US Smashes The Aussies 2-0 to Advance – Plays Turkey Thur 10 pm
Wow what an experience it was to be on hand for the US beatdown of the Aussies on dos a cero! (Highlights)
Amazing Country Roads Reactions Across the Nation Love this Goal Reaction from Freeman
The US got off to another great start forcing Australia into an own goal as Balogun & Pepi started in a double 9 alignment – confusing the Kangaros. Defender Freeman got the next goal on a free kick as the 21 year old continued his stellar play. Reactions Across the Nation. I am going to say it now – I WAS COMPLETELY WRONG about Pochettino! I had questioned his choice of players, how he brought them to prior camps and how the starters didn’t play together once during the buildup to the Cup. Poch said trust me -” “I have to break it down and put it back together.” He came in and removed the automatic starting status for many of the regulars (Mckennie, Pulisic, Dest) – making everyone earn their way onto the squad. I think the biggest thing is he has freed the boys to play soccer without thinking. The team is so much more free flowing and they seem to know where to go and how to play. Why ? Because Poch’s schemes make sense and the players have bought in. Berhalter tried to get the team to play a certain way that simply didn’t make sense to the team – having them move to unnatural positions in his flawed scheme. The boys say Poch believes in them and tells them to play they way they play in Europe at their clubs. then adjust to his incredible attack plan for each different opponent. At 2-0 and as group winners we should assume Poch will slightly rotate the squad. He has to sit the 4 players on Yellows – Adams, Robinson, Richards & Balo. Changed my mind – going with a lot more starters now as we prepare for Turkey. I think Poch wants to keep the rhythm going. I do think he will sub quicker and get some guys who haven’t played yet on the field. I think the US finds a way to win 2-1 vs Turkey. Maybe Turkey won’t care as they are out of the cup.
16 million English Language viewers is most viewers to see a US Mens Match. Post Game scenes – Mark McKennsie spreading the love Thanks to Indy’s Pat McAfee for being the only ESPN person covering the World Cup Properly. Loved this from Landon Donovan on what he learned being cut from the World Cup Squad.
Messi’s Record-Breaking World Cup
Lionel Messi has become the all-time leading goal scorer at the men’s World Cup after scoring his 17th and 18th tournament goals in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria. Messi (Hat video in Spanish In English) Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, has now scored two more than the previous record-holder, Germany striker Miroslav Klose, whose 16 goals came between 2002 and 2014. Messi achieved this feat in 28 matches, the most World Cup matches played by any individual. The closest active player to Messi’s record is France’s Kylian Mbappe, who has scored 16 World Cup goals — see the full list of the leading men’s World Cup goal scorers here. Having already become the first man to play at six World Cups, Messi could break further records during this tournament. His brace against Austria extended his scoring run to six consecutive World Cup matches, drawing him level with Just Fontaine and Jairzinho. He is also level with Diego Maradona for the most assists in men’s World Cup history, with eight. Messi could break either record when Argentina, who have now secured their place in the World Cup’s round of 32, face Jordan in their final group-stage match on June 27. Highlights of Argentina vs Austria (US link). Honestly this is the best World Cup I have ever seen – mostly competitive games, some upsets, and the Stars showing up. World Cup 3rd place Teams how are they determined.
Stars are Showing Out at this Best World Cup Ever?
If you are new to Soccer – you are getting a warm welcome to some of the Best Soccer we have ever seen in this World Cup so far. The goal – scoring is up 25% in the group stage Messi scores his first #FIFAWorldCup hat-trick. Norway’s Erling Holland’s scored 2 to get to 58 goals in 52 games. MBappe is just 2 goals behind Messi with 16 WC Goals & here’s his 2 vs Iraq. And Finally after much criticism and questions over whether he should be starting – Ronaldo announced he’s back with these 2 goals. The top players in the World are flat showing up. In addition the TV #s are through the roof – making this the Most Watched World Cup ever in the US thru the Group stages. Great to see US refs including Tori Pense & the American All Women Crew doing a group stage game. (More in Reffing below). First it was the Scots and now the Dutch and Norway have arrived. The Crazy Fans have been the best — The Dutch More Dutch Norway Fans take over Times Square Norway Rows up the Escalator in Boston. Loved seeing Norway players doing the Row post game. More angles The Row.
Following The US Men – Ole Ballcoach Road Trip across the West
So Courtney & I traveled to Seattle for Game 2 vs Australia – here’s some game pics including Country Roads.and sitting 2 seats over from former American Forward John Harkes and in front of US/Seattle Defender Chad Marshall (who lives in Carmel now). Loved the American Outlaw March to the Stadium – Walking around Seattle Postgame USA finding a place to watch Brazil game. Thanks to cousins Darryll & Dee Dee Beliel for putting us up and being our car service. We came back to LA and after hitting In-N-Out I went to the Iran vs Belgium game with Tom Hogenesch. Off to Game 3 vs Turkey Thurs 10 pm – before we trek to San Fran for the Knockout rounds. So Blessed to be here.
After an outstanding performance beating teams from MD and NJ at the US Youth Soccer National League Cup Northeast Playoffs in Fredericksburg, Virginia, our girls have officially qualified for the National League Cup Finals in St. Louis!
Congratulations to our players, coach Matt & Tracey, and families on an incredible accomplishment. The journey continues, and now it’s time to represent Indiana and the blue and gold in St. Louis in July.
The journUnited States Youth Soccer (US Youth Soccer) Indiana Soccer Associationcer) Indiana Soccer Association
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Weds, June 24
3 pm Fox Switzerland vs Canada
3 pm FS1 Bosnia vs Qatar
6 pm Fox Scotland vs Brazil
6 pm FS1 Morocco vs Haiti
9 pm Fox Czech Republic vs Mexico
9 pm South Africa vs Korea
Thur, June 25
4 pm Fox Ecuador vs Germany
4 pm FS1 Curacoa vs Cote d’Ivoire
7 pm Fox Japan vs Sweden
7 pm FS1 Tunisia vs Netherlands
10 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup
10 pm FS1 Paraguay vs Australia
Friday, June 26
3 pm Fox Norway vs France
3 pm FS1 Senegal vs Iraq
8 pm Fox Uruguay vs Spain
8 pm FS 1 Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia
8 pm Prime KC Current vs Gotham FC NWSL
11 pm Fox New Zealand vs Belgium
11 pm FS1 Egypt vs Iran
Saturday, June 27
5 pm FS1 Croatia vs Ghana
5 pm Fox Panama vs England
7:30 pm Fox Colombia vs Portugal
7:30 pm FS1 Congo vs Uzbekistan
10 pm Fox Jordan vs Argentina
10 pm FS1 Algeria vs Austria
Sunday, June 27
3 pm Fox Round of 32 Begins
World Cup Printable Schedule
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USA
If there was a time to dream big about the USMNT at the World Cup, it’s now Sam Borden
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World Cup
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– Laurens: France star Kylian Mbappé is fast becoming ‘Mr. World Cup’
– Becherano: Messi shows why he’s the GOAT with record-breaking goals
– Messi, Haaland, Mbappé, Kane: Who will be the World Cup’s top scorer?
Haaland nets 2 more as Norway clinch knockouts
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World Cup Fans
The Dutch More Dutch
Norway Fans take over Times Square
Loved seeing Norway players doing the Row
More angles The Row
Norway fans hit iconic ‘Viking Row’ up an escalator – ESPN Video
Goalkeeping
The Trianda Ball – Movement
Iran GK Alirreza great double save
Eloy Room has 15 saves – just short of US GK Tim Howard’s Record 16 vs Belgium
Best Goalkeeper Saves of FIFA World
BEST SAVES OF THE FIFA WORLD CUP
Unforgettable saves in FIFA World Cup. :
Reffing
World Cup VAR review: Should one of Messi’s record-breaking goals have been disallowed?
Tori Pense & American All Women Crew
Tori Penso American Ref
1st Covered Mouth Red Card
Arguing Red Card over Covered mouth
Dogso Iran Game Red Card
Australia vs US No Handball?
Reffing Lower Level games is tough
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It’s (finally) OK to dream big about USMNT and World Cup
Sam BordenJun 20, 2026, 09:00 AM ETSPNFC
SEATTLE — Faith is what makes sports great. Belief. Hope. Trust. All over the United States, for college teams and pro teams, big teams and small teams, good teams and bad teams, there are followers who believe — truly believe — that joy will come in the morning. But for the U.S. men’s national team, it has always been different. No one can say for sure why. For some, it might be the relative superiority that Americans have in other sports compared with soccer. For others, it might be the lack of a mainstream international star. A sizable group is universally cynical about a game that’s more popular everywhere else in the world than it is here. In this country, mediocre results rarely lead to sustained universal doubt from those who love a team — just ask Dallas Cowboys fans in August what they think about the upcoming season — but with the USMNT, skepticism has persisted.
Until now. Now, it’s OK to believe. Now, it’s OK to be optimistic, to think big and imagine this group doing something grand. The players are doing their best to stay in the moment, to give the modest quotes that allow them to handle the pressure that comes their way. But even they are considering the possibilities.Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the former Sweden megastar, was asked on Fox’s postgame show Friday after the U.S.’s 2-0 win over Australia whether the co-hosts could win the World Cup. His one-word answer: “Yes.” And Chris Richards, the American defender, doesn’t mind hearing that. “I don’t think it’s ridiculous to say that we want to win it,” Richards said. “We want to lift a trophy by the end of this.” No one is saying that will happen. No one is even saying it’s likely to happen. The U.S. has beaten Paraguay and Australia — two solid wins, two comprehensive wins and two very different wins. That said, there is a very, very long way to go. But here is what the U.S. has done: It has shown that it can play creatively and slickly and also shown it can play gritty and fierce. The U.S. has shown it can win — and control a game — without its star, Christian Pulisic, who sat out the second half against Paraguay and the whole game against Australia because of an injured calf. The USMNT has shown that it can enable and empower a true striker, Folarin Balogun, who has scored two goals and forced a third via an own goal. The U.S. has shown it can respond to home crowds like it has never seen before. There is a history to host countries making deep runs at World Cups — South Korea in the semifinals in 2002 or Russia in the quarterfinals in 2018, among others — and after the first two matches, it doesn’t feel absurd to imagine the American energy carrying the U.S. even further.
“There’s been friendlies that we’ve played [at home] where we’ve been outnumbered,” Tyler Adams said. “To have a whole nation behind you — that’s something so special.” Tim Ream, the veteran defender and captain, broke down in tears as the team huddled on the field after Friday’s win. Ream wasn’t sure why he was weeping, but something — the scene, the emotion, the possibilities of what might lie ahead — broke his typical stoicism. “I’ve told these guys that this is the most fun, special, enjoyable group that I’ve been a part of,” he said afterward. “There’s something about this one that just feels different.” We don’t know if, in the end, it will be different. There are so many ways it could go wrong, and U.S. fans surely have them all on the tips of their tongues. It’s natural. It’s how it has always been. Maybe Pulisic won’t get better or maybe someone else will get hurt or maybe a referee decision goes against the U.S. or maybe a bad day comes and another tournament ends with a whimper against a team that feels as if it could have been beaten. Maybe that is, in fact, how this all goes. But if nothing else, these two games are license to let go of the distrust. Of the incredulity. Of the doubt. It’s OK to loosen the grip on “just being realistic” and consider that “realistic” might finally mean something else. Balogun is electric. Richards, Alex Freeman and Ream are stout. Sergiño Dest seems to have fire in every step. Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman are connected. Pulisic never looked better before he had to step aside and doesn’t need to rush back if he’s not ready. Adams, understandably, didn’t want to think about winning this tournament but was adamant that “the biggest goal in this whole thing” is to change the way American fans think about their national team. To change the way that they believe. “I just want every game to matter to the common spectator,” he said. “I know we have the possibility to do that.”
The U.S. does. Minutes after the final whistle Friday, the players gathered on the field and joined with the fans, who were standing and stomping and singing, “Oh, we’re halfway there / Oh-oh! Livin’ on a prayer” as the Bon Jovi anthem rang out in the afternoon. There was passion. There was wonder. There was, in a way not quite like any other time, belief. Halfway there? Maybe not even.
Calf muscle injuries like Christian Pulisic’s can be complicated. These experts explain why
Pulisic came off at half-time of the first U.S. game and missed the second one (Photo: John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images)
By Sarah ShephardJune 23, 2026 3:15 pm EDT The Athletic
Calf muscles have become a big talking point of this World Cup — with particular attention given to the left calf muscle belonging to Christian Pulisic. The 27-year-old forward was substituted at half time of the United States’ opening game of the tournament against Paraguay and, after the game (a 4-1 victory), head coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters the substitution was largely precautionary after Pulisic “got a kick in the calf” and started to feel “tight”.
“We hope that it’s not a big issue and he can be ready for the next one,” he said.
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But Pulisic was not on the pitch for the U.S.’s second group game against Australia on Friday. However, Pochettino offered some optimistic words about his star player’s recovery: “The feelings are good. Hope that it is as soon as possible that he can be ready to be selected again and to be part of the team.”
Only on Monday did he return to training with the full squad after a period of being limited to gym workouts, resistance training and light ball work, with the next U.S. game against Turkey on Thursday.
Christian Pulisic returns to USMNT training
Tom Bogert
Pulisic is not the only player to be troubled by a calf injury. Neymar is yet to appear for Brazil due to an issue with his right leg, while England defender Tino Livramento had to leave the World Cup after failing to recover from his own calf issue.To explain why calf issues can be so problematic, The Athletic consulted physiotherapist Helen van Kempen, who has worked in elite sport for the past 10 years, including with English rugby club Wasps, Welsh Lacrosse and most recently British Athletics, before founding her own clinic, Movement Performance Physiotherapy. And Dominic Rae, a Sports Medicine and Performance Specialist who is currently Head of Sports Medicine at Ten Percent Club.
How important is the calf muscle in elite soccer?
“The calf complex is more complicated and important than many realize,” says Rae. “And one of the most overlooked complexes when we talk about sports performance. The complex is made up of three muscles: the gastrocnemius, the soleus, and the plantaris, with force absorption and transfer through the Achilles tendon.“The muscle complex is made more complicated by intramuscular tendons (aponeurosis) that act like an internal scaffold for the muscle fibers.“When we sprint, jump, land, change direction, accelerate, decelerate, the foot is the first point of contact, so the Achilles and the calf complex very quickly become major force absorbers or producers in these movements, with up to 12 times bodyweight of force going through the complex. With any breakdown in this complex, that force has to transfer higher up the chain, leading to both increased injury risk and reduced ability to perform.”
What types of calf injuries do soccer players typically sustain?
“Any of the three muscles in the calf complex can sustain tears, which can range from small myofascial injuries to full ruptures of fibers,” says Rae. “The tendons that attach the muscles to their boney attachments, or the aponeurosis (intramuscular tendons), can also both sustain tears, again, ranging from small tears to complete ruptures.”Interestingly in the calf, and most often with the soleus, injuries become symptomatic slowly, rather than sudden big “snaps”.“The soleus is made up more of slow-twitch muscle fibers than the gastrocnemius, which is your running-fast muscle in the calf,” explains Van Kempen. “So that’s the muscle that’s ‘on’ all day long. They’re your postural muscles, but especially for a soccer game that’s 90 minutes long, you need a lot of slow twitch muscle fibers, which are fatigue-resistant, so that they work hard throughout the game.
The trailblazing USMNT talisman carrying the weight of a nation on his shoulders.Read full profile ›
“A player coming back from that needs to really make sure that the capacity of that muscle is back again, otherwise you can fatigue towards the end of the game.”If the strain is limited to the muscle belly, that’s a quicker recovery time than if it’s extended into the central tendon that runs through the muscle of your soleus and gastrocnemius.“If the muscle strain has gone in towards those, that can take a lot longer to recover from” says Van Kempen. “You can get a grade 1 muscle strain, which is just the muscle belly, and a few fibers disturbed, that’s a 10 day injury and you’ll be back playing.“If you do have a significant amount of muscle fibers strained and that extends into your aponeurosis or your tendon, that can be a three month injury. We grade it 1 to grade 3 with grade 4 a complete rupture.”
We know that Pulisic was kicked in the calf. What impact could that have on the muscle?
“A kick to the calf (contusion) can in itself cause a tear to muscle fibers or fascia depending on the amount and angle of force” says Rae.“A contusion can also cause a sudden increase in blood flow/bleeding to the area. This can range from small with minimal swelling, to a full intramuscular hematoma. Aside from the obvious pain and stiffness, this increased blood and swelling in the area causes significant muscle inhibition to not just one isolated muscle, but potentially the entire complex. If we consider that the complex may take up to 12 times bodyweight in some actions, any muscular inhibition can cause a large risk of secondary injury, and a large reduction in physical performance.”“It’s likely he’s got a bruise / hematoma in the muscle,” says Van Kempen. “So inflammation and bleeding inhibits the muscles around there, but as long as it was compressed well and they’ve managed to stint that bleeding and that’s gone away, that should be OK, but depending on how hard he got kicked, if there’s still an element of that hematoma left in the next game he’s playing it can have an effect on the performance of the calf.
Pulisic trains with a compression bandage on his left calf last weekPhoto: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
“If it’s gone into his soleus or gastrocnemius, that will have an impact on his ability to absorb load on that leg and produce force from that leg — so how fast he can run and how long he’s able to sustain that that speed as well.”
“Another potential outcome of a direct blow, is direct impact on a nerve,” says Rae. “This can give a sudden sharp pain, but also reduced signal to muscle innervations, and in turn reduced ability for the muscle to function. Sometimes this subsides instantly, but in some cases, there is a prolonged period of muscle inhibition.”
What is the recovery process like for an injury like that?
“The recovery for a contusion varies depending on the extent of the bleeding,” says Rae. “But a general rule is to treat the bleeding via elevation and compression while cryotherapy can be used for some vasoconstriction and pain management.”
The first priority is protection, says Van Kempen: “You compress that injury to reduce the amount of bleeding into the muscle as much as possible. It’s the familiar route of RICE: rest, ice, compress, elevate. They’ll try and start that immediately and have him doing very little, so that he can get back a lot quicker.”
Pulisic has largely been doing rehab work away from team-matesJamie Squire/Getty Images
“Gentle and progressive walking and muscle specific movements will also help to ensure a hematoma can be removed,” says Rae. “Once bleeding has stopped, manual therapy based treatment can speed up the removal of swelling, and gradual strength exposure, and electro-muscular stimulation can help to ensure normal function of the muscle.”
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The length of time out depends on how much muscle fiber has been disrupted, says Van Kempen: “Timescales can vary significantly between a minute muscle strain and a significant injury. If it’s only a small muscle strain then building up the strength and capacity of the muscle again will happen very quickly. If it’s a large one, that can be a very lengthy three month rehab.”
Is it an issue that is likely/possible to return once you’ve had it once?
“If the return to play from a contusion is too soon, it is common for swelling or bleeding to re-occur, and stiffness to worsen,” says Rae. “In many cases, this does not impact function during the game (when the player is warm), but following the match can lead to worse symptoms and further issues.”
“Whenever you strain a muscle, you are always more likely to injure that again,” says Van Kempen. “If you break a bone it builds back stronger, but whenever you damage soft tissue, there’s always a slight vulnerability to it. If it’s extended into the tendon, then there’s a higher chance of re-injury.
“But the better the rehab, the less likely you’ll have a recurrence.”
“In the cases of muscle or tendon tears, the risk of re-injury depends on many factors such as age of the player, how many previous injuries (and if in the same location-therefore compromising collagen/tissue quality), and the specific location within the calf complex,” says Rae.
“Intramuscular tendons carry higher re-injury rates, with myofascial injuries carrying lower re-injury rates. The specific mechanics of the athletes also play a huge part. For example, if the athlete runs in a specific way, predominantly loading a specific area of the calf, this will increase the risk of re-injury of this area, compared to a region that is exposed to less load.”
Sarah Shephard spent 10 years at Sport magazine before becoming Deputy Head of Content at The Coaches’ Voice. She has also written for publications such as The Times, The Guardian and The Sunday Times Magazine, among others.
What Is Mauricio Pochettino wearing? The story behind his lucky World Cup outfit
Mauricio Pochettino touchline shirt has attracted attention Jamie Squire/Getty Images
By Asli Pelit
June 23, 2026 Updated 3:16 pm EDT Wait no more, Wayne Rooney.
Mauricio Pochettino is probably too busy at the moment to return your calls, but a quick internet search has answered the former Manchester United and England forward’s burning question about the U.S. men’s national team coach’s signature navy overshirt and matching pants: it’s Hugo Boss.Rooney is hardly the only one who has taken notice of the Argentine’s touchline wardrobe. The navy lightweight wool overshirt with matching wide-leg trousers, crisp white T-shirt and white Nike sneakers are quickly becoming part of the USMNT coach’s World Cup identity. The look, according to a U.S. soccer spokesperson, is entirely Pochettino’s own choice. Hugo Boss told The Athletic in an email that they had made two dedicated versions of the navy lightweight virgin-wool ensemble, customized with the USSF badge, for Pochettino for the tournament. Fortunately for everyone involved, the outfit is washable. If the U.S. keeps winning, Pochettino does not have to choose between hygiene and good luck. U.S. Soccer staff can simply keep his matchday look fresh and clean. The 54-year-old has worn the same outfit for both of the USMNT’s group-stage victories, the 4-1 rout of Paraguay in the opener and the 2-0 win over Australia that secured a place in the Round of 32 with a match to spare.
Mauricio Pochettino on the touchline against AustraliaJamie Squire/Getty Images
Two games, two wins, one outfit. Superstition and soccer have always gone hand in hand. If the U.S. keeps winning and gets past Turkey on Thursday, Pochettino’s new signature ensemble may soon take on a life of its own.
“He will be wearing the same outfit for the third match,” said a spokesperson for U.S. soccer. “Why? He referenced the philosophy of Crash Davis: never mess with a winning streak.”
That is not out of character.
Pochettino has long been one of soccer’s more fashion-conscious managers. But if his years at Tottenham Hotspur taught him anything, it was that style and superstition are not mutually exclusive.
Long before he arrived on the U.S. touchline, he had already produced one of the more memorable managerial fashion moments of the modern era. In August 2018, as his Tottenham side walked into Old Trafford and dismantled Manchester United 3-0, the Argentine emerged wearing a navy-on-navy tailored look that became almost as talked about as the result itself.
Mauricio Pochettino has a track record of making striking style choicesMichael Regan/Getty Images
“The suit is maybe helping,” Pochettino told Sky Sports after his side’s victory over Manchester United. “With suit or tracksuit, I look good! I am handsome! Sunday I am going to use the suit again, but maybe with a different colour shirt.” The following week, he abandoned the navy-on-navy formula and opted for a white shirt away at Watford. Spurs lost 2-1.Coincidence? Almost certainly. The kind of thing a football manager remembers forever? Absolutely.So perhaps it is no surprise that Pochettino has worn the same outfit for both of the United States’ World Cup victories. Eight years later, for a manager who appreciates good tailoring and understands the irrational logic of the game, there is little reason to abandon a look that keeps producing wins.
Pochettino Exclusive USMNT Interview
And superstition runs deep inside U.S. Soccer. Just ask Emma Hayes.
The USWNT coach began wearing a Hello Kitty cap during her side’s friendly against Japan in Commerce City, Colorado in April. As the wins piled up, what started as an accessory she picked as a fan has become a good-luck charm, the kind of object that acquires near-mythical status in sports when results keep going your way.Pochettino chooses what he wants to wear at games, a U.S. Soccer confirmed, and the evolution of his fashion choices is hard to miss. The navy ensemble, paired with a crisp white T-shirt and white Nike sneakers, could one day be etched into USMNT lore as the look Pochettino wore when the team finally delivered the success its supporters had waited decades to see.In a sport built on rituals, lucky charms and unwritten rules, a simple outfit can quickly become something more. Another victory against Turkey, and Pochettino’s cobalt-blue fit may evolve from a wardrobe choice into a World Cup superstition, and one of the defining images of this U.S. run.Rooney cannot get the Argentine coach’s full head of hair, but he sure can emulate his style as versions of the collection — without the embroidered U.S. crest — will be available at stores across the United States and Europe.
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Ryan O’HanlonJun 5, 2026, 03:49 AM ET ESPN 
The Ole BallCoach 