World Cup 2026: How Worried Should The Usmnt Be As The Tournament Looms?

Is nan panic surrounding nan USMNT lately warranted?

Yes, immoderate clip a World Cup big state and a procreation of prodigies suffer a fistful of consecutive games pinch their A-team, aliases what passes for one, siren bells should beryllium ringing. That’s not to opportunity each is lost. While Mauricio Pochettino’s optimism rankled aft a 2-0 nonaccomplishment to a South Korea broadside that had a disconcertingly easy clip of it, location was overmuch much to consciousness bully astir successful the 2-0 triumph complete Japan. Still, it was 1 game. Japan rested a batch of regulars. (Then again, nan US were hardly astatine afloat strength.) LS

Typically I preach logic and patience, but nan vexation aft nan nonaccomplishment to Korea felt legitimate. This type of nan USMNT had galore opportunities to beryllium to fans they could beryllium a squad that will triumph aggregate knockout games astatine a World Cup they will co-host. They person taken advantage of almost nary of those opportunities. Will it matter if they still triumph those knockout games? No. It will beryllium statement time. But interest is warranted successful nan interim. JA

I mean, it’s nan big state pinch talented players and 1 of nan astir high-profile coaches successful nan world astatine nan helm and they person looked mostly bad against value guidance successful nan past year. I understand that results don’t really matter until June, but performances still matter. But I don’t deliberation group are unreasonable for wanting much to beryllium excited about. AA

It is. Usually teams dream to adjacent retired nan twelvemonth anterior to a World Cup solidifying a roster and possibly tinkering astatine nan edges; adding a agleam newcomer present and there, aliases bringing a seasoned returning from wounded backmost into nan fold. But nan USMNT person been making beautiful ample changes from lucifer to match. Perhaps immoderate of this tin beryllium ascribed to Pochettino’s constricted model pinch nan US men’s nationalist team, but nan wide chemistry and disjointed backline play should siren fans if it can’t get ironed out. JF

Who improved his USMNT lawsuit nan astir complete this window?

Can I opportunity Pochettino? No. OK, fine. Folarin Balogun. When he came connected against Korea, his effect was evident and nan US abruptly had a striker really tin of creating chances for himself. While Ricardo Pepi is simply a objective finisher, Balogun is nan only 1 who consistently makes plays pinch nan shot astatine his feet, carves retired pockets of space, aliases opens corridors to tally into. He could person had a fistful of goals this model – his triple-miss against Korea was peculiarly unfortunate – but he yet bagged his first USMNT extremity successful much than a twelvemonth against Japan. Balogun is nan incumbent striker. LS

Alejandro Zendejas. The statement astir whether MLS players beryllium successful nan nationalist squad aliases not has obscured that Liga MX, a convention whose apical teams continually assistance nan Concacaf Champions Cup astatine nan disbursal of their MLS rivals, has often been ignored. Zendejas sewage a fewer speedy looks from Pochettino, but astir apt not arsenic galore arsenic were warranted for possibly nan champion subordinate connected Club América, 1 of nan champion teams successful nan region. He sewage his biggest opportunity successful this model and was a agleam spot against Korea, past scored a extremity against Japan. Pochettino himself noted that he’s “in nan race.” JA

Matt Freese. Matt Turner’s deficiency of crippled clip and so-so shape has created a wide-open title for nan USMNT’s No 1 shirt, which Freese has seemingly stepped correct into aft 2 solid-enough games this model and an full Gold Cup tourney arsenic a starter. Freese has been 1 of MLS’s champion shot-stoppers for a mates years, and he combines that pinch a amended expertise to play pinch his feet successful comparison to Turner. There are still questions astir organization, pinch some South Korea goals coming from basal protect breakdowns, but it seems for illustration nan starting occupation is his to lose, for now. AA

Can you opportunity that it was Christian Pulisic, who has been nan prima of nan nationalist squad since astatine slightest 2018? There’s ne'er been a uncertainty that he would make nan World Cup roster, but aft taking a controversial break from nan nationalist squad and missing nan 2025 Gold Cup, location were a batch of questions surrounding nan Milan man. He fielded his stock of disapproval from Landon Donovan complete nan summertime (who took his ain break from nan nationalist team), but he proved conscionable really captious he is to nan squad again. He was cardinal successful nan USMNT’s buildup successful some matches, and providing a cardinal assistance against Japan. JF

Josh Sargent extended a lengthy scoreless streak for nan US successful his commencement against South Korea. Photograph: Jess Stiles/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Who wounded his USMNT lawsuit nan astir complete this window?

Sebastian Berhalter. After standout showings successful nan Concacaf Champions Cup pinch nan Vancouver Whitecaps and during nan Gold Cup arsenic he sewage a look from Pochettino and staff, this model felt for illustration a trial for Berhalter to spot if he could bent pinch much daunting opposition. It was not a trial that he passed, struggling pinch Son Heung-min successful nan Korea lucifer and not being capable to show nan type of connective play that made him an plus during nan summer. While his set-piece prowess is truthful unsocial successful nan excavation it feels for illustration he could still compete for a spot, nan truth that he didn’t get successful against Japan is inauspicious. LS

Any striker who isn’t Balogun, but Josh Sargent successful particular. Who tin moreover opportunity why nationalist squad Sargent is simply a trembling husk of nine Sargent? All we cognize is that it’s been almost six years since his past US goal, and location is nary longer clip to effort to hole him, particularly pinch respective much viable strikers successful nan pool. JA

Yeah I’ll person to work together pinch Jon. Sargent has been successful possibly nan champion shape of his nine profession pinch Norwich this season, pinch six goals successful 5 games. If ever location was to beryllium a model for that to construe to nan world level, this would beryllium nan one. It didn’t happen. If this wasn’t his last chance, it’s sewage to beryllium close. AA

Tim Ream looked retired of spot astatine times, keeping Son onside for South Korea’s first goal. He’ll beryllium 38 for nan World Cup, and is nan astir knowledgeable beingness connected nan squad truthful his spot connected nan roster isn’t apt (and shouldn’t be) successful doubt. Still it remains somewhat worrying that he’ll beryllium counted connected if nan US are going to make immoderate benignant of effect astatine nan World Cup. Ream’s distribution is captious successful transition, and he’ll request to beryllium stronger successful nan games to come. JF

What’s nan US’s biggest weakness correct now?

The collapsing press and nan inability to create chances. I conjecture that’s 2 issues, but I’m going to instrumentality pinch them both, because I deliberation 1 informs nan other. The US struggled successful these areas against South Korea but did overmuch amended astatine some connected Tuesday against Japan. Still, nan endless turnover successful nan lineup has made it difficult to shape thing for illustration pressing cohesion successful astir games, which has tended to lead to trouble successful modulation and a dearth of scoring chances downstream from that. LS

Defending immediately aft losing nan ball. It seems unusual since nan US midfield looked for illustration a strength, pinch nan supposedly locked-in MMA midfield of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams. Only 1 of those guys was moreover called successful for this window, and while Adams is doing well, location needs to beryllium a partner pinch him successful nan midfield who tin screen for him erstwhile he gets guardant – and keeps nan center-backs from having to tally excessively overmuch arsenic well. Cristian Roldan’s summation to nan roster feels for illustration a panic move aimed astatine reversing nan regression there, but sometimes panic moves work, right? JA

Chemistry and reps – another separate-but-related nomination. I’d reason that nan United States’ expected biggest spot heading into 2026 wasn’t conscionable that they had much talented players than ever before, but that those players would person been playing alongside each different internationally for going connected 7 years aliases so. That’s an advantage fewer countries tin match, but Pochettino has forfeited truthful overmuch of that successful favour of bringing successful untested players to summation competition. There’s a coagulated capable statement successful favour of doing that, I conscionable consciousness nan clip to extremity experimenting was earlier nan Gold Cup. AA

Lineup consistency. Every nationalist squad has to struggle pinch recreation and nagging subordinate injuries that make fielding nan aforesaid 11 starters astir impossible. Pochettino joining to helm nan squad halfway done nan World Cup rhythm makes this moreover much difficult, arsenic he has had to play drawback up successful gaining familiarity pinch nan players. JF

Where will nan US decorativeness successful adjacent year’s World Cup?

I deliberation they past nan group shape – which two-thirds of teams will, successful a diluted excavation of opponents – successful ample portion because of nan power and excitement that will spark erstwhile America wakes up and realizes there’s a World Cup connected its doorstep. And past I deliberation they thrust that momentum to a first knockout shape triumph since 2002. Maybe moreover another, pinch a small luck successful nan bracket. LS

Getting retired of nan group should beryllium nan minimum, and nan correct tie intends nan chance to triumph successful nan knockout round. So, put maine down for a round of 16 elimination that, if anything, only serves to rile up much statement astir nan squad arsenic fans and experts measurement successful connected whether aliases not that counts arsenic occurrence successful this era. JA

I don’t spot this squad getting eliminated successful nan group shape fixed that they’re already seeded and nan expanded tourney intends astatine slightest 1 and perchance each 3 opponents location will beryllium eminently beatable. But I haven’t seen capable to person maine of their bonafides successful a high-pressure knockout situation. Today, I deliberation they put successful a bully showing but exit successful nan information of 32. AA

If nan results starring up to nan tourney proceed arsenic they person successful 2025, I’m not convinced we’ll spot immoderate amended than nan emblematic first knockout-round exit that US fans person go accustomed to. JF