The U.S. Soccer Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Host Bobby Warshaw and USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter look back at the final window of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, where the USA faced away contests at Mexico and Costa and an important home match against Panama and ultimately earned qualification to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Gregg and Bobby talk through the USMNT's set-up game-by-game and talk through the ultimate qualification, Gregg's whirlwind trip straight from San Jose, Costa Rica to the draw in Doha, and the USMNT's upcoming preparation for this fall's World Cup. Gregg also recaps the UNC Tarheel's run to the NCAA men's basketball championship game, recalls the best matches he's ever attended, and talks about what kind of soccer media he consumes (spoiler: it might be Chris Russell's @watke_ Twitter account.)

USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter discusses the USA's three-game World Cup Qualifying window to open 2022. The USA defeated El Salvador and Honduras at home and fell away to Canada. Berhalter and host Bobby Warshaw examine individual performances, squad tactics, and discuss the team's position heading into the final window of World Cup Qualifying. You'll also want to stick around for a deep dive into pressing and breaking down a low block and to hear Gregg's thoughts on pasta, backgammon, and Super Mario Bros.

We're excited to drop something just a little bit different in the feed this week. Jordan and Charlie lent the podcast feed to Bobby Warshaw, who sat down with USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter and dug into the preparations for the team's four-game stretch including the upcoming friendly in Switzerland, the Concacaf Nations League semifinals and finals, and a friendly match against Costa Rica in Salt Lake City.

Bobby and Gregg talked player pool, tactics, team goals for this camp, their favorite cereals and even what's on Gregg's on reading list.

Catch up on the USMNT boss's thinking heading into the upcoming camp and beyond. 

Ahead of perhaps the biggest game of his young career, USMNT midfielder Brenden Aaronson joined Charlie and Jordan for the latest episode of The U.S. Soccer Podcast.

Just four months after his move to Europe, the 20-year-old will seek the first part of the Austrian “Double” as Red Bull Salzburg faces LASK Linz in the ÖFB Austrian Cup on Saturday, May 1. The Medford, N.J. native discussed fighting for two pieces of hardware, the pressure that comes with being the biggest club in the country, and the overall decision to join the Austrian giants above other potential moves.

While still in the early stages of his USMNT career, Aaronson had plenty to stay about his first steps with the senior team, reminiscing about his first call-up at age 18, his USMNT debut the following January, what the young group is striving for and the role Gregg Berhalter has played in his development so far.

Fresh off her historic 300th (and soon thereafter, 301st) cap for the U.S. Women’s National Team, Carli Lloyd joins Jordan and Charlie for the latest episode of The U.S. Soccer Podcast. Back in her home state of New Jersey, Lloyd recently returned from the USWNT’s European tour. During that two-game trip, the USA extend its unbeaten streak to 39 consecutive games and on April 10, Lloyd achieved a monumental milestone of her own. Becoming just the third player in the history of international soccer to reach 300 caps.

The two-time World Cup Champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA World Player of the Year discussed how she remains motivated and hungry for more, despite a career that many could only dream of. She also sheds lights into some of the individual and collective struggles that she says helped set her up for success down the road.

In her 17 years with the U.S. Women’s National Team, Lloyd has played for five head coaches and competed at four World Cups and three Olympics. She discusses her ability to both stay consistent throughout a changing environment as well as the ways in which she has had to grow, evolve, and learn new positions over the course of her career.

One of the most decorated players in U.S. Women’s National Team history and one of the greatest competitors to ever wear The Crest, Lloyd gives an honest, inspiring, and self-reflective account of her remarkable journey in the game. You will not want to miss it.

Jordan and Charlie one of the more fascinating current figures in the U.S. Men’s National Team pool, French-based forward, Nicholas Gioacchini. Never called up for a National Team camp at any level before last November, Nico made the most of his first USMNT camp, scoring a brace in his first start to push the USA to a 6-2 victory against Panama.

The 20-year-old explained how he and his family have bounced back and forth between the United States and Europe, from Kansas City, to Parma, Italy, the Washington, D.C. suburbs and on to Paris. Along the way, Gioacchini developed a relentless style of play that led him to launch his professional career in France with Paris FC and later moving on to his current club, Caen.

His performances for the Ligue 2 side led to his USMNT call-up in November, but even though he was excited, Gioacchini admitted almost feeling “confused” by how quickly everything happened for him. Going from playing reserve football less than a year earlier, to stepping into the National Team with Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, Gioacchini quickly dispelled any nerves with his memorable two-goal performance against Panama, saying that he knew he belonged after that.

It's no surprise that one of the all-time greats for the USWNT joined us for one of the all-time great episodes of the U.S. Soccer Podcast. Former USWNT Forward Heather O'Reilly brought her famous game face and high energy to the podcast to dig deep into her career with Jordan and Charlie. HAO takes us way back to humble beginnings in New Jersey, playing on the national team as a high schooler and making her way into USWNT national history and brings us behind-the-scenes, from the locker room after Carli Lloyd's first-half hat-trick in the World Cup final, to some shenanigans with the gals at her wedding.

Nearly a year on from the launch of the U.S. Soccer Podcasts,  Charlie Davies and Jordan Angeli have found it telling how often former U.S. Men’s National Team alumni would tell them the best they ever played with was John O’Brien.

So, we brought him on the podcast!

A talented young U.S. player in a time before an academy setup existed here, O’Brien explained his decision to venture to the Netherlands to sign with famed Dutch side Ajax at age 17. Once there he rose through the ranks of the youth teams to become a starter in the UEFA Champions League, win two Eredivisie titles and a Dutch Cup.

He also reflected on his eight years representing the USMNT, including his integral role in the team’s run to the quarterfinals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup as well as the U-23’s fourth place finish at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Reflecting back on his international career, the talented midfielder discussed his favorite memory – a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica on Oct. 7, 2001 in Foxborough. He vividly remembered the USMNT being the first National Team in any sport to represent the United States after the Sept. 11 attacks, and recalled how the team learned of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan just hours before kickoff of the match that would see the team qualify for the 2002 World Cup.

Despite all his accomplishments, O’Brien’s career was riddled by injuries and he retired following the 2006 FIFA World Cup. After leaving the game he went to school and recently earned his doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology. Now Dr. O’Brien explained how he’s using his own experience as a former player to work with athletes today and what he would tell his younger self today.

In the latest edition of The U.S. Soccer Podcast, Jordan and Charlie welcome current U.S. Men’s National Team defender Mark McKenzie.

One of the latest young USMNT players to make the move to Europe, the center back discussed how his adjustment to life in Belgium, how his time coming up with the Philadelphia Union prepared him for the move and gave background on his decision to move to Jupiler League side Genk.

While he’s still one of the club’s new faces, the 22-year-old made clear what his future aspirations in Europe are.

McKenzie shifted to talk about what he’s done internationally, including what he learned as captain of the U-20 USMNT at the 2019 World Cup, a tough conversation he had with USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter which served as a wakeup call during his first senior team camp and the fond memories he has of his first team debut on Feb. 1, 2020 vs. Costa Rica.

Finally, McKenzie discussed what Black History Month means to him after the last year and the role he played in the USMNT’s “Be The Change” initiative.

Former USWNT defender and current soccer analyst Danielle Slaton moderates a conversation between NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert as they discuss their career paths, uplifting women in sport, navigating challenges and what is to come in their respective leagues.