Offside With Taylor Twellman

The script for this year’s MLS Cup serves up a gripping story, as founding clubs clash against each other in the final for the first time. On one side, the LA Galaxy, a former dynasty who fell on hard times, aim to regain their crown for an astonishing sixth time. On the other, the gutsy, gritty New York Red Bulls, who have been here since the beginning, try to make it to the mountaintop for the first time. 

In thi...

The MLS Cup Playoffs have always had upsets. But if this year feels extra chaotic, it’s not just you. 

So today, Taylor sits down with two of the managers behind some of this year’s post-season mayhem. First, Brian Schmetzer of the Seattle Sounders, who just knocked off the West’s #1 seed LAFC. Then, Sandro Schwarz of the New York Red Bulls, fresh off his team’s win over crosstown rivals, New York City and not far ...

Five teams made it to the conference semifinals on shootouts, and in the MLS playoffs, there’s always the possibility of more. So ahead of this weekend’s matches, Offside takes a deeper look at this game within the game, what some consider the most cerebral part of soccer: the penalty kick. Taylor speaks with two-time MLS Cup winner and goalkeeping legend Nick Rimando, who has the most PK saves in league history, to learn ...

Taylor responds to Offside listeners’ reactions to the wild upsets during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs, including Atlanta’s electric win over Messi and Miami. 

Now that the GOAT is out, what happens in the next round is anyone’s guess. 

Offside With Taylor Twellman is a Major League Soccer podcast, produced by Apple TV and Rain Delay Media. Follow and listen on Apple Podcasts.

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The second weekend of MLS Cup Playoffs couldn’t have been more exciting: defending champs Columbus getting knocked out, the Galaxy sending a message to the rest of the West, and Atlanta stunning Miami in stoppage time. 

The Athletic’s Felipe Cardenas was at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to watch Atlanta tie the series, and he joins Taylor to reminisce about the incredible night and speculate what might happen next—in Miami...

This time last year, the Galaxy were watching the playoffs from the sidelines. For the third time in four years, the most decorated team in MLS history hadn’t qualified. 

But head coach Greg Vanney vowed that this season would be different—and he was right. LA have been around the top of the standings all year, and they stormed into the playoffs with a 5-0 win over the Colorado Rapids. 

On today’s episode, ...

D.C. United’s Christian Benteke grew up playing soccer in the streets of Belgium—where a nutmeg is worth more than a goal. 

As he got older, he refined a blend of skill and physicality that helped him net 23 regular-season goals this year, beating out Bouanga, Messi, and Suárez to capture the 2024 MLS Golden Boot. Although D.C. barely missed out on a playoff spot, they were in contention thanks to Benteke—who contr...

There’s only one regular-season matchday left in 2024. Time flies when you’re chasing Messi across the country—or is that just Taylor? 

To celebrate the end of the season, Taylor sits down with two friends of the show—his broadcast partner Jake Zivin and MLS Season Pass analyst Sacha Kljestan. The three of them try to get each other into hot water while playing a game of true or false, including a debate over wheth...

Benjamin Cremaschi grew up playing for local soccer clubs in the Miami area. Now playing for Inter Miami CF at age 19 with Lionel Messi, Benja says his life “doesn’t feel real.” 

On today’s episode, Taylor sits down with Cremaschi to talk about his surreal life, why he chose soccer over his father’s sport (rugby), and his recent talk with Tony Cherchi of MLS Season Pass for a #TodayAtApple event in Miami. 

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In soccer, 10 isn’t just a number—it’s a position. And arguably, it’s the game’s most storied position. The 10 is a team’s creative force, the playmaker, the one who draws the crowds with goals, assists, and a little bit of magic. Messi, Pelé, Zidane, Marta, Maradona—all 10s. 

Around the world, the 10 is dying out, replaced with tactical systems made to grind out results. But there’s at least one place where the 10...

How did the USMNT go from crisis mode after crashing out of the group stage at Copa América to landing one of the most respected managers in the game? 

On today’s episode, Taylor sits down with US Soccer CEO JT Batson to get the inside story on how he helped convince Mauricio Pochettino, who has coached notable European clubs like Chelsea, PSG, and Tottenham, to come to the States. Hint: It involves an assist from ...

It’s been a busy summer of soccer: Leagues Cup, Copa América, the Euros, the Olympics, and nonstop MLS action. So before we get into the final push of the season, the team at Offside has a special treat for our listeners: the Roast of Taylor Twellman. 

Late last year, Offside executive producer Peter Moses gathered the best and brightest in soccer comedy—Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros of The Cooligans, Trav...

Tim Ream started his pro career with New York Red Bulls in 2010. Just two years later, the Premier League came calling. Now after 12 years, two teams, and stints with the U.S. national team that included a trip to the 2022 World Cup, Tim returns to the league where it all started.

On this week’s episode, Taylor sits down with Charlotte FC’s new star to talk about his first MLS match since 2011, how the league has change...

As Leagues Cup draws to a close, it’s time to take stock of all the news around soccer in the States. 

Taylor sits down with Paul Tenorio, senior reporter for The Athletic, to talk about the MLS transfer window, roster strategies for the rest of the season, and the prospect of Mauricio Pochettino being named head coach of the U.S. men’s national team. 

Plus, Taylor breaks down the Colorado Rapids’ Leagues C...

Leagues Cup is nonstop action—not only for the viewers, but for the players as well. 

This week, Offside goes behind the scenes with defender Julian Gressel, who recorded a series of audio diaries as Miami traveled to Houston to play Tigres before hosting Toronto in the Round of 32. Between the matches, Julian sat down with Taylor to talk about what it’s like preparing, traveling, and recovering, then doing it all ...

Leagues Cup started with a bang, and we’re already into the knockout round. Expected clubs—like defending champs Miami and LIGA MX greats Club América—are there, but so are some surprises, like the San Jose Earthquakes. 

This week’s episode goes right to the center of the action. Immediately after calling the Tigres-Miami match on Saturday, Taylor sat down with fellow broadcaster Jake Zivin and with Diego Valeri, S...

Actor, host, and comedian Drew Carey joins Taylor to look back on a career that has woven 40 years in the entertainment industry with his love of soccer and team ownership. Drew tells Taylor about how his move to LA to host The Price Is Right led him to become an MLS fan, his secret life as a soccer photographer, buying into the Seattle expansion in 2007, and how a prop mishap on set almost derailed his Sounders connection...

Hang on tight—MLS fans are in for a wild ride the rest of the summer. 

On today’s episode, Taylor sits down with fellow MLS Season Pass analyst Sacha Kljestan, who participated in the All-Star Skills Challenge on Tuesday night. The two break down everything you need to know about Wednesday’s All-Star Game in Columbus between the best of MLS and LIGA MX. Then they look ahead to what’s sure to be an exciting Leagues ...

Larry Nance Jr. has been in the NBA for almost a decade. But his true love isn’t basketball. It’s soccer. 

On this week’s episode, Taylor sits down with Larry, a forward for the Atlanta Hawks, to learn what sparked his passion for the beautiful game. The first pro soccer match Larry attended was a Galaxy game when he was a rookie with the Lakers, and last year he became a part owner of Leeds United in England’s Cha...