Amid a Union injury bug, Cavan Sullivan will stay a little longer before the under-17 World Cup With Quinn Sullivan out and Indiana Vassilev and Jeremy Rafanello banged up, the Union were facing a lack of depth at attacking midfield heading into the playoffs.

Late night news:

With the Union’s midfield hit by injuries, Cavan Sullivan won’t leave for the under-17 World Cup until after the first two games of the playoffs.

He won’t miss any tournament games, just the pre-tournament camp.

More details here:

www.inquirer.com/soccer/cavan... #USMNT

The USMNT’s win over Australia told us a lot — here’s what Players made their World Cup cases and Mauricio Pochettino was pleased after Tuesday’s victory in Colorado.

Valuable new info on the CM and ST picture with two camps left until the World Cup.

And collectively, the #USMNT was reminded about how it needs to approach the type of team it will surely see early in the World Cup in possession. My latest👇

www.backheeled.com/usmnt-win-au...

#636: Tanner Tessmann joins the pod! | Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America Tanner Tessmann, the midfield anchor for Olympique Lyonnais who started for the USA against Ecuador on Friday, joined Sanjay Sujanthakumar for a half-hour long chat in Colorado on Monday. The Alabama ...

🎙️ NEW POD

Tanner Tessmann, the midfield anchor for Lyon who started for the USA against Ecuador, joined @sanjaysujan.bsky.social for a half-hour chat in Colorado. The Alabama native talked about Nemanja Matic's impact on him, field goals, & much more scuffed.simplecast.com/episodes/636...

The USMNT’s win over Australia told us a lot — here’s what Players made their World Cup cases and Mauricio Pochettino was pleased after Tuesday’s victory in Colorado.

The USMNT enjoyed another positive performance in a 2-1 win over Australia on Tuesday 🇺🇸

What did we learn about Mauricio Pochettino's team?

@sanjaysujan.bsky.social examines Weston McKennie's role, players who seized their moment & more.

Read ⤵️
www.backheeled.com/usmnt-win-au...

USMNT show progress under Pochettino in Ecuador draw: McKennie's role, Balogun's goal & more Here are the takeaways that matter from the USMNT's promising showing against Ecuador.

From Austin last night, 3 big picture thoughts @backheeled.com after a positive #USMNT performance against a good team

www.backheeled.com/usmnt-progre...

Back in form, Folarin Balogun is seeking a momentum-shifting win with the US: ‘I think we need that’ The Monaco striker speaks on a Copa América experience that left him with ‘frustration but also hunger’ to achieve more with the USMNT

Folarin Balogun made his long-awaited return to the #USMNT in September and now, with club and country, he's hungry for more. And he could very well be the key to a deep World Cup run.

I sat down with the striker in Monaco for a wide-ranging discussion.

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Matt Turner knows what he has to do to regain the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper job After facing the Union on Saturday, Turner spoke at length with The Inquirer about why he returned to MLS, and what it will take to regain Mauricio Pochettino's confidence as the World Cup nears.

Matt Turner knows what he has to do to regain the #USMNT starting goalkeeper job.

A big interview - with all his usual candor - about how his form fell, leaving Crystal Palace, and working to get back on the field for Mauricio Pochettino before the World Cup:

www.inquirer.com/soccer/matt-...

“It would have been a lot tougher to quit basketball if I knew that two years later, I’d be a freshman in college making more than some of my favorite athletes are making overseas.” - Chris Richards

My piece on how $$$$$$$$ in college 🏀🏈 could impact ⚽ participation and the #USMNT ➡️ bit.ly/46GQWIN

What if our 'best athletes' never choose soccer? How NIL money could shape the USMNT's future The NIL era is reshaping choices for young athletes — and raising the question: what does that mean for the U.S. men's national team?

What if our best athletes... keep playing other sports? I spoke to Chris Richards, Alex Freeman and Kyle Martino about how participation in soccer and the #USMNT could be impacted by the new era of #NCAA athletes being paid.

sports.yahoo.com/soccer/artic...

What if our 'best athletes' never choose soccer? How NIL money could shape the USMNT's future The NIL era is reshaping choices for young athletes — and raising the question: what does that mean for the U.S. men's national team?

What if our best athletes... keep playing other sports? I spoke to Chris Richards, Alex Freeman and Kyle Martino about how participation in soccer and the #USMNT could be impacted by the new era of #NCAA athletes being paid.

sports.yahoo.com/soccer/artic...

Projecting Mauricio Pochettion's USMNT next roster: Who will make the cut in October? Plenty of big decisions are yet to be made as the World Cup nears.

What will Mauricio Pochettino's next USMNT roster look like?

According to the manager, we can expect less experimentation and potentially fewer MLS call-ups 🇺🇸

@sanjaysujan.bsky.social projects the full October squad ⤵️
www.backheeled.com/projecting-m...

No untouchables for Pochettino: How a new locker room hierarchy is changing the USMNT Mauricio Pochettino has been ripping up his team’s hierarchy. Will his efforts pay off at the World Cup?

The hierarchy of the #USMNT is changing as Mauricio Pochettino takes the team through his "process"

My latest for @backheeled.com

www.backheeled.com/mauricio-poc...

No untouchables for Pochettino: How a new locker room hierarchy is changing the USMNT Mauricio Pochettino has been ripping up his team’s hierarchy. Will his efforts pay off at the World Cup?

When Mauricio Pochettino was hired, many believed he'd prioritize the USMNT's European-based players.

Instead, Pochettino has started a "different process" by reshaping the team's hierarchy.

Will his efforts pay off?

Players weigh in on the 🇺🇸's new direction ⤵️
www.backheeled.com/mauricio-poc...

Mauricio Pochettino says USMNT doesn’t need to win until ‘the World Cup starts,’ but pressure is rising on him "We have to believe," Pochettino said after his team's latest loss. It's true that the games that really matter are next summer, but it's also getting hard for U.S. fans to see that far ahead.

"We have to believe," Pochettino said after the #USMNT's latest loss.

It's true that the games that really matter are next summer, but right now it's hard to see that far ahead.

And unlike another soccer coach who famously believes, this isn't a scripted TV show:

www.inquirer.com/soccer/mauri...

Josh Sargent hasn’t scored for the USMNT in six years, but he’s a prolific striker for his club It's one of the most perplexing questions about the U.S. team right now. How does Sargent score so much for England's Norwich City, but not find the net for his country? He's as frustrated as anyone.

It's one of the most perplexing questions about the #USMNT right now: How does Josh Sargent score so much for Norwich City, but not for his country?

He admitted today that he's as frustrated as anyone. But he believes just as strongly that he'll snap out of it.

www.inquirer.com/soccer/josh-...

'Celo!

The iconic Marcelo Balboa gets his Rapids jersey retired tonight.

I can't say this about everyone on his level of fame and achievement: MB is a mensch - a high-quality individual, and very deserving of this and all the other flowers.

but at least bring him on when you need a goal late.. hopefully we’re not still talking about it next szn

The USMNT players with the most to gain in Europe ahead of the 2026 World Cup These five players can raise their stock in the eyes of Mauricio Pochettino.

Which USMNT players have the most to gain during this European season ahead of the World Cup?

From midfielders fighting for their place to rising young talents, we examine a group of players who can raise their stock in the eyes of Mauricio Pochettino.

Read ⤵️
www.backheeled.com/usmnt-player...