The October international break was bizarre. Sure, there were some interesting games and notable storylines like Mauricio Pochettino's debut with the USMNT. However, a bigger trend made headway. Players left their national teams prematurely to return to their clubs and prevent the further risk of injury. Headline players like Christian Pulisic, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van […]

Soccer coverage in the United States has made leaps and bounds recently, but despite the increase in coverage, why are there so few great American soccer studio analysts? Yes, there are plenty of world-class ones on US television. However, most of them are foreign. The ones who are American are fairly decent, but many of […]

While highs and lows are an inevitable part of football, Weston McKennie seems to be trapped in a never-ending rollercoaster since setting foot at Juventus. The American’s unusual story with the Old Lady dates back to the agonizing COVID-19 period. The Bundesliga was the first top European league to resume action on the pitch. Then-Juventus […]

This week, Lee Carsley named a talented England squad that features three elite midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden. Each of the young stars would be one of the top players in any international team. England is fortunate to have so many top players in the squad, but that also creates a situation. […]

Around 30 years ago, both MLS and the Japanese J-League started up as entirely new domestic leagues. Since then, both have undergone considerable change and expansion. For the J1 League, 10 teams competed in the 1992 season. Now, there are 20 teams in the top flight. Likewise, MLS has experienced massive growth after starting the […]

Editor's note: Since World Soccer Talk writer Michel Sakr is based in Beirut, Lebanon, we asked him to share his unique perspective on what life is like there. Even though sport is a much lower priority at times like these, Michel addresses the role that soccer plays in Lebanon. The drums of war have been […]

People who think Major League Soccer is holding back soccer in the United States gained an unexpected ally this week. Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO of Corporate Projects and New Investments for Red Bull, said in an interview on Monday that MLS is not growing as fast as it should be. Additionally, Mintzlaff said the players coming […]

The Swiss Model has drastically shaken up the UEFA Champions League, and the Leagues Cup may be able to learn something from it. For reference, the Swiss Model eliminated the traditional group-stage games in the UEFA Champions League. Rather than eight groups of four teams playing each other twice, there is one connected league. Thirty-six […]

Following an underwhelming four-year stint at Chelsea, Milan fans welcomed Christian Pulisic as the latest star alongside Rafael Leao. Fans showed skepticism coupled with cautious excitement in the summer of 2023. After all, the American’s vast talent was never in doubt. Instead, his ability to fulfill the early promise showcased during this time at Dortmund […]

Soccer has developed a reputation as being a largely money-driven sport as club owners and organizers hunt for profit. Over the last several years, there have been more tournaments and games across the globe. More teams have more access to playing in contests, which puts stress on players and more money in organizers’ pockets. The […]

Kyoung-rok Choi has followed in the footsteps of Koreans in the Bundesliga like Bum Kun Cha and Heung Min Son. Choi made his 2. Bundesliga debut for St. Pauli's first team in April 2015 in a match against Fortuna Düsseldorf. Choi scored a brace within the first 16 minutes of the game. In May 2018, […]