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The likes of USA, Mexico and Jamaica all have players worth keeping an eye out for heading into this year's competition

The CONCACAF regional championship is set to kick off on Saturday, with Mexico and the rest of Group A getting the ball rolling at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. 

The Gold Cup will feature the rest of the usual contenders in CONCACAF as well, with the U.S. national team, Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Canada, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago all taking part. 

And while several of the big-name players are out of action, with the likes of Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, Hector Herrera, Keylor Navas, Hirving Lozano, Carlos Vela, John Brooks, DeAndre Yedlin and Tyler Adams all ruled out, there are still plenty of players worth keeping an eye on this summer. 

Below, Goal runs through the top 10 players to watch during the Gold Cup. 

Getty ImagesRaul Jimenez | Mexico

Mexico comes into the Gold Cup missing the most firepower up top. In Javier Hernandez, Carlos Vela and Hirving Lozano, El Tri has a trio of attacking stars who will not take part this summer. 

That leaves much of the attacking onus to fall on the broad shoulders of Raul Jimenez. 

The Wolves forward is coming off a fine season in the Premier League, having scored 13 goals as his side finished seventh in the table, and is now being asked to lead the line for his country for the first time.

Even missing so many stars, Mexico will be favored to win the tournament, but Jimenez providing goals will be crucial for Tata Martino's side. 

AdvertisementGettyChristian Pulisic | USA

The expectations for the U.S. national team will be to compete for the title in the Gold Cup. USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter has said as much. 

For that to happen, Pulisic will have to be at his absolute best this summer. 

The USA comes into the competition on the back of two bad losses in friendly, missing a number of key players across the backline and still lacking a real identity with Berhalter having only coached six matches. 

The Gold Cup represents the first competitive action for the USA since that fateful night in 2017 when the side lost to Trinidad & Tobago. That night, Pulisic walked off the pitch in tears. He was already being asked to carry much of the attacking load then, probably more than the then teenager was ready to take on.

Now, with two more years of high-level club football in the Bundesliga under his belt and a move to Chelsea looming, he'll be asked to do even more. 

Getty ImagesLeon Bailey | Jamaica

The Bayer Leverkusen winger is an impressive talent who has made quite the mark in the Bundesliga, though he has yet to make any kind of mark on the international scene. 

A 21-year-old with world-class talent, Bailey has yet to play a single match for Jamaica but is expected to debut and play a major role over the next month. The Reggae Boyz​ are not lacking talent. With Bailey, they could be a real contender for the crown.

Questions remain about where he will fit in with Jamaica and how quickly he can adjust to the style of play, but there is no doubt that he is worth keeping an eye on this summer. 

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GettyAlphonso Davies | Canada

If you're looking for exciting talent, Alphonso Davies is your guy. 

Finding playing time at Bayern Munich after making the jump from MLS was always going to be difficult for a player joining the club in the winter and that proved to be the case for Davies.

He'll be back in his comfort zone with Canada, playing for a side that looks to be very much on the rise and playing against familiar opponents. What's more, Davies isn't coming off a long grind of a season and should have fresh legs, which should mean plenty of trouble for opposition defenders. 

The Nice youngster has a famous surname, but he more than lives up to it, so much that PSG and Newcastle are also keen on him

It’s fair to say that when it comes to top-level footballers, the Thuram family is as well-stocked as any. Father Lilian, of course, was a World Cup winner with France, and a brilliant defender who represented Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona with distinction. Eldest son Marcus, meanwhile, is a forward of some note, good enough to play in a World Cup final himself last December, and tipped to play for one of Europe’s big boys when he leaves Borussia Moenchengladbach this summer.

And then there’s the youngest boy, the third of the golden trio. The one named after a pharaoh, who grew up around his dad’s mates, Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, and who is quietly establishing himself as one of Europe’s most promising and in-demand midfield players.

And with several clubs circling, this looks like it could be a big summer indeed for Khephren Thuram…

Where it all began

He may only be 22, but Thuram has already seen plenty of the world. He was born in Reggio Emilia, Italy, while his father was playing in Serie A for Parma. Later, he lived in Turin and Barcelona, before the family returned to France once Lilian had finished his career.

Both Marcus and Khephren, who are separated by three years, were educated in Paris at an American school – hence their perfect English – and both trod the same footballing path. Both played for the same junior club, Olympique de Neuilly, and both eventually graduated to the youth ranks at AC Boulogne-Billancourt, a club located in the Parisian suburbs which is famous for producing Olympians and world champions in cycling, swimming and various other sports.

Marcus left Boulogne for Sochaux in 2012, while Khephren chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and join Monaco four years later, aged 15.

AdvertisementThe big break

It didn’t take long for Thuram to make his mark at Monaco. Having impressed at youth level, he was handed his professional debut, aged 17, in a Champions League game away to Atletico Madrid in November 2018. He played half an hour as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat, in a team which included the likes of Radamel Falcao, Youri Tielemans and Benoit Badiashile.

There would be two more further sub appearances that season, against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and at Guingamp in the French League Cup, but his most eye-catching moment came in the UEFA Youth League when he scored a fantastic long-range strike against a Chelsea side which featured the likes of Conor Gallagher, Billy Gilmour, Tariq Lamptey and Marc Guehi.

Unsurprisingly, he was soon being linked with top clubs – Chelsea included – but to many people’s surprise, he chose to join Nice in the summer of 2019, and in August of that year he made his Ligue 1 debut against Nimes, the first of 16 competitive appearances that season.

Getty ImagesHow it's going

Thuram settled in well at Nice, following up a solid first campaign with an even better second one, as he made 33 appearances in all competitions and earned his first call-up to the French Under-21 squad.

The following season, 2021-22, he won the club’s Young Player of the Year award and was nominated as one of the best prospects in Ligue 1 at the Trophees UNFP awards, France’s version of the PFA awards.

In the season just gone, Thuram has continued his progress. He played 47 times for Nice, and in March made his senior international debut for France, appearing as a late substitute in their European Championship qualifying win over the Netherlands.

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Getty ImagesBiggest strengths

The first thing that stands out about Thuram is his size. At 6'4, he is a midfielder of considerable physical presence, and one who as a result is extremely strong in one-v-one duels.

Style-wise, he is something of an all-rounder, though he shows up better in the defensive metrics – blocks, tackles, interceptions – than in the offensive ones – chances created, shots. He is known as a player who can both win the ball and use it, and who is particularly good at pressing,.

Didier Digard, Thuram’s coach at Nice, is a huge fan, in particular emphasising the youngster’s mindset and mentality. "Khephren's fantastic," Digard told earlier this year. "He is very hardworking, very attentive. On rest days he's at the training centre. He recovers quickly for back-to-back matches and completes high-intensity training.

“He listens and applies himself. He has room for improvement and he's in demand. He simply eats up video analysis, additional sessions. He also advises others, because he takes on a leadership role. He's also discovering himself as a person.”

Not surprisingly given his family background, Thuram appears to possess an inner confidence which convinces of his desire and ability to reach the top level. His school in Paris, he says, taught him “not to be scared of being good,” and the competitive nature of his upbringing means there is no fear of taking on new challenges.

Champions Manchester City dominate after securing their fifth league title in six years, but they weren't the only team with some star performers

Who has been the Premier League's star man this term? It's probably an easy question to answer, in all honesty. Just look at the numbers. But, Erling Haaland aside, there have been plenty of stellar performers this term, as this list will show.

Manchester City dominate, as you would expect, but the likes of Arsenal, Newcastle and Brighton are well represented too, having all enjoyed excellent seasons.

So as the curtain comes down on the Premier League campaign, GOAL counts down the season's top 21 performers…

Getty Images21Joelinton (Newcastle)

Who ever would have thought that Joelinton would feature on a list such as this? For years, the Brazilian was seen almost as a figure of fun, a perfect example of money wasted, another player unable to live up to a big price-tag and big expectations.

Not any more. The 26-year-old has been instrumental in Newcastle's rise under Eddie Howe, his aggression, energy and work ethic from midfield helping the Magpies secure Champions League qualification for the first time in more than 20 years.

Remarkably, given he was signed as a striker, this has been his best goalscoring campaign at St James' Park, with eight goals in all competitions from his deeper role ensuring he is a firm fan favourite.

AdvertisementGetty20Nathan Ake (Man City)

It is fair to say that one or two eyebrows were raised when Manchester City spent more than £40 million ($50m) to sign Ake from Bournemouth in 2020, but what a buy he has proven to be.

The Dutchman has been a key player for Pep Guardiola this season, his ability to play at both full-back and centre-back making him ideal for City's system. His performances have been good enough to see off both Oleksandr Zinchenko and Joao Cancelo, and to make him a regular for the Dutch national team too.

Getty Images19Sven Botman (Newcastle)

Another Dutch defender, and one who has had a transformative effect on his team's fortunes. Botman cost Newcastle more than £30m ($37m) when signing from Lille last summer, and what a smart piece of business that has turned out to be.

The towering centre-back has formed an outstanding partnership with Fabian Schar, with Newcastle boasting the second-best defensive record in the Premier League as a result. Still only 23, the former Ajax man looks set to establish himself as one of the world's best in the coming years.

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Getty18Solly March (Brighton)

For all the praise rightly levelled at Brighton for their global recruitment, it is a player signed from non-league Lewes in 2011 who has been one of their most consistent performers this season.

March's delivery, dribbling and eye for goal has stood out, and the unassuming 28-year-old will surely have caught the eye of Gareth Southgate, scoring seven goals and providing 10 assists from his right-wing station.

Inter Miami's sporting director Chris Henderson revealed the latest update on Luis Suarez's rumored transfer to the Herons this Winter.

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Suarez to Miami rumors keep popping upHeron's sporting director speaks on potential transfer for UruguayanWould be third ex-Barca teammate of Messi's in MiamiWHAT HAPPENED?

During Inter Miami's end of the year press conference, Henderson spoke on the possibility of bringing the Uruguayan stateside this winter. He admitted that the links to the club keep coming, but also addressed that he is still a Gremio player in Brazil. Him speaking on the matter gives Herons supporters a reason to be excited though, as Messi may be helping them recruit their newest striker.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Suarez and Messi played together at FC Barcelona for six years, where the Uruguayan net 198 goals for the Catalan side. The South American duo, alongside Brazilian star Neymar, formed the famed duo that haunted Europe for three years. Now, Messi is slowly recruiting his old friends in MLS, with Barca teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets already in South Beach. If Suarez were to join, he'd be the third ex-teammate to linkup with Messi in Miami.

WHAT HENDERSON SAID

“He's currently with Grêmio, so we don't want to comment on a player who's not on our roster,” Henderson said of Suárez. “He is another player that's always been linked with our team and it's great to have great players around the world connected with Inter Miami and wanting to come here.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LUIS SUAREZ?

The legendary Uruguayan striker is currently on international duty with his country, and they are coming off of a 2-0 win over Argentina last week. They take on Bolivia in their next FIFA World Cup qualifier Tuesday evening, before Suarez returns to his club Gremio. The Brazil side is back in action on Sunday against Atletico MG.

Seattle's win against Toronto FC solidified the Sounders spot on LAFC's trail in Goal's MLS Power Rankings

The Seattle Sounders faced their first truly tough test of the 2019 MLS season and passed it with flying colors.

The Sounders knocked Toronto FC from the ranks of the unbeatens after Saturday's 3-2 victory at CenturyLink Field. Making the victory even more impressive was the fact it came without Peruvian striker Raul Ruidiaz, with Will Bruin stepping up to pick up the scoring slack with a pair of goals.

Seattle's victory kept the Sounders undefeated, and on the trail of Los Angeles FC, which maintained its dominating ways with a comfortable 2-0 victory against FC Cincinnati. The LA Galaxy made it four straight wins by topping the Philadelphia Union.

The Houston Dynamo continued their winning ways by beating the San Jose Earthquakes, keeping Wilmer Cabrera's side among the league's unbeatens.

Here are Goal's MLS power rankings after week seven action:

1Portland Timbers (0-5-1)Five straight losses have the Timbers in dead last in MLS, but the loss to FC Dallas felt a bit more encouraging. Of course, now the Timbers head to Colombus, where they'll face former coach Caleb Porter and the Crew in a rematch of the 2015 MLS Cup final, only with Porter now coaching the Crew.Advertisement2Vancouver Whitecaps (0-4-2)Marc Dos Santos is still searching for his first win in charge of the Whitecaps, but you can argue his team is showing signs of turning things around. Vancouver has been in every game this season, but consistency has eluded the Whitecaps. A visit to Los Angeles FC on Wednesday isn't exactly the ideal slump-buster, but Vancouver's schedule gets easier after that.3Colorado Rapids (0-5-2)The Rapids continue to generate goals, but also bleed them, making Tim Howard's farewell tour a bit of a painful one. A road swing through Chicago and Atlanta could serve as Anthony Hudson's last stand, because if the Rapids find themselves winless heading into May, there'll be no real reason to keep him around.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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4New England Revolution (1-5-1)The Revs are a mess, and they offered little in the way of real resistance against Atlanta United despite playing at home. They mustered just one shot on goal against the MLS Cup champions, and things aren't going to get any easier with the New York Red Bulls coming to town, even with New York's recent struggles.

Wrexham could hardly have made a worse start to their EFL Trophy clash against Burton Albion as they went down 3-2 on home soil on Tuesday.

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Wrexham conceded two goals in first three minutesDalby fired in to pull a goal back for Welsh sideBurton Albion too good for League Two outfitTELL ME MORE

Less than 30 seconds were needed for Burton Albion to break the deadlock as the ball was sent high over the home team's defence and Adedeji Oshilaja was able to fire into the net. Wrexham's nightmare start continued two minutes later when Mark Helm added a second after the referee got in the way of James Jones controlling the ball and allowing the visitors to get the shot away.

Sam Dalby managed to pull a goal back for his team in the fifth minute though, as he collected a loose ball and sent it curling into the net, but Burton managed to squeeze the ball in once again in the second half to essentially kill off the game, rendering Jordan Davies' stoppage time goal irrelevant.

AdvertisementGettyTHE MVP

Burton Albion star Oshilaja was a bright spark for his side throughout. He did well to get through on goal and finish the move to open the scoring early on but was heavily involved, teeing up another chance midway through the second half that was saved by Wrexham's goalkeeper.

GettyTHE BIG LOSER

While Oshilaja did well to beat him, goalkeeper Luke McNichols should have done better to prevent the visitors from taking the lead. His attempt to come out and stop the scorer was a tame one and it left him with a fairly simple finish, sending the away team on their way to victory.

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WHAT COMES NEXT?

Wrexham will hope to get back to winning ways when they take on Forest Green Rovers in League Two this week. The Welsh team are second in the table and looking to keep pressure on leaders Stockport County, who are five points clear.

A look at the Scottish players who plied their trade in the Italian top flight

Players from the Scotland national team have played their parts in Serie A over the years.

Young Scottish players such as Calvin Ramsey (Bologna), Ewan Henderson (Empoli) and Stephen Welsh (Udinese) have been reportedly scouted with moves to Italy in mind, ahead of the 2022 summer transfer window, while others have taken the plunge already.

Although not many have turned out in the Italian top flight since the likes of Denis Law, Joe Jordan and Graeme Souness, GOAL takes a look at the Scots who have.

Getty ImagesDenis Law | Torino (1961-62)

A legendary figure at Manchester United, but there was a time when Torino signed Aberdeen-born forward Denis Law for a record transfer fee of £110,000 involving a British player back in 1961.

Inter had complained that the Scot signed a pre-contract with them but backed out of their claim ahead of the season.

However, Law – who was joined by English striker Joe Baker – found it difficult to adapt to life in Turin. From the language barrier to contrasting cultures and style of football, the performance-based payment system was also something that was not particularly enjoyable for him.

Law and Baker were involved in a car crash, soon after which the 1964 Ballon d'Or winner initially put in a transfer request before he was eventually transferred to Man United.

AdvertisementPA ImagesJoe Jordan | AC Milan (1981-82), Verona (1983-84)

It was Jordan's first overseas escapade when he joined AC Milan from Manchester United in 1981. In his first season in Italy, when the Rossoneri had just made it back to Serie A, the forward scored just two league goals in 22 games as the team were relegated.

After spending a year in Serie B and turning down an opportunity to stay at Milan for another shot in the Italian top flight in the following year, Jordan made his Serie A come-back with Verona in the 1983-84 season before returning to the UK. It was after the Yellow and Blues' initial gamble to use his physical prowess didn't pay off to their liking.

Incidentally, Jordan would miss out on Verona lifting the league title in the very next season.

Getty ImagesGraeme Souness | Sampdoria (1984-86)

Roberto Mancini, Gianluca Vialli and Trevor Francis all made their way to Stadio Luigi Ferraris when Souness joined the Genoa-based club in 1984.

The midfielder was fresh from a successful phase in his playing career as he had just won his fifth league title, fourth League Cup and third European Cup with Liverpool when Sampdoria president Paolo Mantovani signed the then 31-year-old.

With the club just moving back into Serie A, Souness did what he did best and won his first piece of silverware in Italy as Sampdoria beat AC Milan to the Coppa Italia title, with the Scot scoring the only goal in the first leg of the final.

Before heading to Rangers, Souness was part of the Blucerchiati's European campaign that finished in the Round of 16.

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GettyLiam Henderson | Verona (2019-20), Empoli (2021-)

After over three decades, Henderson became the first Scottish footballer since Souness to play in Serie A.

The former Celtic star, although beginning his Italian sojourn with then Serie B side Bari, made his bow in the country's top flight with Verona in 2019. That was also after spending the initial season of his four-year contract in Serie B.

With Henderson playing a vital role in Verona's promotion, he also became the first Scotsman to score in a Serie A match since Souness in 1986.

The former Scotland Under-21 international currently plays for Empoli in Serie A.

The U.S. were exposed by Japan as the World Cup looms large

If this is what the U.S. men's national team will look like at the World Cup, their stay in Qatar will be a short one.

Friday's match against Japan served as a much-needed wakeup call for the young USMNT, who were thoroughly outplayed in a 2-0 loss in Germany. Goals from Daichi Kamada and Kaoru Mitoma were deserved, as was the whooping the U.S. received in what was likely their worst performance of 2022.

You could argue that there isn't a better time to have that performance. Japan, by all accounts, is a good team and offered the U.S. the test Gregg Berhalter desired. The problem was how miserable the U.S. failed that test in a lethargic, uninspiring display that saw them fail to register a single shot on goal.

Japan is good, no doubt, but this wasn't France on the other side. This was the type of team that the U.S. should be, at the very least, competing with and battling. They did neither.

This camp, and these friendlies, are all about finding those final few answers before heading to Qatar. But this game will provide more questions than answers as the U.S. remain a work in progress just weeks before the World Cup kicks off.

Friday's performance, quite simply, wasn't good enough but, fortunately for the USMNT, there's still time to prove that this was a lesson and not a glimpse into what would be a very frustrating future.

GettyThe Winners

Matt Turner:

Another day, another performance that shows why Turner probably should be the starter in Qatar.

The Arsenal goalkeeper bailed out the backline after several bad giveaways, making several big saves to keep Japan off the board early. Eventually, of course, the goal did come, but it was no fault of Turner, who was left out to dry by a bad giveaway and equally bad defending.

Are there concerns with Turner on the road to the World Cup? Yes, namely his playing time. But there are still plenty of games for Turner to play before hopping on the plane to Qatar as Arsenal continue on in the Europa League.

The fact is that Turner is the USMNT's most consistent goalkeeper, and he showed it once again even in a game where many of his teammates didn't show up.

Jordan Pefok:

There are two theories as to why Pefok isn't in camp.

The first is that Berhalter knows what he has with him and didn't feel it was neccesary to see him again before bringing him to the World Cup.

The other? That Berhalter simply doesn't rate him or think he fits in with the system.

We're going to talk about that second theory here because, after what we saw on Friday, does fitting the system matter if that system can't produce any chances?

For all of the good things that Jesus Ferreira, Josh Sargent and Ricardo Pepi can do, none are scoring goals at the level Pefok is. He has his team atop the Bundesliga, for goodness sake. That's an achievement.

And his exclusion looked even worse on Friday as the U.S. attack struggled. Does Pefok score the chance Ferreira missed? Maybe, maybe not. But he would have at least offered somethign different than what we saw, which would be a welcome sight considering how the U.S. attack looked as a whole.

Chris Richards and Cameron Carter-Vickers:

Another example of players seeing their stock rise simply by not playing.

Walker Zimmerman is locked in as that No.1 centerback, even if he was far from his best against Japan. That second spot, though, is up for grabs after Miles Robinson's injury.

On Friday, it was Aaron Long's chance to prove himself. He fell flat. As a result of that, those looking on should feel a bit better by their chances.

Richards and Carter-Vickers were both knocked out of camp with injuries, unfortunately for them, but Friday's performance showed why they still have a chance at starting in Qatar.

We didn't get any good answers in that position on Friday, and that's good news for the two that won't get a chance to take the field during this camp

AdvertisementThe Losers

Christian Pulisic:

All things considered, the decision to keep Pulisic out of this one was an easy one.

At this point in the cycle, there's no reason to risk turning a knock into something more. And so, with Pulisic dealing with what has been described as a minor injury, the decision was made to leave him out.

In most ways, that's fine. Pulisic is a known quantity, and seeing him against Japan almost certainly wouldn't confirm anything we don't already know. It also opened the door for Aaronson to start, which is usually a good thing.

But for Pulisic's own confidence, a game against Japan would have been nice. Having struggled for minutes recently, Pulisic likely would have appreciated an extended runout to both find his footing and flex a little bit for new manager Graham Potter.

Pulisic always seems to shine a bit brighter in a USMNT shirt, and he always seems to really relish the moments where he gets to lead his team.

He didn't get that chance on Friday, unfortunately, for him.

USMNT midfield:

A bad, bad day for the midfield three.

The trio of Weston McKennie, Luca de la Torre and Tyler Adams were flat as can be and were, at times, overrun despite having the numbers in the center of the field. They struggled to deal with Japan's press and were totally unable to progress the ball into the attack.

Part of that will be down to the absence of Yunus Musah, who is the USMNT's best ball advancer. De la Torre has generally looked like a good fill-in, but he was well off the pace here in what was his worst performance since his USMNT resurgence.

As for McKennie, he looked nothing like the player that has so often changed games for the U.S. in big moments. His giveaway led to Japan's goal and he never really recovered as he stumbled through.

Adams, meanwhile, was passable, but with the two next to him struggling, had few options to move the ball forward every time it did come to his feet.

Players pushing for spots:

If you're a player looking to use this camp as a springboard towards the World Cup, today wasn't your day.

Sam Vines, given the chance to seal a spot as Antonee Robinson's backup, struggled again. Having appeared overmatched in his initial USMNT appearances, he was essentially glued to the centerbacks in the first half, offering little going forward. The second half was better, but not enough.

Long, starting at centerback, was nowhere near good enough with his distribution as he and Zimmerman were an easy trigger for Japan's press.

Ferreira, meanwhile, missed his one and only chance at striker while Sargent was largely invisible once he came on.

It wasn't a good day for those that still had something to fight for.

GettyUSMNT Ratings: Defense

Matt Turner (7/10):

The clear Man of the Match for the USMNT and the only player that looked any good.

Sam Vines (5/10):

Too defensive in the first half, offering very little in a game where he needed a big performance.

Aaron Long (4/10):

Sloppy on the ball. Not the performance he needed.

Walker Zimmerman (4/10):

A rare off day for the Nashville star.

Sergino Dest (5/10):

Created one chance, but was caught super high on Japan's opening goal.

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GettyMidfield

Weston McKennie (3/10):

Bad giveaway on Japan's goal. Was lethargic and sluggish throughout.

Tyler Adams (5/10):

Didn't do much wrong, but didn't do much right either.

Luca de la Torre(4/10):

Looked nothing like the player we saw earlier this year. Lack of club minutes catching up to him?

GOAL takes a look at what to watch for in these two friendlies against South Africa as the U.S. begins the preparing for the Olympics and beyond

The 2023 World Cup is now over for the United States women's national team. The tournament will be remembered as a failure, but perhaps a failure that served as a reboot point for a program that probably needed it.

But as we enter this first post-World Cup camp, it is fair to say that that reboot is on hold, at least for a little while. The USWNT is a team in transition, yes, but that transition hasn't quite happened yet. Instead, the U.S. has a squad full of World Cup veterans for these two friendlies against South Africa, including two legitimate legends that will be saying goodbye.

These games will serve as the swansongs for Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz, two historic figures for this program. They'll be surrounded by many of the players they competed with this summer as they prepare to say goodbye and move onto the next stage.

While those two will get the headlines, though, this camp is about more than just that. The farewells are nice, yes, but there are several new faces in this camp that could be very, very important as the U.S. puts this World Cup behind them and begins looking ahead to the 2024 Olympics, as well as the 2027 World Cup.

Getty ImagesNew coach bounce?

The Vlatko Andonovski era is over, and the (temporary) Twila Kilgore era is now beginning. Kilgore is serving as the USWNT's interim coach for now as the federation searches for Andonovski's replacement. Technical director Matt Crocker says that U.S. Soccer is hard at work with that task and that a new hire should be in relatively soon, but for now, this is Kilgore's team.

Kilgore has been with the U.S. Soccer program for some time, having started with the Under-20s before serving as both Andonovski's assistant and U.S. U23s coach. Her tenure in charge may not last long, but it certainly will be interesting.

Will Kilgore institute any changes? Will she abandon any of the concepts that, ultimately, led to failure at the World Cup? Or will she know her place as a more transitional coach and simply try to keep things together rather than reinvent things overnight?

Either way, it'll be intriguing to see someone different at the helm and to find out what that means for a USWNT that is in transition.

AdvertisementGettyA shot of Coffey

One of the biggest 'what ifs' from the 2023 World Cup centers around Sam Coffey. What would have happened if she wasn't overlooked? How would that midfield have performed with Coffey involved? Well, we'll get a pretty decent look during this window.

With the bulk of the World Cup squad hanging around, the introduction of Coffey will give us something of a look into what this team could have looked like with the midfielder involved. A No.6 that is capable of disrupting play and moving the ball, the fact that Coffey never got integrated to the team was one of Andonovski's biggest failures.

She'll now get a chance to prove herself, though, as she looks to make an impression early on the road to 2027.

GettyHow does Shaw fit?

One of two uncapped players in the squad, Jaedyn Shaw is a player that should be an intriguing one for the USWNT. She can either play out wide or centrally, making her a dangerous weapon that gives the U.S. tactical flexibility whenever she's in the XI. And she's just 18 years old, so this is all just beginning.

Shaw was U.S. Soccer's Young Player of the Year last year and already has plenty of NWSL experience under her belt for the San Diego Wave, despite her youth. Talent-wise, she's as promising as it gets, and her positional flexibility make her an even more interesting talent for a USWNT that remains loaded with young attackers.

With players like Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Alyssa Thompson all just getting started, how does Shaw fit in, especially in a fully-fit squad? Hopefully this camp offers an early idea.

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Fishel steps up

To begin her career, Mia Fishel took the road less travelled, and that road has led her right to the USWNT anyway. From UCLA to Tigres and, now, a historic move to Chelsea, Fishel has forged a reputation as a goalscorer. She scored boatloads at Tigres, and it's her ability to put the ball in the back of the net that has her in the USWNT picture.

However, the U.S. has several other goalscorers around the team. Smith, Alex Morgan and Mallory Swanson (when healthy), all score plenty. So how does Fishel fit? Can she unseat one of the team's regular stars?

We'll learn the answer to that in the coming years, not the coming days, but Fishel will no doubt be looking to make a good first impression.

The 21-year-old grabbed a goal and an assist on Friday, and should be in for a bigger role in at Parc des Princes this season

Hugo Ekitike grabbed the opener and assisted Paris Saint-Germain's second to mark a fine performance in an otherwise disappointing 3-2 defeat to Japanese side Cerezo Osaka in Friday's pre-season friendly.

Ekitike's opener came in fine fashion, the young Frenchman meeting an angled ball from Warren Zaire-Emery for a close-range stab. He almost had a second, too, but saw his effort ruled out for a narrow offside in the build up.

Osaka played their part here, and suddenly didn't make things easy for the Parisians. Jordy Croux equalised midway through the first half, latching onto a mistake from new signing Milan Skriniar and running through for an easy finish. Ekitike almost created a PSG second before half-time, but Ismael Gharbi had a header saved.

Ekitike eventually grabbed his assist in the second half, though. After receiving a pass from Vitinha, he swivelled slightly and flicked the ball into space with a controlled backheel, right back into the Portuguese's path, who couldn't miss. Still, PSG couldn't hold onto their lead, as Osaka substitute Sota Kitano bagged the home side's second after a well-constructed move, rattling a long-range effort into the far corner with Gianluigi Donnarumma glued to the ground.

And a third came shortly after, albeit amid controversy. Haruki Arai appeared to foul Cher Ndour in the PSG box, but play was waved on. The youngster found former Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa, who hit a wonderful curled effort into the top corner.

PSG manager Luis Enrique will likely be displeased with the result here, but with Ekitike rounding into form, he might just feel better about the likely loss of Kylian Mbappe that is on the way.

GOAL looks at what we learned during the clash at Nagai Stadium…

Getty ImagesEkitike looks ready to step up in Mbappe's absence

PSG will likely need a new striker at some point within the next two weeks, and doing so will require an expensive venture into the transfer market, with an inflated price required to attempt to replace the presumably outgoing Mbappe. And while they can surely do better than Ekitike, the Frenchman has done enough to suggest that he's capable of playing regular minutes in Paris.

Ekitike has now scored in two of PSG's three pre-season outings, taking advantage of some rare opportunities to play regular minutes. His goal here was excellent, a perfectly-timed run to get on the end of a wonderful pass from Zaire-Emery, complete with a tidy finish.

The 21-year-old was unfortunate not to have a second to his name, after being caught narrowly offside while running through on goal, but he did snag an assist, with a delightful backheel into the path of Vitinha, who buried the Parisians' second.

It's easy to forget that the former Reims man is still just 21, and less than a year ago was regarded as one of the better young players in Ligue 1. It appears that he might now be ready to deliver on that promise.

AdvertisementZaire-Emery's class will ensure a Verratti sale won't hurt

In one of the most eye-catching Saudi Pro League transfer links of the summer, Marco Verratti has been rumoured to be on the verge of joining Al-Hilal on a three-year deal, less than 12 months after penning a new long-term contract to stay in Paris. The money, of course, can be a draw, but here is a player who projects to be vital for the Parisians this season.

Still, it looks like the Italian won't be around in a few weeks, with the two sides only needing to agree on a transfer fee to send him to the Middle East. And although the two clubs are reportedly far apart in their valuation, this one looks likely to get done. Verratti, accordingly, took in most of the game from the bench, scowling with the look of a player who looks like he might not be long for the club.

It's a good thing, then, that his replacement is already playing at such a high level. Zaire-Emery isn't really a secret at this point; the teenager was excellent for spells last season. But he's looked even better this pre-season. Luis Enrique has entrusted him with a more fluid role thus far, allowing the young Frenchman to pull the strings from centre-midfield.

And it's paid dividends through three games, with Zaire-Emery showing exactly why he's so highly thought of. It will be interesting to see what happens come the start of the season, as the 17-year-old is clearly still a bit raw, but Luis Enrique has never had a problem letting youngsters have a shot.

Getty ImagesSelling Marquinhos would make no sense

Marquinhos reportedly angered the PSG hierarchy earlier this week by suggesting he wants an amicable solution to the Mbappe saga that has rattled the club in recent weeks. It was, objectively, a fairly sensible insight, especially from the club captain

But it has apparently landed him on the chopping block. Still, letting him go would be a potentially shambolic decision. Marquinhos wasn't at his best here, but PSG were a far more settled side when he was on the pitch. And it was Skriniar — not Marquinhos — that can be faulted for the Osaka goal.

It's easy to pick at some faults in his game these days. He has certainly lacked mobility over the last 18 months, while occasional defensive errors have hurt PSG. But he's still an excellent distributor, reliable defender, and club captain.

PSG aren't notorious for being sensible — that much is clear. Still, selling one of their most crucial players wouldn't necessarily be a shrewd move.

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Skriniar needs to shake off the rust

Skriniar hasn't played a competitive club match since February due to a back injury, and it showed here. He was largely culpable for Osaka's first goal, misjudging a long ball, and allowing the opposing striker to run in behind — while showing a worrying lack of pace to chase him down.

There were other mistakes, too. Skriniar was a bit loose in possession and didn't seem to have the best understanding with Marquinhos. The Brazilian was substituted after 50 minutes — likely a planned move — but Skriniar should probably have considered himself fortunate to be the one still on the pitch. A late slide tackle prevented an Osaka fourth, but it stood as a rare moment of class in an otherwise worrying performance.

This will all take time to work. Skriniar hasn't played much football in recent months, and all new signings, regardless of club, need an adjustment period. Still, the Slovak is already one the more senior members of this squad, and will be expected to deliver on his top-class potential. That means ironing out the mistakes as soon as possible.