On the surface, the two March losses, 2-5 to Belgium and 0-2 at the hands of Portugal, look like cause for concern. Pundits have been quick to question the U.S. Men’s National Team’s readiness for the 2026 World Cup, pointing to defensive lapses, missed chances, and a perceived gap in quality against elite opponents.
But that reading misses the bigger picture.
A closer, more nuanced analysis suggests something different. The USMNT is not regressing under Mauricio Pochettino; rather, they are putting the pieces together, and waiting until this Summer for the whole puzzle to reveal itself.
Portugal: a game decided by genius, not gaps
Against Portugal, the difference did not come from sustained dominance or systemic breakdowns. It came down to two moments of elite, world-class execution—both orchestrated by Bruno Fernandes.
The first was a subtle but devastating piece of improvisation: a back-heel pass after drawing multiple defenders toward him, instantly unbalancing the U.S. shape and freeing Francisco Trincao, the eventual goal-scorer, for a clear shot on goal. Trincao, for his part, put his shot just inside the left post, past the diving fingertips of Matt Freese. It was not a defensive collapse—it was individual brilliance.
The second came from a set piece. Fernandes delivered a corner with perfectly designed decoy runs crashing the near post, pulling U.S. defenders out of position and leaving Joao Felix completely unmarked at the top of the box. Again, this wasn’t structural failure—it was a well-rehearsed, expertly executed play.
Take away those two moments, and the narrative shifts dramatically. The U.S. was not outplayed; it was out-executed.
At the highest level, that distinction matters.
Pulisic: inches away from changing everything
Christian Pulisic did not score against Portugal. That is true.
But context matters.
Early in the match, moments before Portugal scored their first goal, he came within inches of opening the scoring. It was an effort that, if converted, would have fundamentally altered the game’s trajectory. Instead of chasing, the U.S. would have been dictating. Instead of Portugal controlling tempo, they would have been forced to respond.
That moment alone underscores how thin the margins were. Pulisic also failed to convert the Yanks’ own corner set-play, not once, but twice.
Still, the narrative around Pulisic’s goal drought, both with AC Milan and the national team in 2026, while warranted, feels overstated. Pulisic continues to contribute through assists, chance creation, and progressive play. The underlying performance remains strong, even if the finishing has temporarily cooled.
Players of Pulisic’s quality do not remain quiet for long.
If anything, history suggests the opposite: he tends to deliver when it matters most. Pulisic himself remained confident in the post-match interview, stating that he “knows” he can finish those chances better. And with the World Cup approaching, there is every reason to believe “vintage Pulisic” is not gone—it’s loading.
First halves tell the real story
One of the most overlooked aspects of this international window is what happened when the presumed “first-choice” lineup (of available players) was on the field.
Against Belgium, the U.S. was level 1–1 at halftime.
Against Portugal, the match was effectively one moment away from being level — or even tilted in the U.S.’s favor if Pulisic’s early chance finds the net instead of missing just wide.
In both matches, the starting XI held its own against top-10 FIFA opponents.
The games unraveled later; largely after rotations, substitutions, and tactical adjustments designed not to win the match, but to evaluate the roster.
That distinction is critical.
If you isolate the strongest XI versus elite competition, the U.S. is not far off. Not at all.
Pochettino’s real objective: evaluation over results
There is a growing sense that Mauricio Pochettino approached these matches with a very specific agenda, and it wasn’t primarily to win.
The pattern was telling:
- Strong, cohesive starting lineups in the first half
- Heavy rotation and experimentation in the second half
- Tactical shifts mid-game
- Exposure of weaknesses against elite opponents
This was by design, not accident.
Pochettino appears to be using these high-level friendlies as controlled stress tests: opportunities to evaluate not just who performs, but how players respond under pressure against world-class opposition.
There is even a compelling argument that he welcomed moments where the team was punished. Those sequences become teaching tools: film sessions that highlight positioning errors, decision-making lapses, and areas for growth.
In that sense, the Belgium and Portugal matches were less about results and more about information.
And information, at this stage of the cycle, is invaluable.
Missing pieces and their impact
It is impossible to fully evaluate the USMNT without acknowledging who wasn’t on the field.
Tyler Adams and Sergiño Dest, two likely starters, were unavailable. Their absence is not minor; it fundamentally alters the team’s structure: Adams provides defensive stability, leadership, and ball-winning in midfield, while Dest offers creativity, width, and attacking unpredictability from the back.
Their expected return alone raises the team’s ceiling significantly.
Additionally, Chris Richards missed the Belgium match, and the difference was immediate when he returned against Portugal. His presence brought composure, organization, and physicality to the back line.
Then there’s Auston Trusty, who stepped into the left center-back role and delivered a composed, athletic performance. In doing so, he may have shifted the depth chart, potentially signaling a transition away from Tim Ream as a starter. Likewise, Alex Freeman had another strong performance at right back / right center-back, making a solid case for inclusion in this Summer’s Starting XI.
These are not small adjustments. They are foundational upgrades.
Encouraging individual performances
Beyond the tactical and structural takeaways, several individual performances offered genuine encouragement.
Weston McKennie continues to be a driving force. His goal against Belgium and overall influence across both matches reflect his excellent club form with Juventus. He plays with urgency, confidence, and leadership, qualities the team desperately needs.
Antonee “Jedi” Robinson, despite limited recent playing time due to injury, showed flashes of his trademark energy and attacking prowess. While he was partly to blame for Portugal’s first goal, he was otherwise solid. With more minutes, he should return to full effectiveness by the time the World Cup rolls around.
And then there’s the goalkeeper situation.
The “Battle of the Matts” is over
For months, the goalkeeper position lacked clarity; While Matt Freese was given a string of starts since last Summer, including all of the USMNT’s 5-game unbeaten run, Matt Turner was the incumbent, and perhaps couldn’t be so easily dismissed. Without a clear superstar goalkeeper ala Tim Howard or Brad Friedel, competition between Matt Turner and Matt Freese has been a storyline.
It no longer is.
Matt Freese has won the job.
Across his appearances, Freese has demonstrated:
- Superior shot-stopping consistency
- Better command of the box
- More confidence playing out of the back
Turner, the long-time clear No. 1, has struggled to match that level.
At a position where stability is critical, this clarity is a major step forward.
The bigger picture: closer than it looks
Step back from the scorelines, and a different narrative emerges:
- The first-choice XI can compete with top-10 teams
- Key players are returning or nearing full fitness
- The team’s best tactical identity (3-4-2-1) is increasingly clear (even if seldomly used in this international window)
- Depth is being tested and refined
- Young players are gaining valuable experience against top competition
This is what progress looks like: not always linear, not always pretty, but real concrete building blocks.
Final thought: Trust the process
It’s perhaps an overused idiom; and yet it’s accurate. There is a temptation, especially in the lead-up to a home World Cup, to overreact to every result.
But Mauricio Pochettino is not building for March 2026.
He is building for June.
And if these matches are judged not by their scorelines, but by what they revealed: about players, systems, and mentality. The conclusion is surprisingly optimistic.
The USMNT is not a finished product.
But it is a growing one.
And perhaps most importantly, it is a team whose best performances still lie ahead.
I’m still a believer. I believe in this team, in this coach, and in these USMNT Yanks.
The Yanks are not in trouble.
The Yanks are (gonna be) alright.