Backheeled

Sitting at a table in Columbus, Ohio, Mauricio Pochettino let expletives fly in the wake of a U.S. men’s national team’s defeat. It was September, 2025. His team had fallen to South Korea just days before. And less than a year into his tenure as U.S. manager, the Argentine’s frustration was growing. That frustration wasn’t directed towards his players. No, it was directed towards outsiders amidst criticism about his roster selections and his team’s on-field performance.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – After December’s World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., Mauricio Pochettino noted the “competitive stress” the tournament could induce, which his U.S. men’s national team would need to be prepared for. And yet, entering a Round of 32 clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United States had hardly broken a sweat.

While league-wide attendance drops, select clubs are paving a different path. At this point last July, just under 5,400 fans were taking in the average USL Championship match. There have been ups and downs, but the landscape across the league has remained roughly consistent over the last several years. In 2026, things are changing. The average attendance in the Championship is closer to 4,800 this season, an 11% drop on a year-to-date basis.

It’s in the title, folks. After each USMNT game at the World Cup, Backheeled will dive into the biggest Winners and Losers. Let’s get right to our dissection of the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, shall we? Winner: Malik Tillman Take a bow, Malik Tillman. MALIK TILLMAN FREE KICK GOLAZO AND THE @USMNT IS UP 2-0 🇺🇸 Advantage doubled even down to 10 men.

The ties between USL League One and the USL Championship have grown stronger over the years, culminating in a 2026 season where League One grads have defined the story of the season. That proof of concept will only lead to more and more transfer activity between the two divisions, so which League One players are next up? I have nine picks from the third division that smart second-tier clubs should be eying. The World Cup is here. So is our biggest discount ever.

Things are about to get real for the U.S. men’s national team – the knockout rounds have arrived and a matchup with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday in the Round of 32 awaits. Traditional thinking about the U.S. at World Cups is that the deeper they go, the more overmatched they’ll be. And that’s still largely true. As the field is whittled down to a better crop of teams, the USMNT’s lack of top-end talent will come to the forefront.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – After December’s World Cup draw and the decisive final UEFA qualifiers in March, the U.S. men’s national team’s group stage finale against Turkey seemed poised to be anything but a dead rubber game. But it was, of course. The United States had already won their group and booked a date with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The U.S. men’s national team can officially turn its attention to the World Cup knockout rounds following a 3-2 loss with Turkey on Thursday. As the team prepares for a new challenge against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, we’re here to take stock of the United States’ performance at the tournament thus far – and look ahead to what comes next. Our panel is handing out awards for the USMNT’s MVP, best moment, best attribute, biggest concern, and so much more.

From the value of continuity to recruiting from League One, we’re taking stock of the USL. Phoenix Rising FC, Ashley Orellana The USL Championship is consistently inconsistent. No two seasons are alike, and that’s what makes the league so darn interesting. 2026 is no different, and as we reach the halfway point of the season, big trends have already begun to emerge that have set the year apart. What’s changed in 2026, and how has it altered the Championship’s competitive landscape?

The U.S.'s group stage finale could provide the perfect laboratory for some crucial experiments. IRVINE, Calif. – Prior to the World Cup, the U.S. men’s national team’s group finale against Turkey was expected to be anything but a dead rubber. Instead, the USMNT find themselves in a unique position, having punched their ticket to the knockout rounds of a World Cup with a game to spare, while Turkey have been eliminated. It’s a strange situation.