Bruce Arena responded to USMNT and Huddersfield Town midfielder Danny Williams’ claims that U.S. Soccer favored domestic-based players throughout qualifying in an effort to “market” MLS by calling the statements “completely false” on Tuesday.
Men's college soccer in the United States is an anomaly. No other country sends potential professional athletes to academic universities instead of athletic academies like the U.S. While this is the accepted norm in football and basketball, the two most popular sports in the country, soccer operates differently throughout the world.
In continuing the theme of 2017 being a sh*t year for U.S. soccer, the lone American at the Club World Cup was at fault for the goal that knocked Mexico’s Pachuca out of the competition on Tuesday at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in the UAE. Gremio’s Everton turned Omar Gonzalez inside out before curling in a wonderful shot to give the Brazilian side a 1-0 victory in extra time.
Gonzalez apparently thought he was still playing for the USMNT, perhaps against Trinidad and Tobago.
Jonathan Klinsmann, the 20-year-old son of former USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann, made his Hertha Berlin debut, starting for the German side against Ostersunds FK of Sweden in the Europa League on Thursday. The Jonathan Klinsmann debut was highlighted by a save of a late penalty kick to preserve a 1-1 draw for Hertha.
American midfielder Keaton Parks only made his competitive debut for Benfica on November 18, but the 20-year-old native of Plano, Texas, has shown enough with the reserve team to have his contract extended until 2022. Benfica have also reportedly placed a release clause of nearly $50 million on the player.
You probably don’t know who Paul Lapointe is. It’s OK. After today, you may not need to know who he is.
On Tuesday, U.S. Soccer announced the five finalists for the 2017 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award. The nominees include last year’s winner, Jozy Altidore, three-time winner Clint Dempsey, 2015 winner Michael Bradley, 23-year-old Jordan Morris and 19-year-old Christian Pulisic.
Counting down from five to one, here’s who we believe to be the most deserving of the award.
LaVar Ball is a knucklehead. He doesn’t know when to shut up, doesn’t know when to stop talking and also doesn’t know when he should keep his lips sealed. On Monday, he pulled his middle child out of college because he assumes he can prepare LiAngelo for the NBA better than a season with one of the nation’s best basketball programs. But it kind of makes you wonder, what if LaVar Ball was Christian Pulisic’s dad?
U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati announced Monday he will not seek re-election in February. Gulati made the announcement in an interview with ESPN's Sam Borden.