USA

The United States women’s national team ended the 2023 calendar year with a 2-1 comeback victory vs. China on Tuesday.

Interim head coach Twila Kilgore utilized an interesting 3-4-2-1 formation that had a blend of familiar names and newcomers.

Unfortunately, the first half reflected just that: Many players who haven’t played much time together in a formation they didn’t appear comfortable in. There was little to discuss about the USWNT’s attack in the first half.

Ali Krieger hung up her boots as the 39-year-old defender ended her career with a punctuation mark after lifting the NWSL Championship with Gotham FC. The United States women’s national team got a chance to say thanks to the U.S. legend before a friendly vs. China on Tuesday.

Krieger’s 108th and final appearance with the national team came in January 2021 and U.S. Soccer did the right thing in organizing a proper ceremony for the stalwart defender.

Here was the moment Krieger received her flowers and thanks from the USWNT.

In a recent interview in his home country of Argentina pertaining to his availability for the 2026 World Cup, soccer superstar Lionel Messi called Major League Soccer – his current home – "a minor league."

The comment to Star+ came in the context of laying out his priorities, which continue to be trying to support his national team to the fullest. That includes competing in next summer's Copa America for Argentina.

New faces graced the pitch for the United States women’s national team on Saturday during their 3-0 victory vs. China, however there were a serious lack of faces in the stands of DRV PNK Stadium.

Saturday’s game in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was technically the first game of the Emma Hayes era as the new head coach will join the squad next year. 

Big names like Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn, Alyssa Naeher and Becky Sauerbrunn were left off the roster as the USWNT begin preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Christian Pulisic got himself back on the scoresheet for AC Milan on Saturday with a sensational goal during his side’s 3-1 Serie A victory vs. Frosinone.

The assist came from an unlikely source as goalkeeper Mike Maignan supplied the ball for Pulisic.

In the 50th minute the USMNT No. 10 doubled the lead for the hosts and displayed his incredible ball control. Maignan looped a ball over the Frosinone defense and Pulisic expertly controlled the ball then finished with a clever chipped shot.

In a recent interview in his home country of Argentina pertaining to his availability for the 2026 World Cup, soccer superstar Lionel Messi called Major League Soccer -- his current home -- "a minor league."

The comment to Star+ came in the context of laying out his priorities, which continue to be trying to support his national team to the fullest. That includes competing in next summer's Copa America for Argentina.

It’s no secret that Sweden have been the biggest thorn in the side of the United States women’s national team in recent history. The Swedes knocked the USWNT out of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the 2016 Olympics and thrashed the Americans 3-0 in the group stage of the 2020 Olympics.

Sweden are the USWNT’s kryptonite. They won’t be able to hurt the USWNT in Paris next summer though because they failed to qualify due to a 1-0 loss to Switzerland on Friday.

Sweden fail to qualify for Olympics

If you’ve kept up with The18 over the past couple years, then you know we love to poke fun at FIFA’s ridiculous world rankings. The latest FIFA rankings put the United States men’s national team at No. 12 in the world.

Latest FIFA rankings

THE USMNT IS RANKED NO. 12 IN THE LATEST FIFA WORLD RANKINGS

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