Previously, on the World…

While not as lengthy as the six-year wait between Seasons 8 and 9 of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” the four-year anticipation for the next FIFA World Cup has felt pretty significant.

This extended hiatus makes it tough to recall details: Who was that unexpected dark horse semifinalist in Qatar? (Morocco!) Which team pulled off shocking upsets against Germany and Spain? (Japan!) And what prompted the FIFA president to say he understands the experience of being gay in a country where it’s illegal after discussing being bullied for his freckles?

The takeaway is clear: Many casual soccer fans are looking forward to the 2026 World Cup, but some are feeling disoriented, with their last memory of international soccer likely being either the match where the United States men’s national team faced a tough defeat against the Netherlands or where Lionel Messi was seen wearing a traditional black Arab cloak. If that describes you, don’t worry—let’s get you caught up.

Messi? Check. Ronaldo? Check.

At 38, Messi is now playing for Inter Miami CF in MLS. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is 41, plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. In soccer terms, both are aging GOATs.

Each will participate in their sixth World Cup—just to put this into perspective: they were using flip phones at their first tournament. Messi finally captured a title with Argentina in Qatar, while Ronaldo has yet to win one, and some argue that Portugal may actually perform better without him this summer. Is this going to be their last major tournament? Right?

Who’s coaching the U.S. now?

Now, regarding the U.S. men’s national team (deep breath): Gregg Berhalter was in charge during the Qatar tournament, but since then, there’s been a whirlwind of events, including his rehire and subsequent firing within just 18 months along with a notable exit during the Copa América.

Complicating matters, Berhalter found himself embroiled in a public dispute involving midfielder Giovanni Reyna and his family that involved private conversations coming to light, professional conflicts, embarrassing threats, and old domestic violence allegations. It wasn’t an ideal scenario for anyone involved.

In 2024, Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino, who previously managed clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea, took over for Berhalter. While results under his leadership have been mixed, there’s still a fair bit of optimism moving forward.

According to ESPN sources, Pochettino has been in discussions with AC Milan regarding taking over their squad after the World Cup, which, depending on your perspective, could be exciting or worrisome for U.S. soccer fans.

The U.S. star player is …

Since the Qatar tournament, Christian Pulisic has transitioned from Chelsea to Milan, where he was the leading scorer for the Italian team last season. However, going into 2026, he hadn’t found the net yet this year, which isn’t ideal—but Pulisic remains the crucial figure for the U.S. national team and its most recognizable name.

How significant is he? Last year, Pulisic released an athlete documentary detailing his life, complete with several nods to his dislike for public exposure. If you’re into awkward storytelling and forced revelations, it’s worth putting on your watchlist. (Spoiler alert: He’s a fan of golf!)

Downfall of the MMA Trio

The trio of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, and Tyler Adams was once lauded as the future of U.S. midfield in 2022. However, showbiz can be ruthless, and now Musah, despite his catchy nickname, has not made the cut for this World Cup squad.

In other updates: Goalkeeper Matt Turner, a former U.S. starter in Qatar who played for Arsenal, is now with the New England Revolution and will compete for playing time against Matthew Freese, New York City FC’s No. 1, aiming to become only the second Harvard graduate to play for the U.S. in a World Cup. Also, Sergiño Dest returns to the fold along with Tim Weah, who aspires to be a musician, and Antonee Robinson, nicknamed “Jedi” because that was his childhood dream.

Goodbye to the Waistcoat

You may remember that England manager Gareth Southgate’s waistcoat was a fan-favorite character in Qatar. Unfortunately, it has been retired as Southgate stepped down in 2024. In his place, German manager Thomas Tuchel, who has enjoyed success with teams like Chelsea, Bayern Munich, PSG, and Borussia Dortmund, has taken over.

Prince William, a noted soccer fan, remarked that these are “exciting times for England.” Harry Kane, an American football enthusiast with a dog named after Tom Brady, will be back as the team’s top scoring option. Coincidentally, the infamous “It’s Coming Home” song will also be making another appearance, likely to annoy fans globally.

Neymar’s Comeback

The last time we saw Neymar in a World Cup, he delivered an incredible goal in a quarterfinal match against Croatia before Brazil exited the tournament. However, since then, things haven’t gone smoothly for him.

After a brief stint with Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Neymar has returned to play for Santos, his home club in the Brazilian league. Despite some controversies, including an incident where he slapped a teenage teammate, he is also dealing with a calf injury that puts his availability for the World Cup in doubt. Emotions among Brazilians regarding this range from disappointment to hope.

The decision regarding Neymar’s participation will depend on Brazil’s new coach, Carlo Ancelotti, a five-time Champions League winner. A noted style icon, Ancelotti is famous for chewing gum during games, often consuming multiple pieces each match. He also perhaps has the most impressive eyebrows in sports.

‘The Next Messi’ is from Spain

Despite a disappointing exit against Morocco in the round of 16 at Qatar, Spain rebounded to win the Euros in 2024, making them among the favorites for the World Cup. Their rise is attributed to the emergence of Lamine Yamal, an 18-year-old forward hailed as potentially the best teenage player ever.

He’s so young that it’s likely he’ll still be wearing braces during the World Cup. (Don’t forget your rubber bands, Lamine!)

In the spirit of Spain’s soccer culture, it’s noteworthy that Yamal is one of eight Barcelona players in the national squad, with the first-ever absence of any Real Madrid representatives. Many see this as an early win for Spain.

Fun fact: The United States isn’t the only host country for this World Cup—Canada and Mexico will each host 13 matches as well.

Following a dismal performance in Qatar, where they lost all three games and sacked coach John Herdman, Canada has quickly risen with Alphonso Davies, widely regarded as their best player ever. Impressively, Canada defeated the U.S. in two consecutive matches in 2024 and 2025 for the first time in four decades, led by American Jesse Marsch, a former U.S. assistant who was initially in line for the U.S. head coach position in 2023 before being passed over. Quite the story!

Meanwhile, Mexico isn’t faring as well. After their disappointing exit in the group stage of Qatar, the Mexican federation entertained several ideas before naming 67-year-old Javier Aguirre as coach, who has experienced two previous World Cups without any knockout stage victories. Curious choice.

On a bright note, if you enjoy nicknames, new star Armando González goes by “La Hormiga” (“the ant”) due to a childhood fear of bugs.

Welcome, Iran

In the last World Cup, the U.S. faced some scrutiny after mistakenly using the wrong flag for Iran on its federation website, but ultimately beat Iran 1-0 in a crucial group match.

Since then, significant events have unfolded. Iran qualified for the upcoming tournament, though initially, it seemed they might not participate. Then, while it appeared they would, reports confirmed their participation.

Now, with two group matches set in Los Angeles and another in Seattle, Iran announced they would base their camp in Mexico instead of the U.S., opting to travel to matches in America close to kickoff amid ongoing tensions.