'Meet Me in Saint Louis'

National Team returns to America’s first soccer capital

St. Louis has a rich soccer legacy, dating back to the late 19th century. The passion for the sport has made the city a fertile ground for developing American soccer talent and a desirable location for hosting the U.S. Men’s National Team. It will be the 13th time the men’s side has played at the Gateway to the West.

The foundation of St. Louis’s soccer culture was laid in the early 20th century with the formation of the St. Louis Soccer League (SLSL). The SLSL, founded in 1907, was the only fully professional soccer league in the United States at that time. The league’s success helped elevate the level of play in the city and produced players who would go on to represent the United States on the international stage.

St. Louis’s impact on the USMNT was profoundly evident during the 1950 FIFA World Cup. The U.S. team, which pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history by defeating England 1-0, featured five players from St. Louis. Many of these players came from the city’s historically Italian neighborhood, “The Hill”.

St. Louis’s soccer legacy extends beyond producing players; the city has also hosted significant USMNT matches. St. Louis’s first official U.S. match was in 1957 at the Public School Grounds — a 3-2 defeat to Canada.

In 1984 and 1985, Busch Memorial Stadium was the site of two USMNT matches, starting with a 4-0 victory over Netherlands Antilles, which then setup a CONCACAF Championship match between the USMNT and Trinidad and Tobago, with the U.S. emerging victorious 2-1.

Fenton Soccer Park played host to three matches during 1990 World Cup Qualifying, including the 1-0 over Costa Rica with Tab Ramos netting the winner.

More recently, the USMNT kicked off their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a resounding 6-1 win against St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the new Busch Stadium in 2015. The match drew a crowd of 43,433, highlighting the city’s support for the national team.

The arrival of St. Louis City SC in Major League Soccer in 2023 marked another milestone in the city’s soccer history. The team's home stadium, now Energizer Park (formerly CITYPARK), hosted its first men's international matches during the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where the U.S. beat Saint Kitts and Nevis 6-0. Most recently, Tim Weah, Ricardo Pepi and Christian Pulisic scored in a 3-0 win over Uzbekistan in St. Louis on Sep 9, 2023.

Weah Set to Return for Second Leg

Winger ready to come back after serving two-match suspension

United States winger Tim Weah is set to make his return to the national team Monday as it faces Jamaica in the second leg of the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals. The U.S. holds a 1-0 aggregate lead, and Weah will be available for his first minutes since receiving a costly red card against Panama in the Copa América.

The ejection, which saw the U.S. reduced to 10 men in an eventual 2-1 loss to Panama, contributed to the team's early tournament exit, which led to a management change. Weah has been candid about the impact of that moment.

"It was hard," Weah said Sunday. "It played a pretty negative role in how the rest of the tournament went and obviously no player wants that to happen... So I mean it was a moment and I think I've kind of accepted it and matured in a way that it just never happened again and we just have to move on." ESPN

New U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino has expressed confidence in the young winger, who has been in impressive form for Juventus with four goals in eight Serie A appearances this season.

"He's a very good player, very aggressive with the ball, fast, good legs," Pochettino said. "He's young, but it's normal. He can make a mistake. We need to help him, for him to evolve and to learn. But I think he's a very clever player. Always smiling. He brought very good energy to the group." Fox Sports

Pepi Scores, Rumors Start

The striker continues to turn heads as Liverpool
among others are monitoring his development

Ricardo Pepi continues to boost his profile both internationally and in Europe, scoring the decisive goal in the United States' 1-0 victory over Jamaica on Thursday.

"We were here to fight. We knew it was going to be difficult," Pepi said after the match. "At the end of the day we got the result and now it's time to go and take care of it at home." The Inquirer

The 21-year-old striker's goal, his 12th in 32 international appearances, came from a Christian Pulisic setup. Pepi timed his run perfectly to get behind Jamaica's defense, and despite a slight mishit, his shot found the net off the far post.

The goal marked another milestone in Pepi's rising career, making him just the fourth American to score 12 international goals before age 22, joining elite company with Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore and Pulisic.

At the club level, Pepi has become an important figure at PSV Eindhoven, where he has already netted six goals this season, halfway to his personal best in the Eredivisie. While primarily serving as a backup to veteran Luuk de Jong, Pepi's performances have caught the attention of several European clubs. According to recent reports, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund are monitoring the American striker. While PSV values Pepi at around €25 million and sees him as a long-term investment, they might consider offers if the price is right.

With the 2026 World Cup just 18 months away, Pepi has established himself as a key figure in Pochettino's U.S. squad but hopes to be the starter moving forward.

"I'm at a point in my career right now where I'm ready,” Pepi said. “I'm ready to either start, to get more playing time. I feel like I've been showing that." Yahoo

Injury Update

Cardoso is out, but Aaronson returns as National Team is stretched thin

The United States men's national team will be without midfielders Johnny Cardoso and Aidan Morris for Monday's CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal second leg against Jamaica in St. Louis.

Cardoso, who has made 18 appearances for the national team, was forced off in the 21st minute of Thursday's 1-0 first-leg victory with a left hamstring strain. The Real Betis midfielder returned to Spain for rehabilitation. Morris, who has established himself at English Championship side Middlesbrough this season, is sidelined with a knee sprain.

However, the U.S. received positive news as Brenden Aaronson has recovered from illness and returned to training. The Leeds United midfielder, who has recorded four goals and one assist in Championship play this season, should be available for selection.

No replacements will be added to the 23-player roster as the U.S. looks to protect its one-goal aggregate lead and advance to a fourth consecutive Nations League semifinal.