FIFPRO World XI announced, Messi to Baltimore(!?), and more: Tuesday Freedom Kicks
Good morning everyone! An update on my 30+ soccer league adventures; we won last night! It had been a few weeks (maybe months) since we had won so it feels good to bask in the warm glow of victory despite my ankle being a little upset with me. Anyways, onto the football!
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal youngest in FIFPRO Men’s World 11 (ESPN)
At 18 years old, Yamal becomes the youngest player to feature in the team and PSG have 5 players in the team. Any male player who you think merited their inclusion but was left off? Discuss below!
Six England players join three from Spain in Fifpro women’s World XI (The Guardian)
English defender, Lucy Bronze, makes her record setting 8th appearance in the team and Barbara Banda is the sole NWSL representative. Some think that Arsenal and Spain midfielder, Mariona Caldentey, warranted a spot on the team. Was this an oversight from other players? Discuss below!
What’s the over/under on Messi seeing out his entire Inter Miami contract and never stepping foot in the District?
Mary Earps says she told Wiegman she was rewarding Hampton’s ‘bad behaviour’ (The Guardian)
Not sure how I feel about Earps airing out dirty laundry like and without exactly detailing Hampton’s behavior. It just feels like ruffling feathers just for the sake of it…
Ashley Hatch’s Next Chapter (Deseret)
It’s nice to see some very tangible positives come out of the new CBA for NWSL players. It’s also nice to see that Emma Hayes was very supportive of Hatch’s pregnancy.
NWSL History: Bev Yanez becomes first ever to make playoffs as player and head coach (All For XI)
No matter what happens against the Spirit on Saturday, Louisville has already made history in more ways than one.
Ex-USWNT coach Pia Sundhage relieved of Switzerland duties (ESPN)
Interesting because she was doing well with the Swiss women’s national team…
North Carolina FC tells players it won’t field a team in 2026 USL Championship season (NYT$)
This is surprising. Anyway Loudoun United can take their spot in the playoffs?
Sir David Beckham receives knighthood at Windsor Castle (ESPN)
“We are the knights who say ‘ni'” -David Beckham now (probably)
Finally, veterans of the DC area soccer scene will fondly remember Lucky Bar, one of the most popular bars in the city to watch soccer games. They were also the home for the DC chapter of the Manchester United fan club. They closed during the pandemic, but have reopened just in time for the World Cup next summer! I definitely plan to stop by at some point to catch a game with my fellow Washingtonians!
That’s it for me folks! Make sure to catch some Champions League action today during your lunch break! 😉
Bogert has now expanded more on the NCFC situation. Apparently, their USL membership was expiring this year, and the team is essentially making this play in hopes of getting added in as one of the USL D1 teams in 2028. No guarantee they get that granted, but USL see Raleigh as a D1 market (given MLS was (maybe still is?) looking at Raleigh for expansion at one point, that makes some sense)
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/46845294/barcelona-raphinha-posts-resume-ig-fifpro-snub
Dang should’ve included this but apparently Raphina did not take too kindly to his fellow professional footballers for not voting for him… #CrashOut
Baltimore.
“Hard times in the city
In a hard town by the sea
Ain’t nowhere to run to
There ain’t nothin’ here for free
Waitin’ for a train
Drunk lyin’ on the sidewalk
Sleepin’ in the rain
And they hide their faces
And they hide their eyes
‘Cause the city’s dyin’
And they don’t know why
Oh, Baltimore
Man, it’s hard just to live
Oh, Baltimore
Man, it’s hard just to live, just to live”
US U17s start their U17 World Cup campaign tomorrow morning against Burkina Faso, and then Tajikistan, before playing Czechia. Damn well better advance out of htis group.
I watched the 2013 US Open Cup final at Lucky Bar. An amazing night! Glad to hear it’s coming back. Try the fried baskets!
I watched some 2014 World Cup games there! Very excited to check it out again
Earps strikes me as a talented GK but not really a high emotional IQ.
It’s funny to me how European coverage of women’s soccer tends to ignore the NWSL and treat US females as lower class/lesser league athletes. I think Chawinga has a reasonable case for being considered for the Best XI. I get that significant absences would affect the valuation of the Triple Espresso, LaValle, and Girma. Still, the degree of Spanish and English domination hurts credibility of the award.
And I’m sorry to hear about Sundhage. I think she succeeded in-spite of the Swiss. No full-time assistant? And apparently they disagreed with her approach, implying that her assistant will bring “modern” tactics. Bah!
The Sundhage thing is very strange to me. I can’t help but surmise that the Swiss FA might have been reaching a point where their own authority or influence was to the point of waning enough that Pia would have been the larger force.
She did really well at the Euros, I don’t buy that this was a decision made with the long term sporting trajectory of the team in mind. Seems like they wanted to win the pissing contest while it was still possible.
I don’t think Sundhage is currently the most astute or talented coach in the women’s game, but I find it hard to believe the FA actually thinks they’re doing better here or could attract a superior candidate.
Edit- I mean, I guess Barcelona assistant manager could be a solid hire and have some good ideas, still maintain this is about control and ego.
I agree–that’s my read as well.
Sad news for rugby in the US as the Utah Warriors have announced they will now not compete in Major League Rugby in 2026.
https://goffrugbyreport.com/news/mlr-loses-another-team-what-should-they-do-now
Alex Goff in this article does a great job of the key issues facing MLR at the moment.
MLR is now down to just 6 teams for the 2026 Season: