Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America - #234: Jonathan Gómez interview

Episode Date: December 21, 2021

Jonathan Gómez, the 18-year-old left back who played for Louisville City in 2021, joins the podcast. He discusses his USMNT debut vs Bosnia, his pending move to La Liga club Real Sociedad, his conversation with Xabi Alonso, his choice of a USL development path, and his future national team decision. Sharp guy.#TheGomezWay blog: https://thegomezway.com/support Scuffed on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedsign up for our weekly newsletter: https://scuffedweekly.substack.com/ join the Discord: https://discord.gg/X6tfzkM8XU buy our merch: https://my-store-11446477.creator-spring.com/drop us a question at this link and we’ll try to answer it: https://forms.gle/vEatDVE6wsMzekep8 Skip the ads! Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon and get all episodes ad-free, plus any bonus episodes. Patrons at $5 a month or more also get access to Clip Notes, a video of key moments on the field we discuss on the show, plus all patrons get access to our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedAlso, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.comAnd check out our MERCH, baby. We have better stuff than you might think: https://www.scuffedhq.com/store Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the scuffed podcast. I'm Adam Bells in Georgia. With me is Greg Velazquez in Iowa. We talk about U.S. men's soccer. Our guest today is Jonathan Gomez, the 18-year-old left back who is on his way from Louisville City to Real Socied in La Liga. He just got his first cap with the U.S. men's national team and a 1-0-friendly win over Bosnia. Jonah, welcome. Thank you. Thank you for having me on. Happy to be here. Walk us through first the play that resulted in the goal at the end of the Boston. Bosnia game. I think it was a cross from Brian Reynolds. And what happened next from your point of view? Yeah. So across from Brian Reynolds and obviously we were trying to get the win. I got to 10 men Bosnia side. So I was up in the box. And yeah, I saw, I'm not sure if it was Cole.

It went over Cole's head, kind of went up and kind of went in for the header, went behind me. I saw Giassi pick it up. And once I saw him pick it up, I backed up a little bit because I was asking for it. So I backed up a little bit, gave it to me. And I just shot it. And then it's kind of hard for the keeper to see. And I mean, Cole is there. So it's happy for that.

Yeah, nice to be involved in a goal in your first 10 minutes on the field. Yeah, for sure. So did anything surprise you about the national team camp? this was your first camp with the senior national team. Like, I think our listener would be interested in anything you have to say about it, but like what? Anything surprise you specifically? I'm not sure if I'd say anything surprised me,

but I definitely, I liked the setup at the U.S. camp, and it was definitely nice to go see what it's like at the senior setup, meet some of the players, meet the coaching staff. And it was, oh, I guess this surprised me. It was a very different system than when we play at Luce City. So first few days was a lot about learning the principles of how Coach Gregg wants us to play. And it's a, I wouldn't say a lot different, but it's definitely different than how, for example, Danny wanted me to play at Luce City in terms of like pressing, build out, going forward.

So that did surprise me because watching the U.S. play, I didn't necessarily. like pick it up. But it's different actually being in camp, training every day with it. Was it like, did it seem complicated to you compared to the other systems you've played in? No, I wouldn't say it's complicated. I don't really think anyone struggle with it. I mean, I don't think I struggled with it. It's just, for example, like when we're pressing, I don't, from a goal kick, I don't have to go to their outside back as much. He wants our midfielers to go to the outside back. So like our eight and our six to make that run out to the outside back.

So I was used to going to the outside back. So a couple times I went and then they would break our press because that's not what we were doing. So I just had to get accustomed to that. But then, I mean, after a couple times, I mean, you get the hang of it. And it's not like he never wants me to go to the outside back. It just depends the height of their outside back. And when I go, like, if it's too far for the midfieler to go, and then I should just go, midfieler recovers.

Huh. Interesting. When he was asked about you in the post-game press conference, Burhalter said it was probably an adjustment for you to go from, like, USL level to national team level. Like, I don't know exactly what he was referring to, but I guess I could have some guesses. is what's your assessment of that, like the jump from playing for a very good USL team

to training with a bunch of players who are at least above average in MLS. Yeah, I think that's just what I was about to say. I mean, I went from playing in the USL, and not that the USL is a bad level at all. I think it's a great level, especially for young players. But then, I mean, not playing in MLS, which a lot of these players have played in MLS, but going into the national team setup where it's the best guys in MLS, I mean, that are American. And I think it was definitely an increase in a level,

but I wouldn't say it was something that I struggled with it, struggled with or that I couldn't deal with. I think, I mean, the speed of play is quicker, more physical. I mean, everything is just a little bit sharper than you would expect at the USL level. But to answer your question, yeah, I guess I could take some guesses about what he was referring to as well. but I think, I mean, he kind of mentioned the same thing when I spoke to him at the end of the camp, but he said that he thought I did well with it. And, and yeah.

Yeah, he praised your mentality and your, just like your mindset. So how would you, I don't know, we're getting a little in the weeds here, but how would you compare for people who don't, haven't played professional soccer, like the jump from USL League 1 to USL championship? You mean like from USA League one, the championship to now and the national team? Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. I'd say every level you go up, I guess professionalism increases.

But that's just, I mean, each level is higher. When I started, I guess my professional career, but I was on an academy contract at North Texas, I guess it didn't, it was like a professional environment, but it didn't feel as much like it because I was playing with, like, I wouldn't say a bunch of academy players, but a bunch of, like, of the young homegrowns, like, Ryan Reynolds, Thomas Roberts, so it was like, they were my friends. But level was still high. But I think differences in the league, I wouldn't say there's too much between League

one in championship. I think the teams are a little bit better. The good teams in the championship are better than the good teams in the U.S.L. League one. Yeah.

There's obviously more teams in the championship. And once I went to Luce City, it was like a first team environment. And I guess the big teams in the U.S.L championship really do things the right way. know, they're starting more and more clubs are starting to get stadiums, training facilities.

And you see them every day more than getting like MLS clubs, having their own training facility, building their own stadiums, getting their academy. And you don't see that as much in league one yet. So I think that's kind of a difference off the field. Like I said, on the field, don't think there's too much difference. definitely USL championships at a higher level. But for example, when we played Greenville, we played Greenville in preseason this past year.

I think we won four or five two. So, like, we were the better side, but that's when they were USL-E-1 champions. Like, they were still a quality team. Yeah, it was still, like, a decent soccer game. Yeah, exactly. And then, so, yeah, apart from the difference in level and maybe opportunity, I think there's not a significant difference.

And then going from the USL is the national team, I mean, obviously it's the national team. You have, in terms of off the field, you have like everything you'd want in terms of trainers, nutrition, anything you need for yourself to perform at the highest level. And in the USL, I mean, you have like a trainer and stuff, but it's not like you have one person for every one of those. things. Yeah. That's off the field. On the field, you have, I mean, I don't I'm saying the same thing, but an increase in

level, but because all those guys are coming from MLS, I mean, you have some guys coming from Europe, like, I mean, Brian comes from Roma, Taylor Booth comes from Bayern. I mean, if they were to compare their environment at the club to my environment at my club, pretty sure there's be really much better. Yeah, of course, yeah. So a less serious question here. Did you do any crossword puzzles in camp? We saw everybody working on crossword puzzles.

Yeah, we did. We did do some crossword puzzles at lunch after training. How'd you do? Are you a crossword puzzle aficionado, or is this like a new thing for you? It's not a new thing for me. I do okay with them, but I did struggle with some of them. I had Aaron Long and Christian rolled on at my table, and they're really good at them. So Aaron Long would like finish them quickly.

Then he's like, okay, shoot at me. Like whatever questions you guys have, and he would help us out. Okay, he's kind of like grandpa then, huh? Yeah, maybe a little bit. But yeah, he was the older guy at our table. How was it reuniting with Lucci? You must have had some significant. overlap with him at Dallas. Did he coach you specifically?

So he was always there. I mean, he was always the academy director. So I always interacted with him, knew who he was, knew who I was. And he would come out and like a coach a practice or two. But it was actually my brother that he coached, I think, two years, two and a half years. Okay. And so he coached him for a while. And then I was just about to move up into the U-17s, which he coached when he got promoted to the first team head coach, head coaching job. But right before that, we had a tournament in Mexico, and he coached us for that tournament. So I guess I was coached by him for those, I think it was like a three-week tournament. For those three weeks, we ended up losing that tournament in the final,

the guy at MacGIS International against Bachuca. But yeah, I think that was the only time I've been coached directly by Lucci. But I've definitely known him for a few years now. So reuniting with him was good. It was good to see him again. And obviously he knew quite a few of the players in camp. Yeah, you guys are all over the national team. You got FC Dallas products.

I mean, I guess one last thing about the camp you were just in. What is the message from Burrhalter? and his staff to you about what they want to see from you going forward. You know, if you want to, you know, continue to get called up. What are they telling you? Yeah, so he kind of, after the game, he spoke with me, he said that he thought I'd done well. And that I came in and impacted the goal. So it made a difference.

You can't really ask for much else there. but in terms of the camp he said that now once I go to Spain it's going to really help with my level I'm not not going to be playing at the USL level not that the USL level is bad but in terms of my development my projection towards the national team playing at Radozotsozia is going to every day training there is really going to help me be at the consistent level for example that I was like training at at the national team so that's going to help me create that consistency, maybe get more fit. But yeah, he told me that I take the next step, that in terms of, he didn't necessarily say, like, my soccer IQ, he said, I'm a really smart player, and that he likes the way I play. I'm technical, and I read the game tactfully well. But he just said at the next level, there's some things that,

that like your defensive positioning, that if you don't get it right in half a second, it can cost you, you know, a long bow and behind, something like that. So, yeah, he just said that he thinks I can mature into my body. He said, I'm still young, still growing. So maturing into my body, learning how to use my body more. And he thinks that I'll learn that in Spain. And he said, it's a great spot for me to be, and he's going to be in contact. Awesome.

Let's talk about your move. So you're in Dallas right now, right? Yeah, I'm in Dallas. When do you fly to San Sebastian? I'm waiting for my visa. So it could be basically, I mean, I wouldn't say any day, but it could be, I guess, within the next week, or it could be like two to three weeks. I'm hoping for the first, obviously, so I can get over there and start training. So, yeah.

For those who don't know a lot about Realisostoeva, can you sort of describe the club and, like, where, you know, how it fits into the soccer universe? Yeah, so, I mean, I would say it's a club with a lot of history and a very family-like culture. they it's not it's not a really big town San Sebastian but everybody knows about the club it's like a like I said a family club in terms of the community and in itself

they have a history of promoting players to the first team from their I guess from their academy or as well from their B team so under current first team

head coach Imanola wasseil 12 I think 12 players have debuted um so yeah that's how I would describe it as well as I mean their playing style is is possession um and I mean I'm going to learn more about that one when I go over there but I mean yeah that's that's that's kind of how I would describe it I just watched them you know I we follow Richie Ledesma closely on this podcast and I just watched them pound PSV Eindhoven in Oh, 3-0. Yeah, they needed to win that game to go through to the next round, and they did.

It looked like in a great environment, you know? Yeah. Yeah, I saw videos from the fans from that game, and it looked like a great game. Yeah. Also, San Sebastian, I mean, one of the loveliest cities in Europe, how excited are you to move there?

Really excited. I mean, obviously going there for the football side of things, but it's going to be nice to be living in a place like that. Have you figured out where you're going to live and all that? Are you going to have any family over there with you? Not originally, I think I'm going to go alone. And for the first six months for my adaptation period, they have this, I guess, like, residency kind of.

It's not like their academy residency. It's, I guess, like a college residency where, like, other students live. and it's kind of like a dorm, but it's like I saw where I'm going to live. It's more like an apartment. Okay. And then after the first six months, when I come back for the next season,

I'll be able to live where I'd like. Okay. I sort of asked this already, but anything specific you're looking forward to in Basque country, I mean, that's like a, it's kind of a legendary part of the world, like bullfighting and fly fishing in the mountains and stuff.

I know you're thinking you're thinking about soccer but yeah you know I actually didn't know that I didn't know I guess I haven't really looked into the the history and culture of the Basque country so I should probably look into that because I mean I'm going to be living there it's not just going to be all soccer so yeah I think Pomplona is like a little bit of a drive away but not too far um and you're going to start with you're going to start with real associate that B who plays in the Segunda Division, right? Yeah. So, yeah, the Rosace B.

plays in second division in Spain. Which is a good level. Yeah, for sure. It's definitely a good level. I mean, you have teams that are fighting to go into a league and teams that just came down from the league. So, I mean, you have a good level. And just kind of like a little fun fact,

that team, the reserve side, It's gotten promoted two years in a row. So they were in fourth division, I promoted the third division, and last year won the third division and got promoted to the second division. Wow. But yeah, I'm definitely excited to go and get started.

It's a great level and hope to continue my development and get better. I see their first game of the year, the new year is January 8th. That would be, like, assuming your visa and everything happens. Yeah, that would be the first game that I'd be able to play it if everything goes well with my visa and me settling in over there. Okay. Can you tell us about, I saw on, you know, on the Gomez Way blog, I saw the picture of you

with Shabia Alonzo. Can you tell us anything about your conversation with him, like how that went? Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So when I went and visited, I was able to meet him. I had, I mean, I asked him any questions that I had. I mean, about the system they play. I was just trying to get some information, system they play.

Yeah, what it's like. And yeah, he said that he described the system to me, like, that everyone there is like a family. I mean, kind of like their plan for me. And I'm not, I'm not really sure how this came up in the conversation, but he ended up telling me about when they won Champions League with Liverpool, when they were down 3-0 to A.C. Milan at half. And they ended up winning in PICAs, yeah. But, I mean, yeah, it was kind of crazy because he's won it, literally always won a World Cup, Champions League, Euros. Like, so as a player, he's done it all. And definitely excited to go and learn a lot from him.

Does, is the club, you know, helping you get up to speed on their system and tactics in any way? ahead of your, you know, your physical move over there? I've been speaking to, so I've been speaking to the nutritionist and two of the other staff. I wouldn't necessarily say about the tactics, but I have been watching some of their games, and I keep up with all the results. So I guess to answer your question, no, but I am in contact with staff from over there. Well, what are the areas of your game that you're most focused on improving? Like, whether that's with like national team stuff in mind or Real Sociedad's stuff in mind.

I'm sure there's tons of overlap there. I think I can get better in every aspect of my game, but my areas of focus are on the physical side of things. I don't think I'm slow at all, but I think I can get faster, like more. explosive, getting a little bit stronger. So that's probably just in the physical side of things. In terms of, like on the field tactical, I want to, I want to improve at going 1V1, like attacking 1v1 against players. I think that's something that in a modern day fullback is really valuable because used to, I don't know if used to, but you just have your winger. that would attack their outside backs.

And I think it's really valuable that if you can have your outside back, attack their outside back, get a cross off, get a shot off, and almost be like a winger at times. Or if you're playing it at 352 system, you want a person that can do the defensive work and the attacking as well. So I think that's something I want to prove on. And defensively, I guess another thing is why I won't be on defending? I don't think it's bad, but there's going to be a different level of players that I'm going to be going to be going up against. So through my turning up my hips, defending both ways.

So, yeah. Let's see. What's better? I got like six more questions here. What's better delivering a pinpoint cross in the box, picking out a free header for a goal, or shaking two defenders in your half, and pinging a switch leading to a 2V1 break for a goal? Which one is better for you? I think probably, that's an interesting question. I think probably the pinpoint cross.

The final ball. That's the. Yeah. Yeah. Because, I mean, shaking two defenders is always nice and hitting a long while. It's definitely really nice. But, I mean, leading up straight to, I mean, you didn't say it was going to be a goal, but pinpoint crossing the box, more than likely, going to be a goal.

Yeah. And product, baby. Who were your soccer idols growing up? And who are you trying to pattern your game after now? Anybody come to mind? Well, in general, my soccer idol is someone that, I mean, I always thought insane was messy. But so I'm a messy guy. But more position-specific, since I've been a left-back,

I really like Rafael Guerrero's game from Dortmund. Yeah. Even when I first started being a left back, I mean, I'd watch Marcelo all the time. Just that the flare that he played with, it's hard to have something like that. He was just so nice in the ball. I mean, everything that he did. Now, I mean, he still plays, but he's not as – he doesn't play as frequently as he used to, obviously, because he's getting older. But, yeah, I'd say Rafael Guerrero.

Even someone like Alfonso Davies, I mean, no one's going to have. Alfonso-Dabees speed. So I wouldn't say it's unrealistic modeling my game after them, but some of other stuff he does, like he goes a lot 1 v. 1 in the attack and then get to cross-off. And, I mean, he's able to recover a lot quicker than I'm able to recover on defense.

But that's something that I admire about him. He runs a lot. I've always enjoyed Rafa Guerrero, too. I didn't say that as well as you did. But when are you and Kevin Paredes going to start your own podcast. We actually hadn't really thought about it.

I mean, my brother has his podcast with Tanner. Yeah. But yeah, me and Kevin are definitely tight, so I don't know, maybe in the future we'll start something. All right. Well, I'll plug it with

my modest influence if I, if you do. Who else did you, were you tight with in the camp besides Kevin? Anybody? Yeah, I think I interacted quite a bit with Pepe, Hesuz, Justin. Justin, obviously I grew up with playing in the academy three, four years, same with Pepe. As well as Kobe Henry.

I interacted as well with George Bello, Cole Bassett. Let's see. I think those are some of the main guys. I mean, automatically, like, the other young guys, including, like, Katie Clark, Katie Cowell, those are guys they interacted with as well because we're all around the same age. Another guy that, I mean, I would say I interacted with quite a bit. And, I mean, he definitely spoke to some of the young guys was Kellan. And, I mean, I like speaking to him.

he's a he's a great guy so yeah he's familiar with your stomping grounds too i guess yeah yeah exactly exactly came from from the academy and the first team so i know you explain this on i think you explained this on the tactical manager interview but can you can you can you explain how like when when was it you switched from being an attacking player to being a left back and what was who was the coach that suggested that? So the coach that, so the first coach that ever put me at Leftback, his name,

I mean, I called him Coach Patty, but it was in a small club, probably a small club named Odyssey, probably when I was 10 or 11. No, I think 10. And I think this is something that I didn't say on the tactical manager podcast because I had forgotten about it.

But this is when I first played left back. and he played me there. I don't know, it was made for like a season. I mean, I was just a youth player. And then when I joined, I moved back up the field to like left wing. And when I joined FC Dallas, I was like a left wing slash 10 in my first season. And then the coach then moved me back to left back. His name was Felipe.

And basically he was like, he was like, you're really aggressive when you like press and defend like as a winger. and you have good attacking quality, so I'm going to put you there. And basically put me there like one training, and then I played the whole rest of the season, like all the games. Huh. And then, I mean, you lifted a trophy. I mean, you were part of that team that won the U.S.L. League One title, right? Yeah.

Yeah, that was nice in the inaugural season. Yeah. A lot of exciting players on that team. Why did you elect to go? the USL route, you know, and head over to Lucity. It seems to have worked out quite well, but I'd love to hear you explain that, that choice and the thinking behind it. Yeah, so going to, you mean going to Lucity route than staying at FC Dallas? Exactly, yeah.

I think it was a culmination of things. A lot of it was stability. I was looking for stability, and I wanted a clear path to the next step at FC, at FC, at, at Estee Dallas. Not that there wasn't stability, but I was playing with a lot of different teams. So I remember a couple of years ago within like six weeks, like a month and a half, I had played with the 17th and 19s, Mexican national team, the North Texas, and I played even a friendly against Sevilla with the first team. So being with all those coaches, all of those different players, all the new systems.

I mean, it was kind of similar system because they tried to keep the system same as the first team. But it just didn't create that much stability. And I mean, I wouldn't know who I was going to play with or train with the next day. So I just wanted a clear path to the next step, which was, for me, it was taking that step to Europe. And on that, they offered flexibility to go to train in Europe to experience what that was like to then know if I was. if I wanted that to be my next step, as well as offered me a first-team environment where I knew where I was, I knew where I was going, and I was taking the next step with more experienced players if it was in the USL rather than MLS.

Yeah, makes sense. What's your best memory from Louisville? Or just one good memory. I don't have to pin you down as this is the best one, you know? Probably when I scored against Indy and summer, tied through. We didn't win the game, but it was a fun game. I mean, lots of goals. Obviously, we would have wanted to get the win because we were at home.

But I did my meditating celebrating celebration, and my family was also there for that game. Nice. Okay, well, I got to ask this. This is kind of my last two questions about national team future. How are you feeling about that national team decision right now? Yeah, I said, I don't know if I was. was in the tackle manager interview, but I said that I wanted to go experience what it was like

with the U.S. senior team before, before, I mean, making a decision, and I'm not really sure when I'll have to make the decision. So it's not really something that I'm that focused on. But to answer your question, I feel good. I like the camp that I was in and getting that experience to play with those players in terms of who I'm going to pick. I'm not sure yet. Another thing that's coming up is the U20 World Cup qualifying in June, I think, or May. Oh, yeah. So I'm guessing we'll have a few camps leading into that.

So, yeah, it'll be fun to deal with that group. So you, but you could end up playing in the U-20 World Cup for either country, I guess, at this point, right? Yeah, yeah, I could end up playing with either country. But kind of the same thing that I said in whatever interview it was. I've been with the Mexico under 20s to play some friendlies, but I haven't been with the U.S. under 20s, so I'd probably like to give them a chance, see where that group is at.

I'm friends with a lot of the guys. And like I said previously, see what the setup is like. I mean, I'm guessing it's going to be similar to what the senior team setup was like. I mean, the U-20 coach was there actually for a few days. Mikey was there for a few days. Oh, that was, yes, he was there. I mean, I guess because a lot of the U-20 guys were there. Not a lot, but 85 or 6.

So he talked to us. So, yeah. Did you know him in Dallas? Yeah, Mikey coached me for two full years. Okay. Boy, that's promising. That seems encouraging to me as a U.S. fan. Yeah, Mikey coached me, you 15 and you 17.

year. When you see David Ochoa and Juliano Raho choose Mexico and then Ricardo Pepe choose the USA or the U.S. men's national team, I mean, they're all Americans, right? But we're just talking about soccer here. What do you think? What do you think of that? And like, what's

your reaction when you see these different players make different choices? Yeah, I think every player, I mean, having that double nationality at the end of the day, you're going to have to pick one. And every player has the right to pick whichever one they want, for whatever reason it may be.

I read W.O. Cho's article where he kind of explained it. And I also spoke to him when I went on camp with the Mexico U-20s. I had the opportunity to speak with him. And he kind of told me a little bit about his decision. And, I mean, I respect everything he said. and I mean every player is going to feel different whether it be I guess pride for for the U.S. or pride for Mexico and I mean where your family came from every player is going to feel different and then I wouldn't say this camp I spoke to Pepey a lot about it but it probably came up in a

couple conversations and we talked about it a little bit because it's also about opportunity where are you going to where are you going to play and where do you have the best opportunity to have a long international career because you don't you don't want to whether it be with the u.s like or with mexico you don't want to just like i i pick the u.s and then you're there for half a year one year and then your international career is over you want you want to pick the one where you can have a 10 year international career um and not only that but be successful so a lot of it is about opportunity um of course at the same time you're not going to just just rule opportunity because it's also about how you feel.

So yeah, but at the end of the day, we're Mexican-American, so we have both nationalities. And we're always going to be that, whether we play for Mexico or whether we play for the U.S., we're still going to carry that other nationality, just not play for that national team. So, yeah, I mean, good for all three of them to have made their decision. I respect it. Did you watch the USA Mexico game, the one in November? Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, I did watch the game. What was your, what did you think of the game? I'm not looking for any specific answer, just the reaction from you. Yeah, I thought it was a good game, high-level game. I mean, I guess what you get when you have both the A-Team of Mexico and the A-Team of the U.S. I think the game, obviously the game, US won, but the game, I think Zach Stephan made a couple huge saves early on, or maybe, not even that early on, but first half. Yep. That could have changed the course, I think, if, I think it was Chuky.

Chuky scores that won. I think Stefan saved his hand or with his leg. Exactly. That would have changed the game. I mean, obviously, a goal always changes the game. game. But keeping that zero-zero, and then I think the momentum shifted from that moment. And obviously, like a save like that or a block like that,

defense, a block defensively just, I mean, motivates you, pumps you up. So I think the momentum shifted. U.S. had a good performance as well and got the two goals, the second half, but it was definitely a great game to watch. You can see how American soccer, U.S. soccer, is developing and improving. It's fun for me as a fan to watch a game like that. I mean, not just the fact that the US won, that obviously helps,

but to see like that level of intensity and, you know, the stakes after three years of games that don't have that much stakes to suddenly be in it. Yeah, that was fun. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Is there anything you wish I was asking you? or you wanted to say? No, I don't think so. You mentioned the Gomez Way blog.

Do you read that often? Or just every once in a while? When I see your dad tweet it, I generally click on the link. Yeah. I can't say I've read every post, but I try to check it out. Yeah. I think it's a good blog, actually. I mean, don't you?

I like it. Yeah. No, for sure, yeah. I think he writes some good articles about me and my brother. I mean, what's going on? Where my brother plays in Germany or what's going on in Luce City. So I guess if you ever want to know what's going on in our family, just hit the blog. I'll put a link in the show notes.

You're an impressive guy, Jonathan. Thanks for coming on the podcast. Thank you for having me on. All the best to you and son Sebastian. Have a good day.