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GOAL breaks down Gregg Berhalter's 26-man squad, from the surprise calls-ups to the shocking omissions.

On Sunday afternoon, members of the U.S. men’s national team felt their phones buzz. One by one, their screens lit up with a text from Gregg Berhalter, all with the same message.

“Hey, are you available to talk?”

As everyone knows, there are few scarier messages from a boss than that. When it comes from your national team coach just days before a World Cup roster is announced, it can cause your heart to stop entirely.

For 26 of the players that received that text, what ensued was a dream come true. That text was followed by a video call with Berhalter that confirmed they’d be going to the World Cup. Smiles, laughs, tears of joy all in equal measure.

But, for others, the news devastated. The nature of the squad-trimming system forced Berhalter to crush the dreams of some players who had been a part of the program’s difficult rebuild throughout the last four years.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll find out if Berhalter made the right decisions.

For now, here’s a look at the biggest winners and losers from Wednesday’s roster announcement.

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  WINNER: Surprises

  There was no Landon Donovan-esque omission from this squad. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna, the team’s big stars, are all involved as expected.

  But there were some omissions that few could have seen a few months ago, and some inclusions that have played their way onto the roster from purgatory.

  Tim Ream is one of those latter players, as is Shaq Moore. Neither was really involved recently and both looked like players destined to miss out.

  Haji Wright was another stunner, having seemingly fallen out of the picture after this summer. Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris, meanwhile, were always on the bubble, and both heard their name called on Sunday.

  No roster prediction is ever 100 percent accurate as there are always twists and turns before a World Cup, and there may still be more if someone were to suffer an injury in the run-up to the tournament. But it's safe to say that Berhalter threw in a few wrinkles that few saw coming, with the biggest being the next on our list…

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  LOSER: Zack Steffen

  The one that no one would have ever seen coming before this week.

  For the better part of four years, Zack Steffen was the USMNT’s starter. He was the No. 1 all through World Cup qualifiers and, despite the rise of Matt Turner, Berhalter seemingly leaned towards Steffen in the USMNT’s goalkeeper race.

  And that race is now over. Turner is in the squad. Steffen is not.

  When asked why that is, Berhalter wasn’t fully willing to go into details. He preferred to talk about the guys he does have, he said. He talked up Turner’s skill set, Sean Johnson’s leadership, Ethan Horvath’s willingness to step up when called up on.

  What Berhalter did say, though, was how hard it was to tell Steffen the news that he wouldn’t be part of the 26.

  "It was a lot of emotion involved for them and me," Berhalter said of his call with Steffen. "Me and Zack go way back and he's been there for me a bunch of times, so to tell him that he wasn't going to be a part of the World Cup team was heartbreaking. But these are the decisions that have to be made."

  The fact is that Steffen simply hasn’t played enough over the last two years. His time as Ederson’s backup at Manchester City may have made him better, but it hasn’t made him sharper. He hasn’t played like the USMNT’s No. 1 in some time, but it is surprising to see that he isn’t No. 2 or No. 3.

  At just 27, Steffen’s World Cup dreams may not be over. He’s a very good goalkeeper, and goalkeepers get better with age. Who knows where he is in a few years when 2026 rolls around?

  This one will hurt, though, and rightfully so, for a player that always seemed to be destined to start in Qatar.

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  WINNER: Tim Ream

  When asked to explain why he’d selected Tim Ream, a player that hadn’t put on a USMNT jersey in more than a year, Berhalter offered a simple explanation.

  “Have you watched any Fulham games lately?”

  And that statement, in many ways, is more than enough justification for including the 35-year-old central defender.

  Ream has been incredible for Fulham this season, serving as the club’s captain in the Premier League after leading them back from the Championship last season. You could easily argue he’s the USMNT’s most in-form central defender at a time when form matters most. Add in the fact that he’ll be very, very familiar with most players involved with group-mates England and Wales and you have all the reason needed to bring Ream in.

  Now the question is where he fits. Walker Zimmerman is all but solidified as the No. 1  center back, but there is still some debate when it comes to his partner. We now know it's down to three: Ream, Aaron Long and Cameron Carter-Vickers.

  Long is probably the favorite as he’s partnered Zimmerman the most. But, if it does come down to playing with Ream, Zimmerman says he’s more than okay with it.

  "He's one of those guys that can come in and fit in right away due to that experience and leadership," Zimmerman said. "So we feel confident with him and he's obviously performing at a really high level this year for Fulham. We believe in him on and off the field and I'm excited that he made the squad."

  Zimmerman's partner may be TBD, but Ream may just get his chance after spending an entire year out of the picture.

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  LOSER: Ricardo Pepi

  From the USMNT’s No. 9 of the future to missing the World Cup entirely, the last year or so has been a nightmare for Ricardo Pepi.

  His move to Augsburg totally backfired as his struggles in the Bundesliga dropped him out of the picture completely. He’s now been left out of the World Cup despite a strong start on loan with Groningen, with Berhalter opting to bring Jesus Ferreira, Josh Sargent and Haji Wright to Qatar.

  It’s another horrible lesson in what happens when a transfer goes wrong. A year ago, Pepi was the hottest prospect in American soccer. But his move to Augsburg, a bad team with a bad attack, stifled his momentum to the point where he was leapfrogged by at least three of his competitors.

  This won’t be Pepi’s last chance, not by a long shot. The teenage striker has brighter days ahead, with his spell at Groningen so far proving that the talent everyone saw in him a year ago is still very much there.

  But spare a thought for Pepi, a young player who will certainly be heartbroken to miss out on a dream opportunity. Brighter days may be ahead, but this one will sting for a while given the position he was in just one year ago.

Manchester City fans are far from happy after it was revealed Benjamin Mendy, Gabriel Jesus, Aymeric Laporte, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva could all be sold this summer.

The 2020/21 season is now officially over, and the Citizens can look back on a campaign which included extreme highs and of course one devastating low.

They came away with two trophies, winning the Premier League and the League Cup, but the one thing they want the most, the Champions League, slipped from their grasp as they lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the final in Porto last Saturday.

Plans will already be underway to prepare for the new campaign, and there could be a number of players leaving the club. According to Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail, as many as six first-team regulars could be moved on this summer.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform the share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the Man City fans had to say about the news below

“What are we doing”

Credit: @rkmcr6

“Wait mahrez??? Nahhh and Bernardo?? Wth peps lost it”

Credit: @alexquintani11a

“Excuse me!? Bubblegum and Aymeric shouldn’t be on this list lol!! Riyad has been good as well hahaha.”

Credit: @aviwe_m16

“gabby, bernardo and mahrez it would be a big loss for us”

Credit: @thegbzz

“genuinely can’t fathom why bernardo silva would want to leave. absolutely baffling.”

Credit: @mattmcfc_

“Why on earth would Mahrez and Bernardo want to leave??? Literally two of our most important players and they know it. They play near to every game when they are needed. Surely this has to be fake”

Credit: @QJweRfWQ4YzvJ8R

In other news, Man City fans slammed this man’s performance in the Champions League final.

GOAL analyses major happenings in the concluded campaign held in Cameroon

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  Sikazwe show

  In the Group F match featuring Mali and Tunisia staged in Limbe on January 12, both teams were desperate for victory. Mali went on to score their goal through Ibrahima Kone – from the penalty spot – while the Carthage Eagles wasted their chance courtesy of Wahbi Khazri.

  However, the spotlight was on Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe; he reportedly failed to stop his watch and went on to blow the final whistle in the 85th minute. He was corrected but again ended the game with a few seconds remaining in regulation time. Tunisia, later on, refused to return to the pitch to play the final few minutes. It was later revealed Sikazwe had health issues that affected him.

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  Algeria's elimination

  Coming into the competition, favourites Algeria had gone 34 matches without tasting defeat. However, things did not go for them as planned.

  Sierra Leone held them to a goalless draw before Equatorial Guinea claimed a shocking 1-0 win. They fell 3-1 to Ivory Coast and were eliminated from the competition. It was unexpected but it happened, giving them a chance to go back to the drawing board.

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  Ghana's humiliating exit

  Just like the former champions, Ghana were considered among the favourites and nobody would have predicted they would fall in the first hurdle. Things did not work out for the West African nation from the first game where they lost to Morocco by a solitary goal.

  There were ugly scenes in the 1-1 draw with Gabon that saw Benjamin Tetteh get suspended for three games, before a 3-2 loss to debutants Comoros sent them packing. Questions will be asked about the impact of Andre and Jordan Ayew. Will they redeem their reputation in the World Cup qualifiers?

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  Mukansanga makes history

  Rwanda referee Salima Rhadia Mukansanga made history as the first-ever woman referee to officiate in the Africa Cup of Nations when she blew the whistle for Zimbabwe's surprise 2-1 victory over Guinea on January 18.

  The 35-year-old, who had already served as the fourth official during the Malawi versus Guinea fixture, took charge of the Group B clash at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium.

LAFC's rout over D.C. United solidified the second-year team's place atop Major League Soccer's rankings, while the Timbers hit rock bottom.

Los Angeles FC's trip to Audi Field to face D.C. United was seen as the chance to figure out which of the then-unbeatens was the class of Major League Soccer at the moment. Four LAFC goals later, there was no doubt which teams has to be called the best in the league.

LAFC's fifth win of the season was its most impressive, as Bob Bradley's side thoroughly dominated D.C. United on the way to a 4-0 victory that cemented LAFC's place atop the Supporters' Shield standings.

The Seattle Sounders are still within range of LAFC, but their 1-0 victory against Real Salt Lake wasn't exactly impressive. Raul Ruidiaz's absence with an injury hindered Seattle's attack, but Nicolas Lodeiro delivered some magic to secure the Sounders' fourth victory in five matches.

Three teams boast three-game winning streaks after week six, LAFC, the LA Galaxy and the Philadelphia Union. Alejandro Bedoya's stoppage-time winner helped the Union pull of a dramatic late comeback against FC Dallas, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic led the Galaxy to an impressive road win against Vancouver. The Union will face the Galaxy next weekend.

On the wrong end of streaks are the New York Red Bulls, who have suddenly suffered three straight defeats after their 2-1 home loss to Minnesota United. Chris Armas' side has struggled to find the defensive stinginess and attacking efficiency that lead the Red Bulls to the Supporters' Shield last season.

The two teams mired in the worst losing runs at the moment are a pair of 2019 playoff teams, the Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake. They're both stuck in four-match losing slides, with Portland's 3-0 loss to San Jose feeling like rock bottom for a team in the midst of a 12-match road trip to start the season. The Timbers reached the MLS Cup final just five months ago, but now find themselves at the bottom of the MLS power rankings.

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

• 1Portland Timbers (0-4-1)

  The Timbers have hit a new low after being thrashed by the San Jose Earthquakes. Diego Valeri had a day to forget, missing a penalty kick and committing a turnover that led directly to an Earthquakes goal. Things get no easier, with another seven road games to go, and upcoming trips to Dallas, Columbus and Toronto.

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• 2Vancouver Whitecaps (0-4-1)

  Marc Dos Santos is still searching for his first victory as Whitecaps coach following the 2-0 loss to the Galaxy with a match against the Chicago Fire looming.

• 3Colorado Rapids (0-4-2)

  Another loss and another four goals allowed for the worst defense in MLS. The Rapids are scoring goals, but their leaky back-line keeps giving up leads. The good news for the Rapids is they have two home games coming up. The bad news is those games are against Seattle and D.C. United, two of the best attacks in MLS.

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• 4New England Revolution (1-4-1)

  Brad Friedel would pull his hair out if he had any due to the poor finishing by his Revs side in a loss to Columbus that could have at least been a draw. Neither of New England's strikers managed a shot on goal, spoiling an encouraging defensive performance, even though Michael Mancienne's red card made things more difficult. Up next is a rested Atlanta United in a very tough stretch of matches.

The Blancos have had some wonderful players since the European Cup was revamped in 1992 but who makes our all-star selection?

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  1Substitutes

  Keylor Navas arrived without much fanfare from Levante but delivered high above expectations, so is well worth inclusion as our reserve goalkeeper. Michel Salgado, meanwhile, spent the best part of a decade as Madrid’s right-back and has plenty of trophies to show for it.

  Central defender Raphael Varane has been Sergio Ramos’s partner during Madrid’s rich era of European success and by the time his career at the Santiago Bernabeu is over, he may well end up in this side.

  Marcelo may have made the team ahead of his predecessor but Roberto Carlos paved the way, not just for his Brazil compatriot but also for the modern-day attacking full-back.

  Two of the smoothest midfielders in football history come next, in Fernando Redondo and Xabi Alonso, and you could count the number of times they misused the ball between them on one hand.

  And, finally, Ronaldo, would make any team, real or imaginary, at his peak but those selected in his stead did more for Madrid over the years than the legendary Brazilian, who was hindered by fitness injuries in the twilight of his Bernabeu career.

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  2FW: Cristiano Ronaldo

  Real Madrid fans will insist that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best to have played the game and even if you don’t agree, you can see their point.

  The Portuguese smashed umpteen records during his eight-year stay at the Santiago Bernabeu and helped the Blancos win four Champions Leagues, including three in a row. 

  He also claimed four Ballons d'Or in the era of Lionel Messi and left Madrid as the club's all-time leading scorer, with a ridiculous 450 goals in just 438 games.

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  3FW: Karim Benzema

  Karim Benzema is the fifth-highest goalscorer of all time in the Champions League – a fact that seems to have gone unnoticed by many football fans.

  Of course, that's probably because the Frenchman, for years, worked tirelessly to provide for Cristiano Ronaldo, before flourishing as Madrid’s main striker following the Portuguese forward's departure for Juventus in 2018.

  Jose Mourinho once moaned that he wanted at hunting dog at Madrid and was instead stuck with a cat but, as AS pointed out last year, Benzema has since become Madrid's lion.

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  4FW: Raul

  Raul's Atletico Madrid origins were long forgotten by the time he left the Santiago Bernabeu, having scored 323 goals in 740 games for Real.

  A legendary striker, he made his first-team debut at just 17 years of age and went on to win 16 trophies with the club. Raul lifted the Champions League three times and netted in two finals.

  Franz Beckenbauer once said, "Raul is Real Madrid’s essence." Who are we to disagree?

Arsene Wenger has announced that he will stand down at the end of the season – Goal looks at the most qualified candidates to succeed him at the helm

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  Joachim Low

  Joachim Low's Germany side are the reigning world champions and in excellent shape to retain their title in Russia this summer.

  He may lack experience at the highest level of the club game, with Fenerbahce and Stuttgart the most notable names on his CV, but the 58-year-old is rightly regarded as one of the game's top coaches.

  Interestingly, he also shares the same agent and lawyer as Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi.

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  Manuel Pellegrini

  Manuel Pellegrini won the Premier League title with Manchester City in 2014 and is currently manager of Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune.

  The 64-year-old Chilean has vast managerial experience but there are – perhaps unfairly – still doubts over his credentials because of the fact that he was let go by both City and Real Madrid.

  However, he reportedly met with Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis last year…

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  Massimiliano Allegri

  Massimiliano Allegri is already popular among Arsenal fans after guiding his Juventus team past Tottenham in the Champions League last 16 but the job he has done in Turin marks him out as an outstanding candidate.

  Since joining the Turin giants in 2014, he has recorded three consecutive domestic doubles, as well as reaching the final of the Champions League twice.

  His teams are tactically adaptable and solid in defence, while he is said to be keen to work outside of Italy, with his future at Juventus set to be decided at the end of the season.

  Allegri speaks an adequate level of English and his European pedigree would be exactly what Arsenal need to get back on top again.

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  Carlo Ancelotti

  Carlo Ancelotti has already met with Gazidis this season and the former Bayern Munich manager is undoubtedly one of the frontrunners to replace Wenger.

  The Italian's impressive CV includes three Champions League titles, with AC Milan (2) and Real Madrid, while he also obviously had a successful spell in England with Chelsea, winning a double in his first season at the helm.

  Previously praised for his man-management style, his laid-back approach failed spectacularly at Bayern. However, Ancelotti remains one of the game's most respected coaches.

Leeds United have been boosted in their efforts to sign Hertha Berlin star Matheus Cunha this summer, according to reports in Germany.

The Lowdown: Attacking signing needed

The Whites have been superb in their first season back in the Premier League, looking every bit a mid-table side and playing some of the best football in the division.

Marcelo Bielsa’s men have been too reliant on the goals of Patrick Bamford, however, with the 27-year-old the only player to reach double figures in the league.

For that reason, Bielsa could be eyeing up attacking reinforcements in the summer transfer window and Cunha has been linked with a move in the past.

The Latest: Leeds given Cunha boost

According to Kicker [via MOT Leeds News], the fact that the £27million-rated Brazilian has signed a new deal at Hertha makes no difference to the current situation.

It is believed that Leeds have upped their efforts to bring in Cunha at the end of the season, having scored seven goals and registered four assists in the Bundesliga in 2020/21.

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The Verdict: Snap him up, Marcelo

Cunha looks a player of enormous promise, already shining in a top league at the age of just 21, so Leeds should do all they can to bring him in, despite Hertha wanting around £30million for his services.

It would ease the burden on Bamford, especially if Rodrigo moves on this summer, and an average of 1.3 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game suggests he would suit Bielsa’s pressing from the front style, too.

Cunha’s versatility could also stand him in good stead, allowing him to thrive across the front-line and dovetail with those around him, and who could forget the outrageously skilful wonder-goal he scored back in 2019, winning the Bundesliga’s goal of the month with a sublime spin past a defender and audacious chip over the goalkeeper.

In other news, Leeds have been tipped to sign an exciting attacking player this summer – find out who it is here.

Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that West Ham captain Mark Noble would be “annoyed” if David Moyes ever opts to pick a youngster instead of him while Declan Rice is out.

The Hammers have one of the most settled midfield partnerships in the Premier League in Rice and Tomas Soucek, but the former has been ruled out for around four weeks with a knee problem sustained on international duty.

Prior to West Ham’s game with Wolves last week, the pair had played every minute in the Premier League season, with that run finally coming to an end at Molineux.

Mark Noble was the obvious choice to replace Rice, with 21-year-old Conor Coventry, who was an unused substitute for the recent defeat to Manchester United, their only other senior recognised central midfielder in the squad following the summer departures of both Carlos Sanchez and Jack Wilshere.

But McAvennie told Football FanCast that playing a youngster ahead of Noble wouldn’t sit well with the Hammers skipper:

“Nobes would be annoyed at him because you automatically want to get in.

“Sometimes you say ‘right Nobes, you go and sit in in front of the centre-halves and don’t let them get in’. But it’s so defensive. Because it’s so good to watch West Ham at the moment because they’re so quick and lively.

“They’ve got players there, it’s how they do it. Do they bring Nobes in or bring a youngster in and play the same way, that’s why David Moyes is given the big bucks. I know for a fact that Noble will want to play, but whether he can or not I don’t know.”

Steven Gerrard could be set to receive a huge blow at Ibrox this summer, as Leeds United are reportedly set to reignite their interest in Rangers winger Ryan Kent.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side were heavily linked with a move for the former Liverpool youngster last summer ahead of their first season back in the Premier League and now, after an impressive campaign, they look likely to return for the 24-year-old Rangers star.

According to The Scottish Sun, the Yorkshire side are preparing a £15m bid for Kent this summer as they look to tempt him back to English football.

Although he made just one appearance for Liverpool’s senior side during this time with the Reds, he had a number of loan spells in the lower leagues of English football with Coventry City, Barnsley and Bristol City, before making the loan move to Ibrox in the summer of 2018.

After contributing six goals and six assists in 27 league appearances for Gerrard’s side, he joined the Light Blues on a permanent deal the following summer and has been a hugely important player at Ibrox ever since.

Kent has been instrumental in Rangers’ title win this season and has comfortably been one of their best performers both domestically and in Europe.

In 33 league appearances, the winger has contributed an impressive eight goals and seven assists, which has helped him earn a superb 7.40 average rating, which is second to only James Tavernier in the Rangers squad.

This would rank him as Leeds’ best performer if he were able to reproduce those numbers in the Premier League and given his seemingly endless running and ability to beat a man out wide, it is easy to see why Bielsa is so keen to bring him to Elland Road.

After Kent earned the Player of the Month award earlier in the season, Gerrard was full of praise for the young winger, saying:

“Ryan Kent has been top class and hasn’t let any noise affect him, he is scoring goals and looking very dangerous. He is really taking it to opposition teams and he’s settled and enjoying his football.

“Kent deserves to be Player of the Month and has been in sensational form. He has been fantastic to work with.”

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Therefore, the 40-year-old would undoubtedly be fuming if Kent were to depart for Leeds United this summer, as he is surely at the forefront of Gerrard’s plans for next season’s title defence and Champions League return, so it would be a huge blow if he were to depart this summer.

And, in other news… Gerrard suffers huge injury blow to “phenomenal” Rangers gem, it’s not good news

Graham Roberts has told Football FanCast that Daniel Levy was left with no other option but to sack Jose Mourinho because of the bizarre team selections he made, and the way he upset so many players, including Steven Bergwijn.

The Netherlands international was signed from PSV Eindhoven in January of 2020 and made an instant impact, as he scored on his debut against Manchester City.

However, the 23-year-old was in and out of the team in the final weeks of Mourinho’s reign, sparking confusion from the ex-Spurs captain.

Bergwijn played in five successive games between January and February but was then suddenly dropped and has played just 24 minutes since, in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa.

He has been on the bench twice but other than that, the £22.5m-rated ace, per Transfermarkt, had not been included in the squad leading up to Mourinho’s departure.

Roberts thinks that decisions such as this from Mourinho alienated squad members, and ultimately left Levy with no other alternative but to pull the trigger.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “If you look at it, starting off the season, you had Bergwijn in the team. But Bergwijn’s not even on the bench now.

“So what’s happened there?

“I think you just start to upset that many players, that I don’t think the chairman had any option but to sack him.”