The Athletic's Friday football quiz question #48
Welcome to the 48th edition of The Athletic's Friday quiz question.
At the end of every week, we'll serve up a poser from our vault of football conundrums. It won't be easy (unless you're really good), but what better way to head into the weekend than by giving your soccer-loving brain some exercise? Chuck it in your group chats and see who knows their stuff.
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Oh, and there's no prize, except the quiet satisfaction of a job well done.
So, without any further delay…
Which was the last FA Cup final to be contested by two teams who hadn't won the competition before?
Stuck? The answer will be revealed here later today.
P.S. The links to the previous 47 Friday quiz questions are below.
The previous quiz questions:
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6
Question 7
Question 8
Question 9
Question 10
Question 11
Question 12
Question 13
Question 14
Question 15
Question 16
Question 17
Question 18
Question 19
Question 20
Question 21
Question 22
Question 23
Question 24
Question 25
Question 26
Question 27
Question 28
Question 29
Question 30
Question 31
Question 32
Question 33
Question 34
Question 35
Question 36
Question 37
Question 38
Question 39
Question 40
Question 41
Question 42
Question 43
Question 44
Question 45
Question 46
Question 47
(Top image artwork: Eamonn Dalton)
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Projecting the USMNT's World Cup squad: Luna over Reyna? Turner starts at GK?
We are still over a year away from the 2026 World Cup, but it's never too early to take stock of the players who will represent the United States men's national team at the planet's biggest sporting event. Under USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, there will be some obvious choices for who makes up the 26-player roster. But expect some roles to be up for grabs, especially if this team continues to struggle as it is right now amid a shocking four-game losing streak going into the Gold Cup. And that could lead to plenty of surprises when the squad is officially named next year. If the World Cup started today, which players would make up the starting XI? How different would the squad look from the one that reached the round of 16 at Qatar 2022? Let's go position by position and see who is getting that call. GOALKEEPERS GK: Matt Turner Backups: Zack Steffen, Patrick Schulte Just missed out: Matt Freese, Diego Kochen With just a year to go, Turner — the USMNT's starter since 2022 — still hasn't faced a serious challenge for his job despite his lack of regular playing time with Crystal Palace. Steffen was supposed to prove that at this month's Gold Cup, but hurt his knee and will miss the tournament. With Turner expected to find a new club where he'll be the No. 1 later this summer, he remains in pole position in goal for the next World Cup. Upgrade from '22?: Yes. Turner now has World Cup and Premier League experience, something he didn't have four years back. And he wasn't starting at club level then, either. But a potential move from Crystal Palace to French club Lyon should give him time to increase his minutes. DEFENDERS (R-L): Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Miles Robinson, Antonee "Jedi" Robinson Backups: Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Joe Scally, Tim Ream, Walker Zimmerman Just missed out: Max Arfsten, Cameron Carter-Vickers, John Tolkin, Auston Trusty Dest and Jedi are locks on the outside, if healthy. Same for center back Richards. But who will be Richards' partner in the middle come next summer? Right now, Miles Robinson is probably the front-runner by default. But that definitely could change between now and next June. Upgrade from '22?: TBD. Jedi has certainly improved since Qatar, establishing himself as one of the best left backs in the Premier League. Amid a solid season with Crystal Palace that included winning an FA Cup, Richards is probably an upgrade over 2022 starter Zimmerman. But Ream was at the height of his powers in Qatar, and Dest has yet to return to full fitness since undergoing ACL surgery 13 months ago. MIDFIELDERS Holding midfielders: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie Backups: Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah, Tanner Tessman Just missed out: Gianluca Busio, Aidan Morris Adams and McKennie didn't have the best showing during March's Nations League finals, but Pochettino probably needs both stalwarts on the field if the Americans are to make a deep run next summer. That said, Cardoso could nudge one of those two to the bench if he continues to improve at pace — and if he can ever replicate his form in Spain's LaLiga while wearing the USA crest. Upgrade from '22?: Yes. While Adams has been plagued by injury throughout the 2026 cycle, he was excellent for Premier League side Bournemouth last season. At 27, he'll just be entering his prime next summer. The same goes for McKennie, who has been one of the best midfielders in Italy for two consecutive seasons with Juventus. 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Striker: Ricardo Pepi Backups: Folarin Balogun, Patrick Agyemang Just missed out: Josh Sargent, Brian White Pepi won the job late last year with a flurry of goals in Pochettino's first two camps, then continued his prolific ways for PSV before hurting his knee. Balogun, for whom injury prevented his participation under Pochettino at all, should return to the mix this season. Then there's Agyemang, who came almost out of nowhere to become a U.S. regular in 2025. Upgrade from '22?: Yes. Berhalter started three different players in this spot four years ago. If Pepi picks up where he left off before injuring his knee in a Champions League match in Liverpool last winter— Pepi scored the winner before leaving the field — the job should be his alone next summer. The rangy Texan's goals-to-minutes ratio has been off the charts in two seasons with PSV, for whom he's expected to start full-time his coming campaign. 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