A Daily Historical Blog and Bi-Weekly Newsletter
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Former National Team Defender and MLS Manager to Lead the Olympic Cycle U.S. Soccer has turned to a familiar face to lead its Olympic ambitions on home soil. Steve Cherundolo was announced Thursday as head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team, which will compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The 47-year-old arrives with a resume that spans both playing and coaching success. A…
Winger Faces Backlash After Underwhelming World Cup Ends in Injury Christian Pulisic entered his home World Cup as the face of American soccer, but the tournament he'd hoped would cement his legacy instead left him fielding pointed criticism after a quiet exit against Belgium. The 27-year-old struggled to find rhythm for most of the first hour against the Belgians before departing with an ankle…
Recapping the USMNT's 2026 World Cup Run The United States' home World Cup began with a statement. In front of a raucous crowd at Los Angeles Stadium, the Americans dismantled Paraguay 4-1 in their opener on June 12, with Folarin Balogun scoring twice in the first half and late substitute Gio Reyna adding a stoppage-time finish. It was the most goals the USMNT had ever scored in a single World Cup…
Goalkeeper's Costly Hesitation Proves Decisive in USMNT's Belgium Defeat Matt Freese entered the World Cup as a relative unknown at the position, having only claimed the USMNT's starting goalkeeper job the previous year. He'd largely justified that trust through the tournament, including a sharp early save on a long-range Timothy Castagne attempt Monday night. But one moment in the 57th minute…
Midfielder's Free-Kick Magic Becomes a USMNT Trademark For the second straight match, Malik Tillman delivered exactly when the United States needed him most. The 24-year-old midfielder's equalizer against Belgium in the 31st minute wasn't just a highlight; it confirmed he's become the USMNT's most reliable set-piece weapon at this World Cup. The goal came after Folarin Balogun drew a foul just…
Belgium Ends USMNT's World Cup Dream, Then Rubs It In The United States' bid for a historic quarterfinal run collapsed Monday night in Seattle, as Belgium dismantled the Americans 4-1 in a round-of-16 clash at Lumen Field. The result extended a difficult pattern for U.S. Soccer: this marks the fourth time in the last five World Cups the program has been eliminated at this same stage. Charles De…
Two Knockout-Round Victories and Looking for a Third USMNT knockout-round history spans nearly a century of near-misses, one golden run, and now a chance at revenge in Seattle. The story begins with the deepest run in program history. At the inaugural 1930 World Cup in Uruguay, the U.S. reached the semifinals before falling 6-1 to Argentina at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo—a result that,…
After Elimination from the 2014 World Cup, the Americans Have Been Waiting for this Monday Rematch The last time the USMNT faced Belgium on this stage, it suffered one of the most memorable losses in American soccer history, and Monday's rematch in Seattle carries the weight of unfinished business that is twelve years in the making. Back in the 2014 Round of 16 in Salvador, Brazil, a heavily…
The European Side Comes into the Match Higher Ranked and Victors Over the Americans in March Belgium arrives in Seattle as a side built on continuity and star power at the top of an aging core, ranked ninth in the world under manager Rudi Garcia and looking to improve on a 2022 campaign that ended without advancing past the group stage. The Red Devils punched their ticket to this World Cup by…
The USMNT Celebrated Before Hosting Belgium on Monday Mauricio Pochettino has spent the days leading into Monday's Round of 16 clash with Belgium immersed in the same full-hearted embrace of American life that's defined his tenure, and he'll enter the match with his full squad at his disposal after all. The Argentine coach capped a whirlwind stretch of cultural assimilation with a ceremonial first…
