USMNT

In the end, we did it. The joint bid of the United States, Mexico and Canada has been voted co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, edging out a Morocco bid that caused everyone to nervously throw up in their mouths for a little while there. Apologies for the unpleasantness, but good grief. After losing out to Qatar in 2022, the worst was certainly feared here.

It was a wild ride for American midfielder Dax McCarty in 2017. In January, McCarty was recalled by the national team for the first time since 2011, but he was subsequently shocked to learn that after five and a half seasons with the New York Red Bulls, he’d been dealt to the Chicago Fire before the start of the new campaign. 

McCarty then helped the USMNT triumph at the Gold Cup, starting in two group stage games and appearing in five games overall, including a late substitute appearance in the final against Jamaica.

Before the USMNT vs France match on Saturday in Lyon the stadium PA played the Gloria Gaynor classic “I Will Survive.” You had to wonder if the kids Dave Sarachan opted to play could survive against the most valuable World Cup squad. The kids did one better than survive — they tied the team many consider a World Cup favorite 1-1. 

Every once in a while it pops back into Omar Gonzalez’s head. A night of terror for all U.S. soccer players and fans. 

Omar Gonzalez was on the field the night the USMNT shockingly lost 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago and — thanks to results elsewhere — failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986. It was off his leg that the Soca Warriors scored their first goal, one of the flukiest own goals you’ll ever see.

Hope Solo has often been a figure of division throughout her playing career, and she has only added to that with her latest remarks. Solo believes that the joint bid consisting of the United States, Mexico and Canada should not win the hosting rights for the 2026 World Cup. 

The youth project continued for interim coach Dave Sarachan and U.S. men’s soccer with the second of three friendlies in the span of a couple weeks on Saturday in Dublin, Ireland. A young squad showed a few positives and a few more negatives in a 2-1 loss for the USMNT vs Ireland. 

Ireland and the United States play a relatively meaningless soccer match on Saturday at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Neither squad is preparing for the World Cup, but the teams did manage to make an important statement: in support of equality and rights for all. Unfortunately, not everyone understood the message on the back of the Ireland and USMNT jersey. 

Go ahead and add Efrain Alvarez to the list of players who got away from U.S. Soccer, which is looking increasingly inept since October. 

In a recent interview with SoccerAmerica, Mike Munoz, who coaches 15-year-old Efrain Alvarez at LA Galaxy II, said the exciting young prospect chose to defect from the USMNT youth setup to that of Mexico after the U.S. failed to include him in a camp last year.