OT: All things US Soccer / Int’l Soccer Thread

RUChet · Aug 22, 2026

Thinking we start a new thread as the World Cup is long past!

let’s use this for all things about US Soccer and Int’l Soccer in general.

First off, news that UEFA and Concacaf want to merge their Nations League is the best thing that could happen to the USMNT program.

It’s a marriage made in heaven - Top Concacaf teams NEED more games vs. good UEFA teams and UEFA wants to tap more into the N. American market for the $$$$. Expand the fan base….

Next up I’d love to see Conmebol and Concacaf merge Copa America with the Good Cup but I’d do it in such a way that the weak Concacaf teams (and there are many) play in the Gold Cup to qualify for Copa where the top teams are automatically in Copa.

Do that and merge the Nations League and now we can develop vs MUCH better competition than the dreadful Concacaf.

tico brown · Aug 23, 2026

Didn’t see this posted anywhere else here.

First bit of news is…

Erling Haaland cut his hair lol.

Luckily for City, VAR is a thing as they got a winning goal in stoppage time that was originally called offsides to beat a tough Bournemouth squad 2-1. Hate to say this but they looked lost without Pep (and the players that left).

tico brown · Aug 23, 2026

Some upsets this weekend:
Hull over Man United 2-0
Brentford over Spurs 3-0
Brighton over Aston Villa 4-0

BUT THE CHAMPS STARTED THE SEASON RIGHT:
Arsenal over Coventry 3-0

Zak57 · Aug 23, 2026

I wouldn't consider Brentford over Spurs an upset at all. Look at where they finished on the table last year. I don't care that Spurs spent all that money on all those average players.

tico brown · Aug 23, 2026

Zak57 said:
I wouldn't consider Brentford over Spurs an upset at all. Look at where they finished on the table last year. I don't care that Spurs spent all that money on all those average players.

Maybe not an upset but still a hell of a win for Brentford

Erial_Lion · Aug 23, 2026

Spurs picked right up where they left off…wow, did Brentford dominate that one. Spurs has to be better than they showed yesterday, but a terrible performance to start.

seansherm · Aug 25, 2026

tico brown said:
Maybe not an upset but still a hell of a win for Brentford

Brentford looked good, 10 of 11 guys back and an excellent midfield pick up. Spurs playing wo like 7 eventual starters, they are a month away from beginning to look like a team.

T2Kplus20 · Aug 27, 2026

RUChet said:
Thinking we start a new thread as the World Cup is long past!

let’s use this for all things about US Soccer and Int’l Soccer in general.

First off, news that UEFA and Concacaf want to merge their Nations League is the best thing that could happen to the USMNT program.

It’s a marriage made in heaven - Top Concacaf teams NEED more games vs. good UEFA teams and UEFA wants to tap more into the N. American market for the $$$$. Expand the fan base….

Next up I’d love to see Conmebol and Concacaf merge Copa America with the Good Cup but I’d do it in such a way that the weak Concacaf teams (and there are many) play in the Gold Cup to qualify for Copa where the top teams are automatically in Copa.

Do that and merge the Nations League and now we can develop vs MUCH better competition than the dreadful Concacaf.

Soccer is still boring. Happy it's gone for another 4 years. Looking forward to the national team's next disappointing WC performance in 2030.

RUChet · Aug 27, 2026

T2Kplus20 said:
Soccer is still boring. Happy it's gone for another 4 years. Looking forward to the national team's next disappointing WC performance in 2030.

Each to his own but wishing your national team to fail is awful dude

Erial_Lion · Aug 27, 2026

RUChet said:
Each to his own but wishing your national team to fail is awful dude

As awful as coming into a thread and crapping on the thing that those in the thread obviously enjoy. I would never think to go into threads about comic books, cars, hunting, etc and tell people how stupid I find their hobbies. But I guess some are wired differently.

T2Kplus20 · Aug 27, 2026

RUChet said:
Each to his own but wishing your national team to fail is awful dude

Not wishing, expecting. Nothing has changed in 32 years, why now?

RUChet · Aug 28, 2026

T2Kplus20 said:
Not wishing, expecting. Nothing has changed in 32 years, why now?

“Looking forward to the national team's next disappointing WC performance in 2030.”

that sounds pretty awful but where I agree with you as that I don’t expect us to be much better in 2030 but I HOPE we win it all becasue I root for USA

now if Poch does a good job injecting some of the exciting young players into our team then maybe with 4 years under a world class coach we can make something happen.

We have enough talent to get to the semis - S Korea did, Morocco did, it’s not impossible.

RUChet · Aug 28, 2026

Erial_Lion said:
As awful as coming into a thread and crapping on the thing that those in the thread obviously enjoy. I would never think to go into threads about comic books, cars, hunting, etc and tell people how stupid I find their hobbies. But I guess some are wired differently.

I never ever root against USA! Even when the USWNT went all in on social justice and seemed to not focus on being the best anymore, caring more about slogans and statements…. I still rooted for them 100%. Why wouldn’t I?

USA all the way baby!

RUChet · Aug 31, 2026

Check out this wonderful Cavan Sullivan goal. It’s time for Poch to call him up and get him cap tied asap along with Hall, Gozo, Miller, Megmeti, etc

Kid has nose for the goal like Dempsey and has an edge to him like Luna and Berhalter

RUChet · Wednesday at 2:34 PM

US Women out of U20 world cup in round of 16. We haven't won since 2012. Those that have said our men should be better because look at all the success our women have had, clearly don't understand the situation.

Our women were dominant for so long because of our huge participation rate and immense advantage and head start in funding and opportunity for girls and women over other countries due to Title IX. That advantage is gone.

We are no longer dominant at the senior level and clearly neither at the youth level. We still have the most depth but arguably not 1 of the top 10 players in the world (sounds like men's basketball....).

The same youth development issues we have for boys to men is now showing in girls to women as the funding and opportunity advantages are gone compared to other countries.

Our USWNT coach has been warning about this for years.

Our girls face the same "pay to play" problem and lack of development as the boys and it's going to continue to erode the gap between our senior team and the rest of world if it hasn't already.

I hope we get this fixed as somebody who loves the game and is a diehard US soccer supporter.

Doctor Worm · Wednesday at 3:21 PM

RUChet said:
Check out this wonderful Cavan Sullivan goal. It’s time for Poch to call him up and get him cap tied asap along with Hall, Gozo, Miller, Megmeti, etc

Kid has nose for the goal like Dempsey and has an edge to him like Luna and Berhalter

The Guardian is reporting that he WILL be called up for the September-October friendlies.

Roster to be announced tomorrow.

RUChet · Wednesday at 4:26 PM

Doctor Worm said:
The Guardian is reporting that he WILL be called up for the September-October friendlies.

Roster to be announced tomorrow.

I want to see him and several other young guys - we gave to test them

but I also want to see Cavan in the Olympics in ‘26 as that tourney is important for our development - if I were US soccer I’d put Poch in charge of that tourney too as several guys may be on the ‘ 30 WC team

Doctor Worm · Wednesday at 4:33 PM

RUChet said:
I want to see him and several other young guys - we gave to test them

but I also want to see Cavan in the Olympics in ‘26 as that tourney is important for our development - if I were US soccer I’d put Poch in charge of that tourney too as several guys may be on the ‘ 30 WC team

Unless - Cavan is considered good enough to make the 2028 Copa America roster! (Assuming USA gets an invitation.)

Teams are not required to release players for the Olympics. MLS probably will. But Cavan will be in Man City by then, unless he is loaned elsewhere.

RUChet · Wednesday at 8:09 PM

Doctor Worm said:
Unless - Cavan is considered good enough to make the 2028 Copa America roster! (Assuming USA gets an invitation.)

Teams are not required to release players for the Olympics. MLS probably will. But Cavan will be in Man City by then, unless he is loaned elsewhere.

Should be interesting to watch

let’s hope he’s not the next Adu and more like the next Donovan but better

RUChet · Thursday at 11:33 AM

Love this roster! Nearly all of the young guys that should have been included were. I hope they get some playing time in the upcoming 4 friendly's although they won't count to "cap tie" them to USMNT. We need that for a couple of them. Most of them are also US reared which is always nice vs. relying on dual-nationals bred elsewhere. Of course want those guys too, but we need to move our program forward by developing players as well.

16-year-old Cavan Sullivan named to USMNT squad, Christian Pulisic left out

Philadelphia Union phenom Cavan Sullivan, 16, headlines the 28-player roster named by U.S. men's national team manager Mauricio Pochettino for the upcoming FIFA international window.

www.espn.com

Erial_Lion · Thursday at 5:11 PM

Doctor Worm said:
Unless - Cavan is considered good enough to make the 2028 Copa America roster! (Assuming USA gets an invitation.)

Teams are not required to release players for the Olympics. MLS probably will. But Cavan will be in Man City by then, unless he is loaned elsewhere.

I really hope that we can work out agreements with clubs to get a relatively full strength Olympic team...while also giving those guys a shot at the Olympics rather than the Copa America (we've got plenty of guys over 23 to use at Copa America). Sullivan, Gozo, Albert, Kochen (though his stock has fallen a bit), Banks (if we can work that one out), etc. It's probably a pipe dream, but Brazil was even able to work it out with Neymar when they hosted, so I'd even love a few impact overage guys. We know that the Olympics aren't a big deal on the men's side, but it's another great opportunity on home soil to help pull in casual fans and progress forward.

Erial_Lion · Thursday at 5:13 PM

RUChet said:
Love this roster! Nearly all of the young guys that should have been included were. I hope they get some playing time in the upcoming 4 friendly's although they won't count to "cap tie" them to USMNT. We need that for a couple of them. Most of them are also US reared which is always nice vs. relying on dual-nationals bred elsewhere. Of course want those guys too, but we need to move our program forward by developing players as well.

16-year-old Cavan Sullivan named to USMNT squad, Christian Pulisic left out

Philadelphia Union phenom Cavan Sullivan, 16, headlines the 28-player roster named by U.S. men's national team manager Mauricio Pochettino for the upcoming FIFA international window.

www.espn.com

It's a great roster...perfect mix of young guys with some experienced guys around them to keep some continuity and set an example. Wish that Luna was healthy, but everything else looks good to me.

RUChet · Thursday at 5:16 PM

Erial_Lion said:
It's a great roster...perfect mix of young guys with some experienced guys around them to keep some continuity and set an example. Wish that Luna was healthy, but everything else looks good to me.

Maybe just missing Benjamin Cremaschi

I really don’t want to see Freese in goal

Doctor Worm · Thursday at 5:34 PM

Julian Hall has stated that while he is accepting the invitation, he remains undecided as to whether he will cast his lot with USA or with Poland.

RUChet · Thursday at 6:20 PM

Doctor Worm said:
Julian Hall has stated that while he is accepting the invitation, he remains undecided as to whether he will cast his lot with USA or with Poland.

Well we gotta get this kid - I know his mom is from Poland , but we need him

Erial_Lion · Friday at 12:20 PM

Disappointing...I think he's one of those dual-nationals whose decision is a difference maker (ie Rossi, Balogun, etc).

Ex-U.S. youth defender Noahkai Banks picks Germany over USMNT

The German Football Federation announced on Friday that coveted dual national defender Noahkai Banks has pledged his international future to Germany over the United States.

www.espn.com

RUChet · Friday at 3:29 PM

Erial_Lion said:
Disappointing...I think he's one of those dual-nationals whose decision is a difference maker (ie Rossi, Balogun, etc).

Ex-U.S. youth defender Noahkai Banks picks Germany over USMNT

The German Football Federation announced on Friday that coveted dual national defender Noahkai Banks has pledged his international future to Germany over the United States.

www.espn.com

It is but he was raised in Germany so feels like we didn’t get another steal like Balogun, Jedi, and Dest, vs. “losing him” like we gave with a couple guys to Mexico and that 1 guy to Bosnia.

Now Hall is dual national but raised here so if she chooses Poland it’s a “loss” vs steal.

Erial_Lion · Friday at 3:33 PM

RUChet said:
It is but he was raised in Germany so feels like we didn’t get another steal like Balogun, Jedi, and Dest, vs. “losing him” like we gave with a couple guys to Mexico and that 1 guy to Bosnia.

Now Hall is dual national but raised here so if she chooses Poland it’s a “loss” vs steal.

Agree...but hurts more since he's been playing with our youth teams, has been in a national team camp before, etc. Germany was later to the party. And I really thought that he was going to pick us up until today.

RUChet · Friday at 3:34 PM

Erial_Lion said:
Agree...but hurts more since he's been playing with our youth teams, has been in a national team camp before, etc. Germany was later to the party. And I really thought that he was going to pick us up until today.

He would be competing for a starters role with us but Germany is so deep, we will see how he does

Erial_Lion · Friday at 3:40 PM

RUChet said:
He would be competing for a starters role with us but Germany is so deep, we will see how he does

Yea, this one reminds me a bit of Rossi...never played in a world cup as he was always a fringe guy on the Italy squad (though he had some big performances for them), but would likely have almost certainly been playing in World Cups for us.

OT: All things US Soccer / Int’l Soccer Thread

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