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Premier League

10 thoughts from the weekend's Premier League action

theScore examines the most important Premier League developments from the weekend, dissecting the biggest talking points after a busy slate of action.

Smith Rowe invaluable to Arteta’s project

It wouldn’t be Arsenal without some nervy moments on what should have been a comfortable day at the office against Aston Villa. But an outstanding first half provided the foundation for victory as Emile Smith Rowe proved his value to the club and showed why Villa wanted to sign him so badly last summer.

Villa were exceptionally poor at the Emirates Stadium on Friday, but their hopes of clawing back into the game in the second half would’ve been boosted had they pulled off that audacious summer signing. Instead, the talented attacking midfielder tormented Dean Smith’s side with a Man of the Match display.

Richard Heathcote / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Just a few months after Smith Rowe was linked with a move to Villa – before Arsenal rejected a reported £25-million offer – he has blossomed into a vital piece of Mikel Arteta’s project. The 21-year-old excelled on the left wing Friday, playing with confidence and aggressiveness that caused all sorts of problems for Villa’s defenders.

Despite some wobbly moments from the Gunners, Smith Rowe’s assist and goal in the first half were the difference in Arsenal’s most comprehensive victory so far this season.

By the numbers: Chelsea run riot against Norwich

Concerns over Chelsea’s ability to score after losing both Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner to injury were eased Saturday as the Blues delivered a 7-0 hammering of Norwich City.

It was an electric attacking display that saw Mason Mount score a hat-trick and Callum Hudson-Odoi become Chelsea’s 14th scorer in the Premier League this season. Here are four eye-catching stats from the Blues’ thrashing of the league’s basement dwellers:

4 – With Hudson-Odoi, Mount, Reece James, and Ben Chilwell finding the back of the net, it was the first time Chelsea have had four English players register goals in a single Premier League match.

10 – Who needs strikers? Defenders have been responsible for an incredible 10 of Chelsea’s Premier League-leading 23 goals so far.

18 – No team in Premier League history scores goals in bunches like Chelsea. The Blues’ latest lopsided victory was their record 18th time scoring more than six goals in a match.

20 – Mount’s memorable performance made the talented midfielder the 20th player to record a Premier League hat-trick for Chelsea. Arsenal (21) are the only club with more hat-trick heroes in Premier League history.

Everton fans losing patience with Benitez

Everton looked well on their way to preserving their unbeaten record against Watford at Goodison Park on Saturday. Instead, Rafa Benitez’s men suffered an epic collapse in a shocking 5-2 loss that saw the club’s fans turn on the Spanish manager; boos rained down on Benitez at various stages of the contest, reaching a crescendo at the final whistle.

Claudio Ranieri’s side deserves plenty of credit, of course, after responding well to adversity and securing its first win under the Italian manager. But Everton’s defensive performance was easily their worst since Benitez’s surprising appointment last summer.

Everton saw their advantage evaporate in the final stages of the match, with four Watford goals in the last 13 minutes – including a hat-trick by former Everton player Joshua King – sending the Toffees to their second straight home defeat.

Newcastle scrape by without Bruce

On the bright side, the post-Steve Bruce era didn’t start with a loss. In a match dominated by Crystal Palace, it took a moment of brilliance to help Newcastle United avoid losing their first match without the English manager.

But had it not been for Callum Wilson’s acrobatic overhead strike, there was little to be excited about in a forgettable performance at Selhurst Park; Newcastle’s second game since the controversial Saudi-led takeover looked a lot like the first.

Serena Taylor / Newcastle United / Getty

Tipped to play with a sense of freedom after supposedly being handcuffed by Bruce’s perceived tactical shortcomings, Newcastle were the same side that’s been plagued by issues in defense and struggles to generate scoring chances.

Those problems will likely be exposed to a greater, more devastating extent in their next Premier League test – a match against Premier League leaders Chelsea – amid Newcastle’s search for a new manager to lead them into a new era.

Antonio lethal inside the area

Remember when Michail Antonio was West Ham United’s utility man, slotting in wherever necessary to help fill gaps in the squad? That feels like a long time ago.

After joining the club from Nottingham Forest in 2015, the uber-versatile Jamaican played several positions before finally getting a consistent opportunity to be the focal point of the attack; former manager Slaven Bilic once suggested Antonio’s best role was at right-back, comparing him to ex-Manchester United stalwart Antonio Valencia. Oops.

That the 31-year-old is best suited to a No. 9 role has been clear for some time. But this season is offering additional evidence that Antonio isn’t just West Ham’s best striker – he’s among the most lethal in the Premier League.

Antonio’s decisive goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, his sixth of the campaign, showcased his instincts inside the penalty area, a skill set that’s easy to overlook for someone who can do just about everything else on the pitch. If he can stay fit all season – a struggle for much of his career – the unique attacker has every chance of leading the league in scoring.

What are Tottenham good at, exactly?

Sunday’s aforementioned defeat to West Ham was the latest proof that Tottenham lack an identity under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Contrast that with David Moyes’ Hammers, who appeared to have a clear approach and the correct pieces in the right places to implement the manager’s plan. In fairness, Nuno has only been at the helm for a few months, while Moyes has had almost two years to shape West Ham.

But Tottenham’s decision to retain Harry Kane in the summer heaped big expectations on the Portuguese bench boss right from the beginning; without Kane, he could reasonably argue that Spurs were rebuilding and that patience would be required. Instead, expectations – rightly or wrongly – remained relatively high going into the campaign.

Nuno named the same starting lineup for the third consecutive league match Sunday – progress, perhaps – but even a settled XI didn’t seem to help.

It’s a minor miracle that Spurs find themselves in a decent position in the table. If they continue like this, that won’t be the case much longer.

Daka’s chance to shine?

Patson Daka could be getting a big opportunity at exactly the right time, as Leicester City stalwart Jamie Vardy was substituted at halftime of Sunday’s 2-1 win over Brentford with a knee concern.

“(Vardy) felt something in warm-up, something in his knee, but he felt OK to give it a go,” Brendan Rodgers said post-match. “You could see he wasn’t as dynamic or moving like he normally would be, so there was no point risking it further if he’s sore.”

Daka, fresh off an incredible four-goal performance in the Europa League, replaced Vardy and went on to set up the winning goal of the contest; the Zambian timed his run well to stay onside before playing a simple pass across for James Maddison to tap into an open goal.

The 23-year-old, signed from Red Bull Salzburg this past summer, is steadily getting acclimated to life in the Premier League. An ill-timed Vardy is a blow, of course, but with Daka now in the fold, the Englishman’s absence shouldn’t torpedo the Foxes’ season like it otherwise may have.

Only a matter of time for OGS

How does Ole Gunnar Solskjaer come back from this one?

For all of Liverpool’s attacking excellence at Old Trafford on Sunday – they were slick, incisive, and clinical – Manchester United were absolutely shambolic in their humiliating, historic 5-0 defeat.

It’s the kind of result that should be the final dagger for a manager who’s been out of his depth from the beginning. Whether it actually will be is another story; the Norwegian has proven to be made of Teflon during his tenure thus far, even as his tactical naivety has been exposed multiple times.

Martin Rickett – PA Images / PA Images / Getty

Yes, Solskjaer has overseen some memorable results during his tenure, and his perennially optimistic outlook was beneficial for a team that was trying to rebuild its reputation. But United, after spending big and loading up, are beyond that stage. Passing on Mauricio Pochettino feels like an even bigger miss now.

The level of coaching at the very top of the Premier League is now so high that it’s made the drop-off more glaring than ever, and Solskjaer is arguably the most obvious outlier. If he survives this, he’ll survive anything.

Scholes knew what was coming

Hindsight is 20/20, but it’s almost eerie how accurate Paul Scholes’ post-match assessment was after Manchester United’s stirring Champions League comeback against Atalanta last week.

He described the Red Devils as being “disjointed” and “all over the place” before making a prescient observation about the upcoming Liverpool clash.

“If you do that against Manchester City or Liverpool, at halftime, it’ll be 3- or 4-0,” Scholes said. “You’re out of the game, you’re not coming back.”

Fast forward to halftime Sunday: Liverpool 4, Manchester United 0. Bingo.

The former Manchester United midfielder, like all of us, could see what was percolating during the club’s recent performances. Late goals and comeback wins were papering over the cracks and masking huge problems, especially defensively.

The dam broke Sunday.

Klopp’s right about Salah

Yeah, Jurgen Klopp was right.

The Liverpool manager said Mohamed Salah was the best player on the planet right now after his sumptuous goal against Watford just over a week ago. All the Egyptian has done since is score five goals in two games, including Sunday’s hat-trick, vindicating his manager’s praise.

Salah leads England’s top flight in scoring this season, he’s now the most prolific African player in the history of the Premier League – surpassing Ivorian icon Didier Drogba – and he’s found the net in 10 consecutive matches across all competitions.

“He’s in the mood to try things in the box, and long may it continue,” Klopp said after the Watford encounter. So far, so good.

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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Premier League

Breaking down thrilling EPL title race with 10 games left

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One of the most intoxicating title races in Premier League history is, mercifully, ready to resume.

The quirks of the calendar – an FA Cup weekend succeeded by an agonizing international window – means the titanic tussle between Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City will have been on hiatus for a full three weeks before it gets back underway on Sunday.

But there are no more impending interruptions. With 10 matches remaining for each title contender, we’re barreling toward a resolution to the type of three-way battle that’s exceedingly rare in England’s top flight. There’s never been a season in the Premier League era where three teams went into the final day with a chance to hoist the trophy. This could be it. The last time it happened was the 1971-72 campaign, when Derby County won an incredible four-team fight, narrowly beating Leeds United and, ominously, Liverpool and Man City to the crown. We’re overdue for that kind of drama.

That three sides have converged this way at all is, frankly, remarkable.

These are the three best teams in the country by an enormous margin. They’re the only ones with an expected goal difference per game of plus-1.0 or greater this season. The next best mark, surprisingly, belongs to Mauricio Pochettino’s erratic Chelsea team at plus-0.36. So, yeah, it’s not close.

The three of them are also on a tear and show no signs of slowing down. Arsenal have won all eight of their league games in 2024, scoring 33 goals in the process; Liverpool have collected 22 of a possible 27 points in that time; reigning champions Manchester City have racked up 23 of 27 points. They’ve combined for just one loss since the calendar flipped – Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat against Arsenal in early February.

The only sides that look capable of halting their progress are each other, which makes this weekend’s clash between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad all the more significant.

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Each contender has a compelling reason for believing it’s “their” year.

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta’s men look far more assured and mature than last season when they set the pace for nearly the entire campaign, only to crumble down the stretch and relinquish their once sizeable advantage to Manchester City. Do-it-all superstar Declan Rice has been a transformative figure in midfield, while Kai Havertz, after an inauspicious start, is becoming an increasingly vital and consistent scoring threat. At least from the outside, there appears to be more self-belief within the Arsenal camp. Having learned from their experience in 2022-23, Arsenal won’t cede top spot so easily this time. It’ll need to be ripped from them.

Some may be inclined to dismiss their recent run because of their opponents. Yes, the Gunners have played some weak teams – Sheffield United! Burnley! Nottingham Forest! – but, for the most part, they aren’t just beating them; they’re blowing them away with a ruthlessness usually associated with title winners. For those still unconvinced, Sunday’s visit to the Etihad, where they were tossed aside like a rag doll in last season’s 4-1 loss, will be the ultimate litmus test to see if this team is ready to end the club’s 20-year title drought.

Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp’s persistent squad, already with the League Cup in tow, aims to send off their departing bench boss in style. Liverpool have been the most entertaining team of the trio this season. They create more chances than Arsenal and City and concede more opportunities. Darwin Nunez, the ultimate agent of chaos on a football pitch, is the perfect fit for a team with a habit of scoring late goals and delivering dramatic moments. Their title charge is built on more than just vibes, though.

Liverpool overwhelmed none other than City in their last league game before the international break but came away from the pulsating affair at Anfield with a 1-1 draw. City, usually self-confident and domineering in possession, simply held on against what Pep Guardiola dubbed a “tsunami” of pressure. There was obviously some added incentive at play, but Liverpool are built to go full speed regardless of the opposition. It’s in their nature under Klopp.

Manchester City

Despite not being at its vintage best this term, Guardiola’s accomplished crew remains the favorite in the eyes of many who, for good reason, simply refuse to pick against them. We’ve been conditioned to feel like City will inevitably be the last team standing because, well, they usually are. Five titles in the previous six seasons will have that effect on the collective psyche. However, Erling Haaland isn’t replicating his ferocious scoring pace from last season, and Kevin De Bruyne has been limited to six league starts. Also, outside of some electrifying Jeremy Doku performances, the summer signings haven’t exactly set the world alight. And yet, here they are, just one point off the top, showing the quiet confidence and tranquility that can only be obtained through winning experiences.

With Phil Foden leading the way and authoring arguably the best season of anyone in the league, City could become the first team in English history to win four consecutive top-flight titles.

Strength of schedule

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On paper, Arsenal have the most difficult fixture list.

Their remaining opponents average 41.8 points this season, roughly corresponding to ninth place in the table. Put another way, it would be the equivalent of playing Wolves (41 points) or Brighton (42) each week. It doesn’t help that many of Arsenal’s toughest matches are away from home. Coincidentally, they have upcoming trips to Brighton and Wolves, along with north London rivals Tottenham and Manchester United, following this weekend’s potentially decisive tilt at the Etihad. It’s tough.

Manchester City’s task is slightly more forgiving, as their remaining opponents average 40.7 points or 10th place.

Liverpool appear to have the most favorable schedule of the trophy chasers, with their opponents averaging 38.4 points, a tally representing the haul of a team in the bottom half of the table. While that’s better than the alternative, it’s not quite so simple for the Reds. On the back of a potentially draining Europa League quarterfinal second leg against Atalanta in mid-April – more on that soon – Klopp’s men have three away games in seven days against Fulham, Everton, and West Ham. In addition to battling their local nemesis, who could still be scrapping for survival at that point, Liverpool will also face a rambunctious Goodison crowd that would love nothing more than to play a critical role in stopping their hated rivals from winning another league crown.

Aston Villa and Spurs, meanwhile, stand out as common foes for all three title hopefuls. Sitting fourth and fifth, respectively, and engaged in their own fight to secure a Champions League place, they could play the role of kingmakers this spring.

European commitments

Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Balancing the mental and physical demands of domestic play with continental competition is a huge piece of this puzzle for all three teams. Midweek success can further galvanize a group, but taxing failures can cripple a team’s momentum at home.

Much like the domestic schedule, Liverpool seem to have an edge here. Arsenal and Manchester City will face European behemoths Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in a pair of mouthwatering Champions League quarterfinal ties beginning next month. However, Liverpool have a comparatively charitable Europa League encounter with Atalanta.

If they both advance, Arsenal and City will meet in the Champions League semifinals, an outcome that will surely be celebrated wildly on Merseyside.

How those games intermingle with the league schedule also matters. Liverpool play Crystal Palace and Fulham following their two matchups with the Italian outfit. After locking horns with Bayern, Arsenal have to contend with Aston Villa and Wolves. Manchester City, still active on three fronts as they seek a second consecutive treble, host lowly Luton after the first leg of their Real Madrid rematch and take on Chelsea in the FA Cup semifinals following the second leg.

Injury concerns

Simon Stacpoole/Offside / Offside / Getty

Liverpool have been plagued by injuries all season. Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, and Andy Robertson, among others, have missed varying amounts of time, though the bulk of that group is getting back to full fitness. Alisson Becker remains sidelined and might not return until mid-April. Defensive stalwart Virgil van Dijk is the only Liverpool player to garner over 2,000 league minutes this season, indicating how disruptive injuries have been for Klopp’s team. And yet, they persevere.

Five Manchester City players have cleared the 2,000-minute mark thus far, and a couple more are on the cusp. But the club was without De Bruyne for the entire first half of the season, while trips to the treatment room ravaged Jack Grealish’s year. City also got hit the hardest by the recent international break, with John Stones and Kyle Walker hurt on England duty and racing against time to recover for Sunday’s match versus Arsenal. Swiss defender Manuel Akanji is in the same boat, and Ederson’s return date from a thigh injury remains uncertain. Never shy about tweaking his lineup, Guardiola could be forced to tinker yet again.

Arsenal have been largely unscathed, with six players eclipsing 2,000 league minutes. William Saliba, whose absence last season played an outsize role in Arsenal’s capitulation, has been on the pitch for every second of league play in 2023-24. Gabriel Jesus has battled ailments all year, and Jurrien Timber suffered an ACL injury just 49 minutes into his Premier League debut in the season opener. But the Gunners will be hoping their relative good fortune on the injury front extends right through May, especially as it relates to Bukayo Saka, who pulled out of the England squad to nurse a minor muscular issue.

Prediction

Justin Setterfield / Getty Images Sport / Getty

First, a disclaimer: Luck will play a pivotal role in determining which team is crowned on May 19. Injuries will continue to be a factor. There will almost certainly be contentious refereeing and VAR decisions that favor and oppose the title challengers. There will also be finishing variance, with players missing seemingly easy chances and converting more difficult opportunities.

Impossible to predict? No matter. We’re not going to let that stop us.

Considering their advantageous schedule, at home and in Europe, along with their improving squad health at just the right time and the inescapable feeling that this is a team of destiny determined to send their beloved manager out on a high, we’re going with Liverpool, who’ll collect 88 points to pip their rivals and again interrupt Manchester City’s run of domestic dominance.

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Premier League

Euro 2024 playoffs: Miraculous Ukraine comeback, big result for Wales

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Wales, Greece, and Poland registered statement wins Thursday, joining three other teams in next Tuesday’s playoff finals for the three remaining places at Euro 2024.

Ukraine staged an incredible late comeback against Bosnia and Herzegovina in its semifinal to keep its Euro dream alive.

The highest-placed team in FIFA’s rankings that’s no longer in contention to reach the tournament in Germany is 60th-placed Finland.

Here’s how the playoff semifinals across Path A, B, and C played out.

Path A

Mateusz Slodkowski / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Poland 5-1 Estonia

Estonia barely stood a chance. Down to 10 men as early as the 27th minute, the northern Europeans could only muster a consolation goal in a 5-1 loss to Poland. The Polish achieved the rout without Robert Lewandowski getting on the scoresheet and remain unbeaten in 21 Euro qualifiers at home, a magnificent run dating back to September 2006. Poland is trying to make up for a poor qualifying campaign in which it finished third in Group E, four points behind the Czech Republic and Albania. The country hasn’t missed the Euros since 2004.

Wales 4-1 Finland

The Red Wall might descend on Germany this summer. Wales’ raucous supporters have legitimate hopes of traveling to another major tournament after the Dragons scorched Finland without the retired Gareth Bale and with Aaron Ramsey, 33, on the bench after more injury problems. Teemu Pukki gave the visiting team some hope just before halftime following well-taken finishes from David Brooks and Neco Williams. But Wales needed just 73 seconds of the second period to restore its two-goal cushion via Brennan Johnson’s tap-in. Daniel James took advantage of a defensive error before rounding the goalkeeper in the 86th minute to give the host a resounding victory.

Playoff final: Wales vs. Poland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET

Path B

David Balogh – UEFA / UEFA / Getty

Israel 1-4 Iceland

Iceland’s Albert Gudmundsson stole the show with an emphatic hat-trick against Israel on Thursday. His stunning free-kick into the top right corner canceled out Eran Zahavi’s opening goal for Israel, and he created a nice cushion for his country with a pair of markers in the final 10 minutes. Just before that, Zahavi blew an incredible opportunity to equalize the match at 2-2, missing a penalty awarded for handball against Iceland’s Gudmundur Thorarinsson. A red card to Israel’s Haim Revivo didn’t help the trailing side. Iceland is now a game away from making only its second-ever appearance at the Euros following its quarterfinal run in 2016.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Ukraine

Ukraine scored twice with just minutes remaining in regulation to snatch what seemed to be a sure victory from Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday. Bosnia controlled play for most of the match and took the lead in the 56th minute when Mykola Matviyenko turned in Amar Dedic’s shot into his own net. But a colossal defensive lapse cost the Bosnians a chance to make it a record four countries from the former Yugoslavia at Euro 2024. Roman Yaremchuk came off the bench to equalize in the 85th minute and teed up Artem Dovbyk’s sensational winning header three minutes later to turn the playoff semifinal on its head. Ukraine now faces Iceland with a third consecutive Euro appearance at stake.

Playoff final: Ukraine vs. Iceland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET

Path C

GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE / AFP / Getty

Georgia 2-0 Luxembourg

Two clever finishes from Budu Zivzivadze in Tbilisi assured Georgia of a place in Path C’s final – and all without the help of suspended talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. But it wasn’t that simple for the host. Luxembourg thought it equalized during the second half, only for the goal to be eventually snatched away due to Maxime Chanot’s apparent foul 45 seconds earlier. Luxembourg’s Chanot was controversially sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and Zivzivadze effectively ended the match six minutes later with his second strike. Kvaratskhelia is available for the final.

Greece 5-0 Kazakhstan

Anastasios Bakasetas lashed home a penalty, Dimitrios Pelkas headed into the net’s roof, Fotis Ioannidis tapped in from close range, and Dimitrios Kourbelis added another header. And that was all before halftime. Kazakhstan’s impressive 2022-23 Nations League campaign and notable Euro 2024 qualifying wins over Denmark, Northern Ireland (twice), and Finland suddenly seemed ages ago, as Greece recorded its biggest halftime lead since October 1978 (5-0 against Finland). Aleksandr Marochkin’s embarrassing own goal in the 85th minute made Kazakhstan’s day even worse.

Playoff final: Georgia vs. Greece, Tuesday 1:00 p.m. ET

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Premier League

Look: Nike unveils beautiful kit selection for Euro 2024, Copa America

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Nike released a stunning batch of threads ahead of Euro 2024 and Copa America on Monday.

Days after Adidas launched its lineup for the summer’s top two tournaments, Nike followed suit with an array of colorful designs.

The U.S. manufacturer also announced redesigns for Canada and Poland, even though they’ve yet to qualify for their respective tournaments. The Canucks face Trinidad and Tobago in a one-off Copa America qualifier on Saturday, while Poland must navigate a four-team playoff to reach Euro 2024.

(All images courtesy of Nike)

Euro 2024

Croatia

Home

The square-shaped design that gives Croatia its unique look gets a slight upgrade. The home shirt features larger squares than ever before.

Away

Croatia’s away shirt plays on the national flag, with the traditional checkered pattern now on a slant.

England

Home

Influenced by England’s 1966 training gear, the home shirt has a classic feel with a rich blue collar and gorgeous trim along the cuffs.

Away

England embraces a deep purple hue for its away selection. The crest stands out with a contrasting off-white tint that makes the three lions pop.

France

Home

France’s home shirt may have the biggest crest of all of Nike’s offerings. The oversized rooster defines this shirt as much as the royal blue that’s made France’s kits a crowd-pleaser.

Away

The pinstripes mirror the colors of France’s national flag and span the width of the shirt in a simple, yet elegant design.

Netherlands

Home

Nike could’ve offered anything orange here, and it would’ve been perfect. But the Netherlands has something bolder and better to wear. The zig-zag pattern adds edge.

Away

The orange collar and cuffs pop alongside the three shades of blue Nike has chosen to create the abstract design on this work of art.

Poland

Home

Poland dedicates premium real estate on the country’s home shirt to its imposing crest.

Away

Poland’s away shirt is a daring choice. The graphic treatment adds texture, giving it a rugged feel while separating from the red tones of years past.

Portugal

Home

With possibly the best home shirt in Nike’s collection, Portugal leans heavily into its traditional red-and-green motif with a polo collar and thick cuffs. The logo sits prominently as well. A smash hit.

Away

Here’s another winner. Portugal’s away strip has a stunning textile imprint that gives off a cool summer vibe.

Turkey

Home

This is a menacing look. Turkey will look like a whirring red army with these imposing shirts.

Away

The classic red band returns to Turkey’s away uniform. Like the others, it features an oversized crest in the middle of the shirt.

Copa America

Brazil

Home

Nike goes big with Brazil’s crest and adds an intricate design to the same yellow hue the Selecao have used for decades.

Away

Brazil’s secondary strip feels like the beach. A horizontal wavy pattern covering the entire shirt mimics the country’s picturesque coastline.

Canada

Home

The only blemish in Nike’s lineup. Why is there a circle around the swoosh? And why are the shoulders so much darker than the body? None of it makes sense.

Away

The 13 pinstripes are supposed to represent the 10 provinces and three territories that make up Canada. Unfortunately, the rest of the shirt looks incomplete.

United States

Home

The United States men’s national team gets a classic home shirt with patriotic detailing along the color and sleeves.

Away

The gradient works perfectly with the red shorts the U.S. will wear at the Copa America.

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