It's a wild time to be a fan of American soccer, leaving those that follow it plenty to be grateful for this holiday season
Thanksgiving is here. It's a time for family and food and, for Americans celebrating the holiday, it's safe to say there will be plenty of the latter to go around. However, the holiday is also one about reflection and gratitude. It is called Thanksgiving, after all.
This holiday season, American soccer fans have plenty to be thankful for. It's a wild time across the soccer landscape, as fans of both the men's and women's game have plenty to look forward to.
So, in between bites of turkey and family time around the TV watching the football, GOAL has you covered with a breakdown of what American fans should be thankful for on this Thanksgiving day…
Getty/GOALSerie (US)A
Just about six months ago, things were dire for the U.S. men's national team's top stars in Europe. Christian Pulisic was stuck on Chelsea's bench; Tim Weah wasn't quite a regular at Lille; Weston McKennie was enduring a nightmare at Leeds that dragged him down alongside USMNT teammates Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson.
At the time, it looked like the USMNT's big stars would have to take a step back in search of playing time. Instead, three of the team's most important players made the move to Italian mega-clubs and, thus far, they've thrived.
Pulisic, Weah and Yunus Musah have all found homes in Serie A and have all played key roles to start the season. Injuries have limited Weah a bit, although he remains a regular starter at wing-back for Juventus, while McKennie has featured both out wide and centrally for the Old Lady after re-establishing himself in Turin. Over at AC Milan, Pulisic has been among the Rossoneri's better players this season, while Musah has made a midfield role his own after earning Stefano Pioli's trust.
The Italian top-flight hasn't always been a go-to for Americans, but it's rapidly becoming one, as Serie A has given four key players a much-needed place to call home.
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All eyes are on the 2026 World Cup, and rightfully so. It'll be a defining moment for American soccer, one that might just blow 1994 out of the water. Before that, though, there's something of a dress rehearsal. The Copa America is coming in 2024 as South America's best will head up north for a massive tournament.
The USMNT is already in the field, having exorcised their demons a bit by defeating Trinidad & Tobago to book their place. Mexico got in too by the skin of their teeth, needing every last second to beat Honduras. Jamaica and Panama have also booked their spot, but Canada will need to win a play-off to get in.
That feels like the undercard, though, as CONMEBOL's giants are no doubt the ones to watch. Argentina, the defending champions and World Cup winners, remain the favorite, for sure. Colombia and Uruguay are rising with young stars leading the way. And Brazil, despite their recent struggles, are Brazil… can your really write them off?
Some of the world's biggest stars will be playing big games in the U.S. next summer, including arguably the best this sport has ever seen. Speaking of him…
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Who could have imagined? The dream move, somehow, became a reality. Lionel Messi is playing in the U.S.
All these months later, it's still a hard one to grasp for those that have followed the rise of MLS. One of the best players in history, if not the best, is playing in the U.S., and just a few months in, he's already put on quite a show.
His Leagues Cup run was unforgettable, as Messi stepped in and lifted Inter Miami to the club's first trophy. He came too late to guide the club to the playoffs, but even so, Messi has already made quite an impact, on and off the field.
Interest is through the roof, as are sales of that pink No.10 shirt. Fans all over the world are paying attention to MLS, and now it's on the league to capitalize on that fact. With Messi involved and the World Cup around the corner, it seems it's only up from here for MLS.
As for Messi, he'll be back in early 2024, and after joining midseason, it's fun to imagine what his first full campaign in MLS could be like. With a full preseason, a bit of rest, and perhaps some new superstar teammates, Messi looks set to dominate next season.
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Getty ImagesEmma Hayes
The U.S. women's national team's World Cup run was a failure, and it cost Vlatko Andonovski his job. That pushed the USWNT towards a turning point as they looked to define a new era with a big coaching hire.
Well, U.S. Soccer went out and got a big one. The federation flexed its muscles to lure one of the best in the women's game to the role, proving that the USWNT job is still one with considerable pull.
Emma Hayes is a superstar coach, one that built the Chelsea program from the ground up. She's a coach that knows how to build a winning culture, and the USWNT is currently a team that needs to rediscover that side of itself.
The hiring of Hayes is a massive deal, and it probably won't take long for USWNT fans to see why. Having coached in the U.S. earlier in her career, Hayes is the perfect mix of insider and outsider that this team needs as they look to build on the good parts of 2023. And about those good parts…