Double NYCFC disappointment amid injury crisis, USMNT World Cup roster likes and dislikes

NYCFC with a World Cup trio, plus lots of loan intrigue

As the World Cup fast approaches, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh begin this episode focused on the United States men's national team and their next-to-last friendly before the real tournament action begins. The conversation starts with some highs and lows from the 3-2 USMNT win over Senegal, but the real heart of the conversation: What Mauricio Pochettino has planned for the USMNT at goalkeeper [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/gotham-fc-picks-up-another-shutout-win-as-jordynn-dudley-goal-beats-houston/]. Matt Freese of New York City FC made the final 26-man roster for the World Cup, but he was an unused substitute in what was an experimental, 11-substitutes-allowed friendly. What does that mean for Freese's chances to start at the World Cup? Whether he's the starter or not might still be up for debate, but what is certain: Freese will have two other club teammates joining him on the world's biggest soccer stage, as both Aiden O'Neill and Kai Trewin made the final 26 for Australia. There's talk of relief to see Aiden O'Neill back healthy and playing, after he went 67 minutes in Australia's most recent friendly against Mexico following a spell of absences for NYCFC after he went off injured on May 3 against DC United. There's also the simple fact that NYCFC will have three members of their team at the World Cup, a first considering only one previous active NYCFC player has ever seen the pitch at a World Cup. This episode wraps up with three different NYCFC loan situations that had recent news pop up [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/new-york-city-fc-tracker-all-2026-news-and-rumors-nycfc-mls/]. First, there's Mitja Ilenič, who got buried at Raków Częstochowa and is now reportedly drawing transfer interest from the champions of the first division in his homeland of Slovenia, NK Celje. Then there's James Sands, officially departing a relegated FC St. Pauli, and with his next destination unclear. Might we realistically see him back with NYCFC this summer? Finally, there's the bizarre situation where Corinthians owes NYCFC [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/corinthians-still-reportedly-owes-new-york-city-fc-millions-for-talles-magno-loan/] lots of cash over the Talles Magno loan deal, a discussion that eventually leads back to wondering over the future and plan for Talles Magno, with fresh calls for it to finally be time to move on from the Brazilian Designated Player. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/], or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal [https://x.com/nysoccerjournal] and @NYSJPodcast [https://x.com/NYSJPodcast], on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com [https://bsky.app/profile/nysoccerjournal.com], and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal [https://www.instagram.com/newyorksoccerjournal/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Double NYCFC disappointment amid injury crisis, USMNT World Cup roster likes and dislikes

New York City FC [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/tag/nycfc/] finally reached the two-month break in MLS action for the FIFA World Cup, but not before losing twice in one week while also losing more important players to injuries. First, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh review the anticlimactic end to NYCFC's run in this year's US Open Cup, a 1-0 loss in Columbus [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/new-york-city-fc-vs-columbus-open-cup-match-report-highlights-analysis-2/] that showed how hard it will be for Pascal Jansen's team to replace what they've lost in the injured Maxi Moralez. It's a loss that your hosts attribute to nonexistent squad depth, exhaustion, and a return to form for the Crew as they looked rejuvenated while playing under a new head coach. The vibes didn't get better from there, as NYCFC followed up their midweek Cup quarterfinal loss with a frustrating defeat to Nashville SC [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/nycfc-vs-nashville-match-report-mls-matchday-15-2026/] to close out the 15-match slate of MLS games they played before the league hit pause for the World Cup. The chances were there for New York City to get something positive, and they did enjoy a few positive moments thanks to the continually-impressive Nico Fernández Mercau and the resurgent Malachi Jones. Yet this was another game defined by a set-piece goal conceded, an injury-depleted lineup, and a failure to take full advantage of the few key chances that were present while facing the current leaders in the race for the Supporters' Shield. We also take stock of where NYCFC stands now as the league reaches this midseason break, and how our views on this year's squad have changed after 15 MLS matches. That conversation can't happen without providing an update on the many injured NYCFC players, including Maxi Moralez (ACL) and Kevin O'Toole (abdomen/groin) each needing surgery, Keaton Parks getting scratched during warm-ups before the Open Cup match, the list goes on. After going deep on NYCFC in the first half of the show, we touch on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani securing 1,000 $50 World Cup tickets for New York City residents, and the significance [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/timothy-weah-mauricio-pochettino-fifa-world-cup-tickets-opinion/] of Mamdani enlisting New York native, Olympique de Marseille winger, and Brooklyn FC co-owner Timothy Weah to announce the discounted ticket offer. The show wraps up by diving into the leaked United States men's national team roster [https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/23/usmnt-world-cup-roster-alejandro-zendejas-tanner-tessmann-gio-reyna-diego-luna] for the World Cup, which includes NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese, and also includes a handful of other surprising or discussion-worthy inclusions and omissions. That means we're talking Diego Luna snubs, the value of Gio Reyna and Alejandro Zendejas, the importance of Tyler Adams's health to the midfield, and more. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/], or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal [https://x.com/nysoccerjournal] and @NYSJPodcast [https://x.com/NYSJPodcast], on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com [https://bsky.app/profile/nysoccerjournal.com], and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal [https://www.instagram.com/newyorksoccerjournal/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brooklyn FC's Taimu Okiyoshi on his journey from Japan to college soccer to the pros

In a special edition of The Soccer Journal Podcast, Brooklyn FC [https://www.brooklynfootballclub.com/] midfielder Taimu Okiyoshi [https://www.instagram.com/taimu_okiyoshi/] joins Andrew Leigh [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/author/andrew-leigh/] for a wide-ranging conversation about Taimu's remarkable path to being a professional soccer player with New York's newest expansion team. From growing up in Japan to making the move to the United States on his own to play college soccer and chase his pro soccer dream, Taimu walks us through his unique route, beginning with a stint playing at a junior college in Utah, to then starring for Marshall University as The Thundering Herd made a run to the 2024 College Cup. We discuss what he learned from his first professional season, which was split between Rhode Island FC and Westchester SC, and how that difficult year helped prepare him for the challenges and opportunities in front of him as he tries to establish himself with Brooklyn FC and in the USL Championship. After living in Japan, Utah, West Virginia, Rhode Island, and now New York, Taimu has seen a lot, and he's candid, compelling, and honest when discussing topics like living in New York City, the state of American and college soccer, emulating the legendary Yasuhito Endō, and his long-term MLS ambitions. He also sheds valuable light on playing under Brooklyn head coach Marlon LeBlanc and GM Brian McBride, what it means to have a coach who trusts him to play freely and without fear of mistakes, and what Brooklyn is collectively focused on as the club tries to turn their form around following a slow start to life in the USL Championship. Listen to the full conversation, then be sure to find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/], or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal [https://x.com/nysoccerjournal] and @NYSJPodcast [https://x.com/NYSJPodcast], on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com [https://bsky.app/profile/nysoccerjournal.com], and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal [https://www.instagram.com/newyorksoccerjournal/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Four-point week, serious Maxi Moralez injury, Open Cup quarterfinal preview

Two away matches and four points collected for New York City FC, so this episode starts with our assessment of the performances in the win over Charlotte FC [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/new-york-city-fc-charlotte-match-report-analysis-highlights-mls-2026/] and the draw with the Red Bulls [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/new-york-city-fc-andres-perea-pascal-jansen-interviews-2026/]. There's talk of defensive improvement, an eye-catching substitute appearance from Malachi Jones in the Hudson River Derby, and some missed opportunities to take all three points home from Harrison, New Jersey. There is also some major Maxi Moralez injury news to discuss, as his serious knee injury [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/new-york-city-fc-tracker-all-2026-news-and-rumors-nycfc-mls/] suffered against the Red Bulls hangs a cloud over all things. There's talk of what the injury could mean for NYCFC's season, and the difficult question of how the club replaces its irreplaceable No 10 is once again raised. The episode closes with a preview of the US Open Cup quarterfinal in Columbus, where a new Crew coach awaits. Columbus is struggling down in 13th place in the Eastern Conference and NYCFC beat them convincingly only 10 days ago, but the trip to Ohio to face a squad playing their first match post-coach firing could be trickier than it seems. We then cover NYCFC's final MLS match prior to the World Cup break, the daunting road trip to face Nashville SC, the current leaders in the race for the Supporters' Shield. Sam Surridge isn't available, but Hany Mukhtar is, and coming off the hugely important Open Cup quarterfinal, your hosts are not expecting much in the final MLS match played before late-July. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/], or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal [https://x.com/nysoccerjournal] and @NYSJPodcast [https://x.com/NYSJPodcast], on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com [https://bsky.app/profile/nysoccerjournal.com], and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal [https://www.instagram.com/newyorksoccerjournal/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Blueprint: What should the MLS All-Star Game be?

What will it take to make the MLS All-Star Game more interesting? The annual midseason showcase of the league's top players has changed a lot since MLS was born, but it remains a very American sports-coded concept applied awkwardly to the world's game. On this latest episode of The Blueprint [https://www.nysoccerjournal.com/the-blueprint-what-is-pascalball/], your hosts John Baney and Trey Fillmore go through the long and winding history of the MLS All-Star Game, from its early days as an all-MLS affair, to the foreign super-club era of the MLS All-Stars playing the likes of Bayern Munich or Arsenal, through to the current version pitting MLS against a collection of top players from Mexico's Liga MX. Having the MLS All-Stars play some Liga MX All-Stars hasn't been enough to move the needle and make this annual exhibition more relevant or enticing, so John and Trey also discuss possible ways to overhaul the format of the MLS All-Star experience. They draw some inspiration from other major American sports' versions, and propose creative fixes, like small-sided matches or gamified brackets, with the aim of giving the exhibition some much-needed juice. Then it's time to get into who deserves an All-Star vote based on their work in MLS this season. John and Trey walk through each position of the mandated 4-3-3 All-Star voting formation and make the case for who belongs in the MLS All-Star XI. Trey gets a media vote for this year's All-Star squad, so unlike the All-Star Game itself, this conversation actually means something. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.