UPDATED – Champions League Kicks off Tues/Wed and while Captain America Christian Pulisic will be out until after the new year (leg injury) plenty of other American’s are in the fray looking to secure places in the knockout rounds. CC Vickers and Auston Trusty visit Zagreb with Celtic at 12 pm on Para+ Tues, while PSV Eindhoven and Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi & Richy Ledezma are on the road at Brest at 2:30 pm.
Wednesday we have Juventus with Mckinney & Weah @ Man City at 3 pm desperate for a win to stay in, Dortmund and Gio Reyna and Cole Campbell host Barcelona, while AC Milan sans Pulisic but with Musah will host Red Star Belgrade at 3 pm desperate for a win. (read all about Champs League matches below)
US Ladies Beat Dutch 2-1 after tying England 0-0
What a way for the BEST US female Goalkeeper ever Alyssa Naeher to go out on top. She made 6 saves in her final game in the net – as she kept the US ladies in the game and carried them on to victory over Holland at Holland on Tuesday. Nice to see with a makeshift new line-up up top without our Triple Expresso combo – that the US can still manufacture goals as coach pulled all the right strings in finding a way to win despite being literally slaughtered in the first half. The US was down 1-0 but it could have been far worse as the Dutch shot 15 times – 4 times on goal. Naeher continued her heroics into the 2nd half where she bailed out the US time and time again. Again – not sure who is going to take her place – but the boots are mighty big to fill. (tons of stories below) Game Highlights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ANF6VYkqJE
Super impressive to see 85K in Wembley to see the #1 vs #2 last weekend as the US faced England at Wembley. Again nice to see we can tie a game when our best attackers are at home Highlights – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nLQ6doNww.
MLS Finally Plays a Game on TV as the Finals will be on Fox at 4 pm
The LA Galaxy will host the New York Red Bulls Saturday at home at 4 pm on Fox and Apple TV Free – LA will be playing without play maker Puig however so look for the Red Bulls to really challenge for their first ever trophy. I will have full Champions League updates on Monday before the Next Round kicks off Tues/Wed
USMNT midweek viewing guide: Rising to the challenge in Champions League for US Players
Following along with all the USMNT players in action this midweek.
Dinamo Zagreb vs Celtic, 11:45a on Paramount+, ViX: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic visit Zagreb to start things off for USMNT action in UEFA Champions League this week.
Brest vs PSV Eindhoven, 2p on Paramount+, ViX: Ricardo Pepi, Malik TIllman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV visit French side Brest in Champions League.
Also in action:
Burnley vs Derby, 1:45p on Paramount+: Luca Koleosho and Burnley host Derby County in the Championship.
Leeds vs Middlesbrough, 2p on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro visit Brenden Aaronson and Leeds in the Championship.
Wednesday
AC Milan vs Red Star Belgrade, 3p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, FuboTV (free trial), ViX: Christian Pulisic came off injured last week, and is expected to be out until around Christmas, while Yunus Musah should be available for Milan as they host Crvena Zvezda in Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona, 3p on Paramount+, TUDN USA, UniMás, Univision NOW, FuboTV, ViX: Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and BVB welcome Barça into Signal Iduna Park for this Champions League match.
Juventus vs Manchester City, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juve host Man City in Champions League.
Also in action:
Arsenal vs Monaco, 2p on Paramount+, ViX: Folarin Balogun is expected to miss Monaco’s clash with his former club, due to a shoulder injury.
VfB Stuttgart vs Young Boys, 2p on Paramount+, ViX: Anrie Chase and Stuttgart welcome Young Boys into town for this Champions League match.
West Brom vs Coventry, 2p on Paramount+: Haji Wright and Coventry City visit Daryl Dike’s club West Bromwich Albion in the Championship. Dike is out with an Achilles tendon injury, expected back mid-January.
Thursday
Lyon vs Frankfurt, 2p on Paramount+, ViX: Nathaniel Brown and Eintracht Frankfurt pay a visit to Tanner Tessmann and Lyon in Europa League.
Also in action:
Fiorentina vs LASK Linz, 11:45a on Paramount+, ViX: George Bello and LASK go on the road against Fiorentina in Europa Conference League.
Başakşehir vs Heidenheim, 11:45a on Paramount+, ViX: Lennard Maloney and Heidenheim visit Istanbul Başakşehir in Conference League.
TV GAME SCHEDULE
Fri, 12/6 12:30 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Parma 2:45 pm PAra+ Atalanta vs AC Milan (Pulisic & Musah)
Sat Dec 7th
07:30 AM ET USA Everton vs. Liverpool (English Premier League) 10:00 AM USA Brentford vs. Newcastle United 12 noon CBS Juventus (Weah, McKinney) vs Bologna 12:20 pm ESPN+ Monchengladbach (Scalley) vs -Dortmund (Reyna) 12:30 pm NBC Man U vs Nottingham Forrest 4 pm Fox MLS Cup LA Galaxy vs NY Red Bulls
Sunday, December 08
09:00 AM Peacock Fulham vs. Arsenal (English Premier League) 09:00 AM USA Leicester City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (English Premier League 11:30 AM USA Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea (English Premier League)
Monday, December 09
3:00 PM USA West Ham United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (English Premier League)
We’ve reached that point of the season when the Champions League group stage concludes with a grand flou… oh no we haven’t. This is 2024-25, so matchday six is now merely the 75 per cent point of the league stage, with two further rounds of games in January to come.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to get stuck into this week. Liverpool face their first early kick-off in this season’s competition away at Girona on Tuesday, while Wednesday sees Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona take each other on in another clash close to the summit. And Real Madrid and Manchester City will look to break out of their slumps with difficult trips to Italy (against Atalanta and Juventus, respectively).
With help from The Athletic’s Opta-powered Champions League projections, here are the key fixtures that could dictate movement in the table and future fortunes this week. Click the link below to explore further.
Girona vs Liverpool – Tuesday, 5.45pm GMT/12:45pm EST
Liverpool are yet to drop a point after five matches and were convincing 2-0 winners against Real Madrid last time out. Even a draw on Tuesday would secure progress into the knockout playoff at the very least for Arne Slot’s men as they would be at least seven points clear of the team in 24th with two games to go. That would merely be the first step, with our projections revealing they have a 98 per cent chance of finishing in the top eight and are the only side predicted to get 20+ points in the maiden league stage.
Girona have struggled in their inaugural European campaign, picking up only one win from five matches with narrow defeats against Paris Saint-Germain, Feyenoord and Sturm Graz. Milan and Arsenal are next, so their chances of league-stage elimination stand at 95 per cent.
Atalanta vs Real Madrid – Tuesday, 8pm GMT/3pm EST
Real Madrid’s injuries have hampered their ability to build chemistry with Kylian Mbappe and has led to inconsistency. Their record over the last seven games in all competitions reads loss, win, win, loss, win, loss, win.
Madrid’s defeat in Liverpool saw their risk of exiting in the league stage rise from five per cent to seven per cent, but they still have a 91 per cent chance of making it to the knockout playoff at least with Red Bull Salzburg at home and Brest away to come after this. In fact, our projections have Real Madrid as the most likely side to feature in the knockout playoffs — not the smooth progression the holders would have hoped for, but at least a chance to regroup in 2025.
But this is a tough fixture. Atalanta have conceded just once in the Champions League and that came in a 6-1 thrashing of Young Boys in Matchweek five. They sit top of Serie A and beat Milan on Friday, extending their winning run to nine games in all competitions. Victory here — especially with Barcelona and Dortmund facing each other — could see their top eight odds (currently at 58 per cent) improve significantly.
Madrid struggled last time out against Liverpool (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)
Leverkusen and Inter have taken differing approaches but find themselves in similar positions. Xabi Alonso’s side have netted 11 times and let in five, while Inter’s resolute defence means they are the only team yet to concede a goal in this season’s competition, but have scored only seven at the other end.
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Leverkusen’s odds of finishing in the top eight are at 39 per cent with a visit to Atletico Madrid in January, so any points here will be crucial. Inter, meanwhile, picked up four points from their toughest fixtures against Manchester City and Arsenal, making their finish to the league stage (away at Sparta Prague and Monaco at home) comparatively straightforward. As it stands, our Opta-powered projections have Inter as narrow favourites to win the Champions League, ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal.
Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona – Wednesday, 8pm GMT/3pm EST
Barcelona have enjoyed success against German opposition, beating Bayern Munich 4-1 at home in matchday three — just 24 hours after Dortmund conceded five second-half goals and lost 5-2 against Real Madrid after going 2-0 up after 34 minutes.
But the situation six weeks later is different. Barcelona are facing their first wobble under Hansi Flick, picking up only two wins in their last six outings in all competitions. One of those was against Brest in their last Champions League match, which boosted their chances of direct qualification into the round of 16 to a very healthy 76 per cent.
Dortmund are still finding themselves under Nuri Sahin but are unbeaten in their last four matches, a run which includes a 1-1 draw with Bayern in the Bundesliga. They beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 last time out in the Champions League, so their chances of a top-eight finish are at a bullish 75 per cent.
Barcelona thrashed Bayern on Matchday three (David Ramos/Getty Images)
Barcelona end the league stage with tricky fixtures against Benfica (away) and Atalanta (home), so probably have more riding on this game as Dortmund will take on Bologna (away) and Shakhtar Donetsk (home) in January.
Juventus vs Manchester City – Wednesday, 8pm GMT/3pm EST
For both these teams, the focus has largely been on their underperformance in the league. Juventus, yet to lose in Serie A, have drawn nine of their 15 league games and are sixth, while City have lost four of their 15 — already more than in the entirety of their title-winning 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons — and are fourth.
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Wednesday’s match, therefore, represents an opportunity to generate momentum while getting their Champions League campaigns on track. Both teams have eight points after five matches, while Leverkusen, Arsenal and Monaco, who round out the top eight as it stands, have 10 each.
Juventus and Man City play Club Brugge as part of their two final fixtures of the league phase. The Italian side travel to Benfica for their final game, while Man City travel to PSG on matchday seven. That surely means that Juventus, who have a nine per cent chance of finishing in the top eight compared to City’s 15, have more riding on this game, especially in front of their home crowd.
(Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Around the league
Arsenal face an upbeat Monaco in a match that could see one of the two drop out of the top eight by end of play on Wednesday. Arsenal have a 70 per cent chance of directly qualifying for the round of 16 in comparison to Monaco’s 15 per cent, so the French side probably need the points more.
Celtic have recovered admirably from their 7-1 defeat by Dortmund in Matchweek two, collecting five points from the last three matches. A win at Dinamo Zagreb, who are only a point behind them, would give them a boost with Young Boys up next.
Defeat against Bayern in matchweek five left PSG just outside the knockout spots. Anything less than a victory at Red Bull Salzburg, who have also won just once, and the sound of the already-ringing alarm bells will border on cacophonous.
Five talkings points ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League games
Five talking points ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League games, featuring Celtic’s chances of progression and a meeting between the German and Italian champions.
Can Celtic reach the knockout rounds?
It’s been six seasons since Celtic last reached the knockout rounds in European competition. In the Champions League, that barren run stretches back more than a decade (2012/13).
Celtic, however, have positioned themselves in a place to break that drought. Eight points from five games leaves the Scottish champions 20th, in a play-off position and above sides including Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
An embarrassing 7-1 thrashing at Borussia Dortmund aside, Celtic have performed admirably in their European ventures including a win over RB Leipzig and battling point at an impressive Atalanta side. With Dinamo Zagreb and a Young Boys side without a point to come next, Brendan Rodgers’ side can end their wait for knockout stage football.
A chance for Reds to rotate?
Liverpool are within touching distance of the Round of 16, having taken maximum points from their five games to lead the Champions League standings. Arne Slot’s side have been almost flawless in Europe, conceding just once in the Champions League ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Girona. Another victory will move the Reds closer to a guaranteed top-eight finish, though could Slot decide that tonight is an ideal time to rotate?
Liverpool face a tricky test against Fulham at the weekend, before a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Southampton in midweek. The Reds received an unexpected rest at the weekend when the Merseyside Derby was postponed due to safety concerns, though the clash with Girona – who have one win and four defeats in Europe – could allow Slot to hand minutes to several players on the fringe of his first XI. The likes of Jarell Quansah, Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Darwin Nunez will hope to come in.
Champions of Germany and Italy meet
The headline fixture from Tuesday’s ties sees Bayer Leverkusen host Inter Milan. The Bundesliga and Serie A champions go head-to-head at the BayArena, with both positioned in the all-important top eight as things stand. Leverkusen and Inter have impressed in Europe to date, though are embroiled in tense fights to defend their crowns domestically.
Xabi Alonso’s side, who completed an unbeaten German double in 2023/24, are seven points behind Bayern Munich in the title race.
Inter, meanwhile, are third in Serie A, though have a game in hand on leaders Atalanta who are just three points above them. Both teams will regard themselves as potential dark horses in this competition, in a Champions League campaign where several of the traditional heavyweights are yet to hit their stride.
Duran’s shirt to lose?
Jhon Duran could not be doing much more in his quest to become Aston Villa’s main man. The Colombian has scored nine goals in all competitions this season, despite starting just four games. He has averaged a goal every 82.7 minutes of action and marked his first Premier League start of the campaign with the winner against Southampton at the weekend.
At 20, Duran is a player brimming with potential and his development this season has handed Unai Emery a selection headache. Ollie Watkins remains first choice but has scored just once from open play in his last seven Premier League appearances. Ahead of Tuesday’s trip to face RB Leipzig, Emery will be pondering whether Duran deserves a run of games. It’s a welcome dilemma for the Villa boss.
PSG in real danger of becoming league phase casualties
Some have suggested the new Champions League format is designed to protect the bigger teams from early exits. As things stand, it has not turned out that way. Real Madrid are currently clinging to a play-off position, while Paris Saint-Germain are in danger of missing the cut altogether.
The French champions have not won in the Champions League since a fortunate victory over Girona on matchday one, losing to Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, and drawing with PSV since.
It leaves them battling to make the knockout rounds, with Manchester City still to visit the Parc des Princes in the coming weeks. Success in Europe has been the elusive dream for the PSG board and their head coaches have been judged on results in this competition.
Luis Enrique’s position will be under real threat if he fails to secure progress, even given the decision to move to a longer-term project in Paris. There is no room for error ahead of a trip to RB Salzburg on matchday six.
USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher comes up big in her final game for the United States
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher played her final game for the United States women’s national team in a 2-1 win against the Netherlands on Tuesday to close out the year for the team. Naeher ends her international career with 115 caps and 69 shutouts. Although there wasn’t a clean sheet against the Netherlands, she came up with several key saves, including a leaping reaction block in the 38th minute and a sprawling stop with her feet in the 69th minute.It was a poor first half from the United States. Head coach Emma Hayes made an unusual shift in her lineup, pushing Rose Lavelle into the left-wing position while lining up Sam Coffey, Korbin Albert and Lindsey Horan in midfield. But they were ineffective in the middle, which, combined with Jenna Nighswonger having a bad game at left back, left the defense largely exposed.
The Netherlands took full advantage, running the midfield and pressing deep while the U.S. struggled playing out under pressure. In the 11th minute, the Netherlands scored the opener from a set piece as Albert didn’t mark her player in the box tightly enough, leaving 18-year-old Veerle Buurman in the right spot for a header that looped over Naeher’s outstretched glove to make it 1-0.
Netherlands celebrates scoring the opening goal against the U.S. (Maurice Van Steen / Getty Images)
Buurman headed in another goal for the Netherlands, although it was into her own net in the 44th minute, gifting the U.S. the momentum going into the break at 1-1. Hayes made two changes to start the second half, bringing on Lynn Williams for Jaedyn Shaw and Emily Sonnett for Nighswonger while shifting Emily Fox to left back. She also withdrew Lavelle deeper, although she had already been dropping throughout the first half, as well as switching sides of the field to find an outlet for the attack.Hayes went with almost a complete line rotation in the 67th minute, subbing out Horan, Albert, and Lavelle for Lily Yohannes, Hal Hershfelt, and Alyssa Thompson. This was Yohannes’ first cap for the U.S. since formally declaring her intention to play for the team. Yohannes was used in an attacking-midfield role behind Williams while Thompson assumed her usual spot on the left wing and Hershfelt dropped deep in midfield.Williams gave the U.S. the lead in the 70th minute, smartly finishing a cross delivered from Yazmeen Ryan on the right. Ryan was a constant source of energy throughout this game, following up a similarly bright performance in the previous game against England.
The U.S. celebrates Williams’ go-ahead goal. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
The 17-year-old Yohannes looked slightly nervy on the ball, which was understandable given she was playing against the other nation courting her senior national team allegiance. Dutch fans booed and whistled whenever Yohannes was on the ball, presumably in disapproval of her decision to play for the U.S.Hayes’ final sub was Ally Sentnor for Ryan in the 85th minute in a like-for-like swap.
The U.S. had a late chance on goal as Thompson fought her way past a defender and tried to put in a hard shot on goal at a steep angle. Thompson, like Ryan, once again looked comfortable in her position in the minutes she had on the field. Conversely, a few obvious positions were lacking in this game, with Albert looking disconnected from the front line in the midfield to Nighswonger getting beaten on defense. Horan also couldn’t find the right sense of timing or urgency on the ball. With Hershfelt, Yohannes and Shaw all circling starting roles, Hayes will undoubtedly experiment further throughout 2025.(Top photo: Pau Barrena / Getty Images)
Alyssa Naeher stays true to her stoic ways in final game, but U.S. teammates are full of emotion
It is 11.30pm at Bingoal Stadium in the Netherlands and Lynn Williams is crying.The U.S. women’s national team forward will see her teammate Alyssa Naeher in four days. After all, the 36-year-old goalkeeper is invited to her wedding. But that is not the point.Rather, following the USWNT’s 2-1 friendly win against the Netherlands, Williams has tears in her eyes as she speaks about Naeher. And Naomi Girma, fresh off extending the USWNT’s unbeaten run under head coach Emma Hayes to 15 matches (13 wins, two draws), is speaking about hugs and not wanting to let go. When she’s done, the centre-back releases an earnest round of applause for Naeher as the stalwart wraps up her final piece of USWNT media duty for the night and, potentially, ever.Naeher does not bow. She shoots Girma a wry but familial glance and nods towards the mixed zone’s exit. Despite the thick fog of emotions permeating the air and the knowledge that this friendly is meant to be a final —, not just for the U.S. year — Naeher is still Naeher. She is still in her No. 1 goalkeeper shirt and full kit because “the showers are better at the hotel”.
She carries the match ball — signed by her teammates at her request — under her arm as if she is organising a pick-up game in the parking lot, rather than about to walk onto the U.S. team bus after a representative match for the last time on the international stage.
In a match that focused on the future, revolving around Lily Yohannes and the global tug of war for her signature, there was something appropriate about the 90 minutes unfurling instead like an ode to one of the team’s longest-serving players.
Alyssa Naeher clears the ball during the international friendly match against the Netherlands (Pau Barrena / Getty Images)
On a cold, wet night in Den Haag, Naeher went full vintage, producing a showreel of classic cuts.
There was no clean sheet on her 115th and final cap, with Netherlands debutante Veerle Buurman heading a goal home just after the quarter-hour mark to give the hosts a deserved lead. The next 15 minutes were such a show of dominance that the home crowd broke into a Mexican wave. But an argument stands that, without jeopardy, it would hardly have been a proper send-off for a player like Naeher.The two-time World Cup winner has always straddled this space exquisitely, showing up when needed to keep the team within touching distance of winning. Naturally, here she was again, smudging the margins, denying Andries Jonker’s side a larger lead despite their 15 shots at goal before half-time, allowing for a fortunate Buurnam own goal and second-half U.S. substitutes to decide the game.“You want to be able to contribute and help the team win, and I was just glad I was able to do that,” Naeher tells The Athletic after the match. “To finish, not just for my last game… but for this team to finish the year that we’ve had on a high and to get the win was great.”Before kick-off, Naeher was honoured by the Dutch FA for her final appearance. The Bingoal Stadium announcer read aloud her various laurels and accolades. On his final note, a mostly-orange-clad stadium rose in applause.“I’d been given a heads-up that something was going to happen ahead of time, but I think that’s one of the beautiful things about this game — the mutual respect from country to country,” Naeher says. “We compete hard, but we respect and know each other as opponents. So that was very thoughtful of them, and it means a lot.”The applause from the stands also spoke to Naeher’s legacy, both within the confines of the U.S. and, critically, outside.“She’s the best,” Girma tells The Athletic. “She’s created some incredible moments and her legacy as a goalkeeper is going to be second to none. She has made saves in the biggest moments even today.“What I’ll remember (about) her as teammates off the field is just how much of a humble leader she is, how she always puts the team in front of her, and how she has been the center of this team for so many years.”
Alyssa Naeher leads the huddle during USWNT training at ADO Den Haag Stadium. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
The center of the USWNT is shifting. Hayes’ second-half substitutions showcased that, with Yohannes, Hal Hershfelt and Ally Sentnor getting minutes and Yazmeen Ryan and Alyssa Thompson continuing to impress.The arrival of Yohannes — marking her first USWNT cap since formally declaring her intention to play for the team instead of the Netherlands — was particularly intriguing. Her initial substitution received warm applause and then, in the final minutes, every touch inspired a guttural chorus of boos. But then Naeher would make a save or intervention and these things would be forgotten.In a match with 22 shots, Naeher made six big saves, of varying degrees of difficulty, as if undertaking a secret goalkeeping examination. The result: Naeher is still world-class. She still has that dog in her. That she is stepping off the international stage now, still seemingly unflappable, begs the question of who will replace her. But the question does not plague Naeher.
“I’m excited to see what they can do and how that competition continues to go,” she says. “There’s a great pool of young goalkeepers that are going to be able to compete with each other and get on the field and everything else. I’m really excited to see that next generation of great goalkeepers, but also the team as a whole. I’m their number one fan.”For a player who has epitomised the USWNT’s unwavering competitive edge, the last few months of Naeher’s career have made public a different side.t is why Girma held on long and hard in her final-whistle-of-a-win hug.“I was like, I’m not letting you go,” Girma says. “I’m very, very sad. I’m very happy for her, but she’s a legend. She’s so good. For me in the back, I always feel so secure with her behind me. But also, as a person. She’s sarcastic, she’s funny. That’s her front. And then you just got to get beneath it… Yeah, I’m going to miss her so much.”
Naeher’s ponytail is still messy as she speaks in the mixed zone. Under her arm, the signatures of her teammates on the match ball’s skin gleam in the cameras’ lights.“They were very nice to let me have it,” Naeher says, looking down, allowing a small smile to spread across her face. “I asked the team to sign it. One of the keepsakes. I have quite a few. I keep the big stuff. This is a big thing.”Top photo: Brad Smith / Getty Images)
Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan, Steph Yang and Melanie Anzidei. You can probably guess who was voted the most-coveted holiday dinner guest from the women’s soccer world, but be sure to check the answer at the end!
Live From Wembley
What we learned
Out of the 90 minutes of soccer played in front of 78,346 fans at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, it was hard to read much into it for the USWNT beyond what is already established about the team through its 2024 record:
They have regained their footing on the international stage.
The Triple Espresso forward line is the best option for scoring goals (it’s even more glaring when they’re not present).
That’s not to say the match was a waste of time, because it wasn’t, but it also felt like the end of a very long year for a lot of folks (and was played on a holiday weekend in the States to boot). Yazmeen Ryan is going to get a ton of shine out of her second-half performance (deserved!), and Ally Sentnor finally got her first cap for the senior team. But there’s a reason why head coach Emma Hayes fixated on that late move from outside back Emily Fox getting endline then trying to cut the ball back in across the face of goal … and finding nothing but the white shirts of England players.
The details weren’t there, but not in a panic-inducing way. The younger players who need big-game experiences on the road got that, but after this year, a little grace feels right. Now, everything is building toward 2027, and even before that, World Cup qualifiers in 2026. The fine-tuning will come. The pressure’s never off for the USWNT, but they should enjoy the dip now while they can.
A special place for Thompson, Sentnor
Alyssa Thompson and Sentnor, both 20, feel like they’re part of a new generation of NWSL players who are able to really leverage their club play into national team appearances. Maybe that’s just confirmation bias, seeing as they’re already capped, but it’s really nice to see rookies (or relative rookies) able to make a case for themselves week in and week out. Emily Sams is another part of this cohort, and but for her injury, Croix Bethune would also be in this group.
Thompson and Sentnor in particular got their respective moments to shine at Wembley over the weekend. For Sentnor, congratulations are due for her first international cap after a standout season with the Utah Royals — all the more compelling for just how bad the Royals were overall. For Thompson, she started against England in the very stadium where she debuted two years ago. And just as she did in 2022, Thompson looked ready to take on a lot of responsibility on the wings.
This time, Thompson willingly pitted herself against as experienced and wily of a fullback there is in Lucy Bronze, and frequently came out on top.
With more reps and more time to develop a relationship with whomever Hayes decides is the future of the USWNT centrally, Thompson could really force a dilemma with Mal Swanson still very much in the picture and still very much at her peak.
Much will depend on the next two years, both for country and for club. Honestly, Sentnor may end up hunting for a different club environment to help with her development. With that said, if she feels both challenged and taken care of, that can be more important than her club’s overall place in the standings. It’s just so abominably competitive in the USWNT attack right now that it makes sense to seek out every possible advantage.
Matt Krohn / USA Today Sports via Imagn Images
Keep an eye on Yohannes tomorrow
If there was one comment multiple USWNT players had to say about Lily Yohannes the first time she was called into camp, way back in March, it was that the then-16-year-old was mature beyond her years. Mature in her play, mature in her habits as a professional, mature as a team member in camp with plenty of veteran players — some of whom have been professionals since Yohannes was in grade school.We’ll see if Hayes judges that maturity to be ready to play serious minutes against the Netherlandsin the Netherlands tomorrow (2:45 p.m. ET, TNT, truTV and Universo), knowing full well that this is a team for which Yohannes considered declaring her allegiance. What a vote of confidence that would be from the gaffer, whether Yohannes handles it well or not.
It would also be a real declaration of intent from Hayes. It’s already obvious that, at this point, she’s willing to take some risks with her player pool and look outside of the typical channels. Hayes had to play everything so tightly for the Olympics, which we saw in her unwillingness to tinker at all with her lineup. So now, in this freer period, tossing Yohannes into as high-pressure a situation as you can find in a friendly would help define the actual boundaries around Hayes’ listen-and-learn tour.
Meg’s Corner
Banda rises above the noise
I’ve been lucky enough to see Barbra Banda play live a couple of times this year, at the Olympics and at the NWSL championship. As talented as she looks on television, in person, she feels transcendent — shaping a game to her will, dragging defenders, reading the game at a ridiculous speed.
There were a few deserving candidates for the MVP of the NWSL championship, but in the end, my vote went to Banda. Big players step up in big moments, and she did. The game itself was underwhelming, but the memory I will treasure came from the postgame news conference with Banda and Marta, still riding the high of the win. Banda’s smile was contagious; Marta’s emotions were everything. It was a special night.
As Banda, 24, hoisted two trophies into the air at CPKC Stadium, there was only celebration and recognition for her first season in the NWSL. Only days later, though, she became the target of a bad-faith attack over hermedical eligibility to play following yet another trophy (this one from the BBC, with the final award selection done via public vote).
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With these attacks swirling across women’s football, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes met the moment ahead of the Wembley match. “Barbra Banda is an amazing football player. I think it’s ridiculous that she has to endure questions like this, to be quite honest with you,” she said during a news conference. “She has our support.”
To detail those transphobic and racist attacks here is to give them oxygen, especially when they are so easily refuted by objective fact. To their credit, the Orlando Pride stepped up for their player, as did NWSL players association president Meghann Burke. The league itself and its commissioner, on the other hand, were MIA in a moment where its “organizational values” were needed.
Carli Lloyd was voted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2025, the organization announced on Tuesday. It’s an honor she has earned through two World Cup titles, scoring two gold-medal-winning goals in two Olympics and several individual awards earned during her decade-long career.Lloyd is one of three players selected off the list of finalists, which included Yael Averbuch, Lori Chalupny, Stephanie Cox, Cat Whitehill and Amy Rodriguez. The induction ceremony will be held next year on May 3 in Frisco, Texas.ne of the finest moments in Lloyd’s career came at the 2015 World Cup when her hat-trick in the final against Japan earned the U.S. women’s national team its third World Cup. Her USWNT senior team career spanned 16 years and 316 caps (second only to Kristine Lilly), helping them win two World Cups, two Olympic gold medals and an Olympic bronze medal. She won the FIFA Golden Ball for the 2015 World Cup, was named FIFA’s player of the year in 2015 and 2016 (when the award was renamed as The Best) and has been included in various world best XIs.
Lloyd is the first player to score a hat trick in a Women’s World Cup final. (Christopher Morris / Getty Images)
Given her long list of accomplishments, there was never a question Lloyd would carry the day in voting. While her club accomplishments haven’t always kept pace — playing several seasons for the underperforming Houston Dash in the NWSL didn’t help — her national team accomplishments are more than enough to dazzle even the most jaded voter.
Lloyd, along with former USMNT goalkeeper Nick Rimando, earned the player induction as one of two players listed on at least 50 percent of the ballots. Lloyd was on 47 ballots, with 97.9 percent of the votes.
The only question was whether it would happen on a player or a veteran ballot, which is for players who have been retired for more than 10 full calendar years. With only three spots for players and a 20-person ballot that includes both men and women, sometimes those who should be shoe-ins find themselves delayed a few years.
Retiring in 2021, Lloyd officially became eligible for the player ballot in 2024 after being out of the game for at least three full calendar years, as well as having played at least 20 full international games and at least five seasons in a first division league. It’s yet another testament to her resume that she was voted in during her first year of eligibility.
Lloyd, who has created a somewhat contentious public persona both as a player and now as a commentator, said in 2021 during her retirement tour that “everybody was trying to drag me down.”
Lloyd’s comments have long divided the U.S. fanbase, and at time players. (Ira L. Black – Corbis / Getty Images)
“I don’t know if it was sort of the Kobe or Jordan thing where, in my mind, I had these nemeses and I just created these storylines in my head where I just wanted to stick it to people,” Lloyd told The Athletic back then. “There’s probably a little bit of that, but I think there’s some truth, as well. But I look back and I’m like, ‘I thought all of these people hated me. I thought everyone had so many bad things to say about me.’ Now, I’ve announced my retirement and I’m just shocked. There’s all this support I’ve received.’”
The controversy usually came due to off-field issues both during and after her career, such as calling Megan Rapinoe kneeling to protest police brutality against Black Americans a “distraction” or saying USWNT players shouldn’t have smiled and danced after managing to advance from the group stage of the 2023 World Cup.By her own account, being cut from the USWNT under-21 team in 2003, because the coach perceived she wasn’t working hard enough, flipped a switch. Lloyd vowed she would never get dropped again over hard work. Much of her career, at least as publicly discussed, has been motivated by proving criticism wrong. She detailed much of this journey in her autobiography When Nobody Was Watching, discussing her single-minded pursuit of winning, though at times it cost her some of her closest familial relationships — a rift she eventually mended in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic.here’s never been any denying that Lloyd was a force on the field. She could be a battering ram of a 10, and her dedication to staying healthy and fit is honestly instructive given how long she played with few major gaps in her availability.Again, the Hall of Fame’s criteria is about accomplishment, and Lloyd has oodles of that with more to spare. There’s no doubt she should be in the class of 2025, nor should it be a surprise that she went through in her first year.(Top photo: Robert Cianflone / FIFA via Getty Images)
US Ladies Travel to England Sat 12:20 on TNT, then face Dutch Tues Excited to see the US ladies headed to Europe to face solid competition – though this is a mighty young and inexperienced roster Hayes is carrying over. Man I would love to see at least part of the Triple Expresso trio in England – but all 3 will be missing after draining NWSL Seasons. Also with US GK Alyssa Naeher announcing her retirement from international football after this 2 game set – interesting to see 2 new keepers in the mix this time – including youngster Phallon Tullis-Joyce the Man U keeper. (nice story about her below- along with tons on the game & Naeher). I’m guessing we lose a close one at England with so many players missing – but of course I won’t question our Gold Medal winning Coach – I trust she’s doing what’s right here. Cool Behind the Crest with the US Ladies. Man we are going to miss Naeher – seriously her saves and PK saves at critical times in the 2019 World Cup and this summer’s Olympics rank her as perhaps the best overall US GK ever. Naeher’s best moments (more below under GK)
Nice to See US Players Making a Difference in Champions League this week Love the first goal for AC Milan by Pulisic – Pulisic Scores another Champ League Goal here it is in proper Spanish – much better of course Capitan Ameri’ca. Also 2 American’s helped PSV come from behind to win 3-2 as Tilman scored 2 and Pepi scored the winner in stoppage time. Champion’s League Talk on Galazo.
NWSL Ends Fantastic Season with Orlando & Marta Winning the Championship Wow what a season for the Orlando Pride and NWSL – as Orlando won the Championship in KC over the Washington Spirit as over 1 million watched on CBS on a Saturday night head to head with College Football. The skills competition pulled another 1.5 million eyeballs Sun afternoon and was the most watched sport not called NFL on Sunday. The first Women’s Soccer Specific stadium in KC hosted 20K rowdy fans as Brazilian Superstar Marta finally brought home a trophy for Orlando. NWSL Final Highlights. In my eyes the NWSL is doing everything MLS is too stupid to do. With games on CBS, ESPN, & Prime – their 240 million dollar package is putting USWNT and world stars in front of a growing female audience begging for more coverage. Unlike MLS – NWSL doesn’t have MOST of their games behind a paywall – as only Prime’s Friday night games do that. Congrats NWSL – it was great seeing your playoff games on Real TV – keep up the good work !!
USWNT roster (club; caps/goals) vs England & Netherlands
Goalkeepers (3): Mandy Haught (Utah Royals FC; 1), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 0 -Cool story about her below), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 113)
Midfielders (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 20/1), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 26/1), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit; 2/0), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 159/36), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 108/24), Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED; 1/1)
Forwards (6): Yazmeen Ryan (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 2/0), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 2/1), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals FC; 0/0), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 19/8), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 11/1), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 73/20)
Shane, Mike Arrington & T Ray Phillips at the Girls Showcase last weekend at Grand Park Friday- man I love reffing with these guys. And of course the chow – this time Chili was fantastic – thanks Nate !!
TV GAME SCHEDULE
Sat, 11/29 12 noon ESPN+ Dortmund vs Bayern Munich 12 pm TNT, Telemundo USWNT @ England 12 pm CBS Golazo AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Empoli 12:30 pm USA West Ham vs Arsenal 3:30 pm ESPN Des Real Valladolid vs Atletico Madrid 7:30 pm Sirius XM, apple Orlando City vs NY Red Bulls 8 pm Univision Cruz Azul vs Tijuana 10 pm Apple LA Galaxy vs Seattle Sounders Sun, 11/30 8:30 am USA Chelsea vs Aston Villa 8:30 am Peacock Tottenham vs Fulham (Jedi) 11 am USA Liverpool vs Man City 12 pm CBSSN, Para+ Fiorentina vs Inter Milan 2:45 pm Para+ Lecce vs Juventus (McKinney, Weah) Tues, 12/3 2:45 pm TNT? Netherlands vs USWNT 2:45 pm ESPN2 Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen 3 pm PAra+ AC Milan (Pulisic & Musah) vs Sassuolo 3 pm CBSSN France vs Spain (Women) Weds, 12/4 2:45 pm ESPN+ RB Leipzig vs Frankfurt 3 pm ESPN+ Athletic Club vs Real Madrid 3:15 pm Peacock Arsenal vs Man United 3:15 pm USA Aston Villa vs Brentford Thurs, 12/6 2:30 pm Peacock Fulham (Jedi) vs Brighton 3:15 pm USA AFC Bournemouth vs Tottenham Fri, 12/7 12:30 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Parma 2:45 pm PAra+ Atalanta vs AC Milan (Pulisic & Musah)
American’s Ricardo Pepi scored the game winner for PSV after Mark Tillman scored the first 2 goals in the 87th & 90th minutes to beat Shakhtar Donetsk in Champions League action.
Ricardo Pepi said his stoppage time winner against Shakhtar Donetsk was the most important goal of his career after he and USMNT team-mate Malik Tillman played instrumental roles in PSV’s “crazy” 3-2 comeback victory in the Champions League.The Dutch side had trailed 2-0 in the latter stages at the Philips Stadium on Wednesday before Tillman, 22, scored two goals in the 87th and 90th minute of the game to level proceedings. Pepi, 21, who came on at half-time, scored in the 95th minute to complete a dramatic comeback and secure all three points for PSV. Game-winner Pepi told PSV’s official club website: “I think definitely this one (is the most important goal of my career). It’s up there for sure. I think this one is important, we needed the three points and now we’re in a good spot to make it to the next round.“Emotions are all over the place, I was very happy. It was a crazy game, a lot of emotions in the game. It doesn’t feel real. I’m just very happy to help the team.
“It was crazy, to be honest, but I feel like we have something special in our group. We don’t stop until the final whistle blows. “That is something very special that we’ve worked on. At the end of the day, the result went our way and tonight was something very special.“As a striker, it is always important (to score goals) It’s a special feeling.”Tillman echoed Pepi’s sentiment, saying: “I think ‘disturbed’ is the only right word. What an amazing comeback, I’m really speechless. I’ve never seen Philips Stadium explode like this before.“I literally had goosebumps. To win a game like that, that’s just indescribable. Also all credit to Pepi. Bizarre that he scores so often at important moments.”
The victory leaves PSV 18th in the Champions League league phase.Tillman’s move to PSV from Bayern Munich was made permanent this summer while Pepi joined the club in the summer of 2023 from FC Augsburg and the pair are enjoying successful campaigns for the Dutch side.Tillman has scored eight goals and provided four assists in 19 games for PSV this season, while Pepi has scored 11 goals and provided one assist in 18 games, helping PSV to the summit of the Eredivisie.PSV, who are five points clear at the top of Eredivisie, face second-placed Utrecht on Sunday.
USWNT vs. England, 2024 Friendly: Scouting England
By Brendan Joseph Nov 28, 2024, 6:00am PST Stars and Stripes —
As the reigning Olympic gold medalists and top-ranked team in the world, the United States Women’s National Team reeled off three consecutive friendly victories over Iceland and Argentina. There are two remaining fixtures this year, against a pair of opponents that should provide a slightly sterner challenge than the previous foes. The first, England, has ascended to elite status in the footballing world and produced consistent results since claiming the 2022 UEFA European Championship, with the chance to lodge a resounding exhibition result. London’s historic Wembley Stadium, a 90,000-seat venue with a HATKO Hybridgrass Carpet surface, is set to host.
This is the 20th all-time meeting between the two nations, with the USWNT holding a 12-5-2 advantage but failing in the most-recent match-up (1-2) in October of 2022. Ranked second internationally by FIFA, England booked a ticket over the summer to the 2025 UEFA European Championship with a second-place finish during qualifying in a difficult Group 3, drawing twice with Sweden (1-1, 0-0), grabbing two wins against Ireland (2-0, 2-1), and splitting results with France (1-2, 2-1). Recent friendly results include a defeat to Germany (3-4) and a tight result against South Africa (2-1).
The “unrivaled” Sarina Wiegman was appointed to the manager position in August of 2020 and stepped into the role in September of 2021, “succeeding Phil Neville at the end of his term” after “honoring her commitment to the Netherlands FA.” The 54-year-old former midfielder from The Hague earned 104 caps and served as captain for her birth nation before embarking on a coaching career that included stops at Ter Leede, ADO Den Haag, and the Oranje (Orange). Since taking over England, she has continued to add to her career legacy that includes two UEFA Women’s Championships, a Women’s Finalissima, and two runner-up finishes at the World Cup in 2019 and 2023.Here it is!
For the friendlies against the USWNT and Switzerland, Wiegman named a 24-player roster that is missing several notable talents. The domestic Women’s Super League is home to 18 of the call-ups, while three are on the books at National Women’s Soccer League clubs. Lauren James, Ella Toone, Niamh Charles, and Lauren Hemp are out due to various injuries. Maya Le Tissier was initially included in squad but was removed due to a concussion and replaced by Lotte Wubben-Moy.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Mary Earps (Paris Saint-Germain), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)
DEFENDERS (9): Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Millie Bright (Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Jess Carter (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Gabby George (Manchester United), Millie Turner (Manchester United)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Fran Kirby (Brighton & Hove Albion), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Jess Park (Manchester City), Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), Ruby Mace (Leicester City)
Under Wiegman, England are praised as becoming “tactical chameleons” with the variations and flexibility to line up in a few different formations, notably pulling out an unexpected 3-5-2 during tournament play. She uses a “team-first” style with a “clarity of tactics” and “zonal defending with three midfielders” that also “allows players to improvise and make mistakes.” The squad has been trained to handle pressure, with practice matches featuring intentionally incorrect refereeing decisions in order to cause a heightened emotional state. According to The Mastermind Site, the high-possession attack is generated from “progression out of the back” through the centre-backs that builds with “short, sharp passes,” while the defense has struggled to handle the transition and “drops into [the] mid-block quite early.”
Projected England Starting XI (via BuildLineup.com)
Due to both injuries and the ravages of time, Mary Earps appears to be slowly losing her grip on the number-one role, replaced by relative-to-the-position youngster Hannah Hampton. The 24-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper is comfortable coming very far off of her line to claim the ball and has the athleticism to leap for crosses and beat out taller opposing strikers. Standing at five-foot-eight, she has the size and length to cover the goalmouth and displays solid reflexes on short-range opportunities, standing firm when facing an onrushing opponent. Her work in possession is beyond serviceable, playing line-drive passes at a variety of distances while under pressure, hitting deep kicks from restarts, and taking an active role to build out of the back.
The experienced Alex Greenwood is highly influential in possession with frequent distribution as “an exceptional progressor” but can also win her fair share of headers and “produces positive moments in the final third.” The 31-year-old Manchester City centre-back will often push forward into the midfield in order to serve as a safety valve for her pressured teammates and get the ball into the box. Leah Williamson was forced to miss the World Cup with an anterior cruciate ligament rupture but has regained her spot in the starting lineup, resuming her status as “the ultimate ball-playing defender” with a “delightful passing range” and “reliability under pressure.” She is reasonably strong in the air and utilizes her read of the opponent during the build-up and when blocking lanes, coming in from behind and stepping forward at the right moments. Imposing veteran Millie Bright could also feature in proceedings, describing herself as playing “on the front foot” and providing “power and a penchant for scoring spectacular volleys.” The five-foot-ten Chesterfield native “reads the game well,” is a constant danger on set pieces, dispenses “thunderous tackles,” and finds teammates with long-range efforts that will bypass multiple lines.
Artfully praised as “a stalwart of quiet calm,” Jess Carter has lined up in a variety of roles over her career due to her high level of athleticism, comfort on the ball, and ability to pick her moments for individual brilliance. The 27-year-old NJ/NY Gotham FC defender constantly presses forward and overlaps on the outside but can also move centrally in both phases of the game, best described as a somewhat reluctant fullback. One of the squad’s veterans, Chelsea’s Lucy Bronze is “a serial winner and versatile [talent]” with an attacking mindset guided by “pace, core strength, and composure in possession.” As a two-way player, she is strong in the air, plays a constant barrage of accurate passes, swarms the opponent’s lanes, and makes a crucial impact in the final third with delicate crosses.
Versatile and “brilliant” Barcelona midfielder Keira Walsh boasts excellent “passing quality, range, and vision” but is also a master manipulator of space, serving as a metronome with a high usage rate. She can find any teammate on the field and has just enough guile on the ball to avoid pressure, spinning and darting around both halves in order to buy time. One of the creative roles is occupied by Georgia Stanway of Bayern Munich, a dynamic option who racks up assists for club and country by leading the transition and “working well in tight [areas].” Her aggressive nature will produce some crushing yet sometimes dangerous challenges, but the regular highlight-reel finishing and long-distance shooting are more than enough to merit constant inclusion in the lineup. There is also Jess Park, who has been getting an extended run with the squad and made two starts during EURO qualifying, earning praise as a “skillful, creative player with an eye for goal.” Hailed as “the future for England and Manchester City,” the multi-faceted option is a pacy, offensive machine with a daring nature that challenges both centre-backs and fullbacks alike.That is a CLASSIC Beth Mead goal #BarclaysWSL@ArsenalWFCpic.twitter.com/aG0Zymo2WO— Barclays Women’s Super League (@BarclaysWSL) November 8, 2024
Beth Mead is slowly moving out of her peak years, but the Arsenal forward can still grab the spotlight with her “ability to create chances, penetrate opposing back lines, and receive between the lines,” with the utilization of intuitive timing. She is equally comfortable on the inside and the outside of the field, with darting runs that slalom toward the center or physical battles in the box. Despite wanting for playing time at Manchester City, Chloe Kelly has been a reliable option off of the bench for England and should pick up a start due to several absences, providing the potential danger for a long-range blast. The 26-year-old attacker is always looking to cut inside and hit a searching shot with either foot but can also hang on the wing and pick out teammates with accurate crosses.
Former University of North Carolina Tar Heel Alessia Russo is the main scoring threat at the top of the formation and has found the back of the net five times this season. The 25-year-old Arsenal forward “is a very good dribbler and provides dangerous passes,” while also shooting frequently and winning aerial duels with “excellent positioning inside of the box.” As expected of a player with her abilities, she is dangerous with both feet, reads the opponent quickly, and can finish at any distance when given a yard of space. Marc Lamberts praises her progression of possession, high level of distribution, and prolific nature, enabling her to slot into a variety of roles and match the manager’s tactical shifts.
After a few less taxing friendlies, the USWNT has the privilege of a true test against a program that spent the past decade ascending into the elite level. England has a talented squad and a wily, experienced manager, which should provide a compelling physical and tactical match-up. The added bonus of the fixture taking place at Wembley adds interest for both fan and neutral viewer, although crucial absences on both sides dampen proceedings.The match is scheduled for Saturday, November 30th at 12:20 p.m. Eastern, 9:20 a.m. Pacific. Viewing options include TNT, Universo, truTV, Max, Peacock, and Fubo TV (free trial).
Why USWNT coach Emma Hayes was so happy in the basement of a London pub: ‘I’ve got my mojo back’
The first time Emma Hayes introduced herself to the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) she put a photo up on the big screen.The photo showed the intersection on Camden High Street, north London, just outside a pub called the World’s End. Hayes said to the players: “This is Camden, England. This is where I’m from. This is what made me.”
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So when Hayes returned to the UK ahead of England vs USWNT at Wembley on Saturday, U.S. Soccer decided to use the pub as the setting for her pre-match press conference. A press conference in a pub — that must be a first.
So, at 11am on a Monday morning, The Athletic was weaving our way down a pub’s staircase, round the bar, past some less-than-salubrious toilets, into Underworld, a black-walled basement club where Hayes spent much of her youth dancing until 3am.“I remember many an evening we would come in here, and thankfully it still smells of fart and feet,” said Hayes, who’d been greeted with a ‘Welcome back Emma’ sign outside. “It was a big indie place for me back in the day and I definitely have not seen this place in the daylight so that’s refreshing.”Although the music blaring from the speakers remains the same, the agenda and vibe at this time in the morning were slightly different — not least the fact that tea, coffee and pastries were being served.With a table and mics set up where Hayes used to rock and roll, the head coach looked out to a bizarre mix of her mum, sisters, school friends, former and current colleagues, and the international media.Asked how she felt to be in the Underworld with those closest to her, every word captured on camera, navigating questions from coaching at Wembley to Donald Trump, from USWNT’s Thanksgiving plans to the homophobic abuse aimed at her former player Sam Kerr, from developing the national youth team strategy to Hayes’ top tourist tips, Hayes said simply: “F****** brilliant!”
(U.S. Soccer/Getty Images/Brad Smith)
Hayes may be coaching in America but she has not changed, firmly shaped by her upbringing in north London.She credits her friends and family for keeping her humble. Those in the audience had shared her journey with her since she was a child, people who continue to run projects across the London borough at Camden Sports Development or youth leagues at Regent’s Park.“My community is what I am and what I care about,” she said. “I’m so stoked to be here with people that have been massive in my life. My friends have never changed and I’m grateful for that. If you say otherwise, there’ll be about 50 of them lining up at the door for you… I’m kidding.“Are you?” one heckled.“I probably shouldn’t say this in a press conference,” said Hayes, “but one of my friends used to live up in Delancey Street and she lived in a big posh house, a nice five-storey, it was lovely, gorgeous.
“I used to go up there and pretend, maybe one day, this would be a life for me. I used to come home with a little posh accent and my mum would say, ‘Your s*** still stinks’”.That was one way to keep your daughter grounded.When it comes to her tenure as the USWNT boss, Hayes is, in her words, “fresh out of the packet”, but she is already thinking about her legacy, explaining that unifying the US talent pool under a women’s football development strategy is “going to be the biggest piece” of what she leaves behind.She described herself as a “builder” who wants to lay foundations for the long term, and importantly she wants to devise a strategy for players and staff across all departments which is centred around a “female lens”.“Everything we create, the systems, frameworks, methodology, everything is done through a male lens. I seek to challenge that. If we value women and want to keep women in the workplace, we have to be creative because raising children is the hardest job in the world and your children need you too. But you’re entitled to be able to do that and have a job in football. We have to think through a female lens. That’s at the heart of everything.”Hayes said of her own accord: “I’m not going to answer any questions on men’s football. I know exactly where I am and what I want to do with my life. That’s in the women’s game, developing everything in and around that.”On Saturday Hayes will be a visitor at what she called her “second home”, Wembley. The 48-year-old will have to go through a “weird moment” of humming the English and American anthems because she “loves them” both before coming up against former Chelsea players like her ex-captain Millie Bright.Hayes momentarily feared making the jump from club to national-team management as she was unsure how the change in rhythm would affect her. For around 25 years, she had driven to the training ground six or seven days a week.“I worried about that for about four seconds,” she said. “Then I said, ‘OK, what are the benefits?“I get to get up and breathe, take Harry to school, go to the gym, create my schedule around those things, and not sacrifice the things that make me feel healthy.”She added: “I definitely didn’t feel healthy at the end of my time at Chelsea. I don’t want to say it’s pressure. I just think it’s the stress, the toll it took on me. Doing that during menopause, I realised, was even harder.“To get on top of all of these things, I feel like I’ve got my mojo back, my smile back and joy back. I didn’t realise how much I’d lost in that. I’m loving football more than ever.”(Top photo: U.S. Soccer/Getty Images/Brad Smith)
England vs USWNT: The Lionesses who were made in America
When England face the USWNT at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, all eyes will be on Emma Hayes.
The former Chelsea manager is making her first return to English soil in a managerial capacity since leaving the seven-time Women’s Super League (WSL) champions in May to lead the U.S. women’s team.
Footballing trips across the Pond are familiar territory for Hayes, though. Her coaching career began at summer camps in Long Island, New York when she was 25, when she headed to the States with just $1,000 (£1,250 at today’s exchange rates) and a one-way ticket. After eight years coaching club and college teams (with a three-year stint as Arsenal’s assistant coach in the middle), she returned to England in 2012, building Chelsea into a domestic behemoth, before heading back to America this summer and promptly leading her new team to gold medals at the Olympics in France.
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Hayes is not an anomaly. Where MLS was historically branded a “retirement league” for august but ageing male players, English women footballers (and coaches) have found early-career moves to the States foundational.
Of England’s current 24-strong squad, forward Alessia Russo and right-back Lucy Bronze, plus head coach Sarina Wiegman, credit time spent in the U.S. as being critical in their career development, while goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse and defenders Esme Morgan and Jess Carter currently ply their trades in the top-flight National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Other England internationals with U.S. roots include Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy, who attended the University of North Carolina (UNC) and Aston Villa defender Lucy Parker, who went to Louisiana State University (LSU) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Now-retired internationals Rachel Daly, Demi Stokes, Karen Bardsley and Jodie Taylor also found value playing college and club football on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
The American appeal is multi-faceted. There is the opportunity to develop within a more direct, physical style of football, and the boon of getting a university education alongside playing competitive football, as well as the chance of regular game time.
The Athletic takes a look at the England squad members “made” in America…
Alessia Russo, 2017-20, University of North Carolina
Russo was, at first, a gamble.
In 2017, North Carolina were being pipped to top American talents by rival universities, so their head coach Anson Dorrance needed to recruit from further afield. At England youth camps, a teenage Russo repeatedly caught the eye, to the point a full scholarship was offered. Russo accepted. There was anticipation — but then angst.
“I sent my assistant coach to watch her play and he calls me back in a panic and says, ‘Oh my gosh, Anson, I am so sorry. This kid can’t play, she’ll never play for us’,” Dorrance told the Press Association news agency in 2023.“I’m thinking, ‘Oh god, we’ve dumped all of our money into a player that can’t play’, and all of a sudden I’m having sleepless nights. Then I get a call a couple of days later, ‘Oh no, Anson, I’m wrong, they had the wrong (shirt) number on Alessia. She’s an a**-kicker’.”Upon Russo’s arrival, the No 19 shirt worn by USWNT legends Mia Hamm and Crystal Dunn during their time at UNC, was brought out of retirement for her — a sign of the potential they saw.
Russo in action for North Carolina in 2019 (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
To honour the history, Russo wore a Hamm patch on one sleeve of her jersey and a Dunn patch on the other. But Russo’s greatest tribute came in the form of her performances.
In three seasons, she established herself as one of the best forwards in the college game, being named a first-team All-American (awarded annually to the most outstanding athletes in their sport) in 2018 — the first UNC player to earn that honour since Dunn — and 2019, and helping UNC twice finish as runners-up for the national championship. Russo was also a semi-finalist for the Hermann Trophy, an honour awarded to the top collegiate player in the country, in those two years.
Russo’s triumphs were born out of challenge. A broken leg forced her to miss the end-of-season play-offs in 2019 (she was still named Offensive Player of the Year for UNC’s regional league and a first-team All-American). She later told Manchester United’s UTD Podcast that the mental strength the recovery process built was key to handling future setbacks.
The step up in physicality and athleticism was also steep. The game in America focused on slick, direct transitional play, where athleticism and physical fitness were lionised above technical skill. While Russo’s technical skill today is laudable, one of the Arsenal forward’s most impressive assets is her strength and power in the final third.
“Moving to America helped me develop loads, on and off the pitch,” Russo told Arsenal’s media team in a 2024 documentary. “I needed to grow up physically. I’d not really set foot into the gym or pushed my body. In America, you have to step up.”
Lucy Bronze, 2009, University of North Carolina
Bronze knows how to lift silverware. The Chelsea full-back has five Champions Leagues, three WSL titles, two Division 1 Feminine winner’s medals and one from Liga F, among others. She is the first English footballer to win the Champions League with two different foreign clubs and the first England footballer and first female defender to claim the FIFA Best Women’s Player of the Year award and a spot on the FIFPRO World XI (2020).
“That comes from my time in the U.S. and how competitive it was,” Bronze told Chelsea’s website after joining them from Barcelona in the summer.
Bronze in action for North Carolina in 2009 (Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Bronze’s spell in the States was brief but impactful. Her mum, Diana Tough, persuaded Bronze to attend summer training camps in North Carolina. There she impressed head coach Dorrance, who offered her a scholarship to UNC in 2009. Across 24 appearances, Bronze helped UNC claim the 2009 national title as she won All-American honours.Key to her development on the pitch were Dorrance’s training methods. The now-retired coach (he won 21 national titles over a 45-year career but also faced a lawsuit from two former players claiming sexual harassment, which resulted in a settlement in 2008 despite him denying the allegations) was known for pitting players against each other during sessions. Bronze often found herself up against Tobin Heath, a 2008 Olympic gold medallist with the USWNT. “I realised that I need to work a lot harder and push myself if I want to compete against those kind of players,” Bronze told Forbes.
After just a year in North Carolina, Bronze returned to England to continue her sports science degree at Leeds Metropolitan University, while playing for Sunderland, then Everton and Liverpool.
“It was tough being away from home, from where I’d learned to play football, but I think that made me the player I am,” Bronze has said. “That really shaped me, more than anything else in my career at such a young age. I then knew how to be a winner and that has driven me every year since.”
Sarina Wiegman, 1989, University of North Carolina
A glance at Wiegman on the touchline is a window into the soul. On the outside, the two-time European Championship-winning head coach is calmness personified. But behind that, her mind is whirring, analysing, competing.This has always been Wiegman’s way around the football pitch.“I think the difference between her and most of the kids I was coaching back then is the Europeans come in with a greater maturity,” Dorrance told the PA news agency. “We had a wonderful culture of great kids, very talented kids, but she always seemed to be a tad more serious than anyone else. You can even see her in press conferences — you’re interviewing a serious individual.”Where Russo credits UNC for instilling in her a physical and psychological strength and ronze also says it gave her a winning mentality, for Wiegman, her time on its campus was the start of her understanding the differing standards in women’s football — and importantly, how to raise them.In 1988, while competing in the FIFA Women’s Invitation Tournament with the Netherlands, Wiegman was invited by Dorrance to study at UNC and join the school’s football team. The following year, she was playing alongside Hamm, Kristine Lilly and Carla Overbeck, lifting the national championship trophy at season’s end.
Wiegman considered her time in the U.S. “an absolute trigger for me”, describing the quality of players and working conditions as operating at the “highest level”.
Upon returning to her home country a year later, the disparity in infrastructure and quality was stark. “When I went back, I thought, ‘If I can contribute in the Netherlands, to create what is in the U.S. in the Netherlands, I would be a happy person’,” she told UK newspaper The Guardian in 2023. “It took 20 years.”
The 29-year-old goalkeeper earned her first call-up to Wiegman’s England squad in July this year. A second call-up arrived in October, and she’s now had a third. The attention arrived as Moorehouse was having one of her best seasons between the sticks, helping Orlando Pride first to the NWSL Shield (given to the club with the best regular season record each year, and the first trophy in club history) and then, this past weekend, to the NWSL championship, thanks to a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit in the final.
Moorhouse has been integral, keeping clean sheets in half of her 26 appearances this season.
Moorhouse has become an influential player for Orlando (Elsa/Getty Images)
Her recent success in the States is more notable when considered in the light of her itinerant past. In the decade prior, Moorhouse spent time at Everton, Durham, Doncaster Rover Belles, Arsenal and West Ham United in England, before two mixed seasons with Bordeaux in France’s top division.
A move to Orlando came along in 2022, but her fortunes looked destined to follow the established theme. In that debut season, Moorhouse made five appearances, conceding 13 goals without keeping a single clean sheet nor being part of a win as the Pride finished 10th in the 12-team NWSL. Not until three games into the next season did Moorhouse play in her first victory (also the Pride’s first of the 2023 campaign), a 3-1 win against the San Diego Wave. In her ninth appearance last season, she kept her first clean sheet in a 1-0 defeat of Racing Louisville.Moorhouse was not helped by the quality of defence in front of her, but the league’s relentless transitional style also posed an initial challenge.“The biggest difference between the two leagues is the (NWSL) is a lot faster pace. You have athletes in every single position,” she told women’s football website INDIVISA this year. “You have so many transitions. The players are just pure athletic. When I first got here, I was trying to play and getting caught on the ball. I was trying to get up to speed. I think I’ve grown into that and I’ve changed that side of my game.“
Esme Morgan, 2024-present, Washington Spirit
After seven years with Manchester City, England defender Morgan made the bold call to move to the NWSL’s Washington Spirit in the summer, craving a new experience. “If I’d have got to the end of my career and just stayed in England the whole time, having heard how much other people have enjoyed going abroad, maybe I would have regretted it,” she told The Washington Post.
Her struggles to break into Gareth Taylor’s starting XI and the potential impact on her place in Wiegman’s squad had been evident. The 24-year-old featured in just nine WSL matches for City last season, starting five, and she spent most of her time with England on the bench.
The move to Washington represented an opportunity to shift this and so far, has. Following a thigh injury which delayed her debut until mid-September, Morgan has become a mainstay in the Spirit’s back line, helping them to finish runners-up to Orlando in both the regular-season table and again in Saturday’s play-offs final.
Morgan has been utilised mostly in central defence but has slotted in at right-back when required, a versatility that Wiegman will welcome, given Niamh Charles’s shoulder surgery. Her adaptation to the shift in style will also be crucial in setting her apart from other defenders at Wiegman’s disposal.
After the Spirit’s semi-final win against NJ/NY Gotham — in a penalty shootout — Morgan even lamented the number of fouls called by the officials: “This league certainly, comparing it to the English league, everyone’s so physical, so fit, so fast, so much less time on the ball, and so I really enjoy the challenge of it. No one ever plays to sit out and defend for a draw for 90 minutes or just low-block the whole time.
“I feel like it’s an element of my game that is developing a lot from being over here.”
From one league champion to another — Carter swapped Chelsea for NJ/NY Gotham in July after six seasons in west London.
Carter’s transfer was eagerly anticipated by the New York club’s fans: a six-time WSL and reigning European champion, the England defender’s pedigree spoke for itself. For Carter, the opportunity to challenge herself in a different environment appealed, particularly as the arrival of England team-mate Bronze posed a threat to her in terms of getting regular club minutes.
Jess Carter, right, scored against former club Chelsea in a pre-season friendly (Ira L. Black – Corbis/Getty Images)
Carter, who has U.S. citizenship through her father, had always kept an eye on football across the Pond. But her move was also tinged with controversy after the defender said her decision was about wanting to be “surrounded by people who treat other people well”.Her off-field relationship with former Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who had moved to Gotham in April, was thrust into the spotlight after manager Hayes said in March that romances between team-mates were “inappropriate”. Carter liked a post on X condemning Hayes’ remark. Hayes later said she “let herself down” with the comment, but added, “I don’t take those things back”.lthough she did not mention Chelsea, Carter told women’s soccer website The Equaliser in an interview announcing her transfer: “Gotham shares my same values. How you treat people and how the team is treated are my biggest values. I think I can really become a better football player when I’m surrounded by people who treat other people well, and really care for one another as people before footballers.”
Carter has shown the power of confidence, instantly becoming a mainstay in the reigning champions’ defence as they progressed to the NWSL semi-finals, though they were denied a chance to play for successive titles by the Spirit.
While Carter, like her compatriots, has credited the league’s athleticism and physicality for aiding her development, she has also praised the positivity that comes with the American sporting culture.
“When I first came, I was like, well, this is a little bit much — everyone is so energetic!” Carter told football website 90 Minutes in October. “But it’s more the fact that I could probably count on one hand in WSL club football how many times my managers or coaches turn around and say, ‘You did really well. Good job. Well done’. That positive reinforcement I don’t think really happens much in the WSL, or not in my experience, anyway.”
Lotte Wubben-Moy, 2017-19, University of North Carolina
At 17 years old, Wubben-Moy was presented with a decision: say yes to a dream or choose the more difficult path to achieve it.
It is telling of the Arsenal defender’s mindset that she chose the latter, opting to leave her girlhood club Arsenal after 13 professional appearances and the offer of a professional contract to pursue higher education at UNC and further development under Dorrance.
Looking back, Wubben-Moy calls the decision “the hardest” of her life so far, but the upsides have been plentiful. After three years of starting regularly at centre-back and helping UNC to successive runner-up finishes in the NCAA College Cup, Wubben-Moy returned to England in 2020 and has established herself as one of England and Arsenal’s most aggressive and consistent defenders after two standout campaigns.
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“They definitely contributed to the player I am today, not just on the field but off the field as well,” Wubben-Moy told Arsenal’s website in 2020 of her time at UNC.
Dorrance specifically is praised by Wubben-Moy for his impact. The architect of the first U.S. World Cup win in 1991, Dorrance lionised the “winning mentality” that defines American sporting success. His tactics to develop the mental and physical side of a player’s game hinged on creating what he called a “competitive cauldron”, where players’ performances were analysed in front of peers and rankings posted on a weekly bulletin board for all to see.
As Wubben-Moy learned to adapt her game to the U.S.’s more athletic style of play in real-time, the visibility of her progression served as a catalyst.
“It doesn’t suit everyone and it is brutal, as in the numbers don’t lie,” Wubben-Moy told The Guardian in 2021. “But while so much of the game today is dictated by stats, the bottom line is still whoever scores more goals, whoever’s better on the day, whoever’s feeling more confident, that’s who wins.”
Wubben-Moy called the “competitive cauldron” a “masterpiece” due to the myriad mental components it demanded.“There are only going to be so many winners,” Wubben-Moy said. “But if as a team you can lift each other up while being competitive and go from saying, ‘Ah, I could be better there’ to looking at your mate and saying, ‘She’s gonna help me get there’, I think that’s next level.”
(Top photos: Getty Images)
USMNT Player Tracker: Pepi the hat-trick hero, Adams’ impact and Reyna returns
Ricardo Pepi’s growing dilemma at PSV Eindhoven, Paxten Aaronson’s key role in Utrecht’s remarkable progress and Gio Reyna’s much-anticipated return all play a part in this week’s USMNT tracker.
Throughout the season, we will bring you updates on the U.S. players plying their trade in various leagues around Europe. With a World Cup on home soil on the horizon and new national team boss Mauricio Pochettino monitoring from afar, we’re keeping tabs on how they perform every weekend.
Issue of the weekend
His defending champions are top of the league, remain competitive in Europe and have an attack as formidable as their defence is mean — Peter Bosz cannot have much to grumble about.But the PSV manager does have one thorny issue to resolve and, even if he is probably tired of talking about it already, it is not going away anytime soon.Bosz is wedded to playing a lone centre-forward, so how do you make two go into one? Specifically, how do you give enough game time to a striker considered a club legend while also accommodating the Eredivisie’s best young forward in the team?Captain Luuk de Jong’s muscle strain at the weekend meant Pepi made successive starts this season for the first time. The 21-year-old duly followed his goal and assist from the 3-0 win over NAC Breda before the international break with a hat-trick in their 5-0 thrashing of Groningen.
Pepi celebrates after scoring his team’s fifth against Groningen (Broer van den Boom/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
It puts Pepi on nine goals to date this term — he is joint-top scorer in the division alongside FC Twente’s Sem Steijn. But, while the latter has clocked nine goals from 11 starts for his fifth-placed team, Pepi has that many from just four starts. Other clubs across Europe are by now well aware of his prowess, and have taken note of his relative lack of opportunities.De Jong has five more starts than Pepi, and three fewer goals which would suggest that, at 34, his prolific powers are beginning to ebb. So how could Bosz perform a better balancing act between a club icon and what could be one in the making (if he stays in Eindhoven for long enough)?Could PSV go two up front, giving both men a chance to shine together? It appears not.Asked in his post-match press conference if it is an option, Bosz appeared to shut it down. “For years we have had a system that everyone thrives on and that is with one striker,” he said.When pressed further on whether Pepi’s remarkable form is making his selection task harder he was giving nothing away. ”No, I’m happy to have two good strikers,“ insisted Bosz.
The familiar sight of Pepi replacing De Jong (Photo Prestige/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Almost as taciturn after the game was Pepi himself, who was grilled by ESPN on how it feels to be in and out of the team when playing so well — not least with three goals in his last four appearances for the USMNT under new manager Pochettino.“No matter when my name is called, I am going to be ready and I have been showing that,” he said. “I’m going to keep preparing and working hard. (Whether Pepi is picked) is not my decision. That’s the coach’s decision and it’s completely out of my control so I just focus on what I can control.Advertisement“I’ve said it before, mentally it can be difficult, but sometimes you get rewarded and get a couple of starts and all of a sudden everything changes a little bit.”Whether anything changes after his latest heroics remains to be seen. The team sheets for their next two games, Wednesday’s Champions League tie with Shakhtar Donetsk and Sunday’s top-vs-second clash with FC Utrecht, will be intriguing. But if there is a succession plan in the pipeline, Bosz needs to ensure Pepi enjoys more opportunities to thrive as he has in the last two league games.
Quote of the weekend
“Right now, everything he touches turns to gold. I think it’s very nice for him.”
PSV and Netherlands midfielder Guus Til, who also scored against Groningen, was another mightily impressed by the USMNT star’s hat-trick.
Player of the weekend
One young American who is getting the game time his performances deserve in the Eredivisie is Aaronson. And no wonder, with the 21-year-old involved in yet another goal for Utrecht as the team hot on PSV’s heels won again on Sunday.
Aaronson’s assist for Yoann Cathline in the 2-1 victory at NEC Nijmegen made it three goal contributions in three games. The loanee now boasts four goals and two assists in 10 starts so far this season.
The New Jersey native has knuckled down in another loan spell away from parent club Eintracht Frankfurt (who intend on making him a first-team regular next term), and is thriving in Holland after a harder spell in a doomed relegation scrap with Vitesse Arnhem last term.
Aaronson holds off NEC’s Rober Gonzalez (Broer van den Boom/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
Graphic of the weekend
Over 18 months since his previous consistent involvement at club level, Tyler Adams has logged consecutive starts for AFC Bournemouth — you’d be forgiven if you didn’t remember he plays there given how infrequently he has been fit to feature — on either side of the November window.
After a 67-minute shift against Brentford on November 9, the midfielder remained in Andoni Iraola’s lineup for Saturday’s visit from fellow south coasters Brighton, exiting after 65 minutes with a tidy performance to show for his efforts.
Iraola likely won’t conflate correlation with causation as the Cherries suffered defeat in both of Adams’ recent starts. Each was decided by a single goal, after all. Adams showed some signs of rust on Brighton’s first goal on Saturday, as Danny Welbeck and former Leeds team-mate Georginio Rutter deftly passed around him in the build-up. On both goals, Adams made recovery runs to get back into defensive position, showing he should still have the pace to be impactful at this high of a level.ow all that’s left is getting back that previously uncanny reading of sequences and more decisive defending when able.But sometimes, the most mundane of updates can provide the greatest comfort. Sometimes, just seeing a player make it through a pair of starts is its own kind of solace.Jeff Rueter
Pochettino was very complimentary about Tessmann after his performance in the second CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final win over Jamaica last week. The USMNT boss said he hoped to see him get more starts for Lyon too, but Tessmann was back on the bench for the financially troubled French club and had to be content with a nine-minute cameo in the 1-1 draw with Reims.
Name: Taylor Booth Club: FC Utrecht Position: Midfielder Games: 8
Another young American trying to make a bright impression at Utrecht is Booth, who has not had as many starts as Aaronson but features regularly for Ron Jans’ side from the bench. Booth got onto the field again on Sunday and did well, creating a chance and looking bright on the ball.
Booth replaces Miguel Rodriguez against NEC (ANP via Getty Images)
The 22-year-old scored in his Belgian side’s 4-0 win against Kortrijk, and looks fully recovered from the knee complaint that ruled him out for four games earlier in the season. Westerlo are seventh in the league.
The USMNT playmaker made his long-awaited return from injury for the Bundesliga side in their 4-0 win over Freiburg on Saturday at Signal Iduna Park. His 12 minutes off the bench were his first action for his club since August and manager Nuri Sahin was pleased.
“Gio trained brilliantly this week,” he said in the post-game press conference. “It’s important to get training minutes and, if possible, as many minutes as possible into the legs.”
The challenge for Reyna, once fully fit, is to convince Sahin he should be a regular starter — an objective that proved so difficult under previous manager Edin Terzic.
Reyna urges his team on against Freiburg (Hesham Elsherif/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
When Mauricio Pochettino was a rugged enforcer, and why he wants his USMNT to follow suit
auricio Pochettino’s goals as United States men’s coach are big and bold and complicated by both historical realities and current perceptions. Turn the national team into a competitive international power. Capitalize on the opportunity of a lifetime presented by the next World Cup. Tap into the sport’s massive, unfulfilled American potential.His first impression to the U.S. audience is one of a smart-suited tactician of global repute with a $6 million annual contract, but in 1989, Pochettino was a rough-edged, 17-year-old defender trying to earn himself a pro soccer career. Back then, the tasks were less ambitious but more direct. ‘Go soften up the opposing No. 9,’ he was told by his veteran teammates and coaches at Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys. The instruction was clear, the execution bruising.A message-sending challenge. A knee to the back of the thigh. A cleat to the ankle. No quarter given. No apology offered.Could it be that kind of mindset the USMNT needs as much as implied promises of formational focus and technical improvement? Pochettino is perceived as a savant, but his methods and motivations are founded on willpower and ferocity.
Even after the 2022 World Cup cycle and winning several regional trophies, questions continue to be asked about this team’s mentality and whether they can tap into the spicier aspects of the world’s game.
It was billed as the newly minted Pochettino’s first major test. On Oct. 15, the Americans traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico, to face their eternal rivals in a prime-time friendly with nothing but pride on the line.
As he’d played 67 minutes two days earlier against Panama, Pochettino allowed star Christian Pulisic to travel back early to his club, Milan, instead of being involved, to limit the winger’s minutes. Pulisic is enjoying the best moment of his career in Serie A, and his absence that night in Guadalajara left a leadership void. Mexico won their individual battles and bullied their visitors en route to a 2-0 win.
Pochettino’s side were listless, uninspired.Soft, perhaps?U.S. central defender Tim Ream seemed to think so.“It comes down to fighting for each other and being even more aggressive. We didn’t match (Mexico’s) intensity and that’s on us,” Ream told Sirius XM last week. “Bare minimum, you have to match the opponent’s intensity throughout the 90 minutes.”
Tim Ream during the loss to Mexico last month. (Ulises Ruiz / AFP / Getty Images)
The performances improved this month during a two-leg CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal versus Jamaica. A 1-0 away win in Kingston was followed by a convincing 4-2 victory in St. Louis. But that loss to Mexico has not been completely erased.The overwhelming takeaway from it was that this U.S. team still lacks fight and grit. That it’s more naive than it is talented, and that without Pulisic, it lacks a decisive player. It’s a concern, with the next World Cup in 2026, an event largely hosted by the United States, looming ever closer.Coupled with an embarrassing Copa America on home soil over the summer, the events from Guadalajara raised doubts about this side’s ability to manage high-stakes situations. The two wins over Jamaica will have built confidence internally, but the Reggae Boyz are no world power. Pochettino likes to talk about “the other football,” the intangibles, the steeled edge, the dark arts of soccer.Gamesmanship and deception are attributes rarely associated with the game in America. Around the world, however, those characteristics come together and are ingrained in players from a young age. Soccer is played differently stateside, and that cultural disconnect has become Pochettino’s principal concern as he takes over a team that, at times, has come off as uninterested and privileged.Pochettino has sent a message early in his tenure that a squad place under him should not be taken for granted. “We have to challenge the players, because they have to feel desperate to want to be called up; that’s what other federations like Argentina do, where the players don’t choose which games they go to,” he said before the first leg against Jamaica.
“In terms of how to translate the competitive spirit to the players, we have to do it little by little and step by step. That’s something that we can’t do too quickly because in the end, the most important thing is creating a structure around the players that has that ideology and mentality, and that our priorities are all aligned.”It raises the question: Why is this an issue for this U.S. men’s national team?
As an Argentine, it’s perhaps impossible for Pochettino to grasp that an opportunity to play for the national team is anything less than a dream. It doesn’t matter whether it’s your first cap or your 78th. Argentina, a star-studded side led by Lionel Messi and the reigning world champions, have come to epitomize what that commitment looks like.“The Argentinian player is desperate to be called up, doesn’t matter if it’s a friendly or a CONCACAF game, or Copa America, or a World Cup,” Pochettino said earlier this month during a video call with reporters. “The Argentinian player approaches a call-up like it’s a world final and like it’s their last chance.“I think our players have time to get into that mindset, and if we do, we’ll increase our level by 200 percent and we’ll have a chance, because we certainly have the talent to do something important.”
Mauricio Pochettino wants his players to be more cunning. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
The CONCACAF Nations League doesn’t carry much prestige, but it’s the only competitive tournament the U.S. will participate in before the 2026 World Cup. Speaking to reporters from Jamaica, Pochettino talked about putting his players in “uncomfortable zones” and raising the team’s emotional capacity to play do-or-die matches.“We need to build that expectation. We need to build that pressure,” Pochettino said. “We are USA. We need to perform and we need to win games.“If one of my players is kicked, we’re going to defend him. We have to be cunning enough to know when to kick the ball long or to stand in front of the ball. These are things that may seem like small details, but they have everything to do with playing this game. What we showed against Mexico was the opposite of what we showed against Jamaica. That’s the stamp that we want.”
Pochettino is being open about his first impressions of the players he’s inherited. It will be fascinating to watch the plan he and his staff implement as they try to turn the U.S. into a mentally hardened team — one that’s difficult to play against, as Pochettino put it. That certainly wasn’t what defined this same group under predecessor Gregg Berhalter, despite his best attempts to change their mindset.
When Pochettino was hired, his man-management skills were highlighted as a positive for this U.S. team. He had presided over the egos and personalities of Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain. He coached in the Premier League and a UEFA Champions League final. His tactics, focused on aggressive pressing and quick attacking sequences born out of possession, were also noted as a match for these U.S. players.But it’s Pochettino’s background as a rugged Argentine central defender that could be the secret to success for the men’s side.
When Gerardo “Tata” Martino met Pochettino in 1989, he saw a nervous teenager who was about to face the pressures of football in Argentina. At the time, Martino was a title-winning captain at Newell’s Old Boys. Pochettino, still raw, had been discovered by Jorge Giffa, a renowned identifier of talent for the club, and fast-tracked towards the first team.“I didn’t meet the man who would become a head coach,” Martino told The Athletic in August. “I met a player who had the typical anxiety and expectation of someone who was just starting his career. There was no way for me to even fathom that (Pochettino) would go into coaching. I met him when he was 17 years old and he had a massive responsibility ahead of him because Newell’s was in a difficult situation, facing relegation.”
Mauricio Pochettino was an old-school defender. (Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images)
Martino, who resigned as Inter Miami coach last week, knows Pochettino well. He has also coached and suffered through the idiosyncrasies of CONCACAF football as Mexico’s national team manager from 2019 to 2022.A Newell’s legend of three league titles as a player and another as the coach, Martino quickly spotted the young Pochettino’s fearless edge.“He was the prototypical central defender from that era, at a time when there was little talk about defenders making the first pass to break a line,” Martino said. “Rather, it was about how they defended, how they marked the opposition, their ability to anticipate and win balls in the air. That was Mauricio.”
In Guillem Balague’s 2017 book “Brave New World: Inside Pochettino’s Spurs,” Pochettino described a run-in he had with Martino during one of his first Newell’s training sessions. “I was 17, young and hungry. Not scared of anybody, cocky even,” Pochettino said.According to Pochettino, Martino quipped, “I’m going to kill you” after receiving a tough tackle from the academy defender.“No, there’s no chance,” Martino said emphatically with a laugh when asked whether he had threatened his rookie teammate. “Surely something must’ve happened. I was a player who had been in the top flight for almost 10 years. Mauricio was a kid who was just starting. That happened often back then. Today, those types of things don’t happen as often. It was normal for an experienced player to have a word with a young player who was just starting out.”Pochettino the enforcer further thrived when Marcelo Bielsa took over as Newell’s coach in 1990. Led by Bielsa and playing alongside Martino, Pochettino would win two league titles and reach a Copa Libertadores final in 1992. That squad’s relentless, high-pressing intensity is a characteristic Pochettino later adopted as a manager. His hire as U.S. men’s national team coach comes at a time when Argentine managers are in high demand.U.S. Soccer officials didn’t pinpoint that when they announced his appointment in September, but Martino believes Pochettino’s heritage is part of a growing trend.
“I think that’s an important piece to all of this,” Martino said. “Right now, coaches from Argentina, because of everything that has happened with the national team, are well respected, and that opens doors to be considered for certain jobs. I wouldn’t simply compare Mauricio to other Argentine coaches, though.”
Pochettino has been largely molded by European footballing methodologies. He is a sophisticated student of the game who has lived and coached in Barcelona, London and Paris. His DNA, though, is from rural Argentina. His core memories as a player at Newell’s are replete with blood, sweat and massive pressure.“Argentine coaches have become accustomed to difficult situations that aren’t as common today,” Martino said. “There was a time when coaches wouldn’t get paid, or they had to deal with the club’s ultras and the hostility of difficult moments. But those negative experiences strengthen you, they give you thicker skin.”Martino, though, stressed Pochettino will have to “learn how to become a national team manager.” Regardless of Pochettino’s qualifications and his implementation of progressive tactics early on, he’s in his first-ever stint as an international coach. Although so was Lionel Scaloni when he led Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022.There were calls for the U.S. Soccer Federation to hire another American after Berhalter was fired.
Fans and pundits passionately discussed the importance of understanding the psyche of an American player. Tapping into the courage that defined previous U.S. teams was seen as a priority.Pochettino is an outsider who has read the room accurately. He knows a player’s resume and potential are secondary to their willingness to swallow their pride for the good of their country. Case in point, his response to that comfortable home win over Jamaica last week.“In the second half, we didn’t approach the game in the way we wanted,” he said. “The goal was to win the second half, and we didn’t approach it with the same intensity and mentality. It shows we still have things we need to improve.”
Internationally, the reputation of the U.S. men’s team eroded over the summer. They were humbled by opponents who were unafraid to test the limits of the sport’s rules. Their Copa America preparation, which included losing 5-1 against Colombia, and the group-stage elimination that followed, sent the wrong message to the world.he improvement Pochettino demands must come on the sport’s biggest stage in 2026. There is no other option.If the squad cannot align culturally with its new manager at a World Cup held mostly on home soil, the repercussions will lead to a renewed evaluation of the American player.
It’s all eyes on Kansas City, as the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit take the pitch one last time in Saturday’s NWSL Championship. The No. 1 Pride are staring down their first-ever title, while the No. 2 Spirit look to tack on another star after their 2021 win.
The matchup: With the head-to-head advantage between the two teams, Orlando remains the only squad to defeat Washington twice this season.The Pride’s second win over Washington also served as their 2024 Shield coronation, while the same match saw Spirit captain Andi Sullivan sidelined with a season-ending ACL tear. Vets vs. rooks: NWSL newcomers have been stepping up for the Spirit all season, most recently via Hal Hershfelt’s equalizer against Gotham last weekend — a rocket of a header that helped propel Washington into the finals.The Pride’s strength lies in Brazilian icon Marta and Zambian sharpshooter Barbra Banda, who’ve proven unstoppable in the attack throughout the postseason. Bottom line: Expect things come down to whichever team manages to score at will, with Washington finishing second in the regular-season goals scored and Orlando following closely at third.Tune in: The NWSL Championship kicks off on Saturday at 8 PM ET, with live coverage on CBS.
US Men Impressive in 4-2 Shellacking of Jamaica
The US men looked world beaters in the first half as Poch Ball showed us what that can mean for a US team looking to attack. 2 Fantastic goals by Pulisic and a goal by our new #9 showed what the US might be in for pushing forward with Pulisic at the #10 slot. Wow !!
Funny I can’t find any stories on the MLS Playoffs on the Normal Sports Media – maybe showing all your playoff games on Apple is Backfiring — NO ONE CARES MLS !!
The College Showcase Season is upon us !
TV SCHEDULE
Games with US Players
Tuesday
Slovan Bratislava vs AC Milan, 12:45p on Paramount+, FuboTV (free trial), TUDN USA, UniMás, ViX: Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and Milan are on the road in UEFA Champions League matchday 5.
Also in action:
Burnley vs Coventry City, 2:45p on Paramount+: Luca Koleosho, Haji Wright injured (Champ rd 17)
Barnsley vs Reading, 2:45p: Gaga Slonina (League One rd 11)
Wednesday
Aston Villa vs Juventus, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juve get the Champions League party started for the day when they make the trip to Birmingham.
Celtic vs Club Brugge, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic host Belgian side Brugge in Champions League.
Dinamo Zagreb vs Borussia Dortmund, 3p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, FuboTV, ViX: Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and BVB visit Zagreb in Champions League.
PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV host Shakhtar in Champions League.
Also in action:
Red Star Belgrade vs VfB Stuttgart, 12:45p on Paramount+, ViX: Anrie Chase and Stuttgart visit Crvena Zvezda in Champions League.
Leeds United vs Luton Town, 2:45p on Paramount+: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds host Luton in the Championship.
Middlesbrough vs Blackburn Rovers, 2:45p on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro host Blackburn in the Championship.
América vs Toluca, 8p: Alex Zendejas and América are at home in Liga MX’s Apertura playoff quarterfinal.
Thursday
Qarabağ vs Lyon, 12:45p on Paramount+, ViX: Tanner Tessmann and Lyon are on the road in Europa League.
Midtjylland vs Eintracht Frankfurt, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Nathaniel Brown and Frankfurt visit Midtjylland in Europa League.
Monterrey vs Pumas UNAM, 10:10p: Brandon Vázquez and Rayados host Pumas in another Liga MX Apertura playoff quarterfinal.
Also in action:
Borac Banja Luka vs LASK Linz, 12:45p on Paramount+, ViX: George Bello and LASK are on the road in Europa Conference League.
Heidenheim vs Chelsea FC, 12:45p on Paramount+, ViX: Lennard Maloney and Heidenheim host Chelsea in Conference League.
Friday
Brøndby vs AaB, 1p: Justin Che and Brøndby host Aalborg in the Danish Superliga.
Brighton vs Southampton, 3p: German-American manager Fabian Hürzeler leads Brighton in their home match against Southampton in the Premier League.
It is no longer a coincidence or a quirk. Italy’s oldest and most-played derby now has a distinct flavor to it and it’s an undeniably American one.
On Saturday, Milan host Juventus in Serie A, with an expected four United States internationals in action, three points at stake, two of the most prestigious soccer brands in the world and one common thread — they both need to win.
Before that, no top-level Italian game had featured four Americans. They were at it again in April this year — a goalless draw after Juventus’ previous win — and now this time-worn fixture, so drenched in a rivalry that’s all about prestige, not location, has its Stars and Stripes subplot once more. Milan sits uncomfortably in seventh in the table after a fitful start, six points behind sixth-placed Juventus.
The urgency of this contest will not be lost on the growing audience of U.S. soccer fans tuning into Paramount’s coverage on Saturday morning, after the quartet all started the national team’s most recent two fixtures, both CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final wins over Jamaica last week.
From a USMNT standpoint, this is an elite cast.
Pulisic has had a scintillating sophomore season in Italy. He is his team’s leading goalscorer with five in 11 league appearances (plus two in the Champions League) and is tied with team-mate Rafael Leao for league assists, with three.
He has stepped up at big moments: scoring the winner against rivals Inter in September’s Derby della Madonnina, the bright spot of their domestic campaign so far.
It was the second of a four-game spree of excellence and Pulisic netted in all of them, also scoring and assisting against Liverpool and Real Madrid respectively in Europe.
He is winning rave reviews. “The Midas of Milanello … the centerpiece … there is no AC Milan without him,” declared Italy’s most-read newspaper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, earlier this month. “(Pulisic is) undoubtedly the most technically gifted player in the Rossoneri squad.”
Olivier Giroud, who until last season led the line for Milan and benefited from Pulisic’s deliveries, is busy preparing for his own big game in MLS at the weekend, a Western Conference semifinal against the Seattle Sounders.
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He told The Athletic he believes the U.S. playmaker has become one of Milan’s main men.
“Christian now is getting more mature in his game and getting more decisive and efficient,” he said from Los Angeles. “He is so important to that team, so I was not worried about his adaptation to Serie A.
“He just proved from the start of this season and so far that he is one of Milan’s key players. He can play different positions up front, he is very versatile, he is a key player for the team and for himself. He is doing really well and I hope he’s going to end this derby winning against his team-mate (McKennie) on the national team.”
Giroud has fond memories of facing Juventus. In May 2023, he scored the only goal as Milan beat their rivals at the Allianz Stadium.
“Scoring a winner (in that derby) is a great memory for me,” he said. “It was always nice to play in that stadium, obviously playing Juventus is always a big game. I think the team that will win that game will go forward with good momentum; both teams need consistency in their rhythm.
“It’s still the beginning of the season, but they need a big win to build on that game, to carry on good momentum. A derby is a game you need to win, no matter what. Here in LA, I could feel the enthusiasm from the fans surrounding this derby (the ‘El Trafico’ rivalry between LAFC and the LA Galaxy).
“It’s always a tough game, but you need to show the best version of yourself. If you don’t play 110 percent of your quality, you can always be disappointed. Those games (like Milan v Juventus) are special games, everybody is watching.”
For him, it is not unnatural that Saturday’s clash at the San Siro will have such an American theme.
“I am not surprised because these players have a good spirit,” Giroud added. “They listen to instructions and advice, they just have so many qualities. These are all very talented players.”
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Alongside Pulisic for Milan is 21-year-old Musah, himself enjoying a strong season and hitting form ahead of the Juventus showdown, after creating one of the goals in the USMNT’s 4-2 victory over Jamaica on Tuesday.
The former Valencia midfielder is held in high regard by Mauricio Pochettino, having started all four of the new USMNT manager’s games in charge and won positive reviews for his expansive midfield efforts in the 3-1 Champions League victory in Madrid.
Weston McKennie and Tim Weah enjoy an April victory (Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images)
In Turin, McKennie and Weah have had impressive campaigns. The former went from again being linked with a summer exit to signing a fresh contract under new manager Thiago Motta.
McKennie is battling hard for a regular spot and has started just four Serie A games this season, while scoring once and providing two assists in eight total appearances.
Then there is Weah. It has been an especially eventful five months for the 24-year-old in the context of an eventful two years.
In summer 2023, his potential at French club Lille was rewarded by Juventus, who signed him on a five-year contract. It was a symbolic move to Italy, the nation where his iconic father, George Weah, starred for Milan between 1995 and 2000.
He made 30 appearances in his first season and went into the Copa America high on confidence, only for his shock red card against Panama to contribute to the Americans being bounced from the tournament, an outcome that cost head coach Gregg Berhalter his job.
Weah has recovered strongly at club level, has scored four times in Serie A, and was described by McKennie after the Jamaica win as being in “flying” form.
“I’m happy for him as well because last year he was more in a defensive role,” McKennie told The Athletic. “It takes a little bit away from his characteristics because wingers aren’t normally used to running so much.
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“But he held up his role last year and then I think this year we can see a little bit more of a true Tim in the attacking position, taking players on, getting crosses off, scoring goals, getting in the box.
“I think it’s amazing for him. It’s always good to see a fellow American on the scoresheet whenever you can, so when he scores I’m normally the first one that gets up and is like, ‘Yeah! Let’s go, Tim!’.”
For Weah himself, Saturday’s game contains added emotional resonance given it is against the club his father won two Serie A titles with and was awarded the Ballon d’Or at the height of his prowess.
“It’s amazing. It’s a dream come true,” he said of his Italian experience. “You can see the progress in the national team, not just as being four players in Italy, but pretty much everyone’s playing in Europe.
“I think it’s the only way the sport’s going to get bigger here. You just have to keep leading that way and paving the way for the younger guys.” American influence in Serie A is felt emphatically on the financial front, with eight of the league’s 20 clubs having U.S. investors, including Jerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital in Milan. Atalanta and Fiorentina, who sit second and third consecutively in the league, have majority U.S. owners. On Saturday, however, it is the national team’s impact that will be part of the very fabric of the action, as the American footprint on a classic rivalry treads a little deeper.
USMNT advances to CONCACAF Nations League semifinals with goals from Pulisic, Pepi, Weah
ST. LOUIS — The U.S. men’s national team put on a show in a 4-2 win over Jamaica on Monday night, advancing to the CONCACAF Natins League semifinals for a fourth consecutive time.
The U.S. entered the night with a goal advantage from Thursday’s first leg but played some of its best soccer of the past year to take a three-goal lead into halftime before pulling out the win.
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It was smooth, controlled possession through the first 45 minutes and Jamaica looked overwhelmed. Christian Pulisic opened things in the 14th minute when he finished cleanly off a long ball played in by Weston McKennie and then caused the second goal in the 33rd minute after a nice combination up the right side in which McKennie’s pass back across the middle was dummied by Tanner Tessmann and Pulisic’s shot found the far post off a deflection.
Ricardo Pepi made it 3-0 in the 42nd minute with a finish to the far post from just atop the box and Tim Weah added a fourth in the second half. Jamaica scored either side of the Weah goal, but the U.S. was largely in control of the match.
It was a resounding win in Mauricio Pochettino’s first competitive home game as national team manager.
The U.S. will play in the Nations League semifinals in March as it looks to defend a three-consecutive title run. Panama is also through, with the other two ties — Suriname-Canada and Honduras-Mexico — being decided on Tuesday.
Tim Weah celebrates scoring for the U.S. against Jamaica. (Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
USMNT stars stand out
As the U.S. prepares for the World Cup it will co-host with Canada and Mexico in 2026, its hopes will rely mostly on the biggest-name players in the team. Pulisic has been the team’s star, but McKennie has filled a critical role across several positions in the last cycle and a half, and Weah has been a quietly productive player.
Monday night against Jamaica, it was that trio of players who paced the U.S. to the win.
Pulisic scored the opener and his shot was deflected in for the second goal. He also set up the fourth goal by holding off a Jamaica defender and flicking the ball out to Yunus Musah, whose cross found Weah for the finish.
Weah, making his first appearance for the U.S. since his costly red card in the Copa America against Panama in June, was also consistently dangerous in combination play with Pulisic up the left wing.
McKennie played a higher central role in this window under Pochettino and said this week he enjoys the chance to be more dangerous. Against Jamaica on Monday, he proved that his passing can, at times, be his best quality. McKennie picked out Pulisic for the finish on the first goal and his centering cross set up the second.
Pulisic and McKennie exited together in the 69th minute to a huge ovation from the home crowd.
Among the most interesting parts of the first-half performance was how the U.S. built up in possession when it had the ball.
Left back Antonee Robinson moved centrally into an inverted role next to Tessmann, and Musah dropped from a right midfield role into a lower position. Right back Joe Scally then moved higher. On the left side, Pulisic came wide into the area vacated by Robinson with Weah staying at his left winger spot above Pulisic.
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The rotation seemed to confuse Jamaica and created space for Pulisic and Weah, especially, to cause problems up the left side. That eventually opened up more space on the right, and McKennie took advantage to help create the second goal.
It was a new look from the U.S. under Pochettino, but one that seemed both to neutralize Jamaica’s wing play by pulling its players out of position and create more room for Pulisic to try to combine and create in dangerous spaces.
The U.S. did alter that buildup in the second half, with Pulisic staying in a more central role.
Tanner Tessman continued his strong on-field performance in the second game against Jamaica. (Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
Tessmann looks solid
Getting his second start in midfield under Pochettino, Tessmann put in a solid shift in a central role as he looks to stake his claim on a job with the U.S. team.
The U.S. has been searching for more midfield options to create competition centrally, especially with Pochettino opting to play Musah in a wide role and with Tyler Adams still working his way back to fitness. Tessmann was a late call-up into October’s camp but had a solid outing in a loss to Mexico, earning him more chances this month.
Tessmann was good starting on the road in Jamaica last week — Pochettino said one could see his huge potential — and the former FC Dallas homegrown put in another strong performance in the home leg, playing next to McKennie. He completed 73 of 74 passes, made five recoveries, won two duels and one interception and his dummy helped set up the U.S. second goal, freezing Jamaican defenders and allowing Pulisic to get his shot on net.
What’s next?
Pochettino won’t get a chance to work with his top group of players again until the semi-finals in March, but the U.S. will hold a January camp and will play friendlies as part of that, including against Venezuela on Jan. 18 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Concacaf Nations League Finals matchups set as USMNT goes for 4th straight title
The United States Men’s National Team are headed back to the Concacaf Nations League Finals after taking out Jamaica 4-2 on Monday night in St. Louis. There, Canada, Mexico, and Panama await the 3-time defending Nations League champions for the right to hold a trophy that has only been touched by the United States.
The Concacaf Nations League Finals tournament will take place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with the semifinals taking place on March 20th and the final and third place match occurring on March 23rd. Following the conclusion of the quarterfinal matches, Concacaf confirmed the schedule for that tournament.The four teams were ranked based on the quarterfinal results, with points and then goal differential determining the seeds. The final standings after all the quarterfinals were played:
There have been three editions of the Concacaf Nations League, and the USMNT have won them all. They lifted the trophy in 2021, 2023, and 2024. They hope to do it again, but will have to first face a Panama team that they saw just last month in a friendly in Austin. There, the USMNT won, but in the past 2 competitions where they’ve faced each other – 2024 Copa América and 2023 Gold Cup – Panama has won. The USMNT will hope to get back on the winning track against Los Canaleros and advance to the final with a chance to hang onto the trophy.
The Concacaf Nations League Finals schedule:
Thursday, March 20, 2025 – Semifinals 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT – USA vs Panama 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PT – Canada vs Mexico
Sunday, March 23, 2025 – Third Place Match and Final 6:00pm ET/3:00pm PT – Third Place Match (3:00 pm) Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2 9:30pm ET/6:30pm PT – Concacaf Nations League Final
Pulisic celebrates USMNT goal by copying Trump’s dance moves: ‘I just thought it was funny’
ST. LOUIS — U.S. men’s national team star Christian Pulisic became the latest professional athlete to celebrate on the field by doing the Donald Trump dance trend, moving his arms and hips similarly to the signature moves of the president-elect after scoring the opening goal in the United States’ 4-2 win over Jamaica on Monday night.
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“Well obviously that’s the Trump dance,” Pulisic said when asked whether he intentionally celebrated with viral moves. “It was just a dance that everyone’s doing. He’s the one who created it. I just thought it was funny.”
Several other athletes across sports have done the viral dance in the last few days, including UFC fighter Jon Jones, with Trump ringside for his match, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and several other college and NFL football players, including Tennessee Titans wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Detroit Lions defensive players Za’Darius Smith and Malcolm Rodriguez.
“I saw everyone doing it yesterday in the NFL, I saw Jon Jones do it,” Pulisic said after the game. “We’re just having a bit of fun, so I thought it was a pretty fun dance.”
As the trend has taken off across sports, it’s unclear whether the celebration is a political endorsement or just a dance players think is amusing. Though Pulisic said he was only having a “bit of fun.” His celebration quickly gained attention on social media platforms, including from former U.S. men’s national team defender and Fox analyst Alexi Lalas, as well as Outkick founder Clay Travis, among others.
Tanner Tessmann: Lyon, the Olympics — and 3 texts that changed everything
Tanner Tessmann woke up on a Saturday morning last month to three text messages that meant his plans were changing — and maybe his life.
Tessmann and his wife intended to buy some furniture for their new place in Lyon, France. That was out the window. A few injuries had opened up spots on the U.S. men’s national team roster and Mauricio Pochettino was summoning Tessmann to be part of his first camp as U.S. coach.
“Now we’ll just have to push those plans back a few weeks,” Tessmann remembers thinking, as he read through his text messages.
It was a good problem to have.
It had been a busy summer for the 23-year-old and, at times, a tumultuous one. The midfielder knew it was time to move on from Italian club Venezia, where he had spent the previous three seasons. Tessman started 39 games as Venezia was promoted from Serie B to Serie A, but he felt ready for a change.
Tanner Tessmann had three years at Venezia (Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
A move to Inter Milan almost happened, but there were complications regarding where Tessmann would play in 2024-25. Inter wanted to send him on loan, but they couldn’t reach an agreement on where Tessmann would spend the season. In the end, he decided to pause transfer talk while he went to the Olympics with the U.S. team.
The experience in Paris was invigorating. Tessmann wore the captain’s armband as the U.S. advanced out of group play before falling in the knockout stages. For Tessmann, though, it was a profound experience.
“I just really felt that with the group everybody was so dedicated to what we were trying to do,” Tessmann told The Athletic during an interview at the team hotel in Guadalajara, Mexico last month.
“When you have guys like that, it just creates something special. And win, lose or draw, we had such a good time… And then to be Team USA at the Olympics, there’s no better team to be a part of anywhere in the world. The way we got treated, to see other American athletes compete and go to some events and support them, and to be a part of that, is incredible.”
After returning from France, Tessmann finally learned his future would be in… France.
A move to Lyon was finalized, with the Ligue 1 side paying $6.7million (£5.3m) to bring him into the squad. On the field, Tessmann felt it was a different level for him to push himself. Rather than taking part in a likely relegation battle with Venezia, Tessmann was joining a team that was playing in European competition (the Europa League).
“It was a big step for me,” Tessmann said. “I mean, it’s a team that is always trying to fight for the French Cup and always trying to fight for the league, and then always trying to fight for Europa League or Champions League. In the midfield, we have World Cup winners, Champions League winners, players that have won the league in different countries. So it’s just a team full of winners. And I think the level in training and the standard is a different level.”
Quickly, he learned that the tactical game he learned in Italy was going to be supplemented by new emphases in Ligue 1. Tessmann said play is “a lot more individual, one-vs-one dribbling, one-vs-one defending, really athletic players that can really open the field quickly.” Tessmann was thrilled the move was pushing him to find a more physical part of his game.
He started a 2-1 victory against Toulouse in September that Pochettino’s staff saw live, which contributed to his call into October camp. Tessmann said he understood how fleeting these chances might be.
Tessmann playing for Lyon against Toulouse (Matthieu Rondel/AFP via Getty Images)
“No matter how I got here, we all have different paths, we’re all in different parts of our careers,” Tessmann said. “I’m here just like anybody else, and now I can make an impression.”
Tessmann made a positive impression in his first days under Pochettino and was one of few players who showed a bit of something in a 2-0 loss to Mexico on the road.
Pochettino has said he hopes that instability doesn’t alter the environment Tessmann needs to continue to grow and refine his game. Tessmann made enough of an impact that Pochettino called him back into camp this month and gave him the call to start in the 1-0 first-leg win in Jamaica.
Tessmann started against Jamaica last week (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
“We have really liked his quality, his ability to understand the game, everything, the balance that he brings,” Pochettino said on Sunday.
“I think that he is a player who, in my opinion, has not shown all the potential that he has. He has enormous potential. We have to help him to continue growing and let’s hope that Lyon solves all the problems… and can have stability and find that stability that will give him consistency to continue progressing.”
Tessmann acquitted himself well in midfield in Kingston, Jamaica. He completed 35 of 38 passes, won four of five duels and made three recoveries in midfield. His teammates took note — and Tessmann might get another shot to make an impression tonight in St. Louis.
“From when he first came into camp to where he is now, I’ve seen a big change in him, confidence-wise, and his quality is showing through,” left-back Antonee Robinson said. “So whenever he gets a chance, he’ll be putting everything to try and keep that place.”
If he can keep it, the hope for Tessmann is that while those texts last month may have delayed moving a couch, they also opened a path to the World Cup in 2026.
(Top photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
But the U.S. goal scorer said he wasn’t concerned with whether people on social media reacted to the dance as more than he intended.
“No, not at all,” Pulisic said. “It’s not a political dance. It was just for fun. I saw a bunch of people do it and I thought it was funny, so I enjoyed it. I hope some people did, at least.”
Emma Hayes names USWNT roster for final 2024 friendlies: No Rodman, Swanson or Smith
The U.S. women’s national team roster is set for the final two friendlies of the year against England and the Netherlands, with coach Emma Hayes naming 24 players to her training camp roster. Once again, new names and potential debuts are on the line for the national team. This time, Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Utah Royals FC forward (and under-20 USYNT captain) Ally Sentnor got their first call-ups under Hayes.
Rodman might get to go home after Saturday’s final between the Spirit and the Pride, but teammates Casey Krueger and Hal Hershfelt as well as Orlando’s Emily Sams will be making the trip from Kansas City to Heathrow later this weekend to join up with the rest of the squad.
Speaking about the roster after Monday’s reveal, Hayes said the decisions regarding Rodman, Smith and Swanson were taken “in the best interest” of the players.
“Not one of these players wants to ever miss a game for playing for their country,” Hayes said. “I want to be really clear about that. But I want to make sure these players are prepared for a long time to come. When you’re in the back end of a season, you’ve played a lot. Your body’s tired, your mind’s tired. That’s where, you know, sometimes it can become risky.”
The big news ahead of the roster announcement was Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes committing to the U.S. She’ll be the only teenager on the national team this time around, as both Alyssa Thompson and Jaedyn Shaw turn 20 years old this month.
There are already high expectations around Yohannes and what she might offer the USWNT midfield, but Hayes and her technical staff have already shown a clear pattern of patience, allowing Yohannes time and space to make a crucial decision. While Yohannes already has big game experience with Ajax and in Champions League play, there’s plenty of time between the first couple of friendlies as an official USWNT player and World Cup qualification to allow her to settle in with the team.
As much as the development of such a potential talent is crucial, there is the small matter of the final friendly of the year taking place in the Netherlands — the other nation that was vying for Yohannes. This one will feel personal for the teenager.
On Monday, Hayes didn’t hold back expressing her excitement for Yohannes’ commitment, calling it “massive for us.”
“Everybody’s showing the importance of, you’ve got to get the plan right when someone like Lily is faced with such an interesting choice, but she has been really clear with me,” Hayes said. “I had a really good chat with her this week. The camp she came into in May was such an enjoyable one for her that she’d been thinking about that ever since.
“She really wants to progress now with her international career, and she knows she has to work hard with the playing pool being as strong as it is. But I think she’s an exceptional talent, and I’m delighted that we can develop a very young Lily Yohannes over the next few years to prepare her for a future with the national team.”
Two more new faces
After Hayes gave seven uncapped players their debuts during the last international window — during the Olympics victory tour, no less — finding minutes for just two new players should probably seem a fairly simple task.
Hayes has expanded the depth chart of the goalkeeper pool once again this window, bringing in Tullis-Joyce from Manchester United (formerly of Reign FC). While Tullis-Joyce made the move to Manchester in September 2023, she only became the team’s starting goalkeeper following Mary Earps’s move to PSG but has picked up six clean sheets in her eight games played so far this season. United are currently fifth in the Women’s Super League standings but remain undefeated in league play.
Tullis-Joyce trained with the U.S. U-23s while in college, but does not have any youth national team appearances.
On the other end of the youth national team experience spectrum, Sentnor has finally earned her long-expected senior team call-up following this summer’s bronze-medal finish at the under-20 World Cup. She scored multiple goals during that run, including against the Netherlands in the third-place game.
Sentnor was also the No. 1 pick for the Royals in the 2024 NWSL draft and was a clear bright spot for the team during the rough start to the season. She is also a finalist for the NWSL rookie of the year award.
The USWNT will face England at Wembley Stadium on Nov. 30 at 12:20 p.m. ET, before traveling to the Netherlands for its final game of the year on Dec. 3 at 2:45 p.m. ET from ADO Den Haag Stadium.
Hayes highlighted the opportunities for a range of players on the latest roster with “so many different permutations within that.”
“We’re in a different stage, you know. I’m not preparing for Euros next summer, like England and (the) Netherlands are now,” she said. “I’m preparing to qualify for a World Cup in 2027, so I need to do this. And I like doing these things; I’ve developed rosters over a long period of time. (Players) don’t improve just by having them on the roster. We have to give them the opportunities to do that.”
She added she has “no fear whatsoever to be able to put out a very different team, if that’s what we choose to do, against England.”
“Look at last camp,” she said. “From Alyssa Thompson to Emma Sears, you know, to Eva Gaetano, they’re demonstrating that they deserve opportunities to be seen again. I’ve no hesitation whatsoever, including having a Lily Yohannes. If you’re good enough, you perform well enough, then you’ll always be in consideration for the roster. Very, very excited to see them.”
US Men Set to Play Panama Sat 9 pm TNT + Mexico Tues 10 pm TNT
The US men prepare to play their first games under new manager Mauricio Pochettino with his complete new staff on hand for this first group of games vs Panama (who beat us last time) and @ Mexico. Of course the US will be missing a bunch of players as Tim Weah, Chris Richards, Fologan, Gio Reyna and more are all missing to injury. I will have more as we get closer to game time – including my starting line-up. (stories below) If you missed this Christian Pulisic has stayed hot in Italy with his 6th goal of the season.
Indy 11 in 4th place @ Detroit City 4 pm on ESPN+
Leesburg, Va. – Indy Eleven moved up two positions to fourth place in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings with a crucial 1-0 road victory at Loudoun United in a rare mid-week contest. Defender Aedan Stanley took a corner kick from the left side and drove it in front of the goal. Loudoun keeper Hugo Fauroux punched the ball high into the air, where defender Ben Ofeimu headed it down from the corner of the six to Musa, who, with his back to the goal, volleyed it with his left foot high over Fauroux for the game winner. It was Ofeimu’s first assist for the Boys in Blue.With three games left in the regular season, the Boys in Blue (13-10-8) are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 47 points. The top four teams in the East will host the first round of the playoffs the first weekend in November. Indy finishes its road week at third-place Detroit City FC on Saturday at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.
High School Sectionals this week has Carmel Boys Hosting and Carmel Girls in Zionsville
in Class 3A, the second-ranked and three-time defending champion Noblesville Millers will meet Carmel Saturday evening at Carmel’s Murray Stadium. Noblesville has won 19 consecutive state tournament matches and is five away from tying North Central of Indianapolis (1994-97) for the state record. Tix are just $7 for the games at Murray. Get on out there and watch some high school soccer.
LADIES
The 3rd ranked Carmel Girls cruised thru Sectionals in Zionsville and will face #12 Indianapolis Cathedral in the finals Sat at 2 pm at Zionsville’s beautiful new stadium.
Nate Sinders (middle) bringing food for his dad Mark (right) and myself and all the folks at Zionsville High a Great Assignor, Ref and Chef – NATE the GREAT !!
The Ole Ballcoach catching High School games down at Riverside with Marko & Terek. Finally got a CHS Girls Freshman game vs HSE with Robert Hart on Saturday before Sectionals start
GAME TV SCHEDULE
Thur, Oct 10
2:45 pm FS 2 England vs Greece
2:45 pm TUDN Israel vs France
2:45 pm fubu Italy vs Belgium
2:45 pm FS 2 England vs Greece
2:45 pm TUDN Israel vs France
2:45 pm fubu Italy vs Belgium
Fri, Oct 11
2:45 pm TUDN Iceland vs Wales
2:45 pm FS2 Germany vs Bosnia
2:45 pm fubu Italy vs Belgium
Sat, Oct 12
12 pm FS1 Croatia vs Scotland
2:45 pm FS2 Portugal vs Poland
2:45 pm fubu Italy vs Belgium
7:30 pm Telemundo Mexico vs Valencia
9 pm TNT/Univ USMNT vs Panama
Sun Oct 13
12 pm FS1 Finland vs England
2:45 pm FS2 Austria vs Norway
2:45 pm TUDN Greece vs Ireland
4 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Detroit City
7:30 pm Apple Vancouver vs LAFC
Mon, Oct 14
12 pm FS1 Georgia v Albania
2:45 pm FS2 Belgium vs France
2:45 pm Fubo Germany vs Netherlands
Tues Oct 15
12 pm FS1 Finland vs England
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
Top games to watch in October 2024 international break
The October international break commences this midweek as club soccer takes a backseat to games with the national teams. For example, fans can watch qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Yet, while those World Cup qualifiers are not consistent among all teams, each of the FIFA confederations has games available. Here, we picked the 10 most interesting fixtures to keep you company until Oct. 15.
Top games during October international break
USMNT v Panama (Saturday, Oct. 12, 9 p.m. ET)
Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure will start as the USMNT hosts Panama. This is a rematch of the two’s group-stage meeting from the 2024 Copa America. Panama won after Tim Weah picked up a red card. Both Weah and Folarin Balogun, who scored in that fixture, are off the Argentinian coach’s first roster due to injury. This is Panama’s first fixture since its exit from the Copa America at the quarterfinal stage.
You can watch USA vs. Panama on TNT, Telemundo, Universo, Peacock, and Fubo. For new users to Fubo, Fubo is offering a free 7-day trial.
Mexico v USMNT (Tuesday, Oct. 15, 10:30 p.m. ET)
Pochettino will also experience the heated derby against Mexico for the first time as the head coach of the Americans. Both sides crashed out of the group stage in CONMEBOL’s tournament this past summer. The game will be at Estadio Akron, one of the venues for the 2026 World Cup.It’s the first away fixture for USMNT in 2024. The United States is undefeated in this rivalry since 2019. The streak of results includes two Nations League and the 2019 Gold Cup final. It will be the first time Pochettino faces Javier Aguirre’s team since their three La Liga encounters 13 years ago. Watch the game on TNT, Univision, Sling TV, and Fubo.
England v Greece (Thursday, Oct. 10, 2:45 p.m. ET)
Lee Carsley started his spell as England’s interim head coach with a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland, the national team he represented in his playing days. Despite the national anthem controversy, he’s still in the job for the October International Break with the Three Lions set to play games against Greece and Finland.
It was against Greece that David Beckham scored one of the most famous free-kicks in soccer history. In a tense atmosphere at Old Trafford, his 93rd-minute strike sent England to the 2002 World Cup.
England vs Greece will be live on FS2, ViX, and Fubo.
Austria v Norway (Sunday, Oct. 13, 2:45 p.m. ET)
These two teams aren’t among the best soccer nations by any stretch of the imagination. But their contrasting fortunes showed the importance of team planning more than individual brilliance. Under Ralf Rangnick, Austria played a fantastic Euro 2024 before losing to Türkiye in one of the best games of last summer. Norway, who missed out on the tournament, revived with a 2-1 win over Austria in the reverse fixture last month thanks to Erling Haaland’s winner. Watch Austria vs Norway live on FS2, ViX, and Fubo.Germany vs Netherlands will be shown live on the Fubo Sports Network as well as ViX.
Scotland v Portugal (Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2:45 p.m. ET)
In the wake of their promotion to Nations League A and an impressive Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, Scotland endured a difficult 2024 so far. Including the humbling 5-1 defeat by Germany in the Euro 2024 opener, Scotland lost six of their nine games since the turn of the year.Portugal also had an uninspiring time in Germany, but Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his 900th career goal raised their spirit last month. The 39-year-old striker is competing with Aleksandar Mitrović and Karim Benzema to finish top of the Saudi Pro League’s scoring chart. Scotland against Portugal will stream live on ViX.
Bolivia v Colombia (Thursday, Oct. 10, 4:30 p.m. ET)
September was a historic month for Bolivia’s soccer. For only the second time in the 21st century, they won away from home courtesy of a 3-2 success in Chile. They’re now a single point behind World Cup kings Brazil nearly midpoint to the qualifiers.
Colombia also recorded a memorable victory last month in the repeat fixture of the Copa America final. Beating the world champions was a big achievement, but they’ll now have to cope with the difficulty of playing at an altitude of 4,100 meters above sea level.
Bolivia vs Colombia will be exclusively shown on Fanatiz.
Venezuela v Argentina (Thursday, Oct. 10, 5 p.m. ET)
Meanwhile, Argentina will search for a quick reaction after the defeat at Barranquilla. La Albiceleste also bid farewell to Ángel Di María in September’s eventful international window.
Three NWSL playoff spots up for grabs as season end nears
Chicago can clinch a 2024 postseason berth with a win on Saturday (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)
With the Shield in Orlando’s hands, attention turns to the final three available playoff spots up for grabs in the NWSL.The Chicago Red Stars, currently in sixth, could become the next team to clinch a postseason berth with a win against the surging Gotham on Saturday at 4pm ET (Paramount+).Big Picture: Only Houston has been eliminated from postseason contention, but Portland and Bay FC will try to hold off those below the playoff line to better their odds at a quarterfinal appearance.Both clubs will have their work cut out for them, as Portland takes on first-place Orlando on Friday at 10pm ET (Prime), and Bay FC battles fourth-place Kansas City on Saturday at 10pm ET (ION).With only three regular season matches left, Seattle, Angel City, San Diego, and Utah will all face elimination scenarios this weekend.
Could NWSL MVP come down to Banda and Chawinga?
Banda has headlined a historic unbeaten streak by the Orlando Pride (Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images)
With KC Current forward Temwa Chawinga running away with the 2024 NWSL golden boot, is there still intrigue to be found in this year’s MVP race?Chawinga won NWSL Player of the Month for September, while forward Barbra Banda continued to excel with the unbeaten, Shield-winning Orlando Pride.Big Picture: Banda’s goal contributions are slightly off Chawinga’s pace, with 13 goals and six assists to Chawinga’s 18 goals and six assists.Chawinga leads the league in goals per 90 minutes, but Banda holds the title in goals and assists per 90 minutes, while both players comfortably lead the league in xG and npxG per 90.Bottom line: It’s been a year for blazing offense in the NWSL, personified by Chawinga and Banda’s excellence. But who will take the MVP crown?
Portland Thorns general manager Karina LeBlanc will be transitioning out of her role at the end of the 2024 season, the club announced on Wednesday.LeBlanc will join RAJ Sports, led by Thorns ownership the Bhathal family, in a role across the Portland Thorns and the newly-announced Portland WNBA team.Big picture: Joining the club in late 2021, LeBlanc oversaw the Thorns’ most recent NWSL championship in 2022, but this year the team has struggled with performances on the pitch.The Thorns’ winless streak early in the season led to head coach Mike Norris being reassigned to a new role, with assistant Rob Gale elevated to permanent manager.After appearing to right the ship, Portland has lost six of their last seven NWSL regular season games and are battling to stay above the playoff line in seventh place.
Andi Sullivan suffers torn ACL, will miss rest of the season
Sullivan suffered the injury in last weekend’s 2-0 loss to the Orlando Pride (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Washington Spirit announced on Wednesday that captain Andi Sullivan suffered an ACL tear in the team’s loss to the Orlando Pride on Sunday, and will miss the rest of the 2024 season.A Spirit stalwart, Sullivan started all 21 regular season matches she appeared in for the club in 2024, tallying two goals.Sulivan joins a growing number of injured Spirit contributors, including Croix Bethune (out for the season), Trinity Rodman, Casey Krueger, and Ouley Sarr.
Alyssa Thompson’s late goal contribution surge
Thompson has registered five goals and two assists in her last seven NWSL games (Harry How/Getty Images)
Angel City’s playoff hopes hang by a thread after a three-point deduction due to a salary cap violation, but forward Alyssa Thompson is keeping the dream of the postseason alive.Thompson has scored five goals and registered two assists in her last seven NWSL games, including a crucial assist in a win against the Seattle Reign last weekend.Six points off the playoff pace with three games to go in the regular season, Angel City will need Thompson at the height of her powers in their matchup against North Carolina on Saturday at 7:30pm ET (ION).
12 NWSL golden boot leader Temwa Chawinga has scored against 12 different teams during Kansas City’s 2024 campaign. Chawinga can complete the first-ever season sweep against the San Diego Wave on Oct. 19.
USMNT Player Tracker: Unlucky Balogun, Tillman has no equals – and Pulisic to step up?
Folarin Balogun’s bad luck, Christian Pulisic’s penalty puzzler and Malik Tillman’s eye-catching form all play a part of this week’s USMNT player tracker.Throughout the season, we will bring you updates on the U.S. players plying their trade in various leagues around Europe. With a World Cup on home soil on the horizon and new national team boss Mauricio Pochettino considering the options at his disposal, we’re keeping tabs on how they perform every weekend.
Issue of the weekend
After a patchy start to the season with Monaco, things were just beginning to look up for Folarin Balogun.
His goal against Rennes on Saturday ensured the visitors won 2-1 and it was his third in as many games. Having failed to find the net in Monaco’s opening four Ligue 1 fixtures (one of which saw him left on the bench), his had been a timely return to form and confidence — even more so ahead of the autumn USMNT friendlies under Pochettino, when everyone is so keen to make a good first impression.But Balogun won’t be there when the Pochettino era kicks off against Panama in Austin, Texas, on Saturday after dislocating his shoulder 64 minutes into the win at Rennes.He had to be helped off the field in obvious pain and will undergo tests to evaluate the timeframe for his recovery.
Monaco’s head coach Adi Hutter (left) comforts Balogun as he leaves the pitch in Rennes (Jean-Francois Monier/AFP via Getty Images)
Balogun, who pledged his international allegiance to the U.S. last year and has scored five goals in 17 appearances for his country, must now hope shoulder surgery is not required. If he needs an operation, that could entail an even longer lay-off, just as he was playing his way back into the type of form that earned him the move to Monaco after his season on loan from Arsenal with Reims the previous year.
Player of the weekend
Christian Pulisic’s supreme form for AC Milan continues, with yet another goal against Fiorentina. But it might be time for the USMNT main man, who is one of the leaders of the national team, to take a more assertive approach with his club team-mates. Pulisic’s fourth goal in consecutive appearances for the Rossoneri made it 1-1 on Sunday, but the visitors wasted the opportunity to win the game. In a match of three missed spot kicks, Milan saw the two they were awarded saved — and for reasons unknown, their designated taker, Pulisic, was overlooked to step up. Instead, defender Theo Hernandez failed to convert before half-time, then striker Tammy Abraham also saw an effort saved.
Fiorentina’s Luca Ranieri attempts to stop Pulisic (Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Milan manager Paolo Fonseca was understandably unimpressed. “Our penalty taker is Pulisic,” he said to DAZN afterwards. “I don’t know why the players changed their minds. I spoke to him and said that it must not happen again.” Pulisic was replaced on 82 minutes and did not seem too thrilled, either, but the manager insisted he was trying to look after his star man. “It was out of caution for Pulisic — he had a problem with his flexor during the week,” he explained. “(Samuel) Chukwueze came in well and created opportunities.”
Graphic of the weekend
Quote of the weekend
“Who is better than Malik Tillman in the Eredivisie? I couldn’t name anyone.” Former Denmark international Dennis Perez, an analyst for ESPN, was very impressed by Tillman’s display in PSV Eindhoven’s 2-1 win over Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday. The American midfielder was influential as the reigning Dutch champions made it eight games and eight wins in Eredivisie this time around.
Tillman impressed against Sparta (Photo Prestige/Soccrates/Getty Images)
How did other U.S. players get on?
Name: Jonathan Gomez Club: PAOK Position: Left-back Games (in all competitions): 1
The 21-year-old was on the winning side during his full debut for Greek top-flight club PAOK Thessaloniki on Sunday. Gomez, who signed from Spanish club Real Sociedad in August, is eligible for both the U.S. and Mexico and graduated through the FC Dallas academy.
Amon has three goals so far this season in 11 appearances for his Danish Super Liga side. On Sunday he started in a front three as Lyngby, who are 10th in the table and struggling for wins, drew 1-1 at Randers FC. Amon, 25, has started all of his team’s league games so far.
A special milestone for the 18-year-old Texan who was named in the matchday senior squad for Dortmund for the first time during their defeat by Union Berlin on Saturday. Campbell signed a contract with the Germans until 2028 in the summer. After a spell in Iceland, he joined Dortmund in 2022 and became part of the U.S. program earlier this year.
His five competitive appearances to date this season have been for Dortmund’s second team in the German third tier.
Reynolds had a steady game for his Belgian club on Friday during their 2-2 draw with Beerschot. Playing at right wing-back, he helped his team stay in sixth place.
The younger Aaronsen brother is on a high at the moment after scoring his second goal in as many games for Utrecht, who have started the season strongly and are in second spot. He grabbed the second goal of a 3-2 win over RKC Waalwijk on Saturday.
What’s coming up?
(All times ET)
After the forthcoming international break, see if Campbell can get onto the pitch for Dortmund against St Pauli on Friday, October 18 in the Bundesliga (2:30pm, ESPN+).
Lennard Maloney will also try and help Heidenheim recover from their 1-0 loss to RB Leipzig last time out as they face his compatriot Joe Scally’s Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday, October 19 (9:30am, ESPN+).
Folarin Balogun, Tim Weah and Johnny Cardoso to miss USMNT’s October fixtures due to injuries
Balogun, 23, dislocated his left shoulder during Monaco’s victory over Rennes on Saturday and will undergo further assessments in the coming days.Weah, 24, has missed Juventus’ last three games due to injury while Real Betis midfielder Cardoso has also battled injury issues in recent weeks.Lyon’s Tanner Tessman, Monterrey’s Brandon Vazquez, and Alex Zendejas, who plays for Liga MX side America, have been called up as replacements for three games this month.It is the first USMNT squad selected by Mauricio Pochettino after his appointment as head coach last month to replace Gregg Berhalter, who was dismissed after a group-stage exit at the Copa America.The 52-year-old’s first game in charge is a friendly against Panama at the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, on October 13. They then face Mexico in another friendly three days later at the Akron Stadium.
Mauricio Pochettino’s first U.S. men’s national team roster looks similar to the team summoned in September, a few days before he was officially unveiled as the new coach. With limited time and several injuries to regular players, Pochettino and his staff leaned heavily on the expertise of U.S. Soccer personnel to put together this first roster.
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The October camp is the perfect baptism for Pochettino into international management. The U.S., like most other national teams, is dealing with multiple injuries, both long- and short-term, to regular call-ups. World Cup starters Tyler Adams (back) and Sergino Dest (ACL) remain out for some time after undergoing surgeries. Two featured players over the last two years, Chris Richards and Gio Reyna, will also miss this camp with knocks which have kept them out of club action. Some depth pieces, like Luca de la Torre and Cameron Carter-Vickers, were also unavailable due to injury.Pochettino had to reach a bit deeper into the pool. In a way, it’s a blessing for a new staff to see more of the players at their disposal. For now, many of the faces have been around the program somewhat regularly: Christian Pulisic, Weston Mckennie and Yunus Musah to name a few. But, the Argentine coach noted, they have already started work on identifying players who have not been as big a part of the program.“We start to follow some very good players we think have the potential,” Pochettino said. “And maybe they are not now in the roster, but for sure, they’re going to be in the roster in the future.”
Change, in other words, is coming to the U.S. team. But Pochettino is not going to force it just yet.
Pulisic has been a mainstay and captain of the USMNT (Katie Stratman / Imagn Images)
This camp will give another chance for someone like Johnny Cardoso, who struggled in his start against Canada last month, to make an impression. It’s also a big opportunity for Aidan Morris, who has had a strong start to his tenure at Middlesbrough. Players like Marlon Fossey might also get a chance to show he should have a shout at the right back spot, while Joe Scally will have to hold off competition ahead of Dest’s return.
The list of players Pochettino wants to look at will undoubtedly start to change in the next few camps. The work to get to know the full pool has already started. Pochettino noted a staff member was in attendance at Toulouse against Lyon on Sunday to see Mark McKenzie. Another USMNT pool player started that game for Lyon: midfielder Tanner Tessmann, who wasn’t called to this camp. Pochettino was also asked specifically about Diego Luna, a player not called up to this camp, and said the midfielder is someone the staff wants to watch more of in the coming months.
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There was one notable change in this roster: the return of Zack Steffen. The goalkeeper hasn’t played for the U.S. since 2022 and hasn’t had a great season for Colorado, but Pochettino is familiar with the former Manchester City back-up’s skillset and the goalkeeper position is problematic considering the lack of playing time for both Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath.
Steffen has not played for the U.S. since 2022 (Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn Images)
Pochettino said in a press conference this week that players who aren’t getting time on the field at their respective clubs have become a real issue with this national team. Pochettino, answering in his native Spanish, said he agreed that players not playing regularly is a big concern for a coach but part of his job will be to work to find players the best places to get minutes to be ready for the World Cup in 2026. Not calling in players who aren’t getting regular minutes is a luxury the U.S. men may not be able to afford, depending on the situation, but Pochettino was clear when he said players not playing for their club was “a handicap that I believe cannot be allowed.”
Still, this camp is less about those bigger-picture changes. Pochettino first must lay a foundation — for himself and the staff. That goes beyond just the players he’s calling in or their current form at the club level. Pochettino said he won’t overload players with tactical changes in this camp. Instead, he wants to “create a relationship inside and off the pitch” that will help the team understand what he is asking of them.“I think the most important (thing) is to be simple,” Pochettino said. “The player cannot believe that they’re going to arrive and the first thing in Austin we are going to be in the room and to start to spend two, three hours talking about tactics, about different things. I think the most important (thing is) that we need to settle a few principles, a few concepts that I start to develop with time.”Pochettino said the plan is to use two systems, the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3, and “from there develop our way to play.” Pochettino joked that he watches a lot of American soccer media now — “more than you believe,” he said — and he saw pundits who talked about the defensive effort the team needs.Pochettino noted that he wants to play attractive soccer that will entertain American fans. But it’s not just about playing pretty, up-tempo soccer.
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“We are going to be very, very, very demanding. When we lose the ball, we need to be desperate to recover as soon as possible,” he said. “But we need to work like a team in this moment. We need to show that we are a real team.
“All the teams that win and won titles, you can see Argentina winning the Copa America or the World Cup, of course when they have the ball, they play really well. But when they don’t have the ball, they work like a team. They are really, really, really rough. I think we need to enjoy when we don’t have the ball and try to recover, and be very strong defensively.“We need to be very competitive. It’s not only to play nice football, it is to be very competitive. That, for me, is the objective.”The path toward that objective begins next week in Austin.
Robinson loves overlapping and underlapping and treats the left flank like the back-straight on an athletics track, tearing forward at every opportunity to add to his increasingly impressive attacking returns. He has eight assists in the Premier League since the start of last season, which is second only to Kieran Trippier when it comes to defenders.
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As for interceptions, Robinson’s numbers are off the scale. There were 13 in one game at Anfield last season, equalling a Premier League record and keeping Mohamed Salah relatively quiet in the process.
Two years earlier, on the opening day of the Premier League season, Salah was so struck by Robinson’s performance for Fulham that he stopped to ask him his age in the middle of the match. Later, after they swapped shirts, the Liverpool forward gave him some words of encouragement that Robinson has never forgotten.
(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Robinson is discussing all of this and more at his home in Surrey, on the outskirts of London, where we are scrolling through close to 100 clips of him playing for Fulham and the U.S. men’s national team. There are backflips and diving headers, own goals and crunching tackles, shoulder barges against one of the strongest players in the Premier League, and running races where there was only going to be one winner.
This is Antonee Robinson’s game in his words.
“I love it,” Robinson says, smiling.
It’s hard to imagine many modern full-backs saying the same thing, mindful that Robinson is talking about one-on-one defending. The 27-year-old feels like a bit of a throwback in that respect.
“I always go into games thinking, ‘I’m playing against a winger now and I don’t want him to get the better of me’. I feel like I can read where a player is going fairly well. But the ability to not fly in, to stand them up and then pick my time to close in on someone, I do really enjoy that,” he says.
Robinson made 80 interceptions in the Premier League last season. To put that number into perspective, it was the most across Europe’s top five leagues, 15 more than any other Premier League player (Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook was in second place) and almost twice as many as any other Premier League full-back (West Ham’s Emerson Palmieri made 43).
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“Obviously because I’m quite fast, it helps,” Robinson says in an understated way. “I feel confident knowing that I’m gonna get to most passes when I see them.
“But it’s quite annoying to the manager at times because sometimes I’ll be convinced the pass is going somewhere and almost gamble a little bit. And then it goes the other way and he hates it when I guess. He always says, ‘You’re fast enough to get there. Just stay, let it go (to the winger), and then go’. But sometimes when you smell something, you have the urge.”
Robinson’s scent is normally reliable. His trademark interception is cutting out the short and low diagonal pass to the winger outside of him — an action that he repeated over and again last season, including on multiple occasions against Tottenham Hotspur.
“I think the way they play would suit this because they invert the full-backs, they’re really narrow, and the winger is the only wide pass (available),” Robinson explains as we watch a couple of clips against Spurs. “So when I can see that’s literally the only pass he’s going to do, even if I go here (wide to try to intercept) and he plays it here (inside), there’s nothing on, so it feels safer to go. But you can see (on the video) that I’m just eyeing him up.”
Although Robinson said he will “almost gamble a little bit”, his interceptions are calculated. Before setting off, he looks at the body orientation of the player in possession and also waits until the passer (Bruno Guimaraes in the next example) focuses on striking the ball.
“When he’s put his head down, you can kind of see the direction of the pass — he’s going to pass here (wide) and I need to go that way anyway,” Robinson says. “This line (infield) is blocked off by our midfielder, which obviously the gaffer (Marco Silva) sets us up to do. So it looks like the only pass is (wide).”
If the distance between the passer and the receiver is close, which was the case when Robinson intercepted a ball from Julian Alvarez to Phil Foden at Manchester City last season, the risk of being caught out increases.
“I can remember similar ones to this where I would get done,” Robinson says. “Obviously I’ve seen him (Alvarez) put his head down, I know he’s passing there, so I’ve gone. But I think we played Liverpool, it was the exact same situation, it’s Trent (Alexander-Arnold) on the ball and he looks like he’s gonna pass it there (to the winger) and he plays it inside me; that’s the one I said the gaffer despises. He goes mental at that. Luckily, this one I made it.”
He has a good memory. The Liverpool clip is lined up ready to show him as a rare example of when that darting run to intercept goes wrong. Alexander-Arnold disguises his intentions, reverses the pass and Luis Diaz runs in behind.
Robinson sighs. “With that, I should know a lot better who’s on the ball. But, you know, playing against good teams you get excited. So that is a prime example of the manager waiting to kick off at me. I’m already thinking, ‘He’s gonna want to speak to me about that’.”
An aggressive, front-footed defender, Robinson enjoys an old-fashioned 50/50. “Without hurting anyone, I do like being able to leave it on someone,” he says as we watch him making fully committed but fair challenges on Bournemouth’s Adam Smith and Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure (below).
Robinson’s biggest attribute by far when one-v-one defending, though, is his pace. A clip of him up against the Nottingham Forest attacker Anthony Elanga, who has registered the second-fastest speed in the Premier League this season, illustrates that point. Fulham have turned over possession and Robinson is running back on the outside of Elanga, which is the last place a full-back wants to be ordinarily, but he still manages to get to the ball first. Elanga is left on his hands and knees afterwards.
“I remember one of the first passages of play here — the ball broke and both me and Elanga ended up sprinting and he’s leaving me in this race, which I didn’t expect,” Robinson says. “I was like, ‘S***. If he gets the ball, he’s in’. I knew he was quick, but he’s top-level speed. After that, I was way more cautious of the threat in behind.”
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Robinson’s speed means that throughout his career, he has been deployed as the “last man” on attacking corners, essentially as an insurance policy if the opposition counter. Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez tried and failed to win a race against Robinson from a Fulham corner last season and there was a similar scenario in the home game against Everton when Arnaut Danjuma attempted to beat him on the outside.
“He’s got to know his players there!” Robinson says, laughing. “I’d say 95 per cent of wingers, if they’re going to just try to knock it down the line and run me, I’m buzzing with that. So I was very happy when he tried that because it makes my decision so much easier.”
Robinson talks about getting tight on wingers and “not letting them breathe”. Away at Brentford last season, he was all over Bryan Mbeumo from the first minute, giving him no time on the ball. Half an hour into the game, Mbeumo let a routine pass slip under his boot by the touchline, prompting the co-commentator and former Fulham and West Ham defender Tony Gale to suggest Robinson had got inside the Brentford player’s head.
“He’s miscontrolled that because he’s looking at Robinson, thinking, ‘He’s gonna be on me sharp’. He’s taken his eye off the ball and that’s the little bit of shakiness Robinson’s put on Mbeumo early on. It’s up to Mbeumo to play a little bit of cat and mouse with him.”
Is it a game of cat and mouse with the winger?
“I suppose so,” Robinson replies, smiling. “Sometimes you end up talking to players in games, which is quite funny. I remember playing Newcastle, not this last game (this season), but a couple of games ago and Jacob Murphy was playing and he was like, ‘F****** hell, lad — stop running!’ So, little things like that — straight away they know what I’m like. And it does play a little part (in putting wingers off their game). There’s going to be players who will come at me less because they know I’m going to go the other way a lot of the time.”
Equally, there are also games where Robinson is largely defending because of the calibre of opposition. Arsenal at home last season was one of those occasions and it turned into a fascinating duel between him and Bukayo Saka in a game that Fulham won 2-1.
The first clip shows Robinson following Saka infield, shoulder-charging him and winning the ball. Robinson puffs out his cheeks after watching it. “That’s an incredibly rare occurrence because Saka is crazy strong. He’s one of the strongest players, pound for pound, that I’ve played against.”
Later in the game, Saka gets his own back in another physical duel, as if to prove Robinson’s point.
In between times, there are a couple of moments in quick succession where Robinson ends up defending one-on-one with Saka near the touchline and close to the corner flag. Robinson shows Saka down the line, forcing him onto his weaker right foot. In the first instance, Saka still manages to cross — albeit his delivery is overhit.
On the second occasion, Saka goes the same way again and Robinson blocks.
It’s tempting to think Robinson’s defending was much better the second time because he stopped the cross, but he doesn’t really see it like that.
“The first one I was still happy with,” Robinson says. “I know Saka’s very good on his left foot. If I show him down the line and he manages to get a cross in… I’d obviously like to block it, but if he’s crossing on his right foot and that’s the worst-case scenario, that’s fine. Next one you kind of know how he’s going to be shaped when he goes that way (again), so I can close it down a little bit better. But if I show him on his right every time and half of them he crosses and half of them he doesn’t, it’s a lot better than him cutting in on his left to pick a ball properly or shooting.”
(David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
An “unlucky” own goal at Villa Park in November in a 3-1 defeat. At least that was how Robinson viewed it at the time. Marco Silva thought otherwise.
Either way, that own goal represented a turning point in Robinson’s season. He went on to register assists in three successive Premier League matches (the first in the second half against Villa), scored two terrific goals for the USMNT against Trinidad & Tobago during the international break that followed, then produced one of the best performances of his career against Liverpool a couple of weeks later at Anfield.
Robinson asks to take the footage further back to explain. “Here, when we looked at this, the manager would like Calvin (Bassey) to be two yards this way (sliding to the right), being able to cover the line a bit better. If he’s there, Tim (Ream) is three yards over and then I’m inside this winger (Moussa Diaby). Obviously, it gets played (down the line to Youri Tielemans) and you’ll see when I come in.
“Realistically, you’d want me to be here (the black circle below), so just five yards inside this line. And if I’m already there, he (Diaby) is not in front of me.
“Still, after that, he (Diaby) missed the ball. So I do get unlucky. But it’s always the steps leading up to that which you can prevent in the gaffer’s mind.”
By his own admission, Robinson was lacking in confidence ahead of that Villa match. He scored an own goal against Sheffield United the previous month and talks about going into games around that period thinking, ‘Just don’t make any big mistakes. Just do your job. Simple’.”
International weeks can be viewed as disruptive by a lot of club managers, but a change of scenery was probably just what Robinson needed. He joined up with the USMNT for the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final tie against Trinidad & Tobago and thrived. In the first leg, in Texas, Robinson assisted the opening goal and then scored the second with a superb strike that was followed by a series of backflips that were just as impressive.
“Big moment!” Robinson says, smiling. “I dyed my hair white because I thought, ‘You know what, I’m just gonna do something mad’, and then I scored a good goal, so I was very excited.”
Four days later, in the away fixture, Robinson scored a diving header. “I’m more happy with this one, to be honest. Because I remember him (Sergino Dest) getting it and me being out here (very wide), I was just like, ‘I’m going to dart in between the defenders’. It was a proper striker’s goal.”
Robinson returned to England “feeling better about myself”. He got an assist against Wolves in Fulham’s next match and then put in a man-of-the-match performance against Liverpool. The 13 interceptions made headlines and one of them (below) led to an assist for Fulham’s first goal.
Watching the game back, it’s remarkable how often Robinson seemed to be in the right place at the right time to limit Salah’s impact in a match that Fulham lost 4-3 despite leading with less than five minutes remaining.
Did Salah say anything to him afterwards? “Not this time,” Robinson replies. “He has before. We played Liverpool in the first game of the season two years ago. We drew 2-2. I remember saying to my friends, who are all big Liverpool fans and came down because it was around my birthday, ‘Lads, if Salah scores or gets an assist this game, I’ll pay for dinner tonight’, so I put a bit of added pressure on myself. And he (Salah) did (score), annoyingly.
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“But I remember him saying to me midway through the game (Robinson says this next bit in a curious voice), ‘How old are you?’. So he didn’t really know who I was. I must have been 24, 25. He just nodded and carried on with the game. Then, after the game, I asked for his shirt, so we swapped shirts and we were just chatting and he was like, ‘You were the best player this game, keep up what you’re doing’. That was very nice of him.”
A routine question about whether Robinson has had the opportunity to speak to Mauricio Pochettino since the Argentinian took over as head coach of the USMNT delivers an unexpected answer.
“Funnily enough, I bumped into him out for dinner the other day,” Robinson says. “We had a team meal in London and he just happened to be in there. I was sat next to Harrison Reed, who used to play for him at Southampton, so he went over to speak to him and I just went over and said hello. I was chatting to him and it seems like he’s really excited about it (coaching the USMNT).”
“We obviously wanted to push as far as we could in the tournament and try to win it,” Robinson says. “We didn’t even get the chance to get out of the group, which is a big, big letdown for us, especially us being the host nation.”
The Copa America post-mortem started immediately after the final whistle against Uruguay. Christian Pulisic, the U.S. captain, spoke about the need to regroup and, more significantly, highlighted the importance of “finding an identity again”.
(Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
With 46 caps to his name and six years of international experience behind him, including a World Cup in Qatar, Robinson has been around the team for long enough to know what the U.S. should look like on the pitch. What is their identity?
“Well, thinking back to teams before us, the U.S. was always gritty, hard-working, horrible to play against, a battling team,” he says. “They had good players but, on the whole, as a team, there was a lot of fight in them. And when we first came together as a team, we definitely had that a lot. I remember going into the World Cup, playing against England and feeling that we can make it extremely difficult for teams. But towards the end, it felt kind of soft and stagnant. We didn’t have that bite.
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“I didn’t get to go to the last (international) window and obviously we had a different manager (Mikey Varas). But I was watching us play against Canada and it just felt like they were out-fighting us. I’d back us, at our best, as a better team than them comfortably. But you have to win that fight first.
“They (Canada) did the same thing in World Cup qualifying, where they were just nasty; horrible to play against. And I think that’s something we need to get a bit of because we’re not the most talented team. So that needs to be a minimum.”
On the face of it, Pochettino’s style of play feels like a good fit for Robinson’s game. “Yeah, I think so,” Robinson says. “I think it will suit a lot of the players on our team. And, regardless, just having a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective — I think every now and then, it gets to a point where a team does need that.
“You obviously see under his resume that he’s a top-level coach. It’s going to be interesting to see how that transitions from club level to international level in terms of how much control he can have on it. He’s not going to see us every day. He’s not got a lot of time to drill into us how he wants to play. But that’s where we’ve got to step up and take responsibility and say it’s not all just on him. We need to give him as much attention and commitment as possible and make it work between us.”
“I can feel the moment when I change gears,” Robinson says.
It’s quite a sight watching Robinson overlapping to receive a pass — a bit like an Olympic sprinter setting off in the relay and waiting to be handed the baton.
According to data from SkillCorner, Arsenal’s Ben White was the only Premier League full-back to make more overlapping runs than Robinson last season.
SkillCorner define a high-intensity sprint as capturing a player moving at over 20 km/h for at least 0.7 seconds. A significant number of Robinson’s overlaps start from inside his own half, last for 3-4 seconds and see him reaching much higher speeds than 20 km/h.
“I’ve done half a pitch there!” Robinson says, laughing, as we watch him overlapping against Forest (below).
The sprint for another overlap, this time against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, starts not far outside his own penalty area. Robinson has his hand in the air as Joao Palhinha takes possession and appears to be gesturing to the midfielder where to pass next. What’s going through his mind here?
“I think, ‘Who would I rather have the ball in this situation?’ If he (Palhinha) gives it to me, Willy’s going to run and I’m going to run and we’re going to end up in the same sort of pocket. If he gives it to Willy first, Willy is already higher up and I’m going to catch up because he’s got to wait for the ball. Willy is right-footed, he can run inside, commit a defender. If the defender goes with me, Willy is going to end up shooting. So in this situation, Willy getting the ball and me coming with speed is 10 times better than me getting it.”
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‘Willy’ is Willian, the former Chelsea and Arsenal winger and a player Robinson built up an excellent understanding with at Fulham over the course of two seasons. His departure in the summer has paved the way for Robinson and Alex Iwobi to link up on the left much more frequently than before and the signs are already promising. A Robinson overlap and low cross, after a pass from Iwobi, led to Fulham’s goal at Ipswich earlier this season.
The week before, against Leicester, it was Robinson’s first-time ball that set up Iwobi for Fulham’s winner. “The understanding is getting there,” Robinson says.
Naturally, it’s much easier to develop chemistry with team-mates at club level compared with international football because of the constant repetition on the training ground, as well as the regular cycle of matches.
That said, Robinson clearly has an excellent understanding with Pulisic when it comes to his attacking runs (the clip below shows an overlap against Bolivia in the Copa America that Ricardo Pepi should have converted) and he makes it sound as though there are a lot of parallels with playing left-back for Fulham and the USMNT.
“It’s really similar,” Robinson says. “We do have a bit more licence that I can go (forward with the U.S.). If the right-back was attacking, like Sergino, or like when (Joe) Scally was playing in Copa, I can still be high because we’d have two midfielders who would sit and do that defensive box.
“But playing with Christian is very similar. We have that same understanding of, ‘You’re our most dangerous player. I’m going to give you the ball. I’ll give you the option of sprinting behind if you want to use it. If you don’t want to use it, that means you think it’s a better option, so I trust you with that’. And we have a great relationship off the pitch anyway, so it does translate to being on the same page on it.”
(Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Playing next to the same player for club and country helps — as was the case with Tim Ream up until August when the central defender joined Charlotte FC. Robinson and Ream were always on the same wavelength and had a lot of joy with a move that would see the left-winger, or No 8, come short and narrow, leaving space for Robinson to run in behind and Ream to pick him out with a longer pass.
It’s a simple but effective pattern that pulls opponents out of position.
“Opposite movements — that’s a big thing in our game (at Fulham),” Robinson says.
The footage ends with an assist that provides another example of how hard Robinson has worked to improve the quality of his final ball. “A lot of my assists have come from low crosses, which is something we do a lot after training,” he explains. “Just kind of feeding it into that danger area along the six-yard line, like the Ipswich one.”
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He must be happy with his numbers: eight assists since the start of last season is an excellent return for a left-back.
“I can’t complain about that, considering the two Premier League seasons before that I had one,” Robinson says, smiling. “But a couple of goals would be nice. I haven’t scored in the Premier League yet, so I’ve got my eye on that.”
The My Game In My Words series is part of a partnership with EA Sports. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Man its cool to have Champions League back – the first round was fantastic – I am going to be honest and say I am not quite sure that I understand how it all works – but it looks like we are going to have better games along the way in what used to be the group stages. Man City and Inter was classic – as was Pulisic scoring the first goal for AC Milan before they fell to Liverpool 3-1. Lots of stories below.
This Week AC Milan and Pulisic face Bayern Leverkusen (German League Champs) on Tuesday at 3 pm on Para + while Dortmund and Reyna face Celtic and Aaron Trusty on CBS SN at 3 pm. Of course the big game of the week is PSG hosting Arsenal at 3 pm on Paramount+. Wed gives us Folarin Balogun and Monaco visiting Zagreb in Champions League 3pm Para+ and Weston McKennie and Juve visit Leipzig in Champions League 3 pm on Para+.
High School Season’s Mostly Wrap-up this Weekend as Regionals Start Oct 7th
The 3rd Ranked Carmel High Girls hosted senior night Wed night – a proud moment as all 9 seniors started playing at Carmel FC as kids. The Girls play their final home game at Murray on Sat at 11 am before traveling to Zionsville for Regionals. The Carmel Boys have moved tonight’s game to Monday night at Murray stadium.
Carmel High Girls Seniors and their parents on Senior Night. All former Carmel FC players. Carmel Senior GK Mary Grace Knapp with parents. Proud former member of Carmel FCGKU.
Carmel Senior Rosie Martin with former Carmel FC Coach Andy Martin and sister and former CFC & Carmel High player Cici Martin.
INDY 11 Home vs Miami FC Sat 7 pm
Indy Eleven opens a two-match homestand vs. Miami FC on Saturday at Carroll Stadium. The Boys in Blue enter the final six games of the regular season in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with an 11-10-7 record and 40 points. The top eight teams in the East qualify for the playoffs that begin the first weekend in November, with the top four teams hosting. For information on all ticket options visit the Indy Eleven Ticket Central. For questions, please email tickets@indyeleven.com or call (317) 685-1100.
My High School Reffing season is about to wrap up — games this weekend and a few next week.
Always special to get to work with the Master Dave Howard (L) along Todd Coulter (R) with at Heritage Christian Thurs
Always fun reffing with Riley Cheatham (F) and newbie Joshua Larsh (B) at Lawrence Central
US Men Champions League & Europa League Mid Week games
Tuesday
Leverkusen vs AC Milan, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and Milan are on the road against Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League.
PSV vs Sporting CP, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, Ricardo Pepi, Michael Bresser, and PSV host Sporting CP in Champions League.
Also in action:
Burnley vs Plymouth, 2:45p: Luca Koleosho and Burnley are at home in the Championship.
Cardiff vs Millwall, 2:45p: Ethan Horvath has been on the bench for several of Cardiff’s recent games.
Coventry vs Blackburn, 2:45p: Haji Wright and Coventry host Blackburn, who include young dual-national fullback Leo Duru, but Duru has only played in cup competitions so far this season.
Norwich vs Leeds, 2:45p on Paramount+: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds pay a visit to Josh Sargent and the Canaries in this Championship game.
Barnsley vs Wycombe, 2:45p: Gaga Slonina, Donovan Pines, and Barnsley host Wycombe in League One play.
West Brom vs Middlesbrough, 3p on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro visit West Brom, where Daryl Dike is recently back in training.
Wednesday
Dinamo Zagreb vs Monaco, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Folarin Balogun and Monaco visit Zagreb in Champions League.
Charlotte FC vs Chicago Fire, 7:30p: Brian Gutiérrez, Chris Brady, and the Fire visit Tim Ream and Charlotte in MLS action.
NYCFC vs FC Cincinnati, 7:30p: Miles Robinson, Lucho Acosta, Roman Celentano, and FC Cincy visit Matt Freese, James Sands, and NYC.
Toronto FC vs New York Red Bulls, 7:30p: John Tolkin and the Red Bulls visit Toronto.
Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami, 7:45p on FS1, FOX Deportes, FuboTV, Sling TV: Benja Cremaschi and Miami visit Patrick Schulte, DeJuan Jones, and thew Crew.
Houston Dynamo vs New England Revolution, 8:30p: Noel Buck, Peyton Miller, and the Revs visit the Dynamo in this MLS game.
Nashville SC vs DC United, 8:30p: Walker Zimmerman, Shaq Moore, and Nashville host Ted Ku-DiPietro and DC.
Colorado Rapids vs LA Galaxy, 9:30p: Jalen Neal and the Galaxy are on the road against Cole Bassett, Djordje Mihailovic, and the Rapids.
Real Salt Lake vs Minnesota United, 9:30p: Diego Luna and RSL host Minnesota in more MLS action.
Thursday
Legia Warszawa vs Real Betis, 12:45p on Paramount+: Johnny Cardoso and Betis are on the road to kick off Europa Conference League.
Rangers vs Lyon, 3p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, FuboTV, ViX: Tanner Tessmann and Lyon go to Scotland for their second Europa League match this season.
Also in action:
Heidenheim vs Olimpija Ljubljana, 12:45p on Paramount+: Lennard Maloney and Heidenheim host Slovenian visitors Olimpija in their Conference League opener.
LASK Linz vs Djurgården, 3p on Paramount+: George Bello and LASK are at home to begin their Conference League season.
Friday
Augsburg vs Mönchengladbach, 2:30p on ESPN+ (free trial): Joe Scally and Gladbach visit Augsburg to kick off the Bundesliga weekend.
Hellas Verona vs Venezia, 2:45p on Paramount+; Gianluca Busio and Venezia visit Verona in Serie A.
Sunderland vs Leeds, 3p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, FuboTV: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds visit Sunderland in the Championship.
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Building blocks
Players look to build on their early season output.
There’s a real rollercoaster happening for USMNT fans trying to tack players across Europe to start the season. Some players are off to a hot start – Christian Pulisic continues to put up goals, Weston McKennie is inevitable – while others are already dealing with injury and some appear to already be out of favor. With so much going on we’ll try to give you the rundown of where you might be able to watch this weekend to see players performing:
Gio Reyna will not return this weekend but is progressing well and according to Nuri Sahin he could be available Tuesday for the team’s Champions League matchup against Celtic.
Saturday
Derby County v Norwich City – 7:30a on Paramount+
Josh Sargent started and went 90’ for Norwich City as they defeated Watford 4-1 last weekend. Sargent has played all but one minute across six matches for Norwich to start the season.
Wolfsburg v Stuttgart – 9:30a on ESPN+
Kevin Paredes remains out for Wolfsburg who fell to Bayer Leverkusen last weekend 4-3. Wolfsburg have just one win in their first four matches and currently sit 13th in the Bundesliga table.
Mainz v Heidenheim – 9:30a on ESPN+
Lennard Maloney started and played 71’ last weekend for Heidenheim as they fell to Freiburg 3-0. It was Heidenheim’s second straight loss by at least two goals. This weekend they face a Mainz side coming off a 3-2 win over Augsburg.
Borussia Monchengladbach v Union Berlin – 9:30a on ESPN+
Joe Scally and Borussia Monchengladbach face off against fellow USMNT member Jordan Pefok and Union Berlin this weekend. Scally has played every minute for Gladbach to start the season but the team has just one win and has suffered three defeats to start the season. On the other end of the spectrum, Union Berlin are undefeated to start the season with a pair of wins to go with a pair of draws. Pefok picked up his first goal contribution of the season last weekend with an assist in the 23’ but was removed at the half with Berlin up 2-0.
Everton v Crystal Palace – 10a on Peacock
Chris Richards was back in the starting lineup for Crystal Palace last weekend as the team held Manchester United to a scoreless draw. Richards return to the lineup came one week after he did not make it off the bench. 24 year old Maxence Lacroix has started all three matches since joining Palace and Marc Guehi (also 24 years old) is a locked in starter so it appears that Richards is in a battle with Nathaniel Clyne for playing time as the third centerback. Palace are still looking for their first win of the season and are currently sitting in sixteenth place, three spots ahead of nineteenth place Everton who picked up their first point of the season last weekend with a 1-1 draw with Leicester City.
Nottingham Forest v Fulham – 10a on Peacock
Antonee Robinson and Fulham picked up their second win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle last weekend. Robinson has played every minute to start the season for Fulham who have lost just once and currently sit in tenth place
Willem II v PSV Eindhoven – 10:30a on ESPN+
Malik Tillman picked up two goals last weekend in PSV’s 3-1 win over Fortuna Sittard while Ricardo Pepi came in for the final ten minutes of the match and Richard Ledezma was not included in the squad due to a minor injury and is expected to be available again this weekend as undefeated PSV take on a Willem II side coming off a 3-2 loss to Utrecht.
Genoa v Juventus – Noon on Paramount+
Weston McKennie has now started two straight matches for Juventus while Tim Weah has come off the bench in the past three since returning from injury. Juventus have played three straight scoreless draws in league competition but they are undefeated on the season and just two points back of the league lead as they have yet to give up a goal this season. They are facing a Genoa side that has just one win and four goals through five matches so this could be another low scoring affair.
Le Havre v Lille – 1p on beIN Sports
Emmanuel Sabbi came off the bench last weekend in Le Havre’s 3-1 loss to Monaco. Sabbi has appeared in three of his teams five matches to start the Ligue One season.
Monaco v Montpellier – 3p on beIN Sports
Folarin Balogun picked up his first goal of the season last weekend in Monaco’s 3-1 win over Le Havre. Monaco are undefeated to start the season and are in a three way tie for the Ligue One lead early in the season.
Sunday
Celta Vigo v Girona – 8a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
Luca de la Torre continues to be left out of the picture at Celta Vigo with the explanation being given that he continues to deal with injury. However, preseason statements that de la Torre was no longer in the clubs plans leave the situation uncertain and he may need a transfer come January. After a hot start, winning their first two matches, Celta have dropped their past two and four of their last five matches.
Toulouse v Olympique Lyon – 9a on beIN Sports
Mark McKenzie and Tanner Tessmann could square off in France if McKenzie, who missed Toulouse’s most recent match, is able to return from injury. McKenzie had started three straight before he was sidelined. Tessmann did not make it off the bench in last weekend’s 3-2 loss to Marseille but saw 22 minutes midweek in Lyon’s 2-0 win over Olympiacos in UEFA Europa League play. It was Tessmann’s longest appearance of the season to date.
Roma v Venezia – 9a on Paramount+
Gianluca Busio scored his first goal of the season and Venezia recorded their first victor last weekend in a 2-0 win over Genoa. Venezia remain in the relegation zone even with the win and they face a tough Roma side this weekend though the side also picked up their first win of the season 3-0 last weekend over Udinese.
Real Betis v Espanyol – 12:30p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
Johnny Cardoso returned midweek to get the start and play a full 90’ as Betis drew Las Palmas 1-1 on Thursday. Betis are in 11th place and will face 14th place Expanyol on Sunday, a side just two points back in the table early in the 2024-25 season.
Strasbourg v Olympique Marseille – 2:45p on beIN Sports
Caleb Wiley has missed two straight matches for Strasbourg, both of which ended in draws. His side remain in tenth place headed into their matchup with a Marseille side that has yet to suffer defeat and are tied with Monaco and PSG for the league lead.
Pulisic Makes History Again ; Is Gio Returning Sooner Than Expected? PLUS: Brenden Aaronson assist, Weston’s first league start
Another week, another milestone for Christian Pulisic. Last week it was scoring at the San Siro against Liverpool in the Champions League. Now he’s gone and followed that up by becoming the first American to ever score in the Derby della Madonnina, in AC Milan’s 2-1 win over city rivals Inter Milan on Saturday. And what a goal it was. A moment of tenacious, skillful, individual brilliance. Best solo act from Pennsylvania since Taylor Swift.Pulisic started the goal by impressively bodying Henrikh Mkhitaryan off the ball in midfield. Then he accelerated and hit a seam in the Inter defense, slicing his way past three defenders before sliding in for the toe poke past veteran goalkeeper Yann Sommer.The goal was one thing, but the joy and passion shown by CP11 in the immediate aftermath was truly something to behold — confidently shushing the Inter fans before having cups of beer thrown at him, and later joyously celebrating the match-winner with his teammates. We have entered a new age of an all-conquering Pulisic, with the appreciation shown by the club and fans of Milan apparently having unlocked his true greatness, as well as joy for the game.The change in Milan Pulisic compared to Chelsea Pulisic is recognized not just by fans, but by those within the game as well. Puli’s former Chelsea and AC Milan teammate, Olivier Giroud, spoke to CBS about what has changed for the USMNT star, and why he is hitting such heights at the San Siro.“I think he’s got more trust in his game. More confidence,” said Giroud. “He plays with more freedom. He’s playing every single game. He’s a very important player for Milan, at Chelsea he was in competition with so many wingers.”A smiling Pulisic also hit the interview circuit himself recently, doing a quick-fire sitdown with Goal in which he talked about: the player he wanted to be growing up (Luis Figo), the best player he’s ever played with (N’golo Kante), and the best player in the world right now (Lionel Messi).But the ultimate reward of a great goal — and moment — like this in a massive derby? Diretta Stadio bringing the hilariously awe-inspiring “Puli! Puli! Sic! Sic!” chants back to the studio show. May these days of Ameri-calcio Wonder never end.Americans Scoring From the South of France to Sittard:Pulisic wasn’t the only Gen Zeagle doing great things in Europe. Or even Italy, for that matter.Gianluca Busioscored the match-winner in Venezia’s 2-0 win over Genoa, which came just after he also won a penalty (which was saved) for the home side. Busio received a hefty 8.5 Fotmob rating for his efforts, all of this in his 100th appearance for the Canal Boys.Folarin Balogun is back in the goals. The USMNT forward scored his first of the season for Monaco in the French League side’s 3-1 win over Le Havre on Sunday. With the victory, Monaco are undefeated (4W 1D 0L) and level on points with PSG and Marseille for first place in Ligue 1. Fellow USMNT forward Emmanuel Sabbi was a 79th minute substitute for the visitors.Malik Tillman had a brace in PSV’s 3-1 win at Fortuna Sittard on Sunday, including a free kick that was so sweet it had the away fas singing his name afterwards, with one of the genuinely great player chants we’ve heard in a while. Afterwards, Tillman admitted it was his first free kick, with “hopefully more to come.” (Ricardo Pepi was an 80th minute substitute in the win, while Richy Ledezma missed the game entirely, though latest reports are that he’s suffering from a slight bruise, and should be available for the Eindhoven side this coming weekend.)Men in Blazers@MenInBlazersPITCHSIDE VIEW OF MALIK TILLMAN FREEKICK showcasing the perfect strike from 22-year-old.One of the two goals scored by the USMNT attacker on Sunday that left PSV fans singing his name at final whistle 7:08 PM • Sep 24, 2024 78 Likes 3 Retweets 0 RepliesNews and Notes:Good news out of Dortmund, as manager Nuri Sahin said that Gio Reynacould return by early October. “[Reyna] is on the right track. He might be able to play before the international break.” Brenden Aaronson had the assist on Leeds’ second goal via a lovely through ball (watch here), in the Yorkshire side’s 2-0 win at Cardiff on Saturday. After being named Player of the Month for August, Medford Messi now has two goals and one assist in six games for Leeds. Last Fulhamerican Standing Antonee Robinson may not be long for the Cottage, as latest reports have Liverpool joining Manchester United in the quest to sign the USMNT left back during the January window.Weston McKennie got his first Serie A start of the season in Juventus’ scoreless draw with Napoli. Tim Weah subbed on at halftime for the Bianconeri. Jordan Pefokhad an assist in Union Berlin’s 2-1 win over Pellegrino Matarazzo and TSG Hoffenheim. It was the 28-year-old’s first goal contribution of the season. Marlon Fossey was back in action at right wingback for Standard Liege in the Belgian side’s scoreless draw with Union St.Gilloise on Friday. The 26-year-old USMNT right back recently spoke to our own Herculez Gomez on VAMOS about his appreciation for the sport of football. “If there’s one thing these injuries have taught me over the years, it’s to be grateful to just train every day.” (Listen to the full interview here.)Excellent Americans Abroad goal out of Argentina, as Alan Sonora (26; Buenos Aires) hit the sideways volley match-winner in Huracan’s 3-0 win over Lanus.Bob Bradley has been fired by Stabaek with seven games left in the season in Norway’s second division. The club released a statement that seemed genuinely grateful for the work Bradley has put in over his two stints with the team. “Bob will forever be a special part of the club’s history — a wise football head with enormous work capacity and great commitment.” Parting Shots:Great report out of the Netherlands, as FOX Soccer’s Doug McIntyre had the chance to speak with Sergiño Dest about the PSV right back opening a mini pitch in the neighborhood in which he grew up in Almere, a small city outside of Amsterdam. In the article, Dest talks about the importance of small-field soccer in developing ball control and dribbling. “[The pitch is] small, so you can go alone or with a couple friends, and you learn how to not just punch the ball forward and run. You have to control it in tight spaces. You can run a little bit, but you need to find other solutions to beat your opponent.” Dest hopes to open one in the U.S. ahead of the 2026 World Cup, hopefully helping to create next-gen skill merchants back here on home soil as well.
NWSL
Even GOATs understand the struggle.Weekend matchups could shift the standings Gotham faces Golden Boot leader Temwa Chawinga’s Current on Saturday. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)With five regular-season NWSL matchdaysleft, every point counts as teams jockey for postseason seeding, with this weekend’s lineup potentially shifting the standings.After Spirit star Trinity Rodman exited last week’s match with a back spasm, the forecast for Friday’s tilt between 10th-place Angel City and second-place Washington went from fairly uneventful to fairly uncertain.If Rodman’s deemed unfit to play, ACFC could capitalize on the striker’s absence in an effort to snatch up the three points needed to catapult them over the postseason cutoff line.On Saturday, an early afternoon battle pits third-place Gotham against fourth-place Kansas City, with a second-place spot possibly on the line.And while North Carolina’s fifth-place positioning is all but guaranteed, their Saturday evening match with sixth-place Chicago will see the Red Stars looking to enhance their own playoff security.Golden Boot bigs headline MVP buzzOrlando’s Barbra Banda could claim this season’s MVP award. (Erin Chang/ISI Photos/Getty Images)Awards races are heating up going into the NWSL’s final stretch, with 2024 Golden Boot race frontrunners Temwa Chawinga and Barbra Banda leading the charge for MVP.With 16 goals, Chawinga’s on pace to lap ex-Red Star Sam Kerr’s 2019 single-season scoring record of 18.With 13 goals of her own, Banda tied Orlando teammate Marta’s 2017 franchise best, while her six game-winners put her on par with the NWSL’s single-season record.Even considering Portland’s struggles, Sophia Smith’s 11 goals and six assists on the season can’t be discounted. Despite her season-ending injury, Washington’s Croix Bethune still seems like a lock for Rookie of the Year with five goals and a league record-tying 10 assists.Meanwhile, Pride keeper Anna Moorhouse and her single-season record 12 shutouts leads the Goalkeeper of the Year campaign.West Coast clubs top NWSL valuations New valuations show California franchise Angel City FC ahead of the pack. (Harry How/Getty Images)On Wednesday, Sportico dropped their latest NWSL valuations, indicating that the league’s recent Westward expansion is paying off in droves.Despite their short tenures, all three California teams landed in the list’s top four.Led by Angel City’s $250 million valuation, San Diego clocks in third at $132 million, with 2024 newcomer Bay FC debuting at $121 million.Breaking the trend is Kansas City, up 141% over last year with a $182 million valuation alongside a 259% jump in revenue growth.Averaging $104 million per team, the league’s 14 clubs are now worth a combined $1.46 billion, representing a 57% increase over last year.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen is out for the season – so what’s Barcelona’s plan?
Barcelona will be without their captain and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for the rest of the season after the German suffered a serious knee ligament injury in Sunday’s 5-1 victory at Villarreal.
The Catalan club didn’t include an expected date for his recovery when announcing that he underwent surgery on Monday, but one expert consulted for this article puts the timeframe at between eight to 10 months and that view is reflected by club sources.
Losing Ter Stegen is a huge blow for Hansi Flick’s Barca, who have started the new La Liga season in impressive form with six victories from six games.
Here, our Barcelona correspondents Pol Ballús and Laia Cervelló Herrero answer some of the key questions around his injury — and detail the club’s current plan to replace him.
How bad is Ter Stegen’s injury?
Ter Stegen, 32, ruptured a patellar tendon in his right knee against Villarreal on Sunday. On Monday, Barca confirmed he had undergone a successful operation on the area.
Lluis Puig, head of the physiotherapy department at Barcelona’s Hospital de l’Esperit Sant, says the surgery will likely have involved reconstruction of the tendon — a process that would rule him out for the rest of 2024-25.
Barca and Villarreal players react to Ter Stegen’s injury (Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
“When this tendon is completely ruptured, it is reconstructed,” Puig says. “The recovery means that for the first two months you have to be very careful when it comes to gaining mobility, so as not to put too much tension on the area so that it heals well.
“As this fixation becomes more solid, you can gain more mobility. It is a slow recovery, which will require a very painstaking process — even more so for a goalkeeper who has to jump, dive and do intensive work which puts the area in jeopardy. The recovery will easily be between eight and 10 months.”
Barca sources — who, like all those cited here, preferred to speak anonymously as they did not have permission to comment — reflected a similar timescale, saying they expected Ter Stegen to be out for at least eight months.
Ter Stegen has had problems with his right knee before, having previously suffered from tendonitis. Twice he had operations to help with this. In August 2020, he underwent surgery because he had been in pain throughout the season. He returned in November.
In May 2021, he underwent what Barca described as “a therapeutic procedure on the patellar tendon in his right knee” and was back by August.
As happened last season when the German was ruled out with a back injury, his immediate replacement will be Inaki Pena.
The 25-year-old was born in Alicante and joined Barcelona’s youth ranks at the age of 13. He progressed through all levels until, in January 2022, he left on a six-month loan to Galatasaray. The deal was very successful and it included an impressive Europa League performance against his parent club.
Pena also covered for Ter Stegen last season (Jose Miguel Fernandez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
That helped convince Barca to offer him a new contract — a deal until 2026. That extension meant Barcelona allowed another great La Masia prospect, Arnau Tenas, to leave in the summer of 2023. Tenas ended up joining Paris Saint-Germain.
Sources who worked with Pena at La Masia describe him as a goalkeeper with a very similar style to Ter Stegen — a player comfortable passing the ball out from the back and with a calm personality.
He will now have another chance to prove he has what it takes.
How did Barca do without Ter Stegen last year?
Ter Stegen has been a key player for Barca for years. He was arguably the biggest contributor to their 2023-23 La Liga title and this summer, following the departure of Sergi Roberto, he became club captain.
Last term, the German was out for three months with lower back problems that required surgery and Pena took his place. In total he played 17 games — 10 in La Liga, three in the Copa del Rey, two in the Champions League and two in the Supercopa de Espana — and conceded 32 goals, keeping three clean sheets.
There had been real worry among fans over Ter Stegen’s absence, but concerns quickly settled down and in the dressing room Barca’s players started to call Pena ‘the German’ after he came in. This was after positive early performances against Porto in the Champions League and Atletico Madrid in La Liga in November.
But Pena’s time in the team coincided with Barca’s toughest spell of the season — one that included heavy home defeats by Girona and Villarreal. The latter sparked Xavi’s decision to announce he would step down at the end of the campaign (a decision he would eventually reverse, before being sacked).
Who are the other options?
Perhaps the most interesting profile is that of United States youth international Diego Kochen.
The 18-year-old, Miami-born goalkeeper was called up for the senior U.S. national team for the first time last month, but he is yet to play at that level. He joined Barca in 2019 and signed a professional contract with the club in 2022. La Masia sources describe him as a very bright prospect — and say he is the academy goalkeeper most likely to progress into a first-team option.
There is a but, however. Kochen suffered a hamstring injury last week, which was expected to keep him out for about a month.
The opportunity afforded by Ter Stegen’s long-term absence might come just a bit too soon for Kochen, who only made his debut with Barca’s reserve side (Barcelona Atletic, who play in Spain’s third tier) last season.
Diego Kochen made the Barcelona bench for their match at Athletic Bilbao in March (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
This term, the club’s plan was for the young American to stay with Barca Atletic so he can experience more playing time with them. Ter Stegen’s injury means we will have to keep an eye on whether that plan now changes.
With Kochen out of action for now, the back-up to Pena will be Ander Astralaga, at least initially. The 20-year-old joined Barca from Athletic Bilbao in 2018 and has played for Spain at under-18 and under-19 level. Last season he made 19 appearances for Barca Atletic. He has already been a part of first-team squads over the past year and will have a bigger role now.
We should also mention Hungarian 18-year-old Aron Yaakobishvili, known as ‘Yako’ at Barca. He was expected to be the team’s under-19 goalkeeper this season, with the plan for him to play in the UEFA Youth League, as well as offering support with Barca Atletic whenever needed. Now he might see his status upgraded and play on a more regular basis with the second team.
If Barca want to add a new goalkeeper before the January transfer window, it will have to be a free agent.
Back in February 2020, Barca were able to make an ’emergency’ signing outside the transfer window, bringing in Danish striker Martin Braithwaite from Leganes after meeting his €18million buyout clause. But La Liga rules no longer allow such ’emergency’ moves to be made.
Goalkeepers available on a free right now include 37-year-old ex-Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, former Liverpool stopper Loris Karius, Spaniard Sergio Rico (who has not played since his life-threatening accident), Norwegian Kristoffer Klaesson (who made a handful of Premier League appearances for Leeds) and La Masia product Jordi Masip (now 35, he last played for Real Valladolid).
Barca senior executives will hold a meeting to discuss how to react to Ter Stegen’s injury. The current expectation is for them not to go after a new player now, but the situation will be reassessed before the next transfer window in January.
Barcelona have struggled to register new signings because of La Liga’s rules on salary spending, but the competition body’s rules do allow clubs to temporarily register replacements for injured players. Barca have already taken advantage of this twice this season — with Dani Olmo and Inigo Martinez (following injuries to Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen).
If Barca were to again find themselves struggling to register Olmo and Martinez in January (when they have to be registered again), they could theoretically seek to apply this same rule following Ter Stegen’s injury. However, club sources say they still plan to stabilise the financial situation by then, suggesting that a possible way to do this will come via a re-negotiated sponsorship deal with Nike.
(Top photo: Ivan Terron/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Gianni Infantino promises to announce FIFA Club World Cup venues by end of September
FIFA president Gianni Infantino promised global broadcasters in a video call on Friday that venues in the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup next June and July will be announced by the end of September, increasing the pressure on his organisation to finalise negotiations with stadiums and cities across the country within 10 days.The Athletic revealed on Thursday that Infantino had called the emergency briefing with broadcasters as he sought to persuade them of the merits of the tournament, with football’s world governing body FIFA seeking billions in TV revenue to fund participation and prize money for competing clubs. Broadcasters have, however, so far been reluctant to get anywhere near FIFA’s demands for the tournament.
A global streaming deal with Apple was originally reported by The New York Times to be close but that did not materialise. FIFA then launched a media rights tender in July for both the 2025 and 2029 editions of the tournament in the hope it would raise interest and competition.
The 32-team tournament will take place in the U.S. next summer but venues, training bases, sponsors and broadcasters are yet to be announced. Clubs are also increasingly impatient to learn how much they can expect to receive from the competition, with Europe’s largest sides budgeting for UEFA Champions League-style returns from competing in FIFA’s revamped tournament. It is not known at this stage where the 2029 competition will take place.
The majority of the venues next year will be on the east coast of the U.S., with the west coast largely blocked off for the CONCACAF Gold Cup which is happening also between June and July next summer.
The Athletic has previously reported that MLS side Seattle Sounders are expected to play at least one Club World Cup game at Lumen Field, a 68,000-seater stadium that is home to NFL team Seattle Seahawks, the Sounders and Seattle Reign of the NWSL, but this is expected to be the only west coast venue.We have also previously reported that a mix of NFL and MLS venues across New York, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Nashville and Cincinnati have been under consideration.
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Certainty over the venues will provide some comfort to broadcasters amid a spate of concerns that have plagued the organisation of the tournament, but it remains to be seen whether the TV networks will show the same enthusiasm for the competition as Infantino.He was joined on the call by Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who is also the chair of the European Clubs’ Association, while executives from Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Porto, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg also showed support.FIFA declined to comment but confirmed it expects to announce venues within weeks and that further announcements are hoped for ahead of the draw, which will take place in December.
The Summer of soccer starts today in Germany. England comes in as co-favorites along with Spain. Germany have struggled in Cup play – and are looking to use their home status to get them back in. Of course Italy won the last Euro’s then didn’t qualify for the World Cup – so they will be looking for Redemption as well. Tons of stories about the games – but bottom line is we have soccer to watch at 9, 12 noon, & 3 pm for the next month. Along with Copa America starting Thurs – giving us a couple of games each night. Summer of Soccer is here – enjoy. I am going to give my official picks next week. Sorry got bogged down this week.
US Men tie Brazil 1-1 – Starts Copa America next Sun vs Bolivia 6 pm
What a difference a game makes –after a woeful showing vs Colombia last weekend – the US tightened up and played Brazil to a wonderful 1-1 tie on Orlando in front of 60K –70% Brazil fans. GK Matt Turner made 11 saves – trailing only Howard’s 15 saves in the World Cup vs Belgium for most saves in a game. Honestly though while Brazil out possessed and outshot us – the US should have won this game. Brazil’s GK Alisson saved the day when he stonewalled both Pulisic and later Aaronson in the final minutes. (full highlights) The US did hold on for the last 15 minutes – but again – the US could have won this one. The US has only beaten Brazil 1 time in 18 tries – and this is the first tie. I thought the defense really stood out as Robinson, Ream, and Scally we fantastic. Remember this group only gave up 2 goals vs Colombia – and this time Turner played very well – vs struggling vs Colombia. I thought the front line was also strong – of course Pulisic was legendary as normal and playing the entire game here’s Pulisic’s masterful Free Kick Goal – showed just how much of a difference he can make. I like Pepi up front but still think Haji Wright should be our #9 in Copa. The Berhalter bashers are going to have to wait another few weeks as the team he put out there as marvelous vs Brazil. We’ll see how he manages Copa – a tourney we really need to get to the Final 4 of. Speaking of Copa here’s the Roster for Copa with starts Thurs night with the US playing Sat at 6 pm vs Bolivia.
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 Bring 11 game unbeaten streak home vs San Antonio this Sat Night at the Mike
The Boys in Blue closed out a two-match road trip Sunday night with a win against Birmingham Legion FC. Indy sits at 8-4-2 in third place in the Eastern Conference and return home to host San Antonio FC this Saturday, June 15 at the Mike. Single-game tickets are available for all matches via Ticketmaster. Great Story about Carmel Dad’s Club’s own Cam Lindley and his journey back to Indy 11.
Good luck to those players representing Indiana ODP this weekend in Cincy — especially our Goalkeeper’s
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
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USMNT’s Copa América prep ends with a step in the right direction
Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondent ESPN Jun 13, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
ORLANDO, Florida — As United States men’s national team goalkeeper Matt Turner prepared to answer questions in the postmatch mixed zone Wednesday, he found himself face-to-face with United States legend Kasey Keller. The former USMNT keeper offered up his congratulations to Turner for the latter’s heroics in the 1-1 draw against Brazil.After Keller had departed, Turner remarked, “That was cool. What a guy.”It was fitting that the two should exchange a quick word, as they now share the rare distinction of avoiding defeat against Brazil. It was Keller’s stellar performance against the Seleção back in the semifinals of the 1998 Gold Cup that almost single-handedly led the U.S. to a 1-0 win. The stunned look on the face of Brazilian World Cup winner Romario, as Keller made save after save, remains etched in the memory.
On Wednesday, it was Turner’s opportunity to shine. To be clear, it wasn’t perfect. Turner’s wayward pass in the 17th minute helped set the table for Rodrygo to put Brazil in the lead. But Turner righted himself, delivering 10 saves, including a blast from Rodrygo in the 74th minute. The fact that the U.S.’s record against Brazil now stands at 1-18-1 reveals just how uncommon such a result is.Contrast this performance with that of last Saturday against Colombia, one in which the U.S. were shellacked 5-1. Turner seemed overwhelmed at times, and given the way that he has struggled for minutes and form while at Nottingham Forest this season, concern was starting to mount that he might not be the man to start in goal for the U.S. For the moment, he has quieted those doubts.
“It’s been a tough couple of months for me personally on the pitch,” he said. “So to have the opportunity to be out here again and feel the trust that my teammates have in me and my coaches have in me here, it’s huge. It speaks volumes to me. So I was grateful to be able to perform well tonight. It won’t always be like that, but I think you are only as good as the guys around you.”Turner’s performance in large part mirrored that of the team; there were blemishes, but it was a huge improvement on last Saturday, one replete with increased resolve and execution. Christian Pulisic delivered the equalizer with a powerful free kick in the 26th minute, and he came agonizingly close to winning the match in the 68th minute only to be thwarted by Brazil keeper Alisson. Brenden Aaronson suffered the same fate after being set up by Pulisic 15 minutes later. The defense, much maligned after the Colombia debacle, bent plenty in the face of attackers like Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha, but it held firm.The teamwide eagerness to do the dirty work provided the backbone to earn a most unlikely result.
“I think it was just a willingness to defend, get numbers behind the ball in transition, getting numbers back much [quicker], just a lot smarter and not losing balls in the wrong areas and just giving them easy opportunities,” Pulisic said. “And yeah, just a team spirit of willingness to also suffer at times and then find our chances. So, definitely a big step in the right direction.”
Herculez Gomez and Sebastian Salazar debate the biggest storylines and break down the best highlights that soccer in the Americas has to offer. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only)The U.S. also used its collective brain as well. The team, as well as manager Gregg Berhalter, has been criticized for at times wanting to play the ball out of the back at all costs, and that predictability — or stubbornness — worked against it in the Colombia match. On Wednesday, there was more of a willingness to hit long passes and fight for second balls, especially from goal kicks.”I think our biggest takeaway from the game on the weekend was that sometimes you switch up from the game plan. You can’t just be robots out there,” defender Chris Richards said. “You have to have a feel for the game. And so I think that’s what we did tonight, with mixing it up and rather than just playing out the whole time. Sometimes you had to go direct and it’s OK to reset.”International tournaments, and the friendlies that precede them, are invitations to become a prisoner of the moment. The U.S. isn’t quite as terrible as it was against Colombia. It’s also dangerous to think that a draw against Brazil means everything is sweetness and light. The U.S. midfield remains a work in progress.One should also consider the U.S. team’s rather curious history under Berhalter where it has delivered some dreadful performances ahead of major tournaments. In 2019, prior to that year’s Gold Cup, the U.S. lost preparation games to Jamaica and Venezuela, the latter by a 3-0 scoreline. Prior to the 2022 World Cup, there was a heavy 3-0 defeat to Japan, which was followed by a dour 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. In both cases the U.S. went on to have successful tournaments. Granted, it’s not a guarantee of anything, which might explain Berhalter’s muted reaction to this match, even as he lauded his side’s teamwork and intensity. “We feel like we made a little step. It’s not a huge step, but it’s a little step to be able to play against an amazingly talented Brazil team and bend but not break,” he said.
It would be a stretch to say the U.S. is operating at its peak, but there is certainly a sense of increased momentum about the group that wasn’t there following the Colombia result. And the manner of the result against Brazil provides some hope. There was a time when the U.S. was notoriously difficult to play against. That trait hasn’t shown itself with the same level of consistency in the last decade or so. That it did so on this evening counts as a positive development. It will be needed in the coming weeks.Now the Copa America awaits. Group C, in which the U.S. will face Bolívia, Panama and Uruguay, ought to be navigable. But the U.S. isn’t in the kind of position where it can just turn up and expect to get results. That does seem to be one of the primary takeaways from these last two friendlies. It’s a lesson that shouldn’t need reinforcing given this team’s level of experience, but better for it to happen now than in the actual Copa itself. For now, the U.S. can enjoy a rare result against one of the world’s best.As Berhalter said, “It’s a good end to preparation camp. We’re ready for Copa America.”
USMNT 2024 Copa America squad: Every player on the roster analyzed
You’re tired of hearing this by now, but it’s still true: this is a young and relatively inexperienced United States men’s national team. Of the 26 players Gregg Berhalter called in for the Copa América, only three have appeared in at least 50 senior international matches. Another trio has crested the 40 cap mark, while 12 players enter the tournament with fewer than 20 caps.
However, this isn’t the byproduct of a youth movement like Mexico’s. The program is saving plenty of promising players 23 years old or younger for the Olympics in Paris, including Kevin Paredes, Bryan Reynolds and Gianluca Busio. The U.S. also enters Copa América in relatively good health, though its one major absence, Sergiño Dest, will force Berhalter into some tough decisions.
The tune-up friendlies showed two different sides of this team: being played off the field in the opener against Colombia, then staying resolute to play Brazil to an evenly matched draw days later. We don’t quite know what to expect from this team, but that’s the beauty of a major international competition: the element of unpredictability. Playing on home soil can’t hurt, either.
Here are the 26 players who will represent the United States as they look to match or exceed their semifinal finish in the 2016 Copa América Centenario.
Players are listed in alphabetical order by position. Ages and cap totals as of June 13, 2024
A positional logjam kept Nottingham Forest from registering Horvath for the Premier League, leaving him without a place to play until a January move to Cardiff City. He immediately became the Bluebirds’ starter, performing commensurate to league average as Cardiff finished 12th in the Championship.
Although his club career has become fairly nomadic, Horvath has been steady when called upon by his national team. Among his nine appearances was a crucial shift from the bench in the 2021 Nations League final, when a handful of saves (including a stifled penalty kick in extra time) allowed the United States to win the competition’s inaugural installment. A capable deputy, Horvath won’t be daunted if called upon for a big moment this summer.
For decades, the nation’s goalkeeper pool was among its strongest. A litany of Premier League starters stole the headlines. Still, another proud tradition is that of the veteran third-stringer — an experienced netminder who provides additional wisdom even if their number is seldom called.
Like Marcus Hahnemann and Nick Rimando before him, Johnson has been Berhalter’s trusted man; this summer, he’ll reprise his role from the 2022 World Cup. It’s a spot he had to earn, fighting off the emergence of Drake Callender. Amidst a bounce-back second season with Toronto FC, the 35-year-old remains a vital part of the locker room’s leadership corps.
Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest) — 41 caps, 29 years old
What seemed like a dream move last summer for Matt Turner quickly devolved into a nightmare. Signed from Arsenal to be Forest’s starter, the club kept Turner busy early and often. The club’s frenetic nature in the transfer market took over. They signed yet another international goalkeeper, Matz Sels, following previous moves for Turner, Odysseas Vlachodimos and Keylor Navas in successive windows. By March, Forest had dropped Turner to the bench.
Turner has had some questionable missed saves, particularly a few low-likelihood shots through his legs, but he remains the USMNT’s best shot-stopper by some margin. Questions about his distribution persist, but he’s organized the defense better than anyone in the role since Tim Howard.
It can be tough to assess players on Celtic and Rangers given their dueling dominance in Scotland. Since joining Celtic in 2021, Carter-Vickers has actualized the promise that made him a hot prospect early in his career. Still, it hasn’t made him a regular starter for the USMNT. He looks good in defense and possession, but nearly everyone does with a perennial champion.
Under Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou, Celtic has been as possession-dominant as any team in Europe. Carter-Vickers plays plenty of short passes that pad his completion rate, but his line-breakers and diagonals give the attack a jolt. Those will be vital for the U.S. to progress upfield this summer, while his defending in the sky (70.6% aerial win rate) and on the ground (13% dribble-past rate, among Scotland’s best) could position him to retain a starting role for years to come.
After struggling to develop international-caliber left backs for decades, the U.S. is in a relative golden age at the spot. Having represented Denmark in youth international ranks, Lund’s 2023 commitment to the U.S. provides another option that regularly plays in a major European nation.
Lund was initially hyped as a progressive option down the flank, a threat to find space out wide, collect the ball and take off on the dribble. His first season with Serie B side Palermo saw him refine his defensive chops, too, when disrupting opponents’ progress on the ground and winning aerial duels. His future looks bright — and he could be ready for some late minutes to stretch a game this summer.
Historically, a central defender is primarily assessed for their ability to stifle progress. The job description is in the name, after all. While McKenzie isn’t exactly a slouch at defending, he’s on this squad predominantly for his work with the ball at his feet.
McKenzie is among the best ball-progressing defenders in Europe beyond the continent’s top five leagues. He averages 6.3 progressive passes per 90 minutes, ranking in the 96th percentile of fbref’s “Men’s Next 14” leagues. He averaged 5.8 passes into the final third per 90 as Genk finished 5th in Belgium’s Pro League, helping bypass a midfield block. He may not project to start often at the tournament, but if he comes on, expect some scintillating long distribution.
Even on a struggling Nashville side, Moore’s defensive work kept him in contention for this squad. Moore is a proactive tackler, averaging 6.24 “true” tackles per 1,000 opposing touches since the start of 2023. Still, he’s most likely third in this position’s depth chart, behind Scally and an out-of-position attacking alternative like Tim Weah or Weston McKennie.
One aspect of Moore’s game does lend itself well to late-match game states. He offers a dangerous long throw, with the 19th most heaves into the box of any MLS player since the start of 2023. If the U.S. needs a goal late in a game, he could be the man for the moment.
Tim Ream has become a crucial veteran presence in the USMNT’s backline. (Photo by Brad Smith, Getty Images)
In a few years, discussing Ream’s international career will be laden with “what if?” scenarios. The center back didn’t find consistency with the USMNT until 2019, having been frozen out by Jürgen Klinsmann during the 2014 World Cup cycle. In 2022, he anchored the backline at the World Cup, with his defending and passing acumen garnering praise from his teammates and Pep Guardiola alike.
Father Time remains undefeated, however, and Ream played just once after mid-February. That felt like a ceremonial sendoff in Fulham’s season finale at Craven Cottage against relegated Luton Town. The lack of recent involvement adds rust to the squad’s most senior member, though starts in both tune-up friendlies suggest he’ll be relied upon again this summer. Whatever transpires, his leadership will be vital for a youthful USMNT at this tournament, whether he’s a regular in Berhalter’s lineups or not.
Last season was a breakout year for Chris Richards, the first time he logged over 2,000 minutes for a club’s senior team. A rash of injuries and a relegation scare forced Crystal Palace to deploy Richards in midfield, only playing at his primary position for 1,266 of his 2,091 Premier League minutes. However, the time he did spend along the backline showed that he’s coming into his own as a defender.
In the 1,266 minutes, Richards was among the Premier League’s most active aerial duelists and one of the division’s most effective tacklers. Although his rate of winning aerial duels was pedestrian, he capably kept opponents from beating him on the dribble. After missing the 2022 World Cup due to injury, Richards is on track to establish himself as the program’s best defender.
There’s a case to be made that Robinson is already this program’s greatest left back. Granted, that speaks volumes about the lack of options in the role for decades, where the team’s starter was often playing out of position (see: Eddie Lewis, Carlos Bocanegra, DaMarcus Beasley and Fabian Johnson). It’s also a distinction that’s deserved on his own merit. This season, “Jedi” put forth a season that has him in the upper echelon of Premier League left backs.
Robinson is a capable one-on-one defender, leading all Premier League fullbacks, averaging 5.16 interceptions and blocked passes per 1,000 opponent touches. He also created 1.27 chances per 100 touches of the ball, 17th among the league’s 46 full-backs and wing backs who played at least 900 minutes in 2023-24. That creativity and progressive play may be even more vital this summer given Dest’s absence from the opposite flank.
Robinson was in line to start at the 2022 World Cup before a torn Achilles tendon ruled him out for the tournament. He’s worked hard to recover to his previous form, including the spring that makes him a threat in the air on both ends of the pitch.
The data suggests he isn’t quite the same defender as before that injury. He’s less likely to attempt a tackle or interception than before, and his current aerial duel win rate of 66% is his lowest since becoming a regular starter in 2019. He’s also completing fewer long passes than he had before his injury (45.3% this season). He is, however, still acclimating after switching clubs this winter. Nevertheless, he’s a favored figure of Berhalter’s and a program veteran with a point to prove.
Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach) — 11 caps, 21 years old
The projected “next man up” following Dest’s injury, Scally has been a fixture in Mönchengladbach’s lineup for three seasons. He has logged over 6,000 Bundesliga minutes before turning 22, and Scally figures to have a long career ahead of him. The question is if he’s ready to be the top option in a major international tournament — and how closely he’ll be able to replicate Dest’s role. In the USMNT’s tune-up games against Colombia and Brazil, he faced world-class challenges lining up opposite Luis Díaz and Vinicius Jr.
Scally doesn’t carry the same upfield compass that guides Dest’s every decision. Instead, he’s a more traditional full back, prone to slinging effective short passes and prioritizing his defensive responsibilities over the attacking ones. If he isn’t the first-choice option as the tournament progresses, he’s capable of playing all three defensive roles.
When healthy, Tyler Adams can impact a game like nobody else in the USMNT pool. His recovery defending is tireless, and he expertly reads an opponent’s build-up sequence to stymy it before danger strikes. The problem has been that requisite availability, as 2023-24 saw him log the fewest minutes in any season (just 121 in the league) since his professional debut in 2015.
The good news: Adams is well-versed in Berhalter’s system, easing his reassimilation. While some in the pool are better at breaking lines with their passes and others enter in better form, none can match Adams’ all-around defensive midfield skill set. For the USMNT to be at its best this summer, they’ll need him to be on the field more often than not.
While a slew of promising young Americans developed in MLS and Europe, Johnny Cardoso honed his craft in Brazil. The midfielder emerged with Internacional and was a starter in 2022 and 2023, catching eyes with impressive facilitation that fed his team’s forward line. It also drew the attention of Real Betis, who signed him in January 2024 and promptly thrust him into their starting lineup.
The trick will be combining his passing acumen with the more defensive-minded role he adopted at Betis. His defensive work rate stood out and forced ample turnovers, even as he’s adjusting to greater involvement in that phase of the game. If everything comes together, he’ll be the worthy alternative to Adams this team has long needed.
He isn’t the pool’s most athletic midfielder, nor does he rack up highlight reel actions on a regular basis. Sometimes, the greatest compliment a player can be paid is that they are easy to overlook; simply, De la Torre makes midfield work look neat and tidy with the ball at his feet.
The midfielder was a regular fixture in the Celta Vigo lineup thanks to his usefulness in build-up play. Few midfielders in all of Europe boasted a greater volume of carries and dribbles. He also improved his ability to collect the ball in the box rather than staying at the heart of the park. He’s often overlooked due to buzzier alternatives in the role, but fans shouldn’t stress if he enters a match.
Weston McKennie (Juventus) — 53 caps, 25 years old
Being versatile is a blessing and a curse. Sure, it helps keep a player in contention for playing time throughout their career. As McKennie has learned over the years, however, the frequent role changes can come at the cost of refining one’s skills as a club plugs holes. McKennie finally stayed in a consistent role for a full season in 2023-24 — to the delight of Juventus and his career alike.
McKennie is an infectious personality, a camera operator’s best friend with his every reaction. He’ll likely stay in the lens’ sight this summer with his proactive defensive work and his improved game in possession, more comfortable playing distributor on top of his established off-ball work. Tack on his prowess in dead-ball situations, and McKennie is among this team’s most important members.
Here’s a good example of how a typical club season for a 21-year-old player can have an outsized impact on such a young national team. Musah made a big leap when he left Valencia for AC Milan last summer, going from being a starter for a relegation-zone club to a rotational figure for a top-tier side. His minutes regressed and he played a myriad of roles.
It sets him up for a possible breakout in 2024-25, but doubles as a setback for a player who was among the USMNT’s most important from a young age. Musah’s transition year comes at a time when it’s clear that Gio Reyna needs to start for this team to generate consistent chances, and he projects to be the odd man out to accommodate. He may not be as involved as he was when he turned heads with his tidy and effective play at the 2022 World Cup, but fear not: Musah’s career is still decidedly on the rise.
A strong showing in Copa América could help Reyna overshadow the drama of the 2022 World Cup. (Photo by Shaun Clark, Getty Images)
Perhaps a move to Nottingham Forest isn’t in a player’s best interest as the club cycles through options like a video gamer overhauling a roster in record time. Injuries kept Reyna from featuring regularly for Dortmund, and a lack of alternatives sent him to the City Ground late in the January window. The club seldom played with an attacking midfielder, however, and 2023-24 was a lost season for a player who has already suffered a few of those since emerging in 2020-21.
Still, Reyna has an eye for creating chances that few USMNT players have had since Landon Donovan’s heyday. He’s dangerous whether his team is exploiting a transition moment or in a sustained phase of possession, and he’s made himself undroppable for his nation even as his club career has stagnated. His frustration with a lack of involvement at the 2022 World Cup will forever be part of his legacy, but a strong Copa América could help overshadow that.
Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven) — 11 caps, 22 years old
In most eras, Tillman would have a clear role in attacking midfield. It’s the role he occupied as PSV dominated the Eredivisie in 2023-24, scoring nine goals and assisting 10 more en route to a title-winning season. With that act following the 10 goals he scored on loan with Rangers in 2022-23, he should be a certain starter this summer, right?
Unfortunately for Tillman, he hasn’t found a clear role for the U.S. Berhalter often opts for three central midfielders, too withdrawn a spot for Tillman’s skill set — and, historically, a role that would be Reyna’s or Musah’s to occupy. His central channel preference makes him a cumbersome option on the wing. He’s an undeniable talent and an impactful player on his day; maybe this summer will see him find a home in Berhalter’s setup.
A firm Berhalter favorite, Aaronson has struggled since leaving RB Salzburg for Leeds in 2022. Following their relegation, he spent last year on loan with Union Berlin. Some late heroics helped the club avoid relegation from the Bundesliga, but he’ll return to Elland Road with a point to prove to the English club’s fanbase.
Even in the most difficult stretch of his career, his tireless work rate remains unimpeachable. Aaronson is more of a spark plug for this team as constructed than a starter, able to change a game by sheer force of will whether it’s in midfield or on the wing. Even in a rotational role, Aaronson could kick off a comeback this summer.
When Balogun committed to the United States instead of England or Nigeria, it seemed like a massive coup. Seldom has the USMNT enjoyed dependable output from a center forward, with Brian McBride and Jozy Altidore being rare exceptions in this century. Coming off of a strong season with Reims, a $43 million move to AS Monaco seemed like evidence that the USMNT finally had a top-tier striker.
At this stage, Balogun is more of a volume scorer than a pinpoint finisher. He has woefully underperformed his expected goal output since the start of 2023, and was dropped from the Monaco lineup midway through the season. His assimilation with the USMNT hasn’t been seamless either, with three goals from a dozen caps. Still, a striker’s legacy is determined by tournament performances more than friendlies. His first major competition since committing will be a timely test of his mettle.
Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven) — 25 caps, 21 years old
Alongside Malik Tillman and Dest, Pepi had some fine moments as PSV dominated the Eredivisie, scoring seven goals and adding two assists. Unfortunately, those moments largely came from the bench, limiting Pepi to just 572 minutes in league action. It’s an understandable plight for a young striker, especially when veteran Luuk de Jong scored 29 goals as the team’s starter. Still, it wasn’t the “leap” many have hoped to see since Pepi left FC Dallas in 2021.
That super-sub season may actually give the USMNT a boost entering this tournament, though. Pepi was a hard omission from Berhalter’s World Cup squad, but enters the Copa América already equipped to impact a game from the bench. Pepi’s time in the spotlight may not be far away, but he could be vital in brief spurts this summer.
It feels odd given his age and the fact that he only finally enjoyed a full season as a major European club’s starter, but Pulisic is the most capped member of this squad. The resurgence of the program has been carried on his shoulders, and he finally has a supporting cast of a similar standard. It eases the pressure on him to do it all, which could bring even more of his best to the international level.
Pulisic has proven to be more of a finisher than a creator — more of a Clint Dempsey than a Landon Donovan. He flourished playing on the right at AC Milan after years out left (and left out) with Chelsea… although Berhalter favors him on the left. When Pulisic plays with freedom, he can take over a game like nobody else on this roster.
Josh Sargent (Norwich City) — 23 caps, 24 years old
Even as 2023-24 saw Balogun struggle and Pepi toil on the bench, it wasn’t a complete dud for USMNT strikers. Following Teemu Pukki’s move to Minnesota United, Sargent finally enjoyed a full season as Norwich’s starting striker. He rewarded them handsomely, bagging 16 goals on 11.2 non-penalty xG as the club returned to the promotion playoffs.
In a perfect world, he would be neck-and-neck with Balogun for starts at this tournament. However, Sargent was a question to make the roster due to a nagging foot injury suffered late in the Canaries’ campaign. Strikers, like all soccer players, are famously dependent on their feet, and his ability to impact this tournament is an open question. The fact he made the squad does give some confidence that he could be ready.
Tim Weah (Juventus) — 39 caps, 24 years old
Weah is another versatile player in the pool whose club role changes on an annual basis. Once a striker and often still a winger, Juventus found him to be a capable wing back this past season — a revelation that could come in handy given Dest’s injury.
As a wing back, Weah’s dribbling prowess and skill at executing a give-and-go helped Juventus qualify for the Champions League and win the Coppa Italia. He was also adept at making an impact in defensive phases, a credit to his reading of a game. If he’s a winger this summer, he’ll be among the USMNT’s most important attackers. If he shifts to Dest’s role, however, he could be an X-factor for which few opponents are adequately prepared to contain.
Haji Wright (Coventry City) — 10 caps, 26 years old
When Haji Wright broke into the pool in 2022, conventional wisdom was that he was a target forward — the role that saw the 6’3” striker flourish in Turkey. One of just three United States players to score at the World Cup in Qatar, the fit up top looked suspect. As Balogun committed to the program and Pepi and Josh Sargent continued to develop, it seemed certain that Wright would be a peripheral figure in the coming years.
Credit to Coventry City for unlocking a new side of Wright’s game in his English soccer debut. Playing out wide for the first time, he managed to score 16 goals and add six assists in the league, proving his end product would translate to playing along the touchline. That revelation unlocks greater tactical flexibility and should help Wright see the field often throughout the tournament.(Photo: John Todd, Stephen Nadler/Getty; Design: John Bradford)
Euro 2024 predictions: Best player, dark horses, biggest disappointment? Our writers’ picks
We are just a day away from Euro 2024, with hosts Germany taking on Scotland in Munich on Friday night.
What can we expect? An outsider victory? A Kylian Mbappe-inspired French romp? England out in the group stages? Whatever we get, there will be drama (we hope). Let us know in the comments section what you expect to happen.
Here, six of The Athletic’s writers give their predictions…
Oliver Kay: France, because they have the strongest squad — not just in terms of talent and depth in all positions but also know-how and a proven ability to perform when the stakes are high.
Liam Tharme: France. Tournaments are won over decades of youth talent and nobody does it like Ligue 1. Didier Deschamps has found the perfect balance between system and superstars.
James Horncastle: I like how Roberto Martinez has carved out a niche as custodian of international ‘Golden Generations’. First, Belgium, and now Portugal. The balance Portugal have in midfield is encouraging and I’m waiting for Rafael Leao to deliver on his potential at this level.
Mbappe and Deschamps will be hopeful (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Nancy Froston: France have been such a force in recent years and they do not look any weaker.
Carl Anka: Germany. Host nation, favourable side of the draw, and decent players under a clever tactical mind in Julian Nagelsmann.
Nick Miller: France are the correct answer, but Deschamps has been there so long, aren’t they due a meltdown? What about the Netherlands? They have loads of good defenders, as well as Jeremie Frimpong and Xavi Simons, while Memphis Depay seems quite cross about leaving Atletico Madrid, so he’ll have some fire in his belly.
Horncastle: It’s on home soil. These are the final games of his career. Imagine ending your career by winning the Champions League and the Euros. It’s going to be Toni Kroos.
Froston: Jude Bellingham. You build everything around players as good as him. If England can manage a good run, it’ll be thanks to him.
Anka: It’s Kroos. This sport doesn’t often grant happy endings, but Kroos is about to have a superb swansong.
Miller: Kroos. Are we all blinded by the sheer wattage of the narrative? Perhaps, but that doesn’t make us wrong.
We all want it for Kroos, don’t we? (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Who will be the best young player (under 23 on June 14)?
Kay: There are a few English candidates, but I’ll say Jamal Musiala. He looks ready to make a big impact at Euro 2024.
Tharme: Between Musiala and Florian Wirtz. Both should rise to the occasion on home soil.
Horncastle: Arda Guler or Kenan Yildiz. Yildiz’s dribbling has generated crazy hype and Guler scored six times for Real Madrid in 377 La Liga minutes. The kid is shy but special.
Froston: Benjamin Sesko. A ‘burns bright in the group stage’ candidate feels about right.
Anka: Lamine Yamal. The 16-year-old (16!) has all the tools to be a game-breaking forward.
Miller: Xavi Simons. If I’m sticking with my ‘the Dutch are good’ theory, he’ll be at the centre of it.
How many penalties will fail to find the back of the net — in normal time and shootouts?
Tharme: There were four shootouts in 2020, the most since Euro 1996 (also four). Let’s take an assumed average of three missed from another four shootouts, that’s twelve. Let’s go for 15 total with only three not scored in regulation time.
Horncastle: Italians would say all of Jorginho’s — which is harsh given how cool he was from the spot in the semi-final against Spain three years ago.
Froston: This is the era of the water-bottle cheat sheet, so I fancy four penalties missed in regulation time and 13 in shootouts.
Kay: Unlike Liam, I haven’t given this the slightest thought and I’m struggling to get a handle on the numbers. One? A 100? I’ll say 10.
Anka: It’s still mostly a gamble. Three misses in the groups. Two in knockout games. 12 across collected shootouts.
Miller: Well, I’ll pick a number out of the air and say 14.
Who will ‘do an Enzo Fernandez’ and get a big transfer off the back of a tournament?
Kay: These days, so many of the best young talents are already at big clubs. Maybe it’s the perfect shop window for someone like Albania’s Armando Broja, who is surplus to requirements at Chelsea.
Tharme: Ukraine and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Heorhii Sudakov. A pure No 10, two-footed, with plenty of Champions League experience at Shakhtar Donetsk, even at 21.
Horncastle: Define ‘big’. What if Albania winger Jasir Asani was good enough to earn a move back to Europe after a year in South Korea’s K League with Gwangju?
Froston: Nico Williams. It seems likely that clubs will be tempted by his €50million (£42m; $54m) release clause at Athletic Bilbao.
Anka: Belgium and PSV Eindhoven’s Johan Bakayoko is a dribble-heavy, left-footed winger who likes to cut inside and shoot from the right wing. That’s the sort of forward Premier League clubs like spending dough on.
Miller: Bakayoko, Sudakov and Williams all get another couple of thumbs up, but people love a tempo-setting central midfielder, so I’ll say that Benfica will have someone’s pants down for Turkey’s Orkun Kokcu.
Tell us one thing you really want to see happen…
Kay: I would love to see England win it. But that’s such a boring answer. Failing that, I’d really like one of the smaller nations to win it. Denmark, Croatia, even Belgium. It would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Horncastle: One of the five Italian coaches to win the thing.
Froston: Limited minutes for Cristiano Ronaldo. With every embarrassing tantrum, it gets harder to remember why he is one of the best ever.
Will he be smiling in July? (Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images)
Anka: Wingers get chalk on their boots before driving at defenders. Loads of long-range efforts after the ball spills out from a corner.
Miller: Kroos strolling off into retirement having joined your Zidanes, your Xavis, your Iniestas in the ‘winning absolutely everything there is to win’ club.
Tell us one thing you really don’t want to see happen…
Kay: I really hope the tournament is trouble-free. I also hope I can walk through a market square on the day of an England game without cringing in embarrassment at fans singing dismal songs about “10 German bombers”.
Tharme: Germany out in the groups (again).
Horncastle: Please don’t judge Luciano Spalletti as if he’s been in the job for two years when he only stepped into the breach last August.
Froston: Opening ceremonies/pre-game performances from peppy Europop singers or ageing rockers that completely sap the atmosphere.
Anka: Manchester United, could you behave yourself and avoid any news announcements and massive dramas for the foreseeable future? Thanks.
Miller: I think I’m getting soft in my old age, but I used to love penalty shootouts… now I find them incredibly stressful. So as few of them as possible, please.
Which nation are the dark horses?
Kay: We’ve been calling Croatia and Denmark dark horses for so long, I don’t feel I can do it again. I’ll say Serbia.
Tharme: Hungary. They had an excellent Nations League in 2022 against some European big-hitters and have evolved tactically under Marco Rossi.
Horncastle: Austria. I do wonder: what if Ralf Rangnick hadn’t taken the caretaker job at United when he did? I think his “open heart surgery” approach would appeal to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford.
Froston: Can Croatia be dark horses? Nobody is saying otherwise, so I’m choosing glory for Luka Modric.
With 175 appearances, Modric is Croatia’s most-capped player (MB Media/Getty Images)
Anka: Hi, hello, it’s me, one of the people who said Turkey would be a dark horse at Euro 2020. I am warning you that Serbia will bloody England’s noses and reach the quarters.
Miller: Ukraine. They won’t win it, but they’ve got a great collection of young, exciting players and, well, the country could do with a good news story.
Which player/team will be the biggest disappointment?
Kay: It could be England. This tournament, amid heightened expectations, feels like it could be boom or bust.
Tharme: Portugal. They have underwhelmed since scrapping their way to the Euro 2016 trophy and have a ridiculous squad, with backups better than most teams’ first choices.
Horncastle: England. Three years ago was as good an opportunity to win a tournament as any. England didn’t seize the moment.
Froston: Adam Wharton. But not the player himself. I just do not think we will see much of him in the tournament, which has the potential to be disappointing after his impressive debut.
Anka: Portugal have the pieces to make a deep run, but a lot depends on how Ronaldo is catered for.
Miller: I fear for England, but I can see Italy doing a rather lacklustre job of being defending champions.
How far will England go and predict the manner of their final match in the competition…
Kay: A semi-final defeat by France is probably the most likely outcome, but I can see it falling short of that.
Tharme: At least to the semi-finals, likely against France. Southgate’s record against teams that have previously knocked England out is good but this would be the ultimate test. Harry Kane has scored all 15 penalties since missing against France in the World Cup quarter-finals, so I’d back him to score.
Horncastle: Tharme has allowed himself to get carried away. His penance will be a tactical breakdown of England’s defeat to hosts Germany in the last 16.
Where/how will it all end? (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
Froston: Quarter-finals. Shirts pulled up over teary eyes, dejected players lying prostrate on the pitch after a plucky defeat.
Anka: Quarter-finals. I struggle to articulate how grateful I am to Southgate and his team for creating an England side for so many to believe in, but July 11 2021 was the chance to win silverware.
Miller: 1-1 draw with Serbia, 1-1 draw with Denmark, 3-0 win over Slovenia, finish second in the group, play Germany in the knockouts. There, England will take the lead but ultimately lose in extra time.
Give us your most outrageous prediction…
Kay: The format gives teams a safety net, where even third place in the group might get you a place in the knockout stage. But Group B is horrible. Reigning champions Italy knocked out in the first round.
Tharme: No 0-0 draws.
Horncastle: Georgia ride Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s wings out of the group stages. If Kvara recaptures the form he showed in Napoli’s title-winning season, anything is possible.
Froston: Redemption for Rangnick with a decent run for Austria.
Anka: Mbappe scores the goal to knock Spain out.
Miller: France out in the group stage. No logic to it, but you never said we had to back any of this up.
What might make you get emotional?
Kay: Seeing one of the less-fancied teams perform the way Morocco did at the last World Cup.
Tharme: A Pascal Gross goal. A stalwart of Brighton, an everything midfielder who has got better with age and finally made his senior Germany debut aged 32 last September.
Horncastle: Croatia taking back-to-back knockout games to extra time and penalties.
Froston: Any underdog who takes a big team all the way only to lose at the death.
Anka: The first rest day.
Miller: I’m a sucker for parents in the crowd watching their kids succeed, so anything close to Mario Balotelli hugging his mum in 2012.
Euro 2024: How are England, France, Germany, Spain and the other favourites shaping up?
The European Championship begins on Friday and managers across the teams considered potential champions have had plenty of last-minute issues to deal with.
The final pre-tournament friendlies are complete and in some instances have provided more questions than answers, while injuries have led to some late rejigging.
So how are each of the eight teams considered most likely to win the competition shaping up and are they ready to hit the ground running?
How to follow Euro 2024 and Copa America on The Athletic…
Not great, really: one win, one draw and two defeats in the warm-up games and — something we haven’t been used to under Gareth Southgate — a few murmurs from within the camp about the omissions of Harry Maguire, Jordan Henderson, Jack Grealish, James Maddison and Marcus Rashford from the final squad.
From a distance, this was felt to be England’s best chance of success for a long time but the closer the tournament has got, the more doubts have begun to resurface about the strength of the squad in certain areas (defence, midfield) and the balance of the team.
Central defence, left-back, midfield. John Stones is expected to be fit to face Serbia despite a couple of injury scares, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi likely to start alongside him in central defence. Luke Shaw is still on his way back from a hamstring injury, so Kieran Trippier, a right-back, is likely to deputise at left-back on Sunday — not ideal.
The question in midfield is balance and whether that means one of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kobbie Mainoo or Conor Gallagher plays alongside Declan Rice. Alexander-Arnold looks like the favourite at this stage to start against Serbia. Southgate has experimented with him there previously, but not in a game of this magnitude.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Under Southgate, they have started tournaments well. They have enough quality in attacking areas to trouble any team — Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden in support of Harry Kane —but they just need to make sure they have the balance right to get off to a positive start and build momentum.
If everything goes to plan, England could be on course for a semi-final with France. But that entails winning the group — with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia, that’s not a formality — and then winning two knockout games. Do all of that and expectations would be high going into a semi-final, even against France. But… one step at a time.
In their two pre-tournament friendlies, France beat Luxembourg (ranked 87th in FIFA’s world rankings) 3-0 and drew 0-0 with Canada, ranked 49th.
Manager Didier Deschamps saw these games as dress rehearsals, an opportunity for his team to play together and get minutes under their belts.
The performance against Luxembourg was promising and their forward line showed glimpses of flair. Kylian Mbappe was involved in all three goals, but Luxembourg did not test them defensively.
France were underwhelming against Canada, who matched Les Bleus. They struggled to dictate the midfield and allowed Canada to have goalscoring opportunities.
Some niggling injuries are affecting the starting XI. France seem too top-heavy, with an array of attacking talent, but there are concerns about their back line.
Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano were the first-choice centre-back pairing against Luxembourg, but Konate started less than half of Liverpool’s league games last season, while Upamecano started just over half of Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga matches. There are calls for William Saliba, who had an impressive season for Arsenal, to start.
The two-man midfield of N’Golo Kante, now playing in Saudi Arabia and an unexpected starter, and Eduardo Camavinga did not function well against Canada. Midfielders Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni have been struggling with calf and foot injuries respectively, but are expected to be back this week. Meanwhile, Deschamps has used Antoine Griezmann further up the pitch, which makes him less available in the build-up area.
Mbappe also only played 15 minutes against Canada after he sustained bruising to his knee in the first friendly. Deschamps explained that no risks were to be taken.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
France are still among the favourites to win the tournament. On the way to the 2022 World Cup final, they conceded one goal in every game bar one. Deschamps will want to make sure France’s defence is as efficient as their attack, which boasts some of the best individual quality on offer.
Captain Mbappe has described the Euros as “more complicated than a World Cup” given the teams’ familiarity with one another. They do not have an easy group stage, with fixtures against Austria, the Netherlands and Poland. It may be a slow burner as they ease themselves in, but equally don’t be surprised if they are the first to light up the European stage.
Two mediocre performances. One, a disappointing draw with Ukraine. The other, a come-from-behind win over Greece. That second game, in Gladbach last Friday, was really a successful failure. Germany played well in the second half, but in a way that emphasised the candidacy of the players assumed to start in reserve.
Julian Nagelsmann has built a system around a particular group and their respective abilities. While he was no doubt delighted by the impact of Leroy Sane, David Raum and Niclas Fullkrug against the Greeks, accommodating those players in the starting line-up would involve a major tactical rethink on the eve of the tournament.
Less outstanding issues, more unanswered questions. Is the midfield of Toni Kroos, Robert Andrich, Ilkay Gundogan really balanced enough? Does a team without any real width have enough precision through the middle? Should Manuel Neuer still be starting?
The Neuer issue is likely to drag. He made a bad error against Greece — among some very good saves — and there are polls running on German tabloids about whether fans would prefer Marc-Andre ter Stegen to start. Nagelsmann is already knocking back questions about Neuer’s place in the team during press conferences, so goalkeeper and head coach will need a nice, uneventful start against Scotland if that conversation is to go quiet.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
They could be anything at all. Germany are much better than they were under Hansi Flick and have certainly evolved under Nagelsmann. They have a shape and a clear way of playing. However, they are still a team in recovery and all of their systems, which govern the sharp, precise football that Nagelsmann wants them to play, have only been a few months in development.
It should not be forgotten, either, that while those two wins over France and the Netherlands were enough to fire the public’s enthusiasm, Germany were hardly perfect in either and exhibited flaws (defensive vulnerability, exposure to transitions) that were tolerated in light of the bigger picture.
They could win this tournament. They have the quality and the players to do it. But it could also go badly wrong. It does also feel as if a good result is really important if they are to have the public on their side. It has been a difficult decade since the 2014 World Cup, full of failure and scandal, and while Germans do seem newly interested in their national team, it might not take too much for them to disassociate themselves again.
Initially rocked by injury. Italy lost their most experienced centre-back, Francesco Acerbi, then their most precocious one in Giorgio Scalvini. These casualties haven’t stopped coach Luciano Spalletti from continuing the experiments he made with a back three in March. Agonisingly, Nicolo Barella hasn’t featured in the warm-up games against Turkey and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The all-action Inter Milan midfielder is a doubt for this weekend’s opener against Albania in Dortmund, but at least Davide Frattesi, his Inter team-mate, has carried on his prolific form for the national team. The box-to-box midfielder has scored four goals in nine appearances under Spalletti and could be one of the revelations of the tournament.
The team is still learning to play together. Partnerships are new all over the pitch. The Nazionale finds itself in the midst of a generational transition. Spalletti hasn’t been in the job a year. He is introducing alternative systems. Italy played 4-3-3 against Turkey then 3-4-2-1 against Bosnia. Nicolo Fagioli has been thrust into the team on the back of 98 minutes for Juventus following the end of his seven-month ban for betting on football. Federico Chiesa hasn’t been able to snap out of his funk and it remains to be seen if Gianluca Scamacca, dropped from the squad in March, can be as good for his country as he has been for his club (27 goals and assists) this season.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Encouragingly, Italy began to look like a team against an admittedly depleted Bosnia. Whether it’s Federico Dimarco or Andrea Cambiaso, the left flank has creative instincts. The Fagioli and Jorginho pairing in midfield has potential and was neat and tidy in Empoli at the weekend. Scamacca and Frattesi bounce off each other well from their days in Roma’s academy and their time at Sassuolo. However, the Azzurri still look a little glitchy at the back without Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. As such, it will fall on the two Alessandros, Bastoni and Buongiorno, to keep everyone on their toes and lead the defence. If Chiesa continues to struggle, Spalletti’s first big decision could be to drop him for Giacomo Raspadori, another player, like Frattesi, who is used to playing with Scamacca.
Spain have achieved some on-pitch stability under coach Luis de la Fuente after recent scandals involving the federation’s former president, Luis Rubiales.
Two resounding wins in their most recent friendlies have raised hopes about this side. Barcelona midfielder Pedri scored twice in a 5-1 rout of Northern Ireland on Saturday — his first goals for the national team after several spells out through injury — after a Mikel Oyarzabal hat-trick helped them to a 5-0 victory against Andorra. There will be tougher tests to come, but the signs are promising for La Roja.
De la Fuente has returned to a 4-3-3 system after experimenting with a 4-2-3-1 in friendlies three months ago against Brazil and Colombia. Unai Simon is their undisputed No 1 after a fine season with Athletic Bilbao, while Dani Carvajal will start at right-back following his role in Real Madrid’s record-extending 15th European Cup/Champions League triumph.
There are doubts over the centre-back partnership: naturalised Frenchmen Aymeric Laporte and Robin Le Normand have tended to start for De la Fuente but Nacho could replace Laporte. Bayer Leverkusen’s impressive left-back Alejandro Grimaldo looks set to start after Valencia’s Jose Gaya was ruled out of the tournament with injury.
Rodri, Pedri and Mikel Merino are fairly established in midfield, while exciting youngsters Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal will flank captain Alvaro Morata up front. Yamal, 16, will become the youngest player in Euros history if, as expected, he plays against Croatia on Saturday.
What are the main outstanding issues to resolve?
De la Fuente’s contract has been renewed until the 2026 World Cup, but fans still have their doubts about him and some of his decisions have been questioned.
Choosing to leave out the veteran defender Sergio Ramos and Madrid’s promising winger Brahim Diaz were seen as two controversial decisions — the latter chose to represent Morocco earlier this year after making just one senior appearance for Spain. Cutting Barca’s 17-year-old centre-back Pau Cubarsi from his final list for the Euros was also a decision that raised eyebrows after a fine breakout season for the Blaugrana.
The team’s leadership qualities will be tested in Germany. And while their style of play is still based on dominating possession, they will need to be more direct than in previous tournaments. Yamal and Williams could be key to that.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Spain are joint-record holders of this competition with three trophies and De la Fuente led them to last year’s Nations League title — their first trophy since the all-conquering generation of 2008-2012 — so they are expected to be very competitive. The players see themselves as one of the favourites and will hope to reach the latter stages after they lost in the semi-finals of Euro 2020.
But the lack of established stars in their line-up is a contrast to countries such as France, England and Germany and could count against them. They will need to find a consistent source of goals if they are to have any hope of emulating Iker Casillas, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and co.
Busy. Most nations have played two pre-tournament warm-ups, but manager Roberto Martinez wanted three for Portugal, reflecting his desire/need to fine-tune not only the starting XI but also the formation.
Results and performances have been mixed – they beat Finland 4-2 with goals from Premier League players Diogo Jota, Ruben Dias and Bruno Fernandes (two), then they lost 2-1 to Croatia (Jota again on the scoresheet) before breezing past the Republic of Ireland 3-0 on Tuesday. Cristiano Ronaldo, who like Ruben Neves joined up with the group a bit later because the Saudi Pro League season ran until May 31, got his first minutes back with the team and scored twice (Joao Felix netted the other).
The results followed a slightly worrying trend since the qualifiers – Portugal sauntered through their group with 10 wins from 10 but against pretty feeble opposition (other than Slovakia, their opponents were ranked 72nd to 202nd in the world) and in the five friendlies since, they have beaten three teams who are not at Euro 2024 (Sweden, Finland, Ireland) and lost to two teams who are (Slovenia and Croatia).
Injury-wise, they lost midfielder Otavio before the friendlies started, replacing him with Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes. Pepe, who will become the oldest player to feature at a Euros aged 41 if he gets on the pitch in Germany, hadn’t played since April but got 45 minutes against Ireland.
What are the main outstanding issues to resolve?
Martinez wanted to fine-tune and, while he may know his preferred XI/system in his head, it hasn’t been seen on the pitch yet. He made seven changes for the second friendly and then another six for the third, also switching between 4-3-3 and 3-4-1-2.
Portugal have possibly the most talented squad at the whole tournament, with an abundance of options in each position. That’s no bad thing, obviously, but only if Martinez can fashion a coherent and settled side.
The left side of attack hasn’t been nailed down because Jota often plays in the middle, Felix’s form is inconsistent and Rafael Leao looks more effective as a substitute. Issues over Pepe’s fitness don’t help either and probably dictate the formation (a three with him, a four without him).
After the Croatia defeat, Dias said the players needed to put their egos to one side and focus on a collective effort. Blimey.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
More fine-tuning, but given the group they have been handed (Czech Republic, Turkey and Georgia), Portugal and Martinez can probably afford to keep calculating that formula and still have more than enough to get through.
They still have the experience of Jan Vertonghen, Axel Witsel, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne (502 caps between them), but this is a younger, fresher squad, free from some of the baggage and internal tensions that have dogged Belgium in the past.
The only real talking point surrounds the absence of Thibaut Courtois, who recovered from injury in time to play in the Champions League final but still hasn’t forgiven coach Domenico Tedesco for preferring Lukaku as captain for a qualifier against Austria last June.
What are the main outstanding issues to resolve?
Thomas Meunier limped out of their final warm-up game against Luxembourg on Saturday and stayed in Belgium for further medical treatment when his team-mates left for Germany on Wednesday. For the opening game against Slovakia at the very least, Fulham’s Timothy Castagne is set to revert to right-back. Maxim De Cuyper, of Club Bruges, could fill in at left-back.
In the absence of Courtois, Belgium’s first-choice goalkeeper for the tournament will be Koen Casteels, who has just signed a deal to join Saudi Arabian club Al Qadsiah on a free transfer from Wolfsburg.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Even if they are less formidable than during the peak years of their “golden generation”, Belgium have a range of creative and goalscoring options between De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard, Jeremy Doku and Lukaku, with Yannick Carrasco, Lois Openda and Johan Bakayoko in reserve. Lukaku approaches the tournament looking far sharper than he did at the last World Cup.
They are in one of the gentler-looking groups along with Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine. Win the group and they will face a third-placed team in the round of 16. Progression to the quarter-finals looks like a realistic goal. Getting any further would be a cause for celebration.
Oof. Well, if you go only by results, everything looks rosy. The Netherlands have won six of their past seven matches, the only exception being a late 2-1 loss to Germany in March. On Monday, Ronald Koeman’s side completed their preparations with a 4-0 win over Iceland and looked as stylish as they ever have under the former Barcelona manager.
But the Iceland game brought terrible news. Midfield lynchpin Frenkie de Jong, who had been racing to recover from an ankle injury, was declared unfit for the tournament. The Barcelona pivot is key to the Netherlands’ build-up play and is one of their two truly world-class players, alongside Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
What are the main outstanding issues to resolve?
Exactly that, who replaces De Jong in midfield? Less than 12 hours after De Jong was ruled out, one potential replacement, Atalanta’s Teun Koopmeiners, was himself removed from the Euros squad after suffering an injury during the previous night’s warm-up.
Full-back Ian Maatsen has been called up in their stead, but Koeman is expected to name PSV Eindhoven pairing Jerdy Schouten and Joey Veerman in midfield. The pair are excellent technicians but lack De Jong’s explosiveness and ability to shine in wide as well as narrow spaces.
The other question mark is left-back. Koeman wanted to play with wing-backs, but an injury to Feyenoord’s Quilindschy Hartman meant he had to abandon that plan. This is now a problem position. Options include Manchester City’s Nathan Ake, Girona veteran Daley Blind, and now Maatsen — Ake will likely start and create a back three when in possession, with right-back Denzel Dumfries pushing higher to play as an auxiliary winger.
What can we expect from them when the tournament begins?
Teams who win the Euros tend to excel in defence rather than attack and the Netherlands have some outstanding centre-backs in the shape of Van Dijk, Ake, Matthijs de Ligt and Micky van de Ven.
However, everything in front of them is relatively untested. Xavi Simons will be this side’s main creator in attack and has been in good form in recent months, although he does his best work with structure around him. The Netherlands’ inexperienced midfield and relative paucity of top-class goalscoring options means expectations at home are relatively low.
One player arrives at Euro 2024 with the best goals-per-cap rate, and it’s not Cristiano Ronaldo.One player will break the record as the oldest men’s player in European Championship history, and it’s… not Cristiano Ronaldo.Nearly one in five players competing in Germany play their club football in one country, but which one?
Allow The Athletic to sprinkle some data-led seasoning on top of your tactical insights before the summer’s tournament, breaking down the make-up of each squad and providing some curious tidbits to fuel your excitement before the games begin.
This is your definitive data guide to the squads at Euro 2024…
How to follow Euro 2024 and Copa America on The Athletic…
A total of 218 clubs have players representing their country in Germany this summer, but some are providing plenty more than others.
Among the clubs with the most players selected for Euro 2024, it is unsurprising to see Europe’s elite leading the way. Champions League winners Real Madrid have 12 players represented in the tournament — spanned across seven countries — but it is the 2023 finalists, Manchester City and Inter Milan, who have the strongest footprint in Germany with 13 players apiece.
That is before you consider each club’s representation in the Copa America in the United States this summer, with many club managers carefully managing their pre-season plans in a summer packed with international football.
From a European perspective, Pep Guardiola and Simone Inzaghi will be the busiest men keeping a close eye on their players’ fitness across the next four weeks.
Player call-ups per league
Like many recent major tournaments, the Premier League again leads the way as the league that provides the most players — slightly ahead of Italy’s Serie A.
Unsurprisingly, the top five leagues represented are made up of… well, the so-called ‘top five European leagues’. Ligue 1 has fallen a little behind its peers, with a comparatively low 29 players playing in France’s top division.
The Premier League’s 96 players span 21 of the 24 countries at the Euros, the widest coverage of any league in the world. The English skew is unsurprising but the range of representatives — from Portugal (10) down to Turkey and Romania (both one) — underpins the global brand of the Premier League.
Across the tournament, 114 players play their football in England, with 18 in leagues below the Premier League. That 114 figure accounts for 18 per cent of the tournament’s total — nearly one in five players, for those requiring the quick maths.
Italy are just behind (17 per cent), with 104 players — 91 of them from their top division, Serie A. Similar to the Premier League, Serie A provides players for a wide selection of nations — 19 in total, the second-most of any league.
At the manager level, the representation from Italy is highly impressive, with five — Luciano Spalletti (Italy), Francesco Calzona (Slovakia), Vincenzo Montella (Turkey), Domenico Tedesco (Belgium), Marco Rossi (Hungary) — comfortably more than any other nation.
Spain (Luis de la Fuente and Roberto Martinez), France (Didier Deschamps and Willy Sagnol), and Germany (Julian Nagelsmann and Ralf Rangnick) are the only other nations with more than one manager represented, further highlighting the hotbed of elite coaches currently coming out of Italy.
As a final fun fact, the two German managers bookend delightfully as the oldest (Ralf Rangnick, 65) and the youngest (Julian Nagelsmann, 36 years) in the tournament.
Among the 24 nations, Steve Clarke’s Scotland have the oldest squad, with an average age of 28.3 years old.
Clarke has led his country to back-to-back Euros, maintaining a level of experience and consistency of selection during qualifying that has allowed his side to develop together. Within the squad, Billy Gilmour (23) and Tommy Conway (21) are the only players aged 23 or below heading into the tournament (and Conway was a late call-up) — only Romania (one) have fewer players in that age bracket.
As The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell reported in his nation guide, Scotland’s 26-man squad named for Euro 2020 had a combined caps total of 448 — of which veteran goalkeepers Marshall and Craig Gordon accounted for 99. The total is now 757, with 14 players over the quarter-century mark.
That experience will give them a fighting chance to improve upon their previous, winless campaign three years ago.
Behind Scotland are fellow Group A side — and their opening-day opponents — Germany, whose average squad age of 28.2 years old is the second-oldest in the tournament.
The experience of Manuel Neuer (38), Thomas Muller (34) and the soon-to-be-retiring Toni Kroos (34) will be crucial for the hosts this summer, but the fact a lot of their players are at their peak age suggests that they have a squad that is ready to win now.
Ironically, their creative spark is catalysed by two of their youngest players, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz (both 21) — who will play as dual No 10s and be given the freedom to find pockets of space to inflict maximum damage to their opponents.
At the individual level, Portugal’s 41-year-old centre-back Pepe arrives at the tournament as the oldest player.
If he takes to the field in Germany, Pepe will break the record as the oldest player in European Championship history, currently held by Hungary’s Gabor Kiraly (40 years, 86 days).
Behind Pepe is compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo. You may have heard of him.
With a higher likelihood of scoring than Pepe, Ronaldo could become the oldest player to score a goal in Euros history, surpassing Austria’s Ivica Vastic (38 years, 257 days).
Ronaldo holds the record for the most European Championship games (25), and is the only male player to have represented his country across five editions of the tournament. Barring a disaster, the 39-year-old will extend that record to six this summer.
Who has the youngest squad?
The Czech Republic come into the tournament with the youngest average squad age, at 25.3 years old.
Manager Ivan Hasek will hope strong club connections can generate cohesive performances — 15 of the 26-man squad play for either Slavia Prague, Sparta Prague or Viktoria Plzen.
It is a young squad, too, with only two players aged 30 or over — the fewest of any nation in the tournament.
Turkey (25.8 years old) and England (26.1 years old) are not far behind as the youngest squads in the tournament, and will be hoping to blend youth and experience to go far in the competition.
Individually, England have three of the youngest players to be named in Euro 2024 squads — Kobbie Mainoo (19), Jude Bellingham (20) and Adam Wharton (20) — and no national team provides more in a table of the top 20 youngest players.
There is one player who does stand out, though. Spain’s Lamine Yamal has taken European football by storm for Barcelona this season, and if he takes to the field in Germany, he will become the youngest player in the history of the European Championship — just shy of 17 years old. His 17th birthday is the day before the final on July 14.
Having an older squad does not necessarily mean you are the most experienced on the international stage, so which nation has the most caps per player?
Croatia edge out Portugal here, but we must acknowledge the outliers dragging up the average.
No national team at this Euros has more players with 100-plus caps than Croatia, with Luka Modric (175), Ivan Perisic (131), Domagoj Vida (105) and Mateo Kovacic (101) boosting their average quite significantly.
A word must also go to Switzerland, whose average caps figure of 42.7 is the third-highest on the list. Rather than specific individuals, Switzerland have spread the experience across the squad, with 10 players aged 30 or above — the most of any nation and the only side with double figures in that age bracket.
Yes, we know what you are thinking — how is Xherdan Shaqiri still only 32?
Between Switzerland and Croatia, Portugal’s average caps are dragged up by Ronaldo (207), Pepe (137) andRui Patricio (108) in particular.
At the individual level, Ronaldo’s 207 international caps are more than any other player at the Euros. It feels like this will be the last time we see him — and Modric — in a major international tournament, but we have said that before.
What we do know is that this will be Olivier Giroud’s final tournament for France, having recently announced his impending retirement from international football.
Giroud will almost certainly bow out as France’s all-time top goalscorer as he looks to extend his record of 57 goals.
Sticking with the theme of goals, it is difficult to look beyond Ronaldo once again, with the 39-year-old holding the record for the most goals (14) of any player in European Championship history.
However, the all-time top goalscorer in men’s international football does not boast the best goals-per-cap rate among all players heading into the tournament. That honour belongs to Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, who arrives in Germany with a rate of 0.74 goals per cap — 85 goals in 115 appearances.
After bagging two more goals against Luxembourg last week, Lukaku is now the second-highest European men’s international goalscorer behind Ronaldo — and the joint-sixth highest of all time.
Lukaku has been finding things more difficult at club level, but he looks at ease when representing his country. His 14 goals in eight games during qualifying was more than any other player and set a record as the most within a single qualification period. Impressively, only one of those goals came from the penalty spot.
Ronaldo will be coming into the tournament off the back of a prolific club season, but his 35-goal return needs to be asterisked due to the quality of the Saudi Pro League.Harry Kane (36 league goals in the 2023-24 season), Mbappe (27) and Robert Lewandowski (19) come into the tournament with strong goalscoring outputs but keep an eye on Ukraine’s Artem Dovbyk, whose 24 goals for Girona were the joint-fifth-highest of any player in the top five European leagues.Ultimately, we want the biggest names in Europe to do what they do best in an international shirt.Friday cannot come soon enough.(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
Christen Press’ long journey back from injury: ‘The last six months have been the best of my life’
On Tuesday, Christen Press returned to team training with Angel City FC, exactly two years to the day from when she tore her ACL in a 2022 match against Racing Louisville. While her involvement in training is still limited, with her only taking part in the warm-ups and a passing drill to start, it’s one of the many milestones Press can celebrate on the arduous journey she’s undertaken for a full return to the sport.
As she noted in a call with The Athletic, most of those milestones have been reached in private. At first, she wanted this moment to be private too — well, as private as it could be with a full team and staff around, but in a closed practice where she could evaluate how she felt. With further thought, she changed her mind: this milestone was one that could be celebrated, and with so much uncertainty still left about what milestones remain, she might as well embrace this one.
“If this is something we can all celebrate, let’s just go for it, because this journey has been really, really long,” Press said on Monday, a little more than 24 hours out from the return to training. “When you don’t play, you do have a different relationship with the fanbase, and it’s nice to see this as the re-entry point. People are going to get videos of me in team training, and I’m just going to be around.”https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8FPTUapSHV/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=540&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com&rp=%2Fathletic%2F5556789%2F2024%2F06%2F11%2Fchristen-press-angel-city-uswnt-interview%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A2460.5%2C%22ls%22%3A1449.4000000059605%2C%22le%22%3A1715.5%7D
Back in February, Press referenced her “relentless optimism” that has helped her on this wildly unpredictable recovery process, which required four surgeries and resulted in her missing out entirely for competing for a 2023 World Cup roster spot. Her fourth surgery was timed right around when the USWNT was heading to New Zealand, which released her from being tied to a recovery timeline and feeling the pressure to return.
“When I found out I had to have the fourth surgery, I was like, well, I’m not going to the World Cup because I’ll be in surgery during the World Cup,” she said in February. “So that was the moment I actually exhaled. I had to grieve that.”
The release from external timelines has extended to another tournament, the Olympics, which Press said on Monday she’s never really focused on in terms of a potential return. Despite the standard recovery timelines lining up from her fourth and final ACL surgery, last summer’s World Cup experience wasn’t something she wanted to repeat.
“There’s no way your mind can’t start doing the math, right?” Press said this week, saying she’d catch herself counting down the weeks to this summer’s tournament. She doesn’t want to turn off the part of herself still dreaming and striving for a roster spot or any accomplishment on the field, but it’s all a balance.
There’s also a delicate emotional balance in other ways through the recovery process. She’s been in with the team at their training facility, watching the rest of the players train; she’s been at games supporting Angel City, too. Injuries can be isolating, but there’s a weight to being around the team, unable to participate.
“Some of the hardest days of my week are game days when I watch my team play, and there’s a lot of nuance to that. I do feel part of the team. I’m very loyal and dedicated to my teammates and to the club, but it’s actually really hard and painful to watch,” she said.
Having her own space at her physical therapy clinic provided a healing environment. One that lives outside the specific pressures and stresses of the week-to-week grind of the NWSL season, one where the coaches turn from a Friday night result to the new outlook of Monday morning.
“It was a huge blessing to be able to be outside of that, and then the re-entry has been just so great because I have been in a bubble. I’ve been saying, I’ve been bubble-wrapped for so long and now to get in and experience the shift in moods, the shift in energy that comes with preparing for a game and dealing with the results is really important,” she said, now having been more integrated with the team over the past three months.
She’s adjusted now, but shifting from the PT clinic, where she saw the same three people every day, to the full Angel City experience was a bit of a shock.
“It was so social,” she said, laughing a little, recalling just how many people were suddenly talking to her on a daily basis. “Oh my god, I am so introverted. I can’t be around 23 people that are asking me about my life. This is wild! I kept being like, I want to wear a shirt that says, ‘Please don’t ask me about my knee today.’”
Press during her return to training on Tuesday. (Photo: Angel City)
With the integration underway and the public milestone achieved, Press has also been busy with the return of The RE-CAP Show, which she hosts with Tobin Heath. Now into their third season, they’ve already recorded with guests like former USWNT player Abby Wambach and Glennon Doyle (who both are in the Angel City investment group, too).
Press and Heath were among the first players to balance active careers with stepping into the media realm, a path shared by the likes of Sam Mewis, Becky Sauerbrunn, Lynn Williams, Midge Purce and others. But still the far more common path is for a player to retire, then start talking about soccer for a living. Press and Heath embrace the tension and perspective this provides.
“Neither Tobin nor I are retired, and neither Tobin nor I have put that chapter behind us,” she said. “We always say it’s a very unique insider/outsider perspective with the USWNT.” As she noted on Monday’s call, you can’t get cut from the national team — a player can always get left off a roster, but they’re also always in contention for the next one. “With the national team, we’re both like, ‘You never know.’ If we can play, we’re going for it right?”
Press noted that discussing the NWSL felt different to her on the show — she’s actively contracted to a team, after all. But either way, her and Heath approach the show with an “active eye” rather than two players who are looking back. But they’ve also focused on building a community along with their foray into the media space. Press has been providing videos with an intimate look into her recovery process for paying members of RE-INC, something that she didn’t think she’d want to create in a more public forum.
“We’ve been able to stay inside the women’s soccer community, having a relationship with our community and our fan base through it all,” Press said.
“We’re simply having the same conversation that we have on our living room couch. I carry a weight of being thoughtful and careful and intentional all the time, inside my own home, so it’s easy for me to translate that. So when we have our banter back and forth, we can stand in a place where we’re challenging each other, and that makes the show more of a provocation than an answer,” she continued. “It’s a question. It’s not an answer.”
Press’ reputation is built in many ways around that thoughtfulness, but it’s not an act either. And sometimes, the way she approaches the world in her “cerebral” fashion means that she wants things to make sense, like her ACL injury and all four surgeries. “I want this fairy tale story where I come back, I’m delightful — that’s actually what I want. ‘I went through all of this, and now you all find me delightful.’”
Press is also all too aware of another reputation, one earned because she’s not afraid to ask for what she wants. She’s fought for everything she wanted. She knows her value.
“Before, you called me a diva, and now I’m delightful. It’s not going to be like that; that’s not what life is. But I will say, the last year of my life — maybe even shorter, the last six months — have been the best of my life because of the space that my ACL created for me to heal as a human. I’m still on that journey, and I intend to stay on that journey.”
Press strikes the ball during training on Tuesday. (Photo: Angel City)
Press said this time has allowed her to process and work through all the things she wanted to work through when she actively took a break from the national team, following the previous Olympics. That was the last time she put on a USWNT jersey, after all, and it was and still is a big part of her identity. There have been chapters of her life since then though, and through the recovery process she has asked herself time and time again not when she wants to come back, but how.
She acknowledged there will be fear and pressure with this milestone and the ones yet to come, but the simple goal is for her to be delightful as a human being, for others to be around. Someone that can mentor or be good on the field, laugh at themselves and tease a little too. That doesn’t feel like too much to ask.
“Getting that role in the team where I can be happy and joyful and chasing excellence, really appreciating what I’m doing and what I’m able to do.” That’s what’s important, after a stretch when she did not enjoy the sport itself. “Because if I go back, and I go back and feel the same way that I did about soccer and winning and scoring, then that will feel like a bigger failure than not making it back at all.”
“The competitor in me and the perfectionist in me and the Capricorn in me and the Enneagram three in me just wants to be this delightful, great soccer player that has so much fun and scores all these goals and can totally deal with stress and is always laughing,” she said.
That’s the dream part. The real answer is simple. “With delight.” (Photo: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
#INDvSA Preview
Indy Elevenvs San Antonio FC Saturday, June 15, 2024 – 7:00 p.m. ET Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis Dino Night
SETTING THE SCENE The Boys in Blue return to The Mike on Saturday to host San Antonio FC. This serves as the lone meeting between the two sides in USL Championship action this season, but the pair met up in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 (5.8) with Indy coming away with a 2-0 victory.
Indy is coming off a 1-0 win over Birmingham Legion FC and sits at 8-4-2 in third place in the Eastern Conference. San Antonio fell to Tulsa, 2-1, its last time out, and is 4-5-5 in the Western Conference.
IND
SA
14
Games
14
26
Goals
18
21
Goals Conceded
17
15
Assists
15
68
SOT
51
61
Shots Faced
57
2
Clean Sheets
3
SERIES VS. SAN ANTONIO Sunday marks only the third meeting all-time in USL Championship competition between the teams, but fourth meeting overall.
Indy Leads 1-0-1 | GF 4, GA 3
Recent Meetings May 8, 2024 ^ | W, 2-0 | Home Oct. 14, 2023 | D, 3-3 | Away Aug. 27, 2022 | W, 1-0 | Home ^denotes U.S. Open Cup match
GOALS The Boys in Blue have scored in 14 straight USLC matches to open the 2024 season, bringing their total to 26 goals (3rd USL). The streak is the longest to open a USLC campaign and is the longest run overall within the same season for the club. In total, Indy has scored in 17 straight regular season matches dating back to Sept. 30, 2023.
The Boys in Blue have 15 first-half goals this season, the second highest total in league play (Charleston, 16).
TOTW REGULARS Jack Blake has been named to the USL Championship Team of the Week five times in 2024, the most for any player in the league, while Aedan Stanley has three nods and a Player of the Week accolade to his name. Additionally, four players have had at least one selection in Younes Boudadi, Adrian Diz Pe, Benjamin Ofeimu and Augi Williams.
In total, six players have earned team of the week nods, while seven total have received either team or bench honors.
LAST TIME OUT BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Sunday, June 9, 2024) – Indy Eleven went on the road and defeated Birmingham Legion FC, 1-0, on Sunday.
Indy’s leading goal scorer Jack Blake got things started for the visiting team in the 34th minute, converting on his fifth penalty kick of the season. In addition to being a perfect 5-for-5 from the spot in 2024, Blake now has eight goals this campaign (T3 USLC) and 11 total over two seasons with the Boys in Blue. His five successful PKs are also the third most all-time for an Indy player in USL Championship action.
Indy is 6-for-6 from the spot this season (Williams).
The Boys in Blue outshot Birmingham 21-14 in the match, including a 9-1 advantage in shots on target. Blake posted a season-high eight shots and four on target.
Defensively, Callum Chapman-Page won a game-high three tackles and led the match with four clearances. Hunter Sulte was forced to make one save and picked up his second clean sheet in seven matches.
Scoring Summary IND – Jack Blake (penalty) 34’
Discipline Summary IND – Bench (caution) 90+3’
STREAKING The Boys in Blue are now unbeaten in 11 straight matches across all competitions, including a club-best seven straight wins in USL Championship matches. The last loss for Indy came on April 13 against Charleston Battery, who sits just three points ahead of third-place Indy in the Eastern Conference standings entering the weekend. Indy is now only one of 12 teams in USL Championship history to make it seven straight wins.
The Boys in Blue have outscored their opponents 22-6 in those matches, while posting five clean sheets and never conceding more than one goal.
4.17 Chicago Fire FC II^ W, 1-0 4.20 at Colorado Springs Switchbacks SC D, 1-1 4.27 North Carolina FC W, 2-1 5.4 at Monterey Bay F.C. W, 1-0 5.8 San Antonio FC^ W, 2-0 5.12 at Miami FC W, 3-1 5.18 Hartford Athletic W, 4-1 5.22 Detroit City FC^ W, 3-0 5.25 Phoenix Rising FC W, 2-1 6.1 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC W, 2-1 6.9 at Birmingham Legion FC W, 1-0 ^denotes U.S. Open Cup match
THIS IS MAY Indy Eleven finished off the month of May going 4-0-0 in USL Championship action and 6-0-0 across all competitions. The four wins for the Boys in Blue are the most so far this season for a side in the USLC to take maximum points in a month.
TOP-10 TEAMMATES Sebastian Guenzatti (6th, 73) and Augi Williams (9th, 71) serve as the only pair of active teammates in the USL Championship’s top 10 for all-time regular season goals. Williams currently sits at five goals in 2024, while Guenzatti has three. Williams also has a pair in U.S. Open Cup action this season to lead Indy.
ALLOW ME TO ASSIST YOU Aedan Stanley has a league-best seven assists, which includes his first career multi-assist game, a two-helper performance against his old club Miami FC on May 12. He also has a team-high two in Open Cup games. Stanley has 15 career USL Championship assists, posting no more that three in a season before 2024.
2024: 7 | 2023: 3 | 2022: 3 | 2020: 2
THE [NEW] GAFFER 2024 is Indy’s first season under head coach Sean McAuley, who previously served as interim head coach/assistant at MLS-side Minnesota United FC. McAuley helped Minnesota to playoff appearances in each of his first three seasons, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2020. In 2015, he hoisted the MLS Cup with Portland Timbers. McAuley opened his playing career with Manchester United and played for Portland Timbers and the U-21 Scottish National Team, among others.
McAuley got his first career win in the USL Championship on March 16, 2024, a 2-1 defeat of Memphis 901 FC.
USLC : 8-4-2 | USOC: 3-0-0 | OVERALL: 11-4-2
IN THE WIN COLUMN The Boys in Blue had 13 regular-season wins in 2023 tied for the second most during a USL Championship season (2018) and behind the 19 victories from the 2019 season. Indy currently has eight in 2024, a total not reached until August 12 a season ago.
USWNT in She Believes Cup Sat vs Japan 12:30 TNT & Tues 4/9 in ColumbusMallory Swanson and Catarina Macario will make their returns to the USWNT Sat as part of the 23-player roster for the She Believes Cup, U.S. Soccer. Two new names are also joining the roster and earning their first senior national team call-ups, both playing for European clubs: 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender Eva Gaetino and 16-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes. The question is do Mallory and Macario start or come off the bench vs Japan (presumably the weeker of the 2 games)? These will be the final two matches for Twila Kilgore as USWNT interim coach. Permanent head coach Emma Hayes will take over beginning with the June window, with Kilgore remaining on the staff as an assistant. The USWNT will play in a reformatted She Believes Cup that has a semifinals and final as opposed to a round robin tournament. They will play Japan in the semifinals in Atlanta on Sat April 6th at 12:30 pm on TNT, and then will face either Brazil or Canada in either the 3rd place match at 5 pm or the final at 7 pm on April 9th in Columbus, Ohio ( tixstill available- the OBC is going over) on TBS.
Indy 11 vs Louisville Sat 4 pm on CBS The Boys in Blue head south Saturday for the first installment of the LIPAFC rivalry in 2024 live on CBS at 4 pm. Indy is coming off a 2-1 loss to Detroit City FC to fall to 1-2-1 on the season, while Louisville defeated Birmingham Legion FC 5-0 to sit perfect atop the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference standings at 3-0-0.
LIPAFC The Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest dates back to 2015 with Louisville holding the 10-5-6 advantage. Nineteen of the 21 matches have taken place since Indy joined the USL Championship in 2018 (2 playoff), with Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches in 2015 and 2016 making up the remaining two. The Boys in Blue were 1-1 in those match-ups. Indy is looking for its first road win since a 2-1 victory on May 29, 2021. Saturday marks the 22nd overall meeting between the sides all-time, with Louisville leading 10-5-6.
Champions League Elite 8 — starts April 9th & 10th on CBS
GAMES ON TV
Sat, April 6
7:30 am USA Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Man City 7:30 am ESPN+ Norwich City (Stewart) vs Ipswich Town (Champ) 9 am CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Lecce 9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin vs Bayer Leverkusen 10 am USA Aston Villa vs Burnley 10 am Peacock Fulham (Robinson, Ream) vs New Castle United 12:30 pm TNT, Max, Telemundo USA Women vs Japan 1 pm para+ Lazio vs Juventus (Weah, McKinney) 7:30 pm Fox LAFC vs LA Galaxy 7 pm CBS Indy 11 @ Louisville Sun, Apr 7 10:30 am NBC Man United vs Liverpool 11:30 am NBC Sheffield United (Trusty) vs Chelsea 11:30 am ESPN+ Wolfsburg vs Mgladbach (Scalley) 1 pm USA Tottenham vs Notthingham Forest (Reyna) 2:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Levekusen vs Wolfsburg 4 pm Fox Atlanta United vs Chicago Fire
Tues, Apr 9 3 pm CBS, Arsenal vs Bayern Munich UCL 3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Man City UCL
5 or 7 pm TBS, Universo, Peacock USWNT vs Brazil/Can winner Columbus, OH 8:45 pm Fox Sport 1 Columbus Crew vs Tigres CCL 10:30 pm FS1 New England vs America CCL Weds, Apr10 3 pm CBS PSG vs Barcelona UCL 3 pm Para+ Atletico Madrid vs Dortmund UCL 10:30 pm Fox Sport 1 Monterrey vs Inter Miami (Messi) CCL 8:15 pm FS1 Heredino vs Pachuca CCL Thurs, Apr 11 3 pm CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Roma Europa 3 pm Para+ Liverpool vs Atalanta 3 pm Para+ Leverkusen vs West Ham United 7 pm ESPN+ Miami FV vs Tampa Bay Rowdies (Jordan Farr)
U.S. women’s national team midfielder Korbin Albert’s social media activity will soon be under the microscope – perhaps even more than it was last week, when her reposting of anti-LGBTQ content was resurfaced online and addressed by former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe.
This weekend, the USWNT opens SheBelieves Cup against Japan in the annual invitational tournament played between the U.S. and select international teams.
For the past two years, the USWNT has advocated for trans rights at the tournament – a track record of advocacy that feels especially important in light of transphobic and homophobic sentiments that continue to permeate American society, and after Albert’s social media activity. It’s a jarring contradiction to the way the USWNT has historically spoken out to advance reforms or to advocate for equal rights.
At the center of this discussion are videos Albert reposted to her TikTok account, including one of a sermon given in a Christian worship space talking about how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. Among the posts on her TikTok profile was one from 2023, showing her family taking turns stating that “their pronouns are U.S.A.,” with Albert participating in the video. The post no longer appears on her profile as of Tuesday.
Albert also liked a meme on Instagram of an airplane landing with a caption reading “God taking time off performing miracles to make sure Megan Rapinoe sprains her ankle in her final ever game.”
Rapinoe has been an outspoken advocate of LGBTQ+ rights and trans rights in particular. She responded to Albert via her Instagram story, asking, “Are you making any type of space safer, more inclusive, more whole, any semblance of better, bringing the best out of anyone?” She later stressed to The Athletic that while Albert’s activity inspired the post, her focus is on the queer lives at stake, whether they be at risk through anti-trans commentary online or targeted legislation.
Rapinoe signed off her message with “Yours Truly, #15.” Albert wears the No. 15 shirt for the USWNT, a number made available after Rapinoe’s retirement last fall.
Albert wears No 15 against Brazil in March (John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Queer and trans youth remain at higher risk of bullying, facing legislative hurdles and attempting self-harm. The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People found that 41 percent of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including roughly half of transgender and nonbinary youth. Additionally, the Trevor Project found that transgender and nonbinary youth were 2 to 2 1/2 times as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider suicide and attempt suicide compared to their cisgender LGBQ peers.
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Albert later apologized on Instagram, saying, “I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields.”
The 20-year-old midfielder is not the only player on the team or in women’s soccer to hold conservative views. As noted by a former USWNT player in 2018 after Jaelene Hinkle’s public refusal to wear the team-issued rainbow pride jerseys, there have always been people in the locker room “that are not okay, or in agreement with, the (gay) lifestyle.” The difference with Albert, as it was in 2018 with Hinkle, was that other conservative players had kept their anti-LGBTQ opinions to themselves and the team managed to go out and play together.
Now, that dynamic may be challenged as SheBelieves opens in Georgia, a state where anti-trans rhetoric from high-level leadership is pertinent and playing out in real time.
Last Tuesday, the state senate passed House Bill 1104, originally intended to provide mental health resources for young student-athletes, but which now includes language that bans transgender girls from competing on girls’ public school teams and bans them from locker rooms that match their gender identity.
In past similar situations, the USWNT has been a direct advocate for the queer and trans community, many of whom make up a passionate part of their fan base. The 2022 SheBelieves Cup took place in Frisco, Texas. During the tournament, Texas governor Greg Abbott issued guidance to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services asking employees to report trans children and their parents to state authorities, referring to gender-affirming care as a form of “child abuse.”
On the night that letter was sent, several USWNT players wore athletic tape around their wrists with the message “Protect Trans Kids.” After the game, midfielder Catarina Macario (who displayed her wristband after scoring in the first half) said it was an idea prompted by Rapinoe — and one that she and others were determined to amplify.
Macario shows her wristband after scoring against Iceland in February 2022 (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
“With the platform we have, we really wanted to show why this team is different and why we do things that are much bigger than just the game,” Macario said. “It was just a way to show awareness, especially because we were playing in Texas.”
The U.S. opened the following SheBelieves Cup in Florida, another state that had enacted anti-trans legislation. The players wore tape on their wrists again, this time with the words “Defend Trans Joy.”
Those games were played as the Missouri state legislature was reviewing a wave of proposed legislation along similar lines as Florida and Texas. Becky Sauerbrunn, a Missouri native and the team’s captain, wrote an op-ed piece for the Springfield News-Leader that left no questions about why she felt strongly opposed to the motions, stating that the proposals “don’t consider any of the actual challenges to women and girls in sport.”
“I have been championing gender equity in sport for a long time,” Sauerbrunn wrote in part, “and I am done seeing transgender youth being cruelly targeted to score political points. Transgender people are exactly that, people — not tools to be wielded in a climb up the political ladder.”
This wasn’t the case of a team’s captain championing a cause in isolation. The piece resonated within the locker room.
“I did read what Becky said, and she is a true leader,” Alex Morgan said at the time. “Not only within our team, but standing up for trans kids and being an ally and advocate for a lot of groups who are targeted.”
The USWNT’s advocacy has not been limited to SheBelieves Cup and trans rights. Albert has only just begun to be introduced to a team with a years-long history of taking visible stances on an array of political and societal issues. Sauerbrunn said it was a crucial part of representing the United States on its national team, and Morgan agreed.
“When I represent this country, it’s knowing that it is a great country, but it’s also a country that has a lot to work on,” Morgan told Time ahead of the 2019 World Cup. “But I’m willing to be a part of that, to put the work in, to make it as good as it can be.”
The USWNT has been a political body almost by virtue of its very existence, as women’s sports are inherently political.
USWNT players such as Rapinoe have used their platform for advocacy (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
In the United States, women were denied the ability to play organized sports until the landmark Title IX legislation passed in 1972, protecting people from discrimination based on “sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.” It took 13 more years for the first version of the USWNT to form, and nearly a full 20 before it played in the first Women’s World Cup.
With that context in mind, it’s inherent that today’s USWNT players are not just athletes, but also symbols of societal progress – whether they desire that label or not. Yet USWNT players tend to be highly aware that to represent one of the world’s most diverse nations in this particular arena — especially given the on-field prominence of the team — is a rare platform for advocacy.
Individually and as a group, USWNT figures have spoken out about racial justice in the weeks following the murder of George Floyd and the death of Breonna Taylor. They’ve fought for equal pay in their own labor deal with U.S. Soccer, even as the federation’s lawyers argued that they deserved less because the “overall soccer playing ability” for the men’s national team is “materially influenced by the level of certain physical attributes, such as speed and strength, required for the job.” After striking that deal, they’ve advocated to improve working conditions for other national teams, including Spain, Canada and Jamaica.
Publicly, all of this opened the USWNT up to a wave of criticism from detractors who felt their full focus should be on kicking a ball.
With Rapinoe’s retirement and veteran captain Sauerbrunn not rostered, the USWNT will enter this year’s SheBelieves with a group dynamic that is still in flux, playing under an interim coach until the arrival of Emma Hayes in May.
The next generation of players is already putting its stamp on the team’s on-field identity. In light of Albert’s social media behavior, this year’s SheBelieves may show us how that generation intends to shape its off-field identity as well.
(Top photo: Robin Alam/Getty Images)
Catarina Macario, Mallory Swanson discuss USWNT returns: ‘You can’t take your health for granted’
Two players that the United States desperately missed during the 2023 Women’s World Cup are back in national team camp, with Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario both returning for the SheBelieves Cup after long injury recoveries.Swanson suffered a torn patellar tendon on April 8, 2023 in a national team game against the Republic of Ireland in Austin, Texas. Macario tore her ACL on June 1, 2022 while playing for her now-former club, Lyon. Macario’s last appearance for the USWNT was in a friendly against Uzbekistan on April 12, 2022 in Chester, Pennsylvania.“I think the first thing that comes to my mind is just being grateful,” Swanson said about her return. “One thing that I learned throughout my injury was that you can’t ever take life for granted. You can’t take your health for granted.”Both players ended up missing the World Cup. Their absences were a huge blow to the USWNT’s chances as they both played critical roles in the starting XI, and their return could be key for the USWNT’s Olympic hopes.Swanson said that there was a moment after her first surgery that she thought she might still make it back in time for the World Cup. “I remember texting my surgeon and being like ‘How long is this recovery,’ and he was like ‘Six months,’ and I was like ‘Oh, I can make it four. I’m gonna do it,’” she said.
But, as she revealed on The Women’s Game podcast in February, she suffered a septic infection in her knee after the first surgery and had to have a second surgery to remove the infection.“And I think that was the point that really slowed me down,” she said. “And looking back at it, I’m very thankful for how everything worked out because ultimately I learned a lot about life. I’ve never gone through something like what I went through and I think it gave me some time to evaluate myself, evaluate my life, and also take a step back and enjoy, honestly, being with my husband in Chicago.”Meanwhile, Macario was rehabbing in London during the World Cup and said it was difficult to watch the tournament. But it was also a sunny summer in the city, which helped.“(The sun) helped a lot to feel like I was a little bit back home in San Diego or Brazil,” she said. “I just tried to focus on the little things that I could control, and obviously it did take a lot longer than I expected, which was devastating. But the most important thing is that now I’m back and I hope that I can contribute to the team as much as possible leading up to the Olympics and this tournament as well. I just feel like I’ve been very, very blessed with all the people around me showing so much support and love and not feeling rushed to come back.
“Even though I could have had two children by now,” Macario added, laughing.
The USWNT will face Japan on Saturday, April 6 in the first of two games for the nation in the truncated SheBelieves Cup. Before joining the USWNT in training, Swanson and Macario returned to play for their respective clubs and have looked in good form. Swanson played a full 90 minutes for the Chicago Red Stars last weekend, scoring a goal against the Orlando Pride. Macario has been building her minutes for Chelsea since her return to play on March 3 as a substitute against Leicester City, a game in which she also scored a goal.Being able to get back into the rhythm of games with their clubs has been a matter of communication between themselves, their clubs, and U.S. Soccer, and some good timing. Macario, of course, can go directly to future U.S. head coach Emma Hayes at Chelsea for feedback, but said she ultimately left the loading to the experts.“I know that Chelsea and U.S. Soccer, they’re basically having meetings all the time and just try and figure out the right way to manage me in order to allow me to be in this environment for as long as possible,” she said. “Considering that I’ve been out for so long, we do have to take certain things into consideration.”wanson, who also played 80-plus minutes in two NWSL games before that last weekend, didn’t hide that it was a grueling transition.
“I was just like, ‘Welcome back!’ I forgot how hard (playing 90 minutes) is,” she said. “I think with U.S. Soccer and then with the Red Stars and talking to (head coach) Lorne (Donaldson), I think the timing actually worked out pretty well being able to use preseason and those preseason games as games that I can build minutes in.”
SheBelieves will be the last games under interim head coach Twila Kilgore. Emma Hayes will arrive in June for two friendlies against South Korea, which is a short window for both Swanson and Macario to get back up to speed with the national team as well as to adjust to newer and younger teammates who have joined the pool, including Jenna Nighswonger, Olivia Moultrie, and Jaedyn Shaw. There are also newcomers like Eva Gaetino and Lily Yohannes, whom Macario got a chance to see up close when Chelsea faced Ajax in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal.
“She’s a tremendous player. Really sweet girl. I honestly cannot believe that she’s 16,” said Macario. “She just reads the game so well and you can really see that. Ajax, they had a tremendous run in the Champions League and I do feel like that was a lot thanks to her.
“I remember joking around with her after the first game, I was like, ‘Oh, you’re American, right? You’re gonna join us?’ or something like that. And then I find out a few days later that she was called into camp. So that was really sweet.”Both Swanson and Macario were clearly in good spirits, laughing as they answered questions and ruminated on returning to play together after long recoveries.
“I feel like it’s always once something’s taken away from you, you always have a new perspective on it,” said Swanson. “I’m very just grateful to be back in this environment, back with this team and wearing the crest because it means so much.”
Macario described how it felt to step back on the field when she substituted in for Chelsea against Leicester. She said it felt the same being back in USWNT camp.
“It just really felt like a dream, just felt surreal,” she said. “It almost, looking back in the 641 days that it took, it just kind of all happened in the blink of an eye.
“I felt like crying but at the same time not because well, first of all, I’m in public and I hate crying in public. … I think probably the biggest thing was just getting over that mental hurdle that was like, ‘OK, I’m safe, I’m good to play again. I got this.”
(Top photo: Getty Images)
Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan on Korbin Albert social media activity: ‘Disappointing and extremely, extremely sad’
“We just want to address the disappointing situation regarding Korbin that has unfolded over this past week. We’ve worked extremely hard to uphold the integrity of this national team through all of the generations, and we are extremely, extremely sad that this standard was not upheld,” Horan began. “Our fans and our supporters feel like this is a team that they can rally behind, and it’s so important that they feel and continue to feel undeniably heard and seen.”
Albert had engaged with content on TikTok that runs counter to the U.S. team’s long-running and public support of LGBTQ+ rights. Her activity included reposting videos — one of which included a sermon given in a Christian worship space talking about how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. She also liked content about Rapinoe being injured in her final game.
“We stand by maintaining a safe and respectful space, especially as allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community,” Morgan continued in the statement. “This platform has given us an opportunity to highlight causes that matter to us, something that we never take for granted.”
Morgan stated that the team has also had internal discussions over Albert’s social media activity, and those discussions “will stay within the team.”
Mal Swanson and Catarina Macario were the two players originally scheduled for the virtual media availability, and Swanson declined to get into any specifics about those conversations when asked.
“We’ve had internal conversations and ultimately, those just stay internal,” Swanson said.
Morgan stressed at the end of the prepared statement that such an internal discussion would not be avoided, even if unpleasant. “One thing to also to know is that we have never shied away from hard conversations within this team,” she said.
In Albert’s apology, posted on March 28, she wrote in part, “I’m really disappointed in myself and am deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused to my teammates, other players, fans, friends and anyone who was offended. I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields. I know my actions have not lived up to that and for that I sincerely apologize. It’s an honor and a privilege to play this sport on the world stage and I promise to do better.”
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UPDATE (4/5): On Friday, USWNT interim head coach Twila Kilgore followed up on Horan and Morgan’s comments by saying, “It is disappointing when somebody falls short of the very high standards that we set within this team. This team has always been a beacon of respect, inclusion and demonstrated great allyship through actions for underrepresented and marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ+ community. And we will continue to do so.
“As Lindsay and Alex mentioned, this team has never shied away from hard conversations and today we’re here continuing to work on getting better, continuing to work on preparing ourselves to make ourselves proud, make our fans proud and put ourselves in the best position to continue to look towards success as we start this tournament.”
Kilgore added that Albert is available to play in the SheBelieves Cup. The U.S. will face Japan in their opening match on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET.
USMNT up to 11th in latest FIFA men’s world rankings, England down to fourth
The USMNT have climbed up to 11th in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, while England have dropped to fourth.Following their CONCACAF Nations League victories over Jamaica and Mexico in March, Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. side have moved up two places to 11th, just behind Croatia who complete the top 10.Gareth Southgate’s England, though, have failed to secure a victory in their last three games, drawing with Belgium and losing to Brazil during the March international break, having drawn with North Macedonia in their final European Championship qualifier in November.
Germany, who host the European Championship this summer, remain 16th.
Argentina, who won the World Cup in 2022 and have only lost one of their last 12 games since the competition, are still ranked as the world’s No 1 side.
France remain in second while Belgium, who are unbeaten in their last 13 games, move up to third from fourth place.
Indonesia are the biggest climbest in the most recent rankings, moving up eight places to 134th, while Vietnam suffered the biggest drop, going down ten places to 115th.
It’s really getting to crunch time and despite La Liga taking a break this weekend for the Copa del Ray final there is a lot of action to watch as the Old Firm derby and some key Championship matches add themselves to the mix. Here’s what we’re watching:
Friday
Eintracht Frankfurt v Werder Bremen – 2:30p on ESPN+
Timothy Chandler has appeared in three straight matches and four of the past five for Eintracht Frankfurt though all four appearances have been with under five minutes remaining in the match. Frankfurt drew with Union Berlin last weekend and remain in sixth place on a little tier by themselves; they are nine points back of fifth place RB Leipzig and five points ahead of seventh place Augsburg.
Saturday
Norwich City v Ipswich Town – 7:30a on ESPN+
We’re keeping an eye on the English Championship as well this weekend where Josh Sargent and Norwich City take on league leading Ipswich Town. There are a couple of tight races in the promotion hunt with three teams, including Ipswich Town separated by just two points and battling for the top two spots and automatic promotion. Sargent and Norwich city are involved in the second race which is for sixth place and the final promotion playoff position. Currently Norwich hold the position by four points over Haji Wright’s Coventry City but Coventry have a game in hand so it’s still a wide open race with six matches to play and there are three other teams just two points removed from Coventry as well that will be looking to sneak in.
Crystal Palace v Manchester City – 7:30a on USA Network
Chris Richards picked up a knock last weekend against Nottingham Forest and is expected to miss a couple of weeks for Crystal Palace who take on Manchester City on Saturday morning. Palace are coming off a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth and their recent run of form has included draws to relegation candidates Forest and Luton Town but they remain eight points out of the relegation scrap heading into a brutal final stretch of the season that will see them play five of their seven matches against top eight opponents including City and league leading Liverpool.
AC Milan v Lecce – 9a on CBSSN
Coming off of International break Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah were both substitutes last weekend, typical for Musah but an extra rest for Pulisic after long travel. Milan defeated Fiorentina 2-1 and hold a six point advantage over Juventus for second place in Serie A. This weekend’s opponent is Lecce who are five spots, but just four points, removed from relegation in what is a tight lower third of the Serie A table.
Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN+
Brenden Aaronson saw a second straight start last weekend as Union Berlin played Eintracht Frankfurt to a scoreless draw. After their incredibly rough start to the season Berlin have straightened things out a bit and are now nine points clear of relegation but things will be quite challenging this weekend as they face a Bayer Leverkusen side that is running away with the Bundesliga title and undefeated in 40 straight matches.
Heidenheim v Bayern Munich – 9:30a on ESPN+
Lennard Maloney returned from injury last weekend and saw a minute off the bench in Heidenheim’s 3-3 draw with Stuttgart after missing the past three matches due to injury. Heidenheim have avoided the relegation scrap in their first year following promotion but are winless in their past six matches heading into their fixture against Bayern Munich who are having a down year but handled Heidenheim 4-2 in the first meeting between the clubs this season.
Fulham v Newcastle United – 10a on Peacock
Tim Ream has not been seeing minutes recently but Antonee Robinson continues to play nearly every minute for the EPL side, he’s over 3,100 minutes for the club across all competitions this season with seven matches (and 630 minutes) still remaining to play. Fulham are coming off a bad loss to Nottingham Forest but remain in thirteenth place, five points behind their opponent this weekend Newcastle, who are in eighth.
Luton Town v Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock
Tyler Adams was back in a big way last weekend, picking up man of the match honors while going the full 90’ in Bournemouth’s 2-1 win over Everton. Adams received an understandable break mid-week given that he’s just returned from injury as Bournemouth defeated Crystal Palace 1-0. Bournemouth have won three straight and the nine points has they well clear of the relegation zone and in the middle of the table as they take on a Luton Town side that currently sit in the relegation zone, three points from safety and are looking for their first win in twelve matches.
PSV Eindhoven v AZ Alkmaar – 12:45p on ESPN+
Sergino Dest, Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV saw their undefeated Eredivisie campaign come to an end last weekend with a 3-1 loss to NEC Nijmegen but bounced back midweek with a 2-0 win over Excelsior. PSV still hold a nine point lead for the league title with six matches remaining. They take on fourth place AZ Alkmaar who they defeated 4-0 in December which included Malik Tillman assisting on a Sergino Dest goal.
LAFC v LA Galaxy – 7:30p on Fox
Timothy Tillman and Aaron Long will start for LAFC as they take on the LA Galaxy in the most recent edition of el Traffico. The Galaxy are currently leading the Western Conference while last years champions, LAFC, are off to a slower start, currently in 9th place.
Sunday
Rangers v Celtic – 7a on CBSSN
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic have a one point lead over Rangers who have a game in hand as they head to Ibrox Stadium for the latest edition of the Old Firm Derby with huge title implications. Carter-Vickers has dealt with some injury issues this season but has started four straight for Celtic including wearing the captains armband in the last three.
Hoffenheim v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN+
John Brooks has returned from his red card suspension and will be available for Hoffenheim as they take on Augsburg who are three points ahead of them in the table, with both teams looking unlikely to threaten for European qualification nor be threatened by relegation. It remains to be seen whether Brooks will return immediately to the starting lineup, he has been in and out of the lineup a bit this season and cards have been a bit of an issue recently; in addition to his early red card that led to his suspension Brooks has received a yellow card in three of his previous four matches.
Monaco v Rennes – 11:05a on beIN Sports
Folarin Balogun didn’t get the start last weekend but came on as a sub and netted two goals in Monaco’s 5-2 win over Metz last weekend. With the win Monaco remained within a point of second place and three points ahead of Lille in the race for the final Champions League spot.
Wolfsburg v Borussia Monchengladbach – 11:30a on ESPN+
Wolfsburg snapped an eleven match winless streak last weekend as they defeated Werder Bremen 2-0 with Kevin Paredes starting yet again. The win gives Wolfsburg an eight point cushion over Mainz for relegation and leaves them tied with Joe Scally, Jordan Pefok, and Borussia Monchengladbach who fell to Freiburg 3-0 last weekend.
Sheffield United v Chelsea – 12:30p on NBC
Auston Trusty started at left-wingback for Sheffield United on Thursday in the team’s 3-1 loss to league leading Liverpool. The loss leaves Sheffield on track for both relegation and a historic goals-allowed number. On Sunday they face Chelsea who broke back into the top ten with a 4-3 win over Manchester United on Thursday.
Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest – 1p on USA Network
Matt Turner wasn’t on the field but he did make it into the refs book on Tuesday as he picked up a yellow card for kicking a ball onto the field to delay a Fulham restart as Nottingham Forest needed a full team effort to pull off the 3-1 win. Giovanni Reyna saw minutes as a substitute for the second straight match, coming on in relief of Morgan Gibbs-White who had already picked up a goal and an assist in the match.
Juventus v Fiorentina – 2:45p on Paramount+
Weston McKennie was also given a bit of a rest coming out of the international break and was brought on as a halftime substitute in Juventus’ 1-0 loss to Lazio in league play. Midweek Juventus bounced back to win the first leg of their Copa Italia semi-final matchup, also against Lazio, 2-0. Timothy Weah came on as a late substitute in both matches and picked up a yellow card in each one as well. On Sunday Juventus will take on tenth place Fiorentina who are also coming off a midweek Copa Italia win, 1-0 over Atalanta.
“Tyler has been always (talkative). He’s a captain with the national team. Even in the trainings, he’s going to be arguing. If he’s losing, he’s not gonna be happy. He will be demanding with the others. And this is a very good thing to have in the team.”The above quote is from Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, when asked about Tyler Adams’ leadership qualities just after Tyler’s first start of the season Saturday against Everton. The 25-year-old from Wappingers Falls, N.Y. went the full 90 in the Cherries’ 2-1 win, and was named Player of the Match. Heat maps that wouldn’t look out of place at a Jackson Pollock exhibit — paint sprayed across the entire canvas — will do that for a player.So is it safe to say that Adams is back? Well, based on the fact that he didn’t come off the bench in Bournemouth’s 1-0 win over Palace on Tuesday, it could be a case of the USMNT midfielder still working his way back to full-full fitness. But for a player as focused, vocal, and intense as Tyler, it would seem that he’s going to be tough to keep off the pitch for long.”He wants to go for all the balls,” continued Iraola. “He’s very instinctive and he wants to cover a lot.”Here’s to hoping he gets the chance to continue to provide cover in the Cherries’ next match: a visit to Luton Town on Saturday.Elsewhere in England …Four USMNTers were at the City Ground on Tuesday, as Nottingham Forest beat Fulham 3-1 in the most recent Premier League Bowl. Highlights of the match included: Antonee Robinson (26; Liverpool, ENG) playing his 12th straight complete game for Fulhamerica; and Gio Reyna subbing on in the 77th minute for the Tricky Trees, meaning in the last week the 21-year-old from Bedford, N.Y. has seen more playing time (45 minutes) than he had the entire two months prior (41). Tim Ream (36; St. Louis, MO) and Matt Turner (29; Park Ridge, NJ) did not see any action, although Matty T showed he’s a dawg who’s always up for a dawgfight, after getting a yellow card for barking at the ref from the bench. In the Championship, Haji Wright (26; Los Angeles, CA) made it five goals in his last six games for Coventry City, popping in a far-post worm-burner (Watch) in the Sky Blues’ 3-1 win at Huddersfield Town on Friday. Not to be outdone, Josh Sargent (24; O’Fallon, MO) made it four in his last six with a lovely little set-piece first-timer (Watch) in Norwich City’s 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle on Friday. And then Duane Holmes (29; Columbus, GA) completed the end-of-week Americans Abroad Hat Trick by driving one home from close range (Watch) in Preston North End’s 3-0 win over Rotherham United. Good Friday, indeed.Balogun Brace Built by Extra Train Rides, Extra Training:We at ASU could not be any happier for Folarin Balogun (22; London, ENG), after the USMNT striker scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season (Watch) as a sub in Monaco’s 5-2 win at Metz on Saturday. The off-the-bench brace was the first by an American Abroad in Europe’s Top 5 leagues since Charlies Davies did the same for Sochaux in 2009.The current campaign has been a bit of a struggle for the former Arsenal forward, whose summer arrival with the French club was met with lofty expectations after joining for $44 million on the heels of 22 goals for Reims in Ligue 1 in 2022-23. But after scoring three goals in his first five games for Monaco, Balo has been in and out of the starting lineup for Les Rouge et Blanc, only scoring three times since October 7 before his brace over the weekend.While his goal-scoring struggles have been front and center for all to see, something that had been kept behind the scenes until now was the hard work and sacrifice Balogun originally put in to become a high-level finisher. Speaking to the Inside Track podcast, individual instructor Saul Isaksson-Hurst talked about how Balogun, then with Arsenal, would take the train from London to France on his off days to get extra one-on-one training with the former Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs academy coach.“Flo would be doing a finishing session at Arsenal, but there would be six or seven other players there and it may not be specifically on what he needs to work on,” said Isaksson-Hurst. “Flo used to come back on the Eurostar on his days off to do sessions and then go back. He’s another really committed young pro.”Here’s to hoping the hard work done years ago continues to pay dividends for one of America’s finest.News and Notes:After his assist against Lazio in Juventus’ 2-0 Coppa Italia win on Tuesday (Watch), it’s now 10 dimes in all comps for Weston McKennie (25; Little Elm, TX) this season. Half of these have been to Dusan Vlahovic, so naturally Wes gave him a friendly shout-out on IG.Malik Tillman (21; Nürnberg, GER) had an assist (Watch) — his 11th of the season — in PSV’s 2-0 win at Excelsior on Tuesday. The victory comes on the heels of their first league loss of the season on Saturday, a 3-1 defeat at NEC Nijmegen, which ended a remarkable 26-match undefeated streak to open their Eredivisie campaign.Brenden Aaronson (23; Medford, NJ) got the start and played 65 minutes in Union Berlin’s scoreless draw at Frankfurt on Saturday. The Iron Ones are now undefeated in Aaronson’s last three starts.Alex Zendejas (26; El Paso, TX) scored his fifth in his last six games for Club America (Watch) in a 4-0 win at New England Revolution Tuesday in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.Gianluca Busio (21; Greensboro, NC) scored his sixth goal of the season for Venezia (Watch) in their 3-2 loss at Reggiana Monday. The Canal Boys are now one point out of the Serie B automatic promotion spots with seven matches to play.In Spain’s second tier, Konrad de la Fuente (22; Barcelona, ESP) bagged a brace (Watch) in Eibar’s 5-1 win over Eldense on Sunday. Los Armeros are in second place — hence, in the automatic promotion spots — with nine matches to go in LaLiga2.Parting Shots:Massive congrats to teen striker Joel Imasuen for making his Werder Bremen first-team debut in the Green-Whites’ 2-0 loss to Wolfsburg on Sunday. The 19-year-old born in Atlanta, Ga. came on in the 89th minute of the match, having earned his place in the senior squad thanks to 27 goals in 21 matches for Werder Bremen II this season. Imasuen played with Hertha Berlin from 2016-21, then spent a season with Viktoria 1889 Berlin before joining Werder Bremen in 2022.
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Wow Dos a Cero again !! The US Men dominated Mexico from start to finish leaving little doubt who the top team in CONCACAF is as the US has now won this competition for the 3rd straight time and it gets worse for Mexico each time. The US men were got fantastic goals from Tyler Adams in his return to play for his nation in over a year – this blast from distance. (Proper Spanish) Then Pulisic worked his magic and Gio Reyna finished on the rebound making it Dos a Cero. (Full Highlights) The US has better players and they are simply playing better. After obviously looking ahead against Jamaica needing a 95th minute goal to take it to ET and win easily 2-0 It was Gio Reyna who again was darn near the man of the Match for a second straight game for the US. You could argue he’s locked down the #10 slot no matter what is happening with his club Nottingham Forest (idiots). I for one am sick and tired of hearing the Gregg Berhalter bashing – this team seems to love him, plays for him – and excels for him. Do I love GB – no but lets see how he does in Copa America this summer before making further judgement. Certainly a final 4 birth should be expected at least this summer but we’ll see. (lots of stories below)
USWNT in She Believes Cup Next Sat 4/6 vs Japan 12:30 TNT & Tues 4/9 in ColumbusMallory Swanson and Catarina Macario will make their returns to the USWNT next week as part of the 23-player roster for the She Believes Cup, U.S. Soccer announced on Tuesday. Two new names are also joining the roster and earning their first senior national team call-ups, both playing for European clubs: 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender Eva Gaetino and 16-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes. These will be the final two matches for Twila Kilgore as USWNT interim coach. Permanent head coach Emma Hayes will take over beginning with the June window, with Kilgore remaining on the staff as an assistant. The USWNT will play in a reformatted She Believes Cup that has a semifinals and final as opposed to a round robin tournament. They will play Japan in the semifinals in Atlanta on Sat April 6th at 12:30 pm on TNT, and then will face either Brazil or Canada in either the 3rd place match at 5 pm or the final at 7 pm on April 9th in Columbus, Ohio ( tixstill available- the OBC is going over) on TBS. The USWNT defeated Canada and Brazil in the knockout stage on their way to claiming the inaugural W Gold Cup title.
Indy 11 face Detroit City Sat night 7 pm at the Mike
The Boys in Blue continue their homestand Saturday, hosting the first Eastern Conference foe of the season in Detroit City FC. Kick is slated for 7 p.m. ET and will air locally on WNDY, while streaming on ESPN+. 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.
Huge Game Weekend
Some huge games this weekend as Germany has Bayern Munich vs Dortmund on ESPN Saturday at 1:30 pm and Sunday gives us a massive EPL battle for 1st as Man City hosts Arsenal on Peacock of course at 11:30 am. Too bad NBC doesn’t give Crap about soccer in the US – that game on USA or NBC would really grab a nice viewership on Sunday. Great to see NWSL on ESPN at 3:30 pm KC vs Angel City right after the Bayern game. Fox gives us MLS Sunday Atlanta United vs Chicago Fire at 4 pm. So hard to watch MLS these days. Of course FS has the CCL Cup games Tues/Wed night. (See schedule below). Oh and Indy 11 @ Louisville City next Sat on CBS, with Champions League next Tues/Wed on CBS as well.
Champions League Elite 8 — starts April 9th & 10th on CBS
GAMES ON TV
Sat, MAr 30
7:30 am USA New Castle United vs West Ham
10:30 am ESPN+ Borrusia Mgladbach (Scally, ) vs Frieburg
11 am USA Nottingham Forest (Turner, Gio) vs Crystal Palace (Richards)
11 am Peacock_ Bournemouth (adams) vs Everton
11 am Peacock Sheffield United (Trusty) vs Fulham (Robinson, Ream)
1 pm para+ Lazio vs Juventus (Weah, McKinney)
1:30 pm ESPN Bayern Munich vs Dortmund
1:30 pm NBC Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton
3:30 pm ESPN KC Current vs Angel FC FC NWSL
3:45 pm Para+ Fiorentina vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah)
6:30 pm Ion Portland Thorns vs Racing Louisville NWSL
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Detroit
Sun, Apr 1
9 am USA Liverpool vs Brighton
11:30 am Peacock Man City vs Arsenal
3 pm ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Atletic Club
2:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Levekusen vs Wolfsburg
4 pm Fox Atlanta United vs Chicago Fire
Tues, Apr 2
2:30 pm USA New Castle United vs Everton
2:30 pm Peacock Notthingham Forest vs Fulham (Robinson, Ream)
3 pm Para+, CBSSN? Juventus (Weah, McKinney) vs Lazio
7 pm Fox Sport 1 Columbus Crew vs Tigres CCL
9 pm FS1 New England vs America CCL
Weds, Apr 3
2:30 pm USA Arsenal vs Luton Town
3:15 pm Peacock Man Vity vs Aston Villa
3 pm CBSSN? Forentina vs Atalanta
8 pm Fox Sport 1 Inter Miami (Messi) vs Monterrey CCL
10 pm FS1 Heredino vs Pachuca CCL
Thurs, Apr 4
2:30 pm USA Liverpool vs Sheffield United
3:15 pm Peacock Chelsea vs Man United
Sat, April 6
12:30 pm TNT, Max, Telemundo USA Women vs Japan
Tues, Apr 9
3 pm CBS Champions League
5 or 7 pm TBS, Universo, Peacock USWNT vs Brazil/Can winner Columbus, OH
USMNT’s Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna went from fitness doubts to Nations League game-winners
By Jon Arnold Mar 25, 2024 The Athletic
When Tyler Adams lined up a shot from nearly 30 yards out, both United States center backs, up for a corner kick, had the same thought: “Time to run back and defend.”“Usually, when Tyler shoots, you go ahead and get back into your position,” Chris Richards said.“Row Z,” added Tim Ream. “I thought, ‘OK, there’s a goal kick coming.’”Instead, the center backs’ runs were towards Adams, celebrating a goal unlike any he had scored before in a mob with a full group of jubilant teammates. The midfielder made his first start for the U.S. since the 2022 World Cup in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League final following almost a whole year out through injury, as the USMNT captured the competition’s title for the third time in a row.
Adams had never scored a goal from outside the box in his professional career and rarely even shoots from distance, but felt the time was right to change that.“When the ball came to me and I felt like I had time on the ball, it was a no-brainer,” Adams said.Adams came off at halftime due to a minutes restriction agreed between the USMNT and Bournemouth, the Premier League club that was surely hoping Adams would return to England following this international break a bit fitter and much more confident.“Now I feel like I can shoot whenever I feel like,” Adams said, sporting his medal after the match. “I’ve been practicing that in my rehab recently. It was a good feeling scoring that one.”Adams and Gio Reyna both came into the game with rust: Adams having played 20 league minutes this season and Reyna 309 between Borussia Dortmund and Nottingham Forest. They were the two core pieces of the U.S. team that had the most question marks around their match fitness. Coach Gregg Berhalter opted to start both on Sunday and enjoyed the rewards, with Reyna adding the second goal.Once Ream got over the shock of seeing Adams’ long-range effort beat goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, he was able to reflect more deeply on Adams’ return to the field, coming back from a pair of hamstring injuries that required surgery and putting in a solid shift in the first half of a final.“To see him rewarded after the amount of work he’s had to put in to get back to where he is, I think that’s the most impressive part,” the defender said.
Adams was mobbed after his goal (Darren Carroll/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
That Adams and Reyna scored the goals and had a huge influence on proceedings may be a return to normal instead of a big shock for the U.S. side. The 25-year-old Adams and 21-year-old Reyna have long been seen as some of the brightest stars of a promising generation of U.S. players who have raised expectations around this squad.The surprise may be just how much they contributed — and that they did so from the opening whistle.Mexico coach Jaime Lozano said after the match he and his coaching staff expected to see Reyna from the beginning but perhaps not Adams after the midfielder’s long night against Jamaica, in which he was brought on in the second half of Thursday’s semifinal, only to be taken off again in extra time due to that minutes restriction.Still, he said, they’ve watched Adams since he was a young player and are well aware of his skills.“Today, he had a great goal, which I think changed the course of the game,” Lozano said. “We know, despite the fact that they came in (out of rhythm), that they’re totally international-quality players.”
Reyna, meanwhile, was named player of the tournament after assisting two goals in extra time in the semifinal to go with Sunday night’s insurance score. His performances merited it, but after the drama that surrounded Reyna, his family and Berhalter following the 2022 World Cup, seeing the coach run down the touchline to celebrate the title-clinching goal with Reyna last night wasn’t what many might have imagined in the aftermath of that fiasco.Other national teams might have frozen Reyna out, but since returning as U.S. manager in June 2023 after a brief hiatus following that World Cup, Berhalter has worked slowly to reintegrate Reyna into the team.“I think when I took over the team again, I talked about needing time,” Berhalter said. “The more that we worked together and the more that he believed that intentions were true and our whole staff has his best interest in mind, I think we started to gain trust.”“If we didn’t put it in the past, it would’ve been affecting the team, and I think that was most important for both of us: to put it in the past and focus on the team,” Reyna said. “I think the last few camps since we’ve been back together, they’ve been pretty successful camps.”
Reyna was named player of the tournament (Darren Carroll/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Increasingly, it feels that when it’s a successful camp for Reyna, it’s a successful camp for the U.S. and vice versa. After a stingy Jamaica nearly denied the U.S. any scoring opportunities in 95 minutes of the semifinal, Reyna unlocked the Reggae Boyz and lifted the U.S. into the final.On Sunday, Reyna was there to finish a move just after the hour mark, surging into the box to apply a strong finish to an attempted clearance. His hit on the half-volley beat Ochoa to the near post and doubled the lead Adams had given the U.S.“I think both of us came in ready to perform,” Reyna said. “I don’t think the outside noise of maybe not getting enough minutes really affects us. The body of work we’ve shown in the first few days of training here, and the preparation, really shows what we’ve done and I’m just super-happy for him and also pumped up for me, to be honest.”
The hope for the U.S. now is that both players not only excel upon their return to their clubs in England but that they stay healthy and gather strength. While Berhalter was thrilled to have 45 minutes from Adams and 78 from Reyna last night, he’ll hope to soon have 90 from both.That will be especially important in the Copa America on home turf this summer, which the U.S. begins June 23 against Bolivia. The matches only get more difficult from there and Berhalter must have Reyna creating and Adams patrolling the midfield
USMNT’s Nations League win over Mexico was expected – that’s what made it important
That the opening goal of the CONCACAF Nations League final happened the way it did — a blistering shot uncorked 30 yards out — felt fitting for the environment around this U.S. men’s national team this week. The pressure had been building up in the days ahead of Sunday’s game and was bound to explode — positively or negatively.The U.S. was coming off of a less-than-decisive 3-1 win over Jamaica in the semifinal on Thursday that required a last-gasp own goal to take it to extra time — a performance significantly below expectations for a U.S. team that’s believed to be capable of more than any that came before, and with a U.S.-hosted Copa America just months away. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter chuckled to himself on Saturday when asked by a media member whether it was true that they had more pressure on them than Mexico ahead of the big occasion. Berhalter tried to deflect, pointing out that Mexico was coming off of a dominant semifinal win (3-0 against Panama) and would be expected to continue that against their bigger rival. But Berhalter’s smile was also an acknowledgment of the truth: the U.S. — and Berhalter — had more to lose. Nothing but a win on Sunday would have been enough, and Tyler Adams’ goal late in the first half brke the pressure of expectation in the U.S.’s 2-0 win. “There’s always going to be talk,” said Gio Reyna, who scored the second goal on 63 minutes and was named player of the tournament. “And I think looking into Jamaica was a bit much. It obviously wasn’t our best performance, but it’s one game. Not every team can play well every game and we responded really well tonight.”While neither team dominated the final, the U.S. never looked overwhelmed, circulating the ball and probing Mexico for weak points. They gave up very little defensively. Mexico had to chase the result in the last half-hour after Reyna doubled the lead. While El Tri had some half-chances, they never truly threatened the U.S.he postgame press conference for Mexico coach Jaime Lozano had a clear tilt to it: El Tri were chasing the U.S. now. How could they catch their biggest rivals? There was no doubt which team was favored — a sign of how far the U.S. has come since Berhalter first took over.The U.S. was smashed by Mexico in September 2019, a 3-0 loss in Berhalter’s first year that altered the course for this group. After that loss, the U.S. became a more transitional, high-pressing and physical team. They learned the intensity it would take to win those big games against their rival. That result, six meetings ago now, is the last time Mexico beat the U.S.
The U.S. was able to limit Mexico’s chances throughout the final (Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
But while Sunday’s win was a requirement, it will bring little relief ahead of the Copa America. If anything, a third straight regional crown will only ramp up the hopes that the U.S. can do something special against bigger opponents in a tournament that will include the likes of Lionel Messi’s World Cup champions Argentina and world power Brazil.“I would say that, as a federation, those teams (such as Argentina and Brazil) have proven something already; they’ve won everything there is to win,” Adams said. “That’s kind of the role model, so to speak, of what the U.S. wants to become and kind of: ‘How do we get there?’.“I would say that we’re making the right steps in order to get there. Obviously, people want us to be there tomorrow and win a World Cup, but that’s not an ideal situation. We need to go through a lot of ups and downs before we get there. But steps like this tonight, playing in finals, getting that experience now, winning three in a row, this means something… We’re learning how to win in pressure situations.”The Nations League tournaments have served as markers for this group.The first win, in June 2021, was crucial in that it was a validating moment for a young team asserting itself in the region. That they battled back twice from deficits to win, 3-2 after extra time, showed the character of a group that has shined through since on multiple stages, including at the following year’s World Cup in Qatar.Last year’s dominant 3-0 semifinal win over Mexico only reinforced the U.S.’s position atop CONCACAF but, more importantly, it showed off the growth of Reyna playing in a central role. After the off-field issues in and after Qatar, Reyna came back into the group in 2023 looking to show he could be the influential playmaker the U.S. fans hoped he would be, and he then assisted on both goals in a 2-0 win over Canada in the final before being substituted for the second half due to a leg injury.
Adams celebrates his long-range goal (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Reyna continued that impact into this year’s tournament, setting up both goals in extra time against Jamaica and then scoring in Sunday’s final. He went through the mixed zone still holding his trophy as player of the tournament.This Nations League final was never going to be the same type of marker for this group — not with the Copa America just around the corner. Instead, it served as almost a checkpoint. The U.S. was supposed to win this game. And that, in itself, spoke to the difference of this cycle.The U.S. isn’t going to be considered a young team anymore. They are expected to get results. “I think it’s something that we do respond to,” Berhalter said. “When the guys feel like we’re pressured, then we come out and we play really good performances. In the last World Cup, as soon as they got to camp, it was like, focus, focus, focus, they were on it. And the same thing in this camp as the camp went on. So I know they’re focused.“For me, it’s about really taking advantage of every single opportunity we have because, before we know it, ’26 (the World Cup being co-hosted with Canada and Mexico) is gonna be here.”(Top photo: Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
UNITED STATES
Gio Reyna has been ‘killing it’ for the USMNT. Can he now do it at the club level?
Published Mar. 25, 2024 3:52 p.m. ET
ARLINGTON, Texas — The look on Gregg Berhalter’s face was the epitome of glee. In the 63rd minute of the Concacaf Nations League final, Gio Reyna perfectly positioned his body over a bouncing ball at the top of the penalty box and struck a low volley past Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. It was a spectacular and technical goal that gave the United States men’s national team a 2-0 lead over their rival.The score went unchanged for the remainder of the match, and the U.S. fought against a feisty and physical opponent to hold on and win its third straight CNL title.After Reyna scored — his second goal of the tournament — he ran to the right corner flag while pointing at the U.S. crest on his chest. His teammates — those on the field and on the bench — joined him in a jumping-up-and-down-in-a-circle celebration. Berhalter sprinted down the touchline to join the group with a joyous smile that took up his whole face. Despite playing outside of Dallas, the crowd was pro-Mexico and the opposing fans roared with boos after Reyna’s goal. As the American players celebrated, nearby fans threw cups of beer at them. Seeing this happen in real time, Berhalter made his way to Reyna and tried to shield him from any other flying objects.A little while later, Reyna was subbed off in the 75th minute. He was on a minutes restriction, was starting to cramp up, and the USMNT had the lead in hand, so it made sense. When he stepped off the pitch, Berhalter put his arms around the player for a second. They both seemed happy.
“[He said] something along the lines that he was proud of me,” Reyna, who was named the tournament’s best player, said after the match.
“It was a long night, a lot’s been happening since the game,” Reyna said smiling, a nod to the beer and goggles celebration the players had in the locker room after the win, “and I just couldn’t tell you word for word. But it was just something nice. It wasn’t anything too special, but it was nice.”This is all a testament to how far both Berhalter and Reyna have come since the drama that ensnared their relationship at the 2022 World Cup. After the Americans were eliminated in the round of 16 of that tournament 15 months ago, Berhalter revealed that he nearly sent an unnamed player home due to a poor attitude in training. It was eventually discovered that the player was Reyna. His parents – former USMNT captain Claudio Reyna and former USWNT player Danielle Egan – retaliated by bringing up a decades-old domestic violence incident between Berhalter and his now-wife to U.S. Soccer. Berhalter’s contract expired shortly thereafter, though he was re-hired a few months later.In the aftermath, there was a lot of interest in the relationship between Berhalter and Reyna. Would Reyna be called into camp? Would he start? How would the vibes be? How would it affect the team? Etc, etc.
Reyna was recalled to the USMNT last October, and started the final four matches of 2023. In the USMNT’s semifinal win over Jamaica on Thursday, he had two beautiful assists in extra time that helped the squad to a 3-1 win. Following that game, Reyna spoke with reporters for the first time since everything transpired after the World Cup.
“Obviously, what happened, happened,” Reyna said. “But I think both of us are so far past it, and just so focused on the group that it’s not even an issue at all anymore. We’re just so far past it.”
He essentially repeated those sentiments late Sunday night, adding that he felt like this was all water under the bridge after their first camp back together last year.
“If we didn’t put it in the past, it would have been affecting the team and I think that was most important for the both of us,” Reyna explained. “I think the last few camps that he’s been here and we’ve been back together, it’s been pretty successful. So yeah, like I said, it’s in the past. It’s pretty simple.”
Time heals. Even if it didn’t, there’s no way Berhalter could avoid Reyna, who, at just 21 years old, is establishing himself as one of the most valuable players in the team.
“The kid’s unbelievable, honestly,” said Tyler Adams, who also scored a banger of a goal to put the USMNT up 1-0 right before halftime. “So many people talk about the noise that surrounded him and everything that he went through. But at 21 years old, every single one of the players on our team has gone through a situation like that. Maybe not as extreme, of course, because it was surrounding a World Cup and we didn’t play in a World Cup at 21.
“He’s got that grit, he’s got that intensity, and when he plays like that every night, he’s gonna be playing at a big club very soon.”
Last month, Reyna joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Borussia Dortmund for the remainder of the season. Minutes have been sparse for Reyna, and there were questions about his fitness entering this camp. He played 75 minutes against Jamaica, coming on at halftime and playing through extra time; then 75 more in the final against Mexico.
“He was determined to grind through it and power through it and I thought he was doing really well,” Berhalter said.
Berhalter, who said he and Reyna “started to gain trust” and were patient in rebuilding their relationship after the World Cup fallout, gushed about the young player’s talent.
“He can unlock defenses and he just has these qualities that are really good,” Berhalter said. “I also believe, and I’ve said this before, that he can be a midfielder. I think that’s the next evolution for him because he can control the tempo so well and he can make final passes when he gets the ball in pockets in transition and he’s a good finisher.”
Berhalter and Reyna both hope that Reyna can use this momentum as a springboard to get more minutes with his club. And for the USMNT, it’s especially heartening to see a confident and healthy Reyna in form with Copa America looming this summer.
“He’s killing it here,” defender Chris Richards said of his teammate. “Hopefully he continues that form.”
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.
USMNT late week viewing guide: Back to the grind
Haji Wright, perhaps Josh Sargent, and others re-start club season on Friday
Friday
Huddersfield vs Coventry, 11a: Haji Wright and Coventry (8th) meet relegation-zone Huddersfield (22nd of 24 in the Championship).
Norwich City vs Plymouth Argyle, 11a on ESPN+ (free trial): Josh Sargent and sixth-place Norwich look to maintain promotion playoff position against Plymouth (18th).
América vs San Luis, 10p: Alejandro Zendejas and América are second in the Liga MX Clausura with 12 games played; San Luis are 13th of 18.
Ukraine qualify for Euro 2024: ‘The world is going to watch and see we never give up’
More than 40 members of Ukraine’s national-team party were spread around the centre circle of Wroclaw’s Tarczynski Arena.Players, coaches and backroom staff locked their gaze on the 30,000 spectators sporting blue and yellow as they revved up their version of the Viking thunderclap. Iceland, the architects of that celebration during the 2016 European Championship, could only listen in despair having lost this Euro 2024 play-off final to a late strike from Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk.Strangers embraced. Families posed for photographs draped in Ukraine flags. Others video-called, possibly home to war-torn Ukraine, sharing the moment with others unable to experience first-hand this release of emotion around 600 miles (1,000km) away in south-west Poland.kraine had done it.Ukraine’s players address the crowd (Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images)
Despite enduring over two years of Russian invasion and indiscriminate bombing with millions of its citizens displaced, a weakened domestic league and home advantage for matches long since diluted, Serhiy Rebrov’s side had come through two tense play-off matches to qualify for this summer’s Euros — a mountain they had failed to climb two years ago when pursuing a World Cup spot, losing to Wales at this final stage.
As Oleksandr Zinchenko, the captain, led his team around the pitch to celebrate a second comeback victory in five days, the 2-1 win over Iceland following a similar late success by the same scoreline away against Bosnia & Herzegovina, a guttural chant reverberated around the arena.
“Z-S-U! Z-S-U! Z-S-U!”
The acronym stands for ‘Zbronyi Syly Ukrainy’ — the Armed Forces of Ukraine. These Ukrainian supporters — almost all draped in the nation’s blue and yellow flag — were reminding the world of why this victory was not just a footballing triumph.
This was not so much a lap of honour as a vignette of how conflicting it is to be Ukrainian today; jubilant at a second major finals qualification via play-offs from seven attempts, yet acutely aware of how small sport seems in the shadow of war. United in a foreign city, but separated from loved ones across the border; grateful for international support, yet fearing that their struggle is fading from the public consciousness.
“I’m all emotioned out — it’s one of the most important, if not the most important, win for Ukraine in its history,” says British-Ukrainian journalist Andrew Todos, founder of Ukrainian football website Zorya Londonsk.
“It is the context of having to make the tournament to give the country a massive important platform. People are going to see the country and hear about the war carrying on during the build-up and the weeks that they are in the tournament.”
English-born drummer Andriy Buniak (bottom) of Ukrainian folk band Cov Kozaks with Andrew Todos (third right) and Myron Huzan (right) (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
The Ukraine FA, drawn as the hosts, chose Wroclaw for this play-off final because they knew it would be their best chance of approximating a home advantage. The 1-1 group-phase draw with England here in September attracted a crowd of 39,000 and Wroclaw has been one of the main cities to which Ukrainians have fled over the past two years.In 2018, there were already suggestions that one in every 10 Wroclaw residents was Ukrainian. The city’s university status means family reunions have driven that number up to around a third of the population. It would have been slightly higher again on Tuesday, with the city transformed into a ‘Little Kyiv’.
Drummers dressed in traditional attire beat a rhythm for jolly sing-alongs and heartfelt rallies in the market square. Every act of joy from the Ukrainian contingent quickly felt like an expression of defiance.
The constant was a sense of unity, captured by the charity match played earlier in the day between a team of former players and the ‘potato soldiers’, a nickname coined by organiser Mykola Vasylkov for the amount of food his team have delivered to the front line thanks to fundraising assistance from national-team players.
“‘No Football Euro without Ukraine’ has been our message — now we’ve done it, ” says Vasylkov, who was part of Andriy Shevchenko’s setup during his five years as Ukraine manager.
Vasylkov helped then manager Shevchenko in the Ukraine setup (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
The majority of the Ukrainians in attendance at last night’s play-off had lived elsewhere in Europe for some years before the conflict. Unless they receive special dispensation, males between the ages of 18 and 60 are banned from leaving the country.
Unable to fight for the cause in the conventional sense, this was the day when the diaspora played their part. Goalscorers Viktor Tsygankov and Mudryk, who play for clubs in Spain and England, and an eclectic fanbase combined to put their country on the map at this summer’s tournament in Germany.
“There were amazing emotions and atmosphere in the dressing room — these days wearing the Ukrainian badge on our chest is something special,” says Zinchenko. “The feelings inside are so hard to describe as, today, every Ukrainian was watching our game.
“All the video messages we received before the game from Ukrainians, in the country and abroad, from the military who are staying on the front line fighting for our independence and freedom… they were all supporting us. It was extra motivation for us.”
Zinchenko applauds the fans after Ukraine’s win (Andrzej Iwanczuk/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
It was only last summer that Zinchenko used Arsenal’s pre-season tour in the United States to call for American F-15 fighter jets to be given to Ukrainian forces. He did not want the world to become fatigued and forget his compatriots’ suffering.“It (Euro 2024) will be so important,” he says. “We all understand that. All the world is going to watch this competition as it’s one of the biggest in the sport. It’s an unreal opportunity to show how good we are as a team and how good it is to be Ukrainian.“Our people are about never giving up and fighting until the end.”
Iceland’s population of 375,000 is dwarfed by Ukraine’s estimated 34million and their FIFA ranking of 73rd is well below their opponents’ 24th, so Zinchenko and his team-mates were hardly underdogs last night — but Ukraine’s players still have to cope with the mental toil of having family members enduring life in a war zone.
When Ukraine missed out on a place at the most recent World Cup in its June 2022 play-offs, winning 3-1 away to Scotland in their semi-final but then being beaten 1-0 in Cardiff by a Gareth Bale shot that took a big deflection, their domestic-based players had only been able to feature in friendlies against club sides for the previous seven months. That was not the case this time, but four of the starting XI and 11 of the 23-man squad are based in Ukraine.
The domestic league resumed in that summer of 2022 but it has dropped in quality as most of its top foreign players have left, and only in the last month have small crowds been allowed into top-flight games again. They are only able to do so with the provision of air-raid sirens, and with bunkers to shelter in readily available.
Ukrainian fans celebrate qualification (Andrzej Iwanczuk/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
During that play-off final, footage appeared of Ukrainian soldiers in the trenches watching the match on their phones. That connection to home was strong in Wrocław on Tuesday.
“I work in the army and brought a flag that Ukrainian soldiers signed,” says Artem Genne, a London-based fan, holding up the message “Keep up the good work for peace and prosperity in Ukraine”, sporting the signatures of different regiments. “We went to visit the team the day before the game and we got a picture of them with the flag to send back to the troops and boost morale.
“Some family members live near some military facilities and they have been witnessing lots of attacks. Many of my friends live in Kyiv (the capital) and they were sending me footage from their balconies of windows being smashed. It goes on every day and, even though we are not there, it still affects you knowing your friends are in underground shelters.”
Artem Genne and a friend hold up their flag signed by Ukrainian soldiers (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
Roman Labunski travelled from Berlin in West Germany, over 200 miles, with his wife and two sons to be at the game.
His eldest son Nathan, 13, has only ever been to Ukraine twice, but was on his father’s shoulders during the 2014 Maidan revolution. He witnessed something en route to the stadium that served as a wake-up call.
“We saw lorries carrying tanks to the border,” Roman says. “It reminded us that we’re still able to do something safe and fun. I sometimes feel guilty that I am not living it, as my cousins came to stay with us after the invasion but went back after they thought it was safe. Now they are facing rockets again.
“It is not just football that we wanted to win for, and the team know that. It is no longer that they are up here and the fans are down there. We feel together with them now. The Euros will bring everyone back home some hope and happiness.”
Aron, Natan and Roman Lanunski travelled to Wroclaw from Berlin (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
Although most at the game had moved away from Ukraine years earlier, there are those who only narrowly avoided life on the front line.
Serhii was a 16-year-old living in a village 5km from Kyiv when a column of Russian tanks started moving towards the capital.
“It was the last town not to be occupied. If that had happened, it would have been a big problem for Kyiv,” he says. “Once the war started, I moved west; then to Germany for seven months before going home.
“Now I have been living in Chelm (just over the border from Ukraine in eastern Poland).”
Fedir (centre) and Serhii (right) in Wroclaw’s market square (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
His friend Fedir is from Vinnytsia, a city south-west of Kyiv.
“The Polish people have been very kind and welcoming to us,” Fedir says. “We appreciate this support from them, but it is lower than it was two years ago. This war is making everyone tired. Ukrainians, Polish. People are starting to forget about it. We are not.”
Vitaliy is part of the select group of fighting age who has permission to cross the border, due to his work in Denmark dating back to 2010.
“I grew up with the stories of my grandparents not being able to read Ukrainian books, so it was not a surprise to me when war came,” he says.
Vitaliy (left) with his family outside the stadium (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
“They try to tell us that western Ukraine is not the same as the east — whether it’s language, culture, history.
“That is why football is so important. Since we got independence, we are more able, as a people, to resist and see things for ourselves. We have our own identity and this summer is our chance to show that to the world.”
(Top photo: Sergei Gapon/AFP)
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Pulisic has been on fire at AC Milan Goal, the story GK Matt Turner has returned in goal for Nottingham Forest and made some mistakes but also some huge saves. Nice to see American forward Josh Sargent back on the field for Norwich as he returns from injury and scores in his 1st game back. For Cincy I am glad to see Miles Robinson was signed but I have to admit its past time for him to go to Europe to see if he has what it takes to play at the next level – at 26 this year was really his chance to give it a go in my mind. Seem’s Jessie Marsch concurs.
Regarding Reffing news – over the holiday break congrats to Rebecca Welsh – the first woman to ever Ref an EPL Game at Craven Cottage of Fulham. Also MLS Refs have not agreed to a new deal with MLS and may be forced to strike – see reffing section below.
The US Men will hold their annual Jan Camp of all MLS players as they prepare to play Slovania on Sat Jan 20th in San Antonio. 17 players are uncapped on this roster, including 15 receiving their first call-up to the USMNT. 13 players are age-eligible for inclusion on the Olympic roster, and Berhalter said it was a great opportunity to get them experience with the senior team ahead of an important summer. “This is an opportunity to identify and work with the next generation of players who have the potential to make an impact on our program,” Berhalter said in a statement. “We appreciate the support from MLS and all their clubs so that we can utilize this platform. Our priority is on getting as many players as possible experience in important competitions, and this camp and the match against Slovenia will be extremely valuable in the evaluation process.” The team will convene in Orlando from January 8-16 to begin the 2 week training camp. They will then travel to San Antonio to finish preparations for the match. The match against Slovenia will take place on January 20th at Toyota Field, the home of San Antonio FC.
USMNT JAN CAMP – DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
January camps traditionally are just a chance for players to get on the national team radar. In past cycles, they’ve played an important role in identifying MLS-based players who are ready to take the next step in their careers. Nine players from the 2022 World Cup squad earned their first or second cap during a January camp match, including Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, Walker Zimmerman, Tim Ream and Matt Turner. But times are changing, and so is the national team picture. With more and more players leaving MLS sooner to play in Europe, the pool is thinning out in the domestic league. While there are some veteran USMNT players who no doubt would be starters in this camp — Paul Arriola, Jordan Morris and Kellyn Acosta, among them — the purpose of this camp is more to identify players for the pool than anything else. That’s especially true this year, with the Olympics set to be played this summer and the U.S. required to bring a mostly under-23 roster for that competition.That being said, there are some names in this camp that are familiar to USMNT fans, including one who played at the 2022 World Cup (Shaq Moore) and through most of qualifying (Miles Robinson), who no doubt are trying to stay in the national team picture for the Copa America and the 2026 World Cup.
Below is the full roster and what you need to know about this year’s January camp squad.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Drake Callender (Inter Miami), Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew)
DEFENDERS (10): Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Ian Murphy (FC Cincinnati), Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), James Sands (New York City FC), Nkosi Tafari (FC Dallas), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Joshua Atencio (Seattle Sounders), Aziel Jackson (St. Louis City), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew), Timmy Tillman (LAFC), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew)
FORWARDS (6): Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England Revolution), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes), Bernard Kamungo (FC Dallas), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN)
Is the January camp as useful as it once was for U.S. Soccer?
The point of this camp is to identify players who are on the fringes of the national team and could develop into useful pieces. For that reason, the practicality of the January camp probably won’t ever go away. That being said, it’s value to the national team is probably at an all-time low — and that’s a good thing!More U.S. men’s national team players are being identified at younger ages and moving abroad to Europe. More players in Europe are moving up to bigger clubs and competing for titles and playing in the Champions League. The relative youth of the national team pool and the increase in players moving to Europe means the U.S. has to rely much less on something like January camp to find players for the senior team. This camp can now function more as a chance to find players for the Olympic squad.Ultimately, U.S. Soccer wants MLS to continue to produce talented young American players who can eventually help the national team. The January camp has always been a way to identify those players and introduce them to the national team infrastructure. The short-term value of those camps will fluctuate, but the long-term value persists.
Who are some players you might not know much about, and why you should know them?
By nature, the USMNT January camp is typically experimental and inexperienced. Even grading on that curve, this squad is particularly experimental and inexperienced.Seventeen of the 25 players called up are yet to debut for the senior national team. Another five have single-digit caps. Even to a devoted MLS fan there’s a lot of mystery here.The call-ups include New England Revolution winger Esmir Bajraktarevic, an 18-year-old with 613 MLS minutes. Another is Columbus Crew midfielder Sean Zawadzki, a 23-year-old with less than 2,000 career MLS minutes. He was a squad player for the Crew this year as they won MLS Cup. Philadelphia Union fullback Nathan Harriel is another name that hasn’t been on the USMNT radar, ditto for Seattle Sounders midfielder Josh Atencio.
Some more well known MLSers like Brian White, Diego Luna, Duncan McGuire, Drake Callender and more will be looking for their senior USMNT debut.
The clear goal for this camp is to evaluate all options for the Olympic squad this summer. Many won’t stick — there aren’t a ton of roster spots realistically available — but every decision is framed through that lens.
Which players have the best chance to crack the Olympic roster?
Though it’s already crowded with Gaga Slonina and Chris Brady as age-eligible options, all three goalkeepers in the January camp could play their way into contention. All three were key to their teams winning trophies — Patrick Schulte won MLS Cup, Drake Callender the Leagues Cup and Roman Celentano the Supporters’ Shield.
It will be fascinating to see which goalkeeper gets the start against Slovenia and, potentially, the inside track at a spot on the Olympic squad. McGuire is very likely to win a spot at the Olympics, if not a starting role. The breakout Orlando City forward had 15 goals in his first professional season. It’s a bit trickier for White, who would have to be one of the USMNT’s three overage exemptions to make that squad.U-20 World Cup standouts Luna, Jack McGlynn and Cade Cowell are all very likely to be part of that squad, as well.
Center back is a weak position in this Olympic pool. Jackson Ragen and Nkosi Tafari, like White, would have to be an overage exemption to be part of the squad, but each were considered among the top center backs in MLS last year.
Center back and forward are two prime opportunities for overage call-ups, with players like Walker Zimmerman and Josh Sargent contenders for an Olympic call.
John Tolkin and Caleb Wiley are virtual locks for the Olympics, unless either gets elevated into the Copa America squad. The same goes for Aidan Morris.
Who are the players who have the most to gain in this January camp?
The core of the senior team is basically set for Berhalter already. We know that, when healthy, the U.S. team is going to include Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Matt Turner, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and most likely will also include Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Joe Scally, Brenden Aaronson and Luca de la Torre. That’s 17 players out of 23 and 16 out of 20 outfield player spots. That doesn’t factor in bubble players based in Europe, including Kevin Paredes, Ethan Horvath, Auston Trusty, Tanner Tessmann, Johnny Cardoso and others.It is getting tougher and tougher for MLS-based players to break into the roster. With the competition at center back, Miles Robinson’s decision to stay in MLS is one to keep an eye on. Robinson has to impress in every national team camp in which he gets a chance to prove himself. Once considered a shoo-in starter, Robinson now has to beat out Ream, Carter-Vickers, Richards, Trusty and other European-based center backs, including Mark McKenzie and Erik Palmer-Brown. That he signed a one-year deal with FC Cincinnati that includes an option is intriguing because it potentially gives him wiggle room to jump to Europe if he has a strong Copa America. But first he needs to fight his way into the U.S. lineup.There are some clear areas of need for the U.S. senior team, including depth at left back, winger and at the No. 6 position. That means this is an important camp for DeJuan Jones, John Tolkin and Caleb Wiley, as well as for Cade Cowell and Aidan Morris — all players who could have a legitimate shot to break into the first-team roster if they can continue to develop and play well. Notably, many of those players have been linked with moves abroad and could be the next Americans we see jump to European sides. (Photo of Cade Cowell: Mike Janosz/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Three talking points from the USMNT’s all-MLS January roster
U.S. men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter has called in 25 MLS-based players for the team’s annual January training camp.The camp, which falls outside a FIFA window, is typically a chance for inexperienced players to catch the coaching staff’s eye and this year will be no different: Of the 25 players called in, 17 are uncapped and 15 are receiving their first call-up.The USMNT will hold camp from January 8-16 in Orlando, and will then head to San Antonio for a friendly against Slovenia on January 20 at Toyota Field.“This is an opportunity to identify and work with the next generation of players who have the potential to make an impact on our program,” Berhalter said.
“We appreciate the support from MLS and all their clubs so that we can utilize this platform. Our priority is on getting as many players as possible experience in important competitions, and this camp and the match against Slovenia will be extremely valuable in the evaluation process.”
Here are three observations from the USMNT’s January roster.
Plenty of new faces
Like any January camp, there will be a host of players involved who have never been with the senior national team.
Most of the 15 new faces are in their early 20s, with FC Dallas defender Nkosi Tafari (26) and Vancouver Whitecaps striker Brian White (27) the two oldest. On the other end of the spectrum, New England Revolution attacker Esmir Bajraktarevic (18) is the youngest player in camp.
Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports
Aside from that trio, the other 12 players receiving their first USMNT calls are: Josh Atencio, Nathan Harriel, Aziel Jackson, Bernard Kamungo, Diego Luna, Jack McGlynn, Duncan McGuire, Ian Murphy, Jackson Ragen, Patrick Schulte, Timmy Tillman, and Sean Zawadzki.
Only three players on the roster have double-digit caps: Miles Robinson, Shaq Moore, and James Sands. Nashville SC right back Moore is the only player in camp who was on the 2022 World Cup roster.
Olympics on USMNT’s mind
Though this is a senior national team camp, it’s probably useful to think of it more as a joint senior team/U-23 camp with the Olympics now on the horizon.
As the USMNT gets ready to compete in the Paris games this summer, 13 players called into camp are age-eligible for the U-23 tournament. Theoretically, any player at this camp could go to the Olympics as well, with head coach Marko Mitrović able to select three overage players for his roster.
Speaking of Mitrović, he will be on the technical staff for this camp as he looks to get an up-close look at several players he’ll likely name to his Olympic squad.
(Photo by John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Reassuring the dual nationals
Berhalter has brought in several players who will eventually have a decision to make over their national team future. The USMNT coach will hope that this month’s call will help sway their decisions toward the country in which they play professionally.
Bajraktarevic is very much on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s radar, while Luna said in November that he was still open to representing Mexico. Like the Real Salt Lake star, Atencio is also eligible for El Tri.
Kamungo, meanwhile, was handed his first senior Tanzania call-up last summer, though he’s yet to be capped. McGlynn is also still eligible for Ireland.
(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) ORG XMIT: XNP110
We should also mention two dual nationals who somewhat surprisingly weren’t called in: Chicago Fire midfielder Brian Gutiérrez (Mexico) and Inter Miami midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi (Argentina).
Wrexham’s Hollywood owners revel in latest FA Cup win
ByESPN Updated: Jan 7, 2024, 01:19 pm
Wrexham defeated local rivals Shrewsbury at New Meadow to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the second season in a row, much to the delight of their Hollywood owners and famous friends.Ryan Reynold’s and Rob McElhenney’s side defeated Shrewsbury, who play in the division above Wrexham, in a tense affair via a 72nd-minute goal from Thomas O’Connor. The game marked the first time the teams — barely separated by the England-Wales border — have met in almost 16 years.The buzz around Wrexham and its celebrity owners reached new levels during a run un the FA Cup last year when the team beat one Championship side Coventry and then took another, Premier League-bound Sheffield United, to a replay.On Sunday, responding to a video of the goal shared by the FA Cup’s official account on X, McElhenney posted: “You should’ve seen my living room.”Co-owner Reynolds, who watched the game alongside Hugh Jackman, was pictured by the X-Men star celebrating the goal with the caption: “HUGE! ROUND 4.”
Wrexham succumbed to Sheffield United over two games in last year’s invigorating FA Cup run to the fourth round.
Shrewsbury enjoyed the better of the play in the games early stages on Sunday, with Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson noting after the game the difference in physicality between the teams “caught out” his side in the opening exchanges.Tunmise Sobowale missed the most gilt-edged chance for the home team, meeting Jordan Shipley’s cross unmarked at the back post only to blaze his close-range effort way over the bar.Wrexham grew into the game as it went on — though Shrewsbury continued to enjoy the better of the chances — and the Welsh side punished their opponent’s wastefulness as O’Connor’s deflected strike bounced past Marko Marosi in goal to spark wild scenes in the away end.Stout rearguard action from Wrexham saw out the match and the League 2 team now await Monday’s draw to see who they will play in the fourth round.”The FA Cup is a bonus for us, we know that, but we’re representing the club which has great tradition in this competition and every time we go into a game I always remind the lads of that,” Parkinson added after the game.
Ranking the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League favorites
Ryan O’Hanlon, ESPN.com writerDec 19, 2023, 11:34 AM ET
81That was … underwhelming, huh? With the potential for a bunch of blockbuster matchups ahead of the Champions League draw, we got almost nothing of note. According to ESPN BET’s odds, Monday’s draw didn’t shift any team’s championship probability by even a full percentage point in either direction.
However, the path toward the final has at least started to take shape — across all levels of European competition. Is Manchester City a bigger favorite to win the Champions League than Liverpool is to win the Europa League than Aston Villa is to win the Conference League? Is Bayern Munich or Bayer Leverkusen more likely to lift a continental prize? Does David Moyes have a better chance of making the Champions League next year than Xavi does of winning it this year?
Based on the odds from ESPN BET, we’ve ranked the 20 most likely Lifters of European Hardware (LoEH): eight Champions League teams, and six apiece from the Leagues Europa and Conference. All ties have been broken by yours truly, and all stats come from Stats Perform, unless otherwise noted.
1. Manchester City: Champions League, +200
Consider this a big ol’ bucket of cold water for all the “City are as vulnerable as ever” takes out there. Despite playing against (theoretically) all of the best clubs in the world, Pep Guardiola’s team are bigger favorites to win their competition than Liverpool or Aston Villa, both four points ahead of City in the Premier League table, are to win theirs.
In fact, according to data from the site Sports Odds History, City have only had better odds to win the Champions League ahead of the Round of 16 once in the Guardiola era: last season, when they took down the treble. While all of the dropped points make City much less likely to win the Premier League all of a sudden, these odds show that the market isn’t too concerned with City’s quality of play from here on out.
2. Liverpool: Europa League, +225
Here is the expected-goal map of Liverpool’s 7-0 win against Manchester United at Anfield last season:
And here is the expected-goal map of Liverpool’s 0-0 draw against Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday:
That scoreless draw was sort of a microcosm of where Liverpool currently are: disjointed, unbalanced but frequently still dominant.
3. Aston Villa: Europa League, +275
On the one hand, two of England‘s four Champions League teams finished last in their groups and were dumped out of Europe. Best league in the world, huh?On the other hand, English teams are significant favorites to win all three European tournaments. That’s why, despite the Newcastle and Manchester United exits, the Premier League is still very likely to earn one of the extra Champions League places next season:
The battle for the *bonus* UCL ticket!
🏴 England fumbles and loses 2 teams (ManU, Newcastle) ➡️ a FULL point drop in the expected end-of-season coefficient points!
This is a tricky one. Despite easily winning the group, Bayern weren’t particularly impressive in the Champions League. They produced the 10th-best non-penalty xG differential in the group stages — even in what ultimately amounted to one of the weakest groups in the competition. Plus, they’re not even first in the Bundesliga table.
And yet, they’re currently sporting a truly absurd plus-2.13 non-penalty xG differential (per game). That’s more than twice as good as any other team in Germany, and it’s a better mark than anything produced by any team in any Big Five League in any season since 2011.
5. Bayer Leverkusen: Europa League, +500
This is one of the best teams in Europe. Like Liverpool, they should be in the Champions League right now — not the Europa League. Like Liverpool, they’re also probably not quite as good as the defending domestic champ that they’re currently ahead of in the league table.
Leverkusen’s non-penalty xG differential is fantastic, but it’s way below Bayern and even slightly below Stuttgart’s. Among all teams in the Bundesliga, Xabi Alonso’s side have overperformed their nonpenalty goal differential (when compared to their xG differential) by the biggest margin: about 14 goals. Expect some regression in the second half of the season.
6. Fiorentina: Europa Conference League, +525
What happens when you drop a league-average team from one of Europe’s biggest leagues into the third-tier continental competition? The answer is that the market will give them about a 16% chance of winning the thing.
Domestically, Fiorentina have a negative nonpenalty xG differential so far this season — and so, too, do fellow “Big Fivers” in the Europa Conference League, Real Betis and Eintracht Frankfurt. The big difference: Fiorentina have a ticket straight to the Round of 16, while the other two still have to win their qualifying-round matchups to even get there.
7. Arsenal: Champions League, +575
Don’t look now, but Arsenal have the best nonpenalty xG differential in the Premier League through 17 games:
When you’re that good more than halfway through December? You can absolutely win the Champions League.
8. Real Madrid: Champions League, +600
Real Madrid‘s defense was already suspect before this weekend. Although they’ve conceded the fewest non-penalty goals in LaLiga (11), they’re only fourth in xG conceded (17.49). Both Kepa and Andriy Lunin — neither of whom would be confused with the injured Thibaut Courtois when it comes to being a world-class shot-stopper — have saved 2.5 goals more than expected, per Stats Perform’s model.
That seems unlikely to continue, and it might be paired with an even higher quality and quantity of opposition shots allowed. On Sunday, Madrid lost center-back David Alaba to a torn ACL, and they’ve already lost Courtois and center-back Éder Militão to torn ACLs, too. As of now, the center-back options are: Antonio Rüdiger and then either Aurélien Tchouaméni, who is a midfielder, or Nacho, who will be 34 come the first leg against RB Leipzig and who has only played about 500 minutes so far this season.
If Madrid somehow pull this one off, it might be their most impressive Champions League run yet.
9. AC Milan: Europa League, +900
Christian Pulisic is in the form of his life with AC Milan
Herculez Gomez believes you’re seeing the best version of Christian Pulisic, after the American helped AC Milan to the Europa League knockout stages.
The American has converted 2.4 xG into five goals, and his teammates have converted 1.8 xG from his passes into four goals. Among all players to feature in at least half of the available minutes in Serie A this season, Pulisic ranks sixth in nonpenalty goals+assists per 90 minutes (0.84). Flip that to expected goals and assists? He’s sitting in 31st, a 0.39. [stops whispering]
10. Eintracht Frankfurt: Europa Conference League, +900
They did beat Bayern Munich, 5-1, just a week ago They’ve since followed that up with a pair of losses by a 5-0 combined scoreline to Aberdeen and Bayer Leverkusen. They lost three games in the Europa Conference League group stages and they have a negative nonpenalty xG differential in the Bundesliga. Even with a not-so-easy qualifying round tie against Belgium‘s Union Saint Gilloise, they’re still third-favorites to win the Europa Conference League.
11. Lille: Europa Conference League, +1200
And so we enter the Glut of Twelve Hundred; there are eight teams stuck at +1200 odds across the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.
This is not betting advice, but I’m a little confused as to why Lille don’t have better odds — especially when compared to Frankfurt, who have to play an extra round of games. They’ve hung on to Jonathan David, they won their Europa Conference League group, and they’re a top four or five team in France. We also have close to a half-decade of this team being good enough to challenge for Champions League places.
Why can’t they win it all?
12. Brighton: Europa League, +1200
It’s been something of a down year for the Seagulls; it turns out not even the savviest recruitment in the world can overcome the departure of nearly $200 million of midfield transfers and injuries to a number of key young players. They’re ninth in the Premier League, and they have the ninth-best nonpenalty xG differential in the league.
That said, they’re better than West Ham, while all of the other not-yet-mentioned-non-Champions League teams at +1200 are stuck in the qualifying rounds right now. PSG and Barcelona could both win the Champions League, but they’ll be underdogs against all of the teams listed ahead of them here. Outside of Liverpool and Leverkusen, I’m not sure I’d favor anyone else in the Europa League over Brighton at this point.
13. Paris Saint-Germain: Champions League, +1200
Laurens not confident PSG will take down Real Sociedad
Julien Laurens says he doesn’t like PSG’s chances of progressing past Real Sociedad in the Champions League.
Despite finishing second in their group, Paris Saint-Germain drew the easiest first-place team in Real Sociedad for the Round of 16. That’s after playing Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, at the same stage, in the past two seasons. And despite playing in the toughest group, they had a better nonpenalty xG differential than every team other than Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester City through the group stages.
At the same time, the issue with PSG is typically that they look — easily — like the most statistically dominant team in Europe. We just don’t really know how to weigh that dominance compared to the other top teams because their wage bill is four times the size of any other team in France. Except, this season they’re just barely the best team in France, by the underlying numbers, with a plus-0.8 nonpenalty xG differential slightly edging out Marseille‘s second-best mark of plus-0.76.
Maybe they’ve built a team that’s not as able to dominate Ligue 1 but that’s better equipped to manage matches against the best team in the world. Or maybe, without Lionel Messi, Neymar and Marco Verratti, they’re just not as good as they used to be.
14. Barcelona: Champions League, +1200
Laurens picks Barcelona vs. Napoli as the best of the UCL draw
Gab & Juls react to the Champions League round of 16 draw, as Barcelona are handed a tough tie with Napoli.After Saturday’s draw with Valencia, Xavi said, “We have to be one of the least-effective teams in Europe, even though we’re one of the teams that create the most chances.” In other words, we stink at turning shots into goals.Is he right? Here’s a chart:
The farther above the line, the more goals you’re scoring relative to your xG — and vice versa. As you’ll see, Barca are well below the line. Only Manchester United and Koln are underperforming their nonpenalty xG by a bigger degree than Xavi’s team: 29 goals on 36.27 xG. That’s unlikely to continue, but that also doesn’t make their Round of 16 matchup with Napoli any easier.
15. West Ham: Europa League, +1200
This isn’t a particularly good West Ham side. They’ve scored one more nonpenalty goal than they’ve conceded this season, and they’re sporting a slightly negative xG differential through 17 games. They’re basically the definition of an average Premier League team.And well, here’s something of a level-setter for you: An average Premier League team is one of the five favorites to win the Europa League.
16. Real Betis: Europa Conference League, +1200
I’m really interested in Betis’ qualifying-round tie against Dinamo Zagreb … for science. Betis, like many of the other teams mentioned, are an average LaLiga team: slightly positive goal differential, slightly negative xG differential. Although they’re currently in third, Dinamo Zagreb are the dominant team in Croatia, winning 15 of the past 16 league titles. How does Croatia’s super-club compare to a mid-tier team in Spain?
17. Ajax: Europa Conference League, +1200
Through 16 matches, PSV Eindhoven have a plus-50 goal differential in the Eredivisie. Ajax, meanwhile, are at plus-5 — and with a plus-6.8 xG differential, it’s not backed up by much better underlying numbers. This is the worst Ajax team we’ve seen in a while.
18. Roma: Europa League, +1500
There are 14 Jose Mourinho-managed domestic seasons in the Stats Perform database. Overall, his teams have outperformed their non-penalty xG differential by 102 goals — and they’ve done it in 11 of the individual seasons.
The three years they haven’t? The disaster campaign with Chelsea in 2015-16 when he was let go midyear, just a season after winning the league, and then the past two seasons with AS Roma, where his teams have produced a plus-20 nonpenalty goal differential from a plus-41.8 xG differential.
Yes, you have permission to find this to be very funny.
19. Inter Milan: Champions League, +1800
All things considered, Inter’s draw turned out pretty well. Last season’s Champions League runners-up are clearly the best team in Italy this season, and they’re probably one of the best teams in Europe, too.
The main reason they didn’t win their group is that they only turned 10.19 nonpenalty xG into five nonpenalty goals from their six matches. Bad in the short term, yes, but also unlikely to continue in the long term.
Since they finished second to the weakest first-place team, Real Sociedad, they weren’t able to draw Sociedad in the knockouts. Coming into the draw, they had about a 70% chance of drawing one of Manchester City, Bayern, Arsenal, Real Madrid or Barcelona. Dortmund would’ve been the cushiest draw, but Atletico Madrid is the second-best outcome. Simone Inzaghi’s team is flying right now, and they’ll be favored to advance to the quarters, thanks to Monday’s draw.
20. Atletico Madrid: Champions League, +1900
As much as you can, Atleti lost the draw. They’ve been quite good this season — this is Diego Simeone’s best team since the one that won La Liga in 2021 — and they dominated (a relatively easy) Champions League group. Antoine Griezmann and Álvaro Morata are the latest dynamic duo that turns all that defensive solidity into just-enough goal scoring. For all their good work, they earned a pair of dates with a team that’s lost just one of the 23 matches they’ve played so far this season.
MLS referees work stoppage ‘imminent’ amid ongoing CBA negotiations: Sources
Negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement between the Professional Referees Organization (PRO) and the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) have not resulted in a new deal and, barring changes over the next 10 days, a work stoppage feels “imminent,” said once source briefed on the negotiations. Another source characterizes the negotiations between the two sides as being “a very discouraging process so far.”If it drags on, a work stoppage could leave MLS needing to find replacement officials at the start of its season and preseason. The current CBA between the PSRA and PRO, which has been in place since early 2019, expires on Jan. 15. The MLS season begins on Feb. 21 when Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami hosts Real Salt Lake.
The PSRA is the union that represents professional referees across Major League Soccer, the second and third-tier United Soccer Leagues and the National Women’s Soccer League. PRO, founded in 2012 by MLS and the U.S. Soccer Federation, oversees the professional officiating landscape in the United States, including assigning games, assessing and educating officials, and identifying new talent. An associated organization, PRO2, oversees officiating in the NWSL, USL, and MLS Next Pro. The PSRA and PRO2 ratified a CBA of their own last year.
“We are bargaining for a contract with the same intensity, focus and dedication we bring to every game as highly trained officials who live for this sport,” PSRA president Peter Manikowski said in a statement to The Athletic. “Right now the parties remain far apart on matters of great importance to our members’ lives and livelihoods. We are frustrated, but remain committed.”
PRO will soon face an additional challenge, as the U.S. Soccer Federation will withdraw its financial support for the organization in the near future, multiple sources briefed on that decision said on Friday. The federation provided nearly $2 million in funding for PRO in 2022, according to its most recent publicly available financial statements.A PRO spokesperson declined to comment to The Athletic except to confirm that CBA conversations are ongoing. MLS and the USSF declined to comment.Multiple sources said this week that the PSRA has a work stoppage fund, with one source characterizing it as “sizable enough for an extended stoppage.” That source described PSRA’s membership as being largely aligned in their unhappiness with PRO’s current offer in CBA negotiations.“Together with others in this league, we have a large role in the gaining popularity and success of this sport,” read PSRA’s statement. “Now, it is time for the Professional Referee Organization and Major League Soccer and to show officials that they, too, value the contributions our members bring to the game.”Multiple sources familiar with the still-ongoing talks described the back-and-forth between PRO and the PSRA over the last month. In December, those sources said, PRO offered an overall 3% pay increase to its referees, while the PSRA had demanded an increase of up to 90%, said once source, with the largest of the increases reserved for its lowest-paid officials, like assistant referees and fourth officials. Earlier this week, PRO increased its offer “marginally,” said one source, offering an overall raise of 4-5%, according to another source briefed on the talks.
If the referees voted to strike, or if PRO locked them out, MLS would be forced to use replacement referees in preseason and potentially when its regular season kicks off on February 21. The crisis would be averted, obviously, if the two sides reached a permanent agreement or even arrived at a temporary extension of the current CBA, something similar to what MLS and the MLS Players Association did during negotiations for the league’s most recent labor agreement with its players.
Though PRO and PSRA deal with professional referees in multiple leagues across U.S. soccer, the pay range in MLS can be instructive on how the scale can vary widely based on experience and position. According to the previous CBA, a copy of which was obtained by The Athletic, so-called “probationary” center referees — refs with less than two years of service — make a base salary of $50,647.90 for their work in MLS, which is supplemented by a match fee of $1,350.61 per regular season match they call. More experienced referees make anywhere from $95,000-$108,000 per year based on the number of matches they’ve called in addition to that same per-match fee. Assistant referees also receive that same $1350.61 per match but their base pay is far less, falling between $16,038-$21,384 depending on experience. A sticking point in the way assistant referees are currently paid under the current CBA, though, is that they do not receive a match fee until the 10th regular season match they’ve called in a season. The per-game rates for all officials slide upwards during the playoffs and for the All-Star game. For his work in this year’s MLS Cup, for example, center referee Armando Villarreal made $6,916.57, around five times higher than the amount he’d get during a regular season match. Video Assistant Referees and Assistant VARs have their own pay range, which is even smaller than the rest of the crew.?
The previous CBA also outlines a handful of other benefits for MLS officials — standard offerings like retirement and health insurance, along with reimbursements for travel, cell phone use, a gym membership and other perks.
This is not the first time PRO and the PSRA have entered a labor dispute. In 2014, after negotiations between PRO and the PSRA soured — with both sides filing complaints against each other with the National Labor Relations Board — PRO locked the referees out, instead choosing to start the season with a collection of former MLS refs and a handful of other FIFA-certified refs. That lockout lasted three weeks, at which point the two sides agreed on a new, five-year-long CBA, the first-ever between PRO and its referees. Things also turned sour in 2019, when the two sides met to hash out the current CBA, with the PSRA again filing an unfair practices complaint with the NLRB and accusing PRO of delaying negotiations for months as the CBA deadline approached. The PSRA eventually voted to authorize a strike, though it never came to that, with the two sides eventually reaching an agreement in February of that year.(Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
‘I have to set the tone’: Behind the scenes with the MLS Cup officiating crew
“Two minutes!” The call comes from a matchday assistant, letting everyone in the locker room know when they’re expected on the field. Deep inside the bowels of Lower.com field, the home of Columbus Crew, you can feel the dull thud of the public address system and hear the muffled chants and stomps from supporters above. We’re moments away from MLS Cup 2023, and the locker room denizens are pacing around, performing gameday rituals while a boombox in the corner blares. At the moment, it’s “Lose Yourself,” by Eminem.The captain offers final instructions to his teammates.“If we don’t work as a team,” he belts out, “we won’t succeed. So this is it, boys, there’s no tomorrow.”The group huddles together, arms slung over each other’s shoulders in a circle. You can almost smell the nervous energy. Or maybe it’s just the Bengay, or the Tiger Balm.You see, this isn’t the Crew’s locker room, nor does it belong to LAFC, their opponents in this edition of MLS Cup, the final match of the league’s longest-ever season. To arrive at this place, you’ll walk much further down the hall, past the kitchen, the utility room and the small changing area for Crew Cat, Columbus’ feline mascot. Swing the door open, walk past the pile of match balls, the table full of commemorative coins, and the stack of yellow and red cards and you’ll arrive at the changing area for the game’s officials.The league’s championship match is a pivotal moment for every person here. For some, it may be the apex of an often thankless career. The game’s players earned their spot in the championship match via their performances on the field and so has this crew, hand-selected to represent the best American officiating has to offer.Among them is 37-year-old Armando Villarreal, a first-generation Mexican-American who started refereeing four- and five-year-old kids in his father’s rec league in Brownsville, Texas, in the early 2000s. Two decades years later, Villarreal is among the American game’s most distinguished officials, one of the few to earn the right to call FIFA international matches and one of the tiny group to have officiated at a men’s World Cup. Villarreal refereed the very first game of the 2023 MLS season on Feb. 25. Now, nine months and 521 matches later, he will be the center referee for its last.
“Today,” Villarreal says to his crew just before they take the field, “we will have the best game of our lives.”
(Pablo Maurer)
About 24 hours before the opening kickoff, Alan Kelly walks the pitch at Lower.com Field in a peacoat and slacks. A three-time MLS referee of the year, Kelly has taken part in multiple MLS Cups and a laundry list of other important matches. In other years, he would probably be out here in athletic gear, but he retired two years ago.It’s not the easiest exercise for him. Kelly is a third-generation referee and he confesses that he’ll still call the occasional college match just to get his fix. The Irish-born 48-year-old now serves as the director of senior referees for the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) and he was largely responsible for selecting the crew who will call tomorrow’s title match.“Every single referee starts the season looking to get that phone call,” says Kelly. “The call where someone tells them they’ve been assigned to MLS Cup.”
This will be Villarreal’s second MLS Cup. He will be joined by a distinguished crew: assistant referees Cameron Blanchard and Ian McKay, fourth official Jon Freemon, video assistant referee (VAR) Kevin Stott and assistant VAR TJ Zablocki. Kelly and others at PRO used a fairly straightforward set of principles to select the crew, with a special focus on playoff form.“If you don’t have a good game in the playoffs, you will not advance to the next round,” Villarreal says. “A player misses a penalty, now they’re out. Same for referees. We have to make good decisions to keep on going, and I think I’ve gotten the big decisions right.”This year’s edition of the MLS postseason has not been without its share of referee-related controversy. There have been on-field incidents — razor-thin offside calls, debatable yellow and red cards and a missed handball that may have fundamentally changed the outcome of a conference semifinal — but also plenty of chatter about what’s transpired off the pitch.
n the playoffs’ opening round, Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini was ejected in the dying moments of his team’s matchup against LAFC for arguing with center referee Tim Ford. In his postgame remarks, Sartini said jokingly that if Ford were to be found dead in a local creek, Sartini would be the prime suspect. The coach later apologized and was eventually issued a five-match ban.Perhaps the most impactful playoff officiating moment concerned FC Cincinnati defender Matt Miazga, who entered the referee’s locker room after his side’s opening-round match against the New York Red Bulls. Accounts vary of what transpired after Miazga entered the changing area, with the Professional Soccer Referees Association suggesting that the player was “forcibly removed” and others suggesting that Miazga’s behavior was more tempered. All sides, though, seem to agree that he had no real business being there, and Miazga was issued a three-match suspension.
Earlier on MLS Cup day, MLS commissioner Don Garber offered his thoughts at his annual state of the league address, suggesting referee safety was a “massive priority” for the league. Kelly, for his part, seems exhausted by the still-ongoing discourse surrounding Miazga’s behavior.
“In-stadium security is something that we shouldn’t be overly concerned about,” Kelly says. “But we are.”
There are other concerns, as well. Like MLS players, PRO referees operate under a collective bargaining agreement. The current version of that agreement is set to expire this coming January and negotiations for a new one are ongoing. The terms of the current edition, a copy of which was obtained by The Athletic, lay bare some of the challenges faced by professional referees in addition to abuse from fans, players and coaches. Center referees in MLS make a base pay of anywhere from about $50,000 to a little over $100,000, depending on the number of matches they’ve called. Assistants and VARs have their own pay scale. This is supplemented by pay for individual matches, which varies. A fourth official can make as little as $600 for a regular-season match, whereas the center ref can make $1350. That pay scale slides upwards as the postseason progresses. The crew at MLS Cup, for example, will make nearly five times that amount.
Higher-end officials in PROs pool of about 120 referees make a comfortable enough living, but things are particularly meager for referees during their “probationary” period, in their first two-years of full-time service. They can face many of the same challenges senior referees do — the constant travel and criticism — for comparative peanuts. The advent of video review, where plays are picked apart in granular detail, has only added to the pressure.You truly have to wonder — what sort of person even wants to start doing this job?
Villarreal says that after he started calling youth matches, his sporting heroes changed from superstar players to the region’s more notable referees: Baldomero Toledo, Ricardo Salazar and Jair Marrufo among them. Meeting Toledo, Villarreal says, “was like meeting a rockstar, for me.”“Growing up, everyone wants to play,” Villarreal continues. “Everyone wants to be a professional player. But as soon as you start refereeing, you get into this passion. It is a challenge at every level, from little kids all the way up to the professionals. But I do think we are programmed differently. As referees we need a strong personality, sometimes we have to change our personality. Sometimes we have to be the good cop, other times we have to be the bad cop. We do have to have very thick skin, especially at the professional level. Because the hatred is out there.”
(Pablo Maurer)
It’s Saturday, about two hours before the opening kick of MLS Cup, Villarreal and the rest of his crew load onto a bus headed for the stadium.
Stott, tonight’s VAR, sits at the back. He’s spent the morning mentally preparing by going on a long run with his two young sons. At 56, Stott is the eldest of the group by far, and his teammates hold him in a sort of reverence. A California native, this trip out to Columbus has given Stott a bit of a break from his day job as a middle-school math teacher, something he’s done for nearly three decades. He’s also easily the longest-tenured continuously-serving pro referee in U.S. Soccer history.Stott retired from center refereeing duties last year after calling 382 MLS matches during his career. That number grows to nearly 600 games when you add in his assignments as a fourth official, VAR and AVAR, and his statistics become even more impressive when you factor in the fact that he spent much of his career calling matches during a time when assignment opportunities were limited by the tiny number of teams in MLS, sometimes as few as 10.His presence here keeps another streak alive: Stott has taken part in a playoff match in every year of the league’s existence. This is his seventh MLS Cup.“I still have the same excitement as back in my first one,” Stott says. “The excitement is still there, the nerves in the stomach are still there. I’m just looking forward to the experience. The feelings haven’t changed much over the 28 years.”
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Earlier in the day, Stott and others convened in a small meeting room at their hotel and received their match shirts and shorts, all emblazoned with commemorative lettering celebrating the occasion.Quickly, that get-together turned into a roast of Villarreal, the shortest member of the crew. “We got you some youth shorts,” said Kelly, “and your shirts are tailored just the way you like them.” Just like players, many referees have special requests when it comes to equipment. Villarreal likes his sleeves a little tighter than most, in case you’re wondering, and he seems to take special interest in his on-field appearance: hair perfectly coiffed, uniform neatly-pressed.Their bus to the match hurtles through downtown Columbus accompanied by a police escort. The sidewalks are lined with Crew fans, all decked out in the team’s iconic black-and-gold colors, and a few of them seem to have spotted the placard on the windshield of the vehicle that reads “MLS OFFICIALS.” Those fans raise their voices, and their middle fingers as well. There’s very little conversation on the ride over, and for the first time all weekend, you feel the big-game nerves creeping in.
“I’m still going to approach this game like any other game,” says Villarreal. “It’s 90 minutes, overtime if needed. But you can’t deny that it’s the championship. The focus, the concentration is maybe even a little bit higher than normal because one decision can determine the champion of the entire league.
“I know all of these players. I’ve already reffed them throughout the season, and last year and the year before, you name it. We have a reputation with them. The most important thing, for me, is that I want to let them know what they are going to get today. When they see me warming up, I want them to say ‘ok, it’s Armando, I know he’s going to call the game this particular way’ or ‘we cannot speak to him in a certain way.’ I have to set the tone.”It’s clear that the officials have done their research on both teams. Villarreal knows that Columbus midfielder Darlington Nagbe, for example, was fouled a game-high seven times during the Crew’s conference final against Cincinnati. He isn’t seeking to protect that player in particular, but knows to look for persistent infringement and to keep the game moving.“Be ready for the fans, be ready for everything,” Villarreal says to his crew as the match approaches. “If we don’t talk to each other (over our earpieces) for 10 minutes, and nothing is happening? No worries. That’s fine. But if something happens, then we communicate. We have to communicate.”Villarreal turns to Freemon, his fourth official.“Your number one priority is not the benches. It’s the field. Always have your eyes on the field, as much as you f—ing can. It could be you making that big decision tonight. One team gets a quick counterattack? Then boom, I’m out. Maybe I won’t have the best angle. So be read. You’ll talk to the benches but the priority tonight is on the field.”The crew walks down the hall and joins the players for the pregame walkout. Nagbe is at the head of Columbus’ line and he greets Villarreal warmly. LAFC captain Carlos Vela offers his own embrace. The group walks through the stadium’s field-level fan lounge, through the tunnel and out onto the field. After pre-match fireworks and a screeching flyover by a pair of fighter jets, Villarreal raises his whistle to his lips and gets things underway.
(Pablo Maurer)
The opening moments of the match feel like they almost always do when a championship is on the line: nervy and a little disjointed.
Villarreal involves himself almost immediately in the fourth minute when LAFC defender Diego Palacios commits a tactical foul against Columbus attacker Diego Rossi near the center stripe. It’s a possible yellow card, but Palacios escapes with a stern warning. The home crowd explodes six minutes later, when Crew midfielder Aiden Morris goes down at the edge of the penalty area, his teammates raising their arms and pleading for a penalty. Without hesitation, Villarreal tells Morris to get off the ground and continue playing. No call.
As he said he’d do a day earlier, Villarreal is setting the tone early on and things are moving smoothly. Half an hour into the match, though, he faces his first massive decision of the evening.
Columbus winger Yaw Yeboah swings a dangerous cross into the area, which Rossi gets his boot on. The ball deflects up and towards Palacios and seemingly hits his chest, and then his arm. Villarreal, who has himself positioned about 10 yards away, has a perfect angle on the play and immdiately calls for a penalty. Several LAFC players attempt to dissuade him but Villarreal holds firm, motioning to his arm and going to his earpiece to communicate with Stott and others in the VAR booth.Villarreal’s attention to detail in terms of his appearance comes to the forefront here. Much of his job is about projecting an image of confidence and authority and his body language and demeanor goes a long way towards doing that here. In the end, replays show that he undoubtedly made the right call, as Palacios’ arm was extended far from his body and changed the trajectory of a dangerous ball. LAFC’s protests don’t last long.
Villarreal saw a clear penalty for handball (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Columbus nets that PK and adds another goal by the halftime whistle. As they re-enter the locker room for halftime, Villarreal and his crew debrief and prepare for the second half.“Great work, boys,” says Villarreal, seated at his locker in the corner. “Things have been fast paced, let’s keep it up. I think the first couple of fouls were key, we set the tone.” Nagbe does not seem to be a target, Villarreal says, as he’s only been fouled twice in the opening 45.Quickly, the conversation turns to the pivotal moment of the half: the penalty call.“His arm was clearly extended,” Villarreal says. “It was in an unnatural position. Had I been positioned a little more to the right, it would’ve been a tougher call but I had a great view. There was just no doubt about it, it was clear.”
In most ways, the first half could not have gone better for this crew. They’re potentially 45 minutes away from success, but Villarreal knows that every second of the match that presents itself is another chance for error, another chance to be written into the history books for the wrong reasons.
“Whatever happened in the first half is in the past,” he says to his crew as they re-enter the tunnel and walk towards the field. “The second half is an entirely different game.”It does not take long for LAFC to present Villarreal with another key decision. Crew attacker Cucho Hernandez receives a pass on the far sideline and starts a counterattack. As he crosses midfield, LAFC forward Carlos Vela — likely playing in his final match ever for the club — lunges out at him desperately, his studs up on one foot. There’s contact, and Hernandez goes to ground, rolling around in an attempt to sell a red card.On the surface, it does seem like a clear red. But Villarreal, again, is well-positioned. McKay is on the same side as the action and has his own angle as he runs upfield with Columbus’ backline. Villarreal goes to his earpiece to see if the play will be recommended for review, but it isn’t.
“We did talk about it,” Villarreal will say later about the challenge. “But it was a fairly clear yellow card.”
On replay, it becomes apparent why: Vela did not make contact with his studs, instead fouling Hernandez with the laces of his other boot, which trailed behind. Villarreal’s call feels correct, if only by inches, and the match proceeds.LAFC pulls within one about 10 minutes from the final whistle and the flow of the match changes entirely. Things get frantic as full-time approaches and Villarreal is again called into action when Italian legend Giorgio Chiellini, playing in the final game of his career, clatters awkwardly into Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte. There’s not much in the challenge at all, and Schulte makes a meal of it.
Chiellini, who is no stranger to simulation, taunts his opponent and motions for him to get up and get things moving again. Villarreal, a full five years younger than Chiellini and about six inches shorter, positions himself between the two players and sternly tells the Italian to walk away, pointing upfield. “When I have players like that and situations like that, I have to be smart, because of my height” Villarreal later says, laughing. “If I have two big players, and I put myself between them, I might be on the floor a few seconds later. If it’s one, two, three players, I try to manage. If it’s four, five, six seven players, I’m out of there.”
(Pablo Maurer)
Villarreal blows the final whistle and his crew assembles near midfield, forming a bit of a welcoming line. It feels obvious enough that they’ve called a fair match, one without incident, as only a smattering of LAFC players show up to complain, and they do so half-heartedly. LA manager Steve Cherundolo asks about an offside call but mostly shows up as a display of sportsmanship, greeting each official. Italian legend Chiellini, just moments after drawing Villarreal’s ire, finds him and offers him a warm embrace and a few kind words.
In the days leading up to the match, every member of the staff has been open and welcoming but also maybe a bit reserved. Now, their guard falls a bit. McKay, the AR who was participating in his first MLS Cup, grows emotional.
“This is not one game of release, now that it’s over,” he says. “For me this is 21 years of release. This is a whole career of release. All I can do is think of the 21 years of grinding that led up to this.”
McKay is holding his tears back, but as the rest of the crew stand in line to receive their post-match medals, Villarreal breaks down entirely. Tears roll down his face as he’s comforted by his teammates and by ex-referee Mark Geiger, PRO’s general manager.“I’m thinking about my family,” says Villarreal. “About everything we went through. All the ups and downs, you know? Especially my wife, you know? She has been there since day one. We had a lot of downs.”Villarreal cuts himself off, unable to complete his thought. He winds his way back through the tunnels under the stadium and arrives back at the locker room with the rest of his staff. He finds Stott, and wraps his arms around him. “You are the GOAT,” Villarreal says. Stott, who seems like a generally reserved guy, tries his hand at comforting Villarreal, who is still overcome by the gravity of the moment.The crew gets changed and unpacks the game, from the handball to Vela’s yellow. You get the feeling that the tone would’ve been very different had there been more controversy. Tonight, there is a sense of satisfaction, of a job well done.
Things are a little wilder in Columbus’ locker room, where the champagne has already been uncorked and the music is blasting. In their own way, though, the officials down the hall have also contributed to the grand nature of this match, mostly by staying out of the way.And you can very much feel that in this moment. Even at the apex of their careers, the most a referee can really hope for is to not be perceived as part of a match. When they do their job correctly, they are largely invisible. By definition, it is very much a thankless job.It does not seem to matter to Villarreal. The tears are gone now. He laughs when he thinks back to his humble origins. When he first started, he recalls, they made him wear a massive, neon-green shirt. On the back, it read “REFEREE IN TRAINING,” a student driver bumper sticker come to life. Things are a little different now.“I have a wife and two kids, a six-year-old daughter and a three-year-old boy,” says Villarreal. “We miss birthdays, anniversaries, you name it. But this job comes with perks as well, I have gotten to see all kinds of places. From where I was born at, in Brownsville? I never thought I was going to leave Brownsville. And now I’m here, and working all over the world. It’s amazing.”(Top photo: Pablo Maurer)
Pablo Maurer is a staff writer for The Athletic who covers soccer, with a particular focus on the history and culture of the game. His writing and photography have been featured in National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Gothamist and a variety of other outlets. Follow Pablo on Twitter @MLSist
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Dinamo Zagreb
Celtic
Girona
Liverpool
Bayer Leverkusen
Inter
Atalanta
Real Madrid
Club Brugge
Sporting CP
RB Salzburg
PSG
Brest
PSV
Shakhtar Donetsk
Bayern Munich
RB Leipzig
Aston Villa
Atletico Madrid
Slovan Bratislava
Lille
SK Sturm Graz
Borussia Dortmund
Barcelona
Stuttgart
Young Boys
Juventus
Manchester City
AC Milan
Red Star Belgrade
Feyenoord
Sparta Praha
Arsenal
Monaco
Benfica
Bologna
Madrid struggled last time out against Liverpool (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)
Barcelona thrashed Bayern on Matchday three (David Ramos/Getty Images)
(Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Netherlands celebrates scoring the opening goal against the U.S. (Maurice Van Steen / Getty Images)
The U.S. celebrates Williams’ go-ahead goal. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
Alyssa Naeher clears the ball during the international friendly match against the Netherlands (Pau Barrena / Getty Images)
Alyssa Naeher leads the huddle during USWNT training at ADO Den Haag Stadium. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
Matt Krohn / USA Today Sports via Imagn Images
Lloyd is the first player to score a hat trick in a Women’s World Cup final. (Christopher Morris / Getty Images)
Lloyd’s comments have long divided the U.S. fanbase, and at time players. (Ira L. Black – Corbis / Getty Images)
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(U.S. Soccer/Getty Images/Brad Smith)
Russo in action for North Carolina in 2019 (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Bronze in action for North Carolina in 2009 (Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Moorhouse has become an influential player for Orlando (Elsa/Getty Images)
Jess Carter, right, scored against former club Chelsea in a pre-season friendly (Ira L. Black – Corbis/Getty Images)
Pepi celebrates after scoring his team’s fifth against Groningen (Broer van den Boom/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
The familiar sight of Pepi replacing De Jong (Photo Prestige/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Aaronson holds off NEC’s Rober Gonzalez (Broer van den Boom/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
Booth replaces Miguel Rodriguez against NEC (ANP via Getty Images)
Reyna urges his team on against Freiburg (Hesham Elsherif/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Tim Ream during the loss to Mexico last month. (Ulises Ruiz / AFP / Getty Images)
Mauricio Pochettino wants his players to be more cunning. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
Mauricio Pochettino was an old-school defender. (Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images)
USMNT looked better against Jamaica. (Tim Vizer / AFP / Getty Images)
Weston McKennie and Tim Weah enjoy an April victory (Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images)
Tim Weah celebrates scoring for the U.S. against Jamaica. (Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
Tanner Tessman continued his strong on-field performance in the second game against Jamaica. (Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
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Tanner Tessmann had three years at Venezia (Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Tessmann playing for Lyon against Toulouse (Matthieu Rondel/AFP via Getty Images)
Tessmann started against Jamaica last week (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Monaco’s head coach Adi Hutter (left) comforts Balogun as he leaves the pitch in Rennes (Jean-Francois Monier/AFP via Getty Images)
Fiorentina’s Luca Ranieri attempts to stop Pulisic (Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Tillman impressed against Sparta (Photo Prestige/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Westerlo’s Bryan Reynolds (Isosport/MB Media/Getty Images)
Pulisic has been a mainstay and captain of the USMNT (Katie Stratman / Imagn Images)
Steffen has not played for the U.S. since 2022 (Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn Images)
(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
(David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
(Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
(Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
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; Is Gio Returning Sooner Than Expected? 
PLUS: Brenden Aaronson assist, Weston’s first league start
Last week it was scoring at the San Siro against Liverpool in the Champions League. Now he’s gone and followed that up by becoming the 
Brenden Aaronson had the assist on Leeds’ second goal via a lovely through ball (
Last Fulhamerican Standing Antonee Robinson may not be long for the Cottage, as 
Parting Shots:Great report out of the Netherlands, as FOX Soccer’s Doug McIntyre had the chance to speak with Sergiño Dest about the PSV right back 
Orlando’s Barbra Banda could claim this season’s MVP award. (Erin Chang/ISI Photos/Getty Images)Awards races are heating up going into the NWSL’s final stretch, with 2024 Golden Boot race
Barca and Villarreal players react to Ter Stegen’s injury (Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Pena also covered for Ter Stegen last season (Jose Miguel Fernandez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Diego Kochen made the Barcelona bench for their match at Athletic Bilbao in March (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondent ESPN Jun 13, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
Tim Ream has become a crucial veteran presence in the USMNT’s backline. (Photo by Brad Smith, Getty Images)
A strong showing in Copa América could help Reyna overshadow the drama of the 2022 World Cup. (Photo by Shaun Clark, Getty Images)
Mbappe and Deschamps will be hopeful (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
We all want it for Kroos, don’t we? (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Will he be smiling in July? (Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images)
With 175 appearances, Modric is Croatia’s most-capped player (MB Media/Getty Images)
Where/how will it all end? (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
Press during her return to training on Tuesday. (Photo: Angel City)
Press strikes the ball during training on Tuesday. (Photo: Angel City)
Albert wears No 15 against Brazil in March (John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Macario shows her wristband after scoring against Iceland in February 2022 (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
USWNT players such as Rapinoe have used their platform for advocacy (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
England lost to Brazil at Wembley Stadium last month and have not won since beating Malta 2-0 in November (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73258322/2046188517.0.jpg)
“Tyler has been always (talkative). He’s a captain with the national team. Even in the trainings, he’s going to be arguing. If he’s losing, he’s not gonna be happy. He will be demanding with the others. And this is a very good thing to have in the team.”The above quote is from Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, when asked about Tyler Adams’ 
leadership qualities just after Tyler’s first start of the season Saturday against Everton. The 25-year-old from Wappingers Falls, N.Y. went the full 90 in the Cherries’ 2-1 win, and was named Player of the Match. Heat maps that 
In the Championship, Haji Wright 
(22; London, ENG), after the USMNT striker scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season (
(25; Little Elm, TX) this season. Half of these have been to Dusan Vlahovic, so naturally Wes gave him a 
(21; Nürnberg, GER) had an assist (
(23; Medford, NJ) got the start and played 65 minutes in Union Berlin’s scoreless draw at Frankfurt on Saturday. The Iron Ones are now undefeated in Aaronson’s last three starts.Alex Zendejas 
(26; El Paso, TX) scored his fifth in his last six games for Club America (
(22; Barcelona, ESP) bagged a brace (
Adams was mobbed after his goal (Darren Carroll/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
The U.S. was able to limit Mexico’s chances throughout the final (Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Adams celebrates his long-range goal (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Ukraine’s players address the crowd (Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images)
English-born drummer Andriy Buniak (bottom) of Ukrainian folk band Cov Kozaks with Andrew Todos (third right) and Myron Huzan (right) (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
Vasylkov helped then manager Shevchenko in the Ukraine setup (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
Zinchenko applauds the fans after Ukraine’s win (Andrzej Iwanczuk/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Ukrainian fans celebrate qualification (Andrzej Iwanczuk/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Artem Genne and a friend hold up their flag signed by Ukrainian soldiers (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
Aron, Natan and Roman Lanunski travelled to Wroclaw from Berlin (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
Fedir (centre) and Serhii (right) in Wroclaw’s market square (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
Vitaliy (left) with his family outside the stadium (Jordan Campbell/The Athletic)
Ryan O’Hanlon, ESPN.com writerDec 19, 2023, 11:34 AM ET
1. Manchester City: Champions League, +200
2. Liverpool: Europa League, +225
3. Aston Villa: Europa League, +275
4. Bayern Munich: Champions League, +425
5. Bayer Leverkusen: Europa League, +500
6. Fiorentina: Europa Conference League, +525
7. Arsenal: Champions League, +575
8. Real Madrid: Champions League, +600
9. AC Milan: Europa League, +900
10. Eintracht Frankfurt: Europa Conference League, +900
11. Lille: Europa Conference League, +1200
12. Brighton: Europa League, +1200
13. Paris Saint-Germain: Champions League, +1200
14. Barcelona: Champions League, +1200
15. West Ham: Europa League, +1200
16. Real Betis: Europa Conference League, +1200
17. Ajax: Europa Conference League, +1200
18. Roma: Europa League, +1500
19. Inter Milan: Champions League, +1800
20. Atletico Madrid: Champions League, +1900
(Pablo Maurer)
(Pablo Maurer)
(Pablo Maurer)
Villarreal saw a clear penalty for handball (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
(Pablo Maurer)
The Ole BallCoach 
