Welcome to the Footy Fix newsletter, delivering you the best news and stories in the world of American soccer!
This week, we got stories on Marco Reus admitting he doesn’t understand MLS rules, Brek Shea and Geoff Cameron calling out MLS because of lack of opportunities for American players, Tim Howard’s toughest moment of his life, and much more.
Plus, Jozy Altidore showed up to the Super Bowl with a U.S. Soccer jacket and Buffalo Bills hat. So let’s dive in!
This week’s stories
Pressing Questions about the NWSL Settlement.
Marco Reus said he doesn’t understand MLS rules.
Brek Shea and Geoff Cameron called out MLS and the MLSPA.
Tim Howard spoke about the toughest moment of his life.
How MLS can WIN over American Fans.
Eddie Pope’s story on how he got into soccer.
Pro soccer is coming to Lancaster, California.
LA Galaxy to build a statue for Cobi Jones.
Hope Solo to play soccer again for the first time in nine years.
Jozy Altidore showed up to the Super Bowl representing USMNT and Buffalo Bills.
Is the $5 million NWSL settlement ENOUGH?
The NWSL just settled for $5 million after years of abuse scandals—but is that anywhere near enough? Owners cashed out with millions, U.S. Soccer walked away untouched, and key questions remain unanswered. We break down what this means for the league, the players, and the future of the sport. Read the full story here.
Reus Scratches His Head at MLS Rules
In a video uploaded by Total LA Galaxy on Instagram, Marco Reus said he doesn’t understand MLS rules.
Since winning the MLS Cup in December, LA Galaxy have lost Gastón Brugman, Jalen Neal, Mark Delgado, and Dejan Joveljić.
Reus, who’s hungry for more trophies, is far from happy.
“When you’re a champion, the next year, you have a smaller budget in the league. That means you can’t buy good players anymore even if you lose two or three good players,” he said while riding a bike around town.
“I don’t understand the rules honestly. It is how it is. I think it will be a long fu*king season. February until October, and then the playoffs.”
“We are the champions, but nobody cares here [looks around as people walk by him].”
“Are we gonna defend the title? I hope so. It will be difficult, we lost too many good players. So our general manager has to buy some big players. I don’t want to be last this season.“
MLSPA Not Stepping Up?
In a video for The Ground Training Club Instagram page, former USMNT players Geoff Cameron and Brek Shea spoke up about lack of opportunities for Americans in MLS and called out the MLS Players’ Association.
Shea: “If we just invested more at the youth level. We’ve got so many talented players that just fall to the cracks. And for an American player to get a decent contract, he’s got to play five years.”
Cameron: “Look at Inter Miami for a perfect example right? How many American players are playing on that team that are getting good opportunities week in and week out?”
“Not many. I know in what we experienced over in England. We had to take work permits to prove that we were taking an English player’s job.”
“You think of what they’ve changed now to really invest in the English players, and their youth national teams have done really well. Look at the player they’ve developed. There are waves of players. We should be doing that!”
“We have the foreigner DPs. There will be another grandfathered in.”
Shea: “How many American DPs have there been ever? Not many.”
Cameron: “Until they get rid of that whole group of people, we need pitbulls in there.”
“You know how the Players’ Association was over there in England, and they take care of the players.”
“When we had the conversation with the [MLSPA] President, and we said we want to do something, we’ll sort it out, we want to give players an outlet.”
“And they wouldn’t help their players. You’re supposed to be looking after the players, but yet, you care about what?”
“Fans don’t really know about the ins and outs of things. The Players’ Association is supposed to help the players but yet they’ve done a very poor job. When I came back [from England], I was just shocked.”
Cameron is a 2014 World Cup veteran who played 55 times for the USMNT. The versatile and tough defender was a mainstay at Stoke City for years in the Premier League. He also played for QPR, Houston Dynamo, and FC Cincinnati before retiring in 2023.
Shea also spent time in Stoke, but didn’t have a good European career like Cameron did. After breaking out at FC Dallas, the winger spent some time in England with Stoke, Barnsley, and Birmingham but came back to MLS after a year.
He eventually became a left-back, turning up for teams like Orlando, Vancouver Whitecaps, Atlanta United, and Inter Miami. He had 34 caps for the USMNT and also retired in 2023 to start The Ground Training Club with Cameron.
The Ground Training Club brings professional training facilities and informed training to the U.S. communities.
Tim Howard Opens Up
After his divorce, it was very hard for USMNT legend Tim Howard to see his kids, and it was the toughest moment of his life.
Now, he cherishes every moment he gets to spend with his daughter Ali Howard, who plays soccer for the University of Tennessee.
“While playing in England, my ex-wife and I got divorced. I had two young kids and they went back to the States,” he said in Wide Open podcast with Ashlyn Harris.
“Sadly, because it’s the Premier League and it’s what we do, there’s no days off. I had to beg my coach to give me one or two days off every month or 60 days to hop on a flight across the Atlantic. I’d connect in Atlanta, go to Memphis to see the kiddos for 36 hours. Then I’d hop back on a plane to do it all over again.”
“I know it sounds crazy, it is crazy. At the time you think it’s impossible but you’d do anything for your kids. I remember thinking if that didn’t break me, nothing would. It served me well.”
“This weekend, I hopped in the car and drove four hours to watch my daughter play for two hours and then drove back.”
“I complained once or twice on the way and then I thought, ‘Tim, you dreamt of these days. To be close enough to hop in a car and grab a water and drive to see your kid play’.”
“So that gave me perspective.”
How MLS Can Win Over American Fans
For once, Eric Wynalda has nice things to say about MLS owners. 👀
In the next episode of Unleashed, he breaks down how the league’s decision-makers are finally stepping up and making moves that could change the future of American soccer.
Don’t miss it—watch the teaser now ⬇️
Eddie Pope Origins
You may know Eddie Pope as arguably the best defender to play for the USMNT. What you may not know is, he had no interest in soccer as a kid.
Instead, he wanted to play baseball and football like his father. He only started playing soccer because he was late to YMCA signups.
“Growing up here in the U.S., soccer wasn’t really on my radar because no one in my family had ever played soccer,” Pope told The New Ground Show.
“My father played baseball and football, so that’s what I wanted to play.” “When I went to go sign up [at YMCA], it was too late and the only thing left on the board was soccer.”
“He [his father] was like do you want to try it? And I was kind of like not really, but if there’s nothing else to play then might as well play soccer.”
It didn’t turn out too badly. Pope went on to play in three World Cups and earned 82 caps for the USMNT. He also helped D.C. United win three MLS Cups and a CONCACAF Champions League.
Being late one day for YMCA signups completely changed Pope’s life trajectory.
New Year, New Team
It’s an exciting time for Lancaster, California. Pro soccer is coming very soon.
AV Alta FC were founded back in 2023. They will start playing in the USL League One next month.
John Smelzer, an entrepreneur who worked with U.S. Soccer Federation during the 1994 World Cup, is the founder and will serve as the president. The first coach of the club is Southern California native Brian Kleiban, who has experience with youth academies of Barcelona USA, Chivas USA, and LA Galaxy.
The club released a beautiful green home kit and spent $17 million to fix up Lancaster Municipal Stadium, which will have 5,300 seats including a safe standing supporter’ terrace.
The first signing of AV Alta FC is a one-time USMNT player Miguel Ibarra, who is a Lancaster native so it’s only fitting that he is their first ever player.
The first ever official game of AV Alta FC will be against South Georgia Tormenta FC on March 15. Just three days later, the club will have a home opener against Ventura County Fusion in the U.S. Open Cup.
The first home game for the USL League One season will be on April 5 against Westchester SC— a team Tyler Adams recently invested in. It’s great to see soccer growing in all areas of the U.S.
Honoring a Legend
LA Galaxy will honor club and USMNT legend Cobi Jones with a statue.
They announced recently that Jones will be immortalized with a statue at their stadium— set to be unveiled in 2026.
It will be just before U.S. hosts their second World Cup. Jones became a star when the U.S. hosted the World Cup for the first time in 1994.
The midfielder joined the USMNT in 1992 after his time at UCLA. After the 1994 World Cup, he went off to England to sign his first professional contract with Coventry City.
After impressing with the USMNT in the 1995 Copa América, Jones left Europe for an adventure in Brazil with Vasco da Gama. When MLS was launched in 1996, he came back home to Southern California and joined LA Galaxy.
Jones spent 11 years with LA Galaxy, winning two MLS Cups, CONCACAF Champions’ Cup, and two U.S. Open Cups. He is still connected with the club as he commentates their games, as well as USMNT games for FOX Sports.
The midfielder played in three World Cups for the USMNT and became the all-time leader in appearances with 164 games. It will be hard for any USMNT player to beat that record.
Solo Comeback
USWNT legend Hope Solo hasn’t played soccer since her contract termination from the national team in 2016. Nine years later, she’s suiting up again for TST aka The Soccer Tournament this summer.
“I’m incredibly excited not only to enter Solo FC, but also to make my comeback to the field,” Solo said in a statement.
“TST has done some amazing things to grow the game for women and I’m proud to be a part of it. I’m as competitive as ever, and I can’t wait to unveil the team that will win the $1 million grand prize.”
Solo’s contract was terminated by U.S. Soccer in 2016 after she called the Swedish team “cowards” following a loss in the Olympics. She also had legal issues around that time.
“I haven’t played in any way whatsoever since then. The day I got fired from U.S. Soccer, I went to my Seattle Reign team and told them, by principle, I wouldn’t be able to finish my season with them,” Solo told The Athletic.
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I had to walk away that day. The moment I did, my life changed so dramatically. I never touched a ball again, I had shoulder surgery— full replacement.”
“I moved my entire family across the country, we built a home from scratch, and life just changed. I didn’t miss [playing soccer].”
However, now that almost nine years have passed, the 43-year-old is ready to make her comeback. And her goal isn’t only to win the whole thing, but also to beat the U.S. team in the tournament— which will be led by her former USWNT teammates Heather O’Reilly, Carli Lloyd, and Ali Krieger.
“When you have a team that calls themselves the ‘U.S. Team,’ everybody, not just myself, would want to beat that team,” the former USWNT keeper said.
“The target is on their back, for sure. I have the underdog in me. I’ve always cheered for the underdog.”
Solo also spoke about what type of team she will bring to TST. “I’m trying to do something totally new,” she told The Athletic.
“I’m trying to bring together this worldwide, global team that shows the world that there are all these other diamonds in the rough.”
“We will have some unknown heroines, players that are from communities or clubs or countries where the funding just isn’t there, or they certainly lack funding in comparison to the U.S. Soccer Federation of course.”
“Can’t wait to debut the most dynamic, diverse, and dedicated team that women’s soccer has ever seen— Solo FC.”
Solo is arguably the best goalkeeper to have played for the USWNT, with 202 appearances. She helped the team win two Olympic gold medals and a World Cup.
The keeper also won two World Cup Golden Gloves and was inducted to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2022.
Fútbol Meets Football
You might’ve seen photos of Atlético Madrid duo Koke and Antoine Griezmann at the Super Bowl, but look who’s with them, former USMNT striker Jozy Altidore.
He showed up to the Super Bowl with the USMNT jacket and a Buffalo Bills hat.
He recently joined the Bills ownership group. The Bills missed out on the Super Bowl because they lost to Kansas City Chiefs. So it’s safe to assume that Altidore rooted against them.
The big striker also spoke to Telemundo in fluent Spanish. He spent time in Spain and Mexico as a player.
Altidore said he would be a kicker if he had played in NFL, spoke about how the U.S. is ready to host the World Cup and make soccer’s popularity explode here, and backed Mauricio Pochettino to win big things for the USMNT.
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