FVS is a simplified, lower-cost video-review system designed to give referees a way to review “clear and obvious” match-deciding incidents without the full technical, staffing and camera requirements of a traditional VAR center. It is not VAR with a different name — it’s a different operating model intended mostly for competitions that can’t run full VAR.
Why FIFA introduced it
Accessibility and cost: many member associations asked for a more affordable way to use video to support referees (fewer cameras, no permanent VAR room and a smaller support footprint). FIFA developed FVS to meet that demand.
Control and simplicity: FVS aims to keep the referee at the center of the decision and to provide a framed, limited review process that’s easier to deploy across youth tournaments and lower-budget leagues.
Using technology to support referees around the globe 🖥️⚽️
Football Video Support is the cost-effective alternative to Video Assistant Referee, implemented for competitions with limited human and financial resources. pic.twitter.com/azMhuegPIL
While FVS was initially tested in the Spanish Futsal League (Primera División de Futsal), the first top-flight domestic association football league to fully adopt and debut the system was Spain’s top women’s league, Liga F (also known as the Liga Profesional de Fútbol Femenino) in the beginning of its 2025-2026 season (specifically, in September 2025). Prior to that, FIFA trialed and used FVS at multiple youth tournaments:
Blue Stars / FIFA Youth Cup (trial).
FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (trial in Colombia 2024).
FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup (used in 2024 tournament and being included in subsequent youth tournaments).
More recently it has been used at FIFA U-20 (Chile) and U17 (Morocco) youth tournaments and trialed broadly.
What FVS reviews (which incidents can be challenged)
FVS is limited to the same four review categories normally associated with VAR protocols:
Goal/no-goal (including offences in the build up, offside where applicable, handball).
Penalty/no-penalty.
Direct red card incidents (serious foul play, violent conduct, DOGSO, etc.).
Mistaken identity when a referee books/sends off the wrong player.
How FVS works (step-by-step, matchday)
Challenge method: unlike VAR, reviews are initiated by the coaches — each coach gets a limited number of challenge requests (typically two per match; one extra in extra time in competitions that allow it). The coach must hand a challenge card to the fourth official immediately after the incident to trigger a review.
Referee review: the referee goes to a pitch-side monitor (or another on-field review area) to view replays provided by a replay operator using available broadcast/camera feeds, then makes the final decision. There is no separate VAR team continuously monitoring all incidents from a remote control room.
Technology footprint: FVS is intentionally lighter — it generally relies on broadcast camera feeds or a small number of dedicated cameras and a local replay operator rather than a fully equipped VAR control room with many specialist cameras and staff.
Key differences vs VAR (at a glance)
Initiation: VAR can perform “silent checks” and proactively monitor incidents; FVS only reviews when a coach requests a review (challenge).
Staffing/tech: VAR requires a full VAR room, specialist VARs and often many dedicated cameras. FVS needs fewer cameras, a replay operator and no continuous remote video-referee team.
Scope and coverage: VAR continuously watches all key incidents and can intervene; FVS is limited to coach-triggered, narrowly defined reviewable events. That reduces coverage and the chance of automatic correction.
Final authority: in both systems the on-field referee has the final decision after viewing replays, but FVS places more emphasis on the referee doing the review themselves on the sideline rather than relying on a separate VAR team recommendation.
Advantages of FVS
Cost and accessibility — much cheaper to implement, so more competitions (youth, lower leagues, smaller federations) can use video support. That’s the main strategic advantage.
Simplicity — fewer moving parts, simpler procedures and less technical overhead make roll-out faster.
Empowers coaches — gives coaches a structured way to challenge decisions (adds a tactical and accountability element). Some coaches and organizers like that involvement.
Keeps referee central — the on-field referee reviews evidence directly, which supporters say preserves authority and transparency.
Disadvantages / risks compared with VAR
Limited coverage / accuracy — because FVS usually uses broadcast feeds and fewer cameras, very tight technical calls (e.g., marginal offsides requiring frame-by-frame multi-angle geometry) may be harder or impossible to resolve as precisely as with full VAR systems that use multiple dedicated cameras and calibrated offside technology.
Interruptions & tactical misuse — coach challenges stop play and can interrupt momentum; coaches may “game” their challenges (save them for late in the match or use them tactically). Some coaches and observers have raised this concern during trials.
Fewer proactive corrections — because FVS waits for a coach challenge, clear errors that nobody challenges (or situations where coaches don’t want to burn a challenge) can remain uncorrected — whereas VAR’s silent checks can catch incidents that the teams didn’t notice.
Consistency & pressure on referee — the on-field referee must perform the review and deliver the decision in front of teams/fans; that creates different psychological pressures versus VAR where a separate VAR team can make or strongly recommend the call remotely.
Early data & reception
Reports from tournaments and media indicate FVS is being used regularly in youth tournaments and early trials. Coverage from trials shows a modest number of reviews per game (e.g. some reporting cited an average around ~1.4 interventions per match in certain trials, with a large proportion confirming the original decision) — but opinions are mixed: some refereeing authorities and coaches welcome the lower cost and clarity; other stakeholders worry about interruptions and possible tactical use. FIFA and IFAB are monitoring trials and collecting data before deciding on wider roll-out.
Practical example (how a coach challenge looks in real time)
Coaching staff thinks a referee missed a clear handball leading to a goal.
Coaching staff immediately gives the fourth official the challenge card. (If the ball is in play again, the challenge must be given immediately — the Laws require that a decision be changed only before play restarts.)
Referee stops play if necessary, views replays on the pitch-side monitor supplied by the replay operator (using available camera angles), then signals and announces the final decision to the teams and stadium.
Bottom line — when FVS makes sense
FVS is a pragmatic compromise: it’s not meant to replace VAR in elite competitions that can afford full VAR with advanced camera systems, but it does give many more competitions a practical path to use video review for big, match-deciding incidents. For youth tournaments and leagues with limited budgets it’s a realistic step forward; for top professional leagues the trade-offs in precision and continuous monitoring mean many will continue to prefer full VAR — at least until FVS matures or hybrid models appear. It is worth noting that if for whatever reason the FVS technology malfunctions, the match will continue without the system after both team managers and captains have been informed. As for VAR, there’s always room for improvement as depicted by a survey conducted in the UK.
If you would like us to break down any other football topics, please reach out at info@thegomezway.com
Throughout the years, I have witnessed nearly every type of substitution strategy there is in the book of football (aka soccer). One doesn’t have to be a referee to experience these ceremonial, sometimes odd, events. I am sure others, who have been around the game in other capacities (ex. fans, pundits), have observed similar strategic behaviors and perhaps, have normalized them as part of today’s game.
Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness.
Unfortunately, these behaviors are here to stay. FIFA, far from discouraging them, does little to properly equip referees with the adequate tools to combat such time-consuming subbing strategies. Some are team and tactical oriented while others are more individual and non-tactical in nature. In the end, they are all time-consuming and serve specific purposes. FIFA has gone as far as mandating additional time be taken to to deal with specific subbing scenarios involving certain player positions (ex. Goalkeepers) or certain injuries (ex. head).
Below, I attempt to explain and classify the possible tactical, psychological, and time-management considerations rather than actual medical reasons used during player substitutions. In some cases, I even provide (and illustrate) some recent examples.
Time Management/Game Management
This strategy normally occurs by the team which is leading late in the game; players oftentimes go down to slow the game tempo and allow their team to reset. It is characterized by a player drop right after the fourth official raises the substitution board (a convenient “pause” before the next phase) and it is intended to have any (or all) the following effects:
Disrupting the opponent’s momentum.
Providing tired teammates a brief breather before a defensive stand.
Allowing the coach to finalize substitution instructions or delaying play strategically.
Psychological or Face-Saving Mechanism
Being subbed off can be a blow to a player’s pride, especially if they have played poorly or disagree with the decision. This strategy is characterized by the player looking disappointed or glancing at the bench, then suddenly sitting down to clutch a leg or calf. It is intended to have the following effects:
Going down “injured” provides a socially acceptable excuse — “I’m coming off because I’m hurt, not because I played badly.”
It helps them preserve face with teammates, fans, and coaches.
Cristiano Ronaldo is known to use this strategy. Moments before the substitution board goes up, he briefly gestures discomfort, touching his leg. Sometimes, there is no real injury, but going down softens the optics of being replaced for tactical reasons. It allows him to preserve ego and control the narrative: “I came off for fitness reasons, not performance.”
This strategy is normally applied when time is not of the essence and the outcome is favorable to the team subbing; however, players like Ronaldo, Vinicius, etc. apply it whenever they deem it necessary.
Masking Fatigue
Fatigue (especially in high-intensity matches) can be extreme, but players often hesitate to admit exhaustion. This strategy is characterized by a late game cramping or calf-grabbing gesture, but the player walks off fine moments later. It is more popular in games played in extreme weather (ex. hot/cold, humid, rainy, etc.), that extend to over regulation or a series of games played over a short duration (ex. tournaments). It is intended to have the following effects:
Falling to the ground signals to the bench: “I’m completely done” without directly saying so.
It gives the physio a reason to check the players (hydrate them) and the coach a window to substitute without appearing to replace a “fit” player (gives an out to the coach).
Players know their bodies best and sometimes they can plow through fatigue albeit risking a more severe injury (ex. overload) that could sideline them for a longer period of time. Therefore, players take the precautionary route, subbing themselves out and hoping to be available for the team soon. Coaches also welcome this honest strategy with open arms as fatigue is not always conspicuous. That said, if the outcome of the game does not go as intended for the team, the coach can always claim that the “unexpected” subs impacted initial technical/tactical game plans.
Tactical Reset Opportunity
A brief pause before a substitution allows a team to regroup. This strategy is characterized by the physio jogging on to the field but no treatment occurs. Since the sport is designed to have very few pauses for coaching, this brief pause provides the coach time to shout instructions from the sideline to specific players. It is intended to have the following effects:
The manager can use the break to relay tactical instructions to several players.
The incoming substitute gets more time to warm up or receive final guidance.
Pep Guardiola is the master of this strategy. In Guardiola Manchester City’s system controlled pauses are gold. Players often blatantly sit down just before a tactical substitution late in matches. It’s rarely coincidental — Guardiola uses these moments to reorganize his press or formation. The physio goes on, but the real value is the 30-second team huddle at the touchline.
If the opponent has momentum (sustained attacks or pressing high) a pause can interrupt their flow. This strategy often occurs after the opposing team has just missed a big chance or started dominating possession. It is intended to have the following effects:
The emotional and physical rhythm of the attacking team is broken.
The defending side can reset shape and composure.
This strategy is very common in competitive matches where one goal is all that is needed to achieve a milestone (ex. win, tie, advancing to next phase) and it’s exacerbated if the team needing to score is continuously applying offensive pressure. The team on the defensive stance often resorts to this strategy to defuse momentum while catching a breather. In the 2023 U20 Men’s World Cup matches, US Coach Mikey Varas instructed Goalkeeper Gaga Slonina to go down late in the second half of most games. This pause would allow Coach Varas and staff to talk to the group. A player substitution was not always conducted.
Cynical / Theatrical Gamesmanship
In some competitions or teams, it’s a deliberate part of “dark arts” (subtle manipulation of the game). This strategy is characterized by a player dramatically sitting or lying down right before their number goes up for a substitution, then sprints off the pitch seconds later. It is intended to have the following effects:
Delays play.
Allows tactical conversations.
Sends a message that the player gave “everything” and is being replaced only because of that “effort.”
An excellent example of this strategy is Atlético de Madrid’s Coach – Diego Simeone. When Atlético are defending a late lead, players often “cramp up” in sync. A player goes down dramatically just before being replaced burning seconds and slowing opponents’ tempo significantly. Pundits call Simenone’s strategy “masterful gamesmanship” acknowledging it as part of a systemic tactical culture which include time-wasting, tactical fouls, simulating injuries, sideline theatrics, and using psychological tactics to frustrate opponents. This approach has earned Atlético the reputation of being masters of “shithousery” and made them one of the most difficult teams to play against in Europe. Diego Simeone transferred his shithousery as a player and perfected the art as a coach.
Preemptive Injury Precaution
Sometimes a player feeling slight tightness or discomfort (ex. hamstring twinge) may go down to prevent worsening it. This scenario is common late in matches or congested fixture schedules. It is intended to have the following effect:
Even if it’s not a true injury, it’s a protective signal — “I felt something; better to come off now.”
It is similar to fatigue but with potential longer lasting effects. Explosive players like Kylian Mbappé who are prone to injuries have used this strategy often. At PSG, Mbappé would gesture discomfort and would sit down before being subbed off. In reality, he was not injured but felt tightness in his hamstring — later confirmed by the manager as precautionary. It’s common for players who partake in multiple matches a week to “go down” preemptively to avoid aggravating micro-injuries. Knowing your body is instrumental for a longer and healthier career in any sport.
In summary, when a player collapses before a substitution without being truly injured, it’s usually about controlling tempo, face-saving, or tactical delay — not deception in the malicious sense, but part of the gamecraft that elite players and managers use to influence moments and margins. In practice, these strategies are used widely not just by elite players but all the way down to the amateur level.
Hope you found this post useful. If you have any suggestions or topics you want discussed, please reach out to info@thegomezway.com. #TGW
And just like that, the first quarter of this century has banished and we start the next one..as anticipated in the 2023 in hindsight for the Gomez’s publication, this year needed to have a decreased emphasis on traveling and a pronounced focus on health and that’s what we did. In the process, we managed to partake in a few running races.
On the other hand, our “eyes” did not anticipate witnessing much beyond sports but as luck would have it, not only did we witness our 2nd full Solar Eclipse (first in 1990 in Mexico City) but also witnessed our first Space X launch (with its booster catch included) live. These events will live in our hearts forever.
Spacex launch prep V: 10.13.24
This year also marked the beginning of an action packed football (soccer) events leading up to the 2026 Men’s and 2027 Women’s World Cups respectively. The first half of the year was benevolent with our family while the second half tested our resilience. This is how our year went down…
January
Personal
The year started strong for Joana in football. Her club team captured the first championship Showcase they participated in Florida.
Joana – College ShowCase
On January 12th, we traveled to Orlando for Joana’s first out of town showcase tournament. Four days later, and after five 80-minutes games played, her team returned home with the championship hardware.
National
On January 9th, the Michigan Wolverines defeated the Washington Huskies (who had in turn defeated my longhorns) by a score of 34-13 in the NCAA National Championship game played at the Cowboys AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas (our backyard).
Global
Tennis
On January 27th, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka won the 2024 women’s Australian Open defeating Chinese sensation Zheng Qinwen in straight sets. In 2023, she had also won the prestigious tournament. If you haven’t read her story, I encourage you to do so.
On January 28th, after being down to Daniil Medvedev the first two sets 3-6, 3-6. Italian 22 year-old Jannik Sinner took the next three sets in an epic comeback to win his first Men’s Grand Slam: the Australian Open. In the semifinals, he had previously defeated Novak Djokovik. Jannik Sinner would go on to win the US Open in September. Unfortunately for Medvedev, he has lost a total of 6 Grand Slam finals portrayed below.
Grand Slam finals lost by Daniil Medvedev
Football
On January 5th, shortly after the one year anniversary of Pele’s death (December 29th, 2022), the world of football suffered another great loss as Brazilian legend Mário Lobo Zagallo died at age 93. The “Lobo” is the winningest footballer having won the FIFA World Cup four times. He won it in 1958 and 1962 as a player, he won it again in 1970 as a manager and in 1994 as assistant manager. He was the first of three footballers to have won the Men’s FIFA World Cup as player and manager. The other two are Frenchman Didier Deschamps and German Franz Beckenbauer.
On January 8th, the world of football legends suffered yet another great loss as German superstar Franz Bekenbauer died at age 78. The “kaiser” (the emperor) as he was known not only won the 1974 FIFA World Cup as captain of his national team but he also won it as a manager in 1990 in Italy. He started his career playing as a midfielder but his best years occurred while playing as a central defender.
February
Personal
After a long and arduous document gathering process, I traveled to Spain to ensure all paperwork was properly handled and submitted.
National
The Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest wildfire on record in the state of Texas (and second in the US up to that point) burned 1.1 million acres (approximately 426,600 hectares). It started on February 26 in Hutchinson County and rapidly spread across multiple counties. Governor Gregg Abbott declared it a national emergency.
Global
Superbowl
On February 11th, while in Germany visiting Johan, the Kansas City Chiefs rallied to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in overtime by a score of 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII (58th). Texas native (and neighbor) Patrick Mahomes was named, for the second straight year, the MVP of the game. The Chiefs became back to back Super Bowl Champions and started what some predict could become a dynasty.
The halftime show, featuring Rihanna, reached a high of 118.7 million viewers. As usual, the commercials stole “the show”.
March
March was a month full of basketball record breaking events.
Personal
U23 – US Olympic Soccer
Johan was called for the third consecutive time to the U23 US National team in preparation for the Summer Olympics in Paris 2023. Jonathan was also called; however, once again, CD Mirandés’ Sporting Director did not release him.
Note: CD Mirandés was in the middle of a close race to retain the class. When asked about the lack of a release, Sporting Director Alfredo Merino stated that he could grant Jonathan the release in exchange for a signed pre-contract with Mirandés for the 2024-2025 season (which RS would have had to approve anyway). We of course, opted to sacrifice the U23 call-up (and possibly the Olympics) on account of not getting in trouble with Real Sociedad. Truth be told, the experience with CD Mirandés has been the best so far in Europe. We would go back there any day.
After a solid season in her second year of varsity, Joana made the All-State 1st team as a sophomore.
National
The month was marked by record breaking events. Side note: Ironically, we normally end up talking about the March Madness conclusion in April.
Basketball
On March 7th, after winning back to back national women’s basketball association (NWBA) championships in 2022 and 2023, the Las Vegas Aces, announced that the entire 2024 season had been sold out. This is unprecedented in league history.
Caitlin Clark
On March 1, Caitlin Clark breaks the all-time NCAA Division I college basketball career scoring record that had been held by Pete Maravich with 3,685 points She proceeded to shatter the record in her senior year amassing a total of 3951 points and 548 three-pointers leading all D1 (men’s and women’s) programs. She decided to forego a fifth year of eligibility (due to COVID in 2019) to declare for the WNBA draft.
Global
On March 2nd, Lebron James becomes the first NBA player to reach 40,000 points against the Denver Nuggets.
April
Personal
On April, 20th, Johan scored an important goal against Vfl Osnabruk to help his club be in the hunt to preserve the class in the 2.Bundesliga. Being his first season in the German second division, his playing time (and production) was always impactful starting most games in multiple positions. Most importantly, he did not sustain any major injuries which is always the priority as a professional player.
National
March Madness
On April 8th, the 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament came to an end. UConn defended its 2023 title by defeating the Purdue Boilmakers by a score of 75 to 60 (2023 score was 76 to 59) to claim the 2024 NCAA national title.
This was the 6th championship for the Huskies men’s basketball program. As a side note, my running horns made it to the Round of 32 before collapsing against the other orange guys: The University of Tennessee.
Global
Solar Eclipse
On April 8th, I got to witness the second fully solar eclipse in my life. Back on July 11th, 1990 in Mexico City, I had witnessed the first one but this one was more special as I witnessed it with family.
May
Personal
Eintracht Braunschweig:
On May 12th, in a must-win game, Eintracht Braunschweig retained the Bundesliga.2 class by beating SV Wehen Wiesbaden by a score of 1-0. After a first long arduous season playing in the 2nd division in Germany, Johan secured playing with the club another year which in June was extended given his good form.
ECNL:
Joana’s team finished the 2023 – 2024 in first place once again. She continued her soccer maturity and high school soccer helped a lot. Her minutes and contributions were solid. We are very proud of the footballer she’s becoming.
On May 19th, the final day of the season, Manchester City beat West Ham United 3–1 at home to become the first club in Premier League history to win four consecutive titles. They won the title with 91 points – two points ahead of their title rivals Arsenal, who defeated Everton 2–1 at home. Arsenal finished runners-up with 89 points, becoming the third-best second-placed team in the history of the Premier League.
June
The beginning of the second half of the year started out in a brutal way for the family.
Personal
Mirandés:
On June 2nd, Jogo played his last game of the season where CD Mirandés secured the class. In a home game of “winner retains the class”, Mirandés defeated SD Amorebieta by the score of 1-0 and guaranteed another year in the 2nd division in Spain.
Joana
Joana tore her ACL in her second game of the ECNL playoffs. After surgery (almost a month later), she was told the expected recovery time was about 6 – 9 months. Our summer plans changed radically but more so her soccer year and just like that, the road to recovery started…no pain, no gain.
National
NBA
On June 17th, in the fifth game of the NBA finals, the Boston Celtics defeated our hometown team the Dallas Mavericks. It was a carbon copy of the 2023 finals where the Denver Nuggets also won the NBA finals over the Miami Heat in five games. As most would expect, Serbian center Nikola Jokic was named MVP of the finals.
MLB
On June 18th, the world of baseball lost one of the greatest athletes to have ever played the game. Willie Mays, passed away in his home in California due to a heart failure.
Global
On June 9th, Carlitos Alcaraz won his first major of the year: French Open. Despite winning two major Grand Slams in 2024 (including Wimbledon), the year finished in a frustrating manner after losing the Olympics final to Novak Djokovic, and being knocked out early of the US Open.
July
Personal
Paris Olympics
Johan was selected to the 22-men roster for the US Olympic soccer team. I traveled to Marseille, France to meet up with him (for his birthday mostly) for the first two group stage games. (Un)fortunately, that’s what his club allowed him to participate in. It was a magnificent experience playing against the host nation for the opening game and witnessing the atmosphere live.
National
On July 14th, Argentina won the Copa America for a 16th time. This time, the defending champions defeated Colombia in overtime by a score of 1-0. The final game was played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami under a complete lack of logistical organization.
Global
President Trump
On July 13, 2024, Donald Trump, back then the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party in the 2024 presidential election, survived an assassination attempt while speaking at an open-air campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania
Euros
On July 14th, the football world was paralyzed to watch the Euro final between Spain and England in Germany. In a highly close match, Spain eventually prevailed by a score of 2-1. In the 86th minute of the game, then Jogo’s Real Sociedad teammate Mikel Oyarzabal scored the match winner giving Spain its 2nd Euro Cup.
August
Personal
There were offers that came in from some Liga Mx clubs for Jogo whose value artificially inflated his market value. Those immediately impacted Real Sociedad Sporting Director’s (Roberto Olabe) greed and future for Jogo. After a successful pre-season with the first team which included a tour in Japan; it was evident that first team Coach along with Roberto were seeking financial remuneration prior to Jogo’s last contract year. As a result, Jogo expressed his desire to continue in the Spanish market; however, Roberto blocked the offers that did come in from La Liga 2 clubs mostly and a couple from La Liga, thus forcing Jogo to look elsewhere. When Jogo refused to return to Mexico, Roberto made his (and other players such as Roberto Navarro under a similar situation) lives miserable.
Roberto Olabe (Sporting Director), Imanol Alguacil (Head Coach) and Jokim Aperribay (President). Three characters…
We are very grateful with Real Sociedad as the club provided Jogo his first European opportunity. In the end, we know that people come and go and clubs endure the passage of time. Some people however, can certainly impact a club’s reputation. Greed is a horrible thing…
Right before the market closed in September, Olabe finally allowed (thanks to a hefty transfer fee paid by PAOK FC), a transfer to an unimaginable league for us, but at last, escaped Roberto’s constant abuse of players who didn’t align with his financial initiatives. Currently, we are still struggling to find our footing in a foreign market that we were forced into.
On August 25th, the Columbus Crew defeated Los Angeles FC (3-1) to win the 4th edition of the Leagues Cup. For the second consecutive year using this format, an MLS club prevailed over Liga MX clubs.
Global
Olympics:
On August 11th, the Paris 2024 Olympics came to an end. It was an unforgettable month of sports with many memories made. Here is the final medal tally.
Among the most notable moments were these: The inagural ceremony at the Rhine river on a rainy Friday night, Nadal vs Djokovik match, Simon Biles, Photo finish, etc.
September
Personal
On my 20th anniversary officiating football, Joana and I repeated what the boys and I did several years earlier: we officiated a (albeit rec) game together. As I had anticipated last year in the end-of-year publication. Joana decided to partake in the game from a different perspective.
National
On Saturday, September 7th, 2nd ranked Aryna Sabalenka won her second Grand Slam of the year (third overall) by beating American-Korean 6th ranked Jessica Pegula in straight sets (7-5, 7-5)
On Sunday, September 8th, Jannik Sinner defeated American sensation Taylor Fritz further delaying having an American win the Meadows Grand Slam for yet another year. The US Open became Sinner’s second Slam of the year (and career).
Surprisingly, Jannik defeated Fritz in three straight sets making the match one of the shortest ones in recent history: 6-3, 6-4, and 7-5.
Global
On September 19th, Japanese two-way (pitcher and designated player) baseball player Shohei Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to record a 50-50 (50 home runs and 50 stolen bases) in one season. Ohtani would continue his impact in the month of October helping the Los Angeles Dodgers reach and play through the post-season.
October
Personal
Space X
On October 13th around 7:25 AM, we witnessed history in the making in South Padre Island. The successful launch of the fifth SpaceX Starship was a feat in itself; however, the most amazing experience was witnessing the successful return of its booster back to its launch base where it had taken off five minutes prior. Relive it here where every detail is explained.
Meanwhile, the ship continued its way around earth and re-entered the atmosphere to land in the Indian Ocean.
Greek Super League
Jogo made his official Greece Super League (and European first division) debut on October, 6th in an away game against Levadiakos. Paok FC defeated the home team by a score of 2-0. In October, Jogo also debuted in the Greece Cup (round of 16) on October 30th. This is the 2nd country where he professionally partakes of the Cup competition -Copa del Rey). In this game, Paok FC prevailed over Egaleo by a score of 3-0 with a solid showing.
National
On October 23rd, Lebron James (39) and his son Bronny (20) made history by becoming the first father and son to play in an NBA game together. The duo shared the court for about 150 seconds. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves by a score of 120-113.
Global
Tennis:
On October 11th, 38th year old Rafael Nadal announced that the Davis Cup in the month of November would be his last tournament before retirement.
Commonly known as the king of clay due to his dominance on that surface, Nadal climbed up to the #1 ATP world ranking for the first time by defeating friend and rival Roger Federer in the epic 2008 Wimbledon final. This match is commonly regarded as the greatest tennis match ever played.
On October 30th, the Los Angeles Dodgers overcame an 0-5 deficit in game 4 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium to win the game 7-6. In doing so, they swept the series to win their 8th World Series and first one since 2020.
This took place a couple of days before recently deceased Mexican former LA pitcher’s Fernando Valenzuela’s birthday on November 1st. What a gift had it been if the Dodgers had won on his birthday.
November
Personal
Johan had his first assist (somewhat fortuitous) of the 24-24 season. Going into the 2nd FIFA break of the 2024-2025 season, at the time, Eintracht Braunschweig was located just outside of the relegation zone and playing well.
National
On November 14th, the USMNT defeated Jamaica (1-) in the first leg of the quarterfinal of the CONCACAF Nations League. In the second leg a few days later, the USMNT won 4-2. In the semifinal game, the USMNT will face Panama.
Meanwhile, the Mexican national team narrowly defeated Honduras by an aggregate score of 4-2. In the first leg, Mexico lost 2-0 and many thought the team would not make it to the semifinals to be played in March 2025.
Global
On Tuesday November 5th (Super Tuesday), the US people (and the electoral college) elected Donald Trump as the 47th president of the US. Now President elect Donald Trump (with his running mate JD Vance) defeated Vice President Kamala Harris by a large margin: 312 – 226 (270 are needed to win). Trump’s victory defied two assassination attempts, two presidential impeachments, his criminal conviction and many other criminal charges. He is expected to take office January 20th.
December
Individual
The family traveled to Germany and Greece to visit the boys for Thanksgiving. Many memories were made.
National
MLS
On December 7th, LA Galaxy (with ex-FC Dallas players Edwin Cerrillo and John Nelson) defeated the New York Red Bulls by a score of 2-1.
NCAA D1 Women’s
On December 9th, in Cary North Carolina, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels defeated first time finalist Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the D1 College Cup Championship. The Tar Heels have won 23 of the 43 editions of the College Cup.
NCAA D1 Men’s
On December 16th, in Cary, North Carolina, the University of Vermont Catamounts defeated Marshall University Thundering (winners in 2022) with a golden goal by a score of 2-1 to claim their first ever NCAA Division 1 Men’s soccer college cup. The game was high in emotions but low on technical level.
Global
POTUS:
On December 29th, Jimmy Carter (39th president of the United States), passed away peacefully at his home in California. In his attempt for re-election going against Ronald Reagan (VP George W. Bush) in 1980, Carter’s 49 electoral votes were the second-fewest for an incumbent president seeking reelection, with only William Howard Taft in the 1912 presidential election defeated more decisively. Jimmy Carter is the only president to have reached 100 years of age. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
F1
On December 8th, Dutch driver Max Verstappen finishes 6th in the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP to claim his 4th consecutive World F1 title.
FIFA
On December 11th, FIFA announces that Morocco, Portugal and Spain will jointly host the Men’s 2030 World Cup, with anniversary matches to be held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, while Saudi Arabia is confirmed as the host for the Men’s 2034 World Cup.
2025:
As stated a year ago, our intent was to expand our blog coverage to include more content about Joana. We did just that for the first six months prior to her ACL injury. As she recovers, we’ll pick that up this year.
Now that we have some months of recovery time, we have continued to try to pick up where she left off. She’s beginning to take the sport to a different level this upcoming year.
In December, Jogo purchased his first new car in the states just to have when he’s in town. Although rarely, car conflicts do arise when everyone is in town especially now that Joana became an official driver. I will take good care of it for you buddy 😉
Please reach out for any topics you would like addressed #theGomezway.
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With the proliferation of instant response online mechanisms such as Siri/Alexa, search engines, ChatGPT, etc., everybody is only a voice command/click away from becoming a football (aka soccer) expert; however, there are some aspects of the beautiful game that are not as simple as just “GTS”ing (Google that stuff) information. To aid in understanding one of the most fundamental principles of the game, we decided to put together a mapping of the original football jersey #’s to field positions based on the 4-4-2 formation (depicted below). It is of utmost importance to understand that the variations of the original 4-4-2 formation have forced the original jersey #’s to relocate positions on the field and in most cases even be altered field position names from their original intents back in 1924.
As a bonus of this exercise, we added a little Mexican Spanish translation to it. Here is a quick summary of a translation of football (soccer) positions between United States English and Mexican Spanish. Note: Some terms are “South-American” Spanish derived:
Position # (varies by country)
English name (Abbreviation)
Spanish name
Alternative Spanish names
#1
Goalkeeper (GK) Keeper Goalie
Portero
Arquero Guarda meta Guarda-vallas
#2
Right fullback (RB)
Lateral derecho (LD)
Marcador de Punta derecho
#3
Left fullback (LB)
Lateral izquierdo (LI)
Marcador de Punta izquierdo
#4
Center back (CB)
Zaguero central derecho
Barredora
#5*
Center back (CB)
Zaguero central izquierdo
Libero
#6
Defensive Midfielder (DM)
Contención
Pivote
#7
Right Winger (RW)
Extremo derecho
Volante derecho
#8
Center Midfielder (CM)
Medio centro
Volante mixto
#9
Striker Center Forward (CF)
Centro Delantero (CD)
Ariete Punta
#10
Center Attacking Midfielder (CAM)
Enganche
Medio Creativo Media Punta
#11
Left Winger (LW)
Extremo izquierdo
Volante izquierdo
Positions by jersey number and name
*In Mexico (and all of South America), the typical North American #6 is called a #5.
For an explanation of the main duties (in English) of these positions. See here. At a later point, I may provide a mapping of jersey #s to field positions for other formations such as the 5-3-2 or 4-2-3-1 or other variations.
With so much football going on this summer, we have neglected posting as often. We’ll try to regain our normal pace the second half of the year. Meanwhile, if you have suggestions on topics you would like discussed, let us know. #theGomezway
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.
MAYBE AN UNPOPULAR OPINION
I get asked a lot what I think of High School ⚽️
Paid club coaches/directors/club owners who need a monthly income (wholly understandable BTW, but there are other ways to do that) tell kids that HS ⚽️ will ruin them, too many games in a congested…
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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