Oh sweet baby Jesus, won’t you please just make this 2017 USMNT horror show stop? Can’t we just be done with it until, say, 2019 or 2020?
At halftime in Portugal vs. U.S., it’s been a tale of two decidedly different things, although both have to do with players that pundits around the nation plugged into their “GUARANTEED 2022 World Cup Starting XI” article.
As far as debuts go, it doesn’t get any better than this. 19-year-old Texan Weston McKennie, fresh off breaking into Schalke’s first team in the Bundesliga and earning his first cap for the USMNT, put his country ahead against the world’s third-ranked side, Portugal.
There’s a proverb or two that probably apply here, something about counting eggs before they hatch or putting the cart before the horse. But this is Major League Soccer, where allocation money and salary caps make fools of us all and expansion is the single greatest boon to owners’ pocketbooks since skyboxes. So really, this is business as usual.
Back before Anthony Precourt invested in the Columbus Crew in 2013, the Crew had a decidedly punk feel. Prior to going with a Bundesliga-inspired crest that’s actually quite nice, the Crew boasted the most ruffian logo in all of American sports with three dudes wearing construction hats beneath a giant stylization of the word “Crew”. It was hardcore, a tradition that’s been vociferously kept alive by the Nordecke supporters’ group and all who’ve given their voice to the #SavetheCrew movement.
Footy fans don't agree on much, but one thing most fans can agree on is soccer's extra time rules are generally awful. For most leagues, the general "30 minutes of extra time followed by a penalty shootout" format prevails, and that format is butt.
You know what format is better? Golden goal. That is, if a team scores in extra time, that's it. Game over. If the ball goes in the net, that's the last kick of the game, and everyone watching can pivot to doing something else. This format is also known as "sudden death" which is cool and spooky-sounding.
Leave it to 19-year-old Christian Pulisic to provide some much-needed perspective on the USMNT’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. In a current political climate that does not often favor communicating thoughtful, introspective sentiments, Pulisic finally spoke up on the state of U.S. soccer with a thought-provoking, well-written article in The Player’s Tribune released on Monday.
Atlanta United set the MLS season attendance record in its first year in the league and fans did more than just show up — they bought plenty of jerseys. Paraguayan sensation Miguel Almiron had the top-selling MLS jersey for the 2017 season. The Atlanta United midfielder had five teammates with him in the list of the top-selling MLS jerseys released by Major League Soccer on Friday.
Below is the complete list of the 25 top-selling MLS jerseys:
Brad Friedel made a career out of doing the improbable, from countless saves with Blackburn Rovers to the USMNT’s run to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals. His latest task will be right up there with them: helping the New England Revolution win their first MLS Cup.
Will Spanish striker Fernando Torres finally join Major League Soccer? This is the rumor that has everyone’s heads spinning. It started when fans noticed “El Niño” listed as a player on the official MLS website. Last time I checked, it’s not April Fools' Day so this is either a major transfer leak or the biggest hoax in MLS transfer rumor history.
Can you imagine Torres playing for an MLS squad? Which club, in such case, would be lucky enough to capture “El Niño”?
Electronic Arts, publisher of the wildly successful FIFA series of video games, has been named the “worst company in America” on more than one occasion in recent years, an impressive feat in this country. On Tuesday the company tried to be the nice guys and give FIFA players a freebie in the form of a cross-promotional Star Wars uniform. The internet was not enthused.