FC Dallas

FC Dallas has been withdrawn from the MLS Is Back tournament after several members of the club tested positive for COVID-19, the club announced Monday:

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— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) July 6, 2020

Per an ESPN report, "Dallas had three players test positive before the team arrived to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex on June 27. That has since been followed by 10 players and one coach testing positive for a total of 14 cases. The team has been under quarantine since then, preventing them from training."

The tournament is set to run between July 8 and Aug. 11. FC Dallas was originally scheduled to open the tournament against the Vancouver Whitecaps on July 9, though it had been postponed. 

Iliana Limon Romero of the Orlando Sentinel reported that MLS is also expected to make additional schedule alterations due to "a mix of positive tests delaying team travel and more positive tests in the days after teams arrived in Orlando." 

FC Dallas manager Luchi Gonzalez said Sunday that "the priority is getting guys healthy, feeling safe, so that we can be strong in the long term, which I know we're going to accomplish," per Jeff Carlisle of ESPN. 

Because of the high number off positive tests for coronavirus within the club, Gonzalez said they had only been able to meet via Zoom calls while quarantined in their hotel rooms over the past week:

"We're just trying to stay connected in the Zooms, which is nothing new. We've been doing that the last few months anyway. It does take its toll a bit and we've got to get creative with things and make sure that we're able to stimulate them. And on top of that, give them a mental rest too and almost give them some space so they can connect to their families, and focus on the people they love."

The news follows LAFC forward Carlos Vela announcing Monday that he was skipping the tournament due to his wife being pregnant. 

"I would like nothing more than to be with my teammates in Orlando. I always want to give everything I have to my Club, our fans and supporters and the city of L.A. However, it is in the best interest of the health of my family to stay home and be with my wife during what is a risky pregnancy," he said in a statement, per Tom Marshall of ESPN.

Major League Soccer confirmed Wednesday that six FC Dallas players tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the MLS is Back tournament, which kicks off July 8.

Two of the six tests were flagged when players first arrived in Orlando, Florida, last Saturday. The other four came in the past two days. All six players were moved to an isolation area inside the hotel that is housing the FC Dallas players.

The club released a statement on the matter:

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— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) July 1, 2020

MLS suspended the 2020 season for at least 30 days in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Action has remained on hold since.

Rather than resuming the season straight away, the league set up a tournament that will run from July 8 through Aug. 11. Each team plays in three group-stage matches, which will count toward their regular-season tally. From there, a 16-team knockout stage will begin.

The event will take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. FC Dallas is among the teams stationed at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort for the duration of the tournament.

FC Dallas previously announced June 3 one of its players had tested positive for COVID-19. The team briefly halted training to limit the spread of the disease.

FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez was approved to change his association from Mexico to the United States, according to U.S. Soccer, allowing him to play for the USMNT going forward.

The 22-year-old played for Mexico at the under-20 and under-23 levels but did not make an appearance for the senior team, according to ESPN. Per FIFA's rules, Gonzalez was eligible to change his association as a dual national since he didn't make an appearance for the senior team at an official competition.

Gonzalez wasn't listed on the final roster for the Gold Cup, though he is eligible to play for the team after the group stages if called upon.

The young goalkeeper might prefer to remain with FC Dallas this summer, however. ESPN reported "a source recently told ESPN FC that Gonzalez had expressed uncertainty about leaving FC Dallas at the moment, as international duty could jeopardize his spot as the MLS team's starting goalkeeper."

He's been excellent for FC Dallas this season, accumulating five clean sheets in 13 starts.

The United States and Mexico were both vying for Gonzalez's services, with ESPN noting that "Mexico national team manager Juan Carlos Osorio had recently spoken to Gonzalez about his future, and that he had hoped to call up Gonzalez in the future."

Gonzalez now will be in the mix to be one of the future potential starters for the USMNT, as many of the program's mainstays at the position are nearing the end of their careers.

As Bruce Arena told Grant Wahl of SI.com earlier in June: "I'm looking down the road for U.S. Soccer, and they're going to need to have some young goalkeepers emerging."

It took Jesus Ferreira just 18 minutes to become Major League Soccer's youngest goal scorer since Freddy Adu.    

The 16-year-old phenom, the son of former league MVP David Ferreira, made his debut for FC Dallas' first team June 3, entering a match against Real Salt Lake in the 71st minute. A little more than a quarter-hour later, he demonstrated why there's so much excitement about an attacker who's too young to vote, deftly taking down a cross and calmly finishing past onrushing RSL keeper Matt Van Oekel.

He had his first tally at 16 years and 161 days old. At his club, Ferreira is young, but he's far from alone.

Since starting their academy in 2008, the club has made a commitment to developing its youth movement, which is unlike any other in American professional soccer. When Ferreira took the field, he was the 16th homegrown player to move from the academy to the first team—a group that includes 21-year-old United States men's national team midfielder Kellyn Acosta and Jesse Gonzalez, FCD's 22-year-old starting goalkeeper, who could one day find himself between the pipes for the Americans.

The pipeline shows no signs of slowing down: FCD's under-16 and under-18 teams won national championships in 2016. Its under-14 squad finished the season 25-0-2. In April, the U19 team, led by Ferreira and promising prospect Paxton Pomykal, won the prestigious Dallas Cup Super Group, giving the age group a claim as the best youth side in U.S. soccer history.

While FC Dallas' success has been unprecedented, the more important thing is that it's not unrepeatable. The club has established a model that other MLS clubs could follow if they wanted.

FCD's exciting present sheds light on the potentially bright future of American soccer.

---

The story of FC Dallas' academy starts at the top.

Dan Hunt, the team's president and the son of legendary U.S. soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt, helped build the youth program and ensured the directors had the resources they needed.

"The ownership has really bought into it and given [the coaches and academy director] space and a mandate to do that," Will Parchman, who covers U.S. youth soccer at TopDrawerSoccer.com, says.

"FC Dallas really built their whole organizational structure around promoting these kids. [FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja] knew he had the space to do that, which gave him a little bit more license to give Jesus Ferreira a chance—and then he scores. That doesn't happen in a whole lot of other places."

Nor do a lot of other franchises have the type of sprawling facilities on which FC Dallas spent millions.

The Toyota Soccer Center opened in 2005, three years before the academy, and the 145-acre complex now consists of 17 professional-grade soccer fields in addition to Toyota Park, where the first team hosts MLS opposition.

There's plenty of space for the U12, U13, U14, U15, U16 and U18 boys teams, as well as U13, U14, U15, U16, U17 and U19 girls squads, along with other initiatives. Every day, hundreds of children train at the same time as the pros. Red and white FC Dallas uniforms of all sizes are scattered across the green grass in Frisco, Texas, 30 miles due north of downtown Dallas.

For the kids with bigger aspirations, training next to the pros is inspiring.

"Seeing the first team training every day was motivation to try to get there," Victor Ulloa, a 25-year-old midfielder and one of the first academy products to reach the first team, says. "If we fell down and felt like we didn't want to train, we could easily think about how fun it would be to become a professional soccer player."

The close integration between the youth ranks and the professional team is a key. Academy players mix in with every first-team training, getting used to the speed of the professional game and the pace of play. The academy coaches help out as well; three of the five assistant coaches at FC Dallas came through the academy ranks.

Head coach Pareja, who captained FCD between 1998 and 2005 before helping to launch the academy as director of player development in 2008, is perhaps more committed than anyone to maintaining the connection between the academy and the senior team.

"The path has to be very genuine," he says. "It has to be real. It has to be written in a book, organized in a structure. It has to be visible and reachable for players. How you do it is that you show them on a daily basis that it's real. We base it in the training. We have them in front of us in the morning. We invite the players to first-team training. Those steps create belief for the players. They see it."

The obvious path to the pros is something that had been lacking in American soccer. For decades, there was no affiliation between youth teams and professional ones. Even today, many of the development academies don't have an MLS counterpart. This is changing slowly, with FC Dallas leading the way.

For Ulloa, a product of the system who still remembers the nerve-wracking awe he experienced on the first day he trained with the professionals as a 17-year-old, the difference between FCD and other clubs is the management's faith in its youth movement. In MLS, a league where playing youngsters is sometimes frowned upon and #playyourkids is a popular hashtag for frustrated fans, Dallas' approach stands out.

"The most important thing is that the coach believes in us and backs us up," Ulloa says of the gaffer. "Being 16, 17 years old, him throwing you on the field and telling you to go at it and that he'll take full responsibility is just something you can't take for granted. It's awesome that he's the way he is and gives us the confidence to just go out there and play.

"At a young age, what you need is experience, and the only way to get that is by playing games. He takes a risk and gives that to you. It's something that helps you develop as a professional soccer player. It's a risk for sure, but it's a risk that has paid off for this club and this franchise."

FC Dallas' recent first-team success shows that results can follow faith. The club finished first in the Western Conference in 2015 and 2016 and is in contention midway through the 2017 campaign.

Last season, the club lost electric Colombian winger Fabian Castillo, who left on a big-money transfer to Turkish powerhouse Trabzonspor midway through the year. In a league where entire squad payrolls are less than one EPL star's, losing arguably a team's best player could have tanked another club's season. But Pareja's group didn't miss a beat, finishing with the league's best record and claiming the Supporters' Shield. For good measure, they also took home the U.S. Open Cup, the American equivalent to the FA Cup.

FCD demonstrated their impressive and ever-present depth, primarily the product of the academy.

Of course, success can't come without talent, and the North Texas region is one of the most talent-rich areas in the United States. Before FCD launched an academy, the area, which is around 42 percent Hispanic, had strong youth clubs like the Dallas Texans and Solar Chelsea that boasted a tradition of churning out U.S. national team stars, including Jeff Agoos, Clint Dempsey and Omar Gonzalez.

The region's youth organization implemented an intense promotion/relegation system—unusual for the U.S.—which produces a dog-eat-dog mentality. The best players lead their teams to the top of the heap, making it easier for FC Dallas academy coaches to identify talent.

"Here in Dallas, families have no mercy," FCD academy director and U16 coach Luchi Gonzalez says. "Kids grow up with that fighting spirit. Whether they are Latino, African-American, come from an affluent family or a poor family, it doesn't matter. Theses kids in Dallas are really competitive."

Gonzalez spent his youth in Florida before attending Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he would win the Hermann Trophy as college soccer's best player in 2001. He grew up watching Argentine soccer and speaks highly of the flexibility and adaptability players from that country developed.

He wants to produce young soccer players who mimic that style, but he also understands the American need to balance competitiveness and creativity with constructive instruction. The academy mixes periods of training with less formal open play, which presents opportunities for the players to experiment.

What he doesn't want is for his charges to lose that fighting spirit.

"My daughter is U8 in FC Dallas," Gonzalez says. "She was in a rec league here, and she played for a team called the Fighting Cupcakes. If they scored their seventh goal and the other team had not scored one, they were celebrating that goal like it was the first goal."

"Why do you play? You play to win," he adds, an obvious statement that's so often overlooked in American youth soccer, wherein concerns about player psyche can become overly paternalistic.

Still, it's essential to recognize that youth sports in the U.S., especially soccer, are different than they are around the rest of the world. Refusing to recognize that fact or ignoring it dooms a club to fail at development over and over again. Taking a model that has worked elsewhere and applying it to America isn't the right answer.

"I'm tired of seeing people try to emulate others," Pareja says. "I think we have a very distinct community. I've gone and visited some different models, but we have to understand that American kids have their own challenges and their own characteristics. We have to be able to create it according to what we see here."

Pareja, a former Colombian national team midfielder who spent the first half of his career in his home country before moving to MLS in 1998, is the ideal person to create this new system. He understands how to develop talent; he saw it firsthand when he was growing up.

He also knows how unique aspects of the U.S., like the size of the country, mean teams need to be creative when finding competition. They can't easily travel internationally or even to another city without serious planning and financial wherewithal.

He also gets the importance of education in youth culture and development. That's why FCD partnered with the local school system to arrange a situation where academy players train in the morning and go to school afterward.

"Here, we are educating people and at the same time giving them the opportunity to be professionals," he says. "That's a big difference."

The good news for American soccer is that while FCD is succeeding in developing talent and a system, the club isn't doing anything that can't be copied. Yes, the level of raw ability in the Dallas area is high and the competition is intense, but there's plenty of ability in California, New York, Chicago, Houston and South Florida, among other areas. (And FCD lost out on Emerson Hyndman and Weston McKennie, two promising prospects who decamped to Europe.)

What's really lacking from MLS clubs is not the ability but the commitment. "Any club can do it, but it takes some impetus," Parchman says.

This starts with the ownership, which sets the mandate to play the kids. MLS is not a deep league, and finances are thin. The majority of starting XIs have a couple of journeymen on $80,000 a year, toiling through the final seasons of their careers.

What if a coach felt confident enough, empowered by the ownership, to throw a promising prospect into the mix a bit earlier than he might normally? Sure, maybe that teenager struggles for six months and the team gets a bad result or two. But soon, that playing time and experience will help the prospect surpass the journeyman.

All it takes is a little faith.

---

For FC Dallas, the next player to get a shot from the academy is Reggie Cannon, a 19-year-old marauding, overlapping right back who models his game after his favorite player, Dani Alves.

Cannon is the prototypical American soccer player in 2017: a hyper-athletic young man who competed in track, American football, baseball and basketball before settling on soccer. He chose soccer "because of the freedom the game offered" and played center back before transitioning to right back at the behest of the academy instructors.

Happy to make my debut for this amazing club. Glad I could help with the 3 points and move on to the next round. All glory to God!#DTID pic.twitter.com/uGaLb9Ov3D

— Reggie Cannon (@ReggieCannon15) June 15, 2017

After matriculating from the academy, Cannon spent a year at UCLA, where he was one of only three players to appear in all 20 matches for the Bruins. He decided to return to FCD, signing a homegrown player contract Dec. 22, 2016.

While he hasn't seen the field in the first 16 games of FCD's season, Cannon has been on the bench for every one, gaining valuable experience and preparing to make his debut. When he does, he'll be the 17th homegrown player to appear for the club in MLS action in less than a decade, a lengthy list growing longer. 

"He embodies FC Dallas' development system," American youth soccer expert Parchman says. "They develop for the first team, for the way that they play. They love to bomb their full backs in MLS, and Reggie Cannon fits that mold. You see a lot of guys coming through the academy, and you can see how they fit it.

"It's like it's Europe or something."

       

Noah Davis is a contributing football writer for Bleacher Report, covering the game from his base in Brooklyn, New York. Follow him on Twitter, @noahedavis

In terms of postgame handshake rows, this has to be far and away one of the best ones yet. 

Oscar Pareja-coached FC Dallas fell to the Portland Timbers 3-1 on Saturday in Major League Soccer, but Pareja won the award for bitter congratulations.

At the full-time whistle, Pareja greeted Timbers boss Caleb Porter with a tissue he had just blown his nose with as opposed to his hand. 

Porter was not amused. He dismissed the tissue and gave Pareja a not-so-subtle "scoreboard" mention. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x78_i-q3C7s

"I walked over to shake his hand and he had a tissue that he put over his nose and tried to hand me a tissue," Porter said afterward, per MLS. "So I thought it was very poor sportsmanship out of (Pareja). 

"I never said one word to him the whole game and he obviously wasn't happy with the loss." 

In the aftermath, former United States star and Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas weighed in on the issue and sided with the Timbers boss. 

[Major League Soccer, h/t Deadspin]

There were several storylines involved when the Los Angeles Galaxy visited FC Dallas on Sunday evening. Dallas was looking to clinch its first playoff berth since 2011, while the Galaxy was looking to gain the upper hand on the Seattle Sounders in the race for the Supporters' Shield. The biggest story of all was what would perhaps be the final appearance of Landon Donovan at Toyota Stadium.

The cool Texas evening caused by a light misting rain could not dampen the buzz surrounding this matchup. Every corner kick Donovan stepped up to take was captured by thousands of camera flashes and cellphone pictures. These pictures were accompanied by a handful of ovations during the second half as Dallas fans said goodbye to the American soccer icon.

Even with the overwhelming focus on the Galaxy's No. 10, the game provided plenty of excitement. Despite FC Dallas enjoying the bulk of chances in the first half, it was the Galaxy who took the lead on a sublime chip from Stefan Ishizaki. The goal was created when Gyasi Zardes was sent down the wing by Alan Gordon. The resulting cross was headed away, but only to the feet of Ishizaki, who opened himself some space toward the end line before completing an incredible chip from short range.

Dallas tried to get level before the break but was thwarted in its efforts. Unable to turn a hefty advantage in corner kicks into a goal, Dallas headed into the break down by one. 

The second half opened at a little slower pace, with the Galaxy looking to draw FC Dallas up the field and hit them on the counter. FC Dallas got the breakthrough they needed when Andres Escobar drew the attention of the defense before slipping David Texeira through on goal. Texeira's first-time strike beat Jaime Penedo and leveled the game at the 52nd minute.

The next half hour saw both teams trade some tantalizing chances as Alan Gordon and Fabian Castillo both saw tough angle efforts scream across the goalmouth. It would be Castillo, however, who would seal the spoils for FC Dallas in the 87th minute.

Escobar played the role of creating the opportunity off of an FC Dallas throw-in. The Colombian midfielder collected the ball and drove a vicious shot from an angle that Penedo parried into the path of Castillo who headed into the open net from 10 yards out.

Dallas had to hold on with 10 men, as only two minutes later Moises Hernandez was given a straight red for a reckless challenge from behind. Dallas was able to hold on through four minutes of injury time for a 2-1 victory.

The loss leaves the Galaxy with a huge match at home against Seattle next Sunday that may determine home-field advantage for the playoffs. Dallas can turn its attention to trying to wrestle the third seat in the west from Real Salt Lake in the final two games.

Dallas fans got to say goodbye to a legend while welcoming the playoffs back to Dallas. It was for Hoops fans the best of nights. For this writer, it was a special night, as we celebrated my son's eighth birthday. Many thanks to FC Dallas, as they know how to provide a wonderful atmosphere for kids, making these occasions lifetime memories. Happy Birthday Tristan!

Heading into Saturday night's Texas derby at BBVA Compass Stadium, the pressure will be on both the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas to prove that a hot start can turn into a big result early in the season.

Both sides got off to blazing starts in the month of March with 16 combined points earned from seven games played between the two sides.

Houston has been one of the most consistent franchises in the league over the last five years, and in its first two games, it proved that this year will be no different.

The Dynamo thrashed New England in Week 1 at home before beating Montreal the next week by a 1-0 score.

After a bye week, Dominic Kinnear's club faced a trip up to BC Place to take on Vancouver, a game which resulted in a 2-1 loss.

That result could have been much different had Houston put away another chance or two on the treacherous turf up in British Columbia.

FC Dallas has come out of the gates on fire for the second consecutive season, as the team is currently in pole position to win the Supporters' Shield.

New manager Oscar Pareja ignited his team with a spark in Week 1 against Montreal and it has not faded away in four weeks of play.

Wins over Chivas USA and Portland, as well as a draw on the road against Sporting Kansas City, have handed the team plenty of confidence heading into one of the most difficult stadiums in Major League Soccer to earn a point in.

The matchup between the two sides will see a team with a very creative and fluid attack go up against a gritty midfield that has a few playmakers as well.

FC Dallas' trio of Mauro Diaz, Fabian Castillo and Blas Perez has combined beautifully during the first four games of the season to produce some visually appealing soccer that any fan around the league would love to watch.

The trio has combined for six goals and one assist, with Diaz becoming the breakout star because of his creative abilities behind Perez in the attack.

Pareja has also received strong production in defense, as just five goals have been conceded by the back line led by center-back Matt Hedges.

Houston boasts some similarities to FC Dallas since it has an explosive forward on its roster in Will Bruin, who showed during the first two weeks of the season that he is out to prove a point in 2014.

While the output of Brad Davis and Boniek Garcia may be subtler than the flashy display of the FC Dallas midfielders, the pair is still able to provide Bruin and Giles Barnes with plenty of quality chances.

The most striking similarity between the two sides may be at the full-back position, as both teams contain a pair of defenders that are not afraid to move forward in attack, while having a strong defensive game at the same time.

Houston's Kofi Sarkodie and Corey Ashe will be household names in a year or two, while Jair Benitez and Kellyn Acosta are also eager to be mentioned by more players and fans across the league for their play.

The terrific defensive contributions from each back four has let the attack flow freely and not chase in desperation from behind.

Thanks to all of the impressive play in March from all the players on both teams, Saturday's clash will be a must-see match that could teach us a lot about how both clubs will do against the league's best in 2014.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

With a little luck here or there, It could all have been so very different for Brek Shea at Buck Shaw Stadium on Wednesday night.

In just the first minute of his FC Dallas side's match against the host San Jose Earthquakes, Shea saw his left-footed drive from point-blank range cleared off the line by 'Quakes midfielder Jeff Baca.

Then, just minutes after the start of the second half, Shea again had another effort saved off the line, again from Baca, this time after the Dallas winger/forward had nearly bundled his way into what would have been his fourth league goal of the season.

In between those two opportunities, however, came the further degradation of a Shea clearly not at the pinnacle of his powers.

He certainly had looked his dangerous self when these two teams had met just 11 days earlier in Frisco, Texas. Playing predominantly up front in Dallas's 4-5-1 formation, Shea had turned San Jose central defender Victor Bernardez this way and that in the 0-0 draw.

But this time, nothing was clicking, although Shea could not be faulted for attempting to build through industry.

His running style, seen yet again against San Jose, might best be compared to that of Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo's.

Like the Portuguese megastar, Shea's method is perhaps best described as an earnest shuffle set to fast-forward, his arms remaining largely down by his sides as his feet churn beneath them.

It has the effect of making it seem as if Shea covers a lot of ground in a small amount of time, belying his less-than-searing pace.

But Shea's game has never been predicated on speed.

It is beguiling trickery and a canny nose for wrong-footing defenders, along with tight dribbling and a terrific nose for goal that helped make him a star in the past two MLS seasons, when he scored 16 times in league play for Dallas, thereby vaulting into the realm of superstardom afforded to precious few young U.S. players.

One of Shea's favorite moves, seen frequently on Wednesday night against San Jose, is a deft cut-back with his favored left foot.

When he's executing and firing on all cylinders, the move often sees defenders, who are thinking Shea will continue barreling downfield, rush to get in front of the winger.

That's when Shea turns himself at just the right moment, allowing the defender to crash by before he continues onward toward goal, this time by way of another route.

Yet for whatever reason against the Earthquakes—fatigue or opponents wising to his act—Shea was frequently dispossessed when he attempted that little move, with the ball scuttling out of play or into the path of a San Jose defender.

Shea was more dangerous when afforded room to run at defenders—he very nearly picked San Jose keeper Jon Busch off his line just seconds into the second half after a run down the left flank.

Glancing to gauge Busch's position, Shea chanced an outswinging left-footed curler that passed just beyond the far corner of goal and out of play.

It's that sort of vision and spontaneity that made Shea such a sensation in the first place. But those moments have passed into the realm of infrequency; which is loathe to a young starlet.

Speaking of Stardom...

There are those who resent Shea his far-flung notoriety, believing that the silky blond-haired (he currently sports the most distinctive mohawk north of Brazilian sensation Neymar, with his hair an amalgam of platinum blond mixed with earthy brown) No. 20 is undeserving of his rapid ascent to the forefront of U.S. soccer.

Those detractors relish these sorts of games, when Shea is clearly not at his best.

That much was made evident midway through the first half at Buck Shaw, when the raucous band of San Jose supporters—christened the "1906 Ultras," after the devastating San Francisco earthquake of that year—laid into Shea after he went down in the Earthquakes' penalty area, just in front of their section.

"We don't give a f--- about Brek Shea!" went the chant, again and again, rising forcefully until Shea dusted himself off and resumed play.

Shea's last real "contribution" of his otherwise forgettable night came in the 60th minute (he would be substituted just four minutes later), when he was called for a handball after San Jose defender Victor Bernardez's scuffed drive from a corner kick sprung up against his left arm.

San Jose forward Chris Wondolowski would miss the ensuing penalty, but that mattered little. Shea's frustration was evinced by his near-resignation after the penalty. But he would show shortly thereafter that he had no desire to leave the field.

A Busy Winter, a Tepid Start to the MLS Season

It has not been an easy few months for the 22-year-old FC Dallas midfielder.

Since bursting onto the scene in 2010, when his eye-catching, headline-grabbing and hair-raising exploits turned him into a near-overnight sensation, Shea's atmospheric rise has included call-ups to the men's national team as well as an invitation to train with English Premier League side Arsenal last winter.

After featuring for the USMNT during a set of friendlies against France and Slovenia in mid-November, Shea headed in London, where he spent a month with Arsene Wenger's side in what ESPN Soccernet described as "a bid to gain experience of the European game."

Shea came away beaming about his time spent in London Colney.

Profiled in ESPN the Magazine's NEXT issue, which features young athletes thought to be on the cusp of greatness, Shea told Luke Cyphers that, "Just seeing how quick Andrey Arshavin plays in small-sided games, or how smooth Robin van Persie is on his runs on the big pitch is really unbelievable."

A move to Europe that was talked about with some frequency in the past year suddenly flew to the front burner. Shea returned to Texas in December and joined up with the men's national team for a January training camp in what seemed destined to be an historic year.

After featuring for Jurgen Klinsmann's side in successive 1-0 victories over Venezuela and Panama on Jan. 21 and 25—Shea went the full 90 in both—the midfielder started in the Feb. 29 friendly 1-0 win over Italy in which Clint Dempsey got the winning goal.

That successful stint complete, Shea then joined up with the national U-23 side for the Olympic qualifying campaign in March.

So many games, so much training, so little time in between. Even for a 22-year-old's legs, Shea may have been burning the candle a bit too heavily.

Whatever the reason, the qualifying campaign appears to have signaled the start of Shea's current troubles.

In the quarterfinal match against El Salvador, Shea's profligacy saw him caught off the ball in the final moments. With his side nursing a 3-2 advantage, it was hardly the time to lose possession.

The ensuing counterattack led to El Salvador's game-tying goal, which knocked the U.S. out of the competition and denied them participation in the London Olympics.

Shea could hardly be scapegoated for the result—he'd provided the assist to Terrence Boyd to open the scoring—but the lapse in concentration was worrisome.

That defeat came on March 26.

Shea thus had little time to rest before he returned to the FC Dallas ranks, as the MLS season had already begun on March 11.

Head coach Schellas Hyndman penciled Shea into his starting lineup for a March 30 game against DC United—just four days after the El Salvador match—and played Shea the whole 90 minutes in a 4-1 defeat that had been sown up by the 73rd minute, when United scored their last goal.

A little over a month after being back playing in MLS, Shea had succumbed to turf toe, a condition he aggravated in early May.

Hyndman noted that the injury was severe enough to keep Shea from practicing, but there the winger was on May 12, playing in a game against Columbus Crew that would see his antics result in a three-game suspension. After a questionable call, he lashed out, flicking the ball up to himself and volleying at one of the assistant referees, hitting him in the abdomen.

The ban was a blessing in disguise, of sorts, as it finally gave Shea time to rehabilitate his toe over the three weeks he was kept out of play.

But his temper had gotten the best of him—something that would surface once more against San Jose.

That suspension coincided with the last round of fixtures for the U.S. national team, which played five games (three friendlies, two World Cup qualifiers) from late May to early June.

Perhaps due to his less-than-stellar form, his injury or to his comportment, Shea was not called up by Klinsmann for the games.

"We have watched Brek during the last few months, and given his performances and some of the other issues we felt he should be on the standby list," Klinsmann said in response to questions about the omission to the 27-man roster for the late May camp.

"He’s still a young player with a lot of talent, and also a lot to learn." 

A Rush of Blood to the Head in San Jose

When Shea saw his number pop up on the fourth referee's black board, signaling his imminent removal in that 64th minute at Buck Shaw, his face contorted into an unholy mix of disbelief and disdain.

He cast a long, quizzical look at Hyndman before finally, reluctantly, trudging off the field.

When he got to the sideline, he shot some choice words at his manager, who, clearly taken aback, merely shrugged and cast his attention back to the game as one of his assistants shepherded Shea away from the area.

Shea remained standing on the edge of the Dallas bench, away from everyone, every so often looking to his right toward Hyndman, every so often switching his pose just so. He waited almost five minutes before donning his warm-up jacket.

Then, he took a seat, hunching forward as he draped a Gatorade towel over his head, where it would remain for the rest of the game and immediately afterward, shielding his iconic mane from view.

A trainer came to him with a bag of ice and some elasto-tape, but Shea waved him away, turning his attention back toward the play.

He would move nary an inch from his bent-forward position on the bench for the remainder of the encounter.

When Dallas forward Fabian Castillo slid in very late on Earthquakes defender Justin Morrow with just 10 minutes remaining in the game, resulting in a brief scrum between the two players, who were quickly joined by teammates on either side, Shea's left hand grabbed the advertising board in front of him, as if he were readying himself to vault onto the field.

But the flaring tempers quickly simmered, and Shea's hand fell limply by his side once more.

Dallas had a chance to tie the game up at 2-2 in stoppage time, when left-back Zach Loyd drew a penalty.

Shea, whom Hyndman would say afterward is normally the first choice when it comes to taking spot-kicks, immediately shot a thousand-yard glare in his coach's direction, as if this penalty were confirmation that his substitution was ill-advised.

Considering that defender Jair Benitez would sky his penalty over the crossbar, condemning FC Dallas to their 10th defeat of the season (they are currently in eighth place in the Western Conference standings), there may have been a measure of truth to Shea's appeal.

According to ESPN soccer reporter Jeff Carlisle, Hyndman declined to make Shea available for comment after the game, a decision which may draw a fine from MLS.

Carlisle spoke to Hyndman after the game, who offered a thinly veiled disapproval of his star's antics on the evening.

"I think it's better that I don't make any comments about (Shea's) performance," Hyndman said. When Carlisle inquired what Shea had said to him when he was substituted, Hyndman responded, "I think it's probably better I don't make that comment, either."

"I thought (Shea) was very disrespectful, not only just to Schellas, but I thought to the rest of the team," Dallas captain Daniel Hernandez told Carlisle.

"He's a young guy still, but this shows the immaturity there in him, and I think a lack of professionalism that right now, at this point in the season, the way things have been going for us, we can't have."

Hernandez went on to call Shea one of the stars of the team, and said Dallas will need a Brek Shea firing on all cylinders if they are to make any push for the playoffs this season.

But on Wednesday night, that playoff dream slipped a bit further out of reach. Speaking after, Loyd promised "to keep showing up, keep working hard so it’s important we get results and try and grab that fifth spot for the playoffs."

One wonders if an irreparable fissure is simply widening, however.

Before the match, you wouldn't have known if from watching Shea. Going through the warm-up preparations, the young winger was horsing around with teammates, jumping on backs after a possession drill had ended.

That smile quickly turned, however, into something far more beleaguered.