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- A Devastating US Loss
Hey friends,
Sigh. That was tough. Let’s talk through it.
🇺🇸 USA Fall Short
🌎️ World Cup Updates
🇨🇻 Cape Verde Captures Our Hearts
⚽️ Goal of the Week
😂 Tweets of the Week
Hey, it's Mason, one of the brothers of Nutmeg Soccer. I grew this newsletter to 10,000+ subscribers, and if you're reading it, there's a good chance my work is part of why it found you.
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If your business wants that kind of growth, send me an email at [email protected], and I'll send over a few times to talk this week.
USMNT Fall Short
After an incredible start to the tournament, the US World Cup journey came to a screeching halt in an embarrassing 4-1 loss to Belgium. It was like a completely different team from the first four games showed up at the match. It’s hard to understand how a disastrous collapse could happen after such a good start to the tournament.
Just over 24 hours before the match, news broke that Folarin Balogun’s suspension had been lifted and he would be eligible to play. While the merits of the reversal are in question, it seems to have changed the juju around this team and brought on unwanted controversy. We went from an underdog that everyone loved to a team that some viewed as having been given special privileges. FIFA later released a statement after the backlash received from the reversal.
Regardless, we likely would have lost either way, given the way we played.
Belgium started the onslaught in the 9th minute with a goal from Charles De Keteleare. Sergino Dest failed to contest a jump ball in the box, and Tim Ream lost his man on the cross. Both individual errors that you can’t make against a team of this caliber. Malik Tillman found the equalizer in the 31st minute off another superb free kick, but just under two minutes later, Belgium scored again. Tim Ream failed to box out a defender and lost a header in the box. Another forceless error. Had we gone into halftime tied, this could’ve been a different game, but that goal was a gut punch.
The US started better in the second half, controlling most of the possession, but failed to create any dangerous moments in the attacking third. Then, a terrible error from Matt Freese basically ended the game. The US had no answers. A garbage-time goal by Lukaku was scored, and we were sent packing with little fight to show.
We were outclassed from the start. I’m as astonished as I am confused. How can we play so well and then all of a sudden lay a stinker in the most important game in our history? It doesn’t make sense.
But mostly, it’s heart-wrenching. You could feel a nation galvanizing around this team. Friends who never watched soccer were reaching out, clamoring about how fun it’s been to watch these guys play. For a couple of weeks, it was magical. And we needed one more win to finally convince ourselves that we could be a proper football nation.
But we’re back to where we’ve been. Unable to get over the hump. It’s doubtful Pochettino will return for another cycle. European clubs are calling him. We’ll likely kick off a search for a new head coach soon.
It’s hard to summarize everything that happened with this team over the last month. We played the best soccer we’ve ever played. We saw clear improvements. But we also failed in spectacular fashion in the moment that we had to shine. The US is clearly a top 15/20 team in the world, but there’s still so much work to be done to break into the top 10. Next up is the 2027 Gold Cup and 2028 Copa America, where we’ll have an opportunity once again to prove ourselves against the World’s best.
World Cup Updates
This is the best World Cup in history. The upsets, the storylines, the goals, the stars. The list goes on. We’ve had everything. It’s the biggest, the grandest, the most entertaining tournament ever. And it’s been right in our backyard. I’ve truly enjoyed every minute (aside from those 90 minutes in Seattle 😥).
Here’s what went down in the Round of 16:
Morocco beat Canada 3-0. Brahim Diaz landed his fourth assist, a new record for any African player in the World Cup. Morocco is in the quarterfinals for the second straight World Cup, the first African side ever to do so. They’ll take on France today at 4 pm EST.
France beat Paraguay 1-0 in the brutal Philadelphia heat, with Kylian Mbappé slotting home a 70th-minute penalty. It's Mbappé's 19th goal in 19 career World Cup appearances, two behind Messi's all-time record. It’s also his 7th of the tournament, just one behind Messi and tied with Haaland for the Golden Boot.
Norway beat Brazil 2-1 despite Brazil winning the expected goal count, 2.73 to 0.73. But Norway has the best goal scorer on the planet, and he scored a towering header and a left-footed strike from outside the box. He has as many goals in this tournament (7) as Norway had in their entire World Cup history before this year. Norway will face England on Saturday in Miami. This is the earliest Brazil has been knocked out of the World Cup since 1990, and the longest span they’ve gone without winning a World Cup.
England stepped into one of the most inhospitable atmospheres in global football and beat Mexico 3-2 in what was an instant classic (full highlights here). The game included a red card, two VAR reviews for penalties, a brace from Jude Bellingham, and plenty more mayhem. But England prevailed, making it Mexico’s third-ever competitive loss at the Azteca.
Spain beat Portugal 1-0, with a late winner from Mikel Merino. Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup run is over for good, after he'd confirmed this would be his last tournament. Spain hadn't won a knockout match since they lifted the trophy in 2010, and they are back in the quarterfinals for the first time since then. They'll face Belgium in Los Angeles on Friday.
Switzerland beat Colombia in penalties after a 0-0 draw (penalty highlights here). There were only 5 shots on target between the two teams in over 120 minutes of play. Colombia conceded just one goal the whole tournament, but were undone with just five goals on 94 shots. Switzerland will face Messi and co in their first quarterfinal since 1954.
Argentina beat Egypt 3-2 in one of the best comebacks in World Cup history (full highlights). In the 79th minute, Egypt were up 2-0 and on their way to their first quarterfinal appearance ever. But Argentina always finds a way. Cristian Romero headed home a Messi cross in the 79th, Messi then scored four minutes later, and Enzo Fernandez snuck in the winner in second-half stoppage time.
Cape Verde Captures Our Hearts
It’s hard to find the words to summarize what happened over the last 3 weeks for the small African nation of 150k people. They captured the hearts of not just their own people but of every football fan around the world.
On Friday, Cape Verde went toe-to-toe with the World Champions and the greatest player ever. The delivered yet another incredible performance. Once again, it was Vozinha who was the hero, making 8 saves.
The Blue Sharks came back from down a goal twice to tie it up and send the game to extra time. Against Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina, they didn’t lose to any of them in 90 minutes. A remarkable feat for the World’s 64th-ranked team.
The best moment of the entire tournament came in the 103rd minute when Sidny Lopes Cabral delivered one of the best goals in World Cup history; a tantalizing strike from the corner of the box, whipped perfectly into the top corner, impossible for Emi Martinez to even touch.
Prior to the tournament, Cabral was asked what his dream was for the tournament: “To score a goal and for Cape Verde to be known to the world.” You’ve done it, Sidny, you’ve done it.
Upon arriving home in Cape Verde, the players were greeted by thousands of fans lining the route to the airport and baggage claim workers bowing to their plane as it taxied. They were then paraded through the capital like the heroes they are.
If this isn’t what makes the World Cup so special, I don’t know what does. I was skeptical of the tournament expanding to 48 teams, but after this, there’s no way you can argue that we go back to 32. Cape Verde made us all believe.
By the way, have you seen photos of Cape Verde? It’s stunning. They will likely make billions from this run. After their run in 2018, Croatia's tourism revenue increased by $1B the next year. In 2022, it was Morocco whose tourism revenue jumped 34% to $10B. Searches for “Cape Verde vacation” are already up 5,000%. The entire country will benefit for years to come. Those players will be idolized forever.
Once again, how can you not be romantic about soccer?
Goal of the Week
Okay, this is really cool.
Translated: “Watch Messi’s goal from his own perspective.”
Tweets of the Week
🤣
HAHAHA
Holding back tears 🥲
Quick Hits
I can’t believe there are only 8 games left. This went by way too fast. Thank you all for reading ❤️
Max & Mason
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