The USMNT World Cup qualifying roster for the March Concacaf matches is finally here, with a bit too much fanfare, if we’re being honest. U.S. Soccer decided to reveal the squad live on SportsCenter, but the show wasn’t really worth the hype.
Because we won’t make you wait like SportsCenter did to show you the roster, here it is.
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Spain and Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in training, the LaLiga club said on Thursday.
An ACL tear can take from six to nine months to recover from, meaning Oyarzabal could miss out on being fit to feature in the World Cup in Qatar in November-December.
The first time I heard it, I wasn’t quite sure what I was hearing. I attended the first USMNT-Mexico game after the 2002 World Cup meeting, a friendly in Houston, and kept hearing fans yelling “dos a cero.” I knew enough Spanish to translate the phrase, but I had no idea of the Dos a Cero meaning and history, let alone what it would turn into.
Little did I know back in 2003, but Dos a Cero would come to define the American perspective of the USA-Mexico men’s soccer rivalry for nearly two decades.
“When is the March USMNT roster coming out?” is the question fans have been asking for about a week now. The U.S. has its three final and biggest World Cup qualifying games to close out March.
Fans are eager to know who the American players will be that play Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica to try to qualify for Qatar this winter. In the past, the USMNT would release the roster via social media the week before the first game of a qualifying window.
For the final window of qualifying the USMNT is doing things a bit different.
FIFA has postponed Ukraine's World Cup qualification playoff match against Scotland on March 24, world football's governing body said in a statement on Tuesday.
The winners of the game at Hampden Park in Glasgow will take on Austria or Wales for a place in November's World Cup finals in Qatar.
Ukraine's Football Association had asked FIFA to postpone the qualifier following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Scottish FA Statement: Scotland Men's National Team v Ukraine postponement.
Juventus eked out a 1-0 win over Spezia on Sunday, maintaining its grip on a top-four place in Serie A. After the match, Bianconeri coach Massimiliano Allegri broke some bad news to Juve and USMNT fans with a Weston McKennie injury update: The Texan is done for the season.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said that plans to hold a biennial World Cup are a "no go" for everyone in football, adding that FIFA has also come to the same realization.
The idea of a World Cup every two years has been gathering steam with FIFA president Gianni Infantino trying to get support from national federations, saying the switch would create an extra $4.4 billion in revenues for the world body.
EA Sports is following FIFA and UEFA’s lead in supporting Ukraine while also punishing Russia. The governing soccer bodies announced bans on the Russian national team and clubs earlier in the week. EA Sports has announced its plans to remove the national team and clubs from FIFA 22.
FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russia's national teamsand clubs from international football until further notice due to the country's invasion of Ukraine.
The move makes it likely that Russia will be excluded from this year's World Cup and the women's Euro 2020 tournament.
FIFA/UEFA suspend Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions
FIFA is set to suspend Russia's national teams from international football until further notice due to the country's invasion of Ukraine, a source with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters on Monday.
FIFA is in advanced talks with European soccer body UEFA over the matter and a decision could be made later on Monday.
European governing body UEFA is due to hold an executive committee meeting at 1800 CET on Monday to decide on several issues relating to Russian football.