Meet the USMNT players headed to the 2026 World Cup
The U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team has officially announced its 2026 FIFA World Cup squad, which combines veteran stars and rising young talent ahead of the tournament.
Quarterfinals or elimination?
That’s the reality for the U.S. men’s national team at this World Cup. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an unexpected injury, a tough opponent, or an unlucky bounce. If soccer is to be considered a major sport in this country, the American public needs proof that the USMNT benefits more than the rest of the world.
That means a historic performance in the tournament, which begins June 11th, and defeating one or two of the world’s strongest nations along the way.
A run like this captures the attention of not only the people who own Messi jerseys (Argentina, Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami), but also the entire country, who can learn who Tyler Adams is and know the difference between the Champions League and the Premier League.
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Runs like this make people talk about soccer and want to know more about soccer. Performances like this encourage kids to stick with soccer beyond the Lil’ Kickers, giving the USMNT a talented player pool enough to rival France, Argentina, and Spain.
A run like that would ultimately bring the United States the Men’s World Cup title.
But if it exits sooner, the opportunity to accelerate gaming growth here will be wasted for decades to come.
“For us, there is no reason to set an exact goal of World Cup success,” Christian Pulisic said after the 26-man squad was confirmed. “…We’re going to do the best we can, and we’re going to compete. You can decide how you feel about how we did.”
A vastly different soccer landscape than in 1994
It doesn’t work exactly like that.
This is the second time the Men’s World Cup has been held in the United States, and the first time in 32 years since the last one in 1994. If soccer is ever going to rival football and basketball for America’s hearts, minds, and future athletes, it will be because of this World Cup.
“We hope that even people who don’t know much about soccer in the United States can feel that passion, and that we can provide services here that will get people hooked on soccer,” Weston McKennie said.
Let me be clear: Since the 1994 World Cup, the United States has made great strides toward becoming a soccer nation. There are both men’s and women’s professional leagues, and both are thriving. The United States not only produces enough players to go to Europe, but they also start for the biggest clubs and play in the continent’s biggest competitions.
Most importantly, soccer has carved out a space in the sports world beyond its traditional hotbeds. Soccer jerseys are as ubiquitous as NFL and NBA jerseys, and it’s easier to watch the EPL than an out-of-market NFL game.
But the primary purpose of bringing the World Cup to the United States, then and now, was to put soccer on an equal footing with basketball and football. To do that, the USMNT needs to show they can compete with the best teams in the world, and they have yet to do that despite having more talent than ever before.
USMNT has little to show at the World Cup
Since ending a 40-year absence from the World Cup in 1990, the Americans have never advanced beyond the quarterfinals. And its only Elite 8 appearance came back in 2002. Landon Donovan first grew hair a long time ago.
Now there is no shame in being eliminated in the round of 16 every now and then. Argentina achieved one in 2018, then returned four years later to win the World Cup title. But like the USMNT’s last three World Cup appearances, the knockout stage needs to be a base, not a ceiling.
Equally concerning is the USMNT’s performance against the world’s top teams.
This year’s American team opened with a barrage of top-10 teams Belgium and Portugal. They lost 5-2 to Belgium and 2-0 to Portugal, neither of which were as competitive as the scores indicated. Especially considering that both took place at home.
These were not one-offs either. The Americans haven’t beaten a European team in over four years. He had one win against the number one opponent at the time. 9th place Mexico in November 2021, the last 15 games against top 10 teams.
It’s no longer enough to qualify for the World Cup or make it past the group stage. It’s about time for the USMNT to start making noise.
Expanded tournament should help USMNT
The USMNT is set for success in this first-ever 48-team World Cup. The top two teams in each group, plus the top eight third-place teams, will advance to the finals. So, barring a failure in the group stage, the USMNT should be the better team in the first game of the knockout round, maybe the first two games.
The USMNT will also be supporting the entire nation when they take on Paraguay on June 12th. Few things unite Americans more than athletes with “USA” on their sleeves, and the raucous reception to the roster announcements offered a glimpse of the enthusiasm that will greet the USMNT in places like Los Angeles and Seattle.
“Why not us?” USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino asked. “I think it’s important to really believe. In sports, it’s about first believing and then working hard to get what you want. Americans know that it’s a dream and it’s impossible (to do).”
What if it isn’t? What if the USMNT struggles or leaves sooner than expected? People will tune out.
Oh, the die-hards will still watch the World Cup, and the casual observer might check in to see how Messi, Ronaldo, and Mbappe are doing. But that moment will pass. This golden opportunity to make soccer America’s game came to a screeching halt, and it would be decades before another one came along.
No pressure or anything, USMNT. Please know that the future of soccer in America depends on you.
