US Men Set to play international window with an interim coach while we wait for Pachitino to finally be announced officially. Interesting that we are missing a bunch of starters for this week’s games — pointing to the US not really worrying about this series of games – including a huge match up with Canadian big mouth coach who predicted a 2-1 victory for the mounties this weekend. I for one and happy to see Barca’s Kochen in camp – would love to see the youngster get a shot to grab the top slot soon. With Horvath and Turner screwing up their English opportunities – it might well be time to determine who’s next and moving on. Is Kochen perhaps better than Gaga Slovenia? Hopefully we’ll get a chance to see this week.
The 24-player USMNT roster for Sat Sept 7 vs Canada 4 pm & Tues Sept 10 7 pm on TBS & HBO Max
GOALKEEPERS (4): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona II), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace)
DEFENDERS (8): Auston Trusty (Celtic FC), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Tolouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Caleb Wiley (Strasbourg)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven)
vs Canada — Saturday, Sept. 7 — Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas – 4pm ET vs New Zealand — Tuesday, Sept. 10 — TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio – 7pm ET
To show how excited I am — I am not even considering going to Cincy Tues night — I have been to every other US Men’s or Ladies game that has ever been played in Cincy. If it was vs Canada I would be going. Oh well.
TV SCHEDULE
Sat, Sept 5
12 noon FS1 England vs Ireland
2:45 pm FS2 Netherlands vs Bosnia
How will USMNT lineup versus Canada? U.S. roster for friendlies
NBC Sports Wed, Sep 4, 2024, 8:31 AM EDT·4 min read
The first USMNT matches since the team’s Copa America flameout, a stunning group stage flop that cost Gregg Berhalter his second stint as coach, will see new names and a few big absences.
Fulham’s Antonee Robinson is being given a month off after playing with an injury for some time, while Bournemouth‘s Tyler Adams is dealing with an injury setback and Weston McKennie is allowed to stay with Juventus to get more training time after a truncated preseason.
McKennie’s club teammate Timothy Weah is also injured and won’t get a chance to test the USMNT waters after his poor red card in Copa America, while Sergino Dest remains out of action with his long-term injury.Also not in the fold? Cameron Carter-Vickers, Miles Robinson, Gaga Slonina, Lennard Maloney, and Kevin Paredes. That will lead to some interesting lineups. In charge is Mikey Varas, the well-respected San Francisco native who led the U.S. U-20 team after stints with the FC Dallas and Sacramento Republic set-ups.Will Varas choose to go full-strength twice? If not, will he rotate stars in and out or choose a star-heavy lineup once and a new-face heavy team the second time? If so, it would make sense that Christian Pulisic and the big names start against Canada and are on the bench to start versus New Zealand.Let’s see how the USMNT might look after peering at the full squad by position below.
USMNT roster for friendlies vs Canada, New Zealand
USMNT new faces cheat sheet: Who are Diego Kochen, Marlon Fossey, and Aidan Morris?
For those who might be unfamiliar with some of the few-capped or uncapped players in the team….
Marlon Fossey: The Standard Liege right back will turn 26 during camp and has not represented the U.S. since 2017 with the U-20s. The Los Angeles-born Fossey was in the Fulham set-up from 2009-22, taking loans to Shrewsbury Town and Bolton Wanderers before transferring to Standard Liege in 2022. He’s a regular start for Standard, going 90 minutes in all six of their 2024-25 matches.
Diego Kochen: The 18-year-old is a dual national (Peru), and has represented the U.S. and u-17 and u-19 levels. He’s on Barcelona’s second team but was on the bench for 26 La Liga matches last season.
Aidan Morris: The 22-year-old made his debut at the 2023 Gold Cup and all three of his other caps came in international friendlies (two in off-window January games). He came up with Columbus Crew and is impressing in his first season with Middlesbrough in England‘s Championship, where he’s chewing up minutes at defensive mid.
How will USMNT lineup versus Canada? Best XI
Let’s start by establishing parameters here: Given the absences mentioned above, the Yanks are shy their pretty nailed-on starters at right back, left back, right wing, holding mid, and box-to-box center mid.
With a pretty versatile set of forwards, Gio Reyna or Malik Tillman could play right wing or in the hold. Yunus Musah is also quite versatile and could play in a wide position to allow Luca de la Torre to play, but this seems most likely.
Another note: Matt Turner’s inclusion despite a recent loan move does seem like a chance to get him live action, though there could be a notion to rotate there, too.
Matt Turner
Joe Scally — Chris Richards — Tim Ream — Kristoffer Lund
Johnny Cardoso — Yunus Musah
Giovanni Reyna — Malik Tillman — Christian Pulisic
Folarin Balogun
How will USMNT lineup versus Canada? Experimental
Matt Turner
Marlon Fossey — Chris Richards — Tim Ream — Caleb Wiley
Yunus Musah — Luca de la Torre
Brenden Aaronson — Giovanni Reyna — Christian Pulisic
A legend is leaving the game. Today, Alex Morgan announced that she will be retiring from soccer in a heartfelt message posted on social media. She will play her final match on Sunday when the San Diego Wave host the North Carolina Courage.
Alex Morgan is one of the most decorated and heralded players in U.S. Soccer history. Nicknamed “Baby Horse” early on, she joined the national team in 2010 and had 224 caps for the United States Women’s National Team, ninth-most all time. She finishes fifth in USWNT history with 123 goals, and 9th in all-time assists with 53. The USWNT was 177W-15L-32D in matches where she was on the field. More brilliantly, the USWNT never lost (76W-0L-10D) in the 86 matches where Alex Morgan scored.
She was a winner on all levels, winning the 2011 WPS title with the Western New York Flash and winning a NWSL title with the Portland Thorns in 2013. She won the Divsion 1 Féminine, the French Cup, and the Women’s Champions League in her lone season with Lyon, and she won the 2023 NWSL Shield and 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup with the San Diego Wave. On the international level, her winning began in her youth as she was a member of the USWNT U-20 squad that won the U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2008. On the senior national team, she won the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cup, a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympics, 3 Concacaf Women’s Championships, 2 Concacaf Olympic qualifying tournaments, 3 Algarve Cups, 6 SheBelieves Cups, and the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
Morgan also announced that she is pregnant with her second child, and she will play in her final match on Sunday.
“I grew up on this team, it was so much more than soccer,” said Morgan in a statement released by U.S. Soccer. “It was the friendships and the unwavering respect and support among each other, the relentless push for global investment in women’s sports, and the pivotal moments of success both on and off the field. I am so incredibly honored to have borrowed the crest for more than 15 years. I learned so much about myself in that time and so much of that is a credit to my teammates and our fans. I feel immense pride in where this team is headed, and I will forever be a fan of the USWNT. My desire for success may have always driven me, but what I got in return was more than I could have ever asked and hoped for.”
It is unclear when there will be a celebration of her career at a USWNT match. The USWNT are next in action in three home matches in late October, and it’s assumed that one of them will be that celebration. For now, fans can tune in or attend the match on Sunday to salute one of the great players in U.S. Soccer history.
The United States Men’s National Team is embarking on the first international window of the post-Gregg Berhalter era without a permanent manager in the technical area. Despite the maelstrom of rumors linking Mauricio Pochettino to the open position, Mikey Varas will serve in an interim role for the two friendlies and named a 24-player training camp roster. The first match is against rivals Canada, which enjoyed the breakout summer performance at the Copa América that was originally predicted for their two North American Football Union foes.
Ranked as the 40th best team in the world by FIFA, Les Rouges (The Reds) have become more of a rival over the past decade, particularly as the program’s talent base has improved. The two sides last faced off in the quarterfinal round of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, with the USMNT claiming a shootout victory, 2-2 (3-2). Despite that match being a little over a year ago, there have been sea changes as both programs experienced managerial switches and drastic shifts in form. As the series continues, Canada should continue to notch impressive results and provide further dramatic chapters in the climb toward regional supremacy.
Latest Form
USA
L (0-1) – Uruguay – Copa América Group C
L (1-2) – Panama – Copa América Group C
W (2-0) – Bolivia – Copa América Group C
D (1-1) – Brazil – Friendly
L (1-5) – Colombia – Friendly
Canada
L (2-2 [3-4]) – Uruguay – Copa América Third Place
L (0-2) – Argentina – Copa América Semifinal
W (1-1 [4-3]) – Venezuela – Copa América Quarterfinal
D (0-0) – Chile – Copa América Group A
W (1-0) – Peru – Copa América Group A
What To Watch For
Whose tactics are these? There is a constant drumbeat of Pochettino stories with the assumption that his appointment is mere days from being announced. While Varas is in control of the squad and calling the shots for this camp, perhaps there will be a few lineup choices or tactical tweaks that seem suspiciously similar to the Argentine’s proclivities. The World Cup is less than two years away, and every match counts, whether he is officially leading the program or not.
Who steps up? There are quite a few notable absences, including but not limited to Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Timothy Weah, and Sergiño Dest. There will be opportunities for multiple players to step up during the window and carve out a place in the squad. Johnny Cardoso is drawing a slew of transfer interest due to his “exceptional skills, versatility, impressive work effort,” although he is yet to have his true breakout performance with the USMNT. His success at the club level will eventually translate, as a player of his quality cannot be contained for very long.
Handling the press. Canada is going to push the opposing defensive line and force turnovers in advantageous areas, tactics that would have thrived against Berhalter’s attempts at playing out of back. Will there be more of a focus on verticality and Route One soccer in order to bypass the dangerous areas? Certain USMNT players are a better fit for the old style, while others might benefit from run-and-gun or bunker-and-counter gameplans. The rumored upcoming manager (whose sides also employ a front-foot counter-press) could leave some regulars out in the cold.
Lineup Prediction
Varas is missing several key contributors to the squad, but friendlies are typically an opportunity for experimentation and providing a shot to less-used players. However, in this interim period, there are unlikely to be drastic formational or tactical alterations.
Projected USMNT Starting XI (via BuildLineup.com)
Despite struggles at the club level, Matt Turner remains the presumed number-one goalkeeper until a challenger wrests the position from his gloves. Tim Ream is likely being saved for the New Zealand friendly, and Kristoffer Lund gets his chance to shine with multiple fullback absences. While Mark McKenzie failed to grab more of a role following his two starts at the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Finals, he should be a heavy favorite to form the centre-back partnership with Chris Richards at the upcoming World Cup. The openings in the midfield offer opportunities for several players to make their mark, jockeying for every chance to prove their value, with ball-playing under pressure and line-splitting at a priority against high-pressing tactics. Haji Wright steps into the lineup at winger for the injured Gio Reyna, and Folarin Balogun retains his spot after two finishes at the Copa América.
Prediction
Both sides attempt to dominate the game, and, while there are some fireworks, proceedings end in a 1-1 draw.
What are your predicti
USMNT watchlist: With key starters out injured, here’s who could rise to the occasion
With the benefit of hindsight, 2024 will be remembered as a year of needed transition for the U.S. men’s national team. This September provides the first chance to move on from the team’s failure at the Copa America.Although the program has moved on from former head coach Gregg Berhalter, this reunion comes under interim leadership. Mikey Varas will oversee a squad of mainstays and fresh faces as U.S. Soccer works to finalize a contract with Mauricio Pochettino.
This summer also saw several crucial United States internationals fail to improve their club situations before the transfer window closed. From players unable to secure upward moves to others still toiling in bench roles, it’s worth questioning the overall caliber of the pool’s top end. However, these four players (and others) have landed on Varas’ squad thanks to strong consistent play at the club level. Against Canada and New Zealand, they’ll hope to bolster their cases for greater inclusion in the months and years ahead.
Among the most frustrating situations in the recent transfer window, Matt Turner failed to find a move away from Nottingham Forest that would result in consistent starts. Instead, he’s gone from third or fourth on that club’s depth chart to backing up Dean Henderson at Crystal Palace. It’s a far from ideal scenario for the 30-year-old, who hasn’t been a regular starter since February and may again struggle to maintain form between international windows.From a USMNT perspective, there haven’t been obvious and viable alternatives for the position since Turner was dropped last winter.Columbus Crew’s Patrick Schulte could challenge Turner for starts based on form and potential alike. The 23-year-old parlayed a clutch turn during the Crew’s run to winning MLS Cup 2023 into a starting spot at this summer’s Olympics, backstopping the United States U-23s to a quarterfinal showing.Schulte leads all MLS goalkeepers — not just domestic options — with a +33.7 per cent goal prevention rate, far ahead of the league’s average this season of 6.7 per cent. For comparison’s sake, that approaches Turner in 2019 (+38.3 per cent) and 2020 (+35.6% per cent), and is ahead of Turner’s rate of +15.7 per cent when he won goalkeeper of the year in 2021.Schulte is also used to playing out from the back under Wilfried Nancy, while his 46.1 per cent completion rate when passing at least 35 yards ranks 5th this season. (Turner had a 42.2 per cent rate with New England from 2019 through 2022.)
Many will focus on Diego Kochen’s presence on the roster, as the FC Barcelona II teenager makes his first senior international squad. Don’t overlook Schulte, though — he could pose a threat to Turner’s spot atop the depth chart between now and the 2026 World Cup.
While the USMNT pool has plenty of options at center back, few have cemented places in the first-choice squad. Tim Ream started all three games at the Copa America, but the veteran is a month shy of his 37th birthday and a succession plan is long overdue. Beyond Ream and Chris Richards, other alternatives have been unconvincing since the 2022 World Cup.
When Auston Trusty first moved from the Colorado Rapids to Arsenal, it elicited memes of staying within the Stan Kroenke family conglomerate. However, the move has done wonders for the 26-year-old. A loan spell at Birmingham City and a year with Sheffield United earned him a summer move to Celtic. Although he hasn’t yet debuted for the three-time reigning Premiership champion, he’ll slot in next to Cameron Carter-Vickers as the duo hopes to bolster their USMNT chances in tandem.
Although Sheffield United were relegated from the Premier League, Trusty logged 32 appearances and 2,573 minutes in the world’s stoutest circuit. Playing for a perennial title favorite should allow him to showcase his abilities under far less duress, especially the left-footed defender’s passing acumen that often shone brightly during his time in MLS.It’s a congested position, but one lacking viable prospects — so much so that Olympic men’s coach Marko Mitrovic used two of his three over-23 slots on central defenders for the Paris Games. That doesn’t bode well for the program’s mid-to-long-term future, but it keeps the door open for Trusty, Carter-Vickers and others to keep making their case.
Marlon Fossey, right-back, Standard Liege
Long among the program’s deepest positions, the USMNT is worryingly thin at right-back. That much was laid bare this summer, as Sergino Dest’s ACL tear left Berhalter with a scarcity of alternatives ahead of the Copa America. Joe Scally struggled mightily throughout the tournament but is still in line to top the depth chart until Dest returns. With DeAndre Yedlin and Shaq Moore rotated in and out over the past two years, Bryan Reynolds still playing at Westerlo and Reggie Cannon’s career in limbo amid a contract kerfuffle, the door is open for alternatives.Enter Marlon Fossey, something of a post-hype sleeper, to borrow fantasy football parlance. A promising member of Fulham’s ranks from 2009 until 2022, the 25-year-old has spent the last two seasons enjoying regular starts with Standard de Liège. Fossey has logged 3,850 Pro League minutes for the Belgian club in just over two seasons and has played all 540 minutes of their campaign this season.
The Los Angeles-born right back is a capable ball carrier, with his 2.72 progressive carries per 90 minutes ranking in the 80th percentile of all full-backs in FBref’s Men’s Next 14 Competitions. He has increased his crossing volume since moving to Belgium, sending in an average of 2.7 crosses per 90 minutes since the start of 2023-24. FBref assesses his most comparable full-back peer to be… Kristoffer Lund, who broke into the senior squad late in Berhalter’s tenure and is also part of this September’s roster.It’s unclear how high to set expectations for Fossey, as he plays for a lower-half club in a competition beneath Europe’s highest standard. Still, his move into the senior national team has been long-awaited, and he has rounded out his game considerably over the past two years. With Dest expected to not return until 2025, Fossey could have a few chances to impress and stick around the USMNT.
Central midfield has been an area of strength for the program since the dawn of Berhalter’s tenure. However, that once-unimpeachable stature has looked increasingly unstable following the 2022 World Cup.It’s far easier to say “MMA” than to keep all three of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams on the field at once. In particular, Adams has struggled to stay fit since his final months with Leeds in 2023. Although Johnny Cardoso has become the team’s backup defensive midfielder, there’s still a scarcity of obvious alternatives in more advanced roles — especially as Malik Tillman and Gio Reyna look more at home when playing close to the forward line than in the heart of the park.With Adams and McKennie unavailable for this camp, Varas will have the freedom to construct a midfield from scratch. Aidan Morris will likely see meaningful time, and it’s wholly deserved in his current form. Morris had a storied if brief tenure with the Columbus Crew, rising from the academy in time to start in their 2020 MLS Cup triumph before becoming a first-choice option in ensuing seasons. Morris again won MLS Cup in 2023, this time as a central cog in Nancy’s eye-catching juggernaut.
Morris continues to do a lot of the short-distance engine room distribution that made his partnership with Darlington Nagbe so remarkable in MLS. What he has yet to tap into since moving to England is his knack for slinging long diagonals toward the flank — a ball that Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah long for with the USMNT.Morris is the only midfielder at this camp who wasn’t a regular under Berhalter, the first of a rising wave of options from the youth ranks. While his transfer ruled him out for the Olympics, that tournament reinforced that Tanner Tessmann and Gianluca Busio are ready for senior team looks. That doesn’t factor for many other options like Jack McGlynn, Benja Cremaschi, Cole Bassett or Daniel Edelman.If Morris can impress in this camp and retain his form in England, he should have an inside track to stick around for a look under Pochettino.(Top photos: John Dorton / Getty Images)
Who is Mikey Varas, USMNT’s ‘attentive’ and ‘methodical’ interim coach?
The next seven days bring two friendly fixtures, which allow the team to draw a line under their regressive Copa America campaign and recapture the imagination of supporters following that bumpy summer.But while the appointment of the former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss may be the biggest driver in that regard, the catalyst can also come via convincing performances against CONCACAF rivals Canada on Saturday, then New Zealand next Wednesday.That’s where Mikey Varas comes in. An assistant coach under Gregg Berhalter, who paid for that disappointing Copa campaign with his job, Varas is interim manager for the fixtures in Kansas City and Cincinnati.But what can fans expect from the low-profile former FC Dallas assistant manager?Luchi Gonzalez has known 41-year-old Varas for a decade and their paths have crossed repeatedly in the game. The ex-San Jose Earthquakes coach rates him so highly that when he was in charge of FC Dallas in 2018, he wasted little time in bringing Varas, then the club’s academy manager, onto his first-team staff.“The game is his life and I had the pleasure of living it with him,” says Gonzalez, who parted company with the Quakes in June after joining ahead of the 2023 season.“Mikey is one of the most talented soccer minds in the country. At Dallas, the academy teams were flying under him, the national youth teams (Varas was the U.S. Under-20 coach before assisting Berhalter) flew under him and I have no doubt he’ll make an impact with the senior team in these games.”
Luchi Gonzalez had Varas as part of his coaching staff at FC Dallas (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Gonzalez says Varas is a deep thinker who he trusted with a variety of roles but particularly excelled in training methods and innovation.“We did our A License coaching badge together in 2013 and became close,” he explains. “We have similar philosophies about the game and player development.“So when I was made head coach at Dallas, it was obvious for me to bring him onto my staff. We were all new in that environment and at that level of competition, but for the three years we worked together, we qualified for the playoffs in two of them.“He really helped us step up our training methodology, in technical and tactical terms, and he did great work with our attacking set pieces as well.”Peter Luccin, the former Atletico Madrid midfielder and now FC Dallas’s interim head coach, worked with Varas as an assistant to Gonzalez at Toyota Stadium.“Mikey is firm in what he believes in but also an open-minded guy at the same time,” says the Frenchman, who also played for PSG and Marseille before moving into coaching in MLS.“He is attentive and methodical. We all 100 per cent thought he was going to go on to big things in his coaching career.”Luccin describes his friend as a patriot who will be incredibly proud to steer the national team through these September games, but says he is also an intense competitor who will demand full commitment from his temporary charges, even if there are no points to be played for.“He would play in our staff five-a-side games and take them very seriously,” he recalls. “He’d be extremely competitive. That’s how Mikey is.“He was a good-quality midfielder as a player and very technically gifted with both feet, but as a coach, it’s his work with young players that has caught the eye a lot. He excelled in that early in his career (one of Varas’ early roles was as Sacramento Republic’s under-14s coach in 2016). That is maybe what has been in the federation’s thinking in making him interim manager.
Varas will guide the USMNT during friendlies against Canada and New Zealand (Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
“As you can see from his roster, he is prepared to give young players a chance. I’m sure they asked him to do that and he is the right guy for this moment.”Varas, according to Luccin, enjoys spending time with his family when he is not traveling to watch games. He is looking forward to watching his friend’s big moment on Saturday.“I’d be watching these games anyway but of course with extra interest now,” he says. “It’s huge for Mikey and he deserves it. He will get to work with these unbelievable players at the top level and the exposure will be great.”The two spoke briefly when Varas’ appointment was announced and Luccin’s advice was simple. “I told him to enjoy it,” he says, “to smile and enjoy the moment while pushing the players like I know he will.“He has a winning mentality and I don’t know what will come next for him after this, but I know it will be a bright future.”
Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article to reflect Alex Morgan’s retirement announcement on Sept. 5, 2024. The story was first published on Aug. 1, 2024.
Alex Morgan was inescapable this summer, but not because she went to the Olympics. Whether it’s Coca-Cola commercials or Reese’s Instagram ads, she was on every screen and every device. Sponsors made these deals expecting Morgan to be on the U.S. women’s national team roster for the Paris Games. But when head coach Emma Hayes announced her team in June, the unthinkable happened: no Morgan.
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It was a surprise and yet it wasn’t.Morgan has played for the United States in every major tournament they’ve participated in since 2011. She has won the World Cup twice, worn Olympic gold and bronze medals, and with 123 goals, is eighth on the women’s all-time international goals scored list. She is also on the downslope of her career, having long ago left behind the “baby horse” moniker fondly bestowed on her by senior teammates and becoming the senior teammate herself. “Putting a squad together, you’re always going to disappoint someone,” said Hayes during a podcast taping for “The Women’s Game” with Sam Mewis. “I think when it comes to Alex, first of all, there’s no easy way to give someone crap news…. The human piece for me is around the delivery of that (news). But also accepting that no matter the situation, there’s always gonna be somebody who doesn’t like the decision.”
Emotionally, it’s always jarring to see a great generational player sunsetted by a coach. The name “Alex Morgan” has been synonymous with the USWNT for over a decade. But logistically and tactically, there was certainly an argument for leaving the 35-year-old Morgan and taking a newer generation of scoring talent, one that is still bolstered by veteran presence from Crystal Dunn, Lindsey Horan, Lynn Williams and Rose Lavelle.
The end of Morgan’s time with the U.S. was writing on the wall when Hayes first left her off the W Gold Cup roster in February. Morgan was only called in after Chelsea forward Mia Fishel tore her ACL in training. It’s hard not to assign symbolism to the image of Morgan in a differently-numbered jersey, sporting a No 7 in place of her iconic No 13 due to CONCACAF rules about wearing the same number as the player you replace. After 14 years in the No 13 jersey, the number is almost as much a part of her brand as her actual play on the field.
Morgan scored two goals in that tournament, one of them a penalty. It was her first goal in 10 international games, covering more than a year. On Thursday, she announced she was retiring from the sport and expecting her second child. Her final game will take place on Sunday against North Carolina Courage in the NWSL.
Her on-field role has increasingly become as much about the damage she can absorb as she pulls attention away from other players as it is about scoring. That defensive attention is a hallmark of the respect she has still accorded, the danger she still presents in front of goal. But it’s no longer consistent, varied or efficient enough to justify a spot on the toughest international roster to make, at least not in Hayes’ mind.
Still, in the face of declining stats, there was always the argument for Morgan’s presence as a veteran and a leader. She was, until recently, co-captain with Lindsey Horan, someone whose voice carried authority with both teammates and fans. When midfielder Korbin Albert’s anti-LGBTQ social media posts began circulating widely, Morgan was out in front of the cameras with Horan at her side, reading a prepared team statement about maintaining a respectful space and speaking internally to Albert. It was unquestionably a captain’s job, intercepting scrutiny on behalf of the team, the kind of thankless task that comes with the armband.
Horan has taken leadership lessons from Morgan, too, while she’s still learning on the job as the new, and only, team captain.
“Experiencing a World Cup with Alex was crucial for that experience,” Horan said in New York before leaving for France.
Horan credits Morgan for helping her take on the role of captain (Brad Smith, Getty Images)
Before Horan, Morgan and Megan Rapinoe were co-captains. The two arranged team dinners before camps so the players could bond and have a night out.
“There are things that exist (that) leaders and veterans on this team have been doing for many years and it’s kind of been passed down,” said defender Naomi Girma, who said that in this iteration of the USWNT, Emily Sonnett and Lavelle arranged the latest team dinner in New York. “Everyone is so special in their own way, so there’s never going to be another one of an Alex or Pinoe.”
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Sonnet, who was on the 2019 and 2023 World Cup teams with Morgan and Rapinoe, said the players often do things they think the two former leaders would have done.
“Alex is an incredible leader and she’s been on this team for so many years,” said Sonnett. “Leaders like Lindsey, Mal (Swanson), Rose, they’re definitely remembering things that Alex, Pinoe, who aren’t on this roster, what they would be doing because we’ve just been around them for so many years.”
Alongside her teammates, Morgan was part of historic collective bargaining agreement negotiations that helped pave the way for the USWNT as it exists today, with not just better money and working conditions, but also benefits like parental leave and short-term disability.
She’s spoken up about LGBTQ+ rights, including supporting trans children in sports, and followed Rapinoe in 2020 in kneeling during the national anthem to protest anti-Black police brutality and racism. When she was on loan at Tottenham Hotspur in 2020, she saw the women’s senior team training at an inferior facility and convinced the club to allow the women to use the same new training facility as the men. When Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir sued her own club Lyon for withholding her salary when she got pregnant, Morgan again advocated for the standards clubs should provide for parents.
And she feels compelled to speak up as one of, if not the most visible, players wherever she goes, publicly stating she was disappointed to hear about allegations of harassment against Wave president Jill Ellis, writing on X: “It’s important to me that we are creating that environment for both players AND staff throughout the entire organization.”
Morgan’s advocacy for various causes could have backfired in terms of her marketability. But it hasn’t. She is as potent a brand as ever, landing on Forbes’ highest-paid female athletes list in 2023 with endorsements estimated around $7million. In 2021, she founded TOGETHXR, a media and commerce company, alongside Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bird. Her hustle is admirable to the point of pathos. During one scene in Netflix’s “Under Pressure” documentary, she comforts daughter Charlie while Charlie cries for attention in the midst of Morgan opening a soccer store — a reminder of Morgan, the mother.
But the reality of being a woman in professional soccer is that no one, not even Morgan, is going to make enough money to retire without careful, calculated investment and branding. Similarly high-profile men’s players can set themselves up nearly off pure performance. Any man knocking in the kinds of numbers that Morgan has produced in her career will make millions from his salary alone, let alone endorsements.
Morgan has advocated for parental rights at club and national level (Brad Smith, Getty Images)
But Morgan has had to cash in on her clutch, once-in-a-lifetime talent while also leveraging her privileges: she is white, straight and femme-presenting. That makes her a more palatable brand to both businesses and audiences in a country that has a well-documented history of racism, misogyny, and transphobia towards athletes outside of a stereotypical presentation of femininity, athletes like Rapinoe, Serena Williams, Katie Ledecky, Brittney Griner, Simone Biles, and Sha’Carri Richardson. The space Morgan is afforded to speak out and speak up is accordingly bigger compared to Dunn or even Rapinoe, whose outspokenness has incurred criticism that she has weathered through her own unique levels of “not giving a f***.”
Morgan has admirably walked the line between performance and brand, outspokenness and marketability. She’s presented herself as player, mom and advocate while also guarding her private self.
With someone as famous as Morgan, who partially built her reputation on being a role model, and partially was assigned the responsibility through social expectation of women in sports, there is a natural desire to want to know that authentic, private self. One aspect of her smart marketing has been to give enough of a glimpse into that private life — like the aforementioned scene with Charlie — while maintaining a fairly strict boundary between herself and the public.
Her social media posts about her family are warm and personable but don’t give away any more than Morgan wants to give away. She’s funny and charming on camera and doesn’t mind speaking candidly on social justice topics, but these moments are curated, usually with time to plan ahead. You won’t see the minutiae of her day, the gossip she shares with friends or disagreements with family. Like any athlete, Morgan has a right to privacy and to decide how and when she wants to dole out any piece of herself. And her ability to pick the right how and when has served her well.
Who’s next?
Walking down the street and asking someone to name a women’s soccer player, you might get a mix of Morgan, Mia Hamm, Marta, perhaps Wambach.
In this next era of women’s soccer, is it even harder to climb to generational megastar who carries “only name I know” status? While the women’s game is growing ever more popular, it’s also becoming more competitive and therefore more difficult to separate yourself from the pack. Racking up Morgan-level stats feels harder to reach, although certainly not impossible.
There are a few American contenders for the crown, based on the performance-personality axes of measurement that Morgan has played so well: that front three of Rodman, Smith, and Swanson.
Swanson, Smith and Rodman have emerged as a scoring trio at the Paris Games. (Photo by Brad Smith, Getty Images).
The trio has already built a strong fanbase, both individually and as a group, over the past few years and will only gain more leverage should they find the ultimate success at the Olympics this summer. American audiences love gold medals, sometimes to the point of extreme valorization, and U.S. Soccer has already scheduled its first post-Olympic friendlies in October against Iceland, no doubt hoping to parade a team of winners.
While Morgan’s time on the field is coming to an end, her impact off it is not. She’s still here. Still speaking up. Still feeling responsibility in situations that call for a voice of leadership. The example she sets is the standard many players follow for success.
There is an Alex-Morgan-shaped hole in the USWNT, but it’s also being filled by all types of players in all kinds of ways. Morgan, who fought so hard for the USWNT to be treated with respect, to be set up to win in any circumstances, is in some ways the architect of her own absence. This is a team that can exist without Morgan and that’s ultimately for the good.
(Top photo: Brad Smith/Getty Images; design: Dan Goldfarb)
USMNT Player Tracker: Trusty’s Celtic switch, Morris settling at Boro and Tillman thriving
A Glasgow reunion, learning from Premier League heroes and dramatic Lyon debuts all play a part in this week’s USMNT Player Tracker.Throughout the season, we will be bringing you updates on the USMNT players plying their trade in various leagues around Europe. With a World Cup on home soil on the horizon, we’re keeping tabs on how they perform every weekend.
Issue of the weekend
It was an intriguing summer transfer window in various key areas for USMNT players across Europe.
Auston Trusty’s switch from Sheffield United to Celtic means the Scottish defending champions can now field two U.S. internationals in central defence. Trusty will link up with Cameron Carter-Vickers and have the potential to form a club partnership that may boost both players’ chances of more regular appearances for their country.Carter-Vickers was a regular for Brendan Rodgers’ side last season and formed part of the USMNT roster at Copa America, even if he only appeared for 45 minutes in the defeat by Panama.
Carter-Vickers holds off Rangers’ Cyriel Dessers (Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
But Celtic’s swoop for his compatriot will give both a shot at playing together in the Champions League and getting the type of top-level experience that might push them forward in the thinking of incoming USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino.It can only be a positive for the Argentine as he starts to formulate his vision for the team’s future ahead of the World Cup.It is a plus, too, for 26-year-old Trusty who sounded thrilled as the five-year deal was announced on transfer deadline day. “I feel ecstatic — it’s just such a historic and amazing club, and it’s a club I’ve known about since I was a little kid,” said the defender, who was an unused substitute as Celtic thrashed Rangers 3-0 on Sunday.“Growing up in Philadelphia, football wasn’t such a popular sport but I knew Celtic, I knew who Celtic were. It’s a dream come true to join this club and such a massive organisation.“The manager told me to be the best that I can be, that’s off the pitch, as a team-mate and everything on the pitch. He said that he believes in me and believes in everything I can do, it’s up to me and he’ll provide me with an environment where I can thrive.
Trusty warms up ahead of the Old Firm (Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
“I’m looking forward to meeting all the guys as well. From what I’ve heard it’s a great environment around the club, too, so I’m looking forward to it.”Trusty, who last featured for the national team in the final of the CONCACAF Nations League Finals last year, was also included in interim USMNT coach Mikey Varas’ squad for the friendlies against Canada and New Zealand this month.
Player of the weekend
Aidan Morris has hit the ground running in England, transferring the form that saw him win a Major League Soccer Cup with Columbus Crew last season into his new environment.
The 22-year-old signed for Middlesbrough in June, meaning he plays under former England and Manchester United star Michael Carrick, now the highly-rated coach of the Teesside club.
Morris, himself a promising central midfielder, has not looked back so far, starting all four of his new team’s EFL Championship games to date and excelling in their 2-0 win at Cardiff City on Saturday.
Morris celebrates his side’s second goal (Jacob King/PA Images via Getty Images)
A boyhood Manchester United fan, Morris has admitted he admired his new boss and, in turn, Carrick certainly values the Floridian’s all-action style. Speaking last month, Carrick said: “It’s why we bought him. We obviously like him a lot. We’ve watched him for a while, and we like his style and the way he plays the game. We feel that it suits us and that the way we play suits him.“We’ll be patient with him. It’s a change of country, a whole new way of life for him, and he’s still young for how much experience he’s got as well. We’ll help him settle in — we’re doing that now — and look after him.”
Morris, also included in Varas’ USMNT roster for this month’s friendlies against Canada and New Zealand, provided a typically combative and mature performance in Wales, making more ball recoveries (seven) than any other midfielder and recording an impressive 97 per cent passing accuracy in his role as part of a two-man engine room behind three more attacking players.
Quote of the weekend
“What a game! Amazing support from our fans. Never give up! Happy to make my debut and to be the first American to ever play for this club.”
Tanner Tessmann, who joined French top-flight club Lyon from Serie A side Venezia in the window, made his debut from the bench on Friday in a memorable win against Strasbourg, where his compatriot Caleb Wiley is on loan from Chelsea.
Tessmann came on in the closing stages at the Stade Velodrome as his new team came from behind to win 4-3 after earlier trailing by two goals. For his part, Wiley, who also came off the bench, provided an assist with a smart pass to set up team-mate Emanuel Emegha.
Retaining Robinson, who has been monitored by a clutch of big clubs, must count as a summer success for Fulham boss Marco Silva, and the defender underlined his worth with the assist for Adama Traore’s goal as the west London club drew 1-1 with Ipswich in the Premier League on Saturday. The Fulham defender is resting up after undergoing two minor surgeries over the summer and will not be available for the USMNT this month.
Another win and another eye-catching display from Tillman as PSV’s title defence continues serenely. This time, he provided an assist as Peter Bosz’s team ran out 3-0 winners against Go Ahead Eagles and made it 12 points from four games.
Tillman celebrates with Joey Veerman (Broer van den Boom/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
The 25-year-old, who is playing on the left side of a back three, started his second consecutive game for the Ligue 1 club on Saturday as they lost 3-1 at home to Marseille. He signed from Belgian side Genk last month.
It was a tough test for the midfielder as his Betis side lost 2-0 at Real Madrid thanks to a Kylian Mbappe brace. Cardoso started on the bench but was subbed on after 57 minutes and won five of his seven ground duels.
Pulisic grabbed an assist as Milan drew 2-2 at Lazio in Serie A. After scoring last time out, he sent in an inch-perfect corner for team-mate Strahinja Pavlovic to score with a header.
Name:Gabriel Slonina Club: Barnsley (on loan from Chelsea) Position: Goalkeeper
It was a first clean sheet for Slonina at his new loan club in England’s third tier, League One, as Barnsley beat Crawley Town 3-0 — and a third straight start, too. Slonina only had to make one save, such was the visitors’ dominance, but the win moved them up to seventh in the early table.
What’s coming up?
We have entered an international break but, after a fortnight’s respite, the games resume thick and fast. Lennard Maloney will hope to feature for Heidenheim as they face Gio Reyna’s Borussia Dortmund on September 13 (2:30pm, ESPN+).
Staying in Germany, Joe Scally’s Borussia Monchengladbach face Stuttgart the following day (9:30am, ESPN +).
Later that morning, Chris Richards and Crystal Palace are in action against Leicester City (10am, Peacock Premium) and, on the same channel at the same time, Robinson’s Fulham take on West Ham.
Sorry soccer fans – work, reffing and the full summer of soccer has me worn out and behind this weekend. European leagues are kicking off and to be honest I am not ready. Up to 4 games a day during the Euros and Copa followed by 2 a day during the Olympics and I need a break. I will have full updates and predictions next week on the Euro Leagues and American’s playing abroad. The opening weekend schedule and some predictions are of course in the stories below along with some great saves and Ref calls. d
Huge congrats to the US Women – I don’t think anyone expected this group with new coach Emma Hayes to bring home the Gold Medal after just a few games on the job – but they did with the huge 1-0 win over Brazil and Marta. I will say again – the world has not passed us by – US Women despite pay for play and all the things wrong with US soccer are still some of the best in the world – but you have to have coaching. And lets me real the last guy was not a decent coach – Emma might be the best in the world and she turned this thing around quick. Our players don’t suck – they simply need to be coached properly – put in the right formations and coached up. Wow – how good can we be by World Cup time in 3 Years – it will be fun to see. As for the final itself wow what a goal by Swanson off the pass from but the final saves by GK Alyssa Naeher were legendary. Two late saves in the final and the semi’s to cement herself as the best ever USWNT GK in my book. Great Save by Naeher.
As for the men – WOW – Pochettino- honestly — I did not think we would get a coach of this caliber to coach our national team. After Klopp (which was never gonna happen) I really thought Pochettino was the next best option. I thought sure we were gonna get stuck with Henri or Southgate from overseas. This is a huge hire — listen he won with Tottenham – got by with less, learned to win with what he had and dang near won a Champions League title with not that impressive a team. He won with Southampton, then Totttenham and then PSG – no he never won the title – but his teams over achieved. Which is what we need the US Men to do now. Huge get for US soccer and GM Matt Crocker !! WOW!!
Congrats to our Carmel FC Players who made their High School teams. Especially our current and former CFC goalkeepers – CHS Girls Lily Bose, Eli Diehl, Mary Grace Knapp, Boys Griffin Rothenburg, Timothy Paciorek Avon, Cooper Cass Noblesville.
Sat 8/14
12:30 pm NBC West Ham United vs Aston Villa
12:30 pm CBSSN Genoa vs Inter Milan
2:45 pm Para+, Fox Desp AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Torino
3:30 pm ABC Valencia vs Barcelona
6 pm MLS Apple Columbus Crew vs NYCFC Campeones Cup
Christian Pulisic missed AC Milan’s final tune up match midweek, but is reportedly set to start the season as the team kick off their season against Torino on Saturday afternoon. Pulisic played over 3,500 minutes last season, scoring 15 goals and adding 11 assists for AC Milan as they finished a distant second to Inter in the Serie A title race. Yunus Musah also played over 2,000 minutes, and indications are that he is looking at an increased role in the midfield this season. Torino finished in ninth place last season, and the two clubs split their matchups, with each winning easily at home.
Joe Scally and Borussia Mönchengladbach face Erzgebirge Aue at 7a on ESPN+. Erzgebirge are a third tier side, presumably lead by the Swedish Chef.
Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United will face West Bromwich Albion at 7:30a on Paramount+. Daryl Dike remains sidelined for West Brom following his Achilles injury in February.
Jordan Pefok, who has returned to Union Berlin following his loan spell with Borussia Mönchengladbach, will face fourth tier Greifswalder at 9:30a in dfb Pokal action.
It looks like we won’t be seeing much of Matt Turner this season as he is reportedly now third in line at Nottingham Forest. Forest face AFC Bournemouth, who are without Tyler Adams for the start of the season following back surgery. The match will be at 10a on Peacock.
Josh Sargent and Norwich City face Blackburn Rovers at 10a on Paramount+. Norwich lost their opener to Oxford United last weekend, while Burnley defeated Luton Town 4-1.
Gio Reyna has returned to Borussia Dortmund and apparently is set to stay for this season following his unsuccessful loan spell at Nottingham Forest. Dortmund will have their first match under new manager Nuri Sahin as they face fourth division Phönix Lübeck at noon on ESPN+.
Folarin Balogun will look to start his season on a high note as Monaco face Saint Etienne at 3p on beIN Sports.
Sunday American’s Abroad
Lazio v Venezia – 2:45p on Paramount+
Gianluca Busio and Venezia finished last season by winning the promotion playoff after finishing third place in Serie B. They will start their Serie A campaign against a Lazio side that finished in seventh place last season. Not with the team to start their campaign is Tanner Tessmann, who also played a significant role in achieving promotion but whose agent has seemingly botched the summer transfer process as several clubs, including Inter Milan, were reportedly close to a deal for the American only to have it collapse at the last minute. Currently there is no deal in place for Tessmann to move elsewhere, but leadership at Venezia have moved on and are not planning for him to play a role with the side this season.
PSV started their season off with a 5-1 win against RKC Waalwijk, including a goal from Malik Tillman last weekend. Ricardo Pepi came off the bench in the match, while Richie Ledezma started the match at right back. PSV face Heracles at 6:15a on ESPN+.
Chris Richards and Crystal Palace kick off their season against Brentford at 9a in a match that can be seen on the USA Network. Palace finished in 10th place last season, but have lost a number of pieces this summer and it will be interesting to see how they transition.
Mark McKenzie is reportedly set to join Toulouse of France’s Ligue 1 on a permanent basis, though it looks unlikely to happen in time for him to join the side as they get set to start their season against Nantes at 11a on beIN Sports.
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Who is Mauricio Pochettino? Is this a coup for the USMNT? Will it help them at 2026 World Cup?Jack Pitt-Brooke The Athletic
Aug 15, 2024
The U.S. men’s national soccer team received a huge boost on Thursday morning when Mauricio Pochettino agreed to become their next head coach.The Athletic revealed that Pochettino, who had been a top target for the opening, had come to a deal with U.S. Soccer, the sport’s governing body. Pochettino has never managed at international level, but he is a very well-respected name in the club game.This is a big-name arrival ahead of a men’s World Cup that the U.S. will co-host with neighbours Canada and Mexico in 2026, staging the bulk of the games including all matches from the quarter-finals onwards. But just who is Pochettino? How much of a coup is this? What is his style of play?Here, The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke answers everything you need to know about the 52-year-old Argentinian.
So, who exactly is Mauricio Pochettino?
Mauricio Pochettino is considered one of the best managers in European football.
As a player, he was a very competitive centre-back, leaving his native Argentina at age 22 to play for Barcelona-based Espanyol in Spain, before brief spells in France with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Bordeaux, then returning to Espanyol to finish his playing career. He played for Argentina at the 2002 World Cup, and won 20 caps overall.
Pochettino, left, playing for Espanyol (Luis Bagu/Getty Images)
Pochettino also started his coaching career at Espanyol, in 2009, earning a reputation for playing brave high-pressing football with young players, turning the fortunes of the team around and saving them from relegation to Spain’s second division. His next job was at Southampton in England’s Premier League in 2013, where he took the team to new heights with his energetic style of play. Then he stepped up to Tottenham Hotspur the following year, where he oversaw their greatest sustained run of the modern era, finishing third, second and third in the Premier League in successive seasons, as well as getting to the final of the 2018-19 Champions League.
Since then, Pochettino has managed PSG, winning a French Cup and a Ligue 1 title, and then spent last season as Chelsea head coach, where he guided them to sixth place in the Premier League, enough to qualify for European football in the coming campaign, and into the Carabao Cup final.
How much of a coup is this for the USMNT?
It is huge to land one of the best coaches from the club game to manage the men’s national team.
The closest comparison might be Jurgen Klinsmann, the former Germany striker who coached the USMNT from 2011 to 2016, but Pochettino comes to the job with far more of a track record in European club football management than he did. Klinsmann had only had one disappointing season at Bayern Munich (2008-09) before he got the United States job, as well as taking hosts Germany to the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup.
Pochettino, by contrast, has been one of the most impressive coaches in the European club game for the past 15 years.
What he did at Tottenham remains one of the best-sustained spells of management in recent years, even if it did not end up with them winning any trophies.
Why would Pochettino take an international job?
Pochettino has always been a romantic with a love for the game’s history.
He knows the World Cup is the pinnacle of the game. He remembers as a boy watching Argentina win the 1978 (as hosts) and 1986 World Cups, the latter of which made Diego Maradona his hero for life. He is hugely proud of playing in the 2002 World Cup, even if he is remembered by some for giving away the deciding penalty in a 1-0 group-stage loss against England — he still has a photo of that dubious ‘foul’ he committed on Michael Owen, signed by the England striker, up on a wall at home.
Pochettino ‘fouling’ Owen at the 2002 World Cup (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
He told me in an interview in 2022 how much the World Cup means to him. “You don’t think about anything, you don’t think about money, you think only to deliver your best, and to make the people happy,” Pochettino said. “Because you know very well your country is behind you. The feeling is completely different from other competitions. That is why the players feel so different.”
Pochettino told me he would “of course” want to manage in a World Cup one day, and not necessarily with Argentina, saying: “You never know what happens. I am open to everything.”
What about club football?
Since being sacked by Tottenham in November 2019 after they began that season poorly, Pochettino has worked for two of the highest profile and wealthiest clubs in Europe, PSG and Chelsea.
In Paris, he got to manage Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, one of the highest-quality front lines ever assembled at club level. Ultimately, he performed in line with most PSG coaches, both before and after him, and was released at the end of the 2021-22 season.
He was brought in at Chelsea last summer to impose a new style of football onto their oversized squad and after a tough start, he got there in the end, setting them up for a great finish to the season (they won their final five matches, scoring 14 goals) and winning over fans who had doubted him at the beginning because of his connections to London rivals Tottenham. In the end, he left Chelsea in June with his reputation improved.
But both of these were difficult experiences at points, with plenty of internal politics to manage. European club football is in a strange place right now, with not many clubs offering their managers/head coaches the chance to build something.
That would be part of the attraction of taking a very different challenge with the USMNT.
What kind of football does he play?
Throughout his managerial career, Pochettino has tried to get his teams playing a brave, aggressive, high-pressing style.
It is a positional game, focused on maintaining a good structure in and out of possession, so the players are in the right places to win the ball back quickly — ideally within three seconds — whenever his team lose it. He wants his sides to dominate the ball and defend high up the pitch.
Pochettino’s Tottenham mastered this style of football, taking the north London club to new heights.
At their best, a Pochettino team are physically relentless, powerful and dominant, not giving the opposition any room to breathe. With PSG, it was not always possible to play exactly like this because of the big-name personnel up front who did not always want to press from the front. But in the second half of last season, Chelsea started to look like a Pochettino team, and the wins followed.
Are those methods suited to international football?
Fitness work is hugely important to Pochettino and his coaching staff but the nature of the international game is that coaches do not get to work with their players for that long. It is harder for them to improve their players as individuals, something that Pochettino has always been big on, during those short periods together before they return to their clubs.
Pochettino with his players at PSG (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
One thing that has always been important to him has been bringing through young players, right from the time he was starting at Espanyol and then Southampton.
When he was discussed not so long ago as a potential England manager, the point was made how many of their current squad owe their career to their development under Pochettino: Luke Shaw (Southampton), Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier (Tottenham), Conor Gallagher and Cole Palmer (Chelsea). He will hope to develop a similar generation of youngsters now he has the USMNT job.
How will he deal with the scrutiny that comes with this role?
Pochettino is used to the media spotlight, especially after those spells at PSG and Chelsea. But international football is different. There will be less day-to-day attention than his days at those clubs, certainly, but there will be times when Pochettino has the eyes of hundreds of millions of Americans on him. The U.S. public are unlikely to be forgiving if they feel the team are not heading in the right direction as that 2026 World Cup looms larger.t that is also part of the attraction, given what a huge event it will be in two years’ time. Coaching that team in their home World Cup, in front of 70,000 people for their opening group-stage match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12, 2026 will be the equivalent of standing in front of the eyes of the whole world.
Does it matter he’s not an American?
The team had non-American coaches before, and not just Klinsmann. There was Bora Milutinovic, from Serbia, in the early 1990s, the last time the U.S. staged the World Cup. Men from Poland, Greece, the UK and more have also had the job. There is no reason that nationality should be a barrier to Pochettino in the role. He has worked for three different Premier League clubs and while he initially had an interpreter at Southampton, his English is now certainly good enough to work in the States.
The most important thing will be to demonstrate a commitment to U.S. soccer, and a deep knowledge of all the players at his disposal, whether they play in MLS, Europe or elsewhere. This will mean lots of hard work, and air miles, getting to know them all.
How much does this improve USMNT’s chances at the 2026 World Cup?
It is hard to know how proven club managers will fare in the international game. They are effectively two different formats of the same sport.
Antonio Conte, a serial title winner at club level, improved Italy but could only get them to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016. Luis Enrique had a great European Championship with Spain in 2021, reaching the semis, but they were knocked out of the following year’s World Cup in the round of 16 by Morocco. Hansi Flick won the treble with Bayern in 2020 but could not even get Germany out of the group in Qatar.
Making predictions about international tournaments is almost impossible, given how fine the margins are between success and failure at that level. But we can say Pochettino will bring fresh ideas, energy and proven methods to the U.S. job, as well as a sense of confidence and optimism the whole country can feed on.(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
Premier League predictions for 2024-25 – title race, relegation, Golden Boot and City’s charges
Is this the season Mikel Arteta’s obsessive methods take Arsenal to the top? Will Arne Slot sink or swim as Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Liverpool? Can an off-field revolution at Manchester United transform their fortunes on the pitch? Or will Manchester City simply make it five titles in a row?
Yes, that’s right, the Premier League returns this weekend and The Athletic will be with you for every kick, goal, VAR review and ‘Inside the sacking of Manager X’ long-read between here and when the music stops on Sunday, May 25.
To get you in the mood for the next nine months, six of our writers here predict who will shine, who will sink, the signings to look out for, what a possible resolution to City’s 115 charges relating to their finances means and much more. Plus, we reveal our predicted final 2024-25 Premier League table.
Let us know your predictions in the comments section.
Will City win their fifth title in a row? And if not, why not?
Jack Pitt-Brooke: Nothing lasts forever. At some point, Manchester City will not win the league. You could make a case that this will be the year the run ends. City were less convincing last year and the team is starting to look old. Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, John Stones… these are not young players any more. Arsenal have far more players coming into their peak-age period than City do. There was only a two-point gap at the top of the table when last season ended. All it will take is for City to dip a bit and Arsenal will be there.
And yet the power of City’s muscle memory is something else. No one else can put together winning runs in the spring like they do. Look at Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Celtic domestically in recent times. When winning becomes that habitual, it retains a momentum of its own. You will not make much money betting against it.
Carl Anka: Betting against Pep Guardiola’s City is a fool’s errand. The team looks finely built for the here and now, and they have a manager who is constantly innovating, forcing the rest of the league to play catch-up.
That said — *dons clown make-up* — this might be the season Arsenal win the league again. They took 2023-24 to the final day, and the squad is approaching a critical mass of talent that makes them formidable in several ways. They should win at least one of the next three titles, so why not this one?
Jacob Whitehead: City have the best squad, but winning five titles in a row is unprecedented in English football. Arsenal are ravenous — they came close last season and have improved more than City in time since. City are facing 115 charges of breaking financial fair play rules and a decision could come towards the end of the season. Will that provide a distraction? And could a punishment even take the title away from them?
The first of how many trophies for Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola this season? (Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Nick Miller: Saying City won’t win the league is like that scene (that has become a meme) from sitcom Arrested Development, where Tobias Funke says, when asked if an open marriage would work, “No, it never does. I mean, these people somehow delude themselves into thinking it might… but it might work for us.” With that in mind, I am saying they will win it again, because I don’t quite think anyone else is ready to be better than them. Arsenal will be the closest but not quite good enough.
Caoimhe O’Neill: City will win five Premier League titles in a row. Their quiet summer isn’t fooling me. Even with 115 charges looming overhead, Guardiola will parade his way to a fifth league title in England and then walk away. It won’t be another procession — at least not until April, when any remaining challenger(s), probably Arsenal, will fall away. I hope I’m wrong. One team winning it over and over again is boring. Unless you support that team, of course.
Mark Carey: This will be the season that Arsenal top the table. It would be foolish to say that City will not win five titles in a row simply because it is unprecedented. For too long, Guardiola has shown that historical records are there to be swatted away with the nonchalance of a man in the conversation for the greatest manager of all time.
City have put in some relentless winning runs to come from behind in recent seasons. It might be one odd bounce of a ball or a referee’s decision, but those fine margins might swing the other way this time. Just three or four points dropped by City could mean Arsenal do not need to improve upon their tally from last season (89) to overcome Guardiola’s side. Matching it may suffice.
The top five, in order, will be…
Pitt-Brooke: Manchester City first, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United.
Anka: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester United (note: I have given a different answer to this question every day for the past two weeks).
Whitehead: Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United.
Miller: Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle United.
O’Neill: Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester United.
Carey: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester United.
Pitt-Brooke: Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton. I have a probably irrational sense that Ipswich Town will scramble together enough points to stay up. Maybe just because I don’t want to wait another 22 years for them to be back in the top flight.
Anka: Southampton, Forest, Ipswich. And this campaign’s relegation battle will go right down to the wire.
Whitehead: Leicester, Southampton, Ipswich. All three promoted teams to go back down, again.
Miller: Leicester, Southampton and Ipswich — the first two will be cut adrift from pretty early on, but Ipswich will be in among a gaggle of other clubs who have panicked and sacked managers, got points deductions or are just not quite good enough… but they will drop too on the last day… just.
O’Neill: Forest, Southampton, Ipswich.
Carey: Forest, Southampton, Leicester. Ipswich to carry on their soaring momentum in recent years to secure Premier League status for 2025-26.
Our predicted Premier League table
The Athletic writers tip Manchester City for another title win
The new manager who will make the biggest impact is….
Pitt-Brooke: I am fascinated to see how Julen Lopetegui gets on at West Ham United. He is replacing the best manager of their modern era, David Moyes but he has a talented, stable squad and a fanbase ready to be enthused by a new brand of football. He is clearly a good manager who has done well in his previous jobs.
Perhaps he will be their next Manuel Pellegrini, coming in with a plan to change the style but failing to get any real grip on the club. Or maybe if everything clicks and the players and fans buy into his ideas, he could be the next Slaven Bilic — a West Ham manager able to conduct and channel the club’s emotional energy the right way.
Anka: Arne Slot shouldn’t have to make too many adjustments to keep Liverpool at the front of the non-City/Arsenal pack, so let’s talk about Lopetegui. His Wolverhampton Wanderers side in 2022-23 weren’t the flashiest (and there were some worrying performances away from home) but there’s a solidity to his methods that should guard against any post-Moyes implosion.
West Ham have used the transfer market to address the major weakness in their squad and should be more entertaining this season. Providing Niclas Fullkrug can avoid the yips that seem to befall every West Ham striker who isn’t Michail Antonio, Lopetegui should steer the side towards Conference League qualification.
Whitehead: At Brighton & Hove Albion last season, Roberto De Zerbi’s tactical nous was still evident but the vibes had been lost. That means I’m very excited to see Fabian Hurzeler — St Pauli were one of the best stories of last year as they won Bundesliga promotion, and the German’s innovation was a huge part of that. Brighton knew what they were doing when they hired a 31-year-old.
Hurzeler of Brighton is the Premier League’s youngest manager at age 31 (Masashi Hara/Getty Images)
Miller: Kieran McKenna’s agent has been the performer of the summer, leveraging apparent interest from the big boys into a bumper new contract for the Ipswich manager, but there is a reason those big boys were keen. His reputation is sky-high after successive promotions in his first crack at senior football and pound-for-pound he’s probably been the best manager in the country over the past two seasons, but the Premier League beast can swallow young and bushy-tailed managers whole. I’d love him to succeed.
O’Neill: I’m going with McKenna, too. Everyone loves rooting for an underdog and after a season of covering Luton Town in the 2023-24 Premier League, I am battle-hardened and so ready for Ipswich to succeed where Luton failed (even if I did just say they’ll be relegated). McKenna reminds me of Luton counterpart Rob Edwards in a lot of ways and his side will be a refreshing addition to the top flight, just like Luton.
His team will play brave and fun football — that may be their undoing or we could see their most famous fan, Ed Sheeran, in the dressing room singing tunes after an opening weekend home win over Liverpool.
Carey: If we are still counting Oliver Glasner as new, I am intrigued to see how Crystal Palace fare in the Austrian’s first full season. The loss of Michael Olise — sold to Bayern Munich — was big, but I like the signings of Ismaila Sarr and Daichi Kamada, who offer different skill sets in attack. If Palace can keep hold of their other talents through the spine of their team — Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta — they could surprise a few people. Palace had the fifth-best record in the Premier League last season from the point Glasner joined them in February. If they can have a similar one across a full campaign, it will be down to the transformative work of the 49-year-old.
The new manager who will struggle most is….
Pitt-Brooke: No prizes for originality here but it has to be Enzo Maresca. It took Mauricio Pochettino more than half a season to get his arms around Chelsea and he came into the job with years of managerial experience. Maresca has only had one full season of senior management, winning the Championship with Leicester last season, as he walks into one of the most difficult jobs in the English game. He has to manage an oversized and unbalanced squad, work within Chelsea’s unique structure, convince his players of his new style of play and start getting results quickly. Perhaps he will become the next Arteta, but he will need to be given the tools to do the job.
Anka: There was a point last season when Leicester fans cheered their players for punting the ball long rather than slowly building from the back, as per Maresca’s instructions. The Italian is a fine manager, but his adherence to a preferred tactical plan means there could be a spell at Chelsea where things have to get worse before they get better. Their squad is so big that he should eventually figure things out, but there’s potential for a big skid partway through the season.
Whitehead: Steve Cooper faces a tough task. This Leicester squad lacks outstanding individual talent, and they may find themselves facing a points deduction. The loss of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea is big — he is an established Premier League performer and was a central figure in the squad dynamic.
Miller: I say this with a heavy heart, because I have a houseplant named after him, but Cooper has been given the ultimate hospital-pass at Leicester. Then again, he joined Nottingham Forest when they were absolute no-hopers early in the 2021-22 Championship and got them promoted eight months later, so who knows what miracles he will perform 20-odd miles up the road?
Elsewhere, people already seem to have memory-holed how bad Manchester United looked for long spells last season. I’d be surprised if Erik ten Hag makes it to May as their manager.
O’Neill: Slot is a name not many people will think of but hear me out. He has to pick up where Jurgen Klopp left off after one of Liverpool’s most successful periods in their history. It is not going to be straightforward. That’s not to say I’m expecting him to struggle the most of any manager, there are plenty who will struggle more, but Slot’s testing moments will be highly publicised. Imagine the panic stations if Liverpool have a couple of bad results, for example. The pressure on him will be gargantuan as he tries to get a team built by his predecessor clicking for him.
Carey: Chelsea’s pre-season has already experienced some teething problems, and history tells us that managers at Stamford Bridge are rarely afforded a long time to get things right. Maresca arrives with clear ideas based on positional principles and a methodical way of working the ball through the thirds. Whether Chelsea can implement that style consistently and effectively is where the question lies. If it goes well, it could go very well — but we said that for Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel, didn’t we?
The new signing who most intrigues me is….
Pitt-Brooke: Fullkrug. You can have all your false nines, your inverted wingers, half-spaces, hybrid pressing and the rest. But there is nothing else in football — or life — quite like getting it launched up to the big man.
Fullkrug has proven in recent years for Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund, and for Germany in their past two tournaments, why he is the world’s greatest exponent of that traditional style (with all due respect to Wout Weghorst, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Martin Adam and the rest). With a few long diagonals, floated crosses or whipped set pieces, Fullkrug could become West Ham’s new Andy Carroll, if not their new Ilan. And in doing so, he will say to the world: Big Man Summer is for life.
Anka:Brighton have picked up two of the players who made Arne Slot’s Feyenoord side so impressive. Mats Wieffer is a highly intelligent midfielder who can offer multiple solutions to several on-field conundrums. But it’s Yankuba Minteh who is the great variable. During his 2023-24 season on loan at Feyenoord from Newcastle, Slot asked Minteh to get chalk at his boots and run at defenders. He was rather good at it, too. Can he step up to the Premier League, or will he get lost in the ‘Antony swamp’?
Whitehead:Emile Smith Rowe. After being short of opportunities at Arsenal, this is a chance for him to be a Premier League side’s main man. Fulham need to replace Joao Palhinha in midfield, however, if Smith Rowe is to be put in the best place to shine. I’m also excited to see if Fullkrug can turn Big Man Summer into Big Man Winter — there’s a lot to love about the German striker.
Miller: I like the look of Samuel Iling-Junior at Aston Villa, Fullkrug to West Ham is terrific fun and Joshua Zirkee to Manchester United could go either way. But it must be Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea. These signings to very specifically fit with a new manager often end in tears, particularly if things don’t go well from the start.
Fullkrug – a big man for all seasons? (Stefan Matzke – sampics/Getty Images)
O’Neill: Arsenal’s new centre-back Riccardo Calafiori. Mostly because he looks like a throwback of an Italian footballer from the 1990s with his long hair held back in an elasticated headband. The 22-year-old signed from Bologna certainly has the style, and it will be interesting to see how he gets on in north London.
Carey: City have picked up fearless dribbler Savinho from one sister club, France’s Troyes, after shining on loan last season at another, Girona in Spain, in a move that could see Pep Guardiola double down on pacy wingers on both flanks if he switched him to a right-sided attacking role. For context, no La Liga player attempted more take-ons than the Brazilian in 2023-24, which shows how direct his style of play is. We already know about Jeremy Doku going ‘meep-meep’ on the left side last season — if he and Savinho played on either wing, there could be a whole new world of fun in Guardiola’s attack over the months ahead.
The player who will finish second to Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race is…
Pitt-Brooke: Tottenham have finally replaced Harry Kane by signing Dominic Solanke, and he could be set up for a bumper first season. Coach Ange Postecoglou is all about creating high-quality chances for the centre-forward with low cutbacks from wide positions, but it never felt Richarlison had those Sergio Aguero-type instincts you need in the box. Solanke got 19 league goals for Bournemouth last season — more than Richarlison has scored in a single campaign — and if he can continue that form for Spurs and stay fit, then he can get well into the 20s this time.
Whitehead: Newcastle’s Alexander Isak has looked incredibly sharp in pre-season after a summer off, as Sweden didn’t qualify for the Euros. He was third last year (21 goals to Haaland’s 27) and would have been even closer to the Norwegian if not for injuries that kept him out of at least six matches.
Miller: Solanke. If not, this is Darwin Nunez’s year — I can feel it. The Liverpool striker might take a billion shots, but he’ll score many, many goals.
O’Neill: Cole Palmer again, the same as last season. He will score every penalty he takes and continue to be Chelsea’s guiding light, especially in games that finish 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5.
Carey: Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian has had a full pre-season, a hair transplant, and has a new style to adapt to under Arne Slot — he looks hungry for more goals. Slot’s style could be perfect for him to arrive in those dangerous areas. Salah doesn’t need reminding where the goal is, but this season could see more opportunities for him to finish and that is a scary prospect for opposition defenders.
Manchester City’s charges finally being heard this season means…
Pitt-Brooke: There may eventually come a moment when Guardiola wishes deep-down that he was on a beach in Ibiza or Sardinia — or off playing golf with Jurgen Klopp somewhere — rather than fielding constant questions about it.
Anka: Jose Mourinho is going to say something bizarre/hilarious/petty that will be quoted for the next five years.
Whitehead: European Super League plans may be being resurrected in north-west England by May.
Miller: We won’t actually hear the verdict until next season.
O’Neill: Guardiola’s touchline behaviour will intensify in the build-up to it.
Carey: We can finally, hopefully, stop talking about this narrative hanging over the Premier League.
By May, we’ll all be saying….
Pitt-Brooke: If Manchester United can just add one more member of the 2018-19 Ajax team, they could really make it work. Worth a cheeky bid for David Neres? What’s Lasse Schone up to?
Anka: “I can’t believe Pep has signed another contract extension. I will never trust a bald manager again.”
Whitehead: I didn’t realise Mikel Arteta knew how to smile.
Is this the season for Arteta and Arsenal? (Stefan Matzke – sampics/Getty Images)
Miller: Ah, well. Nevertheless.
O’Neill: Next season will be our season.
Carey: So, everyone looking forward to the Club World Cup?
I really hope that this is the season….
Pitt-Brooke: We get full abolition of the video assistant referee system. Do not demand anything less.
Anka: More strikers remember that they’re allowed to chip the goalkeeper.
Whitehead: We remember for the football rather than legal disputes. Will not happen.
Miller: There’s a collective recognition that sometimes referees get things wrong, as we all do from time to time, and there’s not much point in complaining about it.
O’Neill: More fans think before they chant.
Carey: Owners elect to stick with their manager for a full season rather than roll the dice.
For the first time since 2012, the United States are the gold medalists in women’s Olympic soccer. A well-played ball from Korbin Albert to Mallory Swanson made all the difference, with Emma Hayes’ side overcoming an inspired Brazil 1-0 in the final.
Making the gold medal match is an achievement in its own right. Nobody knew what to expect from the USWNT at this tournament. The logistics of Hayes’ Chelsea departure meant she had just 360 friendly minutes to get her new team ready for the Games. That truncated ramp-up could have left the team ill-prepared to contend.
Instead, the players rallied behind their new boss. They reminded the world they’re able to score in bunches, to the dismay of Zambia and Germany. They showed impressive tactical nous amidst the crash-course implementation of Hayes’ ideology, neutralizing a previously terrific Japan and again using in-game adjustments to best Brazil. And, as any great team must in a major tournament, they found ways to win ugly: first against Australia, then in the semifinal against a more composed version of Germany.
There was no single method for success this summer, which is very much in line with Hayes’ whole vibe. Rather than coaching from a strict structure that forces opponents to adjust to her team’s tried-and-true approach like many modern coaches, Hayes studies an opponent to modify her approach — guided by principles and areas of emphasis rather than a team shape carved in stone — and use her team’s strengths in unique ways.
For those reasons and the small sample size of one tournament, any attempt to compile the definitive dossier of Hayes’ tactical ideology is a fool’s errand. That said, Hayes has undeniably passed her first test. One would expect her to only improve on this performance as she spends more than two months on the job and further builds the team around her principles. World, be warned.
(Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Prominent principles
A few clear tenets of Hayes’ vision emerged across the entire tournament and seem likely to stick around based on these six performances. Let’s dig into those before looking at a few areas we might expect to see evolution in the months and years to come.
The USWNT in possession
Although this tournament was marked by changes and reinventions, eight of Hayes’ first-choice lineup — all but Tierna Davidson, Sam Coffey and Mallory Swanson — were regularly involved in last summer’s World Cup. Under Vlatko Andonovski, the United States held a narrow advantage with a possession rate of 52.9 per cent but often didn’t seem to know what to do with the ball. It led to some sloppy forced passes and frustrating turnovers at the edge of the final third, giving opponents plenty of time to set up sequences of their own as play changed hands.
Confident in her players’ collective abilities on the ball, Hayes’ version doubles down on controlling play. Their 65 per cent possession rate trailed only hypnotic defending World Cup champion Spain this summer, with rates ranging from 42.9 per cent in the final against Brazil to 78.1 per cent in the opening blowout against Zambia.
Alyssa Naeher’s utilization in build-up has been more radical than any other player’s. In the World Cup, exactly 50 per cent of her passes traveled 35 yards or further. This summer, that clip dropped to 29.5 per cent through the semifinal — the second-lowest rate of any goalkeeper in these Olympics, behind France’s Pauline Peyraud-Magnin. That change alone goes a long way toward ensuring your team keeps the ball, relying less on winning aerial duels or lobs that can fail to find a friendly target.
The reverse played out in the final: the one time the United States failed to win the possession battle, Naeher’s launch rate skyrocketed to 100 per cent (yes —each of her 27 passes went over 35 yards) and the United States held just under 43 per cent of the ball.
The gold medalists were patient in build-up, directing 34 per cent of all passes forward — down from last summer’s rate of 37.6 per cent. Rather than overly relying upon risk/reward passes, the USWNT was far more comfortable with recirculation. Critically, Hayes has quickly remedied the attacking struggles that held the United States back last summer.
We’re not done talking about Triple Espresso yet
It’s hard to overstate the importance of Swanson’s return. Her interplay with Sophia Smith is the smoothest of any left-sided option, as both players (and, often, in tandem with Trinity Rodman) weave in and out of open lanes to unsettle a defense before they even see the ball. Swanson has also provided a far greater threat while shooting and creating than Alex Morgan managed last year, while Smith looks far more at home as a striker than shunted to the wing (as she was last summer).
Meanwhile, Rodman was perhaps the attack’s heartbeat. No player came close to matching her industry in terms of entering the box.
“Put your best players in their best spots and let them cook” isn’t exactly worthy of a master’s thesis, but it works wonders in a major tournament. No team at these Olympics exceeded the USWNT’s rate of four big chances per game, nearly double the field’s average of 2.4. The United States’ shots came from an average of 15.1 yards out — third-nearest of any team, evidence of well-worked sequences setting up golden opportunities.
Unsurprisingly, that big-chance generation helped the United States rack up expected goals, an advanced metric that measures the likelihood of a chance leading to a goal based on historical data. In total, their 12.8 chances created per game trailed only Spain (16.7; they were still very good this summer) and considerably ahead of the tournament’s average of 10.5. The USWNT averaged 2.2 expected goals per game, also well above the Olympic average of 1.6.
Having great attackers is a good start toward consistently scoring, but talent only gets you so far. The forward line looked rejuvenated after years of relatively lean output by the program’s lofty standard, especially in 2023, and helped actualize the at-times frustrating potential from Hayes’ first four friendlies.
Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith pose with their gold medals (Brad Smith/ISI/Getty Images)
A modified defense that still gets results
For all the faults that emerged during the USWNT’s brief stay at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, few could be found in terms of defending.
Andonovski’s defense was one of the tournament’s best. Only the Netherlands and Brazil exceeded the United States’ average of 7.4 high turnovers per 90 minutes last summer, giving ample opportunities to start short-field counters (albeit, ones upon which they failed to capitalize). Their pressing was incredibly proactive, with their 7.1 PPDA (that is, passes allowed per defensive action made) registering well below the tournament average of 9.97.
Once again, it’s worth reiterating two crucial differences between a World Cup and the Olympics. Rather than carrying 23 players on the roster, Hayes has only had 18 (save for four alternates to bring in whenever players have gotten hurt). Olympic matches take place every three days, whereas the USWNT played every five days last summer.
Either as a result of that format or in line with her vision for the team, the USWNT has relaxed a bit against the ball. Their 4.0 high turnovers per 90 are well below last year’s rate, fifth among the 12 competitors. Their PPDA of 11.5 also looks far more languid, yet it’s in line with the tournament average of 12.05.
Only time will tell if this approach follows them home from France. However, the end result was still a staunch defense, allowing just 11.3 shots per 90 (tournament average was 14.4) with an average xG of 0.08 per shot faced (average was 0.11). Having world-class defenders like Naomi Girma will help no matter a coach’s approach, but the focus on energy conservation and retaining defensive shape hasn’t made the United States more vulnerable.
Areas to refine
Fouls and dead balls
Although there’s no specific term for a fear of a whistle’s blow, it nestles into general phonophobia — a fear of loud sounds. Throughout the tournament, the United States was less effective after the referee stopped play.
Heading into Saturday’s final, the United States ranked third by averaging 8.5 set plays per 90 minutes, 20 per cent more than the tournament average. However, it took them an average of 25.5 set pieces to yield a goal. 16.7 per cent of their goals came from set pieces — the lowest rate of any team that converted at least one dead-ball situation this summer.
Corner kicks also proved difficult to convert. Only 9.7 per cent of their corners were converted into shots, far below the average of 20.5 per cent. Considering the United States averaged the second-most corners of any team (5.5), it added up to a lot of wasted opportunities that could have given some breathing room in their closer contests — roughly one shot per every two games.
Out of possession, the United States played to keep the ball rolling. On average, a team fouled an opponent shortly after committing a turnover 4.6 per cent of the time. The United States checked in at a 1.3 per cent rate of these tactical fouls, making them the only team to register a rate below 3.3 per cent. Their 5.2 fouls committed per game was well below the average of 9.2. While that does keep players from risking seeing a card and limits conceded set pieces, it also allows opponents to sustain momentum on the ball.
There’s no one best practice to win a game using the referee’s whistle as an asset, but it’s a bit of gamesmanship that’ll likely evolve in the coming years.
A miasmic midfield
In the ‘pros’ category, we touched on the team’s patience and willingness to embrace recirculation sequences. A typical sequence of build-up often looked something like this: Naeher prodded the ball to one of her center backs, who then shunted it wide to their nearest full back. That full back would check their corresponding winger’s run and either launch it beyond the defender — either lobbed to wide areas, or on the ground in the half-space — or pass it back to the center back to switch play to the other side.
Ideally, that full back could also consider the central channel and get the ball to a midfielder to operate in the middle of the field. Too often, that option is not presenting itself if Coffey is not in the right spot every time. Why? For all of the players who are seeing improvement in Hayes’ early days, the same can’t be said for Lindsey Horan, the team’s captain and a rare remaining holdover of the 2019 world champions.
Horan has been a mainstay of United States lineups since injuries so cruelly curtailed Sam Mewis’ career. Converted from being a striker to a midfielder during Jill Ellis’ tenure, Horan played as a box-to-box midfielder under Andonovski. Her reading of a game allowed her to operate as the team’s main possessive hub last summer, trusting her to judge whether the team should progress into the final third or hold onto the ball by sending it backwards.
(Julian Finney/Getty Images)
This summer, Horan’s role has changed slightly. When the team is out of possession, she plays level with Coffey at the midfield’s base. In possession, she scurries to play on the same line as Rose Lavelle, serving as an auxiliary striker to complement Lavelle’s playmaking. In theory, Horan should be able to crash the box later than Smith to offer an aerial threat for late crosses and an edge-of-box shooting alternative. Instead, Horan has been stationed by the center circle, struggling to make as much of an impact in all phases as she previously had.
Entering the final, Horan completed 69.8 per cent of her passes in the attacking third. In theory, that suggests she played higher-risk balls to find a shooter. However, it’s the lowest of the four USWNT midfielders who logged 200 minutes in the Games, trailing Korbin Albert (81 per cent), Coffey (77.8 per cent) and even Lavelle (72.5 per cent).
It ended up being a moot point in the final, as Lavelle’s injury concerns brought Albert into the lineup and pushed Horan closer to the forward line. Still, one would assume that Hayes will want to incorporate both Horan and Lavelle in her lineups moving forward. We’ll see how that ends up being working — or if it’s possible — in the coming months.
Subs (or the lack of)
Along with questions about Horan’s performances, one criticism of the team’s run has been Hayes’ unwillingness to rotate and relatively lax substitution patterns. Only three teams averaged fewer substitutions before the 75th minute than Hayes’ 2.0 per game, while her average time of making a change (74.1 minutes into a game) was tardier than the tournament average of 68.6. If that seems insignificant to you, ask a player how difficult another five minutes of high-stakes play can be when you’re already gassed.
It’s one thing to trust your starters when you’re swapping out starters to ensure as many players are at full fitness as possible. However, Hayes’ insistence on playing with a set preferred lineup that only changed after injuries or suspension often left the team lagging in the second half. Whereas the United States averaged 1.2 goals in the first half of games, that rate plummeted to 0.5 in the second half. Some of this can be attributed to opponents making adjustments, but such a staggering drop-off is also cause for concern.
(Carl Recine/Getty Images)
That said, Hayes’ final season with Chelsea shows that she may be quicker to make in-game changes as she gets more familiar with a greater number of players in her pool. In the WSL last season, Chelsea averaged 3.1 subs before the 75th minute, with her changes coming with an average game clock time of 67.9 minutes.
The good news now is that, with the tournament concluded, her regular starters can finally enjoy some rest. They’ve certainly earned it, with hardware to show for their perseverance.
It’s all a work in progress, even as the United States has returned to a more prominent place on the Olympic podium. The early signs under Hayes could hardly be more encouraging — and she’s only just getting started.
(Top photo: Getty Images)
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USWNT’s Alyssa Naeher is a brick wall to her opponents, her teammates have found a way through
PARIS — U.S. women’s national team defender Naomi Girma always runs to her goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher, after the final whistle of a win. Saturday night was no different, even as this one had resulted in an Olympic gold medal — a first for both of them, despite the age difference (Girma is 24, Naeher is 36).
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“As soon as the whistle blew,” Girma said in the mixed zone Saturday night, “I was like, my last sprint of the tournament is to give Alyssa a hug.”
Naeher once again played a massive role in the USWNT’s victory, providing a poster-worthy save in the final few moments of the win over Brazil — this time pawing a close-range shot with a hand — just like she did in the semifinal win over Germany.
The U.S. doesn’t reach the top of the podium without Naeher. They all know that.
There’s been so many emotions through the past three weeks in France for this team. The physical challenges, too, have forced them to suffer. But there’s been so much joy, too. There’s been karaoke, there’s been dancing, there’s been a lightness, a trust, a sense even from the outside that something new was being built both before our eyes and behind closed doors.
Naeher and Girma helped keep three clean sheets in the knockout stage of the World Cup. (Photo by Justin Setterfield, Getty Images)
At the heart of so much of that was a player most might not have expected: Naeher. It’s not because she’s anti-fun, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking she’s nothing but business with her game-day face and massive saves, followed by pushing her teammates away as they try to swarm her to celebrate. It goes back to 2019, her first major tournament as the No. 1 goalkeeper, and even before that.
There’s the growing bond between Naeher and Girma, of course, but there’s also been something special brewing between Naeher and the starting front line of Mal Swanson (Naeher’s Chicago Red Stars teammate), Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith.
They’ve slowly, lovingly, cracked open whatever remains of her shell.
“Alyssa has been the best person for Mal, Trin and I,” Smith said Saturday after the game. “She’s our biggest supporter, but I do feel like we’ve helped her open up a little bit, even if it’s uncomfortable for her. We give her hugs and tell her how much we appreciate her, because obviously we would not be here right now without Alyssa. We just want to remind her of that every day.”
Rodman stressed how Naeher has been a mentor to her as well. “I’ve asked her for so much advice and comfort through everything, even just sitting next to me and not saying anything,” Rodman said Thursday.
But she was also delighted by how they’ve gotten Naeher to open up a bit over the past few months — and all of them are still thrilled by that one time they managed to convince her to participate in their group TikTok. It’s a multi-pronged effort, after all.
“We’re making her a little more mushy gushy with us, which I think is nice. We’re opening up a side that I think has always been there, but it’s hidden a little bit,” Rodman said.
There’s no better time to embrace the mushy gushy than in the first few moments after winning gold medals together. After the group pile-on, led by Girma, Naeher shared a moment with Swanson and Rodman, all three of them giving into tears.
For Naeher, that moment was never about her (it usually isn’t).
“To see (Swanson’s) journey, to see her maturity, to see her come in,” Naeher began in the mixed zone, warning she was about to get emotional all over again, “I’ve been fortunate to be with her every step of the way the last few years, and to see her come into this tournament, to score that goal in this game, I mean… I love her to death. To see her emotional, to see that joy in her face again of being back on the field, it kind of all finally hits when you look in each other’s eyes again.”
Swanson missed the 2023 World Cup due to a knee injury. (Photo by John Todd, Getty Images)
She knows, too, that the three of them have been working on her — in a good way, of course — since the tail end of last year, before Emma Hayes joined the team and there was still the uncertainty of the post-World Cup transition.
“They truly have made me feel a part of it,” she said. “I felt like if I could allow myself to be a little bit more vulnerable with the younger group, and buy into that, and be able to share the experiences that I’ve had and have them soak it up.”
She has felt their embrace, even as she’s only barely tolerated the push to be included in social media videos. It’s been fun. It all goes back to that.
“It’s made me feel quite special as part of the group, like I feel like I have something to give to this team as an older player,” Naeher said. Naeher hasn’t talked about her plans moving forward, but there is perhaps the slightest hint of knowing she should take advantage of the chance she has now, to share everything she knows — to help them, and be rewarded with their love right back.If she has to tolerate a few hugs here or there, then it’s a price she doesn’t seem to mind paying even if she’s still putting on the bit on camera, even if she struggles to accept the praise in real time. “Mother-daughter besties forever,” Rodman declared in a team video, after forcing Naeher to hug her back.
“It’s funny because I’m not a touchy person,” Rodman said Thursday, laughing about that very video. “Just in that moment, I wanted to shout her out. You’ll never see us hug, so that was a once in a lifetime thing. Maybe. Hopefully if we win, there’ll be another one. But I love making her uncomfortable; it brightens my day for sure.” As hoped for, they won. And they got that second hug. And a third, just to be safe. Consider the shell fully cracked.
Is becoming USMNT head coach the right move for Mauricio Pochettino?
In late 2022, out of work following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain that summer, Mauricio Pochettino found himself reflecting on the unpredictable nature of a coaching career.
“Football is timing,” he told Spain’s Radio Marca. “It’s about the moments that coincide and then for that marriage to happen. Sometimes it is only a question of time. I don’t believe in trains passing only once. I think sometimes you need the patience and you have to know how to wait.”
The “train” he was referring to was the Real Madrid job. The timing had not been right when they sounded him out in the summer of 2018, given he had just signed a five-year contract at Tottenham Hotspur, but by the end of the following year he was out of work. The stars never quite aligned for him with Manchester United either, despite a long on-off courtship. He ended up coaching PSG and then Chelsea, where he lasted 18 months and a year respectively.
And now, to widespread surprise, Pochettino is on the verge of becoming the new coach of the United States men’s national team, enthused by the challenge of leading them into the 2026 World Cup they will host most of. If you had asked him five years ago, even two years ago, it probably wouldn’t have been a position he envisaged taking at the age of 52. But football is timing. The past years have taught him that.
It is an unexpected leap from Pochettino — away from the Premier League, away from the Champions League circuit and away from European club football, where he has worked as a player and then a coach since he left his native Argentina to join Barcelona-based Espanyol as a 22-year-old in the summer of 1994.
It is a prestigious job, particularly given the looming prospect of a World Cup played primarily on American soil. It is the type of challenge Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho and others have often said might tempt them at some distant juncture — just not now, as Klopp made clear when the U.S. federation sounded him out this summer in the early stages of his post-Liverpool sabbatical.
For Pochettino to take the jump at this point in his career underlines not only the appeal of the challenge in question but also, perhaps, a level of disillusionment with the European club scene.
Pochettino suffered bad timing at Chelsea last season (Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images)
His reputation as one of the world’s brightest coaches was built on spells at Espanyol, and then Southampton and Tottenham in England, three clubs where he found a vision and an energy that appeared to chime with his own. In terms of showcasing his coaching ability, all three seemed like the right jobs at the right time.
PSG, by contrast, had begun to resemble a circus by the time he took that job in early 2021; “flashy bling-bling” is how club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi described the dressing-room culture the following year. Chelsea have so far appeared pretty much unmanageable in two turbulent years under the co-ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Wrong place, wrong time. Twice.
There were talks with the Manchester United hierarchy after he left Chelsea at the end of last season, but he received little encouragement before learning that Erik ten Hag was to be kept on after all. A wide range of coaches attracted interest from Bayern Munich and Barcelona before they appointed Vincent Kompany and Hansi Flick respectively. Pochettino did not seem to be among them.
In comparison to the fresh-faced figure who arrived on the Premier League scene more than a decade earlier, he seemed a little jaded at times at Chelsea. He certainly found it harder to get his tactical message across than he had at Southampton and Spurs, where young players gave the impression they would happily run through walls for him.
But perhaps it was less about Pochettino and more about the state of dysfunction he encountered at his past two clubs.
As his time at Chelsea headed towards a predictable break-up, there was a sense a young team had begun to turn a corner. They lost just one of their final 15 Premier League games last season, scoring 39 goals in the process, and won their final five to secure a sixth-placed finish and European qualification. Several of their players reacted to his departure by expressing shock or sadness on social media. Their Senegal international forward Nicolas Jackson posted a “facepalm” emoji and wrote, “Love you, coach. Wish we could stay together more.”
This is what the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) is buying into: a coach who tends to win hearts and minds — young, fresh, enthusiastic minds in particular — and to impose his playing philosophy. His high-energy, high-pressing, possession-based style is far more mainstream now than when he brought it to the Premier League in early 2013, but even if his principles are similar to USMNT predecessor Gregg Berhalter’s, it seems like a bold as well as highly ambitious, eye-catching appointment by the USSF, whose technical director, Matt Crocker, briefly overlapped with Pochettino at Southampton.
A fresh-faced Pochettino with Southampton in 2013 (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
International football is a strange beast. Many successful club coaches have proven less suited to that version of the game — far less about the tactical challenge and far more about the rhythm of the calendar, where they go months without seeing their players or spending time on the training field, then find themselves plunged into a tournament where the tests are so much harder, the stakes so much higher and the pressure ramped up dramatically.
Pochettino has the emotional intelligence to be able to adjust to those different dynamics and connect with players in a different way. There are unlikely to be many coaches at the 2026 World Cup with more elite-level management experience — not that this is all-important, as Spain’s Luis de la Fuente, Lionel Scaloni of Argentina and England’s recently departed Gareth Southgate have demonstrated of late.
The English FA has considered Pochettino in the past and, despite a preference for a homegrown candidate, was expected to do so again following Southgate’s exit last month after Euro 2024. Instead, having considered the free agents on the market, they have just put their under-21s team coach Lee Carsley in interim charge of the senior side, perhaps with an eye on continuity post-Southgate rather than the type of game-changing appointment the USSF had in mind from the start of this process.
It is easy to imagine that, in Pochettino, the USSF have found a coach who could not just improve the national team but further energise the sport in America; someone who can change the culture around the entire national team setup and bring long-term benefits.
Equally, it is possible to imagine him getting itchy feet as he counts down the months towards the 2026 World Cup and the challenge of trying, in those sporadic international breaks, to transform a squad that contains plenty of young talent but which fell so far short of expectations by failing to get past the group stage at this summer’s Copa America, beaten by Panama as well as Uruguay.
There is a lot of work to do to get the USMNT up to speed — specifically to Pochettino speed — by summer 2026. Conversely, though that is nearly two years off, there is not an awful lot of time in which to do it.
That is the strange thing about international football. Anything he does between now and then can be filed under experimentation. Then the World Cup will arrive, expectations will be high and judgements will be made on the validity (and value) of the Pochettino project.
At “flashy” PSG in 2021 (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)
It is easy to see why so many leading coaches tend to regard international football as something that can wait until they are at the tail-end of their careers. But sometimes, as Pochettino said, it is about how moments and opportunities coincide.
Looking beyond finance, if he is inclined to feel any regrets over his choices of PSG and Chelsea, there must be something that has convinced him this is an opportunity that will engage and excite him for the foreseeable future and re-energise his career in the longer term.
Perhaps it comes back to something he said while he was in Qatar, working as a pundit for the BBC during the 2022 World Cup. He spoke about how excited and enthused he felt by the feeling around the competition — probably pretty easy for an Argentinian at that tournament — and how, yes, having appeared in the World Cup as a player in 2002, he would love to do so as a coach in the future.
At the time, it was presumed he meant by taking charge of Argentina — or even England, such is the way he’d come to be regarded as an Anglophile since his arrival on these shores over 11 years ago.
Instead, he has now been lured Stateside, just as his compatriot Lionel Messi, now 37, was when he joined Inter Miami of MLS last year, just as German veteran Marco Reus, 35, has been now that his move to LA Galaxy in the same league has been confirmed.
In some ways, Pochettino’s move feels more unexpected because it’s all happened in a matter of days rather than being flagged months or even years in advance.
Football is timing, as Pochettino said.
Perhaps the past few years have taught him something different about coaching careers and the difficulty of trying to plan too far ahead.
Sometimes the opportunity to board a particular train doesn’t come along again.
Pochettino didn’t want to hang about waiting. He is evidently enthused by the journey that lies ahead, wherever it may take him.
Indianapolis – Visiting Western Conference leader New Mexico United scored three second-half goals in a 22-minute span to rally for a 3-1 road victory over the Indy Eleven at Carroll Stadium.
Indy Eleven played an impressive first half with an 8-4 advantage in shots. In the second minute of the match, a header from Romario Williams set up an chance for Augi Williams for a left-footed opportunity in the area that was saved by New Mexico keeper Alex Tambakis.
In the 23rd minute, Neidlinger struck a nice cross from the right corner to the far post to defender Aedan Stanley, but his header was just over the bar.
The Boys in Blue took a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute when 18-year-old midfielder Logan Neidlinger became the youngest player in franchise history to score a goal. Neidlinger is also the first Indy Eleven player on a USL Academy contract to score. Neidlinger, born in Indianapolis, has played the full 90 minutes in all three of the team’s August matches.
Defender Adrian Diz Pe started the scoring sequence with an interception at midfield. Three quick passes got the ball to midfielder Laurence Wootton, who quickly passed it to Neidlinger on the right side of the box. Neidlinger fired a shot into the top left corner. It was Wootton’s second straight match with an assist.
Indy Eleven had a great chance to take increase its lead just three minutes later when Neidlinger delivered an excellent cross from outside the area on the right side to the far post to Augi Williams, who headed across to the far post, but Romario Williams was not able to finish.
In the 39th minute, forward Sebastian Guenzatti spun and passed to Stanley, who hit a cross that just eluded both Augi and Romario Williams.
Indy Eleven are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 35 points. Their next match is at the Las Vegas Lights FC on August 24.
Indy Eleven 1:3 New Mexico United
Sunday, August 11, 2024 – 5 p.m. ET
Carroll Stadium | Indianapolis
2024 USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 10-8-5 (-3), 35 pts, 4th in Eastern Conference
New Mexico United: 13-6-2 (+4), 41 pts, 1st in Western Conference
US Women Reach Gold Medal Final vs Brazil Sat 11 am USA
So coaching does make a difference as new Coach Emma Hayes has molded this young US team and has them on the brink of Olympic gold for the first time since 2016. Their foe – Brazil and the legendary Marta – who made her debut Olympic debut 20 years ago as she faced the US in the Olympic Gold Medal game. After being knocked out in the round of 16 in last year’s World Cup – the change of coaching finally came. I said all last summer – the US players have not fallen behind the rest of the world – the coaching had. Spain and France and England don’t have better female players than the US does. These new leagues are not better than the NWSL – not yet. But the US has not had the right coach for a while – now with the US trained English coach Emma Hayes in charge – the US has turned the team over to the youngsters and they have responded. The Holy Trinity/Trident/Triple Expresso up front with Smith/Swanson/Rodman has 3 goals each and 10 of the 12 goals or assists have come thru them (Check this goal in the semi-final.) The back line anchored by the US best player Centerback Girma and of course goalkeeper Elysa Naeher has really stepped up. Now there are things I think can be improved upon -aka more subs, overall you can’t argue with the results so far. If Hayes can bring home the gold after only 2 months in charge of this team – maybe we should give her the Men’s job next. 🙂
Surprised to see Brazil beat Spain 4-2 – honestly Spain had an own goal and a stupid back pass – along with the Brazilian GK Lorena making save after save. She could have a real role vs US Sat. But I like the US 2-1. Unbelievable saves Germany vs USA
2024 U.S. Olympic women’s soccer roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) DEFENDERS (6): Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC) MIDFIELDERS (5): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Catarina Macario (Chelsea) Lynn Williams NY Gothem FORWARDS (5): Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars) ALTERNATES (4): Jane Campbell (goalkeeper, Houston Dash), Hal Hershfelt (midfielder, Washington Spirit), Croix Bethune (midfielder, Washington Spirit),
US Boys Bow Out – Spain faces France in the Final Friday at noon on USA
The US U23 team bowed out to Morocco last weekend with a pathetic 4-0 shellacking. Amazing just how bad our defense was with 2 veteran overage Centerbacks added to this team. If there is any doubt that the US men’s side is broken – the Olympic showing didn’t help things. Combine that with the U20 loss to Mexico and the men’s side of US soccer is — ah broke. Will be interesting to see Spain vs France on Friday on USA — can coach Henri bring home a goal for his country – could that lead to an offer of the head job from the US. I still prefer Mauricio Pochettino formerly of Spurs and Chelsea- but Henri would be better than LA’s Steve Cherundelo in my mind.
Good times as the High School Reffing Season is right around the corner – here at the Carmel High School Dewayne Aiken Preseason Jamboree in late July. Good luck to everyone trying out for their high school teams !!
Fri, Aug 9
9 am USA, Tele, Peacock Spain Women vs Germany 3rd place game
12 noon USA, Tele, Peacock France U23 Men vs Spain Gold Medal Men
7:30 pm Apple TV Cincy vs Santos Laguna
10 pm FS1 America vs Atlas – Leagues Cup
Sat Aug 10
7:30 am CBS SN QPR vs West Brom Championship
7:30 am CBS Golazo Leeds United (Aronson) vs Portsmith
10 am ESPN+ Community Shield Man City vs Man United
11 am. ET – Telemundo, Peacock, USA Gold Medal Game USA Women vs Brazil
12 noon CBSSN Wrexham vs Wycombe League 1 England
7 pm CBS Galazo Pittsburg Riverhounds (GK Dick) vs San Antonio
9 pm ESPN2 Louisville City vs Sacramento USL
Sun Aug 11
11 am CBS Golazo Sheffield Wed vs Plymouth League 1
5 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs New Mexico United – Beat Cancer Day @ the Mike
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Sophia Smith: ‘This team has a standard of winning on the biggest stage’ as USWNT eyes Olympic gold
PARIS — Twelve years ago, the last time the U.S. women’s national team won a gold medal at the Olympics, Mallory Swanson was watching the game at a Buffalo Wild Wings. Trinity Rodman joked that she was five years old (she was 10, actually). Sophia Smith added she had been watching the very team she stars for today for as long as she could remember.
On Thursday, the three starting forwards for the USWNT — now having dubbed themselves “Triple Espresso” (or at least, they’re throwing it out there for workshopping purposes) — spoke to reporters at the Olympics’ press center. In two days’ time, they’ll have their chance to truly stamp their mark on this program with a major tournament victory.
“This team has always had a standard of winning, and winning on the biggest stage,” Smith said Thursday. “We take so much pride in that, and want to uphold that in everything that we do to pay our respects to the players that have come before us.”
For all the worries about the USWNT’s inability to score in the send-off games last month, and as tight as the knock-outs have been against Japan and Germany, all three of the forward line have scored three goals so far this tournament. Swanson has also added two assists, and Smith and Rodman one.
There’s no secret recipe for their success. All three have talked about not playing selfishly, and knowing one of them will step up — it’s just a matter of which one and when. The other part is even more simple: they actively like each other. They’re best friends off the field. The chemistry between them, their trust, all of that came together so quickly for a reason.
“We hang out every second that we can,” Rodman said, laughing. “Which is crazy because we’re stuck together.”
(Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
As Smith pointed out following the U.S.’s statement win over Germany in the group stage, they had only had six or seven games (at that point) with the three of them as the starting forward line. “We’re clicking really well, really fast,” she said that night in Marseille. “I think this is only like 70 percent of what we can do.”
For Rodman though, it’s the off-field stuff that has made a massive difference to their communication in game. “We know how we take certain tones. It’s the littlest things. We just know each other so well, and we can then translate that on the field. If we miss a pass, there’s already a look of, ‘Oh no, she was mad. We got the next one.’”
Trinity Rodman was the extra time hero in Paris against Japan. On Tuesday, it was Sophia Smith against Germany (via a Swanson assist) — who had so little left in the tank at that point in extra time that she opted to just drop to the ground and let her teammates pile on top of her, so she didn’t have to run any more than she had to.
Head coach Emma Hayes in the mixed zone later couldn’t help but drop a couple of f-bombs in disbelief after the match on Smith’s performance, stating the forward had “f****** gone on another level.”
The front line has earned their reputation as a group at the Olympics, but each player offers something unique — playing off each other doesn’t work nearly as well if all three of them are not fully embracing what they do best.
In almost every postgame mixed zone during this tournament, either one of the three of them or one of their teammates has referenced the idea of “just Mal being Mal,” “Trin being Trin”, or “Soph being Soph.”
Smith celebrates her winner against Germany (John Todd/ISI/Getty Images)
On Thursday, Rodman gave her version of what those three shorthand comments stood in for. For herself, it was “smiling, creativity, trying new things, and being one-on-one.” She does after all, she added smiling, really enjoy a good one-on-one. That’s probably why the ‘Trin Spin’ got it’s Olympic debut so early.
For Swanson, Rodman said she is a selfless player. “She makes a lot of selfless runs to open up space. She’s explosive. She’s a perfectionist. She wants to get the perfect shot, the perfect touch, the perfect angle. But it’s in a healthy and good way.”
And for Smith, Rodman wanted to remind everyone how good she is with her feet. “She’s so good at holding defenders off, when she’s back to goal. She’s good at it in a weird way. She’s gonna be sneaky; you don’t think she’s gonna get there and then she’ll change her speed at the perfect time to get a toe in or get a touch. Her body control is really good, and it sets her up for success.”
Rodman added that having all those different skill sets on the field at the same time and knowing any one of the front three could step up meant that if one of them didn’t have a big game, it wasn’t the end of the world. Everyone was still trusted to contribute. If things aren’t working for her offensively, that’s her sign to make sure she puts in a big shift defensively.
The details may have been tweaked this tournament match-by-match, but Emma Hayes’s approach and starting XI has remained the same. She hasn’t changed it due to the threat of yellow card accumulation, or tired legs, or any whiff of outside pressure to rotate.
So on Saturday, it will be Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman up top, hunting goals against Brazil at Parc des Princes. And all three trust one of them will get the job done. They don’t care who, just that it ends in gold.
It took two extra-time matches, but the United States women’s national team is back in a gold medal match at the Olympics. The Americans will face Brazil on Saturday in the final in Paris.he U.S. enters the match as the favorite after the Brazilians upset reigning World Cup champion Spain in a semifinal. The Americans have -250 odds on BetMGM to win the gold medal after opening at -275. The USWNT has won four of the seven golds at the Olympics. Regardless of what happens in the final, the U.S. will have made six of the eight finals and won medals in seven of the eight women’s soccer tournaments.Meanwhile, Brazil is looking for its first-ever gold medal in women’s soccer. The Brazilians took silver in 2004 and 2008.The gold medal game will take place Saturday at 11 a.m. ET at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
USWNT vs. Brazil odds
Odds are for result after 90 minutes and from BetMGM.
Odds
US win
+100
Draw
+220
Brazil win
+280
The paths to the final for these two teams have been a bit reversed.The Americans mostly cruised through group play, winning all three matches with a plus-seven goal differential. The two knockout matches were both tense affairs that went to extra time after 90 scoreless minutes. The U.S. survived past Japan in the quarterfinals and Germany in the semifinals with 1-0 victories after two hours of play in each match.Brazil barely made it to the knockout stage. After beating Nigeria 1-0 in the opener, Brazil gave up two goals in added time to lose 2-1 to Japan and then lost 2-0 to Spain. Brazil was the last team to get into the quarterfinals, edging out Australia in goal differential by one goal among teams that finished third in their groups.In the quarterfinals, Brazil shocked host France 1-0 with a late goal and then blew away Spain in a big upset in the semifinals. Brazil beat Spain 4-2, but it could have, and probably should have, been much worse. Spain was a mess defensively against Brazil and the first goal was truly embarrassing.So how do these two teams match up? The Americans are undefeated and have survived some close tests, but will that extra hour of play affect the Americans in the final? These teams have been playing every three or four days for the duration of the two-and-a-half-week tournament, and USWNT coach Emma Hayes has received criticism for not rotating players or using subs earlier in matches. Nine Americans have started every match and that number might have been 10 if not for Tierna Davidson getting injured in the second group game against Germany.Of course, that’s all there is to complain about when Hayes is undefeated since taking charge of the team in June. The U.S. has eight wins and a draw under Hayes.Brazil also gets a boost in the form of Marta’s return. The legendary forward was suspended for both knockout games after getting a red card in the previous meeting with Spain in group play. This is Marta’s final year before retiring from international play so her team will be plenty motivated to send one of the all-time greats out with a gold medal. isn’t even the first final these teams have met in this year. In March, the U.S. beat Brazil 1-0 in the final of the W Gold Cup in San Diego. The USWNT has won the last seven meetings against Brazil and has gone nine straight without a loss. Brazil last beat the Americans in 2014.
USWNT advances to the Olympic final. Plus: Vote on what to call this front line
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic’s weekly women’s soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox.
What is the meaning of suffering? Emma Hayes might just have the answer. I’m Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan, Steph Yang and Jeff Rueter to bring you an Olympic edition of Full Time!
Want more? Steph and Tamerra Griffin break down how the USWNT advanced to its first gold medal match in 12 years on the “Full Time” podcast — a special Olympic episode is being released after every U.S. game during the tournament.
Olympic Final Set: USWNT advances to gold medal match
“To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” – Friedrich Nietzsche, but also Emma Hayes
With a win against Germany in extra time yesterday, the U.S. women’s national team guaranteed either a silver or gold medal at the Paris Games. The Americans will face Brazil on Saturday at 11 a.m. ET in the Olympic final, the USWNT’s first since 2012.
“I could see today that players were having to dig to the deepest place within them,” Hayes actually said after the win. “I want them to suffer. I want them to have that moment because I do not believe you can win without it.”
The U.S. boss is still new to the international game, but the players have fully bought in. For now, they are pushing through fatigue, injuries and suspensions to prove a point and in doing so, have outperformed expectations. This is not the same team that won bronze at the Tokyo Games or the one that lost in penalties to Sweden exactly a year ago yesterday at the World Cup.
“We’re a different team since she’s come in. She’s so hilarious and chill and funny, and I feel like that’s exactly what we needed. We have the players, we have the talent, we just needed someone to come in and believe in us,” Sophia Smith said. “Emma’s doing exactly that.”
The U.S. played 90 minutes of scoreless soccer again yesterday before Smith broke the stalemate five minutes into stoppage time. Her goal adds to a very familiar trend this tournament: the USWNT’s big three showing up — we’ll come back to them later.
Midfielder Sam Coffey said it best this week in training: “They’re like the Big Three, but they’re all Michael Jordan.”
While it’s refreshing to see the team find the back of the net, the defense also deserves plenty of credit for its efforts in keeping two consecutive clean sheets against Japan and Germany. Speaking of …
Claudio Villa / Getty Images
Hi, My Name Is: The best defender Hayes has ever seen
Since Becky Sauerbrunn was ruled out for the 2023 World Cup, the U.S. back line has been Naomi Girma’s to lead. Heck, she can command the entire team, as highlighted by the armband she wore yesterday after Lindsey Horan left the pitch. A quick stage-setter:
Girma, 24, made her professional debut in 2022 with the San Diego Wave after being picked at No. 1 in the NWSL Draft.
But she patrols the defensive third with the kind of composure that’s more commonly expected from a seasoned veteran.
She’s bailed the U.S. out on multiple occasions with her ability on the ground and in the air, even as her central partner has alternated between Tierna Davidson and Emily Sonnett due to injury concerns.
“She is the best defender I’ve ever seen. Ever,” Hayes said. “I’ve never seen a player as good as her in the back.”
And Hayes has worked with her fair share of solid defenders: Millie Bright, Kadeisha Buchanan, Niamh Charles and Magda Eriksson, to name a few from her time at Chelsea.
The Stanford grad put up serious numbers against Germany:
Carried the ball for 687 meters — 24 percent of the entire USWNT’s dribbling distance.
Completed 125 passes from 132 attempts in the game.
Led the team in ball recoveries (13), clearances (5) and interceptions (3).
But Girma’s impact doesn’t stop there. She has also been a staunch advocate for mental health, sharing her story of personal loss after her best friend and college teammate Katie Meyer died by suicide. She continues to do work to promote mental health, especially among athletes, in Meyer’s memory.
Moment of the Match: Tournament-mode Naeher strikes again
While Rodman, Smith, Swanson and Girma are having an impressive tournament, there’s one person who can’t be outdone when the right combination of tournament play and clutch moments overlap.
Tournament Alyssa Naeher is a different beast. The goalkeeper hits a level not seen elsewhere in her play when she’s on the big stage. She was one of the few USWNT players to convert a penalty kick against Sweden in the World Cup last year and did it again to greater success in the W Gold Cup semifinal earlier this year.
On Tuesday, it was her acrobatic save and laser-focused reflexes that earned her the moment of the match:
I’ll let Steph describe it:
“Naeher’s last-minute block to preserve the U.S. lead and avoid penalties was the stuff of legend. Perhaps Laura Freigang’s header wasn’t well-placed, and perhaps it was a bit of luck. Perhaps Naeher was playing the odds by simply making herself as big as possible and her leg happened to be in the way. In replays, you can see Naeher tracking the ball in and looking down at her foot, even though it’s all taking place in about a second flat. Regardless of intent, the effect was undeniable: a shot at the gold medal.”
Brazil beat Spain 4-2 in the other semifinal to earn a ticket to the Olympic final. It’s one more chance for Marta to make her mark on the international stage after the completion of her two-game red card suspension.
The game was anything but expected from the opening goal — which came off a poor clearance by Spain’s goalkeeper Cata Coll, causing a ball to hit off her teammate Irene Paredes and into the goal — to Brazil taking control with goals from Gabi Portilho, Adriana and Kerolin. With the reigning World Cup winners bounced to the bronze game, there has still yet to be a World Cup-Olympic double.
Meanwhile, this will be the third time the U.S. and Brazil meet in an Olympic final. It is also a rematch of the W Gold Cup final. The Americans won each of those previous meetings.
Schedule for the medal matches (USA Network, streaming on Peacock):
Bronze: Spain vs. Germany – Friday at 9 a.m. ET in Lyon
Gold: USWNT vs. Brazil – Saturday at 11 a.m. ET in Paris
Name Games: What are we calling this front line?
The front three of Rodman, Smith and Swanson has taken this Olympics by storm. In addition to capturing eyes, they’ve also gotten everyone to discuss what they should collectively be nicknamed.
NBC commentators Jon Champion and Julie Foudy have had their fair share of suggestions during broadcasts.
🗣️“Germany speared by the trident,” Champion said after Smith’s goal in the semifinal.
But with the team on the cusp of history, is “trident” what we’re sticking with for this front three forever?
The options:
🔱 Trident
👑 The Triple Crown
😈 Triple Trouble
Write-in
While I’m of the opinion the trio should name themselves, as the women’s gymnastics team did with “Golden Girls” this year, it’s still fun to brainstorm. Cast your vote for what you think befits the forwards.
While Smith and Swanson liked Christen Press’ suggestion of “Triple Trouble,” we can rule out the “Holy Trinity.” Rodman didn’t like that one: “I don’t want it to be just, like, my name,” she said after the Australia game in the group stage. “So, we’ll try something else.”
USWNT’s Rodman, Smith, Swanson having fun as fearsome front three
Sam Borden, ESPN Senior WriterAug 5, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
LYON, France — When Trinity Rodman came into the locker room after the U.S. women’s national team victory over Australia last week at the Paris Olympics, she was carrying a piece of paper that a fan thrust at her as she’d walked off the field. The paper had printed on it the names of the three starting American forwards — Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson — and then, in big, colorful letters, the words: “THE HOLY TRINITY.”
Rodman was torn. While very much appreciative of the sentiment behind the sign, she remained optimistic (hopeful, even?) that a different nickname for the trio could be found. “I don’t want it to be just, like, my name,” she said. “So, we’ll try something else.”
That lack of an obvious (and catchy) moniker for the USWNT’s front three is perhaps the only issue they’ve had over the past four games. As the U.S. prepares for its Olympic soccer semifinal here Tuesday against Germany, the Americans can take comfort in knowing that their primary scorers have been doing exactly that: scoring.
After Rodman’s outrageous, extra-time game winner into the upper corner in the 1-0 quarterfinal victory against Japan, she and Swanson share the team’s scoring lead with three goals apiece while Smith has added two goals of her own. Between them, they’ve scored eight of the team’s 10 goals at the Paris Games.
“I feel like we’re clicking really well, really fast,” Smith said. “This is only like 70% of what we can do. The more games we get together, the more we’re going to be playing off each other and just learning each other’s tendencies. It’s so much fun playing with them.”
That level of comfort is clearly something new coach Emma Hayes has prioritized. Despite the compressed nature of the Olympic tournament, Hayes has been adamant about keeping her preferred lineup together — even doing so in an all-but-dead-match against the Matildas in the group stage finale. While that decision is one that inspired some debate among observers who wonder about fatigue, the minutes the U.S. players are getting on the field — especially among the front three — have led to valuable understanding.
In the 4-1 group stage win over Germany, Rodman created the opening goal with a move on the edge of the penalty area that she then crossed perfectly to Smith, who finished first-time. It was a goal straight from the practice field, and it highlighted how quickly the U.S. forwards are taking in what Hayes — who called the trio “dynamic as hell” — wants from them.”I think we’re all really starting to come around to the way Emma has wanted us to play,” Swanson said. “It’s been really enjoyable just being able to learn different things and trying to apply them, especially since the group that we have is super special.”
Swanson’s appreciation for her part in this team’s rise is understandable. She has been a part of the USWNT since 2016, when she was just 17, and she worked her way into a main role with the national team as she became a star in the NWSL. But three months before the Women’s World Cup last year, Swanson tore her left patella tendon — a devastating injury that required a full year of recovery.
Missing that much time was costly, both for Swanson’s own confidence as well as her ability to mesh with Smith and Rodman, the other young attackers with whom she’d have to combine. During her time at these Olympics, she’s found herself lingering on the basic premise that she is finally playing again without fear. “I think I’m just grateful,” she said.
One thing that helped Swanson reintegrate so smoothly is her familiarity with Smith. While Smith is two years younger, she and Swanson both grew up playing for the same club near Denver, and they have been familiar with each other’s games for years.Swanson knows, then, the challenge that Smith has faced in playing a different role for the national team than the one she normally fills for her club team. With the Portland Thorns, Smith is often seen dropping back deeper into the field, playing the ball farther away from the goal.With the USWNT, Hayes has been pushing her to get into the penalty area and look to take advantage of crosses, cutbacks and rebounds or unexpected bounces that fall to her there. It’s something Smith is open to doing, but also a change that is requiring her to re-train her brain a bit.”I think Emma’s biggest goal for me is playing this [No. 9] position,” Smith said. “I tend to kind of check into the pockets, get it and turn and go myself. It’s obviously different here. I have players all around me that can do that, and I just need to find myself in the box to put away the chances that they’re putting in there.”Staying more central is critical, too, because it opens space on the edges for Swanson as well as Rodman, who powered the U.S. into the semifinals with her wondrous sequence against Japan that began on the right sideline. That play — where Rodman took down a ball from Crystal Dunn, dribbled toward the goal line before cutting sharply inside and blasting an inch-perfect shot into the upper corner at the far post — was just the latest example of the individual brilliance that the USWNT has come to expect from Rodman.At 22, she is already a mainstay of the U.S. attack and, even more to Hayes’ liking, she is a two-way player with a significant motor, working back to help on defense as much as she surges forward. Despite being the third-youngest player on the Olympic roster, Rodman already has 44 USWNT caps and is the only American to appear in every USWNT game since the start of 2023. But while she was part of the team that crashed out of the Women’s World Cup last summer in the round of 16, her impact there wasn’t anything close to what it has been in France. For Rodman, much of that is due to Hayes’ influence.
“The way that she coaches is she doesn’t want to change anybody’s style,” Rodman said. “She wants everyone to be creative in their own ways and she lets that happen while also trying to put her structure and her principles sprinkled in there. But allowing us to play free I think has been extremely successful.”
That much, certainly, is sure. And as the USWNT recasts itself under Hayes, it’s impossible to overstate how important the three players leading the line are to the new personality of this group. Lindsey Horan, the veteran midfielder and captain of the team, drew a clear line between what Rodman, Smith and Swanson are doing and the emergence of a new feeling around the team as a whole. Even if they don’t have a catchy nickname just yet.
“We keep talking about this new identity, this new style, this new sense of confidence,” Horan said. “I think you see it in our front three. I think you see it in our attack … I think that’s the key for us right now.”
Former Chelsea, Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino a top target to become USMNT coach: Sources
Former Tottenham and Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino is a top target for the U.S. men’s national team opening, according to multiple sources briefed on the coaching search.The sources said that the federation was still considering multiple candidates as of last week, but Pochettino is seen by some as the favorite in the pool, and U.S. Soccer is engaged in conversations with his camp.U.S. Soccer has declined to comment on any specific candidates for the job.Hiring Pochettino would be seen as a huge splash, especially at a time the U.S. fanbase is looking for a big-name manager. The Argentine has never managed a national team, but has had plenty of success at club level. He guided Southampton to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League in 2013, achieved record league finishes with Spurs, including a Champions League final appearance in 2019, and secured a Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain. Most recently, Pochettino led Chelsea to a sixth-place finish and European qualification before departing at the end of the 2023-24 season.U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker and Pochettino overlapped during the Argentine coach’s year at Southampton. Crocker led Southampton’s academy at the time, and left in November 2013 to join the Football Association.
Pochettino managed Chelsea last season (Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Argentine outlet Olé previously reported Pochettino was a candidate for the job.
While it is possible that U.S. Soccer could make and announce a hire before the September window, the federation is planning to have former U.S. under-20 men’s national team coach and current USMNT assistant Mikey Varas to lead the senior team in friendlies against Canada and New Zealand on September 7 and September 10, respectively, according to sources briefed on the program’s planning.
The U.S. fell flat in the Copa, beating Bolivia in their opening group game before losing to Panama after playing a man down for more than an hour following a red card to winger Tim Weah. The U.S. then lost 1-0 in the group finale to Uruguay.
Pochettino would be the highest-profile coach of the U.S. since Jurgen Klinsmann, a World Cup winner. While Klinsmann coached the German national team and Bayern Munich before taking on the U.S. job, his fame came more from his on-field accomplishments as a player. Pochettino has made his name as a manager, with teams that use positional play to try to dominate space, but that also like to press and attack opposition.The 52-year-old will likely command a top-level salary, as reports have indicated he was one of the highest-paid coaches in the world at PSG and Chelsea. However, Crocker has said the federation won’t be limited by financial restrictions.“It’s a really competitive market out there, salary-wise, and we have to be competitive to get the level of coach that I believe can take the program forward in terms of achieving the results that we want on the field,” Crocker said. “It’s a priority. It’s something we’re prepared to invest in and something that we will be investing in.”(Top photo: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
A World Cup in America in the middle of summer? Have they seen the weather?
It was the USA’s highly-vaunted summer of soccer, but it was also a stress test for the nation hosting the World Cup.There was certainly plenty of stress to test.Aside from concerns over field conditions, crowd control and security — alarmingly highlighted before the Copa America final in Miami when ticketless fans forced their way into the stadium —Mother Nature ensured plenty of other challenges.Extreme weather, from scorching heat to torrential rain and lightning, caused games across Copa America and various European club tours to be delayed, while supporters, officials and players struggled to contend with the subsequent effects.Some meteorologists believe world soccer’s organizing body FIFA must treat climate change-driven problems as a priority, with questions being asked about the viability of major tournaments taking place during summer.“There needs to be a conversation about having these matches in places that will get 90-degree-plus summer temperatures,” says Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather’s senior director of forecasting operations. “Should games be played in Miami in July? I don’t know the answer, but the question is worth asking.”
Just this week, Barcelona’s high-profile friendly with Manchester City in Orlando was delayed for 80 minutes by storms.Fans had to seek shelter under the stands at the Camping World Stadium before the game eventually started, and afterwards, Barcelona boss Hansi Flick said: “The circumstances have not been the best because of the weather.”City’s first game of their USA tour, the 4-3 defeat by Celtic, was also affected when supporters had to evacuate the Kenan Stadium in North Carolina after a weather warning was issued hours before kick-off, although there was no delay to the match.
Fans in North Carolina were evacuated before Manchester City played Celtic (Peter Zay/AFP/Getty Images)
On Sunday, another game in Florida, between Wolves and West Ham, also saw kick-off delayed by more than two hours with thunderstorms lashing downtown Jacksonville and the city subject to a flash flood warning.The heat was problematic during Copa America. During a group-stage match on June 25 between Canada and Peru at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, one of the assistant referees, Humberto Panjoj, collapsed.The Guatemalan was positioned on the side of the field directly in the sun during the closing stages of the first half, which had kicked off at 5pm, and as temperatures neared 100F (37.8C) with 50 per cent humidity, he fainted and was stretchered off.Panjoj was rushed to hospital and discharged a day later with what tournament organisers CONMEBOL described as dehydration. Even fans who normally pack the Cauldron section of the stadium had moved en masse to shaded stands to avoid the blazing sun, according to the Kansas City Star.Two days earlier, Uruguay defender Ronald Araujo had to leave the field during his team’s 3-1 win over Panama due to heat-related issues. Araujo reported feeling dizzy and his blood pressure had dropped.
“The truth is I’m still a bit dizzy now,” said the 25-year-old afterwards. “My (blood) pressure went down. When the first half finished, I was a bit dizzy and when I reached the dressing room, my pressure went down. The doctor said it was a bit of dehydration and I couldn’t continue for the second half.”It impacted teams’ preparation, too. Paraguay manager Daniel Garnero described the heat during training as “oppressive”, adding: “The sun is really intense and it sets really late, so we have had to modify our training schedule. The demands at these temperatures are not helping us.”Ahead of Brazil’s 4-1 win over Paraguay at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the squad were due to train at Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex at 5pm. It was so hot that they delayed it for two hours, having contemplated cancelling the session altogether in favour of the players working in the gym instead. When training did start, the sprinklers on the grass were kept on throughout.“We went from the parking lot into the stadium and the change in temperature was incredible,” said centre-back Marquinhos. “Having an air-conditioned stadium will really help the match because it’s very hot here. It might be a factor in our favour, being a little fresher.”“It’s really hot,” added left-back Guilherme Arana. “I stepped off the plane and it was that sultry heat. We’re following the recommendations of the nutritionists and physios, hydrating a lot.”
Canada’s Maxime Crepeau helps assistant referee Humberto Panjoj in Kansas (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
CONMEBOL described the impact of global warming on athletes’ health as “a critical issue”, saying “rising temperatures because of climate change pose significant threats to players”.The organising body issued a set of directives to address exertional heat stroke in soccer. They included medical screenings to identify players at risk of heat stroke, a recommendation that players are allowed to adapt gradually to the heat for 10-14 days, and emphasising the importance of hydration and sleep.
“There is a reason they play American football in the fall,” says DePodwin, who leads a team of 45 AccuWeather meteorologists from the firm’s headquarters in Pennsylvania. The organisation advises half of Fortune 500 businesses and provides forecasts to millions of people via its website and app.“It has been a very hot summer in the U.S. and I think it will rank among the hottest ever,” he says. “It’s certainly a global trend for much hotter periods, but the Copa America will have increased visibility of how we are affected in the U.S. A lot of the places where they played games get extremely hot and while many of the stadiums had retractable roofs, not all did.”
High humidity, DePodwin says, has compounded the effect of those soaring temperatures. It is one of the elements AccuWeather uses in their ‘Real Feel’ ranking, which also includes temperature, wind speed and sun angle to give a more comprehensive forecast of how the weather actually feels.
“There are plenty of afternoons in Miami, where they had the final, where the Real Feel is 100 degrees,” he says.
DePodwin says starting games in the morning or late evening would help. “But we know that in the group stages of a tournament like the World Cup, that might not always be possible.”
Regardless, he says lessons should be learned from this summer, particularly by those venues that hosted matches and will host again for next summer’s Club World Cup or the 2026 World Cup. “It’s important these venues have a plan to deal with heat and thunderstorms, which bring lightning, damaging winds and rain as well.
“There are certainly risks of further delays or postponements. FIFA must think about the exertions on athletes in those conditions, but also other places, such as how fans in fan parks and gatherings before games are vulnerable to the elements.”
Rain delayed Manchester City against Barcelona in Orlando (Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Another potential hazard could be poor air quality. “There have been many occasions in the last few years where wildfire smoke has caused dangerous air quality across parts of the United States,” he adds. “For instance, in June 2023, there were several days of hazardous air quality in the north-east U.S. which cancelled many sporting events and other outdoor activities.
“If a similar situation were to occur during the World Cup, delays or cancellations might result.”
Does he think, then, that major tournaments should increasingly be held at times of the year other than summer — such as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
“It’s an interesting topic of discussion,” he says. “Even having something like the World Cup start in September would help, but there’s obviously then an impact on all the domestic seasons for each nation.”
Asked about the impact of weather ahead of the World Cup, a FIFA spokesperson told The Athletic: “We have studied extensive historical weather data throughout our planning efforts and continue to monitor the weather trends ahead of 2026.
“As noted during the schedule announcement earlier this year, FIFA will seek to increase the prospect of favorable playing and spectating conditions for teams and fans (considering such factors like heat forecasts, for example) via kick-off times, which will be added following the final draw near the end of 2025.”
Even their detractors would concede that FIFA cannot control the weather. But, along with every other stakeholder who wants the 2026 World Cup to be a resounding success, a lot of planning will be needed.
(Top photo: The scoreboard at Camping World Stadium before Manchester City played Barcelona in Orlando, Florida; by Rich Storry via Getty Images)
The Summer of Soccer Continues — after a fantastic European Cup with Spain defeating England 2-1 late just like I picked. No it didn’t come home England – (the misery continues) and equally enthralling Copa America Final where Argentina defeated Colombia with a late winner 1-0 as an injured Messi looked on crying from the bench – man this final was dripping with Drama. I had picked Colombia but was happy to see Messi and Argentina win a 3rd straight tourney – not sure Messi will be healthy for the World Cup in 2 years – but man the excitement both teams brought around the country for 3 weeks was electrifying. Now if we can just make sure a pregame scene like what took place in Miami never happens again – no way this happens in the World Cup in 2 years – good wake up call for the US stadiums however – regarding all the issues from horrific fields to lack of security – should help come World Cup time in 2026. Now on to the last half of the Summer of Soccer – the Olympic games with the US Women and Men looking to make a splash in France.
US Men play host France Wed 3 pm on USA
The USA men will play their first Olympic game in 16 years when they open their tournament against home nation France in Group A at Marseille. The US Olympic team will presumably be led by Venezia teammates Tanner Tessmann and Gianluca Busio in the midfield, USMNT veterans and over-age callups Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman on the back line, and some combination of Kevin Paredes, Paxten Aaronson, Taylor Booth, Griffin Yow, and Duncan McGuire up top. It sure would be nice to get a draw in the opener – but with Guinea and New Zealand in our group – we should advance even with a close loss – I see 2-1 France in this first one -but 2-0 over NZ and 3-0 over Guinea in the others. It looks like the US games will all be on USA network as will some others. All games will be on Peacock & Telemundo with some on USA and many games replayed late night on USA. Full Olympic Soccer TV Schedule
US Men’s Olympic Team
Goalkeepers (2): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; St. Charles, Mo.), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea FC; Addison, Ill.) Defenders (6): Maximilian Dietz (Greuther Fürth; Frankfurt, Germany), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; Oldsmar, Fla.), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; Arlington, Mass.), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; Chatham, N.J.), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; Atlanta, Ga.), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; Lawrenceville, Ga.)Midfielders (5): Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Greensboro, N.C.), Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami; Key Biscayne, Fla.), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; Queens, N.Y.), Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids; Jacksonville, Fla.), Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Birmingham, Ala.) Forwards (5): Paxten Aaronson (Utrecht; Medford, NJ), Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Eden, Utah), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City; Omaha, Neb.), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; South Riding, Va.), Griffin Yow (Westerlo/BEL; Clifton, Va.)
US Women face Zambia Thurs 3 pm on USA
So after 2 lackluster pre-Olympic games its time to see if New USA Women’s Coach – Emma Hayes can pull of a miracle and bring home the gold. The US have not won it since 2012 and flamed out of the last World Cup in the Round of 16 and currently stand at 5th in the World – the lowest we have EVER been ranked. To say the rest of the World thinks they have passed us by would be an understatement. Now despite our struggles against teams packing it in pre-tourney – I think the US has the pace up front to scare some folks. In fact I like the US to make the Semi’s – but no promises beyond that. Lets hope we can hang on vs Zambia who has one of the most electric players in NWSL in KC’s Barbara Banda – I see this being a 3-2 win for the US – I hope. The US would like to win the group over Germany and Australia – and an opening win vs Zambia must happen for that to take place.
2024 U.S. Olympic women’s soccer roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) DEFENDERS (6): Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC) MIDFIELDERS (5): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Catarina Macario (Chelsea) Lynn Williams NY Gothem FORWARDS (5): Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars) ALTERNATES (4): Jane Campbell (goalkeeper, Houston Dash), Hal Hershfelt (midfielder, Washington Spirit), Croix Bethune (midfielder, Washington Spirit),
MLS All-Star Game vs Liga MX Wed/MLS Skills Competition Tues on Apple TV from Columbus
My favorite thing the Goalkeeper Wars – is back at the MLS Skills Competition at the MLS All Star game tonight at 7:30 pm on Apple TV – no additional charge. Shooting other skills will follow – if I had my act together I would have gone to Columbus for this – tix still available. (if you missed it — its on for FREE on Apple TV worth checking out some. Wed night gives us the MLS All Stars vs Liga MX AllStars at 8 pm on Free Apple TV. (wish this thing was on FS 1 at least.) Goofy MLS.
TV GAMES SCHEDULE
Tues, July 23
7:30 pm Apple TV Free MLS Skills competition from Columbus, OH
12 p.m. ET – Telemundo, Peacock, USA WQF USA vs Germany
3 p.m. ET – Universo, Peacock, E! Entertainment, WQF Brazil vs Spain
7 pm ET ESPN2 Real Madrid vs Chelsea
7:30 pm ESPN+ AC Milan vs Barcelona
France U-23 vs USA U-23, 3p on USA, Telemundo, Peacock, FuboTV (free trial), Sling TV: The USA men will play their first Olympic game in 16 years when they open their tournament against home nation France in Group A at Marseille. The US Olympic team will presumably be led by Venezia teammates Tanner Tessmann and Gianluca Busio in the midfield, USMNT veterans and over-age callups Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman on the back line, and some combination of Kevin Paredes, Paxten Aaronson, Taylor Booth, Griffin Yow, and Duncan McGuire up top. France’s three over-age players are forwards Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), and central defender Loïc Badé (Sevilla). Mateta’s former Palace teammate Michael Olise is the headline name among the French U-23 players. Olise joined Bayern Munichtwo weeks ago.
The 16 teams in the Men’s U23 Olympics will be divided into four groups of four, which are as follows:
Group A: France, USA, New Zealand, Guinea
Group B: Argentina, Morocco, Iraq, Ukraine
Group C: Uzbekistan, Spain, Egypt, Dominican Republic
Group D: Japan, Paraguay, Mali, Israel
The top two teams in each group will advance to the quarterfinals after round-robin play.
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After a terrible World Cup, is USWNT ready for the Olympics?
Jeff Kassouf ESPN Jul 22, 2024, 08:00 AM ET
At each opportunity to repeat the old company line that the standard for the U.S. women’s national team is gold medal or bust, new head coach Emma Hayes has instead paused and offered a more calculated, nuanced answer.
Hayes has not said that the goal is anything short of a gold medal, and she also has not committed to that being the only acceptable outcome for a USWNT in the middle of a rebuild. She continues to navigate a culture around the USWNT where the expectation is to win everything when she knows they can’t win everything anymore.
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“I’m never going to tell anyone to not dream about winning,” Hayes told a small group of reporters at her introduction in New York City in late May. “So, go for it — it’s important for us to have that.
“But as I said before, we have to go step by step and focus on all the little processes that have to happen so we can perform at our best level. If we can perform at our best level, then we have a chance of doing things. But we’ve got work to do. The realities are that the world game is where it is, and the rest of the world do not fear the USA in the way that they once did — and that’s valid.”
The USWNT enters the 2024 Olympics with four World Cup titles and four Olympic gold medals, each of which are records. The Americans have never failed to win either a World Cup or subsequent Olympics since the tournaments began running in back-to-back years in 1995 and 1996.
That record is in a precarious position in France this summer.
The USWNT endured its worst finish at a major tournament in history last summer, losing a penalty shootout to Sweden — an old foe, adding salt to the wound — in the round of 16, marking the first time the program had finished worse than third place at a World Cup.
It wasn’t just that the result was bad in a vacuum, either: The Americans played so unimaginatively that they managed only the narrowest of escapes out of the group stage by way of a scoreless draw with Portugal, saved by mere few inches as a late Portugal shot clattered the post. It was the clearest evidence yet that this was no longer the mighty American world power, the team that had won back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019. The world hadn’t just caught up — other top teams had surpassed the United States.
Former head coach Vlatko Andonovski shouldered much of the public scrutiny, but players nearly unanimously struggled to adjust to opponents in real time. It was clear the issues ran deeper than could be fixed by parting ways with a coach. Now, as the Olympics loom, questions leftover from the World Cup linger: Are players prepared to compete in a modern landscape with teams more competitive than ever?
During the World Cup, Hayes herself publicly questioned the USWNT’s capabilities as a distant observer and part-time pundit, pointing to a lack of creativity among the Americans. She was also ultimately hired as an answer to such questions. Her hiring was widely lauded as the best possible outcome of the new manager search, a level of ambition and reform that stood in stark contrast to U.S. Soccer’s decision to go with the status quo on the men’s side, the results of which bore out at this year’s Copa America.Now, the Olympics have arrived, and Americans, as impatient as they are, want immediate answers and returns. The last Olympic gold medal for the USWNT came in 2012. High-level sources across the sport in the time since the USWNT’s 2023 World Cup exit have expressed concern that a second straight poor showing at a major tournament could set back the program for years and further embolden the rest of the world.The reality, however, is that Hayes’ primary remit is to win the 2027 World Cup. While the Olympics will always have some cachet, the Women’s World Cup — a singular spotlight for teams to take over — is the most impactful podium. It’s also one far enough away to allow for a realistic amount of preparation time.Neither Hayes nor U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker would admit it, but Hayes’ hire was clearly one focused long term on the next World Cup — not short term on the Olympics. Hayes and U.S. Soccer agreed to allow Hayes to finish the European season with Chelsea, meaning she would be left with four friendlies and less than two months on the sidelines before the Olympics.
Nobody, even someone with the lauded coaching acumen of Hayes, could be expected to develop a gold-medal-winning team in that time, especially not a team that has been overhauled following such recent disappointment. Hayes has said as much, perhaps most recently with a tinge of frustration after Tuesday’s frustrating 0-0 draw with Costa Rica in the team’s sendoff game.
Hayes paused for 10 seconds in the middle of her first answer to a question that alluded to disappointment in the scoreless draw, before saying: “[Trinity Rodman] might score a worldie in the last minute, but the goalkeeper’s had an outstanding game. Yes, we need to be more clinical. I don’t need to state the obvious. But I think that when you’ve had maybe half a dozen training sessions in total since I’ve been the coach, I think it’s a pretty good return so far.”
Emma Hayes not focused on outside noise ahead of USWNT’s Olympic Games
USWNT manager Emma Hayes explains that the team is solely focused on the games ahead at the 2024 Olympics.Hayes is a realist, and the reality of this Olympics is an uncomfortable one for a USWNT program that, with only minimal hyperbole, won everything all the time in the past: These days, gold is not the make-or-break standard — not at this tournament.A harsher, objective view might be that gold would be an overachievement at this point in the U.S. program’s trajectory. The U.S. is now ranked fifth in the world, the team’s worst FIFA ranking in history. Before last year’s World Cup, the U.S. was ranked first or second for all 20 years of the ranking’s existence.The Americans are not remotely the favorites at the 2024 Olympics. A bronze medal, which the U.S. won three years ago in Tokyo, would be a significant achievement. And in a group with Zambia — whom Hayes rightfully noted shouldn’t be overlooked — Germany and Australia, the range of realistic outcomes for the USWNT at the 2024 Olympics runs the gamut from a group-stage catastrophe to a gold medal. Anything including and between those outcomes is realistic in today’s landscape.Despite the USWNT’s recent woes, a gold medal is possible for several reasons: This U.S. team has plenty of talent on the field and in the coaching box, and its competitors have their own injuries, and recent ebbs and flows to form. Hayes is among the best coaches in the world, and the USWNT has a world-class front line in Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson, and one of the best central defenders in the world in Naomi Girma.
Yet, this USWNT squad is also not that different from the one that struggled at last year’s World Cup. Ten of the 18 players on the roster were part of the 2023 World Cup, with veteran forward Alex Morgan‘s omission marking the most high-profile change. Hayes’ preferred starting lineup — the one that defeated Mexico 1-0 on July 13 — features eight players who prominently featured in and started at the 2023 World Cup. The USWNT’s overhaul is not specifically about personnel but evolving and sophisticating ideas and principles.Still, the historical reliance on transitional play remains the USWNT’s most effective approach, one that Hayes explicitly says she wants to evolve. Tuesday’s scoreless draw with Costa Rica seemed eerily like one of the USWNT’s poor performances from last year’s World Cup, where a disciplined defensive scheme from an opponent left the Americans without enough ideas or, more simply, incapable or unlucky in front of net.It was an anticlimactic sendoff game that overshadowed some of the progress made over the past eight months since Hayes was hired, including her involvement from afar alongside interim coach Twila Kilgore. There has been talent identification and development, like the emergence of Sam Coffey as the teams’ defensive midfielder and Jenna Nighswonger as a modern, attacking left full-back. Each of those have been areas of need for the USWNT.Tactically, the USWNT has been nimbler over the past nine months, rotating midfield configurations between a double pivot — the solution that the team needed but turned to too late at the 2023 World Cup — and a more aggressive midfield trio. Hayes and Kilgore have experimented with a three-back in different phases of games, as well as different cadences of pressure on opponents.In those ways, progress has been clear. There’s a new coach with a decent amount of new personnel. Without doubt, there are fresh ideas being experimented with and implanted. Realistically, though, that entire algorithm requires time to run to its conclusion. Major tournaments are about timing as much as they are talent, and this is a U.S. squad at the beginning of a takeoff process that will incur more turbulence along the way.”Where are we compared to our best version of ourselves?” Hayes rhetorically asked reporters at her introductory briefing. That is the gap she is focused on closing: the one between the USWNT that wins tournaments and the one that crashed out. Only then can that be followed by catching up to the rest of the world — or, to “beat the f—ing Spanish,” the reigning world and European champions, as Hayes cheekily joked recently.Dreaming of the gold medal makes sense for the USWNT. It’s in the American DNA, Hayes has said, and she won’t change that. But as Hayes has also said, there’s a lot of work to get there.
Bookmark this USWNT roster guide for the Olympics. Plus, a Summer Cup recap
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic’s weekly women’s soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox.
Welcome to the last pre-Olympics installment of Full Time! We’ll be in your inbox the dayafter every USWNT appearance during the Paris Games. As you pass the time before the tournament kicks off later this week(!), be sure to listen to today’s “Full Time with Meg Linehan” podcast, which previews all three groups. During the Olympics, new episodes hosted by Tamerra Griffin and Steph Yang — featuring Meg in France — will drop after every game, too. Let’s go!
Bookmark This: A guide to every USWNT player
Perhaps the nicest thing a neutral observer could say about the USWNT’s recent friendlies against Mexico and Costa Rica is that they’re over now. It’s clear that these 180 minutes were used as a quasi-competitive training drill, refining patterns of play ahead of the real competition.
Now, Emma Hayes’ side is out of dress rehearsals, with the 2024 Olympics set to commence this week. The United States’ first game is against Zambia on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET (again, we’ll have a newsletter after each U.S. game!).
With the Games finally upon us, Jeff Rueter pulled together a comprehensive guide to every player on the USWNT roster. He said the exercise also helped drive home just how rapidly the player pool has turned over since the last World Cup, when he last undertook making one of these. This squad has lost a lot of collective experience and guile, but there’s something exciting about watching a new generation of players working to establish themselves on the game’s grandest stages. Keep this squad guide bookmarked to revisit throughout the tournament — it may just come in handy!
Later, we’ll have an update on Hayes’ efforts to build out her staff.
Meg’s Corner: Ready to roll in France
After a solid 24 hours of travel from Vermont to Nice, I’m installed in the south of France ahead of the group stage kicking off. While the USWNT is still a couple of hours by train away in Marseille, I’m heading to Stade de Nice tomorrow to take a look and pick up my credential.
In the meantime, the first baguette has been purchased and I got in some quick exploration to boot. We’ll hear from Hayes and two players tomorrow, so it’s going to gear up before we know it. Talk to you all soon — or, à bientôt!
Fresh Eyes: USWNT’s big-name scout
Hayes continues to assemble her team, adding Carla Ward as a USWNT scout in France for the Olympics. BBC first reported that Ward is headed to France after stepping down in May from her role as head coach at Aston Villa. While the BBC called it a “flexible role,” a USWNT spokesperson said simply that Ward would be a scout. Some takeaways on the hire:
Ward and Hayes both made names for themselves as coaches in the WSL, Hayes at Chelsea and Ward with her years at Aston Villa, Birmingham City and Sheffield United.
As with any coach in a new environment, Hayes is circling support around herself with those she trusts, including bringing assistant coach Denise Reddy with her from Chelsea. Reddy was Hayes’ assistant for four years there, and was also her assistant during the WPS era of the Chicago Red Stars from 2008 to 2010.
Ward’s addition is another glimpse at how Hayes prefers to run her staff, and perhaps how much she values loyalty. Reddy came on at Chelsea after she was fired in 2019 for a disheartening 1-24-8 run as head coach of the, at the time, admittedly dysfunctional Sky Blue FC.
Ward cited the need to spend more time with her daughter when she stepped down from Aston Villa. Hayes has been vocal about her admiration for working mothers in soccer and recognizing the difficulties of being a primary parent in camp, complimenting team parents like Crystal Dunn and Casey Krueger during the two friendlies leading into the USWNT’s departure for France. Ward’s reputation as a players’ coach also aligns with Hayes’ stated ethos of approaching players as people first.
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Ward’s first job as an opposition scout will be to help the U.S. navigate Zambia, Germany and Australia in Group B. Earlier this month, Hayes called Zambia striker Barbra Banda the “most in-form striker in world football.” Germany is in a state of upheaval after losing midfielder Lena Oberdorf, and Australia is still working on fine-tuning its roster without Sam Kerr, losing a July friendly against Canada 2-1.
Women’s Olympic soccer 2024: Group previews and predictions
ESPN
Jul 19, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
The United States women’s national soccer team is in action at the 2024 Olympic soccer tournament in Paris, the team’s first competitive games with Emma Hayes at the helm as head coach. She takes over following USWNT’s worst finish in World Cup history last year, when it was eliminated by Sweden in the round of 16.
The USWNT won four of the first five Olympics to feature women’s soccer, but it is in search of a first gold medal since the 2012 London Games, having earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
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World champions Spain are one of the favorites, while defending gold medalists Canada could also be in the mix. Unlike the men’s Olympic soccer tournament, there are no U23 age restrictions, so a host of top talent will be on show.
The top two teams from each group and the two best third-place teams reach the knockout rounds. So here’s what you can expect as the tournament begins on July 25 and finishes Aug. 10.
Group A is one of the toughest to predict. There are no debutants — each team have featured in the tournament at least twice, bringing a degree of familiarity to proceedings — but it is a fascinating and competitive field.
Reigning champions Canada are aiming to defend their title but have to do so without the retired Christine Sinclair. Hosts France, still seeking their first piece of major silverware, bring a heightened level of intensity and their home advantage and recent success of making the Euro 2022 semifinals should make them contenders. Meanwhile, Colombia’s run to the World Cup quarterfinals demonstrated their prowess last summer, and they are sure to challenge for a place in the knockout rounds again.
Even New Zealand, though historically lagging behind, are beginning to show promise and could surprise the more established teams, which adds an unpredictable element. With quality players such as Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Linda Caicedo, Ali Riley and Jordyn Huitema on show, Group A may well have some twists and turns in it.
After dazzling at the 2023 World Cup aged just 18, Real Madrid and Colombia forward Caicedo is poised capture the fans’ attention at this Olympics as well. Her exceptional vision, skill and finishing make her one to watch in this group. We’ve seen the best defences in the world struggle to contain the youngster and we can expect no less in this tournament.
Must-see match
Despite the France-Canada rivalry, Colombia vs. France could be the most exciting matchup between two ruthless and physical attacks. The pair boast incredible talent across the pitch and while France will be confident, Colombia have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with after knocking Germany out of the World Cup last year. Prepare for fireworks when these two meet in Lyon on July 25.
Prediction: 1. France, 2. Canada, 3. Colombia, 4. New Zealand
France’s talented and experienced squad is likely to top the group. The battle for second will be fierce, with Canada likely to edge out Colombia, although the South Americans could cause a potential surprise. New Zealand just lack the depth and clinical edge to finish above fourth. — Emily Keogh
We won’t be accepting any group of death cliché here, but suffice to say this group could go any number of ways. Casual fans might dismiss Zambia given the pedigree of the United States, Germany and (to an extent more recently) Australia, but they would do so at their own peril. Zambia might have the best player in the tournament in forward Barbra Banda, who is lighting up the NWSL, and Germany just lost star midfielder Lena Oberdorf to injury. Add in U.S. and Australia teams that have shown some inconsistencies, and this group really is a toss-up.
The USWNT will garner the most global attention after its fall from grace at the 2023 World Cup and the recent arrival of new head coach Emma Hayes. Failing to win a gold medal an achievement that feels like a longshot considering the team’s state of transition would mark the first time since the Olympics began including women’s soccer in 1996 that the Americans didn’t win either a World Cup or the Olympics the following year.
Germany, the 2016 gold medalists, are back in the Olympics after missing the previous edition entirely because of Europe’s previous double jeopardy qualifying system based around World Cup placement.
Australia, meanwhile, must navigate the Olympics without star striker Sam Kerr, who tore her ACL in January. Australia finished fourth at the 2021 Olympics and last year’s World Cup, which the country co-hosted.
Three years ago, the Zambia forward became the first player in Olympic history to score hat tricks in back-to-back games. Today, she is the co-leading scorer in the NWSL with 12 goals in 12 games. Hayes called Banda “the most in-form striker in world football,” and few would argue.
Must-see match
Even without Kerr, the July 31 group finale between Australia and the United States could be a doozy. These teams have played some wild games in their recent history, including a rollercoaster of a bronze-medal match three years ago that the Americans won, 4-3 after leading 4-1 at one point. Both teams could enter this match in need of a result to guarantee advancement.
Prediction: 1. Germany, 2. USA, 3. Zambia, 4. Australia
This is the Root for Chaos group. I see the USWNT and Zambia getting into an open-ended transition game in the opener that ends as a high-scoring draw. Germany beats Australia in the other opener then picks up a point against the Americans, as Zambia and Australia also draw on matchday two. That leaves the final matchday looking like Germany (4), U.S. (2), Zambia (2), Australia (2). Zambia then gets a point off Germany, learning from that pre-2023 World Cup friendly they played, and the U.S. narrowly edges Australia to go through as well. Zambia then hopes to advance as a third-place team. — Jeff Kassouf
What can the USWNT take away from 1-0 win vs. Mexico?
Herculez Gomez and Kasey Keller discuss the USWNT’s 1-0 win over Mexico.
There is nowhere for teams to hide when it comes to women’s Olympic soccer, but Group C is incredibly tough for the talent and experience it packs even by the tournament’s standards.
World champions Spain are the headliners, having picked up their first piece of silverware at the 2023 World Cup, and have continued to flex their muscles in recent months despite upheaval off the pitch. La Roja will be favourites to go all the way in France, but history is not on their side, as no team has ever won the World Cup and Olympic gold in successive years.
Japan come into the Olympics in good form and could surprise a few, as they did at the World Cup, but their place in the knockouts could come down to their match against Brazil. The two sides have met for three friendlies over the past nine months, with each claiming a win before a draw at the SheBelieves Cup in April.
Africa’s most successful women’s team, Nigeria, round out the quartet. Although their record at Olympic tournaments isn’t glittering, the Super Falcons turned heads at the World Cup and played smart football to shock multiple teams en route to a penalty shootout loss to England in the round of 16. Nigeria are not a team to take lightly, but they haven’t been setting the world alight in recent games and could be viewed as fodder for the other three nations.
It’s hard to pick just one, given the group is so heavily loaded with talent. But, as it has been so often of late, the one to watch is current Ballon d’Or holder Bonmatí. The Barcelona midfielder is the chief architect for Spain and conducts the team’s moves with sublime vision and exceptional passing range.
Also, in what could be Brazil legend Marta‘s last tournament, certainly her last Olympics, everyone should pay attention to what the 38-year-old is doing as well.
Must-see match: Spain vs. Japan
A rerun of a Group C game from the 2023 World Cup, Spain vs. Japan will kick off the first Olympic matchday on July 25. Last year, Japan routed Spain 4-0 but the result snapped the eventual winners into action for the rest of the tournament. This time around the game should be an indication of just how far both nations can go in France and, regardless of the result, should provide plenty of entertainment for the purists.
Spain have become good at navigating their way through tough games and will look to take the momentum of their World Cup win into this tournament. They will likely top the group, but with Japan hot on their heels. Brazil will be looking for an upset but, as of yet, have been unconvincing under coach Arthur Elias. They will need to hit the ground running in their first outing against a Nigeria team that have struggled a bit in recent games. — Sophie Lawson
Here are the Women’s Olympic group stage matches you must watch
The tournament is going to be incredible, and there are a lot of options.
The 2024 Olympic Women’s Football Tournament kicks off on Thursday, and the United States Women’s National Team joins 11 other teams in a fight for a gold medal. Unlike the Men’s Football Tournament, this tournament is one of the major tournaments on the women’s international calendar. Bringing the senior national team rosters, it’s a chance for teams to assess where they are in relation to some of the other top teams in the world at the beginning of a new World Cup cycle that culminates with the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Spain enters the tournament as the current Women’s World Cup champions, and they will attempt to become the first team to win the Women’s World Cup and Olympics in consecutive years. Canada returns as the reigning gold medalists from Tokyo 2020, and they seek to defend their title in this tournament. The USWNT hope to return to their glory that saw them win a gold medal in 2012 and Women’s World Cups in 2015 and 2019.
With 12 strong teams in the field, each matchday will have multiple strong matchups. Taking a look at each matchday, picking one match from each of the three groups, we give you some matches that you will want to ensure is on your TV screen.
Thursday, July 25th
France vs. Colombia – Hosts France face a Colombia team that kicked down the doors of the elite tier last summer during the Women’s World Cup. Linda Caicedo is poised to become a star and they will go up against one of the main favorites to win on home soil.
USA vs. Zambia – The USWNT play their first match, but it will certainly be a better matchup than the rankings let on. Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji both have been lighting up the NWSL and are the two most in-form strikers on the planet, and they could pose problems for the USWNT.
Spain vs. Japan – The reigning world champions look to get off to a great start, but they meet a sound team in Japan that is good enough where a win won’t be a shock to anyone. Japan smoked Spain 4-0 in the group stage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, so they will be looking to once again leave with the win.
Japan will look to keep Spain at bay once again.
Sunday, July 28th
France vs. Canada – Canada gets their shot at the hosts in the second matchday, and this match could very well determine who is in the driver’s seat to win Group A.
Australia vs. Zambia – Australia and Zambia could be fighting to have the leg up on getting out of the group, which will make this match a wide open affair where both teams will be trying to light up the scoreboard.
Brazil vs. Japan – Two very different styles hit the field together as Brazil try to open up the attack against Japan’s compact defense.
Barbra Banda is ready for another tournament full of goals.
Wednesday, July 31st
Colombia vs. Canada – Who gets second place in Group A? That could very well be decided in this match. Both teams have some stars that can excite fans with their play, and one of them could be the difference.
Australia vs. USA – When Australia and the USWNT face each other, it’s always an electric match. In Tokyo 2020, the USWNT won the bronze medal match against the Aussies 4-3. We could see something similar here.
Brazil vs. Spain – This might be the most intriguing matchup of the group stage, as Brazil can rise to the occasion against Spain. Spain will be looking to capture the group and show they can embrace the pressure that comes with being the defending world champions and the #1 team in the world.
Crisis, controversy and chaos – yet Spain’s national teams rule football
Dermot Corrigan Jul 16, 2024 The Athletic – Sunday’s European Championship final saw Spain beat England 2-1 thanks to goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal to crown a tournament in which they were by far the best team.
Luis de la Fuente’s side had an outstanding month, playing some thrilling football while beating heavyweights Italy, Germany and France to reach the final, with new superstars Williams, Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo emerging along the way.It comes 11 months after Spain also beat England, 1-0, to win the Women’s World Cup — having also been the best team in the tournament.That triumph was, however, immediately marred by then Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales’ post-match behaviour, including kissing one of the players, Jenni Hermoso, on the lips during the on-pitch trophy presentation ceremony. Two months later, football’s worldwide governing body FIFA banned Rubiales from the sport for three years, and he is due to go on trial in Spain for alleged sexual assault and coercion, both of which charges he denies.
Rubiales’ shadow still hangs over all of Spanish football. He had appointed De la Fuente as men’s coach following the 2022 World Cup, and his hand-picked successor as RFEF president Pedro Rocha is being investigated in the same alleged corruption case as Rubiales — which saw the federation’s offices raided by police in March. Both have denied wrongdoing.
Rubiales provoked outrage with his actions at the 2023 Women’s World Cup (Thomas COEX/AFP)
Spanish football has plenty of other ongoing issues. Barcelona have serious financial problems their president Joan Laporta is keen to publicly downplay. Real Madrid are La Liga and Champions League holders, yet their president, Florentino Perez, is still trying to push through a Super League project to rival the latter competition.In March last year, after it was discovered Barcelona made payments totalling €7.3million (£6.1m; $7.9m at current rates) to former referees’ body chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018, Barca, various ex-club officials and Negreira were indicted for “corruption”, “breach of trust” and “false business records”. All parties have denied wrongdoing.Racism has been a grave problem in Spanish football, and wider society, for years, and Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid has continued to receive abuse since his actions during a match at Valencia last year — when he confronted fans in the stands — helped bring a global spotlight to the situation.
Three people were sentenced to eight months in prison after being found guilty of racially abusing Vinicius Jr (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Sexism has also been a serious issue. Many of the country’s best players were not even at last year’s Women’s World Cup after making themselves unavailable for selection in protest over their treatment by the Spanish football authorities.
How can Spanish national teams be having such success on the pitch while the game’s governance and administration lurches from crisis to crisis?The Athletic raised this with a dozen leading figures within the game in Spain, including former national-team players and coaches, La Liga club executives and figures closely connected to members of the victorious men’s and women’s sides.They preferred to speak anonymously so they could give their honest opinions, knowing that these might not be welcomed by everyone, especially those in power. The Athletic also shared their opinions with the Spanish FA, which declined to comment.
“In Spain, we spend the whole day criticising our political leaders, but the country works well, more or less,” says a Spanish sporting director with experience working in other countries.“The same in football. The governance within the (Spanish) FA is absolutely lamentable. But the average Spanish person on the street does not really care, and I don’t believe the players do either. They are used to living in a society with very few leaders. So it makes little difference.”“The key is the talent,” says one person who has worked with current and former Spanish internationals. “The problems in the RFEF do not really complicate things, because the link between the federation and the talent of its players is little or zero. Talent is forged in the small clubs, in the neighbourhoods, and is then exported to the big clubs, or worked on very early at others like Athletic Bilbao or Barcelona, allowing us to see players like Nico, Lamine, Olmo…”
Yamal and Williams were key players as Spain won Euro 2024 (Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)
It isn’t just senior level either. Spain’s age-group national teams have enjoyed unprecedented success at international tournaments since an under-23s team including Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique won gold at the 1992 Olympic Games on home turf in Barcelona.Future Spain first-team stars Xavi and Iker Casillas won FIFA’s World Youth Championship (later rebranded as the Under-20 World Cup) in 1999. Spain won eight European Under-19 Championships between 2002 and 2019, with players including Fernando Torres, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, David Silva, Alvaro Morata, Unai Simon and Olmo being involved in different ‘golden generations’.Spain’s women won the Under-17 World Cup in 2018 and the Under-20 World Cup four years later, with Salma Paralluelo helping secure both trophies, then adding the senior World Cup in 2023. They also won five European Under-17 titles between 2010 and 2024, with Alexia Putellas, Ona Batlle, Teresa Abelleira, Ivana Andres and Aitana Bonmati among those to have at least one medal from that time.This has built up a lot of collective and institutional experience within Spanish football, and at the federation. Even disgraced leaders such as Rubiales cannot really mess up a system that works mainly due to the number and quality of qualified coaches and administrators in a country that truly values developing young footballers as a profession.
Spain beat England 1-0 to win the Women’s World Cup last year (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“Rubiales is nothing new, there have always been problems off the pitch, at the federation, at the clubs, controversies,” says a former Spain international youth coach. “But Spanish football has improved a lot. So much good work is done within the football ecosystem, from the underage ranks up to senior level, from the more modest clubs up to the biggest. You can see that reflected in the level of the players, and the FA has taken advantage of that.”“Spain has an excellent structure of small clubs, with many excellent coaches, male and female, where boys and girls can learn how to understand the game and grow,” says an ex-Spain international, who is now a sporting director. “And as we (as a people) are not generally so big and strong, we have to be able to manage the play, understand tactics, and work within collective structures.”The game in Spain has also been open to influences from beyond its borders, with Dutch coaches, most famously Johan Cruyff at Barcelona, bringing new and important ideas in the 1980s and 1990s.“During the 1980s, we picked up things from all over the world — the Argentine school with Cesar Luis Menotti and Carlos Bilardo, Serbian school with Radomir Antic, Dutch school with Guus Hiddink and Cruyff, British school with John Toshack, Italian school with Fabio Capello and Arrigo Sacchi,” says the sporting director of one club in La Liga, Spanish football’s top division.
Cruyff pictured during his time as Barcelona coach (Gary M Prior/Allsport/Getty Images)
“We had the humility to take the best from each; with the ball, without the ball, physical preparation. Between 2008 and 2012, there was a phase of explosion, now we are in a second stage of confirmation. When you do good work, good players emerge.”
Another Spanish sporting director, now working outside the country, says: “Spain made a big change from its historic ‘La Furia’ style to relying on quality. For many years now, a style of play, an idea, has been implanted that is very identified with the country, the methodology and how all the clubs work day to day. There is a good level of coaches, culture, staff, methodology and technical quality.
“We still have that ‘furia’ but we have added a really high level of quality. That makes us different, and players keep coming through, now with Lamine Yamal, and more will continue to come through, thanks to the way of working and the culture of the country.”
More on Lamine Yamal, the teenager who took Euro 2024 by storm
Despite producing so many good players and coaches, there are financial problems throughout men’s and women’s football in the country.
La Liga president Javier Tebas is proud of strict financial fair play rules that (mostly) force clubs to live within their means, but most top sides in England and across Europe can easily swoop in to take any male or female player from any Spanish team other than Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Rodri celebrating after Spain beat France in the Euro 2024 semi-finals (Nicolo Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“Barca’s finances, or players or coaches leaving for foreign clubs, is not really a problem,” says an agent of current and former Spain internationals.“Maybe it’s a blessing. Thanks to Barca’s financial problems, players like Lamine, Gavi and Fermin (Lopez) have had a chance to play (for the first team), otherwise they would still be in the youth team behind players who cost €100million, like before.And players moving to Saudi has not been a problem, (Aymeric) Laporte has played well (at Euro 2024). While players who go to the Premier League — say, Rodri (who moved from Atletico Madrid to Manchester City five years ago) — become better and more competitive.”“The key for the success is all the talent there is in Spain,” says one person close to the national team. “There might be talent flight from La Liga, and teams like Barca and Atletico below their usual level, but the ‘middle class’, like Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, have many good players who bring a lot. Club teams have to keep reinventing themselves as many players are taken away, which means they keep putting in players from their youth systems.”“The outflow of talent has also strengthened Spanish football,” says a football development expert. “Leaving the shell is good for many players, assuming they can adapt to living outside Spain. Some left very early, such as Olmo (to Croatia and now Germany) and Fabian Ruiz (to Italy, then France), who finished their development elsewhere. Laporte has also worked with coaches like Marcelo Bielsa at Athletic Bilbao, and Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.”
Spanish coaches and executives are now in demand all over the world.Guardiola heads an ex-Barcelona leadership group at City, while another is being built around Barca icon Lionel Messi at Inter Miami in MLS. Other top clubs around Europe have also hired Spanish expertise — Aston Villa in England qualifying for the European Cup/Champions League for the first time in 41 years, new German champions Bayer Leverkusen ending a run of 11 straight Bayern Munich titles, France’s Marseille — mostly with success. Spanish coaches and administrators were crucial to Qatar’s planning before it hosted World Cup 2022.“Look at the Spanish coaches in the Premier League, it is not a coincidence,” says a top agent. “The level of coaches in Spain is very, very high. From that very good base, you can build a very competitive national team. Before the tournament (Euro 2024), we did not think this (Spain) team would be as good as we have seen, but De la Fuente and his staff have got top performances from the talent he has.”Another Spanish sporting director says: “In the world of football, there is so much noise around everything that happens, many circumstances off the pitch that generate a lot of media attention. But the marvellous thing is that the game is about 90 minutes, 11 versus 11, on the pitch.“Out there, everything that is written or experienced off the pitch can be stopped and changed, as victories transform everything.”
US ladies Olympic Prep vs Mexico Sat 3:30 pm on TNT
Emma Hayes will have 2 more games to get the US ladies ready for the ever important Olympics with 2 games this week before they take off for Paris. They did announce that Catarina Macario is still nursing a sore knee and will be replaced by Alternate Lynn Williams. Too bad – would have been great to get Macario the experience. Either way the US ladies were shocked by Mexico the last time they played them – so this game should serve as a little payback time and give us a decent feel for how this new look US team under Hayes will perform against a decent team.
2024 U.S. Olympic women’s soccer roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
DEFENDERS (6): Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Catarina Macario (Chelsea) Lynn Williams NY Gothem
FORWARDS (5): Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars)
ALTERNATES (4): Jane Campbell (goalkeeper, Houston Dash), Hal Hershfelt (midfielder, Washington Spirit), Croix Bethune (midfielder, Washington Spirit), Lynn Williams (forward, NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Euro Finals – England vs Spain – Sun 3 pm Fox
So the Euro’s and the Copa American Finals this Sunday wrap up the 1st half of a crazy summer of soccer. What a joy its been to watch these games. The Euro’s have been fantastic and with competitive games and two teams many predicted could reach the finals with Spain and England. I thought Germany also played great but ran into Spain too early in the Competition – I think if they had been on the other side of the bracket the two best teams were Spain and Germany. But give England credit – after looking like crap in the group stage they have come alive – albeit late in most of the games. It has made for exciting football however. I like Spain in this one 2-1 in normal time. Is it coming home England?
Copa America Finals Arg vs Colombia Sun 8 pm on Fox
So the two best teams have made it to the finals – Argentina cruised on their half of the bracket – save a scare vs Ecuador in the Quarters. Colombia however had to really battle against Uruguay playing a man down for the final 45 minutes to preserve their unbeaten streak at a world’s best 28 games. While Argentina and Messi are the prohibitive favorites headed down to the Finals in Miami – I am taking Colombia and their re-serected midfielder James – to find a way to beat the tourney’s best GK Martinez two times in route to a 2-1 win over Argentina. I will be rooting for the Messi and the blue and white – but I think the yellow clad Colombian’s are gonna find a way to win this one – maybe in Extra Time 2-1. Some great saves in this tourney – be sure to check the GK section below to see.
Copa America 3rd place Uruguay vs Canada Sat 8 pm on Fox
So the Canadians managed to make it to the Semi-Finals – while the US flamed out in the group stages. I would assume its all smiles for the US Coach Jesse Marsch who we probably should have hired last summer for the US as he managed to get his team thru. Now lets be honest they scored 3 goals to the US 4 and played 2 games up a man in a weaker group overall. But all that aside – with Uruguay down players like Nunez (red card) and others (brawl in the stands) Canada has a real chance to take 3rd place in this Copa America tourney – I will be rooting for Jesse and the Cannucks and Bakers! Go Canada.
US Needs to find the Right Coach
So I guess we’ll see if this Englishman we hired Matt Crocker is worth a crock or not. Obviously it was time for Berhalter to go zero wins against top 10 teams (Ever while head coach) will do that. And the flame out at Copa was too much to keep his job – no matter how much our players like him. I am not sure who the US gets – obviously Klopp is not coming – perhaps a Pochitino has an interesting sound to it or maybe Gareth Southgate if he wins and decides to leave England with his knighthood and take another gig. Honestly the more I see the more I think it might be Renard – the current French women’s coach (former coach of 2 men’s teams in the world cup) or some American coach like Steve Cherundolo. While I love Cherundolo – with only 3 years as a head coach and zero international coaching experience I am just not sure he or any other US coach is ready. Jesse Marsch – was probably our best shot for a US coach and he will take great pleasure trying to make sure his MLS laden Canada team outdoes the US in the World Cup.
Indy 11 home vs Loudon United Sat 7 pm @ the Mike
Indy Eleven starts a two-match homestand hosting Loudoun United FC Saturday at The Mike. This will be the eighth overall meeting between the sides, and the first of two this season. The Boys in Blue are coming off a 2-1 U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal win over MLS-side Atlanta United and tied Rhode Island, 3-3, in the last USL Championship action to remain in third in the Eastern Conference (9-5-3). Loudoun sits sixth at 7-6-4 after defeating Hartford, 3-0, its last time out. Indy Eleven made history Tuesday night, defeating Atlanta United, 2-1, to advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals for the first time since opening play in the tournament in 2014. The victory was also the first for the Boys in Blue over an MLS opponent in its fourth match-up. Indy is now 8-7-1 all-time in U.S. Open Cup action and picked up its second road victory in tournament history, with the first coming in this season’s Third Round at Chicago Fire II. The Boys in Blue have outscored opponents, 8-1, in this season’s edition. Indy’s leading goal scorer in U.S. Open Cup action, Augi Williams, opened the scoring in the 31st minute off an assist from Douglas Martinez, his second helper of the tournament. The tally was the third for Williams in the Cup, scoring in the third consecutive match, while the goal was the first Atlanta had given up after opening the tournament w/a pair of shutouts. Indy 11 advance to US Open Cup Semi’sIndy 11 Radio Call
Set your calendars now for next Sat night July 20 as former Indy 11 GK & Carmel FC GK coach Jordan Farr returns with his Tampa Bay Rowdies at 7 pm at the Mike.
Carmel High Girls Soccer Camp July 22-25
2-4:30 pm @ Murray Stadium Register Here contact fdixon@ccs.k1.in.us for more info
Huge Congrats to former Carmel FC & current Carmel High defender Rosie Martin (2nd row far left)– advancing to the ENCL Finals with her Indy 11 team this past weekend. Congrats Pork Chop!!
TV GAMES SCHEDULE
Sat, July 13
3:30 pm TNT, Max, Peacock US Women vs Mexico
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Loudon United
8 pm FS 1 Copa 3rd Canada vs Uruguay
8:30 pm Apple TV Free Austin vs Seattle Sounders
8:30 pm Apple TV Free Chicago Fire vs NYCFC
8:30 pm Apple TV Free Dallas vs LA Galaxy
9:30 pm Apple TV Free Colorado vs NY Red Bulls
10:30 pm Apple TV Free LAFC vs Columbus
Sun, July 14
3 pm Fox Euro Finals Spain vs England
8 pm Fox Copa Finals Argentina vs Colombia
Tues, July 16
7:30 pm TNT, Max, Peacock US Women vs Costa Rica
Weds, July 17
10:30 pm FS1 LAFC vs Real Salt Lake
Fri, July 19
9 pm CBSSN Seattle Reign vs Utah Royals NWSL
Sat, July 20
7 pm ESPN+ TV 8 Indy 11 vs Tampa Bay Rowdies (Jordan Farr in goal)
8 pm CBSSN KC Current vs Houston Dash NWSL
8 pm Para+ Racing Louisville vs Monterey Fermeni NWSL tourney
10 pm CBSSN San Diego Wave vs Bay FC NWSL
10:45 pm FS1 LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers
Sun, July 21
7 pm CBSSN Portland Thorns vs Tiajuana Ladies NWSL tourney
Wed, July 24
9 am Peacock Argentina Men vs Morocco Olympics
11 am Peacock Japan Men vs Paraguay Olympics
3 pm Peacock US Men Olympics vs France
Thurs, July 25
11 am Peacock Canada Women vs New Zealand Olympics
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Euro 2024 final preview: Spain vs. England
James Olley ESPNFC Sam Marsden
Jul 12, 2024, 04:00 AM ET
BERLIN — After a long month of continental competition stretching from one end of Germany to the other, Euro 2024 is set to conclude Sunday in Berlin, where Spain will take on England at the Olympiastadion. The paths these two teams have taken to the German capital are starkly different. Spain have been the darlings of the tournament, the only heavyweights to consistently turn in eye-catching performances that convey a coherence and clearly defined identity. England, meanwhile, have largely looked like less than the sum of their parts, but their collection of stars have managed to dig deep and grind out the results required to reach a second consecutive European Championship final. Who will emerge victorious Sunday? How will the match unfold? ESPN asked the two writers who’ve followed these teams most closely throughout Euro 2024: James Olley and Sam Marsden.
Why could England win?
England produced their best performance of the tournament by some distance in the semifinals. There is a sense of momentum behind them right now and a surging belief that comes from pulling out results late on. Jude Bellingham‘s 95th-minute equaliser against Slovakia, the penalty shootout win over Switzerland and Ollie Watkins‘ 90th-minute winner against Netherlands have created a feeling England could somehow be destined to lift their first major trophy in 58 years.
EDITOR’S PICKS
There were signs against the Dutch that England’s individual attacking talents were starting to develop an understanding and some of the combinations between Kobbie Mainoo, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka in particular were exciting. Jordan Pickford is having another tournament in which he takes his game to another level, while Marc Guéhi has been a major find at centre-back. Luke Shaw‘s likely return in time for his first start of the tournament will give better balance to the team given he is a natural left-footer as opposed to Kieran Trippier, who has been filling in at left-back or left wing-back. After all the chaos of the early rounds, manager Gareth Southgate has seemingly found a degree of stability in his probable lineup. — James Olley
Why could Spain win?
No one is arguing that Spain have been the best team at Euro 2024. They have won all six matches and have already beaten hosts Germany and pre-tournament favourites France in the knockout rounds. They have done so scoring the most goals (13), creating the most chances (96) and by playing front-foot, attacking football. A lot of the focus has been on the verticality added to a previously possession-heavy side by wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal. Thanks to them, they can now go direct and cause problems in transition, although they also still manage the ball so well. They press diligently, have a nice balance to the side, a clear idea of how they want to play and in Rodri they might have the Player of the Tournament.Ballon d’Or shouts are growing for the Manchester City midfielder, and the chances are if he’s on song, Spain will win. City’s FA Cup final defeat ended a run of 74 games unbeaten for his club, but Rodri has stepped straight back into winning habits with his country.Spain were considered outsiders before the tournament, but the quiet optimism that has radiated from the camp since they opened with a 3-0 win against Croatia has proven justified. They go into the final as favourites. — Sam Marsden
Who deserves the trophy more: Southgate or De la Fuente?
Southgate for a number of reasons. Firstly, Sunday could be culmination of eight years in charge during which he has redefined the culture around the England team and broken down a series of historical barriers. He has now won more tournament knockout games than every other England manager since 1966 combined. He has secured back-to-back Euros finals, and this weekend’s is England’s first major final outside of London.It is possible to pick holes in those achievements, not least this summer in that England have had a significantly easier route to the final than Spain and the football really was terrible earlier in the tournament. A more proactive manager might have secured victory in the last Euros final against Italy as Roberto Mancini gradually took the game away from England before winning on penalties.Southgate has his flaws but he has presided over an unprecedented period of deep tournament runs, doing so more recently amid a fierce backlash from many people with short memories. Some of the criticism has been valid but throwing beer cups in his direction and booing his name when read out before kickoff is not given both his track record and sincere desire to do his nation proud. And let’s not forget his journey as a player: missing a penalty in the Euro 1996 semifinal shootout against Germany is a moment that has long threatened to define him. What a transformation it would be if he could mark eight years and 102 games as manager with a historic trophy lift. — Olley
The word “deserves” is an awkward one. Neither appointment was especially exciting at the time, but both have done good jobs. It’s easy to argue that Southgate would be a fitting winner given his trajectory with England as a player and coach and what he has done in the past eight years, including enduring extreme criticism at times during this tournament. However, if we’re just talking about what we have seen in Germany, then Luis de la Fuente edges it.
Spain’s performances have been recognisable and consistent throughout. They have taken games to opponents and not sat back once while leading. It’s an extension of the work De la Fuente has done throughout the past decade at the Spanish Football Federation. He has previously won the U19 Euros, the U21 Euros, a silver medal at the Olympic Games and the UEFA Nations League last summer. Many of the players in the senior side now played under him at youth level — including Rodri, Dani Olmo, Marc Cucurella and Pedri, among others — and those longstanding relationships, coupled with his in-tournament experience, have helped Spain prosper in Germany. — Marsden
What weaknesses could each team exploit in their opponent?
Spain might be the first side England play that are willing to allow them space on the break. If England can play through the press when they win the ball, they could create chances, although they will need to be more willing to run in behind than they have been so far — Spain play with the highest defensive line at the tournament. Goalkeeper Unai Simón has also had a couple of shaky moments. His mistake led to a Croatia penalty in the opener — which was missed — and he almost gifted Germany a goal last week, although Kai Havertz could only loft the ball onto the roof of the net.
Spain will focus on their strengths more than England’s weaknesses. They will look to Rodri and Fabián Ruiz to run the game and rely on Williams and Yamal to win their battles against the England full-backs. — Marsden
England’s inability to keep possession has been a habitual tournament failing. Although Spain are more direct under De la Fuente, they remain excellent in that regard — with Rodri the absolute master of dictating play — and so the midfield battle will be vital.
If England can get a foothold in the game, their rich array of attacking talent could exploit a vulnerable-looking Spain defence, particularly at centre-back. It would be a major surprise if Harry Kane did not start the game — unless the blow to his right foot sustained against the Netherlands is more serious than first feared — but England’s firepower off the bench could also be telling. Both Watkins and Ivan Toney have contributed key moments in this tournament to date, the former spectacularly so in scoring the 90th-minute winner against Netherlands, taking advantage of a tiring defence. His confidence will be sky high. — Olley
McManaman: Spain deserve to be favourites for Euro 2024 final
Craig Burley and Steve McManaman react to Spain’s 2-1 win over France in the Euro 2024 semifinals.
England player to watch
Bukayo Saka. The Arsenal winger’s consistency and application is so unswerving that it is easy to take him for granted. Saka was a menace against Switzerland — scoring a brilliant equaliser in that quarterfinal — and particularly in the first half against the Netherlands. But his tactical intelligence is also particularly important to England when they adopt a hybrid system. England used a back five out of possession with Saka tucking in at right wing-back but then switched to a four-man defence with the ball as the 22-year-old pushed forward to operate as a more conventional winger. His ability one-on-one is not matched by many in the game, and he will fancy the matchup against Cucurella. — Olley
Spain player to watch
Dani Olmo. Obviously Rodri, Yamal and, to a lesser extent, Williams are the key men for Spain, but England will also need to be on top of Olmo. The RB Leipzig forward started the tournament on the bench, but Pedri’s injury handed him his chance against Germany, when he scored one and assisted on the winner. He then came into the side against France, scoring the winner himself. Prior to that, he was already having an impact as a substitute. He has a tournament-high five goal contributions — three goals and two assists — and is given freedom to roam between the lines in front of Rodri and Ruiz. — Marsden
Score prediction
Spain 2-1 England. The form lines suggest Spain deserve to start this game as favourites. England keep finding a way to win — and they might do so again — but this will be the toughest challenge they have faced by some distance at these Euros, and Spain have shown a consistently higher level throughout the tournament. — Olley
Spain 3-1 England. Both teams have responded to going behind in the knockout rounds — Spain against Georgia and France, England in all three matches — so it doesn’t seem like the first goal will provide a knockout blow on this occasion. It will be tight, but Spain have been the better side throughout and there’s no reason to imagine that will drastically change Sunday. The third goal will come on the break as England chase a late equaliser. — Marsden
2024 Copa América final: Argentina-Colombia predictions
ESPN Jul 12, 2024, 07:30 AM
It’s here! After a grueling, entertaining and drama-filled month, Sunday night brings the final of the 2024 Copa America, as defending champions Argentina host Colombia in Miami. Which team will reign supreme? Will Argentina and Lionel Messi cruise to victory, or can Colombia shock them? (Game odds, per ESPNBET, point towards Argentina: they’re favored at -165 to Colombia’s +125.)
If Colombia are going to win, which players need to have a statement game? And what will Messi do at Hard Rock Stadium? ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, Lizzy Becherano and Tim Vickery offer their predictions and expectations for Sunday’s final.
1. Who will win, and why will it be Argentina?
Carlisle: I don’t think it will be Argentina winning on Sunday! Obviously, Colombia were pushed to their physical limits against Uruguay, but manager Nestor Lorenzo also maximized his substitutions in the match. James Rodríguez came off after 62 minutes. Richard Ríos was stretchered off after 61 minutes but was seen dancing afterward, proving that winning does wonders for a player’s recuperative powers.
Yes, Argentina are formidable, but as the saying goes, steel sharpens steel, and Colombia will gain immense confidence from their win over Uruguay. Argentina still look like they haven’t had to get out of third gear, though Ecuador provided a scare. I think Colombia just shade this one.
Becherano: I actually think Colombia will be the first to overcome Argentina this tournament. La Albiceleste cruised through the group stage, really not getting tested until their quarterfinal clash against Ecuador. Lionel Scaloni’s side looked uncomfortable when facing an aggressive opponent, struggling to hold back an eager attack.
Argentina boast an extremely capable set of players, but the 2024 Copa America has yet to see a stellar, trademark performance by the group. Colombia, on the other hand, have seen each player rise to the occasion at different points of the tournament to stun the most difficult opponents. Rodriguez is channeling his form from the 2014 World Cup while Luis Díaz continues to triumph on the left. Should Lorenzo’s side capitalize on their momentum, Argentina will have a difficult time overcoming Colombia’s physicality and force.
Vickery: The worry from the Colombia point of view is how much they took out of themselves playing the semifinal for so long with 10 men, which applies more to Diaz than anyone else. This is clearly an important question given that they go to Miami with a day less to rest up, but if they can recharge their batteries, then I think Colombia are capable of doing it. The discipline of the central midfield trio will help close Argentina down, and the physicality of the strikers will cause problems, as will their strength from set pieces.
Time after time in knockout games, the Argentina defence has been known to collapse — it could have cost them in Qatar against France, Holland and Australia and here against Ecuador — and even Canada had two golden chances in the last five minutes. One day this will cost Argentina, and that day could be Sunday.
2. Which version of Messi will we see and what do you expect from him?
Carlisle: Messi’s usually razor-sharp finishing hasn’t been evident in this tournament, with his goal against Canada one of the great two-foot putts. But for Colombia, the scary part about that goal is that it can nudge Messi’s confidence just that little bit higher to get his shooting accuracy recalibrated.
The other part is that Messi has been getting into good spots from which to score. Yes, I realize this is the old adage of being concerned only if he isn’t getting chances, but you have to think that eventually if that trend continues those shots will begin to find the target. I expect that to come to pass. Then it will be up to Colombia keeper Camilo Vargas to do what he can to thwart a legend.
Becherano: Messi’s quality will continue to be evident on Sunday thanks to his unique understanding of the game, spatial awareness and ability to draw out defenders. Through the age and injuries, Messi has learned to adapt his style of play to fit the current state. The Argentine forward is capable of much more than we’ve seen this tournament, but Colombia should expect him to rise to the occasion.
Argentina’s ability to capitalize on emotions when searching for motivation cannot be taken lightly, and Messi is no different. With the criticism of recent performances and thoughts of his final Copa America, the No. 10 will be out in his newly adapted full force. He might not outrun defensive counterparts, but he needs only a minute to inspire the creation and buildup of what could be a deadly goal.
Vickery: We are watching the sunset of the god. What he does can still be brilliant, but he does less of it than he did in Qatar. Some were shocked that Scaloni left top scorer Lautaro Martínez out of the team for the semifinal, but it is easily explained, and it serves as a recognition from the coach that Messi is not far from the end at this level.
Someone has to do the hard running. Julián Álvarez can do that and also form an extra player in the midfield setup when Argentina aren’t in possession. It is very hard on Lautaro, but it is a consequence of Messi slowly losing the battle against time. It will be fascinating to see how Argentina seek to bring him into the game against the organised and physically imposing Colombians.
3. Which Colombia player needs to have a good game if they are to beat Argentina?
Carlisle: James Rodriguez is the clear candidate, especially given how deadly he has been from set pieces, though that won’t be enough for Argentina to stop him from the run of play. They’ll need to make sure they don’t concede set pieces in dangerous spots.
The defensive side of the ball will be just as critical. The centre-back tandem of Carlos Cuesta and Davinson Sánchez will need to be at their best to stop Messi and Julian Alvarez if Colombia are to come out on top.
Becherano: Naturally, all eyes will be on Rodriguez, and Lionel Scaloni should plan accordingly, but Camilo Vargas is set to face the biggest challenge on Sunday. Should he be able to retain a clean sheet while Argentina possess the ball, then Rodriguez, Luis Diaz and Jhon Córdoba can confidently play without the burden of needing to score a desperate late equalizer.
Vickery: Obviously Rodriguez, for the way he serves as a supply line for Diaz, and, perhaps most of all, for the excellent delivery of his set pieces.
4. OK, predictions time! Give us the final score and how the game will go!
Carlisle: I’m going for 2-0 Colombia, following a similar script to the Uruguay game (minus the red card). A Rodriguez set piece will put the Cafeteros ahead, with Cordoba icing it late.
Becherano: I hate to be redundant, but 2-1 Colombia. Impossible to think that Argentina won’t be able to find the back of the net after their Copa America run, but Colombia will be overpowering.
Vickery: Always make your predictions after the event! But if pushed I’m going for Colombia 2-1, possibly with a late surge. One a header from a set piece, the other from Diaz on the break.
If U.S. Soccer has a plan, trying to hire Jurgen Klopp surely can’t be part of it
If we’ve learned one thing following Gregg Berhalter’s dismissal as manager of the United States men’s national team, perhaps it’s this: when an esteemed coach states they need a year away from the endless grind of their job, they likely mean it. It’s understandable that Jurgen Klopp would rebuff the advances of U.S. Soccer when he isn’t even two months removed from emotionally departing Liverpool. Still, it was worth a shot in the federation’s eyes.The German is as ambitious a target as the federation could identify. He’s a serial winner at the highest level of club football, a culture-builder who is tactically flexible within a clear guiding ideology. He’s also unemployed, removing any buyout cost, and U.S. Soccer was seemingly willing to open its salary budget.Here’s the thing: if you take Klopp’s announcement that he was leaving Liverpool in January at face value, this wasn’t the case of a coach needing a new challenge. He made this call despite having a year left on his contract. He looked beleaguered, harried by the stresses of perennially keeping up with the constant churn of managing one of the world’s most prominent clubs.Even if Klopp had decided that dabbling in international management was enough reprieve after admitting he was “running out of energy,” this would have remedied U.S. Soccer’s ongoing headaches for exactly two years.
I’m not sure the USMNT fanbase fully appreciates the considerable gap between risk and reward if Klopp had replaced Berhalter.The best-case scenario is obvious: an ambitious hiring that makes the federation look good, a truly great coach crafting a potent batch of Schwarzwaldian lemonade from the lemons he inherited, perhaps a run to the 2026 World Cup semifinals and some fond memories when he leaves to either return to club soccer or retire outright.The worst-case scenarios would turn ongoing headaches into diagnosable migraines. One would be that Klopp was right: that he’s out of gas and he wouldn’t have the wherewithal to master the nuances that distinguish international soccer from its club alternative. Another is that he simply wouldn’t be able to handle the crash-course adaptation to international football, that he could get more out of individuals but can’t pull it into a collective in time for the World Cup. A ‘Luis Enrique’s Spain’ scenario, if you will.Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp turned down an approach from the USMNT (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
In either case, the result would be an underwhelming resolution — and a costly one. U.S. Soccer would return to the hiring desk on the back of the World Cup and feel financially strapped as they look for a longer-term alternative.So while Klopp looks very good photoshopped into a USMNT hat, the reality is that the gamble is far more expensive than an Adobe suite subscription.When a federation can’t land the best unemployed manager in the game, what does the ‘best’ hiring possible look like? It’s a question that Matt Crocker and U.S. Soccer will work to answer over the coming weeks in hopes of securing the right coach for the World Cup by September. Names will continue to churn through the rumor mill like an endless conveyor belt. A couple of my colleagues highlighted some of the buzziest options, Klopp among them.
Maybe rushing to meet Klopp’s asking price with some combination of salary, sponsor considerations and NFTs was an expensive stopgap that wouldn’t address the bigger issues at play.Is that a hiring driven by process, an approach Crocker emphasized upon reappointing Berhalter in 2023? Does that hiring respond to the issues that came during Berhalter’s brief second tenure and set the program up on better footing? Or was it an opulent scramble that could have been better planned and executed given Klopp’s months of notice?Does U.S. Soccer really know what it wants from its next men’s manager? Has it had adequate time to figure that out?“There has been progress made,” Crocker said on Wednesday in the wake of Berhalter’s firing, “but now is the time to turn that progress into winning.”Winning! That’s a great start. American sports fans are awfully fond of winning.Here’s the thing: if it was as easy as just wanting to win, the USMNT would be 22-time defending World Cup champions.Saying it’s time to win after six years of, uh, whatever they just did under Berhalter is a backhanded admittance of failure. If you set a modest budget to buy a handful of citrus trees, waited six years as they occasionally bore fruit in hopes of a bountiful harvest to come, then uprooted those trees to import an entire Brazilian grove’s worth of produce ahead of a big event… are you any better at growing citrus? And what was the point of nurturing that smaller plot in the first place?
Gregg Berhalter was dismissed on Wednesday (Eduardo Munoz/AFP via Getty Images)
Crocker has sworn repeatedly that Berhalter’s second appointment was the result of arduous interviewing, research, and data-driven assessment. If that process is thrown out the window in lieu of a “spend big on famous club coaches” model, that admits a failure beyond just one hire. Trust the process, as they say — but please, keep updating the process along the way based on new information.To send a message of adjustment and ambition, there may be a temptation to skew the coaching search and prioritize candidates who aren’t from the United States. That may be an overreaction if a domestic option enters with a clear vision to get things back on track. At this point, all options have to be considered with clear eyes. Berhalter was hardly the first native son to coach the USMNT. The program has skewed domestically with all but one hire since the 1994 World Cup, when the team was led by Serbian coaching nomad Bora Milutinovic. The one exception, Jurgen Klinsmann, carries an asterisk as he’d set up roots in California years before being appointed in hopes of staying in the federation’s mind whenever Bob Bradley was dismissed. At many times, being coached by someone from the U.S. paid off. The program’s best runs in the modern era were overseen by Bruce Arena and Bradley. Both had intimate knowledge of the player pool at a time when scouting and talent identification wasn’t as effortlessly global. Both had clear ideas for how they wanted the team to get results, catering to their pools’ strengths while accounting for the weaknesses. Neither was scared to embrace stereotypical national ideas about ‘grit’ and playing direct soccer. Both used parts of that DNA to their advantage. Arena led the USMNT to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals and Bradley led the team to a runner-up finish at the 2009 Confederations Cup, beating the all-time Spanish juggernaut en route to the final. As Crocker figures out what’s ‘best’ for the next appointment, the ultimate hire may indeed be domestic. Steve Cherundolo and Pat Noonan are ex U.S. internationals who are thriving in MLS, while Jim Curtin is familiar with many players in the pool and offers a fresh perspective. If any of these or other alternatives are hired, they’ll feel increased pressure to overperform as the fanbase gets past the second Berhalter era. The ‘best’ hire may be international, too. Milutinovic helped turn a generation of USMNT players into program legends and brought a fresh perspective to set the team up for success on home soil. He brought ample experience coaching internationally, having led Mexico when it hosted the 1986 World Cup.
The USMNT, who will host the 2026 World Cup, exited the Copa America at the group stage (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
His CV is comparable to that of Herve Renard, another nomadic international manager who most recently led the France women’s national team. Renard isn’t a celebrity coach, even if he has a catalog-ready face, but he has standout accomplishments to his name: two Africa Cup of Nations titles (with Zambia in 2012 and the Ivory Coast in 2015), leading Saudi Arabia to the World Cup shock win of the century against Argentina in 2022, and leading a turbulent French team to the quarterfinal of the 2023 Women’s World Cup mere months after taking the job. He checks a lot of boxes for a possible stopgap solution with a very high upside and a low floor.ever, getting the best version of him may require a year’s worth of patience on top of lavish wages — two resources U.S. Soccer can ill afford to waste. Again, risks and rewards.Ultimately, the necessity to get this hire right extends beyond the field. You don’t need to scroll far into our comments sections to find that morale among USMNT fans is at a nadir. Depending how you value the Gold Cup, the team won’t play another high-level meaningful match until a World Cup group-stage opener in 2026. This appointment is one of the few remaining chances to galvanize the fanbase and rebuild morale to get maximum support ahead of hosting the World Cup. Crocker and federation leadership didn’t tell Tim Weah to swing an arm at the back of a defender’s head. They are, however, accountable for re-hiring a coach who didn’t set his team up to compete at the Copa America. Whoever is ultimately hired, the federation needs to make its choice with full confidence that it’s the ‘best’ option for the next two years — and they better have a clear definition of ‘best’ to justify that pick. (Top photo: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/Wolves via Getty Images)
Gregg Berhalter’s firing and the high-stakes game soccer in the U.S. continues to play
A little more than a year after bringing Gregg Berhalter back as men’s national-team manager, U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker sat on a video call with a small group of reporters on Wednesday evening to reflect on why that decision did not work out.When Crocker brought Berhalter back, he pointed to the coach’s “passion to develop the legacy of U.S. Soccer, not just about winning in the men’s national team, but about developing the game for the good of the game, the growth of the game in this country”.Nine days after the USMNT went out in the group stage of a Copa America played on U.S. soil, the reality of the business — that results matter more than anything else — had overridden discussion about long-term goals and the greater good.When asked why Berhalter was no longer the right voice to lead the program, Crocker had a simple answer: the federation had “clear benchmarks” for Copa America 2024 that the team did not hit.“There has been progress made,” Crocker said, “but now is the time to turn that progress into winning.”The U.S. is now fighting battles on multiple fronts. Those in charge must live up to the high expectations of a fanbase that, true or not, believes this player pool to be the best the country has produced; they must deal with the pressure not to waste the opportunity presented by a largely home World Cup in 2026, co-hosted with Canada and Mexico; and, in the shadow of this decision to fire Berhalter, they are wrestling with time.
Berhalter has been replaced after a dismal Copa America for the USMNT (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Twenty-one months will have passed between when the U.S. left the 2022 World Cup finals and when they take the field for friendlies in September. In that time, the USMNT won two continental trophies but took steps backwards in terms of results. If this cycle was about building on what was accomplished by getting to and then getting out of the group in Qatar, there should be real concerns about how much time has been spent with interim coaches or in coaching searches versus pushing things forward. Crocker said the hope is to have a new coach in place in time for those September games against Canada and New Zealand, though he has a “robust contingency plan” if that doesn’t happen.The U.S. can’t afford to wait much longer. Whoever Crocker hires will have 11 windows with the U.S. team, including the month-long CONCACAF Gold Cup next summer, before the World Cup kicks off.Crocker didn’t lay out a shortlist of candidates or hint too much at what exactly he’ll be looking for other than saying “We are looking for a serial winning coach.” The search will not be limited in its reach or by financial constraints. “I just want to get the best coach possible that can help the team win,” Crocker said. “Whether they’re from the U.S. or elsewhere.”Asked whether the search would be dictated by equal pay between the U.S. men’s national team job and new women’s national team coach Emma Hayes, who makes a reported $2million (£1.6m) a year, Crocker said he knows “it’s a really competitive market out there, salary-wise, and we have to be competitive to get the level of coach that I believe can take the program forward in terms of achieving the results that we want on the field.
“I’m also really conscious that we need to continue to drive for higher standards in equality but I don’t think that’s going to be a stumbling block in terms of our investment from our national teams. It’s a priority. It’s something we’re prepared to invest in and something that we will be investing in.”
After reappointing Berhalter only to fire him one year later, Crocker must get this next choice of coach correct.
Crocker, a Welshman hired from then Premier League club Southampton in April 2023, said he feels more confident now in his understanding of what is needed.
“I’m a lot clearer and a lot more confident in what I see,” Crocker said. “We’re in a better place to have much more of a targeted search, where I’ll be more inclined to go hard and go early with specific candidates that I feel meet the criteria that we’re looking for… because I’ve seen it firsthand.”
In conversations over the past few days, criticisms around this team from outside observers and sources connected to the group’s inner circle have centered on the idea that players are too comfortable in the USMNT environment.
Crocker started work with U.S. Soccer in April 2023 (Brad Smith/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
That was reflected in some of the disciplinary issues in the team, they said, namely Sergiño Dest’s red card in Trinidad last November and Tim Weah’s first-half one against Panama in the second of the three group matches at Copa America, but also in what some believe is an environment where some American players are “untouchable”, no matter form or fitness.
While the culture of the team was considered a strength in the last cycle, the new coach will be tasked with ensuring that it doesn’t become a weakness leading into that home World Cup.
In addition, though much of the fans’ blame for the team’s failures was put on Berhalter, his exit should now put more accountability and scrutiny on the player pool to live up to the hype. It’s an idea center-back Tim Ream hinted at after the Uruguay loss that meant elimination from this tournament.
“This is a fantastic group, as everyone knows, and one that is very close, but sometimes the intensity falls through the cracks,” Ream told broadcaster Univision. “We have to continue to put our heads down and continue to work, continue to be humble enough to know there are things we can continue to improve, every single day.
“If guys have that mindset, then they can continue to be on an upward trajectory. When we start to think that we are a finished product, then guys are going to stagnate and just stay at the level they are at.”
The stakes are as high as ever.
Crocker wasn’t wrong last summer when he discussed how success will be gauged in 2026 — not just by winning, but by transforming on-field success into capturing a wider audience and further developing the sport in this country.
(Top photo: Adam Hagy/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
USMNT, Canada and Mexico: What went right (and wrong) for 2026 World Cup hosts at Copa America
The Athletic Stafful 11, 2024
One semi-finalist, one team looking for a new coach after early elimination and one that scored just a single goal in an embarrassing group-stage exit.anada, the United States and Mexico — co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup — certainly had mixed fortunes at 2024 Copa America.But with less than two years to go and no qualifying tournament to navigate, the trio have a paucity of opportunities to test themselves at a high level ahead of the first 48-team World Cup.With that in mind, the 2024 Copa America was supposed to be a golden chance to size up the player pool and gauge each program’s readiness to compete in 2026.
For Canada, things could hardly have gone better, as Jesse Marsch’s side made a surprising run to the semi-finals and could yet end up finishing third if they beat Uruguay on Saturday.For Mexico and the United States, however, failure to advance from their groups has left each team with more questions than answers — while the U.S. has already started another head coach search after firing Gregg Berhalter.Our experts on each team looked at what went right (or wrong) for each nation at the Copa America. What can be done to remedy their shortcomings ahead of the World Cup?
USMNT — Paul Tenorio
What when right/wrong in the group?
Things turned from right to wrong around the 18th minute of the USMNT’s second group game, when referee Ivan Barton pulled out a red card and sent Tim Weah to the locker room.
Weah’s red card against Panama (Eduardo Munoz/AFP via Getty Images)
The U.S. had picked up three points in their group opener against Bolivia in an imperfect but ‘did-the-job’ 2-0 win over Bolivia. They were firmly in control of the game in the opening stages against Panama. Even a few minutes after Weah’s ejection, the U.S. scored. But Panama equalized four minutes after that and found a winner in the 83rd minute, and the U.S. suddenly was left scrambling.A loss to Uruguay in the group finale eliminated the hosts and spotlighted the issues around a team that still struggles to score and still lacks a signature win against a top-tier opponent.
What can the team take away from the tournament?
The Copa was a massive disappointment for the U.S. It was supposed to serve as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup in two years, both from a sporting standpoint and also in generating excitement around the country behind this U.S. team. Instead, the U.S. had their worst tournament performance on home soil and now will have to figure out how to course correct without many competitive games between now and 2026.
How did the coach do?
The Copa America was the end of the road for Berhalter, who had become a lightning rod for criticism around the U.S. team.Berhalter was criticized for his team playing too conservatively after Weah’s red card — which might be a bit unfair considering the circumstances — but also for being unable to push this U.S. team to another level since the 2022 World Cup (and since he took charge again last summer).Poor results against Trinidad and Tobago and Panama in CONCACAF competition, a last-gasp win over Jamaica in the Nations League, losses to Germany and Colombia in friendlies and the Copa group exit added up to the end of Berhalter’s tenure as coach.
The Copa America was the end of the road for Berhalter (Shaun Clark/Getty Images)
What happens next?
Over to you, U.S. Soccer.
Does the federation push for a big-name hire? Could they land on a coach like Patrick Vieira or Gareth Southgate? Will they opt for an American, such as LAFC’s Steve Cherundolo?The core of this U.S. team has been together essentially since qualifying started for the 2022 World Cup. A full reset isn’t necessary, but a new voice would need to find a way to push this team to grow and improve if they want to advance deep into the World Cup in two years.
Generally, it’s reckless to make wholesale judgements off a 270-minute sample, particularly given the nature of international soccer. That said, each program will be desperate to advance from their World Cup groups in two years — something that must be achieved in 270 minutes. So keep that lens in mind.Although the United States only scored three goals and none after half-time of the second game against Panama, they consistently created dangerous chances. Only three teams averaged a higher xG per shot than their 0.12 — suggesting a 12 per cent historical likelihood that a chance would be converted. The other seven teams in the top half of the xG per shot rankings all advanced to the quarter-finals.The left side was particularly potent in build-up thanks to Antonee Robinson, Gio Reyna and Christian Pulisic.
While Pulisic’s corner kick goal in the opener was the obvious evidence, the United States was very good at drawing fouls. Berhalter’s side had the second-most fouls suffered per game (16.0), trailing only Costa Rica in that department. That frequency helped create many moments that either ended an opponent’s chance to build an attack or helped the USMNT create their own opportunities.
Jeff Rueter
Weaknesses
Weah drawing a red card meant the team had little to show for its right flank’s efforts, with Joe Scally failing to come close to replicating Sergino Dest’s impact at right-back. Even as Pulisic shifted right for the finale, Reyna struggled to make an impact throughout the tournament whether in midfield or on the wing.
The United States had the field’s third-worst PPDA (passes allowed per defensive action made), evidence of a languid defensive press. That may be due to losing the midfield battle, as only three teams averaged fewer wins of possession in the middle third than the USMNT’s 15.7 per game. Every team that ranked below Berhalter’s side in these two categories also missed the knockouts.
Jeff Rueter
Mexico — Stuart James
What went right/wrong in the group?
Let’s start with a potential positive. Mexico only conceded one goal across three matches, which suggests their defence has improved — a point the coach Jaime Lozano made over and again in the wake of elimination.
However, the calibre of Mexico’s opponents makes it hard to get carried away. Jamaica, Venezuela and Ecuador are not comparable to Brazil or Uruguay, who put a combined seven goals past Mexico on the eve of the Copa America. Would Mexico really be any better defensively if they played Brazil and Uruguay now?
Jaime Lozano and Luis Romo leave the field after Mexico’s elimination (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
At the other end of the pitch, Mexico lacked creativity and penetration. They scored only once in 270 minutes – a terrific shot from outside the penalty area by the left-back Gerardo Arteaga in the opening match against Jamaica – and there was a mixture of disappointment and frustration tha Santiago Gimenez couldn’t reprise his prolific club form for Feyenoord in a Mexico shirt.Generally, the quality of the service to Gimenez was poor but the 23-year-old could, and should, have scored against Venezuela on a night when Orbelin Pineda also missed a penalty. That 1-0 defeat in Los Angeles was the result that really did the damage for Mexico, who were also not helped by the hamstring injury that their captain Edson Alvarez suffered early on against Jamaica. It was that sort of tournament.
Mexico’s talent pool has shrunk. They were well-beaten by the USMNT in March, Uruguay thrashed them 4-0 two weeks before the Copa America started, and Lozano left out four of the country’s most experienced players – Guillermo Ochoa, Raul Jimenez, Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano and Henry Martin. In other words, what did Mexican fans really expect?That said, Mexico were drawn in the easiest of the four groups. They avoided Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay, and were up against the only CONMEBOL nation (Venezuela) never to make it to a World Cup. Against that backdrop, finishing in the top two and qualifying for the quarter-finals didn’t feel like it should be that big an ask. The fact it was underlines just how far Mexico have fallen.
How did the coach do?
Not well enough is the simple answer. But if you believe the pre-tournament messaging from the Mexico Football Federation (FMF), Lozano’s position is secure until the end of the 2026 World Cup finals come what may.“We are two years away from our World Cup,” Mexico sporting director Duilio Davino said. “We have our spot secured and we want to take advantage of this great opportunity to not think about the immediacy of the result and project our path to 2026.”It says everything that Lozano was asked repeatedly about his future during the Copa America, and that line of questioning will continue if, as expected, he remains in post. If the FMF did go back on their word now and make a change, they’d look rather silly. Equally, Lozano has a lot of work to do to convince the public that he’s the best man for the job – although there appears to be an acceptance that this is one of the weakest squads that Mexico have had for a long time. The question many people are asking is whether another coach would get more out of the same players.
What happens next?
In practical terms, Lozano has to submit a report to the FMF with his observations on the team’s performances at Copa America. That would make for interesting reading, albeit predictable in some respects: defensively sound; lack a goal threat.Either way, it’s hard to see how Mexico can press the reset button and start over — they’ve just tried to do that. What next — go back to the past? Chucky Lozano will be only 30 years old when the 2026 World Cup comes around but Jimenez will be 35. As for Ochoa, he turns 39 next week. Some may argue there’s a case to be made for Martin, at the age of 31, returning to the squad to compete with, or support, Gimenez, but that feels like a mess too. ‘We didn’t want you for the Copa America, Henry, but it turns out we’re not as good as we thought without you.’
The bottom line is that there’s nowhere near enough time before the World Cup for Mexico to address the underlying problems that have contributed to the national team’s demise. That work needed to start at least a decade ago.
Strengths
El Tri was adept at keeping the ball in its attacking third, even if they weren’t always able to turn build-up into end product. Their field tilt of 64.9 per cent trailed only Brazil in this tournament. Further, they were the only team of the seven most aggressive field-tilters that didn’t advance to the quarter-finals.Mexico was among the group stage’s best-performing sides in transition. There’s little to separate their balance between attacking directly and proactively pressing and that of Uruguay. The fact they had the third-stingiest PPDA rate in the field while the other five CONCACAF sides were among the field’s six least aggressive shows a difference in approach from regional rivals.
Jeff Rueter
Weaknesses
Stuart expertly looked into Santi Gimenez’s woes after the second match, but it can’t be overstated how helpless the attack was on the whole. Mexico led the 16-team field by averaging 19.3 shots per game (Argentina was second with 17.7), but their 1.7 per cent conversion rate was by far the worst of any team that wasn’t shut out in all three games. Their on-target rate of 31 per cent was below the tournament average of 34.6 per cent.
Given the importance of set pieces in international tournaments, it’s surprising that Mexico was so inept at drawing fouls. No team was fouled less often than El Tri, at 8.7 per game — only Bolivia and Jamaica (9.3 apiece) were also below 11 per contest. That’s far below the tournament average of 12.9, and it’s hard not to wonder what another quartet of dead-ball scenarios could have enabled.
Canada grew up at Copa America. They bounced back and forth between aggressive and composed but were almost always mature. An emerging group relied less on the emotion that fueled them through the 2022 World Cup and instead showed heightened tactical awareness. And they defended in a way you wouldn’t expect from a group anchored by a pair of centre-backs with very little international experience: in their three games not against Argentina, Canada allowed just one goal total.
Locking things down the way they did and not letting South American sides bully them — all while adhering to the demands of a new international coach — has to be considered the highlight of Canada’s tournament.
Argentina beat Canada twice at Copa America (Steve Dinberg/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
It was at the other end of the pitch that the lowlights were glaringly obvious. Canada just flat-out didn’t score enough.And when you have one of Europe’s most in-demand strikers, the program’s all-time leading scorer and a pacy player with attacking instincts all at your disposal, Jesse Marsch has every right to be both frustrated and flabbergasted at how things unfolded close to the opposition goal.
What can the team take away from the tournament?
Most importantly, Canada should feel more confidence in international tournaments than they did after their failures at the 2022 World Cup. By managing ugly games and prioritizing results over aesthetics against stingy teams, Canada showed they understand the demands of tournaments.At the Copa America, Canada became the team their core have long wanted to be. The expectation — deserved or not — come 2026 is that they get out of their group. They’re in a better place to do that now.
But there are still lessons learned for Marsch. Just as with Qatar 2022, Canada’s finishing was poor. Jonathan David and Cyle Larin were more experienced than in the last World Cup, but they didn’t score nearly enough.
In five games, Canada had an xG of 6.5 but only found the net twice.
David scored against Peru — but goals were scarce for Canada (Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Marsch’s other looming takeaway has to be the gap in quality between his secondary group of players. Marsch has his stars — and knows he’ll have to rely on them — but he barely rotated his team throughout the tournament. That’s largely because he either doesn’t know what he has beyond his first-choice XI or doesn’t have a lot of faith in some of his bench players.
The manager has to expand his player pool by scrawling the planet for available Canadians, including dual nationals, and also start playing and developing new faces. Canada’s best players simply tired late in the tournament. That can’t happen in the knockout round in two years.
How did the coach do?
Marsch passed his first test as the new Canada manager — having only been appointed to the job just over a month before the tournament opener — with flying colours. He got his players to buy into a system that was physically demanding and had this young-ish Canadian core turn in their most mature and composed performances, well, ever.
Let’s not forget that Canada doesn’t have much experience in this kind of international tournament. Canada isn’t supposed to get out of their group and win grinding, physical affairs that go to penalties, like the quarter-final against Venezuela.
Marsch did an impressive job having only just taken over (Perry McIntyre/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Marsch himself admitted that he told his staff going into Copa America that it could be a long month. Instead, Marsch’s high-energy style of play and attitude guided this team to new heights.
Marsch won’t just be in charge come 2026; he’s in line to capture the nation’s attention and win over even more hearts and minds than his predecessor did. And that’s saying something.
Canada have to approach the next two years with the same appetite of a growing teenager at an all-you-can-eat buffet: more, more, more of everything.That means getting players more in tune with Marsch’s demands after their Copa America crash course. This won’t be on Marsch himself but is more moves for players into roles with playing time in top European leagues.And as with the other two teams mentioned here, Canada will need to book more friendlies against elite opposition to test their players. Earning a 0-0 draw against France in the build-up to Copa America? More of that whenever possible, please.
Strengths
Through the semi-final round, only two teams averaged higher expected goals per shot than Canada’s 0.13. They focused on attacking dangerously in transition and creating higher-yield chances rather than slinging hopeless crosses. This resulted in three ‘big’ chances per game — a statistic that conveniently saw the four highest-ranked teams each reach the semi-finals.
In general, Marsch set this team up to outright fly up the pitch. Canada ranked first with a direct speed of 1.94 meters advanced per second of possession. For comparison’s sake, John Herdman’s iteration at the 2022 World Cup slogged at a rate of 1.34 — in line with this tournament’s output by Ecuador (1.34) and the USMNT (1.26).
Jeff Rueter
Weaknesses
Canada could afford to take a few more attempts per game in hopes of bolstering their scoring chances. Their 9.8 shots per game were over two fewer than any other team that advanced to the knockout stages. It makes sense that they managed to score just twice in their first five games.
Perhaps surprisingly, given Marsch’s background with Red Bull clubs, Canada were one of the tournament’s least aggressive pressing teams. Canada allowed 12.2 passes per defensive action (PPDA) — one of just two teams to advance from the group stage with a double-digit rate. Additionally, Canada ranked 14th among the tournament’s 16 teams by forcing just two high turnovers per game. Jeff Rueter(Top photos: Getty Images)
USWNT’s Lindsey Horan defining her leadership style with challenging Olympics ahead
International Football Association Board’s laws of the game say: “Each team must have a captain on the field of play who wears an identifying armband. The team captain has no special status or privileges but has a degree of responsibility for the behavior of the team.”
Lindsey Horan could have special status and privileges as captain of the U.S. women’s national team. It’s the most prominent public-facing role on a prominent team, a vote of confidence from the manager and a position of trust for teammates. Accordingly, it’s a position that engenders huge respect alongside the huge expectations that have followed the USWNT for decades. The captain is the leader on the field, in the locker room and in front of the press. The prestige can at times be completely overwhelmed by the scrutiny.
For such a role, different players have adapted in different ways. The classic archetypes tend to be the loud leader or the silent leader; the one who speaks up to inspire, or the one who quietly sets the example.
“She’s somewhere in the middle,” said Tierna Davidson. “I feel like she’s louder with the people that she knows and more outgoing with people that she knows, but a little bit more reserved with people that she doesn’t, which is natural for pretty much everybody.
“So somewhere in the middle, maybe leaning a little bit more towards the introverted side.”
Horan is a veteran presence in a young USWNT Olympic roster (Getty Images)
Maybe that’s a little more of a fair reading of Horan than the overly serious picture she painted of herself when she spoke to The Athletic earlier this year, an interview in which she disapproved of wacky starting XI photos and said: “We need to get back to the football. The football is the most important thing.”
Davidson seemed to pin her more as the captain trying to be what everyone needs her to be.
Former head coach Vlatko Andonovski named Horan as captain alongside Alex Morgan in July 2023 ahead of the World Cup, officially stepping into a role that she’d already held informally after previous captain Becky Sauerbrunn missed the tournament with a foot injury. Going through the 2023 World Cup together, Horan said learning from Morgan was a crucial experience. Now, with Emma Hayes in charge and Morgan left off the Olympic roster, Horan is the sole captain.
It’s an interesting change in vibe after years of Morgan, Sauerbrunn, and before them Megan Rapinoe, in the armband. You cannot find a louder, more vibrant presence than Rapinoe, Morgan is no shrinking violet herself and Sauerbrunn has a reputation for calm, cerebral focus.
At media availability in New York previewing the team’s Olympic sendoff friendlies, Horan was swarmed by reporters on the top floor of Nike’s Fifth Avenue building. It is one of Horan’s many duties going into a tournament in which the team will seek the type of success that has eluded them for the past five years.
“It hasn’t been long,” Horan said of her tenure as captain. “I think there are so many things that I’ve learned.
“I think I can continue to grow and and also just continue to have voices on this team and push more players to be leaders as well because we need everyone and those voices can’t just be mine.”
That balanced style, a kind of ambiversion amid so many different personalities and histories, doesn’t necessarily imply a milquetoast leadership. A common theme amongst her teammates has been how much work Horan puts into being captain.
“I think Lindsey has been very good at connecting with every single player, checking in on every player,” midfielder Rose Lavelle said in Minneapolis before the United States played South Korea. “Players that have been here, players that are new, and making them know that she is available to talk, ask questions too.
Horan and Lavelle have been teammates on the USWNT since 2017 (Getty Images)
“She’s just that person that you can rely on when maybe you need a little help or if there’s something you’re unsure about. I think she’s been great at just making herself available to everyone and making her a safe space for people to go to and talk to when stuff is tough — or when stuff’s good.”
In Gold Cup camp earlier this year, U.S. defender Emily Fox said that Horan had given her a one-on-one talk. “For me, she did that a lot — like the first game of the World Cup and I really needed that, just a one-on-one talk to prep you and tell you that you got this,” Fox said.
Along with individual check-ins, Horan, alongside Morgan, has had to navigate captaincy through a transitional period from interim head coach Twila Kilgore to the incumbent Hayes, who was officially appointed in November of 2023 but only arrived in person to take the reins in May 2024. While Hayes was technically in charge, everything had to be relayed through Kilgore and her staff. Horan provided backup on the field.
“I think it’s always a really cool process because I think, as a professional soccer player, you have to know that change is always there. I think through my career, you always know that there’s going to be a next coach and that’s another opportunity to learn from someone else,” Horan said at open practice in May.
Horan doesn’t hide that she needs support. This is not a role in which you can go it alone and put on a brave face to the twenty-odd other players around you.
“I need the leaders in this group as well to help me out,” Horan said. “I think giving voices to them and making sure that they know that this is their team. I think some of those young ones, they make up a good chunk of their team and I think that’s important for them to know that I will need them and we are one. It’s not just me at the end of the day.”
There are a few players who are designated to act as captain if Horan is off the field; Naomi Girma, obviously, and Lavelle and Dunn have worn the armband as well.
“I think she does a good job of feeling what the vibe of the group is and really making sure that we hear what we need to hear going into a game,” said center-back Girma, who wore the captain’s armband for the first time after Horan substituted off during the June friendly against South Korea in St. Paul.
“Whether it’s talking to someone or talking to the team right before we go out and just making sure that we’re all on the same page and knowing that we have each other’s backs.”
Girma has also worn the armband before (Getty Images)
Davidson said she has seen the growth in Horan as she takes on the responsibility of captainhood, and acknowledged just how much weight the role carries.
“I think she’s understood the importance of what that role means not just for herself as a player, but also as an ambassador for the sport, as an ambassador for the team,” said Davidson. “You know that this team has fantastic history and has done a lot of great things both on and off the field.
“As a leader, I think you grow into it when you understand that you don’t have to be like somebody else, but you do have to lead. So kind of learning about herself, I think, is a lot of what she’s done and understanding how she wants to lead the team.”
Horan got a good dose of what it means to be under the microscope while she still had Morgan to sit next to her. The captain might get to give pump-up speeches and lift trophies, but she also has to face the media scrutiny after bad games or negative incidents.
A sober-faced Horan and Morgan sat together and read a prepared statement after teammate Korbin Albert’s anti-LGBTQ social media posts garnered widespread attention in March.Korbin Albert story continues: @LindseyHoran and @alexmorgan13 made impromptu statement at SheBelieves presser to announce there have been “internal discussions” about Korbin Albert’s social media and that “standards were not upheld within the team.”
“We’ve worked extremely hard to uphold the integrity of this national team through all of the generations, and we are extremely, extremely sad that this standard was not upheld,” Horan said. “Our fans and our supporters feel like this is a team that they can rally behind, and it’s so important that they feel and continue to feel undeniably heard and seen.”
That day’s press availability was originally scheduled for Mal Swanson and Catarina Macario. Horan and Morgan went first, heading off the questions that would have been asked of their teammates while also emphasizing that the team was handling things internally.
Horan is now on her own as captain, unless Hayes appoints a co-captain. Horan carries by herself that nebulous “degree of responsibility”, assigned by IFAB decree.
No surprise, then, at a seeming sense of relief from Horan during the team’s Olympic media day, where Hayes sat firmly alongside her, press firmly in hand with a very teacher-like, “How are we?” Hayes’ charismatic on-camera style, refined by her growing ease with the American press corps, has given Horan some additional breathing room to say things as just Lindsey and not as team captain Lindsey Horan.
“She gives a lot to us and she tries to take a little bit of that pressure off and takes it on herself,” Horan said. “I think it brings strength, calmness. I think when a coach takes that stress away from the team, it brings that strength and that collectivity to the group.”
Even with Hayes’ support, Horan’s leadership during the Olympics will be her biggest test to date, maintaining team cohesion under a new coach with a good mix of veteran and younger players, and without the co-captain she learned from at the beginning.
But as Davidson said, these are situations in which you don’t have to be a certain type of leader who came before you, you just have to lead. So far, it seems that she’s been able to find her footing with increasing confidence. France awaits.
(Top photo: David Berding/Getty Images; Design: Eamonn Dalton)
Wow – all I can say about the Euro’s this summer is wow. 3 of the 4 Quarterfinal games came down to overtime or shootouts as the teams battled tooth and nail for every shot, every save, every attack. The great thing it has been spectacular football. The Copa’s haven’t been quite as exciting with the grass issues and tiny fields shoe-horned into American football stadiums making the soccer almost unwatchable at times. None the less – we are to the Semis in the Copa too with the expected – Uruguay vs Colombia on one side and the unexpected Canada (with their jilted American coach Jesse Marsch) leading them against Argentina Tues night. Man I would love to see Canada put a scare into Argentina – but I think the mounties lose a respectable 3-1 looking like the US teams of old. While I like Colombia with a rejuvenated James outlasting Uruguay in PKs 1-1 at 8 pm on FS1 Wed night.
Indy 11 beats Atlanta Tues night 2-1 – Advance to US Open Cup Semis
Euro Blue Bloods face off Tues/Wed
Its Spain vs France on Tuesday — Spain who had to go to ET to beat the home-team Germany in my favorite game to watch this Euros – vs France who has yet to have a player of theirs score a goal in open play. Unbelievable that owngoal leads the scoring in this Euro Cup thus far. I like Spain here – 1-0. While England who had to score late in each of its knockout games faces the big Orange Machine – the Dutch on Wed at 3 pm on Fox. Sorry blokes – but I like the Dutch in this one. Afraid it’s not coming home.
US Men – Time for a New Coach
So I have been critical in the past of Berhalter – but I have always liked the way he has a family atmosphere around the team and have defended him until now- but I am now 100% on board with the fire Greg Berhalter group. Even The American Outlaws came out saying its time to pack his bags. Say what you want but since he has come back as head coach – the US has gone backwards. Our assistant coach BJ won the Nation League last spring and faired well in the Gold Cup with a B team playing. This summer under Berhalter 5-0 loss to Colombia, 1-1 lucky tie with a bad Brazil, horrific 3-0 win over, 2-1 loss to Panama (again) and finally the 1-0 loss to Uruguay. Was the US unlucky to go down a man vs Panama yes – (but good teams hold the tie). After watching the Euro’s this summer – its hard to believe the US would have won 1 game against that competition – just like like lost 2 of 3 in Copa. I think this is the golden generation but I question their heart under Berhalter. The US men certainly don’t seem to play with the edge we used to play with – are we more talented (in many positions – yes). In goal – certainly not. On defense – not really – with Ream aging out and Richards still learning – we are still a centerback short. PS – CCV ain’t the guy. I am hoping Miles Robinson proves in the Olympics he is. We’ll see. The question now becomes who’s the new coach? (next week I will dive into options).
Carmel High Girls Soccer Camp July 22-25
2-4:30 pm @ Murray Stadium Register Here contact fdixon@ccs.k1.in.us for more info
TV GAMES SCHEDULE
Tues July 9
3 pm Fox Euro Semi’s Spain vs France
7 pm Apple TV Atlanta United vs Indy 11 US Open Cup
8 pm FS1 Copa Semis Argentina vs Canada
11 pm Apple TV US Open Cup Sacramento Republic vs Seattle Sounders
Wed, July 10
3 pm Fox Euro Semi’s Netherlands vs England
8 pm FS1 Copa Semis Uruguay vs Colombia
11 pm Apple TV US Open Cup LAFC vs New Mexico United
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U.S. names men’s soccer team for Paris Olympics; first squad to play in Games since 2008
Coach Marko Mitrović revealed Monday the 18-player roster for the U.S. men’s soccer team heading to the Paris Olympics. This summer marks the first time the U.S. men will compete in the Games since 2008 after failing to qualify for the previous three cycles.
The Americans’ first match will be against host France on July 24 — two days before the Opening Ceremony — at Stade de Marseille in Marseille at 3 p.m. ET. The U.S. men have never faced France at the Olympics.
The U.S. will then take on New Zealand on July 27 in Marseille at 1 p.m. ET and finish the group stage against Guinea on July 30 at 1 p.m. ET.
Men’s Olympic soccer is restricted to players under the age of 23, with an allowance for three overage players. Defender Walker Zimmerman, who joined the team’s June camp as its first overage player, defender Miles Robinson and midfielder Djordje Mihailovic were selected for the overage spots.
At just 19 years old, midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi is the youngest player on the roster and also age-eligible for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Analyzing the overage player picks
Inevitably, the squad for a major youth tournament like the Olympics or a U-20 World Cup provides an opportunity to assess the state of the player pool at different stages of development. The fact that two of three overage picks were used on center backs is a cause for concern.
Perhaps if Jalen Neal hadn’t missed the first few months of the 2024 MLS season, it would have been a different story.
These picks are still wise, mind you: Zimmerman and Robinson partnered often during the 2022 World Cup qualification, which provides a stable bedrock for Mitrović’s side. Still, it’s an admittance that there isn’t a healthy number of young central defenders rising through the ranks — but that’s a headache to address in later years. — Jeff Rueter, soccer staff writer
Most surprising roster omission
It’s a bit of a surprise to see Mitrović use his third overage pick on an attacking midfielder rather than a striker. Djordje Mihailovic has been back to his best since signing with the Colorado Rapids this winter. However, his involvement coincides with the roster’s most surprising omission: Diego Luna, the dynamic attacking midfielder for Real Salt Lake. Luna seemed destined to not just make this squad, but be among its most important players given his chance creation prowess and eye for a long shot.
Further up the pitch, Duncan McGuire projects to lead the line without an obvious alternative, with Aaronson having only minimally logged time at striker. —Rueter
Euro-based forms offers encouragement
The roster contains a clutch of players who will arrive in Paris on the back of hugely promising seasons at their European clubs.
Kevin Paredes made 26 appearances in Bundesliga for Wolfsburg, and along the way was named 2023 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year.
A tactically astute left-footed midfielder, he operated across six positions for the German club, including left-back, and the 21-year-old scored three goals.
In Italy, Venezia’s Tanner Tessmann and team-mate Gianluca Busio helped the club win promotion to Serie A, while putting themselves on the radar of bigger clubs across the continent. Tessmann made 42 appearances for Venezia, scored in their play-off semi-final win, and is regarded as one of the division’s most-coveted young defensive midfielders.
Busio, 22, created the solitary goal that clinched promotion, and was another near ever-present during the campaign with 42 appearances, seven goals and five assists from midfield.
Paxten Aaronson will link-up with international team-mate Taylor Booth at FC Utrecht next season, hoping to flourish in the same style Booth managed in the Netherlands.
Despite injury problems Booth made 21 appearances and scored six goals. Aaronson struggled for game time in Bundesliga at Eintracht Frankfurt, but the 20-year-old’s January loan to struggling Vitesse Arnhem saw him gain vital top-flight experience. He started all but one of the club’s 15 games during his time in Holland and scored four goals in the pressure of a relegation battle.
Collectively their experience in different but equally challenging environments across Europe should put them in good stead to make an impact at the games. – Greg O’Keefe
U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea)
DEFENDERS (6): Maximilian Dietz (Greuther Furth), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United FC), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
For the first time in 16 years, forward Alex Morgan will not feature on a major tournament roster for the U.S. women’s national soccer team.On Wednesday, coach Emma Hayes left Morgan off the 18-player roster for the Olympics this summer in Paris. In her absence, the U.S. will be without a previous gold medal winner, with the team’s last win from the London Games in 2012.
“It was a tough decision, of course, especially considering Alex’s history and record with this team,” Hayes said, “but I felt that I wanted to go in another direction and selected other players.”
Morgan’s absence can be considered in several ways. It is the end of an era for the USWNT. Some will see it as an overdue move to balance younger players alongside veterans. Others will argue that Hayes made a simple soccer decision. Above all, Wednesday’s move reminded us that no spot on any U.S. roster is guaranteed.“Today, I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage,” Morgan posted on social media following the announcement. “This will always be a tournament that is close to my heart and I take immense pride any time I put on the crest.”ayes declined to get into her reasons for leaving Morgan off the roster and a list of four alternates, which included Gotham FC forward Lynn Williams. Instead, she highlighted “what an amazing player and human that Alex Morgan has been” through her brief window of working with her at this month’s camp for two friendlies against South Korea.“I saw firsthand not just her qualities, but her professionalism. Her record speaks for itself,” Hayes said. At the same time, she acknowledged the constraints of the 18-player roster, with spots for only 16 field players.Morgan has leadership, having captained the Americans on the biggest stage at the World Cup. Her experience outranks every other player on the roster in terms of appearances and goals. So what kept her off the Olympic team?It had been clear since the South Korea friendlies that the best forward starting line involved Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson, yet Morgan was still in contention for a roster spot. But her club performance may have hurt her campaign for a role.
“I’ve come from a club level and what I have learned is the best development is done at club level,” Hayes said at her first media availability last month in New York City, essentially directly addressing players through the media. “So go back to your clubs, play, compete, get healthy, and put yourself in the best possible place.”
Hayes has been consistent since taking over the job that performance and form matter in her assessment, particularly on the club side.
“There are players on the roster that are performing well, and the decision to take those players was one that we certainly deliberated over, but I think it’s a balanced roster,” Hayes said. “I’ve considered all the factors that we’re going to need throughout the Olympics, and (this roster is) one that I’m really happy with.”
After a few years with limited club involvement — she only played 10 league games across the Orlando Pride and Tottenham from 2019-2021, including a break while she was pregnant with daughter Charlie — Morgan had a resurgent 2022 season for the newly launched San Diego Wave. She won the Golden Boot by leading the NWSL with 15 goals, including 11 from the run of play. It was Morgan at her best — consistently setting up shots on her left foot while finding plenty of space inside the six-yard box to convert dangerous chances.
Morgan, who turns 35 on Tuesday, has also missed time due to a lingering ankle injury.
Her form wasn’t quite as robust at the start of 2023, but her place on Vlatko Andonovski’s World Cup roster was assured. She was a fixture in his lineups throughout the run-up to the tournament, and the hope was that she could do some thankless line-leading work even if her scoring touch wasn’t quite in vintage form.
Since the USWNT’s elimination in the World Cup round of 16, however, Morgan has struggled to score for club and country alike. San Diego has not hit form this season and dismissed head coach Casey Stoney this week. Still, a player of Morgan’s pedigree is expected to score even when the going gets rough. Instead, she has yet to find the back of the net in 2024, midway through the season.
Given the Wave’s struggles to advance possession this year, Morgan has had to drop deeper than usual to get on the ball. That’s illustrated by how much more frequently she’s having to direct her passes upfield — 16.2% of her distribution advances at least 5 yards toward goal, a rate more commonly seen from a midfielder than a striker and well above her 12.1% in 2022. She has looked less inclined to take an opponent on with her dribble, making just three take-ons in 542 minutes this season after logging 35 in 1,630 minutes last year.
Even more concerning is the 0 in her goals scored column this season despite logging nearly 600 minutes.
Morgan’s lack of versatility could have also factored into Hayes’ decision. Morgan has long been an expert striker, scoring 123 goals as the USWNT’s fifth-all-time leading goalscorer. But with that specialization comes a lack of experience at other positions, like some of the players called up for the tournament.
Hindered in part by her club team’s stagnating approach in possession, Morgan hasn’t been able to enjoy a similarly bountiful amount of service in the box. She has yet to take a single shot inside the six-yard box in the 2024 season, leading to a steep regression in her expected goals per shot, and only six of her 20 shot attempts this season have been taken on her stronger left foot.
Wave teammate Jaedyn Shaw was able to do just enough despite the team’s floundering form to remain in Hayes’ plans for the Olympics. Unfortunately, Morgan didn’t have the same bulk of strong USWNT performances that helped anchor Shaw’s case for inclusion, with Hayes calling her national team goal involvements “significant” on Wednesday.
Morgan’s greatest case for making another Olympic appearance had more to do with the intangibles, whether that was her presence as a veteran leader alongside captain Lindsey Horan, or the kind of presence she could offer at the late stages of a knockout match considering her major tournament track record. With an 18-player roster, it’s clear Hayes could not justify those intangibles over more basic roster needs.
“There’s no denying the history of this program has been hugely successful, but the reality is that it’s going to take a lot of work for us to get to that top level again,” Hayes said.
Youth is part of that process. Hayes has named the youngest Olympic roster for the USWNT since 2008, when the team won gold in Beijing. The current roster has an average age of 26.8, four years younger than the team that went to Tokyo in 2021 and settled for a bronze medal. But even more stark is the difference in the number of appearances from the last Olympics. The average caps per player in 2021 was 111; for this team the average is only 58.
“Looking through the cap accumulation of the team, there’s been a lack of development, of putting some of the less experienced players in positions where they can develop that experience,” Hayes said. “I think it’s important that we have to do that to take the next step. So I’m not looking backwards.”
Morgan’s 224 appearances for the U.S. far surpasses any player on the Olympic squad. (Photo by Brad Smith, Getty Images for USSF)
Hayes pointed to Shaw’s inclusion on the roster to support this idea, focusing on younger players and their development at major tournaments to gain experience that would benefit the USWNT immediately and in the longer term. Hayes avoided questions about where the team might finish or what its goals would be for the Olympics, stressing that her mission was getting the team as close as possible to its best level and best version.
Morgan, for all the history and legacy she will leave in her absence, might have provided a short-term boost. She also might not have. It’s impossible to predict what an individual player might contribute in the run of a major tournament. Ultimately, Hayes is focusing on something larger, building on the changes that have already been made following the early exit from last summer’s World Cup.“For us, this is an opportunity to show those learnings will take us much further than it did last time,” she said. “But there is no guarantee in anything in life.”
This USMNT isn’t a ‘golden generation’ – the data shows it lacks top-end talent
In any era, the failure of the U.S. men’s national team to advance out of the group stage at a home Copa America would be disappointing. In the context of this particular set of players, it feels particularly egregious.
The discussion around the current U.S. team has centered on the idea it is better than any that came before it. That is a notion based largely on the fact more Americans are playing in Europe than ever before, and that those players are going to Europe earlier and playing for bigger clubs. In 2022, the USMNT played a World Cup finals game without a single MLS-based starter for the first time in that domestic competition’s history. Recently, its starting XI was made up of players from teams in Europe’s big five leagues (England’s Premier League, the German Bundesliga, La Liga in Spain, Italy’s Serie A and Ligue 1 in France — another first.
It is what has led to a “golden generation” label for this group, though whether it is deserved has been debated since before that World Cup coming up to two years ago. This Copa failure should reframe those discussions.
Yes, coaching will take on some of the blame for the disappointing results. Gregg Berhalter’s performance is being evaluated by the U.S. Soccer Federation with many fans, sections of the media and former players calling for him to be fired. But the players, too, failed to live up to expectations.
The results across both the 2022 World Cup, where the U.S. competed but ultimately fell in the 16-team first knockout round to the Netherlands, and now the 2024 Copa America as hosts, where their lone win came against Bolivia (84th in FIFA’s world rankings), have added further context to the debate. While the U.S. has a strong roster, its place in the global football landscape hasn’t shifted that much. It is 11th in the FIFA world rankings but the 14th-place overall finish in Qatar is probably about right.
Here, The Athletic digs into the data to explain where the USMNT really sits in terms of global soccer…
The U.S. Copa squad had 10 players at clubs ranked in the top 50 worldwide by data provider Opta.
Across the 40 nations competing in this Copa America and the European Championship happening in parallel in Germany, that ranked 15th, more than Serbia, Austria (both nine) and even Uruguay (eight), but behind Poland (11), Denmark (12), Switzerland (13) and Turkiye (16).
But while the U.S. has more players at top clubs, it appears to lack players who play vital roles for those same teams.
Insight from Twenty First Group — a sports intelligence firm which advises clubs, leagues and investors — allows us to drill a little deeper. Its player model generates ratings for more than 145,000 players worldwide, using factors such as the strength of a player’s team, their position, their playing time, and their contribution to the team’s attack or defense.
This data suggests that, on average, the U.S. has a strong group of players in comparison to the rest of Copa America, ranking fifth of the 16 nations for average player quality (indicated by the gold line).
Significantly, though, it also shows that the USMNT lacks players at the very top of Twenty First Group’s rating system, as shown by the extension of the black line after the maroon box. Seven different Copa America teams have players who ranked above Antonee Robinson, of Fulham in the Premier League, who is the highest-rated U.S. player per these rankings.
The issue is made even clearer when comparing Berhalter’s side to the eight teams who made the Euro 2024 quarterfinalists, where Robinson’s rating of 800 is beaten by 103 players from those nations.
While there is a tight concentration of high-quality players, the U.S. does not have as many difference-makers ranked at the top end of the model.
Of course, player quality is difficult to measure objectively, but even if you disagree with individual players on that list, the overarching conclusion of this model is clear.
The hopes around this American team have been built on exactly that: hope. The U.S. side that qualified for the most recent World Cup fielded 10 of the 11 youngest teams globally during qualifying, per U.S. Soccer. The USMNT starting XI during qualifying had an average of 23.82, almost two years younger than the next closest team — Ghana, 25.67.
Excitement around the potential of those young players built. Events at the World Cup may have even bolstered those expectations. The U.S. ranked eighth in field tilt, a metric which measures one team’s share of both sides’ touches in the attacking third; fourth in possessions reaching the final third, behind Germany, Brazil and Portugal; and fifth in successful counter-pressing rate. Statistically, the U.S. was better in Qatar than in its previous three World Cups.
But since then, progress has slowed — and maybe even stagnated.
The U.S. lost games in this cycle at Trinidad and Tobago and in the Gold Cup, with a ‘B’ squad, to Panama. They needed a late goal against Jamaica to escape with a win in the Nations League semifinal in March. They were beaten 3-1 by Germany in a friendly in October and 5-1 by Colombia ahead of Copa America. The group-stage losses to Panama and Uruguay were their fourth and fifth defeats in the past nine games.
Of this bright “golden generation,” it could be argued that just four players had significant roles at big clubs last season.
Robinson established himself as a top Premier League left-back at Fulham, Christian Pulisic is coming off a career year at AC Milan in Serie A with 15 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, Weston McKennie fought his way into the lineup at Juventus and started 29 games in Italy’s top division (although he appears on his way out of the club, potentially home to MLS), and Sergiño Dest started 25 games for a dominant, league-winning PSV Eindhoven team in the Netherlands before tearing an ACL in April and missing this tournament.
Gio Reyna, once considered the nation’s next big star after Pulisic, has played just 2,284 minutes across all competitions in the past three seasons combined, fewer than he played in his first full season at Germany’s Borussia Dortmund as a 17-year-old in 2020-21. That is due partly to injury but Reyna, now 21, is coming off of a year in which he struggled to get on the field at both Dortmund and Nottingham Forest, of the Premier League, where he was on loan from January.
Tyler Adams, 25, who once looked like he might develop into a regular starter for a Champions League challenger at RB Leipzig, was transferred to then Premier League Leeds United in 2022 and then played just three games at Bournemouth, in that same competition, last season due to injury.
Ricardo Pepi, 21, played a supersub role for PSV, starting just one game as they became Dutch champions. Tim Ream went from Fulham regular to a player who made just one appearance over the final three months of the season and now seems bound for a move to MLS. Goalkeeper Matt Turner played just 1,530 minutes at Forest, and none at all after February. Tim Weah (1,258 minutes at Juventus, mostly at right wing-back) and Yunus Musah (1,478 minutes for Milan) had only rotational roles at big clubs.
There is still hope for growth throughout the roster, of course, and your optimism around this group hinges on whether you think this pool is near its peak or still on the ascent.
Folarin Balogun, 23, had an up-and-down first season at Ligue 1’s Monaco in 2023-24, with seven goals and five assists, but is being counted on to produce at a big club. Chris Richards, 24, earned a starting role as a center back at Crystal Palace of the Premier League in February, and logged more than 2,000 minutes at a top-level club for the first time in his career. Malik Tillman started 17 games for PSV and ranked in the 90th percentile or better in eight different categories for his position in the Eredivisie, per fbref.com.
And while the USMNT is not the inexperienced, youthful group it was going into Qatar 2022, it was still the second-youngest team across Copa America and Euro 2024 with an average age of 25.2 years, only behind Costa Rica.
It is clear then that this team isn’t a golden generation, at least not in the way we think about teams given that label in the past (such as Luis Figo’s Portugal, Wayne Rooney’s England and Thierry Henry’s France). The U.S. just doesn’t have that top-end talent.
As they regroup from the setback of Copa America, the hope will be that American players can push forward at club level in Europe and try to raise their ceiling.
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted with neighbors Canada and Mexico, is a massive opportunity. They can’t afford a repeat of this summer’s failure.
(Top photo: Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Colombia have spent far too long in the shadows. They are the team to watch at Copa America
We need to talk about Colombia.We need to talk about a team now unbeaten in 27 matches, a run stretching back more than two years.We need to talk about a side who finished a Copa America quarter-final last night like it was an exhibition match.We need to talk about James Rodriguez, who is playing in 2024 like it’s 2014.ADVERTISEMENT
After spending far too long in the shadows of fellow South American nations Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay – the Colombians didn’t even qualify for the most recent World Cup finals 18 months ago – supporters of this proud football country are having a lot of fun right now, watching their fast, free-flowing team play with confidence and, at times, a swagger.
There was a moment in the second half of their 5-0 win against Panama on Saturday when Luis Diaz was ball-juggling. There were olés from the crowd even before that and you couldn’t help but wonder how those same supporters would have reacted if a breathtaking one-touch passing move later in the game had finished with a fifth Colombia goal. Instead, it was left to Miguel Borja to sign off on that number and complete the rout from the penalty spot with the last kick of the game.
“But it was only Panama,” some will say. Yeah. Just like it was only Spain in March, onlyBrazil last November, and only Germany a few months before that. Colombia have beaten them all.Nestor Lorenzo, their humble and easy-going manager, was asked after the Panama result about the level of morale in the camp. The best place to look for the answer to that question was at the corner flag where every Colombia player, including all the substitutes, joined Borja to celebrate his first goal for the national team in more than two years.Rodriguez was in the middle of it all, just like he’s in the middle of everything good that happens to this Colombia side right now. A misfit at club level, where he has drifted for the last few seasons and is currently up for sale at Brazil’s Sao Paulo, the man who was top scorer at the 2014 World Cup finals continues to roll back the years in a Colombia shirt.Now 32 – he turns 33 on Friday – he has five assists and one goal to his name across their four matches here in the United States, and there’s no question whatsoever he’s been the standout player in the tournament. The pass from a free kick that set Diaz free for the third goal against Panama was a beauty – a product of his football intelligence as much as his technique, both of which tend to work well for Rodriguez these days.
“He runs less and thinks more,” Lorenzo said, when asked how Colombia’s No 10 has changed his game since he burst onto the global scene at that World Cup in Brazil a decade ago.
There are plenty of others in the Colombia team willing to put in the hard yards for Rodriguez, which is a point that Lorenzo made afterwards when he was quizzed about the way that some of them are unrecognisable from how they perform at club level.
“Football is 11 players,” Lorenzo said. “But sometimes 10 have to play for that one player.”
Diaz – “Lucho” (a common South American nickname for those called Luis) to the supporters who chanted his name when he was withdrawn to a huge ovation in the second half – runs like he would play for everyone in this Colombia team. An indefatigable presence up front alongside the powerful figure of Jhon Cordoba, the Liverpool forward covers every blade of grass for his country. And still had the energy to sprint down the touchline, swinging a towel around his head and wearing a smile from ear to ear, when Borja scored.
Diaz and Rodriguez are the A-listers and get the headlines, but there are plenty of unsung heroes in this side. Jhon Arias, who plays his club football for Fluminense in Brazil and must surely be on the radar of top European teams, has emerged as a key player under Lorenzo, operating as an intelligent left-sided No 8. It was Arias’ driving run that led to the first of the night’s two penalties awarded against Panama.
On the opposite side is Richard Rios, who scored Colombia’s fourth with a terrific shot and has shades of Argentina’s Rodrigo De Paul about him with his all-action style, while in the middle of the two of them is that walking yellow card by the name of Jefferson Lerma. Suspended last night, Lerma will surely be back for Wednesday’s semi-final against Uruguay, snapping into tackles and making a contribution nobody in the Colombia camp underestimates.
Throw in the attacking intent Daniel Munoz and Johan Mojica provide at full-back – the latter played a gorgeous ball with the outside of his left foot after straying over to the right side against Panama, while the former claimed an assist to go with his goal against Brazil in the group stage – and you can start to see why all the pieces fit together.
Either way, Lorenzo sees a bigger picture than this Copa America and one that has brought a lot of enjoyment to the Colombian people.
“Much has been achieved,” he said, when asked about success or failure in the semi-finals. “And we do not depend on a result to value what we have done so far.”
Are Copa America’s $200 tickets and empty seats a missed opportunity ahead of the World Cup?
When Argentina returns to MetLife Stadium to face Canada on Tuesday, they will likely do so before a soldout crowd. When they faced Chile in East Rutherford, it was the highest-attended match this Copa America so far.
It’s the norm at major tournaments: wherever the Argentina national team goes, fans follow.
This summer, they have gone from Atlanta to New Jersey to Miami to Houston and now back to New Jersey. The demand to catch Argentina and captain Lionel Messi has meant tickets to watch the world champions have been the most expensive. Yet fans have shown their willingness to pay hundreds of dollars for a single match ticket, if not more.
The average cost per ticket at Copa America is high anyway, however; estimated at more than $200 (£160), per multiple accounts. As we enter the final stages of the tournament, ticket prices are only getting higher.
Argentina fans at Hard Rock Stadium (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
For organizers CONMEBOL, attendance at this year’s Copa America may be considered a resounding success. Eight days before the tournament, officials boasted how more than one million tickets had already sold for the first 32 games. Alejandro Domínguez, president of South American football’s governing body, said officials were “filled with excitement and enthusiasm”.
Yet there have also been less-than-spectacular crowds at several group-stage matches, with every empty seat in cavernous NFL stadiums representing a missed opportunity to attract a fan who could have been enthralled by the growth of soccer in the United States. Never mind the impact on players or how poor those empty seats look to those watching at home on television.
While Copa America began with a reported sellout of just over 70,000 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta when Argentina were in town, the following five fixtures drew crowds that were tens of thousands of fans below each stadium’s capacity.
It wasn’t until the fifth day of competition, Colombia-Paraguay at NRG Stadium in Houston on June 24, that we saw another full stadium, as the table below shows. (Green indicates matches which were considered sold out, while red was below 66 per cent of capacity — and note that Levi’s Stadium has an expandable capacity.)
CONMEBOL said it consider nine of the 24 group-stage matches as sellouts. Copa America Centenario in 2016 — which also took place in the United States — sold more than 1.5 million tickets and has served as a benchmark for organizers this summers. By the conclusion of the group stage, sales were on track to reach similar figures to 2016, according to Ruben Olavarrieta, CONMEBOL’s commercial manager in charge of ticketing.
Before the tournament, Nery Pumpido, CONMEBOL’s deputy secretary general of soccer, told The Athletic that tickets were “set at a price that I think has been important, because people have come to buy a lot”.
Overpriced tickets were out of the confederation’s control, he continued, because the dynamic ticket pricing that determines those figures is handled by the ticketing partners at each stadium.
“From what has been demonstrated so far,” Pumpido said last month, “the price has been correct.”
Dynamic pricing has the potential to price out fans from some nations competing in the tournament. Not only are tickets costly, but any tourist attending matches would also have to account for hotels and flights in the United States — and also the travel between stadiums if they want to catch multiple matches.
Average net salaries in many of the competing Latin American nations fall below $900 (£700) per month. In Argentina, where inflation is among the highest in the world, the average monthly net salary was estimated at $423.32 last year, per Statista.
In many ways, dynamic ticketing favors American buyers with higher incomes and lower travel costs. The large diasporas of Latino communities across the U.S, coupled with the popularity of some tournament favorites, means Argentina, Brazil and Colombia have drawn the biggest crowds, but not in every market. When Colombia and Costa Rica battled it out in Glendale, Arizona, only 27,386 filled the 63,400-capacity State Farm Stadium.
For the July 4 quarterfinal match at NRG Stadium, where Argentina ousted Ecuador after a painstaking penalty shootout, the cost for a single resale ticket on Ticketmaster started at $176 on match day. Even eight minutes into play, tickets on StubHub were still going for $120.
Panama vs Bolivia in Orlando drew a crowd of 12,933, when the stadium capacity is 25,500 (Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)
Tickets for the remaining quarterfinals were still pricey, by soccer’s standards, but lower than Argentina-Ecuador. On Thursday, a single ticket for Venezuela-Canada at AT&T Stadium was $107, $132 for Brazil-Uruguay at Allegiant Stadium, and $70 for Colombia-Panama at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. That is likely due to the low turnout for Colombia in that market during the group stage.
But prices alone are not solely to blame for lackluster crowds at some of the tournament’s group-stage fixtures. Better marketing around matches could have raised the profile of some matches, especially those that included the United States. The team’s tournament opener against Bolivia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, only drew 47,873 fans to the 80,000-capacity stadium.
UMSNT’s second match against Panama in Atlanta only featured 59,145 fans in a 71,000-capacity venue. And when the U.S. fell to Uruguay 1-0 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City and exited the competition, only 55,460 fans filled the 76,400-capacity venue, with half of the upper bowl appearing empty on television. Blistering temperatures, and the team’s shocking fall to Panama the match prior, could have also been a deterrent.
Originally, the tournament was set to be played in Ecuador, but almost everyone involved considered the relocation to the United States last year as a win — except those in Latin America who considered it an unpopular decision. For CONCACAF (the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean), it gave its member nations a chance to shine on South America’s biggest stage.
It also gave the United States, Mexico and Canada, co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, a chance to capture fans’ interest ahead of the main event. Few South American nations have venues with such large capacities as the U.S, which is filled with massive NFL stadiums at the ready (even if that has brought its own issues with some of the fields), which was a prospective win for CONMEBOL. Would it have been prudent, however, to host games at smaller Major League Soccer stadiums with bigger pitches in more established markets for soccer fans?
While unsold tickets mean missed revenue for the South American federation and other stakeholders, the missed opportunity is more of an issue for those who want to grow the game in North America. Mexico and the United States failing to advance beyond the group stage has been viewed as an utter failure for both nations. Instead of captivating audiences with deep runs in the tournament and preparing markets for 2026, the conversation is squarely focused on the crisis each nation’s men’s soccer team now finds itself in.
While Canada’s run to the semifinals no doubt helps, the CONCACAF nation has played in front of some of the smallest crowds in the tournament, such as the 11,622 fans who braved the heat to watch their 1-0 win against Peru at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. That match, in which an assistant referee collapsed from heat exhaustion due to the high temperatures, was the lowest-attended fixture all summer.
Canada has also had the misfortune of playing against teams with clear home-field advantages in every match.
“With how our fanbase works, and how diverse Canada is, even our home games (in Canada) have been really difficult,” said defender Alistair Johnston.
“And so I think that most of our matches with the national team have always been in these kinds of environments, and I think that has helped us in the long run so that when you do come and play the Argentinas, Peru, Chile, whoever it is, and probably again here against Venezuela as well, we are ready for that because it’s almost become the norm to us.”
Empty seats at the quarterfinal between Colombia and Panama at State Farm Stadium, Arizona (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The real crown jewel of the competition remains the final game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Its more limited capacity of 65,300 only pushes demand even higher. Tickets for sporting events and other entertainment in Florida as of July 1 are, however, tax-exempt through the end of the month thanks to local law.
As of Friday morning, a single resale ticket in the upper bowl at Hard Rock started at $1,369. That drops to $1,292 each when you buy two tickets together. That number will continue to rise and fall, with those same tickets going for $1,350 each just an hour earlier. The service fee for these tickets (an additional cost) was an estimated $271 each.
It’s why there will likely be several fans sprinkled around the outskirts of the stadiums hosting these last few rounds of Copa America, hoping to catch a glimpse of the madness while watching the match from the comfort of their phones or tablets. Of course, tickets for the remaining matches will continue to fluctuate depending on demand. So, one fan seated in the same section who purchased tickets weeks prior may end up paying hundreds more than a fan who bought a ticket hours before kick-off.
While the forensic accounting over the attendance and ticket sales will continue after the tournament’s final whistle, CONMEBOL has made one thing clear: the U.S. market is one it wants to continue exploring.
“It’s a place to look at, especially as hosts of the World Cup in 2026. That’s important to take into account,” Pumpido said.
“We believe the United States has also made great progress at the soccer level… (and) it has advanced a lot with the arrival of Messi. Of course, CONMEBOL will always have the United States in mind for tournaments in the future.”
US loses to Panama – Must beat Uruguay Mon night 9 pm on FS1 and outscore Panama
Wow – so the US Is on the cusp of elimination in the Group stages of the Copa America with one game left vs Uruguay. A must win game on Monday night July 1st. By now you have all heard – the US went down a player when the normally stoic Tim Weah struck a Panama player in the head in the 19th minute of the game. Down a Man the US almost immediately scored a burner when Balogun scored this marvelous goal giving us a 1-0 lead. That should have been enough to get us thru – but alas the US gave up a goal 4 minutes later. Then the US tried to hold on to the tie – but just couldn’t get it done. Funny I remember a time when a US team could find a way to tie a game like this. But with our defense in shambles and horrific Goalkeeping – (amazing we don’t 1 GK in the country who can start in the EPL) all was lost. Berhalter switched formations at the half – going to a 5 man back line – which may have worked if the WORSE CENTER BACK of ALL TIME for THE US – CCV – Cameron Carter Vickers – wasn’t the guy in the center. After almost giving up 2 PKs – he then allowed his man to slide inside and score the winner in the 84th minute. I had an issue with the move when he made it –giving almost 90% possession to Panama and begging them to break us down – which they eventually did. Why not bring in Musah to give us more help moving the ball forward from the midfield – then he pulls Balogun the only guy threatening to score for the US. The real question now is can the Golden Generation who so loves their coach actually show up and win a game against a Real World Power in Uruguay. Sorry but I don’t this Golden Generation has a backbone – much less a coach who could win a rec league U9 Girls championship in Berhalter. I have not turned my back on Berhalter before – but if he can’t get us out of the Group he must go. Period – I don’t care how much these “talented” players love him.
So the reffing at the Euro’s has been – interesting. Not sure I am on board with VAR anymore – this funny ref exchange making light of the Dutch overturned goal vs Italy has to be the funniest thing I have seen this week. Cool Fans outside Argentina’s hotel get treated to birthday Cake from the team – on Messi’s Bday. Here’s the view as over 81K were on hand in New Jersey’s Met Life. Italy ties it at the buzzer to advance to the knockout Round – the commentary from that game was legendary. In league Play the NWSL’s KC Current just won their 17th straight a new record – and this happened in that last win at home – River Ball.
Shane’s Starters for US vs Uruguay
Haji Wright, Bologen, Pulisic,
Gio
Mckinney, Adams
Robinson, Ream, Richards, Scally
Horvath
The 26-player Copa América roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest)
DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Tim Ream (Fulham FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Tim Weah (Juventus), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
Indy 11 8 win streak broken, back next Fri on Wish TV 7:30 pm
Indy Eleven had its eight-match USL Championship win streak halted on Saturday as it fell to Western Conference opponent Orange County SC, 1-0. The Boys in Blue fall to 9-5-2 with the loss, while Orange County improves to 6-6-3.Following an open week, the Boys in Blue hit the road to face Rhode Island FC on Friday, July 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The match will air locally on WISH-TV and stream on ESPN+.
Carmel High Girls Soccer Camp July 22-25
2-4:30 pm @ Murray Stadium Register Here contact fdixon@ccs.k1.in.us for more info
Huge Congrats to former Carmel FC defender Rosie Martin – advancing to the ENCL Finals with her Indy 11 team in a couple of weeks in VA. Congrats Pork Chop!!
TV GAMES SCHEDULE
Sat, June 29th
12 pm FS1 Euro Quarters Switzerland vs Italy
3 pm Fox Euro Quarters Germany vs Denmark
7:30 pm Ion Washington Spirt vs NC Courage NWSL
8 pm FS1 Argentina vs Peru Copa
8 pm FS2 Canada vs Chile
10 pm Ion Utah vs Portland Thorns NWSL
Sun, June 30
12 pm FS1 Euro Quarters England vs Slovakia
1 pm ESPN2 NY/NJ Gotham vs Seattle Reign NWSL
3 pm Fox Euro Quarters Spain vs Georgia
7:30 pm CBS Golazo+Para Angel City vs Orlando Pride NWSL
8 pm FS1 Jamaica vs Venezuela
8 pm Fox Mexico vs Ecuador
Mon, July 1
12 pm FS1 Euro Quarters France vs Belgium
3 pm Fox Euro Quarters Portugal vs Slovenia
9 pm FS1 , Univision USMNT vs Uruguay
9 pm FS1 Bolivia vs Panama
Tues , July 2
12 pm FS1 Euro Quarters Romania vs Netherlands
3 pm Fox Euro Quarters Austria vs Turkey
9 pm FS1, Univision Brazil vs Colombia
9 pm FS2 Costa Rica vs Paraguay
Thur, July 4
9 pm Fox Copa America Knockouts Argentina vs Ecuador
7:30 pm TNT, Universo US Women vs Costa Rica
10:30 pm Apple ? LA Galaxy vs LAFC – El Traffico MLS
Fri, July 5th
12 noon Fox Euro’s Germany vs Spain
3 pm Fox Euro’s Quarters Portugal vs France
9 pm Fox Copa America Knockouts Venezuela vs Canada
10 pm Amazon Prime Portland vs San Diego Wave NwSL
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USMNT’s goalkeeper dilemma: Positive signs for Turner but will Uruguay come too soon?
Matt Turner had a bad feeling.That’s what he told TV reporters after a game that he had exited painfully, and thus increased the chances of the United States’ men’s national team doing the same from this tournament on Monday.A fractious night of drama in Atlanta spawned various concerning narratives around the hosts’ prospects at Copa America, but chief among them will be whether the 30-year-old can recover in time to face Uruguay.Turner was forced off with an injury that may yet cause him to miss the all-or-nothing final USMNT group clash in Kansas City.The good news is that early signs are positive and there is a belief around the camp that the Nottingham Forest man will be available. His left leg will be assessed over the next 48 hours.
Turner receives treatment during the Panama defeat (Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
There is an argument to say, however, the robust challenge from Cesar Blackman — which was not punished by referee Ivan Barton — has already cost his team one goal. Turner seemed a split-second off when the same player beat him 10 minutes later and, unless he is moving freely by Monday, he cannot be risked against a team that just smashed five past Bolivia.It’s important to note that shot-stopping is one of Tuner’s main strengths and those familiar with his overall game would have expected he would get a glove on a shot that close to him, after he had made two small shuffling steps towards his right in anticipation before Blackman struck. It is also possible that his reactions were slower due to the ball coming through team-mate Chris Richards’ legs as he and Tim Ream faced up to the Panama midfielder.
Blackman’s strike just evaded Turner (Eduardo Munoz/AFP via Getty Images)
Either way, it was costly for the U.S. but not as costly as Panama’s second. Enter Ethan Horvath, who also should have done better with the Jose Fajardo strike that condemned the U.S. to defeat. It was a rocket but it was straight at him.
The man who started last season at the same English club, Nottingham Forest, as his compatriot, could now face the challenge of replacing him from the start against Uruguay.Neither man had an especially fun season in England. Turner lost his place to January signing Matz Sels, while Horvath was left out of Forest’s squad for the entire season despite helping Luton Town into the top flight during a loan spell in 2022-23.
It has not deterred Gregg Berhalter from retaining them in the international fold but Turner is his locked-in number one. Horvath has not started for his country since a friendly win over Oman last September.He has come from the bench to be a saviour before, however. Now the Colorado native will hope to recapture the defiant spirit of his penalty save in the 2021 Nations League final. Back then he replaced the injured Zak Steffen and saved a penalty save in second-half stoppage time, in extra time, to thwart Mexico and bring the silverware home.At the Mercedes-Benz stadium on Thursday he could not manage to male a similar impact. But if called upon he can take heart from the second half of last season, when he joined Championship club Cardiff City and wrestled the starting spot from Jak Alnwick.
After joining the Welsh club permanently in January, Horvath did not look back, starting each of their remaining 16 games from February onwards and keeping four clean sheets.
Turner will be desperate to play. After all, everything is on the line for the USMNT. He has, though, already spoken of how his experience in the game has prompted him to listen to his body and put that ahead of his desire to push himself through the pain barrier.
Before the Qatar World Cup in 2022 he missed three fixtures for then club Arsenal. Turner had strained his groin during a training session the morning of Arsenal’s Europa League match at PSV Eindhoven in October. He had been set to start, but ended up pulling out. He remained out for Arsenal’s next two contests, including a Europa League match on November 3 against Zurich.
Scans taken the following day confirmed the strain. Had he tried to play in the match, Turner would’ve run the risk of injuring himself far more seriously. But it was “one of the hardest things” he has ever done. As the backup at Arsenal, Europa League contests were his only opportunities to play, while missing any matches ahead of the World Cup meant less game action for him when he was trying to get sharp for Qatar.“I actually was like on the border of tears,” he told The Athletic in 2022. “I know that sounds a bit soft, but I’ve never had to do that before. I’ve never had to really listen to my body and feel like maybe it wasn’t the right move to push through something, because I’ve pushed through many injuries in my career, many little nicks that might have held someone else out, that’s never been my M.O.“So to go against everything that was ingrained in me and look out for myself was challenging, and that can be hard in professional sports.”Everyone around the U.S. camp will hope he is not facing a similar dilemma ahead of Monday night.(Top photo: Eliecer Aizprua Banfield/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Are the USMNT out of Copa America? Scenarios after Panama defeat
The USMNT suffered a shock defeat to Panama at Copa America on Thursday to leave their chances of progression beyond the group in doubt.Folarin Balogun had given the tournament hosts the lead with his second goal in as many games at the competition before Cesar Blackman equalised.The U.S. had earlier been reduced to 10 men after Tim Weah was sent off for an off-the-ball incident.ose Fajardo stunned the home crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with an 83rd-minute goal to ultimately win it before a chaotic ending with Adalberto Carrasquilla also dismissed for a late challenge on Christian Pulisic.The result now leaves Gregg Berhalter’s side with work to do to qualify for the knockout phase.
No, but they have work to do.The defeat against Panama likely now leaves them in need of a positive result against Uruguay on Monday night if they are to have any chance of advancing to the quarterfinals.
What do they need to do?
For the USMNT to advance to the knockout phase, their result against Uruguay in their final group-stage game must match or better Panama’s result against Bolivia.
If Panama beat Bolivia, the U.S. must beat Uruguay and will then depend on goal difference (the first tiebreaker)
If Panama and Bolivia draw, the U.S. would advance with a win or a draw
If Bolivia beat Panama, the U.S. would advance with a win or a draw, while a loss would leave goal difference as the determining factor
Panama will be favorites to beat Bolivia given they are ranked 41 places higher by FIFA, soccer’s governing body.They are also unbeaten against Bolivia in their past four matches, last losing a game to the nation in August 2008.
What are the tiebreakers?
In the event of a tie on points at the end of the group goal difference is the first tiebreaker before goals scored and then head-to-head record.
A team’s disciplinary record can ultimately be used to split a tie before the drawing of lots.
Points obtained in all group matches (three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a defeat);
Goal difference in all group matches;
Number of goals scored in all group matches;
Points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question;
Goal difference in the matches played between the teams in question;
Number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question;
Fewest red cards;
Fewest yellow cards;
Drawing of lots.
What now?
Monday, July 1
USMNT vs Uruguay (9pm ET, Arrowhead Stadium)
Bolivia vs Panama (9pm ET, Inter&Co Stadium)
U.S. men’s soccer team’s Copa América on precipice of disaster after 2-1 loss to Panama
Tim Weah’s reckless red card early in the game sent it cascading toward a defeat that makes Monday’s group stage finale vs. star-studded Uruguay a must-win – especially for manager Gregg Berhalter.
Tim Weah’s ejection early in the first half sent the U.S. spiraling toward a disastrous defeat to Panama in the Copa América.Mike Stewart / AP
If you don’t take care of the things that are within your control, you’re even more susceptible to things beyond your control.
It’s an eternal lesson in soccer, and one the U.S. men’s national team needed no reminding of heading into Thursday’s Copa América group stage game against Panama. But it bit them anyway, because star forward Tim Weah’s reckless red card early in the first half sent the game cascading toward a 2-1 U.S. loss in Atlanta.
A soap opera of a first half started in the fifth minute when Weston McKennie scored off a free kick play, but it was called back on a video review because Tim Ream was offside in the buildup.
In the 12th, U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner was slammed into by César Blackman, with American defenders Antonee Robinson and Ream heading in their direction. Blackman was not sanctioned beyond the call of a regular foul.
And in the 16th, Weah swung a fist at Panama’s Roderick Miller off the ball. Referee Ivan Bartón initially gave Weah a yellow card, then upgraded it to a direct red after a video review.
It was a shocking lapse of judgment from Weah, one of the Americans’ top stars, and TV viewers at home saw a replay that made the contact clear. He will miss the Americans’ group stage finale against Uruguay in Kansas City on Monday (9 p.m., FS1, Univision 65, TUDN, ViX).
“He apologized to the group, and I think he understands what a difficult position he put the group in,” U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter said. “Nonetheless, it happened and as a result, we lost this game. And we’re going to have to move on and figure out how to win the next game.”
It was already going to be not just the Americans’ biggest game of the tournament, but their biggest game since the 2022 World Cup. Uruguay is a soccer powerhouse, with stars at both ends of the field who’ve made the Celeste one of the favorites to win the tournament. They dismissed Panama 3-1 in their opener, then routed Bolivia 5-0 on Thursday.
If the U.S. fails to advance out of the group — and a tie vs. Uruguay wouldn’t be enough if Panama beats Bolivia — the already-loud chorus of calls for Berhalter’s dismissal will grow even louder.
“That’s what we want to do,” Berhalter said of the Uruguay game, “but pressure is part of what we sign up for. That’s part of this job. Representing your national team is a tremendous honor, and there’s a lot of expectations that come along with it.”
Not long after Weah’s ejection, Folarin Balogun swung momentum back to the U.S. in the 22nd minute with a dazzling goal off a give-and-go play with Robinson, delighting the crowd of 59,145 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
But Blackman tied the score four minutes later with a low shot that evaded Turner’s dive. One can wonder if the effects of that collision hindered Turner’s reaction.
The first half remained testy, with nine fouls called on Panama and three on the U.S. by Salvadoran referee Ivan Bartón at intermission. Robinson was booked in the 33rd, and Panama’s Eduardo Guerrero was booked in the 45th.
Balogun came closest of anyone to scoring in the rest of the period, hitting the crossbar in the 48th, though he was offside.
Turner departed at the start of the second half for Ethan Horvath, one of three changes U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter made at that point. Turner was diagnosed with a left leg injury.
Centerback Cameron Carter-Vickers replaced attacking midfielder Gio Reyna, and defensive midfielder Johnny Cardoso replaced Tyler Adams in a like-for-like swap.
The moves shifted the U.S. into a 3-5-1, with the hope that outside backs Joe Scally and Robinson could provide just enough spark from wide roles to spring Balogun or Christian Pulisic for a goal.wo strokes of luck go unusedDisaster nearly struck in the 63rd when José Fajardo went over a slide by Carter-Vickers in the 18-yard box and hit the deck. Bartón initially signaled for a penalty kick, but the video review officials told Bartón to take another look. He saw there wasn’t much contact, and reversed the call.Balogun was subbed off in the 72nd minute for Ricardo Pepi, not long after Balogun whipped a tough-angle shot just wide of the far post from the left side of the 18-yard box.Pepi had a big chance in the 81st when Weston McKennie served him up a cross from the right side, but he headed it softly and straight at Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera.Two minutes later, Fajardo made the U.S. pay dearly for it. Abidel Ayarza jumped on a loose ball on the right side of the 18-yard box, sent it toward Fajardo, and he thumped it past Horvath.
The Americans got lucky when Panama’s Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla was ejected in the 88th for tackling Pulisic from behind. But the Americans couldn’t find another goal, with McKennie coming closest on a header of a free kick in the 94th.
“It was an extremely disappointing result, but the effort was there,” Berhalter said, “and if we put in the same type of effort in this [next] game, in terms of the work, effort, and the togetherness, we’ll have a shot to beat Uruguay. We know it’s going to be difficult, but we’re going to give it our best.
We’ll get to the Panama game in a bit, but first, think back to December 2022.The United States men’s national team had just been eliminated from the World Cup by the Netherlands, losing in the round of 16 by a 3-1 margin. A nation was looking for answers: why couldn’t Gregg Berhalter’s side get the job done?“When you look at the difference between the two teams; to me, there was some offensive finishing quality that we are lacking a bit,” Berhalter said of the second-youngest squad among the 32 in that tournament. “It is normal. We have a very young group and they are going to catch up to that.”
Ah, youth. There’s nothing more exciting in soccer than the concept of potential; the promise that for as good as a player or team may be now, just wait until they find their sea legs. With experience is supposed to come the intangibles that round out an athletic skill set. These are often the traits that turn a good player into a great one: an erudite reading of the game or an otherworldly ability to anticipate the opponent’s next move, to cite a pair.
Still, it can be an underwhelming silver lining to fixate upon after a team is eliminated in a World Cup. Those only come around every four years and besides, there’s no guarantee that a player, much less a collective of them, will have squatter’s rights over national team spots as younger alternatives rise through the ranks.
At a certain point, a person or a team has to show that the proverbial “teachable moments” from past hardships have resonated and will inform better decisions thereafter.hich brings us to Thursday night in Atlanta.For a quarter of an hour, the USMNT was up for the challenge. Panama represents the type of foe that Berhalter’s side would welcome in these circumstances. In this all-Americas edition of the Copa America, ostensibly the CONMEBOL (South American) championship, one would think it’s better to face a CONCACAF rival you play regularly than one from a different confederation altogether.After the final whistle, with his team having suffered a 2-1 defeat, Berhalter and his players repeatedly cited their familiarity with Panama. They knew Panama was a team that would play with chippiness in every action. They knew what Panama was all about and knew the approach they would take in hopes of shocking the tournament hosts.It begs the question: if you knew where the opponent would lay its traps, why did you end up ensnared by one entirely of your own creation?
(Eliecer Aizprua Banfield/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Since taking over in 2018, one of the hallmarks of Berhalter’s USMNT tenure has been his ability to stymy, overcome, and eventually run laps around Mexico. For decades, those two teams have fought for supremacy in CONCACAF’s balance of power. As nations such as Costa Rica or Canada enjoyed strong stretches this century, their success was contextualized vis-a-vis the region’s twin powers.The framing does a disservice to the rest of CONCACAF, a sort of soccer classism built on past pedigree and fame surrounding a nation’s top players. The nature of a group draw, offering every team its next three opponents, inevitably fixates on the perceived “toughest” opponent in the three matches, regardless of their spot in the queue. So when you’re focused on a game against Marcelo Bielsa’s high-flying Uruguay at the end of the group, you risk overlooking the teams you fear less.Teams like Panama.Even after watching the highlight of Tim Weah’s 18th-minute red card offense a dozen times (or, perhaps, especially after watching it so often), it’s tough to fathom his decision-making. Before and after the match, the United States emphasized they knew Panama would tap into the dark arts to wrestle control over the game.
The thing is, this wasn’t one of those cases. It wasn’t a response to a scything tackle or an incisive elbow behind the referee’s back. It was retaliation for an otherwise nondescript off-ball bump between a defender primed for a challenge and an eager attacker. For that to be the series of events that allowed Panama to play over 70 minutes with a man advantage? It undermines claims of “knowing” what to expect.
Well, maybe that’s unfair. There’s knowing what’s coming and then there’s planning accordingly. The latter part is of greater importance.
(Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
To be fair, the gamesmanship the United States claimed to have expected did present itself.
Chief among the examples was the 12th-minute challenge by Cesar Blackman that saw the Panama player clatter into a defenseless Matt Turner in mid-air without making a serious nod toward the ball. Goalkeeper Turner suffered a knee injury in the process, which may have limited his mobility when Blackman placed an equalizer into the net just 14 minutes later.
Of course, Blackman escaped the collision without seeing a yellow card, but that’s another story.
In a cruel twist, the player who seemed poised to bring the “offensive finishing quality” that Berhalter longed for in 2022 did his part. Even after Weah’s red card and before Blackman’s goal, Folarin Balogun opened the scoring with the kind of attempt that only a special striker could confidently convert.
(Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
The USMNT fought valiantly in the second half after Berhalter made a trio of adjustments to replace Turner with a fresh goalkeeper, withdraw one midfielder to add another defender, and swap out defensive midfielders to ensure stability. In theory, a 1-1 draw would have done wonders for the hosts, putting them on four points and Panama on one with one game each remaining.
Eventually, Panama’s extensive ownership of possession (74%, or 72% when only considering touches in each attacking third) gave them enough time to turn one point into three. As Christian Pulisic succinctly put it after the game, “it’s not so easy to keep the ball” when you’re playing with one man less. Panama created its best chance of the game in the 80th minute and didn’t waste it.
Weah’s teammates and coach were quick to mention that the Juventus man was contrite after the match, relaying that he’d apologized for his action and the disadvantage it caused. Seemingly, he’ll soon have another chance (whether in the knockouts or after this tournament) to make things right — as others of this generation, including Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest have done following their own incidents on and off the pitch.
For now, however, the damage is done. Weah’s ill-advised shove gave Panama an advantage it may not have needed but certainly relished. Tyler Adams referred to Weah’s infraction as a “lesson” to reflect upon for the future. Pulisic assured us that Weah is “gonna learn from it”.Haven’t we heard this before? Given how infrequently the USMNT can schedule friendlies against teams outside of CONCACAF, is there any excuse left for not having some level of mastery over the finer points of playing rivals within your confederation?How can a team expect to outfox Uruguay, or one of Brazil or Colombia in a potential quarterfinal — to say nothing of the broader field at a World Cup — if it frequently falls victim to the opponents it knows best?
‘Finally ripping off the band-aid’: Breaking down USWNT’s Olympic roster and Alex Morgan’s snub
On Wednesday, U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes named her 18-player roster for the 2024 Olympics this summer as well as four alternates who will travel with the squad in France. USWNT stalwart striker Alex Morgan was nowhere to be found.
Instead, Hayes opted for youth, with eyes toward developing the game in the U.S., naming the youngest Olympic roster for the USWNT since 2008, when the team won gold in Beijing, China. The decision was bold and a little shocking considering Morgan’s long reign as both a leader and face of the team, but not one that the newly-appointed Hayes can’t justify.
“I saw firsthand not just her qualities, but her professionalism. Her record speaks for itself,” Hayes said. At the same time, she acknowledged the constraints of the 18-player roster, with spots for only 16 field players.
The current roster has an average age of 26.8, four years younger than the team that went to Japan for the previous Olympics in 2021 and had to settle for a bronze medal. More stark, though, is the difference in caps per player — at those pandemic-delayed Games three years ago the average was 111; for this team, it is only 58.
“Looking through the cap accumulation of the team, there’s been a lack of development, of putting some of the less experienced players in positions where they can develop that experience,” Hayes said. “I think it’s important that we do that to take the next step. So I’m not looking backwards.”
The Athletic’s Meg Linehan and Tamerra Griffin discussed Morgan’s exclusion and analyzed the entire roster on the dedicated women’s soccer podcast Full Time with Meg Linehan. Listen in full to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or read the edited conversation below.
Tamerra Griffin: After much anticipation, we have our 18-player, plus four alternates, roster for the Olympics in France. Roster drops always feel like a mini-holiday in the women’s soccer community, because we all know what’s coming. Everyone is seated. We know who these players are. Meg, obviously the biggest headline of the story is actually who wasn’t on this roster: Alex Morgan. What were your first reactions when you saw that?
Meg Linehan: We knew the starting forward line of this team no longer included Alex Morgan. So the question was, was she in contention for a role as a substitute? Obviously, we now know the answer, but Hayes also did not select Morgan to be an alternate, the alternate is Lynn Williams in the forward position. I described it as finally ripping off the band-aid. There has been such a journey for this team. I feel like I’ve been writing about it for three years, like an entire cycle of the swapover from veteran talent to youth. And it’s like this was the last major piece to that puzzle. So my first thought was: ‘She did it.’
Griffin: I remember after those friendlies against South Korea (at the start of June), just thinking about, even in the form that Alex was in, having to manage injuries and wanting to stem off potential additional injuries, thinking about what she offered the team in that role. I think probably the most notable was the fact she’s able to absorb both pressure and physicality.
Morgan has shifted from a goalscorer to someone who can pull defenders in and absorb pressure (Harry How, Getty Images)
Linehan: That has been ‘the Alex Morgan role’ since 2019, essentially: sacrifice her body, pull defenders, and set up other players. It’s not necessarily a goalscoring position for her anymore.
Griffin: That being said, when I think about her contributions, I don’t think they even carry the same significance now that they have in the past, because when we look at the other players named to this front line, particularly Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman, Hayes, in her press conference going over the Olympic roster, talked about the natural telepathy between Swanson and Smith. We see the impact that they have, the intuitive way in which they play, it’s fluid. It almost feels like they are speaking a different dialect of language. And it’s great because that makes them that much more lethal collectively, but it’s also hard to kind of get into that conversation if you don’t know how to speak that language, and that’s sort of how I’ve been feeling about Alex the last few games.
Linehan: I also just think other teams know that that’s her role now, right? How do you drag defenders if everybody knows that’s your role? There is that sort of fluidity and the three of them are good at playing off of each other, but then take a step back and whether it’s Jaedyn Shaw at the 10, Cat Macario at the 10, Rose Lavelle at the 10, there is this sense that you’ve got a forward line that’s essentially four players deep at that point.
For me, the two biggest reasons Morgan would have been considered for this roster were not necessarily tied to what she offers on the field. I think they were about intangibles. I’ve had this conversation with athletes that are Olympians in other team sports, who have always spoken about how you need a big veteran presence. This is something I find fascinating, because it does transcend sports, where you want that one key person where, even if they’re on the bench, they are there as that leader, that sort of calming presence; someone that could go in the dying moments of a game and you trust that person to make something otherworldly happen. I do think Morgan still has a lot of that weight to her, whether that goes back to the 2012 Olympics or not.
But you listen to Hayes in her press conference on Wednesday and it’s very clear that that did not justify her inclusion on the roster. Hayes clearly respects Morgan as a person, as a player. She respects her legacy, but that is not in her vision for this Olympic team right now.
Griffin: Absolutely. When you think about an 18-player roster, versatility has to be within your top three priorities. I think that is one of the reasons we saw Crystal Dunn listed where she was. You can play her anywhere. She is like a dream roster player for a tournament like the Olympics, but Crystal also brings her own veteran experience. She’s only one cap off Lindsay Horan, who’s the most-capped player. You have other players like Alyssa Naeher, Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnett, who also have experience playing in these big tournaments and can offer that grounding presence you mentioned.
Linehan: I do think at some point you also have to let Lindsey Horan be captain. If you have named Lindsay Horan captain, then Lindsay Horan needs to be captain, and not have this presence that’s either beside her at the same level but not with the title. We’ve also heard from Hayes during the South Korea friendlies that Naomi Girma may be next in line, so allowing Girma to develop as a leader plays a part in it as well.
Girma also plays alongside Morgan on the San Diego Wave in NWSL (John Wilkinson, Getty Images)
Griffin: You could choose to be conservative just because it’s a big tournament, it’s going to have a lot of visibility, or you could choose to sort of put your head down, stay focused on the big picture and work toward that (development of the next generation).
Linehan: But we’ve seen what happens when a head coach is conservative, right? Vlatko Andonovski had been conservative with both the 2021 Olympic roster and the 2023 World Cup roster. We saw the results of that and what happened. I think there was this sense of, again, ripping the band-aid off. It’s going to be deeply unpleasant in the moment and then expose you up to air and healing and moving forward. It’s all the same.
You cannot let history and legacy determine the team’s future. There’s a way to both honor everything Morgan has done for the USWNT and understand also that Hayes has made a decision and we don’t know right now if it’s going to be the right one or not. We also have no idea what Morgan would have done in the Olympics if she was going.
Should Korbin Albert be included?
Griffin: Someone who was very much on the bubble for reasons that have to do with her performance on the field and her activity off of it is midfielder Korbin Albert. I have so much to say about this, and I’ve had time to gather my thoughts because this has been an ongoing issue now for a few months. Meg, what statement do you think U.S. Soccer, and Hayes specifically, is making with this decision to include Albert on the roster?
Linehan: I asked Hayes about Albert and I’ve got some skin in the game on this conversation. So I asked her about Albert and she went much longer than I anticipated. It is worth listening to her full answer.
Hayes came into this situation after the original incident had happened, after the fallout. So it is a little bit different than a coach who has managed this from the beginning.
I understand the instinct to want to defend a young athlete. I will be completely honest, the part where I really struggle is: yes, I think we’re being a little reductive by saying ‘social-media activity’ as a shortcut. It’s been so long since this started that we all kind of shorthand what happened because it’s the fastest way. I think sharing those posts did result in harm to queer communities, but also the part that I still struggle to get over is that a current player of the USWNT had liked posts about a player getting hurt. That’s the part I truly struggle to get over. That’s the part where, ‘How are you on this team?’. I’m only scratching the surface here. Something happened externally and was public, the conversations with the USWNT have been kept internal. We are being told, time and time again, that Albert is working on herself, and that part has not really been made public by her.
Griffin: I think that’s a huge problem, honestly. Because when you look at the USWNT, what they’ve been able to accomplish, the history they’ve made, the risks they’ve taken to fight for equality, to shed light on the joys of representing and belonging to and fighting for marginalized communities to pivot this way, and as you said, off the back of a very blatant interaction with a social media post that showed support of a player experiencing harm, the same player, Megan Rapinoe, who was at the forefront of so many social-justice movements, and somehow I feel like that is not the thing that gets discussed.
Albert adds a depth option in midfield for the U.S. (Harry How, Getty Images)
Everything is getting couched under ‘social-media activity’. The issue I take with that is social-media activity, as a phrase, has sort of been used as a shield to the values that informed the social-media activity. Hayes mentioned having conversations with Albert about the implications of making certain decisions around social media, but are those conversations also including the implications of having those beliefs in the first place? Beliefs are the root of the problem, and I don’t think we can expect real sustainable change or progress to be made if we’re not addressing the root of the problem.
And yes, we’ve heard work so many times whenever we discuss this that the work is being done in private. I respect privacy, but at some point you are going to have to both embrace what this team means, and has meant, to queer communities, and the responsibility that they embraced in this moment. It’s not just about wearing a Pride jersey, that is the manifestation of a lot of work. I’m not seeing that and that concerns me.
Linehan: It is a very messy situation. And when we talk about it, it is hard to get into this level of nuance beyond a longer format conversation. My job also is to report the news. So my job is to say, ‘Here’s what Hayes said’, and not necessarily throw my personal opinions in there. But I do think that when this first went down and Rapinoe saw it and reacted on social media, her big focus was, ‘I need you to think about the real-world implications of what your words are doing on this world.’
I think this impulse for Hayes to say, ‘I want the fans to embrace her’ is putting the onus on the wrong people. The fans will embrace her when they see that public accountability finally happen. You cannot just say, ‘Hey, everybody. Please be nice to Albert right now and don’t boo her, because she feels really bad and she’s really struggling.’.
We’re missing steps six through 10 that need to happen before Albert is going to be embraced like that. And I think we shouldn’t rule that out. I think there may be a universe in which she says, like, ‘Hey, listen, this is what I did. And this is what I learned.’ It’s going to be a slow thing and you cannot force it.
Griffin: The problem with that is that the more time this takes, the higher the expectation I think a lot of people are going to have about the extent of the work that she does publicly. People need to see that and they deserve to see that.
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But this is all off-the-field stuff. To be honest, I still have questions about whether you can separate the two, I personally don’t, because I believe the personal is political, but since we have discussed off the field, we also need to talk about her performances on the field and whether those even merited a spot on this roster. I’ve watched her at PSG (France’s Paris Saint-Germain) and she’s been impactful. For country, she’s solid. Her contributions haven’t inspired much excitement for me, but I am confused, even when we’re just looking at form, how she was able to make this roster.
Linehan: Hayes talked about Albert’s versatility. She could play any three of the midfield spots. Her best position is the No 8 role, according to Hayes, so I think she is kind of there as a direct replacement for Lindsay Horan. I do think that the other factor in this is Sam Coffey being maybe a little bit questionable. To be fair, Sonnett can also slot into that defensive midfielder role. So I do think that they already had a little bit of coverage there, but in my brain, I think that’s how it got justified.
Coffey was named to the Olympic roster despite recent minor injuries (Brad Smith, Getty Images)
Coffey has been dealing with this week-to-week ankle injury. They want to make sure that the midfield is as strong as possible. When you have Morgan out of the picture and Dunn listed as a forward, that does offer you an extra midfield spot. I had Albert as one of the alternates.
With Olivia Moultrie also injured, that is actually probably who I think it would have also been an option. But, again, the injury picture for the USWNT is always a factor. So, when you think about who the midfield alternates are (Croix Bethune and Hal Hershfelt), neither of those players have actually stepped on the field for the USWNT. Albert having 11 appearances, playing Gold Cup, playing in SheBelieves, I do think she ultimately becomes the only option for that final midfield spot.
Who will be crowned champions of Europe in Berlin on July 14? What made you feel warm and fuzzy during this European Championship’s group stage? If you had to wear one Euro 2024 kit every day for the rest of your life, which would it be, and why?
These are all very important questions that need answering, we are sure you’ll agree.
Six of our writers give their verdicts on the group phase and look ahead to the knockout rounds starting today (Saturday) in Germany…
Who will win this tournament, and why?
Seb Stafford-Bloor: Spain. They have a bit of everything: pace, skill, flair — and it’s all supported by dependable world-class players. Anyone who beats them will probably win the tournament.
Jacob Whitehead:Spain — their strength in depth was shown against Albania, and in Nico Williams, they have the player of the tournament so far.
Carl Anka:Germany. The hosts have the most tactically-adept coach, a fluid front four and great options off the bench.
Oliver Kay:I’m sticking with France, even though they’ve been poor so far and they are on the tougher side of the draw. Why? Quality and know-how.
James Horncastle: Seb’s gone for Spain so… Austria were my dark horse before the tournament. They’ve exceeded expectations, and shouldn’t fear England and Italy in their half of the draw.
Matt Slater: It’s coming home… if football was invented in Spain. No, that’s too obvious. It’s coming home.
Who will win the Golden Boot, and with how many goals?
Zeki Celik and Altay Bayindir chase after Samet Akaydin’s errant backpass (Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images)
Whitehead: A glum Scotland being serenaded out of their base camp by the world’s jolliest oompah band after elimination.
Anka: A Scotland fan telling his friend, “When this gets to 2-0, I’m going back to town”, in Frankfurt’s fan zone on day one of the tournament. He stuck to his word, too.
Kay: Seeing people queue for a photo with a full-kit-wearing Cristiano Ronaldo lookalike who, up close, looked more like a cross between Alvaro Morata and John O’Shea.
Horncastle: Remember that scene from one of The Matrix movies about cursing in French being the best? What about a Frenchman cursing in English? Willy Sagnol’s use of the word ‘tw*t’ was magnifique.
Slater: While watching a freestyler in the Cologne fan zone before England-Slovenia, a fan behind me said, in broad Geordie, “Someone two-foot the flash git.”
If you had to wear one Euro 2024 kit every day for the rest of your life, which would it be, and why?
Stafford-Bloor:Germany’s away pink. Everyone here is wearing it and I just really want to fit in. Also, I’m really into using e-scooters, particularly at night on the streets around Munich, so… visibility.
Whitehead: Portugal away. Feels weirdly smart, but also frivolous. My girlfriend is unlikely to accept this, but once expressed an admiration for the tiling in Lisbon.
Wout Weghorst, Netherlands’ No 9, did not delay his impact at Euro 2024 (Joosep Martinson – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Horncastle: Italy home and France away are perfect, but I’m a sucker for a cultural motif like the Azulejos (famous ceramics from the city of Porto) detailed on Portugal’s second shirt.
Slater: Carl has already nabbed France away and we can’t go out wearing the same shirt, so I’ll go for Georgia’s home one. I love a bit of Macron.
Who is the player at this tournament Europe’s biggest clubs should be tracking?
Stafford-Bloor: Turkey’s left-back Ferdi Kadioglu, of Fenerbahce. Skilful and smart with the ball, resilient without it. Terrific. Perhaps there are flaws, but I have not seen any in their first three games.
Whitehead:Georgia and Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is already being tracked — but should be boosted. Outstanding in all three games, with good distribution.
Anka: Mamardashvili, 23, is going about his business like a young Manuel Neuer or David de Gea. The jury’s out on his distribution but he’s a tremendous shot-stopper.
Kay: It’s an obvious one, but Nico Williams. He’s already at a big club, Athletic Bilbao, but the 21-year-old Spaniard is certain to attract interest from higher up the food chain.
Horncastle: Bologna’s Riccardo Calafiori is a Kappa anthem jacket away from being the identikit major-tournament Italy centre-half.
Calafiori carrying the ball out of defence for Italy (Claudio Villa/Getty Images for FIGC)
Slater: Going last isn’t doing me any favours (I spotted Mamardashvili, too!). I like Romania’s Andrei Ratiu of Rayo Vallecano in Spain and David Strelec, who still plays in his native Slovakia for Slovan Bratislava… but “biggest clubs”? A stretch. I’ll go for England and Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.
Tell us one thing that has made you say ‘Wow!’ — or a ruder variation of ‘Wow!’
Stafford-Bloor: Probably the atmosphere in Munich’s Marienplatz on the opening day (hosts Germany beat Scotland 5-1 in Munich that night). It was one of those ‘Welcome to the tournament’ moments that set a tone which has lasted throughout.
Anka: Georgia fans singing their national anthem before facing the Czech Republic. Players and fanbase beaming with pride. They partied hard in Hamburg all night afterwards, too.
Kay: That run of dramatic, late, winning goals, some of them spectacular, and the noise that greeted them. A welcome reminder of how much international football means, particularly to smaller countries.
The aftermath of Cenk Tosun’s late winner for Turkey against the Czech Republic (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Horncastle: Honestly, it’s my colleague Pol Ballus telling me, in the car back from Gelsenkirchen, that Lamine Yamal’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, is 34 years old. Check out his Instagram. Incredible content.
Slater: The flash of lightning that seemed to hit the Frankfurt Arena during the Romania-Slovakia game, which was plenty loud enough already.
England will…
Stafford-Bloor: Go far. Tournaments are about surviving, rather than playing well. England need fear to perform. There is plenty of that around the corner.
Whitehead: Lose in the quarter-finals to an Italy side who aren’t actually as bad as their defeat by Spain made them appear. It’s feeling like Euro 2012 again.
Anka: Have a workman-like win against Slovakia in the round of 16 before losing in the quarter-finals. Gareth Southgate and Kane will both hang it up after that.
Is Euro 2024 Southgate and Kane’s last dance? (James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Kay: Beat Slovakia (I think). Beyond that, nothing would surprise me. They’ve been miserable, but the draw is now favourable. They might only have to achieve competence, rather than brilliance, to reach the final.
Horncastle: Never learn.
Slater: Most likely annoy, depress and infuriate me, as they have done so many times before, but now that I have set my expectations so low, who knows, right?
Which team have been the most fun to watch?
Stafford-Bloor: Slovenia’s organisation and willingness to work for one another has been compelling. They are also a better team than assumed and have already shown themselves capable of attacking in neat, well-built counters.
Whitehead: Georgia. They play like bullfighters, though with less ethical questions: waiting until the final moment before shuffling the ball away with a flash of their blood-red cloak.
Anka: Jacob has already said Georgia, so I’ll nominate Albania. A hard-working, hard-running, counter-attacking team you wish had a little more guile in front of goal.
Kay: Spain have played some lovely football, built around the wing play of Yamal and Williams. They also take risks and leave gaps at the other end, which is fun.
Lamine Yamal, 16, is lighting up the tournament (Alex Pantling – UEFA via Getty Images)
Horncastle: Spain. They do that Top Gun thing: “I’ll hit the brakes and they’ll fly right by.” I remember Lorenzo Pellegrini sliding in so fast on Yamal, only for him to lift the ball over the Italian.
Slater: I haven’t seen Spain in the flesh yet, so I’ll let the others praise them. I enjoyed Musiala, Toni Kroos et al against Hungary, and Romania are bags of fun.
Which team have been the most boring to watch?
Stafford-Bloor: England. The standard of performance was bad enough, but the noise they have inspired has been — as it always, always is — deeply tedious.
Whitehead: All of Group C. It would have been Serbia, but at least they scored a last-minute equaliser, so England get a special mention.
Anka:Poland have struggled in the entertainment stakes since beating Switzerland in the round of 16 at the Euros eight years ago. Robert Lewandowski or bust has finally run its course.
Kay: The easy answer is England, but at least they’ve tried to keep the ball and tried to attack. Scotland, having done so well to qualify, left their ambitions in the overhead locker when they flew here.
Horncastle: I want to know at which point the England fan who woke up in the early hours in Gelsenkirchen’s Arena AufSchalke fell asleep. I’m guessing it was half an hour after England kicked off.
Slater: England, by miles. The Denmark game was so bad it conned me into thinking the Slovenia game that followed was OK. But Scotland’s insipid display against Hungary warrants a mention.
Stafford-Bloor: I’ll always remember Serbian players shouting at one another about rhythm and positioning during their game with Slovenia, while manager Dragan Stojkovic was doing tricks with the ball in his technical area.
Whitehead: The Netherlands, mostly because Ronald Koeman has been insulting his players in interviews every five minutes. Check out poor Joey Veerman, who he subbed off in the 35th minute against Austria.
Ronald Koeman ‘encouraging’ Cody Gakpo (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Anka: Watching England games with German commentary/pundits puts into perspective how odd and over the top we can get about them.
Kay: It’s been strangely meltdown-free. I’ll say England. By the upbeat standards of the Southgate era, the vibes from the camp haven’t seemed right.
Horncastle: Turkey are essentially playing at home in this tournament. You might think that brings positive pressure, as multiple German cities are gridlocked by celebratory Turks after a win. But it also seems to weigh on the players and head coach Vincenzo Montella.
Slater:Ukraine. It is sad that we have got so used to the insanity of what is happening in their country we are disappointed with their performance here.
Which set of fans have been the best?
Stafford-Bloor: Romania’s. When they returned to Munich city centre after beating Ukraine out at the Allianz Arena, it began a party that lasted well into the night. Every bar, restaurant, tram, bus and train seemed to be painted with yellow shirts for at least 48 hours.
Whitehead: Turkey’s. I’ve been walking around cities they aren’t even playing in to a soundtrack of honking cars with Turkish flags waving out the windows.
Kay: Scotland’s. Their team gave them precisely nothing to cheer, or even smile, about — beyond the obvious achievement of qualification — but they remained loud, passionate, upbeat and funny.
Scotland fans had a better time in Germany than their team (Michaela Stache / AFP)
Horncastle: Tough call between the spaghetti-snapping Albanians, Dortmund’s Turks and the 25,000 Croatians who made the Italy game in Leipzig so beer-soakingly hostile.
Slater: Lots of candidates for this. The Dutch have the best visuals, the Romanians the best acoustics. But the Scots are very good all-round tourists.
What has made you feel warm and fuzzy inside?
Stafford-Bloor: Musiala making the tournament his own. For many, he has become a unifying figure; an image of modern Germany to be proud of.
Whitehead: Fullkrug’s gap-toothed grins of glee after two goals — his blast against Scotland and that group-winning equaliser against Switzerland. Underestimated no longer.
Anka: Fans from all across Europe having a sing and a dance to whatever German folk music many of the smaller bars here like to play.
Kay: The celebrations of the Georgia players, singing and dancing on their way out of the stadium after that historic victory over Portugal.
Horncastle:Josip Ilicic coming on for Slovenia against England. Declan Rice showing his appreciation for him. That and Italy’s training base, Casa Azzurri. It has a barbershop and a pinsa oven.
Slater: I’m a sucker for good national anthems and, no matter how many times I hear it, La Marseillaise always makes me think of this scene in Casablanca and brings a lump to my throat.
What has made you throw your beer/would have done if you were into that sort of thing?
Stafford-Bloor: Fullkrug’s stoppage-time equaliser against Switzerland in Frankfurt. That was a header.
Whitehead:Arda Guler’s goal for Turkey against Georgia. A match played in an incredible atmosphere, with a fantastic strike to match. It felt like the emergence of a big player.
Arda Guler lets fly against Georgia (Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)
Anka: Croatia have conceded two last-minute equalisers that dragged me out of my seat — Klaus Gjasula’s goal for Albania saw a stadium erupt.
Kay: My main thought here is … what happened to throwing streams of toilet roll? Think Argentina 1978. So much more evocative, so much more economical. (NB — it must be unused.)
(Staff/AFP via Getty Images)
Horncastle: “…ZAAAACCCCCCAGNNNNNNI!!”
Slater: There is absolutely no way I would ever throw a €9 (£7.50; $9.50) beer but, again, of the games I’ve witnessed, Hungary’s late winner against Scotland was a ‘limbs’ moment.
It may not be a huge seller in the United States but across the pond, Marmite is both a yeast-based spread and a template for how something can utterly split opinion.Even the manufacturers have embraced the idea for their marketing — you either love or hate it. The salty, tar-coloured paste either elicits delight or gags and grimaces (so the theory goes). Stateside viewers of Fox’s Euro 2024 coverage might relate.The network is having a ‘summer of soccer’, having won the rights to screen the European Championship and Copa America across its channels (Fox, Fox Sports 1 and 2). On Sunday, it announced it had also agreed a deal to show the Women’s Euros next summer.They have gone full steam ahead with their coverage. By day the gripping dynamics of the Euros group stage, by night a feast of South American juggernauts facing off. Viewers are devouring it in great numbers.
From Sunday, across Fox and Fox Sports 1, their Euros coverage averaged 1.15million viewers — which the network says is up 30 per cent on equivalent U.S. audience figures for the 2021 tournament. For Copa America, it is 1.25m — a staggering (and partly Lionel Messi-fuelled) 453 per cent increase on the previous edition three years ago.Fox has not shown every game. They sub-licensed five of the group-stage fixtures to subscription streaming service Fubo. Some audience members felt that led to suboptimal moments. Fubo’s opening broadcast omitted a game clock and score counter, while another featured an intrusive banner with score updates of other sports, like baseball.But it is the role of controversial former USMNT player Alexi Lalas that has really divided viewers. The outspoken 54-year-old is never short of a hot take and his brash style can add an element of friction.
Lalas is joined on the studio panel before every game, and during half-time, by the former Liverpool and England striker Daniel Sturridge, along with a revolving cast of other analysts. That has featured some impressive names. Former Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has starred, as has Manchester United and Denmark legend Peter Schmeichel, both Euros winners. The host is British broadcaster Jules Breach.Early interactions between Lalas and Sturridge became social media memes. The latter’s expressive reaction to some of the American’s outbursts and interruptions — all side-eyes and low-key scowls — made for great clips on X.During a tirade against Gareth Southgate after England’s dismal draw with Denmark, Lalas said: “To quote the great Justin Timberlake, who’s had a hell of a week: ‘Cry me a river.’“What’s that word you guys use over there? Whinging? This whinging that’s going on right now is absolutely ridiculous. The embarrassment of talent, the wealth of ability that exists on this team. Figure it out. If you’re the manager of this team and you arrive at the tornament and haven’t figured it out, that’s on you.”Cut to Sturridge’s bemused smile.
Lalas is certainly exuberant. Whether you find it boorish or not is a matter of taste. In the same broadcast, he booed Chiellini when he suggested Southgate was unlikely to up England’s attacking ante in the second half.Then there is the jarring ‘creative moment of the half’ sponsored segment, a ham-fisted slice of analysis set to a rock soundtrack. Against Denmark, Lalas’ description of Kyle Walker’s assist for Harry Kane’s goal basically consisted of bellowed cliches like ‘pickpocket’ and ‘watch your blindside’. He is loud. He is brash. He is also, possibly, playing to type.“I’m in the entertainment business,” Lalas told The Athletic’s Adam Crafton in an interview last week. “When you say that, sometimes people cringe. By no means am I saying that I can’t be authentic and genuine. But I recognise the way I say something is as important as what I say.
“When I go on TV, I put on a costume and when that red light goes on, I don’t want people changing the channel. I don’t care if you like me or you don’t. I am as human as I possibly can be with the recognition that, on television, things have to be bigger and bolder.”
Lalas played 94 times for the USMNT (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Hashtag Sports)
There are also moments of genuine insight. After all, Lalas played 96 times for his country and reportedly speaks four languages.
Watching him again, after England’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia on Tuesday, he adds a dash of perspective to his take on yet another flat showing from Southgate’s side.
“A lot of what we’re seeing is ‘survive and move’,” he says. “It is such a different mentality in the group phase to the knockout phase. Nobody is going to look at it or put it in a time capsule. Ultimately, the result is most important.”
The occasional awkward moment is not just confined to Lalas. After neither Kane nor Conor Gallagher can connect with a Kieran Trippier cross against Slovenia, Sturridge says: “It’s just inches five inches.” There is silence for half a beat, Schmeichel guffaws and they cut to a break.It is not just Fox’s Euros coverage that has provided colourful moments. For Copa games, former USWNT star Carli Lloyd is a regular guest, and she was criticised when some viewers felt she added Christian Pulisic to an equivalent roll call of all-time greats such as Diego Maradona and Messi.At least the offering from the commentary teams during games has been infinitely more cohesive. For England’s opening game against Serbia, the regular pairing of Ian Darke and USMNT icon Landon Donovan sparked well off each other, Darke bringing experience and authority, Donovan up-to-date insight. The latter flagged an alarming statistic: playmaker Phil Foden has passed more to goalkeeper Jordan Pickford than Kane at Euro 2024.There have been other enjoyable moments from Fox’s coverage.Schmeichel interviewing his son Kasper, the current Denmark keeper, and giving him a proud-dad hug after the England game. Or Chiellini leaping to his feet, unable to contain his delight, after Italy’s crucial late equaliser against Croatia.
Most of the time, usually when Lalas is not pontificating to Sturridge, everyone looks like they’re having fun. Are the viewers? Maybe some are but, without an alternative broadcaster, they don’t have really have the option not to tune in.
One thing’s for sure: those who are finding this colourful, brash football feast hard to stomach better get used to it. Fox has the rights to Euro 2028 too.
(Top photo: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Hashtag Sports)
As the Summer of Soccer continues – we now have Copa America in the evenings after Euro Cup games all day long all on Fox. I sure do with ESPN had The Euro’s while Fox had Copa. ESPN did such a good job showing Euro games on all of its channels back in the day. I still can’t believe Fox is not showing us all of the games – as the early morning 9 am kickoffs of less popular teams have been on Fubo only. Fox has like 5 stations and can’t find room for a game on Fox Sports 2 at least? Ridiculous. Either way having soccer on all day and night – even if it is all on Fox is glorious. Lots of commercials with Messi Adidas, Mastercard , Michelob , Lowes this summer – but its really cool seeing some US players get in on the action too – Mckinney & Adams in this Truly Commercial . Love these scenes from the Euro’s Awesome for Ukraine – Gotta Love the Scotts – that’s how you march to the game.
Copa America Starts & Euros Move into Games 2 of Group Stages
So with the Euro’s into the 2nd games of the group – Copa America has arrived. Of course defending Champs Argentina are the heavy favorites along with Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay. Tons of stories below and of course predictions. Of course the US – if they advance from Group play should face either Brazil or Colombia in the knockout rounds – two of the favorites of the tourney. As much as I would love to see the US make the final 4 – I don’t think we get past either Colombia or Brazil who we would face in the Quarters. (sure hope I am wrong). The pick here is for Argentina and Messi to win on American Soil. As for the Euro’s – man some of the better teams have really had issues in their first games – England, Belgium and Italy really don’t look like they are gonna make a run. I am sticking with my earlier pick of Germany on home soil or Spain – who honestly looks like the best team so far. Man that Spain vs Italy game was fantastic. Some really great games. A hint if you are watching – be sure to tune in at least 10 minutes to game-time to catch the national anthems of the games. I am hoping that the Copa will only allow the US to play the song so we can all sing – rather than have some unknown come out and butcher the national anthem.
US Men Starts Copa America Sun vs Bolivia 6 pm
So its here – the last real chance for the US men to prove they are taking steps in the right direction was we prepare to host World Cup 2026 in just 2 years. Can the US actually beat a good team, a ranked team in a game that matters. Other than beating a Mexico team that is simply not what they used to be – the US has not beaten a top 20 ranked team since Berhalter took over. Now is the chance with Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil and potentially Argentina in the way of the US making history in the Copas. The US has actually make the final 4 before – but has a much tougher draw this team and will need to beat a top 10 team in the World to make it happen. Will the US actually have home field advantage in the US? Hard to say – the tickets are Crazy expensive – and the COPA seems to care less if there are empty stadiums as long as Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico can fill their stadiums around the country like Atlanta did for the opener – with 90% Argentina fans. Not sure what to expect – but the US should take care of business in the first game and find a way past a tougher than normal Panama in the 2nd game. Hopefully the 3rd game vs Uruguay will be for seeding – if the US can win their first 2. Since Berhalter has NEVER actually surprised anyone with his team selection in the past – I look for the US to roll out the same back line with the same front line with perhaps the only decision being does Adam’s start at D Mid with McKinney and Gio? Or does Cardoso or Musah take the # 6 role to start. The US will face a low block with Bolivia so we will need Gio to unluck things. I would love to see Sargeant or Haji Wright at the #9 – but I am sure it will be Balogen. The US should win this game 2 or 3 to zero – this is the weakest team in our group.
Shane’s Starters
Pulisic, Bologen, Weah
Gio
Mckinney, Adams
Robinson, Ream, Richards, Scally
Turner
The 26-player Copa América roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest)
DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Tim Ream (Fulham FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Tim Weah (Juventus), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
Indy 11 Win – Home again Sat Night vs Orange County 7 pm
Indy Eleven extended its unbeaten streak across all competitions to 12 after a 1-0 victory over San Antonio FC on Saturday night at Carroll Stadium. The Boys in Blue improve to 9-4-2 and move into a tie for second in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference, The Boys in Blue have now scored 16 first half goals this season, the highest total for a USL Championship team. Defensively, the Boys in Blue have held their opponents scoreless in the first half in nine of 15 matches in 2024. The 11 remain at The Mike to host Orange County SC Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The match will air locally on WNDY and stream on CBS Sports Golazo Network.Single-game tickets are available for all matches via Ticketmaster. For more information on all ticket options click here. For questions, please email tickets@indyeleven.com or call 317.685.1100.
Carmel High Girls Soccer Camp July 22-25
2-4:30 pm @ Murray Stadium Register Here contact fdixon@ccs.k1.in.us for more info
Huge Congrats to former Carmel FC midfielder JD Slivinski playing this summer for USL 2 team Virginia Beach United.
TV GAMES SCHEDULE
Fri, June 21
12 noon FS1 Poland vs Austria
3 pm Fox Netherlands vs France
7:30 pm Para+ Hartford @ Tampa Rowdies (Jordan Farr)
8 pm FS1 Peru vs Chile COPA
8 pm Amazon Prime Orlando Pride vs Utah NWSL
Sat, June 22
12 noon Fox Turkey vs Portugal
3 pm Fox Belgium vs Romania
6 pm FS1 Ecuador vs Venezuela Copa
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs OC @ the Mike Pride Night
9 pm Fox Mexico vs Jamaica COPA
10:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs Dallas MLS
Sun, June 23
1:30 pm ESPN NY/NJ Gotham vs Washington Spirit NWSL
3 pm Fox Switzerland vs Germany
3 pm FS1 Scotland vs Hungary
4 pm CBS Golazo Portland Thorns vs Racing Louisville NWSL
6 pm Fox, Univision USMNT vs Bolivia COPA America
9 pm Fox or FS1 Uruguay vs Panama COPA
Mon, June 24
3 pm Fox Croatia vs Italy
3 pm FS1 Albania vs Spain
6 pm FS1 Colombia vs Paraguay Copa
9 pm FS1 Brazil vs Costa Rica
Tues, June 25
12 noon FS1 Netherlands vs Austria
12 noon Fox France vs Poland
3 pm Fox England vs Slovenia
3 pm FS1 Denmark vs Serbia
6 pm FS1 Peru vs Canada Copa
9 pm FS1 Chile vs Argentina Copa
Thur, June 27
6 pm Fox USMNT vs Panama COPA
9 pm Fox Uruguay vs Bolivia
Fri, June 28
6 pm FS1 Colombia vs Costa Rica
9 pm FS1 Paraguay vs Brazil
Sat, June 29th
12 pm FS1 Euro Quarters A2 vs B2
3 pm Fox Euro Quarters A1 vs C2
8 pm FS1 Argentina vs Peru Copa
8 pm FS2 Canada vs Chile
Sun, June 30
12 pm FS1 Euro Quarters C1 vs D/E/F3
1 pm ESPN2 NY/NJ Gotham vs Seattle Reign NWSL
3 pm Fox Euro Quarters B1 vs A/D/E/F3
7:30 pm CBS Golazo+Para Angel City vs Orlando Pride NWSL
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USMNT Copa America 2024 squad guide: A golden generation – how far can they go?
Paul Tenorio The Athletic Jun 15, 2024 They call it a golden generation, with big-name players who have experienced the highest levels in Europe and have World Cup experience too. As hosts, they will also have the crowds with them. Could the competition’s invited guests cause an upset at South America’s greatest party?
The manager
The former Columbus Crew coach Gregg Berhalter became the first American to play for and coach the USMNT in the World Cup, guiding a young group to the knockout stage of Qatar 2022 where they were eliminated by the Netherlands. Berhalter returned as coach despite a massive post-tournament controversy involving him, star player Gio Reyna and Reyna’s parents, including his former team-mate and longtime friend Claudio Reyna.
Berhalter’s U.S. teams have played mostly a transition-style soccer, but have shifted from the 4-3-3 used in Qatar to a 4-2-3-1 with Reyna sliding into the No 10 spot. New fans to the team may want to keep an eye out for Berhalter’s sideline bounce passes when the ball runs out of play.
Berhalter was appointed U.S. coach in December 2018 (Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images)
The son of former FIFA Player of the Year (and former Liberia president) George Weah, the winger has won a trophy at every club for which he has played and has become one of the leaders and consistent producers for this U.S. team. He scored the opening goal of the World Cup and currently features for Juventus in Serie A.
The U.S. is best when they are playing a vertical game, pushing the ball up the field quickly in transition. With Pulisic and Weah running on the wings and a dynamic midfield that includes Adams, McKennie and Reyna, the U.S. can up the tempo and find space quickly to beat teams.
They will miss the attacking flair of right-back Sergino Dest, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but this team should still have enough about them to speed play up.
Weston McKennie playing against Jamaica in March (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Weaknesses
Creating chances with prolonged possession.
The U.S. has struggled against teams that sit in a low block, and even at times in an organized mid-block. It forces the U.S. to find ways to beat you through passing and movement in tight spaces and takes away the strength of players such as Pulisic, who prefers to run at players in space.
Robinson and Ream playing for Fulham in the Premier League last season (Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)
Expectations back home
This U.S. team is largely considered to be a ‘golden generation’ of American players, with the core of this team playing at big clubs in Europe and many of them moving across the Atlantic at earlier ages than ever before.
This was the youngest team, by minutes played, at the Qatar World Cup, so now the players must prove they are worthy of the expectation as they begin to move into their respective primes.
The expectation undoubtedly will be that the U.S. advance to the semi-finals — but it won’t be an easy road. A second-place finish in the group likely means a meeting with Brazil in the quarter-finals.
(Top image: Brace Hemmelgarn, Getty Images; design by Eamonn Dalton)
Copa America 2024 predictions: Who will win it all, how far will the U.S. go? Our writers’ picks
By The Athletic Soccer staff n 20, 2024
Click here to follow Copa America on The Athletic and get relevant stories in your personalized feed.
Copa America kicks off today, with the United States as hosts. Reigning champion Argentina takes on Canada in the first game on Thursday.
What can we expect? Will Argentina complete a storybook last dance with Angel Di Maria as he plays one more major tournament with Lionel Messi? Will Vinicius Junior find a way to lead Brazil to a title? And how will the U.S. do in its fifth invitation to the oldest national team tournament?
Here, six of The Athletic’s writers give their predictions…
Paul Tenorio: I’m not going to break away from the crowd here. This tournament falls kindly for Argentina to navigate to the final. There, no matter the opponent, Messi and Co. win a third consecutive international tournament in his new home city.
Felipe Cardenas: Argentina’s quest for greatness has defined this Messi-led group of players. They will have learned plenty from the 2022 World Cup. They took a haymaker in their opening match against Saudi Arabia and got back up. Argentina won a quarterfinal penalty shootout and leaned on multiple players other than Messi to triumph in a tournament setting. The defending champions are battle-tested and very talented.
As reigning World Cup champion, Argentina is looking to defend its Copa America title (Carl De Souza, AFP via Getty Images)
Jeff Rueter: Although the U.S. is the host, doesn’t this still feel like Argentina’s tournament? Like their talisman, the federation has set up firm roots in Miami over the past couple of years. In what might be Messi’s swansong, La Albiceleste should replicate Spain’s feat at the turn of the 2010s: continental title, World Cup, continental title.
Melanie Anzidei: Winning a second Copa America in a row would solidify Argentina’s place as one of football’s greatest teams. This is not the same team that played on American soil in 2016. Far from it. This team is led by a captain who has once again found joy in playing and who has an entire nation behind him. Winning this tournament is personal for their players, and we’ll see that starting Thursday.
Joshua Kloke: Brazil might be a younger team but without the pressure that comes with World Cups, and the expectations Argentina clearly has on them (see the pack of picks above!) I could see Brazil’s talent taking over. If they can play liberated — which can admittedly be a challenge for Brazil — they should make their way through the tougher side of the draw and win their second Copa America title in the last three tournaments.
Thom Harris: Argentina are the sensible choice, but I’m going to be bold and say Uruguay.
They have been a joy to watch under Marcelo Bielsa scoring the most goals in World Cup qualifying, beating both Argentina and Brazil, before smashing four past Mexico in a pre-tournament friendly. Their roster is not only brimming with quality, but the kind of unstoppable athleticism that Bielsa needs to implement his man-to-man marking system, able to disrupt the opposition with aggressive defensive play and launch lethal counter-attacks.
With both nations tied on a record 15 Copa America titles each, I’ve got my fingers crossed for a meeting in the final.
Tenorio: Tough to go into a tournament predicting it will be anyone other than Messi. He is in good form and he will get his opportunities to score and change games.
Cardenas: Luis Diaz scored four goals at the 2021 Copa America, leading Colombia to the semifinals. Messi will take home the player of the tournament trophy, but Diaz will solidify his place as one of the sport’s best attacking players. Now 27, Diaz is hitting his peak. He’ll be a joy to watch this summer.
Rueter: It’s Messi like everything is these days, but Vinicius Jr will lead Brazil to a berth in the final and make a challenge for player of the tournament in the process.
Messi earned the title of best player during the 2021 Copa America (Gustavo Pagano/Getty Images)
Anzidei: The obvious answer is Messi. Even when he doesn’t want to be up there on the podium, he receives the honor again and again. But something about him giving the penalty kick to Lautaro during Argentina’s friendly against Guatemala last week makes me feel like the Inter Milan forward will have a surprise showing this tournament.
Kloke: Brazil is Vinicius Jr’s team now and it feels entirely possible that he uses up all the runway afforded to him and takes flight this tournament.
Harris: I’m going to be bold again… James Rodriguez. Colombia have been in exceptional form under Nestor Lorenzo, unbeaten in over two years, and the 32-year-old has been central to his success. Given freedom to roam in behind the two forward players, he can drop deep to help with the build-up, but also pack a punch in the final third.
How far will USMNT (Canada for you, Josh) get in the tournament? How will their final match pan out?
Tenorio: My gut feeling is the U.S. will bow out in the quarterfinals to Brazil after coming second in a tight finish for the top spot in the group with Uruguay.
Cardenas: After the Copa America draw, I picked the U.S. to reach the semifinals. That’s a bare minimum requirement for the host nation. However, after being thrashed by Colombia 5-1 in a June friendly, I have serious doubts about the USMNT’s ability to win a knockout game at this Copa America. Berhalter’s side will bow out in the quarterfinals.
Rueter: A step behind their 2016 showing: second in Group C behind Uruguay (six points), then a cagey 2-1 defeat in the quarterfinal against Group D winner Colombia.
The U.S. has made it to two Copa America semifinals in previous tournaments (Jeremy Reper/Getty Images)
Anzidei: I’d like to believe the U.S. will surprise us all and push through to the semifinals once again, but that’s only if they finish at the top of Group C. If they are the runner-up in their group, which is more likely, I don’t see them ousting Colombia or Brazil in the second round.
Kloke: Finishing third in a difficult Group A, which would include a confidence-building win, feels likely for Canada. Running until their legs give way against Chile for a result in their final game should inspire some fans back home, but it might not be enough to get a still-developing team into the knockout stage.
Who will ‘do an Enzo Fernandez’ and get a big transfer off the back of a tournament?
Tenorio:Yaser Asprilla. My Colombian colleague Felipe Cardenas wrote in The Radar that the 20-year-old is the Colombian Phil Foden. High praise. He plays in England (for second-tier side Watford) already and has been very good in a short amount of time for Colombia. If he can do it on this Copa America stage, even coming off the bench, that’s a recipe for a big transfer fee.
Cardenas: Asprilla is a great shout by Paul. I don’t know how much he’ll play though. I’m going to choose Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie. His profile is rising after helping Bayer Leverkusen to an undefeated season in the Bundesliga. He’s an athletic ball-playing center back who is also left-footed. That’s a coveted profile at the highest level. If he plays well for Ecuador, Hincapie could make a move to the Premier League.
Rueter: We at The Athletic have all fallen hard for Dario Osorio in 2024, and the Chilean winger seems poised to be Alexis Sanchez’s heir apparent. He’s played just one season with Midtjylland in Denmark, but the 20-year-old could be poised to make the leap to an even higher level.
Anzidei: I’m also excited to see how Osorio will do, as one of the young stars on Chile’s largely veteran squad. And I’ll be paying close attention to 23-year-old Santiago Gimenez, the Argentinean-born Mexican forward. He’s made a name for himself already for Feyenoord, and a breakout performance on the international stage will draw even more eyes to the rising talent.
Kloke: We know Jonathan David is finally going to move on from Lille this summer after being Europe’s next great striker for years now. But whether he goes to the Premier League or elsewhere remains up for debate. Snagging a few key goals for Canada, especially if one of those goals comes against Argentina, could boost his profile and land him at the upper-echelon club he wants to play for.
Harris: Osorio. He has been having his own goal-of-the-season competition in Denmark and one more flash of quality will have the biggest clubs on high alert.
Cardenas: The Copa America is such an important tournament for South American countries. I’m very intrigued to see how it plays out in the U.S. The 2016 edition seems like a distant memory. There wasn’t a North American World Cup on the horizon. This summer, every detail will be overanalyzed. But generally speaking, I can’t wait to see these elite footballers battle for a trophy. That’s what this is all about.
Rueter:Jamaica seemingly can’t get out of its own way lately. Since qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, the team and its federation seemed to be in a better way, with many of the program’s star players returning to secure qualification for this tournament. Leon Bailey appears set to skip out amidst a fresh rift, and time is running out for the Reggae Boyz to make the ambitious leap they aspired to before the 2026 World Cup.
Anzidei: The rematch between Argentina and Chile at MetLife Stadium in the group stage. I was there when Messi missed his penalty kick in 2016. I remember vividly watching a young boy in a Barcelona jersey cry into his father’s arms after the final whistle, and later learning the news that Messi retired. Messi has the chance to rewrite this story, and I’m excited to see what happens.
Kloke: Copa America is a dry run for the United States co-hosting the World Cup in two years. How will the cities and venues handle hosting these games? What kind of buy-in will local fans show? Then there’s the question of transportation around the games, which, boring as that might be, has come up as a topic of conversation during the European Championship. There are early signs of anticipation towards 2026 building in some of the cities, but Copa could determine whether that anticipation will continue.
Harris: From a personal perspective, the energy of the fans. I was at Colombia’s friendly with Spain at the London Stadium in March, and could hardly believe the noise. Yellow shirts were all I could see when I touched down in Miami airport earlier this week, four days and over 1000 miles away from their opening group game against Paraguay at the weekend.
Which team is poised for a big surprise?
Cardenas: Mexico could be a sleeper, but Ecuador is the obvious choice for me. They’re young, athletic and physical. If they can consistently create and finish their chances, Ecuador will emerge as the most dangerous side in the knockout round.
Ecuador has the fans, youth and energy to make a potential run (Michael Miller/Getty Images)
Rueter: Last time the Copa America came stateside, Chile surprised many by besting a pressure-riddled Argentina on penalties. Equally, that feat feels like a stretch, but they have a favorable Group A draw beyond Argentina and would face the winner of the projected weakest group (likely Ecuador). If Osorio dazzles and veteran holdovers have one last dance in their legs, a semifinal run could be in the cards.
Anzidei: I was at Red Bull Arena in March when Ecuador faced Italy in a friendly, and the crowd was split evenly for both teams. That energy fueled Ecuador, so I’m curious to see how their fans show up during Copa America. Ecuador’s group on paper might just be the easiest to get out of. For that reason, they may catch whoever they face in the quarterfinals flatfooted.
Kloke: I’m on the Ecuador train as well. Building confidence through a weaker group should help them in the knockout stage.
Harris: They are not going to win the tournament, but I’m hopeful that Venezuela can carry on their positive form. They look hungry to press, are energetic and gritty in midfield, and have real pace and zip on the wings.
Give us an outrageous prediction…
Cardenas: Messi will turn back the clock and play like he’s 10 years younger, but he’ll revert to 2010 form and end the tournament without a goal. You said outrageous, right?
Rueter: Groups B and C will be entirely absent from the semifinal and final round, as Group A (Argentina, Chile) and Group D (Brazil, Colombia) house all four podium challengers.
Anzidei: Brazil doesn’t make it out of groups, because of the bad juju from Ronaldinho’s publicity stunt last week. Talk about things you don’t do before a major tournament.
Kloke: Everyone knows what I’m going to go with, right? Canada dials up the intensity to 11 against Argentina in the tournament opener, tries to throw some elbows around, scores early and shocks the soccer world with a win. Big-time Senegal over France in the 2002 World Cup opener vibes here.
Harris: We will end the tournament with a new, all-time leading goalscorer at the Copa America, and it will be… Eduardo Vargas.
Lionel Messi needs four goals to equal the record of 17, while Peru’s Paulo Guerrero, like Vargas, needs three. But I fancy Chile to make it to the knockouts, and their No 9 has looked sharp at the top of Ricardo Gareca’s revitalised team. (Top photos: Getty Images)
USMNT’s Weston McKennie: ‘Everyone doubted me… but look at me now’
Weston McKennie summons the pain, transporting his mind to December 2022 and the United States men’s national team’s round-of-16 exit from the World Cup against the Netherlands.
“In a tournament,” he explains, “You have a lot of hope, and within the team, we are family. These are people you grow up with, sharing the same dreams, pushing each other, holding each other accountable and you build a bond. There are photos of us after the game up in the stands crying with our families and crying with each other.
“(The World Cup cycle) is like going to college with a buddy for four years. You make it to graduation and realise we’re going to go our separate ways — you’re going to have your life, I’m going to have my life. But in this case, we have another shot at this and we’re going to do everything that we can to not feel this same way again. You have the World Cup, Olympics and Copa America — they are the big tournaments. And Copa is one where we can showcase what we’ve learned.”
Christian Pulisic shows his emotions after the U.S. team’s exit (Maddie Meyer/FIFA via Getty Images)
When the USMNT meet up at camp, coach Gregg Berhalter greets them with a diagram, lit up on a projector, that shows a zigzagging road through to the home World Cup in 2026.
“It has a bus and shows where we’re stopped at that moment,” McKennie says. “That’s a great picture because it shows all these things are preparing us for 2026 but the bus is stopped here right now and we have to make the most of this moment.”
How to follow Euro 2024 and Copa America on The Athletic…
For McKennie, now 25, Copa America also provides another opportunity to continue a personal redemptive arc after his career, in his own words, edged to its “lowest point” during a loan spell in the Premier League with Leeds United in the second half of the 2022-23 season.
The first half of that campaign had continued McKennie’s steady progress, regularly starting for Juventus in Serie A and the Champions League, before heading to Qatar for the World Cup. In January 2023, McKennie, who also played in Germany for Schalke between 2017 and 2021, continued his European tour, joining Leeds United on loan as Juventus handled the fallout of financial investigations and point deductions within Serie A.
The deal included an option to make McKennie’s transfer permanent that summer, with a fee agreed in the region of £30million ($38m) for a player who had made 24 Champions League appearances. At Leeds, then coached by Jesse Marsch, he formed part of a growing American contingent alongside USMNT team-mates Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson.
(Left to right) Aaronson, McKennie and Adams at Elland Road in March 2023 (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
“My time at Leeds was probably one of my lower points, if not the lowest in my professional career,” says McKennie. “I always look at the positive because I was at Juventus, playing week in and week out, and maybe I developed a little bit of comfortability or complacency, knowing I was going to play on the weekend. By going to Leeds and having the performance that I had there and the way that it just turned out in general — four coaches in five months (Marsch was replaced by interim coach Michael Skubala, then Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce took over), just nothing going to plan or how I imagined it.”
Although McKennie’s deal included an option for Leeds to make the move permanent, he says he had aspirations of a return to Champions League football in the event he excelled at Elland Road.
“When I went there, my head was more, ‘OK, I want to go here, perform very well, put up numbers, help the team stay up and then hopefully another Premier League team, top five, comes in and sees how well I’ve played and then they would buy me’,” he says.
“With all the respect to Leeds and their fans, I love Champions League football. I love playing at the highest level. Leeds was more of a place I wanted to go to experience something new, the Premier League. But there’s no better place to be seen by Premier League teams than if you’re playing in the Premier League.
“I won’t be able to know what would have happened if Leeds would have stayed up because it didn’t happen that way. Things turn out the way they do for a reason. And now I’m exactly in the moment that I’m supposed to be in.”
At Leeds, the atmosphere between the club’s supporters, boardroom and players turned toxic. McKennie was caught in the crossfire.
“I like to think I’m someone that has a thick skin,” McKennie says, his voice softening. “When you get little comments here and there, it’s pretty easy to ignore. But then when you open up your phone and always the first thing you see on social is something negative, it’s hard to ignore it. I guess it’s hard for me because I do love it when people can relate to me and I feel like I’m always a happy person.
“Football is a world where it’s sometimes unforgiving. People obviously don’t know what football players go through and the stress football players put on themselves to perform, because it’s not like we want to perform badly. It’s not like we want to lose games. It’s just sometimes you have ups and downs, so it hurts.
Leeds were relegated after a 4-1 defeat by Spurs in the final day of the season (Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
“It was probably the first time besides for the World Cup exit where I cried, after the last game of the season at Leeds, when we officially got relegated. I hate to lose and I felt like I really let down the expectations that people had of me going there.”
He pauses briefly, before adding: “When people started attacking me — me as a person in general, not even with football — everyone knows that I’m more thick-boned than than some other players, in that my body shape is the way that it is. But when people started out saying, ‘You fat bast**d’ and ‘you pig’ and ‘you m*nkey’ and stuff like that, people don’t really realise the effect that it has on people. I like to be happy and to make people happy, to make people laugh. So that was a little bit hard.”
When the abuse turned personal, dehumanising and in some cases racist, where did McKennie turn for support?
“Luckily, I had my personal chef, Patrick Contorno, who works with me in Italy, and he was living over in England with me and I had my assistant Charles also living with me.
“If you’re in a down mood in England, it can be hard to deal with it because it’s also very bad weather most of the time. It’s rainy and gloomy and it just sets the mood for you to already be in a sad mood. I had those guys there with me and it helped a lot. If I was there alone, I would have definitely gone into, like, a state of complete depression because I wasn’t performing. I’m my own biggest critic.”
When McKennie returned to Juventus in the summer of 2023, he found another challenge on his doorstep. He appeared, initially, to have been written off, relegated into football’s version of the bomb squad.
“It wasn’t scary, or exciting (as a challenge),” he says, “but it was familiar to the experience of being an American playing soccer for a high-level club in Europe. It’s something that I feel like we all have to go through when we go over to Europe. But I thrive off of it when I have to prove myself again, because then it just makes me even more honest with myself in terms of my efforts, my concentration. Something just clicks.
“It’s like a recipe. I know the ingredients to make it happen and then I’m just… ‘boom’. Without doing any measurements of anything, I can just throw it in. I know it’s going to taste good.
“I knew it was going to be (challenging). I didn’t know it was going to be to that extent; where I didn’t have my locker, I didn’t have a room in the hotel, I didn’t have a parking space. I changed in the locker rooms with the academy kids, even when you had players in the main locker room who had never played a game for Juventus because they’d always been out on loan. And I’m thinking to myself, ‘Wow, I’ve only been gone for six months. I come back and I am treated like this’.
“I couldn’t even get my shirt number (14), even though nobody else had taken the number. I was like, ‘OK you guys want to treat me like this? I’m just going to show you on the field’.
“I’m not someone that’s problematic. I don’t like to cause problems. I don’t like uncomfortable situations. I don’t like drama. I just try and let my football, my actions and my work ethic show everything about me, because that’s when I feel like I’m at my best.”
McKennie’s revival began when he was invited to join the squad on a money-spinning U.S. tour. It is tempting to wonder whether Juventus’ commercial team remembered at that point that they had a popular USMNT midfielder on the books, but it was on the field, in performances against AC Milan and Real Madrid, that McKennie reminded head coach Massimiliano Allegri of his talents.
“It put me back in consideration. My job was to make that decision much harder for them to make.”
McKennie faces AC Milan at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California in July 2023 (Michael Janosz/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
He looks back reflectively on the turmoil at Leeds and Juventus, however.
“It grounded me… what I’m most comfortable with and most honest with is when I put my head down and work. That’s where I’ve had my biggest success. I left Schalke and went to Juventus and nobody knew me. Everyone doubted me. It’s too big of a club. I’ll never play. But look at me now. Three and a half years later, more than 100 games for Juventus and I played a majority of those games. I thrive when my back’s against the wall and everyone’s doubting me. That’s how I became the player I was.”
Last season, McKennie made 29 starts for Juventus in Serie A and played the full 90 minutes of the Coppa Italia final victory over Atalanta. He benefited from his own performances and versatility, slotting in both at right wing-back and central midfield, while he also took advantage of the opportunity when midfield team-mates Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli were suspended for doping and betting offences respectively.
His contract at Juventus expires in 12 months and there has been speculation about a potential move back to England, this time to a club competing in the Champions League in Aston Villa. McKennie says he is in talks with his agent, acknowledging Villa are one of the clubs mentioned, but says the options will be laid out and resolved after Copa America.
He spoke to The Athletic this week as part of his partnership with Puma, the brand he signed up to in early 2024 alongside two USMNT team-mates, Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, who are also based in Italy with AC Milan. McKennie came to sign with the brand after wearing the Puma Future boot six months before agreeing a deal.
McKennie will resolve his future after Copa America (Puma)
“I did my pre-season in them,” he explains. “I played well. So I thought I may as well keep them. I have had knee problems in terms of patellar tendinitis and I have plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the tissue connected to your heel bone) on my foot. And it was a boot that was super comfortable for my foot. I didn’t have to wear insoles in them and I was not feeling pain when I play. They flew over to Italy, had a whole scanning contraption device, put my foot in, looked at my arches, my size. Whenever I get boots sent to me, it’s specifically for my foot, which is amazing.”
Superstition plays a part, too, with McKennie saying he will not change the colour of his boot to an upgraded model if he’s in good form. He will be hoping this continues during Copa America.
He smiles: “Athletes don’t play competitions to go in there and say we want to get second place, or third. We want to try and win the whole thing. We know it’s a challenge. We know it’s hard. You have defending World Cup champions Argentina in the tournament. But at the same time, we know our quality. We know our ability. We always say we may not be the most talented group, but the one thing that we can be is the type of team that plays for everyone. It’s like a big family.”
Copa America 2024 preview: The Athletic’s complete guide to the tournament
Plenty has changed in North American soccer since the Copa America last came stateside in 2016.
The United States has fallen and risen, rebounding after missing the 2018 World Cup to boast a pool teeming with young and established players in Europe’s top five leagues. Mexico is experiencing an identity crisis and Canada has overtaken Costa Rica as the region’s third power, led by top players like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David.
The three nations needn’t fret over World Cup qualification thanks to being co-hosts in 2026, so the 2024 Copa America represents their only meaningful competition between now and then.
While this year’s tournament takes place in CONCACAF territory, its narratives and thrills will be dictated by CONMEBOL. Few tournaments can match the passion stirred by a Copa America.
Do you like stars? Of course you do. There are world-class players aplenty to be found in the 16-team field.
By summer’s end, you’ll be singing the praises of fresh faces such as Endrick, Dario Osorioand Kendry Paez. You’ll eagerly cue up “best of” YouTube compilations of Vinicius Junior’s dribbling prowess for Brazil, of Pedro Gallese’s acrobatics in goal for Peru, of Darwin Nunez’s unpredictable nature inside the penalty box for Uruguay.
This will be his first major tournament since Argentina won the 2022 World Cup and we could see the soon-to-be 37-year-old in a rare, pressure-free headspace. It may also be our last chance to catch him on a big international stage, as it’s unclear whether he’ll retire before 2026.
First up, who’s competing? Well… we’ve got individual nation guides on the 16 teams below, but here are a few things to look out for…
Argentina has finally figured it all out, winning the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup. This isn’t a one-man band, though; Lautaro Martinez is among the world’s best strikers and their goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, revels in big moments.
Since reappointing Gregg Berhalter, the United States has looked like a team stuck in two minds. Its players often play dynamic roles for their clubs, but they resemble a more reserved collective under his guidance. A run to the semifinal would go a long way to restoring faith.
There was a 1-1 draw against the USMNT in Brazil‘s final tune-up friendly. The Selecao flamed out in the group stage of the 2016 Copa America Centenario, but were champions in 2019 and runners-up in 2021. How far will they go this time?
Canada surprised many by appointing Jesse Marsch as head coach in May. Players have grown disillusioned by a pennywise federation, but the talent that helped them top 2022 World Cup qualifying is ready to rebound.
Mexico left some experienced names off its roster — yes, Guillermo Ochoa really won’t be here. They are prioritising giving younger players big-game experience ahead of the World Cup.
When Marcelo Bielsa last coached internationally, he catalyzed the start of a strong decade for Chile. Uruguay will hope he can work similar magic, with Nunez the preferred strike partner for ageless Luis Suarez.
If your focus is more individually driven, there is The Radar: Copa America, which profiles 50 players to watch at the tournament, from established stars to ones on the rise.
There’s also our ultimate data guide to the squads, which will make you look even more clever to your friends. Did you know Jonathan David has the best goals-per-cap rate of any player at the tournament whose name isn’t Lionel Messi? No, me neither.
The United States were host nation and a dark horse in 2016, reaching the semifinal before falling to Messi and Argentina. That proved to be an aberration, as they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but they are back at the top of the CONCACAF pecking order and trying to size up if a deep run is possible in two years’ time.
It still is a bit odd when a guest nation joins a continental tournament, whether it’s Qatar in the CONCACAF Gold Cup or, well, the United States hosting a second South American jamboree in under a decade. Elias Burke charted the past performances of these guest entries. Perhaps this tournament will see its first champion outside the confines of CONMEBOL…
Antonee Robinson had a career-best season for Fulham, proving to be among the Premier League’s best left-backs. His focus now shifts to the international arena; as he tells Peter Rutzler, it’s time for the USMNT to take the next step toward being a global contender.
(Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Johnny Cardoso is among the squad’s fastest risers in recent years, going from a mysterious prospect in Brazil to a mainstay of Real Betis’ midfield. He gave a rare interview to Jack Lang, giving insight into what motivates him and what he aspires to be.
The USMNT exited the 2022 World Cup in the round of 16, but no player was harder done by than Gio Reyna. Eighteen months have passed since the drama around his lack of playing time and the signs a relationship with Berhalter needed mending. Last week, Reyna spoke with USMNT expert Paul Tenorio about getting his career back on track.
Predictions, Messi vs Ronaldo and the new generation
Elsewhere, our writers have given their predictions for the tournament: who will win it? Which players will shine brightest? And which dark horses could bust the bracket open?
The sport cannot live off those two forever and a rising generation of talent has been desperate to get more time in the spotlight. This tournament boasts quite a few of them…
Paolo Guerrero has his critics, but one thing is clear: the 40-year-old wants few things more than to continue playing for Peru. Here’s a profile on a career like few others.
For U.S. viewers, you can watch every English-language broadcast on FOX’s networks. The majority of group-stage clashes will be shown live on FS1, with select games bumped to FOX and a handful shifting to FS2. The tournament can be streamed on Fubo TV, as well. Spanish-language broadcasts will be shown on Univision and TUDN.
In Canada, you can find Copa America matches on TSN and TSN+ while UK viewers can find broadcasts on Premier Sports, as well as live streams on the Premier Sports Player.
How does qualification for the knockout stage work?
This is as straightforward as brackets get: four groups of four teams, with the top two finishers advancing to the quarterfinal. It’s a fixed bracket from there:
Winner of Group A vs. Group B’s second-place side
Winner of Group B vs. Group A’s second-place side
Winner of Group C vs. Group D’s second-place side
Winner of Group D vs. Group C’s second-place side
In the group stage, the tiebreaking protocol for any two teams on level footing — well, save for irrelevant ties between third and fourth — is as follows:
Cumulative goal difference across all three matches
Goals scored
Head-to-head records, with additional nested tiebreakers in the event of a three-team tie:
Number of points accrued in matches between relevant sides
Greater goal difference between relevant sides
Most goals scored between relevant sides
Fewest red cards
Fewest yellow cards
A random draw conducted by CONMEBOL
Group stage games will conclude after 90 minutes, even if they’re played to a draw. A tie game at full time in the knockout rounds will advance to two 15-minute halves of extra time and advance to a penalty shootout if the game is still deadlocked after two hours of action.
On top of all this, we will be covering all the off-pitch news as it happens, bringing you details from the team camps, media conferences, and any other breaking news.
Away from the Copa America, we will continue to cover the summer transfer window, with our weekly Transfer DealSheet coming out every Tuesday as well as The Athletic 500 Transfer Ratings, which you can read about here.
Go touch grass while you can — a second concurrent tournament is about to kick off.
(Top photo: Mark Thorstenson/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Predicting every game of Copa America 2024: Who will win it?
Ryan O’Hanlon, ESPN.com writerJun 20, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
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The last time the United States hosted a Copa America, in 2016, Brazil got knocked out in the group stages. The U.S. men’s national team lost 4-0 to Argentina in the semifinals. And Argentina lost the final in penalties to Chile at MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants and Jets. It was Argentina’s second loss to Chile in a Copa America final in as many years, and it led to Lionel Messi — presumably distraught at being unable to live up to the legacies created by Eli Manning and Ryan Fitzpatrick on that same field — retiring from international soccer immediately following the match.
While Messi has spent his career expanding our collective imagination of what’s possible on a soccer field and in a soccer career, I don’t think anyone could’ve accurately predicted where we’d be eight years later. Messi is in Year 2 of playing for Inter Miami, a soccer team that didn’t exist in 2016. He spent two barely memorable seasons playing for Paris Saint-Germain. Oh, and he unretired so he and Argentina could finally win the Copa America and World Cup in consecutive years in his mid-30s.
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Elsewhere, Chile have since failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and the 2022 World Cup. The other semifinalists in 2016 missed one a piece: the U.S. failed to qualify for 2018, Colombia for 2022. Brazil didn’t make it past the quarterfinals of either tournament, and just two players from their 2016 Copa team are still around in 2024 (Alisson and Marquinhos).
Mexico, meanwhile, continue to lose to the USMNT in the Nations League, a tournament that didn’t exist eight years ago. And Canada are managed by Jesse Marsch — a statement that would’ve been meaningless in 2016 but not so today because he’s managed multiple clubs in the Champions League and the Premier League since the Copa America Centenario.
The Copa America is the kind of tournament that can change the course of soccer as we know it, and it really matters to the teams that participate. So, given all the twists and turns we’ve had since the last time a Copa America was played on U.S. soil, why not look at the state of the 2024 tournament and make some predictions for where this all might end up?
It’s time to look into our stats-filled, analytics-powered crystal ball and predict how every single game of the 2024 Copa America plays out and who, ultimately, will be crowned the winner. Let’s go!
To rate all of these teams, I created a simple model that combines team performance with the talent level of the current squad. For the former, we’re using the World Football Elo ratings, which are a continuously updated set of ratings that either awards or subtracts points based on every game played — adjusted for scoreline, opponent quality and competitiveness of the match.
Given that they’ve won the last continental and global competitions, Argentina are, unsurprisingly, the highest-rated team in the world, with a rating of 2,143. For context: Eastern Samoa are the lowest-rated team in the world, ranking 241st with a rating of 377.
Elo accounts for 60% of the model, and then the other 40% comes from the overall squad value of each team, as estimated by Transfermarkt. We’ve normalized the transfer values to match the Elo scale, and then averaged the two values. And then we turned those numbers into a 0-100 scale — with 100 being the best team and zero being the worst. Here’s how everyone stacks up:
Argentina are in the top tier with Brazil and then … there’s no one from Group A in either of the next two tiers.
Through six matches of World Cup qualifying, Peru have two points and Chile five. The former ranks second-to-last in expected goal differential (minus-0.79) while the latter ranks third-to-last (minus-0.3). A big part of the problem for both countries is that neither one has been able to successfully turn over their team. The average age of Peru’s squad is 28.9, while Chile aren’t far behind at 28.6 — both significantly older than any other team in the tournament.
Canada, meanwhile, come into the tournament with one of the younger squads: 25.6. And the likes of Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Lille’s Jonathan David give them higher-end talent than either Chile or Peru. Given how the managerial economy works — the best coaches get filtered up to the club game — Canada’s hiring of Marsch could also give them one of the best coaches in the tournament.
Game-by-game Group A predictions:
Argentina 2, Canada 0 Chile 2, Peru 1 Canada 1, Peru 0 Argentina 2, Chile 1 Argentina 3, Peru 0 Canada 2, Chile 1
This is the weakest group in the tournament. Not only that, but the winner of Group B will also get to play the second-place team in Group A, which is likely to be the weakest second-place team in the tournament.
Luck of the draw plays a bigger role in tournament soccer than anyone would like to admit (see: Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup final), and Mexico and Ecuador both got lucky before a game was even played.
Although El Tri feel like they’re at their lowest point in, I don’t know, 25 years, they got a cushy draw and will have a bigger home-field advantage than any other team in the tournament. Without the underlying quality of the talent or even the recent performances changing at all, Mexico could very easily make the semis and suddenly change the vibe surrounding the program.
With the second-youngest team in the tournament, budding young stars in Europe such as Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo and Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié, a solid start to World Cup qualifying (11 points, fourth place), and the favorable draw, Ecuador look like a classic dark-horse pick. The only problem: They don’t have anyone who can score goals. Only Peru and Bolivia have created fewer xG in South American World Cup qualifying, and their leading scorer is Félix Torres, who plays center back.
Venezuela tied Ecuador in a relatively even home match at the end of last year and they also drew with Brazil — in Brazil — a few months prior. They cross the ball an absurd amount: 28% of their final-third passes in World Cup qualifying have been crosses — way higher than any other team. That’s generally an incredibly inefficient strategy, but maybe its uniqueness throws their opponents off-balance.
Jamaica’s rating here is a bit inflated because of the inclusion of Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey. He was genuinely one of the best attackers in Europe last season, and although he was called up to the Copa America squad, it appears he’s going to reject the invitation as part of a protest against the unprofessionalism of the Jamaican federation. (History is certainly on his side here.) The likes of West Ham’s Michail Antonio and former Everton winger Demarai Gray are interesting names on paper, but neither one is as dangerous as he used to be.
Although Group B has the lowest average rating among its four teams, Group C has the weakest bottom two. As such, only Argentina has better odds to reach the quarterfinals than Uruguay, while those two, plus Brazil, are the only sides with a higher likelihood of advancing than the U.S. men’s national team.
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After Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay have the third most talented squad in the tournament. In Darwin Núñez, Federico Valverde, Manuel Ugarte, Ronald Araujo, Rodrigo Bentancur, and José María Giménez, they have six players who are at least Champions League-starter level. And at 37 and without functional knees, Luis Suárez continues to absolutely demolish whatever league he plays in. He was the best player in Brazil last year, and he’s been lights out with Inter Miami so far this season, too.
Throw in Marcelo Bielsa, easily the most accomplished coach in the tournament, and you’ve got the first-place side in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Unlike most international sides, Uruguay wants the game to be played in transition. Bielsa prefers for the ball to constantly be switching hands because he thinks he’s better at coaching these situations than anyone else in the world. In Núñez and Valverde, he has two of the best transition players in world soccer, too.
We should learn a lot about the USMNT when these two teams meet in Kansas City. The Americans are massive favorites against Bolivia — only Brazil (against Costa Rica) have shorter odds on matchday one — and they should be heavy favorites against Panama, too.
The most likely outcome is that both the U.S. and Uruguay have six points when they meet at the beginning of next month. In that case, they’ll both already be qualified. Sometimes that leads to 90 minutes of both teams staring at the ball, but I’m not sure Bielsa teams are capable of staring at the ball for 90 minutes. With their defined tactical approach and top-end talent, Uruguay might be the trickiest team the USMNT has faced in the Gregg Berhalter era.
As for the rest of the group: Bolivia are the worst team in the tournament. They have the worst results and the least talented squad. Without the advantage of playing at altitude in La Paz, they’ve been uncompetitive for a long time. Panama, meanwhile, took down the U.S. B- or C-team in the Gold Cup semifinals last summer. They also notched an impressive 3-0 win in Costa Rica back in November of last year, and they actually outshot Mexico, 18-6, in a 3-0 semifinal loss in the Nations League that was much closer than the final score.
Game-by-game Group C predictions:
USMNT 2, Bolivia 0 Uruguay 3, Panama 1 USMNT 3, Panama 1 Uruguay 2, Bolivia 0 Uruguay 2, USMNT 1 Panama 2, Bolivia 1
This isn’t your vintage Brazil. There’s no Neymar, you’ve possibly never heard of the fullbacks, and the midfielders almost all play for midtable Premier League clubs.
And yet, the forward line will include some combination of Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, Barcelona’s Raphinha, Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli, and the duo of phenom prospects in formerly-Girona-but-maybe-Manchester City’s Sávio and Real Madrid’s 17-year-old Endrick. Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães and Atalanta‘s Éderson were two of the best two-way midfielders in Europe this past season. The potential starting center backs play for PSG, Real Madrid and Arsenal. And Liverpool’s Alisson is the best all-around goalkeeper in the world.
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Brazil’s results in qualifying have been substandard so far, but there’s just too much talent for that to continue.
Colombia, meanwhile, haven’t lost a game since February 2022, and that was against Argentina, in Argentina. They’ve moved up to fifth in the Elo ratings in the process, behind Argentina, France, Brazil and Spain — in that order. Liverpool’s Luis Díaz is their one star — and their squad value ranks fifth among all teams in the tournament, behind the USMNT, whom they just destroyed 5-1 in a pre-tournament friendly.
Perhaps most pertinent: Colombia’s previous two opponents in World Cup qualifying were group stage opponents Paraguay and Brazil. They won both matches, and created the better chances in each one.
Paraguay have one of the most exciting young players in the world — 20-year-old Brighton attacking midfielder Julio Enciso — but there’s not a ton of other talent behind him. Not one of their six World Cup qualifying matches has featured more than one total goal — there have been two total non-penalty goals scored across those games.
Incredibly, Costa Rica bring the youngest average team to the Copa America. They had the oldest team at the 2022 World Cup. It was time to turn the team over from their golden generation, but that also means that this is no longer Costa Rica’s golden generation. Their recent results have dropped them down to 59th in the Elo ratings — worse than every team in the tournament other than Bolivia.
Game-by-game Group D predictions:
Colombia 2, Paraguay 0 Brazil 4, Costa Rica 0 Colombia 3, Costa Rica 1 Brazil 3, Paraguay 1 Brazil 0, Colombia 0 Paraguay 2, Costa Rica 2
Predicted Group D standings
1. Brazil: 7 points, plus-6 goal differential 2. Colombia: 7 points, plus-4 3. Paraguay: 1 point, minus-4 4. Costa Rica: 1 point, minus-6
Predicting the quarterfinals
Argentina (77% to reach semifinal) vs. Ecuador (31.1%)
The past two times these two teams played, in World Cup qualifying and in a pre-Copa tuneup, both games ended 1-0 to Argentina. Over those two games, Ecuador attempted just eight total shots.
Although the presence of Messi is the main attraction, Argentina were a dominant defensive team in Qatar. That has remained true in World Cup qualifying — they’ve conceded just 2.3 non-penalty xG across six matches.
Predicted result: Argentina 1, Ecuador 0
Mexico (37% to reach semifinal) vs. Canada (9.8%)
Both of these teams would seem like “surprise” semifinalists — Mexico because of their recent struggles, and Canada because they’re, well, Canada. But the Canadians landed in a group without a strong second team after Argentina, and Mexico are currently the betting favorites to meet Argentina in the semifinals.
Hot tip: When the betting markets suggest that something counter to conventional wisdom is the most likely outcome, adopt it as your own opinion and impress your friends at a rate higher than expectation.
Predicted result: Mexico 2, Canada 1
Uruguay (50.8% to reach semifinal) vs. Colombia (33.9%)
Watching the World Cup qualifying match between these two teams induced emotional effects similar to those normally only associated with various illicit substances. Possession was almost even, both teams pressed high, they combined for 29 shots, and they created nearly 4.0 xG together. It ended 2-2, after a Darwin Núñez goal in injury time.
The big difference in the Copa America? This match won’t be in Colombia.
Predicted result: Uruguay 2, Colombia 1
Brazil (72.4% to reach semifinal) vs. United States (28.7%)
At 21, Ricardo Pepi has never played in an international tournament, but he gets it. “I think anything besides making it out of the group will be bad for us, so we just want to be able to compete and get the best out of it,” he told ESPN. And that’s just the reality facing the Americans.
They should get out of the group — the gap between them and Panama and Bolivia is big enough that not even bad luck should sink them. But after that, they’re just not at the same level as Colombia or Brazil, their most likely quarterfinal opponents.
Yes, they did just draw the Brazilians in a friendly last week, but they were outshot 24-12 and all of their high-quality chances came after the game devolved in the second half, like most friendlies do once substitutions are made:
The USMNT’s best bet for reaching the quarterfinals would be to win the group or hope Colombia win Group D.
In the Copa America, there’s no extra time until the final — a silly format that encourages underdogs to just try to hang on for dear life until the 90-minute mark so they can get to the coin flip of penalties. However, that format does favor the underdogs, which the USMNT will likely be if it makes it this far.
Predicted result: Brazil 3, United States 1
Predicting the semifinals
Argentina (51.5% to reach finals) vs. Mexico (16.3%)
That Argentina percentage above represents both how random soccer is and how much better Argentina is than every other team on their side of the bracket. Despite being so much better than everyone else, it’s still just about a coin flip that Messi & Co. reach the final game.
But if, say, every team in the tournament were equally matched, there would be a 12.5% chance (one in eight) that you’d reach the final. Argentina’s odds are more than four times as high.
Predicted result: Argentina 2, Mexico 0
Brazil (47.0% to reach final) vs. Uruguay (23.9%)
When these teams met in World Cup qualifying, they played a truly bizarre match where Brazil maintained 61% of possession but were outshot 6-2 and lost the game 2-0. Then-manager Fernando Diniz’s free-flowing possession tactics worked horribly with the national team.
I suspect — and most projection models agree — that Brazil will play up to their talent level this summer with a new manager who doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. They have the best goalkeeper in the tournament and the most attacking talent. This shouldn’t be that complicated.
Predicted result: Brazil 1, Uruguay 1 (Brazil advances in a shootout)
Predicting the 2024 Copa America final
Argentina (31.6% to win the tournament) vs. Brazil (26.7%)
A rematch of the 2019 semifinal and the 2021 final — a rubber match of sorts, with Brazil winning en route to winning the title four years ago and Argentina beating their neighbors to lift the trophy last time out. While Brazil have the most talented team in the tournament, we’re still working off a bit of projection here. They’ve lost their past three competitive matches, and we haven’t seen the team play a non-friendly match under manager Dorival Júnior yet. Plus, they’re probably going to have to beat at least two of Uruguay, Colombia and the USMNT — Nos. 3, 4 and 6 in our rankings — to get to the final.
Argentina, though, are maybe the most known quantity in international soccer: be defensively tough, have everyone else do the running for Messi on and off the ball, and then let Messi win the game once you have possession. We’ll see how effective Messi remains after a year of playing MLS and, simply, another year of aging, but this simplified formula just works so well in the international game.
It’s really hard to see Argentina screwing it up before the final. And with the title match in Miami, Argentina’s captain will be playing at home. After years of the opposite being true, you bet against Messi and Argentina at your own risk.
Predicted result: Argentina 1, Brazil 0
So … congratulations to Argentina, the 2024 Copa America champions!
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Will USMNT earn its “Golden Generation” tag at Copa America?
Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 20, 2024, 08:00 AM ET
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When the term “Golden Generation” is attached to a group of players, it’s the ultimate mixed bag.
On the one hand, the expression points to the high level of excitement surrounding a team. The talent level is so high that fans — and yes, even a few pundits and coaches — begin to dream about what might be possible. They can let themselves dream about previously unexplored heights, the kind that if they’re achieved, they warm the heart years later as you sit by the fire.
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But such a label can be a trap as well — the expectations are so high that they become unrealistic and, rather than inspire the players, they can weigh heavy on a group.
Historically, the U.S. men’s program hasn’t had a whole lot to crow about. It’s high water mark at a World Cup was its semifinal showing in the inaugural edition back in 1930. In the modern era, the U.S. managed a quarterfinal finish at the 2002 World Cup. In the context of a Copa America, there have been two semifinal appearances, one in 1995 and another at the Copa America Centenario in 2016. Credible showings all, but nothing worth jumping up on a table and screaming at the top of one’s lungs.
So why the excitement about this generation of U.S. players? It all has to do with the caliber of the clubs that pay their wages, as well as what they’ve achieved with those clubs.
The number of U.S. players annually taking part in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League seems to regularly hit double digits. In a recent friendly against Colombia, the USMNT fielded a starting lineup comprised entirely of players attached to clubs in the top five leagues of Europe.
Yet, the excitement generated by such success with their clubs is tempered by the reality that, at international level, this generation has yet to surpass the ones that came before it. When the U.S. men reached the round of 16 in 2022, they achieved something that the U.S. men had already done four times prior in the modern era of the team. Winning a Concacaf Gold Cup or Concacaf Nations League, likewise, has long been considered routine.
A so-called “Golden Generation” needs a “Golden Moment” — a signature win or best-ever tournament finish — and without one, the label feels premature.
“They still have to win something of importance, and I think that as of today, they have not done that yet,” said former U.S. international and current analyst DaMarcus Beasley. “Do I think they have the capability? One-hundred percent. I’m a big fan this group, a big fan of how much talent they have.
“But they have yet to put it together when it comes to a big game, whether that’s a friendly or whether that’s a tournament. So it just remains to be seen if this is truly our Golden Generation.”
Herc blames Berhalter for USMNT’s problems finding a striker
Herc Gomez discusses USMNT’s biggest weakness heading into Copa America 2024.
That’s an assertion that U.S. captain Tyler Adams isn’t fighting. He notes that the “Golden Generation” tag is usually applied to teams “that haven’t won anything in the last 10 years,” or even longer. Think England of the mid-2000s, or even the most recent vintage of Belgium, whose current crop hasn’t quite made the international breakthrough so many predicted for it, despite possessing an immensely talented group.
Adams is mindful that achievements at club level aren’t enough.
“I think that when you look at our team and the group of players that we have, we are a talented group of players for sure,” he said prior to the USMNT’s 1-1 friendly draw with Brazil last week. “But I would say that the biggest thing when I think about this team is: That individual success doesn’t correlate directly to team success, and that’s what we’re working towards right now.
“So, it’s great to have everyone playing at a top club around the world. It’s probably the first time in a long time in U.S. soccer that we can be recognized at such a high level. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to have direct success. We’re working towards that success right now.”
For defender Joe Scally, the “Golden Generation” tag isn’t something that is occupying the team’s thoughts: “We never even talk about that at all,” he said.
Labels aside, expectations can still creep into a team’s psyche like a king tide. The water seeps in slowly, and before you know it, you’re enveloped by it. And it’s not just the fans and media that are feeding expectations about the current U.S. men’s national team. Head coach Gregg Berhalter had made his own contribution, speaking openly of taking the U.S. to a place — at least in the modern era — it has never been before. In the context of a World Cup, that means a semifinal. For a Copa America, that means the final.
Copa América 2024: Features and reaction
Keep up to date with all the results, news coverage and stories on the biggest names and teams in the United States as the tournament progresses. Copa América 2024
The talk heading into this Copa America has oscillated a bit. There have been comments, like those from Haji Wright, that the World Cup is the main priority. While true, the timing feels like a way of limiting expectations — the World Cup isn’t until 2026. Other comments have focused on creating the aforementioned “Golden Moment.” Scally mentioned wanting to “do something great for the country.” That is the direction into which Adams is leaning as well.
“I think that you have to have goals. You have to have expectations of what you want to achieve as a group,” Adams said. “But I think building off of 2022, that was a good benchmark of where we’re at right now. We’ve navigated a group stage as a young group. That was important to do with not a lot of World Cup experience.
“Obviously, now it’s about being able to win knockout games and big games, and we have yet to do that. So we need to continue to work towards that, and I think obviously Copa America is going to be a great opportunity for us to do that. But there’s work to be done still.”
The path to reaching that goal won’t be easy. Group C, which includes Bolívia, Panama and Uruguay, is one the U.S. should be able to get past, though there are no guarantees.
Bolivia is a wild card — less is known about them than the other teams in the group, though the Bolivians won’t be able to lean on the benefit of playing at altitude like they do in their home qualifiers. In a tournament setting, Panama has given the U.S. fits on more than one occasion. Uruguay is enjoying an impressive run of form under new manager Marcelo Bielsa.
If the U.S. progresses to the quarterfinals, the Americans will likely face one of two teams they faced in recent friendlies, those being Brazil or Colombia. Getting past either team will require a monumental effort, but it’s an opportunity for this USMNT to show that it is indeed capable of something special, labels be damned.
The USMNT has the experience now. It has been tested at a World Cup. Can it reach its goal? Or even go beyond?
If the U.S. doesn’t, however, what does that mean for Berhalter? So far in his tenure he has proven to be adept at meeting expectations, but nothing more. Would the U.S. Soccer Federation brass dare fire a coach for not being able to beat Brazil? That would be harsh, but it’s what happens when expectations around a team increase.
For now, Adams is thinking of what a win would bring rather than the alternative.
“I think [a knockout stage win] would put a lot of confidence in our team,” Adams said. “We have the belief that we’re able to do that, but now it’s about executing more than anything. Our team gets in situations and we need to be able to execute. That’s the bottom line.”
2024 Copa América team previews: USMNT, Argentina, more
ESPN
Jun 19, 2024, 10:07 AM ETShareLikeOpen Extended Reactions524
It’s time for the 2024 Copa América. With the United States as the host, the next few weeks will be jam-packed with soccer as North American sides take on Central and South America teams in a bid to become the best team in the region. The USMNT boasts plenty of talent with Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Yunus Musah, among others, but can they upset international heavyweights Brazil or current World Cup titleholders Argentina?
It might also be Lionel Messi‘s last major tournament as the 36-year-old enters the twilight of a sparkling career. Could he help his nation to back-to-back Copa América titles? Can striker Santiago Giménez lead Mexico to a deep run in the tournament? Meanwhile, Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior, arguably the best winger in the world, will attract plenty of attention as he looks to become the main man for his nation.
It’s all up for grabs, and though there are clear favorites, shock results are bound to happen in international soccer. ESPN previews each of the Copa América’s 16 teams in the tournament, with everything you need to know about the sides, split into their groups.
Nickname:La Albiceleste (The White and Sky Blue) FIFA rank: 1 Manager: Lionel Scaloni Record in past 12 months: 12W-0D-0L Group stage fixtures: Canada (Thursday, 8 p.m. ET); Chile (June 25, 9 p.m. ET); Peru (June 29, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024: +175
Can’t-miss star: Ángel Di María.Lionel Messi would be too obvious — so it is time to pay tribute to Di Maria, who retires from international football after this tournament. The 36-year-old will be badly missed. Di Maria is that rarest of things — a genuine world-class player who seems without ego, consistently doing what is needed to improve the team. He has been key to all Argentina’s recent triumphs.
Breakout candidate: Valentin Carboni. The 19-year-old seems most likely to emerge as the Di Maria replacement. Alejandro Garnacho has more pace, but the lanky left-footed Carboni has enchanted the coaching staff with his elegant quality, sufficiently versatile to cover a number of attacking positions. Born in Buenos Aires, but used to play for Italy at under-17 level.
Why they won’t win it all: It is hardly a surprise that Argentina are at the top of the World Cup qualification table. They were the only team that went into the competition as a consolidated unit. The Copa gives the others a chance to catch up. Argentina, meanwhile, might have been treading water. Their friendlies this year have been too easy, teaching them little. And the big question remains unresolved: how long can the team go on with its model of Messi plus 10? Scaloni flirted with resignation last November, almost certainly provoked, at least in part, by a glimpse of the end of the Messi era. Much of the past 18 months have felt like a prolonged lap of honor after the triumph in Qatar.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Placed in by far the easiest half of the draw, it will take a major shock for Argentina not to reach the final. As the games become more competitive, an interesting dilemma emerges. Does the status of world and Copa champions mean that the pressure is off? Or might the fact of having something to lose prove nerve-wracking? Argentina go into the tournament as justified favorites, and there will be moments when their possession-based football delights fans, with the rhythm suddenly switching as they bear down on goal. And whatever happens, they should emerge from the Copa with one aspect of their 2026 World Cup challenge enhanced. A collapse at the heart of the defense so nearly cost them the title in Qatar. The Copa is a clear opportunity to consolidate Lisandro Martínez in the back four. — Tim Vickery
Messi: There’s not a lot of time left in my career
Lionel Messi says he’s enjoying playing football more because he knows “there’s not a lot of time left” in his career.
Nickname:Canucks FIFA rank: 49 Manager: Jesse Marsch Record in past 12 months: 4W-3D-5L Group stage fixtures: Argentina (Thursday, 8 p.m. ET); Peru (June 25, 6 p.m. ET); Chile (June 29, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+6600
Can’t-miss star: Jonathan David.Alphonso Davies is typically penciled in here, but David had the better club season, scoring 26 goals in all competitions for Ligue 1 side Lille. Davies is also slated to play left-back, which means his influence might be muted against the tough trio of South American teams — starting with Argentina — that comprise Group A. If Canada is to get out of the group stage, David will need to be banging in the goals.
Breakout candidate: Moise Bombito. The back line has long been one of Canada’s biggest weaknesses, but Bombito showed well in two recent friendlies against the Netherlands and France with his passing and speed. The Colorado Rapids defender has an opportunity to stake his claim to a starting spot and could prove to be an unlikely catalyst for Canada getting out of the group.
Why they won’t win it all: There just hasn’t been enough time for new manager Jesse Marsch — who was hired last month — to have implemented his high-pressing system and generate some cohesion. Granted, Canada did record a credible 0-0 draw against France, this after a 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands in which the Reds played well for stretches but ultimately ran out of gas. Whether that effort against France can be replicated while generating a consistent attack remains to be seen. All told, the demands of Marsch’s style, as well as a talent gap when compared to the hemisphere’s best teams, make it too big of an ask for Canada to come close to being a contender.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Getting out of the group ought to be the primary goal here. On paper that’s certainly doable, especially given the pace of players such as Davies and Tajon Buchanan. While Argentina are heavy favorites to top Group A, Chile and Peru are beatable. Both teams have struggled in South American World Cup qualifying, occupying eighth and 10th place respectively, but they won’t be pushovers either. That will require limiting the damage in the group stage opener against the reigning World Cup and Copa America champions, and then grinding out results in the last two games. This tournament will be mostly about laying foundations ahead of the 2026 World Cup. — Jeff Carlisle
Nickname: La Roja (The Red One) FIFA rank: 42 Manager: Ricardo Gareca Record in past 12 months: 5W-3D-4L Group stage fixtures: Peru (Friday, 8 p.m. ET); Argentina (June 25, 9 p.m. ET); Canada (June 29, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+3300
Can’t-miss star: Alexis Sánchez. With more caps (163) and goals (51) for Chile than any other player, Sanchez is keen to point out that at 35 years old he is not a spent force. Enthused by the project of coach Ricardo Gareca, Sanchez is buzzing around behind the centre-forward, more involved these days in setting up the play than finishing off the moves.
Breakout candidate: Darío Osorio. After a long wait for another superstar, there is a cautious sense of optimism around the 20-year-old, a leggy left-footed winger who likes to cut in from the right. He had a fine season in Denmark and scored a splendid debut international goal against France in March, but is fighting to shake off a late season injury.
Why they won’t win it all: Chile’s second game is against Argentina in New Jersey — same venue and same opponents as the 2016 Copa final win, the greatest moment in the history of the national team. Eight years ago seems like light years ago. Chile did not make it to either of the two subsequent World Cups and have made a bad start on the way to 2026 — hence the recent change of coach. Theirs has been a typical South American problem: a drought of talent following a golden generation. The process of renewing the team has been extremely weak.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Chile have pinned their faith in the “Gareca factor” — the hope that Argentine coach Gareca can reproduce what he did with Peru and build a team that adds up to more than the sum of its parts. The new man has certainly made a promising start, with goals and good performances in his first three friendlies. Can this be continued now that the competitive games have come? The group looks easy enough, so Chile can expect a quarterfinal, although a semifinal would seem to be the limit of their chances. The main aim is to build momentum for the coming six rounds of World Cup qualifiers. — Vickery
Nickname:La Blanquirroja (The White and Red) FIFA rank: 32 Manager: Jorge Fossati Record in past 12 months: 4W-3D-5L Group stage fixtures: Chile (Friday, 8 p.m. ET); Canada (June 25, 6 p.m. ET); Argentina (June 29, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+5000
Can’t-miss star: Pedro Gallese. Peru is not known for producing goalkeepers, but they can be proud of Gallese. Over a decade in the national team and with more than 100 caps, the Orlando City keeper has been reliable and occasionally outstanding. He would walk into a best all-time Peru XI.
Breakout candidate: Piero Quispe. He’s is a little, skipping, give-and-go midfielder who was Peru’s player of the year in 2023 and has since made an encouraging start in Mexico. Some say that he is too much of a lightweight for the top level. The Copa is a chance for him to prove them wrong and launch his international career.
Why they won’t win it all: For a few years, former coach Ricardo Gareca performed a minor miracle with Peru, building a team that added up to more than the sum of its parts. Post-Gareca, things returned to normal for a country that has gone 11 years without one of its clubs reaching the knockout stage of the Copa Libertadores, and which is not producing many successful exports. Peru lie bottom of the 2026 World Cup qualification table with just one goal scored in six games. And midfielder Renato Tapia, probably the team’s best outfield player, walked out following a row with the local federation. Everything seems stacked against the Peruvians.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: After a few gentle friendlies, these will be the first competitive games in the reign of the new coach, Uruguayan Jorge Fossati, who has immediately implanted his trademark three centre-back system. Fossati will probably try to focus on defensive solidity, and trust that clever attacking midfielder Edison Flores can buzz effectively around the centre-forward. The opening game with neighbors and bitter rivals Chile is crucial. In a perfect world, this Copa will be to Fossati what the 2016 version in the USA was to Gareca. Eight years ago, Peru travelled north in apparent disarray, but in the course of the competition found the group and the momentum that took them to Russia 2018 and very nearly to Qatar. — Vickery
Nickname:La Tricolor (The Tricolors) FIFA rank: 31 Manager: Félix Sánchez Bas Record in past 12 months: 8W-2D-3L Group stage fixtures: Venezuela (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET); Jamaica (June 26, 6 p.m. ET); Mexico (June 30, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+1800
Can’t-miss star: Moisés Caicedo. He has been bestriding the Ecuador midfield like a prince since he was a teenager, and at 22 he already has more than 40 caps to his name. He is at the heart of everything that Ecuador do, winning the ball, driving forward, linking the play with quick passes and running beyond the strikers to shoot at goal.
Breakout candidate: Kendry Paez. He was making and scoring goals in World Cup qualification months before his 17th birthday. A left-footed attacking midfielder with the air of an Ecuadorian Phil Foden, he is full of surprise shots and passes at clever angles. This is an eagerly awaited first senior tournament for the Chelsea-bound wonderkid.
Why they won’t win it all: Despite a solid start to their 2026 qualification campaign, pressure is mounting on Spanish coach Felix Sanchez, who was in charge of Qatar in the last World Cup. Some even speculate that this tournament might serve as a referendum on his job security. One of his problems is that the wealth of resources at centre-back is not matched by those at centre-forward. The team are highly dependent on all-time top scorer Enner Valencia, who was overplayed during 2022 and 2023, and has since been paying the price.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Expectations in Ecuador are fluctuating wildly, from hopes of a semifinal to fears of group stage elimination. Both are possible, and plenty hangs on the opening clash with Venezuela. Pick up the points there, avoid Argentina in the quarters and a place in the last four is within the grasp of a young, physically imposing team who are not easy to play against. The key question is whether they can score enough goals, given their lack of depth at centre-forward and the absence of the strong, quick and direct wingers who have typically been a feature of recent Ecuador sides. — Vickery
Nickname:Reggae Boyz FIFA rank: 55 Manager: Heimir Hallgrímsson Record in past 12 months: 12W-4D-5L Group stage fixtures: Mexico (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET); Ecuador (June 26, 6 p.m. ET); Venezuela (June 30, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+15000
Can’t-miss star: Michail Antonio. With Leon Bailey out of the picture, on paper, Antonio is the star. When healthy, the West Ham United striker is brilliant in the air and a clever dribbler. So why just on paper? That’s because the England native hasn’t solidified himself as a reliable big-game goal scorer for Jamaica since his 2021 debut, but that could change this summer.
Breakout candidate: Shamar Nicholson. A fully fit and available Jamaica roster likely wouldn’t have Nicholson in the XI, but that doesn’t deny the fact that he’s been an invaluable striker. Soon to be heading back to Spartak Moscow after a loan with Clermont, the 27-year-old has been lights out for Jamaica with eight goals in his past seven games.
Why they won’t win it all: Injuries have seriously hurt their chances, as seen in recent World Cup qualifiers where they narrowly sneaked past Concacaf minnows such as the Dominican Republic and Dominica through one-goal margins. As arguably the weakest team in their group — and with a worrisome Copa América past that features six losses in six games — one can argue that Jamaica may not have enough to even get out of the group stage.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Sure, Jamaica could be seen as the worst in their group, but on the other hand, the reality is that there isn’t a significant difference between all four teams. If they can at least steal a point from Mexico in their first game, and if Nicholson continues his impressive form, there’s no reason they can’t qualify for the knockout round. That said, there are plenty of questions regarding their roster, likely leaving them at third or fourth in Group B. — Cesar Hernandez
Nickname:El Tri (The Tricolor) FIFA rank: 14 Manager: Jaime Lozano Record in past 12 months: 11W-4D-8L Group stage fixtures: Jamaica (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET); Venezuela (June 26, 9 p.m. ET); Ecuador (June 30, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+1200
Can’t-miss star: Edson Álvarez. To quote West Ham supporters: “Midfield maestro, from Mexico, Edson ole ole ole.” For club and country, Alvarez is a rock in the heart of the XI, often doing the dirty work with crucial interventions and crunching tackles that stop opposition. At his best, the player is capable of producing defensive midfield masterclasses with his aggressive work rate and stamina.
Breakout candidate: Santiago Giménez. Recently finishing the Eredivisie season with 23 goals, the young Feyenoord striker is a dark horse candidate for Copa América’s Golden Boot award. More than just a sturdy goal scorer with surprising acceleration, the 23-year-old is also an excellent passer in the final third. Could a performance lead to a summer move to a bigger club?
Why they won’t win it all: With an eye toward the 2026 World Cup, Mexico are currently in the middle of a generational change. When the tournament kicks off, many fans will be surprised to learn that high-profile veterans such as Hirving Lozano, Guillermo Ochoa and Raúl Jiménez were left off of the roster. During part of that process, the latest losses against Uruguay and Brazil have further strengthened the notion that head coach Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano and his men are still a work in progress.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Mexico should finish in the top two of their group, especially with their status as the (slight) favorites among the four. Assuming no early hiccups and that a backup goalkeeper is able to fill the immense gloves left by Ochoa, Mexico’s knockout round fate probably will be decided by if/when they potentially meet Argentina. If they meet in the quarters or semis, that’s likely where they’ll exit. No Argentina matchup? It then wouldn’t be a stretch to see them as finalists. If Alvarez and Gimenez live up to their expectations, Mexico could make a deep run. — Hernandez
Nickname:La Vinotinto (The Wine Red) FIFA rank: 54 Manager: Fernando Batista Record in past 12 months: 4W-4D-3L Group stage fixtures: Ecuador (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET); Mexico (June 26, 9 p.m. ET); Jamaica (June 30, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+6600
Can’t-miss star: Salomón Rondón. The tragedy of the Qatar World Cup qualifiers was that Rondon was either in China or England, and regulations stopped him going home during the COVID pandemic. Now their big centre-forward and the reference point of the attack is available, and he will want to use this Copa to show that he is not in physical decline.
Breakout candidate: Kervin Andrade. There are high hopes of 19-year-old attacking midfielder Andrade, a squat little figure with close control and a rocket shot who is making a good impression in Brazil with Fortaleza. He was called up this year to the Venezuela squad and is likely to be gently introduced during the course of the tournament.
Why they won’t win it all: Venezuela can cause problems to stronger sides, but they run into the problem of the underdog — if they charge forward, their defensive unit can look vulnerable, but hanging back can leave them too timid and passive. It is not an easy balance for them to strike, and there would seem to be almost no chance of them finding the right blend over the course of six games. They are the only side in the competition who have yet to play in a World Cup, and a Venezuelan triumph on July 14 would be one of the biggest shocks in Copa history.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: For Venezuela, everything is geared around qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and making their World Cup debut. The 1-1 draw away to Brazil last October was a massive morale boost, and Argentine coach Fernando Batista will be delighted that his side have conceded just three goals in the six qualifying rounds. The priority in this Copa, then, is to emerge with faith intact. There are no real hopes of winning, and even a repeat of 2011’s semifinal would be seen as a bonus. A quarterfinal would be nice, but the most important thing is that Venezuela emerge from the competition confident that they will be back in North America two years from now. — Vickery
Nickname:La Verde (The Green) FIFA rank: 85 Manager: Antônio Carlos Zago Record in past 12 months: 2W-1D-11L Group stage fixtures: U.S. (Sunday, 6 p.m. ET); Uruguay (June 27, 9 p.m. ET); Panama (July 1, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+15000
Can’t-miss star: Ramiro Vaca. He moved back home after failing to make much of an impression in Belgium with Beerschot, but he is an important player in the national team, bringing quality to the midfield with his range of passes, his well-struck shots and his set pieces. Vaca turns 25 during the competition.
Breakout candidate: Diego Medina. He made a good impression at the start of the year in the South American Under-23 championships as an aggressive and athletic right-back. He is happy in the wing-back role if Bolívia go with a back three, and will look to consolidate his place in the side during the Copa.
Why they won’t win it all: Thirty years ago, Bolívia went to the U.S. for the World Cup with a generation of talent that they have been utterly unable to replace. The recent retirement from international football of all-time top scorer Marcelo Martins Moreno has worsened matters still further. After last week’s 3-1 defeat to Ecuador, a local newspaper delivered a damning verdict, pointing out three areas where the team urgently needs to improve: defending, retaining possession and setting up chances.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Bolívia are frequently offered up to the hosts in the opening game in a move aimed to get the tournament off to a good start. Often they have refused to follow the script, rising to the occasion and holding out for a draw. But hopes are not high this time. There was optimism a year back, after some good results in friendlies, but all that was instantly swept away when World Cup qualification got underway. Following a disastrous start, Argentine coach Gustavo Costas gave way to Brazil’s Antonio Carlos Zago, without much improvement. Qualification for the 2026 World Cup, however, is still possible — Bolívia always look to pick up points at the extreme altitude of La Paz. Priority in this Copa is for a young side to emerge from the competition with self-esteem intact. — Vickery
Nickname:La Marea Roja (The Red Tide) FIFA rank: 45 Manager: Thomas Christiansen Record in past 12 months: 14W-2D-6L Group stage fixtures: Uruguay (Sunday, 9 p.m. ET); USA (June 27, 6 p.m. ET); Bolívia (July 1, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+15000
Can’t-miss star: Michael Murillo. The pacey Marseille fullback will be a handful for opponents who will have to deal with his take-ons and influence in the attacking third. Excellent in the air and also capable of finding the back of the net, Murillo is set to be one of the leaders on either end of the pitch.
Breakout candidate: Adalberto Carrasquilla. After earning the MVP award for 2023’s Concacaf Gold Cup, can Carrasquilla gain even higher praise at the Copa América? Well-rounded in the midfield but also a threat when carrying the ball forward, the Houston Dynamo player will easily be one to watch. It wouldn’t be a surprise if a European team took a chance on the 25-year-old after the tournament.
Why they won’t win it all: Credit should be given to the gradual improvements made by manager Thomas Christiansen. The coach and his players punched above their weight with a spot at the 2023 Gold Cup final and earned a respectable place within the top four of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League. But against CONMEBOL opponents? That’s a tough ask, and Christiansen doesn’t have the depth of talent needed to go far — let alone possibly making it out of the group stage.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Stranger things have happened in tournament soccer, but there aren’t very many scenarios in which the U.S. and Uruguay aren’t in the top two of Group C. Due to the luck of the draw, Panama just happen to be in a group with two teams that are in the conversation of dark horses.
Third or fourth in their group is the expectation, but if they can get at least one surprise result vs the U.S. or Uruguay, Panama might have an unexpected fighting chance to continue their run when they close out the group stage vs. a questionable Bolívia. — Hernandez
Nickname:La Celeste (The Sky Blue) FIFA rank: 15 Manager: Marcelo Bielsa Record in past 12 months: 8W-3D-2L Group stage fixtures: Panama (Sunday, 9 p.m. ET); Bolívia (June 27, 9 p.m. ET); USA (July 1, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+500
Can’t-miss star: Federico Valverde. He is the often overlooked quiet force of the Real Madrid team, balancing out the side with his spirit of sacrifice and extraordinary lung power. With Uruguay, he is free to shout louder. His midfield dynamism is at the heart of the side, working box to box and unleashing his ferocious shots.
Breakout candidate: Facundo Pellistri. Loaned out first to Alaves and then to Granada, Pellistri has been strangely neglected by Manchester United but has enjoyed a fine time with Uruguay. The 22-year-old might have been their most effective attacking player in the Qatar World Cup as a pacy right winger with the vision of a playmaker.
Why they won’t win it all: Bielsa’s football is notoriously high tempo and high energy. Can the team maintain the required intensity at the end of the European season? This could be especially difficult in the intense summer heat of some of the Copa venues. As Leeds United fans will recall, when the plan goes wrong, a Bielsa team can leave itself extremely open, and in the toughest half of the draw, where there is less margin for error, this could be a problem.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: It is easy to see why Bielsa was attracted to the Uruguay job. With the old generation leaving the scene after Qatar, he had a dynamic new generation to work with; an impressive spine of Ronald Araújo, Jose Gimenez, Manuel Ugarte, Valverde and Darwin Núñez, plus the wingers Uruguay usually produces and Bielsa loves so much. They ended last year as South America’s in-form side, comfortably beating Brazil and winning away to Argentina, and the recent destruction of Mexico has merely confirmed that impression. No one will relish facing them — and 100 years after Uruguay’s historic Olympic gold medal, they are candidates for a title once more. –– Vickery
Nickname: Stars & Stripes FIFA rank: 11 Manager: Gregg Berhalter Record in past 12 months: 11W-2D-5L Group stage fixtures: Bolívia (Sunday, 6 p.m. ET); Panama (June 27, 6 p.m. ET); Uruguay (July 1, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+1200
Can’t-miss star: Christian Pulisic. Pulisic has long been the face of the USMNT, and he largely delivered at the 2022 World Cup, scoring the game winner against Iran that put the U.S. through to the knockout stages. Now he is coming off arguably his best club season, having scored 12 goals and added eight assists for AC Milan.
Breakout candidate: Giovanni Reyna. Reyna is a known commodity among U.S. fans, but his club career has stalled due to a combination of injury and poor form. He has shined in recent competitions with the U.S., however, and was the Player of the Tournament at the Concacaf Nations League this past March. The Copa is a big step up, though. If the U.S. do make a deep run, they’ll need Reyna at his best playing in an attacking midfield role and providing the chance creation the team needs.
Why they won’t win it all: The 2022 World Cup revealed that the U.S. struggled mightily with chance creation, finishing in the bottom half in xG both among teams that reached the knockout rounds (tied for 12th) and for the tournament as a whole (23rd out of 32). Have the U.S. improved since then? Tough to say. Their only match since then against a non-Concacaf team ranked 50th or higher was a 3-1 home loss to Germany in which the visitors were far superior. Until the U.S. deliver against a top opponent, there will be doubts that their attack is good enough to push the tournament hosts into the elite.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: The U.S. have gone about managing expectations for the Copa in an odd way, talking about the opportunity in front of them while at the same time speaking of how the World Cup is the bigger priority. In a group featuring Bolívia, Panama and Uruguay, the U.S. will be expected to progress. Elimination in the group stage would be looked upon — justifiably — as a colossal failure, and put manager Berhalter’s status under threat. If the U.S. do progress, a likely matchup with Brazil or Colombia awaits in the quarterfinals, where the USMNT would be an underdog against either side. The U.S. recently were thrashed 5-1 by Colombia before securing a credible 1-1 draw against Brazil. Getting past either of those teams seems beyond the U.S. at the moment. The play of Reyna and oft-injured holding midfielder Tyler Adams will be critical to the U.S. team’s chances. — Carlisle
Why Gomez is preaching caution for USMNT against South American teams
Herculez Gomez warns the USMNT not to expect easy games against South American teams going into Copa America.
Nickname:Seleção Canarinha (Canary Squad) FIFA rank: 5 Manager: Dorival Júnior Record in past 12 months: 5W-3D-4L Group stage fixtures: Costa Rica (Monday, 9 p.m. ET); Paraguay (June 28, 9 p.m. ET); Colombia (July 2, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+225
Can’t-miss star: Vinícius Júnior. In the Qatar World Cup, Vinicius was the newcomer who had only recently forced his way into the team. Things have changed. He is now Brazil’s most dangerous attacking player, and to his stunning wing play he has added the capacity to operate more centrally. A good tournament could seal the Ballon D’Or this year.
Breakout candidate: Endrick. The stocky, left-footed Endrick, who turns 18 in July, came off the bench in three consecutive games this year to score three goals, all of them important, all of them in different styles. The talent of the Real Madrid-bound prodigy is such that everyone will want to see how he gets on in his debut tournament.
Why they won’t win it all: After a disastrous 2023 for the team, new coach Dorival Junior is attempting to steady the ship. The Copa is his competitive debut, and on the evidence of the first four friendlies, the team have yet to recover the defensive solidity that was a hallmark of the 2016-2022 Tite era. With Brazil in by far the most difficult half of the draw, they will surely be tested as they go through the competition, and it will be fascinating to find out how a young side responds under pressure.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: After winning four Copas in five between 1997 and 2007, Brazil have won only one of the past five — and that was on home soil. Even so, they are contenders for this title. In full flow they can be an exhilarating sight, and if Vini Junior, Rodrygo and company can be well backed up by the likes of Alisson, Marquinhos and Bruno Guimarães, then they will take some stopping. The prospect of a semifinal against Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay is deliciously enticing. Whatever happens, Brazil should emerge from the tournament having put 2023 behind them and ready to put a swift end to any doubts about their presence in the next World Cup. — Vickery
Nickname:Los Cafeteros (The Coffeemakers) FIFA rank: 12 Manager: Néstor Lorenzo Record in past 12 months: 11W-3D-0L Group stage fixtures: Paraguay (Monday, 6 p.m. ET); Costa Rica (June 28, 6 p.m. ET); Brazil (July 2, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+1000
Can’t-miss star: Luis Díaz. The Liverpool winger is now the undisputed king of the team, especially after those two goals that brought a first ever World Cup qualification win over Brazil last November, just days after his father had been freed from a kidnap. He’ll cut in from the left and occasionally wander across the attacking line.
Breakout candidate: Richard Ríos. He was an unknown playing futsal in Brazil where he was discovered and transformed into a dynamic part of the Palmeiras midfield that won last year’s league title. The 24-year-old was successfully introduced to the national team this year and highlighted his value with a first goal for Colombia in the 5-1 rout of the USA.
Why they won’t win it all: The long unbeaten run under coach Nestor Lorenzo is a cause for concern for anyone who has followed the history of the Colombian national team. Their fans will be out in force, and expectations are high, but dealing with euphoria is vital in tournament football, and this has often been a problem. Older supporters will recall that 30 years ago Colombia went to the World Cup in the USA on a run of one defeat in 33 games — and that story ended in tragedy with a group stage exit. In by far the more difficult half of the draw, there are plenty of opportunities for their Copa campaign to go wrong.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Lorenzo was an inspired choice to coach the side. The Argentine was a long-term assistant to Jose Pekerman, who took Colombia to the World Cups of 2014 and ’18, and has an undoubted flair for the top job. Lorenzo’s teams is well constructed, with attacker James Rodríguez free to float in a side that is otherwise highly structured. They know where they seek to win the ball, either sitting deep with their lines compact or pressing high. A possible problem — and here the 5-1 win over the USA can be deceptive — is a lack of goals. It was the reason they missed the Qatar World Cup, and although they are off to a sound start in the 2026 qualifiers they have only six goals in six games. But the semifinals certainly look like a realistic target. — Vickery
Nickname:Los Ticos (The Ticos) FIFA rank: 52 Manager: Gustavo Alfaro Record in past 12 months: 7W-2D-8L Group stage fixtures: Brazil (Monday, 9 p.m. ET); Colombia (June 28, 6 p.m. ET); Paraguay (July 2, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+8000
Can’t-miss star: Francisco Calvo. No Keylor Navas? No problem. Following the retirement of the iconic goalkeeper, the captain’s armband has been in safe hands with Calvo in June’s wins in World Cup qualifiers. Forceful in his defensive abilities but also with an eye for long passes, the presence of the FC Juarez defender will be highly significant this summer.
Breakout candidate: Brandon Aguilera. Costa Rica’s latest No. 10 wasn’t a veteran superstar, but instead, a versatile 20-year-old Nottingham Forest player who just wrapped up a short League One loan. Earning an assist in his last Costa Rica appearance, the midfielder still has much to prove and isn’t a guaranteed starter, but there’s a reason he made his Premier League debut in January.
Why they won’t win it all: Aguilera is a young player to keep an eye on, as is Manfred Ugalde up top, but it’s difficult to see the two players and their teammates going far without the insurance plan of Navas in net. The goalkeeper was a literal savior between the sticks, and while Costa Rica’s roster can likely hold their own without Navas against Concacaf opposition, the same can’t be said when you throw CONMEBOL into the mix as well.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: World Cup qualifying is off to a great start and they have some future stars to look forward to, and yet, at the Copa América, Costa Rica face the unenviable task of trying to halt Brazil and Colombia in Group D. To make matters more difficult, those will be their first two opponents, possibly leaving them with a consolation match against Paraguay to close out the group stage. The consensus is that Costa Rica will suffer an early exit, although this is a good time to remind everyone that we just surpassed the 10-year anniversary of a similar Group D conversation at the 2014 World Cup when Costa Rica finished first ahead of Uruguay, Italy and England. — Hernandez
Nickname:Albirroja (The White and Red) FIFA rank: 56 Manager: Daniel Garnero Record in past 12 months: 3W-4D-4L Group stage fixtures: Colombia (Monday, 6 p.m. ET); Brazil (June 28, 9 p.m. ET); Costa Rica (July 2, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+6600
Can’t-miss star: Miguel Almiron. With league titles in Paraguay, Argentina and the USA plus more than five seasons in the Premier League, Almiron is Paraguay’s main star. But at age 30, just two goals in competitive games for his country is a disappointing return. Might this be the moment when his speed and left foot make an impression?
Breakout candidate: Julio Enciso. He made his Paraguay debut in the last Copa shortly after his 17th birthday, but has yet to make much of an impact. The Brighton striker picked up an injury and missed all of last year’s World Cup qualifiers. Paraguay are desperate for him to return and kick start his international career.
Why they won’t win it all: Morale is on the floor, as coach Garnero confessed after last week’s 3-0 loss to Chile. Garnero replaced fellow Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto after a poor start to the World Cup qualification campaign, but things have yet to improve. In the six rounds, Paraguay have managed just one goal. The heyday of Roque Santa Cruz aside, a lack of firepower has been a frequent Paraguayan problem — made worse by the impression that the current defensive unit is not as solid as some in the country’s past.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: With Colombia first up followed by Brazil, the fixtures have not been kind to Paraguay. Coach Garnero came in full of attacking intentions, but it could be that his team’s best bet is to defend deep and rely on traditional virtues of resilience. This is an approach better suited to tournaments than to the league format of World Cup qualification. Back in 2011, for example, Paraguay made it all the way to the final of the Copa without winning a single game and going through on penalties. Paraguay’s dogged tradition means that they should never be underestimated, but it would be a surprise if they get out of the group. — Vickery
(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports illustration)
Welcome to Copa América 2024, the tournament that’s a bigger deal than it seems
Henry Bushnell Senior reporter Tue, Jun 18, 2024, 12:00 PM EDT·8 min read The 2024 Copa América — a mini-World Cup for the Western Hemisphere — kicks off Thursday in the United States. It will stretch from coast to coast, capturing TV audiences throughout the Americas. It will feature megastars, like Lionel Messi, plus a vibrant array of Latino flair.One of its core questions, though, is: Will casual fans in the host country care?Millions of Mexican Americans and Colombian Americans, of Argentine Americans and Venezuelan Americans, will joyously erupt for the Copa América. This, many of them know, is arguably the most competitive men’s international soccer tournament in the four-year interim between World Cups.But the 2024 Copa América, specifically, is a novelty in a country mostly unfamiliar with it.
Here, then, is an attempt to familiarize you — with the basics, the narratives, the problems, and the driving forces behind this one-of-a-kind event.
What is Copa América?
Copa América is the South American men’s soccer championship, a century-old competition among the continent’s 10 national teams (and often others).
Its cadence, size and format have varied over the years. Now, it’s a quadrennial tournament much like the European Championship (Euros), played in even-year summers between men’s World Cups.
It typically features 12 teams, with two invited from other continents. But in 2024, it will temporarily expand to 16. More on that below.
Is Copa América a big deal?
In South America, perhaps the planet’s most soccer-crazed continent, it’s a massive deal. It’s historic, prestigious, anticipated, fiercely contested and festive. For years, it was massive enough to crush Messi — before finally liberating him in 2021.
Outside the Americas, it’s a bit less so. Its global footprint is dwarfed by its European equivalent, the Euros. That, however, is largely due to western Europe’s economic might — and its willingness/eagerness to commercialize and market the sport.
At their core, the two tournaments are comparable. They’re soccer’s biggest outside the World Cup — the toughest to win, the most lucrative, the most acclaimed. And this year’s Copa América, in some ways, is even bigger.
How and why is this Copa América different? And who’s in it?
Struggling to find a satisfactory South American host, CONMEBOL — the 10-member South American soccer confederation — struck an agreement with CONCACAF, its North and Central American counterpart.
CONCACAF would help organize the 2024 edition in the United States; in return, it would get six spots in a 16-team field.
Christian Pulisic and the USMNT will compete against some of the powerhouses of South American soccer in the 2024 Copa América. (Mark Thorstenson/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images)
Wait, so why is the 2024 Copa América in the U.S.?
Copa América hosting duties typically rotate from one South American nation to the next — from 1989-2011, for example, each of CONMEBOL’s 10 members hosted once.
In recent years, though, the COVID-19 pandemic and instability have disrupted the rotation, and left organizers scrambling for stand-ins — first Brazil, and now the U.S.
In 2024, it was supposed to be Ecuador’s turn. But Ecuador, citing security and infrastructure concerns, relinquished the responsibility. “We’re not ready to organize the Copa América,” said Francisco Egas, the president of its soccer federation, in November 2022. So, with less than two years to go, CONMEBOL did not know where its 2024 championship would be played.
Brazil, its biggest, richest and most capable deputy, seemed willing and able to host. But Brazil had also hosted the previous two Copa Américas — first in 2019, in line with the standard rotation; and then in 2021 when Colombia and Argentina pulled out last-minute.
So, pushed by necessity but also pulled by financial and political benefits, CONMEBOL leaders turned to the States. Conversations accelerated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. An agreement was reached and announced in early 2023.
Hasn’t there already been a Copa América in the U.S.?
Yep, but that one was even more novel. It was a one-off “Centenario” edition in 2016. It was not moved to the U.S.; rather, it was essentially created by the U.S. Soccer Federation, in partnership with CONMEBOL, one year after the regularly scheduled 2015 Copa América, as a cash-grab and opportunity to pit the U.S. men’s national team against elite opponents.
Practically, though, the 2016 and 2024 tournaments will be very similar. Same format; six of the same host cities; 15 of the same 16 teams.
How did that 2016 Copa América Centenario go?
It was fairly successful. On the field, Chile beat Argentina in a glamorous but brutal final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In the stands, 1.48 million tickets were sold, an average of roughly 46,000 per game. In total, the event generated a “one-off profit of around $80 million” for U.S. Soccer, its then-vice president, Carlos Cordeiro, said a few years later.
In South America, fans always get excited about any Copa América, but some are unhappy that their crown jewel has been shipped off to North America again.
In North America, those who understand the gravity and importance of the tournament seem excited; but many non-Latinos in and around the American soccer community feel that the tournament has been poorly promoted and might fail to break through a crowded U.S. sports scene.
CONMEBOL’s commercial chief, Juan Emilio Roa, told Yahoo Sports that an estimated 25-30% of match-going fans would be ones traveling from South America; most of the rest will be U.S. residents.
How are Copa América ticket sales going?
Roa told Yahoo Sports on June 7 that just over 1 million tickets had been sold — a little more than 31,000 per game. That’s around 50% of capacity across all games, most of which will be played at NFL stadiums.
Naturally, matches featuring teams like Argentina and Mexico are close to or already sold-out; others, though, could be pretty empty.
Argentina, the defending 2022 World Cup and 2021 Copa América champions, are the current favorites to win this year’s tournament. (Michael Miller/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
One reason that roughly 50% of tickets remain unclaimed is that the prices, to many, are obscene. A single upper-deck ticket for Argentina’s opener against Canada, in the second-to-last row of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, costs $307 at the time of writing. Even for Peru-Chile at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the following day, a standard 200-level ticket costs $208. The average tournament-wide ticket price, according to Vivid Seats, is $283.
Why are tickets so expensive?
It’s unclear who, exactly, is to blame for the obscene prices.
Roa confirmed that they are based on the “dynamic pricing” model often utilized by American ticket brokers such as Ticketmaster and SeatGeek.
For a standard Copa América in South America, CONMEBOL would have complete control over all aspects of the matchday experience, including ticketing. But here, they have had to work with a variety of interested (and capitalistic) parties stadium-by-stadium, city-by-city. Rather than sell tickets on a single platform, they have essentially delegated that task to each venue — some of which use Ticketmaster, some of which use SeatGeek.
The complexities, and the somewhat last-minute nature of all these arrangements, have been challenges, and presumably reasons that tickets did not go on sale until late February.
When and where are the games?
They’re scattered across the U.S., in 14 different cities, with each hosting no more than three games.
Some games, certainly in the knockout rounds, should be great. Others, between prideful but less-prominent teams stuck in cavernous NFL stadiums, will feel a bit soulless.
The tournament as a whole will probably struggle to differentiate itself from all the other high-level soccer being played in the United States this decade. But for CONMEBOL, financially, it will almost surely be successful.
“The North American market is an amazing market, in terms of everything — in terms of viewerships, in terms of sponsorship, in terms of exposure,” Roa said. The inclusion of Mexico’s national team has likely allowed CONMEBOL to tap into many millions more dollars.
“And for sure, having Argentina and Leo Messi play in this Copa America … increased the interest around the world,” Roa added.
“We received calls and emails and contacts through our [commercial] agency, directly to CONMEBOL, from all around the world, como nunca antes, like never before,” Roa said. “Because, obviously, they have interests in the States. And all the things that happen in the States — it takes another dimension.”
The Summer of soccer starts today in Germany. England comes in as co-favorites along with Spain. Germany have struggled in Cup play – and are looking to use their home status to get them back in. Of course Italy won the last Euro’s then didn’t qualify for the World Cup – so they will be looking for Redemption as well. Tons of stories about the games – but bottom line is we have soccer to watch at 9, 12 noon, & 3 pm for the next month. Along with Copa America starting Thurs – giving us a couple of games each night. Summer of Soccer is here – enjoy. I am going to give my official picks next week. Sorry got bogged down this week.
US Men tie Brazil 1-1 – Starts Copa America next Sun vs Bolivia 6 pm
What a difference a game makes –after a woeful showing vs Colombia last weekend – the US tightened up and played Brazil to a wonderful 1-1 tie on Orlando in front of 60K –70% Brazil fans. GK Matt Turner made 11 saves – trailing only Howard’s 15 saves in the World Cup vs Belgium for most saves in a game. Honestly though while Brazil out possessed and outshot us – the US should have won this game. Brazil’s GK Alisson saved the day when he stonewalled both Pulisic and later Aaronson in the final minutes. (full highlights) The US did hold on for the last 15 minutes – but again – the US could have won this one. The US has only beaten Brazil 1 time in 18 tries – and this is the first tie. I thought the defense really stood out as Robinson, Ream, and Scally we fantastic. Remember this group only gave up 2 goals vs Colombia – and this time Turner played very well – vs struggling vs Colombia. I thought the front line was also strong – of course Pulisic was legendary as normal and playing the entire game here’s Pulisic’s masterful Free Kick Goal – showed just how much of a difference he can make. I like Pepi up front but still think Haji Wright should be our #9 in Copa. The Berhalter bashers are going to have to wait another few weeks as the team he put out there as marvelous vs Brazil. We’ll see how he manages Copa – a tourney we really need to get to the Final 4 of. Speaking of Copa here’s the Roster for Copa with starts Thurs night with the US playing Sat at 6 pm vs Bolivia.
The 26-player Copa América roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest)
DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Tim Ream (Fulham FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Tim Weah (Juventus), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
Indy 11 Bring 11 game unbeaten streak home vs San Antonio this Sat Night at the Mike
The Boys in Blue closed out a two-match road trip Sunday night with a win against Birmingham Legion FC. Indy sits at 8-4-2 in third place in the Eastern Conference and return home to host San Antonio FC this Saturday, June 15 at the Mike. Single-game tickets are available for all matches via Ticketmaster. Great Story about Carmel Dad’s Club’s own Cam Lindley and his journey back to Indy 11.
Good luck to those players representing Indiana ODP this weekend in Cincy — especially our Goalkeeper’s
Carmel High Girls Soccer Camp July 22-25
2-4:30 pm @ Murray Stadium Register Here contact fdixon@ccs.k1.in.us for more info
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USMNT’s Copa América prep ends with a step in the right direction
Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondent ESPN Jun 13, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
ORLANDO, Florida — As United States men’s national team goalkeeper Matt Turner prepared to answer questions in the postmatch mixed zone Wednesday, he found himself face-to-face with United States legend Kasey Keller. The former USMNT keeper offered up his congratulations to Turner for the latter’s heroics in the 1-1 draw against Brazil.After Keller had departed, Turner remarked, “That was cool. What a guy.”It was fitting that the two should exchange a quick word, as they now share the rare distinction of avoiding defeat against Brazil. It was Keller’s stellar performance against the Seleção back in the semifinals of the 1998 Gold Cup that almost single-handedly led the U.S. to a 1-0 win. The stunned look on the face of Brazilian World Cup winner Romario, as Keller made save after save, remains etched in the memory.
On Wednesday, it was Turner’s opportunity to shine. To be clear, it wasn’t perfect. Turner’s wayward pass in the 17th minute helped set the table for Rodrygo to put Brazil in the lead. But Turner righted himself, delivering 10 saves, including a blast from Rodrygo in the 74th minute. The fact that the U.S.’s record against Brazil now stands at 1-18-1 reveals just how uncommon such a result is.Contrast this performance with that of last Saturday against Colombia, one in which the U.S. were shellacked 5-1. Turner seemed overwhelmed at times, and given the way that he has struggled for minutes and form while at Nottingham Forest this season, concern was starting to mount that he might not be the man to start in goal for the U.S. For the moment, he has quieted those doubts.
“It’s been a tough couple of months for me personally on the pitch,” he said. “So to have the opportunity to be out here again and feel the trust that my teammates have in me and my coaches have in me here, it’s huge. It speaks volumes to me. So I was grateful to be able to perform well tonight. It won’t always be like that, but I think you are only as good as the guys around you.”Turner’s performance in large part mirrored that of the team; there were blemishes, but it was a huge improvement on last Saturday, one replete with increased resolve and execution. Christian Pulisic delivered the equalizer with a powerful free kick in the 26th minute, and he came agonizingly close to winning the match in the 68th minute only to be thwarted by Brazil keeper Alisson. Brenden Aaronson suffered the same fate after being set up by Pulisic 15 minutes later. The defense, much maligned after the Colombia debacle, bent plenty in the face of attackers like Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha, but it held firm.The teamwide eagerness to do the dirty work provided the backbone to earn a most unlikely result.
“I think it was just a willingness to defend, get numbers behind the ball in transition, getting numbers back much [quicker], just a lot smarter and not losing balls in the wrong areas and just giving them easy opportunities,” Pulisic said. “And yeah, just a team spirit of willingness to also suffer at times and then find our chances. So, definitely a big step in the right direction.”
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)The U.S. also used its collective brain as well. The team, as well as manager Gregg Berhalter, has been criticized for at times wanting to play the ball out of the back at all costs, and that predictability — or stubbornness — worked against it in the Colombia match. On Wednesday, there was more of a willingness to hit long passes and fight for second balls, especially from goal kicks.”I think our biggest takeaway from the game on the weekend was that sometimes you switch up from the game plan. You can’t just be robots out there,” defender Chris Richards said. “You have to have a feel for the game. And so I think that’s what we did tonight, with mixing it up and rather than just playing out the whole time. Sometimes you had to go direct and it’s OK to reset.”International tournaments, and the friendlies that precede them, are invitations to become a prisoner of the moment. The U.S. isn’t quite as terrible as it was against Colombia. It’s also dangerous to think that a draw against Brazil means everything is sweetness and light. The U.S. midfield remains a work in progress.One should also consider the U.S. team’s rather curious history under Berhalter where it has delivered some dreadful performances ahead of major tournaments. In 2019, prior to that year’s Gold Cup, the U.S. lost preparation games to Jamaica and Venezuela, the latter by a 3-0 scoreline. Prior to the 2022 World Cup, there was a heavy 3-0 defeat to Japan, which was followed by a dour 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. In both cases the U.S. went on to have successful tournaments. Granted, it’s not a guarantee of anything, which might explain Berhalter’s muted reaction to this match, even as he lauded his side’s teamwork and intensity. “We feel like we made a little step. It’s not a huge step, but it’s a little step to be able to play against an amazingly talented Brazil team and bend but not break,” he said.
It would be a stretch to say the U.S. is operating at its peak, but there is certainly a sense of increased momentum about the group that wasn’t there following the Colombia result. And the manner of the result against Brazil provides some hope. There was a time when the U.S. was notoriously difficult to play against. That trait hasn’t shown itself with the same level of consistency in the last decade or so. That it did so on this evening counts as a positive development. It will be needed in the coming weeks.Now the Copa America awaits. Group C, in which the U.S. will face Bolívia, Panama and Uruguay, ought to be navigable. But the U.S. isn’t in the kind of position where it can just turn up and expect to get results. That does seem to be one of the primary takeaways from these last two friendlies. It’s a lesson that shouldn’t need reinforcing given this team’s level of experience, but better for it to happen now than in the actual Copa itself. For now, the U.S. can enjoy a rare result against one of the world’s best.As Berhalter said, “It’s a good end to preparation camp. We’re ready for Copa America.”
USMNT 2024 Copa America squad: Every player on the roster analyzed
You’re tired of hearing this by now, but it’s still true: this is a young and relatively inexperienced United States men’s national team. Of the 26 players Gregg Berhalter called in for the Copa América, only three have appeared in at least 50 senior international matches. Another trio has crested the 40 cap mark, while 12 players enter the tournament with fewer than 20 caps.
However, this isn’t the byproduct of a youth movement like Mexico’s. The program is saving plenty of promising players 23 years old or younger for the Olympics in Paris, including Kevin Paredes, Bryan Reynolds and Gianluca Busio. The U.S. also enters Copa América in relatively good health, though its one major absence, Sergiño Dest, will force Berhalter into some tough decisions.
The tune-up friendlies showed two different sides of this team: being played off the field in the opener against Colombia, then staying resolute to play Brazil to an evenly matched draw days later. We don’t quite know what to expect from this team, but that’s the beauty of a major international competition: the element of unpredictability. Playing on home soil can’t hurt, either.
Here are the 26 players who will represent the United States as they look to match or exceed their semifinal finish in the 2016 Copa América Centenario.
Players are listed in alphabetical order by position. Ages and cap totals as of June 13, 2024
A positional logjam kept Nottingham Forest from registering Horvath for the Premier League, leaving him without a place to play until a January move to Cardiff City. He immediately became the Bluebirds’ starter, performing commensurate to league average as Cardiff finished 12th in the Championship.
Although his club career has become fairly nomadic, Horvath has been steady when called upon by his national team. Among his nine appearances was a crucial shift from the bench in the 2021 Nations League final, when a handful of saves (including a stifled penalty kick in extra time) allowed the United States to win the competition’s inaugural installment. A capable deputy, Horvath won’t be daunted if called upon for a big moment this summer.
For decades, the nation’s goalkeeper pool was among its strongest. A litany of Premier League starters stole the headlines. Still, another proud tradition is that of the veteran third-stringer — an experienced netminder who provides additional wisdom even if their number is seldom called.
Like Marcus Hahnemann and Nick Rimando before him, Johnson has been Berhalter’s trusted man; this summer, he’ll reprise his role from the 2022 World Cup. It’s a spot he had to earn, fighting off the emergence of Drake Callender. Amidst a bounce-back second season with Toronto FC, the 35-year-old remains a vital part of the locker room’s leadership corps.
Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest) — 41 caps, 29 years old
What seemed like a dream move last summer for Matt Turner quickly devolved into a nightmare. Signed from Arsenal to be Forest’s starter, the club kept Turner busy early and often. The club’s frenetic nature in the transfer market took over. They signed yet another international goalkeeper, Matz Sels, following previous moves for Turner, Odysseas Vlachodimos and Keylor Navas in successive windows. By March, Forest had dropped Turner to the bench.
Turner has had some questionable missed saves, particularly a few low-likelihood shots through his legs, but he remains the USMNT’s best shot-stopper by some margin. Questions about his distribution persist, but he’s organized the defense better than anyone in the role since Tim Howard.
It can be tough to assess players on Celtic and Rangers given their dueling dominance in Scotland. Since joining Celtic in 2021, Carter-Vickers has actualized the promise that made him a hot prospect early in his career. Still, it hasn’t made him a regular starter for the USMNT. He looks good in defense and possession, but nearly everyone does with a perennial champion.
Under Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou, Celtic has been as possession-dominant as any team in Europe. Carter-Vickers plays plenty of short passes that pad his completion rate, but his line-breakers and diagonals give the attack a jolt. Those will be vital for the U.S. to progress upfield this summer, while his defending in the sky (70.6% aerial win rate) and on the ground (13% dribble-past rate, among Scotland’s best) could position him to retain a starting role for years to come.
After struggling to develop international-caliber left backs for decades, the U.S. is in a relative golden age at the spot. Having represented Denmark in youth international ranks, Lund’s 2023 commitment to the U.S. provides another option that regularly plays in a major European nation.
Lund was initially hyped as a progressive option down the flank, a threat to find space out wide, collect the ball and take off on the dribble. His first season with Serie B side Palermo saw him refine his defensive chops, too, when disrupting opponents’ progress on the ground and winning aerial duels. His future looks bright — and he could be ready for some late minutes to stretch a game this summer.
Historically, a central defender is primarily assessed for their ability to stifle progress. The job description is in the name, after all. While McKenzie isn’t exactly a slouch at defending, he’s on this squad predominantly for his work with the ball at his feet.
McKenzie is among the best ball-progressing defenders in Europe beyond the continent’s top five leagues. He averages 6.3 progressive passes per 90 minutes, ranking in the 96th percentile of fbref’s “Men’s Next 14” leagues. He averaged 5.8 passes into the final third per 90 as Genk finished 5th in Belgium’s Pro League, helping bypass a midfield block. He may not project to start often at the tournament, but if he comes on, expect some scintillating long distribution.
Even on a struggling Nashville side, Moore’s defensive work kept him in contention for this squad. Moore is a proactive tackler, averaging 6.24 “true” tackles per 1,000 opposing touches since the start of 2023. Still, he’s most likely third in this position’s depth chart, behind Scally and an out-of-position attacking alternative like Tim Weah or Weston McKennie.
One aspect of Moore’s game does lend itself well to late-match game states. He offers a dangerous long throw, with the 19th most heaves into the box of any MLS player since the start of 2023. If the U.S. needs a goal late in a game, he could be the man for the moment.
Tim Ream has become a crucial veteran presence in the USMNT’s backline. (Photo by Brad Smith, Getty Images)
In a few years, discussing Ream’s international career will be laden with “what if?” scenarios. The center back didn’t find consistency with the USMNT until 2019, having been frozen out by Jürgen Klinsmann during the 2014 World Cup cycle. In 2022, he anchored the backline at the World Cup, with his defending and passing acumen garnering praise from his teammates and Pep Guardiola alike.
Father Time remains undefeated, however, and Ream played just once after mid-February. That felt like a ceremonial sendoff in Fulham’s season finale at Craven Cottage against relegated Luton Town. The lack of recent involvement adds rust to the squad’s most senior member, though starts in both tune-up friendlies suggest he’ll be relied upon again this summer. Whatever transpires, his leadership will be vital for a youthful USMNT at this tournament, whether he’s a regular in Berhalter’s lineups or not.
Last season was a breakout year for Chris Richards, the first time he logged over 2,000 minutes for a club’s senior team. A rash of injuries and a relegation scare forced Crystal Palace to deploy Richards in midfield, only playing at his primary position for 1,266 of his 2,091 Premier League minutes. However, the time he did spend along the backline showed that he’s coming into his own as a defender.
In the 1,266 minutes, Richards was among the Premier League’s most active aerial duelists and one of the division’s most effective tacklers. Although his rate of winning aerial duels was pedestrian, he capably kept opponents from beating him on the dribble. After missing the 2022 World Cup due to injury, Richards is on track to establish himself as the program’s best defender.
There’s a case to be made that Robinson is already this program’s greatest left back. Granted, that speaks volumes about the lack of options in the role for decades, where the team’s starter was often playing out of position (see: Eddie Lewis, Carlos Bocanegra, DaMarcus Beasley and Fabian Johnson). It’s also a distinction that’s deserved on his own merit. This season, “Jedi” put forth a season that has him in the upper echelon of Premier League left backs.
Robinson is a capable one-on-one defender, leading all Premier League fullbacks, averaging 5.16 interceptions and blocked passes per 1,000 opponent touches. He also created 1.27 chances per 100 touches of the ball, 17th among the league’s 46 full-backs and wing backs who played at least 900 minutes in 2023-24. That creativity and progressive play may be even more vital this summer given Dest’s absence from the opposite flank.
Robinson was in line to start at the 2022 World Cup before a torn Achilles tendon ruled him out for the tournament. He’s worked hard to recover to his previous form, including the spring that makes him a threat in the air on both ends of the pitch.
The data suggests he isn’t quite the same defender as before that injury. He’s less likely to attempt a tackle or interception than before, and his current aerial duel win rate of 66% is his lowest since becoming a regular starter in 2019. He’s also completing fewer long passes than he had before his injury (45.3% this season). He is, however, still acclimating after switching clubs this winter. Nevertheless, he’s a favored figure of Berhalter’s and a program veteran with a point to prove.
Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach) — 11 caps, 21 years old
The projected “next man up” following Dest’s injury, Scally has been a fixture in Mönchengladbach’s lineup for three seasons. He has logged over 6,000 Bundesliga minutes before turning 22, and Scally figures to have a long career ahead of him. The question is if he’s ready to be the top option in a major international tournament — and how closely he’ll be able to replicate Dest’s role. In the USMNT’s tune-up games against Colombia and Brazil, he faced world-class challenges lining up opposite Luis Díaz and Vinicius Jr.
Scally doesn’t carry the same upfield compass that guides Dest’s every decision. Instead, he’s a more traditional full back, prone to slinging effective short passes and prioritizing his defensive responsibilities over the attacking ones. If he isn’t the first-choice option as the tournament progresses, he’s capable of playing all three defensive roles.
When healthy, Tyler Adams can impact a game like nobody else in the USMNT pool. His recovery defending is tireless, and he expertly reads an opponent’s build-up sequence to stymy it before danger strikes. The problem has been that requisite availability, as 2023-24 saw him log the fewest minutes in any season (just 121 in the league) since his professional debut in 2015.
The good news: Adams is well-versed in Berhalter’s system, easing his reassimilation. While some in the pool are better at breaking lines with their passes and others enter in better form, none can match Adams’ all-around defensive midfield skill set. For the USMNT to be at its best this summer, they’ll need him to be on the field more often than not.
While a slew of promising young Americans developed in MLS and Europe, Johnny Cardoso honed his craft in Brazil. The midfielder emerged with Internacional and was a starter in 2022 and 2023, catching eyes with impressive facilitation that fed his team’s forward line. It also drew the attention of Real Betis, who signed him in January 2024 and promptly thrust him into their starting lineup.
The trick will be combining his passing acumen with the more defensive-minded role he adopted at Betis. His defensive work rate stood out and forced ample turnovers, even as he’s adjusting to greater involvement in that phase of the game. If everything comes together, he’ll be the worthy alternative to Adams this team has long needed.
He isn’t the pool’s most athletic midfielder, nor does he rack up highlight reel actions on a regular basis. Sometimes, the greatest compliment a player can be paid is that they are easy to overlook; simply, De la Torre makes midfield work look neat and tidy with the ball at his feet.
The midfielder was a regular fixture in the Celta Vigo lineup thanks to his usefulness in build-up play. Few midfielders in all of Europe boasted a greater volume of carries and dribbles. He also improved his ability to collect the ball in the box rather than staying at the heart of the park. He’s often overlooked due to buzzier alternatives in the role, but fans shouldn’t stress if he enters a match.
Weston McKennie (Juventus) — 53 caps, 25 years old
Being versatile is a blessing and a curse. Sure, it helps keep a player in contention for playing time throughout their career. As McKennie has learned over the years, however, the frequent role changes can come at the cost of refining one’s skills as a club plugs holes. McKennie finally stayed in a consistent role for a full season in 2023-24 — to the delight of Juventus and his career alike.
McKennie is an infectious personality, a camera operator’s best friend with his every reaction. He’ll likely stay in the lens’ sight this summer with his proactive defensive work and his improved game in possession, more comfortable playing distributor on top of his established off-ball work. Tack on his prowess in dead-ball situations, and McKennie is among this team’s most important members.
Here’s a good example of how a typical club season for a 21-year-old player can have an outsized impact on such a young national team. Musah made a big leap when he left Valencia for AC Milan last summer, going from being a starter for a relegation-zone club to a rotational figure for a top-tier side. His minutes regressed and he played a myriad of roles.
It sets him up for a possible breakout in 2024-25, but doubles as a setback for a player who was among the USMNT’s most important from a young age. Musah’s transition year comes at a time when it’s clear that Gio Reyna needs to start for this team to generate consistent chances, and he projects to be the odd man out to accommodate. He may not be as involved as he was when he turned heads with his tidy and effective play at the 2022 World Cup, but fear not: Musah’s career is still decidedly on the rise.
A strong showing in Copa América could help Reyna overshadow the drama of the 2022 World Cup. (Photo by Shaun Clark, Getty Images)
Perhaps a move to Nottingham Forest isn’t in a player’s best interest as the club cycles through options like a video gamer overhauling a roster in record time. Injuries kept Reyna from featuring regularly for Dortmund, and a lack of alternatives sent him to the City Ground late in the January window. The club seldom played with an attacking midfielder, however, and 2023-24 was a lost season for a player who has already suffered a few of those since emerging in 2020-21.
Still, Reyna has an eye for creating chances that few USMNT players have had since Landon Donovan’s heyday. He’s dangerous whether his team is exploiting a transition moment or in a sustained phase of possession, and he’s made himself undroppable for his nation even as his club career has stagnated. His frustration with a lack of involvement at the 2022 World Cup will forever be part of his legacy, but a strong Copa América could help overshadow that.
Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven) — 11 caps, 22 years old
In most eras, Tillman would have a clear role in attacking midfield. It’s the role he occupied as PSV dominated the Eredivisie in 2023-24, scoring nine goals and assisting 10 more en route to a title-winning season. With that act following the 10 goals he scored on loan with Rangers in 2022-23, he should be a certain starter this summer, right?
Unfortunately for Tillman, he hasn’t found a clear role for the U.S. Berhalter often opts for three central midfielders, too withdrawn a spot for Tillman’s skill set — and, historically, a role that would be Reyna’s or Musah’s to occupy. His central channel preference makes him a cumbersome option on the wing. He’s an undeniable talent and an impactful player on his day; maybe this summer will see him find a home in Berhalter’s setup.
A firm Berhalter favorite, Aaronson has struggled since leaving RB Salzburg for Leeds in 2022. Following their relegation, he spent last year on loan with Union Berlin. Some late heroics helped the club avoid relegation from the Bundesliga, but he’ll return to Elland Road with a point to prove to the English club’s fanbase.
Even in the most difficult stretch of his career, his tireless work rate remains unimpeachable. Aaronson is more of a spark plug for this team as constructed than a starter, able to change a game by sheer force of will whether it’s in midfield or on the wing. Even in a rotational role, Aaronson could kick off a comeback this summer.
When Balogun committed to the United States instead of England or Nigeria, it seemed like a massive coup. Seldom has the USMNT enjoyed dependable output from a center forward, with Brian McBride and Jozy Altidore being rare exceptions in this century. Coming off of a strong season with Reims, a $43 million move to AS Monaco seemed like evidence that the USMNT finally had a top-tier striker.
At this stage, Balogun is more of a volume scorer than a pinpoint finisher. He has woefully underperformed his expected goal output since the start of 2023, and was dropped from the Monaco lineup midway through the season. His assimilation with the USMNT hasn’t been seamless either, with three goals from a dozen caps. Still, a striker’s legacy is determined by tournament performances more than friendlies. His first major competition since committing will be a timely test of his mettle.
Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven) — 25 caps, 21 years old
Alongside Malik Tillman and Dest, Pepi had some fine moments as PSV dominated the Eredivisie, scoring seven goals and adding two assists. Unfortunately, those moments largely came from the bench, limiting Pepi to just 572 minutes in league action. It’s an understandable plight for a young striker, especially when veteran Luuk de Jong scored 29 goals as the team’s starter. Still, it wasn’t the “leap” many have hoped to see since Pepi left FC Dallas in 2021.
That super-sub season may actually give the USMNT a boost entering this tournament, though. Pepi was a hard omission from Berhalter’s World Cup squad, but enters the Copa América already equipped to impact a game from the bench. Pepi’s time in the spotlight may not be far away, but he could be vital in brief spurts this summer.
It feels odd given his age and the fact that he only finally enjoyed a full season as a major European club’s starter, but Pulisic is the most capped member of this squad. The resurgence of the program has been carried on his shoulders, and he finally has a supporting cast of a similar standard. It eases the pressure on him to do it all, which could bring even more of his best to the international level.
Pulisic has proven to be more of a finisher than a creator — more of a Clint Dempsey than a Landon Donovan. He flourished playing on the right at AC Milan after years out left (and left out) with Chelsea… although Berhalter favors him on the left. When Pulisic plays with freedom, he can take over a game like nobody else on this roster.
Josh Sargent (Norwich City) — 23 caps, 24 years old
Even as 2023-24 saw Balogun struggle and Pepi toil on the bench, it wasn’t a complete dud for USMNT strikers. Following Teemu Pukki’s move to Minnesota United, Sargent finally enjoyed a full season as Norwich’s starting striker. He rewarded them handsomely, bagging 16 goals on 11.2 non-penalty xG as the club returned to the promotion playoffs.
In a perfect world, he would be neck-and-neck with Balogun for starts at this tournament. However, Sargent was a question to make the roster due to a nagging foot injury suffered late in the Canaries’ campaign. Strikers, like all soccer players, are famously dependent on their feet, and his ability to impact this tournament is an open question. The fact he made the squad does give some confidence that he could be ready.
Tim Weah (Juventus) — 39 caps, 24 years old
Weah is another versatile player in the pool whose club role changes on an annual basis. Once a striker and often still a winger, Juventus found him to be a capable wing back this past season — a revelation that could come in handy given Dest’s injury.
As a wing back, Weah’s dribbling prowess and skill at executing a give-and-go helped Juventus qualify for the Champions League and win the Coppa Italia. He was also adept at making an impact in defensive phases, a credit to his reading of a game. If he’s a winger this summer, he’ll be among the USMNT’s most important attackers. If he shifts to Dest’s role, however, he could be an X-factor for which few opponents are adequately prepared to contain.
Haji Wright (Coventry City) — 10 caps, 26 years old
When Haji Wright broke into the pool in 2022, conventional wisdom was that he was a target forward — the role that saw the 6’3” striker flourish in Turkey. One of just three United States players to score at the World Cup in Qatar, the fit up top looked suspect. As Balogun committed to the program and Pepi and Josh Sargent continued to develop, it seemed certain that Wright would be a peripheral figure in the coming years.
Credit to Coventry City for unlocking a new side of Wright’s game in his English soccer debut. Playing out wide for the first time, he managed to score 16 goals and add six assists in the league, proving his end product would translate to playing along the touchline. That revelation unlocks greater tactical flexibility and should help Wright see the field often throughout the tournament.(Photo: John Todd, Stephen Nadler/Getty; Design: John Bradford)
Euro 2024 predictions: Best player, dark horses, biggest disappointment? Our writers’ picks
We are just a day away from Euro 2024, with hosts Germany taking on Scotland in Munich on Friday night.
What can we expect? An outsider victory? A Kylian Mbappe-inspired French romp? England out in the group stages? Whatever we get, there will be drama (we hope). Let us know in the comments section what you expect to happen.
Here, six of The Athletic’s writers give their predictions…
Oliver Kay: France, because they have the strongest squad — not just in terms of talent and depth in all positions but also know-how and a proven ability to perform when the stakes are high.
Liam Tharme: France. Tournaments are won over decades of youth talent and nobody does it like Ligue 1. Didier Deschamps has found the perfect balance between system and superstars.
James Horncastle: I like how Roberto Martinez has carved out a niche as custodian of international ‘Golden Generations’. First, Belgium, and now Portugal. The balance Portugal have in midfield is encouraging and I’m waiting for Rafael Leao to deliver on his potential at this level.
Mbappe and Deschamps will be hopeful (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Nancy Froston: France have been such a force in recent years and they do not look any weaker.
Carl Anka: Germany. Host nation, favourable side of the draw, and decent players under a clever tactical mind in Julian Nagelsmann.
Nick Miller: France are the correct answer, but Deschamps has been there so long, aren’t they due a meltdown? What about the Netherlands? They have loads of good defenders, as well as Jeremie Frimpong and Xavi Simons, while Memphis Depay seems quite cross about leaving Atletico Madrid, so he’ll have some fire in his belly.
Horncastle: It’s on home soil. These are the final games of his career. Imagine ending your career by winning the Champions League and the Euros. It’s going to be Toni Kroos.
Froston: Jude Bellingham. You build everything around players as good as him. If England can manage a good run, it’ll be thanks to him.
Anka: It’s Kroos. This sport doesn’t often grant happy endings, but Kroos is about to have a superb swansong.
Miller: Kroos. Are we all blinded by the sheer wattage of the narrative? Perhaps, but that doesn’t make us wrong.
We all want it for Kroos, don’t we? (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Who will be the best young player (under 23 on June 14)?
Kay: There are a few English candidates, but I’ll say Jamal Musiala. He looks ready to make a big impact at Euro 2024.
Tharme: Between Musiala and Florian Wirtz. Both should rise to the occasion on home soil.
Horncastle: Arda Guler or Kenan Yildiz. Yildiz’s dribbling has generated crazy hype and Guler scored six times for Real Madrid in 377 La Liga minutes. The kid is shy but special.
Froston: Benjamin Sesko. A ‘burns bright in the group stage’ candidate feels about right.
Anka: Lamine Yamal. The 16-year-old (16!) has all the tools to be a game-breaking forward.
Miller: Xavi Simons. If I’m sticking with my ‘the Dutch are good’ theory, he’ll be at the centre of it.
How many penalties will fail to find the back of the net — in normal time and shootouts?
Tharme: There were four shootouts in 2020, the most since Euro 1996 (also four). Let’s take an assumed average of three missed from another four shootouts, that’s twelve. Let’s go for 15 total with only three not scored in regulation time.
Horncastle: Italians would say all of Jorginho’s — which is harsh given how cool he was from the spot in the semi-final against Spain three years ago.
Froston: This is the era of the water-bottle cheat sheet, so I fancy four penalties missed in regulation time and 13 in shootouts.
Kay: Unlike Liam, I haven’t given this the slightest thought and I’m struggling to get a handle on the numbers. One? A 100? I’ll say 10.
Anka: It’s still mostly a gamble. Three misses in the groups. Two in knockout games. 12 across collected shootouts.
Miller: Well, I’ll pick a number out of the air and say 14.
Who will ‘do an Enzo Fernandez’ and get a big transfer off the back of a tournament?
Kay: These days, so many of the best young talents are already at big clubs. Maybe it’s the perfect shop window for someone like Albania’s Armando Broja, who is surplus to requirements at Chelsea.
Tharme: Ukraine and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Heorhii Sudakov. A pure No 10, two-footed, with plenty of Champions League experience at Shakhtar Donetsk, even at 21.
Horncastle: Define ‘big’. What if Albania winger Jasir Asani was good enough to earn a move back to Europe after a year in South Korea’s K League with Gwangju?
Froston: Nico Williams. It seems likely that clubs will be tempted by his €50million (£42m; $54m) release clause at Athletic Bilbao.
Anka: Belgium and PSV Eindhoven’s Johan Bakayoko is a dribble-heavy, left-footed winger who likes to cut inside and shoot from the right wing. That’s the sort of forward Premier League clubs like spending dough on.
Miller: Bakayoko, Sudakov and Williams all get another couple of thumbs up, but people love a tempo-setting central midfielder, so I’ll say that Benfica will have someone’s pants down for Turkey’s Orkun Kokcu.
Tell us one thing you really want to see happen…
Kay: I would love to see England win it. But that’s such a boring answer. Failing that, I’d really like one of the smaller nations to win it. Denmark, Croatia, even Belgium. It would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Horncastle: One of the five Italian coaches to win the thing.
Froston: Limited minutes for Cristiano Ronaldo. With every embarrassing tantrum, it gets harder to remember why he is one of the best ever.
Will he be smiling in July? (Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images)
Anka: Wingers get chalk on their boots before driving at defenders. Loads of long-range efforts after the ball spills out from a corner.
Miller: Kroos strolling off into retirement having joined your Zidanes, your Xavis, your Iniestas in the ‘winning absolutely everything there is to win’ club.
Tell us one thing you really don’t want to see happen…
Kay: I really hope the tournament is trouble-free. I also hope I can walk through a market square on the day of an England game without cringing in embarrassment at fans singing dismal songs about “10 German bombers”.
Tharme: Germany out in the groups (again).
Horncastle: Please don’t judge Luciano Spalletti as if he’s been in the job for two years when he only stepped into the breach last August.
Froston: Opening ceremonies/pre-game performances from peppy Europop singers or ageing rockers that completely sap the atmosphere.
Anka: Manchester United, could you behave yourself and avoid any news announcements and massive dramas for the foreseeable future? Thanks.
Miller: I think I’m getting soft in my old age, but I used to love penalty shootouts… now I find them incredibly stressful. So as few of them as possible, please.
Which nation are the dark horses?
Kay: We’ve been calling Croatia and Denmark dark horses for so long, I don’t feel I can do it again. I’ll say Serbia.
Tharme: Hungary. They had an excellent Nations League in 2022 against some European big-hitters and have evolved tactically under Marco Rossi.
Horncastle: Austria. I do wonder: what if Ralf Rangnick hadn’t taken the caretaker job at United when he did? I think his “open heart surgery” approach would appeal to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford.
Froston: Can Croatia be dark horses? Nobody is saying otherwise, so I’m choosing glory for Luka Modric.
With 175 appearances, Modric is Croatia’s most-capped player (MB Media/Getty Images)
Anka: Hi, hello, it’s me, one of the people who said Turkey would be a dark horse at Euro 2020. I am warning you that Serbia will bloody England’s noses and reach the quarters.
Miller: Ukraine. They won’t win it, but they’ve got a great collection of young, exciting players and, well, the country could do with a good news story.
Which player/team will be the biggest disappointment?
Kay: It could be England. This tournament, amid heightened expectations, feels like it could be boom or bust.
Tharme: Portugal. They have underwhelmed since scrapping their way to the Euro 2016 trophy and have a ridiculous squad, with backups better than most teams’ first choices.
Horncastle: England. Three years ago was as good an opportunity to win a tournament as any. England didn’t seize the moment.
Froston: Adam Wharton. But not the player himself. I just do not think we will see much of him in the tournament, which has the potential to be disappointing after his impressive debut.
Anka: Portugal have the pieces to make a deep run, but a lot depends on how Ronaldo is catered for.
Miller: I fear for England, but I can see Italy doing a rather lacklustre job of being defending champions.
How far will England go and predict the manner of their final match in the competition…
Kay: A semi-final defeat by France is probably the most likely outcome, but I can see it falling short of that.
Tharme: At least to the semi-finals, likely against France. Southgate’s record against teams that have previously knocked England out is good but this would be the ultimate test. Harry Kane has scored all 15 penalties since missing against France in the World Cup quarter-finals, so I’d back him to score.
Horncastle: Tharme has allowed himself to get carried away. His penance will be a tactical breakdown of England’s defeat to hosts Germany in the last 16.
Where/how will it all end? (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
Froston: Quarter-finals. Shirts pulled up over teary eyes, dejected players lying prostrate on the pitch after a plucky defeat.
Anka: Quarter-finals. I struggle to articulate how grateful I am to Southgate and his team for creating an England side for so many to believe in, but July 11 2021 was the chance to win silverware.
Miller: 1-1 draw with Serbia, 1-1 draw with Denmark, 3-0 win over Slovenia, finish second in the group, play Germany in the knockouts. There, England will take the lead but ultimately lose in extra time.
Give us your most outrageous prediction…
Kay: The format gives teams a safety net, where even third place in the group might get you a place in the knockout stage. But Group B is horrible. Reigning champions Italy knocked out in the first round.
Tharme: No 0-0 draws.
Horncastle: Georgia ride Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s wings out of the group stages. If Kvara recaptures the form he showed in Napoli’s title-winning season, anything is possible.
Froston: Redemption for Rangnick with a decent run for Austria.
Anka: Mbappe scores the goal to knock Spain out.
Miller: France out in the group stage. No logic to it, but you never said we had to back any of this up.
What might make you get emotional?
Kay: Seeing one of the less-fancied teams perform the way Morocco did at the last World Cup.
Tharme: A Pascal Gross goal. A stalwart of Brighton, an everything midfielder who has got better with age and finally made his senior Germany debut aged 32 last September.
Horncastle: Croatia taking back-to-back knockout games to extra time and penalties.
Froston: Any underdog who takes a big team all the way only to lose at the death.
Anka: The first rest day.
Miller: I’m a sucker for parents in the crowd watching their kids succeed, so anything close to Mario Balotelli hugging his mum in 2012.
Euro 2024: How are England, France, Germany, Spain and the other favourites shaping up?
The European Championship begins on Friday and managers across the teams considered potential champions have had plenty of last-minute issues to deal with.
The final pre-tournament friendlies are complete and in some instances have provided more questions than answers, while injuries have led to some late rejigging.
So how are each of the eight teams considered most likely to win the competition shaping up and are they ready to hit the ground running?
How to follow Euro 2024 and Copa America on The Athletic…
Not great, really: one win, one draw and two defeats in the warm-up games and — something we haven’t been used to under Gareth Southgate — a few murmurs from within the camp about the omissions of Harry Maguire, Jordan Henderson, Jack Grealish, James Maddison and Marcus Rashford from the final squad.
From a distance, this was felt to be England’s best chance of success for a long time but the closer the tournament has got, the more doubts have begun to resurface about the strength of the squad in certain areas (defence, midfield) and the balance of the team.
Central defence, left-back, midfield. John Stones is expected to be fit to face Serbia despite a couple of injury scares, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi likely to start alongside him in central defence. Luke Shaw is still on his way back from a hamstring injury, so Kieran Trippier, a right-back, is likely to deputise at left-back on Sunday — not ideal.
The question in midfield is balance and whether that means one of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kobbie Mainoo or Conor Gallagher plays alongside Declan Rice. Alexander-Arnold looks like the favourite at this stage to start against Serbia. Southgate has experimented with him there previously, but not in a game of this magnitude.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Under Southgate, they have started tournaments well. They have enough quality in attacking areas to trouble any team — Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden in support of Harry Kane —but they just need to make sure they have the balance right to get off to a positive start and build momentum.
If everything goes to plan, England could be on course for a semi-final with France. But that entails winning the group — with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia, that’s not a formality — and then winning two knockout games. Do all of that and expectations would be high going into a semi-final, even against France. But… one step at a time.
In their two pre-tournament friendlies, France beat Luxembourg (ranked 87th in FIFA’s world rankings) 3-0 and drew 0-0 with Canada, ranked 49th.
Manager Didier Deschamps saw these games as dress rehearsals, an opportunity for his team to play together and get minutes under their belts.
The performance against Luxembourg was promising and their forward line showed glimpses of flair. Kylian Mbappe was involved in all three goals, but Luxembourg did not test them defensively.
France were underwhelming against Canada, who matched Les Bleus. They struggled to dictate the midfield and allowed Canada to have goalscoring opportunities.
Some niggling injuries are affecting the starting XI. France seem too top-heavy, with an array of attacking talent, but there are concerns about their back line.
Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano were the first-choice centre-back pairing against Luxembourg, but Konate started less than half of Liverpool’s league games last season, while Upamecano started just over half of Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga matches. There are calls for William Saliba, who had an impressive season for Arsenal, to start.
The two-man midfield of N’Golo Kante, now playing in Saudi Arabia and an unexpected starter, and Eduardo Camavinga did not function well against Canada. Midfielders Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni have been struggling with calf and foot injuries respectively, but are expected to be back this week. Meanwhile, Deschamps has used Antoine Griezmann further up the pitch, which makes him less available in the build-up area.
Mbappe also only played 15 minutes against Canada after he sustained bruising to his knee in the first friendly. Deschamps explained that no risks were to be taken.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
France are still among the favourites to win the tournament. On the way to the 2022 World Cup final, they conceded one goal in every game bar one. Deschamps will want to make sure France’s defence is as efficient as their attack, which boasts some of the best individual quality on offer.
Captain Mbappe has described the Euros as “more complicated than a World Cup” given the teams’ familiarity with one another. They do not have an easy group stage, with fixtures against Austria, the Netherlands and Poland. It may be a slow burner as they ease themselves in, but equally don’t be surprised if they are the first to light up the European stage.
Two mediocre performances. One, a disappointing draw with Ukraine. The other, a come-from-behind win over Greece. That second game, in Gladbach last Friday, was really a successful failure. Germany played well in the second half, but in a way that emphasised the candidacy of the players assumed to start in reserve.
Julian Nagelsmann has built a system around a particular group and their respective abilities. While he was no doubt delighted by the impact of Leroy Sane, David Raum and Niclas Fullkrug against the Greeks, accommodating those players in the starting line-up would involve a major tactical rethink on the eve of the tournament.
Less outstanding issues, more unanswered questions. Is the midfield of Toni Kroos, Robert Andrich, Ilkay Gundogan really balanced enough? Does a team without any real width have enough precision through the middle? Should Manuel Neuer still be starting?
The Neuer issue is likely to drag. He made a bad error against Greece — among some very good saves — and there are polls running on German tabloids about whether fans would prefer Marc-Andre ter Stegen to start. Nagelsmann is already knocking back questions about Neuer’s place in the team during press conferences, so goalkeeper and head coach will need a nice, uneventful start against Scotland if that conversation is to go quiet.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
They could be anything at all. Germany are much better than they were under Hansi Flick and have certainly evolved under Nagelsmann. They have a shape and a clear way of playing. However, they are still a team in recovery and all of their systems, which govern the sharp, precise football that Nagelsmann wants them to play, have only been a few months in development.
It should not be forgotten, either, that while those two wins over France and the Netherlands were enough to fire the public’s enthusiasm, Germany were hardly perfect in either and exhibited flaws (defensive vulnerability, exposure to transitions) that were tolerated in light of the bigger picture.
They could win this tournament. They have the quality and the players to do it. But it could also go badly wrong. It does also feel as if a good result is really important if they are to have the public on their side. It has been a difficult decade since the 2014 World Cup, full of failure and scandal, and while Germans do seem newly interested in their national team, it might not take too much for them to disassociate themselves again.
Initially rocked by injury. Italy lost their most experienced centre-back, Francesco Acerbi, then their most precocious one in Giorgio Scalvini. These casualties haven’t stopped coach Luciano Spalletti from continuing the experiments he made with a back three in March. Agonisingly, Nicolo Barella hasn’t featured in the warm-up games against Turkey and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The all-action Inter Milan midfielder is a doubt for this weekend’s opener against Albania in Dortmund, but at least Davide Frattesi, his Inter team-mate, has carried on his prolific form for the national team. The box-to-box midfielder has scored four goals in nine appearances under Spalletti and could be one of the revelations of the tournament.
The team is still learning to play together. Partnerships are new all over the pitch. The Nazionale finds itself in the midst of a generational transition. Spalletti hasn’t been in the job a year. He is introducing alternative systems. Italy played 4-3-3 against Turkey then 3-4-2-1 against Bosnia. Nicolo Fagioli has been thrust into the team on the back of 98 minutes for Juventus following the end of his seven-month ban for betting on football. Federico Chiesa hasn’t been able to snap out of his funk and it remains to be seen if Gianluca Scamacca, dropped from the squad in March, can be as good for his country as he has been for his club (27 goals and assists) this season.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Encouragingly, Italy began to look like a team against an admittedly depleted Bosnia. Whether it’s Federico Dimarco or Andrea Cambiaso, the left flank has creative instincts. The Fagioli and Jorginho pairing in midfield has potential and was neat and tidy in Empoli at the weekend. Scamacca and Frattesi bounce off each other well from their days in Roma’s academy and their time at Sassuolo. However, the Azzurri still look a little glitchy at the back without Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. As such, it will fall on the two Alessandros, Bastoni and Buongiorno, to keep everyone on their toes and lead the defence. If Chiesa continues to struggle, Spalletti’s first big decision could be to drop him for Giacomo Raspadori, another player, like Frattesi, who is used to playing with Scamacca.
Spain have achieved some on-pitch stability under coach Luis de la Fuente after recent scandals involving the federation’s former president, Luis Rubiales.
Two resounding wins in their most recent friendlies have raised hopes about this side. Barcelona midfielder Pedri scored twice in a 5-1 rout of Northern Ireland on Saturday — his first goals for the national team after several spells out through injury — after a Mikel Oyarzabal hat-trick helped them to a 5-0 victory against Andorra. There will be tougher tests to come, but the signs are promising for La Roja.
De la Fuente has returned to a 4-3-3 system after experimenting with a 4-2-3-1 in friendlies three months ago against Brazil and Colombia. Unai Simon is their undisputed No 1 after a fine season with Athletic Bilbao, while Dani Carvajal will start at right-back following his role in Real Madrid’s record-extending 15th European Cup/Champions League triumph.
There are doubts over the centre-back partnership: naturalised Frenchmen Aymeric Laporte and Robin Le Normand have tended to start for De la Fuente but Nacho could replace Laporte. Bayer Leverkusen’s impressive left-back Alejandro Grimaldo looks set to start after Valencia’s Jose Gaya was ruled out of the tournament with injury.
Rodri, Pedri and Mikel Merino are fairly established in midfield, while exciting youngsters Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal will flank captain Alvaro Morata up front. Yamal, 16, will become the youngest player in Euros history if, as expected, he plays against Croatia on Saturday.
What are the main outstanding issues to resolve?
De la Fuente’s contract has been renewed until the 2026 World Cup, but fans still have their doubts about him and some of his decisions have been questioned.
Choosing to leave out the veteran defender Sergio Ramos and Madrid’s promising winger Brahim Diaz were seen as two controversial decisions — the latter chose to represent Morocco earlier this year after making just one senior appearance for Spain. Cutting Barca’s 17-year-old centre-back Pau Cubarsi from his final list for the Euros was also a decision that raised eyebrows after a fine breakout season for the Blaugrana.
The team’s leadership qualities will be tested in Germany. And while their style of play is still based on dominating possession, they will need to be more direct than in previous tournaments. Yamal and Williams could be key to that.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Spain are joint-record holders of this competition with three trophies and De la Fuente led them to last year’s Nations League title — their first trophy since the all-conquering generation of 2008-2012 — so they are expected to be very competitive. The players see themselves as one of the favourites and will hope to reach the latter stages after they lost in the semi-finals of Euro 2020.
But the lack of established stars in their line-up is a contrast to countries such as France, England and Germany and could count against them. They will need to find a consistent source of goals if they are to have any hope of emulating Iker Casillas, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and co.
Busy. Most nations have played two pre-tournament warm-ups, but manager Roberto Martinez wanted three for Portugal, reflecting his desire/need to fine-tune not only the starting XI but also the formation.
Results and performances have been mixed – they beat Finland 4-2 with goals from Premier League players Diogo Jota, Ruben Dias and Bruno Fernandes (two), then they lost 2-1 to Croatia (Jota again on the scoresheet) before breezing past the Republic of Ireland 3-0 on Tuesday. Cristiano Ronaldo, who like Ruben Neves joined up with the group a bit later because the Saudi Pro League season ran until May 31, got his first minutes back with the team and scored twice (Joao Felix netted the other).
The results followed a slightly worrying trend since the qualifiers – Portugal sauntered through their group with 10 wins from 10 but against pretty feeble opposition (other than Slovakia, their opponents were ranked 72nd to 202nd in the world) and in the five friendlies since, they have beaten three teams who are not at Euro 2024 (Sweden, Finland, Ireland) and lost to two teams who are (Slovenia and Croatia).
Injury-wise, they lost midfielder Otavio before the friendlies started, replacing him with Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes. Pepe, who will become the oldest player to feature at a Euros aged 41 if he gets on the pitch in Germany, hadn’t played since April but got 45 minutes against Ireland.
What are the main outstanding issues to resolve?
Martinez wanted to fine-tune and, while he may know his preferred XI/system in his head, it hasn’t been seen on the pitch yet. He made seven changes for the second friendly and then another six for the third, also switching between 4-3-3 and 3-4-1-2.
Portugal have possibly the most talented squad at the whole tournament, with an abundance of options in each position. That’s no bad thing, obviously, but only if Martinez can fashion a coherent and settled side.
The left side of attack hasn’t been nailed down because Jota often plays in the middle, Felix’s form is inconsistent and Rafael Leao looks more effective as a substitute. Issues over Pepe’s fitness don’t help either and probably dictate the formation (a three with him, a four without him).
After the Croatia defeat, Dias said the players needed to put their egos to one side and focus on a collective effort. Blimey.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
More fine-tuning, but given the group they have been handed (Czech Republic, Turkey and Georgia), Portugal and Martinez can probably afford to keep calculating that formula and still have more than enough to get through.
They still have the experience of Jan Vertonghen, Axel Witsel, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne (502 caps between them), but this is a younger, fresher squad, free from some of the baggage and internal tensions that have dogged Belgium in the past.
The only real talking point surrounds the absence of Thibaut Courtois, who recovered from injury in time to play in the Champions League final but still hasn’t forgiven coach Domenico Tedesco for preferring Lukaku as captain for a qualifier against Austria last June.
What are the main outstanding issues to resolve?
Thomas Meunier limped out of their final warm-up game against Luxembourg on Saturday and stayed in Belgium for further medical treatment when his team-mates left for Germany on Wednesday. For the opening game against Slovakia at the very least, Fulham’s Timothy Castagne is set to revert to right-back. Maxim De Cuyper, of Club Bruges, could fill in at left-back.
In the absence of Courtois, Belgium’s first-choice goalkeeper for the tournament will be Koen Casteels, who has just signed a deal to join Saudi Arabian club Al Qadsiah on a free transfer from Wolfsburg.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Even if they are less formidable than during the peak years of their “golden generation”, Belgium have a range of creative and goalscoring options between De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard, Jeremy Doku and Lukaku, with Yannick Carrasco, Lois Openda and Johan Bakayoko in reserve. Lukaku approaches the tournament looking far sharper than he did at the last World Cup.
They are in one of the gentler-looking groups along with Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine. Win the group and they will face a third-placed team in the round of 16. Progression to the quarter-finals looks like a realistic goal. Getting any further would be a cause for celebration.
Oof. Well, if you go only by results, everything looks rosy. The Netherlands have won six of their past seven matches, the only exception being a late 2-1 loss to Germany in March. On Monday, Ronald Koeman’s side completed their preparations with a 4-0 win over Iceland and looked as stylish as they ever have under the former Barcelona manager.
But the Iceland game brought terrible news. Midfield lynchpin Frenkie de Jong, who had been racing to recover from an ankle injury, was declared unfit for the tournament. The Barcelona pivot is key to the Netherlands’ build-up play and is one of their two truly world-class players, alongside Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
What are the main outstanding issues to resolve?
Exactly that, who replaces De Jong in midfield? Less than 12 hours after De Jong was ruled out, one potential replacement, Atalanta’s Teun Koopmeiners, was himself removed from the Euros squad after suffering an injury during the previous night’s warm-up.
Full-back Ian Maatsen has been called up in their stead, but Koeman is expected to name PSV Eindhoven pairing Jerdy Schouten and Joey Veerman in midfield. The pair are excellent technicians but lack De Jong’s explosiveness and ability to shine in wide as well as narrow spaces.
The other question mark is left-back. Koeman wanted to play with wing-backs, but an injury to Feyenoord’s Quilindschy Hartman meant he had to abandon that plan. This is now a problem position. Options include Manchester City’s Nathan Ake, Girona veteran Daley Blind, and now Maatsen — Ake will likely start and create a back three when in possession, with right-back Denzel Dumfries pushing higher to play as an auxiliary winger.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Teams who win the Euros tend to excel in defence rather than attack and the Netherlands have some outstanding centre-backs in the shape of Van Dijk, Ake, Matthijs de Ligt and Micky van de Ven.
However, everything in front of them is relatively untested. Xavi Simons will be this side’s main creator in attack and has been in good form in recent months, although he does his best work with structure around him. The Netherlands’ inexperienced midfield and relative paucity of top-class goalscoring options means expectations at home are relatively low.
One player arrives at Euro 2024 with the best goals-per-cap rate, and it’s not Cristiano Ronaldo.One player will break the record as the oldest men’s player in European Championship history, and it’s… not Cristiano Ronaldo.Nearly one in five players competing in Germany play their club football in one country, but which one?
Allow The Athletic to sprinkle some data-led seasoning on top of your tactical insights before the summer’s tournament, breaking down the make-up of each squad and providing some curious tidbits to fuel your excitement before the games begin.
This is your definitive data guide to the squads at Euro 2024…
How to follow Euro 2024 and Copa America on The Athletic…
A total of 218 clubs have players representing their country in Germany this summer, but some are providing plenty more than others.
Among the clubs with the most players selected for Euro 2024, it is unsurprising to see Europe’s elite leading the way. Champions League winners Real Madrid have 12 players represented in the tournament — spanned across seven countries — but it is the 2023 finalists, Manchester City and Inter Milan, who have the strongest footprint in Germany with 13 players apiece.
That is before you consider each club’s representation in the Copa America in the United States this summer, with many club managers carefully managing their pre-season plans in a summer packed with international football.
From a European perspective, Pep Guardiola and Simone Inzaghi will be the busiest men keeping a close eye on their players’ fitness across the next four weeks.
Player call-ups per league
Like many recent major tournaments, the Premier League again leads the way as the league that provides the most players — slightly ahead of Italy’s Serie A.
Unsurprisingly, the top five leagues represented are made up of… well, the so-called ‘top five European leagues’. Ligue 1 has fallen a little behind its peers, with a comparatively low 29 players playing in France’s top division.
The Premier League’s 96 players span 21 of the 24 countries at the Euros, the widest coverage of any league in the world. The English skew is unsurprising but the range of representatives — from Portugal (10) down to Turkey and Romania (both one) — underpins the global brand of the Premier League.
Across the tournament, 114 players play their football in England, with 18 in leagues below the Premier League. That 114 figure accounts for 18 per cent of the tournament’s total — nearly one in five players, for those requiring the quick maths.
Italy are just behind (17 per cent), with 104 players — 91 of them from their top division, Serie A. Similar to the Premier League, Serie A provides players for a wide selection of nations — 19 in total, the second-most of any league.
At the manager level, the representation from Italy is highly impressive, with five — Luciano Spalletti (Italy), Francesco Calzona (Slovakia), Vincenzo Montella (Turkey), Domenico Tedesco (Belgium), Marco Rossi (Hungary) — comfortably more than any other nation.
Spain (Luis de la Fuente and Roberto Martinez), France (Didier Deschamps and Willy Sagnol), and Germany (Julian Nagelsmann and Ralf Rangnick) are the only other nations with more than one manager represented, further highlighting the hotbed of elite coaches currently coming out of Italy.
As a final fun fact, the two German managers bookend delightfully as the oldest (Ralf Rangnick, 65) and the youngest (Julian Nagelsmann, 36 years) in the tournament.
Among the 24 nations, Steve Clarke’s Scotland have the oldest squad, with an average age of 28.3 years old.
Clarke has led his country to back-to-back Euros, maintaining a level of experience and consistency of selection during qualifying that has allowed his side to develop together. Within the squad, Billy Gilmour (23) and Tommy Conway (21) are the only players aged 23 or below heading into the tournament (and Conway was a late call-up) — only Romania (one) have fewer players in that age bracket.
As The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell reported in his nation guide, Scotland’s 26-man squad named for Euro 2020 had a combined caps total of 448 — of which veteran goalkeepers Marshall and Craig Gordon accounted for 99. The total is now 757, with 14 players over the quarter-century mark.
That experience will give them a fighting chance to improve upon their previous, winless campaign three years ago.
Behind Scotland are fellow Group A side — and their opening-day opponents — Germany, whose average squad age of 28.2 years old is the second-oldest in the tournament.
The experience of Manuel Neuer (38), Thomas Muller (34) and the soon-to-be-retiring Toni Kroos (34) will be crucial for the hosts this summer, but the fact a lot of their players are at their peak age suggests that they have a squad that is ready to win now.
Ironically, their creative spark is catalysed by two of their youngest players, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz (both 21) — who will play as dual No 10s and be given the freedom to find pockets of space to inflict maximum damage to their opponents.
At the individual level, Portugal’s 41-year-old centre-back Pepe arrives at the tournament as the oldest player.
If he takes to the field in Germany, Pepe will break the record as the oldest player in European Championship history, currently held by Hungary’s Gabor Kiraly (40 years, 86 days).
Behind Pepe is compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo. You may have heard of him.
With a higher likelihood of scoring than Pepe, Ronaldo could become the oldest player to score a goal in Euros history, surpassing Austria’s Ivica Vastic (38 years, 257 days).
Ronaldo holds the record for the most European Championship games (25), and is the only male player to have represented his country across five editions of the tournament. Barring a disaster, the 39-year-old will extend that record to six this summer.
Who has the youngest squad?
The Czech Republic come into the tournament with the youngest average squad age, at 25.3 years old.
Manager Ivan Hasek will hope strong club connections can generate cohesive performances — 15 of the 26-man squad play for either Slavia Prague, Sparta Prague or Viktoria Plzen.
It is a young squad, too, with only two players aged 30 or over — the fewest of any nation in the tournament.
Turkey (25.8 years old) and England (26.1 years old) are not far behind as the youngest squads in the tournament, and will be hoping to blend youth and experience to go far in the competition.
Individually, England have three of the youngest players to be named in Euro 2024 squads — Kobbie Mainoo (19), Jude Bellingham (20) and Adam Wharton (20) — and no national team provides more in a table of the top 20 youngest players.
There is one player who does stand out, though. Spain’s Lamine Yamal has taken European football by storm for Barcelona this season, and if he takes to the field in Germany, he will become the youngest player in the history of the European Championship — just shy of 17 years old. His 17th birthday is the day before the final on July 14.
Having an older squad does not necessarily mean you are the most experienced on the international stage, so which nation has the most caps per player?
Croatia edge out Portugal here, but we must acknowledge the outliers dragging up the average.
No national team at this Euros has more players with 100-plus caps than Croatia, with Luka Modric (175), Ivan Perisic (131), Domagoj Vida (105) and Mateo Kovacic (101) boosting their average quite significantly.
A word must also go to Switzerland, whose average caps figure of 42.7 is the third-highest on the list. Rather than specific individuals, Switzerland have spread the experience across the squad, with 10 players aged 30 or above — the most of any nation and the only side with double figures in that age bracket.
Yes, we know what you are thinking — how is Xherdan Shaqiri still only 32?
Between Switzerland and Croatia, Portugal’s average caps are dragged up by Ronaldo (207), Pepe (137) andRui Patricio (108) in particular.
At the individual level, Ronaldo’s 207 international caps are more than any other player at the Euros. It feels like this will be the last time we see him — and Modric — in a major international tournament, but we have said that before.
What we do know is that this will be Olivier Giroud’s final tournament for France, having recently announced his impending retirement from international football.
Giroud will almost certainly bow out as France’s all-time top goalscorer as he looks to extend his record of 57 goals.
Sticking with the theme of goals, it is difficult to look beyond Ronaldo once again, with the 39-year-old holding the record for the most goals (14) of any player in European Championship history.
However, the all-time top goalscorer in men’s international football does not boast the best goals-per-cap rate among all players heading into the tournament. That honour belongs to Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, who arrives in Germany with a rate of 0.74 goals per cap — 85 goals in 115 appearances.
After bagging two more goals against Luxembourg last week, Lukaku is now the second-highest European men’s international goalscorer behind Ronaldo — and the joint-sixth highest of all time.
Lukaku has been finding things more difficult at club level, but he looks at ease when representing his country. His 14 goals in eight games during qualifying was more than any other player and set a record as the most within a single qualification period. Impressively, only one of those goals came from the penalty spot.
Ronaldo will be coming into the tournament off the back of a prolific club season, but his 35-goal return needs to be asterisked due to the quality of the Saudi Pro League.Harry Kane (36 league goals in the 2023-24 season), Mbappe (27) and Robert Lewandowski (19) come into the tournament with strong goalscoring outputs but keep an eye on Ukraine’s Artem Dovbyk, whose 24 goals for Girona were the joint-fifth-highest of any player in the top five European leagues.Ultimately, we want the biggest names in Europe to do what they do best in an international shirt.Friday cannot come soon enough.(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
Christen Press’ long journey back from injury: ‘The last six months have been the best of my life’
On Tuesday, Christen Press returned to team training with Angel City FC, exactly two years to the day from when she tore her ACL in a 2022 match against Racing Louisville. While her involvement in training is still limited, with her only taking part in the warm-ups and a passing drill to start, it’s one of the many milestones Press can celebrate on the arduous journey she’s undertaken for a full return to the sport.
As she noted in a call with The Athletic, most of those milestones have been reached in private. At first, she wanted this moment to be private too — well, as private as it could be with a full team and staff around, but in a closed practice where she could evaluate how she felt. With further thought, she changed her mind: this milestone was one that could be celebrated, and with so much uncertainty still left about what milestones remain, she might as well embrace this one.
“If this is something we can all celebrate, let’s just go for it, because this journey has been really, really long,” Press said on Monday, a little more than 24 hours out from the return to training. “When you don’t play, you do have a different relationship with the fanbase, and it’s nice to see this as the re-entry point. People are going to get videos of me in team training, and I’m just going to be around.”https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8FPTUapSHV/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=540&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com&rp=%2Fathletic%2F5556789%2F2024%2F06%2F11%2Fchristen-press-angel-city-uswnt-interview%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A2460.5%2C%22ls%22%3A1449.4000000059605%2C%22le%22%3A1715.5%7D
Back in February, Press referenced her “relentless optimism” that has helped her on this wildly unpredictable recovery process, which required four surgeries and resulted in her missing out entirely for competing for a 2023 World Cup roster spot. Her fourth surgery was timed right around when the USWNT was heading to New Zealand, which released her from being tied to a recovery timeline and feeling the pressure to return.
“When I found out I had to have the fourth surgery, I was like, well, I’m not going to the World Cup because I’ll be in surgery during the World Cup,” she said in February. “So that was the moment I actually exhaled. I had to grieve that.”
The release from external timelines has extended to another tournament, the Olympics, which Press said on Monday she’s never really focused on in terms of a potential return. Despite the standard recovery timelines lining up from her fourth and final ACL surgery, last summer’s World Cup experience wasn’t something she wanted to repeat.
“There’s no way your mind can’t start doing the math, right?” Press said this week, saying she’d catch herself counting down the weeks to this summer’s tournament. She doesn’t want to turn off the part of herself still dreaming and striving for a roster spot or any accomplishment on the field, but it’s all a balance.
There’s also a delicate emotional balance in other ways through the recovery process. She’s been in with the team at their training facility, watching the rest of the players train; she’s been at games supporting Angel City, too. Injuries can be isolating, but there’s a weight to being around the team, unable to participate.
“Some of the hardest days of my week are game days when I watch my team play, and there’s a lot of nuance to that. I do feel part of the team. I’m very loyal and dedicated to my teammates and to the club, but it’s actually really hard and painful to watch,” she said.
Having her own space at her physical therapy clinic provided a healing environment. One that lives outside the specific pressures and stresses of the week-to-week grind of the NWSL season, one where the coaches turn from a Friday night result to the new outlook of Monday morning.
“It was a huge blessing to be able to be outside of that, and then the re-entry has been just so great because I have been in a bubble. I’ve been saying, I’ve been bubble-wrapped for so long and now to get in and experience the shift in moods, the shift in energy that comes with preparing for a game and dealing with the results is really important,” she said, now having been more integrated with the team over the past three months.
She’s adjusted now, but shifting from the PT clinic, where she saw the same three people every day, to the full Angel City experience was a bit of a shock.
“It was so social,” she said, laughing a little, recalling just how many people were suddenly talking to her on a daily basis. “Oh my god, I am so introverted. I can’t be around 23 people that are asking me about my life. This is wild! I kept being like, I want to wear a shirt that says, ‘Please don’t ask me about my knee today.’”
Press during her return to training on Tuesday. (Photo: Angel City)
With the integration underway and the public milestone achieved, Press has also been busy with the return of The RE-CAP Show, which she hosts with Tobin Heath. Now into their third season, they’ve already recorded with guests like former USWNT player Abby Wambach and Glennon Doyle (who both are in the Angel City investment group, too).
Press and Heath were among the first players to balance active careers with stepping into the media realm, a path shared by the likes of Sam Mewis, Becky Sauerbrunn, Lynn Williams, Midge Purce and others. But still the far more common path is for a player to retire, then start talking about soccer for a living. Press and Heath embrace the tension and perspective this provides.
“Neither Tobin nor I are retired, and neither Tobin nor I have put that chapter behind us,” she said. “We always say it’s a very unique insider/outsider perspective with the USWNT.” As she noted on Monday’s call, you can’t get cut from the national team — a player can always get left off a roster, but they’re also always in contention for the next one. “With the national team, we’re both like, ‘You never know.’ If we can play, we’re going for it right?”
Press noted that discussing the NWSL felt different to her on the show — she’s actively contracted to a team, after all. But either way, her and Heath approach the show with an “active eye” rather than two players who are looking back. But they’ve also focused on building a community along with their foray into the media space. Press has been providing videos with an intimate look into her recovery process for paying members of RE-INC, something that she didn’t think she’d want to create in a more public forum.
“We’ve been able to stay inside the women’s soccer community, having a relationship with our community and our fan base through it all,” Press said.
“We’re simply having the same conversation that we have on our living room couch. I carry a weight of being thoughtful and careful and intentional all the time, inside my own home, so it’s easy for me to translate that. So when we have our banter back and forth, we can stand in a place where we’re challenging each other, and that makes the show more of a provocation than an answer,” she continued. “It’s a question. It’s not an answer.”
Press’ reputation is built in many ways around that thoughtfulness, but it’s not an act either. And sometimes, the way she approaches the world in her “cerebral” fashion means that she wants things to make sense, like her ACL injury and all four surgeries. “I want this fairy tale story where I come back, I’m delightful — that’s actually what I want. ‘I went through all of this, and now you all find me delightful.’”
Press is also all too aware of another reputation, one earned because she’s not afraid to ask for what she wants. She’s fought for everything she wanted. She knows her value.
“Before, you called me a diva, and now I’m delightful. It’s not going to be like that; that’s not what life is. But I will say, the last year of my life — maybe even shorter, the last six months — have been the best of my life because of the space that my ACL created for me to heal as a human. I’m still on that journey, and I intend to stay on that journey.”
Press strikes the ball during training on Tuesday. (Photo: Angel City)
Press said this time has allowed her to process and work through all the things she wanted to work through when she actively took a break from the national team, following the previous Olympics. That was the last time she put on a USWNT jersey, after all, and it was and still is a big part of her identity. There have been chapters of her life since then though, and through the recovery process she has asked herself time and time again not when she wants to come back, but how.
She acknowledged there will be fear and pressure with this milestone and the ones yet to come, but the simple goal is for her to be delightful as a human being, for others to be around. Someone that can mentor or be good on the field, laugh at themselves and tease a little too. That doesn’t feel like too much to ask.
“Getting that role in the team where I can be happy and joyful and chasing excellence, really appreciating what I’m doing and what I’m able to do.” That’s what’s important, after a stretch when she did not enjoy the sport itself. “Because if I go back, and I go back and feel the same way that I did about soccer and winning and scoring, then that will feel like a bigger failure than not making it back at all.”
“The competitor in me and the perfectionist in me and the Capricorn in me and the Enneagram three in me just wants to be this delightful, great soccer player that has so much fun and scores all these goals and can totally deal with stress and is always laughing,” she said.
That’s the dream part. The real answer is simple. “With delight.” (Photo: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
#INDvSA Preview
Indy Elevenvs San Antonio FC Saturday, June 15, 2024 – 7:00 p.m. ET Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis Dino Night
SETTING THE SCENE The Boys in Blue return to The Mike on Saturday to host San Antonio FC. This serves as the lone meeting between the two sides in USL Championship action this season, but the pair met up in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 (5.8) with Indy coming away with a 2-0 victory.
Indy is coming off a 1-0 win over Birmingham Legion FC and sits at 8-4-2 in third place in the Eastern Conference. San Antonio fell to Tulsa, 2-1, its last time out, and is 4-5-5 in the Western Conference.
IND
SA
14
Games
14
26
Goals
18
21
Goals Conceded
17
15
Assists
15
68
SOT
51
61
Shots Faced
57
2
Clean Sheets
3
SERIES VS. SAN ANTONIO Sunday marks only the third meeting all-time in USL Championship competition between the teams, but fourth meeting overall.
Indy Leads 1-0-1 | GF 4, GA 3
Recent Meetings May 8, 2024 ^ | W, 2-0 | Home Oct. 14, 2023 | D, 3-3 | Away Aug. 27, 2022 | W, 1-0 | Home ^denotes U.S. Open Cup match
GOALS The Boys in Blue have scored in 14 straight USLC matches to open the 2024 season, bringing their total to 26 goals (3rd USL). The streak is the longest to open a USLC campaign and is the longest run overall within the same season for the club. In total, Indy has scored in 17 straight regular season matches dating back to Sept. 30, 2023.
The Boys in Blue have 15 first-half goals this season, the second highest total in league play (Charleston, 16).
TOTW REGULARS Jack Blake has been named to the USL Championship Team of the Week five times in 2024, the most for any player in the league, while Aedan Stanley has three nods and a Player of the Week accolade to his name. Additionally, four players have had at least one selection in Younes Boudadi, Adrian Diz Pe, Benjamin Ofeimu and Augi Williams.
In total, six players have earned team of the week nods, while seven total have received either team or bench honors.
LAST TIME OUT BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Sunday, June 9, 2024) – Indy Eleven went on the road and defeated Birmingham Legion FC, 1-0, on Sunday.
Indy’s leading goal scorer Jack Blake got things started for the visiting team in the 34th minute, converting on his fifth penalty kick of the season. In addition to being a perfect 5-for-5 from the spot in 2024, Blake now has eight goals this campaign (T3 USLC) and 11 total over two seasons with the Boys in Blue. His five successful PKs are also the third most all-time for an Indy player in USL Championship action.
Indy is 6-for-6 from the spot this season (Williams).
The Boys in Blue outshot Birmingham 21-14 in the match, including a 9-1 advantage in shots on target. Blake posted a season-high eight shots and four on target.
Defensively, Callum Chapman-Page won a game-high three tackles and led the match with four clearances. Hunter Sulte was forced to make one save and picked up his second clean sheet in seven matches.
Scoring Summary IND – Jack Blake (penalty) 34’
Discipline Summary IND – Bench (caution) 90+3’
STREAKING The Boys in Blue are now unbeaten in 11 straight matches across all competitions, including a club-best seven straight wins in USL Championship matches. The last loss for Indy came on April 13 against Charleston Battery, who sits just three points ahead of third-place Indy in the Eastern Conference standings entering the weekend. Indy is now only one of 12 teams in USL Championship history to make it seven straight wins.
The Boys in Blue have outscored their opponents 22-6 in those matches, while posting five clean sheets and never conceding more than one goal.
4.17 Chicago Fire FC II^ W, 1-0 4.20 at Colorado Springs Switchbacks SC D, 1-1 4.27 North Carolina FC W, 2-1 5.4 at Monterey Bay F.C. W, 1-0 5.8 San Antonio FC^ W, 2-0 5.12 at Miami FC W, 3-1 5.18 Hartford Athletic W, 4-1 5.22 Detroit City FC^ W, 3-0 5.25 Phoenix Rising FC W, 2-1 6.1 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC W, 2-1 6.9 at Birmingham Legion FC W, 1-0 ^denotes U.S. Open Cup match
THIS IS MAY Indy Eleven finished off the month of May going 4-0-0 in USL Championship action and 6-0-0 across all competitions. The four wins for the Boys in Blue are the most so far this season for a side in the USLC to take maximum points in a month.
TOP-10 TEAMMATES Sebastian Guenzatti (6th, 73) and Augi Williams (9th, 71) serve as the only pair of active teammates in the USL Championship’s top 10 for all-time regular season goals. Williams currently sits at five goals in 2024, while Guenzatti has three. Williams also has a pair in U.S. Open Cup action this season to lead Indy.
ALLOW ME TO ASSIST YOU Aedan Stanley has a league-best seven assists, which includes his first career multi-assist game, a two-helper performance against his old club Miami FC on May 12. He also has a team-high two in Open Cup games. Stanley has 15 career USL Championship assists, posting no more that three in a season before 2024.
2024: 7 | 2023: 3 | 2022: 3 | 2020: 2
THE [NEW] GAFFER 2024 is Indy’s first season under head coach Sean McAuley, who previously served as interim head coach/assistant at MLS-side Minnesota United FC. McAuley helped Minnesota to playoff appearances in each of his first three seasons, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2020. In 2015, he hoisted the MLS Cup with Portland Timbers. McAuley opened his playing career with Manchester United and played for Portland Timbers and the U-21 Scottish National Team, among others.
McAuley got his first career win in the USL Championship on March 16, 2024, a 2-1 defeat of Memphis 901 FC.
USLC : 8-4-2 | USOC: 3-0-0 | OVERALL: 11-4-2
IN THE WIN COLUMN The Boys in Blue had 13 regular-season wins in 2023 tied for the second most during a USL Championship season (2018) and behind the 19 victories from the 2019 season. Indy currently has eight in 2024, a total not reached until August 12 a season ago.
US Men lose 5-1 to Colombia play Brazil Wednesday night at 7 pm on TNT
Ok so I watched again before writing this. On the bright side we were down 2-1 with 75 minutes to go to a team that is unbeaten in 22 straight games in South American qualifying which included wins over Brazil, England, Germany and more. The bad news – we subbed in Cameron Carter Vickers at center back and immediately gave up 3 goals. The Celtic Man Vickers should not see the field again this summer – Miles Robinson is 5 times better than him – MLS player be damned. (Heck I would prefer Miles & Zimmerman at the centerback spots there right now – at least they will fight!) Each were dumb give-aways, but 5-1 is hard to explain when 2-1 or even 2-2 looked to be the result coming with 15 minutes left. Also on the bad side – our starting keeper Matt Turner was HORRIFIC – of the 5 goals I would say 3 of them were definitely save-able balls. I am not sure Tim Howard gives up more than 1 on the night. It’s time to give Ethan Horvath a game – Turner is proving his 4 months with no games at Nottingham Forest have cost him.
On the good side right back Joe Scally was amazing – basically keeping the electric Liverpool man Luis Diaz in check – while in for Dest. Dmid Johnny Cardosa was fantastic until the 75th minute mark when his giveaway gave up the deciding 3rd goal, he’s no Adams – but he proved the #6 should be his spot when Adams is not healthy. I thought Weah was good on the right wing, (not so good at right back) and substitute Haji Wright was electric when he checked in for Pulisic. I think Haji deserves a shot up top as the #9 – Balogen seemed disconnected like he has been for months now. Of course everyone is calling for Berhalter’s head again – and while I am not pleased with the result – GB did not give-away 3 balls inside his own half leading to 3 stupid easy goals. Now – he needs to regroup this team – get them ready for Brazil and NOT lose by more than 1 goal to Brazil. We had 0ver 60% possession on the night – which is nice but Colombia outshot us 17-5. I have always thought the US should be a counter attacking team rather than trying to control the tempo – with Pulisic and Weah on the wings – Mckinney in the midfield – and Reyna quarterbacking the middle – I just love the idea of counter attacking with a vengeance. Maybe we’ll see that vs Brazil and into the Copa America. Listen lost to Brazil by 3 goals or more – not advance past the group stages of Copa and Berhalter should be fired. We’ll finish 2nd in the group on Copa but my excitement for this team going to the Semi’s is basically dead at this point. I am hoping for a 3-2 or 2-1 loss on the night? Wouldn’t a 2-2 be nice? Listen Mexico righted the ship vs Brazil why not the US?
Here’s my starters for Wed night 7 pm on TNT vs Brazil:
Indy 11 Bring 11 game unbeaten streak home vs San Antonio this Sat Night at the Mike.
The Boys in Blue closed out a two-match road trip Sunday night with a win against Birmingham Legion FC. Indy sits at 8-4-2 in third place in the Eastern Conference and return home to host San Antonio FC this Saturday, June 15 at the Mike. Single-game tickets are available for all matches via Ticketmaster. Great Story about Carmel Dad’s Club’s own Cam Lindley and his journey back to Indy 11. The 11 Ladies will host King’s Hammer FC Wed night 7 pm at Grand Park Events Center – tix just $10.
Euro’s Start Friday
The European Championships start Friday — I have included some preview stories below – I will have my full preview and predictions Friday. Copa America of course starts the following weekend as the summer of soccer 2024 on Fox gets underway.
Carmel High Girls Soccer Camp July 22-25
2-4:30 pm @ Murray Stadium Register Here contact fdixon@ccs.k1.in.us for more info
GAMES ON TV to WATCH
Wed, June 12
7 pm TNT, Tele US Men vs Brazil
Fri, June 14 Euro 2024 Begins
3 pm Fox Germany vs Scotland
8 pm Amazon Prime KC Current vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL
Heading over to the Badger Field for Training or Games? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
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The U.S. men’s national team’s game against Colombia was always meant to be a tune-up for Copa América this summer. A pair of games, ending Wednesday in Orlando against Brazil, was the last chance for the U.S. to test options before the tournament. On Saturday in Landover, Maryland, the U.S. had plenty to take away on what not to do.They were sloppy in the back and gave Colombia several chances, and Los Cafeteros did not waste them.The result was an ugly 5-1 scoreline that leaves the U.S. knowing they have plenty of work to do before the Copa América starts — especially considering Colombia is a potential knockout round opponent if the U.S. advances from the group stage.“We’re nowhere near the level we need to play at if we want to win games coming into Copa América,” U.S. winger Christian Pulisic said. “It’s better that it happened now, but we can’t be anywhere near playing like that and expect to win games.”The concern about this U.S. team was whether they could beat big opponents on big stages. This game only enhanced those questions.“We’re not framing it as a lesson learned,” U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter said. “We’re actually framing it as a wake-up call. Really poor performance against a top team and I think if you give, or I know if you give a team like that the opportunities that we gave them, you’re going to have no chance to win. It’s never going to happen. And that’s what’s really disappointing about the game.”
Should fans worry about the U.S. defense?
Simply put, it was one of the worst performances in recent memory we’ve seen from the U.S. backline.
Part of that might be chalked up to the level of the opponent, but there were also far too many mistakes from players who are considered some of the most reliable in this U.S. pool. The U.S. made errors that gave too many chances to Colombia, and Colombia finished those looks easily and gratefully.
The issues weren’t isolated to one or two players. Center back Tim Ream wasn’t as clean as we have come to expect in a U.S. uniform. Part of that might be because he played just one Premier League game for Fulham since February 17. If Ream is going to be the starter in Copa, getting these minutes in the friendlies is vital, but the hiccups probably aren’t unexpected.
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Antonee Robinson, who has been one of the highest-floor players for the U.S. in the last three years, had an off day. Cameron Carter-Vickers had a poor giveaway that led directly to a goal in the second half. Johnny Cardoso struggled in midfield starting at the No. 6 in his biggest opportunity so far in a U.S. jersey. Even goalkeeper Matt Turner, who didn’t play much this year for Nottingham Forest, looked shaky in net, giving up a couple of goals at the near post.
Colombia’s third goal saw seven U.S. defenders in the box, yet none picked up the late Colombian runners for an easy finish. It was the start of a final 15 minutes that was as ugly as you’ll see.
“From the 75th minute on, it was, I think, a lack of respect for our opponent, the game of soccer, what we were doing,” Berhalter said. “And the sad thing is it overshadows how we got back into the game, how we were aggressive, how we had them on their heels, and they were struggling for a moment when it was 2-1, and we weren’t able to capitalize that on it and then the game went to pieces late in the match.”
The attacking side for the U.S. has typically been the area we’ve spent most of our time analyzing. What can the U.S. do better to find more goals? Against Colombia, however, there were just too many bad moments that gave Los Cafeteros easy looks at goal in transition and it led to a blowout loss.
The U.S. is going to have to be much better against Brazil on Wednesday, and in the Copa after that.
Did the U.S. get a necessary ‘wake-up call’?
Multiple times during the press conference, Berhalter called the performance a “wake-up call.” It better be for the U.S.There has never been this much hype around a U.S. men’s national team. The starting lineup consisted completely of players who play overseas. There were starters from AC Milan, Juventus, Monaco, Crystal Palace and Fulham, among others, on the field. The expectations going into the Copa América are to contend for a trophy. What we saw on Saturday night was far short of that.This performance puts everyone on notice. No doubt that means Berhalter, too, as he has been entrusted with taking this team from young upstarts into a group that should be peaking when the World Cup comes to these shores in two years’ time.“We take responsibility as a coaching staff, for sure,” Berhalter said. “We can’t put this all on the players. It’s our job to prepare them with a game plan, and then it’s about execution. And I think that this game will help us understand that when we don’t do things we’re supposed to do, we’ll get hurt really quickly.”
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The Copa is about playing big games against big opponents. That’s what these friendlies were supposed to be, too.“It’s about understanding what it takes to beat teams like this,” Berhalter said. “And when I said a wake up call, there’s some glaring things that you have to address if you’re going to compete at this level. And so we just go back to work. Our mindset the whole time is we want to improve. We want to get better. We want to use every opportunity, every game we play to keep improving. And we’ll certainly keep the same theme in this one.”It will be difficult to know where to start. As noted above, the U.S. was sloppy and disjointed defensively, even before things got truly ugly late. The bright moments in the game were never connected enough to truly threaten Colombia for extended periods.
What were the USMNT’s early errors?
The frustration for the U.S. wasn’t just about the hole they found themselves in 20 minutes into Saturday’s game against Colombia. It was how they found themselves there.
Robinson went to the ground to prevent a ball from sliding in behind him, but there was no run coming. That led to an easy first goal. Then, Tim Ream’s mistake playing out of the back eventually led to a corner kick that wasn’t cleared and was finished by Borre at the back post. Again, a preventable goal.The U.S. was lucky to avoid a third when Antonee Robinson turned it over in the 61st minute inside his own half and the counter led to Luis Diaz’s shot hitting off the inside of the post, rolling across the face of goal and out.
The U.S. is very much still the underdog against teams like Colombia and, on Wednesday in Orlando, Brazil. The U.S. was 3-13-5 all-time vs. Colombia going into the game, their second-worst record against any opponent. The worst? Brazil. The USMNT is 1-18-0 against the Seleção all-time. Considering the records, considering the opponents, the U.S. has to play a clean game. They can’t give away easy half-chances. If they do, the result is what we saw against Colombia: Two mistakes from the back line, and two goals for Colombia.he final 15 minutes was a true lesson in the level needed to compete against good teams. There was a lot of bad and a lot of blame to go around.“You can go back and check the goals,” Berhalter said, of spreading the issues around beyond one or two individuals. “It’s midfielders not recovering, it’s guys losing the ball in positions when our fullbacks are high, they got hung out to dry a number of occasions. It’s a second phase from a set piece. It’s a miscue on a ball that’s going out of bounds in the first six minutes of the game. So, it’s a collective thing and the reason why I’m so disappointed is because guys just didn’t do their job.”
Weah was a rare bright spot for the U.S. against Colombia. (Photo by Greg Fiume/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
When we talk about core players for the U.S. men’s national team, so often the same names come up: Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams. Weah, though, has been one of the most consistent starters and performers for the U.S., putting in quietly dangerous outings in qualifiers, Qatar, where he scored the first goal of the tournament for the U.S., and Nations League.
So much of the damage Weah has caused for the U.S. has been through his verticality on the wing. He takes defenders on, can beat you to the end line and is also dangerous arriving in the box to finish. On Saturday, he showed a bit more of what he can do.
Weah dropped centrally to get on the ball, turned after receiving a pass from Gio Reyna and curled a pass wide to Folarin Balogun. Weah then sprinted into the box, signaling to Balogun where he wanted to get it back, then blistered a shot to the far post when Balogun laid it out to him.
With the right back spot somewhat open, there has been talk about playing Weah there considering he has played right wingback for Juventus. His goal against Colombia showed some of the attacking edge you might lose by dropping Weah deeper on the field.
Pulisic left the game at halftime due to managing his minutes. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
How did Christian Pulisic look in 45 minutes?
Pulisic played just 45 minutes for the U.S. on Saturday, as he was pulled at halftime in a planned substitution to manage his minutes ahead of the Copa América tournament, but there were a few important takeaways from the 45 minutes .First, Pulisic wore the armband. We’ve seen Pulisic take on more of a leadership role with this U.S. team beyond just his on-field performances. He seems willing to embrace other aspects of leadership, and though this is not the first time seeing him wearing the captain’s armband, I think it’s taking on more significance for the team’s biggest star. Secondly, Pulisic was the most dangerous player for the U.S. in the first half, and that is what the USMNT is going to need to see from the winger if they want to be successful in the Copa. Pulisic was the best-attacking player for the U.S. in Qatar and tends to step up on the biggest stages. Coming off of a career club season, the U.S. will need him to carry it over. Against Colombia, he hit the post on a header and also served in a dangerous cross in the 42nd minute. One thing we didn’t see that I wonder if we will during the Copa: Pulisic and Weah switching sides during the game to unbalance opponents, especially considering Pulisic’s success playing on the right for AC Milan.
What next for USMNT?
Wednesday, June 12: Brazil (Camping World Stadium, Orlando), friendly, 7 pm ET
USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner apologises to fans after 5-1 defeat to Colombia
United States goalkeeper Matt Turner apologised to the national team fans after their 5-1 defeat against Colombia on Saturday.Gregg Berhalter’s side suffered a heavy defeat in Maryland in their penultimate warm-up match for this summer’s Copa America, which the U.S. is hosting.Jhon Arias, Rafael Borre, Richard Rios, Jorge Carrascal and Luis Sinisterra were all on target for Colombia, with Timothy Weah’s goal just before the hour mark proving to be just a consolation for the U.S.“We didn’t have any answers for the way Colombia changed themselves, changed the way they pressed,” Turner said after the match. “They had a different intensity about them that we didn’t have for the game. “So it’s really, really disappointing in front of such a great crowd to perform like that, so I want to apologise to the fans as well, because that’s not what we’re about and we need to bounce back in a big way.”
Weah was a rare bright spot for the U.S. against Colombia. (Greg Fiume/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
The Nottingham Forest goalkeeper said he was “obviously disappointed” with his personal performance and added that he and his team-mates “need to look in the mirror” after the result. The U.S. play Brazil on June 12 to conclude their preparation for the Copa America. They get their campaign underway against Bolivia on June 23, before taking on Panama four days later and finalising their group stage campaign against Uruguay on July 1. (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
USMNT international Brenden Aaronson to stay at Leeds United
U.S. international midfielder Brenden Aaronson will stay at Leeds United this season after a positive conversation with head coach Daniel Farke, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.Aaronson still had an active release clause in which he could have left on a free loan again and had interest in Germany, but opted to return to Leeds. Aaronson spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Union Berlin. The player feels he has unfinished business in England and Farke plans for the American to play a key role in their promotion push, sources say.Leeds lost in the Championship playoff final against Southampton after finishing third in the table.
Aaronson, 23, had a difficult start to life in Germany, but finished strong. He appeared in 30 of the club’s 34 league games and all six Champions League games.The Yorkshire Evening Post first reported Aaronson was likely to stay at Leeds this summer.The Athletic first revealed the relegation release clause in Aaronson’s contract last summer, which meant interested clubs needed only to cover his full salary as part of the deal. That clause remains active.Aaronson appeared in 36 of the club’s 38 Premier League games in 2022-23 as they suffered relegation. He was criticized by fans for lack of goal contributions, particularly with his hefty price tag. Leeds initially signed Aaronson in the summer of 2022 for £25million ($30m) from RB Salzburg. The U.S. international is preparing for the Copa America and already has 40 caps with the national team.
Euro 2024 Group A guide: Germany’s narrow No 10s, resolute Hungary and Scotland’s set pieces
Six groups, with 24 teams in total, playing 51 games in 31 days — Euro 2024 is going to be relentless.
To help you navigate and prepare, The Athletic has compiled guides to each of the groups. They detail each team’s tactics, key players, weaknesses, stats and quirks.
Expect screengrabs to show team shapes and tactics-board GIFs demonstrating attacking rotations and pressing structures. There will be podcast clips and videos embedded for further reading/listening.
First up, it’s… Group A, where the host nation Germany are joined by Hungary, Scotland and Switzerland. All four were at the previous European Championship three years ago, though none of them went beyond the quarter-finals. It is a group of back threes, No 10s and set pieces. Let’s go.
Had they not qualified by virtue of being the hosts, Germany might not have been at this tournament. By their standards, 2023 was disastrous — six defeats from their 11 games, including three consecutive losses for the first time since 1985.
It was their most defeats in a calendar year since 2018 and also their most goals conceded (22) since 2012. Bad records to break at any time, especially in a year without a major tournament and with evidence that the problems we saw during their 2022 World Cup group-stage exit had not been solved.
Nagelsmann became the second-youngest men’s national-team head coach in Germany’s history, replacing Hansi Flick — who was sacked after just 25 games. When asked the classic football-philosophy question in his first press conference, Nagelsmann described it as “healthy aggression towards the opponent’s goal, which doesn’t only apply when in possession. We want to cause problems for our opponents.” He alluded to principles rather than patterns in attacking, saying that “it won’t be as complex as it can be in club football. It’s about giving the players something to identify with.”
Despite the limited time he’s had in the job, Nagelsmann has trialled various systems and personnel — 31 players featured in his first six games. He started with a narrow 4-4-2, followed by a 4-2-3-1 with a pure No 9, switched to a back three with Kai Havertz at wing-back, and settled on a 4-2-3-1 with Havertz as a false nine. The Arsenal forward frequently drops in to overload midfield, while central midfielder Toni Kroos rotates out to the left frequently. This pushes the left-back, Maximilian Mittelstadt, upfield.
Boldly, the attack is structured around two 21-year-olds in Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz — narrow No 10s who play either side of captain Ilkay Gundogan. This trio have freedom to roam and rotate.
Build-up is patient, packed with short passes trying to shift opponents so that lanes into the No 10s are opened. Expect up-back-through patterns, centre-backs trying ambitious balls into the forwards and occasional passes in behind if the opposition play a high defensive line and do not put pressure on the ball. With three (arguably four) No 10s, Germany have plenty of midfield runners to attack that space — see their second goal away against France in a March friendly.
They press aggressively, locking on man-for-man out wide. The 4-2-3-1 tends to shift to a 4-4-2, allowing them to mark and cover opposition central midfielders before stepping out, though they take risks by pushing full-backs high to press opposition full-backs. Considering Nagelsmann hasn’t been in charge for long, it is well co-ordinated.
Germany showed against France and the Netherlands, their other opponents in March, that they can disrupt the build-up of Europe’s best sides. Equally, when played through, their back line is exposed, centre-backs are pulled wide and opposition midfielders can exploit space in behind the Germany full-backs.
High risk, high reward.
Key player(s)
Kroos came out of international retirement in February at the age of 34, after nearly three years away, and says he will hang up his boots for good whenever Germany’s tournament ends.
He is ninth on Germany’s caps list, and made his return in the impressive wins at home to the Netherlands and away to France in March. He provided assists in both games — a precise chip into midfield for Wirtz’s kick-off goal away to the French, and an inswinging corner for Niclas Fullkrug’s winner against the Dutch.
Kroos joins Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lothar Matthaus and Lukas Podolski as Germans to play in four European Championships. Nagelsmann’s play-style suits, and needs, Kroos’ distribution and line-breaking abilities.
Finishing. They were the most wasteful team at the World Cup 18 months ago, scoring six goals from chances worth over 10 expected goals. In their 25 games under Flick, no player reached double digits for goals. So this problem predates Nagelsmann, and there is no straightforward solution.
Havertz suits the passing style but has been a wasteful finisher in recent seasons, whereas Nagelsmann’s goalscoring options have box forwards and target man profiles. Borussia Dortmund’s Fullkrug is the standout, with 11 goals in 16 caps — including five in 10 substitute appearances. He came off the bench in all three World Cup games, scoring twice.
Fullkrug (12 league goals), along with Deniz Undav (18) and Maximilian Beier (16), were three of the top five German scorers in Europe’s top-five leagues in 2023-24. They all play in the Bundesliga.
German strikers currently fit one of three categories: stylistically suited (Havertz), experienced (see Thomas Muller) or goalscorers (the three above).
Kai Havertz (Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images)
One thing to watch out for
Germany must fight the form books to win. They reached four semi-finals and three finals in eight major tournaments between 2002 and 2016, winning the 2014 World Cup. Since a semi-final finish at Euro 2016, however, they have not won a knockout game.
Compounding that, none of the past 10 host nations have won the European Championship — France in 1984, Italy in 1968 and Spain in 1964 are the only three countries to win the competition when staging it. England (Euro 2020), France (2016) and Portugal (2004) have all lost the final on home soil more recently.
How to follow the European Championship on The Athletic…
Steve Clarke’s contract was extended until 2026 in March. It was recognition for Scotland achieving Euros qualification, and how they did it. Clarke, Scotland’s longest-serving national team manager since Craig Brown between 1993 and 2001, has evolved a squad and implemented a clear style.
He coached Scotland to and in Euro 2020, their first major tournament in 23 years. No wins and only one goal from the three group matches made for a sobering tournament, despite an excellent defensive performance to draw 0-0 against England at Wembley.
Qualification suggests they are better this time around. Scotland won their first five group games, notably beating Spain 2-0. They play a 3-4-2-1 and defend in a 5-4-1.
It is a partial truth but really an oversimplification to see their system as a way to fit Kieran Tierney and Andy Robertson, two top-level left-backs, into the same team. Tierney plays left centre-back, as Scotland’s best forward passer and with impressive range, and underlaps in attack. It allows Robertson to play a wing-back role, perfect for his athleticism and final ball.
Clarke plays two narrow No 10s behind a target-man No 9. The first-choices for that pairing are John McGinn and Ryan Christie, who both play on the opposite side to their dominant foot. This sets them up to deliver back-post crosses and hit switches when they have their back to goal. The latter is important as they are often the out-ball when the back five win duels and launch counter-attacks.
“A few years ago, we played with that deep block against the teams seeded above us and made it difficult for them and looked to counter,” said Clarke after March’s friendly defeat against Northern Ireland. Scotland are evolving beyond just underdog football, and on their good days mix build-up between playing through the thirds and hitting the forwards directly.
They defend across the pitch more, sometimes sitting deep but pressing high specifically at opposition goal kicks. This is typically man-for-man, and they drop to a mid-block quickly if the press is broken.
Key player(s)
McGinn is Scotland’s top scorer (17) under Clarke, playing in all but three of his 55 games in charge. McGinn’s role varies, sometimes crashing the box, linking play in deeper positions, providing the final ball himself and offering a long shot.
Scotland will benefit from McGinn going into the tournament on the back of his best-ever top-flight season, one in which he helped Aston Villa to fourth place in the Premier League, and a return to the European Cup/Champions League after 42 years.
“The way we play, the way the team is structured, is for that striker to help the midfield to score goals,” said Clarke. This applies to Scott McTominay, too. The Manchester United midfielder plays deeper than McGinn in build-up but attacks the box as an auxiliary striker. He scored seven of Scotland’s 17 qualifying goals “I’d be lying if I said I’d expected it,” said Clarke. “I tweaked his position a little bit, I allowed him a little bit more freedom to get forward and suddenly he was scoring goals.”
What’s their weakness?
Scotland’s recent performances against Spain and England are exceptions to the rule. Under Clarke, they have only won once in 10 games against opponents who were in the top 20 of FIFA’s world rankings. Their starting XI, individually and collectively, is better than at the previous Euros, but Clarke partly picks a consistent team because of a lack of quality depth options — especially at right wing-back beyond Nathan Patterson and Aaron Hickey, who both miss this tournament through injury.
Scotland were excellent for 70 minutes in March against the Netherlands, mixing their attacking and defensive approaches, but eventually faded and lost 4-0.
Before beating Gibraltar 2-0 last Monday, they had gone seven games without a win (19 goals conceded) for the first time since 1997-98. That run also included friendly defeats against England and France, and draws in the final two qualification matches after sealing their place in Germany, and quite crudely suggests a glass ceiling. Scotland are not a nation with great tournament history, with group-stage exits in all 11 appearances at World Cups and European Championships.
One thing to watch out for
Austin MacPhee is Scotland’s set-piece coach, working with both them and Villa at club level since the start of the 2021-22 season. Scotland have plenty of height and in playing a back three have aerial threats aplenty for both boxes — their success or not in defending crosses often determines their results against better teams.
There were identical headed goals by Lyndon Dykes (who misses these Euros through injury) from inswinging corners in the 3-0 win against Ukraine in the 2022 Nations League. James Forrest’s deliveries to the corner of the box, at the near post, resembled typical Villa inswinging corners from the left.
McGinn, who works with MacPhee at Villa, delivers fantastic deep inswingers from the right. That delivery created goals against Austria, Denmark (both 2021), Armenia (2022) and, most significantly, the winner in their 3-2 victory at home against Israel in 2022 World Cup qualification.
Switzerland: perennially decent. They have qualified from the groups at four of the past five major tournaments but only won one knockout tie, beating France on penalties at Euro 2020.
Yakin had promised the “best World Cup ever” from “the best Switzerland national team that has ever existed”, and they fell well short. Euro 2024 qualifying then did little to vindicate him, with too many draws (five) meaning Switzerland finished second behind Romania in a favourable group. The Swiss FA have publicly backed Yakin, who said he would “try a few things” in the March internationals.
He has trialled a permanent 3-4-2-1 with and without the ball, though Switzerland have attacked in that shape previously. The team is structured around three key left-footers, who are all among the nation’s four most-capped players.
Ricardo Rodriguez plays on the left of the back three, as he does for his Italian club side Torino (who play the same shape). Central midfielder Granit Xhaka is often the deepest midfielder in build-up and sometimes a box-crashing threat. Right-winger Xherdan Shaqiri has a free role. He provides back-post inswinging crosses and picks apart defences with dribbles or long shots. Switzerland often hit big switches to him and Shaqiri is supported by an overlapping central midfielder.
Against inferior opposition, their individual quality shines and they score stylish cutback goals — see Renato Steffen’s hat-trick in their 5-0 win over Belarus, where all three goals came from cutback moves from the left. When facing a superior side, expect early crosses, as Switzerland rarely get sustained possession upfield and struggle to play through a co-ordinated high press.
They had the second-highest possession average (71 per cent) in qualifying, but this is less a reflection of controlling matches and more that they faced weaker opposition. Yakin says Switzerland want to dominate the ball but they must shore up the defensive base — 11 goals conceded was the leakiest defence of any team to qualify for these Euros.
In the March internationals, they mixed between mid-block defending in a 5-4-1 or 5-2-3, and pressing man-for-man. It worked better, keeping clean sheets against Denmark and the Republic of Ireland (who also played back threes).
Key player(s)
Other players might play bigger roles in qualifying, but Shaqiri’s finals record speaks for itself. Switzerland have scored 28 goals across their past five appearances at World Cups and Euros, and 13 were either scored or assisted by Shaqiri, an ever-present at those tournaments. He is a triple threat of dribbler, passer and finisher, takes set pieces and can play as the false nine too, which he did in March’s game in Dublin.
At the other end, Switzerland will hope goalkeeper Yann Sommer can carry his club form into the Euros. He kept 19 clean sheets and only conceded 19 goals in 34 games last season as Inter Milan won the Serie A title — his international record is 34 clean sheets in 89 caps, conceding less than a goal per game (88 in total).
What’s their weakness?
Conceding late goals. Six of the 11 scored against Switzerland in qualifying came after the 80th minute and contributed greatly to them having so many draws. These goals had no repeatable pattern but a common theme of individual errors despite sound structures: the back five losing/not tracking runners in-behind (without enough pressure on the ball) in settled defence, losing first contacts at crosses and defending set pieces badly.
Such poor game-management belies their individual experience — Sommer, 35, was in goal for all six of those concessions — and is atypical for a team defending in a back five. It needs resolving.
One thing to watch out for
Burnley’s Zeki Amdouni. Vincent Kompany, his manager last season who is now in charge at Bayern Munich, has called the 23-year-old a “natural goalscorer”. He was Switzerland’s top scorer in qualifying (six), averaging a goal every 83 minutes. He is a flexible forward, equally threatening against set defences as in transition, with the ball at his feet or attacking crosses/passes in behind. He may not start, but could prove an excellent substitute.
Hungary have grown exponentially as a footballing force in the past two years.
Questions were asked of Marco Rossi after a group-stage exit at Euro 2020 and their failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
The Italian, in charge since June 2018, is their longest-serving national-team boss since Lajos Baroti in the 1950s and 1960s. Hungary’s 2022-23 Nations League performance set a marker, finishing second in a group that included Euro 2020 winners Italy and runners-up England, plus Germany.
Those games showed Hungary at their best under Rossi: defensively strong, dropping into a typically-Italian 5-4-1 in their own half. They conceded just seven big chances across the six Nations League games, half as many as they created (14). Successful and sustainable.
Rossi’s favourite game of that Nations League run was not Hungary’s first win in Germany (1-0) since 2004 or in England (4-0) since 1954, but rather the 1-1 draw at home to the Germans. His explanation: because they “could only get behind us twice or three times, it was an almost perfect 90 minutes from a professional perspective”. Germany had 67 per cent possession that day but were outshot 11-6, and only managed one big chance and one shot on target (Hungary had four big chances and seven efforts on target).
The Nations League success proved no fluke, as Hungary qualified for these Euros without losing. They only conceded seven goals in their eight matches and 2023 became their first calendar year without a defeat since 1976. Hungary defend with more aggression now than at Euro 2020, where they had the least intense defensive approach based on opposition passes allowed per defensive action (25.9).
The centre-backs, especially Adam Lang on the right side, defend touch-tight. Central midfielders mark aggressively and the No 10s stay high to press centre-backs. The No 9 drops onto either the midfield pivot or a centre-back who steps out.
Hungary often lock on man-for-man when opponents play wide. All these jumps, especially from centre-backs, can leave exploitable space in-behind if the timing is not perfect. Equally, when well co-ordinated, it forces turnovers from which they can counter.
No 9s rarely have good games against Hungary. Since Euro 2020, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Harry Kane and Timo Werner have started a combined nine games against them and only scored one goal. Three very different strikers, all of which Hungary can defend. They are adaptable.
Their biggest vulnerability in settled defending is direct balls and runs inside the wing-back, especially back-post crosses delivered from their right and targeting left wing-back Milos Kerkez. Hungary defend better than they attack, but their rotational build-up approach has caused problems when they play long.
On paper, it looks like a box midfield in a 3-4-2-1, though the left No 6 regularly rotates out to the left centre-back spot, pushing that side’s centre-back and wing-back upfield.
Here’s how that looked against Italy in September 2022, where another of their typical rotations can be seen — the wing-back and No 10 trading places (see Loic Nego out wide).
Similarly against Germany three months earlier, this time with Callum Styles, of Barnsley in League One, the third tier of English football, fulfilling Andras Schafer’s role and no wing-back/No 10 rotation on the right.
All this is designed to get more bodies on the last line, especially when they are up against a back four.
Their first pass typically is short, but under pressure Hungary’s back line play direct to the No 9 rather than through midfield. Expect wing-back to wing-back switches and runs in behind, while their build-up patterns of defender to No 9 to No 10 to release the wing-back are reminiscent of Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan.
Hungary are strong at seeing out leads: they are unbeaten in the last 28 games when scoring first, which includes going ahead against France (once), Germany (three times) and England (three times).
Key player(s)
Dominik Szoboszlai became captain after Adam Szalai’s international retirement in September 2022. The 3-4-2-1 structure frees the Liverpool midfielder to play No 10 and rotate, maximising his passing range. Sometimes he drops into the box at goal kicks, receives from the goalkeeper and hits long balls.
Szoboszlai is Hungary’s key man against low blocks and weaker opposition, though this owes to the No 6s too.
The first-choice pairing here are Adam Nagy and Schafer. Nagy has played 57 of Rossi’s 63 games, and is often the lone pivot when Schafer rotates to left centre-back. The pair are tough tacklers, Schafer is a comfortable dribbler from the back and Nagy likes a diagonal.
What’s their weakness?
Dominating games. After all, Hungary had the fewest open-play sequences of 10-plus passes at Euro 2020. In qualifying, their possession ranged between 36 and 72 per cent, and they only managed eight goals from open play. When they have played expansively, notably at home to Serbia in qualifying, they looked vulnerable to counter-attacks.
“It could be harder against them (group opponents Montenegro, Bulgaria and Lithuania) than it was against the classy teams in the Nations League,” said Rossi before the start of qualifying. “It will almost be a completely new situation for us to have the burden of being favourites on our shoulders.”
Rossi emphasises they are a “young, developing team,” but in the group matches against Switzerland and Scotland — both likely to go with back fives themselves — Hungary will have to play more than just underdog football if they are to qualify for the knockout phase.
One thing to watch for
Set pieces. No team bettered Hungary’s six set-piece goals in qualifying. Szoboszlai takes most of these, and is also 17 out of 18 from the penalty spot in his senior career (94 per cent).
Like Scotland, playing three centre-backs and a tall No 9 means Hungary have aerial threats aplenty, and they defend corners almost exclusively man-to-man. Here’s their national-team analyst, Istvan Beregi, examining set pieces.
How will Italy set up under Luciano Spalletti? What’s the Spanish quirk we should look out for? What can we expect from Albania?
Euro 2024 is nearly upon us and The Athletic will be running in-depth tactical group guides so you know what to expect from every nation competing in Germany.
We’ll look at each team’s playing style, strengths, weaknesses and key players, and highlight things to keep an eye on during the tournament.
Expect to see screengrabs analysing tactical moments in games, embedded videos of key clips to watch, the occasional podcast clip and data visualisation to highlight patterns and trends — think of yourself as a national team head coach and this a mini opposition dossier for you to read pre-match.
This time we’re looking at Group B, which features Spain, Italy, Croatia and Albania.
If you haven’t watched Spain for a while and have only a basic idea about how they might play, you are still probably on the right track.
Under head coach Luis de la Fuente, Spain are still looking to dominate possession in a 4-3-3 shape on the ball with a focus on combinations down the flanks between the winger, the full-back and the No 8.
The prominence of Spain’s wingers, such as Lamine Yamal, has also led to more crosses into the penalty area. In Euro 2024 qualifying matches, De la Fuente’s side had the fourth-most crosses per game (26.3) of the 53 nations competing for a place in the final tournament.
This approach tallies well with the head coach’s choices for the striker position. Morata is strong in the air and Joselu has been making a positive impact off the bench, too, scoring four goals from his nine substitute appearances.
On top of that, Mikel Merino, Fabian Ruiz or whoever is playing as a No 8 constantly makes off-ball runs into the box to provide the winger or the full-back with multiple options.
Another feature of Spain’s game in possession is Morata’s tendency to drop and offer himself as a passing option in the middle of the pitch, which makes him a viable option as a false nine if he is needed to play that role.
Off the ball, Spain defend in a 4-4-2 — like the majority of the top football teams in the world — with one of the central midfielders moving up next to Morata or Joselu. When they lose possession, they focus on winning the ball back quickly to limit the opponent’s transitions.
The level Rodri has maintained in the last couple of years positions him as one of the best midfielders in the world, if not the best. He is vital to Manchester City and Spain.
Rodri’s ability to dictate the tempo, receive the ball under pressure and split the opponent’s line is only matched by his off-ball prowess. He is always in the right position when his team have the ball, which allows him to win the ball back quickly once it is lost, and his defensive presence is complemented by his smart positioning when Spain are out of possession, too.
Great players might drop a level or two on the international stage, but Rodri elevates Spain to another dimension.
(Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Pedri has only featured twice for Spain since the 2022 World Cup, and the recurring muscle injuries meant that he only started 21 matches for Barcelona in the 2023-24 season.
His match fitness is a concern, but he is Spain’s best No 8 and his performance against Northern Ireland on Saturday should bring back some hope regarding the levels he could reach in the tournament.
What is their weakness?
Not necessarily a weakness in their playing style, but missing Gavi, one of their best midfielders, is Spain’s biggest problem entering this tournament. Gavi was the only player to feature in all of De la Fuente’s games until his injury against Georgia. His off-ball movement and intensity were crucial in Spain’s qualifiers and those qualities will be missed.
One thing to watch out for…
If Spain’s passing combinations down one side of the pitch are halted by the opponent’s defence, they look to switch the ball quickly to the other side to try to put their winger in a one-versus-one situation or create an overload using the full-back.
Looking at the number of attempted switches of play — which is defined by Opta as any pass that travels at least 60 per cent of the width of the pitch — Spain’s 7.5 per game was the second-most of all teams competing in the Euro qualifiers after Georgia (8.1). In terms of successful switches of play, their 6.5 per game topped the charts.
These switches of play are often played by Rodri, who is instrumental to a similar attacking move at City.
One example is Ferran Torres’ goal in the 3-1 victory against Georgia last November. Here, Fabian Ruiz roams towards the right wing and combines with Oihan Sancet to find Rodri…
… who switches the play to Nico Williams and Jose Gaya before Georgia’s defensive block can shift across…
… leaving their right wing-back, Otar Kakabadze, in a one-versus-two situation. Williams finds Gaya’s overlap, while on the other side, Torres starts his run to attack the back post…
… and Spain’s left-back plays the ball towards that area, for Torres to head the ball into the net.
Until last March, Luciano Spalletti looked set on playing with a back four. However, the Italy manager said that he wanted to do “something modern” before the friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador in March.
“There is an openness now to being footballers who know how to interpret multiple systems within the same match,” said Spalletti. “Before we had little time and we only focused on one system. Even when we lost, I said we would stay in that system, but now there is more time to do something different.”
The difference was moving to a back three instead of the back four Italy implemented in Spalletti’s games in the Euro qualifiers. In his first six games, Italy’s 4-3-3 in possession depended on wing play with flexible rotations between the full-back, No 8 and the winger to break down teams in the wide areas.
In this example, against Ukraine last September, Barella’s movement drags Taras Stepanenko and creates space in midfield, which is attacked by Italy’s full-back, Federico Dimarco, after combining with Mattia Zaccagni. Complementing that movement was Giacomo Raspadori dropping from a centre-forward position to provide a passing option, but the interesting role in Italy’s wide combinations is the opposite full-back — Giovanni Di Lorenzo in this sequence.
After Dimarco plays the ball to Raspadori, and the Napoli forward combines with Davide Frattesi (Italy’s No 8 above), he finds Di Lorenzo unmarked in a narrow position after Ukraine’s left-winger Viktor Tsygankov has dropped to protect his left-back.
The time Di Lorenzo has on the ball allows him to pick his pass, but despite the move not ending in a goal, it’s an attacking sequence that Spalletti’s team has been using regularly when Italy have played in a 4-3-3.
That move resulted in their only goal against England the following month. Here, Barella’s rotation to the left-back space forces Kalvin Phillips to press Destiny Udogie as Phil Foden focuses on the Inter Milan midfielder. Italy’s left-back then combines with Stephan El Shaarawy to exploit the space in England’s midfield, before carrying the ball forward…
… and playing it wide to the left-winger. Meanwhile, Italy’s right-back, Di Lorenzo, advances on the other side…
… and is in a position to receive the switch of play, with Marcus Rashford late to the action. El Shaarawy spots Di Lorenzo, but his pass is intercepted by Declan Rice and the ball falls to Domenico Berardi (out of shot) on the right wing.
Di Lorenzo’s narrow positioning allows him to make an underlapping run behind Kieran Trippier, which is found by Berardi, before the right-back’s low cross into the penalty box is attacked by Gianluca Scamacca to give Italy the lead.
As for the back-three scenario, Italy have used different formations in possession while maintaining a solid 5-4-1 shape without the ball. Against Venezuela, Federico Chiesa’s participation meant that Spalletti’s 3-5-2 on the ball was lopsided because the Juventus forward excels in space and one-versus-one situations down the wing rather than central areas.
The 3-2-4-1 shape used against Ecuador was more fluid, and Raspadori’s link-up play helped Italy’s passing combinations in central areas.
Despite attacking in a different shape, Spalletti’s side focused on combinations between the No 10, wing-back and No 6, allowing the wide centre-backs to exchange positions with the wing-backs.
The common theme in Italy’s attacking game is their dependence on passing combinations in wide areas and rotations between the players in those spaces, regardless of the shape.
Their key player(s)
After an impressive season with Inter, Barella is entering Euro 2024 as his country’s shining light. The midfielder’s ability to win back the ball in midfield and help the team defensively strengthens Spalletti’s side without the ball, but it’s his technical ability and the options he provides in possession that make him crucial to this side.
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Barella constantly drops to help Italy build up the attacks, while also supporting the passing combinations out wide with his precise passing and off-ball movement. The latter is another feature of his game that allows him to be an offensive threat in the opposition penalty area with late runs from midfield.
(Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
What is their weakness?
Once Italy lose possession, they look vulnerable on defensive transitions. They leave large spaces between their defensive line and the rest of the team. Rashford’s goal in the 3-1 loss against England last October is a scene that Spalletti would preferably avoid in the upcoming tournament.
The back-three formation has provided more central cover when Italy are transitioning from attack to defence, but it’s still an area that opponents can exploit.
One thing to watch out for…
Italy’s corner threat.
Throughout the qualifying matches and in their recent friendlies, Italy’s attacking corners have been one of their main offensive solutions. In terms of expected goals (xG) per 100 corners — which allows us to level the playing field when comparing across teams — their rate of 5.7 was the sixth-best of the 53 nations that competed for a place in this summer’s tournament.
There’s not much deviation from how Croatia have been playing under Dalic in previous tournaments.
They still set up in a 4-3-3 formation, and they are still built around the midfield trio of Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic and Luka Modric, with flying full-backs as prominent as ever down the wings. However, matches against Armenia and Latvia showed they can mix it up by playing Andrej Kramaric as a No 10 in a 4-2-3-1.
Croatia’s possession game is mainly built on the technical abilities of Brozovic, Kovacic and Modric. The experienced trio drop deep to control the game with the ball.
Their fluid movement, passing combinations and interchanging of positions allow them to play through opponents and progress the ball into the final third. In front of them, the front three usually occupy narrow positions to present themselves as passing options to the midfielders…
… and create space for the full-backs to attack. In this example, from the 2-0 victory away to Turkey in March 2023, Borna Barisic and Josip Stanisic are high up the pitch, flanking a narrow front three of Ivan Perisic, Kramaric and Mario Pasalic.
Earlier in that game, Josip Sutalo’s long pass into the advanced right-back Stanisic had led to the opener.
Here, Pasalic’s narrow positioning occupies Turkey’s left-back, and Sutalo finds Stanisic’s run behind the defence, before the right-back plays the ball into Pasalic. Meanwhile, Kovacic is making a late run into the box and the ball falls into his path after Perisic and Pasilic fail to find a shooting angle. The City midfielder doesn’t hesitate and scores to make it 1-0.
The profiles of the players playing in Croatia’s front line complement their tactical approach. When Kramaric starts as the side’s centre-forward, his movement and link-up play allow him to drop and overload the midfield.
In addition, choosing Lovro Majer or Pasalic to play as the team’s right-sided option rather than an out-and-out winger means Croatia can overload the central areas and use Majer or Pasalic to play through their opponents.
Their key player(s)
Croatia’s midfield of Kovacic, Brozovic and Modric is a trio that most nations dream of, even if they are into their thirties. Together, they provide a balance of technical ability, press resistance, ball carrying, athleticism and defensive quality.
On top of that, their experience at the international stage will be needed. Brozovic (96 caps) and Kovacic (101) are among the wiliest players at the tournament, while Modric (175) is the country’s most-capped player of all time. After guiding their team to third and second place in the two most recent World Cups, they will be hoping to emulate that success in a European Championship.
What is their weakness?
The four goals Croatia conceded in their eight qualifying matches could had been more — their non-penalty xG conceded was 6.4. At times, their back line has been porous — defenders made mistakes and Dominik Livakovic’s saves were important.
The Fenerbahce goalkeeper registered a ‘goals prevented’ figure of 2.3 in Croatia’s qualifying campaign. There are ways past this side’s defence, but the hard part is beating Livakovic.
One thing to watch out for…
In their last six penalty shootouts, Croatia lost only once (in the 2023 Nations League final against Spain). Their shootout victories helped them progress at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, beating Denmark and Japan in the last 16 and Russia and Brazil in the quarter-finals of the two tournaments respectively.
In the last World Cup, Livakovic saved three penalties against Japan’s Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida, before stopping Brazil’s Rodrygo in the following round. If Croatia advance to the knockout stage in Euro 2024, their continuing record in the shootouts is something to keep an eye on.
Unlike the rest of Group B, Albania favour a more direct approach on the ball. Playing out of a 4-2-3-1 shape, Sylvinho’s team play to their centre-forward with long passes to flick on to one of the wingers and fight for second balls.
Their other option for moving the ball up the pitch are direct passes to their wide players, Jasir Asani and Taulant Seferi, which come in the form of quick deliveries from the full-backs, or diagonals from the centre-backs and midfielders.
Off the ball, Albania drop into a medium-low block in their own half, with the experience of Djimsiti and Hysaj essential to their defensive organisation. However, they are a proactive side in this situation — always on the front foot and looking to win the ball back as quickly as possible in their own half to start the counter.
Once they win possession, the pace of the wide players, Nedim Bajrami’s ball-carrying ability, and the accurate passing of Kristjan Asllani and Ylber Ramadani make Albania a threat on attacking transitions.
Asllani and Ramadani’s vision and passing ability empower the forwards’ runs behind the defence, which is a feature of how this Albania side attacks the opponents.
Their key player(s)
Ramadani and Asllani, Albania’s double pivot in midfield, are the complete package. The duo’s defensive positioning supports the defensive line and allows Sylvinho’s side to retrieve possession in the middle of the pitch. Their defensive awareness is complemented by their smart positioning when Albania are in possession of the ball — constantly adjusting their positions to provide passing options for their defensive line — and their ability to receive the ball with their back to the goal. Asllani, in particular, knows how to use his body to shield the ball, which makes him harder to dispossess.Down the right wing, 29-year-old Asani, who was called up to the national team for the first time in March 2023, was one of Albania’s most impressive players in the Euro qualifiers. The winger’s dribbling ability gives him an advantage in one-versus-one situations to use his best asset, which is ball striking. Asani finds team-mates with inch-perfect passes, and his trademark finish is cutting inside before finding the far corner.is goal against Poland last September is a glimpse of what he can do when he is allowed to shoot.Normally, players of this profile are a burden on the defensive side of things, but Asani regularly tracks back to support his right-back, Hysaj. In the two games against Czech Republic last autumn, Sylvinho used Asani as a situational wing-back when Albania were in the defensive phase to prevent Czech Republic from overloading their back four.
What is their weakness?
Despite the experience of their defensive line, Albania’s front-footed defending in their own half could be vulnerable against three sides who excel on passing combinations and off-ball movement.
Albania’s 0.78 non-penalty xG conceded per game in the Euro qualifiers will be tested against stronger opponents who have the collective and individual tools to break down defences and score from difficult situations.
One thing to watch out for…
Long-range shots.
Five of Albania’s 12 goals in the Euro qualifiers came from outside the penalty area, which partly explains their xG overperformance.
In addition to Asani’s three strikes against Moldova, Poland and Czech Republic, Asllani and Bajrami also scored important goals from distance on Albania’s road to Euro 2024.
Sylvinho’s team isn’t the most complicated attacking unit, and goals from individual moments of brilliance could get Albania in the lead and let them play a favourable game state, where they can drop deeper and attack on transitions.
Welcome to your third Euro 2024 group guide: Group C.
To help you navigate and prepare for the tournament, The Athletic have compiled group guides, containing each team’s tactics, key players, weaknesses, stats and quirks.
Expect screengrabs to show team shapes and tactics board gifs demonstrating attacking rotations and pressing structures. There will be podcast clips and videos embedded for further reading/listening.
Group C features Gareth Southgate’s England, alongside Serbia, Slovenia and Denmark — England beat Denmark in the Euro 2020 semi-final. It is a group of back fives, build-up rotations and high-scoring No 9s.
Serbia (formerly part of Yugoslavia) are at their first Euros as a nation-state, after gaining independence in 2006. Head coach Dragan Stojkovic, whose contract ends after the tournament, has said qualifying from the group “would be a success”.
Those who watched them at the 2022 World Cup can expect the same setup: a back five, wing-backs and two defensive midfielders, but either two No 10s and a lone No 9 or one No 10 behind a front two.
Their attacking style is mixed, with a 62 per cent possession average in qualifying — about the same as England and Italy. Against better opposition, though, their strengths are playing direct. Aleksandar Mitrovic is the main focal point but likes to drop in, and is paired with off-the-shoulder Dusan Vlahovic or Luka Jovic.
Crosses are Serbia’s main route to goal, especially down the left and particularly from the wing-backs. They had the most headed shots in Euros qualifying, while only Spain and Portugal (seven each) had more headed goals than Serbia’s five. Look out for up-back-through attacking combinations to find the No 10 by playing into the No 9, and then releasing the wing-back.
Against a mid-block, Serbia pull one of the defensive midfielders out to create a makeshift back four, pushing the outside centre-back to the touchline and the wing-back upfield — this allows them to overload the last line.
In attack, they can be devastating. Serbia have scored in 33 out of 39 Stojkovic’s games and have scored three or more on 13 occasions. They won their 2022 Nations League group featuring Norway, Slovenia (also in this Euros group) and Sweden, with the best attack of any League B team (13 goals in six games). No wonder Stojkovic has labelled his team a “golden generation”.
Key player(s)
Mitrovic and Dusan Tadic, even with the pair moving to relatively lower-quality leagues last summer — Mitrovic from Fulham to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, and Tadic from Ajax in the Netherlands to Turkey’s Fenerbahce.
Mitrovic’s international record speaks for itself: 58 goals in 91 caps, with 12 braces and three hat-tricks. When he is on it, Mitrovic is hard to stop, especially for opponents who struggle to defend aerial balls into the box.
Tadic, now 35, still puts up outstanding creative numbers. Only four players bettered his four assists in qualifying, and Serbia’s attack — particularly from central spaces — gains another gear entirely when the No 10 is on the field. He has every final pass in the book: through balls to lock-pick defences, crosses from either side for the No 9s, cutbacks and one-twos to connect with the wing-backs.
Dusan Tadic is still a key player — even at 35 (Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
What’s their weakness?
Conceding goals. Serbia have only kept four clean sheets in 15 games since the World Cup, particularly problematic as Serbia have only played two teams ranked in FIFA’s top 20 (USA and Belgium) in that time. Impressively, Serbia have only had three losses by two or more goals under Stojkovic, but this owes more to their attack than a watertight defence.
Behind Costa Rica, Serbia had the second-worst 2022 World Cup group-stage defence. They faced 50 shots worth 7.6 expected goals and conceded eight times. It cost them qualification, drawing against Cameroon and losing against Switzerland despite leading in both matches. “At this level there are no excuses. We had the talent to score goals, but it’s often not just about talent, but about organisation,” said Tadic.
Their porousness owes to build-up errors against a high press (see their friendly against Belgium in March) but mainly aggressive use of wing-backs defensively. Rather than keeping a flat back five, Serbia jump their wing-backs to opposition No 8s/No 10s, vacating space in behind and pulling centre-backs wide to cover against wingers.
When Serbia press, they push the wing-backs up to press from a 3-4-3. It often leaves them three-v-three on halfway, reliant on their defenders to win duels.
One thing to watch for
The Tadic-Mitrovic combination. One has assisted the other 21 times (unsurprisingly, 19 have been Tadic to Mitrovic) in 76 caps together. This included three goals in Euros qualification and one against Switzerland at the World Cup. No prizes for guessing the goal method — an early, near-post cross for a glancing header.
Three major tournaments for England under Gareth Southgate: one quarter-final finish (World Cup 2022), one semi-final (World Cup 2018) and one final (Euro 2020). They have gone incredibly close and vanquished certain national demons but do not yet have silverware to show for it.
Southgate has evolved England into a style more like 2008-2012 Spain than the England teams of the same era. “We’ve been more dominant in the games we’ve played. We have had complete control in pretty much every match,” said Southgate at the end of 2023.
England turning their 4-3-3 into a 3-2-5 attacking shape is synonymous with how most top Premier League sides attack. Southgate has said they are “looking at creative solutions”, having trialled Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield and Rico Lewis in a hybrid full-back/midfield role. Expect to see short buildup with central midfield rotations to push a full-back upfield.
Southgate and England have not got the credit they deserve for such a composed qualification campaign. They were unbeaten in their first 10 games post-World Cup, with a first win in Italy since 1961, before they lost 1-0 to Brazil at Wembley in March. It meant they went unbeaten in 2023, their first calendar year without defeat since 2011.
Southgate has stressed the importance of “adaptability”, individually and collectively. England can expect back fives and mid/low-blocks in the groups, but will need to win midfield battles and show their defensive side against better teams in the knockout stages.
While the discussion will no doubt fixate on England’s attacking options, their defensive record has been excellent up to now. At the past two tournaments, England kept more clean sheets (eight) than goals conceded (six) in 12 games, and only allowed four goals against in eight Euros qualifying matches. Only Argentina (39) bettered England’s final-third regains at the World Cup (34). Even so, the absence of Harry Maguire through injury, and the lack of clarity about when Luke Shaw will be fit, means England head into Euro 2024 with more defensive questions than many expected.
Key player(s)
Harry Kane. Responsible for 12 goals and three assists at the last three major tournaments, he has been directly involved in over 40 per cent of England’s goals. Italy’s then head coach Roberto Mancini described Kane as the “complete striker” when England won in Naples in March 2023.
His creative side has grown internationally, suited to supplying England’s plethora of dribblers out wide (Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, Jarrod Bowen) or as No 10s (Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden). Kane (eight goals) was fourth top scorer in qualifying and is on his best penalty streak of his career — since missing in the quarter-finals against France, he has scored all 15, including four for England. Oh, and 2023-24 was his best-ever scoring season (36, including five penalties).
Collectively, defending counter-attacks. England’s ambition to dominate games against even the best means their counter-press has to be spot on. Southgate said it was “exceptional” in the 3-1 win away to Scotland, but it was not in the Wembley defeat against Brazil. England’s high line gave too much space for Brazil’s front three to run in behind, and they duly conceded their most big chances (seven) in any game under Southgate.
One thing to watch for
Goals in the final 15 minutes before half-time. England have shown remarkable consistency in wearing teams down with possession. They scored five without conceding between 30 and 45 minutes at the World Cup, the joint-most with Argentina. It was also England’s best 15-minute period of the game in qualification for that World Cup (nine/39 goals) and this Euros (eight/22 goals).
Euro 2022 and World Cup 2022 went entirely differently for Denmark. At the last Euros, they made the semi-finals for the first time since they won the tournament in 1992. Their cross-heavy 3-4-3 was awkward to defend against, especially right-footed left wing-back Joachim Maehle.
But they flattered to deceive in Qatar. Head coach Kasper Hjulmand was consistent in his pre-tournament message, wanting to evolve beyond “underdog” football to “be proactive, dominate as much as possible, go for goals”. Tunisia cancelled out their shape in the first game (0-0) and, after losing to France (2-1) on matchday two, they switched to a 4-3-3 for the final match versus Australia.
Denmark lacked incision. Their switches to Maehle were as predictable as defendable. Australia won 1-0 with a counter-attack goal. We “haven’t played with the tempo and the rhythm,” said Hjulmand afterwards, adding that “the structures just go out of the match”. It was the only time in Hjulmand’s tenure (50 games) that Denmark have gone three games without a win.
The numbers made for stark reading: No wins and only one goal scored, from a set piece; the only team to not complete a through ball; the most switches of play per game; the lowest dribble success rate.
Against inferior teams in Euros qualification, Denmark stuck with the 4-3-3, but played a 3-4-3 in both games against Slovenia, their strongest opposition. It gives a stronger defensive base, settling into a 5-4-1 or 5-3-2, and gets midfielders closer to support Maehle, who has played off the right too.
Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are the first-choice midfield partnership, balancing a passer with a ball-winner. This means Hjulmand can be creative with his front three, mixing between playing a front two with one No 10, or a lone striker and two No 10s.
Expect switches of play, especially to Maehle, from Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen (one of five Palace players in Group C), who plays right centre-back. There will be penetrative runs from No 8s against a low block and plenty of early crosses and cutbacks — the wing-back and midfielders like to crash the box.
Key player(s)
The quality of Eriksen and Maehle is known, with Hjulmand saying Eriksen is the “best player in Denmark”. Their success at this Euros will depend on the performances of and service to Rasmus Hojlund.
Denmark’s recent issue with No 9s has been a wild variety of profiles (Jonas Wind, Martin Braithwaite, Yussuf Poulsen) and the lack of a consistent scorer. Maehle is the only player with 10+ goals under Hjulmand, and he used a different striker in each World Cup game.
Pressure, then, on Hojlund, who only made his senior debut in late 2022 and was not part of the World Cup squad. He has settled into senior international football fantastically, with seven goals in 14 caps. All of those were in qualifying and, while he has not scored in four friendly appearances since, Hojlund’s goal-scoring variety is promising: a mix of one-touch finishes from crosses/cutbacks — which Hojlund throws himself at — and angled finishes, similar to his penalty-box-based debut season at Manchester United.
What’s their weakness?
Denmark are not a strong team from losing positions, which speaks to a lack of a plan B — they might change shape but their tactics remain the same. They have lost five of their last six when conceding first, not coming from behind since they won 2-1 in France in March 2022.
Aside from Hojlund (who is likely to start), they lack a goalscorer from the bench and Denmark have not had many tactical acid tests. They were the only top 50-ranked FIFA team in their qualifying group and Hjulmand’s side have only played one team ranked higher than them (Switzerland in a 0-0 friendly draw in March) since the 2022 World Cup.
One thing to watch for
Straight corners. They played eight of these at the World Cup (from a total of 21) and nine at Euro 2020 (of 39), the most of any team at either tournament. With Eriksen’s delivery, Hojlund’s height plus three centre-backs, Denmark are stacked with set-piece quality.
Slovenia are back, at their first major tournament since the 2010 World Cup. At a glance, not a lot looks to have changed. Matjaz Kek managed them in South Africa in 2010 and is in his second stint as national team boss, having returned in November 2018. They play a 4-4-2, as they did then, though none of the 2010 squad remain.
It is a team built on structure: “I like to give players freedom, but I demand their full responsibility,” said Kek ahead of the March friendly win (2-0) at home to Portugal. “We must be able to suffer defensively, but we must also think about when we have the ball. We cannot just wait in a block,” he added.
The switch to 4-4-2 came at the end of the 2022 Nations League, when they finished third in a group featuring Sweden, Serbia and Norway, having initially played a back three. In the 19 games since the system switch, Slovenia have 13 wins, four draws and only two defeats, outscoring opponents 34-16 and keeping seven clean sheets. That form meant 2023 was their best calendar year ever for wins (seven, from 10 games) and goals-per-game (two).
Their style is devoutly risk-averse. They set up to press high at opposition goal-kicks but quickly retreat to a 4-4-2 mid-block.
When building up, expect to see the first pass or two short, but under pressure they play long to the front two, looking for flick-ons and second balls. They like wide combinations, especially one-twos, but rotations are minimal. A central midfielder occasionally plays between the centre-backs, though a common tactic is rolling the ball-side winger infield to act as an auxiliary No 8 in support of the No 9.
Slovenia are stubborn to build up against, pressing aggressively when teams pass into midfield. Of teams to make the finals, only Georgia (109) made more tackles in qualifying (Slovenia made 91).
They force teams round and into crossing. Despite Slovenia playing a back four and theoretically being vulnerable to a front-five overload against wing-back systems, they make aggressive winger and full-back pressing jumps against a back-five. This forces the outside centre-back to pass long and pins the wing-back.
Slovenia are dangerous on counter-attacks, especially as they leave their front two up when defending deep. Expect to see launched passes or dribbles from midfielders. They have repeatedly scored from opposition goal kicks too, when they punt upfield and Slovenia win the aerial duel, then quickly play in behind the high line.
Their opener at home to Portugal was a classic counter-attack, going end-to-end in 13 seconds and five passes. Second-best was Benjamin Sesko’s second goal in the 2-0 qualifying win at home to Finland. Fittingly, they sealed their place in Germany by beating Kazakhstan at home, with the winning goal coming from a counter-attack.
Slovenia might be the weakest team in the group but they keep games tight. Sixteen of their 26 wins under Kek have been by one goal, with eight of 12 losses by a single goal. In many ways, they play an ideal, disciplined tournament style — they only received 10 yellow cards in 10 qualifying games, the fewest of any nation going to Germany, and qualified automatically for the first time ever.
Key player(s)
Goalkeeper and national team captain Jan Oblak gets his “fulfilment of a childhood dream”. He made his international debut back in late 2012 but will finally represent Slovenia in a major tournament. The Atletico Madrid goalkeeper’s shot-stopping has dipped in recent years, admittedly from one of the world’s best to closer to average, but his international record is solid: Oblak has 30 clean sheets and only 53 goals conceded in 64 caps.
At the other end, Slovenia have another match-winner in Sesko. He has just turned 21, but at 6ft 4in (193cm) provides a phenomenal profile and has had an excellent debut season at RB Leipzig. “He is physically strong, technically gifted and mature,” said Kek on Sesko in 2023. “There aren’t many strikers like this in the world. I think he has steadily improved, becoming more concrete in his decisions.”
Sesko brings a lot in build-up, able to take aerial balls and bring midfielders into play, as well as chase channels. Most importantly, though, he scores goals — every type you can imagine, and at an excellent rate.
Sesko, Slovenia’s youngest player and youngest goalscorer, has 11 goals in 29 caps. There is every chance he wins the goal of the tournament, with an eye for an outrageous finish — check his volleys against Sweden and Norway in the 2022 Nations League, one scored with either foot.
Individually, a lack of major tournament experience — none of these players have featured at a Euros or World Cup before. There is a lack of depth, with only four players in Europe’s top five leagues. Slovenia need their individuals at both ends to shine. “They have the privilege to rotate, we do not,” said Kek ahead of the Portugal friendly in March. “We must take advantage of everything we have.“
One thing to watch for
Josip Ilicic, now 36, has been recalled by Kek for the tournament despite not playing international football since November 2021. He is the joint-fifth-most capped player in Slovenia’s history (91), with Samir Handanovic, and third top-scorer. Ilicic scored Slovenia’s winner in a friendly against Armenia in early June, his first international goal since November 2021.
Ilicic was released by Atalanta at the end of 2021-22, after five seasons there, now playing for NK Maribor in Slovenia’s top flight. A versatile forward, most likely to play a wide midfield role, given the established front two of Sesko and Andraz Sporar (they started six out of 10 qualifiers together). Atalanta head coach Gianpiero Gasperini once said that Ilicic was “worthy of the Ballon d’Or”. He has a chance for a fairytale career ending.
What tactics do the Netherlands employ? What should we look out for from France? And what can we expect from Ralf Rangnick’s Austria?
The 2024 European Championship finals start on Friday and The Athletic is running in-depth tactical group guides, so you know what to expect from every nation competing in Germany over the next month or so. We will examine each team’s playing style, strengths, weaknesses and key players, and highlight things to keep an eye on during the tournament.
Expect to see screengrabs analysing tactical moments in games, embedded videos of key clips to watch, the occasional podcast clip and data visualisation to highlight patterns and trends — think of yourself as a national-team head coach and this a mini opposition dossier for you to read pre-match.
Here’s Group D, which features France, the Netherlands, Austria and Poland.
Logically, France haven’t moved away from the approach that guided them to the final of the 2022 World Cup, where they lost to Argentina on penalties.
After shifting his reigning world champions to a back four on the eve of that tournament 18 months ago, Didier Deschamps has continued with that shape since then, with Antoine Griezmann playing in a midfield three after he impressed in that role at the World Cup.
France’s main attacking threat comes from the wide areas, where the focus is on finding Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele in one-v-one situations.
Mbappe and Dembele have the upper hand over most full-backs in the game because of their quick acceleration and dribbling ability in isolated situations, but the French wingers also look to combine with advancing full-backs, especially the left-sided Theo Hernandez, who regularly occupies a higher position than Jules Kounde, the right-back. When Deschamps wants more attacking power from his full-backs, Jonathan Clauss usually starts rather than Kounde.
To balance Hernandez’s forward surges down the left, Adrien Rabiot maintains a deeper position in midfield, alongside Aurelien Tchouameni and in front of the remaining defenders.
The left-back’s advanced position on that side allows France to attack multiple lanes and support captain Mbappe in wide areas, either by allowing him to move inside, combining with him or simply creating space for him to go to work.
The biggest question entering this tournament is who will lead France’s attack.
Olivier Giroud, Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani have all started as the team’s centre-forward since the World Cup. Giroud’s link-up play has been vital to Deschamps’ team for many years, but Kolo Muani’s off-ball movement and runs in behind provide a different profile, while Thuram offers a balance between both.
Off the ball, France’s defensive shape moves to a lopsided 4-4-2 with the right-winger dropping next to the flattened midfield line. This way, Deschamps frees Mbappe of any defensive responsibilities and keeps him in an advanced position to be a threat on the transition.
France’s defensive organisation is empowered by the individual quality of their defenders. From their duelling ability to their pace, the French defensive line isn’t easy to beat, and if bypassed they are usually able to recover their positions.
Their key player(s)
There is no doubting Mbappe’s star qualities or Tchouameni’s all-round skill set, but the key player for this France side is surely Griezmann. The Atletico Madrid forward has played across the front line throughout his international career, scoring 44 goals for France since his debut 10 years ago.
That switch to a No 8 role in 2022 enhanced his importance to this side. From a deeper position, Griezmann can make late runs into the box to attack crosses, or find team-mates with accurate passes in the final third.
In addition, Griezmann is aware of his positioning when France are defending in a 4-4-2 mid-block, while having a defensive impact across the pitch with his well-timed sliding tackles.
Before that game, Gareth Southgate’s assistant Steve Holland hinted at the idea of attacking France down Mbappe’s side. “There is always a plus and a minus to everyone,” Holland said. “It’s that cat-and-mouse of, ‘Yes, we have still got to try to deal with him’ but we also have to try to exploit the weakness that his super-strength delivers. Trying to adapt your team to cover for that while still trying to create your own problems is the challenge.”
Despite losing by the odd goal that day, England’s approach worked and only small details cost them.
More often than not, the now Real Madrid winger occupies a central position rather than attacking the back post when the team is attacking the wide areas. From there, Mbappe constantly offers himself as a cutback option while the centre-forward is dragging the defensive line deeper.
In this example from a Euros qualifier last October against the Netherlands, also group opponents this summer, Mbappe is ready to attack the penalty area while Kingsley Coman finds Clauss’ overlapping run down the other side.
As the right-back approaches the ball, Mbappe adjusts his movement to present himself as a cutback option with Kolo Muani’s movement forcing defenders Virgil van Dijk and Nathan Ake deeper. Clauss spots him and plays the correct pass, but Lutsharel Geertruida manages to intercept.
In the 14-0 victory against minnows Gibraltar the following month, Mbappe managed to score from a cutback from the other side.
Here, he is in a narrow position with Theo Hernandez down the left wing. The left-back makes a run behind the defence, which is found by Youssouf Fofana’s pass, before Hernandez plays the cutback into Mbappe, who holds his run to keep a distance from the defenders and finishes into the bottom corner.
Netherlands
Manager: Ronald Koeman
Captain: Virgil van Dijk
Qualifying record: P8, W6, D0, L2, GF17, GA7
Euro 2020: Round of 16
Most caps in squad: Daley Blind (107)
Top scorer in squad: Memphis Depay (45)
How do they play?
Alternating between a back three and four, Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands continuously change their shape from game to game, or within the same match — as in this example from the 1-0 away victory against Greece last October.
Despite that, the differences between the 3-2-4-1 and 4-2-3-1 on the ball are minimal. Apart from having one centre-back fewer and a more attacking profile in the front line, the Dutch still look to find their No 10s between the lines and combine to create an advantage for their widest players — whether these are wing-backs, a wide forward or an overlapping full-back.
When attacking from a back three, Koeman’s side either try to find the wing-backs directly or play through the opposition to force them into a narrow shape, before using the wide players. In this example from last September, also against Greece, Frenkie de Jong finds Cody Gakpo in between the lines, which forces Manolis Siopis to react…
… leaving Xavi Simons in a bigger space in midfield. Once Gakpo dribbles by the Greece midfielder, the positions of Simons and right wing-back Denzel Dumfries give Kostas Tsimikas a dilemma: moving inside to limit the space for Simons provides Dumfries with an advantage, and vice versa.
Tsimikas decides to hold his position to prevent Gakpo playing the ball to Simons in a dangerous situation, but in turn it creates room out wide for Dumfries to attack and the Liverpool forward finds him with a pass through the defence…
… before Dumfries crosses the ball towards Wout Weghorst, who scores to make it 3-0.
On the other hand, the 4-2-3-1 provides a different profile in the front line; rather than having two wing-backs, it’s an overlapping full-back and a winger. Often, one of the wingers would roam inside the pitch to create space for the advancing full-back.
Here against the Republic of Ireland, also last September, Donyell Malen’s movement drags James McClean inside and creates space for Dumfries to attack. The right-back’s run is found by De Jong with a chipped pass over the defence, and Dumfries heads the ball across goal for Weghorst to score the winner.
Out of possession is where the difference between their shapes is most stark, with an additional centre-back making it a back five instead of a back four.
In addition, the Netherlands are able to press higher up the pitch if needed, with their centre-backs accustomed to aggressively marking opponents in advanced positions.
Their key player(s)
Netherlands’ spine coming into the tournament was composed of Van Dijk, De Jong and Simons — and they will be weakened significantly by De Jong’s absence because of the ankle injury that has troubled him for months.
His presence in the Netherlands’ midfield has been vital to the team, on and off the ball. His ball-carrying ability helps the team evade the press, while moving them up the thirds where his precise passes are crucial. Complementing that is his superb tackling and defensive positioning when his team is out of possession.
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With De Jong ruled out of the tournament on Monday, Jerdy Schouten and Joey Veerman are the likely pairing for the Netherlands’ first group stage game against Poland on Sunday. Schouten was always expected to partner De Jong, but Veerman’s promotion does at least come at a moment of career-best form, with the 25-year-old impressing during the Netherlands’ 4-0 warm-up win over Iceland on Monday evening, creating Xavi Simons’ opener beautifully. Other options in midfield include Atalanta’s Teun Koopmeiners and ex-Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum.
They have strength elsewhere. Captain Van Dijk’s defensive prowess and ability to cover space are essential to this side’s defensive phases and on transitions. Meanwhile, his diagonals to the wide players and progressive passes through the lines are the base of Koeman’s attacking ideas. The Liverpool centre-back also empowers their defensive and offensive set pieces with his aerial ability.
Koeman relies on Van Dijk’s trademark diagonals (ANP via Getty Images)
Much will be expected of Simons at this tournament.
Whether as a No 10, narrow forward or a winger, he is able to receive the ball in the tightest of spaces and dribble past opponents to create chances for his team-mates. Simons’ creativity and technical ability on the ball are the catalyst to Netherlands’ passing combinations through the centre and out wide. In 2023-24, he managed double figures for both goals (10) and assists (13) at RB Leipzig, where he was on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
What is their weakness?
The Dutch defence was solid in most of their qualifying campaign, managing five clean sheets in six games against Greece, Gibraltar (twice each) and the Republic of Ireland. But against stronger opposition, their back line has suffered. In their two group matches against France, they conceded six times.
On top of that, they let in four against Croatia and three against Italy in the 2022-23 Nations League finals last June, and two against Germany in March.
One thing to watch out for…
As the Netherlands’ wide forwards combine with their wing-backs in the final third, one feature of this attack is the wing-backs rotating positions with the forwards to be a threat inside the penalty area.
In this example, in a 2-1 loss against France last October, left wing-back Quilindschy Hartman plays a one-two with Steven Bergwijn, which allows them to cut through the French defence, as Hartman attacks the vacant space and curls the ball into the near corner.
On other occasions, the narrow positioning of the wing-backs creates space for the Dutch forwards in wide areas.
Here, Dumfries and Simons combine down the right side, but it is Daley Blind’s movement from a narrow position that is the catalyst to the goal. The left wing-back’s positioning attracts Greece’s right-back, Lazaros Rota, and frees Gakpo towards the back post. Dumfries then finds the unmarked Gakpo, who scores to double Netherlands’ lead.
Austria’s cautious and reactive football under their previous manager, Franco Foda, is a thing of the past.
Ralf Rangnick’s arrival in summer 2022 after their failure to qualify for the World Cup has transformed the team’s playing style to an energetic and proactive one, which the players have warmed to. “Maybe we’re fed up with playing a certain kind of football, like we’ve always had in previous years,” said their currently injured captain, David Alaba, after a 1-1 draw with France two years ago.
Under Rangnick, Austria operate in a 4-2-2-2 in possession with narrow No 10s behind two forwards. One of their main attacking ideas is to find this front four with direct passes on the ground, so they can combine with each other.
They access the front four through their full-backs or directly from the centre-backs, who usually position themselves wider in the build-up phase with one member of the midfield double pivot dropping to support.
In this example, against Turkey in March, Maximilian Wober and Kevin Danso split up, with Xaver Schlager dropping in between them to provide those centre-backs with better passing angles in to the No 10s or the front men.
In another example, in the 2-0 win against Slovakia three days earlier, Wober’s wider position in the build-up phase allows him to find Marcel Sabitzer between the lines, before he passes to Romano Schmid behind the defence, and the latter plays a ball across the goal for Andreas Weimann to double the lead.
When they aren’t able to play through their opponents, Austria go direct with long passes towards Michael Gregoritsch or Marko Arnautovic and look to win the second ball, which is helped by the close proximity of their front four players when in possession.
Off the ball, the team’s high-intensity approach suits their players, with many having either played within the Red Bull club network, of which Rangnick was the tactical architect, or worked with coaches influenced by him.
This high-octane style creates numerous transitional situations, which fit the profiles of their midfielders and forwards, who are adept at winning the ball back quickly and attacking space.
In terms of the high press, Rangnick’s side start with a 4-4-2 shape…
… but then adjust by dropping a midfielder to provide a safety net or mark players moving in between the lines, and one of the wide forwards moving inside.
In this example, against Germany last November, Sabitzer moves inside to mark Ilkay Gundogan as Xaver Schlager drops deeper to protect the midfield with Nicolas Seiwald pushing forward to press Leon Goretzka. Germany’s decision to start the move down their left side means that it’s Austria’s far midfielder, Sabitzer, who moves inside the pitch, with his team-mates Konrad Laimer and Christoph Baumgartner pressing down the other side.
In case Germany build their attack down the right side, the movement of the Austria players mirrors them: Gregoritsch and Sabitzer press Mats Hummels and Jonathan Tah, Schlager marks Gundogan and Laimer moves inside to keep an eye on Goretzka, with Seiwald (out of shot) dropping deeper to zonally defend the midfield.
In that March friendly against Turkey, it only took two minutes for this pressing scheme to give Austria the lead.
Kaan Ayhan playing the ball to his left-back, Cenk Ozkacar, triggers the press, with Laimer moving towards Ozkacar, Schlager marking Hakan Calhanoglu, Seiwald (again out of shot. Nothing personal, Nicolas!) defends against Turkey’s No 10, and Schmid moves inside to press Salih Ozcan.
Under pressure, and with no passing options, Turkey’s left-back returns the ball to Ayhan…
… who tries to play through the press to Ozcan, but Schmid is in the correct position to pressure the midfielder with Austria’s forwards close by.
Baumgartner manages to win the loose ball, and though his shot is saved, Schlager scores from the rebound.
Their key player(s)
Gregoritsch has scored eight times in his past 12 matches for Austria, including a hat-trick against Turkey, but it’s not only about the goals.
The tall Freiburg centre-forward is an aerial outlet to Rangnick’s side when they can’t build up the attack, and a link-up player when they are passing through the thirds. Meanwhile, his well-timed runs behind defences provide Austria with a threat on the transition.
(Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
What is their weakness?
Two major injuries will hinder Austria’s chances this summer, because missing Alaba and Xaver Schlager is more than just playing without your best players — both of them are necessary for this style to succeed.
Real Madrid defender Alaba is the captain of this side, and Austria will miss his leadership of the back line, proactive work off the ball and prowess in terms of defending the penalty area — when they play deeper, Austria’s low block isn’t as strong as their high press.
Schlager’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury playing for RB Leipzig just over a month means that Austria’s midfield will be without one of their best ball winners, who has also been essential to their build-up and switch of play from one side of the pitch to the other.
To make things worse, their first-choice goalkeeper Alexander Schlager is also out of the tournament with a knee injury.
One thing to watch out for…
Due to Austria’s approach on the ball, their full-backs have space to attack down the wings and the No 10s complement that by positioning themselves in the half-spaces. The passing combination to look out for is the out-to-in pattern, where one of the double pivot or centre-backs plays the ball to the advancing full-back…
… who then finds the No 10 between the lines or behind the defence.
In this example, Patrick Wimmer’s narrow position allows him to attack the space behind Turkey’s right-back, who moves up to face Alexander Prass, Austria’s left-back. Prass finds Wimmer’s run…
After sacking Fernando Santos, Portugal’s Euro 2016-winning coach, last September following defeats to the Czech Republic, Moldova and Albania in three of his six matches during eight months in charge, Poland decided to promote their under-21s coach, Michal Probierz, to the top job.
Under Probierz, the senior side have maintained a back-three shape which moves to a 5-3-2 when they are defending in the middle third or deeper. Aerially, it’s hard to get the better of towering centre-backs, Jan Bednarek and Jakub Kiwior, who have featured regularly alongside a third defender in the heart of the defence.
Poland’s attacking strength lies with wing-backs Nicola Zalewski and Przemyslaw Frankowski. Probierz’s team focuses exclusively on attacking wide areas by finding their wing-backs high up the pitch, or playing long passes into the channels towards their centre-forwards.
Crosses from Zalewski and Frankowski are Poland’s main threat in the final third, with left wing-back Zalewski able to cross with both feet. This ambidexterity is a useful tool, because he can dribble with his right foot and cross with the left before the opposing defender reacts.
In this example, against Latvia in November, Zalewski dribbles towards the byline with his right foot, while Frankowski moves into the penalty box to overload the back post…
… before connecting with the left wing-back’s left-footed cross to give Poland the lead.
Their key player(s)
If you are a country’s leading appearance holder and record goalscorer, it’s hard for you not to be their key player.
Lewandowski has scored for Poland in the World Cup, the European Championship, in qualifying for both, and in the Nations League. He is also able to score every type of goal: left foot, right foot, header.
But going into the tournament there are concerns about his fitness, after the Barcelona striker had to be withdrawn after half an hour of Poland’s final warm-up match, against Turkey on Monday. It will be a massive blow to Poland if he is not fit to take part in the tournament.
Poland’s crossing-based playing style complements Lewandowski’s penalty-box presence and aerial finishing. Also, playing two strikers up front lessens the load on Lewandowski, who turns 36 in August, and allows him to drop deeper to link the attack or roam to the channel, while the other centre-forward provides a central threat.
Making plenty of the chances for Lewandowski is Zalewski, on the left wing. Since a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic in November, Zalewski has solidified his status as this team’s main creator. The left wing-back’s dribbling ability provides him an advantage in one-v-one situations, and allows him to beat the defender in front of him before crossing into the penalty area.
(Visionhaus/Getty Images)
What is their weakness?
A lack of attacking diversity — which makes Lewandowski’s involvement so important.
Poland’s attacking approach is simple and effective. However, they are over-dependent on wing-backs Zalewski and Frankowski in terms of chance creation. Their two main options for ball progression are either long passes to the centre-forwards, or circulating the ball towards their wide areas.
Opponents analysing Poland’s games will deliver a clear plan before the match: stop the wing-backs.
One thing to watch out for…
Despite only making his international debut in October, Jakub Piotrowski’s attacking skill set perfectly fits Poland’s style of play. Featuring as a No 8 in midfield, Piotrowski’s off-ball movement complements the team’s wing play by providing passing options for the wing-backs and wide centre-backs, or making late runs into the penalty area.
Piotrowski’s runs from midfield helped him score 17 goals for Bulgarian champions Ludogorets last season. In this example, against Botev Plovdiv in March, he makes a late run into the penalty area, which is found by the right-back, Aslak Witry, before the Pole heads the ball home.
Moreover, Piotrowski’s long-range shots and threat on attacking set pieces offer Poland attacking solutions they are definitely in need of.
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Sam Borden, ESPN Senior WriterAug 5, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
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