USMNT's World Cup dream falls short: "Wasn't our day" | OneFootball

By Charles Boehm

SEATTLE – Perhaps there’s a way to exit a FIFA World Cup that isn’t agonizing. But the US men’s national team have yet to discover it.

The Yanks’ 2026 dream came crashing to an end at the hands of Belgium on Monday evening, a gutting low at the opposite extreme of the spectrum from the euphoric highs of inspiring a nation with their program-record three victories to reach this point.

Perhaps what stings most about the 4-1 defeat: They were a shadow of their best selves in this massive Round of 16 showdown against the No. 9-ranked side on the planet.

“Today we didn’t show our real quality,” said head coach Mauricio Pochettino. “Never we were connected with the demands of the game. I want to congratulate Belgium, because they were good – like I told before, it’s a very good team. But I think we were not on our level.

“It’s true that today we were not the same team that during the tournament showed their quality. A very bad day. Wasn’t our day, in a collective and individual way. We need to accept that sometimes things like this happen, but in a tournament like the World Cup, when that happens, you have not another chance – you have no net.”

Familiar heartbreak

For the half of the squad that was involved in their 2022 run in Qatar, which ended at the same juncture in a loss to the Netherlands, there was a painful familiarity, even as they carried the warmth of a summer romance with a growing fan base, many thousands of whom filled the streets of downtown Seattle hours before kickoff for this occasion.

“It feels worse. Definitely feels worse than the last World Cup,” said Sounders FC’s Cristian Roldan in the postgame mixed zone. “Because we felt that we had a good mix of being talented, more together, experience, so it feels worse going out the way we did, especially on home soil.

“But I think that we captivated America. I think we captivated the world in the way we played, and we hope that people change their perspective on the US.”

Memorable run

There’s bitter disappointment at failing to surpass the Round-of-16 exit that has befallen the USMNT in their last four World Cup campaigns. But also pride at the new facets they displayed to their supporters across the country, and the wider world beyond.

“I truly believe it was a special tournament, amazing experience for all the players involved,” said Columbus Crew wingback Max Arfsten. “USA soccer has made progress, 1,000%. I think, although we want more tonight, and this is the game we wanted to win, I believe that we should be proud of how we performed in the games leading up to this, and just the emotion that we felt from our fans, and how special it is to play this tournament in the USA.”

World Cup heartbreak always hits harder because there’s no ‘next year,’ at least not in the manner of a club setting. The 48 months until the next tournament can feel like a lifetime, and even the youngest, most talented players can’t be certain they’ll get the same chance in the next cycle.

Pochettino's uncertain future

Life will eventually go on for the USMNT, with Concacaf qualifying for the 2030 World Cup off in the distance. But the first question is whether Pochettino will return to the helm.

The Argentine has reportedly already been offered a new contract to lead the Yanks into the next cycle with U.S. Soccer, though on Monday he wasn’t ready to delve too far into that topic.

“I think now because we were talking with the federation, is about to rest a little bit, to think, to have conversations, and then see what the decision is from the federation and from us,” said ‘Poch’ of his future. “But I am so happy; I think we build a very good relationship, but now is not a moment to talk about that … to see, to assess the tournament, and for sure in the next weeks we can start to talk, if the federation wants to talk.”

With his extensive track record of success with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Paris Saint-Germain, the charismatic manager is likely to be courted by top European clubs, and indeed is said to have already fielded such inquiries.

He seems to have found something different and captivating in his first national-team job, though, and pronounced himself content with the scale of the turnaround he and his staff made in a squad which hit the doldrums before his arrival in 2024.

“With good things and not so good things, it was amazing, the journey,” he said. “We all know that a process is about four years, a cycle, because I think today we close the chapter about to assess players, playing [against] that competition that is so difficult.

“Now we have a complete assessment from a lot of players, and if we commit to be here in the future, I think we have a clear idea about our decisions of the future. That before was very difficult, because we didn’t have official games, mindset – all the circumstances that you know was so difficult to manage and to deal with that.”

Player after player spoke of the impact Pochettino has made, and expressed hope that he’ll extend his American adventure.

“We'd all love to have him back, but at the end, that's not our decision. That wasn't on any of our minds,” said Gio Reyna of Poch’s future. “He was fully present at all times, was there at training sessions, in the hotel, a joy to be around. I think you guys saw the performances that we put in this tournament, and the belief that he instilled in us. So I think he really took us to the next level.

“He definitely brought so many positives to the team, and yeah, I think we all can't thank him enough for the work he's done.”