The USMST Masters (over 45) completed a productive weekend at the 2026 Medical Soccer Congress in Querétaro. 4 teams competed in round-robin fashion with the top 2 reaching the finals. USA White dominated the tournament beating Mexico 3-1, Colombia 6-0 and teammates USA Blue, arriving to the finals to face Mexico again. USA White took an early 2-1 lead but had to contain the pressure after going a man down under a 2-min out caution rule. Right after, they regained momentum and finished with a dominant 5-1 victory, obtaining the title with an aggregate of 22 goals scored and only 2 conceded. The team’s roster included the “old guard” Gary Nakasato (ER), Kurt Dittmar (Anesth), Juan-Carlos Velez (Nephro), Brett Lorber (ER), LeRoy Thomson (Anesth), Rafael Cilloniz (Peds), Rolando Celis (Vasc S), Mounir Sanhaji (Neuro), Vahid Kiarad (Anesth), Pasha Hakimzadeh (DDS), Alberto Gallo (Gen S) and Hernan Goldztein (ENT) and newcomers Puya Hosseini (Anesth), Iman Rofoogaran (PCC) and Marco Maricevich (Plast S). The USA Blue team captained by Suraj Achar (Sports M) went undefeated against the other nation’s teams. Thus, the USMST Masters are on track to compete for the Vogel Cup later this year in Costa Rica. 

The “Morell” category competed as a four-team, round-robin or “jamboree” tournament with highest point tallies determining the winners.  The Open team began their tournament with a physical and competitive “dos a cero” victory against the tournament hosts, Mexico. The scoring opened around the 15th minute of the first half when Dr. Mo Guba (IM) gathered a deflected ball at the top of the box. After a precise controlling touch, he unleashed a left footed curler into the far corner for a clinical finish.  The second goal came later in the first half as newcomer Dr. Lindsey Williams (RAD) slotted home a cutback from fellow debutant Dr. Mahmood AbdelRazek (Neuro) after a successful dribble around the right flank. Adversity would come, however, starting around the 65th minute for the US Open team. First a red card for incidental contact and then a significant maxillofacial injury to goalkeeper, Dr. Stas Miaskowski (OB-Gyn), would test the squad’s mettle. Dr. Amir Orandi’s (Peds Rheum) spot reserve duty in goal and the team’s collective effort would ultimately preserve the opening game victory. The US Open team was now 1 – 0 but would lose their number one goalkeeper for the remainder of the tournament.  The US Open team started strong against a talented Columbia side with good ball possession and strong pressure on the opponent’s skill players.  However, Columbia created organizational challenges for the back-up US goal keepers, netting twice on set pieces. A scissor kick to the far post in the first half and dangerous top of the box free kick laced on a rope to the top corner in the second half would give the US team its only loss of the tournament.  The final match for the Open team was against a mixed team composed of doctors from Canada, Mexico, and one US medical student. After a scoreless first half the Open team was able to break through in the 55th minute with a competitive header won by Dr. Miles Maassen (EM) after a cross from Dr. Mo Guba. The second goal would come from a nice combination play through the middle by Drs. Paul Al-Attar (Ortho) and Nebiyou Samuel (Anesth). “That’s how we SHOULD SCORE!” boasted the goal scorer affectionately known as “Neb”. The team play continued as the final goal would come from ageless veteran Dr. Mauricio Zapata (Path) ushering in an attempted volley by Dr. Ashkon Banihashemi (Peds) from the top of the box. Drs. James Kurtz (Gen S) and Amir Orandi would fill in for the injured #1 goalkeeper and managed to preserve the clean sheet for a 3-nil victory. The team finished the tournament with two wins and one loss. They did not concede a goal during the run of play, earning the silver medal. Columbia claimed 1st place after besting the Mexican team 1-0, also off a set-piece, in their final match.  The open team returns to action September 11-13 at the Ancient Ranger tournament in Minneapolis, MN where they will face non-physician teams in the over 30 age bracket as they continue their preparations for the World Medical Football Championships in Costa Rica this December. 

USMST Ready for Australia 2024!

USMST roared back from a Covid hiatus to participate in the 2023 WMFC in Vienna, Austria July 1-8, 2023. Both the Open and Masters (45 and over) teams took big strides with amazing play and growth towards future success. In the Morell Cup, the Open team played in the group of death, including against eventual champion Ireland, and while we did not advance, each match was decidedly close. The showing in all 6 matches was widely hailed as the best performances by any USMST team in our 14 year history, and the team was proud of all they achieved. In the Vogel Cup, the Masters team advanced to the final round with 3 excellent preliminary round matches, but eventually fell to Brazil and finished the week strong with 2 additional hard fought matches. In all, the teams enjoyed a terrific week in Vienna with each other, their families, and friends from around the globe. 2024 can’t come fast enough!

USMST traveled to Riviera Maya, Mexico for the 2019 World Medical Football Championship from June 29-July 6, 2019. 21 countries from around the world participated, and USMST took big steps forward in both the Morell (Open) Cup and Vogel (Masters) Cup, as the US representative. The week featured an incredible week of soccer, medical education, and a break from our daily clinical lives. Friendship drove the event, and USMST was honored to participate in this incredible event bringing soccer-loving physicians from around the globe together.

The US Medical Soccer Team competed in the 2018 World Medical Football Championships in Prague, Czech Republic from June 30-July 7, 2018.  It was an amazing week of soccer, friendship, medical education and sightseeing in arguably the most beautiful city in Europe.  Both squads (Morell “Open” Cup, Vogel “Masters” Cup) finished in the middle of the pack, which was a step forward .  The teams played incredibly well and competed valiantly under the guidance of Coaches Kenn Schmidt Nielsen (Open team) and Roger Silveira (Masters team).   The comraderie was phenomenal and both squads clearly enjoyed the competition and bearing the fruits of months of hard work and training.  Leading busy lives as physicians often left us challenged to train, but the teamwork displayed during the week and lack of significant injuries paid dividends on the pitch.  The competition was intense, but after a week of soccer, everyone left tired but optimistic for next year!  Martin Wakeham, a pediatric intensivist from Milwaukee, WI, was selected as the “Best Goalkeeper” for the Vogel Cup, an amazing honor for the heart and soul of the squad and a testament to the defensive alignment conceived by Coach Silveira throughout the week. In addition to the soccer, USMST represented at the “24th Global Congress on Medicine and Health in Sport”.  Five players from our team were selected to present, more than any other country.  Here were the presenters: Dr. Chris Grysbauskas, “Well-Being in Adolescent Athletes:  A Review” Dr. Felipe Lobelo, “Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction through Recreational Group Interventions in Adults:  A Meta Analysis” Dr. David Machado-Aranda, “The Impact of a Prehabilitation Program on Major Abdominal Surgery” Dr. Suraj Achar, “Hidden Danger: Vascular Injury in Sports” Dr. Kevin Gregg, “Football and the Risk of Methicillin-Resistant Staph Aureus”   The week was incredible and the players and their families enjoyed Prague immensely.  In addition to the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony, a kids match allowed our children to join their friends from around the world for an evening of soccer.  The team also enjoyed a river cruise and plenty of sightseeing.  We can’t wait to see everyone again in Cancun, Mexico for WMFC 2019!

Martin Wakeham, a pediatric intensivist from Milwaukee, WI, was recognized as the Best Goalkeeper in the Clemens Vogel “Masters” Cup at the 2018 World Medical Football Championships.  Martin was simply outstanding during the week as the goalkeeper for USMST.  Battling injuries and a game designed for high scoring, he allowed an average of one goal per game for the week, and defined himself as the heart and soul of the USMST Masters Team.  Martin’s award is also a testament to the defense in general, with well-conceived and directed defensive schemes set forth by Coach Roger Silveira.   From the first game, the team was clicking defensively, and Martin’s award culminated an incredible week and big step forward for USMST!

The US Medical Soccer Team met in Cancun, Mexico for the first ever Medical Copa America from May 4-6, 2018.  The Mexican Medical Soccer Team hosted an incredible weekend of soccer, medical education and friendship.  Along with Mexico and the United States, the Canadian and Colombian Medical Soccer Teams participated with an eye towards preparing for the 2018 World Medical Football Championships in Prague.  The weekend was a huge success, and allowed the US Medical Soccer Team an opportunity to take a big step forward together with our colleagues and friends from the Americas.