American Players Abroad

New United States men’s national team forward Folarin Balogun said that he was surprised when U.S. fans discovered his location in Orlando from an Instagram post back in March.

Folarin Balogun USMNT fans comment

Balogun on wanting anyone to know he was in Orlando from THAT pic:

“…I showed it to my agent to see if it was OK. From the pic I couldn’t make out that I was in . When the comments started coming in…I was just kinda surprised & overwhelmed.”

England’s Championship division is one of the most intense seasons in Europe. The 46 games played, just in the league itself, give players more opportunities to perform well but also for a team’s season to come crashing down. While there are additional games, every match means just as much in the Championship, if not more, as the teams compete for the right to move up to the ludicrously lucrative Premier League.

The ability to choose is often taken for granted in soccer. With the increased prominence of dual nationals in recent years, fans are becoming used to seeing players pick which nationality they want to represent, like Yunus Musah and Folarin Balogun. What’s less common, however, is a player who, before turning 19, not only qualifies for four national teams but has already represented three of them.

Luton Town are headed to the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history after the team, along with U.S. goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, defeated Coventry City 1-1 (6-5 on penalties) in the EFL Championship Play-offs final on Saturday.

Luton have done the unthinkable and have been promoted from Non-League football (outside the top four tiers) to the Premier League. Luton last played in the first division of England back in 1992 before it was rebranded as the Premier League.

Christian Pulisic got his first meaningful minutes in the Premier League since April 15 on Thursday during Chelsea’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester United. Other than Pulisic falling on David de Gea there wasn’t too much to report from the American.

Pulisic was brought on as a substitute in the 64th minute for noted Instagram bully and expert at missing chances Mykhailo Mudryk.

RB Leipzig shocked Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Saturday with a 3-1 victory on the second-to-last matchday of the season. This opens the door for Borussia Dortmund who defeated Augsburg on Sunday and sit two points ahead of Bayern.

Dortmund are top of the Bundesliga table entering the final matchday meaning that American forward Gio Reyna is 90 minutes away from winning the league.

This begs the question, has an American won the Bundesliga before?

LONDON — West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen set up one goal and scored another to inspire his side to a 3-1 Premier League victory at the London Stadium on Sunday and deepen the relegation crisis at Leeds United.

Leeds remain in the relegation zone with 31 points from 37 games, two points behind 17th-placed Everton with the home visit of Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the season next Sunday. Everton welcome Bournemouth to Goodison Park.

John Brooks was one of several surprise inclusions on the 60-man United States men’s national team preliminary roster for the Concacaf Nations League. There could be a chance for a John Brooks USMNT reunion.

The Concacaf Nations League resumes in June with the United States vs. Mexico and Canada vs. Panama as the semifinals. The tournament requires teams to release preliminary rosters with up to 60 players and those were unveiled on Friday.

Weston McKennie could be playing in the Premier League next season even if Leeds United end up getting relegated. That’s because Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is keen on his club signing the American midfielder this summer according to Italian outlet Calciomercato.

When McKennie joined Leeds on loan in January many U.S. fans thought the move was going to be a smashing success. Fans hoped that Tyler Adams and McKennie were going to dominate the midfield for Leeds and form an unstoppable duo.

USWNT midfielder Catarina Macario is set to sign with FA Women’s Super League side Chelsea this summer per The Athletic. Her contract with Lyon expires at the end of the season. 

The 23-year-old standout missed all the 2022-23 season with an ACL injury to her left knee that she suffered in June 2022 during Lyon's final league game of the season. She’s nearing a return to action and will be hoping to recover in time for a shot to make USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s 2023 Women’s World Cup roster.