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The attacking midfielder totaled 31 goal contributions during the regular season, and could yet be a future option for Gregg Berhalter

There is no doubting who the biggest star is in MLS anymore. Lionel Messi will wear that crown for as long as he calls Inter Miami his home, drawing in massive crowds wherever he goes. He may not have been able to lift his new team into playoff contention in 2023, but as the postseason rumbles on without him, the league remains abuzz from it's first brush with 'Messi-mania'.

As well as the biggest name, Messi is almost certainly the best player in MLS right now. But despite his quite ridiculous nomination given how little he played in the league due to his injury problems, he will not be taking home the MLS MVP award for 2023. That prize is Acosta's.

Lucho Acosta has spent the past season spearheading FC Cincinnati's best-ever regular season, as they were crowned Supporters' Shield winners while also earning a place in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup, where they were beaten by Messi and Miami.

Acosta tallied 17 goals and 14 assists across all regular season competitions, and as a result, was handed the MVP honors. Actively in the process of acquiring his United States citizenship, the 29-year-old is also looking to earn eligibility to represent the U.S. men's national team, and potentially play a role in the 2026 World Cup on American soil.

What the diminutive Acosta lacks in size, he makes up for in skill, intelligence and awareness across the entire pitch. If Gregg Berhalter has the opportunity to add Acosta to his ranks, it automatically raises the standards of the USMNT.

From a failed move to Paris Saint-Germain to turmoil with D.C. United, and now MVP with FC Cincy, Acosta has adapted and continued to excel in MLS. Now, he's finally being recognized for his brilliance.

Getty ImagesWhere it all began

Acosta could barely have gotten a better footballing education as he worked his way through the youth ranks at Boca Juniors; the Argentine giants known as the club of the late, great Diego Maradona.

At just 21, Acosta made the move to the United States, joining D.C. United on loan in 2016 from his beloved Boca. He made an instant impact, with three goals and eight assists in his first season, and United turned his initial loan deal into a permanent one during his first year with the club.

Two years on, Acosta was regarded as one of the best players in MLS, and his lore only grew after D.C. added legendary Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney to their ranks. The duo even scored what might be the most famous goal in league history, while Rooney dubbed Acosta as "one of the best I've played with" during his time in the capital.

However, after a collapsed transfer to PSG, Acosta left United in 2020 on a free transfer, joining Liga MX side Atlas, but returned to MLSwith Cincinnati in 2021 as a Designated Player. Now, two years on, the Argentine has turned Cincy from cellar dwellers to MLS Cup challengers.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesParisian dreams up in smoke

In January 2019, Acosta was the darling of MLS. Flourishing alongside Rooney, he asserted himself as one of the brightest up-and-coming players in the league. Meanwhile, with Miguel Almiron having completed a $27m move from Atlanta United to Newcastle of the Premier League months prior, all eyes were on MLS for who the 'next Almiron' would be.

PSG certainly felt that Acosta fit the bill, and they pursued him like hawk late in the MLS transfer window. Per The Athletic, then-GM of D.C. United, Dave Kasper, traveled with Acosta to Paris to meet with the French giants through an 'unnamed intermediary' – but that's when the deal began to collapse.

The intermediary appeared to give false information to both parties ahead of time, and the two sides couldn't come to an agreement regarding a fee for Acosta, who United valued at $13-15m, while PSG's offer was $9.1m.

Whether Acosta would have made the grade at such an established European powerhouse is anyone's guess, but PSG's interest highlights the level of talent we are talking about here.

Getty ImagesA captain & a champion

When FC Cincinnati joined MLS as an expansion franchise in 2019, they were genuinely awful. There's no point in holding back or trying to frame it in a polite manner. They were awful, and it wasn't just one year of it; it was three-straight seasons where they finished as the worst team in MLS, managing just 14 league wins in that stretch.

Their fortunes changed in the summer of year three, though. Acosta arrived, and they built a squad around a player who had previously shown so much potential in MLS, but left due to the club refusing to build around him and provide the talent needed for him to truly succeed. Cincy didn't make that mistake.

Come 2022, Acosta's first full season with the Orange and Blue, he was named captain, and they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Progress.

This time around, however, has been the stuff of dreams. Cincy went seven games unbeaten to start the season, and only suffered one loss through their first 22 matches in all competitions. Acosta kept scoring, assisting and leading them to glory, and the Argentine even earned the captains' honors for MLS in their 2023 All-Star game against Arsenal in July.

The 2023 regular-season campaign from Cincinnati has gone down in league history as one the best-ever, only second to the 2021 run by the New England Revolution. Acosta was named on the ballot for 2023 MVP, and is now the first-ever winner of the award for the Orange and Blue. He almost single-handedly turned the franchise around, and is now being touted as an individual who could do that on the national stage – only not with Argentina.

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Getty ImagesBerhalter's next dual-national?

The 2026 World Cup is still over two years away, but the USMNT's planning for the tournament – which America will co-host – began the minute team crashed out of the 2022 edition in the last 16.

One aspect of that planning, that admittedly began before Qatar last winter, has been the convincing of dual-nationals to commit to joining Berhalter's squad. Berhalter has been part-coach, part-recruiter over the past few years, and has secured the services of enough players to make his roster one of the world's most talented.

Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, Malik Tillman, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jesus Ferreira are just some of the high-profile names to have committed themselves to the U.S. cause in recent times, while the successful pursuit of Folarin Balogun earlier in 2023 left fans abuzz with anticipation as he rejected England's advances. Recent dual-national call-ups Kristoffer Lund, Kevin Paredes and Lennard Maloney could yet become reliable members of the squad in the build-up to 2026, too.

Next on Berhalter's radar is Acosta, who earlier this year started his American citizenship process with a dream of playing for the USMNT. In June, Acosta told that he would "obviously" accept a call-up to the squad if it arrived. The Argentine midfielder added: "It’s one reason I started (the citizenship) process."

Securing Acosta's services would offer the USMNT a veteran presence in their incredibly youthful attack, while allowing them to have an alternative to Gio Reyna at the No.10 position. Reyna's injury history is a cause for concern, and there is no clear back-up for the Borussia Dortmund youngster in the current U.S. squad. Acosta ticks every box that the USMNT need.

The U.S. is limping into the knockouts, having had their weaknesses exposed all through the first three games of this tournament.

Early in the second half of the United States women's national team's World Cup group-stage finale against Portugal, the fire alarm at Eden Park went off. It rang and rang, with no one quite sure how to react or address the situation as it unfolded. Those in attendance surely knew it was a problem, but none were quite willing or able to fix it or respond to it.

The soccer gods don't often give us such perfect metaphors. As the alarm bells literally went off around the stadium, the metaphorical ones sounded all throughout a historically bad USWNT performance in the team's 0-0 draw. And, much like the fans in the stadium, USWNT boss Vlatko Andonovski was left sitting there seemingly helpless, content to continue watching on despite all of the obvious noise going on around him.

Andonovski's USWNT is struggling, to say the least. There's no coherent identity to this team and, while talent will be enough to lift them to a draw against an overmatched Portugal, it won't be enough in the knockout stages.

So far, we haven't seen a team capable of doing that. It's been a tournament with few standout performers and even fewer standout moments. Still, the U.S. advanced from the group, so well done there. For only the second time, though, they failed to finish atop their group and, with just five points to their name, they've done so with their worst group-stage performance in program history.

The alarm bells are ringing all over for the USWNT and, from what we've seen, they may not be capable of shutting them off before being forced into an early exit.

(C)Getty ImagesWINNER: The Netherlands

How bad does the USNWT's 3-0 win over Vietnam look in hindsight? The Netherlands showed no mercy in their own group-stage closer against Vietnam, scoring early and often in a lopsided 7-0 victory. They had two goals inside 11 minutes, four goals inside 25 and five by half-time. If the USWNT were paying attention to the other game at all, they would have known pretty quickly that their hopes of finishing atop the group had gone up in flames.

That top spot, deservedly, went to the Dutch, who were certainly the best team in Group E. They'll now, theoretically, have an easier road to the final as they should avoid Sweden, depending on Wednesday's results.

They fell short against the U.S. in 2019 and couldn't quite exact revenge in their own head-to-head, but the Dutch did get the last laugh in this group as they look the more likely of the two teams to reach the final once again.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Rose Lavelle & the USWNT midfield

It's a shame, really, that we may never really get to see Lavelle do what Lavelle does in this tournament. After being limited to substitute appearances in the USNWT's first two matches, Lavelle was named to the starting XI for this one in a triumphant return for one of the team's biggest stars. However, before you knew it, Lavelle ensured that she'll return to the sidelines for the next game, having earned a suspension for a second yellow card in as many matches.

The card itself was a bit harsh, as Lavelle was punished despite trying to pull out of a tackle. That doesn't matter now, though. She's out for the USWNT's last-16 match, which might just mean her tournament is over.

That's a huge blow for the U.S., especially given the state of the midfield. Lindsey Horan was wasteful against Portugal, struggling to connect passes at even an acceptable rate. Andi Sullivan, meanwhile, was once again a non-factor, totally unwilling to receive the ball and frequently out of position to win it back, which is not very helpful from a No.6.

The USWNT midfield without Lavelle may not be good enough to survive one more match.

Getty ImagesLOSER: Vlatko Andonovski

There was no way he'd get it all wrong again, right? Right?!? After all of the criticism that came his way after botching both his starting XI and substitutes against the Netherlands, Andonovski had to have learned something…

Or maybe not. The USWNT coach saw his team put in an even worse performance as he, once again, couldn't figure out a way to get his players to work together as any sort of unit.

The starting XI was better, with Lynn Williams and Lavelle coming into the XI. Lavelle was obvious, Williams was a decision, and probably the right one. Still, Andonovski, for some reason, persisted with Sullivan as the No.6 and Julie Ertz as the center-back despite all of the evidence proving that he should do just about anything other than that.

And the subs, once again, were an issue. Even with Portugal in control of the game, he didn't make a change at half-time, waiting until the 61st minute to introduce Megan Rapinoe. Another new addition didn't come until the 84th, with Andonovski seemingly looking to meet a quota by making a whole bunch of last-gasp changes as the U.S. tried to kill the game.

The USWNT shouldn't have been in that spot to begin with. The U.S. does not settle for group-stage draws. It's against everything this team has ever been. Andonovski, however, can't get this team to play like any of their predecessors. There's no identity, no tactics, no vision. It's one big jumbled mess of individuals that, on a good day, can bail this team out.

They couldn't in this one, unfortunately for Andonovski, and it's not a good bet to rely on that idea the rest of the way as the margins become even finer.

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Getty ImagesWINNER: USWNT critics

Leading up to the World Cup, the discussion has been about how the rest of the world has caught up with the USWNT. It's been, somewhat quietly, discussed for years, as a program that was once the unquestioned favorite is now simply just among the favorites when major tournaments roll around.

Netherlands boss Andries Jonker put it on record ahead of his side's clash with the USWNT. "The intensity in European football really has grown the last couple of years, as well as the fitness," he told. "In the past, the American women were a lot fitter than the rest of the world, but I really think those days are over. If you look at the Champions League nowadays, you see the same level of intensity. So the big question is now, what is left of their superiority? Let's see about that."

What's left? Well, not much. Jonker is right: the USWNT don't look like a team that can simply outhustle and outmuscle other teams. The intensity has clearly dipped, and the rest of the world is good enough to take advantage.

USWNT legend Carli Lloyd took aim at her now-former teammates after the match, saying that they lacked the attitude that prior teams have. And she may just be right. No USWNT of years past would have drawn Portugal at a World Cup.

This one did, though, and it appears they're ripe for a humbling knockout loss once that part of the tournament gets underway.

The Chelsea star was outstanding in Sydney on Friday as the European champions made it two wins from two at the tournament

England are on the brink of qualifying for the Women's World Cup knockout stages after a 1-0 win over Denmark that saw Lauren James shine, the Chelsea star scoring a stunning opening goal, though the evening was marred by a worrying injury to midfielder Keira Walsh. The Barcelona star had to be stretchered off before half-time and there is real concern over what looked to be a serious knee problem.

After the Lionesses put in an underwhelming display against Haiti last week, though one that did end in a victory, James was brought into the starting XI at the expense of Lauren Hemp and she immediately set about repaying Sarina Wiegman's faith in her with a gorgeous strike early on.

Denmark threatened to respond with some promising moves on the counter, but they were unable to punish the European champions when they got those opportunities as England made it two wins from two.

GOAL rates the Lionesses' players from the Allianz Stadium in Sydney…

Please enable Javascript to view this contentGetty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Mary Earps (6/10):

Didn't have too much to do but positioning was good to ensure the saves she made were comfortable.

Lucy Bronze (5/10):

Made a couple of errors that allowed Denmark to catch England out in transition, especially with her playing so high. Didn't keep the ball as well as she usually does.

Millie Bright (5/10):

A better performance after a difficult evening against Haiti but was still shaky.

Alex Greenwood (6/10):

Decent display and much more influential in her centre-back role, albeit without being outstanding.

Rachel Daly (7/10):

Didn't do much wrong and also influenced the attack when she could, too, with some good passes and deliveries.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Keira Walsh (6/10):

Was moving the ball around nicely in England's midfield before having to be stretchered off with a worrying knee injury before half-time.

Georgia Stanway (7/10):

Another strong performance, especially considering the need to switch to a deeper role midway through the game.

Ella Toone (5/10):

Picked up better positions today but was still really quiet.

Getty ImagesAttack

Chloe Kelly (5/10):

Lively down the right at the start of the game and delivered good crosses but was really quiet as the game went on.

Alessia Russo (5/10):

Contributed well in the build-up but wasn't much of a threat in the box at all.

Lauren James (8/10):

Electric. Scored a stunning goal and was so often on the end of other chances with her movement.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Laura Coombs (5/10):

Replaced Walsh just before half-time but couldn't really make her mark on the game.

Beth England (N/A):

Replaced Russo with less than 15 minutes to go. Had a difficult chance from a Daly cross but wasn't far away.

Lauren Hemp (N/A):

Replaced Toone with less than 15 minutes to go and couldn't get into the game.

Sarina Wiegman (7/10):

Decision to start James was absolutely the right one and she moved Greenwood more central to improve her influence, too. Toone and Russo were really quiet again from the start, but Wiegman's substitutions were good, if a little late.

Emma Hayes has warned Chelsea’s rivals that there is even more to come from Sam Kerr, with a Champions League hat-trick hit at “80 per cent”.

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Blues in European action against Paris FCStar forward claimed another match ballWorking her way back to full sharpnessWHAT HAPPENED?

The Australia international has been working her way back from a calf problem that threatened to dash her World Cup dreams on home soil at one stage. Kerr is not yet fully match fit, but the prolific 30-year-old is still too good for most of those that she comes up against – with that point highlighted when claiming the match ball in a 4-1 victory over Paris FC in the Champions League group stage.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT HAYES SAID

Chelsea boss Hayes told reporters afterwards of Kerr having more gears to go through yet: “If that is her at 80 per cent – or whatever the per cent she is – then I’ll take that every week, that is not bad. I can’t wait for the 100 per cent version to come. I said to Paul (Green) in the dressing room before the game, she doesn’t get credit for all the other little bits she does and while she’s not, by her standards, top top yet, I don’t know anyone who puts the ball away like she does. She is so alert, so decisive with her movement. She can make a bad pass a good pass and I think the third goal, the lob, is just brilliant centre forward play.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Sophie Ingle was also on target for Chelsea against Paris FC, as she stepped off the bench to complete the scoring in stoppage-time, and Hayes was delighted with the impact made by her substitutes in what is becoming a gruelling schedule for the Blues. She added: “Sophie coming on [in the second half], I thought she brought the calm, composed impact we needed. Same with Maren (Mjelde) and Eve Perisset, Mia (Fishel) getting her first Champions League appearance. Some days, you’ve got to dig it out and need the bench. Today, the bench did their job.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Chelsea sit second in Group D, with four points taken from two games, and are top of the WSL after going unbeaten through seven games in domestic competition. They will be hoping to land multiple major honours this season, offering Hayes the perfect send off before she takes the reins with the USWNT.

The 18-year-old was officially presented as a Real Madrid player on Friday and here, Goal looks at the biggest teenage talents to emerge from Brazil

Getty ImagesPele

Considered by most as Brazil's greatest ever player and by many as the finest footballer of all time, Pele was a World Cup winner at the age of 17 in 1958, having made his debut for Santos as a 15-year-old in 1956.

went on to score over 1,000 goals in his career, spent mostly with Santos before a short stint in the USA with the New York Cosmos. He is the only player to have won three World Cups and is still Brazil's top scorer with 77 goals from his 92 games.

AdvertisementGettyZico

Such was Zico's talent that the Flamengo forward was nicknamed "the white Pele" in his homeland. And although he never won a World Cup with Brazil, he is still regarded as one of the finest footballers ever produced by the South American nation.

Zico made his Flamengo debut as an 18-year-old and would go on to score over 400 goals for the Rio de Janeiro side, most of those in the first of two spells either side of a two-season stint with Udinese. He finished his career with Kashima Antlers in Japan and scored 48 goals for Brazil.

gettyRomario

Romario started his career with Vasco da Gama in Rio, initially just as a fan and later as a professional once he had made his debut just days after his 19th birthday. At the age of 22, he then moved to PSV Eindhoven and later to Barcelona.

Short in stature, the striker was famous for his lobbed goals in a spectacular career which saw him play until beyond his 40th birthday. He won the World Cup in 1994 with Brazil and hit 55 goals in 70 games for the Selecao overall.

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GettyRonaldo

Ronaldo made his debut for Cruzeiro at just 16 years of age and after an impressive year, he followed a similar path to Romario as he joined PSV Eindhoven and then Barcelona, before moving to Inter and Real Madrid later in his career.

Part of the 1994 World Cup-winning squad with Brazil, did not feature that year, but played in two finals and claimed the trophy as the star in 2002. He scored 62 goals in 98 games for the Selecao and despite suffering a number of injuries, is among the nation's best-ever players.

American rapper Kanye West was in attendance at the Champions League game between Inter and Atletico Madrid at San Siro on Tuesday.

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Kanye West attended Inter's Champions League clashWas accompanied by his wife Bianca Censori and met Jaden SmithInter beat Atletico Madrid 1-0WHAT HAPPENED?

West attended the game in Italy alongside his wife Bianca Censori, and also posed for photos with American artist and actor Jaden Smith. The rapper turned up at the stadium in unusual attire as he appeared to be covered head to toe. He wore a black jacket hooded up and a black mask to cover his entire face.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The 46-year-old recently released his new album named 'Vultures 1' in collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign, who was also in attendance in Milan. West also involved a section of Inter fans from the club's Curva Nord ultras group in some of his songs, including 'Carnival'. They even received song credit in the album.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR INTER?

Simone Inzaghi's side edged out Atletico Madrid 1-0 courtesy of Marko Arnautovic's strike in the first leg of their round of 16 clash on Tuesday. Inter will next face Lecce in a Serie A clash on Sunday as they bid to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Cristiano Ronaldo may have been hit with a one-match ban in the Saudi Pro League, but the Al-Nassr forward says he “can’t stop”.

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Portuguese serving one-match suspensionSanctioned for reaction to terrace tauntsKeeping himself busy away from the fieldGetty Images – Goal ARWHAT HAPPENED?

The Portuguese superstar will sit out a meeting with Al-Hazm on Thursday after being sanctioned by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF). That punishment relates to the crude gesture he performed during a dramatic 3-2 victory over Al-Shabab – as he reacted to more “Messi” taunts from the stands.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo will now be taking an enforced break from competitive action, but that does not mean that he will be putting his feet up away from the field. As a man famed for his relentless work ethic, CR7 is keeping himself busy in the gym.

WHAT RONALDO SAID

As his team-mates ready themselves for another Pro League outing – in a bid to keep themselves in title contention – Ronaldo has posted a “can’t stop” message as he seeks to be ready for a return to action in the first leg of an AFC Champions League quarter-final clash with Al-Ain on Monday.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

Ronaldo will be a big miss for Al-Nassr as, despite now being 39 years of age, he has maintained remarkable individual standards this season and has plundered 34 goals through 35 appearances in all competitions.

It was a memorable day for Arsenal at Buckingham Palace in February, 2007 – but why were they there?

"It’s quite big, you could play a good football match here."

Those were the words of Arsene Wenger as he and the rest of the Arsenal squad pulled up in the team coach at Buckingham Palace in February, 2007.

They were there at the invitation of Her Majesty The Queen and were treated to an experience no other club football team has ever been privileged to.

But why were they there? What was it all about?

This is the story of the day the Queen invited Arsenal round for tea.

Why did the Queen invite Arsenal to Buckingham Palace?

Arsenal had moved from Highbury to Emirates Stadium in 2006, ending a 93-year stay in their iconic north London home.

The short move to the club’s new base at Ashburton Grove was a costly one and to mark the occasion, they wanted a special grand opening. And what would be grander than the Queen cutting the ribbon to officially declare the Emirates open?

It was all agreed, but unfortunately a back injury forced the Queen to cancel on the morning of Thursday, October 26, with Prince Philip doing the honours instead.

While it was still a special occasion for Arsenal, the event was tinged with disappointment – especially as the plaque that Prince Phillip unveiled had already been engraved with the wording ‘officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen’.

But to make up for her late cancellation, the Queen then invited the Arsenal first-team squad and members of the club hierarchy to Buckingham Palace for afternoon tea in February 2007.

AdvertisementWho went?

Thierry Henry was Arsenal captain at the time, so he led what was a relatively young squad to Buckingham Palace.

There were still a few of the old guard from the Invincibles era, such as Freddie Ljungberg, Gilberto Silva and Jens Lehmann.

But there were plenty of young faces on show, with the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Just Hoyte, Denilson and Theo Walcott all present.

Wenger was there of course, as were Arsenal’s chairman at the time, Peter Hill-Wood, and club director Ken Friar.

What did the players do?

After arriving by coach, the Arsenal squad was greeted by the Buckingham Palace doormen and the players made their way inside.

They were then met by royal collections expert Desmond Shawe-Taylor, who took them around the Palace for a private tour of the state apartments.

The event was captured by a BBC documentary, with Shawe-Taylor admitting he was ‘nervous’ to be coming face to face with some of the Arsenal squad.

"I’m not usually doing it for superstars," he said. "I’m trying to remember my words when Thierry Henry is facing me. I feel like a defender."

After the guided tour the squad then gathered in one of the main rooms for their afternoon tea and waited for the Queen.

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What did they eat?

As you would expect given the surroundings, it was far from your average tea menu.

There were plenty of tasty delights on offer for the Arsenal squad, including Montgomery cheddar and fig chutney on granary, roast beef and dijon mustard on sweetened brioche, smoked salmon and cucumber on royal crown tortano bread and roast beef on brioche. 

There was also a selection of clotted cream and jam scones, fresh fruit tartlets, chocolate cake and pistachio macaroons.

Most things went down very well, although goalkeeper Manuel Almunia struggled a bit when it came to quenching his thirst.

"I don’t really like tea," he said. "But you have to do it here."

Despite showing strong form for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, the hero of the 2014 World Cup hasn't made an international appearance in two years

As the United States men's national team prepares to host Ghana in a key friendly on Tuesday, it's hard not to think of past moments in these teams' shared history. It's an unlikely rivalry, one forged not by geography, but by competition on the biggest stage possible.

It's hard not to think of the 2006 World Cup, when a U.S. team that included now-USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter first fell to the Black Stars. It's hard not to think of what happened four years later, when Asamoah Gyan led Ghana to another victory and the World Cup quarter-finals with a goal in extra-time. And it's hard not to think of a young John Brooks soaring for a header in 2014, looking at his hands in disbelief after scoring the biggest goal he'd ever score.

All of that feels like ancient history these days… except for the Brooks part. The USMNT has largely moved on from that 2014 squad, which makes sense given the fact that it's been nearly a decade since Brooks' magic moment. The center-back, though, is still playing at a top level, still contributing in the Bundesliga even after all these years.

Yet, for much of Berhalter's tenure, Brooks has been excluded from the USMNT. It's been years since we've seen him in a USMNT shirt, and, despite the freshness of a new cycle, it doesn't seem likely we'll ever see Brooks again. But why?

Getty ImagesThat magic Ghana moment

It's one of the most iconic goals in USMNT history, one made all the more endearing by the sheer shock of it all. No one could believe it, not even Brooks, who had a look of pure amazement on his face as he struggled to even comprehend what had just happened

Brooks had scored, and he'd scored late. His goal had given the USMNT the lead in their World Cup opener. They would protect that lead, earning a win over their fierce rivals Ghana, before qualifying for the knockout stages of the 2014 World Cup.

It was an incredible moment for the then-21-year-old defender, who was less than a year into his USMNT career. Realistically, he wasn't even supposed to be in the game, having only come on as a substitute to replace the injured Matt Besler. With that goal, he became the first American to score as a substitute in the World Cup and, perhaps more importantly, sealed his place in USMNT history.

It looked like the beginning of a long USMNT career for Brooks but, as it turns out, it wouldn't be as long as anyone would have expected.

AdvertisementElsaHighs and lows under Klinsmann and Arena

As Jurgen Klinsmann began his second USMNT cycle, Brooks became an integral part of the team. He played in five of the team's six matches at the Copa America Centenario in 2016, missing only the Bronze Medal match. All the while, he remained a key player in the Bundesliga, playing for both Hertha Berlin and Wolfsburg for the better part of a decade.

However, it wasn't all positive. He was a key starter at the beginning of the USMNT's 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, playing in the opening loss to Mexico in Columbus. He then put in one of the most infamous performances in USMNT history, totally losing control of the game in a 4-0 drubbing in Costa Rica that ultimately cost Klinsmann his job.

Brooks, though, remained a regular throughout 2017 before suffering a torn thigh tendon in August, ruling him out for several months. It was during that time that the USMNT's 2018 World Cup dreams famous crumbled in loss to Trinidad & Tobago in October.

GettyFalling out of the picture

At the start of Berhalter's tenure, Brooks was very much still in the national-team picture. The defender was still only 25, a player that had likely not even entered his prime years as a defender.

Brooks began Berhalter's tenure in 2019 by starting a friendly against Ecuador before appearing once again in a vital Nations League win over Canada that November. The following year was, for many, a wash due to the coronavirus pandemic, although Brooks did start the 0-0 draw with Wales that November in the USMNT's return to action.

In 2021, though, he seemingly found his stride, headlined by a run that saw him start four out of five games en route to the Nations League triumph over Mexico that June. By the start of World Cup qualifying in September 2021, Brooks appeared to be a player that would be relied upon heavily on the road to Qatar, starting back-to-back games against Canada and Honduras. The U.S. struggled in that match against Canada, a 1-1 draw in Nashville, while Brooks was surprisingly withdrawn at halftime of the eventual 4-1 win over Honduras three days later.

As it turned out, that first half against Honduras was the last time we saw Brooks in a USMNT shirt, as he's spent the last two years totally out of the reckoning.

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GettyBerhalter explains, Brooks responds

It began in November 2021, when Brooks was surprisingly first excluded from the USMNT squad. He had been a key player for the U.S. for years, one of the few holdovers from the 2014 World Cup and one still with plenty of years left in him at a high level.

At the time, Berhalter opted to lean on the likes of Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, Chris Richards and Mark McKenzie, pointing at Brooks' up-and-down performances during the previous window. "Regarding John Brooks, it was a really difficult decision,” Berhalter said at the time, “and a lot of it was based on how we felt his performance was with the team, the last time he’s been performing.”

Brooks, for his part, agreed. He felt he wasn't good enough in those two World Cup qualifiers, and vowed to be back better than ever in the future, telling : “The decision to leave me out of this camp isn’t surprising, given some of my recent performances for the USMNT that aren’t up to my standards. My job now is to work hard to be the very best I can be. I feel great about this week’s Champions League performance and my recent play with Wolfsburg, and will keep building on my performance there, until I reach my goal of helping the USMNT reach the next World Cup.”

Berhalter replied, saying: “That’s all you can ask for as a player’s response, right? Normally what players do is they start picking off other players and saying, 'Well, this guy is doing this', and all John did was take accountability for his own performance. “

It seemed everyone was aligned and on the same path, but what looked like a one-window exclusion turned into one that hasn't yet come to an end.

For all the talk of United's resurgence under Erik ten Hag, there is a sense that the club are making things up as they go along

It had just turned midday on transfer deadline day at Manchester United's training ground, but things were already getting hectic. Altay Bayindir had recently completed his transfer from Fenerbahce to play back-up to Andre Onana. Erik ten Hag then held his press conference, in which he confirmed that Sergio Reguilon had not only completed his loan move but had already trained with the team and would be in the squad to face Arsenal on Sunday.

Just minutes after Ten Hag had finished speaking to the media, journalists were ushered out of the press room and encouraged to leave the training ground so as to finish their write-ups elsewhere. There was more pressing business, such as Reguilon's official unveiling and photoshoot, taking place in the room they vacated.

Then there was the small matter of United's long-running pursuit of Sofyan Amrabat. Unlike with Reguilon, Ten Hag refused to give anything away on the Morocco midfielder. Just after he had finished speaking, however, news broke that United had agreed a loan deal with Fiorentina. Later in the evening, Jonny Evans signed a one-year contract, eight years after he had left the club to join West Brom. It had been a frenetic day of arrivals, one to rival a major international airport.

If only things were as busy for departures. Less than 12 hours before the transfer window was due to shut, Scott McTominay's future was not 100 percent clear, even though it was always expected that he would stay. The club were on the hunt for takers for Donny van de Beek and Eric Bailly and still trying to resolve the ever uncomfortable issue of what to do with Mason Greenwood, who completed his shock loan move to Getafe minutes before the deadline.

Despite getting three bid deals done early on in the transfer window, the chaos that ensued on deadline day suggested that little has changed at United. It is one year after another frantic day of business in which the club grossly overpaid for Antony, and a decade since they paid over the odds to get Marouane Fellaini, the only signing David Moyes was granted.

(C)GettyImagesTaking the Amrabat deal down to the wire

News that United wanted to sign Amrabat broke the day after the FA Cup final, but here they were, almost three months later, still thrashing out a deal with Fiorentina. Talk about bad planning.

The need to add another midfielder to Ten Hag's squad despite already spending £165 million had been laid bare by United's dreadful start to the season, with Wolves, Tottenham and then Nottingham Forest being given far too much freedom in the middle of the park as Casemiro looked every bit his 31 years of age.

United did have a good excuse for the delay in signing Amrabat, in all fairness. The Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability rules, formerly known as Financial Fair Play, obliged United to bring in more revenue from sales before they could spend any more, having maxed out their budget on Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund.

Having only sold Fred, Alex Telles and Anthony Elanga over the course of the summer, they had to wait until they had completed the sale of Dean Henderson to Crystal Palace on Thursday for £20m before they could finally make an official offer.

Helped by Amrabat's willingness to wait for United, they have managed to strike a very reasonable deal with Fiorentina. But boy did they leave it late, and it will take some time for the new player to gel with his team-mates and get his fitness up to scratch after not playing any games since last season.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesInjury-prone back-up goalkeeper

Henderson's departure forced United to sign another goalkeeper, and getting Bayindir for £4.3m ($5.5m) looks, at first glance, to be good business, giving the club more than £15m ($19m) in profit after selling Henderson. However, there are a few concerns about the 25-year-old.

Fenerbahce fans seem glad to see the back of him due to his long-running injury issues. Bayindir needed to have shoulder surgery in 2021, and in April he had an operation on a back hernia, a problem which had also troubled him three years previously.

The injuries led to a loss of form and Bayindir losing the captaincy, as well as his place as Fernerbahce's No.1. The Turkey international is unlikely to play much immediately, but he could be called into action for around a month next January if Cameroon qualify for the African Nations Cup after Onana was recalled to the squad. So United better hope his injury problems do not resurface.

Getty ImagesScraping the barrel for left-backs

United had addressed three key areas of the squad in July, but did not think they needed any additions at left-back. Twin injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, however, changed everything. And after a shaky display by Diogo Dalot in the topsy-turvy 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest, United found themselves scrambling for left-backs. Unsurprisingly given the emergency nature of their pursuit, they found themselves scraping at the bottom of the barrel.

First they looked at Marc Cucurella, who had been a huge flop for Chelsea following his £62 million move from Brighton and was made a scapegoat for the Blues' disastrous season. The move, however, was scuppered by Chelsea playing Cucurella in the Carabao Cup win over AFC Wimbledon, which meant United would be unable to cancel his loan in January once Shaw and Malacia returned to full fitness.

So they landed on Reguilon, who was a hugely promising player when he broke into the Real Madrid side in 2018 and made an impressive start to life with Tottenham, starring in a 6-1 win over United at Old Trafford. His defensive frailties became exposed in his second season, however, and he was dropped by Antonio Conte.

His spell on loan at Atletico Madrid last season, meanwhile, was an unmitigated disaster. He arrived carrying an injury and fans already disliked him due to his Real Madrid past. Diego Simeone did not fancy him much either, giving him just two La Liga starts all season. While getting Reguilon in on loan is a low-risk move for United, the fact Tottenham were willing to let the Spaniard leave without a loan fee shows how much his stock has fallen there.

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GettyStruggling to sell unwanted players

The fact that United had to wait so long to make their move for Amrabat due to their scant transfer revenue underlines how little demand there was for the players they wanted to sell. At the start of the summer, around 11 players were for sale at the right price, including Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay and Donny van de Beek.

United accepted a £30m ($37m) bid from West Ham for Maguire, but the defender did not want to leave for lower wages, while they rejected a £30m bid for McTominay, demanding at least £40m ($50m) for the Scotland international.

All remain, with United only managing to get fees for Elanga, Fred, Henderson and Telles, banking £47m ($59m). That may be a lot more than in previous years (£19m in 2022; £26m in 2021 and £16m in 2020), but it pales in comparison to their rivals.

Chelsea have made £225m in sales while neighbours Manchester City have earned £150m, with academy players accounting for £85m. Arsenal and Liverpool have only raised slightly more than United, £56m and £51m respectively.

United have already been punished by UEFA for an FFP breach this summer and had to be careful. And if they want to compete with the other top sides in the league in the transfer market, they will need to be more efficient when it comes to moving players on.