US Men Set to Play Mexico Tonight 10 pm TNT after beating Panama 2-0.
The US men got their first win under new manager Mauricio Pochettino Sat night with a 2-0 win over Panama. I thought the US was exciting with crisper ball movement and improved runs into the attacking third – that produced a solid goal in the 2nd half when Pulisic playing the inverted 10 along with Brandon Aaronson connected with his Milan teammate Yanus Musah for his first goal in a US Jersey. Overall I thought the US looked great until the subs came in around te 65th minute. Ream and Mark McKenzie were solid in the middle backline – with McKenzie looking spectacular along with left back Jedi Robinson who was darn near player of the match with his runs up the left side. His combos with Pulisic were fantastic – and he reminds me that he and Pulisic are truly our top 2 players playing in the Europe right now. I thought Josh Sargent blew chance after chance in the 1st half including a an absolute sitter than should have scored. Yes he hustles and has good movement but he’s got to score. Honestly Pepi came off the bench in the 65th minute and slotted one late – Sargent has to do the same while Bologen is missing.
No idea what to expect tonight vs Mexico – listen Poch won his first game and the boys looked sharper and had more counter attack and less just mindlessly passing the ball around vs an inferior team on Sat night – but sending home 5 guys before the Mexico game – including Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic is just nuts? Seriously we only have like 8 more windows of games – not many as tough as tonight might be vs Mexico and you send our best player and Talisman home before the game for load management? Are you friggin kidding me Poch? Absolutely crap decision in my eyes – if he loses tonight – we should be all over him – losing to Mexico – a team we haven’t not beaten in forever is NEVER ACCEPTABLE! In light of sending Pulisic home I see a 1-1 tie tonight – if we are lucky.
Indy 11 Tie Detroit to stay in 4th – Fan Appreciation Night on Final Game Sat 7 pm vs Birmingham
Hamtramck, Mich. – Indy Eleven goalie Hunter Sulte recorded his ninth clean sheet of the season and his second in a row to help his team to a key road point in a scoreless tie at Detroit City on Saturday afternoon. The Boys in Blue, who are 2-0-2 in their last four games, stayed two points behind third-place Detroit City in the USLC Eastern Conference standings with two games left in the regular season. The top eight teams in the East will compete in the playoffs the first weekend in November, with the top four teams at home. Indy Eleven hosts Fan Appreciation Night next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Carroll Stadium vs. Birmingham Legion FC in the final home match of the regular season – Fan appreciation night. Single-game tickets are available at Ticketmaster. For information on all ticket options visit the Indy Eleven Ticket Central. For questions, email tickets@indyeleven.com or call (317) 685-1100.
High School – Carmel Girls & Carmel Boys Advance to Regionals – Wed/Thurs
The Carmel Boys took defending state Champs & #2 Ranked Noblesville to PKs (video) and beat them in the shootout in Sectionals Sat evening at Murray Field. Now they will travel to Lawrence North Thursday night. (Game preview)
LADIES
The 3rd ranked Carmel Girls will travel to Brownsburg Wed night at 7 pm in Regional Play vs Brownsburg (game preview) a team they beat 4-1 in the regular season. Win and Carmel comes home to Murray Field for Regional Finals on Saturday at 2 pm vs the winner of Franklin & East Central.
Carmel Girls Seniors all former Carmel FC’ers at some point – celebrate Sectional Championship. Carmel Boys Celebrate Sectional Championship Title after beating Noblesville in PKs Sat.What a Treat to get to the Ref the Semi-Finals and Finals of the Christian High School Boys Sat Night @ Mount Vernon with Ed Terrell and Charlotte Jones.
TV SCHEDULE
Tues Oct 15
2:45 pm FS2 Spain vs Serbia
2:45 pm TUDN Greece vs Ireland
7:30 pm FS1 Canada vs Panama
10:30 pm TNT/Univ Mexico vs USMNT
(American’s in Parenthesis)
Sat, Oct 19
9:30 am ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Stuttgart
9:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Leverkusen vs Frankfurt
9:30 am ESPN+ Mgladbach (Scalley) vs Heidenheim
12 noon CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Udinees
6 pm MLS Decision Day
6 pm Apple TV Inter Miami vs New England
7 pm ESPN+, TV Indy 11 vs Birmingham
9 pm Apple TV Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers
Sun, Oct 20
9 am USA Wolverhampton vs Man City
11 am USA Liverpool vs Chelsea
2:45 pm Para+ Roma vs Inter Milan
3 pm ESPN2 Barcelona vs Sevilla
5 pm ESPN NY Gothem (Williams, Ohara, Mewis) vs Orlando Pride
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Mauricio Pochettino’s week of ‘speaking about confidence’ pays off for Musah and USMNT
It is a rarity to see Yunus Musah without a smile. An ear-to-ear grin is a mostly-permanent feature for the 21-year-old midfielder.But as he sprinted towards the corner flag on Saturday night in Austin, Texas, having scored his first goal in a U.S. senior men’s national team jersey in his 42nd appearance, the sense of gratification on his face shined through — even for someone who usually has a happy expression plastered on.“That moment,” said Christian Pulisic, his AC Milan and USMNT teammate who provided the assist, “that’s why you play.The 49th-minute goal in a 2-0 friendly win against Panama was also an immediate validation of the instincts of the team’s debuting head coach, Mauricio Pochettino.
Musah’s joy was clear after his success in his new role (Tim Warner/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
The 52-year-old Argentinian came into his first camp this week intending to spend time with every player on the roster and understand where they stood. The idea was to ensure each of them was handled the right way. It’s why Weston McKennie stayed on the bench on Saturday night; he had entered camp feeling some discomfort after playing in each of Juventus’ last six games, and Pochettino felt it was crucial not to take any risks with the midfielder. It was also why Musah was tested in a new role in his first game under the new regime. Musah reported to camp having played just 45 minutes in Serie A for Milan in September and zero minutes so far in October. Though typically a central midfielder cast in a box-to-box No. 8 role, Pochettino met with Musah and proposed deploying him wider on the right. Pochettino knew Musah had played that role before, both in Arsenal’s academy and also when he first moved to Spain’s Valencia five years ago. In that position, Pochettino felt Musah would have more freedom to push forward on the ball, one of his strengths, without the pressures of being a focal part of the build-up at a time when he isn’t playing regularly for his club and thus wasn’t in his best form.
It worked to perfection early in the second half, when the U.S. built up down their left side through Antonee Robinson, Pulisic and Brenden Aaronson, and Musah came crashing into the box from the right to finish off a Pulisic cross.“It’s always worth trying to build his confidence and to (make him) feel again (that he is) a player that can perform on the pitch,” Pochettino said. “It was an important moment for him, to (show) trust in him, but maybe not to give him too much responsibility in the build-up. It’s only to be in a position that can help the team, and then he arrived there and scored.“Fantastic for him, fantastic for the team. And now maybe he’ll start to perform and behave in a different way, full of confidence. That is the important (factor) in our decision, is trying to help. We are here to help the player to find their best.”
Pochettino and Pulisic speak during the win over Panama (Photo: John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
If there was a theme to the first night under Pochettino, it was exactly that: creating and building confidence. Confidence for each player, but also for a team that was winless in its previous four games. Copa America group-stage elimination was a crushing experience for a squad that knew how expectations were growing and understood how valuable a tournament run would have been on multiple levels, for them, the fanbase and the sport in the United States.Pochettino’s hire was meant to restore some of the confidence and belief in the program.
Center back Tim Ream said Pochettino was “speaking about confidence all week”, and that it was reinforced and transmitted into the group by what he was asking the team to do against Panama. Mostly, players were told to be themselves, embrace their strengths and, as Musah said, “play free”.“He wants us to be solid defensively, and then have guys play the way they are comfortable playing and being confident going forward with the ball,” Ream said. “And everybody saw that, especially in the first 15 minutes. Guys were moving, (there was) intricate passing and getting the ball, moving quick and getting in and around their box. When he tells guys to go and be themselves, it’s a sign that he has confidence in you, and you can see that come out with all the guys out here.”
Things were not perfect. Panama had good chances in the game. Matt Turner was forced into a big double save in the second half and they should have found an equalizer late in the game. As USMNT veteran DaMarcus Beasley said on the Turner Sports broadcast, there were also some mistakes in the build-up that top teams would punish.But, the U.S. won, with Ricardo Pepi adding the second goal in stoppage time.
The result was needed, even if this was just a friendly.
“I looked back at our recent form, and I was thinking, ‘Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve won’,” Turner said. “Since the Bolivia game (at Copa America, on June 23), right, since we’ve won a game and had a clean sheet? So, yeah, it’s nice to set off this era with a win and a clean sheet. It goes in waves, but winning is something that you learn. You can’t just take it for granted. It takes energy and focus for 90 minutes, especially at this level.”
Pochettino will know that this win was important in building trust and confidence that the ideas he is installing with the team will lead to success. Musah’s goal reinforced that.The job now is to keep carrying it forward.“It’s the first step,” Pochettino said. “To start to grow and be better.”
(Top photo: John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
USA vs. Mexico 2024 preview: key players, predictions, more
Multiple contributors ESPN FC
Oct 15, 2024, 10:23 AM ET
Get ready for an exciting new chapter of the United States vs. Mexico rivalry!
With recent coaching changes bringing a high-profile figure in Mauricio Pochettino to the U.S. men’s national team, and a more tried and true veteran in Javier Aguirre to Mexico’s men’s side, both programs will have a chance to reach an early milestone when they meet Tuesday for a friendly.
Long gone are the former coaches who recently failed to impress at the Copa América. It’s now The Aguirre and Pochettino Show for Concacaf’s two biggest giants, and they will be eager to make their mark against one another.
Tuesday’s match at Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron isn’t just about regional superiority either. With a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build something ahead of the 2026 World Cup that their countries will co-host, the upcoming friendly will also display what path they’re paving.
ESPN brings you everything you need to know about the clash, with team analysis, predictions, key players and more from former Mexico international Jared Borgetti alongside experts Cesar Hernandez, Daniel Rodríguez, Omar Flores and Lizzy Becherano.
Both teams are in reset mode right now. What led them to this point?
Like Mexico, there have been few positives for the U.S. to point to since the 2022 World Cup. With the goal of showcasing that they’re not just a big fish in a Concacaf-sized pond, the USMNT has struggled against elite teams, notably in the summer’s disastrous early exit from the Copa América. A couple of winless friendlies heading into the tournament also foreshadowed doom for the USMNT. There’s no lack of promising talent within the roster, but there was also little evidence that previous coach Gregg Berhalter was the right person to help elevate both the players and overall structure, which have a high ceiling. — Cesar Hernandez
A series of bad decisions and poor results. It’s amazing how in Mexico they could make the things worse each time and, after group stage elimination at the 2022 World Cup, managers, coaches and players have since shown that it could be even worse. With the United States, it hasn’t been very different. Even though it has important players at Europe, the reality is that it hasn’t been able to make a project work the right way after constant coaching changes, problems beyond the pitch and without the right process to grow as a national team. — Daniel Rodriguez
This change of coaches for United States and Mexico shows that they are looking to do things differently. Both teams feel that they have stagnated and that with the players they have, they perhaps should have achieved better things in recent tournaments. Mexico is bringing a coach (Aguirre) who already knows what it’s like to be there, who knows the Mexican soccer players well and who has helped them achieve important things in the past. The U.S. is betting on an international coach who has had a brilliant career as a player and manager. With the majority of each team’s players in Europe, the bet is quite interesting for both sides. — Jared Borgetti
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each team going into this game?
It was a small window through just one game, but there was a lot to enjoy about the fluid movement of the USMNT attack that had a dangerous player like Christian Pulisic (who will miss this friendly to rejoin his club side AC Milan) dictating things as a crafty winger who tucked inside. Alongside him, Brenden Aaronson had some brief moments of magic, as did goal scorers Yunus Musah and Ricardo Pepi.
When looking at weaknesses, it may take some time for the USMNT to fine-tune its defensive transition. Pochettino and his men were lucky to have not allowed a goal in his debut match vs. Panama, who occasionally launched forward and asked serious questions of the backline. — Hernandez
El Tri’s strength is team play. The squad identifies with the coach, and that will translate to its play on the field. The weaknesses? Well, I think that at the moment Mexico is experiencing a lack of confidence after poor results. It has to get the fans involved quickly and channel that support. I think that’s important because the fans have distanced themselves from the national team’s matches, and the team needs them now more than ever. — Borgetti
Mexico’s main strength is on the defensive side. César Montes and Johan Vásquez have played together since the under-23s, and they have already won a bronze medal. They have also been the most regular duo in recent years.
Mexico’s main weakness is on the other side of the field with the strikers. As managers, Diego Cocca, Jaime Lozano and Javier Aguirre have tried with different players to address the lack of a top scorer. During Copa América, Mexico scored only one goal in the matches against Venezuela and Ecuador. It is expected that, with the return of Raúl Jiménez, this problem will be fixed. — Omar Flores
Who are the players to watch for each team?
For the U.S., the crafty and clever Pulisic is the easy answer, although U.S. Soccer announced Sunday that he’ll be leaving camp early. Marlon Fossey, Weston McKennie, Zack Steffen and Pepi will also return to their clubs.
Looking elsewhere, Mexico must find a way to stifle an energetic fullback/wingback like Antonee Robinson. The Fulham player covered an immense amount of ground on the left flank against Panama and provided a key pass that helped lead to a goal, all while being able to sprint back and halt counters.
It’s early days, but in Poch’s fluid tactical setup that can move between a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-3, Robinson is an invaluable cog. — Hernandez
I think it doesn’t have to be one specifically, because we don’t have someone who is really going to catapult us into success. We haven’t had a player who carries the team for a while. The important thing is that the group grasps the idea of what it wants to accomplish and its playing style. That’s what matters the most, beyond whether someone individually can do something extraordinary that ends up winning a game. I would lean more toward the team’s game system rather than a singular player. — Borgetti
A problem for Mexico is the lack of stars. Still, the most important players from Javier Aguirre’s squad are the veterans Guillermo Ochoa and Jiménez. The goalkeeper of 39 years has another shot to prove that he’s the best option for the next World Cup after the great performances of Luis Malagón with his team (América) and the recent appearance of Álex Padilla with Athletic Bilbao.
Jiménez had a brilliant month in the Premier League with four goals and one assist. One of the greatest coaches, Pep Guardiola, says that “he is back” and that’s what Aguirre, alongside the national team, expects. — Flores
A huge strength for Mexico is their players with World Cup experience. It will be interesting to see if a “new” player is granted a huge number of minutes to prove that he can break into the starting lineup. Rodrigo Huescas or Marcel Ruiz could be an example of this. But the main story to follow is if Ochoa will start against the United States and the possible debut of forward Germán Berterame. — Rodríguez
Which team has more to lose right now and why?
It’s Mexico. Their national team is already on thin ice with a fan base that has already booed and jeered El Tri after its latest 2-2 draw with an alternate Valencia side. Unlike Pochettino, who is a fresh face still adjusting to his surroundings, Mexico’s Aguirre has returned for a third time and is expected to once again be a firefighter. Being unable to smother the USMNT’s flames would be a significant and early blemish for Aguirre, especially due to playing at home. — Hernandez
How the Pochettino USMNT era got off to a winning start
Check out some of the stats and figures behind the United States’ 2-0 win over Panama in Maurico Pochettino’s first game as head coach.
I think Mexico has much more to lose because it is playing on home soil. Friendly matches against the U.S. have rarely been played in Mexico. So today I think it would be important, under Aguirre, to play a good game, and it’s also important to forge a new connection with the fans. A good victory against the United States would sort out the laziness a little and help get things back on track. — Borgetti
It’s a simple friendly match, and it will only help both coaches gather some information about each other, but nothing beyond that. We could think that, with Mexico being the host, a defeat will only make things worse, and the crisis would just carry on, but if it wins it would also be wrong to assume that it could turn the page. — Rodríguez
What can we expect from the atmosphere in Guadalajara? How are Mexico fans approaching the game?
There has been a lot of chat around the game that fans are not buying many tickets. But we’ll see a good match at Guadalajara, which has a lot of expectation, and I think we can expect a sellout. Only with results will people fall in love again, not an interview or what you say ahead of the match. What people really care about is the outcome and a good display. — Borgetti
Mexico’s matches in its own country are less intense than in the United States. El Tri does not have a real connection at its own turf because most of the games are held on American soil, and the recent scores do not help. FMF is making an effort so the team can reconnect with the fans, and it hopes the anti-gay chant, which started in Guadalajara at Jalisco, doesn’t appear again. The best way to counterattack this is with goals and a good streak of matches. — Flores
It’s easy to assume that the fans in Jalisco could lead to a capacity crowd at the stadium because there aren’t many visits of the national team to that part of the country, even more so when you’re facing the biggest rival. Now, as always at Estadio Azteca or the games in United States, the atmosphere will depend on how the match develops and if the team is winning or losing. In the opening minutes, the fans will show support, but this could change quickly depending on how the game goes. — Rodríguez
What will it take for the USMNT to clinch its second win in Mexico following 2012’s victory?
Mexico’s attack won’t be as kind as Panama’s, so the USMNT must tighten up its defensive structure during transition moments. Going forward, focusing on the left with rapid overlapping runs from Robinson, as well as Pulisic’s substitute likely roaming inside in the same manner, will be sure to provide some avenues against a Mexican defense that has its own set of worries. — Hernandez
How will the absence of key players impact the USMNT’s preparations and team selection?
Mauricio Pochettino will be looking to rotate players against Mexico in Guadalajara, given the departure of five players from the U.S. men’s national team camp.
Fossey, Steffen, Mckennie, Pepi departed the October USMNT camp after the 2-0 victory over Panama on Oct. 12 due to injuries, while Pulisic returned to AC Milan to avoid work overload. The new manager admitted to feeling disappointed in their exit, but insists the friendly now serves as the last chance to observe players before the next international window. Alejandro Zendejas, Brandon Vázquez, Malik Tillman and Haji Wright could all see more time in the absence of Pulisic and Pepi.
Though the team expects a difficult match against Aguirre’s Mexico, Pochettino maintained that playing on Mexican soil will give his players the opportunity to learn and grow in the face of adversity. Playing against one of the USMNT’s biggest rivals in front of a sold-out crowd at Estadio Akron will challenge the United States to grow and improve ahead of the 2026 World Cup. — Lizzy Becherano
What are your score predictions and why?
2-2. With both coaches still trying to put their stamp on their teams, this feels like a match in which attackers will have chances to capitalize on defensive hiccups. Either way, it should be a fun one, with plenty of players wanting to make a name for themselves under their new coach. — Hernandez
Mexico will beat United States 2-1. It will be Aguirre’s fourth match in his new tenure, and he has more knowledge of his players than Pochettino does. Also, Aguirre was the last Mexico coach to beat the United States and is never afraid to sacrifice the team’s style if he can get the win. — Flores
This match should be a close one because it will be held on Mexican soil, and the home team should take advantage, even if we’re talking about a friendly match. Predicting a score isn’t easy, but Mexico should come out on top of this one 2-1. — Rodríguez
Lee Carsley’s England future no longer looks secure after confusing moments on the pitch and off it
It felt before this game that the one thing Lee Carsley had to do was to keep the ship afloat. Just guide HMS Carsball through the relatively benign waters of Nations League Group B2 and surely the permanent England manager’s job would be his.But over the course of Thursday evening at Wembley the ship ran aground, not once but twice. Suddenly, what felt like a secure future for the England team, a clear course from here to the United States, Canada or Mexico for the World Cup in 2026, does not look quite as certain any more.First, when England put in a disastrously bad performance, thoroughly outplayed by Greece, flattered by a 2-1 scoreline which should have been far worse. Carsley fielded an experimental system: no recognised striker, too much creative talent. England looked unbalanced, confused and painfully vulnerable whenever they lost the ball.The second time was after the game, when Carsley gave his press conference. Asked whether England’s defeat might damage his chances of getting appointed permanently, Carsley gave an answer which surprised the room: “I was quite surprised after the last camp, in terms of ‘the job’s mine’ and ‘it’s mine to lose’ and all the rest of it,” Carsley said. “My remit has been clear. I’m doing three camps, there’s three games left and then hopefully I’ll be going back to the under-21s.”
Carsley was asked to clarify his comments more than once and he took half a step back, reiterating that he “would not rule myself in or out” of the process, and insisting that being England manager was “one of the best jobs in the world”. But it was neither a firm statement that he wanted the job, nor that he wanted to fully wash his hands of it.
Carsley watches on as England lose to Greece (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
Maybe Carsley was trying to push back against the assumption that the job was automatically his. Maybe he was trying to say that he was relaxed about the outcome, whether he gets the top job or goes back to leading England Under-21s instead. Maybe he was trying to take the pressure off the FA. But the net result was to leave people with more questions than answers — much like the game we had all just watched.
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Coming into the Greece match, the big question was how Carsley would integrate Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer into the team that won both games last month without them. This was the conundrum that predecessor Gareth Southgate could never solve, as England failed to get anywhere near the best out of those three at the European Championship this summer. The hope was that Carsley, with his extra level of tactical nous, would be able to fit the pieces together.
The solution, with Harry Kane out injured, was for Bellingham to start up front, with Foden and Palmer in the midfield. Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka were on the wings, leaving Declan Rice to do all the legwork in midfield. Here, finally, was an unshackled, unleashed England. Southgate’s handbrake had been ripped from the car and tossed out of the window.
And it was a mess.
England created only one real chance before Bellingham’s late equaliser — Palmer skying a shot from a Bellingham pull-back. Beyond that, it was plenty of possession around the edge of Greece’s penalty area that went nowhere, quite a few crosses to no one in particular and a strong sense that this was no solution at all to England’s problems. The more creativity they had on the pitch, the less they created.
And yet we have all seen England struggle to create chances before. That in itself is nothing new, even with this much firepower in the team. What truly stands out from this game is England’s weakness at the back.
It is difficult to think of a worse England defensive performance in recent memory.
In June 2022, they lost 4-0 to Hungary at Molineux in a Nations League game that saw the crowd turn on Southgate in a bitter, personal way. But that day Southgate chased the game in the second half and England conceded three late goals on the break.
England lost 2-1 to Greece on Thursday night (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Last night, the whole match felt like that. England were never more vulnerable than when they had the ball. Every time they lost it, Greece broke straight through them. On another day, they would have conceded five or six.
Watching Greece slice through England was to realise that maybe we got carried away last month. It was easy enough to assume that Carsley could take the good bits of the Southgate era — the team ethic, the defensive structure, the solid base — and sprinkle some tactical imagination on top. But here England had a surfeit of tactical imagination and very little else. Carsley had added the icing but lost the cake.
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It made you realise that, for all the criticisms thrown at Southgate, there was a reason he had such a consistent record as England manager. Gazball was maybe not to everyone’s taste but England have never been better at calmly negotiating games like this one than under their previous manager.
The tangle Carsley got himself into when talking about the job afterwards was also a situation Southgate would never have found himself in, given his knack of seemingly having a prepared answer for everything, and never starting a sentence unless he knew exactly how he would end it.
The good news is that England have another game on Sunday. HMS Carsball is now heading to Helsinki. This game could just be a bad one-off, a brave gamble that did not work.
If Kane comes through training on Friday and returns to the team, England will have their keystone back to face Finland. If England can get back to the structure they showed in September, there is no reason they cannot finish this Nations League campaign strongly.
But we will need to know what Carsley’s England, at their best, are meant to look like.
Is this a team built on paper or a team built for tournaments? Does Carsley think the problem with England at Euro 2024 was that they were too in awe of their creative stars, or not in awe enough? Does he know a route to winning a trophy that can bypass all of the methodical, functional aspects of the early Southgate era?
These are the pressing questions, even more than whether he actually wants this job or not.
As the Summer of Soccer continues – we now have Copa America in the evenings after Euro Cup games all day long all on Fox. I sure do with ESPN had The Euro’s while Fox had Copa. ESPN did such a good job showing Euro games on all of its channels back in the day. I still can’t believe Fox is not showing us all of the games – as the early morning 9 am kickoffs of less popular teams have been on Fubo only. Fox has like 5 stations and can’t find room for a game on Fox Sports 2 at least? Ridiculous. Either way having soccer on all day and night – even if it is all on Fox is glorious. Lots of commercials with Messi Adidas, Mastercard , Michelob , Lowes this summer – but its really cool seeing some US players get in on the action too – Mckinney & Adams in this Truly Commercial . Love these scenes from the Euro’s Awesome for Ukraine – Gotta Love the Scotts – that’s how you march to the game.
Copa America Starts & Euros Move into Games 2 of Group Stages
So with the Euro’s into the 2nd games of the group – Copa America has arrived. Of course defending Champs Argentina are the heavy favorites along with Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay. Tons of stories below and of course predictions. Of course the US – if they advance from Group play should face either Brazil or Colombia in the knockout rounds – two of the favorites of the tourney. As much as I would love to see the US make the final 4 – I don’t think we get past either Colombia or Brazil who we would face in the Quarters. (sure hope I am wrong). The pick here is for Argentina and Messi to win on American Soil. As for the Euro’s – man some of the better teams have really had issues in their first games – England, Belgium and Italy really don’t look like they are gonna make a run. I am sticking with my earlier pick of Germany on home soil or Spain – who honestly looks like the best team so far. Man that Spain vs Italy game was fantastic. Some really great games. A hint if you are watching – be sure to tune in at least 10 minutes to game-time to catch the national anthems of the games. I am hoping that the Copa will only allow the US to play the song so we can all sing – rather than have some unknown come out and butcher the national anthem.
US Men Starts Copa America Sun vs Bolivia 6 pm
So its here – the last real chance for the US men to prove they are taking steps in the right direction was we prepare to host World Cup 2026 in just 2 years. Can the US actually beat a good team, a ranked team in a game that matters. Other than beating a Mexico team that is simply not what they used to be – the US has not beaten a top 20 ranked team since Berhalter took over. Now is the chance with Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil and potentially Argentina in the way of the US making history in the Copas. The US has actually make the final 4 before – but has a much tougher draw this team and will need to beat a top 10 team in the World to make it happen. Will the US actually have home field advantage in the US? Hard to say – the tickets are Crazy expensive – and the COPA seems to care less if there are empty stadiums as long as Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico can fill their stadiums around the country like Atlanta did for the opener – with 90% Argentina fans. Not sure what to expect – but the US should take care of business in the first game and find a way past a tougher than normal Panama in the 2nd game. Hopefully the 3rd game vs Uruguay will be for seeding – if the US can win their first 2. Since Berhalter has NEVER actually surprised anyone with his team selection in the past – I look for the US to roll out the same back line with the same front line with perhaps the only decision being does Adam’s start at D Mid with McKinney and Gio? Or does Cardoso or Musah take the # 6 role to start. The US will face a low block with Bolivia so we will need Gio to unluck things. I would love to see Sargeant or Haji Wright at the #9 – but I am sure it will be Balogen. The US should win this game 2 or 3 to zero – this is the weakest team in our group.
Shane’s Starters
Pulisic, Bologen, Weah
Gio
Mckinney, Adams
Robinson, Ream, Richards, Scally
Turner
The 26-player Copa América roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest)
DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Tim Ream (Fulham FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham FC), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Tim Weah (Juventus), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
Indy 11 Win – Home again Sat Night vs Orange County 7 pm
Indy Eleven extended its unbeaten streak across all competitions to 12 after a 1-0 victory over San Antonio FC on Saturday night at Carroll Stadium. The Boys in Blue improve to 9-4-2 and move into a tie for second in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference, The Boys in Blue have now scored 16 first half goals this season, the highest total for a USL Championship team. Defensively, the Boys in Blue have held their opponents scoreless in the first half in nine of 15 matches in 2024. The 11 remain at The Mike to host Orange County SC Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The match will air locally on WNDY and stream on CBS Sports Golazo Network.Single-game tickets are available for all matches via Ticketmaster. For more information on all ticket options click here. For questions, please email tickets@indyeleven.com or call 317.685.1100.
Carmel High Girls Soccer Camp July 22-25
2-4:30 pm @ Murray Stadium Register Here contact fdixon@ccs.k1.in.us for more info
Huge Congrats to former Carmel FC midfielder JD Slivinski playing this summer for USL 2 team Virginia Beach United.
TV GAMES SCHEDULE
Fri, June 21
12 noon FS1 Poland vs Austria
3 pm Fox Netherlands vs France
7:30 pm Para+ Hartford @ Tampa Rowdies (Jordan Farr)
8 pm FS1 Peru vs Chile COPA
8 pm Amazon Prime Orlando Pride vs Utah NWSL
Sat, June 22
12 noon Fox Turkey vs Portugal
3 pm Fox Belgium vs Romania
6 pm FS1 Ecuador vs Venezuela Copa
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs OC @ the Mike Pride Night
9 pm Fox Mexico vs Jamaica COPA
10:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs Dallas MLS
Sun, June 23
1:30 pm ESPN NY/NJ Gotham vs Washington Spirit NWSL
3 pm Fox Switzerland vs Germany
3 pm FS1 Scotland vs Hungary
4 pm CBS Golazo Portland Thorns vs Racing Louisville NWSL
6 pm Fox, Univision USMNT vs Bolivia COPA America
9 pm Fox or FS1 Uruguay vs Panama COPA
Mon, June 24
3 pm Fox Croatia vs Italy
3 pm FS1 Albania vs Spain
6 pm FS1 Colombia vs Paraguay Copa
9 pm FS1 Brazil vs Costa Rica
Tues, June 25
12 noon FS1 Netherlands vs Austria
12 noon Fox France vs Poland
3 pm Fox England vs Slovenia
3 pm FS1 Denmark vs Serbia
6 pm FS1 Peru vs Canada Copa
9 pm FS1 Chile vs Argentina Copa
Thur, June 27
6 pm Fox USMNT vs Panama COPA
9 pm Fox Uruguay vs Bolivia
Fri, June 28
6 pm FS1 Colombia vs Costa Rica
9 pm FS1 Paraguay vs Brazil
Sat, June 29th
12 pm FS1 Euro Quarters A2 vs B2
3 pm Fox Euro Quarters A1 vs C2
8 pm FS1 Argentina vs Peru Copa
8 pm FS2 Canada vs Chile
Sun, June 30
12 pm FS1 Euro Quarters C1 vs D/E/F3
1 pm ESPN2 NY/NJ Gotham vs Seattle Reign NWSL
3 pm Fox Euro Quarters B1 vs A/D/E/F3
7:30 pm CBS Golazo+Para Angel City vs Orlando Pride NWSL
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USMNT Copa America 2024 squad guide: A golden generation – how far can they go?
Paul Tenorio The Athletic Jun 15, 2024 They call it a golden generation, with big-name players who have experienced the highest levels in Europe and have World Cup experience too. As hosts, they will also have the crowds with them. Could the competition’s invited guests cause an upset at South America’s greatest party?
The manager
The former Columbus Crew coach Gregg Berhalter became the first American to play for and coach the USMNT in the World Cup, guiding a young group to the knockout stage of Qatar 2022 where they were eliminated by the Netherlands. Berhalter returned as coach despite a massive post-tournament controversy involving him, star player Gio Reyna and Reyna’s parents, including his former team-mate and longtime friend Claudio Reyna.
Berhalter’s U.S. teams have played mostly a transition-style soccer, but have shifted from the 4-3-3 used in Qatar to a 4-2-3-1 with Reyna sliding into the No 10 spot. New fans to the team may want to keep an eye out for Berhalter’s sideline bounce passes when the ball runs out of play.
Berhalter was appointed U.S. coach in December 2018 (Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images)
The son of former FIFA Player of the Year (and former Liberia president) George Weah, the winger has won a trophy at every club for which he has played and has become one of the leaders and consistent producers for this U.S. team. He scored the opening goal of the World Cup and currently features for Juventus in Serie A.
The U.S. is best when they are playing a vertical game, pushing the ball up the field quickly in transition. With Pulisic and Weah running on the wings and a dynamic midfield that includes Adams, McKennie and Reyna, the U.S. can up the tempo and find space quickly to beat teams.
They will miss the attacking flair of right-back Sergino Dest, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but this team should still have enough about them to speed play up.
Weston McKennie playing against Jamaica in March (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Weaknesses
Creating chances with prolonged possession.
The U.S. has struggled against teams that sit in a low block, and even at times in an organized mid-block. It forces the U.S. to find ways to beat you through passing and movement in tight spaces and takes away the strength of players such as Pulisic, who prefers to run at players in space.
Robinson and Ream playing for Fulham in the Premier League last season (Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)
Expectations back home
This U.S. team is largely considered to be a ‘golden generation’ of American players, with the core of this team playing at big clubs in Europe and many of them moving across the Atlantic at earlier ages than ever before.
This was the youngest team, by minutes played, at the Qatar World Cup, so now the players must prove they are worthy of the expectation as they begin to move into their respective primes.
The expectation undoubtedly will be that the U.S. advance to the semi-finals — but it won’t be an easy road. A second-place finish in the group likely means a meeting with Brazil in the quarter-finals.
(Top image: Brace Hemmelgarn, Getty Images; design by Eamonn Dalton)
Copa America 2024 predictions: Who will win it all, how far will the U.S. go? Our writers’ picks
By The Athletic Soccer staff n 20, 2024
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Copa America kicks off today, with the United States as hosts. Reigning champion Argentina takes on Canada in the first game on Thursday.
What can we expect? Will Argentina complete a storybook last dance with Angel Di Maria as he plays one more major tournament with Lionel Messi? Will Vinicius Junior find a way to lead Brazil to a title? And how will the U.S. do in its fifth invitation to the oldest national team tournament?
Here, six of The Athletic’s writers give their predictions…
Paul Tenorio: I’m not going to break away from the crowd here. This tournament falls kindly for Argentina to navigate to the final. There, no matter the opponent, Messi and Co. win a third consecutive international tournament in his new home city.
Felipe Cardenas: Argentina’s quest for greatness has defined this Messi-led group of players. They will have learned plenty from the 2022 World Cup. They took a haymaker in their opening match against Saudi Arabia and got back up. Argentina won a quarterfinal penalty shootout and leaned on multiple players other than Messi to triumph in a tournament setting. The defending champions are battle-tested and very talented.
As reigning World Cup champion, Argentina is looking to defend its Copa America title (Carl De Souza, AFP via Getty Images)
Jeff Rueter: Although the U.S. is the host, doesn’t this still feel like Argentina’s tournament? Like their talisman, the federation has set up firm roots in Miami over the past couple of years. In what might be Messi’s swansong, La Albiceleste should replicate Spain’s feat at the turn of the 2010s: continental title, World Cup, continental title.
Melanie Anzidei: Winning a second Copa America in a row would solidify Argentina’s place as one of football’s greatest teams. This is not the same team that played on American soil in 2016. Far from it. This team is led by a captain who has once again found joy in playing and who has an entire nation behind him. Winning this tournament is personal for their players, and we’ll see that starting Thursday.
Joshua Kloke: Brazil might be a younger team but without the pressure that comes with World Cups, and the expectations Argentina clearly has on them (see the pack of picks above!) I could see Brazil’s talent taking over. If they can play liberated — which can admittedly be a challenge for Brazil — they should make their way through the tougher side of the draw and win their second Copa America title in the last three tournaments.
Thom Harris: Argentina are the sensible choice, but I’m going to be bold and say Uruguay.
They have been a joy to watch under Marcelo Bielsa scoring the most goals in World Cup qualifying, beating both Argentina and Brazil, before smashing four past Mexico in a pre-tournament friendly. Their roster is not only brimming with quality, but the kind of unstoppable athleticism that Bielsa needs to implement his man-to-man marking system, able to disrupt the opposition with aggressive defensive play and launch lethal counter-attacks.
With both nations tied on a record 15 Copa America titles each, I’ve got my fingers crossed for a meeting in the final.
Tenorio: Tough to go into a tournament predicting it will be anyone other than Messi. He is in good form and he will get his opportunities to score and change games.
Cardenas: Luis Diaz scored four goals at the 2021 Copa America, leading Colombia to the semifinals. Messi will take home the player of the tournament trophy, but Diaz will solidify his place as one of the sport’s best attacking players. Now 27, Diaz is hitting his peak. He’ll be a joy to watch this summer.
Rueter: It’s Messi like everything is these days, but Vinicius Jr will lead Brazil to a berth in the final and make a challenge for player of the tournament in the process.
Messi earned the title of best player during the 2021 Copa America (Gustavo Pagano/Getty Images)
Anzidei: The obvious answer is Messi. Even when he doesn’t want to be up there on the podium, he receives the honor again and again. But something about him giving the penalty kick to Lautaro during Argentina’s friendly against Guatemala last week makes me feel like the Inter Milan forward will have a surprise showing this tournament.
Kloke: Brazil is Vinicius Jr’s team now and it feels entirely possible that he uses up all the runway afforded to him and takes flight this tournament.
Harris: I’m going to be bold again… James Rodriguez. Colombia have been in exceptional form under Nestor Lorenzo, unbeaten in over two years, and the 32-year-old has been central to his success. Given freedom to roam in behind the two forward players, he can drop deep to help with the build-up, but also pack a punch in the final third.
How far will USMNT (Canada for you, Josh) get in the tournament? How will their final match pan out?
Tenorio: My gut feeling is the U.S. will bow out in the quarterfinals to Brazil after coming second in a tight finish for the top spot in the group with Uruguay.
Cardenas: After the Copa America draw, I picked the U.S. to reach the semifinals. That’s a bare minimum requirement for the host nation. However, after being thrashed by Colombia 5-1 in a June friendly, I have serious doubts about the USMNT’s ability to win a knockout game at this Copa America. Berhalter’s side will bow out in the quarterfinals.
Rueter: A step behind their 2016 showing: second in Group C behind Uruguay (six points), then a cagey 2-1 defeat in the quarterfinal against Group D winner Colombia.
The U.S. has made it to two Copa America semifinals in previous tournaments (Jeremy Reper/Getty Images)
Anzidei: I’d like to believe the U.S. will surprise us all and push through to the semifinals once again, but that’s only if they finish at the top of Group C. If they are the runner-up in their group, which is more likely, I don’t see them ousting Colombia or Brazil in the second round.
Kloke: Finishing third in a difficult Group A, which would include a confidence-building win, feels likely for Canada. Running until their legs give way against Chile for a result in their final game should inspire some fans back home, but it might not be enough to get a still-developing team into the knockout stage.
Who will ‘do an Enzo Fernandez’ and get a big transfer off the back of a tournament?
Tenorio:Yaser Asprilla. My Colombian colleague Felipe Cardenas wrote in The Radar that the 20-year-old is the Colombian Phil Foden. High praise. He plays in England (for second-tier side Watford) already and has been very good in a short amount of time for Colombia. If he can do it on this Copa America stage, even coming off the bench, that’s a recipe for a big transfer fee.
Cardenas: Asprilla is a great shout by Paul. I don’t know how much he’ll play though. I’m going to choose Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie. His profile is rising after helping Bayer Leverkusen to an undefeated season in the Bundesliga. He’s an athletic ball-playing center back who is also left-footed. That’s a coveted profile at the highest level. If he plays well for Ecuador, Hincapie could make a move to the Premier League.
Rueter: We at The Athletic have all fallen hard for Dario Osorio in 2024, and the Chilean winger seems poised to be Alexis Sanchez’s heir apparent. He’s played just one season with Midtjylland in Denmark, but the 20-year-old could be poised to make the leap to an even higher level.
Anzidei: I’m also excited to see how Osorio will do, as one of the young stars on Chile’s largely veteran squad. And I’ll be paying close attention to 23-year-old Santiago Gimenez, the Argentinean-born Mexican forward. He’s made a name for himself already for Feyenoord, and a breakout performance on the international stage will draw even more eyes to the rising talent.
Kloke: We know Jonathan David is finally going to move on from Lille this summer after being Europe’s next great striker for years now. But whether he goes to the Premier League or elsewhere remains up for debate. Snagging a few key goals for Canada, especially if one of those goals comes against Argentina, could boost his profile and land him at the upper-echelon club he wants to play for.
Harris: Osorio. He has been having his own goal-of-the-season competition in Denmark and one more flash of quality will have the biggest clubs on high alert.
Cardenas: The Copa America is such an important tournament for South American countries. I’m very intrigued to see how it plays out in the U.S. The 2016 edition seems like a distant memory. There wasn’t a North American World Cup on the horizon. This summer, every detail will be overanalyzed. But generally speaking, I can’t wait to see these elite footballers battle for a trophy. That’s what this is all about.
Rueter:Jamaica seemingly can’t get out of its own way lately. Since qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, the team and its federation seemed to be in a better way, with many of the program’s star players returning to secure qualification for this tournament. Leon Bailey appears set to skip out amidst a fresh rift, and time is running out for the Reggae Boyz to make the ambitious leap they aspired to before the 2026 World Cup.
Anzidei: The rematch between Argentina and Chile at MetLife Stadium in the group stage. I was there when Messi missed his penalty kick in 2016. I remember vividly watching a young boy in a Barcelona jersey cry into his father’s arms after the final whistle, and later learning the news that Messi retired. Messi has the chance to rewrite this story, and I’m excited to see what happens.
Kloke: Copa America is a dry run for the United States co-hosting the World Cup in two years. How will the cities and venues handle hosting these games? What kind of buy-in will local fans show? Then there’s the question of transportation around the games, which, boring as that might be, has come up as a topic of conversation during the European Championship. There are early signs of anticipation towards 2026 building in some of the cities, but Copa could determine whether that anticipation will continue.
Harris: From a personal perspective, the energy of the fans. I was at Colombia’s friendly with Spain at the London Stadium in March, and could hardly believe the noise. Yellow shirts were all I could see when I touched down in Miami airport earlier this week, four days and over 1000 miles away from their opening group game against Paraguay at the weekend.
Which team is poised for a big surprise?
Cardenas: Mexico could be a sleeper, but Ecuador is the obvious choice for me. They’re young, athletic and physical. If they can consistently create and finish their chances, Ecuador will emerge as the most dangerous side in the knockout round.
Ecuador has the fans, youth and energy to make a potential run (Michael Miller/Getty Images)
Rueter: Last time the Copa America came stateside, Chile surprised many by besting a pressure-riddled Argentina on penalties. Equally, that feat feels like a stretch, but they have a favorable Group A draw beyond Argentina and would face the winner of the projected weakest group (likely Ecuador). If Osorio dazzles and veteran holdovers have one last dance in their legs, a semifinal run could be in the cards.
Anzidei: I was at Red Bull Arena in March when Ecuador faced Italy in a friendly, and the crowd was split evenly for both teams. That energy fueled Ecuador, so I’m curious to see how their fans show up during Copa America. Ecuador’s group on paper might just be the easiest to get out of. For that reason, they may catch whoever they face in the quarterfinals flatfooted.
Kloke: I’m on the Ecuador train as well. Building confidence through a weaker group should help them in the knockout stage.
Harris: They are not going to win the tournament, but I’m hopeful that Venezuela can carry on their positive form. They look hungry to press, are energetic and gritty in midfield, and have real pace and zip on the wings.
Give us an outrageous prediction…
Cardenas: Messi will turn back the clock and play like he’s 10 years younger, but he’ll revert to 2010 form and end the tournament without a goal. You said outrageous, right?
Rueter: Groups B and C will be entirely absent from the semifinal and final round, as Group A (Argentina, Chile) and Group D (Brazil, Colombia) house all four podium challengers.
Anzidei: Brazil doesn’t make it out of groups, because of the bad juju from Ronaldinho’s publicity stunt last week. Talk about things you don’t do before a major tournament.
Kloke: Everyone knows what I’m going to go with, right? Canada dials up the intensity to 11 against Argentina in the tournament opener, tries to throw some elbows around, scores early and shocks the soccer world with a win. Big-time Senegal over France in the 2002 World Cup opener vibes here.
Harris: We will end the tournament with a new, all-time leading goalscorer at the Copa America, and it will be… Eduardo Vargas.
Lionel Messi needs four goals to equal the record of 17, while Peru’s Paulo Guerrero, like Vargas, needs three. But I fancy Chile to make it to the knockouts, and their No 9 has looked sharp at the top of Ricardo Gareca’s revitalised team. (Top photos: Getty Images)
USMNT’s Weston McKennie: ‘Everyone doubted me… but look at me now’
Weston McKennie summons the pain, transporting his mind to December 2022 and the United States men’s national team’s round-of-16 exit from the World Cup against the Netherlands.
“In a tournament,” he explains, “You have a lot of hope, and within the team, we are family. These are people you grow up with, sharing the same dreams, pushing each other, holding each other accountable and you build a bond. There are photos of us after the game up in the stands crying with our families and crying with each other.
“(The World Cup cycle) is like going to college with a buddy for four years. You make it to graduation and realise we’re going to go our separate ways — you’re going to have your life, I’m going to have my life. But in this case, we have another shot at this and we’re going to do everything that we can to not feel this same way again. You have the World Cup, Olympics and Copa America — they are the big tournaments. And Copa is one where we can showcase what we’ve learned.”
Christian Pulisic shows his emotions after the U.S. team’s exit (Maddie Meyer/FIFA via Getty Images)
When the USMNT meet up at camp, coach Gregg Berhalter greets them with a diagram, lit up on a projector, that shows a zigzagging road through to the home World Cup in 2026.
“It has a bus and shows where we’re stopped at that moment,” McKennie says. “That’s a great picture because it shows all these things are preparing us for 2026 but the bus is stopped here right now and we have to make the most of this moment.”
How to follow Euro 2024 and Copa America on The Athletic…
For McKennie, now 25, Copa America also provides another opportunity to continue a personal redemptive arc after his career, in his own words, edged to its “lowest point” during a loan spell in the Premier League with Leeds United in the second half of the 2022-23 season.
The first half of that campaign had continued McKennie’s steady progress, regularly starting for Juventus in Serie A and the Champions League, before heading to Qatar for the World Cup. In January 2023, McKennie, who also played in Germany for Schalke between 2017 and 2021, continued his European tour, joining Leeds United on loan as Juventus handled the fallout of financial investigations and point deductions within Serie A.
The deal included an option to make McKennie’s transfer permanent that summer, with a fee agreed in the region of £30million ($38m) for a player who had made 24 Champions League appearances. At Leeds, then coached by Jesse Marsch, he formed part of a growing American contingent alongside USMNT team-mates Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson.
(Left to right) Aaronson, McKennie and Adams at Elland Road in March 2023 (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
“My time at Leeds was probably one of my lower points, if not the lowest in my professional career,” says McKennie. “I always look at the positive because I was at Juventus, playing week in and week out, and maybe I developed a little bit of comfortability or complacency, knowing I was going to play on the weekend. By going to Leeds and having the performance that I had there and the way that it just turned out in general — four coaches in five months (Marsch was replaced by interim coach Michael Skubala, then Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce took over), just nothing going to plan or how I imagined it.”
Although McKennie’s deal included an option for Leeds to make the move permanent, he says he had aspirations of a return to Champions League football in the event he excelled at Elland Road.
“When I went there, my head was more, ‘OK, I want to go here, perform very well, put up numbers, help the team stay up and then hopefully another Premier League team, top five, comes in and sees how well I’ve played and then they would buy me’,” he says.
“With all the respect to Leeds and their fans, I love Champions League football. I love playing at the highest level. Leeds was more of a place I wanted to go to experience something new, the Premier League. But there’s no better place to be seen by Premier League teams than if you’re playing in the Premier League.
“I won’t be able to know what would have happened if Leeds would have stayed up because it didn’t happen that way. Things turn out the way they do for a reason. And now I’m exactly in the moment that I’m supposed to be in.”
At Leeds, the atmosphere between the club’s supporters, boardroom and players turned toxic. McKennie was caught in the crossfire.
“I like to think I’m someone that has a thick skin,” McKennie says, his voice softening. “When you get little comments here and there, it’s pretty easy to ignore. But then when you open up your phone and always the first thing you see on social is something negative, it’s hard to ignore it. I guess it’s hard for me because I do love it when people can relate to me and I feel like I’m always a happy person.
“Football is a world where it’s sometimes unforgiving. People obviously don’t know what football players go through and the stress football players put on themselves to perform, because it’s not like we want to perform badly. It’s not like we want to lose games. It’s just sometimes you have ups and downs, so it hurts.
Leeds were relegated after a 4-1 defeat by Spurs in the final day of the season (Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
“It was probably the first time besides for the World Cup exit where I cried, after the last game of the season at Leeds, when we officially got relegated. I hate to lose and I felt like I really let down the expectations that people had of me going there.”
He pauses briefly, before adding: “When people started attacking me — me as a person in general, not even with football — everyone knows that I’m more thick-boned than than some other players, in that my body shape is the way that it is. But when people started out saying, ‘You fat bast**d’ and ‘you pig’ and ‘you m*nkey’ and stuff like that, people don’t really realise the effect that it has on people. I like to be happy and to make people happy, to make people laugh. So that was a little bit hard.”
When the abuse turned personal, dehumanising and in some cases racist, where did McKennie turn for support?
“Luckily, I had my personal chef, Patrick Contorno, who works with me in Italy, and he was living over in England with me and I had my assistant Charles also living with me.
“If you’re in a down mood in England, it can be hard to deal with it because it’s also very bad weather most of the time. It’s rainy and gloomy and it just sets the mood for you to already be in a sad mood. I had those guys there with me and it helped a lot. If I was there alone, I would have definitely gone into, like, a state of complete depression because I wasn’t performing. I’m my own biggest critic.”
When McKennie returned to Juventus in the summer of 2023, he found another challenge on his doorstep. He appeared, initially, to have been written off, relegated into football’s version of the bomb squad.
“It wasn’t scary, or exciting (as a challenge),” he says, “but it was familiar to the experience of being an American playing soccer for a high-level club in Europe. It’s something that I feel like we all have to go through when we go over to Europe. But I thrive off of it when I have to prove myself again, because then it just makes me even more honest with myself in terms of my efforts, my concentration. Something just clicks.
“It’s like a recipe. I know the ingredients to make it happen and then I’m just… ‘boom’. Without doing any measurements of anything, I can just throw it in. I know it’s going to taste good.
“I knew it was going to be (challenging). I didn’t know it was going to be to that extent; where I didn’t have my locker, I didn’t have a room in the hotel, I didn’t have a parking space. I changed in the locker rooms with the academy kids, even when you had players in the main locker room who had never played a game for Juventus because they’d always been out on loan. And I’m thinking to myself, ‘Wow, I’ve only been gone for six months. I come back and I am treated like this’.
“I couldn’t even get my shirt number (14), even though nobody else had taken the number. I was like, ‘OK you guys want to treat me like this? I’m just going to show you on the field’.
“I’m not someone that’s problematic. I don’t like to cause problems. I don’t like uncomfortable situations. I don’t like drama. I just try and let my football, my actions and my work ethic show everything about me, because that’s when I feel like I’m at my best.”
McKennie’s revival began when he was invited to join the squad on a money-spinning U.S. tour. It is tempting to wonder whether Juventus’ commercial team remembered at that point that they had a popular USMNT midfielder on the books, but it was on the field, in performances against AC Milan and Real Madrid, that McKennie reminded head coach Massimiliano Allegri of his talents.
“It put me back in consideration. My job was to make that decision much harder for them to make.”
McKennie faces AC Milan at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California in July 2023 (Michael Janosz/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
He looks back reflectively on the turmoil at Leeds and Juventus, however.
“It grounded me… what I’m most comfortable with and most honest with is when I put my head down and work. That’s where I’ve had my biggest success. I left Schalke and went to Juventus and nobody knew me. Everyone doubted me. It’s too big of a club. I’ll never play. But look at me now. Three and a half years later, more than 100 games for Juventus and I played a majority of those games. I thrive when my back’s against the wall and everyone’s doubting me. That’s how I became the player I was.”
Last season, McKennie made 29 starts for Juventus in Serie A and played the full 90 minutes of the Coppa Italia final victory over Atalanta. He benefited from his own performances and versatility, slotting in both at right wing-back and central midfield, while he also took advantage of the opportunity when midfield team-mates Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli were suspended for doping and betting offences respectively.
His contract at Juventus expires in 12 months and there has been speculation about a potential move back to England, this time to a club competing in the Champions League in Aston Villa. McKennie says he is in talks with his agent, acknowledging Villa are one of the clubs mentioned, but says the options will be laid out and resolved after Copa America.
He spoke to The Athletic this week as part of his partnership with Puma, the brand he signed up to in early 2024 alongside two USMNT team-mates, Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, who are also based in Italy with AC Milan. McKennie came to sign with the brand after wearing the Puma Future boot six months before agreeing a deal.
McKennie will resolve his future after Copa America (Puma)
“I did my pre-season in them,” he explains. “I played well. So I thought I may as well keep them. I have had knee problems in terms of patellar tendinitis and I have plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the tissue connected to your heel bone) on my foot. And it was a boot that was super comfortable for my foot. I didn’t have to wear insoles in them and I was not feeling pain when I play. They flew over to Italy, had a whole scanning contraption device, put my foot in, looked at my arches, my size. Whenever I get boots sent to me, it’s specifically for my foot, which is amazing.”
Superstition plays a part, too, with McKennie saying he will not change the colour of his boot to an upgraded model if he’s in good form. He will be hoping this continues during Copa America.
He smiles: “Athletes don’t play competitions to go in there and say we want to get second place, or third. We want to try and win the whole thing. We know it’s a challenge. We know it’s hard. You have defending World Cup champions Argentina in the tournament. But at the same time, we know our quality. We know our ability. We always say we may not be the most talented group, but the one thing that we can be is the type of team that plays for everyone. It’s like a big family.”
Copa America 2024 preview: The Athletic’s complete guide to the tournament
Plenty has changed in North American soccer since the Copa America last came stateside in 2016.
The United States has fallen and risen, rebounding after missing the 2018 World Cup to boast a pool teeming with young and established players in Europe’s top five leagues. Mexico is experiencing an identity crisis and Canada has overtaken Costa Rica as the region’s third power, led by top players like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David.
The three nations needn’t fret over World Cup qualification thanks to being co-hosts in 2026, so the 2024 Copa America represents their only meaningful competition between now and then.
While this year’s tournament takes place in CONCACAF territory, its narratives and thrills will be dictated by CONMEBOL. Few tournaments can match the passion stirred by a Copa America.
Do you like stars? Of course you do. There are world-class players aplenty to be found in the 16-team field.
By summer’s end, you’ll be singing the praises of fresh faces such as Endrick, Dario Osorioand Kendry Paez. You’ll eagerly cue up “best of” YouTube compilations of Vinicius Junior’s dribbling prowess for Brazil, of Pedro Gallese’s acrobatics in goal for Peru, of Darwin Nunez’s unpredictable nature inside the penalty box for Uruguay.
This will be his first major tournament since Argentina won the 2022 World Cup and we could see the soon-to-be 37-year-old in a rare, pressure-free headspace. It may also be our last chance to catch him on a big international stage, as it’s unclear whether he’ll retire before 2026.
First up, who’s competing? Well… we’ve got individual nation guides on the 16 teams below, but here are a few things to look out for…
Argentina has finally figured it all out, winning the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup. This isn’t a one-man band, though; Lautaro Martinez is among the world’s best strikers and their goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, revels in big moments.
Since reappointing Gregg Berhalter, the United States has looked like a team stuck in two minds. Its players often play dynamic roles for their clubs, but they resemble a more reserved collective under his guidance. A run to the semifinal would go a long way to restoring faith.
There was a 1-1 draw against the USMNT in Brazil‘s final tune-up friendly. The Selecao flamed out in the group stage of the 2016 Copa America Centenario, but were champions in 2019 and runners-up in 2021. How far will they go this time?
Canada surprised many by appointing Jesse Marsch as head coach in May. Players have grown disillusioned by a pennywise federation, but the talent that helped them top 2022 World Cup qualifying is ready to rebound.
Mexico left some experienced names off its roster — yes, Guillermo Ochoa really won’t be here. They are prioritising giving younger players big-game experience ahead of the World Cup.
When Marcelo Bielsa last coached internationally, he catalyzed the start of a strong decade for Chile. Uruguay will hope he can work similar magic, with Nunez the preferred strike partner for ageless Luis Suarez.
If your focus is more individually driven, there is The Radar: Copa America, which profiles 50 players to watch at the tournament, from established stars to ones on the rise.
There’s also our ultimate data guide to the squads, which will make you look even more clever to your friends. Did you know Jonathan David has the best goals-per-cap rate of any player at the tournament whose name isn’t Lionel Messi? No, me neither.
The United States were host nation and a dark horse in 2016, reaching the semifinal before falling to Messi and Argentina. That proved to be an aberration, as they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but they are back at the top of the CONCACAF pecking order and trying to size up if a deep run is possible in two years’ time.
It still is a bit odd when a guest nation joins a continental tournament, whether it’s Qatar in the CONCACAF Gold Cup or, well, the United States hosting a second South American jamboree in under a decade. Elias Burke charted the past performances of these guest entries. Perhaps this tournament will see its first champion outside the confines of CONMEBOL…
Antonee Robinson had a career-best season for Fulham, proving to be among the Premier League’s best left-backs. His focus now shifts to the international arena; as he tells Peter Rutzler, it’s time for the USMNT to take the next step toward being a global contender.
(Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Johnny Cardoso is among the squad’s fastest risers in recent years, going from a mysterious prospect in Brazil to a mainstay of Real Betis’ midfield. He gave a rare interview to Jack Lang, giving insight into what motivates him and what he aspires to be.
The USMNT exited the 2022 World Cup in the round of 16, but no player was harder done by than Gio Reyna. Eighteen months have passed since the drama around his lack of playing time and the signs a relationship with Berhalter needed mending. Last week, Reyna spoke with USMNT expert Paul Tenorio about getting his career back on track.
Predictions, Messi vs Ronaldo and the new generation
Elsewhere, our writers have given their predictions for the tournament: who will win it? Which players will shine brightest? And which dark horses could bust the bracket open?
The sport cannot live off those two forever and a rising generation of talent has been desperate to get more time in the spotlight. This tournament boasts quite a few of them…
Paolo Guerrero has his critics, but one thing is clear: the 40-year-old wants few things more than to continue playing for Peru. Here’s a profile on a career like few others.
For U.S. viewers, you can watch every English-language broadcast on FOX’s networks. The majority of group-stage clashes will be shown live on FS1, with select games bumped to FOX and a handful shifting to FS2. The tournament can be streamed on Fubo TV, as well. Spanish-language broadcasts will be shown on Univision and TUDN.
In Canada, you can find Copa America matches on TSN and TSN+ while UK viewers can find broadcasts on Premier Sports, as well as live streams on the Premier Sports Player.
How does qualification for the knockout stage work?
This is as straightforward as brackets get: four groups of four teams, with the top two finishers advancing to the quarterfinal. It’s a fixed bracket from there:
Winner of Group A vs. Group B’s second-place side
Winner of Group B vs. Group A’s second-place side
Winner of Group C vs. Group D’s second-place side
Winner of Group D vs. Group C’s second-place side
In the group stage, the tiebreaking protocol for any two teams on level footing — well, save for irrelevant ties between third and fourth — is as follows:
Cumulative goal difference across all three matches
Goals scored
Head-to-head records, with additional nested tiebreakers in the event of a three-team tie:
Number of points accrued in matches between relevant sides
Greater goal difference between relevant sides
Most goals scored between relevant sides
Fewest red cards
Fewest yellow cards
A random draw conducted by CONMEBOL
Group stage games will conclude after 90 minutes, even if they’re played to a draw. A tie game at full time in the knockout rounds will advance to two 15-minute halves of extra time and advance to a penalty shootout if the game is still deadlocked after two hours of action.
On top of all this, we will be covering all the off-pitch news as it happens, bringing you details from the team camps, media conferences, and any other breaking news.
Away from the Copa America, we will continue to cover the summer transfer window, with our weekly Transfer DealSheet coming out every Tuesday as well as The Athletic 500 Transfer Ratings, which you can read about here.
Go touch grass while you can — a second concurrent tournament is about to kick off.
(Top photo: Mark Thorstenson/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Predicting every game of Copa America 2024: Who will win it?
Ryan O’Hanlon, ESPN.com writerJun 20, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
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The last time the United States hosted a Copa America, in 2016, Brazil got knocked out in the group stages. The U.S. men’s national team lost 4-0 to Argentina in the semifinals. And Argentina lost the final in penalties to Chile at MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants and Jets. It was Argentina’s second loss to Chile in a Copa America final in as many years, and it led to Lionel Messi — presumably distraught at being unable to live up to the legacies created by Eli Manning and Ryan Fitzpatrick on that same field — retiring from international soccer immediately following the match.
While Messi has spent his career expanding our collective imagination of what’s possible on a soccer field and in a soccer career, I don’t think anyone could’ve accurately predicted where we’d be eight years later. Messi is in Year 2 of playing for Inter Miami, a soccer team that didn’t exist in 2016. He spent two barely memorable seasons playing for Paris Saint-Germain. Oh, and he unretired so he and Argentina could finally win the Copa America and World Cup in consecutive years in his mid-30s.
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Elsewhere, Chile have since failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and the 2022 World Cup. The other semifinalists in 2016 missed one a piece: the U.S. failed to qualify for 2018, Colombia for 2022. Brazil didn’t make it past the quarterfinals of either tournament, and just two players from their 2016 Copa team are still around in 2024 (Alisson and Marquinhos).
Mexico, meanwhile, continue to lose to the USMNT in the Nations League, a tournament that didn’t exist eight years ago. And Canada are managed by Jesse Marsch — a statement that would’ve been meaningless in 2016 but not so today because he’s managed multiple clubs in the Champions League and the Premier League since the Copa America Centenario.
The Copa America is the kind of tournament that can change the course of soccer as we know it, and it really matters to the teams that participate. So, given all the twists and turns we’ve had since the last time a Copa America was played on U.S. soil, why not look at the state of the 2024 tournament and make some predictions for where this all might end up?
It’s time to look into our stats-filled, analytics-powered crystal ball and predict how every single game of the 2024 Copa America plays out and who, ultimately, will be crowned the winner. Let’s go!
To rate all of these teams, I created a simple model that combines team performance with the talent level of the current squad. For the former, we’re using the World Football Elo ratings, which are a continuously updated set of ratings that either awards or subtracts points based on every game played — adjusted for scoreline, opponent quality and competitiveness of the match.
Given that they’ve won the last continental and global competitions, Argentina are, unsurprisingly, the highest-rated team in the world, with a rating of 2,143. For context: Eastern Samoa are the lowest-rated team in the world, ranking 241st with a rating of 377.
Elo accounts for 60% of the model, and then the other 40% comes from the overall squad value of each team, as estimated by Transfermarkt. We’ve normalized the transfer values to match the Elo scale, and then averaged the two values. And then we turned those numbers into a 0-100 scale — with 100 being the best team and zero being the worst. Here’s how everyone stacks up:
Argentina are in the top tier with Brazil and then … there’s no one from Group A in either of the next two tiers.
Through six matches of World Cup qualifying, Peru have two points and Chile five. The former ranks second-to-last in expected goal differential (minus-0.79) while the latter ranks third-to-last (minus-0.3). A big part of the problem for both countries is that neither one has been able to successfully turn over their team. The average age of Peru’s squad is 28.9, while Chile aren’t far behind at 28.6 — both significantly older than any other team in the tournament.
Canada, meanwhile, come into the tournament with one of the younger squads: 25.6. And the likes of Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Lille’s Jonathan David give them higher-end talent than either Chile or Peru. Given how the managerial economy works — the best coaches get filtered up to the club game — Canada’s hiring of Marsch could also give them one of the best coaches in the tournament.
Game-by-game Group A predictions:
Argentina 2, Canada 0 Chile 2, Peru 1 Canada 1, Peru 0 Argentina 2, Chile 1 Argentina 3, Peru 0 Canada 2, Chile 1
This is the weakest group in the tournament. Not only that, but the winner of Group B will also get to play the second-place team in Group A, which is likely to be the weakest second-place team in the tournament.
Luck of the draw plays a bigger role in tournament soccer than anyone would like to admit (see: Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup final), and Mexico and Ecuador both got lucky before a game was even played.
Although El Tri feel like they’re at their lowest point in, I don’t know, 25 years, they got a cushy draw and will have a bigger home-field advantage than any other team in the tournament. Without the underlying quality of the talent or even the recent performances changing at all, Mexico could very easily make the semis and suddenly change the vibe surrounding the program.
With the second-youngest team in the tournament, budding young stars in Europe such as Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo and Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié, a solid start to World Cup qualifying (11 points, fourth place), and the favorable draw, Ecuador look like a classic dark-horse pick. The only problem: They don’t have anyone who can score goals. Only Peru and Bolivia have created fewer xG in South American World Cup qualifying, and their leading scorer is Félix Torres, who plays center back.
Venezuela tied Ecuador in a relatively even home match at the end of last year and they also drew with Brazil — in Brazil — a few months prior. They cross the ball an absurd amount: 28% of their final-third passes in World Cup qualifying have been crosses — way higher than any other team. That’s generally an incredibly inefficient strategy, but maybe its uniqueness throws their opponents off-balance.
Jamaica’s rating here is a bit inflated because of the inclusion of Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey. He was genuinely one of the best attackers in Europe last season, and although he was called up to the Copa America squad, it appears he’s going to reject the invitation as part of a protest against the unprofessionalism of the Jamaican federation. (History is certainly on his side here.) The likes of West Ham’s Michail Antonio and former Everton winger Demarai Gray are interesting names on paper, but neither one is as dangerous as he used to be.
Although Group B has the lowest average rating among its four teams, Group C has the weakest bottom two. As such, only Argentina has better odds to reach the quarterfinals than Uruguay, while those two, plus Brazil, are the only sides with a higher likelihood of advancing than the U.S. men’s national team.
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After Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay have the third most talented squad in the tournament. In Darwin Núñez, Federico Valverde, Manuel Ugarte, Ronald Araujo, Rodrigo Bentancur, and José María Giménez, they have six players who are at least Champions League-starter level. And at 37 and without functional knees, Luis Suárez continues to absolutely demolish whatever league he plays in. He was the best player in Brazil last year, and he’s been lights out with Inter Miami so far this season, too.
Throw in Marcelo Bielsa, easily the most accomplished coach in the tournament, and you’ve got the first-place side in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Unlike most international sides, Uruguay wants the game to be played in transition. Bielsa prefers for the ball to constantly be switching hands because he thinks he’s better at coaching these situations than anyone else in the world. In Núñez and Valverde, he has two of the best transition players in world soccer, too.
We should learn a lot about the USMNT when these two teams meet in Kansas City. The Americans are massive favorites against Bolivia — only Brazil (against Costa Rica) have shorter odds on matchday one — and they should be heavy favorites against Panama, too.
The most likely outcome is that both the U.S. and Uruguay have six points when they meet at the beginning of next month. In that case, they’ll both already be qualified. Sometimes that leads to 90 minutes of both teams staring at the ball, but I’m not sure Bielsa teams are capable of staring at the ball for 90 minutes. With their defined tactical approach and top-end talent, Uruguay might be the trickiest team the USMNT has faced in the Gregg Berhalter era.
As for the rest of the group: Bolivia are the worst team in the tournament. They have the worst results and the least talented squad. Without the advantage of playing at altitude in La Paz, they’ve been uncompetitive for a long time. Panama, meanwhile, took down the U.S. B- or C-team in the Gold Cup semifinals last summer. They also notched an impressive 3-0 win in Costa Rica back in November of last year, and they actually outshot Mexico, 18-6, in a 3-0 semifinal loss in the Nations League that was much closer than the final score.
Game-by-game Group C predictions:
USMNT 2, Bolivia 0 Uruguay 3, Panama 1 USMNT 3, Panama 1 Uruguay 2, Bolivia 0 Uruguay 2, USMNT 1 Panama 2, Bolivia 1
This isn’t your vintage Brazil. There’s no Neymar, you’ve possibly never heard of the fullbacks, and the midfielders almost all play for midtable Premier League clubs.
And yet, the forward line will include some combination of Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, Barcelona’s Raphinha, Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli, and the duo of phenom prospects in formerly-Girona-but-maybe-Manchester City’s Sávio and Real Madrid’s 17-year-old Endrick. Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães and Atalanta‘s Éderson were two of the best two-way midfielders in Europe this past season. The potential starting center backs play for PSG, Real Madrid and Arsenal. And Liverpool’s Alisson is the best all-around goalkeeper in the world.
Copa América 2024: Features and reaction
Keep up to date with all the results, news coverage and stories on the biggest names and teams in the United States as the tournament progresses. Copa América 2024
Brazil’s results in qualifying have been substandard so far, but there’s just too much talent for that to continue.
Colombia, meanwhile, haven’t lost a game since February 2022, and that was against Argentina, in Argentina. They’ve moved up to fifth in the Elo ratings in the process, behind Argentina, France, Brazil and Spain — in that order. Liverpool’s Luis Díaz is their one star — and their squad value ranks fifth among all teams in the tournament, behind the USMNT, whom they just destroyed 5-1 in a pre-tournament friendly.
Perhaps most pertinent: Colombia’s previous two opponents in World Cup qualifying were group stage opponents Paraguay and Brazil. They won both matches, and created the better chances in each one.
Paraguay have one of the most exciting young players in the world — 20-year-old Brighton attacking midfielder Julio Enciso — but there’s not a ton of other talent behind him. Not one of their six World Cup qualifying matches has featured more than one total goal — there have been two total non-penalty goals scored across those games.
Incredibly, Costa Rica bring the youngest average team to the Copa America. They had the oldest team at the 2022 World Cup. It was time to turn the team over from their golden generation, but that also means that this is no longer Costa Rica’s golden generation. Their recent results have dropped them down to 59th in the Elo ratings — worse than every team in the tournament other than Bolivia.
Game-by-game Group D predictions:
Colombia 2, Paraguay 0 Brazil 4, Costa Rica 0 Colombia 3, Costa Rica 1 Brazil 3, Paraguay 1 Brazil 0, Colombia 0 Paraguay 2, Costa Rica 2
Predicted Group D standings
1. Brazil: 7 points, plus-6 goal differential 2. Colombia: 7 points, plus-4 3. Paraguay: 1 point, minus-4 4. Costa Rica: 1 point, minus-6
Predicting the quarterfinals
Argentina (77% to reach semifinal) vs. Ecuador (31.1%)
The past two times these two teams played, in World Cup qualifying and in a pre-Copa tuneup, both games ended 1-0 to Argentina. Over those two games, Ecuador attempted just eight total shots.
Although the presence of Messi is the main attraction, Argentina were a dominant defensive team in Qatar. That has remained true in World Cup qualifying — they’ve conceded just 2.3 non-penalty xG across six matches.
Predicted result: Argentina 1, Ecuador 0
Mexico (37% to reach semifinal) vs. Canada (9.8%)
Both of these teams would seem like “surprise” semifinalists — Mexico because of their recent struggles, and Canada because they’re, well, Canada. But the Canadians landed in a group without a strong second team after Argentina, and Mexico are currently the betting favorites to meet Argentina in the semifinals.
Hot tip: When the betting markets suggest that something counter to conventional wisdom is the most likely outcome, adopt it as your own opinion and impress your friends at a rate higher than expectation.
Predicted result: Mexico 2, Canada 1
Uruguay (50.8% to reach semifinal) vs. Colombia (33.9%)
Watching the World Cup qualifying match between these two teams induced emotional effects similar to those normally only associated with various illicit substances. Possession was almost even, both teams pressed high, they combined for 29 shots, and they created nearly 4.0 xG together. It ended 2-2, after a Darwin Núñez goal in injury time.
The big difference in the Copa America? This match won’t be in Colombia.
Predicted result: Uruguay 2, Colombia 1
Brazil (72.4% to reach semifinal) vs. United States (28.7%)
At 21, Ricardo Pepi has never played in an international tournament, but he gets it. “I think anything besides making it out of the group will be bad for us, so we just want to be able to compete and get the best out of it,” he told ESPN. And that’s just the reality facing the Americans.
They should get out of the group — the gap between them and Panama and Bolivia is big enough that not even bad luck should sink them. But after that, they’re just not at the same level as Colombia or Brazil, their most likely quarterfinal opponents.
Yes, they did just draw the Brazilians in a friendly last week, but they were outshot 24-12 and all of their high-quality chances came after the game devolved in the second half, like most friendlies do once substitutions are made:
The USMNT’s best bet for reaching the quarterfinals would be to win the group or hope Colombia win Group D.
In the Copa America, there’s no extra time until the final — a silly format that encourages underdogs to just try to hang on for dear life until the 90-minute mark so they can get to the coin flip of penalties. However, that format does favor the underdogs, which the USMNT will likely be if it makes it this far.
Predicted result: Brazil 3, United States 1
Predicting the semifinals
Argentina (51.5% to reach finals) vs. Mexico (16.3%)
That Argentina percentage above represents both how random soccer is and how much better Argentina is than every other team on their side of the bracket. Despite being so much better than everyone else, it’s still just about a coin flip that Messi & Co. reach the final game.
But if, say, every team in the tournament were equally matched, there would be a 12.5% chance (one in eight) that you’d reach the final. Argentina’s odds are more than four times as high.
Predicted result: Argentina 2, Mexico 0
Brazil (47.0% to reach final) vs. Uruguay (23.9%)
When these teams met in World Cup qualifying, they played a truly bizarre match where Brazil maintained 61% of possession but were outshot 6-2 and lost the game 2-0. Then-manager Fernando Diniz’s free-flowing possession tactics worked horribly with the national team.
I suspect — and most projection models agree — that Brazil will play up to their talent level this summer with a new manager who doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. They have the best goalkeeper in the tournament and the most attacking talent. This shouldn’t be that complicated.
Predicted result: Brazil 1, Uruguay 1 (Brazil advances in a shootout)
Predicting the 2024 Copa America final
Argentina (31.6% to win the tournament) vs. Brazil (26.7%)
A rematch of the 2019 semifinal and the 2021 final — a rubber match of sorts, with Brazil winning en route to winning the title four years ago and Argentina beating their neighbors to lift the trophy last time out. While Brazil have the most talented team in the tournament, we’re still working off a bit of projection here. They’ve lost their past three competitive matches, and we haven’t seen the team play a non-friendly match under manager Dorival Júnior yet. Plus, they’re probably going to have to beat at least two of Uruguay, Colombia and the USMNT — Nos. 3, 4 and 6 in our rankings — to get to the final.
Argentina, though, are maybe the most known quantity in international soccer: be defensively tough, have everyone else do the running for Messi on and off the ball, and then let Messi win the game once you have possession. We’ll see how effective Messi remains after a year of playing MLS and, simply, another year of aging, but this simplified formula just works so well in the international game.
It’s really hard to see Argentina screwing it up before the final. And with the title match in Miami, Argentina’s captain will be playing at home. After years of the opposite being true, you bet against Messi and Argentina at your own risk.
Predicted result: Argentina 1, Brazil 0
So … congratulations to Argentina, the 2024 Copa America champions!
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Will USMNT earn its “Golden Generation” tag at Copa America?
Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 20, 2024, 08:00 AM ET
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When the term “Golden Generation” is attached to a group of players, it’s the ultimate mixed bag.
On the one hand, the expression points to the high level of excitement surrounding a team. The talent level is so high that fans — and yes, even a few pundits and coaches — begin to dream about what might be possible. They can let themselves dream about previously unexplored heights, the kind that if they’re achieved, they warm the heart years later as you sit by the fire.
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But such a label can be a trap as well — the expectations are so high that they become unrealistic and, rather than inspire the players, they can weigh heavy on a group.
Historically, the U.S. men’s program hasn’t had a whole lot to crow about. It’s high water mark at a World Cup was its semifinal showing in the inaugural edition back in 1930. In the modern era, the U.S. managed a quarterfinal finish at the 2002 World Cup. In the context of a Copa America, there have been two semifinal appearances, one in 1995 and another at the Copa America Centenario in 2016. Credible showings all, but nothing worth jumping up on a table and screaming at the top of one’s lungs.
So why the excitement about this generation of U.S. players? It all has to do with the caliber of the clubs that pay their wages, as well as what they’ve achieved with those clubs.
The number of U.S. players annually taking part in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League seems to regularly hit double digits. In a recent friendly against Colombia, the USMNT fielded a starting lineup comprised entirely of players attached to clubs in the top five leagues of Europe.
Yet, the excitement generated by such success with their clubs is tempered by the reality that, at international level, this generation has yet to surpass the ones that came before it. When the U.S. men reached the round of 16 in 2022, they achieved something that the U.S. men had already done four times prior in the modern era of the team. Winning a Concacaf Gold Cup or Concacaf Nations League, likewise, has long been considered routine.
A so-called “Golden Generation” needs a “Golden Moment” — a signature win or best-ever tournament finish — and without one, the label feels premature.
“They still have to win something of importance, and I think that as of today, they have not done that yet,” said former U.S. international and current analyst DaMarcus Beasley. “Do I think they have the capability? One-hundred percent. I’m a big fan this group, a big fan of how much talent they have.
“But they have yet to put it together when it comes to a big game, whether that’s a friendly or whether that’s a tournament. So it just remains to be seen if this is truly our Golden Generation.”
Herc blames Berhalter for USMNT’s problems finding a striker
Herc Gomez discusses USMNT’s biggest weakness heading into Copa America 2024.
That’s an assertion that U.S. captain Tyler Adams isn’t fighting. He notes that the “Golden Generation” tag is usually applied to teams “that haven’t won anything in the last 10 years,” or even longer. Think England of the mid-2000s, or even the most recent vintage of Belgium, whose current crop hasn’t quite made the international breakthrough so many predicted for it, despite possessing an immensely talented group.
Adams is mindful that achievements at club level aren’t enough.
“I think that when you look at our team and the group of players that we have, we are a talented group of players for sure,” he said prior to the USMNT’s 1-1 friendly draw with Brazil last week. “But I would say that the biggest thing when I think about this team is: That individual success doesn’t correlate directly to team success, and that’s what we’re working towards right now.
“So, it’s great to have everyone playing at a top club around the world. It’s probably the first time in a long time in U.S. soccer that we can be recognized at such a high level. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to have direct success. We’re working towards that success right now.”
For defender Joe Scally, the “Golden Generation” tag isn’t something that is occupying the team’s thoughts: “We never even talk about that at all,” he said.
Labels aside, expectations can still creep into a team’s psyche like a king tide. The water seeps in slowly, and before you know it, you’re enveloped by it. And it’s not just the fans and media that are feeding expectations about the current U.S. men’s national team. Head coach Gregg Berhalter had made his own contribution, speaking openly of taking the U.S. to a place — at least in the modern era — it has never been before. In the context of a World Cup, that means a semifinal. For a Copa America, that means the final.
Copa América 2024: Features and reaction
Keep up to date with all the results, news coverage and stories on the biggest names and teams in the United States as the tournament progresses. Copa América 2024
The talk heading into this Copa America has oscillated a bit. There have been comments, like those from Haji Wright, that the World Cup is the main priority. While true, the timing feels like a way of limiting expectations — the World Cup isn’t until 2026. Other comments have focused on creating the aforementioned “Golden Moment.” Scally mentioned wanting to “do something great for the country.” That is the direction into which Adams is leaning as well.
“I think that you have to have goals. You have to have expectations of what you want to achieve as a group,” Adams said. “But I think building off of 2022, that was a good benchmark of where we’re at right now. We’ve navigated a group stage as a young group. That was important to do with not a lot of World Cup experience.
“Obviously, now it’s about being able to win knockout games and big games, and we have yet to do that. So we need to continue to work towards that, and I think obviously Copa America is going to be a great opportunity for us to do that. But there’s work to be done still.”
The path to reaching that goal won’t be easy. Group C, which includes Bolívia, Panama and Uruguay, is one the U.S. should be able to get past, though there are no guarantees.
Bolivia is a wild card — less is known about them than the other teams in the group, though the Bolivians won’t be able to lean on the benefit of playing at altitude like they do in their home qualifiers. In a tournament setting, Panama has given the U.S. fits on more than one occasion. Uruguay is enjoying an impressive run of form under new manager Marcelo Bielsa.
If the U.S. progresses to the quarterfinals, the Americans will likely face one of two teams they faced in recent friendlies, those being Brazil or Colombia. Getting past either team will require a monumental effort, but it’s an opportunity for this USMNT to show that it is indeed capable of something special, labels be damned.
The USMNT has the experience now. It has been tested at a World Cup. Can it reach its goal? Or even go beyond?
If the U.S. doesn’t, however, what does that mean for Berhalter? So far in his tenure he has proven to be adept at meeting expectations, but nothing more. Would the U.S. Soccer Federation brass dare fire a coach for not being able to beat Brazil? That would be harsh, but it’s what happens when expectations around a team increase.
For now, Adams is thinking of what a win would bring rather than the alternative.
“I think [a knockout stage win] would put a lot of confidence in our team,” Adams said. “We have the belief that we’re able to do that, but now it’s about executing more than anything. Our team gets in situations and we need to be able to execute. That’s the bottom line.”
2024 Copa América team previews: USMNT, Argentina, more
ESPN
Jun 19, 2024, 10:07 AM ETShareLikeOpen Extended Reactions524
It’s time for the 2024 Copa América. With the United States as the host, the next few weeks will be jam-packed with soccer as North American sides take on Central and South America teams in a bid to become the best team in the region. The USMNT boasts plenty of talent with Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Yunus Musah, among others, but can they upset international heavyweights Brazil or current World Cup titleholders Argentina?
It might also be Lionel Messi‘s last major tournament as the 36-year-old enters the twilight of a sparkling career. Could he help his nation to back-to-back Copa América titles? Can striker Santiago Giménez lead Mexico to a deep run in the tournament? Meanwhile, Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior, arguably the best winger in the world, will attract plenty of attention as he looks to become the main man for his nation.
It’s all up for grabs, and though there are clear favorites, shock results are bound to happen in international soccer. ESPN previews each of the Copa América’s 16 teams in the tournament, with everything you need to know about the sides, split into their groups.
Nickname:La Albiceleste (The White and Sky Blue) FIFA rank: 1 Manager: Lionel Scaloni Record in past 12 months: 12W-0D-0L Group stage fixtures: Canada (Thursday, 8 p.m. ET); Chile (June 25, 9 p.m. ET); Peru (June 29, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024: +175
Can’t-miss star: Ángel Di María.Lionel Messi would be too obvious — so it is time to pay tribute to Di Maria, who retires from international football after this tournament. The 36-year-old will be badly missed. Di Maria is that rarest of things — a genuine world-class player who seems without ego, consistently doing what is needed to improve the team. He has been key to all Argentina’s recent triumphs.
Breakout candidate: Valentin Carboni. The 19-year-old seems most likely to emerge as the Di Maria replacement. Alejandro Garnacho has more pace, but the lanky left-footed Carboni has enchanted the coaching staff with his elegant quality, sufficiently versatile to cover a number of attacking positions. Born in Buenos Aires, but used to play for Italy at under-17 level.
Why they won’t win it all: It is hardly a surprise that Argentina are at the top of the World Cup qualification table. They were the only team that went into the competition as a consolidated unit. The Copa gives the others a chance to catch up. Argentina, meanwhile, might have been treading water. Their friendlies this year have been too easy, teaching them little. And the big question remains unresolved: how long can the team go on with its model of Messi plus 10? Scaloni flirted with resignation last November, almost certainly provoked, at least in part, by a glimpse of the end of the Messi era. Much of the past 18 months have felt like a prolonged lap of honor after the triumph in Qatar.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Placed in by far the easiest half of the draw, it will take a major shock for Argentina not to reach the final. As the games become more competitive, an interesting dilemma emerges. Does the status of world and Copa champions mean that the pressure is off? Or might the fact of having something to lose prove nerve-wracking? Argentina go into the tournament as justified favorites, and there will be moments when their possession-based football delights fans, with the rhythm suddenly switching as they bear down on goal. And whatever happens, they should emerge from the Copa with one aspect of their 2026 World Cup challenge enhanced. A collapse at the heart of the defense so nearly cost them the title in Qatar. The Copa is a clear opportunity to consolidate Lisandro Martínez in the back four. — Tim Vickery
Messi: There’s not a lot of time left in my career
Lionel Messi says he’s enjoying playing football more because he knows “there’s not a lot of time left” in his career.
Nickname:Canucks FIFA rank: 49 Manager: Jesse Marsch Record in past 12 months: 4W-3D-5L Group stage fixtures: Argentina (Thursday, 8 p.m. ET); Peru (June 25, 6 p.m. ET); Chile (June 29, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+6600
Can’t-miss star: Jonathan David.Alphonso Davies is typically penciled in here, but David had the better club season, scoring 26 goals in all competitions for Ligue 1 side Lille. Davies is also slated to play left-back, which means his influence might be muted against the tough trio of South American teams — starting with Argentina — that comprise Group A. If Canada is to get out of the group stage, David will need to be banging in the goals.
Breakout candidate: Moise Bombito. The back line has long been one of Canada’s biggest weaknesses, but Bombito showed well in two recent friendlies against the Netherlands and France with his passing and speed. The Colorado Rapids defender has an opportunity to stake his claim to a starting spot and could prove to be an unlikely catalyst for Canada getting out of the group.
Why they won’t win it all: There just hasn’t been enough time for new manager Jesse Marsch — who was hired last month — to have implemented his high-pressing system and generate some cohesion. Granted, Canada did record a credible 0-0 draw against France, this after a 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands in which the Reds played well for stretches but ultimately ran out of gas. Whether that effort against France can be replicated while generating a consistent attack remains to be seen. All told, the demands of Marsch’s style, as well as a talent gap when compared to the hemisphere’s best teams, make it too big of an ask for Canada to come close to being a contender.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Getting out of the group ought to be the primary goal here. On paper that’s certainly doable, especially given the pace of players such as Davies and Tajon Buchanan. While Argentina are heavy favorites to top Group A, Chile and Peru are beatable. Both teams have struggled in South American World Cup qualifying, occupying eighth and 10th place respectively, but they won’t be pushovers either. That will require limiting the damage in the group stage opener against the reigning World Cup and Copa America champions, and then grinding out results in the last two games. This tournament will be mostly about laying foundations ahead of the 2026 World Cup. — Jeff Carlisle
Nickname: La Roja (The Red One) FIFA rank: 42 Manager: Ricardo Gareca Record in past 12 months: 5W-3D-4L Group stage fixtures: Peru (Friday, 8 p.m. ET); Argentina (June 25, 9 p.m. ET); Canada (June 29, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+3300
Can’t-miss star: Alexis Sánchez. With more caps (163) and goals (51) for Chile than any other player, Sanchez is keen to point out that at 35 years old he is not a spent force. Enthused by the project of coach Ricardo Gareca, Sanchez is buzzing around behind the centre-forward, more involved these days in setting up the play than finishing off the moves.
Breakout candidate: Darío Osorio. After a long wait for another superstar, there is a cautious sense of optimism around the 20-year-old, a leggy left-footed winger who likes to cut in from the right. He had a fine season in Denmark and scored a splendid debut international goal against France in March, but is fighting to shake off a late season injury.
Why they won’t win it all: Chile’s second game is against Argentina in New Jersey — same venue and same opponents as the 2016 Copa final win, the greatest moment in the history of the national team. Eight years ago seems like light years ago. Chile did not make it to either of the two subsequent World Cups and have made a bad start on the way to 2026 — hence the recent change of coach. Theirs has been a typical South American problem: a drought of talent following a golden generation. The process of renewing the team has been extremely weak.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Chile have pinned their faith in the “Gareca factor” — the hope that Argentine coach Gareca can reproduce what he did with Peru and build a team that adds up to more than the sum of its parts. The new man has certainly made a promising start, with goals and good performances in his first three friendlies. Can this be continued now that the competitive games have come? The group looks easy enough, so Chile can expect a quarterfinal, although a semifinal would seem to be the limit of their chances. The main aim is to build momentum for the coming six rounds of World Cup qualifiers. — Vickery
Nickname:La Blanquirroja (The White and Red) FIFA rank: 32 Manager: Jorge Fossati Record in past 12 months: 4W-3D-5L Group stage fixtures: Chile (Friday, 8 p.m. ET); Canada (June 25, 6 p.m. ET); Argentina (June 29, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+5000
Can’t-miss star: Pedro Gallese. Peru is not known for producing goalkeepers, but they can be proud of Gallese. Over a decade in the national team and with more than 100 caps, the Orlando City keeper has been reliable and occasionally outstanding. He would walk into a best all-time Peru XI.
Breakout candidate: Piero Quispe. He’s is a little, skipping, give-and-go midfielder who was Peru’s player of the year in 2023 and has since made an encouraging start in Mexico. Some say that he is too much of a lightweight for the top level. The Copa is a chance for him to prove them wrong and launch his international career.
Why they won’t win it all: For a few years, former coach Ricardo Gareca performed a minor miracle with Peru, building a team that added up to more than the sum of its parts. Post-Gareca, things returned to normal for a country that has gone 11 years without one of its clubs reaching the knockout stage of the Copa Libertadores, and which is not producing many successful exports. Peru lie bottom of the 2026 World Cup qualification table with just one goal scored in six games. And midfielder Renato Tapia, probably the team’s best outfield player, walked out following a row with the local federation. Everything seems stacked against the Peruvians.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: After a few gentle friendlies, these will be the first competitive games in the reign of the new coach, Uruguayan Jorge Fossati, who has immediately implanted his trademark three centre-back system. Fossati will probably try to focus on defensive solidity, and trust that clever attacking midfielder Edison Flores can buzz effectively around the centre-forward. The opening game with neighbors and bitter rivals Chile is crucial. In a perfect world, this Copa will be to Fossati what the 2016 version in the USA was to Gareca. Eight years ago, Peru travelled north in apparent disarray, but in the course of the competition found the group and the momentum that took them to Russia 2018 and very nearly to Qatar. — Vickery
Nickname:La Tricolor (The Tricolors) FIFA rank: 31 Manager: Félix Sánchez Bas Record in past 12 months: 8W-2D-3L Group stage fixtures: Venezuela (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET); Jamaica (June 26, 6 p.m. ET); Mexico (June 30, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+1800
Can’t-miss star: Moisés Caicedo. He has been bestriding the Ecuador midfield like a prince since he was a teenager, and at 22 he already has more than 40 caps to his name. He is at the heart of everything that Ecuador do, winning the ball, driving forward, linking the play with quick passes and running beyond the strikers to shoot at goal.
Breakout candidate: Kendry Paez. He was making and scoring goals in World Cup qualification months before his 17th birthday. A left-footed attacking midfielder with the air of an Ecuadorian Phil Foden, he is full of surprise shots and passes at clever angles. This is an eagerly awaited first senior tournament for the Chelsea-bound wonderkid.
Why they won’t win it all: Despite a solid start to their 2026 qualification campaign, pressure is mounting on Spanish coach Felix Sanchez, who was in charge of Qatar in the last World Cup. Some even speculate that this tournament might serve as a referendum on his job security. One of his problems is that the wealth of resources at centre-back is not matched by those at centre-forward. The team are highly dependent on all-time top scorer Enner Valencia, who was overplayed during 2022 and 2023, and has since been paying the price.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Expectations in Ecuador are fluctuating wildly, from hopes of a semifinal to fears of group stage elimination. Both are possible, and plenty hangs on the opening clash with Venezuela. Pick up the points there, avoid Argentina in the quarters and a place in the last four is within the grasp of a young, physically imposing team who are not easy to play against. The key question is whether they can score enough goals, given their lack of depth at centre-forward and the absence of the strong, quick and direct wingers who have typically been a feature of recent Ecuador sides. — Vickery
Nickname:Reggae Boyz FIFA rank: 55 Manager: Heimir Hallgrímsson Record in past 12 months: 12W-4D-5L Group stage fixtures: Mexico (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET); Ecuador (June 26, 6 p.m. ET); Venezuela (June 30, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+15000
Can’t-miss star: Michail Antonio. With Leon Bailey out of the picture, on paper, Antonio is the star. When healthy, the West Ham United striker is brilliant in the air and a clever dribbler. So why just on paper? That’s because the England native hasn’t solidified himself as a reliable big-game goal scorer for Jamaica since his 2021 debut, but that could change this summer.
Breakout candidate: Shamar Nicholson. A fully fit and available Jamaica roster likely wouldn’t have Nicholson in the XI, but that doesn’t deny the fact that he’s been an invaluable striker. Soon to be heading back to Spartak Moscow after a loan with Clermont, the 27-year-old has been lights out for Jamaica with eight goals in his past seven games.
Why they won’t win it all: Injuries have seriously hurt their chances, as seen in recent World Cup qualifiers where they narrowly sneaked past Concacaf minnows such as the Dominican Republic and Dominica through one-goal margins. As arguably the weakest team in their group — and with a worrisome Copa América past that features six losses in six games — one can argue that Jamaica may not have enough to even get out of the group stage.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Sure, Jamaica could be seen as the worst in their group, but on the other hand, the reality is that there isn’t a significant difference between all four teams. If they can at least steal a point from Mexico in their first game, and if Nicholson continues his impressive form, there’s no reason they can’t qualify for the knockout round. That said, there are plenty of questions regarding their roster, likely leaving them at third or fourth in Group B. — Cesar Hernandez
Nickname:El Tri (The Tricolor) FIFA rank: 14 Manager: Jaime Lozano Record in past 12 months: 11W-4D-8L Group stage fixtures: Jamaica (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET); Venezuela (June 26, 9 p.m. ET); Ecuador (June 30, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+1200
Can’t-miss star: Edson Álvarez. To quote West Ham supporters: “Midfield maestro, from Mexico, Edson ole ole ole.” For club and country, Alvarez is a rock in the heart of the XI, often doing the dirty work with crucial interventions and crunching tackles that stop opposition. At his best, the player is capable of producing defensive midfield masterclasses with his aggressive work rate and stamina.
Breakout candidate: Santiago Giménez. Recently finishing the Eredivisie season with 23 goals, the young Feyenoord striker is a dark horse candidate for Copa América’s Golden Boot award. More than just a sturdy goal scorer with surprising acceleration, the 23-year-old is also an excellent passer in the final third. Could a performance lead to a summer move to a bigger club?
Why they won’t win it all: With an eye toward the 2026 World Cup, Mexico are currently in the middle of a generational change. When the tournament kicks off, many fans will be surprised to learn that high-profile veterans such as Hirving Lozano, Guillermo Ochoa and Raúl Jiménez were left off of the roster. During part of that process, the latest losses against Uruguay and Brazil have further strengthened the notion that head coach Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano and his men are still a work in progress.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Mexico should finish in the top two of their group, especially with their status as the (slight) favorites among the four. Assuming no early hiccups and that a backup goalkeeper is able to fill the immense gloves left by Ochoa, Mexico’s knockout round fate probably will be decided by if/when they potentially meet Argentina. If they meet in the quarters or semis, that’s likely where they’ll exit. No Argentina matchup? It then wouldn’t be a stretch to see them as finalists. If Alvarez and Gimenez live up to their expectations, Mexico could make a deep run. — Hernandez
Nickname:La Vinotinto (The Wine Red) FIFA rank: 54 Manager: Fernando Batista Record in past 12 months: 4W-4D-3L Group stage fixtures: Ecuador (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET); Mexico (June 26, 9 p.m. ET); Jamaica (June 30, 8 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+6600
Can’t-miss star: Salomón Rondón. The tragedy of the Qatar World Cup qualifiers was that Rondon was either in China or England, and regulations stopped him going home during the COVID pandemic. Now their big centre-forward and the reference point of the attack is available, and he will want to use this Copa to show that he is not in physical decline.
Breakout candidate: Kervin Andrade. There are high hopes of 19-year-old attacking midfielder Andrade, a squat little figure with close control and a rocket shot who is making a good impression in Brazil with Fortaleza. He was called up this year to the Venezuela squad and is likely to be gently introduced during the course of the tournament.
Why they won’t win it all: Venezuela can cause problems to stronger sides, but they run into the problem of the underdog — if they charge forward, their defensive unit can look vulnerable, but hanging back can leave them too timid and passive. It is not an easy balance for them to strike, and there would seem to be almost no chance of them finding the right blend over the course of six games. They are the only side in the competition who have yet to play in a World Cup, and a Venezuelan triumph on July 14 would be one of the biggest shocks in Copa history.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: For Venezuela, everything is geared around qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and making their World Cup debut. The 1-1 draw away to Brazil last October was a massive morale boost, and Argentine coach Fernando Batista will be delighted that his side have conceded just three goals in the six qualifying rounds. The priority in this Copa, then, is to emerge with faith intact. There are no real hopes of winning, and even a repeat of 2011’s semifinal would be seen as a bonus. A quarterfinal would be nice, but the most important thing is that Venezuela emerge from the competition confident that they will be back in North America two years from now. — Vickery
Nickname:La Verde (The Green) FIFA rank: 85 Manager: Antônio Carlos Zago Record in past 12 months: 2W-1D-11L Group stage fixtures: U.S. (Sunday, 6 p.m. ET); Uruguay (June 27, 9 p.m. ET); Panama (July 1, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+15000
Can’t-miss star: Ramiro Vaca. He moved back home after failing to make much of an impression in Belgium with Beerschot, but he is an important player in the national team, bringing quality to the midfield with his range of passes, his well-struck shots and his set pieces. Vaca turns 25 during the competition.
Breakout candidate: Diego Medina. He made a good impression at the start of the year in the South American Under-23 championships as an aggressive and athletic right-back. He is happy in the wing-back role if Bolívia go with a back three, and will look to consolidate his place in the side during the Copa.
Why they won’t win it all: Thirty years ago, Bolívia went to the U.S. for the World Cup with a generation of talent that they have been utterly unable to replace. The recent retirement from international football of all-time top scorer Marcelo Martins Moreno has worsened matters still further. After last week’s 3-1 defeat to Ecuador, a local newspaper delivered a damning verdict, pointing out three areas where the team urgently needs to improve: defending, retaining possession and setting up chances.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Bolívia are frequently offered up to the hosts in the opening game in a move aimed to get the tournament off to a good start. Often they have refused to follow the script, rising to the occasion and holding out for a draw. But hopes are not high this time. There was optimism a year back, after some good results in friendlies, but all that was instantly swept away when World Cup qualification got underway. Following a disastrous start, Argentine coach Gustavo Costas gave way to Brazil’s Antonio Carlos Zago, without much improvement. Qualification for the 2026 World Cup, however, is still possible — Bolívia always look to pick up points at the extreme altitude of La Paz. Priority in this Copa is for a young side to emerge from the competition with self-esteem intact. — Vickery
Nickname:La Marea Roja (The Red Tide) FIFA rank: 45 Manager: Thomas Christiansen Record in past 12 months: 14W-2D-6L Group stage fixtures: Uruguay (Sunday, 9 p.m. ET); USA (June 27, 6 p.m. ET); Bolívia (July 1, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+15000
Can’t-miss star: Michael Murillo. The pacey Marseille fullback will be a handful for opponents who will have to deal with his take-ons and influence in the attacking third. Excellent in the air and also capable of finding the back of the net, Murillo is set to be one of the leaders on either end of the pitch.
Breakout candidate: Adalberto Carrasquilla. After earning the MVP award for 2023’s Concacaf Gold Cup, can Carrasquilla gain even higher praise at the Copa América? Well-rounded in the midfield but also a threat when carrying the ball forward, the Houston Dynamo player will easily be one to watch. It wouldn’t be a surprise if a European team took a chance on the 25-year-old after the tournament.
Why they won’t win it all: Credit should be given to the gradual improvements made by manager Thomas Christiansen. The coach and his players punched above their weight with a spot at the 2023 Gold Cup final and earned a respectable place within the top four of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League. But against CONMEBOL opponents? That’s a tough ask, and Christiansen doesn’t have the depth of talent needed to go far — let alone possibly making it out of the group stage.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Stranger things have happened in tournament soccer, but there aren’t very many scenarios in which the U.S. and Uruguay aren’t in the top two of Group C. Due to the luck of the draw, Panama just happen to be in a group with two teams that are in the conversation of dark horses.
Third or fourth in their group is the expectation, but if they can get at least one surprise result vs the U.S. or Uruguay, Panama might have an unexpected fighting chance to continue their run when they close out the group stage vs. a questionable Bolívia. — Hernandez
Nickname:La Celeste (The Sky Blue) FIFA rank: 15 Manager: Marcelo Bielsa Record in past 12 months: 8W-3D-2L Group stage fixtures: Panama (Sunday, 9 p.m. ET); Bolívia (June 27, 9 p.m. ET); USA (July 1, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+500
Can’t-miss star: Federico Valverde. He is the often overlooked quiet force of the Real Madrid team, balancing out the side with his spirit of sacrifice and extraordinary lung power. With Uruguay, he is free to shout louder. His midfield dynamism is at the heart of the side, working box to box and unleashing his ferocious shots.
Breakout candidate: Facundo Pellistri. Loaned out first to Alaves and then to Granada, Pellistri has been strangely neglected by Manchester United but has enjoyed a fine time with Uruguay. The 22-year-old might have been their most effective attacking player in the Qatar World Cup as a pacy right winger with the vision of a playmaker.
Why they won’t win it all: Bielsa’s football is notoriously high tempo and high energy. Can the team maintain the required intensity at the end of the European season? This could be especially difficult in the intense summer heat of some of the Copa venues. As Leeds United fans will recall, when the plan goes wrong, a Bielsa team can leave itself extremely open, and in the toughest half of the draw, where there is less margin for error, this could be a problem.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: It is easy to see why Bielsa was attracted to the Uruguay job. With the old generation leaving the scene after Qatar, he had a dynamic new generation to work with; an impressive spine of Ronald Araújo, Jose Gimenez, Manuel Ugarte, Valverde and Darwin Núñez, plus the wingers Uruguay usually produces and Bielsa loves so much. They ended last year as South America’s in-form side, comfortably beating Brazil and winning away to Argentina, and the recent destruction of Mexico has merely confirmed that impression. No one will relish facing them — and 100 years after Uruguay’s historic Olympic gold medal, they are candidates for a title once more. –– Vickery
Nickname: Stars & Stripes FIFA rank: 11 Manager: Gregg Berhalter Record in past 12 months: 11W-2D-5L Group stage fixtures: Bolívia (Sunday, 6 p.m. ET); Panama (June 27, 6 p.m. ET); Uruguay (July 1, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+1200
Can’t-miss star: Christian Pulisic. Pulisic has long been the face of the USMNT, and he largely delivered at the 2022 World Cup, scoring the game winner against Iran that put the U.S. through to the knockout stages. Now he is coming off arguably his best club season, having scored 12 goals and added eight assists for AC Milan.
Breakout candidate: Giovanni Reyna. Reyna is a known commodity among U.S. fans, but his club career has stalled due to a combination of injury and poor form. He has shined in recent competitions with the U.S., however, and was the Player of the Tournament at the Concacaf Nations League this past March. The Copa is a big step up, though. If the U.S. do make a deep run, they’ll need Reyna at his best playing in an attacking midfield role and providing the chance creation the team needs.
Why they won’t win it all: The 2022 World Cup revealed that the U.S. struggled mightily with chance creation, finishing in the bottom half in xG both among teams that reached the knockout rounds (tied for 12th) and for the tournament as a whole (23rd out of 32). Have the U.S. improved since then? Tough to say. Their only match since then against a non-Concacaf team ranked 50th or higher was a 3-1 home loss to Germany in which the visitors were far superior. Until the U.S. deliver against a top opponent, there will be doubts that their attack is good enough to push the tournament hosts into the elite.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: The U.S. have gone about managing expectations for the Copa in an odd way, talking about the opportunity in front of them while at the same time speaking of how the World Cup is the bigger priority. In a group featuring Bolívia, Panama and Uruguay, the U.S. will be expected to progress. Elimination in the group stage would be looked upon — justifiably — as a colossal failure, and put manager Berhalter’s status under threat. If the U.S. do progress, a likely matchup with Brazil or Colombia awaits in the quarterfinals, where the USMNT would be an underdog against either side. The U.S. recently were thrashed 5-1 by Colombia before securing a credible 1-1 draw against Brazil. Getting past either of those teams seems beyond the U.S. at the moment. The play of Reyna and oft-injured holding midfielder Tyler Adams will be critical to the U.S. team’s chances. — Carlisle
Why Gomez is preaching caution for USMNT against South American teams
Herculez Gomez warns the USMNT not to expect easy games against South American teams going into Copa America.
Nickname:Seleção Canarinha (Canary Squad) FIFA rank: 5 Manager: Dorival Júnior Record in past 12 months: 5W-3D-4L Group stage fixtures: Costa Rica (Monday, 9 p.m. ET); Paraguay (June 28, 9 p.m. ET); Colombia (July 2, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+225
Can’t-miss star: Vinícius Júnior. In the Qatar World Cup, Vinicius was the newcomer who had only recently forced his way into the team. Things have changed. He is now Brazil’s most dangerous attacking player, and to his stunning wing play he has added the capacity to operate more centrally. A good tournament could seal the Ballon D’Or this year.
Breakout candidate: Endrick. The stocky, left-footed Endrick, who turns 18 in July, came off the bench in three consecutive games this year to score three goals, all of them important, all of them in different styles. The talent of the Real Madrid-bound prodigy is such that everyone will want to see how he gets on in his debut tournament.
Why they won’t win it all: After a disastrous 2023 for the team, new coach Dorival Junior is attempting to steady the ship. The Copa is his competitive debut, and on the evidence of the first four friendlies, the team have yet to recover the defensive solidity that was a hallmark of the 2016-2022 Tite era. With Brazil in by far the most difficult half of the draw, they will surely be tested as they go through the competition, and it will be fascinating to find out how a young side responds under pressure.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: After winning four Copas in five between 1997 and 2007, Brazil have won only one of the past five — and that was on home soil. Even so, they are contenders for this title. In full flow they can be an exhilarating sight, and if Vini Junior, Rodrygo and company can be well backed up by the likes of Alisson, Marquinhos and Bruno Guimarães, then they will take some stopping. The prospect of a semifinal against Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay is deliciously enticing. Whatever happens, Brazil should emerge from the tournament having put 2023 behind them and ready to put a swift end to any doubts about their presence in the next World Cup. — Vickery
Nickname:Los Cafeteros (The Coffeemakers) FIFA rank: 12 Manager: Néstor Lorenzo Record in past 12 months: 11W-3D-0L Group stage fixtures: Paraguay (Monday, 6 p.m. ET); Costa Rica (June 28, 6 p.m. ET); Brazil (July 2, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+1000
Can’t-miss star: Luis Díaz. The Liverpool winger is now the undisputed king of the team, especially after those two goals that brought a first ever World Cup qualification win over Brazil last November, just days after his father had been freed from a kidnap. He’ll cut in from the left and occasionally wander across the attacking line.
Breakout candidate: Richard Ríos. He was an unknown playing futsal in Brazil where he was discovered and transformed into a dynamic part of the Palmeiras midfield that won last year’s league title. The 24-year-old was successfully introduced to the national team this year and highlighted his value with a first goal for Colombia in the 5-1 rout of the USA.
Why they won’t win it all: The long unbeaten run under coach Nestor Lorenzo is a cause for concern for anyone who has followed the history of the Colombian national team. Their fans will be out in force, and expectations are high, but dealing with euphoria is vital in tournament football, and this has often been a problem. Older supporters will recall that 30 years ago Colombia went to the World Cup in the USA on a run of one defeat in 33 games — and that story ended in tragedy with a group stage exit. In by far the more difficult half of the draw, there are plenty of opportunities for their Copa campaign to go wrong.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: Lorenzo was an inspired choice to coach the side. The Argentine was a long-term assistant to Jose Pekerman, who took Colombia to the World Cups of 2014 and ’18, and has an undoubted flair for the top job. Lorenzo’s teams is well constructed, with attacker James Rodríguez free to float in a side that is otherwise highly structured. They know where they seek to win the ball, either sitting deep with their lines compact or pressing high. A possible problem — and here the 5-1 win over the USA can be deceptive — is a lack of goals. It was the reason they missed the Qatar World Cup, and although they are off to a sound start in the 2026 qualifiers they have only six goals in six games. But the semifinals certainly look like a realistic target. — Vickery
Nickname:Los Ticos (The Ticos) FIFA rank: 52 Manager: Gustavo Alfaro Record in past 12 months: 7W-2D-8L Group stage fixtures: Brazil (Monday, 9 p.m. ET); Colombia (June 28, 6 p.m. ET); Paraguay (July 2, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+8000
Can’t-miss star: Francisco Calvo. No Keylor Navas? No problem. Following the retirement of the iconic goalkeeper, the captain’s armband has been in safe hands with Calvo in June’s wins in World Cup qualifiers. Forceful in his defensive abilities but also with an eye for long passes, the presence of the FC Juarez defender will be highly significant this summer.
Breakout candidate: Brandon Aguilera. Costa Rica’s latest No. 10 wasn’t a veteran superstar, but instead, a versatile 20-year-old Nottingham Forest player who just wrapped up a short League One loan. Earning an assist in his last Costa Rica appearance, the midfielder still has much to prove and isn’t a guaranteed starter, but there’s a reason he made his Premier League debut in January.
Why they won’t win it all: Aguilera is a young player to keep an eye on, as is Manfred Ugalde up top, but it’s difficult to see the two players and their teammates going far without the insurance plan of Navas in net. The goalkeeper was a literal savior between the sticks, and while Costa Rica’s roster can likely hold their own without Navas against Concacaf opposition, the same can’t be said when you throw CONMEBOL into the mix as well.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: World Cup qualifying is off to a great start and they have some future stars to look forward to, and yet, at the Copa América, Costa Rica face the unenviable task of trying to halt Brazil and Colombia in Group D. To make matters more difficult, those will be their first two opponents, possibly leaving them with a consolation match against Paraguay to close out the group stage. The consensus is that Costa Rica will suffer an early exit, although this is a good time to remind everyone that we just surpassed the 10-year anniversary of a similar Group D conversation at the 2014 World Cup when Costa Rica finished first ahead of Uruguay, Italy and England. — Hernandez
Nickname:Albirroja (The White and Red) FIFA rank: 56 Manager: Daniel Garnero Record in past 12 months: 3W-4D-4L Group stage fixtures: Colombia (Monday, 6 p.m. ET); Brazil (June 28, 9 p.m. ET); Costa Rica (July 2, 9 p.m. ET) ESPN BET odds to win Copa 2024:+6600
Can’t-miss star: Miguel Almiron. With league titles in Paraguay, Argentina and the USA plus more than five seasons in the Premier League, Almiron is Paraguay’s main star. But at age 30, just two goals in competitive games for his country is a disappointing return. Might this be the moment when his speed and left foot make an impression?
Breakout candidate: Julio Enciso. He made his Paraguay debut in the last Copa shortly after his 17th birthday, but has yet to make much of an impact. The Brighton striker picked up an injury and missed all of last year’s World Cup qualifiers. Paraguay are desperate for him to return and kick start his international career.
Why they won’t win it all: Morale is on the floor, as coach Garnero confessed after last week’s 3-0 loss to Chile. Garnero replaced fellow Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto after a poor start to the World Cup qualification campaign, but things have yet to improve. In the six rounds, Paraguay have managed just one goal. The heyday of Roque Santa Cruz aside, a lack of firepower has been a frequent Paraguayan problem — made worse by the impression that the current defensive unit is not as solid as some in the country’s past.
Realistic chances at Copa 2024: With Colombia first up followed by Brazil, the fixtures have not been kind to Paraguay. Coach Garnero came in full of attacking intentions, but it could be that his team’s best bet is to defend deep and rely on traditional virtues of resilience. This is an approach better suited to tournaments than to the league format of World Cup qualification. Back in 2011, for example, Paraguay made it all the way to the final of the Copa without winning a single game and going through on penalties. Paraguay’s dogged tradition means that they should never be underestimated, but it would be a surprise if they get out of the group. — Vickery
(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports illustration)
Welcome to Copa América 2024, the tournament that’s a bigger deal than it seems
Henry Bushnell Senior reporter Tue, Jun 18, 2024, 12:00 PM EDT·8 min read The 2024 Copa América — a mini-World Cup for the Western Hemisphere — kicks off Thursday in the United States. It will stretch from coast to coast, capturing TV audiences throughout the Americas. It will feature megastars, like Lionel Messi, plus a vibrant array of Latino flair.One of its core questions, though, is: Will casual fans in the host country care?Millions of Mexican Americans and Colombian Americans, of Argentine Americans and Venezuelan Americans, will joyously erupt for the Copa América. This, many of them know, is arguably the most competitive men’s international soccer tournament in the four-year interim between World Cups.But the 2024 Copa América, specifically, is a novelty in a country mostly unfamiliar with it.
Here, then, is an attempt to familiarize you — with the basics, the narratives, the problems, and the driving forces behind this one-of-a-kind event.
What is Copa América?
Copa América is the South American men’s soccer championship, a century-old competition among the continent’s 10 national teams (and often others).
Its cadence, size and format have varied over the years. Now, it’s a quadrennial tournament much like the European Championship (Euros), played in even-year summers between men’s World Cups.
It typically features 12 teams, with two invited from other continents. But in 2024, it will temporarily expand to 16. More on that below.
Is Copa América a big deal?
In South America, perhaps the planet’s most soccer-crazed continent, it’s a massive deal. It’s historic, prestigious, anticipated, fiercely contested and festive. For years, it was massive enough to crush Messi — before finally liberating him in 2021.
Outside the Americas, it’s a bit less so. Its global footprint is dwarfed by its European equivalent, the Euros. That, however, is largely due to western Europe’s economic might — and its willingness/eagerness to commercialize and market the sport.
At their core, the two tournaments are comparable. They’re soccer’s biggest outside the World Cup — the toughest to win, the most lucrative, the most acclaimed. And this year’s Copa América, in some ways, is even bigger.
How and why is this Copa América different? And who’s in it?
Struggling to find a satisfactory South American host, CONMEBOL — the 10-member South American soccer confederation — struck an agreement with CONCACAF, its North and Central American counterpart.
CONCACAF would help organize the 2024 edition in the United States; in return, it would get six spots in a 16-team field.
Christian Pulisic and the USMNT will compete against some of the powerhouses of South American soccer in the 2024 Copa América. (Mark Thorstenson/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images)
Wait, so why is the 2024 Copa América in the U.S.?
Copa América hosting duties typically rotate from one South American nation to the next — from 1989-2011, for example, each of CONMEBOL’s 10 members hosted once.
In recent years, though, the COVID-19 pandemic and instability have disrupted the rotation, and left organizers scrambling for stand-ins — first Brazil, and now the U.S.
In 2024, it was supposed to be Ecuador’s turn. But Ecuador, citing security and infrastructure concerns, relinquished the responsibility. “We’re not ready to organize the Copa América,” said Francisco Egas, the president of its soccer federation, in November 2022. So, with less than two years to go, CONMEBOL did not know where its 2024 championship would be played.
Brazil, its biggest, richest and most capable deputy, seemed willing and able to host. But Brazil had also hosted the previous two Copa Américas — first in 2019, in line with the standard rotation; and then in 2021 when Colombia and Argentina pulled out last-minute.
So, pushed by necessity but also pulled by financial and political benefits, CONMEBOL leaders turned to the States. Conversations accelerated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. An agreement was reached and announced in early 2023.
Hasn’t there already been a Copa América in the U.S.?
Yep, but that one was even more novel. It was a one-off “Centenario” edition in 2016. It was not moved to the U.S.; rather, it was essentially created by the U.S. Soccer Federation, in partnership with CONMEBOL, one year after the regularly scheduled 2015 Copa América, as a cash-grab and opportunity to pit the U.S. men’s national team against elite opponents.
Practically, though, the 2016 and 2024 tournaments will be very similar. Same format; six of the same host cities; 15 of the same 16 teams.
How did that 2016 Copa América Centenario go?
It was fairly successful. On the field, Chile beat Argentina in a glamorous but brutal final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In the stands, 1.48 million tickets were sold, an average of roughly 46,000 per game. In total, the event generated a “one-off profit of around $80 million” for U.S. Soccer, its then-vice president, Carlos Cordeiro, said a few years later.
In South America, fans always get excited about any Copa América, but some are unhappy that their crown jewel has been shipped off to North America again.
In North America, those who understand the gravity and importance of the tournament seem excited; but many non-Latinos in and around the American soccer community feel that the tournament has been poorly promoted and might fail to break through a crowded U.S. sports scene.
CONMEBOL’s commercial chief, Juan Emilio Roa, told Yahoo Sports that an estimated 25-30% of match-going fans would be ones traveling from South America; most of the rest will be U.S. residents.
How are Copa América ticket sales going?
Roa told Yahoo Sports on June 7 that just over 1 million tickets had been sold — a little more than 31,000 per game. That’s around 50% of capacity across all games, most of which will be played at NFL stadiums.
Naturally, matches featuring teams like Argentina and Mexico are close to or already sold-out; others, though, could be pretty empty.
Argentina, the defending 2022 World Cup and 2021 Copa América champions, are the current favorites to win this year’s tournament. (Michael Miller/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
One reason that roughly 50% of tickets remain unclaimed is that the prices, to many, are obscene. A single upper-deck ticket for Argentina’s opener against Canada, in the second-to-last row of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, costs $307 at the time of writing. Even for Peru-Chile at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the following day, a standard 200-level ticket costs $208. The average tournament-wide ticket price, according to Vivid Seats, is $283.
Why are tickets so expensive?
It’s unclear who, exactly, is to blame for the obscene prices.
Roa confirmed that they are based on the “dynamic pricing” model often utilized by American ticket brokers such as Ticketmaster and SeatGeek.
For a standard Copa América in South America, CONMEBOL would have complete control over all aspects of the matchday experience, including ticketing. But here, they have had to work with a variety of interested (and capitalistic) parties stadium-by-stadium, city-by-city. Rather than sell tickets on a single platform, they have essentially delegated that task to each venue — some of which use Ticketmaster, some of which use SeatGeek.
The complexities, and the somewhat last-minute nature of all these arrangements, have been challenges, and presumably reasons that tickets did not go on sale until late February.
When and where are the games?
They’re scattered across the U.S., in 14 different cities, with each hosting no more than three games.
Some games, certainly in the knockout rounds, should be great. Others, between prideful but less-prominent teams stuck in cavernous NFL stadiums, will feel a bit soulless.
The tournament as a whole will probably struggle to differentiate itself from all the other high-level soccer being played in the United States this decade. But for CONMEBOL, financially, it will almost surely be successful.
“The North American market is an amazing market, in terms of everything — in terms of viewerships, in terms of sponsorship, in terms of exposure,” Roa said. The inclusion of Mexico’s national team has likely allowed CONMEBOL to tap into many millions more dollars.
“And for sure, having Argentina and Leo Messi play in this Copa America … increased the interest around the world,” Roa added.
“We received calls and emails and contacts through our [commercial] agency, directly to CONMEBOL, from all around the world, como nunca antes, like never before,” Roa said. “Because, obviously, they have interests in the States. And all the things that happen in the States — it takes another dimension.”
A young group of US Ladies is set to take the field Tuesday night at the US Women usher in the youngsters for the Women’s Gold Cup defense on ESPN + and Paramount+ at 10:15 pm. The US should have no issues in the first game until facing Argentina in the 2nd game of the group stage this Friday 10:15 pm. With the games all taking place in LA – it will be late night games for the US on all 3 set of Group stage matchups. (Games included in the TV Game schedule below). I am looking forward to seeing Mia Mishel and Jaedyn Shaw up top along with Trinity Rodman in the all under 23 forward line-up with Alex Morgan not called up – who can put the ball in the net? The midfield figures to be the same with Horan and Lavelle holding down the fort I presume – but Albert from PSG will be fun to watch. I suspect the backline will feature stalwarts Girma, Emily Fox and Davidson – who slides in beside Girma will be the question? I assume someone other than Naeher will get the net duties – probably Casey Murphy. I see the US winning this first warmup game 3-0.
Here’s the full Gold Cup roster:
GOALKEEPERS: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars).
DEFENDERS: Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NY/NJ Gotham FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns)
MIDFIELDERS: Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
FORWARDS: Mia Fishel (Chelsea FC), Midge Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Indy 11 Beat Columbus Crew II
Jack Blake scored three first-half goals to help lead Indy Eleven to a 7-1 victory over Columbus Crew 2 on Sunday afternoon at Grand Park. Blake now has a team-leading six goals through four matches of the 2024 preseason. The midfielder scored three in 30 matches last season. The Boys in Blue also picked up goals in the first 45 from Sebastian Guenzatti and Douglas Martinez. Cam Lindley dealt out a pair of assists, giving him three this preseason, while Augi Williams chipped in one. The second half saw Martinez score his second of the match off Lindley’s second assist, while Augi Williams connected from the penalty spot to increase the lead and close out the scoring for the day. Preseason action continues Saturday at Lexington SC. The match is closed to the public.
Complete Preseason Schedule Tuesday, Feb. 6 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | D, 0-0 Saturday, Feb. 10 vs Chicago Fire FC II | W, 2-0 Tuesday, Feb. 13 vs. Indiana Wesleyan University | W, 5-0 Sunday, Feb. 18 vs. Columbus Crew 2 | W, 7-1 Saturday, Feb. 24 at Lexington SC | Closed to the public Thursday, Feb. 29 vs. Detroit City FC | Closed to the public Friday, March 1 vs. Forward Madison FC | Closed to the public
Indy opens the 2024 slate on a two-match road swing beginning at non-conference foe Oakland Roots SC on March 9 before returning home to host 2023 Western Conference Champion Sacramento Republic FC at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on March 23. Single-game tickets are available now for all matches via Ticketmaster. Season Ticket Packages can also be purchased, as well as tickets for groups and hospitality areas. For more information on these options click here. The Defending USL WLeague Champion Indy 11 Women announced their summer schedule this week with 5 matches at Grand Park.
Games on TV –
Concacaf Champions Cup for MLS, the best teams in Mexico and the top teams from Central American, and is back – full schedule. Europa League Round of 32 on Thursday gives us American’s Pulisic & Musah and AC Milan traveling to French club Rennes at 3 pm up 3-0 on CBSSN & TUDN, & Unimas. While also at 3 pm American Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis travel to Zagreb on Paramount+. Pregame show starts at 2 pm. (see full Europa League schedule below) Pulisic finally got back on the board this weekend with a goal and assist for AC Milan – albeit in a shocking loss 4-2 loss on the road.
Tues, Feb 20: Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid, PSV Eindhoven (Dest, Pepi, Tillman) vs Borussia Dortmund (return legs: Wednesday, March 13). Wed, Feb 21: Napoli vs Barcelona CBS 3 pm, Porto vs Arsenal TUDN Para+ (return legs: Tuesday, March 12).
Huge Congrats to our Carmel FC Goalkeepers who traveled to Memphis this past weekend to represent Indiana @ the ODP Tourney. CFC GKU!!
Tim P. Carmel FC U16 Boys Gold Olivia A Carmel FC 2012 Girls
working of pictures of our other 2 GKs who participated – PS – GK Training Thur 5 pm & 5:45 pm Badger Field House
Heading over to Badger at the Fieldhouse for Training or Friday night or Sunday games? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ. Lets start with the BEST Brunswick Stew in Indiana — I am here to tell you my buddy Ryan has it – perfect for this cold whether during the winter. Come by or get it to go on the way home. I went for lunch today and stew was fantastic !
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USMNT midweek viewing guide: Champions are back in business
Our PSV trio of Dest, Pepi, and Tillman face Dortmund in Champions League knockouts, while Pulisic and Musah make their way in Europa League.
Everton vs Crystal Palace, 3p on USA, Universo, Fubo, Sling, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo: Chris Richards and Palace visit Everton in Premier League action.
Also in action:
NAC Breda vs Cambuur, 2p: Agustín Anello and Cambuur visit Breda in the Eerste Divisie.
Tuesday
PSV vs Borussia Dortmund, 3p on Paramount+, TUDN USA, UniMás, Fubo (free trial), and ViX: For anyone who has been frustrated with Dortmund recently and wanted to root against them, here’s your chance. PSV Americano, featuring Sergiño Dest, Ricardo Pepi, and Malik Tillman face Dortmund in the Champions League round of 16.
Deportivo Saprissa vs Philadelphia Union, 10p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, Sling: Jack McGlynn, Quinn Sullivan, and the Union visit Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Also in action:
Cardiff City vs Blackburn Rovers, 2:45p: Ethan Horvath and Cardiff face Duncan McGuire just kidding, Blackburn weren’t able to finalize his loan from Orlando City.
St. Louis City vs Houston Dynamo, 8p on FS2, Fubo, Sling: Aziel Jackson and St. Louis meet the Dynamo in Concacaf Champions Cup play. Houston are without a serious USMNT prospect, but do feature Panamanian international Adalberto Carrasquilla.
Necaxa vs Chivas, 10p: Cade Cowell and Chivas visit Necaxa in Liga MX.
Wednesday
Inter Miami vs Real Salt Lake, 8p on MLS Season Pass: Drake Callender, Julian Gressel, Noah Allen, DeAndre Yedlin, and Miami host Diego Luna, Fidel Barajas, and RSL to kick off the 2024 MLS season.
Independiente de La Chorerra vs New England Revolution, 8p on TUDN, Fubo: DeJuan Jones, Noel Buck, Esmir Bajraktarevic, and the Revs travel to La Chorrera, Panama to face CAI in Concacaf Champions Cup.
Also in action:
Cavalry FC vs Orlando City, 10p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, Sling: Ah, there’s Duncan McGuire. He and Orlando City journey north to meet Canadian side Cavalry in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
América vs Mazátlan, 10p on TUDN, UniMás, Fubo: Alejandro Zendejas and Club América host Mazátlan in Liga MX.
Thursday
Rennes vs AC Milan, 12:45p on Paramount+, TUDN, CBS Sports Network, Fubo, ViX: Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and Milan make the return trip to Rennes, having won 3-0 at home in the first leg. If they advance on aggregate, they move into the Europa League round of 16.
Dinamo Zagreb vs Real Betis, 12:45p on Paramount+, ViX: Johnny Cardoso and Betis have their work cut out for them, having lost 0-1 to Zagreb in the first leg at home. They’ll need to mount a comeback if they hope to advance past the Europa Conference League round of 32.
Also in action:
Moca FC vs Nashville SC, 7p on FS2, Fubo, Sling: Walker Zimmerman, Shaq Moore, new arrival Tyler Boyd, and Nashville SC travel to the Dominican Republic to open their Concacaf Champions Cup campaign.
Cavalier SC vs FC Cincinnati, 9p on FS2, Fubo, Sling: Brandon Vázquez has left FC Cincy for the Rayados of Monterrey, but Cincinnati still has USMNT-relevant players like Miles Robinson, Lucho Acosta, Matt Miazga, and Roman Celentano. They travel to Jamaica to open Concacaf Champions Cup play.
Friday
Utrecht vs Heracles, 2p: Taylor Booth and Utrecht host Luca de la Torre’s old club, Heracles Almelo, in Eredivisie action.
Coventry vs Preston, 2:45p: Haji Wright and Coventry face Duane Holmes and Preston North End in the Championship.
Juárez vs Monterrey, 10p on FS2, FOX Deportes, Fubo, Sling: Brandon Vázquez and Monterrey face the Bravos of Juárez in Liga MX.
Also in action:
Holstein Kiel vs St. Pauli, 12:30p on ESPN+: Manager Fabian Hürzeler and St. Pauli are tied with Holstein Kiel atop the 2. Bundesliga table. Born in Houston, Hürzeler has led St. Pauli to just 1 loss in 21 league matches this season. Former FC Dallas homegrown defender Nico Carrera is on the books at Holstein Kiel, but has only played for their reserves this season (in the fourth-tier Regionalliga).
Charleroi vs Genk, 2:45p on ESPN+ (free trial): Mark McKenzie and Genk visit Charleroi in Belgium’s top tier.
USA vs. Dominican Republic, 2024 W Gold Cup: What to watch for
The United States Women’s National Team take the field tomorrow against the Dominican Republic as they embark on a new journey with the start of the 2024 W Gold Cup. The inaugural tournament is the first chance in 2024 the USWNT have to play, and it’s the first opportunity to win a trophy.
2024 is a year of transition for the USWNT, as Emma Hayes will take over as head coach towards the end of May and Twila Kilgore continues to manage the team on an interim basis. There seems to be a movement of youth entering to establish a new younger core of the team. At the same time, they balance this transition with 2024 being a year of importance, with the W Gold Cup and Olympics serving as opportunities to claim a championship. The USWNT want to begin by claiming this inaugural edition of the W Gold Cup.
Their first opponent are Las Quisqueyanas, the upstarts from the Dominican Republic who have shocked everyone by getting to the group stage of a major tournament for the first time. They won’t back down and they will once again be looking for the monumental upset, so the USWNT cannot take them lightly as we embark on the maiden voyage of the W Gold Cup.
FORWARDS (6): Mia Fishel (Chelsea FC, ENG), Midge Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
*Becky Sauerbrunn replaced Alana Cook, who was withdrawn due to injury, on the roster
What To Watch For
Time for the new era? With some of the younger players getting their first shot at a major title, could we see a shift in USWNT’s approach by playing them? Players like Mia Fishel, Jaedyn Shaw, Korbin Albert, and Jenna Nighswonger could factor into this match to show that the future is now. We await the lineup to see where Kilgore decides to go.
The midfield needs to be dynamic and crisp. The USWNT always struggle when their midfield isn’t dynamic and sharp with the ball. They have to be the ones to maintain possession and keep the ball moving forward, while also relieving pressure from the back line by keeping the ball in front of them on defense. Finally, crisp passes are the key. When we’re sloppy with the ball, it makes for a long day.
Don’t gift any hope to the opposition. The Dominican Republic is looking for the upset. The USWNT need to get out quickly and never let Las Quisqueyanas get any belief that they can pull off the shocker.
The 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup starts this coming week, and 12 teams will fight for the chance to make history as the first champions of this tournament. 8 Concacaf teams are joined by 4 teams from CONMEBOL – Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Paraguay – in 3 groups, where the top 2 will advance as well as 2 of the 3rd place teams.
Group A figures to be an intriguing one, with the best team in Concacaf, the United States, taking on a couple of teams in Mexico and Argentina that desire to break into that next level of teams in the world and the Dominican Republic, who are looking to continue to provide the upset. It will be the group that likely commands the most attention, but the action on the field will surely bring some fireworks and tense moments for fans of each of the teams. We’re looking forward to these 4 teams challenging each other for Group A supremacy
Schedule
Tuesday, February 20th
USA vs. Guyana/Dominican Republic
Mexico vs. Argentina
Friday, February 23rd
USA vs. Argentina
Guyana/Dominican Republic vs. Mexico
Monday, February 26th
USA vs. Mexico
Argentina vs. Guyana/Dominican Republic
United States
The USWNT enter 2024 looking to re-establish themselves as the best team in the world. They are first focused on setting the pace in this competition and find the focus and drive that made them invincible for so long. They’ve brought in some younger players who are hungry to produce goals and defend, and it feels like the beginning of some change in the program. However, having younger players on the team means it’s the first time for many of them in big time competition like this tournament. That’s where the World Cup veterans need to lead the way and help the team take care of business.
FIFA Ranking: 2
Odds of Winning Group: Clear favorites
One to Watch: Mia Fishel is ready to announce herself officially on the international stage. Look for her to make a big impact up front.
Argentina
La Albiceleste enter this tournament looking to make a statement that they can move into the conversation as one of the best teams in the Americas. They have finished 3rd in the two most recent Copa América Femenina tournaments, and this is an opportunity for them to take the next step. However, Argentina have to overcome some history in this group: they are are 0W-5L-0D against the United States and 1W-8L-1D against Mexico all-time. To win this group, they will need to beat at least one of those teams.
FIFA Ranking: 31
Odds of Winning: Needs Help
One to Watch: Mariana Larroquette has 22 goals in 79 caps for Argentina, and she will look to provide some more goals for the team up front.
Mexico
Mexico enters the W Gold Cup with something to prove. They failed to qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup as well as the 2024 Summer Olympics, so they’ve been working hard from within to improve their squad. They’ve brought in some younger budding stars, some of whom won the gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games. Now, they want to bring it in a tough Group A and re-establish Mexico as one of the teams to beat in this region.
One to Watch: Diana Ordóñez has become a star in the making in her short time on La Tri, and she could be poised for a breakout at this tournament.
Dominican Republic
Las Quisqueyanas upset Guyana in the Gold Cup Prelims to advance to the group stage. They’re complete underdogs in this group, but they will not be scared of any team they take on. This is the first major tournament that the Dominican Republic has qualified for in their history, and they want to continue to make history with this group.
FIFA Ranking: 107
Odds of Winning: Slim To None
One to Watch: Kathrynn González scored the lone goal in the Dominican Republic’s win over Guyana, and she’s going to be a player to watch as they enter the group stage.
USWNT’s Lindsey Horan apologizes for ‘poorly expressed’ comments
U.S. women’s national team captain Lindsey Horan opened her time in front of reporters by addressing the reaction to her comments on American fans’ knowledge of soccer, made in an interview with The Athletic published earlier this month.“First and foremost, I would like to apologize to our fans,” Horan said while speaking during a virtual availability ahead of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup. “Some of my comments were poorly expressed, and there was a massive lesson learned for me.”In her interview with The Athletic, Horan shared frustrations with how viewers of matches took commentary at face value before joking that her mother did it while watching USWNT matches. On Thursday, she took time to clarify and express her appreciation for the fans.
“When I think about our fans, I love them so much. The team loves them so much, and I can’t begin to explain how much they mean to us. Every time we step out and train, every time we step out and play in games, you know we play for you guys,” Horan said. “You’re our inspiration, our motivation, and seeing you wear our jerseys and seeing you screaming our names, and chanting USA, that’s what we play for and I never wanted to take any of that away.“Continuing on that, the soccer culture in America is changing and growing so much in such a positive way. For me to experience that firsthand, playing for this U.S. women’s national team but also in the NWSL and for the Portland Thorns, is something just so amazing. It is my absolute honor, and I will always say that, to be able to put on this crest every single day. To be in this environment, to go out and play in front of our fans and represent this national team, that is something — again, it is my greatest honor. … The last thing I ever wanted to do was to offend anyone in that manner. So again, I deeply, deeply apologize.”When asked to elucidate what she wanted to express with her original comments, Horan replied that she did not think that “what I meant really matters right now.” She said that she’s just “a football brain” who loves watching as much soccer as possible.“I love talking about it, and the way people talk about Man City, Arsenal, the old Barcelona,” she said. “That’s what I want people to say about us. I want people to talk about how incredible we are on the ball, the possession, the style of play, the technical ability, the tactical changes mid-game, these types of things.”Horan said she apologized because of how she felt and that she wanted “to express how much the fans mean to me personally.”On the matter of the tournament ahead of them — the inaugural W Gold Cup — Horan joked that the goal is “the trophy.”More seriously, she said that the team’s main goal is to win, but it’s also a perfect preparation for the Olympics due to the tournament format and timing. “What we do here can really train us and mentally prepare us for what we might have to deal with in France,” she said. “We take each game at a time and we get better throughout the tournament, and we keep increasing now what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to play.”
Horan stressed multiple times that she believes every player on the roster needs to be utilized throughout the Gold Cup to help get some players tournament minutes and more time on the field — and that the USWNT must take advantage of this time on the field together ahead of the Olympics.“It’s not just the new young ones, it’s all of us,” she said. “We’re all progressing together and we remain a team. Everyone needs to get on the same page leading into the Olympics, but first off, the first game here at the Gold Cup.”(Photo: Brennan Asplen, Getty Images)
Concacaf W Gold Cup preview: USWNT’s chances, format and more
Cesar Hernandez ESPN
Feb 19, 2024, 11:02 AM ET
An invaluable chance for redemption is within reach for North America’s two major powerhouses in women’s national team soccer. After the United States and Canada failed to live up to expectations in last year’s World Cup, the latest script for both sides can now be rewritten during the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup, a 12-team international women’s tournament that is set to kick off for the first time on Tuesday.
Featuring eight Concacaf representatives and four guests from Conmebol (South America), a chance to make a claim as the best in the Americas will be on the line for not only high-profile squads like the U.S. and Canada, but also a handful of dark horses that are on the rise. The teams are split into three groups of four, with the top two from each group and the two best third-placed teams then moving onto the knockout round that concludes with a final at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium on March 10.
Looking ahead to the tournament’s debut, there’s plenty of intrigue about how it will all play out and on the possible impact it can have for the women’s game, but before discussing what it means to those involved, let’s first dive into how and why the W Gold Cup came about.
The creation of the W Gold Cup
In an effort to increase the number of women’s national team games within the region, Concacaf, FIFA’s governing body for North American soccer, revealed a new four-year calendar in 2020 that would lead up to a revamped World Cup qualification tournament (eventually named the “Concacaf W Championship”) in 2022, as well as a brand new “Women’s Concacaf Nations League” in 2024.
“The new calendar prioritized more official match dates for all women’s senior national teams in Concacaf, and ensuring an elite competition to showcase the highest level of women’s international football,” according to a press release that included the qualification routes for both tournaments. “Through this new calendar, Concacaf will more than double the number of official senior women’s national team matches compared with the current cycle of competitions.”
Additional details were added in 2021. Along with qualification for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, 2022’s Concacaf W Championship would also provide a path into the 2024 Olympics. The two invitees into the Olympics were then also granted entry into 2024’s Women’s Concacaf Nations League Final tournament, which was rebranded as the Concacaf W Gold Cup.
Why Herc won’t call Alex Morgan’s exclusion from USWNT roster a snub
Herculez Gomez explains why he wouldn’t label Alex Morgan’s absence from the USWNT’s CONCACAF Gold Cup roster a snub.
While the U.S. (winners of the 2022 Concacaf W Championship) and Canada (Concacaf W Championship finalists, Olympic play-in winners) claimed those two invitations, the rest of the Concacaf region would go on to take part in a preliminary “Road to the Concacaf W Gold Cup” competition. Resembling a Nations League structure that has recently been used to provide more meaningful games for men’s national teams, but with different branding, women’s national teams were now given a chance to do the same.
Building up to this month’s W Gold Cup — which, like the men’s Gold Cup, is to be played every four years according to the tournament’s 55-page regulations — a long-awaited push for more official games in women’s soccer was underway.
“The W Gold Cup Final [tournament] will not only crown the champion of what is now Concacaf’s flagship women’s international competition, but it will also cap off a 4-year cycle where teams from the region will have competed in a minimum of 195 official matches, which represents 118% increase in comparison to the previous four-year cycle,” stated a press release in 2021.
“Together, the 2021 Concacaf W Qualifiers, 2022 Concacaf W Championship, 2023 Road to Concacaf W Gold Cup, and 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup will accelerate the growth of Women’s Football and provide a consistent structure of matches and competitions for our Member Associations.”
More matches are undoubtedly better for countless mid-to-lower tier teams in Concacaf that don’t have the same opportunities or resources as those regional powerhouses above them. Providing a pathway to a tournament like the W Gold Cup, and the additional platform through it, is also crucial. Looking at those powerhouses though, this isn’t to say that the U.S. and Canada can’t benefit from the W Gold Cup either. Aside from eagerly wanting to bounce back from disappointment on the global stage with a continental title, there is significance beyond another championship for the traditional giants of Concacaf.
Olympic prep and showcasing a new generation
“This Gold Cup is amazing preparation for us for the Olympics,” said U.S. defender Emily Fox during a recent press conference. “It’s the longest time we’re going to have together as a team [before the Olympics], an entire month. So I think for us, our focus is on the Gold Cup and on the tournament and how we can learn from it and prep for the Olympics.”
While both the U.S. and Canada have explicitly noted that winning the W Gold Cup is the goal, there’s also the added benefit of having an extended period of time to train and take part in official matches just months before Paris 2024. It’s worth noting that of the 12 teams that will take part in women’s soccer at the Olympics, four (the U.S., Canada, Brazil and Colombia) will be in the W Gold Cup.
“It’s such a cool opportunity to have a major tournament like this that kind of exemplifies the Olympics and gets us prepared for that,” said U.S. captain and midfielder Lindsey Horan. “What we do here can really train us and mentally prepare us for what we might have to deal with in France, but first and foremost, this is a major tournament itself and we want to win.”
For Canada head coach Bev Priestman, it could also help ease some roster-related headaches. “I don’t know about you, but trying to get this to a 23 [player] roster was very hard and then to try and get it to 18 [players for the Olympics] — I think some of the principles that we’ve used in terms of trying to think about this Gold Cup is about players who could play in multiple positions, fitness.
“All these sorts of things around Olympic rosters is going to come into play,” said Priestman, who recently extended her coaching contract to 2027 last month. “We won’t be where we want to be in July by this Gold Cup, but what I hope we can do is continue the positive momentum in terms of what we’ve seen on the pitch. I think absolutely, we’re here to try and win this thing, but we also have July in mind.”
Through that process, there’s also a noteworthy changing of the guard for both teams that will be tested in the W Gold Cup.
For the U.S., 11 members of the roster are 25 or younger. In a transitional period under interim coach Twila Kilgore (prior to Chelsea Women boss Emma Hayes taking the reigns in the summer), and without the likes of goalscoring veteran Alex Morgan or a retired legend Megan Rapinoe in the squad, prominent roles are up for grabs.
“It’s just a great opportunity to get in with the team and show myself,” said Jenna Nighswonger, the 23-year-old defender that won an NWSL title and Rookie of the Year award in 2023 with NJ/NY Gotham. “I think we’re going after gold obviously in this tournament and every game is looking to help us for the Olympics.”
“The younger girls coming in are so, so talented. They have such a bright future and they bring creativity and flair on the field,” said U.S. defender Abby Dahlkemper after a recent training session. “They’re fearless and passionate, they fit in and they gel in really well with the group. It’s an exciting time for this team, just kind of seeing the progress of younger players coming in.”
Canada are also looking forward to the impact of younger names. Without the iconic Christine Sinclair who retired from international play in late 2023, and through a roster (like the U.S.) that has 11 players that are 25 are younger, more will be expected from youthful call-ups that now have a chance to thrive at the W Gold Cup.
“I’m excited to see people step up and I don’t mean one individual, I mean a group of people now,” said Priestman. “Whenever you have a veteran group around, not by design just by nature, people kind of take that back seat a little bit more, but what I started to see at the back end of last year is people grabbing the reins a little bit.”
Underdogs from Latin America and the Caribbean
Of course, this tournament is much more than just the U.S. and Canada. Circling back to additional games provided in Concacaf and the ongoing development of women’s soccer across the globe, long gone are the days when elite squads could coast through competitions.
“Within my experience of being on the national team, the growth of Caribbean teams and Latin American teams have been huge…in general, I think as a whole, everyone [in women’s soccer] is getting better and better, which we love to see,” said Fox. “We saw that in the Euros, in Concacaf for [World Cup] qualifying for us, and then also in the World Cup last year. So I think for us, going into the Gold Cup, we know each game is going to be a challenge and a lot of teams have really amazing individual talent.”
That talent is best highlighted by Colombia’s young phenom Linda Caicedo, who was runner-up for 2023’s The Best FIFA Women’s Player award. In the same manner that she was a breakout star at the World Cup as Colombia reached the quarterfinals, other up-and-coming names from Latin America and the Caribbean can make a name for themselves in an official tournament like the W Gold Cup.
“These aren’t friendlies anymore,” stated Horan. “It’s tournament play and each team gives a different kind of game in tournament play. You’re going out to win games, you’re going out to get points…these teams are going to make it difficult for us.”
With recent World Cup experience under their belts and promising runs through the Road to Concacaf W Gold Cup, Costa Rica and Panama could pose a threat in this tournament. Elsewhere, marquee invites from Conmebol like Brazil, Argentina and Colombia won’t be walkovers after finishing in the top three of 2022’s Copa America Femenina. As for Colombia, no team in the W Gold Cup went further than them in the latest World Cup.
“The tournament is giving us totally different styles of play, which is brilliant, in terms of confederations and styles within South America, Concacaf,” said Canada’s Priestman. “It’s a great test for us.”
Of the rising teams, Mexico also look the most capable of possibly upsetting the order. Boosted by the hiring of new head coach Pedro Lopez, the women’s national team charged through 2023 without a single loss in all competitions. One week before the start of the W Gold Cup, and seeking redemption for his team that failed to qualify for the World Cup before he was hired, Mexico’s manager provided one of the more noteworthy pre-tournament quotes that conveys the confidence of a squad that has benefitted and grown through additional matches in their international calendar.
“Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” said Lopez when asked about the state of his roster. “In other words, people are seeing the sheep on the outside, but inside there is a wolf that wants to come out and wants to vindicate itself in front of the entire world.”
Will all go to plan for the U.S. and Canada as they search for a title and prepare for the Olympics? Will an underdog step out from the shadows and make a statement in the inaugural women’s tournament?
We’ll begin to find out when it all kicks off on Feb. 20.
MLS Season Preview: The Messi Effect
With a full offseason to prepare, Inter Miami and all of MLS are ready to reap the benefits of having the world’s biggest soccer star
One evening in late January, just days after starting their 25,000-mile preseason tour — the most extensive ever for an MLS team — in El Salvador, Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates boarded a boat at the Port of Miami clad in matching pink hoodies. Fortunately for the soon-to-be-weary travelers, they wouldn’t be setting sail that day.
The team joined hundreds of VIPs inside a domed theater aboard Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s new 1,198-foot cruise liner, to christen the ship and celebrate the club’s most lucrative corporate partnership to date. The players took the stage and removed their hoodies to reveal the club’s new black away kit for the 2024 season, featuring the cruise line brand’s recognizable crown-and-anchor logo.
The affair concluded with Messi, dubbed “The Icon of Icon” as part of a personal endorsement deal with the cruise line brand, placing a soccer ball atop a pedestal, at which point a bottle of champagne was sent whizzing down a zip line to ceremonially shatter on the bow of the ship.
Much like the international tour that also saw Inter Miami play exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan from Jan. 19 to Feb. 15, the celebration of an eight-figure-a-year sponsorship agreement — the largest ever for an MLS club — would have been unthinkable prior to Messi’s arrival last summer.
Also previously unthinkable: the more than $200 million in revenue that Inter Miami Chief Business Officer Xavier Asensi expects the club to pull in during the 2024 season, Messi’s first full campaign in MLS. That would be a more than 60% increase from last season and four times what the club earned in 2022. Last year, LAFC topped MLS clubs in revenue at approximately $140 million, with Inter Miami second at $125 million. This year, thanks to Messi, Miami figures to take the top spot.
“People understand that we are living part of history, that we are contemporaries of something that will go into the history books of sports,” Asensi said. “People understand and want to be a part of it.”
After years of courting arguably the greatest soccer player of all time, Inter Miami signed Messi to a two-and-a-half-year contract last summer worth $50-60 million annually in salary, equity in the club and signing bonuses. The deal also includes an option for an additional year in 2026. On top of his compensation from the club, Messi will receive a share of revenue from international subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass streaming service as part of a separate agreement with Apple.
Inter-esting Development
Xavier Asensi’s revenue projections for the club in 2024 will likely place Inter Miami tops among all MLS clubs.
$200M: Expected club revenue in 2024 $125M: Approximate club revenue in 2023 $50M: Club revenue in 2022
Asensi expects Inter Miami’s sponsorship revenue to be just under $60 million this season, roughly double the amount the club generated last season. That’s compared to a mean year-over-year increase of 15% for all clubs, according to the league. The average sponsorship revenue for an MLS team is approximately $17 million, according to industry sources, and revenue in the high $50 million range would put Inter Miami above some teams in the older traditional North American sports leagues.
In addition to Royal Caribbean, the club last season signed a jersey sleeve deal with Fracht Group, a Swiss logistics and freight forwarding firm. This offseason, it has forged renewals at higher rates with several partners and added new sponsors such as battery brand Duracell and Argentinian winery Trapiche. Several additional announcements are expected this week.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Inter Miami’s success in attracting major global partners following the Messi signing could serve as motivation for other clubs to take big swings of their own.
“We can now look at the success of the commercial business in Miami and show many of our other clubs that if you could think about your business differently, you could attract the attention of partners in ways that are not just about local and can be more about global,” Garber said.
Inter Miami has also roughly doubled prices for season tickets from 2023 and added 1,000 seats at DRV PNK Stadium, its temporary home in Fort Lauderdale, bringing capacity to 21,550. Asensi said the club aims to continue increasing capacity until the team moves to its new $350 million stadium in the forthcoming $1 billion Miami Freedom Park development (likely during the 2025 season). About 75-80% of seats will be sold to season-ticket holders, with the rest earmarked for single-game sales.
Inter Miami Chief Business Officer Xavier Asensi predicts the club will bring in $200 million in revenue in 2024.COURTESY OF INTER MIAMI CF
While the club declined to share specifics on revenue expectations from the team’s preseason tour, Asensi said the appearance fees the club received from international promoters were significantly higher than what FC Barcelona received for its own exhibition matches when he worked at the Spanish club from 2010-2021.
“There will always be a before Messi and an after Messi,” said club co-owner Jorge Mas. “Commercially there has been a significant impact on the club’s revenue base and it is only Year 1.”
Inter Miami has naturally been the primary beneficiary of its investment in Messi joining MLS, but other clubs have also scored from the Messi Effect. Prior to hosting Inter Miami last Oct. 4, the Chicago Fire were averaging just 14,880 fans at Soldier Field and hadn’t sold any suites annually for the 2023 season. The Oct. 4 match against Miami drew a crowd of 62,124 and set an MLS record for the highest-grossing single match ever with roughly $10 million in ticket revenue. The Fire also leveraged that match to keep fans coming back to Soldier Field.
When it became clear prior to the match that Messi wouldn’t play because of a leg injury, the Fire offered fans a $250 credit toward a season-ticket membership for the 2024 season. Fire President Dave Baldwin said that of the 3,400 new season-ticket holders the team added for this season, 700 utilized the credit from the Inter Miami match. The team also offered a free suite for the Inter Miami match to anyone who signed up for a 2024 annual suite. That promotion delivered 15-20 of the 43 annual suites that the Fire have sold for 2024.
Using teams like the Fire as case studies, MLS’s newly established club performance group is now advising teams on how to make the most of their opportunities to host Inter Miami.
“Our focus is on retention,” said MLS Chief Club Performance Officer Chris McGowan. “If you have a lot of new people coming into the system, you want to make them lifetime, lifelong fans, and that’s what our opportunity is [with Messi]. So, we’re spending a ton of time evaluating great retention ideas for making new fans and new customers feel like they want to stick with it and become long-term season-ticket holders.”
Commissioner Don Garber (right) is watching the number of players following Messi to the U.S.GETTY IMAGES
Sporting KC, one of only three Western Conference teams scheduled to host Inter Miami this season, has moved the April 13 match from its 18,467-seat home field at Children’s Mercy Park to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 76,416-seat Arrowhead Stadium to maximize ticket revenue. Heading into 2024, season-ticket sales leaguewide are up 15% compared to this time last year.
Eastern Conference teams have also used their guaranteed home game against Inter Miami as a selling point for potential sponsors. Scott McIntyre, CEO of Virginia-based consulting firm Guidehouse, said D.C. United’s early-season visit by Messi to Audi Field was one of the top benefits of signing on as the club’s front-of-kit sponsor this year.
“It’s our brand on the front of the jersey, and [there will be] so many eyeballs becoming familiar with Guidehouse as a name during a game that features one of the sport’s leading global figures,” McIntyre said. “I’m also looking at it from the standpoint of somebody who’s going to be in the stands watching that game with my kids and my wife, so I’m excited as a fan and a sponsor.”
At the league level, the biggest early impact of the Messi Effect can be seen in adoption of MLS Season Pass. Apple and MLS have kept information about the subscriber count for the streaming service close to the vest, but two sources with knowledge of the data said the number of subscribers at the end of the 2023 season had eclipsed 2 million. That figure, which includes users who joined later in the season at pro-rated prices, is more than twice as many subscribers as the service had at the All-Star break, just prior to Messi’s Inter Miami debut on July 21. That match came in the revamped Leagues Cup between MLS and Liga MX clubs that gave an immediate boost of awareness to a key part of MLS’s growth strategy, and that awareness only accelerated as Messi led Miami to the title, the club’s first trophy in its four years of existence.
A special talent requires a special schedule, and when the new season starts this week, Messi and Miami will be out front. The club’s opener, a home match against Real Salt Lake, will be the only game to take place on Wednesday. The league’s 27 other teams will start their seasons three days later.
Messi missed Miami’s game at Chicago last year, which set a single-game revenue record at roughly $10 million.GETTY IMAGES
Heading into the first full year with Messi in the league, Garber said MLS is focused on how it might adapt its overarching commercial strategies to maximize the global superstar’s long-term impact.
“Ticket sales, sponsorship sales, subscription sales — the revenue will continue to follow Messi being in our league, but to me, it’s way more important to look at it strategically,” Garber said. Though he said it was too early to discuss specific plans, he pointed to player acquisition, corporate sponsorship and consumer products as areas that could see significant change in the Messi era.
More than anything else, Garber believes Messi’s decision to join MLS will organically influence more top talent from around the world to consider plying their trade in MLS. It’s already started to happen; last December Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez signed with Inter Miami to team up with Messi.
“Major League Soccer, due to Messi’s desire to come to our league and choose Major League Soccer and Inter Miami, we’re part of the global conversation,” Garber said. “As you read interviews with players around the world, the biggest names in the sport, MLS is constantly part of the message. That dynamic is something that I think will be part of the next generation of MLS growth for years to come.”
Americans Abroad Newsletter for this week
“He hasn’t been sitting on the bench as much as I have but when we do, we normally sit next to each other. We’re usually watching the game and talking about stuff. We have a good relationship. I knew something about him before I came, but we didn’t have this special connection then.”—Ricardo Pepi, on the friendship he has developed this season with PSV and USMNT teammate Malik Tillman. (The Athletic)PSV’s American Trio Makes European History:In a season filled with watershed moments for Americans Abroad, Tuesday saw yet another historic event for U.S. players in Europe.When Ricardo Pepi (21; El Paso, TX) subbed on in the 75th minute of PSV’s match against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday — joining Sergiño Dest (23; Almere, NED) and Malik Tillman (21; Nürnberg, GER) on the pitch — it marked the first time ever that three USMNT players appeared in the same match for a team in the UEFA Champions League knockout round. And earlier in that same game, Dest and Tillman became the first Americans to start together in a Round of 16 UCL match. The U.S. trio did its part in helping the Dutch leaders earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the legendary German side, with Dest constantly proving to be a handful on the left, while Tillman drew the penalty that led to PSV’s only goal of the night. Overall, a night to savor for U.S. fans, with an American trio playing side-by-side-by-side on Europe’s grandest stage. Then last Friday, Pepi made his first-ever league start for PSV in their 2-0 win over Heracles to extend their lead at the top of the Dutch table to 10 points.Beyond their shared levels of success on the field, the three Americans have also become quite close off the pitch this season, as shown in a feature written about them in The Athletic. The levels of respect the three have for each other is apparent throughout the piece.Tillman on Dest: “He is crazy in some ways. Well maybe not crazy but different from other guys. For example, the red card after Trinidad (in November’s CONCACAF Nations League defeat). He’s not like that at all off the pitch. He’s a good guy. He’s calm.”Pepi on Tillman: “I knew he was a good player before he came here. But just watching him on the pitch; some of the turns he makes and how aware he is of players around him, his technique, it’s great. He’s great in between the lines and can really give that final ball. Some of the moves he makes it’s like, ‘Woah, I didn’t see that coming’.”Love to see these levels of friendship and rapport being forged abroad for three of our own. Hopefully this will all pay dividends back home, both during March’s CONCACAF Nations League, and then Copa America in the summer.Pulisic Back in the Goals, Baby!After going nearly a month-and-a-half without finding the back of the net, Christian Pulisic (25; Hershey, PA) is back in the goals for AC Milan. And back with a banger, at that.Coming on as a second-half sub at Monza, CP11 found his chance in the 88th minute, gathering the ball on the right side of the box before unleashing a left-footed howitzer (WATCH) that brought back the famous “Come on, baby!” shouts from ecstatic Italian commentators. This after Puli assisted on Olivier Giroud’s goal in the 64th minute (WATCH).Having gone down to 10 men in the 52nd minute, Milan was unable to get a result on the road, and ultimately lost the match, 4-2. But it’s great to see Puli! Puli! getting Sic! Sic! once more. The Rossoneri remain in third place in Serie A, just two points behind Wes, Weah & Juventus.Brenden’s Bundesliga Bangerfreude:Life in the German top flight likely hasn’t gotten off to the fast start that the über-speedy Brenden Aaronson (23; Medford, NJ) quite would have hoped for. After joining Union Berlin from Leeds on loan in the summer, the USMNT attacker saw his side lose nine of their first 11 matches to start the season, leading the club to part ways with beloved coach Urs Fischer in November. This was followed by rumors that Aaronson’s loan to the German side could be cut short during the January window, which would have sent him back to the English Championship far earlier than expected. What’s the German word for finding joy in another person finding the back of the net? Bangerfreude? We’ll go with Bangerfreude.Aaronson scored for the first time in league play on Saturday, converting a vital 84th-minute match-winner in Union’s 1-0 victory at Hoffenheim. The goal was a poised and confident hit by Garden State Götze (WATCH), which will hopefully give B.A. and his teammates just that going forward.“It’s been a really tough season. A lot of ups and downs, but I think this is refreshing, and it pushes us and gives us confidence going into the next one,” said the American after the game.Union Berlin sporting chief Oliver Ruhnert, meanwhile, was very … German? … in his praise of the USMNT player afterwards. “Brenden is a super footballer who must accept the fact that in football a certain physical aspect is needed to win the ball & contest challenges.”Here’s to hoping a corner has been turned for Medford Messi either way.News and Notes:Josh Sargent (24; O’Fallon, MO) is on NBA Jam levels of fire for Norwich City. The USMNT forward scored a brace in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Cardiff City, giving him 10 goals in 13 league matches this season — even earning the O’Fallon d’Or (a.k.a. “Third First Michelob Ultra Of The Day”) from Rog himself. Only downside was the goals came at the expense of American keeper Ethan Horvath (28; Highlands Ranch, CO), though Horvath was off-the-line superb in Cardiff’s next match, a 0-0 shutout draw with Blackburn on Tuesday.Antonee Robinson (26; Liverpool, ENG) had an assist in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa on Saturday (WATCH). Cottagers are a bit up and down as of late, but it’s tough to find a left back hitting Jedi’s levels these days.Griffin Yow (21; Clifton, VA), take a bow. DMV Donovan had some hit for the match-winner (WATCH) in Westerlo’s 2-1 win over Standard Liege in Belgium, and is now up to six goals on the season. American teammate Bryan Reynolds (22; Fort Worth, TX) also went the full 90 in the win, as De Kemphanen (“Gamecocks”) are up to 10th in the Jupiler Pro League. Johnny Cardoso (22; Denville, NJ) was excellent in midfield in Real Betis’ 0-0 draw with Alaves on Sunday, and has now been nominated for the LaLiga U-23 January Player of the Month, alongside the likes of Eduardo Camavinga and Lamine Yamal. ESPN NL is reporting that FC Utrecht star Taylor Booth (22; Eden, UT) will be out 4-6 weeks with a knee injury suffered in the 22nd minute of Utrecht’s 1-0 win at FC Twente on Sunday. We know you’ll be back in the goals soon, Taylor.After back-to-back substitute appearances, Gio Reyna (21; Bedford, NY) did not see the pitch in Nottingham Forest’s 2-0 win over West Ham on Saturday.
World Cup 2026: How do I get a ticket? Are tickets for sale? How much do tickets cost?
The next World Cup will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico and will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.It will be the first tournament to include 48 teams, expanded from the previous number of 32, meaning there will be more games than ever — 104 in total.The tournament is a long way off, so details on tickets are thin on the ground, but this is what we know so far.
Where are the matches?
The World Cup will take place across 16 cities in three countries, more than any tournament before.Three of these locations are in Mexico: Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City.Two others are on either coast of Canada: Vancouver and Toronto.The remaining 11 are in the USA: Miami, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Kansas City, Dallas and New York City.That U.S. list gives the nearest big city to each stadium. Some venues are located in lesser-known settlements nearby, such as East Rutherford in New Jersey for New York and Santa Clara for San Francisco.
Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico (Sergio Navarrete/Getty Images)
How does the tournament work?
Since 1998, World Cups have had 32 teams, enabling a neat symmetry, but this one is bigger and 48 teams means a somewhat more complex format is necessary.The tournament used to have eight groups of four teams in which each country played each other once. The top two in each group then progress to four knockout stages — a round of 16, then quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.The USA, Canada and Mexico all qualify automatically. The remaining 45 slots will be filled through qualifying competitions, which take place separately on each continent.n 2026, there will still be four teams in a group and the top two will still progress to the next stage, but there will be 12 groups rather than eight.And the eight best third-placed teams — of 12 — in the groups will also progress, a similar format to the European Championships (which has 24 teams).Thirty-two teams will progress to the knockout stage, meaning an extra knockout round, before the tournament continues from the round of 16 as it has in previous tournaments.
Where are the biggest games?
The U.S., Canada and Mexico will play their three group games in their home country.
Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals, will host the tournament’s opening game. The U.S. will host 78 matches overall, while Canada and Mexico will host 13 each.
All of the quarter-finals and both the semi-finals will be in the U.S., along with the final. The quarter-finals will be in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City, while the semi-finals will be in Dallas and Atlanta.
The 23rd World Cup final will take place at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on the outskirts of New York City, on July 19, 2026.
These stadiums are split into three regions, west, central and east, in an attempt to minimise travel for fans. Nevertheless, the distances within regions are vast, with Kansas City and Mexico City (1,385 miles apart) in the same region, as well as Toronto and Miami (1,239 miles apart).
(Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images)
Are tickets on sale?
No. With more than two years to go until the tournament kicks off, there is little public information about tickets. A page on the FIFA website simply allows people to register their details to receive information about tickets when it is available. The Athletic contacted the tournament organisers for comment.
How will the ticketing process work?
We don’t know for sure, but looking at previous World Cups as well as similar events like the European Championships, it is possible to make some educated guesses. Tickets for major tournaments are essentially split into three categories. First, there are tickets allocated to member associations — the two countries playing against each other in a given match. These are generally given to supporters on the basis of loyalty, for example by points built up from following the country in qualifiers.How easy these will be to get hold of varies greatly depending on the country — they will be in high demand for the host countries, but easier to come across for nations far away with less of a travelling following.The second category is those tickets given over to sponsors and other members of what FIFA likes to call the “football family”.This does not just mean VIPs in glitzy hospitality boxes. For last year’s Champions League final in Istanbul, only about 40,000 went to fans of Manchester City and Inter Milan. The remaining 35,000 went to sponsors and all sorts of other people with links to UEFA. A small number of these may make their way into the hands of ordinary fans through tickets and giveaways.As the tournament progresses and the games get more glamorous, the demand from sponsors and other “neutral” supporters will get higher.The third is the rest. These are the tickets the public can buy without being a member of any country’s loyalty scheme or part of the football family.
How will these general sale tickets get allocated?
We don’t know for sure but can take a look at how Germany, the host of this summer’s European Championship, is allocating tickets.There have been two stages of ballots in which people can select to buy several tickets in four different categories. Cheaper tickets are generally in higher demand, so it is likely to be easier to get a ticket by entering the ballot in a more expensive category.UEFA has not released details of further ticket sales. Still, there will likely be a limited amount of tickets on general sale between now and the tournament beginning in June, likely for the matches featuring less glamorous teams at bigger stadiums.Demand for tickets in Germany has been extremely high for several reasons.
(Rob Pinney/Getty Images)
First, attending live football matches is a huge part of German culture, so demand from locals is high.Second, the tournament is the only European Championship or World Cup in Western Europe taking place between 2016 and 2028, except Euro 2020, which took place across the continent but saw travel heavily restricted by Covid.This means huge numbers of football fans across Europe want tickets for Germany.It remains to be seen how strong demand will be for World Cup 2026, particularly in cities like Kansas City and Houston, which are not normally associated with football — but things in the U.S. are changing quickly in that respect.
How much do World Cup tickets cost?
We don’t know yet, but we can look at precedent.It is often hard to give a definitive answer to this question because tournament organisers often sell some tickets at low prices, which are in reality very difficult to get hold of, with most fans paying far more.An analysis by German sports consultancy Keller Sports in 2022 found that an average ticket at the Qatar World Cup was £286, rising to £684 for the final. This was a 46 per cent increase on the tournament in Russia in 2018.xcluding restricted view tickets and a special category only available to Qatari nationals, group stage tickets ranged in price from 40 Riyals ($11) to 800 Riyals ($213).This steadily increased in price as the tournament progressed, with final tickets costing between 750 Riyals ($200) and 5850 Riyals ($1,560).There may also be tickets available on secondary resale sites where prices are likely to be far higher.These sorts of platforms are often risky to use in Europe, with football organisations not cooperating with them because of deeply engrained cultural norms against very high ticket prices.But in the U.S., this taboo is not in place and it was perfectly possible to buy a Super Bowl ticket through a credible reseller — if you have $10,000 to spare.It remains to be seen which approach the World Cup will take.
How much do tickets cost compared to the Super Bowl and other major events?
The cheapest face-value tickets for this year’s Super Bowl sold directly by the NFL were about $2,000, far higher than for any major football match.Tickets changed hands for about five times this on the secondary market.Tickets for the final are likely to reach similar eye-watering prices, but if you are not too picky about which game you go to, you will likely be able to get tickets for early World Cup games at far more affordable prices.
Is it possible to attend every game at the World Cup?
Football YouTuber Theo Ogden, known as Thogden, attended every game of the Qatar World Cup in 2022, the first person in history to do this at a tournament.This was possible because of Qatar’s tiny geographical size, although he did have to miss half of several of the games to fit them all in.But there’s absolutely no chance of anyone repeating the same feat in 2026.Over a manic 17 days from June 11 and June 27, the entire group stage will be completed — all 72 games of it. The last four of those days will have six games on each of them, spanning the entire continent of North America.With vast distances between stadiums, fans will have to plan their games carefully.
Real Madrid signed Kepa Arrizabalaga to be their No 1 – now he’s lost his place
Who is Real Madrid’s first-choice goalkeeper?A month ago, we asked that very question in an article on the club’s choice between Andriy Lunin and Kepa Arrizabalaga. Now, the answer seems clear. Lunin is leading the way. This represents quite a turnaround from the situation in the summer, when Arrizabalaga was brought in on loan from Chelsea — right after Madrid’s long-time goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was ruled out for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury — to be Carlo Ancelotti’s number one for the remainder of the campaign.On the day of his presentation as a Madrid player on August 15, Arrizabalaga was glowing, super-happy and having turned down an offer from serial German champions Bayern Munich to take up the opportunity in his native Spain.When he was asked whether his goal was to convince Madrid to decide to keep him beyond his loan spell, he replied: “I hope so. Today is the first day, we’ll see, but hopefully with my performance I can make that happen.”Six months on, that possibility is looking remote.
When Courtois was ruled out on August 10, two days before Madrid’s first La Liga match of the season, some voices at the club believed it was Lunin’s time because it would be complicated to bring in another top-level goalkeeper.But Madrid moved quickly — very quickly — to get Arrizabalaga on board. Lunin started the first two league games, but the Chelsea loanee took over as soon as he’d had a chance to settle in.
“Kepa’s level is very high,” Ancelotti said at the time. “Lunin lacks a bit of experience. They won’t rotate much.”Starting with his Madrid debut on August 25, Arrizabalaga played 13 games in a row: 10 in La Liga and three in the Champions League, conceding 10 goals and keeping six clean sheets. He made some good saves, including an important stop in the October 28 Clasico in Barcelona, where Madrid came from behind to win 2-1.Other performances had perhaps not fully convinced, such as October’s away games against Sevilla in La Liga and Napoli in the Champions League, but the coaching staff were happy with him. Kepa and his family were happy too, and his wife even posted a photo in which she seemed to say goodbye to London for good, five years after his move to Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao.But then Arrizabalaga was injured in the warm-up before the home Champions League match against Sporting Braga on November 8. Coaching staff sources — who, like all those cited here preferred to speak anonymously to protect their position — describe it as the “turning point” that saw the balance changed between the two goalkeepers.
Lunin and Arrizabalaga train earlier this season (Helios de la Rubia/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
Lunin came into the team and saved a crucial penalty that night when what became a 3-0 Madrid win was still goalless. Despite barely having warmed up, he seized his moment and reignited the debate over who should be the club’s starter.
Then Arrizabalaga ended up being out for longer than the two-match absence that was initially expected. He eventually missed four games either side of the November international break, as Ancelotti continued to insist publicly that he was first-choice. “If he is ready, Kepa will play,” he said on November 27. But when the Basque was back fit a few days later, he found himself on the bench not the pitch.
Just before Christmas, Ancelotti said, “I don’t have the idea of rotating goalkeepers. Both are doing well. Lunin has progressed a lot and has shown a lot of confidence and Kepa has maintained his level… in the second part of the season, I will choose one of the two.”Since suffering that injury before the Braga match three months ago, however, Arrizabalaga has played just five times — once in the Champions League, twice in La Liga, once in the Copa del Rey (against fourth-tier Arandina) and most recently in the Supercopa de Espana.That last appearance, in the January 10 semi-final against neighours Atletico, might perhaps be seen as another turning point.Madrid were 5-3 winners after extra time but Arrizabalaga faced some criticism for his role in the goals conceded, and Lunin was preferred for the final against Barcelona four days later, where Madrid triumphed 4-1.In the next league match the following weekend, Ancelotti turned back to Arrizabalaga, but again he looked far from his best as Almeria raced into a 2-0 half-time lead in the Bernabeu, with a third goal ruled out by the VAR, before Madrid eventually came back to win 3-2, thanks to a few more controversial refereeing decisions.Lunin, who turned 25 this week, has been selected to start the five matches since.
Ancelotti has not wanted to publicly clarify who his preferred goalkeeper is, but Arrizabalaga was a spectator from the dugout again as his Ukraine international team-mate performed to his very best in Tuesday’s 1-0 victory away to RB Leipzig in the first leg of a Champions League last 16 tie.
“Kepa’s injury opened up the possibility of Lunin challenging for his place, and he has won the game. Lunin has convinced with his play,” say coaching staff sources, who see the process as something natural and simple.
Sources in the dressing room say the 29-year-old loanee is close with Lunin, describing him as “an exemplary team-mate, as if he were the one who was playing every game”. When Arrizabalaga found himself in a similar situation at Chelsea, in the 2022-23 season, Edouard Mendy was the starter ahead of him and similar things were said of his disposition.Arrizabalaga’s Chelsea contract expires at the end of next season. This summer might be the best chance for the London club to seek a sale, but as previously reported by The Athletic, Madrid signing him then is highly unlikely given Chelsea would ask for around €20million (£17.1m; $21.5m) — a figure the La Liga side would not pay for a backup goalkeeper.Lunin now looks established as Ancelotti’s pick, although Arrizabalaga could well return to the starting XI and further impress before the season is out if an opportunity arises.In the meantime, he has continued training, convinced that he is ready to play and be a starter, although those close to him are no longer sure that he will remain in Madrid.
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Musah’s joy was clear after his success in his new role (Tim Warner/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Pochettino and Pulisic speak during the win over Panama (Photo: John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
Carsley watches on as England lose to Greece (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
England lost 2-1 to Greece on Thursday night (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Berhalter was appointed U.S. coach in December 2018 (Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images)
Weston McKennie playing against Jamaica in March (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Robinson and Ream playing for Fulham in the Premier League last season (Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)
As reigning World Cup champion, Argentina is looking to defend its Copa America title (Carl De Souza, AFP via Getty Images)
Messi earned the title of best player during the 2021 Copa America (Gustavo Pagano/Getty Images)
The U.S. has made it to two Copa America semifinals in previous tournaments (Jeremy Reper/Getty Images)
Ecuador has the fans, youth and energy to make a potential run (Michael Miller/Getty Images)
Christian Pulisic shows his emotions after the U.S. team’s exit (Maddie Meyer/FIFA via Getty Images)
(Left to right) Aaronson, McKennie and Adams at Elland Road in March 2023 (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Leeds were relegated after a 4-1 defeat by Spurs in the final day of the season (Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
McKennie faces AC Milan at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California in July 2023 (Michael Janosz/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
McKennie will resolve his future after Copa America (Puma)
(Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)
(Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
(Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Ryan O’Hanlon, ESPN.com writerJun 20, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
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(21; El Paso, TX) subbed on in the 75th minute of PSV’s match against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday — joining Sergiño Dest 
(25; Hershey, PA) is back in the goals for AC Milan. And back with a banger, at that.Coming on as a second-half sub at Monza, CP11 found his chance in the 88th minute, gathering the ball on the right side of the box before unleashing a left-footed howitzer (
(23; Medford, NJ) quite would have hoped for. After joining Union Berlin from Leeds on loan in the summer, the USMNT attacker saw his side lose nine of their first 11 matches to start the season, leading the club to part ways with beloved coach Urs Fischer in November. This was followed by rumors that Aaronson’s loan to the German side could be cut short during the January window, which would have sent him back to the English Championship far earlier than expected.
“Brenden is a super footballer who must accept the fact that in football a certain physical aspect is needed to win the ball & contest challenges.”Here’s to hoping a corner has been turned for Medford Messi either way.News and Notes:Josh Sargent 
(24; O’Fallon, MO) is on NBA Jam levels of fire for Norwich City. The USMNT forward scored a brace in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Cardiff City, giving him 10 goals in 13 league matches this season — even earning the O’Fallon d’Or (a.k.a. “
(28; Highlands Ranch, CO), though Horvath was 
(21; Clifton, VA), take a bow. DMV Donovan had some hit for the match-winner (
Johnny Cardoso 
(22; Denville, NJ) was 
Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico (Sergio Navarrete/Getty Images)
(Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images)
(Rob Pinney/Getty Images)
Lunin and Arrizabalaga train earlier this season (Helios de la Rubia/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
The Ole BallCoach 