2025-2026 European Football Thread

[Purp]

He's not wrong. I think Poch will ultimately get it sorted out when Dest, Jedi, and our strike force are fully healthy, but the lack of events between now and go time is definitely a concern. Things will have to click very soon.

I blame the federation for bringing Berhalter back as the reason for the present predicament. It was totally predictable completely knee-capped his successor.

At the end of the day, there's too much talent in this group to totally flop. They've played a lot of minutes together. They'll figure it out with Poch.

 

[Purp]

Lando needs to shut up and color. This from the guy who didn't have enough pride about himself to challenge himself longer in England. The opportunities were there and he cowered back to the safety of MLS.

This isn't about players not having pride; it's about a federation trying to recover from the shambles it was left in and a really awful decision to bring Berhalter back. LD should be able to recognize that.

 

[Chongo94]

Lando needs to shut up and color. This from the guy who didn't have enough pride about himself to challenge himself longer in England. The opportunities were there and he cowered back to the safety of MLS.

This isn't about players not having pride; it's about a federation trying to recover from the shambles it was left in and a really awful decision to bring Berhalter back. LD should be able to recognize that.

I did chuckle at that as well. That said, he’s got a bit of a point this time. These dudes don’t care that much. Yes, the decision to bring Berhalter back was atrocious but these players are mentally fragile and also just don’t care. They seemingly think they can just show up and play half-heartedly and win in CONCACAF and that’s just not the case.

Pulisic dropped a lot in my opinion this week after watching his comments after the games. Talent wise, this team should be amazing by USA standards….but I’d honestly wager that the ‘94 team would whip them. The 2002 team would wipe the floor with these guys.

 

[Purp]

I did chuckle at that as well. That said, he’s got a bit of a point this time. These dudes don’t care that much. Yes, the decision to bring Berhalter back was atrocious but these players are mentally fragile and also just don’t care. They seemingly think they can just show up and play half-heartedly and win in CONCACAF and that’s just not the case.

Pulisic dropped a lot in my opinion this week after watching his comments after the games. Talent wise, this team should be amazing by USA standards….but I’d honestly wager that the ‘94 team would whip them. The 2002 team would wipe the floor with these guys.

I still trust Poch to get them there. The talent is 5-10 times better than it's ever been for our country. He's the type of gaffer we need bc he knows how to motivate that level of talent. Hopefully he's got it ironed out in 15 months.

 

[EVOfrogMR]

I just keep thinking of a scene from the movie Miracle. “You left off a lot of the best players. I’m not looking for the best players. I’m looking for the right players.”

It’s not who you play for or what you do for your club, but what you deliver for the badge on the front of your national team jersey.

 

[Purp]

I just keep thinking of a scene from the movie Miracle. “You left off a lot of the best players. I’m not looking for the best players. I’m looking for the right players.”

It’s not who you play for or what you do for your club, but what you deliver for the badge on the front of your national team jersey.

I've been having similar thoughts recently too. Ultimately, I think this group will figure it out. Puli is the guy who, as a young teenager, was the only player who looked good and gave a damn in a shameful loss at T&T. McKennie is the guy who willed us to Nations League glory twice against Mexico with a physically domineering style who couldn't be intimidated like past American teams. I think the success if this group depends on those two leaders rediscovering their nature as leaders.

That said, we're also seeing a couple problems our federation has never faced before. Half of our best 11 was raised in a foreign country and almost all of our best 11 are important players for top clubs in the world. In past generations the national team players played in their biggest environments with the national team so that provided extra motivation to perform. Maybe that would get them noticed for a bigger break. Also, those generations were raised with an American culture that promoted a belief that talent without hard work was useless; that hard work could achieve greater results with inferior talent.

I often wonder if our young guys who grew up in Europe just don't understand that gritty culture that has always been a hallmark of American sides. I wonder if Europe's biggest clubs and cities have made our best players soft who grew up on the main land.

I think this Gold Cup will be telling. We'll be missing McKennie and Weah along with Gio, I think, but they'll spend a month with Poch and each other trying to find that missing piece. Hopefully that window will include Dest, Tillman, and Balogun too. If they don't find it in June it may be too late for the WC.

 

[Purp]

Great article on the reason Gio's struggles supported by data. This paints him as a Luka Doncic type of athlete. Not the fastest, highest jumper, or most explosive player, but elevated to the levels he did at 17 bc of elite creativity and changes or direction. And similarly, he's got to take better care of his body and train better or he'll never reach his full potential.

After reading this I think Gio has a 2 year window to revive his career. If he doesn't do it by then we'll likely never hear from him again.

Is it time to give up on Gio Reyna becoming the USMNT's next star?

USMNT fans have had high hopes for Gio Reyna, but after years of him struggling at Borussia Dortmund, is it time to give up on a breakthrough?

www.espn.com

 

[Chongo94]

I read that, very good article. Sadly, he isn’t super athletic and seemingly inherited his father’s injury issues. Add on to that what appears to be a poor attitude at times and also laziness at other times and here we are.

I have zero faith he will ever rise to the heights we all once all thought and hoped he would.

 

[Purp]

I read that, very good article. Sadly, he isn’t super athletic and seemingly inherited his father’s injury issues. Add on to that what appears to be a poor attitude at times and also laziness at other times and here we are.

I have zero faith he will ever rise to the heights we all once all thought and hoped he would.

I think a lot of the excitement around him was based on the quality he showed at age 17. It's a totally logical assumption that things like speed, physical ability, and overall quality would improve with age and experience. He's apparently regressed as an athlete. I have no doubt his injuries have caused some of that, but I think more of it has to do with being an entitled baby and thinking he wouldn't have to work hard for the world to come to his hand.

His only chance is to focus on building up his body in the off-season to not only be better equipped to avoid injury, but to also increase speed and quickness. Proper training can do those things, but only if he wants to. I question how badly he wants it. Even more, I question if he has the right people around him to even recognize that he needs it.

 

[Chongo94]

I think a lot of the excitement around him was based on the quality he showed at age 17. It's a totally logical assumption that things like speed, physical ability, and overall quality would improve with age and experience. He's apparently regressed as an athlete. I have no doubt his injuries have caused some of that, but I think more of it has to do with being an entitled baby and thinking he wouldn't have to work hard for the world to come to his hand.

His only chance is to focus on building up his body in the off-season to not only be better equipped to avoid injury, but to also increase speed and quickness. Proper training can do those things, but only if he wants to. I question how badly he wants it. Even more, I question if he has the right people around him to even recognize that he needs it.

Completely agree.

What’s more, I read your second portion thinking that good lord, the kid is at Dortmund, who may have the best youth training in all of Europe aside from Barcelona perhaps although that’s debatable these days. I mean they certainly know how to grow talent and here he is regressing while there.

I have a feeling that much of his attitude issues stem from his mother. Not discounting Claudio and his role in all this but he seemed much more willing to work as a player than his son. Of course, that’s just going by the eye test and media stories so who really knows.

He better make use of Dortmund’s ability while he still can cause otherwise the Scottish league or MLS is about to be his stomping ground.

 

[Purp]

Completely agree.

What’s more, I read your second portion thinking that good lord, the kid is at Dortmund, who may have the best youth training in all of Europe aside from Barcelona perhaps although that’s debatable these days. I mean they certainly know how to grow talent and here he is regressing while there.

I have a feeling that much of his attitude issues stem from his mother. Not discounting Claudio and his role in all this but he seemed much more willing to work as a player than his son. Of course, that’s just going by the eye test and media stories so who really knows.

He better make use of Dortmund’s ability while he still can cause otherwise the Scottish league or MLS is about to be his stomping ground.

He may end up being Earnie Stewart's next American signing.

 

[Chongo94]

And now, Weston McKennie is named in an Italian betting probe. Apparently they were not betting on matches at least but it does appear to be illegal online betting stuff.

Geez.

 

[Chongo94]

@Purp Borussia Dortmund have apparently, officially, given Gio Reyna “permission” to seek a new club.

There’s our answer, sadly.

 

[Purp]

And now, Weston McKennie is named in an Italian betting probe. Apparently they were not betting on matches at least but it does appear to be illegal online betting stuff.

Geez.

I saw this over the weekend. After reading to the very end it said the maximum penalty is something like a 250 euro fine. It's like a parking ticket. The fact they made it a huge news story is nearly criminal. We should have never heard about this.

 

[Purp]

@Purp Borussia Dortmund have apparently, officially, given Gio Reyna “permission” to seek a new club.

There’s our answer, sadly.

It was inevitable. Once he never earned a starting spot after getting healthy it was obvious this would be his last season at Dortmund.

 

[Chongo94]

I saw this over the weekend. After reading to the very end it said the maximum penalty is something like a 250 euro fine. It's like a parking ticket. The fact they made it a huge news story is nearly criminal. We should have never heard about this.

I get that but it is still illegal over there. Not the best decision on his part, especially by one of our supposed “leaders”, but also these new generations are inundated with gambling opportunities these days so I shouldn’t be surprised I guess.

 

[Chongo94]

World Cup city posters are out. Seattle’s is great and Dallas’ is pretty awesome too.

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/official-posters

 

[Purp]

I get that but it is still illegal over there. Not the best decision on his part, especially by one of our supposed “leaders”, but also these new generations are inundated with gambling opportunities these days so I shouldn’t be surprised I guess.

Based on the fine it looks as illegal as speeding to me. I'm nkt getting bent around the axles over that. Charlie Davies had way worse issues in vehicles than Weston can have on a shady gambling site.

 

[Purp]

This Gold Cup roster is pathetic.

3 of our top 4 GKs are injured.

Across the back line only Chris Richards is a World Cup starter on the roster. No Jedi and no Dest due to injuries/recovery. No center back partner for Richards (McKenzie, CCV, Trusty) unless you consider Ream, MRob, and Zimm in that caliber still.

Tyler Adams, ironically, is the only healthy starting midfielder available. Tillman should have a great opportunity and I suspect Brendan Aaronson will get a lot of run on one of the wings, but this is a thin group. No Weah, McKennie, or Gio b/c of Club World Cup. No Puli due to rest (I agree with this). I think Musah is in the same boat. Johnny Cardoso may also miss due to Club World Cup as it sounds like Atletico Madrid are trying to get him signed ahead of that competition too.

At forward, our 3 top guys are all out (Balogun, Pepi, and Sarge) with injury or having recently returned from long injury rehabs and needing rest to prepare for next club season. We'll run a lot of Haji and Agyemang I suspect, though Damion Downs is an intriguing name.

I guess the silver lining is that our best players are getting time to prepare their bodies for a long 12 month grind of football with the World Cup next year being the 12th month. But it would really be great if they could get some game time together as a top unit in Poch's longest camp.

 

[Chongo94]

Burn the ENTIRE thing down and start over. New organization, new players, new coaches and manager, new pipeline, new everything.

Friendlies or not, this current crop, even the veterans, do not seem to have the correct mentality or maybe even ability for international play.