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Soccer / With 2026 World Cup Looming, U.S. Men’s National Team Feels Lost Under Pochettino’s Leadership

With 2026 World Cup Looming, U.S. Men’s National Team Feels Lost Under Pochettino’s Leadership

Colin Lynch Written by Sports EditorColin Lynch
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With one year until the 2026 World Cup, the USMNT looks disted, uninspired, and unsure of its identity under Pochettino.

A World Cup on home soil is supposed to be a clarifying moment — a finish line to chase, a legacy to build. For the United States Men’s National Team, the 2026 tournament was meant to be just that. A generational rallying cry. A homecoming that would shift soccer’s place in America forever.

But as that moment draws closer, clarity has only turned to chaos. A 4-0 loss to Switzerland — at home, in front of booing fans — wasn’t just a defeat. It was a symbol of something deeper. It was the sound of momentum being lost. A glimpse of a team no longer building but backpedaling. The chants that once promised a breakthrough now echo as whispers of concern.

And at the center of it all sits a team that doesn’t seem to know who it is.

A Coach Searching for the Script

When Mauricio Pochettino took the reins last fall, the appointment was met with optimism. A proven tactician. A charismatic figure. The highest-paid coach in program history.

But now, ten games into his tenure, the USMNT’s story feels off-script. After a spring collapse that included losses to Panama and Canada, the summer friendlies were billed as a chance to steady the ship. Instead, they became open auditions. Rotations and recall lists felt arbitrary. Lineups looked improvised. Pochettino, a man known for structure and system, appeared to be grasping — calling in uncapped players, rotating formations, trying to find a spark in a room where the lights had dimmed.

His press conferences no longer offered clarity, but confusion. His tone sounded more unsure than inspired. And with each ing match, that once-promising connection between coach and country grew fainter.

A Golden Generation Losing Its Shine

Two years ago, Gregg Berhalter called it a “golden generation.” Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Gio Reyna — a core that seemed destined to lead the U.S. into its most transformative era.

But golden generations don’t shimmer forever. They need structure, belief, and leadership. Instead, the U.S. finds itself rudderless. Pulisic is away recharging. Matt Turner, once a reliable wall in net, now looks uncertain. The attack lacks teeth. The bench lacks impact. The replacements called in this summer — with the exception of Diego Luna — offered more questions than answers.

This was supposed to be the time to tighten things, to refine the edges. Instead, the roster feels stretched thin. The identity feels muddled. The urgency? Fading.

Apathy, Embarrassment, and the Clock Ticking Loudly

What hurts isn’t just the scorelines. It’s the silence.

Former players now use words like “apathy.” Fans scroll past results instead of celebrating or criticizing. The once-vibrant dialogue surrounding the USMNT has turned into something more dangerous — indifference.

And that’s the tragedy of this moment. With the most important tournament in program history one year away, the United States isn’t rising to it. It’s regressing. There are no answers. Only questions. And each week, the questions get louder.

What is the plan? Where is the leadership? And is it already too late to fix it?

One Year to — Or to Forget

Time remains. Just enough. But barely.

If the United States is to capture imaginations next summer — to turn casual fans into believers, to ignite a sport and seize history — it must rediscover its identity now. Not six months from now. Not after another cycle of excuses. Now.

That begins with Pochettino. With cohesion. With a commitment to the players who will wear the crest in 2026. It begins by silencing the noise and building, brick by brick, something worthy of the moment to come.

Because this isn’t just another tournament. It’s the tournament.

And for now, heartbreakingly, the U.S. doesn’t look ready.

Colin Lynch Written by Sports EditorColin Lynch
Colin Lynch covers the NFL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the New England Patriots. His sports coverage has been featured on The Sports Daily and Basketball Insiders, as well as FanSided's Chowder & Champions. A New Hampshire native and former D1 baseball player at St. John's University, Colin was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2008 and enjoyed a four-year professional baseball career.
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