Should Atlanta United call Tata Martino or bet on an uncertain future with Ronny Deila? I spoke to Martino about the state of his former team. "Looking at the squad from a distance, you might’ve expected a different outcome for the season.” www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...

Son Heung-min records his first MLS hat trick 🎩

I visited Guadalajara to get a sense of the culture and see how the city is preparing for the 2026 World Cup www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...

For the first time in 215 years of Mexican history, a woman led the national cry of independence late Monday night: President Claudia Sheinbaum, the first female president in the country’s history. nyti.ms/4mjCqvh

1. We'll know Liga MX is serious about growth when they do a single media rights deal. Until then, this is just tooting their own horn--which is fine. But that's all it is. 2. A merger is one of the dwindling few game-changing opportunities left to improve men's soccer in this country. I back it.

Inject this in my veins. A combined MLS / USL / Liga MX / CPL with Pro-Rel, fewer teams in the top flight, increased interest from press is exactly what we need.

Some eye-catching quotes on this story by @felipecardenas.bsky.social

Finally got a chance to read this. Well worth your time. #LigaMXEng

“You talk to people in Europe about Liga MX, they’re like, ‘This is a sleeping giant.’ How league fixtures in the U.S. and a flood of foreign investment could transform Mexican football after 2026, leaving MLS behind. www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

Nine months after resigning as head coach of Inter Miami, Tata Martino is available again. He spoke to The Athletic about: ✅ His last conversation with Messi ✅ How MLS success can backfire ✅ On Luis Suarez ✅ Son Heung-min, LAFC ✅ And more... www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

🟡 Lost six matches 🟡 Beaten in home qualifier for first time 🟡 Thrashed by Argentina Brazil only just qualified for the 2026 World Cup. Now head coach Carlo Ancelotti faces a race against time to fix them before the tournament, writes @jacklang.bsky.social. 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

From @theathleticfc.bsky.social: Cristiano Ronaldo is in line to play in the United States for the first time in more than a decade.

Atlanta’s 71,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host a 2026 World Cup tuneup between the #USMNT and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, per multiple sources‬⁩: www.foxsports.com/stories/socc...

As part of a larger interview out this week, I spoke to Tata Martino about Mauricio Pochettino's troubled start with the USMNT, Christian Pulisic's absences, MLS and more. Martino: “Coaches are judged by results, not by whether they gave players rest." www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

Mauricio Pochettino arrived with a vision. Eleven months into his tenure, time and hope are in short supply with a World Cup looming. http://dlvr.it/TMy1yV

The USMNT, over the past 3+ years, has now been an away team on home soil vs. opponents from all five major soccer confederations. Part of that is a natural (and beautiful) consequence of being the United States. Part of it, also, is absolutely a commentary on this uninspiring team.

Mauricio Pochettino insisted his United States side was the “better” team despite falling 2-0 to South Korea on Saturday in the latest demoralizing setback of the head coach’s reign. 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...

It was another perfect night for Lionel Messi and Argentina www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...

On the next Totally Extra... @acjimbo.bsky.social's taking a deep-dive into Colombia's legendary golden generation with the help of @felipecardenas.bsky.social, @oilysailor.bsky.social & Luis Miguel Echegaray 🇨🇴⚽️ Any questions? Or memories of the glory days? 👇

I chatted with U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker about his grand plan for player development. (and with him + others about why implementing it is so dang difficult.) Feature @theathleticfc.bsky.social:

The Notre Dame-Miami rivalry was peak college football. Then it abruptly stopped. Why? http://dlvr.it/TMmJqj

Grimsby Town 2-0 Manchester United. Goals from Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren have put the fourth tier club in front at the break against Ruben Amorim's side. You can't say they don't deserve it. United look completely shellshocked.

Mauricio Pochettino was unfamiliar with the USMNT/MLS player pool. But many of us who follow the league were not.

Star Notre Dame tailback Jeremiyah Love doesn’t avoid the spotlight. He just engages with it on his own terms. Because no one is going to tell Jeremiyah Love who he’s supposed to be. http://dlvr.it/TMj8Cm

Which leagues, Poch? WHICH LEAGUES?!?

Scenes from Guadalajara’s famed Estadio Jalisco from the weekend. Modern stadiums are great, but there’s something pure and true about a relic.

The MAGA World Cup, also known as the 2026 World Cup, will begin June 11, but it really began Friday at the White House. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the draw’s date and location, and also made it very clear that this World Cup will be his.

As Christian Pulisic riled up American soccer this summer, his ex-USMNT coaches mostly stayed silent. Now, in this @theathletic.com feature on CP, they speak. Some of the criticism was "nonsense," Gregg Berhalter said. And Bruce Arena: "a little bit comical" www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano — who is sitting in the stands after a red card — talking on the phone to his assistant coach Lucas Rodriguez Pagano.

The best Thomas Müller quotes from his entertaining and revealing introductory press conference in Vancouver on Thursday www.nytimes.com/athletic/655...

So nice to see Pedro getting his flowers. It was starting to to get rough. Great work @felipecardenas.bsky.social. www.nytimes.com/athletic/654...

I spoke to Seattle Sounders winger Pedro De la Vega about the anatomy of a Puskás Award contender. “The ball came to me so perfectly that I didn’t even hesitate.” ⬇️⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/654...

From @theathleticfc.bsky.social: Son Heung-min will become arguably Major League Soccer’s second-most popular player. It’s a perfect marriage for the hundreds of thousands of Koreans and Korean-Americans who live in Southern California. nyti.ms/4lllbcB

Four good MLS reads at @theathleticfc.bsky.social. @joshuakloke.bsky.social behind the deal: Müller to Vancouver @felipecardenas.bsky.social 1-on-1 w/ Rodrigo De Paul @henrybushnell.bsky.social on Sonny's LAFC intro @jeffrueter.bsky.social on Son's tactical fit www.nytimes.com/athletic/foo...

New interview with World Cup champion Rodrigo de Paul on his move to Inter Miami/MLS, what drives him at this point of his career, admiring David Beckham. and celebrity in North America. www.nytimes.com/athletic/653...

Love the honesty

In the ever-saturated football ecosystem, where players’ unions continue to deride the congestion of the calendar, the MLS-Liga MX Leagues Cup could fade into the background www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

So, after 8 years(!) at Yahoo Sports, some news… I’m joining the superteam at The Athletic (@theathletic.com). 🧵...

Are you still interested in MLS vs Liga MX? Does that move the needle for you?

Column: Suspending Lionel Messi for skipping the MLS All-Star Game was petty and poorly handled. www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

As reported in multiple other places, including by Ben Jacobs, @tombogert.bsky.social and @manuelveth.bsky.social, the Vancouver Whitecaps are in talks with Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller. www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

We talked about this pretty extensively with @felipecardenas.bsky.social on @nosaudietis.sounderatheart.com

Bayern Munich are closing in on a €75million (£65.6m; $88.1m) deal to sign Liverpool forward Luis Diaz. More from @jamespearcelfc.bsky.social

LAFC is pushing hard to sign Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min in this summer window, according to multiple sources briefed on talks. No major progress as yet, but LAFC trying hard to get the South Korean superstar for 2025 and beyond. www.nytimes.com/athletic/651...

'Chicharito' Hernandez's chauvinistic social media posts add controversy to his legacy. www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

this would be more believable had he not said the exact opposite thing less than a year ago

At Trump Tower this morning FIFA president Gianni Infantino called this summer's Club World Cup “a huge, huge, huge success”, saying, “The golden era of football has started.” Respectfully — actually, no, not all that respectfully — I disagree www.nytimes.com/athletic/646...

Jimenez and Jota became firm friends during their time together at English Premier League side Wolves, from 2018 to 2020. "We shared many beautiful moments being important parts of what Wolves achieved in those times." www.nytimes.com/athletic/647...

Mexico's Raúl Jiménez paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota at the Gold Cup final. He brought out a custom Jota jersey and did his "controller" celebration after scoring a goal. Jiménez and Jota were former teammates together at Wolverhampton.

Paris Saint-Germain used to be the nearly men on the grandest stages. Domestically dominant, they would fall short when pitted against the best. But not any more. Under Luis Enrique, they are transformed — Champions League winners eager to add the FIFA Club World Cup. @felipecardenas.bsky.social