A Tough Lesson for the USMNT
If Mauricio Pochettino aimed to gauge the pool of players in the U.S. men’s national team, he received a rude awakening on Tuesday night. The experimental lineup faced a crushing 4-0 defeat against Switzerland during a friendly in Nashville. This match served as a crucial test before the Concacaf Gold Cup, which kicks off Sunday against Trinidad and Tobago at 6 p.m. ET on FOX.
Main Takeaways
The critical insight from this match is clear: for the U.S. to compete meaningfully in the forthcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, return of key players is vital. Pochettino was missing most of his leading talents this summer, including Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Ricardo Pepi, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, Tanner Tessmann, and Tim Weah.
Pochettino’s usual captain, Tyler Adams, was sidelined with a foot injury, possibly jeopardizing his Gold Cup participation. Losing a dozen seasoned players could spell disaster for any national team. The U.S. men’s squad suffered yet another defeat, having lost 2-1 to Türkiye just days prior.
Pochettino, however, was hoping to utilize almost all 26 players in his roster through these exhibitions. Unfortunately, four goals were conceded in a mere 23-minute span during the first half, leading to a disheartening outcome.
“It’s my responsibility, the decision of the choice of the starting 11,” admitted Pochettino. “It went in the wrong direction from the beginning. We were never back in the game against a disciplined Switzerland team.” He refrained from blaming the players directly, expressing, “My first thought is not to blame the players; it’s to blame ourselves. That was my decision and it didn’t work.”
With such a large roster, maintaining continuity has proven challenging. Over these two matches alone, Pochettino has fielded 20 different players.
Just two athletes started both encounters, with veterans Chris Richards and Tim Ream remaining benched during the Swiss match. Ream did, however, come on in the second half to help stabilize the defense, maintaining control against Switzerland’s offensive prowess, which featured top-tier European players such as Manuel Akanji, Granit Xhaka, and Gregor Kobel. Pochettino’s young players struggled against this experienced lineup.
This defeat marks the fourth consecutive loss for the U.S. team, raising concerns for the Gold Cup. In light of the last-place finish in the Concacaf Nations League finals earlier this year, hopes were high that some younger talents would seize their moment. Diego Luna has impressed, as have Johnny Cardoso and Malik Tillman, who hold potential for the upcoming Gold Cup, though skepticism remains about the entire team’s prospects.
Despite a historic disaster at last year’s Copa América where the U.S. made history for all the wrong reasons, the coach aims to have his top talents ready in time for the tournament ahead, recognizing the shortcomings of not fielding a complete, competitive roster against formidable foes.
The final sentiment from Pochettino encapsulates the ambition ahead: “The boys are excited about the Gold Cup. The experience from our last match against Türkiye was positive, and even with numerous changes, we learned valuable lessons. We’ll see how it unfolds.”
