We have just reached half-time in Real Madrid's second pre-season match against Leganés. Real Madrid took to the field with the following line-up: Lunin, Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, Asencio, Carreras, Camavinga, Valverde, Güler, Mastantuono, Ciria (Castilla), García. Attendance at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano was restricted to journalists and staff, with new signing Denzel Dumfries amongst the few spectators.
After a slow start to proceedings, with Madrid maintaining possession at almost walking-speed – we ended up seeing a good amount of action. Arda Güler linked up with Fede Valverde for the first chance of the game, but the Uruguayan could not get his toe to the delicate pass. The same combination would later open the scoring, this time with a combination along the floor allowing Fede to poke the ball home. Madrid would make it two straight after a drinks break, when a trademark Trent Alexander-Arnold pass found Gonzalo García who **** ed the ball over the keeper to score. Trent was deployed very high up the pitch, and was a standout alongside Arda.
Leganés did pull a goal back with an unstoppable effort that left Andriy Lunin and his defence mesmerised. A great first-half test against a strong second division side – with the score currently reading 2-1 to the hosts ahead of the second period. Changes are expected at the break. Check out our socials for coverage for the remainder of the game.

#second #alexander #arda

Lazio consider AC Milan centre-forward Santiago Gimenez as a priority target, even though signing the Mexican remains a tall order.
The 25-year-old has been on the Aquile's shortlist since his time at Feyenoord. The striker ended up joining Milan on a €30 million deal in January 2025, but has been enduring difficult times at San Siro. Following the arrival of Goncalo Ramos from Paris Saint-Germain, Gimenez may have become surplus to requirements at Ruben Amorim's court. But can Lazio seize the opportunity?
In recent weeks, reports in Italy and England have linked the Biancocelesti with Armando Broja. The 24-year-old is an Albanian striker who rose through the ranks at Chelsea, but is now coming off a disappointing campaign at Burnley. He only scored a single goal in 24 Premier League appearances.
According to Sky Sport Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Broja might be on Lazio's watchlist, but Angelo Fabiani and company aren't keen to sign the Albanian international. Instead, they prefer to wait for more enticing opportunities to arise in the coming weeks, especially Gimenez, a profile well-admired by Gennaro Gattuso.
Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla also confirms Lazio's interest in the Mexican international, but notes that the operation remains difficult, as the capital side would have to overcome several hurdles.

#broja

New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce will compete alongside a number of other NHL stars in the Shoulder Check Showcase charity game on July 30 at Martire Family Arena on the campus of Sacred Heart University.
The event benefits the HT40 Foundation, an organization dedicated to mental health awareness and social connection.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DEVILS YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW: IT'S FREE!
The HT40 Foundation was established in memory of Hayden Thorsen, a 16-year-old hockey player who died by suicide in May 2022. Following the tragedy, Hayden's father, Rob Thorsen, made it his mission to spread the message of checking in on friends, family members and teammates who may be struggling.
"It started out in my gym actually," Pesce said. "A young hockey player passed away unexpectedly due to mental health issues, and it really took a toll on the whole gym. Ben Prentiss, who's my trainer, and his wife, Ashley, teamed up with Hayden's parents and a group of individuals to start a charity game in his honor to support mental health and mental awareness.

#Health

Texas Longhorns left tackle Trevor Goosby is one of the best offensive tackles in the nation. Other than Arch Manning, Goosby might be the most important player on offense. The junior from Melissa, Texas is projected to be a top five pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
While the offensive line struggled in 2025, Goosby shined. The lineman holds down the key position of protecting Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
"What stands out about Texas' 2025 season? It's the offensive line struggles. But guess who didn't struggle? Goosby. The 6-foot-7, 312-pounder was a former three-star prospect from Melissa (Texas) High in the 2023 class, and his development is likely part of why the Longhorns weren't as aggressive as they needed to be in the portal for offensive linemen last offseason. When it comes to Texas, it's easy to fall in love with Manning, Coleman and Colin Simmons, but having a stud tackle will be make-or-break for the Longhorns in 2026. Goosby could be that guy." - Ari Wasserman of On3
Now, Goosby is ready for a season that could make him a household name across college football.
Here is everything Trevor Goosby said during his press conference at SEC Media Days:

#goosby #manning #arch #line

Stoke City full-back Aaron Cresswell says the Potters will do everything they can to "push the bar higher" this season after a frustrating campaign.
After sitting second in late November, the Potters' promotion challenge fell away amid a persistent injury crisis as they ultimately finished in 17th place, 18 points adrift of the play-offs, to dash hopes of a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2018.
"We were really disappointed as a team in the circumstances where we were - I think around November time we were first two - and we fell off and that's disappointing really because we felt really positive going into the season," Cresswell, 36, told BBC Radio Stoke.
"We started the season really well and without using any excuses, we had a lot of injuries and it kind of turned from there.
"But now we've got to stay positive for this season and head into it with the same mentality - positive, ready to go, ready to fight - and that's all we can do."

#season #really #first

Red Sox could target one of these three All-Star catchers if they buy at the MLB trade deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Tonight, the Boston Red Sox have a chance to make franchise history, as they look to win their 16th game in a row, breaking the previous record from 1946. Win or lose, Boston has shown that they are real contenders, and probably will be buyers at the trade deadline.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand believes so as well, as well as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman. With that in mind, here are three big name catchers Boston could target if they really want to get a star.
Imagn Images
Goodman would be the top of Boston’s list, but he does seem to come with a hefty asking price. This season, he’s slashing .257/.326/.565/.891 with 16 doubles, 31 home runs, and 57 RBI in 94 games.

#boston

ESPN has ended its relationship with Emmy Award-winning NFL **** yst Ryan Clark, highlighting ongoing instability in major sports media. The mid-broadcast decision on July 20 marks another notable departure of Black on-air talent from the Disney-owned network.
Clark was appearing on NFL Live when executive leadership informed him of his termination during a commercial break, according to The Athletic. He did not return to complete the broadcast.
ESPN initially planned to notify the 46-year-old **** yst on the morning of July 21 as part of broader corporate restructuring. Executives moved up the timeline due to external media inquiries and concerns about potential disclosures before direct communication.
The former Super Bowl champion safety and Pro Bowler joined ESPN in 2015 after a 13-season NFL career. During his tenure, Clark became a primary football **** yst, appearing regularly on First Take, Get Up, NFL Live, and Monday Night Countdown.
The Athletic reported Clark's job security had been uncertain since February despite his key role in ESPN's upcoming Super Bowl LXI coverage. The network reportedly became dissatisfied after an on-air dispute last September with co-host Peter Schrager on Get Up. Clark dismissed Schrager's commentary as coming from a "non-player." Although Clark apologized publicly, tensions with management persisted.

#live #super

As the Mets moved toward Major League Baseball's trade deadline, interim manager Andy Green has had to weather questions about the future construction of the team for the remainder of the 2026 season.
The bullpen has been a strength, but it could soon be dismantled to try and fortify the team's cupboard of young talent. Luis Robert Jr. and Clay Holmes have either returned or could soon come back from long-term injuries, but they are among the team's tradeable **** ets.
With less than two weeks until the day of potential seismic change, the Mets exist in an undercurrent of uncertainty and intrigue about the direction of the team. There will undoubtedly be major change by the Aug. 3 trade deadline and it will likely hinge on young talent flooding the Mets system after last season's failed sell-off.
It is not a rebuild, as the Mets will want to be poise to enter contention in the near future. More MLB-ready prospects could be sought after rather than high-upside gambles.
With that in mind, here are where some of the top World Series contender's farm systems stand and how they could potentially lead to hatching a deal with the Mets. (Prospect rankings are based on MLB Pipeline's ranking. Prospects in Triple A or MLB are in bold.)

#prospects #trade #future #young

Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter has urged the world of football to kick Gianni Infantino out of the role, claiming the recent World Cup "lost its credibility" due to the actions of his successor.
Blatter – whose own Fifa presidency was rife with accusations of corruption – insisted that "politics must not be allowed to overshadow the game", seemingly in reference to Infantino's close relationship with US president Donald Trump, which helped lead to the controversial overturning of USA striker Folarin Balogun's ban for the red card he received against Bosnia.
Trump intervened, getting on the phone to Infantino urging him to look at Balogun's sending off and, in due course, Fifa unprecedentedly suspended the ban for a year, enabling the forward to play in the last-16 clash with Belgium, where the US were hammered 4-1.
And reflecting on the World Cup, which ended on Sunday evening with Spain beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in an ill-tempered final, Blatter was unimpressed.
"The longest World Cup has come to an end – with the right champions," he wrote on social media. "But on the way to the final whistle, the tournament had lost its credibility.

#infantino #credibility #final #former

Bradley Barcola remains a top target for Liverpool in the summer transfer window.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY
Fabrizio Romano reports that the France international 'can leave PSG this summer' amid interest from the Premier League – chiefly coming from the Reds and ****** nal.
However, any movement here will likely depend on a serious fee being handed to the Ligue champions.
There has been an intriguing shift of narrative, according to Romano, with regard to the left-sided winger's future in football.

PHILADELPHIA ‒ It's time for the 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Follow along for live updates from Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, as the game's best face off in a battle between the American League and National League.
CF Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
DH Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros
C Shea Langeliers, Athletics

Tom Sloman is preparing to make his major tournament debut after qualifying for the Open Championship, 25 years on from attending the event as a young fan.
Taunton-born Sloman, who turned 30 last week, qualified for The Open - which starts on Thursday at Royal Birkdale in Southport - by winning firstly at Ferndown Golf Club, and then coming in joint-third at home course Burnham and Berrow where he finished his two rounds eight under par.
Coming through the ranks at Taunton and Pickeridge Golf Club, Sloman turned professional after representing England and Ireland in the 2019 Walker Cup.
He will play his first two rounds this week alongside New Zealander and fellow regional qualifier Kazuma Kobori, as well as Irish amateur David Howard, teeing off on Thursday at 10:42 BST.
Speaking to BBC Radio Somerset, Sloman reflected on his golfing past, and vowed he was not going "just to make up the numbers."

Baker Mayfield's performance declined in his third year as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback last season. But he was apparently dealing with injuries that weren't previously reported.
Mayfield reveals that he played with a sprained MCL and PCL in his knee since Week 2 on the new season of Netflix's "Quarterback" docuseries, via the Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud. The third season of "Quarterback" premieres July 14.
If that was indeed the case, it's presumably news to the NFL. Mayfield's knee wasn't mentioned much during the season on the league's injury report. "Knee" is only listed four times among the 10 weeks when Mayfield's name was among the Bucs' injuries — in Weeks 5, 8 10 and 18 — as Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio highlights.
Otherwise, biceps, oblique and shoulder injuries, in addition to illness were mentioned for Mayfield on the injury report.
Mayfield's revelation confirms what linebacker Lavonte David said on "The Arena" podcast in April about the quarterback on the show's April 6 episode.

Alfred Johansson will get his first introduction to the Motherwell support in Friday's friendly against Belgian side Genk, but Thursday marks a week until the first leg of their Conference League second-round qualifier against HB Torshavn.
Excitement is building among the fans of the Fir Park club, yet there is also some concern bubbling away about the readiness of the Lanarkshire side as the start of their European campaign approaches.
Two key players from the team that mesmerised the fanbase throughout last term have departed, with goalkeeper Calum Ward joining Queens Park Rangers and Callum Slattery departing for Sheffield Wednesday.
No direct replacements have been signed for either yet, with forward Willy Vogt and centre-back Martin Moorman the only signings of the window so far.
Meanwhile, speculation will not go away regarding the futures of Elliot Watt and Elijah Just, who returned for pre-season training last week following his excellent showings at the World Cup with New Zealand.

After two days, 20 rounds, and more than 600 names announced (some even with correct **** unciations!), the 2026 MLB Draft has come to a close. It was a very fun one for the Giants … after a few years of losing picks due to the Qualifying Offer, the Giants had their full slate this time around … and then added an extra pick in the top 30 when they traded Patrick Bailey, all while getting lucky in the lottery and landing the No. 4 overall pick.
What follows is a breakdown of the final 10 selections that the Giants made on draft day.
If you want to read about the earlier picks, here are the links:
No. 4 Jackson Flora (RHP)
No. 29 Carson Bolemon (LHP)
No. 55 Kaden Waechter (RHP)
No. 90 Peyton Bonds (OF)
No. 118 Carlos Martinez (RHP)
Rounds 5-10
The Giants kicked off the second half of the draft with a player who posted comical numbers this year: first baseman Charlie Bussey III, a right-handed hitter out of Francis Marion, taken with the No. 328 pick. Obviously players are drafted first and foremost based on scouting their live mechanics, which is good because it's hard to know how much stock to put into smaller school stats. Bussey is Example A: in the Division II Conference Carolinas, playing against competition such as Ferrum College and Shorter University, Bussey hit a truly laughable .489/.604/.866 with 21 home runs and 40 stolen bases in 60 games, while walking well over twice as frequently as he struck out.

2026 European Darts Open: Draw, schedule, prize money and format explained originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Euro Tour heads to Germany, with the European Darts Open marking the tenth ET event of 2026.
As usual, 48 qualifiers will battle it out, starting on Friday, in hopes of advancing to the final on Sunday night.
Let's take a look at some of the specifics of the tournament.
MORE:2026 European Darts Open qualifiers

The Blaze and Lancashire ended their group stage campaigns with victories in the T20 Blast.
Charli Knott hit a vital 84 not out as The Blaze warmed up for Friday's finals day by edging to a three-wicket win over Yorkshire at Headingley.
Meanwhile, Lancashire needed an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 60 between Skye Thomas and Kate Cross to beat Durham at Emirates Old Trafford.
In Sunday's other games, Surrey are playing top-of-the-table Hampshire, while Somerset are hosting Essex.
A notable all-round display from Australian all-rounder Knott helped The Blaze to a helter-skelter victory over Yorkshire.

England beat Norway at the World Cup 2026 thanks to another inspired performance from Jude Bellingham earned a 2-1 win after extra-time in Miami.
Thomas Tuchel's side needed a come-from-behind win after Andreas Schjelderup’s opener.
But Jude Bellingham struck a controversial equaliser before half-time and the tie needed extra-time with the score level at 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Norway v England LIVE: World Cup quarter-final result and reaction
Bellingham then followed up a shot early into extra-time to seize the advantage and the Three Lions held on.

The Detroit Lions 2026 season will be getting started soon as training camp opens on July 25. In the meantime, let's relive the incredible highs and lows of the 2024 season through the lens of the Top 10 Injury News - with present day updates.
Here are number three and four as seen in 2024 Revisited: Lions Top 10 Injury News with Present Updates:
December 15, 2024:
Losing this defensive line star ended up being a major factor in the playoffs, as the defense couldn't contain the run or the pass.
Where are they now: McNeill had a smooth recovery from his ACL, returning in about 10 months on October 20, 2025. While his production during the 2025 season wasn't up to his previous standard, that is to be expected in the first year back from an ACL. He should be back to himself in 2026.

The Memphis Grizzlies revealed injury updates on key players ahead of a July 10 matchup against the Chicago Bulls.
Karim Lopez (mild left hamstring strain during his predraft process) and Walter Clayton Jr. (mild right knee sprain) are both out against the Bulls, according to a team spokesperson. They are considered day to day.
The Grizzlies played three games in Salt Lake City Summer League action. Neither Clayton nor Lopez participated in any of those matchups.
Clayton was traded to the Grizzlies on Feb. 3 from the Utah Jazz. He was the No. 18 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Memphis acquired Lopez in the 2026 NBA Draft with the No. 21 pick. The 6-foot-9 forward is touting for his defensive versatility and physicality.

Genesis Scottish Open first round (finishers only)
-9 J Smith (Eng); -8 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), -7 N Von Dellingshausen (Ger); -6 K Vilips (Aus), D Willett (Eng)
Selected others: -4 J Thomas (US); -3 T Fleetwood (Eng); -2 J Rahm (Spa); E S Scheffler (US)
Full leaderboard
Seventy-eight events. Four years. 1,428 days. Scottie Scheffler's long and impressive run of cuts made is now over.

There's a new Newsy Lalonde in Montreal now.
Former Detroit Red Wings coach Derek "Newsy" Lalonde was hired on Wednesday by the Montreal Canadiens as an ****** istant coach on Martin St. Louis' staff.
Montreal's original Newsy Lalonde was Edward Lalonde, who dominated hockey with the Canadiens through the early 1900s.
As a player-coach, Lalonde led Montreal to their first Stanley Cup in 1916. Elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950, he has the third-best points-per-game total at 1.667, trailing only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.
Derek Lalonde won two Stanley Cups with the Lightning and then took over the Red Wings’ bench for two-and-a-half seasons with an 89-86-23 record before spending this past season next to Craig Berube on the Toronto Maple Leafs' bench.

Caitlin Clark returned to the court on Wednesday night for a road matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks after missing some games with a back injury that she suffered in what has become an extremely controversial game against the Phoenix Mercury.
However, Clark didn't perform at the same level she was competing at before the injury. She shot 4-for-12 from the field, including 1-for-6 from the three-point line, and recorded only three **** ists in a 106-92 loss. Clark played just 16 total minutes in the game, rotating in and out in short spurts of just a few minutes.
Clark said after the game that the decision to play in her such short rotation "was not my decision. That was somebody else's decision," per IndyStar's Chloe Peterson.
Clark feels that the quick rotations made it difficult for her to ever get a feel for the game.
"It's just really hard when you're playing three minutes, (sub) out, three minutes, three minutes, then you're on the bench," she added. "It's really, really hard to get into a flow. For the most part, I got good looks; some of them went, some of them didn't. I probably didn't get to have a feel for the game as I usually do, like it's just really, really hard for me to play in that scenario, but overall, my body feels great, so that's the positive I can take from today."

Four years after reaching the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time Morocco are setting sail for North America with ambitions high and a squad with even better pedigree than that of the one in Qatar.
Sometimes history does repeat itself and Morocco will hope that is the case this time. Just as in 2022 the head coach has been sacked and a new sheriff is in town. In March Mohamed Ouahbi, who won the Under-20 World Cup with Morocco last year, replaced Walid Regragui.
The switch means The Atlas Lions will not have much time to get used to the coach's tactics and philosophy. In late March Morocco drew against Ecuador (1-1) and beat Paraguay (2-1), showing some signs of improvement compared to the fare that had been on offer under Regragui. Ouahbi prefers a clear 4-2-3-1 formation that morphs into a 4-2-2-2 to create a motorway lane of **** e in front of the captain, Achraf Hakimi, on the right flank.
The biggest challenge for this Moroccan team will be to live up to the expectations. In 2022 they made a deep run when **** ody thought they would do so. In 2026 the team is among the top 10 best ranked sides in the world. The pressure will be constant. "I am aware of the expectations, but very honoured," Ouahbi said at his unveiling. "I am committed to working with seriousness, humility and determination and also a lot of patriotism to continue on the path of progression of this team", he added.
Mentally this team has already broken a couple of glass ceilings (the aforementioned semi-final, the arrival in the top 10 of the Fifa rankings) but in January Morocco experienced one of the most bizarre episodes of its football history. During the final, the Senegal players left the pitch in protest to a penalty awarded to Morocco. After a long delay Brahim Diaz missed his Panenka spot kick and Senegal went on to win the match 1-0. Two months later, however, the Confederation of African Football, Caf, awarded the **** le to Morocco.

New Oklahoma State football coach Eric Morris is no stranger to Big 12 football, having playing receiver for Texas Tech two decades ago.
However, Tuesday was Morris' first time at Big 12 Media Days as a coach since his arrival from North Texas last December.
Here's what the first-year Cowboy coach had to say July 7 at The Star in Frisco, Texas:
More: Eric Morris knew Oklahoma State football needed 'hard reset' for 2026 season
ERIC MORRIS: Yeah, I appreciate you guys being here. Such a unique time for me and being in my first year, but such an amazing past seven or eight months for me. It's been a whirlwind, obviously. There's a ton of storylines going into the season for our ball club. But first and foremost, I just want to talk a little bit about the leadership at Oklahoma State. Just super blessed, thankful for our president, Jim Hess, and our athletic director, Chad Weiberg, with them trusting me in the job that they have given me, and to be able to take over a program that's had a history of a ton of success the last 20 years. Super excited for Stillwater. It was a big draw for me and my family to come to Stillwater. I have a 10-year-old and a 5-year-old right now, and I'm from a small town in west Texas, and that's how I wanted raise my family. So Stillwater has been nothing short of amazing. Super genuine people, hard-working, blue-collar organization. The guys that I brought with me today, obviously there's a couple headliners that everybody knows their story by now in Drew Mestemaker, our quarterback; Caleb Hawkins, our running back; Ethan Wesloski, linebacker; and Jaleel Johnson, lineman.

The Evian Championship tees off by the lake in Evian on Thursday with Nelly Korda chasing a third women's major of the season and Grace Kim returning to the scene of her dramatic win last year.
Kim, who beat Jeeno Thitikul on the second playoff hole last year, said on Wednesday a first major **** le had given her added self-confidence.
"You know, golf can really humble you quite quickly, so in the times where it does get tough I think I do handle myself a lot better," the 25-year-old Korean-Australian told reporters.
Last year Kim chipped in from under a tree off the 18th green to save herself on the first playoff hole. Organisers have put in a little blue plaque to commemorate the shot.
"I saw it for the first time yesterday and it was really cool," she said.

Only one golfer finished in red, and another dropped an ace to highlight the first day of the 120th Vermont Amateur at Ekwanok Country Club on Tuesday, July 7.
Alex Leonard, a 2021 Champlain Valley Union High School graduate, was the lone golfer to finish his opening round under par, firing a 69 to seize a one-stroke lead over 2024 Amateur champion Lucas Politano and Austin Giroux. Meanwhile, Nick Trottier holed the par 3 11th hole for the day's signature shot.
Evan Russell, a two-time Amateur winner, and Luke Russell are tied for fourth at 1-over. Garren Poirier, who won this tournament in 2020, and Bryan Smith, the 2016 champ, are tied for sixth along with Stephen Goodridge and Jay Zanleoni at 2-over.
Taylor Bellemare and Jacob Lowe share 10th through 18 holes at 3-over.
To sit atop the leaderboard, Leonard, who was a multi-sport athlete at CVU, drained three birdies to go along with two bogeys. He shot a front-9 34.

Ben Rice’s incredible rise from promising young prospect to one of the New York Yankees’ biggest stars just added another memorable chapter. The first-time MLB All-Star took to Instagram on Tuesday afternoon to announce that he will officially be participating in the 2026 Home Run Derby during All-Star Week in Philadelphia. For Yankees fans, it’s another well-deserved honor for a player who has quickly become one of the club’s most important offensive contributors.
MORE: Ranking the top 10 first basemen in MLB entering July
Rice emerged as a key piece of New York’s lineup last season, but he’s taken his game to another level in 2026. With Aaron Judge sidelined for an extended period, Rice has stepped into the spotlight and has arguably been the Yankees’ most productive hitter.
Through 85 games, the slugging first baseman has put together an outstanding stat line, hitting 25 home runs, driving in 57 RBIs, scoring 59 runs, and posting a .360 on-base percentage. Those numbers have not only earned him his first All-Star selection but also an invitation to one of baseball’s most entertaining annual events.
Rice’s power profile makes him an intriguing participant in this year’s Derby. Of his 25 home runs this season, 19 have come against right-handed pitching, the same type of pitching he’ll see throughout the Home Run Derby.

It all started with the usual razzmatazz that has come to be seen at United States' World Cup games - a boisterous and patriotic fanbase, fireworks and smoke flares and a military fly over.
But the American dream of winning the tournament for the first time fizzled out in shambolic fashion in the early hours of Tuesday morning with a hugely disappointing defeat by Belgium.
The US lost 4-1 - their heaviest defeat since 1990 - while the lively atmosphere that had been a feature of their previous games fell flat long before the final whistle, with Belgium's fourth goal prompting a stream of fans to leave the Seattle Stadium.
This exit at the last-16 stage for the tournament co-hosts came at the end of a whirlwind couple of days, where headlines had been dominated by Fifa's controversial decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's red card from the previous game, allowing him to start this encounter.
Their run to this stage had appeared to captured the attention of the nation but all that positivity appeared to take a hit by the Balogun saga, something not lost on the Belgians before the game.

Legion Hoops: Brad Stevens on the Celtics’ fans reaction to trading Jaylen Brown for Paul George: “I've done a pretty good job of staying off of all the social media the last few days.”
x.com
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: “I've done a pretty good job of staying off of all the …