Is the panic surrounding the USMNT lately warranted?
Yes, any time a World Cup host country and a generation of prodigies lose a handful of consecutive games with their A-team, or what passes for one, alarm bells should be ringing. That’s not to say all is lost. While Mauricio Pochettino’s optimism rankled after a 2-0 loss to a South Korea side that had a disconcertingly easy time of it, there was much more to feel good about in the 2-0 win over Japan. Still, it was one game. Japan rested a lot of regulars. (Then again, the US were hardly at full strength.) LS
Typically I preach reason and patience, but the frustration after the loss to Korea felt legitimate. This version of the USMNT had many opportunities to prove to fans they could be a team that will win multiple knockout games at a World Cup they will co-host. They have taken advantage of almost none of those opportunities. Will it matter if they still win those knockout games? No. It will be party time. But concern is warranted in the interim. JA
I mean, it’s the host country with talented players and one of the most high-profile coaches in the world at the helm and they have looked mostly bad against quality opposition in the last year. I understand that results don’t really matter until June, but performances still matter. But I don’t think people are unreasonable for wanting more to be excited about. AA
It is. Usually teams hope to close out the year prior to a World Cup solidifying a roster and maybe tinkering at the edges; adding a bright newcomer here and there, or bringing a veteran returning from injury back into the fold. But the USMNT have been making pretty large changes from match to match. Perhaps some of this can be ascribed to Pochettino’s limited window with the US men’s national team, but the overall chemistry and disjointed backline play should alarm fans if it can’t get ironed out. JF
Who improved his USMNT case the most over this window?
Can I say Pochettino? No. OK, fine. Folarin Balogun. When he came on against Korea, his impact was obvious and the US suddenly had a striker actually capable of creating chances for himself. While Ricardo Pepi is a clinical finisher, Balogun is the only one who consistently makes plays with the ball at his feet, carves out pockets of space, or opens corridors to run into. He could have had a handful of goals this window – his triple-miss against Korea was particularly unfortunate – but he finally bagged his first USMNT goal in more than a year against Japan. Balogun is the incumbent striker. LS
Alejandro Zendejas. The debate about whether MLS players belong in the national team or not has obscured that Liga MX, a league whose top teams continually lift the Concacaf Champions Cup at the expense of their MLS rivals, has often been ignored. Zendejas got a few quick looks from Pochettino, but probably not as many as were warranted for perhaps the best player on Club América, one of the best teams in the region. He got his biggest opportunity in this window and was a bright spot against Korea, then scored a goal against Japan. Pochettino himself noted that he’s “in the race.” JA
Matt Freese. Matt Turner’s lack of game time and so-so form has created a wide-open competition for the USMNT’s No 1 shirt, which Freese has seemingly stepped right into after two solid-enough games this window and an entire Gold Cup tournament as a starter. Freese has been one of MLS’s best shot-stoppers for a couple years, and he combines that with a better ability to play with his feet in comparison to Turner. There are still questions about organization, with both South Korea goals coming from basic defensive breakdowns, but it seems like the starting job is his to lose, for now. AA
Can you say that it was Christian Pulisic, who has been the star of the national team since at least 2018? There’s never been a doubt that he would make the World Cup roster, but after taking a controversial break from the national team and missing the 2025 Gold Cup, there were a lot of questions surrounding the Milan man. He fielded his share of criticism from Landon Donovan over the summer (who took his own break from the national team), but he proved just how critical he is to the team again. He was central in the USMNT’s buildup in both matches, and providing a key assist against Japan. JF
Who hurt his USMNT case the most over this window?
Sebastian Berhalter. After standout showings in the Concacaf Champions Cup with the Vancouver Whitecaps and during the Gold Cup as he got a look from Pochettino and staff, this window felt like a test for Berhalter to see if he could hang with more daunting opposition. It was not a test that he passed, struggling with Son Heung-min in the Korea match and not being able to show the type of connective play that made him an asset during the summer. While his set-piece prowess is so unique in the pool it feels like he could still compete for a spot, the fact that he didn’t get in against Japan is inauspicious. LS
Any striker who isn’t Balogun, but Josh Sargent in particular. Who can even say why national team Sargent is a trembling husk of club Sargent? All we know is that it’s been almost six years since his last US goal, and there is no longer time to try to fix him, especially with several more viable strikers in the pool. JA
Yeah I’ll have to agree with Jon. Sargent has been in perhaps the best form of his club career with Norwich this season, with six goals in five games. If ever there was to be a window for that to translate to the international level, this would be the one. It didn’t happen. If this wasn’t his final chance, it’s got to be close. AA
Tim Ream looked out of place at times, keeping Son onside for South Korea’s first goal. He’ll be 38 for the World Cup, and is the most experienced presence on the team so his place on the roster isn’t likely (and shouldn’t be) in doubt. Still it remains slightly worrying that he’ll be counted on if the US are going to make any sort of impact at the World Cup. Ream’s distribution is vital in transition, and he’ll need to be stronger in the games to come. JF
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What’s the US’s biggest weakness right now?
The collapsing press and the inability to create chances. I guess that’s two issues, but I’m going to stick with them both, because I think one informs the other. The US struggled in these areas against South Korea but did much better at both on Tuesday against Japan. Still, the endless turnover in the lineup has made it hard to form anything like pressing cohesion in most games, which has tended to lead to difficulty in transition and a dearth of scoring chances downstream from that. LS
Defending immediately after losing the ball. It seems strange since the US midfield looked like a strength, with the supposedly locked-in MMA midfield of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams. Only one of those guys was even called in for this window, and while Adams is doing well, there needs to be a partner with him in the midfield who can cover for him when he gets forward – and keeps the center-backs from having to run too much as well. Cristian Roldan’s addition to the roster feels like a panic move aimed at reversing the regression there, but sometimes panic moves work, right? JA
Chemistry and reps – another separate-but-related nomination. I’d argue that the United States’ supposed biggest strength heading into 2026 wasn’t just that they had more talented players than ever before, but that those players would have been playing alongside each other internationally for going on seven years or so. That’s an advantage few countries can match, but Pochettino has forfeited so much of that in favor of bringing in untested players to increase competition. There’s a solid enough argument in favor of doing that, I just feel the time to stop experimenting was before the Gold Cup. AA
Lineup consistency. Every national team has to struggle with travel and nagging player injuries that make fielding the same 11 starters nearly impossible. Pochettino joining to helm the team halfway through the World Cup cycle makes this even more difficult, as he has had to play catch up in gaining familiarity with the players. JF
Where will the US finish in next year’s World Cup?
I think they survive the group stage – which two-thirds of teams will, in a diluted pool of opponents – in large part because of the energy and excitement that will spark once America wakes up and realizes there’s a World Cup on its doorstep. And then I think they ride that momentum to a first knockout stage win since 2002. Maybe even another, with a little luck in the bracket. LS
Getting out of the group should be the minimum, and the right draw means the chance to win in the knockout round. So, put me down for a round of 16 elimination that, if anything, only serves to rile up more debate around the team as fans and experts weigh in on whether or not that counts as success in this era. JA
I don’t see this team getting eliminated in the group stage given that they’re already seeded and the expanded tournament means at least one and potentially all three opponents there will be eminently beatable. But I haven’t seen enough to convince me of their bonafides in a high-pressure knockout situation. Today, I think they put in a good showing but exit in the round of 32. AA
If the results leading up to the tournament continue as they have in 2025, I’m not convinced we’ll see any better than the typical first knockout-round exit that US fans have become accustomed to. JF
