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A new era is coming, and some familiar faces probably won't be a part of it as attention slowly turns to the 2027 tournament

A new era is coming for the United States women's national team. It likely was coming anyway, regardless of what happened at the World Cup this summer, but the historic defeat at the hands of Sweden in the last 16 has ensured that the program will be shaken up in a big way going forward.

Several major stars will be on their way out following the team's premature exit on Sunday in Melbourne. It was the earliest in the program's history at the World Cup, and it'll no doubt start a rebuild from top to bottom.

That rebuild, in some ways, started a few years ago and was one of the key goals of Vlatko Andonovski's tenure. Unfortunately, it produced mixed results. While stars like Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Naomi Girma rose through the ranks, the U.S. was very much reliant on the old guard this summer as they made a push for one more World Cup.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to be, and the rebuild can now truly begin as the program is ripped down and built back from the ground up. It'll all have to be done on the fly with the Olympics only a year away, but there's no doubt that several key stars are on their way out.

But who are they? GOAL takes a look at the USWNT stars that have probably played at their last World Cup…

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  Megan Rapinoe

  There's no speculation about this one: Megan Rapinoe's career is coming to an end. She announced prior to the World Cup that she'll retire after the NWSL season, with the 38-year-old icon now staring down the end of his career. Her time on the biggest stage ended cruelly, as her penalty sailed over the crossbar and helped condemn the USWNT to a historic defeat.

  What's next for Rapinoe is anyone's guess. She's a personality that is much larger than soccer, so it'll be no surprise to see her pop up just about anywhere else in the world. Whether it's Hollywood, business or politics, Rapinoe can do just about anything she wants as she puts her playing days behind her.

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  Kelley O'Hara

  Like Rapinoe, it's cruel that Kelley O'Hara's decorated World Cup career ended in this way. She went to four World Cups and won two of them, cementing her place in USWNT history. The lasting image of her 2023 World Cup should be the leadership she showed after the Portugal draw, embracing a clearly frustrated Rose Lavelle after the midfielder earned herself a suspension.

  Unfortunately, the missed penalty against Sweden will probably be the real lasting image as she was one of three USWNT stars to fail to convert from the spot. As for her future now, it remains to be seen if she can stick around for the Olympics at age 35 but, with a new coach likely coming in soon to refresh the player pool, it's safe to say the USWNT should go younger.

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  Julie Ertz

  You never say never in this sport, but it seems that Julie Ertz's USWNT career is officially over. "I think for me it’s just emotional because it’s probably my last game ever being able to have the honor to wear this crest," Ertz said after the match. "So I think it’s just, you know, it’s just tough. I feel like it’s just an emotional time. So it absolutely sucks and penalties are the worst. But it’s an honor to represent this team and I’m excited for the future of the girls.”

  At age 31, maybe Ertz shouldn't be written off, and the USWNT might just be hoping her retirement statement was made out of emotion. From what we saw this summer, she could still help this team at the Olympics next summer, although the next World Cup will probably be too far away for her.

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  Kristie Mewis

  Kristie Mewis has an absolutely insane World Cup record to her name. The midfielder scored for the USWNT in the shootout defeat to Sweden, and that penalty-kick goal was her only ever touch on the world's biggest stage. She hadn't played up until that point and was brought in for the shootout. She converted and that was it; her World Cup was over.

  The 32-year-old midfielder may not have been on the roster if the USWNT was 100 percent healthy, and given the upcoming youth movement, this'll likely be her only World Cup, having previously been a part of the bronze medal Olympic team in 2021.

GOAL takes a look at the history of American stars in Italy's top flight as a number of the current crop prepare to join Scudetto challengers

For years, the United States men's national team's biggest stars have generally zeroed in on two of the so-called 'Big Five' European leagues. If there was an American star bound for big things, the odds would be on them winding up in the Bundesliga or Premier League. The former has long been a home willing to welcome top USMNT stars, while the other has always seen as the pinnacle of the sport, and for good reason.

This summer, though, the tide is shifting. It appears that the current crop of American stars are flocking to Italy. Last season, we saw Leeds United States of America; this summer we're seeing Serie USA.

Tim Weah has joined Juventus, where he'll join up with Weston McKennie, at least for now. Christian Pulisic, meanwhile, has completed a move to AC Milan, and he will be joined at San Siro by Yunus Musah after he sealed his transfer from Valencia. More could yet follow them to Italy, but for now, those are four key starters for the USMNT, and there's a chance that, come the start of the season, all four will be plying their trade in Serie A.

The league, traditionally, hasn't been the most welcoming to Americans, although that appears to be changing. But who are the American stars that have played in Italy, and how did they fare? GOAL takes a look…

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  Michael Bradley

  Bradley's time in Serie A was somewhat brief, having only played in the league for two-and-a-half years, but he certainly did endear himself to supporters. He originally joined Chievo in 2011, and quickly made himself a fan favorite, earning the nickname of 'Il Generale', or 'The General'. His success led to a step up the ladder as he joined Roma after just one season at Chievo.

  Bradley was ever-present for Roma, despite a few injuries during his time. He featured in 46 games across his year-and-a-half stint in Rome before opting to return to MLS with Toronto FC. The midfielder surely had the talent to stay in Serie A and, during his time in the league, he proved he had the ability to compete at the highest level.

  Result? HIT!

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  Oguchi Onyewu

  The former USMNT center-back had one memorable moment in Italy, but it certainly didn't come on the field. Onyewu famously fought Zlatan Ibrahimovic during training at AC Milan ahead of a league match against Bari. The story goes that the Swedish icon was a bit reckless in a tackle, prompting the American to confront him.

  It would prove to be his biggest moment in Italy, although he did make one Champions League appearance for the club. Onyewu went on to play in the Premier League, La Liga, the Championship and MLS after his time in Serie A, having already been a star in the Belgian Pro League earlier in his career.

  Result? MISS!

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  Sergino Dest

  We won't mince words here: Dest's brief spell in Serie A was a disaster. Loaned to AC Milan from Barcelona, Dest was never a priority for the Italian giants, who couldn't find any sort of use for the right-back. He played just 14 games in all competitions and was frozen out for the entire second half of the season as Milan totally gave up on him.

  Dest is set for a move elsewhere this summer, having essentially wasted a year at San Siro.

  Result? MISS!

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  Gianluca Busio

  The ex-Sporting KC star was the biggest signing in Venezia history as he moved for a club-record fee. His time in Italy, though, has been up and down.

  He made 29 appearances in his first season, scoring one goal against Cagliari, but Venezia were relegated from the top flight. He was in and out of the line-up in 2022-23, playing 28 total games in Serie B. It's still early for Busio, who is just 21, but his experience in Italy has been a bit rocky so far.

  Result? MISS! (so far)

Ex-Chelsea striker Carlton Cole has revealed that Jose Mourinho once told him he would be “lucky to work at Tesco” during a savage post-game rant.

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• Portuguese famed for speaking his mind
• Happy to tear into players during training
• Looking to get a positive response

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The fiery Portuguese coach is famed for wearing his heart on his sleeve – with those at his disposal growing accustomed to receiving the hairdryer treatment. Cole found himself on the receiving end of Mourinho’s sharp tongue following a Premier League meeting with Liverpool in which he did not even take to the field.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea lost the game in question 4-0 – in what was a rare blot of Mourinho’s copybook during his time at Stamford Bridge – with there plenty to mull over after the game. Cole found himself in the firing line ahead of a training session that saw the Blues’ outspoken boss make it clear that he expected standards to improve.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Cole, who also represented West Ham in his playing career and earned seven caps for England, has told : “I've sat down and I'm thinking ‘Here we go … someone's going to get the hair-dryer treatment'. But it was all about me! He was going to me ‘Listen Carlton, you're never gonna make it'. 'You’re not serious, all you care about is going out, you’d be lucky to be working in Tesco’s'. I was only 21 at the time, I was thinking ‘that’s a big drop.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  While Cole was left surprised at incurring Mourinho’s wrath, the desired response was achieved as he went on to star in the subsequent training session. He added: “I’ll tell you what. I went out to train I had the best training session of my life. I was like prime Ibrahimovic – just smashing balls, using my body, I was on top form!”

The Houston Dynamo edged out Inter Miami to win the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, with Ben Olsen saying “I don’t care” that Lionel Messi missed that contest.

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• Argentine icon sat out major final
• Watched on as Miami suffered defeat
• Dynamo delight in landing silverware

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Much of the pre-match build-up ahead of a showpiece fixture in Florida had focused on the fitness of seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi and whether he would be ready to play any part. In the end, injury restricted the Argentine icon to a spectator role at DRV PNK Stadium.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Inter Miami were also without former Barcelona defender Jordi Alba, as they attempted to add another trophy to their historic Leagues Cup triumph from back in August, and Tata Martino’s side were unable to get the job done with key figures stuck in the stands.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  That has not taken any of the shine off Houston’s success for head coach Olsen, with the Dynamo good value for their 2-1 win. Olsen told of only being able to beat what is in front of you: “You can't always play a full game at a really high level. This team's hard. If you don't stick the knife in when you get a third chance, a fourth chance, you know they're going to continue to come back. There's too much quality on that field. They were missing a player or two, but I don't really care. I don't really care.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  The Dynamo are now celebrating their first trophy win since 2018, with Olsen’s appointment in 2022 being vindicated, while Inter Miami’s focus has been narrowed on a bid to reach the MLS play-offs – with Messi set to step back in at some stage as he returns to full match fitness.

The French forward led a rampant attack as the French champions stormed to the top of Champions League Group F

After a mini-goal drought, it was only a matter of time before Kylian Mbappe found his best again. And the forward appears to be well on his way to doing so, scoring for the second straight game as Paris Saint-Germain comfortably beat AC Milan to go top of their Champions League group.

Mbappe bagged the first, and Randal Kolo Muani and Lee Kang-In followed to hand the Parisians a comfortable 3-0 win. Milan offered some threatening moments in the early goings. Rafael Leao caused problems on the left and curled one narrowly outside the post within 25 minutes.

But PSG were too dangerous on the break. Warren Zaire-Emery started the move that opened the scoring, bursting through the Milan midfield ranks before feeding Mbappe. And the France star did the rest, cutting inside his man before arrowing an effort into the bottom corner.

The Parisians thought they had taken a 2-0 lead when Ousmane Dembele finished a well-worked move, but Manuel Ugarte was adjudged to have committed a foul in the build-up. There was no such mishap shortly after, though, when Mike Maignan parried a shot into Kolo Muani's path – handing the new signing his third PSG goal.

Lee provided the decisive third, tucking Zaire-Emery's cutback into the bottom corner, finding the net for the first time in a PSG shirt.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Parc des Princes…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Gianluigi Donnarumma (7/10):

  Almost embarrassed himself with an awkward headed clearance early in the second half. Made a couple of important saves.

  Achraf Hakimi (6/10):

  Had trouble with the lively Leao in the first half and wasn't at his best going forward, either.

  Marquinhos (8/10):

  Handled Olivier Giroud reasonably well and progressed the ball effectively. A commanding presence at the back.

  Milan Skriniar (7/10):

  A steady night. Won most of his aerial duels and kept things tidy.

  Lucas Hernandez (7/10):

  A solid showing at left-back. Kept Christian Pulisic quiet for long stretches and supported Mbappe well on the wing.

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  Midfield

  Manuel Ugarte (6/10):

  Held down the middle effectively, even if a silly foul of his saw a goal ruled out. Got a deserved rest for the last 20 minutes or so.

  Vitinha (7/10):

  Nearly had an assist, only to see a goal ruled out. Connected with the front line, and put in plenty of legwork, too. He's been much-improved this year.

  Warren Zaire-Emery (8/10):

  His lung-busting run through the midfield helped create the first goal. Won the ball back regularly and kept things ticking in the middle. Picked up three assists. Quickly becoming one of the world's best young talents.

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  Attack

  Ousmane Dembele (6/10):

  Thought he had his first PSG goal, but saw it ruled out. Was otherwise wasteful in the final third. It's not quite working out for him in Paris – yet.

  Randal Kolo Muani (7/10):

  Couldn't really miss from close range to open his PSG Champions League account. Was otherwise full of movement and pace. Seems to have the centre-forward spot nailed down.

  Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

  Scored a signature goal to give his side a 1-0 lead. Was a constant threat throughout and could have easily added one or two more.

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  Subs & Manager

  Fabian Ruiz (7/10):

  Offered a bit more control in the middle.

  Lee Kang-In (7/10):

  Bagged his first goal for the Parisians.

  Goncalo Ramos (N/A):

  Didn't have enough time to make a mark.

  Nordi Mukiele (X/10):

  No time to make an impact.

  Luis Enrique (7/10):

  Went back to a 4-3-3 after getting a good result against Strasbourg last weekend. And it worked. PSG were pretty much in control throughout, and devastating on the break at times. Not perfect, but the Parisians were immensely effective.

Manchester City star Rodri fired back at Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone over his claim that 'nobody is defending' in the Premier League.

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• Simone hit out at the lack of defending in the PL
• Cited recent Man City-Chelsea clash as an example
• Rodri disagrees with his former manager

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Argentine manager asserted that no Premier League clubs prioritise defending, citing entertaining scorelines like Chelsea's 4-4 draw against City.

  “You see English football now and the matches finish 4-4, 5-3, 6-2, or 5-1, which is fantastic for the fans,” Simeone said. “Like Chelsea against Manchester City. These are all games that are fun to watch, but nobody is defending!”

  However, his former pupil, Rodri, does not agree with Simeone and offered an alternative discourse.

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• WHAT RODRI SAID

  Speaking to Cadena Ser Rodri argued: “I disagree a little bit. Not all teams play in the same way, but against Man City there are a lot of teams who look to defend for 90 minutes. Of course, this is not always the case and for other matches there will be more open spaces, but it is a tough league with strong defences.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  City often comes up against deep-lying defences in the Premier League as teams try to hold their shape against their lethal attack headed by a goal machine in Erling Haaland. Nonetheless, the debate sparks conversations about the evolving nature of football tactics and the balance between offensive flair and defensive solidity in the Premier League.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RODRI AND SIMEONE?

  Rodri will be in action against Cyprus with Spain in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier. Whereas, Diego Simeone will return to Atletico's dugout when they host Mallorca in La Liga on November 25.

Manchester United sporting director John Murtough is in danger or being the next person to be sacked as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's planned overhaul.

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• Murtough could be next director to lose his job
• Ratcliffe planning overhaul of United's boardroom
• Freedman, Mitchell considered as his successor

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ratcliffe, who is due to seal a 25% stake in United in return for control of the club's sporting operations, made his first powerplay by sacking Richard Arnold as CEO on Tuesday. And according to , sporting director Murtough is also in danger of losing his job, along with director of football operations David Harrison.

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  Murtough became United's first ever sporting director in 2021 and had a busy first summer in charge of the club's transfers, signing Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo. He has overseen around £400 million ($496m) in transfers over the last two years, including huge flops such as Antony and Mason Mount.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Crystal Palace's Dougie Freedman is being considered by Ratcliffe as United's next sporting director, according to , while Monaco's Paul Mitchell, who has also worked at RB Leipzig and Southampton, has also been mentioned as a potential successor to Murtough.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  Ratcliffe, who beat off competition from rival bidder Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, is expected to officially complete his minority takeover in the coming weeks. United will be the third club belonging to his INEOS group along with Nice and Lausanne-Sport.

Darwin Nunez was on target for Liverpool against Brentford on Saturday in the Premier League but was taken off at half-time.

• Nunez scores opener at Brentford
• Goes off at half-time
• Replaced by Cody Gakpo

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool fans will be waiting nervously for news on Nunez after the forward was replaced at half-time at Brentford. Jurgen Klopp had already lost Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones to injury in the first half and then made his third substitution of the match at the break by taking off Nunez and replacing him with Gakpo.

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  THE EXPLANATION

  Klopp told the media he was hooked as a precaution after feeling something at half-time. The Liverpool boss didn't want to take any risks because of the club's current injury situation and also due to the fact the Reds are set to take on Chelsea in the final of the Carabo Cup next Sunday. Klopp was without goalkeeper Alisson and Trent Alexander-Arnold against Brentford and will have been dismayed to see Jota and Jones add to his injury problems. Nunez went off after earlier putting Liverpool 1-0 up in the game with a brilliant dink over goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

• WHAT JURGEN KLOPP SAID

  He told reporters: "We are not sure if he has something or not. He felt a little bit. We will see. It is not easy for us."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Nunez is a man in form as he has five goals and two assists in his last seven Premier League appearances for Liverpool.

Riyad Mahrez's wife Taylor Ward has opened up about the difficulties of adapting to life in Saudi Arabia after the winger's summer move.

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• Ward has struggled to adapt to new life
• Shares surprise at aspects of Saudi culture
• New show focuses on lives of players' WAGs

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ward shared her struggles in an emotional scene on a new reality series that also features the partners of Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, Jorginho, Matt Turner and James Tarkowski.

  The Algerian's move to the Saudi Pro League after 10 seasons in England came as a shock to Ward, who suddenly faced the prospect of moving away from her native Manchester with the couple's young daughter.

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• WHAT TAYLOR WARD SAID

  "I feel like it is so hard, there are times I can’t, I just don’t like it," confessed Ward.

  The model recounted a story where she asked to use the hotel pool, only to be told it was off limits.

  "I won’t lie, I had a freak out yesterday. I rang the hotel to ask 'I’m coming with my baby, what do people wear around the pool', I know it is a lot more conservative there and you have to dress a certain way.

  ‘"I said 'I just want to check when I come with a baby what is the best thing to wear, do I need to wear something covered if I am going in the water?'

  "They were like 'oh no sorry, it’s just a man’s pool, it is just a gents pool'".

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  THE GOSSIP

  Saudi's summer explosion saw the league snap up a host of the world's top stars in an unprecedented spending spree. But there have been hints that some players and their families have struggled to adapt to life in the kingdom.

  England's Jordan Henderson extricated himself from his Al-Ettifaq contract after just five months, taking a huge financial hit in the process after failing to settle in the league. The midfielder, who was keen to play European football ahead of this summer's European Championship, has since joined Dutch giants Ajax.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RIYAD MAHREZ?

  Matters on the field haven't gone too well for the couple either, with Mahrez's Al-Ahli failing to mount a title challenge and falling to defeat on their return from the Saudi winter break last week. The former City winger's side are currently third in the league table, 16 points behind leaders Al-Hilal and nine off Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. Mahrez and Co are next in action against struggling Al-Tai this Saturday.

Kim Kardashian saw her son Saint live “the absolute dream” by leading Inter Miami out against the LA Galaxy alongside Lionel Messi.

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• Famous faces in attendance for MLS fixture
• Kardashian's sons are big soccer fans
• Took on the role of mascot for thrilling clash

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Herons were in California for their latest MLS fixture. Unsurprisingly, in the land of Hollywood, there were a number of superstar guests at Dignity Health Sports Park. Tennis icon Novak Djokovic was among those in attendance, along with USWNT stars Christen Press and Tobin Heath.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Los Angeles-based Kardashian also took another opportunity to watch eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi in action, having previously taken her sons to a game in Miami and to games involving other legendary performers – such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe – around the world.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kardashian’s son Saint was given a starring role for Inter Miami’s latest outing, as he got the chance to walk onto the field hand in hand with Argentine superstar Messi. Proud mother Kardashian posted on social media: “Saint walking Messi out on the field tonight at the La Galaxy vs Inter Miami game!!! He is living the absolute dream!”

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