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01 The Lede
Mauricio Pochettino is not gone yet. CBS Sports reports U.S. Soccer remains in active talks with the Argentine coach, with CEO JT Batson saying the program's "best days" are still ahead. That's a notable signal ten days after the 4–1 loss to Belgium in Seattle ended the USMNT's World Cup run in the Round of 16. The team finished as group winners — 6 points, 8 goals, the best group stage ever by this program — and then ran into a Belgium side that had no interest in sentiment. The coaching question is the only one that matters right now, and it is not settled. ESPN is already running eleven names as potential replacements; U.S. Soccer, apparently, would rather not need the list.
02 Quick Passes
Batson deflects. Asked directly about Trump's role in overturning Balogun's red card suspension before the Bosnia match, U.S. Soccer's CEO told The Guardian: "The president is the president." No further elaboration offered.
Tim Ream, pundit. The veteran center back shared his World Cup Final prediction with Yahoo Sports — Argentina vs. England is set, per FOX Sports, with Argentina beating England in the semis. Ream was named to the MLS All-Star Game roster alongside Lionel Messi and Son Heung-Min, which is a sentence.
Pochettino replacement speculation. ESPN's eleven-name shortlist is making the rounds. Thierry Henry's name is on it — per HITC, he once said "I know the players" about the USMNT job. The active talks with Poch make this moot for now.
Nike supply chain embarrassment. The Wall Street Journal reports Nike ran out of U.S. Soccer jerseys during the tournament. Demand exceeded supply at a home World Cup. Someone is having a very bad July in Beaverton.
MLS returns. The league is back in action while the World Cup final is still ten days away. Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver was postponed Thursday due to wildfire smoke — delaying Robert Lewandowski's MLS debut with the Fire.
03 Player Watch
Folarin Balogun has been doing the rounds, and his candor is striking. On the FIFA decision to overturn his red card from the Bosnia match — a reversal widely reported to have involved political pressure from the White House — Balogun told CBS News and multiple outlets: "I was in shock" and "I knew it would cause a lot of controversy." He added that the uncertainty surrounding the situation created "outside noise" that affected his teammates. Balogun finished with 3 World Cup goals — tied with Landon Donovan for second-most by a USMNT player in a single tournament. The tournament exit doesn't dim that. The circumstances around the Bosnia match will follow him regardless.
04 The Scene
Matt Freese told the New York Post the Belgium mistake will "motivate me" — a keeper's answer that is either deeply mature or the only answer available. Probably both.
Cristian Roldan shared "mixed emotions" about his World Cup experience with Sounder at Heart — which covers a lot of ground for a player who won Group D and then lost 4–1.
Jozy Altidore weighed in on the USMNT's tournament, MLS, and, yes, hydration breaks in a Hard Rock Bet interview. Hydration breaks remain the most polarizing innovation in American soccer discourse.
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05 Extra Time
Argentina vs. England in the World Cup Final. The USMNT beat England to a semifinal by, uh, losing in the Round of 16. Timing is everything. Next competitive action for this group: friendlies in late September. The coaching situation will be resolved well before then — or it will get louder.
— USMNT Daily. See you tomorrow.