Notes
The Goat Lionel Messi – will be playing his final international game for Argentina tonight at 7 pm in Bueno Areas. Honestly not sure how to watch – The game will be available to watch via ViX in the U.S., at 7 pm – which also has an add-on option through Amazon Prime Video. I would hope the US game at 8 pm will have some video from the game around our game tonight. Here are some farewell links from around the world on Messi.
https://x.com/Kohliship_18/status/2107326689676316904?s=46
https://x.com/FANFOOTMESSI/status/2107369240936222951?s=46
https://x.com/AlbicelesteTalk/status/2107169842583478296?s=46
https://x.com/Abokr10/status/2107243746400354383?s=46
https://x.com/fifaworldcup_es/status/2107305939590152409/video/1?s=46
https://x.com/telemundosports/status/2107233116993867981/video/1?s=46
https://x.com/fcbmessiaddict/status/2107393501088391597/video/1?s=46
https://x.com/BlackKyle5/status/2107402316576117114?s=46
https://x.com/FCBJimmy_/status/2107377938161094667?s=46
https://x.com/hiighestt/status/2107363283430941028?s=46
https://x.com/M10GOAT/status/2107229989129343352?s=46
Fútbol IS life! Cristo Fernández of “Ted Lasso” fame made his first USL appearance over the weekend.
US Boys to Men Pound Mexico 3-0 – Play Canada tonight 8 pm TNT
Wow – Tres a Zero – the kids Julian Hall and Caven Sullivan provided 2 of our 3 goals as the US dominated Mexico in the 2nd half especially. It was great to see the former Barcelona man GK Diego Kochen in goal with a couple of big saves. I think we have found our new GK along with serious consideration for Hall and Sullivan battling for starting spots at just 17 up front. Just Wow. If like me – you have slept thru the first 3 games of this international window – tonight is the night to watch as we face Jesse Marsch and Canada. The US is looking to win 4 friendlies in a row for just the 2nd time ever. Tune in to watch the kids tonight – these young US stars to be are making this must watch TV tonight 8 pm. (see stories below)
#2 US Women vs #1 Spain Sat 2:30 pm TNT
The top 2 teams in the World will face off this weekend and Tuesday in a double set of games to see who should really be ranked #1? Sad to see Naomi Girma has been ruled out in central defense for the US.
Goakeepers: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC), Jordan Silkowitz (Bay FC), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)
Defenders: Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Lilly Reale (Boston Legacy FC), Tara Rudd (Washington Spirit), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave FC)
Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Manchester City FC), Lindsey Heaps (Denver Summit FC), Claire Hutton (Bay FC), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Evelyn Shores (Angel City FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Stars), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes)
Forwards: Trinity Byars (San Diego Wave FC), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current). Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC), Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage), Pietra Tordin (Portland Thorns FC), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea FC), Sophia Wilson (Portland Thorns FC)
Indy 11 ties Loudoun United 1-1 hosts Tampa Bay Rowdies Sat 7 pm Fan Appreciation Night
Leesburg, Va. – Indy Eleven forward Bruno Rendon made the most of his return to the lineup after missing two games, scoring his 10th goal this season to help the Boys in Blue to a 1-1 road draw at Loudoun United FC and former Indy 11 GK Jordan Farr. With 3 weeks left in the regular season, Indy Eleven is in 9th place in the Eastern Conference, trailing 8th-place Miami FC by two points for the final playoff position. Miami has two games left in its regular-season schedule. The top 8 teams in the East after Decision Day on October 24 will compete in the playoffs. The final Indy Eleven home match of the regular season is “Fan Appreciation Night” on Saturday at 7 p.m. vs. USL Players’ Shield leader Tampa Bay Rowdies. Join us for giveaways, discounted merchandise offerings, and a full-team autograph session after the match. Discounted tickets start at $14 online only and fans can add on a knit scarf at checkout for $20. Ticket options include Family Four-Packs, The Family Four-Pack can be purchased online only. Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area.
High School Soccer Sectionals Begin this Week
The Fourth Ranked Carmel’s Girls will face #3 Westfield @ Westfield on Wed at 5:45 pm while #7 Noblesville faces Pike at 7:30 pm. The winners will meet Sat at 2 pm. (Tix https://ihsaa.eventlink.com/Tickets?s=Soccer&g=Girls&l=Westfield+High+School+%28Westfield+High+School+Soccer+Stadium%29) Full Girls Sectionals Schedules https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/girls/soccer/2026-27-tournament?round=sectionals.
The unranked Carmel boys will host their sectional – starting Tues looking to recreate the magic that carried them to a state title last season. Three Ranked teams are in this sectional (North Central 11, Zionsville 10, Noblesville 17). Carmel (5-4-5) will host Pike Tues at 7:30 pm. (Schedule & Tix) https://myihsaa-prod-ams.azurewebsites.net/api/schools/public-draw/90132b42-b556-4402-99ab-a290b9924905
Jason Christopher Brenneman, an active volunteer soccer coach for Carmel FC (Carmel Dads’ Club), passed away on September 25, 2026, at the age of 42. He has 4 sons in the program and will be missed by all. In addition to coaching youth soccer, Brenneman was deeply involved in the community, volunteering with the M.O.R.E. group at Carmel Elementary and Middle School, as well as the Carmel High School Marching Band. Memorial contributions may be made to GoFundMe (https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-brenneman-family-through-this-difficult-time-g7pc2); or Carmel Elementary PTO (https://www.ccs.k12.in.us/pto-ces/fundraising) for new soccer goals. RIP Jason!
College Soccer
Homestand Continues as No. 2 Hoosiers Host Kentucky Tues
No. 2 Hoosiers Flip Through No. 4 Terps, 3-1
Notre Dame at #13 with former Carmel FC defender Maverick McCoy https://fightingirish.com/sports/msoc/roster/player/maverick-mccoy
Ben’s BBQ Shack near Grand Park has the Best Dang Brisket you can buy in Indiana
TV Schedule
Mon, Oct 5 (Nations League)
12 noon FS2 Cyprus vs Latvia
2:45 pm FS2 Italy vs Turkey
2:45 pm FuboTV France vs Belgium
6 pm FS2 Matinique vs El Salvador
10 pm FS2 Honduras vs Jamaica
Tues, Oct 6 (Nations League)
2:45 pm fuboTV Croatia vs Spain
2:45 pm FS2 England vs Czech Republic
8 pm TNT/HBO/Tele USMNT vs Canada Minn
Fri, Oct 9
2:30 pm Peacock Dortmund vs Werder Bremen
3 pm CBSSN West Ham United vs QPR
7 pm Fubu TV Canada Women vs Denmark
Sat, Oct 10
7:30 am USA Arsenal vs Leeds United (Aaronson)
7:30 am CBSSN Swansea City vs Norwich
9:30 am Peacock Ausburg vs Bayern Munich
10 am Para+ Derby County vs Wrexham
10 am USA Aston Villa vs Brentford
10 am ? Chelsea vs Bournemouth (Adams)
12 noon Para+ Inter Milan vs Parma
12:30 pm NBC Man United vs Tottenham
12:30 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Getafe
2:30 pm TNT. HBO USWNT vs Spain DC
3 pm ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Villareal
7 pm ESPN+ INdy 11 vs Tampa Bay Rowdies
7:30 pm apple Inter Miami vs DC United
7:30 pm Apple Orlando City vs Columbus Crew
7:30 pm Apple Atlanta United vs Cincy
Sun, Oct 11
6:30 am CBSSN Como vs Roma
9 am USA Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Nottingham Forest
9 am NBCSN Hull City vs Everton
11:30 am NBC Liverpool vs Man City
12 noon PAra+ AC Milan (Musah, Pulisic) vs Sassuolo
2:45 pm PAra+ Calgliari vs Juventus (McKinney)
7 pm Apple St Louis City vs LA Galaxy
Tues, Oct 13
7 pm TNT, HBO USWNT vs Spain Philly
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach Shane Best sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
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USA Men
2026 USMNT Friendly: Scouting Canada
Poch: Exhausted U.S. ready to finish perfect window against Canada
Teenage dream continues for USMNT in destruction of Mexico
Cavan Sullivan becomes youngest USMNT goal-scorer in win over Mexico
USMNT’s young stars shine to give Pochettino ‘fantastic problem’ Jeff Carlisle
Cavan Sullivan makes USMNT history vs. Mexico: ‘It’s the best feeling I’ve ever experienced’
The USMNT’s kids are thriving, and ‘they have a bit of swag to them’
Musah credits Milan coach Amorim for resurgence, USMNT return
USA vs. Mexico, 2026 Friendly: Man of the Match
USA vs Mexico, 2026 “Friendly”: Community player ratings
World Cup starter to USMNT outsider. Yunus Musah is starting over at 23
Gio Reyna’s USMNT revival is here: “I’m only getting stronger”
Takeaways from the USMNT’s win over Mexico: “Relentless” Cavan Sullivan, Diego Kochen shows promise & more
Marsch: No grudge with USMNT, but Canada rivalry ‘something big’
CONCACAF king? Canada coach takes aim at USA, Mexico
Marsch: No grudge with USMNT, but Canada rivalry ‘something big’
US Women
Spain versus the USWNT. The top two teams in the world. …
Naomi Girma off USWNT squad due to injury
Sam Coffey withdraws from USWNT roster vs. Spain with injury
Sam Coffey ruled out for USWNT October matches, replaced by Jaelin Howell
Ashley Sanchez on USWNT roster, Shaw left out
Thompson goal sees Chelsea end Arsenal’s 20-game unbeaten WSL run
Hayes hopes Macario back for U.S. in January with eye on World Cup
Reyna legacy grows with Carolina named to U.S. U17 WWC roster
World – Messi’s Final Game for Argentina
Messi bids Argentina farewell
A kit fit for the GOAT: Messi’s special jersey for final Argentina match unveiled
Argentina won’t rush to re-assign Messi’s No. 10
Messi’s Argentina stats as he prepares for final match
Messi set for emotional Argentina farewell in Buenos Aires friendly vs Benin
Siu soon? Coach says Ronaldo will decide his Portugal future
1:26- video Ronaldo leaving Portugal is latest sad sign in end of international career
Kochen Is The Key, Citizens Could Suffer, CR7’s Prolonged Goodbye
Mancini earns applause from media and confident Italy youth will flourish
Romano: ‘I chose Italy with all my heart, see strong team going forward’
Scamacca ‘very happy’ with first Italy goal in three years
Olise scores twice in late comeback win for France
Michael Olise’s incredible stats for France 🔥
Man City verdict will leave a stain and stench on a Premier League era
Goalkeeping
Is it Diego Kochen’s time to be USMNT’s top keeper?
UEFA Nations League: Incredible Goalkeeper Saves Compilation
Nations League great saves: Matchday 1 & 2 | Video
7 SAVES & 1.48 XG PREVENTED GIGI DONNARUMMA !
Senne Lammens is best goalkeeper in the world making 19 …
MLS: Best Saves of the Week
😂 Blue screen? Brazil’s World Cup villain makes bizarre errors v Portugal
Reffing
Know Someone Who Would Make a Great Referee? Have a teammate, friend, sibling, parent, or someone else you think would be great with a whistle? 
[REFEREE INTEREST LINK] They can submit their contact information now, and they’ll receive an email once Spring 2027 referee registration opens.
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 Cavan Sullivan’s Record-Setting Night Against Mexico courtesy of the MIB Men In Blazers |
 |
USMNT 3-0 Mexico  |
| This wasn’t just a victory for Mauricio Pochettino and this was more than a beatdown of an arch-rival. This was a moment that will have U.S. fans asking each other “Where were you when it happened?” in the coming years. |
| In their first meeting since Mexico bested Poch and the USMNT in the 2025 Gold Cup final, the U.S. handed El Tri a Mortal Kombat-style blow that saw the football heavens scream out “fatality” at full-time. With two teenagers and 20-year-old Barcelona loanee Diego Kochen in the starting XI, the U.S. ran rampant on a team that kept four clean sheets at the World Cup. Red Bull New York teen Julian Hall opened the scoring with his third goal in as many games, but from there, it was Cavan Sullivan who turned the match on its head. Sixty-two minutes in, the 17-year-old picked his moment, patiently waiting before pouncing and making history. |
 |
| Sullivan sprinted to the corner flag and leapt into the air as he was swarmed by teammates after becoming the youngest scorer in USMNT history. Veterans Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson and captain Tyler Adams enveloped him, while Arizona’s State Farm Stadium became a deafening mixture of cheers and boos. Sullivan, who is set to join Manchester City (theoretically) when he turns 18 next September, isn’t just a prospect anymore — he’s here, ready, and willing. Next up, the Philly Union teenager and the rest of this youthful U.S. team host Jesse Marsch’s Canada in Minnesota Tuesday evening. Let’s hope Poch’s boys can end this incredible window with one more night of great memories. |
More: Rog and Clint Dempsey are back tomorrow with another MiB Altcast on truTV and HBO Max, presented by Marriott Bonvoy, that goes down at 8 p.m. ET for USMNT vs. Canada. Join them then!  |
| Two more notes on the U.S. Men’s huge performance against El Tri, from the one and only Herc Gomez: |
 On Cavan Sullivan’s mindset: “You know, there’s no part of Cavan’s game to me that is arrogant. It’s almost workman-like. He knows his place, like “I am not bigger than the team, I have to work.” And he said post-game that it was the greatest day of his life. That’s all fans want. They want the national team to mean as much to you as it does to them.” |
| On Diego Kochen getting the gloves: “If you look at the traits that Kochen has, the intangibles, he is a modern goalkeeper who plays with his feet… and he seems to check the box more than any other goalkeeper [in the U.S. squad]. He’s young and he’s got the resume of the upbringing at La Masia for Barcelona. He’s the one fans and many pundits want to see, and Matt Freese left the door open.” |
| Head over to our YouTube channel to watch Herc and Rog break down the USA–Mexico game in full, featuring Herc’s unique perspective on every key moment. |
Poch: Exhausted U.S. ready to finish perfect window against Canada
Jeff CarlisleOct 5, 2026, 01:31 PM ETFollow
ST. PAUL, Minn — United States manager Mauricio Pochettino said his side isn’t in the best condition ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against Canada, after already playing three games during this window to Canada’s two, but that his team will “be ready.” The USMNT is flying high after winning their third match in a row during the September/October window, a 3-0 victory over bitter rivals Mexico. Teenagers Julian Hall and Cavan Sullivan were among the goalscorers, with Sullivan’s tally making him the youngest scorer in USMNT history.Pochettino added that the U.S. team’s flight from Phoenix was delayed two hours, and that had affected the team’s preparations. He stressed that among his priorities is managing the load of players so that they can continue performing for their clubs.”It’s about to keep growing and I think supporting the players and to finish the [window] in a very good condition,” he said. “But I am sure that the players, even if we were competing a lot and traveling, that can affect, we are going to be ready for [Tuesday], with fresh energy. And I think it’s a good opportunity for continuous growing in that camp.”Pochettino added that there is no connection between the upcoming match and past games. That goes for last Saturday’s match against Mexico, as well as the 2025 Concacaf Nations League encounter against Canada in which the Reds prevailed 2-1 — a low point of Pochettino’s tenure.The Argentine manager indicated that focusing purely on the next match will help his side avoid an emotional letdown, even though Canada is also a rival.”Every single game is different and it’s a different world,” Pochettino said. “We cannot connect the last game with the next one. We need to build our next game in the best way to try to be competitive and be sure that we can be close to win.”As for how the two teams have evolved since their last encounter, Pochettino said both sides are embarking on new eras.”I think it’s complete a new cycle, even for Canada, for [manager Jesse Marsch]. I think the chapter was closed after the World Cup and now it’s a new chapter,” Pochettino said. “I think that is all new. The group is different than when we faced Canada before. For Canada the same. I think it’s a new, a fresh start for every single country like Mexico also that we were playing. Even if Jesse was and we were, also the expectation and everything is start from front zero and I think it’s a fresh start. It’s nothing related with the game that we played before.”Pochettino added, that he has full respect for Marsch given his past encounters going up against the Canada manager.”I know Jesse very well. I like him [as] a coach. Always difficult to play against teams that he coach,” Pochettino said. “He’s intense. Teams are aggressive. A good mix in between being aggressive without the ball and then when they try with the ball they have a lot of different [options] and then we need to be focused. And yes, it’s a very good challenge for us tomorrow and yes, hope that we can enjoy everything we can.”If the U.S. beats Canada on Tuesday, it will be 4-0 in the international window following wins over Peru and Chile before beating Mexico.
Spain versus the USWNT. The top two teams in the world. Three words: ‘What a treat’
- Story by
- Spain versus the USWNT. The top two teams in the world. Three words: ‘What a treat’
Tamerra Griffin Tue, September 29, 2026 at 1:31 PM EDT·
When the U.S. women’s national team and their Spanish counterparts take to the pitch at Washington’s Audi Field on Oct. 10, it will have been almost exactly four years since their previous meeting.On Oct. 11, 2022, at Estadio El Sadar in Pamplona, goals from center back Laia Codina and forward Esther Gonzalez were enough for a 2-0 win against a U.S. side looking like a shell of its usual self.That match took place a week after the damning results of the Sally Yates investigation were published, exposing the failures of the National Women’s Soccer League and U.S. Soccer to create a safe environment for players that could protect them from abuse and inappropriate behavior by coaches.On and off the field, both teams are almost unrecognizable since that game. Beyond the titles — Spain‘s 2023 World Cup, the Americans’ Olympics gold the following year — the culmination of those changes is what elevates this pair of matches from merely special to a spectacle.With another friendly to come at Philadelphia Union‘s Subaru Park on Oct. 13, these matchups could foreshadow a knockout-stage game at the World Cup in Brazil next July. They could even be a preview of the final itself. Regardless of what comes afterward, there are only three words we can use to assess Spain, the world’s No. 1 team, taking on the USWNT, ranked one place below them.
What a treat.
It’s wild to consider each team’s journey since they last played each other.
Spain had not yet known World Cup glory, nor the public sacrifices and protests they would encounter as they fought for equality and better treatment. It began with a group of players who came to be known as “Las 15” sending emails to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), announcing they had withdrawn their names from national-team consideration. They said they would not return until improvements were made to the program’s structure and then head coach Jorge Vilda had resigned.It ended (to the extent women’s-rights movements ever end) when RFEF president Luis Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso without her consent as she was accepting her World Cup medal during the trophy ceremony on the pitch in Sydney, Australia, igniting a global protest for women’s rights. Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault and resigned but was not jailed.While that was all happening, Spain had been deepening its pool of generational talent. But the protests of Las 15 meant many of the Spanish players who have since become stars in their own right — Mariona Caldentey, Claudia Pina, Patri Guijarro — were not in the squad for that 2022 match. Alexia Putellas was also injured at the time — and she probably wouldn’t have been able to point out Bromley, her new home with the London City Lionesses, on a map back then.https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc_VfryCvSd/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14
The squad that lands on the U.S. east coast for these games will be drastically different from the one Americans last remember.
The USWNT, on the other hand, have grown and transformed, too.When they last faced Spain, they had never been humbled by a defeat of the magnitude of their 2023 World Cup round-of-16 exit on penalties against Sweden. The four-time world champions had not yet welcomed Emma Hayes as their new head coach, and they were far from experiencing her overhaul of the program. The former Chelsea Women manager has called in overlooked players and refined the national side’s youth-talent pipeline.
Alyssa Thompson had earned her first cap four days earlier, and her younger sister Gisele was still a few years from her senior debut. Lily Yohannes was six months out from signing her first professional contract with Ajax of the Netherlands at the age of 15. Naomi Girma was making waves in the NWSL with San Diego, and the USWNT was still anchored by veterans Megan Rapinoe, Crystal Dunn and Becky Sauerbrunn.Attendance at that game in Pamplona was just over 11,000, less than half capacity at El Sadar. Audi Field holds a total of 20,000, and Subaru Park holds 18,500. Both should be packed to the brim.Spain are available to play these friendlies because they have already qualified for the World Cup. The U.S. are hungry for matches after a hiatus that will have lasted four months, and newer players will be looking to make their opportunities count across two of women’s soccer’s most anticipated games of the year.Every region of the pitch will burst with its own narrative. The U.S. midfield of Lindsey Heaps, Rose Lavelle and Sam Coffey against Putellas, Guijarro and Caldentey alone is worth the cost of admission. How will Pina and Salma Paralluelo test the shot-stopping of Jordan Silkowitz? Can Spain’s back line, which is often more yielding than it should be, keep Alyssa Thompson, Sophia Wilson and Trinity Rodman at bay?
These are the questions that dilate the pupils and glue butts to seats at sports bars.
We’re unlikely to have to wait another four years before the USWNT and Spain play each other again, but with bragging rights and an extra boost of confidence on the line heading into the World Cup, it’s not worth the risk of allocating anything other than rapt attention to these two games.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.US Women’s national team, Spain, Women’s Soccer, FIFA Women’s World Cup2026 The Athletic Media Company
With clear needs, USMNT can embrace the hope that comes with its top prospects
Diego Kochen makes a save vs. Peru during his first cap with the USMNT Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP Photo
By Paul Tenorio
Oct. 6, 2026 6:00 am EDT
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Diego Kochen, as of today, is not the savior. He is not the surefire answer as the future of the U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper position. But he, like some of the other dozen kids making their U.S. senior debuts over the last couple weeks, represents something important for the U.S. fanbase: hope.Kochen was imperfect in his first senior national team start, which ended with a clean sheet and the first 90-minute showing from a U.S. goalkeeper this window. There were five shaky decisions and passes in the first 16 minutes against Mexico as he tried to settle his nerves. But in the cauldron that is any rivalry game against El Tri, the young goalkeeper settled and did enough to earn more chances.The 20-year-old goalkeeper was born in Miami and moved to Spain at age 12, when his mother’s job transferred the family overseas. He joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in 2019 at age 13 and rose through the ranks, earning time with Barcelona B and appearing on the bench with the first team. His ascension there, at one point being named one of the best talents for his age group in the world, put him on the radar of American fans from an early age. This summer, he was invited to train with the U.S. World Cup team, though he had to leave camp early due to injury.This season, he was loaned out to Danish club Lyngby, which has an option to buy him at the end of the season. It is a vital opportunity for Kochen to get first-team minutes for the first time in his career. At a position where there has been no clear heir to Brad Friedel, Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Tim Howard or Brad Guzan for years, it’s certainly worth considering how much investment to put into a young prospect to maximize his chance to grow into a top player.
But investment, as U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said on Saturday night, sometimes means protecting them.
Diego Kochen is sure-handed while leaping to snag the ball in the USMNT’s 3-0 win over rival MexicoKevin Abele / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
We are in the throes of a time-honored tradition for American soccer fans. One World Cup cycle ends, and left behind are the regrets and carnage from that tournament. Eyes are cast forward to the future. Who is next? What yet-untested prospects will make this team so much better that reaching the quarterfinals in four years feels that much more inevitable?
Hope.
It is both a fun place to live and a dangerous one. The program has been here before. So has the media.I wrote in a “way too early 2014 World Cup roster projection” blog post after the 2010 World Cup that center back Gale Agbossoumonde was the heir at his position in the national team pool. Agbossoumonde was 18 with no first-team games at the first-division level, but he had just moved on loan to Portugal. The future was bright.He would end up playing no games at Braga, nor at Estoril. Instead, it was the start of a career in which he moved on loan to three teams in Europe before coming back to North America in the NASL, MLS and then USL.That blog post is lost somewhere on the internet, but the schooling from it lives forever.Agbossoumonde’s story is a reminder of the perils of professional sport. Projecting talent is enormously difficult. Success at the highest level sometimes needs luck. So, one can hope about what might come in the future, but it should always be balanced with the perspective of both the history of American soccer players and the probabilities of the outcomes.Kochen is not Agbossoumonde. The goalkeeper grew up in one of the world’s most famous academies, surrounded by current and future stars like Robert Lewandowski, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Lamine Yamal. This crop of young players is arriving in a completely different era of professional soccer in America. When I wrote that 2010 post, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy was just three years old. The first handful of MLS homegrown players were only just being signed.
Many of the players in this camp are playing professionally in MLS. Some signed overseas already. Zavier Gozo was sold to Crystal Palace of the English Premier League for $15 million. Manchester City agreed to a pre-transfer for Cavan Sullivan before his 15th birthday.It’s different.But as the U.S. prepares for its final friendly of this window against Canada on Tuesday, we can be excited about the potential of this group without making any declarations.
Yes, Kochen is talented, and yes, the position is undoubtedly a weak spot in the pool. But he is also still just 20 years old and playing first-team soccer for the first time. Finding the right moments to bring him along, picking the games and tournaments and challenges that foster his development — including encouraging competition at the position with veterans like Matt Freese and Turner — will be vital.
The same goes for Sullivan, Mathis Albert, Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti, Neil Pierre and Gozo.
The timelines will be different for each player. Some will be ready for more earlier than others. But all deserve patience. (And yes, this is coming from the guy who said Gozo should have been on the World Cup roster.)
It’s clear that Pochettino is trying to balance the talent with the hype. To calm the instinct to rush things.
Coming off the disappointment of the 4-1 knockout loss to Belgium at this summer’s World Cup, Pochettino clearly knew it was important to start identifying potential solutions at positions of need for the next cycle. This camp has undoubtedly done that.
But potential solutions are just that. Potential. And it’s why, almost every time he’s asked about a specific young player, Pochettino pivots away from directly answering.
Diego Kochen, 20, has made his first two appearances with the USMNT this windowRich Storry / Getty Images
“Like Mathis (Albert), like Justin (Ellis), like Julian (Hall), like Frankie (Westfield), like Neil (Pierre), like Brooklyn (Raines), like Adri (Mehmeti), like Peyton (Miller), like Cole (Campbell) … did I miss some more young (players)? Gozo, Zavier Gozo, another (one),” Pochettino said, when asked about Sullivan on Saturday night. “I think it’s amazing to have these talented players that appear now and how important it is for us. It’s a big moment because we need to be right with them. We need to protect them. We need to support them. Our responsibility now is that this group of talented players grows in the right direction.”
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The U.S. manager acknowledged with a smile in that same postgame press conference that this young group was presenting him with a dilemma. Some of the players have earned more chances with the senior team, even at a time when the under-23 team is preparing to try to capture a medal at the 2028 Olympic games.
“I think it’s a fantastic problem for us,” Pochettino said.
But it’s one the U.S. and Pochettino are in no rush to solve.
It’s why Kochen may not start in goal on Tuesday against Canada and why some of the other younger standouts may be rotated, as well. Believing that players like Kochen and Sullivan might one day be the answers means finding the right way to bring them along so that you eventually land on that day.
It is the difference between projecting four years out from now and planning for it.
Paul Tenorio is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer. He has previously written for the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, FourFourTwo, ESPN and MLSsoccer.com.
Jesse Marsch ‘not afraid’ to speak out as Canada gets ready for heated USMNT clash
Kirby Lee / Reuters / Imagn Images
By Joshua Kloke
Oct. 5, 2026 Updated 7:21 pm EDT
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jesse Marsch couldn’t help but grin on Monday afternoon. Not just because that’s his default setting, but because Canada’s men’s national team head coach knew exactly what his next game means: a little bit more than the others.“If you look at recent tournaments, we did better at Copa América (than the United States). We were equal to Mexico and the U.S. in the World Cup,” Marsch said ahead of Tuesday night’s friendly vs. the U.S. at Allianz Field. “I think institutionally, Concacaf still looks at this as a region that’s about Mexico or U.S. … where we need to continue to establish ourselves.”For Marsch, then, the official term “friendly” for this match couldn’t be further from the truth.Beating Chile and Peru, as Canada did during this window, was about solidifying itself as being in a class above the lower-ranked CONMEBOL teams and bolstering its FIFA ranking.Beating the U.S. matters institutionally to Canada, perhaps more than beating any other team in a friendly. Marsch and the players seated to his left on Monday, Tani Oluwaseyi and Dayne St. Clair, all called Tuesday’s game a “measuring stick” game.And so Marsch feels playing the U.S. is still a chance for Canada to prove itself after a run to the World Cup round of 16 — the same stage where the U.S. and Mexico bowed out.With all of that said, is he right? Is there a litmus-test aspect to Tuesday night’s festivities?
The more Canada can show it’s at the same level with the U.S., the better chances it will have to book quality opponents in the future. Winning three straight against the U.S. since 2024 would look stellar on a resume. It would continue to develop the confidence, swagger and game management that this Canadian team can be accused of lacking.
Marsch, a Wisconsin-born former U.S. international whose intersection with U.S. Soccer is well documented, wants to talk about beating the U.S. because winning matters for the program long term.
After the World Cup, Canada has its best case yet that it should be considered on par with the Concacaf giants.
Now, neither Canada nor the U.S. has its best squad at its disposal. Canada sent Cyle Larin (back) and Tajon Buchanan (hamstring) back to their respective clubs, while Alphonso Davies is out for personal reasons. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun are absent for the U.S. Given it’s a friendly window, both are likely to experiment. Regardless, Canada has long felt disrespected in the conversation about the region’s best — and that’s after winning two of two over the U.S. away from home with Marsch at the helm.
Canada celebrates Jonathan David’s goal vs. the U.S. in the 2025 Concacaf Nations League third-place gameFrederic J. Brown /AFP / Getty Images
Another win with a politically tense backdrop between the two nations would be one more critical step in Canada’s eyes.
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“I don’t have to sit in front of the guys and say, ‘OK, we’re playing the U.S., this is an important game, we have to get ready and we have to make sure that we’re at our best,’” Marsch said. “They don’t need reminders when we play the U.S. But to be fair, it’s different with Mexico. But because we have respect for the U.S., because we have respect for Mexico, we want to continue to show that we’re on the level that they are or above them.”
This feeling of disrespect is partly why Marsch never hesitates to speak his mind about the U.S., on and off the pitch.
Marsch discussed Balogun’s red card suspension being rescinded by FIFA during the World Cup after White House intervention.
“We, as Americans, have been inundated with propaganda since we were young,” Marsch told The Guardian. “We’re the No. 1 country in the world, we deserve everything, we dominate everything, No. 1 in every aspect of life. This is what we’ve been told. So, when things happen and we don’t feel like we’re in control of it … we feel like we deserve to be treated differently because we’re Americans. That is one of the things that infuriates the rest of the world about Americans. And Americans don’t know that if they don’t ever leave the country.”What You Should Read Next
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Marsch doubled down on his comments on Monday. He has readily acknowledged that if he needs to stick up for the underdog, he will. In the last meeting between Canada and the U.S., the 2025 Concacaf Nations League third-place game, Marsch was given a red card after arguing with the referees. Marsch believed he was defending his team.
“I think we know I’m not afraid to say things that sometimes need to be said or that I feel should be said,” Marsch said. “Whether people agree with them or not, like I get that it’s not always the job of a sports person to put themselves in the forefront of the political environments and everything else, but I’ve had a unique perspective.”
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When it comes to the public discourse, Marsch will always insist to anyone who has a microphone in front of him that he doesn’t feel burned about not getting the U.S. head coach job that he once thought was his.
“There’s definitely not a grudge,” Marsch said Monday. “People want to take it that way, which is fine. I don’t mind. People can, I think you know me well enough to know that I don’t really care what people think too much.”
After delving previously into political waters regarding U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertions that Canada would become the 51st U.S. state, Marsch had no issue returning to the political discourse once again.
“Here we are now, the big talk in America is Lake Ontario, Lake America, this kind of crap,” Marsch said of Trump’s latest efforts to rename geographical locations.
All that is to say the rivalry matters for Canada, maybe more than it does for the U.S. It might be a friendly, but Canada still feels the need to prove its bona fides — that its soccer culture is developing at a rapid rate and that it has the talent and organization to be considered alongside the region’s best.
Jesse Marsch gets in final words before being sent off in the last meeting between the U.S. and CanadaAlex Gallardo / Imagn Images
That doesn’t mean Marsch can’t be complimentary of Canada’s foes. He has taken notice of how Mauricio Pochettino has brought along a number of young talents during this post-World Cup window.
“Just look at how many young players they have, how many teenagers they’re trying to develop,” Marsch said. “I think that that’s such a great development for the game in America that we have so many young players in our country, meaning the U.S., that have established themselves and are pros. We’re still trying to do that in Canada.”
Marsch recently questioned whether there were enough clubs in Canada giving young players playing opportunities when discussing Toronto FC defender Richard Chukwu’s first cap.
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“What I don’t want is Toronto to take offense and make it seem like I’m pointing at them like they’re not producing enough young players or the CPL,” Marsch said. “We all have to accept a role in this that we need to do better to produce younger talents faster and make sure that our youth national teams are contributing to the overall development of the sport. And of the players in this game, we still have a lot of work to do before we call … 12 teenagers that can play at their level until we have that amount of teenagers in our country that can play like that. So we need to accelerate development in our country.”
Another win in the U.S. would accelerate plenty.
Joshua Kloke is a staff writer who has covered the Maple Leafs and Canadian soccer for The Athletic since 2016. Previously, he was a freelance writer for various publications, including Sports Illustrated.
Jeff KassoufJun 4, 2025, 01:20 PM ET
Girma has taken on a lot of the leadership responsibility left behind by Sauerbrunn. (Visionhaus / Getty Images)Listening to her former teammates after the match, it was clear: the trust and respect Sauerbrunn commands were built over years of grit, consistency and quiet leadership, beginning with her debut in 2008, when she earned her first cap against Canada at the Four Nations Tournament in China, playing with a broken nose.“Becky is a legend, an icon,” Kerry Abello, who made her debut Tuesday, said after the match. “The game of women’s soccer will never be the same without her.” Abello was eight years old when Sauerbrunn debuted back in 2008. Like many of the new generation of USWNT players, she grew up admiring her.On the pitch, Sauerbrunn was a tireless, dependable center back; off it, she was a steady leader who played a key role in collective bargaining negotiations with the U.S. Soccer, representing her fellow players at the table year after year, and helping the team achieve equal pay.She was always calm and composed, even when somebody made a mistake. “Becky doesn’t get mad often, but if you mess up, like pass to the wrong player… she’ll give you this look,” Biyendolo said after Tuesday’s match. “That ‘I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed’ look. That’s the Becky look.”Ask anyone who played alongside Sauerbrunn about the “Becky stare,” and they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about.Hayes didn’t get the chance to coach Sauerbrunn — she took over the team in May last year — but her admiration also runs deep, especially for how the defender has shaped the next generation.“It’s always nice when the people you leave behind talk about someone in such a way,” Hayes said. “I’ve got a locker room — not just the senior players, but less experienced players — that talk about her in the highest esteem, both as a leader and as a human being, and I don’t think you could want anything more than that in life.”(Top photo: Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
Girma celebrates with Coffey and Heaps (Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Girma listens to instructions from Hayes (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Girma playing for Chelsea against Manchester United in the FA Cup final (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
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Angel City signing Sveindís Jónsdóttir saw Alex Straus’ success playing against his teams in Germany. (Martin Rose / Getty Images)
