The U.S. and Brazil men’s national teams have clashed 18 times dating back to their first meeting in 1930. Brazil has won 17 of those. The USMNT vs Brazil 1998 match was the lone outlier, a wild win in a fairly major competition.
The USMNT vs. Brazil matchup on Friday will be the 19th time the two titans clash. Although the U.S. has only won one match and lost 17 against the Sambas so far, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium is moments away from witnessing one of the most historic New World soccer spectacles — and I’m not referring to Neymar flopping about like a fish.
Jermaine Jones officially hung up his boots on Friday, announcing his retirement via Instagram. The German-born midfielder made 69 appearances and scored four times for the USMNT, including one of the greatest World Cup goals ever scored by an American.
When 18-year-old phenom Timothy Weah takes the pitch on Friday for the USMNT’s headline friendly against Brazil at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, it’s likely that he’ll see three of his Paris Saint-Germain club teammates opposing him. With 90 caps to his name, Neymar is the most experienced of Brazil’s PSG bunch, but Thiago Silva (who’ll captain the side) isn’t far behind on 76, and defender Marquinhos has already represented the Seleção 27 times at the tender age of 24.
Interim USMNT manager Dave Sarachan has named his 24-man roster for upcoming friendlies against Brazil (Sept. 7) and Mexico (Sept. 11), including 14 players age 23 and under. Christian Pulisic is the big name absentee after the winger suffered an injury while training with Borussia Dortmund, while 25-year-old New York Red Bulls defender Aaron Long is the only uncapped player in the squad.
With the retirement of Clint Dempsey earlier this week, the USMNT lost a legend, the greatest goal scorer the country has ever seen (on the men’s side, at least). So one of the few Americans left in the Premier League decided to pay homage to the Texan, as seen with this wonderful DeAndre Yedlin goal vs Manchester City on Saturday.
Former USMNT midfielder Stu Holden took a break from pulling double duty with Fox Sports and B/R Live to focus on daddy duty, taking his daughter, Kennady, to Disneyland on Thursday.
The former Houston Dynamo and Bolton Wanderers player decided to do a little cosplaying, dressing up as Elsa from Frozen (I assume; I’m the only one who hasn’t actually seen the movie). Kennady dressed up as well.
Both looked absolutely stunning.
Only one was told to take off the dress.
Things started inconspicuously enough for Clint Dempsey following his $4 million January move from New England to Fulham back in 2006. However, the slow start was entirely forgiven when the 22-year-old bundled home his first goal for the club (the first strike in the video above) against Liverpool at the tail end of the season. The goal was momentous, saving the club from relegation and guaranteeing its place in the top flight for the 2007-08 season.
One of the greatest soccer players the United States has ever produced called it quits on Wednesday. Clint Dempsey, the joint record holder for most goals in U.S. Men's National Team history, announced he was retiring from soccer, effective immediately.
Not since Clint Dempsey and Brian McBride were in the Premier League have American forwards been playing — and scoring — at the top levels of Europe at a rate they are now.
Christian Pulisic at Borussia Dortmund and Timothy Weah at PSG are two of the more prominent examples, but Josh Sargent is off to a strong start with Werder Bremen 2 and a pair of USMNT defenders scored in the Bundesliga over the weekend.