US Men win 2nd in a row with Young players – Face Mexico tonight 10 pm TNT
The Youth movement of the US will get its biggest test after 2 rather easy wins over outmatched opponents last week. With 13 new players including 8 of whom are teenagers this will be their first true litmus test.
GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Diego Kochen (Lyngby Boldklub), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)
DEFENDERS (10): George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion FC), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Auston Trusty (Celtic), Frankie Westfield (Philadelphia Union)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough), Zavier Gozo (Crystal Palace), Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Brooklyn Raines (New England Revolution), Gio Reyna (RC Strasbourg Alsace), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
FORWARDS (5): Cole Campbell (SV Elversberg); Justin Ellis (Orlando City SC), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Damion Downs
Indy 11 lose 1-0 @ Loundoun United FC Sat 6 pm on ESPN+
Indy Eleven opens the final month of the regular season at Loudoun United FC on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+. With four matches remaining, the Boys in Blue are in ninth place in the East with 33 points, with Miami FC holding a tie-breaker advantage (8-7 in conference wins), but Miami has only three games left. The top eight teams in the East after Decision Day on October 24 will compete in the playoffs. According to USL Tactics.com, Indy Eleven has a 74% chance to make the playoffs.
For the sixth consecutive time in their series history, USL Championship Eastern Conference rivals Indy Eleven and Rhode Island FC played a one-goal game, and for the fourth straight meeting the home team prevailed 1-0 in the final mid-week game of 2026 for the Boys in Blue. Indy Eleven got its attack going early with three scoring opportunities in a four-minute stretch. Defender Makel Rasheed started the first sequence in the 11th minute with a long ball right of the box to forward Malik Henry-Scott, who spun out of a defender’s grasp to center it to forward Loïc Mesanvi for a left-footed chance outside the six. Just a minute later, captain Aodhan Quinn, who became the first player in USL Championship history to start 300 regular-season matches, played a long ball on the left side that Henry-Scott headed down to Mesanvi, who played it back to midfielder Josh O’Brien for a blast from outside the area.
Ben’s BBQ Shack near Grand Park has the Best Dang Brisket you can buy in Indiana
Sat, Oct 3 9 am FS2 Finland vs Albania Nations League 12 noon fubo TV England vs Croatia 2:45 pm FS2 Spain s Czech Republic 4 pm Ion/Tubi Racing Louisville FC vs Utah Royals NWSL 6 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Loundon United 6:30 pm Ion/Tubi KC Current vs Bay FC NWSL 10 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Mexico Glendale
Tues, Oct 6 8 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Canada Minn Sat, Oct 10 8 pm TNT. HBO USWNT vs Spain DC Tues, Oct 13 7 pm TNT, HBO USWNT vs Spain Philly
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach Shane Best sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Need food for a Graduation, end of school party, World Cup or Back to School Party? Call Ryan now to ask about catering options at 317-688-7290. Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Need some good ole AMERICAN BarBQ for the preschool parties, end of summer picnics or group outings? Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after for watch parties – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Advertisement
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Who is better prepared for 2030 World Cup cycle: USA or Mexico?
Cesar Hernandez Oct 1, 2026, 10:28 AM ET ESPNFC
With the 2026 World Cup in the rearview window, preparations for the new cycle are now fully underway for Concacaf giants Mexico and the United States.
Ahead of their meeting in Phoenix on Saturday in what should once again be an electric clash, it has been noteworthy to see the two different strategies they have deployed in the first international break since the latest World Cup.
For the U.S. and returning coach Mauricio Pochettino, youth is the key. Of Pochettino’s 28 call-ups for the September/October window, a total of 13 — eight of whom are teenagers — entered the international break without a single appearance at the senior international level.
“It’s a completely different approach than it was in the past,” Pochettino said of the squad. “The World Cup is in four years. We need to work with different objectives and goals.”
Editor’s Picks
Overshadowed by USMNT’s talented teens, Berhalter is stealing the spotlight Cesar Hernandez
It’s not hype: Why Cavan Sullivan is the best prospect the USMNT has ever had Ryan O’Hanlon
U.S. Soccer’s post-World Cup vibes: Lamenting a missed opportunity, embracing excitement Jeff Carlisle With those younger options, the news is so far positive for the U.S. men. Although there have been some expected nervy moments for a handful of fresh faces, Pochettino & Co. have started the international break with two wins: 4-1 vs. Peru and 4-2 vs. Chile. Things have been far from perfect, especially against a Chile side that also hit the woodwork twice, but one can’t argue against the results given that no American players over the age of 30 featured in either game.
Among the top performers were 17-year-old phenom Cavan Sullivan, 18-year-old Julian Hall, and 19-year-old Justin Ellis, who all stood out in the final third in their individual starts this window. Praise should also be given to Mathis Albert, who came off the bench this week and became the youngest-ever goal scorer for the U.S. men’s team.
After the victory against Chile, Pochettino was also honest about some of the rocky moments for his youthful roster, noting that it can at times be difficult for a team with several new call-ups to maintain consistency across 90-plus minutes.
“Some players are for the first time together, and that is normal in some periods [of the game] to suffer a little bit,” the coach added.
Looking ahead to the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals next month, the big question now for Pochettino is how many of these young faces will stay in the roster when guaranteed or near-guaranteed members of the XI such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun, among others, make their expected returns.
Cavan Sullivan has impressed in his first call-up to the USMNT, appearing against both Chile and Peru. Joe Puetz/Getty Images The extent to which the U.S. intends to transition to the next generation of stars remains up in the air, but the current roster and results are major steps forward in justifying a return to many budding talents.
As for Mexico, that question appears to have already been answered for now in their own preparations. Even though there’s a new head coach in charge, with Rafael Marquez taking over the post of Javier Aguirre, the former assistant to Aguirre doesn’t appear to want any significant changes after bringing back a very strong core of experienced players involved in the 2026 World Cup. While the U.S. brought in eight teenagers, Mexico brought in just three.
All of ESPN. All in one place.
Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now
“The foundation will be somewhat based on what we saw at the World Cup,” Marquez said last Friday about his first camp. “The style of play will also largely reflect that, given the limited time available to work on things or make changes.
“That said, we will gradually incorporate certain ideas, trying to improve specific defensive and offensive game situations. But ultimately, there won’t be any major changes.”
Part of that foundation is maintaining some of the pragmatic soccer from Aguirre’s tenure. This window, matches have been tight through two back-to-back draws: 1-1 vs. Colombia and 1-1 vs. Peru.
Mexico hasn’t been as high flying as the U.S., but under the guidance of a two-time UEFA Champions League winner and defender such as Marquez, it has looked more conservative — which is both good and bad.
For example, when looking at xG (expected goals), the U.S. has totaled an impressive tally 4.94 over their two friendlies, but also has allowed an xGA (expected goals against) total of 1.92. Looking at Mexico, its xG is just at 1.62 over its two matches, but it also has a respectable xGA of 0.93. It’s a small sample size, but it gives a peek into how both teams are looking in the early days of a new cycle.
This isn’t all to say that Mexico isn’t testing things out. Some might not exactly be the youngest players, but seven members of the latest starting XI vs. Peru were names that weren’t involved in the 2026 World Cup.
And in the conversation of the next generation of teenagers, it could be argued that there is no player from the Concacaf region that has a higher ceiling than 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, who has been a crucial game changer at the international level since 2025. In fact, it was the youngster from Tijuana that was on the front page of numerous Mexican sports papers last weekend after scoring his first international goal, which cemented the draw against Colombia.
Gilberto Mora scored against Colombia, the first goal of what is widely expected to be a glittering international career for Mexico. Brad Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images Nonetheless, he’s the only under-20 player who was given a start for Marquez in his first two games in charge — although there’s a deeper conversation there about the reduced pool of teenage options in a league like Mexico’s Liga MX.
So, who has the better setup so far for the 2030 cycle: Mexico or the U.S.?
Right now, with a wider selection and opportunities for a new generation of players, the U.S. has the higher potential. Huge credit is due to Pochettino for planting seeds with four years to go until 2030, but we’ll see how many of those young players have roles in November when the veterans are expected to return, let alone sprout and grow into elite players.
The route that Marquez is heading down with Mexico isn’t as exciting, but it is safer. Amid the ever-present pressure of the gig, it makes sense that the new coach is drawn to the stability of more practical tactics and squad selection. Depending on how things go, Mora himself could also singlehandedly lift that ceiling, as big European clubs are reportedly interested in his services.
Let’s not forget Canada either, a country that has made the modern-day battle for Concacaf supremacy a three-nation race. The 2024 Copa América semifinalist started its own international break with a 1-0 win over Chile and will face Peru on Oct. 3. On Oct. 6, it will close out the window against the U.S.
But for the U.S., before it faces Canada, Mexico awaits. The result of the friendly won’t be a true and decisive indicator of which soccer federation has the upper hand in World Cup preparation, but it will provide some clues as to the answer.
Italy spoil Zidane’s France homecoming, cancel out Olise’s stunner
ESPN News Services
Oct 2, 2026, 05:04 PM
Italy once again proved a formidable foe for Zinedine Zidane, securing a 1-1 draw in Zidane’s home debut as France coach Friday.
It looked set to be a joyous homecoming for Zidane at the Stade de France when Michael Olise scored a stunning opening goal in the 55th minute, firing an unstoppable shot from distance off the underside of Gianluigi Donnarumma‘s crossbar.
But a giveaway from Lucas Da Cunha allowed central defender Alessandro Bastoni to run through and clip a low shot inside the right post 13 minutes later. The hosts continued to be denied by an impressive Donnarumma before France’s frustration was compounded late by a red card for defender Dayot Upamecano.
“I’m disappointed for the players because we deserved better,” Zidane said. “We had chances to kill the game off, but we didn’t, and football’s like that sometimes. But it was encouraging. Honestly, I’m proud of how we played.”
Zidane was facing Italy for the first time since his infamous headbutt in the final of the 2006 World Cup, which saw him sent off in extra time in the last game of his stellar career before Italy triumphed in a penalty shootout.
Having led France to the 1998 World Cup title as a player, his arrival as coach has been met with a wave of enthusiasm. A roar of approval greeted Zidane when his name was read out by the stadium announcer ahead of Friday’s game.
Fans at Stade de France then broke out into chants of “Zizou, Zizou” — the affectionate nickname Zidane is known by among French soccer fans — and one banner read “Bienvenue Chez Toi” (Welcome Home).
A train station close to the stadium even had a message waiting for those arriving: “Welcome to Zinedine Zidane’s first game in charge,” a woman said over the public address system.
“It was touching,” Zidane said of the ovation he received. “We would have loved to give the stadium and the whole nation a victory, but it wasn’t to be.”
Zidane, 54, was appointed France coach after the World Cup, replacing Didier Deschamps. Zidane won his first two games 1-0, away to Türkiye and Belgium in the Nations League, with Olise scoring a solo winner against the Belgians.
The Stade de France itself holds special value to Zidane.
He scored the first goal in a friendly against Spain when the stadium was inaugurated in January 1998, and his two powerful headers later that year helped France win the World Cup for the first time with a 3-0 victory over Brazil in the final.
For returning Italy coach Roberto Mancini, a draw at the home of the World Cup semifinalists represents an impressive result as he tries to pick up the pieces from the team’s shocking failure to qualify for the past three World Cups. It was the third game at the helm for Mancini in what is his second spell in charge of the Azzurri, after a 2-0 home loss to Belgium and a 4-1 win at Türkiye.
Zidane, meanwhile, was a visible presence on the sideline in his first home game in charge.
During one first-half attack, he crouched over with his hands on his knees as if trying to get a closer look and then gesticulated with his hands to direct the move — even though his players had their backs to him.
Zidane had said before the game that Italy remain a dangerous side despite poor recent results. Striker Moise Kean missed a close-range chance early for Italy, shooting straight at goalkeeper Mike Maignan from meters out.
Donnarumma made a double save from Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué early in the second half, then produced a brilliant low save to deny Adrien Rabiot moments after Italy’s equalizer.
After Upamecano was sent off late in the game for picking up a second yellow card, Donnarumma superbly clawed away Eduardo Camavinga‘s shot in stoppage time.
France remain atop their Nations League group, a point ahead of Belgium with Italy a further two points back. France host Belgium in their final match of the window Monday, while Italy will welcome Türkiye.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
USMNT vs. Mexico friendly preview: Predictions, odds, must-reads and more as rivalry renews
Another showdown between the U.S. men’s national team and Mexico is here. Both teams are in Arizona for a Saturday friendly, their first matchup of the 2030 World Cup cycle — and their first since Mexican legend Rafa Márquez took over as head coach of El Tri.
While U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino, an Argentine, downplayed the rivalry on Friday, Márquez is steeped in it. The former Mexico international told reporters that his players “don’t need reminding” of the significance of the derby.
Advertisement
“We all know what it means to face the United States, so it’s going to be a very competitive game, just like against Colombia,” Márquez told reporters on Friday. “We’re seeing a very competitive U.S. team, so it should serve what we’re looking to accomplish.”
The age-old rivalry between neighbors dates back to their first game in 1934. Historically, Mexico has had the upper hand. Since 2021, the U.S. has, but Mexico has won the last two — a 2024 friendly and the 2025 Gold Cup final.
For both teams, though, the more relevant context is the present. Both reached the 2026 World Cup’s round of 16 as co-hosts. Both are now starting anew. The U.S., with a dozen newcomers in camp, is fresh off back-to-back wins against Peru (4-1) and Chile (4-2). Mexico is coming off draws with Colombia (1-1) and Peru (1-1). Both see Saturday as a chance to build their new eras — “to build a solid basis,” as Pochettino said.
But the rivalry matters too.
“When you talk about rivalries, whether it’s in Europe in club football or whatever it is, there is a sense of just always wanting to win and compete at the highest level,” newly minted U.S. captain Tyler Adams said. “This is one of those games. It’s gone on for a long time. There’s a lot of history there, and history creates that rivalry. But you just want that winning advantage. So, (you do) anything you can do to win.”
Why USMNT stars are being replaced by teenagers
Henry Bushnell and Lia Griffin
Matchup, schedule and TV details
USMNT vs. Mexico: Saturday, Oct. 3 at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time)
Venue: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
How to watch: TNT (on TV) and HBO Max (streaming) for English broadcast. Telemundo and Universo (on TV) and Peacock (streaming) for Spanish broadcast.
FIFA ranking: United States (16) vs. Mexico (10)
U.S. 2026 World Cup result: Exit in round of 16 (lost 4-1 to Belgium)
Mexico 2026 World Cup result: Exit in round of 16 (lost 3-2 to England)
Next U.S. match: Tuesday, Oct. 6 vs. Canada at 8 p.m. ET
Next Mexico match: Tuesday, Oct. 6 v. Chile at 10:30 p.m. ET
Advertisement
This game is perfect for …
Bushnell:Cavan Sullivan. Talk to anybody who’s known him or coached him at any stage of his young life, and they’ll tell you he’s made for this type of moment. He loves the spotlight. He’s “fiery” and “fearless,” multiple coaches told The Athletic. Especially if the game opens up while he’s on the field, it’s a perfect stage for him to showcase why he’s one of the most-hyped American soccer prospects ever.
Cardenas:Armando ‘Hormiga’ González. The 23-year-old former Chivas striker is in the running to establish himself as Raúl Jiménez’s successor. He made the move to Europe (Olympiakos) after the World Cup, which raised his profile.
González is a late-bloomer, though, and is just starting his international career. He’s a physical, hard-working center forward who is adored by the Mexican fans. A goal in a winning performance over the U.S. would further cement his popularity.
Cavan Sullivan has shown his ability to take on defenders in his first two USMNT caps.Rich Storry / Getty Images
What they’re saying
–Tyler Adams, the newly minted U.S. captain, on how newcomers might approach their first USMNT-Mexico match: “When you start to gain experience in these games, you understand how to control your emotions a little bit more, understand what the game is asking of you, and how you can have an impact on it. I remember my first game, I was just running around like a madman. I just wanted to have an impact in any way possible. And that’s being 18, 19 years old, not necessarily understanding tactically how disciplined you have to be in these games, emotionally how controlled you need to be in these games.
“But that’s the same thing I’d express to these guys: I’d rather you go into a tackle, and run everywhere, and get around the ball, and be feisty, and have a little tenacity to your game, than sit back and just watch the game go by. So, all these players that have the opportunity to play tomorrow, that’s what we need from them; we need that courage, we need that bravery, we need them to be fearless like they are, so that they can have an impact.”
Advertisement
– Mexico fullback Mateo Chávez: “Of course we know what this game represents, but we also know it’s a warm-up match, one where continuity for what the coach is building is important. Obviously it’ll have that special flavor that comes with what this game means. These are games you always want to play. We want to win them all and hopefully tomorrow we’ll get a result.”
– Mexico defender Jesús Gallardo: “The truth is, obviously we want to win. It’s a really, really great rivalry, really cool. So it would be really awesome if it were Rafa’s first win, and against the United States.”
Odds
The U.S. is a slight favorite to win the match across a variety of sportsbooks on the eve of the match.
At time of writing, FanDuel lists the U.S. at +145 to win, with Mexico at +170 and a draw at +250. Similarly, DraftKings has the U.S. at +145, Mexico at +175 and a draw at +245. BetMGM tilts the scales slightly more toward Mexico (+165) while still favoring the U.S. (+150; draw at +240).
There’s an expectation of goals, with over 2.5 going off at -118 and the under at -110 on FanDuel; it’s -125/-110 on DraftKings and -120/-115 on BetMGM, meaning a slightly greater likelihood that at least three goals total are scored in the game.
For what it’s worth, the U.S. has scored four in each of its two games this window so far, while Mexico has played to a pair of 1-1 draws.
What is the USMNT looking for from this match?
This match means different things to different people. For half this U.S. roster, it’s a test. Most if not all of the 13 newcomers will be stepping into a match that’s more intense and faster than any they’ve experienced in the past; can they hang? The answer will go a long way toward shaping future USMNT rosters and determining just how optimistic fans should be about this up-and-coming generation.
Advertisement
For Pochettino, it’s a third chance to get a first win against Mexico. And for the World Cup veterans, well, it’s Mexico. There’s no need for subplots or additional stakes. “Any situation, whenever we play Mexico, whether it’s a qualifier or a friendly, Gold Cup, Nations League, it’s always seen as a must-win game,” defender Antonee Robinson said Thursday. “It feels like a cup final.”
What is Mexico looking for from this match?
The Mexican press has been debating the true significance of this game. The chatter this week has been about whether winning or losing to the U.S. in this particular friendly holds any real meaning.
It always does. It’s an international derby and one that follows a massive World Cup for both countries. However, barring an embarrassing result, this edition of USA vs Mexico shouldn’t determine either national team’s fate.
Mexico, though, will want to stake its claim as the dominant team in the region. Missing Julián Quiñones leaves the door open for another attacking player to potentially establish himself long-term under Márquez.
Rafa Marquez, center, runs Mexico training in his first camp as national team manager.Alfredo Estrella / AFP / Getty Images
Key injuries/absences
The U.S. is missing arguably its three best players, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun. But every notable player in this September-October training camp is healthy and available, as far as we know. All 28 trained Friday.
For Mexico, the key absences are Quiñones and Jiménez. Both players were very good at the World Cup, with Quiñones even being named to the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist, just the second man in Mexico’s history to earn that distinction (Guillermo Ochoa, 2007).
Gilberto Mora, meanwhile, has reportedly been limited in training this week due to an ankle injury, but Márquez said Friday that the record-setting teenager is fit and available for selection. That’s a boon for those who see this match as a glimpse into the future, one that features the top prospects for both sides.
Advertisement
Staff predictions
Our two reporters who will be at State Farm Stadium on Saturday night have their say:
Henry Bushnell:U.S. 2, Mexico 2. I suspect we’ll see a veteran-heavy U.S. lineup, at least to start. And player for player, I’ll still take this USMNT’s best 11 (or best 15) over Mexico’s. But some of the kids we’ll see in the second half will be overwhelmed by the occasion (and a few already showed vs. Chile that they aren’t quite ready for this level).
Felipe Cardenas:Mexico 3, U.S. 2. Defensive stability was one of the hallmarks of Mexico’s performances at the World Cup this summer. Mexico was stingy again in its 1-1 draw against a nearly full-strength Colombia side on Sept. 26. This U.S. team has not been tested like that during this window.
Márquez played with an experienced back line against Colombia (Israel Reyes, Johan Vázquez, Jesús Gallardo, Jorge Sánchez) and will likely do the same on Saturday night. But there will be goals, and because the U.S. remains susceptible in their own defensive third, I’ll say Mexico has the edge in a high-scoring affair.
Predicted lineups
United States: Diego Kochen; Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Auston Trusty, Peyton Miller; Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Sebastian Berhalter; Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall, Malik Tillman
Mexico: Raúl Rangel; Jorge Sánchez, Israel Reyes, Johan Vázquez, Jesús Gallardo; Erik Lira, Luis Chávez, Gilberto Mora; Mateo Chávez, Armando González, Roberto Alvarado
Mexico rising star Gilberto Mora has overcome an ankle injury scare to become available for selection.Jamie Sabau / Getty Images
What type of crowd is expected?
State Farm Stadium will be mostly though not entirely full — full of mostly Mexico fans.
When asked Friday about the atmosphere, Pochettino turned to U.S. press officer Michael Kammarman to inquire about the breakdown of fans. “Vamos a ver,” Kammarman told him — “We’ll see.”
Pochettino followed up: “Fifty-fifty?”
“Ooh,” Kammarman responded, and everyone in the room laughed, knowing that the actual makeup would be in Mexico’s favor.
“OK, one-nil down — one-nil down for us,” Pochettino said with a smile.
Advertisement
Then he got semi-serious and embraced what will likely be a “difficult atmosphere.” He said it would “build our character,” and would be especially useful for a group that blends experienced players with first-timers. “It’s good to have this type of adversity,” Pochettino said. “That for sure is going to help for the future.”
Those closest to the rising U.S. teen star with an “F-you mentality” share stories and tales of how he came to be. Will this match be the first signature moment in his U.S. career?
The U.S. follows its match vs. Mexico with a showdown vs. Canada, which got our writers thinking big-picture about the future of the three 2026 World Cup hosts on the road to 2030
PHOENIX — There used to be genuine hate, or at least distaste. Whether in Mexico City or Columbus, or even in friendlies, U.S.-Mexico in men’s soccer used to be dramatic and fiery. It was box office, as the kids say, because intensity begat both entertaining games and bust-ups. There was bad blood, literal red blood and red cards.
Advertisement
“They’re dirty, and they’re nasty, and they spit on you and grab you where they shouldn’t,” U.S. star Landon Donovan said of Mexico’s players in 2004.
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, fighting words and consequences became hallmarks of North American soccer’s greatest rivalry.
But as it readies for a renewal on Saturday in Arizona, it needs a jolt.
It needs something or someone to kickstart a new era.
It needs a jolt for two main reasons. One is the impact of World Cup expansion on qualifiers. With another 48- or 64-team World Cup looming in 2030, Concacaf has reworked its qualifying format and ditched a final round with a single table. The twice-every-four-year duels that used to define U.S.-Mexico have become relics of the past. The teams will only meet at “neutral” sites in Gold Cups, Nations League finals and friendlies.
And those, over the past four years, have been relatively tame. Since their last qualifier in 2022 — a businesslike 0-0 draw at the Estadio Azteca — matches between the teams have included a forgettable B-team friendly in 2023; a 2024 Nations League final most notable for the homophobic chants that ended it early; a 2024 friendly that Christian Pulisic skipped due to “load management” and other starters missed due to “minor injuries”; and a 2025 Gold Cup final that was fine but not particularly memorable.
Weston McKennie walks away after having his kit ripped during a USA-Mexico scuffle in 2023Louis Grasse / Getty Images
The lone exception was the 2023 Nations League semifinal that featured four red cards and a few iconic images. Weston McKennie pranced around Allegiant Stadium in Vegas kissing the badge on his ripped jersey. Folarin Balogun got hacked down, looked up, “and I just saw a swarm of people fighting,” he recalled. Beer rained down from everywhere.
That felt like U.S.-Mexico.
So did the manic 2021 final in Denver.
Advertisement
So did the 2021 qualifier in Cincinnati, when Pulisic celebrated his winner by revealing a hand-written “MAN IN THE MIRROR” T-shirt, a shot at pointed comments made that week by Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
The games weren’t always spicy, but more often than not, they delivered. And now, without seismic stakes, especially in the shadows of a home World Cup, the onus is on players to inject some spice.
Enter Chris Richards.
Enter Tyler Adams.
Enter Cavan Sullivan.
Enter Sebastian Berhalter.
They are always up for a fight, even in friendlies, as they showed Tuesday night. And they seem to understand, as Berhalter said to TNT, that Mexico “is never a friendly.” So, we have a recipe for fireworks.
Chris Richards (3) set off an altercation between the USMNT and Chile Tuesday night.Joe Puetz / Getty Images
Richards rushed in to confront Chile’s Leandro Hernández on Tuesday after Hernández poked U.S. goalkeeper Brian Schwake with his foot in the waning moments of a 4-2 U.S. win. Benches cleared, as they did last fall when the USMNT scrapped with Paraguay. The brawls have been held up as shining examples of team culture, the “brotherhood,” and the intensity head coach Mauricio Pochettino has encouraged.
When it first emerged at the 2025 Gold Cup, Pochettino raved about it. At one news conference, seated next to Adams, Pochettino said of the combative midfielder: “This guy obviously is going to be involved, because … he likes to fight.” But the mentality had spread. “Now,” Pochettino said, “what we are seeing is, it’s not only him, it’s the whole group.”
The only thing they’ve lacked, perhaps, is a true heel, a spunky instigator who proactively riles up opponents, either with disrespectful antics or by his mere existence.
Or imagine if he shushed Mexico fans, told them to calm down, and pointed to the name on the back of his jersey, as he did to Morocco fans after converting a penalty at the Under-17 World Cup.
“He would square up to opponents that were twice as big as him,” Peter McDonnell, one of Sullivan’s coaches in the Philadelphia Union academy, told The Athletic. “He’s sparky, he’s fiery, he’s in the middle of everything. And he’s not gonna back down from protecting his teammates. It’s just not gonna happen. It’s not part of who he is.”
He is, in other words, the perfect player to ignite a rivalry.
He and the USMNT’s other newcomers have also been primed by veterans of the rivalry. They’ve been told to expect something akin to the late-game fracas with Chile, “and a lot more when we play against Mexico,” fullback Antonee Robinson told reporters Thursday.
Advertisement
Robinson is one of seven members of the current USMNT who’ve experienced a full-blooded U.S.-Mexico match — either the 2023 mess or the 2021 showdowns — first-hand. But no U.S. player has the familiarity or aura of the man who’ll stare them down from the sideline. Rafael Márquez, Mexico’s newly-minted coach, wasn’t just a legendary player; he was a longtime hero and villain in the rivalry — and another ingredient that could spice it up.
Márquez was the one who flew at Cobi Jones in the 2002 World Cup; he was sent off for a challenge that was half kung-fu kick, half headbutt.
Rafael Márquez is sent off at the end of Mexico’s loss to the USMNT in the 2002 World Cup round of 16.Pascal Guyot / AFP / Getty Images
He was red-carded again against the U.S. in 2009 when he went at goalkeeper Tim Howard with studs and an elbow.
But of course, he spent plenty of time on the winning side. He broke the dos a cero Columbus curse with an 89th-minute winner in 2016.
In a way, he embodies what this young USMNT will have to match on Saturday.
“Any situation, whenever we play Mexico, whether it’s a qualifier or a friendly, Gold Cup, Nations League, it’s always seen as a must-win game, it feels like a cup final,” Robinson said. “And we got a lot of boys who’ve never experienced that at this level, who get to see it for the first time. It’s going to be an adverse crowd, and tough conditions to play in. But that’s something we embrace and thrive in.”
Henry Bushnell is a senior writer for The Athletic covering soccer. He previously covered a variety of sports and events, including World Cups and Olympics, for Yahoo Sports. He is based in Washington, D.C.Follow
So Poch is bringing in the youngsters for this 3 week international break – which should give them lots of time to adjust. Excited of course to see whiz kid Cavan Sullivan along with hopefully new GK Diego Kochen. (hopefully he gets a start) Included on the roster includes newcomers Cavan Sullivan, Zavier Gozo, Julian Hall, Mathias Albert, Neil Pierre, Frankie Westfield, Justin Ellis, Brooklyn Raines, Cole Campbell, Adri Mehmeti, George Campbell, Peyton Miller, and Brian Schwake. GK Diego Kochen also makes the roster. In total, there are 13 uncapped players on the roster, and the average age of that group is 19 years and 6 months. Several of the players were on recent youth national teams as well. Pochettino is giving a chance to the next generation of players to become integrated with the system in an effort to get a good first impression as the new World Cup cycle begins.
Midfielder Yunus Musah returns to the national team after a nice start to the season for AC Milan. Left off the roster are some mainstays who were excluded for various reasons, including winger Christian Pulisic. Pulisic has struggled in the early part of the season with AC Milan, but it is unclear whether Pochettino opted to look at some new guys over bringing in some of the guys who featured during the World Cup. Midfielder Weston McKennie and striker Folarin Balogun were also omitted from the roster.
GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Diego Kochen (Lyngby Boldklub), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)
DEFENDERS (10): George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion FC), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Auston Trusty (Celtic), Frankie Westfield (Philadelphia Union)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough), Zavier Gozo (Crystal Palace), Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Brooklyn Raines (New England Revolution), Gio Reyna (RC Strasbourg Alsace), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
FORWARDS (5): Cole Campbell (SV Elversberg); Justin Ellis (Orlando City SC), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Damion Downs
Indy 11 lose return this Sat 7 pm vs Miami FC for Honoring Hero’s Night
Indianapolis – The Indy Eleven offense generated 17 shots (13 inside the box, seven shots on target), seven corners won, 17 fouls won, and 1.73 Expected Goals, but Oakland Roots SC goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh made five saves to lead his team to a 1-0 win at Carroll Stadium. It is the first loss for the Boys in Blue this month and just the second since August 1. The three-game Boys in Blue homestand concludes with “Honoring our Heroes Night” recognizing First Responders & Military Saturday at 7 p.m. at The Mike presented by F.A. Wilhelm Construction. Wilhelm will be providing free Military Dog Tags to the first 250 fans. Wilhelm will also have its Pump and Vac trucks, and IMPD and Heartland Ambulance will be bringing vehicles to the Fun Zone. Fans can purchase two tickets online for $25 with a portion going to the American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation. Ticket options include the new Desnuda Tequila Deck, Family Four-Packs, and Flex Mini-Plans.
Congrats to Carmel High GK Gwyneth Provost who’s off to training with the US U16 Girls National Team. Meanwhile Hamilton SE holds on to the #1 in the Nation spot after a close home win over Carmel High. Homestead of Ft Wayne comes in at #9 nationally at 9-0-0 replacing Carmel in the Top 10.
Joe, Sue and I had fun reffing the HSE JV/Varsity on a Saturday Mike Baker, Ahn and myself @ Colonial Christian on Sept 11-thus the Red Bandana Man in the Red Bandana ESPN 30 for 30.
Ben’s BBQ Shack near Grand Park has the Best Dang Brisket you can buy in Indiana
Fri, Sept 25 2:45 pm Fox Sport2 Italy vs Belgium 8 pm Amazon Prime Racing Louisville vs San Diego Wave (NWSL) Sat, Sept 26 9 am FS2 Scotland vs Slovenia 12:30 pm CBS KC Current vs Denver Summit (Heaps) 2:45 pm FS2 England vs Spain 4 pm Univision Mexico vs Colombia 4:30 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Peru Orlando 6:30 pm Ion. HBO Max Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Angel City (Thompson) 7 pm TV23 Indy 11 vs Miami FC 7:30 pm Apple TV Charlotte vs Chicago Fire MLS 8:45 pm Ion TV Portland Thorns vs Houston Dash NWSL 10:30 pm Apple TV LA Galaxy vs Colorado Rapids Sun, Sept 27 9 am FS2 Lithuania vs Azerbarjan 12 pm FS2 Serbia vs Netherlands 2:45 pm FS2 Norway (Holland) vs Portugal 5 pm ESPN Bay FC vs Orlando Pride NWSL 7 pm FS2 Haiti vs Costa Rica 7 pm Apple Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami Mon, Sept 28 12 pm FS2 Armenia vs Montengro 2 pm FS2 Belgium vs France 8 pm FS2 Jamaica cs Honduras Nations League 10 pm FS2 Guatamala vs El Salvador Tues, Sept 29 12 noon FS2 Finland vs Belarus 2:45 pm FS1 Czech Republic vs England
8 pm TNT/HBO/Tele USMNT vs Chile St Louis Sat, Oct 3 8 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Mexico Glendale Tues, Oct 6 8 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Canada Minn Sat, Oct 10 8 pm TNT. HBO USWNT vs Spain DC Tues, Oct 13 7 pm TNT, HBO USWNT vs Spain Philly
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach Shane Best sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
US Americans Abroad: Pulisic scores, Balogun returns, and Cardoso gets a huge win — highlighting a trio of players not in the September/October international squad.
Christian Pulisic opened his 2026 AC Milan account with a spectacular goal in a 3-0 win over Lecce. Taking a high ball over the top down with a perfect first touch, he bounced it past the onrushing goalkeeper to give Milan the lead. After returning last week with an assist, Pulisic is starting to look healthier and more confident, which is encouraging for both Milan and the USMNT (for the next window).
Folarin Balogun made his long-awaited return for Monaco, coming off the bench for 14 minutes in a 2-1 win over Lens. After the injury issues and chaotic deadline-day transfer saga, simply getting back on the field is an important step as he works his way back into the Monaco rotation.
Jack McGlynn continues to put together an impressive run in the Championship. He scored another banger, this time an 78th-minute equalizer against Sheffield United, helping spark Stoke’s comeback from 1-0 down to a 2-1 win.
Max Arfsten also had a breakthrough moment for Middlesbrough, scoring his first goal for the club in a 2-2 draw with Birmingham. He added four dribbles, the most of anyone in the match, while Aidan Morris also had a strong performance in midfield and Sebastian Berhalter made an appearance off the bench. Arfsten has mostly been a substitute so far, so this is exactly the type of attacking performance that can help him push his way back into the USMNT picture.
Johnny Cardoso played all 90 minutes as Atletico Madrid defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in the Madrid derby. That’s a big 90 minutes for Cardoso, especially getting a full match and a win over one of the dominant teams in Europe.
Other Americans Abroad: • Tim Weah was sent off with two yellow cards as Marseille lost 2-1 to PSG. • Ricardo Pepi was forced off with an injury in PSV’s 3-2 loss to FC Twente and subsequently withdrew from USMNT camp. • Brenden Aaronson and Chris Richards played to a scoreless draw as Leeds and Crystal Palace met. • Weston McKennie helped Juventus to a 2-0 win over Atalanta. • Alex Freeman had a strong performance at right-back in Villarreal’s 3-1 win over Levante. Great to see him get a full 90 under his belt. • Auston Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers started Celtic’s 1-0 loss to Rangers, their third straight defeat. • George Campbell started as West Brom fell 1-0 to Wolves. • Tyler Adams made headlines for a big challenge on Liverpool’s Milos Kerkez, but Bournemouth fell 1-0 to Liverpool. • Cole Campbell led Elversberg with seven completed dribbles in a 0-0 draw with Schalke. • Diego Kochen had a difficult outing as Lyngby lost 4-0 to Silkeborg after going down to 10 men. • Joe Scally played 76 minutes in Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 4-3 loss to Mainz. • Gio Reyna played 67 minutes in Strasbourg’s 1-0 loss to Paris FC, making little impact on proceedings. • Mark McKenzie led the match in defensive contributions as Toulouse beat Le Havre 3-2. • Tanner Tessmann played the final 11 minutes of Lyon’s 4-0 win over Rennes.
===RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Need food for a Graduation, end of school party, World Cup or Back to School Party? Call Ryan now to ask about catering options at 317-688-7290. Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Need some good ole AMERICAN BarBQ for the preschool parties, end of summer picnics or group outings? Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after for watch parties – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Advertisement
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
USMNT’s next generation, Messi’s farewell, AFCON qualifying: International break preview
Multiple contributors
Sep 23, 2026, 11:02 AM 184
After a whirlwind opening six weeks to the 2026-27 club season across Europe, we’re now settling in for a three-week international break in which countries will play up to four games each as they build toward the next phase of continental competitions, from the UEFA European Championships to the Africa Cup of Nations. (Oh, and there are things like Copa América and Gold Cup qualifying on the horizon depending on where you look.)
Lots of national teams will also be playing exhibition games with specific goals in mind, like bedding in new talents or refreshing tired squads. So, with lots to watch for around the world over the next 15 days, we take you around the things in particular to pay attention to before club soccer resumes on Oct. 9.
U.S., Mexico working on different things ahead of October meeting
Ahead of a rivalry clash in early October, Concacaf powerhouses Mexico and the United States are entering the international window with two distinct approaches.
For the U.S., under returning manager Mauricio Pochettino, it’s clear that one of the primary goals is to test out the next generation of talent. Of the 28 called up, a total of 13 could claim a national team debut in the upcoming friendlies and eight of those 13 are still teenagers, which includes 16-year-old phenom Cavan Sullivan. With the likes of key figures such as Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie, among others, being given a rest, Pochettino will seek to expand his player pool even further with a fall roster that doesn’t have a single player over the age of 30.
As for Mexico, new manager Rafael Marquez is taking a slightly different route. Although there are a handful of fresh faces like Chivas up-and-comers Santiago Sandoval and Hugo Camberos, El Tri‘s plan is focused more on bringing back a strong core of veterans, as opposed to testing out the next generation. That said, though the squad isn’t as youthful as that of the U.S., there is still a group of young call-ups who should have plenty of opportunities in a four-game window. Highlighted by Mexico’s own teenage rising star Gilberto Mora, Marquez’s roster has 11 players who are 23 and younger.
Either way, expect some fireworks when the rival nations face off on Oct. 3. Regularly battling for the top spot in the Concacaf region — Canada included, in recent years — both countries will seek to make their own mark in a new World Cup cycle.
Will the youth of the U.S. provide some hope for the future of the national team program? Or will the more tried-and-true names from Mexico help maintain the momentum that was seen in the World Cup this summer? — Cesar Hernandez
Messi’s international farewell
When Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international soccer at the end of August, the prevailing reaction in Argentina was one of gratitude. That then provided an emotional and an economic incentive for the local FA to organize a farewell game in which the iconic No.10 will get to say a proper goodbye.
It must be said that arranging this game was not an easy task. First they had to find opponents willing and available to travel to Argentina. Then, they had to dribble around the punishment handed out for the behaviour of both fans and players during the World Cup, which means Argentina’s first match, and possibly the second, of this break can only be played in front of half the stadium capacity.
This explains why Messi will don the shirt for the last time in the last of Argentina’s three FIFA date friendlies against Benin in Buenos Aires on Oct. 6, in River Plate’s ground, the largest stadium in South America.
Gomez: Messi always turns up in the biggest moments
There will not be a dry eye in the house, but there will be plenty of well-trained eyes on the previous two matches, staged in Cordoba, just over 400 miles to the north. Here, against Bolivia and Burkina Faso, the future starts for Argentina as they get to grips with the question of what to do without their generational star.
Messi’s injuries during the last set of World Cup qualifiers gave ample opportunity for Argentina to slot striker Julián Álvarez into his role, and arguably the best performance of the past four years, the 4-1 destruction of Brazil, came via this route. But there will be a huge temptation to hand the shirt to a specialist No.10 — specifically, the player who has been seen for the past couple of years as the Messi replacement, the hugely talented Como playmaker Nico Paz. Argentina took Paz to the World Cup, but could not slot him successfully in the same side as Messi, almost certainly because both players prefer the ball played to their feet.
Now, the great opportunity is coming. If Brazil struggled post-Pele and Argentina slumped after Diego Maradona, then Paz has the chance to prove that there is life after Lionel Messi. — Tim Vickery
England‘s goal: move on from World Cup heartache and prep for Euros challenge
England resume this week in the curious state of basking in their best World Cup finish for 60 years while still processing the missed opportunity of what might have been.
Thomas Tuchel’s mission was clear: get a second star on the shirt. England’s sole World Cup triumph of 1966 has proved impossible to live up to ever since and after Gareth Southgate took England to two finals, one semifinal and a quarterfinal from his four tournaments in charge, Tuchel was hired as the difference-maker. That reputation slipped somewhat in the manner of England’s World Cup semifinal defeat to Argentina this summer.
The 2-1 loss fell into an alarmingly familiar pattern for England in the biggest matches: take the lead, concede possession and territory, suffer fatigue and eventually fall short. Furthermore, Tuchel’s substitutions exacerbated the problem rather than countered it. He insisted at last week’s squad announcement that “99.9%” of fans he encounters do not talk about his changes in that fateful game and instead mention the highlights — the famous round-of-16 win in Mexico, the second-half demolition of Croatia, the nervous tension of their late comeback triumph against DR Congo — but in truth, Tuchel has something to prove.
Branthwaite ‘buzzing’ to be back with England
The England manager is keen to define those 30 minutes against Argentina as a blip and therefore this Nations League campaign is not a new beginning. More of the World Cup squad would have been selected this time had it not been for injury — Reece James, Dan Burn, Dean Henderson, John Stones and Djed Spence among them — but instead, there are nine new faces including two players many believe should have gone to the World Cup. Both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer return with a point to prove, but Tuchel insisted they are not “winners” from that collapse against Argentina.
Tuchel admits he is torn between a desire for greater control in matches and playing to England’s strengths as a risk-taking team in a Premier League mold. He now speaks of “embracing the chaos” exemplified by their last outing, a 6-4 win over France in Miami that earned them third place at the World Cup and a bronze medal, but would that have worked had France been fully tuned up? And will it work against the best?
The Nations League offers an immediate answer with world champions Spain first up at Wembley on Saturday. Tricky trips to Czechia and Croatia follow before a return Wembley date with Czechia closes out the calendar.
Tuchel and England need positive momentum to begin to leave that Argentina defeat behind as they focus on a new target: winning a home Euros in 2028. — James Olley
Germany, Netherlands, France showing off brand-new — and iconic — coaches as Nations League qualification begins
In a 29-second video message, Jurgen Klopp introduced himself to the nation that knows him so well as “the new one.”
To be fair, Germany’s been waiting for Klopp for more than a decade. After their round-of-32 exit at the World Cup, Klopp is seen as the savior of German football — the man who can steer them back to the heights they hit in 2014. No pressure, then.
Ogden: Klopp is the best man for the Germany job
Already, just two months into the job, there are clear indications that Klopp’s going to do this his way, from the backroom staff packed with familiar confidants (Peter Krawietz and Pep Lijnders both worked for him at Liverpool) to naming an extended 44-man squad, split across two groups for this block of four matches. And then there was his introductory news conference where he basically told the German press that if they dared trouble his family, he’d walk on the spot.
The next four years are going to be a German symphony composed and conducted by Klopp, and that journey begins on Thursday with a trip to face the Netherlands, where the Dutch are also under new stewardship. It’s Xavi’s Netherlands now in what will be an intriguing matchup between a Pep Guardiola disciple and Klopp’s evolved rock ‘n’ roll gegenpressing.
Like Klopp, Xavi has already put his stamp on the Dutch side by calling up Ruben van Bommel of PSV and Feyenoord midfielder Gjivai Zechiël, while leaving out Memphis Depay, Wout Weghorst or Stefan de Vrij. Their plans have been disrupted by Donyell Malen withdrawing, but captain and defender Virgil van Dijk remains indispensable.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how Xavi does. He bleeds Barcelona and, by default, it should be a perfect marriage considering he’s an acolyte of Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff’s school of thought. Though he was reminded in his opening news conference by KNVB technical director Nigel de Jong that they spoke with Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot before turning to him.
Lacroix: We watched Zidane on TV, now we can train with him 1 Like reaction.
Oh, and the iconic, enigmatic Zinedine Zidane is beginning his time in charge of France, replacing Didier Deschamps who oversaw a 14-year spell in which they won the World Cup in 2018 and finished runners-up in 2022. Zidane named five uncapped players in his first streamlined 23-player squad, including Liverpool‘s Jérémy Jacquet. His first batch of matches include two games with Mark van Bommel’s Belgium and one with Roberto Mancini’s Italy — both teams also under new management.
Zidane is doing things his way too. He left N’Golo Kanté out of his first official squad, closing the door on his international career for the time being. “What inspires me is the game,” Zidane said in his opening news conference. “I want to see these players and this team playing.”
International soccer has a new band of superstar managers, and across the next three weeks, we’ll see some of their plans take shape as attention slowly turns to Euro 2028. It’s going to be some ride. — Tom Hamilton
Spain’s motivation: complete the triple crown
World champions Spain will be the team to beat as the latest edition of the UEFA Nations League kicks off this week across Europe. Given the relative ease with which they won the World Cup this summer — swatting aside France in the semifinal, ruining Lionel Messi’s Argentina swansong in the final and conceding just once in eight tournament matches — it is hard to see anyone beating them.
La Roja also have the added motivation of completing, if you will, international football’s triple crown. European champions in 2024 and world champions in 2026, the only trophy Luis de la Fuente’s side don’t currently have their hands on is the Nations League. They did win it under Luis de la Fuente in 2023, but relinquished the title in 2025, losing to Portugal on penalties in the final. They will be out to avenge that defeat this time around.
Flick: Yamal wants to win the Ballon d’Or
First up is a tantalizing trip to Wembley to meet England on Saturday in a repeat of the Euro 2024 final. The core of the Spain squad has hardly changed since that final, and it’s likely to remain the same throughout this Nations League cycle: goalkeeper Unai Simón, defenders Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella, midfielders Pedri, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz and Dani Olmo, forwards Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal … the list goes on, but the beauty of this Spain side lies not in the individuals, but in the collective. You can take almost anyone out of the side, replace them with someone else and very little will change — as we saw with Rodri and Martín Zubimendi in that 2024 final.
Perhaps Spain’s two biggest potential problems come from within: complacency and keeping Yamal firing and happy as part of the team dynamic. The Barcelona teenager has said he was not entirely content with his performances at the World Cup after coming into the tournament on the back of a hamstring injury. He will be keen to do more moving forward — not that he was bad in North America this past summer — but De la Fuente must ensure that desire is channeled in the right way on the pitch. — Sam Marsden
Africa’s international heavyweights return to action this week for the first time since the World Cup, with the opening qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations providing an immediate test of how the continent’s leading sides intend to evolve over the next four-year cycle.
Forty-eight teams compete across 12 groups, with qualification beginning with two rounds this international break and concluding in March. For several World Cup nations, this window also represents the beginning of a new era.
Herve Renard is back with Ivory Coast, 11 years after he won the AFCON with the Elephants, and faces arguably the window’s standout fixture immediately, against Ghana in Bouake. Patrick Vieira begins his first international management job with Senegal, claiming he has come to “win trophies”; Mouin Chaabani will look to pick Tunisia up after their disastrous World Cup; and Pitso Mosimane returns to South Africa.
With co-hosts Kenya automatically qualified from Bafana Bafana’s group, only one of the other three teams can join them at AFCON. This means South Africa’s opener against Guinea could prove critical.
There is jeopardy elsewhere. Morocco begin against Gabon; Algeria, now overseen by Brahim Hemdani, host Zambia; and Egypt face Angola; while Mali vs. Cape Verde pits two of the continent’s strongest recent performers against one another. Without the injured Victor Osimhen, Nigeria host Madagascar knowing there is less margin for error than usual; because hosts Tanzania automatically advance from Group L, only one team from this pool can join them.
That format creates obvious potential for drama. Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau both have recent experience of qualifying and can complicate the Super Eagles’ campaign. Like Nigeria, Cameroon will also be determined to bounce back after failing to reach the World Cup when they face Comoros and then Congo-Brazzaville.
FIFA’s expanded September-October window could have allowed teams to play as many as four matches, but CAF’s decision to stage the two qualifiers across the opening weekend has left several coaches questioning why friendlies could not instead have served as preparation. DR Congo follow qualifiers against Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe with two friendlies against Uganda, while Ivory Coast meet Cameroon, and South Africa face Egypt afterward.
It should create a curious dynamic, with high-stakes qualifiers being followed by low-key friendlies — and some coaches have named two squads to account for this — but don’t be surprised if this international break produces drama aplenty as Africa’s road to 2027 begins. — Ed Dove
A fresh-faced USMNT regroups for first time since World Cup, eyeing long-term goals
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — The sound of buzzing drones mingled with the first fall breeze outside Atlanta. The pristine fields at the Arthur M. Blank National Training Center were slick after a southern thunderstorm passed through the night before. It’s perfect soccer weather and an ideal setting for the U.S. men’s national team to regroup for the first time after the 2026 World Cup.As staffers hustled to set up the first training session of the day, a collection of World Cup veterans and fresh-faced rookies walked onto the grass for rondos and a new start under head coach Mauricio Pochettino. The players laughed and bantered in between drills as they were watched closely by the Argentine’s staff members.A whistle is heard. “Let’s go boys. Right here. Quickly!” says assistant coach Jesús Pérez.After a World Cup in which the U.S. team impressed with slick play and an identifiable philosophy, the novelty of the U.S.-Pochettino marriage has worn off. The proof-of-concept phase has passed. The 54-year-old has signed on through 2030 to improve upon the foundation that was established over the summer. It’s not difficult to see why Pochettino extended his contract. The $250 million training facility still smells new. The resources at his disposal are plentiful.And now Pochettino is not only coaching the team, he is one of the principal architects of what will be an important period for the men’s program as a whole. There are the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 and a Copa América that same year that may yet be held in the U.S. and involve the USMNT. There are big goals ahead for Pochettino, provided he doesn’t leave for European club football beforehand. Pride and a typical Argentine competitive mentality could keep “Poch” in red, white and blue.
The U.S. had a dream start at the World Cup and a nightmare ending in the round of 16. A humbling 4-1 loss to Belgium in Seattle on July 6 extinguished what felt like an American soccer summer fantasy. Pochettino is now tasked with taking another step forward as an international manager and refreshing a side with plenty of room to grow.
The squad he announced for September and October friendlies against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada was highlighted by the inclusion of eight teenagers. The Philadelphia Union’s Cavan Sullivan, 16, is the player to watch. Sullivan arrives in top form after scoring six goals in his last eight MLS matches. Sullivan, who’s ticketed for Manchester City upon turning 18 (he’ll turn 17 next week), has added eight assists in that time and has established himself as the latest prospect to become an American soccer global star.
But hype and production don’t always go hand-in-hand. Sullivan has earned this call up, but delivering something of substance against senior internationals is a step he has not yet been given the opportunity to take. Sullivan is joined in this camp by Union teammate Neil Pierre, 18; Peyton Miller, 18 (New England Revolution); Justin Hall, 18, and Adri Mehmeti, 17 (Red Bull New York); Mathis Albert, 17 (Borussia Dortmund); Justin Ellis, 18 (Orlando City); and Zavier Gozo, 19 (Crystal Palace), as the kids in a group that also features players who have played at multiple World Cups. A bridge between them is U.S. men’s Olympic coach Steve Cherundolo, a three-time World Cup veteran who will be managing the U-23s through the Olympics. Such is the emphasis on that group that he is here assisting Pochettino and the senior team.It’s understandable if the youngsters are star struck at first.“I was a little nervous coming in here,” Pierre told reporters on Tuesday. “These players I have kind of watched growing up a little bit in the World Cup. I think the expectation they kind of gave me was to enjoy, compete and obviously it’s an honor to represent the crest.”A belonging to the badge.
To do that with longevity is the goal. Pierre, a towering young center back with good ball skills, may not be as high-profile a player as Sullivan, but he may be a big part of the future of a U.S. backline that needs better depth and was just dealt the news that German-American center back Noahkai Banks, 19, will be representing Germany internationally. Pierre is having a breakout year in MLS as a ball-playing defender with a nose for goal. He has four goals and an assist for the resurgent Union.“He’s a great player,” said veteran U.S. defender Miles Robinson. “Just to be here in the first place. But what I’ve seen so far he’s obviously strong, a big force. He’s calm on the ball, technical. Just to see him at 18 years old, in this camp, really proving himself day-by-day. It’s something to definitely admire and appreciate.”Robinson played the full 90 minutes in the U.S.’s 3-2 loss against Turkey in the final group stage match of the World Cup. In this camp, his 41 senior team appearances makes him among the most-capped players in the squad. Only Tyler Adams (58), Antonee Robinson (58) and Yunus Musah (45) have more than the FC Cincinnati center back.“I’ll do my best to try to lead all the boys in the right direction,” he said. Pierre, meanwhile, answered questions from reporters in a measured and surprisingly polished manner for a teenager. His objectives for this two-week international break are quite simple.“Just do well in the camp,” Pierre said. “Get to know everyone. I feel like that’s the most important thing. Get to know the staff well, get to know the players, and then just compete and do the best I can.”Pochettino recalled 12 players from the World Cup squad to balance the inexperience of the side, though Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun are not among them. Neither is World Cup captain and veteran center back Tim Ream, whose career will be recognized in his hometown of St. Louis when the U.S. plays there in its second match of the four-game window next Tuesday. Additionally, the friendlies the U.S. scheduled should provide his staff with valuable returns. Canada and Mexico are fierce Concacaf rivals, while Peru and Chile, two struggling South American teams, will have something to prove.
“It makes me feel a little bit old,” said 23-year-old playmaker Gio Reyna after a reporter called him a veteran. “But I’m looking forward to getting to know (the young players) better on and off the field. Just try to help them and show them what we’ve built and what we’re striving to build, showing them how we train, how we act on and off the pitch. Obviously all of them are very declarations and increased attention
The U.S., despite a historically successful World Cup, will always have critics to silence. Credibility on the international stage was raised and then shattered in one single tournament. That’s soccer at this level. Stardom and success can be transient. The next opportunity, albeit an exhibition, should not be taken lightly.“For us it’s about our individual performances,” said midfielder Sebastian Berhalter. “And making sure we’re keeping the standard and showing everyone around us what it means to be part of this country and what it takes to play for the badge.”Robinson was earnest when he was asked what being back with the national team meant for him.“There’s so much good (in our country), but there’s also so much bad,” he said frankly. “So we’re trying to represent the good and push forward.”Fans and pundits may dismiss the nature of the friendlies. There are no points at stake. The world isn’t watching the U.S. so closely anymore. But for these players, it’s a moment they cannot take for granted — the start of a long road to the 2030 World Cup and the chance to take what Pochettino has called a “fresh start” for everyone and turn it into something long-lasting.
“It’s always an honor,” Robinson said. “I think for me personally, it’s just about understanding what you’re really representing when you’re playing. And I think in this day and age, it can be tough sometimes, truly … it’s about what can I really represent when I’m wearing the badge? And I think that’s what I also want to instill in a lot of the young players.”Felipe Cardenas is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer in South America, North America and more.
The making of Cavan Sullivan: Soccer in diapers, an ‘F you’ mentality and a family obsession
By Henry Bushnell The Athletic Sept. 24, 2026 Updated 8:34 am EDT
Everyone has a Cavan Sullivan story. Some involve volleys in diapers or “outrageous” tricks, others bicycle kicks on the beach at age 6. The fables used to spread by word of mouth on the parched fields of Northeast Philadelphia. Now they’re sweeping through American soccer as Sullivan, 16, slices through MLS. They paint a portrait of a prodigy propelled by supernatural talent, one who’ll soon grace the U.S. men’s national team. And to some degree, the portrait is accurate. Sullivan could catch a football and strike a soccer ball with either foot at 18 months old.“Eighteen months,” repeats his father, Brendan, to emphasize the surreality. “It was almost like a Spider-Man moment.”“He couldn’t talk, he could barely walk, but he literally had a ball at his foot,” says Jack ONeill Jr., a family friend who remembers Cavan toddling around the sidelines of his older brother’s games. “He can’t feed himself, but he’s hitting it with his laces, toe tucked. Like, what the hell is going on?”
He made opposing coaches and observers gawk as he sped through the labyrinth of local soccer. Cloaked in baggy Adidas shorts and oversized shinguards, he won heated games with headers at age 5; diced 8-year-olds at 6; and won international tournaments aged 7. At 10, “the writing was on the wall,” Brendan says; so Cavan leapt into seventh grade at the Philadelphia Union’s academy-adjacent school, and accelerated in order to graduate before soccer took over.
This 16-year-old is American soccer’s next great hope
Henry Bushnell and Jeshua Kidd
At 14, he signed a pro contract and agreed to eventually join Manchester City. “I want to be the best ever,” he said. But even before that, cameras flocked to him and scouts raved. At 13, he bossed Arsenal’s U15s — and reprised Alex Morgan’s sipping-tea goal celebration. Then-Union coach Jim Curtin said at the time: “Cavan Sullivan has the ability to become, I’ll just say, a household name.”But not because of an omnipotent left foot. “He’s not this over-flying supertalent (or) wunderkind,” says Tobias Nubbemeyer, Cavan’s first U-17 coach in Philly. Current and former coaches gush about his burst and his reading of the game, but that isn’t why Cavan was, in the words of Union sporting director Jon Scheer, “the most dominant youth player I’ve ever seen.”
“What separates the good from the greats is a mentality,” says Tommy Wilson, the former Union academy director. “And he has a ‘f*** you’ mentality — excuse my French — that sometimes can be too much for his teammates. But he’s fearless.”
“His outstanding quality,” Union coach Ryan Richter recently said, “is his mentality. He’s not afraid of any moment.”Cavan — who still lives with his parents at a spacious house in Norristown, a Philly suburb — saw Richter’s quote and asked his mom, Heike, if she agreed.“Absolutely,” she told him.“That,” Heike says now, “is his superpower.” It’s a potent blend of confidence, drive, flare and, as ONeill says, “nastiness.”And its source, according to just about anyone who knows the Sullivans, is familial.
The Sullivan brothers with their parents, Heike and Brendan, in an old family photo; Cavan is on the upper rightCourtesy of the Sullivan family
A family’s ‘way of life’
The legend of Cavan, in many ways, begins with the legend of Larry Sullivan, the eldest of nine children reared by a proud Irish Catholic family in a North Philly enclave called Kensington. It was bustling with immigrants from Ireland, Poland, Italy and other soccer-loving countries. The entire family, Brendan Sullivan says, became “infected by” the sport.
Larry primarily played baseball. But after fighting in the Vietnam War and returning with wounded fingers, he dedicated his life to soccer and “got truly obsessed,” Brendan says. He coached high schools, colleges, select teams, amateur teams and his sons, all with similar tough love. Brendan, one of those sons, remembers “bathing in (soccer) every day.” He went on to play in college, at Columbia then Penn, where he met Heike Krippendorff, a captain of Penn’s women’s team. A few years later, they married — and kept playing.Brendan had stopped by the time they had their first son, Quinn, but Heike continued into her 30s. After stints on semi-pro teams, she played for the amateur United German Hungarians. Brendan would bring Quinn to her games, meet up with other husbands of players, “and we’re in the stands talking s***, razzing the girls,” he recalls with a chuckle. “And the babies are at our feet.”The babies, of course, were too young to actually watch or listen. “But,” Brendan says, “that’s the kind of osmosis that takes place.”
And that’s the environment into which Cavan was born in 2009, five-and-a-half years after Quinn and two years after twin brothers Declan and Ronan.Heike had stopped playing by then, but the sport, she notes, was ingrained as “a way of life.” Nearly every night after dinner, the four boys would migrate to their cramped living room and knock around a ball. Sometimes Brendan would sit on the floor and toss it to them. In one home video, down in their carpeted basement, Brendan urges a tiny, shirtless Cavan to “explod(e)” and “snap (at the ball) like a man, hard as you can!” When a smiling Cavan rockets the miniature ball, Brendan booms: “Yeahhh! YEAAAHH!”There were also mini goals, 2-v-2s and free play. There wasn’t much space at or near their modest home in Bridesburg, a mostly-working-class neighborhood in Philly’s River Wards; but there were always cousins or brothers with whom to compete.And when it came time for organized soccer, Brendan explains, “I just recruited dads who I knew would understand the nuttiness of how I would train a team.”By nuttiness, he means yelling, intensity. The dads, some of whom he’d known since childhood, “were all on board.” They formed the Lighthouse Brigade, featuring Ronan, Declan, Cavan and lots of winning.Opposing coaches would occasionally ask Brendan, bemused or appalled: “You allow all your parents to yell at their kids like that during the game?” Brendan would respond: “I expect them to yell at their kids.”“They were like 6, 7 (years old), to be clear,” Heike interjects.But to Brendan, as long as the parents were avoiding tactics and sticking to “Hustle!” or shouting encouragement, “they’re just teaching ’em the basic foundations.”“This,” he says of the fervor, “is excited, Northeast Philadelphia. You just are kinda born into it, and it’s all you know.”
A young Cavan Sullivan takes on a defender while playing for youth club in PennsylvaniaCourtesy of the Sullivan family
Eventually, the Sullivan boys transitioned to FC Delco, a longtime youth powerhouse. But family remained integral to their development. Cavan, for example, would send Brendan “scrolls and scrolls of videos” from practices or matches, asking Dad to help him analyze certain moments, always hungry for improvement. They would go to empty fields, set up cones, visualize movements and sharpen Cavan’s brain to seek out space in various situations.
On one blustery, bitterly-cold Sunday in 2018, everyone at the Union academy was off, so Scheer drove to the academy’s facility in suburban Wayne for a quick workout. He walked past deserted indoor fields, to the gym, no soccer in sight. Then he looked out the window. The gym overlooked a back field, and there, battling a biting wind, were Quinn, Declan, Ronan and 8-year-old Cavan, all dribbling, passing and shooting, honing their technique, guided by Brendan.“You could see the coaching there, and how much he demanded from them,” Scheer says of Brendan. “I’ll never forget that.”Scheer acknowledges that for some young children, the demands could be overbearing; but the Sullivans “just grew up in this scene where soccer was everything; and being competitive, and trying to win, was second nature.”“So,” he concludes, “I never had any concerns or doubts. Because when you talk to the kids, they’re just built differently.”
Early signs of stardom
When did Heike realize that Cavan, specifically, was “a little different”?On a car ride home from a game at age 5 or 6.
“Even though people tell you not to do this,” Heike notes, “we always talked about the game on the ride home.” (“Immediately,” Brendan adds.) And on one memorable trip, Cavan turned to Brendan and said, “Hey, Dad, did you see when I did that move in the corner?”Cavan went on to explain that he’d seen a Premier League player on TV do the exact same move in the same situation a few weeks earlier, and he’d been thinking about emulating it ever since.“His mind,” Heike says, “is always going.”
Most of the Cavan lore, then and now, centers on visible traits such as touch and quickness, because that’s what the untrained eye can see. It’s what an old Italian guy saw at Beach Blast, a massive sand soccer tournament on the Jersey Shore, when he pointed at young Cavan and exclaimed. It’s what New York Red Bulls youth coaches saw when Cavan, who typically played two years up, went to North Jersey with a Union juniors team in his actual age group circa 2019.In three games that weekend, he allegedly scored more than a dozen goals, and after the umpteenth — a clever flick over a helpless goalkeeper’s head — “I remember him jogging back, with his gold chain bouncing around,” says Richter, who coached that juniors team. “And the Red Bull coach is like, ‘Who is this kid?!’”
Cavan Sullivan and Lionel Messi pose together after a September 2026 MLS match. The two lead the league in goal contributions since the World CupMLS Photos / Imagn Images
In the Union academy, though, coaches came to admire the less visible traits, the “nuances.”
“He was seeing things (on the field) way before I would see them,” says former Union U-17 coach Peter McDonnell.
“His talent on the ball, and his aggressive nature, and being very ball-oriented, that came out right away,” says Scheer, who spent eight years in the academy before becoming sporting director. “But I started to take more appreciation for his learning ability and his game understanding and decision making.”
Some of it, of course, is innate, but much of it was nurtured. When the Sullivans watched top European soccer on TV, they zeroed in on players from whom the boys could learn. Cavan studied the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Lionel Messi.He also learned to critique himself. He’d trade clips and thoughts with academy coaches. He’d use unrepeatable “Philly words,” as McDonnell calls them, to review his own mistakes; then he’d vow to correct them.“He’s got a thirst for information,” Scheer says.And that thirst adds a layer to the prodigy’s portrait. It helps Sullivan unlock his physical gifts. It feeds into the mentality that distinguishes him.
‘The trick for us was not to blunt the edge’
The mentality, a hunger spiked with Northeast Philly edge and fortified by spunky confidence, is evident on any field Cavan touches.
It was evident early. Around age 4, ONeill says, he would play like “everyone is his enemy.” At 8, Richter says, “the parents of other kids would complain because he was so aggressive.”
And it stems in part from the Sullivan household. With full-time jobs to work (Heike as a lawyer, Brendan as a teacher) and four boys to corral, “you had to be cavalier, and let them fight — until a certain point,” Brendan says. So there were scraps, many scraps; and Cavan, the youngest, learned to stick up for himself.
The fight bled onto soccer fields. “He would square up to opponents that were twice as big as him,” McDonnell says. At one U-17 practice in early December 2023, during an 8-v-8 drill, Cavan and a Union teammate “just came together like two pieces of metal, sparking, and they grabbed each other by the necks,” McDonnell recalls. (Four days later, they were celebrating goals together.)
Coaches, for the most part, loved Cavan’s fire. But there were times when he crossed the proverbial line. He would go at teammates with the same directness that his dad normalized, and “sometimes, yes, he made destructive comments,” Nubbemeyer says. Coaches instructed him to mix in praise with the rebukes and demands, and Cavan took their advice in stride.They were careful, though, not to tame his inner dog.They’d “give him a little bit longer of a leash at times,” Scheer says, “because he is different.”“The trick for us,” Wilson says, “was not to blunt the edge, but just to put guardrails in, so that he could play with freedom (but avoid red cards).”The same delicate balance applies to his audacity on the ball, which could break open games but also irk teammates when leading to turnovers.It also applies to his aura, to all the attention he attracts. When he says he could’ve helped the USMNT against Belgium, or when he scripts a LeBron James chalk-toss celebration, or when he posts his own highlights on Instagram, some see arrogance or self-importance; others see confidence.
“And you don’t want to stymie that,” says Tom Heinemann, who coached Cavan with the U.S. U-15 national team. “Because that’s also what makes him special.It’s a self-belief, the type that doesn’t waver when he loses five 1-v-1s in a row. He demands the ball again — and again and again, until he beats his defender.“A bad moment, to him, isn’t one he loses confidence from for a month,” Richter says. “It doesn’t happen. He fights through it.”Earlier this season, when stuck on the Union bench, he did get frustrated. “It was a very tough time for him — a really tough time for him,” Heike says. But did it dent his confidence? “No,” Brendan says without hesitation. “He was more angry at the situation.”
So he worked, and worked, and learned what both parents call “an important lesson.” When opportunity finally knocked — when Richter stepped in for the fired Bradley Carnell and told Cavan: “Let’s go. You get your chance now. Take it.” — Cavan smiled and seized it. Since August, with six goals and eight assists, he has been the single most prolific attacker in MLS (ahead of Messi), a creative force, a grown version of the phenom that wowed Northeast Philly.
And he’s making good on his parents’ core command.
“We’ve always approached our kids with: you’ve gotta do the best you can do,” Heike says.
“You were given gifts,” Brendan explains. “Our only job, as parents, is to make sure you don’t waste those. The expectation is you’ll maximize that, whatever you do, whether it’s the cello or math class” — or soccer.
The Sullivan brothers — Cavan, Quinn, Ronan and Declan — through the yearsPhotos courtesy of the Sullivan family
Brotherly love
After two decades of “organized chaos,” the Sullivan nest is empty this week. Quinn, the Union’s 2025 player of the year at age 21, recently moved out. The twins are freshmen at St. Joseph’s University in Philly. And Cavan is in Fayetteville, Ga., at his first USMNT camp, as the face of the program’s “fresh start.”
They are, as Heike says, “at all different levels” of soccer. And they might someday be in four different locations. But “the brothers have a bond,” as Brendan says, that probably won’t ever be broken — and that forged their soccer talent as much as soccer forged it.
It formed first in the Bridesburg basement and at fields throughout greater Philadelphia.
It strengthened on road trips with FC Delco, and later at YSC Academy, the Union-run school where Brendan teaches and all four brothers learned.
It crystallized in Ocean City, N.J., where the family spent chunks of each July, the one place “where soccer is not the primary focus,” Brendan says.
They’d still train every day on those long weekends down the shore, often for multiple hours, the parents clarify. But, free from the rigors and pressures of school and their clubs, “summers at the shore were a moment to be kids,” Heike says.
The boys would cram into a single room, sleeping four across a queen bed when they were young. Quinn would venture out with friends and let his brothers tag along — even “when they were little dorks,” Brendan says. The twins and Cavan, Brendan adds, came to see Quinn as something of a “big brother dad.” Both parents agree: Quinn was the “perfect first child.”
But, of course, he was also a competitor.
When the family moved to Norristown, competition overtook their new backyard. They got a Teqball table, as a gift, to go with a full-size goal and other contraptions. The boys would play 2-v-2 in their boots, so often during COVID-19 lockdowns that they chewed green grass into brown dirt.
Nowadays, the grass is green again. When Cavan leaves the Union facility and returns home for the day, there are no brothers with whom to play. High school is done; online college hasn’t yet started. “He’s probably bored,” Brendan says — though he does have Mom, Dad and two Great Danes.And a ball.Naturally, soccer still fills some voids.A couple weeks ago, Cavan and Brendan were playing in the house and broke something.Heike snapped: “Enough with the ball!” But Cavan recalled a fruitful promise.“Mom,” he reminded her, “you said that you’d never yell at us for playing with the ball in the house.”
And he was right. “She,” Brendan says of Heike, “got busted.”Henry Bushnell is a senior writer for The Athletic covering soccer. He previously covered a variety of sports and events, including World Cups and Olympics, for Yahoo Sports. He is based in Washington, D.C.
NWSL Has added Roku Channel as a Partner to replace Victory+. Many Sunday night games including the Seattle Reign vs Houston Dash this Sunday at 7 pm. Two-time World Cup Champion with the USWNT and nutmeg queen Tobin Heath (Tobinyo) officially retired from pro soccer after signing a one-day contract with the Portland Thorns, and the club celebrated her legendary career last Saturday. Still the most skilled ballhandler the US has ever had. No. 1 Gotham has the Shield in its sights and they host #3 Portland in this weekend’s toughest NWSL clash. Gotham sits atop the NWSL table on a nine-game unbeaten streak, while the Thorns are carrying their own three-game winning streak bolstered by Sophia Wilson and Pietra Tordin, Portland ranks third in goals scored — but will meet its match in the Bats’ league-best defense.
Germany Starts league play this weekend and of course Bayern Munich will win the league (Again) – I think Dortmund will hold second while Beyer Leverkusen with American Malick Tilman, and RB Leipzig will battle it out for 3rd. The biggest change will be watching the games on Fandango in English and Peacock in Spanish as ESPN+ lost the contract. Stinks! (Full Preview Below).
Over the weekend, The Guardian reported that UEFA and Concacaf had begun discussing a combined Nations League tournament. A 96-team biennial tournament could launch as early as 2028 after the Euro’s. That might allow the US, Canada & Mexico play European teams in a Nations League setting. A baby got loose on the field
Indianapolis – Indy Eleven midfielder Jack Blake scored his 45th USL Championship goal to give the Boys in Blue a 2-1 victory over Eastern Conference rival Louisville City FC in front of 9,542 fans at Carroll Stadium. Boys in Blue goalkeeper Eric Dick (CDC, Carmel High) matched his season high with seven saves to increase his career total to 307 in USL-C regular-season play, good for 18th on the league all-time list. Indy Eleven takes its two-game winning streak to Phoenix Rising FC on Sat. August 29 at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The next home game for the Boys in Blue is “Oktoberfest” on Saturday, September 5 at 7 p.m. vs. Birmingham Legion FC. Indy Eleven will wear special Oktoberfest warm-up jerseys. Discounted tickets starting at $14 are available online and fans can add on an Oktoberfest knit scarf at checkout for $20. The Family Four-Pack is available for all 2026 home games and can be purchased online only. Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area.
MLS teams blasted out of Leagues Cup
The Leagues Cup 2026 semi-final field is set after all 4 of the MLS teams lost to the Liga MX teams in the quarterfinals. This will be the first time no MLS team is in the Final 4 in the tourney history. Seattle won the Cup in 2025.
High School Wrap –
Boys defending State Champs Carmel High are off to rough starting having lost to Lawrence Central and tied Ben Davis & Cathedral so far. They host Brebeuf Tues & travel to Fishers Thurs. The 3rd ranked Carmel High Girls are off to a great start at 3-0 with zero goals given up by star Sophomore GK Gwyneth Provost. They host the Carmel Invite at Murray Stadium Sat vs Cathedral & Mishawaka before traveling to Pike Tues & Guerin (Thurs). Full rankings below.
Fri, Aug 28 2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Musah, Pulisic) vs Venezia (Busio) 2:45 pm beIN Sp Lille vs PSG 3 pm Para+ Birmingham City vs Wrexham 3 pm USA Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Man City 8 pm Prime Gotham FC (Lavelle) vs Portland Thorns (Wilson, Moultrie) Sat, Aug 29 7;30 am USA Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest 7:30 am Para+ Middlesbrough (3 americans) vs West Bromwich Albion 9:30 am peacock/Fandango Elversburg vs Bayer Leverkusen 9:30 am Peacock/Fan RB Leipzig vs Borussia M’Gladbach 9:30 am Peacock/Fan Union Berlin vs Frankfurt 10 am USA Everton vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 10 am NBCSN Bournmouth (Adams) vs Everton 10 am Para+ Wrexham vs Watford 12:30 pm NBC Tottenhamvs Newcastle United 12:30 pm USA Dortmund vs Hamburger 12:30 pm CBSSN Fiorentina vs Frosinone Italy 2:45 pm telemundo/Peacock Juventus (McKinney) vs Parma 3:30 pm ESPN+ Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid 4:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs Chicago Fire 6:30 pm Ion KC Current vs NC Courage NWSL 7:30 pm Apple NY Red Bulls vs Philly Union (Sullivan) 7:30 pm Apple Cincy vs Nashville SC 7:30 pm Apple NY Red Bulls vs Chicago Fire 7:30 pm Apple NE vs Columbus Crew 8:45 pm Ion Denver (Leaps) vs Chicago Stars NWSL 9:30 pm Apple Colorado Rapids vs Salt Lake City 10:30 pm Apple Portland vs Austin 10 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ San Antonio Sun, Aug 30 9 am NBCSN Chelsea vs Brighton 9 am USA Leads (Aaronson) vs Brentford 9 am Peacock Sunderland vs Fulham (Robinson) 11 am ESPND+ Real MAdrid vs Malaga 11:30 am USA Man United vs Ipswich Town 11:30 am Ausburg vs Schalke 12:30 pm CBSSN Napoli vs Como Italy 4 pm ESPN2 Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Bay FC 2:45 pm Para+ Lazio vs Genoa 2:45 pm beIN Monaco vs Mareseille (Weah) 4 pm ESPN2 Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Bay FC 4:30 pm Apple New England vs NYCFC 6 pm CBSSN Bay FC vs Houston Dash 7 pm Apple St Louis vs Dallas MLS 7 pm Roku Seattle Reign vs Houston Dash NWSL Mon, Aug 31 12:30 pm Para+ Lecce vs Roma 3 pm USA Aston Villa vs Arsenal 3:30 pm ESPND+ Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano 8 pm CBSSN Boston Legacy vs Angel City (Thompson) NWSL
Sat, Sept 26 4:30 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Peru Orlando Tues, Sept 29 8 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Chile St Louis Sat, Oct 3 8 pm?? TNT/HBO USMNT vs Mexico Glendale Tues, Oct 6 8 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Canada Minn Sat, Oct 10 8 pm TNT. HBO USWNT vs Spain DC Tues, Oct 13 7 pm TNT, HBO USWNT vs Spain Philly
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach Shane Best sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
Interested in advertising in TheOleBallcoach? Learn More shanebestsoccer@gmail.com
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Full send
The Bundesliga is back, with some changes — by jcksnftsn Aug 28, 2026, 12:53 PM EDT
The Bundesliga joins the fray this weekend so there is a full slate and it starts with a bang on Friday with two good matches for USMNT eager fans, and the potential for a sighting in Spain as well. The restart of the Bundesliga also brings a major change to viewing habits, with those matches shifting from the ESPN platform to a combination of Peacock (for Spanish language broadcasts) and Fandango which is apparently being offered in English for free in many cases. No longer behind the ESPN paywall the Bundesliga matches should be more accessible but perhaps a little harder to find, this is going to take some getting used to. Regardless, it’s a very full weekend of action and here’s what we’re watching:
Friday
AC Milan v Venezia — 2:45p on Paramount+: Start off the weekend with some American on American action in Italy on Friday afternoon as a pair of American’s in Milan host Venezia and Gianluca Bussio. Christian Pulisic did not make it off the bench last weekend as he continues to recover from his injury sustained during the World Cup but Yunus Musah started and went 90’ as he is apparently rebounding quickly at Milan after a rough 2025-26 season for the young midfielder. AC Milan opened their season with a 2-1 win over Torino and will now face Venezia and Busio who fell 2-0 to Lecce in their return to Serie A. Busio played the full 90 and captained the Venezia squad.
Crystal Palace v Manchester City — 3p on USA Network: Chris Richards went 90’ last Saturday as Crystal Palace fell to Everton 2-0. Zavier Gozo was not included in the squad and instead played with the Palace U21’s as he acclimates to the new club. Their opponent, Manchester City, opened with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth.
Alaves v Villarreal — 3:30p on ESPN+: Alex Freeman has had a meteoric rise with the USMNT but is still looking to make his breakthrough at Villarreal. The young right-back was an unused substitute for Villarreal last weekend as they drew with Atletico Madrid 2-2, after seeing just two minutes in the teams opening draw with Racing.
Saturday
Middlesbrough v West Brom — 7:30a on Paramount+: The Boro boys keep growing as Rokas Pukstas has joined Aidan Morris, Max Arfsten, and Sebastian Berhalter in the Championship. The group fell 2-1 to Blackburn last weekend with Morris, Berhalter, and Arfsten all starting though they did bounce back midweek in EFL Cup action with a 3-1 win over third tier side Doncaster.
RB Leipzig v Borussia Mönchengladbach — 9:30a on Peacock and Fandango: Joe Scally is apparently on the outs at Borussia Monchengladbach as he’s been instructed by the club to find a new home. Given the current state it seems pretty unlikely that Scally will see the field for Gladbach on Saturday, the end of an era.
Elversberg v Bayer Leverkusen — 9:30a on Peacock and Fandango: Malik Tillman and Bayer Leverkusen will start their Bundesliga campaign against newly promoted Elversberg on Saturday morning. Tillman did play 90’ last weekend in Leverkusen’s 4-0 win over Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of dfb Pokal action. Cole Campbell transferred to Elversberg over the summer and played 90’ in the team’s Pokal win over MSV Duisburg last weekend.
Bournemouth v Everton — 10:00a on Peacock: There have been some rumors quietly swirling around a possible Tyler Adams move ahead of the transfer window closing on Tuesday and he came off the bench to play 15’ in Bournemouth’s 2-1 loss to Man City. Bournemouth had take a first half lead and both goals came after Adams had taken the field which isn’t a great look. The team will look to rebound on Saturday when they face an Everton side that started their season with a win.
Celtic v Falkirk — 10:00a on Paramount+: Auston Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers were unfortunately both part of Celtic’s awful collapse against George Bello and LASK in Champions League qualifying midweek. Celtic had scored twenty minutes in to go up 4-0 on aggregate in the home-and-away fixture but proceeded to give up five unanswered goals and crash out of the competition. They will look to rebound this weekend in Scottish league play as they host Falkirk.
Strasbourg v Lens — 11:15a on beIN SPORTS: Gio Reyna saw 21’ off the bench in his first competitive match with Strasbourg, a 4-0 loss to Tim Weah captained Marseille. Strasbourg was already down 2-0 when Reyna was introduced but he was unable to turn the tide. The team will have their home opener this weekend as they host as Lens side that opened with a 5-2 win over Auxerre.
Brest v Toulouse — 2:45p on beIN SPORTS: Mark McKenzie will remain with Toulouse until the January transfer window and was in the starting lineup and playing 90’ last weekend against Lyon. Toulouse will travel to Brest this weekend.
Lyon v Le Havre — 2:45p on beIN SPORTS: Tanner Tessmann may be on the move from Lyon as there have been some rumors of the team cashing in amidst financial struggles that were exacerbated when the team failed to qualify for Champions League, falling 2-1 at home to Fenerbahce. Tessmann started the match and was subbed out midway through the second half with his team looking for an equalizer. Tessmann only played 10’ in last weekend’s win over Toulouse as the team rotated heavily to prepare for the midweek match with Fenerbahce.
Juventus v Parma — 2:45p on Paramount+: Weston McKennie started and went 90’ in Juve’s 1-0 win over Frosinone but has been ruled out this weekend with fatigue and won’t be on the field for his teams home opener.
Sevilla v Atlético Madrid — 3:30p on ESPN+: Johnny Cardoso has been on the bench for Atletico Madrid’s first two matches of the season, a 2-0 win over Malaga and a 2-2 draw with Villarreal. Atleti hit the road for the first time this season, travelling to take on a Sevilla side that have won their first two matches of the season.
Seattle Sounders v Chicago Fire — 4:30p on Apple TV: Cristian Roldan, Chris Brady
New York Red Bulls v Philadelphia Union — 7:30p on Apple TV: Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti, Ethan Horvath, Quinn and Cavan Sullivan
Toronto FC v NYCFC — 7:30p on Apple TV: Matt Freese
Charlotte FC v Atlanta United — 7:30p on Apple TV: Tim Ream
Nashville SC v FC Cincinnati — 8:30p on Apple TV: Roman Celentano
Colorado Rapids v Real Salt Lake — 9:30p on Apple TV: Diego Luna
MLS Season
Seattle Sounders v Chicago Fire — 4:30p on Apple TV: Cristian Roldan, Chris Brady
New York Red Bulls v Philadelphia Union — 7:30p on Apple TV: Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti, and Ethan Horvath for NYRB, Quinn and Cavan Sullivan for Philadelphia.
Toronto FC v NYCFC — 7:30p on Apple TV: Matt Freese
Charlotte FC v Atlanta United — 7:30p on Apple TV: Tim Ream
Nashville SC v FC Cincinnati — 8:30p on Apple TV: Roman Celentano and Miles Robinson
Colorado Rapids v Real Salt Lake — 9:30p on Apple TV: Diego Luna
Sunday
PSV v Utrecht — 6:15a on ESPN+: Ricardo Pepi and Sergiño Dest both scored last weekend in PSV’s 5-1 win over FC Groningen. This weekend they will host Utrecht where Kevin Paredes is apparently yet again dealing with significant injury concerns after coming off with a leg injury against Sparta Rotterdam last weekend.
Leeds United v Brentford — 9:00a on USA Network/Telemundo: Brenden Aaronson saw 23’ off the bench in Leeds 2-0 EFL Cup win over Nottingham Forest midweek and started against the same Forest team last weekend as Leeds opened their EPL season with a 1-0 win.
Sunderland v Fulham — 9:00a on Peacock: Antonee Robinson started Fulham’s EPL opener on Monday, a 3-2 home loss to Chelsea but was not included in the midweek squad as the team defeated AFC Wimbledon 3-0 in EFL Cup action. The team will travel to newly promoted Sunderland on Sunday.
Rennes v Le Mans — 11:15a on beIN SPORTS: Bryan Reynolds moved from Westerlo to Stade Rennais this summer and Reynolds saw 2’ off the bench in the teams opening match, a 2-2 draw with PSG. Rennes will now host newly promoted Le Mans who opened their season with 2-2 draw with Brest.
Augsburg v Schalke — 11:30a on Fandango: Noahkai Banks started and went 90’ in Augsburg’s 2-0 Pokal win over Energie Cottbus. Banks saw over 1,700 minutes in the Bundesliga last season as a 19-year-old centerback but appeared just once in the teams last eight matches. The team will open their Bundesliga season by hosting Schalke who have spent the last three seasons in 2 Bundesliga.
Monaco v Marseille — 2:45p on beIN SPORTS: Folarin Balogun is also a name to watch in the transfer rumors and he has not appeared in any of Monaco’s first three matches (across all competitions) to start the season. Unfortunately, that will probably deprive USMTN fans of another opportunity to watch American’s face off head-to-head as Monaco are hosting Tim Weah and Marseille on Sunday afternoon.
MLS Season Pass Matches:
Columbus Crew v New England Revolution — 4:30p on Apple TV: Patrick Schulte v Matt Turner
NWSL
NWSL Has added Roku Channel as a Partner to replace Victory+. Many Sunday night games including the Seattle Reign vs Houston Dash this Sunday at 7 pm. Two-time World Cup Champion with the USWNT and nutmeg queen Tobin Heath (Tobinyo) officially retired from pro soccer after signing a one-day contract with the Portland Thorns, and the club celebrated her legendary career last Saturday. Still the most skilled ballhandler the US has ever had. highlights
Chicago, Real Salt Lake & Columbus all lost this week as La Liga teams dominated the Leagues Cup. Several of MLS’s top young talents will step into the spotlight at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday night as Red Bull New York host their I-95 rivals the Philadelphia Union, headlined by rising homegrown stars Cavan Sullivan, Neil Pierre, Julian Hall and Adri Mehmeti (7:30 pm ET | Apple TV).
The Legacy has found a home, as Boston’s NWSL club announced it will play all 2027 home matches at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Ongoing delays have derailed a permanent move to Boston’s White Stadium, with the expansion team now targeting a 2028 debut.“We are deeply grateful to our fans, partners, the City of Boston, and Boston Public Schools for believing in this vision and helping us move it forward,” Legacy controlling owner Jennifer Epstein said. (See full release)
Goalkeeping
US GK Battle – Columbus Crew v New England Revolution — 4:30p on Apple TV: Patrick Schulte v Matt Turner
Rahsaan & Matthew surviving the Thunderstorms & a 2 hr delay at Park Tudor Wednesday night. Courtney took care of us. Fun Reffing at University High with Chris Roussel & fellow Gator Robert Hart Mon
Caught World Cup fever? Here’s how to follow USMNT stars’ club careers
Cesar HernandezAug 20, 2026, 07:06 AM ET
Did you catch soccer fever over the summer and want to know what’s next for American stars after the FIFA World Cup?With international duties now behind them, many of the top names from the U.S. men’s national team will now set their sights on a new challenge: the 2026-27 club season. Settled among the top leagues in Europe, a growing list of Americans will continue to develop and fine tune their skills within the rosters of elite clubs from abroad. And with more and more names making the move to Europe, tracking them all can at times feel, well, overwhelming for even die-hard supporters of the beautiful game. With that in mind, we’ve got you covered with ESPN’s guide to following USMNT stars in their 2026-27 club seasons.
Of course, tracking every American in the top European leagues would be far too long of a list, so to keep things simple, we’ve narrowed it down to 10 noteworthy players that we believe you should be following. In no particular order, let’s dive in.
It was fair-to-middling. Amid flashes of brilliance, he also failed to provide consistent performances, while dealing with injuries. Tasked with taking charge of the attack through the left flank, but providing no goals and one assist, Pulisic himself admitted feeling “disappointed” after the round-of-16 exit.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
Whether he’s an attacking midfielder, winger or a wide forward, Pulisic provides plenty of work in the opposition’s half. As a chance creator and goal scorer, the 27-year-old relies on his dribbling, pace and vision to provide game-changing moments. At his best, he is capable of being one of the top players for his club and one of the standouts in Serie A.
What to know about his club
Pedigree and status comes to mind when thinking about the 126-year-old club with 19 Serie A titles and seven European Cup/Champions League trophies. Despite the fact that they’re in a transitional era with new coach Ruben Amorim, expectations will remain high as they chase a spot in Italy’s top four, which would secure a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League. Deep runs in both the Coppa Italia and UEFA Europa League will also be expected.
One big question: Will Pulisic stay fit?
He doesn’t have the best record when it comes to staying healthy. Last season, Pulisic missed seven matches through injury, which limited him to just 1,609 minutes — down roughly a third compared to his previous two seasons in Italy. At the World Cup, the injury setbacks continued, leading to him being a doubt for Sunday’s season opener at Torino. Pulisic has the tools to shine, but that’s all dependent on how much time he spends on the pitch.
Where can you watch him play?
Serie A: CBS, Paramount+ UEFA Europa League: CBS, Paramount+ Coppa Italia: CBS, Paramount+
If we’re avoiding the elephant in the room of what happened off the field that was out of his control, Balogun had a successful run in the World Cup. Very few complaints about the striker, who stepped up with three goals across four appearances. A constant threat in the attack, he did earn a red card that initially left him off the U.S.’s final game, although it’s debatable whether that was the correct decision from the referee.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
You’ll see similar performances at club level to the ones we watched over the summer. Much more than just a goal scorer, the 25-year-old is clever with his sprints and connects well with the rest of the front line. And as seen with the USMNT, he’s also a clinical finisher. Last season he averaged a goal every 75 minutes, scoring 13 times.
What to know about his club
It’s a rebuild/redemption season for Monaco with new manager Filipe Luís leading a side that had an underwhelming finish in 2025-26. Looking at a team that gave up 54 goals across 34 games, Filipe Luís will first have to fix defensive issues that hampered progress. That said, we’ll see how many key players they hold onto in the transfer window.
One big question: Will he stay at Monaco?
Of the players who are potentially on the move this transfer window, none may be as important to Monaco than Balogun. Thanks to a positive World Cup and 2025-26 season, there’s been interest from clubs in France, England and Spain, with Tottenham Hotspurmooted as a possible landing spot.
With five World Cup starts under his belt this summer, there’s no denying that McKennie is one of the more pivotal pieces of the USMNT puzzle. Like most others on this list, he’ll get docked points for his performance against Belgium, but the midfielder thrived with his chance creation and endless roaming.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
Where doesn’t he? Able to play as a competent wingback, anywhere in the midfield, and even as a false nine if needed, Juventus have plugged McKennie into countless positions. Well rounded and with excellent stamina, he’ll be a valuable utility option in the starting XI.
What to know about his club
As the most successful side in Italy, becoming a title contender once again will be the bare minimum for the team that finished in sixth last season. Like Milan, there will also be an expectation to make deep runs in both the Europa League and Coppa Italia. A handful of reinforcements, such as the return of Randal Kolo Muani, could help.
One big question: Where will he play most often?
This is less of a worry and more genuine curiosity about the player who would start as a false nine at the top of the attack one game, move to fullback in the next, and would then switch to a midfield spot in the heart of the XI. Keep an eye on the highly versatile player.
Where can you watch him play?
Serie A: CBS, Paramount+ UEFA Europa League: CBS, Paramount+ Coppa Italia: CBS, Paramount+
With the caveat that he went into the summer as something of a surprise roster addition due to having very few starts at club level, the World Cup was a small step forward. He got a goal in the opener and earned 76 minutes vs. Türkiye, which marks the most he has played in any match in all of 2026 for club or country.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
Transferred to Strasbourg this summer, we’ll have to wait and see what his exact role will be, although he played 45 minutes of a friendly vs. Newcastle United in an advanced role. The good news for the attacking midfielder? He earned an assist for the equalizer in the 1-1 draw.
What to know about his club
Much like sister club Chelsea under the BlueCo umbrella, Strasbourg aim to qualify for European competition with a very young roster. In the match against Newcastle, for example, the average age of the starting XI was 22.5. Reyna, 23, fits neatly into this youthful focus.
One big question: Can he finally become a starter for his club?
Once viewed as the most promising American player of his generation, Reyna’s stock has plummeted in recent years after being unable to cement a starting role. Looking at his last two seasons in the Bundesliga, the midfielder had just seven starts.
Defensive solidity? Check. Crucial distributor from the back? Check. Excellent in the air? Check that one off as well. A positive World Cup run for the Alabama native who once again highlighted why he’s the top central defender in the program.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
Playing in the center of a three-man back line or just off to the right, Richards shares similar responsibilities at club level when it comes to his accurate distribution going forward. He’s just as much of a rock when it comes to his defensive interventions, and can also occasionally push forward to help cover the midfield.
What to know about his club
Building off their historic Conference League title last season, Crystal Palace will aim for midtable stability in the Premier League in 2026-17 while also finding a way to make some noise in the Europa League. Whether they can do so will come down to new coach Pierre Sage.
One big question: Can he level up once again?
Moving to the Premier League has done wonders for the player who has risen to be the top central defender in the American player pool, but can he reach another gear? Only 26, he could add to his game even further if he can improve some of his defensive awareness and long passes.
Where can you watch him play?
Premier League: NBC, USA, Peacock FA Cup: ESPN Carabao Cup: CBS, Paramount+ UEFA Europa League: CBS, Paramount+
From the U.S. roster, Freeman was the breakout star. Playing as a right back and right-sided central defender, the 22-year-old from Florida rose to the occasion with a goal, an assist and a long list of interventions in the backline.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
With Villarreal, the Orlando City academy graduate is still a substitute option at right back. Arriving in Spain in January, and still playing in MLS‘ reserve league just two seasons ago, fans might have to be patient when it comes to him earning a starting role in one the best leagues in the world.
What to know about his club
After lifting their expectations last season with a third-place finish, there’s a lot of intrigue and excitement about what Villarreal can do in both LaLiga and also the Champions League. Leading them on the sidelines will be new coach Iñigo Pérez, who could implement a more aggressive style of play.
One big question: Will his development continue at breakneck speed?
It’s worth reiterating just how quickly Freeman has gone from MLS academy prospect to World Cup starter. Two years ago, he was still earning minutes in MLS’ reserve league and was nowhere on the USMNT radar. Within a matter of months he then became one of the best players in MLS, a go-to call-up for the USMNT and now a LaLiga player. Perhaps that starting role with Villarreal won’t be too far out of reach.
A solid run for the central midfielder who contributed to both the defense and attack with his coverage in the center of the pitch and his distribution. Few players in the USMNT roster can match his elite combo of aggression and stamina.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
Playing as a defensive midfielder for club and country, there aren’t any major differences between the way that Adams performs his duty with the USMNT and Bournemouth. Nonetheless, while he is used as an additional defensive shield within the USMNT midfield, Adams has been known to move into higher areas for Bournemouth in order to win back the ball.
What to know about his club
With an impressive sixth-place finish last season, Bournemouth qualified for a European competition for the first time in their history. The goal in 2026-27 will be to maintain at least a midtable position in the Premier League, while also looking competitive in their Europa League debut. Part of their evolution means adapting to new coach Marco Rose, and some upgrades to their stadium.
One big question: Can he avoid another major injury?
Whether Adams can stay fit for a full season is another worry for USMNT fans. Over the last few years, issues ranging from a hamstring problem, back ailment and sprained left MCL have hindered regular playing time and caused him to sit out for stretches of time. We’ll see if he can avoid another significant knock in 2026-27.
Where can you watch him play?
Premier League: NBC, USA, Peacock FA Cup: ESPN Carabao Cup: CBS, Paramount+ UEFA Europa League: CBS, Paramount+
A hit-or-miss tournament for the player who oscillated between a winger with defensive duties and a fullback with winger tendencies. Perfectly illustrated in the knockout round, he stepped up in the USMNT’s round-of-32 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina, but was then substituted out at halftime in the next match vs Belgium.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
It isn’t as a winger, but considering how far up Dest plays as fullback for PSV, he’s someone who takes up much of the attacking space on the flanks (typically on the right) whenever he’s on the field. It’s entertaining yet chaotic with how he plays, and it also leads to some jeopardy with the space he leaves open behind.
What to know about his club
Second all time in Eredivisie championships and with three consecutive league titles in hand, another domestic trophy is anticipated in 2026-27 for Dest and fellow American Ricardo Pepi at PSV. The USMNT duo will also be expected to make a splash in the Champions League, but a title chase there is far too difficult.
One big question: Can he refine his defensive game?
At the peak of his abilities, Dest, 25, is a captivating watch with his daring runs and risky sprints forward, but there’s a reason as to why Barcelona moved on and he didn’t stick at AC Milan. His defensive decision-making and scanning leave much to be desired, and if he wants to hold his starting spot with the national team, he needs to improve his backline work.
Where can you watch him play?
Eredivisie: ESPN KNVB Cup: ESPN UEFA Champions League: CBS, Paramount+
A decent yet not remarkable showing at the World Cup. As the go-to left back, he was imposing against Australia and made his mark in the knockout match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, but also wasn’t as impactful as he should have been against Belgium. Didn’t lose his starting role, but it’s not guaranteed going forward.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
Now a well-established member of the Fulham squad, Robinson should hold onto his spot as the high-flying accelerator on the left flank that can provide some whipped crosses and combative efforts in defense. At 29, he’s likely already fulfilled his potential, and with his history of injury issues, he may have hit his ceiling.
What to know about his club
Can new coach Álvaro Arbeloa take Fulham from midtable regulars to fighting for spots in European competitions? Assuming that they won’t be fighting for the league title, supporters will be more eager to watch Fulham stepping up in domestic competitions like the FA Cup and EFL Cup.
One big question: Will he ever get a big transfer?
Manchester United are reportedly considering a move, and in the past, Liverpool, among others, have had an interest in the pacy fullback. With Fulham since 2020, and now almost 30 years old, it feels as if he were to make a leap to a bigger club, it would be in the near future.
Where can you watch him play?
Premier League: NBC, USA, Peacock FA Cup: ESPN Carabao Cup: CBS, Paramount+
Tillman earned not just one, but two, highlight-reel moments with a couple of free-kick goals in the knockout round. The 24-year-old also provided an assist in the tournament opener vs. Paraguay. Scrappy with winning the ball back but also creative with his chance creation, the attacking midfielder had a commendable World Cup run.
How does he fit into his club’s setup?
He might be asking himself the same thing after drifting in and out of the starting XI in 2025-26. Following his notable appearances at the World Cup, he’ll hope to gain a boost in the start to the new season and to settle himself into the XI.
What to know about his club
After a historic Bundesliga title in the 2023-24 season, Bayer Leverkusen have slowly slumped down the standings and fell to sixth in 2025-26. With Carles Martínez Novell as the new coach, the club will aim to move back into the title-contender conversation and to also make deep runs in the DFB-Pokal and Europa League.
One big question: Will Tillman remain in Leverkusen?
As mentioned earlier, Tillman wasn’t able to establish a starting role with Leverkusen, leading to comments from the player that have noted that he’s open to a move. If he’s not immediately utilized in the first couple of games, don’t be surprised if he’s transferred this summer.
Where can you watch him play?
Bundesliga: USA, Fandango DFB-Pokal: TBC UEFA Europa League: CBS, Paramount+
U.S. Soccer nears takeover of U.S. Youth Soccer. This is what it means for the sport’s future
U.S. Soccer is nearing a takeover of the U.S. Youth Soccer Association, a move that some view as a significant step toward reform across the sport’s American landscape.
At a momentous meeting Saturday in Dallas, members of USYS, the largest youth sports organization in the United States, will vote on a bylaw amendment that would essentially hand control of their organization over to the U.S. Soccer Federation. A dozen people close to the matter, including several members who will vote, told The Athletic over the past two weeks that they expect the amendment to pass comfortably.
It will not unwind the “pay-to-play” model, nor will this alone make soccer significantly cheaper, multiple sources cautioned — but many believe it will improve grassroots soccer and empower U.S. Soccer to push further changes. (Most sources spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the reform process publicly.)
USYS, a 52-year-old national association, boasts 2.5 million registered players and 54 individual state associations. Collectively, they govern large swaths of recreational youth soccer across the country. Over the past two decades, as the youth sports industry boomed, they lost hundreds of thousands of teenagers to US Club Soccer and competitive national leagues. But for many young kids — and still for some teens — USYS-affiliated clubs, leagues and programs are gateways to the game.
Much of that programming is administered by the state associations. They are the ones who will vote on Saturday to eventually dissolve the national association and work directly with U.S. Soccer. U.S. Soccer has told the state associations that it plans to empower them as “local arms” of a coordinated strategy, but the specifics of that strategy and the so-called “future state” of youth soccer in America remain unclear.
So, although the vote feels consequential, the consequences are murky. And they’ll depend on what comes next.
Why is this happening?
For most of its 113-year history, the U.S. Soccer Federation largely ignored youth soccer. In the 1960s and ’70s, separate organizations, such as USYS, sprang up to govern clubs and leagues for children. The federation mostly let them run themselves — and allowed any entrepreneurial challenger to compete with them.
Advertisement
The result was a “fractured” or “fragmented” landscape that confuses parents, exacerbates costs, hinders player development, and stunts the growth of the sport.
So, a few years ago, U.S. Soccer decided it was time for change.
The federation launched an “ecosystem review” in 2023, hired more staff to build relationships with youth soccer leaders, and spent months simply trying to understand the landscape. After analyzing it, state associations were identified as important, well-meaning organizations that served localized soccer, but with two core problems.
First, they didn’t serve all soccer. Because of their affiliation with USYS, they’d been dragged into competition with US Club and other organizations. They therefore spent time and resources trying to keep players within the USYS orbit — because player registration fees are central to their business models — rather than spending that time and those resources working with, say, local governments to build fields or get soccer programming into underserved communities. (They do some of that, but they could do more.)
Second, some (not all) were inefficient and struggling financially.
The solution to both, U.S. Soccer decided, was to eliminate USYS and create a direct line to the state associations. They will essentially be repurposed, and perhaps restructured, as local executors of U.S. Soccer’s broader vision for growing the game. And with the federation in control, there could be a centralized player registration system that gives U.S. Soccer better access to millions of boys and girls who play the sport.
Will this make soccer less expensive?
In theory, the new structure could make soccer somewhat more accessible at grassroots levels if U.S. Soccer supports the state associations. It could do this by streamlining administrative tasks (thereby lowering expenses or allowing the state associations to coordinate more low-cost programming) or by providing direct financial support — perhaps via sponsors and philanthropists who can now reach all 50 states with a single donation.ut the truly prohibitive costs hit families in the pre-teen and teen years, and this takeover won’t make it much more affordable for them.
At those “competitive” and “pre-professional” levels — as U.S. Soccer defines them — there is a dizzying web of clubs and leagues that, in exchange for (supposedly) better coaching and exposure, charge families thousands of dollars. They also force kids to drive or fly past similarly skilled kids for tournaments or exclusive “showcase” events, or even for standard league games, simply because those other kids belong to a rival league or acronym. That travel adds thousands of dollars — and dozens or hundreds of hours — to the overall cost.
To lower it, and align the whole system, U.S. Soccer must get a variety of other organizations — including the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), Girls Academy (GA) and Major League Soccer (MLS, which runs MLS Next, the top academy circuit for teenage boys) — on board with a plan that stretches far beyond USYS.
What is U.S. Soccer’s broader vision or plan?
The USYS takeover, multiple sources said, is merely one piece of a puzzle. U.S. Soccer is trying to re-architect the competitive structure of youth soccer across the country. It wants “a more connected system that is easier to navigate, more accessible, and better aligned around the needs of players and participants.”
The question that remains unanswered is how to do that.
The utopia is a singular pyramid that is clearly defined and filters the most talented players up to the top levels. But that’s probably unrealistic, because this is America — a free market. Even if U.S. Soccer took over every existing league and organization and molded them into one, new ones could form to challenge it. U.S. Soccer could try to stop them, but that would surely lead to legal battles. It could become an expensive game of whack-a-mole.
The more realistic outcome, which would still take years to reach, is some sort of tiered system comprising multiple organizations and leagues, with standards underpinning each tier — standards that a league or club must uphold to retain a certain desirable designation. The designations would ease parental confusion, and the standards would help ensure the quality of programming and environments. The tricky part, again, is getting all the leagues that would be involved, such as the ECNL and GA, to agree on what those standards should be. (Last decade, when U.S. Soccer pushed standards within its Development Academy, many clubs resisted.)
Ideally, there would also be more inter-league games, or perhaps a merger of more competitions — and therefore less travel. Speaking to The Athletic in July, U.S. Soccer chief operating officer Dan Helfrich envisioned a future where “the structure of competitive soccer between the ages of 11 and 15 has a different, more joined-up, more local and regional organization to it.” At the very top tier, there will inevitably be more travel because “best against best” is a core tenet of elite player development. But below that top tier, much of it could be alleviated by common sense (rather than economic sense) and cooperation.
U.S. Soccer COO Dan Helfrich at April’s SheBelieves Summit in Seattle, WashingtonAli Gradischer/USSF/Getty Images
Will U.S. Soccer take over other youth organizations?
Potentially, but not necessarily.
The federation is talking with US Club, the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) and other youth soccer entities. But each serves a distinct role and has a distinct structure. The purpose and process of U.S. Soccer taking control, therefore, varies from one to the next.
Among people close to the talks, there is a general expectation that U.S. Soccer will at least deepen its ties with some of those organizations over the coming year. It is already working closely with US Club under the terms of a January agreement, which saw U.S. Soccer “enter into a new strategic partnership” with the for-profit company that managed US Club’s business. But US Club’s board of directors and members still have full decision-making power and control over their strategic direction.
What exactly will happen to U.S. Youth Soccer and its competitions?
The bylaw amendment, which has been thoroughly revised over the past few months, would make U.S. Soccer the sole voting member of USYS. Over the next two years, USYS would gradually dissolve into U.S. Soccer.
U.S. Soccer will then direct the state associations and take control of USYS competitions, including the President’s Cup (a July national championship) and the Olympic Development Program (ODP).
Advertisement
ODP, once the premier pipeline to college and pro soccer, has lost relevance throughout the 21st century as academies and national leagues have proliferated. But U.S. Soccer could reinvent it as a hub for talent identification locally or push it in another direction.
Whatever the vision, that program and others will likely change, but the “how” remains to be determined.
What exactly will happen to the state associations?
None of this will happen instantly. Throughout the fall, and likely beyond, state associations will continue doing what they’ve always done — registering players, safeguarding all participants, assigning referees, coordinating local programs.
But eventually, after extensive discussions with U.S. Soccer, they will evolve. They will probably consolidate. There are currently 54 (two each in California, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania); there will likely be fewer in the not-too-distant future, multiple people involved in discussions said. Their staffing models will change, and some services will be run regionally or nationally, though having some “boots on the ground” will remain critical. The changes will vary from state to state because each has a different model and different needs.
Whether they’ll remain separate non-profit entities or become local U.S. Soccer offices is not yet known.
Will they definitely vote in favor of all these changes?
All that uncertainty is, to some state leaders, the scary part. Some are stressed and anxious. In many ways, they don’t fully know what they’re voting for. Some remain skeptical of U.S. Soccer, of its talks with the USYS board of directors that led to this, and of its relationship with US Club. Some worry that they and their colleagues won’t have jobs once this new structure materializes.
But there is unequivocal confidence that enough will vote in favor of the amendment on Saturday, for two main reasons. One: Even if it’s voted down, U.S. Soccer could still press ahead with changes.
In that unlikely scenario, things would get messy — the supportive state associations might have to effectively secede from USYS and begin working solely with U.S. Soccer — but there’s a sense that change is inevitable.
“U.S. Soccer is the train, and it is pulling out of the station,” Jim Walker, the executive director of Georgia Soccer, told The Athletic. “And we can either get on board the train, or when the train leaves we’re left at the platform; and when the train gets to the next station, somebody else is gonna get on. I would much rather be a part of the solution to the obstacles that occur than be left standing on the platform and watching somebody else be part of the solution.”
The second reason is that throughout this years-long process, by listening and collaborating, U.S. Soccer has earned trust that it didn’t have before.
So, there is a willingness to venture into the unknown.
“It’s putting trust in U.S. Soccer,” Evan Dabby, the executive director of New Jersey Youth Soccer, told The Athletic, “to do what’s right to grow the game.”
Henry Bushnell is a senior writer for The Athletic covering soccer. He previously covered a variety of sports and events, including World Cups and Olympics, for Yahoo Sports. He is based in Washington, D.C.
Wow are the EPL, Italy & French seasons really already here? This glorious summer of Soccer that had me traveling the country to follow the US team for the Best World Cup ever has ended and I can’t believe the regular season is really here. Data analyzed by the BBC shows the English top flight is more competitive than it has been in over two decades. Basically every team, bar a couple of the newly promoted, will be competing for European football and therefore I think ‘easy’ games will now be few and far between. The same four or five teams at the top of the pack are in the running to win the league. Then there’s another group fighting it out in the middle of the pack and those at the bottom struggling to avoid relegation. A record 9 new managers take over this year –
The Ole Ballcoach likes Champions League finalist Arsenal (who are far and away the top team in the EPL), along with Manchester United, Liverpool, & Manchester City with Chelsea, Brighton, and Leeds United battling for European slots. I think newly promoted Coventry City with Frank Lampard in charge and American Haji Wright up front will finish mid-pack while teams with the American’s Bournemouth (Tyler Adams), Crystal Palace (Chris Richards), and Fulham (Jedi Robinson) will slip a little as they all have new coaches. Full Preview and Rankings below.
Italy is also tough to pick this year – do Juventus and AC Milan return to form and the top 3 with Inter Milan? Predicting the ENTIRE 2026/27 Serie A Table video. I am hoping Pulisic rounds back into his early form last year and helps AC Milan rise back up while I fully expect Juventus and American Weston Mckinney bounce back into the Top 3. For France – Its PSG of course – and the little sisters of the poor. PGS will be looking for a 3rd straight Champions League title while winning the French League of course.
Ben’s BBQ Shack near Grand Park has the Best Dang Brisket you can buy in Indiana
So many of you know I consider myself a BarBQ Conesiur having tried BBQ all over the South like GA, AL, NC, SC, LO, FL and Texas along with California, Ohio, Indiana and Kansas City. But I am hear to tell you ole Ben’s BBQ Shack (actually its a Palace now) has some of the Best Brisket I have ever bought. Moist and smokey – no sauce needed – a solid 9.5 on the piggy scale. His pulled Pork, Ribs, Turkey are also legendary along with his mom’s Bourbon Buttermilk Pie (8 piggies). The Cole slaw is some of the best in town too. Proprietor Ben Hoffman (fine Louisville Kentucky man that he is), has opened a new place near Grand Park and he’s serving some of the Best BBQ in the state every Weekend – Thurs-Sun 11:30 till 3 pm. Now get there early as he runs out of food sometimes before 2:30 Safest thing is to call in an order early (937) 823-0747 then you can take it home or eat in the expanded dining room, on the porch or on the roof.
With Ample Seating inside, on the porch and on the Roof – Ben’s BBQ Shack is now Ben’s BBQ Palace – near Grand Park in Westfield IN — The Best Dang Brisket in Indy! (937) 823-0747 Get there early Thur-Sun 11:30 – 3 pm Ben Cuts the meat he’s been grilling over 12 hours and puts it right on your plate in front of you with a smile
1000 East 181st Street Westfield, IN 46074 (937) 823-0747Get direction Thursday 11:30am – 3:00pm Friday 11:30am – 3:00pm Saturday 11:30am – 3:00pm Sunday 11:30am – 3:00pm
Indy 11 beat Jax 1-0, Host Louisville City Sat 7 pm – Carmel’s GK Eric Dick records 35th Shutout & 300 saves
Jacksonville, Fla. – Indy Eleven scored off a free kick in the 92nd minute to earn a 1-0 road victory at USL Championship Eastern Conference opponent Sporting JAX on Saturday night. Cam Lindley delivered an exquisite ball past the far post that Paco Craig headed down off the shoulder of defender Antonio Gomez into the upper 90 for the game’s only goal and three points for the Boys in Blue. It was another record-setting night for Indy Eleven goalkeeper Eric Dick, who recorded his third clean sheet of the season and the 35th of his USL Championship career to become the 14th player in league history to reach that plateau. The Carmel Dad’s Club, CHS grad and Butler product made two stops in the match to reach 300 saves in his USL-C career, making him the 19th player to achieve that. Dick earned his third “Save of the Week” nomination on Tuesday and he has a chance to get another one after stopping a breakaway from Jean Mota in the 32nd minute. The win moves Indy Eleven up two places into sixth in the 13-team Eastern Conference. The top eight teams in the East at the end of the regular season on October 24 advance to the USL Championship playoffs. The Boys in Blue host “Noche Latina” next Saturday, August 22 at 7 p.m. vs. Louisville City FC. Indy Eleven will wear special Noche Latina warm-up jerseys and discounted tickets starting at $14 and a Noche Latina scarf are available online. The Family Four-Pack is available for all 2026 home games and can be purchased online only. Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area.
Leagues Cup MLS vs Mexico Liga MX
The Leagues Cup 2026 quarterfinal field is set after eight teams advanced from Phase One. The four quarterfinals will be played from Aug. 25-27, with four MLS clubs facing four LIGA MX sides for semifinal spots.
Quarterfinal matchups Chicago Fire FC (MLS 1) vs CF Monterrey (LMX 4) Austin FC (MLS 2) vs. Toluca FC (LMX 3) Wed 8:30 pm Apple Club León (LMX 1) vs. Real Salt Lake (MLS 4) Club América (LMX 2) vs. Columbus Crew (MLS 3) Wed 10:45 pm Apple
Notes & Tidbits
For those who really love their team and their dogs – Adidas unveil football kits for dogs.Paul Pogba, who joined Monaco last season after serving a doping ban, will leave the club by mutual consent (More) Harry Kane has been awarded his second European Golden Shoe after scoring 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga games last season (More)
A 14-year-old, Zoe Thompson, sister of professionals Alyssa and Gisele, has already signed a deal with Nike (More); read more about the up-and-comer (More) Real Salt Lake achieves club record sale of $15m after selling teenager Zavier Gozo (More); see Crystal Palace’s creative announcement of the signing (Watch) |Washington’s Trinity Rodman scored her 10th goal on Sunday, becoming the first Spirit player to reach 10+ single-season goals since 2021 — with 10 games to go.
Ted Lasso Season 4 premiere pulled in 296.6 million minutes watched over the course of August 4-5, a total measured by Nielsen [Variety]
Back on the HS Circuit -A little Hamilton Heights vs Lapel with Dennis & Brian Joe F, the Ole Ballcoach and Ed Terrell in Shelbyville First HS game of the yr with Mike A, & Marc E.
TV Schedule
Fri, Aug 21 3 pm Arsenal vs Coventry City (Wright) EPL Start 3 pm ESPND, + Real Betis vs Real Sociedad 10 pm Prime San Diego Wave vs Utah Royals Sat, Aug 22 EPL 7;30 am USA Hull City vs Man United 7:30 am CBS Golazo Birmingham City vs Bristol City 10 am USA Everton vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 10 am NBCSN Ipwich Town vs Sunderland 10 am Peacock Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United (Aarsonson) 10 am Para+ Wrexham vs Watford 10 am Para+, Golazo Blackburn vs Middlesborough (Berhalter) 11 am ESPN2 Athletic Club vs Sevilla ( ) 12:30 pm NBC Brentford vs Tottenham 12:30 pm CBSSN Udinese vs Como Italy 2:30 pm USA Dortmund vs Bayern Munich Supercup 3:30 pm ABC Espanyol vs Real Madrid 6:30 pm Ion KC Current vs Seattle Reign 7 pm ABC Indy 11 vs Louisville City 7:30 pm Apple Cincy vs Seattle Sounders 7:30 pm Apple NY Red Bulls vs Chicago Fire 8:30 pm Apple Nashville vs Columbus Crew 9:30 pm Apple Vancouver Whitecaps vs Dallas 10:30 pm Apple LAFC vs Portland 11 pm Univision Cruz Azul vs Atlas Mex Sun, Aug 23 9 am USA Man City vs Bournemouth (Adams) 9 am Peacock Brighton vs Aston Villa 11:30 am USA Newcastle United vs Liverpool 12:30 pm Para+ Frozinone vs Juventus (McKinney) Italy 2 pm CBSSN Chicago Stars vs Racing Louisville 2:45 pm Para+ Torino vs AC Milan (Pulisic) 2:45 pm beIN Sport PSG vs Rennes France 3:30 pm ABC Elche vs Barcelona 4 pm ESPN2 Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Orlando Pride (Marta) 4:30 pm Apple New England vs NYCFC 6 pm CBSSN Bay FC vs Houston Dash 7 pm Apple Atlanta United vs Sporting KC 8 pm Ion Angel City (Thompson) vs Gotham (Lavelle) Mon, Aug 24 12:30 pm CBSSN Bologna vs Lazio 3 pm USA Fulham (Robinson) vs Chelsea Tues, Aug 25 3 pm Para+ Lask Linz vs Celtic 3 pm Para+ Bode/Glimt vs NEC 3 pm ESPND or + Valencia vs Real Betis Wed, Aug 26 3 pm ESPN+/D Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad 8 pm CBSSN NC Courage vs Angel City (Thompson) 8:30 pm Apple Toluca vs Austin Leagues Cup 10:45 pm Apple America vs Columbus Crew Thurs, Aug 27 3 pm ESPN+/D Barcelona vs Athletic Club Fri, Aug 28 2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Musah, Pulisic) vs Venezia (Busio) 2:45 pm beIN Sp Lille vs PSG 3 pm USA Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Man City 8 pm Prime Gotham FC (Lavelle) vs Portland Thorns (Sam???) Sat, Sept 26 4:30 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Peru Orlando Tues, Sept 29 8 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Chile St Louis Sat, Oct 3 8 pm?? TNT/HBO USMNT vs Mexico Glendale Tues, Oct 6 8 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Canada Minn Sat, Oct 10 8 pm TNT. HBO USWNT vs Spain DC Tues, Oct 13 7 pm TNT, HBO USWNT vs Spain Philly
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach Shane Best sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Need food for a Graduation, end of school party, World Cup or Back to School Party? Call Ryan now to ask about catering options at 317-688-7290. Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Need some good ole AMERICAN BarBQ for the preschool parties, end of summer picnics or group outings? Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after for watch parties – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Advertisement
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
One Big Thing – There’s Nothing Quite Like the LIPAFC, and Saturday’s Meeting Has Intrigue – Indy 11 vs Louisville
There are numerous great rivalries around the USL Championship, formed by location and on-field history, and in some instances both.Still, there’s still something distinctive about the Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest – or the LIPAFC, for short – between Indy Eleven and Louisville City FC. What’s more, this Saturday’s first edition of the 2026 season at Michael A. Carroll Stadium (7 p.m. ET | ESPN+) could prove one of the most interesting – and pivotal – games in its history.RICH HISTORY: Arriving a year apart – at that point in different leagues, with Indy part of the North American Soccer League at its founding in 2014 and Louisville part of the USL Championship as it kicked off in 2015 – the sides still found common ground in the U.S. Open Cup. Those early contests progressed to an annual series starting in 2018 when Indy landed in the Championship, and while Louisville has come out on top more frequently – it holds a 13-5-7 record overall – the series has produced some memorable contests over its first decade-plus.
BEAT THE STREAK: This year’s first edition offers some intrigue for a couple of reasons. First, both sides are in the top six in the Eastern Conference standings, and as sixth-place Indy looks to close the gap to fourth-place Louisville it will also try to end a six-game winless streak in the series in league play. Over that span, Louisville has recorded 15 goals, including claiming the remarkable 5-3 victory at Lynn Family Stadium two years ago that stands as one of the best games of the series.
STUDY IN CONTRASTS: The other is how the clubs have succeeded – and struggled – in what have been up and down seasons for both. At one end, you’ll have an Indy attack that has underperformed, scoring 21 goals on a 29.07 Expected Goals mark in the league against a LouCity side that has leaked goals, conceding 34 times on a 21.73 Expected Goals Against mark. At the other, the staunch Indy defense – which has allowed only 21 goals on a 23.47 Expected Goals Against mark – will try to contain LouCity’s attack, which ranks third in the league with 36 goals on a 35.7xG mark.Even with their respective travails, both sides are looking good to reach the USL Championship Playoffs as they enter the final stretch of the season, and coming off victories both will be hoping to maintain momentum.As much history as the two clubs share – including player crossovers that currently see Indy veterans Aodhan Quinn and Paco Craig preparing to face their former club – the heart of the rivalry comes from the supporters, whose ability to not only dub the rivalry the LIPAFC but create a trophy made up of a beaten-up construction barrel with an I-65 road marker lodged in its lid has made the series one that’s taken seriously, but not too seriously, by either set of supporters.“We’ve known for a long time that this is the No. 1 game in all of U.S. Soccer regardless of what level, what league you’re playing in,” said Indy Brick Yard Battalion member David Ziemba two years ago. “This is it. This is the place that you want to be two times a year, you want to see this match. It’s just great.”That’s what keeps the LIPAFC special, no matter the circumstances the clubs find themselves in, and why it remains must-see for neutral fans far and wide.READ MORE:How the LIPAFC became ‘the single most important sporting and cultural event in human history’
Premier League 2026-27 mega-preview: Team-by-team analysis
Ryan O’Hanlon and
Bill Connelly
Aug 19, 2026, 02:55 AM E ESPN
We have officially entered a new era of the Premier League, and nothing sums it up better than the following:
• The number of current Premier League managers who were born in a 700,000-person province in the autonomous Basque region of northern Spain called Gipuzkoa: four.
• The number of current Premier League managers who have won the Premier League before: one.
• The number of current Premier League managers who have won the Premier League before but weren’t born in a 700,000-person province in the autonomous Basque region of northern Spain called Gipuzkoa: zero.
After three straight years of second-place finishes, Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta finally got over the hump. Pep Guardiola finally left Manchester City after managing the team to six Premier League titles, and Liverpool shockingly fired Arne Slot just a year after he led them to win the Premier League. The Gunners are the favorites to repeat, but beyond that? It’s anyone’s guess.Manchester United are managed by a guy with just 19 Premier League matches under his belt. Chelsea are on their fourth manager in less than a year, and one of the guys they fired is now managing Manchester City. Liverpool seem more focused on selling part of the team to Jeff Bezos & Co. than building a coherent team. Tottenham have finished 17th in each of the past two seasons. Newcastle have theoretically unlimited wealth, but they, and fellow top-four gate-crasher Aston Villa, just got rid of all of their best players.
With all of that uncertainty humming around us, Bill Connelly and Ryan O’Hanlon are back again with their 20-team mega-preview ahead of the 2026-27 season. As always, they’ve each predicted what the standings will look like at the end of season, averaged their predictions together, and produced one joint mega-prediction.
What will happen this season? And what changed over the summer so that it won’t be a repeat of last season? Read on to find out.
(Note: All transfer values come from Transfermarkt.)
1. Arsenal
Last season’s finish: first (85 points, plus-44 goal differential)
Ever since Declan Rice joined from West Ham in the summer of 2023, Arsenal’s defense has been at another level, almost on another planet, from everyone else in the Premier League. Here’s how Mikel Arteta’s side stacks up with the rest of the ever-present Premier League sides over the past three seasons:
There’s a gap of about 37 xG (expected goals) between Arsenal in first and Manchester City in second. There’s also a gap of about 37 xG between City in second and Fulham … in 12th.
One big question: How healthy will Arsenal be?
Manchester City first lost Pep Guardiola and now Rodri. Manchester United haven’t finished higher than third in eight years. Liverpool have a new coach and no new defenders besides a loan for Ronald Araujo. Chelsea have a new coach and just finished in 10th.
Arsenal, meanwhile, just won the league, lost the Champions League final on penalties, signed one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and have a super-deep roster of players almost exclusively in their prime years.
So, what might stop them? Outside of a sudden reinterpretation around set piece physicality by the league’s referees, it’s hard to think of anything — other than injuries.
The Gunners’ three most important players all have varying degrees of broken-down bodies. Bukayo Saka was playing with an Achilles injury throughout the World Cup, while Declan Rice dealt with back and hamstring injuries that were strangely described as “terrible” and “[not] an injury” by England manager Thomas Tuchel. William Saliba, meanwhile, injured an already-injured back in the semifinals and is expected to miss a couple of months. Not to mention, Jurriën Timber missed the World Cup entirely and will be out for at least the start of the season.
If you take away all of their best players, will Arsenal still be the best team in the Premier League? — Ryan O’Hanlon
2. Manchester City
Last season’s finish: second (78 points, +42 goal differential)
City have won 38 major trophies in their history. Twenty of them — over half! — were earned with Guardiola in charge.
Granted, you could also spin that to note that 26 of those came since City Football Group took over the club, and they’re still in charge even after a manager change. But Guardiola rewrote the City history book, and it’s awfully difficult to figure out how to set an appropriate bar now that he has handed the reins to Maresca. Maresca admits concerns as Man City plan more spending
One big question: Where do City go from here?
You can paint two completely different pictures if you focus on who City have versus who they don’t.
On one hand, they’ve not only lost Guardiola, but they’ve also lost Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, longtime talisman Silva and a good percentage of their defensive veterans. Considering their (impossibly high) previous form fell off a bit over the past two seasons before all these losses, you could certainly envision a City fall in the post-Pep era.
On the other hand, have you seen who’s still on their roster?
Erling Haaland is still just about the best pure goal scorer on the planet, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma might be the best pure shot stopper, new midfielder Elliot Anderson is already one of the best pivot men in the Premier League, Rayan Cherki is a terrifying chance creator, Antoine Semenyo and Jérémy Doku are impossibly dangerous wingers, Nico O’Reilly and Abdukodir Khusanov are two of the best 22-and-under defenders in the world, center back Marc Guéhi is one of the league’s best, and Phil Foden is a onetime Premier League player of the year.
Everyone in the above paragraph is 27 or younger — and we haven’t even mentioned potential midfield additions Ayyoub Bouaddi and/or Enzo Fernández before the transfer window closes yet.
City still have one of the most talented rosters in the world, and even if there’s an awkward transition period in moving to Maresca — and pretty much everything about Sunday’s Community Shield loss to Arsenal screamed “AWKWARD TRANSITION” — this lineup could easily still give Arsenal their biggest challenge over 38 matches. — Bill Connelly
3. Chelsea
Last season’s finish: 10th (52 points, +6 goal differential)
Since BlueCo took over Chelsea ownership in the spring of 2022, they have spent an average of €417 million per season in transfer fees; so far, that’s bought them finishes of 12th, sixth, fourth and 10th. They were spectacularly unlucky last season — fourth in xG differential, but 10th in the table — but the spending-to-results ratio has been utterly hapless.
And yet, we’re picking them third this season. That’s what happens when you (A) hire the right manager for the job, (B) avoid European play and (C) throw another €339 million at your problems over the summer.
One big question: Can Xabi Alonso craft something cohesive?
In adding veterans Welbeck and Henderson, Chelsea earned a lot of positive headlines about learning their lessons after fielding countless squads that were far too young and far too devoid of leadership. We probably shouldn’t go overboard in that regard, since they also spent a positively ridiculous sum of money on Rogers a season after he overachieved statistically (he had 25 goals and assists in all competitions for Aston Villa, but they came from just 17.8 combined xG and xA), and they still brought in another five players aged 22 or younger.
Still, few managers are more respected than Xabi Alonso, and unlike during his time at Real Madrid, he’s now in charge of a roster loaded with players who should be young and hungry enough to actually run and press.
Now, though, not only is he in charge of a roster that is loaded as mentioned, but one that also features Henderson and Welbeck, a couple of respected veterans coming off solid seasons. The squad is as bloated as ever, and some of its best players are coming off poor seasons, but it still has Cole Palmer, Rogers, Joao Pedro, Welbeck, Pedro Neto and tantalizing teenagers Estevao and Geovany Quenda in attack. It still has Moises Caicedo, newcomer Valentin Barco, Henderson, Romeo Lavia and — for now, at least — Enzo Fernandez in midfield. It still has Reece James (when healthy), Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill and countless others in defense.
The talent is undeniable, and if Alonso can’t make something of it, no one can, especially in a season without European play. — Connelly
Can Chelsea finish in the top 4 under Alonso?
4. Liverpool
Last season’s finish: fifth (60 points, plus-10 goal differential)
Key outs: manager Arne Slot, CB Ibrahima Konaté (Real Madrid, free), RW Mohamed Salah (Trabzonspor, free), LB Andrew Robertson (Tottenham, free)
Key stat
A simple way to measure the intensity of a team’s pressing approach is through passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA). The stat, essentially, looks at the number of passes a team allows in their attacking half for every defensive action they attempt.
The lower the number, the more aggressive the press, and Liverpool’s number was the highest it has been in eight years last season:
Of course, they won the league in 2018-19 with a higher PPDA than they produced last season, but the declining intensity coupled with the decline in results seems to be the main reason the club decided to fire Arne Slot and replace him with Iraola.
One big question: Can Iraola make the pieces fit?
One way I’ve heard the best managers described to me by analytically inclined decision-makers is not as the people with the best ideas or smartest philosophies about how the game should be played but rather as the people who can look at any collection of talent and figure out how to make it work best together. In other words, they want coaches who allow them to identify and acquire whatever undervalued talent is out there.
While you wouldn’t call Alexander Isak‘s transfer fee “undervalued” by even the loosest definition of the word, Liverpool clearly acquired whoever they thought were the best available players last summer, regardless of fit. How else to explain spending $200-million-plus on two quite similar strikers in Isak and Hugo Ekitike?
Slot was unable to find the right combination of players for any consistent period of time last season. Iraola did exactly that season after season after Bournemouth kept getting rid of his best players, but can he do it with a team that expects to be challenging for Premier and Champions League trophies every season? — O’Hanlon
5. Manchester United
Last season’s finish: third (71 points, +19 goal differential)
You can officially see whatever you want from Michael Carrick’s stint as Manchester United’s manager last season.
• Before Carrick’s hire, United ranked sixth in points per game but third in xG differential • Under Carrick, they rose to first in points per game … and fell to fifth in xG differential
Carrick engineered undeniably sound play and got the absolute most from star Bruno Fernandes, who produced 13 of his league-record 21 assists in Carrick’s 17 matches. But the team also enjoyed a torrid level of finishing — 33 goals from shots worth 26.9 xG (Matheus Cunha and Casemiro had 11 goals from shots worth 4.5) — that they almost certainly won’t sustain.
Just as Chelsea took on spectacularly poor fortune when the calendar flipped to 2026, Manchester United’s fortune was all positive. It was virtually perfect content for the narrative generation machine that this club tends to be.
One big question: Is this squad deep (and young) enough?
Fernandes (31), left back Luke Shaw (31), center back Harry Maguire (33) and Casemiro (34) were all among the top six in minutes played under Carrick; Carrick did figure out a proper role for 21-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, but he leaned heavily on age and experience.
Casemiro has aged out (and went to Inter Miami), but Carrick will again be asking a lot of those remaining veterans, and they’ll be adding at least eight Champions League matches to the fixture list. Mainoo and newcomer Andrey Santos (22) will log major minutes, while other younger players like defenders Leny Yoro (20) and Ayden Heaven (19) and wingers Patrick Dorgu (21) and Shea Lacey (19) could be asked to provide sturdy depth. But this could still be a pretty old squad. (Shaw certainly looked his age in the preseason.)
Tielemans was the primary summer addition: He’s 29 and has started more than 21 league matches just once in the past three seasons. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford (28) has returned from loan, and Carrick gave Mason Mount (27) a lot of midfield minutes in the preseason. What happens if the older players suffer a run of injuries? What happens when the finishing evens out? — Connelly
6. Brighton
Last season’s finish: ninth (53 points, +3 goal differential)
No one forced more high turnovers than Brighton in 2025-26 (12.4 per game), and no one scored more goals from them (23) either.
Brighton allowed the lowest passes per defensive action in the league (9.95 PPDA). The press was their best attacker, and after a midseason funk dropped them to 14th in the table, Fabian Hurzeler doubled down on pressure and steady ball progression — primarily by installing Pascal Gross (back from Borussia Dortmund) in defensive midfield and penciling central attacking midfielder (and general chaos agent) Jack Hinshelwood into the lineup — and was rewarded: Over the final 12 matchdays, Brighton averaged 1.83 points per game (fourth in the league) and charged to seventh in the table. They’ll play in the UEFA Conference League this season.
One big question: Do they have the depth (and scoring) for a season with European nights?
If the press was Brighton’s best attacker, Welbeck was second, and he’s off to Chelsea. Among returnees, no one scored more than five league goals last season, and even with their spring surge, Brighton finished with only 52 goals, 10th most in the league. They must figure out how to generate more shot quality, and they’ll have to do so while adding at least six Conference League matches to the docket.
Progression in the finishing department would help as outside of Welbeck, Brighton players scored just 38 goals from shots worth 45.5 xG. Their roster management and talent identification have been dynamite through the years, and we might find out that youngsters like Charalampos Kostoulas (19) and Stefanos Tzimas (20 and returning from an ACL tear) are ready to burst onto the scene like Hinshelwood (21) was last season. (They must hope that new 19-year-old defender Luka Vuskovic is as ready as they think, too.)
Brighton get the benefit of the doubt at this point, but they do have questions to answer. — Connelly
7. Tottenham Hotspur
Last season’s finish: 17th (41 points, minus-9 goal differential)
Key ins: DM Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United, €108 million), CM Mateus Fernandes (West Ham, €99 million), CB Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton, €60 million), CB Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth, free), LB Andrew Robertson (Liverpool, free), GK Martin Dúbravka (Burnley, free)
Key outs: CB Luka Vuskovic (Brighton, €54 million), CF Will Lankshear (Middlesbrough, €11.70 million), CF Alejo Veliz (EC Bahia, €9 million), LW Manor Solomon (West Ham, €5.85 million), AM Alfie Devine (Preston, €5.3 million), CB Radu Drăgușin (Fiorentina, loan fee €1.5 million), RW Yang Min-Hyeok (KVC Westerlo, loan), CB Cristian Romero (Atlético Madrid, fee TBD), DM Yves Bissouma (contract expired)
Key stat
Over the course of last season, Tottenham’s adjusted goal differential (70% expected goals, 30% goals) was minus-0.3 — the 16th-worst mark in the league and just slightly better than West Ham United in 18th.
But the performances were drastically different across their three different managers:
• Thomas Frank: minus-0.29 • Igor Tudor: minus-1.1 • Roberto De Zerbi: plus-0.24
It was only seven games, but Tottenham’s level of performance under De Zerbi would’ve been right where we expect a team with Tottenham’s resources to be over the course of the whole season: sixth-best in the league.
Michallik: Tottenham will finish top 4 under De Zerbi
One big question: Are we sure Spurs are out of the woods?
Combine the performance under De Zerbi with the tons of money spent on Premier League-proven talent this summer, and everything should be good, right … right?
There are two reasons Spurs fans shouldn’t exhale just yet.
Reason 1: Teams that spend the amount of money that Tottenham has this summer — more than Real Madrid! — tend to massively underperform the following season.
The simplest explanation? The transfer market is incredibly inefficient, and so if you’re spending as much money as Tottenham have, you’re spending more inefficient money than everyone else. Plus, the same people spending all that money: they’re the ones who built the Tottenham team that finished 17th in each of the past two seasons.
Reason 2: De Zerbi is one of the most chaotic and cantankerous managers in European soccer. He left Brighton on bad terms relating to their transfer strategy, and his Marseille tenure ended after the club decided that “it was clear that the relationship between the manager and the squad was broken.”
How long will it last before something similar happens at Tottenham? — O’Hanlon
8. Brentford
Last season’s finish: ninth (53 points, +3 goal differential)
Key outs: CM Frank Onyeka (Coventry, €7 million), CM Jordan Henderson (Chelsea, free transfer)
Key stat
Premier League teams averaged 0.16 xG per shot attempt last season; Brentford averaged 0.20, highest in the league. They averaged the shortest shot distance (13.4 meters), attempted the highest percentage of shots in the box (75.6%), attempted the lowest percentage of shots with at least two defenders between shot and goal (72.5%) and put the highest percentage of shots on target (36.3%).
Granted, the tradeoff for high shot quality was low shot quantity — they were 15th in shots per possession.
Still, no one took better shots than Igor Thiago (0.24 xG per shot, 0.18 without penalties), Kevin Schade (0.21, 0.20) & Co. Their ever-reliable set-pieces-and-directness style produced. And this season, the Bees have added more talent than they lost as well.
One big question: Is this the year that their long, slow build pays off?
According to the estimated player values at Transfermarkt — as good a source as any for such a thing — Brentford had the No. 16 roster in the Premier League in its first two seasons, then inched up to 14th for the next two seasons and 13th last year. They finished higher than their talent ranking in four of those five years, but heading into 2026-27 they’re up to 10th in player value.
With Thiago, Schade, right back Michael Kayode, center back Sepp van den Berg and others returning and midfielder Mamadou Sangare joining from Lens (who finished second in Ligue 1 last season), this could genuinely be the most talented Brentford squad that has ever existed. And Keith Andrews has thus far proved up to the task of managing this talent, too.
This club, famously led with analytics-heavy flair by owner and Smartodds founder Matthew Benham, has proved to be astute and impossibly patient. They all but qualified for Europe last season — they were one point short of a Europa League berth, and they missed out on Brighton’s Conference League spot because of a three-goal difference in goal differential. Is this the year patience pays off? — Connelly
T-9. Aston Villa
Last season’s finish: fourth (65 points, plus-7 goal differential)
Key ins: AM Johan Manzambi (Freiburg, €60 million), CM João Gomes (Wolverhampton Wanderers, €40 million), CB Modou Kéba Cissé (LASK, €5.5 million), LW Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea, loan)
Key outs: AM Morgan Rogers (Chelsea, €138 million), CM Youri Tielemans (Manchester United, €41 million), CF Donyell Malen (Roma, €25 million), DM Enzo Barrenechea (Benfica, €12 million), LW Lewis Dobbin (Southampton, €10.5 million), LB Lucas Digne (PSG, €7 million), RB Andrés García (Getafe, loan), GK Oliwier Zych (Vitória Guimarães, loan), GK Joe Gauci (Lincoln City, loan)
Key stat
Over the past three seasons, only Arsenal and Manchester City have a bigger gap between their actual goal differential and their expected goal differential than Aston Villa do: a plus-4.4 xG differential, compared to a plus-29 goal differential.
As such, Villa have won way more points than teams with their balance of chance creation and suppression typically do:
How much of that is luck? How much of it is the personnel? And how much of it is Unai Emery’s tactics?
One big question: Can Villa handle all of the upheaval?
Villa’s arguably four best players will be gone this season: Tielemans, Digne and Rogers left via transfers, while Amadou Onana tore his ACL at the World Cup. Recent reports suggest that goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez could soon be on his way out before the end of the transfer window, too.
In a vacuum, all of those moves make sense: Digne and Tielemans have aged out of their primes, while Chelsea offered superstar money for Rogers, a player who hasn’t come close to that level of performance yet. Martinez, too, turns 34 in a couple of weeks.
Villa don’t have the revenue of the biggest clubs in the league, and the new squad-cost rules essentially require them to make all of these moves to avoid getting penalized, but it’s still so much talent to replace in one offseason. Plus, Ollie Watkins has led the team in goals for six straight seasons, and he turns 31 in December.
Add in the extra grind of Champions League matches, and this season should be Emery’s biggest challenge yet. –O’Hanlon
T-9. Newcastle United
Last season’s finish: 12th (49 points, minus-2 goal differential)
Over the past four Premier League seasons, these are Newcastle’s leaders across a number of key metrics:
• Goals: Alexander Isak • Assists: Guimarães • Passes into the penalty area: Trippier • Successful dribbles: Guimarães • Shots: Isak • Expected assists: Trippier • Expected goals: Isak
Anthony Gordon, meanwhile, ranks second in dribbles, shots and xG. He, along with the other three names listed above, no longer plays for Newcastle.
One big question: Do Newcastle know something we don’t?
Newcastle have responded to losing several key players, along with Sandro Tonali to Tottenham, by signing five players with an average age of 20. The only one older than 20 is Hornícek, who is 24 and a goalkeeper, a position with a later age curve than all of the outfield roles.
Touré, Bamba and Steur — the three outfield signings — have looked promising to start their careers, but the latter two combined for 24 total starts in Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie last season, and Touré has one full Bundesliga season under his belt. There’s a lot of risk in these deals, and more than €100 million combined is a lot to shell out for that level of uncertainty.
It has never been quite clear what the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia wants from Newcastle — on the field, at least. Off the field, they get to be a member of the most popular sports leagues in the world. But after the departures of all the players we’ve mentioned — along with manager Howe — it seems like someone decided that this would be the year the club takes a step backward and tries to rebuild. –O’Hanlon
11. Bournemouth
Last season’s finish: sixth (57 points, plus-4 goal differential)
In a league with a possession count that gets lower every season, Bournemouth comfortably averaged the fastest tempo. They had the most possessions (89.9 per match), most ball recoveries (45.4), most shots from ball recoveries (25) and highest direct speed* (1.48 meters per second) in the league.
They nearly made the Champions League playing this way, and now-former manager Iraola has said he drew inspiration from the vertical attacking of Rose’s old Borussia Monchengladbach teams. With Iraola off to Liverpool, Bournemouth quickly scooped up Rose, who spent the past year out of coaching after an up-and-down three seasons with RB Leipzig.
(* Direct speed: average meters per second that the ball advances toward the goal)
One big question: How do you move on from a run like Iraola’s?
The general consensus from an analytics perspective is that very few managers make a sustained difference in soccer. Spending and luck tend to mean more over time. Good business and high-level talent identification can make up for a lack of spending, at least in the short term — Bournemouth can certainly vouch for that — but managers matter only so much.
It won’t surprise anyone if Iraola is an exception. Bournemouth scaled to 12th, then ninth, then sixth in the league in three years with Iraola. Bournemouth! Bournemouth finished three points short of a Champions League berth! That’s one of the cooler stories imaginable, and now Rose has to clear the highest possible bar.
By typical club standards, Bournemouth mostly kept the roster intact this offseason — after losing five players worth transfer fees of €287.2 million before and during their best season ever — but we’re pretty quickly going to find out how much of the Cherries’ success was based on the talent and how much was on a particularly special manager. — Connelly
12. Nottingham Forest
Last season’s finish: 16th (44 points, minus-3 goal differential)
Key ins: manager Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), CB Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP, €40 million), AM Gustavo Sá (Famalicao, €20 million), CM Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig, free transfer)
Key outs: manager Vitor Pereira, CM Elliot Anderson (Manchester City, €135 million)
Key stat
Nottingham Forest employed four different coaches during the 2025-26 season, and each one had a different playing style from the predecessor. And when the club finally found one who could steer the team to safety in the relegation hunt — Pereira, under whom they lost only once in their last 10 league matches — owner Evangelos Marinakis fired him over the summer, too, perhaps simply out of habit.
Despite this epic amount of self-imposed instability, Forest head into 2026-27 with a proven new manager (Glasner) and a lineup that still includes Morgan Gibbs-White in attack, stalwarts Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic at the back and plenty of intriguing talent and speed on the perimeter.
But the biggest potential accomplishment this year might be standing still, letting Glasner work and landing comfortably in the middle of the table.
One big question: How will the Forest midfield operate without Anderson?
Technically, Forest added more than they subtracted this summer, and grabbing defender Diomande seemed particularly astute.
But in losing Anderson to Man City, they’ve really lost a few players in one: In league play, he rather astonishingly managed to rank first on the team in chances created (54), passes received (1,819) and completed (2,039), progressive carries (281), progressive passes (362), total carry distance (8,839 meters), fouls suffered (80), ground duels (437), ground duels won (231) and crosses completed (51). He pushed the ball into dangerous areas and, with four goals and four assists, sometimes did more than that.
He was somehow also first on the team in tackles (104), blocked passes (50) and ball recoveries in the defending third (127), middle third (154) and attacking third (25). He went everywhere and did everything, and he leaves about three different sets of cleats for players such as Gibbs-White, Ibrahim Sangaré, Schlager and perhaps Nicolás Domínguez and Ryan Yates to fill. — Connelly
13. Everton
Last season’s finish: 13th (49 points, minus-3 goal differential)
Key ins: RW Brennan Johnson (Crystal Palace, €25.8 million), AM Merlin Röhl (Freiburg, €25 million), LW Tyrique George (Chelsea, €21 million), DM Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough, €19.3 million), DM Christian Nørgaard (Arsenal, €8.15 million)
Over the past two seasons, new Everton signing Hackney led the Championship in line-breaking passes through the opposition midfield and through the opposition defense. In the Premier League last year, the only player on Everton to rank in the top 15 for midfield breaking passes was Jordan Pickford, who is a goalkeeper.
Meanwhile, no one on the club ranked in the top 30 in the league for passes breaking through the defensive line.
One big question: Will David Moyes turn this Everton team over?
The Toffees spent €130 million on transfer fees last summer, but only one of the acquisitions, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, broke the 2,000-minute mark in the league.
Despite bringing in a bunch of new, younger players, Everton remained the third-oldest team in the league, per FBref’s average age weighted by minutes played. With the departure of 35-year-old Gueye, it’ll be close to impossible for them not to get a little bit younger this season, but Moyes has to start turning this into whatever the next version of Everton is going to be.
Given how close they’ve been to relegation in recent years, that’s a scary thought. But that’s the balance your manager has to find in order to keep the team alive. If you take too many risks and play too many younger players, then you might get relegated.
But if you hang onto the veterans too long, the same thing could happen — without any of the upside you get from turning into a younger team. This club hasn’t finished inside the top 10 since 2019. After the past two summers, Everton have more than enough peak and pre-peak talent to build something new … and build toward something better. –O’Hanlon
14. Leeds United
Last season’s finish: 14th (47 points, minus-7 goal differential)
Key ins: GK James Trafford (Manchester City, €46.7 million), CB Tarik Muharemovic (Sassuolo, €37.0 million), RW Harry Wilson (Fulham, free transfer)
Key outs: CB Pascal Struijk (Brighton, €23.2 million), LW Jack Harrison (New England, €1 million)
Key stat
From Dec. 1 through the end of the season — not a full-season sample, but a pretty big one — Leeds ranked seventh in points per game (1.44), seventh in goal differential (plus-5) and ninth in xG differential (plus-2.23).
Though Sunderland drew headlines for finishing seventh and earning a Europa League spot in their first season after promotion, Leeds were the superior promoted team for a healthy percentage of the season.
They forced mistakes and high turnovers — in this period, they scored 17 goals from high turnovers, and no one else topped 13 — but they were able to avoid overextending themselves and getting torn apart in transition. Daniel Farke crafted a unique combination of direct play and selective pressure, and it paid off.
One big question: Will the same approach work twice for Leeds?
Farke indeed found a fun mix of intensity without overexposure, and Leeds finished comfortably above the drop zone because of it. But teams know what to expect now, and the club is basically bringing the same roster back aside from a potential upgrade at goalkeeper — Trafford was dynamite at Burnley in 2024-25 before mostly sitting at Manchester City last season — and a Struijk-for-Muharemovic trade at center back.
Farke was perhaps a little too reliant on stellar scoring from injury-prone forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin and chance creation from injury-prone midfielder Anton Stach. Calvert-Lewin was particularly important: Leeds averaged 1.37 points per game when he started, and 0.75 when he didn’t.
Can players such as Noah Okafor and the incoming Wilson ease the scoring load a bit? Can Ethan Ampadu, Brenden Aaronson & Co. keep timing their pressure this well? Did the club need to add a couple more pieces to keep things fresh? — Connelly
15. Crystal Palace
Last season’s finish: 15th (45 points, minus-10 goal differential)
Key outs: manager Oliver Glasner, CB Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea, €60.7 million), RW Brennan Johnson (Everton, €25.8 million), RB Danny Imray (Wrexham, €6.6 million), GK Owen Goodman (Dundee, loan), LB Rio Cardines (Bristol City, loan), RB Nathaniel Clyne (contract expired)
Key stat
Last season, three players in the Premier League added at least 10 goals with their non-shooting on-ball actions, per Stats Perform’s expected possession value added metric. One was Jeremy Doku, who is essentially a free pass into the other team’s penalty area.
Another one was Bruno Fernandes, who set the Premier League record for assists in a single season. And the third was a guy who wasn’t even selected for his country’s World Cup squad:
One big question: How much of this was Oliver Glasner’s magic?
Over the past five seasons, Palace have had three full-time managers. Here’s how the team performed under each one, per their adjusted goal differential:
• Patrick Vieira: minus-0.13 • Roy Hodgson: minus-0.08 • Glasner: plus-0.21
How much of that comes down to Glasner’s special abilities as a manager? And how much of it comes down to the fact that his teams featured players who were eventually acquired by Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea? The fact that Glasner made, at best, a lateral move to Nottingham Forest this summer suggests that the rest of the soccer world believes the second question is the more important one. Even so, it doesn’t change the fact that none of those players is on the team that new manager Sage just inherited. — O’Hanlon
16. Fulham
Last season’s finish: 11th (52 points, plus-4 goal differential)
Key outs: manager Marco Silva, CM Saša Lukić (Ipswich Town, €10.5 million), CB Issa Diop (Ipswich Town, €10 million), RW Harry Wilson (Leeds United, free), CF Raúl Jiménez (Wolverhampton Wanderers, free), GK Steven Benda (contract expired)
Key stat
For the past couple seasons, I had been writing the same thing: This team was too old, but Silva kept finding a way to make it all work just well enough.
Ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, though, only half of that remains true. Last season, Fulham were the oldest team in the league, with an average age weighted by minutes played of 28.1. But Silva’s contract wasn’t renewed after the season, and he left to go manage Benfica.
One big question: Alvaro Arbeloa, really?
It kind of seemed like Arbeloa blew his one shot to be a manager last season. Real Madrid fired Xabi Alonso once the players refused to keep pressing, and he couldn’t figure out a way to make it still work.
But under Arbeloa, the team got significantly worse in every way: fewer points, fewer shots, fewer xG, fewer touches inside the box, less pressing, more shots allowed, more xG allowed and more touches inside the box allowed. Oh, and things got so bad in the locker room that Federico Valverde had to miss El Clasico with a concussion he suffered from a multiday fight with teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni in the training room.
So, Arbeloa failed on and off the field — and now not only is he managing Fulham, but he is seemingly being given a large say in who the team acquires. Two of the four signings this summer are players Arbeloa managed when he was running Real Madrid’s B team. I am very confused. — O’Hanlon
17. Sunderland
Last season’s finish: seventh (54 points, minus-6 goal differential)
Stats can be such killjoys. They turn cool stories into mirages.
In 2024-25, Nottingham Forest finished seventh in the Premier League table despite ranking 13th in xG differential and 16th in average xG differential in losses — they either won by a little or lost by a lot, and it was a sign that maybe their results didn’t match their quality. The next season, while balancing Europa League play with domestic regression to the mean, they plummeted to 16th in the league.
Sunderland, meanwhile, finished seventh in the table last season despite ranking 18th in the league in xG differential and 19th in xGD in losses. They had a negative xGD in 25 games but won five of those and drew in another eight. Meanwhile, eight of their 12 losses came by multiple goals, including a 5-0 thumping against Forest and 3-0 losses to Arsenal, Manchester City and Brentford.
It was a thrill to have the Black Cats — and the Stadium of Light crowd — back in the top division, and we’ll get to see them in the Europa League this coming season as well. But virtually any indicator you choose suggests they’re due some utterly massive regression.
One big question: Who will jazz up the Sunderland attack?
When Sunderland ran into problems last season, it was typically because of a meager attack. Forwards Brian Brobbey and Wilson Isidor had their moments, and Enzo Le Fée and Granit Xhaka each had six assists, but Sunderland ranked 17th in shots per possession, 17th in xG per shot and, predictably, 17th in goals.
And now they have to figure out how to create more advantages while potentially spreading themselves thin in the Europa League, and with no new signings up front (unless you count winger Simon Adingra, who scored three goals on loan with Monaco in the second half of last season). This is going to be a challenge. — Connelly
18. Coventry City
Last season’s finish: first in the Championship (95 points, plus-52 goal differential)
Coventry ranked first in the 2025-26 Championship in goals scored, first in goals allowed and first in xG differential. Sure, they played a version of the type of possession game that doesn’t always translate against the massive talent upgrade of the Premier League — they were first in shot attempts per possession (0.13), second in combined progressive passes and carries (115.7 per game), third in pass completion rate (81.4%) and fourth in possession rate (55.0%).
But there’s no question who the best team in England’s second division was last season. And with a wealth of athletic and age-appropriate signings, there’s reason for Coventry fans to be optimistic about surviving a season in the Premier League.
That said, this is still a really, really big leap.
One big question: Who will bring directness to the table?
After two straight seasons in which all three promoted teams went straight back down, Sunderland and Leeds both survived with directness.
They both ranked in the league’s top five in average pass distance and percentage of forward passes, and while they had different intentions in doing so — Leeds were looking for quick-strike opportunities, but Sunderland were often seeking to simply get the ball out of dangerous areas — they were both good enough at it to make directness and urgency work for them.
Frank Lampard’s side didn’t play that game last season. Coventry’s controlled possession approach worked beautifully and should have its moments of both attractive play (thanks to attacking midfielder Ephron Mason-Clark, midfielder Victor Torp and others) and brute-force crosses-and-chaos play (three players, including forwards Ellis Simms and Haji Wright, had at least three headed goals last season).
But they’ll need to force the issue and play with verticality at times, and we won’t know they can do it until we see it.
19. Ipswich Town
Last season’s finish: second in the English Championship (84 points, plus-33 goal differential), automatic promotion
Key outs: manager Kieran McKenna, GK Arijanet Murić (Sassuolo, €7 million), CB Elkan Baggott (Millwall, €1.17 million), RW Wes Burns (Leicester City, €90K), AM Conor Chaplin (Leicester City, free), LB Conor Townsend (West Brom, free), GK Cieran Slicker (Barnsley, loan), RB Ashley Young (retired)
Key stat
In case you’re still wondering how much the financial gap between the Premier League and the rest of Europe has warped the landscape, take a look at this. The four clubs with the biggest negative net spends this summer — transfer fees received minus transfer fees paid — are Chelsea, Real Madrid, Arsenal and Ipswich Town.
As of now, Ipswich Town have spent €115.49 million more than they’ve received. And with a rumored return for Strasbourg’s Julio Enciso, among others, it seems like that number is only going to get bigger between now and the end of the summer.
One big question: What will happen without Kieran McKenna?
It’s impossible to talk about Ipswich Town and McKenna without each other.
The club hadn’t been in the Premier League since 2002, and midway through the 2021 season it was just a middling third-division side. Then Ipswich hired McKenna away from Manchester United and everything kept getting better. They were promoted to the Championship in his first full season in charge. Then they were promoted to the Premier League in his second season. They were demoted from the Premier League in his third season, but then they were promoted back to the Premier League in his fourth.
Though we tend to give managers too much credit and too much blame for team performance, the cause-and-effect here seems pretty clear. It’s not as if McKenna inherited a sleeping giant chock-full of talent. The only major departures during his tenure were Omari Hutchinson‘s move to Nottingham Forest and Liam Delap‘s switch to Chelsea last summer. He, of course, still got the club promoted again after they both left.
McKenna left the club after the 2026-26 season and that, perhaps, explains all of the summer business: Ipswich can’t rely on their manager to make the team better anymore. — O’Hanlon
20. Hull City
Last season’s finish: sixth in the English Championship (73 points, plus-4 goal differential), promoted via playoff
Key ins: CB Nobel Mendy (Rayo Vallecano, €23.4 million), GK Konstantinos Tzolakis (Olympiacos, €23.3 million), CB Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids, €14.8 million), CM Jens Hjertø-Dahl (Tromsø IL, €9.5 million), GK Jack Butland (Rangers, €3.5 million), LM Elliot Stroud (Mjällby AIF, €2.5 million), CM Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP, free), LB Matt Targett (Newcastle United, free), DM Óscar Zambrano (NK Maribor, fee TBD)
Key outs: GK Ivor Pandur (Rangers, €7 million), CF Kyle Joseph (Middlesbrough, €4.70 million), RW Abu Kamara (Portsmouth, €2.9 million), CB Akin Famewo (Bolton Wanderers, €585K), AM Kasey Palmer (Luton Town, €580K), AM Harry Vaughan (Bohemians, free), CF Mason Burstow (Sheffield Wednesday, loan), GK Thimothée Lo-Tutala (Colchester United, loan), GK Harvey Cartwright (Grimsby Town, loan)
Key stat
The Stats Perform database has 13 full Championship seasons with advanced stats. We know this doesn’t happen, but if the three best teams were promoted to the Premier League every season, we’d expect most of the 39 promoted teams to rank somewhere inside the top 40 or 50 teams since 2013-14 by adjusted goal differential. Coventry and Ipswich landed inside the top 20 with their performances last season.
As for Hull City? They rank 235th. This is — by far — the worst team that has been promoted to the Premier League in the modern era.
One big question: How much does it matter?
Historically, it does not matter.
There is almost no correlation between performance in the Championship and subsequent performance in the Premier League for promoted teams. Some of the worst Championship teams to get promoted in recent years — Sean Dyche’s Burnley, Huddersfield Town, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland — survived in Year 1. Burnley and Forest went on to have significant runs in the first division, while Sunderland just finished 10th last season.
Hull, themselves, seem to be aware of their own limitations and what the proper expectations should be. Rather than spending a ton of money on older players who might help this season but not much beyond that, they’ve spent a reasonable amount — ranking 13th for net spend in the Premier League so far — on a bunch of players who are almost exclusively 24 or younger. They have added some veterans — Butland, Morita and Targett are all in their 30s — but for a combined fee of just €3.5 million.
This team is likely to get relegated, but it’s far from a sure thing. Their summer business aligns almost exactly with that balance: They’ve added some players who could help them right away and a bunch who could help them well beyond the upcoming season. — O’Hanlon
Gozo’s Palace move the latest step in rapid rise as USMNT attention beckons
Real Salt Lake midfielder Zavier Gozo celebrates after scoring a goal against the Portland Timbers during the first half at America First Field. Rob Gray / Imagn Images
SALT LAKE CITY — Zavier Gozo and his family were walking through the concourses of a Real Salt Lake game just two years ago when the teenaged prospect’s mom, Esther, suddenly spotted someone wearing a jersey with ‘Gozo’ imprinted on the back.
The then-17-year-old played mostly for the club’s second team, the Real Monarchs, at the time, so it came as a bit of a shock to see someone with a shirt that bore his last name.
“That person has to be a fan,” she said to her young son.
Advertisement
There was simply no other way they’d have a jersey of an otherwise obscure mostly-second-team player. It was such a novelty, in fact, that Esther thought it’d be nice to memorialize the moment.
“Why don’t you go up to him and say hi? I can take a video of it,” Esther said.
Gozo approached the stranger.
“Hey, nice jersey,” the winger said.
The man smiled and nodded and turned back away. Gozo’s older brother, Elijah, a former RSL academy player who played at Utah Valley University, prompted the fan with a hint.
“This is Gozo,” he said, gesturing to the shirt. “This is him.”
“Pleasure,” the man said, then turned back away again. This time the body language was clear: the interaction is over.
The Gozo brothers walked away into the awkwardness.
“Clearly the shirt was a gift,” Zavier Gozo said with a smile and a chuckle in May, sitting on a couch with his mom and brother in the living room of their family home outside of Salt Lake City.
Things have changed in the years since.
The exciting, must-watch, goal-creating star was officially transferred Tuesday night to Crystal Palace for around $15 million, the second-highest up-front fee for an MLS homegrown player behind only U.S. striker Ricardo Pepi, who went for $20 million to Augsburg. (Vancouver Whitecaps homegrown Alphonso Davies was sold for $13.5 million to Bayern Munich, a fee that eventually reached $22 million with add-ons.)
The Gozo shirt might now be the most popular at Real Salt Lake games, with fans delighting over the 19-year-old who has become the team’s bonafide star. His face was on billboards around Salt Lake. He played in the MLS All-Star Game. Interactions with fans have changed dramatically since.
On a weekend this spring, Gozo went with his girlfriend to watch her little brother play a youth soccer game. He didn’t think anything of it and sat with her on the sideline. When one of the teams scored, however, the young goalscorer sprinted to the sideline and pointed at Gozo and then did a celebration. After the game, the Real Salt Lake star was swarmed by kids and parents wanting an autograph.
“Moments like that I’m like, ‘Wow,’” Gozo said.
Advertisement
The Utah native might need to get ready for getting recognized a whole lot more as a Premier League player. And, if he’s called in by U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino this fall, Gozo will no doubt become a household name for U.S. men’s national team fans.
While he played well for the U.S. under-20 team at the U-20 World Cup, Gozo has never been called into a senior national team camp. The winger is most definitely on the radar for his senior debut. He was on the supplemental roster for Pochettino’s 2026 team, meaning he was in contention for the World Cup squad, and it was clear after the tournament that the U.S. very well could have used his ability off the bench, even without previous international experience.
He has shown he’s capable of making a difference in games. The teenager had six goals and five assists in MLS before the move. Before the World Cup break, he ranked in the top 20 in MLS for goal contributions despite playing much of the season as a wingback.
For now, Gozo will head to the Premier League and look to make an impression with Palace, which finished 15th in last year’s table but also won their first European trophy: the 2025-26 UEFA Conference League.
Those around him have no doubt that he’s ready.
“He’s got the engine, he’s got the creativity and he plays both sides of the ball,” RSL teammate and two-time U.S. World Cup veteran DeAndre Yedlin told The Athletic in May. “He’s not going to cheat at all. Very, very honest player. And most importantly to me, just a very good, humble kid, which I think is the most important thing.”
Said RSL coach and 2002 World Cup veteran Pablo Mastroeni: “You can just see that the sky is the ceiling for this young man.”
Zavier Gozo celebrates in trademark style.Rob Gray / Imagn Images
Gozo was born in West Valley City, Utah, the son of Esther and Alban, an Ivory Coast native. Both members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Esther and Alban met at a college basketball game in Utah.
Advertisement
Due to his Ivorian roots, Gozo grew up a huge fan of Didier Drogba. His father coached his early teams and Gozo honed his skills at home playing against his older brother.
“When I got to the academy, I was more ready than most people might have been to play and develop,” Gozo said. “Just having an older brother helped me learn things a lot faster, trying to keep up the speed and strength, because he was always stronger.”
A year after joining Real Salt Lake’s academy, he signed a pro contract with the team’s reserve side, the Real Monarchs, at the end of 2022. Gozo played 10 games for the Monarchs in 2023 and made his MLS debut as a 16-year-old, playing six minutes against the LA Galaxy. Gozo scored once for the Monarchs in that first season, then added another five goals in 2024.
His steady progression caught the eye of RSL’s first-team coaches, who brought him into the first team in 2025. Gozo played 25 games last season, starting 21, and scored four goals with three assists. An overhead-kick goal against LAFC put him on the map.
“I remember when he scored his first goal, the adrenaline rush was (so strong) I almost felt nauseous,” Esther recalled. “I was seriously buzzing that whole game. After that, it was just so exciting. He had just graduated high school that week, and it was like: to see his dreams coming true, after starting for a month, at that point it was (surreal).”
This offseason, Mastroeni started to hear stories about his teenage star showing up to the facility every day to get individual work in. RSL has an enormous indoor facility they call “The Box,” and Gozo would arrive every day to work on his 1-on-1 ability and finishing, especially with his weaker left foot. He also hit the weight room, adding 10 pounds of muscle to his 5ft 11in frame.
Gozo didn’t know that Mastroeni was getting reports about his individual work. It was meant to be a private effort. The teenager was intent on leveling up and finding that natural level of confidence on the field — something that drove him at every stage of his career prior.
Advertisement
“I feel like every time I would move up age groups or levels, when I went from the academy to the Monarchs, it was kind of like I would get there on a high and then be, like, shut down (by the increase in quality) a little bit,” Gozo said. “I needed it. I need to get up to the level. And then after a couple months I’ll be like, ‘OK, this is my level now. I can be there.’ I felt the same thing from the Monarchs to the first team. I would go to the first team and have a good training, but then feel like I’m not the best player here anymore. And then I’d have to work my way up again.”
By the start of this season, though, Gozo’s confidence was oozing out of him. Mastroeni wanted Gozo to work on his final product, and that started to come through from preseason.
“Last year he created, for himself and his teammates, probably two or three big chances a game, but he was having a hard time finishing,” Mastroeni said. “In preseason I saw him come cutting into his left foot and then hitting curlers, and I’m, like, ‘Last year he didn’t even have a left foot.’ And so fast-forward to our preseason, he scored a couple goals in preseason from a wing-back position. I was like, ‘Oh my God, this guy’s really turning it up’.”
Against Atlanta United in March, he showed some of those new layers to his game, bringing the ball down out of the air in stride, dribbling at and then past a defender and onto his left foot, where he curled a shot to the far post.
One month later against Sporting Kansas City, he received a pass at the top corner of the box, flicked it up to himself and snapped a volley inside the upper corner of the far post, a brilliant finish that doubled RSL’s lead.
Gozo laughed when asked about the goal. Was the flick-up intentional?
“It was 100 percent a bad touch,” the teenager said. “Obviously I was thinking about shooting already. I wanted to shoot, just take a touch and shoot first time. But then it popped up to me, so I was just like, I have to shoot it, still. I gotta shoot it one way or another.”
Advertisement
The finish spoke to the exciting element Gozo brought to the field. Gozo’s goals come in spectacular fashion, a nod to his willingness to try things. And the goals only added a layer of confidence for him and his team. Players started to look to find Gozo on the field as often as possible, and RSL moved him around the pitch, from his wingback position, to a winger role and even inside as a No. 10.
Gozo led the team in high-speed running and in sprint distances and rarely came off the field. Mastroeni pointed out that in the third game of a week earlier this season, Gozo was still “burning down the sidelines” late in games. His defensive work rate stood out. And the goals continued. He added four goals in four games across the first two weeks of May.
He had six goals and five assists in 1,417 minutes this season.
“When you put all that together, you got a guy that’s just growing technically, tactically, understanding the game, his finishing has improved, but he’s always been a physical monster,” Mastroeni said. “That’s why his ceiling is so high. And I think that translates to any league in the world. … It’s almost a cheat code. He has a real talent, plus his physical capacity.”
Through it all, Mastroeni said he was also impressed by how Gozo was handling the increased attention.
RSL coach Pablo Mastroeni has supported Zavier Gozo’s rise to prominence.Simon Fearn / Imagn Images
“He’s one of the brightest spirits,” Mastroeni said. “He’s always happy, always has a smile on his face. He exemplifies everything, and he’s just a real joy from a coaching perspective because he’s also a learner. He wants to get better, and so there’s he never has a feeling that I know everything. … He brings all the stuff that you see in the game, but he’s also just a world-class human being as well.”
Gozo’s family knew a move to Europe was inevitable. And what comes next with the senior national team will be yet another opportunity for Gozo to level his game up. It will be a lot for a kid who has lived at home in the Salt Lake area his entire career as a professional.
Advertisement
During the recent visit to his house, Gozo was mingling with a childhood best friend just after training and before an interview. Those layers of comfort will be stripped away for the first time. The family planned to build support around him, with maybe his brother or mom coming out to help the transition.
“We know it’ll be a hard transition for him from going from a family home to your own place,” Esther said. “We just want to see him succeed. And however we can help him do that, I think is what we’ll want to do.”
Ahead of the World Cup, Gozo had once again found that level of confidence he is always seeking. He was playing his best soccer and was now the best player — or one of the best — at Real Salt Lake. He could “step on the field and just be me and do what I want to do with confidence.”
He knows what will come next at Palace: The same thing he experienced moving from academy to Monarchs and then from Monarchs to Real Salt Lake. A new challenge. A humbling introduction to a higher level. More motivation to push himself and find that comfort and confidence again.
For Gozo, it will be about how quickly he can fall back into the process that got him here, and on his ability to lean on the creativity and attacking mindset that pushed him to new levels this year.
“Being me is what’s going to get me farther,” he said. “I don’t know why I would shy away from doing the things that are making me succeed.”
An unpredictable Premier League returns with scope for fresh stars and new main characters
Only five weeks have passed since the World Cup final culminated at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey but the most popular domestic football league on the planet returns tonight in England.
This is a Premier League season as fascinating for those who have departed as for those who have arrived.
It was tricky enough to imagine Manchester City without Pep Guardiola but what on earth do they become without the lynchpins of his best years? Rodri, Bernardo Silva and John Stones all followed him through the exit door, and it is hard to envision that the master-planners in east Manchester hoped that Elliot Anderson, for all his potential, would be the sole arrival of substance for the opening weekend of the season.
Advertisement
As for Enzo Maresca, he looks a little bit like Pep and plays a little bit like Pep, but can anyone really come close to Pep?
As for when or what may happen with those 115 alleged breaches of Premier League regulations, we are now over three years on since the Premier League, in announcing the charges, pitted itself directly against its most successful team of the past decade. City have always denied wrongoing, saying they have a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.”
If Manchester City appear confusing, then what to make of the puzzling turn of events at St James’ Park? Eddie Howe walked out in pre-season and has been replaced by Matthias Jaissle, a 38-year-old coach whose previous experience was in Austria and Saudi Arabia. Oh, and he will be doing it without Newcastle United’s best two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, who have departed for Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, while Anthony Gordon swapped Tyneside for Catalonia when he headed to Barcelona at the start of the summer. Newcastle go into their opening game with six new signings, four of whom are 20 or younger.
Enzo Maresca has the unenviable task of succeeding Pep Guardiola at Manchester CityCarl Recine/Getty Images
There is unpredictability and nervous intrigue across much of the Premier League. Nine clubs have new managers, while Michael Carrick only joined Manchester United in January and Roberto De Zerbi has coached seven games at Tottenham Hotspur, so they feel pretty new too.
Andoni Iraola played the most exhilarating football in the division last season but how will he cope with the step-up in scrutiny from Bournemouth to Liverpool? Will his intense brand of football survive the rigours of European competition?
Are Aston Villa a team being ripped apart, picked off by Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal for Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers and now Ezri Konsa, or a team in exciting transition and ripe for reinvention under Unai Emery?
Advertisement
Fulham have swapped five years of stability and growth under Marco Silva for a punt on Alvaro Arbeloa, whose five months in interim charge of Real Madrid left a dressing room in disarray but apparently provided enough encouragement for a passport to the Premier League.
Nottingham Forest have hired Oliver Glasner, a coach who won an FA Cup and the Conference League at Crystal Palace, as well as a Europa League at Eintracht Frankfurt, but how will he fare as the club’s fifth coach in 12 months under demanding owner Evangelos Marinakis?
Manchester United ended last season in title-competing form under Carrick, and, while incomplete, they appear to be building wisely. But how will the players respond now his position is permanent? Do they have the depth to compete when the demands extend to four competitions, having only competed in the Premier League during Carrick’s previous half-season in charge?Three storylines to watch ahead of this season
George Edwards and Rachael Tinde
Brighton & Hove Albion’s model is proven — developing well-scouted talents to produce big profits — but will they repeat the trick once more after selling Jan Paul van Hecke, Danny Welbeck and quite possibly Carlos Baleba and Yankuba Minteh?
Promoted teams Hull City and Ipswich Town have recruited at least 11 players apiece, and Frank Lampard returns to the division with Coventry City, but can any of them replicate the success of Sunderland and Leeds United last time around?
Everton appear to be constructing smartly under David Moyes, signing Hayden Hackney, last season’s Championship player of the year, as well as proven Premier League talent in Brennan Johnson and Christian Norgaard, but will results pick up after a disappointing end to last season?
That’s the thing about uncertainty: it can be dressed up as opportunity or doom-scrolled into vulnerability.
Optimism abounds at two of last season’s Premier League basket cases, where the good news is that results can, surely, only get better.
By the end of the window, Premier League clubs will almost certainly have spent a cumulative £1billion on players from within the English top flight. Manchester United will likely spend close to £150m on three midfielders from Villa, Chelsea and Brighton. Arsenal will spend more than £120m on players from Newcastle and Villa. Chelsea have spent more than £170m on players from Villa, Brighton and Crystal Palace. Manchester City spent £116m on Anderson from Nottingham Forest. Tottenham have recruited six players, all of whom played in the Premier League last season. Two of Leeds United’s biggest summer signings, James Trafford for £40m from Manchester City and Harry Wilson on a free transfer from Fulham, are domestic recruits.
It all underlines the perceived strength of the Premier League and how most clubs see certainty in buying from within. Coaches, knowing their window of opportunity is narrower than ever, are often less prepared to take risks. Several clubs have been stung by excessive ventures into external markets in recent years, most notably Tottenham in Italy and Manchester United’s mistakes in the Dutch league under Erik ten Hag.
Bournemouth, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sunderland are the only clubs yet to sign a senior player who played in the Premier League last season but as Liverpool track Minteh and Newcastle pursue Manchester City’s Nico Gonzalez, that will likely change.
After a World Cup where so many games were dominated by individual stars — albeit won by the ultimate collective in Spain — it is striking that the Premier League’s supply of world-class talent is running a little low, both on the field and in the dugout.
Mohamed Salah has departed Liverpool. Rodri has left for Barcelona. In recent years, the Premier League has lost Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Julian Alvarez and Luis Diaz, all of whom may have made sense individually at the time, either due to contract situations or career development, but together, their departures have diminished the pool of headline names. The Premier League has only Cole Palmer and Gianluigi Donnarumma from the top 10 players to make the Ballon d’Or list in 2025.
Mohamed Salah is one of the latest big names to exit the Premier LeaguePaul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images
The Premier League still retains the most potent finisher on the planet in Erling Haaland, Bruno Fernandes remains at Manchester United, and Arsenal have the best defence in world football. And their respective clubs will hope there is substantial growth yet in players such as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Matheus Cunha, Cole Palmer, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.
Where the Premier League does differ this season, however, is in the coaches of its leading teams.
Only 10 years ago, the Premier League began a season with Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino, Antonio Conte and Arsene Wenger across its ‘Big Six’ clubs, all of whom, with the exception of Pochettino, had top-flight league titles to their name. The Premier League had become the galactico home of the world’s best coaches, the individuals who made the Premier League, and even its pre-match press conferences, feel unmissable.
Advertisement
Yet this season begins with a selection of coaches who, while stacked with potential, are short of elite medals and whose mythology is yet to be written. Those same ‘Big Six’ teams are now coached by men aged between 44 and 47, and only Arteta has a Premier League title as a coach.
In this regard, it is not that the Premier League is not attracting elite coaches, merely that the clubs have cycled at rapid speed through so many of the contenders to spearhead a new dominance. Ten Hag, Ruben Amorim, Arne Slot, Thomas Frank, Graham Potter and Ange Postecoglou were all spoken about as innovators, only to find that the burning spotlight of the Premier League can break reputations as rapidly as it makes them.
Almost seven years into his reign, Arteta must sense an opportunity to not only defend his Premier League title but also push on to a period of extended dominance. Aside from the Arsenal manager, only the reigns of Emery at Villa and Daniel Farke at Leeds have exceeded three years.
With this young generation of coaches, it begs the question of which, if any, will emerge as the new main characters of the Premier League, offering up the sideshows, barbs and rivalries that provide the necessary theatre to any sporting season. Who might emerge as the provocateur of the Premier League touchline and who might cast dark aspersions in press conferences? Will one coach step from the shadows and be the conscience of a league whose moral compass can often be found wanting?
For all the flux, there is no suggestion that the Premier League is ceding popularity, wealth or market share. The power of the Premier League is that, even in emerging global markets, the attachment remains — not only to individual players or one-off coaches, but to clubs who have parked their lawns on television screens across the globe. And as former heroes depart, space is created for the next generation of defining characters to come forward.
Adam Crafton is a British journalist based in New York City, having relocated from London in 2024. He primarily covers soccer for The Athletic. In 2024, he was named the Sports Writer of the Year by the Sports’ Journalist Association, after winning the Young Sports Writer of the Year award in 2018
MLS vs Liga MX League Cup Takes Center Stage Apple TV/Fox, Univision
Fresh off another AllStar Win for MLS Allstars vs the Mexican Allstars – (Son w/a Brace in All Star Game was special) now we have The Leagues Cup — the 36-team tournament featuring select clubs from Major League Soccer and Mexico‘s Liga MX — is back! All 62 Leagues Cup matches will be streamed live on Apple TV. FOX will broadcast 10 Phase One matches. Univision will provide Spanish-language broadcasts of 10 Phase One matches. The Seattle Sounders are the defending Leagues Cup champions, having won the 2025 tournament final over Inter Miami. The Columbus Crewwon the 2024 Leagues Cup, while Inter Miamiwon the 2023 edition in Lionel Messi‘s first season with the team. “Phase One” match will feature direct MLS vs. Liga MX matchups. Despite playing against teams from the opposing league, MLS and Liga MX clubs will be in league-specific tables. There are no draws, with games tied after regulation going straight to a penalty shootout (3 points for win, 2 for penalty shootout win, 1 for penalty shootout loss). The top four clubs from each Leagues Cup league-specific table advances to the knockout rounds. The quarterfinal matchups will be determined by a team’s place in the top four of their respective league’s table: MLS 1 vs. Liga MX 4, MLS 2 vs. Liga MX 3, MLS 3 vs. Liga MX 2, MLS 4 vs. Liga MX 1. This is worth the watch folks — anytime US teams play Mexican Teams in Soccer — big time!! Here Messi is back as he scores a brace leading Miami to a home win. Schedule
Thursday, Aug. 6
New York City FC vs. Santos Laguna (Sports Illustrated Stadium), 7:30 p.m. ET
Cruz Azul vs. Philadelphia Union (Subaru Park), 8 p.m. ET (FOX, Univision)
Chicago Fire vs. Necaxa (SeatGeek Stadium), 8:30 p.m. ET
Austin FC vs. Tijuana (Q2 Stadium), 9 p.m. ET
Club América vs. San Diego FC (Estadio Banorte), 10 p.m. ET
Portland Timbers vs. Puebla (Providence Park), 10:30 p.m. ET
Friday, Aug. 7
FC Cincinnati vs. Pumas (TQL Stadium), 8 p.m. ET (Univision)
Tigres vs. Minnesota United (Allianz Field), 9 p.m. ET
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Juárez (BC Place), 10:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Aug. 8
Orlando City vs. León (Inter.co Stadium), 6:30 p.m. ET
Inter Miami vs. Monterrey (Nu Stadium), 8 p.m. ET
Chivas de Guadalajara vs. FC Dallas (Paypal Park), 9 p.m. ET (FOX, Univision)
Real Salt Lake vs. Atlante (America First Field), 10 p.m. ET
Toluca vs. Los Angeles FC (BMO Stadium), 11:10 p.m. ET
Sunday, Aug. 9
Seattle Sounders vs. Querétaro (Lumen Field), 3:30 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Union vs. Necaxa (Subaru Field), 7:30 p.m. ET
Cruz Azul vs. New York City FC (Sports Illustrated Stadium), 7:30 p.m. ET (FOX, Univision)
Chicago Fire vs. Santos Laguna (SeatGeek Stadium), 8 p.m. ET
Nashville SC vs. Atlético de San Luis (GEODIS Park), 8 p.m. ET
Austin FC vs. Puebla (Q2 Stadium), 9 p.m. ET
San Diego FC vs. Tijuana (Snapdragon Stadium), 10 p.m. ET
Club América vs. Portland Timbers (Providence Park), 10:15 p.m. ET (FOX, Univision)
Tuesday, Aug. 11
Charlotte FC vs. Pachuca (Bank of America Stadium), 7:30 p.m. ET
FC Cincinnati vs. Atlas (TQL Stadium), 8 p.m. ET (FOX, Univision)
Minnesota United vs. Atlante (Allianz Field), 8:30 p.m. ET
Real Salt Lake vs. Juárez (America First Field), 9:30 p.m. ET
Tigres vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (Estadio Universitario), 10 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Aug. 12
Orlando City vs. Atlético de San Luis (Inter.co Stadium), 7:30 p.m. ET
Inter Miami vs. León (Nu Stadium), 7:30 p.m. ET
Monterrey vs. Nashville SC (GEODIS Park), 8 p.m. ET (FOX, Univision)
Toluca vs. FC Dallas (Estadio Nemesio Diez), 10 p.m. ET
San Diego FC vs. Puebla (Snapdragon Stadium), 10:15 p.m. ET
Los Angeles FC vs. Querétaro (BMO Stadium), 10:30 p.m. ET
Seattle Sounders vs. Chivas de Guadalajara (Lumen Field), 10:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, Aug. 13
Philadelphia Union vs. Santos Laguna (Subaru Park), 7 p.m. ET
New York City FC vs. Necaxa (Sports Illustrated Stadium), 7:30 p.m. ET
Club América vs. Austin FC (Q2 Stadium), 8:30 p.m. ET
Cruz Azul vs. Chicago Fire (SeatGeek Stadium), 9 p.m. ET
Portland Timbers vs. Tijuana (Providence Park), 10:30 p.m. ET (FOX, Univision)
QF Aug 25-27, Semi’s Aug 25-27, Final Sept 6
NWSL: San Diego Wave vs. Gotham FC —Friday at 8 p.m. ET Prime Video NWSL Drops Victory+
Defending league champion Gotham sits at the top of the table, but just one win separates these surging squads. Plus, the Wave is one of only three teams to defeat the Bats this year. This is gonna be good. The NWSL will finish out the 2026 season with one fewer broadcast partner, after the league announced last week that it has severed its partnership with Victory+, effective immediately.The Athletic reported on Thursday that the move is in part due to a lack of on-time payments — an issue that has caused MLB’s Texas Rangers and the NHL Anaheim Ducks to also leave the platform.“ There will be no disruption to our broadcast schedule, so you can continue to watch your favorite clubs all season long,” the NWSL said in a statement.
Big picture: The NWSL had signed on with Victory+ less than a year ago, finding a home for inventory in addition to the league’s ongoing partnerships with CBS Sports, Prime, ESPN/ABC, and Ion. All NWSL matches originally scheduled to air on Victory+ this season will now be streamed for free on the league-produced NWSL+ service.
Indy 11 host Hartford Athletic Sun 5 pm 317 Night
San Antonio, Texas – Indy Eleven midfielder Josh O’Brien scored his fourth USL Championship goal of the season in the Boys in Blue’s 3-1 setback at San Antonio FC on Friday night. The Boys in Blue return home Sunday, August 9 at 5 p.m. vs. Hartford Athletic at Carroll Stadium. It is a 317 Night, so fans can purchase $11 tickets through the link and add an Indy Eleven Medical Scrub Cap at checkout for $15 (cap must be picked up at the match). Ticket options include the new Desnuda Tequila Deck, Family Four-Packs, and Flex Mini-Plans.
Poch is Back for the US while 4 Games in Sept/Oct are coming for the USMNT
So I am not sure how I feel about Pochitino being back for the US as the Men’s Coach. On one hand we had a nice World Cup – we looked as good as any US team has ever looked in our win over Paraguay, had 2 group wins and won our first knockout game capturing the heart of the Nation – and having Country Roads trigger me for tears – for the rest of my life in pride for the US team. But the reality is this Sweet 16 advancement left us getting blasted by Belgium 4-1 showing that we were no better than ANY OTHER US Team that has advanced to the Sweet 16. At least those other 4 teams didn’t get destroyed the way we did under Poch? So what did we really get with this “Really Good” FOREIGN coach. Did we really play better than any other team that advanced to the Sweet 16? Yes this team played a higher press with more possession than at any World Cup we have ever played – but lets be real – we had 5 Champions League players out there and 9 guys starting who play in Europe everyday. The bottom line is the players are better – certainly the forwards and mids are anyway. But you could argue our Defense – especially with Tim Ream and our pathetic GK Matt Freese back there. This was our worst Goalkeeper pool EVER in the History of our Country PERIOD. I argue that the US was going to come back and at least control the ball and shoot 30 times over the last half vs Belgium if not for Ream and Freese’s horrific Gaff? Would a 2 -1 loss with the US shooting 15 times in the 2nd half been respectable enough to take away the sting from blowing our BEST EVER Chance to make a Quarter Final? Honestly NO – for $6 Million a season I expected our coach to not GET Schooled by the Belgium coaches with a gameplan that exposed just how horrific Tim Ream was vs a good team. What Poch did — while spending most of his time living in Europe and half ass coaching our national team to the same exact spot we always finish in – was not and is not worth $6 Million a year. His record with the U.S. stands at 17-12-2 (W-L-D). Another thing – I’ll bet my Car – that Poch will not be here for Copa America 2028 – he’ll bail to a club job as some point over the next 9 months is my guarantee. Was it cool at times – sure – but Poch is not bought in to making US soccer better overall. He’s just collecting a pay check, while living in a foreign country looking for other jobs. Prove me Wrong Poch and US Soccer. But I just don’t buy it. The US has announced a nice line-up of friendlies vs Chile, Canada, Mexico and Peru in Sep & October – will be interesting to see who Poch brings in.
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Need food for a Graduation, end of school party, World Cup or Back to School Party? Call Ryan now to ask about catering options at 317-688-7290. Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Need some good ole AMERICAN BarBQ for the preschool parties, end of summer picnics or group outings? Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after for watch parties – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Advertisement
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Fri, Aug 9 (Leagues Cup) 7:30 pm Apple Free Columbus Crew vs Pachuca Leagues Cup 7:30 pm Apple Charlotte vs Atlas 8 pm Apple/Unimas Cincy vs Pumas 8 pm Prime Gothem vs San Diego Wave NWSL 9 pm Apple Tigres vs Minn United 10:30 pm Apple Vancouver vs Juarez 10 pm FS1 Canada U20 vs Mexico U20 Sat, Aug 8 7 am Golozo, Para+ Juventus vs Inter Milan 8 am CBSSN Chelsea vs AC Milan 9 am Para+ QPR vs Millwall Leagues Cup 10 am Para+ West Ham vs Portsmith Leagues Cup 11 am CBSSN Man United vs PSG 1 pm CBSSN Frenencvaros vs Real Madrid 3 pm Golazo & Para + Barcelona vs Nottingham Forrest 4 pm Ion, Tubi Denver Summit vs Utah Royals 4:30 pm Apple Free New England vs Houston Dynamo 6:30 pm Apple Orlando City vs Leon LEagues Cup 6:30 pm Ion, Tubi Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs NC Courage 8 pm Apple Inter Miami vs Monterrey LEagues Cup 8:45 pm Ion, Tubi Houston Dash vs KC Current 11:10 pm FS1 Toluca vs LAFC Sun, Aug 9 7 am Golazo, Para+ Man City vs Atletico Madrid 9:30 am CBSSN Liverpool vs Monaco 3:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs Quertiero 4 pm CBSSN Boston Legacy vs Portland Thorns 5 pm ABC Indy 11 vs. Hartford Athletic 7 pm FS2 USA U20 vs Mexico U20 Finals 7:30 pm FS1 Cruz Azul vs NYCF 8 pm Apple Chicago Fire vs Santos Laguna 8 pm Apple Nashville SC vs Atletico San Luis 9 pm ESPN Seattle Reign vs Angel City (Thompson) 10:15 pm FS1 America vs Portland Timbers Leagues Cup Wed, Aug 12 3 pm Para+ PSG vs Aston Villa Super Cup 7 pm Apple Inter Miami (Messi) vs Leon LC 8 pm FS1, Apple Monterrey vs Nashville SC 10:15 pm FS 1 San Diego vs Puebla 10:30 pm Apple LAFC vs Queretaro 10:30 pm Apple Seattle vs Guadalejara Thur, Aug 13 7:30 pm Apple NYCFC vs Necaxa 9 pm Apple Cruz Azul vs Chicago Fire 10:30 pm FS1 Portland Timbers vs Tijuana Fri, Aug 14 3 pm CBSSN Wolverhampton vs Blackburn Rovers 8 pm Prime Gotham FC (Lavelle) vs KC Current Sat, Aug 15 10 am para+ Middlesbrough vs Lincoln City Champ 11 am ESPN+/D Racing Santander vs Villarreal Spain 12:30 pm para+ Sheffield United vs Birmingham City Champ 3:30 pm ESPND, + Sevilla vs Rayo Vallecano La Liga starts 6:30 pm Ion TV Racing Louisville FC vs Boston Legacy FC 9:30 pm Ion TV Portland Thorns FC (Williams) vs Orlando Pride (Banda. Marta) Sun, Aug 16 10 am ESPN Arsenal vs Man City Community Shield 6 pm Apple Chicago vs Portland Timbers 9 pm ESPN Angel City (Thompson) vs Washington (Rodman) NWSL 10:30 Apple Seattle Sounders vs Vancouver Mon, Aug 17 3 pm Para+ Cardiff City vs Wrexham Champ Wed. Aug 19 3 pm ESPN+ /D Atlético Madrid vs Málaga Spain Fri, Aug 21 3 pm Arsenal vs Coventry City (Wright) EPL Start Fri, Aug 21 – Sun Aug 23 EPL Season’s Start Sat, Sept 26 4:30 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Peru Orlando Tues, Sept 29 8 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Chile St Louis Sat, Oct 3 8 pm?? TNT/HBO USMNT vs Mexico Glendale Tues, Oct 6 8 pm TNT/HBO USMNT vs Canada Minn Sat, Oct 10 8 pm TNT. HBO USWNT vs Spain DC Tues, Oct 13 7 pm TNT, HBO USWNT vs Spain Philly
UNION JACK – BROAD RIPPLE – WATCH PARTY Indy 11 @ Jacksonville Sat 15 – 6:30 PM ET – 9:00 PM ET https://unionjackpub.co/ 921 Broad Ripple Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach Shane Best sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
Interested in advertising in TheOleBallcoach? Learn More shanebestsoccer@gmail.com
USMNT summer transfers: Grading major American players’ signings
yan RosenblattAug 6, 2026, 03:18 AM ET
For the past year, the prospect of the FIFA World Cup meant that all but the truly elite players in the world’s game had to view potential transfers through the lens of their international careers.
If a player made an ambitious move to a big club but ultimately didn’t make the grade and their playing time declined, a place in their national team might no longer be a certainty. If a player chose to cash in on a mega-money move to a league outside soccer’s historic best, perhaps that weaker level of competition pushes them off the radar of their international manager. Those are big risks to take with a lifelong dream of a tournament on the horizon.
Now, though? The next World Cup is four years away, and players can take chances knowing that they have four full seasons of club football to rectify any less-than-ideal situations.
Already, several players in the U.S. men’s national team player pool have changed club allegiances — including a handful who featured for Mauricio Pochettino this summer. So with the transfer market in full swing and American players primed to make moves, ESPN assesses every done deal completed by a player in the USMNT pool and assigns a letter grade.
All fees are reported unless confirmed with an asterisk.
It’s an American party at Middlesbrough, with Arfsten joining Sebastian Berhalter and Aidan Morris at the North Yorkshire club. The 25-year-old heads to Boro for $7.5 million, according to The Athletic, and he too will jump into the club’s pursuit of Premier League promotion.
Arfsten is a very good two-footed attacker, but he’s limited defensively, which makes finding the right club for him a bit tricky. Anyone who signs him has to be able to cover in behind him, and Boro are perfectly suited for that.
Kim Hellberg often plays with three at the back, using attack-minded wingbacks that should mean Arfsten slots right in. Even when Boro do go more conservative and play with more traditional fullbacks, Hellberg makes allowances for them so Arfsten should still be able to get forward from his left back spot.
Arfsten should also have a good chance to unseat Matt Targett as Boro’s first-choice option on the left and show off his array of attacking talents for a team that was already fourth in the Championship in goals a year ago. If the Californian can add a little bit more, that might be the difference between promotion and another year in the second division.
Arfsten made the U.S. World Cup team but played just a single minute in the tournament. He’ll always be a more matchup-dependent selection because he’s not a traditional left back, but if he shows that he can be relied upon a bit more on defense while still driving to support the attack down the wing, he could play a much bigger role for Mauricio Pochettino going forward, especially with Antonee Robinson creeping toward 30 years old.
Reyna’s disappointing stint at Gladbach that saw him play fewer than 600 minutes is over and now he’s on his fourth club since January 2024, joining Strasbourg with the hope of getting his career back on track.
The New York City FC academy alumnus was arguably the most accomplished and exciting young player the U.S. has ever had when he was lighting it up alongside Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund, but injuries have taken their toll on Reyna’s career. He hasn’t played 1,000 minutes in a season since he turned 20 and when he does play, he has been much slower.
Still, his technical skill remains. There’s a reason clubs continue to take chances on Reyna, and Mauricio Pochettino’s controversial decision to include him on the World Cup roster paid off with his sublime trivela goal in the win over Paraguay. He has ability with the ball that maybe no American man has ever had, and if he can ever find fitness, he could be an incredible asset for both club and country.
Strasbourg is Reyna’s latest opportunity to get right, with the slower pace of Ligue 1 potentially offering him a welcome respite from the speed of the Bundesliga and Premier League, where he has played previously. The club is owned by Chelsea‘s parent company, so players from the Premier League side are constantly being funneled, but they haven’t signed anyone in the attacking midfield spot that should block Reyna. In fact, they are reportedly entertaining offers for Julio Enciso, potentially clearing out room in that part of the pitch.
It’s hard to believe that Reyna is going to get a consistent run of matches anywhere right now considering his recent history, but this could be the move that opens the door to him reestablishing himself so his tremendous talent can shine again. It’s just a question of whether his body cooperates.
You wouldn’t think that the Whitecaps, who lead the Western Conference and are in the Supporters’ Shield race, would part with their star midfielder and undercut their chances of lifting their first major MLS trophy. That’s especially true when the fee is reported to be around only $2 million, according to The Athletic, but Berhalter’s contract in Vancouver was set to expire in December and the Whitecaps opted to get something for him while they could.
This move puts Berhalter squarely in a promotion battle, with Middlesbrough coming off a fifth-place finish and making a slew of signings with the money generated from Hayden Hackney‘s transfer to Everton.
Hackney’s departure is both a blessing and a curse for Berhalter, as it gives him a great chance to start every week for Boro alongside fellow American Aidan Morris, but expectations will also be high because he has to replace such a good player.
Berhalter is a tremendous ball striker and his ability to ping it will be an asset both from open play and on set pieces, and he’s a fiery player who isn’t afraid of physicality, so the adjustment to the Championship and a promotion battle should suit him just fine. The question for Berhalter has been whether he has the athleticism and ability to hang in the middle of the pitch over 90 minutes at a high level, and this will be a big test of that.
If he excels at Boro, not only could he find himself playing in the Premier League in a year’s time, but he also will position himself for a regular role in the U.S. midfield.
There was a time when it looked as if Reynolds might be the future at right back for the U.S., having impressed enough as a teenager at FC Dallas to earn a move to AS Roma. That hasn’t quite panned out, with Reynolds playing only six times in Serie A and having last appeared for the U.S. in 2023, but the 25-year-old has quietly built a nice career in Europe and is now moving from Westerlo in Belgium to Stade Rennais in France.
Reynolds should have a chance to play regularly at Rennais after the club cycled through out-of-position right backs for much of last season. Whether it was Przemyslaw Frankowski, Alidu Seidu, Mahamadou Nagida or Mousa Al-Tamari, they were playing center backs, left backs and midfielders at right back. Now Reynolds comes in as an established player at the position who can play in a back four. But the player who grew up as a forward can also push into a wingback role when the French club goes three in defense, as they did at times last season.
Stade Rennais are coming off a sixth-place finish in Ligue 1 and are only two years removed from six consecutive seasons in European competitions, so this is a meaningful step up for Reynolds and a chance to test himself at a higher level than he has been at since he was at Roma. It’s a big opportunity for the Texan, who has stabilized his career, carved out a real reputation for himself and now could even find his way back to the national team if he shows that he’s up to the level in Ligue 1.
Kochen has long been a target of fascination for U.S. fans, having come through Barcelona‘s La Masia academy, but the 20-year-old hasn’t had much of a professional career yet with only 37 appearances with the club’s B team. That should change this season, with the goalkeeper heading to Lyngby Boldklub in Denmark on loan.
Lyngby Boldklub were just promoted to the Danish top flight and have immediately put Kochen into the lineup to start their season. If that continues, it will make it a successful loan because the priority for the goalkeeper at this point is simply playing.
The U.S. was burned by shaky goalkeeping at the World Cup as Matt Freese struggled, but uneven play between the sticks has become the norm for the team. The Americans haven’t had a reliable backstop since Tim Howard at the 2014 World Cup and there’s no obvious answer to the problem now, so what they need is to cast as wide of a net as possible and cross their fingers someone good comes along.
Kochen is part of that wide net. Though he hasn’t played much at the professional level, he has played at every youth national team level, Mauricio Pochettino has tapped him in for training camps and Barcelona thought enough of him to make him their third goalkeeper last season, in addition to his time with their reserve team. He’s only 20 years old and now he’s going to be playing full time in a serious European first division.
If Kochen performs well at Lyngby, he’s going to put himself in a position to make a move to a higher level next summer and maybe be the future in goal for the U.S. Now he’s at a club where he’s going to get every opportunity to make good on years of expectations.
Mauricio Pochettino is back with the USMNT. These should be his top priorities
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino during a World Cup training session in June. Jamie Squire / Getty Images
It was an immediate alert from Pochettino that this won’t just be a carryover from the 2026 World Cup, which had some bright moments but ended with a brutal 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16. Pochettino said he will “set a different principle, with some similarities, but of course completely different,” from his first 18 months with the U.S. That actually makes sense. When Pochettino was hired previously, his job was focused on the narrow, short-term aims of a home World Cup.Now, Pochettino will have a more robust outlook on a cycle that has a finish line four years in the future — a lifetime in professional soccer.With that in mind, here are some top-priority things that should be on Pochettino’s to-do list as he begins this first full cycle as U.S. men’s national team coach.
Integrate new faces into the program
It’s critical that Pochettino not allow the program to stagnate at this key moment of transition.
The U.S. team that largely made up the 2022 and 2026 World Cup rosters needs to change, a process that should start immediately, even if it means calling in players who aren’t quite ready. In defense and goalkeeper, in particular, the U.S. could benefit greatly from a wholesale restocking of talent.
Regardless of position, it is in Pochettino’s best long-term interest to start integrating younger players so they are more prepared if their careers advance. That means summoning Zavier Gozo, who arguably should have been on the 2026 roster, and other teen rising stars Mathis Albert, Peyton Miller, Julian Hall and Adri Mehmeti.
It also means building relationships with the generation coming behind them, including 18-year-old Philadelphia Union center back Neil Pierre and 16-year-old Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who likely need more seasoning before earning senior caps, but can start to be integrated in different ways around the program. (This will tie in with a later point about working with U.S. U-23 coach Steve Cherundolo for the 2028 Olympic Games.)
Midfielder Adri Mehmeti, 17, has turned heads at Red Bull New York this season.John Jones / Imagn Images
Recruit dual-nationals
One of the important parts of being an international manager is helping convince players who could play for more than one team. This is especially true when you are the coach of the U.S. men. Yes, you should want players who want to be with you, as Pochettino has previously said. But there is an element of making them feel wanted, the benefits of which were made clear by Folarin Balogun’s success at the World Cup.The biggest name right now is German-American center back Noahkai Banks, who has a relationship with Pochettino and his staff after coming to one camp last year already, but stopped short of declaring his allegiance to the U.S. in the spring even as a potential World Cup berth was looming.With a squad that has some clear need areas, Pochettino has to lean into the recruitment aspect more as he pushes for players like the 19-year-old Banks, including versatile 18-year-old Chelsea prospect Landon Emenalo, a player Pochettino fast-tracked into first-team training when he coached Chelsea; 18-year-old Bayer Leverkusen winger Montrell Culbreath; 16-year-old Bayern Munich goalkeeper Leonard Prescott and even a longshot such as 23-year-old Japanese-born goalkeeper Taishi Brandon Nozawa.
Win a trophy
For all the touting of Pochettino’s impact since his arrival, the U.S. has yet to win a trophy under him.The team was embarrassed in the 2025 Concacaf Nations League final four, with losses to Panama and Canada. They fell in the 2025 Gold Cup final to Mexico. Wins in upcoming friendlies against Mexico and Canada would be nice. Pochettino’s combined record against those two rivals is 0-3.
More importantly, though, they have to start to show they are the dominant team of the region. Winning the Nations League would at least match what was accomplished under Gregg Berhalter, who won it in 2021 and 2024 (along with a Gold Cup in 2021); and also BJ Callaghan, who won the 2023 Nations League as interim manager.
Strike a balance in what could be a crucial 2028 summer
We don’t know for sure just yet, but two summers from now could be quite the proving ground for the U.S. player pool.It has long been rumored that Copa América could be returning to the U.S. in 2028, and if that winds up being the case and it’s another combined CONMEBOL-Concacaf production, then the Americans will want to put the best team possible on the field. Two years ago, a failure to get out of a Copa group on home soil is what ultimately cost Berhalter his job. For Pochettino, that tournament would be the closest approximation to a World Cup challenge that he’ll get in this four-year cycle.
But the summer also gives the U.S. another chance to win in another home tournament with a major spotlight: the 2028 Olympic Games.
The U.S. hired Cherundolo, the former LAFC manager and U.S. World Cup veteran, as coach of the men’s Olympic team, which will also want to secure the best possible team talent for that U-23 tournament. How can Pochettino assist there? By building and cultivating his existing relationships with teams in Europe and MLS, who aren’t required to release players for the Olympics (the men’s tournament is not on the FIFA international calendar), but would be for Copa América.
That could present some unique player decisions, presuming nobody would feature in both competitions. For example, how does Pochettino manage Gozo and Alex Freeman, both of whom would be eligible for the Olympics if released but could be important pieces for the Copa team? And which over-age players (teams can feature three players over 23 on their squads) would go to the Olympics?It will be an important balancing act over the next two years.
After an uneven and injury-hit World Cup, what’s next for Christian Pulisic with the U.S?Fran Santiago / Getty Images
Manage the veterans in the pool
The U.S. should be looking to bring in some of the young players, but Pochettino also needs to figure out how to best handle Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Balogun.
Pulisic came under heavy criticism for his comments after getting injured in the U.S.’s 4-1 loss to Belgium. He had a difficult World Cup. After being the best player on the field in the first half against Paraguay, Pulisic exited with a calf injury and missed the Australia win, then didn’t make much of an impact against Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina before an awful showing in the Belgium defeat, during which he exited injured again.
Advertisement
How does Pochettino handle bringing Pulisic, when fully fit, back into the mix? They had an up-and-down relationship, at least publicly, over the last two years, but it should still be expected that Pulisic will play an important role for the U.S. even as he crosses into his 30s during this cycle.
Pochettino should be thinking about what to do with all of his veterans, though. Is it worth calling them in for an entire summer Gold Cup during an “off year” edition in 2027? That feels like a prime opportunity to accomplish two other checks on this list: integrate new faces and work with Cherundolo on the Olympic team. The 2027 Gold Cup could be an opportunity for players like McKennie, Adams, Pulisic, Balogun, Malik Tillman and others to have some off time ahead of a (potential) 2028 Copa, 2029 Gold Cup and 2030 World Cup gauntlet.
That doesn’t mean Pochettino should relent on making sure players don’t pick and choose what camps they take part in, though. That complacency and entitlement were what he tried to weed out of the national team in the first place. Even so, it’s up to him to balance the minutes of his most important players while seeing both the short and long games. With World Cup qualifying, Nations League and summer tournaments, he has to find the right way to build up both the starters and depth of the 2030 World Cup team.
Paul Tenorio is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer. He has previously written for the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, FourFourTwo, ESPN and MLSsoccer.com.
Julio Cortez / AP Photo
For Pochettino and USMNT, second-cycle success means bucking history, resisting offers
Mauricio Pochettino is back for a second cycle with the U.S. men’s national team, but the high-profile coach returns to the job with less shine and more to prove — along with the need to halt a trend that has plagued his predecessors in a similar position.
The last time we saw Pochettino, the U.S. was licking its wounds after exiting its home World Cup with an embarrassing 4-1 round-of-16 loss to Belgium in Seattle. The Americans were one win away from matching a modern-era program best and reaching the quarterfinals. It was what, nearly eight years prior, a group dubbed as a “golden generation” set out to do in reshaping the reputation of the U.S. men’s program.ut the gap between securing that one win and falling short of that goal has proven enormous.
Pochettino was paid millions of dollars to cash in on that golden generation and bridge that gap at a home World Cup. He set goals of “touching the moon” and asked “why not us?” when it came to making history. It didn’t happen. The team absolutely captured the country’s attention with wins over opponents like Paraguay, Australia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Take me home, country roads,” became an American summer anthem.
Ultimately, though, the USMNT was exposed against a superior foe, a plot we’ve seen play out many times before. There may not have been a bigger chance for this program to reshape the narrative for good in front of as big of a captive home audience as there’s ever been. More than 50 million people tuned in, only to witness the U.S.’s gaffe-laden elimination.
Now, Pochettino and his multi-million-dollar salary are back. The mandate is arguably bigger, and progress — defined objectively by getting that one additional win in four years, but with more nuance woven into the journey — is expected. The next cycle is as much about building out the infrastructure and depth of the senior national team as it is managing the trajectory of a group that will be in much more of a transitional phase.
Mauricio Pochettino will look to get the most out of Christian Pulisic over the next four-year cycle.Fran Santiago / Getty Images
Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams will be 31 at the 2030 World Cup. Antonee Robinson will be 32. Tim Weah will be 30. There are still major question marks at goalkeeper and center back. A new generation of players must be integrated — and immediately.Pochettino helped to bring the USMNT program back to its core identity, one in which competition was paramount and full commitment was required. He can be the right coach for this program. But he has to get his decisions right over the next four years while dodging the same dangers that have plagued every other second-cycle coach in team history.And he will do so while another major question hovers over him that perhaps didn’t engulf his predecessors: Is he committed to a full four-year cycle?Speaking to a small group of reporters on Monday, Pochettino relished the chance to start fresh in a familiar role.
“I really believe that it’s an exciting situation for soccer in USA,” he said. “After 18, 19 months working in the objective that was only the World Cup, now to start in a fresh way, with a different approach, trying to create a different philosophy, different idea of what we need to do. To have the possibility to start from zero.“The demand from the vision of the federation for the future, demand us to have a different approach, and to set a different principle, with some similarities, but of course completely different. And our responsibility as a coaching staff is to provide the federation different things. That is why we were working in the last few weeks to try to reveal our way in all different areas, to try to provide better quality, better capacity, better knowledge, in every single aspect. Add different quality to the organization that needs to be fresh.“And I think we need to start from zero … to the goal that is going to be the next World Cup.”
Jurgen Klinsmann was fired two matches into the final round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup during his second cycle as U.S. coach.Moises Castillo / AP Photo
A horrid history of USMNT and second-cycle coaches
The history of second-cycle U.S. men’s national team coaches over the last two decades, to put it lightly, is not encouraging.
Bruce Arena followed up a 2002 quarterfinal appearance with a winless, group-stage exit in 2006, ranking 25th out of 32 teams. Bob Bradley was fired just a year into his second tenure following a 4-2 loss to Mexico in a compelling 2011 Gold Cup final. Jurgen Klinsmann was fired midway through his second cycle with the U.S. flailing at the start of 2018 World Cup qualifying (a campaign that Arena could not ultimately salvage). Gregg Berhalter was axed after the U.S. was eliminated in the group stage of the 2024 Copa América on home soil. The latter three coaches, like Pochettino, had reached the World Cup’s round of 16.
So why should Pochettino’s second run be any different? He’s unique in that he did not have a full qualifying cycle with the U.S. after his initial hiring. Pochettino goes into this second act with less time as U.S. coach than any of those predecessors. He needs to turn that into an advantage.Pochettino has at times shown a ruthlessness regarding how he approaches player selection. His first two years were defined by his insistence that no one is guaranteed a spot on the national team and that past performance would not dictate call-ups. He mostly stuck to that edict. He’ll need a heavy dose of that mentality going into this second cycle.
It’s also critical that in the two-week September-October window, which will feature four friendlies, we see Pochettino begin the transition of this national team with some new faces.Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo (if healthy), and Red Bull New York’s Adri Mehmeti and Julian Hall, none yet 20 years old, should all be integrated into the group. He should also consider other Olympic-eligible players like 18-year olds Peyton Miller (New England Revolution) and Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union). Former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard has called for 16-year-old Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan to get the call now, too.Pochettino said Monday that this cycle will be a chance to bring players “that maybe we didn’t have time to assess during that process that was very compact and very short period,” and to open “the possibility to perform and to be part of that next process.”This isn’t just about throwing bones to the next generation of players coming through, it’s sending a message that was clear during the World Cup: the depth has to improve — and quickly.
It is easy, of course, to get caught up in the hype of players who are almost all potential. It’s enticing because it’s easy to imagine what they could be. More important, however, is that Pochettino doesn’t get caught in the trap that is often the downfall of second-cycle coaches: leaning on your favorites so much that you’re blinded to what else is out there.It’s human instinct to call on the players you trust. But Pochettino has to keep that mentality that helped pull this U.S. team out of its funk post-Copa América. He has to encourage competition. The fall friendlies and November Nations League matches shouldn’t be tantamount to a ticker-tape parade for a round-of-16 World Cup team. This isn’t a celebration tour. It should be an announcement that the build is starting anew.
Pochettino seemed to indicate he felt the same way on Monday, and he didn’t shy away from the idea of integrating new faces into the program. With a home Olympics coming in 2028, it’s a big moment for the next generation.“It’s going to be important to provide the young kids that we really believe that they have the potential to arrive in 2030, in four years, to start to work and start to grow, and settle the principle that we expect from them,” he said. “I think now, after our experience, we need to provide everyone — the players that were with us in the World Cup, or were in the last process; and the new generation, a new young player, or player that maybe that mature, they didn’t have the possibility to be in that process — they need to feel they, if they perform, can have the possibility to to join us.”
Mauricio Pochettino and longtime assistant Jesus Perez are back to oversee the USMNT.David Gonzales / Imagn Images / Reuters
Warding off the lure of Europe
Pochettino’s second run with the U.S. will always have that one big commitment question humming in the background.
Part of the answer will be determined by how big of a buyout U.S. Soccer put into the contract and the structure of that clause. Is the figure escalating over the course of the four years? Are there different figures for different prospective suitors?
In reality, though, a buyout can be just a negotiating point. If a coach wants to leave, the odds are he is going to. Pochettino has always insisted that when he commits to something, he sees it through. He proved that once in this job. But in less than two years as coach of the U.S., he also gave multiple interviews in which he talked about his desire to coach again in the Premier League and win trophies on offer only in European club football.
In March 2025, he told Sky Sports, “Look, when I left the club I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham and that is of course … I am in the USA, I am not going to no, I’m not going to talk about that, but what I said then still after six years or five years, I still feel in my heart that, yes, I would like one day to come back.”
In June 2025, he shot down rumors about a return to Tottenham Hotspur as “not realistic.”Five months later, in an interview with BBC Sport, Pochettino called the Premier League “the best league in the world.”“Of course I am missing it,” he said. “I am so happy in America but also thinking one day to come back to the Premier League. It’s the most competitive league.”
In February 2026 on the High Performance podcast, Pochettino said he most wanted to win the Champions League and Premier League titles — even as the World Cup awaited just four months later.“I don’t know how, but I’m going to achieve it [winning the Premier League title],” he said. “I don’t know in which club.”
Pochettino was asked Monday if he’d tell European teams “no,” that he was committed to the U.S. for four years, when they came asking.
“Today it’s like this. Because already I say no. Too many possibilities, I say no without a contract in the federation,” Pochettino said. “Like (what) happened in the last 18 months. Always we were thinking beyond after the World Cup. … But the problem is, four years’ time is a really long period. You never know what can happen in soccer. Today, people really love you, but (in the future) maybe that changes, that feeling.
“That is why, for us, every time we sign a contract, it’s to go to the last day of the contract. If we sign a four-year contract, we need to think to arrive there. And we signed the contract because we really believe that we are going to be four years there. Because if not, it’s bad. If we don’t believe in that process, if we don’t believe in that journey, why (would) we sign four years? Only to be sure that we are going to receive a salary on the end of the month? That is not nice. It’s not the way that we think. We really signed that contract because we really believe that we can arrive to the end.“But in life, nothing is sure. Less in football. Who knows, if it’s in the opposite. Maybe the federation say, ‘OK, we cannot stick with you,’ in two years, in one year, I don’t know. For me, that is why the contracts are important, and always when we negotiate and we agree things, it’s important that the federation and us will feel comfortable in all the agreements that we make, and to sign that contract, thinking in to arrive to the last day.”
It would be a mess if U.S. Soccer were left to conduct a search again in the middle of World Cup qualifying. Pochettino’s return can be a good thing for U.S. Soccer. It could be a legacy-defining move for the coach. If he remains here through 2030, he’ll have spent more time with U.S. Soccer than anywhere else in his career, including Tottenham.
But everyone should heed history’s warnings here. For Pochettino, it will require a different strategy — in part by leaning into his already-established ethos — to make this work.
Paul Tenorio is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer. He has previously written for the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, FourFourTwo, ESPN and MLSsoccer.com.
Interested in advertising in TheOleBallcoach or joining the mailing list ? Learn More shanebestsoccer@gmail.com
Sleepless in Seattle – US Gets Pounded 4-1 by Belgium in Round of 16
Wow I am going to admit I did not expect to see what we so painfully watched in Seattle. We didn’t get beat we got slaughtered at home. An unbelievable march of over 5,000 followed the beating drums of the American Outlaws thru the streets of downtown Seattle on way to the stadium – a stadium where the US had never lost. a Full house of over 70K cheered and sang but just 40 seconds in Belgium had a great shot turned back by Freese. Six minutes later Belgium’s Raskin brought it down the left wing crossed and youngster Charles de Keteraere overpowered Capt Tim Ream to start the onslaught. The US answered with this magical freekick by Malik Tillman that wrong footed the world’s best Goalkeeper Courtois, only to have the same thing happen 2 minutes later as Belgium again came down the wing crossed and the same guy de Ketelaere embarrased our Capt Ream again as he lept over him for the 2nd goal. The US pushed and had more possession as they pushed for the 2nd half equalizer but still could barely get a shot on goal. Belgium literally intercepted every single pass we made in the middle of the field – Pulisic gave up the ball a record 15 times in the first half alone as the US could barely string 3 passes together once in the final half of the field. Still there was hope just 1 goal down until Tim Ream and Freese had a middle school moment as Freese tried to control a long pass out of the box and had is stripped from him outside the box. A bumbling Ream let his man by to steal from Freese then let the ball roll right past him as he tripped on himself and watched it roll into the goal ending any chance the US had of a winning in the 57th minute. The US was outshot 15-7, 7-2 shots on goal, &
Before the tournament started I said that the round of 16 would be a good World Cup for the United States and the round of 8 would be a great World Cup for the United States. It turns out I was right about that. I am disappointed because this team made me believe they were capable of more than the typical round of 16 finish. When they blew out Paraguay, (the best I have ever seen us look) beat Australia with ease, and their backups tied with Turkey into the 98th minute- I thought this team was different. When Balogun got a red card, and they responded by not only holding Bosnia Herzegovina scoreless, but getting another goal, I thought this team was different. They scored 10 goals. The United States never scores 10 goals in a World Cup. Yes the group stage teams were weaker this time, but other countries had weaker group stage opponents as well and most didn’t score as many goals as the United States. I was super excited and it turns out overconfident. Then they had their first test against an elite team, a team in the top 10 – they not only failed – the got embarrassed. They didn’t execute well and they made mistakes they normally don’t make. In fairness, Belgium had a lot to do with that. They are an elite team and they forced some of those mistakes. I would say overall this World Cup was bittersweet as a Team USA fan. I definitely think they have made a lot of progress compared to 4 years ago and I think Pochettino should be retained if he wants to return for 2 years until the Copa America. It is also obvious that the USA has a long way to go before they will be an elite team. Will they ever get there? I don’t know. Our nation’s best athletes still play Football and Basketball over Soccer. I do think it is possible, but it is going to take 7 or 8 players with the talent level of Malik Tillman and Folarin Balogun, Pulisic & McKinney & Adams and a much better defense. Chris Richards held down the fort well – but I told you Tim Ream would cost us come the Round of 16 when we would have to play a better team and he was absolutely exposed. (I love Tim Ream – have his Fulham jersey in my closet) but he’s 38 and runs like he’s 45. We had to get Trusty in there earlier each game to get him ready come Sweet 16 time. Instead Poch gave him the Captain’s band forcing the start each game with Ream. And he paid him back by letting the backup Belgium forward school him twice in front of goal – before being involved in that Farce with Freese for the 3rd goal. Ream and Freese combined – led to a horrific mistake and just poor all-around Goalkeeping & Defending.
Let’s be honest Pulisic is never healthy and he is NOT Captain America – he’s no longer even our best player as McKinney & Adams are both better at their positions that Pulisic is. He is inconsistent and he is injury prone and honestly he should probably be a super sub in the future because he can’t go 90. Balogun, Tillman, Freeman along with Adams, McKinney, Dest are the future of this team.
Down to 8 – The Quarterfinals
The Magical Ole Ballcoach Tour across the West with the US ended with a Wimper in Seattle
So its over – a little earlier than I thought – I truly thought I would be retuning to LA for 1 more game on Friday – a blowout loss to Spain in the Quarterfinals. Tying the best the US had ever done. But alas no – while the fans showed up -sold out 70K strong and the loudest and largest March to the Stadium by the American Outlaws ever. The team simply did not show up – playing by far their worst game of the World Cup. Us in San Fran
So many to thank on this wonderful – trek with the US team – first my daughter Courtney – who not only let me crash in her apartment for close to a month – but accompanied me all over this state to each and every game sometimes paying for them. 🙂 To her friends in LA who welcomed this old man on our forays around town to watch World Cup games where the fans were.
To our family Dee Dee and Daryl Beliel in Seattle who allowed us to crash at their place while driving us places all over town. To my wife Karen who put up with me being gone and spending all our money on this trip. To my Soccer buddy Bart who allowed us to buy his US supporter Tickets – since he was out of town on a cruise. Without you Bart – we don’t get 3 of the 5 tickets to games we went to. I owe you beers the rest of our lives! To the American Outlaws – who set up all the parties the night before and day of the games – providing the backbone of our support from game to game – city to city. You helped us find 2 tickets to Seattle when we had none just 1 day before gametime.
To all you US supporters who came along for the ride – I met so many people from across the country from Maine to North Carolina to Florida and Minn, Chicago, Texas, Kansas, and of course California and Seattle. You came across this great country of ours just like me – spending whatever it took to get in and support our team. To the guy who finally played Country Roads after our win in Seattle the 2nd game – I had been trying to get the Outlaw Marchers to sing both that song and Don’t Stop Believing on the way in — and to hear that song sung by 70K of my closest US fans – well its gonna bring tear’s to my eyes every time I hear it from now on. To Dan and Shey on the first game – who sang the National Anthem – so our fans could sing along – another time of extreme pride and tears in my eyes – as I held my AO Indy Scarf over my head while singing as loud as I could next to my daughter. These are all things I will never forget! We honestly fell one game short of what I thought we would – but still the experience was something I will never forget. The World Cup – what a sport, what fans, what excitement and fun. Perhaps see you in Brazil for the ladies in 2027. (Don’t let my wife see this).
Shane & Courtney from our seats in Seattle for the last game (4-1) behind us,
TV Schedule
Thurs, July 9Quarter Finals 4 pm Fox Fri , July 10 Quarter Finals 3 pm Fox Belgium vs Spain 8 pm Prime Orlando Pride vs KC Current NWSL 8 pm HBO Max Racing Louisville vs Bay FC NWSL Sat, July 11 Quarter Finals 5 pm Fox Norway (Erland) vs England (Kane) 6:30 pm Ion NC Courage vs Washington Spirit (Rodman) 7 pm ESPN+ Detroit City vs Indy 11 9 pm Fox Argentina (Messi) vs Switzerland 8:45 pm Ion San Diego Wave vs Angel City (Thompson) Sun, July 12 4 pm ESPN Seattle Reign vs Portland Thornes Tues , July 14 Semi – Finals 3 pm Fox Semi 1 Weds , July 15 Semi – Finals 3 pm Fox Semi 2 Sat, July 18 5 pm Fox 3rd place game Sun, July 19 3 pm Fox WC FINAL All games on Fox, FS1 & Telemundo
Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois admitted that they used the disrespect they felt by Americans as fuel before the game. And he also said Senegal are a better team than the USMNT. After everything that went on in the last couple of days, Belgium came out firing from the opening whistle last night. They also did the U.S. President Donald Trump’s dance both on the pitch and in the dressing room after the game. “The kind of disrespect we received in recent days — that’s no longer the same team,” Courtois said about Belgium. “We proved that we’re still a good team and that you can never take anything for granted at a World Cup. “Honestly, when I read those things [that Americans said], I just laughed a little. “I understand that people wanted to give a lot of publicity to the United States, but honestly, I felt much more certain that we were going to beat the U.S. than I did against Senegal, because Senegal is a better team. “And I think that was proven.”
Goalkeeping
NWSL action returns with Wave tea party, Sophia Wilson’s 50th goal, and Trinity Rodman late game-winner
Ally Sentnor, Kennedy Fuller, and Lily Reale also make debuts for their new clubs
WEEKEND RESULTS
Washington Spirit 2-1 Houston Dash
Denver Summit 0-3 Kansas City Current
Angel City FC 2-0 Orlando Pride
North Carolina Courage 3-1 Seattle Reign
San Diego Wave 2-0 Gotham FC
Boston Legacy 2-2 Bay FC
Chicago Stars 3-2 Utah Royals
Portland Thorns 4-0 Racing Louisville
FIRSTS
Michelle Cooper scored her first NWSL brace to lead the Current to a win
Bay’s Claire Hutton scored not only her first club goal but her first NWSL goal
Kennedy Fuller (Bay FC), Ally Sentnor (Angel City FC), and Lily Reale (Boston Legacy FC) all made their club debuts after recent transfers
CELLY CORNER
San Diego’s Melanie Barcenas broke out a timeless celly in honor of the GOAT’s birthday. After scoring her third goal of the season, Mel B hit ‘em with a sip of tea à la Alex Morgan. Bottom’s up!
COMING UP…
Rivals Face Off
Is there anything better than a good rivalry? No, there isn’t.
NWSL Rivarly Week presented by Ally is coming up, and it’s a three match slate that will set the tone for the rest of the season.The first place San Diego Wave host Angel City FC for the next SoCal Derby It’s always fun when San Diego and Angel City face off, but with both coming off shutout wins, neither one will want to give up an inch of momentum. The Cascadia Rivalry returns to Seattle. The Thorns are coming off a stunning 4-0 win that got everyone involved while the Reign are had a tough go of it in North Carolina. It would be quite the statement to win at home against a bitter foe. Finally, Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit are set to make history at Citi Field on July 15 in a 2025 NWSL Championship rematch. With Gotham set to make the move to Queens in 2028, it’s a great way to kick off a new era.
Man how lucky am I that I get to be here for these World Cup US Games. I proudly sing our National anthem with 70,000 Americans and players and it tears me up each time kind of like this guy Anthem. This team IS AMERICA (click)- a collection of players from all over this country: NY to California, St Louis to Florida and Texas (McKinney story). Sons of American servicemen who grew up overseas but are as American as us. Must Read story from the New York Times about how this team’s World Cup run is bringing our divided nation together (read below). Man what a time we had in San Fran. San Fran post game – I am going to admit each time we play Country Roads post game I swing and sing with my daughter Courtney and a tear comes to my eyes. To see the success for a team I have rooted for since before 1990 is just incredible and to see our country embrace not only this team but the sport I have loved since I first played as a 7th grader is wonderous (31 Million Watched). I wish my whole family was with us. Next step Seattle – we’ll arrive Sunday for the Monday 8 pm game. Go USA!
USA Beats Bosnia 2-0, Plays Belgium in Seattle Mon 8 pm
Wow! Talk about grit, fight and a never say will to win – this US team has it all. A gutsy 2-0 win over a scrappy, somewhat dirty Bosnia squad that was ready to in a low block (9 behind the ball) to try to frustrate the young US squad. (highlights) The US scored on a lovely Balogun run – only to have his goal called back for offsides. Late in the first half with a spectacular change of pace adjustment by Balogun – the US was on the board. It was a totally dominant first half with 80+ percent possession for the US and only 1 long range shot by Bosnia. The second have brought more ball control for the US before Balogun was sent off for a questionable Red Card play when he accidently stepped on a Bosnian’s foot. (See the arguments below Red Card Yes). The US was back to the wall at the 65 Minute mark, down to 10 men with 30 minutes to play. (In the Copa America 2 summers ago – a red card meant death to the US team as they conceded 2 goals to Panama to become the first home country eliminated in the Group stage ever.) Now 2 years later – with a new established foreign coach in charge – the US did not wilt. They did not even stop trying to score. With Pulisic in the middle, Dest on the left – and Tillman on the right – the US continued to push forward until they won a free kick just outside the box on the left hash mark with 15 to go. Tillman lined up and scored a Golazo (In Spanish), in English, from our seats in that endzone Poch reaction. The 2-0 lead and some controlled defense with Richards, Freeman & Ream refusing to give way – and an entire team willing to sacrifice themselves to protect our goal – and some good saves from our keeper the US held on for the win. Winning their first game over a European foe in almost 5 years, and advancing to the round of 16 for the first time since 2014. Tim Ream postgame reaction. Poch Postgame – why not us!
Again I am going to admit – I WAS WRONG. Pochitino is worth every dime we paid him to put this team into the right state of mind and help our Golden Generation begin to realize their potential. Yes I questioned everything he did in the build up to this cup – and he just said trust me – its a process. Well so far the process is working! Offensively we have been as strong as I can remember in years – combining long spans of ball control with quick strike counterattacks in lightening speed. Balogun has been the #9 we have lacked, scoring 3 goals (6 overall -3 called back on offsides). Pulisic when healthy has had space to take guys on 1 on 1, 1 on 2 and has straight beat them. McKennie & Tillman play like they have known each other forever and Tyler Adams? Well he’s Tyler Adams – one of the top #6/dmids in the EPL when healthy. GK Matt Freeze (the Harvard man) was finally tested a little vs Bosnia and made the saves he needed to make. He’s going to have to make more saves, including some spectacular ones, vs Belgium if we are going to win. The real question is who is Poch going to bring in for Balogun (who is out on Red Card suspension for this game). I think its Haji Wright finally getting his chance up top. Pepe has played hard and given supreme effort in his appearances – but he simply does not have the speed or knack to run the channels that Balo does. Wright has played with our core of Pulisic, McKinney & Adams since they were 15 years olds on our youth US teams. I think Wright and Pulisic reward Poch’s confidence by both scoring goals in the first half. The 2nd half will have Belgium legend Romeo Lukaku and we better have a lead by then. I think the US holds on 2-1 with more scrappy play – a little more counterattacking as Belgium will probably have 50-50 possession at least. I still think we are a better counter attacking team so that might just play into our hands if Pulisic can work his magic, McKennie can run his butt off again – and Adams can protect our back line. I suspect its another 3/2/3/1.
Here’s my line-up for Monday
Haji Wright Pulisic/Tillman Robinson/Adams/Mckinnie/Dest Ream/Richards/Freeman Freese
Indy 11 Host Detroit Sat 4 pm @ the Mike
Indy Eleven puts its nine-match home unbeaten streak (8-0-1) in USL Championship play over the past 10 months on the line vs. Charleston Battery in a special 4:00 p.m. kickoff on Sat. July 4 on MyINDY-TV 23 and ESPN+. dThe Boys in Blue are second in the USL-C in home wins (5) and tied for third in home goal differential (+7).
So here’s my bracket — shot already . But I like France & Argentina in the Finals – again. With Norway, Erling Halland & the Row advancing to the Semi’s for the first time ever. Here’s the current https://www.espn.com/soccer/bracket
TV Schedule
Friday, July 3rd 2 pm Fox Australia vs Egypt (Salah) 6 pm Fox Argentina (Messi) vs Cape Verde 5 pm Victory Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Houston NWSL 9:30 pm Fox Colombia vs Ghana 10 pm Prime Angel City vs Orlando Pride NWSL Saturday, July 4 (Sweet 16) 1 pm Fox Canada (Davies) vs Morocco 5 pm Fox Paraguay vs France (Mbappe) 6:30 pm ION NC Courage vs Seattle Reign (NWSL) 7 pm Myindy Indy 11 vs Charleston Battery 8:45 pm ION San Diego Wave vs Gotham FC Sun, July 5th(Sweet 16) 12 noon ESPN Boston Legacy vs Bay FC (NWSL) 4 pm Fox Brazil (Neymar) vs Norway (Haaland) 8 pm Fox Mexico vs England (Kane) (Azteca) Mon, July 6 pm 3 pm Fox Portugal vs Spain (Dallas) 8 pm Fox,Tele USA vs Belgium Tues, July 7 12 noon Fox Argentina vs Egypt 4 pm Fox Switzerland vs Croatia Thurs, July 9 Quarter Finals 4 pm Fox Fri , July 10 Quarter Finals 3 pm Fox USA/Belgium vs Spain/Portugal 8 pm Prime Orlando Pride vs KC Current NWSL 8 pm HBO Max Racing Louisville vs Bay FC NWSL Sat, July 11 Quarter Finals 5 pm Fox W91 vs W92 6:30 pm Ion NC Courage vs Washington Spirit (Rodman) 7 pm ESPN+ Detroit City vs Indy 11 8 pm Fox W95 vs W96 8:45 pm Ion San Diego Wave vs Angel City (Thompson) Tues , July 14 Semi – Finals 3 pm Fox Semi 1 Weds , July 15 Semi – Finals 3 pm Fox Semi 2 Sat, July 18 5 pm Fox 3rd place game Sun, July 19 3 pm Fox WC FINAL All games on Fox, FS1 & Telemundo
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Need food for a Graduation, end of school party, World Cup or July 4th party? Call Ryan now to ask about catering options at 317-688-7290. Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Need some good ole AMERICAN BarBQ for the US games or July 4th? Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after for watch parties – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach Shane Best sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
Interested in advertising in TheOleBallcoach? Learn More shanebestsoccer@gmail.com
View of The Game After our first game, I felt like this was the best USMNT of my lifetime. It was hard to tell much after the games against Australia and Turkiye, but this match left zero doubt this is indeed the best we’ve ever looked. Realistically, BH is not at the level of the teams in front of us. Our likely path to the title is Belgium, Spain, France, Argentina. Yikes. However, we played outstanding in a game we were expected to win, and we were fearless and positive even after going a man down. We have quality in every position, we play the ball quickly, and most importantly, we make runs and move around for one another. In other words, we play as a TEAM. Sorry, England fans, you guys have way better players at every position, but you guys stand around and wait for the greatness of Harry Kane to bail you out. The Balogen red card. Ugh. I hate that call (obviously). Balogen is not a dirty player. 100% there was zero intent- it was a simple coming together. I don’t think anyone even noticed anything in real time. However, that was a very nasty challenge. Raking your cleat on the opponents ankle and then coming down with your weight is how bones are broken and ligaments snap. In the same way that the red card to Paraguay’s Almiron for covering his mouth when talking to opponent was something all the players were aware of, players know that intent has nothing to do with it and a challenge like that is a straight red. These are designed to protect players, and defenders are routinely trained on how to go into challenges for this exact reason. Balogen as a forward probably does a lot less of this training. We will very much miss him against Belgium as no one else on the roster has the pace up front that Balogen has (ugh). But let’s bask in the glory of this win. That free kick from Tillman is as much of a referendum on how far we’ve come as anything we’ve seen this tournament. To get that over the wall and to dip down on frame is an impossibly difficult task. The ideal position for a free kick is actually about 4-5 yards further away from the goal for this reason. We’ve never had a player in our pool that could execute a shot like that when it matters. Finally, Weston McKennie might be the most fit player at this world cup. It’s not just the running he does for the ball- it’s all the runs he’s willing to make where the chances of him receiving the ball are well under 50% that makes him a marvel. But it’s those runs that create the space for his teammates, and the discerning eye notices. We see you, WM. And we salute you.
The World Cup gives America a unified look. The rest is complicated
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — We wear the same jersey. One size fits all, for a change, with clashing accents that we make match.We paint our faces and drape the flag across our shoulders, some like a cape, others like a shawl. We show up, loud and unashamed, suddenly immune to the rage baiters and social media bots. We find, for a moment, something better than ourselves. And then we act bigger than ourselves.A woman wears a bald eagle costume and flaps red, white and blue wings from the upper deck at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. A man perches a toddler on his shoulders, the boy’s striped face an American canvas of potential. A girl holds a handcrafted “We Believe” sign on a poster half her size.In downtown San Jose, Patricia Vo cheers in bustling San Pedro Square, standing in the middle of a kind of joy that she envisioned to get through three surgeries and eight rounds of chemotherapy. Naseem Farooqi bounds out of the stadium after a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, draped in an American flag, cowboy hat and boots. He lights a cigar as soon as he clears the exit. Dressed in a USA crop top and flag-colored socks to her knees, Robin Roettger completes her look by sporting the shell of a soccer ball across her stomach, making it seem like she is with child. She stands with her mother, who is bedecked as the Statue of Liberty.These people look silly. These people look fabulous.
This United States fan is flying high at San Francisco Bay Area StadiumDavid Gonzales / Imagn Images
These are images of America, at 250 years old, hosting the world’s grandest sporting event and partying like it’s 1776. But the jersey has never been just a jersey. It is a visual manifesto of a complicated country, and in the upkeep of long-recited ideals, it becomes a battleground. The politics of exclusion have infiltrated these colors, this flag, narrowing perspectives about who counts as a real American and who does not. In response, the politics of inclusion have turned to elitist derision, partly as a shield, but that only makes it easier to exile the faction from national pride.This World Cup has become a bridge. It is not ideal to host a world reunion during a family feud, but it has been beneficial. The event has created a reprieve, delivering us from division and reminding us that patriotism can be inviting. Before large crowds that contain multitudes, the U.S. men’s national team takes the field, striving the way we are supposed to strive. And for a 90-minute respite, the arguing stops.This is not a constraining pride, either. A warm welcome has not been universal, but it has been prevalent. Some nations — such as Iran, whose team captain called this “a disaster World Cup” — and their fans could not escape the political shadows. But most have observed the difference between the government and the people. Most have witnessed an America that wants to wrap its arms around the globe.In a viral social media video, a Scotland supporter traveling with the Tartan Army cried on a Boston sidewalk, expressing what many visitors have felt the past few weeks. When she arrived, she expected hostility from a nation with a presidential administration that antagonizes the world. She found joy.May her tears irrigate the feeling.
A powerful force
Just a couple hundred yards from a parking lot asking for $200, the men danced in front of a vendor. One was Latino, the other White. Both wore USA overalls, stars on top, stripes on the bottom. They made up a bop: “Hot dogs! (clap, clap) Hot dogs! (clap, clap) Hot dogs!” Their steps were a hilariously poor approximation of the way Kid ‘n Play moved in the 1980s. The song “Whoomp! (There It Is),” a classic from 33 summers ago, blasted in the distance.Maybe that’s how we ought to picture freedom: warm in addition to weighty, a serious human right that shouldn’t have to take itself seriously.Sports have always been a powerful social force. At their best, these games give a multicultural invitation to a monocultural experience. The shared language requires no translation, no common background, no political agreement. A goal is a goal. A comeback makes every heart in the building lurch. The electricity of 70,000 people rising and screaming in unison jolts everyone. In a fracturing nation, in a fracturing world, this is no small accomplishment. It is among the few remaining gateways to human connection.
The World Cup has spread unity and a human connection across North AmericaDarren Yamashita / Imagn Images
But the unity does not happen by accident, and no one should assume it is protected by default. Those unifying elements — passion, tribalism, a deep and generational emotional investment — can be redirected. The stadium is not immune to society. It houses a sliver of it for a few excitable hours.Over the past decade in American sports, we have experienced an unsettling amount of conflict. When Colin Kaepernick started kneeling during the national anthem in 2016, he continued an old American tradition, leveraging his visibility to demand the country meet the high standards of its stated values. It was a demonstration as quiet as it was provocative. The reaction was loud and lasting. Early in his first term, Donald Trump seized on Kaepernick’s protest and made it into a quarrel about respecting the flag, a reframing from which sports have yet to fully recover.
The toxic environment has mangled a nuanced idea: Sport can promote belonging and hold dissent at the same time. It is possible to love the jersey and question what it sometimes represents. That criticism is not apostasy. Dissent and devotion are not adversaries. At their best, they are complementary.
U.S. fans show their colors during Wednesday night’s victory against Bosnia and HerzegovinaCatherine Ivill / AMA / Getty Images
In the last 10 years, the American flag has been co-opted in a way that makes the stadium feel more like a contested territory than sacred, common ground. The danger is that it hardens from a revolutionary symbol into one of submission.In this climate, the games cannot simply profit off obsession and call it a social good. The diverse audience it cultivates deserves more than empty ceremony and strategic neutrality. This is not a demand to take political positions or a call for athletes to become activists. The ask is simpler yet harder: Refuse to let these shared spaces get overtaken by those who wish to predetermine who belongs.Halfway through this World Cup, the people have done what the institutions couldn’t. It’s the triumph of a vast fandom that keeps choosing goodwill at a time when leaders incite a supremacy relapse.You saw the Tartan Army bringing the good vibes as those supporters romped through Boston and Miami; and the Kansas marching band learning the Algerian national anthem; and the Mexicans and Brazilians who lifted the weeping Japanese fan out of his disappointment. Staging a World Cup made this possible, but it did not manufacture compassion. People did not look to the sky, see a FIFA banner claiming “Football Unites the World” and consider it a bat signal. They are the inspiration for the slogan.Marketing is not a moral position. It is a well-researched enticement. People want to gather. They want to connect. And America still values hospitality.“It’s been great to embrace other countries, and it’s been great to see that other countries really embrace America for who we are,” said Amanda Ryan, a fan from Carlsbad N.M., who has traveled to matches in several cities. “We’re not what they see on the media or on social media.“We are more.”It’s not a boast. It’s a standard, one that necessitates intention and accountability.Sport did not create all these inequities, but the enterprise must decide whether to acknowledge them or look away. That choice does not make any political insinuation. It transforms a game into an institution, a pastime into a benevolent force.
Patriotism and sports
A hundred years ago, America also threw itself a 150th party. The word sesquicentennial taunts the tongue in the way that semiquincentennial does right now. In 1926, the birthday bash featured boxing and Philadelphia, the city where the founding fathers declared independence.Governors and dignitaries attended the spectacle. Charlie Chaplin came, too. At the center of the celebration, before 120,000 who ignored the pouring rain, the most famous athlete in the country was being booed.During the infancy of American sports stardom, there was Jack Dempsey. He was among the first athletes to see the flag turned against him. The debate about sports figures and their place in a patriotic society is not new. It is at least a century old. If Dempsey were still alive, he would recognize this conflict.He sprouted from nothing, a kid from Manassa, Colo., one of 13 children, who dropped out of school and became a vagabond. He rode freight trains, strutted into mining camp saloons and challenged the patrons. He slept in spittoons and boxed under the name Kid Blackie.Then — on July 4th, of course — he won the heavyweight championship in 1919.The next day, America’s most celebrated sportswriter called him a slacker.During World War I, Dempsey had received a dependency exemption from the draft board because multiple members of his family needed support. Still, he was ridiculed as unpatriotic. Fans mocked him. Grantland Rice also wrote in The New York Tribune: “It would be an insult to every young American who sleeps today from Flanders to Lorraine, and from the Somme to the Argonne, to crown Dempsey with the laurels of fighting courage.”He was a famous athlete and an infamous American. It was not about love of country. It seldom is. Dempsey was guilty of free will.The jingoism was loud. It also lacked stamina.During that anniversary fight in September 1926, Gene Tunney ended Dempsey’s seven-year reign as heavyweight champion. Tunney, a veteran and reader of Shakespeare, was nicknamed the Fighting Marine. After 10 rounds, Dempsey lost by unanimous decision and exited with his left eye swollen shut.In a rematch the next year, Dempsey knocked down Tunney for the first time in his career. Tunney wound up winning the fight, but America favored Dempsey afterward. People thought he had been robbed. The contempt evaporated. After all that, he walked away a beloved prizefighter.
American heavyweight boxers Gene Tunney, left, and Jack Dempsey pose before their bout in 1926Topical Press Agency / Getty Images
After the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, Dempsey joined the Coast Guard. He enlisted at age 47 and rose to commander. In 1945, he boarded a transport bound for Okinawa.
An officer told him to stay behind. They couldn’t afford to lose him.
“I go where they go,” Dempsey replied, according to biographer Roger Kahn.
Kahn captured the boxer’s thoughts on his capricious fame: “They branded me a draft dodger in World War I and a hero in World War II. They got it wrong both times.”
Neither verdict was solely about him. Society changes. The jersey doesn’t. A century later, the friction persists.
‘Something bigger’
Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT coach who insists he is still “200 percent Argentine,” jogged toward the stands, arms outstretched. Fans leaned over the railing. Pochettino stood on the tips of his toes. At last, they slapped hands. Elvis crooned “Can’t Help Falling In Love” over the stadium sound system.Pochettino could not help it, either.“You feel part of something bigger,” he said.In short bursts of English, the coach expresses American pride better than most. Sports fandom would make an ideal mentor for patriotism. The essential characteristics are there: commitment, unity, aspiration, hope, accountability.There is little blind devotion. It is a more demanding form of love, one that expects to outlast terrible seasons and decisions and owners. You feel part of something bigger.In every country, the flag should hold similar symbolism. It is an inspiration for relentless striving — Gave proof through the nightthatour flag was still there — not an endorsement of leadership.ride is non-partisan.Division is a choice. So is unity.Look across these democratic vistas. Eleven American cities, hosting the world, each one its own argument for what this country can be when it decides to shine.What song describes the USMNT’s World Cup so far?
As “Take Me Home, Country Roads” filled the stadium Wednesday night, more than 68,000 lingered and harmonized. Weston McKennie whipped his arms through the air, conducting the crowd. As other U.S. players took laps, the crowd shifted from singing to roaring and back to singing.And there was Pochettino again, 200 percent Argentine but so very American in celebration.
“It’s impossible not to sing,” he said.We wish this feeling could last forever. We know it’s fleeting joy, but we water it still.Jerry Brewer is a senior columnist at The Athletic. He has been a prominent voice across the national sports landscape for more than two decades, including stops at The Philadelphia Inquirer, Orlando Sentinel, Louisville Courier-Journal, Seattle Times and Washington Post. He was a 2025 Pulitzer Prize finalist in commentary.
USMNT shows it can play ugly at this World Cup, which is exactly what it needs to succeed
Sam BordenJul 2, 2026, 06:44 AM ET ESPN
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It wasn’t artistic. It wasn’t free-flowing, or creative, or the kind of soccer that makes your eyes wide and your heart race. In truth: It was ugly. And so, so beautiful.”It wasn’t a perfect day, by any means,” defender Chris Richards said. “But it was our day.”It was. The USMNT’s 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday night put Mauricio Pochettino’s team into the round of 16 — the bare minimum, by most pretournament standards, to consider this home World Cup a success. But if it is to go farther — to captivate this country even more and reach a quarterfinal for only the second time in history — it will need to embrace the grittiness it showed here. Knockout soccer demands it.”You do what you need to do to get a result,” Christian Pulisic said after the match.And that is exactly what the U.S. team has done. In the first match of this tournament against Paraguay, it played silky, sleek and scintillating soccer — a style so visually entertaining that midfielder Weston McKennie said it almost felt like the players were “playing pickup.”This performance, against a physical and resolute Bosnia-Herzegovina team, was braver. The Bosnia-Herzegovina defenders put hands (and sometimes shoulders, arms and feet) on every American who ran past, checking fullback Sergiño Dest and Pulisic whenever they tried to surge forward. Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko set a pick on Tyler Adams that sent the U.S. midfielder sprawling and holding his neck; striker Folarin Balogun — before he scored and, also, before he was controversially sent off in the 64th minute — was grabbed, held and nudged wherever he went.Bosnia-Herzegovina’s strategy was effective, too. The U.S. completed plenty of passes and certainly controlled much of the possession, but the precision from the group stage’s best moments wasn’t there. Long balls went wayward; shorter connections were missed. Malik Tillman, who scored a gorgeous free kick eight minutes from time to give the U.S. some cushion to the scoreline, had an incredibly challenging first half in which he routinely looked out of rhythm.That the U.S. came through it all — that it adjusted and adapted, and got a little chippy when needed while still getting two balls into the back of the net — was what had Pochettino most pleased afterward.”It’s not only the victory,” he said, nearly beaming. “It’s the way that we earned the victory — how we identified the situations, when to play, when to fight, when to compete, when to be intelligent in how we defend deep and narrow. When we need to go and to press. I think the maturity of the team is amazing.”Certainly the reaction to Balogun’s sending-off reflected that. Up 1-0, that decision from the referee — a decision that Pochettino vehemently disagreed with — could have turned the game on its head.It wasn’t hard to imagine Bosnia-Herzegovina being buoyed, snagging an equalizer and taking the game to extra time and penalties. Defending a lead while playing down a man for more than half an hour has broken many teams far more experienced than this U.S. group.
Knockout Bracket Challenge
Create up to 25 brackets. $10,000 in prizes. FREE to play. Make Your Picks
Yet the U.S. didn’t wobble — not even close. It could have been angry at the referee, or frustrated by the situation. But at the second hydration break, which came shortly after Balogun departed, the players were pragmatic.
“We just said, ‘If we really want to be a good team, we have to dig deep in moments like this,'” Pulisic said. “We’re going to have to defend and that’s OK, and pick our moments to attack. I thought we did a good job of that.”
McKennie added there was even a sense of the team embracing a challenge.
“It’s kind of an adrenaline rush whenever you do go down 10 men,” he said, “because you’re like, oh s—, if we can pull off this win and hold them to zero goals, it’s even bigger. So everyone’s running everywhere and tackling, and just making sure we keep our structure, and we don’t want to give up a goal. It would be easy to have an excuse if they did score, but that’s not the type of team we are.”
Klinsmann: USA has quality to beat Belgium without Balogun
So what type of team is this USMNT side? The type that can win different ways. The type that can feed off a home crowd’s energy. The type that believes — even without a suspended Balogun — that it will be able to beat Belgium on Monday in Seattle in whatever way is necessary. There will surely be tactical changes; losing your top scorer to a suspension requires it. But Pochettino has shown he can mold his players to different circumstances, and the players have demonstrated they are comfortable with whatever comes.Play pretty? Fine. Play nasty? No problem.That reality is the most important element to emerge from this match. And it’s what gives the players overwhelming conviction as they fly back to Seattle.”We go into this tournament feeling confident that we can make something happen and beat anybody,” Pulisic said. “This is exciting — but there’s still more that we want to accomplish.”
Malik Tillman’s bloodied, clutch free kick, and the making of an iconic USMNT World Cup moment
SEATTLE – Malik Tillman’s voice barely lifted above a whisper as he pondered what to say about his approach to the coming year.That is normal. The midfielder’s reserved personality has become somewhat of a running joke around the national team. He doesn’t project. He makes you listen closely. But when you do, you find that what he lacks in volume he makes up for in conviction.It was May 2025 and Tillman was sitting in the lobby of the Peninsula Chicago. The German-born son of an American soldier was thinking about his place in the U.S. men’s national team. He was considering what the summer might bring and thinking about past disappointments. About the pain of missinut on the 2022 World Cup.“I’ve been struggling a lot for the U.S. team,” said Tillman, who at 23 felt he still had something to prove.“It’s about showing the real me,” he told The Athletic at the time. “I know I’m a good player, but I haven’t shown it for this team yet. If it comes to scoring goals, giving assists, fighting for the team, showing the right mentality. Just all in. Showing myself.”It is hard to imagine just more than one year later how much has changed for him.Tillman took on a big role under Mauricio Pochettino at last summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup, tying for the team lead with three goals — he even missed a penalty kick in a win over Costa Rica, yet pushed on — and he carried that through a first season at German club Bayer Leverkusen and into the World Cup.His superb play has amplified his place on this national team, and on Wednesday night in the World Cup’s round of 32, his knuckling, dipping free kick against Bosnia and Herzegovina sealed his team’s place in the last 16 — and his spot in U.S. national team history.
Malik Tillman (17) watches his free kick double the 10-man USMNT’s lead at a tense time late vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina.Michael Steele / Getty Images
Still, Tillman just smiled and glanced at the ground when asked if he could ever have imagined it one year ago. Then he spoke with that near-whisper voice.“Not really,” he said, as the media hoard craned their necks and reached their recorders closer to hear him in the mixed zone. “I think even yesterday I would (have said) no. But I’ve been dreaming about this game (as a kid). I’ve been dreaming about maybe taking a free kick and scoring a free kick. And then, like I said, I trained this in practices.”Tillman stood in that mixed zone with no shoes, his right sock ripped at the toe and bloodied. A Bosnian player stomped on his foot during the game, ripping through his cleat and socks.“I was in pain,” he said. “My shoe was cut. So this is why I changed the boot.”Then, in his new cleats, he lined up a free kick in the 82nd minute.The stakes were the highest in his career. The U.S., nursing a 1-0 lead, had been reduced to 10 men after Folarin Balogun’s red card, and Bosnia was threatening to pull level. But after Sergiño Dest drew a foul to set up the set piece, on the field, there wasn’t clarity among those around him regarding the best way to hit it. The ball was only 19 yards out. Getting it up and over the wall would be difficult.“We talked about going under the wall, we talked about going keeper side, we talked about going over the wall,” Tillman recounted. “And now I know some guys doubted me to go over the wall. But I practiced this in training.”That might be underselling it.Tillman has spent hours on the training field after team sessions during this World Cup practicing free kicks. The team uses Trackman technology to learn about his spin rate and the trajectory of his free kicks.“It’s kind of like golf, to be honest with you,” U.S. attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson said. “The spin rate, the dip rate, all that type of stuff.”Tillman made the most of his reps. U.S. training goalkeepers Andrew Rick and Julian Eyestone, youth internationals not on the World Cup squad but getting a taste of the experience, stayed out on the field until he and his teammates were done.“He’s probably taken 150 to 200 free kicks since we’ve been here,” said midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who often takes set pieces when he is on the field for the U.S. “And it’s something he does almost every day. It’s me, him and a couple other guys, and we talk about it, we go through it. And to see him hit that — it’s how you execute. Executing that under that pressure speaks volumes to the type of player he is, honestly.”Tillman worked tirelessly on a side-foot technique that could help the ball knuckle and move differently. Over the course of the sessions, he started to get better at it. And in the biggest moment, he went with that technique to deliver the U.S.’s first direct free kick goal in a World Cup since Eric Wynalda scored against Switzerland on home soil in 1994.
Malik Tillman’s USMNT teammates join in the cathartic celebration after his free kick (John Todd / ISI Photos / Getty Images).
“It’s so hard to hit that technique — people don’t understand how hard that is,” Berhalter said. “To deliver in that moment is incredible.”
The moment was so enormous for the host country that Tillman’s ripped right cleat was shipped off to the FIFA Museum in Zurich.
For Tillman, the cleat and bloodied sock were a sideshow to the moment. The goal was the latest example of what has become a breakout summer for a midfielder who not long ago wondered if he’d ever find a role on this team. Now, he has earned validation of everything he had been determined to prove.
“I’d argue other than (Balogun’s) goals, he’s been one of our best players,” U.S. captain Tim Ream said. “Everywhere on the field doing the dirty things, but then making hard things look easy.
“He just wanted to feel like he had a place. And he’s a quiet kid, but he’s just come on leaps and bounds. That Gold Cup was really huge for him. I think the adversity of the Costa Rica game penalty was really big for him. And now you look at him, and he looks like he’s just playing with such an ease and a calmness. And he’s all over the place.
“He’s had that in him all this time. It was just a matter of him finding the confidence and him believing in himself, and he’s doing that now.”
How can USMNT win without Folarin Balogun? Look how Mauricio Pochettino replaced Harry Kane
Mauricio Pochettino, left, gets a celebratory hug from an injured Harry Kane after success in the 2019 Champions League semifinals Craig Mercer / MB Media / Getty Images
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The star striker is sidelined. The stakes are immense. And Mauricio Pochettino steps into a spotlight.It sounds like 2026, like the challenge facing the United States World Cup team after Folarin Balogun’s red card Wednesday night in a 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina.But it is not. It’s April 2019. And this, a seven-year-old scene that suddenly feels pertinent, is evidence that Pochettino, now the U.S. men’s national team coach, has been here before.ochettino, then at English club Tottenham Hotspur, was preparing for a Champions League quarterfinal decider, perhaps the biggest game he’d ever coached. And the week before, he’d lost his leading scorer, Harry Kane, to an ankle injury. “It’s very, very sad,” he’d said.But when he walked into a news conference on the eve of this decisive second leg against Manchester City, he was calm, confident, even jovial.“We have the belief,” he said, “and we will be strong.”And sure enough, the following day, Tottenham stunned Man City. Kane’s backup, Fernando Llorente, scored the pivotal goal off the bench. A second forward, Son Heung-min, scored two as Spurs triumphed on an unforgettable night in Manchester.“Of course, (it’s) better to play with all the players fit and available,” Pochettino said afterward. “(But) you know, football is about the squad, it’s about the collective effort. It’s a collective sport.”A few weeks later, in the semifinals, that collective also stunned Ajax. Pochettino started Son and Lucas Moura, both natural wingers, as a makeshift front two. Moura scored a second-half hat trick to complete a three-goal comeback and send Tottenham, an oft-overshadowed club with a decade-long trophy drought, to its first Champions League final.
Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura show their disbelief after a famous result vs. Ajax in the 2019 UEFA Champions League semifinalsSimon Hofmann / UEFA / Getty Images
Pochettino leapt and ran euphorically onto the field. He eventually fell to his knees, overcome with emotion. And he proved the point he’ll surely try to make this week.
Yes, the USMNT will miss Balogun when it faces Belgium in the World Cup’s round of 16 on Monday. But it will adapt and can still rise to the occasion.His U.S. players were already sending that message Wednesday night, because it’s one that Pochettino has been preaching for more than a year.“We’re definitely a team, we’re more than just one player, we’re more than just 11 players,” defender Chris Richards said Wednesday night.It’s the message Pochettino sent during the second-half hydration break, minutes after Balogun was shown the controversial red card. “We need to show we are a team, that we are united,” Pochettino said. “That was the moment to show to everyone, to show ourselves, that it’s not only empty words when we say we are a family.”When asked who would replace Balogun in Monday’s starting lineup, Pochettino gave nothing away.USMNT will face Belgium without Folarin Balogun
And in this sense, the 2019 precedent offers few, if any, hints. Circumstances, personnel, tactics and opponents are distinct. Back then, Pochettino had one set of options to replace Kane; now he has another set. He has Ricardo Pepi or Haji Wright as something resembling like-for-like replacements. He has Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, two attacking midfielders who’ve played up front for their clubs. Moura doesn’t really help us guess which one he will pick — although a setup with Pulisic and McKennie up top, and an extra midfielder beneath them, similar to the team’s alignment against Portugal in March, feels most analogous.It’s the concept, however, that is most relevant. The Spurs example helps explain his mindset and approach — one that’s been at the heart of his USMNT rebuild.He has preached to his players that individual names get dwarfed by the collective, that “culture eats strategy for breakfast,” as he told them back in October, relaying a quote first shared with him by Chick-Fil-A chairman Dan Cathy.“This is one of his biggest things — the team culture, the team togetherness, is stronger than any individual,” U.S. midfielder Brenden Aaronson told The Athletic at the time. “If we’re a team, and we can play like a team, then we can beat anybody.”That’s why Pochettino took offense some nine years ago when Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola referred to Tottenham as “the Harry Kane team.”“It’s a sad comment,” Pochettino said at the time. “It was very disrespectful for many people.”AdvertisementHe’d later say that it “didn’t sit well with us because it seemed to diminish the work of the group,” which is part of why there was “enormous value” in Tottenham’s upset of City in the 2019 Champions League.
Folarin Balogun does LeBron James’ silencer celebration after scoring vs. Bosnia but won’t be available to face Belgium on MondayMaja Hitij / FIFA / Getty Images
Seven years later, to be clear, no one is describing the USMNT as “the Folarin Balogun team.”
But similar questions are coming. Balogun has elevated the U.S. with his off-ball movement and goalscoring. None of his backups can stretch and threaten Belgium as he could.
Within the team, though, there is a confidence instilled over many months. It has become almost automatic. It was evident when Pulisic missed time during the World Cup group stage with a calf injury. It reappeared instantly on Wednesday night.
“I mean, of course he’s a great player, he’s our top scorer so far, we’re gonna miss him,” midfielder Malik Tillman said of Balogun. “But I think we have great players who can replace him, give the best they can, and hopefully score some goals for us.”
Richards added: “We’re a team of 26, not just one. Ultimately, we’re gonna miss him for the next game, but we know that if it’s Pepi, or Haji, or whoever (else), they’re gonna do their job just as well as he did.”
And even with Balogun suspended, without any mechanism to appeal, Pochettino reiterated his message to players in a postgame locker-room speech.
“Everything is possible, guys,” he said. “Everything is possible.”
Henry Bushnell is a senior writer for The Athletic covering soccer. He previously covered a variety of sports and events, including World Cups and Olympics, for Yahoo Sports. He is based in Washington, D.C.
Analysing Cristiano Ronaldo’s reaction to Portugal substitution: ‘Ego, professionalism and love of his country’
Cristiano Ronaldo greeting head coach Roberto Martinez as he leaves the pitch Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
With Portugal and Croatia level entering the final 10 minutes of their round of 32 tie, Roberto Martinez sprung a surprise when he substituted Cristiano Ronaldo.The Portugal head coach has stuck with Ronaldo as his focal point in attack throughout his reign, even as calls have grown louder — including in this tournament — to move on from him.Yet at a pivotal point in the game, he removed him from the action, even though Ronaldo had kept his composure to score Portugal’s equaliser from the spot. Moments before that penalty kick, he had reminded everybody of his quality with a smart touch and finish. The only problem is that he was marginally offside.Only Ronaldo can speak to how he was feeling in these moments, but it is not difficult to look at how the Al-Nassr forward reacted and imagine what he was thinking when he saw his number up on the substitutes board.
It’s a reaction that is relatively common among elite players. They never want to come off the pitch regardless of the situation. Mohamed Salah, for example, is another player at the top of the game who isn’t scared to hide his feelings when he has to make his way to the touchline.
It seemed to take a moment for Ronaldo to register that he was actually being taken off as he took a couple of deliberate steps before eventually beginning to remove his captain’s armband.
That was then the cameras zoomed in on his face, and if there was any doubt about whether he was fine with the decision, that was eliminated…
…as we watched the realisation set in.
“To me it reads as internal conflict in the best possible way,” says sports psychologist Marc Sagal, the founder of The Winning Mind, who has worked extensively with top teams in the Premier League and beyond.“On one hand, he couldn’t possibly want to come off. His whole identity and being is about being competing on centre stage in the biggest moments. On the other hand, as much as he is about himself, as many great athletes must be, he loves his team and his country and knows the world is watching. He must have, in that moment, also wanted to show his ability to put others before himself.”ToWe see that play out in plain sight when Ronaldo pauses just as he is about to walk off and turns away from the touchline, as if he is still coming to terms with the decision made by his manager.
“You have to be careful attributing intent to a walk if you’re asking if the slow exit was to make a point,” says Sagal. “What I will say is that players at his level know every second of an exit is filmed, and the world could see he didn’t want to come off – the world saw his face.
“What I noticed in addition to his expression was what he did next. I didn’t see it so much as a protest, but as a raw emotional response paired with a professional obligation.”
It would have also been dawning on Ronaldo that he was potentially experiencing his final seconds at a World Cup because the game was finely poised. Croatia had the momentum, and he was now going to have no influence or control on the outcome.
Sagal referenced career mortality looming large over a number of the world’s greatest players at this World Cup. International retirement is being rumoured for Ronaldo, 41, and he would also be 45 by the time of the next World Cup, and even somebody like the attacker, who takes care of his body better than anybody, succumbs to father time eventually.
The battle between individual and collective is won by the latter because when he eventually makes his way towards Ruben Neves, who is replacing him, there is an encouraging nod towards his teammate…
…before he embraces him.
There is then a handshake with Martinez…
… and, after a brief shake of his head, high fives for his teammates…
…before he takes a seat on the floor at the end of the bench.
“His team-mates would not expect him to want to come off, and that type of competitive signal isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” explains Sagal. “The danger is that it can take focus off the team and make for an uncomfortable dynamic with the manager.
“He did a decent job of keeping things together. He did the right things — his embrace with Neves and handshake with Martinez kept this on the right side of the line. Players with less self-regulation might have skipped the handshakes.
“I suspect his quiet spell when he sat down was him processing everything. He must have been angry, and it probably got harder as he thought that those might have been his last World Cup minutes.”
He wouldn’t stay in that moment for long, though, and he was leading the penalty appeals from the touchline when Nuno Mendes went down in the area.
He then joined his teammates in celebrating Goncalo Ramos’ 89th-minute winner, sharing a moment with him. Progression was close; his and his team’s World Cup journey and dream were still alive.
It was not quite the 2016 European Championship final when Ronaldo, who went off injured early in the game, spent most of the game coaching alongside former manager Fernando Santos.
There were echoes of it when Francisco Conceicao hit a shot wide in the 115th minute, after Croatia’s late goal was ruled out for offside; he was on his feet marshalling his teammates to get back into position.
“We saw it all in those last few moments,” says Sagal. “Ego, professionalism and love of his country and team. The embrace with Ramos at the end, though, told us a lot.”
The US got off to another great start forcing Australia into an own goal as Balogun & Pepi started in a double 9 alignment – confusing the Kangaros. Defender Freeman got the next goal on a free kick as the 21 year old continued his stellar play. Reactions Across the Nation. I am going to say it now – I WAS COMPLETELY WRONG about Pochettino! I had questioned his choice of players, how he brought them to prior camps and how the starters didn’t play together once during the buildup to the Cup. Poch said trust me -” “I have to break it down and put it back together.” He came in and removed the automatic starting status for many of the regulars (Mckennie, Pulisic, Dest) – making everyone earn their way onto the squad. I think the biggest thing is he has freed the boys to play soccer without thinking. The team is so much more free flowing and they seem to know where to go and how to play. Why ? Because Poch’s schemes make sense and the players have bought in. Berhalter tried to get the team to play a certain way that simply didn’t make sense to the team – having them move to unnatural positions in his flawed scheme. The boys say Poch believes in them and tells them to play they way they play in Europe at their clubs. then adjust to his incredible attack plan for each different opponent. At 2-0 and as group winners we should assume Poch will slightly rotate the squad. He has to sit the 4 players on Yellows – Adams, Robinson, Richards & Balo. Changed my mind – going with a lot more starters now as we prepare for Turkey. I think Poch wants to keep the rhythm going. I do think he will sub quicker and get some guys who haven’t played yet on the field. I think the US finds a way to win 2-1 vs Turkey. Maybe Turkey won’t care as they are out of the cup.
Lionel Messi has become the all-time leading goal scorer at the men’s World Cup after scoring his 17th and 18th tournament goals in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria. Messi (Hat video in Spanish In English) Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, has now scored two more than the previous record-holder, Germany striker Miroslav Klose, whose 16 goals came between 2002 and 2014. Messi achieved this feat in 28 matches, the most World Cup matches played by any individual. The closest active player to Messi’s record is France’s Kylian Mbappe, who has scored 16 World Cup goals — see the full list of the leading men’s World Cup goal scorers here. Having already become the first man to play at six World Cups, Messi could break further records during this tournament. His brace against Austria extended his scoring run to six consecutive World Cup matches, drawing him level with Just Fontaine and Jairzinho. He is also level with Diego Maradona for the most assists in men’s World Cup history, with eight. Messi could break either record when Argentina, who have now secured their place in the World Cup’s round of 32, face Jordan in their final group-stage match on June 27. Highlights of Argentina vs Austria (US link). Honestly this is the best World Cup I have ever seen – mostly competitive games, some upsets, and the Stars showing up. World Cup 3rd place Teams how are they determined.
Stars are Showing Out at this Best World Cup Ever?
If you are new to Soccer – you are getting a warm welcome to some of the Best Soccer we have ever seen in this World Cup so far. The goal – scoring is up 25% in the group stage Messi scores his first #FIFAWorldCup hat-trick. Norway’s Erling Holland’s scored 2 to get to 58 goals in 52 games. MBappe is just 2 goals behind Messi with 16 WC Goals & here’s his 2 vs Iraq. And Finally after much criticism and questions over whether he should be starting – Ronaldo announced he’s back with these 2 goals. The top players in the World are flat showing up. In addition the TV #s are through the roof – making this the Most Watched World Cup ever in the US thru the Group stages. Great to see US refs including Tori Pense & the American All Women Crew doing a group stage game. (More in Reffing below). First it was the Scots and now the Dutch and Norway have arrived. The Crazy Fans have been the best — The DutchMore DutchNorway Fans take over Times Square Norway Rows up the Escalator in Boston. Loved seeing Norway players doing the Row post game. More angles The Row.
Following The US Men – Ole Ballcoach Road Trip across the West
So Courtney & I traveled to Seattle for Game 2 vs Australia – here’s some game pics including Country Roads.and sitting 2 seats over from former American Forward John Harkes and in front of US/Seattle Defender Chad Marshall (who lives in Carmel now). Loved the American Outlaw March to the Stadium – Walking around Seattle Postgame USA finding a place to watch Brazil game. Thanks to cousins Darryll & Dee Dee Beliel for putting us up and being our car service. We came back to LA and after hitting In-N-Out I went to the Iran vs Belgium game with Tom Hogenesch. Off to Game 3 vs Turkey Thurs 10 pm – before we trek to San Fran for the Knockout rounds. So Blessed to be here.
NATIONAL CUP BOUND! What a weekend for Carmel FC 13G Gold NL! 💙💛 After an outstanding performance beating teams from MD and NJ at the US Youth Soccer National League Cup Northeast Playoffs in Fredericksburg, Virginia, our girls have officially qualified for the National League Cup Finals in St. Louis! Congratulations to our players, coach Matt & Tracey, and families on an incredible accomplishment. The journey continues, and now it’s time to represent Indiana and the blue and gold in St. Louis in July. The journUnited States Youth Soccer (US Youth Soccer) Indiana Soccer Associationcer) Indiana Soccer Association
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Weds, June 24 3 pm Fox Switzerland vs Canada 3 pm FS1 Bosnia vs Qatar 6 pm Fox Scotland vs Brazil 6 pm FS1 Morocco vs Haiti 9 pm Fox Czech Republic vs Mexico 9 pm South Africa vs Korea Thur, June 25 4 pm Fox Ecuador vs Germany 4 pm FS1 Curacoa vs Cote d’Ivoire 7 pm Fox Japan vs Sweden 7 pm FS1 Tunisia vs Netherlands 10 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup 10 pm FS1 Paraguay vs Australia Friday, June 26 3 pm Fox Norway vs France 3 pm FS1 Senegal vs Iraq 8 pm Fox Uruguay vs Spain 8 pm FS 1 Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia 8 pm Prime KC Current vs Gotham FC NWSL 11 pm Fox New Zealand vs Belgium 11 pm FS1 Egypt vs Iran Saturday, June 27 5 pm FS1 Croatia vs Ghana 5 pm Fox Panama vs England 7:30 pm Fox Colombia vs Portugal 7:30 pm FS1 Congo vs Uzbekistan 10 pm Fox Jordan vs Argentina 10 pm FS1 Algeria vs Austria Sunday, June 27 3 pm Fox Round of 32 Begins World Cup Printable Schedule
===RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Need food for a Graduation, end of school party, World Cup or July 4th party? Call Ryan now to ask about catering options at 317-688-7290. Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Need some good ole AMERICAN BarBQ for the US games — Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after for watch parties – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach Shane Best sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
It’s (finally) OK to dream big about USMNT and World Cup
Sam BordenJun 20, 2026, 09:00 AM ETSPNFC
SEATTLE — Faith is what makes sports great. Belief. Hope. Trust. All over the United States, for college teams and pro teams, big teams and small teams, good teams and bad teams, there are followers who believe — truly believe — that joy will come in the morning. But for the U.S. men’s national team, it has always been different. No one can say for sure why. For some, it might be the relative superiority that Americans have in other sports compared with soccer. For others, it might be the lack of a mainstream international star. A sizable group is universally cynical about a game that’s more popular everywhere else in the world than it is here. In this country, mediocre results rarely lead to sustained universal doubt from those who love a team — just ask Dallas Cowboys fans in August what they think about the upcoming season — but with the USMNT, skepticism has persisted.
Until now. Now, it’s OK to believe. Now, it’s OK to be optimistic, to think big and imagine this group doing something grand. The players are doing their best to stay in the moment, to give the modest quotes that allow them to handle the pressure that comes their way. But even they are considering the possibilities.Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the former Sweden megastar, was asked on Fox’s postgame show Friday after the U.S.’s 2-0 win over Australia whether the co-hosts could win the World Cup. His one-word answer: “Yes.” And Chris Richards, the American defender, doesn’t mind hearing that. “I don’t think it’s ridiculous to say that we want to win it,” Richards said. “We want to lift a trophy by the end of this.” No one is saying that will happen. No one is even saying it’s likely to happen. The U.S. has beaten Paraguay and Australia — two solid wins, two comprehensive wins and two very different wins. That said, there is a very, very long way to go. But here is what the U.S. has done: It has shown that it can play creatively and slickly and also shown it can play gritty and fierce. The U.S. has shown it can win — and control a game — without its star, Christian Pulisic, who sat out the second half against Paraguay and the whole game against Australia because of an injured calf. The USMNT has shown that it can enable and empower a true striker, Folarin Balogun, who has scored two goals and forced a third via an own goal. The U.S. has shown it can respond to home crowds like it has never seen before. There is a history to host countries making deep runs at World Cups — South Korea in the semifinals in 2002 or Russia in the quarterfinals in 2018, among others — and after the first two matches, it doesn’t feel absurd to imagine the American energy carrying the U.S. even further.
“There’s been friendlies that we’ve played [at home] where we’ve been outnumbered,” Tyler Adams said. “To have a whole nation behind you — that’s something so special.” Tim Ream, the veteran defender and captain, broke down in tears as the team huddled on the field after Friday’s win. Ream wasn’t sure why he was weeping, but something — the scene, the emotion, the possibilities of what might lie ahead — broke his typical stoicism. “I’ve told these guys that this is the most fun, special, enjoyable group that I’ve been a part of,” he said afterward. “There’s something about this one that just feels different.” We don’t know if, in the end, it will be different. There are so many ways it could go wrong, and U.S. fans surely have them all on the tips of their tongues. It’s natural. It’s how it has always been. Maybe Pulisic won’t get better or maybe someone else will get hurt or maybe a referee decision goes against the U.S. or maybe a bad day comes and another tournament ends with a whimper against a team that feels as if it could have been beaten. Maybe that is, in fact, how this all goes. But if nothing else, these two games are license to let go of the distrust. Of the incredulity. Of the doubt. It’s OK to loosen the grip on “just being realistic” and consider that “realistic” might finally mean something else. Balogun is electric. Richards, Alex Freeman and Ream are stout. Sergiño Dest seems to have fire in every step. Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman are connected. Pulisic never looked better before he had to step aside and doesn’t need to rush back if he’s not ready. Adams, understandably, didn’t want to think about winning this tournament but was adamant that “the biggest goal in this whole thing” is to change the way American fans think about their national team. To change the way that they believe. “I just want every game to matter to the common spectator,” he said. “I know we have the possibility to do that.”
The U.S. does. Minutes after the final whistle Friday, the players gathered on the field and joined with the fans, who were standing and stomping and singing, “Oh, we’re halfway there / Oh-oh! Livin’ on a prayer” as the Bon Jovi anthem rang out in the afternoon. There was passion. There was wonder. There was, in a way not quite like any other time, belief. Halfway there? Maybe not even.
Calf muscle injuries like Christian Pulisic’s can be complicated. These experts explain why
Pulisic came off at half-time of the first U.S. game and missed the second one (Photo: John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images)
Calf muscles have become a big talking point of this World Cup — with particular attention given to the left calf muscle belonging to Christian Pulisic. The 27-year-old forward was substituted at half time of the United States’ opening game of the tournament against Paraguay and, after the game (a 4-1 victory), head coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters the substitution was largely precautionary after Pulisic “got a kick in the calf” and started to feel “tight”.
“We hope that it’s not a big issue and he can be ready for the next one,” he said.
Advertisement
But Pulisic was not on the pitch for the U.S.’s second group game against Australia on Friday. However, Pochettino offered some optimistic words about his star player’s recovery: “The feelings are good. Hope that it is as soon as possible that he can be ready to be selected again and to be part of the team.”
Only on Monday did he return to training with the full squad after a period of being limited to gym workouts, resistance training and light ball work, with the next U.S. game against Turkey on Thursday.
Christian Pulisic returns to USMNT training
Tom Bogert
Pulisic is not the only player to be troubled by a calf injury. Neymar is yet to appear for Brazil due to an issue with his right leg, while England defender Tino Livramento had to leave the World Cup after failing to recover from his own calf issue.To explain why calf issues can be so problematic, The Athletic consulted physiotherapist Helen van Kempen, who has worked in elite sport for the past 10 years, including with English rugby club Wasps, Welsh Lacrosse and most recently British Athletics, before founding her own clinic, Movement Performance Physiotherapy. And Dominic Rae, a Sports Medicine and Performance Specialist who is currently Head of Sports Medicine at Ten Percent Club.
How important is the calf muscle in elite soccer?
“The calf complex is more complicated and important than many realize,” says Rae. “And one of the most overlooked complexes when we talk about sports performance. The complex is made up of three muscles: the gastrocnemius, the soleus, and the plantaris, with force absorption and transfer through the Achilles tendon.“The muscle complex is made more complicated by intramuscular tendons (aponeurosis) that act like an internal scaffold for the muscle fibers.“When we sprint, jump, land, change direction, accelerate, decelerate, the foot is the first point of contact, so the Achilles and the calf complex very quickly become major force absorbers or producers in these movements, with up to 12 times bodyweight of force going through the complex. With any breakdown in this complex, that force has to transfer higher up the chain, leading to both increased injury risk and reduced ability to perform.”
What types of calf injuries do soccer players typically sustain?
“Any of the three muscles in the calf complex can sustain tears, which can range from small myofascial injuries to full ruptures of fibers,” says Rae. “The tendons that attach the muscles to their boney attachments, or the aponeurosis (intramuscular tendons), can also both sustain tears, again, ranging from small tears to complete ruptures.”Interestingly in the calf, and most often with the soleus, injuries become symptomatic slowly, rather than sudden big “snaps”.“The soleus is made up more of slow-twitch muscle fibers than the gastrocnemius, which is your running-fast muscle in the calf,” explains Van Kempen. “So that’s the muscle that’s ‘on’ all day long. They’re your postural muscles, but especially for a soccer game that’s 90 minutes long, you need a lot of slow twitch muscle fibers, which are fatigue-resistant, so that they work hard throughout the game.
“A player coming back from that needs to really make sure that the capacity of that muscle is back again, otherwise you can fatigue towards the end of the game.”If the strain is limited to the muscle belly, that’s a quicker recovery time than if it’s extended into the central tendon that runs through the muscle of your soleus and gastrocnemius.“If the muscle strain has gone in towards those, that can take a lot longer to recover from” says Van Kempen. “You can get a grade 1 muscle strain, which is just the muscle belly, and a few fibers disturbed, that’s a 10 day injury and you’ll be back playing.“If you do have a significant amount of muscle fibers strained and that extends into your aponeurosis or your tendon, that can be a three month injury. We grade it 1 to grade 3 with grade 4 a complete rupture.”
We know that Pulisic was kicked in the calf. What impact could that have on the muscle?
“A kick to the calf (contusion) can in itself cause a tear to muscle fibers or fascia depending on the amount and angle of force” says Rae.“A contusion can also cause a sudden increase in blood flow/bleeding to the area. This can range from small with minimal swelling, to a full intramuscular hematoma. Aside from the obvious pain and stiffness, this increased blood and swelling in the area causes significant muscle inhibition to not just one isolated muscle, but potentially the entire complex. If we consider that the complex may take up to 12 times bodyweight in some actions, any muscular inhibition can cause a large risk of secondary injury, and a large reduction in physical performance.”“It’s likely he’s got a bruise / hematoma in the muscle,” says Van Kempen. “So inflammation and bleeding inhibits the muscles around there, but as long as it was compressed well and they’ve managed to stint that bleeding and that’s gone away, that should be OK, but depending on how hard he got kicked, if there’s still an element of that hematoma left in the next game he’s playing it can have an effect on the performance of the calf.
Pulisic trains with a compression bandage on his left calf last weekPhoto: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
“If it’s gone into his soleus or gastrocnemius, that will have an impact on his ability to absorb load on that leg and produce force from that leg — so how fast he can run and how long he’s able to sustain that that speed as well.”
“Another potential outcome of a direct blow, is direct impact on a nerve,” says Rae. “This can give a sudden sharp pain, but also reduced signal to muscle innervations, and in turn reduced ability for the muscle to function. Sometimes this subsides instantly, but in some cases, there is a prolonged period of muscle inhibition.”
What is the recovery process like for an injury like that?
“The recovery for a contusion varies depending on the extent of the bleeding,” says Rae. “But a general rule is to treat the bleeding via elevation and compression while cryotherapy can be used for some vasoconstriction and pain management.”
The first priority is protection, says Van Kempen: “You compress that injury to reduce the amount of bleeding into the muscle as much as possible. It’s the familiar route of RICE: rest, ice, compress, elevate. They’ll try and start that immediately and have him doing very little, so that he can get back a lot quicker.”
Pulisic has largely been doing rehab work away from team-matesJamie Squire/Getty Images
“Gentle and progressive walking and muscle specific movements will also help to ensure a hematoma can be removed,” says Rae. “Once bleeding has stopped, manual therapy based treatment can speed up the removal of swelling, and gradual strength exposure, and electro-muscular stimulation can help to ensure normal function of the muscle.”
Advertisement
The length of time out depends on how much muscle fiber has been disrupted, says Van Kempen: “Timescales can vary significantly between a minute muscle strain and a significant injury. If it’s only a small muscle strain then building up the strength and capacity of the muscle again will happen very quickly. If it’s a large one, that can be a very lengthy three month rehab.”
Is it an issue that is likely/possible to return once you’ve had it once?
“If the return to play from a contusion is too soon, it is common for swelling or bleeding to re-occur, and stiffness to worsen,” says Rae. “In many cases, this does not impact function during the game (when the player is warm), but following the match can lead to worse symptoms and further issues.”
“Whenever you strain a muscle, you are always more likely to injure that again,” says Van Kempen. “If you break a bone it builds back stronger, but whenever you damage soft tissue, there’s always a slight vulnerability to it. If it’s extended into the tendon, then there’s a higher chance of re-injury.
“But the better the rehab, the less likely you’ll have a recurrence.”
“In the cases of muscle or tendon tears, the risk of re-injury depends on many factors such as age of the player, how many previous injuries (and if in the same location-therefore compromising collagen/tissue quality), and the specific location within the calf complex,” says Rae.
“Intramuscular tendons carry higher re-injury rates, with myofascial injuries carrying lower re-injury rates. The specific mechanics of the athletes also play a huge part. For example, if the athlete runs in a specific way, predominantly loading a specific area of the calf, this will increase the risk of re-injury of this area, compared to a region that is exposed to less load.”
Sarah Shephard spent 10 years at Sport magazine before becoming Deputy Head of Content at The Coaches’ Voice. She has also written for publications such as The Times, The Guardian and The Sunday Times Magazine, among others.
What Is Mauricio Pochettino wearing? The story behind his lucky World Cup outfit
Mauricio Pochettino touchline shirt has attracted attention Jamie Squire/Getty Images
June 23, 2026 Updated 3:16 pm EDT Wait no more, Wayne Rooney.
Mauricio Pochettino is probably too busy at the moment to return your calls, but a quick internet search has answered the former Manchester United and England forward’s burning question about the U.S. men’s national team coach’s signature navy overshirt and matching pants: it’s Hugo Boss.Rooney is hardly the only one who has taken notice of the Argentine’s touchline wardrobe. The navy lightweight wool overshirt with matching wide-leg trousers, crisp white T-shirt and white Nike sneakers are quickly becoming part of the USMNT coach’s World Cup identity. The look, according to a U.S. soccer spokesperson, is entirely Pochettino’s own choice. Hugo Boss told The Athletic in an email that they had made two dedicated versions of the navy lightweight virgin-wool ensemble, customized with the USSF badge, for Pochettino for the tournament. Fortunately for everyone involved, the outfit is washable. If the U.S. keeps winning, Pochettino does not have to choose between hygiene and good luck. U.S. Soccer staff can simply keep his matchday look fresh and clean. The 54-year-old has worn the same outfit for both of the USMNT’s group-stage victories, the 4-1 rout of Paraguay in the opener and the 2-0 win over Australia that secured a place in the Round of 32 with a match to spare.
Mauricio Pochettino on the touchline against AustraliaJamie Squire/Getty Images
Two games, two wins, one outfit. Superstition and soccer have always gone hand in hand. If the U.S. keeps winning and gets past Turkey on Thursday, Pochettino’s new signature ensemble may soon take on a life of its own.
“He will be wearing the same outfit for the third match,” said a spokesperson for U.S. soccer. “Why? He referenced the philosophy of Crash Davis: never mess with a winning streak.”
That is not out of character.
Pochettino has long been one of soccer’s more fashion-conscious managers. But if his years at Tottenham Hotspur taught him anything, it was that style and superstition are not mutually exclusive.
Long before he arrived on the U.S. touchline, he had already produced one of the more memorable managerial fashion moments of the modern era. In August 2018, as his Tottenham side walked into Old Trafford and dismantled Manchester United 3-0, the Argentine emerged wearing a navy-on-navy tailored look that became almost as talked about as the result itself.
Mauricio Pochettino has a track record of making striking style choicesMichael Regan/Getty Images
“The suit is maybe helping,” Pochettino told Sky Sports after his side’s victory over Manchester United. “With suit or tracksuit, I look good! I am handsome! Sunday I am going to use the suit again, but maybe with a different colour shirt.” The following week, he abandoned the navy-on-navy formula and opted for a white shirt away at Watford. Spurs lost 2-1.Coincidence? Almost certainly. The kind of thing a football manager remembers forever? Absolutely.So perhaps it is no surprise that Pochettino has worn the same outfit for both of the United States’ World Cup victories. Eight years later, for a manager who appreciates good tailoring and understands the irrational logic of the game, there is little reason to abandon a look that keeps producing wins.
Pochettino Exclusive USMNT Interview
And superstition runs deep inside U.S. Soccer. Just ask Emma Hayes.
The USWNT coach began wearing a Hello Kitty cap during her side’s friendly against Japan in Commerce City, Colorado in April. As the wins piled up, what started as an accessory she picked as a fan has become a good-luck charm, the kind of object that acquires near-mythical status in sports when results keep going your way.Pochettino chooses what he wants to wear at games, a U.S. Soccer confirmed, and the evolution of his fashion choices is hard to miss. The navy ensemble, paired with a crisp white T-shirt and white Nike sneakers, could one day be etched into USMNT lore as the look Pochettino wore when the team finally delivered the success its supporters had waited decades to see.In a sport built on rituals, lucky charms and unwritten rules, a simple outfit can quickly become something more. Another victory against Turkey, and Pochettino’s cobalt-blue fit may evolve from a wardrobe choice into a World Cup superstition, and one of the defining images of this U.S. run.Rooney cannot get the Argentine coach’s full head of hair, but he sure can emulate his style as versions of the collection — without the embroidered U.S. crest — will be available at stores across the United States and Europe.
US Men Dominate Paraguay 4-1, play Aussies in Seattle on Fri 3 pm on Fox (coverage starts 1 pm)
Wow – What a Win. I have been watching US Soccer since 1989 – that’s 37 years – and never have I seen the US offense look like that. It was truly amazing. Let’s see how Australia in Seattle goes first – but another show like that and I will gladly eat my words on Pochitino. Whatever he did – it worked when we slaughtered a really good Paraguay team. Listen folks this Paraguay team gave up 6 goals in qualifying – did not lose to Argentina (with Messi), Brazil and Uruguay. So when I said I was scared vs Paraguay I meant it. In fact you heard it here first – Paraguay will win a game against either Turkey or Australia.
Back to the US – that pentagon approach employed by Poch – had Paraguay confused with its high press. Paraguay literally didn’t pass midfield more than a handful of times and should have had a clean sheet. With Pulisic on fire in the 1st half – the US team looked as good as anyone in the first round of play. Balogun was on point up front – (I am sorry for saying perhaps Pepi should get the start – boy was I wrong!) McKinney, Tilman and Pulisic were in-synch and along with Balogun check these goals were simply unstoppable. It could have been 5-0 at the half. Overall the US simply dominated a very good opponent unlike anything we have seen before in World Cup play. Everyone played well – the D was solid with the Crystal Palace man Chris Richards stepping in from injury to the middle where he worked with Ream and Freeman to nearly shut Paraguay out. Its going to take a better effort vs a motivated Australia – who is feeling disrespected by the US press. Of course all eyes on our talisman Pulisic who sustained a calf injury in the first half and sat out the 2nd. He’s been training alone this week trying to get ready. Hard to think he won’t start however. Here’s who I see taking the field – (if Pulisic is out) – I think Tim Weah comes on right and Tillman goes left. Much like my daughter Courtney are going to find a way into this game – I think the US will find a way to win a really hard fought – rough and tumble battle against Australia – 2-1.
World Cup Notes
So I have been going to US games since 1992, close to 30 caps total and this was the most emotional National Anthem I have EVER seen. Dan & Shea crushed it as we all sang along with tears in our eyes – American Outlaw Indy Scarf over my head. The National Anthem made Lallas cry tooReaction to the Win Rich Eisen. Folks have asked me to share some images as my daughter Courtney (Carmel FC GK 2008) and I follow the US. Here we are in So-Fi great seats for $1100 (cheapest category), US post game -1 section from AO. Post Game Celebration on the way out -love our diversity. Here was our Pregame at the AO Celebration. The scenes around LA & the fan celebrations have been fantastic. More pix below in the OBC. Now we are off to Seattle for Fri’s 12N game. (still looking for tix)
Our Seats at So-Fi Win #1 over Turkey 4-1 (more pics below)
If you are like me you haven’t slept much – 8 hours of soccer a day is glorious but exhausting! I will try to update more often at least with pics – as we follow the US on this trek.
Indy 11 win 2-0, travel to Lexington Sat
Indy Eleven is 4-0-1 in its last five matches in all competitions after a 2-0 win vs. Forward Madison FC in the Prinx Tires USL Cup.Rendón, who was a finalist for USL-C’s May “Player of the Month” award, was threatening all night long and recorded the game’s only assist. Although his four-game goal-scoring streak ended, he nearly scored midway through the first half. Fifteen year-old forward Tyler Lowden made his Indy Eleven debut with four minutes to go, becoming the youngest player to play for the First Team in franchise history. The Greenwood native signed a USL Academy contract on May 29. The Boys in Blue are 1-1-1 in USL Cup Group 4 play with one group game remaining at Lexington SC on June 20 7 pm on ESPN+.
Looking for a Place to Watch in Carmel – here’s the schedule = GOAT is Great too
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Thurs, June 19 9 am Fox Czech Republic vs South Africa 12 noon Fox Switzerland vs Bosnia 3 pm FS1 Canada vs Qatar 6 pm Fox Mexico vs Korea Fri, June 19 3 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup 6 pm Fox Scotland vs Moracco 8:30 pm Fox Brazil vs Haiti 11 pm FS1 Turkey vs Paraguay Sat, June 20 10 am Fox Netherlands vs Sweden 1 pm Fox Germany vs Cote dIvore 5 pm FS1 Ecuador vs Curacao 9 pm Fs1 Japan vs Tunisia Sun, June 21 9 am Fox Spain vs Saudi Arabia 12 noon FS1 Belgium vs Iran 3 pm FS1 Uraguay vs Cape Verde 6 pm FS1 New Zealand vs Egypt Mon, June 22 10 am Fox Argentina vs Austria 2 pm Fox France vs Iraq 5 pm Fox Norway vs Senagal 8 pm FS1 Algeria vs Jordan
Thur, June 25 10 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Need food for a Graduation, end of school party, World Cup or July 4th party? Call Ryan now to ask about catering options at 317-688-7290. Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Need some good ole AMERICAN BarBQ for the US games — Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after for watch parties – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Adventures of the Old Ballcoach Following the US Men in the World Cup
Courtney and I arriving at our seats at So-Fi for our first WC Win in 2026 This old hat has won like 25 plus games – had to bring my Bruz Cable (was the Best soccer player in our family-RIP) Outside So-Fi 3 hrs before the game
Here at the US Soccer House for the Brazil Game – with Courtney’s friends – Good times Confused Netherlands / Japan fan at the Official WC Fan Fest at the Coliseum.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — It began with thunderous chants of “U-S-A” and climaxed with the best 45 minutes in U.S. men’s World Cup history.It was seven years and 364 days in the making, and it was worth every day, hour, second of waiting.U.S. soccer fans and players had, for years, dreamed of this moment, a glitzy World Cup opener on home soil, an unparalleled stage for their sport. They had dreamed of meeting it, of igniting America, of elevating soccer.But no one could have realistically envisioned this — a rousing 4-1 win over Paraguay, patriotic glee on the field and in the stands, silky soccer and eruptions of noise.“I mean, my whole life I feel like I’ve envisioned it,” U.S. defender Chris Richards said. “But tonight was way better than what I could’ve envisioned. It was surreal.”In front of 70,492 fans at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, it was more than a near-perfect start to this home World Cup.It was, as Sebastian Berhalter said while recalling the victory lap to thank the fans, “what U.S. soccer should be.”It was a launchpad into a new U.S. men’s national team era.
Antonee Robinson (5) lets out a roar during a USMNT goal celebrationKeith Birmingham / MediaNews Group / Pasadena Star-News / Getty Images
Eight years ago, when this World Cup was awarded to North America, the U.S. men’s soccer program was at a nadir. It was absent from the 2018 World Cup, starving for stability and talent. And that’s when the “golden generation” first began to appear. Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams joined Christian Pulisic on the scene. Promise and potential began to surface.
And for eight years, in many ways, it remained just that.
Talented players appeared, and won some regional trophies, but as a U.S. team, they never rose beyond that.
In Qatar, they played to their level, winning one game, scoring three goals, conceding four. On Friday, in 90-plus minutes, on one remarkable night, they surpassed that scoring haul.
They seized a World Cup game in a way U.S. men never previously had. They scored four goals in a World Cup game for the first time in program history.
For years, there were intermittent hints that they were capable. Pulisic would score a brilliant goal or light up Italy’s Serie A. Adams would look like a world-class defensive midfielder. At their best, many agreed, this group of U.S. players could be better than ever before, but there always remained one problem: they never actually were at their best simultaneously.
Advertisement
Some were always injured. Some were always absent. Some, perhaps, slumbered through repetitive regional games and inconsequential friendlies. In 2025, a malaise seemed to set in. Questions swirled about whether this generation would ever reach its potential. Did they have the heart? Was their talent overblown? Fans grumbled and became apathetic.
But their head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, told us all to be patient.
The most important thing — no, the only important thing — was to arrive at the World Cup in prime condition, he’d constantly remind us.
Mauricio Pochettino joins the USMNT goal celebration after Gio Reyna’s exclamation point in a win over ParaguayShaun Clark / ISI Photos / Getty Images
Pochettino, an accomplished European club coach, was brought in to elevate the players. He was handed the fattest contract in U.S. Soccer history, with some help from deep-pocketed donors and corporate sponsors, to help them meet this moment.
Players, too, structured their careers around the summer of 2026. Pulisic took last summer off, with an eye on managing his body for the big year ahead.
Even fans laid low, saving their money and energy for the one moment that mattered.
On Friday, the moment arrived. And everyone met it.
Fans met it from the time they first arrived well over four hours before kickoff. They came in star-spangled overalls and facepaint, with Pulisic jerseys and posters, with plans for Instagrammable photos, yes, but also with genuine, take-in-the-moment, awestruck excitement.
They roared when 26 U.S. players first took the field. The players inhaled all the enthusiasm and channeled it. All 10, minus goalkeeper Matt Freese, buzzed around SoFi Stadium’s temporary grass.
The partisan U.S. crowd was in full force from start to finish of the USMNT’s World Cup openerAlex Livesey / FIFA / Getty Images
“Being in America, having this crowd around us, seeing the red, white and blue, all our red and white striped shirts in the crowd, it’s awesome,” Pulisic said. “I mean, hearing the ‘U-S-A’ chants, it’s really pushing us forward. So we just hope it continues like that, and I’m sure it will.”
Pulisic, before exiting at halftime with a calf injury, darted between defenders, like the player everyone one knows he can be. McKennie ran the game from midfield. Richards made World Cup history with an 83-for-83 passing performance, the best at this storied tournament in at least 60 years. Malik Tillman helped the U.S. boss the proceedings. And Folarin Balogun showed why he’s the best USMNT striker in a decade.
“It’s a dream,” Balogun, who became the first U.S. man to score twice in a World Cup game since Bert Patenaude’s hat trick vs. Paraguay in the inaugural 1930 World Cup, said afterward. “It’s a dream.”
The players fed off the fans, and the fans fed off the players, and together, they soared into a new stratosphere.
American fans watching nationwide surely began to let themselves wonder: Could they do it? Could the U.S. win the World Cup?
The pragmatic answer is: Slow down. It’s still only one game. Pochettino will drive home that message over the coming days. Players will stay level-headed.
But the era of potential is over. On this near-ideal night, all the ills of the past few years faded away, and an era — or at least a month — of real ambition began. Fan support is booming. Players are jelling. Paraguay was suffocating. The Americans are flying, and there’s no telling how high they can fly over the coming weeks.
Henry Bushnell is a senior writer for The Athletic covering soccer. He previously covered a variety of sports and events, including World Cups and Olympics, for Yahoo Sports. He is based in Washington, D.C.
Why Adidas has embraced Trinity Rodman as the U.S. face of its men’s World Cup marketing
I love a good World Cup commercial.Who can forget Nike’s 2002 Secret Tournament commercial? Or this year’s Rip the Script? Stacked with soccer stars from the past and present, and handful of Hollywood heavy-hitters to make it relevant for casual fans. Bingo.When Adidas unveiled its flagship World Cup commercial a few weeks ago, the creative team similarly packed it with soccer royalty, including England’s Jude Bellingham and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, two players expected to help define this World Cup. In the spot, Timothée Chalamet assembles a three-a-side team to take on a mythical street-soccer trio in a fictional city.His first two picks make perfect sense.The third is Trinity Rodman.
Advertisement
Not Christian Pulisic. Not Weston McKennie. Not Gio Reyna. Rodman, the U.S women’s national team and Washington Spirit winger.
Adidas’s choice was no coincidence. Nor is it a slight against the U.S. men’s national team. Rather, it speaks to Rodman’s place in American soccer today and highlights the unique position women’s soccer occupies here.
Rodman and her “Triple Espresso” teammates (Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson) perform in front of American audiences every week with their NWSL clubs. Their success happens in stadiums across the country, creating a level of connection and familiarity with fans. (Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna was featured heavily in commercials leading up to the World Cup, but was not selected to Mauricio Pochettino’s final roster.)“The players are legitimate global stars,” Kyle Sheldon, chief operating officer of Name & Number, a soccer-specific creative and marketing agency, told The Athletic. “The domestic league (NWSL) is arguably the strongest in the world, top to bottom. Unquestionably, the fact that those players are in the U.S. backyard constantly has a significant impact.”Sheldon attended a Spirit match earlier this season when Rodman scored her first goal of the season after almost a year hiatus from the league. “It was sold out,” he said. “The pop in the stadium when she was introduced was, from my experience, second only to David Beckham and Lionel Messi where I have seen them play.”That is a remarkable comparison for any American soccer player, let alone a 24-year-old still entering her prime, working to make her own way on a U.S. team that has won four of nine Women’s World Cup titles.
“There really is this love for her and for what she represents,” Sheldon added. “For how she handles herself, that really is amongst the best in U.S. soccer history. She still has a long career to go, but I think it speaks to the impact of having that player playing domestically versus abroad.”
Trinity Rodman is one of the NWSL’s most marketable players.Claudio Villa / Getty Images
During the men’s World Cup on U.S. soil, Adidas is not the only company that tapped Rodman. She appears in marketing for State Farm, Sam’s Club, Dick’s Sporting Goods and even Dove Men+Care. Yes, Dove Men+Care.
Advertisement
While Rodman has fewer than one million Instagram followers, a platform where she regularly shares these partnerships, marketers say follower counts alone do not determine influence.
“When Trinity drops something or goes on Instagram Live, the ripple effect captures attention,” Laura Correnti, CEO and founder of Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment told The Athletic. “Brands are so pressed for stopping people in the feed.”
The modern sports economy is no longer driven primarily by audience size. It is driven by attention. Everything Rodman does becomes news. From her injuries to her fashion choices, she generates headlines. Her relationships attract coverage. She possesses something marketers covet but few athletes achieve: cultural gravitas, paired with authenticity.
And if Rodman’s commercial value still needed validation, the NWSL essentially provided it. Last year, the league created its “High Impact Player” mechanism, a roster-building rule designed to help clubs retain transformational stars by allowing teams to spend beyond traditional salary restrictions. Around soccer circles, many simply call it the “Rodman Rule.” The comparison Sheldon immediately thought of was another player whose value extended beyond wins and losses.
“The only other time you’ve really seen something similar in American soccer was David Beckham,” Sheldon said. “The league created a mechanism to bring Beckham to MLS. There are parallels there.”
The NWSL created the High Impact Player rule, in part, to keep Trinity Rodman in the league.Scott Taetsch / Getty Images
Rodman is not Beckham. Not yet. But the fact that league executives felt compelled to create greater roster flexibility to retain a player of her stature in the face of lucrative opportunities in Europe and would-be domestic rivals speaks to her importance. (Beckham, by the way, is also massively capitalizing on this World Cup with a handful of near-ubiquitous national TV ad campaigns, including Adidas, Home Depot, Lay’s, Stella Artois and McDonald’s.)
Advertisement
“I think we’ll look back and understand that it was one of the most consequential rulings that had to happen to preserve the longevity of women’s soccer in this country,” Correnti said. If Rodman had left for Europe, the NWSL would not only have lost one of its best players, but it would have lost one of its most valuable commercial upsides. “I truly believe it would have been detrimental to the future commercial success of women’s soccer in this country.”
The phenomenon reflects years of groundwork laid by women athletes who were forced to become marketers long before most male athletes needed to. For much of the modern era, U.S. women’s national team players earned a fraction of what their male counterparts made in playing salary. To close that gap, the women embraced the opportunities presented by social media, built quantifiable personal brands, cultivated sponsorships, created content and learned how to remain relevant between matches.
Think Alex Morgan, who realized and capitalized on her on-the-pitch success for commercial gains very early in her career and, even in retirement, remains active in nationally televised brand campaigns and as the founder of an investment fund, backing an array of businesses focused on women’s sports and its audiences.
“Women inherently have done these brand deals and capitalized on these opportunities out of necessity,” Correnti said. “Now that’s changing.” According to Correnti, social media, athlete-owned media and NIL have accelerated a trend that favors athletes capable of building direct relationships with fans. The next generation increasingly follows people rather than institutions.
“We’re entering the individual-over-institution era,” Correnti said. “People aren’t asking, ‘Am I a fan of the men’s national team or the women’s national team?’ They’re saying, ‘I’m a fan of Trinity Rodman.’”
That may be the most important business lesson of this World Cup.
Awesome new commercial with Pulisic, Messi & Ochoa if you haven’t seen the US vs The World Series on HBO – its worth the watch. Gio Finally Scores for Gladbach his first of the season. Here’s why this guy might make the US team Berhalter from Distance. Pulisic with an assist finally in their 2-1 win over Genoa, AC Milan merely need a tie or win this Sunday to secure Champions League next season the last on Pulisic’s contract. Fulham’s Jedi Robinson scored his first goal this season from the spot as Fulham’s 1-1 tie takes them out of Europe discussion. But Tyler Adams and Bournmouth – yes Bournmouth have qualified for Europe & have a chance for Champions League next season with Aston Villa’s Europa Cup win on Wed.(they gotta win Sun & have Villa lose). Even Prince William the future King of England was thrilled with Villa’s Victory Neymar was named to the Brazil World Cup team and Brazil went nuts. Crazy Pep Guardiola is stepping down at Man City with 20 Trophies in 10 seasons.
World Cup Roster Reveal Tues 3 pm
So the US will reveal the roster on Tuesday at Live on 3 pm on Fox (weird time to do it). So who do you have for the biggest soccer games of our generation? I have made my flights and will be on my way June 10th to LA – returning when we lose.
Shane’s US Roster
Goalkeepers: Matt Turner, Matt Freese, Chris Brady
Center-backs: Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty
Flex defenders: Alex Freeman, Joe Scally
Fullbacks/wingbacks: Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman
Central midfielders: Tyler Adams, Tanner Tessmann, Cristian Roldan, Sebastian Berhalter
Attacking midfielders: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Brenden Aaronson, Gio Reyna, Diego Luna, Tim Weah
Strikers: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright
Last cuts: Max Arfsten, Jack McGlynn, Miles Robinson, Alejandro Zendejas, Aidan Morris
Indy 11 beat Ft Wayne in PKs – Host Lexington Sat 7 pm
Fort Wayne, Ind. – Indy Eleven goalkeeper Eric Dick made a diving save and Jack Blake, captain Aodhan Quinn, and Josh O’Brien converted their penalty kicks to give the Boys in Blue a 3-1 shootout victory in Prinx Tires USL Cup play at Fort Wayne FC on Saturday. Fort Wayne made its first penalty to take a 1-0 lead in PKs, but Blake responded to tie it, then Quinn made it 2-1, setting the stage for Dick’s stop. O’Brien was successful to make it 3-1, and the next Fort Wayne attempt was off target to end it. Next Saturday is “Pups at the Pitch” at Carroll Stadium when Indy Eleven returns to USL Championship play vs. Lexington SC at 7 p.m. Ticket options include the new Desnuda Tequila Deck, Family Four-Packs, and Flex Mini-Plans. Indy 11, & former Carmel High and CDC GK Eric Dick Wins Shootout
Fri, May 22 2:45 pm Para+ Atalanta (Musah) vs Fiorentina 10 pm TUDN Mexico vs Ghana SAT May 23 12 Noon CBSSN Barcelona vs OL Lyonnes (Heeps/Horan) Womens’ UCL 12N Para+ Bologna vs Inter Milan 2 pm ESPNU, + Bayern Munich vs Stuttgart (German Cup) 2:30 pm Fox St Louis City vs Austin MLS 3 pm ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Athletic Club 7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Lexington 7:30 pm Apple Cincy vs Orlando City 8:30 pm Apple Chicago Fire vs Toronto FC 9:30 pm Apple San Diego vs Vancouver Whitecaps
Sun, May 24 11 am ?? Leeds United (Aaronson) vs West Ham 11 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Arsenal 11 am NBCSN Notingham Forest vs Bournemouth (Adams) 11 am USA Fulham (Jedi) vs New Castle United 1 pm CBS KC Current vs Portland Thorns NWSL 2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Cagliari 2:45 pm Para+ Juventus (McKennie) vs Torino 2:45 pm ESPN+ Villareal vs Atletico Madrid 5 pm Apple Columbus Crew vs Atlanta United 5 pm ESPND + Bay FC vs Chicago Stars NWSL 7 pm Fox Inter Miami vs Philly 9 pm Fox LAFC vs Seattle Sounders 9 pm CBSSN Pumas vs Cruz Azul Wed, May 27 3 pm Para+ Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Raya Vallecano EUFA Conference Final Fri, May 29 8 pm Prime Racing Louisville vs Denver Summit (Amazon Prime) Sat, May 30 Champions League Final 12 noon CBS PSG vs Arsenal 1:30 pm Ion, Tubi KC Current vs Boston Legacy NWSL 4 pm Ion, Tubi Portland Thorn vs Utah Royals NWSL 6:30 pm Ion, Tubi Washington Spirit vs Seattle Reign NWSL 8 pm FSI Toluca vs Tigres Concacaf Championship Sat, May 31 1 pm CBSSN Chicago Stars vs San Diego Wave NWSL 3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal 7 pm Victory Angel City vs NC Courage NWSL Sat, June 6 2:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Germany in Chicago Tix Thur, June, 11 World Cup 3 pm Fox Mexico vs South Africa 10 pm FS1 Korea vs Czech Republic
Sat, June 12 WORLD CUP 9 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Paraguay World Cup Fri, June 19 3 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup Thur, June 25 10 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Need food for a Graduation, end of school party, World Cup or July 4th party? Call Ryan now to ask about catering options at 317-688-7290. Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
U.S. men’s national team defender Chris Richards is not expected to miss the World Cup despite having suffered two torn ligaments in his left ankle only three weeks before the start of the competition, sources have told The Athletic.Richards’ club manager, Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner, revealed the extent of the injury on Thursday, but multiple sources briefed on Richards’ injury say that while a return for next week’s Conference League final may be “a day or two” too soon, they insist that the center back will be “good for the World Cup, 100%.”Richards, 26, appeared to twist his ankle in a substitute appearance for Palace against Brentford on Sunday. He received medical treatment on the pitch but finished the game, having come on after an hour. Glasner has ruled Richards out of the club’s final Premier League fixture, which is against newly crowned champion Arsenal, and said it is “50-50″ whether he will be able to return for Wednesday’s Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano.“He tore two ligaments in his ankle,” Glasner said in his pre-match press conference on Thursday. “I think it’s stable, but quite swollen, and we have to deal with the swelling. He has to get back on the pitch to be available, and it takes time.“He is in from sunrise until sunset having treatments and everything we can do that reduces the swelling, and of course we have a great medical department, so we will give our best and he will give his best — and then let’s see if we can get it done.”Richards is a vital member of the defense for the U.S, which opens its World Cup against Paraguay on June 12. After the announcement of Mauricio Pochettino’s World Cup roster on Tuesday, the U.S. plays Senegal (May 31) and Germany (June 6) in a final set of pre-tournament friendlies.Paul Tenorio is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer. He has previously written for the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, FourFourTwo, ESPN and MLSsoccer.com.
Promotion, relegation, and silverware.Americans Overseas
BY Brian SciarettaPosted American Soccer Now May 19, 2026 1:00 PM
IT HAS BEEN a big week for Americans abroad as many of the top leagues in Europe are now over. But over the last few days we learned a lot. Christian Pulisic showed signs of his early-season form, Americans can thrive in Austria, Robinson is ready for the World Cup, and the USMNT is strong at forward.
But will start the column off today in England, where a “spy gate” has sunk Southampton and benefited Aidan Morris, who will get another crack at getting to the Premier League next season.
Morris & Boro back into playoff final
In a shocking twist of events, Middlesbrough will get a chance to play in the Championship playoff final against Hull after Southampton were found guilty of spying on opponents throughout the 2025/26 season. The punishment is that Southampton would lose their spot in the playoff final and it would instead go to Middlesbrough, who lost to Southampton in the semifinal. In addition, Southampton was given a four-point penalty next season in the Championship.
Southampton has the right to appeal, which could delay the game which is scheduled for May 23.
For Aidan Morris, he will get another crack at making it to the Premier League. The former Columbus Crew midfielder has been thriving at Boro where he has been a lock starter and a consistently good midfielder in the Championship. At one point it looked as if Boro would quality automatically but the club tumbled down the stretch and finished fifth.
Pepi & Balogun finish at 19
Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie concluded their seasons over the weekend and Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun both had seasons to remember.
Ricardo Pepi played all 90 minutes for PSV and scored the final goal from the spot in a 5-1 pounding of Twente. With PSV having secured the title, Pepi was dominant down the stretch having scored six goals in his last five games (including goals in his last five games). He finished with 19 goals across all competitions (16 in the Eredivisie, 3 in the Champions League).
Folarin Balogun, meanwhile, was robbed of a goal when a 55th minute goal for Monaco was ruled an own goal instead of a goal from the American. It seemed like a harsh ruling. But it did not affect the result, which as a 5-4 Monaco loss to Strasbourg. Balogun played 76 minutes in the game and finished the season with 13 goals in Ligue 1, 5 goals in the Champions League, and 1 in the Coupe de France for 19 across all competitions. Regardless, Mauricio Pochettino will have two in-form strikers to select at the World Cup.
Trusty wins Celtic title
Auston Trusty won his second Scottish Premiership title with Celtic after a 3-1 win over Hearts. The game was much closer than the scoreline suggested as the game was 1-1 into the 87th minute, and Hearts needed just a draw to secure the title. But Celtic scored twice late after Trusty was subbed out.
Just about every neutral fan was supporting Hearts in this game to breakup the Old Firm’s 40-year grip on the top division of Scotland. But it was not to be as Celtic was clearly the better team in this game and down the stretch, where they didn’t lose over their last seven Premiership games.Trusty remains a bubble player for the USMNT World Cup roster but he is clearly trending up after having played over 2500 for a title-winning Celtic combined with the U.S. team being very shallow in central defense.
Pulisic sharp off the bench
Christian Pulisic’s form is the biggest story in the world of the U.S. team right now. The Hershey native has been in a slump since the end of December. Entering this weekend, he has no goals or assists in 2026.Fortunately for both Milan and the U.S. national team, Pulisic had his best shift in months for Milan in a 2-1 away win over Genoa. He entered the game in the 76th minute and assisted on Zachary Athekame’s goal five minutes later.
The win gives Milan a two-point cushion on a Champions League spot heading into the final game of the season. On Sunday, Milan will host 16th-place Cagliari.For the national team, the hope is that a good performance will now have Pulisic trending upwards into the World Cup. We will learn more this weekend. Regardless, it is hard to see the U.S. team succeeding at the World Cup without Pulisic being at his best.
Weah returns from injury
Tim Weah, 26, made his first appearance since April 26 on Sunday for Marseille in a 3-1 win over Rennes. Weah played 88 minutes at right back and was sharp throughout. Unfortunately, Marseille missed out on the Champions League with a fifth-place finish but will still participate in the Europa League next season.
Despite the recent injury to Weah, his start on Sunday saw him surpass the 3000-minute threshold this season for the first time in his career. While he has been at Marseille on loan from Juventus, the expectation is that he will remain with Marseille on a permanent basis. For the national team, having Weah in solid form is a huge net presence as the team needs more wide attacking players.
Minor injuries to Aaronson & Richards
Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United extended their Premiership unbeaten run to eight games with a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion with a late stoppage time winner from Dominic Alvert-Lewin. That has lifted Leeds into 13th place heading into the final game of the season.
Aaronson started but hobbled off in the 60th minute. Fortunately, the injury does not seem to be major as Daniel Farke suggested it was a dead-leg that should have him ready for the finale, which will be against relegation-threatened West Ham.
Chris Richards hobbled off the field after the final whistle when his Crystal Palace team played Brentford to a 2-2 draw. Richards entered the game in the 61st minute and was quite during his time on the field. Fortunately, Richards is expected back for the finale against Arsenal. While it is a minor injury, it was a nervy moment for the USMNT who cannot afford to lose Richards for the World Cup. He is by far the team’s best central defender at the moment.
Robinson scores from the spot
Fulham’s chances of qualifying for Europe are almost entirely dead after being held to a 1-1 draw against last-place Wolves.
The good news, for the U.S. team, is that Antonee Robinson scored his first Premier League goal just before halftime when he stepped up to convert a penalty inside the left post after a teammate drew the foul.
Even more importantly for Robinson, he went a full 90 minutes and looked healthy. He has been touch and go all season but looks ready for the World Cup.
Tracking title races, relegation: Arsenal clinch Premier League
May 19, 2026, 05:01 PM ET
The end of the European soccer season is fast approaching, and the battles for major honors, UEFA Champions League qualification and relegation are truly heating up.
Arsenal‘s 22-year wait to win the Premier League ended on Tuesday, as they were crowned champions with Manchester City‘s1-1 draw withBournemouth. Their last league title came via the famous “Invincibles” team of 2003-04.
The Premier League will be granted an extra place in the UEFA Champions League next season due to the UEFA club coefficient rankings. It means the top five finishers will play in Europe’s premier competition next season.
That was good news for Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool, who have been vying for Champions League qualification.
United cemented third place with a victory over Nottingham Forest last weekend, meaning they will return to European football next term after suffering the embarrassment of playing only 40 total games this season.
Aston Villa have cemented fourth place. That has repercussions for whoever finishes in sixth — had Villa finished in fifth and win Wednesday’s Europa League final, then sixth would have been granted Champions League football, too. However, Villa are too far ahead of fifth-place Liverpool for that outcome to happen.
It means only one more Champions League spot remains up for grabs. It will almost certainly go to Liverpool; Bournemouth would have to win their final match, hope Liverpool lose, and make up a six-goal deficit in goal differential to earn fifth place.
Chelsea had been in the hunt for Champions League football until their form collapsed — so much so they sacked manager Liam Rosenior after just 106 days — and there is now a decent chance they miss out on European football altogether.
The club had a chance to secure a Europa League spot by winning the FA Cup, but they were beaten 1-0 by Manchester City in last weekend’s final. It means they must now qualify for Europe through the Premier League, but the competition has never before been so fierce in the final week of the season.
Just seven points separate Bournemouth (fifth) and Newcastle United (11th). Chelsea would move up to seventh with a win over Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.
It is worth keeping an extra eye on both Bournemouth and Brentford, who have both never qualified for European football before.
Crystal Palace could also earn a separate European spot by winning next weekend’s Conference League final.
For two straight seasons, the three teams that came up from the Championship were sent straight back down the following season. This year, however, that won’t happen. Newly promoted Leeds have enjoyed a superb run of late, meaning their place in next season’s Premier League is safe.
Bottom-of-the-pack Wolves were officially relegated last month, and second-bottom Burnley joined the following week.
It means one more relegation spot looms, and West Ham are now most likely to be given it. Tottenham Hotspur can secure their survival with a victory over Chelsea on Tuesday. A draw would also all but mean they stay up due to their much better goal difference.
Should Spurs lose, it would mean they could still go down on the final day of the season if West Ham win at home to Leeds and they lose at home to Everton.
Barcelona clinched their second straight LaLiga title on May 10 by winning 2-0 against their fierce rivals, Real Madrid, in the final Clasico of the season.
All of the Champions League spots in Spain have been awarded. Rayo Vallecano’s run to the Conference League final sealed a bonus fifth spot for Spain and Real Betis.
By winning the Copa del Rey, Real Sociedad automatically qualify for next year’s Europa League.
Celta Vigo have essential confirmed their Europa League place as well. Getafe can seal a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds if they win their last match on Saturday vs. Osasuna — otherwise, the door is open for the teams below them.
Rayo Vallecano have made the Conference League final, and winning that competition would guarantee a place in next season’s Europa League, regardless of their league finish.
It’s absolute chaos at the bottom of the table. Girona, third-place finishers in LaLiga in 2023-24, are currently facing the drop, but they’ll be taking on Elche (the team directly above them in the table) in a true relegation six-pointer on Saturday. Mallorca are also in the relegation zone, but they could yet drag themselves out of it with a win over last-place Real Oviedo.
One thing’s for sure: This race will go down to the wire.
Bayern Munich were crowned Bundesliga champions with a 4-2 win over Stuttgart on April 19. It was the second straight league title for the Rekordmeister and their 35th all time.
VfB Stuttgart‘s draw with Eintracht Frankfurt in the final matchweek, combined with TSG Hoffenheim’s loss, meant that Stuttgart sealed the fourth and final Champions League place. Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen gain entry to the Europa League.
Freiburg have also made the Europa League final and will earn a spot in next year’s Champions League if they claim the trophy.
The final weekend is sure to be a frenzied one in the relegation battle as well. The bottom three teams are tied on points and have similar goal differentials — whoever finishes highest in the table will participate in the promotion/relegation playoff with the third-place finisher of the 2. Bundesliga, while the other teams will be automatically relegated.
Wolfsburg and St. Pauli will clash in a true relegation six-pointer. Wolfsburg are currently ahead of St. Pauli based on total goals scored, so St. Pauli must win to have any hope of staying in the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, Heidenheim must win against Mainz and hope for a draw in the Wolfsburg-St. Pauli match; otherwise, their only chance of safety is winning by a large enough margin to overtake the other two teams on goal differential.
The race for the top four is going down to the wire. Napoli are still leading the pack beneath Inter — a draw or a win in their final match vs. Udinese will seal their Champions League place. AC Milan and Roma are currently in third and fourth, and they would clinch the Champions League with wins, as Como and Juventus trail them by two points.
Regardless of how everything turns out, it will have been a wonderful season for Como, who are two seasons removed from competing in Serie B.
The relegation fight has effectively whittled down to four teams. Two of the three teams going down have essentially been decided already — Pisa and Hellas Verona — but it figures to be a dramatic conclusion to the season for Lecce and Cremonese. If Cremonese better Lecce’s result, they will avoid relegation — their superior goal differential in head-to-head matches with Lecce this season would be the tiebreaker if they end up level on points.
There are no prizes for guessing who is top of Ligue 1 this season. Paris Saint-Germain clinched the title after defeating Lens in a top-of-the-table clash.
Elsewhere, Lens and Lille were granted a place in next season’s Champions League league phase, while fourth-place Lyon get admission to the Champions League qualification playoffs.
Like the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 automatically relegates its bottom two finishers, with the 16th-placed side entering a playoff against the third-placed Ligue 2 side. It means Nice will face Saint-Étienne in a two-legged contest to decide who plays in the French top-flight next season.
Cristiano Ronaldo is just 30 goals shy of his aim to reach 1,000 before he retires one day. Before then, though, Ronaldo is ticking toward another milestone: His first major trophy since winning the Italian Cup with Juventus in 2021.
After 20 straight league victories, his Al Nassr side looked set to steamroll to the title, but a defeat away to Al Qadsiah opened the door for Al Hilal. Al Nassr and Al Hilal met on May 12 and played out a 1-1 draw. Fast forward to this week, and Al Nassr can clinch the title with a win over Damac. Drop points though and it could allow Al Hilal to win the title on goal-difference.
The only trophy Ronaldo has won since his arrival in Saudi Arabia in December 2022 is the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, which is not recognized by FIFA.
Scottish football is dominated by two Glaswegian giants: Celtic and Rangers. They’re archrivals, and between them, they have won every league title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in 1984-85. But, amid disatrous seasons at times in Glasgow, that almost changed this season.
Rangers began the season with Russell Martin as manager, but he was sacked in October after winning just one of their opening seven league games. Celtic went through their own reckoning as Brendan Rodgers, who began the season as manager, resigned later in October, leading to 74-year-old Martin O’Neill stepping in as caretaker manager. They hired Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy in December, only to sack him 33 days later as he won just two of his six league matches.
Meanwhile, Hearts, who finished in the bottom half of the table last season, enjoyed a superb season. They led the Scottish top flight for most of the season and still led as they travelled to second-place Celtic on the final day of the season, needing only to avoid defeat.
It wasn’t to be, though. Celtic pipped Hearts with goals in the 86th- and 97th-minute to earn a 3-1 win and lift the title. However, the game was marred by fan trouble at the end as Celtic fans stormed the pitch with two minutes to play, meaning the game could not be restarted.
As World Cup Host, USMNT Embraces Chance to Take Soccer to the Next Level
The heat will be turned up on the U.S. as it hosts the tournament for the first time in 32 years. With a trendy coach and a strong nucleus of players, the opportunity to make a deep run is here.
The 1994 World Cup opening ceremony did not get off to an auspicious start for soccer purists. Diana Ross, singing “I’m Coming Out” at what was meant to be the world game’s coming-out party in the United States, stepped to the penalty spot to have a go at converting the first goal of the tournament. The shot missed the mark by some distance, but the goal still theatrically split in half down the middle. The show went on, but it ended up being wildly upstaged by the tournament itself, with the spectacle of soccer hitting the target and helping to launch the game to greater renown. When the World Cup begins on June 11, the United States has a chance to show the world how much it has learned since Ross’s effort. The biggest showcase in the sport is finally back on U.S. soil in a totally different landscape than when Bill Clinton was in his first term. There is no coming-out party needed. The sport has arrived in the U.S. At least, that’s the idea. Like 1994, there will be cringey moments from entertainers; we’re getting the first World Cup final halftime show, curated by Coldplay and headlined by Shakira, Madonna and BTS. But the ball rolling in the U.S. men’s national team’s opener against Paraguay is a moment many have dreamed of for decades.
It also will be a moment charged with expectation. Club owners, stakeholders and fans have long hoped this summer’s tournament would firmly move soccer out of the niche it has occupied for more than six decades in this country and take its place as a “major” sport. Or perhaps it could at least help convince the thousands of people who turn up for exhibition matches played by teams visiting from England or Mexico or who flock to bars in the early morning to watch teams from Germany or Spain that it’s worth tuning in to the local league as well—or at least subscribing to the streaming service it’s offered on.
“We have an opportunity to inspire generations of people,” says USMNT defender Tim Ream. “From young to old, from diehards to casual fans to people who aren’t even interested in the game until the World Cup rolls around.”
The easiest path to that actually becoming a reality is a deep run for the U.S., one that sweeps up those periodic fans and turns them into the type of soccer supporters who will pay attention more than every four years.
“You want to have success in front of your own fans because you know what it means,” says Cobi Jones, a World Cup veteran who played at the 1994 tournament and appeared in more matches for the USMNT than any other player. “You know that if you do have a successful World Cup, it allows for exponential growth of the game within your country.”
As the 1994 host, the U.S. survived the group stage but then was eliminated by Brazil. | Chris Cole/Allsport/Getty Images
The U.S. heads into the tournament as the No. 16 team in the FIFA rankings, so seeing the team standing alone as the confetti falls July 19 at MetLife Stadium feels all but impossible. But a run to the knockout stage that truly captures the nation’s attention is within reach—especially with games played at an hour when it’s socially acceptable to grab a beer at a bar, as opposed to, say, the 10 a.m. kickoff for the Yanks’ last knockout game, in 2022 against the Netherlands.
The goal is “to go as far as we can because obviously anybody and any team entering the World Cup is going there to win it and has plans to win it. That’s why we’re there,” midfielder Weston McKennie said in March. “That’s why we do what we do, because we compete. I think that’s the best way to describe success: for us to be proud of our performance.”
Will the team’s pride match the public’s expectations? Can the USMNT do enough in this tournament to give a whole sport a boost? It will need everything to break right. It will need a number of superb performances from individuals and as a team. And it will need a guiding hand that leads the team to the correct decisions.
Following the Leader
Wooing Mauricio Pochettino to the U.S. national team program in September 2024 felt like a coup. Predecessor Gregg Berhalter had played and coached abroad but hardly has the international cachet of the Argentine manager, nor had he produced anything close to the same on-field achievements. Pochettino, 54, has worked at some of the most important clubs in the world—including Tottenham Hotspur, which he took to the 2019 Champions League final, and Paris Saint-Germain, which won the Ligue 1 title in 2021–22.
On top of that, while Pochettino had no experience managing a national team, he had gone to the tournament as a player. The combination of a successful playing career, experience coaching prestigious clubs and actually being available to work through the summer of 2026 made him a home run hire—even if he wasn’t at all familiar with the idea of a home run. At least, that’s how it seemed at the time.
It hasn’t all been sunshine in the Pochettino era. The U.S. lost both regional trophies on offer in 2025, falling to Panama in the semifinals of the Concacaf Nations League and losing to Mexico in the Gold Cup final. The rest of the year saw positive performances in friendlies, with a switch to a formation anchored by Crystal Palace standout Chris Richards that allows the wide defenders to aggressively join the attack.
In March, however, Pochettino’s side lost 5–2 to Belgium and 2–0 to Portugal, though the manager insisted the learning experiences against two top 10 teams will serve the Stars and Stripes at the tournament.
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino has not been shy about experimenting tactically. | Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images
“Even if it’s painful, it’s the only way to improve, the only way to learn, the only way to see how these top players and teams compete,” Pochettino said after the Portugal loss.
Getting along off the field is one thing. Getting everyone pulling in the same direction on it is another.
Rather than continue to utilize the same formation in those March games that had worked in the fall, Pochettino experimented further. He played Pulisic as a center forward rather than his usual role as a playmaker. He went to a flat back four instead of a three-man back line and stuck Tim Weah, who typically plays in attack, at right back against one of the world’s best wingers, Belgium’s Jérémy Doku.
The moves didn’t work out, but the competition also was much steeper. While plenty of fans perceived a regression, members of the team itself insist the enthusiasm remains high. “I feel like we are a lot closer than people think,” Pulisic said. “We put a lot of pressure on them in the first half of both the games.
“We were able to create chances, which if I finish chances, which I know I’m going to, then things are going to be a bit different.”
Doubt has crept in after the USMNT lost its most recent friendlies to European powers Belgium and Portugal. | John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images
Putting the ball in the back of the net more often is the simplest fix in soccer, but the lessons learned from matches against the European squads may go deeper. The nature of the international game, Ream says, is that the friendlies are one thing, but the World Cup is another. “We understand where things went wrong, and we understand how and when and what we need to do to fix those things,” Ream says. “At the end of the day, the World Cup is the World Cup. Everything is completely different, and games that you played previously aren’t actually going to matter. You can’t think of all the bad things or the negative things or the momentum-sapping things that have happened because they don’t matter at that point.”
Pochettino will have to work quickly, though, to make sure the team is in the right place mentally ahead of the tournament and to determine how to get the most out of his group. While the USMNT won’t run into a squad as deep as its March opponents in the group stage, the knockout round will produce those types of matchups.
“I think now is the time to learn, to get better,” the manager said after the Portugal defeat. “I think the preparation for a World Cup has to be at the highest level, understanding we can get better. We have quality players, but we’ve got to improve, above all when we’re playing against top-level players.”
Pochettino has been in big moments before, and probably received more scrutiny in London and Paris than he’ll get this summer across the U.S., but this is by far the biggest moment he’s been in on the international stage.
The Best Chance at Success
Pochettino’s arrival isn’t the only reason for hope at this tournament. The USMNT should be hitting its stride. After the frustration at the failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, many young American players started to come through the ranks in MLS academies and make the jump to top clubs in Europe.
The U.S. has had players at important clubs before, but never in this quantity. Richards starts regularly in the Premier League, as does Fulham fullback Antonee Robinson. Pulisic and McKennie are regulars for historic AC Milan and Juventus, respectively. Forward Malik Tillman plays Champions League football for Bayer Leverkusen. The list goes on. Gone are the days when simply having the quality to play in Europe is enough to clinch a place on the team.
U.S. hopes will be buoyed by European-based players such as Antonee Robinson. | Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images
The roster largely came together in 2022, and while it always looked too young to make a major statement, the U.S. advanced from its group with a win and two draws. That included a disciplined defensive showing against England and a victory over Iran thanks to a Pulisic goal. In the first round of the knockout stage, however, the USMNT couldn’t cope with the speed of the Netherlands out wide and displayed a listless attack.
This year the field has expanded, meaning the groups are diluted to some extent. While the U.S. won’t want to take anything for granted, its round-robin opponents Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye all have weaknesses it can exploit. Additionally, having topped Australia 2–1 in an October friendly and beaten Paraguay by the same score a month later only will help with confidence.
But simply getting out of the group isn’t the standard for the U.S., especially with the big event taking place at home soil. “We want to show the world why we want to be one of the soccer powerhouses people talk about,” Richards says. “It takes good performances. When it comes World Cup time, we’ll be ready.”
With the Pressure on
Playing at home typically has helped teams at the World Cup. Pochettino cited South Korea’s run to the 2002 semifinal as inspiration for his team.
But as 2026 World Cup cohost Mexico knows too well, sometimes that push from the crowd can become a burden. That relationship, long soured by high expectations and Mexico’s frequent trips to the U.S. for friendlies, hit a low in November when El Tri fans in Torreon booed the team off the field after a scoreless draw. “Maybe that’s why they always take us to the United States,” forward Raúl Jiménez said afterward.
That’s not the dynamic in the U.S., but the spotlight this summer will be brighter than it has been on any men’s team in the nation’s history. “It’s a different kind of pressure when you’re playing for your nation and playing for a World Cup and everything is riding on a few weeks,” Jones says.
Social media increases that pressure, as does the fact that there never have been so many former players with microphones getting paid to opine on the current generation. Some of the best ever to wear the USMNT jersey—including Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Alexi Lalas—will work in analyst roles during the World Cup.
Serie A stars Weston McKennie (right) and Christian Pulisic insist that the expectations they’ll face at home won’t impact their play. | Omar Vega/Getty Images
The players have shrugged off any criticism, noting the high expectations they have for themselves. “You guys want me to feel the pressure. That’s for sure,” Pulisic said in March, before the friendlies. “There’s pressure. It’s a World Cup. It’s not because of my position in the team or anything. I’m used to this. I feel privileged to be in this position. There’s pressure. I feel it. Yes. It’s there, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’m going to attack it head-on, and we are as a team.”
If the USMNT can shake off the pressure and advance through the field, it may succeed in its goal of further raising the profile of soccer in the country, especially ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. But no matter how good or bad the performance, the World Cup—the sport’s absolute pinnacle—will remain a singular event. Players can take the biggest stage only once every four years, with legacies cemented and moments magnified because of the significance of every kick, tackle or save. The tournament won’t return to North America during their careers.This is something so many have waited years and years to enjoy, and each of the 90-minute matches will be remembered forever.The moment is here. It’s up to the U.S. to meet it.
Picking the USA 2026 World Cup squad: A final projection of Pochettino’s 26-man roster
On May 26, U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino will step out at Pier 17 along the East River in Manhattan and announce his 26-man World Cup squad, which will be charged with representing the country on home soil.
Since his arrival to U.S. Soccer in September 2024, Pochettino has been intent to remake the culture around the national team. He wanted to redefine how players thought about call-ups. He believed it critical to root out complacency and entitlement, making every player on the roster treasure the opportunity to put on the crest.
The ultimate prize to those who bought in: the chance to be part of this summer’s World Cup.
It has not been an easy path. Pochettino has used 71 players over nine international windows. He found a group of players at the Gold Cup in 2025, including new faces like Diego Luna, Max Arfsten and Matt Freese, all of whom have featured regularly since. He has challenged the “star” core of this national team — like 2022 World Cup veterans Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Timothy Weah — to fight for their places.
The hope is it all comes together when the opening whistle blows on June 12 at SoFi Stadium.
Pochettino’s approach means it’s not so easy to pick a 26. Yes, there are quite a few players who seem like ‘locks.’ But the science of putting together a roster weighs a number of factors, from positional balance to locker-room chemistry. One decision in one position group can have a ripple effect that impacts the others.
Our writers have taken a shot at predicting Pochettino’s final squad below. This represents our best guess as to what Pochettino would do, not what we would pick if we sat in his chair. None of these projected rosters are the same, a sign of the guessing game still taking place with just a few days left until the team is announced.
Zavier Gozo’s top international experience to date came at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, pictured here playing against France. Might a shock 2026 World Cup call be in the cards?Javier Torres / AFP / Getty Images
Paul Tenorio’s USMNT World Cup squad prediction
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Chris Brady
Center-backs: Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty
Flex defenders: Alex Freeman
Fullbacks/wingbacks: Max Arfsten, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Tim Weah
Central midfielders: Tyler Adams, Tanner Tessmann, Cristian Roldan, Sebastian Berhalter
Attacking midfielders: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Brenden Aaronson, Diego Luna, Gio Reyna
Strikers: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright, Zavier Gozo
Last cuts:Miles Robinson, Alejandro Zendejas, Aidan Morris, Joe Scally, Jack McGlynn
Despite the tinkering in the March window, I think Pochettino is going to lean into the hybrid back line that builds out of a back three and defends in a four. I think Freeman’s versatility makes for an interesting choice between one of Pochettino’s favorite players, Arfsten, and bringing a fifth true center-back in Miles Robinson. Right now, I think he leans toward Arfsten.
This team doesn’t have enough attacking threats, and that’s why I think Gozo is Pochettino’s shock pick for the World Cup. Gozo is exactly the type of player and personality to complement what Pochettino has built, even if it’s a longshot.
Remember: when thinking about the bench, you can’t think just about role players. Those are important, of course, but you also have to consider the glue guys you want pushing players in training and going all-in for the team. This is where guys like Roldan, Berhalter, Luna, Wright, Gozo and Reyna are key. Are those players the ones you believe will push this squad even if they aren’t playing regularly? Will their fight to get on to the field make the team better?
When you consider this side of it, the last cuts start to be a bit more painful. The player I think loses out is Miles Robinson, who drops off the squad with Freeman and Tessmann providing enough cover at center-back.
One position to keep an eye on is goalkeeper. I think there could be another surprise there.
Gio Reyna starred vs. Paraguay in November. Might he get the chance again in the World Cup opener?Emilee Chinn / Getty Images
Tom Bogert’s USMNT World Cup squad prediction
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Chris Brady
Center-backs: Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Joe Scally, Miles Robinson
Fullbacks/wingbacks: Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman
Central midfielders: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Tanner Tessmann, Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan
Attacking midfielders: Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson, Malik Tillman, Diego Luna, Gio Reyna
Strikers: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright
Last cuts: Zavier Gozo, Aidan Morris, Auston Trusty, Alejandro Zendejas
For me, at least 17 roster spots are not up for debate. And those 17 will have a much more significant influence on whether the U.S. has a successful run at the World Cup — or doesn’t.Still, the final nine can play a part. There are a couple definite positional needs — third goalkeeper, fifth center-back, last deep-lying midfielder — but the others can go in a number of different directions.For the final center-back slot, Miles Robinson has athleticism and an ability to defend in space, and he can hold up if defending from a right-back role against the ball, but he has not played 90 minutes in a game since March 8, which is concerning. Trusty is the other option.
The last central midfield bid goes to Roldan, who may have been on the outside looking in before Johnny Cardoso’s untimely injury. Morris, who now finds himself playing for promotion to the Premier League, could very well be named to that last spot instead.There is flexibility within this team that informs other decisions. Weah can play attacking midfield or wingback. Freeman can play as a wide center-back or a wingback. The same can be said for Scally, who deserves to be on the roster — but so does Gozo, the RSL breakout star. To be clear: I would call in Gozo, but I think it is much more likely that Pochettino leaves him off.
For all the furor about Reyna’s lack of consistent minutes, he has gotten five consecutive Bundesliga appearances off the bench. He was also called to the March roster despite not playing at all around that time. By comparison, Tillman, long presumed a shoo-in for the team, started only one game since the March international break for Bayer Leverkusen.Pochettino could even opt for a fourth center-forward if he wants, though I don’t think he will. Balogun (19 club goals in all competitions this season), Pepi (19) and Wright (18) should have the spot covered.Keep this in mind, too: at the 2022 World Cup, the first with an expanded 26-man roster, six players did not see the field (two GK, four others). Another five played 45 minutes or less. That’s 42% of the team playing no more than a single half.
Alex Freeman’s versatility makes him a likely World Cup selection for Mauricio PochettinoJared C. Tilton / Getty Images
Henry Bushnell’s USMNT World Cup squad prediction
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Chris Brady
Center-backs: Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty
Flex defenders: Alex Freeman, Joe Scally
Fullbacks/wingbacks: Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Tim Weah, Zavier Gozo
Central midfielders: Tyler Adams, Tanner Tessmann, Cristian Roldan, Sebastian Berhalter
Attacking midfielders: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Brenden Aaronson, Gio Reyna, Diego Luna
Strikers: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright
Last cuts: Max Arfsten, Jack McGlynn, Miles Robinson, Alejandro Zendejas, Aidan Morris
A few weeks ago, I felt like I knew where Pochettino was going with this roster. Now? I still feel that way for 21 or 22 spots, but picking the last few players will be agonizing.
The 15 locks, for me, are: Freese, Richards, Ream, Antonee Robinson, Dest, Weah, Freeman, Adams, Tessmann, Pulisic, McKennie, Tillman, Balogun, Pepi and Wright. And I see no reason to exclude McKenzie, Trusty, Scally, Roldan, Berhalter or Aaronson.
For the last few spots, it becomes a question of what Pochettino values more: USMNT track record or recent club form. If the latter, Gozo, McGlynn and Zendejas are in. If the former, Arfsten, Luna and Reyna are in.
The thought behind the projection above is that, by bringing both Scally and Freeman, you have:
Seven guys capable of playing in a back three (including Tessmann), which makes a fifth true center-back, Miles Robinson, unnecessary
Five capable fullbacks, almost all of whom can play wingback, so, rather than taking a sixth who probably wouldn’t see the field (Arfsten), you can choose Gozo for his unpredictability and attacking flexibility
You also then have extra room further up the field for Reyna (or Zendejas, or McGlynn).
I’ll admit, though, that this is tinged with wishful thinking. I still think it’s more likely that Pochettino picks Arfsten and not Gozo. I also think Reyna vs. McGlynn is a toss-up, and the calculus could change if Luna’s or Aaronson’s recent injury issues put their inclusions in doubt.
Inside the NWSL’s strategy to convert World Cup buzz into loyal fans
The inaugural game for the Denver Summit drew 63,000 fans on March 28, 2026. (Taylor Banner/Taylor Banner)
May 20, 2026 05:00 AM EDT Everyone on the bus. That’s effectively the NWSL’s strategy heading into the wave of global soccer attention around the FIFA World Cup, which begins next month. The National Women’s Soccer League plans to aggressively insert itself into the broader conversation, with a “Summer of Soccer” campaign built around key league events and a traveling bus tour designed to meet fans around the country, according to Rachel Epstein, the league’s newly named chief marketing officer.The NWSL’s 2026 season began March 13 and runs until the championship game Nov. 21. The league is pausing regular-season games from June 1 to 28 while FIFA World Cup group-stage games are played.“I am coming into a league with a tremendous foundation. We are in growth stage—up and to the right—and there is more to do,” Epstein said on the latest episode of the Marketer’s Brief podcast. “But I’m so excited about the opportunity and where we can go.”Epstein, who joined the league April 1 after overseeing women’s sports marketing at ESPN, said the NWSL enters this period with advantages previous women’s sports leagues lacked, including stronger ownership investment, rising attendance, and increasing support from brands. She also pointed to the importance of a broader women’s sports media ecosystem that has helped create what she described as a flywheel for fan growth and engagement.
New franchises began play this year in Boston and Denver, bringing the NWSL to 16 teams; new clubs have been announced for Atlanta and Columbus, Ohio, beginning in 2028.A key opportunity for the league now is converting broader soccer interest into lasting fandom, particularly among women audiences. Female sports fans often connect through player stories and personal affinity, which is why the NWSL plans to expand its own content and storytelling efforts, Epstein said. The goal is to create more pathways into the league at a moment when soccer itself is poised for heightened visibility in the U.S.
Ad Age Marketer’s Brief host Jon Springer moderated this podcast episode with guest Rachel Epstein. Below is the transcript, which has been lightly edited for clarity.
“Audience growth is vital for me and for our league. It’s really important that we find and cement our brand in the hearts and minds of current fans and new fans.”
Rachel Epstein, chief marketing officer, National Women’s Soccer League
Leveraging the World Cup to grow the NWSL
Jon: Let’s start with the big question out there. The World Cup feels like a potentially transformative moment for soccer here in America. How much of an accelerant do you think that could be for the NWSL specifically?
Rachel: Yeah. I mean, it’s a huge opportunity for the NWSL and for soccer, right? Global moments like these, these big events, bring in waves of new fans—current fans, of course, core global football fans, but also new fans who come in, learn about the game, get excited about the game.
And then our job is to embed NWSL into that momentum and narrative in that window, and then bring them in—hang on to their new and growing soccer interest—and bring them into the NWSL, into our ecosystem.
Jon: Are there ways you’re going to do that specifically that we’ll see?
Rachel: Yes, absolutely. We have a whole strategy that we’re calling Summer of Soccer that will do just that. We’ll be driving conversation that integrates NWSL into the men’s World Cup conversation, that brings our voice and our personalities to games.
And we literally have a bus that will be making stops across the country, including our key tentpoles during those windows—our Challenge Cup, our return to play, our Queens Classic at Citi Field. All of that we are going to integrate into the men’s World Cup momentum and conversation.
Jon: Yeah, there’s a lot of brands and a lot of entities that want to draft on this event. Do you feel like there’s some competition where you’ve got to stand out among all the places and all the people that want to be a part of this?
Rachel: I don’t know if I think about it as competition. Obviously, there will be a lot of noise. But the good news is we are—and aim to be—the premier global women’s soccer league.
We have a really unique voice and territory that we own that allows us to be distinctive and really authentic in that space, alongside brands and other newer entrants into global soccer. We are already a core part of the ecosystem. We just want to ensure that our voice and personalities are heard and elevated during that time.
Where the league is now—and how it’s different from past women’s soccer efforts
Jon: You’ve been at this job only for a matter of weeks. I wonder what your early read is on where the league is right now.
Rachel: I am coming into a league with a tremendous foundation. And in my time at ESPN, I looked after women’s sports marketing there and worked closely with the league, so I have a really good sense of all the momentum it has and all of the upside there still is to drive toward.
We’re in growth stage—up and to the right—and there is more to do. But I’m so excited about the opportunity and where we can go.
Jon: One of your earlier experiences was also as part of the leadership team that founded WPS, which was a predecessor to NWSL. There’s a big change between what happened then and now. What was the impetus for the success you’re seeing now with NWSL and maybe some of the struggles or difficulties to get off the ground that some previous leagues may have had?
Rachel: Just that it’s apples and oranges, and it’s a totally different time. The structure of the business and our tremendous ownership groups, the investment—I think maybe that’s the most important thing.
There is really significant investment, patient investment that understands it takes time to grow, to build audience and drive enterprise value. There’s no comparison.
But on a personal level, that was early in my career. It was the place where my career in women’s sports began and was really formative—made me a soccer person.
So while it truly is apples and oranges in terms of the business, the way it’s structured, and all of the opportunity and advantage and growth that we have now, it still was very formative for me. I take personal lessons from that time. I took those lessons into my time at ESPN, and then I landed here. It really feels like the perfect fit.
Why women’s sports momentum looks different now
Jon: It’s really remarkable how we’ve seen women’s sports turn around from every perspective you can look at. And you mentioned investment, obviously, as one. Brands want to be involved now.
Rachel: When I think about the state of women’s sports—and I have a pretty long view on it from 14 years at ESPN—on a personal level, it’s just thrilling to see the momentum in the space and the health of it.
There are all of the metrics and indicators that make the headlines: exponential growth in expansion fees, valuations, attendance records—63,000 fans at our inaugural Denver Summit match—and the marketplace, as you mentioned, with greater demand for women’s sports than ever.
The NWSL is an active part of that marketplace, and we’re continuing to see that interest and build it, and build alongside our brands and partners.
I would just note that a quieter but really vital indicator, honestly, Jon, is a conversation like this with you. There is a burgeoning media ecosystem focused just on women’s sports. Obviously you’re not dedicated only to women’s sports, but there are dedicated podcasts and shows and documentaries and bylines and events all built for women’s sports—not as an adjacent add-on, but focused and dedicated to it.
That is a vital ecosystem. It creates the flywheel. You tell the stories, you educate new fans, you engage current fans, and all of that helps build audience, build value, bring more eyeballs, bring more investment.
So it’s both the headlines and that quieter infrastructure that are really coming together and indicate how healthy the women’s sports space is.
Jon: You mentioned the fans, and I’m wondering: Who is the NWSL fan right now, and how has that profile changed?
Rachel: We have a very passionate and committed fan base, there’s no question about it. And we’re seeing healthy growth across attendance and viewership. We have a tremendous opportunity—and you got at this a little bit around the men’s World Cup—but really over the next five years across the men’s World Cup, women’s World Cup [2027 in Brazil], Olympics [2028 in Los Angeles], and possibly, a 2031 women’s World Cup on our soil, to capitalize on that global soccer spotlight.
So a really committed current fan base, but what this next five years will propel is a massive wave of new fans. They’re coming into soccer because they’re rooting for their country, or they’ve come to know the breakout stars that these global events always give rise to.
We are extremely well positioned to convert that spotlight into sustained audience growth. So that’s the job in front of us, there’s no question. Our core women’s soccer fan is the best. We should build our brand around the ethos and spirit of that fan. But the opportunity to grow and expand is in front of us, and we’re going to do that.
Jon: Are there particular areas or demographics or groups that you are sourcing fans from?
Rachel: Look, without trying to be everything to everyone—that’s not how you do it—I should say that we invite all fans into the NWSL. There’s a huge opportunity, especially in this men’s World Cup window, to engage core international global soccer fans and bring them into NWSL. They understand world-class soccer. We have a world-class soccer product—the best in the world on the women’s side.
So that is an opportunity we want to take advantage of and build, in terms of that behavioral demo of a big, core fan of global soccer. One other thing I would add—and this goes a little bit to my time at ESPN—is the opportunity to actually drive female audience growth. I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it here: for a long time there was this conflation that women’s sports equals women’s fans, female fans. That is not true. Historically that has not been the case.
Many years ago at ESPN, there were not huge female audience numbers in terms of watching women’s sports. But it is an audience segment that is driving incremental growth right now. So that opportunity to drive female audience growth—say broadly 18 to 44—is a more recent one, and we want to take advantage of that.
It will look a little different on the younger side of that demo, in the way younger audiences—as I’m sure you’ve talked about countless times on this podcast—engage with content, what their fandom looks like, second-screen experience versus tuning into TV.
But irrespective of the breakdown of that female audience demo, there is a huge opportunity to grow there. And one of the ways that we can do that, and will do that, is by building out a robust content strategy and ecosystem. That is an opportunity in front of us, and we are going to do it.
It will drive storytelling and elevate our players—our current stars and new stars—and create entry paths for new fans. Female fans, just as a sweeping generalization, do fan a little bit differently. At ESPN we did a ton of research on this early, starting with the birth of ESPNW, which was really built to serve female audiences. Connection is key. It’s not that women aren’t watching the game on the pitch or on the court or on the field and loving all of the competitive excellence—that is true. But their way into interest and connection might look a little different.
It’s really through a sense of personal connection, whether it’s through a star athlete and their story, or through their family, or through their university or their hometown. Something about it often is personal, and then they come into the sport. So we need to create those pathways, and we will.
Building stars and a stronger storytelling engine
Jon: Maybe you could give me an example of how you’re telling these stories about your players and roping in fans that way.
Rachel: We have a tremendous foundation, but we have more work to do in terms of storytelling from a league-office perspective. So far, we’re counting a little bit on our partners to tell those stories.
ESPN has done a great job. Amazon and everybody we’re partnered with in our ecosystem have as well. The opportunity to really tell those stories from league platforms and through our owned media ecosystem is in front of us, and we are going to start—we’re beginning to build that out now.
Make no mistake, we have star players who are breaking through. I think everybody knows the names: Trinity [Rodman], Sophia [Smith], Mal [Swanson], and a whole swath of current stars. We also want to get fans in front of that rising class of stars. As we build out this content strategy and drive velocity and engagement with our current fans, and create those new pathways for new fans, elevating that new class of players and stars will be really important.
Brand, audience and what’s next
Jon: Do you have other priorities ahead of you?
Rachel: Audience growth is vital—you’ve heard it here—for me and for our league. Again, building on a great foundation, it’s really important that we cement our brand in the hearts and minds of current fans and new fans. What we stand for, the distinctive place and space we can own in the minds and hearts of fans to drive connection and loyalty and, ultimately, growth. We need to really cement that so that we get a little stickier, so that there’s a clear emotional connection. That work is in front of us, and I’m super excited about it.
Jon: I do have one question that we try to ask all our guests. If you could name one CMO out there, who would it be and what would your question be for them?
Rachel: This might be everyone’s answer right now, but I’m really impressed with what the Gap is doing right now. Fabiola Torres is the CMO. What a turnaround, right?
It’s a distinctive new strategy to really drive cultural relevance, which is an imperative for the league as well. I have a whole host of questions, but my question would just be: What did it look like to sell in, inside their walls, this new way of inserting Gap into culture and conversation? It’s unmissable right now, and all the way into Fashion Week and the Met Gala. So I think that would be my answer.
Prinx Tires USL Cup Recap – FW 2(1): IND 2(3)
Fort Wayne, Ind. – Indy Eleven goalkeeper Eric Dick made a diving save and Jack Blake, captain Aodhan Quinn, and Josh O’Brien converted their penalty kicks to give the Boys in Blue a 3-1 shootout victory in Prinx Tires USL Cup play at Fort Wayne FC on Saturday.
Fort Wayne made its first penalty to take a 1-0 lead in PKs, but Blake responded to tie it, then Quinn made it 2-1, setting the stage for Dick’s stop. O’Brien was successful to make it 3-1, and the next Fort Wayne attempt was off target to end it.
Regulation play ended 2-2, with Quinn putting Indy Eleven on top in the 26th minute. He stole an errant pass 30 yards from the goal and knifed diagonally through the defense and got a deflection back inside the area. Quinn then chipped a left-footed shot from just outside the six that Fort Wayne goalkeeper Aurie Briscoe stopped, but the rebound came back to Quinn and he reacted quickly to bury it into the left side of the net to put his team up 1-0.
With the match even at 1-1 in the 64th minute, Blake and forward Bruno Rendon teamed up to put the Boys in Blue back on top. Forward Loïc Mesanvi started the sequence outside the corner of the area, playing it diagonally back to Blake. Blake then took one touch and played a pinpoint ball to the edge of the six, where Rendon volleyed it down just inside the far post for a 2-1 lead.
The goal is Rendon’s team-best sixth in all competitions in 2026, and he now has 11 goals in USL Cup play in three seasons–four more than anyone else in the history of the event!
Next Saturday is “Pups at the Pitch” at Carroll Stadium when Indy Eleven returns to USL Championship play vs. Lexington SC at 7 p.m.
Located on the East Deck, the Desnuda Tequila Deck has an exclusive full-service bar and high-top seating providing panoramic pitch-side views for 50 people. It’s a social experience offering a wonderful place to hang out and take in the game! Desnuda Tequila Deck seats start at $59 and include one FREE cocktail and bottomless chips, salsa, and guac.
The Family Four-Pack is available for all 2026 home games and can be purchased online only. Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area.
Flex Mini Plans include vouchers to be redeemed for any 2026 regular season home match.
For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com.
Prinx Tires USL Cup Group 4 Indy Eleven 2(3):2(1) Fort Wayne FC
Sat., May 16, 2026 – 7:30 p.m.
Ruoff Mortgage Stadium | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Weather: Cloudy, 76 degrees
Attendance: 3,794
2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup Group 4 Indy Eleven: 0-1-1 (-1), 2 pts, #5 in Group Fort Wayne FC: 0-1-1 (-2), 1 pt, #6 in Group
Score
1
2
F
PK
Indy Eleven
1
1
2
(3)
Fort Wayne FC
1
1
2
(1)
Scoring Summary
IND – Aodhan Quinn 26’
FW – Taig Healy 33’
IND – Bruno Rendón (Jack Blake) 64’
FW – Jack Thomas (Kabiru Gafar) 90’+1
Penalty Kicks Converted
IND – Jack Blake, Aodhan Quinn, Josh O’Brien
FW – Lilian Ricol
Discipline Summary
IND – Jack Blake (caution) 15’
IND – Logan Neidlinger (caution) 39’
FW – Ian Abbey (caution) 44’
FW – Jeremy Garay (caution) 45’+1
IND – Paco Craig (caution) 68’
FW – Jack Thomas (caution) 79’
FW – Tiago Dias (caution) 83’
Indy Eleven Line-Up: Eric Dick, Aodhan Quinn (captain), Paco Craig, Anthony Herbert, Logan Neidlinger (Makel Rasheed 78’), Jack Blake, Cam Lindley, Josh O’Brien, Edward Kizza (Noble Okello 74’), Loïc Mesanvi (Kian Williams 90’+2), Bruno Rendón (Dylan Sing (90’+2).
Fort Wayne FC Line-Up: Aurie Briscoe, Michael Rempel, Juan Solis, Tiago Dias (captain), Jayden Smith, Taig Healy, Javier Armas (Daniel Oyetunde 83’), Jeremy Garay (Emerson Nieto 63’), Ian Abbey (Kabiru Gafar 63’), Lilian Ricol, Clarence Awoudor (Jack Thomas 78’).
Fort Wayne FC Subs Not Used: Bernd Schipmann, Reid Sproat, Nico Burns, Anthony Hernandez, Tyson Hagaman.
After hosting 2026 World Cup, does USMNT, Mexico or Canada have highest 2030 upside?With the USMNT readying for matches against its two top Concacaf rivals, our writers take stock of the three nations and their 2030 outlooks
U.S., 
Messi’s international farewell
Spain’s motivation: complete the triple crown
Cesar HernandezAug 20, 2026, 07:06 AM ET
A ‘broken’ system, nascent culture: Why the U.S. has never had a world-class men’s soccer starThe USMNT has featured very talented players over the years, but none occupying the rarefied air of the true global elite. Why not?
U.S. soccer’s ‘pay-to-play’ problem: The lightning-rod issue explained in a World Cup contextUSMNT’s World Cup ouster has plenty focused on the country’s youth development system, a complex —and costly — element in a bigger picture
Top MLS Stories
The Premier League’s glass ceiling: How financial rules limit many clubs’ ambitionsThe introduction of a squad-cost-ratio system has raised concerns that it increases the advantage of the ‘Big Six’
anking the 50 best players in the Premier League before the season beginsOnce a month throughout the 2026-27 season, we will update this list, showing the risers, the fallers, the new entries and the dropouts…
r Pochettino and USMNT, second-cycle success means bucking history, resisting offersU.S. Soccer has brought back its USMNT coach, but given the track record of renewals, there’s reason to wonder whether it’s the right call
USMNT’s 30 for 2030: The holdover stars and new players in frame for the next World CupThe end of one U.S. World Cup cycle means the start of a new one, and while four years is a long time, these are the names to keep in mind
USMNT’s long road to World Cup 2030: How to follow the four-year journeyWhether you’re a longtime die-hard or a 2026 bandwagon jumper, here’s how you can follow the USMNT’s four-year journey to the next World Cup
Sam BordenJul 2, 2026, 06:44 AM ET ESPN 
United States
Top WOMEN’S SOCCER Stories
Top FIFA MEN’S WORLD CUP Stories
