Scuffed | U.S. soccer, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America

Watke, Vince and Belz take turns teaching each other what we learned from the tournament.

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2025

The USMNT played in a 4-4-2 block and mostly denied Mexico the big chances despite getting totally dominated, but a key mistake got us on the first one, and then we just couldn't keep it level after that. We also did very little with the ball, and one player in particular comes under the microscope for that.

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2025

We get a satisfying brace from Diego Luna, and then we turtle up. Greg and Belz talk it through. Greg mostly blames the midfield for not getting control of the game after the opening 15 minutes. Full timeline. On to Mexico in Houston on Sunday.

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2025

Greg and Belz talk through the win in penalties last night in Minneapolis. Lots on the new look with both fullbacks high, Tillman, Arfsten, how Richards' protagonism helped create chances, a little cackling about Jesse Marsch's fate at the GC, and much more.

Transcribed - Published: 30 June 2025

Greg and Belz talk through ALL the details on the 2-1 win over Haiti. Malik and Chris continue to be a cut above. Big Pat is a phenomenon, in both negative and positive ways. Everybody else is pretty much failing to distinguish himself.

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2025

Vince and Belz react to and recap the 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia basically immediately after the final whistle. Richards comes up big. Tillman keeps building his NT chops. Most everybody else had a forgettable night and the Saudi opponents treated Arfsten like Shaq at the top of the key.

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2025

Charles Boehm helps us once again, joining Belz and Vince to recap the 5-0 win over the Soca Warriors. We do a full timeline and several takeaways, bearing in mind the opponent "wasn't at the races," as Dwight Yorke put it post-match. Malik getting blooded as a goal-scorer and foul-sufferer in Concacaf was big. Poch still has a lot to prove. Freese does himself favors. Etc. etc.

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2025

Not great! But Greg is typically even-keeled and there's plenty to talk through.

Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2025

The USMNT and Nashville SC centerback joins Belz and Sanjay Sujanthakumar to discuss how he practices attacking set pieces, aerial prowess in general, the differences in how centerbacks are instructed to operate under Poch compared to Berhalter, his mindset coming off the bench against Iran in 2022, that goal-line clearance, that penalty against Wales, his Christian faith, and much more.

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

Belz and Vince walk through the timeline and some takeaways from a loss in Hartford, but easily the best loss of the past three, and there are some positive things to take away from it.

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

Greg joins Belz to talk about who they're excited to see play over the next month, why Josh Sargent was left off, and respond to several listener questions as the USMNT embarks on the Gold Cup and the final 12 months before World Cup 2026. As usual, Greg zigs while most everyone else zags. He's not panicking.

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2025

Schaerlaeckens, who writes for the Guardian and will soon publish a book titled "The Long Game" on the modern USMNT, joins Watke and Belz. We talk about what's happening with the USMNT these days, his access to Berhalter while he was working on his book, the ways the current generation is different from previous national team generations, and much, much more. Really good, lively conversation.

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2025

Jack, one of the hosts of the Five Year Plan, a Crystal Palace podcast, joins Belz and Vince for to talk about Crystal Palace winning its first-ever major trophy, with Chris Richards as one of its best players on the day. It's a celebration pod!

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2025

A bunch of our best players will be missing, and Sean Zawadzki will be there. We talk through the call-ups, the omissions, and what the hell is going on. Watke has some positive interpretations. See you in Nashville!

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2025

Vince, Watke and Belz reconvene after the trip to Rome. Lots of celebrations from the weekend to recap, plus we talk about Rome and the football we saw there a bit, Milan's struggles, and the USMNT roster coming out tomorrow.

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2025

Belz and Vince (and Goerge Quraishi) record their second episode from Rome, the morning after Bologna's 1-0 win over Milan in the Coppa Italia final, which we miraculously were able to attend. Quraishi, the founder of Howler magazine and the guy helping us navigate Rome, joins in. Pulisic had a night to forget, but we did not.

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2025

Coming to you from a 4th-floor apartment next to the Tiber River, Belz and Vince talk through their takeaways from the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday -- the intensity of the match, the scene outside, Wes's assist, a theory of what supporters groups are doing when they chant, what it's like in Rome right now, and much more. We take a handful of questions from some of the fine people traveling with us, and also run quickly through some news from the past week.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2025

Polis was at the scene for Paul Caligiuri's shot heard round the world, he was also (for Umbro) the English language press liaison for the Brazilian national team (Romario, Bebeto, Dunga) in 1994. Polis joined Belz for a 75 minute conversation. He was prepared and he has a good memory and he brings a lot to the table, including a more relaxed perspective about the USMNT heading toward next summer than Belz has. Good medicine.

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2025

Charlie Boehm joins Vince and Belz to talk through the weekend action, he lends his MLS expertise to the discussion. Balogun starts and scores for the first time since October. Good game from him. Dike's back on the scoresheet too. Wrexham is headed to the Champo, Leeds is headed out of the Champo and Brendo is looking for a home. Vince and Belz are headed to Rome on Friday.

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2025

The guy behind Sounder at Heart and SB Nation's soccer coverage is running an independent shop in Seattle now. He joins to talk about that, about the real Brian Schmetzer, how pro/rel might play out in the Pacific Northwest, his grandmother's high school career in South Dakota, and much more.

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025

We start off with MLS because it feels more interesting right now. But also Pulisic makes scoring look easy vs Venezia, Malik’s teammate says “one man’s death is another man’s bread” after he’s late to something and has to sit, Tyler gets away with an orange-ish challenge, and much more.

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2025

Wiebe's a feature and sideline reporter for Major League Soccer, talks about learning the art of sideline reporting which is fascinating. Also discusses Extra Time Radio, the show that got inexplicably binned by the league earlier this year. Good young MLS players, the Sullivan bros, meeting Luca de la Torre's parents, buying boots with Brandon Vazquez and going to a rodeo with Jack McGlynn. Plus lots more.

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

Vince, Watke and Belz work their way through the news of the weekend. Red cards for Chris, Mark and Diego. Big win for Utrecht and a goal for Paxten. Leeds wins promotion. Lots more.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

El Paso-based Dan Vaughn, the founder of Protagonist Soccer and one of the most knowledgeable people in the country when it comes to lower-league American soccer, joins Watke and Belz for a wide-ranging conversation that often circles back to the CFC-Red Wolves rivalry, geography, and Ricardo Pepi.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

Larsen, a former NASL Sounders ballboy and co-chair of the Congressional Soccer Caucus, sat down to talk about border challenges, drone defenses, getting visas and some of the other work that's ongoing in preparation for World Cup 2026.

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025

Ley ran the PA system for the Cosmos in the late 1970s, was one of the earliest anchors for Sportscenter, hosted several World Cups on television and has been one of American soccer's great advocates. He sat down with Belz and talked about what he tells college kids about the future of sports journalism, the state of the USMNT, the potential impact of the 2026 World Cup, what pro/rel might mean for USL, and much more.

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025

Vince and Belz wrestle with the implications of that last window, weigh whether USL's pro/rel gambit will move the needle, recap the weekend action and answer voicemails from listeners in Forth Worth and Chicago.

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2025

CCV sits down with Sanjay in SoCal to talk about the respite of national team camps, building racecars with Legos, jumping on the field at the 2022 World Cup, and much more. As usual, good rapport in the conversation.

Transcribed - Published: 3 April 2025

Belz and Vince with a lengthy "what's up with Poch" opening segment, Johnny shines for Betis, Malik back and fresh in Eindhoven, West starts under new coach, Josh scores, we're definitely going to Rome. A great question from Mike in the Buffalo area.

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2025

Those and lots of other questions came through in voicemail (thank you very much to everyone who sent one!), and Charlie Boehm joins Watke and Belz to respond to them. Others include which two players from the XI vs Panama that we’d cut from this roster, and which two we’d bench, what percentage of blame to assign Poch and the players and Panama, and much more.

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2025

The Poch-led USMNT fails magnificently in its first real test, fails to meet the standard set under Berhalter, which is all pretty ironic. Greg and Belz break it down, try to identify 2-3 intriguing plot-lines as we limp toward 2026. We need those fullbacks back. The World Cup won't be like this tournament was. No way.

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2025

Brutal. Vince and Belz talk through what we got wrong, what else might be wrong, and the cruelty of a sport that doesn't let you take 5 seconds off. Vince IDs some problems with the scheme. Everybody IDs problems with the selection. Maybe this lights a fire under Poch.

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025

Two and a half hours of Vince holding court and agendas flying like a swarm of mosquitoes. Totally unabridged, might be a little language here and there. The first real test of the Poch era. Failure. Justified frustration after another bad loss. Detailed, more responsible game recap coming later today.

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025

Watke and Belz check in with Sanjay Sujanthakumar less than 24 hours before USA-Panama in Los Angeles as he hustles around SoCal covering the team. We touch on the back-and-forth with Tim Ream on who tonight's left back will be, what the midfield might look like, what we've learned from lots of press conferences and the mixed zone in the last few days, the various responses from players and coaches to the politics questions, and more.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

Sebastian Salazar built Futbol Americas from scratch with Herc Gomez and now he hosts ION's NWSL studio show. He's veteran of covering soccer in America, a native of D.C., a lifelong El Tri fan. He plays the game, he's coached the game. We spoke on Thursday and he was very generous with his time. Great conversation.

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2025

Who's in, who's out, whether Poch sees Yunus as a midfielder, why Brendo is missing, what the coach expects from Gio, and Greg and Belz give preferred lineups versus Panama and the second opponent. First match kicks off in a week.

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

Paul McGlynn, the father of Jack McGlynn, has been developing soccer talent in New York City (and now western Connecticut) since the beginning of the century. Not only does he have the perspective of a parent of a pro player, he coached Tim Weah from ages 9 to 12, he's in the trenches of the ongoing chaos between MLS academies and youth clubs, and he watches soccer all the time. Great conversation. Highly recommend.

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2025

Bob Morocco, the longtime friend of the pod and multi-decade battle-hardened BigSoccer poster, joins Belz and Watke to discuss the key takeaways from the first two months-and-change of 2025 Anno Domani. Pulisic's level, Johnny's status, Poch's (dis)regard for Atlanta and Richy Ledezma, and much more to discuss.

Transcribed - Published: 6 March 2025

We round up some of the MLS action from opening weekend, try to figure out why first division sanctioning matters, big segment on John Textor, Tanner Tessmann and the big match in Lyon vs PSG, Pulisic misses a penalty, Gio starts but doesn't really impress anybody, Sargent gets a brace and an ambivalent OptaJack tweet, plus much more.

Transcribed - Published: 24 February 2025

Also Celtic is out, but makes a good show. Sanjay Sujanthakumar joins the Monday Review crew for a fun, rambling episode. The Weah banger, Vince thinks most of Juve is a bunch of frauds, Theo's madness interrupts a Yunus masterclass, does Joao disrespect Pulisic?

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2025

Rik Elfrink, the world's preeminent source on PSV Eindhoven -- the club, its players, academy and front office -- joins to talk about the American contingent in Eindhoven, Earnie Stewart's performance as technical director, the best away grounds in Holland, how he got into sports journalism, and a lot more.

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2025

Gass, the long-time fixture on Extratime, now the founder and host of Soccerwise, joins Watke and Belz to talk about the state of our domestic league, the Americans he's most excited to watch, how much Cavan Sullivan will play this season for Philly, and a bunch of lesser-known U17s and their prospects for minutes. Plus much more.

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2025

Nice second half from Sargent vs Derby County, Milan wins and both our Americans are showing well, Scally is solid as hell for Gladbach, Nathaniel Brown unfollows the German national team, and much more.

Transcribed - Published: 10 February 2025

Marcus Chairez and Matt Hartman join Belz to discuss the U17s. We start with the roster for U17 World Cup qualifying, but really the conversation is much more expansive than that. Who's the best XI in this age group? How does it stack up with past classes? How is MLS doing at running elite youth development in America since US Soccer abdicated responsibility? How good are Cavan Sullivan and Mathis Albert, really? Those questions and many more discussed at length.

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2025

Belz, Vince and Watke cover the weekend action, including Richards' strong performance at Old Trafford, Sands v Banks in Hamburg, Musah's apparent inside track with Conceicao and Jedi captaining Fulham to a win in Newcastle. Also, a song in Italian about Pulisic, transfer rumors and facts, Cardoso puts in a good shift for Betis, and Tessmann gotta turn on his defensive brain.

Transcribed - Published: 3 February 2025

Watke, Belz and Vince on Pepi's massive goal and assist, that work of art from Gio off the bench, Musah's meltdown and Pulisic's goal in Milan's loss, and a few other odds and ends.

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2025

Plus Tyler and Bournemouth flying, Sargent back in the XI and scoring, Noahkai gets his first top-flight start for Augsburg, and much, much more with Vince, Watke and Belz.

Transcribed - Published: 27 January 2025

Greg's back on the mic with Belz to recap the second of two enjoyable January Camp victories under Mauricio Pochettino. Why are we more fun this January? Who from this camp will get called up in March? And, of course, Big Balls Diego is canonized in the lore.

Transcribed - Published: 23 January 2025

Vince, Watke and Belz talk about the Miljevic penalty incident, whether Jack McGlynn could be a first-team USMNT factor some day, who from Saturday's game might get a chance in March, Tyler Adams getting after it for Bournemouth, Weah's big goal, transfer rumors, and lots more.

Transcribed - Published: 20 January 2025

The dean of the USMNT player pool joined Sanjay Sujanthakumar in the lobby of a hotel in Fort Lauderdale on Friday to discuss centerback development in America, how he got to be so comfortable on the ball, Poch's mentality campaign, whether he wants to coach after his playing career ends, watching his national team teammates grow up before his eyes, and much more. By the way, he says Joe Scally is the most underrated USMNT teammate he's ever had.

Transcribed - Published: 18 January 2025