MLB: kind of boring until September/October (beside Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani having generational seasons).
NBA: my mortal enemies just won the NBA Finals, so I’d prefer to continue ignoring that. The draft and Summer League are only mildly interesting.
NFL: you have to be a real sicko to be thoroughly invested in offseason training camp news and fantasy football mock drafts.
NHL: Congrats to the Florida Panthers for winning the Stanley Cup, and thank you for beating the Oilers. -Sincerely, a Kings fan.
Without much else going on in the sporting world ahead of America’s most patriotic weekend, let me direct my readers’ attention to the World’s Game: fútbol.
It’s tough to compare any soccer competitions to the electric atmosphere of the World Cup, but the tournaments currently ongoing are two of the next best things. The UEFA EURO 2024 features all of the best European national squads, and this summer’s Copa América showcases all of the notable talent from North and South America. The pride with which players represent their respective countries is undeniable, and it’s impossible to replicate this level of excitement, chaos, and passion in the regular seasons of the most prominent domestic leagues.
Both tournaments now have eight teams remaining in their quarterfinal stages, with play set to resume this weekend. Here’s a brief recap of some of the action thus far, and a preview of a handful of must-watch games.
COPA AMÉRICA
With the tournament being hosted by the United States, this year’s competition was slightly tweaked to include North American countries. Many consider this to be a “test run” ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be joint-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada.
And although the hospitality and stadium venues have been solid, the level of play from the host countries has been rather disappointing. The USMNT and Mexico’s “El Tri” were both bounced out in the group stage. And when you look at the relative strength of their opponents, this is a massive failure.
This United States team has been labeled “the golden generation” in recent years, but they haven’t shown any reason to have earned this title. Most of the USMNT starting XI play at the top level in Europe, including star winger Christian Pulisic, standout midfielders Weston McKinnie and Tyler Adams, defenders Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson, and goalkeeper Matt Turner. All of these players have been in great form for their respective domestic clubs, so the assumption is they should be able to develop chemistry with one another and play well for the national team. And yet, the collective effort I saw from the USMNT over the past two weeks was abysmal.
There’s no cohesion in this unit, and the lack of creativity to find decent goalscoring opportunities is incredibly concerning. The US squad looked completely out of their depth against some of the more experienced opponents who understand how to execute a game-plan and do the little things needed to win in this difficult competition.
This issue was perhaps most obvious against Panama (#43 in FIFA World Rankings). The USMNT (#11 in FIFA World Rankings) were heavy favorites going into this game, and they had an opportunity to punch their ticket to the knockout stage after handling Bolivia in their first match. Instead, US striker Timothy Weah became noticeably agitated with a Panamanian defender early on, punched him in the back of the head, and was disqualified with a red card in the 18th minute.
An early red card was probably the only thing that could allow Panama a chance in this game, and the only thing the US could not afford to do. American players should have and likely were made aware of this idea too; Panama’s team will try to get under your skin, force you off your game, and if you snap and do something stupid, they’ve effectively done their jobs. They had virtually no chance of winning this game otherwise.
Despite the US scoring shortly after Weah was sent off, the defense became visibly exhausted over the course of the game while having to play a man down. With the American squad scrambling around to cover up the absence of Weah, Panama scored a winner in the 83rd minute to take all three points from the match.
And while the USMNT’s Copa América was not completely screwed yet, this felt like a crucial blow. They could have had 6 points in the bag, making their final group stage against South American powerhouse Uruguay a low-pressure, low-stakes scrimmage. Instead, their match against the 15-time Copa América champions became a must-win scenario, and their main striker would still be suspended from his head-scratching red card.
The USMNT were fully outmatched in their 1-0 loss to Uruguay. They never seemed particularly close to scoring a goal (and they needed two, anyway).
I’m not entirely sure of a solution to improve this US team, but heads need to roll. Head coach Gregg Berhalter has not been impressive, and the starting XI lacks the coordination and composure that is abundantly evident in top-level national teams such as France, Spain, and Argentina. Major changes must be made ahead of the 2026 World Cup, or they will suffer a similarly embarrassing fate on home soil, once again.
Moving on. The rest of the competition has been enjoyable, and the Copa América continues to uphold its reputation as a gutsy, physical, and intense tournament. Brazil is trying to find its swag and offensive firepower in the post-Neymar era, while Uruguay, Colombia, and the defending champion Argentina have been dominant, per usual.
Must-watch game of the quarterfinals:
Brazil vs Uruguay (Saturday, July 6, 6pm PST)
Most of the other “top dawgs” avoided a difficult first-round matchup, but Brazil’s offensive struggles have earned them an undesirable date with Uruguay after finishing second in Group D. To make matters worse, Brazil will be without their superstar winger (and the source of most of their attacking returns so far) Vinícius Júnior, who will be suspended for one game after picking up two yellow cards in the group stage.
Uruguay’s high-energy, high-pressing defensive strategy was dominant in the group stage, and their 9:1 goal differential is the best of all tournament teams thus far. Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez lead a lethal attack, and they’ll surely be licking their chops ahead of this matchup with a weaker-than-usual Brazil squad.
Even without Vinícius, Brazil still has plenty of talent on the field. Vini’s Real Madrid teammate Rodrygo will need to be more effective in converting chances up front, and Raphinha and Lucas Paquetá must capitalize on crossing opportunities and set pieces. Their defensive “big three” Marquinhos, Éder Militāo, and goalkeeper Alisson will need to be excellent to stifle Núñez and the Uruguayan attack for 90+ minutes.
Though I’m not terribly confident in my footy picks as of late, I’d take Uruguay ML and Under 2.5 total goals in this one.
EURO 2024
It’s much easier for me to enjoy this tournament without my own country’s embarrassing presence, so while I personally don’t have any fiery rants to dish out, England’s fans might feel differently.
England has suffered with a similar plight to that of the USMNT, but with a far greater level of talent and loftier expectations from their country’s media. Names such as Harry Kane, Phil Foden, and Jude Bellingham stick out as some of the very best players in the world of football, but they simply have not found a way to gel in the offensive third of the pitch. Gareth Southgate has coached the England national team for 8+ years without much to show for it, beside a crushing (and poorly-managed) loss to Italy in the final at EURO 2020.
Teams such as Switzerland and Turkey are nowhere near as talented as England, and yet they continue to thrive in this competition, seemingly fueled by their collective pride and selflessness. And that’s the beauty of these international tournaments; the games aren’t decided by which team looks better on paper. The added passion and pressure baked into playing for one’s country creates a surplus of incredible, game-changing moments and chaotic upsets.
Must-watch game(s) of the quarterfinals:
Spain vs Germany (Friday, July 5, 9am PST)
Tournament hosts Germany and three-time tournament champions Spain have looked to be two of the very best squads in the competition. It’s a shame they’ve matched up relatively early in the knockout stage, but that’s often the unfortunate reality in a EURO tournament that is loaded with great teams… there are no “cupcake” matchups, to be honest.
So enjoy this matchup for what it is: a clash between two European football giants, and a plethora of young, talented footballers all over the pitch.
Spain might be the most impressive team of the tournament thus far, and they’re led by a new wave of rising stars. There was a rather difficult transition period after Spain’s unbelievable run in the early 2010s (EURO champs in 2008, World Cup champs in 2010, and EURO Champs again in 2012), and their reluctance to give up on their aging legends from that era curbed the opportunities of the next generation. But finally, after a few years of uncharacteristically poor showings in international competitions, Spain is fully back.
Three of the most notable Spanish standouts are their three youngest players: midfielder Pedri (21 years old), left winger Nico Williams (21 years old), and right winger Lamine Yamal (16 years old). Yes, Yamal is SIXTEEN years old. The Barcelona wunderkind will turn 17 one day before the EURO final. These three have added new energy and creativity to Spain’s attack, things they had lacked in recent years.
Germany has some added pressure to perform as the host nation (USA seemed to have missed the memo), but they’ve exceeded expectations thus far. Their own pair of young attackers, Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala (both 21 years old), have been spearheading the German attack through their first four games. Antonio Rudiger and legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer have been comparably stellar in early tournament action, as well.
Knockout games in the Euros, Copa América, and World Cup are often played at a slow, conservative pace, with both teams trying to not lose control of the match too early. I expect this game to be quite different, however. Both Spain and Germany are capable of creating tons of quality chances, and I think the young guys will not be content in sitting back to hold possession. I’m predicting a back-and-forth firework show of offensive skills in this one.
PICK: Over 2.5 total goals
Portugal vs France (Friday, July 5, 12pm PST)
Another matchup between two European football powerhouses. The main storyline in this one will be the matchup between Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and France’s Kylian Mbappe.
This is hardly a “changing of the guard” or “passing the baton” sort of moment, mainly because Mbappe has already achieved a ton of success at both the club and international levels, and is truly in his prime right now. More so, this is the sunset moment for Ronaldo, one of football’s greatest players of all time. Cristiano Ronaldo (now 39 years old) was Mbappe’s childhood hero, so it’s impressive seeing the two meet on the biggest stage more than a decade later.
Both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have played at such a high level for this many years, and their ability to still compete in these tournaments in their late 30s is another testament to their greatness and longevity. Unfortunately, my GOATs are showing signs of aging. Ronaldo, despite his most passionate efforts, has yet to find the back of the net in the EUROs.
Neither squad has looked their best through three group stage games and the Round of 16, and I reckon France will be favored on Saturday. Still, I’ll hold out a small bit of hope that Ronaldo can give us one more iconic moment to add to his illustrious catalog of great goals, and when he’s at his best, he’s more than capable of matching Mbappe’s firepower.
PICK: France ML
England vs Switzerland (Saturday, July 6, 9am PST)
England have survived and advanced despite not looking their Sunday Best, and conveniently enough, they face off against that aforementioned frisky Swiss squad on Saturday.
While they don’t have a ton of notable superstar-level talent, the Swiss are led by experienced vets Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, and their team is not afraid of anyone. Switzerland has a stingy defense headed by centerback Manuel Akanji and goalkeeper Yann Sommer, two of the best in the world at their respective positions. The goalscoring comes from a wide range of contributors, and their unpredictable creation of chances seemingly feels like a product of pure passion and pridefulness to represent their country.
England, as mentioned previously, appears to have the opposite problem. An embarrassment of riches, in terms of talent: Harry Kane is the best goalscorer and pure striker in England’s history, while Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham just won Player of the Year honors in the two biggest leagues in the world (England’s Premier League and Spain’s La Liga, respectively). And yet, the same spark that can clearly observed in Switzerland’s team is not present for England.
This will be a fascinating matchup because of these major discrepancies in talent and team chemistry/cohesion. I’m leaning towards picking England, but there’s also no reason to feel confident in this squad, based on what we’ve seen so far. And because of their offensive struggles, I would probably recommend taking Under 2.5 total goals, instead.