Everything Soccer

[jerseyborn1971]

And now Belgium's appeal is being heard. It isn't over yet. If Balogun gets resuspended for the game and the US wins, we will be the most obnoxious fanbase in the history of the world.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

Belgium showing they are rattled. The players can't like this. It makes them look scared.

 

[FOTY977]

Man,

We have European’s that already hate us now really hating us. Reading through some serious hate on X is fun.

The American National team has become like Notre Dame football.

We’re more like Texas Tech in this moment 😂

 

[stlnd01]

Belgium showing they are rattled. The players can't like this. It makes them look scared.

I'm sure the players and staff have nothing to do with it. But this is all silly. Probably Belgium ought focus on the game itself. This foul wasn't even committed against Belgium. They were just going to be the lucky beneficiaries of a borderline call in a game against some other team while they were lounging around eating waffles.

 

[thekid33]

I am 50/50 if this screws with Belgium's head or makes them more focused and motivated. Either way, Pooch and our guys need to be locked. Having Flo puts way more pressure on us than if he had been sitting out.

 

[MacIrish75]

We’re more like Texas Tech in this moment 😂

When do we throw the tortillas? I’ve got a ten pack of Ortegas ready to go…

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

The US can beat Belgium without Balogun. You can tell our media really doesn't know shit about the game because they've made him sound irreplaceable, so all the people who decide to give a shit every four years fed into the narrative.

The entire thing smells like a rotting dead skunk. They'd better get on with it and win now more than ever.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

I'm sure the players and staff have nothing to do with it. But this is all silly. Probably Belgium ought focus on the game itself. This foul wasn't even committed against Belgium. They were just going to be the lucky beneficiaries of a borderline call in a game against some other team while they were lounging around eating waffles.

The Head Coach already commented. He is absolutely rattled. I never said the players had anything to do with it, but they can't like being framed as the guys who were scared.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

I've reached the point I hope they don't let him play and the US wins anyway. It would be the biggest middle finger ever to the international soccer community, particularly Europe.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

They asked Tuchel if he would appeal Quansah's red card. His reply was, more or less, where do we draw the line now?

Might as well appeal yellow cards too.

 

[Sea Turtle]

They're creeping into Dallas Cowboys territory.

Editing to add:
I think parity has increased and a lot of the rest of the world caught up. Brazil no longer monopolizes legendary, once in a generation type players. This particular Brazilian team, and their core's entire run, seemed to lack any sort of strong institutional culture. The 2026 version was very old as well.

I always like Pele though. Ever since I saw him and some other Allied POW'S tie the Germans during WW2, I became a fan.

 

[TorontoGold]

I don't think Belgium is going to lose sleep over this - the stars (super old now) have played at the top for over a decade+ now.

The combination of Europeans turning everything into the singular greatest injustice to their favorite sport, and the American mind thinking that any sort of adversity as Miracle on Ice part 2395235 is melting my brain.

 

[MPClinton22]

Man,

We have European’s that already hate us now really hating us. Reading through some serious hate on X is fun.

The American National team has become like Notre Dame football.

This is the thing for me - they all pretend that THIS is the thing that led them to hate the US team. They're just glad they finally have an easy excuse to embrace that hate more fully

 

[calvegas04]

 

[greyhammer90]

Having Flo puts way more pressure on us than if he had been sitting out.

More pressure from who? The Europeans who hate us anyway and were cheering for Belgium regardless?

I also love people saying "well now that this happened any run they have will be tainted going forward" as if there aren't other players in this tournament with suspended red cards or as if Argentina doesn't gleefully reference the hand of God every chance they get.

 

[calvegas04]

 

[greyhammer90]

 

[jerseyborn1971]

No one gave a shit about America soccer until we started winning with a bunch of guys that play in the best leagues in the world. Europeans saying they aren't a little concerned a country with 380 million people getting good at soccer and embracing it are lying.

 

[Irish Norseman]

No one gave a shit about America soccer until we started winning with a bunch of guys that play in the best leagues in the world. Europeans saying they aren't a little concerned a country with 380 million people getting good at soccer and embracing it are lying.

I feel like this has some parallels to NDs admin going all in on football.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I don't think Belgium is going to lose sleep over this - the stars (super old now) have played at the top for over a decade+ now.

The combination of Europeans turning everything into the singular greatest injustice to their favorite sport, and the American mind thinking that any sort of adversity as Miracle on Ice part 2395235 is melting my brain.

Most of them wake up at least 1-2 times a night to take a piss anyway.

I can't help but enjoy the fact that Balogun's birthright citizenship has given us tremendous memes in the last 24 hours due to this situation having unfolded as it has. Chef's kiss, baby.

 

[Dale]

I think Belgium has every right to be mad at not the fact that Balogun is playing, but that it was announced at the 11th hour. From a tactic perspective they certainly would have been prepping for a far different experience be it Pepe who is less of a threat to make runs or a false 9 approach.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Gee, a few weeks ago everyone was having a great time eating our junk food and drinking our bars dry.

Monday morning after the Fourth it's everyone hates us and fuck all of Europe.

Right now I feel like how I do when I miss a belt loop on my pants.

 

[notredomer23]

No one gave a shit about America soccer until we started winning with a bunch of guys that play in the best leagues in the world. Europeans saying they aren't a little concerned a country with 380 million people getting good at soccer and embracing it are lying.

The core group of this team should all be back at the next World Cup… Pulisic, Richards, McKennie, Dest, Adams, Balogun, Tillman, and Robinson will all be 31 or younger.. and the talent that’s in the pipeline is only getting better every year. Even if a couple of them are no longer quality that’s still a ton of great vets to have on a squad.

 

[MPClinton22]

More pressure from who? The Europeans who hate us anyway and were cheering for Belgium regardless?

I also love people saying "well now that this happened any run they have will be tainted going forward" as if there aren't other players in this tournament with suspended red cards or as if Argentina doesn't gleefully reference the hand of God every chance they get.

Also UEFA putting out a pearl-clutching, scathing statement about this when they gave Jude Bellingham a suspended one-game ban during the quarterfinals of the last Euros...give me a fucking break

 

[thekid33]

More pressure from who? The Europeans who hate us anyway and were cheering for Belgium regardless?

I also love people saying "well now that this happened any run they have will be tainted going forward" as if there aren't other players in this tournament with suspended red cards or as if Argentina doesn't gleefully reference the hand of God every chance they get.

I never said it was tainted.

But, I think there's more pressure on our team from the US fans and media to take advantage of the good break. If we could have won without him then we should win with him...that kind of thing.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

European fake overreaction is the off pitch version of falling on the ground acting like your leg was cut off when you were barely even touched.

 

[greyhammer90]

Gee, a few weeks ago everyone was having a great time eating our junk food and drinking our bars dry.

Monday morning after the Fourth it's everyone hates us and fuck all of Europe.

Right now I feel like how I do when I miss a belt loop on my pants.

I like Europe and Europeans a lot, but I will absolutely enjoy laughing the seething terminally online Europosters on reddit who are pretending this is this the greatest travesty in the history of the sport.

Belgium being upset, baiting us to "take the moral high ground" and sit Balogun, and appealing the suspension of the suspension I have no issue with. I'd expect the USA to do the same thing if the shoe was on the other foot. Like Omar says, it's all in the game.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

Bad news for everyone that hates the US, if we lose, we'll do it with dignity and our home fans will sing our players off with "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and appreciation for giving us a fun summer of soccer.

 

[greyhammer90]

I never said it was tainted.

But, I think there's more pressure on our team from the US fans and media to take advantage of the good break. If we could have won without him then we should win with him...that kind of thing.

Sorry I quoted you but my comment was more about the general discussion surrounding the situation rather than responding at you directly.

 

[ACamp1900]

Yeah the haterism is just that…, no one screamed over Ronaldo getting two games suspended after a three game ban in this same tourney, they laughed at VAR being used on a non foul called with slow mo and still footage to give a red, which is against the rules, but now it’s all a disgrace and against fair play… bull. They don’t want this game catching fire in the US because they know if we ever take it as seriously as they do Brazil won’t be the kings for long. That’s what this is, if the US go on a real run here on home soil you just might see a few more if the next generation’s Mike Trouts, LeBron James, Mike Vick’s and Michael Phelps play soccer and that can’t happen. They’re scared of a USMNT that is as serious as the women