The Best Soccer Show

Jason grabbed Ryan Rosenblatt of many soccer media endeavors past and present to talk about the USMNT, the World Cup narrative, and much, much more. Read Ryan's daily World Cup dispatches at thinkoutsidetheball.substack.com. Becoming a Besties and join the amazing BSS American soccer community at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow Buy a "Sun's Out, Balogun's Out" tank top. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason was back in the usual timeslot to talk about the building hype around the USMNT (thanks to the win over Senegal) and the vibes for soccer fans a week and change out from the start of the biggest tournament in history. Jonathan Tannenwald then joins from Chicago where he's covering the USMNT v. Germany game on Saturday. Jason and Jonathan breakdown what we might know about Pochettino's plan for Germany and beyond. There's stuff on soccer books, AI scouting, the USMNT/Nike/Off-White gear fashion line and the weird new pre-game ceremony FIFA is planning for the World Cup. Jason said it a bunch on the show, but here he is saying it again: PLEASE GIVE THE SHOW A RATING AND REVIEW WHEREVER YOU LISTEN. Apple is best, Spotify is fine, but just do it somewhere. Sign up for Jason's newsletter on soccer things, Soccer Eagle. Watch Morning Kickaround on YouTube, or find it wherever podcasts live. LET'S GO WORLD CUP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the countdown to the biggest World Cup on American soil since 1994 officially underway, we are looking back at where the American soccer media landscape started, where it is now, and where it’s going next. This week, Jason sits down for a special interview with long-time friend and foundational voice in American soccer media, Shawn Francis. Known to many generations of fans as the creator behind The Offside Rules and the original MLS Insider, Shawn has tracked the growth of the game from its early blogging days to the modern landscape. Today, Shawn is working with Copa90 as they make a massive push back into the American market. Jason and Shawn dive deep into the "soccer wars," how the internet and social media fractured modern sports media, and why the upcoming North American World Cup will force fan experiences to become beautifully local. Plus, Shawn shares some incredible, vintage World Cup viewing memories from the streets of New York. Whether you're an old-school fan from the pre-Twitter blog days or new to the American soccer pyramid, you won't want to miss this insidery conversation. 00:00 - Welcome to a special episode of The Best Soccer Show 01:10 - Introducing Shawn Francis: From The Offside Rules to Copa90 02:12 - Support the show on Patreon & getting access to the Bestie Slack 03:24 - Welcoming Shawn: Remembering the American soccer world before Twitter 04:35 - Have we "won"? Looking at the commercial boom of the game today 05:45 - The fracturing of modern sports media and how social media changed MLS 07:35 - Rocket fuel or watershed moment? Expectations for the upcoming World Cup 09:34 - Personal nostalgia: What the 1994 World Cup meant to a generation of fans 10:10 - The local knock-on effect of ticket pricing and massive tournament travel 10:43 - From French restaurants to Harlem auto garages: Unforgettable World Cup watch stories Watch Copa90: Check out their incredible football culture content on the Copa90 YouTube Channel. Join the Community: Support the podcast, unlock exclusive bonus content, and get immediate access to our private Slack channel by becoming a Bestie at The Best Soccer Show Patreon. Read the Newsletter: Subscribe to Jason’s deep dives and tactical analysis over at the Jason Davis Soccer Eagle on Ghost. Bluesky: @davisjason.bsky.social Instagram: @soccer.eagle.jd If you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and our look toward the future of the game, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your reviews directly help us grow the community, reach new listeners, and keep bringing you these exclusive conversations! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Special Edition: The Long Game with Leander Schaerlaeckens Jason is taking some time off, so this week he's sharing his full conversation with Leander Schaerlaeckens — journalist, USMNT beat reporter, and author of the new book The Long Game: US Men's Soccer and Its Savage Four-Decade Journey to the Top (or Thereabouts). It's the definitive history of the program, written just in time for the World Cup. Jason calls it a must-read, and this conversation shows why. [0:00:28] — Jason introduces the episode and Leander's new book, The Long Game. He'll be back live soon — catch him at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow for Wednesday office hours, the Bestie Slack, and bonus content. [0:02:50] — Interview begins. Leander on the writing process: three-plus years, 150+ interviews, every US World Cup game since 1990 rewatched — and then US Soccer fired Berhalter and he had to rewrite the whole thing. [0:07:50] — The book's structure: a chronological USMNT history woven with profiles of six current players — Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, Matt Turner, and Antonee Robinson — each chosen because their story says something bigger about American soccer. [0:20:00] — The Dark Ages (1950–1990): the USMNT once went 11 years without winning a game and nobody noticed. A 1974 qualifier where they didn't have enough players and pulled one from the stands. A $5 per diem that players were sometimes asked to forego. It was a circus — and Leander went deep on why. [0:31:00] — The big structural question: is a US World Cup win inevitable, or does it require investment that doesn't make financial sense? Leander's take — it's not just a matter of time. The FC Dallas academy director's point lands hard: a kid in Dallas is still 12 times less likely to end up in a professional academy than a kid in Madrid, which has the same population but a dozen pro clubs. [0:43:00] — Closing thoughts: buy the book at your local bookstore or bookshop.org. Jason wraps with a thank-you and outro. Join the Bestie community at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow — Wednesday office hours with Jason, a bonus podcast feed, the Bestie Slack, and World Cup content on the way. Your support keeps the show going. Timestamps🎙️ Support the Show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason goes live on a Thursday night to cover two of the biggest stories in American soccer right now: the ongoing saga around the future of the Vancouver Whitecaps — including a wild "liar liar pants on fire" tweet from someone on Don Garber's account — and the breaking news that private equity giant KKR is investing in MLS Next Pro through a new entity called Hometown Soccer Holdings. He also reacts to comments from USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino about American soccer culture that are, let's just say, bothering him a little. Save the Caps: savethecaps.com Jason's Newsletter: Jason Davis Soccer Eagle (search it, sign up) Morning Kickaround "Stick to Football" podcast: The Overlap with Gary Neville — Pochettino interview Jeff Rueter's writeup of Pochettino's comments: The Guardian The Athletic reporting on the Whitecaps: Tom Bogert, Paul Tenorio, Jeff Carlisle Hometown Soccer Holdings / KKR x MLS Next Pro: mlssoccer.com / Business Wire Simon Evans' Soccer Business Newsletter — recommended by Jason for MLS Next Pro coverage Love the show? Want more Jason Davis in your life? Join the Best Soccer Show Patreon at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow and become a Bestie. Perks include: 🎧 Wednesday Office Hours with Jason — live, interactive, drop in and pick his brain 🎤 Studio link access — Patreon subscribers can jump into the office hours stream directly 🗣️ The Bestie Slack/Discord — the community for American soccer obsessives 🎁 Bonus content drops — including random appearances from Jay Rodius and more It doesn't cost much. It means a lot. See you in there. Subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating and review, and we'll see you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode hits on all the big stories in American soccer. Thomas Pinzone from The Blazing Musket podcast sits in as co-host to help Jason cover the game from post to post. We start with Matt Crocker's sudden departure as sporting director from US Soccer. Did Crocker make any headway on the big problems facing the game in the US? How will we judge his tenure? Then Jason and Thomas discuss Javier Mascherano quitting on Inter Miami seven games into a title defense season. Was there drama behind the scences? MLS went two-and-two in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup against Mexican opposition. The guys get into the problems MLS faces in the CCC and the wide issues with a tournament that only two leagues can win. There's round-up of the US Open Cup action from this week with a special note for the cupsets sprung by lower division teams and some love for the SOCCER HERITAGE moments like the plethora of lines on the surface in Mount Vernon, NY for Westchester SC's match against NYCFC. Finally, Jason springs on Thomas the story of the Fernando Mendoza photo shoot that has an eerie similarity to a photo shoot featuring the 2002 USMNT. Photogs apparently can't say not to an athlete sipping from a water fountain. Get access to Jason's weekly Office Hours, other bonus content, the Besties Slack community by signing up for our Patreon page at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow. You can by a redesigned TBSS t-shit at our Fourthwall page. Subscribe to Jason's newsletter, Jason Davis Soccer Eagle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got a special super sized episode of TBSS this week. Jason starts the show checking in with the Besties about their feelings around the USMNT two months out from the World Cup. What's your DEFCON after the March window? Then Jared shows up to engage Jason in a blind ranking of 8 MLS Cup champions from years past. If you want bonus content and an invite to join the Besties Slack community, jump into our Patreon at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow See you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we dive into the biggest lineup questions surrounding the USMNT ahead of its matchup with Belgium. Jason is joined by Jonathan Tannenwald to break down the key decisions facing the coaching staff—from tactical shape to personnel choices—and what it all means for the team’s chances. We get into the ongoing debates: Who should anchor the midfield? Which attacking options actually complement each other? And how much should recent form versus long-term trust factor into the starting XI? Jonathan brings his usual insight and reporting to help separate the noise from the reality. If you’ve been second-guessing lineup projections or wondering what the smartest approach is against a top-tier opponent like Belgium, this episode is for you. Join the Besties Patreon and get bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oscar Pareja is out in Orlando — and we're breaking down one of the more surprising coaching exits in recent MLS memory. Seven seasons, six straight playoff appearances, a contract extension less than a year ago... and then three games and 11 goals against to start 2026. Was it the right call? What's next for Orlando, and where does Pareja land? We get into all of it. Then, the Noahkai Banks situation is getting complicated. The 19-year-old center back is one of the most exciting American-eligible prospects in Europe — but Germany wants him too, and he's not ready to close that door. With the World Cup three months away, the clock is ticking on one of the most fascinating dual-national decisions in recent USMNT history. Speaking of three months out — we take the temperature on the World Cup. The tournament is coming home, and the vibes are building. Where does the USMNT stand heading into their final March friendlies, and what does a successful tournament actually look like for Pochettino's side? And in this week's MLS Lore Corner, we tell the full story of Mike Petke's legendary 2017 press conference — the one where he walked in with printed photos to prove his point about referee inconsistency. The printer broke before he could make more. He was fined $3,000. He tweeted the amount himself. Absolute scenes. Want bonus content and extended episodes? Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow — your support keeps the show going and gets you access to extra episodes, bonus breakdowns, and more. You can get Jason's twice-weekly newsletter here: https://jason-davis-soccer-eagle.ghost.io/ And you can find Morning Kickaround on YouTube or anywhere you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new era of The Best Soccer Show begins. This week Jason is joined by Mitch Clark of the Enemies of the Fire podcast for the first half of the show, then by Thomas Pinzone of The Blazing Musket podcast for the second half. There's a lot in this show, from talk about Weston McKennie's role at Juventus and with the USMNT, to MLS Week 1 (with focused taked from Mitch and Thomas on the Fire and Revs), to the impending end of Don Garber's time as MLS commissioner, to the failures of Wilfried Nancy and Eric Ramsay in British football. If you miss the Rodius, join the Patreon. He'll probably show up there. patreon.com/thebestsoccershow Find Morning Kickaround on YouTube to support Jason's other projects. youtube.com/@morningkickaround Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The biggest news in American soccer on Wednesday wasn't Lionel Messi's hamstring injury, or Tottenham Hotspur eyeing up Mauricio Pochettino after firing Thomas Frank. Nope, it was Matthew Doyle announcing that he is no longer with MLSSoccer.com and is off to be an independent soccer writer and part of the Kickback Media crew. Naturally this meant Jason got into the weeds about American soccer media...and then was joined by Jonathan Tannenwald to go even deeper. This is a show for longtime American soccer fans and anyone interested in the view of two vets on where soccer media used to be, where it is now, and where it might be headed. Some navel gazing occurred. Many soccer media names were mentioned. Support the show on the Patreon at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow Find Morning Kickaround (Jason's other thing) on YouTube at youtube.com/@morningkickaround Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason and Jared back together to talk about the big news in American soccer. Support the show by joining the Patreon. patreon.come/thebestsoccershow Topics: Malik Tillman balls out in the Champions League! What's Weston's situation at Juventus? Is Ricardo Pepi to Fulham a good move (and USMNT striker pool talk)? Alex Freeman's big jump to La Liga We have t-shirts somewhere on the internet if you want to buy one and if you want to give us a rating and a review, that would be cool. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with our thoughts about the state of the USMNT player pool as the World Cup year gets underway. Advisory: There's a little bit of on the current situation in the US and how it's affecting our feelings about the World Cup. Support the show on Patreon. Join the warm cocoon that is the Besties Slack. Be safe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices