Hail GFOP!

Rog writes: The United States Men’s National Team’s march to redemption against Türkiye was short but sweet. With so many big names out injured, on Club World Cup duty, or in self-imposed exile, and eight MLS starters (!), we touched the clouds for 59 delirious seconds. Young Jack McGlynn seized the opportunity to make his name unignorable by sniping a curling pearl from outside the box. I was covering the game on a TNT Watchalong with Clint Dempsey and Chris Paul, and it was a jaw-dropping moment, worthy of Prime Clint himself. 

Do I need to tell you how it ended? Our joy turned to ashes in our mouths. We tried to play progressive football, and the quality gap, never mind the experience gap, just kicked in. Football is all about decision making, and under the slightest pressure, the young United States’ was at baby deer levels. The equalizer in which Johnny Cardoso, who’s reportedly off to Atlético Madrid for $30 million, was caught in possession deep in his own area and reacted by attempting to flick the ball away artfully with the outside of his boot, succeeding only in hitting it in off Arda Güler, screamed the question, “Why are our boys so good for their clubs, and so poor in a U.S. jersey?” We were now in panic stations mode, conceding two and a half minutes later, declining several chances to clear the ball before Kerem Aktürkoglü dropped the hammer. A friend of mine texted me post game, “Gonna be a long year, punctuated by a short summer.”

That the young United States team did not implode was progress. They kept trying. It is ridiculous to have to write that as a positive, but after the Nation’s League self-immolation, this is where we are, living in a world of lowered expectations. The introduction of Tyler Adams at halftime brought the leadership and drive the team has been lacking. Hand that man the captain’s armband now. I love the hustle of Diego Luna and the raw desire of Patrick Agyemang. Jack McGlynn showed flickers. I yearn to see so much more from the skill-blessed Malik Tillman. 

The questions surrounding the program pile up at existential levels: Why do we feel the need to play complicated build-from-the-back football? How, a year out from the World Cup, do we not have any sense of who the spine of our team is – from the striker, right through to a reliable goalkeeper? How are Poch and his grinta philosophy of fight having negligible impact with a 5-0-4 record?  

Looking at the U.S. schedule a year ago, I remember thinking the Gold Cup would be an opportunity for finishing touches on the squad. Instead, here we are. Canada are thrashing Ukraine 4-2 while we are still on the starting grid, open casting for the talent who might form the building blocks of our squad for the most important World Cup ever. We have zero idea who the spine of the team is. What is success? To show a pulse, some fight. Never mind something that makes us believers, we would settle for scant evidence of forward momentum. There is so much apathy and inertia around this team right now, even within the U.S. supporter bubble. Like Everton fans, we watch in hope of scattered moments that make us feel something: a sense of pride, optimism, the flickering sense of being alive. 

The USMNT will face Switzerland on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, TNT) in Nashville, Tenn. for its final tune-up match before opening the Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday (6 p.m. ET, Fox) in San Jose, Calif.

ii. It was a total joy to cover the game live on HBO Max/TruTV with our new signing Clint Dempsey, Chris Paul, and New Orleans Saints legend Cam Jordan. Despite the dark result, you guys made us laugh with your comments and insights. I am struck by CP3’s life motto, “Reps remove doubt.” I am taping again with Clint LIVE on YouTube after the USMNT face Switzerland on Tuesday night. Come and be with us post game for our breakdown and ask Clint your best questions.

More: Our first episode of his show THE DEUCE is here. ♠️🇺🇸

iii. I am so sad about Tottenham's firing of Ange Postecoglou and I know I am not alone. The outpouring of tributes from inside the Spurs locker room is a testament to the impact he had on the players and the affection they felt for him. I loved him too, mostly for his empathy and ability to deliver life truths which I found to be incredibly moving.  

However, his departure is the ultimate reminder that two things can be true in football, as in life. To fire Ange was a rational decision, his team had just had the worst Premier League season in club history. The football was naive and slapstick. Lose a few games next season and the odds are he would have to be removed anyway, so better to get it done, and give a new manager a pre-season and a transfer window to re-shape the culture. However, football is far more emotional than it is rational. To fire Big Ange 16 days after he delivered the first trophy in 17 years, and gave a generation of fans their greatest night ever, is an agony. To dare is to do, and Ange came in, lost Harry Kane, raised hopes, struggled, was left to flounder through trials and tribulations, and survived to deliver ecstasy. He will be forever remembered as a cult hero. His name will be sung from the terraces in any dark times to come. “I always win something in my second season mate,” should be remembered as one of the greatest managerial quotes in history.

More: Europa League was a blip, that is why Ange had to go.

And: This Ricky Gervais x Steve Carell improv scene is ”The Office” crossover heaven.

Courage,

ROG

Portugal Win the Battle of Iberia (and the Nations League) 🏆

- Written by Tommy Stewart

Portugal 2-2 Spain (Portugal win 5-3 on penalties)

Just over a week after Munich’s Allianz Arena hosted a Champions League Final that may dictate the direction modern football is going in, the same venue put on last night’s UEFA Nations League apex between Portugal and Spain, which was a reminder of how vital the international game still is. Arsenal-bound Martín Zubimendi finished a move he started for Spain, opening the scoring early on, before MOTM, PSG’s Nuno Mendes, dropped his shoulder and drilled in a strike from just inside the opposition box to level it up. Mikel Oyarzabal beautifully put Spain up just before half time, forcing Portugal’s manager, Roberto Martinez, to make decisive changes at the break, with Nélson Semedo and Rúben Neves coming on to reinvigorate them. Spain were constantly at the behest of the pace of Mendes on the left hand side, who crossed in a deflected ball on the byline that was expertly watched before being volleyed away by Cristiano Ronaldo. CR7 reluctantly came off injured before the 90 minutes were up, but the introduction of Gonçalo Ramos, another cast member in this movie provided by the PSG Players, allowed Portugal to move even more fluidly. Isco came on for Spain, displaying the twilight magic he still possesses, having a long range effort tipped over the bar, but despite both teams going punch for attacking punch, 90 minutes and 30 extra couldn’t divide them. With the wealth of class on the pitch, the penalty shootout was always going to hinge on who missed first, and it was Spanish substitute and veteran striker, Álvaro Morata, who suffered more heartbreak than Barry Keoghan hearing “Manchild,” when his tepid penalty was saved by Portugal’s Diogo Costa. And as any Wolves fan can attest to, it was never in doubt that Rúben Neves would drive home his Nations League-winning penalty to claim the battle of the Iberian Peninsula.

Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lamine Yamal

The night before the game, Portugal’s 40-year-old captain posted a rallying cry on X: “It’s for us. It’s for you. It’s for Portugal. Tomorrow is the day to make history again 🇵🇹”. Ronaldo’s post-match tears, followed by a tight embrace that included intimate school yard whispers and a kiss on the shiny bald head of his manager, Roberto Martinez, were emblematic of what this meant to the five-time Ballon D’or winner. By Lamine Yamal’s platinum standards, the 17-year-old was quiet last night, so much so that he was withdrawn in extra time by Spain manager, Luis de la Fuente, a decision he defended post-match, reminding us that the winger has “had very little rest”. Despite being on the same Munich grass, there was little reason for the two to cross each other, based on their positions on the pitch, but there was a moment when Ronaldo said “I’m the captain now,” tracking back to win his team the ball and leave a reminder on his young counterpart that he has a long road ahead if he’s to match the veteran’s achievements in the game. Of course, there were pages of other intriguing stories in this book, but the seductive passing of the baton narrative here was fascinating for the same reason that Luke Skywalker coming face-to-face with Darth Vader is always worthy of repeat viewing. 

Portugal’s Golden Generation?    

Roberto Martinez came close, but probably not close enough, to glory as the manager of Belgium’s Golden Generation™️, and he’s been gifted another pool of excellence collectively coming of age at the right time in this Portugal squad. Many thought it was over for him and Ronaldo after they fell out of last year’s Euros in the quarter-finals, and there’ve been whispers of a special replacement for him in José Mourinho ahead of next year’s World Cup, but this win over one of the best teams in international football could mark a sea-change. The footballing intellect of his team’s midfield in Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Vitinha, matched with the fearless pace and invention of Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto and Nuno Mendes, means they’re a perpetual attacking threat. With Diogo Costa, Rúben Dias and Ronaldo adding strength and experience to the spine of the team, if all the correct chemicals can combine at the right time, Martinez’s side will be one of the most feared in the USA next summer. 

📬 Enjoying The Raven? Check out our other Men in Blazers newsletters here.

Elsewhere in the Football World 🌍

Andorra 0-1 England 

While it’s difficult to truly assess Thomas Tuchel’s England-era so early on, fans who had their Saturday evening intercepted by this match might be a bit worried. Nearly 170 places divide these teams in the FIFA rankings, and quality aside, a low block where each gap seemed to be plugged with a flying or running Andorran body, will not have been easy to play against, but to adapt Sir Alex Ferguson’s words on Tottenham, “Come on lads, it’s Andorra.” Other than flashes of fun from wingers Morgan Rogers and Noni Madueke, who assisted Harry Kane’s goal, England offered very little going forward. The tired legs of Kane, Bellingham and Palmer met with passive aggressive shrugs, looks and arm throws, harked back to England’s dark ages of entitlement, where superstar players couldn’t be controlled by legendary authoritarian managers. In one interview, Tuchel’s post-match assessment of his team’s performance had more brutal honesty than eight years of Gareth Southgate’s tenure, but whether that’s what this ego-heavy team of superstars require to get motivated is something that only time will reveal. 

Germany 0-2 France 

Although UEFA and FIFA should be scrutinized for the fact a third-place play-off for a fairly inconsequential tournament is even happening a week before the Club World Cup starts, when these nations face each other, in their aesthetically satisfying kits and rosters deeper than Chappell Roan’s lyrics, it’s irresistible. Both managers milked their time with their squads, with Deschamps starting Mbappé, Thuram and Cherki, and Nagelsmann selecting Wirtz, ter Stegen and Kimmich in front of a home crowd in Stuttgart. It was like the last day of school, where 22 exhausted young men played an end-to-end ping pong-esque game of football, trying, and mostly executing things with the ball that the teachers wouldn’t usually let them get away with. That lack of restriction extracted an exhilarating element of fun from Kylian Mbappé, who scored his 50th international goal at only 26-years-old, before assisting substitute, Michael Olise, late on. Were it not for ter Stegen’s immense performance behind a very tired and often stupefied German defense, it could have ended with a one-sided basketball score.

Crystal Palace’s Europa League Dreams Could Be Put on Hold 🦅

The South London club might miss out on their first-ever proper European excursion because 43% shareholder John Textor has an 88% stake in fellow Europa League qualifiers, France’s Lyon. The man who has the first and last say on everything at Palace, Steve Parish, must convince UEFA that Textor does not have a “decisive influence” at the club, which are essentially the words this whole case hinges on. Palace fans have long worried about the multi-club ownership situation, but it’s only when it’s come to this crux where the ugly issues of it are truly exposed. Parish and Palace must make a compelling case to UEFA that Textor holds little influence on sporting decisions at the club, which although may be true, doesn’t really matter when it comes to the granularity of the case. 

More: Crystal Palace’s European dream is at risk – it’s time for football to wake up.

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025, Explained 🏟️

When Michael Scott asked Oscar Martinez to “explain this to me like I’m five,” he foretold most of the football world’s confusion when it comes to the vastly expanded, so much so that it’s essentially a new tournament altogether, upcoming 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. With that in mind, in as simple terms as we can muster, here’s the meat of what you need to know about FIFA’s latest flexing of its marketing muscle. 

The New Format

This Saturday, June 15, 32 teams from across the globe head to the U.S. to compete in the once-every-four-year, new-badge-earning, $1 billion, Club World Cup v2.0. The cup itself is a shiny, new 24-carat gold-plated trophy that literally moves when unlocked by a cartoonish key that was designed by an ambitious young prize-winner… sorry, Tiffany & Co., who also made the Fedex Cup and Vince Lombardi Trophy. The teams are pretty much the best of the best of the six footballing confederations—AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA—and they’ll be split into eight groups of four. Like the World Cup itself, the top two in each group advance to the last 16, which then becomes a straight knockout until the final.

The usual iteration of this 25-year-old tournament had seven teams, featuring the champions from the aforementioned six continental federations, as well as the host nation’s league winners. Manchester City currently hold the title after beating Fluminense 4-0 in the 2023 final, and to no one’s surprise, Real Madrid have the most Club World Cups, with five, and their eternal rivals Barcelona are second with three. With Inter Miami somehow finding their way into this tournament (no prizes for guessing why that might be), and a small transfer window opening so Cristiano Ronaldo can potentially find a competing team to join, it’s a bit like FIFA President Gianni Infantino has consulted with a group of ambitious elementary school kids to dream up a fantasy tournament with an irrefutable prize and an MCU-adjacent trophy. Here’s a simple guide of how the competition has evolved up to this point:

The Teams: Who They Are & How They Got Here

There are myriad and apparently mystical ways in which to qualify for this tournament, with the most straightforward of those being to have won your region’s continental cup at some point in the last four years (Thank Tuchel and Pulisic for your inclusion, Chelsea). Other European teams can qualify via UEFA’s new four-year coefficient ranking system (us neither) and there’s also a limit of two clubs per country, which partly explains why the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool and AC Milan missed out this time around. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami got here as hosts through winning the checks notes MLS Supporters Shield, but spare a thought for league champions LA Galaxy, who without David Beckham, in FIFA’s eyes are SO 2007. We won’t run through every club participating, but here’s the full roster and fixture list for the tournament; the final will be played on Sunday, July 13 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

The Strong Favorites

Unsurprisingly, UEFA teams dominate the field with a total of 12 clubs participating, and South America’s CONMEBOL federation are second with six representatives. CONCACAF has five teams, three of them being from the MLS in Inter Miami, the Seattle Sounders and LAFC, who qualified in a play-off by the skin of Olivier Giroud’s pearly white teeth because Mexico’s Club Leon were removed in March due to not meeting tournament regulations on multi-club ownership. The favorites are pretty self-explanatory, with the top nine of those all being European teams, as Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City and Bayern Munich lead the odds; Brazil’s Flamengo are the highest non-UEFA team on that list. Many of those “big clubs” will avoid each other until the knockout rounds, but there’s a tasty treat on the tournament’s first full day of fixtures, as PSG face Atlético Madrid in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl. 

Interesting Clubs to Keep an Eye on

Only one OFC team will compete in the Club World Cup, New Zealand’s Auckland City FC, who you might remember from pretty much every past edition of this tournament. Although they’re the most successful club in Oceana, with 13 OFC Champions Leagues, this is a weaker version of their more dominant iterations. Add to the fact that they’ve been drawn in the nightmarish Group C alongside all the Bs – Bayern Munich, Benfica and Argentinian overlords, Boca Juniors – means they have little chance of progressing to the twilight of the tournament. Mamelodi Sundowns are a very fun team in a very fun group that includes Borussia Dortmund; they’re the South African Premiership champions and also narrowly lost in their region’s Champions League final. Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds are trading on past success because recent form has been poor, so if you want another hopeless underdog, they’re your guys, but for a comprehensive breakdown of every team’s chances as well as players to watch out for, watch this brilliant preview from our friends and colleagues at The Give N Go.

The Not-So-Subtle Controversy

Eyebrowed football in a suit, Gianni Infantino, seems like the type of guy who’d storm off with his expensive ball if he wasn’t allowed to take a penalty at a pickup game. His flirtations with the current U.S. President and thirsty marketing pitches on IShowSpeed’s YouTube channel in a bid to sell more tickets for a showcase that is so far attracting very little interest from fans and broadcasters, have irked most corners of the footballing world. No one had a problem with the previous annual version of this tournament, which happened during the European season and only required teams to play a maximum of three games, but this bumper-edition means one less summer for already overworked footballers to have some meaningful rest and recuperation time. The $125 million prize for the winners, along with the $875 million that will be spread out across the rest of the competition, will soften the blow for the clubs, but will do little to compensate the players.

Ballon d’Or holder, Rodri, has just spent a season on the sidelines due to injury, and has raised concerns about player wellbeing in the modern game. His teammate, Phil Foden, who’s had the same relentless schedule, comes off the back of a poor season by his golden standards, is currently resting due to physical and mental exhaustion. FIFA are also facing legal action about the scheduling of the tournament with Global players' union Fifpro and the top European Leagues saying the international football calendar "risks player safety and wellbeing". The creative qualification process explained above and brand new tiny transfer window created especially for the Club World Cup has also left many people questioning the credibility and sincerity of the whole thing; the fact it also collides with the Women’s Euros, leaves a sour taste. We will watch it because it’s football, which we love, and there’s a lot to be excited about, but it’s worth noting the issues the game faces in a non-stop 24/7 football universe.

Some Absolute Weekend Worldies 🚀 🥅

There were a lot of great goals this weekend, but these three get top marks:

Two Weekends With No Premier League Football 😢

It’s been two weekends without the Premier League and we already miss it. As we look forward to the 2025/26 season, we want to know: Who is your favorite Premier League club? 💙

Mid-Week Matches to Fake a Meeting for 📺 

England vs. Senegal (Tomorrow, 2:45 p.m. ET, Fubo/ViX)

England fans at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground will pray that Senegal’s quality will leave their team no option but to raise their performance, which in truth, couldn’t be any lower than it was in Barcelona against Andorra. A lot of the English players may be withholding reserves for the upcoming Club World Cup, and most of them come off the back of last summer’s Euros and another arduous season of club football, but it’s rare that the people of Nottingham get to see the whites of the Three Lions’ eyes, and Thomas Tuchel will likely remind his players of that. After they were booed off by their own fans on Saturday, Tuchel didn’t come to England’s defense: “The energy after 25 minutes, the rhythm, the energy, the determination was not there any more.” Senegal, who drew 1-1 against the Republic of Ireland on Friday, have the talent and ability to cause England’s defense more headaches than Andorra did, although former Ballon d’Or contender and Liverpool legend, Sadio Mané, will be absent on ‘personal request’. They still have a wealth of attacking talent in Iliman Ndiaye, Boulaye Dia and Ismaïla Sarr, who came on to score the equalizer against Ireland. World Cup qualification is a formality for England, so like the USMNT, they must utilize friendlies against more dangerous opponents to try and find the barometer of where the team is at. That can and should start with Senegal tomorrow. 

USMNT vs. Switzerland (Tomorrow, 8 p.m. ET, HBO Max/TNT)

Although Mauricio Pochettino’s inexperienced and MLS-heavy version of the USMNT lost to Türkiye in a raining-sideways Connecticut on Saturday, they showed sparks of promise when contrasted against the team that rolled over for Panama and Canada in March. It’s almost impossible to envision what the lineup will look like next summer, and whether Poch will axe the establishment in favor of the raw hunger that players like Jack McGlinn and Diego Luna have, but the team are desperate for the relief a genuine world class attacking vessel like Christian Pulisic would provide. Nashville’s Geodis Park hosts them and Switzerland in the last pre-Gold Cup friendly on Tuesday in what will be another huge test against a side who are ranked 20th in the world and made the Euro 2024 quarter-finals. Manuel Akanji, Granit Xhaka and Dan Ndoye should all play a part for the Swiss, which means a lot more running and a tougher defense for Poch’s boys to perforate.

🇺🇸 Texas, We’re Coming for You 🍺

We are heading on the road this summer for the Gold Cup, and Rog will be joined by USMNT legend Clint Dempsey—the newest member of the MiB Media Network—for two shows at a couple of our America’s Best Soccer Bars for laughs, storytelling, and communal joy.

We’ll join you, our magical community, in Austin, Texas on June 18th at BD Riley’s Irish Pub (the night before USMNT vs. Saudi Arabia) and in Dallas, Texas on June 21 at The Londoner Addison (the night before USMNT vs. Haiti). Both shows will take place at 7:30 p.m., and are free and open to the public. All we ask is that you RSVP ahead of time, as it is a first come, first served event until these fantastic bars reach capacity. You WILL need an RSVP to get in.

🎟️ RSVP FOR AUSTIN HERE

🎟️ RSVP FOR DALLAS HERE

We can’t wait to be with you in person and celebrate the game we love in our great nation. 💙

Some Non-Football to Start the Week Off Right 📖

• How a Creepy, Cuddly Toy Became the Hottest Accessory of the Season. It’s still kind of cute, though.

• What Isaac Asimov Reveals About Living with A.I. Erling Haaland, BIG “I, Robot” guy.

• Meet the world’s fastest 75-year-old woman (yes, she’s probably faster than you!)

• Arctic ice is vanishing – our bold experiment is trying to protect it. How do we get Cole Palmer involved?

• The Who Cares Era. In the Who Cares Era, the most radical thing you can do is care.

It’s MiB Trivia Time 🤔

Welcome to your weekly supplement of MiB trivia.

This week’s question: The new edition of the Club World Cup starts this week, but in the tournament’s 25-year history, who is its top goalscorer? Beat the competition by telling us how many goals that person’s scored…

Send your answers to [email protected] to win a coveted MiB patch!

Congratulations to last week’s winner, Antonio Munaco, who was the first to correctly answer that Kepa was the goalkeeper for Spain during Isco’s last time playing for them in 2019.

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