With just 260 days to the World Cup and the 1st round of ticket ordering done (4.5 million entries were submitted -we put in like 15) it will be interesting to see if we get selected this week to buy tix and how much they are – cute World Cup Mascots announced this week. The US should announce our squad for the Oct friendlies sometime this week as well. US players rocked this past weekend and week as Pulisic became the all-time leading goal scorer overseas for an American and led the way with 3 goals and an assist, Chris Richards helped Crystal Palace stay unbeaten in the EPL, while Tanner Tessman scored this banger for Lyon in Europa League. In other news legendary EPL announcer Jon Champion shares his game notes, gotta love the EPL, Inter Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets announced his retirement at the end of the season, and of course Ousmane Dembélé Won the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Enjoy the Madrid Derby Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid Sat at 10:15 am on ESPN Desportes or ESPN+, & undefeated’s Liverpool vs American Chris Richard & Crystal Palace (Preview) at 10 am on Peacock and a battle of 2 American’s Juventus’ Mckennie vs Atalanta’s Musah as Juve vs Atalanta plays at noon on CBS.
INDY 11
Indy Eleven scored two second-half goals in a six-minute span to rally to a key 2-1 victory over USL Championship Eastern Conference opponent Birmingham Legion FC in front of 10,375 at Carroll Stadium. The win moves the Boys in Blue to one point out of playoff position behind Rhode Island FC with five games remaining in the regular season. Indy Eleven hosts Western Conference leader FC Tulsa on Saturday at 7 pm on Oktoberfest ($11 tix, Special Indy 11 Beer Stein, Guest Brewers in fun zone starts at 5:30) at Carroll Stadium. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster.
High Soccer player and University of Florida Grad.
Purpose: fill remaining roster spots Not adding new teams
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Goalkeeping
Europa League Matchday 1 great saves: Wednesday’s best stops
Europa League Matchday 1 saves: Thursday’s best stops
USA
Pulisic continues scorching-hot form with goal off the bench
American’s Abroad – Pulisic in Class of his own
Will Tessmann leapfrog McKennie, Musah to start for USMNT at 2026 World Cup? Jeff Carlisle
Americans Abroad: Christian Pulisic aims to extend dominance for Milan, Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards to be tested by Liverpool
Christian Pulisic and Max Allegri are an odd stylistic match at Milan, but partnership has Rossoneri rolling – and Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT could benefit
USMNT 2026 World Cup Big Board 2.0: Balogun, Zendejas rise
Pulisic told Gimenez to stay patient amid goal drought
U.S.’s Pulisic nets third goal of week for Milan
Pulisic Turned 27 last week top 5 goals for Milan
Leeds boss Farke tells fans to lay off Aaronson
Rae: Will Gladbach instability be a blessing or a curse for Reyna?
US Women’s Soccer Coach Emma Hayes speaks on new US Facilities in Atlanta
Zendajas coming-out Party in Columbus vs Japan
MLS
Lionel Messi takes lead in Golden Boot race as Inter Miami thrashes NYCFC
Lionel Messi just showed why he will win a second straight MLS MVP
Messi 2 goals 1 Assist vs NYCFC
Is LAFC the team to beat in MLS?
MLS Power Rankings: How high can LAFC climb with Son leading a dynamic attack?
Messi, Ramos lead tributes to retiring Busquets
NWSL / Ladies
NWSL Take-Off: KC Current claim Shield, Pride struggles continue
Shaw dazzles Gotham crowd in home debut victory
Becky Sauerbrunn adds new role to ever-expanding portfolio
‘Absolute farce’ – Bonmati’s third Ballon d’Or generates controversy
Champions & Europa League & EPL
UEFA Europa League, League Stage (All Results)
A New San Siro
UN panel urges Israel suspension from FIFA, UEFA competition
A World Cup with 64 teams explained – how would it work, what needs to be discussed, who wants it?
Margin of Ousmane Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or triumph revealed
EPL
Premier League talking points ahead of the weekend
Ogden: From Liverpool to Wrexham, are U.S. owners taking over?
Liverpool can’t keep winning games like this — or can they?
Liverpool’s Chiesa is ‘here to win’ and now has the chance
Lindop: Isak’s first Liverpool goal could be the start of something special to prove it
Onuoha: Why clubs shouldn’t freeze players out, like Chelsea with Sterling
Reffing
Understanding offsides
Ref Saved from Heart Attack on Field
Legendary Mexican Goalkeeper Memo Ochoa Joins Mexican team
When you Ref in Broadripple you have to go to La Piedad after right? Here with my longtime buddy Mike Arrington grabbing a bite after our Purdue Polytech Varsity Boys game. Another beautiful night reffing.
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FULL TV GAME SCHEDULE
Fri, Sept 26
2:30 pm ESPN2 Bayern Munich vs Werder Bremen
8 pm Prime KC Current vs Chicago Stars NWSL
10:30 pm Para+/Golazo San Diego Wave vs Orlando Pride NWSL
Sat, Sept 27
7:30 am USA Brentford vs Man United
10 am USA Man City vs Burnley
10 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Liverpool
10 am Peacock Leeds United (Aaronson) vs Bournemouth (Adams)
10:15 am ESPND, ESPN+ Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid
12 pm CBS, Para+ Juventus (Mckinnie) vs Atalanta
12:30 pm ESPN+ B Mglabach (Reyna, Scally) vs Frankfurt (Chandler)
12:30 pm USA Nottingham Forest vs Sunderland
3 pm USA Tottenham vs Wolverhampton
7:30 pm Tubi Racing Louisville vs Angel City FC NWSL
10 pm Tubi Bay FC vs Utah Royals NWSL
Sun, Sept 28
9 am USA Aston Villa vs Fulham (Robinson)
11:30 am USA Newcastle United vs Arsenal
2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Napoli (Musah)
3 pm ESPNd, ESPN+ Barcelona vs Real Sociedad
7 pm Apple TV Cincy vs Orlando City
7 pm FS1 Brazil U20 vs Mexico U20 World Cup
7 pm FS2 Cuba U20 vs Argentina U20
Mon Sep 29
3 pm USA Everton vs West Ham
4 pm FS2 France U20 vs South Africa U20
7 pm FS1 USA U20 vs New Caledonia U20 World Cup
7 pm FS2 Colombia U20 vs Saudi Arabia U20
Tues, Sept 30 Champions League
12:45 pm Para+, Uni Kairat vs Real Madrid
3 pm CBSSN Paphos vs Bayern Munich
3 pm Para+ Galatasaray vs Liverpool
3 pm Para+ Atletico Madrid vs Frankfurt
3 pm Para+ Marseille (_) vs Ajax
3 pm Para+ Chelsea vs Benefica
3 pm Para+ Inter vs Slavia Praha
3 pm Para+ Boda vs Tottenham
4 pm FS2 Panama U20 vs Ukraine U20 WC
7 pm FS1 Chile U20 vs Japan U20
7 pm FS2 Korea U20 vs Paraguay U20
Wed, Oct 1 Champs League
12:45 pm Para, Uni Union Saint Gilloise vs Newcastle United
3 pm CBSSN Dortmund vs Athletic Club
3 pm Para+ Barcelona vs PSG
3 pm para+ Arsenal vs Olympiakos Piraues
3 pm Para+ Napoli vs Sporting CP
3 pm Para+ Bayer Leverkusen vs PSV
3 pm Para+ Villareal vs Juventus (McKinney)
4 pm FS2 Spain U20 vs Mexico U20
7 pm FS1 Brazil U20 vs Morocco U20
7 pm FS2 Argentina U20 vs Australia U20
8 pm CBSSN Austin City vs Nashville SC US Open Cup
Thurs, Oct 2 Europa
12:45 pm CBSSN Roma vs Lille
12:45 pm Celtic (Carter Vickers) cs Sporting Braga
12:45 pm Dynamo Kyiv vs Crystal Palace (Chris Richards)
3 pm CBSSN Feyenoord vs Aston Villa
3 pm Para_ Sturm Graz vs Rangers
3 pm Para+ Nottingham Forest vs Middtylland
3 pm Para+ Olympique Lyonnais vs Salzburg
Fri, Oct 3
3 pm USA Bournemouth (Adams) vs Fulham (Robinson)
7 pm FS1 Egypt U20 vs Chile U20 WC
7 pm FS2 New Zealand U20 vs Japan U20
Sat, Oct 4
7:30 am USA Leeds United vs Totteham
9:30 am ESPN+ Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman) vs Union Berlin
9:30 am ESPN+ Dortmund vs RB Leipzig
10 am USA Man United vs Sunderland
10 am Peacock Arsenal vs West Ham
12:30 pm NBC Chelsea vs Liverpool
4 pm Tele Mexico U20 vs Morocco U20
4 pm Univision Spain U20 vs Brazil U20
7 pm FS2 Argentina U20 vs Italy U20
10:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers
Sun, Oct 6
4 pm FS2 USA U20 vs South Africa U20
7 pm FS2 Nigeria U20 vs Colombia U20
9 pm Apple LAFC vs Atlanta United MLS
Fri, Oct 10
8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador
Tues, Oct 14
9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia
Thurs, Oct 23
9 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Chester PA
Sun, Oct 26
4 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Hartford CT
Sat, Nov 15
5 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Paraguay Chester PA
Tues, Nov 18
7 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Important impressions
World Cup selections are getting closer every window by jcksnftsn Sep 26, 2025, 1:42 PM EDT
Getty Images
With rumors that Mauricio Pochettino intends to use the October USMNT roster to begin to lock in his intended World Cup call ups, and the announcement for the October roster likely to be made late next week, this weekend likely represents a last chance for players to make their statement about why they should be considered for a callup. To add to it there are head-to-head matchups in the EPL, Bundesliga, and Serie A to watch this weekend. It’s a full weekend of action so let’s get to the matches that we’ll be keeping an eye on:
Friday
Strasbourg v Olympique Marseille – 2:45p on beIN Sports
Tim Weah followed up his Bernabeu Banger with a solid shift against PSG last weekend as Marseille handed the French giants their first loss on the season, dropping them into a four-way tie atop Ligue 1. Marseille are three points back of the league leaders, a group which also includes this weekend’s opponent, Strasbourg, who’s lone loss on the season was a 3-2 defeat to Monaco who are also a part of the four at the top of the table.
Saturday
Coventry City v Birmingham City – 7:30a on Paramount+: Haji Wright and Coventry City tied their third straight game last Saturday, 0-0 with Leicester. Coventry have yet to suffer a loss this season but they have drawn four of their six matches and currently sit in sixth place.
Heidenheim v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Noahkai Banks has appeared in one of Augsburgs four matches to start the season, seeing just one minute. You probably don’t need to work your schedule around this match and we’re going to drop Augsburg from the guide until it looks like he may start getting regular action.
St. Pauli v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN Select: James Sands and Malik Tillman will go head-to-head in the midfield on Saturday morning as St. Pauli face Bayer Leverkusen. Sands and St. Pauli suffered their first loss of the weekend last Friday, falling to Stuttgart 2-0 with Sands playing the full 90’ and picking up a yellow card in the 40th minute. Meanwhile on Sunday, Tillman scored a goal against Borussia Monchengladbach but his team would end up settling for a draw after giving up a tying goal in stoppage time.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool – 10a on Peacock: Chris Richards and Crystal Palace have yet to suffer a loss to start the 2025-26 season though they have drawn three times and sit in fifth place. Their opponent for this weekend is a Liverpool side that has won every match in league play. However, Palace did defeat Liverpool to start the year in the Community Shield match.
Leeds United v AFC Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock: Our EPL head-to-head matchup of the weekend sees Brenden Aaronson’s Leeds side take on Tyler Adams and Bournemouth. Adams has started every match for a Bournemouth side that haven’t lost since their opening match against Liverpool and currently sit in fourth place, they are coming off a scoreless draw with Newcastle. In Leeds, Aaronson has started the last two matches after coming off the bench in the first three, and Leeds’ 3-1 win over Wolverhampton last weekend gave them seven points through five matches this season as they move into 12th place and look to snap the streak of newly promoted sides heading straight back to the English Championship.
Stoke City v Norwich City – 10a on Paramount+: Josh Sargent has cooled off a bit in the Championship, failing to score in his past two matches after starting the season with five goals in his first four. Norwich lost to Wrexham 3-2 last weekend, their third loss early in the season and they currently sit in 15th place in the Championship table.
Southampton v Middlesbrough – 10a on Paramount+: Meanwhile, also in the Championship, Aidan Morris has played every minute for a Middlesbrough side that have five wins and a draw through their first six matches and currently sit atop the Championship standings, four points ahead of Stoke. This weekend Middlesbrough face a Southampton side that were playing in the EPL last season but have only one win in the Championship to start this campaign and currently sit in 19th place, just a point out of a second straight relegation.
Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid – 10:15a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Johnny Cardoso will miss his first chance at a Madrid derby as he suffered a sprained ankle in training that held him out of Atletico’s Champions League match with Liverpool and has already ruled him out for this weekends match as well.
Lorient v Monaco – 11a on beIN Sports: Folarin Balogun was an unused substitute last weekend in Monaco’s 5-2 win over FC Metz. Balogun had started the past three league matches for Monaco as well as the Champions League match just three days prior so it is unsurprising there was some rotation. He’ll hopefully be back in the lineup this weekend as Monaco look to continue their hot form in league play that has them tied for the league lead.
Juventus v Atalanta – Noon on Paramount+: Yunus Musah will face off against his old team including fellow USMNT member Weston McKennie as Atalanta travel to Turin to face Juventus on Saturday. Musah has come off the bench in his first two league matches since joining Atalanta but he did start the teams Champions League class with PSG (albeit an embarrassing 4-0 loss). Weston McKennie did not make it off the bench last weekend as Juventus settled for a 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona who were tied for last place in the league standings. It was Juventus’ first hiccup of the season and they are now two points back of Napoli, and two points ahead of this weekends opponent.
Borussia Monchengladbach v Eintracht Frankfurt – 12:30p on ESPN Select: Joe Scally, Gio Reyna, and Borussia Monchengladbach notched a late goal last weekend to steal a draw with Bayer Leverkusen. It was Gladbach’s first goal of the season and just their second point through four matches. This weekend they will face a Frankfurt side that has a pair of wins to go with a pair of losses.
Toulouse v Nantes – 1p on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie has played every minute of the season for Toulouse thus far. Unfortunately the club have lost three straight and currently sit in ninth place. If you set aside the embarrassing 6-3 loss Toulouse have given up just three goals in their other four matches this year which would be a solid defensive record. This weekend Toulouse host a Nantes side that sit near the bottom of the table with just one win and one draw, but they have been close in every match this season, never loosing by more than a goal, and only once conceding more than one.
Excelsior v PSV – 2p on ESPN Select: Sergino Dest, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV settled for a draw with Ajax last weekend and are now three points back of league leading Feyenoord. PSV now face an Excelsior side that are coming off their second win of the season, a 2-1 win over Volendam.
Club America v Pumas UNAM – 11:05p on CBSSN: Alex Zendejas scored for Club America last weekend after coming on as an injury substitute just before the end of the first half. Zendejas’ late goal was the match winner for America as they defeated San Luis to move within three points of league leading Cruz Azul. America now face a Pumas side who are coming off a 3-1 win over FC Juarez.
Saturday MLS Matches with USMNT flavor – here is when the September MLS call ups are kicking off their matches this weekend, all matches on MLS Season Pass:
- Charlotte v Montreal – 7:30p: Tim Ream
- DC United v Philadelphia Union – 7:30p: Nathan Harriel
- New York Red Bulls v NYCFC – 7:30p: Matt Friese
- Nashville SC v Houston Dynamo – 8:30p: Jack McGlynn
- Real Salt Lake v Austin FC – 9:30p: Diego Luna
- Seattle Sounders v Vancouver Whitecaps – 10:30p: Cristian Roldan
- San Diego FC v San Jose Earthquakes – 10:30p: Luca de la Torre
- LA Galaxy v Cincinnati – 10:30p: Roman Celetano
Sunday
Aston Villa v Fulham – 9a on USA Network: Antonee Robinson played 90’ minutes midweek in Fulham’s 1-0 EFL Cup win over Cambridge United. Robinson was back on the field after missing Fulham’s past two league matches. On Sunday Fulham will take on Aston Villa who are still looking for their first win of the Premier League season though they did defeat Bologna in Europa League action on Thursday.
Lille v Olympique Lyon – 11:15a on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann is doing everything he can to catch the eye of Mauricio Pochettino. Tessmann scored in his second straight match on Thursday, coming off the bench to lift Lyon to a 1-0 win over FC Utrecht in Europa League action. Tessmann also scored the lone goal last weekend as Lyon defeated Angers 1-0 in league play. Lyon are 4-0-1 to start the season and part of the group at the top of the Ligue 1 table, a group that are two points ahead of this weekend’s opponent, Lille.
AC Milan v Napoli – 2:45p on Paramount+: Perhaps the only USMNT player hotter than Tessmann right now is Christian Pulisic who came off the bench and scored on Tuesday in a Coppa Italia match on Tuesday after starting and contributing to all three goals Milan scored against Udinese last weekend, scoring two and assisting on the third. If Pulisic can keep that form heading into this weekends match against league leading Napoli it would be a huge boost to Milan’s title hopes this season. Napoli are currently three points ahead of Milan and have won every league match that they’ve played.
Sunday MLS Activity:
Cincinnati v Orlando City – 7on MLS Season Pass: Alex Freeman
LAFC v Real Salt Lake – 9p on FS1: Diego Luna
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Yanks Abroad
Malik Tillman faced off against fellow countrymen, Gio Reyna and Joe Scally, on Sunday as Leverkusen tied Monchengladbach 1-1. Tillman scored the goal, making that 2 goals in his first 3 Bundesliga matches. Good to see the trio linking up after their game as well.
Tanner Tessman scored a game-winner for Lyon in their 1-0 win over Angers on Friday.
Chris Richards put together another stellar outing against West Ham. Full highlight clip. He has solidified himself as one of the top defenders in the world’s top league. Crystal Palace and Liverpool are the only remaining undefeated teams in the Premier League. They’ll face off on Saturday.
It’s been a MASSIVE week for Christian Pulisic. He had a brace andan assist in Milan’s 3-0 win over Udinese. It’s early, but he’s tied for first in Serie A for goals and goals per 90. After the game head coach, Massimiliano Allegri, called him the “Michael Jordan of soccer”. While that’s a stretch, his form is elite. With the goals, he passed Clint Dempsey (57) for the most ever by an American in the top 5 European leagues (59). He scored again yesterday in the Coppa Italia after coming on as a sub, making that 5 goals in his last 6 games.
USL Investment for Pro/Rel
The United Soccer League (USL) has attracted a major investor to help develop its football league pyramid system, aiming to rival Major League Soccer (MLS). The investment comes from BellTower Partners, a firm run by former Carlyle Group CEO Kewsong Lee. Earlier this year, the USL announced plans to launch a new US men’s league with first-division sanctioning in 2027, thus becoming the second such league in the country, alongside MLS. The USL already operates three men’s leagues, and the addition of a tier-one league will enable the organisation to become the first sports league of any type in the United States to implement a promotion and relegation system. Dive deeper into how this move will compete against the MLS here. The USL is not disclosing the size of the investment, the size of the equity stake, or the current valuation of the USL used for the purposes of the investment.
Expanded World Cup Considered
FIFA is reportedly open to expanding the men’s World Cup to a 64-team tournament in 2030. It follows a formal pitch made to Fifa by football executives from CONMEBOL, South America’s governing body, to celebrate the centenary of the competition. One source, unverified, claims that Fifa is sceptical about whether expanding the tournament again is a viable proposition. Expansion would represent an increase from the 48 teams competing in next year’s tournament, which is already a rise from the 38-nation format that has been in place since 1998. CONMEBOL is lobbying to further enlarge the tournament in a move that would likely guarantee a qualification spot for all 10 of the continent’s member nations. The proposal has drawn opposition. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin believes that expansion would be damaging to the tournament and would reduce jeopardy in the qualification stage. If Fifa approves the move, it would create a tournament of 128 matches, double the number that was played from 1998 through 2022. The 2030 edition of the World Cup will be played across six host nations and spread across three continents—read more here.
NUTMEG SOCCER MLS Match Day 34 Recap
Max Palmer & Mason Palmer Read Online
Decision day is looming. Here’s what went down over the weekend…
Orlando City SC beat Nashville 3-2 behind a brace from Martin Ojeda and a goal from Duncan McGuire. Nashville’s recent league form has been abysmal; they’ve lost 6 out of their last 7 league games and are close to falling into the play-in round. They’ll play Austin FC in the US Open Cup final for maybe their only chance at hardware this season.
FC Dallas beat Colorado 3-1 and have now gone 6 straight unbeaten, all since selling Lucho Acosta. Logan Farrington and Petar Musa linked up once again for the game’s first goal. For the first time since early May, Dallas is back in a playoff position, one point ahead of Houston with a game in hand.
Austin FC beat the Seattle Sounders 2-1 behind Myrto Uzuni’s last-second goal. Brad Stuver was phenomenal in this one, preventing 1.81 expected goals. It’s Austin’s 3rd win in their last 4 league games. Meanwhile, Seattle is winless in their last three games and now gets Vancouver.
The Chicago Fire blanked Minnesota 3-0 on the road for one of their best performances of the season. Their 8th road win ties their club record in a season. The last wild card spot in the East is between them and the NY Red Bulls. The Fire are two points ahead and have a game in hand. They’ll try to end the Red Bulls historic 15-year playoff streak and join the dance for the first time since 2017.
Inter Miami beat DC United 3-2 on Saturday. Messi had two goals and an assist to become the fastest player in league history to reach 70 goal contributions, doing so in just 46 games. His second goal was spectacular. That’s 22 goals and 12 assists in 22 games played, utterly insane stuff. Miami has three more consecutive weeks of two games per week. If they win out, they’ll win the Shield and he’ll win MVP again. But that’s far from a sure thing.
The Best Attacking Duo in MLS
What a week for LAFC. They beat Real Salt Lake twice in the span of four days by the same score of 4-1 each time. They now have three straight league wins, scoring 12 goals in that span. Led by the best attacking duo in MLS, they can score in bunches and are peaking at the right time.Denis Bouanga (8) and Son Heung-min (6) have scored all 14 of their goals in the last 5 games. It didn’t take the two stars long to start clicking. Bouanga has two hat-tricks in the last three games to put him even in the Golden Boot race with Messi at 22 goals. He became the first player in league history to score 20+ goals in three straight seasons. He’s quickly becoming one of the best players in league history. As for Son, he scored a hat trick mid-week in their first match-up against Salt Lake. He now has 6 goals and 2 assists in just 550 minutes played. His presence has taken much of the opposing defense’s attention away from Bouanga, who has 9 goals in the 7 games since Son made his debut. They complement each other perfectly. Per Tom Bogert, before Son’s debut, LAFC ranked 12th in goals, 10th in expected goals, and 20th in chances. Since his debut, they’re 1st in goals, 4th in expected goals, and 4th in chances. This attack is scary good. If I were a betting man, my money would be on LAFC coming out of the Western Conference.
Will Tessmann leapfrog McKennie, Musah to start World Cup for U.S.?
Jeff CarlisleSep 25, 2025, 10:05 AM ET ESPNFC
The European club season has been in full swing for over a month now, giving those U.S. men’s national team players plying their trade overseas the chance to establish themselves. Some have gotten off to uneven starts, with the opening round of UEFA Champions League fixtures proving to be especially difficult. Others have hit the ground running. Those in MLS have been in rhythm for a while now.Then there’s Christian Pulisic, who has been leading the U.S. charge in Europe for nine years now and already has five goals in all competitions this season. Fortunately for the USMNT, Pulisic is one of several players who have been hitting their stride in recent weeks.Throughout the season, ESPN will be monitoring the progress of the U.S. player pool, delivering insights into those whose form or fitness has made them particularly intriguing. We call it the USMNT’s countdown to the World Cup.ESPN will count down to June 11 every week so that way, when the U.S. team is announced for this highly anticipated World Cup on home soil, no names on that 26-man roster will come as a surprise. Only 260 days to go.
– Rae: Will Gladbach instability be a blessing or a curse for Reyna?
– USMNT 2026 World Cup Big Board 2.0: Balogun, Zendejas rise
– Carlisle: Zendejas’ starring role has come at the right time for USMNT
Tanner Tessmann | Midfielder | Lyon
2025-26 minutes: 450
2025-26 FotMob rating: 7.5
Tessmann proving he deserves to start in midfield
Tessmann had already enjoyed a solid start to the season, but last weekend he kicked his campaign into overdrive, scoring the lone goal in Lyon’s 1-0 victory over Angers, a result that put the club in a tie atop the Ligue 1 table, behind AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain on goal differential. Not bad for a team that was threatened with relegation due to financial irregularities before the start of the season.
As for Tessmann, the question remains: Will these performances be enough to get him back in the U.S. squad? He hasn’t been called up since the Concacaf Nations League in March. To be clear, they should be, but the mind of U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino works in mysterious ways. At minimum, Tessmann should be in contention to provide cover for Tyler Adams, or even crack the starting lineup.
Malik Tillman | Attacker | Bayer Leverkusen
2025-26 minutes: 264
2025-26 FotMob rating: 7.1
USMNT could do with a dose of Tillman’s perseverance
Credit Tillman for showing a strong mentality, bouncing back from a dreadful match in midweek against F.C. København in the Champions League to deliver a man of the match performance against Borussia Mönchengladbach in which he scored his second league goal of the season. A tactical tweak from manager Kasper Hjulmand might have helped.
Against Copenhagen, Tillman was operating as one of the dual No. 10s and struggled mightily to get on the ball. Against Gladbach, he was deployed deeper in midfield and had a much stronger impact on the game, even beyond his 70th-minute goal. Hjulmand afterward continued to preach patience, as Tillman is one of many new arrivals to the squad, but the player’s ability to shake off a poor performance will serve him well for both club and country.
Christian Pulisic | Attacker | AC Milan
2025-26 minutes: 286
2025-26 FotMob rating: 7.9
Italy can’t stop Pulisic
This was an impressive week for Pulisic, even by his lofty standards. After scoring two goals and helping set the table for a third in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Udinese, Pulisic maintained his fine form by scoring the final goal — on the half-volley, no less — in a 3-0 Coppa Italia win over Lecce.There’s not much more to be said about Pulisic that hasn’t been already. He remains the USMNT’s most important attacking player, and he now holds the mark for most goals by an American in Europe’s top five leagues with 59. As long as he can stay healthy, he’s a lock to be in the U.S. lineup.He’ll try to keep the momentum going in this weekend’s momentous clash with top-of-the table Napoli.
The in-form XI
When Pochettino switched to a three-man back line during the September international window, it was a move that didn’t appear to benefit Gladbach’s Joe Scally. The wing back position favors the mobility and attacking instincts demonstrated by the likes of Sergiño Dest and Alex Freeman over the defending of Scally, but then Gladbach interim manager Eugen Polanski trotted out a 3-4-3 with Scally as the right wing back, and the American delivered an impressive performance. Scally showed an ability to get forward that was unexpected given that he recorded no goals and no assists this past season — his xG of 0.26 is already on its way to eclipsing last year’s 0.38. Granted, who knows what formation the permanent Gladbach coach will prefer once he’s hired, but the performance should help keep Scally in the lineup. Given his performance last weekend, why isn’t he in this week’s in-form XI? It’s a fair question, especially when you consider Dest conceded a penalty that was converted in PSV Eindhoven‘s 2-2 draw with Ajax. Combined with some defensively shaky moments during the September international window, it’s worth weighing whether Dest is enough of a defensive liability that he loses his spot in the starting lineup. That said, Dest’s value in attack is still high enough given his ability to deliver the unexpected, though Scally has given Pochettino something to think about in terms of who his starting wing backs should be. Meanwhile, the relative stock of the U.S. corps of forwards continues to go through some wild swings in form. Folarin Balogun looked to have gained some separation from the chasing pack after a great performance against Japan, but that was before his tepid effort in a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Club Brugge landed him on the bench for last week’s league encounter against Metz. Even worse for Balogun, his replacement, Mika Biereth, scored the opener in a 5-2 win, while Ansu Fati scored two off the bench and George Ilenikhena also got on the score sheet.
The silver lining for Balogun is that no other U.S. center forwards scored last weekend, although Ricardo Pepi‘s selfless run to the near post allowed Ismael Saibari to score PSV’s first, so he’ll remain the starter in this week’s lineup. Also, Balogun’s skill set is unique within the USMNT player pool, given his ability to make runs in behind the opposition defense, and this should mean his spot in the U.S. squad is still secure. He’ll need to work his way back into the Monaco lineup, though, and this week’s match at Lorient will reveal the extent to which his spot in the club hierarchy has fallen.
Big Board 2.0 update
ESPN’s USMNT Big Board 2.0 went live earlier this month, and each Big Board will provide the foundation for weekly player updates. Below are the minutes and player ratings for each of those 37 players.
Matt Turner, goalkeeper, New England Revolution: 630 minutes in 2025; 7.1 FotMob rating in 2025.
Matt Freese goalkeeper, New York City FC: 2,790 minutes in 2025; 7.1 FotMob rating in 2025.
Zack Steffen, goalkeeper, Colorado Rapids: 2,160 minutes in 2025; 6.9 FotMob rating in 2025.
Patrick Schulte, goalkeeper, Columbus Crew: 2,430 minutes in 2025; 6.8 FotMob rating in 2025.
Chris Richards, center back, Crystal Palace: 659 minutes in 2025-26; 7.4 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Richards continues to deliver for Palace, completing 86.7% of his passes and winning 87.5% of his duels in a 2-1 win over West Ham United.
Tim Ream, center back, Charlotte FC: 2,147 minutes in 2025; 6.7 FotMob rating in 2025.
Mark McKenzie, center back, Toulouse: 450 minutes in 2025-26; 6.6 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Cameron Carter-Vickers, center back, Celtic: 750 minutes in 2025-26; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Miles Robinson, center back, FC Cincinnati: 2,438 minutes in 2025; 6.9 FotMob rating in 2025.
Auston Trusty, center back, Celtic: 152 minutes in 2025-26; 6.4 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Tristan Blackmon, center back, Vancouver Whitecaps: 2,962 minutes in 2025; 7.2 FotMob rating in 2025.
Sergiño Dest, fullback, PSV Eindhoven: 691 minutes in 2025-26; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Antonee Robinson, fullback, Fulham: 141 minutes in 2025-26; 6.8 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Robinson’s recovery from offseason knee surgery took way longer than expected, but he finally played a full 90 minutes for the Cottagers in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup victory over fourth-tier side Cambridge United. Now let’s see if he can reclaim his spot in league play.
Joe Scally, fullback, Borussia Mönchengladbach: 355 minutes in 2025-26; 7.2 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Caleb Wiley, fullback, Watford: 18 minutes in 2025-26; 6.2 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Max Arfsten, fullback, Columbus Crew: 2,682 minutes in 2025; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025.
Alex Freeman, fullback, Orlando City SC: 2,802 minutes in 2025; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025.
Tyler Adams, midfielder, AFC Bournemouth: 464 minutes in 2025-26; 7.1 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Weston McKennie, midfielder, Juventus: 141 minutes in 2025-26; 6.7 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Johnny Cardoso, midfielder, Atlético Madrid: 185 minutes in 2025-26; 6.8 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Cardoso has been dealing with an ankle injury, hence his omission from the game-day roster in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Mallorca.
Luca de la Torre, midfielder, San Diego FC: 2,299 minutes in 2025; 6.8 FotMob rating in 2025.
Tanner Tessmann, midfielder, Lyon: 450 minutes in 2025-26; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Yunus Musah, midfielder, Atalanta: 206 minutes in 2025-26; 6.5 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Sebastian Berhalter, midfielder, Vancouver Whitecaps: 2,906 minutes in 2025; 7.6 FotMob rating in 2025.
Cristian Roldan, midfielder, Seattle Sounders FC: 3,425 minutes in 2025; 7.4 FotMob rating in 2025.
Christian Pulisic, attacker, AC Milan: 286 minutes in 2025-26; 7.9 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Tim Weah, attacker, Marseille: 397 minutes in 2025-26; 7.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Weah has been Marseille’s Mr. Fixit, lining up as a right wing back in OM’s 1-0 win over previously unbeaten PSG. Will that help him or hurt him when the next USMNT camp opens? Either way, his versatility remains impressive.
Malik Tillman, attacker, Bayer Leverkusen: 264 minutes in 2025-26; 7.1 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Diego Luna, attacker, Real Salt Lake: 2,255 minutes in 2025; 7.2 FotMob rating in 2025.
Alejandro Zendejas, attacker, América: 777 minutes in 2025-26; 7.4 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Gio Reyna, attacker, Borussia Mönchengladbach: 84 minutes in 2025-26; 6.7 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Folarin Balogun, forward, AS Monaco: 306 minutes in 2025-26; 6.9 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Ricardo Pepi, forward, PSV Eindhoven: 306 minutes in 2025-26; 7.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Josh Sargent, forward, Norwich City: 581 minutes in 2025-26; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Patrick Agyemang, forward, Derby County: 66 minutes in 2025-26; 6.9 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Haji Wright, forward, Coventry City: 542 minutes in 2025-26; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Damion Downs, forward, Southampton: 271 minutes in 2025-26; 6.3 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Lionel Messi takes lead in Golden Boot race as Inter Miami thrashes NYCFC
By Melanie Anzidei Sept. 25, 2025 12:41 am EDT
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi took a comfortable lead for this year’s Golden Boot by scoring two goals in Miami’s dramatic win over New York City FC on Wednesday night.Beneath the Citi Field lights and in the pouring rain, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami clinched a spot in the MLS playoffs. The South Florida club downed New York 4-0, carried by the Argentine striker’s late-game heroics and fueled by a pro-Miami crowd in New York. Messi opened the night with an assist to Baltasar Rodríguez in the 43rd minute, giving Inter Miami its first lead of the night.The team later rallied in the second half, scoring three goals in 12 minutes. Messi scored a brace, first in the 74th minute off a stunning pass from Sergio Busquets, and then again in the 86th. In between both goals, Luis Suárez scored off a penalty Messi’s pair of goals brings his tally to 24 scored this season, while LAFC’s Denis Bouanga trails with 22. Inter Miami sits third in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with 55 points, behind the Philadelphia Union (60 points) and FC Cincinnati (58 points). Miami heads to BMO Field, where they will face Toronto FC on Saturday. Inter Miami has its eyes set on reclaiming the Supporters’ Shield, which the club won in 2024. “We know how difficult Saturday will be because we have less than 72 hours to play, but we will try to play our best and try to win the game and try to qualify as high as possible,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “If we can win the next five games, we’ll be great and we’ll have (a) chance to fight for the Supporters’ Shield.” While Inter Miami were more than 1,000 miles from home, the near sellout crowd in Queens was unmistakably there for Messi. The crowd of 40,085 cheered after every play made by the striker and roared whenever the 38-year-old appeared on the Jumbotron. After each goal, the stadium filled with chants of “Messi, Messi!” Still, NYCFC tried its best to take advantage of the unusually large crowd that came out to Queens on Wednesday night, with messaging throughout the night reminding fans of their future stadium slowly taking shape next door. (Photo: Mark Smith / Imagn Images)
As Atlanta United flounders, would a Tata Martino reunion be the right play?
By Felipe Cardenas Sept. 19, 2025
It has been a difficult summer for Atlanta United. In July, president and CEO Garth Lagerwey stepped away from his role after a cancer diagnosis. Well-liked around the building and highly respected across MLS, Lagerwey had publicly lauded the current squad entering the 2025 season. Ronny Deila, Atlanta’s first-year head coach, was the candidate that he fought for internally. Deila has led Atlanta to just five wins in 29 matches, though, and Lagerwey’s continued absence heading into the fall could alter the direction of the club.Deila may not be working out as Lagerwey hoped, but he did also hire Chris Henderson, Atlanta’s chief soccer officer and sporting director, last December. Talks with Deila were already at an advanced stage when Henderson joined the club from Inter Miami. He replaced Carlos Bocanegra and is now a leading decision maker on Atlanta’s future, which is under great focus considering the ongoing struggles. And that’s where the avenues the club can take in an effort to return to MLS’s elite could get interesting.Henderson came to Atlanta after helping Tata Martino build a Miami squad that broke MLS’s regular-season points record and won the Supporters’ Shield in 2024. Having Lionel Messi certainly helped, too. For his part, Martino led Atlanta to an MLS Cup victory in 2018 and he remains a well-regarded figure inside the club. His title-winning team and a near-perfect club launch unexpectedly brought the eyes of the football world to the city. Seven years later, Martino is available again, and it’s only natural to consider whether a reunion might make sense.Speaking exclusively to The Athletic last week, Martino touched on the emotional attachment some managers have after they depart a job. Inter Miami, he said, remains unfinished business. However, there’s nothing pending for Martino in Atlanta. He won a final then accepted the Mexico national team job in 2019 after two seasons.“I think at that time, the Atlanta project, for various reasons, had more room to grow, but not with me in charge,” Martino said. “The Miami project, yes, because I compare it to the Argentina national team project. There was more ahead, more to do. It wasn’t something already finished. Today I understand that some projects start and finish, and that’s that.”Asked if he maintains contact with Henderson, Martino smiled.“Yes, I care about him a lot,” he said. “Honestly, he’s someone I’ve had a really good working relationship with. First, because he’s a great professional, and second, because he’s an extraordinary person. I’ve really enjoyed working with him. Every now and then we exchange messages and say hello. I have a lot of affection for him.”The 62-year-old Argentine is among the top available coaches for MLS teams that are looking for a new manager. New England, St. Louis City, and Sporting Kansas City all have vacancies, and Steve Cherundolo will depart LAFC at the end of this season.
Atlanta United has struggled in Ronny Deila’s first season at the helm (Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
Atlanta could potentially become an option, too, although Lagerwey has made a concerted effort to turn the page on the club’s successful past. Deila, whom Lagerwey touted as a serial winner, was supposed to end the club’s crisis with a firm European hand. Despite his best efforts and the millions of dollars spent on players, though, few improvements – if any – materialized.
On the other side, if Martino were to consider a highly-publicized reunion in Atlanta, he would put his legacy at the club at stake. The squad has not been well built, with high-priced players failing to deliver, while the shortcomings of long-standing members of the team have held the club back. Secondly, Atlanta’s player profiles don’t align with what Martino would prefer. There is no discernible identity under Deila, so another major evaluation of the roster would be necessary. Even so, Martino offered his thoughts on the state of his former team.
“I try to be careful because I don’t see the day-to-day,” he said. “From the outside, you look at the squad and think, ‘It’s strange to see them in that position in the standings,’ but there are different circumstances, so maybe a season doesn’t turn out the way you expect. In MLS, this happens a lot: players come from different places, and you have to see how the ideas come together, how the players click with each other, with the coaching staff, with the club and with the city.“Sometimes everything clicks perfectly, and it works spectacularly,” Martino continued. “Other times, just as you can’t always explain why everything went so well, you can’t always explain why nothing worked out as expected. Looking at the squad from a distance, you might’ve expected a different outcome for the season.”The same can be said about Miguel Almirón. The Paraguayan international was widely considered the best player in MLS when he wore Atlanta’s black and red kit under Martino. Now 31, Almirón rejoined Atlanta in January after six seasons in the Premier League with Newcastle United. He was celebrated by Atlanta’s fans upon his return, but that euphoria has since subsided. Like Atlanta as a whole, Almirón has struggled to have the same impact as he once had in MLS. He has four goals and seven assists on the year, and at times has either been misused as a traditional winger by Deila, or hasn’t been decisive enough in the middle of the field to make a difference.
Josef Martínez was prolific under Tata Martino in Atlanta (Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports)
In his final year in Atlanta, prior to becoming MLS’s highest outgoing transfer at the time, Almirón teamed with 2018 MLS MVP Josef Martínez to the tune of 12 goals and 14 assists in the regular season. Martino may be watching from afar, but his assessment of Almirón 2.0, an experiment that hasn’t been an immediate success, rings true.“The main difference for Miguel is that the (2018) team had a solid base,” Martino said. “We kept a strong American core through Brad (Guzan), Parky (Michael Parkhurst), (Jeff) Larentowicz and even Greg Garza, who was Mexican-American but very connected to American soccer. At the same time, the team had a very strong Latin side. So obviously, Miguel felt much more supported.“On top of that, Miguel had that partnership with Josef. That’s how all the pieces come together for a season to go well. Today’s team, the nationalities and customs are very different, and Miguel arrived at a tricky moment. When the tournament is already underway, it can be hard to achieve that same unity of ideas.”After Atlanta’s 5-4 loss to the Columbus Crew on Saturday, a game in which Atlanta was down 5-0 at home after 39 minutes, Deila defiantly fought for his job. The defeat was Atlanta’s 13th of the regular season, which eliminated the club from the MLS playoffs.Deila, 49, insisted afterwards that Atlanta is in good hands. The Norwegian’s first year in Atlanta has been mired in uncertain tactics and a glaring lack of pride from Atlanta’s players week-to-week. Deila admitted on Saturday to relaying inconsistent messages to his players after trying different formations throughout the year. Still, the former Celtic manager believes he’s the right man to turn this into something positive in 2026.“We’re going to be competitive next season. I’m 100 percent sure,” Deila said. “If not I wouldn’t sit here. I’ve done this for 20 years. I’ve had success with almost every team I’ve had. I’ve made improvements everywhere. I won almost everywhere I’ve been.”Perhaps Deila hasn’t completely thrown his players under the bus, but he has questioned their professional character and mentality. It was evident on Saturday that he has lost faith in some of his players, despite stating adamantly that he hasn’t lost the locker room.“I want to improve things, but we have to change a lot of the personnel this season because some (players) didn’t have the opportunity to get better and some of them aren’t interested in getting better,” Deila said. “I believe and I feel I have the boys with me. And I feel that I have the staff with me, and I feel that we’re on the start of something.”Whatever Deila believes hasn’t been up to standard. Atlanta invested over $50 million in new player acquisitions last season. The objective was to provide Deila with a squad capable of challenging for the top four in the Eastern Conference. Instead, the club was struggling through its worst start in franchise history in May. The momentum that Atlanta garnered at the end of the 2024 season under interim manager Rob Valentino sputtered almost immediately in 2025. Atlanta’s shocking first-round defeat of Martino’s heavily-favored Inter Miami during the 2024 playoffs was supposed to inspire a now-apathetic fanbase and position Atlanta with the right building blocks moving forward.
Atlanta has just five wins through 29 games, tied for second-fewest in MLS (Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
But there is nothing inspirational about this Atlanta side. It has conceded 54 goals and scored just 36 times in 29 matches. There are 11 teams in the East that have scored more goals than Atlanta this season. Deila, who won an MLS Cup final with New York City FC in 2021, has been unable to manufacture solutions both in-game and mid-week to improve the team.On Saturday, Columbus was surgical in how it attacked Atlanta’s woeful midfield and backline, while Deila’s men delivered another display of football malpractice. Deila called it the “the strangest game I’ve seen in my life,” but in reality, it was a representation of his tenure in Atlanta. The four-goal comeback did not mask his team’s permanent flaws, which go far beyond a tactics board.Deila and his staff have succumbed to the culture of defeat in Atlanta rather than turn it around. Losing has become normalized within Atlanta’s training facility in Marietta, Ga., which later this month will be newly unveiled following a $23 million investment from owner Arthur Blank. Yet, Deila stressed on Saturday that a coaching change wasn’t necessary.“I’m the guy who can make this team successful,” he said. “I cannot handle what the board is thinking. If peopl don’t believe in me, then of course we have a challenge.”“Right now we’re struggling,” he continued. “We’re eating a lot of s***, but that creates unbelievable power and energy to go forward and prove everybody wrong. It’s easy to sit on the outside and have opinions now, but get in the ring and we’ll see how it is and who ends up on the right side. That’s going to be us.”
It very well could be – unless Atlanta believes that revisiting its past can finally awaken the club’s future.
(Top photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
The Ole BallCoach 