Former United States men’s national team players have detailed the historical prejudice and ignorance they faced when joining European clubs to highlight the evolving global perception of American football ahead of the World Cup.
Eric Wynalda experienced extreme xenophobia during his time with German side FC Saarbrucken in 1992.
The former striker recalled being subjected to relentless abuse from his own teammates, who repeatedly referred to him with derogatory slurs.
“It resulted in me finally having enough and throwing one of my teammates to the ground and telling him that if he calls me that one more time, he’s going to the dentist,” Wynalda told ESPN.
The dressing room tension only de-escalated after the Californian scored twice in a crucial 2-0 victory against local rivals Kaiserslautern.
Battling media bias and higher standards
Steve Cherundolo encountered a different form of bias after joining Hannover 96 in 1999.
Despite eventually making over 400 appearances and earning the nickname “The Mayor of Hannover”, the defender felt constantly targeted by the local media.
Cherundolo noted that negative press was particularly prominent in player ratings when he deployed a more defensive style from the full-back position.
Landon Donovan echoed these sentiments regarding his early days with Bayer Leverkusen.
The legendary forward believed that simply matching the quality of his European or South American counterparts was never enough to secure a place in the starting line-up.
“If you were competing with a Turkish guy or a Brazilian guy or a German guy, you just had to be much better because they just assumed that Americans didn’t know how to play soccer,” Donovan explained.
Ignorance rather than malice
American players have gradually established a much stronger presence across Europe’s top leagues in recent years, with key squad members now regularly featuring for elite Champions League clubs.
Former national team manager Gregg Berhalter views the historical difficulties through a slightly different lens.
Having played in the Netherlands, England, and Germany, the 51-year-old attributed the early dressing room dynamics to a lack of awareness rather than active discrimination.
“We’d just come off the 1994 World Cup, so everyone recognized Alexi Lalas and Tony Meola, but other than that, they had no idea that the U.S. was even playing soccer,” Berhalter noted.
He concluded that early stateside pioneers were exploring a completely new frontier, where coaches and fans simply had no expectation of American talent.
Liverpool have identified Sporting Lisbon defender Goncalo Inacio as a primary transfer target to rebuild their backline following the confirmed departure of Ibrahima Konate.
The Merseyside club are actively seeking defensive reinforcements ahead of the new season.
According to industry reports, securing a new central defender has become the absolute priority for the upcoming transfer window.
Both Konate and Scotland captain Andy Robertson are set to leave Anfield at the end of their current contracts.
Their imminent exits leave a significant void in a squad that relies heavily on experienced options at the back.
Contract situations force Anfield rebuild
Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are now the only senior central defenders available to the club.
Crucially, both players are also entering the final 12 months of their respective deals.
The Premier League side have consequently shortlisted the 24-year-old Portuguese international to solidify their defence.
Inacio boasts a £52m release clause in his current contract.
Release clause offers straightforward deal
Activating this buyout option would provide a straightforward acquisition path for the six-time European champions.
The left-footed centre-back is highly regarded for his ability to progress the ball from deep positions.
Such tactical flexibility would naturally complement the right-sided dominance of club captain Van Dijk.
The Sporting academy graduate has amassed over 250 senior appearances for the Lisbon outfit and is a regular fixture in the Portugal national team setup.
Premier League rivals monitor situation
Scouts assessing the current transfer market have reportedly described his specific ball-playing profile as “rare”.
Manchester United and Chelsea have previously monitored the highly-rated defender.
However, an urgent need for a guaranteed starting role could give the Reds a crucial advantage in any potential bidding war.
The recruitment team are not solely relying on the capture of the Portuguese star, with youth prospects also being integrated.
Alternative defensive targets evaluated
Recent arrivals include French prospect Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, while Italian teenager Giovanni Leoni is returning from a serious knee injury.
Should a move for their primary target fail to materialise, alternative options are actively being assessed.
Serie A centre-half Sam Beukema remains on the radar alongside Nottingham Forest defender Murillo.
Tottenham youngster Luka Vuskovic has also been mentioned as a potential long-term investment, as defensive future-proofing becomes the paramount focus at Anfield.
Manager Sarina Wiegman has challenged her England players to show their true character against Ukraine on Tuesday following a demoralising 4-0 defeat by Spain that leaves their World Cup qualification hopes in the balance.
The reigning European champions suffered their heaviest loss since 2009 during Friday’s bruising encounter in Mallorca.
Forward Lauren Hemp admitted the unexpected thrashing caused sleepless nights among the squad.
The national side must now better Spain’s result against Iceland to secure automatic entry to next year’s tournament in Brazil.
Qualification out of their hands
If the Lionesses fail to overhaul their group rivals, they will be forced to navigate a precarious two-legged play-off.
The Dutch coach insisted her immediate priority is atoning for the poor performance rather than scoreboard watching.
Staff members will monitor the simultaneous fixture involving the world champions, but updates will not be relayed to the pitch at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
‘A hit on the chin’
“We have someone there, so we will know, but we’re not planning on sharing that with players,” Wiegman confirmed.
The former Netherlands boss believes the true test of her squad’s mentality will be revealed in how they bounce back from adversity.
“We sat on the pitch straight after the game and said, ‘okay, this one is really hard to take’. It felt like a hit on the chin.”
“It’s really easy when things go well that everyone sticks together and we have conversations. But at moments when you’re having a setback like this, then we really see who we are.”
Sleepless nights in Mallorca
The manner of the defeat was uncharted territory for the majority of the current setup.
Manchester City winger Hemp revealed the psychological toll the heavy loss took on the dressing room.
The forward admitted she and several team-mates were unable to sleep following the comprehensive loss.
A decisive victory against Ukraine remains the sole focus as the team attempts to salvage an automatic route to the World Cup finals.
Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has come out of international retirement to rejoin the Germany squad, as manager Julian Nagelsmann seeks to end the nation’s dismal run of World Cup failures.
The 38-year-old shot-stopper originally stepped away from national duty two years ago following a disappointing tournament in Qatar.
However, the German hierarchy has now turned to the Bayern Munich stalwart to provide crucial leadership and experience.
The four-time world champions are desperate to restore their formidable reputation as the ultimate tournament team.
Consecutive group-stage exits
Recent campaigns have severely dented the proud footballing heritage of the European heavyweights.
A humiliating elimination in Russia in 2018 abruptly ended their defence of the trophy they had won four years prior.
Disaster then struck again at the 2022 tournament following a shock opening defeat by Japan.
Consequently, the national side has not progressed beyond a World Cup group phase since lifting the trophy against Argentina in 2014.
Nagelsmann seeks defensive basics
Former managers Joachim Low and Hansi Flick both ultimately failed to halt this alarming decline.
Flick previously identified a lack of fundamental defensive solidity as the root cause of the team’s ongoing struggles.
Now, the current head coach hopes his returning custodian can reinstil a much-needed sense of confidence into a transitioning squad.
“He has many titles, he has an aura, a big name.”
Nagelsmann strongly believes those past exploits will prove inspirational to a new generation of players.
Fifa has banned players from approaching the touchline for tactical instructions during goalkeeper injuries as part of six new rule changes for the 2026 World Cup.
The International Football Association Board (Ifab) has forbidden the controversial practice to combat severe time-wasting.
Teams frequently exploit the so-called ‘tactical timeout’ when a goalkeeper strategically drops to the turf.
While medical staff treat the seemingly injured player, outfield teammates use the stoppage to receive urgent coaching advice.
Referees to enforce strict positioning
Officials will now mandate that players remain in their current positions or gather in the centre circle during these stoppages.
Fifa referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina confirmed the clampdown following a workshop with managers from all 48 participating nations.
The goalkeeper has the right to be injured, but the players do not have the right to leave the field of play to have a sort of timeout.
Pierluigi Collina
Tackling the time-wasting epidemic
The global governing body will not issue automatic yellow cards to players who mistakenly drift towards the dugouts.
Instead, match officials have been instructed to take a proactive approach to managing the technical areas.
Domestic competitions worldwide have increasingly struggled with this specific form of gamesmanship.
The National Women’s Soccer League in the United States successfully trialled similar preventative measures earlier this year.
Maintaining momentum and match flow
Critics argue the new directive only solves a fraction of the broader match management problem.
Shot-stoppers can still disrupt an opponent’s attacking momentum simply by sitting on the turf and requesting medical attention.
The upcoming tournament in North America will already feature mandated three-minute hydration breaks due to extreme summer temperatures.
It is quite weird that there really is only the referee, the physio and the goalkeeper on the field of play. All the other players leave the pitch, and it is not good.
Pierluigi Collina
Five additional law changes will be implemented alongside this ban to further accelerate the pace of international fixtures.
Didier Deschamps will manage the French national team on home soil for the final time on Monday when they face Northern Ireland in Lille ahead of his post-World Cup departure.
The 57-year-old is concluding a remarkable 14-year tenure that includes lifting the 2018 World Cup trophy to replicate his 1998 triumph as team captain.
The upcoming friendly at the Decathlon Arena serves as a poignant send-off before the squad travels to the United States for the tournament.
Fans are expected to provide an emotional tribute to the former Juventus and Chelsea midfielder.
Focus remains on World Cup preparation
Despite the inevitable nostalgia, the outgoing head coach insists his primary focus remains firmly on preparing the squad for the finals.
Supporters previously honoured the World Cup-winning manager by holding up cardboard cut-outs of his face during Thursday’s surprise 2-1 defeat by the Ivory Coast in Nantes.
The veteran tactician expressed gratitude for the gesture but maintains that the collective squad is more important than his individual farewell.
“Ever since I came in to camp, there’s lots of things that I’ve done for the last time, so I’m not trying to think about all these things.”
“I’m not too sad, I’m not going to be happy about it. What’s important for me is beyond my personal case.”
Rabiot praises unifying leadership
AC Milan midfielder Adrien Rabiot anticipates a highly charged atmosphere as the home crowd bids farewell to their long-serving leader.
The combative midfielder highlighted the manager’s unique ability to bring diverse personalities together over the past decade.
“I can imagine the state of mind of Didier after all this time spent with the French team.”
“We’re all human beings, we have compassion, we have emotions and everything that comes along with it.”
“The coach has done a great job with the French team and I hope that he will be celebrated, because he deserves it.”
Final preparations for USA
Les Bleus have been drawn into Group I for the upcoming World Cup where they will face Senegal, Iraq and an Erling Haaland-led Norway.
The coaching staff are eager to harness the positive energy from these domestic fixtures before embarking on their trans-Atlantic journey.
“These two matches in France before we leave for the US, being close to the supporters and lots of the people who are not able to go to the US, we’re trying to get as much energy, trying to get as much good vibes from the supporters as we can.”
Kick-off for the international friendly against Northern Ireland is at 20:10 BST, with live coverage beginning at 19:30 BST across BBC network platforms.
Jose Mourinho will return as Real Madrid head coach after Florentino Perez was re-elected as club president until 2030.
The 63-year-old signed a conditional three-year deal last month that hinged entirely on the incumbent retaining his leadership role at the Bernabeu.
Perez secured 65% of the vote to comfortably defeat renewable energy magnate Enrique Riquelme in the first contested presidential election in two decades.
A new era for Los Blancos
The 79-year-old president celebrated his victory by promising further investment and European glory to the supporters.
“We will continue working so that Real Madrid keeps winning titles, and we will fight until the end to achieve the 16th European Cup.”
He also confirmed the highly anticipated managerial change during his victory address.
“Proud to have the best players in the world, proud to welcome back one of the best coaches in the world, a Madridista like Jose Mourinho.”
To mark his new term in office, Perez has also pledged to make a club-record offer for an unnamed global superstar.
Rebuilding after a barren season
The Portuguese tactician steps away from his recent role at Benfica, having guided the Lisbon club to a third-place finish in the Primeira Liga.
He takes the reins from Alvaro Arbeloa, who had served as a short-term replacement following the departure of Xabi Alonso in January.
The returning manager faces a significant rebuilding project following a deeply disappointing 2025-26 campaign.
The Spanish giants finished the season without any major silverware and watched bitter rivals Barcelona seal the La Liga title with a decisive El Clasico victory.
Familiar surroundings for the returning boss
This will be the second managerial stint in the Spanish capital for the two-time Champions League winner.
During his previous tenure between 2010 and 2013, he successfully broke Barcelona’s domestic dominance to secure the La Liga crown.
He also lifted the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup before departing for a second stint in the Premier League.
Newly appointed Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has confirmed he will alter the club’s pre-season schedule to accommodate players returning from international duty this summer.
The Spaniard recently replaced Arne Slot following the Dutchman’s dismissal from Anfield.
Arriving after three impressive seasons at Bournemouth, the 43-year-old faces a busy summer of squad integration and potential transfer business.
Tailored returns for international players
The incoming regime plans to carefully monitor the fitness of eight first-team squad members currently away at the World Cup.
While the Basque manager intends to tweak the existing summer itinerary, he is keen to avoid wholesale disruption.
“Yes, there was already a lot of work done even before we arrived, and we are trying to change as little as possible for the beginning.”
The former Cherries boss emphasised that returning international stars will follow staggered timetables depending on their national team’s progression in the tournament.
“I think everything is in place so everything is quite smooth and there are no problems.”
Collaborating with existing Anfield staff
Rather than immediately interrupting players on their deserved holidays, the new manager is prioritising critical discussions with the existing backroom staff.
He believes the current coaching setup holds vital insight into squad dynamics to ensure a seamless transition on the first day of training.
“I want to talk to the staff, to the people that were here every day, that know very well the players, to arrive as ready as possible to that first day of pre-season.”
Integrating academy prospects alongside senior professionals is another key priority for the Merseyside outfit over the coming weeks.
“I think especially with a lot of those young players that will do the pre-season with us, a lot of things about the organisation, about the staff, about how we can create the best atmosphere.”
Despite bringing in his own tactical team, the former Rayo Vallecano manager wants to heavily value the personnel already embedded at the club to accelerate his adaptation process.