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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 1h

Did it sneak in twice? Oops.

Reposted by Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens

Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 8h

Call it Pochismo. Call it Poch-ball. Call it "culture eating strategy for breakfast," or whatever.

However you label it, the United States men's national team fully reflects its manager Mauricio Pochettino now.

And it's gathering steam.

Column @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

The USMNT, at long last and just in time, have tangible momentum before World Cup 2026

A team that once folded when challenged now has a comeback victory and solid performances to build on in the last pre-World Cup windows

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens

Alexander Abnos @anabnos.com · 5h

Made an attempt at explaining that and some other stuff: www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/o...

Could Trump really move World Cup games? The facts behind his threats

Trump has threatened to move World Cup and Olympic events from US cities. We explain what he said, what’s possible, and what’s pure politics

www.theguardian.com

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 8h

Call it Pochismo. Call it Poch-ball. Call it "culture eating strategy for breakfast," or whatever.

However you label it, the United States men's national team fully reflects its manager Mauricio Pochettino now.

And it's gathering steam.

Column @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

The USMNT, at long last and just in time, have tangible momentum before World Cup 2026

A team that once folded when challenged now has a comeback victory and solid performances to build on in the last pre-World Cup windows

www.theguardian.com

1 3 19

Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 9h

There's a simple solution here, Frenkie... comment on your salary.

(An annoying European soccer thing is clubs/players not sharing information and then complaining that the information out there is wrong.)

Fabrizio Romano (MIRROR) @fabrizioromano.yopro20.com · 10h

🚨 Frenkie de Jong: “I won’t comment on my salary. Many fake news were shared about this in the recent years”. “What was said about my salary was greatly exaggerated, and the figures that were published were never accurate”.

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Reposted by Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens

Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 11h

Call it Pochismo. Call it Poch-ball. Call it "culture eating strategy for breakfast," or whatever.

Whatever you call it, the United States men's national team fully reflects its manager Mauricio Pochettino now.

And it's gathering steam.

Column @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

The USMNT, at long last and just in time, have tangible momentum before World Cup 2026

A team that once folded when challenged now has a comeback victory and solid performances to build on in the last pre-World Cup windows

www.theguardian.com

2 7

Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 11h

Call it Pochismo. Call it Poch-ball. Call it "culture eating strategy for breakfast," or whatever.

Whatever you call it, the United States men's national team fully reflects its manager Mauricio Pochettino now.

And it's gathering steam.

Column @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

The USMNT, at long last and just in time, have tangible momentum before World Cup 2026

A team that once folded when challenged now has a comeback victory and solid performances to build on in the last pre-World Cup windows

www.theguardian.com

2 7

Reposted by Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens

Alexander Abnos @anabnos.com · 23h

I
I believe
I believe that
I believe that we
I believe that we'll be live
I believe that we'll be live
I believe that we'll be live

USA v Australia: men’s international football friendly – live updates

Rolling report: The US men’s national team host Australia in a friendly in Commerce City, Colorado. Follow all the action with Alexander Abnos

www.theguardian.com

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 1d

The best kind of mail day.

Congrats to the king @stefanfatsis.bsky.social on what I'm absolutely certain will be a delightful read.

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 3d

If you don't care about what you publish, why should your readers?

Jeff Rueter @jeffrueter.bsky.social · 3d

As someone whose time freelancing for MLSsoccer was a vital step in my career progression, and someone who generally gleans insight from the observations of others:

This sucks so hard.

MLS is using generative AI to write match recaps. Writers used to get paid freelance rates to do that. Hssssss.

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Reposted by Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens

Bryan Graham @bryanagraham.bsky.social · 4d

Welcome to hell! www.theguardian.com/football/202...

A World Cup preying on Fomo: Fifa’s 2026 ticket scheme is a late-capitalist hellscape

NFTs, dynamic pricing and double resale fees have turned the 2026 World Cup into a fintech carnival where fandom meets late-capitalist absurdity

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens

Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 4d

The USMNT outplayed the second-ranked team in South America and probably deserved more than the 1-1 tie with Ecuador tonight.

Want to know more about how the U.S. went from total international irrelevance to here?

Please consider pre-ordering my book!

www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/722130...

The Long Game by Leander Schaerlaeckens: 9780593653876 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

The gripping account of the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s winding saga from obscurity to the global stage as they stand on the brink of a seminal World Cup in 2026. For almost half a century,...

www.penguinrandomhouse.com

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 4d

For years, we kept hearing about how deep this USMNT generation supposedly is, but it never really looked that way on the field.

Tonight, they were without four of their best players -- A. Robinson; Dest; Adams; and, mostly, Pulisic -- and still looked sharp, organized and creative. That's growth.

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 4d

The USMNT outplayed the second-ranked team in South America and probably deserved more than the 1-1 tie with Ecuador tonight.

Want to know more about how the U.S. went from total international irrelevance to here?

Please consider pre-ordering my book!

www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/722130...

The Long Game by Leander Schaerlaeckens: 9780593653876 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

The gripping account of the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s winding saga from obscurity to the global stage as they stand on the brink of a seminal World Cup in 2026. For almost half a century,...

www.penguinrandomhouse.com

1 2 17

Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 4d

That's the best half I've seen the USMNT play -- against South America's second-best team, which beat Argentina last month! -- in quite a while.

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 4d

USMNT looking... crisp and feisty and playing with a clear idea?

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Reposted by Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens

Henry Bushnell @henrybushnell.bsky.social · 5d

FIFA sold them the "Right To Buy" 2026 World Cup tickets.

Now, some fans feel "taken advantage of," "pissed," "ripped off."

Story on the uproar surrounding a first-of-its-kind World Cup scheme, RTBs, @theathletic.com:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Fans bought the ‘right to buy’ 2026 World Cup tickets. Now they feel ‘ripped off’

Fans were left disgruntled as details of the connection between FIFA collectibles and World Cup game tickets emerged

www.nytimes.com

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 7d

This is our role in nature

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 7d

Barca's Frenkie de Jong chimes in from Holland camp:

"I don't like it... It's not good for the players. You have to travel a lot and it's not fair, competition-wise. Now we're playing an away game on neutral territory. I can imagine other clubs not being happy about it."

www.vi.nl/nieuws/ook-f...

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 7d

Ha. Well put.

Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 7d

I think the dispute, ultimately, boils down to the idea, long accepted as gospel, that domestic federations have total control over their territory and who gets to play in it--and who doesn't. The promoter couldn't play in the U.S. without the local federation signing off, which is what it litigated

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Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 7d

An American promoter sued U.S. Soccer and FIFA over their refusal to let a La Liga game play in Miami. FIFA was dismissed from the suit, and U.S. Soccer settled, in exchange for the go-ahead. UEFA now says its hands are tied by FIFA. I may be slightly off on the legalese, but that's the crux of it.

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Reposted by Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens

Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 8d

Uefa says that allowing a Spanish La Liga match to be played in Miami, and an Italian Serie A one in Perth, isn't precedent-setting. But soccer's organizing principle has been shattered. Any game can go to the highest-bidding locale now.

Column @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Uefa allowing domestic games abroad is a sad turning point, ending soccer as we’ve known it | Leander Schaerlaeckens

The change may seem small, but the profit-seeking games are clearly the first step in a mass reorientation of the club game

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 8d

Uefa allowing domestic games abroad is a sad turning point, ending soccer as we’ve known it | Leander Schaerlaeckens

The change may seem small, but the profit-seeking games are clearly the first step in a mass reorientation of the club game

www.theguardian.com

6 12 58

Leander **PRE-ORDER THE LONG GAME** Schaerlaeckens @leanderalphabet.bsky.social · 8d

Uefa says that allowing a Spanish La Liga match to be played in Miami, and an Italian Serie A one in Perth, isn't precedent-setting. But soccer's organizing principle has been shattered. Any game can go to the highest-bidding locale now.

Column @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Uefa allowing domestic games abroad is a sad turning point, ending soccer as we’ve known it | Leander Schaerlaeckens

The change may seem small, but the profit-seeking games are clearly the first step in a mass reorientation of the club game

www.theguardian.com

1 13 35