Since the USA’s elimination at the hands of Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16, the question that everyone is asking is this: Is the US better off than it was four years ago? It’s a legitimate question to ask. The USA went out of the World Cup at the exact same juncture as […]

Belgium have been international media and fan darlings long before this World Cup began. With a young core of exciting players fans were looking forward to seeing this side make its mark on the international stage. Belgium is a country with divides not only between immigrants and natives, but also French and Flemish speakers. The […]

An easy, somewhat lazy narrative has developed through the years that Major League Soccer has helped the United States Men’s National Team grow. While this is true from a pure standpoint of quality of squad depth, the league has from my perspective not helped develop the very top players. Before MLS launched in 1996, the […]

When a team enters into a tournament format like the World Cup knockout stage, you always know that the next game very well may be your last. But that doesn't mean it is any easier when the end finally comes. Such is the case for the United States Men's National team, which saw its World […]

World Soccer Talk writer Juan Arango will be answering questions live from Brazil via Twitter today beginning at 7pm ET/4pm PT. Juan will be taking over the @worldsoccertalk Twitter account live from Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the past two weeks, Juan has traveled throughout South America to watch World Cup matches […]

Yellow shirts, enthralling attacking play and rhythmic celebrations; for so long that’s been the narrative for Brazilian teams that have dazzled us all at the World Cup. But in their own backyard, there’s another team stealing the show. While seven of the eight quarter-finalists in the 2014 World Cup were made to battle exceptionally hard […]

The Internet has created its newest meme — Things Tim Howard Could Save, which includes pictures of USA goalkeeper Tim Howard in some classic situations "saving" different people and places. For example, even saving the Titanic. The meme is a reaction to Tim Howard's record breaking performance against Belgium in the United States's Round of […]

Most newspapers flooded their front pages with pictures from the many joyous public gatherings that turned massive scenes of disappointment. None did it better than the Las Vegas Review-Journal (see above). The juxtaposition between the fan looking left while the glasses fan looks right in utter agony is absolutely brilliant. The Oakland Tribune was one of the […]

The praise for the USA World Cup team has been unanimous across the world. They have won the hearts and minds of so many soccer fans globally, as well as the respect of the soccer critics and media. This mixed bag of a few German-Americans, one Icelandic-American, a guy from small Texas town, a man […]

Angel Di Maria's game-winning goal against Switzerland symbolized more than helping Argentina advance to the quarterfinals. It also highlighted his year long campaign of becoming a world class player. Before the 2013-14 season started, the 26-year-old was heavily linked with several clubs in a transfer deal to leave Real Madrid so that the club could […]

ESPN mouthpiece Keith Olbermann went on a rant last night discussing his seven ideas of how to make soccer work in America. Here's my response to his tirade. Soccer already works in America. We don't need someone from mainstream media to fix anything. The sport is fine as it is, and continues to grow at an […]

A quick glance at the last-16 ties and the subsequent quarter-finals paints a deceptively predictable set of results from the first round of knockout matches at the 2014 World Cup. All eight group winners progressed at the expense of the group runners-up, but as any of us who have been indulging in this fine World […]

After a year and a half of penny pinching by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, it appears the Magpies are finally willing to spend in the transfer market. The signing of Siem de Jong from Ajax was completed Tuesday for an undisclosed fee and the player was signed to a six-year contract. The 25 year-old […]

The host nation Brazil has been sweating on the fitness of Neymar whose delivered the winning penalty in the shootout versus Chile on Saturday. In that match, Neymar suffered thigh and knee injuries that have been under close evaluation by Brazilian team doctors. But it appears Neymar is winning his race for match fitness. Brazilian National […]

The match may not have ranked as a classic but it still delivered drama at the death as a disciplined Swiss side succumbed to a late, late Argentine effort from the otherwise disappointing Ángel di María. The Swiss will be ruing what might have been after squandering a number of golden opportunities. Then again they […]