USMNT

The 2019 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup kicked off today in Luque, Paraguay, and we’re going to be all about it over the next 10 days. 

There’s nothing like it — the way you can make a little tee for your free kick before smashing it off a sand dune to leave the keeper wrong-footed; the sight of a goalie slowly juggling it up the beach with one knee while looking the supreme image of concentrated paranoia and anxiety; the civil engineering majors giving it hell; the sound of “What’s Luv?” by Fat Joe and Ashanti blaring out the speakers.

Michael Bradley was a late scratch from the USMNT roster for its November Concacaf Nations League matches. Injured in Toronto FC’s defeat in the MLS Cup final a few days prior, coach Gregg Berhalter would not be able to rely on his most experienced midfielder for must-win matches against Canada and Cuba. 

It was a must-win match against a neighboring rival, one that had just thwomped the Americans a month earlier. And it kicked off with a half-empty stadium — and that’s being generous. The USMNT vs Canada attendance was shockingly sparse on Friday night in Orlando, Florida.

When former USMNT manager Jürgen Klinsmann labelled the newfangled CONCACAF Nations League a “waste of time” back in October (rich enough coming from a coach that inspired his team to defeats against Mexico, Costa Rica and Guatemala by a combined scoreline of 8-1 during 2018 World Cup qualifying), it was easy to grasp the German’s point: If you limit the amount of big matches you have against quality opponents, you limit your growth.

The USMNT approaches Friday’s CONCACAF Nations League match against Canada needing a victory to have any chance of advancing to the semifinals of the competition, and they'll do so without attacking catalyst Christian Pulisic, who misses out with a hip injury he sustained against Crystal Palace last Saturday.

Christian Pulisic has scored yet again. *Insert hyperbole here about the young American while ignoring the fact he barely played at the start of the season and up-and-down performances are all just a part of the process for young players.*

What is worrying, however, is the injury sustained as Pulisic scored on Saturday.

If you Google “Tyler Boyd” you’re going to be given results about some American football player who will never earn the love and admiration of Turkish soccer fans. The real Tyler Boyd, the New Zealand-born USMNT winger, is finally starting to win over those in Istanbul. 

Tyler Boyd, the soccer player, joined Turkish club Beşiktaş in July, shortly after switching international allegiances from the country of his birth and father (New Zealand) to the country of his mother (U.S.). 

While the U.S. was sent packing after the group stage following its worst-ever showing at a FIFA U-17 World Cup, Mexico is through to the quarterfinals following a 2-0 victory over Japan in Gama, Brazil, on Wednesday. If you were already a little disappointed with U.S. Soccer following the dismal showing, you’ll be pleased to know that Mexico’s success is even further damnation of our bumbling federation.