Please don't shoot the messenger. After not getting the feedback they were looking for from the USMNT kit that drew its inspiration from basketball, American football and hockey before revealing itself as Frankenstein's monster, Nike and U.S. Soccer are back at it again with a jersey for the USWNT ahead of this summer's World Cup.
I'll whisper it, but I feel like I'm discerning some faint traces of light ahead with regards to the USMNT's direction. There's obviously still no permanent manager, but every day takes us further from Gregg Berhalter and closer to what's demanded when hosting the world's greatest sporting event come 2026.
A rumor is going around the Twitter-sphere and internet that U.S. Soccer has AS Roma manager José Mourinho on its wish list for who will be the next USMNT head coach.
Jose Mourinho is reportedly being targeted by U.S. Soccer to become the next USMNT head coach. pic.twitter.com/9AQ1f0HaX3
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) January 21, 2023
Alex Morgan was pulled from the starting XI prior to the USWNT’s friendly vs. New Zealand on Friday after experiencing tightness in her lower leg. Her injury meant that the captain’s armband was transferred to Rose Lavelle.
The 27-year-old put in quite the captain’s performance during the USWNT’s 5-0 victory vs. New Zealand scoring two goals, providing one assist and bossing the midfield.
Let’s skip straight to the good part and look at the sensational volley Lavelle scored in the 39th minute.
As Mary J. Blige once said, "No drama, no more in my life (no more drama in my life, no one's gonna make me hurt again)." I'm so tired of the USMNT manager discussion, so this is the only time I'm going to mention that or the fact that Anthony Hudson is serving as interim head coach for January camp. Let's get back to the only things that matter, the game and the players who play it.
La selección de Estados Unidos comienza a pensar en el Mundial de 2026 y este miércoles publicó su convocatoria para los amistosos que jugará a fines de enero ante Serbia y Colombia. La gran sorpresa de la lista – ¡vaya, vaya! – es la inclusión de cuatro seleccionables mexicanos, entre ellos el extremo del Club América, Alejandro Zendejas.
¿Los otros tres? El defensor Jonathan Gómez y los delanteros Brandon Vásquez y Cade Cowell.
De los cuatro nombres, el de Zendejas es el que hace más ruido.
U.S. Soccer made its debut on HBO Max Tuesday night with the USWNT beating New Zealand in a friendly in Wellington thanks to four second-half goals, including Alex Morgan's 120th international strike off a ridiculous Rose Lavelle backheel.
The Football Ferns were a little overmatched.
After the fiasco experienced in the 2022 World Cup, Mexico has been looking for a new coach. Miguel Herrera – former coach of Tigres and Club América – really wants the position and has deployed an intense PR campaign to succeed. However, according to several reports, the leading candidate for the job is none other than Marcelo Bielsa.
After an eight-year deal worth around $200 million was struck between U.S. Soccer and WarnerMedia last March, Tuesday's friendly between the USWNT and New Zealand served as the beginning of a new era with the match broadcast on HBO Max.
The $16 per month price point must've proven a barrier to many, but my advice is to instruct your parents to conceive you a sibling and then get that prodigal offspring to share their login and password with you (shoutouts to my younger brother and sister-in-law).
The next World Cup hosts are looking to prepare themselves in the best way possible ahead of the tournament in 2026, and with much speculation over how they'll manage to do that, they might've just sealed a top-quality opponent in 2023.
According to multiple reports, the USMNT and Mexico are both in talks with Germany for a friendly to be played later this year.