8 Takeaways From the USMNT’s Final Tune-Up Before the 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Mauricio Pochettino’s side played its final two warm-up matches before opening up the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, and once again, the USMNT was a mixed bag. But while the effort is there, the question is whether that alone can take the U.S. deep into the tournament.

For the United States Soccer community, all roads have led to this moment. Behind them are the depth chart debates, the MLS versus Americans abroad arguments, GioGate, and accusations of U.S. Soccer favoritism. Those conversations are over. The moment has arrived, and Mauricio Pochettino and his U.S. men’s national team now carry the weight of the American soccer world on their shoulders.

In the final two friendlies before opening the World Cup against Paraguay on June 12, the USMNT showed plenty of promising signs while also falling back into some old bad habits during its victory over Senegal and defeat against Germany.

Results-wise, the games went largely as expected, but when dissecting the performances, many familiar conclusions remain clear — even if the USMNT as a whole looked significantly improved from what we saw in the last window in March.

Here is our final breakdown of the USMNT before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As Pulisic Goes, So Does the USMNT

Pochettino can sleep a little easier knowing that his ace, Christian Pulisic, delivered two of his best performances in a U.S. shirt at what feels like the perfect time.

The AC Milan winger terrorized Senegal with a goal and an assist in just 45 minutes, and against Germany, he rose to the occasion, looking like the best player on the field for either team during his strong 62-minute performance.

The hopes and dreams of the U.S. largely rest on what Pulisic can produce at the World Cup. In 2022, he contributed a goal and two crucial assists in four matches. Now, the AC Milan star and former UEFA Champions League winner will be expected to lead like never before.

A multi-goal tournament and highlight-reel moments are expected from Pulisic because when the winger is on, the USMNT becomes significantly more dangerous.

Defensive Hole

Pochettino, much like Gregg Berhalter before him, has spent considerable time searching for the right defensive combination, with neither truly finding the answer.

Chris Richards can now reasonably be considered the leader of the back line, and while he is playing the best soccer of his career, he still remains susceptible to occasional mistakes, and is coming off an ankle injury that saw him miss the Senegal and Germany friendlies. The Crystal Palace center back is optimistic he’ll be ready come the Paraguay opener, but it’s still unclear if he’ll be suiting up.

Tim Ream has emerged as Richards’ preferred central defensive partner, largely because he earned Pochettino’s trust — something neither Auston Trusty nor Mark McKenzie have seemingly managed to do. While parts of USMNT Twitter continue to criticize the manager for sticking with an aging Ream, the reality is that nobody outside of Richards truly proved worthy of claiming that starting role over the last six years.

With two somewhat unreliable goalkeepers behind them, if the U.S. is forced into a defensive posture, the Americans will need to remain compact and disciplined. That likely means strong midfield performances and plenty of work from the wing backs because down the middle against world-class opposition, the U.S. looks vulnerable.

Hot Strikers

Both Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi are entering the tournament in strong form, and that is exactly what a manager wants heading into a World Cup.

Balogun generated plenty of chances against Senegal, while Pepi profiles as a player who could make a massive impact against opponents like Paraguay and Australia.

The possibility of seeing both strikers together remains unlikely, but against a team like Australia, it could become an interesting ace up Pochettino’s sleeve.

The reality is that both Balogun and Pepi look ready for this World Cup and could become major figures for a U.S. side that will likely rely heavily on build-up play and service into the box.

Dest the Winger

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Moving Sergiño Dest away from heavy defensive responsibilities and pushing him further forward was a major win for Pochettino.

Dest terrorized Senegal and although Germany contained him more effectively, perhaps an important lesson was learned.

Dest should begin the World Cup playing as a right winger. His attacking drive, creativity, and improvisation are simply too valuable to ignore. As the competition becomes more difficult, he can always shift back into a wing back role.

A Lack of Depth

Outside of Pepi, the USMNT’s overall level drops considerably when Pochettino turns to his bench.

There is clearly a high-quality starting lineup, but behind it sits a collection of role players who could either become heroes or disappear completely depending on the moment.

If Pochettino needs game-changing options from his bench, the current pecking order in addition to Pepi appears to be Gio Reyna, Sebastian Berhalter, and Alejandro Zendejas.

Passing

The USMNT has enough talent to play attractive soccer, but for nearly six years, sloppy passing has remained one of the team’s biggest weaknesses.

There are still stretches during matches when the team simply malfunctions by overcomplicating possession.

Pochettino may need to emphasize simplicity in defensive areas, clearing danger quickly and getting the ball to his best players rather than attempting risky sequences deep in their own half, where the team has repeatedly produced costly giveaways.

The Weston McKennie Factor

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Weston McKennie is coming off a huge season with Juventus and has consistently performed well at club level over the last three years.

Now comes the challenge of bringing that same level to the national team.

McKennie has not produced a truly electrifying performance for the USMNT in what feels like a long time, and the U.S. needs more of the 2022 version.

With Tyler Adams alongside him in midfield, McKennie must find ways to influence games higher up the field and become the physical, disruptive force he has often been for Juventus.

The Time is Now

As famed Tonight Show host Johnny Carson once said, “and so it has come to this.”

For the USMNT and its so-called Golden Generation, the time for talking is over, and everything is now in their hands. If the U.S. makes a deep run at the World Cup, it could become a defining moment for the sport in America and for this generation of players.

If the USMNT falls short, the warning signs have been there for years, and nobody will be able to say they were not warned.