Senior ⚽ writer, The Athletic. Tips, ideas, etc.: hbushnell@theathletic.com henrybushnell.03 on Signal
Now official: Mauricio Pochettino is back. Contract agreed with U.S. Soccer through 2030. More — including comments from Poch on his approach to a second cycle with the USMNT — here and free to read @theathletic.com:
Mauricio Pochettino returns as USMNT coach on new deal through 2030 World Cup (Gift Article)Pochettino's previous contract expired after the 2026 World Cup, but U.S. Soccer is bringing back the Argentine manager for another cyclewww.nytimes.comFrom ticketing to the halftime show, FIFA made the 2026 World Cup an intensely American one. The question, now, is whether it will try to make some of these changes/choices permanent...
FIFA Americanized the World Cup in 2026. Are hydration breaks, halftime shows here to stay? (Gift Article)Plenty aspects of the 2026 World Cup were utterly American or catered to an American audience. Will any of the changes stick?www.nytimes.comLots of youth soccer discourse in the aftermath of the USMNT's World Cup exit. So, I wrote about "pay-to-play" — what it actually is, why it's a problem, why it's different in the U.S. vs. elsewhere, & why the real issue is "pay-to-travel-and-play." Free to read (ironically...) @theathletic.com:
U.S. soccer’s ‘pay-to-play’ problem: The lightning-rod issue explained in a World Cup context (Gift Article)USMNT's World Cup ouster has plenty focused on the country's youth development system, a complex —and costly — element in a bigger picturewww.nytimes.comSources (w/ James Horncastle & @paultenorio.bsky.social): Christian Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and microfracture of his tibia/fibula in USMNT's loss to Belgium, sidelined for several weeks. More @theathletic.com:
Christian Pulisic suffered leg microfracture in USMNT loss to Belgium, will miss several weeks (Gift Article)The USMNT star will be sidelined for several weeks but not months, multiple people briefed on the diagnosis told The Athletic.www.nytimes.comOn the end. The sudden, soul-crushing, inexplicable end.
USMNT left shocked and dumbfounded by sudden World Cup exit after Belgium defeat (Gift Article)American players were left stunned by how suddenly their World Cup dreams evaporatedwww.nytimes.comFor weeks, even after his red card, Folarin Balogun was the smiling face of a happy, unifying World Cup story. Now he's the unwitting, blameless face of controversy. And that story, of the USMNT's magical run, has irreversibly changed. Column @theathletic.com:
Balogun was star of USMNT’s feel-good World Cup. Now? The unwitting face of its controversy (Gift Article)Ever since being sent off, Folarin Balogun has done nothing wrong. But now he's been thrust into the heart of a World Cup circuswww.nytimes.comI wrote about Folarin Balogun. The handshake. The grace. The positivity. The perspective. Remarkable guy.
Folarin Balogun could have raged about his red card. Instead, he set an example (Gift Article)The USMNT star has been thrust into a big spotlight with the controversy surrounding a red card. He's chosen to handle it with gracewww.nytimes.comHere is a story about a team coached by Mauricio Pochettino losing its star striker... and doing something historic:
How can USMNT win without Folarin Balogun? Look how Mauricio Pochettino replaced Harry Kane (Gift Article)The USMNT will be without its top striker for a marquee match. It's not the first time Mauricio Pochettino has encountered that challengewww.nytimes.comThis is the biggest moment in American men's soccer history. Not the deepest World Cup run. Not the biggest USMNT accomplishment. (Yet.) But a night, and a week, and a month unlike any other. Column from Santa Clara — but really from all across America:
Biggest week in American men’s soccer history is here as USMNT rides World Cup wave (Gift Article)The USMNT has played deeper into a World Cup before, but for this team, doing what it's done on home soil, no opportunity has been biggerwww.nytimes.comThe USMNT has used brainwave technology to help prepare players for World Cup penalty shootouts. “Everybody talks about being 'in the zone' ... (staff) can actually track these brainwaves and help you get into that zone." Much more, free to read @theathletic.com, w/ @paultenorio.bsky.social:
Brainwave technology is USMNT’s secret World Cup penalty shootout weapon (Gift Article)In order to prepare for the possibility of World Cup penalty kicks, Mauricio Pochettino and his staff have taken a unique approachwww.nytimes.comChristian Pulisic hasn't played 90 minutes in over three months. He hasn't played more than 61 minutes in over two months. When asked today if he was ready to play 90 or even 120 against Bosnia, he said: "Yeah" “I felt great in the last game against Turkey. ... I’m definitely ready to go.”
Christian Pulisic says he’s fit to play full match for USMNT vs. Bosnia in World Cup last 32 (Gift Article)The U.S. star has been limited by injury at the World Cup, but he has declared himself ready to go 90 or even 120 minutes, if called forwww.nytimes.comIconic. (And then, even better, they promptly conceded a goal to preserve the preferred knockout-round matchup.)
John MullerOkay here's the entire Algeria possession 5 minutes and 34 seconds of completely uncontested midfield possession 109 completed passes And then they scored a goal
Here's a fun USMNT story, and quote, that I never thought I'd write. “Ever heard of rage-baiting?” Tim Ream said. “We have a lot of guys who are very good at rage-baiting.” Others laugh when told about Ream's line. "I’m surprised Tim knew that word," Chris Richards said w/ a smile. But it's apt.
A Gen-Z slang term has become USMNT’s buzzword as it gleefully riles World Cup opposition (Gift Article)Mastering the dark arts — but knowing where the line is — has been part of the USMNT's reformed identitywww.nytimes.com