Qatar 2022 [R]

Goodsport · Oct 29, 2022

"USMNT injury concerns mount as World Cup nears" (Yahoo! Sports - Saturday, 10/29/22)

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!
GO USA!!!
VAI BRASIL!!!

-G

falvo · Oct 30, 2022

Weston McKennie is out for 15 days.

I hope this injury won't hurt his national team form.

bsman · Oct 31, 2022

falvo said: ↑

Weston McKennie is out for 15 days.

I hope this injury won't hurt his national team form.
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It sure as hell won't help it!

Earthshaker · Oct 31, 2022

falvo said: ↑

Weston McKennie is out for 15 days.

I hope this injury won't hurt his national team form.
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US plays their first game on Nov. 21st, so, he will barely be back.

Scott Rohde · Oct 31, 2022

I hope Erling Haaland gets a proper platform to show casual soccer fans why he's considered the best in the world right now. Great way to promote the sport.

Although Norway is ranked 42 (just behind Canada) so i'm not sure he'll get noticed too much but it would be cool if new soccer fans 'discover' him during the world cup.

I HATE Man City but I have to say I watch them every week (or at least the highlights) just to see what this kid is up to (and his father's reactions from the stands). Hope that happens during World Cup too.

Earthshaker · Oct 31, 2022

Scott Rohde said: ↑

I hope Erling Haaland gets a proper platform to show casual soccer fans why he's considered the best in the world right now. Great way to promote the sport.

Although Norway is ranked 42 (just behind Canada) so i'm not sure he'll get noticed too much but it would be cool if new soccer fans 'discover' him during the world cup.

I HATE Man City but I have to say I watch them every week (or at least the highlights) just to see what this kid is up to (and his father's reactions from the stands). Hope that happens during World Cup too.
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Are they going to be showing Haaland highlight reels at the World Cup? Because that is the only way people will see him there.

psss...Norway didn't qualify.

Scott Rohde · Oct 31, 2022

Earthshaker said: ↑

Are they going to be showing Haaland highlight reels at the World Cup? Because that is the only way people will see him there.

psss...Norway didn't qualify.
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Oops. I saw they had matches scheduled in November and just assumed it was World Cup.

Nevermind then...

falvo · Oct 31, 2022

Monday, October 31, 2022
World Cup Book Review, Part 1: Dictatorship, USA 94, and the greatest upsets
by Ian Plenderleith

Over the coming weeks, Ian Plenderleith will be reviewing a selection of the more interesting books that have been published ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

* * * * * * * * * *

• Blood on the Crossbar: the Dictatorship's World Cup ByRhys Richards (Pitch)
• USA 94: The World Cup that Changed the Game By Matthew Evans (Pitch)
• Against All Odds: The Greatest World Cup Upsets, edited by Adam Bushby and Rob MacDonald (Halcyon)
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"You don't mix politics and sport. Otherwise, you can't play any match. There's shit everywhere in the world. If you boycott Argentina [1978], you have to boycott Soviet Russia and Bulgaria." Those are the words of Dutch midfielder Johan Neeskens, twice a World Cup runner-up in the 1970s, and very much reflecting the defensive attitude of any player or soccer federation who was asked about the ethics of playing at the 1978 World Cup finals. That was a tournament packed with magical but at times filthy soccer, and also hosted by an unmagical military dictatorship responsible for the torture and deaths of around 30,000 political dissidents.
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Despite the brutality of its government, Argentina's triumph did briefly bring the country together. Even in the Navy School of Mechanics (ESMA) torture center in Buenos Aires, less than a mile away from the Estadio Monumental where the host nation beat the Netherlands 3-1 in the final. "When Argentina scored, everyone — the oppressors, the oppressed, prisoners and torturers — greeted and looked at each other with happiness," attests former prisoner Adolfo Pérez Ezquivel in Rhys Richards' book Blood on the Crossbar, named after the campaign started by a Dutch cabaret act, Neerlands Hoop, that toured the Netherlands in a bid to get their country to boycott the tournament. Yet the Argentine left-wing guerrilla group Los Montoneros not only declared a ceasefire during the tournament, it opposed a boycott too, "knowing that they would be fighting against the current of patriotism in Argentina." Once the games started, the entire country backed the team, coached paradoxically by a socialist — the gruff, chain-smoking César Luis Menotti.
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That's just a small sample of the quotes that form the background to arguably the most controversial World Cup ever staged (1934 in fascist Italy and 2022 in the authoritarian monarchy of Qatar run it close). Richards does an excellent job of tackling the politics of this tournament that Neeskens was so keen to abjure, and of describing the ambivalence of a soccer-possessed nation under the heel of an unconscionable, murderous government, but which at the same time wanted the escape and relief of sport to provide it with some solace and, in the end, glory. It would be a classic of soccer literature if — ironically — it had stuck to politics and stayed away from the action on the field.

It's not that the games, teams and players are not worth writing about. Of course, they are an integral part of this story, but they need to be handled as history, not like they took place this afternoon. So often, books about tournaments feel obliged to describe every goal in detail, like they had not already been transmitted live to millions, immediately transcribed for the record by multiple media, and were not now available to watch at the click of a link. The writing turns from lucid analysis to the style of a tabloid hack working toward a midnight deadline, describing goals "finished with aplomb" and "gleefully despatched," while stadiaums are "cauldrons," "pressure cookers" and "bear pits" with a "powder keg atmosphere." The book also contains one of my favorite ever typos, when the Netherlands' Dirk Nanninga succumbs against Germany to "a moment of ill disciple," at the same time demonstrating the perils of using spell-check rather than a professional proof-reader.

However, if you speed-read the game sections (or watch the online highlights instead), there is half of a brilliant book here that not only tackles head-on the political fascination of sport, but which should force us to think once again while we're watching Qatar 2022: what kind of country is fit to host a major sporting event, and who is fit to govern world soccer (spoiler: it's not FIFA)? 7/10
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Another book focused on a single tournament is Matthew Evans' USA 94, which starts by outlining what had changed between the dire Italia 90 and its successor tournament that saw revenues rise across the board, as well as more attacking play on the field. "By offering three points for a win, it was hoped that teams would avoid playing it safe, whilst an adjustment to the offside law put the advantage with the attacker," he writes. "The negative play that marred the 1990 World Cup brought about the biggest change with the back-pass rule, commonplace now but then making its World Cup debut."

There were players' names on jerseys, flashy uniforms even for the referees, and of course everything was taking place in the USA, snobbishly looked down upon around the world as "not a proper football nation." Then the games started, and most of us realized that the modern, well-equipped stadiums were mostly full of fans who were more than invested in the outcome of the games, and that it doesn't necessarily matter where you play the tournament — the markings, the goals, and the rules are still the same. That the USA has its own soccer culture after all, and that the North American Soccer League had not just been a novelty blip, may also have registered with viewers and visitors alike.

I loved the early chapters, which set out the context of the U.S. application to host in 1994 following its failure to land the 1986 tournament (after Colombia pulled out, and a savvy, well-connected Mexico out-muscled the chaotic U.S. bid), and the enthusiasm and massive crowds for soccer at the 1984 Olympics. The packed stadiums in L.A. and the other soccer venues prompted a re-think at FIFA headquarters, where suddenly the thought of bulging coffers highlighted the suitability of the United States for soccer after all, despite it having no coast-to-coast professional league. So much potential. So much cash.

Even after winning the bid to host, the USA suffered setbacks thanks to financial difficulties and the fractious relationship between FIFA and U.S. Soccer Federation President Werner Fricker. Germany lurked in the wings to take over. Then Alan Rothenberg defeated Fricker in the USSF presidential election, and his open and innovative management put the tournament back on course.

Did USA 94 "change the game," as the book's sub-title suggests? Up to a point, no doubt, but the game evolves financially and tactically after every major tournament, and after every adjustment to the "Laws of the Game." The founding of the Premier League, the reform of the Champions League, the expansion of MLS, the introduction of VAR — all have changed and continue to "change the game." Although this book has a lot to recommend it, especially to U.S. readers, it would have been better holding off a couple of years to compare USA 94 with the forthcoming 2026 tournament, and to have dispensed with detailed descriptions of games that entered the public domain the moment they took place (see above). 6/10.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Expectations in the USA were so low they could have crawled under a duck," writes Harry Pearson in his essay about the USA-England game at the 1950 World Cup. You all know the score to that game, but that's not the point of the book Against All Odds, focusing on the biggest upsets in World Cup history (declaration of interest — the book's publisher, Halcyon, also put out my latest book). A pool of quality soccer writers — including Tim Vickery, David Winner, Rob Bagchi, James Montague and Raphael Honigstein — focus on games that seriously rattled expectations, and examines their wider context. Anyone fascinated by the background to Argentina 78 in Blood on the Crossbar, for example, will also enjoy Adam Bushby's extensive and entertaining breakdown of the only time West Germany played East Germany, at the 1974 tournament. There's little about the game itself, but a ton of insight into the Cold War and its effect on the lives of players who could no more ignore the political situation than they could ignore traffic while trying to cross a busy road.

It's gratifying to read about games you can remember seeing at the time, but which here are shown in an extensive new light — a bit like buying the deluxe boxed set version of an album you've always loved. A scrappy, stubborn Northern Ireland team beating host Spain in 1982, Scotland's late (too late) blooming against the mighty Netherlands in Argentina, nine-man Cameroon's narrow and very dirty win over Diego Maradona's reigning world champions to kick off Italia 90, and Senegal's more stylish conquering of fading, querulous champion France that opened the Japan/Korea World Cup a dozen years later. Senegal's striker El-Hadji Diouf was playing for French club Lens when the draw was made. "As soon as we saw that France would play Senegal," he says in Philippe Auclair's chapter, "they [his teammates at Lens] all got up and started to make fun of me. That was it, they'd already made up their minds — Senegal stood no chance." If you love a spot of hubris (and who doesn't?), this is the book for you.

Every game has its own story, but some are worth re-visiting for the fact it just doesn't seem credible that, say, the people of Middlesbrough in the industrial northeast of England took the upstart state of communist North Korea to their hearts in 1966, cheering the underdogs on to beat Italy. What on earth was that all about? This book provides the answer, and much more besides. 9/10.
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Goodsport · Nov 1, 2022

"Chris Wondolowski, a ‘surreal’ life, and the pivotal World Cup miss that still haunts him" (Yahoo! Sports - Tuesday, 11/1/22)

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!
GO USA!!!
VAI BRASIL!!!

-G

falvo · Nov 1, 2022

Tuesday, November 1, 2022
USMNT: Games missed due to Injuries (Europe, August-October)
7. Tim Weah (Lille).
6.Gio Reyna (Bor. Dortmund), *Chris Richards (Crystal Palace).
4. Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough).
3. Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).
2. Yunus Musah (Valencia), Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), *Matt Turner (Arsenal).
1. Tyler Adams (Leeds United), *Luca de la Torre (Celta), Sergino Dest (AC Milan), *Josh Sargent (Norwich City).
*Did not dress this past weekend due to injuries or injury precautions.

Goodsport · Nov 1, 2022

It’s officially World Cup month 🤩 pic.twitter.com/iXUZGPtkfU
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 1, 2022

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!
GO USA!!!
VAI BRASIL!!!

-G

falvo · Nov 1, 2022

Road to Qatar: Congested schedule and short runway put players at risk of missing out on World Cup

by Kieran Canning

As Manchester United defender Raphael Varane left the field in last weekend's 1-1 draw with Chelsea, the Frenchman's face sank into his shirt to hide his tears from the cameras.

Within seconds of pulling up at Stamford Bridge, Varane was aware his appearance at the World Cup was in jeopardy.

The former Real Madrid center back may have got lucky, with an initial diagnosis of a small hamstring tear giving him a chance of making it to Qatar.

Many more have not been so fortunate.

N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba will not feature in France's defense of the World Cup. Uruguay will be without Ronald Araujo and Portugal shorn of Diogo Jota. Germany has concerns over the fitness of Bayern Munich duo Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sane.

Meanwhile, England coach Gareth Southgate's prediction of a catalogue of injuries for the Three Lions is proving prescient with Reece James, Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips major doubts.
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"What see is a really packed schedule now with a lot of players playing a lot of minutes," said Southgate earlier this month. "I think realistically we will lose more. It's so intense, and the players are playing so much football."

The uprooting of soccer's traditional calendar to fit in a first ever mid-season World Cup has resulted in fixture congestion at club level and little time to prepare for international managers. Europe's major leagues will pause just a week before the World Cup kicks off on Nov. 20.

To make space in the schedule, the group stages of European club competitions were squeezed into two-month period. As a result, many clubs will have played 13 times in 42 days before the World Cup break.

"I am pretty sure they have one eye on the World Cup," said Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. "Now it is just two or three weeks before the end, so it is the last effort. I always say the best way to not get injured is to be focused and give your maximum in the game. When you lose the attention is when you are at risk."

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp claimed his players remain "1000 percent" committed to the cause at the club level.

But Klopp has pointed to injuries and players playing too often in a short time frame as the major factor behind his side's wretched start to the season.

"With the amount of games we have, some players are overplayed," said the German after Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Leeds.

Heading into the final games of the Champions League group stage this week, there are four places in the last 16 still up for grabs.
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Many more games have top spot in the group or a place in the Europa League in the new year on the line. But the fixture pile-up leaves both countries wounded by the loss of stars for what should be football's marquee event, and clubs wary of players protecting themselves to be fit for the World Cup.

"It is a very intense period of the season with too many games in my opinion," said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.

For those headed to the Middle East, there is no let-up once in Qatar either. Most sides face playing their three group games in just eight days.

According to a report earlier this year by global players' union FIFPro, 54 percent of players said they had suffered an injury due to schedule overload, while 82 percent of coaches said they observed mental health issues in players caused by playing too many games.

But player welfare has been forgotten as governing bodies, national associations and clubs all fight for their slice of the pie from soccer's commercial appeal.
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falvo · Nov 2, 2022

Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Gregg Berhalter on the pride in representing the USA on the big stage, the nerves while standing in the tunnel for first time and the fun of soaking up the experience
by Mike Woitalla

Gregg Berhalter was 19 years old when he took part in a world championship for the first time. A sophomore defender at the University of North Carolina after growing up in New Jersey, Berhalter played for the USA at the 1993 U-20 World Cup.

"He came in late to the team and had great games leading up to the World Cup," said Bobby Howe, who coached the USA at the tournament in Australia, assisted by Glenn Myernick and Tony DiCicco. "He showed some very good, strong leadership qualities."

Howe gave Berhalter the captain's band, and he played every minute in the USA's four-game run to the quarterfinals, its second trip to the knockout stage in five appearances at the U-20 World Cup.

"It was an honor," says Berhalter. "Leading the team out. Going to the press conferences. Especially, it was a great group of guys. A global tournament is always tremendous."

Berhalter made his full national team debut in October 1994 and went on to represent the USA at two World Cups (2002 and 2006), two Confederations Cups (1999 and 2003), a Copa America and a Gold Cup.

In Qatar, he'll become the first U.S. men's World Cup head coach who also played for the USA in a World Cup.

'The appropriate amount of command'

The USA sent a relatively young squad to the 1993 U-20 World Cup — 10 of the 18 players hadn't turned 19 yet — and it included three players, Matt McKeon, Nelson Vargas and Imad Baba, who had played in a U-17 World Cup.

"It was an interesting situation because some of our younger players, having played in a World Cup already, were the veterans," Berhalter says. "And I remember them saying, 'You're going to be standing in the tunnel for the first game, and you're going to have so much adrenaline, and this is where you're going to need to control yourself. Because if you don't, you're going to burn yourself out 20 minutes into the game."
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The USA opened with one of the greatest wins in American soccer history*, a 6-0 win over the reigning European champion Turkey in front of 15,723 in Melbourne's Olympic Park Stadium.

"It was an amazing performance," Berhalter said. "We were tremendously proud."

Baba scored once, Miles Joseph twice, and Chris Faklaris had a hat trick while Berhalter commanded the backline.

"In those days we played with a sweeper," Howe said, "and Gregg was our sweeper. But we played with a back three instead of the usual back four with a sweeper, so you could say we were ahead of our time. Gregg was in the perfect position to direct the players in front of him and he did a really, really good job of that. He was able to instruct with the appropriate amount of command. And he played great in the World Cup."
After a 1-0 loss to England, the USA tied South Korea, 2-2, to advance to a quarterfinal meeting with Brazil, which won 3-0.

On the wall of Howe's Bellevue, Washington, home is a cherished possession. A large, framed panoramic print of Melbourne signed by all the players.

"Gregg took charge of that and it was fantastic," Howe says. "The players presented it to me and the message on it was from Gregg on behalf of the team."
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Missing out on France 1998

Berhalter remembers watching the 1982 World Cup final, which took place three weeks before his 9th birthday. "The first World Cup I watched in depth was the Mexico 1986," he says.

When did he start dreaming of playing in a World Cup?

"It was odd, because I always believed in myself at a young age, but I didn't think about that. Even when I was really young, I thought I was going to be a pro soccer player in Europe. For some reason I just thought that."

It was a year after playing in the 1993 U-20 World Cup when he started believing in the possibility of playing in a senior World Cup. In the early phase of preparations for the 1996 Olympics, Bob Gansler brought players in for a training camp that included a scrimmage against the full national team, which was preparing for the 1994 World Cup under Coach Bora Milutinovic at its Mission Viejo, California, training camp.

"It was right before the World Cup," Berhalter said. "We played really well and it gave me confidence. That's when I got the belief, I can do this. Even though I'm not on that team, I thought there's not a ton of difference here. I was 20 years old and I thought, 'I can do this.'"

He debuted for the full national team later that year, coming on as a halftime sub for John Doyle in a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in Khobar. Berhalter was an unused sub during the USA's third-place finish at the 1995 World Cup in Uruguay. Ahead of the 1996 Olympics, he was slated to captain the team now coached by Bruce Arena but was injured shortly before the tournament while playing for Dutch club Zwolle, which he joined after his junior year at UNC. The injury issues complicated his quest to make the 1998 World Cup team coached by Steve Sampson.

"I was basically injured for two years after missing the Olympics," Berhalter says. "I got back in January of 1998 playing with the national team, playing some good games, but had some niggling injuries with my Achilles. I was in a race against time. Steve Sampson called me and told me I was going to be an alternate. I went with the team for the pre-camp and everything like that. I was disappointed at the time, but I understand from a coaching standpoint, if you have a guy who's been injured, it's difficult to trust that he would get fit for the World Cup."

Now as coach, Berhalter has experience of being on the other side of the tough conversations, such as delivering the news to players who aren't picked for the trip to Qatar,

"First and foremost, I'm empathetic," he says. "I know what this player is about to hear is going to rock his world. It really hurts me to give the information, but I have to do it and I owe it to them to do it in a distinguished way. Not by an email or text. I owe them to call them up, and if I'm with them, to do it face to face.

"However hard it is for me, I realize it's a lot harder for them."

2002: 'The big tournaments are really fun'

Berhalter came back strong after missing the 1998 World Cup. He played nearly 30 games in each of his next two Dutch Eredivisie seasons with SC Cambuur and played for the USA in its third-place finish at the 1999 Confederations Cup in Mexico. In 2000, he started five straight Concacaf World Cup qualifiers.
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Berhalter appeared in five 2002 friendlies and made Arena's squad for the 2002 World Cup hosted by South Korea and Japan.

"The big tournaments are really fun," he says. "The competition side of it is what really drives you."

In South Korea, he roomed with Frankie Hejduk.

"We were so into it," Berhalter says. "Me and Frankie had a whole grid of the tournament on the wall of our room. We'd update it regularly after every day. Those are fun moments."

Berhalter stayed on the bench during group play, which the USA opened with a 3-2 upset over Portugal and a 1-1 tie with host South Korea. But in the final group game, the USA went down 2-0 to Poland within five minutes and 3-0 after 66 minutes.

"We come out in the opener, playing Portugal, a top team in the world," Berhalter says. "Most people would have said, 'You're not going to win that game.' Then against Korea we get a great tie in front of a really hostile crowd. Then we play Poland, a team that's already been eliminated. We think, OK, we're going to take care of the group, we can win the group.

"That's where we fell absolutely flat and we lost that game. They were all over us from the beginning."

Berhalter sat on the bench thinking his chance for a World Cup debut was going up in smoke. Then word came that South Korea scored for 1-0 lead over Portugal, which had beaten Poland, 4-0, in its second game, and with a U.S. loss to Poland needed just a tie to advance.

"It's like, oh my gosh, we have a lifeline here," Berhalter remembers thinking.

Despite the 3-1 loss to Poland — Landon Donovan scored an 83rd minute-consolation goal — the USA advanced to the World Cup second round, a feat that it had accomplished only in 1930 and while hosting in 1994.

"What was strange was," Berhalter says, "once we got that lifeline, we didn't think we were lucky, we just thought, OK, what's up next. Now we go win our next game. It didn't affect our confidence at all. Which I'm still amazed at that it didn't, but it really didn't."
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In 2002, Gregg Berhalter battles Jared Borgetti in the USA's 2-0 win over Mexico in the round of 16, the USA's first ever, and still only, men's World Cup knockout stage win. (John Todd/ISI Photos)

Berhalter started the next two games, a 2-0 win over Mexico and 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Germany — infamous for an uncalled Torsten Frings handball on Berhalter's goal-bound close-range shot — in what remains the USA's most impressive World Cup showing.

As far as staying sharp while not getting called off the bench in the first three games:

"My M.O. was I'm professional as a player and would do everything to stay fit. It was more of an opportunity to prove, 'Why haven't you been playing me this whole time?' I didn't look at it as, I'm pissed. I looked at it like, OK, this is an opportunity. We want to achieve something as a team. That's the first thing. The second thing is, I want to play well."

In its post-tournament analysis, Soccer America wrote:

"Rugged work against Mexico and Germany proved his suitability in a 3-5-2 at the top level, which begs inquiries into why he didn't come into the team sooner."

On the 2002 World Cup experience, Berhalter says:

"One thing I learned about the World Cup, whatever we think it's going to be going into it, it's probably not going to be that way. And this was a great example."
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The importance of chemistry

The 2002 quarterfinal finish came four years after the USA with an experienced squad and rated No. 11 in the FIFA's World Rankings, lost all three games at the World Cup in France.

"Talk about the importance of chemistry," Berhalter says. "From a World Cup standpoint, I can give you two perspectives.

"In 1998, I was at that pre-camp before they went over to France. I realized the chemistry wasn't where it needed to be.

"In 2002, the chemistry — the mix of ages, and personality and friends — it was a really good strong group. A resilient group. If you were playing [in the games] or not playing, you went on the field and you competed as hard as you could each and every training session. You didn't have guys pissed that they weren't playing and acting like idiots. You had a group that was pulling for each other and pushing each other to be very best in every session."

Asked to provide an example of a coaching approach that left an impression on him, Berhalter says:

"What Bruce did really well in 2002, and what he did really well all during qualifying for 2002 and 2006, he made it very much a matter of fact. He'd be like, OK guys: This is the situation. Here's the group. This is where we stand. This is what we need to do.

"He didn't make it emotional. And that resonated with me. Because it gave you confidence. OK, if we do this, we're in. That's it. There are no other variables. If we do this, we'll make it. I think that's one thing that reassured me, and what I really liked about Bruce is that he prepared that way."
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After the 2002 World Cup, Berhalter moved from Crystal Palace to Energie Cottbus to start a seven-year stint in Germany during which he captained Cottbus to first division promotion and also wore the captain's band for 1860 Munich. Shortly before his 33rd birthday, he was a late replacement for injured Cory Gibbs on the USA's 2006 World Cup roster but didn't see playing time during the first-round exit. He ended his 18-year pro playing career with a 2011 MLS Cup title with the LA Galaxy.

"The really special thing is that you get to represent your country on the big stage," says Berhalter about the World Cup experience, through which he will guide what will likely be the youngest team in Qatar.

"One thing I'll never forget is when President Bush called us before we were going to play Mexico [in the 2002 round of 16]," he says. "We're all huddled around the phone. Listening to his words. I clung to each word he was saying. It was a really special feeling. It made you feel like the country's behind us."
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* Highlights of the USA's 6-0 win over Turkey at the 1993 U-20 World Cup:

Top photo by John Todd/ISI: Berhalter beats Germany's Miroslav Klose to the ball in the 2002 World Cup quarterfinal. Bottom photo: IMAGO/Höhne. Berhalter with Energie Cottbus.

Goodsport · Nov 4, 2022

San Jose we out here. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JuBOoeU2Bv
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) November 4, 2022

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!
GO USA!!!
VAI BRASIL!!!

-G

Goodsport · Nov 4, 2022

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!
GO USA!!!
VAI BRASIL!!!

-G

Goodsport · Nov 4, 2022

"Which Cristiano Ronaldo will show up for Portugal at World Cup 2022?" (FOX Sports - Friday, 11/4/22)

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!
GO USA!!!
VAI BRASIL!!!

-G

Goodsport · Nov 5, 2022

"USMNT World Cup Roster Projection 4.0: Final Picks for Qatar 2022" (SI.com - Friday, 11/4/22)

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!
GO USA!!!
VAI BRASIL!!!

-G

markmcf8 · Nov 6, 2022

Beerking said: ↑

Home, my bathroom, my fridge, my replays on TV. What's not to love?
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Lack of comrades and eye candy!

vamanoshasta · Nov 6, 2022

markmcf8 said: ↑

Lack of comrades and eye candy!
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Perhaps you haven't seen his friends!

Beerking · Nov 6, 2022

markmcf8 said: ↑

Lack of comrades and eye candy!
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All the eye candy I'll need will be at the games, have you never seen the Brazilian women fans before?

Earthshaker · Nov 6, 2022

Beerking said: ↑

All the eye candy I'll need will be at the games, have you never seen the Brazilian women fans before?
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I heard there has been a run on green and yellow burqas.

markmcf8 · Nov 6, 2022

vamanoshasta said: ↑

Perhaps you haven't seen his friends!
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That’s why a bar would be better! Chance of better looking people! Hell, all of our friends are old and decrepit!

Scott Rohde · Nov 7, 2022

What's the point. This is Brazils World Cup all the way.

Earthshaker · Nov 7, 2022

They certainly have the talent to take it all.

Scott Rohde · Nov 7, 2022

Earthshaker said: ↑

They certainly have the talent to take it all.
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Yeah, some really good players didn't make the roster.