What happens to a soccer culture when losing has no real consequences? Mauricio Pochettino’s answer is pretty clear: you learn how to lose. In his conversation with Chad Ochocinco, Pochettino pointed directly to the lack of promotion and relegation in MLS. Teams can finish at the bottom of the table and simply start preparing for […]

American soccer has a fundamental problem: the difference between recreation and genuine competition is widely misunderstood. When we call American soccer “recreational,” we’re not talking about AYSO, low-level players, or kids kicking a ball around on the weekend. Recreation can exist at every level of the game, including MLS NEXT, ECNL, USL, and MLS itself. […]

There’s a lot happening in American soccer right now, but the headlines rarely tell the whole story. Messi confronts Don Garber. MLS sets its sights on Indianapolis, where Indy Eleven has spent more than a decade building a club and a market. And Mauricio Pochettino begins reshaping the USMNT with a new generation of players. […]