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Big Changes for this Newsletter
And your usual soccer reporting
Max Palmer & Mason Palmer
December 03, 2025
Hey friends,
Mason and I are making some changes to the newsletter. Please read below before you get on to your usual footy update. Thank you ❤️
Here’s what we’ve got for you this week:
😀 Big Changes Coming to Nutmeg Soccer
🏆️ Conference Finals Recap
🇺🇸 Yanks Abroad
🌎️ World Cup Draw
💭 More MLS Updates
⚽️ Goal of the Week
😂 Meme of the Week
Big Changes Coming to Nutmeg Soccer
There are some big changes coming to Nutmeg.
Mason and I have published this newsletter every week for 112 straight weeks (without missing a single week!). It’s been a labour of love. Many of you have been with us since the beginning, and others subscribed yesterday. Either way, we appreciate all of you.
While this started as a side project, our goal has always been to turn it into a small business. We hoped to do that via selling advertisements, but it’s proven far too difficult.
Going forward, we’re going to charge $6/month or $60/year ($12 discount) for full access to the newsletter. Paying subscribers will continue to get the entire newsletter every Wednesday. Non-paying readers will only get the first story each week, missing out the remaining three, plus the other fun stuff we include at the bottom. When the World Cup comes around, we’ll be publishing multiple newsletters every week. This will be your one-stop shop for everything World Cup-related. We can’t freaking wait!
We think $6 is reasonable. Essentially, for the price of 2 cups of coffee, you get all your American soccer news in your inbox every week. We hope you think it’s a fair price too.
Many of you have asked to send us donations, and others have offered to work for us for free. While we deeply appreciate the offers, we don’t want to accept donations. We put a ton of work into creating this for you each week and love the community we’ve built here. Mason and I both work full-time jobs, so this newsletter is a way for us to share our passion for soccer while also scratching our entrepreneurial itch.
If you’d love to support us, you can do so below. If you’re not able to, we completely understand. Either way, we appreciate you being along for the ride.
Me, Mason, Mason’s son baby Luca, and our youngest brother, Ike (who we’re trying to get into soccer more)
Conference Finals Recap
The conference finals weren’t as entertaining as anticipated, but with both Vancouver and Miami winning, we’ll have a first-time MLS Cup Champion crowned on Saturday. Here’s how the Conference finals shook out:
The Whitecaps easily beat San Diego 3-1 behind a brace from Brian White. They jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after the 11th minute, and San Diego never seemed to have control over the game, something they’re very used to having. Chucky Lozano scored off a deflection to start a comeback, but it was quickly dispelled after goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega was shown a red card. The Caps beat San Diego at their own game. They were methodical and decisive in attack and defended well as a group. Both teams should be incredibly proud of the season they had, absolutely nobody expected either to get to this point.
Inter Miami put on another clinic in their 5-1 win over NYCFC (All 5 goals here). Messi provided “just” one assist, but it was Tadeo Allende who scored a hat trick to give him 8 goals this postseason, tied for the most in a single postseason in MLS history. Messi played a role in all 12 of Miami’s playoff goals prior to this game, so this was proof they can produce without him, a frightening realisation for Vancouver.
It’s been one of the best postseason runs of form in league history for Miami. They won the last 3 games by a combined 13-1 score, disposing of very talented teams along the way. Miami will host Vancouver at Chase Stadium, where they’ve scored 3+ goals in 9 straight home games. They’ve now scored 98 goals across the regular and postseason, which is the most in MLS history.
In April, these teams met in the Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinal, where Vancouver advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Both teams have changed immensely since then. Vancouver added Thomas Müller and got back several players who were injured, and Miami added some young attackers who’ve proved pivotal signings down the stretch. It should be an incredible game.
Yanks Abroad
Tim Weah had one of the best games of his career in the Champions League last week against Newcastle, a game which Marseille won 2-1. He grabbed an important assist to give Marseille the win.
Folarin Balogun was gifted this ball by the goalie, but still scored a banger for his second Champions League goal in a row. He’s now scored in 5 straight games for club and country.
Alex Zendejas had a rocket for Club América, even if Monterrey’s late goal knocked them out on aggregate. Still a heater of a finish.
Tanner Tessman started for Lyon at center back in a back 3 formation for his second game in a row. It might be time for Poch to test him at this position.
Patrick Agyemang scored early for Derby with an excellent finish before they fell 2–1.
Jonathan Klinsmann might’ve had the most impressive American performance this weekend. A penalty save, a clean sheet, and an assist in Cesena’s 1–0 win. He’s now started all 14 matches in Serie B, conceded just 14 goals, and suddenly feels like the only USMNT keeper with actual game reps heading into March camp. With every MLS keeper sitting at home until February, the door is wide open for him to sneak into Pochettino’s plans.
Sergino Dest with another brilliant assist in PSV’s massive 4-1 win over English Champions Liverpool. Look at that vision!
Ricardo Pepi scored a brilliant bicycle kick. He finally got a rare start for PSV and made the most of it.
Weston McKennie notched an assist in his 200th appearance for Juventus. It was to fellow Concacaf man, Jonathan David of Canada.
Antonee Robinson’s recovery is finally coming to an end. After working with former Liverpool physio Andy Renshaw during the November break to rebuild strength in his right quad, he’s now pain-free and could return in 3–4 weeks.
Tyler Adams scored a 40-yard missile over the weekend, chipping the keeper. He pulls one of these out of a hat every once in a while.
World Cup Draw
The World Cup draw is on Friday at 12 pm EST in Washington, DC. This will be the first 48-team World Cup, which means 12 groups of four.
The U.S. already knows it will be in Group D, now we’ll figure out who joins us. As hosts, the U.S. is in Pot 1, along with the other hosts and the 9 highest-ranked teams in FIFA’s rankings.
Pot 4 is still a mystery since six spots belong to playoff winners from Europe and the intercontinental playoffs. Whoever wins those matchups will drop into the pre-assigned slots.
There are a few rules around group formation. No more than two European teams can be in the same group, and teams from Africa, Asia, and the Americas cannot be paired with another team from their confederation.
Friday gives us the groups. Next summer gives us the games of a lifetime. Next week, we’ll have an in depth overview of the US’s group for all paying subscribers. It’ll be juicy, we promise.
More MLS Updates
Some quick hitters as teams ramp up their offseason moves.
Michael Bradley has emerged as the frontrunner to take the NY Red Bulls head coaching position. The USMNT legend took over the Red Bulls II this summer and led them to the MLS Next Pro Cup title. If Bradley is hired, he’ll try to get the Red Bulls back into the playoffs after missing them for the first time in 15 years.
Christian Benteke announced he’s leaving DC United. DC United hopes to convince him to stay on a new deal after declining his 2026 option, but his end in the Capital looks likely. Many MLS teams will be interested in signing him if they can get him on a non-DP contract.
NYCFC will name Todd Dunivant as Chief Soccer Officer. After winning 5 MLS Cups over a 13-year career, Dunivant has been the GM of the Sacramento Republic of the USL since 2018, where they made the playoffs all but one year under his leadership.
The San Jose Earthquakes rejected an offer of $3 million from Pumas for Chicho Arango. Club Tijuana is also interested in the striker.
Goal of the Week
The USWNT beat Italy 2-0 behind this banger from Jaedyn Shaw.
Meme of the Week
2014 World Cup Final ➡️ 2025 MLS Cup Final. They meet again.
Quick Hits
That’s a wrap! Again, if you’d like to receive the full newsletter each week and also want to support us as we try and turn this into a small business, please upgrade below. We could not appreciate your support more!
Your soccer loving brothers,
Max & Mason
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