National Teams

Shootout Mastermind Louis Van Gaal Searching For His Next ‘Penalty Killer’ Ahead Of World Cup

AMSTERDAM — The Netherlands will be testing their goalkeepers in a special penalty shootout training session this week with an eye on the World Cup later this year, coach Louis van Gaal said on Monday.

He has called up four goalkeepers for this week's Nations League clashes against Poland and Belgium as the Dutch look to finish top of their group and advance to the finals next June.

But Van Gaal said a priority will be putting together the final touches for the World Cup in Qatar in November, where the Dutch play in Group A against the hosts, Ecuador and Senegal.

Jordan Pefok Scores Again To Increase Scrutiny On USMNT Omission

Seven match weeks into the Bundesliga season, Union Berlin is top of the table — two points clear of Borussia Dortmund and five of Bayern Munich — with a 26-year-old American leading the charge.

On Sunday, he scored again — his third (to go with two assists) in six appearances — in Union's 2-0 victory over Wolfsburg. This one was a perfectly timed near post run to get in front of his marker and glance a header inside the opposite post. 

This, my friends, is good forward play.

Ecuador Loves This: FIFA Denies Chile's World Cup Dream (Again)

Millions of Chileans are gearing up for an Independence Day weekend full of celebrations. Choripanes, grilled meat and empanadas will be part of the menu, as well as bottles and bottles of red wine — mostly cabernet sauvignons, merlots and carménères — which will come in handy to swallow the devasting news coming from FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. No, Chile is not going to the World Cup.

The18 Writers Select Their Favorite USMNT Jersey Of All Time

The USMNT World Cup kits are here and everyone's feeling a bit crushed. We're probably going to be the youngest team at the tournament, but to put us in bibs is harsh. 

USMNT World Cup Jersey Officially Here — It’s Absolute Garbage And Everyone Hates It

Nike finally unveiled the USMNT World Cup jersey home and away kits on Thursday for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar this November. As we feared for the last few weeks, the USMNT World Cup kits are atrocious. No one on social media has anything nice to say about these shirts.

Here We Go: Latest England Squad Reveals What The United States Will Be Up Against

Brentford's in-form striker Ivan Toney earned his first England call-up on Thursday as manager Gareth Southgate named his squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Italy and Germany.

Toney's inclusion, together with the omission of Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, was the most significant development as Southgate named his final squad before deciding which players will make his World Cup selection.

3 Shocking Inclusions And 3 Major Snubs From Gregg Berhalter’s Latest USMNT Roster

Gregg Berhalter announced the latest USMNT roster for two friendlies in September. The games against Japan and Saudi Arabia will be the final two for Berhalter’s side before the 2022 World Cup.

The roster for the friendlies includes the usual stars like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie but also has several fringe players fighting for a spot on the plane to Qatar.

Latest USMNT Roster For September Friendlies

Ni Acevedo Ni Flores: México Revela Convocatoria Para La Última Fecha FIFA Antes Del Mundial

Carlos Acevedo y Marcelo Flores son los grandes ausentes de la convocatoria de México para los próximos duelos amistosos ante Perú (24 de septiembre) y Colombia (27 de septiembre). 

La omisión de ambos no es menor considerando que la nómina corresponde a la última fecha FIFA antes de la Copa del Mundo. Frente a esto, no son pocos los que ven la ausencia como una señal de que tanto el arquero de Santos Laguna como el extremo del Real Oviedo – dos favoritos de la afición – no estarán en la lista final de Gerardo Martino rumbo a Catar.

Thinking About Hosting A World Cup Watch Party? Make Sure To Follow These Dos And Don’ts

There is no greater spectacle in the history of humanity than the FIFA World Cup as billions of people tune in to see which nation has the best soccer team in the world. With the 2022 World Cup nearly upon us, many will be thinking about hosting watch parties. Unless you’re just hosting some friends at your home, you’ll want to be aware of certain legal issues. The18 spoke with a lawyer to find out some dos and don’ts of how to host a World Cup watch party (legally).

Meet Brandon Vazquez — The Dark Horse For The USMNT No. 9 Gig At The World Cup

“Who is Brandon Vazquez?” is a question that United States men’s national team fans could be asking themselves. If you’re a fan of the USMNT who doesn’t pay too much attention to Major League Soccer, then you might not know about the 23-year-old FC Cincinnati forward.

Who Is Brandon Vazquez

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