US Finally Wins a Game 2-0 in the Fortress that is Columbus, Ohio
The USMNT has finally beaten a Top 25 team under Pochitino as he lined up in the same 3-4-2-1 formation he ended with against Korea that yielded so many good shots. The US dominated from the start with 65% possession and a wonder goal from Man of the Match Alex Zendejas. The America’s man hit this spectacular volley (Zendejas Volley) to give the US the 1-0 lead. Zendajas Golazo in Spanish. Later the US would add an insurance goal from Flo Balogen (Balogan Goal) on a beautiful slip pass from Pulisic. (US Highlights). All in all a nice performance as I was in attendance of course. Now this was Japan’s C team mind you. So Bochitino poking his chest out like they had accomplished something was hiliarious. It beats losing – but Japan played their stars vs Mexico and their CHUMPs vs the USA. Let that sink in a second as you realize the depths that Bochitino has taken this team to in his 1 Full year on the job and the lowest ranking in 2 decades. Yes he’s been here 1 year now and still had 5 experimental MLS players in camp against 2 top 20 teams with 8 games until the World Cup. Its like he has never watched us play or watched tape (because he hasn’t) It seems the US Soccer press is beginning to Call BS just like I have for over a month now. Anyway it sure was nice to see the US actually win a game in person – albeit against Japan’s C team. I can tell you there were less than 1000 Japanese in the stadium – if the US wants to play a home game in front of a US only crowd – the ONLY places that is guaranteed to happen is in the Midwest – Columbus or Cincy.
INDY 11
Indy Eleven concludes its season-long three-game USL Championship road trip at Eastern Conference opponent Rhode Island FC on Saturday at 7:00 pm on ESPN+. Midfielder Jack Blake and goalkeeper Hunter Sulte have earned USL Championship “Team of the Week” honors after helping the Boys in Blue to a key road victory at Hartford Athletic last week. For Blake, it is the fourth time in 2025 and the 12th time in the past two seasons that he has gotten this recognition. Sulte is a two-time “Team of the Week” selection this year and a four-time pick in his two-year Indy Eleven career.
Champions League Returns Tues/Wed/Thur next week on Paramount+, CBSSN, Prime Video
Group play starts Tuesday with 12:45 and 3 pm time slots all 3 days and constant coverage starting at 12 noon everyday and lasting thru the wrap up shows after the games.
All Youth Players who wear their Jersey to the Game will get FREE ADMISSION vs #19 Columbus North
TV GAME SCHEDULE
Sat, Sept 13
7:30 am USA Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest
10 am USA Fulham (Robinson) vs Leeds United (Aaronson)
10 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Sunderland
12 noon Para+ Juventus vs Inter
12:30 pm NBC Westham United vs Tottenham
12:30 pm CBS NC Courage vs Angel City NWSL
12:30 pm ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Hamburger
3 pm USA Brentford vs Chelsea
3 pm ESPN+ Atletico Madrid (Cardosa) vs Villareal
5 pm Tubi Orlando Pride vs Bay FC NWSL
7:30 pm Tubi KC City vs Washington Spirit NWSL
7:30 pm Apple DC United vs Orlando City
8:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs LA Galaxy
8:30 pm Apple Dallas vs Austin
Sun, Sept 14
9 am USA Burnley (Adams) vs Liverpool
11:30 am USA Man City vs Man United
11:30 am ESPN+ M’Gladbach (Reyna, Scally) vs Werder Bremen
2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Bologna
3 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Valencia
3 pm ESPN Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns NWSL
6 pm Golazo, Para Utah Royals vs Houston Dash NWSL
8 pm Golazo, Para Seattle Reign vs Racing Louisville NWSL
Tues, Sept 16 – Champions League
12:45 pm CBSSN PSV (Dest) vs Union SG
12:45 pm PAra+ Athletic Club vs Arsenal
3 pm Para+ Juve vs Dortmund
3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Olympique Marseille
3 pm Para+ Tottenham vs Villareal
3 pm Para+ Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Millwall League Cup
8 pm CBSSN Nashville SC vs Philly Union US Open Cup Semi Final
Weds, Sept 17- Champions League
3 pm CBSSN Ajax vs Inter Milan
3 pm Para+ Bayern Munich vs Chelsea
3 pm PAra+ Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid (Cardoso)
3 pm Para+ PSG vs Atalanta
8 pm CBSSN Minn vs Austin US Open Cup Semi
Thurs, Sept 18 – Champions League
12:45 pm CBSSN Kabenhavn vs Bayer Leverkusen (Tilman)
12;45 pm Para, Prime Club Brugge vs Monaco
3 pm CBSSN Frankfort vs Galatasaray
3 pm Para+, Uni New Castle vs Barcelona
3 pm Para, Prime Man City vs Napoli
10:30 pm CBSSN Angel City vs Washington Spirit (Rodman)
Fri, Sept 19
8 pm Prime Houston Dash vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL
10 pm CBSSN, Prime Utah Royals vs Racing Louisville NWSL
Sat, Sept 20
7:30 am USA Liverpool vs Everton
7:30 am CBSSN Leicester City vs Coventry City (Wright)
9:30 am ESPN+ Hoffenhiem vs Bayern Munich
10 am USA Burnley (Adams) vs Nottingham Forest
10 am Peacock West Ham vs Crystal Palace (Richards)
10 am Peacock Wolverhampton vs Leeds (Aaronson)
10 am Para, Prime Norwich City (Sargent) vs Wrexham
10:15 am ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Espanyol
12 noon Para+ Hellas Verona vs Juventus
2:45 pm Para+ Udinese vs AC Milan (Pulisic)
12:30 pm NBC Man United vs Chelsea
3 pm USA Fulham (Robinson) vs Brentford
7:30 pm TUBI KC Current vs Seattle Reign NWSL
10 pm TUBI Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave NWSL
Sun, Sept 21
9 am USA Bournmouth vs New Castle
10:15 am ESPN+ Mallorca vs Atletico Madrid (Cardosa)
11:30 am ESPN+ Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman) vs B Mgladbach (Scally, Reyna)
11:30 am USA Arsenal vs Man City
2:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Sassuolo
2:45 pm beIN Sport Olympique Marseille (Weah) vs PSG
3 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Getafe
8:30 pm ESPN2 Bay FC vs NY/NJ Gotham FC NWSL
9 pm FS 1 LAFC (Son) vs Real Salt Lake (Luna)
Fri, Oct 10
8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador
Tues, Oct 14
9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia
Thurs, Oct 23
9 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Chester PA
Sun, Oct 26
4 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Hartford CT
Sat, Nov 15
5 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Paraguay Chester PA
Tues, Nov 18
7 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
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US MEN
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Back again
Carlisle: Zendejas’ star turn comes at perfect time for him, USMNT
Zendejas’ starring role has come at the right time for himself and the USMNT
The USMNT heads to October after a convincing 2-0 win over Japan
Pulisic rates 9/10 as Japan win gets USMNT back on track
As the World Cup nears, does Pochettino know USMNT’s starting XI?
USMNT: Whose stock rose or dropped after September window?
Sebastian Berhalter: From nearly quitting to USMNT breakthrough
USMNT bring back good vibes vs. Japan: “We all believe”
Pochettino preaches positivity for USMNT: “We stick with the plan”
USMNT vow to “keep going” after South Korea setback
Carlisle: USMNT loss to South Korea another misstep in World Cup prep
USMNT searching for a result against Japan after South Korea defeat
Report: USMNT considering March friendlies against Portugal, Belgium
Columbus is once again the US Fortress
Goalkeeping
Indy 11 Keeper up for USL Save of Week
GK after bad Game
Low Dives – What we Worked on Last Week at CFC
Donnarumma’s arrival signals a shift for Man City under Guardiola
World
Donnarumma’s arrival signals a shift for Man City under Guardiola
🚑 Groin discomfort, Barça confirm medical report on Lamine Yamal
Carlo Ancelotti eyes Brazil renewal, focused on 2030 World Cup
Martin Odegaard injury news — Arsenal captain forced off again
UEFA delays decision on allowing Barcelona to play in Miami, AC Milan in Australia
Bolivia stuns Brazil
MLS
Matchday 33: What to know for this weekend’s must-watch matches
MVP Power Rankings: Anders Dreyer, Lionel Messi battle for top spot
Matchday 33: Who can clinch playoffs or be eliminated?
NWSL
Alyssa Thompson’s move to Chelsea included tearful goodbyes and pizza
Gotham FC bets big, adds Jaedyn Shaw to its star-studded squad
Reffing
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Back again
Some of our most watched leagues embark on a new season.
Saturday
Fulham v Leeds United – 10a on USA Network: Antonee Robinson and Fulham will face Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United on Saturday morning. Robinson came off the bench in Fulham’s two most recent matches to play 20-30 minutes, and remained with his club over the break as he continues his recovery. Aaronson has also been coming off the bench for Leeds and getting roughly the same number of minutes though it seems clear that it is in a designed role and not an effort to get his minutes up over time. Fullham fell to Chelsea 2-0 ahead of the break and are still looking for their first win on the season while Leeds have thoroughly mixed results, opening the season with a win before being thrashed 5-0 by Arsenal and then rebounding with a draw against Newcastle.
Crystal Palace v Sunderland – 10a on Peacock: Chris Richards has played every minute of the first three matches for Crystal Palace and the club picked up their first win of the season, 3-0 over Aston Villa, heading into the break. They now face a newly promoted Sunderland side that have won two of their first three matches, defeating both West Ham and Brentford in the opening weeks of the season.
Bournemouth v Brighton & Hove Albion – 10a on Peacock: Tyler Adams and Bournemouth have won their past two matches 1-0 defeating Wolverhampton and Tottenham with Adams playing nearly every minute of the match though he also received a yellow card in each match. Bournemouth bounced back well after their season opening 4-2 loss to Liverpool and currently sit in seventh place, three points back of the league leaders.
Coventry City v Norwich City – 10a on Paramount+: Haji Wright and Josh Sargent will face off in English Championship action this weekend. Wright and Coventry have won twice and drawn twice in their first four matches of the season and currently sit in fifth place with Wright scoring in each of the team’s last three matches. Meanwhile Sargent, who may be running out of chances with the USMNT, was named the Championship player of the month after scoring five goals in the teams first four matches, including both goals of Norwich’s 2-0 win over Blackburn heading into the break two weeks ago.
Juventus v Inter Milan – Noon on Paramount+: Weston McKennie has seen just a minute in each of Juventus’s first two matches of the season, wins over Parma and Genoa. It seems that he has work to do to once again work his way back into the squad, a position he is very familiar with and has been very successful at. Juve have a huge matchup this weekend with last seasons runners up, Inter Milan.
NEC v PSV – 12:45p on ESPN Select: Sergnio Dest, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV will look to bounce back from a shocking 2-0 loss to Telstar heading into the International break. Dest started the match, as he has each of PSV’s first four matches, while Pepi came on at the half for his first extended appearance of the season.
Club America v Guadalajara – 11:15p on Paramount+: Alejandro Zendejas and Club America are undefeated in their first seven matches of the Liga MX Apertura with just two draws though they are still in second place, a point back of Monterrey who have won six matches and lost once. Zendejas has appeared in every match and started all but one.
Saturday MLS Matches with USMNT flavor – the below MLS players were called into the September camp and with the exception of the backup keeper, Roman Celentano, each made at least a brief appearance in the friendlies against South Korea and Japan:
- Atlanta United v Columbus Crew – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass (Apple TV): Max Arfsten and Sean Zawadski
- Charlotte v Inter Miami – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass: Tim Ream
- DC United v Orlando City SC – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass: Alex Freeman
- Cincinnati v Nashville SC – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass: Roman Celentano
- Seattle Sounders v LA Galaxy – 8:30p on MLS Season Pass: Cristian Roldan
- Chicago Fire v NYCFC – 8:30p on MLS Season Pass: Matt Freese
- Vancouver Whitecaps v Philadelphia Union – 9:30p on MLS Season Pass: Tristan Blackmon and Sebastian Berhalter v Nathan Harriel
- Real Salt Lake v Sporting Kansas City – 9:30p on MLS Season Pass: Diego Luna
- Colorado Rapids v Houston Dynamo – 9:30p on MLS Season Pass: Jack McGlynn
- San Diego v Minnesota United – 9:30p on MLS Season Pass: Luca de la Torre
Sunday
Southampton v Portsmouth – 7a on CBSSN: Damion Downs did not appear against South Korea and saw just a handful of minutes off the bench in the match against Japan, a role which matches what he’s seen thus far this season with his club in the English Championship. Downs has appeared in three of four matches as a substitute for Southampton, missing one due to illness.
Atalanta v Lecce – 9a on CBSSN: Yunus Musah spent the international break joining his new club, Atalanta who finished last season in third place in Serie A though they are still looking for their first win this season. Musah’s role with his new club remains to be seen, he had started in the midfield for AC Milan just ahead of his transfer, playing the full 90’ in the teams 2-0 win.
Lille v Toulouse – 9a on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse suffered a 6-3 loss to PSG heading into the international break and will look to wipe the slate clean as they face Lille on Sunday. McKenzie has played every minute thus far for Toulouse who won their first two matches, without surrendering a goal, before being crushed by PSG in their most recent match.
St. Pauli v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: James Sands started St Pauli’s first two matches of the season, a draw with Borussia Dortmund and a win over Hamburger, playing almost every minute early for a club that is picking up points early in the season and looking to put some ground between themselves and the threat of relegation. St. Pauli face Augsburg this weekend. Augsburg is coming off a 2-3 loss to Bayern Munich, a loss in which Noahkai banks saw 1’ minute off the bench, which was one more minute than he received while on international break with the USMNT.
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen – 11:30a on ESPN Select: Joe Scally, Gio Reyna, and Borussia Monchengladbach are looking for their first win, and first goal, of the season as they face Werder Bremen on Sunday. Gladbach opened the season with a scoreless draw against newly promoted Hamburger and fell 1-0 to Stuttgart in week two. Scally started both matches at rightback while Reyna has yet to appear for his new club. Werder Bremen also have one loss and one draw in their first two matches though they have given up seven goals in the two matches.
Rennes v Olympique Lyon – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann has started the season playing every minute for a Lyon side that have won their first three matches. Lyon are tied with PSG for the league lead with both teams also having a +5 goal differential. This weekend Lyon will face a Rennes side that are 1-1-1 to start the season and sitting in ninth place. Interestingly Rennes have played down a man in two of their three matches, the season opening win over Marseille as well as a 4-0 loss to Lorient in the second week of the season.
AC Milan v Bologna – 2:45p on Paramount+: Christian Pulisic scored his first goal of the season after coming on as a substitute late in AC Milan’s 2-0 win over Lecce just ahead of the break. Milan face a Bologna side who opened the season with a 1-0 loss to Roma before bouncing back and defeating Como 1-0. Milan will be looking to make a move up the table this season, relative to their disappointing eighth place finish last season, and a home win over a team that finished a point back of them would be the type of result they will need.
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World Cup Onside/Offside: Good win for USMNT, Messi’s last dance?
- Luis Miguel Echegaray
Sep 10, 2025, 01:10 PM ETareside! This week, Luis Miguel Echegaray recaps some of the most notable highlights from the international break. From jubilation in west Africa and the heights of El Alto in South America to a spark of encouragement in Columbus, Ohio, here is LME’s point of view as World Cup qualifiers took center stage.
ONSIDE: Finally, a spark for the U.S.
After Saturday’s uninspiring 2-0 loss to South Korea in Harrison, New Jersey, with another disjointed performance, the United States men’s national team finally gave its fans a reason to believe in Mauricio Pochettino’s project, beating Japan 2-0 at Columbus, Ohio’s Lower.com Field on Tuesday night.
Pochettino reacted to the South Korea loss by tinkering both in strategy and lineup (five changes from Saturday) so his side could better the agile, high-possession mentality of Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan, a team I think will do very well next summer. And so he went back to the playbook from his Southampton and Tottenham days, when he often employed a 3-4-3 (or 3-4-2-1) formation in order to play the role of contrarian against teams who enjoy buildup play. That’s exactly what happened Tuesday night as the U.S. pressed, attacked and exploited the massive holes that were available due to their high-press mentality.
It was classic, old-school Pochettino, and it worked.
– Carlisle: Zendejas’ star turn comes at perfect time for him, USMNT
– Marcotti: Gattuso taught Italy to attack, but at what cost?
– Hunter: Will anyone stop Spain winning the World Cup in 2026?
Christian Pulisic — who was not part of the squad during the summer, which yielded plenty of criticism — was magnificent Tuesday night, finding so much freedom in possession as he constantly recovered the ball, made chances and notched an assist for Falorin Balogun. Club América’s Alex Zendejas was also excellent, capping a great performance with a lovely goal.
I also think that if there is meant to be any success in the future, it must unequivocally involve Chris Richards because I cannot overstate enough the importance of the center back from Crystal Palace. He is vital to everything the U.S. does.
Now, the actual result against Japan is neither here nor there — this was a friendly, after all, and the U.S. opponents rotated heavily after their draw with México, meaning key starters such as Liverpool‘s Wataru Endo, Takefusa Kubo from Real Sociedad didn’t play while others (Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, Monaco’s Takumi Minamino) entered only as substitutes. This also wasn’t the U.S. team’s “strongest” XI either, but let’s not focus on this point; instead, let’s remember the bigger takeaway. On Tuesday night in Columbus, they players — and Pochettino — were able to see the personality of a cohesive, resilient and creative side and in my opinion, it was their best performance since the Argentinian took over.
I do think, however, that playing every single friendly on American soil is not necessarily a good thing for this team because tougher challenges will come their way. Instead, I wish they tested themselves more often in hostile environments against a legitimate World Cup contender.
Now, some have argued to me that in a nation with massive support for Mexico and other nations, playing in the U.S., from the Americans’ perspective, can already seem like playing in an away environment. But that’s not the same. I am talking about a U.S. side that, for the sake of hypothetical argument, should travel to Monumental stadium and face Argentina, or head to north Africa and test itself against Morocco in Rabat. Heck: forget major teams. Go and play a team such as Scotland or Indonesia, it doesn’t matter. The point is to face them at their house, in front of their fans, their culture and their support.
Canada, for example, did exactly that in the September window, with Jesse Marsch’s men winning 3-0 away at Romania and 1-0 against Wales in Swansea. The result is quite honestly secondary to the lessons you can learn when you play in alien territory, because this is how you learn how to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and if you want to make history at next summer’s World Cup, you have to be ready for everything. Being a host nation won’t save you.
The Americans’ remaining matches for the year are against Ecuador, Australia, Paraguay and Uruguay — all good testers for 2026, but they’re all happening in the USA. After that, there are reports of games in March against European giants such as Belgium and Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal, depending on their own qualification routes. These are all very strong opponents to warm up against, but I think playing in this kind of proverbial bubble, always at home, helps no one, most notably the United States men’s national team. Being a host nation means very little once the whistle is blown and the game kicks off.
But let me finish with a positive because on Tuesday night, Pochettino’s U.S. team played a tremendous game, which is hopefully a sign of continued progress and ultimate confidence that can build toward something very special by the time June comes around.
ONSIDE: The underdogs rise up in South America and Africa
South America’s automatic places for next summer’s competition were already cemented as Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay had booked their tickets before the final matchday. So all eyes centered on Venezuela and Bolivia, who were looking to earn that seventh spot, which would put them in the intercontinental playoff spot.
Venezuela had the upper hand heading into the evening, but a heartbreaking 6-3 defeat at the hands of Colombia meant that Bolivia had an opportunity to do something they hadn’t done since 2009 — win against Brazil, and leapfrog Venezuela for seventh place. Just like 16 years ago, La Verde had the altitude to rely on as their Municipal stadium in El Alto stands at an overwhelming 13,600 feet above sea level — 1,800 feet more than their previous stadium in La Paz. Bolivia used this to their fullest advantage, not losing a single qualifier at home. In fact, in this campaign, they broke a World Cup qualifying record for most points earned with 20 points, and their singular victory away from home was against Chile last year, which ended up being incredibly important.
Against Brazil, they grabbed a 1-0 win thanks to a questionable penalty decision — what’s CONMEBOL without a little drama, eh? — but it must also be said that this has been a campaign in which Óscar Villegas’ team has played its heart out. In the end, Bolivia earned the playoff spot and are now closer to returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1994, which was funnily enough also hosted by the United States. This would also be the second time in Bolivia’s history where they have actually qualified for the tournament: their two other previous World Cup appearances (1930 and 1950) were done through invitation.Meanwhile, in Africa, Cape Verde — with a population equivalent to the city of Atlanta — won a historic game over Cameroon 1-0, meaning that the Blue Sharks have a lead at the top of their qualification group by five points. One more victory from their final two matches and they’ll be heading to their first-ever World Cup. After the final whistle, Cape Verde fans stormed the pitch, celebrating what could be an incredible conclusion to their campaign.Now, it must be said that if you’re an avid African football fan, this is not a complete surprise as this beautiful country, which consists of 10 islands and multiple islets, have done very well in recent years, including a quarterfinal appearance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, but let’s not undermine this achievement. When you’re topping your group, one that includes a powerhouse like Cameroon, it is a testament to their work.
OFFSIDE: The end is nigh as the final chapters of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are about to be written
Last Thursday night in Buenos Aires, Lionel Messi played his final World Cup qualifier with Argentina. The evening — a 3-0 win for the defending World Cup champions over Venezuela — also yielded a brace from Messi to make it 36 goals from 72 games in CONMEBOL qualifying, which convincingly leads the history books on the continent. On Tuesday night, La Albiceleste lost 1-0 against Ecuador, but regardless, it comfortably concluded their 2026 qualifying campaign at the top of the table.
Messi, who sealed this campaign as the top scorer in South American qualifiers with eight goals, didn’t play in Guayaquil as he returned to the U.S. in order to get ready for Inter Miami’s final run towards MLS playoff, so this essentially means that Messi’s career in World Cup qualifiers is done. His presence at next summer’s tournament is also, at this moment, not guaranteed.
“Given my age, the most logical thing is that it won’t happen,” the 38-year-old star said last week, also holding the record for most appearances at the World Cup. “I’m excited, eager, but I’m taking it day by day, match by match. … I’ll continue as I have been, taking it day by day, trying to feel good, and above all, being honest with myself. When I feel good, I enjoy it. And if I’m not good, I have a bad time and I’d rather not be there. I’ll see. … I haven’t made a decision about the World Cup.”Why is Lionel Messi not committing to the 2026 World Cup with Argentina?Kasey Keller and Alejandro Moreno discuss Lionel Messi’s future with Argentina ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile in Europe, where UEFA qualifiers don’t finish until November, Cristiano Ronaldo also had a joyous international window. His pair of goals against Armenia in Portugal’s 5-0 rout meant that his 38 goals in World Cup qualifiers surpassed Messi and put him just one behind the recordholder, the legendary Carlos Ruíz from Guatemala. On Tuesday against Hungary, Ronaldo tied Ruíz with a penalty as Portugal won 3-2 against Hungary.Ronaldo, 40, also extended his international scoring record to 141 goals in 223 games. He will be 41 in February and his aim — just like Messi — is to play in a record sixth World Cup.So will we see a “Last Dance” next summer? Will the 2026 men’s World Cup be Messi and Ronaldo’s curtain call on the international stage?Even contemplating this feels surreal because after two decades of astonishing success and jaw-dropping memories, it’s almost unbelievable to believe that in the very near future, we will not see them play ever again, whether it’s for club or country.Years and years from now, younger generations will ask us about their incredible rivalry. They will ask about the most remarkable, inspiring and breathtaking time in the history of the sport when two superstars controlled the game in the palm of their hands and in turn, as we tell them all about it, we will als
Pulisic rates 9/10 as Japan win gets USMNT back on track
- Cesar HernandezSep 9, 2025, 10:13 PM ET
Goals from Alejandro Zendejas and Folarin Balogun led the United States men’s national team to a 2-0 victory over Japan in a friendly at Columbus, Ohio’s Lower.com Field on Tuesday.
Following Saturday’s 2-0 loss to South Korea, the USMNT quickly bounced back with a more proactive attack through an experimental 3-4-3 formation. In a first half that included 63% possession, the home side created danger through high-pressing fullbacks Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman. After a clever dribble from Arfsten in the 30th minute, the 24-year-old launched a cross that found Zendejas, who impressively volleyed the ball into the back of the net.The U.S. continued its attacking influence in the second half.In 64th minute, the Americans doubled their lead after a pacey run from Christian Pulisic led to an assist for Balogun’s goal. Despite Japan shaking things up with second-half subs that wrestled back some of the momentum, the 2-0 result was cemented by the final whistle for the home team that had a late second wind in the dying minutes of the match.Looking ahead in their ongoing World Cup preparation, coach Mauricio Pochettino and his U.S. roster will take part in friendlies next month against Ecuador on Oct. 10 and Australia on Oct. 14.
Manager rating (scale of 1-10)
Mauricio Pochettino, 8 — Credit where credit is due. Pochettino took a tactical gamble after not only ringing in five different changes from his previous XI but also testing out a 3-4-3 formation. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, there were some questionable defensive moments in the new setup and goalkeeper Matt Freese was kept fairly busy by Japan’s opportunities. Nonetheless, the overall performance is a step forward after the loss to South Korea.
– As the World Cup nears, does Pochettino know USMNT’s starting XI?
– USMNT Player Performance Index: Top 50 Americans ranked by club form
– Carlisle: USMNT loss to South Korea another misstep in World Cup prep
USMNT Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best; 5 = average)
GK Matt Freese, 9 — USA’s starting spot in net appears to be his to lose after earning a clean sheet thanks to his six saves. He fumbled the ball during one of those interventions, but it didn’t end up hurting the scoreline.
DF Tim Ream, 6 — An inconsistent but decent evening for the captain. While he was a vital distributor that was able to get forward, Ream also found himself losing aerial deals and occasionally chasing attacking players.
DF Chris Richards, 7 — Not bad from the Premier League player who added more confidence to the backline. Provided crucial interventions but also had some imprecise passes going forward.
DF Tristan Blackmon, 6 — An improvement after his shaky debut last week. Although his decision-making may not be at an elite national team level, Blackmon still dished out some important clearances.
MF Max Arfsten, 8 — Looked much more comfortable in an advanced role. Wasn’t the strongest during defensive moments, but that may not matter much when you consider his attacking presence that created the assist for the first goal.
MF Cristian Roldan, 6 — A mixed bag from the central midfielder that was able to win back possession, but also didn’t regularly win his duels in the heart of the XI.
MF Tyler Adams, 7 — It wasn’t a vintage Adams performance, but it was still a big improvement from last week. Some crucial interventions in the midfield and plenty of accurate passing.
MF Alex Freeman, 7 — Granted, Freeman wasn’t superb defensively and could have done a better job with his distribution, but he should hold his head high with the ground he covered on the right flank and his overall involvement in the attack. A promising 90+ minutes.
FW Christian Pulisic, 9 — Roamed around, created his own opportunities with recoveries, dropped deep and then clinched the well-earned assist for Balogun’s goal.
FW Folarin Balogun, 8 — A clear upgrade over Josh Sargent. Balogun linked well with the frontline and created plenty of danger with his attacking presence. Briefly went quiet before scoring the second goal of the match.
FW Alex Zendejas, 9 — Zendejas dove into a tackle that earned a yellow card early on but quickly bounced back with his goal and clever movement in the final third. A statement performance from the highly involved Club America winger.
Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
FW Diego Luna, 8 — An energetic cameo from the young player that was a focal point in the buildup and almost earned an assist in the final minutes.
MF Jack McGlynn, 8 — Nearly scored twice, with the second shot rocketing off the crossbar.
MF Sergiño Dest, 7 — Provided the pass that led to McGlynn’s shot that hit the crossbar. Another player that could benefit from Pochettino’s change in formation.
MF Luca de la Torre, 7 — Accurate with his distribution and almost secured an assist from McGlynn’s first short-range opportunity.
FW Damion Downs, N/A — Subbed on in the 79th minute.
DF Nathan Harriel, N/A — Subbed on in the 84th minute.
Pochettino’s back three worked for the USMNT. What might that mean for the World Cup?
By Jeff Rueter The Athletic Sept. 10, 2025
Mauricio Pochettino wasn’t hired to help the U.S. men’s national team win games against regional opponents or friendlies. Those were two areas in which predecessor Gregg Berhalter was still excelling up until the end of his tenure as coach. The perceived value of investing $6 million annually in the Argentine manager was his history of success in the club game. With his pedigree, the theory went, his fresh eyes could find diamonds in the rough of his new player pool and configure a system that would give the USMNT a better chance of making a deep run at the 2026 World Cup.A year isn’t a long time in a job, but it’s over halfway from when Pochettino assumed the role and when his ultimate performance review will commence after the World Cup comes to North America. At a certain point along the way, it’s expected there would be signs of progress.On Tuesday night, we finally saw some evidence of evolution. Pochettino seemed to adapt based on persistent issues with his base 4-2-3-1 — which he had used in all 11 games to date in 2025 — to a 3-4-2-1. By dropping a player from the attacking line beneath his striker and introducing a third center back, his team was able to play with more decisiveness in transition and more downhill intentionality.“I think we have players that play in this new formation,” Pochettino said after his team’s 2-0 win over Japan on Tuesday, listing a few defenders whose clubs play a similar system. “I think it’s good to have different plans, approach to the games, use different formations.”
It was successful, albeit in a win over a fully rotated side that qualified for the World Cup this spring. But it also led to a more entertaining performance from the USMNT than we’ve seen in some time. That latter point seems more dependably replicable in this shape, too.Throughout his first year, the U.S. player pool has been thoroughly examined as Pochettino familiarizes himself with dozens of previously unknown options. Some recurring issues were understandable consequences of his continued chopping and changing. Others suggested he just didn’t have the players available to make his ideal system sing.Often, a team that’s struggling to generate chances or results will flock to the wing for refuge. The wide areas are less congested than the central third, offering more open room for carries and give-and-go sequences that can quickly move upfield. It rewards players’ athleticism and instinct while helping advance in spite of a system that isn’t quite a well-oiled machine.One finding from the Gold Cup was that Max Arfsten was not a natural answer at left back in a 4-2-3-1. Arfsten plays as an attacking wingback with the Columbus Crew, and he didn’t have the awareness or defensive composure as the ball neared the box. The same zone was repeatedly targeted at the 2025 Concacaf Nations League, when Joe Scally started in defeats against Panama and Canada. Thus far, there’s no proven alternative to Antonee Robinson on the left in a back four.In this 3-4-2-1, Arfsten was playing a far more similar role to the one he occupies at the club level. His opposite number, Alex Freeman, plays his club soccer on the right edge of a back four. However, the 21-year-old has the mobility and positional awareness to play a more advanced role, as he often factors into the Orlando City attack.
For the first 15 minutes Tuesday, it was Freeman who was pinning Japan back with dribbles upfield. The opponent began to catch on, shifting its center a bit to its left to slow him down. Perhaps fueled by playing at the Crew’s home stadium, Arfsten had confidence and space to operate on the left, providing the game’s breakthrough with a well-looped cross.
Even at his defensive shakiest, Arfsten remained in Pochettino’s first team thanks to his attacking dynamism. He’s good value to win his attempted take-ons when dribbling, an invaluable trait to progress upfield while creating space for himself to cross. Asking him to lean into his bag of tricks is a less risky idea when there’s an extra center back to cover the defensive duties he was already struggling to handle. It also gets him into spots to make more actions like these, dribbling until he finds his crossing angle.
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The use of a wingback helps solve for one of the player pool’s biggest deficiencies. While Christian Pulisic is the current generation’s greatest success and Tim Weah has forged a steady career in Europe, the U.S. pool is concerningly thin on the wings. Rather than forcing the issue, this tweak to a base 3-4-3 operates with two attackers beneath the striker in the channel — more like attacking midfielders than touchline-hugging wingers.
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That’s great news for Pulisic, Weah and Alex Zendejas, who are each more natural goalscorer than chance-creating crosser. It’s also good news for Malik Tillman, Diego Luna and, potentially, Gio Reyna, who would still have an obvious home in the half-spaces. Pochettino could find his favored combination based on the matchup, offering simple tweaks to the format for each match.
The formation shift might also be a welcome change for his star pupil. As a left winger playing out wide, Pulisic can struggle with his decision-making in possession sequences and transition alike, needing to cut in-field and survey passing options while acknowledging his instinct to set up his own shot. In the seam, he has a bit less to mull over as he’s already at a shooting angle…
…or able to slip a ball between the marking defender and a center back being pulled out of position away from his striker, as he did here to set up Folarin Balogun for the clincher vs. Japan. Don’t underestimate the value of Arfsten’s comfort in this role, offering a needed off-ball run to put the right half of the backline in two minds and thus giving Pulisic a little more space with which to operate. That has a trickle-down effect on the striker, who could get a little extra room with two more scoring threats or creators in close proximity.
As Pulisic exited following the assist, he gave Pochettino an affirmative nod while his coach gave a wink and a nod. Seemingly, they won’t see a need to swap barbs about this change on podcasts.
Mauricio Pochettino’s changes paid off vs. Japan (Koji Watanabe / Getty Images)
After halftime, Pochettino told the TNT broadcast that he was happy to see his team getting used to “another system.” Given how it performed, we haven’t seen the last of it. So what does that change about the squad permutations heading into the 2026 World Cup?
The biggest question about how viable this 3-4-2-1 will be has to do with the position group most directly impacted: the midfield. No area of the field has been rotated more heavily and consistently under Pochettino, with the previous cycle’s set-in-stone baseline of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah fully deconstructed to examine new options.
It goes without saying that two midfielders will have to cover more ground without a third teammate in the engine room. Sometimes, that’ll slow upfield progression until the ball sprays wide. Other times, it’ll allow opponents to take shots if they get behind the midfield and the backline is holding its ground, as Kōki Ogawa attempted in the 70th minute before seeing his chipped shot clang off the crossbar.
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While line-breaking with dribbles and passes alike is still a major benefit, tirelessness and agility to follow a play as the ball leaves your proximity are even more mandatory in a double-pivot. It may mean more coordinated in-game rotation to keep legs fresh, or more trust in players who are used to playing in a two-man midfield (like Cristian Roldan, this camp’s late inclusion).
Playing with two midfielders is also a risk sheerly in terms of Pochettino’s personnel. The pool is pretty deep in central midfield; beyond the incumbent ‘MMA’ trio, Tanner Tessman and Aidan Morris continue to thrive since moving to Europe, while Johnny Cardoso, Sebastian Berhalter and Luca De La Torre have continued to warrant looks with the national team.
Almost certainly, two of the players named above will miss the World Cup squad; it might be three if Pochettino needs more center back depth. Considering the lack of surefire center backs who can be starters at an international level, he might want the safety of choice.
USMNT center backs Chris Richards (3) and Tim Ream (13) with goal-scoring winger Alex Zendejas (Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
If the midfield represents the pool’s deep end, then center back may be its wading area. Chris Richards and Tim Ream are the only options who have continued to make the majority of Pochettino’s camps, with Ream a month shy of his 38th birthday. Mark McKenzie starts for Toulouse in Ligue 1, but was bypassed in both September friendlies for the previously uncapped Tristan Blackmon. Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman are holdovers from Berhalter’s core. Celtic duo Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both missed this camp, and with the Scottish side missing out on the Champions League, they may not get the big-game tests needed to work back into Pochettino’s plans.
Of the program’s fullbacks, most — from Arfsten and Freeman to Sergiño Dest, Scally and John Tolkin — are more comfortable going forward than doing defensive work. The only exceptions are Robinson and Freeman; both could serve as makeshift wide center backs to offer further wide options and variety in possession, or play more naturally out wide.
The story of the September window, narratively, was one of impatience: discouragement that the team didn’t look more ready for next summer’s close-up, and confusion about the continued vetting of fresh faces so close to a World Cup. To Pochettino, a career club manager, friendlies may as well be his preseason. A string of bad results will harsh the vibe, but the losses can be spun into positive if lessons were learned.
“It’s hard to be more consistent,” Pochettino said. “(This) formation is more simple to understand, for the players, than the formation that we started in (against) South Korea.” From there, he emphasized the change as a chance to “simplify things” and lean into his players’ strengths. “We have a squad that can fit very well in that formation.”
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In that sense, the change in shape against Japan may have provided valuable validation of his trust in players like Arfsten and evidence that this new formation could fit his player pool best. There’s still a lot of work to be done, especially in midfield. But for now, the U.S. fanbase can see a sign of evolution under Pochettino — and, after such a tense aftermath to Saturday’s defeat against South Korea, that sure looks like some measure of progress.
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Jeff Rueter is a senior soccer writer for The Athletic who covers the game in North America, Europe, and beyond. No matter how often he hears the Number 10 role is “dying,” he’ll always leave a light on for the next great playmaker. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffrueter
Pochettino shows signs of pointing USMNT in a positive direction
By Charlie Davies Sept. 11, 2025 The Athletic
It has taken exactly one year, but at long last we have witnessed some signs of progress from Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. men’s national team.
It’s nothing dramatic or radical, but after slumping to what has felt like the lowest levels possible, Pochettino and his players have given us a glimmer of hope. Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Japan was much-needed, but it wasn’t so much the result that pleased me, welcome as a win was after Saturday’s miserable performance against South Korea.It was the performance that cheered me the most; the ‘look and feel’ of a team that many, including me, had begun to fear was drifting aimlessly toward an inevitable disappointment in June’s World Cup. They suggested that maybe the die is not cast. That perhaps, we can still dream a little. Maybe.Collectively, Pochettino’s group, at last, looked something like a team rather than just a gathering of hopefuls thrown together for a tryout. And individually, there were some performances that reminded us that, as much as we may have despaired at recent displays, there is some talent with which the Argentine coach can work.Of course, we can’t get carried away. This was a Japan side missing many of its first-choice players, a ‘B team’ at best. But this wasn’t a full-strength USMNT either, and ultimately you can only beat what is in front of you.Crucially, for the first time in Pochettino’s tenure, there was a system change that made sense, a formation that fit the players and a collective comfort that has been sorely lacking. The manager may not overly concern himself with tactics, but he made a change and rolled out a back three with wingbacks — a shape that clearly played to the strengths of this squad. It made a real difference and allowed the U.S. to rely on the athleticism of its wide players, with Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman given license to attack.Arfsten, in particular, looked liberated, surging forward with the confidence he shows weekly for the Columbus Crew. Freeman, raw but with real potential, was less tidy on the ball but showed flashes of what he could become. Questions remain about the defensive side of his game, however. Early on he looked vulnerable, as Japan’s 23-year-old right wingback Henry Mochizuki targeted him. But he grew into the game as the U.S. took more control of possession, which allowed him to focus on his strengths going forward. That progression is encouraging.
USMNT had plenty to celebrate during its performance vs. Japan (Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY Network / Imagn Images)
Antonee Robinson is the first choice at left back, but it is reassuring to see that Arfsten, who provided a pinpoint cross for Alex Zendejas’ opener, might have the potential to be a credible backup in a position where there is little depth, which would allow Pochettino to avoid shoehorning Tim Weah or Sergiño Dest into a left wingback role.Freeman is at an earlier stage of his development and the World Cup might come too soon for him, but he also looked more confident in a system where he didn’t have the sole responsibility of defending.The back line itself, felt settled for the first time in ages. Chris Richards is now the undisputed leader at center back, and apart from one badly misplaced pass, he exuded calm and intelligence. He plays in a back three at Crystal Palace and looked very much at home in that system.Tim Ream also looked better in a back three and at the moment he, too, looks to have a spot in the first-choice starting XI. Ream is more at ease when the defensive line is a little lower and with his experience and reading of the game, there doesn’t appear to yet be a real challenger to him on the left of the back three.Tristan Blackmon was better vs. Japan than he was against South Korea, but he is still untested at the top level, and there remains a place up for grabs. Pochettino did not get a true look at Noahkai Banks, the 18-year-old who has broken into the first team at Augsburg in the German Bundesliga. Perhaps his chance comes in the October friendlies against Ecuador and Australia.Matt Freese in goal has been solid, and at the moment the No. 1 jersey is his to lose. He may not yet look like the heir to the long list of top goalkeepers that this country has produced, but he is currently ahead of his rivals for that role.If left back has been a perennial headache, midfield is suddenly a source of abundance. The inclusion of 30-year-old MLS stalwart Cristian Roldan raised eyebrows — he’s had his chances and never quite convinced at international level — but his attitude and professionalism are beyond reproach. Roldan is the kind of player every squad needs: a glue guy, a leader in the locker room, someone who raises the standard without ever becoming a distraction. In a tournament setting, when you’re picking your final 26 and know some players might not see the field, you want a Roldan, not a malcontent, in the team camp.His performance against Japan was quietly effective, and with the likes of Weston McKennie, Johnny Cardoso, Malik Tillman, and Yunus Musah all absent, he took his chance to justify his late call-up.There is a debate over whether a solid performance against a weakened Japan justifies another call, but as Pochettino continues to learn about his squad, Roldan’s reliability and attitude may keep him in the mix, especially if injuries or club form keep others out.The formation used puts a lot of responsibility on the two central midfielders, and alongside Roldan, Tyler Adams looked to relish the responsibility and the knowledge that he had so much ground to cover, so much to take control of. It was good to see Adams looking hungry and determined to make that swath of the field his own. There is no doubt about Adams’s quality and leadership; he sets the tone for the midfield and looks ready to reclaim that role fully.
Mauricio Pochettino and Folarin Balogun share a hug after a successful showing vs. Japan (Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
Up front, the most encouraging development was the chemistry between Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun. Pulisic, so often burdened by expectation, looked loose and liberated in this new system. Freed from the rigid demands of being “the guy,” he roamed, found space and played with a joy that’s been missing. His second half was his best in a U.S. shirt for some time, capped by an assist for Balogun.Balogun, for his part, showed why he’s now the undisputed starter at striker. His movement, hold-up play and ability to link with Pulisic were a cut above. He’s not just a poacher; he’s comfortable dropping deep, drifting wide and creating as well as finishing.His main rival for that spot is probably still Ricardo Pepi, but the two are very different kinds of strikers. Pepi is more direct, more of a pure No. 9 who plays off the shoulder and looks to get in behind. Balogun, with his Arsenal academy upbringing, is more unpredictable, more versatile and, crucially, a better passer. Having both in the squad gives Pochettino options.Zendejas not only showed his outstanding technique with the volley for his goal, but he looked much more at home in this formation as well, operating behind Balogun and in the inside channels rather than working a narrow strip out wide.Even during the slower passages of play, there was a sense of purpose and understanding. The wingbacks knew their roles. The midfield duo covered ground and protected the back three. Pulisic and Zendejas, no longer forced to play as traditional wingers, thrived in more central, creative roles. Across the team, the formation brought out better things from the players.
However Pochettino came to the conclusion that this change was worth a try, the fact is that he has uncovered something that worked. Yes, it worked against a second-choice Japan in a friendly setting, but it worked, period. Very little up until then had gone Pochettino’s way as pressure continued to build.It’s easy to forget that Pochettino had almost no time to drill this formation. There were no tactical sessions, no practice games — just a leap of faith.Sometimes, international football is about keeping it simple: give the best players a system they know, and let them play. Sometimes, progress comes not from grand plans or ideological purity, but from circumstance and necessity. Coaches stumble upon solutions, forced by injuries or form to try something new. The key is to recognize when something works and to have the humility to stick with it.This was not the finished article. Far from it. But for the first time in a long time, there’s a feeling that the USMNT has taken a step in the right direction.October presents fresh challenges: Ecuador is fresh off a World Cup qualifying win over Argentina, and Australia interestingly also plays the back-three system. Ecuador should present a bigger challenge than either South Korea or Japan, and with roster experimentation ideally behind the USMNT, improvement and consistency now become the priority.But we can now look forward to those games with anticipation. Finally – finally – there are signs of progress. And for now, that’s enough.(Top photo: Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY Network / Imagn Images)
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Former US men’s national team forward Charlie Davies is a contributor at The Athletic delivering hard-hitting opinion columns, straight-talking podcast appearances, and insightful explainer videos. Charlie made 17 appearances for the USMNT between 2007-09 and was pivotal in helping the team qualify for the 2010 World Cup, before his career was impacted by a serious car accident. He has remained firmly in the soccer spotlight with his TV contributions for CBS Sports and is one of the most prominent former USMNT voices in the country. Follow Charlie on Twitter @CharlieDavies9
USMNT after one year of Pochettino: Shake-ups, process and an unclear World Cup outlook
Paul Tenorio ept. 10, 2025
COLUMBUS, Ohio — One year ago, Mauricio Pochettino sat on a stage in lower Manhattan with a smile on his face, filled with optimism about the job he was taking on.“Everyone thinks that there is no time to prepare and to arrive in our best condition to the World Cup,” Pochettino said that day. “What I wanted to tell you is I am on the opposite side. I believe there is time enough. … Fútbol is like this: to touch the right buttons and we start to perform. For sure I think we have time. We have time. And we need to really believe in big things.”That time has slipped through Pochettino’s fingers faster than he might have expected.Exactly one year since Pochettino was named as head coach, the Argentine is still trying to find out exactly which buttons to press — and with whom. Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over Japan marked his only marquee win since taking the job, and it came against a heavily-rotated side in a friendly. Even so, it felt like a massive relief for a coach in need of some sort of positivity to reinforce what he insists is a carefully considered process centered around one finish line: next summer’s World Cup.Amid what has been a sometimes stormy tenure, including ugly losses at March’s Concacaf Nations League final four, poor results against World Cup-caliber opponents in pre-Gold Cup friendlies (making for the program’s first four-game losing streak in 18 years) and two defeats to rival Mexico, Pochettino has insisted that fans need only to be patient. The results would come, he said.His hope has to be that the win over Japan was the turning point in a rebuild he was paid handsomely to undertake.“Always when we talk about that sport, soccer, it is about (winning),” Pochettino said on Tuesday. “I am so pleased because I think the players deserved that result. … When you are strong in your ideas and your belief, it’s about to keep going and never give up. So (I’m) happy for that, yes.”But, he reiterated, the most important thing right now isn’t the results.“It’s the process,” he said.
It’s one that started at his introductory press conference last September 10, when the former Tottenham, Chelsea and PSG manager called his staff “winners” and talked about how they would “create the platform for (the U.S.) to perform.” A defiant Pochettino earlier this week reiterated the same idea: that his staff has a plan.“We know what we are doing,” he said. “We have experience.”Without the results, however, Pochettino was asking fans to blindly trust that his process would wind up in the right place when it counted most. U.S. Soccer sought a coach with Pochettino’s profile in part so that fans might have exactly that kind of confidence in how he built a team after taking over a side that was eliminated in the group stage of the 2024 Copa América – on home soil, no less.Pochettino was a hard pivot from Gregg Berhalter, a coach who spent almost his entire playing career in Europe but was still seen by some fans as an “MLS coach” supposedly holding back a mostly-European-based player pool. Pochettino came with a pedigree of success in European clubs — and a price tag to match. He is making a reported $6 million per year, the highest salary in the federation’s history.U.S. Soccer was willing to bet that Pochettino’s success at the club level would translate to the international stage. That hasn’t happened immediately.Still, despite some poor results, including Saturday’s 2-0 loss to South Korea, the players have been doing their best to buy in. The win over Japan was at least some validation of that faith.“(The coaches) have a plan in place, and they’re very well-versed in what they want to do,” U.S. veteran Tim Ream said on Saturday night after the Korea loss. “So for us as players, it’s all about coming in and adapting to what they want, what their instruction is, what their game plan is. … And that’s what we have to have to focus on as players. You can’t worry about, ‘Oh, we’re getting down to the wire. Oh, it’s going to be this.’ You just have to come in and adapt and adjust and do exactly what they’re asking you to do and go out and play the game.”
USMNT core figures Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams during Tuesday’s win over Japan (Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA Today Network / Imagn Images)
Flipping the power dynamic
Pochettino’s tenure with the national team has, so far, been defined by his willingness to mix things up, especially after the March Nations League failures, when the U.S. lost to both Panama and Canada.“You remember March?” the coach asked, sarcastically and pointedly, during his press conference on Monday. “It was a wake-up call. Because we need to start a different process and (a) different approach.”
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Pochettino challenged regulars in the team to prove they belong. He leaned heavily into the MLS player pool and insisted the domestic league is every bit as strong as some of its European counterparts. (An ironic turn for a fan base who insisted it was Berhalter who would favor MLS players even as he heavily leaned on the European core.) Pochettino also didn’t back down from a public back-and-forth with star Christian Pulisic this summer.The winger asked to skip the Gold Cup so that he could get much-needed rest. But in an interview with CBS Sports defending the decision amid criticism from alumni like Landon Donovan, Pulisic mentioned that Pochettino wouldn’t allow him to play just in pre-tournament friendlies.The manager responded forcefully on the eve of the Gold Cup.“I think when I signed my contract [with] the federation [it said] I am the head coach,” Pochettino said. “I’m not a mannequin.”The interaction was a microcosm of how Pochettino has tried to alter the power dynamics within the program. His goal has been to create more competition, mine the pool for depth and solve for any complacency that crept in. But without the results to reinforce those efforts, it left the strategy wide open for criticism.Pochettino insists the payoff is coming. And he’s been fairly open that the next step in the process will start in October. Upon revealing his September camp roster, he called this month’s gathering a “last opportunity to bring some new faces that we didn’t have the possibility to bring in the past.” In theory, that should mean we should have a better idea of Pochettino’s full-strength squad next month.For now, the players who make up that group remain somewhat of a question mark.
Malik Tillman and Diego Luna helped guide the USMNT to the Gold Cup final (Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images)
Building out depth
ochettino’s roster decisions over the last six months haven’t always been up to him. He couldn’t bring Weston McKennie, Tim Weah or Gio Reyna to the Gold Cup due to Club World Cup commitments. Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, Ricardo Pepi, Folarin Balogun and Zack Steffen were out injured and couldn’t go either. Pulisic and Yunus Musah asked for time off.For these September friendlies, Pochettino said he took club form and fitness into consideration when leaving players like McKennie, Musah, Johnny Cardoso, Malik Tillman, Robinson and Matt Turner at home. Others, like Tanner Tessmann, Joe Scally and Aidan Morris seem on the outside looking in.Pochettino this week used Tillman as an example for how the roster churn shouldn’t be seen as an assessment of the best players in the pool. Tillman was a player he clearly would have called in if the U.S. was playing World Cup qualifiers. The Leverkusen midfielder was the breakout player of the Gold Cup. But with the U.S. playing two friendlies, Pochettino saw more value in letting the attacking midfielder stay at his club and work back into full fitness after missing all of preseason with an injury following the summer tournament.“You can call (him),” Pochettino said. “But if you call and you take a risk and it’s a setback and issue, and maybe it’s one, two, three months that (he doesn’t) play, it is a big risk for the World Cup.”Instead, Pochettino saw more value in bringing in other players to test them. That way, if the U.S. has to reach further into the pool for the World Cup, they know which players they can trust. So while fans (and media) groaned at some of the players called into camp, questioning whether there is an opportunity cost when minutes are spent on Tristan Blackmon or Nathan Harriel, Pochettino saw it as a necessary step in his process.“Of course I want to win,” he said. “But also we need to think in the process.”For Pochettino, the win over Japan was a level of validation. He pointed to Alejandro Zendejas’ performance as one that pushed a player into a better position for “the race for the roster for the World Cup.” Max Arfsten and others improved their standing, too.October should be an even more important gauge for this program.
It won’t be clear if Pochettino’s message and motivation have taken with this group until we see some of the players who have been at home since March’s Nations League disaster.
How can we judge whether he’s motivated the likes of Tessmann and Scally — and whether they are better options than Sean Zawadski or Harriel — unless he brings them back in October and gives them a chance? How will we know what this U.S. midfield looks like with Tyler Adams, McKennie and Tillman starting, rather than Adams, Sebastian Berhalter and Diego Luna, if we don’t see them together?
Mauricio Pochettino enjoyed a win over Japan, but successes haven’t been frequent in his time as U.S. manager (Koji Watanabe / Getty Images)
When winning matters
One year ago, Pochettino said “we are here because we want to win.” This week, he said the team didn’t have to start winning until the World Cup.
A national team coach operates on a different timeline than most any other type of coach. He’s not wrong that national teams are ultimately judged on their World Cup performances — not anything else. Gregg Berhalter used to say all the time that friendlies were times to experiment and try things, that sacrificing results in exhibitions in the name of success when the games counted made all the sense in the world. But that approach is fundamentally at odds with human nature.
Fans want to see wins. They want to see progress. Ahead of a home World Cup, that takes on even more importance. It’s part of the reason so many stadiums have been filled with fans of the opposition. It’s why a home World Cup feels so monumental. This is about building support around the national team, and in doing so to build up the sport in the country itself.
And it goes beyond just the fans. If the U.S. is going to find success at the World Cup, the players need to start to feel some level of confidence, too. So while wins won’t really matter until the World Cup, Pochettino’s process does need to account for wins before that.
“I love the feeling of winning, so I would like to win games before the World Cup,” Adams said this weekend. “I understand his thought process, and we talked about it in (the locker room). You could still have good performances and not necessarily get the result. But, yeah, I think at a certain time it’s important to have some results.”A result came Tuesday. Pochettino smiled at the end of his post-match press conference and said, “I’m looking forward to October.” It was a hugely different vibe than just a few days ago.The question will continue to come down to what Pochettino asked for: belief. Belief that there’s a plan behind some of what has felt, at times, like chaos. And belief that the plan will lead this U.S. team to something better than it was before he arrived. That, after all, is what U.S. Soccer is paying for.“It’s our responsibility to create the platform for them to perform,” Pochettino said that first day in New York last year.He will argue that the past year has been spent building that platform. Now the fruits of that work must start to yield results.he Japan win was, at least, a start.
(Illustration: Kelsea Petersen/The Athletic; Michael Owens/Getty, Catherine Ivill/Getty)
Folarin Balogun just reminded USMNT why he’s the answer to its striker problem
By Henry BushnellSept. 10, 2025
COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the 64th minute of a still-tight game Tuesday night in America’s heartland, Christian Pulisic skated past a Japanese midfielder, glanced up, and saw a somewhat novel sight.Over his nine-plus years with the U.S. men’s national team, Pulisic has turned and ran at countless defenders. He has spun into space countless times. He has skipped into dangerous positions game after game, and far too often, he has lacked options.But here at Lower.com Field, finally, Pulisic had the USMNT’s best option.
For the first time under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, he had Folarin Balogun.Spotting Balogun darting behind the Japanese back line, Pulisic stabbed a pass into space. Balogun surged onto it, nudged away a defender, finished with his left foot to the far post and gave the U.S. a 2-0 lead.
It was a “perfect example” of his movement, U.S. defender Tim Ream said, movement that made several teammates rave. “Even before that,” Ream continued, “he made a lot of good runs, a lot of [well]-timed runs, being able to get in behind when the pressure’s coming onto the midfielders, and onto the defenders, when we have the ball.”Balogun seemed to unlock the U.S. attack in a way that no other American striker has in years. Since Gregg Berhalter, the previous coach, took charge in 2019, 16 men have started up top for the USMNT; none has seized the position with two hands, two feet and consistent goals.Balogun, if healthy, is capable of doing that.
USMNT fans hope Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun can form a powerful combination. (Stephen Nadler / ISI Photos / ISI Photos via Getty Images)
“Balo is so good,” midfielder Cristian Roldan said.The Monaco forward is the most dynamic and well-rounded No. 9 that the USMNT has had this decade. And he could be a game-changer for Pochettino.He has been that, at times, since committing his international career to the U.S. over England and Nigeria in 2023. He went straight into the starting lineup, scored and won a trophy in his second match, looking like the striker the U.S. had been missing.But under Berhalter, who had built his system around a hole at striker, Balogun sometimes struggled. He scored just twice in nine appearances in 2024. Then, he battled injuries. Until last week, he still hadn’t linked up with Pochettino. As he recovered from an ankle knock last month, he was initially left off this September roster. He got an admittedly “late” call only after Vancouver Whitecaps veteran Brian White withdrew from the squad due to injury.That call, it turns out, might have changed the trajectory of the USMNT under Pochettino. The Americans created almost nothing from open play in a Gold Cup final loss to Mexico, and throughout most of Saturday’s 2-0 loss to South Korea. On Tuesday, in came Balogun, and plenty improved.“He brings that know-how, and the timing of his runs,” Ream said. “To be able to put defenders on the back foot, running back towards their goal, helps us massively.”Added Pulisic: “He gives sort of an out a lot of the times. Whether it’s coming into pockets and laying the ball off, or it’s little runs in behind, he just kind of relieves the team when we’re under pressure.”
As a winger for much of his youth, Balogun is most comfortable running towards goal, stretching an opponent. But he has worked to round out his game, and on Tuesday, that work was evident.He checked to the ball with the U.S. under pressure in its defensive half. In the 21st minute, with a defender on his butt near midfield, he seemed to cushion a careening ball to wingback Alex Freeman, then spun in behind, and ultimately created a chance for Alex Zendejas.
“It’s definitely something that I’m practicing,” Balogun said of playing with his back to goal, as a target.
“I’m more comfortable facing the goal — I think anyone is, to be honest. It’s difficult when you’re not facing the goal. You have to kind of use your perception, and use spatial awareness to try and protect the ball. But it’s part of the job of a striker.” And it’s a facet he’s improving.It’s on the run, though, where he excels. Against Japan, he was on the run as much as he’s ever been in a U.S. jersey.“When I turn, I feel like I look, and he’s making short runs across the back line,” Pulisic said.“I felt I had good connections with the other players,” Balogun said. “And yeah, I felt comfortable.”It was only his second game, and first start, under Pochettino. But already, he said, “I felt like I knew my job, and that’s a credit to what the coaches are telling us.” He was significantly more effective than the teammate he replaced, Josh Sargent. He combined with Pulisic for an early chance. His diagonal run from center to left helped spring the USMNT toward its first goal. And his second-half finish capped the victory.He could still face competition from Ricardo Pepi or others for a starting spot at the World Cup next summer. But for now, after a dreary weekend, he has injected promise and reminded U.S. fans of potential.His return and instant impact are among the biggest developments of the Pochettino era to date.The win felt “really good,” Balogun said. “After the game against South Korea, we wanted a reaction, we wanted to give the fans some good news before we split up with this camp. So, I was really happy.”(Top photo: John Dorton / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
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