Subscribe to continue reading
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
Sponsorships for a young footballer?
Tweet of the month (March 2024)
Soccer is growing in popularity at an exponential rate in the US. TV Networks, Sponsors, Pundits, Coaches, Agents, Social Media Influencers, all are seizing the opportunities daily. Most seek an immediate remuneration; while others look for increasing likes or followers. Very few though, attempt to grow the sport without a premeditated benefit. I believe, the tweet below attempts to educate the public in a impartial manner by commenting on the benefits of playing both high school soccer and club soccer. Is there really a need to choose one over the other? The tweet captures the opinion of a spectrum of individuals from different walks of life. It is a quick read so if you can, take the time to read it as your soccer player either prepares to go through this phase or will undergo this decision in the near future.
For our family, neither of the boys was able to play high school soccer due to their USSF academy commitments. Unfortunately, that is a decision that we’ll have to live with for the rest of our lives. Without sounding too dramatic, it would have been the first (ok second) time the boys would have ever played on the same team. Flip side is that the time they did not spend on a high school team together was utilized to play at a semi-professional level that eventually allowed them to be currently playing at a professional level.
With Joana, we made sure she didn’t miss out on the high school playing experience and she has taken that opportunity on stride. She is also very fortunate to have a supportive club coach who allows his players to concurrently play high school and club soccer. Truth be told, this flexibility is really available due to the large roster he purposedly carries. In short, Joana’s team can easily field two full teams of 11 players with subs included at any given point. In the end, it’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. Players can play both high school and club soccer (even pursue other non HS soccer activities), and coach is remunerated nicely by carrying a large paying roster. Most importantly though, we parents can brag about their kids’ uber-competitive soccer experiences.
Unfortunately in our case and to echo the content of the tweet, I have also heard club coaches (ours included) comment about how high school players tend to pick up “bad habits” during HS soccer season. Therefore, the tweet above hits right at home with club coaches who constantly talk down the entire high school experience making it seem inferior. At least in Joana’s case, her high school soccer coach soccer knowledge and experience is far longer (and superior) than that of her club’s coach. In the end, we have figured out a way to use both mentors to mold her into the excellent player she has become. She is improved so much in the last two years thanks to both coaches who supplement each other quite nicely along with what we do at home.
If you have any suggestions as to topics you want to talk about, please reach out. #theGomezway
US Soccer referee annual certification explained 2024
As we begin a busy year of soccer in the United States (MLS, USL, NWSL, Gold Cup W, Nations League, Copa America, etc.), refereeing takes central stage. That’s not only because the MLS referees are currently on a lockout but because soccer officiating is beginning to gain the attention it deserves as a profession. There are opportunities in refereeing opening up for “the ambitious”…
Last year, I wrote this post about the shortage of referees in the US. In it, I explained the annual certification process and how its length could be detrimental to referee recruitment and retention. Now, in my 20th year of soccer refereeing, here is how the process looks for a North Texas Referee. It’s NOT any shorter but the truth be told, the refresher material is very relevant (even for experienced referees). Below is a checklist of the process with its brief explanation:
- Required background check and clinic registration (National)
- Welcome (State Association: North Texas)
- Intro to Safe and Healthy Playing Environments (National)
- Safesport (National -18 years of age minimum)
- Laws of the Game (National)
- Law Changes Review (National)
- Referee Code of Conduct (National)
- Referee Refreshers (2) Assignment (National)
- Online Test (National)
Required Background Check
In order to register with your corresponding state association (in my case North Texas (NTX)) and the US Soccer Federation (USSF), the referee candidate (if 18 years or older) must pass a background check. The application process in the North Texas System is comprised of 3 steps:
Step 1: Answering a quick (3 questions) questionnaire
In this step, the candidate is asked about 1. prior convictions and types: Felony, Crime of Violence, Crime against an individual, or Fraud. 2. current/desired soccer official type: Assignor, Referee Coach or Referee type (Futsal, Indoor, Outdoor) and 3. Type of registration: Recertification, Upgrade, Fitness Test, Emeritus, Supplemental Training, or Regain Level .
Step 2: Selecting an online clinic
Based on the answer to question #2 in the previous step regarding desired soccer official type and type of registration, you will have to select the pertinent clinic(s) to fulfill your registration process.
Step 3: Payment of pertinent clinics
In my case, I needed to pay two fees: $40 for the USSF “2024 Referee License Fee” and $30 for the Referee Recertification clinic. Payment is expected at this point in order to proceed. This includes a $10 late fee for not having taken care of this process prior to December 31st, of 2023.
Since background checks have a cost associated with them, the verification process doesn’t really start until payment is rendered and approved. Then, the system will send a confirmation email to the email address in your profile. Also, the system will require “Consent” and “Social Security Number” in order to proceed with the electronic background check.
The actual background check process is performed through a third party website (JD Palatine). The submission of some personal information is necessary to complete the application. In addition to consenting to the electronic background information, the candidate will be asked the state where you intend to work AND where you reside. This process will take 10 minutes to complete and upon its conclusion, another email will be generated. This email contains a file number to check on the status of the background check; resolution to the background check can take up to three weeks to be received by the state association. Plan accordingly if there’s a desire to officiate immediately.
Welcome
This online presentation contains slides regarding the recertification steps starting with the two US Soccer Learning Center modules: Introduction to Safe and Healthy Playing Environments and Safesport. Presentation duration is about 5 minutes
Introduction to Safe and Healthy Playing Environments
This is the description that the US Soccer Learning Center provides about this course: “Understanding and knowing how to react to emergencies is an important part of our responsibility as leaders in the sport. This training will help you identify and respond to common issues that occur on the field; it is good for one year from the date of completion.”
This course mostly talks about having Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) in place and when to activate them based on situations impacting different players, coaches, referees emergencies (ex. concussions. cardiac arrest, inclement weather, etc.). Course duration can vary from 2 to 3 hours.
Safesport
This is the description that the US Soccer Learning Center provides about this course:: “SafeSport training is a requirement of the USOPC for anyone involved in youth sports. This training is provided by the U.S. Center for SafeSport and requires yearly refreshers“.
This training is not required for any individual under the age of 18.” Course duration can vary from 40 to 60 minutes.
Laws of the Game
This is merely a reminder that officials need to have a copy of the laws of the game. Through the 3-4 slides presented, one can either read, download a hard copy on your personal computer or download “the Laws of the Game” mobile application. There’s also a link to the IFAB Laws of the Game website. Duration is 5 minutes.
Laws of the Game changes
This is a summary of the law changes for which the applicant is seeking recertification. Duration is dependent upon the number of law changes or revisions. For 2024, emphasis was on the offside call, deliberate play, and hand balls. As reference, the 2024 duration is about 20 minutes
Referee Refreshers
For the 2024 recertification, there were two refreshers. These refresh courses reinforce material learned in previous years: Managing the game, managing the players, etc. the 2024 duration is 30 – 60 minutes for each lesson.
Online Tests
Four 25 question tests are administered. They need to be completed in one session; otherwise, the test must be started from the beginning. A score of 80 or above must be attained. Duration is variable for each of the four tests.
Minority representation
With Women’s international day celebrated last Friday (03.08), it seems fitting to talk about minority representation in refereeing. Historically, the refereeing circle has been quite limited; the “boys club” in refereeing, as in other circles of soccer, has dominated making entry to the profession difficult for marginalized groups. However, recent assignments to important games are encouraging. One can only hope that these assignments to women (and other minority groups) are more permanent rather than based on annual commemoration of inclusion days or just checking a box. Below are some examples of baby steps:
MLS Match
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake – September 16, 2023
USA FIFA Referee Natalie Simon was assigned as the Referee, making her the fourth ever female official to work an MLS match as the Referee and the first Black female official to do so.
The most recent female official to work an MLS match as the Referee was USA FIFA Referee Tori Penso (wife of retired referee Chris Penso), who recently became the first USA official to referee a Women’s World Cup Final.
It is also worth noting that the assignments to minority groups should be based on merit and not on inclusion status or checkboxes. Due to their historical limited experience, some of these , minority referees may not be quite ready for the big stage. Tori has demonstrated that her level (physical and emotional) is dynamic to be refereeing important matches consistently. Even at the Women’s Gold Cup, she struggled when game-impacting decisions were required of her.
MLS Cup
Other recent assignments to important matches include.
- Armando Villarreal, Referee
- Cameron Blanchard, Assistant Referee
- Ian McKay, Assistant Referee
- Jon Freemon, 4th Official
- Kevin Stott, VAR
- TJ Zablocki, AVAR
- Jeremy Kieso, Reserve AR
NWSL Final
- Katja Koroleva, Referee
- Jennifer Garner, Assistant Referee (from North Texas)
- Kate Wasiak, Assistant Referee
- Anya Voigt, 4th Official
- Kevin Broadley VAR
- Maggie Short, AVAR
- Tiff Turpin, Reserve AR
USL Championship
- Elton Garcia, Referee
- Mike Nickerson, Assistant Referee
- Nick Balcer, Assistant Referee
- Natalie Simon, 4th Official
- Matt Schwartz, Reserve AR
USL League 1 Final
- Sergii Demianchuk, Referee
- Matt Rodman, Assistant Referee
- Joe Suchoski, Assistant Referee
- Jeremy Scheer, 4th Official
- Bennett Savage, Reserve AR
MLS Next PRO Final
- Calin Radosav, Referee
- Noah Kenyawani, Assistant Referee
- Rhett Hammil, Assistant Referee
- JC Griggs, 4th Official
- Nick Seymour, Reserve AR
Liga MX
This past weekend Katia Itzel García, officiated the Queretaro vs Pachuca game. It had been 20 years since Virginia Tovar, the first woman to officiate a Liga MX match, was given an opportunity. Twenty years had to go by for a second opportunity. Katia recently officiated the Women’s Gold Cup match between Canada and USA.
That’s all for now. For suggestions on topics you’d like to see discussed, please reach out. #theGomezway.
Tweet of the month (February 2024)
Gratitude is a trait we have tried to instill in our children from an early age; they were blessed to have attended a Christian school where even when we “failed” at home, they were constantly reminded that among other life values, humility and gratitude are paramount in life.
As part of becoming professional players, they quickly realized that they were granted a special gift that impacts football fans. Often, they make it a point to show their appreciation when a situation warrants it. As parents, we proudly observe their growth off and on the field but also join them in thanking those who constantly support them especially those who are present in the good, the bad, and the ugly…
Siempre estaremos agradecidos con la gente que constantemente apoya a los chavos para bien ó para mejorar. Muchísimas gracias. No nos olvidaremos.
It is gratifying to see the boys interacting with kiddos…our children, were not too long ago *there*. We now understand that it’s impossible to ‘satisfy’ all fans requests but our boys strive to…it’s a task…
Tweet of the month (January 2024)
In the past three months, Jogo has improved his defensive game significantly; as you can see from the tweet below, others are noticing. He has worked tirelessly to that end and his coachability has allowed him to gradually improve. We will continue to work with him in other aspects of his game while trying to maintain the current defensive consistency.
For now, we enjoy and celebrate the fact that he’s able to play (healthy), playing full games, and of course, help his team shut out the opposition (5 consecutive games). Keep up the good work Jogo.
Thanks for your continuous support Vince and to all of our 502 peeps as well.
2023 in hindsight for the Gómez’s
2022 left us quickly but not before we added a new member to our family. Now, 2023 is only a couple days away from becoming history; inexorably, we are “silently” leaping (2024 is a leap year) our way to the quarter of a century mark.
As we bid adieu to 2023, let’s recap some personal highlights for the Gómez family, remember some other events of national and global impact. As usual, we try to conclude this post on a positive note with our hopes and expectations for 2024. Enjoy…
January
Personal
USMNT
The year started really well ‘footballwise’ for what would eventually become the best year for the family in terms of national team presence for the boys. Jogo was called to his first US Men’s National Team (USMNT) January camp (and the first one post the Qatar 2022 World Cup). In one of the friendly games played as part of the camp, he managed to play the full 90 minutes against Serbia at ~80% health after having sustained an injury the week prior to camp with his club. We were fortunate that Real Sociedad (RS) released him for camp. This second experience with the USMNT was longer than the first one and we got to see him play once again in beautiful Los Angeles. More on that experience here.
High School “Soccer”/Club Football
Joana made her High School (HS) varsity soccer squad as a freshman and played every single minute of the HS season. That was not a feat in itself but at the end of the season, she received numerous accolades which summarized her successful season.
With club, her team started the year off by traveling to Las Vegas where it captured first place in the top division. The trip, in addition to the football, was very memorable for the family.
National
On January 3rd, then USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter posted the following tweet which quickly snowballed into a series of polarizing events between coach and players. In the months to follow, two interim coaches were utilized as USMNT coaches as Gregg’s future on the field was being evaluated to determine renewal of his contract as USSF coach.
The above tweet would eventually evolve into a series of revelations by Gio Reyna’s parents and Gregg himself. The days following statements by each party were some of the more controversial ones for the USSF which was caught in the middle of it all; however, a few months later, among even more controversy, the USSF reinstated/renewed Gregg as the new (and current) USMNT coach.
Global
On January 2nd, during the traditional Monday Night Football (MNF) game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, safety player Damar Hamlin collapsed from cardiac arrest after immediately tackling an opponent. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) were quickly administered before taking him to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Nine days after the incident, he was discharged to rehabilitate from home and plans to return to football.
February
Personal
In February (late January really), Johan helped Nico Carrera finalize a move to his then Bundesliga.3 club: FSV Zwickau. During pre-season in August of 2022, Nico had been on trial at FSV Zwickau; unfortunately, a much needed loan from Holstein II did not materialize for Nico then. However, in an early January 2023 league game, a sudden and unfortunate season-ending injury to a starter FSV Zwickau Center Back (CB) resurrected the possibility of the loan. With Johan’s great relationship with American Coach Joe Enochs, the loan transaction with Holstein Kiel was finally pushed over the line. At last, “the compadres” were sharing the pitch again just like the FC Dallas days. Unfortunately, Nico’s debut coincided with the sacking of Joe Enochs as the team was in a fierce relegation battle.
National
On February 7th, Lebron James, at 38, broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA’ long standing scoring record of: 38,387 points. In a night when the Lakers were playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Lebron became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 10.9 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter. The game stopped for over 10 minutes to recognize and celebrate such achievement. Given the popularity of basketball around the world, this event could be classified as global; however, the Super Bowl, normally in that category, and global mother nature events, will always supersede sports.
Global
Earthquake
On February 6th, one of the most devastating earthquakes of a 7.8 magnitude shook up the border between Turkey and Syria. This resulted in more than 35 thousand casualties, leaving millions without a home. Events like these put into perspective the miniscule importance of sports…perspective.
Super Bowl
On February 13th, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the 1.5 point favorites Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 38-35 in Super bowl LVII (57th). Texas native Patrick Mahomes was the MVP of the game. The game was the most-watched program in American history with an average of 115.1 million viewers. The halftime show, featuring Rihanna, reached a high of 118.7 million viewers. As usual, the commercials stole “the show”.
March
Personal
US U20 MNT
Coach Mikey Varas had one last chance to evaluate the available talent pool for the upcoming U20 MNT WC while the team played against the likes of France, England, and Serbia. Selfishly, I not only had a chance to travel to beautiful Marbella, Spain but in the process, I also visited Morocco and France. It was a very fulfilling trip where lots of memories were captured in pictures and videos. Most importantly, I spent some quality time with Jogo and watched some amazing football.
FSV Zwickau
Johan had a productive month of March scoring in consecutive matches. Here is one of the goals he scored in March against Verl.
National
On March 24th, a tornado outbreak broke out south of the Mississippi Valley resulting in widespread heavy rainfall, severe thunderstorms, and significant tornadoes over a four-day period. The total number of tornadoes added up to 33 with 23 fatalities and damages in excess of $1.9 billion. Five states including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas were impacted by a series of tornadoes. Fortunately, our home did not sustain any damage.
Global
Three small to mid-size US banks suddenly became insolvent negatively impacting global bank stock prices. Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Silvergate, and Signature bank failed for different reasons.
Over a period of just two days, the bank went from solvent to broke as depositors rushed to SVB to withdraw their funds, resulting in federal regulators closing the bank for good on March 10, 2023. SVB’s collapse marked the second largest bank failure in U.S. history after Washington Mutual’s in 2008.
April
Personal
Mom visited Jogo in San Sebastian and Mallorca for the first time this year. Jogo traveled with the first team several times but could not debut in La Liga. As mom returned home to Texas, Jogo made his way out to Argentina with the US team for the U20 WC where he would have a meaningful tournament.
National
March Madness
On April 3rd, the 2023 NCAA March Madness tournament came to an end. UConn defeated San Diego State by a score of 76 to 59 to claim the 2023 NCAA national title. This was the 5th championship for the Huskies men’s basketball program. As a side note, my running horns made it to the Elite Eight before collapsing against the University of Miami Hurricanes.
Global
On April 20, 2023, Elon Musk’s SpaceX performed the first flight of its Starship rocket from Boca Chica Texas (a few miles away from our hometown in Brownsville). The prototype vehicle became the most powerful rocket ever flown. On November 18, 2023, the second test flight was conducted successfully. We were in town for this one. It’s important to keep in mind that these test flights’ goal is to learn as much as possible from each one.
May
This month saw a roller coaster of events for the family. Jogo’s participation in the Argentina U20 WC was a bit offset by FSV Zwickau’s relegation from 3.Bundesliga and the end of Johan’s contract with the club.
Personal
U20 WC
Jogo played in every game of the WC given his versatility (and willingness) to play on both sides of the field. Despite the fact that he didn’t start every game, he contributed with a goal and two fouls which directly led to US goals. He scored this beauty of a screamer in Argentina’s U20 WC first game while I was in the stadium. Great feeling.
FSV Zwickau:
Johan bid farewell to the wonderful Zwickau fans with this beauty of a goal in his last home game. It was bittersweet and we have nothing but gratitude towards the strong fanbase of the East Germany club. We know we’ll be back in the future. “Einmal ein Schwan, immer ein Schwan“
ECNL
Joana’s team finished the 2022 – 2023 in first place. She grew a lot this past season. Her minutes and contributions were solid. We are very proud of the footballer she’s become.
National
On May 6th, almost a year after the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, another mass shooting occurred at the premium outlets in Allen, Texas (a suburb north of Dallas). Nine people, including the perpetrator, were killed during the shooting while seven others were injured. The graphic video below is shared to commend the actions of the officer who not for one second hesitated to go above and beyond his “duties”.
Global
On May 20, Manchester City won their third straight premier league title when Arsenal lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest. They received the trophy the next day and with it, they started a quest for their first treble: Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. As luck would have it, they would win up to five trophies in 2023.
June
The month that marked a jam-packed first half of year and the best was yet to come for the family.
Personal
On June 4th, the U20 WC reached its conclusion for Jogo and the USMNT U20 team. There’s a small chip on Jogo’s shoulder that will be there until the next opportunity with the national team as he didn’t get to play much of the last game against eventual U20 WC Champions: Uruguay. When he finally came into the game, the team had a 2 goal deficit which ended up being the final score (0-2). It was a great experience nonetheless with memories that we will all cherish forever.
National
On June 12th, in the fifth game of the NBA finals, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat. The Western Conference Champions won their first ever NBA championship. As most would expect, Serbian center Nikola Jokic was named MVP of the finals.
Global
Football
On June 10th, Manchester City won its first Champions League final by defeating Inter Milan by a score of 1-0 with a second half goal by Rodri. With this victory in Istanbul, Turkey, the club started a dominant 2023 performance by amassing five trophies in 2023 (Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup). See December section for further details.
Tennis
On June 11th, the Serbian tennis legend, Novak Djokovik, in a closely contested match, won an all-time record 23rd Grand Slam single’s title by defeating Norway’s Casper Ruud in straight sets (7-6, 6-3, 7-5). Casper had reached the French Open final for the second consecutive year unfortunately losing both.
July
Personal
Jogo was invited to take part in the La Liga summer tour in México and the United States with Real Sociedad’s first team to play two friendlies against La Liga clubs. In August 2nd, Real Sociedad faced Atletico de Madrid at BVBA stadium where Jogo got to see his aunt and uncle who relentlessly show him their unwavering support. Three days days later, the second friendly was played against Real Betis in San Francisco.
Fun Fact: A few weeks earlier, Johan had faced Real Betis in Braunschweig, Germany in a friendly and would score against them the goal below. Football has a way to make “things happen”. Johan had a chance to meet Andrés Guardado just like Jogo did a few years earlier.
National
Gold Cup
On July 6th, México and Panama faced off in this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup final in SoFi stadium in Inglewood, California. In a highly competitive match, México prevailed 1-0 with an 88th minute goal by Santiago Giménez. At last, México retook the throne from the United States who were the winners of the previous Gold Cup in 2021.
Global
Football
After months of speculation about his next career move. On July 16th, Lionel Messi’s announcement to join MLS Inter Miami’s was made official. The hype of this move was of unprecedented proportions globally even before the announcement was made official. I wrote a piece about his effect on MLS two months after his arrival here.
Tennis
On July 16th, 2003 Spanish born Carlitos Alcaraz defeated the four-time defending champion Serbian Novak Djokovic in a closely contested final, 1–6, 7–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4 to win the gentlemen’s singles tennis title. It was the Spaniard’s first Wimbledon title and second major singles title overall denying the champion from winning a 24th grand slam title for now…
August
Personal
On August 10th, Jogo received the excellent news that his request for a loan had been approved to 2nd division CD Mirandés. Four days later, he made his debut in a victory over Alcorcón 4-0. Just like in the U20 WC, he showed his versatility by playing his first game as a right winger.
National
On August 19th, the newly created Leagues Cup including all MLS and Liga MX clubs reached its championship game between two MLS teams. In a tightly contested game, Messi’s Inter Miami CF would prevail in penalty kicks (PKs) by a score of 10-9 over Nashville SC. The regulation score ended up 1-1 which forced PKs. It became the first trophy for Messi’s Inter Miami CF for what many expect to be many more to come. Lionel Messi was awarded the top scorer and the MVP of the tournament.
Global
On August 21st, the FIFA women’s world reached its climax. In a very competitive match dominated by England in the first half and Spain in the second half, the Spaniards saw their visually appealing footballing be crowned once again. Their tiki-taka, prevailed over a very physical English team by a score of 1-0. With this title, the Spaniards are the current U-17, U20, and Senior WC champions. Quite a feat that will be difficult to emulate.
Unfortunately, most of the attention would be drawn to this Spanish team during their post-match controversial celebration and all the events that gradually led to the resignation of the president of the Spanish Football Federation.
September
Personal
Mom went to visit Jogo to Miranda de Ebro. He needed some assistance moving and was adjusting quite well to the new club but the field opportunities had not been abundant due to his lack of pre-season work. Expert twitter fans back home were writing off his entire career but he soon proved us all wrong. He continues to work hard after an almost perfect month of October.
National
On September 10th, American youngster Coco Gauff was crowned queen of the US Open winning her first single’s major by defeating Aryna Sabalenka after having lost the first set 2-6. In the process, she earned $3 million.
The next day, Novak Djokovic won his record breaking 24th gentleman’s grand slam title in straight sets (6-3, 7-5, and 6-3) over Russian Daniil Medvedev.
Global
On September 24, Tigst Assefa won the 49th edition of the BMW Berlin women’s marathon and in the process, established a new world record at: 2:11:53. She beat the previous world record by over 2 minutes and 14 seconds.
On the male side, Eliud Kipchoge won the male open division for the fifth time. The video below was taken when Eliu won the 2018 marathon for the first time on September 16, 2018.
October
October was an excellent month for the family. Jogo had an almost perfect month playing full 90 minute games with CD Mirandés and contributing with some assists/hockey assists. On Johan’s side, he once again received the honor of representing the United States with the U23 USMNT pre-Olympic team.
Personal
Johan is called up to his first US U23 camp in Phoenix Arizona. He played against México and Japan scoring this goal but more importantly, he was able to see old (Chumchat) co-hosts and guests. It was a very memorable trip. We caught up with him there as well.
National
On October 1st, the Texas Rangers managed to lose to the Seattle Mariners in the last game of the regular season, relinquishing first place in the west division (and a playoff bye) to state archrivals: the Houston Astros. As faith would have it, the Astros had won a battle but not the war.
In what some would consider an anomaly among anomalies, the next four weeks would see the Texas Rangers win every single road game of the playoffs. In the process, they not only eliminated the Houston Astros in the American League (AL) Championship Series but on November 1st, defeated the the Diamond Backs winning their first MLB World Series (4-1). After reaching and losing the World Series in consecutive years ( 2010 and 2011), the Texas Rangers at last, won their first ever World Series in Arizona.
Global
On October 28th, the world received the terrible and unexpected news that Matthew Perry, who was best know for playing Chandler Bing on the smash hit comedy “Friends” had died at the age of 54 years.
November
November was a good football month for Johan…despite the fact that he had a very dangerous head injury during a late November football match that required several stitches…
Personal
On November 11th, Johan scored his first official goal in Bundesliga 2. With it, his team won an important game in their relegation battle. We hope Johan and club keep up the good form in 2024.
National
During the November FIFA window, Johan attended his second U23 camp in Spain in preparation for the Paris Olympics in the summer of 2024. As a family, we had hoped that the boys could play together with the national team but CD Mirandés denied Jogo’s release.
On Sunday, November 19th, Johan and teammates managed to go see Jogo play against CD Eldense in a stadium near where U23 USMNT camp was being held. It was a very dramatic game that ended up in a tie (2-2) but the most important part of that evening was that the boys got to see each other.
We are hoping that Jogo continues in an upward trajectory in La Liga 2. That way, the U23 USMNT invitations will continue to be earned and hopefully extended. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that CD Mirandés release Jogo next time and who knows? Maybe, the boys will play together at some point.
Global
On November 28th, Henry Kissinger a German-born American diplomat who shaped U.S. foreign policy in the second half of the 20th century and won a Nobel Prize for brokering an end to the Vietnam War died at age 100. He served as the US secretary of state and national security advisor in the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford between 1969 and 1977.
December
Personal
Johan scored his second official goal in Bundesliga 2. With it, his Eintracht Braunschweig club finished the first half of the season with two important consecutive victories and continued in a fierce relegation battle. The break should help them recover some injured/suspended players, regroup, and return to action in January hungrier than before.
National
In an extra long MLS season that started back in February (due to the month- long Leagues Cup tournament), on December 9th, the Columbus Crew defeated LAFC at home by a score of 2-1.
Global
On Friday, December 22nd, Manchester City, won the 2023 FIFA Club world Cup defeating Marcelo’s Brazilian Fluminese squad by a score of 4-0. In its last version showcasing seven clubs (winner of each confederation plus the winner of the host country local league), a UEFA club was crowned for the 16th time out of 20 editions so far. The remaining 4 wins of this tournament have been earned by Brazilian clubs.
Personally, the most impressive feat of this event was that Argentinean National Team Member, Julián Álvarez, at a tender age of 23 years, has won every possible important trophy there’s to be won. This includes the FIFA Men’s World Cup won in December 2022.
| Club/National Team | Competiton | Year |
| River Plate | Copa Libertadores | 2018 |
| River Plate | Copa Argentina | 2018-2019 |
| River Plate | Recopa Sudamericana | 2019 |
| River Plate | Supercopa Argentina | 2019 |
| River Plate | Argentine Primera Division | 2021 |
| River Plate | Trofeo de Campeones | 2021 |
| Argentina | Copa America | 2021 |
| Argentina | FIFA Men’s World Cup | 2022 |
| Argentina | Finalisima | 2022 |
| Manchester City | Premier League | 2022-2023 |
| Manchester City | FA Cup | 2022-2023 |
| Manchester City | UEFA Champions League | 2022-2023 |
| Manchester City | UEFA Super Cup | 2022-2023 |
| Manchester City | FIFA Club World Cup | 2023 |
2024:
Next year, we will expand our blog coverage to include more content about Joana. She’s beginning to take the sport to a different level. In fact, in a couple of weeks, she will participate in her first showcase tournament of the year. She is coming off a semi-severe injury that sidelined her for two months but is now fully recovered. We have been working diligently in preparation for the continuation of her seasons.
As for the boys, they will continue to learn about European football professionalism. They have a great foundation and continue to earn valuable minutes. However, just like Joana, their preventive care habits should be maintained to help them be more resilient to the demands of their respective leagues. We hope they continue to not only accumulate impactful minutes and perform well in order to partake in the camps leading up to summer Olympics.
Otherwise, they will be welcomed back home where they will inevitably continue to play the beautiful game but in a different capacity. See, this year, they started the “Jogos and friends pickup games” anytime they are in town where they not only get to play the beautiful game with professional/college footballers in a friendly manner but also reminisce about childhood memories or catch up with football friends. They have had three great instances.
On a more personal note, next year I will prioritize family time and own health. Unlike 2023, traveling will take a secondary role. As time allows, officiating football matches at a higher level and participating in longer distance running competitions will also be part of my goals. At this point, our only hope is that 2024 can keep up with our plans…thanks for making it this far and hope you have enjoyed it. Until next time. Happy New Year!!! #theGomezway
BTW, if you wish to keep up with the latest blog posts, be sure to subscribe for notifications on the left hand pane of the main blog page. You’ll probably get a couple of email notifications per month about new posts. You won’t regret it.
Tweet of the month (December 2023)
In memory of the now defunct Twitter (now “X”) app., and to commemorate the 100th post of this blog, I have decided to enrich my publications by adding a “Tweet of the month” post every month highlighting a tweet/post that I have come across that “caught my eye” or was brought to my attention. The criterion for inclusion is simple, it contains information about a member of the Gómez’s clan accompanied by a hot take. In this case, it’s only the 12th of the month and I can already select the winner for December:
For more loving tweets, keep following us. BTW, the year in review will come out next week. You can find 2022’s year in review here. #theGomezway
College soccer explained for players and parents (two amendments)
In the summer of 2021, I wrote an informative and comprehensive post titled: “College soccer explained for players and parents”. A little over two years have passed since its publication and recent events called for its review; I normally do not go back to amend my previous posts but the usefulness generated with it merited it. So, what events prompted me to re-read and update the post?
Well, it is that time of the year when college soccer begins to reach its climax and honestly, I have been watching a lot of it unfold since a few of our soccer friends are/were in it. On the D1 men’s side, the initial 48-school tournament is now down to the quarterfinals (aka Elite 8) while the D1 women’s bracket is now down to the final four. Not surprisingly, the NCAA D1 college cup will be played in Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky (also known as Lou City’s cathedral). In a way, we go full-circle and to commemorate it, we may make our way up to nostalgic Louisville to visit friends and watch a few games next week. Anyway, that current hype is what prompted me to revise my post in the first place…
So, without further ado, here are the two adjustments to my summer 2021 post.
Overtime changes
In the original post, I highlighted that regular season matches could not end in a tie. That rule changed the following season (2022) and now regular season matches CAN end in a tie after the 90 minutes of regulation. To determine a game winner in regular season games, no overtime is needed any more. However, as one would expect, if a winner is needed (ex. conference games, tournament games) overtime (OT) and penalty kicks (if the tie persists) will continue to be utilized. The reasoning behind the elimination of OT periods was to shorten the playing minutes that most college programs already undergo in a compact (August – November) season while equaling the playing time among all D1 soccer programs.
As explained in this NCAA article, another rule change that was introduced last season, which aligned with the elimination of the OT periods, was the abolition of the golden goal in OT periods. Currently, when OT periods are needed, two 10-minute OT halves must always be played in their entirety. This measure is supposed to improve the quality of soccer played by teams who in the past hesitated to play offensively fearing match ending counterattacks.
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)
Also, in my post from September 2021, I recommended prospective student-athletes not sign with an agent or receive any sort of financial remuneration. The idea was to avoid potential complications with the then-existent NCAA rule that prevented current (and prospective) student-athletes from playing or even being recruited if a financial advantage was proven to have occurred favoring the student-athlete (or the family).
See, in 1905, the NCAA was founded with amateurism as one of its core values. In other words, student-athletes could not get remunerated in any form while playing at the college level…until the summer of 2021. However, a lot changed in July 2021 in what continues to be a controversial and ambiguous NCAA rule change.
In June 2021, the supreme court ruled unanimously that the NCAA could not limit education-related payments to student-athletes (since non-athletes were making boat loads of money mostly online). Two core NCAA principles remained intact: No pay-for-play, and no quid pro quo. In summary, athletes are not supposed to receive compensation tied to performance, and recruits aren’t supposed to sign deals contingent on going to a certain school. The latter is a really nebulous topic as presented in this Athletic publication. However, NIL signings sky-rocketed and so did professional agent signings after the supreme ruling of NCAA vs Alton. Student-athletes are now able to receive money from monetized social media accounts, signing autographs, teaching camps or lessons and participating in advertising campaigns, among other forms of NIL usage. The ramifications of this change continue to have a domino effect and we haven’t seen the end of this rule change…
If you read through my original post, you will find that the “Program Reputation” section mentioned a soccer family friend whose son had committed to play D1 soccer for Georgetown. Ironically, that same friend called me last week to pick my brain about his son’s potential paths to football professionalism post college graduation. Unfortunately, Georgetown is no longer in the NCAA tournament, so we chatted about options to keep the dream alive based on the grim outlook his agent painted. In any case, that convo also contributed to the amendments of the original post.
I hope you have enjoyed reading the original post for the first time or re-reading it with its amendments. As always, reach out if you need any assistance, advice, or suggestions or if you have topics you’d like to read about. #theGomezway
What’s up with the FIFA 2030 World Cup?
Last month, FIFA announced that the 2030 FIFA Men’s World Cup (WC), officially denominated as the centennial WC, will once again be jointly hosted by more than two countries. For the 24th edition of the quadrennial event, FIFA selected host nations which are scattered across multiple continents (3) and about 6000 miles apart. In a nutshell, the games will be played as follows:
- Inaugural games (3) in Uruguay and one group game each in Argentina, and Paraguay
- Rest of the games (101): Spain, Portugal, and Morocco
Below, we analyze, and hypothesize, as to the reasoning of such decision by FIFA.
Host nation requirements
FIFA is comprised of six confederations: Africa (AFO), Asia (AFC), Europe (UEFA), North America (CONCACAF), South America (CONMEBOL), and Oceania (OFO) whose member nations can submit bids to host a WC. FIFA has a list of requirements that a potential host nation need to have. Below is just a summary.
Infrastructure:
Unfortunately, only Argentina currently possesses one or two stadiums with the below requirements that FIFA could potentially approve. The three host countries do have a few stadiums that could be renovated by 2030 but that would cost money these nations do not have. Fortunately, they have over six years to attempt to be prepared and a governing body -FIFA- more than willing to bend their own requirements in exchange of some re-election votes.
- Have at least 14 all-seater stadiums
- Each of the 14 all-seater stadiums must have a capacity of 40,000 seats
- 7 of the 14 stadiums must pre-exist prior to the bid submission
- The opening and final match must take place in a 80,000-seat stadium
- The semi-finals matches must take place in a 60,000-seat stadium
- Have at least a pool of 72 suitable training sites for team base camps
- Have four suitable venue-specific training site options per stadium
- Have two suitable referee base camp training site options
In addition to the infrastructure requirements above, the FIFA council also enforces loosely documented requirements regarding broadcasting sites, competition-related event sites, as well as accommodation, requirements for sustainability, environmental protections, human rights, governmental support, and organizational model to be used. FIFA is used to turn a blind-eye on their documented requirements. Enforcing the host nation requirements resembles football refereeing a lot. It’s subject to interpretation…
FIFA’s confederation rotation policy
Along with the above requirements, FIFA has a policy of excluding from bid submission contention the confederation(s) where the most recent WC took place. At the time the selection of the 2030 WC was announced in October 2023, Qatar had hosted the 2022 WC; therefore, AFC was excluded. Also, since the 2026 WC was already scheduled to take place in Canada, Mexico and the United States, CONCACAF would also be excluded from bid submission contention. Therefore, the following confederations remained as viable candidates for the 2030 WC: AFO, UEFA, CONMEBOL, and OFO. It’s noteworthy that FIFA’s rotation policy has “somehow” historically excluded AFO (except for South Africa in 2010) so it was now time to pay favors to Africa. More specifically, Morocco had bid for a WC many times so it was long overdue.
Many speculate that with FIFA’s rotation system and the 2030 selection concluded, CONCACAF (which will host the 2026 WC), CONMEBOL, UEFA, and CAF (confederations due to host the 2030 WC), would be unable to bid for the 2034 WC, leaving the AFC and OFC as the sole candidates. This has led to accusations that FIFA selected the hosts only to ensure that Saudi Arabia, an AFC member with major human rights controversies (like Qatar in 2022) would have their bid uncontested. Since FIFA wants to make the 2034 decision in 2024, it would leave little time for other eligible members OFO (Australia and New Zealand) or China (AFC) to attempt to prepare a strong bid to co-host the 2034 WC along with Saudi Arabia.
Global reach
FIFA members will be the first ones to justify that awarding the 2030 WC to multiple nations across different continents will enhance the global appeal and reach of the tournament. Nothing can be further from the truth as the “beautiful game” is by far, the most popular and viewed sports event in the world. It really does not need any additional outreach to garner more appeal. In fact, one could argue that awarding the tournament to countries that lack the infrastructure to host the tournament is financially detrimental to the growth of the game. See attendance #’s in the “new” continents: Asia and Africa (lowest of the last 10 occurrences). South Africa is still recovering from the deep investment in WC infrastructure from 2010.
| World Cup | Total Attendance | Attendance/game |
| 2018 – Russia | 3,031,768 | 47,371 |
| 2014 – Brazil | 3,441,450 | 53,772 |
| 2010 – South Africa | 3,167,984 | 49,499 |
| 2006 – Germany | 3,367,000 | 52,609 |
| 2002 – Japan/ S. Korea | 2,724,604 | 42,571 |
| 1998 – France | 2,859,234 | 44,676 |
| 1994 – USA | 3,568,567 | 68,626 |
Note: In 1998, the # of countries participating increased to 32
Political reasons
Like any of his predecessors whose career continuity depends on re-election, FIFA President Gianni Infantino is known to be a good populist diplomatic. Nothing can guarantee more votes from different continents than to spread the joy of hosting WC games among three unqualified countries: Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. These three countries were allegedly selected as co-hosts nations to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the original WC in 1930 that took place in Uruguay.
Uruguay
The reason for Uruguay’s inclusion can be somewhat justified as the nation which hosted (and won) the first WC in 1930. Uruguay has qualified to 15 out a total 22 WC. It’s a regular attendee by its own merits. It has also won the WC twice in 1930 and 1950.
Argentina
Argentina is the current men’s WC champion whose national team rosters probably the best footballer in history. It’s hard to exclude them especially since Argentina is a neighbor to Uruguay. In May 2023, FIFA President Gianni Infantino started hinting at a possible Argentinean favoritism when, for political reasons, FIFA stripped Indonesia the opportunity to host the U20 men’s WC and suddenly granted it to Argentina -whose team had failed to qualify in CONMEBOL. To magnify that perceived favoritism, many argued that Messi didn’t deserve the recently awarded 8th Ballon Do’r 2023 but was secretly favored in the votes due to winning the 2022 WC. Argentina has qualified to 19 WCs out a possible 22. It has won the WC three times in 1978, 1986, and 2022.
Paraguay
The original CONMEBOL bid to host the 2030 WC included Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile. The only reason I can reason for the inclusion of Paraguay is to honor the original bid but if that were the reason, why exclude Chile? Other than that, I am unable to justify Paraguay’s inclusion; this country wouldn’t be able to host a WC on its own given its infrastructure so other than neighboring Uruguay and Argentina, this seems as a quid pro quo reason. Paraguay has qualified to 9 WCs out a possible 22 and has never won a WC. Don’t forget that host nations get an automatic invitation to the WC, this means that not only Argentina, but also Uruguay and Paraguay, are automagically qualified to the 2030 WC (another FIFA gift).
Economic reasons
Out of the three South American nations, no economy is hurting as much as the Argentinean. Read my post about my recent trip to Argentina. With the football infrastructure Argentina currently has, a new president, Javier Millei taking office in a few days and six and a half years to prepare, hopefully the country can benefit from an influx of tourists and the economy can recover (once and for all) from the recent lows the nation has experienced in the past ten years.
Be it what it may, we in the United States, will have an opportunity to travel a shorter distance to gelid South American countries during their winter to hopefully witness some familiar football faces who will start to shine in 2026 and may be consolidated by the 2030 WC. Until next time #theGomezway
Popularity of a footballer/public figure
I still remember that Saturday morning, August 31st, 2019 when Johan as a recently-turned 18 year old, was announced by FC Porto as their new youth international signing. Our family was at the nationally acclaimed youth tournament Plano Labor Day (north of Dallas) with Joana and the phone wouldn’t stop ringing. We received congratulatory messages from folks whom we hadn’t talked to in years. Some, casually texted to congratulate me personally (as if it were my achievement), while others casually requested an FC Porto jersey. Eventually, I think we fulfilled every single one of those jersey requests but I digressed…it was at that moment that it truly hit me, Johan (and eventually Jogo) was becoming a public’ish figure.
Just like any other occupation, the career of any professional footballer has its ups and downs; however, being a public figure is a tad different. As an example, it never ceases to amaze us how during difficult times (ex. injuries, lack of playing time, relegation, COVID, coaching changes, etc.), the same “friends/fans” who were extremely supportive in great times, go completely missing during tough times.
We understand that the popularity roller-coaster comes with the life of a footballer which, these days, is magnified by social media. But, from our family’s perspective, it’s probably prudent to share that any type of positive support is (always) more appreciated and welcomed especially during challenging times. I often tell the kids that rough times build character and it is also a time when true friendships are built and strengthened.
Recently, Jogo wasn’t playing much in the first few games of the 2023-2024 La Liga 2 season with his new club. It was understandable, at least for his family, as his loan was finalized late in the transfer window and he wasn’t present for pre-season with his new club. In any case, we hadn’t heard from many fans in a while. But in the last five games, he created an own goal, had two assists (see one below), and then two hockey assists and suddenly, he’s “popular” again.
In conjunction with Jogo’s recent contributions in La Liga 2, US Soccer announced that Johan was called for the US U23 MNT camp in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Suddenly, the calls pertaining to Johan once again, resumed to our family.
This time, it wasn’t only the calls that resumed; our boys youth club Solar, for the first time ever, had an Instagram post dedicated to Johan (and our good childhood friend JT). Honestly, we had never seen his former club recognize either of our boys but hey, kudos of any form are always welcome, especially if it’s convenient for the club as well.
The Olympic camp went well (writing a post on it) and Johan even scored the first goal (below) against a superior Japanese team. Once again, the calls, messages, and tweets were abundant; even the convenient #DTID patreon tweets returned. Please don’t exhaust them all guys, we will need some of those in upcoming tough times.
As a favor to me, direct future congratulatory calls/texts to the boys. In Johan’s case, he’s the one who has fought for these opportunities the most, who went to Europe 4.5 years ago, who likely would have played in the Indonesia 2021 U20 WC until COVID chose to be a life protagonist and has opened doors for his brother and sister. Reach out to him, congratulate him; I am sure he would love to hear from you. Either way, please know that our family TRULY appreciates your support at ALL times but it’s inevitably most needed when footballing life gets tough 6000 miles away from home.
Yesterday, the celebrity world reminded us that public figures are humans and that they sometimes need help too. Mental health is important, don’t wait to reach out to other footballers (American or not) who may be going through difficult times (ex. Tyler Adams, Daryl Dyke, Josh Sargent, etc.). Be present, it can be a difference maker. Until next time #theGomezway #mentalhealth
#TheGomezway 