After a hectic month of World Cup action, it’s hard to believe we’ve been thrust back into the middle of a domestic season in European soccer. For some there will be World Cup burnout. For others, a World Cup spark to consume more soccer.
Tuesday will mark exactly one month since the U.S. men’s national team dropped out of the World Cup after a 3–1 loss to the Netherlands. After surviving a difficult group that featured England, Iran and Wales, several USMNT players put their name on the international radar. Now, they are slowly starting to return to action.
The Premier League is in full swing with three match days compressed into the course of 10 days, starting with the Boxing Day fixtures (after MLS, the Premier League was the most represented league on the USMNT World Cup roster with six players). It’s a stark contrast to the Bundesliga, which won’t restart until Jan. 20.
And then there’s the prospect of a USMNT camp coming up in January; however, that’s one thing the European-based contingent shouldn’t have to worry about since it’s unlikely many players from abroad would be released for it. Still, what will likely be a MLS-heavy squad will face Serbia on Jan. 25 and then Colombia three days later.
Now that the holidays have passed, here are the American stars who stood out, and the upcoming story lines to watch out for in 2023.
Tim Ream gets his reward after big month
What a month it has been for the Fulham center back. To start the season, Ream was hardly in the World Cup picture for Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT. But with several U.S. center backs out with injury, Ream ended up being an integral part of the U.S.’s run to the round of 16, playing the full 90 minutes in all four of the team’s matches. At 35 years old, Ream’s performance as the U.S. logged two clean sheets, including a scoreless draw vs. England, was by far the most pleasant surprise for the U.S. in Qatar.
Upon his return to west London, Ream was met with a new contract at Fulham, extending his current deal through the end of next season. And then he celebrated with his first Premier League goal in a 3–0 win over Crystal Palace on Boxing Day. As Fulham’s captain, Ream has been immense this season, missing only three minutes of Premier League action in his eighth season with the club. It was that reliability that likely earned him a ninth season at the Cottage.
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Christian Pulisic starts for Chelsea as transfer window opens
While the transfer mill continues to churn out rumors left and right, Pulisic has been one of the names that keeps popping up. The Chelsea forward has reportedly been unsettled at Stamford Bridge with a lack of starting minutes in 2022. That’s led to rumors Manchester United and Newcastle, among others, are interested in a loan move after what many viewed to be an impressive World Cup performance, which included him laying it all on the line for the match-winning goal vs. Iran.
Pulisic had started only three Premier League games before the World Cup break, but the 24-year-old winger has since started both of Chelsea’s matches since the Premier League restart. On Sunday in a disappointing 1–1 draw with Nottingham Forest, he created the chance that led to Chelsea’s only goal, sending in a cross that was deflected off the crossbar and down to Raheem Sterling for the tap-in. Will he stay or will he go? For Pulisic, it may very well depend on whether he continues to get starting time.
Malik Tillman scores for Rangers
The 20-year-old is one of the up-and-coming U.S. stars who didn’t make the World Cup roster, but he continues to impress during this loan spell in Scotland. While on loan from Bayern Munich, Tillman has recorded four goals and four assists for Rangers. The playmaker most recently added to the score sheet last week against Motherwell.
In the 63rd minute, with Rangers already leading 2–0, Tillman took a pass at the edge of the area, feinted one way and then calmly unleashed a low shot into the far corner for the goal. It was another impressive moment for the phenom after mostly arriving on the USMNT radar too late in the World Cup cycle to be included in Qatar.
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Tyler Adams masterclass for Leeds
After missing Leeds’s first game back after the restart while on a red card suspension, Tyler Adams made his presence known against Newcastle on New Year’s Eve. The U.S. captain recorded six tackles and two interceptions in the scoreless draw, helping Leeds and Jesse Marsch to a crucial point against a top-four side.
With Leeds sitting on the edge of the relegation zone, just two points above 18th, Adams will play a critical role in the club’s hopes of staying up in the second half of the season. On Saturday, he was everywhere on the pitch putting out fires, and he should be expected to continue in that vein.
World Cup standouts back in action
Brenden Aaronson, Antonee Robinson, Haji Wright, Yunus Musah and Cameron Carter-Vickers have all started matches since returning from Qatar. In other USMNT news, Chris Richards, who missed out on the World Cup due to injury troubles, is fully fit and came off the bench for Crystal Palace on Boxing Day.
Lindsey Horan continues to shine for Lyon Féminin
Interestingly enough, Horan is the only player on the U.S. women’s national team’s latest roster to play abroad. Horan is a favorite to win the USWNT Player of the Year award after winning the 2021–22 Women’s Champions League with Lyon Féminin, and has continued to excel for the side. Horan has scored five goals for Lyon this year, including an early December Champions League goal against Zurich.
Serie A starts up for Weston McKennie, Sergiño Dest
While the Bundesliga rests for another two weeks, Serie A kicks off again Wednesday. McKennie, who can be occasionally found in the transfer headlines, is likely to be involved against Cremonese while Dest’s AC Milan faces Salernitana, the new home of Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
