SO, WHAT DO YOU THNK ... WAS IT BEST WORLD CUP OF ALL TIME?

 NOTING FIFA’s LATEST, POSSIBLY GREATEST (but don’t count on it) WORLD CUP … A LAST LOOK (for now) …

It appears MAURICIO POCHETTINO will return as coach of the USMNT … that is, if he can’t find something bigger … like replacing THOMAS TUCHEL, embattled boss of the under-achieving Three Lions of England. Or, returning to the English Premier League where he parlayed the great HARRY KANE into a tough out with no-longer-relevant Totenham Hotspur

So, who might be waiting in the wings to become the next boss of the Americans … if Pochettino, 54, leaves after one year in which the heavily-pumped red, white and blue was left black and blue by Belgium 4-1 in the round of 16?

Among the favorites, according to wish-lists found on-line, are

(in no particular order) JESSE MARSCH, PELLEGRINO MATARAZZO, GARETH SOUTHGATE, JULIAN NAGELSMANN, STEVE CHERUNDOLO and PEP GUARDIOLA.

Marsch would have been a great choice … except he was a poor loser when the U.S. Soccer Federation opted for GREG BURKHALTER a few years ago … and his abrasive personality wears thin … despite having success at several stops including current employer, the men’s national team of Canada.

Also among the potential candidates who have been in charge of national teams are Southgate (England) and Nagelsmann (Germany). Cherundolo currently is coach of the U.S. Olympic (under 23) team … while 

Matarazzo was described as “the rare American coach who has succeeded in multiple European leagues.” In his initial season there, he took Real Sociedad to the 2026 Copa del Rey title, said to be the first major trophy won by an American manager in one of Europe’s top five circuits.

CLEARLY, THE BEST option would be Guardiola, who left Manchester City after 10 years of (almost always) being the team to beat in the English Premier League. He won six EPL championships and three international (UEFA) titles featuring world-class players such as ERLING HAALAND, star of Norway’s run to the round of 16. His record overall at ManU was 416W-87D-90L.

From Catalonia, Guardiola earned 47 caps for the Spanish national team as a defensive midfielder … spending the majority of his playing career with FC Barcelona where he was a key member of the Dream Team that ran off four consecutive Spanish league titles (1991-94) in addition to its first European championship.

In 2007 JOSEPH “PEP” GUARDIOLA SALA began a coaching career that has produced an overall winning percentage of 71.3 (744W-164D-135L). Most – if not all -- polls ranking futbol’s all-time best managers list him among the top five … as high as third.

Guardiola, 55, has told people he would like to take over a national team … and his love of this country, especially New York City, has been well-documented. He lived in the Big Apple between jobs with FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Earlier this week it was announced Guardiola had turned down an opportunity to coach Italy’s national team, leading to instant speculation he was talking to the USSF about replacing Pochettino.

Now, the only question is: Will we come up with enough money to satisfy him? If Pochettino was considered worth a reported $8 million, you have to believe Guardiola won’t settle for less than 10 mil.

THIS JUST IN … JURGEN KLOPP signed Friday (July 24) to replace Naglesmann (resigned) as manager/coach of the once-proud German national team which failed to reach the knockout round here. Klopp resigned in 2024 after 10 years building Liverpool into a perennial EPL power, winning it all in 2020. His overall record there was 305W-99D-87L.

His decision to step down caught many people by surprise. The USSF contacted Klopp, 59, but he said he had to take some time off. Of course, if the Americans could come up with a boat-load of money … like $30 million-plus, he probably could be persuaded. Never mind.

Well, the Germans didn’t hesitate, at least not for long. To get Klopp they first had to pay $1 million to Red Bull, for whom he was Director of Global Soccer. Then they agreed to give him a reported $7.6 million-plus annually through the 2030 World Cup.

BY THE WAY, whatever happened to The World’s Greatest Soccer Coach, BRUCE ARENA, who guided our national team to heights not reached before or since … yet was barely mentioned during the recent Cup held on these shores for the first time since 1994?

I know, I know … Arena made some poor choices, like taking over the USMNT in 2017 when JURGEN KLINSMANN could not live up to the hype … and took a winning streak into qualifying only to lose at lowly Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 on an own goal and, thereby, failed to make the 2018 Cup field … which is still being held against him.

Then, during a typically (for him) successful tour in charge of Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution, Arena was suspended for reasons never made public … and therefore became something of a pariah in the profession … despite receiving a pardon from MLS … and currently is coach of the league’s San Jose franchise.

Truth be known, Arena, now 72, probably would be an excellent choice for a bunch of reasons not the least of which he KNOWS the game, and he is just what CHRISTIAN PULISIC and Friends need: a fair but no-nonsense guy who doesn’t suffer fools easily. He won’t go out of his way to be buddy-buddy with the players yet will always have their backs. Nor will he care what the media thinks … which has been the downfall of so many leaders of young men.

Whether The World’s Greatest is interested in giving it another try

is another story. Know what?

Probably ... not.

GUESS WHAT? … Arena reportedly said recently he is not a candidate to be USMNT boss a fourth time.

Barring, say, a mega-salary offer, the native of Brooklyn, N.Y., who put the University of Virginia in soccer’s mainstream, winning six NCAA championships before leaving for newly-created MLS in 1996 and immediately claiming his first of three titles with D.C. United (later taking three more with the LA Galaxy), will end his coaching career in San Jose.

He also was quoted:

-- The USMNT coach should speak English (as his first language) … which Pochettino does not and, therefore, probably led to communication problems 

with his players … especially during times of stress.

-- He thinks the naysayers who insist the U.S., can’t crack the world’s top 10 because we refuse to pay them at an early age (like they do elsewhere) are way, way off base.

“I’m baffled … by the talk this [lack of] pay-for-play is hurting the

national team program. I don’t agree with that,” Arena said. “I think we have more quality players being developed in our country [than ever before].”

While he was at it, TWGSC put in a good word for MLS. “The league is getting better. We’re not there yet, but we are making tremendous progress and, in time, I think we’re going to be up there with the big boys.”

In less than two years, Arena has San Jose up there with the big boys of MLS. The Earthquakes came out of a two-week break to be tied for first in the western conference and ranked fourth overall … despite some serious injury issues.

SO, WHO IS COMING to America? Don’t be surprised if Tuchel, who will turn 53 August 29, gets in line. But, boy, did he blow it with the Three Lions … going into a defensive posture after grabbing a 1-0 advantage late against defending champion Argentina only to lose 2-1 when his strategy left the field heavily tilted in G.O.A.T LIONEL MESSI’s favor.

To make matters worse for Tuchel … England blitzed favored Francec with a 4-0 first-half lead en route to victory in the third-place game. The final was 6-4 as BAKAYU SAKA,who seldom got off the bench previously, contributed three goals for a seldom-seen hat trick.

Sure, it was a meaningless game but that didn’t keep Tuchel from some serious second-guessing. Heck, he deserved it, too.

By the time the next World Cup rolls around in 2030, there should be large number of new faces in charge. Previously announced: DIDIER DESCHAMPS is retiring after 14 years (122W-32D-33L) as coach of Les Blues of France. He will be replaced by former great ZINEDINE ZIDANE who, for all the success he had as a player, is best remembered for head-butting defender MARCO MATARAZZI of Italy in the 110^th minute and being ejected from their 2006 Cup final, won by Italy 5-3 in a shootout after the teams were tied at one.

ALSO ON HIS way out: Argentina’s LIONEL SCALONI … not because his defending champions lost in the final 1-0 to Spain. No, he lost control of his players who embarrassed their country (as well as themselves) by a series of unfortunate post-game ugliness.

After their semifinal victory over England, some of the South Americans 

players carried a banner reigniting tension over the 1982 Falkands war with England … which was in violation of FIFA rules that don’t permit political statements. There was some discussion whether the players should be allowed to face Spain in the final … with predictable results.

Of course, they did.

Then, after some nasty play on the field against Spain … when it was over, what was described as a brawl, Argentina’s LEANDRO PAREDES  allegedly tried to choke Spain’s ERIC GARCIA. While some Spanish dignitaries demanded Paredes be suspended … “for a long time,” one was quoted as saying – a hearing called by FIFA to discuss the situation resulted in no punishment for Paredes. 

In fact, the red card he reportedly received was removed, FIFA said, because there was no rule that covers such things after a game.

(IT SHOULD BE NOTED that Messi was involved in none of the above. He’s either too classy, or too smart – probably both -- to lower himself. Wouldn’t fit the image, now would it?)

Of course, no one expects Messi, who turned 39 June 24, to return either. Then again, it could be a mistake to count him out – despite what he’s been saying. The 2030 Cup will be held in six countries … starting with opening matches in Paraguay, Uruguay and ARGENTINA before moving to Spain, Portugal and Morocco for the balance of group play followed by the knockout rounds. 

Even as a 43 year old, Messi certainly would be in demand and quite a draw … even if he comes off the bench, say, hoping to weave some of the magic he created in late heroics here.

SO … WAS IT the best WC ever? Fox thinks so … having done record viewership, start to finish including 38-million-plus for the final. In all, throwing in nice numbers on Peacock and Telemundo. Spain’s one-sided 1-0 victory did a whopping 62-mil-plus, easily blitzing all other sports in this country … except, of course, the Super Bowl which invariably comes in at well in excess of 100,000.

And, as outrageous as ticket prices were (as expected), there were few empty seats … To think there were serious concerns coming in that spectator interest might also be limited by a water-down lineup of supposedly unworthy teams … going from 32 to 48 teams for the first time … and little, old Cabo Verde (Pop., 500,000-plus) could/should have beaten mighty Spain in the first round, for crying out loud … having to settle for 0-0 instead.

Hard as it is to believe … price clearly was no object of concern for futbol’s fanatics who, for the finale, couldn’t find a ticket for less than $10,000 – yes, TEN GRAND. Average cost was said to be upwards of $12,000… with a high of $40,000-plus… for a sellout crowd downgraded to 73,931 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

STILL, FOR ALL the success, all the goodwill the event generated, it became apparent FIFA has some distinct problems that must be addressed or The Beautiful Game will be too ugly to take but so seriously.

First (and, frankly, least) is the players resorting to acting or, in soccer termination, simulation. In other words, faking … injuries either to con the referee into carding the alleged perpitrator. Or, at the very least, to get a break from the non-stop rigors of a sport that requires a player be in the best possible shape.

There are teams that dare the man in charge to caution them so often, start to finish, that you would swear they actually practice such deception.

For example, Paraguay. Or did you miss matches this year with the USMNT 

But, hey, this has been a problem for a long time, and The World’s Most Popular Sport continues to thrive in spite of it.

OF MUCH GREATER concern … is the VAR or video replay that was supposed to keep the game believable, righting wrongs and thereby becoming the referee’s best friend. Only it hasn’t worked out that way.

There were numerous examples during The Cup, leaving many onlookers including some coaches questioning the motivation behind some of the decisions.

Most obvious of all was FIFA using VAR to overturn a red card

given FOLARIN BALOGUN of the USMNT so he could face Belgium instead of having to sit out a game. 

At first we were told there was nothing FIFA could do about it. Don’t bother to appeal, guys. Rules are rules, and none apply even if you believe the team leader in goals scored was done wrong – which just about everyone (but Arena) rooting for the home team thought was true.

I mean, come on … all Balogun did was stomp on the foot of a player from Bosnia in an out-of-control collision … accidentally, of course. A check of the VAR replay indicated it WAS accidental which led to heavy crying by Pochettino and the rest of the USMNT traveling party. Not to mention the cheerleaders from Fox. We wuz robbed.

While it basically was overlooked at the time, Arena disagreed, saying (in effect) it didn’t matter if Balogun did it on purpose or not. He DID it, and that deserved to be thrown out of the game.

Besides, why was VAR used to make the final decision? That also is against the rules, isn’t it?

A couple of days later FIFA, citing Article 27 (of something or other),

announced its disciplinary committee had decided to replace Balogun’s automatic one-game suspension by putting him on probation for a year.

Naturally, Belgium wasn’t happy, leading to THE Quote of the Tournament ...courtesy its coach RUDY GARCIA who said, “I didn’t know they celebrated April Fool’s Day on July 7.”

Funny man, Garcia, who got the last laugh … handing the Americans a 4-1 embarrassment in which (among other things) he badly out-coached Pochettino.

It probably – make that undoubtedly – was a good thing the Yanks lost ,, and Balogun, like Pulisic, Freese and the rest of his surprisingly-over-matched teammates, was MIA. Had they won, well, all the goodwill generated by the event, held every four years, would have been lost and soon forgotten, replaced by all sorts of finger-pointing … at President Trump, for one, for asking FIFA boss GIANNI INFANTINO to intercede on behalf of Balogun.

Come on, old timer, you don’t think Infantino would do something like that, now do you? GET SERIOUS!!

Until next time ...