Michail Antonio “grateful” after car crash, James Sands loaned to St. Pauli, and more: Thursday Freedom Kicks
Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome to 2025…let’s make it a good year. As we get our feet wet in the new year, help out the site by telling a friend or two about it. Our biggest New Year’s resolution is to continue to grow this site into one that can be home for all DC soccer fans, and we thank you for being a part of it!
West Ham’s Michail Antonio ‘grateful to be alive’ after car crash (ESPN)
Michael Antonio almost lost his life a couple weeks ago in a car crash. Thankfully, he’s recovering and he says he’s grateful to be alive. We’re so glad that he has a road to recovery and hope he’s fully healthy soon.
USMNT midfielder Sands joins St. Pauli on loan from NYCFC (PSW)
James Sands is off to the Bundesliga, going on loan to St. Pauli for the rest of the season with an option to extend it for the 2025-2026 season as well.
Hey Spirits episode: Happy New Year + 2025 look ahead (DP)
The Hey Spirits crew blessed us with a new episode to kick off the new year right. Give it a listen!
Bold USMNT predictions for 2025 (SSFC)
It’s a new year for the USMNT. Over at Stars & Stripes FC, I do my annual set of bold predictions for the team. Of course, we did look back and see which predictions from last year were on the mark and which ones went wide of the net.
Bold USWNT predictions for 2025 (SSFC)
We offer some predictions for the USWNT as well, in a year that will be marked, in part, with the word “transition.” We also take a look at how on frame our 2024 predictions – https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/uswnt-news/2024/12/30/24329051/2024-in-review-usa-uswnt-predictions-recap-correct-incorrect were.
From the Euros to Canada’s new league: women’s football in 2025 (The Guardian)
The Guardian tells us what in the world of women’s soccer we can look forward to in 2025. Should be a great year for the game!
Team America: The USMNT was once formed into an NASL club and things got weird (The Athletic)
An in depth look at Team America from the old NASL and how the USMNT was able to keep afloat by playing in the league.
Enjoy the day!
The team put out a Happy New Year video. It featured Troy Lesesne, Christian Benteke, Lucas Bartlett, Gabriel Pirani, Jacob Murrell and Jared Stroud.
Of minor interest, Benteke was wearing some DC gear with 2023’s sponsor, XDC. Not sure if that was just re-used footage or what. And Pirani filmed his greeting in front of a framed jersey of his from some other (presumably Brazilian) team.
This seems to indicate to me that those reports of Pirani being shopped were probably just rumors. I don’t feel like they’d include him in this video (with a very limited amount of players) if they were actively trying to get rid of him
Maybe he liked that training sweater lol
Could be!
Philadephia Union hired the former interim NYRB manager (the interim guy a few years before Troy Lesesne) and subsequently St. Louis City manager (let go after disappointing run).
I just saw an ad on American cable for Trivago, with some American actor dude…and Jurgen Klopp.
Let that sink in.