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Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dortmund beats Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3 in blistering hot Club World Cup group stage match
CINCINNATI (AP) — Borussia Dortmund was gifted an easy goal to start the match and held off a strong response from the Mamelodi Sundowns on a fiercely warm day to win 4-3 in the Club World Cup group stage on Saturday. Both teams and the crowd of 14,006 at TQL Stadium sweat through high temperatures that forced a heat advisory and cooling breaks, called at the referee's discretion. Temperatures approached 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius). Advertisement The Sundowns opened the scoring early on an impressive break away that Lucas Ribeiro Costa finished in the 11th minute. Dortmund evened the score in the 16th minute when Sundowns goalie Ronwen Williams inadvertently passed to Dortmund's Felix Nmecha right in front of the net. Nmecha easily footed it in. Dortmund stole all momentum on the play and increased its lead to 3-1 at halftime. Serhou Guirassy scored in the 34th minute and Jobe Bellingham in the 45th. Khuliso Mudau's own goal on an attempt to deflect Daniel Svensson's cross in front of the net made it 4-1 in the 59th before South African Mamelodi centered itself and began putting pressure on the German club. The Sundowns scored two straight goals — Iqraam Rayners' double-header that first hit the post before his second effort scored in the 62nd and Lebo Mothiba's shot in the 90th minute. It wasn't enough to overcome the mistakes. Advertisement American midfielder Gio Reyna, forced to be with Dortmund rather than with the U.S. national team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, dressed but didn't play for the second straight match. Key moment Nmecha's equalizer that was made too easy for the Bundesliga club. Takeaways Dortmund rises to the top of Group H, bypassing the previously leading Sundowns, who approach a critical match against Fluminense on Wednesday. Dortmund will meet Ulsan on Wednesday. ___ AP soccer: Peyton Ann Hodge, The Associated Press
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Club World Cup bracket: Schedule, scores, and results for FIFA club tourney
Club World Cup bracket: Schedule, scores, and results for FIFA club tourney Show Caption Hide Caption FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Gio Reyna of Borussia Dortmund Borussia Dortmund midfielder Gio Reyna, who grew up in Bedford, is looking forward to coming home to MetLife Stadium for the FIFA Club World Cup. Provided by FIFA Communications With a few days of fun, high-level play already in the books, the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is off to a fantastic start. Group play is already in full swing as clubs battle for position to advance to the knockout rounds. That stage of the tourney begins later this month, shrinking the event's field down from 32 teams to just 16, with the winner and runner-up of each group advancing. From there on, it's pure chaos, just like the World Cup, only this time, instead of representing each player's native country, they're representing their club, which can sometimes lead to even higher-level play as these athletes are more used to playing alongside one another. The U.S. is hosting every game of the tournament in venues around the country, giving fans across the nation a chance to catch a game. Here's everything to know about the bracket and schedule moving forward: What venues are hosting the Club World Cup? Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta TQL Stadium in Cincinnati Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California Lumen Field in Seattle Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida GEODIS Park in Nashville Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina FIFA: Reveals ticket sales in wake of sparse Club World Cup attendance Full FIFA Club World Cup schedule, results Group Stage All times Eastern Saturday, June 14 Group A: Al Ahly 0, Inter Miami CF 0 Sunday, June 15 Group C: Bayern Munich 10, Auckland City 0 Bayern Munich 10, Auckland City 0 Group B: Paris Saint-Germain 4, Atletico Madrid 0 Paris Saint-Germain 4, Atletico Madrid 0 Group A: Palmeiras 0, FC Porto 0 Palmeiras 0, FC Porto 0 Group B: Botafogo 2 , Seattle Sounders FC 1 Monday, June 16 Group D: Chelsea 2, LAFC 0 Chelsea 2, LAFC 0 Group C: Boca Juniors 2, Benfica 2 Boca Juniors 2, Benfica 2 Group D: Flamengo 2, Esperance de Tunis 0 Tuesday, June 17 Group F: Fluminesnse 0, Borussia Dortmund 0 Fluminesnse 0, Borussia Dortmund 0 Group E: River Plate 3, Urawa Red Diamonds 1 River Plate 3, Urawa Red Diamonds 1 Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns 1, Ulsan HD FC 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 1, Ulsan HD FC 0 Group E: Monterey 1, Internazionale 1 Wednesday, June 18 Group G: Manchester City vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Manchester City vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Group H: Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal, 3 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal, 3 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Group H: Pachuca vs. RB Salzburg, 6 p.m. at TQL Stadium Pachuca vs. RB Salzburg, 6 p.m. at TQL Stadium Group G: Al-Ain vs. Juventus, 9 p.m. at Audi Field Thursday, June 19 Group A: Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly, 12 p.m. at MetLife Stadium Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly, 12 p.m. at MetLife Stadium Group A: Inter Miami vs. FC Porto, 2 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Inter Miami vs. FC Porto, 2 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Group B: Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid, 6 p.m. at Lumen Field Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid, 6 p.m. at Lumen Field Group B: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Botafogo, 9 p.m. at Rose Bowl Stadium Friday, June 20 Group C: Benfica vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. at Inter&Co Stadium Benfica vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. at Inter&Co Stadium Group D: Flamengo vs. Chelsea, 2 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Flamengo vs. Chelsea, 2 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Group D: LAFC vs. Espérance de Tunis, 6 p.m. at GEODIS Park LAFC vs. Espérance de Tunis, 6 p.m. at GEODIS Park Group C: Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors, 9 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Saturday, June 21 Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. at TQL Stadium Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. at TQL Stadium Group E: Internazionale vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. at Lumen Field Internazionale vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. at Lumen Field Group F: Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD FC, 6 p.m. at MetLife Stadium Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD FC, 6 p.m. at MetLife Stadium Group E: River Plate vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. at Rose Bowl Stadium Sunday, June 22 Group G: Juventus vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Juventus vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Group H: Real Madrid vs. Pachuca, 3 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium Real Madrid vs. Pachuca, 3 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium Group H: RB Salzburg vs. Al Hilal, 6 p.m. at Audi Field RB Salzburg vs. Al Hilal, 6 p.m. at Audi Field Group G: Manchester City vs. Al Ain, 9 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Monday, June 23 Group B: Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo, 3 p.m. at Rose Bowl Stadium Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo, 3 p.m. at Rose Bowl Stadium Group B: Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. at Lumen Field Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. at Lumen Field Group A: Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras, 9 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras, 9 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Group A: FC Porto vs. Al Ahly, 9 p.m. at MetLife Stadium Tuesday, June 24 Group C: Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors, 3 p.m. at GEODIS Park Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors, 3 p.m. at GEODIS Park Group C: Benfica vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium Benfica vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium Group D: Espérance de Tunis vs. Chelsea, 9 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Espérance de Tunis vs. Chelsea, 9 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Group D: LAFC vs. Flamengo, 9 p.m. at Camping World Stadium Wednesday, June 25 Group F: Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan HD FC, 3 p.m. at TQL Stadium Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan HD FC, 3 p.m. at TQL Stadium Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense, 3 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense, 3 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Group E: Internazionale vs. River Plate, 9 p.m. at Lumen Field Internazionale vs. River Plate, 9 p.m. at Lumen Field Group E: Urawa Red Diamonds vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. at Rose Bowl Stadium Thursday, June 26 Group G: Juventus vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. at Camping World Stadium Juventus vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. at Camping World Stadium Group G: Wydad AC vs. Al Ain, 3 p.m. at Audi Field Wydad AC vs. Al Ain, 3 p.m. at Audi Field Group H: Al Hilal vs. Mexico Pachuca, 9 p.m. at GEODIS Park Al Hilal vs. Mexico Pachuca, 9 p.m. at GEODIS Park Group H: RB Salzburg vs. Real Madrid, 9 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field FIFA Club World Cup knockout rounds Round of 16 *Kickoff times for knockout stage are subject to change; All times Eastern. Saturday, June 28 Match 49: Winners of Group A vs. Runners of Group B, 12 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Winners of Group A vs. Runners of Group B, 12 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Match 50: Winners of Group C vs. Runners of Group D, 4 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium Sunday, June 29 Match 51: Winners of Group B vs. Runners of Group A, 12 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Winners of Group B vs. Runners of Group A, 12 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Match 52: Winners of Group D vs. Runners of Group C, 4 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Monday, June 30 Match 53: Winners of Group E vs. Runners of Group F, 3 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium Winners of Group E vs. Runners of Group F, 3 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium Match 54: Winners of Group G vs. Runners of Group H, 9 p.m. at Camping World Stadium Tuesday, July 1 Match 55: Winners of Group H vs. Runners of Group G, 3 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Winners of Group H vs. Runners of Group G, 3 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium Match 56: Winners of Group F vs. Runners of Group E, 9 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Quarterfinals Friday, July 4 Match 57: Winners of Match 53 vs. Winners of Match 54, 3 p.m. at Camping World Stadium Winners of Match 53 vs. Winners of Match 54, 3 p.m. at Camping World Stadium Match 58: Winners of Match 49 vs. Winners of Match 50, 9 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field Saturday, July 5 Match 59: Winners of Match 51 vs. Winners of Match 52, 12 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Winners of Match 51 vs. Winners of Match 52, 12 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Match 60: Winners of Match 55 vs. Winners of Match 56, 4 p.m. at MetLife Stadium Semifinals Tuesday, July 8 Match 61: Winners of Match 57 vs. Winners of Match 58, 3 p.m. at MetLife Stadium Wednesday, July 9 Match 62: Winners of Match 59 vs. Winners of Match 60, 3 p.m. at MetLife Stadium Finals Sunday, July 13 Match 63: Winners of Match 61 vs. Winners of Match 62, 3 p.m. at MetLife Stadium The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
The Guardian
10-06-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
The US men's national team has more of the last thing it needs: sports dad drama
The United States men's national team need a number of things. Some wins, after losing three straight games from March's Concacaf Nations League through Saturday's 2-1 loss to Turkey. A bit of momentum or indeed excitement for next year's World Cup on home soil. A clear identity, or at least a rediscovery of the kind of grit that once made this team competitive. A goalscorer. The one thing the Americans do not need is another episode of parent-driven drama. But that's what they have. Almost two and a half years on, US Soccer is still feeling the ripple effects from the Reyna Brouhaha. After the 2022 World Cup, Gio Reyna's parents, both former national teamers, set off a scandal when they told the federation about a decades-old domestic violence incident between then-head coach Gregg Berhalter and his wife when they were in college, triggering an investigation. The Reynas were reportedly upset about Gio's limited playing time in Qatar, and Berhalter's subsequent airing of the player's lack of effort in training. Berhalter was ultimately cleared of further wrongdoing and rehired, but the national team played for a pair of interim coaches for half a year and have never recovered the velocity they built up during Berhalter's first World Cup cycle, leading to a poor Copa América showing and the coach's ouster last summer. Reyna's career, meanwhile, has stalled, and could have benefited from the spotlight of the World Cup. Mark Pulisic, a former professional indoor player and coach and the father of the USMNT's best player, Christian Pulisic, added another chapter to the parental behavior files on Sunday. It started when Landon Donovan lauded the 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo for his effort with Portugal in Sunday's Uefa Nations League final: 'I can't help but think about our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off,' said Donovan, who was covering the game for Fox Sports. It was an apparent jibe at the younger Pulisic, who asked to be left out of the USMNT's Gold Cup campaign after a long club season with Milan and ahead of a World Cup year. The general complaint was not new; Donovan said similar things on his podcast in May. But on Fox, they were put squarely into the spotlight. In response, the elder Pulisic took to his private account on Instagram, posting an image of a ChatGPT response about Donovan taking a sabbatical from soccer in 2013. 'This guy is talking about commitment,' Mark Pulisic wrote in the caption. 'Look in the mirror + grow a pair and call names out or are you afraid next time you want an interview you will get rejected again.' Christian Pulisic liked the post. A few different things are true here, and they all speak to the current condition of the American men's game. For a start, the Pulisics are being thin-skinned. Fellow national team star Weston McKennie showed understanding for Pulisic's summer break. 'Any chance that we get, we want to play,' the Juventus midfielder, who will also miss the Gold Cup while in action at the Club World Cup, told USA Today. 'But obviously, if you don't feel like your body is in the right condition, and you don't feel like your body is in the best form or shape or whatever, to be able to do that at 100%, and you feel like you're risking injury, then it's better to let someone else go in that is completely 100%.' Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion Tyler Adams, who is in camp with the national team, has said he is fine with Pulisic's absence. So is US Soccer, at least publicly. 'After thoughtful discussions and careful consideration, we made the collective decision that this is the right moment for him to get the rest he needs,' the federation's sporting director, Matt Crocker, said of Pulisic upon the roster announcement. So why should the Pulisics care what a TV pundit – albeit one of the USMNT's best ever player – says about Christian's choices? The whole thing also reflects the incestuousness of elite soccer in the United States, where everybody knows everyone and has for decades. Squabbles are never quite as superficial as they seem here, often harkening back to ancient grievances. The public nature of social media (even private accounts) is an accelerant. Beyond the aforementioned Reynas, Mark Pulisic is not the only USMNT dad who is very online. It's also valid to point out that Donovan and the other critical members of the punditocracy may not entirely understand what it's like to be in Christian Pulisic's shoes. Donovan took his own sabbatical and has acknowledged how taxing it is to be the face of the national team. 'I understand very clearly what it's like to need a break,' Donovan said on his podcast in May. Yet Donovan never played a full European season as a first-team regular. He was never a leading player for one of the continent's most regal teams in a grueling league like Italy's Serie A, relied upon several times a week to win games while his team is expected to compete in four competitions, including the Champions League. Pulisic not only did all of that, but he was Milan's leading scorer in his best season yet. (As an aside, this is also where the comparison to Ronaldo falls apart, since the latter played his club soccer in the much gentler Saudi Arabian league this season.) However you tally up insults and umbrage, there is no escaping the conclusion that the timing of it all is particularly unfortunate. The USMNT, after all, are about to embark on a summer tournament in which they hope to move on the from all the recent dysfunction at last. Now they have even more of it, and the player in question isn't even in camp. Leander Schaerlaeckens is at work on a book about the United States men's national soccer team, out in 2026. He teaches at Marist University.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Group F Preview
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicks off on June 14th, and 32 teams will embark on a quest to lift the Club World Cup trophy in the first edition of an expanded format. With the match being hosted in the United States, the team payouts are higher and the stakes are higher for the teams involved as they hope to prove they are the best club in the world. Group F is an open group where there could be a couple of dark horse candidates. We take a look at the teams in this group and who could emerge as the favorites to move through to the knockout stage. Fluminense League: Brasileiro Serie A (Brazil) How they qualified: 2023 Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense will not be afraid of any team in the group. Top Players Thiago Silva is back in a major tournament! The 40-year-old defender is the captain for Fluminense, and he will try to help steady the defense. Jhon Arias is someone that is poised to break out, and it could help really generate some creativity in their offense. Advertisement Team Synopsis Fluminense hasn't tapped the maximum of their ability yet, and they hope to take this opportunity to take a huge step forward. Their ability to score has been an issue at times for them during the season, and they can't afford to waste chances against the teams in the Club World Cup. Borussia Dortmund League: Bundesliga (Germany) How they qualified: 3rd best UEFA team in 4-year ranking Can Gio Reyna make an impact, or will he struggle to get minutes? Top Players Fans of the USMNT will no doubt focus on whether Gio Reyna can make an impact during the tournament. There is also American Cole Campbell who may make the bench for Dortmund during the group stage. However, Serhou Guirassy was the talisman this season for the Black and Yellow, scoring 34 goals across all competitions. His production is vital to Dortmund's success. Advertisement Team Synopsis Dortmund is a strong team and they're built to withstand the pressure of a major tournament. They need to remain organized on defense, as that is where some of their struggles come to the surface. They should be one of the better teams in this group, but if they slip into some of the bad play that plagued them at times during the season, they can make it very difficult on themselves. Ulsan HD League: K League 1 (South Korea) How they qualified: Best AFC team in 4-year ranking Ulsan hope to turn people onto K League soccer. Top Players Heo Yool leads Ulsan in goals so far this season, and he has the work rate to continue that production in the group stage. Um Won-sang is one of the commanders of the midfield and he helps the team push forward. Advertisement Team Synopsis Ulsan is a team that most fans in the United States have not seen outside of the occasional Club World Cup from years past. That doesn't mean that they should be counted out. Ulsan is a very organized team defensively and they will attempt to keep their names at the forefront of people's minds with their play. The question will be whether they can generate the offense needed to win some games. Mamelodi Sundowns League: Betway Premiership (South Africa) How they qualified: 2nd best CAF team in 4-year ranking Mamelodi Sundowns hope to let the world know that they should never be underestimated. Top Players Lucas Ribeiro Costa (14 goals) and Igraam Rayners (13 goals) were the top scorers in the Betway Premiership this season, and the 1-2 punch will be counted on to provide more scoring for the Sundowns in the group stage. Advertisement Team Synopsis Mamelodi Sundowns is just used to winning so far in the 2020s. They have won the South African Premiership 5 straight times and won the inaugural African Football League (CAF's version of the Nations League) in 2023. With some prolific scoring, they hope to bring that open style of soccer to the Club World Cup and leave the tournament with fans finally understanding that African soccer begins at Sundown. Group Predictions Borussia Dortmund should have the firepower to advance out of Group F, while the second team to get out of the group could be a toss up. Each team has the ability to win, but in the end it's Fluminense's experience that pulls them through. Advertisement More from
Fox Sports
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
13 USMNT World Cup hopefuls who could, or should, switch clubs this summer
Somehow it's June already, and while the summer transfer season won't officially kick off for most European soccer clubs until the beginning of next month, teams across the continent are quickly getting their ducks in a row ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. For many members of the U.S. men's national team player pool, their next move is pivotal. The 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil is now just 12 short months away, and how they perform in their day jobs starting this August will go a long way to determining how much they play during the Greatest Show on Earth, if they even get there at all. Here are 13 Americans who could — or should — find a new club over the next 13 weeks or so. GK Matt Turner No U.S. player needs a move more than Turner, who played in just four games for Palace all season and none after March 1. Asked earlier this month about his top keeper's lack of minutes, Mauricio Pochettino admitted that Turner needs reps before the World Cup. "Until now Matt was our number-one choice, but that can change," the U.S. coach said. " In one year's time, I think he needs to find a way to compete every week" at the club level. That could be in England's second-tier Championship, elsewhere in Europe, or even back in MLS, where Turner was named Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021 before moving from the New England Revolution to Premier League Arsenal. But the Americans' 2022 World Cup starter has mostly been a backup over the last three seasons, making just 31 appearances for the Gunners, Nottingham Forest and Palace. Wherever he lands in 2025-16, he has to be the No. 1. M/F Gio Reyna If the 2026 World Cup began today, Gio Reyna probably wouldn't be on the roster. That's a damning indictment of how far the 22-year-old's stock has fallen over the last year. Reyna made just three starts for Borussia Dortmund in 2024-25. He logged just 20 total; minutes off the bench over the Black & Yellow's last 10 Bundesliga games and was an unused substitute in eight of them. With a year left on his contract, BVB has given the oft-injured attacker the green light to find a new employer this summer. It could even happen this month; FIFA has opened a special early-June transfer window for Club World Cup participants such as Dortmund. Per multiple reports, Spanish La Liga side Real Sociedad is interested in signing Reyna. It would be the perfect fit on paper. Wherever he ends up, though, the Qatar 2022 veteran must play regularly — and well — to ensure that he isn't watching the biggest event in sports from his couch 12 months from now. M/D Yunus Musah An in-pen starter for the national team since 2022, Musah isn't one right now under Pochettino— something that missing the Gold Cup for undisclosed personal reasons won't help. In Milan, Musah is seemingly on the way out after two seasons. He made 19 starts under since-fired managers Paulo Fonseca and Sérgio Conceição, but reports in Italy say the seven-time European champs are looking to offload the American over the summer. Perhaps the appointment of Max Allegri on Friday changes that. Otherwise, expect to see Musah at a new club in Serie A, Spain or the Premier League next season. M Gianluca Busio After four seasons with Venezia, Busio is ready for a chance of scenery. The Sporting Kansas City product suffered his second relegation from Serie A this season. If competing week-in and out in one of Europe's best leagues wasn't enough to make him a U.S. regular — after starting Pochettino's first two games as USMNT boss, Busio was dropped to the bench and then dropped from the squad altogether — heading back to Serie B won't cut it, especially in a World Cup year. Busio will have options abroad, no doubt. Would the 23-year-old consider a return to MLS? That path worked for another technical and undersized central midfielder in Luca de la Torre, who was loaned from La Liga side Celta to expansion San Diego in January and subsequently played his way onto the Gold Cup squad. M Johnny Cardoso Even before his wildly successful first half season with Real Betis was over, Cardoso was being linked with a move elsewhere. Tottenham purchased a right of first refusal. Even mighty Real Madrid were sniffing around. Now, after the New Jersey-born, Brazil-bred central midfielder's first full campaign ended with a UEFA Conference League final loss to Chelsea, Cardoso seems set to join the Spanish capital's other giant: Atletico Madrid. Last week, reported that Atléti is leading the race to sign the 23-year-old. M/F Diego Luna Luna enters the Gold Cup in excellent club form; in 16 MLS games for Real Salt Lake so far this season, the diminutive winger/attacking midfielder already has as many goals — eight — as he did all of last year. That production has caught the attention of European teams. RSL could receive a bona fide offer for Luna between now and Aug. 21, when the domestic league's summer transfer window slams shut. The Californian has earned the opportunity to test himself at the top level. He should be careful, though. Four years ago, U.S. striker Ricardo Pepi put himself on a path to the 2022 World Cup. Then he left MLS for Germany and struggled for playing time; the move that probably cost Pepi trip to Qatar. Luna, 21, is in a good spot now with RSL but is destined for Europe eventually. It will be interesting to see when he decides to make the leap. LB Antonee "Jedi" Robinson Although the longstanding Jedi-to-Liverpool rumors have died down a little heading into the silly season as the English champions consider all options, the expectation remains that Robinson will leave Fulham for a Champions League-level club this summer. The 27-year-old left back is coming off a career season for the Cottagers; his 10 assists led all defenders and was tied for fourth overall in the Premier League. With three years remaining on his contract, Jedi, who was voted U.S. Soccer's male athlete of the year for 2024, could fetch a fee as high as $50 million. F Josh Sargent A Best XI season in England's Championship wasn't enough to get Sargent on the Gold Cup squad, which means there's nothing Sargent can do at Norwich to return to Pochettino's good graces. Simply put, Sargent has to move to a better league and continue scoring regularly to have any chance of making his second career World Cup squad. A return to the Bundesliga, where he began his career, could be the perfect fit. F Christian Pulisic The odds that Pulisic leaves AC Milan before the most important season of his life seem slim. Pulisic himself wrote on social media this week that he was "hungry for more" at the San Siro after what he described as "Not our best season." Despite the 26-year-old's career-best 17 goals, Milan finished eighth in Serie A and will not compete in European competitions next season. That led to speculation that Pulisic, who has delayed signing a contract extension with the Rossoneri even after agreeing to term, could leave the club this summer. Word is several Premier League clubs are interested in brining America's best player back to England. Pulisic helped Chelsea win the European title in 2021. The arrival of veteran manager Allegri may have settled Pulisic, though. Over the weekend on Instagram, the Pennsylvania native dropped another hint that he's staying put: "He's to bigger and better next season," he wrote. RB Alex Freeman The rumored interest in Freeman in England is real, a source with knowledge of the situation told FOX Sports. Why wouldn't it be? The son of Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman is young, technical, coachable and outlandishly athletic. Those attributes make the 20-year-old the prototypical modern fullback. No wonder European suitors are eager to get him across the pond as soon as possible, though he won't come cheap: Orlando would probably have to receive an eight-figure transfer offer to consider moving Freeman mid-season. No wonder, given how rapidly the youngster's stock is climbing: The lesser known Sullivan brother — 21-year-old Quinn is six years older than Philadelphia Union teammate Cavan Sullivan, who made international headlines last spring when he signed with Manchester City at age 14 — has been one of the best midfielders in MLS season. Poch isn't the only one who has noticed: so too have European clubs, particularly in the Netherlands, sources told FOX Sports. The fact that Sullivan also has a European Union passport (via his German mother) and therefore wouldn't count as a non-EU player only makes him more appealing to suitors across the pond. LB Max Arfsten The converted winger has emerged as one of the top left backs in the country under the tutelage of Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy, with whom Arfsten won an MLS Cup in 2023 and nearly the continental title a year ago. This year, Arfsten, 24, broke in at the international level. He made two starts and played in three games overall, and beat out the Europe-based likes of Kristoffer Lund, John Tolkin and Caleb Wiley for a Gold Cup roster spot. The University of California-Davis product could soon join them overseas; a French Ligue 1 club is interested in inking him in July, one source told FOX Sports. LB Peyton Miller Still just 17, the New England Revolution fullback probably isn't a realistic candidate for 2026. But the U-20 U.S. national teamer is already being touted by some as Jedi's eventual replacement long-term. A second-year pro, Miller has started 10 of the Revs' 15 MLS games in 2025. On Saturday night, he scored his first career goal in a 3-0 rout of CF Montreal. At least one Premier League club wants to buy him this summer, though under FIFA rules they'll have to loan him back to New England until he turns 18 in November. Either way, he's expected to be in Europe by January, multiple sources tell FOX Sports. Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ ByDougMcIntyre . recommended Get more from FIFA Men's World Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
