International Soccer

In 2016, Iceland was the darling of the football world. Buoyed by bearded backers belting out their brilliant Viking chant, Iceland reached the quarterfinals of the European Championship, the country’s first-ever major international tournament. 

The following year, Iceland qualified for its first-ever World Cup, becoming the lowest-populated country to ever reach the tournament. Qualification coincided with Iceland peaking at No. 18 in FIFA’s rankings of international teams earlier this year, an astonishing climb after hitting the nadir of No. 131 just six years prior. 

The U.S. men’s national team was outplayed by England on Thursday at Wembley Stadium in London. The Three Lions deserved their 3-0 win, with two quick-strike goals in the first half proving the difference. But Christian Pulisic vs England might’ve been the highlight of the match, particularly eight seconds of love in the second half.

For as young and inexperienced as the USMNT squad is — and for the patience that’s required throughout this painful rebuilding process — it’s a sobering thought that the England side that ran circles around its opponent at Wembley today featured standout performances from Dele Alli (age 22), Ben Chilwell (21), Trent Alexander-Arnold (20) and Jadon Sancho (18).  

According to Univision, Gerardo “Tata” Martino is set to become Mexico’s manager on a four-year, $8.8 million contract directly following Atlanta United’s playoff run.