The United States Men’s National Team now knows its opponents for next summer’s World Cup, set to be held across the country and in parts of Mexico and Canada.

Mauricio Pochettino‘s side will open the tournament against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, followed by a trip to Seattle to face Australia. The U.S. will conclude the group stage against UEFA Playoff Winner C – the winner of the qualifying playoff to be contested in March between Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.

The draw, conducted at the John F. Kennedy Center on Friday afternoon, featured a variety of notable guests, including Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge and President Donald Trump.

Numerous celebrities performed throughout the ceremony, which also included FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarding Trump the first edition of the FIFA Peace Prize.

Mexico will play the first game of the tournament at the Estadio Azteca against South Africa, which is a rematch of the opening game of the 2010 edition that ended in a 1-1 draw. South Korea and the UEFA Playoff Winner D (Denmark, Czechia, Ireland or North Macedonia) are the other teams joining Group A.

North of the border, Canada‘s Group B consists of Switzerland and 2022 hosts Qatar. Jesse Marsch‘s side, like the USMNT, will have to wait until March to learn its other opponent, which will be either Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland or Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Elsewhere, reigning champions Argentina joined Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and debutants Jordan. Last edition’s finalists, France, will face Erling Haaland‘s Norway together with Senegal and the Intercontinental Playoff Winner 2 (Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname).

England will also face Croatia again in Group L, alongside Ghana and Panama. The Balkan nation knocked out the Three Lions in the semifinals in 2018. EURO 2024 winners Spain will face Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and debutants Cape Verde in Group H.

Recently departed Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has reportedly declined an initial offer by the United States men’s national soccer team to take over an open managing position for the 2026 World Cup. Klopp has previously said that he intends to step away from the sidelines for a time due to general fatigue.

Klopp has been near the top of many fans’ lists as the United States looks to replace former manager Gregg Berhalter, who was fired after the team’s group-stage exit from the 2024 Copa America Tournament. According to the Independent, it seems that the United States agrees with public opinion and has already tried to recruit the legendary German manager.

“The Independent understands that initial contact was made with Klopp over the possibility of replacing the 50-year-old, as the United States gears up for the 2026 World Cup,”  The Independent‘s Miguel Delaney reported Wednesday. “But Klopp has turned down the opportunity to enter into formal discussions with the United States Soccer Federation.”

Klopp’s reputation in Europe makes him an ideal, if unrealistic, candidate to take over a rebuilding American men’s soccer program. After an encouraging early coaching run straight out of his playing career with FC Mainz 05, Klopp took over for Dortmund. He helped the team win two Bundesliga titles over Bayern Munich before leaving in 2015 for a position with Liverpool.

In his nine years in the U.K., Klopp turned Liverpool into an international powerhouse. The team won the 2018-19 Champions League, as well as the 2019-20 league title and 2021-22 FA Cup.

In January this year, Klopp announced that he was stepping away from his position at Liverpool, citing a desire to simply stop coaching for a while.

“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything,” Klopp said in a statement earlier this year. “But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take. It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.”

Based on Klopp’s conviction in leaving a situation in Liverpool he seemed to truly appreciate, it could be an uphill battle to convince him to relocate to the United States for a new coaching opportunity. The team’s willingness to pursue the long-shot candidate, however, demonstrates an urgent desire to right the ship in time for 2026, when the team will play on home turf in the World Cup.

The United States men’s national soccer team bounced back from a shocking 5-1 loss to Colombia with a gritty 1-1 draw in a friendly against Brazil Wednesday. Christian Pulisic equalized with free kick goal in the 26th minute and neither team could gain an advantage from that point on.

The U.S. team’s loss to Colombia on Saturday ahead of the Copa America tournament set off alarms for a weary American fanbase. Though the United States has improved since failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the team is still in the process of finding its identity.

But through Pulisic and goalkeeper Matt Turner, who made 12 saves against Brazil, players seemed to recover well in a solid showing. USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter said that he was encouraged to see the team take the loss to Colombia as a wake-up call.

“We talked to the guys before the game and we just asked two things of them, we asked for teamwork and intensity,” Berhalter said. “And the way we framed it is that they are two things that are totally in their control. Right? It doesn’t matter about the opponent. It doesn’t matter about the field or fans or anything. Those are two things that they can control. And that’s the type of effort that we saw today.”

The United States are not a serious contender in the upcoming Copa America, as teams like Argentina and Brazil are expected to outclass their local rivals. Still, Pulisic’s playmaking ability gives the team a fighting chance against the very best, as he demonstrated when the U.S. advanced to the knockout stage in the 2022 World Cup.

“It’s such an exciting time for our team and for our country,” Pulisic said. “It’s hard not to look forward too much, but we want to show this country that we can compete with the best. And we have the opportunity to do that. We’re going to try to go as far as we can.”

FIFA announced the host cities and venues for the 2026 World Cup set to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

In total, 16 cities were chosen, 11 in the U.S. and three in Canada and Mexico. The tournament will kick off in Mexico City on June 11 at Estadio Azteca and conclude on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The USMNT already has three matches set that they will play, two at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood on June 12 and 25, as well as one at Lumen Field in Seattle on June 19.

The other cities that will host World Cup games in the U.S. are Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and San Fransisco. Included in the 78 games hosted by the U.S. out of the 104 total in the tournament are also the semifinal games, which will take place in AT&T Stadium in Dallas and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. All of the quarterfinal-round games will also be played in the U.S. Each venue will host four to eight games across the entirety of the tournament.

Cities hosting the event are broken up into three groups that teams will more or less stay to minimize travel time and excess spending. The East region will have Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, New York and Toronto. The Central region has Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. The West will have Los Angeles, San Fransisco, Seattle and Vancouver as its regional host cities. The multiple venues in different cities across three different countries differ heavily from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which had a total of eight venues in a space of only 22 square miles.

The 2026 World Cup in North America will be the first since 2002 that multiple nations host the event, and will be the first in tournament history with 48 teams instead of the 36 that have been invited in the past. There will be 104 games in 39 days, with a span of 27 straight days, with at least one game on. The tournament is also expected to have an average of at least four games per day in the first two weeks of competition.

One game, in particular, might catch American fans’ attention, that being a round of 16 game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on July 4. The game would be on America’s 250th anniversary, and the USMNT could play in that game for a significant patriotic moment. The game is in the knockout round, so it isn’t guaranteed that the U.S. will go that far, but they did make it to the round of 16 in 2022, 2014 and 2010, which bodes well for fans already circling that match.

Though the dates and locations are set, the actual times and teams playing in those games are still unknown. As has been precedent, the hosting countries of America, Canada and Mexico will all have an automatic bid for the competition, but other nations will need to qualify to make it. FIFA will announce the official 48 tournament teams that qualified and put them in 12 different groups, but that will come in December 2025 after other international tournaments have concluded. Once the teams and groups are decided, then times will be set.

Currently, there is no way to buy tickets for the 2026 World Cup now, but fans can register for early interest on the official FIFA website.

Danielle Reyna, the mother of USMNT player Gio Reyna and wife of former USMNT captain Claudio Reyna, reportedly informed the soccer organization of coach Gregg Berhalter’s past domestic violence incident because of the coach’s treatment of her son entering and during the World Cup.

The mother brought the incident to U.S. Soccer’s attention in response to a comment Berhalter made at an event in New York on Dec. 11, in which he mentioned a player on the national team who nearly lost his spot due to poor play. The player was later revealed to be Reyna, a promising young forward who had received limited opportunities under Berhalter.

“I thought it was especially unfair that Gio, who had apologized for acting immaturely about his playing time, was still being dragged through the mud when Gregg had asked for and received forgiveness for doing something so much worse at the same age,” Reyna said in a statement Wednesday.

Gio Reyna’s father, Claudio, was also angry over Berhalter’s treatment of his son and complained to multiple U.S. soccer officials during the tournament.

During a call on Dec. 11 with both Claudio and Danielle, Gio’s mother reportedly told a U.S. Soccer executive about the incident, which occurred in 1991 between Berhalter, then 18, and his future wife, Rosalind Berhalter, when they were dating. Danielle and Rosalind were teammates and roommates at the time.

“In the fall of 1991, I met my soulmate,” Berhalter said in a statement Tuesday. “I had just turned 18 and was a freshman in college when I met Rosalind. One night, while out drinking at a local bar, Rosalind and I had a heated argument that continued outside. It became physical and I kicked her in the legs.”

Berhalter went on to explain that the two later reconciled and are now married with four children. He said he felt compelled to address the incident after he was informed that someone was making “an apparent effort to leverage something from long ago.”

“The lessons learned from that night over three decades ago became the foundation for a loving, devoted, and supportive relationship, which we honored and celebrated with our 25th wedding anniversary this past weekend,” Berhalter said.

Danielle Reyna disputed Berhalter’s characterization of the domestic abuse incident, saying that he failed to fully describe the severity of his actions.

“Rosalind Berhalter was my roommate, teammate and best friend, and I supported her through the trauma that followed,” Danielle Reyna responded. “It took a long time for me to forgive and accept Gregg afterward, but I worked hard to give him grace, and ultimately made both of them and their kids a huge part of my family’s life. I would have wanted and expected him to give the same grace to Gio. This is why the current situation is so very hurtful and hard.”

Berhalter’s contract with U.S. Soccer expired on Dec. 31, but the former coach hopes to continue working with the team. After the allegations were brought to his attention, U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Earnie Stewart hired a law firm to launch an internal investigation into the incident. Stewart said Wednesday that he would be open to rehiring Berhalter at the conclusion of the investigation.

Despite Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Costa Rica, the USMNT has qualified for the 2022 World Cup.

Gregg Berhalter’s young team won’t be the most talented once the tourney starts in Qatar, but anything can happen once the games begin.

The team finished third in the standings—avoiding a playoff via goal difference—below group-winner Canada and Mexico.

The team failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after seven consecutive appearances, so this qualifying is a tad sweeter than usual.

The team had its ups and downs this season—including a frigid game in Minnesota—and averages younger than past teams, but there’s a reason for the phrase: “That’s why they play the games.”

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar kicks off on November 21 and runs through December 17.

Bracing the bitter-cold Minnesota weather, the United States Men’s National Team won a crucial World Cup qualifier on Wednesday against Honduras, 3-0.

Weston McKennie opened the scoring on a header in the eighth minute and Walker Zimmerman doubled the tally before the break as Gregg Berhalter’s team notched three points despite missing Tyler Adams and Chris Richards.

Winger Christian Pulisic didn’t start but made an appearance as a second-half substitute and was responsible for making it 3-0 on a loose ball in the box.

USA, which scored all its goals from set pieces, remained in second place in the Concacaf qualifying table with three tilts left.

Kellyn Acosta, who assisted on McKennie’s header, also had a hand in the second goal; his loft into the box fell to Zimmerman, who turned in front and tucked it away.

“We want to be in the positive [on set pieces] and we think that’s a big advantage that we have, and we haven’t been converting our opportunities,” USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter said. “But looking at the process of it rather than the results of it, we’ve had good opportunities to score, and we just haven’t scored.

“In terms of the process, I’ve been happy with both offensive and defensive set pieces. And tonight we got conversion from it.”

Honduras made a triple change at the half, and one player taken off was starting goalie Buba Lopez, who reportedly had to be treated for hypothermia. Romell Quioto’s halftime exit was also due to complications from the cold, though he was stable after the game.

The win puts the USMNT on the verge of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup ahead of the final three March matches.

Honduras, outshot 16-2, was already knocked out of World Cup contention.

The U.S. team did provide head coverings and heated benches to Honduras, but they weren’t as prepared as the home team, which was outfitted by the Minnesota Vikings.

An anti-gay chant and objects being thrown onto the field were the cause of a halt in the CONCACAF Nations League final between the United States and Mexico. The match was paused at the end of the second half in a game in which the USMNT went on to win 3-2 in extra time. For three minutes, the referee John Pitti kept the match from being played as players from both teams pleaded with the fans to stop their offensive chant.

The misbehavior continued into extra time. After Christian Pulisic scored the game-winning penalty and celebrations unfolded in the corner of the pitch, Gio Reyna was hit in the face by one of the mass amounts of cups, water bottles, and other projectiles being hurled onto the field. Reyna remained on the ground for several minutes before being escorted off the pitch by trainers. Luckily, he was able to return to the field for celebrations after the win. “Total lack of respect for what’s happening on the field and all effort that both teams are putting into the game. I think he’s going to be OK, but he did take something to the head, and it could have been a lot worse,” said United States head coach Gregg Berhalter regarding Reyna’s injury.

This match was the second occurrence of this misbehavior. In Mexico’s semifinal match versus Costa Rica, also held at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO, a pause occurred due to the use of anti-gay language in chants. Several fans had been removed from the stadium in the prior incident.

CONCACAF has a protocol in place for such behavior. First, the announcer will make a public announcement calling for the immediate halt of chants. Second, the referee is expected to pause the game. Lastly, the referee holds the authority to send the players to the locker rooms and abandon the match. Mexico has a history of supporters using anti-gay chants as FIFA launched an investigation into chants used by Mexican supporters in an Olympic qualifying match in March 2021.

The CONCACAF Nations League is brand new and was created to provide more international competition. Thus, there is no historical significance and this competition lacks importance in comparison to other international competitions. However, this was not apparent as the US and Mexico battled for over 120 minutes in one of the most thrilling matches this rivalry has ever seen. This five-goal thriller represents a new era of American soccer as the young, promising team won their first trophy together. Injuries, early deficits, and a strong Mexican side were unable to overcome the talent and grit of the USMNT. The United States won 3-2 in extra time.

“Overtime was just a complete mess, to be honest. With everything that was going on, the guys still stayed cool, still were able to focus,” said coach Gregg Berhalter after the game. His words are applicable beyond time as the entire match was chaotic. In the first minute of the game, Mexico’s Jesús Corona capitalized on a US mistake to put Mexico up 1-0. In the 24th minute, Mexico’s Héctor Moreno scored a header off of a set-piece which was ruled offside by VAR. Just three minutes later Gio Reyna scored for the US to draw level. Diego Lainez put Mexico ahead in the 79th minute just a minute after being subbed on. A nervy US team finally equalized in the 82nd minute off of a header from midfielder Weston McKennie. Extra time was necessary and in the added 30 minutes a penalty kick was awarded to each side. The US struck first as Christian Pulisic buried his shot without hesitation. Fortunately for the US, Mexico’s Andrés Guardado was unable to convert his penalty kick as Ethan Horvath stood tall in the net and made the save, winning the game for the US. On top of the incredible action from goals, chaos came from injuries, altercations, misbehaving fans, and more.

Christian Pulisic, captain of the USMNT and scorer of the game-winning penalty kick, was the first to lift the trophy at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO. Within the 10 days before this achievement, Pulisic was lifting the prestigious UEFA Champions League trophy. “It’s just a perfect way to end the year. I’m so proud of this group. We needed everyone today and it was a phenomenal performance,” said Pulisic in an interview with CBS.

Before this week, the USMNT had not played in a competitive match since the fall of 2019. After the game, coach Berhalter said, “We’re a young side, and we need to learn how to win. These games are very difficult, and for us it was about having a game plan, executing a game plan, but it’s also about the fight and the spirit. Give the guys a ton of credit for the way they hung in there and showed the heart of champions.”

This victory also set a much-needed new tone with Mexico. Mexico had seen great success in this rivalry in recent years. The US had not defeated them in a competitive match since 2013. In 2019 alone, the US lost twice to Mexico. With the victory, we have seen a coming of age for the USMNT.

The U.S. Men’s Soccer Team has failed to qualify for the Olympics again. The failure means that the U.S. men’s team will miss out on its third consecutive Olympic games. The team last played in the 2008 Olympics. It becomes the longest drought for the team in over 50 years.

The U.S. Men’s team had an opportunity to take the final spot for the Tokyo Olympics, and all they had to do was get past Honduras. However, it proved to be a difficult obstacle for the Americans. The first half was close with the U.S. being stopped by the Honduran defenders. It was right before the half when Honduras broke the stalemate with the first goal of the game.

Two minutes into the second half, U.S. goalkeeper David Ochoa made a costly mistake that led to a goal for Honduras. Ochoa received a pass to his side and tried to pass it to his teammate when Honduras forward Luis Palma came between the pass and kicked it off his leg. The ball bounced into the net for another Honduras goal.

The U.S. was now down 2-0 in the game, but team captain Jackson Yueill took matters into his own hand to score the team’s lone goal of the match. In the 52nd minute mark, the captain scored a shot from outside the penalty box to lift up the team.

The U.S. tried their best to come back but failed to convert any opportunities to tie the game. The final score was 2-1.

“We’re devastated,” U.S. coach Jason Kreis said.

The Men’s national team last played in the 2008 Olympics. The last time the team has missed three Olympic appearances was back in 1960, 1964 and 1968.

Sunday night in the MLS, the Philadelphia Union’s captain Alejandro Bedoya scored the first goal in a 5-1 routing against DC United.

Bedoya used his goal celebration to head over to a FOX Sports 1 broadcast microphone on the sideline, where he yelled “Hey Congress, do something now. End gun violence. Let’s go!” he said, according to ESPN.

His comments came after the El Paso, Texas and the Dayton, Ohio mass shootings that took place this past weekend, where 29 people combined were killed and over 50 others were injured.

According to ESPN FC, the MLS later confirmed that Bedoya would not be suspended or fined for his remarks on the broadcast microphone. His message was understandable to all those watching on the broadcast, but unfortunately couldn’t be heard by those attending the game at the stadium.

IN MEMORIAM: SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

“The Major League Soccer family joins everyone grieving for the loss of lives in Texas and Ohio, and we understand that our players and staff have strong and passionate views on the issue,” the MLS statement read, according to ESPN.

Before the match and after the attacks in Texas and Ohio, Bedoya tweeted out, “we can start with stricter background checks, red flag laws, making a registry for gun purchases, closing gun show loopholes, and taxing ammunition.”

The Union and head coach Jim Curtin explained their full support of Bedoya’s comments on the field after the game. The club released a statement, saying, “the Philadelphia Union support Alejandro Bedoya,” the team said, according to New York Times. “He is taking a stand. The events that transpired this weekend across the country are deplorable. Our hearts go out to everyone affected.”

Bedoya, a 32-year-old born in New Jersey of Colombian descent, played college soccer in the United States. He went overseas to play in the French League, the Scottish league and Swedish league before returning to the United States to play for the Union in 2016. He was a starter for the U.S. Men’s National Team when the team went to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they lost to Belgium in the quarterfinals.

Back in March, the United States Women’s National Team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit with an open court to the United States Soccer Federation over their players’ salaries, and how they deserve equal pay.

The USSF’s president Carlos Cordeiro released a statement this week regarding the women’s team’s pay relative to the men’s, saying that the women’s team is not only paid equally to the men’s team, it is in fact paid more. The statement is a collection of both teams’ financial data over almost a decade, and shows the women’s team earned nearly $8 million more than the men’s team over that period, despite the latter group producing 65% of U.S. Soccer’s overall revenue.

The men’s team produces almost two-thirds of the revenue for both teams because of sponsorships, TV deals and overall viewership. The 2015 Women’s World Cup had around 764 million viewers that were added up within the entire tournament, according to the Washington Examiner. Compare that to the 1.1 billion viewers that watched just the 2018 World Cup Final between France and Croatia. The entire men’s World Cup racked up almost 3.6 billion total viewers.

The equal pay issue is complicated at best. According to the statement, the two teams are on entirely different pay structures, which is negotiated in contracts with those parties.

IN MEMORIAM: SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Molly Levinson, a representative for the women’s team, responded to the statement openly, saying, “this is a sad attempt by the USSF to quell the overwhelming tide of support the USWNT has received from everyone from fans to sponsors to the United States Congress,” she said, according to ESPN. “The USSF has repeatedly admitted that it does not pay the women equally and that it does not believe the women even deserve to be paid equally. This is why they use words like ‘fair’ and ‘equitable,’ not ‘equal,’ in describing pay.”

The USSF also said that from 2009 to 2019, the women’s team has produced a total net loss of $27 million, compared to a $3 million net loss for the men’s team over the same time period.

The USMNT released a statement following the letter the USSF released. “The USMNT players were not impressed with US Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro’s letter made public on Monday. The Federation downplays contributions to the sport when it suits them. This is more of the same from a Federation that is constantly in disputes and litigation and focuses on increasing revenue and profits without any idea how to use that money to grow the sport. One way to increase profit unfairly is to refuse to pay national team players a fair share of the revenue they generate,” the statement read, according to ESPN.

The United States Men’s National Team hosts Jamaica in Chicago for the Concacaf Gold Cup semifinal. The United States has outscored opponents 12-0 so far this tournament under the new tenure of coach Gregg Berhalter. A team filled with dynamism and young talent has rekindled the USMNT of previous years. The team is looking for their seventh Gold Cup title to match Concacaf leaders Mexico, who are now onto the finals to face the winner of US and Jamaica after beating Haiti 1-0.

These two teams have a recent history in the knockout rounds of this tournament, with the US recently beating Jamaica in the finals of the 2017 Gold Cup 2-1 to lift their sixth title, but in 2015 Jamaica pulled off the upset beating the US 2-1 in the semifinals. The two teams also met in a friendly before this Gold Cup, with Shamar Nicholson scoring for the Jamaicans and winning 1-0.

The US has proven to be one of the strongest sides this tournament, with a new backline of Nick Lima, Walker Zimmerman, Aaron Long and Tim Ream, and goalkeeper Zack Steffen has yet to let up a goal this tournament. A revitalized midfield with youngster Weston McKennie and veteran Michael Bradley have dominated in the middle winning the ball back in key areas. 20-year-old Christian Pulisic has proved himself to be the team’s talisman, providing the key passes and goals the team lacked for several years.

Jamaica have a strong young talent as well with Leon Bailey. He recently signed a $20 million contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 2017. Dever Orgill has proven to be a serious threat in front of goal, and midfielder Je-Vaughn Watson has played in three Gold Cup with four total international goals.

According to CBS Sports’ David Sumpter, the US squad as a -210 money line, while Jamaica are underdogs with +600. The over/under is sitting at 2.5.

The match starts at 9:30 p.m. EST and will be broadcasted on FOX Sports 1 and can be streamed live on the FOX Sports app.

The United States Men’s National Team won their quarterfinal game against Curacao 1-0 in Philadelphia on Sunday night. 20-year-old Christian Pulisic wore the arm band for the team last night, and led them to a win with an assist to midfielder Weston McKennie, who scored in the 25th minute. The US will play Jamaica on Wednesday in the semifinals of the Concacaf Gold Cup.

For a majority of the game, the US were second favorites.Although they failed to score,Curacao dominated the possession and seemed to infiltrate every press the US threw at them. Curacao had a strong game plan that lacked concentration in the backline in the 25th minute, but other than that, they dominated the game.

“When you get to the knockout stages, everyone wants to move on to the next round and they’re giving absolutely everything,” Pulisic said, according to USA Today. “Curacao 100 percent wanted that — you could see that in the way they played.”

Gregg Berhalter, the United States head coach, relayed his frustrations to his team multiple times throughout the game. He wasn’t happy with their energy in both halves, lacked creativity and an edge at times in all aspects of the team. Nevertheless, a winning result keeps them alive in the tournament.

McKennie had a day, scoring the only goal for his team, and signing an extension on his previous contract with his German team FC Schalke.

The US moves on to face Jamaica in the semifinals of the Gold Cup on Wednesday. It’s unknown whether or not Berhalter changes the first team around. He could go with Jozy Altidore up front, as Gyasi Zardes was practically a ghost drifting around for 90 minutes against Curacao, with one shot that flew over the bar. Tyler Boyd could be rotated as well as he didn’t have the best of outings either. Pulisic and McKennie stepped up on the front for the US, but we will need more contributions from their front line against a strong Jamaican side.

The United States Men’s National Team beat Panama 1-0 Wednesday night to go top of their group ahead of the Gold Cup knockout stages. Head coach Gregg Berhalter rotated the American side after securing a spot in the knockout stages with a 6-0 win against Trinidad & Tobago, playing a completely different 11 than the T&T game. Jozy Altidore scored the only goal of the game, and some goal it was, a bicycle kick in the 66th minute to give the United States the win.

https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1144073343538216960

“I talked to Jozy at halftime and asked how much more he had in him,” Berhalter said, according to USA Today. “He said, ‘I want to stay on the field.’ When you hear that from a player, it makes you feel great. When that player goes out and scores the winning goal, it makes you feel even better.”

With this likely being Altidore’s last Gold Cup showing before retirement, it was a big moment for the poacher. He has been placed out of the starting lineup in the last few games under Berhalter, favoring the younger, more mobile Gyasi Zardes, but Altidore proved his value and will be a massive confidence booster.

“We had a game plan going into it,” midfielder Christian Roldan said, according to USA Today. “We kept the shutout. We kept them to one shot and zero corners. We’re pretty happy with the effort defensively. In the end, you grind out these games and win the group.”

Berhalter rested Christian Pulisic, Michael Bradley, Zach Steffon and the rest of his favored 11 ahead of the Gold Cup quarterfinals against Curacao. The quarterfinal will be played on Sunday in Philadelphia and will face the winners of the Jamaica Panama game in the semifinals.

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Looking ahead in the bracket, while the US cannot overlook their opponents coming up as they did with Trinidad and Tobago in October of 2017, the biggest challenge ahead of them will be in the final against the free-flowing Mexican side. With Mexico likely to win their side of the bracket, and the United States likely to win theirs, expect a typical Gold Cup final between the two Concacaf rivals. The United States will be looking to match Mexico’s seven Gold Cup titles this summer ahead of an exciting new era under Berhalter.

October 10, 2017 remains a night to forget for the U.S. Men’s National Team as they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup with a heartbreaking 2-0 loss to Trinidad & Tobago. The USMNT has a chance for revenge on Saturday when they can face their demons and close that door. A win for the U.S. would go a long way in terms of moving in the right direction under the new head coach Gregg Berhalter. 

Its been almost two years since that loss, and while it still haunts the program as a whole, the squad and staff couldn’t be more different. Under Berhalter, the team has a new identity in itself. Only four players from that 2017 loss were played in the first group play game of this Concacaf Gold Cup, with Christian Pulisic, Michael Bradley, Tim Ream and Gyasi Zardes. Ream and Bradley are the only players in the starting squad above the age of 30, meaning Berhalter has an “out with the old, in with the new” mentality. In this Gold Cup, a whopping 13 new players are making their debuts for the national team under Berhalter, including the 24-year-old Tyler Boyd. Boyd scored a brace in the United States’ first game this group play against Guyana. Along with Boyd, Paul Arriola has been developing within the team and signifies the team’s mentality of positivity.

“One thing I’ll say about the team, on the inside, it’s been nothing like it’s been on the outside,” Arriola said, according to ESPN. “When we looked back at the games, we saw where we could improve, and we saw what worked and what didn’t work. I give a lot of credit to the coaching staff and what they do.”

Pulisic has turned into Berhalter’s impact player, a young prospect with the promise of being a superstar. Along with Pulisic, young midfielder Weston McKennie brings a new energy alongside Bradley in the middle. The U.S. has a new identity to live up to, and will bank on winning this Gold Cup as a building block for bigger and better things to come. Pulisic and McKennie may be the key to unlock a compact, well-oiled T&T defense.

The USMNT faces Trinidad and Tobago at 8:00 EST at the FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday. Per Oddschecker, the USMNT has 1-5 odds to win, while the T&T side sit at 10-1. Fans can follow the action on FOX Sports 1, or stream it live on the FOX Sports GO app.

The U.S. Men’s National Team kicked off their journey through this summer’s Concacaf regional tournament, where the men’s team will be seeking their seventh Gold Cup title. If the U.S. were to win this year’s tournament, they would tie Mexico’s seven titles and help them drastically qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Ever since the U.S. failed to qualify for 2018 World Cup after losing to Trinidad and Tobago, there have been high tensions in the locker room. This year, under new head coach Gregg Berhalter, the U.S. is looking for a fresh start, which they got.

The U.S. opened group play with a 4-0 over Guyana on the back of newcomer Tyler Boyd and his brace. There are some new faces in and around the team along with Boyd, like the exciting midfielder Weston McKennie, who got two assists Tuesday night, pairing with the old-timer Michael Bradley in the middle. Christian Pulisic made an appearance for the team after lacking serious national team minutes last year thanks to a multitude of injuries. The newest Chelsea signing looks to be the focal point in the men’s team, with Berhalter licensing him to roam free and become the impact player the men’s team has been lacking for years. Gyasi Zardes got on the score sheet, as well as Paul Arriola.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019- TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Development under Berhalter and his staff will be on display in this Gold Cup tournament. High-stakes matches will give fans and the board a quality outlook on what’s to come for the men’s team.

The U.S. team has Trinidad and Tobago next on June 22, and will be looking for nothing short of revenge. Fans and players alike will be seeking a must-win to prove that they are not that same team that lost to them back in October of 2017, one of the lower points of U.S. Soccer history.

Another match to look out for is Mexico vs. Canada on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. EST, broadcasted on Fox Sports 1. Mexico won their first group play game against Cuba 7-0, behind Uriel Antuna’s hat trick.

The 2019 Women’s World Cup hosted by France kicked off this week, and for the next month, 24 countries will be competing to hoist the trophy. After the U.S. Women’s National Team started their group play in a dominating fashion, beating Thailand 13-0, fans of the sport and public officials have raised their concern surrounding the widening gap of equal pay between men’s and women’s soccer.

According to CNBC, FIFA president Gianni Infantino declared that the prize pool of the 2019 Women’s World cup would be $30 million, with $4 million going to the winners. During last year’s Men’s World Cup, 32 teams competed for the $400 million prize pool with the winners, France, taking home $38 million.

The USWNT is in line with a gender discrimination lawsuit with the United States Soccer Federation regarding their players’ salaries compared to their Men’s National Team counterparts, according to The Hill. The Men’s National Team failed to qualify for last year’s World Cup after losing their clinching qualifying game against Trinidad and Tobago.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019- TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

To possibly explain the widening gap, the men’s tournaments usually generate more TV revenue and overall viewership. During the 2018 men’s World Cup, almost 3.6 billion total viewers tuned in to watch, with the France vs. Croatia final gathering 1.1 billion viewers, according to the Washington Examiner. Compared to the 2015 Women’s World Cup that around 764 million viewers were added up.

Another reason revenue isn’t as generated is there are no major leagues that involve clubs for women’s soccer in major countries, such as France. There are almost 160,000 French women playing, but less than 200 are currently on a contract, according to Equal Times. There has been progress, however, as the French Federation is looking to build a league of clubs that would consist of TV deals and sponsorships that are essential to keep a league up and running.

The economies between the two counterparts are immense, and while activists of either side argue, there are small steps being implemented to even the gap as much as possible. The spotlight between the two is a complicated issue at best. According to CNBC, if the Women’s World Cup prize pool doubled every year, it would take until 2039 for theirs to equal the men’s. For now, the USWNT can focus on the field during this month’s tournament, and attempt to win back-to-back World Cups to let their play do the talking.

Chelsea FC will pay 64 million euros, or nearly $73 million, for German club Borussia Dortmund’s 20-year-old winger Christian Pulisic.

The deal, which pays a transfer fee to his old club, makes him the most expensive American soccer player of all time and will bring him to England’s Premier League.

Dortmund’s Pulisic, 20, Makes History

Pulisic, who’s been with Borussia Dortmund since he was 16, will play out the rest of the season before transferring over. Previously, his contract was set to expire at the end of the 2019-2020 season. Pulisic also plays for the US Men’s National Team and is a native of Hershey, Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, Pulisic took to Twitter to thank his fans in Germany. “It feels like only yesterday that I arrived in Dortmund as a raw, excited very nervous but exceptionally proud 16-year-old,” he wrote. “I would not be where I am today without the Club and their belief in giving young players a chance.”

Pulisic was originally only able to join the team at 16 years old due to the fact that his grandfather was from Croatia. This enabled him to get a Croatian passport and play in Europe before turning 18.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Dortmund’s sporting director called Chelsea’s bid an “extremely lucrative bid.” “It was always Christian’s big dream to play in the Premier League. That certainly has to do with Christian’s American background, and as a result we were unable to extend his contract,” Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said in a statement. “Christian Pulisic is a perfect player in terms of his character.”

The move is not without criticism. Some are attacking the American soccer system, pointing to how Pulisic’s $73 million transfer far outweighs the next largest one of $22.4 million for John Brooks in 2017. Though there’s been a recent emergence of American talent, the national team failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the hiring of Gregg Berhalter has been described as “turgid, poorly organized, and only ever focused on one candidate.” Pulisic’s youth clubs will also not receive any of the transfer funds. Traditionally, European clubs who’ve developed players receive up to 5% when that player is sold overseas. However, the US does not participate in FIFA’s solidarity payment system. The transfer indicates that US talent can play at the highest levels. It does not continue to build on that success the way European countries often do.

Heading into the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, how should the U.S. Men’s National Team feel about its performance?

Not nearly as satisfied as it should be.

Head Coach Bruce Arena’s roster moves have been unorthodox for casual soccer fans, with many wondering where the star players were in group play. The answer to that question? They weren’t even dressed.

Arena used the most of his six roster moves allowed before the knockout stage of the Gold Cup, adding big names such as Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley. These four have been the face of the USMNT for the past several years.

This addition proves how much importance the United States values the Gold Cup. Ranked 35th in the FIFA World Rankings, the third-highest of all CONCACAF teams, the Americans find themselves fighting for a World Cup spot that is not guaranteed, even for the world’s third-largest country and certainly the most prominent when it comes to being watched on an international stage. Interest perks up when the U.S. plays in big matches, as seen in Gold Cup play, held all across the country throughout the month. Most do not expect the Americans to stumble, but the sport is grueling and faces change constantly.

The USMNT is young and looking for stability under Arena. After back-to-back home losses to Mexico and Costa Rica, the top-two CONCACAF teams in November, they have done just that. A draw against Mexico in Mexico City was huge for the Americans, and there success at the Gold Cup will certainly continue to set the tone for the road to come, which will feature several bouts with top CONCACAF teams in the fall.

The United States finished 2-0-1 in the group stage of the Gold Cup, which wrapped up on Saturday. After a disappointing 1-1 draw with Panama to open the Cup, the team defeated Martinique and Nicaragua. The USMNT draws El Salvador in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 9 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. A win will pair them up against either Costa Rica or Panama, which will certainly challenge the Americans. Mexico still stands on the other end of the bracket, and are still the formidable favorites.

Arena used 22 different players in the three group stage matches, and will continue to utilize more with the addition of the star players added for the knockout stage. The Americans have a solid chance to win against El Salvador, who bring a better team to the table but have only defeated the United states once in 22 all-time meetings. A finish better than fourth – the team’s worst ever – in the 2015 Gold Cup has to be the least the U.S. can hope for.

In order to make an impact to the rest of CONCACAF and FIFA, the United States must perform as expected. A Gold Cup Finals appearance may not exceed expectations, but to win one would. The USMNT, while winning its group in 13 of 14 Gold Cups, have only taken home the title once since 2009, back in 2013.