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What is the premier conference in college football right now: the Big Ten or the SEC? After producing the last three College Football Playoff national champions — from three different schools — there is no denying the Big Ten has sat atop the college football world recently. But there is also a growing sentiment that the SEC is stronger in the middle and at the bottom, making it the deeper league overall. “There was a lot of pushback from the Big Ten on that this week,” FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt said on a recent episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” discussing what he learned at the Big Ten spring meetings in Palos Verdes, California. “And really, the Big Ten is not wrong.” Klatt pointed out that the Big Ten is 4-0 against the SEC in the College Football Playoff over the past three years. The conference is also 5-2 against the SEC in non-CFP bowl games over the past two years. “There is an idea that the depth of the Big Ten is being undersold nationally, and a way to fight that would be a scheduling agreement with the SEC,” Klatt said. “They want to fight the narrative on the field.” Here’s a look at 10 future SEC-Big Ten college football matchups Klatt would love to see if the conferences ever agreed to a scheduling agreement: Klatt: Bielema-Beamer 2! Remember that Citrus Bowl at the end of the 2024 season, when there was some bad blood there, particularly with how the game ended? I want this again. There’s no doubt. This might not be the best possible matchup, but certainly the storylines would run deep. Klatt: Kirby [Smart] to face Dan Lanning in Autzen Stadium? Yes! I’m in on that. Lanning’s first game as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks was against Georgia, and that one was in Atlanta in 2022. Georgia beat them up, 49-3. I’d love to see Kirby go up and face his former assistant and defensive coordinator. Klatt: We heard a lot in the playoff a couple of years ago about Neyland North. Listen, Tennessee fans, to your credit, you guys showed up huge in that playoff game. There’s no doubt. There was more orange in the stands than I saw of any other color in my history calling college football games in Columbus at The Shoe. I want to see Ohio State go and return the favor. Klatt: Lane [Kiffin] back in LA? Yup, you bet! Lane has obviously been back to LA, but not in an official capacity since he was left on the tarmac as the head coach of the USC Trojans. Bring him back. I want that every day of the week. Every year. That would be phenomenal. Please give us this scheduling agreement because it would be great for fans and great for college football. Klatt: How about bringing back an old rival? Nebraska-Oklahoma used to be as good as any rivalry in college football, maybe second to only Michigan-Ohio State. Throughout the whole Big 8 days, and even in the Big 12, this was a marquee Thanksgiving weekend matchup. Bring back this one. Klatt: I’m just hitting all the classics, and USC-Texas is absolutely a classic that I want to see. Obviously, that Rose Bowl with [Matt] Leinart, [Reggie] Bush and Vince Young was maybe the greatest game we’ve seen in the history of college football. You get those colors on the field at the same time. It would just drip with nostalgia. We’d be thinking about that and Keith Jackson on the call. Klatt: Curt Cignetti going back to Alabama, where he got his start, in a big way, under [Nick] Saban as a recruiting coordinator. Plus, this would be a rematch of last year’s Rose Bowl. That would be a great one. Klatt: This one’s time sensitive. So, it wouldn’t happen, unless we could do it this year. But, how about Nico Iamaleava going back to Tennessee? How about Nico and [UCLA head coach] Bob Chesney going to face Josh Huepel and Tennessee back in Knoxville? I’m sure those fans would just welcome Nico back with open arms. Klatt: I would love to see the Urban [Meyer] Bowl. Urban won a championship with both of those schools. I think that one would be phenomenal. Kalen DeBoer had a lot of success at Washington, getting them right on the precipice of a championship, and then leaving for the bigger and greener pastures of the SEC and Alabama.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

There’s no better time to have a breakout campaign than in a contract year. In the NFL, it’s certainly not uncommon for a contract year to lead to big-time results on the field for a player, either. And with that comes a big reward. Just ask Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce. After recording a career-high 1,003 receiving yards in the final year of his rookie deal, Pierce cashed in and landed him a four-year, $114 million deal with Indianapolis this spring. The deal was the largest ever for a free-agent wide receiver in league history, and it made him the 11th-highest-paid receiver in the league at the time of the deal. Next year, who could emerge in a Pierce-like way and land a massive contract of their own in the process? In descending order, here are the 10 contract-year players in 2026 I believe have the best chance of breaking out: A 2023 second-round pick, Matthew Bergeron has been the Atlanta Falcons’ starting left guard since his rookie season. But the addition of longtime offensive line coach Bill Callahan to new coach Kevin Stefanski’s staff could take his game to new heights. Callahan has long been regarded as one of the NFL’s top offensive line coaches, credited with developing the likes of Zack Martin and Tyron Smith. Ji’Ayier Brown, who has five interceptions since entering the league in 2023, has started 13 games and recorded six pass breakups in back-to-back seasons. Reinforcements on the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive front in 2026 (linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa returning from injury; bringing linebacker Dre Greenlaw back; trading for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa) will create more playmaking opportunities on the back end for Brown. Set to play on his fifth-year option in 2026, Kayvon Thibodeaux has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason. Whether he plays the upcoming season with the New York Giants or elsewhere, he’ll have plenty to prove in a season where long-term security could be on the line. The former No. 5 overall pick had a career-low 2.5 sacks in 2025. The rebuilding Miami Dolphins are built around star running back De’Von Achane and dual-threat quarterback Malik Willis on offense. There will be plenty of opportunities for Aaron Brewer to continue showing his athleticism in space, building off of an impressive 2025 season, when he was named a second-team All-Pro selection. A 2023 second-round pick, Brenton Strange’s numbers have improved every season of his career, including more than doubling his receiving yards per game last season (45.0) from 2024 (24.2). Another exponential leap could be in store in 2026, when he’ll be in his second season in coach Liam Coen’s offense and fourth year playing with quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Myles Murphy started to come on at the end of last season, recording three of his career-high 5.5 sacks in the final four weeks of the year. The additions of nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and edge rusher Boye Mafe should create favorable matchups for Murphy, a 2023 first-round pick, in 2026. Josh Downs had career lows in receptions (58) and receiving yards (556) last season, but he should become a much more significant part of the Colts’ offense with Michael Pittman Jr. getting traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. A former third-round pick, Downs is the second-best wide receiver on Indianapolis’ roster behind Pierce, who’s expected to miss all of the team’s offseason workouts following ankle surgery. The Green Bay Packers’ passing attack is always balanced, but Christian Watson has a prime opportunity to break out. He tied a team-high 61.1 receiving yards per game last season, and Romeo Doubs departed in free agency for the New England Patriots. Star tight end Tucker Kraft could miss the start of the season thanks to a torn ACL, which could make Watson the focal point of Green Bay’s passing game. Riq Woolen has plenty to prove on his one-year deal with the Eagles, given he lost his starting job with the Seattle Seahawks last season and saw his play overall marked by inconsistency since his Pro Bowl rookie season. The 2022 fifth-round pick has elite ball skills — he led the NFL with six interceptions in his rookie year — and he’ll have plenty of playmaking opportunities with opposing offenses looking to avoid targeting Quinyon Mitchell and nickelback Cooper DeJean. If Kyler Murray beats out 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy for the starting quarterback job, the former Arizona Cardinals quarterback will be positioned to thrive. He’ll have the best supporting cast of his career, highlighted by superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Head coach Kevin O’Connell is also well-regarded as a quarterback guru, helping Sam Darnold earn a three-year, $100.5 million deal when he was in a similar situation a few years ago.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Kevin Harvick recalled a time in the 2010s when young NASCAR drivers with aspirations of the Truck Series and beyond had to make a decision. Compete for Chevrolet and Kevin Harvick Incorporated, or drive with Toyota and Kyle Busch Motorsports. There was no playing both sides. Drivers had to choose a direction. Fans in the grandstands picked a side and were distinctly divided. “You had to pick a path,” Harvick said on the latest episode of “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour.” “You were either going KBM and Toyota or you were going KHI and Chevrolet… That is just not how it worked.” Harvick relished that competition. In fact, he helped Busch breed his team, and create the foundation for a decade-long rivalry. That contention brought out the best in both racers, and ultimately brought them closer together. After Busch, 41, suddenly passed away last Thursday, Harvick remembers him, and their relationship fondly, reminiscing with stories on “Happy Hour.” On the racetrack, Harvick and Busch were always foes. The levels of distaste, however, fluctuated. They were involved in what Harvick referred to as a “heavy war,” stemming from a wreck during a 2005 race in Dover, Delaware. But when Busch wanted to go down the route of starting his own racing team, Harvick put his differences to the side. Busch called Harvick, asking: “Can you tell me how you run your team?” Harvick “bridged the gap,” welcoming Busch into his race shop, sharing his budgets, giving him “everything he had.” In true antagonist fashion, Harvick said, Busch “stole” some of his employees, hiring them to his new team. And thus, Kyle Busch Motorsports was born, and a new rivalry burgeoned. Busch and Harvick pushed each other, making the other a better “driver, owner, and teammate,” Harvick said. “Probably the best thing that happened in my career,” Harvick said, “was I had a competitor that wouldn’t back down like Kyle did.” Ultimately, they raced one another 933 times in NASCAR’s top series. They learned to respect one another, and even let their guard down off the track. “We sat on those two sides and competed, but you know, off the racetrack, we had fun,” Harvick said. “We had a good time, and good conversations. It took a long time to get to the point of being cordial, but it definitely got to that point at the end.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Supporters will be living and dying with every touch this summer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament will feature intensity and passion in the stands that American sports fans won’t be used to seeing very often. Zlatan Ibrahimović and Tom Brady sat down ahead of the tournament this summer and covered a variety of topics, including how fans support their teams. Soccer fans around the world are extremely passionate and will be very vocal with their satisfaction — or dissatisfaction. Brady found a parallel in American sports, comparing how fans in Europe are born into supporting a club or country to supporting a college team. “I always describe European soccer as more college fanaticism because if you go to that college, you love that college forever. You’re born into that,” Brady said. “You chose that college, you’ll forever support that college. That’s, to me, what being born into one of the environments in Europe. You pick your team, and you’re with them forever. “In America, yeah, you’re with [a professional team] forever. But you also say, ‘Hey, I kind of like that team because I really like that player.’ And if you’re a LeBron James fan, wherever he went, you’re going to ultimately like that team.” The atmospheres at games in Europe are also very different. Obviously, soccer clubs are treated very differently than in Major League Soccer, but the attitude extends to other sports, as well. “I truly believe the American athlete would enjoy differently in Europe with those fans, especially your world,” said Ibrahimović, who played with LA Galaxy of the MLS for two seasons and spent the majority of his professional career in Europe. “… I mean, I know when I went in a duel with a player head-to-head, the fans wanted to come in and play one side vs. the other side.” Ibrahimović mentioned that he wonders how even a top basketball player like LeBron James would face an extremely different atmosphere in Europe. “I know basketball, you talk about LeBron with the Lakers fans and that I’ve been there, but I’ve been also in Belgrade and see a basketball game there,” Ibrahimović said. “Whoa, that’s a little bit scary compared [to the NBA]. That’s why I think that the American athlete, if he would go through there, I don’t know if he would become better. “It would be different.” In terms of how the Swedish national team was supported throughout his career, Ibrahimović had nothing but positive things to say. He appreciated how positive the Swedes were, regardless of results, although he didn’t necessarily agree with their attitudes. “Our fans in Sweden were amazing,” Ibrahimović said. “Win or lose, they were supporting you, which I find strange because when you lose, they shouldn’t support you.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

NEW YORK — The sun shone brightly on the rooftop of Pier 17 in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon as, one by one, members of the U.S. World Cup team were officially introduced. Many of the familiar faces that led the 2022 squad — Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Matt Turner — are returning for their second World Cup, but there were a number of players called up for their first World Cup, and just as notable were the players that head coach Mauricio Pochettino didn’t call up. Here are my five takeaways from the United States’ World Cup roster reveal in New York on Tuesday: 1. Surprises Across The Board The obvious omissions are midfielder Tanner Tessmann and attacker Diego Luna, who both started lots of games under Pochettino last year. Aidan Morris, who was in the lineup in three of the last two games for the U.S., was another notable player not selected. The midfielder had started in the Americans’ most recent outing, a 2-0 loss to Portugal in March. The obvious (and pleasant) surprise is Alex Zendejas, a left-footed attacker who can line up wide or centrally and who played his way onto the roster with consistently excellent performances for Mexican titan Club América over the last year-plus. Zendejas probably takes the place of Luna, who has been injured for MLS club Real Salt Lake. But Luna has still played more over the past few months than another surprise inclusion, attacking midfielder Gio Reyna, who managed just one goal in 19 appearances for his club Borussia Mönchengladbach — just four of them starts — in Germany’s Bundesliga during the just-completed 2025-26 season. 2. Pulisic Must Find His Attacking Form The striker group pretty much picked itself after Patrick Agyemang tore his Achilles tendon in April, with Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright expected to deputize for presumed starter Folarin Balogun. Still, the key remains winger Christian Pulisic. The Americans need the USA’s undisputed headliner to spearhead their attack at the World Cup if they are to make a deep run. There is concern, though, as Pulisic arrived in New York on Monday after finishing his season with AC Milan on a career-worst 20-game goal drought. Maybe he’s due? 3. Midfielders Have Lots Of Responsibility — And Risk Pochettino went with just four central midfielders in Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie and Cristian Roldan, leaving them worryingly thin in a key area of the pitch. Assuming McKennie occupies the more advanced role he mans with Juventus, the bulk of the defensive duties will fall to Adams, who has been beset by injuries since he captained the U.S. at the last World Cup in Qatar. There’s also the risk that a physical player like Adams could be susceptible to a yellow card suspension in the knockout stage (two accumulated yellows would force a one-game suspension), forcing either Berhalter or Roldan into a starting job. Tessmann or Morris would’ve provided cover in that case, but Pochettino chose to reinforce the wings and defense instead. 4. Are Three Center Backs The Best Defensive Option? Back in March, a source told me that Pochettino was only planning on picking four dedicated center backs for the 26-man squad. Perhaps owing to the uncertain status of Chris Richards’ ankle injury, he ended up taking five. He also stocked the roster with wingers/wing backs/fullbacks — suggesting that the co-hosts will attack up the sides, with the Argentine coach possibly reverting to the three-center-back system he used successfully at times last fall across numerous friendlies. If that’s the case, then look for Richards to pair with 38-year-old Tim Ream alongside someone like Alex Freeman or Mark McKenzie. 5. Historic MLS Union In Goal Whether it was Kasey Keller (1998), Brad Friedel (2002), Keller again (2006), Tim Howard (2010 and 2014), or Matt Turner (2022) — the USA’s top keeper at the always played his club ball overseas. Now, for the first time ever since Major League Soccer was founded in 1996, the starting keeper will be MLS-based. In fact, all three of this team’s goalkeepers will be MLS-based, another first in squad history. NYC FC’s Matt Freese is the expected No. 1 goalkeeper this summer, with Turner relegated to a bench role this time. It’s been a fast ride for the Harvard graduate, who’d never played an international match a year ago. The good news is Turner — who now plays for the New England Revolution — provides World Cup and Premier League experience as an understudy — something none of his backups had four years ago. Rounding out the keeper corps is the 22-year-old Chris Brady, a starter for the Chicago Fire since he was a teenager who is expected to move to Europe after the tournament.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

They come from all parts of the country and even from across the globe. Small towns and big cities. Sons of former soccer greats and even a Super Bowl winner. These are the 26 players who’ll represent the United States men’s national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Spread across three countries — the U.S., Canada and Mexico — this summer’s World Cup will be the biggest ever held. And these 26 players will have the rare honor of playing soccer’s marquee tournament as co-hosts. It’s time to get to know them. What makes them special and what stands out about their journey. The country and the world will be watching. JUMP TO: Forwards | Midfielders | Defenders | Goalkeepers MEET USA’S 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP ROSTER Brenden Aaronson | No. 11 Age: 25Club: Leeds United (English Premier League) Brenden Aaronson broke through with the Philadelphia Union when he was only 18 years old, and the expectations for his career have been sky-high ever since. He played two seasons for the Union from 2019-2020, when he had seven goals and nine assists in 51 matches and helped the team win the 2020 Supporters Shield as the best regular-season MLS team. He joined Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg in January 2021. Then just 19 years old, Aaronson’s transfer fee was the highest for a U.S.-based homegrown player in MLS history. He scored nine goals and had nine assists in two seasons, before joining Premier League club Leeds United in 2022 on a $30 million transfer fee. He has made 57 appearances for the USA and scored nine goals and seven assists. Did You Know: Back in the day, they used to call Aaronson the “Medford Messi” for his creativity, technical skill and attacking ability — along with his hometown. That nickname isn’t used much in the Premier League, but it was fun when he was first starting out in his pro career. Stat: Aaronson has made more than 100 appearances combined in the Premier League and Bundesliga. – Laken Litman Folarin Balogun | No. 20 Age: 24Club: AS Monaco (French Ligue 1)U.S. fans are counting on the New York-born, London-raised Folarin Balogun to score the bulk of the goals this summer. The hard-running striker found the net 18 times in 40 UEFA Champions League and Ligue 1 last season. Known as “Balo,” the Arsenal academy graduate excels at stretching defenses, combining with Pulisic and finishing with a precision that the U.S. squad has lacked historically. The soft-spoken forward is expected to spearhead the American attack when their World Cup campaign kicks off against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12. “My mind naturally wanders to the opening game of the World Cup, and just the atmosphere,” Balogun told me last September. “It’s almost like a freeze-frame, like a perfect image in my mind.” It’s about to become reality. Did You Know: Eligible to play for the U.S., England or Nigeria (homeland of his parents), Balogun represented the Three Lions at the youth national team level. Within the youth academies of England and Arsenal, Balogun played alongside midfielder Yunus Musah, who started each of the USA’s four games at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Stat: Balogun scored in eight straight Ligue 1 matches for Monaco earlier this season, tying the all-time club record. – Doug McIntyre Ricardo Pepi | No. 9 Age: 23Club: PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie) Ricardo Pepi is fighting to be the team’s go-to striker. He’s a proven scorer with his club, where he’s netted 19 goals across all competitions for PSV during the 2025-26 season. But he hasn’t quite had the same success with the national team, scoring a total of 13 goals in 35 appearances since he made his debut with the squad in 2021. Granted, he’s been passed over at times, like when former manager Gregg Berhalter decided not to take him to the 2022 World Cup. Those experiences have helped shape Pepi and have given him a chip on his shoulder. He’s anxious to perform for the U.S. this summer. Did You Know: There have been rumors for months about Pepi potentially transferring from PSV to Premier League club Fulham. A previous deal collapsed in March, but there’s still a chance the clubs will reach an agreement in the future. Stat: Pepi has scored more than 55 goals in league competition over the past four seasons. – Litman Christian Pulisic | No. 10 Age: 27 Club: AC Milan (Italian Serie A)The U.S. men’s team’s undisputed headliner since he was a teenager, Christian Pulisic mostly lived up to the billing at the last World Cup in 2022, when his game-winning goal over Iran sent the Americans to the round of 16. Lightning quick, Hershey, Pennsylvania’s favorite son glides by the world’s best defenders and scores with ease when he’s at the height of his powers. But he’s been struggling mightily heading into what should be a defining World Cup on home soil. The top scorer in the first half of Italy’s Serie A season, Pulisic finished the campaign goalless since December, and he has not hit the target for the national team since 2024. Fans of the home team are hoping the floodgates inevitably open in time for the main event. So, for that matter, is Pulisic. “I know a ball will hit off my knee and go in, and then things will change,” he said in March. “I’m not going to panic. Better now than in the summer. Things are going to change.” Did You Know: Pulisic’s father, Mark, was a professional indoor soccer player who played NCAA soccer at George Mason University, where he met Christian’s mom. Kelley Pulisic was a member of GMU’s women’s team. A diehard New York Jets fan, Christian watched Gang Green play in London in 2021, the same year he won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea. He remains the only American ever to play in the final of Europe’s top club competition. Stat: His 32 goals are the fifth-most in U.S. men’s national team history, and his 84 appearances are the most of any active player. – McIntyre Tim Weah | No. 21 Age: 26Club: Marseille (French Ligue 1) Tim Weah has been a regular in the U.S. squad since his debut in 2018 when he was just 18 years old. Since then, he’s made 49 appearances and scored seven goals, including in the USA’s opening match of the 2022 World Cup when he found the back of the net in the first half against Wales. He has one of the most powerful shots on the team, is incredibly soft-spoken and humble, but also brings the vibes. If you’re wondering where the music is coming from in the locker room or on the team bus, you can usually find Weah holding the boombox. Did You Know: Weah’s father, George Weah, was the top scorer in UEFA Champions League in 1995 and became the first African player to win the Ballon d’Or that same year. The elder Weah is also the former president of Liberia. But the one thing George was never able to do that Tim will now have done twice? Play in a World Cup. Stat: During his time at Juventus, Weah made 78 appearances and recorded seven goals along with seven assists.  – Litman Haji Wright | No. 19 Age: 28Club: Coventry City (English Premier League starting in 2026-27) Haji Wright is a physically imposing player for the U.S. front line. At 6-foot-3, he’s dangerous in the box and a one-on-one threat. He’s scored 18 goals in 43 appearances for his club this season and in February, had a hat trick against Middlesbrough. Wright made his debut with the USA in June 2022, ahead of that summer’s World Cup and scored in his first match on a penalty kick vs. Morocco. He’s recorded 20 appearances and scored seven international goals. Did You Know: Wright was one of only three U.S. players to score a goal at the 2022 World Cup. Tim Weah scored in the first match, Christian Pulisic in the third, and then Wright had what everyone likes to describe as an accidental goal in the round of 16 match vs. the Netherlands when a cross from Pulisic ricocheted perfectly off his heel and into the back of the net. Stat: In the past six seasons, Wright has scored more than 90 goals in his time in the Danish Superliga, Turkish league and English Championship. – Litman Alex Zendejas | No. 26 Age: 28Club: Club América (Liga MX)While he’s only been on the fringes of the national team since Pochettino took over in 2024, Alex Zendejas made his one start under the Argentine count with a spectacular game-winning goal over Japan in an exhibition last September. And he has been brilliant playing for Mexico’s most decorated club for the better part of two years, donning the iconic No. 10 shirt for Las Aguilas. A diminutive left-footed winger who can also create in a more central role, Zendejas was born in Mexico and made two senior appearances for El Tri before committing his future to the U.S. in 2023. Did You Know: Zendejas grew up in El Paso, Texas, and represented the U.S. at youth level. In 2015, he was teammates with future national team mainstays Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship. Stat: Zendejas was a Liga MX All-Star in 2025 and also named to the CONCACAF Champions Cup Best XI in 2024. He’s won four Liga MX titles — three with América and one with bitter rivals Chivas. – McIntyre Tyler Adams | No. 4 Age: 27Club: AFC Bournemouth (English Premier League) Tyler Adams is the heartbeat of this team. When he was just 23 years old, Adams captained the squad through the 2022 World Cup, and was always impressive during high-stakes moments during the tournament. Adams tells it like it is, be it in the press conference or in the locker room, and holds his teammates accountable. He’s relentless, demands the best from his team and is the squad’s toughest player. He’s a pest on the field and does his damnedest to make it impossible for opponents to get by him and is always going to battle for 50–50 balls. Did You Know: Adams has two sons under the age of three. Stat: Adams was named U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2022, and has made more than 150 combined appearances in the Premier League and Bundesliga. – Litman Sebastian Berhalter | No. 14 Age: 25Club: Vancouver Whitecaps (Major League Soccer) At first glance, you might just think of Sebastian Berhalter as former U.S. player and manager Gregg Berhalter’s son. But he’s made his own name quickly, especially when it comes to set pieces. Berhalter takes pinpoint corners and flawless free kicks. He laughs when people ask what the trick is to his service, but his answer is always the same, and it’s uncomplicated: he just works hard. Which makes sense for someone like Berhalter, who is so meticulous and particular when it comes to his preparation and routine. He was born in London when his father was a player for English club Crystal Palace. Sebastian was also part of the Columbus Crew academy, where Gregg was coach of the MLS club. Did You Know: Four years ago, Sebastian was at the 2022 World Cup in the U.S. Soccer Friends and Family Program while his dad was coaching the team. Now they’ve essentially swapped places with Sebastian on the field and his dad cheering in the stands. Stat: Berhalter was named an MLS All-Star in 2025, making 47 appearances and scoring eight goals last season. – Litman Weston McKennie | No. 8 Age: 27Club: Juventus (Italian Serie A) A starter in all four U.S. games at Qatar 2022, McKennie heads into his second World Cup as arguably America’s best soccer player coming off a career-best season in Italy. The rangy Texan never stops running. His long throw-ins are de facto set plays, and he is especially adept at arriving as a late runner into the box and scoring; see his opener against Belgium in March or the nine he bagged in almost 40 games for Juventus in 2025-26. Did You Know: The son of an Air Force officer, McKennie was born in Washington state and spent four years of his childhood living in Kaiserslautern, Germany, while his father was stationed at Ramstein Air Base nearby. He met U.S. legends Landon Donovan and Carlos Bocanegra there in 2006, when the American squad played a friendly there ahead of that year’s World Cup in Germany. Stat: McKennie has made more than 220 appearances for Juventus since joining the club in 2020, with more than 50 goal contributions in that span. – McIntyre Gio Reyna | No. 7 Age: 23Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach (German Bundesliga) The silky smooth attacker and onetime teenage prodigy – Reyna turned 20 while the U.S. squad was preparing for its first game at the last World Cup in Qatar – has been beset by injury over the last four years. He’s featured sparingly at club level as a result, including this season. After leaving Borussia Dortmund last summer, he was limited to just four starts during this Bundesliga season. Reyna still managed to help the U.S. win CONCACAF Nations League titles in 2023 and 2024 and started all three games for the Stars and Stripes two years ago at Copa América. He also scored in his first match under Pochettino, a 2-1 win last November against Paraguay – the Americans’ opening opponent at this World Cup. Did You Know: The son of two-time U.S. World Cup captain Claudio and former U.S. women’s national team winger Danielle Egan, Reyna credits his love of soccer to his older brother, Jack, who died of cancer at 13 in 2012. “Some people think that my dad made me a good player,”  Reyna told the Players Tribune in 2020. “But when I was growing up in Manchester, where Dad was playing for Manchester City, the one who always played with me in the backyard was Jack.” Stat: Reyna has scored nine goals for the national team in 36 appearances. – McIntyre Cristian Roldan | No. 15 Age: 30Club: Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer) Pochettino once told reporters that Christian Roldan is the “perfect player” because he “has a little bit of everything.” Asked why he thinks the U.S. coach views him that way, Roldan said he thinks it’s because he’s always ready. “I got on the quickest flight, dropped whatever I was doing,” Roldan said of when he was called in by Pochettino last fall. “I take a lot of pride in what I do every day and so when my name was called upon, I was ready. And I think he appreciated that. It really meant the world, I think, to him staying ready even though my name wasn’t on a preliminary roster.” Did You Know: Roldan was part of the 2022 World Cup roster, but didn’t play. He said it was a “huge honor” to be there, but it was difficult to watch from the bench. “It was my dream to make the World Cup,” Roldan said in March. “I have so much experience at the club level, and I was just ready for that opportunity to come. And whether it comes this World Cup or not, you know, it still pains me that I didn’t see the field. As a professional, as a competitor, that’s what you want. You want to be in those pressure moments. But I was thankful to be there.” Stat: Roldan has made 45 appearances for the national team.  – Litman Malik Tillman | No. 17 Age: 23Club: Bayer Leverkusen (German Bundesliga) It was almost exactly four years ago when Malik Tillman was officially cleared to represent the U.S. after FIFA approved his one-time switch from Germany. Tillman, whose mother is from Germany and father is from the U.S., grew up playing in the Bayern Munich academy. He debuted for the U.S. team on June 1, 2022, and has made 28 appearances since then. While he didn’t make the 2022 World Cup roster, he’s featured more with the team since Pochettino became manager and was on a hot streak last summer during the Gold Cup when he scored three goals. Did You Know: Tillman played alongside U.S. teammate Chris Richards in the Bayern Munich academy. In addition, his brother, Timothy Tillman, has also represented the U.S. men’s national team. Stat: Tillman has recorded more than 50 goal contributions in the past three seasons for PSV and Bayer Leverkusen. – Litman Max Arfsten | No. 18 Age: 25Club: Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer) Max Arfsten is another player who has made a lasting impression on Pochettino. The left-back earned his first cap with the senior team in January 2025 and has made 18 appearances and scored one goal since then. Arfsten has had to rise quickly within the squad, earning playing time at left back while regular starter Antonee “Jedi” Robinson was out of the team due to injury. Arfsten has made the most of his opportunity and earned a spot on his first World Cup roster. Did You Know: During the offseason, Arfsten partners with the gym Core 3 Method in his hometown of Fresno to play soccer with kids and adults with disabilities. “I go there to give back to my community,” Arfsten said in an interview with the local CBS outlet earlier this year. “I’m a big advocate for giving back to my community where I’m from. It’s a pretty underserved community, and I enjoy using the platform that I have to have a positive impact.” Stat: Arfsten was named an MLS All-Star in 2025, making 37 appearances and recording seven goals along with six assists. – Litman Sergiño Dest | No. 2 Age: 25Club: PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie)One of the most skillful players in national team history, Dest is finally fully healthy after an ACL tear suffered just before the 2024 Copa América. In 2019, the two-footed fullback chose to play for the U.S. over the three-time World Cup runner-up Netherlands, where he was born and raised to a Dutch mom and American service member dad. Dest started Champions League games for Ajax as a teen, played with Lionel Messi at Barcelona and had a stint with seven-time European champ AC Milan before returning to the Eredivisie with PSV. He’s since won three straight league titles. Did You Know: In an effort to recreate the streetball style he learned as a youth, Dest used his own money to build Sergiño Dest Court in his hometown of Almere. “It’s small, so you can go alone or with a couple friends, and you learn how to not just [boot] the ball forward and run. You have to control it in tight spaces,” he told me of the idea behind the facility before it opened two years ago. “I feel like some skills are getting slowly, slowly out of the game…it’s a way to get all these skills.” Stat: Dest was named the U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year in 2019, and was also named the Ajax Talent of the Year in 2020 — also known as the Marco van Basten award. – McIntyre Alex Freeman | No. 16 Age: 21Club: Villarreal (Spanish La Liga) Alex Freeman hasn’t even been part of the U.S. senior team for a full year. The 21-year-old fullback made his debut on June 7, 2025, in a friendly vs. Türkiye ahead of the Gold Cup. His performance throughout that summer’s tournament impressed Pochettino so much that he became a regular in the squad. Freeman was part of MLS club Orlando City from 2022-26 before making a big move to Europe and joining Villarreal earlier this year. While he hasn’t broken into the starting lineup on a regular basis, he did seek advice from Pochettino before moving overseas and decided this would be the best move for his career in the long run. Did You Know: His father, Antonio Freeman, played wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers and helped the team win a Super Bowl. In retirement, he’s turned into his son’s No. 1 fan. “When I was younger, I played all the sports and when it came time, I chose [soccer] and I feel like he was supporting me the whole time,” the younger Freeman told me last June about choosing fútbol over football. Stat: Freeman was named an MLS All-Star in 2025 and also selected as the MLS Young Player of the Year.  – Litman Mark McKenzie | No. 22 Age: 27Club: Toulouse (French Ligue 1)The veteran center back is headed to his first career World Cup after being among the final cuts in 2022. Bronx-born but raised in Delaware, McKenzie played college soccer at Wake Forest before turning pro with the Philadelphia Union. He’s been in Europe since 2021, when he left the Union for Belgian club Genk, and made 28 starts in France’s Ligue 1 this year with Toulouse. Did You Know: A forward as a youth, McKenzie grew up watching Arsenal and idolized French World Cup winner (and current FOX analyst) Thierry Henry. “Getting to meet him was really special,” McKenzie told me in March. They met “when he was coaching Montreal in 2020, my last season with the Union. I also met him unofficially at a New York Red Bulls game back when I was 12. Got a chance to get a shirt signed by him.” Stat: McKenzie was named to the 2020 MLS Best XI prior to his move to Europe. – McIntyre Tim Ream | No. 13 Age: 38Club: Charlotte FC (Major League Soccer) Tim Ream is the oldest player on the squad. The seasoned veteran started every match and played every minute at center back during the 2022 World Cup, and has a glimmering club résumé that includes a nine-year period where he featured prominently at Fulham. He left the Premier League club as a legend, making 312 appearances for the Cottagers, which was more than any other player in the 21st century besides captain Tom Cairney. Ream is a tremendous asset for the U.S., where he takes on the role of a composed and reliable leader who serves as an anchor for a young group. Did You Know: While Pochettino has yet to announce who will captain the U.S. this summer, Ream has a good shot. He’s worn the armband in nearly every match he’s played under this coaching staff. Stat: In his career, Ream made 97 appearances in the Premier League and was named Player of the Year twice at Bolton and once at Fulham.  – Litman Chris Richards | No. 3 Age: 26Club: Crystal Palace (English Premier League)The USA’s top defender will anchor the co-hosts’ backline during the tournament – Richards’ first after injury kept him off of then-coach Gregg Berhalter’s final 26-player list four years ago. The FC Dallas youth product, who made his professional debut with Bayern Munich in 2019, helped Palace win the 2025 FA Cup and reach the 2026 UEFA Conference League final. Did You Know: The son of a former professional basketball player, Richards now stands 6-foot-2. That wasn’t always the case. “I was probably 5-foot-5, 140 pounds, soaking wet until I was 16,” he told me last October.  That summer, I probably grew five to six inches and gained 40 pounds.” Stat: Chris Richards was named to the 2025 Gold Cup Best XI of the Tournament. He, alongside current U.S. teammate Matt Turner, joined former the legendary Tim Howard as only three USA players to be FA Cup winners. – McIntyre Antonee “Jedi” Robinson | No. 5 Age: 28Club: Fulham (English Premier League) Robinson is one of the most important players on this U.S. team. He started every match of the 2022 World Cup, was considered the best left back in the Premier League last year and was voted U.S. Soccer’s Male Player of the Year in 2024. Robinson has experienced injuries and setbacks over the last year and told reporters in March that at one point he feared he wouldn’t make it back in time for this summer’s World Cup. But Robinson is fully fit and in form now for both club and country. And it’s a good thing, because as teammate Tim Ream said last camp, he’s “extremely difficult to replace.” Did You Know: Robinson has gone by the nickname “Jedi” since he was a kid. The reason? He loved Star Wars and used to dress up as characters. The delightful moniker has stuck with him ever since. Stat: Robinson was named the Fulham Player of the Season in the 2023-24 campaign, and also named the U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2025.  – Litman Miles Robinson | No. 12 Age: 29Club: FC Cincinnati (Major League Soccer) The 6-foot-2 center back was projected as a possible starter before the last World Cup in Qatar, only to suffer an Achilles rupture ahead of the tournament. Four years on, Robinson is headed to his first World Cup. The fleet-footed former Syracuse University standout has made 38 international appearances for the Stars and Stripes, and he scored the extra-time goal in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup final that won the U.S. the title over chief rival Mexico. Robinson also has won an MLS Cup, in 2018 with Atlanta United, where he spent seven seasons before signing with FCC two years ago as a free agent. Robinson is the highest paid defender in MLS at nearly $4 million, according to the MLS Players Association. Did You Know: Named after Jazz legend Miles Davis, Robinson’s father, Jeff, is a professional musician. Stat: Robinson has done lots of winning. He was on the American squads that hoisted the CONCACAF Nations League trophy in 2023 and 2024, and also claimed the Campeones Cup and U.S. Open Cup during his time with Atlanta. – McIntyre Joe Scally | No. 23 Age: 23Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach (German Bundesliga) The versatile 23-year-old isn’t as attack-minded as the fleet-footed likes of Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman or Tim Weah. But the stay-at-home defender gives Pochettino options. Although he’s naturally a right back, Scally has top-level experience as a left back, center back and even at defensive midfielder. Before moving overseas, the Long Island native played for MLS side NYCFC and was in the Pigeons’ academy with current club and U.S. teammate Gio Reyna. Did You Know: In May, Scally became the youngest non-German player to play 150 games in the Bundesliga – all with ‘Gladbach. He was also the youngest member of the USA’s 2022 squad, at just 19. Stat: Scally made 34 appearances for ‘Gladbach last season. – McIntyre Auston Trusty | No. 6 Age: 27Club: Celtic (Scottish Premiership) Timing can be everything when it comes to the World Cup. Take Trusty, who’s played in the Premier League and Champions League but who has made just six U.S. appearances since his 2023 debut. He wasn’t even playing for Celtic midseason, but the left-footed defender – another Philadelphia Union product – impressed versus Portugal in March then helped the Hoops win the Scottish title on the final day of the season. In the end, that was enough to earn him one of Pochettino’s 26 golden tickets. Did You Know: Trusty committed to playing for NCAA powerhouse University of North Carolina but elected to sign a homegrown contract with the Union instead. Before joining Celtic in 2023, he appeared in 33 Premier League matches for Sheffield United. Stat: Trusty has won two Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic. – McIntyre Chris Brady | No. 25 Age: 22Club: Chicago Fire (Major League Soccer)Although he has yet to make a senior international appearance, Brady is considered one of the country’s brightest goalkeeping prospects – potential that head U.S. goalkeeper coach Toni Jiménez and deputy Jack Robinson noticed shortly after joining the national team in late 2024. But that doesn’t mean he’s inexperienced; a starter for the Fire at 19, Brady has already amassed more than 100 regular season MLS appearances. Did You Know: He’s World Cup-bound now. But less than two years ago, Brady was unceremoniously cut from the U.S. team that competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris – a squad reserved almost exclusively for players 23 years old or younger, with just three overage spots permitted on the 18-man roster. Stat: Brady recorded six clean sheets last season in MLS play. – McIntyre Matt Freese | No. 24 Age: 27Club: New York City FC (Major League Soccer) This time a year ago, the Harvard graduate had never logged a minute for the senior U.S. national team. Fast forward 12 months, and Freese is set to start for the Americans at soccer’s highest level. This remarkable ascent began with his star turn at last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, where “Matty Ice” prevailed in a penalty shootout over a Costa Rica squad led by Real Madrid legend Keylor Navas. He finished the year with 12 consecutive starts for his country, and was superb in a pre-World Cup tuneup in March despite a 2-0 loss to Portugal. Did You Know: High achievement runs in his family. His father, Dr. Andrew Freese, who died of cancer in 2021, was a pioneering gene-therapy researcher who earned his PhD in neurobiology from MIT, while his grandfather Jack Geary was an AFL quarterback and Air Force pilot. Freese honors the latter by wearing No. 49 for NYCFC. Stat: Freese was named a finalist for the 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award. – McIntyre Matt Turner | No. 1 Age: 28Club: New England Revolution (Major League Soccer) Matt Turner started every match for the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He remained the Americans’ No. 1 up until Matt Freese unseated him just before the 2025 Gold Cup. Turner, a resilient player who never gives up on anything, is still fighting to prove himself to U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino and his staff. On the club front, Turner took a tour throughout several Premier League teams, playing for Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. He joined French club Lyon last summer, but was quickly loaned out to the Revs a couple months later, where he has been the starting goalkeeper ever since. Did You Know: Turner didn’t even start playing soccer until he was a teenager. He ended up playing at Fairfield University and while he wasn’t selected in the 2016 MLS Draft, he made an impression during a preseason trial with the Revs and shortly thereafter signed a contract with the club. Stat: Turner has made 57 appearances for the national team, with 27 clean sheets. – Litman​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The United States men’s national team announced the 26 players who’ll take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer. Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are among the returning stars who’ll compete in this summer’s 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Pulisic, who plays forward at Italian club AC Milan, will now make his second World Cup appearance after his debut in 2022. McKennie, who plays midfielder at Italian club Juventus was also part of the 2022 squad. More than half of the players selected by U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino were part of the 2022 World Cup squad, which was led by then-manager Gregg Berhalter. Of note is Gregg’s son, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, was selected for this year’s roster. The roster must be officially submitted by June 1 per FIFA regulations. USA’s 26-Player World Cup Roster* – first World Cup roster Goalkeepers: Defenders: Midfielders: Forwards: The U.S. will play two pre-World Cup friendlies against fellow tournament participants — Senegal in Charlotte on May 31 and Germany in Chicago on June 6 — before traveling to Irvine, California, where the team will be based for the tournament. The United States will be in Group D. The team’s three group-stage games will be as follows: 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Zlatan Ibrahimović and Tom Brady are two of the most decorated athletes in the world. Ibrahimović has won league titles around the world with some of the biggest clubs, while Brady has seven Super Bowls and countless NFL records to his name. Another thing they both have in common: They’re never satisfied because of an insatiable drive to win. Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ibrahimović sat down with Brady to talk about the differences in their sports and their desire to be the best. Brady summed up their attitudes well at one point: “We’d have been good teammates.” Ibrahimović won league titles in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France (12 in total), and he also won multiple trophies in his only full season with Manchester United. He scored more than 550 goals for his clubs and the Swedish national team throughout his career. “You’re never satisfied, that was my thing,” Ibrahimović said. “When I did good, the next day I forgot about what I did yesterday because I always wanted more and I think that’s mental also.” How much did the Swedish legend want to win? Brady brought up how locked in he was, especially when there was more to a matchup than just the game. “If you create the anger with the enemy, which in the sport is the opposing team, you’re the most focused,” Brady said. “You’re locked in completely. If you’re playing your brother in something, you want to beat him, but you don’t want to beat him that bad. It’s your brother, you love him, you care for him.” Ibrahimović disagreed. “I would smash him on the field,” he said. “Yeah, I would smash it. I don’t care. There’s only one winner, me or him. Then outside, hug.” Ibrahimović played 122 times for the Swedish national team and scored 62 goals, making him the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. He explained to Brady how his “must-win” mentality did not always mesh well with the national team. “Sweden, we used to do a lot of team building, different things and not football. Like outside the pitch we would do together, I don’t know, do some different events, different exercise mental and like the, how do you say the group thing, the team spirit and that. So just to gather everybody together. And Sweden, as a culture, is pretty soft. It’s nice. “I was the only one that was different compared to them because I had a different approach. I was demanding things and in Sweden, [it’s] like, ‘Let’s see what happens.’ No, no. That’s not my approach.” How intense did things get at times? During his club career, Ibrahimović said, “I had players that were crying.” Brady can definitely relate to Ibrahimović’s attitude. He noted that the teammates who were willing to put the extra time in and showed an ability to bounce back from adversity were the ones he gravitated toward. “I value the teammates that went through the hard things because I go, ‘Man, I would do anything for that guy,’ because I saw what he’s all about,” Brady said. “I saw when he had a game and everyone booed him and he went home and he got the next day by the coach and then he came out to practice the two days later with the best attitude, wanting to be better, stayed after practice, worked on the things that he wasn’t good at in the game. The next morning before anyone got there was working on the things that he wasn’t good at, then went to practice, showed improvements, stayed after practice, did more, stayed at the facility, watched more film. Then, the next Sunday, came out and he performed his best.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Daniel Suárez wasn’t on this list after Watkins Glen, but he’s on it now. That’s what winning the Coke 600 will do for a driver. Suárez won with a two-tire pit strategy and he’s also now 10th in the standings, meaning he has had consistently good finishes this year. Maybe not many great finishes but consistently good ones. So he’s the first driver you’ll read on this top-10 list. Here are my power rankings after the 600 and heading into this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. Dropped out: Chris Buescher (Last Week: 7), Austin Cindric (Last Week :10) On the verge: Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, William Byron, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Ryan Preece 10. Daniel Suárez (Last Week: Not Ranked)Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet Suárez won at Charlotte but also has six top-13 finishes in his last eight starts. He isn’t rattling off top fives, but when you continuously flirt with the top 10, you eventually will be flirting with the top five. 9. Carson Hocevar (Last Week: 9)Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet Hocevar has had back-to-back bad races with a 28th at Watkins Glen and 23rd at Charlotte. But he was on such a surge going into Watkins Glen. Let’s see how he does at Nashville. 8. Chase Briscoe (Last Week: 5)Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota Briscoe was caught up in an accident in the final stage but had started second, third and fourth in the opening three stages. He finished 34th but consistently shows his speed. 7. Christopher Bell (Last Week: Not Ranked)Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota Bell likely would have won the race (or at least challenged Denny Hamlin for it) if it wasn’t rain-shortened. But he at least made it to the finish and ended up with a solid points day in second. 6. Chase Elliott (Last Week: 3)Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet Elliott spun and wrecked on Lap 90, a frustrating and disappointing result. He could easily bounce back at Nashville. 5. Ryan Blaney (Last Week: 6)Team Penske No. 12 Ford Blaney finished top 10 in all the stages and placed seventh in the race. He also was the top-finishing Ford. This team needs to find a little speed on the intermediates before the Chase. 4. Kyle Larson (Last Week: 8)Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet Larson won the opening stage and placed fifth in the second and third stages and finished fifth in the race. A solid day for a team still trying to learn the new Chevrolet body. 3. Ty Gibbs (Last Week: 4)Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota Gibbs was a threat throughout the race and wound up sixth. After a couple of finishes outside the top 30, Gibbs has finishes of third and sixth in his last two starts. 2. Denny Hamlin (Last Week: 2)Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota Hamlin’s third-place finish was his sixth top-five in his last 10 starts. He just rarely has an awfully bad day and any other year would be first on this list. It’s tempting to make him No. 1 but the guy at No. 1 continues to produce consistently strong finishes. 1. Tyler Reddick (Last Week: 1)23XI Racing No. 45 Toyota Reddick’s fourth-place finish was his ninth top five of the season. Yes, he is on his longest losing streak of the season (four races!) but he is rattling off top fives with great regularity.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

In One Mo Thing with Maurice Edu, the former United States national team midfielder brings you inside the mind of a player at the World Cup. The nerviest day of my sporting life was May 26, 2010. That’s the day I found out I was going to be on the United States’ roster for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It was the culmination of a lifelong journey, as well as a massive comeback. I had moved to Rangers Football Club in the Scottish Premier League, suffered a huge knee injury and came back to claim my spot on Bob Bradley’s 23-man roster. The process this year for the United States team was a little different than what it was for the 2010 World Cup. My final game with Rangers that year was on May 9. Then, 30 players were called into a training camp in Tampa ahead of a friendly against Czechia (then known as the Czech Republic). The day after that match, seven players were cut to get down to the roster of 23 players. This year, rosters were set before the final day of the club season. Here’s the story of how I made the World Cup roster and how I found out. The Journey I broke into the national team setup in late 2007, making three appearances in World Cup qualifiers. The following August, I moved to Rangers. Then, at the end of my first season in Glasgow in May 2009, I suffered a knee injury that saw me miss about seven months. That meant I wasn’t involved in that summer’s Confederations Cup, which featured winners from all six continental championships, the reigning World Cup champion and the host nation. The tournament was in South Africa since it was scheduled to host the 2010 World Cup. Famously, the United States beat the reigning European champions Spain in the semifinals in Bloemfontein. The team also had a 2-0 lead over Brazil in the final before three straight goals won the Brazilians the tournament. Watching from home, I had so many mixed emotions. One part of me was jumping out of my seat with every moment, every goal, excited for my teammates and friends. I was on the phone with these guys from South Africa, living every moment vicariously through them. The other part of me has some serious “FOMO.” That brotherhood, camaraderie and pride — I was missing out on all of that. Prior to the Confederations Cup, I felt really good about where I was with the team. I felt like I would have played a significant part in that tournament if it wasn’t for the injury. So, it felt like I had to start over. The Comeback I used that summer as motivation, though. Once I got healthy, the next chance I was going to have with the national team was the set of friendlies in late February and March 2010. I knew I had to do everything in my power to make sure I was going to be in that March camp. I knew those games and training camp were going to be significant. That was the final chance for Bob Bradley and his coaching staff to get an extended look at us before the end of the club season. The match I featured in was on March 3 in Amsterdam, when we lost 2-1 to the Netherlands. I came on at halftime for Jose Torres and got 45 minutes in midfield next to Michael Bradley, which is the job we were all competing for. In that friendly against the Czechs, I played all 90 minutes of a 4-2 loss and scored my only goal for the national team. At that point, there’s nothing else I could do, and I felt good about my standing. Still, I had missed a significant amount of time and some important games between the Confederations Cup and the games in the fall of 2009. The value of playing in a tournament like that is that you get a run of games. It’s a chance to establish yourself and reinforce your value to the team over multiple games. While friendlies and qualifiers in the middle of the club season are important, I always felt a tournament was valuable because you get a run of games and knockout-round matches that are even more important and tense. When I finally made it back to the national-team camp in the spring of 2010, I knew it was time to get to work. I needed to put my head down and deliver. The Decision The day after that friendly was the most tense day. No more chances to make an impression. The coaches have all the information they’re going to get. I felt confident I would be on the plane to South Africa, but that didn’t necessarily settle my nerves. The day after that friendly against the Czechs, we were all in our hotel rooms, and I got a call to the phone in my room. They told me to go to a specific room downstairs. That was it, no other information given to me. There was no indication that I’d be getting positive or negative news upon arrival. That led to the longest walk ever. I just wanted to get to that room. I don’t like having to wait. I needed to know the answer either way. I knew I had done everything I could to make my case for a spot on the roster, but I was also prepared for whatever was going to happen. There was nothing more I could do at that point. I get to the room, and there are a few guys in there. All of us are thinking, “Well, what’s happening?” From there, more guys start to come in, and more after them. You start to realize you made it. Then, certain other people start to walk in, and I was like, “Hey, wait a minute. I’m in the same room as this person. I’m in good company.” That was a massive moment of relief. After the team meeting about making the roster, there was immediately a feeling that we wanted to talk to our brothers and teammates that were not going to be on the plane. While they weren’t going to be in the 23-man squad, they were very much part of that team and brotherhood that got us to that point. Making the roster was the culmination of so many years of work toward this goal. When I realized it had finally happened, it was a moment I’ll never forget. From there, the coaches come in and say a few words along the lines of, “This is going to be a quick turnaround,” because a couple days later, we did the roster release on television, and then there was a lot more to do, including a trip to the White House. Then, we had to lock back in. We had a tournament to play. And what a tournament it was.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports