Happy Tuesday and happy New Year’s Eve! I hope you’ve been enjoying the strange time of limbo that seems to set in during the time in between Christmas and the beginning of the new year. It’s strange to think that the year has passed by so quickly, but that just means we’re a little bit closer to the start of Orlando City’s 2025 season. We have plenty to talk over today, so let’s get into the links.

Two Teams Withdraw From Orlando Cup Pro Series

On Monday, the Orlando Cup-Pro Series announced that Santos FC and Atletico Nacional have pulled out of the competition. That means that three matches have been canceled, with Santos FC vs. Atletico Nacional, Fortaleza vs. Santos FC, and Atletico Nacional vs. Fortaleza no longer taking place. All fans who purchased tickets to those games will get refunds, and an updated match schedule will be dropping soon.

MLS News Roundup

There are a number of pieces of MLS news that we need to get to this morning. Up first is a familiar face, as former Orlando City goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. was traded from the New England Revolution to the San Jose Earthquakes, with the Revs receiving $150,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money in exchange. Up next, CF Montreal has been busy filling out its staff, as the team announced four coaching hires on Monday. They will join Head Coach Laurent Courtois, who will be in his second year at the helm of the team in 2025. Finally, former Orlando City player Felipe has been putting in the off-season work following the end of his time with the Lions.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in games throughout the week, so make sure you have everything marked down on your calendar. Things get started tomorrow when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host Blackburn Rovers as Leeds looks to stay atop the EFL Championship standings. Thursday sees Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Rangers in the Old Firm Derby, with the Hoops trying to remain undefeated in league play. Finally, we get some American-on-American violence on Friday, as Yunus Musah and AC Milan face Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus in an Italian Super Cup semifinal that is being played in Saudi Arabia for some reason.

European Transfer Rumor Mill

With the January transfer window quite literally just a day away from opening, rumors are flying thick and fast. We start with Brandon Vazquez, who is reportedly leaving CF Monterrey after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with the team a little less than a year after joining. A number of MLS teams are said to be interested in securing his services. We then make a big leap across the world to Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo is said to be open to signing elsewhere with his Al-Nassr contract set to expire in June. On the flip side of things, Casemiro is reportedly ready to leave Manchester United and join the Saudi League, where a number of teams are said to be interested. Finally, Antonee Robinson, Marcus Rashford, and Viktor Gyokeres are among the players who could be on the move during the January window, so keep an eye on their names.

Free Kicks

• Check out some picture perfect moments from the Orlando Pride’s 2024 season.

• AC Milan has fired Paulo Fonseca and hired former Porto coach Sergio Conciecao to replace him.
• Southampton is on the unenviable course of becoming the English Premier League’s worst-performing team ever.

• The Carabao Cup semifinals will see referees making on-field announcements of VAR decisions for the very first time in English soccer.

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope you all have been doing well and enjoying time with family and friends for the holidays as we close out 2024 tomorrow. I’ve been busy working at Under Armour all week. I’ll also be back at Wrigley Field to work the NHL Winter Classic tomorrow, and two Big Ten college hockey games later this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Unveils Top Goals of 2024

Orlando City shared some of the club’s top goals of 2024 and invited fans to vote on which one was the best of the year.

The club has been slowly unveiling its top 10 goals of the season on its Instagram page. Here’s what the organization has chosen as the best so far:

10. Martin Ojeda’s goal against D.C. United on July 6.
9. Duncan McGuire’s chip goal against Charlotte FC on Sept. 18.
8. Ramiro Enrique’s volley against FC Cincinnati on Oct. 5.
7. Facundo Torres’ strike against the Chicago Fire on June 22.
6. Ramiro Enrique’s goal against Cavalry FC in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
5. Luis Muriel’s first goal as a Lion against the Philadelphia Union on May 11.

Orlando City’s top four goals of the year are still to come, but what was your favorite Orlando City goal from the 2024 season? Let me know in the comments section below.

MLS Transfer Roundup

We have some big moves in Major League Soccer to catch you up on from the weekend. FC Dallas has acquired defender Shaq Moore from Nashville SC in exchange for $50,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) and incentive-based GAM of up to $100,000. Moore has agreed to a two-year deal through 2026 with a club option for 2027. San Diego FC signed goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega to a one-year contract for the 2025 season with club options for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Sisniega previously played for USL Championship side San Antonio FC. Lastly, Inter Miami has reportedly signed former Vancouver Whitecaps winger Fafa Picault.

English Premier League Recap

The Premier League fixtures continue through the holidays, and there were plenty of matches on Sunday. Manchester City defeated Leicester City 2-0 to snap its run of five consecutive matches without a win. Crystal Palace defeated Southampton 2-1, while Nottingham Forest won 2-0 against Everton and moved to second in the league table. Fulham and Bournemouth battled to a 2-2 draw, while Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton’s match also ended 2-2. Liverpool cruised past West Ham United 5-0 as well. We have three more Premier League matches later today, with Aston Villa hosting Brighton, Ipswich Town facing Chelsea, and Manchester United taking on Newcastle United.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

Several Americans were in action in Europe over the weekend. Brenden Aaronson scored the lone goal for Leeds United to defeat Derby County 1-0 to extend its unbeaten run to six matches and remain atop the EFL Championship table. Auston Trusty was on the bench for Celtic, but Cameron Carter-Vickers played a full 90 minutes against St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership. Celtic won 4-0 to extend its unbeaten run to 19 matches across all competitions. Weston McKennie played 62 minutes for Juventus before he was subbed off in the second half. Fiorentina grabbed a late equalizer for a 2-2 draw against Juventus as both sides have 32 points in Serie A and remain in fifth and sixth in the league table, respectively. Gianluca Busio played a full 90 minutes for Venezia, but his side lost 1-0 to Napoli on Sunday.

Free Kicks

• NJ/NY Gotham FC will reportedly sign midfielder Gabi Portilho from Corinthians. Portilho won a silver medal with Brazil at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and was a Ballon d’Or finalist.
• AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic had an injury setback and did not play in Sunday’s match against AS Roma due to an ankle injury.
• Dani Olmo is at risk of not playing for Barcelona in the second half of the La Liga season after a court rejected the club’s lawsuit to extend his temporary registration, which expires at the end of this month.
• Dunfermline Athletic forward Dapo Mebude gave insight into resurrecting his career in an interview with BBC Sport. He had survived a car crash earlier this year while playing for Oostende in Belgium.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

Welcome to the final Friday of 2024! The weird limbo week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve rolls on as we get ready for the weekend. Looking back at my resolutions from last year, I wasn’t able to hit my reading goal, but did get a cat like I’ve always wanted. It’s the last time I’ll be bringing you links this year, so let’s dive right in!

Yazmeen Ryan Reportedly Headed to Houston

The Houston Dash are reportedly sending $400,000 to NJ/NY Gotham FC in exchange for versatile attacker Yazmeen Ryan. That hefty fee would be a league record when it comes to internal league trades. Ryan was a regular starter for Gotham this year and recorded five assists and five goals. The 25-year-old also made her debut with the United States Women’s National Team this year. While $400,000 is quite the price to pay, the Dash need plenty of help after finishing last in the NWSL this past season.

Reviewing the USWNT’s 2024

It was a year of highs and lows for the USWNT, but things are looking pretty up for the team heading into 2025. It feels like forever ago that the team lost to Mexico in the Concacaf W Gold Cup, a result that called attention to the amount of work needed before the Olympics. It didn’t take long for Head Coach Emma Hayes to bring success, as she made tough decisions on who to bring to Paris and guided the team to a gold medal. Center back Naomi Girma proved why she was one of the best defenders on the planet and the forward line of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson ushered in a new era for the USWNT. That being said, it will be weird not having veterans like Alyssa Naeher, Alex Morgan, or Becky Sauerbrunn playing for the USWNT next year.

Grading EPL Boxing Day Performances

There was plenty of action in the English Premier League for this year’s Boxing Day and each team was graded for its performance. Manchester City got a D following its 1-1 draw against Everton, with Erling Haaland missing a penalty. Things didn’t go any better for Manchester United, which received an F for losing 2-0 to Wolverhampton in a match that included a red card to Bruno Fernandes and an Olimpico from Matheus Cunha. Chelsea was also given an F after conceding a pair of late goals in a 2-1 loss to Fulham. Top marks went to Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United. Forest held on for a 1-0 victory against Tottenham while Newcastle cruised to a 3-0 win over Aston Villa. Newcastle’s day was made easier by Jhon Duran being sent off in the first half after using Fabian Schar as a doormat.

Spectator Arrested for Alleged Racism in Scotland

A supporter was arrested for allegedly racially abusing Jordan Obita in Thursday’s match between rivals Hibernian and Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. Obita, who was a substitute for Hibernian to help see out the team’s win, received abuse from the spectator and that person was ejected from the stadium and then arrested. Hibernian thanked Hearts for the swift action in dealing with the supporter. Racism has no place in soccer or anywhere else, and it’s nice to see such an immediate and strong response from a club to help stamp it out.

Free Kicks

• ESPN named its top players, teams, and moments from 2024. I personally think the Orlando Pride got snubbed for Women’s Team of the Year, which went to Barcelona, but I’m admittedly biased.
• Americans Griffin Yow and Bryan Reynolds starred in Westerlo’s match against Club Brugge, with Yow scoring a goal and Reynolds providing two assists.
• Arsenal is reportedly interested in signing aforementioned Wolves forward Matheus Cunha. While I think he would bring a major boost to Arsenal’s title hopes, I can’t see Wolves letting him go for anything other than a king’s ransom amid their relegation fight.
• You may have to squint a bit due to the fog, but Paul Mullin scored quite the goal for Wrexham in a 2-1 win over Blackpool.

That’s all I have for you this time around, Mane Landers. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your year. I’ll see you all in 2025!