GOAL US writers discuss major storylines to watch in American soccer in 2025, including Inter Miami, U.S. national teams, CWC, NWSL
What a year 2024 was for soccer in the United States. Emma Hayes and the USWNT captured a gold medal at the Paris Olympics and Mauricio Pochettino is already revamping the USMNT. In domestic leagues, the NWSL and MLS delivered captivating storylines – there was Lionel Messi exiting the MLS playoffs early and Marta winning her first NWSL championship.
Say what you will about the state of it all, but 2024 was far from boring. So, what of 2025? There will be plenty of intriguing games, from the Nations League and Gold Cup to the SheBelieves Cup for the national teams. In what could be Messi's last professional season, MLS looks as tantalizing as ever.
Factor in the Club World Cup, held on American soil, and 2025 could be quite the spectacle. Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, Juventus, Bayern Munich will be participating. Top level soccer hasn't been this accessible in the U.S. since the 1994 World Cup. GOAL US writers break it all down in a 2025 look-ahead edition of… The Rondo.
Getty Images SportWhat are you most looking forward to in 2025 for the USMNT?
Tom Hindle: More Pochettino content! Sure, there's the Gold Cup and Nations League, but those don't have the feel of trophies (until you win them, of course!) No but seriously, the real focus for 2025 should be how this team continues to grow and develop under an elite coach – especially when some of the big names return from injury. Are there spots for Gio Reyna, Sergino Dest and Folarin Balogun? Ask anyone 12 months ago, and they would have said that the trio are automatic starters. Under Poch, it's not so clear. And that's what makes this team interesting.
Jacob Schneider: The first competitive finals under Pochettino in both the Gold Cup and CONCACAF Nations League. They will be big moments for him to prove himself, and for any outsiders to break into the squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Ryan Tolmich: Seeing Pochettino lead this team into meaningful games. The bar for the Nations League is already sky-high, and it will offer Pochettino a real chance to see his players in a competitive environment. Those are few and far between in the leadup to 2026, so the USMNT needs to capitalize on those chances as they come.
Alex Labidou: Seeing Pochettino manage two potential trophy situations has to be on the top of the list. Fair or not, it will be a massive disappointment if the U.S. fail to win one of those two tournaments, and the alarm bells will be ringing if neither happen. How the Argentine manages both will showcase his ability to instill cup-level success on the international level.
AdvertisementAFPWhat are you most looking forward to in 2025 for the USWNT?
TH: It's easy to say the attacking trio continuing to do their thing here. But the most exciting bit is seeing who else can make an impact. Hayes has made it clear that if you're good enough, you're old enough – and there's so much young talent to work with. Lily Yohannes already looks like a proper footballer, and there will surely be more to follow. The USWNT is in an interesting spot in that sense. They have a bunch of players either just short of, or slightly past their prime years, and plenty of youngsters eager to get involved. The most interesting storyline will be who is the first to dislodge one of the veterans.
JS: Hayes' journey to remaining undefeated, and claiming the SheBelieves Cup. The U.S. have not lost under her guidance, so it will be exciting to see if that trend continues. From a player perspective, seeing both Mia Fishel and Cat Macario healthy could provide healthy competition for the striker role.
RT: The new faces. We've seen several newcomers break in post-Olympics, but can those players push those who won gold in Paris? Several positions remain locked, but there are spots to be won in midfield, central defense and at goalkeeper. Even among the forwards, who can push for a role behind Triple Espresso? We're in the early days of this cycle, which means the pool expands. Now, it's about finding who can perform in the bigger moments ahead.
AL: RUN. THE. TABLE. Why not? There's no other team in the international game which has shown it can match up with the U.S. either tactically or in terms of talent. The U.S. should expect to go undefeated this year.
What are you most looking forward to at the Club World Cup in 2025?
TH: Keep it simple for this one: Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and all of those lot. These will not be friendlies in which the likes of Vinicius, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe get brief run outs – or so we are told. There will be some nice moments, especially for the fans of South American teams such as Palmeiras, Botafago, River Plate and Boca Juniors. It will also be terrific to watch the likes of Ulsan HD take on Borussia Dortmund. Those are weird footballing moments that only this competition can provide – and that's, well, cool. But the main event will be the latter stages, where we get de-facto Champions League knockout matches in the U.S. Sign me up.
JS: It has to be the likes of Palmeiras, Botafago, River Plate, Boca Juniors and Flamengo. South American football is so unique that we rarely get to see it tested against other leagues. The competitive and physical nature of Brazil and Argentina should prove to be fun for anyone watching the tournament come June. One particular storyline: will Selecao sensation Estevao be playing for Chelsea or Palmeiras in the competition? FIFA has created a special transfer window from June 1-10 to facilitate moves ahead of the competition, and the youngster is set to join the Blues this summer from the Serie A side.
RT: The spectacle of it all. It seems as if this will be serious competition, which will immediately make it look and feel different than the countless preseason friendlies in the U.S. year after year. This is a rare chance to see elite teams, and elite players such as Cole Palmer for Chelsea and play actual games for a real trophy. It will be fun to watch how it all comes together.
AL: It is unrealistic, but it would be fun to see an MLS team advance out of the group stage – especially if it was Seattle. MLS is a weird spot with the CWC. It is embracing the exposure its receiving from being looped in with higher-profile teams, but the league has been very guarded about what being in the CWC will mean from a roster-building perspective. Will it loosen current restraints to an extent? Or will the league expect its teams to go to a duel with a spork? It's envious to watch CONMEBOL teams take this tournament seriously with big transfers while there have been crickets from MLS's two participants – so far.
AFPWhat are you most looking forward to in 2025 in MLS?
TH: Can Inter Miami figure it out? They were streets better than everyone else in the regular season last year, but fell apart when they were truly tested by a well constructed team over the course of a three game playoff series. By the end of it all, Miami looked like an expensively assembled team full of stars without a solid base to get them over the line. Messi, it seems, is vulnerable. So, it's now on the front office to make some smart signings and piece it all together. It should all make for compelling viewing. Also, like, Neymar (please.)
JS: The LA Galaxy were once MLS' most exciting team. Then, for a decade, they stagnated. in 2024, they returned to their throne in the most thrilling way possible. Seeing if Greg Vanney can keep his squad together for another run at MLS Cup will be fun to watch. In the Eastern Conference, surely Lionel Messi and Co. will be playing with a vengeance as they look to make a postseason run as well. It will be a massive managerial test for Javier Mascherano, too.
RT: Obviously, everyone is watching Messi, but there are plenty of other things to keep an eye on too. San Diego FC's introduction is one of them, and it's particularly interesting given the varying levels of initial success for recent expansion teams. Will they get it right in Year One, or will this be a bit of a slow burn? San Diego has the potential to shake things up, but there's still plenty left for them to get done before we know how they'll line up in 2025.
AL: Honestly, due to the quick turnaround between MLS Cup, which was played on Dec. 7, and training camps – which start in February – it's too early to tell. There are four teams who don't even have coaches yet and none of the rosters in the league aren't current finalized yet. This illustrates MLS's current issue with its schedule as is and why it might need to evaluate substantial changes to get the level of engagement it wants.