Stock up, stock down for USMNT players, England, Brazil and other teams during the international break

Happy Wednesday! The final spots at Euro 2024 are set with Georgia, Ukraine and Poland booking their tickets. I’m Chuck Booth with the latest edition of the Golazo XI Newsletter as the international break is coming to a close.

Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Wednesday, March 27
UWCL: Lyon vs. Benfica, 1:45 p.m. DAZN
UWCL: Chelsea vs. Ajax, 4 p.m. DAZN

Thursday, March 27
UWCL: Barcelona vs. Brann, 1:45 p.m. DAZN
UWCL: PSG vs. Hacken, 4 p.m. DAZN

The Forward Line

Stock watch: International edition

As the international break comes to a close, it’s a good time to take a look at where teams are trending ahead of a summer that will see the Euros and Copa America take center stage. While it’s impossible to fit in all the performances of note, like Lamine Yamal continuing to showcase his brilliance for Spain, we take stock of some of the bigger performances around the world and what they could mean for tournaments down the line.

Let’s take a look:

 Brazil: Stock up 

Endrick, Endrick, Endrick. A star in the making, the 17-year-old has scored in back-to-back matches for Brazil off the bench as he prepares for a summer move to Real Madrid. Getting to play alongside his future teammates Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, Endrick is showing a taste of what we’ll be seeing time and time again in the future. Brazil’s defense still has issues for Dorival Junior to sort out but the attack is getting back to their best just when they need to.

 England: Stock down 

Already without Harry Kane, Gareth Southgate’s injury woes only spiraled with John Stones and Kyle Walker both picking up injuries during this international window. For as talented as the England attack is, the defense will be their undoing. That will make for fun games during Euros, but it will be a time during which England will have to hold on for dear life when faced with Europe’s best attacks.

 United States: Hold

A Concacaf Nations League three-peat is great and beating Mexico to secure it is even better. But at this point, it’s more surprising if the USMNT don’t win a competition within their own confederation. There isn’t much that can be done within Concacaf to raise the USMNT’s stock as their next step is proving themselves against the best teams in the world. That’s why this summer is so critical. A poor performance in Copa America could show that a new manager is needed, so it’s a critical time for Gregg Berhalter to prove that he’s the guy to oversee the team for another World Cup cycle.

 Mexico: Stock down 

Already admitting that a rebuild is needed, the fact that Mexico haven’t defeated the USMNT in seven tries is poor. But it gets deeper than that as manager Jamie Lozano had to admit that the United States had more players in Europe than El Tri. Rebuilding a once proud team back to compete with Concacaf’s best will be hard, but the 2026 World Cup needs a competitive Mexico team to take part in it.

 Georgia: Stock up 

Welcome to the big time. It would not have felt right watching the Euros without Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and now we won’t have to worry because Georgia punched their ticket on Tuesday. They needed some help from the referees in the first playoff match against Luxembourg, but Georgia’s defense has been strong which will make them hard to play once the tournament kicks off.

 Scotland: Stock down 

Times can change quickly in European soccer. Scotland have gone from European darlings, who scored when they wanted behind Scott McTominay, to a team that is now winless in seven games. Things went from bad to worse when Andrew Robertson picked up an injury because there isn’t much time to right the ship. A swift exit from the Euros could be on the horizon if the current trends continue. 

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  Midfield Link Play

The referee lockout ends

After enduring the first five matchdays of the the Major League Soccer season with replacement officials, the month-long referee lockout has come to an end. 

The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) and Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement that will cover the next seven years, from 2024 through 2030, making it the longest in MLS history. PSRA officials are scheduled to return to MLS games on March 30.

The start to the season has been far from smooth, with both players and coaches speaking out about the quality of officiating, but now it’s a chance to put all of that behind them.

Here’s what MLS executive vice president of sporting product and competition Nelson Rodriguez said in a statement:

“Major League Soccer has some of the best match officials in the world, and PRO’s new CBA with PSRA recognizes that by committing substantial resources to the referee program — an investment that ranks among the highest for any global soccer league,” he said. “We’re pleased this agreement provides PRO with a strong, long-term partnership to continue to develop and train the referees to make our officiating even better.”

  Top Stories

 Callup time: The USWNT squad for the SheBelieves Cup is set and Sandra Herrera has you covered on what to know.

The fringe Premier League Hall of Fame XI: More fun than debating surefire Premier League Hall of Famers, James Benge takes a look at who should almost make the cut once the most deserving candidates are inducted.

Copa America nears: With the Copa America around the corner, it’s a good time to take a look at where the 16 teams rank.

No suspension for Francesco Acerbi: Due to lack of evidence, the Inter defender won’t be suspended for alleged racial abuse of Napoli’s Juan Jesus.

USWNT squad: The Attacking Third crew discuss the importance of having Catarina Macario and Mal Swanson back.

Trending downwards?: The Morning Footy crew gives the stock up/down treatment on the USMNT squad.

 England at Euro 2024: Benge predicts what England’s Euro 2024 squad will look like.

  The Back Line

Best bets

• UEFA Euro 2024 Future

THE PICK: Portugal to win the tournament (+900) — England and France are the favorites for winning and for good reason but Portugal’s attack cannot be ruled out, especially with the odds that they’re given. Both England and France have defensive issues and Germany still need to prove that they can stand up to top opposition but Cristiano Ronaldo’s men will have every chance to win.

What’s on CBS Sports Golazo Network

 Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network’s flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you’ll never have to miss an episode.

 Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+. 

3⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Thursday): The leading women’s soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. The NWSL season is back and our coverage of the women’s game is stronger than ever. Our analysts will be breaking down the USWNT, NWSL and European domestic season all year long.

 Kickin’ It (Tuesdays): CBS Sports Golazo Network’s unfiltered interview show releases Tuesday. Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch. 

Call it What You Want (Monday night): A weekly podcast where Jimmy Conrad, Jesse Marsch and Charlie Davies cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States.

 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can’t-miss goals from the day’s action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.

 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.