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.
Good time reffing with Colin Kuhl (U17 Indy 11 CB) & his dad Ryan at Hoosier Sunday
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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 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
One of my favorite US Goalkeepers – loved his time at Aston Villa and for the USMNT !
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
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.
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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’
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.”
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
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.
US Men tie Ecuador 1-1, Face Australia tonight 8:30 pm on TNT
The US Men put perhaps their best performance together under Pochitino against a solid Ecuador team in a 1-1 tie Friday night (highlights). Ecuador who stands 2nd to Argentina in South American WC qualifying has now gone 14 straight without a loss and has given up just 5 goals in the last 10 games. The US had plenty of chances to end that streak however as a free flowing attack had our Center forward Balogun with multiple chances on goal before equalizing in the 78th minute. Serie A player of the month Christian Pulisic didn’t come on until the last 20 minutes and looked lively in the attack as well. The US used their 3 back alignment with Richards in the center and Tim Ream on the left and Miles Robinson on the right to start. Richards was twisted badly on the Ecuador goal showing more work needs to be done in the back. I thought McKennie returned to form and Tanner Tessman showed he could play the 8 role if needed as he provided the assist to Balogun. All in all the 1-1 draw in a game that felt like it should have been 2-1 US – is a good result for this US team. However – and this is HUGE. Remember this was Ecuador’s B team – much like Japan – they sat a bunch of starters for this game. Not sure why we keep getting teams B team – but we do. We’ll see if Australia plays their A team coming off a 2-0 spanking of Canada in Montreal? But don’t get too excited on ole Poch just yet — we still haven’t beaten anyone decent’s A TEAM. When we do — I will give credit. Until then – this tie get a B-.
For Tonight – I am hoping Pulisic starts and we come on strong to start. I would like to see CCV start in the middle with Richards in his more natural right side and McKensie on the left if we go back 3 tonight. I also want Matt Turner in the net. If Balogun starts up front but gives way at half time — I see a goal early and a 2-1 win over the Aussies. I sure do hope they start their A team. Though I don’t think they will.
Goalkeepers(4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Matt Turner (New England Revolution). Defenders(8): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati). Midfielders (8): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), James Sands (St. Pauli), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyonnais), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen). Forwards(6): Patrick Agyemang (Derby County), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Olympique Marseille), Haji Wright (Coventry City), Alex Zendejas (Club América).
Sad to see our U20 US Boys lose out to Morocco on Sunday afternoon (highlights)– watched the game in Spanish – so not 100% sure what was happening – but we had our chances to put some shots on goal — we just couldn’t score. Morocco on the other hand capitalized on their chances and took home the victory 3-1. But it was a 2-1 tight game for most of the match. U20 Semis continue with Morocco vs France (yes the France we destroyed 3-0) & Argentina vs Colombia Wed night on FS2.
High School Regionals Avon visits Carmel Girls 6:30 pm Thurs, Carmel Boys host Lawrence North Wed 6 pm
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.
A Reminder Carmel FC is Looking for High School Players to fill out some teams – including my 2010 Boys Team. Come on out Thurs Oct 16 for Supplemental Tryouts.
Carmel Ladies Sectional Champs – Host Avon Thurs Night at Murray Stadium 6:30 pm
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FULL TV GAME SCHEDULE
Tues, Oct 14 12 noon Prime Norway vs New Zealand 2:45pm FS2 Latvia vs England WCQ 2:45pm Prime Spain vs Bulgaria WCQ 2:45pm Prime Portugal vs Hungary WCQ 8 pm ?? Canada vs Colombia 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia 10:30 pm Prime Mexico vs Ecuador Weds, Oct 15 12:45 pm Para+ Lyon (US Captvs St Polten 3 pm ESPN+ Chelsea (Girma) vs Paris Womens UCL 4 pm FS2 Morocco vs France U20 WC Semis 6:15 pm ESPN+ Washington Spirit vs Monterrey Women Champs Cup 7 pm FS2 Argentina vs Colombia U20 WC Semis 8:15 pm ESPN+, Para+ Orlando Pride vs Pachuca WCC 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 7 pm TV 23 Indy 11 vs Loundon 7:30 pm Ion, Prime Houston Dash vs KC Current (NWSL) 9 pm MLS Decision Day – games on Apple TV FREE 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 FS2 FIFA U20 World Cup Final 3 pm ESPN+ Getafe vs Real Madrid 5 pm ESPN Angel City vs Portland Thorns (NWSL) Tues/Wed Oct 21-22 Champions League
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 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
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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.
USMNT star Christian Pulisic expected to play vs. Australia in key friendly
Christian Pulisic during a training session with the USMNT. Omar Vega / Getty Images
Oct. 13, 2025Updated 9:49 pm EDTCOMMERCE CITY, Colorado — U.S. star Christian Pulisic trained Monday with the national team and is available for selection for Tuesday’s friendly against Australia.Coach Mauricio Pochettino told the English-language TNT broadcast last week that Pulisic had some swelling in his ankle after training. Pulisic did not start in the 1-1 draw with Ecuador on Friday night in Austin, but subbed into the game in the 73rd minute for Tim Weah. The AC Milan attacker, who has six goals and two assists across all competitions for Milan this season, did not look limited in his outing against Ecuador.Pulisic, who was named the Serie A Player of the Month in September, was on the training field for the public portion Monday and, barring a setback, should be available for the Americans on Tuesday.“Christian participated in the training session, the reaction after 20 minutes of playing (on Friday) was good,” Pochettino said at Monday’s pregame news conference. “He reacted very well (and the) hope (is) that tomorrow he can be available. We have to wait today (to see) the reaction, too, but much better than when he arrived.”Stay in the know by selecting your interests on The Athletic:hile Pulisic could play a role against Australia, Pochettino ruled out left back Antonee Robinson. The Fulham defender was not at training during the public portion open to reporters. Robinson did not play against Ecuador because of the knee injury that forced him to have surgery this offseason.Robinson has played a limited role for Fulham early this season and said last week that coming into the camp, “there hasn’t really been a specific conversation about how many minutes I’m going to play this trip, if any.” Right now, it looks like it will be the latter, with Robinson getting a chance to be back around the group and the coaching staff, but not yet at the level to contribute on the field.
Antonee Robinson will not take part in Tuesday’s game, according to coach Mauricio PochettinoJohn Dorton / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images
“Antonee from (the) beginning of camp (had) some small issues in his knee, a little bit of pain,” Pochettino said. “We are managing him in the best way, but (he) still cannot be involved in training and for sure cannot be involved in the game. Hope that it’s not an important thing, but he’ll go back to his club in a normal way there (and hopefully will be) training and competing.”
Winger Alejandro Zendejas left camp and returned to Club America after the Ecuador game due to a knee injury.
Pochettino: ‘For sure, there are going to be changes’
The USMNT’s Monday training session took place in blustery, 50-degree conditions just outside Denver. Staffers wore puffy coats. Multiple players, including Pulisic and Weston McKennie, wore winter hats at the start of training.
“We need to pay attention that we change from Austin to Denver. The conditions are completely different,” Pochettino said shortly after training. “You saw, we suffered.”
“And also, some players are tired,” Pochettino continued. “Some players have some — I think [we need] not to take a risk.”
Considering those factors, Pochettino said that he’d make lineup changes for the game against Australia.
“It’s a good opportunity also to keep improving and showing, maybe, different approaches to the game,” he said. “For sure, there are going to be changes, and maybe change the shape.”
SMNT, Mauricio Pochettino have a (good) Weston McKennie dilemma
Weston McKennie can play a number of roles for USMNT John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF
AUSTIN, Texas — Over nine years of professional soccer, Weston McKennie has played just about everywhere. He is, at heart, a midfielder; but he has been a right back and left back, a wingback and winger, a player who, in the words of former Juventus coach Thiago Motta, “can do everything.” Even in his natural habitat, the middle of the park, he has been a No 6, 8, 10, and every fractional number in between.His preferred role, though, revolves around a single word: “Freedom.”“I’m the type of player that likes to get forward, and have the freedom to move around, and the trust and belief from the coach to be able to do that, to make runs in behind,” McKennie said Friday after he and the U.S. men’s national team drew with Ecuador. “I like to be in the box. But I also like to defend and press.”He liked the role USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino gave him Friday. McKennie, back with the national team for the first time since March, started as a central attacking midfielder, a position sometimes reserved for a clever playmaker. But he and Pochettino put their own spin on it.Without the ball, he helped lead the U.S. press, in a 4-4-2 defensive shape.
With the ball, he started in the right pocket, between Ecuador’s lines, with Malik Tillman in a similar position to the left, as the central two of the “4” in a 3-2-4-1 (sometimes described as a 3-2-5).
From that starting spot, though, McKennie ran or floated into just about every zone in the attacking half. He read the game well, and sometimes stayed in the pocket, either to give the U.S. structure in possession or to link an attack. On other occasions, he broke into a sprint, either diagonally across the field or more vertically, stretching the Ecuador defense.
In the 37th minute, for example, he drifted toward the ball, then saw Ecuadorian right back Alan Franco getting too attached to Malik Tillman, and darted into the space Franco had vacated.
In his preferred free role, this is one of McKennie’s greatest strengths. He has both the speed to make these runs and the smarts to know when and where they’re appropriate.He has, in Pochettino’s words, “the capacity, from a higher position, to interpret and to read the demands of the game”.He’s also unpredictable. He can stretch an opponent spatially but also mentally, and discombobulate a defense. He does this in a proactive and relentless way that other U.S. attacking midfielders, such as Tillman, don’t.Pochettino’s problem is that McKennie is not a traditional attacking midfielder. When he gets on the ball in these dangerous areas, he’s not a creative technician like Tillman and Christian Pulisic (and Gio Reyna).And to get both Tillman and Pulisic on the field along with Tim Weah, Pochettino would probably have to either take McKennie off or rein him in.Pulisic, of course, will be on the field when healthy. Weah (or another right wingback) will probably be too. And Tillman has gradually risen into similar territory, in part because he does things on the ball that McKennie does far less often.When McKennie gets the ball in tight spaces at the edge of the penalty box, he’s sometimes indecisive; he’s OK, but doesn’t turn and unlock a defense frequently enough.
That’s why he’s better as more of a “free 8”, starting from a slightly deeper position and running into dangerous areas, rather than receiving the ball in dangerous areas on the half-turn. This is what he was for the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup, when he bossed England with his running and ball-carrying. Four days later, against Iran, he picked up his head 40 yards from goal, and clipped a lofted diagonal pass to Sergiño Dest, who nodded it to Pulisic for the game’s lone goal.
In other words, he also has “the capacity to help in the buildup, dropping, but also arriving and scoring goals,” Pochettino said Friday.He used to do all of that for the U.S. in a 4-3-3 — and he could do it because he had two other athletic midfielders, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams, supporting him. The main deficiency of the “MMA” midfield, though, was its lack of a playmaking No. 10 — its lack of a Malik Tillman.And so, the dilemma: If McKennie is high, in place of Tillman, next to Pulisic, is there enough creativity? Enough service for Folarin Balogun? A player who can combine with Balogun like Tillman did in the 8th minute on Friday and later on?On the other hand, if Tillman is in and McKennie is deeper, presumably next to Adams, does McKennie have the necessary freedom?“What I want to provide him is the freedom,” Pochettino said Friday. “He’s a player that needs freedom.”If he and Tillman and Pulisic have it though, Adams would be vulnerable or limited — and the USMNT’s balance, between attacking freedom and defensive rigidity, would be off.Adams can cover a ton of ground from his defensive midfield position, but he can’t be everywhere. He’d also have to restrain himself and suppress one of his elite skills, his ability to charge at opposing midfielders and win the ball high up the field — the type of thing he does regularly at Bournemouth because he plays within a structure, with another defensive midfielder next to him.The other alternative, of course, would be not to start McKennie. But McKennie is one of the USMNT’s three most accomplished players. He has experience on big stages and a track record of rising to big occasions. He is valuable in both penalty areas on set pieces. He has slimmed down and seemingly won back his place at Juventus. Surely, he is part of the national team’s best 11.So, there is no simple answer.There are multiple good answers, but no easy one.“It makes it hard for the coach to make a decision about who’s going to play in that role,” McKennie said of Pochettino’s many options in the advanced position.“Also, you can look at it as an advantage, because depending on what team you play, you have different players with attributes that can add something different to the game. And even if you start with some players, and other players come into the game, it adds something different. So, I think it’s a good problem to have.”
Mauricio Pochettino preached calm amid USMNT negativity. His team just proved him right
Mauricio Pochettino during the USMNT’s 1-1 draw with Ecuador (Daniel Jefferson / USSF / Getty Images)
AUSTIN, Texas — There were no beaming smiles, nor sunken shoulders, just an air of professionalism and calm.One by one, U.S. men’s national team players strode through a tunnel to a loading dock here at Q2 Stadium on Friday night, and within them, but also around them, there was neither jubilation nor unrest.They had just played perhaps their best game of the Mauricio Pochettino era, in a 1-1 draw with Ecuador, but as they walked across a glistening green pitch, then stepped up into their team bus, their demeanor wasn’t all that different from it was a month ago after a 2-0 loss to South Korea.When a few spoke to reporters, they were even-keeled, analytical and, in many ways, exactly what Pochettino wanted.A month ago, they were at the center of a storm. They were a disjointed mess in their first of two September matches. They were surrounded by negativity as they kicked off their World Cup year, as they decompressed on a late-night flight from New Jersey to Columbus. They were, by one metric, the worst USMNT of the 21st century.But a couple days later, when Pochettino stepped to a podium and sat before a microphone, he preached positivity. He struck a defiant tone, poked at “bulls***” criticism, and insisted: “We have a plan. We know what we are doing. … We have no worries about anything.”More important, though, were his private words to his players.“The coach told us to keep calm,” striker Folarin Balogun told The Athletic on Friday, recalling the message last month.
Folarin Balogun cut a composed figure in attack for the U.S.Aric Becker / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images
“He has a strong identity in the way he wants us to go about things,” Balogun said of Pochettino. “When you’re a top European coach, you’re not gonna panic from losing one game. His calmness definitely comes into the team.”nd a month later, the team proved him right.They didn’t prove that they’re a team to be feared. They didn’t prove that, suddenly, all is well. They still have shortcomings. They are still reconstructing themselves. Months ago, “we started to destroy the things that we need to destroy,” Pochettino said Thursday, “and started to build the house from the ground up.” Now and for the foreseeable future, they are still building.But that, precisely, was Pochettino’s point all along.When they flopped against Switzerland in June, the house hardly had a foundation. When they struggled during the Concacaf Gold Cup or when they lost to Korea, they were still in a relatively early phase of the rebuild.What matters, he essentially said last month and Tuesday, is the finished product next June. “The most important thing is to arrive (at the World Cup) in a very good condition and win the first game, the second game,” and so on, he said.These friendlies against Korea, Japan, Ecuador, Australia? Yes, he wanted to win, but: “It’s important to use these games like a training session.”So he resisted, and perhaps even ridiculed the negativity. “Sometimes people want to talk only to analyze the result, and want to be negative. And I think it’s a little bit of a shame. We need to be positive,” Pochettino said last month.He was positive, relentlessly positive, to counterbalance the criticism that he knew would come from elsewhere. And now, after a 2-0 win over Japan and a 1-1 draw with Ecuador, he is being vindicated.But not because his team is brilliant. No, the best part about those two games is that no one involved feels vindicated. In news conferences and mixed zones, there were no “I told you so”s, only realism.
Friday’s performance, by many objective measures, was a very good one, but to defender Chris Richards, it was a “solid performance. … There were positives and negatives.”“It was a pretty good match,” midfielder Tanner Tessmann said.When defender Tim Ream was asked whether Friday’s game showed that Pochettino’s ideas were taking hold, he said, “um, yeah, I think so,” but not adamantly.“Listen, it was always going to take a little bit of time for their ideas to really take hold with the entire group,” Ream said. But he agreed it was happening. “You saw the energy that we played with,” he continued. “That’s something that has been — something that they’ve really preached. And now I think everybody really is starting to understand and grasp that mantra of playing with intensity and being aggressive with and without the ball.
Tim Ream believes the U.S. has progressed under Pochettino.John Dorton / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images
“Guys have been trying to play with that energy, but I think it’s also marrying the tactical ideas and the strategy with playing with energy and the aggressiveness. And there’s a balance to it. There’s a line you have to get up to, and you have to touch, without crossing, while also understanding the different tactical nuances that (the coaches) want, with building in a three(-man base), or sometimes a midfielder drops out — it’s just all these different ideas that they have.“And it takes time to understand them if you’re not used to doing those types of things. But I think now we’re seeing that those two things are starting to come together.”Starting to. They have not yet fully come together. Just as Ream insisted after the South Korea loss that the USMNT was making progress, he spoke in similar terms and tense Friday. He just didn’t have to craft a compelling argument around that opinion, because the progress was clear for all to see. The performance spoke for itself.And so, with 180 reasonably strong minutes, the Americans have weathered the negativity. Sure, there is still some apathy, and the general boredom of a World Cup cycle without qualifiers, but there were also “U-S-A” chants and positive vibes Friday night. The so-called noise has petered out.Tessmann summed up the turnaround. His last USMNT camp had been in March. When asked about the freakout that stemmed from Concacaf Nations League losses that month to Panama and Canada, though, he assured us: “To be honest, I don’t hear any of the noise.”“Y’all talk amongst yourselves,” he added. “And y’all do y’all’s job. And I do my job. So, nothing changes for me. I don’t know what the noise was at any of the camps. All I heard was the noise tonight when we scored.”
USMNT effectively embraces its new tactical identity under Pochettino
Malik Tillman goes on the attack for USMNT vs Ecuador Omar Vega / Getty Images
AUSTIN, Texas — For the first 23 minutes of Friday’s 1-1 draw with Ecuador, the U.S. pushed forward and created one chance after another. In the sixth minute, Folarin Balogun took off on a fantastic individual run after winning the ball back near midfield and earned a corner. Two minutes later, Balogun and Malik Tillman played a combination that sprung Balogun in behind for another chance. Four minutes after that, Balogun and Tillman again combined to put Ecuador under pressure and earn another corner. In the 17th minute, Tim Weah’s movement up the right side and attempted link-up with Tanner Tessmann earned another corner, and in the 21st minute Balogun’s curling shot dipped just over the bar.It felt almost unfair that Enner Valencia’s brilliant run, touch and finish gave Ecuador a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. The U.S. was looking strong and confident. It was creating chances. It felt like a team with real chemistry and ideas. Almost exactly one year since Mauricio Pochettino managed his first U.S. match, things have felt mostly disjointed and unstable — both on the field and off. Some of that has been purposeful. Pochettino wanted a healthy level of uncertainty. It was needed to create competition. But the on-field chemistry, or lack thereof, has been a real concern. It’s why there is a level of relief that, for the second straight match against a quality opponent, the U.S. looked like a team that is embracing a tactical identity — one that is built around flexibility and freedom but also leans into the team’s attacking strengths. Balogun’s 73rd-minute goal was a deserved finish that gave the U.S. a well-earned positive result. Truthfully, the U.S. probably deserved more from the game. But beyond the draw, it was the team’s continued evolution in a fluid setup, one built around wingers/wingbacks and dual attacking midfielders, that created the most cause for optimism.
Whether in the 3-4-2-1 utilized against Japan or in Friday night’s hybrid 4-2-3-1/3-2-5, it feels like something is being unlocked in this group. The players feel it, too. “We’re starting to build very positive results with that formation,” Weah said. Center back Chris Richards agreed. “I think the system really suits our style,” he said. It is, center back Tim Ream said, the natural evolution of this team under a new coach.
Folarin Balogun spearheaded the USMNT’s attack vs. Ecuador, displaying his full arsenal and eventually getting the Americans’ goalScott Coleman / Imagn Images
“It was always going to take a little bit of time for their ideas to really take hold with the entire group,” Ream said. “It’s marrying the tactical ideas and strategy with playing with energy and aggressiveness. There’s a balance to it. There’s a line that you have to get up to, and you have to touch without crossing it, while also understanding the different tactical nuances that they want. With the building in a three or sometimes the midfielder drops out – it’s just all these different ideas that they have, and it takes time to understand them, if you’re not used to doing those types of things. But I think now we’re seeing that those two things are starting to come together.”
There are obvious payoffs to the approach. Two of the most dangerous attacking threats in the U.S. pool are outside backs: Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest. When those two aren’t on the field — as they weren’t Friday — the players behind them on the depth chart also thrive pushing forward, whether it’s Max Arfsten, Weah or Alex Freeman. The formation also encourages players like Balogun, Christian Pulisic, Tillman and Weston McKennie to play with more license to read the game and create. “The manager gives us that freedom to just do what we want up there,” Balogun said. “And that shows in the way we play. Everything’s kind of just freestyle, but we’re good enough players to figure it out, and he believes in us. So that’s what we kind of just tried to focus on: attacking, free-flowing football and obviously trying to score and create chances.”But with the positives, there are also tradeoffs and drawbacks.The U.S., as Weah pointed out after the game on Friday night, has long been a team that thrives in transition attacking. That was true, too, in the last World Cup cycle. But the 2022 World Cup team was built around the midfield trio of McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams. That isn’t gospel this time around, necessarily, but this formation changes the dynamic of the midfield.
Mauricio Pochettino surveys the field during the USMNT’s 1-1 draw vs. EcuadorScott Coleman / Imagn Images
Playing with three center backs will mean taking a midfielder off the field. And it means with everyone healthy, Pochettino will have some tough decisions to make. Does he play with Tillman and Pulisic together in the attack with Balogun? If so, does McKennie drop into a deeper midfield role next to Adams? Or does Adams need to be paired with another deeper-lying midfielder, like Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Johnny Cardoso or another of the defensive midfielders that has been in one camp or another? If Dest and Robinson are both healthy, does Weah move to the bench?It’s been one of the hold-ups around a formation that otherwise fits this U.S. group: Playing this way might mean two of your best attacking players come off the bench. Those types of difficult tactical decisions aren’t necessarily a bad thing for the U.S. (And, as Pochettino has learned over the last year, it’s exceedingly rare when every single player is healthy and available.)“It makes it hard for the coach to make a decision about who’s going to play in that role,” McKennie said. “You can look at it as an advantage, because depending on what team you play, you have different players with attributes that can add something different to the game. And even if you start with some players up top, other players (who) come into the game (can) add something different. So I think it’s a good problem to have.”
Pochettino said earlier this week that the games are — of course — important. “We need to play and we need to perform and we need to win,” he said. “Because that is going to give us the credibility in our work.”Friday’s result did that. But the more important part of this camp — and of the November and March gatherings that follow — “is not really the games,” Pochettino noted. It’s building more chemistry and understanding within the group. Friday’s performance did that, too.
Christian Pulisic was a second-half substitute in the USMNT’s draw vs. Ecuador, carrying a minor ankle knockScott Coleman / Imagn Images
It felt, from a purely soccer perspective, that something tangible is being built. Last month’s win against Japan and this result against a good Ecuador side reflected progress. And, as Pochettino noted, that builds credibility and belief. On the field, the players are starting to create cohesiveness that matters. Balogun, for example, noted that Pulisic told him he felt they are “building a better connection.” It’s something “that’s always going to happen when you’re playing with top players and there’s time,” the forward said. “That’s part of the bonding and the chemistry that’s really going to help us going into the World Cup.”Friday’s draw felt like a peek into that bonding. And it felt like reinforcement of something else Pochettino said on the eve of the game.“I think (there’s) time enough to build what we want to build,” he said. “I have no doubt that we are going to arrive in a very good way, being very competitive with all the principles settled. I am very optimistic about the future.”If the team can continue to build on what it did against Ecuador — and that’s a big and important if — it will be tough not to follow Pochettino into that optimism.
USMNT fans are finding their voice. Can Mauricio Pochettino keep them roaring?
A fan cheers USMNT’s draw against Ecuador in Austin. David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In the 68th minute on Friday night, with the U.S. men’s national team trailing Ecuador, the pace of the game was starting to slow. It’s typical of friendlies. Substitutions start to come on to the field en masse. The rhythm of the game is disrupted. It was somewhat disappointing, though, in that the U.S. started the game so brightly. It deserved a goal. If the level were to drop and the result stayed the same, it had the potential to look like a missed opportunity rather than something off of which to build.As Tim Ream stood on the ball just on the top of the center circle in his own half, however, the crowd in Austin started to chant.In the stadium, you could see the energy from the stands start to influence the pace of the game. The U.S. team started to move the ball with more urgency. Players were sprinting into space. It led to a spell of possession that ended with a Diego Luna shot, but the buzz in the stadium didn’t drop.Two minutes later, Tim Weah had a look at goal on a left-footed shot that sizzled well over the goal. Seconds after that, the U.S. forced a turnover deep in Ecuador’s end, Tanner Tessmann found Malik Tillman, and his square pass was finished off by Folarin Balogun for the equalizer. It set off a celebration at Q2 Stadium. The supporters deserved an assist.“The fans were amazing and how important it (was) when they started chanting, ‘USA, USA,’” head coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “This energy, that is very welcome from the players, from the team, helped us to give the energy to keep pushing.”If this U.S. team starts to turn things around, if they start to sustain a decent level of soccer and a string of positive results, that moment in the 68th minute in Austin will feel like a turning point. It’s why Tuesday’s friendly against Australia now feels a bit bigger than it should. The U.S. needs to carry forward this momentum.What You Should Read NextUSMNT effectively embraces its new tactical identity under PochettinoIt’s taken a year, but Mauricio Pochettino appears to have landed on the best way to accentuate the U.S.’s attacking strengths
There is risk, no doubt, in overblowing a 1-1 draw with Ecuador in a friendly eight months before the World Cup. But I think there’s a reason for the positivity coming out of Friday’s result. Let’s be honest: The U.S. team hasn’t given the fans much to cheer about over the last year-plus. Positive results against non-CONCACAF opponents have been rare, and there haven’t been a lot of moments where the team has had a pro-U.S. crowd that influenced the result.The positivity around Friday’s draw is representative of where things stand with this national team. Fans want to believe in this team. They just haven’t had much reason to believe.art of what has made this World Cup cycle so frustrating is that this group was supposed to be different. Fans looked at the clubs where its young players were signing and started calling it a golden generation. A positive showing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar felt like a marker on the path toward something more.Since leaving Qatar, however, there has been more chaos around this team than progress.This 2026 cycle was supposed to be about taking the potential of a young U.S. group and growing up into something more meaningful. The core of players that got the U.S. back to the World Cup after the 2018 disaster were going to be four years older and four years more experienced than they were in Qatar. They were supposed to take the next steps at their clubs and that would translate to the national team.That hasn’t exactly gone to plan.
Mauricio Pochettino believes his team are now on the right track.Daniel Jefferson/USSF/Getty Images
Instead, the last year with the national team under Pochettino has been about “destroying the things that we need to destroy and start(ing) to build the house from the ground up,” he said on Thursday.It’s why the 1-1 draw with a good Ecuador side was something worth feeling good about. Consecutive performances in which the U.S. team looked purposeful is allowing people to peek their heads out and wonder whether they can start to believe again. If the first phase of Pochettino’s era was a teardown, the 2-0 win over Japan in September and the draw against Ecuador are signs that maybe the second phase is now underway.Pochettino is, as he said, building things back up.For that to be true, the U.S. will need another positive performance and another positive result on Tuesday. And they’ll need it again in November against Paraguay and Uruguay.People want to believe. As we race toward next summer’s World Cup, it’s on this U.S. team to give them a reason.Otherwise, that moment in Austin — one that feels like it could be a turning point — might just be a meaningless blip in a fall friendly that we’re overblowing months before a World Cup.
Socceroos spoil Canada’s party as World Cup momentum grows
Joey Lynch
Oct 11, 2025, 06:23 PM ETMONTRÉAL, Canada — Back when he was Melbourne Victory coach, Tony Popovic once described the chance to play the role of villain and ruin an opponent’s fairytale as beautiful. If he still feels the same way as Socceroos boss, then Friday evening’s 1-0 win over Canada might have been one of the most magnificent victories that he’s been a part of.Canada’s meeting with Australia at Montréal’s Stade Saputo was supposed to be a homecoming and a celebration. Les Rouges hadn’t played in the Québec capital since 2017 and, adding to the sense of civic pride, they’d returned with a collection of Francophiles in the squad. With a home World Cup approaching, wins over Romania and Wales in the last window had pushed them to a record-high FIFA ranking of 26. Prime Minister Mark Carney was in attendance. So was FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Montréal expected a party. Instead, they got 60% of the ball, 17 shots to five, eight shots on target to one, and a 1-0 loss. They got Mohamed Toure registering his fourth goal involvement in three games when he sent in a cross that initially appeared set to be cleared by Niko Sigur, only for Nestory Irankunda to pounce and send a tackle-cum-shot into the back of the net for his second international goal in as many games.
The hosts got Paul Izzo making a record-setting eight saves and laying down a challenge to Mathew Ryan for the Socceroos’ No. 1 shirt. And they got to see Australia make it seven wins on the bounce, 11 games unbeaten, and join Argentina (who did it twice), the Netherlands, and Mexico amongst the only sides to defeat Canada inside 90 minutes since the appointment of Jesse Marsch. Prime Minister Carney, welcome to Popaball.
“I think the biggest disappointment the guys have is they knew that the crowd was great, and they wanted to electrify them,” Marsch reflected post-game. “You could see the disappointment in their faces, because they wanted the crowd to feel the energy of the team and what’s being done with the team.”
By the time the final whistle rang out, any mirth and goodwill that had filled the stands before the kickoff had dissipated. Jeers rained down as fans sought an outlet for their frustration as their side repeatedly slammed their heads against an Izzo-shaped brick wall; his most incredible save came amid a helter-skelter ending in the 90th minute, when Liam Millar found a wide-open Jacob Shaffelburg, only for his resulting shot to be denied by the sprawling custodian.
“I’m very happy with the performance,” Izzo reflected. “Honestly, I’m a bit lost for words at the moment. I’m taking every game as I can. I wasn’t expecting to play today. But I was given an opportunity, and I really wanted to take it again with both hands.”
Those playing red wore their frayed emotions on their sleeve, too; Joel Waterman and Tani Oluwaseyi both got into a shoving match with Irankunda in stoppage time, only to be met by a goalscorer who refused to take a backwards step. Restrained by Ryan and the Socceroos’ bench, the teenager was immediately substituted by Popovic and pulled in for a bearhug with a message of support for the matchwinner and chief windup merchant.
“That’s something more for me and him that we shared,” Popovic said of their discussion. “I’m just proud of his contribution. He’s a young man who has so much growth to come. Now, in the last two games, he’s scored goals for Australia.
“He’s 19 years old, and we have a striker [Mohamed Toure] that’s 21 starting here, away from home against Canada. Very proud of them.”And that’s part of football. He doesn’t back down. He was coming off regardless of what happened there.”Ultimately, Australia came to Montréal and did what they do: frustrate, absorb, and make their foes pay. Few will care for the boos and some, like Connor Metcalfe, quietly emerging as a key cog in Popovic’s plans, might even have enjoyed them. Canada, meanwhile, will join an increasingly impressive-looking list of nations that would feel they did enough to beat the Socceroos, only to lose.Yet there were lessons amidst the spectacle, too. Because, as the stat sheet and Izzo’s man-of-the-match antics would hint at, Australia still had to ride their luck at times — even if breaking down low blocks has been a consistent challenge for Canada.For much of the contest, Marsch’s side would move the ball forward against a defence that was able to maintain its shape and, should the attack be maintained for an extended period, eventually settle into a low block. Against this highly organised defensive front, possessing cover for its cover, space would be at a premium and angles to goal fleeting. This saw passes being closed down, crosses being cleared, and shots being smothered. That’s all expected; the Socceroos are very good at defending, to the point we almost take it for granted.But there were moments of danger, particularly when the Canadians were able to counter-press (one of the most effective tools for breaking down a low block) and didn’t afford a chance at a unified front. Invariably, winger Tajon Buchanan was at the heart of these efforts, giving Australia’s Kye Rowles — who started as a wingback once more as part of Popovic’s pre-World Cup experimentation — fits as he repeatedly burst into the box and created shots or angles to pass.
Many of these moments arose because against the Canadian press or counter-press, Australia’s attempts to play out for much of the game were largely unsuccessful. The profiles of Rowles, debutant fullback Jacob Italiano, and midfield pivots Max Balard and Aiden O’Neill didn’t gel, and moves forward would often either break down just as soon as they began or were snuffed out when an attempt was made to bypass the midfield entirely with a 50/50 long ball. Rowles is a proven World Cup performer at center back, but as the flanker of a five, there are stronger options.
Things started to change in the second half as the game stretch and really kicked into gear with the introduction of Patrick Yazbek and wingbacks Lewis Miller and Jordy Bos around the hour mark; it taking just seconds, and one Bos run down the left and cross into the box, to demonstrate the importance of having wingbacks that have the physicality and willingness to bomb up and down the flanks — and force opponents to respect that possibility — in Popovic’s system.Expecting any drastic overhauls in the way the Socceroos play is unrealistic. And unfair. Eleven games unbeaten and seven wins straight is a platform that demands to be built on for the World Cup. However, as shown in the second half, earning wins in the way the Socceroos have is made infinitely easier when you’re helping yourself. And Popovic and his staff know this, and they’ve highlighted possession as a key focus heading into next year’s World Cup.”It wasn’t our intention to let them have that much ball. But in certain areas of the park, they’re very strong,” said Popovic.”Would I have liked us to do more with the ball? Yes. But those 20 minutes in the second half were excellent for us. Our challenge is how do we sustain that for longer periods?”If they can unlock a greater level of adaptability and fluidity, with the next stern test to come against the United States on Tuesday in Denver, will be telling come 2026. But it’s a lot easier to do this work when you’re winning games. And the Socceroos are also getting rather good at that, which is pretty important as well.
USMNT Roster is Announced for the Oct 10 & Oct 14 games on TNT, HB0 Max
Nice to see Botchitino finally pick the a decent roster for the our games coming next week. Nice to CCV and Antonee Robinson (back from injury) back on the backline along with Mark McKenzie. Sands, Tessman and Aidan Morris in at the 6 to replace Tyler Adams who is out while his wife gives birth in the next 10 days. Also Matt Turner is back on the Goalkeeper line – hopefully he will get at least 1 start. More on this next week. The USMNT roster:
Goalkeepers(4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Matt Turner (New England Revolution). Defenders(8): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati). Midfielders (8): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), James Sands (St. Pauli), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyonnais), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen). Forwards(6): Patrick Agyemang (Derby County), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Olympique Marseille), Haji Wright (Coventry City), Alex Zendejas (Club América).
The USMNT take on Ecuador on October 10th at Q2 Stadium in Austin. They then complete the October international window with a friendly against Australia on October 14th against Australia at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in suburban Denver. Both Ecuador and Australia are teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup and will serve as tests for the United States. In U20 News – the US U20s shocked France 3-0 in game 2 of the U20s for the US – they will definitely advance to the next round where they face Italy on Thursday at 3:30 pm on FS2 and may well be a favorite to get to the Final 4. Also US refs will run Sats Spain vs Brazil game 4 pm on FS2.
High School Soccer Playoffs Start Monday this week
Indy 11 Win Again – @ Louisville on WNDY 23 7:30 pm Sat
Indy Eleven midfielder Jack Blake scored his USL Championship era (2018-) franchise record 25th Boys in Blue goal for the game-winner in a huge 2-1 victory over Western Conference leader FC Tulsa at Carroll Stadium. The win moves Indy Eleven into a playoff position one point ahead of Rhode Island FC with four games left in the regular season. Indy Eleven will take their two-game winning streak to USL Championship Eastern Conference leader Louisville City FC next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on WNDY 23 and CBS Sports Golazo Network. 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.
man look at this motley crew Wednesday night for Boys games at Guerin Catholic Robert H & Josh M for Girls JV & V at Guerin Catholic – last regular season High School games for me
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FULL TV GAME SCHEDULE
Sat, Oct 4 7:30 am USA Leeds United (Aaronson) vs Tottenham 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 10:15 am ESPN+ Sevilla vs Barcelona 11:30 USA Brentford vs Man City 1 pm CBS Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs San Diego NWSL 1:30 pm ESPN+ Gladbach (Scally + Reyna) vs Frieberg 2:45 pm Para+ Juventus (McKinney) vs AC Milan (Pulisic) 3 pm ESPN+ Atletico Madrid (Cardosa) vs Celta 4 pm FS2 USA U20 vs South Africa U20 4 pm Prime, Para+ Chicago Stars vs Utah Royals NWSL 7 pm FS2 Nigeria U20 vs Colombia U20 9 pm Apple LAFC vs Atlanta United MLS Mon, Oct 6 10:30 pm CBSSN Angel City 0 vs KC Current 1 NWSL Tues, Oct 7 3:30 pm FS 2 U20 World Cup Chile 1 vs Mexico 4 7 pm FS2 U20 World Cup Spain 1 vs Ukraine 0 Weds, Oct 8 3:30 pm FS 2 U20 WC Argentina 4 vs Nigeria 0 7 pm FS2 U20 World Cup Japan vs France 7 pm Univision u20 WC Paraguay vs Norway Thurs, Oct 9 2:45 pm Prime Malta vs Netherlands WCQ 2:45 pm Prime Czech Rep vs Croatia WCQ 3:30 pm FS2 U20 WC USA vs Italy 7 pm FS2 U20 WC Morocco vs South Korea 10 pm Para+ Honduras vs Costa Rica Fri, Oct 10 2:45 pm FS2 France vs Azerbaijan 2:45 pm Prime Germany vs Luxenberg 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador 10:45 pm Seattle Reign vs Bay FC NWSL Sat, Oct 11 9 am FS2 Latvia vs Andorra WCQ 12 noon Prime Norway vs Israel WCQ 2:45 pm FS2 Spain vs Georgia WCQ 2:45 pm Prime Portugal vs Ireland WCQ 4 pm FS2, Tele U20 World Cup Quarterfinal 7 pm FS2 U20 World Cup Quarterfinal 7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Pittsburgh (Carmel’s -Eric Dick) 7:30 pm Para+ North Carolina vs Washington Spirit NWSL 10 pm CBSSN Utah Royals vs San Diego Wave NWSL Sun, Oct 12 9 am FS2 San Marino vs Cypress 12N FS2 Netherland vs Finland WCQ 2:45 pm Lithuania vs Poland WCQ 4 pm FS2, Tele U20 World Cup Quarterfinal 5 pm ESPN Angel City vs Houston NWSL 7 pm FS2 U20 World Cup Quarterfinal Mon, Oct 13 2:45pm FS2 Northern Ireland vs Germany WCQ 2:45 pm Prime Iceland vs France WCQ 8 pm PAra+ Honduras vs Haiti WCQ Tues, Oct 14 2:45pm FS2 Latvia vs England WCQ 2:45pm Prime Spain vs Bulgaria WCQ 2:45pm Prime Portugal vs Hungary WCQ 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia 10:30 pm Prime Mexico vs Ecuador
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 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
In what was true until somewhat recently, a dependable strength of the USMNT has been goalkeeper. Somewhat recently is turning into a stretch now as it’s been nearly 10 years since a netminder has locked down the no. 1 shirt for the USA. It could be said that there have been three eras where a starter nailed down the role helping the national team to some impressive victories along the way.
The Tony Meola era could be characterized as a gritty group of players who found playing time with clubs when they could but came together for the national team to achieve some impressive results. Meola nailed down the starting role and the USMNT surprised the world by qualifying for the 1990 World Cup, beat Colombia in 1994, and kept Brazil scoreless for 74 minutes while hosting the tournament.
Brad Fridel and Kasey Keller kicked off an era marked by American keepers emerging as starters in Europe, and especially the Premier League. Fridel’s time abroad paid off for the national team when he became the second ever keeper to save two penalties given in open play in a single game while helping to secure wins against Portugal and Mexico in 2002. He is the only American keeper with two wins in a single World Cup. For his part, Keller made 10 saves against Brazil as the USA upset the multi-World Cup winners 1-0. The 2006 World Cup was not as it was hoped, or hyped, but Keller kept five clean sheets in qualification helping the USA climb to no. 5 in the FIFA rankings ahead of the tournament.
Tim Howard and Brad Guzan were the last of the American keepers to have been able to help the USA punch above its weight against top international competition. Throughout their era the players were stalwarts for their clubs in the Premier League and brought that experience to the national team. Howard kept a clean sheet against Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup and his performance in 2014 against Belgium is legendary. For his part, Guzan provided stiff competition and was in the net as the USA reached the semi-finals of the 2016 Copa America Centenario. These two would be the last keepers to feature in goal for the USA in upsets against top 10 teams.
After the USA failed to reach the 2018 World Cup a consistent starting keeper has failed to emerge. In this era, Matt Turner, Zach Steffen, Ethan Horvath, Bill Hamid, Sean Johnson, Matt Freese, David Bingham, William Yarborough, and Patrick Schulte have been in the mix for the wearing the gloves game in and game out. Turner and Steffen have been the most promising of this group but neither reached the same level of their predecessors.
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Between 1990 and 2016 the USA enjoyed the reputation of a team that had its flaws but needed to be respected as it could take down a giant on its day. That time was marked by stellar goalkeeping where a strong performance against top teams kept the Americans within striking distance of top teams. The USMNT achieved impressive upsets thanks to those performances.
Looking at the growth of the national team in that time, the team features a roster of players showcasing their talents in the Champions League and in top leagues abroad. Major League Soccer has also grown more competitive as talented players look to the domestic league as a viable option to progress, or end, their careers. That rise in talent has not translated to success for the national team in the era when goalkeeper has not kept up with the rising talent across the pitch.
Chris Brady, Matt Freese, Patrick Schulte, and Matt Turner have a chance to stake the claim on what might be the most important position historically for the national team. The friendlies against Australia and Ecuador will give them a chance to do just that and it can’t happen soon enough with the World Cup approaching in less than a year.
In the wake of Christian Pulisic’s decision to skip this summer’s Gold Cup, and especially after coach Mauricio Pochettino’s tournament eve declaration: “I am not a mannequin” — there was a real concern about how the relationship between coach and star player was frayed.
More importantly, it fostered a fear of what that might mean for this U.S. team as it tried to get back on track ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
Less than four months later, the tone has shifted completely. Pochettino made clear the way he feels about the in-form Pulisic on Thursday after unveiling his 26-man roster for friendlies this month against Ecuador and Australia.
“I think we can say that he is the most important player now for the national team,” he said.
Pulisic has been, without a doubt, the most important player and best big-game player in the U.S. pool for years now. He has proved it time and again in the high-pressure moments, scoring in Nations League finals, World Cup qualifying games and, of course, the winner against Iran to send the U.S. through to the knockout stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Christian Pulisic shined in the USMNT’s crucial 2022 World Cup clash against Iran.Brad Smith / ISI Photos / Getty Images
If the Americans are going to be successful in the World Cup next summer, it is critical they find a way to maximize Pulisic’s skillset. Amidst the debate this summer about Pulisic’s decision to skip the Gold Cup and Pochettino’s justified declaration that he was the coach in charge of picking the team, it felt like that basic point might be lost.
Everyone can now take a deep breath. Pulisic’s form with AC Milan has ensured the attention shifts back to where it should be. The U.S. star needed to back up his decision to rest this summer, and so far he has — and then some.
“This is the right decision for myself, and for the team, at the end of the day,” Pulisic said on a CBS podcast this summer. “And people will see that. You guys will see, man. I’m hungrier than ever — truly. I’m really looking forward for big things to come.”
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It’s tough to argue Pulisic wasn’t right. (And I’ll put my hand up and admit I was wrong.)
He has four goals and two assists in five Serie A games this season for a Milan team that sits atop the table. He scored another two goals in the Coppa Italia. Pulisic has been one of the best performers in Italy so far this season. His darting run and assist against Napoli, later followed by a goal, speak to that impact.
La Gazzetta dello Sport ran a full spread of Pulisic — dressed, of course, as Captain America with a “Super Pulisic headline — running through just how good he’s been in Serie A this season and comparing him to other strikers in the league.
On Sunday, he will lead Milan into a massive top-5 clash against his U.S. teammate Weston McKennie and Juventus, which sit just one point behind the Rossoneri in the table. It’s a massively important game for Milan, which missed out on European competition this season. If Pulisic can continue his sparkling form it would be yet another boost to his value at the club.
For the U.S., the task is to translate that over to the international stage.
“We are so happy when he’s scoring goals, giving assists and performing,” Pochettino said. “That is what we want. And now it is to help him to arrive to the World Cup in the best place.”
During a press conference in which the coach hammered the idea that no player’s spot was ensured, Pochettino had to crack a smile when he slipped up by talking about Pulisic arriving at next summer’s tournament in the same form.
“You say, ‘OK but Christian, you are talking about (it) is sure that (he) is going to be in the roster,” Pochettino said. “We all know that he is a player that is performing, and is a player that is really important for us. We cannot lie.”
Pulisic will meet his national team colleague Weston McKennie when Milan faces Juventus this weekend.Isabella Bonotto / AFP via Getty Images
As Pochettino’s U.S. team figures out exactly how it wants to play — whether it opts for the four-man or five-man back line — it will be vital that they find a way to put Pulisic in a place where he can thrive. Pulisic has said he prefers to play as a central playmaker, but he has not always been his most effective playing in that spot for the U.S.
To get Pulisic at his best, it’s important to find ways to get him in space, where he can use his pace and skill to run at defenders and create off the dribble. Pulisic has been effective playing on the left wing, where he can drift inside to his right foot to create goals. Pochettino has moved Pulisic to the right wing at times, preferring to play Tim Weah on the left.
When the U.S. shifted to five in the back against Japan, Pulisic came underneath the striker into the pocket in what was essentially a 3-4-2-1. It risks taking him out of his most dangerous spot, but it’s a tradeoff that might work if Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest provide enough of an attacking threat on either side to open space up for Pulisic to exploit.
The next three windows in October, November and March will be about figuring out the ideal squad to compete in the World Cup. A big part of that is becoming more dangerous and efficient in the final third. Pulisic is the biggest piece to that equation.
If they can get it right, Pulisic will have been proved right about more than one thing this past summer.
“Once I’m back with the national team— I hope — once I’m back with the national team and can play again, score a goal and win a game, people will forget all about this quickly,” he said.
Goals with Milan have already been enough to mostly make people forget. If he can carry over his club form in his country’s colors, the panic of this past summer will fade away completely as the outlook for next summer’s World Cup grows brighter.
Powered by three late goals, the U.S. under-20 national team pulled off a stunning 3-0 win over France at the 2025 U-20 World Cup on Thursday.
Zavier Gozo, Brooklyn Raines and Marcos Zambrano scored goals after the 85th minute to lead the Americans to the top of their group at the tournament in Chile. The U.S. won its opening match 9-1 over New Caledonia on Monday.
U.S. U-20 coach Marko Mitrovic summoned Gozo, Zambrano and Atlanta United’s Luke Brennan off the bench in the second half, and all three helped to change the match.
The U.S. and France had battled for much of the game and looked likely to settle for a scoreless draw, but the Americans broke through in the 85th minute when Real Salt Lake’s Gozo scored on a cross from Brennan to provide a 1-0 lead.
Three minutes later, Raines (Houston Dynamo) created a turnover with a press just over midfield, found Gozo and then continued his run, splitting France’s center backs and getting on to the Gozo pass to finish to the far post and double the lead. Four minutes after that, it was Zambrano (Real Salt Lake) who settled the outcome by putting home a rebound after Gozo rattled the crossbar with an attempted finish.
France had just two shots on goal on the night, a credit to the defensive effort from the U.S. that eventually allowed the Americans to break through in the late stages and get the win.
Nine different players have scored for the U.S. through two matches, setting a new team record for most at the tournament. The previous record was eight, achieved at the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina.
With the win, the U.S. improved to 2-0-1 in three meetings with France at the U-20 World Cup.
The U.S. will close out the group stage against South Africa on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET and can guarantee the top spot in the group with a win or draw. The game will air on FS2 and Telemundo.
Kind of gives me chill-bumps when you hear an American being cheered like this in Italy – Pulisic in Milan. Wonder why the EPL is so popular Worldwide – games like this – Arsenal wins in Extra Time. When you are at the fields this weekend – think about this before you yell at the ref.
Champions League & Europa League this Week
Champions League Action is back today and Wednesday with some big games like Barcelona hosting PSG & Villareal vs Juventus & American McKinney, and the battle of American’s Pepe & Dest for PSV traveling to Bayer Leverkusen and Tillman on Wednesday at 3 pm. Tuesday we get the return of Jose Mourino to Chelsea as he brings Portugal’s Benefica into town at 3 pm on Para+. (Full schedule & coverage below)
US U20 Boys in World Cup – Sun 4 pm FS2
The US U20’s got over to great start with a 9-0 win (US Goals) in game 1 of their World Cup start. Games continue on Fox Sports 1, 2 and Desportes all week and weekend long. Spain vs Mexico Wed at 4 pm on FS2, Spain vs Brazil Sat 4 pm on Univision & USA vs South Africa on Sunday at 4 pm on Fox Sports 2. (Full schedule & Stories below)
US Open Cup Wed Night CBS Sports Network, Para+
The US Open Cup finals are Wed night with Austin City hosting BJ Callahan and Nashville SC at 8 pm on CBSSN. This is a historic moment for both teams, as it’s the first time Austin FC has hosted a major tournament final and the first Open Cup final appearance for Nashville SC. (Stories below)
Indy 11 Win Again – @ Louisville on WNDY 23 7:30 pm Sat
Indy Eleven midfielder Jack Blake scored his USL Championship era (2018-) franchise record 25th Boys in Blue goal for the game-winner in a huge 2-1 victory over Western Conference leader FC Tulsa at Carroll Stadium. The win moves Indy Eleven into a playoff position one point ahead of Rhode Island FC with four games left in the regular season. Indy Eleven will take their two-game winning streak to USL Championship Eastern Conference leader Louisville City FC next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on WNDY 23 and CBS Sports Golazo Network. 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.
Brett Y, Will F and me reffing at Purdue Polytech High in Broadripple Monday.
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FULL TV GAME SCHEDULE
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 (Pepe) 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 (Aaronson) vs Tottenham 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 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
USMNT midweek viewing guide: Champions League, Championship
Follow along with all the USMNT action this week. by Justin Moran Stars & Stripes
Midweek USMNT action is here. All kickoff times are in EST. All MLS games are available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and EA Sports FC, as well as any other networks listed. Let’s get into it!
Tuesday
Atalanta vs Club Brugge, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Yunus Musah and Atalanta host Brugge in Champions League.
Atlético Madrid vs Frankfurt, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Johnny Cardoso and Atléti host Nathaniel Brown and Frankfurt in Champions League.
Marseille vs Ajax, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Tim Weah and OM welcome Ajax into town for this Champions League match.
Also in action:
Frosinone vs Cesena, 2:30p on Onefootball: Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena visit Frosinone in Serie B.
Palermo vs Venezia, 2:30p on Onefootball, DCTV: Gianluca Busio and Venezia visit Palermo in Serie B.
Birmingham vs Sheffield Wednesday, 2:45p: Ethan Horvath and Sheffield United visit Birmingham City in the Championship.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke, 2:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video: Aidan Morris and Boro host Stoke City in the Championship.
Sheffield United vs Southampton, 2:45p: Damion Downs and Southampton visit Sheffield United in the Championship.
Derby vs Charlton, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video: Charlie Kelman and Charlton Athletic visit Derby County in the Championship.
Inter Miami vs Chicago Fire, 7:30p: Chris Brady, Brian Gutiérrez, and the Fire visit Inter Miami in MLS action.
Wednesday
Leverkusen vs PSV, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Malik Tillman will face his former team as he and Leverkusen host, Sergiño Dest, Ricardo Pepi and PSV in Champions League.
Monaco vs Manchester City, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, TUDN USA, UniMás, Univision NOW, FuboTV (free trial), ViX: Folarin Balogun and Monaco host Man City in Champions League.
Villarreal vs Juventus, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, DAZN USA, CBS Sports Golazo: Weston McKennie and Juve visit Villarreal in Champions League.
Also in action:
Millwall vs Coventry, 2:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video: Haji Wright and Coventry City visit Millwall in the Championship.
Norwich vs West Brom, 2:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video: Josh Sargent and Norwich City welcome George Campbell and West Brom for this Championship match.
Portsmouth vs Watford, 2:45p: Caleb Wiley and Watford visit Portsmouth in the Championship.
Austin FC vs Nashville SC, 8p on Paramount+, Prime Video, CBS Sports Network, FuboTV: Walker Zimmerman and Nashville visit Owen Wolff and Austin for a chance to hoist a trophy in the US Open Cup final.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Vancouver FC, 10p: Sebastian Berhalter, Brian White, and the Whitecaps meet Vancouver FC in the Canadian Championship final.
Thursday
Celtic vs Braga, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic host Braga in Europa League.
Dynamo Kyiv vs Crystal Palace, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Chris Richards and Palace visit Dynamo Kyiv in Conference League.
Lyon vs RB Salzburg, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, DAZN USA: Tanner Tessmann and Lyon host Anrie Chase and Salzbug in Europa League.
USA U20 vs France U20, 4p on FS2, UNIVERSO, Prime Video, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FuboTV, Sling TV: Benja Cremaschi, Niko Tsakiris, Frankie Westfield, Nolan Norris, Taha Habroune, and Cole Campbell were the scorers in the USA U20’s 9-1 win over New Caledonia to open the U20 World Cup. France will be a much tougher test.
Also in action:
Panathinaikos vs Go Ahead Eagles, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Erik Palmer-Brown and Panathinaikos face Go Ahead Eagles in this Europa League battle to see which club can have the longest name.
Lausanne vs Breidablik, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Bryan Okoh and Lausanne host Breidablik in Conference League.
Omonio Nicosia vs Mainz, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Lennard Maloney and Mainz visit Mix Diskerud’s old club Omonio Nicosia in Conference League.
Friday
Bournemouth vs Fulham, 3p on USA, UNIVERSO, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FuboTV, Sling TV, TeleXitos: Antonee Robinson and the Cottagers visit Tyler Adams and Bournemouth in Premier League action.
US U20 ROSTER GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Gavin Beavers* (Brøndby), 12-Adam Beaudry (Colorado Rapids), 21-Duran Ferree (San Diego FC) DEFENDERS (7): 2-Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders), 18-Luca Bombino (San Diego FC), 5-Noah Cobb (Colorado Rapids), 16-Ethan Kohler (SC Verl), 3-Nolan Norris (FC Dallas), 17-Francis Westfield (Philadelphia Union), 4-Joshua Wynder (Benfica) MIDFIELDERS (6): 19-Matthew Corcoran (Nashville SC), 8-Benjamin Cremaschi (Parma), 14-Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew), 6-Brooklyn Raines (Houston Dynamo), 15-Pedro Soma (San Diego FC), 10-Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes) FORWARDS (5): 11-Luke Brennan (Atlanta United), 7-Cole Campbell (Borussia Dortmund), 20-Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake City), 13-Peyton Miller (New England Revolution), 9-Marcos Zambrano (Real Salt Lake) *Diego Kochen was initially called in, but FC Barcelona recalled him on Saturday.
Until 2:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, the last weekend of September was a quiet one for U.S. men’s national team players in Europe. Several USMNT regulars had been relegated to the bench for their clubs. None had scored. Then, in the third minute of a showdown with the reigning Serie A champions, Christian Pulisic changed everything. He burst down San Siro’s left wing for a world-class assist. Later, he scored his league-leading fourth goal, and sixth in all competitions this season.He propelled Milan to a 2-1 win against Napoli, and to the top of Serie A. So, of course, that’s where we’ll begin our weekly roundup of USMNT players.
Pulisic’s red-hot form and vindication
Pulisic opting out of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup left him facing weeks of criticism and questions. But when he finally explained himself, on a CBS Sports podcast in June, his reasoning was clear: He needed a break. He needed a proper offseason to rest and recharge, so that he could be at his best for Milan and the USMNT throughout the 2025-26 season and 2026 World Cup.“This is the right decision for myself, and for the team, at the end of the day,” Pulisic said at the time. “And people will see that. You guys will see, man. I’m hungrier than ever — truly. I’m really looking forward for big things to come.”And over the past few weeks in Italy, with four goals and two assists in three games, he has proven his point.He is playing with a lethal combination of explosiveness and calm. Despite a preseason ankle knock, and despite a not-quite-defined place in manager Massimiliano Allegri’s lineup, he is averaging more than two goal contributions per 90 minutes. He is skipping past defenders, and threading through balls. He is looking focused and fit. He is making lots of critics look silly.
Injuries, playing time concerns
Among U.S. players in Europe, Pulisic is something of an outlier.Before his man-of-the-match performance on Sunday, the stories of the weekend were starting lineup absences and injury concerns.In the Netherlands, Ricardo Pepi left PSV’s 2-1 win against Excelsior in the 32nd minute with apparent discomfort. PSV coach Peter Bosz indicated the injury was “minor,” and said he simply didn’t want to “take a risk” at this stage of the season. But Pepi’s status for the USMNT’s October camp is now in doubt.Stay in the know by selecting your interests on The Athletic:In Spain, Johnny Cardoso has not played at all in the month of September due to an ankle injury suffered in training.
In Germany, Gio Reyna, after one start and one substitute appearance for Borussia Mönchengladbach, missed Saturday’s game against Eintracht Frankfurt with a thigh injury. (Joe Scally, who has been playing as an attack-minded right wingback, registered two assists in Gladbach’s 6-4 loss.)In England, Antonee Robinson got his first start of the season midweek in a Carabao Cup win over Cambridge United, but he played those 90 minutes alongside a mixture of regulars and reserves. On Sunday, he was back on the Fulham bench, and played only 11 minutes in a 3-1 Premier League loss at Aston Villa. After offseason knee surgery, he is healthy enough to play, but nowhere near his 2024-25 best. And it’s not quite clear what he’ll have to do to reclaim his starting spot ahead of Ryan Sessegnon.In New Jersey, meanwhile, Matt Freese, who’s been the USMNT’s No. 1 goalkeeper since June, left Saturday’s 3-2 win over the New York Red Bulls with a head injury. “He’s being checked by the doctors, and we’ll wait and see,” NYCFC coach Pascal Jansen said after the match.And elsewhere, there are non-injury concerns. In Italy, Weston McKennie was back on the Juventus bench for a 1-1 draw with Atalanta, playing 32 minutes as a sub. Yunus Musah, after one start for Atalanta (in a 4-0 Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain), has been a sparsely used reserve. He played 14 minutes off the bench against Juve.In France, Folarin Balogun — who seemed to cement himself as the U.S. No. 9 this month — was out of Monaco’s starting 11 for a second consecutive Ligue 1 game.Like in 2024 before the Copa América, club playing time could be developing into a broad worry for the national team. In September, it isn’t cause for alarm. In April, it would be.
Zendejas, Tessmann, others make statements
On the fringe of the U.S. roster, a few players have stated their case.Alex Zendejas has followed up his volley for the national team against Japan with four goals in four games for Club América. The third of four, on Saturday against Pumas, was an audacious, confidence-oozing chip over legendary goalkeeper Keylor Navas.Tanner Tessmann, who has been on the outside looking in at the USMNT since the March Nations League debacle, also scored a worldie Thursday for Lyon to beat Utrecht in the Europa League. He followed it up with a strong 90-minute shift in a 1-0 win at Lille on Sunday.Tessmann, perhaps more so than any other American player, has made a statement over the first two months of the 2025-26 season. He has been one of the best and most consistent players for a team that’s now won five of six Ligue 1 games, and currently sits tied atop the table with PSG.Aidan Morris, at a slightly lower level, has also been making noise at Middlesbrough. After three consecutive man of the match awards in August, he has continued apace in September and helped lead Boro to the top of the English Championship. They remain unbeaten after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Southampton.Haji Wright and Coventry City are also unbeaten, having trounced Birmingham City 3-0 this weekend.Especially with Johnny and Pepi likely sidelined, Morris and Wright seem like strong candidates for the USMNT’s October roster, which will be released early this week. Tessmann, meanwhile, seems like a no-brainer inclusion.
How did other USMNT players perform?
Brenden Aaronson is battling at Leeds United. Amid relentless criticism from fans, and despite his lack of production in the final third, he has played in all six Premier League games for Leeds this season, including starts in the past three. He received a standing ovation from the home crowd when substituted late in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. During the Gold Cup, he seemed to be drifting out of the USMNT picture, but with his work rate and fortitude, he is keeping himself in World Cup contention.In that same Leeds-Bournemouth game, Tyler Adams — who was booed by the Leeds fans throughout — was his usual pugnacious self for 81 minutes.Also in the Prem, Chris Richards was arguably culpable on Liverpool’s late equalizer, but was then spared by Eddie Nketiah’s dramatic 97th-minute winner. Richards took to social media afterward to amplify claims that the Liverpool goal should have been disallowed for a Mohamed Salah handball, which might have put Richards off as he tried to clear a cross with his head.Elsewhere in England, down in the Championship, Patrick Agyemang notched an assist for Derby County. Josh Sargent has cooled down for Norwich City. Damion Downs is struggling badly at Southampton.Agyemang and Sargent are right on the World Cup roster bubble. Their inclusions or omissions in October could say a lot about U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s preferences.(Top photos: Matt Freese, left; Christian Pulisic; Getty Images)
Champions League Standings after 1 game
Five talking points ahead of the Champions League action
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Five talking points ahead of the Champions League action
The Football Faithful
Tue, September 30, 2025 at 6:56 AM EDT·
4 min read
The Champions League returns for matchday two this week, as Liverpool, Barcelona, PSG, and Spurs all face key clashes on the European stage.
Five talking points ahead of the Champions League action:
Jose Mourinho returns to Chelsea
Chelsea welcome a familiar figure back to Stamford Bridge as Jose Mourinho’s Benfica take on Enzo Maresca’s side on Tuesday night.
The Special One’s shadow looms large over the club this week amid a run of poor form. The Blues are looking for their first win this month, against the manager who guided them to three Premier League titles across two stints.
The days when Chelsea played like true world beaters feels a long time ago now. They may be world champions, for whatever that is worth, but after losing consecutive league games it looks like this will be another year in which they don’t challenge for the title, despite their massive spending in recent years.
Chelsea came out 4-1 winners from their meeting Benfica in the Club World Cup this past summer, although the Portuguese giants did take them to extra time. They are favoured to win this tie, but could the Mourinho factor give the visitors an edge?
The west London outfit hope not; Maresca can’t really afford to lose this one after falling to a 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich on the opening week of this year’s competition.
On Wednesday we will finally get the matchup that we should have seen in last season’s final as Barcelona host PSG at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Barça’s defensive frailties ultimately cost them in the semi-final defeat to Inter Milan, and given how the Italians fared in the decider, Hansi Flick’s men may have avoided a drubbing of their own in Munich.
They could be facing Paris at a good time, though. The reigning champions recently lost to Marseille and have not been their typically dominant selves against Ligue 1 opposition, despite topping the table.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are in scorching hot form; unbeaten in all competitions, they have scored 23 goals in eight matches. This will be a very early test for Flick’s side and a measure of their credentials for the ultimate glory.
All eyes will be on that titanic clash, but elsewhere two giants of the European game will travel to face the tournament’s supposed whipping boys.
Real Madrid make the arduous trip to Kazakhstan to take on Kairat Almaty, while Bayern Munich head to Cyprus for a meeting with Pafos FC.
Real and Bayern have 21 Champions League titles between them, while Kairat and Pafos are competing at this level for the first time ever.
These matches are expected to only go one way, but it has only been four years since Real were shocked by Moldovan outfit FC Sheriff Tiraspol in the group stage. Bayern are only two years removed from an embarrassing defeat to third-tier Saarbrucken in the German Cup, so neither club is a stranger to unlikely upsets.
Liverpool make the trip to Galatasaray for just the third time in Champions League history this Tuesday as they look to bounce back from defeat to Crystal Palace at the weekend.
The Turkish outfit’s fans have become known for creating a febrile atmosphere on these European nights ever since their famous win over Manchester United in 1993.
The Gala fans welcomed the United players at the airport with banners reading “Welcome to Hell”, and they certainly delivered on that front.
A win here would be another shock on that scale. Liverpool are prohibitive favourites, despite their unconvincing performances this season. Galatasaray may be dominating the Super Lig after signing Leroy Sane and Victor Osimhen, but they were trounced 5-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt on the opening week.
The Champions League might quickly become a hellscape for Okan Buruk’s team if Liverpool find their scoring touch.
On their way to Europa League glory last season, Tottenham Hotspur had to go through Bodo/Glimt. It was a tricky tie against the Norwegian upstarts who have taken many scalps in Europe in recent years.
Spurs won the quarter-final clash 5-1 on aggregate, ensuring Glimt have never beaten an English side, losing all five of their encounters.
Thomas Frank should guide his side to another victory here, although he would probably prefer not to have to travel to the Arctic Circle this week. His squad will make a 6,200km round trip, before heading to Leeds this Saturday.
Jose Mourinho: He meant everything to Chelsea fans in his heyday, but what about now?
On Tuesday night, Jose Mourinho will get to discover if he is still seen as special among Chelsea fans.You would think the answer would be a categorical ‘yes’, right? This is the man who ended the club’s 50-year wait for a league title in 2005. The Portuguese won seven major trophies (three Premier Leagues, an FA Cup and three League Cups) during two spells at Stamford Bridge (2004-7, 2013-15) and boasted extraordinary statistics like not losing any of his first 77 home Premier League games (a run finally ended by Sunderland in 2014). Pictures of him posing with the Premier League trophy are still on the walls inside the Drake Suite at the ground.He returns this week as Benfica’s head coach but this will not be the first occasion Chelsea fans have had a chance to show what they think of him. Mourinho was booed following one game as Manchester United manager after Chelsea beat them in an FA Cup quarter-final. His popularity sank to a deeper low after taking charge of bitter rivals Tottenham (2019-21).So how is he viewed now? “Time is a healer,” veteran season ticket holder Tim Rolls tells The Athletic. “If you look at what Chelsea are now and where the club were under him 20 years ago, people will look back so much more fondly to what we had. We had an air of invincibility. You knew if Chelsea went 1-0 up, that was it. That does not happen now. People appreciate Mourinho’s record even more.”
Mourinho in November 2004, his first season at ChelseaRichard Heathcote/Getty Images
Another season ticket holder Rafael Alleyne, who has supported the club for over 40 years, agrees. “I know there can be mixed feelings. There was a funny spell in terms of how he was perceived during his time at Manchester United. But he will always be top for me.
“Why did his popularity dip? Going to a rival like Manchester United was one thing. There were also some digs he made at Chelsea. I didn’t have a problem with it because that’s just Jose but others did.”Claudia Coulter was just a young child during Mourinho’s first tenure and only really got to appreciate what he brought to Chelsea between 2013-15. But that is what made seeing him then take charge of two Premier League sides tougher to bear.“I found it particularly hard to see him in the Tottenham dugout, it just felt so wrong,” she says. “My dad (also a Chelsea fan) felt the same, we could not believe it. Seeing him at another Premier League team was always going to be weird and we had that first with Manchester United. But seeing him at Tottenham was a real kick in the gut because we obviously hate them. It was a real shock.d“He knew what the Chelsea fans thought about Spurs so it was not great at that moment. But you kind of have to move on. It is not a case of forgetting it, it is still a sore point, but you have to concentrate on all the good things that he did.“I will be there at the game and I can’t wait to see him back. I think he is going to get a good reception. There will always be some people who are not happy but I will give him a good reception. I just hope we beat him!”
Mourinho prepares to manage Tottenham against Chelsea in 2019Michael Regan/Getty Images
Since being fired by Tottenham four years ago, Mourinho has gone on to coach Roma and Fenerbahce before taking over at Benfica two weeks ago. In terms of his standing at Chelsea, Mourinho once said, “Until the moment they have a manager that wins four Premier Leagues for them, I’m the No 1.”
No one has got close. Antonio Conte is the only other coach to guide Chelsea to top spot (in 2016-17) following Mourinho’s last triumph in 2014-15. Under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium, who bought the club three years ago, Chelsea have not even challenged, although they did claim a unique double of the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Conference League last season.
Stay in the know by selecting your interests on The Athletic:
Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and incumbent Enzo Maresca are the three managers hired by the current regime. None of them forged a bond akin to the one Mourinho enjoyed. The latter goes into the game under increasing scrutiny from many in the stands because Chelsea have lost three of their last four games.Another season ticket holder Dave Chidgey says: “Chelsea were a top club under Mourinho, not this state we are in at the moment. I go back to the recent hires. We have had Potter, Pochettino and Maresca. They are not at his level.“Would I have him back for a third time? I don’t know, to be honest. It is a head-vs-heart situation. I know deep down it will never work under this ownership. He would see holes in the squad and want world-class guys to fill them, not caring how old they are or how much they cost. That mantra is a thing of the past at Chelsea and will never happen as long as these guys are in charge.”
Mourinho’s commitment to the cause made him very popular with the Chelsea faithfulClive Brunskill/Getty ImagesDan Silver believes the 3-1 loss to Brighton three days ago has improved Mourinho’s chances of being greeted warmly. The season ticket holder explained: “There could be a lot more vocal support for Mourinho because of the Brighton result. Maresca is still very much a Marmite figure.”There were other factors that made Chelsea fans lose a bit of their admiration for Mourinho while he was at the helm. For example, he criticised fans for the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge in 2014, saying that it was like playing in an empty stadium. Opposition fans have been chanting, “Mourinho’s right, your fans are sh*te,” ever since.Chidgey says: “I didn’t like it when he dug the fans out. It was just unfair because, if you have an understanding of what’s been going on at Premier League clubs for the last 20 years, the way people have been priced out, the sport being gentrified, that all plays a part. It felt like kicking a dog when they’re down. That’s what ground my gears. That, for me, is deliberately not understanding what supporters have to go through.”Mourinho was often on the back pages of newspapers and leading sports broadcast bulletins for things he did and said. Former head of UEFA’s referees committee Volker Roth labelled Mourinho an “enemy of football” after he had wrongly accused then Barcelona head coach Frank Rijkaard of visiting referee Anders Frisk at half-time during a 2-1 Champions League defeat in 2005.
Mourinho called much-respected Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger a “voyeur” and “a specialist in failure”. In June 2005, he was fined £75,000 (then $135,000) for meeting then Arsenal player Ashley Cole, without the north London club’s consent. Cole joined Chelsea the following year.
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
Perhaps the most damning incident was reaching a discrimination settlement with former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro in 2016. Carneiro was demoted soon after a game against Swansea in August 2015. Mourinho was furious that she and first-team physio Jon Fearn ran on to the pitch late on to treat Eden Hazard. Carneiro accused Mourinho of shouting “filha da puta” at her, which means ‘daughter of a whore’. Carneiro brought a case against Chelsea too for constructive dismissal after leaving in September 2015 and both the club and Mourinho ended up paying an undisclosed sum to resolve the case.Speaking generally about Mourinho’s antics, Silver says: “Some of his behaviour was not a good look for him or the club. It left a bad taste. But no one acts perfectly. Wenger was seen in a different, positive light and yet he pushed Mourinho in a game and kicked water bottles in another. You think of Sir Alex Ferguson shouting in referees’ faces. It felt like Mourinho was singled out for criticism. Mourinho fought the club’s corner. He was the master of the siege mentality, us against the world.”
Alleyne continues: “At the time, I may have been more like, ‘Did we have to do this, do we have to be public enemy No 1?’ There were times when I would think, ‘Jose, don’t do that,’ because he was either putting himself in a negative light or the club. But it was never to the degree of not wanting to have him, this is the kind of heat that comes with a guy like Mourinho. We had a target on our back.“I know people had a problem with his playing style too, that the result was king. But I was always about that. Perhaps he brainwashed me completely but it was all about the result and not being there to just mess around.”
Phil Cole/Getty Images
Chidgey is another who felt living with Mourinho’s flaws was a price worth paying: “He is not a saint and that is the brilliant and beautiful thing about him,” he explains. “Mourinho says and does stupid things, he annoys people. We have all done that. But at the same time, he won loads of trophies and put Chelsea on the top table of Europe. You cannot airbrush that from history just because he has done a few daft things over time.”Another possible criticism is that he did not win a Champions League with Chelsea despite having one of the best squads in Europe to work with. He lost two semi-finals against Liverpool (2005, 2007) and Atletico Madrid in 2014. It was Roberto Di Matteo (2012) and Thomas Tuchel (2021) who wrote their names into Chelsea folklore by winning Europe’s most prestigious competition. Mourinho did lift the trophy with Porto in 2004 and, six years later, with Inter Milan, having beaten Chelsea at the last-16 stage.
“I do not see it as a mark against him,” Alleyne insists. “It’s knockout football, it happens. He got to three semi-finals in the five full seasons he had, that’s still very good. He proved himself by winning three league titles. I would say it just highlights the bit of luck you need, which we clearly had in 2012.“I don’t think Mourinho is given enough credit for the winning DNA that was instilled in the club. The way that we talk about winning silverware now, the expectation, has come from him. It wasn’t there before he turned up.”Mourinho is 62 now and the grey hair betrays the reality he has aged quite a bit since walking into Chelsea for the first time 21 years ago.“The reality is you have to say he is a fading force,” Rolls concludes. “He is no longer in the conversation for a job at the top clubs and that says it all. But I go into the Benfica match with a lot more trepidation than I had before. That says a lot about him. He is so astute tactically, you never lose that.”(Top photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Atletico dominated the derby by exposing Real Madrid in the channels
It is rare to see such a basic approach working in a high-level football match, but Atletico Madrid’s style in their 5-2 thrashing of Real Madrid felt like old-school Atleti: 4-4-2, and lots of balls into the channels.
Diego Simeone’s approach has evolved across his 14-year spell as head coach, introducing more attacking flair. For the ‘derbi’, though, Atletico often go back to basics. And it worked on Saturday, with Atleti putting five goals past their city rivals for the first time in nearly 75 years.
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“We knew where we could do damage, with breaks on the outside with Nicolas Gonzalez, Pablo Barrios, Julian Alvarez and Giuliano Simeone,” said Simeone after the game. “Taking the centre-backs out and leaving Alexander Sorloth inside to get chances. Beyond their two goals, the team did well. I liked everything. The team always knew what they had to do.”
That summarised it neatly. Atletico were particularly good at attacking down the flanks, most decisively with crosses — but their approach was about running the channels and dragging out the centre-backs.
This was how Real Madrid lined up. Xabi Alonso’s system was roughly 4-2-3-1, but with Arda Guler playing very narrow from the right, and Vinicius Junior offering little support to Alvaro Carreras at left-back.
It left Carreras badly exposed, with and without possession. Here, despite being in a decent position to track the run of Simeone Jr, a simple ball behind him causes all sorts of problems, with centre-back Dean Huijsen having to sprint across in an attempt to close down. This left central defensive partner Eder Militao isolated against Sorloth for the cross, although Militao dealt with this well.
Carreras was also caught out on the ball here, taking too long and allowing Barrios to pounce and slide a pass for Sorloth to go through on goal, although the Norway striker lacked the acceleration to get there before goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Down the other flank, Madrid had slightly different problems. Because Guler was playing so narrow, Dani Carvajal was tasked with providing right-sided width, and he also pressed high.
Here, three minutes in, the right-back is dragged out from defence to close down Gonzalez, and Clement Lenglet has the fairly simple task of knocking the ball in behind for Sorloth’s run. Again, Sorloth lacked the speed to ensure this was a clear goalscoring chance, and Militao recovered to make an excellent tackle.
Here is a more extreme example, when a pass is lobbed out to David Hancko at left-back. Carvajal is never going to get this ball, but he presses anyway, which makes it easy for Hancko to knock the ball past him. This time, it is Alvarez working the left channel, although the pass forces him wide and Militao shadows him well.
The problems continued after the break, particularly as Militao was forced off injured and replaced by Raul Asencio.
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The below example was unfortunate, as Carvajal went in for a tackle and the ball deflected straight to Alvarez. But again, centre-back Asencio was forced out wide into an uncomfortable position, and ended up hacking down Alvarez just outside the box.
Carvajal was then replaced, which initially seemed a mere tactical change considering how badly Madrid were struggling down that side, although it later emerged the captain had picked up a calf injury. This meant Asencio going to right-back, with midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni dropping to centre-back.
This first frame shows the tactical battle perfectly: Real Madrid’s full-backs are always significantly ahead of the centre-backs, and Atletico’s two strikers in the channels are waiting for a forward pass. Here, another simple pass from Hancko finds Alvarez, and Tchouamani decides to hold his position, allowing Alvarez to assess his options.
The strange thing is that none of these situations actually led to a goal.
Atletico’s first four goals came from set pieces, in different ways: a Robin Le Normand header in the aftermath of a free kick, a Sorloth header after a throw-in, an Alvarez penalty after Guler was penalised for a high boot at a corner, and then a whipped Alvarez direct free kick. In stoppage time, Antoine Griezmann rounded things off with a goal on the break, his first in La Liga since February. The highlights alone would suggest that Real Madrid’s problem was defending dead-ball situations.
US Men Roster Drop for Sept 6 & 9 Games – No McKennie, Musah, Wright, Turner, Scally
There are 12 players on the roster who competed in the Gold Cup this summer. However, there are some notable absences from players who were excluded due to recovering from injury, as Pochettino opted to have them remain with their teams to continue building up full fitness, even as some recently returned to the field. Those players include Antonee Robinson, Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman, and Patrick Agyemang.
Several regulars were not selected for the September roster, including Weston McKennie, Matt Turner, Yunus Musah, Haji Wright, Brenden Aaronson, Gio Reyna, Joe Scally, and Johnny Cardoso. Meanwhile, Alex Zendejas gets his first USMNT camp of 2025 after playing well for Club América. Making the roster is dual national Tristan Blackmon, whose call-up was accidentally leaked by new Vancouver Whitecaps teammate Thomas Müller during a press conference over the weekend. Blackmon was reportedly contacted by Canada head coach Jesse Marsch in the spring to gauge his interest in playing for Canada at the international level. He instead accepts the call-up to join the USMNT for this camp. Four other players are looking to earn their first cap for the USMNT. Dual national Noahkai Banks makes his USMNT camp debut, while Blackmon, Roman Celenatano, and Jonathan Klinsmann are in search of their first cap after returning to the national team. The USMNT take on South Korea on September 6th at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. They then complete the international window with a friendly against Japan on September 9th at Lower.com Field in Columbus. USMNT ROSTER GOALKEEPERS (3): Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena) DEFENDERS (8): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Noahkai Banks (FC Augsburg), Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace) MIDFIELDERS (6): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 50/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew) FORWARDS (5): Damion Downs (Southampton), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan) Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Tim Weah (Marseille), Alex Zendejas (Club América), Folarin Balogun
So I have NO IDEA what Bochitino is Doing here? Now is not the time to be testing new Goalkeepers – these are real teams we are playing! And why so many MLS players? Are you kidding me Boch! HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE IS DOING. At this rate we may not make it out of the Group stage. How the heck are McKennie, Haji Wright and Joe Scally not here at least. Aaronson is also a bit of a headscratcher. I am ok with Berhalter he showed well last time – lets see if he can play now that we have REAL competition. I am hope so because I do like his grit. We’ll see on all these others.
Leagues Cup Final Dream Match-Up Messi’s Miami vs Seattle Sounders this Sun 8 pm on Apple, Univision
Miami came from behind in dramatic fashion to beat Orlando in Miami as Messi and the Suarez spurred Miami on to victory. In the late game Seattle Dominated the first half then held on for the 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy setting up the Wednesday night Leagues Cup Final on their home field Sunday at 8 pm on TUDN, Univision & Apple TV free.
Indy 11 Host Louisville City Sat 7 pm @ The Mike
Indy Eleven midfielder Jack Blake recorded his sixth career brace to lead the Boys in Blue to a 3-2 victory over Miami FC at Carroll Stadium.The victory moved the Boys in Blue into a playoff position at the 2/3 point of the 30-game regular season schedule. The Boys in Blue host Eastern Conference leader Louisville City FC next Saturday at 7 pm at Carroll Stadium for “Mystery at the Mike”. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster. Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com.
Carmel FC Goalkeeper Coach Erin Baker
So excited to welcome former Carmel FC & All State Carmel High School Goalkeeper Erin Baker as Carmel FC Goalkeeper Coach this fall. The former Wright State College Goalkeeper, daughter of Carmel FC Coach Tom Baker and former CFC Coach and legendary Canadian Team Goalkeeper Carla Baker (now Carmel High Asst Coach). Erin will handle coaching duties on Mon nights at Shelbourne Fields and Wednesdays at Badger Fields. Your’s truly will be on hand when I can to help (around high school reffing duties).
Carmel FC GK Coach Erin Baker was a 2 time All-State Selection at Carmel High School and State Champion before playing college ball at Wright State in Ohio. Coaching now on Mon & Wed nights. Congrats to our Carmel FC squads on a jam-packed weekend across the Midwest and a special mention to our 3 teams that picked up silverware in their respective events. Huge thanks to our players, coaches, and the parents who make the miles and memories possible. • 2012 Girls Gold — Premier Cup (Bronze) Champions • 2013 Boys Blue — Puma Cup Finalists • 2014 Girls Gold — Chicago Development ShowcaseT Ray, Mike A and Shane reffing tourney at Grand Park Sunday with Coms — aren’t we cool looking! Apple TV & Univision & TUDN Sunday 8 pm
GAMES ON TV
Fri, Aug 29 2:45 pm Para+ Lecce vs AC Milan (Pulisic) 3 pm CBSSN Leicester City vs Birmingham City Championship 8 pm Prime Orlando Pride (Marta) vs NY/NJ Gothem NWSL 10:30 pm Para+, Prime Seattle Reign vs San Diego Wave NWSL 10:30 pm Para+, Prime, Golazo Portland Thorns vs Utah Sat, Aug 30 7:30 am USA Chelsea vs Fulham (Jedi) 9:30 am ESPN+ Werder Bremen vs Leverkusen (Tillman) 9:30 am ESPN+ Stuttgart vs B M’Gladbach (Scally, Reyna) 10 am USA Sunderland vs Brentford 10 am Peacock Tottenham vs Bournemouth (Adams) 12:30 pm NBC Leeds United (Aaronson) vs Newcastle United 12:30 pm ESPN+ Ausberg vs Bayern Munich 7 pm TV 6, ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Louisville 7:30 pm Tubi KC Current vs NC Courage NWSL Sun Aug 31 7:30 am USA Nottingham Forest vs West Ham 11:30 am USA Liverpool vs Arsenal 12:30 pm CBSSN Genoa vs Juventus (McKennie) 2 pm USA Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 3:30 pm ESPNd+, Rayo Vallencano vs Barcelona 4 pm CBS NWSL Washington Spirit vs Chicago Red Stars 8 pm Apple, Univision Seattle Sounders vs Inter Miami Leagues Cup Final 10:30 pm FS1?, Apple Free – LAFC vs San Diego Mon, Sept 1 9 pm CBSSN Angel City (Thompson) vs Bay FC NWSL Wed, Sept 3 7 pm CBSSN Washington Spirit vs Vancouver Rise W Concacaf Cup 7:30 pm ESPN+ Hartford vs Indy 11 Thurs, Aug 4 WCQ 2:45 pm Fox Sport 2 Bulgaria vs Spain 7:30 pm Peacock Argentina vs Venezuela 8:30 pm Peacock Brazil vs Chile Fri, Aug 5 WCQ 2:45 pm FS2 Ukraine vs France 8 pm Amazon Prime Racing Louisville vs Portland NWSL
Sat, Sept 6 5 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Korea Tues, Sept 9 7:30 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Japan in Columbus, Ohio Fri, Oct 10 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador Tues, Oct 14 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Summer Olympiques
Some of our most watched leagues embark on a new season. The Transfer window is nearly closed as teams and players settle in to what their club’s will look like for at least the next several months. A US player or two could still be on the move this Fall (we’re keeping our eye on you Yunus Musah) but we’re pretty close to locked in. We’re also locked in on some great matches this weekend that could see more debut’s as well as some head to head action in France. It start’s on Friday with a couple of matches:
Friday
Lecce v Milan – 2:45p on Paramount+: AC Milan opened their season with a home loss to newly promoted Cremonese with Christian Pulisic starting the match and playing the full 90’ but Yunus Musah not making it off the bench amid ongoing rumors that he is being pursued by Napoli and Atalanta. Milan dominated possession and allowed just four shot attempts by Cremonese but were unable to convert more than one of their own twenty-four shot attempts. Milan will look to bounce back against Lecce who settled for a scoreless draw with Genoa last weekend.
Saturday
Chelsea v Fulham – 7:30a on USA Network: Antonne Robinson returned from injury and played 28’ minutes off the bench last weekend as Fulham drew with Manchester United 1-1. That makes a pair of 1-1 draws to open the season for Fulham who will now face a Chelsea side who are coming off a 5-1 thumping of West Ham last weekend after opening their season with a scoreless draw against Crystal Palace.
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN+: Malik Tillman missed Bayer Leverkusen’s season opening loss to Hoffenheim last weekend but is reportedly available this weekend heading into their match with Werder Bremen who fell 4-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt. Tillman will be making his debut for his new club as they look to bounce back and get on track to challenge Bayern Munich for the league title.
Stuttgart v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN+: Gio Reyna has joined good friend Joe Scally at Borussia Monchengladbach and will look to get his career back on track. Reyna, Scally and Gladbach will face Stuttgart this weekend looking for Gladbach’s first win of the season, following a 0-0 draw last weekend with Hamburg.
Tottenham v AFC Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock: Tyler Adams and Bournemouth defeated Wolverhampton last weekend, bouncing back from a season opening loss to Liverpool, but then fell to Brentford 2-0 in Carabao Cup second round action midweek with Tyler getting the match off. This weekend Bournemouth will take on a Tottenham side that have won their first two matches to start the season, including a 2-0 win over Manchester City last weekend.
Blackburn Rovers v Norwich City – 10a on Paramount+: Josh Sargent has opened the season by scoring a goal in each of Norwich’s four matches that he has appeared in (he missed Norwich’s EFL Cup match against Southampton midweek) but Norwich have won just one of their three league matches, with all ending with an identical 2-1 score line. This weekend Norwich will face a Blackburn Rovers side that just missed out on the promotion playoffs last season but have also won just one of their opening three matches this year as well.
Deportivo Alaves v Atletico Madrid – 11a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+: Johnny Cardoso might not be in the US squad but he’s made the starting 11 for Atletico Madrid the first two matches of their season. Atletico will be looking for their first win of the season this weekend as they take on Deportivo Alaves, who fell to Real Betis 1-0 last weekend.
Leeds United v Newcastle United – 12:30p on NBC and Peacock: Brenden Aaronson has come off the bench to play roughly 25’ in each of Leeds United’s first two matches of the season. Leeds won their opener but were thumped by Arsenal last weekend 5-0 with the team already down 4-0 when Aaronson came into the match.
Augsburg v Bayern Munich – 12:30p on ESPN+: Noakhai Banks has pulled the reverse Johnny Cardoso, the 18-year-old center back has made Mauricio Pochettino’s September callup list though he has not made it off the bench for Augsburg yet this season. Unfortunately, that might say as much about the differences in depth at the midfield and center back positions for the USMNT as it does about Pochettino’s puzzling decisions. Augsburg defeated Freiburg 3-1 in their opener last weekend and will now face Bayern Munich who opened their Bundesliga campaign with 6-0 drubbing of RB Leipzig.
PSV v Telstar – 2p on ESPN+: Ricardo Pepi saw his first minutes of the Eredivisie season last Saturday, coming off the bench for the final minutes of PSV’s 4-2 win over Groningen. Sergino Dest started the match at left back, played the full 90’, and picked up his second assist of the season. Dest has had a goal contribution in each of PSV’s first three matches. PSV will face a Telstar side that are looking for their first win of the season, they snapped a two match losing streak last weekend in drawing 2-2 with FC Volendam.
Toulouse v PSG – 3:05p on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse will take on perennial league favorites PSG on Sunday. Both teams have won their first two matches of the season and are tied, along with Lyon and Strasbourg, at the top of the table early in the season. McKenzie has started and gone the full 90’ in each of Toulouse’s two matches.
Sunday
Rangers v Celtic – 7a on CBSSN and Paramount+: Rangers and Celtic were both dumped from Champions League qualifying midweek in embarrassing fashion and will now look to bounce back in the latest edition of the Old Firm derby. Cameron Carter-Vickers started and played the full match plus extra time midweek as Celtic eventually fell to Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty in penalties after playing a home and away series, including a full 120’ in the second match, without either team scoring a goal. Celtic have won each of their first three matches though CCV was rested last weekend. Auston Trusty had come off the bench in Celtic’s first three matches of the season but was not included in the squad last weekend or midweek. Celtic’s opponent this weekend is their arch-rival Rangers who have drawn each of their first three league matches and also fell midweek in Champions League qualifying 6-0 (and 9-1 on aggregate) to Club Brugge.
Monaco v Strasbourg – 11:15a on beIN Sports: Folarin Balogun returned from injury last weekend to get the start and go the full 90’ in Monaco’s 1-0 loss to Lille. Balogun and Monaco will now face Strasbourg who have won their first to Ligue 1 matches of the season.
Genoa v Juventus – 12:30p on CBSSN and Paramount+: Weston McKennie was used as a time wasting substitute last weekend as Juventus saw out a 2-0 win over Parma to open their Serie A season. McKennie appears to once again be at an interesting point in his career as the midfielder was left out of the September window and is looking to work his way back into the squad with his club as well. It’s a bit startling but it is not the first, or second, time that McKennie has found himself in a similar position and he has bounced back well each time prior.
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace – 2p on USA Network: Chris Richards and Crystal Palace have opened their Premier League season with a pair of draws against Chelsea and Nottingham Forest with Richards playing the full 90’ in both matches. Richards also went 90 on Thursday as Palace played Norwegian side Fredrikstad FK to a scoreless draw in see out their 1-0 aggregate win in UEFA Conference League qualifiers. Palace have allowed just four goals across five matches in all competitions to start the season, including two in their win over Liverpool in the Community Shield match, and Richards is a key figure in what appears to be a solid defense. Palace will face an Aston Villa side this weekend that are looking for their first win, and first goal of the season.
Olympique Lyon v Olympique Marseille – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann and Tim Weah will face off in Ligue 1 action on Sunday afternoon before Weah heads to the States for the September window while Tessmann remains in France as he missed out on a callup. Tessmann has started and gone the full 90’ in Lyon’s first two matches while Weah came off the bench in Marseille’s first match, a 1-0 loss to Stade Rennais, but started on the left-wing in the teams 5-2 drubbing of Paris FC last weekend.
Always fun to ref games @ Carmel High – Carmel Freshman boys then girls with Omar Mon night. Good crew Sat @ Park Tudor
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It’s time for Mauricio Pochettino to stop tinkering and build a World Cup team
I spent the earlier part of this week living under the stars, in a tent deep inside Yellowstone National Park, with only a patchy cellphone signal, no internet or television. It wasn’t quite an Aaron Rodgers retreat but it was an amazing experience.
Anyone who has ever ‘disconnected’ in that manner, understands the value that it brings. You have time to break free from the constant demands of everyday life, to refocus and renew before re-emerging with fresh energy.
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But when I came out of the retreat and saw Mauricio Pochettino’s roster for the upcoming games against South Korea and Japan, I wondered for half a second if I wasn’t now living in an alternative reality.
Almost half of Pochettino’s 23-man squad is made up of players from Major League Soccer ,as he continues to experiment with new players while the likes of Weston McKennie at Juventus, Johnny Cardoso of Atlético Madrid, Yunus Musah at AC Milan and Tanner Tessmann at Lyon have been left out.
Weston McKennie was among those left out of Mauricio Pochettino’s latest USMNT squad. (Marco Canoniero / LightRocket via Getty Images)
We are nine months away from the start of the World Cup on home soil and the coach is still experimenting, still familiarizing himself with the player pool and still ‘sending messages’ to players? Really?
At this stage, I would expect the national team coach to be focused on his core starting team and supporting cast, getting players familiar with their roles, the partnerships that are so vital across the field and the group dynamics that need to be fine tuned before competing with the world’s elite.
Of course, there is always room for bringing in a form player or two or trying out alternative options and testing the depth of his roster. And there is some validity in Pochettino’s likely goals here – broadening the pool, lighting a fire under those excluded and perhaps giving European-based players the chance to focus on their club situations for now.
But the benefits of a player being allowed to stay with a European club are limited when you remember that during the international break, large numbers of the first-team squad at clubs like Milan, Juve and Atlético, are away with their national teams anyway, weakening the significance of those training sessions, which are mainly for reserves and other non-internationals. Two things really concern me about this roster. Firstly, the U.S. is playing against Japan and South Korea, two teams with quality players and top-tier experience, who are exactly the kind of opponents that might be waiting in the World Cup itself, especially in the knockout phase.With no qualifying games, these friendlies should be treated as seriously as possible, to get the squad truly competitive encounters – to test them and help them grow. As we saw with the debacle of June’s 4-0 crushing by Switzerland in Nashville, if the opposition is high-level and comes in motivated, the outcome for an experimental team can be ugly.
There is already a worrying lack of enthusiasm bordering on apathy in the USMNT’s fan base at a time when positivity and optimism should be growing in anticipation of this huge moment in American soccer. I don’t even want to think about what the impact would be of another heavy loss at home.
Secondly, while the time for ‘sending messages’ should be over by now, I also worry about exactly what kind of message Pochettino is sending by his selection of MLS players who few people, if any, were clamoring for.
Under former USMNT coach Bob Bradley, players like Charlie Davies were incentivized to prove themselves overseas. (Chris Williams /Icon SMI / Corbis / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
When I played for the national team under Bob Bradley, there was an unwritten rule for emerging American MLS talent. If you want to be a national team player, you earn yourself a move abroad, you fight for your place at your club, you perform week-in, week-out and then you get your chance.
It was highly motivating. It led people like me to turn down, after college, a Generation Adidas contract with MLS and head to Europe. It was why I battled for a starting place at Hammarby in Sweden, moved to Sochaux in France and played for Randers in Denmark.Jurgen Klinsmann was another national team coach who was keen to see Americans move to Europe, pushing players to get as close to the highest level as possible. It’s why so many of our players over the last 25 years improved, became more professional and more steeled. It’s not easy as an American walking into a European locker-room, proving yourself, earning a starting place and keeping it. It’s a grind every single day. It meant the national team coach got players who had been forged by that experience, hardened and sharpened.
It also gave players in MLS something to aim for. You might be performing well enough for your club, but were you playing well enough to attract the attention of European scouts?
So what is the message the players receive when they see Pochettino’s roster?
With all due respect, have the likes of Roman Celentano, Tristan Blackmon, Nathan Harriel and Sean Zawadzki really been performing at such a consistently high-level in MLS that they simply could not be ignored? Have they really thrust themselves into contention for World Cup places?Even if you were looking to MLS-based players, it is surprising that some of these new faces are being picked ahead of the likes of Djordje Mihailovic (11 caps), DeJuan Jones (10 caps) and Chicago’s exciting talent Brian Gutierrez (two caps).But the message sent is even worse. When I see a player like Paxton Aaronson, who after trying to make it at Eintracht Frankfurt took on the challenge of a loan spell at Utrecht and earned a starting place at a top-four club in the Dutch league, take a move back to MLS, it leaves me thinking the players have understood that under Pochettino you’d actually be better off in MLS.
Paxten Aaronson made a recent return to Major League Soccer from Europe. (Seth Herald / AFP via Getty Images)That is a crazy situation. But what other conclusion could we draw from the fact that a promising player like Aidan Morris, who was rightly called up due to his excellent form with the Columbus Crew, is now ignored despite being a regular in the highly competitive Championship with Middlesbrough?
Morris won two MLS Cups with the Crew before, at the age of 22, going to play for then-Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, a great coach to learn from, given he played in Morris’s midfield role. That’s the kind of initiative that I would lean towards rewarding.Morris could now be forgiven for thinking that he would have been better off, from a national team perspective, staying with the Crew, never having to worry about losing his place, never having to push himself, under pressure, every week in the grind of that league. He’d probably be in this roster if he was playing in MLS – which is absurd.
There are contradictions in Pochettino’s approach, too. If the aim is to give players in new club environments space to settle, then why call up Tim Weah? He is in his first season with Marseille, adapting to a new system under Roberto De Zerbi and new teammates, and yet he is (deservedly) included in the roster.And he should be, because Weah is a vital piece of the U.S. puzzle. His speed, quickness, timing, 1-v-1 ability, two-way commitment and World Cup experience (including scoring against Wales in Qatar) make him unique in this group.The reality is that outside of him, the USMNT simply doesn’t have another wide player with that blend of qualities. His inclusion underscores just how inconsistent the logic is when other Europe-based players in similar or even stronger club situations are left behind.
At least Pochettino says this is the last window before the experimenting stops in October. That is a relief, but I think not going with a full-strength squad for these games is another missed opportunity for the coach and the team.
Hopefully the approach to the games will be less experimental than the roster call-ups suggests. If the U.S. wants to inspire belief heading into the home World Cup, now is the time to sharpen, not experiment.
The September friendlies will mark Christian Pulisic’s return to the squad. (Logan Riely / USSF / Getty Images for USSF)
Thankfully, Christian Pulisic is on the roster, and I really hope that he and everyone else can now put this summer’s unpleasant conflict behind them. The whole saga was the result of poor communication. No one blinked an eye when it was announced that Musah was missing the Gold Cup for ‘personal reasons,’ and few would have objected if Christian’s absence was put down to muscle fatigue or a minor injury.
I’ll never understand why it was instead described by U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker as the player asking to “step back” this summer due to the volume of games. The whole thing could have been avoided with different language.Christian had a new coach coming in at AC Milan and it was important for him to be at the Milanello training ground fresh and ready to go on day one of preseason and not coming in late or tired from the Gold Cup and playing catch-up ahead of the new season.The U.S. needs Pulisic to have a great season with Milan and to return in style to the national team. He’s central to World Cup hopes, and whatever people think of his decision this summer, it is time to put it behind us and get behind our best player. Just as it’s time for Pochettino to get behind his best players, period.(Top photo: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
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Mauricio Pochettino wants trust in his process but his USMNT is short on time
The U.S. men’s national team has 10 games until the World Cup.
The journey to that point is going to be one hell of a ride. The question for U.S. fans is whether they believe in the process.
Mauricio Pochettino’s 22-man squad for the September window included Christian Pulisic — another player will be added at a later date — but was most certainly impacted by the start of the European season. The roster is missing players still working back from injury and others who aren’t in form at their clubs or were given time to integrate into new teams or fight for a place. Based on Pochettino’s answers at his press conference on Tuesday, we will likely see names like Ricardo Pepi, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson and Malik Tillman, if healthy, in October and November.
Even then, Pochettino’s search for his best U.S. team still feels very much like a work in progress.
Pochettino said he is using this September window as a judging ground for players he hasn’t seen, like Sean Zawadzki, Noahkai Banks, Jonathan Klinsmann and Tristan Blackmon.
“For us, this is the last camp that we are going to add some new faces,” he said.
Fulham’s Antonee Robinson was among the high-profile absentees from the USMNT squad. (Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
It’s also one more chance for players he saw at the Gold Cup, but would like to test in a more competitive setting, like Sebastian Berhalter, Jack McGlynn, Nathan Harriel, Damion Downs and Max Arfsten.
“We really believe that is the right decision,” he said. “To bring the right balance to the squad.”
Whether those auditions should still be happening at this point is a fair question.
The former Tottenham, PSG and Chelsea manager was only hired last September. The last year was spent familiarizing himself with the entirety of the pool. That evaluation process has now run right up against the final months of World Cup prep. There isn’t much time to start to put a group together that can compete next summer on the sport’s biggest stage.
Pochettino clearly still wants to see a few more options before he moves into the next phase. I don’t agree with a good chunk of the decisions on this roster. Quality-wise, there are players left out of this squad that shouldn’t have been.
But it’s clear that Pochettino is doing so with intent.
He wants to send a message — for longtime starters like McKennie, Musah and Matt Turner, but also those who are trying to fight into the picture in Europe, like Aidan Morris and Tanner Tessmann. No one’s job is guaranteed.
“I think all (players) need to feel the possibility of fighting for a place,” Pochettino said. “If we want to be a really competitive team, we cannot nominate 13, 14, 15 players (and say): ‘These guys for sure are going to arrive to the World Cup. And the rest, they need a few places to fight.’ Come on, that is not the real sport…
“When you see different national teams, national teams that won World Cups, I think you really understand what (real competition) means. Players need to feel that threat from (their) teammate, and they need to defend the place in every single (camp) that you join the national team, but also when you perform in your (club) team.”
Pochettino (left) and captain Tim Ream (center) suffered summer disappointment with a Concacaf Gold Cup final defeat. (Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images)
It’s a valid message from Pochettino. There was too much of a sense of comfort in this U.S. group when he took over after the 2024 Copa América failure. There was a subset of players who believed they were, essentially, untouchable. There was a need to fight back against that mentality within the group, not just to motivate those players to work harder, but to build belief throughout the pool that every player had a chance to make the team and to compete.
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But that task — building that competitiveness within the group, creating more of an edge — also has to be balanced against quality.
Building a team is not always about picking the best 23 or 26 players for a roster. It’s important to have the right chemistry and the right mentality top to bottom. You need glue guys. But you also need to remember that, at some point in the tournament, you might have to turn down the bench and summon the 21st or 23rd or 25th guy and put them in the game. And you better be sure that they can deliver better than the player you left at home.
Past U.S. coaches have learned that lesson the hard way before. (See: Landon Donovan in Brazil.)
It’s fine to disagree completely with the call-ups in this roster and also to give Pochettino some grace in this window. To let him try to foster a more competitive spirit within the team now in the name of a better team next summer. And to believe that the team that is summoned next June will have more than enough time to bond and build the right spirit ahead of the home tournament.
It’s fine as long as you trust that the process will land you with the best possible team in 10 months — and that Pochettino and his staff won’t get the mix of motivation, mentality and quality wrong. There has to be belief that, as Pochettino said, he’ll find the players that give the U.S. the best chance to win when the first game kicks off at SoFi Stadium.“It’s up to us to select the best players to play in the World Cup,” he said. “We have experience. We have the quality and the capacity to see and to detect and to analyze … and to create the best plan to arrive in the best condition. Now it’s up to the players. We want to have the best players to compete in the best way in the World Cup. And for sure we are going to arrive with the best roster to compete.” (Top photo: Robbie Jay Barratt / AMA / Getty Images)
Pochettino confirms no contact with Pulisic, addresses McKennie’s omission
Mauricio Pochettino said Tuesday that he “didn’t talk with” Christian Pulisic this summer, but said that the public back-and-forth between the two in June is “behind us.”Pochettino, speaking to reporters via Zoom after naming Pulisic to the U.S. men’s national team roster for September friendlies against South Korea and Japan, added: “We need to look forward. We have a plan for every single player, and the plan for Christian now is to call and to see him in this camp.”Pochettino said he hoped that Pulisic would “arrive in a good condition, fresh, [coming off a] good preseason with Milan, with his team, and ready to compete — that is the most important thing.”Pulisic will rejoin the team for the first time since March, when the U.S. lost to Panamaand Canada. In that Concacaf Nations League third-place match against Canada, Pulisic appeared to wave away a substitution, delaying Pochettino’s attempt to replace him midway through the second half.Then, in May, Pulisic chose to skip the summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. When U.S. Soccer announced the roster, it released a statement from sporting director Matt Crocker making clear that Pulisic had initiated what was ultimately a “collective decision” after “thoughtful discussions and careful consideration.”
Pochettino, speaking to reporters that same day, called it “the best decision” for Pulisic and for the USMNT. But, in subsequent media appearances, he didn’t sound thrilled about it. Pulisic, meanwhile, drew fierce criticism from some fans and pundits, including former players. Landon Donovan said on a Fox Sports broadcast that USMNT players being “on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup,” was “pissing me off.”
That drew a response from Pulisic’s father, Mark, who implicitly told Donovan in an Instagram post to “look in the mirror + grow a pair.” A week later, Christian Pulisic went on a CBS Sports podcast to defend himself, and argued that questions about “my commitment, especially towards the national team,” were “way out of line.”
Pulisic also made the point that he “did want to be a part of at least the two friendlies” prior to the Gold Cup, against Turkey and Switzerland. “I did speak with the coaches, and I asked, and I wanted to be a part of the team in whatever capacity I could,” Pulisic said. “And they said no, they only wanted one roster [for the friendlies and the Gold Cup]. And that’s coach’s decision, I fully respect that. I didn’t understand it, but it is what it is.”
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Pochettino, speaking two days later at a press conference on the eve of the Gold Cup, responded. Players could not pick and choose when they play for the national team, he said. “I think when I signed my contract [with] the federation,” he added, “[it said] I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin.”Pulisic also revealed that he’d only had one conversation with Pochettino about the decision. On Tuesday, Pochettino seemed to confirm, as Fox Sports reported, that the two haven’t spoken since May. There was “nothing to talk [about],” Pochettino said.Later, when asked whether he considered not calling Pulisic into the September camp, Pochettino said: “Christian had the possibility to have a good rest in the summer, and then start the season. … He’s in a condition to come. … He can add his freshness, and, of course, his quality.”
USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie won’t take part in friendlies vs. South Korea and Japan (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Where’s Weston?
The rest of Pochettino’s September roster, though, was headlined by omissions. When asked why he left off midfielder Weston McKennie, Pochettino indicated that McKennie’s delayed offseason, and his precarious place in Juventus’ squad, were two factors.“We already know Weston,” Pochettino said. “It’s not necessary to call him to know.”McKennie’s involvement in the Club World Cup left him with a truncated preseason at the Italian club. And as the Serie A season started last weekend, he found himself on the outside looking in at the Juve starting lineup. He entered the team’s opener, a 2-0 win over Parma, in the 89th minute.“We wanted to give him the possibility to be more settled in his club,” Pochettino said of McKennie, “and the possibility to be in his best form.”Pochettino indicated that the reasoning for Johnny Cardoso’s omission was similar. Cardoso moved to Atlético Madrid last month from Real Betis. The thinking, Pochettino said, was to “give time to them to adapt in the new environment.”Pochettino also said, though, that “no one has their place sure.” That, he said, was his broader message: “everyone needs to fight.”But when asked if already had in mind the players who would return in October, he nodded his head and said, “Yes.” Later, when asked specifically about McKennie, he said that September will be “the last camp that we are going to bring some new faces.” And he hinted that McKennie will be back in October.“Weston [needs] time to prepare himself with [Juventus], and it’s important to be with his team fighting for a place,” Pochettino said. He added that he wants to give McKennie “all the tools to fight for a place to be every week, on the pitch, competing. Because that is going to put him in his best form. … We know his talent.” (Top photo: John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
The Champions League draw’s impact on USMNT stars’ all-important season
Over the past decade, U.S. players have become increasingly relevant to the competition. Last year featured a new record for involvement, with USMNT-eligible players eclipsing 5,000 combined minutes in the 2024-25 Champions League. What looked to be a promising business end for a few of the teams with Americans involved quickly went south in the playoff round, though, with little presence in the final three rounds of the competition.
Will it be another year with many missing out on the tournament’s biggest games? Or is anyone, during this all-important season leading into a home World Cup, poised to become the second U.S. player to take the field in a Champions League final?
Let’s make sense of the draw, through an American lens:
Who are the headliners involved?
While the transfer window remains open in most of Europe’s top leagues for a few more days, there are currently seven members of the USMNT who project to prominently feature in this year’s tournament. It’s a healthy portion, enough to comprise over half of a starting XI, but down from 13 players who saw the field last season.
Four are entering the Champions League as returning members of qualifying teams. Folarin Balogun will hope the third year’s the charm, having struggled in his first two seasons since AS Monaco signed him from Arsenal for a lavish $43.4 million fee. Balogun now finds himself battling for starts with a player whom he rose through the Arsenal youth ranks, Mika Biereth, with each ex-Gunner starting one of Monaco’s first two Ligue 1 fixtures. It’s a pivotal season for the 24-year-old, who has struggled for consistency but whose commitment with the USMNT was supposed to solve the program’s striker headaches.
Ricardo Pepi and Sergiño Dest should play major roles for PSV, who fell in last year’s round of 16 in a 9-3 aggregate smashing by Arsenal. Dest is now fully recovered from his 2024 knee injury, while Pepi is recovering from his own season-ending operation. PSV has put a lot of trust in the 22-year-old striker, signing him to a fresh pact last winter amid transfer interest and handing him the No. 9 shirt following Luuk de Jong’s departure.
For now, at least, Weston McKennie remains with Juventus despite yet another window of speculation that the Serie A side is ready to let him leave if there’s credible interest. The club lists the midfielder as its vice-captain, and he donned the armband on a few occasions in last year’s Champions League. He’s the sole American on the squad, as Tim Weah joined fellow qualifier Marseille on a year-long loan this summer. Weah’s first league start came as an inverting left winger, and he could pop up with far more goals than he did as a wingback with Juventus.
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Two players who moved for some of the largest transfer fees spent on an American player will hope to back that investment with strong Champions League showings. Malik Tillman was vital as PSV shocked Holland by snatching the Eredivisie title on the final day, and he also putting in leading shifts for Mauricio Pochettino at this summer’s Gold Cup. He’s part of a radically transformed Bayer Leverkusen, helping make up for the recent exodus of talent from the since-dismantled 2023-24 Bundesliga champion.
Johnny Cardoso will also feature in Atlético Madrid’s midfield, having started for Real Betis in last year’s UEFA Europa Conference League final. While he’s been dependable in La Liga, his USMNT performances have left much to be desired. Perhaps Diego Simeone can help provide the right tutelage to help round out his game.
A few other Americans will hope to see the field as their teams’ schedules get congested or after their advancement fates have been determined. Three U.S. eligible players serve as backup goalkeepers or youthful netminding prospects: Brandon Austin (Tottenham), Gabriel Slonina (Chelsea) and Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona).
Eintracht Frankfurt has two players who may be far from Pochettino’s pool: veteran fullback Timothy Chandler and 18-year-old attacking midfielder Marvin Dills, a promising playmaker worth tracking for the future. Borussia Dortmund may have sold Giovanni Reyna, but Cole Campbell and Mathis Albert will hope to inherit some of his (and others’) late-game cameos to impress Niko Kovač.
Christian Pulisic and AC Milan will be sitting out European competition this season (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Wait … where’s Christian Pulisic?
While several crucial options for Pochettino will play in the pinnacle of the club game, the program’s most important player is entirely absent.
Last season was difficult for AC Milan, which aspired to contend on all fronts despite Stefano Pioli’s departure in the summer. Poor form necessitated another midseason coaching change, and the team struggled for consistency as well as to reach its previous heights from recent memory. Milan slumped to an eighth-place finish in Serie A, below the positions necessary to reach any of the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League.
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Their other campaigns suffered dramatic faceplants after Sérgio Conceição took the helm in midwinter. Milan entered the final day of the UCL league phase in prime position to avoid the knockout playoff round, but a defeat against Dinamo Zagreb forced them into the extra set of games, where they were binned by Feyenoord and failed to reach the round of 16. The Rossoneri’s final hope was to reach the Europa League by winning the Coppa Italia, and they did well to overcome rival Inter in a two-leg semifinal. However, Bologna pipped them in the final 1-0, slamming the door to Europe shut.
It’s the first time since 2016 where Milan has failed to qualify for European competition. Max Allegri will hope to get the club back in short order. Barring an unexpected departure in this or the winter window, Pulisic (and fellow U.S. international Yunus Musah) will play all of his club matches this season against Italian opposition.
UCL draws for teams with USMNT players
PSV
Ricardo Pepi, Sergiño Dest
FC Bayern
Liverpool
Atlético Madrid
Bayer Leverkusen
napoli
Olympiacos
Union Saint-Gilloise
Newcastle
78.3
Bayer Leverkusen
Malik Tillman
PSG
Man City
Villarreal
Benfica
PSV
Olympiacos
Newcastle
Copenhagen
77.5
Marseille
Tim Weah
Liverpool
Real Madrid
Atlalanta
Club Brugge
Ajax
Sporting CP
Newcastle
Union Saint-Gilloise
76
Atlético Madrid
Johnny Cardoso
Inter Milan
Liverpool
Eintracht Frankfurt
Arsenal
Bodø/Glimt
PSV
Union Saint-Gilloise
Galatasaray
75.8
AS Monaco
Folarin Balogun
Man City
Real Madrid
Juventus
Club Brugge
Tottenham
Bodø/Glimt
Galatasaray
Pafos
74.5
Juventus
Weston McKennie
Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid
Benfica
Villarreal
Sporting CP
Bodø/Glimt
Pafos
AS Monaco
72.5
So what did the draw yield?
Of the headlining U.S. lot, it’s McKennie’s Juventus that may have received the most favorable draw. The Italians managed to avoid all of the record-setting six qualifiers from the Premier League, although away days against Villarreal and Monaco could prove tricky.
According to the UEFA coefficient, which awards points based on club performances in the last five years of continental play, Pepi, Dest and PSV received the most difficult draw of any qualifier. The two-time reigning Dutch champion will have to run a difficult gauntlet, facing Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Napoli, Atlético Madrid, Leverkusen and Newcastle. That will provide the striker and fullback with some considerable challenges.
Leverkusen finds itself with a tough octet of fixtures, including perennial European powers PSG, Manchester City and Benfica, while Atlético Madrid will take on Inter, Liverpool and Arsenal as part of its league phase. Balogun will hope to spark wins for Monaco against City, Real Madrid, Juventus and Tottenham among others. Marseille has the projected toughest draw of the Ligue 1 entrants, with its list of opponents topped by Liverpool, Real Madrid and Atalanta.
While dates and times for each match won’t be sorted until Saturday, Aug. 30, we’re guaranteed a few matchups pitting two of the more marquee Americans against one another. Those matchups are (with the drawn hosts listed first):
PSV (Pepi, Dest) vs. Atlético Madrid (Cardoso)
AS Monaco (Balogun) vs. Juventus (McKennie)
Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman) vs. PSV (Pepi, Dest)
(Top photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Premier League Predictions: Liverpool vs Arsenal, Leeds vs Newcastle and the rest of Matchday 3
More than 3,000 miles away in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, Sunderland fan Derek was punching the air. As well as condemning Newcastle, Sunderland’s arch-rivals, to an agonising 3-2 home defeat, Ngumoha’s goal extended the subscribers’ lead at the top of our Premier League predictions table.
“When Liverpool were up 2-0 against 10 men, I thought it was a done deal,” Derek says. “How wrong I was — as was the case with my Sunderland pick.”
Wrong in the moment… and yet right when it mattered.
Each week, a different Athletic subscriber is chosen to join an algorithm, six-year-old Wilfred and me, Oli Kay, in predicting the Premier League results. We’re awarding three points for a correct scoreline and one point for getting the result right.
There’s also a bonus point for any correct “unique” prediction, so Derek got two points for being the only one to call Liverpool’s victory in Newcastle.
He got one scoreline right (Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest) and called another five results correctly. That bonus point, thanks to Ngumoha’s stoppage-time winner, meant he equalled Vaageesh’s nine-point haul in week one, taking the subscribers three points clear at the top after two rounds.
There were two other bonus points awarded last weekend: one for me for calling Burnley’s victory over Sunderland (sorry, Derek) and one for the algorithm for being spot-on with Fulham 1-1 Manchester United.
Spare a thought for Wilf, who was on course for a massive four-pointer after 99 minutes with Newcastle and Liverpool locked at 2-2 — only to be denied by Ngumoha’s goal. A bit mean to pick on the younger kids like that, Rio.
“So close to glory,” Wilf’s dad tells us. “Gutted.”
This week’s subscriber is Katherine, a 43-year-old Chelsea fan from London, who, after Vaageesh’s and Derek’s efforts, has a lot to live up to.
Our subscriber’s match of the week
Chelsea vs Fulham, Saturday, 12.30pm UK/7.30am ET
Katherine says: “The feeling of optimism going into this season has been through the roof and scoring five goals without Cole Palmer last weekend only adds fuel to that fire. Fulham are a solid team and are difficult to beat (which we found out last season), but I’m confident we’ll have too much for them.”
Chelsea 3-1 Fulham
Oli says: Remarkably, Chelsea are starting their season with four consecutive London derbies. In fact, only one of their first eight Premier League games is outside the capital’s M25 orbital motorway. It must all feel rather parochial for the new world champions, but they seemed to enjoy themselves out east at West Ham last weekend. This might be more of a battle — like their opening game, a goalless draw at home to Crystal Palace — but although I never feel totally confident in backing this Chelsea team, I fancy a home win, even if they are again without the injured Palmer.
Chelsea 2-1 Fulham
Chelsea beat West Ham 5-1 away last week (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Oli’s other predictions
Manchester United vs Burnley
Oli says: For all the excitement surrounding their new additions, it’s only one point from two games for Manchester United this season, plus that shock Carabao Cup loss to fourth-tier Grimsby Town in midweek. More glaringly, it’s just 28 points from 29 games under Ruben Amorim since his appointment last November. That early-season optimism is going to give way to gloom if they can’t get some wins on the board very quickly. With Manchester City away and Chelsea at home straight after the international break that begins on Monday, victory in this game seems essential.
Oli says: As nice as it is to see Sunderland enjoying their return to the top flight after eight years away, wouldn’t it have been nicer still if Jordan Henderson was back at his hometown club rather than potentially lining up against them this weekend? His best years are behind him, but he would have been ideal for the Granit Xhaka role — as indeed is Granit Xhaka. Henderson made a real difference to Brentford’s midfield last weekend on his first start for them, so Keith Andrews’ team shouldn’t be the soft touch they looked like in week one away to Nottingham Forest.
Sunderland 1-1 Brentford
Tottenham Hotspur vs Bournemouth
Oli says: This is all feeling quite August 2023 for Tottenham, isn’t it? New manager, new optimism, strong start and a sudden sense of: “Hey, these players are actually pretty good, you know?” Those feelings quickly faded under predecessor Ange Postecoglou — unbeaten in his first 10 Premier League games, then 34 defeats in the next 66 — but I do feel an upturn could prove more sustainable this time under Thomas Frank.
Oli says: I’m struggling to find cause for optimism for Wolves at the moment. Vitor Pereira did such a good job when he came in midway through last season, but a difficult summer has left the squad looking well short, whereas Everton will be energised by last week’s lift-off at their new home and by the additions of Jack Grealish and Tyler Dibling.
Wolves 0-1 Everton
Leeds United vs Newcastle United
Oli says: My historic references last week led subscriber Sam K to accuse me of living in the 1950s. Come on, Sam. Let’s get this right: 1980s, 1990s, even early 2000s, but not 1950s. Anyway, for me, this fixture evokes the turn-of-the-century feeling that anything was possible. (Spoiler: it wasn’t, particularly for these two clubs.) It’s Lee Bowyer, it’s Jonathan Woodgate, it’s Mark Viduka, it’s James Milner, it’s Alan Smith. It’s a Kevin Keegan meltdown in front of the TV cameras at Elland Road and it’s chairman Peter Ridsdale living the dream while feeding his tropical fish in the executive suite. It’s two clubs who, after a miserable period, are now in a happier place again. And it’s… very hard to call actually, but I’m going to go for a depleted Newcastle battling to their first win of the season.
Oli says: We all overestimated City last week. If this transition to a new-look team is going to work, it needs more of a balance between freshness and familiarity. I expect a more recognisable line-up from Pep Guardiola at Brighton — and possibly a more recognisable performance.
Brighton 1-2 City
Nottingham Forest vs West Ham United
Oli says: I really like this Forest team. I don’t like this West Ham team. I’m not talking about the club, the fans, the manager or individual players, some of whom I like; I mean the team. It lacks speed, it lacks heart and it lacks identity. I’m not sure what it’s meant to be. Their first two performances of the season have been really poor. It might get worse before it gets better.
Forest 3-0 West Ham
Liverpool vs Arsenal
Oli says: Isn’t it a bit early to have the two title favourites facing each other? I don’t like it. The transfer window is still open and teams are still finding their rhythm. Having this match now also means the return fixture is in the first week of January, right at the end of the hectic festive programme when players are running on fumes. I don’t like that either. Anyway, if I’m filibustering, it’s because I have no idea which way this is going to go — and I’m determined not to say a draw, even though I want to.
(Deep breath)… I’m going for an Arsenal win. I just don’t think Liverpool have settled yet — two wins, but two shaky performances. And if they prove me wrong, as they did by winning at Newcastle, I will absolutely reinstate them as my title favourites.
Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal
Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace
Oli says: Villa have been surprisingly slow out of the blocks — no goals scored yet, and just one point from their first two games. Palace haven’t exactly hit the ground running either, but their two draws seem more justifiable given their European commitments and an ongoing sense of disruption in the transfer market. This is a chance for Villa to kick-start their season. If they don’t, manager Unai Emery will be concerned, with PSR calculations still a concern as Monday’s transfer deadline looms.
Three of Europe’s top five leagues return on Friday, with the Premier League, La Liga, and Ligue 1 kicking off for Matchday 1; the German Bundesliga and Italian Serie A will start a week later on Aug 22/23 they both have League cup games this weekend. See La Liga (Spain) games (More) and Ligue 1 (France) fixtures (More) – full season previews below for all 3 leagues. In the EPL my Final 4 are Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea – hoping Crystal Palace or Fulham can make a top 6 run. Premier League Fri 3 pm USA Network Liverpool vs. Bournemouth, Liverpool haven’t lost their opening league game in any of the last 12 seasons, winning nine of them. Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah is the Premier League’s top goal scorer and leading player for goal contributions on Matchday 1. Adding to this, Bournemouth and American midfielder Tyler Adams have just one point from their eight Premier League visits to Anfield. See the full list of Premier League fixtures here.
Notes
Chelsea players will give an equal portion of their $15.5M Club World Cup bonus to the family of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, equating to around $500,000 (More). Cute look at new Everton Stadium. Funny Wrexham Fans left too early – I have to admit I am watching these games on Para+ now that they are in the Championship – Ollie with the brace.
US Players Abroad Begins Seasons this Week – Richards Palace Wins Community Shield What a thrill to see Chris Richards and Crystal Palace win the Community Shield 3-2 in PKs over Liverpool on Sunday (Palace Hi-lights), just months after winning the FA Cup at Wembley over Man City – Crystal Palace looked the better squad vs the defending EPL Champs. Palace plays at Chelsea at 9 am on Sunday on USA, while Fulham hosts – while Complete rundown on American’s Abroad below. Man I am not sure who is advising Christian Pulisic but I wish he would just leave well enough alone on the criticism from Landon Donovan & Tim Howard here’s what was said. Not sure if he’s doing it to get more people to watch his Series on Golazo Network (see Pulisic Docuseries Trailer) or what. Tim Weah, speaking on the CBS Sports series Pulisic about criticism by former USMNT stars now working as television and podcast commentators of Christian Pulisic‘s decision not to play in the 2025 Gold Cup. (Golazo Network). At this point lets just get to early September play our friendlies – Pulisic can come score a couple of goals and we can put this all behind us. Oh by the way the US men are coming to Columbus, Ohio Lower.com Field on Tuesday night Sept 9th for a 7:30 pm match up with #17 ranked Japan. The Ole Ballcoach is going along with some buddies to the game sitting in section 129 ($50) – close to the American Outlaws who will be in the Nordic Section 127. Visit http://ussoccer.spinzo.com/CarmelFC this special link to get discounted tickets. Let me know if you plan to join – feel free to send on to friends.
LEAGUES CUPfour MLS vs. LIGA MX quarterfinals Wed Aug 20.
Quarterfinal matchups
Inter Miami CF (MLS 2) vs. Tigres UANL (LIGA MX 3) 8 pm on FS1, Apple TV Free Seattle Sounders FC (MLS 1) vs. Club Puebla (LIGA MX 4) 11 pm FS1, Apple TV Free
LA Galaxy (MLS 3) vs. CF Pachuca (LIGA MX 2) 11:45 Apple TV Free
Orlando City (MLS 4) vs. Toluca FC (LIGA MX 1) 9 pm Apple TV Free
High School Soccer Season Kicks Off!
High school soccer officially starts this weekend across the state, and Carmel FC wants to send a huge congratulations and good luck to all our current players representing their schools this season. We’re proud to see you take the field, wear your school colors, and continue to showcase the skills, hard work, and sportsmanship you’ve developed here at Carmel FC. The Carmel High Girls Come in Ranked 3rd with new head coach John Simmons and Asst Coach and former Carmel FC Coach Carla Baker in charge replacing long time coach Frank Dixon at the helm. The CHS Boys are unranked after a 7-8-3 record but reached the Regional Semi’s last year.
ISCA Class 3A girls soccer poll
Hamilton Southeastern
Noblesville
Carmel
Crown Point
Evansville Memorial
Brownsburg
Cathedral
Castle
Center Grove
Homestead
Penn
East Central
Westfield
Zionsville
FW Carroll
Northridge
Fishers
Bloomington South
Lake Central
Mt. Vernon
ISCA Class 2A girls soccer poll
Lawrenceburg
Brebeuf Jesuit
Mishawaka Marian
FW Bishop Dwenger
SB Saint Joseph
Bishop Chatard
Guerin Catholic
Evansville Mater Dei
Bellmont
Hanover Central
Heritage Hills
Highland
Washington
FW Concordia Lutheran
West Lafayette
Hamilton Heights
Roncalli
Park Tudor
Gibson Southern
Madison
ISCA Class 3A boys soccer poll
Harrison (West Lafayette)
Hamilton Southeastern
Center Grove
FW Carroll
Zionsville
Fishers
Bloomington South
Noblesville
Concord
Evansville Memorial
Brownsburg
Cathedral
Columbus North
Goshen
Warsaw
Castle
Westfield
Chesterton
Crown Point
Penn
ISCA Class 2A boys soccer poll
FW Concordia Lutheran
Park Tudor
Hammond Bishop Noll
Bishop Chatard
Illiana Christian
Heritage Hills
FW Bishop Luers
Washington
South Bend St. Joseph
West Lafayette
Cascade
Hanover Central
Leo
Bethany Christian
FW Bishop Dwenger
Speedway
Culver Academy
Charleston
Heritage Christian
West Noble
Mike S, Shane & Scott F last preseason High School Scrimmage at Bishop Chatard Thurs Night. Excited to hit the fields Saturday at @ Heritage Christian & Guerin. Had a blast training new Carmel Dad’s Club Refs Ryleigh, Fred, & Noah last weekend at Badger Field.
TV GAME SCHEDULE
Fri, Aug 15 EPL Starts 12 noon ESPN+ Grobaspach vs Bayer Leverkusen German Cup 3 pm USA Liverpool vs Bournemouth (Adams) 8 pm Amazon Prime Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Racing Louisville NWSL 10 pm CBS Golazo Utah Royals vs Angel City (Thompsons) NWSL Sat, Aug 16 7:20 am Para+ Wrexham vs West Brom 7:30 am USA Aston Villa vs New Castle United 10 am USA Brighton vs Fulham (Robinson is hurt) 12:30 pm NBC Wolverhampton vs Man City 1:30 pm ESPN2 Mallorca vs Barcelona 2:30 pm ESPN+ Stuttgart vs Bayern Munich 4 pm CBS KC Current vs Orlando Pride (Marta) NWSL 7 pm TV6, ESPN+ Loundoun United vs Indy 11 7:30 pm Apple TV free Inter Miami (Messi) vs LA Galaxy 7:30 pm ION NC Courage vs Portland Thorns NWSL 8:30 pm FS1 Minn vs Seattle Sounders 9 pm ESPN2 Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Phoenix Rising 10 pm ION Bay FC vs San Diego Wave NWSL Sun, Aug 17 6:50 am Para+ Ipwich Town vs Southampton 9 am USA Chelsea vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 11:30 am NBC Man United vs Arsenal 3 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Bari Copa Italia 3:30 pm ESPN2 Espanyol vs Athletico Madrid (Cardoso) 4 pm Para+? NY Gothem vs Houston Dash NWSL 5 pm Apple TV NYCFC vs Nashville 7 pm Apple TV San Jose vs San Diego 9 pm Apple TV Vancouver (Mueller) vs Houston Mon, Aug, 18 3 pm USA Leeds United vs Everton 10 pm CBSSN Seattle Reign vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL Weds Aug 20 Leagues Cup MLS vs Liga MX Inter Miami CF (MLS 2) vs. Tigres UANL (LIGA MX 3) 8 pm on FS1, Apple TV Free Seattle Sounders FC (MLS 1) vs. Club Puebla (LIGA MX 4) 11 pm FS1, Apple TV Free LA Galaxy (MLS 3) vs. CF Pachuca (LIGA MX 2) 11:45 Apple TV Free Orlando City (MLS 4) vs. Toluca FC (LIGA MX 1) 9 pm Apple TV Free Sat, Sept 6 5 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Korea Tues, Sept 9 7:30 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Japan in Columbus, Ohio Fri, Oct 10 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador Tues, Oct 14 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia
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Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb has suggested that VAR could be expanded to include reviews for yellow cards and corners. The technology is currently only used to review potentially match-changing decisions such as goals, straight red cards, penalties, and mistaken identity. The case in favour argues that second yellow cards, which result in red cards, can significantly influence a match. Webb revealed that the game’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), is considering changes to VAR’s scope, including discussions around possible extensions for the technology. This comes after Uefa recently opposed measures to widen VAR’s powers to intervene in corner kicks and yellow cards, arguing it would increase delays. In related news, Webb said it would be “tough” for David Coote to return to top-level refereeing after being sacked for making derogatory remarks about Liverpool and then manager Jurgen Klopp. “Under the circumstances, it’s difficult [for him to return],” said Webb. “We stay in contact and care about him, but it would be tough.”
Americans abroad
Dest, Morris, Corboz, Pittman stand out, Jedi shelved, & Much More
ASN’s Brian Sciaretta writes up his thoughts from the weeekend amongst Americans abroad. Sergino Dest looked terrific, while Scott Pittman, Aidan Morris, Marlon Fossey, and Mael Corboz are also standout performers. Plenty of good and bad to go through.
BY Brian SciarettaPosted August 11, 2025 9:00 AM
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IT WAS A BUSY weekend for Americans in Europe, despite the top divisions in Germany, England, France, and Italy still at the tail end of preseason. Many U.S. players, in including USMNT hopefuls, were in action in both regular season and preseason games.
For now, let’s just get right into it and we will start with the Eredivisie opening weekend.
Dest shines vs. PSV
One of the big stories this weekend for American in Europe was the big statement made by defending champion PSV, who sold a lot of talent this summer (including USMNT midfielder Malik Tillman) but also spent money on new players.
Despite playing well at times this preseason, Ricardo Pepi was not deemed fit enough to be in the squad for Saturday’s opener against Sparta Rotterdam. But Sergino Dest, who mist most games this calendar year, including the Gold Cup, did start.
The news could not have been any better for Dest, who played in top form and did not show any indication of his ACL tear or subsequent injury at the end of the season. He played like the high level player he is.
Dest scored the third goal in a 6-1 win over Sparta that featured PSV having five different goal scorers. That is what makes this team difficult to beat – numerous scoring options.
Overall, Dest played 82 minutes and had three shots. He was consistently dangerous. This bodes well for both PSV and the USMNT as it heads into the fall.
Rest of Eredivisie
In the rest of the Eredivisie outside of PSV, Taylor Booth started and played all 90 minutes for Twente in a 1-0 loss to PEC Zwolle. It was a disappointing result for Twente, who is expected to be in contention for a top five finish, because Zwolle is typically in relegation battles.
Booth, 24, wasn’t one of Twente’s problems on the day and he did create a few chances. He had his own shot in the box blocked in the first few minutes and then he set up two chances later in the game with crosses.
Booth is still likely a long way off from the USMNT but a good season could put him into the picture next year, likely after the World Cup.
The younger Booth brother, Zack Booth, had a tough game in Excelsior’s opener as he came off the bench in the 71st minute in a 5-0 loss to NEC Nijmegen. The game was 4-0 when he came on. The best news for Booth, 21, is that Excelsior will likely have to make changes after such a poor result.
Championship: Morris impresses for Boro
There are a lot of Americans in the Championship this season and we could see a few involved in the promotion races.
Aidan Morris, 23, was solid in central midfield for Middlesborough in a 1-0 win over Swansea to open the season. He was good at setting the pace and helping Boro win the possession battles.
It wasn’t a flashy performances, but he is very important to the Boro midfield moving forward.
After a big 2024/25 campaign, Josh Sargent scored his first goal of the new season in Norwich’s opening day win. The 55th minute goal was an equalizer in what eventually turned out to be a 2-1 loss at home to Millwall.
The goal was all hustle as Sargent blocked a goalkeeper clearance directly back into the goal. It was more seen as a goalkeeper error, but Sargent hustled on the play.
Sargent remains an interesting player for the rest of the month. Norwich is still hopeful of selling him, as they could use the money. But for Sargent to get interest, he needs to keep scoring in any way possible. But where does Sargent want to go? Turning down Wolfsburg two weeks ago shows signs of a limited options.
Damion Downs played the final 31 minutes for Southampton and was on the field as they scored two very late goals to turn a 1-0 loss into a 2-1 win over Wrexham in the season opener. It was a good shift for Downs as he was involved in the final goal where he slightly touched a pass to Jack Stephens, who smashed in the winner from close range.
Downs, 21, is in a good spot. He will continue to get chances and he will contribute to a team that should be in contention to bounce right back up.
George Campbell came on in the dying minutes for West Brom to help see out a 1-0 victory over Blackburn. It marked his debut for the club after moving from Montreal earlier in the transfer window.
Charlton defeated Watford 1-0 on Saturday. Charlie Kelman, 23, started and played 71 minutes for Charlton. He is coming off a season where he won the third-tier League One scoring title with Leyton Orient. Caleb Wiley was out with a back injury for Watford. Kelman had a good chance to score in the 59th minute but his close-range shot was saved. Charlton found a stoppage time winner to earn all three points.
Scotland: Pittman & CCV stand out
Scott Pittman, 33, has scored goals in Livingston FC’s first two games of the Scottish Premiership season. The latest in a 3-1 win over Falkirk on Saturday.
The all-time appearance leader for Livingston opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a shot from inside the box for a 1-0 lead.
After earning promotion last season, Livingston is looking to pull away from a relegation battle early.
Celtic dominated its way to a 2-0 win over Aberdeen on Saturday. Cameron Carter-Vickers completed 139 passes in the win. Auston Trusty completed 51 passes in just 24 minutes when he came on to see out the win.
Those passing numbers reflect Celtic’s domination in possession which typically began with the central defenders.
Coincidentally enough, Aberdeen’s best chance of the game came from American midfielder Dante Polvara in the 75th minute – two minutes after he subbed on. His right footed shot from close range was saved.
Belgium: Fossey scores in big Standard win
Standard Liege defeated Genk 2-1 on Sunday to move to seven points from three games to start the Belgium First Division season. Standard captain and USMNT hopeful Marlon Fossey scored in the 54th minute to give Standard a 2-1 lead – which he then celebrated with a back flip.
On the play, Fossey, 26, moved into the attack and was able to pounce on a ball from close range and beat the keeper with a shot into the top of the net.
Will Fossey make it back into the USMNT picture? It seems difficult. With Dest now back, Alex Freeman continuing to impress in Orlando, and Joe Scally continuing to be the starter for Borussia Monchengladbach, there is a crowded field. But performances like this don’t hurt.
Also in Belgium, Westerlo dropped a 1-0 loss at home to KV Mechelen at home after conceding a goal in the 84th minute. Griffin Yow started at right wing for Westerlo but was subbed out after the first half as part of a tactical change. Despite the loss, Bryan Reynolds had a strong 90-minute shift at right back. Both Yow and Reynolds could move before the end of the month as they have likely done all they can do for a small club like Westerlo. The club could also use the money but it comes down to offers.
2.Bundesliga: Corboz impresses again
It was the second matchday in the 2.Bundesliga season where several Americans play their trade. This week, there were two games that saw multiple players involved.
Holstein Kiel dropped a 2-0 decision to Arminia Bielefeld and it was a big setback for Holstein Kiel, which has no points from the first two games in a season where they are coming back down from the Bundesliga.
John Tolkin, 23, started for Holstein Kiel but was subbed out at halftime for tactical reasons as both wingbacks were removed. The tactical shift did not help at all. Tolkin was okay in his 45 minutes, but the team overall was very poor and does not want to have a poor start to the season. Such starts only create relegations battles.
On the flip side, Arminia Bielefeld was excellent and now has a perfect six points from two games – immediately coming off promotion last year. Led by American captain Mael Corboz, Arminia Bielefeld is off to a great start. Corboz has done well to add maturity to a team that looks ready for the 2.Bundesliga. Corboz, 30, is one of the best “under the radar” stories in American soccer.
Eintracht Braunschweig defeated Greuther Furth 3-2 and Johan Gomez enjoyed one of his best performances in years when he came off the bench in the 61st minute. He was dangerous, assisted on goal that was called back, won a lot of duels, and built a case to start for the club.
For Eintracht, the club has six points from two games. This is huge after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.
On the flip side, Furth sits on three points from two games after the loss. Both Julian Green and Max Dietz both started. Green was subbed out in the 86th minute while Dietz went the whole game. Neither stood out.
On Friday, Paderborn drew Preussen Munster 1-1. Santiago Castaneda, 20, started in defensive midfield for Paderborn but did not stand out in his 78 minutes. Both of the Tampa native’s first two games have been quiet.
Richards wins Community Shield
Chris Richards can now add a Community Shield to his trophy case as played the entire game at Wembley as his Crystal Palace defeated reigning Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
Richards had a “hockey assist” on his team’s second goal and saw his header off a corner saved in the 61st minute.
Richards looks to be in great shape to start the Premier League season next week. His great calendar year of 2025.
Elsewhere abroad
In Poland’s Ekstraklassa, Jagiellonia Bialystok defeated Cracovia 5-2 with Aziel Jackson making his first start for Bialystok in the win. Leon Flach also played the final 12 minutes in the win. Kahveh Zahirolelam made his debut for Cracovia when he came on in the 79th minute.
In Croatia’s HNL, Hajduk Split defeated HNK Gorica 2-0. The win was helped by a Gorica red card in the 50th minute when the score was 0-0. Rokas Pukstas returned to the starting lineup after struggling to break in recently and he was helped by injuries that made him needed. He was active in the attack, despite no goal contributions. Was it enough for him to remain in in the starting lineup? That is an open question.
In the Austrian Bundesliga, George Bello scored in the 50th minute for LASK in a 3-1 loss to WSG Tirol. Sam Adeniran started for LASK but was ineffective. It was good news for Bello to have scored but LASK is winless after two games and has work to do in the weeks ahead.
Quincy Butley, 23, meanwhile started and played well for WSG on the right side of the midfield where he won duels and passed effectively. WSG has won its first two games of the season.
In the Swiss Super League, Lausanne dropped a 2-1 decision at home to FC Zurich. Konrad de la Fuente played the final 18 minutes in the loss.
In the Danish Superliga, Matthew Hoppe started for SonderjyskE but was held in check by Viborg in a 1-0 loss. Hoppe was subbed out in the 71st minute.
In Uruguay’s Primera, Agustin Anello played 82 minutes for Boston River in a 1-1 draw with Montevideo City Torque. Anello was subbed out with his team trailing 1-0 and down to 10 men. Boston River now has four points from two games.
Preseason & Transfer updates
Robinson on the shelf
Antonee Robinson has not played at all this preseason and will not be available for Fulham to start the season. Once figured to be the subject of transfer rumors this summer to big clubs, everything with Robinson has been quiet.
Every year, McKennie is on the brink of falling out of favor with Juventus and has always pulled himself back into the mix. But eventually this will end. Perhaps now is a good time for him to make a break and Roma is still a very high landing spot. McKennie knows Serie A well and likely wouldn’t need as much adjustment.
Also in this game was Cole Campbell, who played the last 15 minutes for Borussia Dortmund. This comes after interest from VfB Stuttgart was shelved – at least temporarily as Dortmund assess its winger situation. The speedy U.S. U-20 attacker has been on the edge of BVB’s first team and has made his debut. But works remains for him to be a consistent presence.
As expected, there was no Gio Reyna for BVB and there has been no breakthrough on the transfer front.
Captain McKenzie
Toulouse played Sevilla to a 1-1 draw in a preseason friendly and the big takeaway is that USMNT central defender Mark McKenzie wore the captain’s armband for Toulouse – a sign of his growing importance to the Ligue 1 club.
Chelsea smashed AC Milan 4-1 over the weekend with Yunus Musah starting and playing 73 minutes for Milan. It was 3-1 when Musah departed the game. Musah remains a player to watch in the weeks ahead as his preseason has not gone well. Milan might opt to drop their asking price and move on.
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Antonee Robinson’s injury timetable underscores his importance to USMNT
By Jeff RueterAug. 14, 2025Updated 12:47 pm EDT The Athletic
No doubt, Fulham will feel a bit up against it heading into the club’s Premier League opener, away at Brighton.The 2024-25 season saw Antonee Robinson cement his place as one of Marco Silva’s most vital charges, arguably the best pure left back in the Premier League. Nicknamed “Jedi,” he’s proven capable of containing Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah on one end before dependably squaring crosses right into his striker’s stride. He gutted out an injury to his right knee until season’s end, finishing third in the fan-voted Player of the Season pageant after a 10-assist campaign.On Thursday, 48 hours before a trip to the AmEx, Silva confirmed that Robinson would not be available for selection as he works back from an offseason surgery on that vital plant-leg knee. So, too, would Ryan Sessegnon, leaving the Portuguese manager without his two top options at left back.Mauricio Pochettino may still be envying Silva’s situation. At least the Fulham boss has a viable alternative in the role to Robinson.It’s hardly a new phenomenon that the U.S. men’s national team is dangerously thin at left back. In fact, the program went over a decade with makeshift solutions, forcing players like DaMarcus Beasley and Fabian Johnson to own the role despite spending their careers up until that point further afield. While U.S. Soccer can’t take credit for Robinson’s development, his commitment was a clear end to holding the left side of the back line together with duct tape and chewing gum.While Robinson has amassed a tidy 50 caps to date, he’s been absent for the last four camps under Pochettino, a 12-game sample from which the coach has learned plenty about his player pool. He’s had his initial trust in Diego Luna validated by a star-making turn at the Gold Cup. That same tournament gave reason to think Matt Freese could be a shot-stopping alternative to Matt Turner in goal.There have been frustrating realizations, too. Mexico is back on the ascent, although that’s a bit more of a subplot than usual as both nations will abstain from World Cup qualifying this cycle. His faith in the core that helped qualify for the 2022 installment has potentially been rocked by Christian Pulisic and others opting out or missing out on the Gold Cup. And, more relevant to today’s news via Silva: he doesn’t have a clear alternative to Robinson at left back.
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t have many options behind Antonee Robinson at left back (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Unlike other USMNT mainstays like Gio Reyna, Pochettino and Robinson have already logged a bit of collaboration. The left back was on Pochettino’s first squad last October, and started both legs of the Concacaf Nations Leg quarterfinal against Jamaica the following month. In the second, Robinson assisted on the second goal of a 4-2 win that sent the U.S. through to the final four. Since then, however, Pochettino has had to play alternatives to Robinson. When an ailment kept Robinson out for the Nations League’s business end in March, it became a calamity: Panama targeted out-of-position Max Arfsten and, later, Joe Scally, exploiting the latter’s lack of awareness to score a last gasp winner in a 1-0 semifinal upset. Scally went on to start the third-place game, putting in such a poor shift that he got a halftime hook.In the 12 games that have passed since Robinson’s last U.S. appearance, four players have been called upon in his absence. Arfsten has been Pochettino’s most relied-upon alternative, appearing in nine of that dozen, most often as starter. John Tolkin, of recently relegated Holstein Kiel in Germany, has made five appearances, while Scally and DeJuan Jones have each appeared twice in the role. None have made a terribly compelling case for further looks.Throughout the Gold Cup, Arfsten and Tolkin — as indicated by their higher utilization — were the two options on Pochettino’s squad.Arfsten, a winger with the possession-dominant Columbus Crew, has fared about as you’d expect for a player who usually sees the game from a vastly different perspective. His attacking contributions were that of an ideal wingback, logging assists and chipping in goals as an auxiliary threat from wide. His defensive performances were riddled with the kinds of mistakes coaches have to drill out of defenders in the youth ranks, taking the bait and making needless fouls (like one just inside the box against Costa Rica that resulted in a penalty).Tolkin, largely as a substitute, has at least spent his career in the role since debuting with his boyhood New York Red Bulls. His issues more closely mirror the struggles recently seen from young left backs George Bello, Kris Lund and Sam Vines: bona fide left backs, but unable to prove themselves at the international level.There’s a paucity of alternatives, too. Unlike other spots, there’s no alternative who hasn’t been tested and is flying under the radar. The closest to matching that mold is Caleb Wiley, the Chelsea prospect who earned three caps in 2023 and 2024 but hasn’t been in a national team camp since Pochettino took charge. While it’s impressive for a 20-year-old to have amassed 135 club appearances, mostly with Atlanta United before the club from London came calling, his first loan with Strasbourg was inconclusive. He’s at Watford now, and could very easily work into the fold in the months to come. The other alternatives to Scally are, in the program’s grand tradition, playing out of position. There’s Arfsten, still tapping into his winger’s instincts at the expense of his team’s defending. There’s Scally shifting over from right back (and Sergiño Dest before him, the first-choice option in that spot), who fancy themselves to put in a shift on the left. Even then, it weakens the right back contingent that is seemingly three players deep: Dest, Scally, Alex Freeman. If Robinson’s recovery timetable will keep him out of the next international camp spanning from Sept. 1-9 (the fifth-to-last camp before the 2026 World Cup), those speculative alternatives may get another chance to log starts and fortify their cases for inclusion. Pochettino and a fanbase starved for optimism will rightfully hope for a pleasant surprise. As it stands right now, it’s a bleak reality for the USMNT: against ideal operational standards, this is a Jedi without a worthy padawan. (Top photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
La Liga season preview: Our predictions on Barcelona, Real Madrid and much more
The new La Liga season gets started later on Friday, with defending champions Barcelona opening at Real Mallorca tomorrow and Real Madrid welcoming Osasuna on Tuesday.
As usual, there is no shortage of storylines, including Barca again struggling to register their new signings, Madrid once more battling against La Liga’s authorities and Atletico Madrid spending big to try to challenge the Clasico duo for the title. There’s also plenty of political intrigue, controversy, figures under pressure and the possibility for history to be made on and off the pitch.
The Athletic has taken its annual stab at predicting how things will go (which will hopefully turn out better than last year, when we predicted Barcelona would sack new manager Hansi Flick by Christmas)…
Who will win La Liga and why?
Flick had a phenomenal first season in charge at Barcelona, winning the domestic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa.
His squad is arguably stronger this year. Defender Inigo Martinez has left, but on-loan Marcus Rashford brings another option in attack, and most importantly, the team’s young core should be even better — centre-back Pau Cubarsi, midfielders Pedri and Gavi, and especially emerging-superstar attacker Lamine Yamal.
Can Flick’s Barca build further on last season’s success? (Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)
Madrid also look to have significantly improved, with a rebuilt defence and fresh energy and impetus under new coach Xabi Alonso. Atletico have spent a lot again to try to mount a challenge, and Diego Simeone arguably now has the deepest squad of his 14 seasons in charge. But Alonso’s impact across the capital could be hampered by minimal pre-season preparation time after going to the final four of the Club World Cup last month, while Simeone’s new signings might take a while to settle in.
Barcelona, Madrid and Atletico have finished among the top four in Spain every year since 2012-13, and they will again this time. But the race for the fourth Champions League qualification spot looks wide open.
Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal are playing in that competition this season, so their domestic form could suffer as they juggle the extra eight games. That might open up an opportunity for Real Betis, who continue to make progress year on year under veteran coach Manuel Pellegrini. Betis’ top-four challenge will be especially strong if they can secure the return of Brazilian attacker Antony from Manchester United after his impressive loan spell in the second half of last season.
Mallorca could potentially challenge for a European spot, while Valencia improved tremendously after Carlos Corberan took over as coach in January.
Who will be the biggest underperformers?
One of the biggest questions is how Madrid’s Club World Cup exertions, tacked onto the end of last season, will affect how they start this new campaign.
Madrid’s players finally got to go on holiday on July 10, after losing 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals in the United States. They then returned for pre-season training on August 4, just 15 days before they welcome Osasuna to the Bernabeu for both sides’ opening La Liga fixture.
Managing that situation is a huge challenge for new coach Alonso, who also has to integrate three new defenders in Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras.
Alonso was appointed as Madrid coach back in May (Sara Gordon/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
Their games at the Club World Cup suggested that Alonso’s biggest issue will be how to fit both Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior into his XI while implementing a version of the high-energy, high-pressing style he used at previous club Bayer Leverkusen.
Midfielder Jude Bellingham will be missing until mid-October at least, following a summer operation to fix a long-running shoulder issue, and players could also still leave in the summer transfer window, including Brazilian attacker Rodrygo.
Alonso could well end up being a success at the Bernabeu – he has the experience and nous to deal with the challenge of the job – but there might be some bumps along the way, and Madrid could be playing catch-up in the 2025-26 title race from early on.
How do you expect the promoted clubs to do?
Levante, Elche and Real Oviedo would all see a 17th-place finish in the 20-club table, so avoiding an immediate return to the second tier, as success.
The three promoted clubs are working with limited finances, having spent around €10million (£8.6m; $11.7m) between them so far on new players (for comparison, the three teams promoted to the Premier League this summer have spent over €300m combined).
Levante’s players, coach and staff played a big role in providing crucial supplies and support when the team’s home city of Valencia was badly flooded last October. Elche owner Christian Bragarnik’s CV includes experience as a striker in fifth-tier Argentine football, time spent as a video-store assistant, and working as an agent to Diego Maradona.
Who will be the best young player this season?
Yamal only turned 18 in mid-July and could already be the best player in Spain, if not the world, so he’s a good candidate for this section.
Already a senior Argentina international, Mastantuono is used to dealing with pressure and expectation. He has already played 64 senior games for River, scoring 10 goals and providing seven assists. Some of those goals were spectacular, especially the tremendous free kick scored in a 2-1 derby victory against fierce local rivals Boca Juniors in April.
Many kids have arrived at Madrid with big hype and have taken a long time to settle, or just never made it at all. But people who know Mastantuono reckon he can hit the ground running and quickly rival Yamal as the hottest teenager in La Liga.
Which under-the-radar figure have the big clubs been sleeping on?
Athletic Club’s Mikel Jauregizar had a real breakout season in 2024-25 and is fast developing into one of the top defensive midfielders in La Liga. Only 18 months on from his senior debut, the super-combative and mobile 21-year-old has established himself as a key member of coach Ernesto Valverde’s team.
Jauregizar, pictured in pre-season for Athletic (Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
He is not the biggest at 177cm (5ft 10in), but Jauregizar ranked third-highest among all midfielders for tackles in La Liga last season. That ability to regain possession and then launch attackers such as brothers Inaki and Nico Williams was key to Valverde’s team’s success in finishing fourth.
Jauregizar did not help himself with his performance in Athletic Club’s biggest game of the season, being embarrassingly dribbled past by Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire in the Europa League semi-final first leg at San Mames. But his career so far suggests he is a very quick learner, and playing in the Champions League this season should bring plenty more experience and exposure.
For much of last season, Atletico appeared set to seriously compete on all fronts, but their season shuddered to a stop in March with a series of disappointing defeats by Barcelona and Madrid across La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
Atletico’s subsequent summer spending of around €150million looks directly aimed at fixing issues in the squad highlighted during that tough spell. Slovakia defender David Hancko and United States international midfielder Johnny Cardoso bring more physicality, while Italian Matteo Ruggeri and Spain’s Alex Baena form an all-new left flank.
United States international Cardoso in action for Atletico in pre-season against Newcastle (Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)
On paper, they all look like excellent acquisitions. The question now is how Simeone integrates all his new players and whether he can get them to buy quickly into his trademark super-intense style of play.
If it all clicks, Atletico’s challenge could go a lot further this season.
Which club have had the worst transfer window?
Villarreal supporters had known that Spain international Baena was set to leave, and the club banking €42million from Atletico and signing Las Palmas’ Alberto Moleiro as a replacement for €16m was not such bad business. Similarly, selling inconsistent forward Thierno Barry to Everton for €30m and getting Spain Under-21 international centre-back Rafa Marin on loan from Napoli look like smart moves.
Less easy to understand is bringing in former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey on a free transfer.
Partey’s experience and ability could be useful on the pitch as Villarreal return to the Champions League this season, but for many, it is just unacceptable to sign a player who has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in England. Partey denies the charges, and club president Fernando Roig said on Tuesday: “We respect the presumption of innocence and of course we condemn any kind of violence, inside or outside football.”
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Tell us one great storyline we might have missed…
Barcelona’s issues around registering their summer signings with La Liga are eye-catching due to the size of the club and the regular drama involved, but they are far from the only ones struggling in this area ahead of the new season.
Just days before the games kick off this weekend, more than 50 new arrivals had yet to be officially registered with La Liga. Clubs still looking to make room within their budget included the three promoted clubs, as well as Sevilla, Celta Vigo, Espanyol, Getafe, Real Sociedad, Betis and Alaves.
So some well-known names are likely to watch their new team’s opening game from the stands, while a frantic couple of weeks of wheeling and dealing are likely until the end of the transfer window.
What will be making headlines as the season progresses?
La Liga president Javier Tebas has been openly trying to stage official Spanish top-flight games in the United States since 2018, but until now has always been denied by a mix of political and practical factors.
Tebas is nothing if not dogged, however, and many of the big hurdles have now been removed — including the settlement of a U.S. legal case between world football’s governing body FIFA and promoters Relevent, and improved relations with the Spanish FA in the post-Luis Rubiales era.
The biggest opposition domestically comes from Madrid president Florentino Perez, while green lights are still required from the European game’s rulers UEFA, Concacaf (the regional federation that includes the U.S.) and the United States Soccer Federation.
Though it’s not yet fully sorted, sooner or later, Tebas’ signature project looks certain to happen.
(Top photos of Rashford, left, and Alexander-Arnold: Getty Images)
FourFourTwo Premier League Season Previews 2025-26
Our legendary previews on all 20 teams set to grace the Premier League this season is here, brought to you by expert journalists and hardcore fans at the heart of each club
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool, lifts the Premier League trophy after his team’s victory in the 2024/25 Premier League (Image credit: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
We’re not far away from the start of the 2025/26 Premier League and all the twists, turns and drama that comes with it.
The transfer market has been going into overdrive as teams look to do battle once again, with some mouthwatering spectacles set to light up the pitch again from August to May.
Read on for FourFourTwo’s preview on all 20 Premier League teams in the 2025/26 season…You may like
Bukayo Saka celebrates with Gabriel Martinelli after scoring for Arsenal against Real Madrid (Image credit: Getty Images)
After finishing second for a third season in a row last year, Arsenal are looking to go one better and finally lift the Premier League title. Preseason has been strong, with several new signings through the door, and now, Mikel Arteta is ready to take his side over the line and lift silverware this season.
FourFourTwo has your complete season preview ahead of the new campaign, with the lowdown on star players, what to expect and predictions of what’s to come over the next few months, along with Arsenal’s full fixture list, too.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa celebrate (Image credit: Getty Images)
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa missed out on Champions League football on the final day of last season. After another impressive campaign, in which they qualified for European football, reached the quarter-final of the Champions League, and the semi-final of the FA Cup, they will be looking to continue finishing inside the top six and make a serious play for one of the cups.
FourFourTwo has everything you need for the new term with our season preview. Get the inside scoop on star players, what to look forward to, and our predictions for the coming months, along with Aston Villa’s fixtures.
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Brentford
Nathan Collins of Brentford (Image credit: Getty Images)
Brentford are entering uncharted waters. For the first time in the Premier League they will not be led by Thomas Frank, and Bryan Mbeumo will not be in the squad. They have attempted to negate too much disruption by appointing former set-piece coach Keith Andrews, while they’ve brought in Caoimhin Kelleher and Jordan Henderson as they look to solidify their mid-table status.
Your essential guide to the new season is here. FourFourTwo brings you the full preview, including key players, team expectations, our final predictions and Brentford’s fixtures.
This will be Brighton’s eighth season in the Premier League and they enter with significant expectations. 18-year-old Charalampos Kostoulas has become their third highest transfer of all-time as they look to push for European football for the second-time in their history.
Ahead of the new campaign, FourFourTwo offers your complete season preview. We’ve got the lowdown on the biggest stars, what to expect, and a glimpse into our predictions for the next few months – plus Brighton’s full fixture list.
Burnley
Josh Brownhill of Burnley (Image credit: Getty Images)
Burnley finished second in the Championship last season with 100 points, the most ever for a team in second place, only beaten to the title on goal difference. Across the 46 games, they conceded just 16 goals, but shot-stopper James Trafford has returned to Manchester City. Scott Parker will be hoping they can build on their strong defensive performance and stay up this season.
Fresh off the back of their record points tally, Bournemouth will be looking to go one further and reach European football for the first time. Adoni Iroala’s side however, will be without much of their defence from last season, including Kepa Arrizabalaga, Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez making their task slightly more difficult.
FourFourTwo’snew season preview is out now. Dive into our analysis of key players and our predictions for what’s to come over the next few months – and check out Bournemouth’s fixture list, too.
Chelsea
Chelsea star Cole Palmer (Image credit: David Ramos/Getty Images)
Club World Cup champions Chelsea head into the season with lofty expectations. Their impressive performance in America this summer shows their scatter-gun transfer approach has worked and after spending north of £250 million again this summer, the Blues fans will be hoping they can make a serious bid for the title.
And the new season is almost here: FourFourTwo has your complete preview, covering everything from top players to our final predictions, and even Chelsea’s fixtures.
The mood is mixed at Selhurst Park. On the one hand, Oliver Glasner has delivered nothing that any Eagles manager has ever done before and won a trophy: the good feeling isn’t going to disappear any time soon, and Crystal Palace fans are hoping to push on up the league – but on the other, the cloud of the European football debacle and what competition they’ll be dropped into still lingers.
We’ve got everything you need to know ahead of the start of a new campaign with our comprehensive season preview, delving into what to look forward to and where Palace will be in another year’s time – plus, see Crystal Palace’s fixture list.
Everton
Everton manager David Moyes (Image credit: Alamy)
David Moyes is back at the wheel at Everton and the Toffees are under new ownership, as they look to buck the recent trend of fighting the drop and push on up the league: it’s arguably the most exciting time to be on the blue side of Merseyside for quite some time – and that’s before you factor in the small matter of a new home.
Find out what to expect from the new campaign: FourFourTwo provides a full season preview, including insights on star players and our predictions for the months ahead, along with Everton’s fixture list.
Fulham
Alex Iwobi of Fulham battles with Yegor Yarmolyuk of Brentford (Image credit: Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Fulham are looking up in the table. Marco Silva has been in charge since 2021 now and with the Cottagers having kept key stars over the summer, now could be the time to mount a serious charge up the Premier League.
Leeds United are back in the big time – but can they remain there? Things are going to be tough for the Championship winners but after strengthening this summer, they’re in a good position to give it a whirl.
Be prepared for what’s to come: FourFourTwo offers you a full preview with the lowdown on star players and our predictions for the months to come, plus Leeds’ complete fixtures.
Liverpool
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah (Image credit: Pic Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Liverpool have refused to stand still. After winning the title last term, big money has been spent on improving Arne Slot’s side, as Florian Wirtz joins for a British record fee and two new full-backs join the side.
Are the Reds set for the new season? FourFourTwo has you covered with our complete preview, featuring key players, what’s expected, and our predictions, along with Liverpool’s fixture list.
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola instructs his players (Image credit: David Ramos/Getty Images)
Manchester City failed to win the title last year for the first time in five seasons. Now, armed with new recruits across the pitch and newfound fire to get back on top, Pep Guardiola is looking to wrestle back his crown.
FourFourTwo’scomplete season preview is here to get you hyped for the new campaign. We break down the star players, what you can expect, and our predictions for the campaign, ahead of Manchester City’s full fixtures.
Manchester United
Bryan Mbeumo trains with Manchester United (Image credit: Getty Images)
Last season was a generational low for a Manchester United side that finished 15th and lost the Europa League final. There’s certainly hope, however, that complete with a new-look frontline, the Red Devils can go again and that boss Ruben Amorim can start to get this side clicking under his system.
Before the new campaign kicks off, check out our full season preview from FourFourTwo. You’ll get the inside scoop on top players, what to anticipate, and what we think will happen over the next few months – and check out Manchester United’s complete fixture list.
Newcastle United
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe (Image credit: Getty Images)
Newcastle United may have had a tough summer but they go into the new season having lifted a trophy last term and with Champions League to look forward to. Despite the struggles in the transfer market, Eddie Howe has built a side to be feared on the pitch: and this is a club that will be looking to go even further in their ambitions.
Ready for the new season? FourFourTwo has you covered with our in-depth preview. We give you the lowdown on the players to watch and share our predictions for the coming months, ahead of Newcastle’s fixtures.
Nottingham Forest bucked all expectations last term with a finish in the European places – and after the unexpected bonus of Europa League football to look forward to, the Tricky Trees are welcoming European football back for the first time in a generation. There’s plenty to be excited by.
The new season is just around the corner, and our complete preview is finally here. FourFourTwo gives you the essential details on star players, a rundown of expectations, and a look at our predictions, plus Forest’s fixture list.
Sunderland
Sunderland fans (Image credit: Getty Images)
Sunderland’s dramatic promotion in the play-offs sees the Black Cats returning to the Premier League and wanting to do far more than make up the numbers: if summer business has anything to go by, they could be about to spring a few surprises, too.
What’s in store for the new season? Find out with our complete preview from FourFourTwo. We’ve got the scoop on key players, what to expect, and our predictions for the months to come – and we’ve even got Sunderland’s complete fixture schedule.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank (Image credit: Copyright (c) 2025 Shutterstock Editorial. No use without permission.)
Optimism at Tottenham Hotspur is unusually high for a team that only scraped 17th in the table last season: that will be because Thomas Frank has arrived, preseason has been positive and the Europa League triumph last season means that the trophy curse has finally been banished. Now, Spurs can start looking upwards again.
The wait is over: FourFourTwo presents our comprehensive season preview, complete with a close look at the most exciting players and our predictions for the next few months., along with Tottenham’s fixture lists.
West Ham United
West Ham man Tomas Soucek (Image credit: Getty Images)
West Ham United are quietly going about their business this summer and with a highly-rated coach in Graham Potter, they’ll be hoping to cause some upsets and return to battling for Europe.
Anticipation is building, and so is our new season preview: FourFourTwo brings you all the essential info on players to watch and our bold predictions for the season – plus, West Ham’s fixtures.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves boss Vitor Pereira (Image credit: Getty Images)
Wolverhampton Wanderers enjoyed a remarkable turnaround under Vitor Pereira last season – but having lost star players Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha, can the Old Gold expect another campaign like last, or can they push on up the Premier League?
Get a head start on the new campaign with the FourFourTwoseason preview: we’ll give you a full rundown on the top stars and offer our predictions for the season ahead, along with Wolves’ complete fixtures.
Premier League Predictions: Liverpool vs Bournemouth, Man Utd vs Arsenal and the rest of Matchday 1
Welcome to the first edition of The Athletic’s new Premier League Predictions game.
This is where you (our lovely subscribers) have the opportunity to join a data algorithm, a six-year-old boy, and me in putting our credibility on the line on a weekly basis.
Every week, we will give score predictions for each of the 10 Premier League games, with a correct scoreline gaining three points and a correct result gaining one point. To make things more interesting, there will be a bonus point if a player is the only one to get a scoreline or result correct. You’ll be able to see the standings from next week.
We will have a different subscriber each week, chosen from those who have replied with their interest (see here for how to get involved and for other general information), but I will be a constant throughout the season until May, along with the algorithm and, of course, six-year-old Wilfred.The more I talk about this, the more convinced I am that The Athletic are setting me up for a fall here, exposing not only my inability to predict the outcome of football matches but, even worse, my blatant bias against your team.Ah, let’s brush away these pangs of insecurity. Three hundred and eighty Premier League matches lie ahead of us from now to May 24, so let’s get cracking.For the opening weekend, the subscribers will be represented by Vaageesh, a Manchester United supporter who hails from Chennai, India. Will he tip his beloved team to hit the ground running against Arsenal? Will any of us? This is already causing me more stress than I thought it would…
Our subscriber’s match of the week
Manchester United vs Arsenal, Sunday 4.30pm BST/11.30am ET
Vaageesh says: “I don’t have much time; I’m writing this moments after entrapping my battling optimistic and pessimistic selves in a bunker. Here’s the rationale: Manchester United’s ability in transition will cancel out Arsenal’s confidence when in possession and neither will quite have the fluidity required to pull ahead despite the fact that both teams seem to have improved over the summer.”
Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal
Oli says: I’m old enough to remember Arsenal, as champions, being obliterated on the opening day in 1989-90 by a new-look Manchester United team, for whom it proved a classic false dawn. United’s prospective new owner, Michael Knighton, was on the pitch beforehand, ball-juggling and blowing kisses to the crowd, and Neil Webb smashed one in from 25 yards on his debut — wild stuff, honestly (yeah, get on with it, Grandad).If I close my eyes, I can imagine a scenario where something similar happens — this new United front line looks perfect for a balmy Sunday afternoon in August — but… no, not quite. This Arsenal team strike me as too serious to be rolled over on day one. I’ll try not to sit on the fence too often, but I’m going to have to go for a very lively draw here.
Manchester United 2-2 Arsenal
Bryan Mbeumo (left), Benjamin Sesko (middle) and Matheus Cunha (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Oli’s other predictions
Liverpool vs Bournemouth
Oli says: If I describe this as an awkward start for Liverpool, it’s in part because Bournemouth are unconventional opponents. Nobody seems to have it easy against them. I’ll go for a home win, but not a comfortable one. It might be a tight, nervous one, requiring a lively cameo from Rio Ngumoha and a late winner from Mohamed Salah, that kind of thing.
Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Aston Villa vs Newcastle
Oli says: They have both had challenging summers, but stylistically this is one of my favourite match-ups in the league. The past six meetings have seen four wins for Newcastle (4-0, 5-1, 3-1, 3-0) and two for Villa (3-0 and 4-1), and I could see this one swinging violently one way or the other. Which way? I’ll say Villa this time.
Aston Villa 3-1 Newcastle
Brighton vs Fulham
Oli says: Another nice match-up, another that could certainly go either way. Why am I going with Fulham to hit the ground running against a Brighton team I rate? Not sure, but perhaps because of their quiet summer in the transfer market, rather than despite it.
Brighton 1-2 Fulham
Sunderland vs West Ham
Oli says: I’ve missed having Sunderland in the Premier League — or certainly the notion of what Sunderland should or could be. The place will be rocking on Saturday and even though I like the look of a couple of West Ham’s signings, it’s a winnable opening game for Sunderland.
Sunderland 1-0 West Ham
Tottenham vs Burnley
Oli says: I don’t know what to expect from Tottenham this season, but I will at least predict a winning start. Burnley had an outstanding defensive record last season, but facing Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus, etc, represents a step up in class for Scott Parker’s team.
Tottenham 2-1 Burnley
Wolves vs Man City
Oli says: The Wolves fans I know are all worried after another summer dominated by departures. As opening games go, this looks more likely to intensify the gloom rather than lift it. Manchester City always seem to hit the ground running — Erling Haaland in particular — and I expect that to continue.
Wolves 0-2 Manchester City
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace
Oli says: I don’t know how Chelsea’s Club World Cup exertions will affect them in the long run, but I fancy them to start well. Palace, incidentally, have been slow starters and excellent finishers over the past few seasons. There’s no reason to expect that pattern to continue, but Chelsea away on the opening weekend is tough.
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
Oli says: Looking at how the fixtures have fallen, Forest are another team I fancy to start well — at least until the European commitments kick in, which will test their squad depth — whereas I’m slightly concerned for Brentford. I’m expecting a home win and a Morgan Gibbs-White goal, followed by a flamboyant kiss of the badge.
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Brentford
Leeds vs Everton
Oli says: For Leeds and their fans, this is the perfect opening game, particularly under the floodlights on a Monday night. They didn’t get to enjoy an occasion like this after promotion during the Covid pandemic in 2020, so I’m predicting an utterly wild atmosphere, an exuberant performance, a refereeing controversy, and, ultimately, a Leeds win to round off a lively opening weekend.
How players force a transfer, Pulisic and Weah hit back at ‘evil’ ex-USMNT stars NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – MAY 25: Alexander Isak of Newcastle United applauds the fans as he warms up prior to the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Everton FC at St James’ Park on May 25, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) By Phil Hay Aug. 14, 2025 1
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Hello! Feigning injury, missing pre-season, downing tools. We’re covering the dark arts involved in convincing a club to sell you. Just don’t bother with an actual transfer request.
On the way:
How footballers force a move Pulisic beef intensifies Rooney fires back at Brady A stone-cold 50-metre lob Exit strategy: Isak wants to leave Newcastle… but how do players get their way?
Alexander Isak during pre-season training in July (Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images) I once asked a footballer (best left nameless) why, at one of his previous clubs, he upset all and sundry by submitting a transfer request. “It wasn’t a transfer request,” he replied. “It was a perceived transfer request.”
You can guess the follow-up question: what on earth is a perceived transfer request? “They took it to be an official request, when it wasn’t,” he explained, which sounded suspiciously like semantics to me; a player actively plotting to leave, without saying so formally or quite so explicitly.
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Written transfer requests — the unequivocal, black-and-white means by which restless pros can manipulate a move — are less common than you might think. For one thing, submitting a demand in writing risks forfeiting future bonuses or loyalty payments. For two, they’re regarded as small-time. As one agent tells The Athletic’s Stu James: “You’re handing in a letter saying you want to leave. What the hell does that do?”
Stu wrote about the art of manufacturing a transfer in 2021 but he updated his piece when trouble brewed between Newcastle United and Alexander Isak (above), and it’s relevant again in light of the sorry deterioration of that relationship. The Swedish striker has no intention of making another appearance for the Tyneside club. He would sooner sign for Liverpool. But how does he force his way out the door if Newcastle aren’t minded to trade him?
This isn’t new ground, or even close. Cerys Jones went back through the Premier League archives to analyse other high-profile names — Harry Kane, Luis Suarez and others — who effectively went on strike, hoping to be sold. Some who stamp their feet get their way. Others don’t. Stu’s feature is a window into Newcastle’s reality.
Top Stories The biggest issues facing youth sports? Greg Olsen has strong opinions NBA 2025-26 schedule release: 40 games I’m looking forward to next season The epicenter of stalking in sports? Why tennis stands apart Never get an owner angry Isak hasn’t done a bad job in employing the tactics suggested by different agents Stu talked to (all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity). Complain of minor injuries? Check. Refuse to travel on a pre-season tour? Check. Down tools, or cast doubt over your commitment to your existing employers? Check. Textbook stuff.
Here’s what those who know the drill had to say about facilitating a contentious exit from a club:
One agent warned: “What you must never do is get an owner angry. Once a billionaire says, ‘He’s not for sale’, you’re dead. You’re ain’t going nowhere because their credibility is on the line.” A manager with Premier League experience talked about trying to drop a wantaway star down to work with the club’s under-23s: “Then you’ll have the club push back on you and say, ‘He’s an asset, he needs to be involved’. You end up having friction with the club. It’s an absolute nightmare.” Another high-profile representative said, “Some agents try to force things through that are just ridiculous. And all that happens is that it causes a load of bad feeling, nobody wins. Try to find a solution for everybody.” But by far the most revealing quote came from David Sullivan, the co-owner of West Ham United. Generally speaking, Sullivan said, coaches want disruptive players out of the building because they “create a terrible atmosphere”. A sulking asset is essentially a bad apple. And in the case of Isak, it might be that fact that grants him his wish.
‘I feel like they’re evil’: Pulisic and Weah bite back on criticism of ex-USMNT players. Again. USMNT’s Tim Weah and Christian Pulisic Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah celebrate against Germany in 2023 (Alex Grimm/Getty Images) To say that current USMNT stars are at odds with certain retired U.S. internationals would be the understatement of the day. Tyler Adams tried to be diplomatic about criticism from Landon Donovan and others in an interview with The Athletic this week, but yesterday’s episode of the ‘Pulisic’ series on Paramount+ took the beef up a notch.
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One thing to point out first: by any objective measure, the USMNT have done nothing to shield themselves from ex-pro scrutiny. The past couple of years have been miserable, and Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah (above) choosing to miss this summer’s Gold Cup wasn’t going to pass without comment. But blimey, they’re taking it all to heart. Here’s what was said on ‘Pulisic’:
Weah: “Those guys are chasing cheques. And for me, I just feel like they’re really evil. Because they’ve been players, and they know what it’s like when you’re getting bashed. Those are the same guys that’ll turn around and shake your hand, and try to be friendly with you at the end of the day.” Pulisic: “The most annoying thing, and the biggest cop-out of all time, is when all pundits want to say, ‘They didn’t want it, they didn’t have the heart. Back in our day, we would fight and die on that field’. It’s frustrating.” Pulisic’s father, Mark: “These guys want clicks. It’s social media, it’s, ‘Subscribe to my channel, listen to my podcasts’, or whatever.” Quote three is a little ironic coming from someone talking in a docuseries, but here we are. The thing is, I don’t see the former USMNT corps backing down tamely, so where this goes from here is anybody’s guess. National unity with less than a year to a home World Cup? If only.
News Round-Up A tasty spat has broken out between Birmingham City shareholder Tom Brady and the club’s former head coach, Wayne Rooney. Brady was filmed raising doubts about Rooney’s work ethic in a recent documentary. Rooney hit back on his new podcast, saying the comments were “very unfair” and that Brady didn’t “really understand football that well”. Barcelona’s board are putting millions of their own money on the line in an effort to get Marcus Rashford and others registered with La Liga. Their salary-cap stress has reached crisis point, again. The Daily Liverpool: they’re closing in on the signing of 18-year-old defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma in Italy. He’ll set them back £26m ($35.2m). The Club World Cup was a nice little earner for the squad at Chelsea. After winning the tournament, their players will share bonuses worth more than £10m. But, bless them, a portion is to be donated to the family of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva. Gimnastic de Tarragona, a Catalan club who play in Spain’s third division, have cancelled the signing of Jose Manuel Calderon…after the defender was caught on camera saying: “I sh** on all dead Catalans.” Calderon apologised, albeit too little too late. An under-21s match involving Manchester United had to be abandoned after midfielder Sekou Kone suffered a bad head injury. The 19-year-old was taken to hospital but appears to be OK. Keeping it together: Chevalier and PSG come back from 2-0 down to beat Spurs in Super Cup
TNT Sports Well, colour us shocked. Paris Saint-Germain ostracise Gianluigi Donnarumma and the first thing the goalkeeper’s replacement, Lucas Chevalier, does is mark his debut in last night’s UEFA Super Cup match by throwing one in this goal, above. That’s football being football.
The evening got better for Chevalier, who saved a penalty in a shootout as PSG picked up their fourth trophy of 2025. They were on the ropes in normal time, trailing 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur with five minutes to go, but something woke them from their slumber.
I’d caution against reading too much into Tottenham’s display because PSG were rusty, as if they were psychologically tearing themselves away from the beaches of Saint-Tropez. That said, for much of the game, there was decent structure to Spurs and their set pieces worked. It was only as they dropped deep in defence of their lead that PSG got a sniff. No early silverware for Thomas Frank, but green shoots all the same.
It didn’t stop Sheffield United sliding out of the Carabao Cup, but I wouldn’t have you missing Gustavo Hamer’s glorious 50-yard finish against Birmingham City last night. Nottingham Forest’s Murillo should sign him up for lessons.
ITV Sport Around TAFC On the eve of the Premier League season, I’ll point you towards a rundown of all the coverage you can expect from The Athletic. It’s here and it’s epic. I like the sound of the alternative league table. There can’t have been many summers in which top-flight English teams threw more money at attacking signings, including Viktor Gyokeres and Florian Wirtz. Mark Carey and Thom Harris have taken a closer look at an expensive trend. Gyokeres, in theory, should enhance Arsenal’s chances of winning the title. Amy Lawrence sat down for an exclusive chat with their manager, Mikel Arteta. James Milner is a machine: 39 years old and still at it in the Premier League. This interview with him by Oli Kay is ace. Fantasy Premier League: once more, the code to our TAFC league for any readers who wish to be part of it. Enter using 30j0f7. We’ve got a few more last-minute tips for you. Most clicked in Wednesday’s TAFC: the PSG-Donnarumma rift. And finally…
X / @sportsru How we chuckled a few weeks back at the footballer in Brazil who re-enacted the Cristiano Ronaldo ‘Siu’ celebration routine and gave himself a gammy leg in the process.
But that self-inflicted wound looks fairly pedestrian when set aside the post-goal backflip attempted by Dynamo Barnaul’s Kirill Mogel in a Russian lower-league match at the weekend. To cut him some slack, the striker hadn’t scored for months but if the crunch was as nasty as it looked, he might not be scoring again for a good while either.
“The acrobatic trick didn’t work out for him,” lamented Dynamo Barnaul’s official website. I’ll say.
(Top photo: George Wood/Getty Images)
How players force a transfer, Pulisic and Weah hit back at ‘evil’ ex-USMNT stars
Hello! Feigning injury, missing pre-season, downing tools. We’re covering the dark arts involved in convincing a club to sell you. Just don’t bother with an actual transfer request.
Exit strategy: Isak wants to leave Newcastle… but how do players get their way?
Alexander Isak during pre-season training in July (Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
I once asked a footballer (best left nameless) why, at one of his previous clubs, he upset all and sundry by submitting a transfer request. “It wasn’t a transfer request,” he replied. “It was a perceived transfer request.”
You can guess the follow-up question: what on earth is a perceived transfer request? “They took it to be an official request, when it wasn’t,” he explained, which sounded suspiciously like semantics to me; a player actively plotting to leave, without saying so formally or quite so explicitly.
Advertisement
Written transfer requests — the unequivocal, black-and-white means by which restless pros can manipulate a move — are less common than you might think. For one thing, submitting a demand in writing risks forfeiting future bonuses or loyalty payments. For two, they’re regarded as small-time. As one agent tells The Athletic’s Stu James: “You’re handing in a letter saying you want to leave. What the hell does that do?”
Stu wrote about the art of manufacturing a transfer in 2021 but he updated his piece when trouble brewed between Newcastle United and Alexander Isak (above), and it’s relevant again in light of the sorry deterioration of that relationship. The Swedish striker has no intention of making another appearance for the Tyneside club. He would sooner sign for Liverpool. But how does he force his way out the door if Newcastle aren’t minded to trade him?
This isn’t new ground, or even close. Cerys Jones went back through the Premier League archives to analyse other high-profile names — Harry Kane, Luis Suarez and others — who effectively went on strike, hoping to be sold. Some who stamp their feet get their way. Others don’t. Stu’s feature is a window into Newcastle’s reality.
Never get an owner angry
Isak hasn’t done a bad job in employing the tactics suggested by different agents Stu talked to (all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity). Complain of minor injuries? Check. Refuse to travel on a pre-season tour? Check. Down tools, or cast doubt over your commitment to your existing employers? Check. Textbook stuff.
Here’s what those who know the drill had to say about facilitating a contentious exit from a club:
One agent warned: “What you must never do is get an owner angry. Once a billionaire says, ‘He’s not for sale’, you’re dead. You’re ain’t going nowhere because their credibility is on the line.”
A manager with Premier League experience talked about trying to drop a wantaway star down to work with the club’s under-23s: “Then you’ll have the club push back on you and say, ‘He’s an asset, he needs to be involved’. You end up having friction with the club. It’s an absolute nightmare.”
Another high-profile representative said, “Some agents try to force things through that are just ridiculous. And all that happens is that it causes a load of bad feeling, nobody wins. Try to find a solution for everybody.”
But by far the most revealing quote came from David Sullivan, the co-owner of West Ham United. Generally speaking, Sullivan said, coaches want disruptive players out of the building because they “create a terrible atmosphere”. A sulking asset is essentially a bad apple. And in the case of Isak, it might be that fact that grants him his wish.
‘I feel like they’re evil’: Pulisic and Weah bite back on criticism of ex-USMNT players. Again.
Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah celebrate against Germany in 2023 (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
To say that current USMNT stars are at odds with certain retired U.S. internationals would be the understatement of the day. Tyler Adams tried to be diplomatic about criticism from Landon Donovan and others in an interview with The Athletic this week, but yesterday’s episode of the ‘Pulisic’ series on Paramount+ took the beef up a notch.
One thing to point out first: by any objective measure, the USMNT have done nothing to shield themselves from ex-pro scrutiny. The past couple of years have been miserable, and Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah (above) choosing to miss this summer’s Gold Cup wasn’t going to pass without comment. But blimey, they’re taking it all to heart. Here’s what was said on ‘Pulisic’:
Weah: “Those guys are chasing cheques. And for me, I just feel like they’re really evil. Because they’ve been players, and they know what it’s like when you’re getting bashed. Those are the same guys that’ll turn around and shake your hand, and try to be friendly with you at the end of the day.”
Pulisic: “The most annoying thing, and the biggest cop-out of all time, is when all pundits want to say, ‘They didn’t want it, they didn’t have the heart. Back in our day, we would fight and die on that field’. It’s frustrating.”
Pulisic’s father, Mark: “These guys want clicks. It’s social media, it’s, ‘Subscribe to my channel, listen to my podcasts’, or whatever.”
Quote three is a little ironic coming from someone talking in a docuseries, but here we are. The thing is, I don’t see the former USMNT corps backing down tamely, so where this goes from here is anybody’s guess. National unity with less than a year to a home World Cup? If only.
News Round-Up
A tasty spat has broken out between Birmingham City shareholder Tom Brady and the club’s former head coach, Wayne Rooney. Brady was filmed raising doubts about Rooney’s work ethic in a recent documentary. Rooney hit back on his new podcast, saying the comments were “very unfair” and that Brady didn’t “really understand football that well”.
Barcelona’s board are putting millions of their own money on the line in an effort to get Marcus Rashford and others registered with La Liga. Their salary-cap stress has reached crisis point, again.
The Daily Liverpool: they’re closing in on the signing of 18-year-old defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma in Italy. He’ll set them back £26m ($35.2m).
Gimnastic de Tarragona, a Catalan club who play in Spain’s third division, have cancelled the signing of Jose Manuel Calderon…after the defender was caught on camera saying: “I sh** on all dead Catalans.” Calderon apologised, albeit too little too late.
An under-21s match involving Manchester United had to be abandoned after midfielder Sekou Kone suffered a bad head injury. The 19-year-old was taken to hospital but appears to be OK.
Keeping it together: Chevalier and PSG come back from 2-0 down to beat Spurs in Super Cup
TNT Sports
Well, colour us shocked. Paris Saint-Germain ostracise Gianluigi Donnarumma and the first thing the goalkeeper’s replacement, Lucas Chevalier, does is mark his debut in last night’s UEFA Super Cup match by throwing one in this goal, above. That’s football being football.
The evening got better for Chevalier, who saved a penalty in a shootout as PSG picked up their fourth trophy of 2025. They were on the ropes in normal time, trailing 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur with five minutes to go, but something woke them from their slumber.
I’d caution against reading too much into Tottenham’s display because PSG were rusty, as if they were psychologically tearing themselves away from the beaches of Saint-Tropez. That said, for much of the game, there was decent structure to Spurs and their set pieces worked. It was only as they dropped deep in defence of their lead that PSG got a sniff. No early silverware for Thomas Frank, but green shoots all the same.
On the eve of the Premier League season, I’ll point you towards a rundown of all the coverage you can expect from The Athletic. It’s here and it’s epic. I like the sound of the alternative league table.
There can’t have been many summers in which top-flight English teams threw more money at attacking signings, including Viktor Gyokeres and Florian Wirtz. Mark Carey and Thom Harris have taken a closer look at an expensive trend.
Gyokeres, in theory, should enhance Arsenal’s chances of winning the title. Amy Lawrence sat down for an exclusive chat with their manager, Mikel Arteta.
James Milner is a machine: 39 years old and still at it in the Premier League. This interview with him by Oli Kay is ace.
Fantasy Premier League: once more, the code to our TAFC league for any readers who wish to be part of it. Enter using 30j0f7. We’ve got a few more last-minute tips for you.
How we chuckled a few weeks back at the footballer in Brazil who re-enacted the Cristiano Ronaldo ‘Siu’ celebration routine and gave himself a gammy leg in the process.
But that self-inflicted wound looks fairly pedestrian when set aside the post-goal backflip attempted by Dynamo Barnaul’s Kirill Mogel in a Russian lower-league match at the weekend. To cut him some slack, the striker hadn’t scored for months but if the crunch was as nasty as it looked, he might not be scoring again for a good while either.
“The acrobatic trick didn’t work out for him,” lamented Dynamo Barnaul’s official website. I’ll say.
Probably not, because it never really stopped. But if you were struggling, fear not, because the Premier League is back.
Three hundred and eighty matches, 282 days, 20 teams, endless grumbling about VARs, and almost certainly a new officiating debate that none of us have dreamed up yet are waiting just around the corner, all starting when reigning champions Liverpool host Bournemouth on Friday at 8pm BST/3pm EST.Leeds United, Burnley, and Sunderland are up from the Championship, there are new faces on the pitch and in the technical areas, and, as always, there are a host of minor tweaks, too.his, then, is what you need to know for the new Premier League season.
New laws
The major change (and, whisper it, possibly even a popular one) is the introduction of the eight-second rule, which will already be familiar to those who watched the Club World Cup.If goalkeepers are in control of the ball with their arms/hands for more than eight seconds, they will concede a corner from the side closest to them. This replaces the old law, which was rarely enforced, where goalkeepers could concede an indirect free kick if they held onto the ball for more than six seconds.When the rule was announced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), it said only four corners were awarded in its trial of the rule, which consisted of hundreds of matches.It is up to the referee to decide when the ’keeper has control of the ball and start the countdown. They will visually count down the last five seconds so it is clear to the goalkeeper what is happening.
There will be no disciplinary action unless the ’keeper repeatedly commits the offence, and they are not penalised if they are starting to or about to release the ball as the countdown ends.
The referee will also not start counting if the goalkeeper is being obstructed by an opposition attacker — if, during the countdown, an opponent pressures the ’keeper, they will concede an indirect free kick.
Teams will be awarded a corner if the opposition goalkeeper holds onto the ball for too long (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
There are also new ‘only the captain’ guidelines on approaching the referee. ‘Normal interactions’ between players and the referee will be allowed, but the guidance is aimed at preventing players from surrounding or mobbing them after big incidents or decisions. Team captains are responsible for helping direct team-mates away from the referee, and anyone who approaches without permission may be booked.The referee may invite the captain over to explain a decision. The hope is that players will know there is an avenue for them to receive engagement with the referee through their captain, but also know they can expect a booking if they approach when they should not.If the captain is the goalkeeper, they can nominate an outfield team-mate before the coin toss to approach the referee instead.Finally, the rules have been tweaked for accidental ‘double-touch’ penalties. If a player scores a penalty kick but accidentally touches the ball twice, they will be allowed to retake it. If they miss, they do not get another chance.
Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez was involved in a double-touch penalty in last season’s Champions League (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
New refereeing tech: semi-automated offside technology (SAOT), announcements, and ‘Ref Cam’
Some might recall that SAOT was on our list last year and was expected to be introduced “from after one of the autumn international breaks”. It actually ended up being introduced to the Premier League in April, so we deem it new enough to make the list again, as this will be the first full season where it is used.
The technology aims to reduce the length of VAR checks by automating parts of the decision-making process. The technology won’t be used for clear offside decisions. However, the old method of ‘drawing lines’ might still be needed in some cases if the technology fails, or if players are blocking the view of the ball or the system’s cameras.
(Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
This happened in March, on the first weekend when the technology was trialled in English football. During Wolverhampton Wanderers’ FA Cup game against Bournemouth, a congested penalty area meant officials could not rely on the technology and there was an eight-minute delay.There will also be more information for fans in stadiums this season. Graphics showing the results of SAOT decisions will be shown on giant screens, and after a trial in the Carabao Cup, referees will make an announcement in the stadium explaining the outcome of all VAR reviews (except for factual offside or onside calls).The league also plans to trial referee-worn cameras, as seen at the Club World Cup. The trial is expected to begin this month and last for around six weeks.The footage can be used as an additional replay angle in broadcasts, allowing fans to see the game from the referee’s perspective. However, no confrontational or controversial moments should be shown.
A new, bigger, UK broadcast deal
More Premier League games will be shown on TV than ever before as the league’s new broadcast deal, agreed back in December 2023 and worth £6.7bn, takes effect.
All games outside the Saturday 3pm blackout will now be broadcast live in the UK. Previously, some Sunday 2pm games were not available to watch live in the UK if they had been moved to that slot due to teams competing in European competition in midweek.
At least 215 matches will be on Sky Sports, and TNT will show 52. Amazon Prime no longer shows any.
Sky will show games on a Saturday at 5:30pm, on a Sunday at 2pm and 4:30pm, Monday and Friday evening games, and the first three rounds of midweek fixtures. Sky’s coverage also includes a new ‘Multiview’ format, which will allow customers to watch up to four games at once on Sunday afternoons.
TNT will show the early kick-off games at 12:30pm on Saturdays, as well as the last two rounds of midweek fixtures.
BBC Sport has highlights rights for all 380 matches.
In the U.S., NBC will show all 380 games, with just under half of them streamed exclusively on Peacock. The remainder will be shown on a main NBC channel or USA Network.
(Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
New broadcast access — including in-game and half-time interviews
Clubs are now obligated to grant more access to broadcasters, including the potential for access to dressing rooms or interviews at half-time or during the match.
Each club will only have to agree to these extra obligations a limited number of times.
At least twice per season, each club must do one of the following:
Allow filming for at least 90 seconds in their dressing room. This could be between the end of the warm-up and start of the match, at half-time, or immediately after the match once the players are back in the dressing room. The club can request that this footage is without audio unless they approve it.
Make a player or manager available for an interview at half-time. This should be no more than three questions, all of which should be positive and related to the match. The interview must be timed so it will not delay the restart.
Make a substituted player, or the manager, available for an interview during the match. This must be by no later than the 85th minute and the interview should be no more than two questions, both of which must be related to the match and positive.
The broadcaster will request this extra access before the fixture and say which of the three options it would prefer, but the club chooses which it plans to provide.
If a club is losing when they were supposed to provide this extra access, they can choose to do it at another match instead.
(Stu Forster/Getty Images)
A new ball — and not a Nike one
Lastly, the official ball has changed. Nike’s 25-year partnership has come to an end and Puma will now supply the match ball.
The German company is already the ball supplier for Serie A, La Liga, the English Football League, and the Carabao Cup. It was in the latter competition that Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta referred to the match ball when dissecting his side’s 2-0 loss to eventual tournament winners Newcastle United in the first leg of their semi-final.
“(The Carabao Cup ball) is very different to a Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies differently. When you touch it, the grip is also very different, so you adapt to that.”
(Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Check back for Arteta’s review of Puma’s Orbita Ultimate ball when the season gets underway…
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Wrexham’s revamped home: A (longer) £1.7m pitch, heated dugout seats and goal-line technology
But he’s far from alone at Wrexham in experiencing a hectic close season. Aidan Miller, the club’s strategy and projects director, has overseen a revamp of the SToK Cae Ras designed to nudge the world’s oldest international football ground into the modern era.A new £1.7million ($2.3m) pitch, complete with undersoil heating and new drainage, has been the marquee addition. No one at Wrexham’s Carabao Cup first-round victory over Hull City could have failed to notice just how lush the new surface looked in the August sunshine. Nor how well it played.
The seeding and stitching operation to make Wrexham’s surface compliant with European football’s regulations was only part of an overhaul that included moving both dugouts to the opposite side of the pitch, building a new TV gantry, reconfiguring stands to squeeze in extra seats, erecting two new giant TV screens at one end and taking down the old scoreboard at the other.
Wrexham’s new pitch, as seen before their first home match of the season (Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
There was also the dismantling of a temporary stand, plus the all-important deactivation of a live electric cable underneath the old Kop, as preparatory work continues ahead of the new 7,500-capacity stand starting to go up, on schedule, in the autumn.To squeeze all this into exactly 100 days between Wrexham staging a promotion party after last season had ended and Tuesday’s cup tie against Hull is impressive. Even more so when you consider the club did not know until beating Charlton Athletic on April 26 when the 20224-25 season would finish — or when their 2025-26 league campaign would start.“We had to do a lot of planning,” explains Miller, who joined Wrexham early in 2025 after almost seven years at Everton, primarily working on the club’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium. “The key thing with the pitch is it would take six weeks to reconstruct it. But two months to grow it.
“If we’d finished third and then not gone up, the window would have been tight. In the end, the opposite happened, where we had an extra three weeks (due to Wrexham clinching automatic promotion). But we’d had to plan for the worst and hope we got the best.”In recent years, Wrexham’s historic home has struggled to keep pace with Parkinson’s upwardly mobile team. Facilities have been improved, such as the installation of new floodlights prior to returning to the EFL in 2023. But, really, it won’t be until the new Kop stand is finished that The Racecourse Ground will truly shine.The changes — which include the installation of goal-line technology — have brought a new sheen to a venue that first hosted a Wales international in 1877.
The newly-installed cameras (Richard Sutcliffe/The Athletic)
“We’ve always said with the sporting side being so successful, then the standards get raised in terms of what is expected,” says Rob Faulkner, Wrexham’s chief business and communications officer, when giving The Athletic a tour of all the changes, including upgraded concourses and hospitality areas.
“A lot of things will go into the new Kop, particularly for the fans and players with top-class facilities, new dressing rooms and so on. But until then, we are trying to catch up as much as we can.”
At one stage this summer, six different projects were being worked on inside The Racecourse at the same time by a small army of workers.
Contractors Cleveland Land Services (CLS) worked around the clock to get the pitch ready, with seeding taking place on June 1 and the stitching in July.
The dugouts were moved across the pitch to the Mold Road Stand, where coaching staff and substitutes will benefit from heated seats in what can be a cold part of the stadium. This has allowed the old dugouts to be converted into fan seating.
Two hundred and 24 seats have been added to the Tech End behind the goal, giving a full extra row at the front of the upper section. The old electronic scoreboard at that end has also gone, so the view of those who stand on the back row will no longer be impeded.
The pitch has been extended in length to allow for rugby matches to be played in the future and also shifted a couple of metres towards the Kop. This meant the new two-level TV gantry had to be situated slightly to the side of its predecessor, to ensure the main camera position remains on halfway.
The new two-level TV gantry (Richard Sutcliffe/The Athletic)
A second gantry has also been built on the opposite side of the ground on halfway, meaning Wrexham now comply with UEFA and Championship (and Premier League) standards regarding a reverse angle camera position.
“It’s a bit like building a house, in that the plumber has to come in before the joiner,” says Miller. “As part of the work, we’ve had all the steelwork in the Wrexham Lager Stand painted. This involved someone abseiling, which meant two blocks of seats had to be taken out each time.
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“It was the same with taking down the temporary stand. We removed one section (containing 558 seats) after the Stockport game last season (on March 22) to help with the pitch project.
“The fan zone also went at the same time, allowing us to create a pathway for the contractors to bring in mountains of gravel, soil and so on. We wanted these onsite, meaning we could start straight away the moment we got the green light.”
This also explains why the remaining blocks of the temporary stand were not taken down until late June, several weeks after the season had ended.
Miller adds: “We had work to do around the outside of the site, tidying up the drainage, laying tarmac and a few other things. Only then did we have the space to take down the temporary stand. Coordination was key, in terms of what is the priority — which for us was getting the pitch work going.”
The summer revamp is only the start. A new Kop stand will soon start to go up, with the intention to be ready for The Racecourse hosting the UEFA Under-19 Championship in June 2026.
Barriers obscure the building of the new Kop stand (Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
It will be the key building block of a stadium masterplan drawn up by Populous, the same firm that designed Arsenal and Tottenham’s new homes, as well as Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, Wembley and The Sphere in Las Vegas.
The initial plan was to house 5,500 fans with the design, then allow another 2,000 to be added. However, a new planning application went in last month for a 7,500 capacity structure and a decision will be made soon by Wrexham Borough Council.
A new electricity substation on University land adjacent to The Racecourse’s main entrance on Crispin Lane has also been constructed.
This will provide power to the three blocks of student flats that sit behind the main stand, replacing the previous substation located towards the back of The Turf pub on the footprint of where the new Kop will stand. As part of this switch, a live power cable running underneath the area was deactivated.
“Until that was done, you couldn’t even start digging,” says Miller. “So, from a big ticket perspective, that’s probably the biggest thing we did this summer.”
As Miller says proudly, this now feels like “a Championship ground”.
PSG and Chelsea Advance to the World Club Cup Final Sun 3 pm on TNT, Univision
So I have to admit I have enjoyed the WCC much more than I thought I would. The games have been surprisingly competitive with the South American and African teams surprising everyone -but in the end its Champions League Winner PSG who has dominated and will face another European team in Chelsea. I was fortunate to get a chance to attend the Bayern Munich vs PSG game in Atlanta last weekend – man what a fun game and great experience with nearly 70K in Mercedez Benz Stadium. Sad the injury happened however – PSG’s GK injured Bayern’s Jamal Musiala was hurt on this play- Did PSG’s Gigi Foul here? Check out some of these Great Saves of the Club World Cup (more below in the GK section).
Women’s Euro’s Continue on Fox The Women’s Euros have been enjoyable to watch during this summer of soccer – and honestly Fox has done a good job with some serious coverage. Who doesn’t love a good women’s soccer game at 12 and 3 pm everyday.
Indy 11 host Star Wars Night – Sat 7 pm
In a commanding performance at home, Indy Eleven powered past Monterey Bay FC with a 3-0 victory, backed by a strong attacking display and a clean sheet from goalkeeper Hunter Sulte. Goals from Aodhan Quinn, Jack Blake, and Romario Williams sealed the win, as the Boys in Blue continue their climb up the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings. The win lifts Indy Eleven to seventh in the East with 17 points through 14 matches. The Indy Eleven “Summer of Soccer presented by Indy Roof & Restoration” concludes with “Star Wars Night” on Saturday, July 12 at 7:00 pm vs. Rhode Island FC at Carroll Stadium in a rematch of the 2024 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster. Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com.
US Loses to Mexico 2-1 So I picked 3-1 Mexico – but little did I know El Tri would absolutely dominate the game – the likes of which we haven’t seen in years. The US got off to a great start behind this spectacular header from CB Chris Richard in the 4th minute. From that point though it was all Mexico. In possession, shots, tackles, hell everything. The US looked like they had no idea what was going on as the Mexican’s sent shot after shot into the box. US vs Mexico Hi-lights Tim Ream (showing his age) was slaughtered on Mexico’s first goal as Jimenez beat him to the spot and shot corner as US GK Matt Freeze had no chance. The US weathered the storm but rarely had possession or attack as the players who looked so good against the SHIT of Concacaf wilted while playing the only other decent team in our region. A second half goal finally came in 77th minute as Mexico used a questionable offside not called to take the lead when Tim Ream was once again beat. The 2-1 loss could have been much worse of course as a 90% Mexican Crowd and the largest ever Gold Cup audience watch on Fox. What they saw unfortunately was Botchettino continuing to show he has NO CLUE how to manage a National Team. Yes it was our B- squad but they looked outclasses and clueless from the kickoff. Sure the fought hard – but lets be real – until Botchettino is now tied for the worse ever start to US national team stint ever. His wins only against the patsies of Concacaf. When facing teams ranked 50 or lower he is 0-5 now.
The question now is what’s next? I think some players stood out as Chris Richards showed he is the man on the back line now. I have said this repeatedly but Tim Ream needs to be on the team – his leadership and knowledge is unquestioned – but if he starts in the World we are screwed. Someone must be found to team with him. Both outside backs sucked in my mind but we’ll see. Adams was a NO SHOW this entire tourney – thankfully De La Tore and even Sebastian Berhalter had standout tourneys. Neither should surpass Musah however. Sad to see Johnny Cardosa have such a bad tourney – absolute stupidity by Botch not to rebuild his confidence by playing him against the minows of CONCACAF.
The frontline had its moments as Adebayand shows promise and did ok – he just can’t hold up or score – sounds like all the 9s for the US. Still a move to the English Championship could help keep him in the mix as a 3rd forward. Of course Luna and Mark Tillman booked their tickets with this tourney as they were our best players along with Richards. Doubt Luna will get much time vs real compeition – but I like his spunkyness and heart. Same for Berhalter. Of course Matt Freeze had the shootout heroics – but otherwise he looked mighty shaky – and should replace an in form Matt Turner or Ethan Horvath. Of course Poch is clueless so who knows how this works out.
I can say honestly I am done with Poch – first he didn’t invite the right players – no CCV, No Trusty or German dude no the back line. The guys he did bring he didn’t play? Downs, McKensie, 10, — hell why bring them if you aren;t going to give them a chance in the game? Seriously WTH? I honestly the best thing that could happen for the US is to have Poch grow tired of this little part time gig he’s getting paid 4.5 Million too much to do and go back to Europe. Then BJ Callahan can come in and save the day and perhaps get us to the Quarterfinals of the World Cup on home soil. If not – I don’t see Poch getting us past the first round past the knockout stage and the Gold Cup was just further evidence. Hopefully I am wrong and a full squad will show up to pound Japan in 2 months in Columbus – yes you should make plans now to go!
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Pierluigi Collina: Referees’ body cams went “beyond our expectations”
Pierluigi Collina, the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, says that he is very happy with the refereeing innovations introduced at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, including body cameras for referees, advanced semi-automated offside technology and the new eight-second rule aimed at cutting down time-wasting by goalkeepers.
The inaugural edition of the new 32-team tournament was the first FIFA competition to feature body cams and Mr Collina said they have received a positive reception. The trial aimed to explore whether the new camera angle can improve the experience for those watching on television and online by showcasing the referee’s perspective.
“The outcome of using the ref cam here at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 went beyond our expectations. We thought it would have been an interesting experience for TV viewers and we’ve received great comments,” said Mr Collina. “We were asked: ‘Why not in all the matches?’ and even more: ‘Why not in all sports?’“
He added that, while it provided enjoyment for the public, it was also “very, very positive” for FIFA’s own purposes. “We had the possibility to see what the referee sees on the field of play. And this was not only for entertainment purposes, but also for coaching the referees (and) to explain why something was not seen on the field of play,” he said.
One example was the group stage match between Atlético de Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, where the referee did not see a handball incident by an Atlético defender because a player blocked his line of vision. “From this ref cam, (it) was absolutely clear that the referee could not have seen that incident live on the pitch,” Mr Collina said. The video assistant referee (VAR) alerted the referee who awarded a penalty to Paris Saint-Germain after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor.
The tournament also saw the introduction of an amendment to Law 12.2a, passed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at its 139th Annual General Meeting on 1 March 2025. Under the new rule, a corner kick is awarded to the attacking team if a goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds, with the referee using a visual five-second countdown. Previously, the referee would award an indirect free kick if the goalkeeper kept the ball for more than six seconds.
“It was very successful; the tempo of the match was improved. We had no time lost by goalkeepers keeping the ball between their hands for a very long time – as happened quite often in matches before,” said Mr Collina, adding that violations were kept to a minimum with the new law.
“The fact that only two goalkeepers were punished means that they really respected the rule. And by doing that, we achieved the purpose that we wanted, which was not to give corner kicks, but prevent the eight seconds rule from being not respected. The purpose was 100% achieved.”
An advanced version of the semi-automated offside technology helped speed up the decisions for offside situations and Mr Collina said this helped avoid situations where forwards run 30 to 40 metres only for the flag to be raised at the end. “The alert went to the assistant referees well before, when there was a clear offside position. So, it worked very well, we have the goals disallowed, correctly disallowed; we also had correct decisions supported by the semi-automatic offside technology – [we are] very happy, very pleased,” Mr Collina said.
A total of 117 match officials – 35 referees, 58 assistant referees and 24 video match officials – from 41 member associations were appointed to take charge of the 63 matches during the tournament. “It was a great competition. The people attending the matches confirm this, it was well played by players and well refereed by match officials. And all the referees who are here are 100% proud of being part, of having been part of this first time ever,” Mr Collina concluded.
TV GAME SCHEDULE
WE -Women’s Euros
Sat, July 12th
3 pm Fox Sweden vs Germany WE 3 pm FS1 Poland vs Denmark WE 7 pm TV8 Indy 11 vs Rhode Island Star Wars Night 7:45 pm FS1 Inter Miami vs Nashville SC 7:30 pm Apple Cincy vs Columbus Crew MLS 9:30 pm Apple free RSL vs Houston MLS
Sun, July 13th 3 pm Fox Netherland vs France W Euros 3 pm FS1 England vs Wales WE 3 pm TNT?/Univision Chelsea vs PSG WCC Final 7 pm Apple free St Louis vs Portland Timbers MLS Wed =, July 16 3 pm Fox Norway vs Italy QF 7:30 pm Apple Cincy vs Miami MLS 7:30 pm apple Orl vs NYC 10 pm FS1 Seattle Sounders vs Colorado Thurs, July 17 3 pm Fox Sweden vs England QF WE Fri, July 18 3 pm Fox Spain vs Switzerland QF WE Sat, July 19 3 pm Fox France vs Germany QF 7:30 pm Apple/Sirius RBNY vs Miami MLS 7:30 pm Apple NE vs Orlando MLS 9:30 pm Apple RSL vs Cincy 10:30 pm Apple LAFC vs LA Tues, July 22 3 pm Fox TBD vs TBD? Semi’s Weds, July 23 3 pm Fox TBD vs TBD? Semi’s 9 pm MLS All Star Game Sat, July 26 7 pm FS1 Inter Miami vs Cincy Sun, July 27 3 pm Fox TBD vs TBD? Euro Finals
USMNT Friendlies in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
Schedule (Subject to change)
Sept. Japan / S. Korea Oct. Argentina / Ecuador Nov. Egypt / Morocco March Sweden / Ukraine June. Australia / Paraguay
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I am surprised that the US didn’t fall further – we are not a Top 20 team under Pochetino
Club World Cup Final, Baby: Chelsea vs. PSG The Mauricio Pochettino Memorial Derby (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN/TBS)History awaits. PSG are just 90 minutes away from completing one of the most dominant club seasons of all time in which they will have won every single trophy that was available to them. Following on from the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France, the Club World Cup would be a fourth trophy lifted in three months, a 6.6-liter twin-turbo-charged quadruple. Yet it could also be Chelsea who walk away with a startling $136 million in prize money. PSG are a creative machine, undoubtedly the world’s top club side, by some gulf. Just over a month ago, they smashed five goals past Inter to storm to Champions League glory. On Wednesday afternoon, they obliterated Real Madrid, making the European game’s long-reigning monarchs look worse than Grok, and even more deliciously, rendering Kylian Mbappé’s revenge fantasies impotent. The football they play is so mesmerizing, in certain moments, it can dizzy and disorient you to the point that, fleetingly, you can be tricked into believing nation state ownership is a good thing. The talk that surrounds them is not just of victory, but of dynasty.And for Chelsea? Their success in this tournament is a testament to tenacity and the fortune that befell them after losing their second game 3-1 to Flamengo. A defeat which ultimately life-hacked them into the generously weak half of the knockout bracket. It was admittedly magical watching João Pedro, in his first start for Chelsea, blast two stunning strikes against his former side Fluminense, then admit, “I have to stay professional, I play for Chelsea. Chelsea pay me to score goals.” Do they stand a chance? After watching PSG go two up inside 10 minutes against Real Madrid, Enzo Maresca will approach this game in full-on “(chuckles) I’m in danger” mode. His team will be boosted by the return of Moisés Caicedo, but as a typically possession-hungry squad, how will they adapt in the face of PSG’s ferocious press? A Chelsea fan at the Michelob Club asked me to tell him something optimistic ahead of the final. I advised him to watch “Star Wars,” and think of João Pedro living out the role of Luke Skywalker firing his proton torpedo down the thermal exhaust port to blow up the Death Star. Rogstradamus : Le Romp. PSG 4-1. Second half will be a dead rubber in the sweltering heat of New Jersey. Also: The Club World Cup final will be shown live at more than 20 movie theaters across the United States this Sunday. You have not lived until you’ve seen Cole Palmer’s celly at an iPic. Football on the silver screen in America. What a time to be alive.
Farwell Luka Modrić A sad coda to PSG’s semi-final was witnessing Luka Modrić substitute in with the game long over, unable to bend it to his will, in his final ever Real Madrid performance. He departs as the club’s most decorated player, the winner of 28 major trophies and a Ballon d’Or. A midfielder who looks like a medieval witch but who played the game transcendentally. Watching him set traps and arrange the pieces in front of him to suit his will, is as if the secrets of the sport can be found by studying his decision making closely. His move to Milan will be fascinating to witness, as is the prospect of Christian Pulisic learning at his knee. More: Savor Luka. Pure silk in human form.
Americas
>Lionel Messi has made history, becoming the first MLS player to score multiple times in four consecutive matches in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win over New England Revolution (More);watch the record-breaking goal here | See upcoming MLS fixtures (More)
Euros frontrunners advance
Spain is through to the quarterfinals atop Group B. (Aitor Alcalde – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
There are still a few berths left to be decided, but a number of Euro frontrunners have already punched their ticket to the knockout rounds with a group stage game in hand.
After Norway became the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals on Sunday, Spain followed suit in Group B with a dominant win, while Germany and Sweden wrapped up Group C on the second matchday of group play.
Still alive: Runner-up spots in Group A and B will be decided this week, and there’s still all to play for in the hyper-competitive Group D after England possibly saved their 2025 Euro campaign with a 4-0 thumping of The Netherlands on Wednesday.
France, England, and The Netherlands go into Group D’s third matchday on Sunday tied on three points apiece, though the Dutch have possibly the hardest path forward, needing a significant result against Les Bleues to keep their Euro dream alive.
“We bounced back from the previous game and showed we were more than capable [of] showing the world what we can do,” England goalscorer Lauren James told the BBC.
England will face close rival Wales to close out the group stage, after Seattle Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock scored the first major tournament goal in Wales women’s football history on Wednesday against France.
Bottom line: The Euro group stage has presented mostly straightforward results in the early stages, but there is still room for a few more twists before the knockouts.
Lalas ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if Pochettino drops Pulisic in September
Seth Vertelney Pro Soccer Wire I will show up in Columbus and Burn Botchitino’s Face in EFFIGY if this HAPPENS !!
Alexi Lalas said he wouldn’t be surprised if U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino sends a message in September by dropping Christian Pulisic. Pulisic opted out of Gold Cup duty this summer, citing a desire to rest after a grueling season with AC Milan. The 26-year-old claimed in an interview that he requested to play in pre-tournament friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, only to be denied by Pochettino. The Argentine didn’t take kindly to the forward’s claims, attempting to reassert control over his selection process by saying: “I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin.” Without Pulisic and a number of other absent stars, the USMNT reached the Gold Cup final, losing 2-1 to Mexico on Sunday to fall just short of the title.Need a break? The USMNT now has only friendlies on the agenda before kicking off the 2026 World Cup on home soil next summer. The first two post-Gold Cup matches will be friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 6 and Japan on Sept. 9.All eyes will be on Pochettino’s roster selection for the September window, with the coach potentially set to reintegrate some of his missing players from the summer. But Pochettino could also choose to delay that reintegration in order to send a message.”It would not surprise me in the least if he makes an example of multiple players, whether it’s Christian Pulisic or anybody else,” Lalas said on his “State of the Union” podcast.”It would not surprise me in the least if he again lays down the law by the decisions that he makes. And I think he can afford to do that.”
Even if Pochettino drops Pulisic or others in September, the coach would almost certainly look to bring them in if they are available for friendlies in October or November.With the World Cup only months away at that point, it will be imperative for Pochettino to figure out his best combinations on the pitch.”[If players are dropped] you’re just kicking the can down the road in that at some point, you want to have those players together,” Lalas said. “Even if it’s just for a friendly, you want them in camp together. You want to see what they’re going to look like.”You also want whatever time you’re going to get to kind of deal with whatever crap there is, because these are the players — whether you like them or not, it doesn’t really matter. These are the players that you’re going to have.” For that reason, Lalas still felt that Pulisic would get the nod for the USMNT’s two September matches.”I think Pulisic is going to get called in,” the former USMNT defender said. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if Pochettino didn’t do it. If I was the coach at this point, after what happened here, I’d still probably call him.”
What the Gold Cup revealed about the USMNT’s World Cup hopes
Jeff Carlisle
Cesar Hernandez
Jul 10, 2025, 10:00 AM ET
It’s been an eventful summer for the U.S. men’s national team. Things got off to a rocky start, with a squad short of several starters and disappointing friendly defeats to Turkey and Switzerland.
When the matches counted, though, Mauricio Pochettino & Co. rebounded nicely. The USMNT was perfect in the Gold Cup group stage, gutted out knockout-round wins over Costa Rica and Guatemala, before delivering an admirable, gritty performance — considering the youth and inexperience of its squad — in the narrow 2-1 final defeat to Mexico.
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So, as the players embark on some much needed rest and relaxation before the new European club campaign kicks off in barely a month’s time, where does that leave the U.S.? ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle and Cesar Hernandez reflect on the Americans’ Gold Cup run and draw conclusions with one eye on next summer’s FIFA World Cup on home soil.
Is a runner-up finish a successful Gold Cup?
Carlisle: Yes. It certainly helped that expectations were as low as they could be heading into the tournament thanks to the 4-0 friendly loss to Switzerland, when the U.S. didn’t look remotely competitive. But this team, comprised mostly of MLS players, recovered, and went about as far as its talent level could take it.
Were there some close calls? Definitely. Closer than they needed to be, in fact. But they largely mirrored the results we saw in 2021 when a side that was also at less than full strength won the Gold Cup. I also think when you consider how injuries to Haji Wright and Johnny Cardoso cut into Pochettino’s depth, the U.S. did well to go as far as it did. And there’s no shame in losing the final to a Mexico squad that was much closer to full strength.
More than anything, players built up their stock and gained experience. Now the trick is to build on what was accomplished.
Hernandez: Keeping in mind that the national team was heading into the tournament with a four-game losing streak and plenty of off-the-field noise, we can definitely consider a second-place finish a success.
Granted, there were some very narrow victories — including a dramatic penalty shootout in the quarterfinals that almost led to an entirely different conversation about the U.S. team this summer — but credit is due to Pochettino and his alternate roster for maintaining their perseverance up to the final.
Despite the bittersweet end against a stronger Mexico side that outplayed the U.S. in Sunday’s championship match, Pochettino should feel content about the insight gained ahead of next summer’s World Cup. As for his players, the experiences earned for many MLS-based options in the knockout-round matches are invaluable.
Which player best bolstered his claim for a World Cup place?
Hernandez: Either as a starter or a first option off the bench, Diego Luna looks ready to be an important, game-changing player for the USMNT in 2026.
All gas and no brakes, the 21-year-old attacking midfielder played with an intensity that was unmatched by any other member of the roster, and along the way, he earned three goals and two assists in six appearances. Dynamic, hungry for the ball and willing to take necessary risks, the Californian was a genuine joy to watch — especially against Guatemala with his two goals in the first 15 minutes.
But there’s room for improvement. As seen against Mexico, and possibly because of how Pochettino organized the XI, Luna went quiet in the biggest game of his short national team career. Still, if he continues to develop at the pace we’ve seen since last year, he could soon reach another level or two before next summer.
Carlisle:Chris Richards. Entering the tournament, the center-back pairing was up for grabs. Richards — and to a lesser extent Tim Ream — seized it with both hands and showed no sign of letting go. Not only did Richards defend with composure and solidity, but he chipped in with a couple of goals as well. Oh, and by the way, he’s become more of a leader on this team. That will be critical when more of the full team convenes in September.
I’d say at this stage, health permitting, Richards has locked up one of the starting spots for the World Cup, which counts as fantastic news for Pochettino. Too much of the team and its construction has been in flux. To have a player make a position his own will help the U.S. manager sleep better at night.
How did Pochettino fare in his first major tournament?
Carlisle: I’d say Pochettino is doing … OK, but OK isn’t what the U.S. Soccer Federation is paying for. They are paying for excellence, and that hasn’t come just yet.
To be clear: Pochettino hasn’t had it easy, what with an abbreviated runway to next year’s World Cup, as well as the fact that he’s been without his top players for long stretches. I think that Pochettino did well with the group he had available at the Gold Cup, but it’s also clear he’s going to need to bring back the more talented players at some point. Talent matters.
Where did it go wrong for the USMNT in the Gold Cup final?
The “Futbol Americas” crew debate what went wrong for the United States in its 2-1 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final.
The problem: I get the sense he’s chafing at some of the cultural issues around the team, namely the lack of competition within the squad and the complacency that’s set in. I think for him, that process has been harder than he expected. However it happens, he’s going to need to get those players on board. That will ultimately determine if his time as U.S. manager is a success or failure.
Hernandez: If we’re giving it a letter grade, let’s say it’s close to a C+.
It’s a passing grade either way, and the summer has been a success, but there is a sense that this is also the bare minimum when you consider Pochettino’s résumé and history. Sure, it was mostly an alternate group at the Gold Cup and he’s been in the job for less than a year, but with the latest squad and previous call-ups, has he elevated the national team to the level that was expected of him when he first arrived?
On the field, there are still questions. The same could also be said off the field with how he’s had to manage the culture of his team. Pochettino seems surprised at the overarching mindset of American soccer — “when we talk about culture, that is culture,” said the Argentine about Guatemala’s players and fans in St. Louis — and it’s fair to say his dealing with an absentChristian Pulisic could have been better.
Could the team move on from some of its high-profile absentees?
Hernandez: Many marquee players are still very much needed. Pochettino and his roster should feel proud of their perseverance and doggedness in the Gold Cup, but the reality is that they were truly missing Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun, Timothy Weah, Sergiño Dest and other absent stars who would have helped get the job done against Mexico.
For most of those names, we also shouldn’t overlook their previous World Cup experience that will be a boost ahead of 2026. This is also a case-by-case situation, though.
Looking further down the list, do they need Giovanni Reyna? Or Yunus Musah? They’ll probably be in the mix next summer, but as of now, we can’t confidently say they’re a vital piece of the puzzle.
Carlisle: Managing isn’t just about putting the best 11 players out on the field. It’s part alchemy as well in that they have to make a cohesive team. By the end of the Gold Cup, it was clear that the group was unified and fighting for each other.
But if the Gold Cup final proved everything, it’s that the U.S. still needs all the talent it can muster, and how Pochettino adds in the presumed first-teamers will determine if he ends up with chemistry or chaos.
A few of those are no-brainers, like Robinson and Dest. Those two alone will do plenty to kick-start the U.S. attack. Balogun is another, assuming he can stay healthy. As for Pulisic, McKennie and the rest, that will bear watching given the sniping that has occurred.
Playing time at club level will be the ultimate decider, which doesn’t bode well for the Reynas of the world. Ultimately, I think most everyone comes back, but when and how remains to be seen.
Did players seem to understand what Pochettino wants from them?
Carlisle: For the most part, they did understand. It makes sense in that this was the closest thing to a club environment that Pochettino and the players will experience together. Pochettino was in his element and the players responded by buying into his methods. This was proved by the way the players pulled for and supported one another, with the way they backed Malik Tillman after his missed penalty against Costa Rica a case in point.
Execution is a different issue. Obviously as the games got more difficult, the execution began to fray a bit. Part of that will come as these players continue to gain more experience.
Pochettino did make some head-scratching decisions, including the deployment of Max Arfsten at fullback when his defensive abilities were lacking. But by tournament’s end, Arfsten’s defense had improved considerably, an example of the team’s willingness to adapt.
Hernandez: That remains up for debate.
The grit and determination was there as they powered their way to the final, but there were a handful of moments during the tournament in which the ideas didn’t seem fully fleshed out or understood. In-game management was occasionally questionable, leading to tactical alterations that seemed to create confusion for some of his players.
To be fair to Pochettino, he was also simply dealing with the hand he was given with the alternate roster. No matter the caliber of the manager in charge, any coach would have had a challenging time trying to find cohesion and build an identity. That unity was eventually built by the final, but it just wasn’t enough against a powerhouse like El Tri.
What lessons can the U.S. take from the Gold Cup?
Hernandez: One key lesson was identifying the individual players who could rise to the occasion in high-pressure moments.
Pochettino talks ’embarrassing’ no-call on apparent Mexico handball
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino talks about a penalty not being issued after Mexico’s Jorge Sánchez’s apparent handball in the box.
Tillman, Luna, Richards, Matt Freese and others took charge when needed on the pitch, all while showcasing another lesson: The value of mental toughness from the summer’s squad.
“It’s the grit, it’s the determination that we’ve been lacking. To be honest, it’s fighting to the end. Every ball, every moment,” said Luna after their semifinal win over Guatemala. “The game’s about moments, and I think this is where we showcase it.”
Looking ahead, one major task for Pochettino will be maintaining that energy once their stars return.
Carlisle: Vibes matter. If the group buys in, and the players fight for each other, then good things can happen. It sounds simple, but if that was true, the U.S. wouldn’t have laid the egg that it did at the Concacaf Nations League in March, when the team looked like it was going through the motions.
The team’s fight used to be foundational. Lately it has waxed and waned — mostly waned. That it was present on a more consistent basis counts as a positive.
Learning how to perform in hostile environments counted as another step forward for this group. Yes, the Mexico result wasn’t what the U.S. wanted, but getting exposed to such situations will stand these players in good stead moving forward.
Tyler Adams asks USMNT fans to paint World Cup stadiums ‘red, white and blue’
Tyler Adams has urged American fans to paint stadiums “red, white and blue” during next year’s FIFA World Cup, in the wake of head coach Mauricio Pochettino voicing frustration at the lack of support the United States men’s national team received at the recent Concacaf Gold Cup.
In a telephone interview with The Athletic on Tuesday, Adams revealed he told teammates to prepare for Sunday’s Gold Cup final against Mexico in Texas as though it would be “the hardest away game they have played in a long time.”Mexico won the tournament by beating Pochettino’s USMNT 2-1 in front of 70,295 fans at Houston’s NRG Stadium. Following the game, Pochettino reiterated his wish for the squad to enjoy stronger support at American venues, urging fans to show their backing “not only through Instagram, social media or behind the TV.”
The Argentinean coach previously said that USMNT followers could learn from the intensity of the Guatemalan supporters who dominated the stadium in St. Louis during the semifinal against the U.S. The Mexican turnout at the final also greatly outnumbered the support for the host nation. It has been a familiar story for games involving the men’s national team, as diasporas of their opponents from within the U.S. often appear to turn out stronger, rendering the challenge more difficult even during home games.
Mexico had passionate support in Houston for its Gold Cup triumph. (Robbie Jay Barratt / AMA / Getty Images)“Without a doubt,” said Adams of whether he would like to see more U.S. supporters in stadiums during next year’s World Cup.The Bournemouth midfielder, who captained USMNT during its run to the round of 16 at the World Cup in 2022, has seen this play out before.“It’s so funny because for a lot of the fairly inexperienced players in our national team, it’s the first thing I said to everyone going into this game against Mexico,” Adams said. “I was saying, ‘Don’t go into this team with a naive mentality of expecting it to be all people cheering for us and excited about the game.’ If anything, we’re going into an atmosphere where we are playing the hardest away game you’ve probably played in a long time.“I wouldn’t say it hurts because it’s what I (have come to) expect when we play in certain areas geographically. At the same time, it’s what makes our country amazing: the diversity our country has to offer. It was a learning experience for a lot of guys, but of course come the World Cup, you’re hoping that you see so much red, white and blue instead of whoever opponent you’re facing.”Adams also revealed that Pochettino was “very emotional” in the locker room after the loss against Mexico. The Americans reached the final following a tournament they entered without several key players, either due to injury, Club World Cup involvement, manager’s decision or choice. Significant absentees included Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Yunus Musah.The situation created openings for more players from teams within MLS, with Matt Freese, Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang among those who received fresh opportunities.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was emotional in the USMNT locker room after the Gold Cup final, according to Tyler Adams. (Omar Vega / Getty Images)
“Mauricio thought we had battled the entire tournament. It’s crazy because he mentioned it was the first time we had been together for 40 days and it was obviously the longest stint that we’ve had together under him. There was growth from every single player, person and backroom staff who represented U.S. Soccer during that tournament. We grew so much closer, and this is the culture we’re trying to build,” Adams said. “He was thankful to everyone for the commitment we’ve given with a fairly new group on a new stage, where everyone is still trying to gain experience and prove their worth. He was extremely proud. Obviously it hurt to come up short. You’re hoping that you walk away with a trophy at the end of it, but it didn’t happen.”
Adams made 25 starts for Bournemouth last season, amid a few injury issues, and conceded that the heat and workload of an end-of-season tournament was the biggest individual challenge of the Gold Cup for him. He came into the Gold Cup with a minor foot injury and subbed out in the 77th minute against Guatemala and the 82nd minute against Mexico.
“From my perspective, it was getting used to playing a tournament after playing a really demanding season,” he added. “It was the most I’ve played in a really, really long time. My body, to be quite frank with you, was just pushing and grinding through the entire thing. It wasn’t like playing the World Cup in Qatar where you’re playing mid-season and you’re feeling fresh and at your best. It’s about how can you really manage yourself and get the best performance out of yourself. After I play another full season, I’m gonna feel a lot better come the World Cup. It was a grind every single day, trying to do your best.
“When you’re playing in Texas multiple times, when you’re playing in some of the hottest places, it’s very demanding. I’m used to playing in good old sunny Bournemouth, where it’s 50 (degrees) every day. So going from that to playing in 100 (degrees) is obviously a huge difference.”
Adams said the summer heat was grueling for Gold Cup teams. (Aric Becker / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Adams spoke to The Athletic after his childhood soccer field in Wappinger, N.Y. took on his name as a tribute to the trail he has blazed in the sport. The Martz Field Recreation Facility is now the Tyler Adams Soccer Pitch as part of Adams’ partnership with Scotts lawn care products to push for youth access to natural turf pitches. Adams, who started as a center forward pretending to be former Arsenal, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry, recalled taking his earliest steps in soccer in Wappinger.
“Soccer was introduced to me from my mom. She played in high school. At 3 years old, I always had a ball at my feet,” he said. “I remember walking down to the park where the field is named after me now, playing soccer with friends in my community, or playing basketball and any sport I could get my hands on. My first memory really was in my grandma’s front yard and at the field.”That little boy has gone on to become a mainstay of the national team when fit and available, even captaining the team in Qatar in 2022. However, since Pochettino became coach, the Argentine has tended to favor defender Tim Ream, who turns 38 in October and now plays for Charlotte FC, for the armband. Pochettino has yet to fully clarify who will captain the USMNT at the World Cup in 2026.“When I’ve been in camp, it has been Tim. Obviously that’s a role that I’ve previously played and am ready to play whenever needed,” Adams said. “I am again assuming he hasn’t made it necessarily clear who it’s going to be, but if I had to guess, then it would probably be Tim.”
Tyler Adams asks USMNT fans to paint World Cup stadiums ‘red, white and blue’
Tyler Adams has urged American fans to paint stadiums “red, white and blue” during next year’s FIFA World Cup, in the wake of head coach Mauricio Pochettino voicing frustration at the lack of support the United States men’s national team received at the recent Concacaf Gold Cup.
In a telephone interview with The Athletic on Tuesday, Adams revealed he told teammates to prepare for Sunday’s Gold Cup final against Mexico in Texas as though it would be “the hardest away game they have played in a long time.”
Mexico won the tournament by beating Pochettino’s USMNT 2-1 in front of 70,295 fans at Houston’s NRG Stadium. Following the game, Pochettino reiterated his wish for the squad to enjoy stronger support at American venues, urging fans to show their backing “not only through Instagram, social media or behind the TV.”
The Argentinean coach previously said that USMNT followers could learn from the intensity of the Guatemalan supporters who dominated the stadium in St. Louis during the semifinal against the U.S. The Mexican turnout at the final also greatly outnumbered the support for the host nation. It has been a familiar story for games involving the men’s national team, as diasporas of their opponents from within the U.S. often appear to turn out stronger, rendering the challenge more difficult even during home games.
Mexico had passionate support in Houston for its Gold Cup triumph. (Robbie Jay Barratt / AMA / Getty Images)
“Without a doubt,” said Adams of whether he would like to see more U.S. supporters in stadiums during next year’s World Cup.
The Bournemouth midfielder, who captained USMNT during its run to the round of 16 at the World Cup in 2022, has seen this play out before.
“It’s so funny because for a lot of the fairly inexperienced players in our national team, it’s the first thing I said to everyone going into this game against Mexico,” Adams said. “I was saying, ‘Don’t go into this team with a naive mentality of expecting it to be all people cheering for us and excited about the game.’ If anything, we’re going into an atmosphere where we are playing the hardest away game you’ve probably played in a long time.
“I wouldn’t say it hurts because it’s what I (have come to) expect when we play in certain areas geographically. At the same time, it’s what makes our country amazing: the diversity our country has to offer. It was a learning experience for a lot of guys, but of course come the World Cup, you’re hoping that you see so much red, white and blue instead of whoever opponent you’re facing.”
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Adams also revealed that Pochettino was “very emotional” in the locker room after the loss against Mexico. The Americans reached the final following a tournament they entered without several key players, either due to injury, Club World Cup involvement, manager’s decision or choice. Significant absentees included Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Yunus Musah.
The situation created openings for more players from teams within MLS, with Matt Freese, Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang among those who received fresh opportunities.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was emotional in the USMNT locker room after the Gold Cup final, according to Tyler Adams. (Omar Vega / Getty Images)
“Mauricio thought we had battled the entire tournament. It’s crazy because he mentioned it was the first time we had been together for 40 days and it was obviously the longest stint that we’ve had together under him. There was growth from every single player, person and backroom staff who represented U.S. Soccer during that tournament. We grew so much closer, and this is the culture we’re trying to build,” Adams said. “He was thankful to everyone for the commitment we’ve given with a fairly new group on a new stage, where everyone is still trying to gain experience and prove their worth. He was extremely proud. Obviously it hurt to come up short. You’re hoping that you walk away with a trophy at the end of it, but it didn’t happen.”
Adams made 25 starts for Bournemouth last season, amid a few injury issues, and conceded that the heat and workload of an end-of-season tournament was the biggest individual challenge of the Gold Cup for him. He came into the Gold Cup with a minor foot injury and subbed out in the 77th minute against Guatemala and the 82nd minute against Mexico.
“From my perspective, it was getting used to playing a tournament after playing a really demanding season,” he added. “It was the most I’ve played in a really, really long time. My body, to be quite frank with you, was just pushing and grinding through the entire thing. It wasn’t like playing the World Cup in Qatar where you’re playing mid-season and you’re feeling fresh and at your best. It’s about how can you really manage yourself and get the best performance out of yourself. After I play another full season, I’m gonna feel a lot better come the World Cup. It was a grind every single day, trying to do your best.
“When you’re playing in Texas multiple times, when you’re playing in some of the hottest places, it’s very demanding. I’m used to playing in good old sunny Bournemouth, where it’s 50 (degrees) every day. So going from that to playing in 100 (degrees) is obviously a huge difference.”
Adams said the summer heat was grueling for Gold Cup teams. (Aric Becker / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Adams spoke to The Athletic after his childhood soccer field in Wappinger, N.Y. took on his name as a tribute to the trail he has blazed in the sport. The Martz Field Recreation Facility is now the Tyler Adams Soccer Pitch as part of Adams’ partnership with Scotts lawn care products to push for youth access to natural turf pitches. Adams, who started as a center forward pretending to be former Arsenal, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry, recalled taking his earliest steps in soccer in Wappinger.
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“Soccer was introduced to me from my mom. She played in high school. At 3 years old, I always had a ball at my feet,” he said. “I remember walking down to the park where the field is named after me now, playing soccer with friends in my community, or playing basketball and any sport I could get my hands on. My first memory really was in my grandma’s front yard and at the field.”
That little boy has gone on to become a mainstay of the national team when fit and available, even captaining the team in Qatar in 2022. However, since Pochettino became coach, the Argentine has tended to favor defender Tim Ream, who turns 38 in October and now plays for Charlotte FC, for the armband. Pochettino has yet to fully clarify who will captain the USMNT at the World Cup in 2026.
“When I’ve been in camp, it has been Tim. Obviously that’s a role that I’ve previously played and am ready to play whenever needed,” Adams said. “I am again assuming he hasn’t made it necessarily clear who it’s going to be, but if I had to guess, then it would probably be Tim.”
How bold tactics and an old-fashioned kick-off routine made Paris Saint-Germain fast starters
Paris Saint-Germain’s kick-offs explain a lot about their approach to starting matches.
They are the only moments of games where Luis Enrique’s side look old-fashioned — the ball is immediately launched by the taker, who kicks for touch, deep into the final third.
Typically, Vitinha is that player, and ironically it’s one of the few ‘passes’ he does not complete all match. Come the resulting throw-in, PSG then squeeze up and press.
Here they are executing the ploy at the beginning of last weekend’s Club World Cup quarter-final win against Bayern Munich.
Teams kicking off like this in prior decades often had an inferiority complex. They did not want the ball in their own half, or to invite opponents onto them early on.
Luis Enrique’s new European champions excel against pressure though, so this is about creating the type of match they like to play. PSG want to press you, they want to dominate territory, they want to wear teams down from minute one, they want a fast start.
Their head coach said earlier in this tournament that they copied the kick-off tactic from fellow French side Lyon. “Teams will figure you out. In football, there’s no magic wand,” Luis Enrique explained. “You’ve got to keep switching things up and evolving.”
And evolve they have done.
A team with a deserved reputation these days for fast starts, PSG were a relatively poor first-half team for the opening 18 months of the Spaniard’s tenure. They did not score in the opening 45 minutes of 13 of his first 19 Champions League games in charge. That spans from matchday one of the 2023-24 group stage — a tournament where PSG went on to reach the semi-finals — up to and including the 4-2 comeback defeat of Manchester City in the league phase in January.
Since that win against City, across a combined 17 Champions League and Club World Cup fixtures, PSG have scored the opening goal inside 20 minutes on nine occasions.
They start fast more often than they don’t.
Ousmane Dembele celebrates putting PSG two up against Real Madrid after just nine minutes (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
PSG turned two cup finals into processions in the space of seven days in May. They hit Reims twice in three minutes to be two goals up in the Coupe de France final before the clock even hit 20 minutes — it was 3-0 by half-time.
Then, in the Champions League showpiece against Italy’s Inter, right-back Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring on 12 minutes and Desire Doue doubled the lead eight minutes later.
“These sorts of games can change drastically after the first goal. I have experienced that,” Luis Enrique had told reporters pre-match on the latter occasion. He was perhaps not expecting a start that good and knew how rarely Inter went behind.
PSG winning that Champions League final — by a record scoreline — after taking control early was fitting, because it continued a trend from the competition’s knockout rounds. They scored with their opening shot of the semi-final’s first leg away to Arsenal, with their first two in the quarter-final decider at Aston Villa and with their third chance of the round of 16 return against Liverpool at Anfield.
They were the 2024-25 Champions League’s best team in the opening half-hour of matches, scoring 13 times and only conceding twice, with six of their goals coming inside 15 minutes.
Luis Enrique’s side have been even more relentless in the Club World Cup.
They cracked Inter Miami open within six minutes of their round of 16 tie kicking off and were 4-0 up by half-time. Against Real Madrid in the semi-finals, PSG ran out 4-0 winners and were three up by 24 minutes, the earliest they have been winning by such a margin since April 2018.
They treat late-phase knockout games just like they would treat any other fixture.
PSG’s first goal kick against Madrid goes short, as they try to get out with a combination down the sides. A one-two between Achraf Hakimi and Joao Neves nearly sticks, only for the right-back to miscontrol the return pass.
Successive, stylish backheel passes by Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe then find Gonzalo Garcia behind the PSG midfield, with only the two centre-backs between him and Donnarumma.
The speed with which PSG recover their shape is exceptional.
Inside four seconds, they have seven outfielders behind the ball, prompting Vinicus Junior to pass wide after striker Garcia lays the ball off to him. Left-winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is doing his defensive duties, tracking Federico Valverde’s overlapping run.
Two smart PSG blocks shut down any promise of a proper Madrid opening.
First, Kvaratskhelia blocks Arda Guler’s cross. Then, when the ball ricochets across to Aurelien Tchouameni, Ousmane Dembele arrives quickly to get in the way of his shot.
At Madrid’s first goal kick, they press man-to-man.
Doue, the right-winger, slides round to help No 9 Dembele harry the centre-backs and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. This means Hakimi has to commit to a full-back-to-full-back press on Fran Garcia.
The risk with that is not having an extra player advantage against Mbappe and Vinicius Jr on halfway, who obviously have plenty of speed and space to exploit.
A reverse angle of Dembele primed to press in the first half of the Champions League final has become popular on social media in recent weeks for how intensely he is staring at Inter ’keeper Yann Sommer.
Through such an ultra-aggressive out-of-possession approach, PSG regain the ball quicker and can spend more time grinding opponents down.
“If you want to spend more time attacking, you have to recover the ball if you lose it,” Neves told The Athletic in April. “In those five to 10 seconds when you lose the ball, you have to give 100, 120 per cent, because it’s the best way to attack again.”
Here, four minutes in against Madrid, is the perfect example.
Dembele has dropped deeper as PSG work a wide triangle. Note the start position of their left-back Nuno Mendes, with this move becoming one full-back setting up another. Doue is the link to unlock Madrid’s defence. He receives Dembele’s forward pass and backheels it between centre-half Antonio Rudiger and left-back Garcia, releasing Hakimi.
Hakimi’s low cutback picks out Mendes on the edge of the six-yard box, but Courtois saves the big chance with his feet.
This is a team stacked with quality ball carriers and transition players who thrive when given time, space and overloads to attack you with. PSG had the most fast break shots (29) and goals (six) in this season’s Champions League, not least because they were in a position to choose when to sit off opponents or press them.
Beware, then, Chelsea and their coach Enzo Marseca. If the cliched expectation is for a cagey final on Sunday, they could be in for an almighty shock.
At the very least, don’t let PSG win the coin toss.
The Us held on for dear life and found a way to squeeze past the 106th ranked team in the World Guatemala to advance to their 13th Gold Cup Final where they will face Mexico a 2-0 winner over Honduras. The American’s dominated early behind 2 spectacular goals What a Goal by Diego Luna before slipping into a into the worse 50 minutes I have seen a US men’s team play in 20 years Hilights. Our “Coach” Poch continues to show what a horrific national team manager he is as – as his team was ridiculously dominated by team many US college teams could beat. NO IDEA what this guy is doing – but he’s not doing it right. We don’t look balanced in attack or defense or transition. We have no plan – the players are just running around the field – with no idea what they are doing. He subs late – and when he does his subs do NOTHING. I keep hearing the guys are close and feeling like a team – well they sure as heck don’t play like it.
Now the games have been exciting the US beating NO ONE on the way to the finals – struggling to beat CONCACAF teams – none of which is ranked in the top 60 in the World. Lets be Real – Mexico is going to kill us – 3-1 at best for the US. Our back line continues to show its weakness as our 3rd string left and right backs from MLS continue to show they can’t play defense. Thankfully Centerback Chris Richards (Crystal Palace) & the diminutive former Fulham Capt Tim Ream (37 years old – slow as molases) have played well in the middle. I am still waiting for Capt Tyler Adams to actually make a difference in a game as his partner Sebastian Berhalter has shown he deserves a look for our World Cup next year. The stars have been Diego Luna who at 21 has been our best/most competitive striker. Malik Tilman has also proven he deserves a chance to play with the A team come fall. Honestly those 2 might be competing for the #10 slot at some point. Again not sure why — but Poch decided not to bring in the B squad from Europe and instead is going with the young MLS players who honestly simply can’t play at the World Cup level. I do think he may have found a new Goalkeeper in Matt Freeze, especially if Matt Turner can’t get starter minutes in Europe. Otherwise we came in with 3 starters in Chris Richards/Tyler Adams & Matt Turner. We leave with Tilman, Luna and perhaps Luca de la Torre, Patrick Agyemang, & Jack McGlynn in the mix. If they can find a way to actually beat the only top 50 team we have played in this Gold Cup – Mexico on Sunday – I may change my tune. But the 3-1 loss we are about to get will continue to keep me in the FIRE POCH camp.
USMNT GOLD CUP DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals):
Unlike our men – our only real US Coach – Emma Hayes continues to show what a master she is. She continues to roll in new young players while our European Contingent has the summer off. Still the US dominated Canada 3-0 (Highlights) with the new young players like Alyssa Thompson and Michelle Cooper showing their mettle. Again we are the #1 team in the World – NO QUESTIONS asked. Probably why the US ladies continue to sell out every stadium they play in. Go USA! (Stories below)
The World Club Cup is Coming Down to Crunch Time this Weekend Semis Sat/Sun
So again I have to admit I have watched more of these than I thought I would – even watching in Spanish sometimes when the games are not in english (Chelsea 2 vs Palmeiras 1 Fri) yes the same Palmeiras that is hosting Carmel FC’s Summer Camp – (see below). Exciting games coming Sat – heck I am headed down to Atlanta for Bayern vs PSG on Saturday at noon on TNT and my buddy Oscar is headed to NJ for Real Madrid vs Dortmund at 4 pm on Uni/TNT.
Women’s European Championships Continue on Fox
The Women’s Euro’s have been enjoyable so far. Some really good games this weekend as France plays England Sat after Netherlands vs Wales. Read all about below and see the full game schedule.
CARMEL FC & PALMEIRAS CAMP Palmeiras Soccer Camps for players aims to let all participants develop their full technical, tactical and physical potential no matter their skill level. Day by day they will learn to enhance their strengths and will be stimulated to understand their own weaknesses. Players participating will be coached by Palmeiras Professional Coaches and may be invited to join Palmeiras Academy in Brazil for tryout. Register now! Camp dates: July 21-25 Ages: 7-16 Location: Carmel Clay Community Soccer Complex, Home of Carmel FC: Price: $295REGISTER
Such sad the news that Liverpool foward Diogo Jotta died in a car accident. Jota Video
TV GAME SCHEDULE
GC=Gold Cup, WCC = World Club Cup in US WE -Women’s Euros
Fri, July 4th 12 noon FS1 Denmark vs Sweden WE 3 pm Fox Germany vs Poland WE 3 pm TNT, Unimas Fluminense vs Al Hilal WCC 7:30 pm FS1 Dallas vs Minn MLS 9 pm TNT Chelseas vs Palmeiras WCC 10:30 pm Apple LA Galaxy vs Vancouver MLS Sat, July 5th 12 noon FS1 Wales vs Netherlands W Euros 12 noon TNT PSG vs Bayern Munich WCC 3 pm Fox France vs England WE 4 pm TNT Real Madrid vs Borrusia Dortmund WCC 7 pm FS1 Charlotte vs Orlando MLS 7:30 pm TV 8 Indy 11 vs Hometown Heros 8:30 pm Apple Free Austin City vs LAFC MLS Sun, July 6th 12 noon FS1 Norway vs Finland W Euros 3 pm FS1 Switzerland vs Iceland WE 5 pm Apple free Seattle Sounders vs Columbus Crew MLS 7 pm FOX USA Men vs Mexico GOLD CUP FINAL
Mon, July 7 th 12 noon FS1 Spain vs Belgium W Euros 3 pm Fox Portugal vs Italy WE Tues, July 8th 12 noon FS1 Germany vs Denmark W Euros Wed, July 9 12 noon FS1 England vs Netherland W Euros 3 pm Fox France vs Wales WE 3 pm TBS Fifa WCC Semis 7 pm CBSSN Philly Union vs NYRB MLS
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The good news: Our young, raw, shorthanded squad made it to Sunday’s final in Houston. The bad news: Barely. In surreally hostile conditions on home turf in St. Louis, the United States were dominated for long spells by 106th in the world Guatemala. The experience of witnessing the game was akin to watching a rom-com movie suddenly pivot into a slasher flick. We held on, and Mexico now await. Poch’s young charges are on a CONCACAFFY hero’s journey, taking their lumps, learning their lessons, and holding on. They will become all the stronger for this experience. The question of how good we are still lingers, and, considering the “deep down in the depth chart” quality of most of these players, whether much of it matters.
Two goals inside 15 minutes, the first a delicious finish after demonstrating sharper spidey ball awareness than all those around him, the second a must-watch moment of pure, uncorked, delirious skill. Clint Dempsey has said to us, all tournament long, that our young players have a World Cup squad place in their hands, with nothing to lose. All he wanted was for one to step up and grab the chance without fear – to take on opponents and refuse to be ignored. Alongside Malik Tillman, Diego Luna has been that player. The 21-year-old from Sunnyvale, Calif. now has three goals and two assists across five matches. Poch said post-game, “[His] attitude, hunger, desire, everything, and then for sure, the talent will appear. But that is what we expect from our athletes, that’s what we want.”
I loved Luna’s own quote post game: “The game is 90 minutes of hundreds of moments, and you’ve got to execute on each one.” That is his attitude. I chatted with Diego in Austin the night before the Saudi game. I asked him what he feels like when he takes possession. He told me he tries to tell himself to just have fun, like he did as a kid playing in the park in San Jose. It reminded me of something Clint says on The Deuce, “You got to be serious about having fun.” That is what Diego Luna is doing this summer.
Let the debates begin about whether he should now be an A-Team starter, a spark plug off the bench, or as Simon Evans suggested, Poch should unleash all his toys.
How Did 106th in the World Guatemala Then Seize the Game by the Throat and Start to Overwhelm Us?
First of all — THEIR FANS ARE AMAZING. The game might have been in St. Louis, but that sold-out stadium felt like it was in Guatemala City. What a fanbase. John Strong said the terraces were “90% Guatemalan fans.” I am not Guatemalan, but when their national anthem rang out pre-game, I found the noise, and joy, and pride emanating around the stadium to be immensely moving. Let’s never use the complaint that tickets are too expensive for this tournament again – because the Guatemala fans showed out.
The Guatemalan players fed off the fan energy and simply overwhelmed us, relentlessly pressing the U.S. backline into mistakes that against a sharper team would have been punished. Before the U.S. scored their second, Poch’s boys had 70% possession. After it, we had just 40%. We were outshot 20-12. The noise once Guatemala scored was an epic moment. The last 10 minutes were an agony as the U.S. could not hold onto the ball going forward. Clint said, if the game went on for five more minutes, the outcome could have been so different. I have to salute the gutsy Los Chapines and their Mexican coach, Luis Fernando Tena. That fan base deserves all the joy. They are a glimpse of the passion and competitive fire which can make the Gold Cup grow and grow in the future. May a first-ever World Cup qualification be their solace.
So How Good Are We?
It is impossible to say. The quality of our line-up is between B and C string. The opponents we are facing are, despite their admirably ferocious CONCACAF mentalities, so far from true footballing challenges, the likes of which we would meet in the knockout round of the World Cup. Right now, we are to football what Jake Paul is to boxing.
This young squad are on a journey. What matters are the lessons they are learning along the way together. They have made the final. A Gold Cup trophy would be lovely but the optics of it are what will be important for Poch. A symbol of forward momentum and the ability to deliver a simple message to the players who did not report: “We won without you. We achieved this with a fighting culture and a willingness to struggle. This is what you now have to fit into if you want to be part of this World Cup.”
That is what Poch is attempting: An act of cultural transformation, from complacency to collective audacity. This is all that matters.
Bring on Mexico
The eighth time we dance against our arch rivals in the final (7 p.m. ET, FOX/FOX Sports). Javier Aguirre’s side outlasted a feisty Honduras 1-0 thanks to this Raúl Jiménez goal. The assist was from 16-year-old Gilberto Mora who is 459 DAYS YOUNGER than Lamine Yamal. Mexico are struggling to create in a similar way to us, but they have not allowed a goal in 383 minutes. Indeed, goalkeeper Luis Malagón has had to make only one save in the last three games. More on them here from our friends at Give N Go. One thing is sure: NRG Stadium in Houston is going to feel like the Azteca. I cannot wait. Much more on Mexico below.
Whatever happens, come and join Clint and me postgame live on YouTube and chop it up with The Deuce.
I would love to hear from you all. Let me know how you think it is going to go. Email me at meninblazers@gmail.com
Clint Dempsey on Diego Luna’s breakout performance“He was on fire tonight, man, and he’s shown that he’s a guy that can be counted on, the way that he took that first touch off the deflection off the goalie, moving it to his left side, calm-as-you-like finish. And the way he rolled the ball to do a scissor and then just pushed it in with his right foot for the second. He was the bright spot of the game, not only the two goals, but just the way he played throughout. He was dangerous.”USMNT Only@usmntonlyDIEGO LUNA AGAIN OMFG 11:23 PM • Jul 2, 2025 4.8K Likes 313 Retweets 79 Replies“I think the key for him (Luna) is not to get too high during these big moments that he’s having right now, in terms of the brace that he had tonight. He’s continuing to try to build on that and to try to be more consistent in bringing a certain type of level, every game, but he’s someone that’s growing in front of our eyes. He’s still raw, but I’m excited about seeing what will come of him and he’s just got to keep his head on straight and keep grinding and keep doing what he’s been doing.”Clint Dempsey on the U.S. struggles after grabbing the early lead“It was a tough watch after 20 minutes. It looked like we were leaking oil and, if the game would have gone on a little bit longer, maybe they would have got the equalizer. But hey, we talked about it: 2-0 is the most dangerous lead in the game, especially when you feel like you’re playing away from home with a 90% Guatemalan crowd. Still though, the U.S. got it done.”Clint Dempsey on what it’s like playing on home turf, but in an environment that feels like an away game“All you ever want to do is represent your country and play in big games, and then you wanna play in packed stadiums. And yeah, you wish it was more so the stadium was packed for you, but it’s like… you got to find it, you got to fuel your fire, right? You gotta motivate yourself to, hey, let’s quiet the crowd. We’re in America, we got to let them know this is our home. And that’s how we came out and that’s how we approached it in the first 20 minutes, before we kind of let the game slip away from us. But credit to them, man – coming out, packing the stadium, making memories.”Clint Dempsey on Pochettino potentially playing Diego Luna and Christian Pulisic together “The thing with Luna is, can he be more consistent? He’s definitely upped his goal production in MLS and he’s building into the player that he wants to be because of that confidence that he’s got now of being able to score in these big moments and step up and create that energy. You want game changers and people that can create, and those two players are definitely creating, but Luna still has a way to go to get to the levels of Christian.”Clint Dempsey on the importance of reaching the Gold Cup final“We needed them to get to the final and be in a position to try to turn things around as we build towards the World Cup. And gradually, it’s happening, but you can see that it’s starting to shift and you’re starting to see some players step up– like Luna, like Tillman, like Richards–that are pushing to get into our best starting XI.”Clint Dempsey on the three USMNT players who’ve set themselves apart at this tournament“Agyemang is still raw and has some work, but he had a part to play in one of the goals tonight in terms of hold-up play with Tillman, but Luna, bro, he’s right there with Tillman and Chris Richards. Those are the three guys that are really knocking on the door to break into the starting lineup.”Clint Dempsey on the Premier League team he almost joined“For sure, it was between Everton and Fulham – they were the ones that put in the bids. MLS accepted Fulham’s because it was the most and so it was kind of out of my hands. But at the end of the day, I’m happy I got to go to Fulham and had a great time there.”
Watch the full episode to get all of Clint’s thoughts on the USMNT’s win against Guatemala, and make sure to follow The Deuce on TikTok and YouTube for even more Texas-infused insight.
Hello, Viejo Amigo We’ve seen this movie many times before, so it isn’t surprising that the USMNT’s pickup squad of MLS prospects, relative unknowns and the odd veteran are meeting the CONCACAF Gold Cup’s most successful-ever team, Mexico, in this year’s final. Since its 1991 inception, these two have collided seven times at this tournament’s apex, with Mexico winning five of those matches and the U.S. twice, both with just a one-goal margin. There’ve been 17 Gold Cups and the 2025 finalists hold 16 between them. Although El Tri boasts nine of those dubs, over recent years, the power balance between the two nations has started to level out. Mexico are 17th in FIFA’s rankings and with the USMNT a narrow place ahead in 16th, their talent pool now spills across European leagues more prominently than ever before. But unlike the U.S., Mexico’s box office names are pretty much all here and accounted for, and in their 1-0 win over Honduras in the semi-final, Fulham’s Raúl Jiménez was decisive with his finish; although he’s 34, his mission to become his country’s all-time top goalscorer is on course.Mexico’s current formation doesn’t really allow for his deputy, AC Milan’s Santiago Giménez, to earn a regular starting place in the side, but that’s the sort of heavy-attacking artillery that this specific USMNT squad do not have in reserve. Along with the captain, West Ham’s all-action center midfielder, Edson Álvarez, and 16-year-old Gilberto Mora,who assisted Jiménez with his goal yesterday, there is a lot that Poch knows he needs to be wary of. Oh, and lest we forget, mythical 39-year-old goalkeeper, Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa, fiery as ever, albeit now as a backup on the bench, where his main-character energy still somehow permits him to receive yellow cards, despite not playing a minute of football yesterday. Listen to Ochoa’s recent conversation with Herc Gomez on VAMOS to get ready for Sunday night’s clash.
Can Gold Cup final be USMNT’s first good win under Pochettino?
Ryan O’Hanlon ESPN Jul 4, 2025, 07:47 AM ET
Think back to a little over a month ago. Before the ChatGPT screenshots. Before the feuds. Before the say-it-to-my-face provocations. Before U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino told us, “I am not a mannequin.” Before Christian Pulisic played golf at the wrong time. Before the embarrassing loss to Switzerland.
Now that you’ve occupied that headspace, imagine if I told you that the U.S. men’s national team would go undefeated through the first five games of the Gold Cup. The USMNT would get a pair of breakout performances from Diego Luna and Malik Tillman. And would get a date in the final against Mexico.
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You’d be pretty happy with that, wouldn’t you?
And by and large, many USMNT fans and watchers are pretty happy. The team hasn’t lost yet. It has overcome some adversity. Luna has become a cult hero. And Tillman is about to join Bayer Leverkusen for a transfer fee of around $40 million. Given that most of the team’s first-choice players are not on the roster, it has been a successful summer.
There’s one thing missing — from this summer and the Pochettino era, at large: The team hasn’t played a good game yet.
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Diego Luna, USMNT’s Gold Cup hero, is ready to take on Mexico in final 21hJeff Carlisle It has been 15 matches since Pochettino took over, and we still haven’t seen the USMNT outplay decent, competitive opposition in a systematic, repeatable way. The U.S. has taken advantage of mistakes against bad teams, struggled to score against defensive sides, fallen apart against talented opponents and hung on against national teams that might not qualify for the next World Cup.
Sunday’s final — against Mexico, in front of what could be a partisan Mexico crowd at Houston’s NRG Stadium — will be the toughest game of Pochettino’s fledgling tenure. It’ll be the final time the U.S. plays a competitive match before the World Cup. It’ll also be Pochettino’s last chance to show that his team might be headed in the right direction.
How does Pochettino stack up with his USMNT predecessors? Since 2013, the USMNT has played 60 tournament games in Concacaf across the Nations League and Gold Cup. This isn’t a perfect baseline, given the drastically different opponent quality game to game, but it’s a nice way of presenting the average expectation for a Gold Cup or Nations League match.
In these games, per Stats Perform data, the USMNT averages:
2.4 non-penalty goals scored
0.6 goals against
14.7 shots
9.6 shots against
61.6% of all final-third possession
28.9 touches in the penalty area
14.6 touches allowed in the penalty area
None of that should be surprising. The U.S. has basically doubled up its opponent in most of the top-level attacking statistics: goals, final-third possession and penalty-area touches. This is expected from a country that has been one of the two dominant powers in the region over the past 30 years.
Here, though, are the same numbers for the USMNT in Pochettino’s nine games in charge across the two competitions:
2.0 non-penalty goals scored
0.9 goals against
12.6 shots
8.0 shots against
63.7% of all final-third possession
24.7 touches in the penalty area
15.1 touches allowed in the penalty area
This, roughly, paints the tactical picture of the USMNT under Pochettino, thus far. The team is controlling more of the territory than the USMNT had in the past, but that’s not leading to better outcomes or outputs. The U.S. is generating fewer goals, shots and penalty-area touches from the increased final-third dominance, but it is also allowing more penalty-area touches and goals despite the final-third dominance.
Of course, some of that could be randomness. Perhaps this newfound level of territorial control is creating a more sound process — but the bounces just aren’t going the USMNT’s way. That’s possible across a nine-match sample. But that hasn’t been the case. Across the same 60-match span of games, the USMNT has created 2.0 non-penalty expected goals per game and allowed 0.7. Under Pochettino, the defense has been right at that 0.7 average, but the offensive production has dipped to 1.5 xG created per game. This happened in each of the USMNT’s past two matches. Against Costa Rica, the only chance the U.S. created worth more than 0.15 xG was Malik Tillman’s missed penalty. The totals below include the penalties for each team, but even with a lopsided shot count in the USMNT’s favor, the overall chance quality was roughly even. This game went to a penalty kick shootout, and deservedly so. Orange dots are goals, purple dots are shots, and the bigger dots mean higher xG per attempt. Then, after grabbing an early 2-0 lead in the semifinals, the U.S. hung on. Conceding 20 shots to Argentina or Spain is one thing, but this was against Guatemala. Transfermarkt estimates the transfer value of Guatemala’s Gold Cup squad to be one-fifth of what Bayer Leverkusen will pay to acquire Tillman. Put another way, the average player on the USMNT squad this summer carries an estimated transfer value of about €7 million. Added together, Guatemala’s entire squad comes out to €8.3 million. Why the Gold Cup final against Mexico means everything, and nothing I’m not sure you need advanced stats to understand this. Across two matches against Costa Rica and Guatemala, the USMNT scored four goals and conceded three. Costa Rica ranks 46th in the World Football Elo ratings, while Guatemala ranks 75th. Even wi h a U.S. B-team, you’d expect some more comfortable results.Mexico, meanwhile, is 22nd. So, Sunday’s match presents a first and last for Pochettino: the last chance to win something before the World Cup, but the first time he has coached the team in a game it is not expected to win. Due to the USMNT’s depleted roster and what’s expected to be a pro-Mexican crowd in Texas, El Tri are very slight favorites. Per the implied odds from ESPN BET, Mexico has a 52% chance of lifting the trophy. Strangely, it feels like everything and nothing hinges on Sunday’s game. Nothing matters because this isn’t the team Pochettino will take to the World Cup. Plus, a lot can and will change between now and next summer — and most of it will have nothing to do with decisions made by anyone in a U.S. Soccer shirt, either. But there are so few games in international soccer that we have no choice but to give each game an outsized amount of weight. Every successive match is another bit of imperfect information about the quality of the team. That’s how a rating system will view it, too. Per the Elo ratings, the USMNT had a rating of 1738 and a ranking of 37th when Pochettino took over. Currently, it has a rating of 1727 and a ranking of 40. Teams win and lose points every time they play a game, based on the result, quality of the opponent and level of the competition. So, if the USMNT wins Sunday, it’ll make progress under its new coach. If the team loses, it’ll take a step backward. And if the match ends in a draw (and goes to penalties), the U.S. will stay where it is now: not significantly better or worse than where it was before.
Lifting Gold Cup against Mexico can give Pochettino’s USMNT the belief he craves
ST. LOUIS — As the realities faded from what this summer was supposed to be into what it was going to be, the goal of the tournament for the United States men’s national team never truly shifted.The Gold Cup was meant to be the month when Mauricio Pochettino and his staff finally got some time with the group that they would lead into next year’s home World Cup. But the FIFA Club World Cup, injuries and Christian Pulisic’s decision to request the summer off meant the U.S. went into the tournament without many of its regulars. That shifted expectations, at least on the outside. Internally, the group still believed the goal was singular: to win a trophy.On Sunday night in Houston, a group of players who have used this summer to try to force their way into the World Cup picture will get that chance against rivals Mexico. After two ugly friendly losses to start the summer, the U.S. can end it with a continental title. To do so, they’ll have to beat the best team they will have seen being beaten by Turkey and Switzerland.It felt, after those two friendly losses, that Pochettino’s desire to send a message to the wider national team pool was going to be a lost cause. But the U.S. squad’s ability to grind out results — albeit against Saudi Arabia, Haiti, Costa Rica and Guatemala — has given Pochettino enough of what he was looking for from the group. He wanted grittiness. He asked for more fight. It has not always been pretty, but this team has given him that foundational baseline.Beating Mexico would only reinforce the message that heart, desire and fight can be a differentiator. After the 2-1 win against Guatemala on Wednesday night in the semifinal, Pochettino’s press conference turned into somewhat of an assessment of footballing culture in countries such as Argentina, where he’s from, and how it compares to the States. Pochettino came away impressed by a highly partisan Guatemalan crowd. It felt like an 85-15 tilt toward the Chapines in the heartland of America. For fans of the sport in this country, it’s not a new phenomenon. But Pochettino has been coaching this U.S. team for less than a year. He’s still experiencing these things for the first time.Guatemala was playing in a Gold Cup semifinal for the first time since 1996 and just the second time ever. That made it a must-attend event for their fans, who came from around the country to rally behind a team that had shown real character over the course of the tournament. The scene around the stadium all day on Wednesday was a celebratory one. Blue-and-white clad fans were out eight hours before kickoff, grilling and partying. When the national anthem started a few minutes before kickoff, the stadium vibrated with the voices of Guatemalan fans singing proudly.“I loved it,” U.S. winger Diego Luna told reporters after the game. “It was awesome, man. That’s what every game should be like. The Guatemalans should be very proud of the fans that they have and the energy they bring. It’s badass.”
Diego Luna has been one of the USMNT’s biggest recent bright spots. (Jeff Le/Getty Images)
Pochettino loved it, too.“That is football,” Pochettino told reporters after the game. “When we say the connection between the fans and the team, that is the connection that we would like to see in the World Cup. That connection that makes you fly. Because the energy translates.“Today, do you think that was a sport, two teams playing, and doing a spectacle? No, you play for something more. You play for emotion. You play to be happy, be sad.“I saw players of Guatemala crying. I said, ‘Congratulations, because you are in a good way.’ That is the way that we need to feel. And our fans need to feel the same. Things happen because you play for your pride, you play for many, many things. But this is good for our players. Because when we talk about culture, that is culture. To see Guatemala’s team, how it fights, how it comes here and how the fans behave. That is an important thing that we need to learn here in this country.“But I am not here to tell you that we need to do this or that. Only that sometimes, we talk about culture… I come from Argentina. And Argentina is not the same, win or lose. The consequences are massive.”
Mauricio Pochettino has cause for cheer after the USMNT’s recent turnaround. (Bill Barrett / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
It was less a critique of American soccer culture and more an acknowledgement of the reality when we talk about the growth of this sport. The 1994 World Cup helped to establish soccer as a legitimate sport in the U.S. It launched a professional league. Thirty-two years later, that culture is still growing. As the team has struggled recently, the support has understandably waned. Since the Copa América exit last summer (and at times before it), the U.S. has played in front of relatively empty stadiums and now in a hostile home environment. Pochettino yearned for the World Cup stage where, in all likelihood, it will be a large pro-American crowd urging the team on — just as it was during home qualifiers in the 2022 cycle.
More importantly, though, Pochettino wanted to break off the intensity of the night to inject into the group. He wanted that live-or-die feeling to exist within his team the way he felt it had for Guatemala on a night when its supporters were just as much a part of the result as any Guatemalan player on the field.Pochettino returned to the idea later in an answer, this time in Spanish. This time, he spoke to his own emotion and attachment to the game. “I have a lot of respect for this sport, it gave me everything,” Pochettino said. “That gave me the possibility to achieve the dreams of a little kid who was in the middle of the field in Murphy, Argentina. If it hadn’t been for this sport, for soccer, I wouldn’t be able to achieve everything I’ve achieved.“That’s why I have the utmost respect for Guatemala and the game. I can answer that it was incredible, how the Guatemalan fans lifted the team and gave them energy. And the truth is, it was important, too, for us to play in an environment like this, even if it’s here in St. Louis, to be in a hostile environment with constant noise every time Guatemala took the ball from any position on the field.“That added stress also means we learn to compete better and behave differently from a sporting perspective. And that’s something for this young group, with some experienced players, that will be very useful for the future.” It will be beneficial in the immediate term, for sure. The U.S. will likely face a similarly biased crowd against Mexico in Houston. Their experience against Guatemala can instantly be applied to a bigger stage.
Mexico, led by star striker Raul Jimenez, will go into the Gold Cup final as favorite. (Shaun Clark / Getty Images)
“This game tonight would be like the little brother to the U.S.-Mexico game,” U.S. center back Chris Richards said. “If they were a bit nervous for that one, the next one is going to be a lot bigger. It was really important for some of the younger guys to experience that.”Beating Mexico in the final can be a validating moment, just as it was at the 2021 Gold Cup, when a squad that was similarly missing several top players won a trophy a few months after the full-strength squad had beaten El Tri in the Nations League. That win added to the culture and belief within the program. And several players from that group ended up making the World Cup team a year later. That should provide plenty of motivation for this group, too. If Pochettino wanted to use this summer to create a bonding moment — within the team, between the staff and the team, and the team with its fan base — a title can help accomplish all those things. The task after that will be to carry it forward into the next phase of preparation for the World Cup.But first, Mexico awaits. (Top photo: John Dorton / ISI Photos /USSF / Getty Images)
Tim Ream: ‘Shame’ on USMNT critics as Luna goals set up Mexico final
ST. LOUIS — After what felt like the entire stadium sang Guatemala’s national anthem, and as the Chapines fans roared, U.S. men’s national team defender Tim Ream gathered his young teammates around him in a pregame huddle.“Just take a breath,” Ream told them. “Listen to what we’re doing. Look at what we’re doing. Embrace what we are doing. And enjoy it.”Not every minute of the U.S.’s 2-1 win over Guatemala at Energizer Park was enjoyable. The U.S. had to survive the final 10 minutes, when their lead got cut in half as their opponent fed off of a blue-and-white partisan crowd. But, they did hold up and pull through. And the U.S. team is now headed to the Concacaf Gold Cup final, where they will meet rivals Mexico in front of what will no doubt be another unfriendly crowd.The experience of Wednesday night will go a long way toward helping them navigate what, for many of these players, will be the biggest stage they have played on.“We’re on to a final, a final that I’d say a month ago, everyone basically counted us out of,” Ream said. “Shame on them. So, for us, it’s like: great, amazing. It’s knockout football. You find a way to win. You find a way to grind it out. You find a way to do it. And why shouldn’t we be happy to go on to a final and play for a trophy? That’s why we play this game, to play in front of crowds like that and play for trophies.”
Guatemala fans dominated the crowd for the Gold Cup semifinal. (Jeff Le / Getty Images)
The U.S. was able to take the juice out of the crowd early. Diego Luna’s fourth-minute goal sucked away some of the pregame energy. His second goal, 11 minutes later, allowed the U.S. to seize the game for the first half hour.Guatemala started to find more of the game as it went on. The U.S. sat a bit deeper in the second half, content to defend and deny good chances, protecting the two-goal lead. But that allowed the Guatemalan fans to urge their team on.Missed opportunities for a third goal extended the hope. And that turned Guatemala’s 80th-minute goal into a massively threatening moment. Guatemala had the momentum. They had what was essentially a home crowd providing them energy.“I think we need to hold the ball more, be better on the ball in those moments under pressure,” Luna said. “It’s new for a lot of guys to play in environments like this. I think just being better under pressure and in moments like that — and that’s something we can build off. This is a great example for what’s to come, probably, on Sunday (in the final).”Pochettino made some interesting substitutions in the second half, inserting John Tolkin as a left wing-back and Max Arfsten sliding more into a center-back role. Jack McGlynn, not exactly known for his defending, was summoned for Tyler Adams.Pochettino defended both changes at his postgame press conference, saying he was protecting Adams, who had some issues with his hamstring against Costa Rica, and taking off Luca de la Torre, who had a yellow card. After Guatemala’s goal, Walker Zimmerman was summoned for Arfsten to stabilize the back line.From that point, it was survive and advance, as the U.S. pushed back against wave after wave of Guatemala throwing everything forward.“As much as everyone wants to dominate games for 75 to 90 minutes, you can’t anymore,” Ream said. “There’s always going to be moments in games that the other team has a little bit of a spark and a jump. Obviously, with the number of their fans, they get more, and that’s OK. We just have to figure out how to weather that storm. It, of course, spurred them on to push and fight. They had nothing else to lose, right?”
Diego Luna got the United States off to a quick start. (Jeff Le / Getty Images)
Pochettino used questions about Guatemala as an entry point to talk about the culture of the sport and how he wants to see its culture evolve in the U.S.“Do you think that was a sport, two teams playing, and doing a spectacle? No, you play for something more,” Pochettino said. “You play for emotion. You play to be happy, be sad. I saw players of Guatemala crying. I said, ‘Congratulations, because you are in a good way.’ That is the way that we need to feel. And our fans need to feel the same.“It’s not to come here to enjoy the spectacle, and if you lose, nothing happens. Yes, (a lot) happens. Things happen because you play for your pride, you play for many, many things. … But I think this is good for our players. Because when we talk about culture, that is culture. To see (Guatemala’s) team, how (it) fights, how (it) comes here and how the fans behave. That is an important thing that we need to learn here in this country.“But I am not (here) to tell (you) that we need to do this or that. Only that sometimes, we talk about culture. … But I come from Argentina. And Argentina is not the same, win or lose. The consequences are massive.”This summer, so far, the U.S. has been winning. Next up will be a final against Mexico. Pochettino will again see a partisan crowd, with Houston’s NRG Stadium likely to be pro-Mexican for the championship match.After an early exit from the Copa América and two losses in the Nations League in March, a win over Mexico in a final would go a long way toward convincing more fans ahead of the World Cup.“None of it’s going to happen unless we continue to win,” Ream said. “And, for us, what’s the hallmark of a U.S. team? Fighting.“Togetherness. And that’s what we’re finding and doing in this tournament. It’s not always going to be perfect. It’s not always going to be pretty. But doing that kind of fosters that connection with the fans, with the diehards, with the casuals, with everybody. And as long as we continue to do that, then that culture grows, the feelings grow and the connections grow.”(Top photo: Bill Barrett / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
USWNT revives set piece dominance with 3-0 win over continental rival Canada
The third and final match for the U.S. women’s national team in its busy window, and arguably its toughest test against continental opponent Canada, ended with its third consecutive victory. The USWNT sealed a 3-0 victory at Audi Field in Washington in front of a sold-out crowd Wednesday evening.Goals from midfielders Sam Coffey and Claire Hutton opened the scoring in the first half; both were results of set pieces delivered by the third midfielder in their lineup, Rose Lavelle. Second-half substitutes Yazmeen Ryan and Tara McKeown combined to bring the U.S. up to three.Coffey’s 17th-minute goal was her third in the last five games for the U.S., and Hutton’s, a head nod off a corner kick in the 36th minute, was her first for the U.S. senior team.Fifty-three minutes later, McKeown, who was very much at home in Audi Field where she plays for the Washington Spirit, carried the ball confidently forward before releasing it to Ryan. After wresting herself from pressure near the top of the penalty box, Ryan unleashed a left-footed shot past Canadian goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, the final blow to the Canadians, who are ranked eighth in the world.
U.S. forward Yazmeen Ryan celebrates scoring during the second half against Canada. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
The U.S. victory caps off two 4-0 wins against the Republic of Ireland in Commerce City, Colo., and Cincinnati last Thursday and Sunday, respectively. Across the three fixtures, the USWNT scored 11 goals and conceded none, all while head coach Emma Hayes has employed a heavy rotation of players throughout this international window. The team’s starting XI for its second meeting with Ireland was a completely different lineup from the first.The lineup for Tuesday’s match against Canada, however, was nearly identical to last Thursday’s, except for 32-year-old striker Lynn Biyendolo, the most capped forward with 83 appearances, replacing 21-year-old Ally Sentnor.The opening minutes of the match saw the U.S. on the front foot against a Canadian side that was organized and steely and under new head coach and former San Diego Wave manager Casey Stoney. Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey, who earned her second start and second cap, made a critical save against her Seattle Reign teammate Jordyn Huitema to maintain a first-half shutout.As the game wore on and the U.S. tightened its grip, exploiting the flanks with slicing balls through and over the top to wingers Alyssa Thompson and Michelle Cooper, Canada began to crumble. The margins were exacerbated by the sticky D.C. heat; the game kicked off at 7:30 p.m., and temperatures were still in the mid-80s. The humidity made it feel like 90 degrees for the 19,215 in attendance.
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 3, 2025
Hayes continued to make changes in the second half, bringing on Sentnor and forward Emma Sears for Lavelle and Cooper, and Ryan and Sam Meza for Biyendolo and Hutton, respectively. Meza, along with defender Lilly Reale, who started and played the whole game, are two of the three young players called in to this camp from the under-23 group, a move reflecting part of Hayes’ larger project to develop both national teams.Speaking on the TNT broadcast after the game, defender Naomi Girma explained that there had been an “emphasis on second balls” throughout camp and “just being hungry, wanting the ball, and putting it in the back of the net.”Girma, who plays for Chelsea and was the only player based in Europe to report to this camp after Hayes granted the group a summer off following league play, said she was “very happy with” the team’s improvement on set pieces, which had been a noticeably sore spot the past few years.What You Should Read NextHow Emma Hayes is fortifying the pathway from the under-23s to the senior USWNT squadHayes is determined to shrink the gaps she’s identified between age groups within the national team setup — and it seems to be working
“For our growth as a program, we need new players coming in,” she added of Hayes’ approach to developing fresh talent. “I think it’s a great camp.”
Convincing win aside, the United States’ performance was not without its critiques. At halftime, Hutton pointed out on the TNT broadcast that the team looked “a bit messy” at times, and that it needed to play quicker, smarter and score more goals in the second. TNT sideline reporter Melissa Ortiz also relayed early in the second half that there were issues with the midfield rotation and that Reale needed to push up higher.
When asked whether she was surprised by Canada’s performance or the relative ease with which the U.S. managed to maintain their grip on the game, Lavelle said, “It felt like a really good performance that we’ve been working towards. So I think that that’s the standard that we have for ourselves, and now that’s the expectation, that’s where we have to start going forward.”The 30 year old returned to the USWNT following a six and a half month absence as she recovered from an ankle injury. Despite the goal and three assists total that she contributed across the team’s three matches in this window, Lavelle said there are still aspects of her game that she wants to “sharpen up technically.”The next set of USWNT matches for its window in October are yet to be announced, but the trio of victories provided ample studying notes for Hayes as younger and less experienced players made their cases to be included in the core group Hayes wants to identify as the U.S. builds toward the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.(Top photo: Jess Rapfogel / Getty Images)
A Tougher Job Than Anticipated
It does not take long for reality to set in. Less than a year ago, Mauricio Pochettino was giving his first press conference as manager of the United States men’s national team. His eyes twinkled as he allowed his thoughts to wander to the challenges, and maybe even the triumphs, that lay ahead. Pochettino is a great believer in universal energy. He burns incense. He places lemons, strategically, to absorb negativity.
Everything, back then, seemed aligned. Pochettino was full of zest. He talked about winning over the fanbase with “nice football, good football, exciting football, attacking football.” The aesthetic, he said, was “really important.” “We are in the USA, you know,” he told his audience. And in the United States, the inference went, you need to put on a show.
Most of all, though, he wanted to change the “culture” of the national team. That would be difficult, he acknowledged, but he clearly felt it was possible. He wanted a side that fought for each other, that was not content just to take part, to be seen as equals, but that yearned to win. “We need to believe that we can win,” he said. “That we can win all [of the] games. We can win the World Cup.”
Judging a coach by their soundbites is, in truth, a little unfair. Pochettino could not realistically sit there, in front of the gathered news media, and declare that of course the United States could not win the World Cup, that even to mention the possibility was hopelessly naive, that the best the (main) host nation of next year’s tournament could hope for was an uplifting run to the quarterfinals. To do so would be to doom him to failure. And besides, that is not how athletes – or those involved in professional sports – think. To Pochettino, the chance that he might win the World Cup may be infinitesimal, but it is still a chance.
Still, the contrast with the landscape, 10 months on, is stark. Yes, Pochettino has reached the final in his first major tournament as coach of the United States, but he has done so in arguably the least encouraging manner imaginable. A comprehensive opening victory against Trinidad and Tobago aside, the US has sweated through the Gold Cup, beating traditional CONCACAF rival Saudi Arabia, Haiti, and Guatemala, in the semifinals, by a single goal apiece, and edging past Costa Rica on penalties in the quarters.
There are mitigating factors here, admittedly. Pochettino is working with a second, and in some cases third, choice squad. Most of his major stars are not present, absent either through injury or their involvement in the Club World Cup. Christian Pulisic, his most potent weapon, was excluded after asking to be excused from the tournament.
Far more distressing than the performances, though, has been the apathy. The Gold Cup has not exactly captivated the American public. It is tempting to attribute that to the unfamiliarity of the squad – as well as to the distraction of the Club World Cup – but even that feels like kind of a reach; U.S. fans have turned out to watch teams with much less impressive credentials than this one.
By his own measures, Pochettino has failed to deliver. He has not won over his public. His team are not playing especially good soccer. The idea that the United States might win the World Cup is more ridiculous now than it was 10 months ago. If anything, next summer has started to take on a vague air of menace, the sense of fear and inevitability that accompanies an imminent car crash.
Snaring Pochettino was no small coup for U.S. Soccer. He is, without question, an elite coach. He took Tottenham Hotspur to a Champions League final. He was an N’golo Kanté injury away from winning the Premier League. He has coached Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. His résumé is quite a lot better than that of any of his predecessors. It seemed, when he was appointed, as though U.S. Soccer was very much punching above its weight.
It is hard not to wonder, though, if Pochettino might have misunderstood the nature of the task. As another high-profile coach, Thomas Tuchel, is discovering with England at roughly the same time, being an international manager might look a lot like a sinecure: a lavish salary for a couple of months work a year, and free tickets to all the games you want. That is how it is often presented; it is a job, in the eyes of the game as a whole, for old men.
Beneath the surface, it is much more complicated. It not only involves trying to build a culture, and implement a style of play, in maybe a couple of dozen training sessions, spread over a year, but requires a coach to carry with them the hopes and dreams of an entire nation, no matter how distant, how unrealistic they might be. You have to be a talisman and a lightning rod, a salesman and a politician. How well you can organize a pressing system is some way down the list.
Pochettino will know that now, and will have to decide how he reacts. A story emerged in England last week that he had been sounded out as a potential successor to Thomas Frank at Brentford. There have been whispers that, had a slightly more glamorous club come calling, he might have been receptive. The World Cup sits visible, now, on the horizon. This is no time for itchy feet.
It is, instead, time to live his values. The Gold Cup might not have brought the sort of glory Pochettino might have wanted, but it has been a useful learning experience. Not just because this summer has confirmed that the likes of Diego Luna and Jack McGlynn have a role to play next year, once the more established names have returned, but because – as Tim Ream has said – there have been signs of a team that is starting to prove it cannot “be pushed around.” The U.S. has started to bare its teeth.
That is the sort of thing a manager can work with, the sort of environment that returning players can buy into, the green shoots of an emergent culture. It is also a story that can be sold to the public. Pochettino knows, deep down, that is what he needs: not a particular style of play, but a journey that the fans can enjoy. He must rediscover that energy, that confidence that he exuded when he first took the job. He has to let those lemons do their job, absorb the negativity, dissolve the bad vibes. When life gives you lemons, after all, there are things you can make with them.
US Men face Guatemala in Semi Finals Wed 7 pm on Fox/Univision
So the US found a way to defeat an average Costa Rica squad 2-2 (4-3) in Minneapolis Sun night at close to 2 million tuned in to the Gold Cup match in primetime Fox broadcast Highlights. The US will face surprise winner Guatemala who took out Canada and American coach Jesse Marsch in PKs. The US MOM (Man of the Match) was goal keeper Matt Freeze who may just be laying claim to the spot as he grows into this tourney. Matching up against legendary GK Keylor Navas (el Pantera) Freeze saved 3 of the 6 PKs (PK Saves) he faced out lasting Navas who only saved 2. The US showed some grit coming back from a 1-0 deficit before scoring 2 then allowing the equalizer with about 20 to go as good ole Coach Pooch again refused to send in subs when it was WAAAAAY past time to send them in. Another questionable coaching job against a horrific team Woo Hoo! Too bad we don’t get Canada in the next round – as that would have given us real competition for the 1st time in this tourney. Oh well — I see us again making it more difficult than it should be – but a 2-1 victory over frankly a worse Guatemala than the pretty bad Costa Rica we just beat. Still we make it much more exciting than it should be. Hopefully Mexico will beat Honduras so we have to beat at least one top 100 team to win this Gold Cup thing.
USMNT GOLD CUP DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals):
USWNT Face Canada Wed 7:30 pm on TNT after 4-0 win over Ireland
Forwards Lynn Biyendolo, Yazmeen Ryan and Alyssa Thompson each added goals in Sunday’s victory. Biyendolo scored the opening goal 11 minutes into the match when she buried a volley into the top corner on a cross from Emma Sears. Ryan scored in the 66th minute to tally her first international goal. Thompson scored the fourth USWNT goal in the 87th minute — seven minutes after entering the match — to get on the scoresheet for the second straight game. The USWNT will finish the international window of friendlies Tuesday against Canada in Washington, D.C. at 7:30 pm on TNT and Max.
World Club Cup Getting Interesting As Quarterfinals Commence
So I have to admit I was not a fan of this tourney and I still don’t think they should be playing this instead of the Confederations Cup that used to take place the year before the World Cup in the host country. But if you haven’t watched – the games have been ok. Really cool to see the South American and some African teams beating up on the European favorites. Now that we are down to the Quarterfinals – these games are really worth watching. The games seem to be on TNT & Unimas/TUDN or Univision – of course I prefer to watch in Spanish – so much more exciting. Either way its worth the watch – see full schedule below.
Women’s European Championships Start Wed on Fox
The Women’s Euro’s take center stage in this Summer of Soccer this week on the Fox stations. Spain & France come in as the favorites but teams like England, Germany and the Netherlands may have something to say about that. In general the games will be on at 12 noon and 3 pm everyday on Fox or FS1 or FS2. Read all about below and see the full game schedule.
CARMEL FC & PALMEIRAS CAMP Palmeiras Soccer Camps for players aims to let all participants develop their full technical, tactical and physical potential no matter their skill level. Day by day they will learn to enhance their strengths and will be stimulated to understand their own weaknesses. Players participating will be coached by Palmeiras Professional Coaches and may be invited to join Palmeiras Academy in Brazil for tryout. Register now! Camp dates: July 21-25 Ages: 7-16 Location: Carmel Clay Community Soccer Complex, Home of Carmel FC: Price: $295REGISTER
TV GAME SCHEDULE
GC=Gold Cup, WCC = World Club Cup in US WE -Women’s Euros
Wed, July 2 12 noon Fox Iceland vs Finland Women Euros 3 pm Fox Switzerland vs Norway Women Euros 6:30 pm TBS US Women vs Canada 7 pm FS1 Gold Cup Semis USA vs Guatemala 10 PM FS1 Gold Cup Semi Mexico vs Honduras Thurs, Jul 3 12 noon FS1 Belgium vs Italy W Euros 3 pm Fox Spain vs Portugal W Euros Fri, July 4th 12 noon FS1 Denmark vs Sweden WE 3 pm Fox Germany vs Poland WE 3 pm TNT, Unimas Fluminense vs Al Hilal WCC 7:30 pm FS1 Dallas vs Minn MLS 9 pm TNT Chelseas vs Palmeiras WCC 10:30 pm Apple LA Galaxy vs Vancouver MLS Sat, July 5th 12 noon FS1 Wales vs Netherlands W Euros 12 noon TNT PSG vs Bayern Munich WCC 3 pm Fox France vs England WE 4 pm TNT Real Madrid vs Borrusia Dortmund WCC 7 pm FS1 Charlotte vs Orlando MLS 8:30 pm Apple Free Austin City vs LAFC MLS Sun, July 6th 12 noon FS1 Norway vs Finland W Euros 3 pm FS1 Switzerland vs Iceland WE 5 pm Apple free Seattle Sounders vs Columbus Crew MLS Mon, July 7 th 12 noon FS1 Spain vs Belgium W Euros 3 pm Fox Portugal vs Italy WE Tues, July 8th 12 noon FS1 Germany vs Denmark W Euros Wed, July 9 12 noon FS1 England vs Netherland W Euros 3 pm Fox France vs Wales WE 3 pm TBS Fifa WCC Semis 7 pm CBSSN Philly Union vs NYRB MLS
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Rog writes: Holy Crap. What an emotion-soaked experience it was to witness our United States G-League Boys survive and advance after a CONCACAF knife-fight quarter final fought via prison rules against Costa Rica. The 4-3 penalty shootout performance felt like a bullet dodged, yet it was also ultimately so energizing, in a style that was reminiscent of Churchill’s life-truth quote: “Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.”
Clint also added something beautiful and true for all of us as long-suffering U.S. supporters which I really loved when he admitted, “For us as fans, we needed this after Copa America and Nations League. I was in my living room with my kids cheering and giving each other high fives. I want my kids to feel passionate about the U.S. and aspire to play for them one day. You need these types of moments to pass down from generation to generation. Tonight was a moment.”
Three massive, calm, calculated saves by the NYCFC goalkeeper in the 4-3 penalty shoot-out made this a moment in which Matt Freese seriously began to lay claim to the U.S. starting role. Gent came up big, and actually seemed to thrive and enjoy himself in the crucible of a do-or-die roll of the dice against the iconic Keylor Navas. “Penalties are my thing,” he said post-game, like some kind of Harvard Donnarumma. Last night he was able to scream, “How do you like them apples?” at the world. Credit Matt Turner, who cannot be enjoying his ongoing lack of minutes, but is still bringing the joy in any way he can.
Hot Tillman Summer Is Going On and On
GFOP Gil Rutledge wrote me a Raven entitled “TILLMANIA” and I love that term. That is what we are living. Last night, Malik Tillman was the heartbeat of our team. He won a penalty, missed a penalty, but was big enough to raise his game, provide roughly 87% of our forward motion, and keep his nerve when returning to the penalty spot during the shoot-out. The 23-year-old has not only earned his right to take a starting role when the full-strength squad Avenger assembles in the fall window, he will become Poch’s warning sign to the big name starters that they cannot be complacent. This morning Fabrizio Romano announced Malik’s Hot Summer continues: His $40m transfer to Bayer Leverkusen has been agreed. Here We Go.
“Oh, For a Team of 11 Diego Lunas…”
I love Diego Luna so much. I think he represents all that we yearn for from our U.S. team. Last night the 21-year-old from Sunnyvale, Calif. scored his first-ever goal for the USMNT. Again, it was another enormous deflection. Gent specializes in banging the ball home off other people’s body parts.
Alex Freeman’s Penalty Was a Massive Moment by a Cool, Cool Kid
Do not let this moment be written out of the night’s telling. Sebastian Berhalter had just Baggio’d his penalty over the bar into the Minneapolis night sky. Costa Rica felt ascendant. Up stepped the 20-year-old with all the pressure on his shoulders, and he cooly, calmly did this. Extraordinary moment of chill by a young gent with a massive future. Damion Downs’ winner was also maximally clinical. The Germans don’t miss.
GUATEMALA AWAIT IN THE SEMI FINALS!
What a moment for their fans. FIFA’s 106th-ranked nation shocked 10-man Canada on penalties and turned Minneapolis into Guatemala City North on Sunday. La Furia Azul (“The Blue Fury”) held their nerve in the shootout and reached their first Gold Cup semi-final since 1969.
The semi-final in St. Louis on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET on FS1) will be a rollicking experience. It’s been nine years since the USMNT faced Guatemala. Clint Dempsey was amongst the goals as we rolled 4-0. A 17-year-old Christian Pulisic made his debut in that game. With Honduras also clipping Panama, this Gold Cup has been filled with shocks. I long for a Gold Cup that loves itself, and has self-respect. With CONCACAF teams improving all the time, our region is becoming more and more competitive. This tournament could be, should be, so much more than it is. A true jewel lies within.
USMNT Make It to the Gold Cup Semis
Rog writes: Our U.S. men’s national team G-Leaguers keep on keeping on. The Gold Cup is all about survive and advance. It’s also about prison rules, dark arts, and occasional fleeting moments of football. And the United States lived it all in a quarter-final 4-3 penalty shootout win over a weakened but still feisty Costa Rica after a 2-2 draw in which Max Arfsten had a hand in pretty much all the goals. I am not going to lie, it felt so good.
We now plummet towards a semi-final in St. Louis tomorrow night against Guatemala (Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports/FS1). What a moment for their fans. FIFA’s 106th-ranked nation shocked 10-man Canada on penalties (much more on that below) and turned Minneapolis into Guatemala City North on Sunday. La Furia Azul (“The Blue Fury”) held their nerve in the shootout and reached their first Gold Cup semi-final since 1996.
It’s been nine years since the USMNT faced Guatemala. Clint Dempsey was amongst the goals as we rolled 4-0. A 17-year-old Christian Pulisic made his debut in that game. With Honduras also clipping Panama, this Gold Cup has been filled with shocks. I long for a Gold Cup that loves itself, and has self-respect. With CONCACAF teams improving all the time, our region is becoming more and more competitive. This tournament could be, should be, so much more than it is. A true jewel lies within.
Could there be an eighth USA vs. Mexico Gold Cup final on the horizon? Or will we have Guatemala vs. Honduras? The truth is no one knows, but we’ll find out tomorrow night at Energizer Park. Regardless of the outcome, Clint Dempsey will join me on Do It Live! after the final whistle to break down all the action. Come and be with us.
The Deuce with Clint Dempsey – “This Must Be What It’s Like to Be an Everton Fan”USMNT vs Costa Rica Live Reactions with Clint Dempsey | Gold Cup Quarterfinals 6/29 9PM ETClint Dempsey on the reports that Poch recently interviewed for the Brentford manager opening“I hope it’s not a situation of where there’s smoke, there’s fire. You don’t want that a year out from a World Cup. But credit to the boys, they blocked all that out and they got the job done tonight.”Clint Dempsey likes what he saw from Malik Tillman “What I’m more impressed about is how he recovered in the game… Being able to get the assist. And then to step up and take the (shootout) penalty, going to the same side. For me that shows he’s built for these moments, and he’s growing in front of our eyes. He is someone that when I’ve watched him play, I like the style in which he plays, the skill that he shows, but also the character that he has to take on a situation of missing a penalty but bouncing back.”Clint Dempsey gives Matt Freese his flowers “The first one, I feel like he (Freese) went too early. I like that he took his time a little on the other ones. Make ’em beat you. He’s got a big frame… I just think he did a great job of being a dominant presence in there. He guessed right on a lot of occasions, got his hand to a few, but you know, some of those big saves he made, he was the man of the match for sure.”Clint Dempsey breaks down the current USMNT depth chart, based on what he’s seen so far in the Gold Cup“In terms of when we have our full team completely fit, I think Tillman gets into the lineup. I think if Freese keeps performing like he’s doing, I think he goes in there. Freeman has done a good job, but I still think it’s gonna be tough to knock out Dest, and Antonee Robinson… I don’t think anybody’s taking his spot. Chris Richards, he’s for sure the first center-back they put there. If Tim Ream can keep going, then that’s what’s up.But, I think up top. I don’t know, that depends on people’s fitness, and how healthy they are. Like I said, I’m a big Balogun fan from what I saw in Copa America, but Aygemang’s been the guy who’s been scoring goals. He’s just really raw still. I think he needs to do a little bit better job of his holdup play, bringing people in and being a little bit more clinical with his chances, but he’s definitely a handful there.”Clint Dempseyon the USA’s newfound optimism after Sunday night’s performance “We learned who’s got that mettle, to emerge when your back is against the wall… and when you come out of these moments it builds the chemistry as a team. Everyone is going to be fighting more and understanding they are just two games away from Mission Accomplished. You need these types of moments.”Clint Dempsey also added something beautiful and true for all long-suffering U.S. supporters “For us as fans, we needed this after Copa America and Nations League. I was in my living room with my kids cheering and giving each other high fives. I want my kids to feel passionate about the U.S. and aspire to play for them one day. You need these types of moments to pass down from generation to generation. Tonight was a moment.”
Watch the full episode to get all of Clint’s thoughts on the USMNT’s win against Costa Rica, and make sure to follow The Deuce on TikTok and YouTube for even more Texas-infused insight.
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So, How Did Guatemala Get Here Exactly? When La Furia Azul last reached a CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final, “Independence Day” was dominating the box office and Manchester United were one of the best teams in world football. If you’re of a certain vintage, 1996 doesn’t feel like it was 29 years ago, but for Guatemalan football fans, who cling to cult heroes like Juan Carlos Plata and Carlos Ruiz, it’s been an age. Their quarter-final win on penalties against Canada in Minneapolis on Sunday will be forever distilled as one of the greatest moments in their footballing history, not just because of the result, but the manner in which they reached it.Yes, Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg was red-carded just before half time, but at that point, Guatemala were losing 1-0, and the cliché that it’s tough to break down a 10-man side defending a lead exists for a reason. Guatemala are FIFA’s 106th-ranked team, while Canada are 30th, so to have 58% possession and more than double the shots of Jesse Marsch’s squad, no matter the match situation, is a win in itself. To not only run the game in normal and extra time, but to then have the tenacity to prevail in a penalty shootout pressure cooker, even after captain José Pinto missed his attempt, shows that this nation is more than plucky, or even lucky; they are a unit. Penalties aside, Guatemala’s only goalscorer against Canada, with a bruising and battling header any center forward would dream of, was Rubio Rubín, who much to our chagrin doesn’t spend his evenings as a crime-fighting vigilante, despite his excellent name.Men in Blazers@MenInBlazersGUATEMALA EQUALIZE We might be 20 minutes away from penalties 9:40 PM • Jun 29, 2025 110 Likes 7 Retweets 8 RepliesUSMNT OGs may remember him, as he played seven matches for the U.S., debuting as an 18-year-old in 2014 under the stewardship of Jurgen Kilsman; he only switched to Guatemala in 2022, which has been a smart decision, scoring 13 goals in 34 games as the leader of the frontline. Another key player for them is a man that MLS heads will know as D.C. United right back and arguably the nation’s current MVP, Aaron Herrera. The 28-year-old was pivotal in both defense and attack for his country, and at one point kept his team in the game with a goal line-headed clearance in an otherwise open net for Canada. Encouragingly for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, Guatemala have lost against both Jamaica and Panama in their last five games, and in their 21-match history with the U.S., La Furia Azul have only won once. But with a trip to the Gold Cup final on the line, at this point, anything is possible.
Everyone’s favorite bounce-pass enthusiast (and former USMNT manager) Gregg Berhalter was in the crowd on Sunday night to watch his son Sebastian start for the U.S. against Costa Rica. There are varying reports that Mauricio Pochettino either did or didn’t interview for the Brentford manager opening during the Gold Cup, although he recently told a FOX Soccer host, “This club never contacted me. I never talked to them.”
Transfer Rumors
Poch’s new favorite playmaker, Mailk Tillman, is heading back to the Bundesliga as Bayer Leverkusen have made him one of the first key signings of the Erik ten Hag era, potentially to fill the Florian Wirtz-sized hole in the middle of their lineup.
Speaking of midfielders on the move, seems to only be a matter of time until Johnny Cardoso makes the 330-mile trip from Real Betis in Seville to join Atlético Madrid in the Spanish capital. The two clubs are finalizing a deal worth over $35 million.
Despite strong rumors involving a move to Nottingham Forest, Tim Weah appears to be staying at Juventus for the time being, regardless of his questionable food takes (more on that below).
Lucky No. 13 at Craven Cottage? While he’s one of the many American strikers absent from the Gold Cup, Ricardo Pepi, who’s still rehabbing from a January knee injury, is reportedly being targeted by Fulham where he’d follow a dozen other Americans who’ve previously laced ‘em up for the Lilywhites.
USMNT international, former Atlanta United player, and current Chelsea fullback Caleb Wiley is set to rejoin Watford on loan for the full 2025-26 season. The 20-year-old impressed in his half-season in the Championship last year after moving over from a loan spell at Chelsea’s French sister club, Strasbourg.
Mauricio Pochettino hails USMNT Gold Cup penalty shootout triumph as ‘priceless’
Mauricio Pochettino insisted the U.S. men’s national team’s thrilling penalty shootout victory over Costa Rica in the Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals on Sunday would be of “priceless” benefit as he desperately tries to instill confidence and momentum in his team after a miserable recent slump.Pochettino was delighted after the U.S. clinched a semifinal spot against Guatemala by holding its nerve in the shootout following a 2-2 draw at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.Goalkeeper Matt Freese was the hero with a trio of critical stops, but the head coach believes his entire squad will gain confidence from having survived the gauntlet of penalties with its tournament life on the line.“I think it’s important to show control and to translate (it) to the player, relax and the confidence in them,” Pochettino told reporters. “But yes, I’m so happy, so pleased for them to show today great character. I think it’s good for this group of players to have this type of experience. This is like I always I said, this is really important, it’s priceless, because that is the reality when you have a big tournament. It’s important that they start to build the experience together.”The U.S. went behind after 12 minutes through a Francisco Calvo penalty and equalized through Diego Luna before halftime, though Malik Tillman had earlier spurned the chance to pull things level from the spot. Pochettino’s side eventually went ahead through Max Arfsten on 47 minutes, but Costa Rica closed the gap again thanks to Alonso Martinez with 20 minutes left.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese played a key role in the U.S. reaching the last four. (Carlos Gonzalez / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Freese was calm and opportunistic in the shootout, keeping out Juan Vargas, Calvo and Andy Rojas. Tyler Adams, Tillman, Alex Freeman and, to clinch it, Damion Downs, scored for the Americans against veteran Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas. The U.S. will be a huge favorite when it takes on Guatemala in St. Louis on Wednesday, as it bids to book a spot in the July 6 final against either Mexico or Honduras.Heading into the tournament, four straight defeats had cast gloom over the U.S. squad, but after three group stage wins this quarterfinal provided another jolt of optimism. The mood has clearly improved, and while still some disappointment and dissatisfaction lingers at the absence this summer – for various reasons – of key players such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Antonee Robinson, there is a different feel starting to develop.“We are happy with the whole team,” Pochettino added. “I am happy with the starting 11. I am happy with the impact from the bench, but I am so happy with the players on the bench that were there and they didn’t have the possibility to play. They were the first supporter, the first fans, the first people helping the teammate to achieve and to earn what we have. And that is why that make us feel very proud.”Pochettino and his side still have work to do to make the skeptics believe the USMNT is capable of making a deep World Cup run on home soil next summer, but some of the questions are starting to be answered.(Top photo: John Dorton / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
USMNT finds its fight in Gold Cup, readies for semis vs. Guatemala and its familiar faces
ST. LOUIS — The moment came right after Malik Tillman’s 37th-minute penalty caromed off the post in Sunday’s Gold Cup quarterfinal against Costa Rica.Multiple Ticos players got in Tillman’s face to mock him after the miss, and the U.S. players quickly jumped into the fray to defend their No. 10.“The keeper also, he ran 100 meters to be in the fight,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said of Matt Freese, who would become the hero of the night later in the penalty shootout to send the Americans through to the semifinals.The way the team jumped in to defend Tillman, though, is indicative of a group that has grown closer together over the last five weeks. From two friendly losses to Turkey and Switzerland to open the summer through its undefeated run through the first four games of the Gold Cup, this U.S. group — a mix of starters and players trying to fight their way into the World Cup picture — has started to find its identity.“Watching them work for each other in moments, in heated moments … having their guys coming into [Tillman’s] face and watching everybody rush in, it may sound weird, but that’s an enjoyable thing to see,” said veteran U.S. center back Tim Ream. “Because I think it shows that, OK, finally, we’re a group of guys that we’re going to push back. You’re not going to push us around. We’re not going to take that kind of sh** anymore. And we have the personalities in here, and to see them all jelling together has been nice to see.”
Ream chalked it up to a team that is understanding the different personalities within the group, and the chemistry that is forming over a summer together. “When you get a group of personalities together, guys who have maybe more of a chip on their shoulder than others, that’s something that they take with them,” Ream said. “I don’t think it’s necessarily a knock on anybody else. I just think it’s one of those things where you look at who’s on the field in that instance, and Malik is probably one of the quietest guys in our group. And to see that happen to him, it’s like, ‘No, you’re not going to pick on the quietest guy.’ And listen, I’m not one to rush in and I was like, ‘Nah, this isn’t happening.’ And I think it’s just understanding everybody’s personalities and understanding what they will take and what they will give. It’s been nice to see that guys can take some but they’re going to give it back, too.”
Veteran Tim Ream has been a leader for the USMNT throughout the Gold Cup (Photo by Brad Rempel/Imagn Images)
The U.S. went into this summer looking for exactly that: fight, desire and togetherness. It’s the base of what Pochettino believes any team needs in order to be successful. On Tuesday, ahead of the semifinal here against Guatemala, the manager insisted the football is most important to him. But he felt the intangibles must be there in order for everything else to fall into place.hat moment where the team rallied around Tillman showed the group is figuring it out.“For me, that I’m Argentino, we love to fight, that means a lot,” Pochettino said, with a slight chuckle. “Because it means that we are connected, that we care about my teammate. And that needs to be natural, in between them. And that is why they deserve the whole credit. The experienced players, but also the young players that listen to the experienced players. That is the important thing. If not, it’s impossible to grow like a team, be a team. Because we can select 26 players, but for a team to be a team is a different thing. We can have 23 players that play in an individual way, and it’s difficult to have this type of behavior. That is because they care, because they made the effort, not only on the field, but off the field to try to care.”
The U.S. will need more of it against an emotional Guatemala team that is in the Gold Cup semifinal for the first time since 1996.And looking forward, Pochettino will have to find a way to carry that spirit into the fall, when he’ll potentially reintroduce a number of players into the group, including the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Sergiño Dest, Folarin Balogun and Antonee Robinson.Here are a few more key elements leading into the first of two Gold Cup semifinals (Mexico-Honduras takes place in Santa Clara, Calif., later Wednesday night):
Reunion with former USMNT players
The U.S. will face off against two players who have made previous appearances not just with the U.S. youth national teams, but with the senior team, as well.Guatemala forward Rubio Rubin was named U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year in 2012 after standing out for the U.S. under-17 national team. He made his senior debut under Jurgen Klinsmann in 2014, was on the bench for World Cup qualifiers in 2016 and then played in four games in 2018 under interim manager Dave Sarachan.Rubin filed for a FIFA one-time switch in May 2022 and made his Guatemala debut a month later. Rubin has 13 goals in 34 games with Los Chapines, including two goals in this tournament.Right back Aaron Herrera also featured for the U.S. youth teams, including the Olympic qualifying group in 2021, and received one senior cap under former U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter that year. Herrera debuted with Guatemala in June 2023 and has become a leader for the group.
Rubio Rubin celebrates his clutch goal vs. Canada in the Gold Cup quarterfinals (Photo by Matt Krohn/Imagn Images)
In the quarterfinal against Canada, Rubin scored while Herrera had a key header off the line in Guatemala’s upset win.U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams said he was close to Herrera in the under-20 national team.“Obviously a high-level player,” Adams said. “It’s always a little bit strange, obviously, when you play with them in the youth national team and then now they’re playing for Guatemala and you’re playing against them in a Gold Cup, but it will be a really unique experience. We know how strong Guatemala is. There’s a reason that they’re in the semifinal and playing in a semifinal, so we can’t take that for granted.
“And Rubio Rubin, obviously, was a high-level player coming up through the national team, a lot of players looked up to him growing up. He’s done really well for himself. So it’ll be exciting to play against them.”Drone issues?
When the U.S. players came out to train on Tuesday, they noticed an extra drone above the team during the open portion of training. The drone did not remain for the entirety of the training session, but Pochettino was asked about it at the press conference.He didn’t seem concerned.“We were talking [that] if someone wants some clips we can send,” Pochettino said, laughing. “It’s not a problem. We’re not going to hide [anything]. It’s not NASA here. It is the men’s national team. No problem.”
Cardoso being evaluated
Midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who looks to be headed to Atlético Madrid on a $40 million transfer, may not be available for the semifinal.Cardoso participated in someof the U.S. training on Tuesday, but still felt “problems again in his ankle,” Pochettino said.“It’s not a big issue, but it’s uncomfortable,” Pochettino added. “We will see. We have 24 hours to assess and see if he can be available to be selected or not.”The U.S. started Adams, Sebastian Berhalter and Luca de la Torre in midfield in the win over Costa Rica, and with yellow cards wiped clean before the semifinals, per Concacaf regulations, neither Adams nor Berhalter needs to be wary of missing a potential final on Sunday by getting another.
USMNT survives Costa Rica in PKs, avoids Gold Cup upset bug to reach semis
MINNEAPOLIS – Although the U.S. men’s national team blew another second-half lead and was pushed to the brink, it’s through to the semifinals of the Concacaf Gold Cup – thanks largely to the shootout heroics of Matt Freese.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side weathered a strong challenge from Costa Rica, playing the Ticos to a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes before getting past their regional rival in a six-round shootout (4-3) Sunday night at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.Freese, who has started the entire Gold Cup over 2022 World Cup starter Matt Turner, made three saves in the shootout, while Damion Downs converted the decisive spot kick to send the U.S. to a semifinal against Guatemala Wednesday in St. Louis.Unlike Panama Saturday night and Canada earlier in the day on the very same field, the U.S. avoided falling victim to an underdog in a shootout and the ignominy of a quarterfinal defeat. That it comes on the heels of a disappointing Concacaf Nations League final four showing in March also allows the U.S. to escape – or at the very least delay – some difficult questions with the 2026 World Cup on home soil less than a year away.
Damion Downs clinches the USMNT’s win over Costa Rica. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
With a crowd of balanced support for each team, Costa Rica frustrated the USMNT and weathered a couple early challenges before drawing a penalty in the 10th minute. After stopping an initial cross with his inner thigh, Max Arfsten stuck with the ball in proximity as it neared Kenneth Vargas. The winger rotated his body to shield the ball, baiting Arfsten into an ill-advised sliding challenge at the edge of the box. Without any hesitation, referee Walter López Castellanos pointed to the spot.Francisco Calvo, a defender who played for in-market Minnesota United from 2017 to 2019, converted the penalty to give the Ticos a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.Fate seemed to provide the USMNT with a leveler in the 31st minute, as Juan Pablo Vargas clattered Malik Tillman to the ground by taking out his left leg. After play continued for a bit, Castellanos went to the monitor and awarded another penalty four minutes after the infraction.yler Adams went to Tillman, seemingly to check if the attacking midfielder in form felt up to take the ensuing spot kick. Tillman, who is generally more reserved than spotlight-chasing players in his role, strode up and shanked his attempt off the post to his left, perhaps hampered by the foul on his plant leg.Six minutes later, Pochettino’s other creative playmaker made amends. Arfsten played a ball toward the top of the box to Diego Luna, whose shot caromed off of an opponent’s torso to betray a diving Keylor Navas and bring things level in the 43rd minute. It was a just equalizer given the balance of play throughout the first half, as the U.S. had outshot Costa Rica 9-3 while dominating 71% of possession.
Two minutes after the second half kicked off, Arfsten continued making amends for conceding a penalty. The Columbus Crew defender ran onto a low cross from Tilman and struck it well, placing it beyond Navas’ diving reach and into the net.
From there, however, the U.S. failed to put the game out of reach. Patrick Agyemang got the start at striker and was able to provide good holdup play and off-ball movement, but struggled to threaten Costa Rica’s defense with scoring opportunities. Pochettino kept his starters as the game went beyond the 70th minute, at which point Miguel Herrera had already brought on three reinforcements from the bench.
The USMNT looked tired, playing sloppy passes in transition and struggling to keep up with Costa Rica’s movement going forward. It was hardly a surprise, then, when Alonso Martínez — whose crafty movement in the box came up at training the day before — found room just beyond the six-yard box in the 71st minute to bring his team level again at 2-2.
At long last, Pochettino went to his bench: first bringing on another forward (Downs) in the 78th minute, then ending Arfsten’s roller-coaster of a shift in the 84th minute. Luna exited in the 83rd minute and Agyemang followed around the 90th, removing a couple players who may have factored in the eventual shootout.
USMNT players celebrate their Gold Cup quarterfinal win over Costa Rica. (Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images)
The decisive sequence started off with Martínez bearing down on Freese, his teammate at New York City FC, throwing him off with a wink before placing a cool kick as Freese dove the wrong way.
Adams placed his kick just beyond Navas to level things, before Freese stuffed Vargas to create an opening for the USMNT. Tillman made up for his earlier miss, converting a shot just inches away from where his first attempt hit the post to give the U.S. a 2-1 edge.
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Still, Costa Rica wouldn’t go away quietly. Santiago van der Putten, brought on in the 88th minute, converted his attempt before setting the ball down for Sebastian Berhalter. With his father and former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter watching on, the midfielder skied his attempt over the bar, giving Costa Rica a lifeline after three rounds of kicks.
Another fresh face, Alex Freeman, stepped up after Costa Rica converted its fourth attempt. The Orlando City defender took a composed run-up before placing an attempt in the upper corner above a diving Navas, keeping the sequence level at 3-3 entering the fifth round.
Next was Calvo for his second attempt of the day. This time, the defender sent his shot directly at Freese’s head, with the goalkeeper holding his ground and confidently punching the ball to his left. Left back John Tolkin stepped up and hit his shot toward the post, but Navas had one last heroic dive in him to parry the attempt away and force a sixth round.
Andy Rojas, a winger for New York Red Bulls II, stepped up and saw Freese make his third save of the shootout with another diving stop. Finally, Downs put the game to bed with a well-taken hit, sending the U.S. through, and giving Freese a strong case to stay in contention to start in goal moving forward, pulling a page from last fall’s shootout win over favored FC Cincinnati in the MLS Cup playoffs.
The Gold Cup is now down to its final four, which will take place Wednesday with the U.S. playing Guatemala at 7 p.m. ET at Energizer Park in St. Louis and Mexico facing Honduras at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., at 10 p.m. ET. The winners will advance to next Sunday’s final at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
TOP TALKING POINTS
Midday Kick-Off Concerns
Football players’ union FIFPro has urged Fifa to abandon plans for midday and afternoon kick-offs at next summer’s World Cup to avoid the heat. Six of the 16 World Cup host cities next year in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are judged by FIFPro as “extremely high risk” for heat-stress injury to players.
Experts independent from FIFPro have also argued that if conditions are similar to those of the Club World Cup, then the “best and safest” solution would be to hold kick-off exclusively in the morning. Kick-off times will be announced in December’s draw, but insiders expect matches in the Eastern Time Zone to start at 12:00, 15:00, 18:00, and 21:00 local time, taking into account European audiences as well as broadcaster, advertiser, and sponsor interests.
Additionally, FIFPro’s medical director told reporters that one proposal being trailed is the extension of half-time breaks, from 15 to 20 minutes. He also suggested shorter but more frequent in-game cooling breaks, as the two three-minute breaks used at the Club World Cup were seen as less effective.
The CWC’s Other Big Weekend Results
PSG 4-0 Inter Miami
The Lionel Messi derby didn’t go how the Argentinian GOAT would have envisioned, as he was brutally humanized by experiencing something most mortals have had to go through: encountering an ex who’s thriving without you. This was the first time in his career that he’s played a former club, and although his situationship with PSG wasn’t the long marriage he had at Barcelona, Messi was still haunted by a pivotal figure (and former manager) from that part of his past, Luis Enrique. Currently, his treble-winning side are as close to perfect as is conceivable (just ask Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid), so although Miami shouldn’t feel humiliated by this result, for Messi, it was a bit like bumping into two former flings who have now become best friends. Within five minutes in a busy Mercedes-Benz Stadium, PSG were ahead via a João Neves header from a Vitinha free kick, and their now trademark quick-fire pressing and rapid interchangeable passing, led to a brace for him in the 39th minute. That second goal initiated a pile-on, with PSG’s multi-billion-dollar pack of well-drilled dogs deciding to bury the game before halftime with a Tomás Avilés own goal and another from Achraf Hakimi. Ousmane Dembélé’s first cameo of the tournament was a welcome vision, and although Messi and Miami looked improved in the second half, PSG were already planning for their box office quarter final against Bayern Munich. Just by advancing to the second round, Inter Miami have superseded expectations for an MLS side in the Club World Cup, breaking records that could forge a path for CONCACAF teams in the future, while PSG’s futuristic football makes them a nightmare adversary for every other team in the tournament.
Flamengo 2-4 Bayern Munich
Defenses of the Club World Cup, you have been warned: Harry Kane is alive, alert and seemingly hungrier than ever. After being a passive participant at Bayern’s 10-0 party against Auckland City, he managed to net in their next game against Boca Juniors, but yesterday’s opponents, Brazilian side Flamengo, suffered at the feet of one of the world’s best strikers in clutch form. Prior to this game in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, Flamengo were undefeated in the Club World Cup, beating one of the tournament’s favorites, Chelsea, 3-1 in the group stage. That was before they met Bayern, who have their serious face back on after resting seven players in their 1-0 loss against Benfica, perhaps lulling future opponents into a false sense of security. They were up 2-0 within 10 minutes following an Erick Pulgar own goal from a Joshua Kimmich corner, and an unstoppable left-footed Kane piledriver from outside the box. Flamengo then took the game to the German champions with a net-breaker from Gerson, but that was nullified by Leon Goretzka producing his own wizardry just before half time, curling the ball from outside the box, as the game became a goal of the tournament competition in its own microclimate. In the second half, former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder, Jorginho, put away a penalty with his trademark hop, skip and jump to open the game up again, but Kane was decisive in the 73rd minute, and any tantalizing chance the Brazilian side might have dreamt of was ruthlessly eliminated by the England captain.
Palmeiras 1-0 Botafogo
This was the first match at the Club World Cup between two teams from the same country, and although it’s not Brazil’s most historic rivalry, in recent years there’s been plenty of heat between them due to being the country’s most currently successful clubs. The game was long in Philadelphia’s oppressive heat, requiring extra time to decide its winner, because with so much at stake, the fear of losing loomed larger than the desire to win. Palmeiras No. 10, Paulinho, entered the tension as a substitute, slaloming through an exhausted Botafogo defense in the 100th minute of the match, to simply pass the ball into the bottom corner out of the goalkeeper’s reach. There was a silly wresting match in the twilight of extra time that culminated in Palmeiras defender, Gustavo Gómez, seeing red, but his São Paulo side won the day on the pitch and in the stands and will return to the Linc for Saturday’s quarter final against Chelsea.
See the full list of Club World Cup match results here.
Emma Hayes’ rebuild of USWNT is focused on process, not hype
By the time Emma Hayes walked into Audi Field’s windowless press conference room on this steamy Tuesday afternoon in Washington, D.C., to talk about Wednesday’s friendly against Canada, we already understood her strategy for the U.S. women’s national team pretty clearly.
Rotation? Check. Young players getting their shot? Check. Tactical clarity? Almost there.
Hayes isn’t simply constructing a roster. It’s a system, a culture and a framework designed to restore the U.S. to the top of the women’s game, one deliberate decision at a time.
“My job is to make sure that they compete for when they’re actually ready, and maybe it won’t be all at the same time for all of them,” she told reporters. “My job is to create sustained winning. It’s not my job, it’s what I live for. 2027 World Cup, 2028 Olympics, 2029 Gold Cup, 2031 regardless of how long I’m here, and that’s what my job is.”
Hayes sure takes her job seriously. In just over a year at the helm, she has turned the USWNT into a live laboratory. There are no guarantees. It does not matter where players come from. She’s not afraid to test, tweak, and teach.
The USWNT works out at Audi Field on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Canada in Washington, D.C. (Asli Pelit / The Athletic)
“The exciting thing about coaching is … you have a clear model,” she said. “There’s probably some particular things I don’t want to talk about now, because I want to win the game, but we’ve really leaned into parts of our model in the last two camps and started to see a return on all of that intentional and deliberate practice.”Deliberateness is the key to Hayes’s success. Her coaching philosophy hinges on trust in the process and long-term development over short-term success. Under her reign, the team has proven successful, scoring 15 goals in four games in this last international window. When asked about individual players she is picking and choosing for key positions in the team, Hayes responded confidently. There are no guarantees. Take Sam Coffey. Hayes surprised Coffey with the captain’s armband on Sunday, a move all her players now understand will be the norm.
“She’s an impeccable learner. She’s always wanting to improve her game. It never ends. It’s never enough … and I think her game has gone to a whole new level,” said Hayes. But when listening to Hayes, it is clear that Coffey’s inclusion, like many others she decided to bring on for this camp, isn’t just about form. Every call-up is a lesson, every minute on the pitch a test of tactical understanding in order for Hayes to place them within the big picture strategy for her team. Even against Canada, arguably the USWNT’s toughest rival in the region and for this camp, Hayes is not changing her process for the opponent.
“I only focus on us,” she said with a grin. “And it’s not because it’s Canada or anyone. I only focus on that. Seventeen goal zone entries is exceptional, but still only four goals. Are we taking the right decision when we’re in the right areas? Sometimes. Are we executing at the top level in the right situations?”
Her approach is already reshaping the team’s dynamic.
In Sunday’s friendly against Ireland, Hayes rotated her entire starting XI, something that hadn’t happened with the U.S. in nearly 25 years. That kind of risk-taking only works if the system in place is sound and the players are prepped. Especially in a squad where the competition is brutal, where even star players and veterans like Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan and Lily Yohannes are fighting for a spot in the starting XI. But that’s Hayes’s plan for her team, and she is in it for the long run.
“Our motto is to make every second count in our interactions with them and also maximize the time we can build relationships. Because sometimes it means being with different groups at different times,” she said about her long-term plans. “I pinch myself every day that I’m in this job. This is like the biggest honor to me, maybe even more so than I thought it would be. And so often people say, be careful what you wish for, because dreams don’t necessarily match up with it. They’re right about that. This one’s better.”
(Top photo of USWNT coach Emma Hayes with Rose Lavelle: Jason Mowry / Getty Images)
Will Canada learn from a total Gold Cup failure, or just keep talking a big game?
As Jesse Marsch was questioned on whether Canada’s relentless style of play would work throughout the Gold Cup and what exactly his Plan B was if things went belly up, Canada’s head coach did as he does. He punched back.
“Plan B is a typical question from English people,” Marsch replied to the English media member. “As managers, we have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, all the way up to Plan double Z. So by trying to simplify us as one thing, I think it’s a little bit insulting to me and to the team.”
Marsch meant to inject his team with confidence. Seated beside him, defender Richie Laryea’s prideful smile suggested it worked.
The problem?
As the Gold Cup played out, none of Marsch’s plans worked nearly as well.
Canada crashed unceremoniously out of a second tournament in a row, this time with a humbling and embarrassing Gold Cup quarterfinal defeat to Guatemala on penalties Sunday in Minnesota. Canada has risen to 30th in the world according to FIFA’s rankings, the highest in program history. You need to open a secondary page on FIFA’s rankings site to find Guatemala, all the way down at 106.
Considering the end result – and it following a draw vs. 90th-ranked Curaçao and an unconvincing win over nine-man and 81st-ranked El Salvador – Canada’s Gold Cup was an abject failure. Outside of performances from stars such as Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan and the development of a small handful of young players, it’s a failure that deserves to be worn by the entire organization.
Canada’s Gold Cup run ended in the quarterfinals (Photo by Matt Blewett/Imagn Images)
Last year’s Copa América run suggested Canada under Marsch was going to be different. One year later, it feels an awful lot like more of the same old Canada.
Marsch’s men remain eager to prove they can hang with the world’s best. Instead, outward displays of confidence were followed by poor game management, questionable squad use and repeated errors that would crush any tournament team. Forget the world’s best. Canada struggled to navigate through Concacaf’s middle of the pack. As a result, they raised questions about whether they’re ready to contend at the World Cup.
For all of Marsch’s unyielding public comments, the men’s national team appears to have learned little from John Herdman’s tournament-defining “We’re going to F- Croatia” remark in 2022. It’s more of the same: too much emotion, not enough results. You can’t continue to talk a game as big as the country itself, until the players show they’re ready to follow suit on the pitch.
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Canada might be different under the current regime, but is it truly better off? Not yet. And right now, it’s in danger of losing so much of the goodwill Marsch has built up over that past year. The approach has to be adjusted.“I still felt really strongly that this was a really good group, and it was really important to develop more players with this team and see how far we can push it,” Marsch said.The justifiable expectations of this team are far too high to cite individual player development as a reason for success in a tournament. These are expectations the team has invited.“We want to win the World Cup,” Marsch said earlier in the month.You can downplay results if the performances themselves were admirable. But strip away the veneer of development and growth? Canada hasn’t put up commendable performances in games that truly matter in a year. They were lacking in cunning and experience with its game management against Mexico in the Nations League semifinals in March, going down a goal in the opening minute. Marsch made poor tactical and game-management choices against Guatemala. Individual errors from his players didn’t help matters, either.If Marsch wants to mold this team in his image, which so many coaches do, he has to understand that with relentlessness comes errors. Jacob Shaffelburg’s two yellow cards weren’t tactical in any sort. They were a byproduct of a player not knowing when to hit the gas and when to hit the brakes.
Jacob Shaffelburg is sent off vs. Guatemala, leaving Canada with 10 men for the second half (Photo by Brad Rempel/Imagn Images)
“Moments change matches, and the double yellow right before half obviously then changes the match. So it’s frustrating. I don’t think the first (yellow card) on Shaffelburg is a yellow. I agree with the second one, but not the first one,” Marsch said.Marsch has taken aim at Concacaf and its officials plenty – he was suspended for the first two games of the Gold Cup as a result – and there may be validity to claims that Canada has not been treated historically with the same reverence as the region’s two traditional powers, the U.S. and Mexico. But Concacaf alone cannot be blamed for Canada’s failure to make a final in two tournaments over the course of three months. Accountability has to play a big part, and that comes with an honest look in the mirror.How Canada’s players and coaches wear this failure will define the most important tournament in their lives next summer. Because if Marsch and Canada can’t take a step back and re-evaluate how they approach tournament play, there’s reason to suggest they might suffer an even more disappointing fate on home soil, on the biggest possible stage.One of Marsch’s priorities with this Canada team has been coaxing more braggadocio out of this team. That space, where you can only walk with your chest puffed out to the sky, is one that Marsch occupies. A 6-0 dismantling of Honduras in the opening match made it seem like they’d be able to maintain their strut throughout the Gold Cup. Yet Canada rarely looked convincing through the following three games. Marsch’s tactical plan – no variations either – never took hold.“I told the guys, we win as a team and we lose as a team, and we learn from it and we grow and we get better. And we are fixated on exactly what it’s going to take to be successful next summer,” Marsch said.
It’s the right message to deliver to the younger players in the group. But missing was Marsch’s admission that he, too, has learning to do.
Though he might want otherwise, Marsch has made himself the face of this team. He named Alphonso Davies captain before Copa América, a questionable move considering Davies hadn’t been captain for club or country since he exploded as a player in 2018. Marsch then named David, an even more reticent character, captain for the Gold Cup.
His goal was to transfer the balance of power to his players.
What was missing from the headlines were Canadian results and the admission that learning has to be done. Canada deserves credit for dismantling Ukraine in a friendly, yes. Yet all month, Marsch did nothing to extricate himself from the center of the conversation. He hoped his players would take the ball and run with it. Without results, Marsch’s efforts feel more like bluster than a damaging wind.
It’s back to the drawing board for Canada and Jesse Marsch after a humiliating Gold Cup ouster (Photo Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Come the World Cup, Marsch has to learn the balance between sticking up for his players in public and setting them up to do their own talking on the field.
As much as the greater Canadian public likely appreciate having a coach who can stand for his team, what will truly resonate next year is results. Canadians want to adore their national teams. The proof is in seeing local sports bars explode with joy when Canada’s hockey team toppled the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Canadians will remember that uber-likable head coach Jon Cooper didn’t utter his most famous line of the tournament and after Canada earned the gold medal.
“Canada needed a win,” Cooper said, “and the players bared that on their shoulders.”
Cooper knew enough to let the results do the talking until he could follow suit. The Gold Cup proved Marsch has to approach the World Cup differently from a messaging standpoint. Otherwise, he and the federation could risk losing a nation desperate for its defining soccer moment to a global audience.
On the field, the Gold Cup revealed where Canada needs to be better: the goalkeeping debate is not over and Canada’s center backs didn’t look capable of locking down a must-win game. Canada’s midfield duo didn’t break games wide open late in the tournament and no forward proved beyond a doubt they are ready to start beside David.
Marsch has hard questions with a deadline to answer: June 12, 2026, the date of Canada’s World Cup opener. But the questions Marsch will have to ask of himself will be the most pressing.
His game management, heavy rotation and use of substitutions at key moments in the Gold Cup all fell short. Marsch wants his players to be more crafty and in control during games. He needs to do the same.
Whether using three forwards down a man and up a goal against Guatemala was part of his Plan B, C or D, it missed the mark on what the game demanded. Turning to Daniel Jebbison and Cyle Larin, both of whom have not looked in control of recent performances for Canada, to finish off a game suggests either Marsch was either out of options or didn’t understand what the situation called for. It shouldn’t have been trying to press forward when added defenders or midfielders might have sealed the win. There needs to be more to Marsch’s team that just aggression.
Heavily rotating his team throughout the group stage was a means to better understand his depth. But it also meant very few players settled into their roles come the quarterfinal. In the end, Marsch and his depth were exposed. If that happens again in a year, nearly 10 years of gradual growth in the men’s program will be for nought.
There’s still time for change, even without a tournament between now and the World Cup. The pressure to land high-profile friendly opponents permeates throughout Canada Soccer, and facing Colombia in October fits the bill.
That’s when Plans E, F and G, as it were, should be revealed. What those plans look like will determine whether this Gold Cup was a harbinger for change or the precursor for Canada’s worst failure of all.
Marsch laments Canada’s Gold Cup collapse, cites his reasons and to-do list
MINNEAPOLIS — Throughout the past half decade, Canada’s rise to the upper echelon of teams in Concacaf has been measured more on a “feels like” index. There is, of course, undeniable evidence that it’s among the region’s best teams. Canada qualified for the 2022 World Cup — the nation’s first appearance in the tournament since 1986 — by winning Concacaf’s qualifying gauntlet via a goal difference tiebreaker, notching meaningful wins over Mexico and the United States on home soil. After appointing Jesse Marsch, it beat the U.S. in the third-place match of the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League. However, neither achievement comes with a trophy, and the 2025 Gold Cup was eyed as the obvious (and final) chance to secure hardware before co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.Instead, Canada exits at the quarterfinal stage — not to the USMNT, Mexico or upstart Panama, but to Guatemala, which entered the tournament ranked 84th in the world according to the Elo Ratings and 106th in the FIFA rankings. Canada led at halftime thanks to a Jonathan David penalty kick, but the half ended with winger Jacob Shaffelburg being sent off for drawing a second yellow. Guatemala equalized in the second half, then outlasted Canada in a seven-round penalty shootout to reach its first Gold Cup semifinal since 1996.“This one’s really hard to swallow,” Marsch said after the defeat. “We’ve got to learn how to win the biggest moments, right? We’ve made a lot of progress since I’ve been the national team coach and I really like this group, and I really believe in them, but we have to find a way now to make sure we’re at our best in the toughest games and in the toughest moments. We’re going to figure that out, and I promise you: we will learn from this, and we will move forward.”Marsch felt that his side dictated the majority of proceedings, even after his team went down to 10 men. The underlying numbers, however, show that Guatemala really maximized its opportunity after gaining a numerical advantage. Canada had 55% of possession before halftime, then just 31% after Shaffelburg’s dismissal. Canada also had a clear 1.19-0.2 xG advantage thanks to a greater quantity and quality of chances created, but fully ceded that edge after halftime and was outshot 8-1 (0.04-0.64). After the game, Marsch said he agreed with the second yellow, but didn’t think that the first yellow shown to Shaffelburg was justified.
Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg is red carded vs. Guatemala (Photo by Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images)
The manner of Guatemala’s equalizer also showed a lack of big-game awareness from Marsch’s charges. As the underdog worked upfield in hopes of an equalizer, defender Derek Cornelius went to ground and stayed laying down for five or 10 seconds before getting up and rushing toward his spot. With him unable to establish a footing before a cross came in, Rubio Rubín had no issue weaving in front of Cornelius to power a header past Dayne St. Clair and bring Guatemala level with 20 minutes to go.“I feel bad for the group, because I know how bad they wanted it, but it’s important for us to learn from this,” Marsch said. “I think we lose because we beat ourselves. We can’t do that in important matches, and we certainly can’t do that next summer.”The premature exit also takes two meaningful games off the board, meaning Canada will only play friendlies between now and the World Cup. Marsch said his staff will do its best to figure out how to simulate big-game stakes and situations, but it’s no replacement for a lost tournament semifinal and, performance willing, a final.Marsch doled out ample praise for several younger members of his squad, adding that “we’re missing half of our group,” with key absences including star Alphonso Davies – arguably the region’s best player – midfielder Stephen Eustáquio and center back Moïse Bombito. While the “half” modifier feels a bit exaggerated when comparing this squad to his most common combinations – and it’s dropped after Marsch lauded how much commitment he had from his top players this summer – there were chances for alternatives to make their cases for further involvement. Niko Sigur, Nathan Saliba, Daniel Jebbison and Promise David all stepped into bigger roles in this tournament.
Another rising player, defender Luc de Fougerolles, played all 90 minutes and remained on the field for the shootout. Marsch said his staff had predetermined the first seven kickers, with the young center back identified for the second “extra kick” beyond the usual five. The 19-year-old ultimately hit his attempt off the bar, reopening the door for Guatemala to advance in their place.
“I feel for Luc, who’s a young player who has a big future, and obviously he harbors a lot of responsibility for missing the penalty,” Marsch said. “But I told the guys, we win as a team and we lose as a team, and we learn from it, and we grow and we get better, and we are fixated on exactly what it’s going to take to be successful next summer.”Marsch also clarified that Jonathan David’s late exit wasn’t due to any injury, praising his captain for his performances and leadership as he nears the end of his contract with Lille. After leading the team with three goals in the group stage, Tajon Buchanan also exited after halftime, with Marsch citing that the winger “felt his hamstring” and couldn’t push onwards.nd so, the 2026 World Cup feels all the more imminent in the absence of a deeper tournament run this summer. Guatemala found the narrowest of edges in what Marsch admits was “a crazy game.” It isn’t unusual for Concacaf’s top teams to fall victim to frequent upsets — just ask the USMNT and Mexico — but for a program that’s hungry to fare better than its last-place showing at the 2022 World Cup when the tournament comes, in part, to its neck of the woods, the lessons from this heartbreak and March’s defeat to Mexico in the Nations League semifinal must be learned and implemented immediately.
“I don’t see these guys for a month, a month and a half, or about two months,” Marsch said. “We’ll do some work internally until we get there. We’ll be discussing with the leaders in the team how we move forward, how we manage this.
“But they’re strong men, you know? They’re really committed to this. They’re really motivated to make sure that next summer, that we represent the country in all positive ways. As hard as it is right now to swallow, we’re going to find a way to make sure that we are better forward and that next summer we’re more prepared.”
(Top photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Euro 2025 kicks off in Switzerland
NWSL players Jess Carter (L) and Esme Morgan (C) will represent England at this year’s European Championship. (Harriet Lander – The FA/The FA via Getty Image)
UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 touches down in Switzerland tomorrow, as 16 European nations kick off their campaign for continental dominance.
The tournament opens with four groups of four teams, before the top two finishers in each group advance to the quarterfinal knockout round — with FOX Sports bringing every match to US fans.
Teams to watch: England enters as reigning champions, though their spot in Group D’s “Group of Death” against tough French and Dutch squads plus neighboring Wales will have the Lionesses facing an uphill climb to a repeat title.
Group B’s Spain is a clear frontrunner, with their 2023 World Cup-winning roster mostly intact and a good track record against European competition. However, they’re still reeling from the federation dysfunction and can fall victim to their own style of play.Eight-time champs Germany headline Group C, but as USWNT fans know, Sweden’s stacked roster and cutthroat tournament style could see them surging out of the gate.You likely won’t find the Euros winner in Scandinavia-dominated Group A, but Norway’s talent and experience has them looking like relative underdogs.Get the full Euros breakdown on The Late Sub with Claire Watkins.
Across the pond: Stateside soccer fans will recognize some familiar faces at this year’s Euros, with 18 current NWSL players set to represent their home countries, including three members of England’s squad.
“It’s really great to see that our fans get to support us even whilst we’re not at Gotham,” Gotham FC and England defender Jess Carter told JWS ahead of the NWSL’s midseason break. “They’re invested in us as people.”
Tune in: Euro 2025 kicks off on Wednesday at 12 PM ET, live on FOX Sports.
US Loses to Turkiye 2-1 – Plays Top 20 Switzerland Tonight 8 pm on TNT
So the US got off to a great start with a Goal by Jack McGlynn just a few minutes in but some horrific play by DM Johnny Cardosa led to 2 straight goals in about 2 minutes as Turkiye took the lead and held on for the 2-1 win. (highlights) I thought the changes by Poch to sub out Johnny with Adams & CB Miles Robinson with Mark McKensie – changed the flow of the game at the half as the US dominated play in the 2nd outshooting Turkiye & out possessing them for the game.
Tonight the US takes on Switzerland – another top 20 world team that should give us a real run. I will be interested to see how seriously Poch takes this? Does he give new guys a chance – or try to build on the good things that players did last game. I would like to see Richards & McKenzie back in the middle tonight to give them a chance to grow together. It sounds like Adams is out – does Johnny get another chance to show he can play like he does in Spain rather than the pathetic display he showed Sat or every other time he puts on the Red, White & Blue? Luca De La Tore was a bright spot as one of the few players who really took us forward – into the attack. I also thought Malik Tillman played better than his average play with our US starters. Unfortunately I think Poch is an clueless – and he’ll continue to experiment with his new found MLS players and get beat again 2-1. Hopefully I am wrong.
Shane’s Starters tonight White Aaronson/Tillman//McGlynn Cardoso //De La Tore Tolkin/McKensie/Richards/Harriel Turner Diving into the controversary regarding our US starters not showing up this summer. Let me start with I am hugely disappointed our starters are not here for these European friendlies. I really thought Poch should have asked everyone to come in for these friendlies – along with the MLS Gold Cup team and we should have tried to put our best 11 on the field for 10 days and these 2 games. I have this feeling if it was set up correctly – negotiated properly with the clubs (something Poch does not do) that a lot of the guys might have showed up for a 10 day stint. Asking them all to stay for the 5 week Gold Cup is ridiculous – even this summer. Sorry Landon Donovan since you NEVER pushed yourself to play at the highest level – EUROPE for an entire season – you have NO leg to stand on calling guys out. Especially since you took off 18 months for mental issues before your last chance at a World Cup. None of those old US players played the # of games or to the level of competition that the current US players are playing. We had more players in Champions League last year than the previous 10 years combined from our old regime. It simply does not compare to the load that our current European players playing at top clubs have. If US soccer had a clue they would have brought them in for the 11 days — like Portugal and Spain did in the Nations League final. Most of our guys were here for Nations League in the Spring. The bottom line is the Gold Cup has in the last 15 years been a warm-up B team roster for us – unless it meant Confed Cup placement. Under Berhalter/BJ we had grown beyond all of Concacaf included Mexico and Canada. Not so under Poch obviously. So what’s the real issue here? Hard to say – but calling Christian Pulisic – who is the Best American Soccer Field Player to have ever lived out for missing 1 Gold Cup is short sighted in my opinion. CBS/Golazo Discussion on PulisicState of the Union Discussion on thisTyler Adams is the US Captain
USMNT GOLD CUP DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals):
Euro Nations League Final Portugal beats Spain 2-2 (5-3) on PKs
Wow – the Nations League Final between Spain and Portugal was simply spectacular the 2-2 thriller in Bayern Munich was magisterial as 40 YO Christiana Ronaldo scored the tying goal to put Portugal into Extra Time before coming off. (highlights). Ronaldo & Portugal lift Trophy
Indy 11 hosts Pittsburgh Riverhounds and former Carmel High, CDC GK Eric Dick this Sat 7 pm Indy 11 Summer of Soccer is a cool promo going on with tickets and a chance to win a free trip to the Indy 11 Charleston game. Indy 11 will host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds with former Carmel High, and CDC player Eric Dick in Goal. The 2024 USL GK of the year has Pittsburgh in 6th place overall 3 notches above Indy 11. Zeke invites you to enjoy a tail-wagging good time as we welcome our furry fans to the stadium. Enjoy the match with your pup by your side, the perfect outing for dog lovers and Indy Eleven fans! Pups at the Pitch Tickets are just $29 for you and your dog – Tickets
Carmel FC Supplemental Tryouts
Carmel FC are looking for High School quality Players for its 2010 Gold Boys (mid 1st division team) and 2009 Gold Boys (Great Lakes) reach out to me shanebestsoccer@gmail.com if interested.
hum that American Coach is doing pretty well at Canada eh? Oh he added Michael Bradley to his staff
TV GAME SCHEDULE
GC=Gold Cup, WCC = World Club Cup in US Tues, June 10
2:45 pm Fox Sport2 Netherlands vs Malta 8 pm TNT, Peacock US Men vs Switzerland Fri, June 13 10:30 pm FS1 Portland Timbers vs San Jose MLS
June 13 – 29 GOLD CUP MEN June 13
10:30 pm Fox Sports1 Portland Timbers vs San Jose Earthquakes
June 14 4:30 pm Fox St. Louis City vs LA Galaxy 7 pm TV 8 & CBS Golaso Indy 11 vs Pittsburg Riverhounds (Carmel GK Eric Dick returns) 7:30 pm Apple Free Columbus vs Vancouver 8 pm Univision Al Ahly vs Inter Miami Club World Cup 9:30 pm Apple Free Colorado vs Orlando MLS 10:!5 pm FS1 Mexico vs Dominican Republic GC
Sun, June 15
12 noon DANZ Bayern Munich vs Auckland City WCC 3 pm Univision PSG Vs Atletico Madrid WCC 6 pm Fox, Uni US Men vs Trinidad Gold Cup 8:15 pm FS1 Haiti vs Saudi Arabia GC 10 pm Danz Botafogo vs Seattle Sounders WCC 11 pm FS1 Costa Rica vs Suriname GC Mon, June 16 3 pm unimas, TUDN Chelsea vs LAFC 6 pm Danz Boca Juniors vs Benefica WCC 7 pm FS1 Panama vs Guadeloupe GC 9 pm FS1 Jamaica vs Guatemala
Tues , June 17 12 noon TNT Fluminese vs Dortmund WCC 3 pm Danz River Plate vs Urawa Reds WCC 8:15 pm FS1 Curacao vs El Salvador GC 9 pm Danz Inter Milan vs Monterrey WCC 10:30 pm FS1 Canada vs Honduras GC
Wed, June 18
12 noon DANZ Man City vs Wydad Casablanca WCC 3 pm unimas Real Madrid vs Al Hilal WCC 6 pm Danz Pachuca cs Salzburg WCC 7 pm FS1 Costa Rica vs Dom Republic GC 9 pm dazn Al Ain vs Juventus (Mckinney, Weah) WCC 10 pm FS1 Mexico vs Suriname
Thur, June 19
12 noon Dazn Palmeiras vs Al Ahly WCC 3 pm Dazn Inter Miami vs Porto WCC 6 pm Dazn Seattle Sounders vs Atletico Madrid WCC 6:45 pm FS1 T&T vs Haiti GC 9 pm Dazn PSG Vs Botafogo WCC 9:15 pm FS1 US Men vs Saudi Arabia Gold Cup
Fri, June 20 2 pm TNT Flamengo vs Chelsea WCC 6 pm DANZ LAFC vs ES Tunis WCC 7:45 pm FS1 Jamaica vs Guadeloupe GC 9 pm TBS Bayern Munich vs Boca Juniors WCC 10 pm FS1 Guatemala vs Panama GC
Sat, June 21
7 pm TV8, Golazo Indy 11 vs Las Vegas Lights FC 7 pm FS1 Curacao vs Canada GC 9 pm TBS River Plate vs Monterrey WC 10 pm FS1 Honduras vs El Salvador GC
Sun, June 22
12 noon Danz Juventus vs Wydad Casablanca WCC 3 pm univision Real Madrid vs Pachuca WCC 7 pm Fox US Men vs Haiti Gold Cup 7 pm FS1 Saudi Arabia vs T&T GC 9 pm TNT Man City vs Al Ain WCC 10 pm FS1 Mexico vs Costa Rica GC
Mon, June 23 9 pm TBS Inter Miami (Messi) vs Palmeiras
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=======RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20%=== Is Mauricio Pochettino’s style too slow for the USMNT?
Ryan O’HanlonJun 10, 2025, 08:14 AM ET
If anything will stick from the USMNT’s mostly unmemorable 2-1 loss to Turkey last week, it’ll be either Jack McGlynn‘s first goal with the team, or the unfortunate moment when Johnny Cardoso flicked the ball into Arda Güler‘s shin and into his team’s own goal.
But the most illustrative moment from the exhibition match happened a few seconds before the ball was trickling past goalkeeper Matt Freese and across the goal line.
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Alex Freeman had just won the ball from Juventus‘ Kenan Yildiz right outside the USMNT’s penalty area. He shifted the ball over to Cardoso, who had the opportunity to play a quick, long, forward pass into tons of space on the left side of the field. Turkey had just lost possession, so it hadn’t yet shifted into its defensive shape. Instead, Cardoso hesitated and then played a safe pass to Chris Richards. As this happened, U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino threw his hands into the air, jumped up, spun around and yelled something toward the bench. A couple of seconds later, Freese was scooping the ball out of his net.While the goal itself was a freak play — somewhat bad luck that the ball was deflected in the first place, entirely bad luck that it deflected in such a way to then spin into the side netting — the entire possession was a microcosm of the team’s biggest problem under Pochettino: It plays too slow. While most of the modern USMNT era has been characterized by constant, hectic overactivity, the past couple of months have flipped back too far in the other direction.
Pochettino knows this; he addressed the play postmatch, reacting in the moment, and he made similar comments after the 1-0 loss to Panama in the Nations League semifinals. But if the team is going to make a run at the World Cup next summer, he’s going to have to find a way to get his players to, well, run.
Why Pochettino’s USMNT is the slowest on record
Pochettino has managed only nine U.S. games so far, and the general rule in the club soccer world is that we should wait 10 games before drawing any conclusions. But only three of those games were competitive, while a fourth, the third-place Nations League match, was what we’ll call “partially competitive.” Throw in the fact that the rosters and lineups have been significantly different across almost every international break, and it’s still way too early to say anything remotely definitive.he biggest difference between Pochettino’s tenure and the Gregg Berhalter era that preceded it, though, seems to be the structure in possession. The latter had somewhat rigid positional guidelines for where everyone should be, while the former has given the players license to solve defensive problems on their own.
“The way we press [under Pochettino] is a lot more aggressive, especially from goal kicks,” midfielder Luca de la Torre told ESPN after the Turkey match. “There’s the intention to play in the half of the other team. And there’s probably more freedom with Pochettino in terms of the positioning of the players to find the solutions in open play.”Midfielder Malik Tillman echoed De la Torre’s final point. “He gives us offensive players a lot of freedom to move around the pitch to find the right spaces,” the PSV attacker said. “With Gregg, there was a lot more focus on being in the same spaces.”Again, it’s still way too early to say which approach is more effective, or if one is even more effective than the other. And while strict positional guidelines provide built-in fundamentals that the team can play within right away, the more relational style should theoretically take more time to develop since the players need to understand each other’s inherent tendencies. The free-flowing approach could improve with time — or it could be impossible to establish due to the ever-changing personnel and limited game time on offer in the international game. Perhaps, too, this is why the team has struggled to move the ball at speed so far under Pochettino. It’s hard to make decisions when you’re not sure where your teammates are going to be. Stats Perform has full data for USMNT matches going back to 2010. And among the managers who have been in charge for at least five games, Pochettino’s team ranks last for:
– The speed it moves the ball upfield: 1.03 meters per second – The number of possessions it has per match: 82.1
The former is pretty straightforward — literally, how quickly do you move the ball toward the opposition goal? The latter represents, roughly, how much chaos you want your matches to have. For example: Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool played high possession games where the ball was constantly changing hands, while Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City rank last in the Premier League for possessions per game almost every season. For comparison: Berhalter’s teams moved at 1.34 meters per second and averaged 87.8 possessions per game. This isn’t to say that the slower approach can’t work; clearly, it can. Pep’s City won everything while playing slower than everyone else, while Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal play very slowly, and they’ve finished second in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons. In general, European soccer has become more methodical and less hectic with each passing season. At the same time, the three best teams in the world right now — PSG, Liverpool and Barcelona — all tend to play faster and embrace more chaos than is popular at the highest levels of the game. And most of the USMNT’s best players are better off playing that way, too.
Why the USMNT player pool wants to run
When it works, the slower approach keeps the ball away from your opponents, prevents the kind of odd-number counterattacks that Hansi Flick’s Barcelona frequently face, and creates a low volume of high-quality chances.Defensively, the team has been totally fine under Pochettino. The loss against Panama had nothing to do with a dysfunctional defense. The USMNT conceded three total shots for 0.1 expected goals — if you could guarantee that the Americans would do that at every game at the World Cup next summer, then I’d tell you to go and bet on them to win the tournament right now.No, the problem against Panama — and more broadly — was that the USMNT created a low volume of low-quality chances. If you’re not going to take more risks and attempt more shots, then you have to be able to generate better shots with the few shots you do take. In Pochettino’s nine matches, though, the U.S. has attempted 10.4 shots per game — fewer than in any managerial tenure other than Dave Sarachan’s lame-duck interim stint between Jurgen Klinsmann and Gregg Berhalter. But they’ve also generated only five total shots worth at least a third of an expected goal. For comparison, Berhalter’s teams averaged 1.6 per game.
These are all of the 94 shots attempted under Pochettino, sized by the expected-goal value of the attempt:
Ultimately, the slower approach just doesn’t really seem to fit many of the USMNT’s best players. In attack, Folarin Balogun had his breakout season while playing in a transition-heavy approach under Will Still at Reims. Both Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah are at their best when they’re able to run at unsettled defenses. And at PSV, both Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman have been successful for Peter Bosz and his wide-open tactics. In midfield, all of Tyler Adams‘ best seasons have come for the embracers of chaos at Bournemouth, Leeds and RB Leipzig. Weston McKennie continues to flourish despite the relatively conservative tactics at Juventus, but I think a lot of that is because his managers all realize they need to find a way to embrace the risks he takes off the ball. And at this point in his career, Yunus Musah‘s most valuable skill is his ability to break through pressure and create transition moments for his team. Even at the back, Antonee Robinson is one of the most athletic fullbacks in the open field … in the entire world. Chris Richards plays for a former Red Bull manager in Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace. Sergiño Dest is probably the only first-choice player who seems totally comfortable in this possession-dominant, patient approach — and he’s still yet to play a game for Pochettino.
Now, there is a potential cheat code — set pieces — here. Without them, Arsenal would be a top-four challenger and a Champions League also-ran rather than a title challenger and a European semifinalist. If you can methodically create chances from set pieces, then you can afford to play a low-risk, slower style. Plus, if you score the opening goal from a set piece, then the defense has to soften up, and that makes it easier to attack. Although the U.S. hired famed set piece coach Gianni Vio, we still haven’t seen any of this yet. For all the possession the USMNT has had under Pochettino — 60.4%, more than under any other manager — it has attempted just 1.6 set piece shots per game, the fewest under any manager.
So, through the first nine games of the Pochettino era, we seem to have a coach who says he wants his team to play faster and a group of players who thrive at a higher tempo. Yet, somehow, they’ve struggled to ever get out of first gear. Perhaps Poch’s public frustrations don’t match with what he’s telling his team to do. Maybe these players need stricter positional guidelines. Or it could just be some early-tenure growing pains.The broader challenge for this summer, with the limited roster at the Gold Cup, and next summer at the World Cup, is for the USMNT to find a way to start consistently generating higher-quality chances on goal. And barring some development on the set piece front, the way to get there is to find an answer to what seems like a simple question: How do you get all of your runners to start running again?
Turkey loss gives Poch, USMNT more questions than answers
Jeff Carlisle Cesar Hernandez ESPN Jun 7, 2025, 07:41 PM ET
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — The U.S. men’s national team, with a squad that is far from full strength, kicked off its Gold Cup preparation with a 2-1 loss to Turkey during a friendly at Pratt & Whitney Stadium on Saturday.Initially up 1-0 thanks to a first-minute goal from Jack McGlynn, the U.S. then lost its lead with a rapid set of goals from Arda Güler and Kerem Aktürkoglu in the 24th and 27th minutes, respectively.Next up for the USMNT in its final Gold Cup preparation tuneup is a match against Switzerland in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday. — Cesar Hernandez
More questions than answers for Pochettino
Outside of McGlynn, and perhaps Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman, it’s tough to find many positives from the experimental XI that had an average age of 23.8.Turkey won more duels, aerial duels and had a higher success rate of tackles against the Americans, who seemed to lose the mentality game and intensity as the match progressed — despite the fact that the home side had plenty more possessions that led to substandard half chances.The USMNT never mentally recovered after conceding those first-half goals, and looking ahead to Switzerland, it will be manager Mauricio Pochettino’s responsibility to find other members of this makeshift roster who were expected to “fight for a place” in the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.At the moment, missing marquee members like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest and a handful of others have left large cleats that have yet to be filled. If this crop of players doesn’t show any improvements or a stronger mentality against Switzerland, it could be a sign of a long — or perhaps shorter than expected — summer ahead in the Gold Cup with no real alternates stepping up in the depth chart. — Hernandez
Race for No. 9 place remains wide-open
Patrick Agyemang was hoping for a special kind of homecoming, given that he was born and raised in East Hartford, the same city as Saturday’s venue. It wasn’t to be, even as he was given the plumb assignment of the starting striker role.Agyemang used his size to good effect at times, and in terms of physicality, gave as good as he got from Turkey’s backline. But too often his touch was lacking, especially on those occasions when Diego Luna played passes into Agyemang’s feet. Agyemang wasn’t goal dangerous, recording one shot on target in the 52nd minute that didn’t force a difficult save.The performance left Pochettino still looking for a solution at the No. 9 position.Haji Wright got on the field for 25 minutes but was deployed out wide as opposed to a more central role. He rarely was involved save for one late run when he dribbled straight into the feet of his opponent.Agyemang was subbed out in the 75th minute for Brian White, but the Vancouver Whitecaps striker barely got a sniff of the ball, recording just seven touchesWhat Pochettino does against Switzerland in three days remains uncertain, although it seems worth giving FC Cologne forward Damion Downs a shot, or shifting Wright into the middle. — Jeff Carlisle
Saturday proved to be more of the same. With the U.S. leading 1-0 and Cardoso in complete control of the ball, he attempted to pass out of his own box, only for the delivery to ricochet off of Güler and into the U.S. net. It’s the kind of play one wouldn’t expect from a Sunday league player, let alone one of LaLiga‘s more highly regarded performers.
The play shook the Americans’ confidence, and they conceded a second three minutes later.
It wasn’t the first time Cardoso has disappointed. In a friendly against Colombia prior to last year’s Copa América, Cardoso was lackadaisical in coming to the ball, allowing the Cafeteros to counter and score their fifth and final goal. Against Turkey, it was another careless play that led directly to a goal.
Cardoso is in the lineup for his composure on the ball, but if he can’t showcase that trait, it’s tough to see him getting on the field. The news surrounding the U.S. midfield wasn’t all bad. Luca de la Torre was sharp in the first half, completing 38 of 39 passes, and was a bright spot throughout. But there isn’t quite enough steel when De la Torre and Cardoso are paired together. Fortunately, Adams was available, and Pochettino duly swapped the AFC Bournemouth midfielder in for Cardoso at halftime. The U.S. looked more solid in the center of the park in the second half, although Turkey didn’t seem to be pushing forward as much. All told, it was a day when Cardoso fell a notch down the U.S. midfield depth chart. — Carlisle
Dest, Robinson replacements need to find chemistry
Some slack should be given considering the inexperience of the fullbacks in the young starting XI, but Pochettino will still likely be unhappy with the ensuing lack of cohesion in defense that rapidly emerged in the first half. At left back, Max Arfsten, who was earning his fourth cap, struggled with winning duels and wasn’t able to connect many of his crosses going forward through his pressing runs. At right back, the debut of Alex Freeman was average at best, occasionally allowing opportunities for Turkey to run into the final third with dangerous and speedy counters. Coupled with Cardoso’s questionable start in front of the backline, the defensive puzzle quickly became scrambled when Turkey had possession, leading to difficult moments for Chris Richards and Miles Robinson in the heart of it all. Recognizing early on that the U.S. defensive experiment was proving to be porous, Turkey pounced on its recoveries in the final third and set the tone for the rest of the match. Pochettino will have little time to fine-tune his approach and might need to continue trying new faces in the fullback spots that would, ideally, be led by absent starters Robinson and Dest who weren’t available for the Gold Cup roster. — Hernandez
USMNT’s Tyler Adams out vs. Switzerland; Pochettino to rotate squad
By Paul Tenorio The Athletic June 9, 2025Updated 5:59 pm EDT
U.S. men’s national team midfielder Tyler Adams will not play Tuesday night in Nashville against Switzerland due to precautions around a foot injury. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Monday in a press conference that Adams would be rested in this friendly as the U.S. eyes his involvement in the upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup.“Tyler is out for tomorrow because he suffered a small issue in his foot,” Pochettino said. “But I think it’s not a big issue. Hope it’s not a big issue. I think we can manage it in a good way and rest it for a few days, and then see if he can be ready for the Gold Cup. That is why he’s not going to be involved tomorrow.” Adams played just the second half in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Turkey, and after that appearance Pochettino said it had been a planned substitution due to the foot issue that Adams brought into camp from his Premier League season with Bournemouth.
Tyler Adams played the second half in Saturday’s loss to Turkey. (Photo by Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire/AP Images)
Pochettino also said the U.S. team would be heavily rotated for its second friendly in four days. The U.S. is entering the match at GEODIS Park on the heels of its first three-game losing streak under a single manager in 10 years.“Preparing for the Gold Cup, I think it’s good to make some changes now and to give the possibility to other players to play,” Pochettino said. “What I want to see tomorrow is to continue evolving the way that we started to play against Turkey. It’s a continuation of this feeling. If we will get tomorrow after 90 minutes, the same feeling, I think the progression is there and I’m going to be happy. The result also is important. But I think now, with a lot of new players, for the first time and building a team for the Gold Cup, I think the focus is more in the process to improve than maybe the result. And of course, I think the Gold Cup is going to be both progression and results.” Unused subs that could feature in this game include goalkeeper Matt Turner; center backs Walker Zimmerman and Tim Ream; fullback John Tolkin; midfielders Sebastian Berhalter, Brenden Aaronson and Paxten Aaronson; and forward Damion Downs.The U.S. lost to Turkey on Saturday in Connecticut, but Pochettino was pleased with the effort and mindset his team played with against the world’s 27th-ranked team, according to FIFA’s table. Switzerland, No. 20, will provide another tough test for the U.S., coming off a 4-2 win over Mexico in Utah on Saturday.Following the friendly, the U.S. will turn its attention to the Gold Cup, where it will open group play against Trinidad & Tobago in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday. Matches against guest nation Saudi Arabia and Haiti will follow, as the U.S. seeks to wrest back the continental title from Mexico. The two nations have alternated winning the competition for the last seven editions. (Top photo: David Butler II/Imagn Images)
USMNT’s upbeat reaction to Turkey loss a telling sign of need to restore basics
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino had just finished delivering a long answer about Jack McGlynn’s performance in the U.S.’s 2-1 loss to Turkey on Saturday when he paused and looked around at the room in front of him.“It’s a good thing we are talking about soccer, eh?” he asked. “That is a good thing. Fútbol.”The implication, of course, was that much of Pochettino’s ire after March’s Concacaf Nations League failure — and really, the frustration of the fanbase — centered less around the actual soccer in losses to Panama and Canada. Yes, that team also failed to impress with what it did on the field, but more concerning was the lack of effort. The absence of fight. The appearance of indifference.The inclusion of several MLS players for this camp was meant to add a bit more hunger to a team that seemed to lack some of that internal motivation. The challenge changed a bit when 10 U.S. regulars weren’t available via Club World Cup commitments, injuries, personal reasons or a desire for rest, in the case of Christian Pulisic. Almost the entire group has been filled with hopefuls now.
However, in a way, it allowed Pochettino to lean further toward the goal of the Gold Cup tournament, which starts for the U.S. against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15. He clearly wants to try to inject competition and desire into the group.So while it was odd, and certainly spoke to the negative state in which this program currently finds itself, that Pochettino and the players were mostly upbeat after a third consecutive loss, it was just as telling that they found satisfaction in hitting what had long been considered a bare minimum for the USMNT.“I think we need to be positive, because today I think only we can talk about fútbol action, soccer action,” Pochettino said. “The team showed great energy, great mentality, great attitude. And then it’s this type of game that maybe, if you make a mistake, you can lose. But you made a mistake because it’s soccer, it’s fútbol. That is why I think I am so, so happy about the way that I think we delivered the show and in the way that we tried to play.”
Malik Tillman missed a golden opportunity to score vs. Turkey. (David Butler II/Imagn Images)
It wasn’t completely unfair of Pochettino to feel as if there were positives to hold onto in the loss to a talented Turkey side. The U.S. was the better team for the first 20 minutes. Pochettino correctly pointed out that, until Johnny Cardoso made an egregious mistake in his own box and gifted Turkey a goal, the U.S. seemed in control.The inexperienced American side struggled to regain composure after Cardoso’s extra touch and attempted pass caromed off Turkey’s Arda Güler, the 20-year-old Real Madrid winger, and into the net. Only about two minutes later, a poor clearance was easily put home by Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who plays his club soccer at Benfica, to give Turkey the lead.The U.S. held on through the rest of the first half, but came out after halftime with renewed energy and much more purpose. It created chances — a weakness for this team over the past two cycles — and they probably should have had an equalizer. Malik Tillman’s point-blank header was the best opportunity, but there were a few other decent looks, as well, including two at the back post from Max Arfsten.“So many positives to take away from that game,” U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams said. “I was saying before, as we were walking off the field, I think it’s one of the first times that we’ve gone down, and we’ve created so many clear chances afterwards. So I think that’s a huge positive for us. Now, it’s just about putting the ball in the back of the net.”After five days together, Pochettino felt the soccer could be fine-tuned and fixed. There were many more details that the group would continue to add and build into how they played on Saturday. And Pochettino felt the game provided important experience for many of the players. For one, he pointed to Patrick Agyemang, 24, battling with two center backs, Çağlar Söyüncü and Merih Demiral, who have played at “the highest levels.”
Agyemang, who grew up miles from the Connecticut stadium, takes on Demiral. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
But Pochettino’s focus was on the type of effort the team showed on the field. It has been clear in the head coach’s comments the past few weeks that he was frustrated with the pool — or at least with how things played out in March — and that he was also tuned in to what people were saying about the team.This summer and the forthcoming Gold Cup seem to be about sending a message. On Saturday, Pochettino put up the first smoke signals of his intent.But there is now an odd sort of dynamic where this group, filled with debutantes and unproven national team players, can set a standard that is meant to carry through to next summer’s World Cup — and to the “golden generation” of players that carry so much expectation into that tournament.That’s not an assumption. Pochettino said as much.“If I decide in September (to call a) different roster, what I want is the same level of commitment, attitude,” the veteran coach said. “Today, who is going to tell me: ‘Oh, we have showed a lack of…’? ‘We showed lack of…’ Lack of what?“Today, I think we can all agree the team showed what it needed to show. And then if the opponent is better or had more luck or you made a mistake, it’s not a problem. But for sure, playing in this way, we are going to win most of the games.”Saturday’s “first step” in the rebuilding process was a loss. If the message is going to truly take hold, the U.S., and Pochettino, will need the results to follow, too.
Club World Cup Group A: Stylish Palmeiras should dominate but will Inter Miami make it through?
The first edition of the expanded Club World Cup will want to offer unpredictability as 32 teams from six different continents face each other.Palmeiras of Brazil, Portugal’s Porto, Al Ahly from Egypt and Major League Soccer side Inter Miami make up Group A of this year’s tournament, and beyond the Brazilian side, there is a case for any of the other teams to qualify for the straight-knockout round of 16.Miami’s defensive struggles might hinder them, despite the presence of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in attack. Porto are looking at the tournament as an opportunity for redemption after one of their worst seasons of recent years at domestic and European levels. Meanwhile, Al Ahly have consistently done well in the previous annual format of this tournament, finishing third on four occasions this decade.Here, The Athletic picks out the group favorites, the fun facts, and the storylines to watch.
Fixtures:
(All kick-offs ET/BST)
June 14: Al Ahly vs Inter Miami (Miami — 8pm/1am June 15)
June 15: Palmeiras vs Porto (New York/New Jersey — 6pm/11pm)
June 19: Palmeiras vs Al Ahly (New York/New Jersey — 12pm/5pm)
June 19: Inter Miami vs Porto (Atlanta — 3pm/8pm)
June23: Inter Miami vs Palmeiras (Miami — 9pm/2am June 24)
June 23: Porto vs Al Ahly (New York/New Jersey — 9pm/2am June 24)
The favorite is…
Palmeiras.
Under coach Abel Ferreira, the Sao Paulo side have won Brazil’s Serie A in 2022 and 2023, the Copa do Brasil in 2020 and two successive Copa Libertadores in 2020 and 2021.
They are currently fourth in Serie A, Brazilian football’s top division, early in its March-to-December 2025 season and will play Universitario of Peru in the round of 16 of this year’s Copa Libertadores when that competition resumes in August, with talents such as Estevao Willian and Richard Rios key to the team’s success. The signings of Facundo Torres, Paulinho and Vitor Roque have bolstered their attacking options this season, too.
Ferreira’s side are tactically flexible and able to attack and defend in different shapes, depending on the situation.
“We are not exceptional at one very specific thing, but we are good at everything,” the Portuguese head coach recently told FIFA. “We’re good and balanced when it comes to positional, attacking football. We’re good and balanced at playing counter-attacking football, we’re good at set pieces, we’re good at boxing in our opponents and making life hard for them with our defensive structure.”
Considering their consistent success in recent years, the talent in the squad and the tactical maturity they bring to the table, it’s hard to look beyond Palmeiras as Group A winners.
Estevao Willian is a rising star and will be joining Chelsea later this summer (Daniel Duarte/AFP via Getty Images)
The standout match is likely to be…
The opening match of the whole competition between Al Ahly and Miami in the latter’s hometown.
Cairo’s recently-crowned Egyptian champions, who also held the African Champions League title until earlier this month, have stepped up their game before at international level, beating Palmeiras in the Club World Cup four years ago to secure the bronze medal, and in this new format they are eager to reach the knockout rounds.
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Miami will be hoping the same, and considering that their other two group games will be against Porto and Palmeiras, both sides are in a must-win situation in this opener. The footballing quality might not be of the highest calibre compared to other matches in the competition, but there is a case for this being an entertaining match.Al Ahly, the record 12-time African Champions League winners, know how to rise to the occasion regardless of their form. They are led by all-rounder midfielder Emam Ashour and Palestinian striker Wessam Abou Ali, who scored a combined 35 goals this season, with the recent arrivals of Egypt international forwards Ahmed Sayed Zizo and Trezeguet strengthening the squad.
On the other hand, Miami’s big names speak for themselves: Messi, Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. However, the start of their 2025 season hasn’t been smooth.
New coach Javier Mascherano’s side have dropped 19 points in MLS already after 16 games and were knocked out of the Concacaf Champions Cup in the semi-finals by Vancouver Whitecaps.
Miami’s defensive fragility might make this more of an even contest than people expect.
Will Inter Miami’s underwhelming form carry over into the Club World Cup? (Rich Lam/Getty Images)
The group’s galactico
Even if they are well into their thirties, Messi, Suarez, Busquets and Alba make Miami as a team the galactico of Group A. However, if we have learnt something in football, it’s that simply having galacticos doesn’t make you a strong side.
After winning the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, the award for having the best regular-season record in MLS, the departures of less-famous players have affected Miami, especially defensively. Diego Gomez, Julian Gressel, Robert Taylor, Matias Rojas and Leo Campana had important roles to play last season, and their departures have resulted in a less functional unit.
In addition, Drake Callender’s ongoing absence because of a groin injury has kept 38-year-old Oscar Ustari in goal. Ustari hasn’t been the most solid this season, conceding 1.8 goals more than expected in the league.
Defensive set pieces are another area where Miami have been exploited, but the individual quality they have up front is still creating numerous chances and racking up the goals.
In 2025, Miami are a team whose individuals are shaping the core of the attack, but the lack of selfless players to complement that is hindering the side overall.
The player who could make a name for themselves…
Estevao.
The dazzling 18-year-old winger will join Chelsea after this tournament, with Palmeiras having reached an agreement with the Premier League club last summer. Chelsea will pay €34million (£28.6m/$38.8m) up front, with another €23m tied to performance-based incentives.
Estevao’s incredible performances at youth levels fast-tracked his career, making his debut for Palmeiras aged 16. In the 2024 season, he scored 13 goals and provided nine assists in Serie A as Palmeiras finished second behind Botafogo.
The teenager excels in one-versus-one situations, can dribble in both directions and has the pace to drive past defenders. He has a left foot that knows its way to goal regardless of the shooting angle, while also creating chances for his team-mates in open play and on set pieces.
(Christian Alvarenga/Getty Images)
So far in the 2025 season, Estevao has been featuring more as an attacking midfielder, which is where he sees himself in the long term. “I started playing as a winger towards the end of my academy days, to avoid as much physical contact and give me more one-v-ones,” he told FIFA.
“That’s how I earned my spot in the Palmeiras side, where there’s a lot of competition for places in the middle of the park, but really, I’m more of a midfielder. That’s where I’m in my element. In a few years’ time, I’d like to get back to playing in my original position.”
Whether down the wing or in central areas, keep an eye out for Estevao’s tricks.
A story to look out for is…
Porto’s attempt to save their season.
The 30-times Portuguese champions finished the 2024-25 Primeira Liga in third place for the second year in a row, and weren’t competing with Benfica and eventual winners, Sporting CP, come the run-in, finishing nine and 11 points adrift respectively.
Add in taking just 11 points from their eight league-phase matches in the revamped Europa League and then being eliminated by Roma in its first knockout round, a last-32 exit from the Taca de Portugal (Portugal’s FA Cup) against fellow top-flight side Moreirense and losing to Sporting in the semi-finals of the Taca da Liga (League Cup) and it was a season to forget for Porto fans.
A positive performance in the Club World Cup could help them save face and prove to be the reset the club need.
Martin Anselmi was only able to guide Porto to a third-place finish this season (Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)Another story is how Al Ahly will fare under manager Jose Riveiro, whose first official game in charge will be that opener against Miami. Predecessor Marcel Koller was sacked in late April following their 1-1 draw at home against Mamelodi Sundowns in the second leg of a Champions League semi-final, which led to the holders’ elimination on the away-goals rule.Despite guiding Al Ahly to two league titles (and most of a third), two Egypt Cups (the country’s domestic knockout competition) and back-to-back Champions League triumphs, Koller was under pressure during the 2024-25 season due to a reactive style of play that didn’t suit the profiles of the squad.The manager’s seat at Al Ahly is always a hot one, and Riveiro, a 49-year-old Spaniard who was previously a manager in Finland and South Africa, needs a strong start to gain the fans’ approval.
You might not know this but…
Miami’s squad includes a midfielder with almost-perfect genes.
Federico Redondo is the son of former Argentina international and Real Madrid legend Fernando Redondo, who won two Champions League titles with the Spanish club in 1998 and 2000 and another as a Milan player in 2003. The 22-year-old is also the nephew of Santiago Solari, another former Madrid player, through his mother and is currently playing alongside Busquets.
Can Federico step up and emulate his family’s achievements?
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Weston McKennie was among those left out of Mauricio Pochettino’s latest USMNT squad. (Marco Canoniero / LightRocket via Getty Images)
Under former USMNT coach Bob Bradley, players like Charlie Davies were incentivized to prove themselves overseas. (Chris Williams /Icon SMI / Corbis / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Paxten Aaronson made a recent return to Major League Soccer from Europe. (Seth Herald / AFP via Getty Images)That is a crazy situation. But what other conclusion could we draw from the fact that a promising player like Aidan Morris, who was rightly called up due to his excellent form with the Columbus Crew, is now ignored despite being a regular in the highly competitive Championship with Middlesbrough?
The September friendlies will mark Christian Pulisic’s return to the squad. (Logan Riely / USSF / Getty Images for USSF)
Fulham’s Antonee Robinson was among the high-profile absentees from the USMNT squad. (Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
Pochettino (left) and captain Tim Ream (center) suffered summer disappointment with a Concacaf Gold Cup final defeat. (Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images)
USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie won’t take part in friendlies vs. South Korea and Japan (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
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Christian Pulisic and AC Milan will be sitting out European competition this season (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Chelsea beat West Ham 5-1 away last week (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t have many options behind Antonee Robinson at left back (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Can Flick’s Barca build further on last season’s success? (Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)
Alonso was appointed as Madrid coach back in May (Sara Gordon/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
Jauregizar, pictured in pre-season for Athletic (Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
United States international Cardoso in action for Atletico in pre-season against Newcastle (Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)
Bryan Mbeumo (left), Benjamin Sesko (middle) and Matheus Cunha (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Alexander Isak during pre-season training in July (Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah celebrate against Germany in 2023 (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
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Teams will be awarded a corner if the opposition goalkeeper holds onto the ball for too long (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez was involved in a double-touch penalty in last season’s Champions League (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
(Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
(Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
(Stu Forster/Getty Images)
(Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Wrexham’s new pitch, as seen before their first home match of the season (Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
The newly-installed cameras (Richard Sutcliffe/The Athletic)
The new two-level TV gantry (Richard Sutcliffe/The Athletic)
Barriers obscure the building of the new Kop stand (Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
The Mauricio Pochettino Memorial Derby (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN/TBS)History awaits. PSG are just 90 minutes away from completing one of the most dominant club seasons of all time in which they will have won every single trophy that was available to them. Following on from the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France, the Club World Cup would be a fourth trophy lifted in three months, a 6.6-liter twin-turbo-charged quadruple. Yet it could also be Chelsea who walk away with a startling $136 million in prize money. PSG are a creative machine, undoubtedly the world’s top club side, by some gulf. Just over a month ago, they smashed five goals past Inter to storm to Champions League glory. On Wednesday afternoon, they obliterated Real Madrid, making the European game’s long-reigning monarchs look worse than Grok, and even more deliciously, rendering Kylian Mbappé’s revenge fantasies impotent. The football they play is so mesmerizing, in certain moments, it can dizzy and disorient you to the point that, fleetingly, you can be tricked into believing nation state ownership is a good thing. The talk that surrounds them is not just of victory, but of dynasty.And for Chelsea? Their success in this tournament is a testament to tenacity and the fortune that befell them after losing their second game 3-1 to Flamengo. A defeat which ultimately life-hacked them into the generously weak half of the knockout bracket. It was admittedly magical watching João Pedro, in his first start for Chelsea, blast 
: Le Romp. PSG 4-1. Second half will be a dead rubber in the sweltering heat of New Jersey. 
Also: The Club World Cup final will be shown live at more than 20 movie theaters across the United States this Sunday. You have not lived until you’ve seen Cole Palmer’s celly 
A sad coda to PSG’s semi-final was witnessing Luka Modrić substitute in with the game long over, unable to bend it to his will, in 
Mexico had passionate support in Houston for its Gold Cup triumph. (Robbie Jay Barratt / AMA / Getty Images)“Without a doubt,” said Adams of whether he would like to see more U.S. supporters in stadiums during next year’s World Cup.The Bournemouth midfielder, who captained USMNT during its run to the round of 16 at the World Cup in 2022, has seen this play out before.“It’s so funny because for a lot of the fairly inexperienced players in our national team, it’s the first thing I said to everyone going into this game against Mexico,” Adams said. “I was saying, ‘Don’t go into this team with a naive mentality of expecting it to be all people cheering for us and excited about the game.’ If anything, we’re going into an atmosphere where we are playing the hardest away game you’ve probably played in a long time.“I wouldn’t say it hurts because it’s what I (have come to) expect when we play in certain areas geographically. At the same time, it’s what makes our country amazing: the diversity our country has to offer. It was a learning experience for a lot of guys, but of course come the World Cup, you’re hoping that you see so much red, white and blue instead of whoever opponent you’re facing.”Adams also revealed that Pochettino was “very emotional” in the locker room after the loss against Mexico. The Americans reached the final following a tournament they entered without several key players, either due to injury, Club World Cup involvement, manager’s decision or choice. Significant absentees included Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Yunus Musah.The situation created openings for more players from teams within MLS, with Matt Freese, Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang among those who received fresh opportunities.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was emotional in the USMNT locker room after the Gold Cup final, according to Tyler Adams. (Omar Vega / Getty Images)
Adams said the summer heat was grueling for Gold Cup teams. (Aric Becker / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Ousmane Dembele celebrates putting PSG two up against Real Madrid after just nine minutes (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
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“He was on fire tonight, man, and he’s shown that he’s a guy that can be counted on, the way that he took that first touch off the deflection off the goalie, moving it to his left side, 
Diego Luna has been one of the USMNT’s biggest recent bright spots. (Jeff Le/Getty Images)
Mauricio Pochettino has cause for cheer after the USMNT’s recent turnaround. (Bill Barrett / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Mexico, led by star striker Raul Jimenez, will go into the Gold Cup final as favorite. (Shaun Clark / Getty Images)
Guatemala fans dominated the crowd for the Gold Cup semifinal. (Jeff Le / Getty Images)
Diego Luna got the United States off to a quick start. (Jeff Le / Getty Images)
U.S. forward Yazmeen Ryan celebrates scoring during the second half against Canada. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
Watch Clint Dempsey break down the exhilaration of last night’s U.S. win
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When La Furia Azul last reached a CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final, “Independence Day” was dominating the box office and Manchester United were one of the best teams in world football. If you’re of a certain vintage, 1996 doesn’t feel like it was 29 years ago, but for Guatemalan football fans, who cling to cult heroes like Juan Carlos Plata and Carlos Ruiz, it’s been an age. 
Poch’s new favorite playmaker, Mailk Tillman, 
Speaking of midfielders on the move, seems to only be a matter of time until Johnny Cardoso makes the 330-mile trip from Real Betis in Seville to join Atlético Madrid in the Spanish capital. 
Despite strong rumors involving a move to Nottingham Forest, 
Lucky No. 13 at Craven Cottage? While he’s one of the many American strikers absent from the Gold Cup, Ricardo Pepi, who’s still rehabbing from a January knee injury, is 
Meanwhile, the USMNT’s current starting striker is making the move to England: Charlotte FC’s 
Sunday night’s winning penalty taker in the shootout, 20-year-old forward 
USMNT international, former Atlanta United player, and current Chelsea fullback Caleb Wiley is 
Goalkeeper Matt Freese played a key role in the U.S. reaching the last four. (Carlos Gonzalez / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Veteran Tim Ream has been a leader for the USMNT throughout the Gold Cup (Photo by Brad Rempel/Imagn Images)
Rubio Rubin celebrates his clutch goal vs. Canada in the Gold Cup quarterfinals (Photo by Matt Krohn/Imagn Images)
Damion Downs clinches the USMNT’s win over Costa Rica. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
USMNT players celebrate their Gold Cup quarterfinal win over Costa Rica. (Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images)
See the full list of Club World Cup match results 
The USWNT works out at Audi Field on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Canada in Washington, D.C. (Asli Pelit / The Athletic)
Canada’s Gold Cup run ended in the quarterfinals (Photo by Matt Blewett/Imagn Images)
Jacob Shaffelburg is sent off vs. Guatemala, leaving Canada with 10 men for the second half (Photo by Brad Rempel/Imagn Images)
It’s back to the drawing board for Canada and Jesse Marsch after a humiliating Gold Cup ouster (Photo Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg is red carded vs. Guatemala (Photo by Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images)
NWSL players Jess Carter (L) and Esme Morgan (C) will represent England at this year’s European Championship. (Harriet Lander – The FA/The FA via Getty Image)
Ryan O’HanlonJun 10, 2025, 08:14 AM ET
Tyler Adams played the second half in Saturday’s loss to Turkey. (Photo by Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire/AP Images)
Malik Tillman missed a golden opportunity to score vs. Turkey. (David Butler II/Imagn Images)
Agyemang, who grew up miles from the Connecticut stadium, takes on Demiral. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
Estevao Willian is a rising star and will be joining Chelsea later this summer (Daniel Duarte/AFP via Getty Images)
Will Inter Miami’s underwhelming form carry over into the Club World Cup? (Rich Lam/Getty Images)
(Christian Alvarenga/Getty Images)
Martin Anselmi was only able to guide Porto to a third-place finish this season (Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)Another story is how Al Ahly will fare under manager Jose Riveiro, whose first official game in charge will be that opener against Miami. Predecessor Marcel Koller was sacked in late April following their 1-1 draw at home against Mamelodi Sundowns in the second leg of a Champions League semi-final, which led to the holders’ elimination on the away-goals rule.Despite guiding Al Ahly to two league titles (and most of a third), two Egypt Cups (the country’s domestic knockout competition) and back-to-back Champions League triumphs, Koller was under pressure during the 2024-25 season due to a reactive style of play that didn’t suit the profiles of the squad.The manager’s seat at Al Ahly is always a hot one, and Riveiro, a 49-year-old Spaniard who was previously a manager in Finland and South Africa, needs a strong start to gain the fans’ approval.
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