Robert Hay

US goalkeeper Tim Howard made an incredible 16 saves during the USA-Belgium Round of 16 World Cup game, which broke the record for the most number of saves in one World Cup match. Despite the USA's eventual 2-1 loss to Belgium in extra time, Tim Howard put in a world-class performance that frustrated Belgium who […]

Despite escaping from the Group of Death, the United States may be facing its toughest test yet in a win-or-go-home match against Belgium. No longer can the Yanks hope to be good enough, but with Belgium and probably Argentina standing in their way of advancing, the entire roster needs to play at its best. Michael […]

Now is the high-water mark for being a soccer fan in the United States. The US national team escaped the Group of Death, the ratings for the World Cup are breaking records, bars are overflowing during national team games, and even non-soccer fans are admitting to watching every match in this tournament. This is probably […]

This week I have been receiving a lot of, to use a polite word, “guff” about the United States National Team from militant anti-soccer people. They constantly bring up the idea that the U.S. simply needs a draw to advance in the World Cup and, because Germany can also finish first with a draw, there […]

Last month, if you would have come to me and said that during the World Cup Jermaine Jones was the US MVP after two matches while Michael Bradley was the goat of both games, AND the U.S. stood a good chance of advancing from the group, I would have had you committed. But this is […]

Cesare Prandelli’s decision to resign in the wake of the Azzurri’s 1-0 defeat to Uruguay was a noble one, premised on the idea that he was responsible for Italy’s poor showing in the World Cup. Setting aside his tenure as the Italian coach this cycle, if we focus on this match, then it was the […]

Going into the final Group A match of this World Cup, you could forgive Mexico for playing conservatively. While they could finish atop the group by “outscoring” Brazil, simply getting a draw would see Mexico extend their improbably run into the next round of the tournament. Instead, both teams went for the decisive first goal […]

With Germany and Ghana’s 2-2 draw yesterday, today's game between USA and Portugal gives both teams a great chance to position themselves to advance out of Group G. However, injuries and suspensions mean both will see different line-ups than the ones they ran out last week. For the United States, the big question is who […]

As I wrote my recent article on five reasons Italy should be afraid of Costa Rica, even I had a hard time not considering the Azzurri the heavy favorites in the match. They had turned back an England side that looked better than recent Three Lions teams and showed few of the weaknesses that had […]

For years, decades even, American soccer fans have been promising that a moment or a tournament would be the year that soccer finally becomes a mainstream American sport just like football, baseball, or basketball. These American soccer fans have pointed to changing demographics and growing global presence of the game. They also point to a […]

[Scene: September 2018. Living room of Jurgen Klinsman, with the coach and a New York Times reporter present] The United States men’s national team coach sits back in his chair and looks longingly out the window. The reporter begins this interview in the wake of the end of another interesting World Cup, this time in […]

Every four years, MLS ties itself as close as possible to the U.S. Men’s National Team in the hopes that the warm glow and newfound soccer fans turn to the domestic league to watch more of the sport. The 2014 FIFA World Cup has seen MLS double-down on this strategy as many of the team’s […]

“This has been a life-changing experience for me. But I don’t know if soccer has a place within me after this tournament. I just want to focus on dance school.” That quote came from Jaiyah Saelua, a defender from American Samoa after the island lost its World Cup qualification tournament against rival Samoa. That quote […]

You can forgive Azzurri fans for being a little overconfident going into Friday’s match with Costa Rica. With Italy vanquishing England in the first match and Uruguay getting thumped by the universally agreed worst team in the group, the road to the next round looks clear. Their fate is in their hands, and against a […]

Even though the eyes of the soccer world are focused on Brazil, the transfer market is heating up back in Europe. One of the hottest rumors floating around England is that Arsenal are interested in signing Mario Balotelli. Depending on what you read, Arsenal new kit sponsors Puma may be willing to offset some of the […]