Gold Cup preliminary roster, USWNT Friendly Roster, and more: Wednesday Freedom Kicks
Yep, you’re not seeing things, Talonesque is posting Freedom Kicks now on Wednesdays! Here’s some hump day news from the past two days!
https://amp.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/usmnt-gio-reyna-left-off-2025-gold-cup-roster
There is a staggering 60 player preliminary roster announced for the Gold Cup, with some notable exclusions that some experts predicted (Gio, McKennie, and Weah) and at least one narratively intriguing pick (Sebastian Berhalter?!)
When it US Soccer Roster rains, it pours! Emma Hayes has called in 24 players for friendlies against China and Jamaica. Tara McKeown is the lone Spirit callup, but that seems likely due to some big players coming back from injury. Congrats to LaBonta for her first callup at 32!
As you can see, draws are very much in the water supply in the city of DC, as DC Power couldn’t quite get the 3 points, either.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45222048/uswnt-croix-bethune-90-spirit-post-injury
Croix talks about how she’s almost back to full form from her injury. Knock on all the wood.
Title is snarky, but the subject matter earns it. Basically, the Ballon D’or is making some necessary changes around the awards for women.
ESPN has Vancouver Whitecaps at #1, DC United at #25, and Inter Miami somewhere in between. Sorry, a little snark, they’re #6.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45220154/spurs-vs-man-utd-which-europa-league-finalist-wors
If this wasn’t a local soccer blog, this content would likely be first on the list. An absolutely monumental fight between two gigantic club names in the sport who are both really, really struggling in league play this season. Only one will win the final of the Europa League and qualify for the Champions League next year. They both need it, but the question stands, who is the real loser?
Just a little bit of redemption for a coach and a club in La Liga.
And finally, back to Gold Cup news, ESPN has focused on a few fringe players who deserve a call. Three of them are MLS players. Unclear whether the USMNT fanbase is ready to say anything good about an MLS callup ever again.
LATE EDIT:
Finally but importantly, DC United is hosting Charlotte tonight at Buzzard Point (generically known as Audi Field) at 7:30! For those who have a hard time making it to the stadium (like myself) the game is available to stream on Paramount+!
That’s what I’ve got! Be sure to comment, and have a great sporting day!
Woohoo! Talonesque kicking butt and taking names (well, journalistically speaking I mean). Thanks for providing a Wednesday column and looking forward to more.
Very wide spread of info–on such a wide range of subjects (soccer-wise).
DW II-esque?!
Great selection of news this first go around!
The changes to the women’s awards are good and much needed. Bigger question now is if they will be more reflective of who the best players currently are or if they’ll continue to be heavily tilted towards the names that the guys in France can remember. I’m more optimistic than before, but it’ll probably take a while for the lists to be more “accurate” as they typically are for the men.
I am looking forward to the Gold Cup, partially in anticipation of more anxiety about our performance. I expect this to be the moment some of the stalwarts get axed if they continue to play like they deserve a result without the focus or effort.
Talonesque! A brilliant debut, and delightfully with the touch you bring to your routine posts with the Commentariat.
Let’s just say, I am definitely tuning in every Wednesday!
I handed my tickets off to my step-son and his girlfriend for tonight’s game. Glad it’s under cover for them!
I’ll be doing the Paramount+ thing…..maybe with the fireplace going…..maybe with a wee dram of scotch, freshly brought from Scotland…..(did I bring Scottish weather too?)
Gosh, I would love for this team to get some hardware. All in on the Open Cup!!!!
Charlotte is going to be a tough test, but they’re also kind of at sixes and sevens themselves. I think they’ve lost something like five straight league games. If Murrell can dig one of his golazos out of his bag of tricks, we might have a shot.
Murrell is essential, which is why he will be on the bench….
;^)
Man, I have definitely gone grim…..
Oof, sorry, didn’t think to add the Open Cup to my searches, there’s certainly a broad list of local soccer stuff to cover! Thanks for mentioning it
No apologies needed at all. I figured we might a match thread or something. :^)
Welcome, Talonesque. I have certainly missed having a Wednesday Freedom Kicks. Thanks for stepping into the breach.
Struck a rich vein mining for links! Thanks. Good snark throughout, too
As a long-suffering Spurs fan, this season has been the most suffering ever, and yet…if they could magically overcome all those injuries… Come On You Spurs!!
Speaking acknowledging women and the Ballon D’or…In the New York Times crossord last week, the clue was “One-named Brazilian soccer star who is a six-time FIFA World Player of the Year”
But, it was 5 letters, not 4, so Pele didn’t work, Kaka also too short to be the answer, Ronaldo was too long.
Finally, it hit me.
Like the old paradigmatic sexism test — “There’s a car crash, involving a man and his child. The man dies, but the boy is rushed into surgery. The surgeon says “I can’t operate on this boy. That’s my son!” How is this possible?”
HA! Marta for the win (way too often, for a fan of her opponents).
The man abducted the child?
(kidding)
Well, congrats, Fischy. Truly mind blowing how absent striking venom is from Man U, but Spurs come out the best from a sliding doors moment for both clubs.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45273587/usa-kansas-city-current-alana-cook-suffers-injury-acl-mls-meniscus