DC Power Honors and Call Ups, Champions League Disappointment, Suarez Lashes Out, Jersey Releases, and more: Thursday Freedom Kicks
Welcome to Thursday! Today is poised to be another eventful day in the soccer world. The USMNT roster for the November international window is expected to drop this morning. How will Mauricio Pochettino construct this roster? Will he give a few hopefuls on the outside looking in on last chance to seize a spot on next year’s World Cup roster? Will he choose to give the core he’s planning on deploying next year more time together to build chemistry? Until the roster is released enjoy these stories from around the soccer world.
Midfielder Alexis Theoret Named to Gainbridge Super League October Team of the Month (DC Power)
For the second month in a row, the DC Power midfielder is honored with a spot in the Team of the Month. A rookie, she has started every game for the Power and leads the team in assists.
Forward Jaydah Bedoya Receives First Call Up to Puerto Rico Women’s National Team (DC Power)
Puerto Rico is getting a jump on its call ups for the next international window coming at the end of this month. Bedoya will make her first appearance for Puerto Rico in the CONCACAF Women’s Qualifiers. She previously featured in two friendlies for Ecuador.
Champions League roundup: Club Brugge hold Barcelona in six-goal thriller (The Guardian)
Wednesday was not a great day for heavyweights Barcelona and Chelsea in the Champions League. Barcelona escaped from Belgium with a point after drawing with Club Brugge. Only a stoppage foul which negated a goal, kept them from leaving Brugges in defeat. For Chelsea, they left Azerbaijan with a 2-2 draw against Qarabag.
CF Montréal statement on assistant coach Maxime Leconte (CF Montreal)
Leconte’s tenure in Montreal was just one season.
Suárez adds another incident to his ever growing list of infamous behavior and in the process gives Nashville a boost going into their decisive Game 3 against Inter Miami. In this case, the target of his ire was Andy Najar. If you haven’t seen it here is the video.
USWNT big board: Girma, Rodman injuries cloud 2027 World Cup plans (ESPN)
We’re a year plus out from the Women’s World Cup, so its not to early to speculate about what the squad might look like. Per their “big board”, Aubrey Kingsbury is on the outside looking in. Criox Bethune and Tara McKeown are on the bubble and Trinity Rodman is in the squad. Thoughts?
The US U-17 team is off to a good start after a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso. They play Tajikistan on Saturday at 9:45 A.M.
Shared without comment.
If you’ve ever been curious about what it takes to build a league and a team from the ground up, Michele Hozer spent two-and-a-half years documenting efforts to get the Northern Super League off the ground.
Adidas drops huge collection of World Cup 2026 jerseys (Pro Soccer Wire)
I’ve said this before, but I am big fan of what Adidas does in jersey design. Adidas always makes the German and Mexican national teams look good. Its a shame Germany will be parting ways from Adidas after this tournament.
Finally, I’ll end with this. For the Football Manager fans.
Game on! Groundbreaking move sees Ninja A-League make iconic Football Manager debut (A Leagues)
Football Manager’s Alan Granger on game’s soccer influence (ESPN)
What did I miss?
Tom Bogert was reporting that Tata Martino will be returning to coach Atlanta. Miguel Almiron is already there. He also reported that Josef Martinez will be departing San Jose and will be a free agent. It makes emotional sense for the band to be getting back together.
I don’t think that DC would bring in Josef, and it probably wouldn’t make much soccer sense, but I would be pretty entertained having him here.
The fact that it doesn’t make sense is a reason it might actually happen in DC.
Inside DC United’s transfer dynamic, there are two wolves.
One is hungry for players who are bad ideas and short term fixes, at best.
The other is our reputation that makes players just go “Ew, why would I want to play there?”
It’s kind of wild how Martinez keeps scoring everywhere he goes, but isn’t good enough for anyone to hang onto at whatever salary he’s getting. He’s probably going to improve Atlanta merely because he’s not going to have whatever horrible attitude or motivational issues the rest of the team seemed to be suffering. And the coach will be better than Deila. They’ll need a lot more than just the old boys though.
If DC United is good at one thing, its bringing in beloved former Atlanta players, so never say never
Us and Montreal–we’re the dumpster fires of MLS.
I googled USMNT to see if the roster had dropped, was greeted to a host of articles about how Pochettino is wistful for a return to EPL management, saying he misses it.
Trying to incorporate the USMNT stars into a coherent unit when they’ve proven to be disappointing and unmotivated is getting to him, but I would have kept this one to myself.
In ability to keep thoughts like that internal may be a new job requirement now or USMNT coaches after GGG and this.
I wonder if he grasps how slim his prospects are for EPL employment if the USMNT is a flop as a host country. Like, we knew you weren’t gonna stick around forever, but focusing is in his interest in a massive way. Seems that’s not in his current wheelhouse…
I feel like “____’s tenure in Montreal was only one season” applies to…essentially every position in their front office over the last like ten years
It’s so funny when teams like Italy get a World Cup kit but there’s a decent chance they don’t make it. Don’t get me wrong; I am fan of the Azzurri and obviously Adidas needs to be prepared if they qualify but it could end up being a largely unused kit.
It’s a nice looking jersey. I wonder for a team like Italy if there is enough of a population out there that might buy it because it’s Italy that Adidas might net a profit from still selling them.
USMNT roster dropped.
I should have gone ahead and called it earlier, but I swear I had a premonition this morning that Gio would be back, and lo, it occurred.
Absolutely no justification from a form and playing time perspective, but Poch has decided to kick the tires one last time, I bet.
Jonathan Klinnsman is also in camp. Much good may it do him.
https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/usmnt/2025/11/06/usmnt-november-roster-three-takeaways-from-pochettino-squad/87115197007/#
I wish I could say I’m rooting for Dest to come back in and prove me wrong about his character and willingness to play for the team.
In truth, my animosity for his vibe and decision making has grown too strong at the moment. Since he’s unlikely to be cast out entirely, I’ll instead try to leave the door open.
Reyna might be so up shit’s creek at club level that taking him away doesn’t matter, and as you said, give him a last chance to do something. Odds are he’s going to get hurt merely because that’s what happens to all of our most technically sound players.
As for the GKs, it really doesn’t matter who else he calls in if he’s just going to play Freese the entire time anyway.