It’s impossible to talk about American soccer in 2018 without first considering the ramifications of the U.S. men missing the World Cup. Watching the tournament this summer was a difficult exercise. But outside of the World Cup disaster, what else were the key takeaways from this calendar year? In MLS, the season was defined by the fans—#SaveTheCrew, D.C. United, and Atlanta stand out—and by changes in some of the fundamental ways the league functions, particularly a new approach to the global transfer market.



Here is a look at some of the highlights and lowlights that defined 2018, and some of the talking points as the calendar flips to 2019.



A missed World Cup



The world’s eyes were on Russia this past summer, but the U.S. team was not there to participate. It was a devastating moment for the sport in this country, and it put into motion several changes within U.S. Soccer. The first was the election of a new president, Carlos...