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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

📣 WE’RE #2 📣 podcast.feedspot.com/soccer_histo...

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Good piece from Pablo—and a reminder that in US soccer history, the early 90s are faded memories.

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Saw Alexis Ohanian saying that in 2019 the average American couldn't think of a male soccer player comp for Alex Morgan because "you didn't even have a concept of a man playing soccer in America" and I'm tired of absurd wealth making dull white dudes so confident in their ignorance.

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Patrick Sullivan @atlsoccerpast.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

My grandfather, Stephen R Sullivan, was a part of that Fall River hotbed in the city’s 2nd division amateur (semi-pro?) South End League during the 1920s. Here he is with the Park Alleys (kneeling, 2nd from left), which was sponsored by one of the city’s several duck pin bowling alleys at the time.

Players of the Park Alleys Football Club, coaches, and a young child posing for a photograph, Fall River, MA, circa 1927.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This was a great chat about one of our favorite Soccertowns. Give a listen 🇺🇸⚽️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Every time Pochettino opens his mouth we’re less impressed with him as USMNT coach. And he has a lot of opinions about other people’s commitment to the program for a guy who just told European clubs to come get him whenever they want. New episode of AN AMERICAN GAME out today.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

“What we need for US youth soccer is a public option. “We need youth soccer Medicare for All.”

Kirk Rudell and Tom McCabe from AN AMERICAN GAME

US youth soccer is kinda like our healthcare system, which is now dominated by private hospitals and medical groups that gatekeep who they treat and don't provide better care for most patients, even as they churn cash for investors.

And so what we need for US youth soccer is a public option.

We need youth soccer Medicare for All.

Obamacare for the American youth soccer movement.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

How soccer, which had been in the United States for 100 years, finally started to become “American”

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

This episode explains how private equity, the Federal Highway Act of 1956, and the ECNL are all parts of the same problem.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

NEW EPISODE: the AAG Unified Theory of What's Wrong in US Youth Soccer, the Socio-Economic History That Made It This Way, and How It Can Get Better pod.link/1826903443/e...

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

ETTD

UEFA issue damning vote of no confidence against Gianni
Infantino as FA demand
FIFA investigation
Martha Riley.
Published: 11:04, 1 Aug 2026

FIFA officials plot mutiny to oust Gianni Infantino over secret World Cup deal: 'Kill the monster'
By James Franey
Published Aug. 1,

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

The private equity play for FIFA is to turn the majority of players into replaceable gig workers who exist to churn out increasingly bad product until the market burns out. It’s what they’ve done to healthcare workers in hospitals and writers in Hollywood.

The Guardian:

Fifa's sales pitch revealed: more tournaments, more debt ... but no mention of women's game

Fifa's 25-page sales deck produced by JP
Morgan
Reference made to doubling global tournaments

JP Morgan makes clear in the sales deck that such growth will come from "a growing tournament portfolio", "third party sources of capital and debt financing", and prioritising
"high yield" partnerships and events.
There is also a reference to more than doubling the number of global tournaments held each year, from 200 to 450, which if followed through would put a huge strain on player workload.
Staging the World Cup more frequently would be the most obvious way of raising revenue, with Gianni Infantino having previously proposed making it a biennial tournament five years ago.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Like a good right wing troll, the more you dislike Alexi, the stronger he gets.

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Most countries would hire a new Sporting Director before signing a coach for the next World Cup, but—as Poch and his agents know—we’re still a very insecure soccer country.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Should US Soccer re-sign Pochettino? Our answer…may shock you.

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Frank MacDonald @frankmsounders.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Seven in 10 survey respondents in 11 World Cup cities said their dating lives improved during the tournament. Seattle led the pack, with 8 of 10 respondents saying the World Cup made the Emerald City more fun to date in. www.seattletimes.com/life/culture...

seattletimes.com

The one thing that finally changed Seattle’s dating scene

Perhaps what single Seattleites needed to jumpstart their love life was more fish in the sea. And the World Cup brought it.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Great piece from Leander, and yes, you should subscribe to @defector.com (we do!)

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Okay, look, we wrote the FIFA “Aim High” song and thought it would go better than that. Apologies. We’re listening and we’re learning.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Fun that “Trump and Infantino can corruptly influence a game” is just a Fox commentary joke.

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

TRUMP: I’m gonna bring my famous sports luck to the World Cup final!

Old movie poster for BLACK
SUNDAY
with the tagline:
It could be tomorrow

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Great piece about a subject we love: NJ soccer history (and the AFA Cup, which Tom helped dig up after decades out of sight!)

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

New episode! Expecting a very calm response from Argentina fans. pod.link/1826903443/e...

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

The Curse may wait a game but it is undefeated.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Congratulations to our friend @brianbunk.bsky.social 🙌 Fantastic book, from the cover blurb to the last page!

One of us holding Brian’s book, “The Shortest History of Soccer” at a bookstore

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Second-worst result ever from 3 shots in Dallas:

France lost to Spain in the World Cup with three shots on goal

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Betting line tilting against England like hippo jumped on a see-saw.

Harry Kane confirms round of golf with Donald Trump: "A pretty surreal experience'
"I played alright to be honest," Kane said, when asked about Trump's claim. "We played about 18 months ago. He invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach. So when the President invites you somewhere... It was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him, and to play golf with him.
His golf is pretty good, to be honest. I hope I can play golf as well as him when I'm his age, that's for sure. So, (it was) a unique experience. I'm just grateful he invited me down to play"

Just hours before his comments in the Oval Office, President Trump had posted on his TruthSocial social media platform on Sunday about his admiration for the Bayern Munich striker. "Harry Kane of England is a GREAT player!!!"
", Trump posted,
immediately after England's 3-2 round-of-16 win over Mexico in
Mexico City.
The following day Trump said again how much he admired Kane, revealing their golf round for the first time.
"I think (Harry) Kane is a great player," Trump said. "See, I played golf with him and I like him a lot.
He's a good golfer. He's really great."

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

This is Gianni saying, “I am aware of your criticism and I am beyond consequences.”

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

The U.S. played a couple great halves, showed great spirit, and went out in the Round of 16. Again. Poch is a great coach, but if we’re judging by results, is he worth $7 million/year? Especially when he’ll always frame losses as “What more could anyone do with this group of players 🤷🏻‍♂️”

AMERICAN SPORTS REWARD LOSERS,
MAURICIO POCHETTINO
On USA's competitive mentality

US Soccer offers contract renewal to Mauricio
Pochettino through 2030
World Cup

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

NEW EPISODE: Belgium recap (with a bit of “we told you so”) and a short history of the USMNT shooting for the moon.

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

I have soccer friends shrugging this off: it was a crap red, the U.S. had to play a man down and still won, no player or fan in Seattle will care how/why Balogun is there. But the more Trump makes Balogun his “deal,” the worse it is for the USMNT. He’s forcing them into being accomplices.

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

“THREE PERFECT PHONE CALLS”

Sources have told the Guardian that Trump made three calls to Fifa, starting from Wednesday, to ensure that the change was made.

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

I’ve played/followed soccer my entire life. I’ve made documentaries about the game, and I co-host a podcast about U.S. soccer history. The most galling thing today isn’t FIFA corruption. That’s baked in. It’s how public and clumsy Trump’s corruption is. How nationally embarrassing.

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

You know Infantino was like, "Don't say anything, ok? Just act surprised." And, per usual, Trump couldn't resist telling the world that he was a Very Powerful Person.

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Kirk Rudell @rudell.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Hooray but also lol

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

What do a legendary Colombian and the current U.S. national teams have in common? Melting pot ⚽️

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Portugal running forward: Haha fuck yeah!!! Yes!! Portugal tracking back: Well this fucking sucks. What the fuck.

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Soccertown Media @soccertownmedia.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Roberto Martinez must give *incredible* interviews for national team jobs.

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