National Teams

Giovanni Reyna scored on a 24-yard free kick to cap a rally from two goals down as the U-17 USMNT beat Canada 3-2 to open the Concacaf U-17 Championship on Thursday in Bradenton, Florida. 

Reyna, the son of former USMNT captain and current NYCFC director of operations Claudio Reyna, had a goal and an assist for the U.S. youth team as it began its quest to qualify for the U-17 World Cup to be played in Brazil later this year.

Coach Jill Ellis unveiled her USWNT World Cup roster for the 2019 Women’s World Cup on Thursday, the 23 players who will attempt to defend their title and win a record fourth championship.

The 2019 USWNT World Cup roster includes few surprises. Half of the squad (12 of 23) returns from the 2015 team, including eight who started the final. 

 BACK FOR FOUR

After what looked like a promising rebound year for Manchester United plummeted, the club will look into Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak in the offseason, according to rumors.

Oblak’s recent contract extension has the goalkeeper inked with the Spanish club until 2023 with a €120 million buyout.

After advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2017 event, Mexico looks to advance even further at this summer’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland with a group of 21 players that’ve excelled at the youth level for El Tri. 

A big talking point, much to the consternation of coach Diego Ramirez, is the fact that Monterrey has barred Jonathan Gonzalez from joining the side with the Liga MX playoffs looming.

A Harry Kane-less Tottenham got exactly what it needed in a 4-3 loss to Manchester City as the Spurs will advance to the UCL semifinals, 4-4 on aggregate by way of away goals.

The Spurs held a 1-0 advantage from the previous meeting back in London.

20,941 at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles watched the USWNT put six past Belgium — five of them headers — on Sunday night in a celebratory World Cup warmup that included a tribute to the legendary ’99 squad. 

It was the sort of match that Alexi Lalas will burn onto DVD, sharpie “Set Pieces” on and rewatch seven hundred times.

It all started in the 14th minute with Tierna Davidson lofting a direct ball into the box and there was Carli Lloyd, on her 271st appearance, to nod home. 

Alex Morgan has been a consistent impact player for the U.S. women’s national team. In her 2019 campaign, she has started and played in four games totaling 349 minutes for a total of 159 caps, ranking her 17th all-time in games played. She continues to add to her accolades after just being named the 2018 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year.

She finally reached her 100th goal at age 29 in an international friendly against Australia on Thursday in Commerce City, Colorado.

The 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship, which doubles as qualification for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil, is fast approaching. Over the course of 16 days in Bradenton, Florida, 20 teams will battle for the four World Cup spots, and Mexico will look to win its fourth straight title at this level.

El Tri defeated the U.S. in the last final back in 2017. That match featured the likes of Jairo Torres and Roberto de la Rosa for Mexico while the U.S. called on Josh Sargent and Tim Weah. 

Gonzalo Higuain has called it quits on his national career after ten years with la Albiceleste. The Chelsea star was one of Argentina’s best strikers in recent years, scoring 31 goals in 75 appearances, but his decision to retire from international duty comes after constant criticism from Argentina fans.

Youth soccer in America is changing. Over the past few years, U.S. soccer has moved to profoundly address the exclusivity of high-level grass roots play. Talented footballers at the high school age can get offered to play for a program known as a Development Academy (DA). Both Major League Soccer and other youth clubs all over the U.S. have Development Academy teams, from the high school age all the way down to U-12.