Overview
598 Episodes
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
Matt Hartman and Marcus Chairez, both close observers of the youth national teams and youth U.S. player pool, join Belz to break down the full U20 age group. The news hook is the ongoing camp in Florida but we talk about the actual best XI ahead of this fall's U20 World Cup (many of whom were not released for this camp) and the probable XI at the World Cup, considering who will be released by then.
Transcribed - Published: 16 January 2025
Belz, Vince and Watke go deep on 18-year-old Noahkai Banks' debut for Augsburg, and Tessmann's big chance for Lyon with Matic on the transfer block. Then Pochettino's latest comments, the rest of the action from the weekend, transfer rumors, etc.
Transcribed - Published: 14 January 2025
MLS senior writer and veteran podcaster Matt Doyle graciously joins us and we each pick 7 players (one goalkeeper, five field players and a sub) from Mauricio Pochettino's January Camp roster for a make-believe 5-a-side round robin. Who got the best team?
Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2025
Milan v Juve, Pulisic's new coach, McKennie excelling at left back, Richards v Chelsea, Adams back from injury, transfer rumors, injury reports, and much more. Watke, Vince and Belz get back at it for the first Monday Review of 2025.
Transcribed - Published: 6 January 2025
Greg, Vince and Belz (with Tara contributing in absentia) give a series of awards for what was obviously a very successful 2024 for the U.S. Women. Player of the Year, Breakthrough Player of the Year, Retirement of the Year, Most Patriotic, and much more.
Transcribed - Published: 28 December 2024
Greg, Belz and Vince talk through the events of 2024 for the U.S. Men's National Team, and give traditional awards like Player of the Year and Goal of the Year, voted on by Scuffed listeners, but also less traditional awards like "Most Inscrutable Player" and "The Kingslayer." Join us to look back, celebrate, mourn, etc.
Transcribed - Published: 25 December 2024
Vince and Belz talk through the action from the weekend, including Celtic's Cup triumph over Rangers, Jedi's big performane at Anfield, Gio's nice goal and otherwise forgettable performance, Cardoso back in the XI (but not very good), Alex Zendejas's clutch Liguilla showing, and much more.
Transcribed - Published: 16 December 2024
Greg and Belz roll the recaps/catchup episode into one. Whose stock is up after this last window of 2024? Whose stock is down? Thank you Alyssa Naeher.
Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024
Vince, Tara and Belz get back in the WoSo saddle, long overdue. Triple Espresso gets a much-needed break, Lily in, Phallon gotta work on rounding out her game, who starts at the 9, starting XIs for the England match at Wembley, Vince pours more honey over Michele Kang, and much more.
Transcribed - Published: 22 November 2024
Greg and Belz talk through a very fun-to-watch match in St. Louis.
Transcribed - Published: 19 November 2024
The Club America and USMNT winger met up with Sanjay Sujanthakumar in St. Louis to talk about that scuffle with Edson, the Poch experience, who's better at golf between him and Wes, his choice to play for the U.S., life in Mexico City vs Guadalajara, and much more.
Transcribed - Published: 18 November 2024
We get an away win in Concacaf! Greg and Belz talk through the performance.
Transcribed - Published: 16 November 2024
Greg and Belz talk through the roster Pochettino called up for the Nations League matches against Jamaica. Greg calls for a "mean" performance from us down in Kingston on Thursday. Plus Lily Yohannes committed to play for the US Women's National Team!
Transcribed - Published: 12 November 2024
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