Wherever you are on Earth, a World Cup year is of essential importance. Why not?
That was certainly true for the exciting version of the World Cup we experienced in 2022, which was highly controversial. The US Men’s National Team is back on the world stage. Canada qualified for the men’s tournament for the first time in 36 years. Mexico left in hopes of making a lasting run in the end. All these nations’ performances in the qualifiers and the tournament itself have been headlines for much of the year.
But the World Cup isn’t everything. athleticThe 22 Best Stories of 2022 by the North American Soccer Staff.
Ultimately, 2022 will see how good it really is, even if the US Women’s National Team continues to transition away from its skilled generation of players and easily qualify for the 2023 World Cup. It was also a year in which we faced tough questions about His two official investigations into NWSL misconduct marked the end of a year of turmoil and a lot of work left to do. Both the men’s and women’s senior U.S. teams have penned a new collective bargaining agreement that makes equal pay the law of the land.
MLS ended the era of one media rights and started a new era worth $2.5 billion. Expansion teams have all been added or announced for the MLS, NWSL, USL and Canadian Premier League. There’s probably more in the pipeline, with a new Canadian women’s league on the way.
We’re excited to see where the New Year’s coverage is headed, but for now, we’re happy to take the time to highlight all of the places this year. We look forward to another important year in 2023.
– Alexander Abnos and Brooks Peck | Editor in Chief, The Athletic Soccer
Note: Not included in this list are stories named in the company-wide “Best Of” collection. It includes:
Articles are listed in order of publication date.
Matt Pentz | February 4
How much can you change in one year? The topic of this article was his Gyasi Zardes play just starting the USA’s 0-2 loss to Canada in the World Cup qualifiers. As it happened, it was Zardes’ last U.S. appearance, but current and future players could serve a similar role as favorite targets of fan wrath. Matt has an excellent understanding of what the players in this story are like.
Jeff Luther | Feb 4
Even Jeff, a Minnesotan born in Minnesota, found it ridiculous that there were 2 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures in the US men’s qualifier against Honduras. He was one of the few reporters who did the indoor heated press box.
Sam Steijkal and Paul Tenorio | | March 3
In hindsight, it’s interesting to think about who the MLS team executives won the MLS Cup, who they named as the most underrated player, and so on. Issues facing the league, including some that are still relevant heading into 2023.
Steph Yang | May 12
Angel City’s entry into the NWSL sets a new high bar for women’s professional soccer in the United States. That means a lot for someone like Ali Riley, who went through some less-than-ideal circumstances before making his debut for his new club at Bank of California Stadium.
See also Meg’s report on how this game opened a new era for NWSL
Pablo Maurer and Matt Pentz | | May 20
For many, “Don’t Tread” is a bit of nostalgia for a bygone era when American football culture was still trying to find its own identity, but for Clint Dempsey and those who knew him best lets you discover his origins and what made him one of the best and most influential USMNT players of all time.
Sam Steskal May 31
Matt Turner suffered a personal tragedy at a pivotal point in his career that had a profound effect on his impossibly successful career. In this story, Sam offers readers a different perspective on the players and people who have become central figures in American football.
Pablo Maurer and Matt Pentz | | June 14
It’s very difficult to wrap this up in a blurb, but I’ll try. What started as an answer to a simple question has become a winding and unpredictable tale, from the 1934 World Cup to a small town in Iowa and a mental hospital full of forgotten people. Every step of this fascinating journey is backed by exhaustive reports and research from Pablo and Matt. Pablo and Matt have created an inspiring read that’s a little bit about football, but mostly about the human condition.
Jeff Luther | Aug 1
The Timbers’ response to Andy Polo’s domestic violence accusations, especially given the fact that the team’s NWSL sister club, the Portland Thorns, has been embroiled in its own misconduct issues for much of the year. I was frowned upon by many. Jeff explained in detail what happened here. Who did what, when it happened, how appropriate (or inappropriate) it was, all things that are very difficult to parse in this situation.
Sam Steskal Aug 17
Competitive balance is a topic that can very easily blind readers, but here Sam makes it accessible and offers a constructive perspective on what he identifies as a growing problem in MLS.
Felipe Cardenas September 7
“Chicken and Rice” was a detail readers should definitely know. Felipe has done a great job bringing more life and detail to his one of MLS’ most interesting storylines from 2022.
Meg Linehan Oct 8
The visit of the U.S. women’s players to face the Euro ’22 champions at a packed Wembley should have been purely a celebratory occasion, but the release of Sally Yates’ report during the run-up made the match special and predictable. had an outside importance. Meg captures well here.
Steph Yang | October 10
The best way to show that abuse and misconduct in U.S. women’s professional soccer is systemic and culturally embedded is to start from scratch (or close to it). Steph has done an incredible job parsing reports from us, the league, the United States Federation, and other publications to put together this timeline.
Pablo Maurer, Sam Steiskal, Paul Tenorio Oct 27
MLS’ new media rights deal was one of the biggest news of the year, but the news howAfter all, building an entire broadcast operation almost from scratch is a big job and requires many moving parts.
Jeff Luther | Nov 6
A lot happened in this year’s MLS Cup Finals, but Jeff did a great job capturing the biggest storyline in what will long be remembered as one of the greatest games in league history.
Sam Steskal November 14
Dest is not only the USMNT’s top player, but also a unique person on the team, and Sam captures that well in this story.
See also Paul Tenorio’s “Hometown” article on Germany’s Weston McKechnie and Otterbach
Jeff Luther | Nov 17
After all, one Lionel Messi is better than 26. did you know who?
Joshua Croke Nov 18
One of Canada’s World Cup team’s standout characters, Boljan is known not only for his strength and leadership in the locker room, but also for his antics on the field.
Christopher Kamurani Nov 21
Christian Pulisic’s profile delves into one of the most intriguing aspects of the winger who has earned his place as the brightest star in US men’s soccer: his introverted personality and how it’s widely perceived.
Pablo Maurer | Nov 22
Inspired by the negative reaction surrounding the release of the 2022 U.S. uniforms, this is a richly detailed look back at one of the most hated (or loved) outfits of the last generation of U.S. soccer. Kit used in the 1994 World Cup.
Paul Tenorio | November 27
The poignant memories of Paul’s father and the feeling of watching Costa Rica win without him will resonate with anyone who fell in love with football through their family. It’s a good sign to say that you’ve driven someone to call you.
Felipe Cardenas Nov 29
athletic‘s North American Soccer Desk has been doing some serious research, but sometimes it’s ironically worthwhile about what’s left unsaid by teams tiptoeing around their biggest stars.
Sam Steijkal and Paul Tenorio | | November 29
The coverage plan for “If the US Hangs On” at 75 minutes into the game didn’t include this part. But after the tense ending, it was clear what the story was about. I (Alex) sit directly between Paul and Sam in this game and can confirm that all the reactions described in this story are accurate.
(Photo: Lawrence Griffith/Getty Images)
