6/28/25 USMNT Sun vs Costa Rica 7 pm, USWNT Tues, World Club Cup Sweet 16, Indy 11 home Sat 7 pm

June 28, 2025July 1, 2025 gatorbest carmel-fc, goalkeeping, gold-cup, indiana-soccer, pulisic, rose-levelle, soccer, soccer-refs, us-mens-soccer, us-women, usmnt, uswnt, weah, womens-euros, womens-soccer, world-club-cup

US Men face Cost Rica in Sweet 16 Sun 7 pm on TNT

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):

GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 0/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 51/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 3/0), Alex Freeman (Orlando City; 0/0), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 19/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 68/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 24/1), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 32/3), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel/GER; 4/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 43/3)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 47/8); Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 44/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 0/0), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 18/0), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC; 24/1), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 4/0), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo; 4/1), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; 0/0); Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 17/0)
FORWARDS (5): Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht/NED; 1/0), Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 4/3), Damion Downs (FC Köln/GER; 0/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 4/1), Haji Wright INJURED -(Coventry City/ENG; 15/4)

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 States beat 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!

June 6, 1967 — June 19, 2025 Indianapolis
https://www.arnmortuary.com/obituaries/michael-sommer

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

Pochettino backs Matt Freese: ‘Move on’

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.

Tyler Adams celebrates with Sebastian Berhalter during the USA's Gold Cup match with Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Robin Alam/ISI Photos)

Camps to Check out This Summer

Greyhound Girls Soccer Camp – Murray Stadium
Girls Jul 07 – Jul 09, 2025 at 9:00-10:30 $95 (5th-8th Grade) Register

Carmel High School Soccer Camp- Boys – Murray Stadium 6:30-8:30 pm
July 21-23 $125
Questions? Please contact Coach Shane Schmidt at sschmidt@ccs.k12.in.us

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: $295 REGISTER

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 29^th

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

US Men

Three things the USMNT need to elevate their game in Gold Cup knockout stage

Will the USMNT’s star absentees hurt their hopes for the 2026 World Cup?
5 questions the USMNT must answer in Gold Cup knockouts (and before 2026 World Cup)
2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup: Scouting Costa Rica
USMNT completes ‘perfect’ group stage that was anything but
As U.S. battle without stars at Gold Cup, which fringe players are stepping up?

Reports: Atlético Madrid secures Johnny Cardoso transfer
Report: Bayer Leverkusen open talks to acquire Malik Tillman from PSV
Sources: USMNT’s Agyemang close to Derby move

US Women

June 2025 USWNT Friendlies Preview – USA vs. Ireland Game 2: A Skyline Rematch
USWNT 2025 June Friendlies – USA 4-0 Ireland Match One: It’s all Coffey and Roses
Hayes on Lavelle’s stellar return: ‘Only one Rose’
Why USWNT prospects are running out of time to make the cut for U.S. squad

World Club Cup

Juventus vs. Manchester City, 2025 Club World Cup: Match thread and discussion
Club World Cup group stage takeaways, predicting the winner, more
From Man City to Flamengo, Why every last-16 team will, won’t win Club World Cup
What the Club World Cup can tell us about comparing MLS to the Premier League and more
‘Saturation of soccer’: Why empty seats litter Club World Cup, Gold Cup5dJeff Carlisle

Women’s European Cup

Women’s Euros A-Z: The history of the tournament in 26 facts
How to win the Euros: set-piece prowess, holding midfielders and good subs
Euro 2025 kit ranking: Which team is Europe’s style champion?

Reffing

Ref Cam a hit at World Club Cup
Why the Mexico last min Goal was offsides
New Laws of the Game – GK PK Interference?
Chelsea Jackson Red Card
Offside Restart – where

Goalkeeping

US GK Matt Freeze Story
Should Turner Start in Front of Freeze?
Great Saves World Club Cup
Costa Rica GK Keylor Navas – La Pantera
Great Saves by Navas vs Mexico

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Weah’s agent slams Juventus treatment of USMNT forward

READ MORE Tim Weah’s agent Badou Sambague has hit out at the way Juventus has treated his client in recent weeks.

Stakes rise for USMNT’s World Cup hopefuls after navigating Gold Cup group stage

USMNT's John Tolkin, Malik Tillman and Patrick Agyemang

By Paul Tenorio June 23, 2025

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.

USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino 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

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 22: Malik Tillman #17 of United States celebrates after scoring his teammates first goal during the Group Stage - Group D match between United States and Haiti as part of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup at AT&T Stadium on June 22, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)

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 gives up a goal to Haiti 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.”

Editor’s Picks

As U.S. battle without stars at Gold Cup, which fringe players are stepping up?4dJeff Carlisle and Cesar Hernandez
‘Saturation of soccer’: Why empty seats litter Club World Cup, Gold Cup5dJeff Carlisle
USMNT completes ‘perfect’ group stage that was anything but6dCesar Hernandez

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.

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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

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 23: Former soccer player and current TV pundit Clint Dempsey attends the CONCACAF Nations League Championship Final between Panama and Mexico at SoFi Stadium on March 23, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)

By Adam Crafton June 26, 2025

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

Colorado , United States - 26 June 2025; United States head coach Emma Hayes and Michelle Cooper of United States after the women's international friendly match between the USA and Republic of Ireland at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado, USA. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

By Tamerra Griffin June 27, 2025

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.
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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.)

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However, rust, weather, stadium size, world geopolitics … none of that is the fault of the South American teams that absolutely came to play over the last couple of weeks, or the fan bases that have followed them around this sweltering country. Or the marquee names (Manchester City‘s Erling Haaland, Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, Bayern Munich‘s Michael Olise and Kingsley Coman, Juventus’ Randal Kolo Muani), familiar old stars (Benfica‘s Ángel Di María and Nicolás Otamendi, River Plate’s Marcos Acuña) or exciting lesser-knowns (Mamelodi Sundowns‘ Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Inter Miami’s Oscar Ustari, Botafogo’s Alexander Barboza) who shined in the group stage.

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.

Laurens: Huge failure for River Plate to be eliminated at CWC group stage

Julien Laurens explains why he thinks River Plate’s exit from the FIFA Club World Cup is a “huge failure” for the club.

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

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 24: Carlos Palacios #8 of CA Boca Juniors uses a sprinkler on the pitch to cool down during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group C match between Auckland City FC and CA Boca Juniors at GEODIS Park on June 24, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

By Sarah Shephard June 26, 2025

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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5/30/25 Champions League Finals 3 pm CBS, US Ladies play Sat 5 pm, US Men Pulisic to miss Gold Cup, Euro Nations League Finals Wed/Thur

May 30, 2025June 2, 2025 gatorbest carmel-fc, champions-league-soccer, football, gold-cup, nwsl, soccer, soccer-reffing, sports, uswnt, womens-soccer

News & Notes

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.

U.S. Women’s Roster by Position (Club; Caps/Goals) June Matches vs. China PR & Jamaica
GOALKEEPERS (3): Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 0) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 3), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 1)
DEFENDERS (8): Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride; 0/0), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 159/25), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 66/1), Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC, ENG; 44/2), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 5/0), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 2/0), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 3/0), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 107/2)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 33/1), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 165/37), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 2/0), Lo’eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current; 0/0), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 5/2), Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED; 6/1)
FORWARDS (7): Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC; 78/22), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 4/1), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 23/10), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville; 4/1), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals; 7/2), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 17/1), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 3/0)

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.

Carmel High School Soccer Camp- Boys – Murray Stadium 6:30-8:30 pm
June 23-25 (grades 5-8^th) $125
July 21-23 $125
Questions? Please contact Coach Shane Schmidt at sschmidt@ccs.k12.in.us

Greyhound Girls Soccer Camp – Murray Stadium
Girls Jul 07 – Jul 09, 2025 at 9:00-10:30 $95 (5th-8th Grade) Register

TV Games

**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 pm TNT, 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)

Sun, June 15

6 pm FS1 US Men vs Trinidad Gold Cup

Thur, June 19

6 pm FS1 US Men vs KSA Gold Cup

Sat, June 21

7 pm TV8, Golazo Indy 11 vs Las Vegas Lights FC

Sun, June 22

7 pm FS1 US Men vs Haiti Gold Cup

Thur, June 26

TBS, Peacock US Women vs Ireland

Sun, June 29^th

TNT, Peacock US Women vs Ireland in Cincy

US Men

USA Soccercast, Episode 154: Christian Pulisic opts out of USMNT camp, Gold Cup
USMNT weekend roundup: Losing in the final S&S
USMNT to be without Christian Pulisic and other key players for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup
Wynalda Defends Pulisic Not Playing this summer
Injured Balogun dropped from U.S. Gold Cup squad
Which USMNT players need to make a summer club move to prepare them for the World Cup?
USMNT weekend roundup: Palace & PSV trophy lifts
How the 1994 World Cup took shape and prepared America for 2026

US Women

Girma back in USWNT squad vs. China, Jamaica
2025 USWNT Friendly: Scouting China
No Morgan, no Rapinoe: The USWNT doesn’t have a face of the team now. Is that OK?
Sonnett & Emily Foxx when Champions League with Arsenal win over Barcelona
5 Things to Know – China vs USA
Naomi Girma Back on USWNT Roster for First Time in 2025

Louisville’s Fischer gets 3-match ban for hair pull
NWSL Power Rankings: San Diego Wave starting to look ominous

Champions League

How PSG moved on from Mbappé, Messi and Neymar — but got better
Champions League winners? Best moment? Star player? Pundits’ picks
From Man City To Barcelona – Inter Milan Road To Munich Shows They Fully Deserve To Be In Champions League Final
Inter Milan Will Break Club Goalscoring Record In Champions League If They Score Vs PSG In Final
Italy Star Argues ‘Inter Milan Gained Credibility Outside Italy Ahead Of Champions League Final Vs PSG
Report – Ex Bayern Munich Star Back Fit & Ready To Start PSG Vs Inter Milan Champions League Final
How Inter Milan’s ‘warrior spirit’ reignited a Champions League dream
Champions League final: Build-up as Inter and PSG fans arrive in Munich
From amateur to Champions League final: The stunning rise of Inter’s Denzel Dumfries
Ranking the 30 players who will decide the UEFA Champions League final

Club World Cup in US in June/July

Champions League and Club World Cup: A blockbuster Saturday of soccer’s contrasts On Saturday, the storied Champions League final and a brand new Club World Cup play-in spotlight soccer’s split between legacy and FIFA’s latest gamble.

Denis Bouanga’s goal in 115th minute sends LAFC to Club World Cup

Club World Cup 2025: Full schedule, fixtures, dates and venues for Chelsea and Man City
Complete guide to the Club World Cup stadiums 🏟️
LAFC vs Club America Preview Winner plays in Club World Cup

MLS

St. Louis City fire head coach Olof Mellberg 15 games into his MLS tenure

World

✅ Allegri returns to Milan for second spell, official statement 🔙
Official: Milan hire Allegri as new coach
Carlo Ancelotti highlights result which sealed Real Madrid dismissal
Ancelotti talks Real Madrid exit, Mbappe, Vinicius, Alonso – ‘After the Arsenal game, we…’
LAFC vs Club America Preview

Goalkeeping

Barcelona open to selling club captain if they succeed in landing top target
Dean Henderson’s Save vs Man City Saved Crystal Palace in FA Cup Win
GREAT Conference League Saves! 🧤😱 | Semi-finals Edition
Yes Yann Sommer was that good vs Barca – 10 saves
Emmi Martinez of Villa sees Red
Vasoline on your gloves to keep sticky ?
Good GK Activation/Stretching

June 16th: 9-4 / June 17th: 8-3 12383 Cyntheanne Rd, Fishers, IN $595 Register

Reffing

Man United vs Villa GK Save or Foul?
Offside or not?
Yellow Card after the foul

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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.

Editor’s Picks

From amateur to Champions League final: The stunning rise of Inter’s Denzel Dumfries6hTom Hamilton
How PSG moved on from Mbappé, Messi and Neymar — but got better6hJulien Laurens and Mark Ogden
Congratulations, you’ve been promoted to the Premier League! Now what?4dBill Connelly

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.

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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.
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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 resale tickets 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.

MUNICH, GERMANY - MAY 28: The official match ball is seen ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final 2025 between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Internazionale Milano at the Munich Football Arena on May 28, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) — 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.

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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

USMNT and Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso

By Jeff Rueter the athleitc – May 28, 2025

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.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Chris Richards and Matthew Turner of Crystal Palace celebrate with the trophy after winning the Emirates FA Cup Final match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on May 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)

What it’s like to watch your son win the FA Cup – by Chris Richards’ parents

Adam Crafton The Athletic May 24, 2025

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’.

“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.

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

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Antonee Robinson of Fulham controls the ball during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Chelsea FC at Craven Cottage on April 20, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

By Ali Ramplingn May 28, 2025

Fulham and U.S. men’s national team full-back Antonee Robinson has undergone knee surgery.Fulham confirmed the 27-year-old had undergone the operation on his right knee on Tuesday and described the surgery as “minor”.No exact timeframe has been given for his return but Fulham said he will undergo a period of rehabilitation to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 campaign.Robinson was not included in Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT squad for this summer’s Gold Cup, having been given the summer off after a long season with Fulham.He made 38 appearances in all competitions and provided 10 assists — the most of any defender in the Premier League. This followed a 2023-24 campaign in which he provided six assists in the top flight and was named Fulham’s player of the season.What You Should Read NextAntonee Robinson: My game in my wordsThe Fulham and USMNT international talks us through his strengths and weaknesses — and Salah asking him how old he is…

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.

3/28/25 USMNT loses NL, Indy 11 Season Home Opener Sat 7 pm @ The Mike, USWNT vs Brazil Next Fri, League Cup

March 28, 2025April 1, 2025 gatorbest nwsl, soccer, uswnt, womens-soccer

Indy Home Opener Sat Night @ the Mike 7 pm Kickoff

Indy Eleven went on the road to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and picked up a 1-1 draw. Indy Eleven midfielder Bruno Rendon has been named to the USL Championship “Team of the Week” for Week 3 of the regular season after he scored his first USLC goal in a 1-1 draw at Lexington SC on Saturday. The Eleven finished its season-opening two-match road trip with a 1-0-1 mark, good for a three-way tie for fourth with four points in the Eastern Conference, despite having a bye the first week of the campaign. The Boys in Blue host 2024 USL Champion Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in the home opener Saturday at 7 pm at Carroll Stadium. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster. Season, Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com. A reminder to our Carmel FC GKs Coach James Pilkington who is also the GK coach for Indy 11 – invites everyone to come early say 6:15 pm or so to watch the Indy 11 GKs warm-up.

US Women face Brazil Next Friday night on TNT – Rodman Back on Roster

I have not had the chance to work with the Triple Espresso, Rose [Lavelle], Naomi [Girma] together since the Olympics, so it’s a long time, but to get one of them [Rodman] back is really exciting,” Hayes said.”Of course, [I] have to urge a little bit of caution [with Rodman], because she’s had an ongoing back complaint. I think she’s on the right road to that, but it can be quite easy to sort of trigger it. You can go from a position of a managed return to play, to too much. So, I have to try and find the sweet spot in camp to reintegrate her back in the team, but also to manage her, because she has a long season ahead.”Hayes continues to experiment with “less experienced players continuing to try to prove themselves,” as she said in a statement, in the early buildup to the 2027 World Cup. Eleven players on the roster have 10 caps or fewer, with an average age of 25.3 years old.”All of the players know they have to earn every roster spot, every starting spot and every minute they get as a finisher off the bench,” Hayes said. “Working with players who are striving for consistency in elite performance, so they can keep getting call-ups and keep exceling at this level, is an exciting process and one that continues with these two games.”The young faces include 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes, who will return after impressing at the SheBelieves Cup despite the Americans’ loss to Japan to concede the tournament title.Midfielder Claire Hutton, 19, is the other teenager on the roster. Houston Dash full-back Avery Patterson has also received her first senior call-up.

Hayes has also recalled several players who have been absent from the USWNT since she took over as coach last year. Center-back Alana Cook and forward Ashley Hatch return to the USWNT in a training camp with games for the first time under Hayes (Hatch trained with the team in January). Each player’s last appearance for the team was in late 2023. Forward Mia Fishel will also join the USWNT as a training player in camp, along with goalkeeper Angelina Anderson. Fishel tore an ACL in USWNT camp in February 2024 and just returned to the field for Chelsea FC’s senior team on Sunday. Anderson will train alongside the three rostered goalkeepers: Jane Campbell, Mandy McGlynn and Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Hayes has said that she will use 2025 to evaluate who could be the next starting goalkeeper following the retirement of longtime starter Alyssa Naeher.”If you think about this, prior to when even Alyssa [Naeher] made the No. 1 her own, it takes a period of time to be able to solidify that,” Hayes said. “And I think it’s fair to say we’ve got a lot of really good quality goalkeepers. Who will emerge from that as the No. 1? I don’t know, but they have to take their chances when they get them.”This is a performance-related business, and each and every opportunity they get, they have to make the most of it, because, of course, that will impact my decision making as we progress. This camp, there will be changes in goal again.”

U.S. women’s national team roster by position (Club; Caps/Goals) – April matches vs. Brazil

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 10), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 2), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 0)

DEFENDERS (8): Alana Cook (Kansas City Current; 29/1), Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC; 67/3), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 157/25), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 65/1), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 3/0), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 0/0), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 3/0), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 105/2)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 25/1), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 31/1), Lindsey Heaps (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 163/36), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 1/0), Jaedyn Shaw (North Carolina Courage; 24/8), Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED; 4/1)

FORWARDS (7): Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 2/1), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 22/5), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 21/9), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 46/10), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash; 7/0), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals; 5/2), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 15/1)

INDY 11

#INDvCOS Preview
Rendon earns USLC “Team of the Week” honors
WISH-TV & MyINDY-TV 23 to Broadcast Indy Eleven Games for the 12th Consecutive Year
Recap-LEX 1:1 IND
Recap-MIA 1:3 IND
United Soccer League (USL) Launches Division One & Promotion/Relegation
Blake & Hogan earn USLC “Team of the Week” honors
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana Spotlight Partner for “Kick for a Cause”
Indy Eleven Announces 2025 Promotional Schedule – Tickets on Sale NOW!

#INDvCOS MATCHDAY TIMELINE:

4:00 PM – Parking Lot B opens (tailgating lot)
4:00-6:00 PM – Tailgate
5:30 PM – Lots A & C open
6:00 PM – Stadium gates, Box Office opens & Fun Zone open
7:00 PM – Kickoff vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Fun Zone

Fans are encouraged to visit the Fun Zone before each home match.

Sogility will bring their Technical Soccer Zone for you to test your soccer skills.
Fans can also play cornhole, take a shot at the inflatable goal and play bocce ball.
Playing with soccer balls at the stadium is solely permitted in the Fun Zone

Food Trucks/Vendors

Fans are encouraged to visit the Carroll Stadium concession stands for stadium favorites and the following food trucks & vendors in attendance before and during the match:

Union Jack
Stadium on Wheels
Shaved Ice
Bull Grill
Travelin Tom’s Coffee
Gordon’s Milkshakes

Come Early Sat night to get your Schedule Magnet !

USMNT

USMNT loses to Canada, finishes fourth in Nations League
Meltdown or Warm Up – Post Nations League USMNT Vivisection
USMNT’s poor turnout at Concacaf Nations League Final Four: A clear disconnect with fans?
Former stars Donovan, Dempsey and Wynalda call out ‘embarrassing’ USMNT after Panama loss

US Women

USWNT: Rodman back for first time since Olympics
USWNT roster named for April friendlies against Brazil
USWNT: Rodman back for first time since Olympics
USWNT to face Ireland in June friendlies
López, Dumornay, Shaw lead best U21 women’s soccer players

WORLD

Bayern threaten to sue Canada over Davies injury
Brazil fires coach Dorival after loss to Argentina

TV SCHEDULE

Sat 3/29

7 pm TV 13, ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Colorado

7:30 pm Ion TV KC Current (Chawinga) vs Utah Royals
7:30 pm Apple TV DC United vs Columbus
8:30 pm Apple TV Chicago Fire vs Montreal
10 pm Ion TV Olrando Pride (Marta) vs San Diego NWSL
10:30 pm Apple TV LAFC vs Orlando City
10:30 pm Apple TV Vancouver vs Chicago

Sun, 3/30

8:30 am ESPN+ Preston North End vs Aston Villa FA Cup
10 am ESPN+              Barcelona vs Girona
11:30 pm ESPN+         Bournmouth (Adams) vs Man City FA Cup
2:15 pm Fox, Apple TV San Jose vs Seattle Sounders
2:45 pm Para+           Napoli vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah)
4 pm CBSSN Chicago Stars (Naeher) vs Racing Louisville NWSL
7 pm apple TV Portland vs Houston Sunday night Futbol
8 pm CBSSN Angel City FC vs Seattle Reign FC NWSL

Tues, 4/1
2:45 pm Peacock Arsenal vs Fulham
3 pm Peacock Notingham Forest vs Man United
9:15 pm FS2 America vs Cruz Azul Champs Cup
11:15 pm Fox or FS2 LAFC vs Tigres Concacaf Champs Cup

Wed, 4/2

2:35 pm USA Man City vs Leicester City
3 pm Peacock Liverpool vs Everton
3 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Inter Milan
3:30 pm ESPND + Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Cup
9:30 pm Fox Vancouver vs Pumas Champs Cup
11:30 pm Fox Sport 1 LAFC vs Inter Miami (Messi) Champs Cup
Thur, 4/3
3 pm USA Chelsea vs Tottenham
Fri, 4/4
TBS, Max USWNT vs Brazil

NWSL Schedule
MLS Schedule
USL Schedule

USMNT weekend viewing guide: FA Cup quarterfinals

50 USMNT players to follow along with this weekend.
Saturday

Fulham vs Crystal Palace, 8:15a on ESPN+ (free trial): Antonee Robinson missed Nations League duty with the USMNT due to issues with tendinopathy; his Cottagers host Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Palace in an FA Cup quarterfinal.
Juventus vs Genoa, 1p on CBS, Paramount+, FuboTV: Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juve host Genoa in Serie A.
Minnesota United vs Real Salt Lake, 8:30p: Apple TV Diego Luna and RSL visit Minnesota United in MLS.
América vs Tigres, 9:05p TUDN USA, Univision USA, FuboTV, ViX: Alex Zendejas and América host Tigres in Liga MX.

Also in action:

Watford vs Plymouth Argyle, 8:30a on Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo: Caleb Wiley and Watford host Plymouth Argyle in the Championship.
Venezia vs Bologna, 10a on FOX Deportes, Paramount+, FuboTV: Gianluca Busio and Venezia welcome Bologna into town for this Serie A match.
Mönchengladbach vs RB Leipzig, 10:30a on ESPN+: Joe Scally and Gladbach host Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
Hoffenheim vs Augsburg, 10:30a on ESPN+: Noahkai Banks and Augsburg visit Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.
Holstein Kiel vs Werder Bremen, 10:30a on ESPN+: John Tolkin and Holstein Kiel host Bremen in the Bundesliga.
Burnley vs Bristol City, 11a on Paramount+: Luca Koleosho and Burnley host Bristol City in the Championship.
Cardiff vs Sheffield Wednesday, 11a: Ethan Horvath and Cardiff City welcome Sheffield Wednesday in for this Championship match.
Leeds United vs Swansea, 11a on Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds host Swansea in the Championship.
Middlesbrough vs Oxford United, 11a on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro host Oxford United in the Championship.
Celtic vs Hearts, 11a on Celtic TV: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic host Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. Trusty missed international duty, but may be ready for action; we’ll see.
Barça Atlètic vs Cultural Leonesa, 1p on Barça One: Diego Kochen often jumps back and forth between Barcelona’s first team and their reserves. The reserves host Cultural Leonesa in Spain’s third division.
Standard Liège vs Mechelen, 1:15p: Marlon Fossey and Standard host Mechelen as Belgium’s first division splits into group play. Fossey and Standard are in the Europa Conference League group.
Frankfurt vs VfB Stuttgart, 1:30p on ESPN+: Nathaniel Brown and Frankfurt host VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. Anrie Chase has been out injured, missing some time for Stuttgart.
Monaco vs Nice, 4:05p on beIN Sports USA, beIN Sports en Español, FuboTV, Sling TV, Fanatiz, TV5 Monde USA: Folarin Balogun may be ready to get back on the field for Monaco as they host Nice in Ligue 1.
Colorado Rapids vs Charlotte FC, 4:30p: Tim Ream, Patrick Agyemang, and Charlotte visit Zack Steffen and the Rapids in MLS.
Chivas vs Cruz Azul, 11:05p on Peacock, UNIVERSO, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FuboTV: Cade Cowell and Chivas host Cruz Azul in Liga MX.

Sunday

PSV vs Ajax, 8:30a on ESPN+: Malik Tillman is aiming for a return from injury for PSV, joining Sergiño Dest and Richy Ledezma as they host Ajax in the Eredivisie.
Bournemouth vs Man City, 11:30a on ESPN+: Tyler Adams and Bournemouth look to knock giants Man City out in this FA Cup quarterfinal.
Borussia Dortmund vs Mainz, 11:30a on ESPN+: Gio Reyna and Dortmund meet Lennard Maloney and Mainz in the Bundesliga.
Napoli vs AC Milan, 2:45p on FOX Deportes, Paramount+, FuboTV (free trial): Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and Milan have a big Serie A match against Napoli.
Real Betis vs Sevilla, 3p on ESPN Deportes USA, ESPN+, FuboTV: Johnny Cardoso is back in training; we’ll see if he can play for Betis in their La Liga match with Sevilla.

Also in action:

Utrecht vs Heerenveen, 6:15a: Paxten Aaronson and Utrecht host Heerenveen in the Eredivisie.
Heracles vs Twente, 8:30a on ESPN+: Taylor Booth and Twente visit Heracles in the Eredivisie.
Toulouse vs Brest, 9a on beIN Sports USA, beIN Sports en Español, FuboTV, Sling TV, Fanatiz: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse host Brest in Ligue 1.
Cesena vs Juve Stabia, 9a on DCTV: Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena host Juve Stabia in Serie B.
Hajduk Split vs Sibenik, 10a: Rokas Pukštas and Split host Sibenik in Croatia’s first division.
Salernitana vs Palermo, 11:15a on DCTV: Kristoffer Lund and Palermo visit Salernitana in Serie B.
Dender vs Westerlo, 1:15p: Bryan Reynolds, Griffin Yow, and Westerlo visit Dender as Belgium’s top division splits into groups. Westerlo are in the Europa Conference League group.
Portland Timbers vs Houston Dynamo, 7p: Jack McGlynn and the Dynamo visit Portland in MLS play.

Only the San Diego vs LAFC & Portland vs Houston are on Normal Apple TV without the season pass.

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Trinity Rodman returns to the USWNT, Emma Hayes continues to work around notable absences

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 3: Trinity Rodman of United celebrates after scoring her team's first goal States during the Women's Quarterfinal match between United States and Japan during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Parc des Princes on August 3, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

By Meg Linehan and Jeff Rueter The Athletic March 25, 2025

Trinity Rodman has returned to the U.S. women’s national team roster for the first time since winning gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Head coach Emma Hayes named her 24-player roster, and two training players, on Tuesday for the team’s upcoming friendlies against Brazil. While the deep dive into player evaluation has continued, there is slightly less turnover in this roster compared to others with 19 players returning from the SheBelieves Cup.

The only field player on this roster without a national team cap is Houston Dash defender Avery Patterson, earning her first senior team call-up. After being listed as a training player for SheBelieves Cup, Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce made the full roster for April and may get the chance for her first cap.

There are also multiple notable absences. Center-back Naomi Girma is still out after she left her Chelsea debut match injured earlier this month. Last week, Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor continued to confirm Girma was out but did not share a firm timetable for her return at club level.

Rose Lavelle continues to recover after ankle surgery in the offseason, and Mallory Swanson’s return remains uncertain. She has missed the first two weeks of the NWSL season with no further update provided by the Chicago Stars since March 12. The final third of Triple Espresso, Sophia Wilson, announced her pregnancy earlier this month.

Two players will join the camp as training players, with Mia Fishel joining the environment for the first time since she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ahead of the Concacaf W Gold Cup in February 2024. Hayes also tapped Angel City FC goalkeeper Angelina Anderson as a training player, marking her return following a call-up to the January camp.

“This roster has Olympians returning, less experienced players continuing to try to prove themselves, a few uncapped players and some players who have seen and done it all. The mix of players along with two games against a dynamic Brazil team who we last saw in the gold medal game means this event will be a lot of fun,” Hayes said in U.S. Soccer’s press release. “All of the players know they have to earn every roster spot, every starting spot and every minute they get as a finisher off the bench.”

USWNT April friendlies roster

Goalkeepers (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)

Defenders (8): Alana Cook (KC Current), Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC)

Midfielders (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Heaps (Lyon), Claire Hutton (KC Current), Jaedyn Shaw (NC Courage), Lily Yohannes (Ajax)

Forwards (7): Michelle Cooper (KC Current), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC)

What’s the end game?

We know you’ve heard it before, but 2025’s major theme is player evaluation at the start of the cycle. Nothing has changed here, even with two “fun” games against Brazil and the extra spice of the Olympic gold rematch.

Hayes has a couple of uncapped players to look at in Tullis-Joyce, finally promoted to the full roster, and Patterson as potential attacking-minded outside back depth. Patterson was part of January’s Futures Camp which featured under-23 players alongside the senior team.

Hayes has also opted to bring in two veteran players, Alana Cook and Ashley Hatch, for fresh looks in 2025. Their inclusion comes as questions remain around Girma’s return and forward options without the entirety of Triple Espresso available. Hatch was called up to the USWNT January camp, but both she and Cook haven’t made an appearance for the team since 2023.

There are fewer brand new names from Hayes, but she’s still working her way through the pool on her own time — and the year remains about as free from pressure as this team experiences, even as the USWNT looks to bounce back from the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. Hayes still appears to be in individual evaluation mode with a side of tinkering — outside of the midfield which remains unchanged from SheBelieves Cup. Eventually, the switch to building meaningful chemistry will happen across the board ahead of next summer’s World Cup qualifiers, but there’s still no need to worry about it just yet.

—Meg Linehan

Who’s staying and who’s going?

The trade-off for evaluating younger players is that those spots don’t exist in a vacuum, and player selections inevitably come at the cost of more experienced players’ call-ups.

This squad is no exception. Many expected to see Wilson and Swanson miss out again. Girma is also an understandable omission as she settles in with Chelsea and deals with a possible minor injury.

Other veterans missed out for various reasons. Lynn Biyendolo has been listed as “day-to-day” by the Seattle Reign due to a lower leg injury. Abby Dahlkemper has played all 180 minutes of Bay FC’s young season but missed this U.S. squad as younger center-backs like Tara McKeown are vetted. Goalkeeper Casey Murphy seemed like a logical successor once Alyssa Naeher retired, but she’s missed successive camps as other goalkeepers get assessed.

Midfielder Hal Hershfelt seemed to be one of the new regulars for Hayes but hasn’t played for the USWNT since the December win against the Netherlands. The midfielder picked up a knock in Washington’s regular-season opener and was moving around after the Spirit’s loss last weekend in a walking boot. Defender Casey Krueger has been in fine form for Washington but hasn’t featured for Hayes since December. She spoke to the Hey Spirits podcast last month, saying she had a conversation with Hayes that indicated the team is moving forward without her.

Defender Casey Krueger said last month that she thinks the U.S. is moving forward without her. (Elsa / Getty Images for USSF)

“It sounds like things are moving forward, which I understand. And I’m happy that the player pool is so deep. Getting everybody experience, giving people the recognition that they deserve, I think that’s huge,” Krueger said.“But it also stinks. I wanted to continue playing with them for as long as I could and continue to push the pool forward and just give the experience that I have, and help in any way that I can. But it looks like that’s not the case, so I’ll be supporting from afar.” Midfielder Ashley Sanchez was part of Hayes’ January training camp but hasn’t played for the national team since October. The scale of changes plays an obvious role, as Hayes is fully committed to exploring the deep end of her player pool. For more veteran players like Krueger, Murphy, Dahlkemper and even Sanchez, however, each missed squad only leaves more reason to wonder how, if at all, they fit into Hayes’ planning ahead of 2027.

—Jeff Rueter

(Top photo: Daniela Porcelli / Getty Images)

USMNT frustrations boiling over as World Cup clock keeps on ticking

By Paul Tenorio March 24, 2025

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The frustrations with this U.S. men’s national team have been simmering for some time, built not just through a series of underwhelming performances, but also in a growing perception of complacency and entitlement.On Sunday night, after a 2-1 loss against Canada that didn’t even feel too surprising, the most productive player in the program’s history publicly voiced that disappointment.

“I’m so sick of hearing how ‘talented’ this group of players is and all the amazing clubs they play for,” USMNT legend Landon Donovan posted on X after the Concacaf Nations League Finals third-place playoff. “If you aren’t going to show up and actually give a s!%* about playing for your national team, decline the invite. Talent is great, pride is better.”Donovan was hardly alone in expressing that sentiment about a team that some have dubbed the most talented generation of players in American history. Former USMNT players Stu Holden and Clint Dempsey, and even legendary French striker Thierry Henry, noted the growing disconnect and discontent between this group, its fanbase and the program’s alumni.

The disappointment around this team is not just because of the results. Yes, this U.S. team is falling short of expectations. But it’s also how this team is losing these games. The way Panama and Canada played offered a stark contrast. They looked like they had something to prove. The U.S. looked like they believed they didn’t have to prove anything to anyone.

USMNT star Christian Pulisic takes on Canada Christian Pulisic didn’t have his finest performances for the U.S. during the Nations League Finals. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

The U.S. couldn’t match its opponents’ fight. They were out-willed. What once felt like a hallmark of U.S. teams now feels like a weakness. The Americans were flat against Panama, lacking the creativity and directness to break them down. There was more energy at the start against Canada, but they faded against a team that clearly wanted it more.

The narrative that this might be the U.S.’s golden generation was crafted because a group of players landed at big clubs in Europe earlier than any Americans before them. Putting aside the question of whether that was down to talent or the globalization of the sport (and the impact of Christian Pulisic’s success at Borussia Dortmund), it’s now clear that whatever ability this U.S. group has, it’s not enough to overcome teams that play like they have something more to fight for.

Panama might not have the talent of this U.S. team, but it looked the stronger team. Canada also has players at top clubs, but it’s a team that plays with a clear chip on its shoulder. It was once a prerequisite that U.S. teams came with that mentality — and to be fair, the current players showed that level of fight at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and in other big games, too. But that spirit has not been evident. Last year’s 3-1 win over Jamaica in the Nations League semifinal after a last-minute equalizer was a warning shot. The Copa América was obviously a reality check. A coaching change was made in search of a spark.

This week’s results at SoFi Stadium show how much work must be done to figure out exactly what has changed since the World Cup exit. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino isn’t blind to the problem. After the loss on Sunday, he pondered how to turn a collection of players that looks great on paper into a team that consistently demonstrates its talent on the field.

“We assume. It may be because we have a certain quality,” Pochettino said. “But when it comes to competing, perhaps we don’t show that quality — or that presumption of quality — that makes us appear better than our opponents in all the analysis before playing.

“But then we have to prove it. So maybe that’s what’s costing us. We assume we’re better, but when it comes to competing, when it comes to showing it, perhaps we fail to find that form.”

How Pochettino accomplishes that is his biggest task. This roster felt like Pochettino beginning to search for answers. For the 23-man squad, he called in nine MLS players from January camp, including three injury replacements. It felt like a bid to manufacture competition within the team by adding hopefuls desperate to break into the World Cup picture.

The USMNT finishes 4th in Concacaf Nations League The USMNT needs to huddle up and iron out some issues before cohosting the 2026 World Cup (Alex Gallardo/Imagn Images)

It may not have changed the results, but it wasn’t a complete failure. On Sunday, Pochettino praised attacking midfielder Diego Luna for his mindset. Luna, 21, was making his competitive debut for the U.S. He hasn’t played in Europe. He played in the USL and then in MLS for Real Salt Lake. He saw this as his chance to break into a group where some might think he didn’t belong.

“The desire and the hunger that he showed is what we want,” Pochettino said. “And that is not to say anything against the rest of the people; it’s only one example. When I told him today you are going to play, he was ready. And after playing well or not playing well, performing well, scoring, assisting — or not — that is what we want to see. And that is the example that we need to take.”

Pochettino put the onus on himself and his staff to get things right. He has had just three windows with his full team: October and November 2024 and this March camp. This summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup will be a vital opportunity to spend a month with the group and to find a way to unlock the requisite mentality needed to compete.

The Argentine manager is celebrated for creating and inspiring strong groups at Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur. Even at Chelsea, Pochettino got more out of the team he inherited. Can he unlock a similar motivation in a U.S. group that has regressed since Qatar? Could the growing discontentment around them create a feeling of us versus the world?

A pair of defeats on home soil was a disappointing twist for Mauricio Pochettino. (Alexis Quiroz/Jam Media/Getty Images)

Something must change to get this team to live up to its hype — and to do so at an all-important home World Cup that has the opportunity to inspire the next generation of American soccer fans and players.

Pochettino reminded everyone that the 2026 World Cup is still the ultimate goal. He asked fans not to lose that perspective.

“I don’t want the people to feel pessimistic,” he said. “Disappointed? Disappointed, we are all. And the fans need to feel the disappointment that we didn’t win. But I don’t want to allow (them) to feel pessimistic, because we have good players. We are going to find a way to perform. We are going to compete in a different way. We are going to get different results than Thursday and today.”

The U.S. is running out of time to figure it out. The Gold Cup, which starts in June, is probably their last best chance to generate excitement before the World Cup — and build momentum within the team itself.

Three tactical issues behind the USMNT defeats to Panama and Canada

USA's Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino shouts instructions to his players from the touchline during the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal football match between USA and Panama at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on March 20, 2025. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

By Anantaajith Raghuraman March 25, 2025 The Athletic

“We want to destroy Panama, (and) we want to destroy the next one,” said head coach Mauricio Pochettino prior to the USMNT’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal on March 21.

His eyes were on the final. Instead, the U.S. hit the self-destruct button to lose 1-0 to Panama courtesy of Cecilio Waterman’s added-time goal. They did it again against Canada in the third-place playoff to fall 2-1 and end their Nations League journey in anything but style.

Pochettino emphasised taking the positives from the two matches, but his options on that front are limited. The USMNT were outplayed, outworked, and — most worryingly ahead of the 2026 World Cup at home — outfoxed tactically.

Three major issues warrant Pochettino’s immediate attention.

An unclear approach out of possession

When the U.S. beat Panama 2-0 five months ago in Pochettino’s debut, they caused problems for Thomas Christiansen’s side by winning the ball high up the pitch on multiple occasions. So it was not a surprise to see them commit multiple men forward in their March 21 meeting too.

Midfielder Tanner Tessman is conflicted on whether to push ahead or protect the back line. But as Panama pass back to goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera, he joins the press.

Mosquera plays a pass right through the gap in midfield, bypassing all six U.S. players to find a team-mate.

The space between the midfield and defence is huge as the U.S.’s back line does not push up the pitch with the midfield.

The result is that Panama now have a five-on-four situation in transition…

To Pochettino’s credit, he altered the system shortly afterward. Tyler Adams and Tessmann stayed deeper while the front four of Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah and Josh Sargent pressed higher up the pitch.

Panama remained confident playing out from the back but did not have easy passes into their central attackers.

Pochettino used a similar approach against Canada, despite making five changes to his starting XI, with Canada happy to go long from defence to target their pacy front four of Ali Ahmed, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi. The issue the U.S. faced on this occasion was in coping with the quartet’s fluidity.

David lined up alongside Oluwaseyi up top but was excellent at dropping back to receive the ball, while Ahmed and Buchanan stayed wide. While Pochettino’s tweak against Panama had solved the U.S.’s primary issue, it was not foolproof.

In this example from the 45th minute, Canada centre-back Moise Bombito carries the ball forward under no pressure. David begins the move between the centre-backs but drops as they begin retreating to receive the ball and holds onto it to draw a defender before feeding a team-mate.

As seen in the final frame, both Oluwaseyi and Ahmed are on the blindside of U.S. defenders and can easily get into dangerous areas to meet a cross.

Neither of these moves resulted in goals, but they raise valid concerns about the USMNT’s out-of-possession approach.

Tracking back-post runners and individual errors

The Canada example prompts another concern for the U.S. — marking players at the back post. On multiple occasions against Panama and Canada, they were drawn towards the ball and left themselves vulnerable to blindside runs, with these moments often compounded by personal errors. Waterman made them pay for one of those incidents to score the winner.

The move begins with Pulisic’s ill-advised header backwards when he had more time to control the ball than he thought. The Milan forward splits the gap between his midfielders, and Waterman gets to the ball ahead of U.S. centre-back Mark McKenzie.

Waterman feeds Ismael Diaz, who passes back to midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla. While Carrasquilla considers his options, Waterman begins his move towards the right side, unnoticed by the U.S. defenders.

Carrasquilla then plays a pass into Waterman, with the U.S. defense yet to realize that he is unmarked.

Waterman responds with an emphatic finish into the bottom corner across goalkeeper Matt Turner, whose positioning is questionable.

Alarmingly, the U.S. did not learn from this mistake and almost conceded a similar goal against Canada.

On this occasion, a cross comes into the box with Canada forward Cyle Larin peeling away to the back post unmarked.

The U.S. get the ball clear but, once again, they rush towards the ball rather than covering the spaces or marking Canada’s players. Larin receives a pass under no pressure whatsoever.

Luckily for the U.S, he delays his shot, which is blocked by a sliding Marlon Fossey.

The U.S.’s inability to track runners was their downfall for Canada’s opener, too. As Ahmed drives inside, three Canadian players are free to run into the box, with three American players in static positions.

Timothy Weah does little to stop Ahmed from delivering a pass into the box, which is attacked by two players.

When the shot eventually comes in, the U.S. players are caught between committing to block it, like McKenzie and Cameron Carter-Vickers (white circle), and the rest who are caught ball-watching.

Ultimately, it hands Oluwaseyi the simplest of chances to put Canada ahead, and he duly obliges…

The U.S. did well to get themselves back into the game through Patrick Agyemang’s equalizer and withstood Canada’s threat for most of the game before committing an avoidable error in the lead-up to David’s winner.

In the 59th minute, Turner does well to collect a cross before spotting an opening up the pitch. He goes for the long throw down the middle despite having seven players in his vicinity, two of whom (white circles) are open.

But when the camera pans forward, we see two U.S. players up against Canada’s three, resulting in a predictable conclusion: Canada winning the ball and recycling possession, with the U.S. still getting back into their shape.

Canada eventually go long and, after a scramble down the right, the ball falls to Ahmed, who sets up David.

Throw-ins

The final concern for Pochettino will be how his side deal with throw-ins. Canada’s Alastair Johnston caused problems for them on two separate occasions in the first half, with both moves requiring Turner to intervene.

The first, in the 22nd minute, sees Ismael Kone unmarked, and he collects the ball despite the U.S. winning the first header.

Kone shoots unopposed, and the volley deflects off McKennie.

Turner punches it out under pressure before the U.S. clear the ball.

Johnston gets another opportunity in the 43rd minute. Once again, the U.S. win the first header, but it falls straight to the unmarked Mathieu Choiniere, who heads it back into the mix.

From here, the ball is headed on towards the back post from where Canada direct another header towards goal, but it goes straight to Turner.

The most damning example came in the 14th minute against Panama, when the U.S. somehow turned their own throw-in into a corner for Panama in the span of 25 seconds.

The U.S.’s importance in football is being fast-tracked as Major League Soccer rises in prominence and the country prepares to host the Club World Cup this summer and the World Cup in 2026. But this month’s results are a brutal reality check.

The two USMNT performances were littered with errors and tactical issues. Pochettino must return to the drawing board ahead of the team’s next match against Turkey in June.

(Header photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Worry, anger, frustration: What past USMNT greats think of struggling side

USMNT all-time scoring co-leaders Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan

By Pablo Maurer March 26, 2025

At some point during the U.S. men’s national team’s loss to Canada in the Nations League third-place game, members of the American Outlaws, the official USMNT supporters group, began pleading with Clint Dempsey.Dempsey, to some the greatest player in the history of American men’s soccer, was at the game as an analyst for CBS Sports, stationed at a desk just in front of the supporters end. After the broadcast, Dempsey recalled the exchange during the network’s wrap-up show.Advertisement

“You had some of them saying, ‘Hey, (Clint), get ‘em right. Say something,’” Dempsey said. “And I’m like ‘Hey! Y’all let them know. Let them know what’s going on. They need to fight for y’all.’”Nobody ever needed to teach Dempsey how to fight. Born and raised in tiny Nacogdoches, Texas, Dempsey was entirely different than most American players. He grew up poor, living in a trailer in his grandparents’ backyard and playing streetball with kids twice his age. He idolized players like Diego Maradona and Cuauhtémoc Blanco and cut his teeth in the largely Mexican men’s leagues in the area, playing against opponents twice his age.Dempsey made a habit throughout his career of showing up in big games, scoring consequential goals with club and country. He largely disappeared after his retirement in 2018 and can sometimes come across as softspoken even as a pundit. But his USMNT pedigree — along with Landon Donovan, he is the program’s all-time leading goalscorer — gives his words weight. And after the USMNT’s Nations League semifinal loss against Panama, Dempsey teed off.“During my career, the biggest blow that there was was not qualifying for the World Cup in 2018,” Dempsey said. “And you think — sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward. And people talked about this team being the ‘golden generation.’ … You look at the step back. Copa América, not getting out of the group there on home soil. Here tonight, in an important game as we get closer to the World Cup, another failure. It doesn’t give you a lot of hope. You have more fans here for Mexico right now than the U.S.”

Dempsey continued, pointing out that some key USMNT players will miss this summer’s Gold Cup as they compete in the FIFA Club World Cup and that the U.S. might struggle to find competitive matches as the year wears on, with other countries still in the thick of World Cup qualification.

“I’m a little nervous,” said Dempsey. “And I’m worried about the future of this U.S. men’s national team.”

Dempsey is not the only one. In the hours that followed the U.S.’s loss to Canada, former players and coaches all sounded off. To some, it may feel like an old man yelling at a cloud. With a World Cup rapidly approaching, though, the chorus of voices seems certain to grow louder if the USMNT doesn’t manage to right the ship.What You Should Read NextUSMNT film room: Where it went briefly right, then very wrong, in Canada defeatBreaking down the USMNT’s only goal in the Nations League Finals, plus the one that led to another defeat.

Like Dempsey, Donovan can more or less let his national team career do the talking.Nobody scored more goals for the USMNT than Donovan, and nobody’s goals were more consequential. Some of the most important strikes in U.S. history came off his feet — a goal against Mexico in the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup; and a trio of goals in the 2010 World Cup that included a last-gasp group-winner against Algeria, which galvanized an entire nation.

Like Dempsey, Donovan disappeared from view a bit after retirement but eventually found his legs as a coach, first in USL and then NWSL. He remains a foundational figure in the history of U.S. soccer, called upon frequently to analyze the current state of affairs.

On Sunday, Donovan’s analysis made Dempsey’s look timid.

“I’m so sick of hearing how ‘talented’ this group of players is and all of the amazing clubs they play for,” Donovan wrote on X. “If you aren’t going to show up and actually give a s!%* about playing for your national team, decline the invite. Talent is great, pride is better.”

A couple days later, Donovan calmed down a bit, but not much.

“You’re probably more objective about stuff like this,” Donovan told The Athletic, “but I was just so viscerally upset after that game. I’m just getting tired of watching all of this s**t.”

Donovan was quick to let a pair of USMNT players off the hook for their performance against Canada. Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna showed well, Donovan thought, and Christian Pulisic — invisible for long stretches of both the Panama and Canada matches — was “really hurt by these performances.”

“Those are the only ones that stick out to me,” continued Donovan. “There were just too many guys out there who were just going through the motions. When I watch games, sometimes it’s difficult to accurately judge someone’s ‘desire.’ But you also just see what your eyes tell you. It was obvious in these games who cared.”

Donovan, like any former player, is wary of being perceived as being some sort of grumpy old man. Undoubtedly, he is representative of the prototypical American player of his era. For years, the common perception of the American player, fairly or unfairly, was that they were a little short on skill and tactical acumen but excelled at the intangibles. They were often exceptionally fit, fearless and possessed a laundry list of other nebulous descriptors: grit, determination, hustle, edge.

USMNT great Landon Donovan Landon Donovan sees the USMNT getting further away from its identity. (Photo by Rob Kinnan/Imagn Images)

USMNT teams of Donovan’s era were sometimes not the prettiest to watch, but they wore opponents down. They were led by a series of American coaches raised in the pits of this country’s college and professional soccer ecosystems, most of whom possessed a deep understanding of the American game, none more so than Bruce Arena.

“People used to hate playing against us,” Donovan said. “Even when we lost. We’d get beat 2-0 and you could tell the other team was still like ‘f***, this game is going to be a f***ing nightmare.’ Occasionally, though, we’d have a poor effort. And Bruce would say ‘Guys, a coach shouldn’t have to coach effort. That’s not my job.’

“Back then I thought that was ridiculous,” Donovan continued. “But now I think about it and realize he was spot on. The last thing Mauricio Pochettino should have to worry about is whether these guys are going to leave it all on the field or not. Leaving it all on the field — that’s been a hallmark of the American player since the mid-80s. If we lose that, we are in big, big trouble.”

Donovan, who has certainly worked with his share of young players over the years, is cautious to paint with too broad a brush when it comes to the source of the U.S.’s current perceived mentality issue. He cannot help but agree, though, that part of the issue is simply generational, and mirrored outside of the sports world.

“There is absolutely a generational piece to this,” Donovan said. “You see it all over society. People just do not take pride in what they do anymore. When I first went to Leverkusen, when I was 17, it blew my mind how much pride the server took in doing their job. That’s a server at a restaurant — not a player playing for their national team. There is a lack of sense of pride in what people do.

“When you are proud, you are not going to let two games like that just slip by without trying to do something about it,” he added. “I would’ve been embarrassed on the field after that game against Panama. I sure as hell wouldn’t have gone into the Canada game and played that poorly. I would have been too embarrassed.”

Donovan was never lacking in pride. He’s still not. When asked whether he thinks the USMNT of 2002 or 2010 could beat what some are referring to as a “golden generation” of players, he laughed.

“We would not have let Canada or Panama beat us without it being an absolute bloodbath,” Donovan said. “I used to hate going into training camps, because I got the shit kicked out of me. The competition was real. We had real players who cared about the result and were always, without exception, willing to put themselves on the line to get a result. I can’t talk about who was more skilled or talented, but we were always responsible for the result.

“Right now,” he concluded, “of course I’d take those teams over this current one.”

Tab Ramos hails from a different era than Dempsey or Donovan, one that feels almost alien to modern observers of the USMNT.

Ramos made his World Cup debut 35 years ago as part of the 1990 team that thrust the USMNT back into the global spotlight for the first time in 40 years. It’s impossible to overstate just how different the program looked in those days. Players in the mid-to-late 80s, when Ramos entered the picture, were underpaid and overworked, nearly invisible to the general public. The U.S. sometimes struggled to schedule matches against meaningful competition, and when it did, players sometimes flew in on the day of the game and back out just after the final whistle.

Born in Uruguay, Ramos spent his adolescence in Kearny, N.J., an American soccer holy site if there ever was one. From the beginning, his understanding of the game felt different than many other players of his era. So did his technical ability. Almost beyond argument, Ramos was the most technically gifted American player of his time. That talent took him abroad, earning him contracts with Real Betis and Figueres in Spain. He was a central figure at the 1994 World Cup, which the U.S. hosted. When MLS was founded 30 years ago, Ramos was the first player signed to a contract.

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Ramos, who would go on to coach in MLS and USL after retirement and also serve as an assistant at the 2014 World Cup, has an intimate understanding of this current USMNT group. He worked with many of the squad’s players during his decade-long tenure as a coach and technical director in the U.S. youth program. Like Donovan and Dempsey, Ramos was shocked at what he saw in the Nations League.

“When I hear the players do interviews after the games, every single one of them says, ‘We need to have a stronger mentality. We need to work harder, tackle more,’” Ramos told The Athletic. “Here’s the thing: this isn’t the first time we’ve heard this. I think the fact that Pulisic, (Tyler) Adams, (Weston) McKennie, all of the important guys are saying ‘We need to get stuck in, we need to work harder.’ Well yeah, of course. But you need to stop talking about it. You need to start doing it.”

USMNT great Tab Ramos Tab Ramos doesn’t like what he sees from the current U.S. men’s national team players. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images)

In post-match interviews, Pochettino sometimes seemed almost shocked at the lack of effort from his squad and suggested, vaguely at least, that other players would be brought in to replace underperforming ones should the issue continue.

“If you were to ask any player in the world, people would say, ‘The American guys aren’t technical enough, this isn’t their game,’” Ramos said. “But at the end of the day they knew they had to play hard to beat you. Because they knew we’d fight to the end. I’m sure Pochettino was shocked. I’m sure he thought that with a full-strength squad, he probably took it for granted a little bit that his players would outwork the other team. He must have been shocked when he saw that wasn’t true.”

Like Donovan, Ramos chalks part of the current state of affairs surrounding the USMNT up to a generational shift, but his view includes some international perspective. Kids everywhere are changing, and the problem in the U.S. has more to do with soccer’s place in the cultural and sporting landscape, Ramos said.

“We don’t come from a soccer culture in this country,” he said. “All of the kids in other countries, they’re the same as our kids. They too are playing on their phone. It’s not like in Brazil or Argentina they’re not on their phone all day. But when they’re not on their phone? They are playing soccer. And they play like they mean it — they play to win. It just has to do more with our culture than some generational difference. Soccer in this country, it’s still not one of the biggest leagues, it’s fifth or sixth or seventh, however you want to look at it.”

Ramos bristles at the suggestion that this current generation of U.S. players accounts for a “golden generation” of sorts. Ramos himself hails from a foundational generation of players — the team that represented the U.S. at the 1994 World Cup, the first ever played on U.S. soil.

“A ‘golden generation?’” Ramos said. “Are you kidding me? A this point I feel like I came from the golden generation. After seeing all of this? My generation was probably the golden generation. We took the U.S. to a World Cup after hopping fences to play in playgrounds and getting paid $400 a game to play for the Brooklyn Italians to prepare for the national team. If that’s not golden, I don’t know what is. We have just lost the essence of who we are as a soccer country.”

That ‘94 tournament served as a springboard for the founding of MLS and in many ways founded the general American public’s connection to the sport of soccer itself, one that continues to deepen every day.

Yet Ramos cannot help but be disappointed these days when he watches the USMNT play. A little over a year out from what promises to be the biggest World Cup in history, the U.S.’s Nations League matches against Panama and Canada were played in mostly-empty stadiums, with little to no fanfare. It’s a sobering reminder to Ramos, of soccer’s — or maybe American soccer’s — continued struggle for relevance.

“We were hoping for so much more,” he said. “We were hoping that soccer would get closer to the NFL, to everything else. And here we are 30 years later, and it still hasn’t happened. I’m disappointed. This is the year where everything should be clicking, everybody should be excited about the national team and how well Pulisic is doing at Milan and how McKennie is doing at Juventus and how Adams is a leader at Bournemouth.

“And guess what? People don’t even go to the games. People don’t want to see it.”

Canada sends USMNT reeling to fourth-place Nations League finish

Jonathan David scores for Canada vs. USMNT

By Paul Tenorio and Joshua Kloke

338

March 23, 2025

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Canada downed the U.S. men’s national team, 2-1, on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, claiming third place in the Concacaf Nations League, and delivering another disappointment to a U.S. team that had won the three previous versions of this tournament.

After falling to Panama in the semifinal on Thursday, the U.S. was asked to show more energy and creativity in the third-place game. There might have been some good moments, but it still was not enough to best Canada.

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The Canadians entered the game feeling like they had performed well in their semifinal loss to Mexico. There was real belief that they are a team to be taken seriously in the region, and the game against the Americans was an opportunity to prove that.

Goals from Tani Oluwaseyi and Jonathan David made the statement for Jesse Marsch’s side, which lost Alphonso Davies to injury after 12 minutes and then Marsch himself in the 54th minute after a blowup at the officiating crew.

On the other side, after an early exit from the Copa América last summer, the U.S. will go into this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup desperate for any semblance of optimism and momentum, with the 2026 World Cup looming in the not-so-distant future.

Here’s our rapid reaction to the result:

Canada finally gets clinical performances up top

While Canada was the better team throughout Sunday, though not by the widest margin, it was what was finally presented up top that proved to be the difference: goals from the two starting forwards, David and Oluwaseyi.

Marsch moved on from his oft-used forward pairing of David and Cyle Larin after they struggled to consistently score. Coming into this match, Canada had gone goalless in half of Marsch’s 14 games in charge. Canada had generated just one shot on target against Mexico. Something had to give, which Marsch acknowledged after Thursday’s loss.

“A few more times where we can have a little bit more of an understanding of how to slow things down in the last third, and make some final passes that get us in and around the goal,” Marsch said of his team’s shortcomings in attack. “Then we can have the movements in the box that can give us more chances to be more creative in those moments.”

Oluwaseyi and David looked spirited throughout the game, fulfilling their roles well and providing those moments. Oluwaseyi acted as a poacher close to goal, punching home a quick shot after a few deflections in the 27th minute. David was given the assist on the goal.

In the second half, after multiple possible missed penalty calls, David dropped deep into the midfield as he often does for Canada. He eventually found a pocket of space inside the U.S., deftly turned in possession of the ball and curled a perfectly placed shot past U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner.

One big question coming out of Canada’s win will be the status of Larin and David as the preferred forward pairing. Marsch has no shortage of options with the recent additions of Daniel Jebbison and Promise David, making for plenty of roster intrigue leading up to the 2026 World Cup.

USMNT left grasping after two losses

U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino wanted to see more of just about everything from his team against Canada than he had in a semifinal loss to Panama a few days prior.

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“Tomorrow is going to be an important game to see how we react,” Pochettino said Saturday. “We need to show character. We need to show (that) all that we were talking (about) is not only about the result, but it’s only about improving our performance.”

More passion. More energy. More risk taking. More goals.

Pochettino got some of that in flashes, but it didn’t change the result.

Now, the U.S. coach will try to find something out of the performance off of which he can try to build. The U.S. certainly was not as flat as it was in the 1-0 loss to Panama, but at a time when this program desperately needed wins and momentum, it’s instead still left searching for answers.

Both Canada goals were aided by defensive lapses by the U.S.

Oluwaseyi’s opener was aided by a poor clearance and far too much space given to Canadian players to eventually allow a close-range finish. Those issues showed on the second goal, too. David’s 59th-minute game-winner included some frustrating defensive letdowns from the U.S.. Weah’s tackle of Tajon Buchanan bounced the ball unluckily into the path of Ali Ahmed, who found David in the U.S. box. U.S. center back Mark McKenzie dropped off of David in order to take away Buchanan’s run, but with that space afforded him inside the box, David, Canada’s deadliest finisher, easily picked out the far post.

The Americans did show more energy in the attack against a Canada team that allowed more space in transition. The one bright moment of the game featured some of the players the U.S. hoped would use this platform to make an impression: Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna assisted on Charlotte FC forward Patrick Agyemang’s goal.

The U.S. was challenged to show how it would respond to the Panama loss, but it also had to show how it could respond to going down a goal. After Oluwaseyi opened the scoring for Canada in the 27th minute, the U.S. found life again. Tyler Adams found Tim Weah on the left wing, and Weah took on his defender well before finding Luna in the box. The RSL midfielder paused slightly to let a defender slide by, then touched it to Agyemang, who finished past Dayne St. Clair.

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The intensity of the game picked up in the second half after the penalty shout and Marsch’s red card. In the end, though, it was Canada that landed the final punch.

Pochettino seemed to stick to his plan to see players in the third-place game. Three key starters — Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic — were all subbed out in the 69th minute. The subs, which included Gio Reyna, couldn’t turn the game in the Americans’ favor.

After two losses this week, the U.S. has just as many questions to answer as it did last summer when it fell in the group stage of the Copa América – and only about 15 months to find them before kicking off the World Cup at this very same stadium.What You Should Read NextPanama defeat conjures memories of USMNT’s most devastating lossesA loss in the Nations League semis was brutal, but it doesn’t quite rank up with some of the biggest gut-punches in USMNT history.

(Top photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images) Your Next Read

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Canada’s Jesse Marsch explains his Nations League red card: ‘I’d do it again’

Mauricio Pochettino says USMNT fans need patience after Nations League debacle

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 20: Head coach Mauricio Pochettino of United States looks down during the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal match between United States and Panama at SoFi Stadium on March 20, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Alexis Quiroz/Jam Media/Getty Images)

By Joshua Kloke and Paul Tenorio

March 23, 2025

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Mauricio Pochettino had a message for those whose belief is waning after the U.S. men’s national team’s concerning fourth-place finish in the Concacaf Nations League: Have patience.

“I don’t want that the people feel pessimistic,” the U.S. manager said after his team lost 2-1 to Canada in the tournament’s third-place game at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. “Disappointed? Disappointed, we are all. And the fans need to feel the disappointment that we didn’t win. But I don’t want to allow (them) to feel pessimistic, because I think we have good players. We are going to find a way to perform. And for sure we are going to compete in a different way. And (at) the end, we are going to get different results than Thursday and today.”

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After two more negative outcomes, losing to Panama in Thursday’s semifinal and again to a Canadian team that had coach Jesse Marsch red-carded, it is clear that the U.S. team and its Argentinean coach has a lot to fix. What it is that they need to change is not as easy to pinpoint. Right now, it feels like just about everything needs to get taken down to the studs.

“It’s back to the drawing board in terms of that intensity, that passion, that fight,” U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner said. “I think it’s pretty clear after these two games that we weren’t up to that level of intensity and some hard conversations need to be had amongst ourselves and we need to push each other to get back to that level. Because it’s not just a given that we can step onto the pitch and perform at a certain level.”

It feels like a long road and a complicated task. Or maybe not. U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams believes there is a quick way to remedy it. “Win games,” Adams said. “It’s that simple.”

Goalkeeper Matt Turner endured another disappointing afternoon. (Alexis Quiroz / Jam Media / Getty Images)

Pochettino came back time and again to the idea that the Nations League was only one stop on a journey toward the end game that is the World Cup. It’s an idea he discussed earlier this week, pointing to teams who have played well or poorly ahead of the tournament only to have opposite results at the World Cup. Pochettino said he didn’t want to let these losses overwhelm the ultimate goal.

“I don’t want to say I am happy at this (failure), don’t take me wrong, but if there (is) something negative about results, or things to learn, it’s better (to learn it) now because I think we have time,” Pochettino said. “Because if we will be in this situation in one year’s time, for sure I will tell you: ‘Houston, we have a problem.’ No? Eso es.

“But you will see. If in one year we are talking about that, it’s because we have a big problem and we were not capable to discover and to try to decide a better strategy and way to provide the team the capacity to play in a different way. I think we have time. And I prefer to let that (lesson) happen today than in one year.”

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The road to fixing things starts this summer at the Gold Cup. Pochettino and his staff will get a month with the squad, their first chance to truly spend time and try to build something within the group.

“Obviously, the feeling is not good right now,” U.S. star Christian Pulisic said. “We need to turn it around and we can hopefully build some momentum this summer, because we really do need it and with big, big tournaments ahead.”

Better vibes for Canada

On the other side, Canada can leave Los Angeles feeling positive about their ability to beat their rivals on U.S. soil. That positivity, although slightly muted given the win comes in a third-place contest, was the prevailing feeling from the Canadian side.

“The mentality of this team is strong. And today was another big test for us against a very good American team and it showed that we’re ready to compete and beat everybody in this region,” Canada assistant coach Mauro Biello said. “For many years, we were always the underdog. But I think things are starting to shift. And we’ve proven that over the last two games here.”

A turning point in the game for Canada was head coach Marsch being sent off in the 54th minute with a straight red card. Marsch had stepped on the field to shout repeatedly at referee Katia Itzel García in protest of two potential missed penalty calls on Canada forward Jonathan David.

Jesee Marsch was infuriated by two refereeing decisions. (Eliecer Aizprua Banfield / Jam Media / Getty Images)

David would score a stunner of a goal five minutes later. That goal would end up being the difference.

Biello said the goal “galvanized the team.” Yet David himself was quick to clarify, with a grin, that Marsch’s second protest might not have been totally necessary.

“So for me, the first one is a penalty. The second one, there’s nothing because I don’t even try to win the penalty. I just slipped. I think it’s an accumulation of what happened in the Mexico game and the first penalty that we didn’t get today. And his reaction I think is understandable, because you want to be taken seriously and not have the referee even just not even consider our pleas,” David said.

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Marsch’s red card appeared to change the dynamic of the game. Canada attacked more fervently afterwards . The U.S. had little response.

“I saw him over there flying about. I was loving it. He made an emotional stand for us,” Canada defender Alistair Johnson said. “I think that was something that’s been bubbling underneath the surface over these past couple of matches in terms of not getting the same whistles that he feels that we should, and that he knows that us, being Canadians, we’re a little too humble to start rolling around and begging for a call. So I think he felt like, ‘No, this is my moment. I need to make a stand to show that, f***, this isn’t right.’”

Marsch’s red card prevented him from fulfilling his postgame press conference duties. But it didn’t prevent him from injecting some life into the Canada locker room afterwards.

“(Marsch) had a smile from ear-to-ear,” Johnson said. “Beating the Americans for us is top of the agenda, as good as it gets. And then obviously for (Marsch) with his double allegiance, it probably felt really good.”

(Top photo: Alexis Quiroz / Jam Media / Getty Images)

2/28/25 USWNT loses to Japan, Champ League 16 Tues/Wed, FA Cup Weekend on ESPN+, MLS in Champions Cup on FS2 Tu/Wed nights

March 1, 2025March 4, 2025 gatorbest champions-league, grand-park-soccer, mls, soccer, sports, us-soccer, uswnt, womens-soccer

US Ladies lose Cup to Japan 1-2

A youthful US ladies squad lost the She Believes Cup to Japan Thur night in San Diego as the experienced Japan squad simply had too much for the US ladies. Japan became the only team to score within 1 minute of kickoff as they a 1-0 lead less than 1 minute in when Campbell and young centerback ____ miss-communicated giving up an easy goal early. Honestly I thought Campbell was somewhat at fault on both goals as the GK position looks to be one of concern moving forward. The US answered back quickly behind the foot of left winger Ally Sentnor with this masterful strike-her second tournament goal, of the tourney. But Japan scored on a tap in off a free kick drop by Campbell to win it for Japan in the 2nd half.

Bottom line much like Manager Emma Hayes said after – the World Cup is a long way away – and its time to see if the kids can handle the top teams in the world. Of course most of Japan’s players play in Europe which is in midseason while the US NWSL starts in 3 weeks (and was missing Triple Expresso & Girma). The combo of a top 3 team in Japan vs a youthful US team was too much on this night – leading to Hayes’ first loss as US Manager. Still all in all – I think the Cup was a good tool in giving the youngsters time to improve and impress. No doubt wingers Ally Sentnor & Alyssa Thompson are ready to join the A team moving forward. Next up is Gold Medal foe Brazil in early April.

Champions League round-of-16 Games Tues/Wed

Tues, March 3 Champions League

12:45 pm Par+, Club Brugge vs Aston Villa

3 pm Para+, CBSSN Dortmund (Reyna) vs Lille

3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid

3 pm Para+ PSV (Ledezma) vs Arsenal

Weds, Mar 4

12:45 pm Para+CBSSN Feyenord vs Inter

3 pm Para+ Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen

3 pm Para+ PSG vs Liverpool

3 pm Para + Benefica vs Barcelona

Storylines for the round of 16 – Video

1. Can Liverpool return to dominant form?

Liverpool coasted through the league phase, finding no issue winning every game except for their essentially dead-rubber game on Matchday 8. The last couple of months have not exactly been smooth sailing for the Reds, though – fatigue has set in a little bit, They have not dropped a ton of games and managed to book a spot in the EFL Cup final along the way, but the restrained control that was once the trademark of Arne Slot’s team has given way for some hard-fought results.

As long as Mohamed Salah is around, though, they will be hard to count out. The Egypt international is up to 30 goals and 22 assists across all competitions, putting himself not only in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or but perhaps putting together the greatest-ever season from a Premier League attacker. It will not be an easy feat against Paris Saint-Germain, but the French champions have been vulnerable over the course of the Champions League season – and that might be the perfect set-up for Salah.

2. Madrid derby, Champions League edition

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will have to go through each other for a spot in the last eight, which is intriguing in its own right. The current state of both teams makes this a very fascinating tie, though.

The reigning champions can take some positives from ousting Manchester City in the knockout phase playoffs, but this season has not exactly been straightforward for the star-studded Real Madrid. Look no further than Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Real Betis in La Liga play, a game in which they were not only outshot 18-9 but fully outplayed by the opposition. That loss came after a handful of key defenders returned from injury, signaling that the imbalance that has plagued Los Blancos for a year and change could linger for a little while longer.

On the flip side, Atletico Madrid have been a surprise contender in both La Liga and the Champions League. They were inside the top eight during the league phase and are currently just one point behind Barcelona in La Liga, finding new life in Diego Simeone’s tried-and-true system. It helps that their goalscorers have been in fine form all season long, with each of Julian Alvarez, Antoine Griezmann and Alexander Sorloth scoring 13 or more goals this season. They present a formidable challenge to Real Madrid, who have not beat them yet this season.

3. Are Bayern Munich in good shape?

Bayern Munich may have advanced out of the knockout phase playoffs, but a narrow win over a competitive Celtic side is not exactly the vote of confidence manager Vincent Kompany might be looking for in his first season in charge. The challenge of staying in the Champions League will get harder this week when they take on the team that beat them to the Bundesliga title last season – Bayer Leverkusen.

These two faced each other in league play just a few weeks ago, a game in which Bayern were lucky to leave 0-0. Leverkusen generated 2.16 expected goals but somehow managed not to score, while Bayern took just two shots and were unable to put a single one on frame. The eight-point deficit in the Bundesliga may be too much for them to overcome at this rate, but Leverkusen’s steady form in the league phase teases that they may have the goods to get one over on Bayern.

As a result, Kompany’s side have a lot to prove in this tie. There’s a lot of discussion out there that they can hang in the Bundesliga just fine, but they have not exactly stacked up well against European competitions. The round of 16 offers a chance to correct course – or demonstrate that they are a step behind.

Mike A, T Ray and Shane Reffing the Girls Showcase at Grand Park last weekend. Happy to be back on the fields – even it was cold as heck – Boys Showcase this weekend !!

Mohamed, T Ray and me first tourney of the season at the Girls Showcase at Grand Park last weekend

GAMES ON TV

Tues, March 4 Champions League

12:45 pm Par+, Club Brugge vs Aston Villa

3 pm Para+, CBSSN Dortmund (Reyna) vs Lille

3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid

3 pm Para+ PSV (Ledezma) vs Arsenal

6 pm Fox Sport 2 Cincy vs Tigres UANL Champs Cup

8:30 pm FS2 Pumas vs Alajuelense

Weds, Mar 5

12:45 pm Para+CBSSN Feyenord vs Inter

3 pm Para+ Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen

3 pm Para+ PSG vs Liverpool

3 pm Para + Benefica vs Barcelona

8:30 pm FS2 Herediano vs LA Galaxy Champs Cup

10:30 pm FS2 Seattle Sounders vs Cruz Azul

Thur, Mar 6 Europa League

12:45 pm Para+ Tottenham vs AZ

12:45 pm Para+ Kobenhavn vs Chelsea

12:45 pm Para+, CBSSN Fenerbahce vs Rangers

12:45 pm Para+ FSCB vs Olympique Lyonnais

12:45 pm Para+ Sociadad vs Man United

3 pm CBSSN Roma vs Athletic Club

8 pm Fox Sports 2 Inter Miami (Messi) vs Cavalier

Fr, Mar 7

2:30 pm ESPN+ Borussia MGladbach (Scally) vs Mainz

(American’s in Parenthesis)

last Saturday

Crystal Palace v Millwall – 7:15a on ESPN+

Matt Turner has started both Crystal Palace’s FA Cup matches this season as has Chris Richards so we may again see both American’s in action this weekend as Crystal Palace host Millwall in Cup action on Saturday.

Leeds United v West Bromwich Albion 8 am ESPN+

Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host fifth place West Brom looking to extend their five point lead for first place in the Championship. Aaronson has cooled off a bit with just one goal contribution in the teams past ten matches but continues to start regularly, including last weeks win over second place Sheffield United.

Atalanta v Venezia – 9a on Paramount+

Gianluca Busio and Venezia visit Atalanta this weekend. Busio has started the last two matches on the bench though come in for solid playing time in both. Last weekend Venezia played fifth place Lazio to a scoreless draw.

Heidenheim v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN+

Joe Scally and Borussia Monchengladbach travel to Heidenheim on Saturday looking to bounce back from a 3-0 loss to Augsburg. Gladbach are in ninth place and still within striking distance of the top four.

St. Pauli v Borussia Dortmund – 9:30a on ESPN+

Gio Reyna saw a rare start last weekend in Borussia Dortmund’s 6-0 shellacking of Union Berlin, though four of those goals came after Reyna had been subbed off in the 70th minute. Dortmund will place St. Pauli this weekend who have lost three straight but still have a six point cushion between themselves and relegation.

AFC Bournemouth v Wolverhampton Wanderers – 10a on ESPN+

Tyler Adams and Bournemouth host Wolverhampton on Saturday in a cup match between the two Premier League sides. Adams has been starting pretty regularly, including Bournemouth’s last two FA cup matches but he was used as a sub last weekend as his team fell to Wolves 1-0 in league play.

Real Betis v Real Madrid – 12:30p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+

Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis will host Real Madrid on Saturday. Cardoso has started nine straight but he did come off the bench early this season as Betis fell to Madrid 2-0.

Go Ahead Eagles v PSV – 12:45p on ESPN+

Perhaps we shouldn’t be tracking PSV at this point as the only healthy American is Richard Ledezma, who reportedly did not make the 60 man provisional roster for the March USMNT camp. However, the team does play on Saturday and need to get back on track after a four match winless streak that has them in second place, five points back of league leading Ajax.

Sunday

Olympique Lyon v Brest – 9a on beIN Sports

Tanner Tessmann has started three straight and played the full ninety last weekend as Lyon fell to PSG 3-2. The team will host Brest on Sunday.

Manchester United v Fulham – 11:30a on ESPN+

Antonee Robinson and Fulham will travel to Manchester to face a Man U side that defeated Ipswich Town last weekend but remain in fourteenth place in the EPL. Fulham fell to United in their season opener 1-0 but since then have pretty easily looked the better side and are coming off a 2-1 win over Wolverhampton.

Augsburg v Freiburg – 11:30a on ESPN+

Noahkai Banks has not seen the field the last couple of weeks for Augsburg who will host Freiburg on Sunday.

AC Milan v Lazio – 2:45p on Paramount+

Yunus Musah started and Christian Pulisic came off the bench mid-week as Milan fell 2-1 for the second straight match and dropped back to eighth place in the Serie A table. Milan are now eight points back of Juventus for fourth place and the final Champions League qualifying spot.

Monday

Juventus v Verona – 2:45p on Paramount+

Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus will look to tighten their grip on Champions League qualification when they host fourteenth place Verona on Monday afternoon.

FA Cup Schedule this Weekend

Champions League

What to know about the Champions League round of 16

US Ladies

Why USWNT’s loss to Japan could be ‘good thing’ for Hayes’ team
Japan beats USWNT 2-1 to win SheBelieves Cup as U.S. suffers first defeat of Emma
USWNT player review: Who stood out, stepped back or made a case for the future?
Japan unseats USWNT in SheBelieves Cup, ending 5-year tournament winning streak
Hayes: USWNT ‘future is exciting’ despite 1st loss
USWNT’s Hayes deserves benefit of the doubt after first loss — for now ESPN Cesar Hernandez
USWNT loses to Japan in 1st defeat of Hayes era ESPN News Services
Biyendolo and Cooper score as United States beats Australia 2-1 in SheBelieves Cup
USWNT midfielder Jaedyn Shaw reflects on trade to Courage: ‘I just wanted to be playing a certain style’
USWNT star Girma set to make Chelsea debut

US Men

Liverpool Want To Sign This Fulham Left-Back: Why Will He Be A Good Signing?
Mexico coach confirms talks with U.S.’s Ledezma
Squirrel! USMNT’s Josh Sargent has goal ‘assisted’ by furry pitch invader

World

Milan fans show indifference after Bologna defeat as frustration grows
Serie A title race: Which results Inter, Napoli and Atalanta need
Napoli vs. Inter: Three key battles to watch

GK

Five goalkeepers Man United should target as a replacement for Andre Onana – opinion

Reffing

New Ref Abuse Prevention Policy
Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13

When this is offside — we have gone way to far with VAR !!

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Lindsey Heaps #10 of the United States salutes the fans

Why USWNT’s loss to Japan in SheBelieves Cup could be a ‘good thing’ for Emma Hayes’ team

Melanie Anzidei The Athletic Thu, February 27, 2025 at 8:31 AM EST·

SAN DIEGO—The U.S. women’s national team has ended its five-year run as the reigning champions of the SheBelieves Cup after a 2-1 defeat to Japan.

It is a disappointing result for U.S. fans, marking Emma Hayes’ first loss in 15 matches since becoming head coach, but Wednesday’s game against a more experienced rival was a humbling and necessary step for the Americans as they focus on developing a new generation of players.

“I always go back to what our objectives were in the first place,” Hayes calmly told reporters after the game, “and that was to deepen our playing pool with opportunities in high-pressure situations against top opponents, and that’s what tonight (Wednesday), especially, is about.”

It’s no secret this latest camp was designed for Hayes and her coaching staff to observe seasoned U.S. players in a tournament setting. The goal was to determine where players were in their development, and whether they are ready for a regular spot on the senior team, or would be a better fit among Hayes’ burgeoning Under-23 project.

“We have to look at which players are ready for now, which players are ready for later, and which ones will go with the under-23s and which ones will develop with us,” Hayes said. “So, from that perspective, it was mission accomplished.”

Hayes experimented heavily with the SheBelieves line-up, even changing the team’s starting XI entirely from their opening game against Colombia to their second match with Australia, which ended in victory.

There were four senior debuts over three games, and a handful of breakout moments for young players such as 21-year-old Ally Sentnor and 17-year-old Lily Yohannes. Cat Macario, a familiar face in the national team circuit, also had a stellar comeback to the international stage after being sidelined for years because of a knee injury. She even scored for the U.S. for the first time in three years, finding the net in the 2-0 win over Colombia.

“We could look at the progress of Ally Sentnor, a young player coming into the senior camp, scoring a couple of goals, Lily Yohannes, getting her first two starts at senior level,” Hayes said. “There are plenty of new combinations and new connections, which throw up several challenges when you play a well-polished team.”

Those challenges are exactly why Hayes tapered expectations heading into the SheBelieves finale. Japan were dominant in the tournament, scoring 10 goals across three wins. They only needed a draw against the U.S. to lift their first SheBelieves title, but they quickly set the pace with an opening goal from Yuka Momiki in the second minute.

https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/1KzEemSnmp3gBlHlSS76bm?utm_source=generator

“I completely understood the quality of the opponent we would face,” Hayes said. “They, without question, (are) one of the best teams in the world, with players that are extremely well played-in together, while probably the vast majority of them being in the middle of their season (the NWSL resumes in March). That showed in the game, and it’s OK to be disappointed.”

Both goals in the 2-1 loss came following errors in front of goal. While the U.S. could respond to Japan’s first goal with an equalizer in the 14th minute through Sentnor, they failed to respond to Toko Koga’s strike in the 50th minute.

“Every cycle, there’s always a little upset like this — and it’s a really good thing for this team. No one likes losing. But there’s a lot of progress in our development and how we’re playing, our style, our identity, and really honing in on the details,” U.S. captain Lindsey Heaps said after the game. “We faced a really good team, they made it so difficult on us.

“It’s a hard loss, but we keep moving and we stay positive.”

There were glimpses of brilliance in their performance against Japan. The U.S. kept possession even and had more shots on target, with Heaps nearly scoring off several diving headers. The team was tapping on Japan’s door, but it proved too little too late by full time. As Hayes said, the only way the U.S. would improve against Japan and other top-level teams was to play against them and make those mistakes in real-time. The preference, of course, is to do that during an international friendly.

“This is a big learning opportunity. We’re a young team. We all haven’t played together for very long,” said 20-year-old Jaedyn Shaw, who began her NWSL career in San Diego at 17 before being traded to the North Carolina Courage last month. “It just gives us something to go and work for and really dive deep into when we go back to our clubs, and continue to evolve as a team.”

Sentnor had a breakout tournament, scoring her first two international goals and netting an assist over three games to make her the sixth player to contribute in all three matches in a single edition of this tournament, following other U.S. standouts Tobin Heath (2019), Christen Press (2020), Heaps (2021), Alex Morgan (2023) and Mallory Swanson (2023), according to OptaJack.

“The young players, including myself, are just gonna learn a ton from playing against really tough opponents that are super technical,” said Sentnor. “I would have never believed I’d be in this position this early in my career, and the players around me have just helped me so much, so I’m hoping for more caps with this team and more opportunities, but I’m just so grateful for the ones I got this tournament.”

For Hayes, falling to Japan was a necessary step to grow the national team’s ecosystem, which begins with expanding the player pool and identifying that next generation of players.

“You need moments to give you a sense of where you are in that path, but our future is exciting, regardless of the result,” Hayes said. “We played one of the best teams in the world, whose nucleus have played together for a long time, and it showed.

“We need to build the group and the larger pool that we think are going to progress us to the World Cup (in 2027), and now we have to develop our game model so that it plays out in with the qualities that we know you need to have to beat the very, very best teams at the top level.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

USWNT player review: Who stood out, stepped back or made a case for the future?

Meg Linehan and Jeff Rueter Fri, February 28, 2025 at 7:01 AM EST·

The 2025 SheBelieves Cup is in the rearview. For the first time in six years, the tournament trophy did not end up in the United States’ possession. Instead, Japan took top honors after a 2-1 win over the USWNT on Wednesday in San Diego.

However, this wasn’t the type of U.S. camp that would be deemed a failure or success by results alone. Head coach Emma Hayes selected plenty of her player pool’s more untested members to size up their readiness for her best possible squad.

“I always go back to what our objectives were in the first place — and that was to deepen our playing pool with opportunities in high-pressure situations against top opponents, and that’s what tonight especially was about,” Hayes said after the match. “From that perspective, it was mission accomplished.”

With 270 minutes of evidence to study, here are the players who stepped up, those who left us wanting more and those still waiting to strengthen their cases.

Who impressed?

Ally Sentnor

While Japan’s Mina Tanaka had the SheBelieves Cup MVP on lock for much of the tournament, forward Sentnor may have been the USWNT’s leading candidate for the award — and it wouldn’t have been down to just her incredible golazo against Colombia, either.

The challenge for Sentnor is the crowded forward pool. Despite adding a second goal against Japan, a class finish off a feed from Cat Macario, Sentnor’s really going to have to fight to stay in the mix among Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Wilson. Sentnor likely did enough to book a trip to California in April for the Brazil friendlies, but if the starting forward line is back, her mission becomes ensuring she capitalizes on her chances as a second-half substitute.

“Ally has demonstrated in her rise through the youth national teams and in her first pro year (with the Royals) that she’s got qualities that can decide a game,” Hayes said after the loss to Japan. “She certainly finishes the very minimal chances she might get, and that’s what top players possess. I think she’s got that, and it will build her confidence to have had this tournament and be given a couple of starts.”

Tara McKeown

While Naomi Girma and Tierna Davidson established themselves as a strong partnership in the Olympics, there is still space for newcomers to work into Hayes’ plans at center back. McKeown earned her first appearance with the team this tournament. While both Colombia and Japan seemed eager to attack her side of the back line in their first halves, McKeown largely looked the part. She also played a line-breaking assist to Sentnor for the forward’s unforgettable first international goal — a reminder of her ability to help in possession.

McKeown rejoins the Washington Spirit ready to further her case for USWNT inclusion.

“I’m sure she will have learned a lot about anything from her build-up angles and how you break pressure against the best opponents, to recognizing at the top, top level, games are usually decided by very marginal moments,” Hayes said Wednesday — stressing that it was a learning moment not just for McKeown but for the whole team.

Catarina Macario

At long last, the Chelsea forward reunited with her old club coach. Injuries kept Macario off of the USWNT’s squads for the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics, but the 25-year-old figures to be a major part of Hayes’ plans moving forward. She showcased how she can change a game across her two appearances, capping a great team sequence in the opener for her first international goal since April 12, 2022.

She later played a crisp assist to Sentnor against Japan that resulted in the USWNT’s lone goal.

Hayes said after the tournament that Macario had shown “moments of brilliance,” but still was not at full fitness. Opponents, be warned.

Lily Yohannes

The hype train for Yohannes was full steam ahead after the USWNT’s opening match against Colombia, even as Hayes urged everyone to give the 17-year-old time and space to develop. Yohannes got the start against Japan — a sign of Hayes’s trust in the biggest game of the tournament — but they were far more effective at containing Yohannes, especially when it came to mid- and long-range passing.

As Hayes said, despite her talent, Yohannes is still developing. Wednesday night showed that there’s still plenty of room for progress against a top team, even with the statement game she had in the USWNT opener against Colombia.

“(Yui) Hasegawa in the middle of the park is probably the best pivot in the world at both the domestic and international level,” Hayes said. “And our pivot is 17 years of age and has played in three caps. So we have to be patient too, in our expectations.”

Yazmeen Ryan

Ryan played more of a supporting role when she was with Gotham FC. She’ll get that leading woman opportunity in her first season with the Houston Dash, but the selfless elements that made her invaluable with Gotham also put her in good stead for this USWNT camp.

Ryan was a proactive carrier upfield to help the United States progress. Her interplay with Macario and Sentnor was especially sharp against Colombia.

Hayes also thought Ryan had her share of moments, both in terms of her passing and distribution and her ability to carry the ball upfield. But Hayes focused primarily on how to develop Ryan to unlock her next level, which included her defensive play, figuring out when to press and when to hold her position.

“I think there’s another layer of learning for her,” Hayes concluded, “but she’s shown some really good signs and shown, once again, the quality in her execution.”

Who missed the moment?

Goalkeepers

It’s never easy to follow up a program legend, and it’s clear that the current pool of USWNT goalkeeping options have big gloves to fill after Alyssa Naeher’s retirement. Jane Campbell and Mandy McGlynn were given the first opportunities in net after Naeher’s exit, and neither made an emphatic case to keep a hold of the No. 1 jersey for the foreseeable future.

Campbell misread the run-up to Japan’s early opener and took herself out of the play by running into teammate Emily Sonnett. On the second goal, her brilliant save on a free kick put the ball directly back into an opponent’s path, making it all too easy on the eventual tournament winner.

McGlynn conceded just once against Australia, but her positioning was clumsy as she was in two minds about whether to close down the shooter or get a strong positioning for a reflex save.

“Our job is to keep pushing and developing,” Hayes said of her goalkeepers after the Japan match, “and time will reveal where they both are. But I know I’ve been in this situation a lot of times in my career. I value patience in development, and I know that we have a plan, and it’s important for us to keep developing — as we are.”

The mainstays from the 2019 squad

With so many new faces in camp, Hayes was careful to balance their inexperience with some USWNT regulars to maintain continuity as they acclimated. These veterans were expected to put in consistent shifts to account for varying forms among their less-tested teammates. Unfortunately, the old guard also struggled in some crucial areas, especially those who remain from the 2019 world champions.

Lindsey Heaps looked especially frustrated in her games against Colombia and Japan. Playing as a No. 10, the Lyon midfielder sometimes gummed up the United States’ sequences as they entered the final third, getting in the way of her midfield’s progressive passing and trying to run into the same spaces as her center forward. The United States captain tried to make an impact aerially and by being in the position to play the final ball, but these were far from her best shifts to date.

Sonnett’s poorly timed slip helped gift Japan a clear shot for the opening goal, but the all-time SheBelieves minutes leader was otherwise her usually dependable self most often. The same can’t be said for Crystal Dunn, whose lack of playing time since the Paris Olympics was evident as she made unusual mistakes by her standard.

Despite her 157 caps, this felt like a camp in which Dunn was fighting for her spot in Hayes’ plans for the 2027 World Cup cycle. Dunn will likely stay part of the mix in this time of transition, but she’ll need to make more of an impact in future camps.

Ones for the future

Hal Hershfelt

Thanks to a stellar rookie year for the Spirit, Hershfelt had pried open a path into the USWNT midfield. Despite making the roster for the January training camp, Hershfelt didn’t get the nod for SheBelieves Cup. That may have been in part due to the return of multiple European-based players, but Hayes also opted to take a look at Claire Hutton this go-round.

Hershfelt still offers the USWNT real bite in the midfield and a knack for winning aerial duels all over the pitch, including on set pieces. While it feels unlikely that the window has been shut on future call-ups, this felt like the exact type of camp for a player like Hershfelt to shine.

Phallon Tullis-Joyce

Hayes opted for two goalkeepers on her squad in exchange for an additional field player, keeping Tullis-Joyce in camp as a training option. It was unfortunate that we weren’t able to see how the Manchester United netminder could have fared in tandem with the new wave of defenders, as her form in the Women’s Super League has been among the best of any player at her position.

Still, Hayes assured that Tullis-Joyce would eventually get a shot in goal for her team.

“This is just her second camp, she’s still getting to know people,” Hayes said, noting they’ve been keeping tabs on her performances with Manchester United and the areas they’d like to see improvement. “I’m sure Phallon will get her opportunities with us, but the other two (Campbell and McGlynn) have been around the group a little bit longer and built those connections and those relationships. Phallon will get her turn.”

More new kids

Hutton, Gisele Thompson and Emma Sears all got limited opportunities through these three matches, though all three started against Australia. With massive rotation from Hayes in that match, changing all 11 players from the tournament opener (just the sixth time it’s ever happened in program history), cohesion was always going to be a tall ask.

The USWNT will at least have some individual tape for these players, and more for Sears, but Hutton probably came the closest to standing out in the Australia match. Former USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski has relied on the 19-year-old defensive midfielder as the backbone of the Kansas City Current’s success, but much as Hayes has preached patience across the board, a solid performance against the current iteration of the Matildas isn’t the same level as a solid performance against Japan or Colombia.None of them should be worried about their standing with the USWNT, but all three are still in the early stages of being dropped into this environment and tested at the highest level.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.US Women’s national team, Soccer, NWSL

4/5/24 US Ladies ready for She Believes Cup Sat 12:30 TNT, Tues in Columbus, Indy 11 Sat at Louisville on CBS at 4 pm, Champions & Europa League Tues/Wed/Thurs, US Men up to #11

April 5, 2024April 5, 2024 gatorbest alex-morgan, indy-11, megan-rapinoe, soccer, sports, us-soccer, uswnt, womens-soccer

USWNT in She Believes Cup Sat vs Japan 12:30 TNT & Tues 4/9 in Columbus Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario will make their returns to the USWNT Sat as part of the 23-player roster for the She Believes Cup, U.S. Soccer. Two new names are also joining the roster and earning their first senior national team call-ups, both playing for European clubs: 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender Eva Gaetino and 16-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes. The question is do Mallory and Macario start or come off the bench vs Japan (presumably the weeker of the 2 games)? These will be the final two matches for Twila Kilgore as USWNT interim coach. Permanent head coach Emma Hayes will take over beginning with the June window, with Kilgore remaining on the staff as an assistant. The USWNT will play in a reformatted She Believes Cup that has a semifinals and final as opposed to a round robin tournament. They will play Japan in the semifinals in Atlanta on Sat April 6th at 12:30 pm on TNT, and then will face either Brazil or Canada in either the 3rd place match at 5 pm or the final at 7 pm on April 9th in Columbus, Ohio ( tix still available- the OBC is going over) on TBS.

USWNT She Believes Cup roster Goalkeepers (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) Defenders (8): Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Tierna Davidson (NY/NJ Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Eva Gaetino (PSG), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NY/NJ Gotham FC) Midfielders (6): Korbin Albert (PSG), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Lyon), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax) Forwards (6): Catarina Macario (Chelsea), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars)

Indy 11 vs Louisville Sat 4 pm on CBS
The Boys in Blue head south Saturday for the first installment of the LIPAFC rivalry in 2024 live on CBS at 4 pm. Indy is coming off a 2-1 loss to Detroit City FC to fall to 1-2-1 on the season, while Louisville defeated Birmingham Legion FC 5-0 to sit perfect atop the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference standings at 3-0-0.

LIPAFC
The Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest dates back to 2015 with Louisville holding the 10-5-6 advantage. Nineteen of the 21 matches have taken place since Indy joined the USL Championship in 2018 (2 playoff), with Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches in 2015 and 2016 making up the remaining two. The Boys in Blue were 1-1 in those match-ups. Indy is looking for its first road win since a 2-1 victory on May 29, 2021. Saturday marks the 22nd overall meeting between the sides all-time, with Louisville leading 10-5-6.

Champions League Elite 8 — starts April 9th & 10th on CBS

GAMES ON TV

Sat, April 6

7:30 am USA Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Man City
7:30 am ESPN+ Norwich City (Stewart) vs Ipswich Town (Champ)
9 am CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Lecce
9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin vs Bayer Leverkusen
10 am USA Aston Villa vs Burnley
10 am Peacock Fulham (Robinson, Ream) vs New Castle United
12:30 pm TNT, Max, Telemundo USA Women vs Japan
1 pm para+ Lazio vs Juventus (Weah, McKinney)
7:30 pm Fox LAFC vs LA Galaxy
7 pm CBS Indy 11 @ Louisville
Sun, Apr 7
10:30 am NBC Man United vs Liverpool
11:30 am NBC Sheffield United (Trusty) vs Chelsea
11:30 am ESPN+ Wolfsburg vs Mgladbach (Scalley)
1 pm USA Tottenham vs Notthingham Forest (Reyna)
2:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Levekusen vs Wolfsburg
4 pm Fox Atlanta United vs Chicago Fire

Tues, Apr 9
3 pm CBS, Arsenal vs Bayern Munich UCL
3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Man City UCL

5 or 7 pm TBS, Universo, Peacock USWNT vs Brazil/Can winner Columbus, OH
8:45 pm Fox Sport 1 Columbus Crew vs Tigres CCL
10:30 pm FS1 New England vs America CCL
Weds, Apr10
3 pm CBS PSG vs Barcelona UCL
3 pm Para+ Atletico Madrid vs Dortmund UCL
10:30 pm Fox Sport 1 Monterrey vs Inter Miami (Messi) CCL
8:15 pm FS1 Heredino vs Pachuca CCL
Thurs, Apr 11
3 pm CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Roma Europa
3 pm Para+ Liverpool vs Atalanta
3 pm Para+ Leverkusen vs West Ham United
7 pm ESPN+ Miami FV vs Tampa Bay Rowdies (Jordan Farr)

June 27 Copa America US Men Play Panama

July 24 starts US U23 Men & US Women In Olympics

(American’s in Parenthesis)

How to Watch Indy Eleven USL Championship Action

https://www.uslchampionship.com/cbs CBS Schedule

https://www.uslchampionship.com/espn ESPN

Copa America TV Schedule

US Ladies

USWNT’s Albert can play amid flak for social posts ESPN Jeff Carlisle

Sophia Smith excited about new USWNT phase ESPN
The USWNT’s new normal? The threat of losing almost any game ESPN Jeff Kassouf

Mal Swanson is starting to look like her old self, and that’s just what the USWNT needs

Who should the USWNT call up? Ranking the NWSL players who deserve a look ESPN Jeff Kassouf

USWNT vs. Japan: How to watch SheBelieves Cup, TV channel, live stream

Macario talks ’emotional’ USWNT return alongside Swanson

NWSL Power Rankings: KC looks unplayable as Utah hits bottom

US Men

AC Milan boss Pioli: Pulisic could play No. 10 role vs. Lecce

Champions league

Pep hails Bellingham’s ‘massive’ impact on Madrid

Xavi: PSG favourites for Barça’s UCL quarterfinal

The battle for extra Champions League places is tight between Italy, Germany and England

Indy 11

Recap – MEM 1:2 IND

Blake, Stanley Earn USL Team of the Week Honors

Know before you Go – The Mike

Indy Eleven Announces 2024 Promotional Schedule – Tickets on Sale NOW!

Reffing

What’s the Call – Hand Ball Decisions –

Become a Licensed High School Ref

Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13

The USWNT has long been ‘bigger than just the game,’ SheBelieves Cup will be a test of that

FRISCO, TX - FEBRUARY 23: The USWNT celebrate winning the SheBelieves Cup after a game between Iceland and USWNT at Toyota Stadium on February 23, 2022 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

By Jeff Rueter and Steph Yang r 2, 2024 The Athletic – Steph Yang & Jeff Rueter

U.S. women’s national team midfielder Korbin Albert’s social media activity will soon be under the microscope – perhaps even more than it was last week, when her reposting of anti-LGBTQ content was resurfaced online and addressed by former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe.

This weekend, the USWNT opens SheBelieves Cup against Japan in the annual invitational tournament played between the U.S. and select international teams.

For the past two years, the USWNT has advocated for trans rights at the tournament – a track record of advocacy that feels especially important in light of transphobic and homophobic sentiments that continue to permeate American society, and after Albert’s social media activity. It’s a jarring contradiction to the way the USWNT has historically spoken out to advance reforms or to advocate for equal rights.

At the center of this discussion are videos Albert reposted to her TikTok account, including one of a sermon given in a Christian worship space talking about how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. Among the posts on her TikTok profile was one from 2023, showing her family taking turns stating that “their pronouns are U.S.A.,” with Albert participating in the video. The post no longer appears on her profile as of Tuesday.

Albert also liked a meme on Instagram of an airplane landing with a caption reading “God taking time off performing miracles to make sure Megan Rapinoe sprains her ankle in her final ever game.”

Rapinoe has been an outspoken advocate of LGBTQ+ rights and trans rights in particular. She responded to Albert via her Instagram story, asking, “Are you making any type of space safer, more inclusive, more whole, any semblance of better, bringing the best out of anyone?” She later stressed to The Athletic that while Albert’s activity inspired the post, her focus is on the queer lives at stake, whether they be at risk through anti-trans commentary online or targeted legislation.

Rapinoe signed off her message with “Yours Truly, #15.” Albert wears the No. 15 shirt for the USWNT, a number made available after Rapinoe’s retirement last fall.

USWNT Albert wears No 15 against Brazil in March (John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Queer and trans youth remain at higher risk of bullying, facing legislative hurdles and attempting self-harm. The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People found that 41 percent of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including roughly half of transgender and nonbinary youth. Additionally, the Trevor Project found that transgender and nonbinary youth were 2 to 2 1/2 times as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider suicide and attempt suicide compared to their cisgender LGBQ peers.

Albert later apologized on Instagram, saying, “I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields.”

The 20-year-old midfielder is not the only player on the team or in women’s soccer to hold conservative views. As noted by a former USWNT player in 2018 after Jaelene Hinkle’s public refusal to wear the team-issued rainbow pride jerseys, there have always been people in the locker room “that are not okay, or in agreement with, the (gay) lifestyle.” The difference with Albert, as it was in 2018 with Hinkle, was that other conservative players had kept their anti-LGBTQ opinions to themselves and the team managed to go out and play together.

Now, that dynamic may be challenged as SheBelieves opens in Georgia, a state where anti-trans rhetoric from high-level leadership is pertinent and playing out in real time.

Last Tuesday, the state senate passed House Bill 1104, originally intended to provide mental health resources for young student-athletes, but which now includes language that bans transgender girls from competing on girls’ public school teams and bans them from locker rooms that match their gender identity.

In past similar situations, the USWNT has been a direct advocate for the queer and trans community, many of whom make up a passionate part of their fan base. The 2022 SheBelieves Cup took place in Frisco, Texas. During the tournament, Texas governor Greg Abbott issued guidance to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services asking employees to report trans children and their parents to state authorities, referring to gender-affirming care as a form of “child abuse.”

On the night that letter was sent, several USWNT players wore athletic tape around their wrists with the message “Protect Trans Kids.” After the game, midfielder Catarina Macario (who displayed her wristband after scoring in the first half) said it was an idea prompted by Rapinoe — and one that she and others were determined to amplify.

Macario shows her wristband after scoring against Iceland in February 2022 (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

“With the platform we have, we really wanted to show why this team is different and why we do things that are much bigger than just the game,” Macario said. “It was just a way to show awareness, especially because we were playing in Texas.”

The U.S. opened the following SheBelieves Cup in Florida, another state that had enacted anti-trans legislation. The players wore tape on their wrists again, this time with the words “Defend Trans Joy.”

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Those games were played as the Missouri state legislature was reviewing a wave of proposed legislation along similar lines as Florida and Texas. Becky Sauerbrunn, a Missouri native and the team’s captain, wrote an op-ed piece for the Springfield News-Leader that left no questions about why she felt strongly opposed to the motions, stating that the proposals “don’t consider any of the actual challenges to women and girls in sport.”

“I have been championing gender equity in sport for a long time,” Sauerbrunn wrote in part, “and I am done seeing transgender youth being cruelly targeted to score political points. Transgender people are exactly that, people — not tools to be wielded in a climb up the political ladder.”

This wasn’t the case of a team’s captain championing a cause in isolation. The piece resonated within the locker room.

“I did read what Becky said, and she is a true leader,” Alex Morgan said at the time. “Not only within our team, but standing up for trans kids and being an ally and advocate for a lot of groups who are targeted.”

The USWNT’s advocacy has not been limited to SheBelieves Cup and trans rights. Albert has only just begun to be introduced to a team with a years-long history of taking visible stances on an array of political and societal issues. Sauerbrunn said it was a crucial part of representing the United States on its national team, and Morgan agreed.

“When I represent this country, it’s knowing that it is a great country, but it’s also a country that has a lot to work on,” Morgan told Time ahead of the 2019 World Cup. “But I’m willing to be a part of that, to put the work in, to make it as good as it can be.”

The USWNT has been a political body almost by virtue of its very existence, as women’s sports are inherently political.

Megan Rapinoe USWNT players such as Rapinoe have used their platform for advocacy (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

In the United States, women were denied the ability to play organized sports until the landmark Title IX legislation passed in 1972, protecting people from discrimination based on “sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.” It took 13 more years for the first version of the USWNT to form, and nearly a full 20 before it played in the first Women’s World Cup.

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With that context in mind, it’s inherent that today’s USWNT players are not just athletes, but also symbols of societal progress – whether they desire that label or not. Yet USWNT players tend to be highly aware that to represent one of the world’s most diverse nations in this particular arena — especially given the on-field prominence of the team — is a rare platform for advocacy.

Individually and as a group, USWNT figures have spoken out about racial justice in the weeks following the murder of George Floyd and the death of Breonna Taylor. They’ve fought for equal pay in their own labor deal with U.S. Soccer, even as the federation’s lawyers argued that they deserved less because the “overall soccer playing ability” for the men’s national team is “materially influenced by the level of certain physical attributes, such as speed and strength, required for the job.” After striking that deal, they’ve advocated to improve working conditions for other national teams, including Spain, Canada and Jamaica.

Publicly, all of this opened the USWNT up to a wave of criticism from detractors who felt their full focus should be on kicking a ball.

With Rapinoe’s retirement and veteran captain Sauerbrunn not rostered, the USWNT will enter this year’s SheBelieves with a group dynamic that is still in flux, playing under an interim coach until the arrival of Emma Hayes in May.

The next generation of players is already putting its stamp on the team’s on-field identity. In light of Albert’s social media behavior, this year’s SheBelieves may show us how that generation intends to shape its off-field identity as well.

(Top photo: Robin Alam/Getty Images)

Catarina Macario, Mallory Swanson discuss USWNT returns: ‘You can’t take your health for granted’

By Steph Yang 3, 2024

Two players that the United States desperately missed during the 2023 Women’s World Cup are back in national team camp, with Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario both returning for the SheBelieves Cup after long injury recoveries.Swanson suffered a torn patellar tendon on April 8, 2023 in a national team game against the Republic of Ireland in Austin, Texas. Macario tore her ACL on June 1, 2022 while playing for her now-former club, Lyon. Macario’s last appearance for the USWNT was in a friendly against Uzbekistan on April 12, 2022 in Chester, Pennsylvania.“I think the first thing that comes to my mind is just being grateful,” Swanson said about her return. “One thing that I learned throughout my injury was that you can’t ever take life for granted. You can’t take your health for granted.”Both players ended up missing the World Cup. Their absences were a huge blow to the USWNT’s chances as they both played critical roles in the starting XI, and their return could be key for the USWNT’s Olympic hopes.Swanson said that there was a moment after her first surgery that she thought she might still make it back in time for the World Cup. “I remember texting my surgeon and being like ‘How long is this recovery,’ and he was like ‘Six months,’ and I was like ‘Oh, I can make it four. I’m gonna do it,’” she said.

But, as she revealed on The Women’s Game podcast in February, she suffered a septic infection in her knee after the first surgery and had to have a second surgery to remove the infection.“And I think that was the point that really slowed me down,” she said. “And looking back at it, I’m very thankful for how everything worked out because ultimately I learned a lot about life. I’ve never gone through something like what I went through and I think it gave me some time to evaluate myself, evaluate my life, and also take a step back and enjoy, honestly, being with my husband in Chicago.”Meanwhile, Macario was rehabbing in London during the World Cup and said it was difficult to watch the tournament. But it was also a sunny summer in the city, which helped.“(The sun) helped a lot to feel like I was a little bit back home in San Diego or Brazil,” she said. “I just tried to focus on the little things that I could control, and obviously it did take a lot longer than I expected, which was devastating. But the most important thing is that now I’m back and I hope that I can contribute to the team as much as possible leading up to the Olympics and this tournament as well. I just feel like I’ve been very, very blessed with all the people around me showing so much support and love and not feeling rushed to come back.

“Even though I could have had two children by now,” Macario added, laughing.

The USWNT will face Japan on Saturday, April 6 in the first of two games for the nation in the truncated SheBelieves Cup. Before joining the USWNT in training, Swanson and Macario returned to play for their respective clubs and have looked in good form. Swanson played a full 90 minutes for the Chicago Red Stars last weekend, scoring a goal against the Orlando Pride. Macario has been building her minutes for Chelsea since her return to play on March 3 as a substitute against Leicester City, a game in which she also scored a goal.Being able to get back into the rhythm of games with their clubs has been a matter of communication between themselves, their clubs, and U.S. Soccer, and some good timing. Macario, of course, can go directly to future U.S. head coach Emma Hayes at Chelsea for feedback, but said she ultimately left the loading to the experts.“I know that Chelsea and U.S. Soccer, they’re basically having meetings all the time and just try and figure out the right way to manage me in order to allow me to be in this environment for as long as possible,” she said. “Considering that I’ve been out for so long, we do have to take certain things into consideration.”wanson, who also played 80-plus minutes in two NWSL games before that last weekend, didn’t hide that it was a grueling transition.

“I was just like, ‘Welcome back!’ I forgot how hard (playing 90 minutes) is,” she said. “I think with U.S. Soccer and then with the Red Stars and talking to (head coach) Lorne (Donaldson), I think the timing actually worked out pretty well being able to use preseason and those preseason games as games that I can build minutes in.”

SheBelieves will be the last games under interim head coach Twila Kilgore. Emma Hayes will arrive in June for two friendlies against South Korea, which is a short window for both Swanson and Macario to get back up to speed with the national team as well as to adjust to newer and younger teammates who have joined the pool, including Jenna Nighswonger, Olivia Moultrie, and Jaedyn Shaw. There are also newcomers like Eva Gaetino and Lily Yohannes, whom Macario got a chance to see up close when Chelsea faced Ajax in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal.

GO DEEPER

At 16, USWNT midfielder Lily Yohannes is right on time

“She’s a tremendous player. Really sweet girl. I honestly cannot believe that she’s 16,” said Macario. “She just reads the game so well and you can really see that. Ajax, they had a tremendous run in the Champions League and I do feel like that was a lot thanks to her.

“I remember joking around with her after the first game, I was like, ‘Oh, you’re American, right? You’re gonna join us?’ or something like that. And then I find out a few days later that she was called into camp. So that was really sweet.”Both Swanson and Macario were clearly in good spirits, laughing as they answered questions and ruminated on returning to play together after long recoveries.

“I feel like it’s always once something’s taken away from you, you always have a new perspective on it,” said Swanson. “I’m very just grateful to be back in this environment, back with this team and wearing the crest because it means so much.”

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Macario described how it felt to step back on the field when she substituted in for Chelsea against Leicester. She said it felt the same being back in USWNT camp.

“It just really felt like a dream, just felt surreal,” she said. “It almost, looking back in the 641 days that it took, it just kind of all happened in the blink of an eye.

“I felt like crying but at the same time not because well, first of all, I’m in public and I hate crying in public. … I think probably the biggest thing was just getting over that mental hurdle that was like, ‘OK, I’m safe, I’m good to play again. I got this.”

(Top photo: Getty Images)

Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan on Korbin Albert social media activity: ‘Disappointing and extremely, extremely sad’

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 02: Alex Morgan #13 of the U.S. Women's National Team speaks to the media prior to a training session at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground on April 02, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

By Meg LinehanApr 3, 2024 The Atletic

On Wednesday, USWNT captain Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan delivered a prepared statement to reporters addressing last week’s resurfacing of USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert’s social media activity.

“We just want to address the disappointing situation regarding Korbin that has unfolded over this past week. We’ve worked extremely hard to uphold the integrity of this national team through all of the generations, and we are extremely, extremely sad that this standard was not upheld,” Horan began. “Our fans and our supporters feel like this is a team that they can rally behind, and it’s so important that they feel and continue to feel undeniably heard and seen.”

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Albert had engaged with content on TikTok that runs counter to the U.S. team’s long-running and public support of LGBTQ+ rights. Her activity included reposting videos — one of which included a sermon given in a Christian worship space talking about how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. She also liked content about Rapinoe being injured in her final game.

GO DEEPER

USWNT’s Korbin Albert apologizes for social media posts after Megan Rapinoe’s criticism

“We stand by maintaining a safe and respectful space, especially as allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community,” Morgan continued in the statement. “This platform has given us an opportunity to highlight causes that matter to us, something that we never take for granted.”

Morgan stated that the team has also had internal discussions over Albert’s social media activity, and those discussions “will stay within the team.”

Mal Swanson and Catarina Macario were the two players originally scheduled for the virtual media availability, and Swanson declined to get into any specifics about those conversations when asked.

“We’ve had internal conversations and ultimately, those just stay internal,” Swanson said.

GO DEEPER

The USWNT has long been ‘bigger than just the game,’ SheBelieves Cup will be a test of that

Morgan stressed at the end of the prepared statement that such an internal discussion would not be avoided, even if unpleasant. “One thing to also to know is that we have never shied away from hard conversations within this team,” she said.

In Albert’s apology, posted on March 28, she wrote in part, “I’m really disappointed in myself and am deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused to my teammates, other players, fans, friends and anyone who was offended. I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields. I know my actions have not lived up to that and for that I sincerely apologize. It’s an honor and a privilege to play this sport on the world stage and I promise to do better.”

UPDATE (4/5): On Friday, USWNT interim head coach Twila Kilgore followed up on Horan and Morgan’s comments by saying, “It is disappointing when somebody falls short of the very high standards that we set within this team. This team has always been a beacon of respect, inclusion and demonstrated great allyship through actions for underrepresented and marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ+ community. And we will continue to do so.

“As Lindsay and Alex mentioned, this team has never shied away from hard conversations and today we’re here continuing to work on getting better, continuing to work on preparing ourselves to make ourselves proud, make our fans proud and put ourselves in the best position to continue to look towards success as we start this tournament.”

Kilgore added that Albert is available to play in the SheBelieves Cup. The U.S. will face Japan in their opening match on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

USMNT up to 11th in latest FIFA men’s world rankings, England down to fourth

By Nnamdi Onyeagwarar 4, 2024

The USMNT have climbed up to 11th in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, while England have dropped to fourth.Following their CONCACAF Nations League victories over Jamaica and Mexico in March, Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. side have moved up two places to 11th, just behind Croatia who complete the top 10.Gareth Southgate’s England, though, have failed to secure a victory in their last three games, drawing with Belgium and losing to Brazil during the March international break, having drawn with North Macedonia in their final European Championship qualifier in November.

How to follow the Copa America on The Athletic…

Germany, who host the European Championship this summer, remain 16th.

Argentina, who won the World Cup in 2022 and have only lost one of their last 12 games since the competition, are still ranked as the world’s No 1 side.

France remain in second while Belgium, who are unbeaten in their last 13 games, move up to third from fourth place.

Indonesia are the biggest climbest in the most recent rankings, moving up eight places to 134th, while Vietnam suffered the biggest drop, going down ten places to 115th.

GO DEEPER

An England summer exit or target the World Cup – what next for Gareth Southgate?

England lost to Brazil at Wembley Stadium last month and have not won since beating Malta 2-0 in November (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

FIFA Men’s World Rankings Top 15:

Argentina
France
Belgium
England
Brazil
Portugal
Netherlands
Spain
Italy
Croatia
USMNT
Colombia
Morocco
Mexico
Uruguay

USMNT weekend viewing guide: Firming things up

Races are heating up

By jcksnftsn Apr 5, 2024, 9:05am PDT

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Celtic FC v Dundee FC - Cinch Scottish Premiership

It’s really getting to crunch time and despite La Liga taking a break this weekend for the Copa del Ray final there is a lot of action to watch as the Old Firm derby and some key Championship matches add themselves to the mix. Here’s what we’re watching:

Friday

Eintracht Frankfurt v Werder Bremen – 2:30p on ESPN+

Timothy Chandler has appeared in three straight matches and four of the past five for Eintracht Frankfurt though all four appearances have been with under five minutes remaining in the match. Frankfurt drew with Union Berlin last weekend and remain in sixth place on a little tier by themselves; they are nine points back of fifth place RB Leipzig and five points ahead of seventh place Augsburg.

Saturday

Norwich City v Ipswich Town – 7:30a on ESPN+

We’re keeping an eye on the English Championship as well this weekend where Josh Sargent and Norwich City take on league leading Ipswich Town. There are a couple of tight races in the promotion hunt with three teams, including Ipswich Town separated by just two points and battling for the top two spots and automatic promotion. Sargent and Norwich city are involved in the second race which is for sixth place and the final promotion playoff position. Currently Norwich hold the position by four points over Haji Wright’s Coventry City but Coventry have a game in hand so it’s still a wide open race with six matches to play and there are three other teams just two points removed from Coventry as well that will be looking to sneak in.

Crystal Palace v Manchester City – 7:30a on USA Network

Chris Richards picked up a knock last weekend against Nottingham Forest and is expected to miss a couple of weeks for Crystal Palace who take on Manchester City on Saturday morning. Palace are coming off a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth and their recent run of form has included draws to relegation candidates Forest and Luton Town but they remain eight points out of the relegation scrap heading into a brutal final stretch of the season that will see them play five of their seven matches against top eight opponents including City and league leading Liverpool.

AC Milan v Lecce – 9a on CBSSN

Coming off of International break Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah were both substitutes last weekend, typical for Musah but an extra rest for Pulisic after long travel. Milan defeated Fiorentina 2-1 and hold a six point advantage over Juventus for second place in Serie A. This weekend’s opponent is Lecce who are five spots, but just four points, removed from relegation in what is a tight lower third of the Serie A table.

Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN+

Brenden Aaronson saw a second straight start last weekend as Union Berlin played Eintracht Frankfurt to a scoreless draw. After their incredibly rough start to the season Berlin have straightened things out a bit and are now nine points clear of relegation but things will be quite challenging this weekend as they face a Bayer Leverkusen side that is running away with the Bundesliga title and undefeated in 40 straight matches.

Heidenheim v Bayern Munich – 9:30a on ESPN+

Lennard Maloney returned from injury last weekend and saw a minute off the bench in Heidenheim’s 3-3 draw with Stuttgart after missing the past three matches due to injury. Heidenheim have avoided the relegation scrap in their first year following promotion but are winless in their past six matches heading into their fixture against Bayern Munich who are having a down year but handled Heidenheim 4-2 in the first meeting between the clubs this season.

Fulham v Newcastle United – 10a on Peacock

Tim Ream has not been seeing minutes recently but Antonee Robinson continues to play nearly every minute for the EPL side, he’s over 3,100 minutes for the club across all competitions this season with seven matches (and 630 minutes) still remaining to play. Fulham are coming off a bad loss to Nottingham Forest but remain in thirteenth place, five points behind their opponent this weekend Newcastle, who are in eighth.

Luton Town v Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock

Tyler Adams was back in a big way last weekend, picking up man of the match honors while going the full 90’ in Bournemouth’s 2-1 win over Everton. Adams received an understandable break mid-week given that he’s just returned from injury as Bournemouth defeated Crystal Palace 1-0. Bournemouth have won three straight and the nine points has they well clear of the relegation zone and in the middle of the table as they take on a Luton Town side that currently sit in the relegation zone, three points from safety and are looking for their first win in twelve matches.

PSV Eindhoven v AZ Alkmaar – 12:45p on ESPN+

Sergino Dest, Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV saw their undefeated Eredivisie campaign come to an end last weekend with a 3-1 loss to NEC Nijmegen but bounced back midweek with a 2-0 win over Excelsior. PSV still hold a nine point lead for the league title with six matches remaining. They take on fourth place AZ Alkmaar who they defeated 4-0 in December which included Malik Tillman assisting on a Sergino Dest goal.

LAFC v LA Galaxy – 7:30p on Fox

Timothy Tillman and Aaron Long will start for LAFC as they take on the LA Galaxy in the most recent edition of el Traffico. The Galaxy are currently leading the Western Conference while last years champions, LAFC, are off to a slower start, currently in 9th place.

Sunday

Rangers v Celtic – 7a on CBSSN

Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic have a one point lead over Rangers who have a game in hand as they head to Ibrox Stadium for the latest edition of the Old Firm Derby with huge title implications. Carter-Vickers has dealt with some injury issues this season but has started four straight for Celtic including wearing the captains armband in the last three.

Hoffenheim v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN+

John Brooks has returned from his red card suspension and will be available for Hoffenheim as they take on Augsburg who are three points ahead of them in the table, with both teams looking unlikely to threaten for European qualification nor be threatened by relegation. It remains to be seen whether Brooks will return immediately to the starting lineup, he has been in and out of the lineup a bit this season and cards have been a bit of an issue recently; in addition to his early red card that led to his suspension Brooks has received a yellow card in three of his previous four matches.

Monaco v Rennes – 11:05a on beIN Sports

Folarin Balogun didn’t get the start last weekend but came on as a sub and netted two goals in Monaco’s 5-2 win over Metz last weekend. With the win Monaco remained within a point of second place and three points ahead of Lille in the race for the final Champions League spot.

Wolfsburg v Borussia Monchengladbach – 11:30a on ESPN+

Wolfsburg snapped an eleven match winless streak last weekend as they defeated Werder Bremen 2-0 with Kevin Paredes starting yet again. The win gives Wolfsburg an eight point cushion over Mainz for relegation and leaves them tied with Joe Scally, Jordan Pefok, and Borussia Monchengladbach who fell to Freiburg 3-0 last weekend.

Sheffield United v Chelsea – 12:30p on NBC

Auston Trusty started at left-wingback for Sheffield United on Thursday in the team’s 3-1 loss to league leading Liverpool. The loss leaves Sheffield on track for both relegation and a historic goals-allowed number. On Sunday they face Chelsea who broke back into the top ten with a 4-3 win over Manchester United on Thursday.

Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest – 1p on USA Network

Matt Turner wasn’t on the field but he did make it into the refs book on Tuesday as he picked up a yellow card for kicking a ball onto the field to delay a Fulham restart as Nottingham Forest needed a full team effort to pull off the 3-1 win. Giovanni Reyna saw minutes as a substitute for the second straight match, coming on in relief of Morgan Gibbs-White who had already picked up a goal and an assist in the match.

Juventus v Fiorentina – 2:45p on Paramount+

Weston McKennie was also given a bit of a rest coming out of the international break and was brought on as a halftime substitute in Juventus’ 1-0 loss to Lazio in league play. Midweek Juventus bounced back to win the first leg of their Copa Italia semi-final matchup, also against Lazio, 2-0. Timothy Weah came on as a late substitute in both matches and picked up a yellow card in each one as well. On Sunday Juventus will take on tenth place Fiorentina who are also coming off a midweek Copa Italia win, 1-0 over Atalanta.

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