This international window may have ended in disappointment for the United States men’s national team, but on the bright side – depending on who you ask – there will be more chances for this team to show that losses to Panama and Canada were bumps in the road instead of a worrying trend ahead of the World Cup.
Usually, the summer between major international tournaments would lead to time off for some of the core members of the USMNT with the Gold Cup taking place in off years between Concacaf Nations League and the World Cup, but that may not be the case this summer. With the United States, Canada, and Mexico all hosting the 2026 World Cup and earning automatic qualification for the expanded tournament, they won’t be taking part in Concacaf World Cup qualification which picks back up in June.

Due to not having those competitive matches and Concacaf scheduling being tied up through the World Cup for major nations, the summer window needs to be maximized for the USMNT as it is their best chance to face strong competition before the window in the lead up for the World Cup. Scheduling-wise, it seems like U.S. Soccer may also understand these issues with summer friendlies scheduled for early June against Türkiye and Switzerland before the Gold Cup takes place.

Facing strong opposition like that is a good test, but it’s also something that signals a potential to bring the first team to the Gold Cup instead of a roster of domestic based players. One major difference in club management as compared to international management is uninterrupted training time, which Mauricio Pochettino needs to get the best out of his squad.

And much more elaboration on the performance metrics, tactical discussions, and expectations for the future.