The United States men’s national soccer team (USMNT) has been engaging in focused conversations following their shocking 4-0 loss to Switzerland. With the Gold Cup rapidly approaching, the team’s first match is scheduled for Sunday against Trinidad and Tobago at 6 p.m. ET (broadcast on FOX).

Veteran defender Tim Ream shared insights with reporters on Friday, emphasizing the need to analyze the loss and gather learnings from it. He remarked, ^“It’s one of those games where you have to reflect on what wasn’t good enough and consider what it will take to elevate the performance for the team.”

Ream, 37 years old, noted, ^“As difficult as it is to absorb a loss like that, it serves as a crucial lesson on what it takes to compete at a high level.”

The USMNT aimed to establish positive momentum ahead of the Gold Cup with two pre-tournament fixtures against competitive teams last week. Although they managed to extract some positives from the close 2-1 loss against Türkiye, the overwhelming defeat against Switzerland raised significant concerns, particularly with the World Cup approaching in under a year.

John Tolkin, a 22-year-old defender who participated in the match, shared similar sentiments, stating, ^“The key is to avoid excessive negativity. We understand that this recent performance isn’t reflective of our standards.”

The young defender emphasized the importance of teamwork, saying, ^“We need to support each other during training and matches, regardless of outside opinions, which can sometimes cloud our focus.”

USMNT’s head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, is currently facing a challenging period, dealing with a four-match losing streak. Both Ream and Tolkin expressed their desire to breakthrough and redefine the team’s narrative during the upcoming Gold Cup tournament.