Sports
USMNT countdown to the World Cup: Does McKennie have Juve future?
The opening weeks of the European club season have seen some auspicious starts. Norwich City‘s Josh Sargent continues to bang in the goals, with his tally against Portsmouth already giving him three on the young season. Chris Richards and Crystal Palace secured an impressive road shutout at Chelsea, and Sergiño Dest continued his fine form for PSV Eindhoven.
The most notable performances of the weekend came from players in Christian Pulisic and Johnny Cardoso who have had some attention around them — not all of it positive.
Throughout the season, ESPN will be monitoring the progress of the U.S. men’s national team player pool, delivering insights into those whose form or fitness has made them particularly intriguing. We call it the USMNT’s Countdown to the men’s World Cup.
ESPN will count down to June 11 every week so that way, when the U.S. team is announced for this highly anticipated World Cup on home soil, no names on that 26-man roster will come as a surprise.
Welcome to the USMNT’s Countdown to the World Cup. Only 295 days to go.
Christian Pulisic | Attacker | AC Milan
2025-26 minutes: 66
2025-26 FotMob rating: 8.6
Finally letting his football do the talking
Pulisic’s summer of discontent — complete with deciding to skip the Gold Cup, some subtle sniping with U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino, and then a not-so-subtle war-of-words with former USMNT players over his decision — finally got back to focusing on his actual performances. And after shaking off an ankle injury, Pulisic delivered for his club, scoring Milan’s second goal from a sharp reception and finish on the turn in what was a 2-0 win over Bari in the Coppa Italia.
The 66-minute performance reinforced a truism about Pulisic and his USMNT teammates: If he plays well, he’ll be praised. If he doesn’t, he’ll be criticized. Might some of that criticism be over the top? Possibly. But like it or not, this is what he signed up for, and using his docuseries as a platform to complain about said criticism won’t change that. With next summer’s World Cup now only 10 months away, the scrutiny on Pulisic and his play is only bound to increase. His start to the season is nonetheless encouraging.
2025-26 minutes: 45
2025-26 FotMob rating: 6.7
Already invaluable at Atléti
There has been plenty of head-scratching when it comes to Cardoso and the USMNT. Namely, why doesn’t he replicate his club form at international level? Cardoso’s debut for Atléti on Sunday against Espanyol elicited a very different type of question. Why was he subbed out at halftime by manager Diego Simeone?
It’s a decision made all the more puzzling given how Cardoso performed. He completed 87.5% of his passes and won 71.4% of his duels. Atlético were up 1-0 when he departed, only to lose the match 3-2 when Espanyol rallied for two goals. Simeone even praised Cardoso for his play and acknowledged he needed to reexamine his decisions.
“I think I learned a lesson,” he told reporters afterward. “I’ll take something away from that. There’s a lesson for me.”
Given that Cardoso earned compliments, it’s a start that bodes well for continued playing time on a very competitive squad. Now the challenge for Pochettino is to find a way to get the best out of Cardoso when he dons a different red, white and blue jersey.
2025-26 minutes: 0
2025-26 FotMob rating: 0.0
An annual tradition: Asking whether McKennie has a future at Juve
There’s always a danger in reading too much into preseason. There are youngsters to try out, fitness levels to manage, and in the case of Juventus, there’s recovery from a packed summer that included the FIFA Club World Cup. All of that said, when it comes to McKennie, how big of a role will he end up playing for Juve this season? It seems to be an annual query.
Last season, McKennie was ever-present, making a total of 48 league and cup appearances. But if the past three friendlies are anything to go by, the U.S. midfielder will be hard-pressed to repeat that level of activity. As the Serie A opener against Genoa nears this weekend, and with manager Igor Tudor opting for a 3-4-3 formation, McKennie has seen his playing time steadily decrease, with him entering last weekend’s friendly against Atalanta in second-half stoppage time. There have also been reports he might be headed to AS Roma.
If McKennie remains with Juve as a squad player, the team’s presence in the UEFA Champions League figures to result in plenty of player rotation, but it’s a less-than-ideal scenario for McKennie and the USMNT; it also might open the door for a fringe player or two. Middlesbrough‘s Aidan Morris has impressed in the opening weeks of the season.
The in-form XI
If the World Cup started tomorrow, who would make up Pochettino’s starting XI? Each week we take our best attempt to name a starting lineup based on form and fitness, which means there’s no room for injured players.
Even as Dest returns to health, a competition is brewing for the remaining outside back slots. Antonee Robinson, when healthy, is the presumed starter at left back, but he has yet to even make the gameday roster in recent weeks for Fulham as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery. One possible option on the left side, Watford‘s Caleb Wiley, is in a similar situation with a back injury.
The hope is that both players return to the field soon, but in the meantime, Pochettino has plenty of options in an attempt to fill the void. Joe Scally has played on either flank for both club and country, and has been a steady presence on the backline for Borussia Mönchengladbach, making more than 30 appearances in each of the past four seasons. However, Pochettino has shown a clear preference for outside backs who can contribute to the attack, whereas Scally’s strengths lie more on the defensive end of the field. Last season, in 32 league appearances, he had no goals or assists, and created only 11 chances.
That has led Pochettino to look at other options. Both Max Arfsten of the Columbus Crew and Orlando City SC‘s Alex Freeman logged the majority of minutes available at outside back during the Gold Cup. Arfsten showed some vulnerabilities in his defending, but improved as the tournament progressed and chipped in with a goal in the quarterfinal win against Costa Rica. Holstein Kiel‘s John Tolkin got time in the Gold Cup as well, and started the club season in dream fashion, scoring Kiel’s opener in the 2-0 victory over Homburg in the DFB-Pokal. The sequence showed off Tolkin’s passing, mobility and finishing ability. His edge in defending means he cracks this week’s in-form XI.
That is by no means the extent of Pochettino’s options when it comes to outside backs. Tim Weah‘s debut for Marseille last weekend came as a wing back, and Yunus Musah‘s early days under new Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri have seen him play in a similar role. Weah has shown flexibility in the past at club level in terms of playing on either flank, although for the USMNT, his value lies farther upfield given his ability to stretch and get behind defenses. The September window should reveal plenty.
Big Board 1.0 update
ESPN’s USMNT Big Board 1.0 went live earlier this month, and each Big Board will provide the foundation for weekly player updates. Below are the minutes and player ratings for each of those 35 players.
Matt Turner, goalkeeper, New England Revolution: 180 minutes in 2025; 7.4 FotMob rating in 2025.
Matt Freese, goalkeeper, New York City FC: 2,250 minutes in 2025; 7.2 FotMob rating in 2025.
Zack Steffen, goalkeeper, Colorado Rapids: 1,800 minutes in 2025; 7.1 FotMob rating in 2025.
Turner might get the nod in the in-form XI, but Steffen is doing all he can to push for more consideration from Pochettino. Steffen’s goals prevented mark of 6.33 is the third highest in MLS, showing a level of consistency that was absent last season. The big challenge for Steffen is simply staying healthy. If he does, he should get a chance to battle for the starting goalkeeping spot.
Patrick Schulte, goalkeeper, Columbus Crew: 1,980 minutes in 2025; 6.7 FotMob rating in 2025.
Chris Richards, center back, Crystal Palace: 180 minutes in 2025-26; 7.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Tim Ream, center back, Charlotte FC: 1,802 minutes in 2025; 6.6 FotMob rating in 2025.
Mark McKenzie, center back, Toulouse: 90 minutes in 2025-26; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
McKenzie remains the leading contender to push for Ream’s spot in the center of the USMNT defense, and he delivered a composed performance in Toulouse’s season-opening 1-0 win over Nice, completing 93% of his passes and winning 67% of his duels. Consistency with the USMNT has been an issue, but he’s off to the right kind of start with his club.
2:04
USMNT’s Chris Richards reacts to Community Shield win with Palace
Chris Richards speaks after Crystal Palace’s penalty shootout win over Liverpool in the Community Shield.
Cameron Carter-Vickers, center back, Celtic: 180 minutes in 2025-26; 7.7 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Miles Robinson, center back, FC Cincinnati: 2,258 minutes in 2025; 6.9 FotMob rating in 2025.
Auston Trusty, center back, Celtic: 138 minutes in 2025-26; 6.4 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Sergiño Dest, fullback, PSV Eindhoven: 262 minutes in 2025-26; 8.1 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Antonee Robinson, fullback, Fulham: 0 minutes in 2025-26; 0.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Joe Scally, fullback, Borussia Mönchengladbach: 90 minutes in 2025-26; 7.4 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Caleb Wiley, fullback, Watford: 0 minutes in 2025-26; 0.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Max Arfsten, fullback, Columbus Crew: 2,240 minutes in 2025; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025.
Alex Freeman, fullback, Orlando City SC: 2,320 minutes in 2025; 7.5 FotMob rating in 2025.
Tyler Adams, midfielder, AFC Bournemouth: 90 minutes in 2025-26; 6.2 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Weston McKennie, midfielder, Juventus: 0 minutes in 2025-26; 0.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Johnny Cardoso, midfielder, Atlético Madrid: 45 minutes in 2025-26; 6.7 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Luca de la Torre, midfielder, San Diego FC: 1,995 minutes in 2025; 6.8 FotMob rating in 2025.
Tanner Tessmann, midfielder, Lyon: 90 minutes in 2025-26; 7.6 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Yunus Musah, midfielder, AC Milan: 24 minutes in 2025-26; 6.8 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Sebastian Berhalter, midfielder, Vancouver Whitecaps: 2,470 minutes in 2025; 7.4 FotMob rating in 2025.
Christian Pulisic, attacker, AC Milan: 66 minutes in 2025-26; 8.6 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Tim Weah, attacker, Marseille: 45 minutes in 2025-26; 6.9 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Malik Tillman, attacker, Bayer Leverkusen: 0 minutes in 2025-26; 0.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Diego Luna, attacker, Real Salt Lake: 2,005 minutes in 2025; 7.2 FotMob rating in 2025.
Luna sat out last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Charlotte as he was suspended because of a red card he picked up against the New York Red Bulls. Luna now has seven yellow cards and two ejections on the season. He’s obviously getting more attention from opponents, but he’ll need to find a way to keep his composure as well as the edge with which he plays. Not at all easy, but a trait he’ll need to refine.
Alejandro Zendejas, attacker, América: 380 minutes in 2025-26; 7.1 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Zendejas looks to be cooling off a bit … or is he? During the two tournaments that comprised the 2024-25 Liga MX season, Zendejas had 11 goals from 7.07 xG across 40 matches. So far this season, Zendejas has one goal from 1.36 xG in five matches. So his goals/game are down, but his xG/game is up. Still early days yet, but if Zendejas continues to get chances, his goal scoring should round into form.
Giovanni Reyna, attacker, Borussia Dortmund: 0 minutes in 2025-26; 0.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Folarin Balogun, forward, AS Monaco: 0 minutes in 2025-26; 0.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Ricardo Pepi, forward, PSV Eindhoven: 28 minutes in 2025-26; 6.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Josh Sargent, forward, Norwich City: 227 minutes in 2025-26; 7.4 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Patrick Agyemang, forward, Derby County: 0 minutes in 2025-26; 0.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Haji Wright, forward, Coventry City: 176 minutes in 2025-26; 7.1 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Damion Downs, forward, Southampton: 93 minutes in 2025-26; 7.1 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
Making bold sporting statements without real repercussions can be fun, and fantasy baseball certainly is fun, so it is time again for us to combine these fun things into one column. Well, really it is two columns, as we get bold separately with the American League and the National League, making myriad predictions and hoping some (or several) may hit. Perhaps not, but at least they should make one think.
For example, a year ago we predicted that Athletics DH Brent Rooker would hit 50 home runs. He did not, but he did not struggle. We predicted Houston Astros RHP Hunter Brown would whiff 200 hitters and make the All-Star team. That did occur. Tampa Bay Rays OF Chandler Simpson very nearly stole 45 bases, but three Chicago White Sox did not hit 25 home runs. Byron Buxton and Mike Trout did play a lot! Grayson Rodriguez and Liam Hendriks did not.
Some (most) of these predictions will look a bit silly in six months, if not sooner. Still, there is a basis for making each of these bold statements, and perhaps it makes you think. Perhaps the player in question has a particular skill — or opportunity — that defies groupthink. Perhaps the statement is not a positive one. Fantasy baseball managers tend to follow rankings and projections but trusting your gut is important, too. Trust yourself. Take a few chances. Perhaps some of these bold picks will look wise in a few months.
With that in mind, let us get bold yet again for the pending season, starting with the American League.
Athletics: Could an Athletic hit 50 home runs this season? With reigning AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz, anything seems possible. Let’s give Rooker 40 blasts. … SS Jacob Wilson trades some contact for pop, hitting .280 with 18 home runs. … RHP Luis Severino can’t be that bad again in home games (6.01 ERA): Overall, he wins 13 games with a 3.80 ERA. … RHP Justin Sterner saves 18 games.
Baltimore Orioles: 2B Jackson Holliday (hand) makes his season debut in mid-April and still reaches 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. … Two Orioles hit 40 home runs (SS Gunnar Henderson, 1B Pete Alonso). … OF prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. debuts in July. He steals 26 bases. … LHP Trevor Rogers surprisingly is for real: 15 wins, 2.80 ERA, All-Star appearance. … RHP Andrew Kittredge saves more games than Ryan Helsley.
Boston Red Sox: OF star Roman Anthony hits 40 home runs and he is not the primary leadoff hitter for long. … Seven Red Sox hit 20 home runs, including 1B Triston Casas. … LHP Garrett Crochet whiffs 275 hitters and earns the AL Cy Young Award. … RHP Sonny Gray fans 180 hitters for his fifth team, and he wins a career-high 15 games.
Chicago White Sox: New 1B Munetaka Murakami and SS Colson Montgomery each hit 31 home runs, although neither infielder hits above .220. … New 2B Luisangel Acuna steals 28 bases. … Staff ace RHP Shane Smith makes the AL All-Star team again! … RHP prospect David Sandlin debuts in July, and he posts a 3.40 ERA in 12 starts.
Cleveland Guardians: Three Guardians hit 30 home runs, with newcomer 1B Rhys Hoskins joining 3B Jose Ramirez and 1B Kyle Manzardo. … Brittle OF Chase DeLauter, new No. 2 hitter, bats 510 times. … DH David Fry earns his catcher eligibility in June, and he finishes as a top 15 fantasy catcher. … RHP Tanner Bibee makes his first All-Star game. He wins 15 games and strikes out 200.
Detroit Tigers: OF Kerry Carpenter hits 32 home runs, knocks in 99 runs. … Prospect Max Anderson takes the 3B job in late-May, hits .290 over 420 PA. … RHP Justin Verlander wins 13 games with a 3.40 ERA. He starts Game 2 of the playoffs. … RHP Kenley Jansen saves 36 wins, sailing past 500 saves for his career and he retires.
Houston Astros: 1B Christian Walker leads the team with 30 home runs, with OF Yordan Alvarez and 3B Isaac Paredes adding 28. … Year 2 goes better for OF Cam Smith. He hits .270 with 22 home runs. … New RHP Mike Burrows wins 12 games with 160 strikeouts. … RHP Bryan Abreu saves 25 games and makes the All-Star team. Be very careful about LHP Josh Hader.
Kansas City Royals: Four Royals hit 30 home runs, led by slugging OF Jac Caglianone and solid 1B Vinnie Pasquantino with 34. … OF Starling Marte, active leader in stolen bases (and caught stealing), adds 22 steals. … OF Isaac Collins becomes the every-day 2B and posts a .375 OBP with 22 steals. … RHP Stephen Kolek (oblique), not in the Opening Day rotation, still wins 12 games with a 3.40 ERA.
Los Angeles Angels: SS Zach Neto delivers the third 30/30 season in franchise history (Bobby Bonds, Mike Trout). … Healthy OF Josh Lowe rediscovers his 2023 numbers, hitting 22 home runs and stealing 28 bases. … Speaking of health, RHP Grayson Rodriguez posts a 3.50 ERA over 26 starts, with myriad strikeouts. … LHP Drew Pomeranz saves 20 games.
Minnesota Twins: 2B Luke Keaschall scores 90 runs as leadoff hitter, batting .285 with 32 stolen bases. … OF Byron Buxton and 3B Royce Lewis each bat more than 500 times, and each reaches 30 home runs. … RHP Zebby Matthews breaks out with a 3.50 ERA and 170 strikeouts.
New York Yankees: OF Trent Grisham nearly does it again, hitting 30 home runs with 90 walks. … Grisham and C Ben Rice are among six Yankees who reach 30 home runs. … RHP Gerrit Cole (elbow) returns in May, and he wins 14 of his 22 starts with a 3.20 ERA. … LHP Ryan Weathers surprises with a 3.50 ERA in 24 starts.
Seattle Mariners: 2B Brendan Donovan scores 90 runs as leadoff hitter, while adding a .295 batting average. … SS prospect Colt Emerson debuts in May and he hits 15 home runs. … Five Mariners starting pitchers (Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Bryce Miller) make at least 28 starts with an ERA better than 3.50.
Tampa Bay Rays: An improved 3B Junior Caminero hits .280 with 50 home runs, and he ends up second in MVP voting. … OF Jonny DeLuca stays healthy enough to steal 30 bases, while OF Chandler Simpson steals 62 bases. … RHP Brody Hopkins debuts in July and dominates with a 2.80 ERA in 14 starts. … RHP Griffin Jax saves 28 wins.
Texas Rangers: OF Wyatt Langford stays healthy enough to appear in 152 games, reaching 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. Ian Kinsler was the last Ranger to reach 30/30 (2011). … 1B Jake Burger and DH Joc Pederson bounce back and each delivers 28 home runs. … RHP Nathan Eovaldi leads the staff with a 2.80 ERA in 26 starts and makes his third All-Star team.
Toronto Blue Jays: OF George Springer nearly does it again, hitting .280 with 28 home runs and 96 runs scored. … New 3B Kazuma Okamoto hits cleanup, protecting 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and he hits 28 home runs. … RHP Dylan Cease makes his first All-Star team, posts a 3.36 ERA. … RHP Louis Varland leads the team with 22 saves.
Sports
Pakistan qualify for Hockey World Cup 2026 after edging Japan in qualifiers | The Express Tribune
Pakistan hockey team’s sudden omission from prestigious Azlan Shah Cup has dismayed fans and critics. PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan qualified for the Hockey World Cup 2026 after defeating Japan in the semi-final of the World Cup qualifying tournament on Friday.
The Men in Green continued their unbeaten run in the tournament, securing a 4-3 victory over Japan in Egypt to confirm their place in the global event and end an eight-year wait for World Cup qualification.
Pakistan scored one goal in the first quarter and added three more in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
For Pakistan, Imad Muhammad, Abubakar Mahmood, Sufyan Khan and Afraz each scored a goal.
Goalkeeper Ali Raza played a decisive role in the victory by stopping a penalty stroke late in the match. Japan were awarded the penalty stroke four minutes before the end of the game, but Raza blocked it to help Pakistan secure the win and advance to the final while also confirming their place in the World Cup.
The leadership of the Pakistan Hockey Federation congratulated the team on the achievement with President Mohiuddin Wani saying the athletes played “excellently in nervous competition”.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated the team.
“The players performed brilliantly in the tournament and qualified for the world cup after eight years. This success is the result of teamwork and hard work of the players. This win proves that Pakistan has hockey talent.
“The excellent performance of all the players, including captain Imad Shakeel Butt, is commendable. Hopefully the national team will return by winning the final,” he said in a statement.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on August 14 this year in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Pakistan had failed to qualify for the previous edition of the World Cup and had last secured a spot in the tournament in 2018.
Lionel Messi drew high praise from President Donald Trump as the Argentine superstar and his Inter Miami team were honoured at the White House on Thursday for winning the MLS Cup last year.
The president said: “It’s my distinct privilege to say what no American president has ever had the chance to say before: ‘Welcome to the White House, Lionel Messi.'”
Trump went on to reveal the affection his 19-year-old son Barron has for Messi.
“My son said, ‘Dad, you know who’s going to be there today?’ I said, ‘No, I got a lot of things going on today,'” Trump said. “He said ‘Messi!’ He’s a big fan of yours. He thinks you’re just a great person. And I think you got to meet a little while ago. So he’s a big soccer fan, but he’s a tremendous fan of yours. And a gentleman named Ronaldo. Cristiano is great. You’re great.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s longtime rival in European soccer, attended a White House event with Trump last year.
Regarding Messi’s impact on Inter Miami, Trump said: “This guy won. There was tremendous fanfare, and he won. Leo, you came in and won. It’s hard to do. … You came in and won with all that pressure.”
Wading into the area of soccer history, Trump said to Messi, “You may be better than Pele,” and he asked those in attendance, “Who’s better?”
Trump said of the Inter Miami squad: “What a group of people. We could have a lot of fun with these guys. You can imagine how they celebrate.”
The president singled out Rodrigo De Paul, an Argentine midfielder who scored the go-ahead goal in the Herons’ 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final.
“Where the hell is Rodrigo?” Trump asked, causing De Paul to blush.
The president added: “Do you have any bad-looking players? I like the bad-looking players much better.”
Messi gave Trump a pink signed Inter Miami soccer ball, and club co-owner Jorge Mas and coach Javier Mascherano presented the president with a team jersey and a watch.
Mas said: “It’s our aspiration to continue breaking barriers and putting no limits, to making sure Major League Soccer and Inter Miami are considered among the elite in global football.”
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