The US women return to play Friday night with a mix of youngsters and veterans as the team will play for the last time this year. In the last three matches the team opened with a shocking loss to Portugal, bounced back with a determined win in a rematch, and then trounced New Zealand 6-0 in a vintage performance. Naomi Girma is back and her presence will anchor the backline while in the midfield Lilly Yohannes will join Lindsey Heaps and Rose Lavelle to give options in creating the engine for the team and on the forward line Cat Macario, Emma Sears, Olivia Moultrie, Alyssa Thompson, and Jaedyn Shaw will provide options to create and score. The question is can they start to build some chemistry?
US Women’s Roster – Friendly’s Next Friday Nov 28, Dec 1 vs Italy
Former Carmel GK Eric Dick Wins USL Championship for Pittsburgh in Shootout
Awesome to see former Carmel Dad’s Club/Carmel High/Butler GK Eric Dick win the USL title this past weekend with Pittsburgh as he pitched the shutout then won the Shootout (5-3) – to win their first championship. The 26-year wait is over as the @RiverhoundsSC take down Tulsa to win the 2025 @USLChampionship final! (full Highlights). Dick was Man of the Match. Dick’s Impact.
Most Watched NWSL Championship Gothem Wins & Lavelle is MVP
The NWSL championship match between Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit on Saturday averaged 1,184,000 viewers on CBS and Paramount+ (More) marking the match as the most-viewed NWSL game of all time. The average viewership marks a 22% increase from Orlando’s win in 2024, which held the previous viewership record, and a 45% gain from 2023.
American’s Shine in Champions League & Pulisic wins Derby
The CONCACAF capital of the world was in the Arctic Circle, where Juventus won 3-2 against Norwegian kings Bodø/Glimt with the USMNT’s somewhat forgotten man, Weston McKennie, heading home Juve’s second score, before Canada’s Jonathan Davidsealed the win in stoppage time with his first goal since August. Then, 2,255 miles away in the south of France, Tim Weahassisted 36-year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Marseille’s winner over visiting Newcastle. Last weekend Christian Pulisic scored the winning Goal to win the Milan Derby vs Inter Milan.
Carmel GK Eric Dick Wins USL Championship for Pittsburgh
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GAMES ON TV
Thurs, 11/27 Europa 12:45 pm Feynord vs Celtic (Trusty) Fri, Nov 28 2:30 pm B MGladbach (Reyna, Scally) vs RB Leipzig 7 pm TNT, Max USWNT vs Italy Sat, Nov 29 9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin vs Heidneheim 10 am USA Brentford vs Burnley (Adams) 12 noon Para+ Juventus (McKinney) vs Calgari 12:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Leverkusen (Tilman) vs Dortmund 2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Lazio 3 pm USA Tottenham vs Fulham 6 pm Apple TV Inter Miami (Messi) vs NYCFC MLS East Conf Finals 9 pm Apple TV San Diego, Vancouver MLS West Conf Finals 10 pm Telemundo Tigres vs Tijuana Sun, Nov 30 7 am USA Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Man United 9 am Para+ Pisa vs Inter Milan 9 am USA Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton 9 am PEacock Nottingham Forest vs Brighton 9 am Pea West Ham vs Liverpool 11:30 am USA Chelsea vs Arsenal 3 pm ABC Girona vs Real Madrid Mon, Dec 1st 7 pm TBS, Max USWNT vs Italy
USMNT gets better idea of who it could draw in 2026 World Cup
The World Cup Draw procedures are out. by Donald Wine II Nov 25, 2025, 1:01 PM EST Stars & Stripes
Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images
The United States Men’s National Team now knows who it could potentially face in each match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage. Today, FIFA released its World Cup Draw procedures, which will take place on December 5th. While it’s complicated, the USMNT’s matches get a bit clearer.
First, FIFA has divided each of the remaining teams into Pots, including the various playoff pathways. The USMNT, as a co-host, will be in in Pot 1 and pre-drawn into Group D. Mexico and Canada will also be pre-drawn into Groups A and B, respectively. They will be placed in the 1 position for those groups.
The pots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw (FIFA ranking in parentheses):
Pot 1 – United States (14), Mexico (15), Canada (27), Spain (1), Argentina (2), France (3), England (4), Brazil (5), Portugal (6), Netherlands (7), Belgium (8), Germany (9)
Pot 2 – Croatia (10), Morocco (11), Colombia (13), Uruguay (16), Switzerland (17), Japan (18), Senegal (19), Iran (20), South Korea (22), Ecuador (23), Austria (24), Australia (26)
Pot 3 – Norway (29), Panama (30), Egypt (34), Algeria (35), Scotland (36), Paraguay (39), Tunisia (40), Ivory Coast (42), Uzbekistan (50), Qatar (51), Saudi Arabia (60), South Africa (61)
Pot 4 – Jordan (66), Cape Verde (68), Ghana (72), Curaçao (82), Haiti (84), New Zealand (86), UEFA Playoff A winner, UEFA Playoff B winner, UEFA Playoff C winner, UEFA Playoff D winner, Inter-confederation Playoff Path 1 winner, Inter-confederation Playoff Path 2 winner
The USMNT learned that they will face a team from Pot 3 in their World Cup opener on June 12th at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. They will face a Pot 2 team at Lumen Field in Seattle on June 19th, and they will close against a Pot 4 team on June 25th back at SoFi Stadium. The United States, Canada, and Mexico will be identified by different colored ping pong balls for the draw of Pot 1: Mexico in green, Canada in red, and the U.S. with a blue ping pong ball. The rest of Pot 1 will be the same color and then automatically assigned to position 1 of the group into which they are drawn.
Pots for the 2026 World Cup DrawSource: FIFA
FIFA has also created pathways to ensure the best teams avoid each other before the semifinals and final. Spain – ranked 1 in the FIFA world rankings – will be randomly drawn into the opposite pathway as #2 Argentina. This will ensure those teams, should they win their groups, will not meet before the World Cup Final on July 19th. The same will be done for #3 France and #4 England to ensure they would be on opposite sides of the bracket.
2026 World Cup PathwaySource: FIFA
No group can have more than one team from the same confederation with the exception of UEFA, which has 16 teams. Each group will have 1, but no more than 2 UEFA teams drawn into it on December 5th. This would include the placeholders for the UEFA Playoff winners as well as the 2 inter-confederation playoff winners in Pot 4. For the USMNT, it would mean that since each inter-confederation playoff team contains a team from Concacaf, the USMNT will not see an inter-confederation winner in Group D. Likewise, if they draw a team from UEFA in Pots 2 and 3, they would not see any team from the UEFA playoff out of Pot 4.
The full match schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be confirmed on December 6th after the draw has taken place. This will allow fans to set their calendars and know where each of the 104 games will be taking place. It sets up some complicated drama for everyone at the FIFA World Cup Draw, but at least for the USMNT, they are a few days away from knowing who they will face in the group stage.
Champions League Projections
Arsenal, the only side left in the Champions League with a 100% win record, have a 23% chance of winning the tournament, according to Opta’s latest prediction. This comes after Mikel Arteta’s side beat Bayern Munich 3-1 at the Emirates, with the German side now projected to have a 19% chance of winning the tournament.
Holders Paris Saint-Germain, who have overtaken Bayern in second place on goal difference (see standings), have been given an 11.2% chance of winning the tournament following their 5-3 win over Tottenham. Inter Milan (4th) and Real Madrid (5th), who are also on 12 points, are given just 4.1% and 6.2% chances of taking glory, respectively. Kylian Mbappe is now the tournament’s top scorer with nine goals, helped by his four goals in Real’s 4-3 victory over Olympiakos, including a seven-minute hat-trick.
Despite losing 2-0 at home to Leverkusen on Tuesday, Manchester City are given the fourth-best odds at 8.3%, while Chelsea are given a 6.0% chance. Liverpool, who sit 13th in the league phase table following a 4-1 loss to PSV, are projected to have a 5.7% chance. Barcelona make up the rest of the top 10 with a 4.5% chance, even though they’re currently 18th.
Wow I slip off to Jacksonville for 1 weekend for a little Family Reunion and Football and the Carmel High Boys and Girls go off and make the Finals for the State Championship in Soccer and the Boys win it all. Huge congrats to Shane Schmidt and the Carmel High School boys on his first State Championship and the programs 4th overall State Championship after winning the final over defending Champ Harrison 3-1 last weekend. CHS Boys State Final Video
The Carmel Girls also wrapped up a fantastic season in new coach John Simmonds and Carmel FC Asst Coach Carla Baker’s first season back charge as they made the Finals losing a heartbreaker to the HSE Girls 1-0 on Saturday at The Mike. Again congrats to both teams along with the Guerin High Catholic Boys who won State on PKs .
Cool to see Sir David Beckham – Current GM of Inter Miami — get knighted this week in England. His Miami of course hosts Nashville in the crucial Final Game 3 Sat night at 8 pm on Apple TV in Miami to see who advances. Cincy hosts Columbus in Hell is Real Final at 6 pm on Apple TV and Amazon Prime, while Minn United hosts game 3 and my Seattle Sounders at 4 pm on Prime & Apple TV.
Sat, Nov 8 7:30 am USA Tottenham vs Man United |9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin vs Bayern Munich 9:45 am FS2 US U17B vs Tajikstan U17B World Cup 10 am USA Everton vs Fulham 12 noon Paar+ Juventus (McKinney) vs Torino 12 noon CBS Washington Spirit vs Racing Louisville NWSL PLAYOFFS 12:30 pm NBC Sunderland vs Arsenal 2:45 pm Para+ Parma vs AC Milan (Pulisic) 3 pm NBC Chelsea vs Wolverhampton 4 pm Apple TV Minn United vs Seattle Game 3 Playoffs 6 pm Apple TV Cincy vs Columbus Game 3 Playoffs 8 pm Apple TV Miami vs Nashville Game 3 Playoffs Sun, Nov 9 9 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Brighton 9 am USA Aston Villa vs Bournmouth (Adams) 11:30 USA Man City vs Liverpool 12:30 ABC KC Current vs NY Gotham FC NWSL Playoffs 3 pm ABC Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave NWSL 3 pm ESPN+ Celta Vigo vs Barcelona 2:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Lazio 9 pm Apple TV San Diego vs Portland Game 1 Playoff R2 Wed, Nov 12 12:45 pm CBS SN Bayern vs Arsenal UEFA Womens UCL 3 pm ESPN+ Man United (US GK) vs PSG UEFA Womens UCL 3 pm CBS SN Atletico Madrid vs Juventus UEFA Womens UCL Thurs, Nov 13 11 am ESPN+ Nigeria vs Gabon WCQ 12 noon FS2 Azerbaijan vs Iceland WCQ 2 pm ESPN+ Cameron vs Congo WCQ 2:45 pm FS2 France vs Ukraine WCQ 2:45 pm ?? England vs Serbia WCQ 5 pm CBSSN Surinam vs El Salvador WCQ 7 pm CBS SN T&T vs Jamaica WCQ 7:30 pm FS2 Canada vs Ecuador Friendly 9 pm CBS SN Haiti vs Costa Rica WCQ Fri, Nov 14 9:45 am FS+, TUDN Argentina U17 vs Mexico U17 World Cup 10:45 am Telemundo US U17 vs Morocco U17 World Cup 2:45 pm fubu? Poland vs Netherlands WCQ 2:45 pm FS2 Luxembourg vs Germany WCQ Sat, Nov 15 9 am FS1 Kazakhastan vs Belgium WCQ 12 noon CBS Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Portland Thorns NWSL Playoffs 12 noon? Georgia vs Spain WCQ 2:45 pm FS2 Greece vs Scotland WCQ 2:45 pm ? Switzerland vs Sweden WCQ 5 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Paraguay Chester PA 8 pm TUDN, Univision Mexico vs Uruguay Sun, Nov 16 7 am ESPN2 Liverpool vs Chelsea FC Womens Superleague 9 am FS1 Hungary vs Ireland WCQ 9 am FS2 Portugal vs Armenia WCQ 12 noon FS2 Azerbaijan vs France WCQ 12 noon ?? Albania vs England WCQ 2:45 pm FS1 Italy vs Norway WCQ 3 pm ABC Orlando Pride vs NY Gothem FC NWSL Playoffs Mon, Nov 17 12 noon FS2 Finland vs Andorra WCQ 2:45 pm FS2 Germany vs Slovakia WCQ Tues, Nov 18 2:45 pm FS2 Belgium vs Liechhtenstein WCQ 4 pm ?? Canada vs Venezuela 7 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL 8:30 pm Univision Mexico vs Paraguay Weds, Nov 19 12:45 pm ESPN+ Juventus vs OL Lyonnes (Heaps) Women’s UCL 12:45 pm CBSSN Wolfsburg vs Man United Women’s (GK Joyce) UCL 3 pm CBSSN Arsenal vs Real Madrid Women’s UCL Thurs, Nov 20 12:45 pm CBSSN Twente vs Atletico Madrid Women’s UCL 3 pm CBSSN PSG vs Bayern Munich Women’s UCL 3 pm ESPN+ Chelsea vs Barcelona Women’s UCL Sat, Nov 22 7:30 am USA Burnley vs Chelsea 9:30 am ESPN+ Heidenheim vs Mgladbach (Reyna & Scally) 9:30 am ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Freiburg 9:30 am ESPN+ Wolfsburg vs Bayer Leverkusen (Tilman) 10 am USA Bournmouth (Adams) vs West Ham United 10 am Peacock Wolverhampton vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 10 am Pk Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest 10:15 AM ESPN+ Barcelona vs Athletic Club 12 noon Para+ Juventus (McKinny) vs Fiorentina 12:30 pm NBC New Castle vs Man United 8 pm CBS NWSL CHAMPIONSHIP 9:30 pm Apple TV Vancouver vs LAFC MLS Playoffs
US Players on TV
Friday
Charlotte v NYCFC – 7p on MLS Season Pass: Matt Freese has yet to give up a goal in regulation but his NYCFC side are tied in the best of three series with Tim Ream and Charlotte after the second match was scoreless for 90’ and went to a penalty shootout which Charlotte won to draw even in the series, 1-1. The rubber match will be played on Friday night with the winner advancing to face the waiting Philadelphia Union.
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v Heidenheim – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Malik Tillman returned midweek to play 33’ in Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-0 win over Benfica in Champions League play. Tillman had been out since mid-October and was not included in the November call-ups but it is good to see him getting back on the field for Leverkusen.
Middlesbrough v Birmingham City – 10a on Paramount+: Aidan Morris started and played the full 90’ for Middlesbrough as they drew with Leicester last weekend. The result extends a three match slide for Middlesbrough who remain in the top three of the table but are now five points back of league leading Coventry City. On Saturday they will face a Birmingham City side that are in ninth place, just two points out of the promotion playoff positions.
Stoke City v Coventry City – 10a on CBSSN: Haji Wright notched his first assist of the season on Tuesday as Coventry City handled Sheffield United 3-1, maintaining their three point lead for first place in the English Championship. Coventry will now travel to Stoke City to take on the second place team who are currently on a three match win streak.
Norwich City v Leicester City – 10a on Paramount+: Josh Sargent also picked up an assist midweek against a Sheffield side as Norwich snapped a six game losing streak but settled for a draw with Sheffield Wednesday. After starting the season with at least a goal in his first four matches Sargent has yet to find the back of the net again in the past ten though he has assisted twice. Norwich are winless in that same streak and currently sit in the bottom three with just nine points through fourteen matches. Norwich will try to get back into the win column against a Leicester City side that are also winless in their last five matches and are currently 13th in the table.
Olympique Marseille v Brest – 11a on beIN Sports: Tim Weah has missed the past two matches for Marseille and was not included in the USMNT November squad though he was spotted at Marseille training in the team socials so is perhaps nearing a return.
Juventus v Torino – Noon on Paramount+: Weston McKennie was also left off the November squad with Pochettino saying he would like to give McKennie the opportunity to remain in Italy to train with his new club manager. McKennie has started his first two matches under Spalletti including last weekend’s 2-1 win over Cremonese and Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Sporting in Champions League action.
Borussia Monchengladbach v Koln – 12:30p on ESPN Select: Joe Scally and Gio Reyna have been called in for the November camp though it sounds like the expectations for Reyna are more that he would get to interact with the staff than that he will see extended playing time. On Saturday they will face Kristoffer Lund who was not called into the November camp though he has been starting regularly for Koln. Koln defeated Hamburg last weekend and are currently in seventh place while Gladbach finally picked up their first win of the Bundesliga season, defeating St Pauli 4-1.
Parma v AC Milan – 2:45p on Paramount+: Christian Pulisic is among the injured players who will be missing out on the November camp but he is reportedly available for AC Milan this weekend as they travel to Parma. Pulisic has missed the past four matches but Milan have stayed afloat during that time with two wins and two draws, they currently sit a point back of league leading Napoli and are tied with both Inter Milan and Roma on twenty-one points.
Minnesota United v Seattle Sounders – 4p on MLS Season Pass: Cristian Roldan and the Seattle Sounders defeated Minnesota United 4-2 in the second match of the best of three series and will now return to Minnesota where the two teams played to a scoreless draw before Minnesota won the match in penalties.
Cincinnati v Columbus Crew – 6p on MLS Season Pass: Miles Robinson and second seeded Cincinnati were thumped by Max Arfsten, Sean Zawadzki Patrick Schulte, and the Columbus Crew 4-0 in the second match of their series and will look to get things turned back around at home on Saturday to take the series in the hotly contested in state rivalry.
Sunday
Crystal Palace v Brighton & Hove Albion – 9a on Peacock: Chris Richards and Crystal Palace defeated Brentford last weekend. Richards has started every league match for Palace this season but there has been a bit of criticism from the club over his usage with the national team and he was left off the squad for November.
Aston Villa v Bournemouth – 9a on USA Network: Tyler Adams will be in the squad this November after missing the October window for the birth of his second child. Adams scored his first EPL goal last weekend but Bournemouth fell to Manchester City 3-1 last weekend, falling to fifth place in the league table.
Nottingham Forest v Leeds United – 9a on Peacock: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United fell to Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend and now have another relegation scrap at Nottingham Forest on Sunday morning. Aaronson has started the past seven matches for Leeds who are currently four points out of the relegation spots and five points ahead of Forest.
Lorient v Toulouse – 9a on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie’s Toulouse will travel to Lorient on Sunday. McKenzie was not included in the squad last weekend as Toulouse played to a scoreless draw with Le Havre but he was included in the November squad list.
AZ v PSV – 10:45a on ESPN Select: Ricardo Pepi came on as a sub midweek and pulled PSV level with Olympiacos as the teams played to a 1-1 draw in Champions League action. Pepi has been come off the bench since returning from injury but he has three goals in his last four matches, including two in Champions League action which may get him more time. Sergino Dest has been a regular starter for the Dutch side that is currently level with Feyenoord for first place and will be facing third place AZ on Sunday.
Stuttgart v Augsburg – 11:30a on ESPN Select: Noahkai Banks remained in the starting lineup for Augsburg a week after giving up six goals to RB Leipzig. The performance last weekend was much more respectable but his side still fell to Borussia Dortmund, 1-0. Augsburg are in fourteenth place and will have their third straight match against a top five opponent when they face fourth place Stuttgart this weekend.
Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz – 1:30p on ESPN Select: Lennard Maloney got his first start of the season for Mainz last weekend, lining up as a centerback as the team drew with Werder Bremen 1-1, snapping a four match losing streak.
Olympique Lyon v PSG – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann has come off the bench in Lyon’s last two league matches but has been starting in Europa League for the team, including Thursday’s 2-0 loss to Real Betis. Lyon have drawn their last two league matches, falling to sixth place, and now host league leading Paris Saint-Germain who are four points ahead of them.
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NWSL playoffs preview: How can each team win it all?
Jeff KassoufNov 6, 2025, 12:42 PM ET
The 2025 NWSL playoffs are here and just like in the regular season, everyone is chasing the Kansas City Current after the Shield-winners’ historic season. Kansas City is the undeniable favorite to win the NWSL Championship on Nov. 22, but historically, the NWSL has been anything but predictable.
Could one of the other seven teams go on a run for a few weeks and lift the trophy? Of course? Will they? Well… here’s why each team will — and won’t — win the NWSL Championship.
Next game: at KC Current, Nov. 9, 12:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
Why they will win: Talent and tactics. Gotham is not your average No. 8 seed. This is a team that should have finished higher up the table, but laid an egg on Decision Day. Still, Gotham is loaded with championship-caliber talent: little over a month ago, they were lighting up the league with new arrival Jaedyn Shaw joining the healthy, in-form Rose Lavelle and the workhorse Jaedyn Shaw.
If Esther González, with her 13 regular-season goals, is healthy, she has proven capable of carrying the team throughout the season.
Why they won’t win: Defensive lapses. Only Kansas City conceded fewer goals than Gotham’s 25 this season, granted, but the way in which Gotham has conceded goals is something Kansas City could feast on. Gotham endured self-inflicted mistakes trying to play out of the back in Sunday’s loss to North Carolina, and that’s exactly what happened the first time that Gotham and Kansas City met in June, when the Current took the lead three minutes into the match.
Next game: at Washington Spirit, Nov. 8, 12 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+
Why they will win: A gritty identity. Louisville can play a direct, purposeful style of play and punish teams on counterattacks thanks largely to forward Emma Sears. Their 41% average possession ranks dead last in the league, per TruMedia, but they produced 35 goals and 10 wins from that. It’s the type of soccer that won’t always win award, but can be very effective over a 90-minute knockout game. And maybe — just maybe — their postseason naivete could play to their advantage like it did for, say, the 2016 Western New York Flash.
Why they won’t win: Late-game management. Louisville had a propensity to drop points late in games far too often this season, which left them to fight for a playoff berth until the final moments of Decision Day instead of trying to host a playoff game. That trend could creep back up on an inexperienced squad playing in the franchise’s first playoff game — and in one of the most hostile environments in the league.
Next game: at Portland Thorns, Nov. 9, 3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
Why they will win: They grab hold of the game. San Diego kept the ball more than any other team in the regular season — 59.4% per TruMedia, over 6% more than next-closest Gotham FC — and that allowed the Wave to frequently dictate the flow of games. The Wave served up another taste of that in the first half of Sunday’s loss to Kansas City when they jumped out to an early lead.
The French connection of Kenza Dali and Delphine Cascarino remains electric, and they could be the difference-makers.
Why they won’t win: Inconsistent final product. Their possession game is great, but too often this season, San Diego has failed to muster enough in the final third. The Wave’s run of four straight games without a goal just after the summer break was the worst of the stretches.
They came alive, finally, in a 6-1 win against the Chicago Stars on Oct. 18, but that game was an anomaly — and with all due respect, Chicago is not Portland nor any other playoff team. If San Diego needs to chase this game at Providence Park or another should they advance, that could spell trouble.
Next game: at Orlando Pride, Nov. 7, 8 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime
Why they will win: Experience and resolve. Stay with me through the potential cliches and yes, get your ChatGPT jokes out of the way: Laura Harvey is the winningest coach in league history. Yes, even the all-time great Reign teams she coached came up short in the playoffs, but Harvey and the ageless Jess Fishlock keep finding ways to win (or score) even when the expectations are relatively low. They’ve overachieved this year, and they are certainly capable of making Orlando sweat.
Why they won’t win: They don’t score enough. Seattle’s 32 goals scored this regular season tied with the last-place Chicago Stars and ranks worst among all playoff teams. What’s worse is that, per TruMedia, the Reign over-performed from 25.19 expected goals — the worst mark in the league. Their 162 chances created also ranks last in the NWSL this season. Seattle managed to grind out results this season, none more impressive than handing Kansas City one of its three losses in an early-season meeting.
Next game: vs. Seattle Reign, Nov. 7, 8 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime
Why they will win: It’s all finally clicking. Orlando was never going to repeat last year’s near-invincible double-trophy season. Orlando is also than their mid-season slump suggested. The Pride enter the playoffs on a five-game unbeaten streak highlighted by a big 3-2 road win over the Spirit in a rematch of last year’s final.
What made Orlando great last year is that everyone on the roster was playing to their utmost potential, even the role players who don’t get the spotlight. That theme has returned in this late-season peak, with Carson Pickett, Kerri Abello and Haley McCutcheon among those scoring or creating goals. Timing is everything, and the Pride might feel that it is on their side.
Why they won’t win: They’re trapped on the wrong side of the bracket. Orlando’s path to a repeat NWSL Championship starts with a scheduling oddity and a trap game: a rematch of Sunday’s regular-season finale with Seattle. That 1-1 draw was a toss-up much like Friday’s quarterfinal will be, and whoever wins on Friday will likely have to go to Kansas City for a semifinal.
The odds are not with either team there, and while Orlando has been more productive than Seattle, the Pride still sit middle of the pack in the NWSL this year in chance creation and expected goals.
Next game: vs. San Diego Wave, Nov. 9, 3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
Olivia Moultrie: I can’t wait to continue my journey with the Portland Thorns
USWNT’s Olivia Moultrie believes signing a contract extension with the Portland Thorns is the right decision at this stage in her career.
Why they will win: They own the midfield. Well, they will win if they can own the midfield. Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie and Jessie Fleming are perfectly capable of that. All three have been influential in Portland’s steady late-season form, and Coffey is one of the best midfielders in the league. They have their work cut out for them against fellow Midfielder of the Year candidate Kenza Dali and the dynamic Gia Corley.
This quarterfinal will be won and lost in midfield and the Thorns should have a raucous Providence Park crowd behind them.
Why they won’t win: A disconnect reemerges. The early-season Thorns suffered from the same issues as the 2024 Thorns: inconsistency and incongruity. They’ve largely shaken that off over the past month or two to hit their stride, but the issue of players being out of sync has popped up sporadically over these past two seasons. Largely, individuals have carried them through those stretches, whether Sophia Wilson last season or Coffey or Moultrie this year.
San Diego is well organized — not to mention a stacked Spirit team potentially awaiting in a semifinal — and could force the Thorns to stray from their identity.
Next game: vs. Racing Louisville, Nov. 8, 12 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+
Why they will win: Consistency. The Spirit have quietly marched through the season in Kansas City’s shadow, but player for player, they feel like they can stack up with the league’s best — as forward Trinity Rodman recently said. When healthy, the Spirit has the offensive firepower to match Kansas City, and the central combination of Esme Morgan and Tara McKeown has largely been up to the task.
Much like last year, when the Spirit sat in the shadow of Orlando’s dominance, Washington is the best team nobody is talking about.
Why they won’t win: Mounting injury concerns. Washington had nothing to play for on Decision Day and smartly opted to rest players, but the sight of only three healthy field players on the bench — with two goalkeepers named just to have a legal roster — underscored some of the injury concerns for Kansas City’s most legitimate challenger. All eyes are on forward Trinity Rodman and whether she returns from her sprained MCL, but how close to 100% will Croix Bethune and Leicy Santos be, just to name two other major players?
Rodman, especially, had to labor through the pain during last year’s playoffs. She and some teammates will have to do the same again this year.
No. 1 seed Kansas City Current
Next game: vs. Gotham FC, Nov. 9, 12:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
Why they will win: They are unstoppable. This is the best team in NWSL history. Kansas City set records for wins (21), points (65), goals against (13) and shutouts (16). The Current are richly deep in talent in their front six, from the steady Lo’eau LaBonta to the flashy Debinha, and they punish teams ruthlessly and quickly on the counterattack. They control games out of possession better than any team since the 2018 North Carolina Courage, and this year, they’ve had the defense (for a full season) to back up their attack.
By all logic, this team should beat any opponent and lift the trophy on Nov. 22.
Why they won’t win: If Chawinga isn’t healthy… Finding faults with Kansas City, who only lost three times all season, feels like splitting hairs. But one major question is the adductor injury to back-to-back NWSL Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga, who is day-to-day and missed Sunday’s game, two weeks after sustaining the injury.
The sample size is small to evaluate Kansas City’s games without Chawinga, but the Current are less productive (see: 1-0 loss to Houston last month) and less unpredictable, as Sunday showed. And what if Bia Zaneratto, who left Sunday’s game injured, is also unavailable?
For Nashville, Inter Miami, decisive playoff game adds chapter to intertwined history
In a weird way, Nashville SC and Inter Miami have a lot of shared history.
The clubs entered MLS in the same year, 2020. Expansion draft and other roster building mechanisms were simultaneous. The way the clubs have operated is much different. There was the glamor of Miami — long before Lionel Messi joined — and then the defensive-minded Nashville, who went about their business a bit more quietly.
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Both have had plenty of success in their first six seasons, sometimes at the expense of the other.
Nashville and Miami played their first playoff match against each other in 2020 (Nashville won). There was a U.S. Open Cup round of 16 game in 2023 (Miami won) and then, the big one, an electric Leagues Cup final that went to penalties in 2023. Miami won, with Messi delivering his first trophy to Miami merely a month after debuting.
Miami beat Nashville in the Concacaf Champions Cup the following year and now, these two teams are together again, facing a win-or-go-home playoff match on Saturday with Nashville looking to extend its season and send the league’s most expensive roster home with another playoff disaster.
“It does feel like there’s this yin and yang type of thing, we keep matching up against Miami in these big moments,” Nashville midfielder Alex Muyl told The Athletic. “It’s interesting. … The real rivalry grows in these moments in big games. There’s just history and high stakes between the teams, fate has put us in these positions to play really meaningful games against them.”
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami split the first two playoff games vs. Nashville SCSteve Roberts / Imagn Images
Miami took the playoff opener handily, but then Nashville mostly dominated Game 2 to set up a decisive finale back in South Florida.
There isn’t a whole lot of new preparation for Nashville to do, even with Luis Suárez suspended. This is the fourth match in a row these two teams will play against each other, as they happened to play on the final day of the regular season too.
Added Muyl: “It’s strange, but honestly, playing Miami this many times is amazing. Playing Miami has always felt like such an anomaly and a different kind of game because of everything around the game. When it comes up on the calendar, you kind of have to adjust. But when you play them four times, it feels normal. You tune out the other parts.”
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Nashville may not be taking the bait, but the stakes for Miami as a whole are significant. And as it relates to Messi, he is staring down the potential of what would be just the second trophyless season in his career.
In 20 of his 21 previous professional seasons — and in all 20 uninterrupted by COVID-19 — Messi won at least one team trophy. In 14 of those 20 seasons, he won two or more.
“I don’t think anyone in Nashville knew that statistic,” Maher said with a laugh. “That has not been talked about.”
Striker Sam Surridge (9) has given Nashville SC plenty to celebrate in 2025Matthew Maxey / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
Inside Nashville’s locker room, it’s only about them, not the opponent. They will gladly deflect questions about Miami and Messi. It’s a club that has long embraced an underdog mentality and a hardworking, gritty ethos even as it exploded with its best attacking season in its brief history this year, paced by Sam Surridge (24 goals, five assists) and Hany Mukhtar (16 goals, 12 assists).
“What we’re building here is not a one-year thing,” Maher said. “We’re looking forward and we expect to win, that’s what (head coach) B.J. (Callaghan) has brought to the team. Every time we step on the field, we expect to win.”
Nashville already won its first trophy in club history this year, lifting the U.S. Open Cup on October 1. It was a special night, but the team immediately got on a plane and started preparing for a weekend match a few days later in Montréal. There hasn’t been much time to bask in that celebration. Nashville hopes there’s one more in 2025.
“I don’t know if any of us have really allowed the Open Cup to settle in yet as a team,” Maher said. “I don’t know if words can describe how special a moment was for us, but we want to celebrate two trophies at the end of the year, not one.”
The experimentation was largely supposed to be over.
With just two windows left until the U.S. men’s national team’s pre-World Cup camp, manager Mauricio Pochettino was narrowing in on the players that would be part of a home tournament. The roster changes and new names were expected to fade away.
But the uncontrollable realities of sport tend to get in the way of idealism.
November’s U.S. roster will be without several regulars: Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman and Antonee Robinson were left off the team. So, too, was Chris Richards, whose absence comes at the culmination of a running war of words between his club coach, Oliver Glasner, and Pochettino. Several others who have been a part of the last two cycles – Yunus Musah, Matt Turner and Johnny Cardoso – were also out of Pochettino’s squad.
Those absences have undoubtedly opened the door for other players to make an impression. But it speaks to the difficulty of national team management. For as little time as Pochettino and his staff have had to build their team and their identity, they are also at the whims of the sport in the form of injury and other influences.
Pulisic was missing because he has been sidelined due to a low-grade hamstring tear suffered last month in a friendly against Australia. He is expected to play this weekend for AC Milan, but it will be his first minutes back on the field since October 14.
“It’s common sense not to call a player that maybe is coming from … a small issue,” Pochettino said. “It’s to provide him the possibility to recover 100%, be full and be ready to play after the international duty with his team. That is common sense. We never risk players.”
Tillman (hamstring), Weah (thigh), Richards (calf), Cardoso (ankle) and Robinson (knee) are also absent for this camp due to injury or the need for rest. Richards played Thursday for Crystal Palace in the Europa League, but Pochettino said the center back deserved a chance to rest and recover.
“We had a lot of discussion about that, but I think the priority always needs to be the player,” Pochettino said. “After the camp in Denver, I think we decided not to call (him). We already know his leadership on the team, but I think the most important thing now is to provide him the possibility to play, to recover in his club, and not to take risk.”
U.S. center back Chris Richards and Crystal Palace manager Oliver GlasnerSebastian Frej / Getty Images
Richards was at the center of some debate after Glasner, the Crystal Palace coach, seemed to take issue with the U.S. playing Richards in both games last month despite the calf issue. It was an interesting take especially considering that the center back went the full 90 minutes for Palace in all four games leading into the international break and went the full 90 in the first game back from it.
Pochettino pushed back on the idea that he and his staff ever jeopardize their players, both in a TalkSport interview published Thursday and then again in his comments following his roster reveal.
“I am very disappointed with Oliver because we always respect and we as the coaching staff respect the player and we respect the clubs,” Pochettino said in the former. “Our medical area is in contact with all the clubs that we have players at and always we will take the best decision for the player.
“I understand that sometimes coaches can complain about the national team. We’ll see one day if he’s in my position to be a coach in the national team where he can understand this type of situation.”
To be fair to the U.S. coach, there is plenty of evidence available — including in this roster — that he has opted to leave players out if he thinks they would be better off staying at their clubs.
Pochettino continued by reiterating that players know he acts in their best interest, and that because the U.S. did not have World Cup qualifying on its schedule, these friendlies have served as important markers for the team’s development ahead of next summer.
Even with just four games until the pre-World Cup camp in June, the former Tottenham, Chelsea and PSG manager has taken the long-term view with this roster.
While a number of players were left out with injury, one prominent star, McKennie, was left at his club simply to help him keep his place. The midfielder had to work his way into the good graces of manager Igor Tudor to get onto the field at the start of this season, what has become somewhat of an annual tradition at the Italian club. Tudor was fired last week, however, and former Italy coach Luciano Spalletti was hired.
“With a new coach arriving in a new club you can see that Weston is playing all the games,” Pochettino said. “Now, I think these next few weeks, with the possibility for the new coach to work with the players there, and to compete, I think it’s important for Weston to be there and try to convince the coaches that ‘Keep playing me.’ I think it’s more important, that, than maybe to be with us, no? Because we already know what he can provide the team.”
Playing time has been hard to come by for Yunus Musah at AtalantaMarco Luzzani / Getty Images
The message is definitely more concerning for players like Musah and Turner, both starters at the 2022 World Cup, but who find themselves lower in the pecking order under Pochettino. Columbus Crew midfielder Sean Zawadzki was taken over Musah, for example, as the 22-year-old has struggled for minutes at Atalanta.
Among the players who will get a chance to make an impression are Zawadzki, Sebastian Berhalter, Joe Scally, Gio Reyna and Ricardo Pepi, who is returning from an injury that has kept him out of the picture for the U.S. since last November.
Pepi, who scored a stoppage-time equalizer in the Champions League this week for PSV, is an example of the good that can come on the opposite end of Pochettino’s philosophy: players who are coming back from injury and earn a spot back in the national team.
The idea “is to provide a big boost on the motivation for them to keep pushing, keep improving,” Pochettino said. “They need to have the motivation that we care about them. I think that is the most important. When the players are good in here, in their mind, I think it’s important (in helping) to improve the legs and the physical condition. They need to know that they are in the race for the competition and for the place to be in the roster in the World Cup.
“That, for us, is the most important thing. They can play more or less, but the importance here is they need to give their best to try to arrive in the best shape to be like animals and feel really strong to arrive in a competition that is going to be the most important competition for us in the history of the national team.
“That is the idea that we want to translate to them.”
U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Matt Turner is training with former club Crystal Palace.
The 31-year-old, who is on loan with MLS’s New England Revolution from Lyon through June 2026, is spending time back in London in order to maintain fitness before the November international break next week. The USMNT host friendlies with Paraguay on Saturday, Nov. 15, and Uruguay on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Turner, who has 52 caps for his country, spent last season on loan at Palace from fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest, but they opted not to extend his stay, before Lyon paid €8million (£6.74m) to bring him to France. He then moved straight back to MLS prior to the summer transfer deadline in a loan move, with an option to buy.
Turner has been welcomed back to train with Palace after the end of New England’s season, with manager Oliver Glasner saying the goalkeeper had informed him of different rules regarding fixture scheduling and player rest in the U.S. compared to England, given Palace’s issues with congestion.
“He told me there is a law that every player has to have six weeks off. You’re not allowed to train,” Glasner said in his press conference before Palace’s UEFA Conference League game with AZ Alkmaar.
“If you make the finals you struggle with pre-season because players are not allowed to train within six weeks.
Glasner took aim at what he said was about “maximising money” over player welfare regarding scheduling, as Palace face five games in 12 days over December due to their Carabao Cup quarter-final match with Arsenal being scheduled for December 23.
“I would prefer they sit together, talk about it and find the best solution for football, for the players,” he said. “(But) I won’t see this in my managerial career. We have the Club World Cup, the World Cup should be 64 teams, there’s always more and more maximising money.
“Always about maximising it’s not about the welfare of the players or finding what’s best. Everyone is looking at themselves to maximise the money. Now we can say it’s the UEFA schedule. It was clear this week before Christmas that the Conference League is played and it was 99 per cent the English team would play there.
“Why fix the Carabao Cup quarter-final to play then? I just don’t understand it. I think there is a hierarchy in football — UEFA games, Premier League games, then is it FA or EFL or they’re on the same level. Then if it’s a UEFA game you can’t say ‘we’ll play the quarter final (then)’.”
This is an updated version of an article first published in June 2025.
So, arise, Sir David Beckham, and welcome to the small and exclusive band of people from the football industry to receive one of the highest honours in the United Kingdom — a knighthood from the royal family.
The news had originally been announced in June in The Gazette, the official organ of public record, as part of King Charles III’s official birthday honours — one of the two occasions each year when the ruling monarch honours a selection of people for their “significant contributions” to the country.
Beckham, the former England captain and now joint owner of MLS team Inter Miami, took part in an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle earlier today to make everything official. He was accompanied by his wife, the pop star turned fashion designer, who became Lady Victoria, and his parents Sandra and David.
The wait is finally over for the man she famously christened Goldenballs in his playing days, and whose desire to become a Sir has been depicted at times as almost obsessional.
“I couldn’t be prouder. People know how patriotic I am — I love my country and I’ve always said how important the monarchy is to my family,” said Beckham, who also revealed that King Charles had been impressed with his suit, which had been designed by his wife.
Not everyone will wish to join in the celebrations, bearing in mind the honours system — described by The Gazette as “classes of appointment” to the Order of the British Empire — is regarded by many of its anti-Establishment critics as outdated and elitist and, as such, brings some strong opinions.
“Truly deserved,” writer, author and broadcaster Brian Reade responded on X after the story of Beckham’s knighthood was leaked to the UK’s Sun newspaper in the summer. “Never before has a man scraped and crawled so hard to get three pointless letters stuck in front of his brand name.”
Others, however, will find it hard to begrudge Beckham after a career that took in Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain (plus a loan spell at Preston North End as a youngster), as well as 115 appearances for England’s national team and some prodigious work for charity, principally Unicef.
Beckham in his pomp as England’s captainStu Forster/ALLSPORT
Now 50, Beckham is the 14th name on a list of football knighthoods (excluding administrators) featuring four former England managers — Walter Winterbottom, Alf Ramsey, Bobby Robson and, most recently, Gareth Southgate — as well as celebrated figures such as Tom Finney, Stanley Matthews and Geoff Hurst.
Charles Clegg, a former England international who became chairman/president of the English Football Association, was the first person from the sport to be knighted, in 1927. It was Kenny Dalglish’s turn in 2018 and, before that, Trevor Brooking in 2004. And the other names on the list mean that Manchester United can now claim to have contributed four knights of the realm — more than any other club.
One was Matt Busby, the manager who led United from the horrors of the 1958 Munich air disaster to winning the European Cup a decade later. Bobby Charlton, who was alongside him during those moments of tragedy and glory, was another. Then, of course, there is Alex Ferguson, whose knighthood was rushed through in 1999 only weeks after he steered United to an unprecedented treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
So, how does it all work? And how does the honours committee — a body made up of politicians and senior civil servants — go about informing the relevant people they are under consideration?
With great secrecy, is the short answer.
“You get a few months’ notice,” says Brendan Foster, the former long-distance runner who was knighted in 2020. “An email comes through saying they are minded to give you a knighthood, and asking whether you would want to accept; and you have to keep it a secret, otherwise you’re in trouble.”
Foster celebrates winning a 5,000m race in August 1975Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Foster, regarded as the voice of British athletics because of his long and distinguished commentary career with the BBC after retiring from the sport, is also the founder of the Great North Run, the largest half-marathon in the world. He received his knighthood from Princess Anne, once an equestrian athlete who had competed with him in Great Britain’s squad at the 1976 Olympic Games, rather than her mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
“You think about the people who have helped you get where you are,” says Foster, recalling his knighthood ceremony. “You think about your parents, your coaches, the guys you trained with and everyone else who helped. But you also think about the country. This is a great country and anybody who accepts the honours is, by definition, saying, ‘I’m proud of the country I live in’.”
Most of the time, the knights-elect receive their insignia at either Buckingham Palace in London or Windsor Castle, when the protocol is to kneel on your right knee while the King, or another member of the royal family, touches your right shoulder, then the left one, with a bare sword blade. For females, the equivalent is to be made a Dame.
After that, it is the individual’s choice whether they want to use their new title. Foster, for example, says he is “50-50” about using ‘Sir’, though he jokes that it comes in handy when he needs to make a restaurant booking.
Ferguson, statistically the most successful manager in British football history, had some misgivings of his own, despite having previously been given an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) and CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) — two of the awards beneath a knighthood in rank — in 1985 and 1995 respectively.
He and his wife were worried about the extra commitments the new title might involve (although there are no special requirements) and how it might look, with them hailing from a working-class background in the Scottish city of Glasgow, to be known as Sir Alex and Lady Cathy.
“I put it to the family,” Ferguson revealed in a 2000 interview with the official Manchester United magazine, “and Cathy was a bit, ‘Oh, I don’t know, what would your father think?’. And my son said, ‘Mum, it’s nothing to do with Dad’s parents. They’re gone. They’d be proud of him — you can’t refuse this, it’s recognition of what he’s done’. We had a discussion and decided it was right.”
In 2020, it was revealed that the number of people refusing an honour was 68 out of 2,504 offered (2.7 per cent), whereas there were only 277 occasions from 1951 to 1999 when somebody took that stance. So the frequency with which people say ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ is going up.
Realistically, though, Beckham’s name was never going to be added to a list that includes singer David Bowie, physicist Professor Stephen Hawking, the ex-Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone and, on five occasions for various honours including a knighthood, artist LS Lowry.
Sir David and Lady VictoriaHector Vivas/Getty Images
The only awkwardness here is that Beckham, awarded an OBE in the Queen’s birthday list in 2003, will probably never be allowed to forget the controversy in 2017 when leaked emails, from four years earlier, showed his anger about being rejected for a knighthood.
The emails had been hacked from a company associated with his then-representative, Simon Oliveira, and were published by a variety of newspapers, showing him branding the honours committee “unappreciative c**ts” and insisting he didn’t “care about being knighted”. The email exchanges also revealed the UK authorities had concerns over Beckham’s tax affairs.
And now? Nobody should be surprised he has finally got his wish, bearing in mind his career achievements and several other factors that may or may not have counted in his favour.
He is, after all, on friendly terms with Prince William, Charles’ eldest son, and has banqueted at Buckingham Palace as a guest of the King (they are said to have bonded over a shared love of making honey). Plus, who could forget Beckham standing for 12 hours in the queue of people to see the late Queen lying in state in central London’s Westminster Hall following her death in 2022?
Beckham leaves Westminster Hall after paying his respects to the coffin of Queen Elizabeth IILouisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images
All that is left, perhaps, is to see whether the six-time Premier League champion chooses to call himself Sir David. Asked if he would use the title at home, he told Sky News: “I’m not insisting, but if they (his family) would like to call me Sir Dad or Sir Son, they can. But no, it’s going to take some getting used to people saying it.”
US Ladies Lose 2-1 to Portugal – Play them again Sunday 4 pm
Wow so even great coaches like our US National Team’s Emma Hayes are clueless when it comes to the Ole Ballcoach’s pet peeve of having a defender on the back post on Cornerkicks. Yes the US lost 2-1 Highlights to Portugal (yes a Portugal team that has lost its last 4 games) at home in Philly – as the US gave up 2 goals on corner kicks to guess where ?? the back post where there was NO DEFENDER. We did have 4 defenders zonal covering no one at the top of the 6 however. Coaches on this board – please explain to my why its ok to give up goals on Corners and not put players on the post again? I see it every weekend at least twice a week in the EPL – and now our US women’s national team has also decided to LOSE this way as well. Anyway – beyond that – the US were spanked by Portugal last night. They high pressed the US and we had no idea what to do. The loss marked only the third time that the US has lost to an opponent outside the top 20 FIFA rankings, as USWNT players struggled to find each other on the pitch when faced with Portugal’s physicality and formation. “Sometimes as a coach in this position, it feels like Whack-a-Mole,” said US manager Emma Hayes. “You try and put one thing out, and then there’s another one popping up.” Looked like we hadn’t practiced together in months – which in reality we hadn’t. Now this is not the US #1 squad – heck I am not sure this is our #2 squad in reality – but still quite shocking to be spanked for a 2nd straight game by a team that is NOT GOOD. The US returns to the field Sunday – will be interesting to see if we show up this time. It was awesome to see the Alex Morgan celebration – as the US National Team honored the retired leading scorer #13 Alex Morgan during Pre-Game. Stories below.
#2 Carmel Boys & #2 Carmel Girls Soccer Advance to Semi-States in Martinsville Sat
The Carmel Girls (18-2-1) used a 2-0 win over East Central after a 2 day rain delay to advance to Semi-states in Martinsville this Sat at 2:30 pm where they will face Center Grove (19-2) at 2:30 pm. The other bracket has #1 HSE playing Crownpoint up North in Chesterton. The winners will meet next weekend at the Mike in Indy for the State Finals. https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/girls/soccer/2025-26-tournament?round=sectionals On the boys side – (from CHS site) The IHSAA Regional Championship game saw the top two teams in the country, according to MaxPreps, the #2-ranked Greyhounds versus the #1-ranked Brownsburg Bulldogs battle to a 2-0 win by Carmel at Murray Stadium Sat. The Hounds got off to a quick start, scoring in the first ten minutes, when junior Mikey Kubek made a nice run down the wing and played the ball across to senior Curtis Droste, who slotted the ball into the back of the net to put them up 1-0. The score remained the same for the remainder of the first half. The score was 1-0 at halftime. The Greyhounds came out and struck about four minutes into the half, when Droste played a nice long ball into the channel and senior Troy Enslin chased and fought for the ball, ultimately finding the opportunity to hit a lovely shot to the far post, to make the score 2-0. The end-to-end action continued, with the final score being 2-0. Junior Gray Morgan recorded the shutout in goal. The win moves the team’s season record to 16-1-3. The Greyhounds return to action Saturday, October 25th 12 noon vs Bloomington South 17-1-3, in Martinsville. https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/soccer/2025-26-tournament?round=sectionals
RIP Legendary Ref and Ref Assignor & Teacher -Bruce Carlstead
My daughter and I were taught to ref by Bruce back in 2009 in Westfield. My daughter then my son went on to ref all the way thru High school and I am still reffing today in large part because of Bruce. His dedication to our sport and compassion to our refs, kids and all around soccer were unmatched. RIP Bruce – you will be missed. ObituaryCool Story on Bruce
MLS Playoff Start tonight–Messi wins Golden Ball signs Extension
Messi finished with 29 goals and 19 assists to finish with 48 goal contributions in 2025 to finish with the Golden Ball for most goals and will be probably win the MVP. Lionel Messi has signed a contract extension with Inter Miami, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2028 MLS season. Chicago and Portland won play-in games setting up the playoffs with Miami vs tonight on FS1 8 pm. The Philadelphia Union are favored to win their first-ever MLS Cup this season after winning the 2025 Supporters’ Shield for the best regular season record. Inter Miami, Vancouver Whitecaps, and LAFC are also among the top contenders. See a snapshot of each team competing in the play-off here. On Thursday, MLS said its 30th regular season saw a 29% year-on-year rise in live viewership, averaging 3.7 million weekly viewers across streaming and linear platforms. The league also said that total matchday attendance reached 11.2 million, the second-highest figure in its history. MLS announce 2025 Awards finalists.
News & Notes
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, Sunday 26, 10:15 ET. Madrid are top of the La Liga table, two points clear of second-placed Barcelona. Despite Madrid’s strong start, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona won all four matches against Los Blancos in all competitions last season. However, both sides are hampered by injuries–see potential line-ups here. Mbappé vs. Yamal is the new Ronaldo vs. Messi — so which Clasico star is better?Brentford vs. Liverpool, Saturday 25, 3 pm ET. Liverpool have lost their last three Premier League games, as many losses as they suffered in their previous 39. Meanwhile, Brentford have lost just one of their five competitive home games under Keith Andrews. Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace, Sunday 26, 10 am League leaders Arsenal have won seven of eight matches at the Emirates when in first place, scoring 28 goals in those games. Palace & American Chris Richards could prove stubborn, having drawn eight of their last 14 Premier League matches, winning five matches in that time. See every Premier League Matchday 9 fixture here. Sad to see American Celtic Defender Carter Carter-Vickers may miss 5 months with an Achilles injury.
#2 Ranked Carmel Girls are headed to Semi-States in Martinsville after 2-0 win vs East CentralCongrats to #2 Ranked Carmel High Boys headed to Martinsville to face Bloomington South Sat
Had a blast Reffing the Indiana Christian State Semi-Finals at Colonial Christian with Mark and Mike Thurs Back on Saturday 2:30 pm for the Finals. Colonial Christian vs Suburban Christian.
TV Game Schedule
Fri, Oct 24 3 pm USA Leeds United (Aaronson) vs West Ham 3 pm Para+ AC Milan vs Pisa 8 pm FS1, Apple Miami (Messi) vs Nashville MLS Playoffs Sat, Oct 25 7:30 am CBSSN Coventry City (Haji Wright) vs Watford 9 am FS2 Ivory Coast vs Spain (U17 WWC) 9:30 am ESPN+ MGladbach (Reyna, Scally) vs Wolfsburg 10 am USA New Castle vs Fulham (Jedi) 10 am Peacock Chelsea vs Brighton 10 am CBSSN Middlesborough vs Wrexham 12 noon Para+ Napoli vs Inter Milan 12:30 pm Man City vs Brighton NBC 12:30 pm ESPN+ Dortmund vs Koln 3 pm ESPN+ Valencia vs Villarreal 8 pm Univision Leon vs Pumas (Mex) 11 pm CBSSN Cruz Azul vs Monterrey Mex Sun, Oct 26 10 am USA Aston Villa vs Man City 10 am Peacock? Arsenal vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 10:30 am ESPN+ Leverkusen (Tilman) vs Freiberg 11:15 ESPN2 am Real Madrid vs Barcelona (Derby) 3:45 pm Para+ Lazio vs Juventus (McKennie) 4 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Hartford CT 5:30 pm FS1 Philly vs Chicago MLS 7:30 pm Apple Vancouver vs FC Dallas 9:30 pm Apple Earthquakes vs Portland Mon, Oct 27 4 pm ESPN+, Desp Real Bettis vs Atletico 6:45 pm FS1, Apple Cincy vs Columbus Crew MLS 9 pm FS1, Apple Minn vs Seattle Sounders MLS Tues, Oct 28 1:30 pm Para+ Lecce vs Napoli 1:30 pm ESPNU Frankfort vs Dortmund 3:45 pm Para+. Prime Atalanta vs AC Milan 4 pm Para+ Wrexham s Cardiff City 6:45 pm FS1, Apple Charlotte vs NYCFC MLS Wed, Oct 29 1:30 pm Para+ Juventus (McKennie) vs Udinese 3:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Fiorentina 3:45 pm Para+ Liverpool vs Crystal Palace (Richards) League Cup 4 pm Para+ Newcastle vs Tottenham League Cup 8 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs New Zealand 10:30 pm Apple LAFC vs Austin FC MLS Playoffs Oct 31, Fri 3:30 pm ESPN+ Ausberg vs Dortmund 4 pm Para+ Wrexham vs Coventry City Sat ,, Nov 1 MLS Playoffs 11 am ?? Fulham vs Wolverhampton 11 am ?? Burnley (Adams) vs Arsenal 11 am ?? Nottingham Forest vs Man United 11:15 am ESPN+ Atletico Madrid (Cardosa) cs Sevilla 1:30 pm USA Tottenham vs Chelsea 1:30 pm ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Leverkusen (Reyna, Scally) 4 pm USA Liverpool vs Aston Villa 4 pm ESPN+, D Real Madrid vs Valencia Sat, Nov 15 5 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Paraguay Chester PA Tues, Nov 18 7 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
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France: Goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin made several strong saves early in the game against Germany, noted in reports by Yahoo and this other Yahoo article.
USMNT weekend viewing guide: What a treat
Hoping for some tasty goodness this weekend.
Getty Images
We’re closing out October with some tasty matchups including some head to head action in Ligue 1 and an early season matchup in the Eredivise between title contenders. There are some injury concerns as well which is a nasty trick but there are still plenty of good matches to watch this weekend. Here’s what we’re keeping an eye on:
Saturday
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayern Munich – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Joe Scally, Gio Reyna and Borussia Monchengladbach who are coming off a 3-1 loss to Union Berlin and sit at the bottom of the table still looking for their first win on the season won’t see things get any easier this weekend as they host Bayern Munich. Bayern already look like they are running away with the league title, they are perfect through their first seven matches and hold a five point lead over RB Leipzig who are second in the table. Bayern have scored 27 through their first seven matches, and allowed just four; they aren’t just winning, they are dominating.
Augsburg v RB Leipzig – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Noahkai Banks received his second straight start last weekend in Augsburg’s 1-1 draw with Koln. Augsburg have four points from those two matches and are currently in 13th place. On Saturday, they host second place RB Leipzig who are coming off a 2-1 win over Hamburg.
Eintracht Frankfurt v St Pauli – 9:30a on ESPN Select: James Sands and St. Pauli have lost four straight matches and currently sit in fourteenth place. Sands has started every match for St. Pauli who started their season with two wins and seven points in their first three matches but since then have scored just once across all four losses.
Newcastle United v Fulham – 10a on USA Network: Antonee Robinson remains out with his knee injury that is becoming highly concerning for a US player that has shown to be one of the most important features of the USMNT setup. Fulham have lost three straight matches and sit in 15th place.
Middlesbrough v Wrexham – 10a on CBSSN: Aidan Morris has come off the bench in two straight matches, both wins for the English Championship side that are currently in second place, a point back of Haji Wright’s Coventry City, through the first quarter of the season.
Monaco v Toulouse – 1p on beIN Sports: Folarin Balogun and Monaco host Mark McKenzie and Toulouse on Saturday afternoon in a Ligue 1 matchup. Balogun came in off the bench last weekend and ten minutes later scored the opening goal for Monaco. Unfortunately, the team would give up a tying goal in the 85th minute and settled for a draw with Angers, their second straight draw and the third straight match that they have failed to win, they have fallen from first in the standings three matches ago, down to seventh place. Mark McKenzie also came in off the bench for Toulouse as his team defeated Metz 4-0 for their second straight victory, to move into eighth place.
Cremonese v Atalanta – 2:45p on Paramount+: Yunus Musah did not appear for Atalanta last weekend as the team was held to a scoreless draw with Lazio. Musah had appeared as a substitute in the four prior matches for Atalanta who have yet to loose this season but have drawn three straight and currently sit in eighth place, though they are still just five points back of league leading AC Milan.
Lens v Olympique Marseille – 3:05p on beIN Sports: Tim Weah and Olympique Marseille defeated Le Havre 6-2 last weekend with Weah coming into the match as a substitute to play the final 20 minutes of the match. Marseille were up 2-1 when Weah came into the match, he did not score or assist on any of the subsequent four goals to be scored by Marseille but let’s just assume the correlation is causation here people.
Sunday
Feyenoord v PSV – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Ricardo Pepi and Sergino Dest both came off the bench for PSV midweek with Pepi scoring a goal and adding an assist in the team’s 6-2 trouncing of Napoli in Champions League group stage play. This weekend the team will travel to Feyenoord looking to overtake their hosts for the top of the table. PSV have won three straight, and four of their past five but are currently three points back of Feyenoord who have just one draw to blemish their record through the first nine matches of the season.
Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest – 10a on Peacock: Tyler Adams and third place Bournemouth will host a Nottingham Forest side who are in eighteenth place and fired Ange Postecoglou basically at the final whistle of last weekend’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea. The team responded midweek with a 2-0 win over Porto in Europa League play to snap a ten match winless streak across all competitions.
Arsenal v Crystal Palace – 10a on Peacock: Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will look to bounce back from a home loss to Cypriot side AEK Larnaca in Conference League play on Thursday. Richards did not appear in the match for Palace who are winless in their past two league matches as well, including last weekends come from behind 3-3 draw with Bournemouth, as they converted a penalty in the seventh minute of stoppage time to draw level and salvage the point.
Bayer Leverkusen v Freiburg – 10:30a on ESPN Select: Malik Tillman’s thigh injury is expected to keep him out another week. The midfielder picked up the injury while on international duty causing him to miss the match against Australia as well as the two matches played by his club since returning from the window, including Tuesday’s embarassing 7-2 loss to defending champions PSG.
Olympique Lyon v Strasbourg – 3:45p on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann played the first half of Lyon’s 2-0 win over Basel in Europa League action on Thursday, coming out with his team up 1-0 at the half. Tessmann had come off the bench last weekend for the final 13’ in his teams 3-2 loss to Nice, a loss which dropped Lyon to fifth in the Ligue 1 table. On Sunday they host a Strasbourg team that are a point ahead of them, and in third place.
Lazio v Juventus – 3:45p on Paramount+: Weston McKennie also came off the bench last weekend as Juventus fell to Como 2-0 but then started midweek and went the full ninety as Juve fell to Real Madrid at the Burnabeu in Champions League action. With last weeks defeat Juventus fell to seventh place in the league table, four points back of the league leaders.
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The USWNT just gave its worst performance under Emma Hayes. What went wrong against Portugal?
Emma Hayes was far from happy with how her team played. Brad Smith / Getty Images
Standing on the sideline of a mostly silent Subaru Park as her U.S. women’s national team lost to Portugal on Thursday, Emma Hayes felt stuck in “a game of Whac-A-Mole.”For the first time in her 17 months in charge, she watched her players try to solve problems as individuals rather than as the collective that rolled through her first 17 games unbeaten, including a gold medal run at the 2024 Olympics.As one problem after another arose, she felt “frustrated.” Not with the result, a 2-1 loss, but with the performance.“I don’t think anybody came out with flying colors,” Hayes said when asked about a few specific players. “I think as a team, we were poor, to be honest with you.”She told the players exactly that and more in an animated, minutes-long speech on the field after the game, with starters, substitutes and staff all huddled in a circle around her. She jabbed her right pointer finger and patted her chest.“I think everyone was trying to maybe fix it on their own,” said midfielder Rose Lavelle, who scored the USWNT’s only goal 33 seconds into the game.“Defensively,” Hayes said, “from front to back, we just mistimed everything.”Though full of experience and talent, the midfield three of Lavelle, Sam Coffey and Lindsey Heaps got outnumbered and overwhelmed by Portugal’s midfield diamond. The Americans were slow to adjust. “We could have solved things a bit earlier on,” Heaps said.
Lindsey Heaps and her teammates struggled.Roger Wimmer / ISI Photos via Getty Images
But their shortcomings were not tactical. They were not confined to any one area of the field or any one line. They were everywhere because everyone felt disconnected.“A lot of things did not go our way, in terms of playing together, playing as a team, doing things together,” Heaps said. “Sometimes it felt a little bit like we were on islands.”“In attack, it felt like we just hadn’t played together in a long time,” Hayes added. “I didn’t recognize us. I felt we just rushed everything. We went direct. We didn’t look like the team that we’ve been working on.”They did not look like the team they had been over the past 25 games under Hayes. Not the team that grinded to Olympic gold; nor the one that won five straight matches, by an aggregate score of 18-0, this summer; not even the team that lost to Japan or split a back-to-back with Brazil earlier this year.Those losses, to international powers, were understandable; the performances were creditable and the team, as Hayes said, was “still working on our principles.”Thursday was something else.The opponent, although praised by Hayes and U.S. players, had never reached the knockout rounds of a major tournament. They were outscored 8-2 at the 2025 Women’s European Championship, with five of those goals coming from Spain, failing to make it out of the group stage. The win on Thursday was not only Portugal’s first in 12 meetings since 1994, but the first time the team had scored against the U.S., who has 40 goals against them. Nonetheless, Portugal kept the ball while the U.S. looked disjointed.Hayes added: “Sometimes, when the panic gets in the head, or you try to do something, instead of starting to do the things we want you to do, it just felt like we didn’t get a rhythm the whole night.”Their lack of rhythm, which Hayes referenced in yells from the touchline mid-game, seemed to spiral. Problems multiplied.“When certain things go wrong, or we’re not patient, or in one mind we’re transitioning and in the other mind we want to retain the ball… It’s hard,” Heaps explained.She later continued: “I wanted to calm the game down. When it gets a very chaotic game like that, or you feel like you’re not controlling the game, it’s like, ‘How can we get that control back? How can we complete the next pass, and the next pass, and the next pass?’ But once we miss that next pass, it’s like, ‘S***. We gotta get back in. We gotta solve what they’re implementing.’“That was hard, too. We were running a lot, we were trying to figure out defensively what we needed to be in, the shape that we needed to be in, the press.”
In its first loss to Portugal, the U.S. also conceded its first goals against the team.Brad Smith / Getty Images
At times, it felt a lot like the 2023 World Cup game between the same two teams, albeit in a different setting and with a lot of different players. That time, under the leadership of former head coach Vlatko Andonovski, the U.S. settled for its first draw against Portugal, a scoreless affair capping a poor group stage performance. The U.S. lost the following knockout round game to Sweden in penalty kicks, making its earliest World Cup exit in program history. When asked about that comparison, Heaps, who co-captained that team, responded with a chuckle: “Oh, don’t bring me back to that game.”
In the more recent matchup, the U.S. ultimately conceded twice from corners, and Hayes, as she descended from the podium after her post-match news conference, assured everyone in the room: “No coach likes giving up f***ing set pieces. And neither do the players.”But it was the entire 90 minutes that frustrated her. On multiple occasions, she, her staff and the players tried to tweak their tactical approach, but “I still don’t think we got a grip of the game,” she said.Her attitude afterwards, however, was not so gloomy.“Sometimes you need a kick up the backside like that,” Hayes said.And this, of course, was a kick up the backside in an October 2025 friendly, not a June 2027 World Cup game in Brazil. Players arrived Monday, some after Sunday games; they trained Tuesday and Wednesday, and even then, “I actually felt it,” Hayes said. “There were so many misconnections. Just taking a bit of time for us to get on the same page.”Then, on Thursday, they played together for the first time in more than 100 days.“We haven’t been together in four months; we gotta remember that,” Heaps said. “We’ve had two days of training; you gotta remember that. You don’t want to be super negative right now, because you’ll just beat your head in.”Neither players nor Hayes were interested in making excuses, but they were realistic. They were, after all, without center back Naomi Girma and forward Trinity Rodman, due to injury, as well as several other key players. The back four — Avery Patterson, Tara McKeown, Emily Sonnett and Emily Fox — were starting together for the first time.And more importantly, all of them, players and coaches, are still at an experimental phase of their build toward 2027.When asked how she would assess Thursday’s game in that context, Hayes began: “As Ben Northey, the Sydney Philharmonic conductor, would say, ‘let it go.’”They will travel to Connecticut on Friday to play Portugal again on Sunday, this time at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.“We have to get better,” Hayes said. “And I promise you, we will be better. We better be.”
USWNT celebrates Alex Morgan’s ‘legendary’ career as she passes the torch to next generation
USWNT honored Alex Morgan’s career at the stadium where she scored her first goal. Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF
Alex Morgan stood on the pitch inside Subaru Park in Chester, Pa., one last time Thursday. Even though she retired last year, this moment — standing before the U.S. women’s national team as it celebrated her iconic legacy — was long overdue.The stadium roared as the announcer rattled off the 36-year-old’s many accomplishments over her 15-year career. Before the current U.S. squad took on Portugal in the first of two friendlies this international window, the younger generation of players watching as they warmed up, thousands of fans began chanting her name.But no list could measure what Morgan meant to women’s soccer.It was only fitting that a career like Morgan’s came full circle in this way, on the field where she scored her first goal for the U.S. 15 years ago.While still a senior at the University of California, a 21-year-old Morgan entered the pitch for the USWNT as a second-half sub Oct. 6, 2010. The U.S. trailed China, with an at-home unbeaten streak on the line, inside what was then PPL Park in Chester.Just shy of 13 minutes on the pitch, Morgan overlapped with teammate Abby Wambach, who flicked a header to the young striker. Morgan calmly waited for the right moment, watching the ball closely as it bounced once before her. She then struck it into the back of China’s net, recording her goal of 123 goals scored for the United States over a legendary 15-year career.
There are few players as iconic as Alex Morgan. The two-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist is one of the most prolific goal scorers in U.S. women’s soccer history, and one of the most recognizable faces in the women’s game. Beyond the pitch, she was a staunch advocate for gender equity and equality, having lent her voice for the betterment of the game throughout her career.Her accolades are plenty: 224 caps for the U.S., a treble winner with Lyon in France and more than a decade in the National Women’s Soccer League. Morgan was also instrumental in the fight for equal pay, better working conditions and player protections across country and club, including advocating for players during NWSL’s systemic abuse scandal.As U.S. women’s coach Emma Hayes told reporters this week, Morgan “transcended’ women’s football.“There was nothing she didn’t achieve,” Hayes said. “She was a player that epitomized everything this program is about. She’s an unbelievable credit to her family, because her drive, her desire, her determination to prove herself at the highest level is second to none. You can’t go anywhere in this country without them talking about Alex Morgan.”What You Should Read NextReflecting on Alex Morgan’s career: The athlete, the fighter, the humanMorgan was more than an athlete during her nearly two-decade career in professional soccer.Morgan’s is among a string of recent retirements from the U.S. women’s national team, including those by Ali Krieger, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn and Alyssa Naeher, who will be honored in her home state of Connecticut on Sunday. As many from her generation, though, Morgan has not strayed far from the game.She has evolved into a strategic businesswoman, with a slew of ventures started in recent years. In 2021, she co-founded Togethxr, a women’s sports media company. The brand rose to fame with its “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” tagline, seen on shirts around the globe and the front of London City Lionesses jerseys in the Women’s Super League.Earlier this year, Morgan became a minority investor in the San Diego Wave, the last club she played for.
After her retirement, Alex Morgan invested in the San Diego Wave.Rich Graessle / Getty Images
Morgan retired over a year ago on Sept. 5, 2024, after announcing she and her husband, Servando Carrasco, were expecting their second child, Enzo. Three days after her announcement, she ended her career with a symbolic 13 minutes for the San Diego Wave, the same number as her iconic jersey.“I left everything on the field. I did everything I ever wanted to do and more,” Morgan said after that game. “I feel so at peace because I am ready to start a family. I’m ready to hang up the boots and allow the next generation to flourish and just relish in the spotlight. I’m just ready.”This week, Morgan finally received the standing ovation for the legacy she leaves behind with the U.S. On the eve of her celebration, current U.S. players reflected on her impact.For Arsenal defender Emily Fox, three words come to mind: “Consistent” and “on top.”“I feel like the entirety of her career, she’s always been improving, always wanted to get better. Both on and off the field, she embraces that,” Fox said. “Just with what she and the team have done for equal pay, also her foundation that she started, joining the San Diego Wave franchise and bringing that to life. With Alex, she’s very 360 in the sense that she is on the field and off the field in what she does.”Chelsea winger Alyssa Thompson, one of the rising stars in this new U.S. generation, has looked up to Morgan since she started playing soccer. The two were teammates at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, when 18-year-old Thompson was the youngest player on that summer’s U.S. roster. That’s something Morgan could relate to, as the youngest player called up for the U.S. at the 2011 World Cup.
Alyssa Thompson looked up to Alex Morgan before she started playing alongside her.Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images
“She has meant so much to me and the game,” Thompson said. “She’s changed the game for the better. I wouldn’t be in the position I am right now if it weren’t for the players that came before me, especially Alex, fighting for equality and equal pay.”Though the U.S. suffered an early exit from that tournament, Morgan’s leadership stayed with her.“When we weren’t doing as well as we wanted to, and she gave our team a speech, I feel like it really empowered me,” she said. “It inspired me to stay together as a team and believe in our team.”For midfielder Rose Lavelle, Morgan’s goal in the 2019 World Cup semifinal match against England stands out. Lavelle was the first player to hug Morgan after her viral tea celebration, which graced the world’s front pages the next day. The goal happened on Morgan’s 30th birthday, and the U.S. went on to win their second consecutive World Cup title, with a game-winning goal from Lavelle.
“It’s always such a great opportunity to be able to honor and celebrate players like that,” Lavelle said. “They are the reason that we are the team we are. They taught us how to be excellent.”
Alex Morgan’s 2019 World Cup tea celebration became an iconic moment of the tournament.Charlotte Wilson / Getty Images
But it’s not just the players who got to play with Morgan who feel her impact on the national team’s program. Twenty-one-year-old Ally Sentnor received her first cap with the national team in November, six months after Morgan played her last U.S. game.
“Legend, goal scorer, icon are a few words to describe her,” Sentnor said. “She was this amazing, heroic, untouchable player that we watched growing up. She was one of my favorite players growing up. I had her jersey, iconic pink prewrap, we all wore it when we were younger, trying to be her.
There were 13 years, 4 months and 17 days between Morgan’s first U.S. goal and her last. Her final goal was during the Concacaf W Gold Cup, when she scored against Argentina on Feb. 23, 2024. This fittingly took place in Carson, Calif., about 40 miles from her hometown of Diamond Bar.
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But when Morgan reflects on that first goal, she makes a point to give flowers to another player.“It was an important goal,” Morgan recently told ESPN. ‘With an assist from my hero and idol, Abby (Wambach).”In that moment, Wambach set Morgan up for greatness, a ceremonious passing of the torch from one generation to the next. In many ways, Morgan’s entire career was spent preparing to pass that torch for future generations, too.
Big Five: Europe’s top games this weekend
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, left, and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal will be in action during El Clasico on Sunday. Jose Breton / Pics Action / NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Athletic has hand-picked five of the most intriguing weekend fixtures from around Europe …
Lens v Marseille, Stade Bollaert-Delelis
Saturday, 25 Oct., 8:05 p.m. BST (UK: Amazon Prime Video / Ligue 1 Pass; USA: Fanatiz, beIN Sports)
Buckle up. Chaos is never far away when Marseille play these days. For a few weeks, at least, it had been peaceful in Provence. A famous win in Le Classique kick-started a run of five straight victories that sent Roberto De Zerbi’s side flying to Lisbon riding high atop Ligue 1 on the back of a 6-2 mauling of Le Havre.That put further distance from the painful memories of opening day defeat at 10 man Rennes and the changing room brawl that followed, but those ghosts came howling back as they were downed late by Sporting in an incident-packed Champions League bout on Wednesday.Such a fate seemed unlikely when club-record signing Igor Paixao sumptuously curled home his fourth goal across his first eight games inside 15 minutes, but the game turned on a frenetic exchange just before the interval.Set to go two up when Emerson was felled in the box for a penalty, Marseille were forced to play the second half with 10 men after the referee showed the former West Ham and Chelsea left back a second yellow card for diving to try and win the spot kick.Despite conceding midway through the second half, a precious point was in touching distance before Allisson Santos’ deflected effort looped agonizingly over OM goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli and in.Attention must now refocus to the pursuit of a first Ligue 1 crown since Didier Deschamps masterminded success in 2010, and Lens will be a stern test as to the robustness of those title credentials.After a narrow defeat to Lyon on the opening day, Pierre Sage’s side have been formidable at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, winning three and being breached just once thanks to the league’s joint-best defence.Marseille are the only other team to have conceded seven, while two league goals apiece from a pair of one-time Premier League men — former Newcastle winger Florian Thauvin and ex-Crystal Palace frontman Odsonne Edouard — have helped ensure a threat at the other end.
Marseille’s club-record signing Igor PaixãoSathire Kelpa / Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayern Munich, Borussia-Park
There are surprises, there are upsets, and then there is whatever it would be should the Bundesliga’s only winless team find a way to beat European football’s seemingly unstoppable force on Saturday.
What else is there to say about the brilliance of Bayern Munich and Harry Kane that hasn’t already been said? Wednesday’s 4-0 thrashing of Club Brugge made it 12 wins in a row to open the campaign for the Bavarians, with Kane tapping in his 20th (yes, 20th) of the season.Even at their peaks, it took Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo 17 and 13 games respectively to amass the same haul, with the Englishman adding three assists for good measure. Popping up all over the pitch, the 32-year-old looks as complete as he ever has, and believes he has manager Vincent Kompany to thank for it.“I think he has (unlocked a different level in me),” Kane said last week regarding Kompany, who signed a new two-year deal on Tuesday.“He is a fantastic coach, not just tactically but also as a person … I’m someone who likes to turn on the ball and play forward passes but that’s not always possible, so we’ve spoken a lot about opening my body, playing around the corner quickly with one-touch.“I feel like I’ve added to my game — not getting stuck on the ball as much, and a bit more fluidity.”
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Meanwhile, Monchengladbach have been forced to begin their wretched campaign without either of last season’s top scorers. Tim Kleindienst remains out after a torn meniscus in May prematurely ended a superb 16-goal Bundesliga campaign, while French striker Alassane Plea left for PSV in the summer after scoring 11 to help the Foals to 10th place.Head coach Eugen Polanski, appointed on an interim basis following Gerardo Seoane’s sacking last month, would surely snap your hand off for another midtable finish.Rock bottom with three points from seven games, Monchengladbach welcome Europe’s most in-form side having shipped six in 47 minutes against Eintracht Frankfurt at Borussia-Park last month, and four against Werder Bremen before that.
A goalless draw against Freiburg marked home improvement, but Kane will be chomping at the bit to continue filling his boots against a side seemingly bereft of confidence.
It is shaping up to be a rather terrifying Halloween in Naples.A catastrophic Champions League implosion at PSV in midweek, whereby they led inside half an hour only to end the game 6-2 down with 10 men, followed on from a grueling 1-0 defeat at struggling Torino that saw the reigning champions surrender their lead atop Serie A.Though his side did edge past Sporting earlier this month, Antonio Conte’s spotty European record is a peculiar blot on his glittering managerial career.Outside of an ultimately unsuccessful run to the 2020 Europa League final with Inter, the Italian has only made it past the quarter-final of a European competition once, when his Juventus team reached the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2014.Yet there can be no doubting his domestic pedigree, and a victory against his old employers would be the perfect stabilizer. Conte left Inter due to purported frustrations with transfer business, and while the 56-year-old is blowing the same trumpet this week, he is playing an unexpected tune.“Last year we won the league with just a few players … Nine (signings) was too many for me but we had to do it,” Conte, who played seven of the club’s summer recruits against PSV, told Sky after the defeat.“There’s no need to despair. We’ve a lot of work to do. We have to try to recreate the chemistry that we had last year. When you bring nine new faces into a dressing room, it’s going to take time.”Only five Inter players who started May’s Champions League final lined up against Union Saint-Gilloise on Tuesday, but three of them — Denzel Dumfries, Hakan Calhanoglu and Lautaro Martinez — led the way with goals as Cristian Chivu’s side continued their perfect start in Europe.The 4-0 victory in Belgium continued a fantastic month for The Black and Blues, who have won seven on the spin in all competitions following that dizzying 4-3 loss at Juventus in early September.Having lost the Scudetto by a point to Napoli last year, Inter are within a point of league leaders and arch rivals Milan, who host bottom-place Pisa on Friday.
Perhaps that deliciously delirious triumph over Inter was too dreamy to be real after all.Juventus have not won a game since conquering The Black and Blues in that seven goal thriller in mid-September, as narrow midweek defeat at Real Madrid extended their winless stretch to seven matches and cranked up the pressure on head coach Igor Tudor. A frustrating flurry of five straight draws has slid into back-to-back losses at Como and the Bernabeu, resigning The Old Lady to their worst run since 2009 and putting a pin in any early season optimism around Turin. Tudor embarked on an impassioned six-minute rebuttal of media criticism ahead of the Madrid game, as dissected by The Athletic’s James Horncastle, but as a former Juventus player of 10 years, the Croatian should know as well as any that the knives will only sharpen should they fail to leave the capital with three points this weekend.“At Juventus, a draw is made out to be a defeat and a defeat a 10-0,” said Tudor, who bemoaned the “mad schedule” and “algorithm” that had determined his side’s fixtures to date.A trip to inconsistent Lazio marks the beginning of a kinder looking schedule for Tudor and co, with a team currently in the top eight not upcoming until a visit to reigning champions Napoli in early December.It has been a similarly strange start for Maurizio Sarri’s Eagles, who have oscillated between free scoring and utterly blunt from week to week.Comprehensive victories against Verona and Genoa have been undercut by bleak defeats to Sassuolo and rivals Roma, while a hugely entertaining 3-3 draw against Torino was followed up by a goalless affair at Atalanta last week in which they mustered just one shot on target.
Sun, Oct 26 • 11:15AMRMAvsBARDrawMoneylineSpreadTotalOdds updated1 minute ago
Depleted, distracted and (temporarily) managerless: Barcelona have their work cut out if they are to replicate their El Clasico cake walk this year.The Blaugrana swept aside Real Madrid in four meetings last year, winning by an aggregate score of 16-7 en route to a domestic treble, but head to the Bernabeu two points behind their storied rivals with a number of issues to address.First things first, and their hosts Sunday may have some empathy here, there’s the injuries. Raphina and Ferran Torres should be back in time, but their match fitness remains up in the air and there will be little to no chance for Robert Lewandowski (hamstring), Dani Olmo (calf), Gavi and Joan Garcia (knees).Then there has been the off-field drama surrounding the club that, granted, never seems to be far away, but has gathered pace following the latest player registration debacles, a Lamine Yamal painkillers feud, and the recent cancellation of the much-maligned “Miami match” in December.On the pitch, Kylian Mbappe will undoubtedly be licking his lips at the prospect of facing Barca’s now-trademark sky-high line that has been exploited to devastating effect by both Sevilla and Paris-Saint Germain in recent weeks.There is added motivation for the French superstar after he was flagged offside a league-record eight times in a nightmarish Clasico debut a year ago, when the visitors romped to a 4-0 victory.Not that Mbappe needs any further pep in his blisteringly quick step. The 26-year-old is already up to 15 goals for the season as the centre-piece of a Madrid side that — barring an implosion at Atletico Madrid — have made an excellent, albeit unspectacular, start under Xabi Alonso.Yet Alonso will be the only head coach on the sideline Sunday, with Flick set to sit in the stands following a red card received in the frantic final moments of Barca’s last gasp win at Girona last weekend.Assistant Marcus Sorg will take his place on the touchline, having lost both games in which he deputized for Flick last season.
Our subscriber’s match of the week
Leeds vs West Ham, Friday, 8pm UK/3pm ET
Andrew says: “This is a crucial game under the lights at Elland Road. Leeds’ decent start is close to unravelling — they have picked up just one point from the last nine available. What’s more, there are difficult fixtures on the horizon. However, West Ham have a quick turnaround from playing on Monday and Nuno Espirito Santo has a massive job on his hands. While questions remain over Daniel Farke, home advantage will help Leeds.”
Leeds 1-0 West Ham
Oli says: Leeds have fared reasonably well on their return to the Premier League — their average of a point per game is survival form — but the fixtures look a lot tougher over the next couple of months, so the margin for error is smaller than it might appear. West Ham’s players might be grateful that they are playing away after four consecutive home defeats to start the season, but Elland Road on a Friday night is not for the faint-hearted. And that’s precisely what West Ham have been lately.
Leeds 2-0 West Ham
Leeds manager Daniel Farke could not find the solutions against Burnley (Richard Martin-Roberts – CameraSport via Getty Images
The rest of Oli’s predictions
Chelsea vs Sunderland
Oli says: I say this every week, but I’ve been so impressed by Sunderland. It’s not only the four wins and two draws, it’s also how competitive they’ve been in every game. I expect the same at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea have won their last four in all competitions and, while this will be a tougher test than Nottingham Forest or Ajax in their past two, they should have enough quality to make it five victories in a row.
Chelsea 2-1 Sunderland
Newcastle vs Fulham
The initial draft of this preview, written on Tuesday afternoon, was about feeling a little frustrated watching Newcastle this season, that their football had become a little too scrappy and that they needed to get more out of their wide players, Anthony Gordon in particular. Their 3-0 win a few hours later against Benfica, with Gordon their standout performer, was a big step in the right direction and something to build on against Fulham.
Newcastle 2-0 Fulham
Manchester United vs Brighton
As encouraging as United beating Liverpool away undoubtedly was, match-winner Harry Maguire immediately said it will count for nothing if they fail to perform at home against Brighton this weekend.
It’s true. Victory over visitors Chelsea last month was followed seven days later by a grim defeat at Brentford. Derby victory at City last December was followed four days later by a chaotic Carabao Cup defeat at Tottenham. Brighton fall into the category of “Can beat anyone on their day”. They can certainly beat United, having won on three straight visits to Old Trafford, but I don’t think they will.
United 2-1 Brighton
Brentford vs Liverpool
Backing Liverpool is fraught with risk at the moment — and Brentford, with their speed on the counter-attack and those long throws from Michael Kayode, Mathias Jensen and Kevin Schade, are the type of team who can make life awkward for any opponent, especially ones who have lost their last three Premier League matches.
It’s easy to imagine Liverpool having 20 shots to Brentford’s six, but less easy to predict whether that will be enough for an away win. I’ll say yes — but very cautiously. As they finally demonstrated in Frankfurt on Wednesday, they have the firepower to make life so much easier for themselves.
Brentford 1-2 Liverpool
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said Arsenal are the strongest team they have faced this season and, if anyone at Liverpool or Real Madrid is minded to take offence at that, they really shouldn’t because it seems pretty obvious on current form. Arsenal are looking so strong and, more than anything, it’s hard to see them conceding goals.
Palace are the type of opponents who could disprove that theory, but after everything I said above, I feel I need to learn from last week’s lesson and go for the safe option of an Arsenal win to nil. I’ll be doing that a lot over the next few weeks.
Arsenal 2-0 Palace
Aston Villa vs Manchester City
Villa have rediscovered their rhythm a bit domestically with three league wins in a row and I haven’t exactly been bowled over by City’s performances this season, but… just as it’s hard to see Arsenal conceding goals, I just can’t see Erling Haaland not scoring. The Norwegian registered 24 goals in 14 appearances for club and country this season. That is absurd. He’s a phenomenal player — not in the Lionel Messi sense, but phenomenal nonetheless.
Villa will put up a real fight, but really, it’s a question of whether they can score more goals than Haaland.
Villa 1-1 City
Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest
In isolation, I approve of Forest hiring Sean Dyche. But it’s the type of appointment you make from a position of weakness — and in Forest’s case, that is having recklessly thrown away a position of rare strength. I firmly expect him to stop the early-season rot and return to something closer to last season’s gameplan under Nuno, but a) that seems a fairly drastic downscaling of Forest’s ambitions and b) I’m not sure the Dyche effect will take hold quickly enough to stop Bournemouth and particularly the in-form Antoine Semenyo.
Bournemouth 2-1 Forest
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Burnley
I’ve somehow managed to get all Burnley’s results correct, which I would like to think reflects an appreciation of their strengths as well as their limitations. I’ve backed Wolves to win on a couple of occasions too, so it’s pretty alarming — for them rather than me — that they keep losing games that look winnable or at least drawable.
This is the last in a run of four home league games that appeared reasonably inviting (Everton, Leeds, Brighton, Burnley). I’ll go for third time lucky in predicting a Wolves win. If they don’t get a result, they really will be in trouble.
Wolves 1-0 Burnley
Everton vs Tottenham
The Tottenham fans in my life are fretting, uninspired by their early-season performances (even when results appeared encouraging) and anxious about a fixture list that now sees them face Everton (away), Newcastle (away), Chelsea (home), Copenhagen (home), Manchester United (home), Arsenal (away) and Paris Saint-Germain (away) over the next four and a half weeks.
Sunday’s game actually looks like one of the gentler matches among that lot… and it may not be very gentle at all, given that Everton are still unbeaten at Hill Dickinson Stadium. It could be a rough few weeks for Thomas Frank and his team.
Everton 1-0 Spurs
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USMNT’s Cameron Carter-Vickers out ‘three to five months’ with Achilles injury
United States defender Cameron Carter-Vickers could miss between three and five months with an Achilles injury, Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers said on Friday.
Carter-Vickers, 27, played the full 90 minutes in Celtic’s 2-1 Europa League win against Sturm Graz on Thursday, but appeared to be carrying an injury late on in Glasgow.
“He looks like he’s done his Achilles, which could be anywhere between three and five months,” Rodgers told Sky. “We just await confirmation of that. It’s not great news.
Carter-Vickers was named in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for the USMNT’s October friendlies against Ecuador and Australia, but was an unused substitute in both matches. It was his first call-up since March, when he played in the Nations League third-place play-off defeat to Canada.
The former Tottenham Hotspur defender will miss November’s friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay.
Carter-Vickers’ compatriot Auston Trusty was an unused substitute on Thursday and, alongside Dane Murray, serves as back-up for Celtic to partner Liam Scales in defence. Trusty has not played since August due to a foot injury.
Carter-Vickers has won 19 caps for the U.S. since making his senior international debut in November 2017 at 19 years old under Dave Sarachan. He was included in Gregg Berhalter’s squads for the World Cup in 2022 and the Copa America last year.
Disappointing, but Pochettino will be able to cope
Analysis by senior writer Greg O’Keefe
While the news of-Carter Vickers’ long-term injury lay-off will be disappointing for club and country, it is unlikely to spark any panic for Pochettino.
The fact that the centre-back has only appeared once under the Argentine, in that humbling defeat by Canada in March’s CONCACAF Nations League Finals third place play-Off, points to his current status in the squad.
Generally, defenders such as Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson, have been ahead of him in the pecking order, and despite his experience in the Champions League with Celtic, Carter-Vickers has spent most of his time to date under Pochettino on the bench.
Whether he might have got more minutes to prove himself in next month’s friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay is now a moot point, but his injury does serve to remove an option from a key area in the field not overburdened with experience and elite level candidates for next summer’s World Cup.
Granted, Carter-Vickers was more used to playing in a conventional back four under previous U.S. boss Gregg Berghalter (and still does at Celtic), meaning Pocettino may well have other more suitable players he can develop in his back three going forward, it never hurts to have experienced personnel available going into such a big year.
The fact he has been reluctant to use a defender he previously coached at Tottenham in his tenure with the USMNT so far is one thing, but now the option of allowing Carter-Vickers time to show what a partnership with another lesser-used defender such as club team-mate Auston Trusty is greatly diminished.
The serious nature of such an Achilles injury means that even if he returns in March, it could be a challenge to get him truly match fit and conditioned in time for the World Cup roster.
It does, at least, mean younger defenders may get more chances ahead of next summer. In the German Bundesliga with Augsburg, promising 18-year-old Noahkai Banks is already starting matches and might get an opportunity, while at 26 years old, McKenzie is coming into his prime and building consistency in Ligue 1 with Toulouse.
US Women face Portugal Brace Thur 7 pm, Sun 4 pm & NZ Wed 10/29 8 pm on TNT, HBO, Peacock
U.S. soccer legend Alex Morgan will have a full-circle moment this week. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup champion will be honored Pregame Thursday at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania – the same stadium where Morgan scored the first of her 123 international goals for Team USA back in 2010. The US will then honor GK Alyssa Naeher before Sunday’s game in Conn. Of course the huge news is US Forward Trinity Rodman who has been on a tear for Washington and was set to return to the Roster was injured last weekend with an MCL & will miss the US games. Mainstays Lindsey Heaps, Lily Yohannes, Caterina Macario & Alyssa Thompson should all be on hand along with some new faces as Hayes slowly looks to add more players to the player pool for the 2027 World Cup.
#2 Carmel Boys & #2 Carmel Girls Soccer Advance to Semi-States in Martinsville Sat
The Carmel Girls (18-2-1) used a 2-0 win over East Central after a 2 day rain delay to advance to Semi-states in Martinsville this Sat at 2:30 pm where they will face Center Grove (19-2) at 2:30 pm. The other bracket has #1 HSE playing Crownpoint up North in Chesterton. The winners will meet next weekend at the Mike in Indy for the State Finals. https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/girls/soccer/2025-26-tournament?round=sectionals On the boys side – (from CHS site) The IHSAA Regional Championship game saw the top two teams in the country, according to MaxPreps, the #2-ranked Greyhounds versus the #1-ranked Brownsburg Bulldogs battle to a 2-0 win by Carmel at Murray Stadium Sat. The Hounds got off to a quick start, scoring in the first ten minutes, when junior Mikey Kubek made a nice run down the wing and played the ball across to senior Curtis Droste, who slotted the ball into the back of the net to put them up 1-0. The score remained the same for the remainder of the first half. The score was 1-0 at halftime. The Greyhounds came out and struck about four minutes into the half, when Droste played a nice long ball into the channel and senior Troy Enslin chased and fought for the ball, ultimately finding the opportunity to hit a lovely shot to the far post, to make the score 2-0. The end-to-end action continued, with the final score being 2-0. Junior Gray Morgan recorded the shutout in goal. The win moves the team’s season record to 16-1-3. The Greyhounds return to action Saturday, October 25th 12 noon vs Bloomington South 17-1-3, in Martinsville. https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/soccer/2025-26-tournament?round=sectionals
Champions League Returns Tues/Wed – El Classico Sun
Champions League is back with huge games Tues like Arsenal vs Athletico Madrid, PSV and American Sergino Dest vs Napoli, & Bayer Leverkusen with Reyna & Scally hosting the holders PSG. Wed gives us Juventus & Weston Mckennie traveling to Real Madrid, Folarin Balogun and Monaco host Tottenham, while Liverpool looks to change their losing ways on the road in Frankfurt all at 3 pm on Paramount plus. Barca missing tons of players for their visit to Real Madrid for El Classico Sun & Rashford making noise read that and more below.
MLS Playoffs Start – Messi wins Golden Ball
Lionel Messi scored a hat trick with an assist to help Inter Miami beat Nashville SC 5-2. He finishes with 29 goals and 19 assists to finish with 48 goal contributions in 2025 to finish with the Golden Ball for most goals and will be probably win the MVP. The playoffs start this week on Wed with Chicago hosting Orlando City @ 8:30 pm and Portland hosting Real Salt Lake & Diego Luna at 10:30 pm ET on Apple TV.
MLS Playoffs start Wed night with Wild Card Games then full scale Fri/Sat/Sun on Apple TV #2 Ranked Carmel Girls are headed to Semi-States in Martinsville after 2-0 win vs East CentralCongrats to #2 Ranked Carmel High Boys for winning the Regional Championship vs #1 Brownsburg
TV Game Schedule
Tues/Wed Oct 21-22 Champions League Tues, 10/21 – Champs League 12:45 pm Unimas, Para+ Barcelona vs Olympiakos 3 pm CBSSN, Para+ New Castle vs Benefica 3 pm Para+ Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid 3 pm Para+ PSV (Dest) vs Napoli 3 pm Para+ Leverkusen (Reyna, Scally) vs PSG 3 pm Para+, Prime Villareal vs Man City 3 pm Para+ Kobenhaven vs Dortmund Weds, 10/22 – Champs League 3 pm CBSSN, Para+ Bayern Munich vs Club Brugge 3 pm Para+, Prime Real Madrid vs Juventus (McKennie) 3 pm Para+ Monaco (Balogun) vs Tottenham 3 pm Para+ Chelsea vs Ajax 3 pm Para+ Frankfurt vs Liverpool 8:30 pm Apple TV Chicago Fire vs Orlando City Wild Card MLS 10:30 pm Apple TV Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake Wild Card Thurs, Oct 23 Europa League 12:45 pm Para+, Prime Eagles vs Aston Villa 12:45 pm Para+ Brann vs Rangers (Sands) 3 pm para+ Celtic (CVB) vs Sturm Graz 3 pm Para+ Nottingham Forest vs Porto 3 pm Para+ Crystal Palace (Richards) vs AEK Larnaca 7 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Chester PA Fri, Oct 24 9 am FS2 Norway vs USA U17WC 3 pm USA Leeds United (Aaronson) vs West Ham 3 pm Para+ AC Milan vs Pisa Sat, Oct 25 7:30 am CBSSN Coventry City (Haji Wright) vs Watford 9 am FS2 Ivory Coast vs Spain (U17 WWC) 9:30 am ESPN+ MGladbach (Reyna, Scally) vs Wolfsburg 10 am USA New Castle vs Fulham (Jedi) 10 am Peacock Chelsea vs Brighton 10 am CBSSN Middlesborough vs Wrexham 12 noon Para+ Napoli vs Inter Milan 12:30 pm Man City vs Brighton NBC 12:30 pm ESPN+ Dortmund vs Koln 3 pm ESPN+ Valencia vs Villarreal 8 pm Univision Leon vs Pumas (Mex) 11 pm CBSSN Cruz Azul vs Monterrey Mex Sun, Oct 26 10 am USA Aston Villa vs Man City 10 am Peacock? Arsenal vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 10:30 am ESPN+ Leverkusen (Tilman) vs Freiberg 11:15 ESPN+ am Real Madrid vs Barcelona (Derby) 3:45 pm Para+ Lazio vs Juventus (McKennie) 4 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Hartford CT Wed, Oct 29 8 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs New Zealand
Sat, Nov 15 5 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Paraguay Chester PA Tues, Nov 18 7 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
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Who’s in MLS Cup playoffs? MLS playoff bracket, schedule
Safid Deen, USA TODAY Sun, October 19, 2025 at 12:17 AM EDT·
MLS players gathered around each other, watching iPhones and stadium scoreboards, waiting for final whistles to blow on Decision Day, Oct. 18. Some were celebrating with pride. Others left the pitch disappointed as their seasons came to an end.The Philadelphia Union won the 2025 Supporters’ Shield. They’ve clinched home-pitch advantage in the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs. FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami each finished one point behind them in the standings. All three clubs finished with higher point totals than any of their counterparts in the West. The East well could host the West in the MLS Cup final on Dec. 6. Expansion side San Diego FC won the Western Conference ahead of Vancouver. They’ve secured the most points by any expansion club in MLS history. Watch MLS playoffs on Season Pass via Apple TV
Ever since his very first day as U.S. men’s national team head coach, Mauricio Pochettino has assured American players that his USMNT’s door is “open.” Nobody, not even Christian Pulisic, has a guaranteed place in the team, Pochettino has said. He reiterated that message this month, and argued that it has gotten through to his players.“Now, I promise you, no one is sure that [they are] going to be on the roster in the World Cup 2026,” Pochettino said last week.And so, he would probably dispute the very premise of a World Cup roster projection. He would certainly push back on the idea that any individual player is a “lock.”But, over the past two weeks, his World Cup squad has started to come into focus. He called many of his best available players into an October training camp, for last week’s 1-1 draw with Ecuador and Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Australia.Coming out of that camp, the following is a position-by-position breakdown of what the 2026 World Cup roster could look like, and our best guess for what it will look like.As always, “lock” status assumes sufficient health. And the depth chart will surely change over the coming months, depending on club form, injuries and performance in November friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay.Players not mentioned below could also play their way into the picture. But for now, here is a look at things with roughly seven months to go until the World Cup squad is picked.
Matt Freese has continued to operate as Mauricio Pochettino’s No. 1 goalkeeper, starting both games of the October windowScott Coleman / Imagn Images
Goalkeepers
Locks: (None)
Confident: Matt Freese, Matt Turner
In consideration: Chris Brady, Roman Celentano, Diego Kochen, Patrick Schulte, Zack Steffen, Jonathan Klinsmann
TENORIO: It looks more and more like Freese, the NYCFC goalkeeper who got his first caps this summer, could be the starter for the U.S. at the World Cup. But this position, a historic area of strength for Americans, might be the most unstable in the whole squad. It’s a wide-open competition. Pochettino even name-dropped Kochen, the 19-year-old FC Barcelona B keeper, during Tuesday night’s press conference. Every American goalkeeper should feel they have a chance.
BUSHNELL: I think Turner and especially Freese are closer to locks than we realize. Even if they’re not starting, Freese is the penalty specialist, and Turner is the only goalkeeper in the pool with World Cup experience. Surely they’ll be in the squad, whether as the No. 1, 2 or 3. But I agree, in general, that the position is as open as any right now.
USMNT center backs Chris Richards (3) and Tim Ream (13) have been constants under Mauricio PochettinoOmar Vega / Getty Images
Center backs
Locks: Chris Richards, Tim Ream
Confident: (None)
In consideration: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman
TENORIO: Ream and Richards have been constants for this U.S. team, but Pochettino seems unsettled on what he’ll do behind them — an issue that has become a bit more interesting considering the move toward a formation built around three center backs. Robinson has always felt like the most likely to emerge, and he got starts in October to back that up. Don’t sleep on Zimmerman as a player who the staff brings to do what he did against Iran in 2022 and at the Gold Cup this summer: Come in late to games where the U.S. is protecting a lead and win every header.
BUSHNELL: One interesting question here is whether Pochettino will take four or five center backs. Given the varied skill sets of the four “in consideration,” and the recent use of systems with three at the back, he’ll presumably lean toward five.
Sergiño Dest has rarely been fully fit over the last year, but he’s a first-choice starter when in campVincent Carchietta / Imagn Images
Fullbacks/wingbacks
Locks: Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson
Confident: (None)
In consideration: Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman, Joe Scally
TENORIO: Robinson was once considered one of the most irreplaceable players on the U.S. squad because of the distance between him and the next man on the depth chart. There is real concern around a knee injury that kept him out of the Gold Cup this summer and also out of the friendlies in October. Dest, too, has not featured much under Pochettino due to injury.
If healthy, those two players are going to be at the World Cup, but there is a lot more intrigue now behind them. Tim Weah played as a wingback on both the left and right side in October, so he should be considered a part of this equation. Arfsten and Freeman won Pochettino’s trust during the Gold Cup. Scally very much looks the odd man out despite his flexibility to play as both a right-sided center back and a right back.
BUSHNELL: Based on soccer alone, Scally belongs in the 26. He’s already started over 100 games at a level that Freeman and Arfsten have never really touched. As promising as Freeman is, he looked a bit out of his depth in the Gold Cup final; I think it’s sometimes easy (for us, and maybe even for coaches) to forget that the games these players could be thrown into next June are a world apart from what they experience weekly in MLS.
But Scally is clearly out of favor with the national team right now, and it’s unclear if or when he’ll get an opportunity to earn his way back in.
Tyler Adams brings leadership and tenacity to the U.S. midfieldVincent Carchietta / Imagn Images
Central midfielders
Locks: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie
Confident: Tanner Tessmann
In consideration: Sebastian Berhalter, Johnny Cardoso, Aidan Morris, Yunus Musah, Cristian Roldan
TENORIO: Adams and McKennie have been two of the program’s most important players over the past six years, and we expect that to continue next year into the World Cup. The battle behind them has been interesting. Tessmann had a bumpy March window, but has performed well at Lyon and proved his worth in October. Roldan was a late addition in September, but Pochettino has done nothing but praise the Seattle Sounders veteran since he got back into the picture.
What will Pochettino look for in the depth chart at this position? If Musah plays consistently at Atalanta, his upside and versatility outranks others in the pool. But Pochettino left him out completely this fall after Musah skipped the Gold Cup this summer. The door is definitely open for someone like Morris or Berhalter.
BUSHNELL: The wild card is Johnny. To many in the U.S., he’s such an enigma. On paper, a 24-year-old who just went to Atlético Madrid for around $35 million, and almost immediately went into the Atleti starting lineup, should be a lock. But whenever he’s played for the national team, he’s been somewhere between underwhelming and calamitous. He has also struggled with injuries. He’s currently working his way back from an ankle ailment. Unless he makes an impression in November or March, it’s tough to see him getting into the World Cup squad — in part because Tessmann has seemingly rendered him unnecessary.
USMNT’s Christian Pulisic surges down the sideline in a draw vs. EcuadorScott Coleman / Imagn Images
Attacking midfielders/wingers
Locks: Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman, Tim Weah
Confident: Diego Luna
In consideration: Brenden Aaronson, Luca de la Torre, Jack McGlynn, Gio Reyna, Alejandro Zendejas
TENORIO: This is maybe the hardest part of the depth chart to predict beyond the three locks. Pochettino loves what Luna brings to the team in terms of his fight, but at the World Cup he’ll need quality that can change games. Are there clear answers behind this trio and McKennie? While goalkeeper and center back may be higher-profile position battles, the spots on the bench at this position could end up having a bigger impact — and I don’t feel confident at all in predicting what exactly Pochettino is thinking behind the big names.
BUSHNELL: I feel confident predicting that De la Torre and McGlynn won’t be in the 26. But between Luna, Aaronson and Zendejas, it’s tricky — and will probably depend on how Pochettino views them as situational players. For example, Aaronson can be useful as a defensive winger when leading late in a game.
Reyna, meanwhile, is a complete wild card. He’ll need to get multiple months of consistent minutes, and performances, at Borussia Mönchengladbach to have any hope.
USMNT striker Folarin Balogun has looked like the most effective option up topOmar Vega / Getty Images
Strikers
Locks: Folarin Balogun
Confident: (None)
In consideration: Patrick Agyemang, Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, Brian White, Haji Wright
BUSHNELL: Balogun needed only two full games under Pochettino to establish himself as the seemingly unquestioned starter. Then, on Tuesday night, Wright needed only one full game to pose a new question: Might the USMNT suddenly have two decent options up top?
There could even be three if and when Pepi returns to form and full fitness.
At the moment, those are almost certainly Pochettino’s top three. Sargent underwhelmed in March and September and hasn’t scored for the national team in six years. Agyemang is physically useful but technically raw. Others don’t meet the international standard.
If Pochettino opts to take four strikers to the World Cup — something the expansion of rosters to 26 allows for — Agyemang might actually be a better bet for the fourth spot than Sargent, even if Sargent outscores him by a wide margin in the English Championship. For all his limitations, he offers a physical presence that no other striker in the U.S. pool does.
TENORIO: It’s definitely been frustrating that Sargent hasn’t been able to translate his club form over to country, but Balogun’s strong play and Wright’s goals in October at least provide a dose of confidence around this position. We haven’t seen Pepi since November 2024. He’s going to have to get back into form and eventually get back into a U.S. camp in order to secure a spot at the World Cup.
Our 26-man World Cup roster projection (as of Oct. 2025)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Matt Freese, Patrick Schulte, Matt Turner
CENTER BACKS (5): Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman
FULLBACKS/WINGBACKS (4): Max Arfsten, Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Antonee Robinson
Welcome to the latest edition of Inside Real Madrid, our weekly series to follow throughout La Liga’s 2025-26 season.
Every week, we will bring you key information and analysis on the biggest talking points, cutting through the noisy world of all things Madridista with reporting you can trust.
What’s the biggest talking point at Real Madrid right now?
Xabi Alonso’s team are two points clear at the top of La Liga after Sunday night’s 1-0 win at Getafe — secured thanks to another goal from Kylian Mbappe, his 15th from 11 games in all competitions this term.
Second-placed Barcelona are Madrid’s next opponents on the domestic front (Hansi Flick’s team won 2-1 at home to Girona on Saturday), and Juventus also visit the Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Alonso has not repeated a single starting XI so far this season, favouring a policy of rotation that marks a significant break from what senior players such as Vinicius Junior have been used to.
With Jude Bellingham now fully recovered following his shoulder surgery, and each of Rodrygo, Mbappe, Franco Mastantuono and Vinicius Jr all fit for the first time this term, it is unclear who the Basque coach will favour for the big game.
But it can be considered a good sign of the team’s strength in depth that Arda Guler and Vinicius Jr both made a positive impact against Getafe from the bench, with Guler again combining with Mbappe for the Frenchman’s goal.
No official date has been set for that yet, but it is likely to happen in November. Before then, we might see some key developments around Endrick, however…
That piece was informed by several sources close to Endrick, and those same sources told The Athletic’s Mario Cortegana on Sunday night that, despite his lack of playing time, he is still very reluctant to leave.
Endrick and Vinicius Jr on the bench on SundayDiego Souto/Getty Images
Their own view, however, was that Endrick should consider making a loan move in January because Alonso’s selection choices so far did not leave them with much hope of his situation substantially changing. They said clubs were already making concrete moves to sign him on loan.
How important is this next run of games for Alonso?
Madrid sources — speaking anonymously as they did not have permission to comment, like several others The Athletic approached for this article — consider this coming week as crucial for the season and for Alonso’s project at the club.
El Clasico is always important, and not just because of the history of that rivalry, or that matches between Madrid and Barca often tend to settle the league winner. This coming edition is even more crucial given the context of the criticism Alonso’s team faced after losing to Atletico — and to Paris Saint-Germain (4-0) at the Club World Cup.
Alonso and Madrid faced criticism after the Atletico defeatMaria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images
After the defeat by Diego Simeone’s side, a narrative developed that this Madrid team perhaps suffers from a lack of leadership now, especially as they are transitioning away from the days of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and others who helped inspire so much success.
A big performance in their biggest game of the season so far could help respond to this, while giving younger elements of the team the confidence to grow further into their new roles.
How is the squad looking for El Clasico?
Alonso has plenty of tough choices to make selection-wise — one of those good problems to have — but there were a couple of injury scares at Getafe on Sunday night.
Thibaut Courtois took a knock to his right knee, where he underwent arthroscopic surgery a year ago (he also suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in August 2023). However, according to sources at the club and his camp, it does not appear to be serious and he is expected to be fit to play against Juventus on Wednesday.
Similarly, David Alaba started for the second time this season as he continued his path towards becoming a regular again for Madrid, following a recent history of serious injury problems.
Alaba played 153 minutes as a starter for Austria over the international break, but he was substituted at half-time on Sunday with some discomfort in his right calf, a muscle overload. He is expected to undergo tests to assess the extent of the injury.
Alaba during Sunday’s game at GetafeJose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Dani Ceballos is expected to rejoin the squad this week after suffering a bruise to his left hamstring, which caused a hematoma. This complicated his recovery as the bruise was close to his sciatic nerve, and Madrid’s medics are keen to proceed carefully. His case will be assessed day by day, but on Monday, sources were not optimistic he would be back in time to face Juve.
There have been rumours that Dean Huijsen will not be available against Barcelona (he suffered hamstring discomfort during the international break), but various sources close to his recovery process remain optimistic that he can make it back.
There is also optimism surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal, both of whom are in the final stages of recovering from thigh muscle injuries. That said, it remains to be seen whether Alonso will risk playing either in El Clasico, given neither has played a match since September.
Ferland Mendy has a more complicated path to recovery. He is already training with the group but still has work to do before he can return to the starting XI after six months out with injury. Rudiger, meanwhile, is not expected to be back until after the international break in November.
How Man United’s Rashford revitalized career at Barcelona
Sam Marsden Moises Llorens ESPN
Oct 20, 2025, 04:11 AM ET
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has followed Marcus Rashford‘s career closely, dating way back to his emergence as a teenager at Manchester United. When the chance to sign the England forward on loan was put on the table this past summer, Flick’s message to sporting director Deco was a simple one: “I told him we have to do it. Marcus is an outstanding player, exactly what we needed.”The plan was to ease Rashford in slowly, let him settle into life in a new country and slowly learn the mechanisms of what the Barça coach wants from him, but a series of injuries across the attacking positions have instead thrust him into a major role for the Spanish champions.With 11 games played in all competitions, Rashford is one of just four players to have featured in every match — the other three are Pedri, Eric García and Jules Koundé. With three goals and four assists, he leads Barça in goal contributions heading into the team’s biggest week of the season so far.Barça welcome Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, needing a win to bounce back from defeat to Paris Saint-Germain last time out; Rashford will then get his first taste of El Clásico when Barça travel to Real Madrid next Sunday two points adrift of the early LaLiga leaders.ESPN spoke to people connected to Barça’s first team and Rashford ahead of those two huge games about how his move to Catalonia has seemingly, for now at least, reinvigorated his career.
Barça have scouting reports on Rashford dating back years, but sources say the foundations for his loan move from United were laid around a year ago. It was then that talks between the club and the player’s agent, his brother, Dwaine Maynard, first progressed.Those negotiations were regarding a January deal, but with Barça fighting to confirm Dani Olmo‘s registration at the time, finances did not allow for any other additions. Rashford eventually joined Aston Villa on a loan deal after being frozen out by the new United coach Ruben Amorim.Barça’s interest remained, sources add, but by the summer there were other options. Deco was keen to sign Liverpool‘s Luis Díaz, who eventually joined Bayern Munich, while Athletic Club‘s Nico Williams was also a target before he extended his contract in Bilbao.
Sources detail two key reasons behind Barça turning their attention back to Rashford. Firstly, despite commanding a massive salary — even while taking a 15% cut on his sizeable United paycheck — it was the most financially viable option. Secondly, Flick pushed hard for the club to do the deal.
That did not make it easy. And it took many hands to get the signing done. Spanish agents Arturo Canales and Fernando Solanas were drafted in as intermediaries, while a law firm who, curiously, do a lot of work for United’s rivals Manchester City, were also hired to help iron out the final details of the various agreements.
Nicol: Rashford needs to take more responsibility
Steve Nicol and Craig Burley react to Marcus Rashford’s comments about his time at Manchester United.
Rashford had been waiting patiently. Sources say club officials were impressed with how steadfast he was in his desire to play for Barça, alluding to club legend Johan Cruyff’s famous comment: “If you have second thoughts on playing for Barcelona, you are no longer of service to us.”
Those same sources say Rashford was certainly not in that bracket. They acknowledged a move to Barça after his ups and downs at United may represent a move some felt he didn’t deserve, but claimed it would have been less stressful and more financially rewarding for him to pursue other opportunities.They viewed an interview he did with xBuyer, a YouTube channel well-known in Spain but not in English language markets, as a modern day come-and-get-me plea as he spoke about a desire to play for Barça and offered praise for teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.Eventually, with Flick wanting the deal done as early as possible in preseason, Canales and Solanas offering a hand and United accepting a loan deal with a €30 million option to make the move permanent, Rashford became the first Englishman since Gary Lineker to sign for the Barça men’s first team.
Rashford hits the ground running
Rashford is enjoying his first months in Spain. He has taken up residence in an urbanization in the mountains, just north of the seaside town of Castelldefels but technically belonging to Gavà. In 10 minutes, he can be down on the beach, while he has been spotted regularly playing pàdel with friends and even fishing.But it’s 20 minutes up the C-32 motorway where he’s happiest, at Barça’s Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper training base. Sources say teammates were surprised by his humility and timidness at first, given his standing in the game, but he has quickly found his place inside the dressing room.He is learning Spanish, but it is not as essential to a quick acclimatization as it would have been at Barça a decade ago. There are now many English speakers in the squad — including Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen — and Flick and his predomnantly German coaching staff offer instructions in English.
Sources say Rashford, who turns 28 next week and should be in the peak years of his career, has been able to gel with veterans Lewandowski and Wojciech Szczesny at the same time as relating with the pack of young players, led by Yamal, quickly picking up some of the local lingo to avoid being left out of the banter.He told newspaper Diario Sport one of the first words he learned was chuche, meaning sweet or candy. “Soy tu papa, chuche,” — “I’m your daddy, sweetie” — is one of Yamal’s favorite friendly taunts after humiliating teammates on the training ground with Spain and Barça.”Rashford is a spectacular player,” defender Ronald Araújo told ESPN. “He’s happy. We’ve spoken before about that, the confidence, the happiness [players need] and he’s happy here in Barcelona.”The team took to him really quickly when he arrived. You can see that on the pitch. He has quality, skills, he’s quick, so explosive … he gives us a lot. We’re happy he’s here with us.”
Injuries have accelerated the showcasing of those attributes. With Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, Fermín López and Olmo all missing stretches of the campaign so far, Rashford, initially expected to be a backup player, has been Barça’s only ever-present forward in their 11 games this season.
All of ESPN. All in one place.
Primarily playing on the left, where he says he prefers to play, he has also featured through the middle, where some sources speculate his long-term future at the club could be if he wants to stay beyond this year — if not, he may find himself competing with Raphinha for a left-wing berth rather than a 37-year-old Lewandowski who is out of contract next summer.
Sources say Rashford was a little “lost” tactically at first, but that he is a quick learner. He has taken on board what Flick wants from him, benefiting from the coach’s direct and succinct instructions. Flick doesn’t like to confuse players with too much information; he wants Rashford to be direct and run at players. The England international is averaging 5.97 take-ons per 90 minutes this season, but the Barça boss would like to see that increase if possible — it is higher than Raphinha’s 3.61, but a long way short of the 13.22 Yamal averages per 90 on the other flank.
Rashford’s best night came in Newcastle, when he scored two stunning goals in the 2-1 Champions League win, but if there is one complaint it is that he could score more — the only other goal he scored was in this month’s 4-1 defeat to Sevilla.There have been other times when he has come close, denied by good saves or the woodwork, but it is an area where sources say Barça want to see an improvement. He smashed the bar with a free kick in last weekend’s 2-1 win against Girona; it was one of three free kicks he took in the Catalan derby and sources pointed out the significance in him being handed the responsibility of taking set plays so soon by the coaching staff and how it has been accepted by his peers.He has also taken more corners than any other Barça player this season — 37, ahead of Raphinha’s 13 in second — with Flick banking on his quality to set up goals. And he has created eight chances from dead-ball situations so far.Marcus Rashford hits the frame
However, Rashford’s quality with the ball is not where the work on the training ground has been centered. Flick called his Newcastle brace the “first step” and said that the next step would see him evolve off the ball.”Our style, how we want to play, is focused on high intensity and this is what I want to see also from him,” he said.Rashford has shown improvements in that sense when compared to last season. Across games with United and Villa in the Premier League, he was averaging 18.9 sprints per game, according to Stats Perform. This season, in the Spanish top flight, per LaLiga Football Intelligence, that figure has increased to 34.9. He is also covering over 630 meters at a speed north of 21km/h per 90 minutes, up from 122 meters in the Premier League last term.However, those numbers are still a long way short of Raphinha, who Flick considers the flagbearer for Barça’s pressing game, which is essential if the team’s high line is to avoid being picked off. This season the Brazilian is averaging 45.3 sprints per 90 and covering over 810 meters at a speed greater than 21km/h. Torres’ numbers are also slightly higher than Rashford’s, while Yamal’s are lower.
It is unfair to read too much into that just yet, though. Barça are struggling to match the pressing energy they had in Flick’s first season. Raphinha’s numbers were much higher — 59.4 sprints per game and 1.1km covered per 90 minutes at over 21km/h — while Torres and Yamal’s numbers are also significantly down.
Sources say the data paints a picture of a Barça team still striving to find its best level. With the change in personnel week after week due to injuries, it has made it hard to completely gauge Rashford’s fit in this side. The signs are promising, though. He looks dangerous with the ball, although he could add more goals, and has improved without it, even if there is still considered to be a long way to go.
“I think it’s been good, it’s been smooth,” Rashford told ESPN. “For sure in the future we will of course improve. I am looking forward to this. My focus is on the pitch, to match well with the team and to improve my individual performance.
“We have to show [intensity] going forward and continue to prove to the coach that we are a team that wants to win and wants to be successful. I want to win as much as possible, hopefully lift trophies with this club and add to the history that they already have.”
What’s next for Rashford? Could he stay beyond this summer?
Rashford’s Barça future will not be decided against Olympiacos or even against Madrid. It will be decided over the course of the season. It will be decided by how much he can offer in the spring when Barça hope to be competing for every major trophy. This past season, they won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercopa, falling only in the Champions League semifinal. There is only one way they can go better this time round.
From there, a decision will be made on Rashford. But, as is the case at Barça in most situations, it will not be straightforward. Firstly, because there will be a presidential election next year. Current president Joan Laporta is expected to run again and is the early favorite to remain in charge. However, he will face competition, and candidates often run on promises of big signings; Laporta himself might even make claims of new arrivals next summer.
If wannabe presidents are pledging to spend €100 million on Player X, where would that leave the €30 million needed to land Rashford given Barça’s delicate relationship with LaLiga’s financial fair play rules?
Some sources inside the club, though, are already sold on the fee, classifying €30 million needed to sign Rashford as a “no-brainer.” The reality is it will depend on performances, finances, elections and many other factors, such as what other options come up and who the coach and sporting director are — nothing is guaranteed in soccer. The only thing for certain is that if Barça don’t end up signing him, they will not have to pay United any fine, as Chelsea did with Jadon Sancho.
“There’s no penalty clause in the loan agreement if we don’t sign him,” Deco confirmed earlier this year. “We do have an option to make it permanent if we want to. It’s too early to talk about decisions for next season; what matters is that we’re happy with him.”
PSG and Chelsea Advance to the World Club Cup Final Sun 3 pm on TNT, Univision
So I have to admit I have enjoyed the WCC much more than I thought I would. The games have been surprisingly competitive with the South American and African teams surprising everyone -but in the end its Champions League Winner PSG who has dominated and will face another European team in Chelsea. I was fortunate to get a chance to attend the Bayern Munich vs PSG game in Atlanta last weekend – man what a fun game and great experience with nearly 70K in Mercedez Benz Stadium. Sad the injury happened however – PSG’s GK injured Bayern’s Jamal Musiala was hurt on this play- Did PSG’s Gigi Foul here? Check out some of these Great Saves of the Club World Cup (more below in the GK section).
Women’s Euro’s Continue on Fox The Women’s Euros have been enjoyable to watch during this summer of soccer – and honestly Fox has done a good job with some serious coverage. Who doesn’t love a good women’s soccer game at 12 and 3 pm everyday.
Indy 11 host Star Wars Night – Sat 7 pm
In a commanding performance at home, Indy Eleven powered past Monterey Bay FC with a 3-0 victory, backed by a strong attacking display and a clean sheet from goalkeeper Hunter Sulte. Goals from Aodhan Quinn, Jack Blake, and Romario Williams sealed the win, as the Boys in Blue continue their climb up the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings. The win lifts Indy Eleven to seventh in the East with 17 points through 14 matches. The Indy Eleven “Summer of Soccer presented by Indy Roof & Restoration” concludes with “Star Wars Night” on Saturday, July 12 at 7:00 pm vs. Rhode Island FC at Carroll Stadium in a rematch of the 2024 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster. Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com.
US Loses to Mexico 2-1 So I picked 3-1 Mexico – but little did I know El Tri would absolutely dominate the game – the likes of which we haven’t seen in years. The US got off to a great start behind this spectacular header from CB Chris Richard in the 4th minute. From that point though it was all Mexico. In possession, shots, tackles, hell everything. The US looked like they had no idea what was going on as the Mexican’s sent shot after shot into the box. US vs Mexico Hi-lights Tim Ream (showing his age) was slaughtered on Mexico’s first goal as Jimenez beat him to the spot and shot corner as US GK Matt Freeze had no chance. The US weathered the storm but rarely had possession or attack as the players who looked so good against the SHIT of Concacaf wilted while playing the only other decent team in our region. A second half goal finally came in 77th minute as Mexico used a questionable offside not called to take the lead when Tim Ream was once again beat. The 2-1 loss could have been much worse of course as a 90% Mexican Crowd and the largest ever Gold Cup audience watch on Fox. What they saw unfortunately was Botchettino continuing to show he has NO CLUE how to manage a National Team. Yes it was our B- squad but they looked outclasses and clueless from the kickoff. Sure the fought hard – but lets be real – until Botchettino is now tied for the worse ever start to US national team stint ever. His wins only against the patsies of Concacaf. When facing teams ranked 50 or lower he is 0-5 now.
The question now is what’s next? I think some players stood out as Chris Richards showed he is the man on the back line now. I have said this repeatedly but Tim Ream needs to be on the team – his leadership and knowledge is unquestioned – but if he starts in the World we are screwed. Someone must be found to team with him. Both outside backs sucked in my mind but we’ll see. Adams was a NO SHOW this entire tourney – thankfully De La Tore and even Sebastian Berhalter had standout tourneys. Neither should surpass Musah however. Sad to see Johnny Cardosa have such a bad tourney – absolute stupidity by Botch not to rebuild his confidence by playing him against the minows of CONCACAF.
The frontline had its moments as Adebayand shows promise and did ok – he just can’t hold up or score – sounds like all the 9s for the US. Still a move to the English Championship could help keep him in the mix as a 3rd forward. Of course Luna and Mark Tillman booked their tickets with this tourney as they were our best players along with Richards. Doubt Luna will get much time vs real compeition – but I like his spunkyness and heart. Same for Berhalter. Of course Matt Freeze had the shootout heroics – but otherwise he looked mighty shaky – and should replace an in form Matt Turner or Ethan Horvath. Of course Poch is clueless so who knows how this works out.
I can say honestly I am done with Poch – first he didn’t invite the right players – no CCV, No Trusty or German dude no the back line. The guys he did bring he didn’t play? Downs, McKensie, 10, — hell why bring them if you aren;t going to give them a chance in the game? Seriously WTH? I honestly the best thing that could happen for the US is to have Poch grow tired of this little part time gig he’s getting paid 4.5 Million too much to do and go back to Europe. Then BJ Callahan can come in and save the day and perhaps get us to the Quarterfinals of the World Cup on home soil. If not – I don’t see Poch getting us past the first round past the knockout stage and the Gold Cup was just further evidence. Hopefully I am wrong and a full squad will show up to pound Japan in 2 months in Columbus – yes you should make plans now to go!
CARMEL FC & PALMEIRAS CAMP Palmeiras Soccer Camps for players aims to let all participants develop their full technical, tactical and physical potential no matter their skill level. Day by day they will learn to enhance their strengths and will be stimulated to understand their own weaknesses. Players participating will be coached by Palmeiras Professional Coaches and may be invited to join Palmeiras Academy in Brazil for tryout. Register now! Camp dates: July 21-25 Ages: 7-16 Location: Carmel Clay Community Soccer Complex, Home of Carmel FC: Price: $295REGISTER
Pierluigi Collina: Referees’ body cams went “beyond our expectations”
Pierluigi Collina, the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, says that he is very happy with the refereeing innovations introduced at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, including body cameras for referees, advanced semi-automated offside technology and the new eight-second rule aimed at cutting down time-wasting by goalkeepers.
The inaugural edition of the new 32-team tournament was the first FIFA competition to feature body cams and Mr Collina said they have received a positive reception. The trial aimed to explore whether the new camera angle can improve the experience for those watching on television and online by showcasing the referee’s perspective.
“The outcome of using the ref cam here at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 went beyond our expectations. We thought it would have been an interesting experience for TV viewers and we’ve received great comments,” said Mr Collina. “We were asked: ‘Why not in all the matches?’ and even more: ‘Why not in all sports?’“
He added that, while it provided enjoyment for the public, it was also “very, very positive” for FIFA’s own purposes. “We had the possibility to see what the referee sees on the field of play. And this was not only for entertainment purposes, but also for coaching the referees (and) to explain why something was not seen on the field of play,” he said.
One example was the group stage match between Atlético de Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, where the referee did not see a handball incident by an Atlético defender because a player blocked his line of vision. “From this ref cam, (it) was absolutely clear that the referee could not have seen that incident live on the pitch,” Mr Collina said. The video assistant referee (VAR) alerted the referee who awarded a penalty to Paris Saint-Germain after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor.
The tournament also saw the introduction of an amendment to Law 12.2a, passed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at its 139th Annual General Meeting on 1 March 2025. Under the new rule, a corner kick is awarded to the attacking team if a goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds, with the referee using a visual five-second countdown. Previously, the referee would award an indirect free kick if the goalkeeper kept the ball for more than six seconds.
“It was very successful; the tempo of the match was improved. We had no time lost by goalkeepers keeping the ball between their hands for a very long time – as happened quite often in matches before,” said Mr Collina, adding that violations were kept to a minimum with the new law.
“The fact that only two goalkeepers were punished means that they really respected the rule. And by doing that, we achieved the purpose that we wanted, which was not to give corner kicks, but prevent the eight seconds rule from being not respected. The purpose was 100% achieved.”
An advanced version of the semi-automated offside technology helped speed up the decisions for offside situations and Mr Collina said this helped avoid situations where forwards run 30 to 40 metres only for the flag to be raised at the end. “The alert went to the assistant referees well before, when there was a clear offside position. So, it worked very well, we have the goals disallowed, correctly disallowed; we also had correct decisions supported by the semi-automatic offside technology – [we are] very happy, very pleased,” Mr Collina said.
A total of 117 match officials – 35 referees, 58 assistant referees and 24 video match officials – from 41 member associations were appointed to take charge of the 63 matches during the tournament. “It was a great competition. The people attending the matches confirm this, it was well played by players and well refereed by match officials. And all the referees who are here are 100% proud of being part, of having been part of this first time ever,” Mr Collina concluded.
TV GAME SCHEDULE
WE -Women’s Euros
Sat, July 12th
3 pm Fox Sweden vs Germany WE 3 pm FS1 Poland vs Denmark WE 7 pm TV8 Indy 11 vs Rhode Island Star Wars Night 7:45 pm FS1 Inter Miami vs Nashville SC 7:30 pm Apple Cincy vs Columbus Crew MLS 9:30 pm Apple free RSL vs Houston MLS
Sun, July 13th 3 pm Fox Netherland vs France W Euros 3 pm FS1 England vs Wales WE 3 pm TNT?/Univision Chelsea vs PSG WCC Final 7 pm Apple free St Louis vs Portland Timbers MLS Wed =, July 16 3 pm Fox Norway vs Italy QF 7:30 pm Apple Cincy vs Miami MLS 7:30 pm apple Orl vs NYC 10 pm FS1 Seattle Sounders vs Colorado Thurs, July 17 3 pm Fox Sweden vs England QF WE Fri, July 18 3 pm Fox Spain vs Switzerland QF WE Sat, July 19 3 pm Fox France vs Germany QF 7:30 pm Apple/Sirius RBNY vs Miami MLS 7:30 pm Apple NE vs Orlando MLS 9:30 pm Apple RSL vs Cincy 10:30 pm Apple LAFC vs LA Tues, July 22 3 pm Fox TBD vs TBD? Semi’s Weds, July 23 3 pm Fox TBD vs TBD? Semi’s 9 pm MLS All Star Game Sat, July 26 7 pm FS1 Inter Miami vs Cincy Sun, July 27 3 pm Fox TBD vs TBD? Euro Finals
USMNT Friendlies in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
Schedule (Subject to change)
Sept. Japan / S. Korea Oct. Argentina / Ecuador Nov. Egypt / Morocco March Sweden / Ukraine June. Australia / Paraguay
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I am surprised that the US didn’t fall further – we are not a Top 20 team under Pochetino
Club World Cup Final, Baby: Chelsea vs. PSG The Mauricio Pochettino Memorial Derby (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN/TBS)History awaits. PSG are just 90 minutes away from completing one of the most dominant club seasons of all time in which they will have won every single trophy that was available to them. Following on from the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France, the Club World Cup would be a fourth trophy lifted in three months, a 6.6-liter twin-turbo-charged quadruple. Yet it could also be Chelsea who walk away with a startling $136 million in prize money. PSG are a creative machine, undoubtedly the world’s top club side, by some gulf. Just over a month ago, they smashed five goals past Inter to storm to Champions League glory. On Wednesday afternoon, they obliterated Real Madrid, making the European game’s long-reigning monarchs look worse than Grok, and even more deliciously, rendering Kylian Mbappé’s revenge fantasies impotent. The football they play is so mesmerizing, in certain moments, it can dizzy and disorient you to the point that, fleetingly, you can be tricked into believing nation state ownership is a good thing. The talk that surrounds them is not just of victory, but of dynasty.And for Chelsea? Their success in this tournament is a testament to tenacity and the fortune that befell them after losing their second game 3-1 to Flamengo. A defeat which ultimately life-hacked them into the generously weak half of the knockout bracket. It was admittedly magical watching João Pedro, in his first start for Chelsea, blast two stunning strikes against his former side Fluminense, then admit, “I have to stay professional, I play for Chelsea. Chelsea pay me to score goals.” Do they stand a chance? After watching PSG go two up inside 10 minutes against Real Madrid, Enzo Maresca will approach this game in full-on “(chuckles) I’m in danger” mode. His team will be boosted by the return of Moisés Caicedo, but as a typically possession-hungry squad, how will they adapt in the face of PSG’s ferocious press? A Chelsea fan at the Michelob Club asked me to tell him something optimistic ahead of the final. I advised him to watch “Star Wars,” and think of João Pedro living out the role of Luke Skywalker firing his proton torpedo down the thermal exhaust port to blow up the Death Star. Rogstradamus : Le Romp. PSG 4-1. Second half will be a dead rubber in the sweltering heat of New Jersey. Also: The Club World Cup final will be shown live at more than 20 movie theaters across the United States this Sunday. You have not lived until you’ve seen Cole Palmer’s celly at an iPic. Football on the silver screen in America. What a time to be alive.
Farwell Luka Modrić A sad coda to PSG’s semi-final was witnessing Luka Modrić substitute in with the game long over, unable to bend it to his will, in his final ever Real Madrid performance. He departs as the club’s most decorated player, the winner of 28 major trophies and a Ballon d’Or. A midfielder who looks like a medieval witch but who played the game transcendentally. Watching him set traps and arrange the pieces in front of him to suit his will, is as if the secrets of the sport can be found by studying his decision making closely. His move to Milan will be fascinating to witness, as is the prospect of Christian Pulisic learning at his knee. More: Savor Luka. Pure silk in human form.
Americas
>Lionel Messi has made history, becoming the first MLS player to score multiple times in four consecutive matches in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win over New England Revolution (More);watch the record-breaking goal here | See upcoming MLS fixtures (More)
Euros frontrunners advance
Spain is through to the quarterfinals atop Group B. (Aitor Alcalde – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
There are still a few berths left to be decided, but a number of Euro frontrunners have already punched their ticket to the knockout rounds with a group stage game in hand.
After Norway became the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals on Sunday, Spain followed suit in Group B with a dominant win, while Germany and Sweden wrapped up Group C on the second matchday of group play.
Still alive: Runner-up spots in Group A and B will be decided this week, and there’s still all to play for in the hyper-competitive Group D after England possibly saved their 2025 Euro campaign with a 4-0 thumping of The Netherlands on Wednesday.
France, England, and The Netherlands go into Group D’s third matchday on Sunday tied on three points apiece, though the Dutch have possibly the hardest path forward, needing a significant result against Les Bleues to keep their Euro dream alive.
“We bounced back from the previous game and showed we were more than capable [of] showing the world what we can do,” England goalscorer Lauren James told the BBC.
England will face close rival Wales to close out the group stage, after Seattle Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock scored the first major tournament goal in Wales women’s football history on Wednesday against France.
Bottom line: The Euro group stage has presented mostly straightforward results in the early stages, but there is still room for a few more twists before the knockouts.
Lalas ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if Pochettino drops Pulisic in September
Seth Vertelney Pro Soccer Wire I will show up in Columbus and Burn Botchitino’s Face in EFFIGY if this HAPPENS !!
Alexi Lalas said he wouldn’t be surprised if U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino sends a message in September by dropping Christian Pulisic. Pulisic opted out of Gold Cup duty this summer, citing a desire to rest after a grueling season with AC Milan. The 26-year-old claimed in an interview that he requested to play in pre-tournament friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, only to be denied by Pochettino. The Argentine didn’t take kindly to the forward’s claims, attempting to reassert control over his selection process by saying: “I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin.” Without Pulisic and a number of other absent stars, the USMNT reached the Gold Cup final, losing 2-1 to Mexico on Sunday to fall just short of the title.Need a break? The USMNT now has only friendlies on the agenda before kicking off the 2026 World Cup on home soil next summer. The first two post-Gold Cup matches will be friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 6 and Japan on Sept. 9.All eyes will be on Pochettino’s roster selection for the September window, with the coach potentially set to reintegrate some of his missing players from the summer. But Pochettino could also choose to delay that reintegration in order to send a message.”It would not surprise me in the least if he makes an example of multiple players, whether it’s Christian Pulisic or anybody else,” Lalas said on his “State of the Union” podcast.”It would not surprise me in the least if he again lays down the law by the decisions that he makes. And I think he can afford to do that.”
Even if Pochettino drops Pulisic or others in September, the coach would almost certainly look to bring them in if they are available for friendlies in October or November.With the World Cup only months away at that point, it will be imperative for Pochettino to figure out his best combinations on the pitch.”[If players are dropped] you’re just kicking the can down the road in that at some point, you want to have those players together,” Lalas said. “Even if it’s just for a friendly, you want them in camp together. You want to see what they’re going to look like.”You also want whatever time you’re going to get to kind of deal with whatever crap there is, because these are the players — whether you like them or not, it doesn’t really matter. These are the players that you’re going to have.” For that reason, Lalas still felt that Pulisic would get the nod for the USMNT’s two September matches.”I think Pulisic is going to get called in,” the former USMNT defender said. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if Pochettino didn’t do it. If I was the coach at this point, after what happened here, I’d still probably call him.”
What the Gold Cup revealed about the USMNT’s World Cup hopes
Jeff Carlisle
Cesar Hernandez
Jul 10, 2025, 10:00 AM ET
It’s been an eventful summer for the U.S. men’s national team. Things got off to a rocky start, with a squad short of several starters and disappointing friendly defeats to Turkey and Switzerland.
When the matches counted, though, Mauricio Pochettino & Co. rebounded nicely. The USMNT was perfect in the Gold Cup group stage, gutted out knockout-round wins over Costa Rica and Guatemala, before delivering an admirable, gritty performance — considering the youth and inexperience of its squad — in the narrow 2-1 final defeat to Mexico.
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So, as the players embark on some much needed rest and relaxation before the new European club campaign kicks off in barely a month’s time, where does that leave the U.S.? ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle and Cesar Hernandez reflect on the Americans’ Gold Cup run and draw conclusions with one eye on next summer’s FIFA World Cup on home soil.
Is a runner-up finish a successful Gold Cup?
Carlisle: Yes. It certainly helped that expectations were as low as they could be heading into the tournament thanks to the 4-0 friendly loss to Switzerland, when the U.S. didn’t look remotely competitive. But this team, comprised mostly of MLS players, recovered, and went about as far as its talent level could take it.
Were there some close calls? Definitely. Closer than they needed to be, in fact. But they largely mirrored the results we saw in 2021 when a side that was also at less than full strength won the Gold Cup. I also think when you consider how injuries to Haji Wright and Johnny Cardoso cut into Pochettino’s depth, the U.S. did well to go as far as it did. And there’s no shame in losing the final to a Mexico squad that was much closer to full strength.
More than anything, players built up their stock and gained experience. Now the trick is to build on what was accomplished.
Hernandez: Keeping in mind that the national team was heading into the tournament with a four-game losing streak and plenty of off-the-field noise, we can definitely consider a second-place finish a success.
Granted, there were some very narrow victories — including a dramatic penalty shootout in the quarterfinals that almost led to an entirely different conversation about the U.S. team this summer — but credit is due to Pochettino and his alternate roster for maintaining their perseverance up to the final.
Despite the bittersweet end against a stronger Mexico side that outplayed the U.S. in Sunday’s championship match, Pochettino should feel content about the insight gained ahead of next summer’s World Cup. As for his players, the experiences earned for many MLS-based options in the knockout-round matches are invaluable.
Which player best bolstered his claim for a World Cup place?
Hernandez: Either as a starter or a first option off the bench, Diego Luna looks ready to be an important, game-changing player for the USMNT in 2026.
All gas and no brakes, the 21-year-old attacking midfielder played with an intensity that was unmatched by any other member of the roster, and along the way, he earned three goals and two assists in six appearances. Dynamic, hungry for the ball and willing to take necessary risks, the Californian was a genuine joy to watch — especially against Guatemala with his two goals in the first 15 minutes.
But there’s room for improvement. As seen against Mexico, and possibly because of how Pochettino organized the XI, Luna went quiet in the biggest game of his short national team career. Still, if he continues to develop at the pace we’ve seen since last year, he could soon reach another level or two before next summer.
Carlisle:Chris Richards. Entering the tournament, the center-back pairing was up for grabs. Richards — and to a lesser extent Tim Ream — seized it with both hands and showed no sign of letting go. Not only did Richards defend with composure and solidity, but he chipped in with a couple of goals as well. Oh, and by the way, he’s become more of a leader on this team. That will be critical when more of the full team convenes in September.
I’d say at this stage, health permitting, Richards has locked up one of the starting spots for the World Cup, which counts as fantastic news for Pochettino. Too much of the team and its construction has been in flux. To have a player make a position his own will help the U.S. manager sleep better at night.
How did Pochettino fare in his first major tournament?
Carlisle: I’d say Pochettino is doing … OK, but OK isn’t what the U.S. Soccer Federation is paying for. They are paying for excellence, and that hasn’t come just yet.
To be clear: Pochettino hasn’t had it easy, what with an abbreviated runway to next year’s World Cup, as well as the fact that he’s been without his top players for long stretches. I think that Pochettino did well with the group he had available at the Gold Cup, but it’s also clear he’s going to need to bring back the more talented players at some point. Talent matters.
Where did it go wrong for the USMNT in the Gold Cup final?
The “Futbol Americas” crew debate what went wrong for the United States in its 2-1 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final.
The problem: I get the sense he’s chafing at some of the cultural issues around the team, namely the lack of competition within the squad and the complacency that’s set in. I think for him, that process has been harder than he expected. However it happens, he’s going to need to get those players on board. That will ultimately determine if his time as U.S. manager is a success or failure.
Hernandez: If we’re giving it a letter grade, let’s say it’s close to a C+.
It’s a passing grade either way, and the summer has been a success, but there is a sense that this is also the bare minimum when you consider Pochettino’s résumé and history. Sure, it was mostly an alternate group at the Gold Cup and he’s been in the job for less than a year, but with the latest squad and previous call-ups, has he elevated the national team to the level that was expected of him when he first arrived?
On the field, there are still questions. The same could also be said off the field with how he’s had to manage the culture of his team. Pochettino seems surprised at the overarching mindset of American soccer — “when we talk about culture, that is culture,” said the Argentine about Guatemala’s players and fans in St. Louis — and it’s fair to say his dealing with an absentChristian Pulisic could have been better.
Could the team move on from some of its high-profile absentees?
Hernandez: Many marquee players are still very much needed. Pochettino and his roster should feel proud of their perseverance and doggedness in the Gold Cup, but the reality is that they were truly missing Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun, Timothy Weah, Sergiño Dest and other absent stars who would have helped get the job done against Mexico.
For most of those names, we also shouldn’t overlook their previous World Cup experience that will be a boost ahead of 2026. This is also a case-by-case situation, though.
Looking further down the list, do they need Giovanni Reyna? Or Yunus Musah? They’ll probably be in the mix next summer, but as of now, we can’t confidently say they’re a vital piece of the puzzle.
Carlisle: Managing isn’t just about putting the best 11 players out on the field. It’s part alchemy as well in that they have to make a cohesive team. By the end of the Gold Cup, it was clear that the group was unified and fighting for each other.
But if the Gold Cup final proved everything, it’s that the U.S. still needs all the talent it can muster, and how Pochettino adds in the presumed first-teamers will determine if he ends up with chemistry or chaos.
A few of those are no-brainers, like Robinson and Dest. Those two alone will do plenty to kick-start the U.S. attack. Balogun is another, assuming he can stay healthy. As for Pulisic, McKennie and the rest, that will bear watching given the sniping that has occurred.
Playing time at club level will be the ultimate decider, which doesn’t bode well for the Reynas of the world. Ultimately, I think most everyone comes back, but when and how remains to be seen.
Did players seem to understand what Pochettino wants from them?
Carlisle: For the most part, they did understand. It makes sense in that this was the closest thing to a club environment that Pochettino and the players will experience together. Pochettino was in his element and the players responded by buying into his methods. This was proved by the way the players pulled for and supported one another, with the way they backed Malik Tillman after his missed penalty against Costa Rica a case in point.
Execution is a different issue. Obviously as the games got more difficult, the execution began to fray a bit. Part of that will come as these players continue to gain more experience.
Pochettino did make some head-scratching decisions, including the deployment of Max Arfsten at fullback when his defensive abilities were lacking. But by tournament’s end, Arfsten’s defense had improved considerably, an example of the team’s willingness to adapt.
Hernandez: That remains up for debate.
The grit and determination was there as they powered their way to the final, but there were a handful of moments during the tournament in which the ideas didn’t seem fully fleshed out or understood. In-game management was occasionally questionable, leading to tactical alterations that seemed to create confusion for some of his players.
To be fair to Pochettino, he was also simply dealing with the hand he was given with the alternate roster. No matter the caliber of the manager in charge, any coach would have had a challenging time trying to find cohesion and build an identity. That unity was eventually built by the final, but it just wasn’t enough against a powerhouse like El Tri.
What lessons can the U.S. take from the Gold Cup?
Hernandez: One key lesson was identifying the individual players who could rise to the occasion in high-pressure moments.
Pochettino talks ’embarrassing’ no-call on apparent Mexico handball
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino talks about a penalty not being issued after Mexico’s Jorge Sánchez’s apparent handball in the box.
Tillman, Luna, Richards, Matt Freese and others took charge when needed on the pitch, all while showcasing another lesson: The value of mental toughness from the summer’s squad.
“It’s the grit, it’s the determination that we’ve been lacking. To be honest, it’s fighting to the end. Every ball, every moment,” said Luna after their semifinal win over Guatemala. “The game’s about moments, and I think this is where we showcase it.”
Looking ahead, one major task for Pochettino will be maintaining that energy once their stars return.
Carlisle: Vibes matter. If the group buys in, and the players fight for each other, then good things can happen. It sounds simple, but if that was true, the U.S. wouldn’t have laid the egg that it did at the Concacaf Nations League in March, when the team looked like it was going through the motions.
The team’s fight used to be foundational. Lately it has waxed and waned — mostly waned. That it was present on a more consistent basis counts as a positive.
Learning how to perform in hostile environments counted as another step forward for this group. Yes, the Mexico result wasn’t what the U.S. wanted, but getting exposed to such situations will stand these players in good stead moving forward.
Tyler Adams asks USMNT fans to paint World Cup stadiums ‘red, white and blue’
Tyler Adams has urged American fans to paint stadiums “red, white and blue” during next year’s FIFA World Cup, in the wake of head coach Mauricio Pochettino voicing frustration at the lack of support the United States men’s national team received at the recent Concacaf Gold Cup.
In a telephone interview with The Athletic on Tuesday, Adams revealed he told teammates to prepare for Sunday’s Gold Cup final against Mexico in Texas as though it would be “the hardest away game they have played in a long time.”Mexico won the tournament by beating Pochettino’s USMNT 2-1 in front of 70,295 fans at Houston’s NRG Stadium. Following the game, Pochettino reiterated his wish for the squad to enjoy stronger support at American venues, urging fans to show their backing “not only through Instagram, social media or behind the TV.”
The Argentinean coach previously said that USMNT followers could learn from the intensity of the Guatemalan supporters who dominated the stadium in St. Louis during the semifinal against the U.S. The Mexican turnout at the final also greatly outnumbered the support for the host nation. It has been a familiar story for games involving the men’s national team, as diasporas of their opponents from within the U.S. often appear to turn out stronger, rendering the challenge more difficult even during home games.
Mexico had passionate support in Houston for its Gold Cup triumph. (Robbie Jay Barratt / AMA / Getty Images)“Without a doubt,” said Adams of whether he would like to see more U.S. supporters in stadiums during next year’s World Cup.The Bournemouth midfielder, who captained USMNT during its run to the round of 16 at the World Cup in 2022, has seen this play out before.“It’s so funny because for a lot of the fairly inexperienced players in our national team, it’s the first thing I said to everyone going into this game against Mexico,” Adams said. “I was saying, ‘Don’t go into this team with a naive mentality of expecting it to be all people cheering for us and excited about the game.’ If anything, we’re going into an atmosphere where we are playing the hardest away game you’ve probably played in a long time.“I wouldn’t say it hurts because it’s what I (have come to) expect when we play in certain areas geographically. At the same time, it’s what makes our country amazing: the diversity our country has to offer. It was a learning experience for a lot of guys, but of course come the World Cup, you’re hoping that you see so much red, white and blue instead of whoever opponent you’re facing.”Adams also revealed that Pochettino was “very emotional” in the locker room after the loss against Mexico. The Americans reached the final following a tournament they entered without several key players, either due to injury, Club World Cup involvement, manager’s decision or choice. Significant absentees included Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Yunus Musah.The situation created openings for more players from teams within MLS, with Matt Freese, Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang among those who received fresh opportunities.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was emotional in the USMNT locker room after the Gold Cup final, according to Tyler Adams. (Omar Vega / Getty Images)
“Mauricio thought we had battled the entire tournament. It’s crazy because he mentioned it was the first time we had been together for 40 days and it was obviously the longest stint that we’ve had together under him. There was growth from every single player, person and backroom staff who represented U.S. Soccer during that tournament. We grew so much closer, and this is the culture we’re trying to build,” Adams said. “He was thankful to everyone for the commitment we’ve given with a fairly new group on a new stage, where everyone is still trying to gain experience and prove their worth. He was extremely proud. Obviously it hurt to come up short. You’re hoping that you walk away with a trophy at the end of it, but it didn’t happen.”
Adams made 25 starts for Bournemouth last season, amid a few injury issues, and conceded that the heat and workload of an end-of-season tournament was the biggest individual challenge of the Gold Cup for him. He came into the Gold Cup with a minor foot injury and subbed out in the 77th minute against Guatemala and the 82nd minute against Mexico.
“From my perspective, it was getting used to playing a tournament after playing a really demanding season,” he added. “It was the most I’ve played in a really, really long time. My body, to be quite frank with you, was just pushing and grinding through the entire thing. It wasn’t like playing the World Cup in Qatar where you’re playing mid-season and you’re feeling fresh and at your best. It’s about how can you really manage yourself and get the best performance out of yourself. After I play another full season, I’m gonna feel a lot better come the World Cup. It was a grind every single day, trying to do your best.
“When you’re playing in Texas multiple times, when you’re playing in some of the hottest places, it’s very demanding. I’m used to playing in good old sunny Bournemouth, where it’s 50 (degrees) every day. So going from that to playing in 100 (degrees) is obviously a huge difference.”
Adams said the summer heat was grueling for Gold Cup teams. (Aric Becker / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Adams spoke to The Athletic after his childhood soccer field in Wappinger, N.Y. took on his name as a tribute to the trail he has blazed in the sport. The Martz Field Recreation Facility is now the Tyler Adams Soccer Pitch as part of Adams’ partnership with Scotts lawn care products to push for youth access to natural turf pitches. Adams, who started as a center forward pretending to be former Arsenal, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry, recalled taking his earliest steps in soccer in Wappinger.
“Soccer was introduced to me from my mom. She played in high school. At 3 years old, I always had a ball at my feet,” he said. “I remember walking down to the park where the field is named after me now, playing soccer with friends in my community, or playing basketball and any sport I could get my hands on. My first memory really was in my grandma’s front yard and at the field.”That little boy has gone on to become a mainstay of the national team when fit and available, even captaining the team in Qatar in 2022. However, since Pochettino became coach, the Argentine has tended to favor defender Tim Ream, who turns 38 in October and now plays for Charlotte FC, for the armband. Pochettino has yet to fully clarify who will captain the USMNT at the World Cup in 2026.“When I’ve been in camp, it has been Tim. Obviously that’s a role that I’ve previously played and am ready to play whenever needed,” Adams said. “I am again assuming he hasn’t made it necessarily clear who it’s going to be, but if I had to guess, then it would probably be Tim.”
Tyler Adams asks USMNT fans to paint World Cup stadiums ‘red, white and blue’
Tyler Adams has urged American fans to paint stadiums “red, white and blue” during next year’s FIFA World Cup, in the wake of head coach Mauricio Pochettino voicing frustration at the lack of support the United States men’s national team received at the recent Concacaf Gold Cup.
In a telephone interview with The Athletic on Tuesday, Adams revealed he told teammates to prepare for Sunday’s Gold Cup final against Mexico in Texas as though it would be “the hardest away game they have played in a long time.”
Mexico won the tournament by beating Pochettino’s USMNT 2-1 in front of 70,295 fans at Houston’s NRG Stadium. Following the game, Pochettino reiterated his wish for the squad to enjoy stronger support at American venues, urging fans to show their backing “not only through Instagram, social media or behind the TV.”
The Argentinean coach previously said that USMNT followers could learn from the intensity of the Guatemalan supporters who dominated the stadium in St. Louis during the semifinal against the U.S. The Mexican turnout at the final also greatly outnumbered the support for the host nation. It has been a familiar story for games involving the men’s national team, as diasporas of their opponents from within the U.S. often appear to turn out stronger, rendering the challenge more difficult even during home games.
Mexico had passionate support in Houston for its Gold Cup triumph. (Robbie Jay Barratt / AMA / Getty Images)
“Without a doubt,” said Adams of whether he would like to see more U.S. supporters in stadiums during next year’s World Cup.
The Bournemouth midfielder, who captained USMNT during its run to the round of 16 at the World Cup in 2022, has seen this play out before.
“It’s so funny because for a lot of the fairly inexperienced players in our national team, it’s the first thing I said to everyone going into this game against Mexico,” Adams said. “I was saying, ‘Don’t go into this team with a naive mentality of expecting it to be all people cheering for us and excited about the game.’ If anything, we’re going into an atmosphere where we are playing the hardest away game you’ve probably played in a long time.
“I wouldn’t say it hurts because it’s what I (have come to) expect when we play in certain areas geographically. At the same time, it’s what makes our country amazing: the diversity our country has to offer. It was a learning experience for a lot of guys, but of course come the World Cup, you’re hoping that you see so much red, white and blue instead of whoever opponent you’re facing.”
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Adams also revealed that Pochettino was “very emotional” in the locker room after the loss against Mexico. The Americans reached the final following a tournament they entered without several key players, either due to injury, Club World Cup involvement, manager’s decision or choice. Significant absentees included Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Yunus Musah.
The situation created openings for more players from teams within MLS, with Matt Freese, Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang among those who received fresh opportunities.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was emotional in the USMNT locker room after the Gold Cup final, according to Tyler Adams. (Omar Vega / Getty Images)
“Mauricio thought we had battled the entire tournament. It’s crazy because he mentioned it was the first time we had been together for 40 days and it was obviously the longest stint that we’ve had together under him. There was growth from every single player, person and backroom staff who represented U.S. Soccer during that tournament. We grew so much closer, and this is the culture we’re trying to build,” Adams said. “He was thankful to everyone for the commitment we’ve given with a fairly new group on a new stage, where everyone is still trying to gain experience and prove their worth. He was extremely proud. Obviously it hurt to come up short. You’re hoping that you walk away with a trophy at the end of it, but it didn’t happen.”
Adams made 25 starts for Bournemouth last season, amid a few injury issues, and conceded that the heat and workload of an end-of-season tournament was the biggest individual challenge of the Gold Cup for him. He came into the Gold Cup with a minor foot injury and subbed out in the 77th minute against Guatemala and the 82nd minute against Mexico.
“From my perspective, it was getting used to playing a tournament after playing a really demanding season,” he added. “It was the most I’ve played in a really, really long time. My body, to be quite frank with you, was just pushing and grinding through the entire thing. It wasn’t like playing the World Cup in Qatar where you’re playing mid-season and you’re feeling fresh and at your best. It’s about how can you really manage yourself and get the best performance out of yourself. After I play another full season, I’m gonna feel a lot better come the World Cup. It was a grind every single day, trying to do your best.
“When you’re playing in Texas multiple times, when you’re playing in some of the hottest places, it’s very demanding. I’m used to playing in good old sunny Bournemouth, where it’s 50 (degrees) every day. So going from that to playing in 100 (degrees) is obviously a huge difference.”
Adams said the summer heat was grueling for Gold Cup teams. (Aric Becker / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Adams spoke to The Athletic after his childhood soccer field in Wappinger, N.Y. took on his name as a tribute to the trail he has blazed in the sport. The Martz Field Recreation Facility is now the Tyler Adams Soccer Pitch as part of Adams’ partnership with Scotts lawn care products to push for youth access to natural turf pitches. Adams, who started as a center forward pretending to be former Arsenal, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry, recalled taking his earliest steps in soccer in Wappinger.
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“Soccer was introduced to me from my mom. She played in high school. At 3 years old, I always had a ball at my feet,” he said. “I remember walking down to the park where the field is named after me now, playing soccer with friends in my community, or playing basketball and any sport I could get my hands on. My first memory really was in my grandma’s front yard and at the field.”
That little boy has gone on to become a mainstay of the national team when fit and available, even captaining the team in Qatar in 2022. However, since Pochettino became coach, the Argentine has tended to favor defender Tim Ream, who turns 38 in October and now plays for Charlotte FC, for the armband. Pochettino has yet to fully clarify who will captain the USMNT at the World Cup in 2026.
“When I’ve been in camp, it has been Tim. Obviously that’s a role that I’ve previously played and am ready to play whenever needed,” Adams said. “I am again assuming he hasn’t made it necessarily clear who it’s going to be, but if I had to guess, then it would probably be Tim.”
How bold tactics and an old-fashioned kick-off routine made Paris Saint-Germain fast starters
Paris Saint-Germain’s kick-offs explain a lot about their approach to starting matches.
They are the only moments of games where Luis Enrique’s side look old-fashioned — the ball is immediately launched by the taker, who kicks for touch, deep into the final third.
Typically, Vitinha is that player, and ironically it’s one of the few ‘passes’ he does not complete all match. Come the resulting throw-in, PSG then squeeze up and press.
Here they are executing the ploy at the beginning of last weekend’s Club World Cup quarter-final win against Bayern Munich.
Teams kicking off like this in prior decades often had an inferiority complex. They did not want the ball in their own half, or to invite opponents onto them early on.
Luis Enrique’s new European champions excel against pressure though, so this is about creating the type of match they like to play. PSG want to press you, they want to dominate territory, they want to wear teams down from minute one, they want a fast start.
Their head coach said earlier in this tournament that they copied the kick-off tactic from fellow French side Lyon. “Teams will figure you out. In football, there’s no magic wand,” Luis Enrique explained. “You’ve got to keep switching things up and evolving.”
And evolve they have done.
A team with a deserved reputation these days for fast starts, PSG were a relatively poor first-half team for the opening 18 months of the Spaniard’s tenure. They did not score in the opening 45 minutes of 13 of his first 19 Champions League games in charge. That spans from matchday one of the 2023-24 group stage — a tournament where PSG went on to reach the semi-finals — up to and including the 4-2 comeback defeat of Manchester City in the league phase in January.
Since that win against City, across a combined 17 Champions League and Club World Cup fixtures, PSG have scored the opening goal inside 20 minutes on nine occasions.
They start fast more often than they don’t.
Ousmane Dembele celebrates putting PSG two up against Real Madrid after just nine minutes (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
PSG turned two cup finals into processions in the space of seven days in May. They hit Reims twice in three minutes to be two goals up in the Coupe de France final before the clock even hit 20 minutes — it was 3-0 by half-time.
Then, in the Champions League showpiece against Italy’s Inter, right-back Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring on 12 minutes and Desire Doue doubled the lead eight minutes later.
“These sorts of games can change drastically after the first goal. I have experienced that,” Luis Enrique had told reporters pre-match on the latter occasion. He was perhaps not expecting a start that good and knew how rarely Inter went behind.
PSG winning that Champions League final — by a record scoreline — after taking control early was fitting, because it continued a trend from the competition’s knockout rounds. They scored with their opening shot of the semi-final’s first leg away to Arsenal, with their first two in the quarter-final decider at Aston Villa and with their third chance of the round of 16 return against Liverpool at Anfield.
They were the 2024-25 Champions League’s best team in the opening half-hour of matches, scoring 13 times and only conceding twice, with six of their goals coming inside 15 minutes.
Luis Enrique’s side have been even more relentless in the Club World Cup.
They cracked Inter Miami open within six minutes of their round of 16 tie kicking off and were 4-0 up by half-time. Against Real Madrid in the semi-finals, PSG ran out 4-0 winners and were three up by 24 minutes, the earliest they have been winning by such a margin since April 2018.
They treat late-phase knockout games just like they would treat any other fixture.
PSG’s first goal kick against Madrid goes short, as they try to get out with a combination down the sides. A one-two between Achraf Hakimi and Joao Neves nearly sticks, only for the right-back to miscontrol the return pass.
Successive, stylish backheel passes by Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe then find Gonzalo Garcia behind the PSG midfield, with only the two centre-backs between him and Donnarumma.
The speed with which PSG recover their shape is exceptional.
Inside four seconds, they have seven outfielders behind the ball, prompting Vinicus Junior to pass wide after striker Garcia lays the ball off to him. Left-winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is doing his defensive duties, tracking Federico Valverde’s overlapping run.
Two smart PSG blocks shut down any promise of a proper Madrid opening.
First, Kvaratskhelia blocks Arda Guler’s cross. Then, when the ball ricochets across to Aurelien Tchouameni, Ousmane Dembele arrives quickly to get in the way of his shot.
At Madrid’s first goal kick, they press man-to-man.
Doue, the right-winger, slides round to help No 9 Dembele harry the centre-backs and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. This means Hakimi has to commit to a full-back-to-full-back press on Fran Garcia.
The risk with that is not having an extra player advantage against Mbappe and Vinicius Jr on halfway, who obviously have plenty of speed and space to exploit.
A reverse angle of Dembele primed to press in the first half of the Champions League final has become popular on social media in recent weeks for how intensely he is staring at Inter ’keeper Yann Sommer.
Through such an ultra-aggressive out-of-possession approach, PSG regain the ball quicker and can spend more time grinding opponents down.
“If you want to spend more time attacking, you have to recover the ball if you lose it,” Neves told The Athletic in April. “In those five to 10 seconds when you lose the ball, you have to give 100, 120 per cent, because it’s the best way to attack again.”
Here, four minutes in against Madrid, is the perfect example.
Dembele has dropped deeper as PSG work a wide triangle. Note the start position of their left-back Nuno Mendes, with this move becoming one full-back setting up another. Doue is the link to unlock Madrid’s defence. He receives Dembele’s forward pass and backheels it between centre-half Antonio Rudiger and left-back Garcia, releasing Hakimi.
Hakimi’s low cutback picks out Mendes on the edge of the six-yard box, but Courtois saves the big chance with his feet.
This is a team stacked with quality ball carriers and transition players who thrive when given time, space and overloads to attack you with. PSG had the most fast break shots (29) and goals (six) in this season’s Champions League, not least because they were in a position to choose when to sit off opponents or press them.
Beware, then, Chelsea and their coach Enzo Marseca. If the cliched expectation is for a cagey final on Sunday, they could be in for an almighty shock.
At the very least, don’t let PSG win the coin toss.
US Men face Guatemala in Semi Finals Wed 7 pm on Fox/Univision
So the US found a way to defeat an average Costa Rica squad 2-2 (4-3) in Minneapolis Sun night at close to 2 million tuned in to the Gold Cup match in primetime Fox broadcast Highlights. The US will face surprise winner Guatemala who took out Canada and American coach Jesse Marsch in PKs. The US MOM (Man of the Match) was goal keeper Matt Freeze who may just be laying claim to the spot as he grows into this tourney. Matching up against legendary GK Keylor Navas (el Pantera) Freeze saved 3 of the 6 PKs (PK Saves) he faced out lasting Navas who only saved 2. The US showed some grit coming back from a 1-0 deficit before scoring 2 then allowing the equalizer with about 20 to go as good ole Coach Pooch again refused to send in subs when it was WAAAAAY past time to send them in. Another questionable coaching job against a horrific team Woo Hoo! Too bad we don’t get Canada in the next round – as that would have given us real competition for the 1st time in this tourney. Oh well — I see us again making it more difficult than it should be – but a 2-1 victory over frankly a worse Guatemala than the pretty bad Costa Rica we just beat. Still we make it much more exciting than it should be. Hopefully Mexico will beat Honduras so we have to beat at least one top 100 team to win this Gold Cup thing.
USMNT GOLD CUP DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals):
USWNT Face Canada Wed 7:30 pm on TNT after 4-0 win over Ireland
Forwards Lynn Biyendolo, Yazmeen Ryan and Alyssa Thompson each added goals in Sunday’s victory. Biyendolo scored the opening goal 11 minutes into the match when she buried a volley into the top corner on a cross from Emma Sears. Ryan scored in the 66th minute to tally her first international goal. Thompson scored the fourth USWNT goal in the 87th minute — seven minutes after entering the match — to get on the scoresheet for the second straight game. The USWNT will finish the international window of friendlies Tuesday against Canada in Washington, D.C. at 7:30 pm on TNT and Max.
World Club Cup Getting Interesting As Quarterfinals Commence
So I have to admit I was not a fan of this tourney and I still don’t think they should be playing this instead of the Confederations Cup that used to take place the year before the World Cup in the host country. But if you haven’t watched – the games have been ok. Really cool to see the South American and some African teams beating up on the European favorites. Now that we are down to the Quarterfinals – these games are really worth watching. The games seem to be on TNT & Unimas/TUDN or Univision – of course I prefer to watch in Spanish – so much more exciting. Either way its worth the watch – see full schedule below.
Women’s European Championships Start Wed on Fox
The Women’s Euro’s take center stage in this Summer of Soccer this week on the Fox stations. Spain & France come in as the favorites but teams like England, Germany and the Netherlands may have something to say about that. In general the games will be on at 12 noon and 3 pm everyday on Fox or FS1 or FS2. Read all about below and see the full game schedule.
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TV GAME SCHEDULE
GC=Gold Cup, WCC = World Club Cup in US WE -Women’s Euros
Wed, July 2 12 noon Fox Iceland vs Finland Women Euros 3 pm Fox Switzerland vs Norway Women Euros 6:30 pm TBS US Women vs Canada 7 pm FS1 Gold Cup Semis USA vs Guatemala 10 PM FS1 Gold Cup Semi Mexico vs Honduras Thurs, Jul 3 12 noon FS1 Belgium vs Italy W Euros 3 pm Fox Spain vs Portugal W Euros Fri, July 4th 12 noon FS1 Denmark vs Sweden WE 3 pm Fox Germany vs Poland WE 3 pm TNT, Unimas Fluminense vs Al Hilal WCC 7:30 pm FS1 Dallas vs Minn MLS 9 pm TNT Chelseas vs Palmeiras WCC 10:30 pm Apple LA Galaxy vs Vancouver MLS Sat, July 5th 12 noon FS1 Wales vs Netherlands W Euros 12 noon TNT PSG vs Bayern Munich WCC 3 pm Fox France vs England WE 4 pm TNT Real Madrid vs Borrusia Dortmund WCC 7 pm FS1 Charlotte vs Orlando MLS 8:30 pm Apple Free Austin City vs LAFC MLS Sun, July 6th 12 noon FS1 Norway vs Finland W Euros 3 pm FS1 Switzerland vs Iceland WE 5 pm Apple free Seattle Sounders vs Columbus Crew MLS Mon, July 7 th 12 noon FS1 Spain vs Belgium W Euros 3 pm Fox Portugal vs Italy WE Tues, July 8th 12 noon FS1 Germany vs Denmark W Euros Wed, July 9 12 noon FS1 England vs Netherland W Euros 3 pm Fox France vs Wales WE 3 pm TBS Fifa WCC Semis 7 pm CBSSN Philly Union vs NYRB MLS
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Rog writes: Holy Crap. What an emotion-soaked experience it was to witness our United States G-League Boys survive and advance after a CONCACAF knife-fight quarter final fought via prison rules against Costa Rica. The 4-3 penalty shootout performance felt like a bullet dodged, yet it was also ultimately so energizing, in a style that was reminiscent of Churchill’s life-truth quote: “Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.”
Clint also added something beautiful and true for all of us as long-suffering U.S. supporters which I really loved when he admitted, “For us as fans, we needed this after Copa America and Nations League. I was in my living room with my kids cheering and giving each other high fives. I want my kids to feel passionate about the U.S. and aspire to play for them one day. You need these types of moments to pass down from generation to generation. Tonight was a moment.”
Three massive, calm, calculated saves by the NYCFC goalkeeper in the 4-3 penalty shoot-out made this a moment in which Matt Freese seriously began to lay claim to the U.S. starting role. Gent came up big, and actually seemed to thrive and enjoy himself in the crucible of a do-or-die roll of the dice against the iconic Keylor Navas. “Penalties are my thing,” he said post-game, like some kind of Harvard Donnarumma. Last night he was able to scream, “How do you like them apples?” at the world. Credit Matt Turner, who cannot be enjoying his ongoing lack of minutes, but is still bringing the joy in any way he can.
Hot Tillman Summer Is Going On and On
GFOP Gil Rutledge wrote me a Raven entitled “TILLMANIA” and I love that term. That is what we are living. Last night, Malik Tillman was the heartbeat of our team. He won a penalty, missed a penalty, but was big enough to raise his game, provide roughly 87% of our forward motion, and keep his nerve when returning to the penalty spot during the shoot-out. The 23-year-old has not only earned his right to take a starting role when the full-strength squad Avenger assembles in the fall window, he will become Poch’s warning sign to the big name starters that they cannot be complacent. This morning Fabrizio Romano announced Malik’s Hot Summer continues: His $40m transfer to Bayer Leverkusen has been agreed. Here We Go.
“Oh, For a Team of 11 Diego Lunas…”
I love Diego Luna so much. I think he represents all that we yearn for from our U.S. team. Last night the 21-year-old from Sunnyvale, Calif. scored his first-ever goal for the USMNT. Again, it was another enormous deflection. Gent specializes in banging the ball home off other people’s body parts.
Alex Freeman’s Penalty Was a Massive Moment by a Cool, Cool Kid
Do not let this moment be written out of the night’s telling. Sebastian Berhalter had just Baggio’d his penalty over the bar into the Minneapolis night sky. Costa Rica felt ascendant. Up stepped the 20-year-old with all the pressure on his shoulders, and he cooly, calmly did this. Extraordinary moment of chill by a young gent with a massive future. Damion Downs’ winner was also maximally clinical. The Germans don’t miss.
GUATEMALA AWAIT IN THE SEMI FINALS!
What a moment for their fans. FIFA’s 106th-ranked nation shocked 10-man Canada on penalties and turned Minneapolis into Guatemala City North on Sunday. La Furia Azul (“The Blue Fury”) held their nerve in the shootout and reached their first Gold Cup semi-final since 1969.
The semi-final in St. Louis on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET on FS1) will be a rollicking experience. It’s been nine years since the USMNT faced Guatemala. Clint Dempsey was amongst the goals as we rolled 4-0. A 17-year-old Christian Pulisic made his debut in that game. With Honduras also clipping Panama, this Gold Cup has been filled with shocks. I long for a Gold Cup that loves itself, and has self-respect. With CONCACAF teams improving all the time, our region is becoming more and more competitive. This tournament could be, should be, so much more than it is. A true jewel lies within.
USMNT Make It to the Gold Cup Semis
Rog writes: Our U.S. men’s national team G-Leaguers keep on keeping on. The Gold Cup is all about survive and advance. It’s also about prison rules, dark arts, and occasional fleeting moments of football. And the United States lived it all in a quarter-final 4-3 penalty shootout win over a weakened but still feisty Costa Rica after a 2-2 draw in which Max Arfsten had a hand in pretty much all the goals. I am not going to lie, it felt so good.
We now plummet towards a semi-final in St. Louis tomorrow night against Guatemala (Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports/FS1). What a moment for their fans. FIFA’s 106th-ranked nation shocked 10-man Canada on penalties (much more on that below) and turned Minneapolis into Guatemala City North on Sunday. La Furia Azul (“The Blue Fury”) held their nerve in the shootout and reached their first Gold Cup semi-final since 1996.
It’s been nine years since the USMNT faced Guatemala. Clint Dempsey was amongst the goals as we rolled 4-0. A 17-year-old Christian Pulisic made his debut in that game. With Honduras also clipping Panama, this Gold Cup has been filled with shocks. I long for a Gold Cup that loves itself, and has self-respect. With CONCACAF teams improving all the time, our region is becoming more and more competitive. This tournament could be, should be, so much more than it is. A true jewel lies within.
Could there be an eighth USA vs. Mexico Gold Cup final on the horizon? Or will we have Guatemala vs. Honduras? The truth is no one knows, but we’ll find out tomorrow night at Energizer Park. Regardless of the outcome, Clint Dempsey will join me on Do It Live! after the final whistle to break down all the action. Come and be with us.
The Deuce with Clint Dempsey – “This Must Be What It’s Like to Be an Everton Fan”USMNT vs Costa Rica Live Reactions with Clint Dempsey | Gold Cup Quarterfinals 6/29 9PM ETClint Dempsey on the reports that Poch recently interviewed for the Brentford manager opening“I hope it’s not a situation of where there’s smoke, there’s fire. You don’t want that a year out from a World Cup. But credit to the boys, they blocked all that out and they got the job done tonight.”Clint Dempsey likes what he saw from Malik Tillman “What I’m more impressed about is how he recovered in the game… Being able to get the assist. And then to step up and take the (shootout) penalty, going to the same side. For me that shows he’s built for these moments, and he’s growing in front of our eyes. He is someone that when I’ve watched him play, I like the style in which he plays, the skill that he shows, but also the character that he has to take on a situation of missing a penalty but bouncing back.”Clint Dempsey gives Matt Freese his flowers “The first one, I feel like he (Freese) went too early. I like that he took his time a little on the other ones. Make ’em beat you. He’s got a big frame… I just think he did a great job of being a dominant presence in there. He guessed right on a lot of occasions, got his hand to a few, but you know, some of those big saves he made, he was the man of the match for sure.”Clint Dempsey breaks down the current USMNT depth chart, based on what he’s seen so far in the Gold Cup“In terms of when we have our full team completely fit, I think Tillman gets into the lineup. I think if Freese keeps performing like he’s doing, I think he goes in there. Freeman has done a good job, but I still think it’s gonna be tough to knock out Dest, and Antonee Robinson… I don’t think anybody’s taking his spot. Chris Richards, he’s for sure the first center-back they put there. If Tim Ream can keep going, then that’s what’s up.But, I think up top. I don’t know, that depends on people’s fitness, and how healthy they are. Like I said, I’m a big Balogun fan from what I saw in Copa America, but Aygemang’s been the guy who’s been scoring goals. He’s just really raw still. I think he needs to do a little bit better job of his holdup play, bringing people in and being a little bit more clinical with his chances, but he’s definitely a handful there.”Clint Dempseyon the USA’s newfound optimism after Sunday night’s performance “We learned who’s got that mettle, to emerge when your back is against the wall… and when you come out of these moments it builds the chemistry as a team. Everyone is going to be fighting more and understanding they are just two games away from Mission Accomplished. You need these types of moments.”Clint Dempsey also added something beautiful and true for all long-suffering U.S. supporters “For us as fans, we needed this after Copa America and Nations League. I was in my living room with my kids cheering and giving each other high fives. I want my kids to feel passionate about the U.S. and aspire to play for them one day. You need these types of moments to pass down from generation to generation. Tonight was a moment.”
Watch the full episode to get all of Clint’s thoughts on the USMNT’s win against Costa Rica, and make sure to follow The Deuce on TikTok and YouTube for even more Texas-infused insight.
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So, How Did Guatemala Get Here Exactly? When La Furia Azul last reached a CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final, “Independence Day” was dominating the box office and Manchester United were one of the best teams in world football. If you’re of a certain vintage, 1996 doesn’t feel like it was 29 years ago, but for Guatemalan football fans, who cling to cult heroes like Juan Carlos Plata and Carlos Ruiz, it’s been an age. Their quarter-final win on penalties against Canada in Minneapolis on Sunday will be forever distilled as one of the greatest moments in their footballing history, not just because of the result, but the manner in which they reached it.Yes, Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg was red-carded just before half time, but at that point, Guatemala were losing 1-0, and the cliché that it’s tough to break down a 10-man side defending a lead exists for a reason. Guatemala are FIFA’s 106th-ranked team, while Canada are 30th, so to have 58% possession and more than double the shots of Jesse Marsch’s squad, no matter the match situation, is a win in itself. To not only run the game in normal and extra time, but to then have the tenacity to prevail in a penalty shootout pressure cooker, even after captain José Pinto missed his attempt, shows that this nation is more than plucky, or even lucky; they are a unit. Penalties aside, Guatemala’s only goalscorer against Canada, with a bruising and battling header any center forward would dream of, was Rubio Rubín, who much to our chagrin doesn’t spend his evenings as a crime-fighting vigilante, despite his excellent name.Men in Blazers@MenInBlazersGUATEMALA EQUALIZE We might be 20 minutes away from penalties 9:40 PM • Jun 29, 2025 110 Likes 7 Retweets 8 RepliesUSMNT OGs may remember him, as he played seven matches for the U.S., debuting as an 18-year-old in 2014 under the stewardship of Jurgen Kilsman; he only switched to Guatemala in 2022, which has been a smart decision, scoring 13 goals in 34 games as the leader of the frontline. Another key player for them is a man that MLS heads will know as D.C. United right back and arguably the nation’s current MVP, Aaron Herrera. The 28-year-old was pivotal in both defense and attack for his country, and at one point kept his team in the game with a goal line-headed clearance in an otherwise open net for Canada. Encouragingly for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, Guatemala have lost against both Jamaica and Panama in their last five games, and in their 21-match history with the U.S., La Furia Azul have only won once. But with a trip to the Gold Cup final on the line, at this point, anything is possible.
Everyone’s favorite bounce-pass enthusiast (and former USMNT manager) Gregg Berhalter was in the crowd on Sunday night to watch his son Sebastian start for the U.S. against Costa Rica. There are varying reports that Mauricio Pochettino either did or didn’t interview for the Brentford manager opening during the Gold Cup, although he recently told a FOX Soccer host, “This club never contacted me. I never talked to them.”
Transfer Rumors
Poch’s new favorite playmaker, Mailk Tillman, is heading back to the Bundesliga as Bayer Leverkusen have made him one of the first key signings of the Erik ten Hag era, potentially to fill the Florian Wirtz-sized hole in the middle of their lineup.
Speaking of midfielders on the move, seems to only be a matter of time until Johnny Cardoso makes the 330-mile trip from Real Betis in Seville to join Atlético Madrid in the Spanish capital. The two clubs are finalizing a deal worth over $35 million.
Despite strong rumors involving a move to Nottingham Forest, Tim Weah appears to be staying at Juventus for the time being, regardless of his questionable food takes (more on that below).
Lucky No. 13 at Craven Cottage? While he’s one of the many American strikers absent from the Gold Cup, Ricardo Pepi, who’s still rehabbing from a January knee injury, is reportedly being targeted by Fulham where he’d follow a dozen other Americans who’ve previously laced ‘em up for the Lilywhites.
USMNT international, former Atlanta United player, and current Chelsea fullback Caleb Wiley is set to rejoin Watford on loan for the full 2025-26 season. The 20-year-old impressed in his half-season in the Championship last year after moving over from a loan spell at Chelsea’s French sister club, Strasbourg.
Mauricio Pochettino hails USMNT Gold Cup penalty shootout triumph as ‘priceless’
Mauricio Pochettino insisted the U.S. men’s national team’s thrilling penalty shootout victory over Costa Rica in the Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals on Sunday would be of “priceless” benefit as he desperately tries to instill confidence and momentum in his team after a miserable recent slump.Pochettino was delighted after the U.S. clinched a semifinal spot against Guatemala by holding its nerve in the shootout following a 2-2 draw at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.Goalkeeper Matt Freese was the hero with a trio of critical stops, but the head coach believes his entire squad will gain confidence from having survived the gauntlet of penalties with its tournament life on the line.“I think it’s important to show control and to translate (it) to the player, relax and the confidence in them,” Pochettino told reporters. “But yes, I’m so happy, so pleased for them to show today great character. I think it’s good for this group of players to have this type of experience. This is like I always I said, this is really important, it’s priceless, because that is the reality when you have a big tournament. It’s important that they start to build the experience together.”The U.S. went behind after 12 minutes through a Francisco Calvo penalty and equalized through Diego Luna before halftime, though Malik Tillman had earlier spurned the chance to pull things level from the spot. Pochettino’s side eventually went ahead through Max Arfsten on 47 minutes, but Costa Rica closed the gap again thanks to Alonso Martinez with 20 minutes left.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese played a key role in the U.S. reaching the last four. (Carlos Gonzalez / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Freese was calm and opportunistic in the shootout, keeping out Juan Vargas, Calvo and Andy Rojas. Tyler Adams, Tillman, Alex Freeman and, to clinch it, Damion Downs, scored for the Americans against veteran Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas. The U.S. will be a huge favorite when it takes on Guatemala in St. Louis on Wednesday, as it bids to book a spot in the July 6 final against either Mexico or Honduras.Heading into the tournament, four straight defeats had cast gloom over the U.S. squad, but after three group stage wins this quarterfinal provided another jolt of optimism. The mood has clearly improved, and while still some disappointment and dissatisfaction lingers at the absence this summer – for various reasons – of key players such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Antonee Robinson, there is a different feel starting to develop.“We are happy with the whole team,” Pochettino added. “I am happy with the starting 11. I am happy with the impact from the bench, but I am so happy with the players on the bench that were there and they didn’t have the possibility to play. They were the first supporter, the first fans, the first people helping the teammate to achieve and to earn what we have. And that is why that make us feel very proud.”Pochettino and his side still have work to do to make the skeptics believe the USMNT is capable of making a deep World Cup run on home soil next summer, but some of the questions are starting to be answered.(Top photo: John Dorton / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
USMNT finds its fight in Gold Cup, readies for semis vs. Guatemala and its familiar faces
ST. LOUIS — The moment came right after Malik Tillman’s 37th-minute penalty caromed off the post in Sunday’s Gold Cup quarterfinal against Costa Rica.Multiple Ticos players got in Tillman’s face to mock him after the miss, and the U.S. players quickly jumped into the fray to defend their No. 10.“The keeper also, he ran 100 meters to be in the fight,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said of Matt Freese, who would become the hero of the night later in the penalty shootout to send the Americans through to the semifinals.The way the team jumped in to defend Tillman, though, is indicative of a group that has grown closer together over the last five weeks. From two friendly losses to Turkey and Switzerland to open the summer through its undefeated run through the first four games of the Gold Cup, this U.S. group — a mix of starters and players trying to fight their way into the World Cup picture — has started to find its identity.“Watching them work for each other in moments, in heated moments … having their guys coming into [Tillman’s] face and watching everybody rush in, it may sound weird, but that’s an enjoyable thing to see,” said veteran U.S. center back Tim Ream. “Because I think it shows that, OK, finally, we’re a group of guys that we’re going to push back. You’re not going to push us around. We’re not going to take that kind of sh** anymore. And we have the personalities in here, and to see them all jelling together has been nice to see.”
Ream chalked it up to a team that is understanding the different personalities within the group, and the chemistry that is forming over a summer together. “When you get a group of personalities together, guys who have maybe more of a chip on their shoulder than others, that’s something that they take with them,” Ream said. “I don’t think it’s necessarily a knock on anybody else. I just think it’s one of those things where you look at who’s on the field in that instance, and Malik is probably one of the quietest guys in our group. And to see that happen to him, it’s like, ‘No, you’re not going to pick on the quietest guy.’ And listen, I’m not one to rush in and I was like, ‘Nah, this isn’t happening.’ And I think it’s just understanding everybody’s personalities and understanding what they will take and what they will give. It’s been nice to see that guys can take some but they’re going to give it back, too.”
Veteran Tim Ream has been a leader for the USMNT throughout the Gold Cup (Photo by Brad Rempel/Imagn Images)
The U.S. went into this summer looking for exactly that: fight, desire and togetherness. It’s the base of what Pochettino believes any team needs in order to be successful. On Tuesday, ahead of the semifinal here against Guatemala, the manager insisted the football is most important to him. But he felt the intangibles must be there in order for everything else to fall into place.hat moment where the team rallied around Tillman showed the group is figuring it out.“For me, that I’m Argentino, we love to fight, that means a lot,” Pochettino said, with a slight chuckle. “Because it means that we are connected, that we care about my teammate. And that needs to be natural, in between them. And that is why they deserve the whole credit. The experienced players, but also the young players that listen to the experienced players. That is the important thing. If not, it’s impossible to grow like a team, be a team. Because we can select 26 players, but for a team to be a team is a different thing. We can have 23 players that play in an individual way, and it’s difficult to have this type of behavior. That is because they care, because they made the effort, not only on the field, but off the field to try to care.”
The U.S. will need more of it against an emotional Guatemala team that is in the Gold Cup semifinal for the first time since 1996.And looking forward, Pochettino will have to find a way to carry that spirit into the fall, when he’ll potentially reintroduce a number of players into the group, including the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Sergiño Dest, Folarin Balogun and Antonee Robinson.Here are a few more key elements leading into the first of two Gold Cup semifinals (Mexico-Honduras takes place in Santa Clara, Calif., later Wednesday night):
Reunion with former USMNT players
The U.S. will face off against two players who have made previous appearances not just with the U.S. youth national teams, but with the senior team, as well.Guatemala forward Rubio Rubin was named U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year in 2012 after standing out for the U.S. under-17 national team. He made his senior debut under Jurgen Klinsmann in 2014, was on the bench for World Cup qualifiers in 2016 and then played in four games in 2018 under interim manager Dave Sarachan.Rubin filed for a FIFA one-time switch in May 2022 and made his Guatemala debut a month later. Rubin has 13 goals in 34 games with Los Chapines, including two goals in this tournament.Right back Aaron Herrera also featured for the U.S. youth teams, including the Olympic qualifying group in 2021, and received one senior cap under former U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter that year. Herrera debuted with Guatemala in June 2023 and has become a leader for the group.
Rubio Rubin celebrates his clutch goal vs. Canada in the Gold Cup quarterfinals (Photo by Matt Krohn/Imagn Images)
In the quarterfinal against Canada, Rubin scored while Herrera had a key header off the line in Guatemala’s upset win.U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams said he was close to Herrera in the under-20 national team.“Obviously a high-level player,” Adams said. “It’s always a little bit strange, obviously, when you play with them in the youth national team and then now they’re playing for Guatemala and you’re playing against them in a Gold Cup, but it will be a really unique experience. We know how strong Guatemala is. There’s a reason that they’re in the semifinal and playing in a semifinal, so we can’t take that for granted.
“And Rubio Rubin, obviously, was a high-level player coming up through the national team, a lot of players looked up to him growing up. He’s done really well for himself. So it’ll be exciting to play against them.”Drone issues?
When the U.S. players came out to train on Tuesday, they noticed an extra drone above the team during the open portion of training. The drone did not remain for the entirety of the training session, but Pochettino was asked about it at the press conference.He didn’t seem concerned.“We were talking [that] if someone wants some clips we can send,” Pochettino said, laughing. “It’s not a problem. We’re not going to hide [anything]. It’s not NASA here. It is the men’s national team. No problem.”
Cardoso being evaluated
Midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who looks to be headed to Atlético Madrid on a $40 million transfer, may not be available for the semifinal.Cardoso participated in someof the U.S. training on Tuesday, but still felt “problems again in his ankle,” Pochettino said.“It’s not a big issue, but it’s uncomfortable,” Pochettino added. “We will see. We have 24 hours to assess and see if he can be available to be selected or not.”The U.S. started Adams, Sebastian Berhalter and Luca de la Torre in midfield in the win over Costa Rica, and with yellow cards wiped clean before the semifinals, per Concacaf regulations, neither Adams nor Berhalter needs to be wary of missing a potential final on Sunday by getting another.
USMNT survives Costa Rica in PKs, avoids Gold Cup upset bug to reach semis
MINNEAPOLIS – Although the U.S. men’s national team blew another second-half lead and was pushed to the brink, it’s through to the semifinals of the Concacaf Gold Cup – thanks largely to the shootout heroics of Matt Freese.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side weathered a strong challenge from Costa Rica, playing the Ticos to a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes before getting past their regional rival in a six-round shootout (4-3) Sunday night at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.Freese, who has started the entire Gold Cup over 2022 World Cup starter Matt Turner, made three saves in the shootout, while Damion Downs converted the decisive spot kick to send the U.S. to a semifinal against Guatemala Wednesday in St. Louis.Unlike Panama Saturday night and Canada earlier in the day on the very same field, the U.S. avoided falling victim to an underdog in a shootout and the ignominy of a quarterfinal defeat. That it comes on the heels of a disappointing Concacaf Nations League final four showing in March also allows the U.S. to escape – or at the very least delay – some difficult questions with the 2026 World Cup on home soil less than a year away.
Damion Downs clinches the USMNT’s win over Costa Rica. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
With a crowd of balanced support for each team, Costa Rica frustrated the USMNT and weathered a couple early challenges before drawing a penalty in the 10th minute. After stopping an initial cross with his inner thigh, Max Arfsten stuck with the ball in proximity as it neared Kenneth Vargas. The winger rotated his body to shield the ball, baiting Arfsten into an ill-advised sliding challenge at the edge of the box. Without any hesitation, referee Walter López Castellanos pointed to the spot.Francisco Calvo, a defender who played for in-market Minnesota United from 2017 to 2019, converted the penalty to give the Ticos a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.Fate seemed to provide the USMNT with a leveler in the 31st minute, as Juan Pablo Vargas clattered Malik Tillman to the ground by taking out his left leg. After play continued for a bit, Castellanos went to the monitor and awarded another penalty four minutes after the infraction.yler Adams went to Tillman, seemingly to check if the attacking midfielder in form felt up to take the ensuing spot kick. Tillman, who is generally more reserved than spotlight-chasing players in his role, strode up and shanked his attempt off the post to his left, perhaps hampered by the foul on his plant leg.Six minutes later, Pochettino’s other creative playmaker made amends. Arfsten played a ball toward the top of the box to Diego Luna, whose shot caromed off of an opponent’s torso to betray a diving Keylor Navas and bring things level in the 43rd minute. It was a just equalizer given the balance of play throughout the first half, as the U.S. had outshot Costa Rica 9-3 while dominating 71% of possession.
Two minutes after the second half kicked off, Arfsten continued making amends for conceding a penalty. The Columbus Crew defender ran onto a low cross from Tilman and struck it well, placing it beyond Navas’ diving reach and into the net.
From there, however, the U.S. failed to put the game out of reach. Patrick Agyemang got the start at striker and was able to provide good holdup play and off-ball movement, but struggled to threaten Costa Rica’s defense with scoring opportunities. Pochettino kept his starters as the game went beyond the 70th minute, at which point Miguel Herrera had already brought on three reinforcements from the bench.
The USMNT looked tired, playing sloppy passes in transition and struggling to keep up with Costa Rica’s movement going forward. It was hardly a surprise, then, when Alonso Martínez — whose crafty movement in the box came up at training the day before — found room just beyond the six-yard box in the 71st minute to bring his team level again at 2-2.
At long last, Pochettino went to his bench: first bringing on another forward (Downs) in the 78th minute, then ending Arfsten’s roller-coaster of a shift in the 84th minute. Luna exited in the 83rd minute and Agyemang followed around the 90th, removing a couple players who may have factored in the eventual shootout.
USMNT players celebrate their Gold Cup quarterfinal win over Costa Rica. (Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images)
The decisive sequence started off with Martínez bearing down on Freese, his teammate at New York City FC, throwing him off with a wink before placing a cool kick as Freese dove the wrong way.
Adams placed his kick just beyond Navas to level things, before Freese stuffed Vargas to create an opening for the USMNT. Tillman made up for his earlier miss, converting a shot just inches away from where his first attempt hit the post to give the U.S. a 2-1 edge.
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Still, Costa Rica wouldn’t go away quietly. Santiago van der Putten, brought on in the 88th minute, converted his attempt before setting the ball down for Sebastian Berhalter. With his father and former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter watching on, the midfielder skied his attempt over the bar, giving Costa Rica a lifeline after three rounds of kicks.
Another fresh face, Alex Freeman, stepped up after Costa Rica converted its fourth attempt. The Orlando City defender took a composed run-up before placing an attempt in the upper corner above a diving Navas, keeping the sequence level at 3-3 entering the fifth round.
Next was Calvo for his second attempt of the day. This time, the defender sent his shot directly at Freese’s head, with the goalkeeper holding his ground and confidently punching the ball to his left. Left back John Tolkin stepped up and hit his shot toward the post, but Navas had one last heroic dive in him to parry the attempt away and force a sixth round.
Andy Rojas, a winger for New York Red Bulls II, stepped up and saw Freese make his third save of the shootout with another diving stop. Finally, Downs put the game to bed with a well-taken hit, sending the U.S. through, and giving Freese a strong case to stay in contention to start in goal moving forward, pulling a page from last fall’s shootout win over favored FC Cincinnati in the MLS Cup playoffs.
The Gold Cup is now down to its final four, which will take place Wednesday with the U.S. playing Guatemala at 7 p.m. ET at Energizer Park in St. Louis and Mexico facing Honduras at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., at 10 p.m. ET. The winners will advance to next Sunday’s final at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
TOP TALKING POINTS
Midday Kick-Off Concerns
Football players’ union FIFPro has urged Fifa to abandon plans for midday and afternoon kick-offs at next summer’s World Cup to avoid the heat. Six of the 16 World Cup host cities next year in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are judged by FIFPro as “extremely high risk” for heat-stress injury to players.
Experts independent from FIFPro have also argued that if conditions are similar to those of the Club World Cup, then the “best and safest” solution would be to hold kick-off exclusively in the morning. Kick-off times will be announced in December’s draw, but insiders expect matches in the Eastern Time Zone to start at 12:00, 15:00, 18:00, and 21:00 local time, taking into account European audiences as well as broadcaster, advertiser, and sponsor interests.
Additionally, FIFPro’s medical director told reporters that one proposal being trailed is the extension of half-time breaks, from 15 to 20 minutes. He also suggested shorter but more frequent in-game cooling breaks, as the two three-minute breaks used at the Club World Cup were seen as less effective.
The CWC’s Other Big Weekend Results
PSG 4-0 Inter Miami
The Lionel Messi derby didn’t go how the Argentinian GOAT would have envisioned, as he was brutally humanized by experiencing something most mortals have had to go through: encountering an ex who’s thriving without you. This was the first time in his career that he’s played a former club, and although his situationship with PSG wasn’t the long marriage he had at Barcelona, Messi was still haunted by a pivotal figure (and former manager) from that part of his past, Luis Enrique. Currently, his treble-winning side are as close to perfect as is conceivable (just ask Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid), so although Miami shouldn’t feel humiliated by this result, for Messi, it was a bit like bumping into two former flings who have now become best friends. Within five minutes in a busy Mercedes-Benz Stadium, PSG were ahead via a João Neves header from a Vitinha free kick, and their now trademark quick-fire pressing and rapid interchangeable passing, led to a brace for him in the 39th minute. That second goal initiated a pile-on, with PSG’s multi-billion-dollar pack of well-drilled dogs deciding to bury the game before halftime with a Tomás Avilés own goal and another from Achraf Hakimi. Ousmane Dembélé’s first cameo of the tournament was a welcome vision, and although Messi and Miami looked improved in the second half, PSG were already planning for their box office quarter final against Bayern Munich. Just by advancing to the second round, Inter Miami have superseded expectations for an MLS side in the Club World Cup, breaking records that could forge a path for CONCACAF teams in the future, while PSG’s futuristic football makes them a nightmare adversary for every other team in the tournament.
Flamengo 2-4 Bayern Munich
Defenses of the Club World Cup, you have been warned: Harry Kane is alive, alert and seemingly hungrier than ever. After being a passive participant at Bayern’s 10-0 party against Auckland City, he managed to net in their next game against Boca Juniors, but yesterday’s opponents, Brazilian side Flamengo, suffered at the feet of one of the world’s best strikers in clutch form. Prior to this game in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, Flamengo were undefeated in the Club World Cup, beating one of the tournament’s favorites, Chelsea, 3-1 in the group stage. That was before they met Bayern, who have their serious face back on after resting seven players in their 1-0 loss against Benfica, perhaps lulling future opponents into a false sense of security. They were up 2-0 within 10 minutes following an Erick Pulgar own goal from a Joshua Kimmich corner, and an unstoppable left-footed Kane piledriver from outside the box. Flamengo then took the game to the German champions with a net-breaker from Gerson, but that was nullified by Leon Goretzka producing his own wizardry just before half time, curling the ball from outside the box, as the game became a goal of the tournament competition in its own microclimate. In the second half, former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder, Jorginho, put away a penalty with his trademark hop, skip and jump to open the game up again, but Kane was decisive in the 73rd minute, and any tantalizing chance the Brazilian side might have dreamt of was ruthlessly eliminated by the England captain.
Palmeiras 1-0 Botafogo
This was the first match at the Club World Cup between two teams from the same country, and although it’s not Brazil’s most historic rivalry, in recent years there’s been plenty of heat between them due to being the country’s most currently successful clubs. The game was long in Philadelphia’s oppressive heat, requiring extra time to decide its winner, because with so much at stake, the fear of losing loomed larger than the desire to win. Palmeiras No. 10, Paulinho, entered the tension as a substitute, slaloming through an exhausted Botafogo defense in the 100th minute of the match, to simply pass the ball into the bottom corner out of the goalkeeper’s reach. There was a silly wresting match in the twilight of extra time that culminated in Palmeiras defender, Gustavo Gómez, seeing red, but his São Paulo side won the day on the pitch and in the stands and will return to the Linc for Saturday’s quarter final against Chelsea.
See the full list of Club World Cup match results here.
Emma Hayes’ rebuild of USWNT is focused on process, not hype
By the time Emma Hayes walked into Audi Field’s windowless press conference room on this steamy Tuesday afternoon in Washington, D.C., to talk about Wednesday’s friendly against Canada, we already understood her strategy for the U.S. women’s national team pretty clearly.
Rotation? Check. Young players getting their shot? Check. Tactical clarity? Almost there.
Hayes isn’t simply constructing a roster. It’s a system, a culture and a framework designed to restore the U.S. to the top of the women’s game, one deliberate decision at a time.
“My job is to make sure that they compete for when they’re actually ready, and maybe it won’t be all at the same time for all of them,” she told reporters. “My job is to create sustained winning. It’s not my job, it’s what I live for. 2027 World Cup, 2028 Olympics, 2029 Gold Cup, 2031 regardless of how long I’m here, and that’s what my job is.”
Hayes sure takes her job seriously. In just over a year at the helm, she has turned the USWNT into a live laboratory. There are no guarantees. It does not matter where players come from. She’s not afraid to test, tweak, and teach.
The USWNT works out at Audi Field on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Canada in Washington, D.C. (Asli Pelit / The Athletic)
“The exciting thing about coaching is … you have a clear model,” she said. “There’s probably some particular things I don’t want to talk about now, because I want to win the game, but we’ve really leaned into parts of our model in the last two camps and started to see a return on all of that intentional and deliberate practice.”Deliberateness is the key to Hayes’s success. Her coaching philosophy hinges on trust in the process and long-term development over short-term success. Under her reign, the team has proven successful, scoring 15 goals in four games in this last international window. When asked about individual players she is picking and choosing for key positions in the team, Hayes responded confidently. There are no guarantees. Take Sam Coffey. Hayes surprised Coffey with the captain’s armband on Sunday, a move all her players now understand will be the norm.
“She’s an impeccable learner. She’s always wanting to improve her game. It never ends. It’s never enough … and I think her game has gone to a whole new level,” said Hayes. But when listening to Hayes, it is clear that Coffey’s inclusion, like many others she decided to bring on for this camp, isn’t just about form. Every call-up is a lesson, every minute on the pitch a test of tactical understanding in order for Hayes to place them within the big picture strategy for her team. Even against Canada, arguably the USWNT’s toughest rival in the region and for this camp, Hayes is not changing her process for the opponent.
“I only focus on us,” she said with a grin. “And it’s not because it’s Canada or anyone. I only focus on that. Seventeen goal zone entries is exceptional, but still only four goals. Are we taking the right decision when we’re in the right areas? Sometimes. Are we executing at the top level in the right situations?”
Her approach is already reshaping the team’s dynamic.
In Sunday’s friendly against Ireland, Hayes rotated her entire starting XI, something that hadn’t happened with the U.S. in nearly 25 years. That kind of risk-taking only works if the system in place is sound and the players are prepped. Especially in a squad where the competition is brutal, where even star players and veterans like Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan and Lily Yohannes are fighting for a spot in the starting XI. But that’s Hayes’s plan for her team, and she is in it for the long run.
“Our motto is to make every second count in our interactions with them and also maximize the time we can build relationships. Because sometimes it means being with different groups at different times,” she said about her long-term plans. “I pinch myself every day that I’m in this job. This is like the biggest honor to me, maybe even more so than I thought it would be. And so often people say, be careful what you wish for, because dreams don’t necessarily match up with it. They’re right about that. This one’s better.”
(Top photo of USWNT coach Emma Hayes with Rose Lavelle: Jason Mowry / Getty Images)
Will Canada learn from a total Gold Cup failure, or just keep talking a big game?
As Jesse Marsch was questioned on whether Canada’s relentless style of play would work throughout the Gold Cup and what exactly his Plan B was if things went belly up, Canada’s head coach did as he does. He punched back.
“Plan B is a typical question from English people,” Marsch replied to the English media member. “As managers, we have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, all the way up to Plan double Z. So by trying to simplify us as one thing, I think it’s a little bit insulting to me and to the team.”
Marsch meant to inject his team with confidence. Seated beside him, defender Richie Laryea’s prideful smile suggested it worked.
The problem?
As the Gold Cup played out, none of Marsch’s plans worked nearly as well.
Canada crashed unceremoniously out of a second tournament in a row, this time with a humbling and embarrassing Gold Cup quarterfinal defeat to Guatemala on penalties Sunday in Minnesota. Canada has risen to 30th in the world according to FIFA’s rankings, the highest in program history. You need to open a secondary page on FIFA’s rankings site to find Guatemala, all the way down at 106.
Considering the end result – and it following a draw vs. 90th-ranked Curaçao and an unconvincing win over nine-man and 81st-ranked El Salvador – Canada’s Gold Cup was an abject failure. Outside of performances from stars such as Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan and the development of a small handful of young players, it’s a failure that deserves to be worn by the entire organization.
Canada’s Gold Cup run ended in the quarterfinals (Photo by Matt Blewett/Imagn Images)
Last year’s Copa América run suggested Canada under Marsch was going to be different. One year later, it feels an awful lot like more of the same old Canada.
Marsch’s men remain eager to prove they can hang with the world’s best. Instead, outward displays of confidence were followed by poor game management, questionable squad use and repeated errors that would crush any tournament team. Forget the world’s best. Canada struggled to navigate through Concacaf’s middle of the pack. As a result, they raised questions about whether they’re ready to contend at the World Cup.
For all of Marsch’s unyielding public comments, the men’s national team appears to have learned little from John Herdman’s tournament-defining “We’re going to F- Croatia” remark in 2022. It’s more of the same: too much emotion, not enough results. You can’t continue to talk a game as big as the country itself, until the players show they’re ready to follow suit on the pitch.
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Canada might be different under the current regime, but is it truly better off? Not yet. And right now, it’s in danger of losing so much of the goodwill Marsch has built up over that past year. The approach has to be adjusted.“I still felt really strongly that this was a really good group, and it was really important to develop more players with this team and see how far we can push it,” Marsch said.The justifiable expectations of this team are far too high to cite individual player development as a reason for success in a tournament. These are expectations the team has invited.“We want to win the World Cup,” Marsch said earlier in the month.You can downplay results if the performances themselves were admirable. But strip away the veneer of development and growth? Canada hasn’t put up commendable performances in games that truly matter in a year. They were lacking in cunning and experience with its game management against Mexico in the Nations League semifinals in March, going down a goal in the opening minute. Marsch made poor tactical and game-management choices against Guatemala. Individual errors from his players didn’t help matters, either.If Marsch wants to mold this team in his image, which so many coaches do, he has to understand that with relentlessness comes errors. Jacob Shaffelburg’s two yellow cards weren’t tactical in any sort. They were a byproduct of a player not knowing when to hit the gas and when to hit the brakes.
Jacob Shaffelburg is sent off vs. Guatemala, leaving Canada with 10 men for the second half (Photo by Brad Rempel/Imagn Images)
“Moments change matches, and the double yellow right before half obviously then changes the match. So it’s frustrating. I don’t think the first (yellow card) on Shaffelburg is a yellow. I agree with the second one, but not the first one,” Marsch said.Marsch has taken aim at Concacaf and its officials plenty – he was suspended for the first two games of the Gold Cup as a result – and there may be validity to claims that Canada has not been treated historically with the same reverence as the region’s two traditional powers, the U.S. and Mexico. But Concacaf alone cannot be blamed for Canada’s failure to make a final in two tournaments over the course of three months. Accountability has to play a big part, and that comes with an honest look in the mirror.How Canada’s players and coaches wear this failure will define the most important tournament in their lives next summer. Because if Marsch and Canada can’t take a step back and re-evaluate how they approach tournament play, there’s reason to suggest they might suffer an even more disappointing fate on home soil, on the biggest possible stage.One of Marsch’s priorities with this Canada team has been coaxing more braggadocio out of this team. That space, where you can only walk with your chest puffed out to the sky, is one that Marsch occupies. A 6-0 dismantling of Honduras in the opening match made it seem like they’d be able to maintain their strut throughout the Gold Cup. Yet Canada rarely looked convincing through the following three games. Marsch’s tactical plan – no variations either – never took hold.“I told the guys, we win as a team and we lose as a team, and we learn from it and we grow and we get better. And we are fixated on exactly what it’s going to take to be successful next summer,” Marsch said.
It’s the right message to deliver to the younger players in the group. But missing was Marsch’s admission that he, too, has learning to do.
Though he might want otherwise, Marsch has made himself the face of this team. He named Alphonso Davies captain before Copa América, a questionable move considering Davies hadn’t been captain for club or country since he exploded as a player in 2018. Marsch then named David, an even more reticent character, captain for the Gold Cup.
His goal was to transfer the balance of power to his players.
What was missing from the headlines were Canadian results and the admission that learning has to be done. Canada deserves credit for dismantling Ukraine in a friendly, yes. Yet all month, Marsch did nothing to extricate himself from the center of the conversation. He hoped his players would take the ball and run with it. Without results, Marsch’s efforts feel more like bluster than a damaging wind.
It’s back to the drawing board for Canada and Jesse Marsch after a humiliating Gold Cup ouster (Photo Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Come the World Cup, Marsch has to learn the balance between sticking up for his players in public and setting them up to do their own talking on the field.
As much as the greater Canadian public likely appreciate having a coach who can stand for his team, what will truly resonate next year is results. Canadians want to adore their national teams. The proof is in seeing local sports bars explode with joy when Canada’s hockey team toppled the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Canadians will remember that uber-likable head coach Jon Cooper didn’t utter his most famous line of the tournament and after Canada earned the gold medal.
“Canada needed a win,” Cooper said, “and the players bared that on their shoulders.”
Cooper knew enough to let the results do the talking until he could follow suit. The Gold Cup proved Marsch has to approach the World Cup differently from a messaging standpoint. Otherwise, he and the federation could risk losing a nation desperate for its defining soccer moment to a global audience.
On the field, the Gold Cup revealed where Canada needs to be better: the goalkeeping debate is not over and Canada’s center backs didn’t look capable of locking down a must-win game. Canada’s midfield duo didn’t break games wide open late in the tournament and no forward proved beyond a doubt they are ready to start beside David.
Marsch has hard questions with a deadline to answer: June 12, 2026, the date of Canada’s World Cup opener. But the questions Marsch will have to ask of himself will be the most pressing.
His game management, heavy rotation and use of substitutions at key moments in the Gold Cup all fell short. Marsch wants his players to be more crafty and in control during games. He needs to do the same.
Whether using three forwards down a man and up a goal against Guatemala was part of his Plan B, C or D, it missed the mark on what the game demanded. Turning to Daniel Jebbison and Cyle Larin, both of whom have not looked in control of recent performances for Canada, to finish off a game suggests either Marsch was either out of options or didn’t understand what the situation called for. It shouldn’t have been trying to press forward when added defenders or midfielders might have sealed the win. There needs to be more to Marsch’s team that just aggression.
Heavily rotating his team throughout the group stage was a means to better understand his depth. But it also meant very few players settled into their roles come the quarterfinal. In the end, Marsch and his depth were exposed. If that happens again in a year, nearly 10 years of gradual growth in the men’s program will be for nought.
There’s still time for change, even without a tournament between now and the World Cup. The pressure to land high-profile friendly opponents permeates throughout Canada Soccer, and facing Colombia in October fits the bill.
That’s when Plans E, F and G, as it were, should be revealed. What those plans look like will determine whether this Gold Cup was a harbinger for change or the precursor for Canada’s worst failure of all.
Marsch laments Canada’s Gold Cup collapse, cites his reasons and to-do list
MINNEAPOLIS — Throughout the past half decade, Canada’s rise to the upper echelon of teams in Concacaf has been measured more on a “feels like” index. There is, of course, undeniable evidence that it’s among the region’s best teams. Canada qualified for the 2022 World Cup — the nation’s first appearance in the tournament since 1986 — by winning Concacaf’s qualifying gauntlet via a goal difference tiebreaker, notching meaningful wins over Mexico and the United States on home soil. After appointing Jesse Marsch, it beat the U.S. in the third-place match of the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League. However, neither achievement comes with a trophy, and the 2025 Gold Cup was eyed as the obvious (and final) chance to secure hardware before co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.Instead, Canada exits at the quarterfinal stage — not to the USMNT, Mexico or upstart Panama, but to Guatemala, which entered the tournament ranked 84th in the world according to the Elo Ratings and 106th in the FIFA rankings. Canada led at halftime thanks to a Jonathan David penalty kick, but the half ended with winger Jacob Shaffelburg being sent off for drawing a second yellow. Guatemala equalized in the second half, then outlasted Canada in a seven-round penalty shootout to reach its first Gold Cup semifinal since 1996.“This one’s really hard to swallow,” Marsch said after the defeat. “We’ve got to learn how to win the biggest moments, right? We’ve made a lot of progress since I’ve been the national team coach and I really like this group, and I really believe in them, but we have to find a way now to make sure we’re at our best in the toughest games and in the toughest moments. We’re going to figure that out, and I promise you: we will learn from this, and we will move forward.”Marsch felt that his side dictated the majority of proceedings, even after his team went down to 10 men. The underlying numbers, however, show that Guatemala really maximized its opportunity after gaining a numerical advantage. Canada had 55% of possession before halftime, then just 31% after Shaffelburg’s dismissal. Canada also had a clear 1.19-0.2 xG advantage thanks to a greater quantity and quality of chances created, but fully ceded that edge after halftime and was outshot 8-1 (0.04-0.64). After the game, Marsch said he agreed with the second yellow, but didn’t think that the first yellow shown to Shaffelburg was justified.
Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg is red carded vs. Guatemala (Photo by Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images)
The manner of Guatemala’s equalizer also showed a lack of big-game awareness from Marsch’s charges. As the underdog worked upfield in hopes of an equalizer, defender Derek Cornelius went to ground and stayed laying down for five or 10 seconds before getting up and rushing toward his spot. With him unable to establish a footing before a cross came in, Rubio Rubín had no issue weaving in front of Cornelius to power a header past Dayne St. Clair and bring Guatemala level with 20 minutes to go.“I feel bad for the group, because I know how bad they wanted it, but it’s important for us to learn from this,” Marsch said. “I think we lose because we beat ourselves. We can’t do that in important matches, and we certainly can’t do that next summer.”The premature exit also takes two meaningful games off the board, meaning Canada will only play friendlies between now and the World Cup. Marsch said his staff will do its best to figure out how to simulate big-game stakes and situations, but it’s no replacement for a lost tournament semifinal and, performance willing, a final.Marsch doled out ample praise for several younger members of his squad, adding that “we’re missing half of our group,” with key absences including star Alphonso Davies – arguably the region’s best player – midfielder Stephen Eustáquio and center back Moïse Bombito. While the “half” modifier feels a bit exaggerated when comparing this squad to his most common combinations – and it’s dropped after Marsch lauded how much commitment he had from his top players this summer – there were chances for alternatives to make their cases for further involvement. Niko Sigur, Nathan Saliba, Daniel Jebbison and Promise David all stepped into bigger roles in this tournament.
Another rising player, defender Luc de Fougerolles, played all 90 minutes and remained on the field for the shootout. Marsch said his staff had predetermined the first seven kickers, with the young center back identified for the second “extra kick” beyond the usual five. The 19-year-old ultimately hit his attempt off the bar, reopening the door for Guatemala to advance in their place.
“I feel for Luc, who’s a young player who has a big future, and obviously he harbors a lot of responsibility for missing the penalty,” Marsch said. “But I told the guys, we win as a team and we lose as a team, and we learn from it, and we grow and we get better, and we are fixated on exactly what it’s going to take to be successful next summer.”Marsch also clarified that Jonathan David’s late exit wasn’t due to any injury, praising his captain for his performances and leadership as he nears the end of his contract with Lille. After leading the team with three goals in the group stage, Tajon Buchanan also exited after halftime, with Marsch citing that the winger “felt his hamstring” and couldn’t push onwards.nd so, the 2026 World Cup feels all the more imminent in the absence of a deeper tournament run this summer. Guatemala found the narrowest of edges in what Marsch admits was “a crazy game.” It isn’t unusual for Concacaf’s top teams to fall victim to frequent upsets — just ask the USMNT and Mexico — but for a program that’s hungry to fare better than its last-place showing at the 2022 World Cup when the tournament comes, in part, to its neck of the woods, the lessons from this heartbreak and March’s defeat to Mexico in the Nations League semifinal must be learned and implemented immediately.
“I don’t see these guys for a month, a month and a half, or about two months,” Marsch said. “We’ll do some work internally until we get there. We’ll be discussing with the leaders in the team how we move forward, how we manage this.
“But they’re strong men, you know? They’re really committed to this. They’re really motivated to make sure that next summer, that we represent the country in all positive ways. As hard as it is right now to swallow, we’re going to find a way to make sure that we are better forward and that next summer we’re more prepared.”
(Top photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Euro 2025 kicks off in Switzerland
NWSL players Jess Carter (L) and Esme Morgan (C) will represent England at this year’s European Championship. (Harriet Lander – The FA/The FA via Getty Image)
UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 touches down in Switzerland tomorrow, as 16 European nations kick off their campaign for continental dominance.
The tournament opens with four groups of four teams, before the top two finishers in each group advance to the quarterfinal knockout round — with FOX Sports bringing every match to US fans.
Teams to watch: England enters as reigning champions, though their spot in Group D’s “Group of Death” against tough French and Dutch squads plus neighboring Wales will have the Lionesses facing an uphill climb to a repeat title.
Group B’s Spain is a clear frontrunner, with their 2023 World Cup-winning roster mostly intact and a good track record against European competition. However, they’re still reeling from the federation dysfunction and can fall victim to their own style of play.Eight-time champs Germany headline Group C, but as USWNT fans know, Sweden’s stacked roster and cutthroat tournament style could see them surging out of the gate.You likely won’t find the Euros winner in Scandinavia-dominated Group A, but Norway’s talent and experience has them looking like relative underdogs.Get the full Euros breakdown on The Late Sub with Claire Watkins.
Across the pond: Stateside soccer fans will recognize some familiar faces at this year’s Euros, with 18 current NWSL players set to represent their home countries, including three members of England’s squad.
“It’s really great to see that our fans get to support us even whilst we’re not at Gotham,” Gotham FC and England defender Jess Carter told JWS ahead of the NWSL’s midseason break. “They’re invested in us as people.”
Tune in: Euro 2025 kicks off on Wednesday at 12 PM ET, live on FOX Sports.
So the US has made the Knock out round after decent games in the first round. Up next a very winnable game vs a Costa Rica team that has been saved by legendary GK Keylor Navas – La Pantera. Navas made multiple spectacular saves — and if the US can’t find a way to slip one past him – it could be a long night. I think the US will find a way a slip away with a 1-0 win somehow.
USMNT GOLD CUP DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals):
US women beat Ireland 4-0 play Again Sunday in Cincy 3 pm TNT
Rose Lavelle scored a goal and added an assist in her first international minutes in nearly seven months Thursday as the United Statesbeat Ireland 4-0 in Commerce City, Colorado. Lavelle scored in the 53rd minute, calmly redirecting a low cross from forward Ally Sentnor. It was Lavelle’s 25th goal for the United States. Three players made their USWNT debuts Thursday: goalkeeper Claudia Dickey and defenders Lilly Reale and Jordyn Bugg. Dickey and Reale played for the full 90 minutes. Twenty-two players have made their international debuts under Hayes in her 23 games in charge. Ireland and the USWNT will play again Sunday in Cincinnati (Limited Tix Still Available) — Lavelle’s hometown. The USWNT will finish the international window of friendlies Tuesday against Canada in Washington, D.C.
Indy 11 host Indy Racing night vs Bama Legion at 7 pm Sat Night at the MIKE
St. Petersburg, Fla. – Indy Eleven forward Maalique Foster scored an exquisite goal in stoppage time of the first half, but the host Tampa Bay Rowdies rallied with three second-half goals to earn a 3-1 victory on a stormy and humid night. Rev your engines for an exciting evening at Racing Indy Night with Indy Eleven on Saturday, June 28th! This special promotion celebrates the thrilling world of motorsports and honors the racing legacy of the Circle City with an action-packed soccer match against Birmingham Legion FC.
Racing T-shirt: Add-on a $15 Racing Indy Eleven Shirt at checkout. Item must be picked up on matchday.
Discounted Tickets: For the first 500 fans, tickets start at just $12 exclusively via this link!
A little Reffing the Women’s League games at Kuntz with Mr. Riley Cheatum
RIP Mike Sommer
Sad news of Mike Sommer’s passing. Mike was not only a dedicated Carmel Dad’s Club, High School and Middle School referee but also a kind and steady presence within our CDC community. He will be greatly missed by all of us who had the honor of refereeing alongside him. Man Mike is the one who got me started Reffing at CYO, Middle School and High School lower level teams on the outskirts of town before I became fully licensed for HS. I learned a lot from Mike – how important it was to treat the kids with respect and always do that extra bit of explaining the rules with a calm voice He was loved by many across the soccer World!
Fond are the Memories of driving out to Anderson to do games – always driving the back woods roads and ALWAYS stopping on the way home for dinner at some diner or small restaurant out there. Good Times indeed. I am out of town for the ceremonies – but will look forward to gathering July 26th to honor our friend Mike Sommer. Service Details: June 30, 2025 from 4:00PM to 8:00PM at St. Elizabeth Seton (10655 Haverstick Road, Carmel, IN, 46033) A Funeral Mass will be held the following morning. July 1, 2025 at 10:30AM. In addition to the family’s service, Carmel Dads Club will be hosting a Celebration of Life in Mike’s honor. This will be an opportunity for our CDC family to gather, share stories, and reflect on the many ways Mike impacted our lives and the club. A light breakfast will be served. CDC Celebration of Life for Mike Sommer Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025 Time: 9:00AM Location: Conference Room above Badger Field Concession Stand
GOLD CUP QUARTERFINALS
Panama vs. Honduras (Saturday, 7:15 p.m. ET, FS1/Univision)
Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia (Saturday, 10:15 p.m. ET, FS1/Univision)
Canada vs. Guatemala (Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, FS1/Univision)
USA vs. Costa Rica (Sunday, 7 p.m. ET, FOX)
USMNT vs. Costa Rica. Not a Must-Win. But Def, a Must-Not Lose (Sunday, 7 p.m. ET, Fox)
Gold Cup about to get serious. Eight teams enter, four teams leave. It’s quarter-final time in the world’s most prestigious tournament named after ABBA’s greatest hits collection. For our shorthanded U.S. boys it has been the best of times, worst of times. We have won three on the bounce, but it has been against some truly shoddy opponents, and our young hopefuls are yet to demonstrate cutting edge, creativity, or striking options. The knockout rounds will be our moment of truth. A fight-filled Costa Rica await in Minneapolis Sunday night. They are undermined by suspension and injury, including three-goal striker Manfred Ugalde. Despite the presence of talismanic goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who stood on his head in the goalless draw against Mexico, the U.S. should have more than enough to overcome their challenge. Here are the issues as I see them:
Who will step up and make themselves undeniable to seize this gift of an open audition for a World Cup place?
Our play has been so deferential and flaccid. These players have all worked so hard to get here. Pochettino has gifted so many MLS players an opportunity they never dreamed they would have. Won’t somebody step into the crucible with swagger and bellow back at the abyss to show they belong? What is holding them back? This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take fate into their own hands. Fight without fear. This is your moment boys, make us proud.
Is Patrick Agyemang gonna grab the role of third striker on the A-Squad?
Gent is the “Pineapple on Pizza” of strikers. Many have lauded his hold-up play and physical gifts. Others see a raw, uncalibrated project player who has struggled with his coordination at times against even the weakest opponents. I love him, his story, and his attitude. American Beto.
Where’s Johnny?
This was supposed to be Hot Cardoso Summer. The 23-year-old defensive midfielder has thrived in Europe to the extent that Atlético Madrid are reported to have paid $35 million for him. But what is he showing—or not showing—in training that LDLT and Sebastian Berhalter are getting minutes ahead of him?
Losing is not an option here.
Make no mistake—though, this is hard to type: This U.S. team is in a dead wind right now less than a year out from the World Cup. Drop “USMNT” into Google news—coverage of the team, the players, and the storylines is negligible. Fan engagement on social media—even of the diehard core, is a fraction of what it was in 2022. Tough tests—the possibility of Canada in the semis, and Mexico in the finals, please god, lie ahead. This U.S. team has the individual talent to win and reignite the core fan group and create the energy and joy we all cry out for.
Rogstradamus : The U.S. make heavy weather, continuing to lack pace and sharpness in the final third, but find a way to win 1-0. I see a Berhalter goal, huge celebrations on the field, and a Pochettino grimace on the sideline.
Pochettino backs Matt Freese: ‘Move on’
Matt Freese has earned four caps, all in June. (Photo: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
Mauricio Pochettino picked Matt Freese ahead of veteran keeper Matt Turner to start in goal at the Gold Cup, and the U.S. coach does not seem to be ready to make a change.
Not even after Freese’s howler against Haiti.
Freese earned shutouts in wins over Trinidad & Tobago (5-0) and Saudi Arabia (1-0) but committed gifted Haiti its goal in the USA’s 2-1 win.
Haiti tied the match in the 19th minute when he rolled Tim Ream’s backpass straight to Atlanta product Louicous Don Deedson, who scored from short range to Freese’s far post.
Asked after the match for his message to Freese about the mistake, Pochettino responded, “You don’t need to say nothing. That is easy. The best way to trust in a player is not to tell nothing, not to tell, ‘Be careful with this’ or ‘Be careful with that.’ No, move on.” • More:Pochettino on USMNT keepers.
Big Pat repays trust of the one person who matters
Patrick Agyemang and John Tolkin hug after they combined for the winner against Haiti. (Photo: Concacaf/Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) On social media, no member of the USA’s Gold Cup team has taken more stick than Patrick Agyemang. But the Charlotte FC striker has the support of the one person who matters: USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino. And Agyemang repaid him with the winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Haiti that completed a sweep of Group D and moved the USA in the quarterfinals against Costa Rica on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. • More:What Mauricio Pochettino likes about Patrick Agyemang
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: TYLER ADAMS Tyler Adams celebrates with Sebastian Berhalter during the USA’s Gold Cup match with Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Robin Alam/ISI Photos) “He’s hilarious. He makes jokes about his dad all the time. It’s so funny. He’s a great person to have in and around the team. And his quality on the field speaks for itself. His IQ is incredibly high. I don’t know if that’s because his dad’s a coach, but you can just see he thinks through the game in different scenarios.” — The USA’s 2022 World Cup captain, midfielder Tyler Adams, on whether newcomer midfielder Sebastian Berhalter‘s father Gregg having been the previous head coach has created a unique dynamic. WHAT WE’RE READING • FIFA considers options for Iran at 2026 World Cup due to conflict with co-host U.S. By Paul MacInnes (The Guardian) • The USMNT is a mess. That’s the price of the U.S. becoming a ‘soccer country’ By Ryan O’Hanlon (ESPN)
CARMEL FC & PALMEIRAS CAMP Palmeiras Soccer Camps for players aims to let all participants develop their full technical, tactical and physical potential no matter their skill level. Day by day they will learn to enhance their strengths and will be stimulated to understand their own weaknesses. Players participating will be coached by Palmeiras Professional Coaches and may be invited to join Palmeiras Academy in Brazil for tryout. Register now! Camp dates: July 21-25 Ages: 7-16 Location: Carmel Clay Community Soccer Complex, Home of Carmel FC: Price: $295REGISTER
TV GAME SCHEDULE
GC=Gold Cup, WCC = World Club Cup in US WE -Women’s Euros
Sat, June 28th
4 pm DANZ Benefica vs Chelsea WCC 7:15 pm FS1 Panama vs Honduras GC 7:30 pm Apple free Montreal vs NYCFC MLS 10 pm FS1, TUDN Mexico vs Saudi Arabia GC
Sun, June 29th
12 noon TBS? PSG vs Inter Miami (Messi) wCC 12 noon CBSSN England Women vs Jamaica 3 pm TNT, Max, US Women vs Ireland 4 pm TBS Flamengo vs Bayern Munich WCC 4 pm FS1 Canada vs Guatemala GC 6 pm Apple Free Columbus Crew vs Philly Union MSL 7 pm FOX USA vs Costa Rica GC
Mon, June 30th 3 pm TNT? Inter Milan vs Fluminense WCC 9 pm TNT? Man City vs Al Hilal WCC Tues, July 1 3 pm Unimas, TBS Real Madrid vs Juventus (McKinney, Weah) 9 pm TBS/Danz Dortmund (Reyna) vs Monterrey WCC Wed, July 2 12 noon Fox Iceland vs Finland Women Euros 3 pm Fox Switzerland vs Norway Women Euros 7 pm FS1 Gold Cup Semi USA vs Honduras 10 PM FS1 Gold Cup Semi Mexico vs Guatemala Thurs, Jul 3 12 noon FS1 Belgium vs Italy W Euros 3 pm Fox Spain vs Portugal W Euros Fri, July 4th 12 noon FS1 Denmark vs Sweden WE 3 pm Fox Germany vs Poland WE 3 pm TBS Fluminense vs Al Hilal CWC QF 7:30 pm FS1 Dallas vs Minn MLS 9 pm TBS Chelsea vs Palmeiras CWC QF 10:30 pm Apple LA Galaxy vs Vancouver MLS Sat, July 5th 12 noon FS1 Wales vs Netherlands W Euros 12 noon TBS Fifa World Club Cup QF 3 pm Fox France vs England WE 4 pm TBS Fifa WCC QF 7 pm FS1 Charlotte vs Orlando MLS 8:30 pm Apple Free Austin City vs LAFC MLS Sun, July 6th 12 noon FS1 Norway vs Finland W Euros 3 pm FS1 Switzerland vs Iceland WE 5 pm Apple free Seattle Sounders vs Columbus Crew MLS Mon, July 7 th 12 noon FS1 Spain vs Belgium W Euros 3 pm Fox Portugal vs Italy WE Tues, July 8th 12 noon FS1 Germany vs Denmark W Euros Wed, July 9 12 noon FS1 England vs Netherland W Euros 3 pm Fox France vs Wales WE 3 pm TBS Fifa WCC Semis 7 pm CBSSN Philly Union vs NYRB MLS
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ARLINGTON, Texas – The real test begins now.This group of U.S. players came into the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer through the door U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino opened for them. The task was two-fold, as Pochettino himself spelled out a week ago when the Americans opened group play with a dominant win over Trinidad and Tobago.“First of all it is to win because we want to win,” Pochettino said that day in San Jose, Calif. “And at the same time, it is to help the players to perform and to knock the door and [say], ‘We also we can perform for the national team and we can be involved in the next World Cup.’ That is what I expect. We, and the players, really believe that they are having the opportunity. Take the opportunity and show me that maybe, for sure, [you] will fight for a place in the World Cup. That, for me, is the most important thing.”The Americans cruised through the Gold Cup stage. They were expected to. Beating Trinidad, Saudi Arabia and Haiti is not a gauge of success for any U.S. team, even one that is missing 10 regulars. This group still has quality in the roster. It has the presumptive starters at center back in next year’s World Cup, Tim Ream and Chris Richards, as well as the other top contenders for that job: Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman. Tyler Adams captained the U.S. at the World Cup in 2022. Malik Tillman has made a claim to play in attacking midfield. Players like Diego Luna, Luca de la Torre, Alex Freeman and Patrick Agyemang have a legitimate shot to earn a ticket onto the 2026 roster.What they do in the coming days against some of the better rivals in Concacaf will go a long way towards telling us just how much they can help when the full team is together. Let’s not forget that earlier this month the U.S. lost friendlies to Turkey and Switzerland. The 4-0 defeat in the latter was especially telling about how much the quality on the field matters.Suffice it to say, playing against Costa Rica next in the quarterfinals – despite star forward Manfred Ugalde being suspended due to card accumulation – will present a bigger and more indicative challenge, and the possibility of a U.S.-Mexico final is now in play after both topped their respective groups.
The USMNT’s results in the Gold Cup group stage gave Mauricio Pochettino some reason to smile (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images “This was preparation. Now we’ll be playing a final, it’s all or nothing,” Pochettino said. “So we have to be prepared. We will be prepared, no matter the opponent we face. It’s our challenge: we have to compete well, to keep competing well and continue improving. We have a week to prepare for this game, so I have no doubt we’ll get there in the best possible way.”Pochettino has been clear that what he wants is open competition for the team he takes to the World Cup. If the players are going to make an impression, they will need to win some knockout games. It’s not unlike the challenge a similar U.S. group had at the 2021 Gold Cup. Coming off of an emotional 2021 Nations League victory over Mexico, U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter took a ‘B’ squad to the Gold Cup later that summer. Mexico, meanwhile, did not. It sparked debate about what the better plan was. On the one hand, Mexico got an extra month working together. On the other, Berhalter got a chance to look at a wider pool. What the U.S. did in that tournament ended any debate. It beat Haiti, Canada and Martinique in the group stage, advancing with a plus-seven goal differential — the same as this year’s team. Then it beat Jamaica, 1-0, in the quarterfinals and Qatar, 1-0, in the semifinals before meeting Mexico in the championship game. A 1-0 win in extra time helped to secure a second trophy that summer — and it announced the U.S. as being “back” as a top power in Concacaf.Before this camp started, U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner talked about how that Gold Cup win helped him break through as a real option for Berhalter’s U.S. team. A year and a half later, Turner was starting in Qatar.That’s the opportunity for some of these U.S. players as the knockout phase begins. It feels almost like a second life after the friendly losses — especially that Switzerland result.“The steps that we’ve made, I think, are huge coming from not great results with Turkey and Switzerland,” Brenden Aaronson said. “I mean, it’s tough. You get down on yourself and stuff like that. But what I see from this group is just that bounce-back mentality. You come into the tournament, you could let it bother you, you could let negativity bother you. But I think that the biggest thing with this group is we tune everything out. We just get going.”Some players have already seized the opportunity. Tillman, who scored his third goal of the tournament in the win, has certainly made his impression on Pochettino, who praised the midfielder again in the postgame press conference. Others, like Luna and Agyemang, continue to put themselves in conversation for roles with the U.S. team. Agyemang’s game-winning goal – following a series of missed chances across the last couple games – went a long way in his argument for future inclusion. He leads the U.S. in scoring in 2025 with five goals. Now he — and the rest of the group — will get a chance to make an argument for why they can be trusted to perform when the stakes are higher. (Top photo: Omar Vega/Getty Images)
USMNT given battle, holds off Haiti to top Gold Cup group
By Paul Tenorio June 22, 2025 Updated June 23, 2025
ARLINGTON, Texas – For long stretches of Sunday night’s Gold Cup group finale against Haiti, the U.S. men’s national team had the ball but too often didn’t do anything dangerous with it.As the second half played out and with the game still tied, the U.S. started to play a bit more aggressively looking for a winner. After having two goals (correctly) called back, forward Patrick Agyemang finally got on the end of a ball from left back John Tolkin, touched it around Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide and passed it easily into the empty net.Agyemang’s goal lifted the U.S. to a 2-1 win and into the knockout stage as the top finisher in its group.It was also a much-needed goal for Agyemang, who failed to put away his chances earlier in the game. The U.S. won all three of its group games and will now face Group A’s second-place finisher, Costa Rica, which drew Mexico 0-0 later Sunday night. Mexico heads to the other side of the knockout bracket (and will face Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals), meaning a U.S.-Mexico clash can only happen in the final. Regardless, the narrative around this Gold Cup will truly be determined in the knockout stage. Even without many regulars, this selection of U.S. players has something to prove. Getting out of the group at the Gold Cup is a prerequisite. Getting to a final is the bare minimum bar for success. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino made four changes to the starting lineup trying to dig into what depth he has at this Gold Cup without suffering the type of wake-up call result that happened in the first half against Switzerland. In were Tyler Adams, John Tolkin, Quinn Sullivan and Brenden Aaronson. Two of those four had World Cup qualifying experience and were on the 2022 World Cup roster. The other two were being given a window to show their ability to impact a game in this tournament. It was a mixed bag for the U.S. in the first half. Aaronson provided an assist to Malik Tillman to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead in just the 10th minute. It was the third goal of the tournament for Tillman, who has been the breakout player of the Gold Cup so far for the U.S., showing a solid workrate and good attacking production. But this U.S. team shot itself in the foot too often to let Haiti stay in the game. Haiti equalized in the 19th minute when Tim Ream played a back pass to goalkeeper Matt Freese. The NYCFC netminder tried to play a side-footed pass inside his box under pressure, but mishit it, and Don Deedson Louicius easily collected the mistake and deposited it into the back of the net. Freese has been given a chance to win the No. 1 job for the U.S, preferred to Matt Turner for every group game. He had been mostly untested through the group stage, but it was a massive mistake for a player trying to win a job.
USMNT concedes a goal to Haiti in the Gold Cup (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
The U.S. had several other chances to score a goal, but Agyemang continued to struggle to generate or finish chances up top. He was sprung in behind multiple times by teammates but couldn’t find the back of the net, including a 1-on-1 in the 24th minute. It may have been ruled offside, but the Charlotte FC striker nonetheless should have found the back of the net.The U.S. entered knowing it had already qualified for the next round and had first place all but secured, needing just a draw against an opponent that hadn’t beaten the U.S. since 1973. Still, it was important to show consistency and keep getting results, and for long stretches, the U.S. was playing far too predictably — and too safe — in the build-up. It was rare that players looked to break lines with their passes. Often, the pass went safely backwards or out to the wide areas, then got recycled around again. It allowed Haiti to stay compact and make things difficult, and the U.S. failed to generate much of anything through the first 15 minutes of the second half. But players started to look more for vertical passes. In the 64th minute, Agyemang slipped after getting on the end of a ball over the top, but Quinn Sullivan recovered the rebound and shot. It was blocked, and a Haiti defender’s clearance hit Tillman and went into the net. The goal was ruled out because it caromed off Tillman’s arm.Four minutes later, Adams found Tillman on a vertical run and the PSV attacking midfielder scored. But the flag went up for offside.Tillman nearly scored in the 74th minute on a beautiful ball over the top by Adams, bringing the ball down brilliantly, but his chip over Placide went just wide. No matter. One minute later Agyemang scored to lift the U.S. to a third straight win. The big test comes now. Costa Rica is considered a tougher opponent than any the U.S. faced in the group stage. A team with plenty to prove will now have to show it can navigate through the knockout stage at home. The U.S.’s quarterfinal is expected to be played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis next Sunday — though Concacaf has not yet confirmed the pairing of matchups and venues for the round.What You Should Read NextWinning fosters USMNT belief at a time when fans need a team they can trustApathy surrounding the U.S. men is evident, and with a home World Cup less than a year away, restoring support – and results – is paramount
Will USMNT’s star absentees hurt their 2026 World Cup hopes?
Jeff CarlisleCesar Hernandez
Jun 27, 2025, 07:42 AM ET ESPN
There were undoubtedly some close calls in the group stage, but the U.S. men’s national team have so far gotten the job done in the Gold Cup. Winning their group with a perfect three wins from three matches against Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti, head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his title contenders have picked up momentum and avoided a disastrous early exit in the competition.Preparing for Sunday’s quarterfinal against Costa Rica in Minneapolis and still in the race for an eighth title as they’ve managed sweltering temperatures, there’s one scorching hot talking point that has yet to be doused in American soccer circles: Where are the Americans’ best players?For a variety of reasons ranging from injuries, rest and Club World Cup duty, the USMNT are currently without a long list of marquee names, which includes Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic. Because the Gold Cup is played every other year, it’s not out of the ordinary to have alternate squads like the one the U.S. is fielding this summer, but one year out from the FIFA World Cup, it’s fair to ask if this will hurt the ongoing evolution of the national team under Pochettino. Especially considering how infrequently these big names have suited up alongside each other since last year. “You never know six months from now what players are available, who’s hurt, who’s playing at their club … I don’t think that [time] is as important as most people may think. I think that you can put the team together at the end,” Tab Ramos, who has played for the USMNT and coached within the national team structure, said to ESPN. “[But] we’re likely going to go into the World Cup, not really with Pochettino, not really understanding 100 percent what his roster can do because he hasn’t been able to utilize the roster in different situations.”
Dest, Robinson, McKennie, Pulisic and Tyler Adams (who is on the Gold Cup roster), have not all been on the field at the same time since a Concacaf Nations League final win over Mexico in March 2024. Under Pochettino, they’ve also played sparingly, with Pulisic being the sole member of the aforementioned quintet to earn more than 350 minutes under the coach since he was hired last September. Digging deeper, it’s easy to begin to feel worried when you find more examples. Fullbacks Robinson and Dest have not shared the field in the past year, and during the same time frame, midfielders Adams and McKennie have played just 294 minutes together. Will this lack of familiarity harm the team on the world’s biggest stage in one year? Ramos is unsure. “We are obviously giving ourselves less of a chance. There’s no question,” he said. “When you don’t have the team together, you give yourself less of a chance to be successful because you don’t know the reaction as a head coach. You don’t understand the reaction of players and of different combinations at a certain game against a certain opponent. That’s where you’re going to be missing.”The reality is those lessened chances could be the difference between winning or losing a knockout game. Given the USMNT’s record in such matches — just one knockout game victory in its entire World Cup history, spanning 10 tournaments — that is a factor that has to be considered, although Ramos still feels it’s more about the form of the players.”In terms of having the team together, it’s really who’s going to be playing great by May of next year,” he said. “That really matters.” Looking at the summer roster, defender Mark McKenzie didn’t show any signs of worry when asked if there’s enough time to find cohesion before the World Cup.”Chemistry is a relative thing. I think when you come into camp, I think we’re all understanding of a goal we have in mind. Each camp we get into, there’s an opportunity to continue to build on that,” he said to media during the Gold Cup group stage. “That doesn’t matter whether it’s now, whether it’s in a couple months, and each match will have its own challenges.”Hugo Perez, a former USMNT midfielder who coached players such as Pulisic, McKennie and Adams during their youth national team days, also didn’t sound the alarm.”Pochettino knows what the nucleus of players are … it’s good for Pochettino to see if the [Gold Cup] players from the MLS … [are] at that level,” the former El Salvador manager said to ESPN. “You miss [the stars] being here and maybe being with the group, but I don’t see that as a big deal in the end.”When chatting with Perez, it became clear that he was more preoccupied with finding a way to get the best out of the U.S.’s top players through a more varied tactical approach, and not about needing an extended period to jell together.
Herculez Gomez and Cristina Alexander debate the biggest storylines and break down the best highlights that soccer in the Americas has to offer. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only) “I still believe that the U.S. is lacking an identity in a style of play where they’re going to have to mix it [up],” he said. “We know we run, we know we attack by the flanks, but I still think that they can improve on short spaces, maintaining more of the ball and then, boom, explode the big space. I think we need to add that kind of play in order to compete.”I know these players: I coached them when they were 14 and 15. They’re capable of playing that type of soccer, but again, the coach has to make that decision. That’s, for me, more important than having them every time come to FIFA [international] dates.”However, those opportunities have been limited.In the past 12 months, the U.S. has played only nine competitive matches. In that same time frame, South American champions Argentina and European champions Spain each has played 14.With no qualifiers on the schedule for next year’s World Cup given the U.S.’s status as co-hosts, the chance to test and analyze a larger sample size just hasn’t been the same. And in the few high-pressure situations the Americans have played in, things have been bleak: a group stage exit in the 2024 Copa América and a fourth-place finish in the Concacaf Nations League.
“Developing the chemistry on the field is really, I think, the need,” Ramos said. “In order to develop that, you need to have some games where you struggle together and see how you get out of it.”And I think if you look at some of the — I don’t want to say failures because they haven’t been failures, but if you look at the times where we haven’t been as successful with this team because the expectations have been so high, we have not passed a lot of tests in which situations got difficult. That’s a little bit of a concern for me.”Does that concern also extend to some players seeming to prioritize their club careers abroad? When considering the high level of intensity of the European game, is there something to be said about scrutinizing players’ balance of club vs. country?Perez doesn’t believe so. He also doesn’t believe that it halts any sort of on-field chemistry.”These kids are playing in very competitive leagues, and when you play in leagues like the English Premier League, Serie A, in France, you are surrounded in your team by some of the best players in the world,” he said. “Second, when you’re surrounded by those players who are some of the best players in the world in your club, that’s helping you to grow as a player individually.
“When they come here, we have to be honest also. I mean, these kids have played together before … they know each other. I mean, they’re in contact with each other in Europe. I don’t think that’s the issue.”For Ramos, there’s enough time to develop a good team, but with the caveat that there will be a “disadvantage of knowing less” due to not having enough answers from in-game tests. As for Perez, he also believes there’s ample time, especially if there’s a lengthy summer camp next year, but stated that the true test lies in Pochettino’s ability to still get the best of his stars.”[That’s] the most difficult work that a coach has,” Perez said.Even with an alternate roster, things are looking promising for the USMNT at the Gold Cup. Following some wake-up calls and a four-game losing streak ahead of the tournament, they’ve since avoided a nightmare scenario in the group stage and qualified for the knockout rounds.Whether the competition helps answer some questions regarding roster depth, or highlights a need to continue relying on familiar faces, the countdown to the World Cup will truly begin in September with just five FIFA windows between then and next June. That will be the only time Pochettino has to make final adjustments through friendly matches. Is that enough runway to reintegrate the U.S.’s biggest stars? With each passing month, we’ll get a clearer idea of whether the USMNT are in fact ready for 2026. “I think there’s plenty of time before the World Cup, there’s plenty of games,” said Brenden Aaronson, who is part of the Gold Cup squad. “I think the thing that people don’t really understand: Yeah, it’s friendlies that are coming up, but friendlies still, you treat them like they’re international games. They’re going to be really good games and it’s not like something we’re [just] going to walk in there. We want to win these games. “We’re going to treat them like World Cup games.” If Aaronson & Co. are going to be ready for the World Cup in less than 12 months, they’ll have to.
5 questions the USMNT must answer in Gold Cup knockout stage
Ryan O’HanlonJun 26, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
The Gold Cup group stage is over. And with a team of mostly MLS players and fringe starters from elsewhere, the U.S. men’s national team is perfect through three matches. It has scored eight goals and conceded just one. It beat the only team that beat Argentina at the last World Cup. And a bunch of new players are getting a lot of valuable competitive experience ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
So, everyone is happy, right? Right? Yeah, not quite. Thanks to an ongoing feud between the team’s best players, the team’s former players and the team’s coach, the three wins haven’t done much to shift the conversation.Outside of the opening 5-0 drubbing of Trinidad and Tobago, the other two games weren’t leave-no-doubt affairs, either. Against Saudi Arabia, the U.S. only attempted five total shots and won with a set-piece goal from a center back a few minutes after the hour mark. Then, in the final match, they were tied with Haiti all the way up until the 75th minute, when Patrick Agyemang rounded the goalkeeper and put away the game-winner. The ranking of the USMNT’s opponents, in chronological order and according to the World Football Elo ratings: 99th, 66th and 86th.
Based on the quality of the schedule and the state of flux on the A-list roster, we really haven’t learned too much from these matches. But the USMNT’s quarterfinal opponent, Costa Rica, ranks 47th in the Elo ratings, while potential future opponents Panama (32), Canada (29), and Mexico (25) are within the top 35. With 48 teams qualifying for next summer’s tournament, these are all World Cup-quality opponents.
So, what might we learn over the next week? Here are five questions that we should get some answers to between now and the end of the Gold Cup.
Is Matt Freese the starting goalkeeper?
If you asked this question a month ago, approximately 100% of respondents would’ve answered with a “no.” But then Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen pulled out of the Gold Cup because of injuries, and coach Mauricio Pochettino gave Freese his first cap in a pre-tournament friendly against Turkey. Matt Turner then started the final pre-tournament friendly against Switzerland, and we all expected him to keep starting from there once the Gold Cup began. After all, he’d been the starter since before the pandemic. But then Turner conceded four goals to Switzerland in the first half, and Freese has played every minute so far at the Gold Cup. Overall, he has been … fine? Across the four matches, he has faced 11 shots worth 3.16 goals (based on Stats Perform’s post-shot expected goals model), and he has conceded three goals. That’s about as close to average as you can get.
The orange dots are goals, purple are saves, and the larger the dot, the higher the post-shot xG value of the attempt:
Now, he also made an error that led to Haiti’s opening goal, but defender Tim Ream gave him a terrible, bouncing back-pass, and the goal still required a fantastic finish from a really tight angle. I don’t think these four games are enough to really judge Freese in either direction. Just look at those shots: He hasn’t even had to save anything on the left side of the goal yet. His performances haven’t been disqualifying, but they haven’t been job-winning, either. Does Pochettino give Freese a chance to stand up against stiffer competition? Does Turner become the starter now that games are toughening up? If Freese continues to start and plays well over the final however many matches, then I think we have to say that he’s the favorite to start next summer.
Is Johnny Cardoso part of this team?
This was supposed to be a big summer for the 23-year-old defensive midfielder. With Tyler Adams nursing an injury and a bunch of the other midfield options either at the Club World Cup or taking the summer off, Johnny Cardoso figured to be a mainstay in the USMNT midfield for the first time under Pochettino. Oh, and Atletico Madrid wanted to sign him. You know, the club that’s competitive in the UEFA Champions League every season and won LaLiga four short years ago? If you had to bet on these things not panning out for Cardoso, presumably what you would’ve cast doubt on is the Atletico move. Cardoso has been a solid player for Real Betis, but has he really been that good? Plus, reported transfer moves fall apart every day, for any number of reasons. Well, how does this one sound? Atletico Madrid just spent north of €30 million in transfer fees to acquire Cardoso, who at the same time seems to have fallen behind Luca de la Torre and Sebastian Berhalter on the USMNT depth chart.
Carlisle: Skepticism building over Pochettino’s USMNT leadership
On “The Football Reporters” podcast, Jeff Carlisle gauges how USMNT fans are feeling about Mauricio Pochettino’s time in charge of the team. At the Gold Cup so far, Cardoso has played a whopping 11 total minutes. He started the match against Turkey, but his error led directly to the equalizing goal and he was subbed off at halftime. He played the whole game against Switzerland and has barely played at all since the Gold Cup started. Now, he missed the opener against Trinidad and Tobago because of an illness, so maybe that put him behind the eight ball. And maybe Pochettino’s approach to the knockout matches will be different from what he has done through the group stage. We don’t really know. But as of three weeks ago, it seemed like Cardoso was a potential starter at the World Cup. As of right now, it’s unclear whether he’ll even make the roster.
Tim Ream it is, then?
Coming into this summer, it seemed like center back was the one position where the USMNT had most, and possibly all, of its potential World Cup starters on the Gold Cup roster. Crystal Palace‘s Chris Richards would be one half of the pairing, and then we’d actually get new, useful information about who was most likely to be there next to him.
Miles Robinson started the match against Turkey next to Richards, but then Mark McKenzie replaced him at halftime. McKenzie then started against Switzerland, but with Walker Zimmerman by his side, not Richards. If you were going to draw one half-conclusion from the two friendlies, it might’ve been: Tim Ream is no longer in the picture.
Instead, the 37-year-old Ream has played every minute of every match at the Gold Cup so far … and he has been pretty darn important, too.
Although he’s a center back, Ream has added more expected possession value — essentially, how much everything you do on the ball increases or decreases your team’s chances of scoring a goal — than all but three other USMNT players. Some of that is because he has played so many minutes, but a large chunk of it is that he’s still so important to how the team moves the ball up the field.
Ream has played 14 passes into the attacking third that have increased the USMNT’s chances of scoring a goal by at least half a percent; no one else has more than eight. That might seem like a nothing number, but most of what happens on a soccer field doesn’t drastically shift goal probabilities — it’s all about racking up a bunch of tiny moments that eventually add up.
Here are all of Ream’s passes worth at least 0.5% of xPV:
We’ll see how Ream holds up against the stiffer competition, though. He has been a fantastic and underappreciated player for most of his career. But I remain a little skeptical that the USMNT can afford to rely on a 38-year-old center back if it wants to make a serious run next summer.
Can any of these attacking midfielders hang against tougher competition?
Through three matches, the players replacing Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah have been quite good. This is exactly what you would’ve wanted from this situation.Malik Tillman has played every minute of every game and leads the team in goals and possession value added. He has also been a fantastic final-third defender. After the Turkey match, Tillman told me he preferred the freedom he was given in Pochettino’s system, as opposed to the stricter positional guidelines the players were given by former coach Gregg Berhalter, and it has shown so far. Tillman is the MVP of the group stage, and this is the first time we’ve seen him come close to replicating his PSV form with the USMNT.Jack McGlynn already looks like one of the best passers in the entire player pool — and quite possibly the best. For a team that has really struggled to break down low blocks, his creativity could bring something new and important. He has completed 11 passes into the penalty area — no one else has more than six — and leads the team in expected assists.Diego Luna, meanwhile, provides the rare combination of “guy who might actually try to fight a tank with his bare hands” and “guy who never loses the ball.” There’s a place for massive amounts of energy and ball security on most national team rosters.
Does the USMNT deserve more credit at the Gold Cup?
The “Futbol Americas” crew discuss the USMNT’s 2-1 win over Haiti that granted it a place in the Gold Cup knockout stages.But how will this translate against Costa Rica and (potentially) Panama, Canada and Mexico?Tillman is still kind of a strange player: He’s an attacking midfielder who relies more on positioning and off-ball running rather than a high volume of touches and seeing-eye creativity. Those players can disappear from time to time. McGlynn did most of his damage against a really weak Trinidad and Tobago team. And will Luna be able to provide enough attacking production once the schedule gets harder?All three players have really interesting qualities that could help the USMNT next summer, but the next game (or two … or three, depending on how deep their Gold Cup run goes) should give us a better sense of how those traits will scale up against stiffer opponents.
Can Pochettino get the team moving with pace?
Before the tournament began, I wrote about how Pochettino’s team ranked dead last among the USMNT managers we have data for in the following stats:
• The speed moving the ball upfield: 1.03 meters per second • The number of possessions per match: 82.1
Through the group stages, here’s how the USMNT compares to everyone else in the competition across those two metrics:
So, the U.S. is moving slightly slower and playing games with even fewer possessions than those already-program-low rates. A lot of this has to do with the approaches of its opponents, combined with the Trinidad and Tobago game being over by halftime, but another pre-tournament favorite, Canada, still manages to embrace a lot more chaos even when it’s heavily fancied against its conservative opponents.
And then, all the way to right of the graph — moving faster than anyone else at the tournament — is the USMNT’s quarterfinal opponent, Costa Rica. Under Pochettino, the Americans’ haven’t really found a way to break down reasonably talented teams that are willing to sit back and counter-attack. And if they still haven’t figured that out, then, well, their tournament is going to be over in just a couple of days.
Clint Dempsey interview: USMNT icon on Christian Pulisic’s podcast drama and pay-to-play
For the United States men’s national team, it has been a summer of podcast outbursts forming a tetchy soundtrack one year out from a heavily anticipated home World Cup. Following Christian Pulisic’s decision not to join up with Mauricio Pochettino’s team for the Gold Cup — along with a slew of other absentees — criticism came from USMNT icons Landon Donovan and Tim Howard (on their own podcast), Pulisic issued a riposte (on a CBS podcast) and Clint Dempsey said he struggled to understand Pulisic’s decision (on the Men In Blazers podcast). In between all that, Pulisic’s father appeared to launch a broadside at Donovan via Instagram (on a post liked by his son). Pochettino also used his news conferences to assert his authority, saying players “cannot dictate the plan” after Pulisic claimed he offered to play in the two warmup friendly games but with the condition of dropping out for the Gold Cup. Dempsey also pointed out how the situation might have been averted if U.S. Soccer, the nation’s governing body, and Pulisic had aligned more closely on their messaging. During an interview with The Athletic, Dempsey said: “Why wasn’t there a way that we could have been more unified in the messaging that’s going out to the public? You have one of the best players for the national team, and if it had been England, if Harry Kane was missing a tournament or the Nations League or World Cup qualifying, there would be people asking questions. “It’s important to be unified and to have that conversation. Then there’s no back and forth looking like two people are at odds with each other, especially a year out from the World Cup. It could have been handled better. Still, the best way to solve problems — whether you get a red card in the game or you do something stupid — is to get back on the pitch and let your play do the talking for you.”
Landon Donovan’s foray into the Christian Pulisic national team debate has been one of American soccer’s stories of the summer. (Shaun Clark / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
Dempsey, who earned more than 140 senior caps, has previously revealed he once had a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in his adductor to play for the USMNT. He was asked whether his locker room would have required the federation to step in or if the players would have held themselves to account.“You would like to think you have a good enough relationship with your teammates that you could put a call in and ask, ‘Hey, what’s going on? Is there something I can do for you? We need you in this tournament’. At the same time, for me, it was never a question if I was going to go into the national team and play,” Dempsey said. “Whether it was Gold Cup, World Cup qualifying, the Confederations Cup, Copa America, the World Cup, I wanted to be there because as a kid, I dreamed about representing my country. “I knew that there were a lot of kids where I am from that didn’t make it. You’re representing for them, your town, your city, your state, your country. So everybody’s going through different things. Everybody’s dealing with different injuries and different things mentally. I’m not privy to those conversations to know what’s going on. “What’s made this situation difficult is what happened with Copa America when we did not get out of the group stage, then losing to Panama and Canada in Nations League and then the four losses in a row, the worst streak we’d had in a long time. It put more pressure on this Gold Cup. There are not many opportunities left after this for meaningful games, and you want to try to get things right.”
Pulisic, who racked up more than 3,500 minutes for Milan in the 2024-25 season, told CBS his body and mind “started talking” to him towards the end of the campaign and he felt a rest was best for his fitness.
Clint Dempsey and an 18-year-old Christian Pulisic celebrate a USMNT goal against Honduras in 2017. (David Madison / Getty Images)
Does Dempsey, who spent 15 seasons playing in the English Premier League and in MLS, believe that USMNT players in Europe have a uniquely difficult task to balance club and country responsibilities?“No matter what league you’re in, it’s going to be difficult,” he said. “The things that are difficult about MLS are the travel and the time changes. When I played MLS, you weren’t flying privately. People were asking you, ‘Are you a college team? Do you play lacrosse?’. We were sitting in middle seats, sitting back next to the toilet. But then in Europe at the top teams, you’re playing in more competitions and it is a grind to go back and forth to the States.”He does, however, point out that the USMNT has recently avoided the most grueling travel because it does not need to qualify for the home World Cup.“That is the hardest traveling,” he said, “because normally you come in, you play two games, you’re going to Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Jamaica, then you fly back to Europe on Thursday, you get there Friday morning, you have a game either Saturday or Sunday.”And what of the soap opera that has surrounded the team this summer, with former players offering strong opinions and current players hitting back?“It shows there’s a climate where people care,” Dempsey said. “I’m not trying to be a part of the drama. You’re asking me my opinion and I’m giving you how I look at things. In terms of the Christian situation, all I think is U.S. Soccer could have been more unified about how that gets out to the public.
“Playing for your country in a tournament, I tell you what my mentality was. I am not saying whether someone’s doing right or wrong. Everybody has a right to their opinion — it shows that people do care, but you never want to get in a situation where it’s tit for tat. Everybody wants the same thing: to have the U.S. playing well. We want to be excited. I’d like to focus more on the positives of the new faces. They’re gonna be in this Gold Cup, they’re gonna push to get into the lineup and get this fanbase and team back on track to being inspired because we are one year out from the greatest tournament.”Dempsey, who was speaking at the mid-point of the Gold Cup group stage, said that following the breakthrough of young USMNT players who carried the team to the knockout stage of the World Cup in 2022, the team’s development has appeared to be at “a little bit of a stand still.”He said: “You’ve had this new talent, you’ve developed it so far, but then where’s this next young talent that’s coming up and pushing these guys and having competition for spots? That would create an environment where you have to look over your shoulder and be on your game to make sure that someone’s not taking your spot.”Dempsey was talking to The Athletic as part of an initiative led by Abbott, a healthcare firm that has partnered with Real Madrid as part of the Abbott Dream Team program, which will see youngsters try out in cities across the U.S. for the opportunity to then travel to Spain to train under Real Madrid coaches and learn about sports nutrition from the club’s medical team. Dempsey says the tryouts are available to 18- and 19-year-old boys and girls. “If you have the right eyes watching you, the sky is the limit,” Dempsey said. “A buddy of mine, José Torres, he’s from Longview, Texas. He played Hispanic leagues on Sunday, but through his play in Hispanic leagues, this allowed him to get a trial in Mexico with a Liga MX team and he was able to make it.”More broadly, the program is part of Abbott’s and Real Madrid’s ongoing “Beat Malnutrition” campaign to provide nutrition education and malnutrition screening to children in 12 countries around the world.
Clint Dempsey says the example of ex-USMNT midfielder José Francisco Torres shows the value of increased developmental opportunities. (Misael Montaño / LatinContent via Getty Images)
Last weekend, during a conversation at Fanatics Fest in New York, FIFA president Gianni Infantino criticized the “pay-to-play” model for many young soccer players in the U.S., saying, “For children, it must be free to play football.” When speaking to The Athletic before Infantino’s intervention, Dempsey said there is room for improvement.“My son is in an MLS academy and you don’t have to pay to play,” Dempsey said. “If you’re good enough, it doesn’t matter where you come from, what your background is, that is covered. For the players in rural areas or inner cities that are not around MLS teams, it is a lot more difficult. It is a financial strain, and my family went into debt doing that. I didn’t have a college fund growing up. It was, ‘How bad do you want something in life? What are you willing to risk? How hard are you willing to work?’. Nothing’s perfect, things need to get better. We need to make it easier for people who are less fortunate to have the chance to go chase their dreams. Hopefully, that changes, but it’s just so difficult to fix everything. “It’s not fair. And I’m not saying that I want families to do the path I did. Everybody has a different story and a different path. There needs to be ways to figure out for the people that can’t afford it to get the better coaching and the platform to try to take their game to the next level. I’m on board with that 100 percent.”(Top photo: Omar Vega / Getty Images)
Emma Hayes’ ‘astronomical’ year as USWNT head coach – but this is only the first step
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — On June 1, 2024, as the U.S. women’s national team prepared to take the field against South Korea in Colorado, head coach Emma Hayes stared down a stadium tunnel swirling with sound. Staff were banging on the walls to hype up the players, and fans roared with similar anticipation. The heat and humidity, combined with the mile-high altitude, were brutal — especially for an Englishwoman who hadn’t known how to properly hydrate for those conditions. It was Hayes’ first game since accepting the position in November 2023, and she was nervous. She’d spent 12 years managing Chelsea and had no idea how an American crowd would respond to someone “from the outside,” as she described it. Still healing from the disappointment of their earliest World Cup exit in USWNT history, her new side were also less than two months out from the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Hayes felt “desperate to do well for the team.” They beat South Korea 4-0, with two goals each from forward Mallory Swanson and defender Tierna Davidson. Seventy days later on August 10, the USWNT became Olympic gold medalists with a 1-0 victory over Brazil. And in the year since her nerve-wracking debut, Hayes has uprooted and overhauled the women’s program in ways that feel revolutionary, inviting more new players to national team camp than any coach before her and revamping the U-23s to create a sustainable and cohesive pipeline of talent. Now, with two more years to go until the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, Hayes remains a champion of development and deliberation, choosing process over perfection as she continues to build. Thursday night offered a poetic checkpoint for what has changed and what has remained the same. Hayes and the USWNT were back at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, and the final score was again 4-0, this time against a depleted Republic of Ireland. Swanson is pregnant and Davidson is out with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury; this match instead featured goals from defender Avery Patterson, midfielders Sam Coffey and Rose Lavelle, and forward Alyssa Thompson.Coffey and Lavelle, who just returned to USWNT camp after an ankle injury kept her away since December, are two of just four players on Hayes’ first roster as head coach who also played against Ireland. It’s a testament to Hayes’ dedication to experimenting and implementing a new standard for who receives an invitation to camp.Though Coffey earned her first USWNT call up in September 2022 under former head coach Vlatko Andonovski, she did not make the 2023 World Cup roster. Since Hayes stepped in, she has been a consistent fixture for the national team at No. 6. Thursday’s match against Ireland was her 36th cap and she scored her third goal for the United States.“She’s had such a profound impact on me as a person and a player,” Coffey said of Hayes after Thursday’s match. “I think she, in many ways, has just given me such confidence and belief in myself to know what I can do and to help the team in any way possible. I think the amount that she’s done in a year is astronomical.”
Hayes and Coffey during the former’s first game in charge of the USWNT last June. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
Coffey added that she and her teammates “still have so much that we want to do in so many ways.”“We want to grow and every camp, every game we have is just another step that we get to take together,” she added, “and so we’re loving her.”Thompson’s journey with the national team has been similarly nonlinear, even under Hayes. While she made Andonovski’s World Cup roster, she seldom played, and was not chosen by Hayes to compete for an Olympic medal in Paris. Her standout club performances since with Angel City in the NWSL earned her another invitation, and she has since solidified her spot on the USWNT.“I feel like I’ve grown so much as a player,” Thompson said after the game Thursday night of Hayes’ impact. “I’m just understanding the game more. In the beginning, there was a lot of information that I wanted to take in, and now I’m really understanding it. I feel like it comes a little bit second nature. Just being able to keep implementing things and working on my game really helped and it came from Emma coming in and just helping our team in that way.”Hayes was similarly effusive in her post-match press conference.“I know you’re probably bored of me, but I just love them all,” she said. “I said to them today, I don’t want them to think that I take for granted the trust that they place in me to coach them. I’m so grateful for how vulnerable they are to let me do that and, yeah, I just love them.”One year into the job, Hayes has called up 27 players to the senior team — which, of course, required tough decisions and frank conversations with those who lost their spots. Hayes’ first major decision came when she announced her 18-player roster for the Olympics, which did not include USWNT legend Alex Morgan. Her omission marked the first time since 2008 that Morgan would not compete with the U.S. in a major tournament.It was a ripping off of a band-aid that sent shockwaves through the world of women’s soccer and made clear the extent to which Hayes was willing to endure discomfort in order to manifest her vision. Morgan announced her second pregnancy and retirement last September, having played no part in the U.S.’s gold medal run.
Morgan’s last game for the U.S. came over a year ago and is no longer part of the picture (C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images)
And Hayes kept tinkering. Sometimes it was out of necessity as a result of injuries or pregnancies, but largely to ensure players were in the best environments for their growth. The Olympic group has not all played together since leaving France, and two of those gold medalists, Korbin Albert and Jaedyn Shaw, have recently been moved to the U-23s to continue learning.“It’s a reminder that you have to develop a playing pool that’s capable, and when you’re facing top opponents across the world that have Champions League experience, they have Nations League experience, they have cap accumulation (with the) under-20s, under-17s, we have a lot of catching up to do and to close that gap,” Hayes said. “Our program has been really clear, especially with the introduction of our under-23 program.”Hayes would have been justified in coasting after last summer’s accomplishment, at least for a little while; winning medals in major international tournaments affords you that. But if anything, she’s become more dogmatic about the changes she wants to implement, the gaps she seeks to close between starters and bench players on the senior year, and also between the senior team and U-23s.“I feel like we’re back on track, but I will urge caution with it — and I say that because I’m so respectful of what England and Spain and Germany and Brazil in particular are doing in the global game. There is no gap between one, two, three, four, five in the world,” Hayes said Wednesday.“We have to make every moment count for us to put ourselves in the best place possible to compete.”
USWNT’s Rose Lavelle records a goal and assist in first game back, helping to defeat Ireland 4-0
COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO – JUNE 26: By Meg Linehan
June 26, 2025Updated June 27, 2025 Rose Lavelle scored and provided an assist in her first game for the U.S. women’s national team in 2025, after a long injury layoff following an ankle surgery at the beginning of the year. “Firstly, we’re all delighted for Rose. There’s only one Rose Lavelle — that really is both on and off the field, as a character, as a football player, as a human being,” U.S. head coach Emma Hayes said after the game. The U.S. cruised to a 4-0 victory over Ireland in Commerce City, Colo., with two first half goals from defender Avery Patterson, which Lavelle assisted, and midfielder Sam Coffey. The final dagger came from forward Alyssa Thompson in front of a crowd of 18,504 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. For Lavelle, it was her 25th international goal, scored in her 111th appearance for the national team. In a twist, she scored it with her right foot, not her preferred left. “Rose’s goal was sublime, in every way, shape and form,” Hayes said. “It was exactly what we’d asked for at halftime.” The midfielder only recently returned to play for Gotham FC in the NWSL, managing a total of 71 minutes across three matches so far this season. Thursday, Hayes subbed her off in the 59th minute as she continues to return to full fitness. Euro 2025: France team guide – will drastic changes transform their fortunes? Euro 2025: Netherlands team guide – a stellar squad with injury issues and a daunting task Ranking the best and worst of the Euro 2025 away kits Lavelle wasn’t the only one shining for the U.S. in this first game of the international window. Patterson, starting at right back for her fifth cap and third start for the national team, has made a strong case for herself in this lengthy period of evaluation under Hayes in 2025. “Avery is taking steps in the right direction. She’s a threat from deep spaces, stepping into midfield, whether she’s going inside, outside,” Hayes said. “Her combinations with Michelle (Cooper) on that side, I thought were productive. Didn’t get tested enough defensively, where I think she has to grow the most, but she’s a great learner and a great listener.” While Patterson has already scored three goals for the Houston Dash, Thursday’s opener was her first on the international stage. Coffey also continued her scoring ways for the U.S., tallying her third international goal before halftime. Lavelle was also involved in the build-up of Coffey’s goal, with her pass leading to Thompson’s assist. Finally, Thompson added the fourth in the 63rd minute, cutting back across the Ireland defense and putting the ball on her right foot for a curling shot. The game also saw a continuation of debuts from Hayes, with three more Thursday night. Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey of Seattle Reign FC and left back Lilly Reale of Gotham FC earned starts in Colorado. Reign defender Jordyn Bugg also earned her first cap, subbing on late in the second half for captain Naomi Girma. Dickey was debut No. 20 for Hayes, Reale No. 21, and Bugg No. 22. Hayes and the USWNT head to Cincinnati next for a second match against Ireland, satisfied not just with their performance Thursday, but with more exploration and proof of the depth of the U.S. pool. (Photo: Ray Bahner / Getty Images)
Why every round of 16 team will, won’t win Club World Cup
Bill ConnellyJun 27, 2025, 08:31 AM ET
I’m not going to lie: I’ve really enjoyed the FIFA Club World Cup. And that’s a strange thing to say considering virtually every negative thing anyone has said about the competition has been correct. The venues have indeed been too big, making decent good crowds look paltry in cavernous environments, and one of the scourges of 21st century business, dynamic pricing, has backfired in plenty of instances.The European teams can claim both fatigue and rust at the same time, having taken a few weeks off after a grueling campaign before facing teams in midseason form (and fitness) from other continents. Stars like Paris Saint-Germain‘s Ousmane Dembélé and Real Madrid‘s Kylian Mbappé haven’t been involved. The heat and weather have been ridiculous, and the decision to have the most marketable European teams playing in the afternoon — prime time in Europe — in cities like Miami and Charlotte, is questionable at best.(This says nothing of Juventus‘ White House visit, Antonio Rüdiger‘s claims of racist abuse and all the other undercurrents weighing down virtually every pastime or aspect of society at the moment.)
We saw PSG and Chelsea fall to South American counterparts (Botafogo and Flamengo). We saw Inter Miami take down a team (Porto) that was in the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds last year. We saw some electric environments for matches like Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors, and we saw nonsense of the best kind as eight goals were scored in the second half of Group A’s final two matches (three in Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras, five in Al Ahly’s 4-4 draw with Porto) and after both teetering on the brink of elimination, both Palmeiras and Inter Miami advanced.
And, we’re only getting started. The knockout rounds begin on Saturday, and while European favorites could reign from here, let’s take a look at each remaining contender and why they might or might not lift the strange, golden Club World Cup trophy in a few more weeks.
Al Hilal
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +5000 (equivalent to 2.0%) | Title odds, per Opta: 0.4% How they got here: tied Real Madrid (1-1), tied RB Salzburg (0-0), def. Pachuca (2-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Manchester City (June 30, 3 p.m. ET, Orlando)
Why they will win it all: Defend and counter. A number of underdogs in this tournament have proven excellent at playing good, old-fashioned organized defense. Al-Hilal are no exception, and that shouldn’t be a surprise: They have 2022 World Cup hero Yassine Bounou in goal and former Premier Leaguers in front of him in center-back Kalidou Koulibaly and defensive midfielder Rúben Neves. All three have been outstanding thus far, with Bounou saving 87% of shots on goal, Koulibaly leading the team with 42 defensive interventions and Neves leading the team in both ball recoveries, progressive passes and progressive carries. (He has a goal and an assist, as well.)
Throw in veteran fullbacks Renan Lodi and João Cancelo, plus some relentless attacking work from Marcos Leonardo and the forever-intense Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and you have a team that allowed only one goal in three games (first), kept at least two defenders between shot and goal on 88% of opponents’ shot attempts (first) and produced 1.5 xG (third) and one goal from counter-attacks. This veteran team knows what it’s doing.
Why they won’t: Poor shot quality. I called Al-Hilal’s attackers “relentless” and “intense” above, and that’s accurate. But you can’t really call them “accurate.” Leonardo and Milinkovic-Savic have combined for one goal from shots worth 3.3 xG; maybe they were just saving all their great strikes for the knockout rounds, but when you rank 20th in the competition in shots per possession (0.11) and you’re creating only 1.3 particularly high-value shots (0.2 xG or more) per match, you have to convert the ones you create.
Bayern Munich
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +500 (equivalent to 16.7%) | Title odds, per Opta: 11.2% How they got here: def. Auckland City (10-0), def. Boca Juniors (2-1), lost to Benfica (1-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Flamengo (June 29, 4 p.m. ET, Miami)
Why they will win it all: They take all the shots. No matter the manager, no matter the season, Bayern suffocate overwhelmed opponents. In the Champions League last season, they were second in shots per possession and first in shots allowed per possession. In the Bundesliga, they were first in both categories. They tilt the pitch, they counter-press, and they keep the ball near your goal and far away from theirs.
Three matches in, they’re doing the same thing in this competition: They’re fourth in shots per possession and first in shots allowed. Granted, they’ve benefited from playing the weakest team in the competition (Auckland City, whom they outshot, 31-1). But in more cautious and physical matches against Boca Juniors and Benfica, they still attempted twice the shots and produced more than three times the xG. They completed 351 passes in the attacking third against Boca and Benfica while allowing just 48 such completions.
Manager Vincent Kompany attempted to rest key players in scorching heat against Benfica — Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Joshua Kimmich and Jonathan Tah all played only the second half — and it backfired when they fell behind early and Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin somehow made it hold up. But when the starters are on the pitch, Bayern is playing for keeps.
Why they won’t: We don’t know that their old defensive weaknesses are fixed yet. The high-risk ball domination that Bayern enjoy usually comes with occasional defensive breakdowns. In six draws and losses in last year’s Champions League, they still dominated in shot quantity, but looking specifically at high-quality shots (worth 0.2 xG or more), they allowed as many as they attempted.
When Boca Juniors tied Bayern in the second half in Miami last Friday, it came on a counterattack that produced a particularly high-quality shot (0.53 xG). Granted, it was a brilliant individual effort from Miguel Merentiel, but it was the exact flavor of goal Bayern tend to allow.
Inter Miami fans celebrate progression to Club World Cup knockouts
Inter Miami fans celebrate after their draw with Palmeiras to progress to the Club World Cup knockouts.
Benfica
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +4000 (equivalent to 2.4%) | Title odds, per Opta: 4.3% How they got here: drew with Boca Juniors (2-2), def. Auckland City (6-0), def. Bayern (1-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Chelsea (June 28, 4 p.m. ET, Charlotte)
Why they will win it all: Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi have turned back the clock. Or I should say, they’ve continued to do so. The club’s worldly 37-year-olds played all but 16 of Benfica’s minutes in the group stage. Di Maria scored three goals (tied for most in the competition as of Tuesday afternoon) and ranks first on the team in chances created, expected assists from completed passes, shots on goal and even total touches. He’s relentless. And did I mention he’s 37?
Otamendi, meanwhile, stifled Bayern’s Harry Kane for a half and has been one of the primary reasons Benfica enter the knockout stage having not allowed a goal for 243 minutes. He’s first on the team in defensive interventions, he has won 81% of his duels, and, oh yeah — he’s also first on the team in progressive carries and progressive passes.
Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin has been fantastic, too, and players like attacker Vangelis Pavlidis and defensive midfielder Leandro Barreiro have been strong. But two proud old veterans lead this proud old club into the knockouts.
Why they won’t: Their record against good teams … isn’t good. In the last 12 months, Benfica have played 10 matches against teams in the top 20 of the Opta power rankings. They lost six, drew two and won only two — and one of the two came on Tuesday against a Bayern team that tried to rest quite a few starters (and still generated far more opportunities) — with two draws and six losses. They scored more than one goal just twice. This is a nearly upset-proof outfit, but they aren’t going to be favored much, if at all, moving forward.
Borussia Dortmund
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +3300 (equivalent to 2.9%) | Title odds, per Opta: 5.6% How they got here: tied Fluminense (0-0), def. Mamelodi Sundowns (4-3), def. Ulsan HD (1-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Monterrey (July 1, 9 p.m. ET, Atlanta)
Why they will win it all: They’re playing their way into form. After Niko Kovac took over in February, BVB were basically the second-best team in the Bundesliga, tilting the pitch well, executing a high defensive line and proving capable of either counterattacking or generating danger from buildup play. In the U.S. though, they honestly haven’t really done any of those things. They’ve been passive defensively and have barely even attempted to counterattack (their 8.7 per game rank 27th out of 32 teams). Plus Serhou Guirassy, one of the streakiest finishers in the game, isn’t finishing well, with one goal from shots worth 2.2 xG.
Of course, they also went undefeated and won their group. And after a dreadful attacking performance in the opener against Fluminense, they scored four goals and generated 5.1 xG in their last two games. New addition Jobe Bellingham (one goal, one assist) is already a difference-maker in and around the box. The defense suffered breakdowns against Mamelodi Sundowns but held the fort well in the other two games, and their performance against Ulsan HD produced a +3.1 xG differential — they completely dominated, even if the final score was closer than it should have been. It seems as if they’re growing into the competition.
Why they won’t: They’ve got quite a bit of growing to do. Guirassy indeed isn’t finishing, the defensive breakdowns against Mamelodi were all-caps ALARMING, and Kovac wasn’t able to rest guys as much as he wanted in two games in oppressive midday heat. They’ve produced the results they needed, and Bellingham really has been exciting, but we’re still waiting for this team to look the part of a challenger.
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Botafogo
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +3300 (equivalent to 2.9%) | Title odds, per Opta: 0.4% How they got here: def. Seattle Sounders (2-1), def. PSG (1-0), lost to Atletico Madrid (0-1) Round-of-16 opponent: Palmeiras (June 28, noon ET, Philadelphia)
Why they will win it all: They sacrifice their bodies. Botafogo’s road to the round of 16 was laborious. They attempted 23 shots to opponents’ 62. They possessed the ball just 34.8% of the time — no one else under 35% has averaged even 1.0 points per game. But Fogo averaged 2.0 points per game and became the first team to beat PSG since the Parisiens became European champions. And they did it with pure effort.
Botafogo have blocked 36% of opponents’ shots (fifth most in the competition), and they’ve forced opponents to attempt 83% of their shots with at least two defenders between shot and goal (11th). They attempted 12.3 counters per game (11th), too, scoring the only goal of the match against PSG from a counter. Their attack is pretty one-dimensional, but Igor Jesus has been clinical: He scored the game winner in both wins, and from shots worth a combined 0.2 xG.
They protected that lead against PSG for 54 minutes with no breakdown, and knowing they would advance as long as they didn’t lose by three goals or more against Atletico Madrid, they made Atleti work for 87 minutes to score just one. This is some high-effort, high-degree-of-difficulty stuff.
Why they won’t: The god of xG will eventually turn on you. Their goal differential: +1. Their xG differential: minus-4.2. They’ve allowed just two goals from shots worth 6.2 xG. They are playing inspired and intense ball, and it is a delight to watch, but … you aren’t going to win four more matches while giving opponents so many more high-quality opportunities.
Chelsea
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Title odds, per ESPN BET: +1000 (equivalent to 9.1%) | Title odds, per Opta: 10.5% How they got here: def. LAFC (2-0), lost to Flamengo (1-3), def. Esperance (3-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Benfica (June 28, 4 p.m. ET, Charlotte)
Why they will win it all: Depth and a strong possession game. Manager Enzo Maresca is used to dealing with a bloated squad and in this tournament, with its oppressive weather, bloat is a good thing. He has already played 25 different guys, with only right back Malo Gusto topping 195 minutes (star Cole Palmer has had to play only 166). And despite the heavy rotation, Chelsea looked strong for basically five of six halves. They wilted late against Flamengo but responded to qualify easily.
No matter who has been playing, Chelsea have checked all the proper possession boxes: They’re sixth in possession rate (63.0%), sixth in passes per possession (9.2), fourth in progressive carries (90.3 per game) and fourth in offsides drawn (3.0 per game), and all with the third-fewest possessions per game (69.0). They’ll have to beat Benfica without the suspended Nicolas Jackson, which isn’t optimal, but this is a relatively rested team playing the type of ball it wants to play.
Why they won’t: Cole Palmer is the wrong kind of cold (and the glitches remain alarming). You probably need your best player to play well to win four knockout rounds, and Palmer has been an absolute nonfactor in his two appearances thus far. In fact, going all the way back to Jan. 20, he’s played in 26 matches for club and country and has managed just one goal with five assists. Two of those assists did come in the Conference League final against Real Betis, but he’s attempted 75 shots worth 7.6 xG in this lengthy span and put just one in the net. That’s five steps beyond “finishing funk.”
Add Palmer’s struggles to a defense that glitched out for a bit against Flamengo (and had a pretty bad habit of allowing high-quality shot attempts while nursing leads in the Premier League), and you don’t have the most stable of contenders.
Flamengo
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +2800 (equivalent to 3.4%) | Title odds, per Opta: 0.5% How they got here: def. Esperance (2-0), def. Chelsea (3-1), drew with LAFC (1-1) Round-of-16 opponent: Bayern Munich (June 29, 4 p.m. ET, Miami)
Why they will win it all: They take all the good shots. Before manager Filipe Luís flipped their lineup quite a bit for their final match, having already clinched first in Group D, Flamengo allowed one goal in two matches, and it was triggered by a series of funky deflections. Meanwhile, they attempted seven shots worth at least 0.2 xG and allowed one. It’s hard to lose when you’re taking all the good shots.
Brazilian teams have been excellent in this competition, and Flamengo are Brazil‘s best team. They play the sturdy, box-filling defense we’ve seen from most of the South American teams in the Club World Cup, but they don’t spring forward into counterattacks — instead, they play sound, patient possession ball. They keep the tempo ultra-slow, and they whittle away until they create something of high quality.
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Leo Pereira leads a great defense, Giorgian de Arrascaeta (nine goals and four assists in nine Serie A matches) and Gonzalo Plata (two assists versus Chelsea) trigger a diverse attack, and now former Chelsea and Arsenal star midfielder Jorginho is linking the two together.
Why they won’t: A slow game doesn’t work as well if you’re trailing. Granted, they charged back from a 1-0 deficit to wallop Chelsea, but if they are to make a deep run in this tournament, they are only going to face better and better opponents, and they’ll probably have to come from behind again. That’s theoretically a lot harder to do when you play at such a languid pace and your entire game is based around patience. They’ve trailed for only 48 possessions in league play this season, too — we don’t really know how good their Plan B is because they’ve never had to show it.
Fluminense
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +5000 (equivalent to 2.0%) | Title odds, per Opta: 0.4% How they got here: tied Borussia Dortmund (0-0), def. Ulsan HD (4-2), tied Mamelodi Sundowns (0-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Inter Milan (Monday, 3 p.m. ET, Charlotte)
Why they will win it all: They defend their butts off. In league play, Flu haven’t created tons of great scoring opportunities, but they’ve combined quantity and quality in defense: They’re fourth in Brazil’s Serie A in shots allowed per possession, and they’re third in high-quality shots allowed (0.2 xG or higher).
Thus far in the Club World Cup … they haven’t created tons of great scoring opportunities, but they’ve combined quantity and quality in defense. Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns each scored four goals in their other two group-stage matches, but they combined for zero goals and 0.9 xG against Fluminense. Even at age 40, Thiago Silva can coordinate one hell of a defense in the back.
Fluminense are fifth in pass interceptions (10.0 per game), they’re sixth in duel winning percentage (54.5%). They’re taking the fight to opponents and winning. And they’re getting just enough from right winger Jhon Arias in attack — he has a goal and an assist and leads the team in chances created (eight), expected assists from pass completions (0.7), shots (nine), touches (228), progressive carries (26), fouls suffered (nine) and 1v1 attempts (15) — to tie it all together. Flu aren’t playing the most exciting ball in this tournament, but they’re not backing down from challenges either.
Why they won’t: Scoring is a good thing. They only did it in one of three games. Arias is doing his best and 37-year old German Cano, scorer of 40 goals just two seasons ago, had a lovely tiebreaking assist late against Ulsan as well. But it’s really difficult to see this attack doing enough to win four knockout games.
Inter Miami
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +8000 (equivalent to 1.2%) | Title odds, per Opta: 0.3% How they got here: drew with Al Ahly (0-0), def. Porto (2-1), drew with Palmeiras (2-2) Round-of-16 opponent: Paris Saint-Germain (June 29, noon ET, Atlanta)
Why they will win it all: Messi magic. As of Tuesday, there have been four goals from direct free kicks in the Club World Cup. They had an average pre-shot xG of about 0.07. But Leo Messi’s, from 23 meters out in the second half against Porto, felt like 1.00. The crowd buzzed as Messi was lining it up. Everyone expected it to go in, and then it went in.
Per the Opta power rankings, Inter Miami was the No. 4 team in Group A heading into the tournament, and it appeared that a Messi team was primed to exit a tournament in the group stage for the first time ever. But his free kick teed up an upset of Porto, and his work further from the goal against Palmeiras — he made 12 progressive carries, won five of seven one-on-ones and altered the defense’s center of gravity for 90 minutes. Inter overcame a rampant run of cramping to draw with Palmeiras and advance.
Beating PSG is probably too much to ask, but all it might take is a couple of moments of magic from a guy still capable of generating them.
Why they won’t: OK, fine, beating PSG is almost definitely too much to ask. It will take the aforementioned magic, plus further strain from a defense that has maxed itself out in terms of both skill and effort levels. Opta’s power rankings give Inter only a 16.4% chance of advancing and even in a game based so heavily in randomness, that feels incredibly optimistic.
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Inter Milan
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +1800 (equivalent to 5.3%) | Title odds, per Opta: 12.4% How they got here: tied Monterrey (1-1), def. Urawa Red Diamonds (2-1), def. River Plate (2-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Fluminense (June 30, 3 p.m. ET, Charlotte)
Why they will win it all: They have numbers on their side. At first glance, it seems like Inter really struggled to get a foothold in this competition. They gave up a goal on Monterrey’s second shot attempt and settled for a draw, then gave up a goal on Urawa Reds’ first shot and needed two late scores to prevail. They couldn’t get on top of River Plate until a red card flipped the balance of the match midway through the second half. Stars such as Lautaro Martinez, Nicolo Barella and 36-year old Henrikh Mkhitaryan all had to put in more than 210 minutes to make sure Inter advanced properly.
Only the timing of opponents’ goals made these matches interesting, however; Inter attempted shots worth 7.2 xG and allowed shots worth only 2.3, but that +4.9 xG differential (fourth-best in the competition) produced only +3 in the actual goals department. That could bode well for them moving forward. Plus, Inter avoided some of the worst heat in the tournament with two evening matches and two in Seattle. That could also bode well.
Why they won’t: This doesn’t feel like the team that reached the Champions League final. Midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is out, as are defenders Yann Bisseck and Benjamin Pavard. Forward Marcus Thuram got hurt against Monterrey, and midfielder Davide Frattesi hasn’t seen the pitch yet. This is a banged-up and rather experimental squad, with new manager Cristian Chivu giving lots of minutes to unproven youngsters like brothers Francesco Pio Esposito and Sebastiano Esposito.
The numbers suggest they’ve been doing just fine, but this isn’t Inter Inter.
Juventus
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +3300 (equivalent to 2.9%) | Title odds, per Opta: 2.5% How they got here: def. Al-Ain (5-0), def. Wydad Casablanca (4-1), lost to Manchester City (2-5) Round-of-16 opponent: Real Madrid (July 1, 3 p.m. ET, Miami)
Why they will win it all: They’re hustling. Igor Tudor took over as manager on March 23 and safely steered Juve to a fourth-place finish with just one loss in nine league matches. They created a forcefield around their defensive box and hustled their butts off, allowing few passes per defensive action, blocking tons of shots and making the most of the ball recoveries.
Juve are hustling said butts off appropriately in the U.S., too. Even while nursing mostly comfortable leads that would theoretically allow them to ease off the throttle, they allowed just 8.5 passes per defensive action and produced 44.0 ball recoveries per match in their wins – they ranked third and sixth in those categories, respectively, heading into the match against City. They did allow a goal from a careless breakdown against Wydad Casablanca, but it was almost the only breakdown they suffered in those two matches. Meanwhile, though the City match got away from them, Teun Koopmeiners and Dusan Vlahovic both produced moments of opportunism in their goals, and Kenan Yildiz produced his third assist of the tournament.
Juve appear to be taking this competition very seriously.
Why they won’t: Hustling isn’t enough against good teams. In Tudor’s nine league matches, Juve played three solid teams (Bologna, Lazio and Roma) and drew 1-1 with all three. Combined xG differential in those three matches: minus-0.8. In attack, they couldn’t count on either dangerous counters or sturdy buildup play, and they got pinned in a bit more defensively. They weren’t dominated by any means, but they didn’t create many advantages.
Against Manchester City on Thursday, it was very much the same story, as City produced a 75% possession rate and attempted 24 shots to Juve’s five. High effort levels have made them just about upset-proof, but they probably aren’t going to be favored in any more matches moving forward.
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Manchester City
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +275 (equivalent to 26.7%) | Title odds, per Opta: 20.4% How they got here: def. Wydad Casablanca (2-0), def. Al-Ain (6-0), def. Juventus (5-2) Round-of-16 opponent: Al Hilal (June 30, 9 p.m. ET, Orlando)
Why they will win it all: They’re Manchester City. While the qualification criteria for this competition was rather murky, the general idea is that the teams in this tournament accomplished something particularly noteworthy between 2021-24. City were the best team in the world for a large percentage of that span. They finished only third in the Premier League and reached the FA Cup final this year, which by City standards was apocalyptic, but both the ceiling and floor remain ridiculously high.
And they sure looked like the City of old in the group stage: They scored 13 goals (most in the competition), allowed only two and produced the best goal differential (+11) and xG differential (+7.7) with the highest pass completion rate (92.8%) and most progressive carries (337). They’re doing all the things we expect City to do, and wow, did they trounce Juventus — a team that beat them last fall in the Champions League — on Thursday.
Why they won’t: We don’t know what we need to know about the defense yet. Out of 36 Champions League teams this past season, City ranked 32nd in shots allowed per possession (0.15), 32nd in ball recoveries per game (37.9) and 36th in duel attempts; the attack was fine and hogged the ball as well as expected, but without a healthy Rodri, the back half of the City lineup was terribly passive.
Three January defensive acquisitions (defensive midfielder Nico Gonzalez, right back Abdukodir Khusanov and center back Vitor Reis) and a June acquisition (left back Rayan Aït-Nouri) are among the many guys who have seen the pitch — as is Rodri himself — but Guardiola is still experimenting, and the level of competition is about to ramp up quickly. They only allowed 22 shot attempts in the group stage, but three were worth at least 0.2 xG (two of which were scored), and seven were worth at least 0.1. Results are inconclusive thus far.
Monterrey
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +10000 (equivalent to 1.0%) | Title odds, per Opta: 0.2% How they got here: tied Inter Milan (1-1), tied River Plate (0-0), def. Urawa Red Diamonds (4-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Borussia Dortmund (Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET)
Why they will win it all: The high line is holding up. A lot of Monterrey’s relative success in Liga MX this season came from a fun combination of a high defensive line (they drew the second-most offsides) and a willingness to go mano y mano (third-most take-on attempts, most fouls drawn in the attacking third). That formula has thus far produced in the U.S. too: They drew 12 offsides calls in the first three matches (most in the Club World Cup) and suffered 42 fouls (third-most) and have generally prevented opponents from creating any rhythm whatsoever.
They scored only one goal in their first two matches — and it came from steely veteran Sergio Ramos, predictably on a corner — but allowed only one in three. Ramos (39) and Stefan Medina (33) have been note-perfect in the back, combining for 90 defensive interventions and a healthy percentage of the team’s progressive passes and carries. The attack finally contributed against Urawa Reds, too. This team knows how it wants to win games and has executed well thus far.
Why they won’t: The numbers eventually turn on you. As with Botafogo, the Rayados have done a little bit better than the underlying xG figures suggest they should have. Their draws against Inter and River Plate happened despite a combined xG differential of minus-3.1 (they allowed one goal from shots worth 4.4 xG), and while they’re about to play a Borussia Dortmund team that hasn’t been finishing particularly well either, relying on errant opposing shots to win four matches in a row is a tall ask.
Palmeiras
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +2500 (equivalent to 3.8%) | Title odds, per Opta: 0.9% How they got here: drew with Porto (0-0), def. Al Ahly (2-0), drew with Inter Miami (2-2) Round-of-16 opponent: Botafogo (June 28, noon ET, Philadelphia)
Why they will win it all: They wear opponents down. Winners of 11 trophies in the 2020s, Palmeiras nearly took down Chelsea in the 2021 Club World Cup final. Despite sending loads of high-level talent to Europe in that span, no Brazilian team feels more at home on a big, pressure-packed stage, and they showed it by winning Group A with a run of second-half brilliance.
This is a pretty retrograde attack: Palmeiras are third in the competition in cross attempts (29.0 per match), second in percentage of shots from headers (28.0%) and fourth in direct attacks (sequences starting in the defensive half and producing a shot within 20 seconds). But they’re still attempting more shots per possession than anyone not named Bayern (0.22), and they’re allowing just 0.09 per possession (eighth). In sticky, hot conditions, they keep the game wide open and wait for you to wilt. It’s working.
Why they won’t: Shot quality. Attempting almost 2.5 times more shots than your opponent will generally work out pretty well for you, but only eight of their 50 shot attempts have been worth 0.2 xG or more, and they’re 20th in the competition in xG per shot (0.14). After blowing a couple of golden opportunities in the opener against Porto, Chelsea-bound Estevao’s shot quality has regressed quickly, and Palmeiras have turned shots worth 5.3 xG into only three goals. (They scored a fourth on an own goal.)
If you aren’t taking great shots and aren’t maximizing the ones you take, you aren’t winning four knockout-round matches.
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Paris Saint-Germain
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +300 (equivalent to 25.0%) | Title odds, per Opta: 20.6% How they got here: def. Atletico Madrid (4-0), lost to Botafogo (1-0), def. Seattle Sounders (2-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Inter Miami (June 29, noon ET, Atlanta)
Why they will win it all: They’re the best team in the world. They were placed in a challenging group, Ballon d’Or contender Ousmane Dembele is nursing a hamstring issue, and neither Désiré Doué nor Bradley Barcola have accomplished much so far. And yet, this deep and energetic team is doing all the things a brilliant Luis Enrique squad is supposed to do — 73.4% possession rate (first in the competition), 11.3 passes per possession (first), 104.3 progressive passes per game (first) and, on the pressing side, just 6.9 passes allowed per defensive action (first).
They still have the best fullback duo in the game with Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia remains a nonstop menace on the left wing, Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha have been almost flawless in midfield, and six different players have put the ball in the net. Even with the loss to Botafogo, the best team in the world for the last six months has made it to the knockout rounds with minimal stress.
Why they won’t: They need to dial back in. The blowout win over Atletico Madrid was a statement of intent to open their tournament, but their focus has waned since then.
They indeed gave up a counterattacking goal to Botafogo and never created a particularly high-quality opportunity in the hour that followed. And in what turned out to be a must-win match against Seattle, they were slow out of the gate, allowing a high-quality opportunity to Jesús Ferreira in the 19th minute and actually losing the first-half xG battle. They dominated the second half and were never in trouble, but after that fifth-gear showing they’ve cruised along in second, and it can be difficult to reestablish your best form once you’ve lost it.
Real Madrid
Title odds, per ESPN BET: +500 (equivalent to 16.7%) | Title odds, per Opta: 9.7% How they got here: tied Al-Hilal (1-1), def. Pachuca (3-1), def. RB Salzburg (3-0) Round-of-16 opponent: Juventus (July 1, 3 p.m. ET, Miami)
Why they will win it all: Talent. New manager Xabi Alonso has had about five minutes with his new squad thus far, and it shows. Real Madrid suffered a number of defensive miscues against both Al-Hilal and Pachuca and were lucky not to be punished more for them; they also had to play a man down for more than 80 minutes against Pachuca because of an early Raúl Asencio red card. Plus, Kylian Mbappé has been out with gastroenteritis. (He is supposedly going to try to be ready for the round of 16.)
They always have moments of individual brilliance to rely on, however. Jude Bellingham opened the Pachuca match up with a first-half strike, Vinícius Júnior had a goal and a beautiful assist against Salzburg, Fede Valverde scored twice, and even 21-year old Gonzalo García had two goals and an assist. Mbappe’s return should raise their ceiling even further, and it was already forever high.
Why they won’t: Defense. With center-backs Éder Militão and David Alaba and fullbacks Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal all still injured, Alonso has had to rely on a makeshift back line — he has thus far kept the back four the team is used to, instead of moving to the back three he prefers — and it’s been quite the chemistry experiment with newcomers Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold getting to know Antonio Rüdiger, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Fran García and others…
… and it hasn’t gone very well. Real Madrid currently rank 24th out of 32 teams in shots allowed per possession (0.15), ninth in xG allowed per shot (0.13) and, therefore, 21st in total xG allowed (4.7). Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois remains awesome, but they’ve been lucky to allow only two goals, and that luck might run out as the competition levels increase. How the heatwave has affected players at the Club World Cup and what the lessons are for the 2026 World Cup
The heatwave that swept the United States in recent days caused concerns for players and fans at the Club World Cup. To try to manage the intense heat, players have covered themselves in ice-cold towels or placed their hands and feet in buckets of the stuff. Such was the heat in Charlotte on Tuesday that Harry Kane even dipped his head in.At Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium, Borussia Dortmund’s substitutes watched the first half of their game against Mamelodi Sundowns from the locker room rather than the bench to avoid the pitch-side heat. Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said he was “sweating like I’ve just come out of a sauna” after his side won that game in 32C (89.6F) conditions.After their game against Paris Saint-Germain in Pasadena, just outside Los Angeles, Atletico Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente described the weather as “impossible. Terribly hot. My toenails were hurting”.In Philadelphia, Chelsea played in temperatures of around 36C (97F), which forecasters said felt more like 41C (106F). “It is almost impossible to train or to make a session because of the weather,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca told reporters on Monday. “This morning’s session has been very, very, very short.”But what exactly does heat do to an athlete’s body? And how much of a problem can it really be?Here The Athletic answers those questions and what it means for the rest of the Club World Cup — and the World Cup, which will be staged mostly by the U.S, again in June and July, with games also in the neighbouring countries of Canada and Mexico.What You Should Read NextExtreme heat at the Club World Cup: Players and fans voice concerns as temperatures soarA heatwave will hit the U.S. this week where players and fans at the Club World Cup are already concerned about the dangerous weather
How the heat is impacting players
Any physical exertion in hot conditions will cause the body’s temperature to rise. “We sit about 37C (98.6F) at resting,” says Dr Chris Tyler, an environmental physiologist from London’s University of Roehampton and an expert on heat stress in elite sports. “Most people get into trouble if they are two to three degrees warmer than that, so we don’t have much of a buffer.“It’s actually quite difficult to get the body that hot, but one of the ways to do it is to move quite quickly in hot conditions.” The most obvious consequence of that rise in temperature is an elevation in your heart rate. This happens, explains Tyler, because the body sends more blood to the skin to try to get rid of some of the excess heat (the reason why some people get very red-faced when they’re too warm).That leaves less blood in the core trunk of the body, and crucially, less blood in the heart, meaning it has to work harder to provide blood to the working muscles. That’s why doing the same exercise at the same intensity is going to be harder — and feel harder — in higher temperatures than cooler ones. The most obvious visual impact among professional footballers is their sweat response. They will start to perspire earlier and more rapidly as their body tries to cool itself down.
Kane dips his head into an ice bucket and laps water over his face (DAZN)
According to Geoff Scott, former head of medicine and sports science at Tottenham Hotspur, players lose a minimum of two litres (approaching four UK pints, over four in U.S. pints) of fluid per game playing in cooler temperatures in the Premier League. “When it gets really hot and humid, that can go up to about five litres of fluid over the course of one game,” he tells The Athletic. It’s not just water they are losing through sweat either, it’s electrolytes, too, and the depletion of essential ones such as sodium, chloride and potassium is a key concern. To combat that, Scott says that in the days before and especially on the day of a game, hydration is pushed at all opportunities to make sure players are drinking water and also sports drinks with adequate electrolytes. “It’s common now that teams will do sweat analysis on the players so they know which players sweat more and which ones lose more electrolytes in their sweat, and they can be targeted with specific drinks to make sure their electrolyte imbalances are addressed,” he says. A player who gets into the “dehydration zone” could suffer light-headedness, dizziness, fatigue and muscle cramps, but Scott says that, well before getting to that opint, there will be changes in their performance levels: “You tend to start seeing them reduce their high-intensity running, and very elevated temperatures tend to affect their technical skills too, so the quality can drop off. They start to fatigue faster, too.” While an increase in sweating can cause issues regarding dehydration, it’s also a good thing, because if it can evaporate from the skin, the perspiration will take some of the heat away with it. But, Tyler explains, in conditions where humidity is also high, a lot of that sweat won’t be able to evaporate because there is already lots of moisture in the surrounding air. “So players will be losing sweat,” he says, “but it will be dripping off them rather than evaporating, which will be dehydrating without taking any heat away.” If the rise in body temperature isn’t controlled, it can lead to heatstroke. “As the blood is all shunted to the skin, there’s less volume of blood in your cardiovascular system,” explains Scott. “And that’s the problem – your blood pressure drops. Someone out for a casual jog who is getting close to that would probably stop, but these guys can’t stop (during a match), so they’re at more risk.”
How players are adapting to the temperature
To cope with soaring temperatures, athletes adapt the way they perform. In football, the average distance covered is reduced during hot-weather games and the action becomes more possession-heavy, explains Tyler. “The good teams will adapt tactically. You see it in tennis as well, where good players will make the other players run a lot more. It’s the same here; if you’re Manchester City, you can play a very slow, possession-based game and let everyone else chase you for 90 minutes.”
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland at the Club World Cup (Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP/Getty Images)
There is physiological adaptation, too, with the body making subtle changes to be more efficient in the heat. One of those is an expansion of the plasma volume of a person’s blood, meaning you end up with a greater volume of blood in the body than you had before. “Now you have more blood, so you can send some to the skin and maintain blood flow to the working muscles without needing the heart to pump faster,” says Tyler. “That means the heart rate won’t go so high.”As well as sweating earlier, what comes out of the players’ pores will also be different to normal, says Tyler, becoming more diluted, thus preserving essential electrolytes such as sodium chloride and potassium, which are lost through sweat.Those adaptations in blood volume and sweat composition can help decrease the strain the players are under. The only catch is that those processes take time.“How long they take is hard to say exactly,” says Tyler, “but it seems like players would need at least five to seven days to see meaningful adaptations. But even after two weeks, they are still making adaptations to that stress.”Given the short turnaround time between the end of the European season, late May for a lot of leagues, and the start of the Club World Cup on June 14, many of the teams involved won’t have had much time to acclimatise before travelling to the United States.Also of relevance is the fact a lot of the teams taking part in this tournament come from countries with typically cooler climates than their rivals from South and Central America, North Africa, and the Middle East, which makes the challenge even greater.Tyler, whose research focuses on human responses to extreme hot and cold environments, and specifically on how to minimise the performance impairments observed in such conditions, says that for an event such as the Club World Cup, athletes would ideally want at least two weeks of “heat adaptation training” before leaving for the host nation.This usually involves heat tents or heat chambers, which mimic the conditions players will face on arrival. Heat lamps can also be used inside these to recreate the feeling of the sun’s rays. Temperatures in the tents can range from 35-50C (95-122F) and the humidity rises from around 30 per cent to 80 per cent by the end of a session.It’s an approach England’s new head coach, Thomas Tuchel, used at their training camp in the recent June international window. With the side’s likely participation in next summer’s World Cup in mind, players were asked to go through fitness tests inside heated tents, allowing performance staff to analyse how each of them responds to those conditions, including analysing their sweat rate and sweat composition.“The idea,” says Tyler, “is to do their normal training (or as close to it as possible) while getting their body hot in a controlled, safe environment.” Over time, he explains, players doing this start to adapt physiologically to perform better in higher temperatures. Once they arrive in the hot climate itself, they can continue to adapt. Manchester City used their early training sessions in the States to try to speed up the adaptation, with manager Pep Guardiola holding long midday training sessions in the searing Florida heat at their base in Boca Raton, near Miami. Juventus have been scheduling training to match the kick-offs of their group matches, with their English defender Lloyd Kelly telling the media they had trained “the past 10 days in the hottest times of the day”.
Lloyd Kelly playing for Juventus at the Club World Cup (Francois Nel/Getty Images)
“Being aerobically fit is advantageous anyway,” says Tyler, “so if you’re an elite player, you probably have some more tolerance for the heat than if you were a non-athlete. “That could put teams like Auckland City (the part-timers from New Zealand) at an even bigger disadvantage, because they’re not professional athletes, so their players are less fit than some other teams.” World football governing body and Club World Cup organiser FIFA’s policy on managing the temperature for players during games is to implement cooling breaks when the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT; an overall thermal-strain measure achieved by combining temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar radiation) exceeds 32C (89.6F) on the pitch. FIFA also said its medical experts “have been in regular contact with the clubs to address heat management and acclimatisation”, and that it was working with local medical authorities regarding heat management. From the players’ point of view, the Club World Cup represents a dry run for the national-team version in a year — a taste of what they might expect if they are among those taking part in football’s biggest competition. The challenge has been made clear at the Club World Cup: the toughest opponent might not be the team you’re facing, but the heat. The preparation for that has to start now.
(Top photo: Porto’s Rodrigo Mora after playing Al Ahly on Monday; by Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)
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Club World Cup Presents Surprises in the 1st Round
So I have to admit I did not think the Club World Cup would we be worth watching but boy was I wrong. Some of the games have been competitive – especially the South American teams. Of course awesome to see at least 1 MSL team Miami of course going thru to the Semi’s thanks to this sublime Messi free-kick . If you haven’t watched yet – check out the games on TBS/TNT/Univision.
US Men face Haiti Sun 7 pm Advance to Quarter Finals of Gold Cup
The US men – I think the US men look like an un-organized pathetic shell of its former self. A 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia on this Chris Richards Goal yes a set-piece k No cohesive plan – no organized attack, no finishing and just average defense at best. Of course despite what the Fox pundits Lexi, Landon and Edu are forced to say – honestly we have 2 starters on this team – Adams & Centerback Chris Richards – I think Ream of course will make the team along with 3 or 4 more of these guys on this roster at the most. I think Tillman has shown some good things against these pathetic teams lets see how he does against top 50 competition if we get to Canada or Mexico. Man I would love to have to play both of them. Jesse Marsch beating the US would be a nice slap in the face to US Soccer. I assume Poch will play the kids vs Haiti (aka Carmel High Varsity) on Sunday. (lots of stories below)
USMNT GOLD CUP DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals):
Indy 11 Host Las Vegas Lights During Pride Night at the Mike Tonight 7 pm
Midfielder Jack Blake netted the game-winning goal in first half stoppage time off a smooth sequence from midfielder Aodhan Quinn to give Indy Eleven a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Pittsburgh Riverhounds & Carmel Goalkeeper Eric Dick last week. Defender Ben Ofeimu has been selected to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 15 after leading his team to its second consecutive clean sheet in a 1-0 win vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday. The Boys in Blue have had nine different players named to the Team of the Week in 2025! It is the sixth time that the 24-year-old Ofeimu has earned this recognition since he was acquired by Indy Eleven on April 11, 2024, and his third first-team selection.Indy Eleven hosts Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday at 7 pm ET on WISH-TV and CBS Sports Golazo Network.
TV GAME SCHEDULE
GC=Gold Cup, WCC = World Club Cup in US
Fri, June 20 9 pm TBS Bayern Munich vs Boca Juniors WCC 10 pm FS1 Guatemala vs Panama GC
Sat, June 21
7 pm TV8, Golazo Indy 11 vs Las Vegas Lights FC 7 pm FS1 Curacao vs Canada GC 9 pm TBS River Plate vs Monterrey WC 10 pm FS1 Honduras vs El Salvador GC
Sun, June 22
12 noon Danz Juventus vs Wydad Casablanca WCC 3 pm univision Real Madrid vs Pachuca WCC 7 pm Fox US Men vs Haiti Gold Cup 7 pm FS1 Saudi Arabia vs T&T GC 9 pm TNT Man City vs Al Ain WCC 10 pm FS1 Mexico vs Costa Rica GC
Mon, June 23 3 pm ?? Athletico Madrid vs Botafogo WCC 3 pm ?? PSG vs Seattle Sounders WCC 9 pm TBS Inter Miami (Messi) vs Palmeiras 9 pm Porto vs Al Ahly
Tues, June 24 3 pm Univision Bayern Munich vs Benfica 3 pm ?? Boca Juniors vs Aukland City 7 pm FS2 Guadaloupe vs Guatemala 7 pm FS1 Panama vs Jamaica GC 10 PM danz Chelsea vs ES Tunis 10 PM LAFC vs Flamengo 10 pm FS1 Canada vs El Salvador GC 10 pm FS2 Honduras vs Curacao GC
3 pm Uni/TNT Juventus vs Man City 9 pm Pachuca vs Al Hitlal 9 pm TNT Salzburg vs Real Madrid 8 pm TBS, Peacock US Women vs Ireland
Fri, June 28th
12 noon ?? Club WC QF 1A vs 2 B 4 pm :?? Club WC QF 1C vs 2D 7:15 pm FS1 Gold Cup QF 10 pm FS1 Gold Cup QF
Sun, June 29th
TNT, Peacock US Women vs Ireland in Cincy
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Our Indiana Refs before they left for The Midwest Regionals in St Louis last weekend. Well done follks!
Referees at this month’s FIFA Club World Cup will wear ‘body cams’ with the footage used in broadcasts of the game – but only if the images are of non-controversial incidents, FIFA refereeing officials said on Wednesday. The match referees in the tournament will wear a small camera protruding from their earpiece which will be able to generate video from the referee’s point of view. But while broadcasters will be able to offer unique angles on goals and saves – as well as close-up live video and sound from the pre-match coin toss – viewers won’t get to see penalty decisions or other disputable moments from the new camera angle.
“The objective is to offer the TV viewers a new experience,” said Pierluigi Collina, the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee. Collina said that IFAB, which sets the Laws of the Game, had allowed a trial of the technology and suggested that footage of controversies might be part of a later phase in the future. “Let’s do things step by step. At the moment… this is a trial. We need to do something new and the simpler the better. So we fixed some rules within a protocol. We will offer these images in the future? Maybe when we learn to run, maybe not, maybe we will do,” he said. The live images will be broadcast via a private 5G network from the ref to the match production team, said FIFA Director of Innovation, Johannes Holzmuller, who said the live aspect would only be available in the six NFL stadiums being used for the tournament. What Club World Cup fans will be able to see are the VAR reviews, as seen by referees on the pitchside monitor, which will be broadcast on giant screens in the stadium. That video will then be followed by the referee announcing the final decision over the public address system and the television broadcast.
The tournament will also see the use of ‘enhanced semi-automatic offside’ technology which will use 16 cameras linked to AI technology and algorithms which will send an audio message to the assistant referee when an offside player touches the ball. The system will likely see the flag raised earlier for offside and reduce cases of play continuing after a clear offside until a later VAR review. The tournament will also be an early introduction of the new law that goalkeepers have eight seconds to release the ball after picking it up – or be punished with a corner. It replaces the previous law that keepers had six seconds to release the ball or give up an indirect free kick. The goalkeepers will be shown a five second warning by the referee who will count down showing the fingers of one hand.
USMN-B-T 1-0 Saudi Arabia. Remember People! It’s a Results Bizness Before an agonizingly empty stadium, our U.S. boys did just enough to overcome a weak Saudi Arabian squad who have been here for about five minutes but already seem to be the epitome of CONCACAF. The game itself felt like a chore to watch. The U.S. had 72% possession in the first half but conjured zero shots on goal against a physical opponent. The football was sparkless, tepid and lacking in ambition and ideas. To progress from the group will be a relief for Mauricio Pochettino but it is a bare minimum for a program who has won its first two games in this tournament 15 out of 18 times.Chris Richards Is a Great American The Crystal Palace giant out of Birmingham, Ala. was a man amongst boys in this game. That a pair of his blocks were two of the best three highlights on the night tells you all you need to know about the quality of the game. The other, of course, was his goal. A moment of stand alone quality, from the wicked Sebastian Berhalter set piece to the finish, first-time off a difficult bounce, which Clint called an elite striker’s technique. I am so happy for Chris. He is a lovely, thoughtful, sensitive human being who has had to grind his way out of Alabama, and summon a true tenacity to establish himself in the Premier League. He has a massive opportunity in this moment to become one of the true faces of the team. Watching him seize it is really edifying. Give that man all the commercial deals.Who Will Step Up, Fight, and Seize Their Chance to Make Themselves Undeniable? How was this performance so plodding? Pochettino has made it utterly explicit he wants players who will fight for him. So many of these boys have been gifted an unexpected opportunity they could never have dreamed of: To make themselves unignorable for that World Cup squad on home turf. Yet, the performance was flatter than the Texas Panhandle. The football was so deferential. No one seized their chance to grab a drowsy game by the throat and enforce their will upon it. Working out why that is will be the key for Pochettino. Malik Tillman has the skills and the club form to do that. Patrick Agyemang has the hype and the plaudits but was unable to summon the touch or the balance. All of these players have sacrificed so much to make it to this stage. One transcendent moment could change their lives. If only the football reflected that…I Do Love Me Some Diego Luna The one player who is running off the ball and trying to create a spark with his flicks and tricks. I ran into Diego in Austin and told him just how much we are hearing from so many of you about his fight, hustle, and mustache-tinged singular swagger. I asked him what goes through his mind when he gets on the ball, and he told me he tries to “be happy” and summon “the joy he felt playing as a kid.” I said that to Clint on last night’s show, and he said that when he was young his brother used to tell him, he “had to be serious about having fun.” A phrase I love and will think of whenever Diego is in possession. Even Spinal Tap Drummers Think Our No 9 Position Is Doomed Haji Wright’s injury is a real concern for our boys. With Agyemang crying out for competition, Haji did not dress, left out of the squad with an Achilles issue. Kyle Bonn reported, “After a big sigh, Mauricio Pochettino on Haji Wright‘s injury: “We will communicate something on his injury in the next few days.”” It does not sound good. His absence will be painful. Twenty-year-old German-American Damion Downs, this could be your time… Matt Freese Has Two Clean Sheets By Making Just One More Save Than You The goalkeeper battle between two Matts is psychologically intriguing. Matt Turner was the No 1 and has battled his way to a Premier League crevice, albeit with precious little playing time. For a player shorn of match practice, it must be an agony to have had a watching brief. NYCFC’s Harvard grad Matt Freese has been wicked smart in goal — two clean sheets off ONE SAVE TOTAL IN THOSE TWO GAMES. Guzan has to be watching and thinking that if he started smoking ciggies, he could maybe be the American version of Wojciech Szczęsny and make an unexpected return from exile. It Is Painful to See These Stadia so Empty for a United States Game On Home Turf a Year Out from the World Cup Watching the United States walk out to gapingly empty terraces is an agony for all those who love the game in this nation. You have all made it clear as to the reasons—the unfathomable cost of tickets, the political climate, the absence of the big-named players, and the mediocre run of form. Make no mistake, there is an inertia around this program and even its most diehard fans at the worst possible time. The comment which hurts the most to read is: “If the players don’t care, then why should we?” The media drumbeat going into this game was crickets. The only news stories gaining traction were those surrounding Tim Weah and Weston McKennie’s surreal White House visit. But the empty stadium spoke its own message so loudly and agonizingly. Something profound has broken between this team and its core fanbase and it cries out for a sincere and speedy effort to rebuild that trust and connection again. Anyone who followed them in the 2010 and 2014 cycles knows just how singular and beautiful that connection can be. We head to 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium on Sunday night to play Haiti. (Chuckles “I’m in danger.”) If you’re in the Dallas area and considering going to the game, use this link to get 10% off tickets to USA vs. Haiti. The Knockout Rounds Will Be Moment Of Truth Time We may play Costa Rica or Mexico. To better days ahead for all of us. We need to make noise. We need to be able to dream. Our gents will next play against the NBA Finals Game 7. We cannot catch a break…
The Club World Cup Is Going to Be Some Turbulent Journey What a surreal sight this tournament has been. Hastily thrown together from an organization perspective and even more shoddily marketed. Having Gianni Infantino be the face of his own creation was an almost vanity marketing campaign, with iShowSpeed bolted on for clout. The oft-shockingly empty stadia have been a startling humiliation. The action has been a slow boil. With shattered players battling dry pitches and blazing conditions in unbearable heat, Barney Ronay called it, “almost-football.” Action has been a slow boil. The only heat has mostly been of the brain-twisting, weather-induced kind. I will talk more about this surreal reality with Rory Smith on Monday in a Do It Live! after Seattle Sounders play PSG (kick-off @ 3 p.m. ET), but for now, congratulations to Inter Miami. They should not be in this tournament, as they were only jammed in for Messi marketing purposes, but they seized their chance, clipping a physically shattered Porto off this sublime Messi free-kick to become the first MLS team to beat a European opponent in competitive play. No small achievement.
Concacaf Gold Cup: How every team can qualify for quarterfinals
Dale JohnsonJun 21, 2025, 06:13 AM ET
The group stage at the Concacaf Gold Cup is well underway, and we’ll soon start to find out the first qualifiers for the quarterfinals.
Who can qualify on matchday 2, who has work to do, and what are the results to look out for?
Here’s how it’s all shaping up.
Qualified for quarterfinals (3/8): Mexico, Costa Rica, United States
Tiebreakers
1. Group points 2. Group goal difference 3. Group goals scored 4. Head-to-head in the game(s) between the teams in question 5. Goal difference in the game(s) between the teams in question 6. Goals scored in the game(s) between the teams in question 7. Disciplinary points (yellow and red cards) 8. Drawing of lots
*Kick off times show in ET (and in local time)
GROUP A
Group A
GP
W
D
L
GD
PTS
1 – Mexico (Q)
2
2
0
0
+3
6
2 – Costa Rica (Q)
2
2
0
0
+2
6
3 – Dominican Republic
2
0
0
2
-2
0
4 – Suriname
2
0
0
2
-3
0
Top two countries qualify for quarterfinals
Saturday, June 14, 2025 Mexico 3-2 Dominican Republic
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 Costa Rica 2-1 Dominican Republic Suriname 0-2 Mexico
Sunday, June 22, 2025 Dominican Republic vs. Suriname, 10 p.m. (9 p.m.) – AT&T Stadium Mexico vs. Costa Rica, 10 p.m. (7 p.m.) – Allegiant Stadium
The group was all wrapped up on Wednesday with Mexico and Costa Rica having both won their two fixtures.
It means that all that’s left to be decided when the two meet on Sunday is who wins the group.
Mexico have the better goal difference so will finish in first place with a win or a draw.
Costa Rica need a victory to climb into top spot.
GROUP B
Group B
GP
W
D
L
GD
PTS
1 – Canada
1
1
0
0
+6
3
2 – El Salvador
1
0
1
0
0
1
3 – Curaçao
1
0
1
0
0
1
2 – Honduras
1
0
0
1
-6
0
Top two countries qualify for quarterfinals
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Curaçao 0-0 El Salvador Canada 6-0 Honduras
Saturday, June 21, 2025 Curaçao vs. Canada, 7 p.m. (6 p.m.) – Shell Energy Stadium Honduras vs. El Salvador, 10 p.m. (9 p.m.) – Shell Energy Stadium
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Guadeloupe vs. Guatemala, 7 p.m. (6 p.m.) – Shell Energy Stadium Panama vs. Jamaica, 7 p.m. (6 p.m.) – Q2 Stadium
Canada are in control of the group, as the only nation to pick up three points from the opening round, and they will be through to the quarterfinals with a win over Curaçao.
No other team can advance on matchday 2.
GROUP C
Group C
GP
W
D
L
GD
PTS
1 – Panama
2
2
0
0
+4
6
2 – Guatemala
2
1
0
1
0
3
3 – Jamaica
2
1
0
1
0
3
4 – Guadeloupe
2
0
0
2
-4
0
Top two countries qualify for quarterfinals
Monday, June 16, 2025 Panama 5-2 Guadeloupe Jamaica 0-1 Guatemala
Friday, June 20, 2025 Jamaica 2-1 Guadeloupe Guatemala 0-1 Panama
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Guadeloupe vs. Guatemala, 7 p.m. (6 p.m.) – Shell Energy Stadium Panama vs. Jamaica, 7 p.m. (6 p.m.) – Q2 Stadium
PANAMA
Win or draw: Qualify as group winners
Lose: Will definitely still qualify if Guatemala draw or lose.
If Guatemala win, three teams will have six points and it will go down to group goal difference. Panama (+4) look quite safe, however, as they would have to lose by 3 or more goals to go out behind Jamaica (0) and Guatemala (0).
JAMAICA
Win: Qualify if Guatemala draw or lose. If Guatemala win, three teams will have six points and it will go down to group goal difference. If Guatemala do win, Jamaica would need a victory by three or more goals to guarantee qualification — though they would also be through by winning by a greater margin than Guatemala.
Draw: Qualify if Guatemala lose. If Guatemala draw, places will first be decided on group goals scored, which Jamaica lead by one goal.
Lose: Can only qualify if Guatemala also lose, and it will again come down to goal difference, this time between Jamaica (0), Guatemala (0) and Guadeloupe (-4). Effectively, the team that loses by the lowest margin between Jamaica and Guatemala would be second (see Guadeloupe section).
If in each scenario goal difference finishes level between Jamaica and Guatemala (e.g. scorelines of 0-0 and 1-1 producing match goal difference of 2-2) then Guatemala are second on head to head.
GUATEMALA
Win: Qualify in second if Jamaica draw or lose. If Jamaica win, three teams will have six points and it will go down to group goal difference. As above, Guatemala would likely need to win by a bigger margin than Jamaica, though goal difference could still finish level.
Draw: Qualify if Jamaica lose. If Jamaica draw, places will first be decided on group goals scored, which Jamaica lead by one goal.
Lose: Can only qualify if Jamaica also lose, and it will again come down to goal difference, as above.
GUADELOUPE
Must beat Guatemala by at least two goals and hope Jamaica lose. If Jamaica lose by one goal, they finish second; if Jamaica lose by two or more goals, Guatemala will likely finish second having scored more goals.
If Guadeloupe win by three or more goals and Jamaica lose, Guadeloupe are sure to be second.
GROUP D
Group D
GP
W
D
L
GD
PTS
1 – United States
2
2
0
0
+6
6
2 – Saudi Arabia
2
1
0
1
0
3
3 – Haiti
2
0
1
1
-1
1
4 – Trinidad and Tobago
2
0
1
1
-5
1
Top two countries qualify for quarterfinals
Sunday, June 15, 2025 United States 5-0 Trinidad and Tobago Haiti 0-1 Saudi Arabia
Thursday, June 19, 2025 Trinidad and Tobago 1-1 Haiti Saudi Arabia 0-1 United States
Sunday, June 22, 2025 Saudi Arabia vs. Trinidad and Tobago, 7 p.m. (4 p.m.) – Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV United States vs. Haiti, 7 p.m. (4 p.m.) – AT&T Stadium
UNITED STATES
Have qualified and will top the group with a win or draw against Haiti.
If the U.S. lose, Saudi Arabia would need to win with a goal-difference swing of seven goals to steal first place.
SAUDI ARABIA
Win: Qualify, almost certainly in second place
Draw: Qualify, as long as Haiti do not win (see Haiti section)
Lose: Cannot qualify
HAITI
Win: They have a couple of routes. Haiti qualify as long as Saudi Arabia do not lose to Trinidad and Tobago by five or more goals (which puts Trinidad and Tobago through). If Saudi Arabia draw, it comes down to goal difference and goals scored, and Haiti are through if they win by two or more goals. If Haiti win by one goal and goal difference is identical (e.g. 1-0, 1-1) then Saudi Arabia are second on head to head.
Cannot qualify with a draw or loss.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Win: Have to get the victory over Saudi Arabia, and they will be through if Haiti draw or lose. If Haiti win, Trinidad and Tobago must win by five or more goals to finish second on goal difference.
Cannot qualify with a draw or loss.
Club World Cup: Is European soccer’s superiority being exposed as a myth?
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — European soccer’s superiority had, throughout the 21st century, become self-evident; inescapable and irreversible; extreme and presumed. It was apparent in the salaries and prices of players, in the exodus of talent from the Americas and Africa, in the prestige of the UEFA Champions League and, twice per year, on the field. At the former Club World Cup, the seven-team version played each winter, since 2007, European teams played 34 games. They lost once.
Their early stumbles have delighted fans from other continents. They’ve surprised Western pundits. And they’ve ignited provocative debate around a simple question: Is the supposed supremacy of European clubs a myth?
‘They are good teams too’
On one side, there are the raw results and the performances here over the past week. Flamengo didn’t just beat Chelsea 3-1 on Friday in Philadelphia; at times, it pummeled the free-spending English Premier League giants. And Fluminense — Brazil’s 13th best team last year — didn’t just hold Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 draw; it outplayed what was, a month ago, the hottest team in Germany.
In almost every single match between South American and European foes, there was evidence that the gap is slimmer than most Europeans (and non-Hispanic Americans) realize. Botafogo’s upset of PSG was a so-called “smash-and-grab,” but even smash-and-grabs require a certain level of physical, technical and tactical quality. Boca Juniors, similarly, bellied up to Bayern Munich on Friday and snatched a second-half equalizer, before conceding late. It was a “really tough game,” Bayern’s Harry Kane said postgame.
Flamengo players celebrate during their statement win over Chelsea at the 2025 Club World Cup in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
On paper, per Opta, these were games between the 9th best team in the world and the 81st; between No. 15 and No. 238; No. 4 and 132; No. 7 and 131; No. 6 and 130; No. 8 and 77. On the field, though, they looked very different, and begged the question: Is Opta wrong?Are the assumptions of European preeminence wrong?Were we all wrong?
For four-and-a-half decades, after all, from 1960 until 2004, when the champions of South America and Europe met in the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup, the South Americans won 22; the Europeans won 21. Europe’s subsequent commercialization of the sport has seemingly shifted the balance of power, or at least wealth, but … perhaps the on-field gap never really widened?At this new-look Club World Cup, which everyone agrees is a better indicator than the old one, “the South American teams have caused big problems for some of the European teams,” Kane said, and perhaps the explanation is simple. As Kane’s teammate, Konrad Laimer, said: “Because they are good teams, too. Football is football.”
The European excuses
On the other side of the debate, however, there are excuses — or at least other explanations, some legitimate.There is the timing of this tournament, which falls at the end of 10-month European seasons, but mid-campaign for clubs from Brazil, Argentina and MLS. Whereas South American teams built up to the Club World Cup, weary European bodies and minds were ready to wind down. Most got a couple weeks off before reconvening with teammates 7-10 days before their Club World Cup openers, or after an international window. “There are many tournaments that they’ve had to play, and perhaps they’ll arrive with some fatigue,” Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez predicted before the competition began. “I think there will be some surprise results.”There is also the suffocating U.S. summer heat, which has seemed to affect European teams more than others.“We are used to the heat,” Al Hilal’s Brazilian winger Malcom said after his team hung with Real Madrid on a humid 90-degree afternoon in suburban Miami. Atlético Madrid’s Spanish midfielder Marcos Llorente, on the other hand, called an 88-degree afternoon in Southern California “impossible.”
There is travel to which the Europeans aren’t accustomed. There are distant time zones, and games that kick off after all their friends and family back home are asleep. There are all sorts of confounding variables that preclude the Club World Cup from being an accurate point of comparison.And most of all, there is the unavoidable sense, or narrative, that the European teams just don’t really care.Many players do, to be clear. But do they care, with every last ounce of their being, like some of their South American counterparts do?There has undoubtedly been an intensity gap that has neutralized the quality gap, and helped some South American sides show well. To them, these games are among the most significant in recent club history. To the Europeans, the Champions League and, in some cases, their domestic leagues were and are more prestigious.Public attitudes toward the Club World Cup have also colored this excuse. While European fans have stayed home, and in some cases slept through games, supporters of South American and North African clubs have filled stadiums with balloons, flags, banners and unceasing noise.
“We’ve all been a part of big moments; this is still something totally different,” Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany said Friday after experiencing the locura of Boca fans.
Kane confirmed: “It felt like an away game out there.”
That, too, is an equalizing factor.
The conclusion
None of that entirely explains the upsets. But there is nuance in the conclusion that the gap between Europe and the rest of the world is somewhat narrower than many thought — because there are also gaps within Europe and within that other broad category.There is a massive gulf, for example, between Bayern Munich, which ultimately outclassed Boca here on Friday night; and Porto, which finished third in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, closer to fourth-place Braga than to the top two.There is also a sizable gulf between Palmeiras or Flamengo, the two most powerful teams in South America’s richest league, and most of the other non-European challengers at this Club World Cup.
What we probably overestimated was the distance between the Portos and the Inter Miamis; between the Dortmunds and the Fluminenses; between the Benficas and Bocas; between the Chelseas and the Flamengos. Most of the teams Porto and Benfica play, weekend after weekend, are probably worse than the best of MLS — and certainly worse than Boca, River Plate and much of the Brasileirão. Some of the Brasileirão, and certainly the top two, meanwhile, could compete with the top halves of the top flights in Germany, Italy, Spain and France. They have enough money, enough intelligence, enough homegrown talent.There is still, though, a distance to the tippy-top.“There is an elite in football that is superior,” Flamengo coach Filipe Luis, who played for Atlético Madrid and Chelsea, admitted Friday. “Brazilian clubs are competitive at the second level of European football. Flamengo will not devalue themselves against any opponent. But the squads of the elite are better. That’s a fact.”What we underestimated, though, was how streetwise grit and pure desire and all the aforementioned variables could close the gap between those squads for 90 minutes. We underestimated how much a $100 million squad could trouble a $1 billion squad when it plays as an impassioned unit that’s “really emotional in some situations,” as Laimer said of Boca.South American teams have bumped and bruised and disrupted the sometimes-coddled Europeans here in Miami and Los Angeles, in New Jersey and Philly. They haven’t proven that they are better, but that they’re good enough to be better on a given day.
USMNT grinds way by Saudi Arabia into Gold Cup knockout stage
AUSTIN, Texas — Center back Chris Richards made two sliding plays on either side of halftime — the first stopped a shot on a dangerous transition to keep the game scoreless and the second finished off an inch-perfect free kick – to lift the U.S. to a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Thursday night in the Concacaf Gold Cup.
The result sent the U.S. through to the tournament quarterfinals, though the group finale vs. Haiti on Sunday will determine if the Americans go through in first or second place in the group.
Richards’ finish saved the U.S. in what was otherwise a listless appearance in front of a barren home crowd at Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium. The lackluster environment is only the latest instance of what seems to be a real apathy around a team that will host the World Cup in less than a year. The U.S. played in front of empty crowds at the Concacaf Nations League in Los Angeles in March. The group opener on Sunday in San Jose was not a sellout either.
It is a lack of excitement caused as much by high ticket prices as the general performance of the team.
On the field, Thursday’s win gave the U.S. back-to-back victories for the first time since January camp. Results otherwise have left plenty to be desired. The American team has failed to excited fans or generate much enthusiasm or momentum.
This Gold Cup is a chance to reverse that. But Mauricio Pochettino’s side needed to get results to start to build belief that it was headed in the right direction. The one-goal win over the Saudi did provide the result, if not necessarily the style points.
The U.S. tilted play through the left side and Max Arfsten in the first half, but the Columbus Crew wingback struggled to do much with his opportunities. The U.S. lost possession 60 times in the first half, per TruMedia, and Arfsten was responsible for 15 of those changeovers.
Saudi Arabia, a guest nation in Concacaf’s championship, had the best chances of the first stanza. Richards made a fantastic tackle in the 31s minute, sprinting back and making a last-ditch slide tackle to block Abdulrahman Al-Obood’s effort and keep the game scoreless.
The U.S. worked possession looking for ways to break Saudi down, but created very little of note through the first hour of the game. Then right back Alex Freeman earned a free kick when he was fouled cutting centrally with the ball in the 62nd minute.
Sebastian Berhalter, the son of former U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter, who once spent a season on loan with Austin FC, stood over the free kick and served a low curling ball into the box, where Richards slid with his leg outstretched to direct the ball home.
It was an important moment from the Crystal Palace veteran, who has been charged with being one of the leaders on this younger, inexperienced U.S. team.
The U.S. will close out group play on Sunday against Haiti at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with that result, coupled with Mexico and Costa Rica’s Group A finale, determining the quarterfinal matchups. A draw will be sufficient for the U.S. to top the group. The U.S. hasn’t lost to Haiti in their last nine meetings, a streak that dates back to 1973.
(Top photo: Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Winning fosters USMNT belief at a time when fans need a team they can trust
AUSTIN, Texas — The U.S. men’s national team is just a few weeks removed from the bitterness of two friendly defeats, the second of which was particularly ugly. Not nearly enough time has passed to have forgotten completely the feeling those results wrought on the group.
“Enjoy that feeling,” Pochettino told the group. “Understand what that feeling is like and what you just had to do, all that emotion you put out on the field, because it doesn’t come easy. So you know what you have to do now. You need to continue to do and replicate that.”
It is one thing to believe that you have a process and that the process is working. It is harder to transmit that belief when the results are not going your way. That’s why the one-goal victory over Saudi Arabia was so important, even if it wasn’t pretty. The U.S. has now won back-to-back games. The confidence and belief in the group grows a bit more as a result. And Pochettino’s message resonates more, too.
“One of the important things to survive in this business … is to see things that maybe sometimes people cannot see,” Pochettino said. “And I think our point is not the knowledge about the game, is not about in the way that we want to approach the game, if we use different systems or not. It is to anticipate situations that people sometimes, like in all the business [don’t have] the possibility to see. That’s important. When everyone wants to destroy everything, sometimes you say, ‘No, we are [OK.]’ Because it’s difficult to defend when you don’t win. It’s difficult to say, ‘No, but we are in a good way.’ …
“I think [those bad results are part of] a process that is going to provide us the possibility to be more solid and bring the victories that we want.”
Mauricio Pochettino has the USMNT into the Gold Cup knockout stage (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Pochettino clearly came into this summer with ideas he wanted to transmit through his decisions — on whom to bring, on what to say publicly, on how the team sets up and who is starting. The results didn’t happen right away. Pochettino said he was calm. He told the group to keep trusting.
So Gold Cup wins over Trinidad and Tobago and Saudi Arabia matter. Not because of the quality of the opponent or even the level of the team. But because results are what help foster buy-in.
“We lost two games, and then we lost another two games after. I was really, really relaxed. And you can ask the players after Switzerland, [I was] saying, ‘Hey, look guys, relax. Now it’s time to rest. Is to analyze the situation.’ And sometimes you need to be honest. And I think it was my mistake or our mistake, and [so I said], ‘Hey, calm, we are going to prepare, and for sure, we are going to arrive in a very good condition.’ And maybe these few words … when you tell [players] something and that [happens], then that is going to be a very good group, very united and [they are going to] trust each other and go and fight. Because we know that we are all [in it] together.”
Pochettino said his staff can sense it coming together. They can “smell it,” he said.
They have to hope that the positivity continues to permeate, because it was clear in Austin that the apathy around this program is very real. The results haven’t been good, and the vibes have been worse. Attendance at Q2 Stadium was just 11,727. That follows just 12,610 in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday against T&T. The optics probably won’t be any better vs. Haiti this Sunday at the cavernous AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
USMNT fans were conspicuously absent for Thursday’s Gold Cup match vs. Saudi Arabia (Photo by Noah Goldberg/Getty Images)
Fans are opting out of paying high ticket prices to watch a team that hasn’t been performing, which should be a glaring signal for U.S. Soccer. There is less than a year until the 2026 World Cup begins. The priority needs to be on getting full stadiums and generating momentum around the team. It puts enormous pressure on U.S. Soccer to set its ticket prices appropriately for its slate of friendlies in September, October, November, March and next June.
Price points haven’t been the only issue, though. The U.S. men need to get people to start believing that they’re worth coming out to watch.
There wasn’t a ton on Thursday that fulfilled that narrative. The Americans had the ball for most of the game, generating 67 percent possession and 469 passes. And yet they mustered just five shots and 0.70 expected goals.
It was an imperfect performance. But Pochettino is more worried about finding the moments he can pull from the game that underline his message.
It was Chris Richards sprinting back and sliding to block a shot on a clear Saudi transition attack that could have led to a goal. It was Sebastian Berhalter mixing it up with the Saudi team. Most importantly, it was the final scoreline.
USMNT GK Matt Freese embraces Chris Richards after the latter’s hustle and tackle prevented a great Saudi Arabia chance (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
The simplest way to relay what Pochettino said is this: In this business, it’s the results that matter. That’s it. And that’s what the U.S. has been lacking over the last 18 months. They need to start winning games. The style points are just a bonus.
This U.S. group has holes. Of course it does. We know about the guys missing from this tournament. We know about the weaknesses that exist even when many of those players are present. That was on display against Panama in the Nations League in March.
With time ticking down toward the summer of 2026, it’s about finding the right mentality and the right combinations and the right belief to start winning again.
Pochettino was asked about that goal – about how to coach it into a team.
“It’s the hardest part of coaching, it is difficult because it takes time, because it’s a process,” Pochettino said. “Coaching the offensive, defensive, tactical, and game aspects is something any coach or every coach has sufficient knowledge to do. After that, it’s the values you transmit as a coaching staff. Not just me, but my entire coaching staff. That’s what we want to create, that environment or that relationship that has to exist. The habits. The habits we think should exist in a team that wants to compete for big things, which have to be fundamental. … Culture is created through the habits you have. Culture isn’t created by talking, culture isn’t created by giving theoretical lessons, it’s created with decisions, with actions. We often talk now with the players, about not talking on the field, but rather speaking with actions, because we can all communicate well, and all of us in a football environment have that ability to communicate. …
“It can be very nice to say things, but then you have to translate it onto the field. … That’s what truly dictates what we are. And that requires, as I was saying before, actions. Creating good habits, the habits that we think are fundamental to being competitive in any team. Because otherwise we would be a group of players who don’t come together. We wouldn’t be a team. We would be a group of players who play together, and nothing more. And to achieve a team, you need a foundation of values that we all agree to respect and follow.”
Pochettino was then asked whether his team was there yet.
“We are currently under construction,” he said.
The 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia showed that. It was far from perfect. But it was a win. For a group that’s trying to become a team and craft its values, finding a way to get the three points was important.
The hope is that it now builds a little bit more. For the players in the locker room, for the players watching at home and for the fans who want to know whether they can start to believe again that this group of players can be the team they want it to be.
It will take a lot more — and there will most definitely be more setbacks. For now, this U.S. group will have to settle for a slight spark of belief that this can get back on track.
“It’s just that,” midfielder Tyler Adams said. “It’s belief.”
US Men Bring B Team Roster to Games vs Turkey on Sat 3:30 & Tues 8 pm vs Switzerland TNT
Sad to see that the US Men in their last competition before the World Cup at home next Summer – are once again bringing a B Team to the Gold Cup. Yes starters Matt Turner, Chris Richards (D) & Tyler Adams will be on hand but other than EVERYONE else is playing for the 3 or 4 spots left on what should be our World Cup team next summer. Sorry but I am still not convinced Poch is the guy to get us to the Final 4 or even Final 8 in the World Cup. It will be funny when Canada with Marsh & Asst Coach Mike Bradley finish higher/beat our pants off this summer.
USMNT GOLD CUP DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals):
Wow the US Ladies looked dynamite in their past 2 wins last week over China and Jamaica- the kids were really impressive vs Jamaica (highlights) as youngsters 21 YO Ally Sentanor (2 Goals), 17 YO midfielder Lily Yohannes, 20 YO Alyssa Thompson, & 19 YO Claire Hutton were simply fantastic. Again coach Hayes is proving there are alot of players capable of making our next World Cup team.
Euro Nations League Final – Spain vs Portugal Sun on Fox 3 pm
Wow – the Nations League Semi-Final between Spain and France was simply spectacular the 5-4 thriller in Bayern Munich was magisterial as Spanish GK Unai Simon was the difference. (Highlights). The Finals match Portugal and the legendary Ronaldo (who scored the winner Wed vs Germany) and Spain with Ballon D’Or finalist Yamal.
Indy 11 hosts Pittsburgh Riverhounds and former Carmel High, CDC GK Eric Dick Sat, June 14 Indy 11 Summer of Soccer is a cool promo going on with tickets and a chance to win a free trip to the Indy 11 Charleston game.
Notes Indiana Pacers Pascal Siakam from Cameron & Obi Toppin show their Soccer Skills at practice before win over OKC. Can’t wait to check out the Sports Bra when they open. Messi was magisterial again last weekend with 3 assists & 2 goals vs Columbus. Loved this from CBS pre Champions League – these guys are as good as the TNT crew of Shaq, Kenny & Barkley. Vitinha (the 19 yo) was magical in the 5-0 win over Inter. Man it was awesome to see PSG finally win a Champions League title – just 2 years removed from having Mbappe, Messi & – Manager Luis Enrique brought Paris the title – loved the tifo PSG unveiled pregame regarding his daughter. I have watched a few of the TST games with Patt McAfee on ESPNU check it out its pretty cool. Nice to see Club World Cup ticket prices are coming down finally – $250+ to see these opening leg games was ridiculous (see below). Can’t wait to see former Carmel High & CDC GK Eric Dick – return to Indy to play the Indy 11 on Sat, June 14 for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds!
Congrats to the U17 Girls – coach Charles Switzer & Abby Donofrio
Carmel FC – 2025 Tryout and Evaluation Information
Carmel FC’s scheduled tryouts and player evaluations for the 2025/2026 Season will be in the following dates: Birth Years: 2015 – 2007 on June 9th. To register to tryout please click on this link: https://system.gotsport.com/programs/941103K41?reg_role=player
June 9th and 10th (11U-19U) Tryouts
2015 BOYS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 7, 10:00am to 11:15am 2015 GIRLS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 5, 10:00am to 11:15am” 2014 BOYS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 7, 12:00pm to 1:15pm 2014 GIRLS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 5, 12:00pm to 1:15pm 2013 BOYS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 7, 2:00pm to 3:15pm 2013 GIRLS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 5, 2:00pm to 3:15pm 2012 BOYS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 5A, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 2012 GIRLS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 7A, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 2011 BOYS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 5B, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 2011 GIRLS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 7B, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 2010 BOYS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 9A, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 2010 GIRLS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 1A, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 2009 BOYS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 9B, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 2009 GIRLS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 1B, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 008 BOYS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 10A, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 2008 GIRLS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 2A, 5:30pm to 6:45p 2007 BOYS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 10B, 5:30pm to 6:45pm 2007 GIRLS: Shelbourne Soccer Complex, Field 2B, 5:30pm to 6:45pm
The 2011 Girls Gold went undefeated in the U14/U15 top flight @ St Francis Siege last weekend. Congrats to the Carmel FC 2014 Boys who made the Championship Final against the top teams in the state in Presidents Cup last weekend.
2:45 pm fubo? Norway vs Italy WCC 7:30 pm Golazo Louisville City vs Utah NWSL 10 pm Prime Video San Diego vs Seattle Reign NWSL
Sat, June 7
12 noon FoxSp2 Andorra vs England WCC 1 pm CBS Gothem FC vs KC Current NWSL 3:30 pm TNT, Tele US Men vs Turkey 7 pm Ion Bay City vs Portland NWSL 9 pm Apple Free Colorado vs Austin MLS 10 pm Ion LA Angel City vs Chicago
Sun, June 8
9 am Fubo? Germany vs France 3rd place 2:45 pm Fox Portugal vs Spain Nations League Finals 4 pm Golazo, Para+ Washington vs NC Courage NWSL 7 pm Apple Free Portland Timbers vs St Louis
Mon, June 9
2:45 pm FS2 Italy vs Moldova WCC
Tues, June 10
8 pm TNT, Peacock US Men vs Switzerland Fri, June 13 10:30 pm FS1 Portland Timbers vs San Jose MLS
June 13 – 29 GOLD CUP MEN
June 14 4:30 pm Fox St. Louis City vs LA Galaxy 7 pm TV 8 & CBS Golaso Indy 11 vs Pittsburg Riverhounds (Carmel GK Eric Dick returns) 7:30 pm Apple Free Columbus vs Vancouver 8 pm Univision Al Ahly vs Inter Miami Club World Cup 9:30 pm Apple Free Colorado vs Orlando MLS
Sun, June 15
3 pm Univision PSG Vs Athletico Madrid 6 pm Fox, Uni US Men vs Trinidad Gold Cup 8:15 pm FS1 Haiti vs Saudi Arabia GC 11 pm FS1 Cost Rica vs Suriname
USMNT v. Türkiye (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, TNT/HBO Max)
USMNT v. Switzerland (Next Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/HBO Max)
The World Cup is 370 days away. The United States Men’s National could not appear less ready. After the stinging humiliation of last summer’s Copa America, and the self-immolation of back-to-back Nation’s League losses to Panama and Canada, we head towards a Gold Cup, the last competitive games before the World Cup, with almost all our biggest names missing—some by their own choice. In their place, a squad filled with understudies that best resembles an NFL roster stuffed with replacements during the 1987 strike season. Everyone stay calm.
Sergiño Dest is the latest USMNT star to pull out of the squad as he continues to return from a torn ACL, even though he made seven club appearances totaling 375 minutes at the back half of the season. “We determined the best decision is for the player to have an individualized training program for the summer so he can focus on being fully recovered and ready to perform next season,” Pochettino said. This sounds rational. But on top of the voluntary absences and unorthodox messaging around Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah’s omissions from the squad, it just adds to a sense of inertia around the program.
There are two schools of thought here: the rational sense that, for Pulisic, who has played 50 club games this season, “He’s too valuable long-term—let him rehab, lock in, and come back sharp for World Cup. It’s the smart move.” But there is also the context; this team has screamed into the abyss since the 2022 World Cup. The players themselves have admitted their fight and the program’s collective mentality has dropped. Pochettino has told them to leave their golf clubs behind, making it clear they have treated international duty like a vacation. This is a critical time for Poch to show he can sew his idea of Grinta—the willingness to suffer in the name of victory—into a squad whose recent displays have been the polar opposite of that. An all-hands-on-deck moment in which commitment, togetherness, and backs against the wall is the only way to go, if the squad is to spark an interest and belief, even amongst their natural diehard fanbase.
At a time when we do not know who our starting goalkeeper, central defenders, and striker could and should be at the World Cup, this current reality makes our game feel so small in the United States. Either we are not the serious program that we aspire to be, or the Gold Cup is not a serious tournament.
Having said that, as I wrote in our new United States Men’s National Team-obsessed newsletter, USMNT ONLY (subscribe here, and please share this link with your football loving friends), as Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” And for the young, raw squad members, including five first timers, this is an open audition for a World Cup place. A chance to force out a big, established name who has become complacent. They have been handed a chance to make the biggest tournament ever, on home turf, by training so hard they become impossible to ignore. The footballing equivalent of a golden ticket to the Wonka factory. Watch Diego Luna, Sebastian Berhalter, and Quinn Sullivan seize their moment.
Really Thoughtful Analysis of World Cup 2026 as We Hit a Year-Out
The World Cup hits the year-out mark this Wednesday. It will change football forever in this nation. We clatter towards it with the magical news Uzbekistan qualified for the first time in their nation’s history. This sits alongside the parallel narrative of geopolitics and the dark chaos of the travel ban. This Miguel Delaney piece was really a fascinating read: casting an eye on the new format FIFA has created for the tournament. I do believe the World Cup is going to make our host cities sing to the world, but the bloat of 48 teams in 12 groups of four is worth thinking about. The geographical scale, with games far, far away from teams’ bases and time zones. The 17-day group stage features 72 of the 104 matches, which will be played merely to return the field to its current size of 32 teams. Seventy percent of the competition will be spent eliminating a third of the field.
LAFC Win the $10M Match
LAFC beat Club America 2-1 in dramatic fashion on Saturday night to book the final spot in the Club World Cup later this month. They’ll join Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders as the only MLS teams in the tournament (all 8 groups here).
The game went a full 120 minutes after Igor Jesus headed home the equalizer off a Denis Bouanga corner in the 89th minute. Then, in the 115th minute, Bouanga sealed the game with a quick shot after a beautiful build-up from the Black & Gold. Here’s an up-close look at the goal celebration in front of the 3252’s with Steve Cherundolo fist pumping into the crowd. The atmosphere at this match was incredible. Club America fans came out in full force, occupying one whole grandstand. With so much at stake, it felt like a major European Cup final.
A record $1B in prize money will be distributed to the 32 clubs. Each team will receive $9.55M just for qualifying for the tournament, making that goal from Bouanga a nearly $10M goal. The players, however, aren’t happy with how that money is being distributed. Seattle Sounders players wore “World Cup Cash Grab” shirts in the warmups on Sunday. The MLSPA released a statement backing the players, saying they deserve more of the prize money. The players should always receive a sizable chunk of any money, but sigh… this is FIFA we’re talking about. Is anyone surprised? Apparently the Sounders’ owner angrily confronted the players in the locker room after the game.
LAFC kicks off their tournament against Chelsea in Atlanta on June 16th. Of course, we’ll have it all covered for you.
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On Tuesday, the Chicago Fire unveiled plans to build a brand new 22k seat soccer-specific stadium. The $650M stadium, set to open in 2028, will be privately funded and be located downtown in the South Loop. Fire fans deserve this. They finally have an owner who is willing to invest in the team. It is only right that one of America’s greatest cities has a world-renowned soccer stadium
USMNT Update
We’ve entered the offseason for our American lads playing overseas. Here are a few things you should know.
Christian Pulisic will likely renew his contract now that AC Milan has hired Max Allegri as the new head coach and Igli Tare as Sporting Director. Discussions are ongoing, and the contract is expected to be extended until 2030.
Josh Sargent is expected to leave Norwich City after being named to the English Championship Team of the Season. Premier League and Bundesliga clubs are both in the hunt for his signature after scoring 15 goals this season.
Gio Reyna will be leaving Dortmund after only playing 614 minutes all season. He’s been managing injury problems the last few years, but Dortmund don’t seem to value him even when he’s healthy. If Gio wants to be a starter next summer, he has to be playing consistently.
Atletico Madrid leads the race to sign Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis, but the $40 million asking price could be a deterrent. Tottenham are closely watching, but it appears Cardoso would prefer to stay in La Liga.
The Soccer Tournament (TST) 101: Dates, players, history
ESPN Jun 3, 2025, 02:30 PM ET
Teams around the world are taking the pitch for a third consecutive summer in Cary, North Carolina, for The Soccer Tournament. The 7-on-7 event features 48 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams in separate brackets with $1 million on the line.
Check out more key facts about the tournament below.
When is 2025 TST? How can fans watch?
The tournament runs June 4 through June 9. ESPN+ will stream 27 matches, with 20 matches available on ESPNU. Fans can catch the action in the men’s and women’s streaming hub. Who has won TST?
Newtown Pride FC won the inaugural tournament in 2023. La Bombonera and U.S. Women took home the titles in 2024, the first year with split men’s and women’s brackets.
What are notable rules?
The Soccer Tournament features target score time, which means a game finishes on a final goal as opposed to when time ends. The target score is determined by adding one to the leading team’s score after the full-time whistle. A player from each team is removed from the field of play every three minutes until the target score is reached.
Which teams and players are participating in 2025?
Teams such as Club America, AFC Bournemouth and Borussia Dortmund will be fielding squads. Select men’s players include Sergio Agüero, Diego Godín, Andy Carroll, Nani and Sebastian Giovinco, while select women’s players include Hope Solo, Ali Krieger, Carli Lloyd, Allie Long and Heather O’Reilly.
Sergiño Dest is the latest core member of the United States men’s national team who will not be playing in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. The PSV right back missed nearly a year after tearing his ACL in April 2024 but was able to make seven appearances down the stretch as his team stormed back to win the Eredivisie. Nevertheless, managing that injury remains the priority rather than throwing him into the competition despite his appearance in training over the last week.“The technical, medical and high performance staffs have done a series of evaluations this week on all the players in camp, and in the case of Sergiño we determined the best decision is for the player to have an individualized training program for the summer so he can focus on being fully recovered and ready to perform next season,” head coach Mauricio Pochettino said a statement.Dest joins a long list of mainstays who are missing this Gold Cup, including Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Folarin Balogun, and Antonee Robinson for injuries or personal reasons; Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna also miss out, as their clubs’ involvement in the Club World Cup precludes their international involvement. Josh Sargent was also omitted as a coach’s decision. As such, Pochettino didn’t have much work to do as he revealed the USMNT’s final squad on Thursday.Having initially called in a 27-man training squad that required a sole dismissal, Pochettino saw five players depart his camp. Goalkeepers Patrick Schulte (oblique) and Zack Steffen (knee) necessitated the late inclusion of 21-year-old Chris Brady. DeJuan Jones (lower body), Sean Zawadzki (knee) and Balogun (ankle) added to the departure list in defense and at striker.
Still, there are some mainstays of the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa América rosters to headline the survivors. Matt Turner projects to start in goal, making up for lost action as he played just four times (three FA Cup starts, one Carabao Cup start) on loan with Crystal Palace. Tim Ream, Chris Richards and Walker Zimmerman provide tournament experience at center back. Brenden Aaronson, Johnny Cardoso, Luca de la Torre and Malik Tillman had squad roles in those recent tournaments, while Haji Wright is the sole goalscorer from either preceding major tournament to be on this Gold Cup squad.With all of their games on home soil, the USMNT will face Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia — an invited guest of Concacaf who made significant financial investment in the North and Central American confederation before its participation was confirmed — and Haiti in Group D. The top two teams from each of the four groups advance to a three-round knockout bracket.The Gold Cup title has alternated between Mexico and the U.S. for every installment since 2011, when Mexico beat the U.S. in a second straight Gold Cup final, with the USMNT going on to win in 2013, 2017 and 2021. Given how the groups are configured, their rivalry could resume as soon as the quarterfinal stage if one team wins their group and the other finishes second. If both teams have an identical finish in the group, whether it’s first or second, the bracket wouldn’t put them together until a potential final.As for some of the other intriguing elements on the final squad (full roster listed below):
Alex Freeman: the next man up
Right back has remained a rotational role since Dest suffered his knee injury. Joe Scally started in his place at the Copa América, but a series of poor performances with the national team leave him off of this squad entirely. Nathan Harriel was the United States’ starter at the 2024 Olympics, but 20-year-old Alex Freeman projects to be better suited to make Pochettino’s lineup.A homegrown product of Orlando City SC, Freeman has vaulted up prospect lists with a breakout first half to the 2025 season. The son of former Green Bay Packer wide receiver Antonio Freeman, he stands 6-foot-2 and has impressive and agile mobility for his stature. Among 57 MLS fullbacks and wingbacks who already have 500 minutes this season, Freeman ranks second with 27 chances created, averaging 2.88 chances per 100 touches of the ball. Despite his athleticism and skillset, Freeman has already displayed impressive positional awareness and seldom ventured too far from his post in Orlando’s team shape.reeman is already attracting European interest despite only becoming a regular first-division starter three months ago. He could be on a fast track to become Dest’s understudy in time for the World Cup — and, depending on how Dest looks in his first full season back from injury, provide a worthy alternative at the position.
Berhalter in for USMNT
Seven players on this Gold Cup squad could stand to make their USMNT debut by the end of the group stage. Perhaps most notable is Sebastian Berhalter, with the defensive midfielder having seen his stock soar along with the entire Vancouver Whitecaps squad under first-year head coach Jesper Sørensen.The son of Pochettino’s predecessor in the role, Gregg Berhalter, the 24-year-old can play defensive midfield but sees himself as best fitting in a more advanced box-to-box role. He’s got a knack for arriving late in the box to complete team attacking sequences that often involve him in their buildup, refining his first-touch shooting from just beyond 18 yards to give Vancouver another scoring threat beyond Brian White (who is among the strikers on this roster).hile he wasn’t far enough in his development to garner consideration under his father, the work he’s done with the Whitecaps makes him a deserving inclusion on Pochettino’s squad.
“It’s been my dream since I’ve been a kid, but I think it’s something that I’m just taking one game at a time,” Berhalter told The Athletic in late April. “Being around the national team so much — I think I’ve watched every recent game more than probably anyone else has. I just worry about winning games here and performing well.”
Here is the USMNT Gold Cup squad in full:
GOALKEEPERS: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace)
DEFENDERS: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
MIDFIELDERS: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven)
FORWARDS: Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht), Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC), Damion Downs (FC Köln), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
Pochettino likens Pulisic to USA’s Messi, addresses stars passing on Gold Cup
U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino said this week he hopes to instill in his team the type of urgency and desire to play for the national team that exists in other countries. Speaking on the Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard podcast, Pochettino cited some of the biggest names he has coached — Argentine legend Lionel Messi, French World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian star Neymar — as examples of top players who remain “desperate” to play for their respective national teams.“The people need to prioritize the national team,” Pochettino said. “We were talking about Argentine players, or Brazilian players or English players or Spanish players, they are desperate. Even Messi, even Neymar, even Mbappé for France, these guys are desperate to go to the national team. For them, when they go, they don’t see if it’s a friendly game, if it’s an official game, it’s a World Cup, it doesn’t matter, because the possibility to defend one time more your flag, your shirt. It’s about to feel proud. And that is the responsibility to us to translate.”The comments are striking after Christian Pulisic made the decision, in conjunction with U.S. Soccer, to skip this summer’s Gold Cup. Citing his heavy workload with AC Milan and the U.S. — Pulisic is one of just 10 outfield players in the top five European leagues to appear in 50 games in each of the past two seasons — Pulisic felt he needed the rest in order to be healthy for next summer’s World Cup.Donovan compared Pulisic to Messi in that he has the most eyeballs on him of any American player and asked how the staff could handle competing in the tournament this summer without Pulisic. Pochettino praised his team’s top player and said he does not question Pulisic’s commitment to the group or the country.“I think Christian in the last year showed a great quality,” Pochettino said. “He’s performing in Europe, also he’s performing with the national team. He’s a very talented player that can help us to win. You say people compare Messi with Christian Pulisic. I don’t want to be disrespectful with Messi or Pulisic, but I think in this country, Pulisic should be our Messi, because he’s an iconic player, the kids on the street for sure if you ask one soccer player in this country, it’s Pulisic.
“We have very good communication with our players. Christian is a very nice guy, is very committed to the national team and he wants to help and of course is desperate to play in the World Cup and arrive in the best condition. All these conversations that we were taking with the players, I think that was the best decision to help him because every player are in different circumstances, and even if I want Christian here or another player here – Antonee (Robinson, injured Fulham left back) or like this – I think no one or another teammate is going to see badly about if I’m saying that, because I think … sometimes you need to put the interest in the medium and long term than in the present.“Because for me after the March camp, if I say, ‘OK I don’t care about [anything], I want to win tomorrow,’ [there] is [a] consequence after, because I think we are all preparing and focused on the World Cup. And sometimes we need to be open and flexible in some decisions. When we talk about these types of decisions for us, it was a tough decision … It was our decision in the end, because if you say you need to come — you cannot force the player to come — but I think I need to be fair and say it was a collective decision to try to find the best for the national team and the best for the player.”“We are building something and always when you are building something, always there are up and downs in this period. It’s true that we are a little bit disappointed. We were really excited after January. not because of the two (games) … but how the players, how the team showed the responsibility that we wanted to translate. Then with all the circumstances in March, it didn’t help us to show that.”The Gold Cup was meant to be an important team-building month for the U.S. under Pochettino, his first extended camp with the U.S. since taking over after last summer’s Copa América failure. Now it takes on new meaning as Pochettino evaluates his wider national team pool. That being said, Pochettino insisted the goal was still to win.
Ultimately, even without Pulisic and other starters — Robinson, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun and Gio Reyna are also missing the tournament via injury, FIFA Club World Cup duty, or, in Musah’s case, personal reasons — the tournament serves as a step toward next summer’s World Cup.That is true for MLS players trying to break into the squad, but also for others, including World Cup starter Matt Turner. Pochettino said on the podcast he told Turner that the goalkeeper had to start finding minutes in order to be ready for the World Cup.“We are very open,” Pochettino said. “We don’t have fears to talk with the player. Sometimes it’s painful because you need to tell some players: ‘Look, you need to play.’ At the moment OK, so far it’s good, because we are checking your character, your personality, your capacity to be a leader, the leadership that you have, but at some point to be a leader you need to compete.”Pochettino also praised players like Diego Luna, who have started to show they bring value to the squad simply with their mentality and approach. Pochettino noted that Luna didn’t want to come out of the game after being elbowed in the nose during a January-camp friendly, then bloodied and taped up, assisted on a goal.Asked about who the leaders are on the team, Pochettino alluded to giving everyone a chance to prove their role — whether as a squad player, a starter or a leader.“When we arrived in October I think the picture changed in the national team. In the way that we like to translate the message and the way that we are open to give the opportunity to all the players to step up and show the character,” Pochettino said. “Because we don’t want to assume that because four years ago someone was captain now should be the captain, because the circumstance changed. I think we are very open and giving the opportunity to the group and the players that are involved to say, ‘Come on, show me.’ For me, it’s a natural process. Sometimes some players can surprise you and can step up.“The most important thing is to see in a spontaneous way who will step up when things are wrong, when the stress is there, when the pressure is there, who is going to say ‘Hey, I am here.’”There is, of course, an enormous amount of pressure on the team to perform in next summer’s tournament. The U.S. advanced to the knockout round in the 2022 World Cup with one of the youngest squads in the tournament, behind the belief that the payoff would come in 2026. Struggles in last summer’s Copa América, where the U.S. was eliminated in the group stage, and in this spring’s Concacaf Nations League, where it lost to Panama and Canada, have upped the stakes.“I feel the responsibility. We all feel the responsibility,” Pochettino said. “Knowing that it’s soccer or football, it’s about the joy, it’s about not to put too much pressure on the players, because the players need to perform. … But yes of course it’s a massive pressure. The mentality and the culture of this country is to win.“The size of this country puts you in a position that you need to deliver. You need to show that you are brave, that you are a winner, but not talking like I am now. It’s easy to talk. The most important is go and to show. Show on the pitch when you need to defend your flag there, fighting and being a team, that is a moment to say, ‘Yes we have quality, I am a good player, but now it’s about to defend your country.’” (Top photo: John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Image
What we learned about USWNT from wins over China, Jamaica
Jeff KassoufJun 4, 2025, 01:20 PM ET
It’s June, which means United States women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes is staring at her self-imposed deadline of figuring out the core of players on which she will rely going forward.A pair of comfortable victories — 3-0 over China on May 31, followed by 4-0 over Jamaica on Tuesday night — didn’t offer the same kind of revealing test Brazil offered in April, but Hayes continued to dole out debuts this window in her quest to find every possible solution. Hayes said prior to the two games that “we’re very much on track for identifying that core group” that she will develop on the road to the 2027 World Cup. She offered more specifics in the days that followed, including the most revealing clue yet about who will be the USWNT’s next No. 1 goalkeeper following Tuesday’s win over Jamaica.When I watch the team, they very much molded into an Emma Hayes team,” Hayes said after Tuesday’s victory. “That’s how I feel when I watch us. I feel like there’s a lot of composure to the performances.”Drawing too definitive of conclusions from these two games in a vacuum risks hyperbole, but the victories over China and Jamaica brought further confirmation of trends that were already developing.Who continues to establish themselves as part of that core, and who among the new players looks like they will stick around? Let’s look by position.
Goalkeepers: A clear favorite emerges
This moment of uncertainty and inexperience in goal is unprecedented in the USWNT’s 40-year history, but there is now a clear favorite to take the No. 1 job — something that could not be said previously.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce started both games for the USWNT this window, earning her second and third caps after her strong debut against Brazil in April. Tullis-Joyce wasn’t busy in either game as the USWNT dominated possession (including 82% against Jamaica, who had zero shots on target and generated 0.07 expected goals, per ESPN Research). That can be the life of the goalkeeper, however — especially for the USWNT against inferior opposition.Hayes tried to pour some water on the idea that any goalkeeper will be the No. 1 by stating it is necessary to develop multiple players for the role ahead of 2027. Yet she also made it clear how Tullis-Joyce is the leader.”I think it’s fair to say Phallon’s experience at this moment in time, with the current group that I’ve got, is ahead,” Hayes said. “I still want to develop the other goalkeepers, but I get a fair sense of where their level is, one in relation to each other, but two in relation to 2027.
“There’s no easy way to answer that question, because I don’t think it’s as simple as just saying you’re my No. 1 and develop one. I think it would be foolish of me to do that in case someone falls out of form or they get injured, or those things, but Phallon is doing a tremendous job with everything that I’m asking.”
Tullis-Joyce is the most in-form American goalkeeper at the club level — although Claudia Dickey‘s NWSL “data don’t lie,” as Hayes said recently before calling up Dickey for the first time — and she’s starting to establish the necessary relationships with her defenders.
The most recent games were also the first with all-world center back Naomi Girma available this year. Hayes noted after Tuesday’s match that it was important for Girma and Tullis-Joyce to “build connections.” There should be more of that in the future.
Defenders: Another debut in the books
Girma’s return brought a calming presence and experience to the back line. “Naomi is like getting the Rolls-Royce out of the garage,” Hayes said on Tuesday. “I mean, what an unbelievable football player — just like a Rolls-Royce is an unbelievable car.”Emily Fox shone as the high-and-wide fullback in Tuesday’s game plan against Jamaica, and she was rewarded with an assist on the opening goal as she pushed up to join the forward line in the attack. The newer faces on Tuesday were Tara McKeown, whom Hayes continues to test in different partnerships at center back, and Kerry Abello, who made her international debut at fullback.McKeown completed a game-high 101 passes (on 108 attempts) as she and Girma set a faster tempo from deep areas to maneuver around Jamaica’s lower defensive block. Tuesday was also the first time the two had played together.Abello’s debut on Tuesday was the most interesting. She has been a standout fullback and winger for the NWSL champion Orlando Pride over the past year-plus, and she enters the international scene as the USWNT is trying to figure out its depth chart at fullback, a quest that’s stretched through several cycles.Hayes said before this training camp that she has begun to see Abello round out her game as someone who can be an attacking fullback or a stay-at-home defender as Orlando builds out attacks in a three-back formation. Abello played that latter role against Jamaica, allowing Fox to push high with freedom, and nearly scored in the final minutes of her debut, which was relatively unremarkable (that’s a compliment). She looked like she fits just fine, as much as any debutant could in a game the USWNT thoroughly controlled from the opening kickoff.
Avery Patterson is also a strong challenger at the fullback position and at 22, has a bright future ahead. She came off the bench against Jamaica and delivered a picture-perfect assist to Lynn Biyendolo for the fourth USWNT goal.
Midfielders: The kids are all right
Let’s lay it out there again: Lily Yohannes is the real deal at 17 years old. Yes, she has plenty to work on, but her ceiling is so obviously high that Hayes’ biggest question is not “if,” but “where” in the midfield triangle she should play Yohannes in the long-term.On Tuesday against Jamaica, Yohannes lined up as the No. 10 instead of the box-to-box midfielder, and she delivered another signature through ball to lead to the USWNT’s first goal. Her vision is exceptional, and she makes it look casual. The next development of her game will be getting accustomed to some of the more direct, physical play like she experienced vs. Brazil in April.ellow teenager Claire Hutton also started against Jamaica to earn her third cap — this time as part of a double pivot in the middle alongside Sam Coffey. Hutton once again looked like a more experienced player as she and Coffey checked into wide spaces to receive the ball and draw Jamaica out of its defensive shape.The USWNT has had a love-hate relationship with the double pivot in recent years, and the truth is that the exact setup will depend on the opponent. But it was effective again against Jamaica, and Hutton playing alongside Coffey provides balance and support. Both Hutton and Yohannes have the makings of players who can be fixtures with the USWNT for multiple cycles.
Forwards: A Cat and mouse game
Catarina Macario is the USWNT’s No. 9 for the foreseeable future, especially with Sophia Wilson out on maternity leave. The unique way in which Macario plays that position affects everything and everyone around her.Macario is more comfortable as a No. 10 and thus plays the striker role as a false nine — a role the USWNT has not consistently played with in recent memory. There’s a Catch-22 to that: It allows Macario to play freely, combining with her attacking midfielder and drawing center backs out of shape, but it also could mean there’s a void left in the strike space at times.
Hayes is savvy and has accounted for this by encouraging her wingers to take the vacant space on the inside, and nobody is doing that better right now than Alyssa Thompson. The 20-year-old Thompson oozes confidence on the ball one-on-one and likes to cut in and combine or shoot from the left flank — which is exactly what led to the USWNT’s second goal on Tuesday.
Ally Sentnor scored that goal and registered a brace, giving her four goals in eight caps. Sentnor is exceptional on the dribble; former USWNT winger Tobin Heath recently said Sentnor “has demonstrated Messi-like qualities.”Sentnor also can fire a powerful shot on a short run-up and without much space — a signature skill of another two-time World Cup champion winger, Christen Press. While she still needs to improve her shot selection and accuracy, but she is already producing for the USWNT at 21 years old. She will be part of the solution at wide forward alongside Thompson and Michelle Cooper, among others.
Lynn Biyendolo also scored a brace off the bench as she continues to fill any role that Hayes throws at her — Biyendolo’s 12 goals as a substitute are more than any other USWNT player since 2016, per Opta.
“We really wanted to be ruthless in the final third,” Hayes said on Tuesday. “I don’t think we started out like that, but I think we ended like that.”There are tougher tests to come, most imminently against Canada on July 2, but as Hayes said on Tuesday, there is a maturity to the USWNT despite its inexperience. The progress from this time last year is clear both in the depth of the player pool and the team’s patterns of play.By this time next month, Hayes will have identified her core for the 2027 World Cup. From here, that process looks right on track.
USWNT honors former captain Becky Sauerbrunn with bobbleheads, fireworks and a dominant win
ST. LOUIS, Mo.—Former U.S. women’s national team defender Becky Sauerbrunn got a hometown hero’s welcome on Tuesday at Energizer Park ahead of, during and after the USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 to close out a successful international window.Having retired from professional soccer last December after a 16-year career, the former U.S. captain returned not only as part of TNT’s broadcast crew covering this friendly, but also to receive a proper send-off.“I’m not used to having a lot of spotlight on me for something like this, but it’s really about celebrating the people who got you here,” Sauerbrunn told reporters Monday.For someone who’s never been entirely comfortable in the spotlight, Tuesday night must’ve been overwhelming — in a good way. Sauerbrunn was born in St. Louis and developed her game here as a budding talent until she left for the University of Virginia in 2003. Her hometown sent her off in style with a celebration that included fireworks, a very realistic bobblehead, a standing ovation and a birthday cake (she turns 40 years old on Friday — June 6) fit for a legend.“You know you’ve made it when you’ve got a bobblehead,” U.S. head coach Emma Hayes told reporters in her pre-match press conference.A commanding presence at center back, Sauerbrunn made 219 appearances for the U.S., anchoring the backline to two Women’s World Cup titles and Olympic gold in 2012. It’s quite a legacy for someone who never sought the spotlight. And it’s one the current USWNT squad deeply respects and hopes to carry forward.As the team bid farewell to Sauerbrunn off the field, the next generation made sure she had no reason to worry about the future on it. Hayes’ squad delivered a dominant win, applying relentless pressure for 90 minutes, having 82 percent possession and allowing only two shots from the opposition.Though the accomplished defender never scored for her country, she came very close two years ago at the same stadium that bid her goodbye.On Tuesday, it was rookie Ally Sentnor who scored twice in the first half and Sauerbrunn’s close friend Lynn Biyendolo who added two more after she came on early in the second half. Meanwhile, the backline, Sauerbrunn’s old territory, was anchored by captain Naomi Girma, a fitting torchbearer for the legacy she left behind.“I know I just said nobody can (fill Becky’s shoes), but I think the next obvious person would be Naomi,” Biyendolo said. “The two things that they have in common are that they didn’t want the role, but it just found them. And I think that makes the best leaders, is somebody who just doesn’t want it, but is so natural at it.”Girma, now the most expensive transfer in women’s soccer history, had a rocky start at Chelsea after joining in January, left sidelined by a string of injuries. However, she is back and delivering. With both a Women’s Super League title and the FA Cup under her belt, she is proving to be worth every penny. As former Chelsea manager Hayes put it, bringing her back “is like getting the Rolls-Royce out of the garage.”Girma told ussoccer.com, “Becky was one of the best leaders this team has ever had.”That kind of legacy doesn’t happen overnight.
Girma has taken on a lot of the leadership responsibility left behind by Sauerbrunn. (Visionhaus / Getty Images)Listening to her former teammates after the match, it was clear: the trust and respect Sauerbrunn commands were built over years of grit, consistency and quiet leadership, beginning with her debut in 2008, when she earned her first cap against Canada at the Four Nations Tournament in China, playing with a broken nose.“Becky is a legend, an icon,” Kerry Abello, who made her debut Tuesday, said after the match. “The game of women’s soccer will never be the same without her.” Abello was eight years old when Sauerbrunn debuted back in 2008. Like many of the new generation of USWNT players, she grew up admiring her.On the pitch, Sauerbrunn was a tireless, dependable center back; off it, she was a steady leader who played a key role in collective bargaining negotiations with the U.S. Soccer, representing her fellow players at the table year after year, and helping the team achieve equal pay.She was always calm and composed, even when somebody made a mistake. “Becky doesn’t get mad often, but if you mess up, like pass to the wrong player… she’ll give you this look,” Biyendolo said after Tuesday’s match. “That ‘I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed’ look. That’s the Becky look.”Ask anyone who played alongside Sauerbrunn about the “Becky stare,” and they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about.Hayes didn’t get the chance to coach Sauerbrunn — she took over the team in May last year — but her admiration also runs deep, especially for how the defender has shaped the next generation.“It’s always nice when the people you leave behind talk about someone in such a way,” Hayes said. “I’ve got a locker room — not just the senior players, but less experienced players — that talk about her in the highest esteem, both as a leader and as a human being, and I don’t think you could want anything more than that in life.”(Top photo: Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
The USWNT basks in the return of Naomi Girma – their ‘security blanket’
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Compared to the past few windows, Saturday’s 3-0 win over China was a game where the U.S. women’s national team looked in complete control.The attack kept the pressure on China at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota, continuing to threaten their defense as it frequently adjusted the height of its line of confrontation. Catarina Macario provided a goal and an assist; Lindsey Heaps and Sam Coffey scored from their midfield roles.However, head coach Emma Hayes’ post-match press conference started with a question about the long-awaited return of Naomi Girma and how the team benefited from her 90-minute shift.“We’ve missed her, we really have,” Hayes said. “Just in terms of the way we control the game; her, in a deeper space, just making decisions when to play forward, when not to.”As the first million-dollar transfer in women’s soccer history, this year has only intensified the scrutiny that comes with being one of the world’s best players in her position. Her time at Chelsea was not as smooth as the club and player had hoped. She exited her debut in early March with a calf injury, feeling the strain having gone nearly four months without playing a club match. Her first minutes back with Chelsea came in mid-April and this international window marked her first with the U.S. in 2025.“I gave her a hug after the game,” said midfielder Coffey, who scored her second U.S. goal against China. “Having her on the field is like having a security blanket, and just like being wrapped in it.”
Girma celebrates with Coffey and Heaps (Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
After some tense and at times disjointed performances against Japan in the SheBelieves Cup and Brazil in a pair of friendlies, the USWNT dominated the entire match on Saturday. The defense played its part, with Coffey shuttling around to shield the back-line and the partnership between Girma and Emily Sonnett giving goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce ample coverage whenever China reached the final third.Those threats were few and far between. The USWNT dominated the chance-creation game, generating 3.01 expected goals (xG) while holding China to 0.18 xG.“It does feel natural now,” Girma said of returning to the national team. “I mean, I was able to watch what we did before, and I think a lot of what Emma wants to do is layer on what we had done in the past year. I think the changes are good and easy for me to kind of adapt to, with that base knowledge of how we want to play.“It was just nice to be back on the field.”As was often the case during the triumphant run to Olympic gold last summer, Girma was at the heart of the team’s build-up. She logged a staggering 138 touches, per TruMedia, 41 more than the team’s second-most involved player (Avery Patterson, with the right-back notching 97 touches). Girma completed 95.3 percent of her 129 pass attempts, helping determine how the USWNT worked to break through China’s defensive structure.She also put in a defensive shift that embodied working smarter, not harder.She was not throwing herself into many challenges, though much of that work was done well before the ball even reached the U.S. defense. Still, she was quick on mop up duty, leading the USWNT with seven ball clearances (nobody else had more than three) while winning all three ground duels and her only aerial duel.
Girma listens to instructions from Hayes (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Having her in the back-line only helped the midfield feel more confident as they engaged defensively, with peace of mind that she was in position if they failed to win the ball.“I can’t put into words what she means to this team,” Coffey said. “I think everybody sees it on the field, but off the field as well. She’s just a joy in this environment and such a light for us. We have missed her so much. I thought she was exceptional today, as she always is.”In a year characterized by frequent rotation across Hayes’ squads and lineups, Girma’s return represents a different type of variable for the team. Throughout 2025, Hayes has called on a number of center-backs, each auditioning to be Girma’s primary partner. Sonnett represents a vital holdover from the team’s last World Cup win in 2019, having established herself as a hard-nosed veteran along the back-line. Emily Sams came off the bench against China, while Tara McKeown has earned five caps this year.The latter two in particular are emblematic of Hayes’ examination of her broader player pool, with both stepping into more important roles given positional absences. Not only has Girma been missing, but so has her partner last summer, Tierna Davidson, who tore her ACL in April.While Sams, McKeown, Sonnett and others have stepped into their roles, none can quite match the same comfortable benchmark established by Girma.
“I mean, she’s a world-class player,” Hayes said. “I thought she brought something to our performance that we’re looking for, so I’m delighted to have her back.”
Girma playing for Chelsea against Manchester United in the FA Cup final (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Once she returned to playing regular minutes for Chelsea in mid-April, she was eased back into the fold. While Chelsea kept clean sheets in each of her final four performances of the WSL season, only two of those matches saw Girma play all 90 minutes.“It was a lot of transition for me,” Girma said on Friday regarding her first months with Chelsea. “I think it was a huge learning experience for me. You always have those moments in your career where you’re up and down, up and down, up and down, so it was definitely like that.“But I think it was a good five months of getting settled, getting to know my team-mates, getting used to playing there, playing with a new team, and living in a new country. So it’s been really positive so far, and I’ve really enjoyed it.”Girma logged her 46th cap, an impressive total for a 24-year-old defender who seems destined to be the bedrock of this team for years to come. With its world class center-back in the lineup, the United States put together its most composed performance of the year. Then again, that revelation hardly comes as a surprise given Girma’s floor-raising performances since her debut in 2022.
TAFC: The start of a PSG dynasty, MLS clubs mix with the big boys, and a Neymar nightmare
Two thoughts occurred as Paris Saint-Germain went 2-0 up after 20 minutes of Saturday’s Champions League final.
Number one was that it felt like we had the most savage result incoming from this fixture since Milan dismembered Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona in 1994. European Cups aren’t won like this — and we’ve never seen a defeat as wide as Inter’s eventual 5-0 thrashing in Munich.Number two was that PSG were fresh as wet paint, in comparison to Inter’s deadweight legs, as if the Italians were going to the well once too often. You’d be forgiven for thinking PSG had been on the beach for weeks — and to a certain extent, they had.Earlier in the tournament, Luis Enrique, the PSG head coach, joked about Ligue 1 being “the league of farmers”, a slur used to criticise the perceived lack of competition in France (where, it should be said, his club have been insanely dominant for years). Beating the best that Europe had to offer in the Champions League was a neat riposte.But at the same time, PSG wrapped up their latest Ligue 1 championshiptwo months ago. That allowed them to tailor everything for Europe, while Inter toiled on numerous fronts, including a Serie A title race which went to the wire. What transpired was a total mismatch. Inter’s fabled defence was vaporised.
PSG’s domestic environment works for them. They’ve also created a phenomenally talented team, whose third goal against Inter was a coup de grace and a masterpiece. Not everybody will rejoice in their breakthrough year. There’s no getting away from the nature of the Qatari money which is fuelling them. But you have to ask: is this the start of a dynasty? Because their first European Cup won’t be their last, surely.
For Luis Enrique, for Xana
(Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
For Luis Enrique, Saturday was deeply personal. The death of his daughter, Xana, in 2019 formed a large part of the narrative in the build-up to the final. He wore a T-shirt in tribute to her after full time, and PSG’s ultras unveiled a huge tifo flag honouring them both (above).In purely coaching terms, he’s made PSG make sense. Finally crossing the Champions League rubicon is a demonstration of how a quality collective team can be greater than the sum of expensive individual parts. It’s incredibly telling that Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe haven’t been missed. And there’ll be no temptation whatsoever for PSG to return to that superstar-led model.Inter’s outlook from here is more sobering. They’re an older unit than PSG, and less sustainable. They might also lose head coach Simone Inzaghi, who is perfect for them but has Al Hilal trying to tempt him to Saudi Arabia. How much does he have left after a second Champions League final defeat in three years, this one so much more brutal than the 1-0 loss to Manchester City in 2023?
The darker side to PSG’s triumph
(Lou Benoist/AFP via Getty Images)
Sadly, full time in Germany was the catalyst for widespread civil disorder in France, with celebrations in Paris descending into violence. Police reported two deaths, close to 200 injuries and 500 arrests during intense rioting. Water cannon and tear gas were deployed. France’s interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, was choice with his language, saying: “Barbarians have taken to the streets of Paris.”
Tom Williams was in France for The Athletic and covered two nights of trouble on the streets. It cut a depressing denouement to an occasion PSG craved for so long — and thought might never come.
News Round-Up
There’s a whole load of transfer biz from the weekend. First up, Liverpool have made a £110million ($149m) bid for the Bayer Leverkusen midfielderFlorian Wirtz. We’re waiting to see how it landed. It would smash their transfer record (above).
The Premier League champions could recoup £18m by selling goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher to Brentford. A bid has been accepted. Brentford, in turn, are allowing existing first choice Mark Flekkento join Leverkusen for £8.4m. It’s one big roundabout.
Ticket sales for the Club World Cup are more pedestrian than FIFA would like — hence why it keeps dropping prices — but Saturday night’s play-in between Los Angeles FC and Club America sold out at a canter. Perhaps an actual ante helped.It was win-at-all-costs and LAFC did, despite the game looking lost. An equaliser in the penultimate minute and an extra-time decider from Denis Bouanga mean FIFA’s 32-team mash-up is complete, with LAFC nicking the final place. They’ll be a minimum of $10m richer for it.
Three Major League Soccer sides have qualified (cough, cough) for the Club World Cup: LAFC, Seattle Sounders and FIFA charity case, Inter Miami. I’ve been thinking about which of those sides has the best chance of progressing beyond the group stage — to which the answer can only be Miami, from a section featuring Brazil’s Palmeiras, Portugal’s Porto and Egypt’s Al Ahly.The variable in the United States is going to be squad strength, and how heavily the favourites commit at the end of hard seasons. Judging by Real Madrid paying £8.3m to get Trent Alexander-Arnold there, commitment levels will be high. But LAFC are in before the lock and they’ve landed on their feet in Group D. Not a doddle, but not beyond them.
Last night, before their MLS clash with Minnesota United, the Sounders’ squad wore T-shirts protesting the collective bargaining agreement which is limiting the amount they can earn from the Club World Cup. The labour union is backing their complaints.
MLS Mix With The Big Boys
Rubbing shoulders with the great, the good and those who are neither isn’t going to dent LAFC’s status — or their value. Forbes published its football rich list over the weekend, and LAFC popped up in 15th place, with a tasty $1.25bn price tag.
MLS franchises en masse are going well. Inter Miami ($1.2bn) and LA Galaxy ($1bn) also made the top 20, and a further five teams — Atlanta United, New York City FC, Austin FC, the Sounders and D.C. United — are in a top 30 which features only two clubs from Germany and one from France (you know who).
It’s a little counter-intuitive because revenues and TV earnings in MLS are nowhere near European levels — but the competition has the appeal of salary caps, the absence of relegation and less red tape around the building of stadiums and brands. Plus, if a circus act like Manchester United are the second most valuable team in the universe ($6.6bn, by Forbes’ calculations) then it’s best if Europe doesn’t throw stones.
Around TAFC
(Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images)
You’ll enjoy Laurie Whitwell’s round-up of Manchester United’s post-season tour of the Far East. A comical bus ride, players giving fans the fingers, defeat to a line-up of footballers you’ve never heard of… all in all, a roaring success.
Retro football kits are a burgeoning industry. Now the industry is branching out into the restoration of old shirts, by repairing badges, numbers and sponsor logos. Elias Burke reports.
Quiz answer: the three clubs who have reached Champions League, or European Cup, finals without ever winning one are: Atletico Madrid (1974, 2014 and 2016), Valencia (2000 and 2001) and Reims (1956 and 1959).
The only mentions of Neymar in Europe over the weekend were in reference to how much better off PSG are without him. But you didn’t think he’d keep out of the public eye for long, did you?Down in Brazil, 24 hours later, he was sent off during Santos’ 1-0 defeat to Botafogo, his punishment for the aberration you’re seeing above. It could prove to be his last appearance for Santos — his deal is about to expire — and he was evidently hell-bent on scoring just in case.As brazen handballs go, it’s a classic of the genre. With good grace (or no alternative), he apologised for it later.(Top photo: Franck Fife/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Lamine Yamal and the curious finish that shows why he is different
Stuart James The Athletic – June 6, 2025Updated 5:40 am EDT
Lamine Yamal again. Adrien Rabiot again. Left-footed goals again.On a wild night in Stuttgart, where Spain and France played a game of basketball on a football pitch, the storyline had a familiar narrative running through it in more ways than one.It was 331 days ago when Yamal scored that goal against France in the European Championship semi-finals, his left foot sumptuously curling the ball into the top corner from 25 yards out, leaving Rabiot wishing he had not only got across quicker to try to block the shot, but that he had also chosen his words much more carefully the night before the game“If you want to play at a Euro final, you need to do more than he has done up until now,” the France midfielder said about Yamal, who was 16 years old at the time.
Eleven months later, it was Rabiot who scythed down Yamal from behind for a penalty that the 17-year-old calmly converted.
What is it with teenagers constantly wanting to have the last word, eh?
Except Yamal wasn’t quite finished. His second goal against France, 13 minutes later, put Spain 4-1 up and made him the standout candidate for the player-of-the-match award.
But it was a curious and highly unusual finish — well, unusual for anyone else, but maybe not for Yamal.
Some data first. In competitive games for club and country at senior level, Yamal has scored 31 goals and 29 of them have been with his left foot. His right foot isn’t, to borrow that old cliche, just for standing on. But it’s fair to say that he doesn’t use it much, which is why Philipp Lahm said what he did when telling The Athletic in April how he would try to mark Yamal.
“He has to be on his weaker foot at all times. He cannot have any space,” Lahm, the former Germany international, said.
One of Yamal’s two weaker-foot goals came in Barcelona’s 4-0 victory at the Bernabeu in October, after which he joked: “Real Madrid’s players didn’t know that I have a right foot too! I had to use it when needed.”
It looked like it would also be required against France in the UEFA Nations League semi-final on Thursday night, when Yamal broke into the penalty area in the second half after running onto a first-time pass from Pedro Porro. Holding off a challenge from France centre-back Clement Lenglet — Yamal’s wiry frame is deceptively strong — and with the angle against him, he somehow managed to slip the ball past goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
From a vantage point high up on the opposite side of the stadium — in other words, a long way from the goal — the first instinct was that Yamal had scored with his right foot, primarily because that was how it looked in the blink of an eye.
Indeed, that was still the assumption when a slow-motion replay started to be shown on the screen, partly because of the position of the ball, but also the fact Lenglet was on the inside of Yamal rather than the outside. By going with his left foot, Yamal surely risked the shot being blocked.
At least that was the theory.
Yamal had other ideas and instead of taking the more conventional route and shooting with his right, he prodded the ball beyond Maignan with his left.
It appeared as though the ball was almost pushed, which is why the soleplate of his boot is visible afterwards — Yamal has to work so hard to get enough purchase on the ball to send it past Maignan using this technique that his leg ends up horizontal after making contact.
It looks strange when you watch it back, but it was hugely effective and perhaps also goes some way to explaining why Maignan seemed to be caught slightly off guard and beaten in a way that you wouldn’t expect him to be in that scenario.In fact, the France goalkeeper ended up diving after the ball was already past him, which suggests that Yamal had taken him by surprise with such an unorthodox and instinctive finish.
It is also — and this is an area of his game where he is so different from his former Barcelona team-mate Ousmane Dembele, who genuinely has no idea which is his stronger foot — an example of how Yamal doesn’t suffer at all from being so dependent on his left.Why?First things first, his left foot is obviously a thing of beauty, whether passing, shooting or dribbling. There was a moment late in the France game, which Spain won 5-4, when Yamal was performing pirouettes in the centre of the pitch, the ball glued to his left foot to such an extent that the opposition left-back, Theo Hernandez, decided to change sport. Cue a rugby tackle.
The mind wanders to other predominantly one-footed players, from Diego Maradona to Arjen Robben and Ricardo Quaresma.Ultimately, though, Yamal is one of a kind or, as the former Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi recently put it, “one of those talents that appear once every 50 years”.Against France, on his 20th cap for Spain, Yamal upstaged Dembele, one of his rivals for the Ballon d’Or, and Kylian Mbappe and Desire Doue, too.Next up for him is Cristiano Ronaldo when Spain take on Portugal in the UEFA Nations League final in Munich on Sunday.Ronaldo, for context, was another six months away from playing his first international match at Yamal’s age.(Top photo: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
MLS’ Whitecaps suffer teamwide illness after Champions Cup final in Mexico
The Vancouver Whitecaps say a “significant number” of players and staff members fell ill with gastrointestinal symptoms following the team’s 5-0 loss to Cruz Azul in the Concacaf Champions Cup final on Saturday.At least 33 members of the traveling party were affected, a source familiar with the situation told The Athletic. The source requested anonymity due to the medical sensitivity of the situation. Only seven out of the 26 players who traveled did not present with any symptoms.The club canceled a training session on Wednesday out of precaution and instead held a modified individual closed session on Thursday.In a statement released Thursday afternoon, the Major League Soccer team said it was working closely with its medical team, local infectious disease consultants and Vancouver Coastal Health to monitor the outbreak. The club said each affected player has been provided with an individualized program by medical and performance staff to support their recovery and continued preparation.“The health and well-being of our players and staff remain our top priority,” the club said in its statement. “We are actively monitoring the situation and will provide updates as more information becomes available.”
The situation is further complicated by the fact that nine Whitecaps players were already scheduled to miss Sunday’s game due to international duty. Canadian national team players Ali Ahmed, Sam Adekugbe and Jayden Nelson are among those training with the men’s national team ahead of the inaugural Canadian Shield tournament, per The Canadian Press.
The teamwide illness caps a disappointing week for the Whitecaps, who saw their impressive 15-game unbeaten streak across all competitions come to a crushing end with a resounding 5-0 defeat to Cruz Azul in Saturday’s Champions Cup final. Vancouver had been hoping to capture its first major continental trophy.
Cruz Azul’s dominant victory not only denied Vancouver the Champions Cup, but the trip created additional health challenges that could impact the team’s domestic campaign.
(Top photo: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)
Curiosity and a new challenge drew former Bayern Munich Women’s coach to Angel City
Alexander Straus, Angel City’s new head coach, didn’t arrive in Los Angeles on a whim. After turning down several chances to move to the U.S. in the past, he says this time, the stars aligned.
“Compared to other opportunities I’ve had, including the location, everything about this club, this team, which has been well documented all over the world in the media, intrigues me,” Straus told reporters on Thursday. “I think there is still a lot of work to be done, but it’s not done over 24 hours or one week or three weeks.”
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While leaving Europe wasn’t easy, Straus emphasized that curiosity and challenge played a major role.
“It’s a completely different culture. A different league. But football is a small world,” he said. “There’s this weird gap in understanding between Europe and the U.S. We don’t really know how good the best teams are on either side. I needed to find out. I’m halfway through my career, and I didn’t want to wait until I have grandchildren to take that leap.”Straus comes to Los Angeles after three years coaching German powerhouse Bayern Munich. He led the team to three consecutive Frauen-Bundesliga titles from 2022 to 2025. Before joining Bayern, the 49-year-old Norwegian coached SK Brann in the top flight of his native Norway, winning the league twice.The hiring marks a significant shift for the ambitious Los Angeles club, which is counting on his UEFA Champions League experience and understandingof youth development to steer an Angel City team that struggles with inconsistency.If you ask him, there’s no question Angel City will find success.“Whether it’s in one year or five, I don’t know, but it will happen. Everything around this club says it will,” Straus said. “I want to be part of that.”The move isn’t just professional for Straus. California, with its weather and culture, was a draw, but so was the promise of a project where the women’s team isn’t playing second fiddle. And Angel City worked really hard to convince him to join.“In Europe, even with clubs like Bayern or Chelsea, there’s still a men’s team getting the lion’s share. Here, at Angel City, we are the team. That’s rare,” he said. “The facilities, the focus, the fan base, it’s a powerful setup. That’s something America has ahead of Europe right now.”The team has already made a signing that feels aligned with Straus’ leadership. Last month, Angel City signed former Wolfsburg forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir, who was used to seeing Staus on the opposite touchline in the Frauen-Bundesliga.“I’d already been talking to Angel City, and I was trying to decide what I wanted to do, and then I saw that he’s gonna be the coach, and it made me more excited about Angel City, knowing how well he’s done for Bayern,” Jónsdóttir told The Athletic ahead of her signing. “I know his style of play. He can make every team look good and play well. It made my choice even easier.”
Angel City signing Sveindís Jónsdóttir saw Alex Straus’ success playing against his teams in Germany. (Martin Rose / Getty Images)
Though there may be an understanding gap between Europe and the U.S., according to Straus, the difference between domestic and international players isn’t a factor in his coaching.“It’s not about where they’re from, it’s about the environment they’re coming into,” he said. “We often overstate the difference between American and European (soccer). The structure is different. There is a wage cap. It’s a playoff league. But ultimately, it’s about creating a good environment for good players.”Still, the transition won’t be instant. Straus acknowledges that he has to build that environment in L.A.“It’s early days. I’m still the new guy in class,” he said jokingly. “We’re just starting to create the culture, the behaviors, the habits that we want.”Strauss arrived in LA last Sunday, and this weekend will mark his first with the full squad, with many players away on national team duty last week. He’s had time to get acquainted with the team during the last few months through hours of videos on Angel City’s games over the last couple of years. But he isn’t in a rush.“First of all, you need to know people, not the players,” he said. “The players I knew long before I came. I need to know the people and I need to know what makes them tick.”Backed by one of the NWSL’s most powerful ownership groups led by Willow Bay, Bob Iger, Julie Uhrman and Kara Nortman, Angel City is the league’s most valuable club and a sponsor favorite, thanks to steady attendance and good brand awareness. But despite its off-field dominance, the club now finds itself at a critical crossroads; it’s time to deliver results on the pitch.I wanted to see what we can do to get the legacy of Angel City to become like the other big sports brands in the city, to become the same here,” Straus said. “That excites me.”
I didn’t get a chance to properly write about American Chris Richard’s and Crystal Palace’s huge FA Cup victory 2 weekends ago. The moment is captured here Crystal Palace wins FA Cup on Radio. I have included the great story from The Athletic about Chris Richards showing just how it was for a kid from Alabama to make it big in soccer (see below). Also cool to see Liverpool lift the EPL Trophy again at Anfield my coaching pal Bill Spencer is thrilled. This scene with Arnold who is leaving his boyhood team for Real Madrid next season was touching – Trent Alexander Arnold last game at Anfield. Of course re-signed Forward Mo Salah won EPL player of the Year here are his (Goals). Must Watch this weekend – Champions League Sat 3 pm on CBS, US Women Sat 5 pm TBS, Miami & Messi vs Columbus Crew Sat 7:30 pm on Apple TV, Concacaf Champ Cup Final MLS vs Mexico Cruz Azul vs Vancouver Whitecaps Sun 9 pm on FS1. Friday on CBSSN friendlies for the ladies with England vs Portugal at 3 pm & Germany vs Netherlands CBSSN 5 pm.
Champions League Final Sat 3 pm Inter Milan vs PSG on CBS So can PSG actually finally win a UCL title now that Messi, Neymar and Mbappe aren’t there? Amazingly the Parisians seem to be a better team now without the superstars as they march to their 2nd UCL finals ever. I think it will be a very even game — Inter Milan can and will score – but something tells me PSG pulls this off – 2-1 or something like that. (tons of stories below).
Pulisic pulls out of Gold Cup – US to send B+ team Lots of controversy this week with US top stars not playing in the Gold Cup especially our talisman Christian Pulisic from AC Milan. You could argue this has been his best season overseas ever with near top of the league goals & assists. I for one do not understand – this is honestly THE LAST Competition before the World Cup next summer – he is our best player. Doesn’t he need to be there to help get us ready? Listen Juve stars McKinney & Weah (Club World Cup) and outside back Jedi Robinson (injured knee) are already missing – doesn’t that make it more important to be there? Bologan, Adams, Richards, Dest and most of our starting backline & GK are there. I just don’t understand why Puli thinks he shouldn’t be there. Does he need rest – of course he does – watch he’ll propose this summer. But as the best player on our team – he should be there. Renaldo would be there – Messi would be there – so should Pulisic. (More on this & Gold Cup prep below)
US Women play China Sat 5 pm on TBS, Tues vs Jamaica on TNT @ 8 pm It will be nice having Centerback Girma back in the fold along with recent Champions League winners Emily Sonnett & Emily Foxx on the backline as the US ladies take on China and Jamaica this week. NWSL standout Lo’eau LaBonta of KC will get her chance to play for the US for the first time and Caterina Macario should be full strength but of course the US will be without the Holy Trinity.
Good luck to all those teams playing in State & President’s and Challenge Cup games this weekend at Grand Park! Especially our Carmel FC teams below!
2012 Girls Gold, 2014 Boys Gold – President’s Cup 2008/9 Girls Gold, 2012 Boys Blue, 2014 Boys Blue, 2013 Girls Blue – Challenge Cup
Had a blast doing CYO Games this Spring – here with Mike Arrington & the Master Dave Howard on the southside for playoff Finals. Register for Free for Carmel FC Tryouts
Sat May 31st at 3 pm on CBS- Coverage starts at 2 pm
Fri, May 30
3 pm CBSSN England vs Portugal Ladies Friendly 5 pm CBSSN Germany vs Netherlands Ladies Friendly
Sat, May 31
CBS 3 pm Inter Milan vs PSG UEFA Champions League Final in Munich, Germany
5:30 pm TBS US Women vs China 7:30 pm Apple Free Miami (Messi) vs Columbus 10:30 pm Unimas LAFC vs Club America (Club WC play-in game) LAFC vs Club America Preview
Sun, June 1
6 pm Apple Free Seattle Sounders vs Minn United MLS 9 pm Fox Sport 1 Cruz Azul vs Vancouver Whitecaps CC Champions Cup Final
Tues, June 3
8 pmTNT, Max, Peacock US Women vs Jamaica
Wed, June 4
2:45 pm Fox Germany vs Portugal – Nations League Semi
Thurs, June 5
2:45 pm Fox Spain vs France– Nations League Semi
Fri, June 6
730 pm Golazo, Para+ Louisville vs Utah NWSL 10 pm Prime San Diego vs Seattle NWSL
Sat, June 7
1 pm CBS Gothem FC vs KC Current NWSL 3:30 pm TNT, Tele US Men vs Turkey 7 pm Ion Bay City vs Portland NWSL 10 pm Ion LA Angel City vs Chicago
Sun, June 8
2:45 pm Fox Nations League Finals 4 pm Golazo, Para+ Washington vs NC Courage NWSL
Tues, June 10
8 pm TNT, Peacock US Men vs Switzerland
June 13 – 29 GOLD CUP MEN Sat, June 14 7 pm TV 8 & CBS Golaso Indy 11 vs Pittsburg Riverhounds (Carmel GK Eric Dick returns)
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PSG-Inter: UEFA Champions League final preview, predictions
May 30, 2025, 09:51 AM ET ESPN
On Saturday, the 2024-25 European club season comes to an end with the traditional closer, the UEFA Champions League final. Held in Munich this year, the head-to-head is a tantalizing one that few expected: the “born again” Paris Saint-Germain, led by manager Luis Enrique and a young, hungry squad, taking on wily veterans Inter Milan, who have a unique formation, plenty of savvy stars and an underrated tactician in Simone Inzaghi. Both teams have taken down giants to reach the showpiece finale — PSG eliminated Liverpool and Arsenal in the knockout rounds, while Inter Milan fended off fancied Barcelona and Bayern Munich to punch their ticket — and now face a winner-take-all showdown.So who will win, and what storylines are bubbling under the surface? ESPN writers Mark Ogden, Gab Marcotti, Julien Laurens, Tom Hamilton and Bill Connelly walk you through what to watch for and give their picks for who will claim the prize Saturday night.
A final of youth vs. experience
The contrast is evident. Inter’s likely starting XI have an average age of 30 years and 4 months; Paris Saint-Germain’s is 24 and 7 months. Inter have eight players who featured the last time they were in the Champions League final, two years ago; Marquinhos is the only PSG starter to have played in a Champions League final at any time in his career. That’s the most obvious difference between Saturday’s finalists, and what impact it will have will depend heavily on how the game is played.
A higher tempo evidently favors the fresh legs of PSG, whereas a slower, nervy grind ought to give Inter the edge, at least on paper. But both sides are far more multifaceted than they appear. Both can play a possession game, poking and prodding until the right opening appears — witness Ousmane Dembélé‘s opener against Arsenal, a result of 26 passes — but both can be direct and hit you going north-south. PSG have the speed of Dembele, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola; Inter have the chemistry of Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez, a rare front tandem in the modern game. It’s not as simple, therefore, to liken it to a basketball game and suggest Inter want fewer possessions and PSG want more, because both coaches can and do mix things up. Rather, perhaps precisely because these teams are managed by two of the best around, we might see some myths get buried Monday night. Inter might show that the parameters of fitness and athleticism have changed and that top pros can go strong into their early 30s. PSG might show that experience is overrated relative to game intelligence and tactical instruction. So don’t just boil this down to experience vs. athleticism. There’s much more to it. — Marcotti
Battle of the superstar, MVP goalkeepers
The Champions League is usually all about the superstar forwards and their ability to win games out of nothing, from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Mohamed Salah and Vinícius Júnior, but this time around, it could be decided by the goalkeepers.
Klinsmann hails Yann Sommer’s heroics in Inter’s semifinal win
Jurgen Klinsmann names Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer as his man of the match after coming up with some huge saves to deny Barcelona.
Inter’s Yann Sommer and PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma were the players who got their teams over the line in the semifinals, and they have produced similar performances on the international stage with Switzerland and Italy, respectively.
Sommer, who spent a year in Munich with Bayern in 2023 after 11 seasons with Borussia Monchengladbach, replaced André Onana at Inter following the Cameroon international’s move to Manchester United two years ago, and the 36-year-old has been a clear upgrade on Onana, with his performance against Barcelona in Inter’s dramatic semifinal second-leg win producing at least five world-class saves. Donnarumma had a similar performance for PSG in their semifinal second leg against Arsenal, when he pulled off incredible saves from Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka to keep Luis Enrique’s team ahead. Sommer and Donnarumma have had to bounce back from difficult periods in their careers to establish themselves as two of the world’s best, and they will both be looking to win their first Champions League title in Munich. If it goes all the way to penalties, it could be too tough to call between the two goalkeepers. Sommer was the hero of Switzerland’s Euro 2020 round-of-16 shootout win against France when he saved a Kylian Mbappé spot kick, while Donnarumma has won a remarkable six of seven shootouts for club and country, including the Euro 2020 final against England at Wembley, to give him an 87.5% success rate. — Ogden
Will Luis Enrique win another Treble?
Laurens: Enrique doesn’t get enough credit
Julien Lauren praises Luis Enrique’s impact on PSG and reveals details of his training sessions.
Back in 2015, Luis Enrique won the Treble (Champions League, LaLiga, Copa del Rey) with Barcelona and had an unstoppable front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar. Ten years on, he has the chance to achieve another one, but with another club, and could equal something that only Pep Guardiola, his former club teammate at the Camp Nou, has done in the history of the game: winning two Trebles with two different clubs. Luis Enrique has had to wait 10 years to get another shot. That’s a very long time for a manager so obsessed with the game, though for him, it’s not just about winning; it’s about how you win, and this final will be very different than the previous one too. Then, Luis Enrique pretty much inherited Guardiola’s entire Barcelona squad except for Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic, who arrived the same summer as him, and the winning pedigree and mentality that came with it. For this PSG squad, it’s the opposite. This is his team. This is the Luis Enrique project, and this is only Year 1. The Asturian has built it all, getting rid of Neymar, Marco Verratti (just to name the two biggest names) and others because they didn’t fit with what he was constructing. He recruited the players he wanted (defender Willian Pacho, midfielder João Neves, playmakers Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué) to complete his jigsaw and deliver on his ambitious style of play: high press, high intensity, fluidity within the structure, pace, and attacking flair. His team has been the best in Europe in 2025; they just have to finish the job on Saturday. — Laurens
How these teams reached the final
Simply watching these two teams as they advanced through the Champions League knockout rounds — PSG with ball pressure, steady buildup and an overwhelming tilt of the field, Inter with structure and substitutions and perfectly timed swipes of the sword — would give you a pretty clear impression that they thrive as polar opposites. The stats very much back up that impression.PSG are here because of pitch domination. After some early-season wobbles, they became maybe the best team in the world starting in December. Since Matchday 6, they’ve averaged the most points per game (2.45) with the most goals (30) and the best goal differential (plus-21). That includes a 7-0 win over Brest, yes, but also four wins in five games against the three teams in England (Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City).PSG have flooded teams with pure quantity: For the entire competition, they’re fifth out of 36 Champions League teams in shots per possession and third in shots allowed per possession. They’ve attempted 45 shots worth at least 0.2 xG and allowed 20, a plus-25 margin that ranks first. They just do more than their opponents: They’re first in ball recoveries (48.6) and take-ons per match (27.7), second in direct attacks (sequences starting in the defending half and producing a shot within 20 seconds) and third in buildup attacks (sequences that contain 10 or more passes and produce either a shot or a touch in the box).In short, they play like the young and endlessly aggressive team they are.
Inter, meanwhile, fill the role of the collective sturdy veteran. They win with quality over quantity: They attempt only 13.6 take-ons per match (35th), but they win 49.7% of them (third). They force 8.8 high turnovers per game (27th) but score 0.6 goals per game from them (ninth). They’re 15th in shots per possession but eighth in xG per shot, and they’re 22nd in shots allowed per possession but first in xG allowed per shot. Opponents have attempted more shots than them, but looking specifically at shots worth 0.2 xG or more, they attempt 2.3 (12th) and allow only 1.3 (third).
Inter force you to expend energy attempting to beat them with individual brilliance, and if you do so, they are almost always ready with a counterstrike. Just ask Bayern and Barcelona. PSG will almost certainly control large portions of the pitch and this match, but Inter are more likely to score from set pieces, more likely to win the ball in the air and almost certain to create random, high-quality opportunities that give them a chance at Champions League glory. — Bill Connelly
The omen of first-time winners in Munich
Dumfries: Champions League is the moment for Inter
Inter defender Denzel Dumfries and goalkeeper Yann Sommer look ahead to the Champions League final against PSG.
Munich has staged four previous European Cup/Champions League finals — three at the Olympiastadion, one at the Allianz Arena — and the German city has proved to be lucky for those teams aiming to be crowned European champions for the first time. That might be great news for PSG.
Nottingham Forest won the first of their two European Cups with a 1-0 victory against Swedish champions Malmo in 1979, while Marseille became the first (and so far only) French club to win Europe’s biggest prize by defeating AC Milan 1-0 in the Olympiastadion in 1993. Four years later, Borussia Dortmund made the short trip to Munich to take on reigning Champions League kings Juventus in their first-ever final, but despite the odds favoring Marcello Lippi’s formidable team, Dortmund cruised to a 3-1 win.
Bayern Munich faced Chelsea on home ground in the 2012 final, but despite facing the English side in their own stadium, Bayern could not break the sequence of first-time winners in Bavaria as Chelsea sealed the first of their two Champions League titles with a penalty shootout victory at the Allianz.
So will three-time European champions Inter be able to deny PSG a first Champions League title in Munich this weekend, or will Luis Enrique’s team keep the sequence going?
One more bit of good news for PSG: Marseille clinched a French victory in Munich in 1993 by defeating a team from Milan in their second attempt at winning the competition. PSG face another team from Milan in Munich, one that’s also aiming to win the Champions League on the second attempt. — Ogden
Two incredible full backs, but only one can win
Can PSG be inspired by the Munich UCL final good luck charm?
Julien Laurens and Mark Ogden discuss what PSG will need to do to beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
Back in the summer of 2021, Achraf Hakimi and Denzel Dumfries passed like ships. Hakimi had enjoyed an incredibly successful 2020-21 season at Inter Milan and helped Antonio Conte’s side to the Scudetto. At the end of that term, he departed for PSG.
Hakimi’s replacement? Dumfries, signed for €15 million, a fraction of the eventual €71 million Inter Milan collected for Hakimi.
But now they’re back on the same pitch, and it’s no exaggeration to say the pair have been outstanding in this year’s tournament.
Dumfries was integral to Inter’s remarkable win over Barcelona in the semifinals, scoring twice in the first leg (including on that scissor kick), and then managing to tee up Lautaro Martinez for their opener in the return fixture in Milan. Hakimi has kept a close eye on Dumfries, saying last week: “He’s a great player. One thing I like about him is that he’s very strong in the air, while I’m terrible.” Then came the little dig, however, with Hakimi saying it’s “easier” to play wing back in a 3-5-2 than to handle a back four role.
Hakimi has been consistently regarded as the best right back in world football, and he has enjoyed another superb season for PSG, even scoring the winner against Arsenal in their semifinal.
The two had very different paths to the top: Dumfries played amateur football to age 18 before progressing to PSV and then Inter Milan, while Hakimi came through the Real Madrid academy. But if you look at the stats comparison between the two this season, they are close on many metrics, such as ground duels won and tackles per 90 minutes. Then comes the nuance: Hakimi has made 3.67 interceptions per 90, compared with Dumfries’ 1.27, and Dumfries has been far more dominant in the air (winning 71% of aerial duels to Hakimi’s 47%).
They are very different types of players, but one thing binds them: their desire to get into attack and influence the match. Which one will have the defining moment Saturday? — Hamilton
It’s prediction time! Who will win, and by what scoreline?
Inter Milan 2, PSG 1: As soon as Inter and PSG confirmed their spots in the final, I predicted a 2-1 win for Inter, and I am sticking with that. I believe PSG are the better team and more exciting to watch, but Inter are a tough, uncompromising side with a cutting edge up front, so I am backing their resolve over PSG’s flair to seal the win. — Ogden
Inter Milan 2, PSG 0: They knocked out the champions of Germany and Spain, so why not make it a trifecta with the champions of France, too? The bookies fancy PSG, and you can see why. But if the game comes down to set pieces (where Inter have an edge) and intangibles (experience, sure, but also the ability to get back up after being punched in the face), Inter can shade this. — Marcotti
Inter Milan 3, PSG 2: This is going to be tight, but Inter will edge it. They have the most underrated manager (Simone Inzaghi) in world football, and their ability to arm-wrestle the tightest matches into victory will come through again. — Hamilton
PSG 1, Inter Milan 0: We’ll just play the odds here. Inter will inevitably create a couple of good chances, but PSG will create more of them. — Connelly
USWNT has no face of the team now. Which player will step up?
Jeff KassoufMay 29, 2025, 09:15 AM ET
The U.S. women’s national team has always had an abundance of strong leaders and recognizable stars throughout its 40-year history. Many iconic players competed across multiple generations, with 14 of them accumulating 200 caps or more, and three eclipsing the 300 mark. Today’s USWNT, however, is marked by youthful inexperience, as head coach Emma Hayes experiments to decide who will join her on the path to the 2027 World Cup.
Hayes started the youngest USWNT lineup in 24 years against Brazil last month. She has doled out 23 first-time call-ups since being hired in November 2023. Fifteen players on the current roster have 10 caps or fewer, and the three goalkeepers have a combined four caps.
All of which underscores this changeover in generations as a jarring moment in USWNT history: For the first time in a long time, there is no obvious face of the team or spokesperson for the larger group.
Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, and Becky Sauerbrunn prominently filled those roles over the past decade, leading the USWNT to back-to-back World Cup titles and standing on the front lines of the fight for equal pay off the field. All three have retired in the past 18 months.
Transitioning generations is natural and necessary for any team, so is it even that big of a deal? Well, yes, it is, considering the uniquely high standards of a USWNT program that has won four World Cups and five Olympic gold medals — world records in both. It is not the first time that a new generation has had to pick up where its predecessors left off, but the player turnover happening in this cycle is arguably unprecedented.
“Sometimes we just assume that everybody knows what the demands or the standards are for a U.S. women’s national team player,” Hayes said recently. “But as I’ve mentioned, we’ve got a lot of new players that lack a lot of experience. We have to transfer that, and we have to transfer it in the right way.”
Last year provided clear evidence that the changing of the guard for the USWNT was going smoothly. Hayes officially took over the job in late May, and by mid-August, the team won the Olympic gold medal. Hayes said then that she couldn’t worry about the lack of time she had — her focus was short-term on the Olympics. Only during the past eight months has she had time to plot out her long-term vision for success.
During February’s SheBelieves Cup, Hayes sat down with Lindsey Heaps, Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Lynn Biyendolo, Tierna Davidson and Sam Coffey to discuss whether they see themselves as leaders — and how that might not matter, she said, because their teammates view them as leaders anyway. What followed was weeks of conversation among players and staff around how to transfer the “non-negotiables” of work ethic and effort — and what she frequently calls “the American DNA” — to a new group of players trying to establish its own identity. “Their insights are invaluable, and I lean on learnings from them to help this process,” Hayes said of her more experienced players. “It’s going to be a little bit unfamiliar at this moment in time, but I think we’ll go to the next place. I’m certain of that.” LaBonta: USWNT senior call-up ‘a dream for over 20 years’ Kansas City captain Lo’eau LaBonta reacts to her first ever senior call-up to the USWNT at 32 years old. Heaps is the USWNT’s captain and most experienced player with 165 caps. She is a passionate, often unheralded leader who organizes the team behind the scenes, as Hayes pointed out after the team’s Olympic triumph in August. Heaps is one of the few remaining (or, at least, healthy) bridges to the past generation of players. She came onto the scene ahead of the 2016 Olympics and was part of the 2019 World Cup-winning team. Only two other players from that 2019 squad are on the current roster: Sonnett and Dunn. Hayes confirmed last week that Naomi Girma is the vice-captain. Both Girma and Heaps have had to grow into more vocal roles. “I think it just takes time,” Sauerbrunn told ESPN. “If you look at some of the personalities on the team that have retired, that took us a while to get into that after Abby Wambach retired and Shannon Boxx retired [after the 2015 World Cup]. “You just kind of learn a little bit from the people ahead of you and then you have to go and learn on your own as you figure out what you’re comfortable with. Some people want to be the spokesperson, and some people are behind there in the weeds.” The USWNT doesn’t live in the weeds, however. It is the most famous women’s sports team on the planet, and the most successful women’s soccer team in history.
Sauerbrunn’s generation had to publicly fight the U.S. Soccer Federation and U.S. President Donald Trump as part of its years-long quest for equal pay, which increased attention and scrutiny on the USWNT. Sauerbrunn said she hopes the next generation doesn’t have to shoulder as much of a burden off the field — but she also said it isn’t really a choice.”It’s not even if they want to [take on those things], because I think they have a responsibility with this platform,” Sauerbrunn said. “But it’s what they’re comfortable doing within that platform.”Coffey, who has 33 caps, is the captain of the Portland Thorns and one of the USWNT’s several emerging leaders. She said her leadership looks different each day based on the USWNT’s needs, but she told ESPN “we’re in trouble when we’re quiet,” which means she is constantly a vocal source of positive reinforcement.Coffey barely played alongside the past generation of stars, but she still regularly seeks advice from Sauerbrunn, her former Thorns teammate, who she calls “the gold standard of what it means to be a leader.”Sauerbrunn was the USWNT’s captain at multiple points over the past two World Cup cycles. Rapinoe and Morgan were the faces of the team who became global superstars. Wambach previously filled that spokesperson and star role, and Mia Hamm — among others — before that.At 24 years old and already the vice-captain, Girma is clearly next in line as leader after Heaps. Girma has already taken on some of those duties, but there has been a void of experience around the team for simple reasons: injuries and other absences.Girma, who became the first player to fetch a $1 million transfer in January, effectively missed the last three USWNT camps due to injury. Davidson tore her ACL in March, days before the camp began for the Brazil games. Biyendolo missed the April games due to injury. Dunn was absent from club and country last fall for personal reasons. And Rose Lavelle has been sidelined all year.
All three forwards who led the USWNT to the Olympic gold medal — Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson (nee Smith) — have been missing from the team since the gold-medal game, save for a goal-scoring cameo from Rodman in April. Wilson and Swanson are on maternity leave, and Rodman is sidelined again due to a chronic back injury.Rodman, 23, is emerging as a star who transcends sports into pop culture and is someone Sauerbrunn says could reach the star status of Rapinoe. “And with that, I think she’s going to develop the responsibility of being a spokesperson for the team when you are also the face of the team,” Sauerbrunn said.With iconic stories, hit Originals and live sports, there’s something for everyone on Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. Get all three for a price you’ll love.
Rodman is electric when she is on the field, and the media attention she has attracted suggests she is already becoming The Next Big Thing™ for the USWNT. Staying healthy is her biggest challenge right now. She said earlier this year that she didn’t think her back would ever be 100% healthy.There is an argument that Hayes is the biggest personality on the team, which further reflects the volatile nature of the player pool. She won the first Ballon d’Or women’s coaching award last year, and she instantly commands attention, whether she’s in a locker room, boardroom or packed convention hall.Hayes has appeared to use her platform to absorb and deflect the external pressures placed on a team full of young, talented players like Rodman, Jaedyn Shaw, and 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes. She has preached patience as the group discovers its identity. “I think you’re seeing that this less experienced team are growing up,” Hayes said after the team’s 2-1 win over Brazil on April 5. Who among them will take on the vaunted role as one of the next faces of the USWNT? The lack of an immediate answer is an unfamiliar, uncomfortable position for a team so accustomed to having one, but it isn’t necessarily something that needs fixing. It’s a natural step in the transfer process.
Records Across the Board and International Call Ups The NWSL had a wild week 10, setting up this upcoming international window seamlessly for the action to come in Week 11. With the Pride returning to winning form with Banda’s first hat trick, the Current and the Wave continuing their top of the table dominance, and the Spirit hitting their fifth straight road win, there were 27 goals across the league last weekend.With 108 call-ups across 30 countries and all 14 NWSL clubs represented, this upcoming international window promises to be a busy one—for both players and fans. The Latest at the NWSL
Barbra Banda scored Orlando Pride’s first ever hat trick
Barbra Banda made NWSL history on Friday night, netting the first hat trick in Orlando Pride history in a 3–1 win over Utah. All three goals came in the first half within 38 minutes from the first whistle.Read More108 NWSL players called up to national teamsWatch your favorite NWSL stars shine on the global stage. For national teams, it’s a critical window of preparation ahead of this summer’s Copa América Femenina and UEFA Women’s EURO tournaments.Read More
Gotham wins the inaugural CONCACAF W Champions Cup, punch ticket to new 2026, 2028 international competitions
Gotham became the very first winner of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, defeating Mexico’s UANL Tigres, 1-0, on Saturday night. Thanks to yet another clutch Esther González goal in the 82nd minute, that title came home with Gotham.Read More
San Diego Wave breaks club record in 5-2 win over North Carolina Courage
The Wave broke a club-record of 5 goals on Sunday evening. The Wave now have the most goals in the league through 10 games and extended their unbeaten streak to a club-record six matches, and now have 13 unique goal scorers this season. Read More
Champions League magic, Club World Cup controversy: A blockbuster Saturday of soccer’s contrasts
Henry BushnellSenior reporter May 29, 2025 at 10:21 AM EDT·
A blockbuster Saturday of soccer will begin with a game that needs no introduction. At 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. in Munich, the 2025 Champions League final will ignite. Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain will vie for the grandest prize in club football. Both are behemoths, rich and talented, so much so that they are also among the favorites at this summer’s Club World Cup.Which brings us to Saturday’s nightcap, a game that needs every introduction. At 10:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. in Los Angeles, LAFC and Mexican powerhouse Club América will vie for one last place in that Club World Cup.Globally, their 11th-hour playoff pales in comparison to the Champions League final. It has no precedent nor built-in prestige. It is a qualifier for an unproven tournament, one that neither LAFC nor América would have realistic hopes of winning. PSG and Inter, on the other hand, are playing to actually win a competition that’s far more prestigious. One will enter the Club World Cup perched on a throne that many consider to be atop the sport.
But here in North America, when Yahoo Sports asked TelevisaUnivision executive Olek Loewenstein about the Club World Cup’s most attractive teams, and specifically about where Club América would rank if it qualified, he didn’t hesitate.“Oh, No. 1,” Loewenstein said.That, in part, is why this novel game is happening — and why it is, in FIFA’s words, a “blockbuster bout” in its own right. LAFC’s BMO Stadium is sold out, with the cheapest resaletickets priced north of $200. While América regularly packs stadiums across the continent, even for friendlies, Saturday’s game brings unique stakes. The winner will get at least $9.55 million in guaranteed prize money, and a global stage that neither club has ever had. Hype, it seems, is building.But it’s a different type of hype than the one overtaking Paris, Milan and Munich.It has been manufactured in months, rather than developed over decades.And it epitomizes the contrasts between the UEFA Champions League and the Club World Cup, which is, in some ways, the UCL’s upstart challenger.
The stage is set in Munich — and so is the official match ball for the 2025 UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan. (Photo by Michael Regan – UEFA via Getty Images) (Michael Regan – UEFA via Getty Images)
The controversial Club World Cup playoff
Perhaps now is the time for the Club World Cup introduction, and the explanation of a playoff that, a month ago, did not yet exist. The field for the inaugural 32-team, quadrennial club tournament had been set since the fall. North America’s representatives were seemingly finalized when Pachuca won the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, the region’s only known route to the Club World Cup.But then, in October, FIFA released the Club World Cup’s regulations. Article 10 prohibited the participation of two clubs who share an owner — which, for Pachuca and fellow Mexican club León, became a problem. Both are owned by Grupo Pachuca.In March, citing this rule, FIFA expelled León, the 2023 CONCACAF champs, from its tournament. León players decried the “grave,” “brutal injustice” — “football is stained by this,” James Rodríguez said — but FIFA was already considering replacements. Its rules gave it significant discretion. And its plan soon became clear.The Club World Cup’s qualification criteria gave FIFA five or six realistic options. It could choose the Columbus Crew or LAFC, the runners-up to Pachuca and León in the last two CONCACAF finals. Or it could turn to its CONCACAF rankings, where Club América was the top unqualified team; Costa Rica’s Alajuelense was the top team from a country with less than two participants; and the Philadelphia Union were the top team from a country with less than two standard qualifiers.The criteria stipulated that “a cap of two clubs per country is applied” to those attempting to qualify via rankings. FIFA ignored that stipulation, picked LAFC and América, and pitted them against each other in this one-off “play-in.”
It is, in many ways, the perfect high-stakes appetizer for the Club World Cup. It’s also par for the tournament’s course. With skepticism and resistance dogging its launch, and with a need to sell tickets, broadcast rights and sponsorships, FIFA has reached for star power. It gave Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami a “host country” berth in October. More recently, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has talked up the possibility that Cristiano Ronaldo could join one of the qualified teams less than three weeks before kickoff.
And now, FIFA will get either Major League Soccer’s most valuable club or Mexico’s winningest. LAFC was MLS’ pre-Messi glamor club. América is the continent’s most popular. They will duel in prime time for a place in Group D alongside Flamengo, ES Tunis and Chelsea.
The magic of the Champions League
The Champions League final, on the other hand, does not have a sexy headliner. It does not have Real Madrid, nor Barcelona, nor an English Premier League power. It is the first final without them or Bayern Munich in over two decades. Some casual American fans might not find it all that intriguing.And yet, it will almost certainly be the most-watched sporting event on Earth in 2025.Even with Lautaro Martínez and Ousmane Dembélé — rather than Ronaldo or Messi, or Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé — as the stars, it hardly needs hype manufactured.And it does not need to be sold as “the $26 million game,” even though its prize pot is larger than the Club World Cup’s. It is lucrative, and increasingly commercialized, yes, but its appeal is not about money. Its appeal is simple: It’s the Champions League.
There are surely some fans and soccer execs who are bummed that Barcelona isn’t playing in it. Ratings won’t break records. Narratives, beyond PSG’s unlikely resurgence and a possible first title, might not break through into the casual fan’s consciousness.But there is magic in this competition, and in this singular match. Magic sourced in simplicity. For 70 years, the best clubs in Europe — which are almost always the best clubs in the world — have battled for supremacy. And inevitably, special things have happened.So, you wouldn’t dare bet against more special things on Saturday. You might not know the magicians, yet, but you don’t need to; and soon, you will. Inter and PSG might not give us a 13- or nine-goal thriller, as they did in the semis and quarters, respectively; but they’ll surely give us drama, and emotions, all of which will sell itself.
Johnny Cardoso caps breakout season with a USMNT first in Conference League final defeat
It wasn’t quite the history that Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis meant to make on Wednesday. Going in search of a first European trophy, the U.S. men’s national team defensive midfielder’s Spanish club blew a 1-0 lead against Chelsea and capitulated entirely in the last 25 minutes, falling 4-1 in the UEFA Europa Conference League final. Cardoso did, however, become the first American male to start in a major European final in the process, taking his usual place as the anchor of Real Betis’ midfield and playing 85 minutes.Wednesday’s final came almost four years to the day after Christian Pulisic became the first American man to play in a final on the other end of the UEFA spectrum, coming off the bench as his Chelsea side topped Manchester City to win the Champions League. That match was highly anticipated in spite of Pulisic’s rotational role with the Blues, arguably the high point of what became a frustrating spell in London for the winger.Just as the Europa Conference League doesn’t have the same pull as the Champions League, Cardoso doesn’t carry the same clout in U.S. circles as Pulisic, but then again, nobody in the pool can match Pulisic’s magnetism and high-level production these days. Nevertheless, Cardoso has been closely monitored by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, with his European stage offering a spotlight. Tottenham worked something of a “dibs” option on the midfielder when it sold Giovani Lo Celso to Betis in 2024, establishing a fixed fee of €25 million (£20.9m; $26.9m) should he further pique Spurs’ interest.
That clause expires at the end of June, and other clubs (including Manchester United and Atlético Madrid) are reportedly also monitoring the 23-year-old for a potential summer move, despite a February contract extension tying him to Betis through 2029-30. On the back of a capable individual showing on Wednesday, particularly in the first half, it’s plausible that Cardoso won’t be with Betis for much longer.
The Conference League final was the culmination of the latest step in Cardoso’s rapid ascent — one that makes him among the most intriguing players in the entire USMNT pool.
What Sets Johnny Apart
Most U.S. eligible players spend their formative years getting driven around to weekend soccer tournaments or slamming a ball off of a wall. Born in New Jersey and raised in his parents’ native Brazil, Cardoso cut his teeth playing futsal. The small-field alternative to soccer emphasizes technical prowess instead of open-space running, requiring its players to keep close control of a ball and make quick decisions in possession.Those instincts helped the midfielder as he began his professional career, debuting with Brazilian side Internacional days before his 18th birthday. He amassed 117 league appearances with the club, capping his tenure with a run to the 2023 Copa Libertadores semifinal, where he started both legs against eventual champion Fluminense.Soon, Cardoso had his suitors: Napoli, Brighton, Sporting and Galatasaray reportedly among them. Ultimately, he felt that Betis represented the best opportunity for launching his European career.“It was a question of feeling,” Cardoso told The Athletic in 2024. “I just had this hunch that it was the right choice. I thought I would be able to adapt to the city and felt Spain would suit my style of play. I am a very technical player, which comes from futsal. I read the game well and Spanish football is very positional, very organized. I knew that it would be easier to adapt here than in the Premier League, for example.”
Betis has been praised as a very technical side under Manuel Pellegrini, with the Chilean manager favoring players who can be nimble on the ball. Stylistically, it afforded Cardoso an immediate fit into the core of Pellegrini’s side while he adjusted from the Brazilian Serie A’s hard-nosed nature to La Liga’s more wide-open alternative. Based on his underlying numbers, that transition didn’t take long at all.
First, some footage. Early in Cardoso’s tenure, Betis was facing Cadiz in league play. Here, Cardoso found himself in a more advanced position than usual as Cadiz worked to force a turnover and spring a break.
Offering his teammate an outlet, Cadiz’s four-man convergence forces an eventually blocked pass. Cardoso anticipated a passing triangle, ignoring the initial pass to jump into the next passing lane.
If he gets his timing wrong, Cadiz will have a golden chance to open space and launch the ball upfield. Between his reading of the sequence and his somewhat gangly 6-foot-1 frame, which he positions to present a wide obstacle to his opponent’s anticipated pass, he’s able to stop this quick break before it can be sprung.
At this point, his work isn’t done. With Internacional, Cardoso gained plaudits for his ability to break lines with his passing. That much hasn’t manifested in his role with Betis — no midfielder in La Liga who has played at least 1,800 minutes since he debuted sends a lower rate of his passes at least five yards upfield than Cardoso’s 8.7%. Most often, Cardoso is asked to prod the ball to either of his box-to-box midfield partners to do the line-breaking worHere, the line is already broken. Keeping the ball on the ground, Cardoso dribbles upfield and spots a pocket of space between attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir and Willian José. As the ball skips just beyond Fekir, the Brazilian forward is in perfect position for an unmarked first-touch finish, as Cardoso has played the ball with ideal weight and pace.
When Betis tightens the screw and moves its midfield line into the attacking half, Cardoso doesn’t look out of place. His technical acumen allows him to create chances in a manner usually reserved for the sport’s attacking showmen.
When the ball is in Betis’ own half, those same close-control techniques can help him prevent making costly turnovers close to his own goal, as Fiorentina saw in the Conference League semifinal. He’s still a defensive midfielder, after all, so he isn’t shy about dropping a shoulder or swinging a leg to get around an opponent in the name of securing possession.
How Johnny Fits With the USMNT
This combination of tidy technician work and his rangy mobility has made him an ideal target for many clubs. It’s also what played him into Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT as the primary deputy to Tyler Adams, a long-needed alternative to the Bournemouth midfielder.
Depending on how Mauricio Pochettino wants to calibrate his midfield, there could be room for both defensive midfielders to start. They could set up as a stingy double-pivot to shield the USMNT’s often-unsettled back line, affording the defense more time to get its shape right while two tireless ball hawks offer protection. In this scenario, Weston McKennie could play more advanced in a three-man midfield.
At the very least, he’s a very viable option to step in if needed, especially after being tested at a higher level this season. One issue during the 2022 World Cup was Berhalter’s reliance on Adams, McKennie and Yunus Musah to start all four matches. By the round of 16, the youthful trio looked fatigued, giving the Netherlands more freedom to operate up the heart of the park than the USMNT had faced in the group stage.
Since Adams debuted, the U.S. has been at its best with him in the lineup. That may give him an edge over Cardoso if the co-hosts can advance into the knockout bracket, but it shouldn’t preclude Cardoso from getting ample run-out if he continues in his current form. If he can take his game to the next level, with or without a summer move, it’ll present Pochettino with a rare “good problem” as he works through the rest of the team’s ongoing headache areas. And with Cardoso part of the Gold Cup squad at a time when McKennie and Musah are absent, he should have every chance to make that case.
What it’s like to watch your son win the FA Cup – by Chris Richards’ parents
Almost a week has passed since Carrie Richards watched her son climb the Wembley steps to be greeted by Prince William, and raise the FA Cup with his victorious Crystal Palace team-mates.The rush of adrenaline will take some time yet to subside. So, too, will the beaming pride felt by Carrie and her husband, Ken. They flew in from Birmingham, Alabama, to see their son, the 25-year-old USMNT defender Chris Richards, become only the third American to win the FA Cup — as part of the Palace team that defeated Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Matt Turner, the national team’s goalkeeper, also received a winner’s medal, albeit he was an unused substitute on the day.“ Saturday was the most surreal experience of my life,” Carrie grins, speaking on a video call with The Athletic from the family home. “Seeing the fans walking down Wembley Way… I have never seen anything like it. The stadium was electric. My heart was beating. If I had worn my Apple watch, it probably would have told me I needed to go to the emergency room, from the moment we got there to the moment we left.”The game itself was a nerve-shredding, nail-eviscerating experience. Palace had never won a major trophy in their history. This was City’s 14th appearance in an FA Cup final and they had won two of the previous six editions of the tournament. For Palace to win demanded extreme commitment, the players stretching every last sinew in red and blue. It needed supreme organisation, a splash of quality and also a little fortune.Palace scored the game’s only goal via their talismanic attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, but also survived a red card review against their goalkeeper, Dean Henderson. He subsequently saved a penalty.
Henderson saves Omar Marmoush’s penalty as Richards watches on (Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images)
Carrie says: “Even if we’d been two or three ahead, I don’t I think I would have felt any more comfortable! A few weeks back, we were 2-0 up against City and we still lost 5-2 (in the Premier League fixture).”Even after Palace survived 90 minutes of ordinary time, the fourth official’s board indicated 10 additional minutes for stoppages. Ken and Carrie blow out their cheeks. “We were counting down every last second,” she says. “I remember seeing we were down to three minutes, but there wasn’t a second where I was like, ‘OK, I can breathe now!’ until he blew the final whistle.”That was the starting pistol for an explosion of joy and abandon. Carrie, who was seated with the families of the Palace players, says: “Everyone was in tears. Everyone was hugging…”“High-fiving, too,” Ken interjects. “It was crazy. We were just ecstatic, there were lots of balloons going around.”The couple took in the scene. Multiple generations of families collapsing into each other on the terraces. Some players appeared to enter a trance; some sinking to their knees, others on their backs, exhausted, while more still embraced joyously. Messages from across the pond flooded into Carrie’s inbox. One photograph in particular, of royalty placing the winners’ medal around her son’s neck, kept coming through.She says: ‘What’s funny is all my friends were more impressed with him being greeted by Prince William. They were like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ Americans are so fascinated with the royal family!”
Prince William, Prince of Wales, presented the cup to Crystal Palace (Eddie Keogh – The FA/Getty Images)
Richards excelled in the Palace defence, muzzling City superstar Erling Haaland. He made four blocks, 12 clearances and won five duels. Not once did an opponent dribble past him.Before the game, his parents had sent their usual text messages. Ken says: “I tell him good luck. Trust your instincts, trust what you see, go out, play and have fun.”Carrie’s message was a little more sentimental. “I was telling him how proud I was. The coach Oliver Glasner told him this opportunity was not a burden, but a privilege. We just wanted Chris to stay in the moment, be present, enjoy every minute, because we knew or had been told that it could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”Carrie and Ken’s first pleasant surprise came when arriving at Wembley and seeing their son on the front cover of the match-day programme. As for how the Palace fans feel about him?“People were walking around with Afro wigs on and American flags,” Carrie laughs. “A whole group (of fans) were in the section of the stadium chanting ‘USA!’ That’s priceless.”
Richards at Wembley (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
For the Richards family, this represented a milestone.Their collective story is one of devotion and sacrifice. Unseen to the ordinary fan is how families share in the emotional rollercoaster of professional soccer; matchday at the highest level can test emotions, but the journey to the summit requires patience, empathy and no little resilience. Richards was born into a comfortable household. His mum worked in a managerial paralegal-type role in a law firm, while his dad owned a moving transportation company that helped people with house moves. But when the economy crashed in 2009, and far fewer people moved home, the business went under.“We lost everything,” Carrie says. “We had to start completely over, from doing very well before to having absolutely nothing. We were definitely pinching pennies every week. I can remember one time even Chris getting in from practice and him handing me a letter that said if we didn’t pay his soccer fees, then he wouldn’t get to play that next week.“I was so embarrassed. We were just robbing Peter to pay Paul every week.”In the United States, life as a soccer parent can be exorbitantly expensive. Carrie and Ken say that Chris would often have games either out of state, or far enough away to require a hotel stay. He had two younger siblings who also required attention. “We were an average family and we were struggling to pay it,” Carrie says.Trips out of town would cost at least $500 for a weekend. Carrie or Ken would often volunteer to drive the passenger van for the team, because that was a way to have the cost of a hotel covered.“There was another player whose parents could never go, so they would split the hotel costs with us and they would stay in our room,” she says. “I don’t think him quitting was ever a question. For us, it was always just, ‘How are we going to do it?’ rather than, ‘Will we do it?’.”
A young Richards takes on his marker (Carrie Richards)
The family lived in Hoover, Alabama, around 10 miles south of Birmingham. A place where football is king — Hoover High School has 13 state titles — and soccer is seen as a curiosity. “Soccer here is probably the fifth most popular sport,” says Carrie. “It is only now (after the final) some people around us are starting to say, ‘Oh, now I understand what Chris achieved because he’s on the news’.
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“A few weeks ago, somebody asked me what I was going to London for. I said: ‘Oh, my son plays soccer in England’. And they’re like, ‘Oh he doesn’t want to play in the United States?’. So I think there’s still a lot of people around here just don’t understand the magnitude of playing in the Premier League.
“They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re going all the way to the UK for a game?’. Yes, the FA Cup is the oldest tournament in history! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
On Richards’ arms, he has tattoos of heroes including Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali and Barack Obama, but his first tattoo, written in Roman numerals, is the date he left home shortly after turning 16.He had not long been cut by FC Dallas when he was offered a place at U.S. Soccer Academy Development club Houston Texans SC. This was a step down to move forwards, playing in a non-MLS academy 10 hours from home.Chris, his mum admits, was “devastated” when Dallas let him go.Ken says, “I’m a little old school and I felt like he would do one of two things: he would give up or use it as fuel to push him on. That’s exactly what he did. Sometimes it’s good to have a little disappointment. It built a resilience which helped him as he left home and especially when he later moved to Europe.”
A delighted Richards with team-mate Jean-Philippe Mateta at Wembley (Julian Finney – The FA/Getty Images)
For both parents, letting their eldest boy fly the nest was a wrench. Houston found him a host family, the Eastons, who met Carrie and Ken once before taking in their son. They remain in touch to this day and describe the family as “just amazing”.“We were thinking that we have two more years to prepare him for life — to learn how to cook, how to make a doctor’s appointment,” says Carrie. “He moved 10 hours away to a family that we’d barely met in a city that we’ve never been to. We were praying for the best.“But he was saying: ‘We’ve got to do this’. So, OK, I’ve got to get on board. It was heart wrenching.“I cried every day for God knows how long. Every time we went to see him, I would cry when we left. He didn’t even have his driver’s licence yet. Our other son Christian was two, just a little baby, and he was missing his big brother. It was almost like he’d gone to college two years early. We mentally weren’t ready for that.”Ken smiles. “And there were so many people, family and friends, in our ears, saying, ‘Are you guys going to let them go? You guys are crazy. This is the worst idea you could have!’,” he says.Carrie continues, “We were second guessing ourselves, asking: ‘Is this the dumbest thing we’ve ever done?’.”
It turned out to be the opposite.Richards grew in height and quality while in Houston and his team racked up a string of impressive wins, including against the team who had released him. Dallas then invited him back and, after trials at Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim, he was signed by Bayern Munich just as he turned 18.
There were a handful of appearances for Bayern’s first team, as well as loan spells at Hoffenheim, before Palace spent an initial €12million (£10m; $13.5m) on Richards in the summer of 2022. This campaign has been his best yet, starting 28 games in Glasner’s exciting Palace team, particularly coming to the fore in a second half of the season in which Palace have shot up the Premier League table and claimed the FA Cup.
Carrie, Chris and Ken Richards with the FA Cup (Carrie Richards)
“It was very moving at the final to see how much it meant to the people of south London — for him to be a part of something that’s so historic,” says Ken. “He’ll forever be a part of that. Maybe 100 years from now, it’ll be maybe a trivia question: ‘Who’s the American centre-back when we won our first FA Cup?’.”
After the game, there was time for hugs, drinks and photographs at the nearby Boxpark, both with his parents and his girlfriend, who recently gave birth for the first time. His siblings watched from home, with his sister Mackenzie studying at college and younger brother Christian still at school. They sent explanations from across the pond when Carrie and Ken were trying to understand, amid little in-stadium communication, why the game had been delayed for a VAR review of Henderson’s handball outside the penalty area.
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But enough about Chris the footballer. What does Chris the person mean to his parents?
Ken pauses, his eyes moistening. “He’s such a good person. Everybody thinks highly of their kids but he really is a great person who cares about other people. He’s very humble, very considerate…”
Carrie jumps in: “He has a really good sense of humor.”
Ken nods: “Yes, he’s funny. There are so many adjectives I can use, but he’s special.”
Carrie says: “He would do anything for either of us, for his siblings. He’s loyal to the friends he grew up with.”
Richards and fellow USMNT player Turner parade the FA Cup around Wembley (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
As parents of an American soccer player, the next year brings excitement, with a home World Cup on the horizon in the summer of 2026.
“He was injured right before the World Cup in Qatar,” Carrie adds. “Since we had already taken off the time to go to the World Cup, we decided to go over and spend that time with him, because he was not in a good place emotionally at all. So we made sure we were there for him.
“When he was a little boy, he always had these little sticky notes on his mirror: he wants to achieve this or he wants to achieve that. Playing in the World Cup was one one of these. We would be so incredibly proud.”
Fulham and USMNT’s Antonee Robinson undergoes minor knee surgery
Robinson featured in 36 of Fulham’s 38 Premier League fixtures this campaign but missed two of his side’s final five league matches through injury. He was also absent from the Concacaf Nations League finals in March due to tendinopathy.The left-back is one of a number of first-team regulars missing from the U.S. Gold Cup squad, alongside Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah. Like Robinson, Pulisic was also given the summer off after making 50 appearances in all competitions for Milan this season, while McKennie and Weah both have club commitments with Juventus competing in the Club World Cup.The U.S. play Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti in the Gold Cup group stages, which start in June.
Jeff KassoufNov 6, 2025, 12:42 PM ET
No. 8 seed 
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No. 1 seed Kansas City Current
RMAvs
BARDrawMoneyline
The Mauricio Pochettino Memorial Derby (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN/TBS)History awaits. PSG are just 90 minutes away from completing one of the most dominant club seasons of all time in which they will have won every single trophy that was available to them. Following on from the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France, the Club World Cup would be a fourth trophy lifted in three months, a 6.6-liter twin-turbo-charged quadruple. Yet it could also be Chelsea who walk away with a startling $136 million in prize money. PSG are a creative machine, undoubtedly the world’s top club side, by some gulf. Just over a month ago, they smashed five goals past Inter to storm to Champions League glory. On Wednesday afternoon, they obliterated Real Madrid, making the European game’s long-reigning monarchs look worse than Grok, and even more deliciously, rendering Kylian Mbappé’s revenge fantasies impotent. The football they play is so mesmerizing, in certain moments, it can dizzy and disorient you to the point that, fleetingly, you can be tricked into believing nation state ownership is a good thing. The talk that surrounds them is not just of victory, but of dynasty.And for Chelsea? Their success in this tournament is a testament to tenacity and the fortune that befell them after losing their second game 3-1 to Flamengo. A defeat which ultimately life-hacked them into the generously weak half of the knockout bracket. It was admittedly magical watching João Pedro, in his first start for Chelsea, blast 
: Le Romp. PSG 4-1. Second half will be a dead rubber in the sweltering heat of New Jersey. 
Also: The Club World Cup final will be shown live at more than 20 movie theaters across the United States this Sunday. You have not lived until you’ve seen Cole Palmer’s celly 
A sad coda to PSG’s semi-final was witnessing Luka Modrić substitute in with the game long over, unable to bend it to his will, in 
Mexico had passionate support in Houston for its Gold Cup triumph. (Robbie Jay Barratt / AMA / Getty Images)“Without a doubt,” said Adams of whether he would like to see more U.S. supporters in stadiums during next year’s World Cup.The Bournemouth midfielder, who captained USMNT during its run to the round of 16 at the World Cup in 2022, has seen this play out before.“It’s so funny because for a lot of the fairly inexperienced players in our national team, it’s the first thing I said to everyone going into this game against Mexico,” Adams said. “I was saying, ‘Don’t go into this team with a naive mentality of expecting it to be all people cheering for us and excited about the game.’ If anything, we’re going into an atmosphere where we are playing the hardest away game you’ve probably played in a long time.“I wouldn’t say it hurts because it’s what I (have come to) expect when we play in certain areas geographically. At the same time, it’s what makes our country amazing: the diversity our country has to offer. It was a learning experience for a lot of guys, but of course come the World Cup, you’re hoping that you see so much red, white and blue instead of whoever opponent you’re facing.”Adams also revealed that Pochettino was “very emotional” in the locker room after the loss against Mexico. The Americans reached the final following a tournament they entered without several key players, either due to injury, Club World Cup involvement, manager’s decision or choice. Significant absentees included Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Yunus Musah.The situation created openings for more players from teams within MLS, with Matt Freese, Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang among those who received fresh opportunities.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was emotional in the USMNT locker room after the Gold Cup final, according to Tyler Adams. (Omar Vega / Getty Images)
Adams said the summer heat was grueling for Gold Cup teams. (Aric Becker / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Ousmane Dembele celebrates putting PSG two up against Real Madrid after just nine minutes (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
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When La Furia Azul last reached a CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final, “Independence Day” was dominating the box office and Manchester United were one of the best teams in world football. If you’re of a certain vintage, 1996 doesn’t feel like it was 29 years ago, but for Guatemalan football fans, who cling to cult heroes like Juan Carlos Plata and Carlos Ruiz, it’s been an age. 
Poch’s new favorite playmaker, Mailk Tillman, 
Speaking of midfielders on the move, seems to only be a matter of time until Johnny Cardoso makes the 330-mile trip from Real Betis in Seville to join Atlético Madrid in the Spanish capital. 
Despite strong rumors involving a move to Nottingham Forest, 
Lucky No. 13 at Craven Cottage? While he’s one of the many American strikers absent from the Gold Cup, Ricardo Pepi, who’s still rehabbing from a January knee injury, is 
Meanwhile, the USMNT’s current starting striker is making the move to England: Charlotte FC’s 
Sunday night’s winning penalty taker in the shootout, 20-year-old forward 
USMNT international, former Atlanta United player, and current Chelsea fullback Caleb Wiley is 
Goalkeeper Matt Freese played a key role in the U.S. reaching the last four. (Carlos Gonzalez / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Veteran Tim Ream has been a leader for the USMNT throughout the Gold Cup (Photo by Brad Rempel/Imagn Images)
Rubio Rubin celebrates his clutch goal vs. Canada in the Gold Cup quarterfinals (Photo by Matt Krohn/Imagn Images)
Damion Downs clinches the USMNT’s win over Costa Rica. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
USMNT players celebrate their Gold Cup quarterfinal win over Costa Rica. (Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images)
See the full list of Club World Cup match results 
The USWNT works out at Audi Field on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Canada in Washington, D.C. (Asli Pelit / The Athletic)
Canada’s Gold Cup run ended in the quarterfinals (Photo by Matt Blewett/Imagn Images)
Jacob Shaffelburg is sent off vs. Guatemala, leaving Canada with 10 men for the second half (Photo by Brad Rempel/Imagn Images)
It’s back to the drawing board for Canada and Jesse Marsch after a humiliating Gold Cup ouster (Photo Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg is red carded vs. Guatemala (Photo by Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images)
NWSL players Jess Carter (L) and Esme Morgan (C) will represent England at this year’s European Championship. (Harriet Lander – The FA/The FA via Getty Image)
Matt Freese has earned four caps, all in June. (Photo: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
The USMNT’s results in the Gold Cup group stage gave Mauricio Pochettino some reason to smile (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images “This was preparation. Now we’ll be playing a final, it’s all or nothing,” Pochettino said. “So we have to be prepared. We will be prepared, no matter the opponent we face. It’s our challenge: we have to compete well, to keep competing well and continue improving. We have a week to prepare for this game, so I have no doubt we’ll get there in the best possible way.”Pochettino has been clear that what he wants is open competition for the team he takes to the World Cup. If the players are going to make an impression, they will need to win some knockout games. It’s not unlike the challenge a similar U.S. group had at the 2021 Gold Cup. Coming off of an emotional 2021 Nations League victory over Mexico, U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter took a ‘B’ squad to the Gold Cup later that summer. Mexico, meanwhile, did not. It sparked debate about what the better plan was. On the one hand, Mexico got an extra month working together. On the other, Berhalter got a chance to look at a wider pool. What the U.S. did in that tournament ended any debate. It beat Haiti, Canada and Martinique in the group stage, advancing with a plus-seven goal differential — the same as this year’s team. Then it beat Jamaica, 1-0, in the quarterfinals and Qatar, 1-0, in the semifinals before meeting Mexico in the championship game. A 1-0 win in extra time helped to secure a second trophy that summer — and it announced the U.S. as being “back” as a top power in Concacaf.Before this camp started, U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner talked about how that Gold Cup win helped him break through as a real option for Berhalter’s U.S. team. A year and a half later, Turner was starting in Qatar.That’s the 
USMNT concedes a goal to Haiti in the Gold Cup (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Ryan O’HanlonJun 26, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
Landon Donovan’s foray into the Christian Pulisic national team debate has been one of American soccer’s stories of the summer. (Shaun Clark / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
Clint Dempsey and an 18-year-old Christian Pulisic celebrate a USMNT goal against Honduras in 2017. (David Madison / Getty Images)
Clint Dempsey says the example of ex-USMNT midfielder José Francisco Torres shows the value of increased developmental opportunities. (Misael Montaño / LatinContent via Getty Images)
Hayes and Coffey during the former’s first game in charge of the USWNT last June. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
Morgan’s last game for the U.S. came over a year ago and is no longer part of the picture (C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images)
Bill ConnellyJun 27, 2025, 08:31 AM ET
Al Hilal
Bayern Munich
Benfica
Borussia Dortmund
Botafogo
Chelsea
Flamengo
Fluminense
Inter Miami
Inter Milan
Juventus
Manchester City
Monterrey
Palmeiras
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid
Kane dips his head into an ice bucket and laps water over his face (DAZN)
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland at the Club World Cup (Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP/Getty Images)
Lloyd Kelly playing for Juventus at the Club World Cup (Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Before an agonizingly empty stadium, our U.S. boys did just enough to overcome a weak Saudi Arabian squad who have been here for about five minutes but already seem to be the epitome of CONCACAF. The game itself felt like a chore to watch. The U.S. had 72% possession in the first half but conjured zero shots on goal against a physical opponent. The football was sparkless, tepid and lacking in ambition and ideas. To progress from the group will be a relief for Mauricio Pochettino but it is a bare minimum for a program who has won its first two games in this tournament 15 out of 18 times.Chris Richards Is a Great American 
The Crystal Palace giant out of Birmingham, Ala. was a man amongst boys in this game. That a pair of 
How was this performance so plodding? Pochettino has made it utterly explicit he wants players who will fight for him. So many of these boys have been gifted an unexpected opportunity they could never have dreamed of: To make themselves unignorable for that World Cup squad on home turf. Yet, the performance was flatter than the Texas Panhandle. The football was so deferential. No one seized their chance to grab a drowsy game by the throat and enforce their will upon it. Working out why that is will be the key for Pochettino. Malik Tillman has the skills and the club form to do that. Patrick Agyemang has the hype and the plaudits but was unable to summon the touch or the balance. All of these players have sacrificed so much to make it to this stage. One transcendent moment could change their lives. If only the football reflected that…I Do Love Me Some Diego Luna 
The one player who is running off the ball and trying to create a spark with his flicks and tricks. I ran into Diego in Austin and told him just how much we are hearing from so many of you about his fight, hustle, and mustache-tinged singular swagger. I asked him what goes through his mind when he gets on the ball, and he told me he tries to “be happy” and summon “the joy he felt playing as a kid.” I said that to Clint on last night’s show, and he said that when he was young his brother used to tell him, he “had to be serious about having fun.” A phrase I love and will think of whenever Diego is in possession. Even Spinal Tap Drummers Think Our No 9 Position Is Doomed 
Haji Wright’s injury is a real concern for our boys. With Agyemang crying out for competition, Haji did not dress, left out of the squad with an Achilles issue. Kyle Bonn reported, “After a big sigh, Mauricio Pochettino on Haji Wright‘s injury: “
The goalkeeper battle between two Matts is psychologically intriguing. Matt Turner was the No 1 and has battled his way to a Premier League crevice, albeit with precious little playing time. For a player shorn of match practice, it must be an agony to have had a watching brief. NYCFC’s Harvard grad Matt Freese has been wicked smart in goal — two clean sheets off ONE SAVE TOTAL IN THOSE TWO GAMES. Guzan has to be watching and thinking that if he started smoking ciggies, he could maybe be the American version of Wojciech Szczęsny and make an unexpected return from exile. It Is Painful to See These Stadia so Empty for a United States Game On Home Turf a Year Out from the World Cup 
Watching the United States walk out to 
If you’re in the Dallas area and considering going to the game, 
The Knockout Rounds Will Be Moment Of Truth Time 
We may play Costa Rica or Mexico. To better days ahead for all of us. We need to make noise. We need to be able to dream. Our gents will next play against the NBA Finals Game 7. We cannot catch a break… 
What a surreal sight this tournament has been. Hastily thrown together from an organization perspective and even more shoddily marketed. Having Gianni Infantino be the face of his own creation was an almost vanity marketing campaign, with iShowSpeed bolted on for clout. The 
Dale JohnsonJun 21, 2025, 06:13 AM ET
Mauricio Pochettino has the USMNT into the Gold Cup knockout stage (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
USMNT fans were conspicuously absent for Thursday’s Gold Cup match vs. Saudi Arabia (Photo by Noah Goldberg/Getty Images)
USMNT GK Matt Freese embraces Chris Richards after the latter’s hustle and tackle prevented a great Saudi Arabia chance (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Girma has taken on a lot of the leadership responsibility left behind by Sauerbrunn. (Visionhaus / Getty Images)Listening to her former teammates after the match, it was clear: the trust and respect Sauerbrunn commands were built over years of grit, consistency and quiet leadership, beginning with her debut in 2008, when she earned her first cap against Canada at the Four Nations Tournament in China, playing with a broken nose.“Becky is a legend, an icon,” Kerry Abello, who made her debut Tuesday, said after the match. “The game of women’s soccer will never be the same without her.” Abello was eight years old when Sauerbrunn debuted back in 2008. Like many of the new generation of USWNT players, she grew up admiring her.On the pitch, Sauerbrunn was a tireless, dependable center back; off it, she was a steady leader who played a key role in collective bargaining negotiations with the U.S. Soccer, representing her fellow players at the table year after year, and helping the team achieve equal pay.She was always calm and composed, even when somebody made a mistake. “Becky doesn’t get mad often, but if you mess up, like pass to the wrong player… she’ll give you this look,” Biyendolo said after Tuesday’s match. “That ‘I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed’ look. That’s the Becky look.”Ask anyone who played alongside Sauerbrunn about the “Becky stare,” and they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about.Hayes didn’t get the chance to coach Sauerbrunn — she took over the team in May last year — but her admiration also runs deep, especially for how the defender has shaped the next generation.“It’s always nice when the people you leave behind talk about someone in such a way,” Hayes said. “I’ve got a locker room — not just the senior players, but less experienced players — that talk about her in the highest esteem, both as a leader and as a human being, and I don’t think you could want anything more than that in life.”(Top photo: Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
Girma celebrates with Coffey and Heaps (Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Girma listens to instructions from Hayes (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Girma playing for Chelsea against Manchester United in the FA Cup final (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
(Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
(Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
(Lou Benoist/AFP via Getty Images)
(Luke Hales/Getty Images)
(Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images)
(YouTube/Fanatiz)
Angel City signing Sveindís Jónsdóttir saw Alex Straus’ success playing against his teams in Germany. (Martin Rose / Getty Images)
Henderson saves Omar Marmoush’s penalty as Richards watches on (Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images)
Prince William, Prince of Wales, presented the cup to Crystal Palace (Eddie Keogh – The FA/Getty Images)
Richards at Wembley (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
A young Richards takes on his marker (Carrie Richards)
A delighted Richards with team-mate Jean-Philippe Mateta at Wembley (Julian Finney – The FA/Getty Images)
Carrie, Chris and Ken Richards with the FA Cup (Carrie Richards)
Richards and fellow USMNT player Turner parade the FA Cup around Wembley (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
The Ole BallCoach 