Marcus Chairez | US/SC

What could go wrong?

Santiago Castañeda and SC Paderborn have beaten Wolfsburg 2-1 to earn promotion to the Bundesliga. Kevin Paredes' likely last game with Wolfsburg ends unceremoniously, fitting for his tenure there. He lost the man on the second post that scored the winning goal. He needs a career reset and better injury luck.

@Jadentheman1 The big challenge, and one JT Batson and others at U.S. Soccer have been saying for a while, is that getting better isn't enough if everyone else is improving too. The real task is accelerating faster than the rest of the world, and that's genuinely hard.

@USSoccerColl I agree, it takes time. This is the same reason why "best athletes" if you believe in that statement also hasn't come to fruition because it takes a generation or so to get that consistent pipeline. Like Noblet said I think we are on the right track.

Sanjay does a great job curating the most pertinent issues around developing top-level talent. A few anecdotes from my experience to add. On culture and soccer starting at home: the vast majority of parents I speak with and advise have little to no soccer background, so it's safe to say their kids didn't have a ball at their feet at 2 or 3 years old. But the number of kids aged 13-18 playing high-level soccer in this country is exponentially greater than in their parents' generation. When those kids become parents, they'll have a much better sense of what to do and will share their love of the sport. That, I think, will have the greatest long-term impact on soccer in the United States. We just won't feel it for a couple of decades. Marlon Leblanc made a great point that I raise with players and families often. The current MLS roster rules are hurting our ability to develop top attackers. I advise families of high-level attacking players to think long and hard before signing Homegrown deals at bigger spending clubs, because very few get a real opportunity to play early. The Designated Player structure concentrates those minutes at winger, No. 10, and No. 9 -- exactly the positions we need to develop.

According to this report, players were informed via email that their World Cup dreams were over. This is diabolical if true. Face your players and give them the respect they deserve. Even those who made the team are owed more than just an email. #USMNT

@MattOsborn41137 Yep, in July

@soccer_usa_ I tried to bracket by minutes played. He hasn’t quite played enough. But of course he’s been really good. He’s rankings don’t matter. Just for fun. You’re welcome to do your own.

@USSoccerColl Sullivan ?

MLS 🇺🇸 U-21 Impact Rankings: Matchday 15 MLS heads into a two month World Cup break after an exciting first half of the season for young American. It's been the most impactful season ever for homegrown players. I see this as a preview of things to continue, not an aberration. Here is a run down of the top 20: Gozo Took a big step forward last year. Has taken an even bigger step forward this year. I would be shocked if he doesn't get a big transfer move this summer. Hall I thought he'd have a bigger role this year. I didn't see this kind of production coming. Ferree Got a chance early and performed. He still seems to be in a battle for GK1, but looks like the most deserving so far. GK1 of the future for USMNT? Mehmeti The youngest player on the list. Mature beyond his years. Can't go to Europe until next summer, but probably does. Tsakiris Got off to a great start and then got injured. The break comes at a good time. Hopefully he will be back soon after MLS reconvenes. Westfield Continues to look like a future USMNT RB though it will be a position that is difficult to break through at. Norris Continues to be quietly better than solid for Dallas. Johnson Continues to exceed expectations. Bombino I thought he'd be higher on this list, but it's been a turbulent year for SDFC so far. Started off the season playing out of position at RB. Has played well, but I expect a bigger H2 of the season. He was one of the hottest young names in MLS last year. Raines A key player for the 4th place team in the East Miller Having a top 5 type season if he had more of a sample size. Started the year injured but has come on strong. Could have a big H2 of the season. Brunell Looks more than ready to be a MLS starter at 19 Vazquez Starting to become an impactful player for SDFC Habroune Playing out of position as almost a second striker. I expected him to be much higher on this list. Bartlett Trending down. Has lost his starting position in recent weeks. Kohler Had held his own playing CB. Sanchez Thrust into a starting spot maybe a year too early, but getting valuable experience. Corcoran Good player for a club with the most points heading into the break. James Has struggled some on a bad team, but getting a ton of experience at a young age at CB. Dos Santos Not quite ready to be a MLS starter, but is getting the opportunity and the experience. ussoccercollective.com/mls/u21-impact…

@coupedumonde07 That and they have been heavily reliant on younger players.

Como getting ucl football in their second season in the top flight after promotion should send a message to rest of the serie A who are insistent on only hiring old Italian managers. Serie A and Italian football needs to modernize itself

@TheBerg09 I think if he was surrounded by better players we'd be talking about him in the same way we've been talking about Gozo, Hall and Mehmeti this year.

@FavianRenkel Finally? He is 16.

Cavan is finally becoming the player we all thought he would be. #MLS #DOOP

Cavan doesn't have a goal contribution in this crazy 4-4 first half, but his influence has been significant. Had a key action in three of Philadelphia's four goals.

@freeboOnHere @janon90 If RSL can figure out a replacement plan this summer, which shouldn't be a problem, I think Gozo will be gone this summer. I think Hall will go in January or summer 2027.

@janon90 @USSoccerColl They’ll both be in Europe after the end of this campaign

These numbers by Zavier Gozo and Julian Hall heading into the World Cup break are bananas: Zavier Gozo Age: 19 Minutes: 1,236 G+: 1.56 G/A: 6/4 GA/90: 0.73 xGA/90: 0.50 Julian Hall Age: 18 Minutes: 1,285 G+: +0.32 G/A: 9/3 GA/90: 0.84 xGA/90: 0.69

@USSoccerColl @ProspectsUsmnt Erick Feliciano doing Erick Feliciano stuff

US U-15's took third place today at the Vlatko Markovic international tourney. Played Japan and won on PK's after a 2-2 scoreline. Lineup was: GK: Silva RB: Carlos RCB: O'Neil LCB: Washington LB: Alvarez DM: Welch RCM: Tristani LCM: ZLR RW: Castro CF: Fitanidis LW: Flowers (C)

@DiegoKochenFan @USMNTfanatics16 He might be too expensive for the Eredivisie

@USSoccerColl @USMNTfanatics16 Dutch league would be good for him

Zavier Gozo reportedly did not make the initial World Cup squad, and today's game could be his last with RSL ahead of the summer transfer window. He has been the most impactful young American in MLS through the first half of the season and has drawn significant interest from European clubs. He could be a central figure in the next World Cup cycle.

I continue to be impressed with Justin Che at center-back this year. If he keeps this up and stays healthy, he should get a USMNT camp soon after the World Cup.

KK Spivey just hit a laser of a goal. Would it be too much to ask for a MLS debut this season?

10th goal-contribution of the season for Zavier Gozo.