THE UNITED STATES and MEXICO are bound together by history, culture and geography. Whether they want to be or not. This complex relationship is nowhere more visible than on the soccer field, and in the stands. With his new book, Sibling Rivalry, Hal Phillips shows why USA vs. Mexico soccer is more than a match. It’s an ongoing family drama proving that rivalry is a uniquely compelling form of intimacy. Phillips investigates the fluid, centuries-old associations between the two nations, on field and off. He explores byzantine border dynamics, shared economic anxieties, and the North American Derby’s stunning evolution from a one-sided “nothing-burger” to an intensely contested, ever-escalating blood feud. The partisans are front and center here, but Phillips also draws on the personal narratives of transnational players and fans, breathing more life and nuance into this thoroughly North American story…
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A New World Guide to Sensible World Cup Expectations
I was rereading and search-engine optimizing some older essays last week, when I came across a column from early October 2017. To be precise, the piece was written two frantic days after the USMNT failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. That remains, you may recall, a dire moment in what I call the “modern history” of U.S. soccer. With the men’s national team preparing to host another Mundial — another tournament it didn’t qualify for, to be clear — those 8-year-old observations underline sensible World Cup expectations for the pending competition. American soccer media, such as it is, has grown up in the meantime. It has dispensed with the “Will America win a World Cup by 2022, 2026 or 2030?” banter. I think we better understand — as a media horde, as a futbol-watching population — that national team programs don’t compete for world titles merely because they set their minds to this goal and/or throw resources at it. But what do we call it, this overt expectation mongering? [...]
USMNT Final Roster Observations & Idle Gossip
It's getting real, folks. The World Cup is but two weeks away. Mauricio Pochettino has issued his final, 26-man U.S. Men’s National Team roster. Here’s what it tells us: Other than Tanner Tessman staying home, no roster surprises — only alignment questions and a couple puzzlers. It seems El Mister is committed to a back three of Tim Ream, Chris Richards and Alex Freeman, but he hedged his bets by tapping a total of 10 defenders, six centerbacks and four wing backs. That D-corps (see the entire roster below) allows him the flexibility to play four in the back, should tactics shift. Tessman, a defensive midfielder who plays for Lyon, might not be fit (muscle strain); his club indicated on May 8 he wouldn't play any more of the French Ligue 1 season. If he is healthy, I emphatically DO NOT understand Pochettino's motivations here. I thought TT provided the best-possible cover and partner for oft-injured, talismanic defensive midfielder Tyler Adams. What’s more, Tessman is another, highly technical, distributive option at centerback should [...]
‘What the rivalry means on both sides of the border’
“Hal Phillips examines how the rivalry grew from the heartland of Ohio to Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, and what the rivalry means on both sides of the border: the shame of Mexicans, the insecurities on both sides, the envy and scorn the two opponents feel about each other in one of international soccer’s most unique and surely complicated rivalries. Really interesting book. Phillips gives also us an important history lesson, not just on the USA-Mexico soccer rivalry and the evolution of the sport in both countries, but on the interdependence between neighboring nations.”
‘Top-Notch Storytelling’
“Starting with Seamus Malin’s terrific Intro, Hal Philllps’ take on the complex U.S.-Mexico soccer rivalry is nuanced, layered, and deeply felt. Top-notch storytelling for anyone interested in understanding what is really going on beneath the surface whenever the U.S. Men line up against El Tri.”
‘A history more complex than participants and supporters can imagine’
“Back in the day, when we were trying to convince editors about a growing audience for soccer, Hal Phillips’ generation came along to back us up. Then, they started carrying the ball — playing the game at a decent level and, now, telling the tales. This is a story that touches home, taking us to origins that predate the first U.S.-Mexico encounter, in 1934, and outlining a history more complex than participants and supporters can imagine. This book untangles the complexities and explains how, despite a clash of cultures, the U.S. and Mexico appear to be finding common ground. Surprisingly, considering most soccer rivalries are eternal, Phillips reveals this one could be headed in an unexpected direction leading up to the 2026 World Cup, and beyond.”
