Cape Verde qualifies for first World Cup, Aussies call MLS home, and more: Tuesday Freedom Kicks
Mooooorning footy folks! I write this to you with a bruised behind from my over 30 mens league. Took a nasty tumble when I went for a header. But all good and we tied 4-4. Anyways, onto the footy news!
Washington Spirit Defender Gabby Carle Called Up to Canada Women’s National Team (Washington Spirit)
Gabby Carle will add two more caps to her 58 games played for the Canadian national team. She’s quitely become a key figure for both her club and national team. Go Gabby!
NWSL Power Rankings: Temwa Chawinga eyes NWSL Golden Boot (ESPN)
The Spirit remain in second place in the Power Rankings only trailing the KC Current who this past weekend set the single season points record in NWSL.
I know there’s a broad spectrum of feelings regarding the World Cup next summer, but I will always love seeing debutants. Cape Verde secured their World Cup berth yesterday and I’m excited to see the Blue Sharks make their first ever appearance in a World Cup next year!
Dutch-born players making Suriname World Cup dreams a reality (ESPN)
Suriname could be one of the surprise automatic qualifiers from CONCACAF. Interesting read and I learned a lot such as how only one Surinamese player who played in Friday’s qualifier actually grew up in Suriname.
A new frontier: why Aussies are coming to MLS for soccer opportunity (Guardian)
Interesting article that talks about the growing number of Aussies in currently plying their trade in MLS (8 and counting) and two Kiwis. Mentions DC United and Australia national team defender, Kye Rowles, who arrived from the Scottish Premier League during the last offseason.
AI agent? Ex-Utd prospect used ChatGPT to negotiate move (ESPN)
Continuing with our AI theme from yesterday’s Freedom Kicks; there are many jobs where AI will replace humans, but football agent hadn’t crossed my mind…
Trinity Rodman has entered her vlogging era. I watched a bit of it. 1) I am reminded just how young Trin is (23 years old) and 2) she’s got a really nice house.
MATCH PREVIEW: DC Power FC Hosts Sporting JAX for First Time at Audi Field on Tuesday (DC Power FC)
DC Power looking for their first win since August 23rd when they beat… Sporting JAX. They play at Audi Field tonight at 7 PM.
USMNT vs. Australia: How to watch, TV channel, live stream
And don’t forget it’s USA vs Australia tonight as well at 9 PM!
That’s all from me today folks!
Brad Guzan announced that he’s retiring at the end of the season. Would imagine that means there’s at least a chance we see him in goal this weekend (which probably helps our chances a little bit, if that’s the case)
He’s had a heck of a career. Not sure if there are any other Chivas USA alums still out there, other than Mark Delgado.
I’m a web dev professionally, so AI is a huge topic in the space at the moment with a lot of different views. Personally, because I’m a gov’t contractor in cleared spaces AI isn’t allowed at work due to security risks.
If AI can be a football agent, and a football agent can be a GM (our last two guys), then it’s only a matter of time before DC United is the first team in the world to name ChatGPT their new GM.
It is the wave of the future!
(Who was that crypto sponsor on our jerseys?)
I must say, one of the great side-effects of the expanded World Cup is stories like Cape Verde and Suriname. We’ve a slight surge with Curacao (Dutch) also, for example. I wonder if the Caribbean can bulk up on their respective teams like Suriname has done.
Faroe Islands has entered the chat
Isn’t that amazing!?!
55K population.
My Tartan Army friends love traveling to Faroe Islands for games.
I’m not sure if there are any other “ready-made” improvements like Suriname. The linked ESPN article explains the backstory, with a turbulent path for Suriname after independence from the Netherlands in 1975. A key point explaining the sudden increase in recruiting amongst the diaspora:
“it was only ahead of its 2021 return to the Concacaf Gold Cup, its first participation in the continental championship in 36 years, that Suriname’s government would issue athletes passports without requiring them to surrender their other nationality.”
I’m not aware of any other Caribbean nation currently holding a policy line like that, but perhaps there is?
The “sleeping giant” of Haïti has other issues, but perhaps we can hope one day…
Scrum feeding refereed properly in France after Churchill-inspired law change https://share.google/miInJNZVk6kDHNqEf
I hope these changes in the French Rugby leagues make their way to MLR.