By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jul 8, 2019) US Soccer Players – In what may have been the most competitive and unpredictable Gold Cup in history, Mexico lifted the trophy on Sunday night at a sold out Soldier Field in Chicago. At the same time, the region’s teams showed a growth in talent and maturity, putting the world’s other confederations – notably Africa and Asia – on notice that they plan . . .
Preview: The 2019 Gold Cup semifinals
By Clemente Lisi – PHILADELPHIA, PA (Jul 1, 2019) US Soccer Players – The Gold Cup enters the semifinal stage with several key storylines. At a tournament that has seen plenty of upsets so far, we head to the final four. The teams left standing at this tournament, Mexico, Haiti, Jamaica and the United States, says a lot about the current state of Concacaf. After the confederation instituted the . . .
Q&A with USMNT player Jordan Morris
By Clemente Lisi – CLEVELAND, OH (June 24, 2019) US Soccer Players – The United States is firing on all cylinders at this Gold Cup following the 6-0 rout of Trinidad and Tobago. The USMNT has had several offensive weapons emerge at this tournament, and a few more coach Gregg Berhalter can still deploy as the Gold Cup progresses. One of them is Seattle Sounders striker Jordan Morris. On a roster . . .
2019 Gold Cup Preview: The USMNT’s opponents in Group D
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (June 17, 2019) US Soccer Players – The United States enters the 2019 Gold Cup knowing that it faces a tricky group stage against a trio of teams that will try to pull off an upset. The USMNT is also very familiar with two of those three teams, Trinidad & Tobago and Panama, giving the Americans a scouting edge ahead of their first game. “I think we have a great . . .
International absences make it difficult for six MLS teams
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (June 10, 2019) US Soccer Players – MLS teams have been here before. It happens every year in late spring/early summer whenever a major international tournament is on the schedule. MLS takes a break, but even then there are player absences that can cost teams in the short and long term. Missing players due to international duty means MLS coaches will need to . . .
Longevity in MLS
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (June 3, 2019) US Soccer Players – Longevity is something every soccer player hopes for but few find. Italy's Dino Zoff was 40 when he led his country to the 1982 World Cup title. He would retire a year later. Others have not. Dutch striker and 1992 World Player of the Year Marco van Basten retired at 28 following a recurring ankle injury. Some of MLS's oldest . . .
The Midwest’s Gold Cup opportunity
By Clemente Lisi – CHICAGO, IL (May 27, 2019) US Soccer Players – There are many geographic regions across the United States that can lay claim to being soccer’s home. The New York metropolitan area, with its immigrants and years of past success with the Cosmos, is one. California and Texas have a similar tradition. The Pacific Northwest and the Seattle-Portland rivalry, is another. The South, . . .
Will the Champions League avoid negative tactics?
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 20, 2019) US Soccer Players – This is the time of year for crowning champions. In Europe, domestic cup tournaments typically close out the long club season. The continent’s biggest trophies, the UEFA Champions League and Europa League provide an appropriate end to the season. For the first time in history, both finals will feature only English clubs. The . . .
Big seasons for USMNT players in the Bundesliga, Scotland, and Belgium
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 13, 2019) US Soccer Players – If August brings with it the promise of what could be, May is the time to assess results. That’s what teams, coaches, and players who earn a living across Europe do at the end of every season. Over the past nine months, we’ve witnessed many successes and plenty of failures. For Americans playing in Europe, it has once again been a . . .
Preview: The 2019 US Open Cup
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 6, 2019) US Soccer Players – The 2019 US Open Cup starts this month. It's the country’s oldest soccer tournament, a single-elimination knockout competition that dates back to 1914. The first round, which kicks off May 7, will feature 32 teams made up of eight amateur clubs in addition to the National Premier Soccer League and USL League One and Two. While last . . .
