Here’s a look at the final match report.
Updated
Final thoughts:
The experience of the Brazilian starters should always have seen them past this USA team, and so it proved in the end.
Brazil’s no drama development under Tite continued, with Costa looking a threat all night with his pace down the right. Neymar added another goal to his impressive international tally without really lighting the game up. And the records won’t show it came off a very soft penalty.
For the USA, Miazga did his chances of becoming a permanent center back starter no harm, McKennie played into the game after a quiet start and the likes of Trapp and Adams were solid enough in midfield. Robinson was stretched in defence but stuck to his task and had a couple of important interceptions, while also looking useful going forward. Nobody played themselves out of consideration. Nobody seized the headlines.
Thanks for your tweets and emails this evening. Sorry I couldn’t use all of them. For now, thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you for USA v Mexico next week.
Final score: USA 0-2 Brazil
Comfortable win for Brazil. No disgrace for the USA. Final thoughts in a moment.
90 mins+3: Seconds ticking away with Brazil holding possession without a great deal of urgency. Something of a metaphor for the game as a whole.
90 mins: We’ll have three minutes of stoppage time. And one more Brazil corner as Adams sprints back to cut out a pass headed for Richarlison. He’s done decently tonight.
Short corner comes to nothing, but Brazil still holding the ball.
88 mins: Adams pushes forward with a little intent and there’s half a chance as Zardes and Weah jump for a cross at the edge of the six yard box. Neither collects cleanly, but the ball breaks to Roldan on the right of the box, but his low cross ricochets clear.
86 mins: WHAT A LULL!
(nothing’s really happening)
USA not committing forward, Brazil not overly concerned with stretching them.
84 mins: Brooks takes over as captain with Trapp off the field.
82 mins: McKennie and Trapp will be the players coming off for those US substitutions. McKennie played his way into the game, while Trapp had a solid game and hit some threatening set piece balls.
Game briefly sparks to life as Richarlison gets behind Robinson, only to skew his shot past the far post. He was offside anyway though.
80 mins: Neymar’s last act on the night was to perform an impromptu tribute to Clint Dempsey by making a face at Matt Miazga.
Roldan and Delgado about to check in for the US.
78 mins: Twitter is making all the tough observations tonight:
You missed Richarlison off the Brazil squad list.
— Brian Gardner (@BriRestoModern) September 8, 2018
I’m not sure whether to blame the cut or the paste, but either way Brian, you are right. mistakes were made.
We’re in the silly stage of the game now, as substitutions blur the game beyond recognition. Eveton and Dede come on for Neymar and Silva.
76 mins: Firmino jogs off to be replaced by Richarlison. Another debut.
And another whipped free kick catches the Brazil defenders standing still. McKennie gets to it again, but this time, closer to goal, his touch is weaker and straight to Alisson. Half the US team looked offside when that came in, in fairness
74 mins: Robinson tracks back really well to take the ball off Firmino’s toes in the box, after a lovely through pass from Neymar. That was from a Brazilian counter on that corner clearance from Alisson.
The Brazilian keeper has not had a lot to do tonight, but he’s showed up to help defend US set pieces when he’s had to. And that was a good read on the Trapp shot.
72 mins: Trapp likes to shoot from distance and now he drives a low shot through traffic that Alisson dives to his right to push wide. the keeper has to be alert again to punch Trapp’s inswinging corner away.
70 mins: Coutinho drops his right shoulder and angles inside to go for the spectacular. In the event he ends up going for the third tier of seating.
Meanwhile Scott Bassett’s back with some pop cultural sacrilege:
“Are these the ugliest USA shirts since the denim number in the 90s?”
They’re more bland than anything.
Meanwhile Wood jogs off to be replaced by Zardes.
And Paqueta comes in for his Brazilian debut.
68 mins: USA still working hard in search of some space in the Brazilian half, but they’ve not had a lot of luck forcing anything from open play. Brazil, for their part, playing their way out of trouble pretty comfortably.
66 mins: USA have a free kick wide right, which Acosta is over. It’s a decent ball behind the defence and McKennie darts behind to touch the ball just past the near post, with Brazil looking for an offside. Good delivery, and McKennie could have scored there, with the defence caught flat-footed.
64 mins: Weah darts into force a corner as Marquinhos stumbles in his own box, and only just recovers. Trapp’s inswinger is deflected up and into the path of Alisson however, and the latest US set piece comes to nothing. That’s been their most persistent threat tonight, but nothing doing this time.
62 mins: Game currently taking place at what I can only describe as “frenetic walking pace”.
60 mins: An hour comes up, with Brazil making their first substitution. Arthur on for Fred. And Costa, who’s been a menace all night comes off to to be replaced by Willian. Which is probably not much consolation to Robinson.
58 mins: Twitter has questions, though possibly they were intended for the Kavanaugh hearing:
Do you know of any details about the sponsorship of the Chinese electronic manufacturer Hisense with USMNT? When was the deal struck? Was there a justice department approval?
— wesley (@wesleywccc) September 8, 2018
I don’t know. Or I can’t recall. Or could you tell me everyone who works for Hisense on the of-chance I do know, but don’t want to perjure myself?
More verifiably, this game has got a little scrappy in the wake of those substitutions.
56 mins: Brazil break again after Casemiro robs Yedlin. neymar ends up curling a shot tamely wide from the edge of the boc. And now Arriola and Green come off for Weah and Acosta. Green had done OK with his deliveries into the box. Arriola looked a willing runner but not much more on the night.
54 mins: Subs are warming up now, utilizing all the advancements in sports science (Removing bibs! Light jogging! Wandering around talking to each other!). We’ll probably see some changes around the hour mark — maybe seeing Tim Weah for the USA.
52 mins: Miazga almost caught out in possession as Neymar darts forward to press him as the last man just inside his own half. Miazga gets the foul, somewhat to his relief.
And now Miazga is thwarting Neymar again as the Brazilian picks up a delicious angled pass from Costa to push the ball past Steffen, only for a combination of the keeper’s touch and Miazga’s sprint back to clear the ball off the line as it looks to be trickling in.
50 mins: Yedlin surges forward up the right, but fast as he is he’s not in the same class asCosta when he goes on similar missions, as he did in that last break for Brazil.
48 mins: Early corner for the US after McKennie’s hold up play sets up a shot from distance for Wood that’s deflected wide. Green’s inswinger is headed clear however and Brazil break at speed. Steffen is forced into a full stretch save as Firmino looks to tap in Fred’s squared ball.
Second half-starts
We’re off again...
Second half about to get under way:
Or it will once Brazil finish their slow amble back to the field.
Just a reminder that each team is allowed six substitutions tonight.
More penalty thoughts:
Rai Skrupskis is not impressed:
“Not so much a penalty, more of swan dive.”
Yep. No VAR here tonight. Don’t think slow motion would have been kind to that decision.
Penalty thoughts:
Looking at the replays of the penalty, by the way, it looked very soft, but it did come in a place on the pitch where the USA had been consistently opened up by Brazil — the right side of the box. Robinson is on a steep learning curve tonight. He’s actually looked decent going forward, but any time Costa has got the ball he’s been running at him with a sense of justified expectation.
Half-Time thoughts:
Dave Sarachan, speaking to the TV crew covering the game, wants his teams to do a lot better in possession. The USA have actually not done badly so far, and could even feel 2-0 is a little harsh for their efforts, but Brazil are currently comfortably seeing them off without ever having to find another gear. Interesting to see how long Sarachan sticks with these starters in the second half before switching emphasis from contesting the game to giving some other players experience.
Likewise, will Tite be tempted to move some parts around now his A team have probably taken care of the result? He’s in a curious position. A quarter final World Cup exit was definitely a failure by Brazilian standards, though Belgium had to perform at their peak and ride their luck a little to eliminate the Brazilians. Accordingly the mood around Tite’s Brazil is very different than the one around Dunga’s shellshocked troops when he brought his team to this stadium at around the same stage of this most recent World Cup cycle after the 2014 fiasco. He could afford to loosen things up a little in this one.
Half-time: USA 0-2 Brazil
Half-time thoughts in a moment...
45 mins+1: Brooks gets up well but can’t get a clear header. The bal’s recycled well by Green though and McKennie attacks the follow up cross to head just over the bar. We’re into one minute of time added on...
45 mins: USA have a free kick on the left side of the box after Robinson is brought down in an advanced position. Can the USA do something before half-time?
GOAL! USA 0-2 BRAZIL (NEYMAR!)
Neymar stutter steps up, watches Steffen commit, then just carefully rolls the ball into the opposite side of the net. Goal number 58, in his 91st game. He’s not bad is he?
Penalty to Brazil!
Firmino plays a one-two and surges into the box, where he darts between Trapp and Brooks before stumbling to the ground. There’s a pause, and the referee points to the spot...
40 mins: Big scramble in the US box as the Brazilians turn on the style. Coutinho hits a cute backheel in the box for the overlapping Neymar, who just slips at the crucial moment, but keeps the move going to initiate a sequence that forces a couple of stops from Steffen. We’ve not seen a lot of that sort of flair from Brazil tonight, but that’s just a little reminder of what they’re capable of.
38 mins: Brazil have played well within themselves so far — they’ve looked comfortable for the most part, but rarely overwhelming. USA have done decently too — not overawed, if outmatched.
36 mins: Play resumes. Looks like Wood is OK. Can the USA build on that pressure they exerted just then?
34 mins: Corner for the US after a crisp attack ends with McKennie’s shot is deflected wide. McKennie’s been playing his way into this game nicely to link up play, after looking anonymous early.
And now another corner as Miazga’s header is blocked. And a great chance for McKennie as Brooks’ header deflects into his path from the follow up. He pulls the ball into a shooting position on the edge of the six yard box, but Alisson does well to charge the shot down for another corner. Finally Brazil lift the pressure as there’s a break in play for Wood to retrieve treatment, after taking a possible knock to the head. Best sequence yet for the USA.
32 mins: Another moment of torment for Robinson at the hands of Costa — who nutmegs then wriggles clear of the full back before squaring a ball looking for Neymar in the heart of the box. A US foot cuts out the pass, but that was another decent opening for Brazil.
30 mins: The half hour comes up with the USA trying to put an attack together by switching the play in Brazil’s half. They look a little incoherent in doing so however, and there’s always the worry about Brazil’s efficient countering opening them up when they’re over-committed.
28 mins: Neymar and Firmino almost carve up the USA straight through the middle, but Brooks gets just enough of a touch to slow them up at the crucial moment and eventually Neymar fouls Brooks as he sprints back to shield the ball. That little period os US possession has drifted away for now though, and Brazil are looking more proactive again.
26 mins: Scott Bassett sends an email (ask your dad):
“I’m finding it a little unpalatable to listen to the commentary on FS1 here in the states and a whole lot better to mute the TV and play Niney The Observer as the audio instead. I wonder what others are using to dull the pain.”
I am using the clickety clack of single finger typing and New Jersey catering. Not sure it’s working, Scott.
Robinson has to get a decent head in to clear a dangerous looking cross, and does so well, though Casemiro is following up to whack a follow up shot just over the bar.
24 mins: The US are doing their best to exert pressure on Brazil, who for their part are content to wait to break the press — clearly liking their odds on any break.
22 mins: A little creak in the Brazil defence as Yedlin picks up on a great crossfield ball to run at the right side of the box. A couple of deflected shots have everyone off balance and for a second it looks like the ball is breaking to McKennie on the edge of the box, but the block is already in place by the time his foot connects.
Now Yedlin shows up at the other end of the field with a foul on Neymar, who doesn’t like to be fouled.
20 mins: Robinson, stretching, does well to get a foot in on Costa as his opposite number looks to go past him again. Better stuff from the USA, as they push into Brazil’s half, but they’ve still come nowhere near threatening Brazil’s goal.
In fairness, other than the goal, Brazil have not created any clear chances either.
18 mins: USA settling a little again and trying to hold the ball patiently. But a promising spell ends with Paul Arriola picking up the ball wide right and with room to look up, only for the D.C. United player to wildly overhit his cross.
16 mins: There’d been a fair amount of speculation about how Weston McKennie might do tonight, but he’s been very, very quiet so far. He shows up in the middle of the Brazil half now, but he’s easily dispossessed by Fred.
Miazga’s been at the heart of the action so far though, and he pops up again to get a crucial foot in on Neymar as he tries to force an opening on the edge of the box.
14 mins: Half an opportunity for the US as Brooks has a free kick wide left, but his curling cross is always way too close to Alisson. Can the USA find a way into this game having fallen behind. Plan A (thwarting Brazil and stealing a goal on the counter) is out of the window now. Robinson in particular looks like he’s in for a tough evening with Costa running at him.
GOAL! USA 0-1 BRAZIL (Firmino!)
Brazil circulating the ball in US half again and finally Fred tries to poke a final pass through the middle for Neymar, but it’s cut out by Miazga.
Brazil try again and this time Costa easily torches Robinson down the right before sending a perfect outsiwnger across Steffen and into the path of Firmino, who touches the ball into the net for an easy goal!
Updated
10 mins: Robinson missed his kick clearing the free kick, but Brooks got it clear as the ball squirmed dangerously across the box. The Wigan full back has looked a little nervous at the start and the Brazilians are already targeting him.
8 mins: Brazil come forward with intent again, looking for a way through the US defensive block, which for now holds firm despite some probing from Coutinho down the left. Now they have a free kick wide left, roughly level with edge of box...
6 mins: A little flurry of US possession, but they struggle to work the ball forward, and when they finally do it’s at the expense of Wood fouling Felipe Luis as he contests the ball.
4 mins: The USA’s young midfield runners are doing their best to stick to rotations and harry Brazil in possession, just as they thwarted France in their last friendly. It’ll be a long night to maintain that though.
2 mins: Brazil pass the ball around cheerfully among themselves. US players do some earnest chasing to ease themselves into the game, in lieu of having the ball. Hosts trying to do some pressing in the early stages, but Brazil carve a way through early to get Neymar one on one with Miazge in the US box. Miazga stays on his feet and a scuffled block snuffs out the danger, but the pass from Coutinho to start that move opened up the USA in worrying fashion.
Kick Off
Peep! Shuffle! Tap! Pass! Brazil kick off!
Make that kick off at 8.07pm
They’re just playing with coins in the middle of the field for now...get ready though.
Anthems
OK, we may actually have a game sometime soon. The teams are out and the anthems are being sung.
Personally I feel Nike are missing a trick by not forcing Brazil’s players to always bellow out the anthem in the desperately manic style perfected by the 2014 team, who took unhinged patriotism to a height never touched by any team before or since (though to be fair Maradona gave it his best shot this summer...)
The US for their part, have handed anthem duties to a singer-songwriter to mangle in the traditional spirit of all-American rampant individualism. And he’s doing so in front of a giant Stars and Stripes that covers the whole field.
End of an era
Dempsey wasn’t the only US international to retire this week. Jermaine Jones retired earlier today.
After 18 years I say good bye. I have a clear vision, after I had a couple of months to concentrate on what comes next!!! THANKS to all my teammates, coaches… https://t.co/ivUoOgh1D6
— Jermaine Jones (@Jermainejunior) September 7, 2018
Jones overcame a reputation as a yellow card machine before the 2014 World Cup to be one of the strongest members of the US team at that tournament — scoring a great goal against Portugal along the way. After that he had a decent spell in MLS that tailed off a little at the end with a disappointing period at LA Galaxy, but this announcement’s hardly a surprise.
Tale of the tape
If we’re (freakishly) lucky we might get a repeat of what happened when the two teams first met almost 90 years ago in Rio — when Brazil won a wild game 4-3. another six decades passed before the teams met again, and of course Brazil eliminated the US from their own World Cup in 1994.
Brazil are W17 L1 D0 against the USA overall, but that one loss was an infamous one, when the USA beat them 1-0 in the semi-finals of the 1998 Gold Cup thanks to a goalkeeping performance for the ages from Kasey Keller.
Campaign for truth and accuracy in head coach appointment times
So after Jurgen Klinsmann was asked to take his eternal optimism elsewhere and Bruce Arena failed to turn round the USA’s World Cup qualifying campaign, Dave Sarachan has been in charge on an interim basis, but the search for a permanent replacement has been cautious to the point of inertia.
A new US Soccer president was elected in spring and eventually a general manager position was created and awarded to Earnie Stewart. And Stewart is now apparently suggesting a coach will be in place “by the end of the year”.
He hasn’t specified which year.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8.06pm by the way.
Campaign for truth and accuracy in kickoff times
It’s one of the “wonderful” idiosyncrasies of US sports that kickoff times are treated more like the commencement times for a party than a hard and fast appointment on the whistle. So what was supposed to be a 7.30 kickoff when this game was announced has turned into a “7.30 for 8 — maybe later if we do anthems and a snack run. BYOB.”
8-ish eastern time should see us underway. Though spare a thought for the spectators navigating the delights of New Jersey traffic and parking as we speak. They’ll be here half way through the second half, in time for the concessions stands to close and to join the two hour line to get back out.
Social media is available
I should say that if you’d like to email me at graham.parker@theguardian.com, you can do that. Or if you’d like to tweet “TREASON?” at me, you can do that too @grahamparkerfc. You can also shout at me in the street.
Brazil team
So this is happening...
OFFICIAL XI vs USA:
— Seleção Brasileira (@BrazilStat) September 7, 2018
Alisson;
Fabinho, Marqui, Silva, Luís;
Fred, Casemiro, Coutinho;
Costa, Firmino, Neymar (C). pic.twitter.com/HGCtWPC7tf
They do know it’s a friendly, right?
On the other hands, ticket prices for this game are rather steep. The US fans look like they’ll be getting their money’s worth...
Costa, Firmino and Neymar, ably assisted by Fred, Casemiro and Coutinho, will be running at a US back four of Robinson, Miazga, Brooks and Yedlin.
For those reading from the US: It’s fine. Everything’s fine. It’s just a game.
Deuce
Two players who won’t be featuring tonight are Cristian Pulisic — the consensus pick as the future of the USMNT — and Clint Dempsey, who retired on Wednesday after a career that was perhaps never fetishized as much in US soccer circles as that of his contemporary Landon Donovan, but which was arguably conducted at a higher level.
Pulisic should be on course to eclipse both Dempsey and Donovan, going by his start for Borussia Dortmund and the US (he was one of the only bright spots of their last World Cup cycle). but he’s going to need to learn to do this, if he’s ever going to be truly great:
Brazil
Tite named a 24 man squad for this intenrational window, 13 of whom played in the 2018 World Cup.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Alisson (Liverpool/ENG), Hugo (Flamengo), Neto (Valencia)
DEFENDERS (8): Alex Sandro (Juventus/ITA), Dedé (Cruzeiro), Fabinho (Liverpool/ENG), Fagner (Corinthians), Felipe (Porto/POR), Filipe Luís (Atlético Madrid/ESP), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Andreas Pereira (Manchester United/ENG), Arthur (Barcelona/ESP), Casemiro (Real Madrid/ESP), Fred (Manchester United/ENG), Lucas Paquetá (Flamengo), Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona/ESP), Renato Augusto (Beijing Gouan/CHN), Willian (Chelsea/ENG)
FORWARDS (5): Douglas Costa (Juventus/ITA), Éverton (Grêmio), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool/ENG), Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Pedro (Fluminense)
Look...you know what happened. Brazil may not have got bounced from the World Cup on home soil by a humiliating scoreline this time round, but a quarter final defeat to Belgium was still a poor World Cup outcome for Neymar et al. And where 2014 at least afforded Neymar some sympathy for the injury that kept him out of the semi-final, 2018...well...
Still as a footballing and cultural proposition, Brazil’s fortunes are inextricably tied to Neymar for the forseeable future. He’s just been made permanent captain of the team, and has the chance to start the rebuilding of his international reputation running at a fairly callow US defence tonight.
Team News:
Stand together. Rise together.
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@ussoccer_mnt) September 7, 2018
Introducing our starting XI for #USAvBRA, pres. by @LibertyMutual.
Lineup notes » https://t.co/Mqhvc2cD9p pic.twitter.com/Uklo2XmSZP
OK, so all present and correct. But no start for Zardes. Instead Bobby Wood gets the job as a lone forager — something he’s made a virtue of doing in his previous national team games.
USA
Still waiting on confirmed team news, but here’s the roster for this pair of friendlies for the USA:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Alex Bono (Toronto FC/CAN; 1/0), Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/BEL; 2/0), Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC; 3/0)
DEFENDERS (9): John Brooks (Wolfsburg/GER; 33/3), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Swansea City/WAL; 4/0), Eric Lichaj (Hull City/ENG; 15/1), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Matt Miazga (Nantes/FRA; 7/1), Shaq Moore (Reus Deportiu/ESP; 2/0), Tim Parker (New York Red Bulls; 2/0), Antonee Robinson (Wigan Athletic/ENG; 2/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United/ENG; 52/0)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 17/1), Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; 5/0), Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 16/2), Marky Delgado (Toronto FC/CAN; 1/0), Julian Green (Greuther Fürth/GER; 10/4), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 3/1), Weston McKennie (Schalke/GER; 4/1), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 3/0), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 6/0), Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain; 3/1)
FORWARDS (3): Andrija Novakovich (Fotuna Sittard/NED; 2/0), Bobby Wood (Hannover 96/GER; 39/12), Gyasi Zardes (38/6; Columbus Crew SC)
Interesting to see what Sarachan goes for, particularly in defense. There’ve been a lot of calls for him to start with John Brooks and Matt Miazga, as those two look the most likely to be sustained starters in their positions for much of this cycle. Miazga has made a good start at Nantes to build on the promise he first showed at New York Red Bulls (and which earned him a spot on the asteroid storm of loanees that orbits Chelsea). Funnily enough, the two current center back starters for the Red Bulls, Aaron Long and Tim Parker, are in the roster — though are probably here more for experience than significant game time — though Parker showed well against France and may get another look.
Wil Trapp has tended to captain the team when he’s called up and may well do so again tonight, while his Columbus Crew SC team mate Zach Steffen is likely to cement his spot as the future number one choice as goalkeeper.
The third member of the Crew SC trio called up for this series may get a start too. Gyassi Zardes has been in fine form since moving from LA, but he’s been something of an enigma as an international — and perhaps won’t have that many more chances to convince coaches he can build on the raw promise he showed as a homegrown player for LA Galaxy.
Preamble
“Evening all — and welcome to the 2026 World Cup final between Brazil and host nation USA...”
...Well, we’re in the right place, if not the right year, or right trajectory for at least one of these teams. A pretty full strength Brazil side is in Rutherford, NJ this evening to face a youthful USA team in full-on well-that-was-embarassing-but-let’s-look-to-the-future mode, after their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
The USA will of course be co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada, and the home of the New York Giants is mooted to be the host for the final. But that’s probably about it for meaningful glimpses of the future for tonight. We’re in the stage of the World Cup cycle where managers (if they’re in place at all, of which more in a minute) go into the free-jazz experimental mode of starting teams of right-backs stacked on top of each other, in the vague hope that something might stick that’ll be useful when competitive games start up again.
By that yardstick, the Brazil squad is a pretty conservative selection (think Nike promotional tour rather than a focus on developing youth), while the US, still under interim coach Dave Sarachan, are PLAYING THEIR KIDS™, and continuing a pattern of challenging friendlies that saw them play France in the final World Cup warm-up game for the eventual winners, and which will continue with a clash with eternal rivals Mexico next week.
I’ll be back with team news and the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner in a bit, but for now let’s enjoy this official Lane Just Before You Get to the Hedge on Last Turn Before the Road to Qatar, brought to you in association with FIFA.
Graham will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s a little tribute to USMNT legend Clint Dempsey, who retired last week:
After Clint Dempsey’s somewhat surprising retirement announcement on Wednesday morning, his place in the overall hierarchy of US Soccer history will be much debated.
Who was better, Dempsey or Landon Donovan, the man with whom he will be forever tied on the all-time US men’s goalscoring chart? How do you compare an outfield player with goalkeepers such as Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard, each of whom also had successful club careers abroad?
Rather than setting Dempsey in some kind of fixed hierarchy, however, it’s more helpful to think of him as a mile marker on the longer arc of the growth of soccer in the United States.
You can read the full story here:
