High School Regional Finals visits Carmel Girls 4 pm Sat, Carmel Boys host #1 Brownsburg Sat 2 pm
The #2 ranked Carmel High Girls will host East Central Regional Final action at 4 pm at Murray Stadium. Semi finals wrapped with Carmel beating Avon 6-1 Thurs night. https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/girls/soccer/2025-26-tournament?round=sectionals
On the boys side #9 Carmel beat Lawrence North 1-0 CHS Boys Story and will host #1 Brownsburg Sat at 2 pm at Murray Stadium in Regional Final action. https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/soccer/2025-26-tournament?round=sectionals
Indy 11 host Home Finale vs Loudon United 7 pm at the Mike
Indy Eleven’s late rally came up short in a 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at Highmark Stadium Saturday night. Defender James Musa found the back of the net in the 88th minute, but the Boys in Blue were unable to complete the comeback in the final moments vs former Carmel High & Butler GK Eric Dick. The Boys in Blue have their final regular season home game with Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday, October 18 at 7 p.m. at Carroll Stadium vs. Loudoun United FC.
US Men Beat the Aussies 2-1 – Pulisic is lost for a month
The US men put together perhaps their best performance in the Pochitino era with a solid 2-1 win over Australia Tuesday night highlights. Now this was an Aussie B team as 7 starters were switched from their win over Canada over the weekend. The sad news is Christian Pulisic injured his hamstring and will miss up to a month with AC Milan. On the night – Haji Wright scored a brace – keeping his hot form from England intact – as he got 2 assist from Christian Roldan playing the 6 role. Defensively Mark McKensie started on the right with Richards in the middle on the defensive backline. All in all — I picked 2-1 if Pulisic played and that’s what happened. Again – this was an Aussie B team – Poch still hasn’t beaten anyone – but at least we aren’t losing.
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FULL TV GAME SCHEDULE
Fri, Oct 17
2:30 pm ESPN+ Union Berlin vs MGladbach (Reyna, Scally)
10 pm Prime Bay FC vs NC Courage NWSL
10 pm Prime Seattle Reign vs Utah Royals NWSL
Sat, Oct 18
7:30 am Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea
9:30 am Mainz vs Bayer Leverkusen (Tilman)
10:15 am ESPN+ Barcelona vs Girona
10 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Bournmouth (Adams)
10 am USA Brighton vs New Castle
12:30 pm NBC Fulham vs Arsenal
12:30 pm ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Dortmund
12:30 pm CBS Washington Spirit vs Orlando Pride NWSL
2:45 pm Para+ Roma vs Inter Milan
3 pm Peacock FIFA U20 WC 3rd Place Game
6 pm MLS Decision Day – games on Apple TV FREE
6 pm Apple – Seattle Sounders vs NYCFC
7 pm TV 23 Indy 11 vs Loundon
7:30 pm Ion, Prime Houston Dash vs KC Current (NWSL)
9 pm MLS Decision Day –
9 pm Apple Portland vs San Diego MLS
Sun, Oct 19
6:30 am Como vs Juventus (McKennie)
9 am USA Tottenham vs Aston Villa
11:30 am USA Liverpool vs Man United
2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Fiorentina
3 pm ESPN+ Getafe vs Real Madrid
5 pm ESPN Angel City vs Portland Thorns (NWSL)
7 pm FS2 FIFA U20 World Cup Final Argentina vs Morocco
Tues/Wed Oct 21-22 Champions League
Tues, 10/21 – Champs League
12:45 pm Unimas, Para+ Barcelona vs Olympiakos
3 pm CBSSN, Para+ New Castle vs Benefica
3 pm Para+ Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid
3 pm Para+ PSV (Dest) vs Napoli
3 pm Para+ Leverkusen (Reyna, Scally) vs PSG
3 pm Para+, Prime Villareal vs Man City
3 pm Para+ Kobenhaven vs Dortmund
Weds, 10/22 – Champs League
3 pm CBSSN, Para+ Bayern Munich vs Club Brugge
3 pm Para+, Prime Real Madrid vs Juventus (McKennie)
3 pm Para+ Monaco vs Tottenham
3 pm Para+ Chelsea vs Ajax
3 pm Para+ Frankfurt vs Liverpool
Thurs, Oct 23 Europa League
12:45 pm Para+, Prime Eagles vs Aston Villa
12:45 pm Para+ Brann vs Rangers (Sands)
3 pm para+ Celtic (CVB) vs Sturm Graz
3 pm Para+ Nottingham Forest vs Porto
3 pm Para+ Crystal Palace (Richards) vs AEK Larnaca
7 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Chester PA
Fri, Oct 24
9 am FS2 Norway vs USA U17WC
3 pm USA Leeds United (Aaronson) vs West Ham
3 pm Para+ AC Milan vs Pisa
Sat, Oct 25
7:30 am CBSSN Coventry City (Haji Wright) vs Watford
9 am FS2 Ivory Coast vs Spain (U17 WWC)
9:30 am ESPN+ MGladbach (Reyna, Scally) vs Wolfsburg
10 am USA New Castle vs Fulham (Jedi)
10 am Peacock Chelsea vs Brighton
10 am CBSSN Middlesborough vs Wrexham
12 noon Para+ Napoli vs Inter Milan
12:30 pm Man City vs Brighton NBC
12:30 pm ESPN+ Dortmund vs Koln
3 pm ESPN+ Valencia vs Villarreal
8 pm Univision Leon vs Pumas (Mex)
11 pm CBSSN Cruz Azul vs Monterrey Mex
Sun, Oct 26
10 am USA Aston Villa vs Man City
10 am Peacock? Arsenal vs Crystal Palace (Richards)
10:30 am ESPN+ Leverkusen (Tilman) vs Freiberg
11:15 ESPN+ am Real Madrid vs Barcelona (Derby)
3:45 pm Para+ Lazio vs Juventus (McKennie)
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
US Men
Pulisic suffered low-grade hamstring tear with U.S.
Pochettino’s turnaround has USMNT no longer dreading World Cup
Three things we learned from USMNT’s October window
Assessing the USMNT October window: who played well, and the team’s current direction
USMNT World Cup roster implications: Wright, Roldan make cases
Haji Wright brace leads comeback USMNT victory over Australia
Cristian Roldan seizes his USMNT moment: “He is what we need”
USMNT remains 16th in October FIFA rankings
Christian Pulisic’s setback stalls hot start at AC Milan, clouds U.S. plans for November camp
FIFA announces over 1 million tickets sold for 2026 World Cup in North America
US Women
Trinity Rodman to miss USWNT camp with MCL sprain, hopeful for return before end of NWSL season
Hayes ‘super excited’ by Rodman’s USWNT return
October USWNT roster sees return of Trinity Rodman
Christen Press announces retirement from professional soccer
U 20 US Men Bow Out of World Cup
Post Mortem: U.S. U-20 falls to Morocco in another QF exit. A look at the cycle
MLS Decision Day
Decision Day: Clinch scenarios, biggest races to know
Decision Day! 5 must-watch matches this weekend
Decision Day countdown: MVP, Supporters’ Shield & other must-follow storylines
Decision Day Predictions: Wild Card spots, Western Conference race & more
Decision Day: 10 players who will decide the drama
Every team that’s in: Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs
Golden BootGolden Boot: Bouanga, Messi & Surridge set for photo finish
World Cup Qualifiers
Germany get WC seeding boost in FIFA rankings
Looking in at Concacaf World Cup qualifying
2026 World Cup favorites: 5 nations ready to rule the global stage
Reffing
Goalkeeping
Former US Keeper Brad Guzan Retires
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford signs contract extension through June 2029
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Back again
Some of our most watched leagues embark on a new season. by jcksnftsn Oct 17, 2025, 12:57 PM EDT
We’re back from the international break with a nice schedule of soccer matches though it is impacted a bit by injury. Availability could also be impacted by the turnaround from yet another international break but that shouldn’t impact our first match of the weekend:
Saturday
Mainz v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Malik Tillman is questionable to return for Bayer Leverkusen when they face Mainz on Saturday morning. Tillman played, and assisted Balogun’s match tying goal, in the Ecuador friendly but did not dress for the second match against Australia.
Koln v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Noahkai Banks was not called in for the USMNT for October but did get his first start and scored a goal for Augsburg just before the break as Augsburg defeated Wolfsburg to snap a four match loosing streak.
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock: Chris Richards and Tyler Adams face off in Premier League action this weekend with the two teams looking to continue their hot starts to the season. Richards and Crystal Palace lost for the first time this season as they were headed into the break but remain in sixth place while Adams, who missed the international break due to the birth of his child, and Bournemouth currently sit in fourth place, just two points back of league leading Arsenal.
Burnley v Leeds United – 10a on Peacock: Brenden Aaronson has started four straight matches for a Leeds Side that are currently in 15th place which isn’t great but is exceeding expectations for a squad that many assumed would be headed straight back to the English Championship after the season. Leeds fell to Tottenham prior to the break and are 1-1-2 in the four matches that Aaronson has started. They are facing Burnley in what appears to be an early season relegation six pointer, Burley are currently in 18th place, four points back of Leeds.
Coventry City v Blackburn Rovers – 10a on Paramount+: Haji Wright, who translated his hot form with club to his USMNT experience by scoring two goals against Australia will take the field for Coventry City as they look to take advantage of a Blackburn side that are just out of the relegation positions. Wright has scored eight goals in nine matches this season, including goals in six of his eight starts, as Coventry have yet to lose and are currently sitting atop the Championship table.
Nice v Olympique Lyonnais – 11a on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann and Lyon will look to get back to their winning ways when they face twelfth place Nice on Saturday. Lyon fell to Toulouse heading into the break but remain tied for second place with both Marseille and Strasbourg, just a point back of league leading PSG.
Fulham v Arsenal – 12:30p on NBC: Antonee Robinson continues to struggle with injury to start the 2025-26 season and has been ruled out for The Cottagers match against Arsenal on Saturday. Robinson, who has been such a regular for Fulham, has played just 61’ minutes thus far this season, appearing as a substitute in three matches.
PSV v Go Ahead Eagles – 12:45p on ESPN Select: Sergino Dest and PSV defeated PEC Zwolle 4-0 heading into the break. Ricardo Pepi missed the match due to injury but is available this weekend as PSV face tenth place Go Ahead Eagles. PSV remain three points behind a Feyenoord team that have yet to suffer defeat this season.
Angers v Monaco – 1p on beIN Sports: Folarin Balogun has just one goal for Monaco thus far this season though he looked sharp for the US over the break. Balogun has come off the bench in the last couple of matches, including their most recent match when they were already down 2-0 to Nice. Monaco were able to come back to split the points with Nice and are in fifth place in Ligue 1.
Olympique Marseille v Le Havre – 3p on beIN Sports: Tim Weah and Marseille defeated Metz 3-0 heading into the break to remain in second place in Ligue 1. Weah has been starting as a wingback for Marseille, a position which he was also deployed in for the US over the break.
Atletico Madrid v Osasuna – 3p on ESPN Deportes: Johnny Cardoso is still struggling with an ankle injury and seems likely to miss out this weekend as Atletico Madrid face Osasuna.
Saturday MLS Matches with USMNT flavor – the below MLS players were called into the October camp though three of the four keepers (Brady, Turner, Schulte) never saw the field:
- Cincinnati v CF Montreal – 6:00p on MLS Season Pass: Miles Robinson
- Charlotte v Philadelphia Union – 6:00p on MLS Season Pass: Tim Ream
- Columbus Crew v NYRB – 6:00p on MLS Season Pass: Max Arfsten and Patrick Schulte
- New England v Chicago Fire – 6:00p on MLS Season Pass: Matt Turner v Chris Brady
- Toronto FC v Orlando City SC – 6:00p on MLS Season Pass: Alex Freeman
- NYCFC v Seattle Sounders – 8:30p on MLS Season Pass: Matt Freese v Cristian Roldan
- St. Louis City v Real Salt Lake – 9:00p on MLS Season Pass: Diego Luna
Sunday
Como v Juventus – 6:30a on Paramount+: If you’re an early riser Weston McKennie and Juventus face Como in the espresso match of the week on Sunday morning. Juventus have drawn three straight matches and now sit in fifth place in the league table just six matches into the season. After barely sniffing the field in the first two matches of the season McKennie has started four of Juve’s past six matches across all competitions, including both Champions League matches.
Toulouse v Metz – 11:15a on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse snapped a four match winless streak by defeating Tanner Tessmann and Lyon 2-1 ahead of the break. McKenzie has played every minute for Toulouse to start the season as the team currently sits solidly middle of the table.
St Pauli v Hoffenheim – 11:30a on ESPN Select: James Sands has started every match for St Pauli who have lost three straight and fallen to tenth in the Bundesliga table. St. Pauli will now face a Hoffenheim side that have an identical record and are coming off a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Koln.
Atalanta v Lazio – Noon on Paramount+: Yunus Musah has appeared in four league matches for Atalanta since joining the side early in the 2025-26 season, all as a substitute and he has under fifty minutes with the club. Atalanta are currently in sixth place as they’ve drawn their last two matches and will be looking to get back on track as they host thirteenth place Lazio.
AC Milan v Fiorentina – 2:45p on Paramount+: Christian Pulisic is set to miss about a month with a relatively minor hamstring injury he picked up while away on international duty. Pulisic has been on an absolute tear to start the season with six goals and three assists in twelve matches across all competitions to start the season, and will surely be missed by a Milan side that are currently in third place.
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Charlie Davies: Haji Wright putting himself high in Pochettino’s World Cup plans
Haji Wright is in form for the USMNT Robin Alam / ISI Photos
By Charlie Davies Oct. 17, 2025 7:00 am EDT
Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. men’s national team squad is finally starting to take shape, and one of the big positives of this international break was Haji Wright’s emergence as a real contender for the center-forward role at the World Cup.Folarin Balogun is looking sharp and is clearly the first-choice striker at this moment, but with Ricardo Pepi still working his way back from his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, Wright has taken his chance to move into second place in the depth chart. He might yet push Balogun for the starting role.It wasn’t just Wright’s two goals in the 2-1 win over Australia, exquisitely taken though they both were, that impressed me. It was his overall performance, the way he is leading the line and connecting with the two ‘No. 10s’ behind him.And added to the positive impact he had on Tuesday is his impressive form at club level with his eight goals in nine games for table-topping Coventry City in the Championship, indicating that he is a player in top form and brimming with confidence. His tally has also put him in the lead in the division’s scoring charts.You could see that confidence in both those goals in Colorado. You don’t convert those chances in the way he did unless you have conviction in your own ability. While he is a modest and quiet guy, as evidenced by his celebrations, Wright clearly believes in himself.
Wright took his chance for the USMNT’s second goal against Australia expertly.Jamie Schwaberow / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images
The quality and thought process behind those finishes were high-level, demonstrating an elite mindset in a split second.
Wright is a player who has benefited from spending time playing on the left-wing early in his time at Coventry. He may not have been as effective in that role, but it has helped him evolve into a more complete striker. In some ways, it reminds me of the evolution of Thierry Henry.
Henry, who early on in his career at Juventus was stuck out on the wing, was able to turn that skill set into an ability to rip apart defenses from a central position when he became an out-and-out striker at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger.
When you play on the wing, you learn about timing your runs, you have to study the back-line closely, and you need to have awareness of how to create space and get yourself into a position to exploit spaces behind the defense. It is a very different skill set to playing as a straightforward No. 9, when you spend a lot of your time with your back to the goal or focused on getting into the box to get on the end of crosses.
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Playing wide requires you to be tactically in tune, especially regarding transition and tempo, because if you get exposed, you get found out real quick. That experience helped sharpen his runs, intuition, and timing. Wright, who has the size to be a target man, also has the flexibility now to use that wide experience to influence and impact the game in the channels. This mindset means he understands when opponents need to drop or step out, allowing him to exploit the big holes created in the defense.
Stay in the know by selecting your interests on The Athletic:
His manager at Coventry, Frank Lampard, who Wright has called an “inspiration”, is getting the best out of him. Everything seems to be coming together at last for Wright, and I am delighted to see it.
The second goal he scored, in particular, was revelatory. It showed great instincts and composure, but most importantly, a fearlessness to go to his weaker left foot and still be able to curl the ball into the far corner. That versatility is a game-changer for any striker — knowing you aren’t reliant on one side versus another makes a defender’s job infinitely harder.
His first goal was also stunning but more for the finish itself — opting to strike early, in his stride and with the outside of his right foot, rather than taking an extra touch and opening up his body, allowed him to catch the keeper completely off-guard without giving any clues to his intent. It reminded me of a classic Liverpool-era Fernando Torres finish.
Both goals were created by smart passes from Cristian Roldan, which will be another encouraging element of that display for Pochettino. Roldan is showing that there is a lot more to his game than many had thought.
I’ve got huge admiration for the way that Wright has matured as a player while navigating the difficult path of a career in Europe that has seen him play in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Turkey before taking on the challenging test of the Championship — surely the best second division league in the world.It was clear from the early days of his career that he wanted to make it in Europe — you didn’t leave an MLS academy, in 2015, to join a second tier American club (in Wright’s case the New York Cosmos then in the now defunct NASL) unless you had your heart set on a move to Europe, which in the time could be tricky to achieve when under contract in MLS.
Ricardo Pepi’s injury issues have pushed him down the U.S. depth chart.Bill Barrett / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images for USSF
It takes guts to keep going when you are working your way up the ladder in Europe. I played in the Danish league and playing at some of the small grounds over there, you feel far from the big time, and it could be easy to lose heart.But Wright stuck with it and never gave up his dream. It was a nomad’s path, and one where many players lose their way, ending up on poor contracts and returning to MLS. But he kept fighting. His moves, especially one to the Turkish league with Antalyaspor, were strategic stepping stones. This kid wanted it.Now, at 27 years old, he is hitting his peak. The quality he has developed over the past few years, combined with his size and athleticism, makes him a real threat. When he carries this club form into the national team and produces in this manner, it creates a dangerous concoction. Not to mention, having already scored a World Cup goal (against the Netherlands in a World Cup knockout round), however flukey, is a massive confidence and booster.
Balogun has more to offer in the tight spaces with that close touch and smart technique, and he is rightly the number one strike option for Pochettino.
His movement, hold-up play, and ability to link with Christian Pulisic were a cut above. The chemistry between Balogun and Pulisic is highly encouraging. He is unpredictable and versatile — he’ll drift into the wide spaces or drop deep and, while dangerous in front of goal, he is so much more than a poacher.
But while Balogun is the undisputed starter, Wright has put himself firmly in the number two spot for the USMNT striker role, and that puts tremendous pressure on Pepi.Pepi will view himself as the best striker, but is now on the back foot after the ACL tear. Pepi has a lot of work to do over the next six months to get back into the conversation of the top three. If we are talking about right now, Wright has a great opportunity in front of him, not only to go to the World Cup but to play a large part in it.Given his current age and scoring trajectory, I fully expect him to be sold to a top division team in England or in Europe after this year. He has done everything he can to make himself one of the prized assets of the Championship.Wright is finally getting the opportunities he deserves, and so far, he is making the most of them.
And that’s good news for the USMNT.
Cristian Roldan and the making of Mauricio Pochettino’s ‘perfect player’
Oct. 17, 2025 9:00 am EDT
DENVER – Cristian Roldan could sense where the questions were going.When the U.S. men’s national team roster for October was announced, coach Mauricio Pochettino praised the Seattle Sounders midfielder for what he brought to camp the previous month. But one thing the coach highlighted was something for which Roldan was known during the 2022 cycle: He was considered a glue guy.“That is a good example (of) how you need to be involved and defend and fight for your place,” Pochettino said. “You need to arrive and show your personality and your character and then be available always — (and) if you play, you behave the same way as if you don’t play.”Roldan, the 30-year-old veteran, is proud of his role in the locker room. It’s hardly a bad thing to be considered a highly respected player who has close relationships with players up and down the roster. But after fielding a couple questions about that part of why he was in camp, Roldan wanted to make sure it was clear he wasn’t in camp just to be a glue guy.“I want to be involved,” Roldan said. “I want to be — sorry for my language — shooting the s*** with all the guys, right? I want to be involved in knowing what’s going on in their lives and also being able to help in football. But what I could also bring is competitiveness. I’m not just an off-the-field guy. I think everybody will tell you what I bring competitive-wise, in training, on game days. My voice. … I want to be a good teammate, but I also want people to know that I’m competing really hard here.”
If there was any question about Roldan’s competitive place in the team, he answered it in October. Roldan turned in two more solid performances in the window, assisting on both goals in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Australia. Now, a player who wasn’t in the World Cup conversation just six weeks ago is not only in a good spot to make the U.S. roster, he may also be playing his way into the discussion to start.
Cristian Roldan celebrates after the USMNT’s win over Japan in SeptemberKoji Watanabe / Getty Images
As he walked through the mixed zone after the win over the Socceroos, Roldan couldn’t quite suppress his smile. And why would he? He had backed up his earlier declaration.
“It’s easy to say that (you’re more than an off-field leader), right?” Roldan said. “It’s always easy to say that. But it’s another thing to display that on the field when your name is called. When maybe you don’t think that your name is going to be called, and to have your name called, and then contribute right in the game and play well. It’s very satisfying.“But again, I have to be ready for the next phase if I’m getting called up. If I have another opportunity. I can’t just say I’m here to keep the team competitive in training. I’ve got to also show it in games when my opportunity comes.”And while Pochettino was still impressed by Roldan’s presence off the field, his postgame comments were saved for what he had done on the pitch.“Cristian Roldan is an example of how if you want to build your perfect player; he has a little bit of everything,” Pochettino said.As he prepares to lead the Sounders to yet another MLS postseason — Seattle is locked in as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference — Roldan suddenly looks to be a big part of the national team going into next month’s friendlies vs. Paraguay and Uruguay. It is the manifestation of the ideas Roldan talked about the day before the Australia win during an exclusive interview with The Athletic.
‘He’s a coach’s dream’
Roldan’s professional career started by being overlooked.
He was Gatorade National Player of the Year in high school and a standout for the University of Washington. He seemed destined to be a top-five pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. But Roldan had a poor performance at the scouting combine. At the time, with few teams committing resources to scouting the college game, a couple scrimmages had the ability to tank a player’s value.Roldan slid, and the team just up the road from his college program, the Sounders, traded up to get him 16th overall.Stay in the know by selecting your interests on The Athletic:
“I used to scout some of (the UW) training sessions back in the day and you could tell back then what his training habits were,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said. “We had Garth (Lagerwey) chasing around the room trying to trade for him. We already knew because we’d seen it.”
Roldan took some time to settle in as a professional, but Schmetzer said the training habits he saw while scouting immediately stood out. Roldan was willing to work in any position to prove himself. By his second season, he played in 33 of 34 games, starting 28.“For lack of a better term,” Schmetzer said, “he’s a coach’s dream.”Roldan has been a consistent starter ever since, was a key piece in two MLS Cup-winning sides and was named to the team of the tournament when Seattle became the first MLS team to win the Concacaf Champions League in 2022.
Cristian Roldan speaks with fellow MLS standout Diego Luna on the USMNT benchScott Coleman / Imagn Images
Roldan broke into the national team in 2017, playing in the Gold Cup, then featured in five World Cup qualifiers in the last cycle. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter brought him to Qatar in part because of his presence in the locker room, where he had become an important voice for a number of the young players.
Roldan didn’t play in the tournament, but he was a big part of the group. Weston McKennie once called him, “the biggest team player I’ve ever met in my life.” He and Christian Pulisic are also close.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized the nuances of a team,” Roldan said. “A team isn’t about just getting the best players out on the field. Sometimes it’s someone that brings a different mentality. Sometimes it’s someone who is more of a leader. Sometimes it’s more of a guy that plays with their heart on their sleeve. With Gregg, I started off playing, and then I realized, ‘OK, well, I might not play as much, so how can I still impact the team?’ And I had been with a team long enough already at that point that I had established really good relationships with players, with staff.
“So understanding I’m going to make sure the level of training is extremely high by my standards, and hopefully that translates to the group. … And then off the field understanding where guys are at: if they’re playing or not. How can I help? How can I be a friend? How can I be a teammate? How can I take pressure off guys by just being normal?
“Quickly, I realized that was going to be my case with the last cycle. Sometimes you don’t necessarily need the best 26. Sometimes it’s the environment, the culture that the 26 bring. And sometimes that makes your team even better.”
Cristian Roldan defends PSG’s Achraf Hakimi at the FIFA Club World CupBuda Mendes / Getty Images
After Qatar, Roldan was a part of the U.S. in the 2023 Gold Cup. But he wasn’t on the roster for Copa América last year, nor any of Pochettino’s first squads. When he turned 30 this past June, it seemed like his international career was over. But at the FIFA Club World Cup, where he competed against Botafogo, Atlético Madrid and PSG, Roldan felt inspired by how he measured up in those games.
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“It was huge for my confidence,” he said. “I never really got the chance to play against the very best in the world. I didn’t play in the World Cup when I went in ‘22. I didn’t play in some of the bigger games with the national team. I never left Seattle and played in Europe and played in these Champions League games. So that was a great moment for me to kind of understand where I’m at, (to) understand that I can compete against the best, understand that I’m playing at a high level.”
Pochettino and his staff were watching, both in those games and in Roldan’s stellar outing in the Leagues Cup final win over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. The latter earned Roldan a late call-up in September.
He was ready to seize the moment — and he wanted more than to just be a glue guy.
‘Riding the wave,’ with perspective
The last two months have been a perfect example of why experience matters in a team.
Roldan’s success in Seattle, mixed with his confidence following the Club World Cup and his understanding of team chemistry from the 2022 cycle, gave him an ideal mindset when he earned the U.S. recall. The same concept that propelled him to Qatar — sacrificing, being a good teammate — could and should apply to how he thought about his role with this U.S. team.
“Getting the most talented guys on paper can work,” Roldan said. “It can work, for sure. But I think, coming from experience, understanding your role on the team is also just as important and can also benefit the team a whole lot more. And I’m not trying to push — I’m not saying, like, ‘Oh, I should be starting, right?’ I’m just saying sometimes it’s not about the ‘best players’ on the team, it’s about the best team on the field.”
Last month, Roldan applied his approach to a start next to Tyler Adams and how he saw their roles in midfield. Adams excels at breaking up passing lanes, making interceptions, covering ground and making tackles. Roldan felt it was important to sit deeper so that Adams didn’t feel restricted by being “the No. 6.” He wanted Adams to lean into his strengths.
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To do that, Roldan knew it meant sacrificing some of what he feels he does well in order to sit deeper and be more of the metronome.
Cristian Roldan’s work marking Lionel Messi in the 2025 Leagues Cup final caught Mauricio Pochettino’s eyeSteven Bisig / Imagn Images
“A lot of it is sacrificing a little bit of your game to make the entire team better,” Roldan said. “And coaches understand that, but sometimes that’s hard for other people to understand. That you are putting yourself second for the team.”
The win over Japan may have been a turning point for this U.S. team, and Roldan’s performance brought him back into the fold in October. He knew that one good game wouldn’t guarantee anything. And so he came into the training sessions with the same approach as he had since Schmetzer first scouted him.
“They’re going to know that they’re going to have to be on their game, because I’m going to bring it,” Roldan said. “And so it just increases the level of training, the cohesiveness within the group, and just training habits in general. I think sometimes people think, ‘OK, you come to the national team to relax.’ No, it’s quite the opposite. This is where you have seven days to train, and you have to get the most out of it.
“Sometimes it’s my game day. I don’t know if I’m going to be on the roster, if I’m going to be playing, if I’m going to be on the bench. I don’t know if I’m going to feature in a game. So I’ve got to show that I belong. And that’s my mentality going into training. It’s, ‘How can I treat this as if it’s a game? How can I get the most out of my teammates?’ By being a leader, by speaking, by tackling, by playing the ball forward, understanding what our team needs, understanding the drills that they want, understanding how we want to play. That’s my mindset. I don’t know when my last camp is, and so I have to treat every session in that way.”
He did enough to get back on the field, first as a substitute against Ecuador and then starting vs. Australia. On Tuesday, Roldan pushed forward more and showed his ability to pick a pass, setting up both of Haji Wright’s goals.
It gave Pochettino plenty to think about. And for Roldan, it only upped the pressure he put on himself. He is dreaming of a chance to play in a World Cup at his home stadium in Seattle, where he built his career – and where the U.S. will play its second group game.
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“I’m playing, I feel, the best of my career,” Roldan said. “Unfortunately, it’s at age 30. I wish it was a little younger. But it’s great, first of all, that I’m getting seen, that I’m getting involved in camps, and now feeling like I’m a part of the team.
“I’m riding the wave. I think it’s important to ride the wave, right? There’s highs and lows in football, and when it’s high, you have to take a deep breath and continue in that path and in that wave.”
Christian Pulisic diagnosed with ‘low-grade’ hamstring injury, will miss Milan vs. Fiorentina
Pulisic sustained the injury during the USMNT’s 2-1 victory over Australia on Wednesday. Jason Connolly / AFP/Getty Images
By Nnamdi Onyeagwara and James Horncastle
Oct. 17, 2025 8:05 am EDT
Christian Pulisic has been diagnosed with a “low-grade injury” to his right hamstring and will miss Milan’s Serie A game with Fiorentina on Sunday.
The 27-year-old sustained the injury during the USMNT’s 2-1 victory over Australia on Wednesday.
The forward underwent an MRI scan on Friday upon his return to his club which diagnosed the injury.
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Milan say he will be re-evaluated again in approximately 10 days.
Pulisic exited Wednesday’s friendly midway through the first half after a challenge from Australia defender Jason Geria.
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Although he’d felt some ankle soreness last week and played only 18 minutes last week against Ecuador, the treatment he received on the field did not seem to suggest an ankle injury. National team head coach Mauricio Pochettino later confirmed that it was a hamstring issue.
Pulisic is the Serie A joint-top scorer with his four goals, tying him with Bologna’s Riccardo Orsolini.
After Sunday’s game against Fiorentina, Milan, who are third in the Serie A table and two points off league leaders Napoli, will conclude October by facing Pisa on October 24 and Atalanta on October 28.
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