The Los Angeles Dodgers have designated longtime utility player Chris Taylor for assignment, according to a report from Fabian Ardaya of
Taylor joins Austin Barnes, the team's longtime catcher, in being designated for assignment this weekend. Barnes and Taylor were the two longest-tenured members of the franchise.
In 28 games this season, Taylor had seven hits in 35 plate appearances, batting .200. He's been used almost entirely in a reserve role off the bench for the Dodgers, who sit at 29-17 on the season and in first-place in the National League West.
Taylor spent the last decade with the Dodgers, where he won two World Series titles and made one All-Star team in 2021. Taylor was also named co-MVP of the NLCS in 2017, when he hit .316 with two home runs and five runs scored in the five-game series win over the Chicago Cubs,
Newcastle United are now reportedly preparing a move to sign an impressive striker in 2026, who has outscored Nick Woltemade so far this season.
Howe "hugely frustrated" by Tottenham draw
It may now be three Premier League games without defeat for Newcastle, but Eddie Howe couldn’t hide his frustration after Tottenham Hotspur rescued a late draw on Tuesday evening. It could have capped off the beginning of their resurgence following wins over Manchester City and Everton, but ultimately highlighted their frailties instead.
Speaking to reporters at full-time, Howe said: “I think we’re hugely frustrated with ourselves really. That was a game where we had to work really hard for the first goal. I thought we were the dominant team and knocking on the door all through the first half.
“The goal came when it came and I felt then we were in a strong position having been relatively comfortable defensively to then concede the two goals in the way that we did, in the manner that we did. It’s hugely disappointing because we pride ourselves on being better than that defensively.
“Technically, second half, I don’t think we were particularly good, especially when we were leading. When you’re leading and you’ve got the advantage, one or two really quality passes in different moments can make the difference and we went the other way.”
Fewer passes than Ramsdale: Howe must drop 6/10 Newcastle star after Spurs
Newcastle United were denied another Premier League win by Tottenham Hotspur last night.
ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025
The Magpies don’t have long to lick their wounds, however. Up next, they play host to Burnley in their third game in the space of a week. Victory there would represent another step in the right direction in a hectic festive period.
As each game comes, Yoane Wissa also edges closer and closer to a comeback. The DR Congo forward opted out of playing in the Africa Cup of Nations to reward Newcastle for their patience, but that may not be enough to prevent those at St James’ Park from reinforcing their frontline in January.
Newcastle preparing Igor Thiago move
While the Magpies are intent on bolstering their youth ranks, notably joining the likes of Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea in the race for Cardiff’s Dylan Lawlor, they are also very much thinking about the present.
Indeed, according to Caught Offside, Newcastle are now preparing a move to sign Igor Thiago from Brentford in January after completing their scouting mission.
The impressive forward has scored 11 goals in 13 Premier League games this season – a number that only Erling Haaland has bettered – and could now seal a well-earned move when the January transfer window arrives.
Minutes
1,101
965
Goals
11
5
Assists
0
1
Expected Goals
8.5
4.5
Whilst there’s no denying that record signing Woltemade has made a fantastic start at Newcastle, Thiago has been on another level. The Brentford star has stepped up to replace Bryan Mbeumo, but could now complete a similar move in another blow for Keith Andrews.
The young manager has been full of praise for his forward this season, telling reporters last weekend: “He is a dream to work with. As a person, his hunger and appetite to get better is impressive.
“He is having a fantastic season, it doesn’t take a genius to see that. The numbers will tell you that, the performances he produces consistently well, how well he has integrated into the way they are playing and with individuals.”
Better than Anderson: £70m "monster" is now open to joining Newcastle
The Premier League season is only 15 games old, but it’s already been something of a roller coaster for West Ham United.
For the first couple of months, with Graham Potter in charge, it looked like the East Londoners were destined for relegation and unable to buy a win.
However, over the last few weeks, new boss Nuno Espírito Santo has helped to turn the ship around, and while they’re still in the relegation zone, the Hammers have lost just one of their last six games.
However, there are still problems on and off the pitch, including the fact that they’ll likely have to sell Lucas Paqueta in the summer, but before they do that, West Ham should get rid of someone else in the winter window.
Why West Ham should sell Paqueta
Now, the first thing to say here is that, at his very best, Paqueta has a claim to be one of the most exciting and talented attacking midfielders in the Premier League.
However, the problem is that he hasn’t been at, or really anywhere near, his scintillating best for quite some time.
For example, while he managed a brilliant haul of 15 goal involvements in 23/24, he then followed that up with just five last season, and so far this year, he’s produced just four.
Paqueta’s recent form
Seaon
24/25
25/26
Appearances
36
14
Minutes
2536′
1217′
Goals
5
4
Assists
0
0
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In other words, it’s hard to make a case that his performances over the last year and a half have justified his sizable £150k-per-week wage.
Speaking of his contract, the next reason the Hammers should probably be looking to sell the former Lyon star is the fact that he’ll have just a year left on his deal in the summer.
Therefore, he’ll either need to be handed another bumper contract or be sold to protect his valuation.
Finally, the 28-year-old revealed that he almost forced a move back to Flamengo in the summer. So it’s not impossible to imagine he’ll want to leave sooner or later, which comes back to the idea that the Hammers should be the ones to instigate his departure at the end of the season and protect his value.
With all that said, there is another player, someone far less important to the side, that West Ham should look to move on before Paqeuta.
The West Ham flop Nuno has to sell
With West Ham improving over the last month or so, fewer players are sticking out for the wrong reasons, but one who continues to disappoint is Max Kilman.
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The former Wolverhampton Wanderers star joined the Hammers for a whopping £40m fee in the summer of 2024.
Since then, while there have been the odd moments in which he’s looked like a quality centre-back, the Englishman has largely been a flop and someone who has been more of a hindrance at the back than a help.
For example, in the 2-0 defeat at home to Brentford earlier this season, the 6 foot 4 titan was partly to blame for both goals and looked miles off the pace and, in the words of one content creator, was “shocking.”
Worryingly, his former manager, Gary O’Neil, went into detail about some of his weaknesses and described him as someone who likes to “switch off” during games.
That does not sound like the kind of defender you want in the backline when fighting to stay in the Premier League, and, based on reports, it seems Nuno would agree.
According to a story from earlier this week, the Irons would be willing to part ways with the centre-back should someone make an offer of around £25m, and reports from earlier in the season claimed that Crystal Palace were interested in the defender.
On top of the eye test, another reason the club should perhaps lower their asking price is the fact that his underlying numbers are dire.
According to FBref, the Chelsea-born dud ranks in the bottom 45% of centre-backs in the Premier League for pass completion, the bottom 18% for tackles, the bottom 14% for progressive passes, and the bottom 9% for interceptions, all per 90.
Ultimately, while West Ham will likely need to sell Paqueta in the summer, they must sell Kilman first, as he simply isn’t good enough.
Wilson upgrade: West Ham in race to sign "one of Europe's most in form CFs"
The free-scoring forward would be incredible for West Ham, but bad news for Wilson.
Arsenal have been given a clear advantage in the race for a Premier League star who’s also wanted by Tottenham, with a January move also on the cards.
Arsenal tipped for quiet January after major summer spend
Andrea Berta splashed nearly £270 million on eight major signings during his debut summer window in north London, and reports suggest that the Gunners could expect a more quiet winter window for the Italian.
Arsenal’s summer spending spree delivered eight significant arrivals, including Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
This remarkable depth across every department means January business appears quite unnecessary, provided unmissable opportunities don’t arise, that is.
UEFA’s Squad Coast regulations have reportedly influenced Arsenal’s cautious stance, with stricter squad amortization and wage controls demanding careful navigation (The Mirror).
The club is currently sailing perilously close to squad cost limits, making substantial additions virtually impossible without corresponding departures.
Standout attacker 'will soon sign' for Arsenal with talks in 'full swing'
He’s been in fine form this season.
By
Emilio Galantini
5 days ago
Gabriel Jesus could be one of Arsenal’s candidates for the exit door, should a significant offer come in. The Brazilian forward, who is on the verge of a return to action after 11 months out with an ACL injury, faces long-term uncertainty given the presence of Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino.
Jesus was an unused substitute against Chelsea and Brentford, but Arteta has now included the Brazil international in his Champions League squad to replace the injured Max Dowman.
Any Jesus sale would generate transfer funds, while compatriot Gabriel Martinelli remains another player Arsenal could consider selling if substantial bids arrive (BBC).
The Brazilian’s position has become increasingly precarious following Madueke and Eze’s arrivals, not to mention Leandro Trossard’s outstanding form, with his contract also expiring in 2027.
Martinelli’s exit would lead to the possibility of another winger coming in (BBC), with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo available for £65 million early next month thanks to a release clause in his contract.
The Ghanaian’s exceptional form has attracted interest from N5, Tottenham, Man City and Liverpool heading into January, but while Arsenal may need to sell before they can realistically move, they still have a leg-up on Spurs.
Antoine Semenyo 'far more tempted' to join Arsenal than Tottenham
That is according to The Sun’s Tom Barclay, who reports that Semenyo is ‘far more tempted’ to join Arsenal over Tottenham should a January transfer materialize.
History could repeat itself here following last summer’s Eberechi Eze saga.
The 25-year-old’s release clause is activatable until January 10, making him available despite Tottenham’s intensifying interest. However, Semenyo apparently remains hesitant about moving to north London’s white half — the identical reservation that preceded Eze’s sensational late switch to Arsenal.
Tottenham had reached an agreement with Crystal Palace for Eze last August before Arsenal thundered in dramatically, securing the attacking midfielder’s signature in a £67.5 million deal.
Eze, a boyhood Arsenal supporter, chose his childhood club and subsequently rubbed salt into Tottenham’s wounds by scoring a magnificent hat-trick during Arsenal’s 4-1 derby demolition on November 23.
Semenyo has previously declared himself an Arsenal fan too, and when asked if joining them would be a dream come true, he suggested that it is the case.
This emotional connection could make the Emirates Stadium approach significantly more tempting than alternatives.
Barclay also reports that Arsenal could make a move for Semenyo in January, so if Berta can source the funds for a swoop, this may be one to watch.
علق إيهاب أبو جزر المدير الفني لـ منتخب فلسطين على الفوز على قطر في افتتاح مشوار بلاده ببطولة كأس العرب 2025.
وتمكن منتخب فلسطين من تحقيق الفوز على نظيره منتخب قطر، في افتتاح مشوار المنتخبين في المواجهة التي جمعت بينهما بالجولة الأولى من مرحلة المجموعات لـ كأس العرب.
فيديو | بالنيران الصديقة.. منتخب فلسطين يحقق فوزًا مثيرًا على قطر في كأس العرب
وقال إيهاب أبو جزر في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة دبي الرياضية: “الحمد لله حققنا فوزا تاريخيا، وأول فوز لنا في البطولة، سعداء جدًا، اللاعبون رجال، كانوا أبطالا بكل ما تحمله الكلمة من معنى”.
وأكمل: “تمكننا من أن نخطف فوزًا ثمينًا من منتخب قوي، المنتخب القطري بطل آسيا، وهذا فوز مهم جدًا بالنسبة لنا، والحمد لله ثلاث نقاط مهمة بالنسبة لنا، ونحن نجدد في المنتخب ونمر بفترة انتقالية، ولكن الحمد لله حققنا فوزًا ثمينًا”.
وأتم: “نهدي الفوز لكل الشعب الفلسطيني ولكل شهدائنا وجرحانا، نهديه لغزة العزة، وقبل المباراة تلقينا العديد من الاتصالات من غزة، ولحظة الهدف صفّقت لنا كل الخيام في غزة”.
O Palmeiras divulgou sua escalação para enfrentar o San Lorenzo, às 19h, no Allianz Parque. Como novidades e para êxtase da torcida, Luis Guilherme, Endrick e Estêvão vão começar como titulares. Confira a reação dos palmeirenses!
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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão
Estatísticas de Palmeiras e San Lorenzo
Palmeiras e San Lorenzo se enfrentaram apenas cinco vezes na história, até o momento, e foram duas vitórias para cada lado e um empate. Na última vez em que as equipes estiveram frente a frente, na Libertadores deste ano, empate por 1 a 1, na Argentina.
Com o primeiro lugar do Grupo F assegurado, já que tem 13 pontos, resta ao Palmeiras buscar a melhor campanha no geral, fato que o Verdão conseguiu em cinco das últimas seis edições da Libertadores. O Verdão foi o primeiro em 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 e 2023.
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O técnico Abel Ferreira avalia mudanças pensando nos desfalques que terá durante a Copa América. Gustavo Gómez, Piquerez, Richard Ríos e Endrick disputarão a competição.
Já o time argentino, com sete pontos, precisa apenas de um empate para se garantir em segundo lugar na chave, que ainda tem Independiente del Valle e Liverpool-URU, ambos com quatro pontos e que se enfrentam nessa rodada.
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Os números do Palmeiras na Libertadores, até aqui, são os seguintes: tem 1392 passes certos, 163 errados, 31 finalizações certas, 37 erradas, 42 desarmes certos e 9 errados, 17 escanteios, e uma média de 50,35% de posse de bola.
O San Lorenzo tem 1257 passes certos, 183 errados, 23 finalizações certas, 39 erradas, 66 desarmes certos e 6 errados, 9 escanteios, e uma média de 44,83% de posse de bola.
⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
Palmeiras: Weverton; Mayke, Gustavo Gómez (Naves), Murilo e Piquerez (Vanderlan); Aníbal Moreno, Zé Rafael e Raphael Veiga; Estêvão, Lázaro e Endrick (Flaco López).
San Lorenzo: Gómez; Giay, Luján, Campi e Braida; Ferreira e Remedi; Leguizamón, Barrios e Cuello; Herazo (Bareiro).
Micah Richards was left blown away by the performance of one Sunderland star in the Tyne-Wear derby victory against Newcastle United this afternoon.
Sunderland win first Premier League game vs Newcastle since 2016
The Black Cats managed to get one over on their biggest rivals in the first Premier League meeting with Newcastle since 2016, courtesy of a bizarre own goal from Nick Woltemade in the second half.
Regis Le Bris’ side have made a dream start to life back in the top flight, but today’s victory is undoubtedly the sweetest yet, moving four points clear of the Magpies after managing to hold out for a well-earned 1-0 win.
A lot of credit has to go to the defence, with the visitors being limited to an xG of just 0.26, never really managing to create any big opportunities throughout the match.
However, Richards was also quick to praise Granit Xhaka after the match, with the former Manchester City man saying: “This man, we talked about him before the game, was brilliant again, absolute warrior in that midfield. What a player he’s been, what a signing. I’m gonna say he’s been the signing of the season so far, that’s how big I’m going.”
“He’s been absolutely immaculate in everything he does, even the way he speaks is just brilliant. Wow.”
Xhaka deserves all the plaudits after another impressive display
The Basel-born midfielder has been absolutely indispensable for Le Bris this season, starting all 15 Premier League games, during which time he’s chipped in with five goal involvements.
Sunderland could now make £12m approach to sign "unreal" defender in January
The Black Cats are assessing their options ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
ByDominic Lund 6 days ago
However, the Swiss maestro is perhaps best known for his defensive qualities, which were on show again today, making a number of important contributions.
Granit Xhaka’s key stats vs Newcastle
Number completed
Ground duels (won)
3 (2)
Aerial duels (won)
3 (3)
Clearances
4
Tackles
2
The Black Cats managing to sign the former Bayer Leverkusen man is starting to look like a real coup, with Jamie Carragher describing him as “fantastic” and the “most influential” player for a Premier League team this season.
The sky is the limit for this Sunderland side, who are firmly in contention to qualify for Europe, but Xhaka is likely to be paramount to their success, and Le Bris will be hoping for a similar display when his side travel to Brighton for their penultimate game in 2025 next weekend.
Taskin is currently playing in the Abu Dhabi T10 and was not available for selection
Mohammad Isam23-Nov-2025
Mohammad Saifuddin is back in the side•AFP/Getty Images
Bangladesh have picked Mohammad Saifuddin and Mahidul Islam Ankon for the first two T20Is of the three-match series against Ireland. They replace Taskin Ahmed and Shamim Hossain from the squad that played the T20Is against West Indies last month.Saifuddin was part of the T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah, which Bangladesh won 3-0, while Ankon is uncapped in the format. He has played one Test and three ODIs, though.Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said that Taskin was not available for selection as he is currently playing in the Abu Dhabi T10. He also mentioned that Shamim Hossain has been left out.”Taskin has an NOC, so he is not available to us currently,” Hossain said. “We know that he will play for Bangladesh whenever we ask him to, but we are well aware of the plans.”We haven’t considered Shamim Hossain for the first two T20Is. We have picked Mahidul Islam so that we can try someone in the top four.”All three matches of the series will be played in Chattogram, on November 27, 29 and December 2.Bangladesh squad for Ireland T20IsLitton Das (capt), Saif Hassan (vice-capt), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tawhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Nurul Hasan, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin
Big picture – India can’t be complacent despite recent dominance in ODIs
We can sometimes forget the unfortunate part injuries play in a team’s fortunes. India are now going into a third straight international match with a third different captain after Shubman Gill’s neck injury in the Kolkata Test forced him out of action following non-stop cricket for India’s newest three-format obsession. Their ODI vice-captain, Shreyas Iyer, is also out with a rib injury he sustained while taking a catch back in Australia.This format, though, is still the ideal sweet spot for India. Or at least this generation of players, up until the injured full-time captain and vice-captain. India have been dominant in ODIs, winning the last Asia Cup and the last Champions Trophy, and losing only the final in the last World Cup.Related
'Look forward to enjoying responsibility' – Rahul steps into the hot seat
South Africa prove they can win the hard way, anywhere
Watch out for Jaiswal's return, Bavuma and de Kock up top
Morkel: Gill is recovering well, Iyer has started rehab
However, they are careful not to be complacent because the next World Cup takes them to South Africa. So they are always going to be wondering if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will still be good to go in late 2027, how to find a seam-bowling allrounder, how to manage workloads. And this is the format teams play the least of.India’s opponents are nowhere near as dominant in ODIs in recent times but they will be riding the high of having beaten India 2-0 in the Tests. This is a rare full tour as nowadays home teams prefer to split Tests and shorter formats to allegedly maximise the earnings. However, all-format tours have their own charm of one side trying to dominate the other team completely and the other looking for some redemption in the other formats.Also, South Africa are closer to full strength now with the exception of Kagiso Rabada’s injury-enforced absence. The return of Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma should add heft to their batting, and Keshav Maharaj should provide them the spin control they missed in Pakistan.These are just three ODIs and they will be forgotten quickly, what with more focus on T20Is right now, but they promise to be cracking contests while they last.
Form guide
India WLLWW South Africa LWLLWMatthew Breetzke comes to India with a huge reputation to live up to•AFP/Getty Images
In the spotlight: RoKo and Matthew Breetzke
KL Rahul will take over India’s leadership as the selectors have resisted the temptation to go back to Rohit Sharma, who returned to the ODIs, his only active international format, with a century in the third match against Australia. It is a clear sign that Rohit and Virat Kohli will forever remain under extra scrutiny just by the virtue of how old they will be by the World Cup in 2027.Matthew Breetzke comes to India with a big reputation to live up to. He is the only player to have scored 50 or more in each of his first five ODIs, and he averages 67.75 while playing the difficult role of batting in the middle order.
Team news: Shubman Gill and Kagiso Rabada are out
Yashasvi Jaiswal should be the natural replacement for Gill at the top of the order with Ruturaj Gaikwad primed to take Iyer’s slot in the middle order. If Gaikwad gets the nod, Rishabh Pant, who is back in the squad, will struggle to make the starting XI because India will need two allrounders. It remains to be seen if one of those allrounders will be a seam bowler in Nitish Kumar Reddy. In Australia, they played all three while the series was live because they wanted batting depth. If they repeat the formation, all three will get in.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ruturaj Gaikwad/Rishabh Pant, 5 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 9 Harshit Rana, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Prasidh Krishna1:09
Karim: An opportunity for Jaiswal ‘to cement his place’
Markram should slot back into the opening role, something South Africa have tried since the last World Cup where he batted at No. 4. Bavuma should take his No. 3 position.South Africa (probable): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Matthew Breetzke, 5 Dewald Brevis, 6 Rubin Hermann, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Lungi Ngidi
Pitch and conditions
This is only the sixth ODI Ranchi is hosting. There has been only one score of over 300, which was defended successfully, but chases of 270-280 haven’t quite been cakewalks either. The pitch generally is on the slower side; in the last ODI there, Washington Sundar opened the bowling for India. The weather will be perfect to play cricket in, but a lot will depend on dew. Without dew, batting first is not a bad shout in Ranchi.
Stats and trivia
Since 2006, India and South Africa have played ten bilateral ODI series against each other. The scoreline is 5-5.
Bavuma needs 59 runs to become only the 22nd South Africa player to score 2000 ODI runs.
Quotes
“Rutu, obviously, is a top-class player. We have all seen it. With whatever opportunities, limited opportunities he has got [with India], he has really utilised it and shown what he can do. Unfortunately, in ODI cricket, the top six or top five is quite settled. And they are performing really well.” “When you add those two names to the line-up, we expect to see a full house tomorrow and that’s exciting. I think obviously two vastly experienced and dangerous players and they can cause a lot of damage to us, but we tend to try to focus on what sort of damage we can cause the opposition.”
The draw delivered clarity, confidence and a challenge. Now Pochettino and his players know the route – and, inspired by Herb Brooks and the Miracle on Ice, they’re daring to dream big.
WASHINGTON – For a little while there, Mauricio Pochettino was just like everyone else.
He wasn't the head coach of the U.S. men's national team or the de facto face of American soccer; he was part of the audience at the Kennedy Center watching Shaquille O'Neal, Aaron Judge, and Wayne Gretzky struggle to open up ping pong balls that decided fates. There was no coaching to do, no strategy to implement, no adjustments to be made. The fate of Pochettino and his team was, at least for now, in the hands of others.
The moment that final ball was drawn, the USMNT’s fate snapped back into their own hands. Paraguay and Australia were confirmed. A European playoff winner will join them. The waiting stopped the second that envelope was opened. From that moment, Mauricio Pochettino’s preparations could truly begin.
“How did I live the experience? With happiness,” Pochettino said. “Because it is a unique moment, where we see which teams we are going to face in the World Cup, with zero expectations. What it looks like today, in six months, can change – that is the truth for us, in the same way. Yes, I am really happy to have been part of this event, and we really enjoyed it.”
Fans did, too. The USMNT were given a group that, to put it fairly, is navigable. They’ve beaten both Australia and Paraguay in recent months. If Turkey emerge from the playoff, they would be familiar as well, having played the U.S. to a narrow 2-1 win before the Gold Cup. The reaction on social media was swift: this was no group of death. Not even close. Some might even call it a best-case scenario – one that can have the USMNT dreaming about what’s possible in ways they couldn’t before those ping-pong balls bounced their way.
Getty
'It made it feel like an American event already'
Pochettino wasn’t the only one watching with intrigue. Millions around the world tuned in to the festivities at the Kennedy Center, including several of the USMNT’s most important players.
“Just watching, the Americans on stage and the President giving speeches and all of the performances, it made it feel like an American event already,” said 2022 World Cup captain Tyler Adams.
Added star winger Christian Pulisic: “I knew it was going to take a while before we actually saw who we’d have in our groups, and it did, but it was good. The buildup was good. Now that we know, it’s an exciting time.”
Pulisic was putting it lightly. It took a while to get to the actual draw. A series of musical performances preceded it. So did an award for President Donald Trump, who was in attendance. There was no shortage of ceremony or spectacle. Then, finally, it got down to business.
Tom Brady, O’Neal, Judge, and Gretzky drew the teams, with varying levels of success. By the time they were done – concluding a two-hour marathon of a ceremony — the U.S. knew what came next: Paraguay, Australia, and then a European play-off winner, in that order. Depending on the result of that playoff, which includes Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo, the U.S. may be favored in all three games.
“For ourselves, no matter who we drew in the group, we were going to have that belief that we could make a run and do something special,” Adams said. “I think, just having the draw in general, the excitement grows, and it makes it feel more real.”
It’s both real and somewhat familiar, as the U.S. now looks ahead to games against teams they know pretty well.
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Lessons from the past
Pochettino was in a joking mood when asked about the upcoming opponents.
"It means less work!" he said with a laugh, "It's fresh. We've already done the work over the last six months."
He's right. The U.S. played Turkey ahead of the Gold Cup, falling 2-1 after scoring early. They faced Australia in October, earning a 2-1 win of their own in a hard-fought game in Colorado. Then, just last month, the U.S. hosted Paraguay, earning yet another 2-1 win as part of their five-game unbeaten run through the fall.
Following his initial quip, Pochettino got down to business, explaining the reality of the situation: the teams that meet in seven months won't be the same as the ones that met this year. Players will have gone in and out. Key pieces may suffer injuries or return from them. The squads will look entirely different. Plus, at the end of the day, this is a World Cup; no friendly can fully prepare you for one of those.
"The reality is that the sequence has changed, or are going to change," Pochettino said. That is why there are different games with different rosters or different players in the starting XI. In six months, things can change. Teams can have a very different system. It's a good reference for us, and also for them, but I think we need to be very focused on the things that can change. I don't believe there will be an advantage. I think these events have no effect on the future."
All eyes are on that future now, though, and that has sprouted a question: how far can this team go?
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The scenarios
The wheels of social media immediately started spinning. If the U.S. wins the group, several teams could be up next. If they win that, maybe they get a rematch against Belgium! That would be fun! Finish second in the group and, oh boy, does it get tougher. Third? Well, we'll figure all of that out later.
Pochettino isn't one for scenarios. They're fun for fans to think about, sure, but there's no benefit to getting too far ahead. Pochettino knows that more than most, having suffered a stunning group stage elimination with Argentina in 2002. As a result, there's no counting chickens, even if the group is a manageable one.
"If you are Argentina, the best team and the winner of the last World Cup, maybe you can say, 'Okay, the stage after, what is going to happen?'. Maybe then you allow yourself to see," Pochettino said. "We don't do the same. Our first game is the final of the World Cup. The second needs to be the final of the World Cup. The third, too. We need to see that. The first game is not just another opportunity. That's why we have the mentality that we want to build, the mindset we've talked about before."
That mindset does call for optimism, though. Pochettino once again called for fans to back this team. He called for those outside of the squad to believe in the players, to push them, and guide them to achieving more than any of their predecessors have. The hope is that they can do that, having now been given a realistic pathway to doing so.
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'We don’t need the best players; we need the right players'
Midway through his press conference, Pochettino quoted the legendary Herb Brooks. Under Brooks’ leadership, the USA hockey team defied all odds to create the Miracle on Ice in 1980, still one of the biggest sporting upsets of all time. Pochettino recently watched the movie based on that achievement, . It inspired him.
“The coach said, ‘We don’t need the best players; we need the right players to make the team a strong team,’” he said. “That’s what we want to provide to the national team: the right players to build a powerful team with the possibility to fight against anyone in the world. Good and right are completely different. What I have explained is that you cannot be only a good player; what we need is the right player.
“They are going to be more powerful than as individuals. It’s a quality and, if we don’t have this energy, maybe we can win one game, but, for them, in a competition like this, winning the World Cup is impossible.”
Pochettino doesn’t believe it’s impossible, though. He said so at his very first press conference. Time and time again, he has reiterated the message: the U.S. can win the World Cup. If not, what’s the point of all this? What’s the point of trying this hard if you don’t believe you can actually do it?
That may still be a step too far. But to get there, the U.S. will first need to navigate their group. That is achievable. They can win this group and, from there, who knows? At that point, Pochettino will be able to see how far the right players can take this team.
For a few months now, Pochettino has harped on one specific tagline: “Be realistic and do the impossible.” Emerging from the group seems more realistic than ever. Maybe the impossible might be, too.