Royal Roundup: Ochoa makes MLS 22 under 22 list

MLS revealed it’s annual list of 22 players under 22. It should come as little surprise that FC Dallas’ standout Ricardo Pepi took the top spot. Real Salt Lake had one player on the list with goalkeeper David Ochoa coming in at 18th, and the only GK on the list. As a followup, they also listed the next group who just missed the cut, and which players are high on the international transfer list (or are already gone...).

[MLS][MLS][MLS]

REAL SALT LAKE / UTAH

• [RSL] Kyle Beckerman will be honored in the final home game of 2021 on Nov. 3rd vs Portland Timbers.
• [COL] Know your opponent (from the Rapids perspective).
• [Guardian][MLS] USMNT beat Costa Rica 2-1 in World Cup qualifying. Former RSL striker Alvaro Saborio (now almost 40) came on as a late 2nd half substitute!

MLS / USL / NWSL

• [ESPN] MLS academies are often having to compete with European teams for talent now.
• [MLS] Team academies are proving to be the pipeline for player progress they are intended to be.
• [NWSL] The league and players union have released a joint statement on the progress made in the abuse scandal negotiations.
• [SI][FRS][ESPN] The NWSL final has been moved from Portland to Louisville after backlash from players. The game will kick off at noon (Eastern time) instead of 9 AM (Pacific time).
• [MLS] Commissioner Don Garber expects the 30th MLS team to be announced within the next 12 months.
• [USL] Amanda Vandervort has been announced as the first president of the new USL Women’s Super League.
• [USSP] We are now 13 months away from the first winter World Cup held in Qatar. For European leagues it promises massive disruption, but what will it mean for MLS?

USA

• [ESPN] How did Columbus become the ‘spiritual home’ of the USMNT?
• [FRS] US Soccer have released the names of 175 people who are eligible for the 2022 Soccer Hall of Fame ballot.
• [CBS] 21 players have been called up for the final USWNT camp of 2021. They will play South Korea in two friendly matches at the end of October, these will be Carli Lloyd’s final games before her retirement.
• [FTW] US international Abby Wambach apologized for failing to speak up when she witnessed other players being abused by coaches.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

INTERNATIONAL

• [ESPN] UK police and stadium security clashed with Hungarian fans shortly after the start of the World Cup qualifying match with England.
• [CBS] The French soccer league issued a statement against the FIFA plan for a bi-annual World Cup, they say it would be “irreparably negative” for domestic leagues.
• [Balls] A UEFA World Cup qualifier between Albania and Poland was suspended for 20 minutes after Poland players were hit with bottles thrown from stands after scoring.
• [Goal] Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first men’s player to net 10 international hat-tricks.
• [SI] French defender Lucas Hernández is facing 6 months prison time in Spain for violating a restraining order. He currently plays for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.

LAST WORD

Is there anything you the readers would like to see more or less of in the Roundup? Recaps of games from MLS or other leagues? Anything you would like to have added? Comments and suggestions welcome.