach.”
Neville didn’t last to see whether Messi will in fact come to MLS. He did, however, have an opinion on the impact his signing would have on the league.
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“I think it goes bigger than Inter Miami,” said Neville. “It’s big for the MLS. I think this would be probably the biggest signing, ever. I think if we have the opportunity to sign Messi and if he does come to this football club — and I don’t think we can hide away from the fact that we are probably in the ballpark, probably in the hunt, is that we have to be prepared for that.”
Christian Pulisic and Chelsea have run their course – so where next for the USMNT star?
With 88 minutes on the clock against Newcastle on the Premier League’s final day, the fourth official held up his No 10 and Christian Pulisic ran onto the Stamford Bridge pitch, likely for the last time as a Chelsea player.His arrival was greeted with lukewarm cheers and an audible smattering of boos.ADVERTISEMENT
During his short time in that match, the American forward touched the ball just three times but still found himself in a position to score a late winner, played in by Raheem Sterling’s pass. His low shot was saved by Martin Dubravka and, at the next break in play, he cupped his hands behind his head with a grimace, before sinking to his knees and staring at the turf.
It would have been only Pulisic’s second league goal of what has been comfortably his most frustrating and least productive season at Chelsea. He ranked 20th in the squad for minutes played across all competitions in 2022-23, putting him behind January loan signing Joao Felix, January departure Jorginho and Edouard Mendy, who lost the No 1 goalkeeper spot to Kepa Arrizabalaga in September.
There have been other signs beyond the numbers in recent months that suggest this particular relationship has run its course.
Warming up on the Molineux touchline as he readied himself to come on in Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers in April, Pulisic was abused by some in the away section. A similar scene played out as outgoing caretaker manager Frank Lampard led his players on a muted lap of appreciation around Stamford Bridge after the Newcastle draw.
(Photo: Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
“It’s been an interesting journey at the club level for me,” Pulisic said while on USMNT duty this week. “I had what I thought was a great couple of years and the last couple of years just haven’t gone at all how I planned them to be.”
The source of the antipathy towards Pulisic from some in the Chelsea fanbase is hard to pinpoint. His perceived criticism of hugely popular former head coach Thomas Tuchel in his 2022 book went down badly with many. Some of it may also be a reaction to the hype that continues to surround him across the Atlantic as the face of American soccer — hype that he largely justified with a series of impressive displays at the World Cup in Qatar.
Perhaps it is simply born of frustration that, after a blistering end to the COVID-19-affected 2019-20 season that appeared to herald the emergence of a new Chelsea talisman, Pulisic has never come particularly close to recapturing such form. His direct goal contributions (goals and assists) per 90 minutes in the Premier League recovered a little in 2021-22 before sinking to new depths last season.
It must be noted, however, that virtually all of the other attackers at Stamford Bridge have also been on downward trajectories by the same metric over the same period…
Ever since Tuchel’s appointment in January 2021, Pulisic has had to manage a sense of grievance at not being given the same level of opportunities as many of his attacking team-mates. But that is in the past.
Chelsea have given off plenty of signals in the first year of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s ownership that they are moving on from the American, not least spending in excess of £100million ($124.1m) combined on Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk.
Last summer, Chelsea’s ownership also offered Pulisic as part of financial packages designed to tempt AC Milan into talks regarding Rafael Leao. Though movements in the market are now being led by co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, the club continue to regard including the 24-year-old in larger deal structures for transfer targets as a potentially good way to realise value for a player who has been slow to command viable interest in the market.
(Photo: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Pulisic’s status as one of the higher earners at Stamford Bridge has frequently been cited as a significant reason for that but, at this stage, he is very willing to take a pay cut in order to facilitate a change of scene and a chance to kick-start his career. Chelsea are also very much incentivised to find a new home for a player entering the final year of the contract he signed as a £58million arrival from Borussia Dortmund in January 2019.
While there is a belief within the market that £20million would be a reasonable price for Pulisic, the club are wary of setting any kind of precedent for compromising on transfer fees for players in the final year of their deals — particularly while talks with Manchester United over Mason Mount and Manchester City over Mateo Kovacic are ongoing.
Remaining in the Premier League holds a lot of appeal, but Pulisic’s market in England will only realistically come from clubs outside the traditional ‘big six’. Newcastle are expected to be aggressive recruiters after qualifying for the Champions League for the first time under PIF’s ownership and did enquire about taking the American on loan last summer, but they have already informed Chelsea that they are not interested in signing him in this window.
(Photo: Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)
The crushing financial superiority of England’s top flight necessarily limits the interest from continental Europe.
Germany is not viewed as a potential destination, with Pulisic having already played for Dortmund and Tuchel now in charge at Bayern Munich. In Spain, Real Madrid have loftier targets and Barcelona huge financial challenges just to register free-agent signings. There is no indication that French champions Paris Saint-Germain are interested and, in any case, the fallout from the Manuel Ugarte transfer saga has exacerbated tensions with Chelsea.
That leaves Italy.
Milan are possible suitors despite tying Leao down to a long-term extension. Napoli could be in the market for a winger if Hirving Lozano leaves, while Juventus are attractive even without being able to offer Champions League football. Serie A as a league is keen to grow its American audience; what better way to do that than to provide the stage for USMNT’s best player to revive his club career?
It would be a surprise if Pulisic’s future is resolved quickly, given all the moving parts at play.
But it would be a much bigger surprise to see him in a Chelsea shirt again.
(Photos in top image: James Williamson – AMA / Getty Images; Visionhaus / Getty Images. Designed by Eamonn Dalton)
Champions League final, Manchester City vs. Inter: Three keys to victory for each side in Istanbul on Saturday
From Erling Haaland to Romelu Lukaku, here’s what each side needs to do to come out ahead on Saturday
By Chuck BoothJun 5, 2023 at 2:50 pm ET•5 min read
Watch Now:Morning Footy debates what’s next for Jo…(1:08)
The Champions League final is around the corner as Manchester City and Inter will meet in Istanbul for the greatest prize in European sports. City has never won the Champions League while Inter last hoisted the prestigious trophy in 2010 defeating Bayern Munich. Inter has been one of the hottest teams in soccer as of late but stopping Manchester City on their quest to win a treble will be quite a tall task.
Looking at the tactical questions ahead for Pep Guardiola and Simone Inzaghi shows just how interesting of a chess match this will be with Inter’s defense trying to matchup with a City attack that is among the best to grace the game of soccer. But looking ahead, what does each team need to do to ensure victory?
How to watch and odds
Date: Saturday, June 10 | Time: 3 p.m. ET Where: Atatürk Olympic Stadium — Istanbul, Turkey TV: CBS | Live Stream: Paramount+
Inter can win if they…
1. Control the midfield
City are a team that can stop you no matter what you try to do, so the best way to slow them down is by matching up in midfield. Inter are a team that can do that due to their balanced midfield and organized defense. Being able to slot in Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, and Hakan Calhanoglu, Inzaghi has quite a crew of midfielders, and it’s one that will only get deeper if Henrikh Mkhitaryan is available for the match.
Each midfielder brings different skills to the table but they’re also not afraid to play defense and sacrifice attacking numbers for the sake of the team. Things like this are critical to slow down City’s attack as Guardiola has a midfielder for every situation and there’s no way to truly stop them all. If a team is focusing on Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan is here to score a brace and Rodri can hit rockets from outside the box if he’s forgotten about and that’s why awareness is key. Being smart with possession and also pressing when needed, is where the game will be won or lost.
2. Andre Onana stands tall
Since no team can truly stop City, what will be important for Inter is what they do when City is able to break down their defense. That’s where Onana shines under pressure for this team. Onana has eight clean sheets in Champions League play so far over 1080 minutes behind 44 saves. Conceding less than a goal per game, 25 of those saves have come from shots taken inside the box which is the second-highest number behind only Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid. These saves in the box show that when teams do slip in behind Inter, Onana has their back allowing the defense to be more aggressive because they have faith in their keeper keeping things in order.
These are reasons why Onana took over for long-standing keeper Samir Handanovic during the season despite the latter being the club captain. Onana will need to be on his game and then some against Manchester City but based on how the season has gone, that’s expected.
3. Get Romelu Lukaku involved
The biggest decision for Inzaghi is who starts at striker out of Romelu Lukaku and Edin Dzeko. While both can link up well with Lautaro Martinez, they bring different things to the match. Dzeko’s power and ability on corner kicks can be useful in matches but City doesn’t allow the ball in the air much where Inter can utilize him to his full abilities. Lukaku, while he had a slow start to his Inter return, has been integral to the club as of late scoring and assisting key goals for the team.
With his confidence and all-around game right now, Lukaku forces City to step up and defend Inter differently which creates space for Martinez to work into. With the strength of the midfielders, if there’s space to exploit, attackers will be found and Lukaku helps that happen. After Onana, he’s one of the biggest x-factors in this game.
Manchester City can win if they…
1. Keep things simple
Generally, the only team that can beat Manchester City is themselves which is why Guardiaola’s lineup decisions are always under a microscope. City has the best collection of talent in the world but if they’re put in unfamiliar spots in a game of this magnitude, there’s always a chance that the team can overthink things and make a critical mistake. If Nathan Ake is healthy, Guardiola’s lineup can be written in Sharpie as: Ederson, Ake, Dias, Akanji, Stones, Rodri, Gundogan, de Bruyne, Grealish, Silva, Haaland.
That’s the lineup that got the team here and it’s the same one that can also get them over the line for the Champions League trophy. There are so many options of ways that City can set up to defeat a team when they come out like this and despite Inter being soundly setup, they’d get pulled apart if City are at their best.
2. Haaland runs the show
Goalscoring is great but Haaland’s presence is even better. His runs open space for the rest of the team and he’s not a selfish striker at all. From heading the ball over defenders, curling devastating shots into the box, and laying off for his teammates, he has it all. Haaland has scored 52 goals and assisted nine more in all competitions and the scary thing is that he could’ve scored more goals if he wanted to.
Haaland is dangerman in this game and Inter has to devote quite a large portion of the team defense to stopping him. If they don’t, Haaland will go and score a hat trick which is why there’s truly no way to defend City. Stop the midfield and you still have to make sure that the Norwegian doesn’t get.
3. Ederson doesn’t hurt himself
Back to City being the only team that can beat City is that Ederson is the only person who can beat Ederson. A keeper who can make flawless passes out of the back and big time saves when needed, Ederson can sometimes get caught out trying to do too much. From holding the ball and doing a flashy move instead of just clearing things or just falling asleep while City are in possession of the ball and missing the one save that he’s asked to make per game.
During the Champions League final, Ederson has to be locked in for all 90 mintues which should seem like a simple thing but something that hasn’t happened at times this season. Bring the best to Istanbul and it’s hard to see a situation where Manchester City doesn’t leave with a victory.
Champions League final: Why underdogs Inter stand a chance against mighty Manchester City
Simone Inzaghi’s Nerazzurri are all that stands between Pep Guardiola and the UCL, but Inter are a cup team that cannot be overlooked
By Jonathan Johnson May 17, 2023 at 7:05 pm ET•3 min read CBS.com
Getty Images
Manchester City delivered a frighteningly complete performance on Wednesday to see off Real Madrid 4-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate. Pep Guardiola’s side were hugely superior in the first half and would have been out of sight had Thibaut Courtois not been in exceptional form between the sticks for the Spanish giants. City were the better side over the two legs despite Real enjoying a dominant spell in the first and the Premier League titleholders look primed to snag their first Champions League crown.
Standing in their way are Inter who edged Milan 1-0 on Tuesday to complete a 3-0 aggregate success to book a first UCL final since their 2010 success under Jose Mourinho. The Nerazzurri have impressed in their ability to dump out the likes of Porto, Benfica and now their bitter Rossoneri rivals, but they have not come up against any side quite like this City. So, do Inter stand any chance at all in Istanbul come June 10? We look at reasons for Inter fans to believe that it can happen:
Inter are a true cup team
One thing abundantly clear from this run to the final is that this Inter team are made for cup competitions. They seem to thrive in this sort of environment and have managed to notch a Coppa Italia final in addition to this and are back in Serie A’s top four too. Inzaghi might not be able to get the best out of his squad across all competitions for a full season, but there is no doubt that their strengths lie away from the Italian league scene right now. Atalanta and Juventus have fallen to Inter as they seek to defend their Coppa title and those successes should be factored into the build-up, especially as Juve were seen off over two legs. Inter hitting their stride at just the right time could make them a dangerous wildcard for City to have fallen upon.
City might have peaked
Something else possibly counting in Inter’s favor is how difficult it will be for City to replicate the perfection of their second-leg mastery against Real when they only have one game to do it this time around. In 90 minutes, anything can happen, as we saw in City’s final appearance against Chelsea just two years ago. Guardiola’s first leg setup was not perfect although it did produce the desired outcome of not losing in Madrid but the Spaniard cannot afford to leave anything to chance if he wants to add his third Champions League title and first outside of Barcelona. City seem primed for success in what could be a historic end to the season for them, but they do not have the luxury of 180 minutes here having drawn 1-1 in each of the three knockout rounds — albeit with big winning margins at Etihad Stadium which itself accounts for some of it.
Inter’s defense-led revival
The Italians might not boast star names like David Alaba, Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger, but Inter’s combination of Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni is undeniably strong. With Andre Onana backing them up between the sticks and Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco up and down either side, nobody finds it easy against them. Most impressively, Milan Skriniar has barely been missed at all since his back injury which required surgery and there is no guarantee that he will be back in time for this one either. A closer look at the numbers and Inter have kept five clean sheets from a possible six en route to the final which is impressive by any standards with nine goals scored in those six games to underline that they are no slouches in front of goal either.
City are huge favorites
Perhaps most crucial of all will be the fact that City are well and truly the favorites coming into this one which was not as clear up against Bayern Munich and certainly not against Real. Inter are unfancied ahead of this final and people are already writing them off — hence this article — but as we have already discussed, there is already enough evidence that the job is not done for City. Casting our minds back to UEFA Euro 2020 should serve as a cautionary tale too when Italy upset England against the odds at Wembley to end up as champions. Another Anglo-Italian battle for European supremacy could not end up similarly, could it?
Champions League final preview: Man City vs Inter – where to watch, kick-off time, possible line-ups, form guide
Thursday, June 8, 2023
When is it? How can you watch it? What are the possible line-ups? All you need to know about the UEFA Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter.
Manchester City meet Inter in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday 10 June.
Champions League final at a glance
When: Saturday 10 June (21:00 CET kick-off, 22:00 local time) Where: Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul What: 68th European Cup final Who: 2021 runners-up City vs three-time winners Inter How to follow: Build-up and live coverage can be found here
City have been banging on the door for some time now, but this is just their second final and they are yet to break their duck. Coach Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, is looking to join the elite group of three-time winners, having previously lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2011, and also become only the sixth man to win it with two clubs. Sandwiched between those two Barcelona triumphs was the most recent of Inter’s three wins – then it was José Mourinho; is now the turn of Simone Inzaghi?
Possible starting line-ups
Man City: Ederson; Walker, Rúben Dias, Aké; Stones, Rodri; Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Gündoğan, Grealish; Haaland
Man City Form (all competitions, most recent first): WLDWWW Where they finished: Premier League champions, FA Cup winners
Inter Form (all competitions, most recent first): WWWLWW Where they finished: 3rd in Serie A, Coppa Italia winners
Expert predictions
Matthew Howarth, Man City reporter Given the manner in which Guardiola’s team dispatched Bayern and holders Real Madrid, it is no surprise they are regarded by many as favourites. There is something mesmerising about watching City overwhelm even the strongest of opponents with a potent combination of pinpoint passing accuracy, ferocious pressing and electric pace. Games of this magnitude are often settled by fine margins, but City have the bit between their teeth and if they play as well as they have been, a maiden Champions League title could well be theirs.
Vieri Capretta, Inter reporter Back in the final after 13 years, but in a very different position – it feels like Inter have little to lose against this City side. Tactically, the Nerazzurri are solid at the back and fluid going forward, moving well as a team, with a physically demanding style of play that requires everyone to be at the top of their game. Inter defend as a block and attack as a unit. Inzaghi’s side have shown themselves to be adept at adapting to their opponent, so we can expect them defend low and play on the break. Will it be enough?
Inter European Cup final record: P5 W3 L2 F7 A5 Most recent appearance: 2010, Inter 2-0 Bayern
What the coaches say
Josep Guardiola, Man City coach: “When you reach the final of the Champions League, you have to celebrate. A final against an Italian team is not always the best gift, honestly. Inter are competitive. After this [semi-final] victory there will be a lot of compliments, but we have time to prepare mentally.”
Simone Inzaghi, Inter coach: “For us it was a dream but we have always believed in it. I’m proud to be here. Nobody has given us anything, we deserve everything that we have achieved. And now the dream to play the final has come true. It has been an extraordinary path and winning a derby in the semi-final brought particular satisfaction.”
Former U.S. men’s national team star Clint Dempsey has offered his take on the ongoing search for the team’s next permanent head coach, telling The Athletic’s Pablo Maurer and Felipe Cárdenas that he believes the protracted search is not good for the team.
The USMNT is currently in a state of flux, with no permanent head coach in place since Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired in the new year while he was wrapped up in a complicated controversy involving the Reyna family. Anthony Hudson, a former assistant under Berhalter, coached the team on an interim basis until this week, when he left U.S. Soccer. The Athletic reported that Hudson left for a club job in the Middle East. Another former assistant with the team, B.J. Callaghan, will take charge of the team for the Nations League and Gold Cup tournaments this summer.
“I don’t think it’s good to go interim to interim, in my opinion,” Dempsey said. “I think it’s unfortunate the situation that happened with (former USMNT head coach Gregg) Berhalter. I think he’s still in line for the job and I think he did a great job at the World Cup…Jesse Marsch, obviously he’s done well in Europe. If you look at the teams at the World Cup that did well and got to the knockout rounds, I think it was 15 of the 16 teams were domestic coaches. So maybe it makes sense to have a domestic coach that understands what players are dealing with.”
Dempsey, the USMNT’s joint-all-time leading goalscorer, was speaking at The Soccer Tournament, a 7-v-7 competition where he is coaching Team Dempsey. Asked for his thoughts on how the U.S. can build on its World Cup performance, Dempsey singled out new dual-national recruit Folarin Balogun.
“I think we were looking for that No. 9 (at the World Cup), I think maybe we got that now in Folarin Balogun,” Dempsey said. “We were one of the top teams in terms of the crosses that we got — maybe he’d have been the guy that got on the end of those. We’ll see what happens there.”
Indy looking for back-to-back wins Saturday Night
#INDvHFD Preview Indy Eleven vs Hartford Athletic Saturday, June 10, 2023 – 7:00 p.m. ET Carroll Stadium – Indianapois, Ind.
Community Health Network Sports Medicine Indy Eleven Injury Report: OUT: DF R. Dambrot (L knee), MF B. Rebellon (L hamstring), R. King (R quad), Y. Boudadi (L shoulder) QUESTIONABLE: None
Discipline Report: IND: none HFD: none
SETTING THE SCENE The Boys in Blue return to The Mike on Saturday to host eastern division foe Hartford Athletic at 7 p.m. Indy is coming off a 4-0 win over division leader Charleston and sits seventh in the eastern division at 4-5-3. The four goals against Charleston tie for the most in a USL Championship match for the club, having registered four on six occasions. Indy is looking for its first set of back-to-back wins this season.
Hartford is last in the division at 2-7-3 following a 0-0 draw vs. Louisville City.
SERIES VS. HARTFORD ATHLETIC Friday marks the sixth meeting between the two sides with Indy holding the 3-2 all-time advantage. Saturday will be the first of two meetings between the two sides in 2023, with the second meeting taking place June 24 at Hartford.
Indy leads: 3-2 GF 8, GA 5
Recent Meetings 8.13.22 at HFD L, 2-1 4.30.22 Home W, 1-0 7.29.20 Home W, 4-1
Last Match 2022 USL Championship – Matchday 23 Hartford Athletic 2 : 1 Indy Eleven Saturday, August 13, 2022 Trinity Health Stadium – Hartford, Conn.
QUINN NAMED TO USL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM OF THE WEEK JUNE 6, 2023 A pair of goals off penalty kicks in Friday’s 4-0 win over division-leading Charleston earned Aodhan Quinn USL Championship Team of the Week honors.
Just 19 seconds into the match, Sebastian Guenzatti earned the Eleven a chance from the spot setting up Quinn for his second penalty of the season. Quinn converted just 1:28 into the match, giving him the USL Championship’s fastest goal of the 2023 season and his second tally of the year. His team-leading third goal of the season came in the same fashion, this time thanks to a Charleston foul of Harrison Robledo. Quinn also converted on 74 of 81 passes and recorded two chances created.
This is the first honor of 2023 for Quinn, giving the Eleven its fifth player to earn a spot on the USL Team of the Week along with a pair of bench appearances.
LAST TIME OUT JUNE 2, 2023 CHS 0:4 IND Indy Eleven defeated USL Championship Eastern Conference leader Charleston on the road Friday night, 4-0.
Scoring Summary: IND – Aodhan Quinn (pk) 2’ IND – Aodhan Quinn (pk) 72’ IND – Roberto Molina (Douglas Martinez) 75’ IND – Own Goal 80’
Discipline Summary: CHS – Leland Archer (ejection) 1’ IND – Jesus Vazquez (caution) 8’ CHS – Deklan Wynne (caution) 29’ IND – Douglas Martinez (caution) 59’ IND – Gustavo Rissi (caution) 61’ CHS – Trey Muse (caution) 71’ CHS – Arthur Paterson (caution) 88’
INDY ACQUIRES MIDFIELDER SEBASTIAN VELASQUEZ JUNE 8, 2023 Indy Eleven it has acquired midfielder Sebastian Velasquez via transfer from USL Championship side Memphis 901 FC. Per club policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed. Velasquez will be available for Indy’s match against Hartford Athletic Saturday.
Velasquez signed with Memphis on February 24, 2023 after three seasons (2019, 2021-22) in El Paso where he made 42 appearances for the Locomotive scoring a pair of goals and notching an assist. He spent the 2020 season with Miami FC. Velasquez is the second player to reunite with Indy Eleven Head Coach Mark Lowry this season, joining Macauley King who also played under him at El Paso for two seasons.
Since joining the USLC with Real Monarchs SLC in 2017, Velasquez has made 112 appearances with 28 goals and 18 assists.
The Colombian was signed by Real Salt Lake in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft and played three seasons with the club before joining New York City FC for the 2015 campaign. He has 55 MLS caps, two goals and two assists.
NWSL teams boast record crowds
DENNY MEDLEY/USA TODAY SPORTS NWSL game days are becoming a hot summer ticket. Gotham FC had a club-record 15,058 in attendance on Sunday evening.OL Reign took part in a doubleheader with the Seattle Sounders that drew over 42,000 fans.The KC Current fanbase is holding strong, with over 10,000 fans taking in the team’s second regular season win.
Indy 11 Breaks Ground on New Stadium Downtown, Indy 11 Women are home tonight
The Indy 11 Broke ground on their new stadium downtown – over by Lucas Oil and the Indiana Indian’s Baseball stadium on the the White River. Read more. See Video Man I can’t wait!!
The undefeated Indy 11 ladies play their first home game tonight at 7 pm at the Grand Park Events Center in Westfield – or you can watch here online Live Stream The Indy 11 roster are from Indy including former Carmel High School stars Katie and Susie Soderstrom and Cassidy Lindley. Grand Park The men are on the Road in Charlestown tonight at 7:30 pm on ESPN+.
US Nations League Roster is Released Right After New Interim Coach BJ Callaghan is Announced
Continuing to be concerned about the brass at US Soccer as Interim Manager Anthony Hudsen has left for a Saudi team leaving former Assistant BJ Callagham in charge. (the Assistant to the Assistant) Just bad optics on the timing especially if Jesse Marsch who is the frontrunner to take over the squad leading into this crucial period before our home 2026 World Cup is going to take over. Why not just do it now – before Nations League in 2 weeks or at least the Gold Cup in July. (lots of stories about the new Manager and the team below)
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
FORWARDS (7):Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 30/7), Folarin Balogun (Stade de Reims/FRA; 0/0), Taylor Booth (Utrecht/NED; 2/0), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen/NED; 14/6), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 58/23), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 29/4), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 3/1)
Notes
Sad commentary out of Leed’s United this week as they are relagated and immediately blame American players Wes McKinney, and Brendan Aaronson. Of Course Tyler Adams was injured for the last 12 games and still finished as the #4 player in tackles in the EPL – here Tyler Adams does well. Honestly glad to see the little Leeds United States of America experiment is ending. Fulham America is and always be America’s team with the most US players making the most difference over the years. And at least Fulham has class – Leeds it must be said is a dirty little football club full of themselves and their past history. Their fans are amongst THE WORSE in English football if not the world – and I for 1 am glad to see this little experiment is over. Also when Leeds fired American Coach Jesse Marsch they were in 14th place 3 spots from the drop zone. McKinney had just arrived – Adams was healthy. Leeds had a horrific Defense and an even worse GK. Goodbye Leeds – back to where you belong in the Championship.
US U20s World Cup Advance to Final 8 Play Sun 5 pm FS2 vs Uruguay
Folarin Balogun headlines the U.S. men’s national team roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League finals as the newly-committed forward appears set to make his debut after filing a one-time switch to represent the country. Balogun, who has scored 20 goals on loan at Reims in France’s Ligue 1, committed to the U.S. over England and Nigeria last month. The Arsenal striker turns 22 on July 3 and becomes yet another exciting young player to join a core that advanced to the Round of 16 in last fall’s World Cup.The U.S. will face rival Mexico in the Nations League semifinals on June 15 in Las Vegas. Should they win, they would advance to play the winner of Panama-Canada in the Nations League final on June 18.The roster includes 13 players from the roster that went to the World Cup in Qatar, including star winger Christian Pulisic, winger Tim Weah and midfielders Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Gio Reyna. Several players from that team were not available due to injury, most notably captain Tyler Adams, center back Tim Ream and forward Josh Sargent.
The U.S. will be competing under interim manager B.J. Callaghan, the second interim manager for the U.S. in the last six months. Previous interim manager Anthony Hudson stepped down to take a job with a club in the Middle East, according to multiple sources. The USMNT has been without a full-time manager since Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired at the end of 2022. New sporting director Matt Crocker said he hopes to have a hire in place by August.
Balogun will compete at the No. 9 spot against Ricardo Pepi, the 20-year-old striker who was controversially left off the roster for Qatar. Pepi has 12 goals and three assists this season on loan with Groningen in the Dutch Eredivisie and has attracted attention from some of the top teams in Holland, including PSV and Feyenoord, as he looks for a potential move away from Augsburg.The roster includes some interesting names, including Maccabi Haifa goalkeeper Josh Cohen, who worked his way up through the USL before making a move to Israel and eventually playing in the Champions League. Players represent clubs in 10 different countries: England (7), USA (3), France (2), Germany (2), Mexico (2), Netherlands (2), Spain (2), Brazil (1), Canada (1), Israel (1) and Italy (1).
Chris Richards is back in the U.S. camp for the first time since being injured in January 2022 in a World Cup qualifier in Canada. The center back played just nine games this season with Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
With Adams not on the roster, midfielders Johnny Cardoso, who plays professionally with Internacional in Brazil, and Alan Soñora, who features at FC Juarez in Mexico, will try to make a claim on the No. 6 role. De la Torre played there earlier this year but typically plays in a higher role.
Notably, Reyna is listed as a midfielder on the roster, meaning he will likely feature in a central role. Taylor Booth, meanwhile, was listed as a forward, meaning he will more likely be deployed as a winger in this camp.Eight players were part of the roster that claimed the inaugural 2021 CONCACAF Nations League title: Aaronson, Dest, McKennie, Musah, Pulisic, Reyna, Robinson and Weah.
Detailed roster by position (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
Goalkeepers (4): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Josh Cohen (Maccabi Haifa/ISR; 0/0), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 12/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 26/0)
Defenders (7): Sergiño Dest (AC Milan/ITA; 24/2), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 8/0), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 34/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 21/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 4/0), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City/ENG; 1/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 39/3)
Midfielders (6): Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 6/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 14/0), Weston McKennie (Leeds United/ENG; 43/11), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 25/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 18/4), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez/MEX; 2/0),
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Forwards (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 30/7), Folarin Balogun (Stade Reims/FRA; 0/0), Taylor Booth (Utrecht/NED; 2/0), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen/NED; 14/6), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 58/23), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 29/4), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 3/1)
The team will begin gathering for camp on June 4 in Los Angeles.
Who is B.J. Callaghan? USMNT’s new interim manager has colleagues’ respect
In the first weeks of his first full-time job in soccer during the 2019 Gold Cup, former U.S. men’s national team scout Michael Stephens watched B.J. Callaghan put in the type of hours you usually read about in the profiles of college football coaches. On Gregg Berhalter’s coaching staff, where long hours were the norm, Callaghan stood out. Stephens would get to the office early and Callaghan would be there. He’d leave late, and Callaghan would still be working. “I just immediately saw the amount of time it was going to require to do the job and be successful,” Stephens told The Athletic in a phone interview on Tuesday. “In an extremely hard-working staff, in camp, out of camp, nobody put in more hours than him.”Callaghan is one of just two staffers remaining who started under Berhalter at the 2019 January camp, right at the start of the 2022 World Cup cycle. After four years working in a number of different roles, he was named Tuesday as interim head coach for this summer’s Nations League finals and Gold Cup. U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday that former interim manager Anthony Hudson stepped down. Sources told The Athletic that Hudson accepted a job coaching in the Persian Gulf.This summer represents the USMNT’s first chance to win a trophy since being eliminated by the Netherlands in the round of 16 at the World Cup in December. After the tournament, Berhalter’s contract expired and Hudson had led the group on an interim basis through the January camp, March Nations League games as well as an April friendly against Mexico.
Now, it’s Callaghan keeping the seat warm as U.S. Soccer continues their search for a permanent head coach while defending the USMNT’s Nations League and Gold Cup titles.
“B.J. has been an integral part of the USMNT staff during the last four years as this young team has grown and developed,” sporting director Matt Crocker said in a press release. “Working alongside Anthony Hudson these last five months, we are confident he is prepared and ready to lead this group in the summer tournaments.”
While Callaghan is the longest-serving coach on the staff, he isn’t as well-known to the general public. Those who worked with him, however, hold him in high regard.
“Being somebody that worked with and for B.J., I don’t think you’d be able to find a staff member or player that didn’t have respect for him,” said Stephens, now the director of scouting for the LA Galaxy. “Based on the way he goes about his job, how hard he works and his commitment to the team.”
‘He won’t be outworked’
Callaghan joined the federation after a long stint at the Philadelphia Union, where he worked in the academy for two years then was on the first team staff for five seasons. Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin first linked up with Callaghan at Villanova University when Curtin returned to his alma mater as a volunteer assistant. Two years later, Callaghan joined Curtin in Philly, with both working in the academy.
Curtin joined the first team staff in 2012 and two years later was named head coach. He quickly added Callaghan, who had long worked in the Philadelphia soccer community and was the grandson of famed Villanova basketball coach Jack Kraft, to the first team staff.“Instantly you recognize he’s incredibly hard working— he won’t be outworked,” Curtin told The Athletic. “He’s very loyal and is a very good tactical coach. He understands the game and what certain games need.”Over the years in Philly, Callaghan worked with Curtin as the club took their first steps from expansion laughing stock towards the respected outfit they are today. The Union advanced to three U.S. Open Cup finals and qualified for the playoffs twice. He left ahead of the 2019 season to join Berhalter’s staff at the national team.Colleagues said Callaghan is adept across numerous key phases as a coach. His tactical mind is sharp, he can organize and execute training sessions at a high level and is also a positive influence on locker room culture. Callaghan’s understanding of the USMNT’s game model under Berhalter is strong, having been an active part in its development and progression over the last four years. He was also often the member of the staff who would onboard new USMNT coaches due to his grasp of the system with the national team.“He did so many different tasks and he did them well,” Stephens said. “Everything from player scouting to opposition analysis. He was somebody that all the rest of the staff could count on to do good work.”FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan echoed that sentiment. Noonan worked with Callaghan in Philadelphia as part of Curtin’s staff.“What you see behind the scenes is a very loyal person,” Noonan told The Athletic. “A hard-working person, a smart soccer mind. He’s prepared for this opportunity.”Now in his fifth year on the staff and at the beginning of his second World Cup cycle, Callaghan will face a major test in leading the group this summer. “I understand the responsibility of the job and am honored to have the opportunity to build upon the progress this group has made the last four years,” Callaghan said. “Together, we have built a strong culture and a great understanding of how we want to play, and we expect to continue to build on that progress. Our goal is clear: defend both of our CONCACAF titles.”
The task ahead
Callaghan will be thrown straight into the deep end. His first game in charge is against heated rival Mexico in the semifinal of the Nations League on June 15.“These aren’t just going to be friendlies,” Curtin said. “These are games of consequence right away.”The USMNT won the inaugural Nations League final in 2021 and are defending their title. From there, Callaghan will lead the group at the Gold Cup, again as defending champions. The latter may be the more difficult task in that it’s not just a two-game tournament, but rather a month-long grind. Callaghan, however, won’t be caught by surprise with anything regarding the national team pool. He, along with Hudson, had put together a plan for the summer.That he’s being required to take over at this juncture is more of an indictment on the timeline on which U.S. Soccer is operating. The coaching carousel in global football is underway, which is why Hudson took a full-time opportunity with his contract expiring on Aug. 1. U.S. Soccer, meanwhile, expects to conduct interviews in June and July before hiring a full-time coach by August. They’ll have to hope that some of the top candidates — be it former Leeds manager Jesse Marsch or former USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter — don’t take other jobs first.Until they zero in on a candidate, however, the responsibility of managing the team in its first major competitions of this new World Cup cycle will fall to a second interim manager. Callaghan is also set to preside over the senior U.S. debut of striker Folarin Balogun, who is eligible for selection for the first time after FIFA this month approved his one-time switch to represent the United States. Callaghan is close with several players in the pool having maintained individual connections with a group of players during the last four years. That includes players whom he oversaw while with the Union, like Mark McKenzie, Brenden Aaronson and Zack Steffen, as well as others, including Tyler Adams and Tim Ream. Those who worked with him for the national team said there is little doubt the players will be ready to play for Callaghan.“Being part of the federation for as long as he’s been, he’s well positioned to have success,” Noonan said. “He’s in a good position to get the right message to the players in a short amount of time so they can have success on the field.”The USMNT’s Nations League roster will be announced Thursday. Camp opens Monday, with a week and a half before Callaghan’s first match in charge.“I talked with him, I told him to run with this,” Curtin said. “Trust yourself, surround yourself with good people. He’s a name who should be on everybody’s head coaching list for an MLS team, he deserves that kind of a look.”
With a smile and a laugh Curtin added: “We miss him here in Philly, he can come back anytime.”
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USMNT transfer outlook: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and more likely on the move
In the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, discussions around the U.S. men’s national team centered on potential.
The squad that qualified for the World Cup was the youngest in the world, by average age. They were the second-youngest team at November’s tournament. Over the next three years, however, that narrative will shift and the team will no longer be judged on potential. Many young stars will enter their primes. A home World Cup will increase expectations.
While the 2026 World Cup feels a long way away, the reality is that this upcoming summer could have a massive influence on the growth of the young core of the USMNT. It will influence whether the reality of this team’s maturation matches the expectations.
From stars like Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams in their mid-20s looking for the correct move as they enter their prime, to younger stalwarts like Yunus Musah and Tim Weah seeking the next step in their promising young careers, to players further down the pool like Auston Trusty and Taylor Booth trying to firm up their standing in the pool and become regular call-ups, the decisions on which clubs to play for — the countries, the styles of play, their roles within the team, whether they regularly feature in European competition — will impact each individual’s respective development.
That, in turn, will reflect on the USMNT.
It’s a summer of flux for the U.S. national team, from organizational leadership to technical staff, down through the pool’s biggest stars.
U.S. Soccer named Matt Crocker sporting director in April, the first of a crucial set of top-down decisions at the program. Crocker said last week he aims to hire a USMNT head coach by August. That person will play a huge role in the direction of the program. Another key decision came this month when FIFA approved Folarin Balogun’s switch to represent the United States after previously being with England, completed in time to debut next month at the Nations League.
With his international future sorted, Balogun can focus on charting his club future. But, as noted above, the uncertainty of where he will play next season is shared by a significant swath of the first-team pool. More than a dozen European-based U.S. players could be on the move this summer.
Where the players land won’t be entirely in their hands. How many of the players are going to be first-choice transfer options? How many others will learn their fate later in the window, as other players at their positions are bought and sold? How much will individual desire — the want to play for a Champions League contender versus the desire to be a featured star — weigh against what the market looks like for the players?
Here’s a look at the pivotal upcoming window for European-based U.S. players.
Likely to leave
Christian Pulisic
Starting with a captain, and the biggest star, Christian Pulisic looks to be on the move from Chelsea this summer.
There is one year left on his current deal and the winger played just 813 minutes in the Premier League this season, falling down the pecking order under three different managers just in 2022-23. Mauricio Pochettino will be the next Chelsea manager, maybe he has a different opinion on Pulisic’s standing in a crowded attacking group.
Figuring out a likely landing spot is murky. Finances, stature and Chelsea’s own plans cloud the outlook. Pulisic has been linked in potential swap deals for Chelsea to acquire other targets.
Newcastle, who officially qualified for the Champions League, could be a candidate for Pulisic with the right combination of European soccer, money to cover the deal and route to regular first-team minutes. Italian giants AC Milan and Napoli could make sense, but finances will be a hurdle.
There is a question, too, about what Pulisic is looking for. Does he want to go to another Champions League team where he’ll be in a fight for every minute? Does he drop down to the next tier of club, where he’ll be asked to be the man and develop in that way?
There’s a lot to be figured out at a crucial career point for the 24-year-old.
Tyler Adams
A stellar debut season in England for Tyler Adams was cut short by hamstring surgery in March, a crucial blow for Leeds United’s fight against relegation, which became inevitable on the final day of the season. The club finished 19th in the league and will spend 2023-24 in the Championship.
The expectation is Adams will depart now. But where to?
Adams’ performance and stylistic fit in the Premier League will make him an attractive option for any club outside the top six that can afford him. Will Adams prefer a potential rotation role at a top-six club or look to be a crucial starter at a club further down the table, like he was with Leeds?
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Adams spent two and a half seasons at RB Leipzig and his style fits well with the Bundesliga, but German clubs will find it difficult to compete with Premier League clubs’ offers both in terms of transfer fee and contract.
Yunus Musah
After three seasons as a key player in Valencia’s midfield, Yunus Musah is likely to depart for a new challenge this summer. The Premier League is a likely landing spot.
Musah, 20, has been linked with numerous Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and more. He’s a former England youth international and was a product of Arsenal’s academy before he joined Valencia.
Valencia is in a relegation battle and is in a good spot heading into the final day of the season, but aren’t mathematically safe yet. The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported he could be available for around $22 million.
Musah has already accrued 24 caps for the USMNT and is a crucial member of the squad.
Folarin Balogun
The USMNT’s newest star already made one crucial decision ahead of the summer when FIFA officially approved his switch to represent the United States, but now Balogun needs to sort his club situation.The 21-year-old has excelled on loan in France with Reims from Arsenal this season, becoming the first American to score 20 goals in one season in a top-five league. He has scored 20 of Reims’ 44 goals, the highest percentage of any player in France. He’s tied for fourth in the Golden Boot chase.
Ornstein reported last month Balogun wants to be a first-choice striker wherever he plays next season, which is unlikely at Arsenal with Gabriel Jesus and others in place. He also reported Balogun doesn’t want to go on loan again, with a permanent transfer the preference. AC Milan, Inter Milan, RB Leipzig, Marseille and Monaco are clubs expected to pursue Balogun.
Weston McKennie’s time at Leeds did not go well, with the fans chanting “you fat b—rd” at the American as he subbed out on the final day of the season.
McKennie will return to Juventus from his failed loan to Leeds. Will he make another move to England?
Brighton and Hove Albion is the latest club to be linked for a move this summer, while Bournemouth and Aston Villa were reportedly interested in the midfielder in January before he went to Leeds. The 24-year-old made 41 appearances this season between Juventus and Leeds.
Photo courtesy of Robbie Jay Barratt, AMA/Getty Images.
Dest’s move to Barcelona from Ajax has been far from a dream. And his loan to AC Milan turned into a nightmare. This summer, his next transfer, be it permanent or on loan, is at an inflection point for his young career.
Dest, 22, has made only two Serie A starts this season with Milan and hasn’t appeared in a league game since January 24. He hasn’t even made the bench since March 4. Milan won’t trigger his purchase option and Dest will return to Barcelona this summer before likely making a new move.
Dest has been linked with a loan move to Union Berlin, where he could join fellow USMNT teammate Jordan Pefok, but one source, who’s involved in discussions regarding Dest’s future and granted anonymity to speak freely, told The Athletic that report isn’t true. Considering the stature of Dest’s clubs so far, the hope will be that he is back in the Champions League next season, but more importantly, he needs to find a club where he will get regular minutes again.
Tim Weah
Weah was a regular for Lille this season, but the attacker spent most of his minutes at either right or left fullback. For the USMNT, he thrives as a direct winger in a 4-3-3.
The 23-year-old could leave Lille this summer. Clubs from each of the top five leagues are interested, while a source involved in discussions regarding Weah’s future confirmed to The Athletic that Marseille is indeed among the clubs pursuing him.
Weah joined Lille from PSG in 2019 and won a league title with the club in 2020-21. Lille currently sits fifth with two matches remaining in the Ligue 1 season. Weah scored the opening goal for the U.S. at the World Cup and is a leader and glue guy in the locker room. The hope will be that he gets back into a squad where he’ll play regularly at the winger spot he plays on the international stage.
The Athletic reported that Aaronson does indeed have a relegation release clause in his contract and that sources are expecting it to be triggered. He should have options to remain in the top flight.
Aaronson, signed last summer for $30 million from RB Salzburg in a deal that was dependent on Leeds staying in the Premier League, appeared in 36 of the club’s 38 league games this season but hasn’t started in more than a month.
The 22-year-old broke through at the Philadelphia Union before transferring to RB Salzburg, where he stayed for a year and a half ahead of Leeds. The hard-working attacker has 29 caps with the USMNT.
Ricardo Pepi
Pepi is pushing to leave Augsburg this summer, a sentiment that has been conveyed to the German club in no uncertain terms, and it’s already gotten messy.
Pepi, his agent and Augsburg have all put out differing quotes on his future. Pepi was quoted by Fabrizio Romano saying there was “no chance” he’d stay at Augsburg after the club said they were counting on him for next season. Pepi’s agent was quoted by Dutch media saying the club should answer Pepi’s text before speaking about him publicly. Augsburg have made it clear they don’t feel they need to sell him.
PSV and Feyenoord are among the clubs interested in Pepi, but nailing down a price point will be difficult. Augsburg paid a club-record fee of around $18 million upfront plus $2 million incentives to sign the forward from Dallas 18 months ago and he’s under contract until the summer of 2026 with a club option for another year, so Augsburg has leverage.
Pepi, 20, has 12 goals on loan with FC Groningen in the Dutch top flight, though the club has been relegated to the second tier for next season.
Steffen plans to leave Manchester City this summer, perhaps on a permanent deal but another loan can’t be ruled out.
“I don’t think I’ll go back,” Steffen told Jonathan Tannenwald of the Philadelphia Inquirer in March. “No, I want to be playing. Although I had a great time at City and I love those guys, and obviously an amazing club, I don’t really have any plans to go back.”
Steffen, 28, spent this season on loan with Middlesbrough in the Championship. They failed to win promotion, losing in the Championship playoffs, and announced Steffen as one of the players who would be departing this summer. Steffen was acquired by Manchester City for around $7.5 million upfront (with add-ons to take the fee up to $10 million) in January 2019.
Options for loan or permanent deals elsewhere in England as well as Germany, where he spent 2019-20 on loan with Dusseldorf, are likely.
The Nottingham Forest goalkeeper spent the season on loan at Luton Town and was a significant part of their promotion to the Premier League. Horvath started 44 games for Luton this season, with a rate of 0.84 goals against per 90 minutes. His post-shot expected goals rate was slightly under what was expected, but Horvath was mostly steady in net and, for the second straight season, was involved in the promotion of a team from the Championship to the Premier League.
Luton has the option to make the loan permanent. Considering his role this season, it would not be surprising if they triggered that option this summer.
On loan at Rangers from Bayern Munich, Malik Tillman has had a breakout season in Scotland. The original deal includes a purchase option: Will Rangers pick it up?
Tillman, turning 21 next week, has 11 goals and four assists in 43 appearances across all competitions for the Scottish giants this season. He made seven appearances for Bayern last season as he looked to break into the first team. Tillman will no doubt have a big say as to whether he remains in Scotland or seeks another move.
Bryan Reynolds
Reynolds is overwhelmingly expected to leave AS Roma this summer, with numerous clubs hopeful to take on the 21-year-old fullback.
The Athleticreported last week that West Ham is pursuing Reynolds, while Westerlo has already had an initial bid rejected. Part of West Ham’s plan would be to loan Reynolds to Sparta Prague next season for consistent playing time, a source with knowledge of the discussions told The Athletic.
Clubs in Belgium, the Netherlands and England are interested. With Reynolds’ familiarity and form in Belgium — currently on loan at Westerlo and spent half a season at Kortrijk — staying in Belgium or heading to the neighboring Netherlands seems likely.
Reynolds played just one Serie A minute under Jose Mourinho after being signed by Roma from FC Dallas in January 2021.
Auston Trusty
Trusty’s first season in England was a strong one; he was named Birmingham City’s Supporters’ Player of the Year while on loan from Arsenal.
It is unlikely Trusty breaks into Arsenal’s first-team squad, of course, and so he is expected to be on the move again. The 24-year-old has been linked with Rangers, and after his success with Birmingham, he’s likely to have interest elsewhere in the Championship.
Trusty started 44 of Birmingham’s Championship matches, a constant presence on the club’s backline. He chipped in with four goals as well.
Taylor Booth
Booth parlayed his career season with Utrecht into his USMNT debut in March.
The versatile midfielder, turning 22 next week, has two goals and four assists in 24 Eredivisie appearances over his debut season in the Netherlands after leaving Bayern Munich. Performances for a club like this often catch the attention of bigger clubs in the league as well as elsewhere in Europe.
Utrecht will want to cash in on Booth, and where they set the price is critical.
Probably staying
This portion isn’t exhaustive. For instance, it’s obvious Tim Ream will remain with Fulham, Joe Scally with Borussia Monchengladbach and Daryl Dike with West Brom, to name a few.
Gio Reyna
Borussia Dortmund were left heartbroken on the final day of the season, failing to nail down their first Bundesliga title in more than a decade thanks to a home draw to Mainz. While Gio Reyna hasn’t been a regular starter, he was a contributor to the title push with seven goals and two assists in 610 minutes.
Reyna is still only 20 years old and should have an improved outlook for playing time next season as he continues to develop and, hopefully, have better injury luck.
Any potential transfer would have to be for huge money, Reyna is regarded as one of the most talented U-21 players in the world. Dortmund has a history of developing and selling players for big money, like when Chelsea signed Pulisic from Dortmund for north of $70 million in 2019. Considering the drama that surrounded Reyna after the World Cup, however, this summer may not be the best time to try to maximize that value, and Reyna’s role off the bench in the back half of the season doesn’t set up well for that, either.
It wasn’t a season to remember for Norwich City, but it was an important one for Sargent.
Sargent, 23, easily set career bests in goals (13) and league minutes (3,158). He didn’t exclusively play center forward but spent more time there than he has for a couple of years, key for his trajectory and development. Teemu Pukki is leaving the club this summer, giving Sargent even more opportunity to play center forward next year.
He is happy at Norwich and isn’t likely to leave this summer, despite interest in Germany. Norwich spent around $11 million to sign him and gave him a contract through 2025. He wouldn’t be available for cheap and Bundesliga clubs would struggle to match his salary.
Norwich was thought among the better Championship teams following their relegation from the Premier League but finished 13th. They’ll push again for promotion next season.
While Turner (and any other goalkeeper) would prefer to be the first choice, a move from Arsenal this summer is unlikely.
Turner, 28, only joined Arsenal at the beginning of this season from the New England Revolution. He made seven appearances for Arsenal, five in the Europa League and two in the FA Cup, as he still awaits his Premier League debut behind No. 1 Aaron Ramsdale.
It will be a similar outlook next season for Turner behind Ramsdale, likely deputizing the cup matches barring injury. Arsenal qualified for the Champions League so there won’t be Europa League games to bank on either.
(Photo: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
American GK Horvath Leads Luton Town to Promotion Playoff Final Sat at 11:45 am on ESPN+.
Luton Town, with American Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, advanced to the EFL Playoff Final where they beat Coventry City at Wembley 2-1 in Penalty Shootout – Sat, May 27th at 11:45 am on ESPN+. Horvath who helped get Nottingham’s Forest promoted last season spoke with Morning Footy this week – he helped take a 2nd team to the EPL in back to back seasons. Lets hope we can stay with them as the move into the EPL next season. This the first time since 1995 – just 9 years ago they were in the National League where Whrexham were last season. Of course who can forget Horvath’s PK save vs Mexico in 2021. (Cool story below) Luton Town is Carmel FC Director of Coaching Goalkeeper Juergen Sommer’s first employer in 1990 when he became the first American to play in the first flight of English football. He later was named GK of the year the same year he lead them to the FA Cup Semi-Finals in Wembley.
U-20 Men’s World Cup Fri 2 pm on FS2
The U20 USMNT has gotten off to a great start with 2 wins (1-0 over Ecuador) and (3-0 over Fiji) and 6 pts in 2 games – they can win the group with a win vs Slovakia Friday at 2 pm on FS2. Jonathan Gomez discusses his 96th minute winning goal vs Ecuador with Morning Footy (see stories and TV schedule below). US plays New Zealand Tues at 1:30 pm on FS2 looking for their 4th straight Final 8 appearance.
Indy 11 home Sat 7 pm vs Louisville City – $3 Sodas/$1 popcorn/$7 tix
The Boys in Blue remain at home Saturday for a USL Championship match-up vs heated rival Louisville City FC. The Eleven sits at 3-4-3 on the season after a 1-0 win vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC last Saturday. Bryan Rebellon’s early tally would be enough to give Indy Eleven their first home win of the season in USL Championship play. Despite losing the possession battle 59%-41% and being outshot by Colorado 12-9, Indy was able to hold on for the win. Dambrot led the Eleven with three shots, while Yannik Oettl had seven saves in the net. The victory snapped a four-game home winless streak. This week $3 Ciders or Sodas, $1 popcorn and $7 tickets will be featured as part of 317 Night at the Mike. Buy Tix now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 Full SchedulePromotions
Proud of our 2010 Boys Blue Team who finished 6-2 and 2nd in the division. First year of travel ball for them. Here with a little help from 3 2011s. Coach Shane Best on the left, Head Coach Mark Stumpf on the right.
We took some of our 2010 Carmel FC Boys to the Indy 11 game Sat night – good times had by all and we won!!
Location: Shelbourne Fields – CCCSC – 3451 W. 126th St., Carmel (Ages: 18 – 35) $105 Sign Up
Grab your friends and make your own team or sign up and we’ll place you on a team, you don’t have to live in Carmel. Games will take place on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. Dates: June 18, 21, 25, 28 & July 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 Sign Up
May 11, 2023 Ethan Horvath can tell you all you need to know about famous goalkeepers, having grown up in the United States watching former Premier League shot-stoppers such as Petr Cech and Edwin van der Sar.His knowledge of strikers, however, was almost non-existent when he joined Norwegian club Molde as a teenager, where the manager at the time was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a name that meant nothing to Horvath.
“Not for a while,” says the Luton Town goalkeeper — on loan from Nottingham Forest — when asked how long it took for him to realise he was being managed by a Manchester United legend.“If you had asked me who Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was at the time, I wouldn’t have had a clue. And when it was explained to me, I remember thinking, ‘Oh, shit, he is a big-time guy’.“At the time, Josh Gatt was the striker at Molde and he didn’t know who he was either. In my defence, I was a goalkeeper so I wouldn’t have been paying attention to Ole. I could have told you everything about Peter Schmeichel.”
Ethan Horvath playing for Luton earlier this year (Photo: Paul Harding via Getty Images)
Horvath and his family soon got to know Solskjaer, with the goalkeeper’s parents taking jobs that had them cleaning the manager’s office. “He was a top, top guy,” Horvath says. “I will always remember how he treated my parents with so much respect. He would always speak to them when he saw them and would always be asking if they needed anything. He is a genuine, down-to-earth person who looks out for everyone.”Horvath says Solskjaer has excellent man-management skills and expects the Norwegian will return to the dugout before too long. The pair have stayed in touch and when asked for a standout memory of their time together, Horvath gives one without any hesitancy.“I was about to turn 18 and Molde were playing in the Europa League,” he says. “I didn’t travel to all the games, but one of the final group games was Stuttgart away and I’m in the elevator on my own and it stopped on one of the floors.“Ole got in and it was just me and him in there together. I will always remember he looked at me and said: ‘Get used to this because you will be playing at stadiums this big one day’.“He just casually dropped that into conversation and that will always stay with me.”
Horvath playing for Molde in the Europa League in 2015 (Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
Horvath’s journey has so far taken him from Colorado to the Championship — via Norway, Belgium and the Champions League — and now he has a chance to be part of consecutive Championship play-off-winning sides after Nottingham Forest’s success in 2021-22.The US international joined Luton Town on a season-long loan last summer and played a pivotal role in their third-placed finish, which has set up a two-legged tie with Sunderland for a spot at the Wembley final later this month.Horvath’s ties to football — or ‘soccer’ — run deep. His father, Peter, played as a forward for the Denver Avalanche in the Major Indoor Soccer League and was a high school PE teacher. Horvath’s mother, Deana, also has a background in football and both his parents have flown to the United Kingdom to watch Luton Town’s push for promotion.“Soccer, basketball and baseball were my sports growing up,” says Horvath. “(But) I don’t think there was ever a doubt that it wouldn’t be football. I was seven years old when I decided I wanted to be a goalkeeper.“I would always be hanging around the goalkeeper group. My dad was a striker, my mum a defender and my uncle was a defender. My two cousins also played, but I was the only one who wanted to be a goalkeeper.”
Horvath at home being interviewed by The Athletic (Photo: Dan Sheldon)
For a reason unknown to Horvath, the United States has developed several goalkeepers who have made an impact in England. “It made me think that if they can do it, then there is no reason why I couldn’t do the same,” Horvath explains. “When I was around 13 years old and trying to learn and develop in the position, I would be watching Kasey Keller, (Tim) Howard, (Brad) Guzan, (Brad) Friedel.”Horvath’s first break came when he was playing for Real Colorado, his local team, at a showcase event: “There was this one gentleman who would just scout the academy games and he knew an agent who was over in Austria, and they were putting together a team of people he thought might be ready for a chance in Europe.”“I went on this two-week tour, which was based in Austria, and all these scouts and clubs would come and watch. We were playing teams from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Clubs would watch training and the games and that is when one of the Molde scouts saw me.”DeAndre Yedlin, the former Newcastle and current Inter Miami player, was on the same tour. One of the benefits of being there for Horvath was receiving a DVD of his highlights, which his grandfather, being close friends with someone in Bristol, England, sent to Bristol City. An invite to spend a week training with the club duly followed.
“At the time, David James was still there,” he says. “That was my first time in England and it was really cool. I loved every bit of it. I remember playing small-sided games with the first team and David being in the other goal.”After that, Horvath told his parents that he didn’t want to go to college. “That trip still sticks out in my head as the time I decided this is what I want to do with my life,” he says. Aged 16, he was invited to train with Molde.“After the first training session, I came back, had lunch and was called into the office where they said they wanted to sign me,” Horvath recalls. “But because I was so young, nobody was sure how to do it.“We went back to the hotel. There was a seven-hour time difference and I had to wake my parents up by calling them on Skype to explain what was happening. I stayed for the week and flew back to Colorado. The next day was my first day of junior high school. It was all a bit surreal.”To gain more experience, in January 2012, Horvath visited England to train with Manchester City and Stoke. His mother joined the then-teenager on the trip to homeschool him.“These weren’t trials,” he says. “I was just training to get used to the level. I spent three months at Stoke and I enjoyed that time 100 per cent more than I did at Manchester City.“I was playing games for Stoke’s under-18s and the day I showed up we played Liverpool. I trained with the first team a couple of times. We were always at the first-team building, and this is when Peter Crouch was there.”
On international duty with Matt Turner at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 (Photo: Tim Nwachukwu via Getty Images)
With his time in the UK over, he flew to California for a training camp with a “question mark” over his future. He was unsure whether another opportunity would arise in Europe or if he would head back to Colorado.Molde, however, were still looking at ways to enable Horvath to join the club. On his passport, he could spend three months in Norway, so that was his next move. His parents, for now, stayed in Colorado.“I would train with the first team in the morning, gym with them right after and then train with the second team in the afternoon,” he says. “That was my existence.”Molde figured out that for his parents to qualify for residency, they would have to move to Norway, meaning the goalkeeper could apply for a family visa. The club offered them jobs at the cleaning company that had the contract for the stadium and training ground and sorted out an apartment for them to live in.“My mum and dad sold everything, including their house and car,” Horvath says. “They were pretty much janitors, cleaning at the stadium. They would have to wake up at around 4am each morning to go and clean.“They used to clean Ole’s office and the changing rooms. It was not the most glamorous job.”Horvath left Molde for Club Bruges in Belgium in 2017, just when Erling Haaland, who had been playing for Molde 2, was about to step up to the first team. Their paths didn’t cross, but they had a friendly exchange years later.“When I was at Brugge, we played Salzburg in the knockout stage of the Champions League and that is when Erling was there before his career really took off,” says Horvath. “The next year we drew Dortmund in the Champions League and we spoke after the home and away games. There was that Molde connection and I don’t remember what we spoke about, but we exchanged shirts.”
Horvath saving a penalty while playing for Bruges against Salzburg in 2019 (Photo: Kurgfoto/APA via Getty Images)
The shirt now resides with his parents in the United States, home to his collection, which includes jerseys from Manchester United’s David de Gea and Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois.
Horvath’s time at Club Bruges saw him play in the Champions League, where he kept clean sheets against Atletico Madrid and away to both AS Monaco and Borussia Dortmund in the 2018-19 group stage. He recalls his “goosebumps” when he heard the iconic anthem for the first time.However, ahead of the 2019-20 season, the Belgian side signed Simon Mignolet, the former Liverpool goalkeeper, and Horvath’s playing time became limited. When his four-and-a-half-year contract ended in 2021, he joined Nottingham Forest. Again his minutes were restricted because Brice Samba was the club’s first choice ’keeper.“In the beginning, we got one point from seven games,” Horvath says. “But when Steve Cooper came in, everything just clicked. We took off and we had momentum. We felt unstoppable and unbeatable.”Horvath says Cooper, like Solskjaer, is very personable.“He is not one of those managers who comes in, does his job and then goes home. He’ll come into the physio room, see what’s going on and have a joke with you.”Before Nottingham Forest’s play-off final win over Huddersfield at the end of the 2021-22 season, Horvath had made 10 appearances and wasn’t expecting to make an 11th. But when Samba had to be substituted in the 89th minute with the game poised at 1-0, his afternoon dramatically changed.“I remember being told to kick the ball 80 yards and all I was thinking was I could end up pulling my groin because I hadn’t warmed up. You never know what is going to happen in a few minutes of football, but it was a nice experience to have been on the pitch when the final whistle went.“To have that little bit of feeling goes a long way because, at Luton, I know what we are going through now. Even if I didn’t come on, I had still been involved in a play-off final and I know what to expect from the day.”After the highs of Wembley and Forest sealing promotion to the Premier League, Horvath wanted to play regularly, which led to his loan move to Luton. Before a ball has been kicked in the play-offs, he has racked up 48 appearances and kept 19 clean sheets.“On a personal level, I think it has been a successful season for myself,” he says. “By the end of this season, with the play-off games, I’d have played 50-plus games this year.“I have been really happy with how I have done and I hope I’ve shown England who I am and what I am capable of. I would love to play in the Premier League, whether that is with Luton, Nottingham, or another team that has seen what I’ve done this season.”Horvath’s season for Luton led to a spot in Gregg Berhalter’s United States squad for the Qatar World Cup in December. “It is hard to put that experience into words because it is something you dream of as a kid,” he saysBefore the World Cup, in November, a billboard in Denver, Colorado, was painted with a quote from Ted Lasso, the fictional coach, which read: “One thing I know rock solid, nobody’s gonna cross Mt. Horvath.”Although he didn’t feature for the USMNT in Qatar, just being there felt like vindication for the sacrifices his parents made all those years ago by selling everything they had in Colorado to move to Norway.“He used to be my goalkeeper coach back in the US,” Horvath says of his father. “It was me and him learning on the fly, which was really nice. We both didn’t know what we were doing. To sing your national anthem at a World Cup and see my mum and dad was such a special feeling.”His long-term ambition is to earn a spot in the team for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the goalkeeper predicting it to be “the biggest ever” edition of the tournament.“It was special enough to go to Qatar and be part of a World Cup squad,” he said. “So, to host it is something in itself — and it is a big goal down the road.”(Top photo: designed by Eamonn Dalton; photo by Tony Marshall via Getty Images)
LAFC’s Timmy Tillman eligible to represent USMNT, completing switch from Germany By The Athletic Staff ay 23, 2023
LAFC midfielder Timmy Tillman has been approved by FIFA for a one-time “change of association” and is eligible to represent the U.S. in international competition, U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:
The 24-year-old is a dual citizen of Germany and the U.S. and previously represented Germany in international play at the youth level.
He is the older brother of current USMNT midfielder Malik Tillman.
If the elder Tillman makes his international debut with the U.S. this summer, the Tillmans would become the ninth set of brothers to appear for the USMNT, joining the Aaronsons as the latest set of brothers to join following Paxten’s debut in January.
What they’re saying
“To represent the United States is obviously making me proud,” Tillman said in a statement. “I’m really honored to do so and I’m looking forward to the future with the United States. Telling my family about it was really exciting. As a kid, my brother and I dreamt of playing for a national team together and now we’re one step closer.”
Backstory
Tillman played for Germany’s youth national teams from the U-15 to U-19 levels. In February, he signed with LAFC through 2025. He’s scored two goals in 10 appearances this season.
Weekend stakes for Premier League, LaLiga, top European soccer leagues
Dale Johnson, General Editor, ESPN FCMay 25, 2023, 03:54 AM ET
With a handful of games remaining, the 2022-23 season is drawing to a close across European club football. One or two rounds remain in most of the continent’s top tiers, and many clubs in England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France have concerns beyond mere final league placings with titles, European qualification and relegation still on the line.
Champions League: Arsenal had already booked their return to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) for the first time in 2016-17, and on Monday they were joined by Newcastle United (70). A draw at home to Leicester sent the Magpies to Europe’s premier club competition for the first time in 21 years. One place remains, and Manchester United (69, +11) only need a single point from their two remaining home matches (Chelsea on Thursday, and Fulham on Sunday.) If Man United lose both matches, then Liverpool (66, +28) can overtake them on goal difference with a win at Southampton. Man City winning the Champions League cannot affect England’s number of places.
Europa League: Barring a major collapse from Man United, Liverpool will finish fifth and take one of the two UEFA Europa League (UEL) qualification berths on offer. Brighton & Hove Albion (62, +20) secured the second UEL place with a draw at home to Man City on Thursday. West Ham United will also qualify for the Europa League if they beat Fiorentina in the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL).
Europa Conference League:Aston Villa are in pole position and are guaranteed to qualify if they win at home to Brighton. If Villa draw, Tottenham Hotspur (57, +4) overtake them with a win at Leeds. If Villa lose, Spurs will be above them with a win/draw. But Brentford (56, +11) could sneak into seventh; the Bees must win at home to Man City, and hope neither Villa or Spurs win.
Relegation: Bottom club Southampton (24) have already had their fate sealed, and two of Leeds United (31, -27), Leicester City (31, -18) and Everton (33, -24) will be joining them. Everton know that a win at home to Bournemouth secures their safety. If Everton draw or lose, Leicester can overtake them with a win at home to West Ham. Leeds must beat Spurs, with Everton losing and Leicester failing to win. (If Everton draw, Leeds would need to beat Spurs by three goals to have a chance.)
Bundesliga
Title: Borussia Dortmund (70, +39) and Bayern Munich (68, +53) are entrenched in a dramatic two-horse Bundesliga title race, which has gone all the way to the wire with the final matches to be played on Saturday. BVB are in the driver’s seat: after Bayern lost to RB Leipzig on Saturday, Dortmund moved two points clear at the top by winning 3-0 at FC Augburg on Sunday. Dortmund will be champions if they win at home to Mainz on Saturday, or if they draw/lose and Bayern fail to win. Bayern must take three points at FC Cologne, and hope Dortmund draw/lose.
Champions League: Along with Dortmund and Bayern, RB Leipzig (63, +21) are also assured of qualification. That leaves one slot open for either Union Berlin (59, + 12) or SC Freiburg (59, +8). Union, who are at home to Werder Bremen, must only match or better the result of Freiburg, who travel to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Europa League: Union or Freiburg will take the Europa League spot allocated to the league, with the second place associated with the German Cup. If RB Leipzig win the final, sixth in the Bundesliga will get the UEL place; if Eintracht Frankfurt lift the trophy, they will go into the UEL.
Europa Conference League: As it stands, sixth will go into the UECL. Bayer Leverkusen (50, +11), VfL Wolfsburg (49, +10) and Eintracht Frankfurt (47, +5) are mathematically in contention, though goal difference means the best Frankfurt can hope for is seventh. Leverkusen will finish sixth if they win at VfL Bochum, while Wolfsburg are at home to Hertha Berlin. Wolfsburg will be sixth if they win and Leverkusen draw/lose; or if Wolfsburg draw and Leverkusen lose by 2+ goals. If Wolfsburg draw and Leverkusen lose by 1 goal, goal difference will be level; if goals scored is identical, Wolfsburg are sixth on head-to-head away goals.
Seventh will qualify for the UECL if Leipzig win the German Cup. The only realistic way Frankfurt could finish seventh is with a win and a Wolfsburg defeat.
Relegation: Hertha Berlin (26, -28) were the first club to be relegated, which leaves one automatic place to be decided and another in the relegation playoff vs. a 2.Bundesliga side, and five clubs remain in danger of the drop. The automatic berth will fall to Schalke 04 (31, -34), VfB Stuttgart (32, -35), Bochum (32, -12) or FC Augsburg (34, -19) — though in truth goal difference means only the first three clubs have worries. Schalke have a tough task away to Leipzig, and must win to have a chance of being completely safe. Bochum, too, have a difficult fixture against Leverkusen. Stuttgart, meanwhile, host Hoffenheim.
Augsburg could drop into the relegation playoff if they lose at Borussia Monchengladbach, and both Stuttgart and Bochum win. TSG Hoffenheim (35, -9), have a mathematical chance of going into the playoff, but in reality are safe because of goal difference.
LaLiga
Title:Barcelona (85, +48) were formally anointed LaLiga champions for the first time in four years when they beat neighbours Espanyol 4-2 in the local derby earlier this month.
Champions League: Real Madrid (74, +38) and Atletico Madrid (73, +36) join Barca in the UCL. With two full rounds left to play, Real Sociedad (68, +16) are almost certain to take the last place. Villarreal (63, +20) must win their two remaining matches with La Real collecting no more than one from their two fixtures.
Sevilla face Roma in the Europa League final, so they could claim Champions League football if they win it.
Europa League: Villarreal are set to take the first place, with the second likely to go to Real Betis (56, +5). Betis have a six-point advantage over Athletic Club (50, +7) with the latter having a game in hand.
Europa Conference League: Six clubs could yet take seventh. After Athletic, it’s Girona (49, +5), then Sevilla (49, -5), Osasuna (47, -7), Rayo Vallecano (46, -6) and Mallorca (44, -7).
If Sevilla win the UEL and finish seventh, LaLiga will have no team in the UECL. If Sevilla win the UEL and finish eighth or lower, LaLiga will have eight teams in Europe (five in the UCL.)
Relegation: Adrift at the bottom, Elche (20, -38) were relegated in early May. Two more teams will go down; Espanyol (35, -17), Real Valladolid (38, -30), Cadiz (38, -24), Getafe (38, -12), Almeria (39, -16), Celta Vigo (40, -10) and Valencia (40, -2) are all still in danger.
Serie A
Title: Napoli (86, +47) cantered to their first Scudetto in 33 years after wrapping things up with a pivotal 1-1 draw against Udinese on May 4.
Champions League: With Juventus (59, +23) docked 10 points for false accounting in the club’s transfer dealings, the UCL race is not quite as intense as it was. Lazio (68, +27) have booked their passage, leaving two slots to play for. Internazionale (66, +27) have enjoyed a hot run of form and need two points from two games. AC Milan (64, +18) have been lifted up to fourth, and are favourites to take the last UCL position. Atalanta (61, +16), AS Roma (60, +12) and Juve could yet gatecrash.
Europa League and Europa Conference League: Whoever missed out on the UCL from the above, finishing in fifth and sixth, will go into the UEL, with seventh into the UECL.
Fiorentina (11th) will qualify for the Europa League if they beat West Ham in the final of this year’s UECL, which would give Italy eight clubs in Europe next season.
Relegation: Bottom club Sampdoria (18, -45) were relegated with four games left to play, closely followed by Cremonese (24, -34). Hellas Verona (30, -26), Spezia (31, -26) and Lecce (33, -13) will battle it out to avoid the last relegation place.
Ligue 1
Title: Paris Saint-Germain (84, +50) are six points clear of challengers Lens (78, +34) at the top of the table with two games remaining. PSG will be champions on Saturday if they avoid defeat to Strasbourg, or Lens take anything less than three points against AC Ajaccio.
Champions League: PSG are sure of an automatic group stage place, with Lens almost certain to take the second. Marseille (73, +29) will enter the UCL in the third qualifying round unless they catch Lens.
Europa League and Europa Conference League: Toulouse have already qualified by winning the Coupe de France. That means fourth will be in the UEL, and fifth in the UECL. AS Monaco (65, +15) hold fourth ahead of Lille (63, +20) and Stade Rennais (62, +27); two of these clubs will get European football, and the third will miss out completely.
Relegation: Ligue 1 is to be reduced from 20 clubs down to 18 from the 2023-24 season, meaning that four will be relegated this season in order to facilitate the change. Angers (15, -48), Ajaccio (23, -49) and Troyes (23, -35) are already doomed. The final place is effectively between two clubs, with Nantes (33, -18) and AJ Auxerre (34, -26) hoping to avoid the slide into Ligue 2.
Bundesliga’s Dortmund-Bayern title fight unmatched in Europe
Derek Rae May 25, 2023, 09:40 AM ET
It’s often said the German language has a compound word for absolutely everything, and of course that maxim applies to the scenario we have in store for us Saturday.The word “Fernduell” (a long-distance duel) is a universally understood concept in Germany. It’s a contest involving two teams competing for the same thing and playing at the same time but in different venues. Maybe the English language should just adopt the word as it has done with Gegenpressing considering no such exact equivalent exists!Saturday’s Fernduell promises to be in keeping with the excitement Bundesliga followers have lapped up for many a long weeks now. The events of last weekend, with Bayern Munich losing 3-1 at home to a highly motivated RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund taking care of FC Augsburg 3-0 away in the Fuggerstadt, means BVB hold the cards — again. With just one game to go, Dortmund will be crowned champions with a win, while a loss or a draw will open the door to an 11th straight crown for Bayern.
Since March, the pendulum has swung almost violently back and forth between Germany’s big two, with neither side able to pull away from the other, both experiencing ups and downs and anticipation levels generally off the charts. There have been eight changes at the top of the Bundesliga table this season, with these two swapping positions four times in the past nine weeks.No other top league has been able to offer this level of uncertainty and unpredictability. Sorry, Premier League fans who insist on telling me only riveting things happen in that league. It’s not even close this term.Commentating for the Bundesliga world feed last week in Munich, even when Bayern took the lead against Leipzig through Serge Gnabry, there was doubt in my mind as to whether it was portent of a crucial win to come for the Rekordmeister. On air, I almost unconsciously added the qualifying word “maybe” to the question, “another step towards the Meisterschale?” Bayern were the better side for 30 minutes, but the wobbles crept in thereafter, conceding a pair of penalties and a logic-defying four-on-one counterattack that led to the visitors’ opening goal. Leipzig, who needed a win to secure Champions League football, deserved their first-ever triumph at the Allianz Arena against the Bavarians.
The next day, 60 miles along the Autobahn, Dortmund, backed by a loud and vibrant away support, had to wait 58 minutes for their opening goal. That despite a season-high 17 first-half goal attempts playing with a one-player advantage from the 38th minute onward.That they were twice denied by the aluminium (what English speakers refer to as “the woodwork”) only added to the general nervousness. But Sebastien Haller‘s strike to give the visitors a 1-0 lead settled everyone down, and it was no surprise when he bagged a second before Julian Brandt put the game to bed.
Now Dortmund are just 90 minutes away from their first Meisterschale in 11 yawning years. On one level, the Schwarzgelben, who will host Mainz on Saturday (9:30 a.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+) before a crowd of 81,000 at the Signal Iduna Park, need not worry at all about what Bayern are doing at the same time at FC Cologne(stream live on ESPN+). A BVB win will render that irrelevant. However, imagine if Bayern score first and then add a goal or two before BVB have managed to get off the mark. Or if Dortmund fall behind against Mainz.
This is the Fernduell tension in all its glory. Dortmund and Bayern might be on different pitches this weekend, but mentally, psychologically, it’s still a two-team race for the crown. Expect multiple showings on broadcasts of the Blitztabelle (the live, as it stands, table).
BVB are undoubtedly favourites to take the title now, and it seems a bit like 2002 to me. That year, the Schwarzgelben caught longtime leaders Bayer Leverkusen on the penultimate matchday, when the Werkself lost in Nürnberg and Dortmund won in Hamburg.https://www.youtube.com/embed/N99DQ6E1XUw?wmode=transparent
Then on the final day, with Dortmund in control of the board at home against Werder Bremen, there was edginess when they fell behind while Leverkusen forged ahead. All was finally settled on 74 minutes, though, with Brazilian attacker Ewerthon, who had just come on, netting the decisive goal of the season. BVB finished a point ahead of Leverkusen.Bayern fans might hang their hats on what occurred a year earlier, the famous Patrik Andersson afternoon. Schalke 04, who had beaten Unterhaching, were champions-elect for four minutes, with their game over and everyone in Gelsenkirchen waiting to see if Bayern, losing 1-0 in Hamburg well into stoppage time, would hand them the Meisterschale.
However, Andersson’s strike from an indirect free kick in the 94th minute burst Schalke’s bubble, entering Bayern and Bundesliga folklore and securing a 17th league title for the Bavarian giants.Saturday is going to be about pure emotion. Dortmund coach Edin Terzic summed it up nicely by saying that while his players are very well paid and can buy a new house or a new car, you can’t buy moments like this: a chance to become Bundesliga champions in front of their own fans.The home form speaks for Dortmund. The Schwarzgelben have, after all, reeled off 11 successive home victories in the Bundesliga and last failed to win in the league at the Signal Iduna Park when they drew 2-2 with Bayern on Oct. 8.If you think everything is now a foregone conclusion for Dortmund, though, just consider the remarkable trajectory of the past few weeks.I’ll be commentating for international viewers live from the Cologne-Bayern game and can’t wait to be part of a special day in Bundesliga history. I hope you can join in the Fernduell fun on Saturday amid an unmatched atmosphere.
The night Vinicius Jr decided enough is enough – he now doubts his Real Madrid future
“The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, today belongs to racists.”These words were posted by Vinicius Junior on social media after another shocking and deeply saddening episode in the story of Spanish football’s racism problem on Sunday night.ADVERTISEMENT
The impact of what happened at Valencia, and Vinicius Jr’s long-held frustration over how authorities have approached tackling the subject, now leaves Real Madrid’s star player with doubts over his future at the club because he does not feel supported. He feels it is a battle he has been left to take on alone.The 22-year-old Brazil forward ended his social media message on Sunday by writing: “I am strong and I will go all the way against the racists. Even if it’s far from here.”The Athletic contacted Vinicius Jr’s staff, asking if this meant he was contemplating an exit from La Liga and Madrid.Sources from his entourage, who asked not to be named in order to protect their position, replied: “Yes. When you have to fight on your own…”Another such source was even more categorical: “Until today, there was no chance. From today, yes.”If Vinicius Jr were to decide he wants to leave Madrid due to the regular racist abuse he suffers and the lack of support he receives, Spanish football will lose its brightest talent and it alone will be 100 per cent responsible.It would be a huge blow for the Bernabeu club. It would be a huge disappointment for La Liga. It would be a shame for Spanish society. But nobody should blame the player given how he has been left to suffer almos alone for two years now, adding in an Instagram post on Monday that what he is experiencing “is not football, it’s inhuman”.Because as he himself said, Sunday night “wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third”.
The racist abuse targeting Vinicius Jr started well before kick-off at Valencia’s Estadio de Mestalla. As Real Madrid’s players left their team bus after arriving at the gates, a large crowd of Valencia fans gathered on the opposite side of the street chanting: “Vinicius, you’re a monkey”.This kind of abuse — and worse — continued during the match. In the 72nd minute, Vinicius Jr confronted fans in a stand behind one of the goals, pointing to them and accusing them of racially abusing him.“You, you, you’re the one who called me a monkey,” he appeared to be saying, as players from both sides gathered on the scene. He beckoned the referee to come over. He made a gesture as if to say they’d been calling him a monkey or making monkey noises towards him.
Play was stopped for around six minutes. Police officers could be seen among the crowd and two fans were removed from their places. Vinicius Jr went over to speak with Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti on the sidelines. Visibly distressed, he returned to the field of play, having also spoken further with the referee.
Vinicius Jr pictured with Sunday’s referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea (Photo: Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
After the match, Madrid’s goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, said he’d heard racist chanting as early as the 20th minute and that he would have supported his team-mate in refusing to continue if he’d decided to do so.Instead, Vinicius Jr left having been shown a red card after pushing and shoving between multiple players on both sides in injury time. The VAR noticed him raising his hand towards Hugo Duro’s face but missed the Valencia forward having had an arm around his neck just before.The Brazilian arguably deserved to be shown the red card, but the image of him being the only individual punished, before Valencia’s players then celebrated their victory, was again damaging for the image of Spanish football. As he walked off the pitch, more monkey chants could be heard from the home fans.After Madrid’s 1-0 loss, Ancelotti said: “I don’t want to speak about football today, but about what happened. That is more important than a defeat.
“What happened today cannot happen. I asked him (Vinicius Jr) but he wanted to continue. I told him I did not think it was fair that he had to play this game: ‘You are not the guilty party, you are the victim’. He continued to play. On top of that, they show him a red card which makes no sense, as it was not an aggression.“We have a problem, he does not have a problem. For me, Vinicius is the greatest player in the world, the strongest. La Liga has a problem. With this racism, for me, they have to stop the game. There is no other way.“Vini is very sad, angry, but more sad. It cannot happen.”La Liga said it had “requested all available images in order to investigate what took place” and that it would “take the appropriate legal action if any hate crime is identified”. Since October 2021, it has done so already nine times in cases involving Vinicius Jr at La Liga matches. Of these, only two cases have led to punishments such as fines or stadium bans for individual fans. Four cases remain open.One of the three cases to have been closed without charges being brought relates to an away match against Atletico Madrid in September last year when fans were recorded chanting: “Vinicius, you are a monkey”. Prosecutors said that because the chanting had lasted “just a few seconds” and took place within the context of “a football game with maximum rivalry”, it was therefore “not a crime against the dignity of the person affected”.Off the pitch, Vinicius Jr was compared to a monkey on mainstream Spanish TV show El Chiringuito de Jugones, whose host later apologised. In January, an effigy of the player was hung from a motorway bridge close to Real Madrid’s training ground before a match with city rivals Atletico.In the Spanish media, he is often portrayed in a negative light; as tempestuous, unruly or disrespectful. Often, more airtime is given to this than the racist abuse he receives. This was a feature of some of Sunday night’s post-match reaction, too.Many commentators and major media outlets qualified their condemnation of racist abuse with reference to gestures Vinicius Jr made towards the crowd. At several points he held up two fingers, symbolising Spain’s second division — Valencia are still in danger of relegation despite Sunday’s win.Even Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos said on Movistar TV that Vinicius Jr was “disrespected” at stadiums all around Spain, but also that his team-mate should apologise for his ‘down to Segunda’ gesture.This echoed a stance held by many in and around the Bernabeu as Vinicius Jr has so regularly suffered horrible abuse over the past two years. Everyone says racism is bad and should not happen, but many also argue that he has to learn to not allow rival players and fans to get to him and affect his performances.
Valencia’s response to what happened in their stadium on Sunday was also instructive. The only representative to apologise to Vinicius Jr was Netherlands attacker Justin Kluivert during his Spanish TV interview.
Other Valencia figures appeared much more worried about defending their own fans rather than addressing what had happened. Club captain Jose Gaya said those who had racially abused Vinicius Jr should be banned from stadiums for life, but he also “condemned” Vinicius Jr’s two-fingered gesture, drawing a false equivalence between the two behaviours.
Very few at Valencia seemed capable of putting themselves in the shoes of a young black man who had again been racially abused.
There was a similar defensiveness to La Liga’s response on Sunday night. La Liga said it would act again as they had repeatedly in similar instances of abuse over the past two years, actively helping to identify and then punish those individuals who can be seen on camera committing the abuse.They have done this and there is frustration among at least some at La Liga that other authorities with more power to take significant steps like closing stadiums — the Spanish Football Association, the Spanish legal system, the Spanish government — are not doing as much as they are.ADVERTISEMENT
But this was not helped by La Liga president Javier Tebas getting involved in a social media exchange with Vinicius Jr, noting that he had not turned up to meetings with La Liga to deal with the issue.In his tweet, Tebas also suggested that Vinicius Jr did not understand what was happening, had not informed himself sufficiently and was allowing himself to be manipulated. Again the blame was back onto the 22-year-old for somehow being responsible himself.
Ancelotti and Vinicius Jr during the stoppage in Sunday’s match (Photo: Jose Miguel Fernandez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Could Vinicius Jr actually leave Madrid? He renewed his contract with the club last summer, extending a deal that was due to expire in 2024 until 2027, raising his release clause from €350million (£305m; $380m) to €1billion in the process. His salary was also increased, from €3.2m a year plus bonuses to around €12m a year.On Monday, a Madrid source described the club’s view on the situation to The Athletic. “Vinicius has been working indoors and has been doing physical recovery work,” the source said. “His mental recovery is another matter. It has been the most intense day since he arrived at Madrid. It has been the morning in which he has received the most messages and news of his life.“Vinicius is very worried about the drift that this situation has acquired throughout the season. He received a visit from the club president and met privately with him to show his support and to explain the steps the club is taking in his defence.“In the dressing room, he has received even more support than yesterday from his team-mates. The truth is that the man is disoriented and overwhelmed by all this. And of course, he is quite sad.“Now, to say he is already thinking about leaving for other leagues is stupid.”Madrid also published photos of this meeting between president Florentino Perez and Vinicius Jr. When contacted by The Athletic, sources close to the player, who asked not to be named in order to protect their position, said it did not change the way the player feels.They said they would wait with interest to see what action Madrid take as they want real actions beyond good intentions. On Monday morning, the club announced it would file a complaint with Spanish prosecutors over the racist abuse. A statement released in the afternoon added further support to Vinicius Jr, pointing the finger at the Spanish FA and Spain’s referees over “inaction”, before adding: “The victim who suffers should never be held responsible for the crime”.
Fierce support for Vinicius Jr came from Ronaldo Nazario, his fellow Brazilian, who is president of La Liga club Valladolid. There was also very strong backing from his home country, including Brazilian president Lula da Silva and Brazil FA president Ednaldo Rodrigues, who were among those to angrily demand more protection for Vinicius Jr and more punishments for those who racially abuse him.Most of the reactions within Spanish football to Vinicius Jr and Ancelotti’s words were to attempt to correct them. Some commentators claimed they do not know Spain well, do not speak the language perfectly, that they are foreigners mistaken in their understanding of what is happening.
The truth is the game here has long been marked by the ignorant attitude of fans who believe calling a black player a monkey is no different to any other abuse they might direct at the opposition, and Ancelotti and Vinicius Jr understand this perfectly.On Monday morning, Spain’s equality minister Irene Montero called for a new ‘anti-racism’ law. Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales said it was time to recognise that Spanish football does have a racism problem.But everything that has been said in response to the events of Sunday night feels very late — and draws attention to how little has previously been done to deal with the issue, which has been around Spanish football for decades.The question now is how much longer Vinicius Jr is prepared to stay and suffer this situation.
Additional contributor: Guillermo Rai.
Premier League permutations: What is left to be decided ahead of the final day?
We are into the final few games of the 2022-23 Premier League campaign.Some clubs know their end-of-season fate while other face a nervous wait at both ends of the table.Manchester City lifted the trophy on Sunday after a third successive title was confirmed following Arsenal’s defeat to Nottingham Forest the day before.That result ensured safety for Steve Cooper’s side, leaving three sides fighting to stay out of the final two relegation places.And there were decisive results in the battle for the European places.Here, The Athletic breaks down what is left to settle in the final days of the season, exploring what is needed for the sides with places left to play for.This article will be updated after each round of matches.
The title race
Another gripping title race was decided this weekend before Pep Guardiola’s side even kicked a ball.A battle against seasoned trophy-winning veterans proved too much for Arsenal, a team who were not expected to be anywhere near a title race at the beginning of the season.
(Photo: Isaac Parkin – Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
Their disappointing defeat away to Nottingham Forest meant City made it five titles in six years with three games to spare.
Now for the champions, attention refocuses on the potential treble that awaits at the end of the season. They dismantled Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final to set up a meeting in Istanbul with an Inter side who ran out comfortable winners against their city rivals, Milan. By the time they play in that final, they will know whether the treble is a possibility as, a week before on June 3, they face Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley. If they were to add to the Champions League and FA Cup trophies to their haul this season, they would become the first English team since 1999 to complete the treble.
The battle for the Champions League places looked sown up a few weeks ago as Manchester United and Newcastle United held an almost unassailable lead over the challengers. However, slip ups for both teams, as well as Liverpool’s immaculate form, opened the door for the late change. Now, that door seems to have been shut on Jurgen Klopp’s side who — after only managing a 1-1 draw at home against Aston Villa — need a minor miracle to leapfrog Manchester United.
(Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
They hold a three-point lead over Liverpool, needing just another point from games against Chelsea and Fulham to secure a return to the Champions League.Newcastle, meanwhile, ensured they would be playing Champions League football for the first in two decades, earning their decisive point against Leicester City on Monday evening. They did more than enough to win the game against Dean Smith’s relegation-threatened side, but a draw was enough to see them over the line.
Liverpool visit bottom of the table Southampton on the final day with a top-four finish likely to already be beyond them. They need Manchester United to lose both of their final two games to have a chance to leapfrog them on the final day.
While a place in European football’s secondary competition will not be considered a success for Liverpool, the teams beneath them would love that outcome.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side need just one more point from their last two games — against Manchester City and Aston Villa — to absolutely confirm a Europa League spot, but their superior goal difference means they have already, realistically, done enough.
Unai Emery and his players will be focused on keeping Tottenham at bay beneath them. A win against Brighton on the final day will confirm a place in the Europa Conference League for them next season.
Then come Tottenham who dropped out of the European places entirely on Sunday after defeat to Brentford. Ryan Mason’s side will need to better Aston Villa’s result on the final day of the season if they are to secure European football next season — they face Leeds United.
Brentford’s impressive victory against Tottenham helped them back into contention, but it may be too little, too late as they would need to beat Manchester City and hope both Aston Villa and Tottenham slip up on the final day.
How does European qualification work in the Premier League?
Champions League
The top four teams in the Premier League qualify for the group stage of the Champions League. The top four is currently made up of Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Manchester United.
Europa League
The team that finishes fifth in the Premier League — Liverpool currently occupy that spot — will earn one of the two Europa League places, with the other given to the FA Cup winners. Because Manchester City and Manchester United are contesting the FA Cup final and both confirmed to finish inside the top five, then the team that finishes in sixth will get the second Europa League place — that is Brighton at present. The winners of the Europa Conference League earn a place in the Europa League. West Ham booked their place in the final after a 3-1 aggregate win against AZ Alkmaar in the semi-final — they will face Fiorentina in Prague on June 7.
Europa Conference League
The only Europa Conference League place is given to the winners of the Carabao Cup. If the Carabao Cup winners finish inside either the Premier League’s Champions League or Europa League places, the place is deferred to the next highest-finishing team. As Manchester United won this season’s Carabao Cup and will finish in the top five, the next-highest team in the Premier League that has not qualified for Europe will play in the Europa Conference League play-offs. The Europa League place for the FA Cup winners will also be deferred to the league table, which would mean the seventh-place team will qualify for the Europa Conference League.Currently, that is Aston Villa.
The battle for survival
The relegation battle in the Premier League has been as enthralling as ever over the last few weeks, but we are reaching the stage where time has run out for the teams in the bottom three.Nottingham Forest ensured they would not be returning straight back to the Championship with their unlikely 1-0 win against Arsenal on Saturday.Meanwhile, Southampton’s fate was sealed last Saturday in their limp 2-0 home defeat to Fulham.Following a run of poor results, Leicester were able to keep themselves just in contention following their goalless draw away to Newcastle.
(Photo: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
A first clean sheet since the World Cup moved them above Leeds United into 18th. To stay up, they need to beat West Ham at home on the final day with Everton dropping points against Bournemouth.Leeds sit second from bottom and remain two points from safety after their drab defeat away to West Ham. They will have to win against Tottenham in their last game, while simultaneously hoping Everton lose and Leicester fail to win.
Yerry Mina’s equaliser in the ninth minute of stoppage time against Wolves moved Everton a point further away from the drop zone. A somewhat favourable home clash against Bournemouth on the final day gives them a great opportunity to remain one of the Premier League’s ever-presents.Their fate is in their own hands, but they need to a final-day victory to make absolutely sure of survival. If Leicester and Leeds fail to win, they will not need another point.The relegation battle will go down to the final day regardless of results over the next couple of days.
The sobering reality for Leeds United is that relegation next Sunday, if indeed there is no way out, would barely be even the start of it. The club are all but sunk with one game left, reliant on the biggest stroke of luck they could ask for, and Elland Road can see a monumental summer looming.The close-season promises to be manic if Leeds survive and more frantic again should they return to the Championship, heralding changes which have to amount to an almost total reset. They got away with it last season, rescuing themselves on the final day against Brentford, but the drop feels more inevitable this time and nothing in their sorry surrender away to West Ham United on Sunday suggested they are about to dodge disaster for a second year running.
Their head coach, Sam Allardyce, has a short-term contract that covers one more match. They have been without a director of football since Victor Orta parted company with them three weeks ago. The proposed takeover by 49ers Enterprises is still only a proposal. And what of other issues, like the future of individual players, the management of a sizeable Premier League wage bill and the impact of reduced income?
What would relegation on Sunday actually mean for Leeds United? What are the nuts and bolts and the brass tacks for the months ahead?
The takeover
A change of ownership is what everything at Elland Road hinges on — and it can be credibly argued that the impasse on that front is a reason why Leeds have stagnated to the point where relegation is nigh.
At present, the arrangement in the boardroom is this: Andrea Radrizzani is majority shareholder with slightly more than 50 per cent of the shares. The remainder is held by 49ers Enterprises, a US investment vehicle with close connections to the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Were Leeds to stay up following their season-finale at home to Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, contracts are in place for 49ers Enterprises to buy out Radrizzani for a sum which would value Leeds somewhere between £400 million ($496m) and £500million ($621m).
The expectation is that the sale would go through by July 1 at the latest but in effect, the handover would start more rapidly.
The investment group behind this 49ers Enterprises project — made up of entrepreneurs, private equity firms, businessmen such as current Leeds director Peter Lowy and at least one unidentified US political figure — has been in place for some time and ready to buy Radrizzani out under the agreed terms, provided Leeds retained their Premier League status. While that collective is providing the funding, the day-to-day management of the club would be the responsibility of 49ers Enterprises figures including Paraag Marathe and Collin Meador.
However, the agreement with Radrizzani in its current guise will be void if Leeds go down.
Radrizzani is part of a group looking to buy Italy’s Sampdoria (Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Nonetheless, 49ers Enterprises remain intent on buying Radrizzani out, or at least securing majority control, even if relegation happens. Discussions to that effect have been taking place and gathering pace over the past few weeks, driven by the realisation that a bottom-three finish was increasingly likely and that the amount of work to be done this summer would be substantial either way.adrizzani is open to selling in the event Leeds find themselves back in the EFL next season, so long as the numbers work for him.That is the crux of discussions as it stands: relegation promises to significantly reduce Leeds’ value and 49ers Enterprises would only be willing to buy at a much lower price, somewhere in the region of £150million ($186m). It is not clear if Radrizzani is prepared to drop his valuation to that level.He was pictured in his Italian homeland yesterday (Monday) and, as reported by The Athletic over the weekend, he is part of a group who are attempting to buy Sampdoria, who were relegated from Italy’s top flight two weeks ago. Radrizzani would almost certainly require funds from the sale of Leeds to help secure the purchase of the Genoa-based club.His involvement in those talks, all while Leeds are themselves on the brink of going down, suggests he is going to exit Elland Road, and soon — but even so, he and 49ers Enterprises are not yet agreed on the terms of a post-relegation takeover.What is clear is that the club cannot afford to get stuck in a prolonged ownership wrangle after this season ends. They have too much to do and no time to lose, making urgency in negotiations essential.
Income
Revenue at Elland Road has reached a record level for the club, falling just short of £190million for the 2021-22 season. Pushing up their turnover to new heights is one area in which they have been consistently successful over their six years with Radrizzani as chairman. Even in the Championship, English football’s second tier, they were pulling in more money than any of the 71 other EFL sides — albeit while also posting hefty losses.But it is no secret that the bulk of Premier League earnings come from central distributions, consisting mainly of money earned through the league’s lucrative broadcast deals. The EFL has just renegotiated its TV deal with UK broadcaster Sky Sports but the figures involved are still a world away from the cash earned by the Premier League through such rights. Last season, for example, Leeds’ central distributions were £95million — more than three times Nottingham Forest’s entire turnover in the Championship that year. So at a stroke, a large chunk of that funding disappears with relegation. But as it has for years now, the parachute payment scheme exists between the Premier League and the Championship, giving those clubs who go down assistance to cope with the financial hit of dropping divisions. In year one back in the EFL, Leeds would receive 55 per cent of the basic payment made to Premier League clubs — around £45 million. If they then fail to bounce straight back, the year two figure drops to 45%. In year three, the final season of parachute payments, it’s 20%.Used smartly, parachute payments can help a relegated club reframe their squad, be competitive in the promotion race and go again. That cash can facilitate signings other sides in the Championship cannot afford and support larger salaries. But they don’t last forever and they won’t avert sizeable losses, because virtually every club loses money in the second tier. They are no guarantee of promotion either.Relegated clubs have little choice but to substantially reduce budgets, and Leeds would be no different.
Wage bill
Leeds’ last recorded wage bill, for the 2021-22 year, was £121million, and after so many signings made this season it can only have increased. Plainly, they could not afford to carry such high costs while in the EFL, but they would be helped at the outset by substantial reductions in the salaries earned by their first-team squad.The players stand to incur hefty wage cuts in the aftermath of relegation, with drops of up to 60 per cent (some in line with the increases a number of them received after winning promotion three years ago). Clauses in their contracts allow Leeds to automatically decrease their earnings when in the EFL, bringing down the outlay overnight.None of that would stop Leeds having one of the highest Championship wage bills but between parachute payments, transfer income and shareholder investment, it is possible to manage a large salaries figure for a finite period.The problem comes if a relegated club find themselves stuck outside the Premier League for a sustained spell. An expensive squad becomes harder and harder to maintain in those circumstances.
Players
Whatever happens against Spurs at Elland Road this weekend, this summer will be an intensive and busy transfer window for Leeds. Many of the first-team squad have relegation-related release clauses in their contracts, giving other clubs the right to buy them for a fixed fee (usually one that is less than their true market value). Leeds pulled in almost £100million by selling Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips last summer. Because of release clauses applying to both players, the club would have recouped merely half as much had they been auctioning them on the back of relegation.Departures from Elland Road in the coming window could well run into double figures if Leeds are relegated.Weston McKennie is certain to leave, however the season finishes. Neither he nor Leeds are minded to activate the option to make his half-season loan from Italian giants Juventus permanent. Goalkeeper Illan Meslier has endured a difficult season but his valuation remains relatively high and Leeds were always open to the possibility of accepting a worthwhile offer for him in this window. Robin Koch has a year left on his contract and, as a Germany international, would naturally attract bids if Leeds are an EFL club again. So too would Colombia international Luis Sinisterra, a footballer with high-level potential provided he stays fit.
McKennie is not expected to stay even if Leeds remain in the Premier League (Photo: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Jack Harrison has only just signed a new five-year deal but it is understood to include a release clause, and there is ample Premier League interest in him. Rodrigo is on course to be a free agent in 12 months’ time and, as a top earner, would cost too much to keep in the Championship.There are some who Leeds would be very keen to retain, though. McKennie’s fellow USA midfielder Tyler Adams is one. They would be reluctant to lose Wilfried Gnonto too, though his performances have put him on the radar of clubs in Europe.But it is accepted that a large turnover is inevitable, partly because some names are too expensive, some names have no further part to play and some names are a route to transfer fees which can help to build a suitable team to contend in, and win promotion from, the Championship.The window ahead will be active from start to finish for Leeds. A critical part of it will be finding takers for surplus players — a task which is never simple on the back of a relegation.
Head coach
Unlike short-lived predecessor Javi Gracia, there is no agreed provision in place for Sam Allardyce to remain as head coach beyond the end of the season. His contract was as short as four games and no discussions have taken place about his future. Whether Leeds are in any way tempted by the idea of Allardyce in the Championship, a division he has got Bolton Wanderers (2001) and West Ham (2012) promoted from in his career, remains to be seen but there will be a clamour among the fanbase for fresh thinking.Over the past couple of weeks, 49ers Enterprises gave thought to Marcelo Bielsa returning as an avenue worth pursuing if they went down, but he has now taken the Uruguay national-team job and, in any case, the doubts about the ownership structure at Leeds would not have made his old job easy to sell to the Argentinian — without even touching on the two sides’ uncomfortable parting in February last year.If Leeds were to stay up, they would like to try to engage someone such as Graham Potter, who did well in three Premier League seasons at Brighton but lasted just seven months of this one after joining Chelsea last September. Should they go down, recently-sacked Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers is likely to come into the equation, at least in terms of the sort of coach they would want. Whether Rodgers is open to working in the EFL again, having led Swansea City up from it in 2011, is another matter altogether.Expect a swing towards more established domestic candidates, or coaches with experience of that league, because nobody at Elland Road is trying to pretend going out on a limb with Jesse Marsch as Bielsa’s replacement worked.But Leeds will not be able to sell themselves on name or reputation alone. They have masses to do to make sure that, on the other side of this summer, they are ready to attack the new season.
Director of football
Leeds have operated under a director of football model since Andrea Radrizzani bought out Massimo Cellino and appointed Victor Orta in 2017. But Orta’s exit this month leaves that position vacant, and dealing with it is one of various priorities facing the board.
The first thing for Leeds to decide is whether they want to stick with precisely the same model — a structure in which a single director of football oversees that side of the business. In contrast, certain teams split authority between a specific head of their recruitment department and a figure who takes charge of other football operations.
While some of Orta’s staff are departing with him — scout Gaby Ruiz, for example — some other scouts remain in place, but Leeds need a fresh tier of management around whoever ends up becoming their next head coach.
Orta’s departure means Leeds need a new director of football (Photo: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Norwich City’s Stuart Webber, a lifelong Leeds fan, and Kieran Scott of Middlesbrough are two names from the Championship touted as possible options, but at this stage the club have not taken any firm steps towards filling the void. In many ways, recruitment on that front will be as crucial as any player-transfer business — because the director of football’s input is what tends to create ethos and philosophy, for better or worse.
Stadium
The capacity of Elland Road has not just been inadequate in the Premier League, but inadequate since the start of the Marcelo Bielsa era five years ago next month. Leeds’ home games sold out consistently from his arrival onwards and the waiting list for season tickets soared very quickly, to a peak of 22,000 names.
This is a handicap in two senses. Firstly, supply is a long way below demand and supporters who would like to attend matches cannot. And secondly, Leeds are missing out on the commercial and corporate income a bigger stadium would let them generate.
But for all the talk, the idea of redeveloping the ground has been exactly that for a few years now — an idea.
The proposed project would start with the rebuilding of the West Stand and the club have architectural designs for that in place but they would have to go through the process of applying for planning permission and that was only due to happen once 49ers Enterprises assumed control of the boardroom. In itself, planning could take 12 months to secure.
The project would also require large amounts of funding, many tens of millions of pounds predominantly secured via loans, and it has been clear for a while that any such work was not going to start on Radrizzani’s watch. It is a sad aspect of these three seasons aboard the Premier League gravy train that Elland Road has hardly been touched to any great extent.
If Leeds go down on Sunday, there is no expectation that redevelopment would move forward in the Championship.
Upgrading Elland Road has long been described as Premier League-dependent and, given the financial impact of relegation, it is not something the club can prioritise — and there is very little point securing planning permission for the project if they are not able to push the button on it rapidly.
Back in a division where every penny counts, increasing the capacity of Elland Road would slip into the background once more, delayed by the immediacy of trying to get promoted again.
The question is essentially this: do Leeds need a 50,000 or 60,000-capacity home playing in the EFL?
Season tickets
This is about as close as you’ll get to an upside of relegation.
Those 10 per cent rises in costs for next season? They’ll be canned if Leeds go down. You’ll get more games for your money (46 league matches in the Championship, up from the Premier League’s 38) and if you’re on that long, long waiting list, your chances of reaching the front of it might be slightly enhanced.
Still, good news about the chocolate oranges.
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Marco Silva and Fulham need Willian to extend his stay at Fulham
When Willian moved to Fulham in the summer, the reception from most of British football was lukewarm at best.After seven successful years in which he won the Premier League twice at Chelsea, the Brazil international had undergone a disappointing 2020-21 season at Arsenal where he and the club mutually agreed to terminate his contract at the end of the campaign. A season and a half in Brazil’s top flight with his boyhood club Corinthians did not do much to raise his profile either.But few would argue that Willian has been one of Fulham’s most important players this season — particularly as a key part of Marco Silva’s more mobile front line during Aleksandar Mitrovic’s eight-game suspension.The Fulham head coach has reiterated the club’s eagerness to renew Willian’s contract – he only signed for a season last September, as a “priority”. Silva has spoken of his desire to improve the squad this summer and extending Willian’s deal makes so much sense given his proven Premier League pedigree. It would also allow Fulham to spend their budget elsewhere.His performance in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Palace provided another glimpse into why the club are so keen to keep him.At 34, most wingers simplify their game, drift inside to do less running and go stretches of a match without much involvement. But not Willian. Against Palace, he pressed from the front with youthful vigour, created chances from set pieces and open play and ran at Crystal Palace right-back Joel Ward for the entire game.Willian’s performance showed he is one of few Fulham players capable of creating something from nothing in an instant. As right-back Kenny Tete sent a long switch out towards him just before the half-hour mark, the pass looked destined to be intercepted by Ward. But Willian had other ideas, stealing in on the defender’s blind side to turn what looked to be a turnover into a cross, which Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell frantically cleared.
(Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images)
He does not need a particular type of service to thrive, he is not one-dimensional in his wing play and his ball retention in advanced areas is a coach’s dream.“Top class,” is how Silva described Willian after the game. “I don’t need to see this afternoon’s performance to have this opinion. What he’s been doing this season shows that he is a top-class player.ADVERTISEMENT
“When he’s in a good day, he can make the difference, like he did most of the afternoon. It was clear in any moment he always tried to take the right decisions, he’s just a player with great class. Any time he makes decisions, it is almost always a good one. It just shows the quality he has — it’s a priority for us to keep him.”That sustained level of form and maturity in his decision-making in the final third are the main reasons Willian has kept his spot in the starting XI despite Manor Solomon’s purple patch in front of goal in February.Not for the first time this season, Willian was the instigator and creative engine of attacks in Fulham’s left-sided cluster alongside midfielder Tom Cairney and left-back Antonee Robinson. Inside the first five minutes, Willian was surrounded by at least four red and blue shirts but zig-zagged his way through in a flash to send a cross into the box.His assist came from poor Crystal Palace marking as Mitrovic headed in Willian’s fizzed-in free kick.The winger was a fingertip save away from adding a spectacular goal to an impressive performance, veering inside a weary Ward and letting fly from just outside the penalty area.Fulham scored their 53rd and 54th Premier League goals of the season against Crystal Palace, their most in a top-flight season since 1967-68 (56) — in no small part thanks to Willian. His individual statistics reflect his dominance, completing the most passes ending in the final third (19), most dribbles (two), most passes played into the box (eight) and creating the most chances (four).Across the whole season, Willian has created more chances overall (2.1 per 90 minutes), from open play (1.58), and created more big chances (0.31) than any other Fulham player with a minimum of 500 league minutes — making it clear why Silva and Fulham are desperate to keep him beyond the summer.For Willian himself, this season serves as vindication to those who doubted him on his return to English football. “I think it was a good performance from me,” he said. “One assist and almost scored an unbelievable goal! But I’m also proud of what I have been doing this season. A lot of people didn’t believe I could come back to the Premier League and do the same job I had been doing for a lot of years.“I just want to keep going and playing with a smile on my face.”Silva and the Fulham fans will be the happy ones if an extended deal can be agreed for next season.
“Trent! Get on that fucking ball, you!”That was James Milner’s gentle message to Trent Alexander-Arnold as Liverpool trailed 1-0 to Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday. It was not sent in a bottle but could have been heard down the road in Bootle.Four minutes later, Milner’s time on the bench was up. He was on the pitch, conveying similarly expletive-laden messages in closer proximity to their recipients.Milner did not want his final game at Anfield to be a leaving-do. He wanted Liverpool to win, and the focus to be nowhere near him.When he was first sent to warm up alongside Roberto Firmino – who did have a full-blown leaving-do on Sunday – during the first half, that became clear. Milner returned the raucous applause like a sideway pass. He wanted to shift that ball on.The 37-year-old wanted to do zig-zagging runs and hamstring stretches. He wanted to avoid the artificial grass that surrounds the Anfield turf because even when he is on the sidelines, he is somehow on the pitch. Any chance he got to sprint on the proper stuff, he took. https://theathletic.com/report/podcast-clip/?clip_id=7530
Liverpool cancelled out Villa’s lead through Cody Gakpo 10 minutes into the second half. Or so we thought. About 30 seconds later Milner, still warming up, whistled with uncle-like approval in the direction of nobody in particular. The goal was then ruled out and Milner turned to Firmino and their fellow replacement Diogo Jota. His hand signals suggested he was telling them to pass with speed and make nifty runs into the box once they got on.
When Firmino did score the equaliser (his final Anfield goal) in the 89th minute having done just that, Milner did not celebrate. His pass was one in the sequence that helped create the opportunity for the Brazilian. But Milner had no time for an after-party. He trudged back into his own half and got on with business.
He wanted Alexander-Arnold to get on the fucking ball, he wanted Firmino or Jota, or anyone in red, to score a stoppage-time winner. When the whistle went, he just wanted to leave quietly, just as he had planned to do last season until a one-year extension to his contract was offered. Before that proposal was made, Milner was planning to let Divock Origi have his moment in the final game of the campaign. Twelve months on, he wanted to do the same with Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita.
But he could never leave like that. His contribution during eight years wearing the Liverpool shirt had been far too great for the club and fans to have allowed it.
The Kop piped up as he came out of the tunnel into a guard of honour. Milner’s 331 appearances and 206 wins warranted a theme tune he never got, so “There’s only one James Milner!” was a quick-thinking tribute. Not the most original, but perhaps the most fitting.
Liverpool fans send Milner fondly on his way (Photo: Peter Powell/AFP via Getty Images)
Sir Kenny Dalglish, who laced the Liverpool No 7 shirt with so much weight and meaning during his playing days, was waiting to congratulate a man who did exactly the same. After photographs with Dalglish, chief executive officer Billy Hogan and two big framed mementoes of his Anfield career, Milner walked right into a Jurgen Klopp hug.
The manager did not want this to be Milner’s last home game for the club. Milner felt the same.
But the call from Boston, where Liverpool’s owners and ultimate financial decision-makers Fenway Sports Group are based, never came. And so, at age 37, he will move on after Sunday’s final game of the season away to already-relegated Southampton, departing as probably the greatest free-transfer signing in Liverpool’s history.
He joined from Manchester City, where he helped win two Premier League titles in his five years, on a promise from then-manager Brendan Rodgers he would play in central midfield; when Klopp took over from Rodgers four months later, the German learnt he had inherited a unique, utility-belt of a player. And the rest, really, was history.
These, then, are the seven faces of James Milner — Liverpool’s ‘Mr Everything’.
Mr Versatile
It was before a Europa League last-16 second leg away to Manchester United in March 2016 that Klopp approached Milner about changing his midfield role.
Alberto Moreno had picked up an injury and Klopp asked whether he preferred to play at left-back or right-back. Milner, not keen on either, eventually chose the left side to enable Nathaniel Clyne to keep his place on the right. The game ended 1-1 with Philippe Coutinho’s goal ensuring Liverpool would reach the quarter-finals (en route to the final, where they lost to Europa League black-belts Sevilla).
Milner did not start another game at full-back during that first season under Klopp but, on tour in the US the next summer, the manager asked him to stay behind after a team meeting and explained he wanted to play him left-back in the coming campaign. Milner was far from thrilled. But, ever the professional, he agreed and gave it his all in his new role.
In the six years since 2016-17, Milner has spent almost half his Premier League minutes playing one full-back spot or the other, 32 per cent on the left and 12 per cent on the right.
And as we can see, Milner has been heavily trusted in the Klopp era in general. He is in the top 10 Liverpool players for minutes played since 2015-16, when Klopp replaced Rodgers in the October of that season.
Of those 18,899 minutes, Milner has touched the ball 18,911 times. And it is no surprise to see his touches happened all over the pitch.
The true essence of his work rate is best summed up by all those red dots – and by one of them in particular.
See the one nearest Liverpool’s goal-line?
That was a clearance that stopped a certain Ryan Fraser goal for Bournemouth. The game concerned eventually ended 2-1 to Liverpool — a win that pulled them closer to ending the club’s 30-year wait for a league title.
As the map also shows, Milner’s touches have happened all over the pitch, but he has rarely carried the ball into the opposition box. With one notable exception…
The penalty king
Before the days of Mohamed Salah as Liverpool’s chosen penalty-taker, Milner had the job… and he never missed the target once. He scored 19 and had two saved, both in 2017, with the majority of them struck into the bottom corners of the net.
Perhaps his most memorable penalty was the one he scored with the last kick of the game at home to Leicester City in October 2019.
Liverpool went on to win the Premier League comfortably, but it was a campaign that had its momentum hole-punched by crucial moments such as Milner’s late winner that day at Anfield.
To add to his 19 penalties, he also scored seven times from open play, many of them coming from range.
The assister
Opta’s definition of a winning goal is a goal that puts a team’s score to one above their opponent’s final score. Milner has eight of them in his eight years at Anfield.
Winning assists are measured in the same way and Milner has 10 of those, with the most famous of them being for Dejan Lovren in one of Liverpool’s formative nights under Klopp – a 4-3 comeback win over Borussia Dortmund that booted the manager’s former team out of the Europa League quarter-finals in 2016.
It was in the Champions League, though, where Milner’s love of an assist really shone through.
In 2017-18, he had nine assists in 11 European appearances as Liverpool reached the final — no player has recorded more in one season.
As for assists in general, Milner provided 45 in total for Liverpool, with 33 of those arriving in open play.
The diagram below highlights his threat from corners, particularly those outswingers played from the right-hand side, but there is no shortage of passes from deep that teed up team-mates.
The closer
One of Milner’s most impressive records is that his team has never lost a Premier League game in which he has scored. Of the games that have delivered his 55 goals (54 in total), he has won 43 and drawn 11. It’s a record bettered only by Gabriel Jesus, who has scored in 55 games (68 goals) and won 50 of them with Manchester City and now Arsenal.
Milner does not like to lose. That is clear. And if he is coming on as a substitute then he is going to shore things up and see out the game. He’s a closer, to borrow a term from baseball, and actually holds the club record for the most appearances from off the bench (130, so far).
Most subbed on players at Liverpool
PLAYER
SUBBED ON
James Milner
130
Divock Origi
107
Jordan Henderson
82
Ryan Babel
81
Lucas Leiva
80
Roberto Firmino
79
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
76
Vladimir Smicer
74
Danny Murphy
71
Steven Gerrard
63
All competitions since subs introduced
It is not a record Milner will actively welcome, though. In his Ask A Footballer book from 2019, he says being a substitute is hard to take. “I don’t know if there are players who are happy just to be on the bench, but I’ve never been one of those,” he wrote.
Still, that’s not to take away from Milner’s savviness when coming on and helping to see games out – it is a quality that has proved invaluable over his years at Anfield.
The disruptor
It is no surprise to learn the majority of Milner’s Premier League bookings as a Liverpool player have been picked up in the second halves of games. He is disruptive and a master of the tactical foul.
Of his 37 Liverpool bookings in the league, 35 have been for fouls (he also has one for dissent and another for handball) but what is most striking is that 19 of his cautions have come in the final half-hour of matches, and 12 of them in the final 14 minutes.
When Milner was booked at Liverpool
PHASE OF GAME
BOOKINGS
1-15 mins
3
16-30 mins
6
31-45 mins
5
46-60 mins
4
61-75 mins
7
76+ mins
12
Nobody at Anfield is complaining, though. Some of Milner’s best moments have come in the tackle: take, for example, his shutdown of Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar in a Champions League group game at Anfield in 2018. Milner scored a penalty in the game (a 3-2 home win) but the moment he hoofed the ball from under Neymar and flung him out of play is remembered far more fondly.
From the video, it appears as if Milner is playing right-back. In fact, he started on the left of midfield that night but drifted over to the right to introduce himself to Neymar.
Lionel Messi was also on the end of one of Milner’s sideline tackles during the first leg of that Champions League semi-final in 2019. With the ball already out of reach, Milner did the only thing he could and barged Messi out of play. The Argentinian did not respond kindly, issuing a verbal volley in Spanish – perhaps not realising that the Yorkshireman could understand every word.
“He called me the (Spanish) word for donkey, but it also translates to kicking people,” Milner recalled.”We’re going up the tunnel and he’s going mad at half-time saying, ‘(it was) just because I ‘megged you’.
“I feel like players like that have their own way and, (if you) give them too much respect, they are going to run the game. Sometimes you have to let them know you’re there and knock them out their stride.”
The fitness freak
It became a running joke at Liverpool’s training ground that, no matter his passing years, Milner would always win the bleep and lactate tests when the squad returned for pre-season training.
“He’s an elite, perfect, professional footballer,” said Trent Alexander-Arnold, when asked about Milner ahead of the 2019 Champions League final. “He is completely dedicated to his craft. He never steps out of line in any way. He’s always focused, always putting his body on the line for the team.
“It’s unbelievable to see his fitness and energy levels. It’s testament to how well he’s looked after himself and how professional he’s been throughout his career.”
Milner, whose career began when not every Premier League dressing room was a bastion of professionalism, is also a teetotaller.
“I lost count of the amount of times people said, ‘Oh, just have one,’ or ‘Can I be there when you have your first drink?’ They would probably have regretted being there, I could have turned pretty ruthless,” he once told The Guardian.
“You are just learning at that age and thinking: ‘What can I do to be the best? Alcohol is not the best thing for you? Right, I won’t do that.’”
And in his final days of training with Liverpool this week, he will surely continue to be at the front of the running group, setting the pace.
The dressing room glue
Milner has fulfilled several leadership roles at Liverpool, including being a vice-captain and occasional skipper, but the standards he set, and demanded of others, were not linked to the armband he was wearing by the end of the Villa game on Saturday.
Alexander-Arnold has spoken of Milner being “intimidating” for young players when they first enter the senior dressing room at Liverpool. But that toughness flowed from an expectation that everyone playing for the club at that level should meet a high bar.
Former Liverpool under-23s manager Neil Critchley put a strong emphasis on first impressions. Whenever his youth players were called up to senior training, it was important to make a good impression — and not just on Klopp.
“We used to speak to our players about not failing your audition,” Critchley tells The Athletic. “You don’t want to train with the first team for the first time and make a bad impression. And not only are you trying to pass that test with the manager and the staff, but with the players too.
“Our players had to pass ‘The Milner and (Jordan) Henderson Test’, if you like. They both came through academy systems (at Leeds and Sunderland respectively) to play with the pros. They want to know about your character, whether they can trust you, whether you’re going to fit into the group. They test you, in a good way.”
(Photo: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
When Klopp told his players to recharge during a winter break in February 2020, many went away on holiday. But Milner stayed behind. In a strange twist of scheduling, Liverpool had an FA Cup replay in that period against Shrewsbury Town of the English third tier, with the club deciding to field Critchley’s youth side in their absence.
Milner, as the sole senior player still on Merseyside, duly helped out. He asked to train with the squad in the days leading up to the game, which Liverpool won 1-0.
“James Milner, being James Milner, didn’t go away because he wanted to get back fit as soon as possible,” Critchley said. “He trained with us because we were preparing for the game and he used that as a chance to get fit. I’m pretty sure he was pushing to play, but it came too soon for him.
“His experience and voice in training leading into that game was really important. Before the game, he actually came up to me and asked whether he could come and be in the dressing room and talk to the players. It was very respectful of him. He didn’t need to do that, because it was his dressing room more than ours. We were just loaning it for the night. The fact he asked shows you the mark of the man.”
Milner also popped his head in at half-time and throughout the game was shouting encouragement from his seat behind the dugout.
“Sometimes, the best coaching isn’t always from the coaches,” Critchley says, thinking back to Milner’s role that week. “It’s from players, usually senior ones, and they don’t get any better than James Milner.”
What Everton’s relegation would mean for their finances, stadium and transfers
Greg O’Keeffe and Patrick Boyland May 25, 2023 Existential angst, blue underwear, endless permutations and 90-plus minutes of torture. They are all in the mix for anxious Everton fans this weekend as a tumultuous season approaches its monumental conclusion.The club’s fight to avoid being outside the top flight for the first time since 1953-54 goes to the final game against Bournemouth at Goodison on Sunday, a side who have already beaten the Merseysiders twice this term and long since secured their own safety.The Athletic spoke to supporters and experts to find out what it’s been like living with the fear of relegation and what dropping to the second tier would mean for one of English football’s most storied clubs.
David Bond is the licensee of the Winslow Hotel, which had been on Goodison Road since before Everton’s stadium was built on the site of Mere Green field in 1892.Like others who run businesses in the footprint of Goodison, their livelihoods entwined with the club, he is planning for an uncertain future when Everton move to their new stadium, currently scheduled for the 2024-25 season.But the life-long Evertonian’s more immediate concern is that relegation would taint a symmetry he has been hoping to complete while landlord of this old pub.“The Winslow has been here from the first kick of the ball at Goodison and we’ll be here until the last. But for it to be in the Championship would be sad,” he says. “I think we’ll win. I haven’t allowed myself to sit down and think too much about relegation. There’s no plan B in my mind really.“I’ve felt it’s been 50/50 whether we survive for a while, so to go into the last game in control of our own fate is the most important thing.“The tension has been growing for months, as well as the deja vu and frustration of being in the same situation again. I think the atmosphere in the ground will be amazing again on Sunday, but it’ll be nervous, too, obviously.
“We’ve maybe had 10 coach greetings since they started last season now and you wonder if the effect might have worn off a bit. The players have to do the business on the pitch.”
David Bond, licensee of the Winslow Hotel next to Goodison Park (Photo: Greg O’Keefe)
David is planning for the best; as usual, he will open at 10am and has hired two singers to entertain customers he hopes will be celebrating and unwinding late into the evening.“I would hazard a guess it’s going to be the busiest day I’ve had as the landlord because of everything riding on it,” he says. “Against Wimbledon in 1994 we went behind and we were 2-0 down against Palace last season, so we’ve got a habit of making life difficult for ourselves and really cranking up the pressure. I just hope that doesn’t happen on Sunday.”
Around the corner at the Royal Oak, another matchday favourite for supporters, Evertonian Tony Kelthy is nervously sipping his pint of Staropramen. Ensconced in the sunshine of its beer garden next to the bustling County Road, he contemplates the enormity of Sunday as traffic rattles past and offers some solace for equally nervous readers — this lifelong blue has positive omens lined up, or rather freshly washed in his laundry cupboard.“I’ve got my blue underpants ready,” he says. “I was wearing them for the Wolves game and they came good for us in the end, so I’ll be hoping all the superstitions do the job again.”A former season ticket holder in the Upper Gwladys Street, Tony is unlikely to be there on Sunday and plans a nervous afternoon glued to the BBC Radio Merseyside commentary.“It’s not just the worry about going down, it’s the questions over bigger things like the new stadium,” he says. “But I believe that will go ahead whatever happens.“It does get a bit irrational at this stage, but that’s what it’s like. I was there in 1994 with my girlfriend and when we were 2-0 down I thought maybe I was the jinx. But she didn’t come again and we won the cup the next season, so now I tell her she was the jinx.“Here we are again, though, going down to the final day. I’ve been nervous for weeks; watching all the other games involved in relegation. It’s going to be horrible if Leicester or Leeds go ahead on Sunday and we don’t.
“I’d be more confident if Calvert-Lewin was fit, but at least it’s in our own hands.”A five-minute walk away in Everton’s megastore, Hazel from Seaforth is perusing the aisles, wearing the current pink away shirt. In 1994, when Everton so memorably survived by the skin of their teeth against Wimbledon, the store was still being built and the following year after the club’s FA Cup victory, supporters climbed its bare frame to wave at the trophy parade.
Everton celebrate beating Wimbledon and staying up in May 1994 (Photo: Clive Brunskill/ALLSPORT via Getty Images)
The 48-year-old’s first game was in 1987, the season Everton last won the league under Howard Kendall. Her uncle gave her a choice of clubs to follow and despite the ups and downs since, she doesn’t regret her choice.
“I’m waiting to see if I can get a ticket for Sunday,” she says. “But I’ve already planned my weekend. I won’t wash my hair on the day of the game because the last time I did we lost.
“I follow Everton Women, too, and we’ve had a great season, but the men’s team has been a tough watch. Now it’s all on one game. I feel like I need to be there but it’s going to be stomach churning.”
The nerves come from a sense of almost existential dread.
Summarising their findings, new auditors Crowe LLP cast “significant doubt” on the club’s ability to continue as a ‘going concern’ in the event of relegation.
Crowe noted that demotion to the Championship would necessitate additional funding from majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, who remains “supportive” but is not “legally obliged” to cover the shortfall.
Key to their assessment was the potential repayment of debt to long-term lenders Rights and Media Funding. To date, monies owed to Rights and Media Funding sits at around £150million.
“Some of these facilities include a covenant that assumes the club will remain in the Premier League, therefore the board have had to consider the scenario of relegation and the availability of these facilities in that scenario,” Everton wrote in their accounts.
“The providers have indicated that they remain supportive under each scenario. However, at the time of approval of the financial statements, there are no contractual commitments in place that would guarantee a waiver of the amounts payable in full or in part and therefore relegation would require a material repayment of debt as per the contract.”
For a club already stretched beyond its means at Premier League level and has posted losses totalling over £430m in the past five seasons, not to mention currently financing a new stadium project worth £760m, it is a chastening prospect. Some would say the kind of “existential moment” mentioned by Moshiri in his message to supporters earlier this year. But it is also one that could well become reality if survival is not secured on the final day of the season.
Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock (Photo: Michael Regan via Getty Images)
Besides Moshiri’s investment, the other avenue available to Everton is a series of cost-cutting measures. As they explained in their accounts, relegation would lead them to “review our costs base, trading strategy and defer other planned discretionary expenditure in the short term to offset any likely reductions in revenue”.
It has been clear for some time that Everton have needed to plot a new, sustainable way forward. In a footballing sense, the heavy expenditure of the early Moshiri years has gone, replaced out of necessity by something far more frugal.
Even with savings, it is fair to assume Everton’s wage bill would be comfortably the largest ever seen in the second tier. Their staff costs dropped £20million to £160m last season but are still considerable even by Premier League standards.
Last season, their wage-to-turnover ratio was 90 per cent, or 87 per cent when factoring in the outsourcing of the club’s retail and catering operations. Typical Championship wage bills tend to range from around £70million at the top end to around £15m at the other end of the scale.
With estimates suggesting a loss of almost £70million in broadcast revenue overnight in the event of relegation — parachute payments in the first year are currently around £45m, while the club reported £115m in broadcast revenue last season — Everton would need to drastically reduce costs. Most newer contracts signed since director of football Kevin Thelwell’s arrival last February are said to contain mandatory wage reductions in the event of relegation, but others agreed before then do not. https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/13882557/embed Then there is the much more stringent FFP threshold in the EFL, where clubs are permitted to lose up to £39million over a three-year period. The Premier League allows for losses of £105m over the same period.
The most logical scenario would involve Everton’s high earners being sold and, while there would almost certainly be no shortage of interest in Amadou Onana or Jordan Pickford, the challenge would be in shifting fringe players on sizeable Premier League salaries. The club is currently in discussions with several soon-to-be-out-of-contract players, but their precarious position in the table complicates matters. Goalposts could well shift depending on which division they’re playing in next season.
With Everton increasingly reliant on Moshiri’s funding, the club’s majority shareholder has long been clear of the need for fresh financing. After talks with multiple interested parties, US-based MSP Sports Capital have been granted exclusivity in talks over a potential minority investment. MSP’s backing is seen as crucial in funding the final part of the stadium project, with a deal not thought to be dependent on Everton’s Premier League status.
There remains some way to go before completion, but MSP’s arrival onto the scene would allow Moshiri to focus on allocating resources elsewhere.
Yet the spectre of relegation remains concerning — as it would be for any club — but it is even more so for this version of Everton at this moment in time.
MLS Go: How does the league’s new ‘youth soccer experience’ compare to other countries?
On Tuesday, Major League Soccer announced MLS Go, a youth soccer program the league claims is “designed to increase participation and access for boys and girls outside of the existing soccer ecosystem.”
The program, aimed at kids aged 4-14, straddles the line between MLS’ efforts in youth development and its commercial endeavors, while also purporting to help solve one of the major issues in developing interest and/or participation in soccer in the United States: the lack of grassroots, accessible clubs for young kids.
It’s an interesting mix, to say the least; a combination of influences that drove U.S. soccer editor Alexander Abnos to have his own knee-jerk reaction. Here, he discusses it with Elias Burke, a native of Birmingham, England, who has been learning the landscape of U.S. Soccer this year as an LA-based reporter.
Abnos: Elias, I’m pretty sure I’m going to come off as ridiculously cynical in all this. So I want to start with an immediate disclaimer: I believe the stated aim of this program is noble and good. The more kids that play soccer at a younger age in the country, the better for the sport writ large – exponentially moreso if the programs are low-cost, as MLS Go claims they will be. So it’s nice to see that MLS is at least acknowledging that this gap in our soccer culture needs to be remedied, and doing something about it.
It’s the execution, in particular the promotional push, that I don’t really care for. There are so many elements that make me roll my eyes. We can get into specifics in a bit, but let’s start with overall impressions. You grew up in a country that has an established, highly-effective system for developing footballers and football fans. What is your reaction as you read through what MLS is planning to do here?
Burke: Before I’m exposed to reasons why it may not work, it sounds pretty exciting.
Growing up in Birmingham, I had three professional football clubs playing within 10 miles of my home. Many of my school friends already had allegiances passed down from their parents, but coaches from local clubs (most typically Aston Villa, in my school’s case) would frequently arrange free sessions after school for boys and girls to participate. Outside of the coaching, we occasionally went to their training ground and learned about the benefits of exercise and healthy eating, and even sometimes to matches. For my classmates who had not already caught the football bug, exposing them to the sport through a professional club encouraged many of these children to join a club team outside of school and begin a lifetime of supporting Aston Villa.
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There is no shortage of grassroots clubs for children in the UK, making the pathway easier from first involvement to joining a local amateur club. Still, having seen the effect of Premier League and professional club involvement on increasing participation at grassroots level, this seems like a good idea.
Abnos: Those sound like good programs but I think MLS Go is pretty different. The whole thing sounds like a living breathing infomercial – a “brand activation” in industry parlance. The program is being run in conjunction with RCX Sports, which does similar programs with the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. The announcement makes a point of mentioning that MLS Go, which has “MLS” right there in the name, is in fact “powered by MLS.” It touts that participants will wear “MLS Club-branded uniforms” and play in “18 markets: 12 MLS, three MLS NEXT, and three additional cities that will be introduced to the MLS ecosystem for the first time.” MLS senior director of properties Kyle Albrecht said in the release’s first quote that MLS Go is an opportunity to “create a direct connection between our MLS clubs and future soccer fans.” It’s hard not to feel like MLS’ first intention here is to build MLS brand equity, not passion for the sport at large.
The Birmingham programs seem to be more focused on the basics of participating in the sport, even if only as a fan. Are the clubs you mention quite so insistent on having their name and logo all over everything? And perhaps more to the point: Does the Premier League itself do something like this? If so, is it taken seriously?
Burke: Since coming here, I’ve noticed that the language accompanying these initiatives, which are undoubtedly positive on the surface, can feel quite uncomfortable.
For sure, we’d wear Aston Villa pinnies during the training sessions and compete to win club-branded merchandise (which I, as a West Bromwich Albion fan, was not interested in). Still, it never felt like it was an outreach program to increase attendance at Villa Park or usher in the next generation of supporters. While it may have been their intention, it was not marketed that way – it felt a natural byproduct of clubs lending their time to schools and communities through outreach programs.
The Premier League do similar events, now called Premier League Kicks, where they offer children from varying backgrounds the opportunity to play free of charge. The branding is on full display, from the water bottles they hand out at the start of the session to the certificates awarded at the end, but they do a better job of integrating it. Describing a city and community as a “market” exemplifies how MLS, and American sports in general, unashamedly present the next generation of potential supporters as commodities.
Abnos: Completely agree with you there. I think to some extent it’s a byproduct of the United States’ general form of hypercapitalism, but also its pro sports history. In the vast majority of American soccer, clubs and leagues are businesses that must work to become community assets, whereas in the UK and other places my impression is that it’s the opposite. The end result Stateside is that the people in charge seem to be constantly delivering a sales pitch. But soccer isn’t a product that needs selling; it’s a passion that needs fuel. And I guess I just don’t see how MLS Go does that in a sustainable, long-lasting way.
Elias, soccer people in this country have a (probably romanticized) view of kids playing pickup games in small patches of land or dirt fields or alleyways all over the world, and we want that same thing to happen here. MLS Go seems oriented toward that goal, but it plans to charge local operators a licensing fee per player, and a registration fee to participants. Do you think that serves the “soccer for all” vision it claims?
Burke: The romantic view of people playing on patches of dirt and rugged concrete cages is legitimate; some of the world’s best players developed their skills in these environments, but the “pay to play” issue is not exclusive to the States.
For every Jadon Sancho, Wilfried Zaha, or Rio Ferdinand who spent their childhoods playing in south London cages, there are plenty of Jude Bellingham’s and Mason Mount’s who grew up in leafy suburbs, developing their skills in more controlled and affluent environments.
Scandinavian and Nordic nations, for example, have a very regimented football infrastructure. To maximize their small population, children who play football in Denmark and Finland attend training sessions with qualified coaches almost daily, which are expensive and require significant discipline from families. Even in these countries that have enjoyed relative recent success (Finland won their first game at a major tournament at Euro 2020, and Denmark reached the semi-final), debate is rife regarding whether this method is the most fruitful as it effectively ignores children from poorer backgrounds unless academies pick them up at a young age.
England’s system of producing young talent, for its historical faults, has hit this balance well in recent years. Eberechi Eze, a player who grew up playing in south London’s cages, spent his teenage years jumping between London academies, starting at Arsenal. When he was released, he played organized grassroots football while continuing in the cages until Queens Park Rangers picked him up. At 24, he had the best season of his professional career with Crystal Palace and is an ambassador for McDonald’s Fun Football sessions, providing free coaching for five to 11-year-olds across the UK. While MLS Go is not going to be without cost, there are lots of these sponsored coaching initiatives knocking about across the pond, and they’re very popular.
To build a passion for the sport, youngsters need environments to play recreationally while offering access to proper coaching if they want to take it more seriously. If it takes in-your-face branding for MLS to push through with this, then so be it.
Abnos: That’s all really interesting — the commercial element is apparently way more present at the grassroots level in the UK than I initially thought. I’m also struck by another important difference, which is that all these programs in the UK and elsewhere have established physical environments where they take place. You talk about the south London cages, but most U.S. communities don’t have an equivalent of that for soccer, and MLS Go isn’t talking about creating a similar type of physical space. You also mention Nordic countries where kids play almost every day, but most U.S. communities aren’t close-knit or soccer-mad enough to make something like that happen, and MLS Go isn’t creating that type of scene either; its website specifically says its programs will not run more than two practices per week.
What we lack is not enforced programming; it’s venues and community. It’s infrastructure. If the people running soccer in the U.S. want to grow the game meaningfully, they need to build way more environments where the game can grow organically, in places where people already are.
There are some good recent examples involving mini-pitches: The Station Soccer program in Atlanta brought them to public transportation stations, and a community has sprung up in these spots. MLS itself has built mini-pitches through its charitable arm, including in Minnesota during last year’s All-Star Game. NYCFC alone has built 50 mini-pitches throughout the five boroughs, many of which are located in or near school communities. But the U.S. is a gigantic country; we need more places like this. If MLS Go was instead a campaign to multiply these sorts of projects, they could market and brand it however they want and I’d be happy (not that I’m the target audience!). I’d also be supremely jealous of the younger generation. I would have killed to have a mini-pitch anywhere near my neighborhood growing up — someplace I could go for free and meet other people that liked the weird “foreign” sport I liked, and maybe get in a game or two.
Burke: Wow, mini-pitches across the country would be excellent and the envy of most of the world. Lack of access to affordable purpose-built football facilities is a problem in the UK, too; I can count on two hands the number of venues in Birmingham that have turf fields and are open to the public, all of which are rather expensive. This is where the relative lack of a tight football community and culture shows itself as the most significant factor in breeding the next generation of football players and fans, in my opinion.
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Where there’s a will, there’s a way. My friends and I grew up playing football at the park with our jumpers for goalposts, or we’d set up a game on concrete with a goal painted on a wall. I could do that because my friends lived within walking distance of my house and were also obsessed with football. You could have set us up anywhere, and we’d have made a game; I imagine the same is true for basketball in the States.
Abnos: It is, and to be clear that sort of improvised soccer scene does absolutely exist in the U.S. as well – that’s how my family and I played games together growing up. A big question in American soccer right now is how best to grow that level of passion to the point where it stops being a niche. I think we may be looking at a chicken/egg problem: does a soccer culture create soccer spaces, or do soccer spaces create a soccer culture?
Burke: Very few other sports are easier to pick up and play than football, if any. Undoubtedly, there must be a greater emphasis on building pitches across the States for young people to use, ensuring they are accessible and in diverse communities. But MLS Go is increasing accessibility by bringing football directly to children across 18 cities, most of which have some football heritage already.
Ok, the branding is a bit gross, and they might have built a few hundred pitches across the nation to develop the initiative further, MLS Go is broadly a good thing if it delivers a space for youngsters to get involved in football while keeping the licensing fee for the program, which is said to include the cost of kit and equipment, and registration fees affordable for all.
Abnos: That last part is especially important, as is the nature of the partnerships with local organizations that MLS Go says it’s forging to carry all this out – I will give them some credit for choosing that approach as opposed to trying to run it all themselves. The marketing side still rankles me a bit, but that may just be down to my own personal politics. Thanks for indulging my cynicism, Elias. And as a bonus, I now know Eberechi Eze’s developmental history! A productive conversation indeed.
(Photo: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
ANGEL CITY – MATCH HIGHLIGHTSMATCH RECAP Angel City drew the Courage 0–0 on the road Saturday, starting a multi-game stint on the road with a point and a clean sheet—the team’s first of 2023. ACFC’s next match is Saturday, May 27 in Seattle against Megan Rapinoe’s OL Reign. ACFC returns home to take on the Chicago Red Stars on Monday, June 5 at 7 PM. Purchase tickets for MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ACFC EDITION below!
Indy hosts Louisville City for the first of two matchups this season
#LIPAFC Preview Indy Eleven vs Louisville City FC Saturday, May 27, 2023 – 7:00 p.m. ET Michael A Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.
2023 USL Championship Records: Indy Eleven: 3W-4L-3D (-4 GD), 12 pts; 7th in Eastern Conference Louisville City FC: 5W-3L-2D (-2 GD), 17 pts; 3rd in Eastern Conference
Community Health Network Sports Medicine Indy Eleven Injury Report: OUT: DF Robby Dambrot (L knee) QUESTIONABLE: None
Discipline Report: IND: none COS: none
Setting the Scene
The Boys in Blue remain at home Saturday for a USL Championship match-up vs Louisville City FC. The Eleven sits at 3-4-3 on the season after a 1-0 win vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC last Saturday. The victory snapped a four-game home winless streak.
SERIES VS. LOUISVILLE CITY
All official competitions: 5W-8L-6D (20 GF/30 GA) All competitions at home: 4W-5L-1D (9GF/15 GA) All competitions away: 1W-3L-5D (11 GF/15 GA)
USL Championship regular season: 4W-5L-6D (16 GF/20 GA) USLC regular season at home: 3W-3L-1D (6 GF/9 GA) USLC regular season away: 1W-2L-5D (10 GF/11 GA)
ELEVEN ADDS TO ATTACK WITH ROBERTO MOLINA SIGNING MAY 18, 2023 Indy Eleven announced the signing of forward Roberto Molina. Per club policy, details of the contract will not be released.
Molina spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights. In 45 appearances, including 30 during his rookie campaign, Molina tallied three goals and seven assists.
The Salvadoran was selected as the 45th overall pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft by the Colorado Rapids and has registered five caps with El Salvador’s National Team in International Friendlies and CONCACAF Nations League action. In one season at UC Irvine (2019), Molina appeared in all 19 matches, making 17 starts, and was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team. He was third on the team with nine points, netting three goals and adding three assists.
Indy has also announced the addition of Academy signing Grayson Elmquist. As part of this season’s U19 USL Academy Championship team, Elmquist earned Golden Boot and Golden Ball honors. He will join the Eleven until he reports to Xavier for the 2023 season.
LAST TIME OUT MAY 20, 2023 IND 1:0 COS Bryan Rebellon’s early tally would be enough to give Indy Eleven their first home win of the season in USL Championship play. The win moved Indy to 3W-4L-3D on the season, while Colorado fell to 5W-5L-1D..
Rebellon scored the game’s only goal in the 16th minute, on a late run into the box with a ball left from Sebastian Guenzatti. He was injured on the play and would end up being substituted for by Jesus Vaquez in the 19th minute.
Although Colorado would dominate possession for the first-half (61%-39%) they were not able to get a shot past Yannik Oettl, and only managed one shot in the half. Indy had a prime chance to extend their lead in the 2nd half, beginning with four consecutive corner kicks, but were unable to find the back of the net, twice being denied by Colorado goalkeeper Christian Herrera and also had a Guenzatti shot hit the frame and bounce wide.
Despite losing the possession battle 59%-41% and being outshot by Colorado 12-9, Indy was able to hold on for the win. Dambrot led the Eleven with three shots, while Yannik Oettl had seven saves in the net.
FIFA unveiled the World Cup 2026 logo this week for the USA, Canada & Mexico’s Men’s World Cup and its well horrific in my eyes, FIFA could mess up a great dream – here was the reveal party. MLS welcomed their 30th team this week with the news that San Diego is paying $500 million to join the league (CRAZY) interesting development approach they are taking, MLS had midweek games this week and they were rocking it in Charlotte and Atlanta. Great to see Cincy top of the Table in the East-I gotta get to a game this summer! PS some good games this week but 2 crappy ones on Apple TV Free. Of course the Expected Champions League Final is Man City vs Inter Milan as both teams stood tall at home. Real’s Goalkeeper Courtois (Cor-Twah) was spectacular and still gave up 4 to Man City, that’s how dominant the favorites were at home vs the holders. (tons of stories below)
Arsenal #9 Foleran Balogun Switches to US National Team
Huge news that the US Men welcome Arsenal Stricker Foleran Balogun Forward to the fold as the 20 year old announced he will play for the US instead of England. This young striker is one of the top rated under 21 players in the world and joins young US dual nationals Yunus Musah, Sergio Dest and . Balogun has scored 19 goals this season on loan at Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims and is a legit scorer the likes of which the US hasn’t seen in years. (lots of stories below about him). It looks like former Leeds United and Red Bull Coach Jessie Marsch is all but a lock for the US head job – I don’t know why they don’t just have him start this summer before the Nations League and Gold Cup. That 2nd round Gold Cup game will be in Cincy on July 9thtix still available, I’m planning the road trip.
Indy 11 home Sat 7 pm vs Colorado Springs
A hat trick for Sacramento Republic FC’s Russell Cicerone led the home team to a 3-1 victory over Indy Eleven Saturday night at Heart Health Park in Sacramento, California. The loss dropped Indy to 2W-4L-3D on the season, while Sacramento improved to 6W-0L-3D to stay atop the USL Championship’s Western Conference standings. The Eleven returns home this Saturday, May 20, against Colorado Springs for Military Appreciation Night. @ the Mike and on WISH TV8. A portion of each ticket purchased via this link will directly support HVAF of Indiana. Indy Eleven will match each ticket purchased via the Military Giveback Link, ensuring that a veteran/military member will have the opportunity to attend and be recognized. Our U13 Boys teams are headind downtown on Saturday for the game!! Buy Tix now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 Full SchedulePromotions
American GK Horvath Leads Luton Town to Promotion Playoff Final
Luton Town, with American Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, advanced to the EFL Playoff Final where they will face Coventry City at Wembley Sat, May 27th at 11:45 am on ESPN+ for the chance to move up to the EPL next season. Highlights from the 2-0 victory. Luton Town is Carmel FC Director of Coaching Goalkeeper Juergen Sommer’s first employer in 1990 when he became the first American to play in the first flight of English football. He later was named GK of the year the same year he lead them to the FA Cup Semi-Finals in Wembley. Unfortunately fellow American GK Zach Stefan’s mistake cost Middlesborough as they lost to Coventry City 1-0 to keep it from being an All-American GK Final.
U-20 Men’s World Cup on Fox Starts Fri
The U20 World Cup Starts this weekend on Fox Sports and Telemundo as the US faces Ecuador Sat 2 pm on Fox Soccer, then Fiji at 2 pm on Fox Sports 2 Tues, followed by Slovakia Fri, May 26 at 2 pm on FS2. While the US had issues with MLS & other clubs not releasing some of our top players to play – with GK Gaga Slovina, Cade Cowell, Kevin Paredes, Owen Wolf, & Caleb Wiley, on board the US still has a good chance to advance to at least the Quarter Finals if not further. I will be tuning in (see stories and TV schedule below).
Good Luck to all the Teams in President & State Cup games this weekend at Grand Park – especially our Carmel FC Teams. I will be reffing some on Sunday. Speaking of reffing – we are in desperate need of good refs for both High School and USSF. Its honestly the best job a high school aged kid can have – you get paid well over $20 per game min and you can control your own schedule and games are mostly on weekends. Where else can you make $20+ an hour as a 13-18 year old and tell your boss you can’t work on Sat at 4 pm? Become a Referee Must be 13. Also huge news that Liverpool’s Klopp has been suspended the last 2 games after his comments about the ref a couple of weeks back. Check out the Full Referee section below.
The Carmel FC 2010 Gold and Blue along with the 2012 Grey Girls are headed to the game tomorrow – section 109 come by and say hello ! Buy Tix now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 Full SchedulePromotions
Location: Shelborne Fields – CCCSC – 3451 W. 126th St., Carmel (Ages: 18 – 35) $105 Sign Up
Grab your friends and make your own team or sign up and we’ll place you on a team, you don’t have to live in Carmel. Games will take place on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. Dates: June 18, 21, 25, 28 & July 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 Sign Up
GAMES ON TV
(American’s names in Parenthesis)
Sat, May 20
7:30 am USA Tottenham vs Brentford
9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin (Pfok) vs Hoffenhiem
9:30 am ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Schalke
10 am USA Bournemouth vs Man United
10 am ? Liverpool vs Aston Villa
10 am Peacock Fulham (Robinson) vs Crystal Palace
10 am Peacock Wolves vs Everton
12:30 pm NBC or USA Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
12:30 pm ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs RB Leipzig
2 pm FS2?/Tele US U20s vs Ecudor U20 WC
2:45 pm Para+ Milan vs Sampdoria
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Colorado Springs
7:30 pm Apple TV
7:30 pm Apple TV
7 pm Para+ NC Courage vs Angel City (Ertz) NWSL
8:30 pm Para+ KC Current (Franch) vs San Diego (Morgan, Girma)
10:30 pm Apple+
Sun, May 21
8:30 am USA West Ham vs Leeds United (McKinney, Aaronson)
11:30 am USA Man City vs Chelsea
12 noon CBSSN Napoli vs Inter Milan
12:30 ESPN+ Valencia vs Real Madrid
2:30 pm beIN Sport Auxerre vs PSG (Messi, Mbappe)
5 pm FS2 Italy vs Brazil U20 World Cup
5:30 pm Para+, Sirius Portland Thorns (Rapino) vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL
6 pm Para+ OL Seattle Reign vs NY Gotham FC (Williams) NWSL
Mon, May 22
2 pm FS2 England vs Tunisia U20 WC
2:45 pm Para+ Juventus vs Empoli
3 pm USA New castle vs Leicester City
5 pm FS2 Gambia vs Honduras U20 WC
Tues, May 23
2 pm FS2/Tele USA U20s vs Fiji U20 WC
4 pm ESPN+ Real Valladiod vs Barcelona
5 pm FS2 Argentina vs Guatamala U20WC
7:30 pm NY Red Bulls vs Cincy US Open Cup
7:30 pm Inter Miami vs Nashville US Open Cup?
Weds, May 24
3 pm USA Brighton vs Man City
4 pm ESPN+ Espanol vs Atletico Madrid
5 pm FS2 Brazil vs Domincan Republic U20 WC
7 pm Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs Columbus Crew US Open
TelevisaUnivision has won the Spanish-language rights to broadcast UEFA club competitions
Reffing
Reffing National League Games with the Cream of the Crop baby HT Pham (C) and Marc Emenhiser (L) – over 41 years of High School Reffing Experience right here !!
Hey we got the Big man Nate Sinders (left) he blessed us with his presence and gave out Nate Coins to me and Chris (right) A little later ENCL U19 Girls Action on the A Field under the lights baby with Blake Gibson (left)
What will Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun bring to USMNT?
ESPN Jeff Carlisle Julien Laurens May 18, 2023, 09:00 AM ET
The U.S. men’s national team has had its share of victories when it comes to recruiting dual nationals. Right-back Sergino Dest and midfielder Yunus Musah both saw extensive playing time at the 2022 World Cup after making the difficult choice of which country to represent.The USMNT’s biggest recruiting coup of all might have happened on Tuesday, though.
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Striker Folarin Balogun, on loan at Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims from Premier League giants Arsenal, pledged his international future to the U.S. by filing one-time switch with FIFA. He could have played for Nigeria or England, the latter of which he represented at youth level. (Balogun also logged minutes for the U.S. U18 team under then-U.S. U20 manager Tab Ramos.)What makes Balogun such a prize catch is the position he plays and the form he’s in. While in recent years the U.S. has increased its quality at positions like defender, central midfield and on the wing, the center-forward position has been a glaring hole in the depth chart.Right now the position is manned by solid, but not spectacular options such as Norwich City ‘s Josh Sargent, Ricardo Pepi, who just finished a loan spell at Dutch side Groningen, Antalyaspor’s Haji Wright and FC Dallas‘ Jesus Ferreira. The lackluster play of Wright and Ferreira, in particular, at the World Cup revealed just how much of a weakness the position is for the USMNT.Balogun could change all of that. He has enjoyed a scintillating club season on loan, scoring 19 goals in league play, which is tied for fifth in Ligue 1. Along the way he has shown immense skill in terms of finishing, taking players on and linking up with teammates, combined with the ability to ride challenges from opposition defenders. And there’s more.”I think in terms of being on the field, obviously [Balogun] makes great runs,” Ramos told ESPN. “He sacrifices for the team, so he will pressure the ball. He will do all of the things that a team environment requires on and off the field, so I think he’s a full package.”That skill set — one that is more complete than any other forward in the USMNT pool — could have a knock-on effect for teammates like Christian Pulisic and Giovanni Reyna. That duo, as well as other wingers like Brenden Aaronson and Timothy Weah, are often the target of persistent fouling from opponents. The respect level from opposition defenders toward Balogun could create a bit more space for U.S. wingers and central midfielders to maneuver.And what of the existing complement of forwards? At the least it would demand that they raise their respective games.Pepi is just 21, and has his career on an upward trajectory again after scoring 12 goals for Groningen, this after struggling with Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, who still hold his contract. There is still time for him to hone his game further. Sargent recaptured some goal-scoring form in the English Championship with 13 goals, although he did spend considerable time as a winger with license to tuck inside. Ferreira and Wright, despite their club successes, would appear to be the odd players out.Granted, Balogun’s arrival isn’t a guarantee of anything. The U.S. Soccer Federation still has to hire a coach after all, and it remains to be seen how Balogun would fit in the new manager’s system. The onus is still on his teammates to get him the ball in dangerous spots, something the U.S. struggled with at the World Cup.The more dangerous players a team has on the field, though, the better off it will be. Balogun’s arrival does precisely that. — Jeff Carlisle.
The view from France
The only reason why Balogun was not nominated for Ligue 1’s Best Young Player of the Season award is because he turns 22 in two months’ time. The Arsenal loanee is slightly too old for the prize — Lyon‘s Bradley Barcola and Rayan Cherki, Monaco’s Eliesse Ben Seghir, Montpellier‘s Elyi Wahi and PSG’s Nuno Mendes are 20 or under.
However, there is an argument that he could have been part of the senior Ligue 1 Player of the Season race, alongside PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, Lens‘ Lois Openda and Seko Fofana and Lille‘s Jonathan David. With 19 goals and two assists in 34 league games (31 starts), Balogun has been Reims’ best player, Ligue 1’s revelation of the season, and one of the best players in the league, period.
To say that we saw it coming would be a lie. Even at Reims, no one could have predicted a season like this. He arrived in the Champagne region on loan from Arsenal (without an option to sign permanently) at the start of August, having not had a preseason with his new teammates. Yet, under then-Reims manager Oscar Garcia, he adapted quickly and scored in his first game, away at Marseille on Aug. 7, off the bench.
The following game, against Clermont, he started, scored again and never looked back. He scored against Marseille (both home and away), Lens (home and away), PSG, Monaco and managed a hat trick against Lorient in January.
More than the goals and his finishing ability, the most impressive attribute Balogun shows is his maturity. His intelligence and awareness is great, his first touch always has a purpose, while his runs are smart and well-timed.
This season in Ligue 1 has proved, if needed, what a talent he is. He deserves a chance to shine internationally too. — Julien Laurens.
US SOCCER
USMNT analysis
Analysis: Balogun switches to the USMNT, raises the bar for the team
While this has been coming, Folarin Balogun has switched his international affiliation to the USMNT. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta offers up a lot of thoughts on the matter.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTED MAY 16, 2023 3:00 PM
N A PROCESS THAT has actually taken several years, U.S. Soccer today got the man they wanted when Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun’s one-time change of association with FIFA was approved thereby permanently switching his international affiliation from England to the United States. The moves gives the U.S. team a much needed boost in the attack.
For fans of the U.S. program, this is very exciting because it boosts the team’s goal scoring capabilities by giving an option in perhaps the team’s biggest need – the No. 9 position. Balogun in in the midst of a breakthrough season at Stade de Reims in France’s Ligue 1.“We are delighted that Folarin has chosen to represent the United States,” said USMNT head coach Anthony Hudson. “Not only is he an extremely talented player, he’s also a good man who is going to add value to our National Team both on and off the field at a time when the team is continuing to improve. It’s clear that he values his U.S. roots and we can’t wait for him to come in and be a part of the team.”Here are a bunch of thoughts on Balogun’s move.
By the numbers
This season has been a tough go for Americans abroad. The numbers just haven’t been there for Americans, especially in the top five European leagues. Leaving out defenders and goalkeepers, here is a look at midfielders, wingers, and forwards regarding their production in league play.The numbers aren’t productive. It total, this group of players produces a goal every 1012 minutes of league play and an assist every 843 minutes of league play. Sure, Tim Weah has spent a lot of time as a fullback this season but that is also part of the problem. If he wasn’t playing fullback, he probably would have played significantly less minutes.
This season has just seen the productivity of most of the top players of the U.S. national team player pool decline. Gio Reyna’s goal scoring ratio is excellent but the flip side of that is that he has not played much at all. Some of his goals, such as over this past weekend in a lopsided win over Borussia Monchengladbach, have come at times when the game has already been decided.For the second-best producer on this list, Jordan Pefok, he has four goals but has only scored once since mid-September and has seen his minutes drastically cut in the second half of the season.The result has seen Gregg Berhalter and later Anthony Hudson attempt to bolster the attack with players based outside of the top five European leagues. The results have been mixed. Ricardo Pepi started off well in 2021, struggled in 2022, but is back on track in 2023. Haji Wright, Jesus Ferreira, and Josh Sargent have all been uneven. Daryl Dike has played well at times but can’t stay healthy.
But now you add Balogun to the mix.
Balogun has more goals this season in Ligue 1 than all other Americans in the top five European leagues combined.
Numerically it’s a huge boost. It’s easy to see why this could be a huge help to the U.S. team. But he’s not going to fix some of the key issues – such as the ongoing concerns for most of the players.
But, as always, sometimes things on paper do not always translate over into reality. Balogun still has only top season under his belt. It’s not yet determined if this will be his true level going forward. But it is still a high potential add to the program.
It is also beneficial to the U.S. team that he is doing this at the beginning of the cycle. If this was in the run up to a World Cup, figuring out how to add him into the team would have taken away from the time needed for what is normally final preparations.
Now Balogun will get the Nations League followed by a long series of friendlies leading up to the Copa America next summer. There is plenty of time for Anthony Hudson followed by the next U.S. manager to make this work.
A long process
This has been a process for nearly five years in the making. Soon after he was identified as a dual U.S. citizen, Balogun was called up to a U.S. U-18 team camp in August 2018. That camp was run by U.S. U-20 head coach Tab Ramos. Prior to that, he had been playing for English youth national teams. Following that, he returned to playing for English youth national teams.
But the following year, Ramos offered Balogun a spot on the 2019 U-20 World Cup team but Balogun was still unwilling to file his switch with FIFA.
In March 2022, when Balogun was on loan at Middlesbrough, Gregg Berhalter attended Balogun’s match but Balogun opted to play for England’s U-21 team later that month.
Things began to take a significant turn in March 2023 when Balogun withdrew from a camp with England’s U-21 team and decided to vacation in Orlando – where the U.S. team was training for Nations League games. From there, it only was a matter of time.
“My decision to represent the United States, it came together with my family,” Balogun said in an interview with U.S. Soccer. “We decided it would be the right thing for me, to represent the country I was born in. In the end it became a no-brainer, but for sure, it’s just something I wanted to do and it feels like I’m at home here.”
“When I broke the news to my family they were all just over the moon, especially my mom,” he added. “She said, ‘What took you so long?’, so for sure we were all on the same page. Then after that conversation, I just sent the message across to my agent and said ‘Let’s make it happen.’”
England botched this
On of the big takeaways from this dual national “recruitment,” is that this was almost as much of a case of England botching it as the U.S. winning it.
Once Balogun began breaking out in Ligue 1, England continued to show no interest in calling him up or even communicating with him as a member of the senior national team pool. England’s player pool is deep, but there isn’t any national team program that should be detached from an eligible player who is pushing towards 20 goals in a top five league. It’s hard to see Argentina, Brazil, Germany, or Spain being detached from such a player. That is not the same as saying a player like Balogun would get an automatic call-up to any of those powerful national teams. But each of those teams would likely be communicating with a player performing like Balogun in a top five league.
But England was detached. When Balogun returned to Reims from visiting the U.S. team in Orlando in March, England’s FA decided to meet with Balogun – but it sent England U-21 manager Lee Carsley. It was a surprisingly tone-deaf move that probably hurt England’s effort to keep Balogun.
Balogun’s problem with England is that he had one of the top scorers in a top-five league but was stuck with England’s U-21 team. If England was serious about keeping him, full national team manager Gareth Southgate or someone high within the FA would have met with Balogun. Instead, they sent the U-21 manager to meet with him when Balogun’s problem with England was playing with the U-21 team.
Balogun is now talking about how this decision to play for the U.S. team was a decision from the heart. But it’s hard to think that this wasn’t very avoidable for England, if the FA wanted to keep him. Balogun likely would have accepted a March call-up from England’s full team. He might have also have stayed if Southgate had been the one communicating with him telling him to be patient for a few more months into the summer.
The U.S. hasn’t really been in a position to pitch a long-term vision to Balogun either given that it has an interim manager and its Sporting Director wasn’t even announced until May and he won’t even begin until August.
“The conversations I had with the coach were very brief. We spoke numerous times, but he was just obviously telling me about the plan and how much he wants me to join the team. Of course, I just told him that I was keen and I understood the project. It was just a matter of when.”
“To represent the United States means a lot, more than people would know. I’m very proud and honored to have this opportunity, and I want to give everything I have to make our team successful.”
While Balogun is all in on the United States now, this seems like this was winnable for England, but the FA either didn’t care enough or it didn’t respect the attractiveness of the U.S. option for Balogun.
Next steps for Balogun
For Balogun, the next steps are obvious. He needs to show up for the Nations League and show chemistry with the U.S. attackers. The U.S. team’s offense has been struggling because there are just not enough scoring options. The midfield doesn’t score a lot and the team’s forwards haven’t been consistent. It comes down to Christian Pulisic and occasionally Brenden Aaronson or Tim Weah.
But now, Balogun is going to have an opportunity to prove himself and he’ll have a grace period to get adjusted. And while Balogun has a lot on his plate on the field, he has almost as much off the field. The U.S. team has a strong comradery and most of the players have been together for years. Fitting into that group will also be part of a process for Balogun.
“Luckily for me, my first time is going to be in a competitive tournament so of course the ambition is to win and there’s not really much more to it,” Balogun said. “I’m going to have the opportunity to get in and train with the boys, but for sure it’s just straight down to business when we head to Vegas.”
The U.S. team will continue to need more forwards. Even if Balogun plays well initially, players get injured, form changes quickly and players can fall into an extended dip, and other players simply raise their level. This doesn’t mean players like Ricardo Pepi or Josh Sargent are locked into being backups for the foreseeable future.It just means the bar is raised for everyone.
It’s So Good to Have Good USMNT News: FOLARIN BALOGUN CHOSES USA
Folarin Balogun chose to represent the USMNT on a one-time switch from England on Tuesday. The fleet-footed 21-year-old striker has had a breakout season, blasting 20 goals in all competitions for Stade de Reims in Ligue 1. Expect the Arsenal loanee to be on the U.S. Nations League roster this summer.
Balogun’s is a remarkable story. Born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents who were visiting family here, living in London at the time, and they moved back shortly after his birth. He could have played for England, the United States or Nigeria, and he represented both England and the U.S. at youth level, before becoming a fixture in the England Under-21s.
Rumors about him changing to the United States bubbled throughout the last World Cup cycle — and we at MiB have heard that he came incredibly close to joining the U.S. — but the switch didn’t materialize. And the reality is, this is a hungry gent. In that England National Team depth chart, there’s so many strikers ahead of him. But in the United States by comparison, we not only have a World Cup coming to home turf in 2026, but remember, we scored three goals total at the last World Cup: one intentionally, one off Christian Pulisic’s crotch, and one completely by accident. The U.S.’s entire World Cup campaign was in many ways an infomercial crying out for just how badly we needed a striker.
Back in March, Balogun was courted by the U.S. in Florida. Name another football federation who can get you on the field with the Yankees, or courtside with the Orlando Magic. And now he rides with us.
How good will he be? He’s still young. And there is uncertainty about his club situation. But there is no doubt that this is a gent who can score, who thrives on the counter, who lives to pursue through balls, and can create and take his own chances. He’ll be a wonderful, badly-needed addition to this young United States squad.
But we’ve got to steel ourselves against the weight of our own expectations. We dream so much as U.S. fans, and one player alone is not going to allow us to silver bullet our way to fulfilling those dreams.
But big picture, it’s so good to have some good news coming out of the men’s national team program after the past few months. And this announcement feels like a symbol of new direction, new momentum, new possibility. It’s a great day for the United States team, for U.S. fans across the nation. Go, go USA.
More hardware for The Great Lindsey Horan (28; Golden, CO), as Olympique Lyon topped PSG, 2-1, in the Women’s French Cup Final, marking the 10th time they’ve won the national cup trophy. Horan and OL can make it a double on Sunday, as a win over PSG — or likely a draw, given their +22 goal differential lead — would give them the French League title as well.
On loan at Lyon, Horan is set to return to Portland Thorns at the end of the season. She isn’t the only USWNT star who looks set to depart OL, as Cat Macario(23; São Luís, BRA)is reportedly going to sign with Chelsea when her contract with the French side expires this summer.
Eagles Going Up :
Ethan Horvath (27; Highlands Ranch, CO) made two saves — and heard some USA! chants — in Luton Town’s 2-0 win over Lynden Gooch (27; Santa Cruz, CA) and Sunderland in the Championship Promotion Playoff Semi Final on Tuesday. The Hatters, who have never been promoted to the Premier League, are now off to Wembley for the final on May 27, where they could face Zack Steffen (28; Downington, PA) and Middlesbrough. Boro face Coventry City in the other semi final Wednesday at 3 p.m. EST, live on ESPN+.
News and Notes:
Reports this week revealed that Chelsea tried to sendChristian Pulisic (24; Hershey, PA) to AC Milan in a deal for Rafael Leao before the start of the season. Now the latest, according to the Daily Mail, is that Napoli are interested in CP10.
Inside Folarin Balogun’s USMNT reveal: Years of discussions and a late push from England
The purpose of the Zoom call on May 4 was a mundane one — to go over the U.S. men’s national team’s timeline for the upcoming summer — but it carried significant implications for a years-long chase.
On one end of the call was Tom King, U.S. Soccer’s associate secretary general, and Michael Kammarman, the U.S. men’s national team director of communications. On the other was Folarin Balogun’s agent, Eddie Bonsu.
The 21-year-old Arsenal striker is in the midst of a breakout season on loan with Reims in Ligue 1. His 19 goals are tied for fifth-best in the French top division. Going into this discussion, Balogun was eligible to play for three different national teams: the U.S., where he was born; England, where he was raised; and Nigeria, the country where his parents were born. The U.S. saw Balogun as a potential game-changer at a No. 9 position that was a problem spot in the last World Cup cycle.
Balogun’s representatives had made clear they wanted any decision they made on his international future to stay quiet until June 3, when the forward’s club season in France was over. King and Kammarman wanted to make sure Balogun was aware of the roster deadlines for the summer tournaments, most specifically a May 15 deadline for CONCACAF Nations League provisional rosters. CONCACAF intended for those squads to be made public on May 19. Balogun would be on the U.S.’s list, even if he had not yet made a decision.
When the call started at 11:30 a.m. Central Time, Bonsu opened with a surprise: a decision had been made. King and Kammarman feared it would be a short call. They hadn’t been expecting any news at this stage.
“Unfortunately,” Bonsu started, letting the word hang in the air.
Kammarman and King’s shoulders sagged. Bonsu joked later he had never seen two people go so pale. Then he dropped the news.
“You’re stuck with us.”
Kammarman and King jumped up from their seats. A courtship that began more than two years ago, morphed into a “Where’s Waldo?” social media flurry during a U.S. camp in Orlando in March, and eventually led to hundreds of American-flag Instagram comments was officially over. On a separate call a few minutes later, Balogun let USMNT interim manager Anthony Hudson know: He was choosing to play for the U.S.
“A lot of work by a lot of people had gone into getting to that point,” Kammarman said. “We were obviously elated.”
The calls set off a flurry of activity over the following two weeks, including rescheduled itineraries for transatlantic flights, a Slack channel called “Mr. X’s Decision” and, eventually, a leak to the press that turned the timing for the planned announcement on its head.
In the end, all that mattered was that the USMNT may have found a No. 9 to help solve some of its goal-scoring woes.
This is the behind the scenes story of how Balogun chose the USMNT.
The internet sleuthing that pinned Balogun as being in Orlando in March set off a firestorm on USMNT Twitter, but it only made public a recruitment process that dated back much further.
As Balogun was working on a new deal with Arsenal in 2021, then-USMNT general manager Brian McBride made contact to gauge his interest in playing for the U.S. Balogun had previously played for the U.S. Under-18 team in 2018, and youth national team coaches had remained in touch, but the player had also featured for England youth sides. When McBride reached out to Bonsu, Balogun said he wanted to focus on his contract talks and make a claim to a role at Arsenal.
McBride stayed in touch, and he reached out again last year before the World Cup to continue the dialogue. Balogun was again focused on his club career, but with the U.S. making its interest known, he started to explore the possibility. He took a trip to New York to get a feel for the country where he was born and came back feeling a real connection.
When Hudson reached out in recent months, Balogun was open to talking more. And when a window opened up for him to go to Florida that lined up with a U.S. camp in the Orlando area, Balogun and his team hopped on a flight.
U.S. Soccer tried its best to keep Balogun’s presence quiet — notably, he had pulled out of an England Under-21 team camp as they were preparing for this summer’s UEFA Under-21 Championship — but he posted a photo to Instagram that included the partially-obscured name of a bar on the building behind him. The set off the U.S. fandom’s amateur investigation team.
U.S. Soccer set up a meeting between Hudson and Balogun, and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission and New York Yankees chipped in by setting Balogun and his associates up with tickets to see the Orlando Magic and a Yankees spring training game. He also went to dinner with several U.S. players, including Arsenal teammate Matt Turner and former Arsenal youth teammate Yunus Musah.
On Twitter and Instagram, every Balogun post was met with dozens of American flag emojis. At his hotel a few miles from where the U.S. was staying, people recognized Balogun and asked him to choose the U.S. It all made a big impact on the 21-year-old.
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“I think that’s when I really saw the full force of the U.S. fans,” Balogun would say later. “I was there and I just posted a photo with my friends thinking that it was just a holiday picture. Before I knew it, I just saw loads of comments and people knew I was in America, and I just really felt the love from there.”
When he left the U.S. and got back to France, Balogun took a month to think things over. The FA remained in touch and presented a plan for Balogun to play for the Under-21s this summer, and then potentially integrate in with the first team after that, where there would be considerable competition at his position. The U.S. was clear that they believed he would add immediate value to their senior men’s team. Balogun weighed it all up and spoke to family.
“His parents had been pushing the U.S. narrative for years,” Bonsu said in a phone call this week. “They always wanted him to play for the U.S., For them, you’re American, you were born there. This is where you should be. … He came back to me and said, ‘Ed, I know what I want to do. I’m going to go play for my country of birth. I feel it more than anything else. This is what I want to do.’”
Soon after that, Balogun and Bonsu made calls to the FA to let them know the decision. They tried to change his mind and sell him on their plan for him this summer, with a chance to integrate into the senior team over time if he continued on his current trajectory.
“He told them he feels like his heart is set on playing for the U.S.,” Bonsu said. “He’s very much about that feeling. He said, ‘I feel it. This is where I feel like I need to be.’”
Then, on May 4, Bonsu signed on to the video call to deliver the news to King and Kammarman.
Two and a half hours after ending that Zoom, at precisely 1:57 p.m., King submitted to FIFA the bulk of the paperwork needed for a one-time switch.
The package he sent was missing just one document, but King knew the earlier he started the process the better chance U.S. Soccer had to finalize the switch before rosters were due for the Nations League finals, which begin on June 15 when the U.S. faces Mexico in their side of the semifinals.
Conversations with Balogun’s team to plan out the announcement also started immediately. Balogun wanted certain themes to be prominent: the idea of coming home, and elements of New York and Brooklyn. They needed to schedule a photoshoot and went to work planning content for social media. U.S. Soccer senior manager of content Jeff Crandall reached out to an artist, Robert Generette III, who goes by the name Robzilla on social media. Generette had previously done a comic-like illustration of Yunus Musah for U.S. Soccer. They asked him to get to work on another piece, but they couldn’t name the player. He mocked up a newspaper front with a U.S. player, art that would eventually publish on the announcement day.
Internally at U.S. Soccer, a group of 10 employees started the behind-the-scenes work on a Balogun announcement. Crandall started a Slack channel called “Mr. X’s Decision” to coordinate the announcement, while also trying to keep the circle of those in-the-know small. The hope was that Balogun would be able to break the news himself at the right time.
Those in the loop included Mike Gressle, U.S. Soccer’s director of retail development, who was alerted to be ready for jersey orders (no more homemade Balogun U.S. jerseys would be needed). Head equipment manager Kyle Robertson overnighted U.S. jerseys from Los Angeles for Balogun’s photo shoot, as well as for his family members, and an American flag and U.S. crested ball.
Kammarman, video manager Nick Burton and team videographer Kevin Zemanski prepared to fly to France to meet with Balogun for photo, video and audio content. A day before they were set to fly, however, the location was changed to London. Balogun was scheduled to play Friday, May 12, and had a few days off. He was going home to see family. U.S. Soccer changed their flight. Balogun’s team booked a photo studio in Kentish Town, an area of Northwest London, with a photographer who had worked with Balogun before.
On Friday morning, King submitted the final papers to FIFA. The trio of U.S. Soccer employees got on their flights to London, and on Saturday evening at 5 p.m. they met Balogun at the studio. Balogun arrived and introduced himself to everyone in the room. He joked about his mom asking why it took so long to choose the U.S. The shoot lasted about an hour and a half.
Balogun in a U.S. shirt and draped in an American flag during his photo session in London. (Photo: Matt Gordon/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
By Sunday morning at 8 a.m. Kammarman, Burton and Zemanski were on a flight back to Chicago. The plan was for the news to drop on Wednesday, May 17, pending final word from FIFA.
On Tuesday morning at 6:04 a.m., a WhatsApp message from King pinged the group.
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“Done!!!”
Attached was a letter from FIFA.
“Decision of the Single Judge of the Players’ Status Chamber – Change of Association,” it read. The key news was below. FIFA had approved Balogun’s one-time switch from England to the U.S. national team.
Exactly 29 minutes later, the news leaked. An English tabloid published a story about the switch. U.S. Soccer and Balogun, who were prepared for a Wednesday announcement, went into scramble mode to go public. The video wasn’t finished yet, nor was the written content. Employees behind the scenes rushed to get things polished. Cody Sharrett, U.S. Soccer’s social media manager who edits and posts all content to social channels, didn’t check Slack until 7:30 a.m., when he was on the El train on his way into the office. A press release had to be finished and a quote from interim manager Anthony Hudson gathered. At 7:41 a.m., Balogun and his team sent a video they had conceived and produced for the announcement. U.S. Soccer shared the art from Robzilla.
At 9:13 a.m. Central time, Balogun’s post went live.
“He was buzzing,” Bonsu said.
Back at U.S. Soccer, Dylan Abeles, the senior coordinator of digital media, loaded things onto the website. At 9:58 a.m., Crandall sent one more Slack message: “Let this stuff fly.”
The first U.S. Soccer social media posts went public. Two and half years of recruitment, two weeks of preparation and two and a half hours of scrambling were done. Balogun to the USMNT was officially official. All the focus now turned to the Nations League in June, and an official debut.
“One thing Flo knows: he’s not walking into the team as ‘I’m the man,’” Bonsu said. “He knows he’s got to fight and prove himself.”
With the intrigue now over, it’s time to prove it was all worth it.
(Top photo: Matt Gordon/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
FOLARIN BALOGUN JOURNEY TO THE USMNT, A THREAD
America, rejoice. Folarin Balogun has announced his international future is with the USMNT, over England & Nigeria. So how did “Flo” go from Brooklyn to one of the top young strikers in Europe? Here’s his story. (1/14)
Folarin Balogun was born in Brooklyn on July 3, 2001 while his parents were on holiday visiting family—one of his mother’s aunts—in the U.S. His parents then took the family back to London soon after he was born. (2/14)·
Balogun started playing organized football around the age of 6 or 7, first joining a club called Aldersbrook in East London as a center back. Growing up, he says he wasn’t a fan of any particular club, but was a fan of “the Brazilian Ronaldo.” (3/14)
Balogun was discovered by Arsenal when he was “about 10 or 11” and had switched to striker. As he tells it, he was playing in an all-day tournament with Aldersbrook—”playing well and scoring goals”—when he noticed a man speaking to his father on the sidelines. (4/14)
Balogun thought this man was “looking for the toilets” so he continued playing, eventually scoring the winner in the tournament final. It turns out this man was actually an Arsenal scout who offered Balogun a trial on the spot. (5/14)
Balogun began his trial with Arsenal, but his father also received a call from Spurs, who also offered him a trial. Balogun then trained with Arsenal three days per week, and Spurs the rest, before Arsenal offered him the chance to sign, which he accepted. (6/14)
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Balogun admits he struggled to keep up at the Arsenal Academy his first few years. He says he almost got cut at 15, but at 16 had his best season ever. “I must have had 40 goals. Even I was shocked at the transformation.” (7/14)
Around this time, Balogun’s international career was also starting to take off, as he accepted invitations from both the England U17s and the US U18s. In August 2018, he played 4 times for the U18s in a tournament in the Czech Republic, scoring twice. (8/14)
Man City are already the best team in the world, and Champions League win would seal legendary status
Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FCMay 17, 2023, 06:59 PM ET
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City are the best team in Europe, which automatically makes them the best in the world, and whatever happens in the Champions League final against Inter Milan on June 10 won’t change that. Just ask Real Madrid, the reigning European champions, who were torn apart in a 4-0 dismantling in the semifinal second-leg at the Etihad Stadium.But nobody wants to be remembered as the best team never to win the European Cup, so Inter had better brace themselves for the toughest game of their lives against City in Istanbul next month. Man City under manager Pep Guardiola are hurtling towards sporting immortality.
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With City still appealing 115 charges for breaching Premier League rules between 2009 and 2018, history may yet view this team’s achievements through a different lens, but right now their football is the only barometer by which they can be measured. And having dethroned Real with a brutal display of dominance and ruthless efficiency in Manchester after a 1-1 in Madrid last week, Manchester City proved themselves to be the new kings of Europe.It was a rout, matching Real Madrid‘s biggest-ever Champions League defeat, which came at Anfield against Liverpool in 2008-09. Every single City player dominated his Real opponent and if they were chasing revenge for last season’s dramatic semifinal defeat against manager Carlo Ancelotti’s side, they secured it.It was like watching the heavyweight champion of the world swatting aside a no-hoper challenger. But Real Madrid aren’t no hopers — they are Real Madrid. This was a night when Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Rodri, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva, the two-goal hero in the first-half, produced 10 out of 10 displays to leave world-class opponents reeling.No team can live with City right now. They have won 19 of their last 23 games and haven’t lost any of them. Three wins in three competitions is all they now need to secure the so-called treble.Inter Milan might yet produce one of the biggest upsets of all-time by beating Man City at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul next month, but nobody could argue that it would make manager Simone Inzaghi’s team better than Guardiola’s. The Nerazzurri would simply have the minor detail of a huge silver trophy as reward for winning one single game.Perhaps that’s a little too simplistic, but Guardiola has already done what he was tasked to do by Manchester City‘s Abu Dhabi-based owners when he was appointed as manager in 2016. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach was hired to make City the best team in Europe and the world. He can tick that box as mission accomplished, but nobody at the Etihad will truly believe it or feel it until the European Cup sits in the club’s trophy cabinet.
City lost to Chelsea in their only previous Champions League final appearance in Porto in 2021, but this time around there seems to be an unstoppable momentum with Guardiola’s team.A final against an Italian team is not the best gift, honestly,” Guardiola said. “They [Inter] are competitive. This victory will get a lot of compliments, but we have time to prepare mentally. When you reach the final of the Champions League you have to celebrate. Unfortunately, we won’t have time because Sunday we can win the Premier League. Tomorrow will be with our families then prepare for Sunday.”Forget talk of the treble for now. There is plenty of time to dissect City’s prospects of winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League between now and next month’s final.The Premier League is virtually in the bag, with Guardiola’s players needing just three points from three games to win the title for a third successive season, while Manchester United — the only English club to previously achieve the treble in 1999 — stand between Man City and glory in the FA Cup final on June 3. If Manchester City reach Istanbul a week later needing to beat three-time European champions Inter to win their first Champions League, there will be an inevitability about their success.So how good are Man City? Well, they will win a fifth Premier League title in six seasons within the next 10 days and are strong favourites to beat Man United in the FA Cup Final at Wembley. The Champions League has evaded their grasp, but this performance against Real was perhaps the most one-sided display by a team at this level since Guardiola’s Barcelona destroyed United in the 2011 Champions League final.That 2011 final, by the way, was when Guardiola’s legendary Barca team was at its peak, with Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta putting United on what manager Sir Alex Ferguson called a “passing carousel.” Barca were so good that United couldn’t get the ball — and Real Madrid on Wednesday had a similar experience, with Man City dominating possession by enjoying 60% of it.When Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior attempted to race past Kyle Walker in the first half, it looked a no-contest with the Brazil international the favourite to win the foot-race. But Walker somehow turned the tide in his favour and beat Vinicius with his and strength. The Real star looked bereft, turning to Ancelotti as if to say, “What could I do?”That was a theme that ran through the Real Madrid team. They were all helpless to repel the waves of Man City attacks and endless possession, as full-back Dani Carvajal said: “We played a rival who were better than us in this match — they pretty well overwhelmed us.”Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was perhaps the only Real player who came off the pitch having stood up to City, with the former Chelsea No. 1 producing a series of important saves, particularly from Erling Haaland, as Real attempted to weather the storm.But this was City’s night, emphatically so, and it is going to be their season. It is merely a question of how many trophies they win.
Pep Guardiola: Man City produced one of their greatest performances to reach Champions League final
Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City side produced one of their greatest ever performances as his side defeated Real Madrid to reach the Champions League final.City kept their treble aspirations alive following their rampant 4-0 second-leg victory at the Etihad against the 14-time European champions. A brace from Bernardo Silva plus goals from Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez secured a 5-1 aggregate victory for City.Guardiola said to BT Sport: “Yeah definitely (one of the best-ever performances by Manchester City).“I said many times we don’t have to come back 1, 3-0 down, so just win one game, be ourselves. Madrid, oh my god, what a team but we beat them two seasons ago.“Last season, what happened, happened, because the game last season was similar to this season, so we had the feeling today that the people was calm mentally, that they make a lot of jokes, so I didn’t feel tension, anxious, in any phase, in any behaviour.“I had the feeling that today we were ready to do a really good performance.”
Guardiola’s side started on the front foot and broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute, with Bernardo firing past Thibaut Courtois to give the home side the advantage. Bernardo scored his second 14 minutes later after his looping header found the back of the net just before half-time. Real pushed for a goal back in the second half, but the tie was sealed when Akanji’s effort deflected off Eder Militao as the full-time whistle approached. Alvarez wrapped up the memorable victory with a cool finish to send City on their way to Istanbul. “It was so painful last season (not reaching the final), when the people say lack of character of these players,” Guardiola added. “During one year we show again how special these players are. I want to say big congratulations to our whole organisation, the chairman, our owner, until the last person, because they work with a real purpose and we are there.”Speaking after the match, Bernardo expressed his delight at City reaching the final. “It’s a beautiful night for us,” he said. “We knew it was going to be tough but to beat this Madrid team 4-0 at home, it was wonderful. Wonderful feeling to be in the final again and hopefully this time we can try to win it. We were very resilient, very passionate and organised at the same time.”
Manchester City 4-0 Real Madrid: Domination, Bernardo brilliance, what now for Ancelotti and co?
By The Athletic UK Staff
Manchester City booked their place in the Champions League final by beating Real Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium with Bernardo Silva scoring twice, a second-half own goal from Eder Militao and a late strike from Julian Alvarez.Pep Guardiola’s side will hope to lift their first European Cup against Inter Milan in the Turkish city of Istanbul on June 10, as their bid for the treble continues — with the Premier League title and FA Cup also within their grasp.Here our writers analyse the key talking points from a dominant display.
Bernardo Silva’s opening goal of Wednesday’s second leg hit the back of the Real Madrid net after 22 minutes and 42 seconds.Before that, Manchester City had 81 per cent of the possession. They had completed 202 passes to Real’s 28. Two City players had made more passes on their own than Real had as a team. Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde had not completed a pass at that stage. City goalkeeper Ederson had found a team-mate on four occasions: only two Real players had more than that.But the numbers hardly do justice to what a visceral thrill those first 22 minutes and 42 seconds were. City charged in, delivering precision jabs with the speed and intensity of a crazed, windmilling MMA fighter. This was Operation: Overwhelming Force, shock and awe, whatever you want to call it.
Thibaut Courtois made at least one miraculous save, put in one of the best halves of his life and still went in at the break 2-0 down. After the first goal, Vinicius Junior went over to Carlo Ancelotti on the touchline as if to ask, “What do you expect us to do with that?” After the second, Ancelotti stared blankly into the middle distance, his hand over his mouth, Real Madrid’s four-time Champions League-winning manager at a complete loss. The reigning European and world champions had absolutely no idea what to do.
“It’s nothing special,” said City manager Pep Guardiola before the game, about his attacking plans. In one sense he was telling the truth, because the theory here wasn’t especially complicated or intricate. In another, it was about as special as you can get, because who else could do that?
Nick Miller
Real ‘suffer’ too much
“To have moments of suffering, when you have to hold on, is normal,” said Carlo Ancelotti pre-game. His stalwart midfielder Luka Modric also stressed how Real’s experience meant they were confident they could deal with any situation they found themselves in.
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And suffer they did during the game’s opening quarter. City completely dominated and Modric and his team-mates hardly had a kick. Yet neither Ancelotti nor his team did anything different in response, they seemed completely passive. It appeared they assumed Thibaut Courtois could keep them in it with his saves, and expected City’s dominance to eventually pass.
After Bernardo Silva’s opener, Madrid did stir a bit, with Toni Kroos hammering a 25-yarder off the crossbar. But they were again complacent at the back as Bernardo soon made it 2-0.
Ancelotti’s side have extricated themselves from many tight spots in this competition over the last few seasons. At this stage against City last year, they needed two goals with just minutes left in the second leg at the Bernabeu, and they got them to eventually progress.
But this time it was different, and Real’s confidence they could come through any amount of suffering had caught up on them.
Dermot Corrigan
Bernardo Silva: Space man
Oh, Bernardo. It is very hard not to wonder how you do it. How do you find space so effortlessly, so frequently, so naturally? One swish of that left boot to lift the ball over Thibaut Courtois. A perfectly weighted header to drop the ball into the net for a second time on the night. The smallest man on the pitch, wearing a shirt that always seems a size too big.
Seriously, is it just an innate gift? That movement, that appreciation of space, the anticipation of knowing where the ball is going to come. And then the calmness to make sure that, if Toni Kroos isn’t going to follow your run, or Luka Modric stands as still as a stalagmite, they aren’t going to get away with it.
This isn’t the first time Bernardo, given a licence to roam, has shaped a big occasion to his will. Never before, though, has this diminutive, elusive player been so effective among a Who’s Who of the Champions League’s elite.
We were reminded in the process why Bernardo is a Pep Guardiola favourite. Take the ball, cherish it, treat it like a friend. Pass it to a team-mate, keep moving, make yourself available to take it again. And repeat. Make an impact, get behind the opposition lines.
It’s a simple formula, but it also takes something special to perfect it at this level. And Bernardo, plainly, is special.
Daniel Taylor
Real Madrid: Bizarrely blunt
This was a night every single one of Real’s players will be desperate to forget — seriously, the Madrid press pack are going to need Geiger counters when they sift through the wreckage of this one — but the champions’ three forwards came up particularly short.
At his best, Rodrygo is a subtle, nagging force, adept at finding little pockets of space. Here, he was subdued to the point of absence. An overhit would-be through ball to Karim Benzema was his only contribution to the first half and the only surprise was that he lasted until 80 minutes before being hooked.
(Photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Vinicius Junior had a couple of fleeting moments of promise at the start of the second half, getting two City players booked with trademark surges, but that was pretty thin gruel compared to what we have come to expect. It was notable that he spent the latter stages of the game miles away from the left wing — as good a summary as any of how well Kyle Walker had managed him all night.
Benzema was arguably the biggest disappointment of all. The Frenchman barely mustered a touch of note all evening, repeatedly getting manoeuvred off the ball by Ruben Dias and John Stones. There are some mitigating factors here — Benzema has missed three of Real’s last four league games due to lingering fitness worries — but it was galling to see such a brilliant footballer so far from his best.
How many player of the match trophies does UEFA have? Because it is impossible to split the contributions of Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker and Rodri to what we just watched.
There were plenty of others, too, but those three may not have put a foot wrong all evening.
Considering the stakes, the opposition, the importance of every little detail, there can be no higher praise than that. Walker said he did not want to become a meme ahead of the game, after Vinicius Junior tried to rainbow flick him last week, and their battle was billed as key to this game. It was not quite key but Walker won it hands down. Did the Brazilian get the better of him even once? Incredible.
And then Rodri, the octopus in midfield who always picks the right passes and just knows where to be to mop up the loose balls. Real fought harder in the second half but it was often Rodri who stopped them, nicking the ball back at the right moment. Monstrous performances from the three of them, closely followed by everybody else in blue.
Sam Lee
What now for Ancelotti, Modric and Kroos?
Asked on Spanish TV before the game, Carlo Ancelotti said that, “If we win, to the final; if we lose, the door.” When the reporter paused for a second, the Italian quickly clarified that he meant his team leaving the competition, not him leaving his job as Real Madrid coach.
The mini-confusion was due to so much speculation over Ancelotti’s future through recent months. Real president Florentino Perez dismissed the possibility after they won the Copa del Rey final against Osasuna earlier this month, but the Bernabeu hierarchy have been unhappy at how their team gave no challenge at all to Barcelona as defending champions in La Liga this year.
Perez has often complained about how Manchester City being owned by Abu Dhabi makes it impossible for his club to compete with them financially. So it would be incoherent to then sack a coach for being unable to beat them in a Champions League semi-final. But then, Perez is a man who makes his own rules. And losing to Pep Guardiola will have hurt him personally.
Just like last year, Ancelotti took off both Luka Modric and Toni Kroos with his team needing two goals late in the second half.
The Croatian, 37, and German, 33, are out of contract at the end of June, so in theory this could have been their last games for Real in the competition. Both have been seen as more likely to renew for one more year, but how City dominated midfield in large periods of both legs may make Perez think again about pushing harder for Borussia Dortmund’s 19-year-old Jude Bellingham.
Although Karim Benzema, 35, also struggled to have any impact on the tie, the current Ballon D’Or will stay at the Bernabeu next year. Real scoring just once across both legs against City could well mean he has competition from another top striker come August, however.
Dermot Corrigan
Where does this win rank?
Where does that stand among the great performances by English clubs in the Champions League? In the last few years at least, it’s tough to think of one that compares.
The mind immediately goes back to those extraordinary semi-finals in 2019, when Liverpool and Tottenham produced implausible comebacks to beat Barcelona and Ajax respectively. But they were more collective acts of will, combined with a bit of luck, rather than expressions of outright dominance.
Manchester United’s 7-1 demolition of Roma in 2007 has to be up there, but that wasn’t against a team who had previously held some sort of psychological hold over this competition, overcoming the sense that if Real Madrid want to win, they will.
Chelsea’s remarkable rearguard in Barcelona in 2012 is memorable, and was great in a manner of speaking, but it was also something of a freak, the sort of game that if you replayed it another 100 times, Chelsea would lose 95 of them.
Tonight was a perfectly constructed expression of dominance by Manchester City, starting off with the early blitz, slowing down and maintaining control once a lead had been established, then picking off a team that had to chase things to make the scoreline more accurately reflect the performance. Perfection.
Nick Miller
So what do I need to know about the final?
City will face Inter Milan — the clubs’ first ever competitive meeting — on Saturday, June 10 at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the third time UEFA has tried to stage a recent Champions League final there after it had to be moved in 2020 and 2021 — to the Portuguese cities of Lisbon and Porto respectively — because of that country’s COVID-19-enforced travel restrictions.
Simone Inzaghi hails Inter ‘dream’ after reaching Champions League final with 3-0 victory over Milan
Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi says reaching the Champions League final is a “dream” following his side’s 3-0 aggregate semi-final victory over rivals AC Milan at the San Siro.Inter carried a two-goal lead from the first-leg thanks to goals from Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but it was Lautaro Martinez’s second-half strike that secured a 1-0 second-leg victory and place in June’s final. “In the next few days we will realise what we did,” Inzaghi told Sport Mediaset.“It was a dream at the start, but we always believed, we had an extraordinary run and to win the semi-final in a derby this way is immensely satisfying.“I had said a long while back we would put in a crazy effort without looking at one competition or the other, just trying to achieve our best.”With a lack of chances in the second half, striker Martinez scored in the 74th minute with a low strike past Mike Maignan to seal Inter’s place in the final following an assist from substitute Romelu Lukaku. Martinez said to Sky Italia: “We did a great job in both matches. The key was the group.“I had a similar experience at the World Cup – if you are united, you get to play these very important matches in the best possible way.“Every time I take the pitch I try to give my best in order to help my team-mates. We knew we had this opportunity to reach the Champions League final and today we completed our job.”It will be the first time Inter have played in a Champions League final since they won the trophy in 2010.Inzaghi’s side will face either Manchester City or Real Madrid in the final of the competition.“It’s normal that when you go to face City or Real you start underdogs, but football is always open,” added Inzaghi. “We met Real Madrid last year and we lost two games, but playing well. Manchester City needs no introduction: we will watch and whoever arrives will arrive.”
When is the 2022-2023 Champions League final?
The 2022-23 Champions League final will take place on Saturday, June 10. The kick-off time is 8pm BST (3pm ET/12pm PT).
Where will the Champions League final take place?
Istanbul, Turkey will be where the Champions League final is played this season.
The match will take place at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, which opened in 2002 and is home to the Turkey national team. It has a capacity of over 75,000.There were reports that UEFA had been in talks about moving the Champions League final to Lisbon’s Stadium of Light, Portugal. However, this was categorically denied.UEFA said in a statement: “Following some inaccurate and unfounded media reports, UEFA would like to clarify the position on the 2023 Champions League final.“The 2023 UEFA Champions League final will take place in Istanbul as scheduled, on 10 June 2023.”
Inter have gone from the brink to the jackpot — reaching final matters for so many reasons
Rippling down the Curva Nord, the choreography unfurled by Inter Milan’s ultras before their Champions League semi-final second leg showed a knight in shining armour, his shield pock-marked with arrows, a depiction of Inter’s quest for the holiest of grails. If the knight were to have suddenly animated and taken off his helmet, it would not have come as a surprise to see the face of Simone Inzaghi revealed. He may as well have ridden in on a white charger when he joined Inter two years ago. They were champions of Italy at the time. But they did not look like a club who were going to dominate Serie A in the way Inter did between 2006 and 2010, when five domestic titles in a row culminated in an unprecedented treble. Inzaghi’s predecessor Antonio Conte had walked out a month after delivering that 2020-21 title, convinced Inter were no longer capable of matching his ambition. A week after winning the league, president Steven Zhang had shown up at the training ground to ask the players if they might waive or cut their salaries to help the club get through the financial damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation was desperate. Zhang had spent the previous few months looking for an emergency loan to prop the whole thing up and even when he obtained €292million (£254.5m/$316.4m at current exchange rates) from Oaktree Capital Management, it didn’t stop Inter needing to sell. Achraf Hakimi went to Paris Saint-Germain in the July. Next out the door was Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea. Shockingly, amid it all, Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest while playing at the European Championship. The subcutaneous defibrillator he subsequently had fitted made him ineligible to play in Italy. No one would have predicted that, two years after all that, Inter would make it to a Champions League final.
“The first thought going through my head right now is that when I was appointed, Inter asked me to make the knockout stages for the first time in 11 years,” Inzaghi said after the final whistle last night.By doing just that in his first season, as a 1-0 win over neighbours AC Milan completed a 3-0 aggregate victory and set up a meeting with Manchester City or Real Madrid in Istanbul on June 10, Inzaghi succeeded where Conte and his predecessor Luciano Spalletti failed. Inter were knocked out by Liverpool in the round of 16 last year but did beat them 1-0 at Anfield in the second leg, and gave Jurgen Klopp’s team as good a game as anyone until they played Real Madrid in the final. Progress in Europe was overshadowed by relinquishing the Scudetto on the final day of last season to cousins and rivals Milan. The past week has avenged it. “We’re going to Istanbul, you shits,” proclaimed a banner in the Curva Nord at full-time last night. The word ‘Merde’ spelled out in the red and black of their old enemy. Lautaro Martinez made sure of that by surprising the otherwise excellent Mike Maignan at his near post to make it 3-0 on aggregate, causing San Siro to tremble under the weight of all the bouncing Interisti.“I’d been thinking about having an operation on my ankle because it’s destroyed,” Argentina forward Martinez said. “During the World Cup, I had pain-killing injections in order to stay in the squad.” Pain turned to joy on Tuesday. Inzaghi couldn’t quite believe it.“After the draw, there was some disappointment. We didn’t get very lucky (landing in a group with Barcelona and Bayern Munich). We went to Plzen (for the second group match, after an opening loss at home to Bayern), knowing that if we didn’t win we might not even make it through the group.” And yet here Inter are. Back in the final for the first time in 13 years.It’s hard to understate the scale of this achievement.Inzaghi has done more with less. He lost Ivan Perisic last summer when he left for Tottenham Hotspur at the end of his contract. He then missed out on Paulo Dybala and Gleison Bremer to Roma and Juventus respectively. He will see Milan Skriniar walk for nothing in June as a free agent. “Giovanni Invernizzi was the only Italian to take Inter to a European Cup final,” Inzaghi observed. That was more than 50 years ago. “I’m proud.” Proud, most of all, because of the circumstances he walked into. Inter overspent in Conte’s two years, breaking the club transfer record twice in the summer of 2019 to sign Nicolo Barella and then Lukaku. “The (last) Scudetto caused some financial problems,” Inzaghi pointed out.Remarkably, Inter’s unexpected run to this Champions League final may go some way to solving them. It has the potential to be transformative. The club has earned more than €100million in prize money and TV rights from Italy’s market pool. “I’m not saying the Champions League is a competition that enriches clubs, but it does bring the concept of sustainability closer,” Inter’s chief executive Beppe Marotta explained this month during Milan Football Week.
James Horncastle called it in March:
Next month’s Champions League final will be Marotta’s third in eight years. The first was with Juventus in 2015, a year after Conte famously claimed being their coach was like going to a restaurant with €5 in your pocket when the menu is €100 a head. The third arrives two years after Conte once again left a club adamant the project had stopped. The windfall Inter are now due is like manna from heaven.
Nine U.S. U-20 World Cup players who could graduate to the senior USMNT
At his press conference to discuss the United States’ roster for the U-20 World Cup, head coach Mikey Varas repeatedly came back to his ultimate goal: To develop players from this group to graduate into the senior national team.
Of course, Varas would like to win the tournament, but success isn’t measured exclusively by results. It’s results and development. History shows around half the team should be expected to make at least one senior USMNT cap, with a handful graduating to a World Cup squad.
• 10 players from 2017 squad made at least one USMNT appearance.
• Four players from 2017 (Tyler Adams, Josh Sargent, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Luca de la Torre) made the 2022 senior World Cup squad.
• 11 players from 2019 U-20 World Cup squad made at least one USMNT appearance.
• Two players (Sergiño Dest, Tim Weah) from 2019 made the senior World Cup squad, and a third (Chris Richards) very likely would have if not for injury.
The USMNT’s annual January camp may help inflate those cap numbers. With most of the first choice team unavailable for the annual camp during non-FIFA-mandated windows, the squad list is more experimental in nature and digs deeper down the pool to fill. Four of those 10 players capped from the 2017 squad have made only one senior appearance. Five of the 11 capped players from the 2019 team are nowhere near the senior squad at the moment.
With the second-youngest squad at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the USMNT won’t be naturally losing players from the pool at a high rate in the near future. That could mean less opportunity for this year’s U-20 players to break through. It’s also worth remembering that, with Ricardo Pepi and Paxten Aaronson among age-eligible players not on the squad by their clubs, this isn’t the strongest possible U-20 group.
Despite all of that cold, hard nuance, the roster features plenty of talented players, a number of whom stand a good chance of breaking into the senior pool.
After a year as a first choice goalkeeper in MLS followed by a huge transfer to Chelsea this winter, Slonina is perhaps the best-known player in the squad. He’ll be the top choice between the sticks for Varas.
Slonina, turning 19 next week, is one of the most expensive teenage goalkeepers of all time after his transfer from the Chicago Fire for an up-front fee of $10 million with another $5 million in add-ons. He made 43 appearances with the Fire before heading to Chelsea in January.
He’s a potential No. 1 goalkeeper for the USMNT one day. Matt Turner (28 years old) is the current first choice, with Zack Steffen (also 28) among the top challengers for the spot.
The Atlanta United homegrown has become an indispensable starter in MLS, delivering three goals and two assists while splitting time between left wing and left back. Long-term, he projects as a left back — that’s how clubs in Europe see him and where he’ll play mostly for the U-20s.
“We anticipate Caleb will have a big tournament,” Varas told media on a virtual press conference Wednesday.
Behind presumed starter Antonee Robinson, the USMNT left back depth chart is wide open. The current backups are right-footed players capable of playing on the left (Joe Scally, Sergino Dest), Wiley offers something more similar to Robinson: an attacking overlapping outlet down the left, allowing the winger (presumably Christian Pulisic, in the USMNT’s case) to cut in.
Wiley, 18, will be in Europe before long. Atlanta already rejected a transfer offer for him last year. A lot of scouts will be paying close attention to him in Argentina.
Josh Wynder
Defender, Louisville City, 18 years old
Center back Josh Wynder is playing up a group, as he’s age-eligible for the 2025 U-20 World Cup as well.
Currently with Louisville City, Wynder will soon join Benfica in a USL league-record transfer this summer, with the Portuguese club winning his signature ahead of a number of MLS and European clubs this spring. Wynder just turned 18 this month but has already made 45 first team appearances.
“Josh is clearly a very technical center back with a great physical profile,” Varas said. “What really put the exclamation mark for me, in the last camp, he showed me he has ‘savage’ inside him as a defender. Your job is to be a physical player who wants to protect the goal. That takes a certain type of personality.”
Kevin Paredes had been thought of as a future USMNT left back, but most of his minutes at Wolfsburg have been at left midfield after he broke through at D.C. United as a wingback. He’s versatile, so still could end up at left back, but will play as a winger for the U.S. U-20s.
Paredes has made 20 Bundesliga appearances this season, 19 of which came from the bench. His importance as a squad player for his club means he won’t join up with the United States until after the group stage. He joined Wolfsburg from D.C. United for a $7 million fee in 2022.
With Paredes and Wiley as young options behind Robinson at left back, the national team should be covered there for the foreseeable future.
Cade Cowell’s athleticism is already at an elite level. If he can polish his final third actions, he’ll be in the senior national team on a regular basis. Even if he doesn’t, he’ll still get chances because of his dynamism. He had the fastest recorded sustained sprint in MLS last season, as per Second Spectrum.
Cowell, 19, already has three senior USMNT caps. He put in a man of the match performance against Serbia in January, albeit with both groups severely undermanned due to the friendly falling outside of a FIFA-mandated window.
The San Jose Earthquakes winger has 92 MLS appearances under his belt, starting all 11 of the club’s games this season before heading to Argentina with the U.S. U-20s. The Quakes rejected a bid from French Ligue 1 side Reims last summer for him.
Philadelphia Union midfielder Jack McGlynn has an elite skill that can translate to the senior international level: Distribution. Specifically, with his preferred left foot.
“McGlynn has a left foot that you can’t teach,” Jim Curtin told me in 2022. “It’s really special. His passing ability I equate to Haris [Medunjanin]. That’s the best passer I’ve worked with. And Jack is right there. His IQ is up there with [Alejandro] Bedoya, who has played in World Cups and in Europe. He’s worked really hard defensively, but he’s special. He’s still growing, he’s getting stronger.”
McGlynn, 19, is already the Union’s best midfield passer and is among their top options on set pieces. He’ll be a crucial part of the U-20s midfield. He has grown into his body and improved athleticism over the last year or two, and if that continues, he’ll be in the senior national team pool.
The youngest player on the United States roster, Seattle Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas broke onto the scene last year playing a key role to the Sounders winning the CONCACAF Champions League as a 16-year-old.
Vargas, now 17, missed the second half of 2022 with a back injury, forcing him to miss the 2022 U-20 CONCACAF Championships with this group.
Austin FC midfielder Owen Wolff has displaced key veteran Alex Ring to establish himself in his club side’s first choice XI. He broke into the U-20 group this cycle and could be in line for a big role at the World Cup.
“What we love about Owen, he’s got a fighting spirit,” Varas said. “He’s not afraid of confrontation and, on top of that, he’s very skillful and very smart. You see this in MLS, how he fought into the starting lineup this year.”
Wolff was been linked with PSV earlier this year. He projects to make a big move to Europe within the next few years.
While the defensive midfielder isn’t thought to have as high a ceiling as others on this list, Daniel Edelman is already a steady professional and could find himself on the outskirts of the senior pool with his consistency if he keeps developing.
It would be a stretch to say he projects to be a first choice starter for the national team, particularly given Tyler Adams occupies his position, but depth behind Adams is unproven. Edelman is the U.S. U-20 captain and won a starting spot in the New York Red Bulls competitive midfield last season. He fits very well in a pressing/transition system, which could be the direction the senior team goes in the future. If so, it’s not hard to see a scenario in which he gets some caps.
. If so, it’s not hard to see a scenario in which he gets some caps.
Luton Town currently won’t be allowed to play Premier League football if they get promoted
Mark White Wed, May 17, 2023, 7:09 AM EDT·4 min read
General view outside the stadium prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Luton Town and Watford at Kenilworth Road on April 17, 2021 in Luton, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors.More
Luton Town are on the cusp of completing the Football Manager dream, having worked their way up from non-league to the Championship play-off final. The promised land of the Barclays glitters in the distance like a mirage in the desert.
But while most owners think primarily about what Premier League football can offer them, Luton will have to pay to join the top table. Kenilworth Road desperately needs a makeover – and granted, the Hatters started exploring ways to leave their old home as long ago as 1955 – but competing at the very top of the English footballing pyramid would enforce this long-overdue stadium renovation.
The alternative would be Luton leaving their ground altogether. Surely things can’t be so bad that they’d have to play in Milton Keynes, right?
Luton Town have to pay £10m in stadium refurbishments to abide by Premier League rules
General view of the seats inside the stadium before the EFL Checkatrade Trophy Third Round match between Luton Town and Peterborough United at Kenilworth Road on January 9, 2018 in Luton, England.
Luton have played at Kenilworth Road since 1905. It’s a classic stadium in the mould of many at the time that seem to flummox foreigners when they see them for the first time: it’s wedged tightly between terraced houses, can’t be expanded without serious disruption to the neighbourhood and not much has architecturally changed over decades.
“There’s rather a lot of work to do,” chairman and chief executive Gary Sweet understated of the ground, which would become the smallest-ever in the Premier League – yes, even smaller than Bournemouth‘s Vitality Stadium. At the start of 2008, both teams were docked points in League Two – Luton -30, Bournemouth -17 – facing expulsion from the Football League altogether. Now, they could both be playing each other in the very stadiums in the top tier of English football.
But while Dean Court in Bournemouth complies with regulations, essentially, the Hatters would have to invest up to £10 million in rebuilding one of the stands in less than three months, should they go up, in order to meet with the Prem’s broadcasting and facility requirements.
Luton are actually in the process of moving
Carlton Morris of Luton Town celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Sky Bet Championship between Luton Town and Blackpool at Kenilworth Road on April 10, 2023 in Luton, England.
Luton are preparing to move ground anyway – so whatever updates they give to Kenilworth Road would be extremely temporary. The proposed Power Court ground is actually closer to the town centre, too, rather than dragging the club out to the middle of nowhere, like some new stadiums unfortunately do.
But the new ground isn’t far enough along that Luton could move in early. Luckily, the club are looking at raking in £100m, should they make it up to the big time – so money won’t be a problem – the bigger issue concerning fans is whether or not Kenilworth Road would get to host the biggest clubs in English football. It’s an atmosphere and an experience unique to English football – and certainly unlike anything that the top flight has seen since the turn of the century.
It’s possible that the Premier League could defer home games from the opening few weeks of the season if building work needs to be completed – the alternative would be a groundshare while Luton are in the top flight. It’s safe to say that Premier League money would certainly help with the construction of the new ground, however, which was delayed due to COVID-19.
“It’s quite a heavy investment for football at that level for us and will firmly put us into the Premier League bracket,” chairman Sweet said about doing up Kenilworth Road. “But just to be able to get [the ground] ready now, just for maybe two or three years, is maybe more of a gargantuan task than building a new stadium.”
Marc-Andre ter Stegen is Barcelona’s shot-stopper, leader and so much more
When Barcelona finished last season without a trophy — again — nobody was more disappointed than Marc-Andre ter Stegen.The 2021-22 campaign had not been a good one for the goalkeeper on a collective or personal level. Barca finished second in La Liga but were a distant 13 points behind arch-rivals Real Madrid. Ter Stegen conceded 34 goals in 35 league matches. adrid, Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad and Villarreal all had better defensive records over the 38 games.The German’s tally of 11 clean sheets was the fewest since he established himself as Barca’s first-choice La Liga keeper in the 2016-17 season. His shot save percentage was also well down — and many fans and pundits noted how the opposition often scored from their very first shot on target.Ter Stegen knew that without Lionel Messi, and with Barca’s financial problems, the season was likely to be tough, but he also felt he could do much better in terms of his own performances.The graph below shows how the German’s form had suffered through the campaign. A goalkeeper who had previously made sure his team conceded fewer goals than they statistically should have was instead finding himself picking the ball out of the net more often than expected.
Something different was required. So before the 2021-22 season ended, Ter Stegen had a conversation with his Germany international manager Hansi Flick. They agreed he would not be in the squad for their four UEFA Nations League games in June. This was to ensure he could “get the full six weeks just doing nothing, with the family, taking it easy, not thinking or talking or even dreaming about football,” says a source close to the goalkeeper. (Like all sources cited in this story, they preferred to speak with anonymity in order to protect relationships.)Ever since joining Barca from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014, such a summer break had been impossible for Ter Stegen. International tournaments often led to rushed pre-season preparations. There had also been a need for regular medical treatment. In summer 2021, he had knee surgery to correct an issue which had been troubling him going back to the 2018-19 season.Last summer’s rest period was then followed by his first complete pre-season since 2017. It had an immediate impact.
Ter Stegen conceded just one goal in Barca’s first eight La Liga games of the season — saving 19 of the first 20 shots on target he faced. At Sevilla in September, he saved brilliantly from Ivan Rakitic and Erik Lamela when the game was still goalless, and Barca went on to win 3-0. Against Real Mallorca in October, a last-gasp point-blank stop from Jaume Costa secured a 1-0 victory.Ter Stegen was hitting prime fitness and form for the first time in some years, but he was also receiving more protection from his team-mates. In previous seasons, many of the goals conceded from a rival team’s first shot on target came after opposition attacks had cut right through the Barca defence, leaving Ter Stegen exposed.Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen were both signed last summer and have helped Barca’s defensive resilience; the Denmark international has also formed a strong partnership with Ronald Araujo in the middle of a settled back four. At right-back, Kounde was asked not to push too far forward. Tweaks through the season led to a more compact structure in midfield, especially when Frenkie De Jong was used alongside Sergio Busquets in the centre.But Ter Stegen’s shot-stopping has also been hugely impressive, as shown by the shot map below. According to the data, the German has prevented around 8.6 non-penalty goals throughout the season.
“Many things have changed since Xavi arrived, probably mentality (and) the way we defend,” Ter Stegen told The Athletic in February. “Everything got a different focus. I wouldn’t say that before was worse or better, just that focus shifted a bit, and right now we are in a good moment. We are deciding games. We know how to suffer as well, in complicated moments, and I think that makes us very strong.”There has been plenty of nervous ‘suffering’ in the stands, as Barca’s most common scoreline this season has been 1-0. They have won a joint-record 11 La Liga games by that margin.The team has not often played the sparkling attacking football associated with the days of legendary former managers and players Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola. There has been an awareness they need to be tighter in defence, take fewer risks and protect leads better, as they no longer have Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez to fall back on in attack.
“Jose Mourinho would be a perfect coach for this Barca team if they’re going to play this way,” one source close to a senior player joked to The Athletic.Unlike his former Real nemesis Mourinho and Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, Xavi does not spend lots of time training the team’s shape when out of possession. But the work they do on team shape in possession is also designed to make sure they are solid when they lose the ball.“Xavi’s approach is not to do specific work on defence, but his style of play positions the defenders to maintain the scoreline,” says another source close to a long-serving defender.Generally, Ter Stegen is being asked to do the same job he has since he signed for Barca nine years ago. The goalkeeping coach since then has been Jose de la Fuente, who was appointed under Tito Vilanova in 2012. He is still asked to use his distribution skills and reading of the game to play a key part in the team’s build-up.But one difference to previous coaches is that the intensity of training sessions, and what is expected of a Barca player on and off the pitch, have increased under Xavi.Long before he officially became the team’s third vice-captain following Gerard Pique’s retirement in November, Ter Stegen was one of the few characters in the dressing room who publicly and privately voiced concerns about standards dropping within the team. “Marc will always say what he thinks, with the benefit and objective of improving the group to achieve a certain target,” says a source.
Ter Stegen is back to his best this season (Photo: Eric Alonso/Getty Images).
On occasion, this even meant words crossed with Messi during the star’s final seasons at the club, which led to tension between the pair. Such friction between two natural leaders could be positive in a dressing room which included — and still includes — a lot of quiet characters.Ter Stegen is one of the few present Barca players comfortable in a public leadership role, and assuming that authority also helps him with his own personal performances. He was included in the club’s group of captains in December without having to undergo the usual vote for that privilege. Everyone agreed that it was right he would replace Pique because he is the longest-serving player behind Busquets, Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto, the team’s other three captains.The German’s increasingly influential role has also helped get the best out of De Jong and Christensen, who are both close to him in the dressing room. Coupled with the arrival of striker Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich last summer, this has been one of the biggest changes in the group dynamic under Xavi.
Ter Stegen’s leadership was especially important in the final stretch of the season when Barca had control of the title race but struggled to get over the line until Sunday’s 4-2 win against Espanyol.Their attacking threat was hurt by injuries to Pedri and Ousmane Dembele and a poor run of form from top scorer Lewandowski. Yet their remarkable defensive record continued. They wrapped up the title with four games remaining and just 13 goals conceded from 34 games in La Liga this season — the best record in Europe’s big five leagues.If Xavi’s side can keep a clean sheet in each of their remaining four games, they will beat Cagliari’s long-standing record for the fewest goals conceded per game in Europe’s top leagues (11 goals conceded in a 30-game season in 1969-70, at a rate of 0.37 per game).
Ironically, in the match that finally crowned Xavi’s Barca as champions, Ter Stegen was beaten twice. The goalkeeper was visibly angered by the second — scored with practically the last kick of the game. It bumped up his average goals conceded to 0.38 goals per match — Atletico’s Jan Oblak has the next-best average across Europe’s top five leagues this season, at almost double that figure (0.72; joint with Napoli’s Alex Meret).
Ter Stegen has kept 25 clean sheets this campaign — again unrivalled across Europe’s major leagues this campaign. No goalkeeper in any of Europe’s top five leagues has kept so many in a single season in the 21st century. The La Liga season record is 26, set by Deportivo La Coruna’s Francisco Liano back in 1993–94.
Barca’s keeper is also set to win his first-ever Zamora Trophy for the goalkeeper playing in La Liga with the lowest goals-to-games ratio in a season. The club’s last undisputed number one, Victor Valdes, won five Zamoras over his career, while during Ter Stegen’s first season at Barca he watched his rival for the No 1 jersey, Claudio Bravo, win it. His peers Oblak (five times) and Thibaut Courtois (three times) are also multiple winners.
Those who know Ter Stegen say he cares little for such personal accolades and add that he will not see this season as a complete success given Barca’s early exits in Europe. Still, winning a fifth La Liga trophy will be a big deal for Ter Stegen — even more so considering it is the first he can celebrate with his son Ben, who was born in December 2019.
A lot has happened at Barca since then, and Ter Stegen’s most valued recognition will be from his team-mates. As much as the players value the defensive improvements made under Xavi, there is a wide appreciation among the group for their near-unbeatable goalkeeper’s huge contribution this season.
“Ter Stegen has been phenomenal,” says a source close to one long-serving colleague.
Another first-team player adds: “He has been insane. Our defensive record is basically because of him.”
Additional contributors: Mark Carey and Thom Harris
(Top photo: Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp handed two-match ban for outburst about referee Paul Tierney
Reuters ay 18, 2023, 03:00 AM ET
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been suspended from the touchline for two matches and fined £75,000 ($95,000) following his comments to the media after the match against Tottenham Hotspur on April 30, the English Football Association (FA) said on Thursday.After Liverpool’s 4-3 home win, Klopp accused referee Paul Tierney of having something “against” Liverpool. The referee’s body reviewed the audio of Tierney’s exchange with the Liverpool manager and said he acted in a professional manner throughout.
The FA said the first match of Klopp’s touchline ban was effective immediately and the second suspended until the end of the 2023-24 season, on the condition that he did not commit any further breaches of FA Rule E3 in the meantime.
The decision means that the German will not take charge of his side when they host Aston Villa on Saturday.
Liverpool are fifth in the league standings with 65 points, seven points ahead of sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion but having played two matches more.
Eleven to Host Colorado Springs Saturday
#INDvCOS Preview Indy Eleven vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Saturday, May 12, 2023 – 10:00 p.m. ET Michael A Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.
SETTING THE SCENE The Boys in Blue host back-to-back home matches at The Mike starting with USL Championship Western Conference opponent Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC this Saturday.
Indy is coming off a 3-1 setback at Sacramento Republic FC and is 2-4-3 on the season, while Colorado Springs sits at 5-4-1 having dropped its last outing 2-1vs. Memphis 9-1 FC.
SERIES VS. COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS FC 0W-1L-0D (3 GF/4 GA)
Recent Meetings 6/18/22 Away L, 3-4
ELEVEN ADDS TO ATTACK WITH ROBERTO MOLINA SIGNING MAY 18, 2023 Indy Eleven announced the signing of forward Roberto Molina. Per club policy, details of the contract will not be released.
Molina spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights. In 45 appearances, including 30 during his rookie campaign, Molina tallied three goals and seven assists.
The Salvadoran was selected as the 45th overall pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft by the Colorado Rapids and has registered five caps with El Salvador’s National Team in International Friendlies and CONCACAF Nations League action. In one season at UC Irvine (2019), Molina appeared in all 19 matches, making 17 starts, and was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team. He was third on the team with nine points, netting three goals and adding three assists.
Indy has also announced the addition of Academy signing Grayson Elmquist. As part of this season’s U19 USL Academy Championship team, Elmquist earned Golden Boot and Golden Ball honors. He will join the Eleven until he reports to Xavier for the 2023 season.
LAST TIME OUT MAY 13, 2023 SAC 3:1 IND A hat trick for Sacramento Republic FC’s Russell Cicerone led the home team to a 3-1 victory over Indy Eleven. The loss dropped Indy to 2W-4L-3D on the season, while Sacramento improved to 6W-0L-3D to stay atop the USL Championship’s Western Conference standings.
Cicerone scored his first two within the first 10 minutes of the match, and his final tally came in the 86th-minute to secure the victory.
Following the early goals, it took until the 51st minute for the next strike as Robby Dambrot got on the end of a Cam Lindley corner to cut the lead in half. It was the first goal of the season for the defender and first assist for Lindley. The corner was one of three earned for the Eleven in the match. Indy secured the 52%-49% advantage in possession throughout the match, but was outshot by Sacramento 19-4, including 11-1 on frame. Dambrot led the Eleven with three shots, while Yannik Oettl had seven saves in the net.
Dambrot Nets First of the Season for Indy in 3-1 Loss at Sacramento
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Saturday, May 13, 2023) – A hat trick for Sacramento Republic FC’s Russell Cicerone led the home team to a 3-1 victory over Indy Eleven Saturday night at Heart Health Park in Sacramento, California. The loss dropped Indy to 2W-4L-3D on the season, while Sacramento improved to 6W-0L-3D to stay atop the USL Championship’s Western Conference standings.
Cicerone scored his first two within the first 10 minutes of the match, and his final tally came in the 86th-minute to secure the victory.
Following the early goals, it took until the 51st minute for the next strike as Robby Dambrot got on the end of a Cam Lindley corner to cut the lead in half. It was the first goal of the season for the defender and first assist for Lindley. The corner was one of three earned for the Eleven in the match.
Indy secured the 52%-49% advantage in possession throughout the match, but was outshot by Sacramento 19-4, including 11-1 on frame. Dambrot led the Eleven with three shots, while Yannik Oettl had seven saves in the net.
Next up, the Boys in Blue host Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at 7:00 p.m. ET Saturday for Military Appreciation Night. A portion of each ticket purchased via this link will directly support HVAF of Indiana. Indy Eleven will match each ticket purchased via the Military Giveback Link, ensuring that a veteran/military member will have the opportunity to attend and be recognized.
Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium along with prorated Season Ticket Memberships, specially-priced group tickets and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.).
USL Championship Regular Season Sacramento Republic FC 3:1 Indy Eleven Saturday, May 13, 2023 Heart Health Park – Sacramento, Calif.
Scoring Summary: SAC – Russell Cicerone 3’ SAC – Russell Cicerone 8’ IND – Robby Dambrot (Cam Lindley) 51’ SAC – Russel Cicerone (Lewis) 86’
Discipline Summary: SAC – Luis Rodrigues (caution) 7’ SAC – Jack Gurr (caution) 35’ IND – Juan Tejada (caution) 52’ SAC – Aldair Sanchez (caution) 62’ IND – Harrison Robledo (caution) 90’ IND – Younes Boudadi (caution) 90+3’ Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2): Yannik Oettl; Robby Dambrot (Macauley King 76’), Mechack Jerome, Adrian Diz Pe, Younes Boudadi; Solomon Asante, Aodhan Quinn, Jack Blake, Cam Lindley (Jesus Vazquez 87’); Juan Tejada (Harrison Robledo 70’), Sebastian Guenzatti (Captain)
Indy subs: Tim Trilk (GK), Gustavo Rissi
Sacramento Republic FC line-up (3-4-3): Danny Vitiello, Shane Wiedt, Conor Donovan (Lee Desmond 80’), Jared Timmer, Aldair Sanchez (Damia Viader 80’), Rodrigo Lopez, Luis Felipe (Matt LaGrassa 96’), Jack Gurr, Russell Cicerone, Juan Herrera (Luther Archimede 62’), Keko Gontan (Zeiko Lewis 62’)Sacramento subs: Carlos Saldana, Nick Ross
Join Indy Eleven & WFMS Saturday in the tailgate lot from 5-7 p.m. & chat with Jimmy Denny before the game!
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Champions League Semi-Final 2nd round action on Tues/Wed leads the list of huge games this week. Its Real Madrid traveling to Man City on Weds 3 pm on CBS tied at 1, on Tues Inter will have a 2-0 lead over AC Milan at 3 pm on CBS. (Coverage starts at 2 pm). I am rooting for AC Milan and my boy Giroud to make it close today in the San Siro. (tons of stories below). Europa League play has Juventus traveling to Sevilla tied at 1 after the dramatic game tying goal in ET, and Roma took a 2-1 lead at home over Leverkusen with former Carmel FC Coach Baco Benton and his daughter Caroline (CFC 2002 now in college) on hand here’s somecool video. Both will play Thur at 3 pm on Paramount plus along with West Ham hosting AZ.
Location: Shelborne Fields – CCCSC – 3451 W. 126th St., Carmel (Ages: 18 – 35) $105 Sign Up
Grab your friends and make your own team or sign up and we’ll place you on a team, you don’t have to live in Carmel. Games will take place on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. Dates: June 18, 21, 25, 28 & July 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 Sign Up
GAMES ON TV
(American’s names in Parenthesis)
Tues, May 16Champions League Quarterfinals
3 pm CBS Man City 1 vs Real Madrid 1
Weds, May 17
3 pm CBS AC Milan 0 vs Inter Milan 2
Thur, May 18Europa League
2:30 pm USA New Castle vs Brighton
3 pm Paramount+ Roma 2 vs Leverkusen 1
3 pm Para+ Juventus 1 vs Sevilla 1
3 pm Para+ West Ham 2 vs AZ 1
Sat, May 20
7:30 am USA Tottenham vs Brentford
9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin (Pfok) vs Hoffenhiem
9:30 am ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Schalke
10 am USA Bournemouth vs Man United
10 am ? Liverpool vs Aston Villa
10 am Peacock Fulham (Robinson) vs Crystal Palace
10 am Peacock Wolves vs Everton
12:30 pm NBC or USA Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
12:30 pm ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs RB Leipzig
2 pm FS2?/Tele US U20s vs Ecudor U20 WC
2:45 pm Para+ Milan vs Sampdoria
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Colorado Springs
7:30 pm Apple TV
7:30 pm Apple TV
7 pm Para+ NC Courage vs Angel City (Ertz) NWSL
8:30 pm Para+ KC Current (Franch) vs San Diego (Morgan, Girma)
10:30 pm Apple+
Sun, May 21
8:30 am USA West Ham vs Leeds United (McKinney, Aaronson)
11:30 am USA Man City vs Chelsea
12 noon CBSSN Napoli vs Inter Milan
12:30 ESPN+ Valencia vs Real Madrid
2:30 pm beIN Sport Auxerre vs PSG (Messi, Mbappe)
5 pm FS2 Italy vs Brazil U20 World Cup
5:30 pm Para+, Sirius Portland Thorns (Rapino) vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL
6 pm Para+ OL Seattle Reign vs NY Gotham FC (Williams) NWSL
Mon, May 22
2 pm FS2 England vs Tunisia U20 WC
2:45 pm Para+ Juventus vs Empoli
3 pm USA New castle vs Leicester City
5 pm FS2 Gambia vs Honduras U20 WC
Tues, May 23
2 pm FS2/Tele USA U20s vs Fiji U20 WC
4 pm ESPN+ Real Valladiod vs Barcelona
5 pm FS2 Argentina vs Guatamala U20WC
7:30 pm NY Red Bulls vs Cincy US Open Cup
7:30 pm Inter Miami vs Nashville US Open Cup?
Weds, May 24
3 pm USA Brighton vs Man City
4 pm ESPN+ Espanol vs Atletico Madrid
5 pm FS2 Brazil vs Domincan Republic U20 WC
7 pm Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs Columbus Crew US Open
Folarin Balogun’s switch from England to the United States has been approved by FIFA.The 21-year-old forward, who played for the U.S. at under-18 level before switching his allegiance to England, can represent either country as he was born in Brooklyn, New York but moved to London when he was two years old. He is also eligible to represent Nigeria.FIFA rules enable players to switch national eligibility before making a competitive senior appearance at international level.Balogun has spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Reims from Arsenal, scoring 19 times in 34 league appearances.He was called up to England’s Under-21 squad for March’s fixtures against France and Germany but withdrew due to a hamstring injury.Balogun travelled to Orlando, where the U.S. were training, during the international window. U.S. interim coach Anthony Hudson admitted “discussions” had taken place with the forward during March’s international break, adding that it was “an opportunity to share about our program”.
Speaking after announcing his squad for March’s international fixtures, England manager Gareth Southgate said Balogun would have to be patient regarding a call up to the senior side.“It is up to the player to weigh up where his heart feels,” Southgate said. “Is he prepared to wait a little bit for an opportunity if he backs himself and feels he can push his way into our squad? Because anybody who has followed us will know that we will give young players a chance.“So, we cannot go and give first-team call-ups to someone just because we don’t want them to go somewhere else.”Balogun made four appearances for the U.S. Under-18s in 2018, before going on to represent England at various youth levels.The U.S. are next in action on June 16 when they face Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League. The CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is being hosted in the U.S., takes place between June 24 and July 16.
Pep Guardiola on Real Madrid decider: ‘Don’t worry, I’m not overthinking’
Guardiola, who is seeking a first Champions League trophy with City and a first in his career since 2011, has seen some tactics and team selections in big games scrutinised amid a perception he is prone to unnecessary complication.
A decision to play without a specialist holding midfielder in the 2021 Champions League final defeat to Chelsea was criticised, while a switch to a three-man defence in a quarter-final defeat to Lyon the previous year proved another call that backfired.
The Spaniard, whose side drew 1-1 in the first leg, has previously responded to questions about his big-game tactics in inimitable style, saying last year: “I have to adapt. That’s why I love to overthink with stupid tactics … we’ll play with 12 tomorrow.”
Asked about his plans ahead of Wednesday’s crucial second leg against Carlo Ancelotti’s side at the Etihad, he told reporters: “I’m not overthinking tomorrow, don’t worry guys.
“It’s nothing special. Nothing different to what we have done in the past.
“We know how important it is tomorrow — maybe one of the most important ones. We can’t deny that, but I said to the players, enjoy the moment; how fortunate we are, how incredibly lucky we are to be here. We’ll do everything, give everything.”
City are close to becoming only the second English team to win the treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup after Manchester United in 1998-99, but Guardiola has played down the prospect that the coming weeks could establish his legacy.
“My legacy is exceptional already,” he said.
“I have been here many times. We have to live this like a huge opportunity, enjoy the moment. We are lucky to be here. We are going to give everything to win one game to reach the final.”
City will be without Nathan Ake against Real, but Guardiola has otherwise confirmed a clean bill of health for his squad.
The winner of Wednesday’s game will face Inter Milan or AC Milan in the Champions League final on June 10.
Do Real Madrid have any galacticos – and does it matter?
Once upon a time, it was difficult for neutrals to warm to Real Madrid. For all the glamour associated with the bright lights of the Bernabeu and the magnificent all-white kit, something about their approach to team-building somewhat cheapened everything.
In the first period of this century, Real Madrid broke the world record transfer fee five times in a row. In 2000 they signed Luis Figo, in 2001 Zinedine Zidane, in 2009 Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, and in 2013 Gareth Bale. That doesn’t even include their signings of Ronaldo in 2002 or David Beckham in 2003, when “galactico” culture started to feel like a serious issue and Real started underachieving.
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It’s now striking to look at the list of the most expensive transfers of all time and realise that Real Madrid aren’t anywhere to be seen in the top 10. Barcelona feature three times, PSG and Chelsea twice, while Manchester United, Manchester City and Atletico Madrid once apiece. Which prompts the question — do Real actually have any galacticos?
Real Madrid in November 2004: peak Galacticos era (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Defining precisely what makes a “galactico” is open to interpretation, but it’s not the same as simply being a good player. Claude Makelele, for example, was very much not a galactico because of his relatively modest status, and his functional role in the side. Raul Gonzalez probably was, despite the fact he was an academy product rather than a glitzy signing.
But Real Madrid probably don’t have any true galacticos now, not in the true sense. Their squad can be broken down into various sections, all of which point to logic, intelligence and patience, rather than simply splashing the cash on big names.
The first section features the academy products. None of these players are amongst Real Madrid’s best footballers, but if Real’s policy was once about “Zidanes y Pavones” (superstars and academy products), it is the latter who feature more prominently. Thirty-three-year-old Nacho and 31-year-old Lucas Vazquez both came through the club’s youth system and have remained ever since. They’re not always in the starting XI, but they offer a sense of permanence.
Dani Carvajal also fits into this category — although he had a period away with Bayer Leverkusen, he was a cantera player, and one who had a buy-back clause during his time in Germany. Mariano Diaz, similarly, had a season with Lyon, but had worked his way through Real’s C and B teams before becoming a first-teamer.
The second section contains the signings from South America. Other top European clubs have had less success when signing players directly from Latin American countries in recent years, with Premier League clubs often preferring to sign those with European experience. But Real Madrid have made astute purchases of youngsters Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde and Rodrygo.
(Photo: Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
None of them could be considered unknowns — there’s hype about any promising player these days — but all adapted quickly and played a crucial role in Real’s European Cup victory last year. Centre-back Eder Militao is a slightly different case, having spent a season at Porto and been signed for a sizeable fee. Again, it’s not quite galactico territory.
The third section is comprised of those signed for big sums of money, but at a young age, so they should offer longevity and resale value. Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni didn’t come cheap, at an estimated £30million and £80million respectively. But they were considered future greats, and young enough to be nurtured into precisely the type of midfielders Real want. Dani Ceballos and Marco Asensio, who arrived for more modest fees, are also in this mould.
The fourth section is the two free transfers. Signing quality centre-backs was once Real Madrid’s blind spot, but now they don’t simply sign good defenders, they sign them for nothing. David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger were both approaching 30 when they arrived from Bayern Munich and Chelsea respectively, and Real have learned not to pay big money for players of that age. On a Bosman, though, both made sense.
Alaba and Rudiger joined Real on free transfers (Photo: Rubén de la Fuente Pérez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The fifth section is the world-class players who have been around for ages. Karim Benzema won the most recent Ballon d’Or, but is coming up to 14 years at Real Madrid, an extraordinarily lengthy spell considering Real’s previous determination to sign superstars. Always a talented player, Benzema has truly shone in recent seasons, notably after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo — in other words, the absence of a galactico unlocked his true potential.
Another Ballon d’Or winner, Luka Modric, and Toni Kroos are broadly similar cases. Modric was an outstanding Premier League midfielder when he joined in 2012, while Kroos was excellent for Germany’s World Cup-winning side upon his transfer in 2014. But as with Benzema, their longevity and familiarity with Real’s methods is the defining feature of their status in this side, not their reputation upon arrival or transfer fee. They all feel like quiet, hard-working professionals rather than individualistic superstars.
That leaves very few players who have actually started a league game for Real Madrid this season. We can safely say that back-up goalkeeper Andriy Lunin is not a galactico, nor is left-back Ferland Mendy.
Maybe the biggest contender for true galactico status is goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. He wasn’t an academy product, nor signed as a youngster or from a lesser league. He was an established world-class operator, 26 years old, signed for a large sum of money, and he’s gone on to produce excellent individual performances to help Real to win trophies, most notably in last year’s 1-0 Champions League final win over Liverpool. But can a goalkeeper really be a galactico?
And that leaves just one other player who has started in La Liga for Real Madrid this season — a player who is unquestionably a galactico. The 11th-most expensive player of all time, signed at the age of 28 from one of Europe’s major clubs, where he was a borderline legend.
That man is Eden Hazard, an attacker who has sadly managed just four league goals in nearly four years for Real Madrid. Nothing symbolises the anti-galactico nature of this side like the most obvious galactico becoming the club’s forgotten man.
Is Hazard Real’s only current galactico? (Photo: David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
It’s worth considering, too, the nature of Real’s manager. On one hand, Carlo Ancelotti is the ultimate superstar coach, a European Cup specialist who has worked at an elite club in every major European league. But it’s also worth remembering his managerial spells before Real: he was sacked from Bayern because the players thought his methods were dated, he underachieved at Napoli and he’d most recently finished 10th with Everton. It wasn’t like Real had recruited Pep Guardiola.
It remains to be seen how long Real Madrid remain like this. Rumours continue about the potential arrival of Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, all of whom would obviously be galacticos.
But building a winning side isn’t about signing good players. It’s also about having a defined culture, about familiarity between players and about developing them into precisely what you want. That often beats galactico culture on the pitch — and brings more plaudits from neutrals too. (Photo: Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
There was a tweet going around last week praising Manchester City’s home record in the Champions League which did not quite tell the full story.It said, “Man City haven’t lost at home in the Champions League since 2018, in a 2-1 loss to Liverpool. 🤯”, which is not quite right because they lost to Lyon in September 2018.But by digging a little deeper it is clear to see how impressive City’s run actually is. Since that Lyon game, they have played 25 games and won 23 of them, with just two draws — a win percentage of 92.They have scored 81 goals and conceded just 18, which is an average of over three goals scored per game and fewer than one conceded=1
A simple case of ‘good team wins at home’, like you would get anywhere else? Not really. In the same period, Real Madrid have lost six home games and drawn four. Liverpool have lost five and drawn four. Bayern Munich have lost two and drawn two. Chelsea, winners in 2021, have lost five and drawn four.
Barcelona have lost four, Juventus six, Paris Saint-Germain five. Atletico Madrid have lost three and only won once in their last 11 European home games.
So what City are doing really is quite special. Especially given the draws did not come against Europe’s top sides but in dead rubbers against Shakhtar Donetsk and Sporting Lisbon when progression to the next round was already assured.
The primary reason is that City are a very special team, better than most (if not all) others, with an unusual ability to stay consistent over a number of years. In the Premier League in that period at home, for comparison, they have won 74 of their 91 games, a win percentage of 81.
“We have staff behind us who push us every year to be better and better,” he said. “We have new players coming in and we try to teach them this level of ambition, of hunger, because when you win, win, win, of course… you need something inside to go again.
“You have to have the proper mentality to feel like a small team and fight like a small team — because if you feel something bigger you will be confused. That’s why we do it: we feel small, we fight like a small team, run like a small team and then we have top-quality players who deserve everything.”
Part of that, especially when it comes to the Champions League, is Pep Guardiola’s insistence on playing strong teams packed with senior players even in those supposed dead rubbers — a phrase he does not like.
Another part, which becomes more relevant ahead of the clash against Madrid on Wednesday, is that the Etihad Stadium comes to life in the bigger games.
In reality, most of the big cathedrals of European football are not quite so rowdy for routine matches but suddenly come to life for the biggest spectacles. The Etihad is no different.
There is a degree of fear among the fanbase this time that the club have undermined their own chances of creating a fierce atmosphere by altering their ticketing criteria for the Madrid game.
For the first time this season, City fans did not have to have attended any other games this season to buy a ticket for Wednesday night. The complaint is that those who have been to loads of games this season joined the same queue as everybody else and have been overtaken by ‘tourists’. There is an assumption — which, it must be said, is not especially watertight — that those newcomers will not know how to make an atmosphere.
It is easy to imagine that the football on display will sort that out, if it is an issue at all. City — well, Kevin De Bruyne — have a knack for scoring early goals in these big games that tend to drag everything else along with them.
Last season against Real Madrid, he scored within two minutes; three weeks before that game he had scored inside five against Liverpool. A few weeks ago, he scored after seven minutes against Arsenal which, yet again, set the tone.
De Bruyne scores against Real Madrid in 2022 (Photo: David Ramos/Getty Images)
It may be a coincidence that City score early goals in their biggest games at this stage of the season but it does mark out a difference compared to their away games in Europe in particular.
Since the home defeat against Lyon four and a half years ago, City have played 27 games away from home and won 14, with nine draws and four defeats. They have scored 49 and conceded 22, an average of 1.81 for and 0.81 against.
City have actually drawn their last five Champions League away games, for a variety of reasons: in Copenhagen, they had a man sent off in the first half and were happy to settle for a draw; in Dortmund, a draw suited both them and the home side.
At Bayern, they hardly needed to exert themselves given they were 3-0 up from the first leg but against RB Leipzig and Real Madrid, with the first legs away from home, a more cautious approach has been obvious.
“With the transitions and the way they play, you have to have a lot of control,” he said in Leipzig. “That’s why the players that we had, like (Ilkay) Gundogan, like Riyad (Mahrez), we have the extra passes and that’s what we need, especially in the first leg. Maybe in the second leg, I will be crazy and play with nine strikers and make up-and-downs. But in this game, I felt I need this type of control because, when it’s open, German teams are better than us.”
A few days after the draw in Madrid he offered this: “I thought a lot in the last minutes about making a substitution in the Bernabeu or not. The players on the bench are so, so dynamic in their movements, especially Phil (Foden), Julian (Alvarez), a little bit Riyad. But in that moment, we didn’t need that.”
Aside from arguing that Mahrez gives them ‘extra passes’ in one example but is, to some extent, more dynamic in another, Guardiola’s comments show perfectly how City are happy to keep games tight away from home — which is something they tried did at Tottenham in 2019, too.
We are used to seeing English teams go away from home in Europe and play for a draw, or even a narrow defeat, by putting men behind the ball and digging in. City effectively do the same thing but they do it with the ball — more passes, fewer risks.
There will be an element of that at home: they will not rush things on Wednesday, especially if Madrid sit back and wait for counters, but there will not be the same level of caution.
“We will try to adjust something maybe in the second leg to be more fluid and play with a bit more rhythm because we play at home and at home we feel comfortable with our people,” Guardiola said in Madrid last week.
And, as Jack Grealish put it: “At the Etihad, we feel unstoppable.”
AC Milan get Rafael Leao injury boost ahead of Champions League second leg vs Inter Milan
“He’s better,” Pioli said when asked about Leao on Monday. “(Rade) Krunic and (Junior) Messias are too. If everything goes as it should, they’ll be available for training later and for tomorrow.”
While Leao’s return would be a major boost for Milan, Inter are out to hold onto their lead at San Siro and reach the final for the first time since they were crowned European champions in 2010.
“It will take a cool head and a warm heart,” said Inter boss Simone Inzaghi. “I will be repetitive, but it’s the only way for matches like this.
“Tomorrow, we know it’s one of the most important games in Inter’s history. We know we have an advantage, deservedly so, but we won’t just have to manage it. We’ll have to play as Inter, knowing that we have a strong team in front of us.
“We know we are 90 minutes away from a dream, which I and these wonderful guys had.”
Forward Joaquin Correa was taken off at half-time during Inter’s 4-2 win over Sassuolo on Saturday but could still feature against Milan.
“Correa asked for a change,” Inzaghi said. “Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, but we’ll evaluate in today’s training. He should make it but I have no certainties.”
For 13 years, Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun was the public eye. The New York City-born striker’s family emigrated to England when he was two years old, ultimately joining the Gunners’ academy at the age of 8. For over a decade, he developed while studying Arsenal forwards like Robin van Persie, Olivier Giroud and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
This season has been his breakthrough, having scored 10 goals while on loan to French Ligue 1 side Reims through the first half of the season. That’s good enough to be the club’s top scorer and open more discussion as to where his international future may lie, as Balogun is eligible to represent England, the United States and Nigeria.
And while Arsenal has yet to recall him as a replacement for the injured Gabriel Jesus, his torrid form has opened a lucrative potential transfer market for teams in need of a goalscorer.
What has made Balogun so successful in France, and how might he fit in to a U.S. national team program in desperate need of a striker (should he choose the U.S.)? Let’s dive in.
Player profile
At the end of the 2019-20 season, the then-19-year-old Balogun had yet to log a single senior club appearance for Arsenal, though he had represented both England and the United States in their youth national teams, most notably (respectively) at the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the Václav Ježek Youth (U-18) Tournament.
The 2020-21 campaign provided his career with a breakthrough of sorts: Balogun opened his Arsenal scoring account during the Europa League group stage before securing a winter loan to Middlesbrough for more regular match action. Playing under Chris Wilder at Boro, Balogun bagged three goals while adding three assists in 18 Championship matches.
Upon his return, Arsenal thought that a year with Stade de Reims could speed up his developmental curve in Ligue 1 as it had for William Saliba on the other end of the pitch.
As it turns out, it’s been a dream move for all parties. Speaking with The Athletic last month, Balogun said that onetime Arsenal teammates Alexander Lacazette and Nicolas Pépé each suggested he try his hand at the French first division for more frequent involvement in a physical league.
“(Pepé) just said to stay positive, keep working hard and then he said to maybe think about a loan to the French league, ‘I’m sure you can do well in this league if you apply yourself’,” Balogun said in December, “He set me a challenge of getting 10 goals in the league and said, ‘If you do that, you’ve made progress.’”
As it turns out, Pépé’s “challenge” has hardly seemed a steep one. The striker notched his 10th goal of the Ligue 1 campaign with a brace against Rennes in Reims’ return to action following the World Cup. He did so despite managing just 19 touches, his fewest in a league start since late August. He missed the team’s ensuing match on January 2 with a reported hamstring issue, with Reims finishing 1-1 in an away day at Lille.
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So, what changed?
In all likelihood, Balogun may not have been set up for success at his previous loan. Being asked to lead the line for a team in a promotion battle is no small assignment for a player’s first extended senior involvement. At an established Ligue 1 side, Balogun has been able to express himself more.
STAT
2021-22*
2022-23**
Shots/90 (% on target)
2.2 (54.2%)
3.11 (46.5%)
xG/90 (npxG/90)
0.32
0.64
Goals/90
0.27
0.72
Touches in pen area/90
3.85
4.34
Offsides/90
0.37
0.87
Progressive runs/90
0.46
1.37
* With Middlesbrough (EFL Championship) ** With Reims (Ligue 1) Data via Wyscout
While shots were hard to come by with Boro, he was consistent in placing them on frame. He also finished his chances at close to his expected rate, albeit with fairly meager service. It all pales in comparison to what he’s managed through the first half of the Ligue 1 campaign. Even removing his 3-for-3 record from the penalty spot, Balogun has managed 0.48 non-penalty expected goals per 90 when factoring for extra time.
He’s also been given more license to play a progressive role, logging an additional touch in the box per two games, being caught offside at a similar clip — showing a greater license to break behind the line, which isn’t a bad thing — and adding nearly a full additional progressive run per game. Those aren’t just significant improvements on his Championship output, either. It’s the type of profile which turns a striker from a rank-and-file loan army mainstay into a coveted young striker.
Here are Balogun’s percentile figures in the following table compared to positional peers in Men’s “Big 5” leagues, Champions League and Europa League over the last 365 days. Balogun has played 1160 qualified minutes in that timeframe.
STAT
# PER 90 MINUTES
PERCENTILE
Non-penalty goals
0.54
86
npxG
0.52
87
Shots total
3.1
78
npxG+expected assists
0.63
78
Shot-creating actions
2.25
39
Progressive passes
1.63
70
Progressive passes received
8.53
95
Dribbles completed
1.09
71
Data via fbref dot com
If there’s an area for improvement, it would be in his aerial game. Listed at 5-foot-10 (1,55 meters), Balogun hasn’t been adept at getting on the end of headers with Reims whether the balls floats in from set pieces or the run of play. Smarterscout data rates players from zero to 99 depending on how often they perform a certain action. It also tells us how effective they are at it compared to others in their position.
Nevertheless, he’s fared well when he takes opponents on with the ball at his feet while also factoring into Reims’ front-line press. While we like to see an all-rounder up top, the number of true target forwards is dwindling with each passing year.
Balogun seems to project nicely to a more modern archetype — even when factoring for the difference in quality between Ligue 1 and the Premier League, as smarterscout’s data reflects on his pizza chart.
International future
Having represented England and the U.S. at youth ranks and holding Nigerian eligibility, Balogun told Ligue 1’s website in November that he would make a decision about who he’ll represent soon. While recent years have seen high-pressure decisions made by the likes of Sergiño Dest, Yunus Musah, Gaga Slonina and Malik Tillman among others, Balogun is unfazed by the speculation.
“I don’t have a problem with it,” Balogun said. “It’s the role of the media to ask these kinds of questions and I accept it. I’m going to make a decision soon and that decision will not depend on what the media or people think but on what is best for me. We will talk about it quietly with my family.”
He spoke favorably about his U.S. experience in the same interview.
“Yes, when I was 17, the U.S. federation offered me a friendly tournament in the Czech Republic in the summer,” Balogun said. “I had played for England in the Euro U-17 a few months before, but after talking to my family I decided to go. And we won the tournament! It was a good experience because I got to see a different way of playing and other methods. I’m still in contact with several people I met there.”
While his family deliberates his options in private, the rest of us in the public arena can bear the brunt of analyzing his options. England’s striker stable ahead of the 2026 World Cup is headlined well, as Harry Kane will be 32 and Marcus Rashford just 28. There isn’t a clear next-in-line among the younger options beyond Balogun (who’s currently 21), as Aston Villa’s Cameron Archer, Leeds’ Joe Gelhardt, and Tottenham’s Dane Scarlett have yet to establish themselves at club level.
Nigeria arguably has the deepest pool of the three nations, with Napoli ace Victor Osimhen leading a group which includes Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheanacho and Terem Moffi, who also has 10 goals in the ongoing Ligue 1 season with Lorient.
But for the U.S., no position has been a weaker spot over the past five years than striker. Throughout the Gregg Berhalter era, the team has opted to play its strikers in a more withdrawn role, asking them to play in build-up phases and create chances for their wingers as well as themselves.
While Jesús Ferreira was top option throughout the summer in a deep-lying role, he struggled in his only World Cup involvement, a start against the Netherlands in the round of 16. Josh Sargent looked much better alongside Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah but failed to factor for scoring chances of his own before missing the knockout defeat due to injury. Haji Wright came as more of a target option and pure scorer, but struggled to impress in the tournament after a fine debut against Wales.
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All three represented a different approach to the position; all three struggled. In Balogun, the program would find its white whale: someone who could be a well-round striker and an upgrade over the current options.
Balogun vs. U.S.’s 2022 World Cup strikers, 2022-23*
Balogun vs. U.S.’s 2022 World Cup strike
BALOGUN
FERREIRA
SARGENT
WRIGHT
Shots/90 (% on target)
3.11 (46.5%)
2.58 (49.4%)
2.08 (56.3%)
2.37 (35.9%)
xG/90
0.64
0.4
0.31
0.42
Touches in pen area/90
4.34
3.48
4.15
3.65
Forward passes/90 (% accurate)
3.4 (57.4%)
6.27 (53.7%)
3.37 (61.5%)
1.76 (69%)
Dribbles/90 (% success)
2.96 (53.7%)
1.48 (49%)
3.16 (52.1%)
4.56 (52%)
Aerial duels (% won)
2.53 (20%)
1.04 (19.4%)
5.58 (38.8%)
5.6 (41.3%)
Recoveries in opp ½
2.46
2.87
4.11
1.89
Data via Wyscout* All data for 2022-23 league action save for Ferreira, which uses the full 2022 MLS season
Balogun has not only fired off more shots per 90, but he’s done so at a respectable level of putting shots on frame. Even his non-penalty xG of 0.52 would be tops in this class, to say nothing of his 0.64 clip factoring for three converted penalty kicks.
The rest of the data helps show how he’s played for Reims, even if you don’t watch Ligue 1. The forward passing figures help illustrate the difference between Ferreira — a deep-lying forward if ever there was one — and Wright, more of a classic line-leading target forward. On that spectrum, Balogun is nearly identical to Sargent, as is reinforced by the number of dribbles he attempts. Unlike the Norwich forward, however, Balogun has yet to showcase much ability in the air while factoring less in frontline defending.
Nevertheless, based on numbers alone Balogun would represent a better goalscoring threat than the current stable of U.S. men’s strikers without sacrificing many of the factors which helped Sargent (and, in qualifying, Ricardo Pepi) become ideal options between Pulisic, Weah and the rest of the wing options.
While January may not see Balogun change clubs, his loan spell in France has indeed brought his game to another level. Whether he joins Musah and Tillman in leading the U.S. into the 2026 World Cup or becomes one of the program’s great near-misses like Neven Subotić or Giuseppe Rossi remains to be seen.
However he leans, it’s clear that he’s finally gotten his senior career on track — whether he’s in Mikel Arteta’s plans for Arsenal moving forward or not.
How Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun would fit with USMNT after breakout season
For 13 years, Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun was the public eye. The New York City-born striker’s family emigrated to England when he was two years old, ultimately joining the Gunners’ academy at the age of 8. For over a decade, he developed while studying Arsenal forwards like Robin van Persie, Olivier Giroud and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
This season has been his breakthrough, having scored 10 goals while on loan to French Ligue 1 side Reims through the first half of the season. That’s good enough to be the club’s top scorer and open more discussion as to where his international future may lie, as Balogun is eligible to represent England, the United States and Nigeria.
And while Arsenal has yet to recall him as a replacement for the injured Gabriel Jesus, his torrid form has opened a lucrative potential transfer market for teams in need of a goalscorer.
What has made Balogun so successful in France, and how might he fit in to a U.S. national team program in desperate need of a striker (should he choose the U.S.)? Let’s dive in.
Player profile
At the end of the 2019-20 season, the then-19-year-old Balogun had yet to log a single senior club appearance for Arsenal, though he had represented both England and the United States in their youth national teams, most notably (respectively) at the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the Václav Ježek Youth (U-18) Tournament.
The 2020-21 campaign provided his career with a breakthrough of sorts: Balogun opened his Arsenal scoring account during the Europa League group stage before securing a winter loan to Middlesbrough for more regular match action. Playing under Chris Wilder at Boro, Balogun bagged three goals while adding three assists in 18 Championship matches.
Upon his return, Arsenal thought that a year with Stade de Reims could speed up his developmental curve in Ligue 1 as it had for William Saliba on the other end of the pitch.
As it turns out, it’s been a dream move for all parties. Speaking with The Athletic last month, Balogun said that onetime Arsenal teammates Alexander Lacazette and Nicolas Pépé each suggested he try his hand at the French first division for more frequent involvement in a physical league.
“(Pepé) just said to stay positive, keep working hard and then he said to maybe think about a loan to the French league, ‘I’m sure you can do well in this league if you apply yourself’,” Balogun said in December, “He set me a challenge of getting 10 goals in the league and said, ‘If you do that, you’ve made progress.’”
As it turns out, Pépé’s “challenge” has hardly seemed a steep one. The striker notched his 10th goal of the Ligue 1 campaign with a brace against Rennes in Reims’ return to action following the World Cup. He did so despite managing just 19 touches, his fewest in a league start since late August. He missed the team’s ensuing match on January 2 with a reported hamstring issue, with Reims finishing 1-1 in an away day at Lille.
ADVERTISEMENT
So, what changed?
In all likelihood, Balogun may not have been set up for success at his previous loan. Being asked to lead the line for a team in a promotion battle is no small assignment for a player’s first extended senior involvement. At an established Ligue 1 side, Balogun has been able to express himself more.
STAT
2021-22*
2022-23**
Shots/90 (% on target)
2.2 (54.2%)
3.11 (46.5%)
xG/90 (npxG/90)
0.32
0.64
Goals/90
0.27
0.72
Touches in pen area/90
3.85
4.34
Offsides/90
0.37
0.87
Progressive runs/90
0.46
1.37
* With Middlesbrough (EFL Championship) ** With Reims (Ligue 1) Data via Wyscout
While shots were hard to come by with Boro, he was consistent in placing them on frame. He also finished his chances at close to his expected rate, albeit with fairly meager service. It all pales in comparison to what he’s managed through the first half of the Ligue 1 campaign. Even removing his 3-for-3 record from the penalty spot, Balogun has managed 0.48 non-penalty expected goals per 90 when factoring for extra time.
He’s also been given more license to play a progressive role, logging an additional touch in the box per two games, being caught offside at a similar clip — showing a greater license to break behind the line, which isn’t a bad thing — and adding nearly a full additional progressive run per game. Those aren’t just significant improvements on his Championship output, either. It’s the type of profile which turns a striker from a rank-and-file loan army mainstay into a coveted young striker.
Here are Balogun’s percentile figures in the following table compared to positional peers in Men’s “Big 5” leagues, Champions League and Europa League over the last 365 days. Balogun has played 1160 qualified minutes in that timeframe.
STAT
# PER 90 MINUTES
PERCENTILE
Non-penalty goals
0.54
86
npxG
0.52
87
Shots total
3.1
78
npxG+expected assists
0.63
78
Shot-creating actions
2.25
39
Progressive passes
1.63
70
Progressive passes received
8.53
95
Dribbles completed
1.09
71
Data via fbref dot com
If there’s an area for improvement, it would be in his aerial game. Listed at 5-foot-10 (1,55 meters), Balogun hasn’t been adept at getting on the end of headers with Reims whether the balls floats in from set pieces or the run of play. Smarterscout data rates players from zero to 99 depending on how often they perform a certain action. It also tells us how effective they are at it compared to others in their position.
Nevertheless, he’s fared well when he takes opponents on with the ball at his feet while also factoring into Reims’ front-line press. While we like to see an all-rounder up top, the number of true target forwards is dwindling with each passing year.
Balogun seems to project nicely to a more modern archetype — even when factoring for the difference in quality between Ligue 1 and the Premier League, as smarterscout’s data reflects on his pizza chart.
International future
Having represented England and the U.S. at youth ranks and holding Nigerian eligibility, Balogun told Ligue 1’s website in November that he would make a decision about who he’ll represent soon. While recent years have seen high-pressure decisions made by the likes of Sergiño Dest, Yunus Musah, Gaga Slonina and Malik Tillman among others, Balogun is unfazed by the speculation.
“I don’t have a problem with it,” Balogun said. “It’s the role of the media to ask these kinds of questions and I accept it. I’m going to make a decision soon and that decision will not depend on what the media or people think but on what is best for me. We will talk about it quietly with my family.”
He spoke favorably about his U.S. experience in the same interview.
“Yes, when I was 17, the U.S. federation offered me a friendly tournament in the Czech Republic in the summer,” Balogun said. “I had played for England in the Euro U-17 a few months before, but after talking to my family I decided to go. And we won the tournament! It was a good experience because I got to see a different way of playing and other methods. I’m still in contact with several people I met there.”
While his family deliberates his options in private, the rest of us in the public arena can bear the brunt of analyzing his options. England’s striker stable ahead of the 2026 World Cup is headlined well, as Harry Kane will be 32 and Marcus Rashford just 28. There isn’t a clear next-in-line among the younger options beyond Balogun (who’s currently 21), as Aston Villa’s Cameron Archer, Leeds’ Joe Gelhardt, and Tottenham’s Dane Scarlett have yet to establish themselves at club level.
Nigeria arguably has the deepest pool of the three nations, with Napoli ace Victor Osimhen leading a group which includes Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheanacho and Terem Moffi, who also has 10 goals in the ongoing Ligue 1 season with Lorient.
But for the U.S., no position has been a weaker spot over the past five years than striker. Throughout the Gregg Berhalter era, the team has opted to play its strikers in a more withdrawn role, asking them to play in build-up phases and create chances for their wingers as well as themselves.
While Jesús Ferreira was top option throughout the summer in a deep-lying role, he struggled in his only World Cup involvement, a start against the Netherlands in the round of 16. Josh Sargent looked much better alongside Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah but failed to factor for scoring chances of his own before missing the knockout defeat due to injury. Haji Wright came as more of a target option and pure scorer, but struggled to impress in the tournament after a fine debut against Wales.
ADVERTISEMENT
All three represented a different approach to the position; all three struggled. In Balogun, the program would find its white whale: someone who could be a well-round striker and an upgrade over the current options.
Balogun vs. U.S.’s 2022 World Cup strikers, 2022-23*
Balogun vs. U.S.’s 2022 World Cup strike
BALOGUN
FERREIRA
SARGENT
WRIGHT
Shots/90 (% on target)
3.11 (46.5%)
2.58 (49.4%)
2.08 (56.3%)
2.37 (35.9%)
xG/90
0.64
0.4
0.31
0.42
Touches in pen area/90
4.34
3.48
4.15
3.65
Forward passes/90 (% accurate)
3.4 (57.4%)
6.27 (53.7%)
3.37 (61.5%)
1.76 (69%)
Dribbles/90 (% success)
2.96 (53.7%)
1.48 (49%)
3.16 (52.1%)
4.56 (52%)
Aerial duels (% won)
2.53 (20%)
1.04 (19.4%)
5.58 (38.8%)
5.6 (41.3%)
Recoveries in opp ½
2.46
2.87
4.11
1.89
Data via Wyscout* All data for 2022-23 league action save for Ferreira, which uses the full 2022 MLS season
Balogun has not only fired off more shots per 90, but he’s done so at a respectable level of putting shots on frame. Even his non-penalty xG of 0.52 would be tops in this class, to say nothing of his 0.64 clip factoring for three converted penalty kicks.
The rest of the data helps show how he’s played for Reims, even if you don’t watch Ligue 1. The forward passing figures help illustrate the difference between Ferreira — a deep-lying forward if ever there was one — and Wright, more of a classic line-leading target forward. On that spectrum, Balogun is nearly identical to Sargent, as is reinforced by the number of dribbles he attempts. Unlike the Norwich forward, however, Balogun has yet to showcase much ability in the air while factoring less in frontline defending.
Nevertheless, based on numbers alone Balogun would represent a better goalscoring threat than the current stable of U.S. men’s strikers without sacrificing many of the factors which helped Sargent (and, in qualifying, Ricardo Pepi) become ideal options between Pulisic, Weah and the rest of the wing options.
While January may not see Balogun change clubs, his loan spell in France has indeed brought his game to another level. Whether he joins Musah and Tillman in leading the U.S. into the 2026 World Cup or becomes one of the program’s great near-misses like Neven Subotić or Giuseppe Rossi remains to be seen.
However he leans, it’s clear that he’s finally gotten his senior career on track — whether he’s in Mikel Arteta’s plans for Arsenal moving forward or not.
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Of course Champions League Semi-Final 2nd round action on Tues/Wed leads the list of huge games this week. Its Real Madrid traveling to Man City on Weds 3 pm on CBS tied at 1, on Tues Inter will have a 2-0 lead over AC Milan at 3 pm on CBS. (Coverage starts at 2 pm). (tons of stories below). Europa League play has Juventus traveling to Sevilla tied at 1 after the dramatic game tying goal in ET, and Roma took a 2-1 lead at home over Leverkusen with Carmel FC Coach Baco Benton and his daughter Caroline (CFC 2002 now in college) on hand here’s somecool video. Both will play Thur at 3 pm on Paramount plus. Weekend games have Leeds United with American’s McKinney and Arronson playing for their EPL lives against a New Castle team at 9 am on Sat on USA, followed by Dortmund hosting MGladbach as Reyna could see time vs US teammate Joe Scally in a must win for Dortmund if they want to win the league title over Bayern Munich with a just a few games left. Finally American backup GK’s Ethan Horvath of Luton Town and Zach Steffan of Middlesborough are both in English Championship Playoff games this weekend and again Tues/Wed (leg 2) as they battle to see who else will advance with Burnley to the EPL next year.
Notes
Cool HBO Series Coming up on LA’s NWSL team Angel City FC starts Tues on HBO Max. Cute from this weekend. Bacelona great Sergio Busquets has announced he is leaving Barcelona. Indy 11 has a brother/sister combo playing this year as former Carmel Dad’s club players Cam and Cassidy Lindley play for the Women’s Indy 11 and the Boys in Blue – here’s a cool interview with them. Cool story about the Real We Are Wrexham and how they aren’t Ted Lasso as the very bottom of the stories.
U-20 USMNT World Cup Team Named & Oguchi Onyweu named US VP
The FIFA U-20 World Cup begins this month in Argentina, and the United States finally has their roster. Today, U.S. Soccer and U-20 head coach Mikey Varas named the 21-man roster who will compete for the USMNT U-20s in the tournament. The U-20s will compete in the group stage beginning on May 20th with a match against Ecuador. They continue by facing off against Fiji on May 23rd and then complete the group stage against Slovakia on May 26th. The matches will be shown on Fox Sports and Telemundo platforms, with each match slated for a 2:00pm ET kickoff. The U-20s have advanced to the quarterfinals in the past 3 U-20 World Cups and are looking to go even further this year. 11 players on the roster were on the roster that dominated at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship, and 6 players have senior USMNT experience. In other news just weeks after naming a Sporting Director Matt Coker – US soccer has announced the hiring of former US international Oguchi Onyweu – I love it!
DEFENDERS (7): 17-Justin Che (Hoffenheim), 5-Brandan Craig (Philadelphia Union), 2-Mauricio Cuevas (LA Galaxy), 14-Marcus Ferkranus (LA Galaxy), 13-Jonathan Gomez (Real Sociedad), 3-Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United), 4-Joshua Wynder (Louisville City)
MIDFIELDERS (7): 6-Daniel Edelman (New York Red Bulls), 10-Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), 8-Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union), 20-Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split), 15-Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes), 18-Obed Vargas (Seattle Sounders FC), 16-Owen Wolff (Austin FC)
FORWARDS (4): 9-Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes), 11-Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg), 7-Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), 19-Darren Yapi (Colorado Rapids)
ALTERNATES (3): Moses Nyeman (Midfield – Real Salt Lake), Korede Osundina (Forward – Orange County SC), Thomas Williams (Defender – Orlando City SC)
Congrats to the Carmel FC 2009 Gold Girls who won the Great Lakes Region Premier League 2 Division. Coaches (L) Paul Cullington and (R) Doug Latham. Sports allow us the opportunity to be part of something bigger than ourselves, of something special, of something meaningful. On Sunday, we (Carmel FC 09 Girls Gold) used that platform, together with the team we were about to play, to honor Westfield’s #12, Tucker Swain with green pre-wrap and 12 on the legs at our Challenge Cup Match. While we didn’t know him and no words can comprehend or heal the loss his family and friends are experiencing, if our thoughts and support can provide comfort, we will keep them coming. Thanks Coach Abigail Donofrio (far left). 💚 Carmel FC 2008 Girls Gold 💚 Indiana Fire Juniors 2008 Girls Navy #CarmelFC #CarmelFCLove
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U.S. Soccer hires Oguchi Onyewu as Vice President of Sporting
He will report to newly hired sporting director Matt Crocker. By Donald Wine II@blazindw May 10, 2023, 8:32am PDT
U.S. Soccer has added to its sporting department, and another World Cup veteran is stepping up. Today, U.S. Soccer announced that Oguchi Onyweu will be the federation’s vice president of sporting.
The 2-time World Cup veteran will work under U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker, who was hired a couple weeks ago, in supporting all sporting initiatives. That would include the USMNT and USWNT. He will also be responsible for maintaining relationships with clubs and leagues around the world. Onyewu will also help with fundraising for youth and extended national teams.
It’s a newly created role for the 40-year-old Onyewu, who will assist Crocker with the hiring of the next USMNT coach. A member of the 2006 and 2010 World Cup teams, Gooch became the Orlando City B sporting director in 2018 after his playing days ended. He then became the secretary general of Belgian club Royal Excelsior Virton in 2020. He current is an analyst for CBS Sports and represented the Athletes’ Council on the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors. He stepped down from that role last week to take the VP of Sport position.
“We are thrilled to welcome Oguchi Onyewu to our team at U.S. Soccer,” said Matt Crocker in a statement. “His experience as a player and sports executive, coupled with his deep understanding of U.S. Soccer, Oguchi will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our sporting initiatives. We all look forward to working closely with him.”
“I am incredibly excited to take on this new challenge and work with Matt and the rest of the U.S. Soccer team to help shape the future of soccer in this country,” added Onyewu. “As a former player, I understand firsthand the importance of investing in our youth and building a strong foundation for the future. I look forward to working with the Men’s and Women’s Senior Teams, Youth National Teams and Extended National Teams to help support and grow our talented pool of players and identify and develop the next generation.”
JJ Watt exclusive: Learning from Ryan Reynolds – and how he’ll make Burnley big in the U.S.
Wearing a Burnley FC-branded hat and jacket, JJ Watt strides into the boardroom at Burnley’s training ground.It is only his second visit to the town and his first as an official investor in its football club, but as he leans back in his chair, he already feels like part of the furniture.English football is not short of transatlantic influences at the moment — from the fictional (AFC Richmond and Ted Lasso) to the multitude of American owners already ensconced in the Premier League (seven clubs in the top flight are majority-owned by US companies or individuals).
However, it is in another small town — 87 miles to the south west — where obvious comparisons can be drawn. Wrexham, like Burnley, is a community which has seen hard times economically; it, too, bonds around its local football club and, of course, there is a high-profile American influence now bringing that club to the world’s attention in the form of Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
There is a difference both in playing level and investment stake, but Watt freely admits that Reynolds and McElhenney’s achievements were inspirational. A chat with Reynolds also provided some invaluable insights into how to tackle his new project, which he is undertaking alongside his wife Kealia, a former USWNT player.
“The number one thing Ryan said was recognising the tribalism in football,” says Watt, in an exclusive interview with The Athletic. “It’s different from American sports. It is a tribal loyalty that is rarely found in other sports or supporter bases. He told me I had to respect and honour that history and tradition and do right by that group otherwise you will lose them before you start.
“It’s been fun to watch him and Rob do it so well and that’s what we’re trying to do here. I’m trying to get so deep into the community so they know I understand this club. It has been here long before I was here and will be long after I’m gone; all I’m trying to do is respect and elevate what you have.”
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds (Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Like the Wrexham project, this is no passing fancy or a celebrity spying an easy PR win. Watt, one of the biggest stars of the NFL from his time with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals, is all-in on his new project having become a minority investor in Burnley at the start of May.The 34-year-old is in town for the club’s final Championship game of a triumphant title-winning season and the trophy parade around Burnley. “People keep telling me not everyday is like this, but we’re trying to make every day like this,” he says with a smile.
Watt could not have timed his investment better. Not only were he and Kealia able to be part of the party as Vincent Kompany and his squad celebrated their return to the Premier League, he had the honour of walking out with the Championship trophy onto the Turf Moor pitch.“I kind of feel like the kid in class who didn’t do any of the work in the group project but got an A anyway,” Watt says. “I don’t feel worthy of being part of all the celebrations. When Alan (Pace) asked me to walk the trophy out onto the pitch I said no, I didn’t feel I had earned it; everybody else earned it, I shouldn’t be the first person to touch it. They insisted, so I did it.”
JJ Watt with Burnley chairman Alan Pace (Photo: Alex Dodd – CameraSport via Getty Images)
The fans and the town have immediately taken the family to their hearts and Watt has been eager to spend as much time as possible with the community. He has visited the Royal Dyche pub — a local landmark, renamed in honour of former manager Sean Dyche — multiple times; the second time, it was part of a pub crawl. All for research purposes, you understand.
“Everyone has been so welcoming and gracious,” he says. “The reason I’m going about it the way I am is because I know how sceptical they must be because if I was in their shoes, I would be. What I’m trying to do is alleviate their concerns and let them know I am trying as hard as I can to learn about their history and culture and gain their trust.”
He will not be moving to East Lancashire like Burnley’s majority American owners, ALK Capital, but visits will be fairly frequent and he has been engaging with supporters on social media. His GIF game is particularly strong, courtesy of his affection for The U.S. version of The Office, although he admits he is “on the verge of doing it too much”.
So, why Burnley?
The process of investing in the club has taken months, but Watt’s ambition to invest in football ignited three years ago. He considered plenty of clubs across the globe, but none felt the perfect fit. “We knew that whenever we did find the right fit we would be going all in,” Watt says.
Deep down, Watt wanted to be involved in English football. After he became aware of a potential investment opportunity in Burnley in January, the following month he and Kealia had a meeting with deal-maker Damien O’Donohoe of IKON Capital at his home during Super Bowl week. O’Donohoe is a friend of chairman Alan Pace and has been advising him and Burnley FC.
It piqued Watt’s interest further and he began to research the club, watching every match since and researching the history through the official website and YouTube videos. Prior to this interview, Watt had been watching a documentary about the 1987 game against Leyton Orient, a significant day in the club’s history as Burnley came perilously close to being relegated from the Football League and financial oblivion.He spent time looking at fan accounts to see the team through their eyes and he spoke to people he knew within the game to gain as much insight as possible.“I started to look at the boxes and every single one was checked. Unbelievable history, great town. I’m from a small town in Wisconsin. It’s all about hard-working people. There is a Premier League pedigree, a manager who has a pedigree of his own and a vision of the future and a style of football that’s beautiful and the ownership is incredible,” says Watt.The ability to be involved and make a difference was key. Watt acknowledges that he was a Chelsea fan — although he insists he is now Burnley through and through — but investing in that type of “$6billion club” would not allow him to make a significant impact.“I can come into a club and a town like Burnley and do that. That was a really big thing for us and I can go on a journey with this club and try to do my little part in elevating us,” he says.ALK Capital have been open to outside investment since they arrived at the club in December 2020. Another former NFL player, Malcolm Jenkins, became a minority investor in 2021 and the hope is the Watt family will not be the last.Questions have been raised surrounding their ownership since they purchased Burnley with the help of a £65million ($81.8m) loan. Following relegation last summer, doomsday predictions were made with a “significant portion” of the debt required to be repaid.
But promotion back to the Premier League and the money that comes with it, alongside Watt’s investment and the club’s latest accounts, point to a healthy future.
Burnley’s title winners (Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
“I’m well versed on those questions because I had to ask a lot of them myself before putting my money in. I better know what he’s (Pace) thinking about debt-wise before I put a bunch of money into the club,” says Watt, smiling again.
Following initial Zoom conversations with Pace — who was unaware of who Watt was — and after taking a closer look at the finances, Watt had no doubts about coming on board.
Kompany penning a new five-year deal to allay any concerns about his future has only added to the feel-good factor surrounding the club. He and Watt had met in 2017 during Manchester City’s pre-season tour of America. Watt struck up a friendship with Kompany’s former team-mate Sergio Aguero and contacted the striker to learn more about the four-time Premier League winner.
“We all know Vince had multiple opportunities to go to massive clubs. There is a reason he chose to stay and build something special because he believes in what we are doing and that it can be done,” says Watt.
Kompany and Watt have shared ideas and compared experiences of coaches, team-mates and methods from playing sport at an elite level. The Belgian is keen to spend a week with an NFL team, which Watt hopes to facilitate, and Kompany has extended the same invitation to the American.
“I love it when me and Vince just talk ball, those are my favourite conversations. He asks about what our meetings are like, what kind of film study we do, the recovery process. He wants to know everything and that’s what is so great about him, he is always trying to find an edge.”
As an athlete, the training ground is Watt’s favourite place; watching the players, meeting and spending time with staff and observing Kompany go about his work.
“One of the best things we have going here is the camaraderie between the players. They are so tight-knit. I was speaking to a few of the guys on Monday night who carpool, a 50-minute drive every day. That type of bond doesn’t happen in every team. Talking about ball and life, you’re going to work and try harder for your team-mates.”
Watt chatting to Vincent Kompany (Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
The big question has been what his role will involve and discussions are continuing over specifics. Being a minority owner means he does not have the final say, but Watt is keen to ingrain himself in the club, provide ideas and use his strengths to help influence the direction of the club.
“I’m never going to come into a meeting and say we need to sign this player because Vince knows a hell of a lot more about that than me. Equally, I’m not going to come in and talk to Alan about refinancing debt,” he says.
“What I am going to do is help with marketing, with brand recognition, commercial aspects, the entire American audience, both fans and investors to try to do my part to grow the Burnley brand and bring global eyes to help tell their story because this place is incredible. I’ve only been here twice but the people, the town, the tradition, the history; the world should know about Burnley.”
He smiles when The Athletic brings up Nathan Tella, who Watt named as his favourite Burnley player. He is on loan from Southampton and will return to his parent club — although Burnley are keen to sign their top scorer permanently. Will he be making a trip to Southampton before he returns home?
“I might have to go and be an enforcer to help them make some decisions,” Watt says, chuckling. “I love Nathan, it’s his smile, his infectious attitude and he’s a great player. I’m hopeful we can get something done but it’s kind of up in the air at the moment.”
The last week has been another part of an emotional nine months for Watt and his family, which began when he revealed his heart had gone into atrial fibrillation – an irregular heart rhythm – in September.
He underwent a procedure to have his heart shocked and reset and three days later, he was playing for the Arizona Cardinals.
“It’s been crazy,” Watt says. “It changes the way you look at everything. Looking back it was more routine than I thought but at the time you consider that there is life and death. Once you see your life in such finite terms, you come to grips with your mortality and it changes everything. I do have a much bigger appreciation for every day I have.”
That appreciation only grew a month later with the birth of his son, Koa. The plan had been for him to be part of the trip to Lancashire but the new arrival had other plans.
“We took a five-day vacation to Cabo a month ago and he didn’t handle it well and wasn’t sleeping so he lost his privileges,” Watt laughs. “He will be over here at some point.”
The future Hall of Famer announced the end of his playing career in December 2022, competing in his final game the following month. Retirement, which led to a lot of time spent on the golf course, did not last long. “I need a break,” Watt jokes. “Kealia said: ‘I thought you retired’ because it has been non-stop. Luckily we’ve got a holiday planned at the end of May.
“Retirement means I don’t have to get hit all the time and it has opened new doors and new opportunities. It’s exciting, a new world I’m navigating.”
Watt at the Annexus Pro-Am (Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Watt describes two categories of American fans of European football. Those who have been following it for a long time and the larger group whose interest is growing off the back of Wrexham and Ted Lasso.
“That’s the group we are speaking to primarily because there’s a lot of people trying to figure out who to support and why they should. We want to tie a story to our club and help those people understand and care deeply about Burnley,” says Watt.
During his first visit, Watt spent time at Burnley College and Burnley FC in the Community’s food bank as well as the club’s charitable foundation. Watt is experienced in the field, raising millions for Houston following the devastation left by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which earned him the co-Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year awards. He also donated $350,000 to the Houston FoodBank during COVID-19 and has his own foundation focused on providing funding for athletic opportunities for middle-school-aged children.
“I’m very impressed with how integrated into the community the club is,” he says. “Working with them to advance that even further is a big aim. There’s no denying it is a poverty-stricken area, so we want to help these people who give so much to the club.”
Watt accepts the growth and interest he has seen is easier to generate initially but will only get harder with time. Winning is his automatic response to how he plans to tackle that, as naturally that makes you more attractive, but he is full of ideas. One example is working out how to get merchandise into the hands of Americans more easily than having to ship it over from the UK.
The excitement of seeing Burnley back in the Premier League is clear and games being shown on NBC and Peacock means Watt will no longer have to struggle to find a stream on his laptop.
Watt and Kealia watch Burnley play Cardiff (Photo: Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
“It’s so cool the way NBC does it with Premier League mornings; they have fan zones and fan fests. You see Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea kits; I want to see more Burnley. It’s not an easy task but neither was getting 100 points in the Championship. We’re all here to do our jobs and that’s mine so bring it on.”
All eyes are on the future, both short and long-term. Asked where Watt hopes Burnley will be in five years, the answer is simple – further along the path of Pace and Kompany’s vision. He believes the club has the potential to achieve “great things” and a good plan is in place. That has already been demonstrated by the foundations built on and off the pitch in this new era.
“We’re also extremely realistic about how difficult it is to win in the Premier League, but we’re not scared by having big goals and ambitions,“ Watt says.
“I love what Vince said after the final game. Nobody believed in us before this year and we’re the best. Nobody believes in us going into the Premier League and all we can do is go at it again. I believe in Alan, I believe in Vincent and I believe in Burnley.”
Vinicius Jr, De Bruyne and the visceral thrill of kicking a football really hard
“Football is so complicated at the highest level.”Pep Guardiola was trying to make a point. It was after Manchester City had just lost to Manchester United in 2018 and had thus blown the chance to secure the Premier League title against their biggest rivals. Fabian Delph launched into his speech about “the basics of football” and was promptly shushed by his manager, who went on to explain that actually it was about more than the basics of football and that football was incredibly un-basic.Guardiola is usually right and has a stuffed trophy cabinet to prove it. But sometimes he’s wrong. Sometimes football is not complicated. It can be incredibly uncomplicated, basic, completely stripped back, but still extremely enjoyable.Take the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Tuesday, when Guardiola’s side drew 1-1 with Real Madrid. Here we have probably the best team in the world against the most decorated team in the world. Two gleaming football clubs, two astonishing sets of players, two of this generation’s great managers.
Guardiola’s football, as it so often is, was intricate and carefully structured, designed to probe at the weak spots of the opposition and methodically take them apart. And Real’s tactical plan was finely tuned, too, staying deep to prevent Erling Haaland from getting too much space and attacking with pace and purpose when they did get up the field. It was fascinating to watch two completely different approaches to the same game, two schools of tactical thought coming up against each other.And yet, the two goals came from two players just kicking the ball really, really hard.Firstly, Vinicius Junior, collecting the ball in the inside left channel and thinking “fuck it” before launching a tracer bullet that had flown past Ederson before he really had the chance to react. Bang. Have that.Then, in the second half, Kevin De Bruyne receives the ball just to the right of centre.
There are two defenders in his immediate path, but he can see that Thibaut Courtois is maybe positioned a little bit too far to his left and there is a bigger space near the bottom corner than there should be.
He puts his foot through it, Thor’s hammer striking the ball and sending it goalwards. Courtois still hasn’t reacted as the ball goes past those defenders. He knows it’s too late even before he’s been able to move.
He eventually does move because you’ve got to do something, haven’t you? But he never stood a chance, even if his positioning had been better and he had reacted a little quicker. The ferocity of the shot, combined with a hint of swerve from the slight angle of De Bruyne’s strike, meant he would’ve had to brick up the goalmouth to stop it. And even then…
There’s something viscerally thrilling about goals like that, when a player just pulls their foot back and lets one fly. It’s the same animal part of your brain that would enjoy watching a Formula 1 car flying past at 190mph or a cheetah chase down its prey. It’s satisfying to the senses, giving you a physical thrill before your brain has had chance to process it.Maybe it’s because it reduces the game to its most elemental form. We all like to analyse and over-analyse and look at the new tactical innovations and talk about hybrid positions and fluid systems. Then Vinicius Jr and De Bruyne show up with their traction-engine feet and just batter the thing and, for a moment, you realise that’s all that’s important really.But there’s also the tiniest, most remote and most delusional part of your brain that very briefly thinks… I could do that. It’s just kicking the football. Kicking it, like… hard. Surely it wouldn’t be that difficult? I’ve kicked balls hard before. Really hard. I broke a (flimsy, rusting) goalpost that time at five-a-side. Yeah, I could do that.You snap out of it because you’re not an idiot and you realise kicking a ball that hard isn’t just about taking a big run up and swinging your leg, but down to years of practice and hours of physical fine-tuning and mountains upon mountains of natural ability.But it’s sort of relatable. You watch Lionel Messi dribble or De Bruyne hit a 50-yard pass or Cristiano Ronaldo jump 10 feet in the air for a header and you know these are the actions of freaks, untouchable geniuses that exist on a different plane of reality. But when someone just leathers the ball… it’s closer, in its most basic elements, to something you or I might be able to do.This is football at its most primal, animalistic, simple. We can enjoy the complicated, the intricate and the involved, but when football is stripped back to its raw elements, you feel it in your body rather than your mind. Neither is necessarily better than the other, but it’s great to feel them both.Guardiola was right. But maybe so was Delph. The basics of football. Bang. Have that.
Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester City: Vinicius and De Bruyne strike but Haaland was kept quiet
A stunning strike from Kevin De Bruyne earned Manchester City a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg, after Vinicius Junior had scored from nearly the exact same spot on the Bernabeu pitch before the break.City dominated possession in the first half but it was Real who went in ahead after Vinicius linked well with Eduardo Camavinga and Luka Modric.Pep Guardiola’s side stayed patient though, and got their reward when De Bruyne struck a rasping shot past Thibaut Courtois to make it 1-1 in the 67th minute.Dermot Corrigan, Dan Sheldon and Thom Harris analyse the key talking points at the Bernabeu, ahead of the second leg at the Etihad next week…
De Bruyne strikes in the Champions League — again
Four minutes before De Bruyne’s brilliant equaliser against Real Madrid, the Belgium international crossed the ball towards Bernardo Silva and it went straight out of play.Instead of throwing his arms away in anger or looking frustrated, Guardiola enthusiastically applauded his talismanic midfielder for attempting to make something happen.And moments later, the encouragement paid off as De Bruyne struck his 10th goal of the season. Ilkay Gundogan rolled the ball towards him on the edge of the box, in an almost identical spot to where Vinicius Jr scored from in the first half.
While the Brazilian opted to strike his effort into the top right-hand corner, De Bruyne directed his shot towards the bottom right-hand corner instead.All the talk ahead of the semi-final centred on Erling Haaland and Karim Benzema, but City were again bailed out by De Bruyne’s brilliance.In the Champions League alone, De Bruyne’s last nine goals have come in the knockout stages and his finish against Real Madrid was the third-straight year he has scored in the first leg of a European semi-final.
Dan Sheldon and Thom Harris
But did the ball go out in the build-up to De Bruyne goal?
The Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was furious with the fourth official after De Bruyne made it 1-1 at the Bernabeu, gesturing that the ball had gone out of play before Bernardo Silva hooked it back into a central area in the build-up to the goal.
Not long after that intervention City were level — and Ancelotti was shown a yellow card for his complaints.
Speaking on beIN Sports, the former Arsenal manager and now FIFA’s chief of global football development Arsene Wenger suggested that, if it were possible, UEFA should have checked if the ball crossed the line.
“The VAR should normally check if a goal is regular or not. In a situation like that they have to intervene. They did not go far enough back to check if the ball was out or not, or they had not the potential to check if the ball was out or not. I think I would go for the second because normally the VAR cannot check on the sideline, only on the baseline, the goal-line.”
The Athletic has contacted UEFA for comment.
City had a plan for Vinicius, but big-game players find a way
For Guardiola, keeping Kyle Walker close to an explosive opposition winger usually does the trick.
For 36 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu, it largely worked.
Dropping into a 4-4-2 when Real looked to build up, City made sure to block the diagonal switch – a ball that consistently isolated Vinicius against Osasuna in the Spanish Cup final at the weekend.
Shifting over quickly as a team, with Walker and Bernardo Silva both keeping watch, the crossfield ball was rarely on. Receiving just 11 passes and taking seven touches in the opposition half, Vinicius hadn’t been so quiet in an opening half all season.
Ultimately, that didn’t matter.
As Real gained momentum in the second half, more sustained possession allowed the Brazilian to face up to his full-back more often, but there was still considerable rotation with both Karim Benzema and Rodrygo as the half went on.
Twenty of his 34 carries were in the second half, twisting and turning inside challenges, and even drawing a yellow card from Silva, left snapping at his heels.
City had a plan for Vinicius, but big-game players find a way.
Thom Harris
Real did a good job of keeping Haaland quiet
Madrid were without their top centre-back Eder Militao through suspension, so the pairing of Rudiger and Alaba were given the task of dealing with Haaland. Rudiger showed he was up for a battle in the opening minutes, snapping intensely at Haaland’s heels the first time the ball was played up to the Norway striker’s feet.
Ancelotti had said pre-game that dealing with Haaland was about the whole team defending compactly, and Madrid did drop deeper than they usually do, not giving any room to run in behind them. He still had plenty of early touches around the Madrid box though as City dominated possession, but two early half-chances were hit straight at Courtois.
As the game wore on, Haaland became more and more a spectator at the stadium where many believe he will one day play. Near the hour-mark, when did get the ball into his stride where he loves it most in the penalty area, David Alaba was across to block. Madrid reached 400 minutes without conceding in the competition before De Bruyne slammed in the equaliser on the night.
Dermot Corrigan
How Camavinga, Modric and Vinicius combined to break the deadlock
Ancelotti’s side saw far less of the ball than City in the first half but made the possession they did have count with a blistering goal from Vinicius — his seventh in Champions League knockout games against English sides.
Real’s impressive makeshift left-back Eduardo Camavinga started the move with a pass into Luka Modric, who was under pressure from Rodri…
The Croatian produced a perfect flick round the corner that span the ball into the path of Camavinga, who had continued his run and got the wrong side of Bernardo Silva…
And the Frenchman drove into the City half, with support from Vinicius and Benzema inside him…
Camavinga slid the ball to his right to Vinicius, who allowed the ball to run across him, into a central area…
And just when Ruben Dias was blocking his goalkeeper’s sight, Vinicius curled a fine finish past a flat-footed Ederson to make it advantage Real…
Carvajal stepping out of the shadow of Ramos and Casemiro
Dani Carvajal’s first half included an early subtle nudge to make sure Erling Haaland did not meet Bernardo Silva’s cross in the Madrid box, then a trip near halfway to stop Jack Grealish countering dangerously.
At 1-0 up, there was a more obvious shove on Grealish into the hoardings, then an overreaction to the Englishman’s angry response. He even got away with another tap on Grealish’s ankles, somehow reaching half-time without a yellow card.
It was a virtuoso performance of the defensive dark arts from Carvajal, stepping up now that former team-mates Sergio Ramos and Casemiro are no longer around. The homegrown defender is often seen by some as a weak link in the Madrid squad, and has had some very ropey performances in other games over the last few years.
But the Madrid hierarchy like having him around, as someone who brings the competitive edge that all champion teams need. City and Grealish did not enjoy his performance, but nobody at the Bernabeu cared.
Dermot Corrigan
Guardiola goes for tried and tested with oldest XI since 2019
We are used to Guardiola tinkering in the Champions League and devising a game plan that often works to the detriment of his team.
Against Real Madrid, however, he did the opposite.
According to Opta, Guardiola named the club’s oldest starting XI in a Champions League tie since their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in April 2019 (28 years and 360 days).
The average age of City’s starting team at the Bernabeu was 28 years and 262 days, with only Haaland (22) and Dias (25) aged 25 or under.
Guardiola’s decision to go with an experienced team paid off as they remained composed after falling behind in the game and worked their way back into the tie.
Despite the inevitability that embodies Real Madrid in the Champions League, the draw should leave City in the driving seat ahead of next week’s second leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Dan Sheldon
Who will be happier: Pep or Carlo?
Harris: City saw the threat of Vinicius, but taking a 1-1 draw back to the Etihad, where they are unbeaten in 25 Champions League games – scoring 79 along the way – means that Guardiola will surely fancy his chances.
Sheldon: Guardiola should be happier because his side were able to leave the Bernabeu with the game finely poised. And if you would back a team to win at home, it would be Manchester City.
Corrigan: Pep will be happier having come back from behind, but he’ll be wrong as Madrid have City right where they want them.
Sam Lee: Guardiola will be the happier with that because City have survived the Bernabeu experience and can be buoyed by their own raucous fans at the Etihad next week.
Ed Mackey: The answer should be Guardiola but Ancelotti seems to do his best work in Europe when the odds are stacked against him. Real Madrid will go into the second legs as underdogs, and that will suit them perfectly.
Sam Allardyce: Leeds have to get something against Newcastle, we can’t lose
Sam Allardyce has told his Leeds United players they cannot afford to lose against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Leeds are 19th in the Premier League on 30 points, two points from safety with three matches left to play and Allardyce, who lost his first match as head coach against Manchester City last weekend, sees the game against Newcastle as crucial to their survival chances.
“I have said to the players and I’ll say it now, when we come off the field on Saturday, we can’t afford to lose. We must get something,” the 68-year-old said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.“We won’t stay up with 30 points. Nobody’s ever going to do that. We’ve got nine points to go for, we know if we get nine points, which is a massive ask, we’ll stay up. If we get six we might do. I have to say this at this moment in time – I want to be still in it when we play Tottenham (on the last day of the season). That’s what I want. I’ll be very satisfied if when we play Tottenham we’re still in it.”
Allardyce has also made clear the importance of taking the lead against Newcastle and to avoid defensive collapses — Leeds conceded 23 goals during the month of April before Javi Gracia was dismissed.“I’d like to score the first goal if possible. That’s very important for us on Saturday. Getting the first goal would be a big lift.“It would help us win the game, I’m not saying we would win the game, but going a goal down would be a very difficult job I think mentally for the players to come back from. If that’s the case, they’ll have to try and do it — but not go daft like they have done before, leave the back door open and concede two, three or four again.”Allardyce also said gave an injury update on midfielder Tyler Adams. When asked his the USMNT midfielder would play again this season, Allardyce said: “Not that I believe, sadly.”Adams was forced to undergo surgery on a hamstring injury in March. The 24-year-old damaged a muscle during a training session ahead of Leeds’ 4-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 18 and was forced to pull out of international duty with the USMNT, remaining in England where he went under the knife.Leeds face Newcastle on Saturday before their final two games of the season against West Ham United (away) on May 21 and at home to Tottenham on May 28.
Premier League permutations: Title, Champions League, Europe and relegation battles for the run-in
The 2022-23 Premier League season is into its business end.During this week’s round of fixtures, there were changes in the battle for Europe and the fight for survival, while Manchester City and Arsenal kept pace with one another at the Premier League summit.The Athletic breaks down all three of those, exploring what each side needs in the final weeks of the campaign.This article will be updated after each round of matches.
The title race
It’s as it was at the Premier League summit after the latest round of fixtures. Leaders Manchester City made it 10 league wins in succession against Leeds United before Arsenal ensured the gap at the top remained one point with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United.City still have have a game in hand to install a more significant buffer.City’s dominant victory at the Etihad Stadium against Arsenal in April helped put them in such a strong position and they are now overwhelming favourites to retain their crown for the third consecutive season.
Backing that up with less glamorous, but equally effective, wins against Fulham, West Ham and Leeds has only helped their pursuit of a treble.Regardless of Arsenal’s success in what remains of the season, City need three wins from their remaining four games to confirm a fifth title in six years.Although, title races are seldom as straightforward as they seem and, as long as Arsenal are within touching distance, they will be a key player.
Martin Odegaard’s brace led Arsenal past Chelsea (Photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
For them, the possibility of ending a 19-year title drought relies on them capitalising on any slip ups which, despite the relentless schedule, look increasingly unlikely every week.
That said, City’s hopes of becoming the first English team since 1999 to complete the treble could benefit Arsenal. Guardiola’s calendar has four more games on it than Arteta’s between now and the end of the season — that will become five more games if City make it past Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final.
Manchester City UCL SF: Real Madrid (A) – May 9 PL: Everton (A) – May 14 UCL SF: Real Madrid (H) – May 17 PL: Chelsea (H) – May 21 PL: Brighton (A) – May 24 PL: Brentford (A) – May 28 FA Cup Final: Manchester United (N) – June 3
Champions League hopefuls Newcastle and Manchester United both slipped up over the weekend, with Eddie Howe’s side beaten by Arsenal and Erik ten Hag’s side losing to West Ham United. The pair remain in pole position to finish in the top four but have in-form Liverpool hot on their heels.
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From their four remaining games, Newcastle need seven points to guarantee a place at European football’s top table.
Despite Manchester United’s back-to-back defeats to Brighton and West Ham, they are favourites to join Eddie Howe’s side in the Champions League next season. They need nine points from their last four games to make absolute sure of a top-four place.
Liverpool sit just a point behind fourth-place Manchester United after recording their sixth successive win with a 1-0 victory over Brentford. Jurgen Klopp’s side have played a game more than Manchester United and Newcastle but have put themselves into a position to take advantage of any further slip ups.
Then comes the intriguing battle for the Europa League places — likely to be fifth and sixth — where Liverpool, Brighton, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are scrapping it out.
Liverpool have pulled away from the chasing pack after their recent run of good form and now have a five-point buffer between themselves and Tottenham. Spurs secured their first victory since the re-appointment of interim manager Ryan Mason with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace to leave them ahead of Brighton and Aston Villa, who both lost.
Aston Villa’s defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers — their second defeat in a row — leaves them perhaps hoping for a place in the Europa Conference League, although Unai Emery and his players will still harbour ambitions of a place in the Spaniard’s favourite competition.
That largely relies on the performances of Brighton, who suffered a 5-1 loss to relegation-threatened Everton in their last outing. Brighton sit seventh but have more games left than any other Premier League side. Roberto De Zerbi’s side have played two fewer games than those around them but still have to play Arsenal, Manchester City and Newcastle before the season is out.
Four wins from their five remaining games would guarantee Brighton a sixth-placed finish and Europa League football.
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Liverpool, meanwhile, need five points from their last three games to secure Europa League football for next season.
Tottenham sit two points ahead of Brighton and are in prime position to capitalise if De Zerbi’s side do not win their games in hand.
For Tottenham and Aston Villa, it is now all about maximising their own points return while hoping Brighton slip up.
How does European qualification work in the Premier League?
Champions League
The top four teams in the Premier League qualify for the group stage of the Champions League. The top four currently includes Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Manchester United.
Europa League
The team that finishes fifth in the Premier League — Liverpool currently occupy that spot — will earn one of the two Europa League places, with the other given to the FA Cup winners.
Because Manchester City and Manchester United are contesting the FA Cup final and are both expected to finish inside the top five, then the team that finishes in sixth will likely get the second Europa League place — that is Tottenham at present.
The winners of the Europa Conference League earn a place in the Europa League. West Ham are the only English team left in this season’s competition, with David Moyes’ side through to a semi-final against AZ Alkmaar following their 5-2 aggregate win over Gent.
Europa Conference League
The only Europa Conference League place is given to the winners of the Carabao Cup. If the Carabao Cup winners finish inside either the Premier League’s Champions League or Europa League places, the place is deferred to the next highest-finishing team.
As Manchester United won this season’s Carabao Cup and look set to finish in the top five, the next-highest team in the Premier League that has not qualified for Europe will play in the Europa Conference League play-offs.
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The Europa League place for the FA Cup winners looks set to be deferred to the league table, which would mean the seventh-place team will qualify for the Europa Conference League.
Currently, that is Brighton.
The battle for survival
Arguably the most intriguing of all the Premier League battles is the one to avoid relegation.
The teams in the drop zone rotated again on Monday following a trio of high-scoring fixtures.
For a long time, Southampton have been widely considered as too far back to survive. A 4-3 loss to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest left them eight points from safety with three games remaining and needing a minor miracle to survive. If Southampton fail to beat Fulham on Saturday, their relegation to the Championship will be confirmed.
Southampton’s survival hopes hang by a thread (Photo: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
The win lifted Nottingham Forest out of the drop zone and into 16th, with Steve Cooper’s side in a relegation mini-league alongside Leicester City, Leeds United and Everton. The teams from 16th to 19th are separated by three points.
Seven points from Forest’s final three games will guarantee their top flight status for next season — the likelihood is fewer points will be required.
Everton were also big winners on Monday as they recorded an emphatic 5-1 victory over Brighton to move two points clear of the relegation places.
Leicester and Leeds occupy the final two relegation spots and both sit on 30 points. Leeds’ fixtures are the toughest of all the relegation-threatened sides — newly-appointed Sam Allardyce will have to do a stellar job to keep their heads above water.
The relegation run in
WEST HAM UNITED
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
EVERTON
LEICESTER CITY
LEEDS UNITED
SOUTHAMPTON
Brentford (A)
Chelsea (A)
Manchester City (H)
Liverpool (H)
Newcastle (H)
Fulham (H)
Leeds (H)
Arsenal (H)
Wolves (A)
Newcastle (A)
West Ham (A)
Brighton (A)
Leicester (A)
Crystal Palace (A)
Bournemouth (H)
West Ham (H)
Tottenham (H)
Liverpool (H)
To stay in the Premier League, in their final three games Leeds and Leicester must better the returns of Everton by at least two points or the returns of Forest by at least three points. Leicester have a superior goal difference than those around them, while Leeds’ is better than Forest’s and marginally worse than Everton’s.
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West Ham, meanwhile, are all but mathematically safe after their victory over Manchester United. David Moyes’ side sit seven points clear of the drop zone and have a superior goal difference. Three points from their remaining three games will mathematically guarantee survival, but the likelihood is fewer points, if any, will be required. Equal the results of Leeds and Leicester during the next round of fixtures and West Ham are mathematically safe.
Forty points is often touted as the target for managers in charge of sides fighting towards the bottom but, based on the points-per-game so far, 34 points looks like the all-important target.
What do the stats predict?
Between now and the end of the season, there will be plenty of changes to the Premier League table, especially at the bottom where every point matters.
FiveThirtyEight has crunched the numbers: here is its prediction for how the table will look once the final ball of the season has been kicked.
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Jesse Marsch declines comment on open USMNT coaching position, next job is about ‘best fit possible’
Former Leeds manager Jesse Marsch declined to comment on the open U.S. men’s national team job this week and said his next job, “will be all about finding the best fit possible.”Marsch was in Chicago on Tuesday to be honored on the 20th anniversary of the Chicago Fire’s 2003 U.S. Open Cup team on which he played. The 49-year-old declined to comment on his exit at Leeds or the team’s current situation. He also declined to comment on the USMT job and said his visit to Chicago was strictly for the Fire’s ceremony.
Marsch, who was fired by Leeds in February, is a top candidate to take over as USMNT coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The job has been vacant since Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired at the end of 2022.
Marsch was non-committal when asked about what his next job could be and whether there are other opportunities in Europe.
“There have been a lot of little discussions about potential opportunities, which I always love those discussions because it’s important to get to the bottom of understanding what the vision is, from my perspective and from different clubs’ perspective,” Marsch said. “I’m fortunate that there’s still people that are interested in what I do. I still love coaching and my next job will be all about finding the best fit possible.”
Marsch was fired in February after nearly a year in charge at Leeds. The team was in 17th place in the Premier League table at the time, but had failed to win in seven consecutive league games despite advancing in the FA Cup. Leeds sits in 19th place in the Premier League table with three games remaining. The club parted ways with director of football Victor Orta on May 2 and hired Sam Allardyce as manager last week in an attempt to avoid relegation.
Marsch said he looked at his time in the Premier League as a valuable lesson in managing pressures that are “different than anywhere else” and that he was “proud” of the way the staff worked during his time there.“Learning different languages, learning different cultures, learning different styles of football has been really valuable in terms of my education and development and in terms of the coach that I want to be,” Marsch said. “What you realize is that the attention from every perspective, the magnifying glass on what happens in the Premier League is different than anywhere else. And how to manage that internally often will dictate your ability to create success.ADVERTISEMENThttps://6f6769af05dbed466742fb629dfc2fa5.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
“So, I think at our best moments, we did a really good job of that and we had internally a really good feeling of what we were trying to achieve and togetherness and belief at Leeds United, and that part I miss, And I was really proud of the way that we all worked together.”Marsch had discussions to take over as coach with two teams in the Premier League, Southampton and Leicester, after being fired at Leeds, but ultimately did not land with either team.
“I would say that both clubs were amazing and the people were fantastic, but the timing wasn’t right,” Marsch said.
Marsch was an assistant on Bob Bradley’s USMNT staff at the World Cup in 2010 and has familiarity with several USMNT players, including Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Brenden Aaronson, all of whom he coached at Leeds and elsewhere.
U.S. Soccer leaders have said they hope to have a coach in place by the end of the summer.
Afternoon kickaround: Onyewu takes big U.S. Soccer role, Open Cup talk, betting scandal its MLS
ASN’s Brian Sciaretta offers up thoughts on Oguchi Onyewu’s new job within U.S. Soccer, the Open Cup, the big Brazil betting scandal hits MLS, and more
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTED MAY 11, 2023 4:05 PM
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WEDNESDAY BROUGHT a lot of news into the American soccer world. Separately, we covered the release of the U.S. U-20 World Cup roster, but there is a lot of other news to break down and offer up some thoughts.Some of it was big, some of it was ugly, but let’s start with U.S. Soccer.
ONYEWU HIRED AS VP OF SPORTING
Former U.S. national team defender Oguchi Onyewu was hired to be the Vice President of Sporting for U.S. Soccer. It’s a newly created position that does not replace the USMNT GM position that is vacant and most recently held by Brian McBride, but it does have some overlap.For example, Onyewu will have a prominent role in managing relationships with clubs/leagues in both the USA & across the world.He will also assist new Sporting Director Matt Crocker in the hiring of the next U.S. national team coach. According to the press release, Onyewu will play a big part of that hire.
“With a wealth of international experience and a deep understanding of U.S. Soccer, Onyewu will be an instrumental part of the hiring process.”Finally, Onyewu will have responsibilities in the funding of youth and extended national teams.“Onyewu will also work closely with U.S. Soccer’s Development Department to help drive increased funding for Youth and Extended National Teams. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, U.S. Soccer receives no federal government funding to manage its National Teams programs, support hundreds of thousands of coaches and referees, and impact millions of players.”While U.S. Soccer made it clear that this does not replace the GM position and whether that position will continue to exist is still being reviewed.In his introductory interviews, Crocker did not come across as a revolutionary. The two previous Sporting Directors – Jurgen Klinsmann and Earnie Stewart – both came in to the job looking to make a lot of changes. Crocker seemed to express satisfaction with the status quo and was looking to build off that as opposed to knock down and rebuild from scratch.But Crocker also came across that he saw the value in American talent and the federation’s recent direction. But he is not American and perhaps the next USMNT coach won’t be either. But having a popular former U.S. national team player who has been gaining front office experience is a way to keep an American presence on the program in an important role. The image of a new sporting director coming into a foreign federation and making foreign hires could be a tough sell to those inside the program, outside the program, and to many fans. If the program continues to have success in the coming cycle, Onyewu would then have a very strong resume to be the next Sporting Director. He was reportedly in contention this time but U.S. Soccer instead went with Crocker. If Crocker returns to England after his contract runs out and the federation is in a good spot, Onyewu would be a very strong candidate.
U.S. OPEN CUP
The 2023 U.S. Open Cup concluded its Round of 32 on Wednesday night.MLS teams have had a very good tournament against lower-level opponents. Fans of “cupsets” have not been as thrilled with this year’s edition, so far, as MLS teams have a 22-3 record against teams from other domestic leagues.The only teams that remain from outside MLS are the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, who defeated the New England Revolution on Tuesday night, and the Birmingham Legion who posted a 3-0 win over fellow USL Championship team Memphis 905 on Wednesday night. The remaining 14 teams come from MLS.The highlight on Wedesday was the Columbus Crew convincing 5-1 road win over Loudoun United behind a goal and two assists from American forward Christian Ramirez.U.S. national team forward Brandon Vazquez scored the only goal for Cincinnati’s 1-0 over NYCFC. He is looking more and more dangerous as we enter the summer months.As for the upcoming Round of 16, we get El Traffico which is always exciting. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds host Columbus while Biringham Legion host Charlotte in what is probably the most likely matchup for a USL team to make the quarterfinal.
ROUND OF 16: MAY 23-24
Austin FC vs. Chicago Fire FC
Birmingham Legion FC vs. Charlotte FC
Colorado Rapids vs. Real Salt Lake
Inter Miami CF vs. Nashville SC
Houston Dynamo FC vs. Minnesota United FC
Los Angeles FC vs. LA Galaxy
New York Red Bulls vs. FC Cincinnati
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Columbus Crew SC
GAMBLING SCANDAL HITS MLS
The big story on Wednesday was a how the investigation of an unlawful betting scandal that originated in Brazil has spread to MLS.Brazil’s publication O Globo said one of the culprits was Colorado’s Max Alves who was signed by the Rapids as part of an U-22 initiative. The investigation is largely based in Brazil and Alaves is currently the only player outside of Brazil who is implicated. But Globo also indicated that Alaves referred former Houston Dynamo player Zeca to those who controlled the ring.
Alaves was shown to have been rewarded for picking up a yellow card minutes after being subbed into Colorado’s game against September 17, 2022. Alaves has been removed by Colorado for all activities pending the investigation by the league. It’s impossible to offer up any thoughts until the investigation is complete. But the league is taking immediate action and if it is shown that they acted swiftly and never tried to cover anything up, they should be fine. Hopefully, for all parties, it was limited strictly to Alaves and no other results or moments were compromised.
U-20 World Cup: Gaga Slonina, Cade Cowell highlight U.S. roster; Paxten Aaronson not released
Gaga Slonina, Cade Cowell and Kevin Paredes highlight the U.S. roster for this month’s U-20 World Cup, kicking off on May 20 in Argentina. Here’s what you need to know:
The roster, released Wednesday by U.S. Soccer, includes 11 players from the U-20 CONCACAF Championship-winning squad.
Paxten Aaronson, who won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the U-20 CONCACAF Championships, and Ricardo Pepi are among age-eligible players not on the roster.
The U.S. faces Ecuador (May 20), Fiji (May 23) and Slovakia (May 26) in Group B play.
U.S. U-20 World Cup roster
GK: Alexander Borto (Fulham/ENG), Antonio Carrera (FC Dallas), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea)
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DEF: Justin Che (Hoffenheim/GER), Brandan Craig (Philadelphia Union), Mauricio Cuevas (LA Galaxy), Marcus Ferkranus (LA Galaxy), Jonathan Gómez (Real Sociedad/ESP), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United), Joshua Wynder (Louisville City)
MID: Daniel Edelman (New York Red Bulls), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union), Rokas Pukštas (Hajduk Split/CRO), Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes), Obed Vargas (Seattle Sounders), Owen Wolff (Austin FC)
FWD: Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Darren Yapi (Colorado Rapids)
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Key players selected
Gaga Slonina: Perhaps the best-known player in the squad, Slonina will be the No. 1 goalkeeper. He made a huge winter transfer from the Chicago Fire to Chelsea for an up-front fee of $10 million with another $5 million in add-ons, potentially making him one of the most expensive teenage goalkeepers of all time.
Slonina, turning 19 next week, chose to represent the United States over Poland. He has already made his senior USMNT debut.
Kevin Paredes: Wolfsburg winger Paredes is among the most high-profile players in the group and was on the most recent U-20 roster in March. It was up in the air whether or not he would be released for the tournament. Paredes, 19, has made 20 Bundesliga appearances this season, 19 of which from the bench. He joined Wolfsburg from D.C. United for a $7 million fee in 2022.
Cade Cowell: Cowell, though suspended for the first group stage game for his role in a dustup at the U-20 CONCACAF Championships, will be relied upon in attack. The dynamic winger was released by the San Jose Earthquakes despite having started all 11 of their MLS matches so far. He already has made 92 MLS appearances (44 starts) in his teenage years.
Caleb Wiley: Atlanta United rising star Wiley broke into the club’s starting XI, but the club released him for the tournament even though he started 10 of its 11 games thus far. Wiley has played both left wing and left back for Atlanta but is expected to be at left back for this group, which is his long-term position. European clubs have already contacted Atlanta about him, and he’ll likely be among the next big-money transfers to come from MLS.
Who wasn’t released?
The United States will have to make do without Aaronson, as Eintracht Frankfurt declined to release the young attacker.
Aaronson led the group to a title at the U-20 CONCACAF Championships, winning the Golden Boot with seven goals as well as the Golden Ball, an award given to the tournament’s best player. The 19-year-old has already made his senior national team debut.
Aaronson transferred to Eintracht Frankfurt from the Philadelphia Union this winter, and the idea was he would be released for the World Cup. Well, those plans changed as he integrated into the first team quicker than expected — he appeared off the bench in each of the club’s last four matches — while Frankfurt made an unexpected run to the German Cup final.
Center back Jalen Neal wasn’t released by the L.A. Galaxy. Neal, 19, has become an integral starter for the struggling Galaxy, who are dealing with a couple of injuries to fellow center backs Séga Coulibaly and Chris Mavinga, further complicating a potential release for Neal.
Forward Ricardo Pepi isn’t on the squad, though his possible inclusion seemed more hopeful than anything. He is excelling on loan at Groningen from FC Augsburg and is a crucial cog in their fight against relegation, which would have ruled him out of contention for the U-20 World Cup. The Dutch club has now been mathematically relegated, which offered slight hope that Pepi may have been released. Alas, he was not.
The Chicago Fire had previously announced goalkeeper Chris Brady and midfielder Brian Gutiérrez wouldn’t be released due to their roles in the first team.
Hajduk Split had announced midfielder Rokas Pukštas wasn’t going to be released, but he was named to the squad.
U.S.’s outlook, history at the U-20 World Cup
The United States was placed in pot one for the group stage draw and headline group B, followed by Ecuador, Fiji and Slovakia. They kick off the group stage on May 20, and the tournament ends with the final (and third-place match) on June 11.
They earned their pot one status thanks in part to winning the U-20 CONCACAF Championship as well as results in previous U-20 World Cups.
The United States has consistently qualified for this tournament — failing to qualify for just one of the last 13 editions — and has started to have consistent results as well, for better and worse, being eliminated in the quarterfinal in each of the last three tournaments. Their best-ever finish was in the 1989 tournament, finishing fourth.
The most recent tournament was in 2019 after the planned 2021 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States got out of the group stage with two wins (over Nigeria and Qatar after losing to Ukraine) then upset high-powered France in the round of 16. The Americans were eliminated by Ecuador in the quarterfinals, with numerous players graduating from that group to lead Ecuador to qualify for the senior World Cup last winter.
What they’re saying
“We’re really excited for this group to compete against the world’s best in Argentina,” coach Mikey Varas said in a news release. “To represent your country at a World Cup is a tremendous honor. We embrace the responsibility that comes with this opportunity.”
-and-white answer,” Vanney said, “but there’s a gray answer in there somewhere that makes sense for everybody.”
Analysis: Varas names U-20 World Cup roster, taking risks with eyes towards knockouts
U.S. U-20 head coach Mikey Varas announced his World Cup roster and, in addition to the troubles of securing releases for top players, the big story is that he is taking a risk for the group stages that he hopes will payoff in the knockouts. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks it down.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTED MAY 10, 2023 12:25 PM
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UNITED STATES U-20 head coach Mikey Varas unveiled his roster for the 2023 U-20 World Cup. This will be the first World Cup tournament for the U-20 team under Varas and putting together the team was difficult given that most clubs are still in season and player releases are non-mandatory.
In the end, Varas struggled for player releases, but he still got most of what he wanted. The biggest absence was Paxten Aaronson who was the Golden Boot winner last year at the CONCACAF Championships. Then Aaronson’s top backup in Brian Gutierrez was also not released by Chicago and the team’s top central defender all cycle, Jalen Neal, was also not released by the Galaxy.
The U.S. team was drawn into Group B and will begin play on Saturday, May 20 against Ecuador. Then the team will play Fiji on May 23, and finally will conclude group play against Slovakia on Friday, May 26. All games will be at 2pm EST.
The big takeaway from this roster announcement is that Mikey Varas is taking calculated gamble with the roster. His initial requests for players to be released the entire tournament saw a lot of denials. In fact, Hajduk Split even went so far as to announce on their official twitter feed that they denied the release of Rokas Pukstas on May 4. Pukstas has become a regular starter for Hajduk Split and that club as the Croatian Cup final on May 24.
Then the Chicago Fire announced that Brian Gutierrez was not released. There were also reports about Noel Buck being denied. On top of that, it was always dicey that star winger Kevin Paredes would be released as he had been a regular with Wolfsburg this season as an offensive substitute. Then there was the Paxten Aaronson news on Tuesday that he was not being released.
As opposed to simply taking the next best player available, Varas decided to take some risks and keep spots on the roster open for the group stages and allow some players just to join for the knockouts. There are only so many spots a manager can afford to keep open for a group stage, but Varas has opted to hold open spots for Paredes and Pukstas.
Combined with the fact that the team was already shorthanded in the opening game against Ecuador before the late arrivals given Cade Cowell’s suspension (due to the postgame brawl with Costa Rica last year in qualifying) and that Niko Tsakiris has been injured since February and hasn’t played a game since then, this is a gamble.
Against Ecuador in the opening game, the U.S. team will have just 15 field players – including the only recently recovered Tsakiris.
What Varas wants is the best possible team he could get for the knockouts. He could have just taken the best available team right now, but he decided to go for it. Iinstead, he is opting to go shorthanded in the group stage to have the best team possible in the knockouts.
Of course, he must get to the knockouts to get these players and going shorthanded in the group stage puts the team at a disadvantage. But with four of the six third place teams advancing and the U.S. team drawing a minnow in Fiji into its group, it doesn’t seem like a reckless gamble. Three points with a decent goal differential could potentially be enough to advance. If the U.S. pounds Fiji and takes close losses to Ecuador and Slovakia, there is a good chance it goes through.
It’s a gamble early with the hopes that the team will get a big boost in the knockouts.
DEFENSIVE SPINE THE KEY
The key to the U.S. team advancing is likely on the defensive side. Team captain and defensive midfielder Daniel Edelman is very important to the team’s success. A big reason for this is that there is a big drop-off between him and the next No. 6 in the lineup, the young Obed Vargas who is playing up a cycle and missed the second half of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023 due to injuries.
Edelman is important to the leadership of this team and in protecting the team’s defensive spine. Part of the reason why the team struggled in March in Spain (losses to France and England) is because Edelman was not there.
Edelman will sit in front of a central defense pairing that is likely Brandan Craig and Josh Wynder, who is also playing up a cycle. With Jalen Neal not released and Wynder having his stock take off over the past year, it will be a huge opportunity for Wyndner – who is signing for Benfica after developing with Louisville City.
In front of those three, Gaga Slonina will be in goal and he brings more experience with him to the U-20 World Cup than any other teenage American goalkeeper in recent history.
The front five (the No. 8, No. 10, two wingers, and the forward) are going to be rotated and it doesn’t seem clear what the top options are yet there – given the releases. But if Slonina, the central defenders, and Edelman can play well, the U.S. team should be in good shape.
HOW WILL THE U.S. TEAM PLAY?
The U.S. team has played almost exclusively with a 4-3-3 this entire cycle. But could the roster limitations force a different formation? It’s possible and Varas declined to answer if there was another formation that he’d be willing to use.
The 4-3-3 formation remains the most likely and the starting lineup for the Ecuador game almost picks itself.
GK: Slonina
RB: Mauricio Cuevas
CB: Brandan Craig
CB: Josh Wynder
LB: Jonathan Gomez
CM: Dan Edelman
CM: Jack McGlynn
CM: Owen Wolff
LW: Caleb Wiley
RW: Quinn Sullivan
CF: Darren Yapi
That would leave Diego Luna, Niko Tsakiris, Markus Fekranus, Obed Vargas, Justin Che, and the two backup goalkeepers on the bench.
Moving forward in the group stage, Cowell’s return offers up some more flexibility. Plus, it will be important to see the progress of Tsakiris and how Justin Che is performing after a long injury layoff as well.
Varas also indicated on Wednesday that he like’s Wiley’s ability to play the wing, and that makes sense against Ecuador with Paredes and Cowell out.
One of the differences between this U-20 roster now and the one that played in qualifying is that Yapi gives the team a different look. Varas often went without a No. 9 for most of the cycle since he didn’t like his options. But Yapi’s emergence in 2023 with Colorado and then with the U-20 team in March gave the team a true No. 9. Now it comes down to providing him service. If the team is able to utilize the a true No. 9, it should help fill the void left by Aaronson’s absence.
NOTABLE ABSENCES
There is a lot of talk about releases. We know that Neal, Aaronson and Chris Brady weren’t release while Buck may night have been released. We also know Ricardo Pepi is age eligible but has moved onto the first team. But who else is not here that could have been a coach’s decision?
Benja Cremaschi: versatile Inter Miami midfielder was not on the roster despite playing with Argentina’s U-20 team in December and the U.S. U-20 team in October. He is eligible for next cycle and that was always going to be his main cycle. Inter Miami would have released him, but he either was not selected by Varas or he declined due to hope with Argentina next cycle.
Caden Clark: The RB Leipzig midfielder had had injuries but has also not yet played for Leipzig in the Bundesliga. He has been an unused substitute at times. But next week will be the eight-month anniversary of his last game. He’s talented but his lack of playing put him in a bad position, especially on a roster where Varas will be shorthanded in group play.
Alejandro Alvarado: The Vizela midfielder had a good CONCACAF U-20 tournament last year but has struggled in subsequent U-20 camps and has not made an impact at Vizela (only 65 first team minutes all season).
Michael Halliday: The Orland City right back was a bit of a surprise to not make the roster given that he has had a strong start to 2023 with Orlando, he has played with the U.S. U-20 team a lot this cycle (including at qualifying), and the other right backs in Mauricio Cuevas and Justin Che have both struggled for minutes.
Nine U.S. U-20 World Cup players who could graduate to the senior USMNT
At his press conference to discuss the United States’ roster for the U-20 World Cup, head coach Mikey Varas repeatedly came back to his ultimate goal: To develop players from this group to graduate into the senior national team.
Of course, Varas would like to win the tournament, but success isn’t measured exclusively by results. It’s results and development. History shows around half the team should be expected to make at least one senior USMNT cap, with a handful graduating to a World Cup squad.Among recent U.S. U-20 World Cup squads:
• 10 players from 2017 squad made at least one USMNT appearance.
• Four players from 2017 (Tyler Adams, Josh Sargent, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Luca de la Torre) made the 2022 senior World Cup squad.
• 11 players from 2019 U-20 World Cup squad made at least one USMNT appearance.
• Two players (Sergiño Dest, Tim Weah) from 2019 made the senior World Cup squad, and a third (Chris Richards) very likely would have if not for injury.
The USMNT’s annual January camp may help inflate those cap numbers. With most of the first choice team unavailable for the annual camp during non-FIFA-mandated windows, the squad list is more experimental in nature and digs deeper down the pool to fill. Four of those 10 players capped from the 2017 squad have made only one senior appearance. Five of the 11 capped players from the 2019 team are nowhere near the senior squad at the moment.
With the second-youngest squad at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the USMNT won’t be naturally losing players from the pool at a high rate in the near future. That could mean less opportunity for this year’s U-20 players to break through. It’s also worth remembering that, with Ricardo Pepi and Paxten Aaronson among age-eligible players not on the squad by their clubs, this isn’t the strongest possible U-20 group.
Despite all of that cold, hard nuance, the roster features plenty of talented players, a number of whom stand a good chance of breaking into the senior pool.
After a year as a first choice goalkeeper in MLS followed by a huge transfer to Chelsea this winter, Slonina is perhaps the best-known player in the squad. He’ll be the top choice between the sticks for Varas.
Slonina, turning 19 next week, is one of the most expensive teenage goalkeepers of all time after his transfer from the Chicago Fire for an up-front fee of $10 million with another $5 million in add-ons. He made 43 appearances with the Fire before heading to Chelsea in January.
He’s a potential No. 1 goalkeeper for the USMNT one day. Matt Turner (28 years old) is the current first choice, with Zack Steffen (also 28) among the top challengers for the spot.
The Atlanta United homegrown has become an indispensable starter in MLS, delivering three goals and two assists while splitting time between left wing and left back. Long-term, he projects as a left back — that’s how clubs in Europe see him and where he’ll play mostly for the U-20s.
“We anticipate Caleb will have a big tournament,” Varas told media on a virtual press conference Wednesday.
Behind presumed starter Antonee Robinson, the USMNT left back depth chart is wide open. The current backups are right-footed players capable of playing on the left (Joe Scally, Sergino Dest), Wiley offers something more similar to Robinson: an attacking overlapping outlet down the left, allowing the winger (presumably Christian Pulisic, in the USMNT’s case) to cut in.
Wiley, 18, will be in Europe before long. Atlanta already rejected a transfer offer for him last year. A lot of scouts will be paying close attention to him in Argentina.
Josh Wynder
Defender, Louisville City, 18 years old
Center back Josh Wynder is playing up a group, as he’s age-eligible for the 2025 U-20 World Cup as well.
Currently with Louisville City, Wynder will soon join Benfica in a USL league-record transfer this summer, with the Portuguese club winning his signature ahead of a number of MLS and European clubs this spring. Wynder just turned 18 this month but has already made 45 first team appearances.
“Josh is clearly a very technical center back with a great physical profile,” Varas said. “What really put the exclamation mark for me, in the last camp, he showed me he has ‘savage’ inside him as a defender. Your job is to be a physical player who wants to protect the goal. That takes a certain type of personality.”
Kevin Paredes had been thought of as a future USMNT left back, but most of his minutes at Wolfsburg have been at left midfield after he broke through at D.C. United as a wingback. He’s versatile, so still could end up at left back, but will play as a winger for the U.S. U-20s.
Paredes has made 20 Bundesliga appearances this season, 19 of which came from the bench. His importance as a squad player for his club means he won’t join up with the United States until after the group stage. He joined Wolfsburg from D.C. United for a $7 million fee in 2022.
With Paredes and Wiley as young options behind Robinson at left back, the national team should be covered there for the foreseeable future.
Cade Cowell’s athleticism is already at an elite level. If he can polish his final third actions, he’ll be in the senior national team on a regular basis. Even if he doesn’t, he’ll still get chances because of his dynamism. He had the fastest recorded sustained sprint in MLS last season, as per Second Spectrum.
Cowell, 19, already has three senior USMNT caps. He put in a man of the match performance against Serbia in January, albeit with both groups severely undermanned due to the friendly falling outside of a FIFA-mandated window.
The San Jose Earthquakes winger has 92 MLS appearances under his belt, starting all 11 of the club’s games this season before heading to Argentina with the U.S. U-20s. The Quakes rejected a bid from French Ligue 1 side Reims last summer for him.
Philadelphia Union midfielder Jack McGlynn has an elite skill that can translate to the senior international level: Distribution. Specifically, with his preferred left foot.
“McGlynn has a left foot that you can’t teach,” Jim Curtin told me in 2022. “It’s really special. His passing ability I equate to Haris [Medunjanin]. That’s the best passer I’ve worked with. And Jack is right there. His IQ is up there with [Alejandro] Bedoya, who has played in World Cups and in Europe. He’s worked really hard defensively, but he’s special. He’s still growing, he’s getting stronger.”
McGlynn, 19, is already the Union’s best midfield passer and is among their top options on set pieces. He’ll be a crucial part of the U-20s midfield. He has grown into his body and improved athleticism over the last year or two, and if that continues, he’ll be in the senior national team pool.
Obed Vargas
Midfielder, Seattle Sounders, 17 years old
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The youngest player on the United States roster, Seattle Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas broke onto the scene last year playing a key role to the Sounders winning the CONCACAF Champions League as a 16-year-old.
Vargas, now 17, missed the second half of 2022 with a back injury, forcing him to miss the 2022 U-20 CONCACAF Championships with this group.
Austin FC midfielder Owen Wolff has displaced key veteran Alex Ring to establish himself in his club side’s first choice XI. He broke into the U-20 group this cycle and could be in line for a big role at the World Cup.
“What we love about Owen, he’s got a fighting spirit,” Varas said. “He’s not afraid of confrontation and, on top of that, he’s very skillful and very smart. You see this in MLS, how he fought into the starting lineup this year.”
Wolff was been linked with PSV earlier this year. He projects to make a big move to Europe within the next few years.
While the defensive midfielder isn’t thought to have as high a ceiling as others on this list, Daniel Edelman is already a steady professional and could find himself on the outskirts of the senior pool with his consistency if he keeps developing.
It would be a stretch to say he projects to be a first choice starter for the national team, particularly given Tyler Adams occupies his position, but depth behind Adams is unproven. Edelman is the U.S. U-20 captain and won a starting spot in the New York Red Bulls competitive midfield last season. He fits very well in a pressing/transition system, which could be the direction the senior team goes in the future. If so, it’s not hard to see a scenario in which he gets some caps.
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Why U.S.’s U-20 men’s World Cup squad won’t include some of its best young players
When the U.S. men’s U-20 team lines up for its opening U-20 World Cup match against Ecuador on May 20, it won’t be the strongest possible XI.
The problem isn’t unique to the United States. Roster construction is a complicated maze for all federations, as the youth tournament does not fall in a FIFA-mandated international window and clubs can decline to release players. Federations lobby for the players’ release and clubs grapple with the decision. Do they keep first-team players with the squad or send them to represent their country in Argentina at the world’s premier youth tournament?
layers generally want to go. Representing their country at a World Cup, albeit an age-specific precursor to the iconic senior event, is an unforgettable achievement. It can also be another major stepping stone in their careers.
“It’s kind of shocking that I see some of the guys I know not being released, and it sucks,” Atlanta United’s Caleb Wiley said. “I’m super thankful the club released me to represent my country. This is something that doesn’t happen often. For me to be able to go to Argentina, it’s special.”
When the tournament kicks off, European clubs are wrapping up their seasons, with titles, continental tournament qualification, relegation and cup finals still on the line. MLS clubs have games that Wiley, a key starter, will be missing.
“Think about the kids — and I’m getting fired up — this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that they may never get back again,” Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin said. “To prevent them from playing in a U-20 World Cup? I’m sorry, I don’t agree with it.”
Curtin said the Union will “excitedly release any player” called up. It’s expected the Union’s Jack McGlynn, Quinn Sullivan and Brandan Craig will get the call for the U.S. Rosters have to be submitted to FIFA by May 10. McGlynn has won a starting spot with Philly, Sullivan is an important rotation attacker and Craig is currently one of only four first-team center backs Curtin could call on amidst a jam-packed May schedule.
It’s not that simple at other clubs, though.
“Sometimes there are moments in life where you have a choice between a bad solution and a bad solution,” Chicago Fire sporting director Georg Heitz told The Athletic. “This is one of those moments.”
For Heitz and the rest of the Chicago Fire, the decision was to decline to release midfielder Brian Gutierrez and goalkeeper Chris Brady. Both were expected to be on the roster if released by the club
Brady is the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. Gutierrez is the starting No. 10, even after Swiss international, and the league’s second-highest paid player, Xherdan Shaqiri returned from injury. The Fire have missed the playoffs in nine of the last 10 years, and fired head coach Ezra Hendrickson on Monday.
“My job is to defend the interests of the Chicago Fire, to defend the interests of our coaching staff and, of course, the players,” Heitz said. “There you see the problem — It’s a conflict of interest. The strongest argument not to let them go is the schedule. We have so many games in May, and we need these players. They are pillars in this team, we’re speaking about our No. 1 goalkeeper and our playmaker.”
Brady and Gutierrez won’t be the only ones held back by their clubs. Croatian side Hajduk Split already announced American midfielder Rokas Pukstas will not be released either. Pukstas has started each of the last 11 Hajduk matches he was available for, playing all but one minute over that timeframe. The club has four league games left, as well as the Croatian Cup final coming on May 24.
The statuses of Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Paxten Aaronson and Wolfsburg winger Kevin Paredes aren’t defined, either. Aaronson broke into the Frankfurt matchday roster quicker than anticipated after a winter transfer from the Philadelphia Union, appearing in each of their last three games off the bench. Frankfurt is in the German Cup final on June 3.
“If the player is playing a huge role in the team in a professional league — against adult men in first divisions where there’s pressure on the standings — are you willing to release a player playing a significant role inside your team?” LA Galaxy head coach and sporting director Greg Vanney said. “There are different beliefs on that. In most places around the world, if a young player is playing, a lot would say no. There’s a reason why FIFA doesn’t make this mandatory (to release players). A club has to reflect on that.”
For the Galaxy, the player to reflect on is center back Jalen Neal, who has been a crucial figure over the U-20 cycle and even made his senior national team debut in January. But he’s become an indispensable starter and a bright spot for the Galaxy, which has just one win in 10 games and saw center back Sega Coulibaly go down with an injury in the first half of Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Colorado.
“If I feel like I can cover the team and I can afford Jalen some level of experience in this, I’d love to do that,” Vanney said. “I need to talk to him to see where his head is at but I also need to look after the other players who are here and trying to win games, win championships.”
The Galaxy could have had as many as four players at the tournament.
In addition to Neal, fellow Americans Mauricio Cuevas and Markus Ferkanus were also on the U.S.’s qualifying squad. Unlike Neal, they haven’t broken into the first team rotation, with Cuevas arriving from Club Brugge in April. Vanney said Cuevas and Ferkanus will be released if called.
They also have Argentina youth international Julián Aude, who was acquired from Lanus in March. Aude was a starter for Argentina at the U-20 South American championships, but was not called into their squad for the U-20 World Cup.
Vanney indicated there was a collective agreement between the player, his camp, the Galaxy and the Argentine federation that it would be more beneficial for Aude to remain with the Galaxy, where he quickly became a starter.
“Some of it is a little bit cultural in terms of where in the pecking order of the priority list we put the U-20 World Cup relative to first division soccer,” Vanney said.
MLS clubs are caught in the crossfire more than European clubs.
For one, clubs in the United States’ domestic league are expected to be more cooperative than those abroad. The league calendar also means it’s the early part of the season and in a league that has a playoff system in which more than half of the teams qualify.
“Sometimes you’ll hear from sporting directors or coaches who say ‘development, development, development,’ but then when it comes time, it’s ‘well I can’t sacrifice points here,’” Curtin said. “We all have to be in it together and really be about it, not just talk about it.”
Another key starter in MLS who is eligible for selection is San Jose Earthquakes homegrown winger Cade Cowell, who has started all 10 of the club’s MLS games. Like Neal, Cowell has been a crucial figure in this U-20 cycle and has made his debut with the senior national team.
“There’s more that goes into it than what people probably realize,” San Jose Earthquakes sporting director Chris Leitch said. “How does it impact our club? In the case of Cade, he’s a week-in, week-out starter. That’s a consideration, but it’s also about what’s best for the player. … He’s played in a lot of MLS games but he hasn’t played in a U-20 World Cup. We’re collaborative with the player.”
Cowell and other standouts from the U-20 World Cup could be called into the senior national team this summer, as well. The Nations League and Gold Cup tournaments run at the same time as the MLS season. How long can clubs be without key starters?
“It’s not just like ‘oh okay, he’s invited, let him go.’ There’s a lot that goes into this,” Leitch said. “But if you’re going to pride yourself on developing players, you have to give them opportunities in a different competition, even if it’s not best for your club. Also you’ve got to be willing to say ‘let’s see what the next guy is able to do with this opportunity, as well.’”
There’s also an obvious monetary value to this proposition.
FIFA U-20 World Cup Winner’s Trophy. Photo: Harold Cunningham/FIFA
Competing at a U-20 World Cup is another pedigree marker for any player, and it’s a tournament all clubs across the world are watching.Players from the United States’ squad at the 2019 U-20 World Cup like Mark McKenzie, Chris Durkin and Julian Araujo have since moved abroad. Tyler Adams, Erik Palmer-Brown and Auston Trusty were at the 2017 U-20 World Cup.
“It is the premier youth tournament, it’s heavily scouted and the hope is there’s a value-add in putting more eyeballs on watching a player live,” Leitch said. “You watch Cade Cowell on video, you see he’s fast. You see Cade Cowell live and you’re like, holy cow, he’s world-class fast. … You can see it on the video, but seeing it live? You see how electric that really is.”
Catching the eye of clubs higher up the global food chain is important for players, as well as testing themselves against the best players in the world in their age group.
“You want to play in World Cups as a player, right?” Atlanta head coach Gonzalo Pineda said. “U-20 (World Cup) is a tournament that is very important for getting attention from European clubs, for understanding where you are in the world with your performance. You see where you’re at in your age group.”It’s not exactly the same discovery for players in the United States as it previously may have been, though. Through advancements in scouting technology, globalization in the soccer world and more clubs figuring out elite talent can be produced in any corner of the world, the starlets who will represent the United States are already well-known to scouts across the world.“I’m not sure a player goes there and does a whole lot for their value,” Vanney said. “Scouting is so sophisticated. Jalen is an example, when he played 200 minutes as a teenager, it’s already hitting flags in every scouting department in Europe that there’s a 19-year-old center back playing in MLS.”The Fire have already rejected a transfer offer from Club Brugge for Brady almost a full year before he made his first team debut (as first reported by ESPN in 2022). Gutierrez has already turned heads in Europe with two goals and five assists across 1,693 minutes in his age-18 season last year.“I would bet both players will make their way to Europe, with or without the U-20 World Cup,” Heitz said. “We’ve proven it with Gaga (Slonina) and (Jhon) Duran: You can make big, big transfers out of MLS directly.”Some clubs will release players, some won’t. The equation is different for each situation.“It may not be a black
My Game in My Words: Deeper insight from players preparing for the 2023 Women’s World Cup
Realistically, we only ever see about half of what makes an elite athlete so great. We see the goals, the well-timed runs off the ball, the other-wordly recovery runs and the jaw-dropping distribution. All of that is informed by repetitions in training and strong connections forged with teammates outside of the public eye. But, even before sequences are rehearsed on the training ground, they have to originate within a player’s mind.Ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, we’re excited to bring you a series of interviews with top players where they talk us through some of their best moments on the pitch. It’s called “My Game In My Words” and it’s something that has become a staple of The Athletic’s coverage. While the churn of any given season can cause athletes to face the same questions over and over in some form, their eyes often light up when they get to break down the nuances of how they approach their craft.For those who are unfamiliar, one of The Athletic’s writers will sit with a player, one-on-one, and dissect a series of selected highlights. Some will be obvious: a monumental goal, a remarkable save. Others will force the player to break down lesser heralded parts of the game: positional play, reading an opponent, or when exactly to launch the ball instead of looking for a shorter pass.For example, take this from Beth Mead in our first installment of the 2023 series on how her time as a No. 9 helps her thrive at a wider position, reviewing a goal she scored against Sweden in last summer’s Euro semifinal.“I ran in and that was like a No. 9 should be, because I have that instilled in me still,” Mead told Katie Whyatt. “A full-back such as Lucy (Bronze) — she’s basically a winger anyway, because she gets that high up the pitch and gets past you. She can physically do it because she’s so athletic. Her strengths bring out my strengths, helping me get into that area. I remember Ian Wright — in the commentary analysis — saying that sometimes you just know when they leave your foot. And I really did when it left my foot; I knew I’d hit it well enough that it should be going in.”Through this series, both our writers and you, the reader, will hopefully gain a new understanding of the inner-workings of some of the best players in the world as they prepare for a major tournament. Once the World Cup begins, the world will see their moments of brilliance amidst the drama that comes with the highest stakes the sport has to offer — but thanks to this series, you’ll know why and how they thought to pull it off in the first place.
The My Game in My Wordsseries is part of a partnership with Google Pixel. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
With World Cup roster spot on the line, Lynn Williams focuses on being her best self for Gotham
In The Journey to the Cup, The Athletic tells the stories of players and teams as they work towards a place in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Follow along as we track their progress as they prepare both mentally and physically for a chance to shine on the game’s biggest stage.Lynn Williams calls her trade away from the Kansas City Current a blessing in disguise.
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The NJ/NY Gotham FC forward started the 2023 season in red-hot form, notching four goals in five appearances across all competitions. Her game-winning goal against the North Carolina Courage made her the third player to score 60 regular season goals and tied her with Portland Thorns’Christine Sinclair on the NWSL’s all-time leading goalscorers list.
With a trip to her first World Cup on the line, Williams could focus on the pressure to compete for a spot on the roster. Instead, Lynn Williams is focused on being Lynn Williams.“My focus is just doing what I need to do to help this team and that means being the best Lynn Williams I can possibly be. And being the best Lynn Williams I could possibly be will hopefully help me get on the [U.S. national] team,” Williams told reporters following Gotham’s 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit in the UKG Challenge Cup where she notched another game-winning goal.
Williams working to be her best self means paying attention to the journey, instead of the finish line.
“I’m not really somebody who sets goals,” she toldThe Athletic. “I’m more of somebody who just looks at the process and the steps it takes you to get there. I think that sometimes when we look too far ahead, we can miss steps in getting us to that ultimate goal for lack of better words.
“I’m more somebody who says, ‘You know what? I’m going to show up every single day, and I’m going to play my best or I’m going to try my hardest.’ And hopefully, that allows me to reach, and have, success. But I think sometimes when we’re too goal-oriented, if we don’t reach that goal, then what? We’re so disappointed when sometimes it’s just about the journey.”
Focusing on the process has also allowed Williams to play with more joy after coming back from a hamstring injury that kept her out for 10 months.
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“At the end of day, soccer is supposed to be fun,” she explained. “It’s a kid’s sport that we are just so lucky to be able to play as adults. I think that when I’m having my most fun, I’m relaxed and free and playing my best soccer. When you’re around a great coaching staff and a great bunch of teammates of women who are uplifting each other, it’s easy to find the joy in the game.”When Williams is playing her best soccer, everyone should be afraid — or excited if she plays for your team. In her seven seasons in the NWSL, she’s finished outside the top 10 of the golden boot race only twice (during her rookie year and when she was injured in 2022). In every season she’s played, she’s notched the most goals on her team.In 2016, with the Western New York Flash, she had 11 goals and five assists in 19 games, winning the 2016 golden boot and league MVP. She also became the first player to win MVP and score in an NWSL championship in the same season.
That championship game was special to Williams for several reasons. It was her first NWSL championship game (and win), and she scored her favorite goal of all time. In the dying seconds of extra time, Jess McDonald sent a floating ball to Williams who was waiting to pounce on the back shoulder of Washington Spirit defender Alyssa Kleiner. Williams beats two defenders and the on-rushing Kelsey Wys before heading the ball into the back of the net. The goal sent the game into penalty kicks and WNY won 3-2. Surprisingly, it was Williams’ first time scoring with her head.
A last-minute trade to a team more than 1,000 miles away could unsettle a player, but Williams is starting to feel at home. Living outside of New York City, she appreciates the ability to “pop into the city” when she wants and have a life outside of soccer — though she openly admits she’s more of a homebody. She hasn’t done anything memorable yet, but she and her teammates want to go to the famous Comedy Cellar to see a show.
Williams also appreciates the unique New Jersey perk of not having to pump your own gas, but it limits her opportunity to play the lottery as much as she used to.
“I love playing the lottery because you can’t win if you don’t play,” she said. “I feel like in the past, every time I got gas I was like ‘Oh I’ll just buy a lottery ticket.’ And now that I don’t have to get out of my car, I never buy lottery tickets. So I need to figure out a new system.”
So far, Williams has enjoyed playing with her new club and teammates. Originally, she left North Carolina to find a new challenge and Gotham ultimately became the place she needed to step out of her comfort zone.
For Gotham, its offseason transactions and new coaching staff have already translated into results. They have their best regular season start in club history with nine points. The team has kept three consecutive clean sheets across all competitions for the first time since April 2015. Williams has already equaled the most goals any player scored for the club in 2022. She also became the first player to be assisted in a game by both Mewis sisters, her new favorite stat.
“This is exactly the challenge I needed with a new group of people in a new environment with a new coaching staff. What I love so much is that (coach) Juan Carlos (Amorós) and the staff have held me accountable to everything and know where I want to be,” she said. “Everybody across the board is going to help us reach those goals and those dreams and I think that’s all you could ask for out of a coaching staff.”
In this My Game In My Words series, The Athletic builds towards the Women’s World Cup by talking to leading players around the world to find out how they think about football, why they play the way they do and to reflect — through looking back at their key career moments — on their achievements so far. All in-person photography is photographed on Google Pixel.
Through the Keyholewith Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema might be a little too easy. There are too many giveaways. Mead’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year trophy lives next to the TV. Then there is the shelf behind her, where she keeps her Player of the Tournament trophy from Euro 2022 and her winners’ medal. The tallest — Miedema’s PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year trophy from 2019 — stands at the side.
The clothes horse peeking into the bottom right of the Zoom call feels apt for the house where Miedema lives, the juxtaposition of the mundane and the extraordinary calling to mind that easy, languid gait with which she so often does the outrageous.
Of all Mead has won in the past year, SPOTY, she says, is the one that will never feel real. “I sit there and look at the trophy and the names on it,” she says, “and I still don’t believe it’s something I have my name on. Jill Scott said to me a couple of weeks ago: ‘I don’t think you understand what you did. A 70-year-old trophy, every sport going in Britain, and your name is on that with Princess Anne, Andy Murray and Lewis Hamilton.”
Those four dreamy weeks last summer set up Mead for the busiest year of her life. When she was runner-up for the Ballon d’Or Feminin, Mead attended the ceremony in a dress designed by Victoria Beckham — Beckham’s daughter Harper is a fan of Mead — and she joined two members of the Spice Girls in a box to watch England win the 2022 Finalissima.
Among her post-Euros awards — she also won the Golden Boot — there has been an MBE, and the Freedom of London and Scarborough. She was also England Player of the Year, BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year, UEFA Player of the Year runner-up and named in the FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World XI. More meaningful, she says, are the interactions with fans, the greatest surprise when families quietly pay for her meals and cocktails on holiday to say thank you for the role she had played in their summer.
We are meeting to discuss Mead’s game in her words, for her to take us into her eyes and mind on the pitch. She has picked a handful of her favourite matches for club and country, but we cannot do so without asking, first, how she is.
The past year has been the most successful of her career but the most trying of her personal life. In her SPOTY acceptance speech, she cried when speaking of her family, overwhelmed by the private pain of her mother’s battle with ovarian cancer. June Mead passed away in January this year. Throughout this early part of her grief, she has been without football. Mead had been in the best form of her career that afternoon in November when she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in a game for Arsenal against Manchester United, her planted right leg folding in on itself at the knee with the telltale twanging motion.
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When we speak, Mead is, in ACL terms, doing “very, very well”. She is ahead of schedule, about to start running, “pushing for what could be another amazing summer” but aware that it might come just a few weeks too soon. She tries to be as pragmatic as she can, but the rehabilitation is arduous work, inevitably, comprised of “small stepping stones and wins”.
One of the toughest parts has been the switch — “it’s very much a full 360” — from the career-defining highs of last summer, and all the accolades that followed, to these smaller, private victories, not even won on the football pitch. She has not thought far enough ahead to worry about whether she will return the same player. “I’m hoping it’s like riding a bike, and my football comes back naturally,” she says.
With startling symmetry, Mead’s partner Miedema picked up the same injury three weeks after Mead. In the weeks where both were on crutches, their Arsenal team-mates visited to help them around the house, a rotating cast of Lia Walti, Steph Catley, Jen Beattie and Leah Williamson calling in until Mead, at least, was mobile. One night, Kim Little came over and cooked fajitas.
Mead has been far from idle in the meantime. In the next few weeks, she will finish her UEFA B coaching badge, having begun studying for coaching courses in lockdown. She enjoys the puzzle-solving aspect of it all — just days before our interview she sat down with Arseblog’s Tim Stillman as part of UEFA’s ‘Recognise Game’ series, which showcases elite performances in the Women’s Champions League. She analysed Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Lyon from this season’s group stage, a game in which she scored twice — and when she and Miedema watch Arsenal from the sidelines, they cannot help but break into analysis.
The Euros matches are the ones she views with more sentimental eyes. Analysis staff have distributed clips to the players but Mead prefers the BBC highlights. “I like to listen to it with the commentary. It just makes it feel more ‘real-time’. I know what happens and I’m still like: ‘What were we doing?’. Sometimes I just lie in bed at night and watch it, and it puts me in a happy mood before I go to bed. I enjoy watching those memories back. It’s a nice time to remember on the football pitch.”
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Today is another chance to do so, although her first choice is Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Brighton in January 2022. Having gone behind after 15 minutes — Brighton’s first goal in 10 and a half hours of football at that point — Mead found Miedema to tap in at the far post with one free kick to pull Arsenal level. She then won the game with another free kick five minutes later.
Mead chose this for Arsenal’s mentality, as well as her own: their determination, after half-time, to “grab the game by the scruff of the neck” and the “domino effect” as she saw her team-mates feeding off her energy. “You can either shift it and be whiny and get annoyed, or you can do something about it,” she says. “I put my anger and my energy into taking people on, running with the ball and getting at people. I felt my free-flowing football: I was gliding past people with ease. You have games where, in instances, you feel untouchable. You feel like you can play so positively and help your team. Things come off that you might not normally try. You feel like the conductor. You’re setting things on their way.”
Mead won the second free kick herself, moving to chase a through ball from Tobin Heath. “The defender’s not really sure where I am and catches me on the wrong side,” Mead says of Brighton’s Victoria Williams. The free kick boomerangs slightly into the top corner, curving a foot wide of the wall.
“It’s just the way you wrap your foot around the ball or the follow-through right at the end,” Mead says. “You’ve got to follow right through to get that perfect bit of curl on it. It starts outside the frame of the goal and curls in. Where the keeper was stood in relation to where the wall is — for me, it was a no-brainer to put it where I put it. I’d just assisted her (Miedema) and put a great ball in. I had my eye in. That position was perfect for how I would like to strike a ball.” This is the distance at which she practises free-kicks, studying the technique of James Ward-Prowse.
“Viv said to me, ‘You’ve got this — back yourself’,” Mead says. Mead enjoyed the celebrations afterwards; Miedema, she says, “was just tootling behind me, with no emotion. It depends on what mood or how Viv’s game’s going as to what you get with her sometimes,” she says, laughing.
She and Miedema are, in Mead’s words, clever footballers — “we see things quite early on the pitch” — and have played together for six seasons now. Mead had previously been Arsenal’s number nine and had scored 14 goals from that position in the season before Arsenal signed Miedema. “Apparently, that wasn’t enough,” Mead jokes. “When you’ve got Viv coming in, you can understand why.
“The runs, the way she makes her movement — she makes it very obvious so I know where I want to put the ball and where she wants the ball to be. She’s very clever in losing the defender and making that sharp space to either get in behind, pull away from them and finish, or get in front of them.”
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In her early days as a winger, she watched clips of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah; as a child, she had admired David Beckham. “I love the way he put a ball into a box,” she explains. “That’s what I pride myself on — not needing too much space to put a ball in that someone can finish.”
But the process of crafting Mead: Mk. Winger began with working on her existing strengths as much as it did emulating others’. “I’m not slow as a winger, but I’m not the fastest out there,” Mead explains. “I would say my first five, 10 metres are my quickest. I can get away from someone, then be effective. A Lauren Hemp needs the space to run into to get up to speed. I could work all day and never have the pace Lauren has.
“With experience, I’ve figured out other ways to be effective. I like to move my body and the ball quite well. So I like defenders who are not so agile when you’re turning them and chopping them. They’re going one way and you’re going the other. That’s ideal.”
Her full-back with England, Lucy Bronze, has been a source of intel on how to beat defenders. The worst thing, Bronze said, is having to get back and make some sort of intervention after being out of position. Her advice to Mead is to manoeuvre the ball — but Bronze also proves a difficult opponent. “I think I can manipulate the ball really well against Lucy but physically she is always going to be there,” Mead says.
“Everybody has their strengths on a football pitch defensively. As a winger, you’ve got to be clever in how you work with that. I still can be so much better at it, but I’ve done a lot of individual development of watching how defenders move and how I can move in relation to them.”
Her second game of choice is England’s 8-0 win over Norway from last summer’s Euros. England, Mead says, had earmarked this as the toughest of their three group games; being 6-0 up at half-time was never part of their plan. This was one of those games where Mead felt she could do no wrong. “Some of the balls I put into the box — Ellen (White) couldn’t even get on the end of them because they were so good she didn’t expect them,” Mead smiles. “Another day, I’d have hit them straight off the pitch. But it was as if everything I did — and what we did as a team — just turned to gold.”
She has had “a handful, if that” of matches like that in her career. “But this one has to be number one. We were just relentless. They didn’t know what to do. They didn’t know how to adapt to it. They were in a huddle after each goal. When we were scoring, you could see in our faces that we couldn’t believe what was going on.”
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We let the highlights package play through. I joke that I cannot imagine how they will fit eight goals into two minutes. “They’ve just got to throw them all in there, right?” Mead says. She waits a beat as the first goal begins to build. “I think a lot of us have watched this game a lot.”
We watch Mead’s involvement for England’s second. She scurries into space deep on the right and, from the goal line, cuts past Julie Blakstad and crosses for Hemp to turn the ball in at the far post. Then the flag flies up for offside.
“I knew instantly this wasn’t offside,” Mead says, “because the girl I’d just chopped was laid on the touchline. Not a chance is Hempo offside.” The initial pass from Lucy Bronze dragged Blakstad out of position. “So she’s running like mad to get back,” Mead explains. “In my head, she was either going to take me out, because she was running so quickly, or I’d chop her and she can’t stop in time. And she didn’t stop in time. I chopped and the other players were going that way as well. Then it leaves a big, big gap.”
These are the moments where Mead seems to operate on a different temporal plane to the rest of us: where time seems to slow for her only and the space around her bends to her will. “Some things can be so quick and so slow in your head,” she says. Goals three and four slip by — “I think, ‘This is a good day’,” Mead says of her header for England’s fourth goal — “because that never happens” — and then we arrive at Mead’s favourite of her three that day.
Fran Kirby plays Mead into space on the edge of the 18-yard box and she pushes forward to go one-on-one against Blackstad. In a flurry of touches, Mead pulls left; with another snake-hipped shimmy, she carves open the space to shoot low into the right-hand corner.
“This is what I really like: manipulating the ball well and making defenders move,” Mead says. “Again, they were all out of position. I was one vs one. I could have gone on the outside, which I actually think the defender (Blakstad) wanted me to do. I chopped inside. The other one is still recovering. She can’t slow down, so I’m able to go past her. The girl on the edge of the box (Ingrid Engen) is the wrong side of me. If she touches me, she’s going to bring me down. She tries to, but didn’t get a chance. The keeper was in an awkward position and I just tapped it the opposite way to where she’s moving. She’s still going right, so I go the other way.”
We watch until the end and the scenes that precede Alex Greenwood handing Mead the match ball. “That was me, playing with so much happiness and energy,” Mead says.
Watching the clips take her back to those moments when England felt — maybe even were — invincible. Her final match is England’s 4-0 semi-final win over Sweden from the same tournament, a game in which Mead scored the opener that let her and her team-mates off the leash.
“This is where mine and Lucy’s relationship was so great,” Mead says, as she watches Lucy Bronze direct a first-time cross into Mead’s vicinity having met the loose ball from Hemp’s first delivery. “Lucy, I knew, was going to be there. I was already reacting and turning as if Lucy was going across the next ball in. Readjust your position, take a good first touch.”
Such thinking is the legacy of those years as a No 9. Mead has spent more of her career in that position than she has on the wing. The old urges are there — you can’t erase those instincts, as her steadying first touch and the strike on the bounce demonstrate.
“I ran in and that was like a No 9 should be; I have that instilled in me still. A full-back such as Lucy — she’s basically a winger, anyway — gets that high up the pitch and gets past you. She can physically do it because she’s so athletic. Her strengths bring out my strengths, helping me get into that area. I remember Ian Wright — in the commentary analysis — saying that sometimes you just know when they leave your foot. And I really did when it left my foot: I knew I’d hit it well enough that it should be going in.”
Goal three, Mead says, “never gets old”. One YouTube clip of Alessia Russo’s backheel has been viewed close to 400,000 times. It never gets less impressive. It made an overnight star of her. The ironic thing is that Russo, Mead says, was initially critical of herself for not burying the chance at the first attempt — she hit the backheel on the rebound.
“But would this have happened if she didn’t?” Mead asks. “We were all just like, ‘Nah — you did not just do that in the semi-finals of the Euros! That was just filthy. What were you thinking?’. She was like, ‘I wasn’t — I just flicked it back and hoped it went towards goal or to one of you’.”
Did Mead know, in the moment, that it would go viral? “I mean, I knew it was going to do OK. But we never at that point knew how big we were getting throughout the Euros.”
The caveat to all this, of course, is that it is not always easy for Mead and Miedema to watch football when the pair of them cannot do the one thing they love most. This is the longest Mead has gone without kicking a ball. “Sometimes, it’s nice to watch it and talk about it, but then you miss it, and you put yourself in a bad mood because of it,” Mead says, of her daily life with Miedema. “It’s a tough balance, and it goes day-to-day with how we’re feeling, how we’re both doing. It depends on our moods, and if it’s one of those days when we just don’t want to talk football.”
The struggle is also set against the backdrop of her grief for her mum. “I’ve still got a different outlook on life: I’m here and I am still living and breathing and doing what I love to do,” Mead says quietly. “My mum had an illness and couldn’t fight it anymore. And now she’s not here. I have an injury that lasts nine months. Then I can go and do what I love again.”
Mead says she is “doing OK”. There are good and bad days. Songs that remind her of times they spent together. Mother’s Day was difficult. “The first one without her,” Mead says. Her dad, Richard, had made a teddy bear from June’s clothes. “So she’s with us every day,” Mead explains. “But it’s difficult. My mum was my best friend and the one person I would talk to throughout these hard days of rehab. But I want to make her proud and get back on a pitch again.”
She had been at home with her mother for the first few months of her rehabilitation. After the most mentally and physically draining period of Mead’s career, the club gave her leave to go to Miami so “I could try to get my head into some sort of shape”, paying for a physiotherapist to fly with her. She rested with Miedema, Little and Lisa Aitken, a professional squash player also recovering from an ACL injury, and got two tattoos in tribute to June.
“My mum said to me before she passed, ‘So, what tattoo are you getting for me, then?’ I was like, ‘I’ll have to get one now, won’t I?’.” Mead recalls. They booked a session while they were in Miami: the first, on Mead’s arm, says Love you loads, a phrase she and her mother always said to each other. On the back of her arm is a palm tree. “While we were away, Lisa was like, ‘Palm trees are one of the only trees that when its roots are pulled up during a storm, it becomes stronger again’. My roots have been pulled up because of the loss of my mum, but I’m hoping that I become stronger and she’ll be with me.”
She has become an ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Action: her involvement in this year’s Walk in Her Name campaign, which saw Mead ask her followers to sign up to walk 100km in March, helped to raise more than £140,000. She should be incredibly proud, I tell her, of her strength in going public with her loss so immediately, knowing how much money it would raise. “I’m doing my best,” she says. “I want to help people. I try to keep myself productive and busy.”
It is time for Mead to go. She has another interview, this time with UEFA. There was a time when Mead was known as ‘the angry Beth Mead’. The received wisdom — and Mead’s own view of herself — was that she played best when she had something to prove, a chip on her shoulder. Has that still changed, after everything — last summer, the staggering scale of her loss, a slow, methodical rehabilitation?
She smiles simply. “I’ll let you know when I come back.”
The My Game In My Words series is part of a partnership with Google Pixel. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Humphrey Ker on the true story behind Wrexham’s fairytale: ‘We are not Ted Lasso’
Humphrey Ker, Wrexham’s executive director and the man who ultimately set Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds on the path towards buying the Welsh club, doesn’t cry as a rule. But come the open-top bus parade earlier this month to celebrate Wrexham’s promotion to the EFL, that rule was broken.“It was extraordinary,” he says. “We were coming up the street past McDonald’s and Primark, looking out at the crowd as we sang, ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ by Elvis Presley. And I just burst into tears.
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“I hadn’t cried for 10 years. Not because I’m a tough guy — not in the slightest. More I’m emotionally damaged, like a lot of posh English people who experienced strange repression in their childhood!
“But everything just got to me. Partly being on that street, which I remember cycling up every day in my first five months in Wrexham and everything being shut due to Covid — things felt bleak back then. And partly all the happy faces looking up at the bus.”
Wrexham fans celebrate (Photo: Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Such emotion was understandable. The Vanarama National League title race was relentless, as Wrexham and runners-up Notts County smashed the previous record points tally with 111 and 107 respectively. Great television for the Welcome to Wrexham documentary crew, but draining for everyone else, especially after the pain of the previous year, when Wrexham were pipped to the title by Stockport County on the final day, then lost 5-4 in the play-offs to Grimsby Town.
“I did say to Rob and Ryan at the end of last season, ‘Look, we will win the league by 30 points next year’,” says Ker, sitting in the north Wales sunshine with The Athletic. “And how that was going to be boring for the documentary crew.
“Little did I know Notts County would be brilliant. Thankfully, we got over the line and the celebrations were fantastic. Obviously, we’d had the opposite emotion 12 months earlier.
“But, in a way, the documentary was probably 10 times better for the audience because we lost in season one. I got loads of texts from friends of mine, saying how the show blew their minds only to then be shocked at the end because we lost. They hadn’t expected that.
“But we are not Ted Lasso. This is real life. You can’t choose your ending.”
A little over three years ago, the chances of Wrexham finishing top of any table seemed remote. The club was at a low ebb even before the pandemic struck, bobbing along in the lower echelons of the fifth tier despite the best efforts of the Supporters Trust, who had ultimately saved the club in 2011.
Crucially, though, there was one pole position that Wrexham were destined to claim in 2020 — a list of prospective football clubs for two would-be investors from Canada and America.
“Lots of people have been very complimentary about us picking Wrexham,” says Ker, who compiled that who’s who of lower league football on behalf of McElhenney and Reynolds.
“In hindsight, it makes sense. And Wrexham was genuinely an early front-runner. But we did sit down and look at a host of clubs, assessing whether they were a good fit for what we hoped to do.”
Ker inadvertently prompted that search after recommending McElhenney watch the Netflix documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die after the two friends were sent home from the set of Apple TV show Mythic Quest at the start of the pandemic. The verdict from the co-creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia followed on the Wednesday night. “I watched the first one with (wife) Kaitlin and the show was all right.”
Humphrey Ker’s day job, pictured here top right, promoting his acting work (Photo: JC Olivera via Getty Images)
Ker thought nothing more about it until his phone rang two days later. By now, McElhenney had watched both series and was hooked. “Rob’s telling me how the show had him in tears one minute, then jumping out of his seat the next,” he adds. “I was glad, thinking I’d earned myself a brownie point. But then he says, ‘We should do this. Buy a football team. But do it in reverse, by buying a club already struggling and try turn it around’.”
Hence, not long afterwards, Ker was given the job of compiling the list of clubs as contact was made with Inner Circle Sports, the investment bank that brokered the deals that saw Fenway Sports Group buy Liverpool and Michael Eisner purchase Portsmouth.
“At the very start, there was a brief suggestion from within Inner Circle Sports as to whether we’d be interested in Bolton Wanderers,” says Ker, the club having been relegated to League Two in May 2020.
“They were available for what was a massively reduced price for a club of that size, history and infrastructure. But we felt it was just too big a fish, in a way. This is a place where there had been Premier League football not long before.
“So many factors went into choosing a club, including the narrative. Here (in Wrexham) was a historic, storied club that had seen these great, great days. Beating Porto, playing in Europe, having 35,000 on the terraces was a big thing.”
The selection process was thorough. “We had five criteria,” says Ker. “These were fanbase — genuinely 10 out of 10 for Wrexham on that, as they got 4,500 every week in the National League — geography, the narrative — as in the history of the town, the challenges a club has faced, such as (previous owner) Alex Hamilton here, that meant it deserved a break — socio-economic status and facilities.
“Facilities-wise, Wrexham did not score particularly highly. It didn’t own the Racecourse Ground and didn’t have a training ground. Where Wrexham did do well, though, was geography and catchment area.
“Take another example of a club we discussed: Hartlepool United. They didn’t score very well on geography because they were so close to Middlesbrough, so close to Sunderland and so close to Newcastle, competing with a lot of big, big clubs.
“There also wasn’t that huge amount of population there. Whereas in north Wales, there are about 750,000 people. A decent catchment area and a big, dormant fanbase that we felt wouldn’t take much to activate.
“We felt this might avoid some of the challenges other clubs who had been financially charged in the past have run into. Such as going up, getting to a certain level but not being able to attract crowds.
“Here, there was a sense this could really take off.”
Eventually, the field was whittled down to just two clubs, with Wrexham finishing top of Ker’s list of possibles with 38 points out of 50 and their nearest rival, Hartlepool, on 36. Only then was contact made with both clubs.
“Ultimately, Wrexham had been a front-runner from very early on and remained the first choice. Hartlepool had been opened up as a second front if this had all gone wrong.”
The takeover went through in February 2021. It has been far from plain-sailing all the way since then, not least that play-off defeat at the end of the first full season under Reynolds and McElhenney, but Wrexham replacing relegated Hartlepool in the EFL next season suggests the right choice was made.
Reynolds and McElhenney meet King Charles and Queen Camilla (Photo: Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
“I have had a few people ask me, ‘Do you think this could be done elsewhere?’,” says Ker. “Some earnestly, almost as if to say, ‘How do I do what you guys have done?’. But it will be a challenge for someone to find anywhere with quite as strong a sense of self.
“Rob and Ryan are integral to the success of the documentary, of course. They have drawn people in who wouldn’t normally watch a football documentary. But then they have fallen in love with Wayne at The Turf, ‘Scoot’ (The Declan Swans singer Michael Hett), Chally (groundsman Paul Chaloner) and Jordan Davies.”
Davies and his partner, Kelsey Edwards, featured in a heartbreaking episode of the documentary following the death of their baby son, Arthur. Happily, the couple were able to announce on May 2, the day of the team’s bus parade to celebrate promotion, the birth of their daughter, Harlow Navy Davies.
“Jordan hadn’t been able to join us due to the baby arriving early in the morning,” adds Ker. “But as we came down the Mold Road, by the Maesgwyn (Hall), Jordan was there with his brother, two dogs and the baby in the pram, waving at everyone. To see him was so special. He got such a big roar from our bus.”
Ker, now 40, was a relatively late convert to football, instead preferring to spend school breaktimes “pretending to be dinosaurs with my friend Richard”. Then came his road to Damascus-style epiphany at the age of 11.
“We were playing in this inter-school competition when the ball came to me,” he says. “I thumped it so well that the ball flew into the top corner. The whole school was watching and, in that moment, I realised what football can make you feel like.
“After that goal, Richard would ask if wanted to go be a velociraptor and I’d be like, ‘No, fuck off, I’m a football legend now!’.”
This newfound devotion led to every spare minute being spent kicking a ball around. Liverpool also became a big passion that has endured, with any return visit from the United States before getting involved at Wrexham invariably featuring at least one trip to Anfield.
Philadelphia Eagles were McElhenney’s sporting love growing up, while Reynolds also had a deep connection to sport. In Welcome to Wrexham, the Deadpool star speaks openly about how sporting success made him feel “validated” in the eyes of his late father. What also became evident during the first series of the documentary was how both co-owners fell in love with football, particularly Reynolds.
Ker says: “When we started this, Ryan’s interest was in using the club as a philanthropic engine. The thing he gets a real kick out of — and always has done — is using his power to give joy to people.
“I’ll give you an example. We were on the bus parade and he’d pick out someone in the crowd below, shouting how he liked their poster or whatever. Such a little gesture but something that will have made their week or month, never mind day. That’s him as a person.
“He sees this as a way of doing that on a grand scale, almost supercharging what he has always done. That’s what got him into this at the start. Rob loved that but saw the sporting side as an attraction as well.”
(Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Asked if there was a specific moment when Reynolds’ emotional involvement in the football club’s fortunes came to the fore, Ker says: “The FA Trophy semi-final against Stockport last season and how Paul (Mullin) scored that incredible chip over the ‘keeper in the last minute from over there.” He points towards the goal at the University End of the Racecourse.
“Don’t forget, Ryan’s experience up to then had been watching (matches) via the (TV) stream, seeing us lose his first live game 3-2 at Maidenhead after having the wrong man sent off (Bryce Hosannah) in a case of mistaken identity and then drawing 1-1 at home to Torquay.
“A great occasion to be at, with the crowd buzzing at Rob and Ryan being there. But we conceded in the 89th minute and things went a bit flat. The next game Ryan came to was (in April) against Stockport in the Trophy. They were the team we had been chasing in the league for months and there was a sense we could haul them in.
“It lit a spark in Ryan. Ever since then, he has been all over it. Our group chat is where you can see a marked difference. We’d hear from Ryan all the time but it was often Rob asking questions like, ‘How’s so and so? Is he fit?’. Ryan would add ‘That’s great’ if it was good news but then there came a shift.
“Now, he is always the first one back in, asking how Jacob Mendy’s thigh is and who will switch to his position if not fit. Ryan lives on the east coast so gets the messages earlier in the day than Rob (in LA).
“Even so, it shows how he’s totally invested in the football side.”
This will no doubt come as a disappointment to the doom-mongers — invariably fans of Wrexham’s rivals — who say Reynolds and McElhenney will soon grow tired of the project and walk away.
“I do think the Premier League is doable one day,” says Ker when asked how far the club can go. “I go right back to why we chose this place at the start, the geography and catchment area with the history and enthusiasm.
“Look at the bus parade. There was everyone from 90-year-old ladies in wheelchairs with threadbare old Wrexham scarves through to three little boys standing on an electric conductor box with a sign they’d painted themselves.
“I’ve had a very privileged life and had some really fun jobs as an actor and writer. But I was saying to Rob on the bus, I love our day jobs but you just don’t get this in TV, with 40,000 people taking to the streets to shout, ‘Great show’ at you. That’s why this has honestly been the best three years of my life.”
LEESBURG, Va. (Saturday, May 6, 2023) – A pair of late goals for the Eleven, including a 90th-minute match winner from Juan Tejada, lifted Indy Eleven over Loudoun United FC, 2-1, on Saturday night in Leesburg, Va.
The victory snapped a four-match winless streak in USL Championship play for Indy, with its last win coming against Detroit City on March 25. The Eleven is now 2-3-3 on the season, while Loudoun falls to 3-4-1. Indy now leads the series with Loudoun 4-2-0 winning two of the last three.Tejada came on in the 82nd minute to provide the spark for the Boys in Blue with his first goal of the season, off a headed assist from Douglas Martinez. It was the second consecutive game the Eleven scored late, with Jack Blake registering an 81st-minute goal to earn a 1-1 decision against Pittsburgh on April 29.The Eleven’s equalizer came in the 73rd minute off a Martinez to Younes Boudadi combination that eventually found Sebastian Guenzatti on the near post for his second goal of the 2023 season and 61st-career USL strike. The pair in 2023 are a team best.Loudoun took the early lead in the sixth minute when Kalil ElMedkhar got on the end of a cross from Laukoa Santos and hit the one-time volley into the back of the net for his second goal of the season. The Eleven countered with an early chance and nearly equalized just three minutes later with Jack Blake finding himself inside the 18 off a pass from Solomon Asante. Loudoun keeper Hugo Fauroux cut the angel on Blake, whose shot was one of two for Indy in the first frame.
Loudoun held the 13-5 advantage in shots in the match, with a 5-3 lead in shots on target, and out possessed Indy 53%-47%. Aodhan Quinn led Indy with three shots, while Yannik Oettl notched four saves for the Boys in Blue.Next up, Indy travels to Sacramento Republic FC Saturday, May 13 for a 10 p.m. ET match-up. Indy returns home May 20 against Colorado Springs.Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium along with prorated Season Ticket Memberships, specially-priced group tickets and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.).
USL Championship Regular Season Loudoun United FC 1:2 Indy Eleven Saturday, May 6, 2023 Segra Field – Leesburg, Va.
Scoring Summary: LDN – Kalil ElMedkhar (Santos) 6’ IND – Sebastian Guenzatti (Boudadi) 73’ IND – Juan Tejada (Martinez) 90’
Discipline Summary: IND – Jesus Vazquez (caution) 30’ LDN – Abdoul Zanne (caution) 37’ IND – Robby Dambrot (caution) 45’ LDN – Jeremy Garay (caution) 45+2’ IND – Cam Lindley (caution) 56’ IND – Adrian Diz Pe (caution) 65’ LDN – Kalil ElMedkhar (caution) 70’ IND – Aodhan Quinn (caution) 89’
Indy Eleven line-up (4-3-3): Yannik Oettl; Younes Boudadi, Jesus Vazquez (Mechack Jerome 45’), Adrian Diz Pe, Robby Dambrot; Cam Lindley (Harrison Robledo 71’), Jake Black, Aodhan Quinn; Douglas Martinez, Solomon Asante (Gustavo Rissi 90+5′), Sebastian Guenzatti (Captain) (Juan Tejada 82’)
Indy subs: Tim Trilk (GK)
Loudoun United line-up (4-4-2): Hugo Fauroux; Laukoa Santos, Daniel (Chica Houssou Landry 88’), Bryce Washington, Gaoussou Samake; Abdoul Zanne (Panos Armenakas 76’), Aidan Rocha, Jeremy Garay, Kalil ElMedkhar; Tommy Williamson (Wesley Leggett 69’), Zach Ryan
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Caitlin Murray, ESPNJun 21, 2023, 11:57 AM ET
Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 18, 2023, 11:48 PM ET
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Gio Reyna played centrally against Mexico on Thursday. (Candice Ward/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
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Ter Stegen is back to his best this season (Photo: Eric Alonso/Getty Images).
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The Ole BallCoach 