DC United win, Spirit win, and more: Monday Freedom Kicks
Happy Monday, everyone. Lot of soccer was on this weekend, so let’s get into it all.
Tai Baribo’s late penalty sends DC United past Toronto FC (DP)
Baribo gives DC United the win late on Saturday night in their first match back at Audi Field since May 23rd. Also, check out Jason’s report from the match.
Washington Spirit win close match against Denver Summit, 1-0 (DP)
Sofia had another banger of a goal, and that was the difference in a Spirit win that keeps them atop the NWSL table.
Loudoun United was on the road on Saturday night, and they get the win over Indy XI.
Women’s Africa Cup of Nations began yesterday, and the opening match featured new Washington Spirit signee Mélissa Bethi playing for Algeria. Bethi scored in the 88th minute as Algeria got the 2-0 opening match win over Senegal.
Messi won’t attend 2026 MLS All-Star Game, but doesn’t risk suspension this time (The Athletic)
Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are among several players who have been excused from All-Star duty due to required rest periods after the World Cup. Unlike last year, where he just skipped it, Messi and De Paul will not be suspended for missing this week’s All-Star Game in Charlotte.
Can MLS capitalize on World Cup fervor in the U.S.? (ESPN)
Hidden in this article is a report that MLS is considering some drastic changes to the salary cap structure, including instituting a salary cap floor and having a more simplified ceiling to allow teams more breathing room to spend on players.
Klopp starts Germany reign by threatening to quit (BBC)
Jurgen Klopp was officially introduced as Germany’s new head coach, but he started off with a warning to the media: invade his family’s privacy, and he’s gone.
Arsenal interested in Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior (ESPN)
Nope, sorry Arsenal. No.
Cape Verde’s World Cup sensation Vozinha to join Chile club Colo Colo (AP)
Vozinha will head to Chile to play for Colo Colo, the country’s most popular team. Glad he’s getting another contract after a brilliant World Cup.
Salma Paralluelo is headed to Lyonnes, and Michele Kang gets one of the true stars in the women’s game.
Inter Miami coach says German Berterame ‘OK’ after scary head injury (USA Today)
Glad to hear that German Berterame is okay after a head injury that caused him to have what appeared to be a seizure on the field. He was taken off the field by ambulance, and credit to the players and training staff for acting quickly to get him the medical attention he needed.
A very serious investigation that has grown from the hazing incidents that were reported a few weeks back. There’s no place for any of this in our game or society and hopefully there’s a top to bottom inquiry to identify the bad actors.
All 45 Major League Soccer players at the 2026 World Cup, ranked (The Guardian)
All 45 MLS players who were on World Cup rosters were ranked, from Lionel Messi to Joel Waterman. Find out where every player was ranked.
USA Soccercast, Episode 196: Addressing the local soccer discourse (SSFC)
So many “Eurosnobs” have repeatedly sought to dunk on MLS and the overall American soccer system as the reason we lost the World Cup. I address several of those points on the latest episode of the USA Soccercast. It’s not a full conversation, but let’s get it started honestly.
Japan great ‘King Kazu’ Miura scores first competitive goal after four years at 59 (Reuters)
All hail King Kazu!
Enjoy the day, y’all.
Dang hard to believe that Kazu is still going in pro soccer.
I posted this in the game recap, but for those of you that may have missed it:
Kimito Nono was apparently spotted on the field following the game against Toronto. Would imagine we’ll be getting that announcement soon, as well as an international spot resolution
Baribo makes the bench for MLS Team of the Matchday: https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/team-of-the-matchday-bouanga-heats-up-cali-clasico-provides-drama-md18-2026
Tutul Rahman normally has interesting things to say, and he’s pointed out a boost in interest in MLS following the World Cup. A sold out Audi Field for a DC United game would seem to corroborate such a thing. The changes hinted at in the ESPN article are good, but frustrating to have not had them ready to go either before or directly following the World Cup. I recently read the The Messi Effect, and they hammered that point pretty hard in the book. But, better late than never.
I’m glad to hear about them considering a salary floor, and I hope increases to the senior and supplemental salary minimums also come with that. Karamoko makes roughly $88k. That is like barely enough to live on your own in the DC/NOVA area. And I can only imagine what guys that play for the New York teams deal with in that regard.
That might get you a one bedroom apartment in Prince William or Loudoun counties in VA. If you wanted bigger you’d have to go further out.
The young guys would have to share apartments to live. Kind of like college grads in entry level jobs.
I think that United may have owned some apartments at some point in Prince George’s County or something where the young players could stay. But I also used to follow Hayden Sargis on YouTube, and he had what seemed to be his own home out in Northern Virginia.
Basement apartment in the Hamptons?
2 Power Rankings are out.
ESPN: Joseph Lowery keeps DCU at #20
Sports Illustrated: Ben Steiner keeps DCU at #22
On the head injury front, there is currently a case brewing over in the British High Court on rugby brain injuries. Players are claiming that organizing bodies failed to put safeguards in place. While those organizing bodies: World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union, Rugby Football Union, and Rugby Football League say they didn’t breach duty of care and are trying to get almost 500 cases thrown out. This case has now gone for six years since originally being brought up in 2020.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/cx27my7j2r7o