The Best Soccer Show

With just days left until the USMNT kicks off its World Cup campaign in Los Angeles against Paraguay, Jason went live to take stock of the team. TBSS Chief Correspondent Jonathan Taylor Tannenwald (support Jon's work by subscribing to the Philadelphia Inquirer) joins the show from Irvine, where he's covering the USMNT camp ahead of World Cup kickoff.

Jonathan gives some insight into key US defender Chris Richards' status for the World Cup opener before he and Jason open a discussion about a few of Mauricio Pochettino's pending choices for his World Cup lineup.

Then the Rodius arrives to give some national team thoughts and his DEFCON for the tournament outlook. Jared didn't just come for USMNT analysis, though: he brought a game.

The Gamemaster puts Jason and Jonathan through two rounds of a "closest total" game you'll have to hear to understand.

Support the show by joining The Best Soccer Show Patreon. You get access to an incredible Slack community and bonus content from Jason (and occasionally Jared).
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Jason was back in the usual timeslot to talk about the building hype around the USMNT (thanks to the win over Senegal) and the vibes for soccer fans a week and change out from the start of the biggest tournament in history.

Jonathan Tannenwald then joins from Chicago where he's covering the USMNT v. Germany game on Saturday. Jason and Jonathan breakdown what we might know about Pochettino's plan for Germany and beyond.

There's stuff on soccer books, AI scouting, the USMNT/Nike/Off-White gear fashion line and the weird new pre-game ceremony FIFA is planning for the World Cup.

Jason said it a bunch on the show, but here he is saying it again: PLEASE GIVE THE SHOW A RATING AND REVIEW WHEREVER YOU LISTEN. Apple is best, Spotify is fine, but just do it somewhere.

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LET'S GO WORLD CUP.
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It's The Best Soccer Show's USMNT World Cup Roster Reveal Reaction Special featuring Jason Davis and Special Guest Alex Shephard.

Alex is a senior editor at The New Republic, a massive soccer fan, and one of the editors of a new World Cup magazine set to drop very soon called Golden Goal.

Jason and Alex dive into the USMNT roster as revealed (sort of) by Fox on Tuesday afternoon, examine the cultural disconnects that colored the roster naming process, and debate what is success for the USMNT in this home World Cup.

Support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow

There are perks and a Slack full of Besties.

See you soon!
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With the countdown to the biggest World Cup on American soil since 1994 officially underway, we are looking back at where the American soccer media landscape started, where it is now, and where it’s going next.

This week, Jason sits down for a special interview with long-time friend and foundational voice in American soccer media, Shawn Francis. Known to many generations of fans as the creator behind The Offside Rules and the original MLS Insider, Shawn has tracked the growth of the game from its early blogging days to the modern landscape. Today, Shawn is working with Copa90 as they make a massive push back into the American market.

Jason and Shawn dive deep into the "soccer wars," how the internet and social media fractured modern sports media, and why the upcoming North American World Cup will force fan experiences to become beautifully local. Plus, Shawn shares some incredible, vintage World Cup viewing memories from the streets of New York. Whether you're an old-school fan from the pre-Twitter blog days or new to the American soccer pyramid, you won't want to miss this insidery conversation.


00:00 - Welcome to a special episode of The Best Soccer Show


01:10 - Introducing Shawn Francis: From The Offside Rules to Copa90


02:12 - Support the show on Patreon & getting access to the Bestie Slack


03:24 - Welcoming Shawn: Remembering the American soccer world before Twitter


04:35 - Have we "won"? Looking at the commercial boom of the game today


05:45 - The fracturing of modern sports media and how social media changed MLS


07:35 - Rocket fuel or watershed moment? Expectations for the upcoming World Cup


09:34 - Personal nostalgia: What the 1994 World Cup meant to a generation of fans


10:10 - The local knock-on effect of ticket pricing and massive tournament travel


10:43 - From French restaurants to Harlem auto garages: Unforgettable World Cup watch stories


Watch Copa90: Check out their incredible football culture content on the Copa90 YouTube Channel.


Join the Community: Support the podcast, unlock exclusive bonus content, and get immediate access to our private Slack channel by becoming a Bestie at The Best Soccer Show Patreon.


Read the Newsletter: Subscribe to Jason’s deep dives and tactical analysis over at the Jason Davis Soccer Eagle on Ghost.


Bluesky: @davisjason.bsky.social


Instagram: @soccer.eagle.jd

If you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and our look toward the future of the game, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your reviews directly help us grow the community, reach new listeners, and keep bringing you these exclusive conversations!

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The USMNT fanbase freaked out on Thursday over the news that Chris Richards has "torn ligaments". But will he miss the World Cup? Jason runs down the saga and checks the DEFCON of the fan base to start the show.

Jonathan Tannenwald (OMGFGPG13 IT'S JTT) joins to unpack the Richards news and dive into the World Cup roster ahead of Tuesday's big release.

We get a look at JTT's USMNT roster spreadsheet.

Love the show? Want more Jason Davis in your life?

Join the Best Soccer Show Patreon at patreon.com/thebestsoccershow and become a Bestie. Perks include:


🎧 Wednesday Office Hours with Jason — live, interactive, drop in and pick his brain


🎤 Studio link access — Patreon subscribers can jump into the office hours stream directly


🗣️ The Bestie Slack/Discord — the community for American soccer obsessives


🎁 Bonus content drops — including random appearances from Jay Rodius and more

It doesn't cost much. It means a lot. See you in there.

Subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating and review, and we'll see you next week.

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