Around the World of Soccer

Sixteen Year’s Ago last week Clint Dempsey scored this wonder Goal for Fulham to beat Juve in Europa League – the biggest European Competition an American had played in to that point.  This is why I watch Inter Miami games when I can on FS1 or Apple – you just never know what Messi might do (oh Nashville came back and won to advance).  LAFC Advanced to the Champions Cup Quarterfinals with this Martinez screamer.  Check out these moves from Week 1 in NWSL. Love this story from US Soccer star Sophia Huerta about a Coach who had an impact on her life. I think this is why we old coaches- including THE OLD BALLCOACH -still coach.  How about this new Intro for the World Cup and this Huge Announcement. Speaking of the World Cup it is just 76 days away now — if anyone has access to tickets to the USA vs Australia in Seattle on June 19th – we are desperately looking for tickets to that game. We have games 1 & 3 in LA, Knockouts in San Fran or Dallas but we have nothing in Seattle. (Willing to pay/trade tix/we have Semi-Finals if the US gets there). Last Minute World Cup Tix Sales phase is Apr 1 thru FIFA.

US Men Face Portugal & Belgium In World Cup Warm Up on TNT, HBO
Sat vs Belgium 3:30 pm, Tues 7 pm Portugal

So the as we get down to the last 4 games before the World Cup — its time to show how far we the US has come under Poch as we finally play Top 10 ranked squads in Belgium and Portugal over the next week in Atlanta on TNT. I guess its time to see what we have less than 100 days out from the World Cup. Our front line looks good as forwards Balogun and Agyemang are on fire overseas and Pepi seems back in from at the 9. McKennie and Tillman continue to thrive in Italy and Germany respectively and Pulisic seems to have finally found his grove a little again. The real questions surround what Poch will do in the back – who are the back 3 or 4? Chris Richards for sure – but is it an aging Tim Ream and Miles Robinson or does Mark McKenzie or Trusty get the call? Jedi Robinson is back at left back – does he play the outside wingback in a 5 man back or in a 4 flat back? Who holds down the Dmid slots with Adams hurt yet again – Tanner Tessman and Roldan again ? or does Cardosa staring at Atletico get back in the mix? Where does Gio Reyna fit in this picture while not playing for club? So many questions – might be answered this week – or not? My pick the US playing vs Belgium with no Lukaku will tie them 1-1 I am thinking. I think Portugal – again without Renaldo could be a similar result – but let me set the Belgium game first.

US MEN DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire FC; 0/0), Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 13/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 52/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 16/1), Alex Freeman (Villareal/ESP; 13/2), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 25/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 79/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 35/3), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG;50/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 38/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 22/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 5/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 9/1), Johnny Cardoso (Atlético Madrid/ESP; 22/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 62/11), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 13/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 34/9), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 43/0), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 12/1); Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER; 26/3)
FORWARDS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 56/9); Patrick Agyemang (Derby County/ENG; 12/5), Folarin Balogun ( AS Monaco/FRA; 23/8), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 34/13), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 82/32), Timothy Weah (Olympique Marseille/FRA; 47/7)

More About the New US Jersey Cool Commercial

Indy 11 Win First 2 Games

Indy Eleven completed a successful week with its second victory in five days, earning a 2-1 win over USL Eastern Conference rival Detroit City FC in the home opener in front of 9,357 fans at Carroll Stadium. Goalkeeper Eric Dick a former Carmel Dad’s Club, Carmel High & Butler Grad made three saves to earn the victory. The Boys in Blue travel to Hartford Athletic Saturday for a 5 p.m. match on ESPN+, before returning home for a pair Tues, March 31 vs Union Omaha in US Open Cup play and again Sat 4/4 vs defending USL Champs Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Flex Mini Plans include vouchers to be redeemed for any 2026 regular season home match. Call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com.

World Cup Qualifying for Last 6 Spots Are Up for Grabs this Week

Six nations will join the 48-team World Cup field via this month’s playoffs

UEFA Path A bracket

• March 26, 2026: Italy vs. Northern Ireland – 3:45 p.m. ET
• March 26, 2026: Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – 3:45 p.m. ET (FS1)
• March 31, 2026: Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina winner vs. Italy/Northern Ireland winner – 3:45 p.m. ET

The winner of UEFA Path A will be a part of Group B with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

UEFA Path B bracket

• March 26, 2026: Ukraine vs. Sweden – 3:45 p.m. ET
• March 26, 2026: Poland vs. Albania – 3:45 p.m. ET (FS2)
• March 31, 2026: Ukraine/Sweden winner vs. Poland/Albania winner – 3:45 p.m. ET

The winner of UEFA Path B will be a part of Group F with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.

UEFA Path C bracket

• March 26, 2026: Türkiye vs. Romania – 1 p.m. ET (FS2)
• March 26, 2026: Slovakia vs. Kosovo – 3:45 p.m. ET
• March 31, 2026: Slovakia/Kosovo winner vs. Türkiye/Romania winner – 3:45 p.m. ET

The winner of UEFA Path C will be a part of Group D with the United States, Paraguay and Australia.

UEFA Path D bracket

• March 26, 2026: Denmark vs. North Macedonia – 3:45 p.m. ET
• March 26, 2026: Czechia vs. Ireland – 3:45 p.m. ET
• Tues, March 31, 2026: Czechia/Ireland winner vs. Denmark/North Macedonia winner – 3:45 p.m. ET

The winner of UEFA Path D will be a part of Group A with Mexico, South Africa and South Korea.

Pathway 1

• Thurs, March 26, 2026: New Caledonia vs. Jamaica – 10 p.m. ET (FS1)
• Tues March 31, 2026: DR Congo vs. New Caledonia/Jamaica winner – 5 p.m. ET (FS1)

The winner of Pathway 1 will be a part of Group K with Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia.

Pathway 2

• March 26, 2026: Bolivia vs. Suriname – 7 p.m. ET (FS1)
• Tues, March 31, 2026: Iraq vs. Bolivia/Suriname winner – 11 p.m. ET (FS1)

The winner of Pathway 2 will be a part of Group I with France, Senegal and Norway. (full stories below)

Man City Downs Arsenal in Carabu Cup

City flew by Arsenal with a little help from the Gunners Kepa’s howler to take a 2-0 win at Wembley in the Carabu Cup last Sunday. Does this mean trouble for Arsenal with just 6 games left in the Premier League Season?

Big weekend for Carmel FC

2013B Blue – Indy Turf Invitational Champs (4–0)

2015G Blue – Union FC Invitational Champs

2012B Gold – Indy Turf Finalists

3 teams. 2 trophies. 1 runner-up.

Strong start to the season. Congrats teams and coaches.

TV Schedule – Games on TV

Thurs, March 26
1 pm FS2 Turkey vs Romania WCQ
3:45 pm FS2 Poland vs Albania WCQ
3:45 pm Fubo, Ukraine vs Sweden WCQ
3:45 pm Fubo Italy vs Northern Ireland WCQ
3:45 pm Fubo Czech Republic vs Ireland WCQ
3:45 pm FS1 Wales vs Bosnia WCQ
6 pm FS1 Bolivia vs Suriname WCQ
7 pm Peacock DC Power vs Tampa Bay Rowdies USL
11 pm FS1 New Caledonia vs Jamaica WCQ
Fri, March 27
3:45 pm FS1 England vs Uruguay Friendly
3:45 pm Foxsoccer.com Germany vs Switzerland Friendly
10 pm Amazon Prime Angel City vs Houston Dash NWSL
Sat, Mar 28
9:30 am ESPN+ Man United vs Man City WSL
12 noon ESPN2 Boston Legacy vs Utah Royals NWSL
2 pm CBS Denver Summit vs Washington Spirit NWSL
2 pm ESPN+ NY Cosmos vs Fort Wayne USL 1
3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Belgium
4 pm CBS Portland Thorns vs KC Current NWSL
5 pm ESPN+ Hartford Athletic vs Indy 11 USL
6:30 pm ION Seattle Reign vs Racing Louisville NWSL
8:45 pm ION TV San Diego Wave vs Chicago Stars NWSL
9 pm Univision Mexico vs Portugal (friendly)
Mon, Mar 30
12 noon FS2 Cyprus vs Moldova
2:45 pm FS1 Germany vs Ghana Friendly
Tues, Mar 31
2:30 pm FS1 UEFA WC Qualifier Playoff 1
2:30 pm FS2 UEFA WC Qualifier Playoff 2
5 pm FS1. Peacock Congo DR vs TBD WCQ 1
11 pm FS1, Peacock Iraq vs TBD WCQ2
7 pm Para+ Indy 11 vs Union Omaha US Open Cup
7 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Portugal
Weds, Apr 1
7:30 pm CBS Galazo Michigan Bucks vs Detroit City US open Cup
8 pm CBS Sports Net Colorado Springs vs Spokane Wash US Open Cup
Sun, May 31
3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal
Fri. Apr. 17, 7:30 pm | IU vs. Notre Dame GRAND PARK
Sat. Apr. 18, 6:00 pm | Saint Louis vs. Xavier GRAND PARK

Sat, June 6
2:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Germany in Chicago
Sat, June 12 WORLD CUP
9 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Paraguay World Cup
Complete 2026 World Cup schedule featuring match dates and start times
NWSL Schedule

World Cup Playoffs Were Immensely Moving   Men In Blazers Update

A nerve-filled Italy edged themselves past Northern Ireland. A lethal finish from Sandro Tonali (miraculously resurrected from the injury which kept him out of the Tyne-Wear derby) broke Northern Irish resistance and hearts. Italy will now travel to Wales-killers Bosnia and Herzegovina who won on penalties. Incredibly, the Italians are fighting their way into their first World Cup since 2014. As James Horncastle told us, their greatest opponent is fear of failure.

Watch this: International football is the best. The quality of it may be lesser, but the emotional heft cannot be beat. Listen to the agony in the voice of eloquent Wales manager Craig Bellamy in defeat.

ii. I found it so hard to watch the Republic of Ireland implode and cough up a 2-0 lead that I had to leave the Brewhouse Bar, so I did not have to watch their fans ricochet from light to darkness. Up 2-0 and soaring against the Czech Republic after 23 minutes, they fell apart to go out on penalties—a savage way to experience the nation’s fifth loss in six World Cup playoff fixtures. The true agony for my friend, Icelandic Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, was that this loss was self-inflicted. The penalty they conceded to let the Czechs back in was a moment of rash-self destruction.

I was watching the game with my friend Kevin Egan. He is flying back to Dublin for what he hoped would be Ireland’s World Cup qualification game. Instead, it will be one of the most depressing games in football history as the World Cup playoff losers now meet in friendlies next week. Ireland versus North Macedonia is going to be sadder than Tracy Chapman’s debut album.

iii. It was incredible to witness Bosnia’s 40-year-old Edin Dzeko and Poland’s 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski deliver in their nations’ hours of need. Just as impressive, Viktor Gyökeres blasted an effortless hat-trick to propel Sweden past Ukraine.

The United States will face either Kosovo or Türkiye. Run, don’t walk to look at this Güler assist that incapacitated an entire defense. That kind of quality is what we aspire to match.

Also: This French goal to destroy Brazil last night is the kind of level we will need to raise our game to. Stunning Ekitike finish, but the team play… wow.

iv. Here are the fixtures that will decide four of the six World Cup places. All seem too close to call:

Bosnia and Herzegovina  vs. Italy  (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, FS1) Sweden  vs. Poland  (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, Vix+) Kosovo  vs. Turkey  (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Plus) Czech Republic  vs. Denmark  (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, Vix+)

v. The inter-continental bracket went to form. Jamaica beat audacious minnow New Caledonia, who won over the Mexican crowd with their tenacity from the moment they sang their national anthem, more than 7,400 miles from their island nation. The Reggae Boyz now face DR Congo. Bolivia overcame Suriname late and will face Iraq in the other final.

Both the European and intercontinental playoff finals take place on Tuesday, March 3. I will recap all the glorious action in detail with the one and only Rory Smith on Wednesday.

===RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===

Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse?  Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ

Save 20% on your order 

(mention the ole ballcoach) 

Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more.  Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/ Call ahead at 317-688-7290  M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday.  Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!  

======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================

USMNT

USMNT players reveal what ‘strict’ but ‘loving’ Pochettino is like behind the scenes ESPN Jeff Carlisle and Lizzy Becherano
Roldan: ‘Huge gap’ in U.S. midfield without Adams
Full breakdown: Pochettino names final roster before World Cup
USMNT roster: Pochettino sets stage for final World Cup auditions
USMNT’s European edge: The stunning rise of Freeman and Agyemang
|The latest USMNT Big Board: Who’s in and who’s out?
Ream: Derby move helped Agyemang to ‘grow up’
Is USMNT striker group the best it’s ever had for a World Cup?
Poch made exception for ‘special talent’ Reyna
Why Mauricio Pochettino wants the USMNT’s ‘right 26 — not the best’ for the World Cup
USMNT roster: Pochettino sets stage for final World Cup auditions

Ronaldo to miss Portugal games vs. U.S., Mexico
Lukaku to miss Belgium games with U.S., Mexico

U.S. striker Pepi’s Fulham move now off, PSV say
Transfer rumors, news: USMNT’s Robinson on Man United’s radar
Marsch: USMNT U-turn left me ‘devastated, angry’

World Cup

2026 World Cup playoffs explained: 6 spots up for grabs, teams involved and how to watch
Ultimate World Cup betting guide: Odds for every group, Golden Boot and winner
List: 2026 World Cup countries facing travel bans in the United States
List of countries set to play in their first-ever World Cup next summer
78 days to the World Cup: When Cameroon’s Roger Milla proved that age is nothing but a number
World Cup, Welcome to Zlatan: Ibrahimović Allows FOX Sports to Join Him

World

Carabao Cup final Result: Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City as it happened
France and Croatia up next! Share your predictions for Brazil 
Vinícius Júnior steps up and says he’s ready to lead Brazil without Neymar
Spain manager lavishes praise on Lamine Yamal, recalls ‘pain’ after Gavi injury

Cristiano Ronaldo’s son takes big step, trains with Real Madrid
Saudi giants? PSG? MLS? The race to sign Mo Salah is on
Life after Salah: How Liverpool could line up next season without the Egyptian King

MLS & NWSL

MLS Champions Cup Advancers
Every MLS call-up: March 2026 international window
Antoine Griezmann makes the move to the MLS by agreeing to terms with Orlando City
Nashville SC channel “relentless spirit” in Champions Cup upset of Inter Miami
Nashville level up, Charlotte break out & more from Matchday 5

GK

MLS: Best Saves of the Week
81 days to the World Cup: Tim Howard’s 16 saves vs. Belgium
Arsenal starting Kepa ‘backfired big time’ after Carabao Cup final howler helps Man City to trophy, says Jamie Redknap

Reffing

High School Rule Changes for 2026 Season
How to Become a Travel Ref 

The USMNT return to action this Saturday (3 p.m. ET, TNT/Peacock) against Belgium, before facing a Ronaldo-less Portugal on Tuesday night. This March moment has been hailed as “the most important camp” by players fighting to prove they are World Cup worthy. We bring an unbeaten-in-five record to play, while Belgium have not lost in four games on the run. Though without the injured Thibaut Courtois, Leandro Trossard, and Big Rom Lukaku, the Belgians have sufficient quality to test and probe with Kevin De Bruyne churning his magic alongside Jérémy Doku and Youri Tielemans.

From a U.S. perspective, there are so many questions about this team as we careen towards a World Cup in which we are desperate to prove ourselves to ourselves. Who will start at striker (Flo!)? Who will be in goal (Is Matt Turner making a late charge)? Is Gio Reyna, who has played just 26 minutes in 2026, our James Rodríguez—a player who soars in an international jersey in a way he does not in a club shirt? Can Christian Pulisic make the U.S. team his happy place, away from the frustration and tension he has been experiencing recently in Milan?  Above all, as Mauricio Pochettino openly muses about a return to England—it was fascinating that he chose not to say “Right now, I am thinking only of the U.S. and the World Cup challenge” here—how does that impact the culture and focus of the team? I will talk in depth with Clint Dempsey about all of this live on stage tonight and then we’ll break down the game in its entirety right after the whistle blows on Saturday. Come be with us. I am so excited to watch. I do believe this team has the talent to make a Morocco-like run, but we have to create a culture that is unshakeable and impermeable to outside reaction. We will learn a lot about ourselves this week and I can’t wait to unpack it all alongside you. More: Watch this footage of Americans being interviewed at the 1994 World Cup. It is absolute gold.

What to know about the World Cup’s intercontinental play-off: How it works, favourites and moreThe teams and paths were laid out at a ceremony in November, which featured Wayne Gretzky Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

By Jack Lang March 25, 2026Updated 5:49 am EDT

What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘intercontinental play-off’? For most, the answer will involve some combination of the following: New Zealand, Australia, Uruguay, ludicrous away trips, fireworks set off outside hotel rooms, jet lag, penalty kicks, joy and desperation. These games were usually variations on a similar theme and followed a relatively settled pattern. Teams from different federations played two games — one home, one away — in order to determine who would make it to the World Cup. It was, in many ways, one of the purest expressions of the power of international football, overflowing with a kind of history-in-your-back-yard charm. For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA has decided to go in a different direction. We have, for the first time, a play-off tournament, taking place on neutral soil in Mexico, with two qualification spots up for grabs.

How does the intercontinental play-off work?

The tournament will take place between March 26 and March 31, 2026, less than three months before the World Cup itself. All the games will be played in Mexico, with matches held in Guadalajara and Monterrey. There are six teams from five confederations. Two of them — DR Congo and Iraq — were seeded for the draw because they sit higher in the FIFA men’s world rankings than the others. Those teams go directly to the finals of two mini-brackets. The remaining four sides must face off in two single-legged semi-finals to reach that stage.

How the draw played outMarcio Machado – FIFA via Getty Images

Pathway 1

Semi-final: New Caledonia vs Jamaica, March 26, Guadalajara

Most of the sides at this tournament were delighted to qualify, but not Jamaica. A home win against minnows Curacao would have been enough to send them to the World Cup proper, but they fluffed their lines in astonishing style, drawing 0-0. English head coach Steve McClaren resigned in the wake of that result.His replacement, interim Rudolph Speid, will have a solid defence to work with: Jamaica only conceded five times in 10 qualifiers (across two rounds). There are issues, however, including a perceived lack of professionalism at federation level and the feeling that the team would be better served by younger, hungrier players than by household names. It is worth noting, though, that Jamaica did hit the woodwork three times against Curacao.

The draw has been kind to them because New Caledonia are the rank outsiders in this qualifying tournament. That is not to diminish them; reaching this stage is an extraordinary achievement by any metric.New Caledonia is an island in the Pacific Ocean. It is a French overseas territory. Its population is below 300,000. Imagine Hawaii getting to the brink of a World Cup. This is more unlikely than that.It would be disingenuous to claim much knowledge about the football team. The players are part-timers. Some play in the local league, while others are dotted around clubs you’ve never heard of. Case in point: their key attacker, 37-year-old Georges Gope-Fenepej, plays in the French fourth division.On paper, it looks like an uphill challenge against Jamaica. What New Caledonia don’t lack, though, is heart. “The step is big,” coach Johann Sidaner told ESPN recently. “Maybe we have a one per cent chance of qualifying for the World Cup. But we will play 100 per cent to do it.”

Lying in wait: DR Congo, March 31, Guadalajara

The highest-ranked of the play-off teams, DR Congo narrowly missed out on direct qualification from the African system, then negotiated a tricky four-team play-off to book a place in Mexico.Their gritty, acrimonious victory over Nigeria outlined some of their assets. There was the togetherness to recover from going behind early, plus a level of control in possession that slowly tilted the match in their favour. The midfield, set up around the brilliant Sunderland youngster Noah Sadiki, is one area of strength. Another is the defence, anchored by the experienced Chancel Mbemba.French coach Sebastien Desabre is already a national hero, having completely changed the team’s fortunes since arriving in 2022. A spot at the World Cup would only enhance his reputation further.

Pathway 2

Semi-final: Bolivia vs Suriname, March 26, Monterrey

Bolivia are perhaps football’s most Jekyll-and-Hyde team, tough to beat at home but generally timid on the road. That is mainly down to the altitude factor: they host matches at over 4,000 metres above sea level, which makes life incredibly difficult for even the best teams. It was their strong home record that helped them see off Venezuela to finish seventh in South American qualifying.This is not a team set up to grind out results. Their defence is fragile and the midfield does not provide great cover. Marcelo Moreno, their attacking focal point for the best part of two decades, retired during this World Cup cycle. What Bolivia do have is a talisman: wriggly winger Miguel Terceros, who plays his club football in Brazil and finished qualifying with seven goals.Suriname, Bolivia’s opponents (and fellow South Americans, geographically speaking), came within a whisker of qualifying directly from the Concacaf region. Still, even a play-off place is the stuff of dreams for a nation who were languishing in 191st place in the rankings as recently as December 2015.Their ascent since then owes much to strategy at the federation level. A country that has lost many of its most talented sons — Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink — to the Netherlands national team sought to reverse the pattern, trawling the Dutch leagues for players of Surinamese descent. The result? A few rumbles of discontent, but a more talented squad — and an ever-growing sense of momentum.Managed by former Ajax goalkeeper Stanley Menzo, Suriname like to dominate possession. Bolivia, who play in bursts, will probably let them do so. The latter will likely start this one as slight favourites, but do not rule out another chapter of the Suriname fairytale.

Lying in wait: Iraq, March 31, Monterrey

Iraq have not reached a World Cup since 1986 — their only appearance to date — and would have been forgiven for thinking the universe was against them during qualifying. They narrowly lost out to Jordan in the third round of the Asian process; the mini-tournament for the fourth round was then relocated to Saudi Arabia, whose national team happened to be competing.In the end, it took a dramatic, redemptive victory over the United Arab Emirates for them to reach this point.This is, in some ways, a side in transition. Australian coach Graham Arnold only took over in May, and the general feeling is he has yet to establish much in the way of an overarching identity, at least in tactical terms. What Iraq do have is a sense of unity and, in Mohanad Ali and Aymen Hussein, two proven international goalscorers.

By Jack LangFootball Writer

USMNT players speak up about what Pochettino the coach is like

• Jeff Carlisle and Lizzy Becherano ESPN Mar 25, 2026, 06:44 AM ET

at first glance, descriptions of what it’s like to play for U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino are littered with contradictions. Among the words players use are “intense,” “passionate” and “demanding” — but those are almost immediately followed by words seemingly at the other end of the emotional spectrum. “Family” comes up, as does “likable,” even “loving.”

In many respects, that is the nature of coaching. When trying to extract the best out of a group of players, the emotions and approaches cover a broad spectrum, and can vary widely across individuals, or even from minute to minute. There are times to drop the hammer, and other moments to put an arm around the shoulder. And despite a coach’s best efforts, they can’t reach every player. That doesn’t mean they stop trying. Based on recent evidence, Pochettino’s approach appears to be working. The USMNT is unbeaten in its past five games heading into friendly matches against Belgium on March 28 and Portugal three days later.

Granted, this string of positive results consisted of all friendlies, but with the U.S. co-hosting this summer’s World Cup, and no World Cup qualifying slog to go through, the USMNT can play only the teams that are in front of them. To that end, the team’s trajectory is decidedly upward, and that is down in large part to Pochettino’s approach — and the players’ receptiveness to his methods.

“Above all, he just expects intensity, and he expects mentality — he expects energy,” midfielder Cristian Roldan told ESPN when asked about Pochettino. “I think those things are really contagious. So he’s very likable. He’ll hug you. He’ll have a conversation with you. He’ll yell at you. But in the end, it comes from a good place. And as long as you bring what he wants, you’re going to be in a good spot.”

– The latest USMNT Big Board: Who’s in and who’s out?
– Ranked: Every USMNT World Cup kit from 1990 to 2026
– USWNT transfer grades: Every American move assessed

A USMNT culture that’s ‘more strict’

It was clear when Pochettino was hired in September 2024 that things needed to change within the USMNT. Like the dark side of the Force, negative habits and emotions had slowly crept into the U.S. team. Some of this was down to having two back-to-back interim managers over six months — Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan — to start 2023, and then opting to rehire Gregg Berhalter to the post later that year. The progress the USMNT achieved during the 2022 cycle wasn’t replicated in Berhalter’s second go-round. Complacency set in and the project stagnated. So, when Pochettino came on board as an objective outsider, he made it clear that there would be no guaranteed starters. Players would have to earn their spots, regardless of their perceived status within the team or from the broader public. Everyone would be held accountable. “No one’s special — when you come into camp, you’re a U.S. men’s national team player, you deserve to be here,” midfielder Tyler Adams told ESPN. “[He’ll] make sure that you get better each time you come into camp and feel worthy. But at the same time, it’s required from you to put what you’re going to get in and get out of it. So, every single camp guys have learned and adjusted to that.

“But I don’t want to say that he’s changed the culture — I’d say he’s brought the culture out of us. I think we’ve had that in us and it just took someone to bring it out of us, and I think he’s done a great job of that.” And how did Pochettino do that exactly? To hear Adams tell it, the approach — at least a high level — was simple. “I think he’s a little bit more strict in certain things,” Adams said. “I think that the standards that were set were clear from day one. You don’t break my trust. You don’t break the rules. You don’t disrespect one another or you won’t be around.” The adjustment did take some time. The performances at the 2025 Concacaf Nations League finals, when the USMNT fell in consecutive matches to Panama and Canada, were horrid. It led to multiple former USMNT players questioning the heart and desire of the current generation. Pochettino responded by not calling up certain players — most notably Weston McKennie — for subsequent camps. Due in part to injuries to the likes of Antonee Robinson and Folarin Balogun, but also what Pochettino called “football decisions,” the coach took a decidedly youthful squad to the 2025 Gold Cup. Twelve players on the roster had five or fewer international appearances. While the U.S. ultimately lost to Mexico in the Gold Cup final, the message was clear: Pochettino would call up the best team that worked together, not the best 26 players.

But the Argentine also showed patience. Every player encounters a coaching change at some point in their career. With Pochettino, there was an understanding that a different coach from a very different background would take some getting used to. “You understand that there’s going to be nuances and there’s going to be growing pains that come along with [a coaching change], but you also understand you have to have grace with one another,” U.S. defender Mark McKenzie told ESPN. “So I think that was the biggest thing, is recognizing that it’s not going to be perfect in the first moments. They started to learn us the same way we need to learn them.”

Is Mauricio Pochettino is under pressure to deliver success for USMNT at the World Cup?

The ‘Futbol Americas’ crew to debate if Mauricio Pochettino is under serious pressure to deliver success for the USMNT as they prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Those growing pains now appear to have been overcome. But with less than 100 days until the World Cup, and just one more international window taking place, tensions are bound to rise as the May date for the World Cup roster announcement approaches. With Pochettino’s no-favorites approach, will fear be the predominant emotion during the run-up to the tournament?”I’ll be very honest: I think some guys will probably feel scared,” veteran U.S. defender Tim Ream told ESPN. “I think that’s a realistic and a real feeling that some guys will have.”The approach that you have to take is, well, your spot is never guaranteed no matter where you are. Someone’s always younger, faster, better, trying to take your spot. So how do you hold that off as long as possible? Well, you just keep working. That’s the way the sport is.”

The USMNT’s intense ‘die for the shirt’ approach

Pochettino’s culture of accountability bleeds into the training sessions, sometimes literally. For the players, the moment the boots go on, there is nothing else in the world that matters. Perfection isn’t expected but maximum effort, intensity and laser-like focus are. Training sessions become a test of mental endurance as much they are about physical fortitude.”What’s the most important thing? That pass is the most important thing. That touch is the most important thing,” said Ream. “That piece of communication — whether you’re telling somebody left, right, go this way, go that way — is the most important thing. And so when I [refer to] how demanding he is, he wants all of that.”In every single training session, as soon as you cross the line, your focus is nowhere but there. And that can be draining. Yeah — it can be very draining.” Pochettino expects that intensity to permeate every aspect of the training session. That includes reaching a level of physicality that replicates game-like situations. Yes, the tackles do fly in at times. “Whether it’s 11-v-11, a small-sided game, yeah, I’m going to get stuck in,” said McKenzie. “I’m not doing it to the point where it’s going to harm or hurt my teammate. But at the same time, I’m not just going to jump over his foot just because — I’m going to make sure I’m getting stuck in. “I want to win this tackle. I want to win this duel. So there’s ways to go about it without harming each other, but you want to have that competitive nature, competitive edge in trainings because that’s the way we want to play the game.” The thinking behind this approach is that it raises the level of the entire group.

“You have guys that don’t normally want to get into tackles, getting into tackles,” said Roldan. “Those are the things that are contagious.”

Is Pulisic right to hit back at USMNT criticism?

The Futbol Americans crew discuss if Christian Pulisic was correct to hit back criticism aimed at him from some USMNT legends including Landon Donovan.

In terms of the cadence of the sessions, they are intended to condition the players to what they will see in the game. Every drill, tactical session, gym workout or activation has a purpose behind it. The philosophy is that there is no wasted energy.

“[The drills] all form this tunnel to make sure that the final product on the field is the way we want it to look or the way that we are training for it to look,” said McKenzie.

It results in training sessions that end with the right level of utter exhaustion and the desire to want to do it again the next day. Pochettino’s cultural reset has had the desired effect.

“I think the overarching culture is that guys would die for the shirt right now,” goalkeeper Matt Turner told ESPN.

No longer ‘inmates running the asylum’

In the previous cycle, Berhalter appointed a so-called leadership council of select players, which the coaching staff used to take the temperature on certain issues. Under Pochettino there’s no such structure in place. Multiple players said the current setup makes for better dialogue where anyone can speak up.

“It becomes almost like the inmates running the asylum,” said Ream about the past leadership council. “So, it almost becomes where there’s a group of players who have a lot of the say, and then there’s a group who are a little bit hesitant. So they’re like, ‘Well, he chose those guys. I can’t say anything.’

“Now it’s like, ‘Guys, we’re all in this together.’ OK, yes, I’m the oldest. I’m not the loudest. So, Tyler [Adams], Chris [Richards], you want to be the loudest? Be the loudest, bro. It’s no problem. And it’s a give-and-take, but everybody feels empowered to speak and say whatever they feel — equal and in a positive way.”

While Pochettino prefers to leave players alone when they are with their clubs, Ream feels the level of communication now among players, even away from camp, is greater than it has ever been. The number of group chats has increased to the point that he says he “can’t keep up with them all.”

Make no mistake. Pochettino is still the boss, and hasn’t hesitated to publicly come down on players when he feels they’ve strayed out of their lane.

The USMNT’s biggest star and face of the team, Christian Pulisic, said he “didn’t understand” Pochettino’s decision to not include him in a pair of pre-Gold Cup friendlies, even as Pulisic said he was skipping the Gold Cup. Pochettino declared that as manager, he was “not a mannequin” and would make the decisions he felt were best for the team, regardless of what Pulisic thought.

Pochettino also later criticized midfielder Timothy Weah for a seemingly innocuous comment about how high World Cup ticket prices were, stating that it’s not a player’s “duty” to discuss such topics, insisting he focus purely on his game.

Whether that’s just Pochettino keeping his players in line and focused on the task ahead, or the hints of possible discontent, remain to be seen. The ultimate judge of Pochettino’s approach will be the results of this summer’s World Cup. But for now, there appears to be total buy-in from the players — at least from what they are saying publicly.

Pochettino getting ‘personal’ with players

Communication is arguably the most important aspect of coaching. It enables a manager to impart knowledge, build trust, increase motivation and improve performance. Entire locker rooms can be lost by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

Pochettino’s communication style can be divided into two parts: the way he speaks on the field, and away from it.

On the field during training, timing is everything. Knowing when to keep quiet is just as important as knowing what to say. In moments of struggle, there is benefit to seeing if players can solve problems on their own. Stop things too often, and the rhythm of the training session gets mangled.

“I think [Pochettino] does a really good job of knowing when to step in in a training session and say, ‘Guys, we have to have more. You need more. I need more from you’ or ‘We need to do this as a group better,'” said Ream. “And I think when you interject immediately when you see something wrong, I think if you do it too much, it loses its value.

“Mauricio, he has this innate ability to know when is the right time to step in and when is the right time to just watch and see.”

That dovetails well with what happens in matches. It’s a players’ game, and once the whistle blows, the manager only has so much influence. Oftentimes, it’s up to the players to figure out things on the fly. McKenzie likens it to an assembly line.”You’re going through the training sessions and you’re building that framework of the car, but the driver is going to be the one who ultimately is able to get the most out of that vehicle,” he said. “And that’s pretty much the picture I’d say of what Mauricio wants to do.”Away from the training ground is when Pochettino does some of his most important work. It’s where he can sidle up to a player, get details about their background and what’s happening with their home life. It’s a moment to communicate with a gentler touch rather than the heightened, competitive emotions of a game or practice. It gives Pochettino more data on what buttons to push with which players and when.”He’s wanting to have personal conversations. He’s wanting to know about your family,” Ream said. “He’s wanting to understand and know everybody on a much deeper connected level. Guys were a little bit uneasy about that kind of thing early on and now they understand how he operates and how he works.”Turner added: “When you have a coach that is intense, demanding, and loving, you take the time to get to know him, and you see what works communicationwise and what doesn’t work. Then, you try to learn a lot about each other and just open up.”The result is greater sense of connectedness throughout the team. During the previous cycle, there was lots of talk about the brotherhood that existed among the players. Now the word that gets used is “family” — one that includes not just players, but the entire staff as well.”That family side of it is huge,” McKenzie said, “and it creates an environment where the door is open for guys to have conversations and feel like you’re part of the team, whether it’s your first camp or whether it’s your 51st camp.”That closeness is preparing both the players and staff for the gauntlet of the World Cup, which starts for the USMNT on June 12 against Paraguay. If the USMNT performs as it hopes, the players could end up spending two months together in the intense pressure cooker of the sport’s biggest tournament, from the time their camp begins in May to the World Cup final on July 19.”It has to be that way because you’re all trying to do something incredible,” said Ream. “You’re all going to a tournament that’s going to be the biggest one in the history of this sport. You have to have those feelings. You have to be that close. You have to be that tight-knit. You have to feel all of that, because without that it doesn’t matter.”

National Writer: Charles Boehm

USMNT roster: Pochettino sets stage for final World Cup auditions

Charles Boehm Tuesday, Mar 17, 2026, 05:06 PM

The US men’s national team are mere days away from their final gathering before a FIFA World Cup summer, this month’s high-profile friendlies against Belgium and Portugal at Atlanta United‘s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. There’s now just a matter of weeks to go before that massive, long-awaited tournament on home soil kicks off against Paraguay in Southern California on June 12. And still head coach Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t have full availability of all his players due to a wide spectrum of injuries and fitness concerns, with regulars like Tyler Adams, Diego Luna, Haji Wright and Sergiño Dest left off the March roster released on Tuesday morning.  It’s a recurring reality of the international game, by now familiar to ‘Poch’ and his staff. So, regardless of who’s in uniform, they expect the same high level displayed in last autumn’s wins over Australia, Paraguay and Uruguay, probably the team’s best outings under Pochettino. “Most important is to try to detect the right selection, to be very, very close to performing the way that we perform in the last two camps,” the Argentine manager told reporters after his squad was unveiled, noting there are 10 personnel changes from then to now. “October and November were a very good example that, maybe with a different roster, different names, but the team performed. And what we need to do is to have the possibility to see [that] again in this camp.” Representing the @USMNT in friendlies against Belgium and Portugal. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VghaPkPY9V— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 17, 2026

Questions remain

When they congregate at U.S. Soccer’s brand-new National Training Center, the gleaming facility in exurban Atlanta named after chief benefactor and ATLUTD owner Arthur Blank, Pochettino & Co. must swiftly gather their firsthand evaluations of players they haven’t worked with up close in some four months, then fashion lineups that can stand toe-to-toe with two of Europe’s most talented contenders. Is the Tim Ream-Chris Richards center-back pairing still the best choice at the heart of defense? Can anyone challenge Matt Freese’s hold on the starting goalkeeper job? Will Weston McKennie translate his superb form at Juventus to the national team? Does Christian Pulisic remain the attacking nexus despite a recent paucity of goal contributions at AC Milan? And which strikers will make the cut? “It’s an art, because every single player is different and can add different things to the team,” said Pochettino. “We cannot follow some rule, because I think it’s not fair to judge all in the same way. But I think it’s two different things that we appreciate, and we expect for the players to add to the national team. “Because all are completely different – different character, different profiles, different quality, different talent.”

Last chance saloon

Peruse this roster, then consider the notable absences – which also extends to FC Dallas product Alejandro Zendejas, left out despite his ongoing productivity for LIGA MX giants Club América – and the difficulty of the numbers game facing the coach and his players becomes evident. The USMNT called in 27 for this month’s camp. Though it’s not yet official, FIFA is expected to limit World Cup rosters to 26 players. Poch previously said he’d prefer not to call anyone in for pre-World Cup friendlies vs. Senegal and Germany who hasn’t already made the cut for the tournament itself. The writing on the wall: A handful of those who’ll gather in ATL are staring at a final audition, in addition to the ongoing search for chemistry among those who’ll work together on the pitch. “Decisions in this roster, what I can tell you [is] that everyone is saying that maybe is the last opportunity, but it’s not closed,” said Pochettino. “It’s open. This is still open. It’s not the final roster. “You can see injuries. You can see combinations,” he added. “The combinations and the dynamic of the group can change, depending on the selection. That is so important for me.”

Key names return

Motioning with an invisible ruler in his hand, Pochettino admitted there can be no hard-and-fast, objective standard for inclusion, because each player carries their own context, their own skill set and relationship to the collective, above and beyond their current status at club level. That’s why New York City FC academy product Gio Reyna and Orlando City alum Alex Freeman are back with the group despite precious little playing time with their European clubs, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Villarreal CF, respectively. Luna didn’t get the call despite making his 2026 MLS debut for Real Salt Lake last weekend as he works his way back from a nagging knee issue. “The most important is what the player can add to the team,” noted Poch, “and if he can be the right player to help the team to perform.” Charles Boehm – @cboehm

USMNT Aims to Carry Over Energy From 2025’s Statement Finish

USMNT

Wed, March 25, 2026 at 6:40 PM EDT·

4 min read

Add Yahoo Sports on Google

MARIETTA, Ga. – The U.S. Men’s National Team hasn’t seen action in more than four months, since November 18, 2025, and as the team prepares to play its first match of the calendar year against ninth-ranked Belgium on Saturday, March 28 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, USMNT players have reportedly been itching to pick up right where they left off.

The USMNT concluded 2025 on a soaring note, defeating then-14th ranked Uruguay at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The U.S. mounted an energetic and fearless performance, scoring four first-half goals against the two-time World Cup winners en route to a statement 5-1 win.

The victory over Uruguay wrapped a highly successful back half of the year for head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his team. Under Pochettino’s leadership, the U.S. compiled an 8W-2L-2D record in its final 12 matches of the year and enters a two-match set against a pair of top-10 European sides riding a six-match unbeaten streak against World Cup-qualified opponents.

“Leaving that game, in the style how we won it, all of us wanted to come back and play the next week and continue on with it,” defender Auston Trusty said Wednesday. “It’s been three, four months since we’ve all seen each other. There’s been some time, but hopefully we bring that energy back and bring that momentum from leaving that game.”

The Celtic FC defender started the November win over Uruguay and made major contributions on both ends of the pitch. Trusty assisted defender Alex Freeman’s second goal of his brace and later helped set up midfielder Diego Luna’s finish in the 42nd minute.

Trusty was one of five center backs called up for March training camp, joining Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson. Each player in that group is looking to vie for a spot on Pochettino’s 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup later this year. Last week, the head coach used this position group to demonstrate the level of competition in this camp and emphasize that no player is guaranteed a spot on the World Cup roster at this point.

Players have reported knowing that roster spots are still up for grabs has created high intensity and competition in training. It’s also helped them stay focused and not look too far ahead.

“Individually, you have to do your thing, play your game, and put yourself in the best position to get stuff for the team,” Trusty said. “Also while you’re on the team, while you’re in the squad, in camp, it’s [about] being the teammate that’s working hard during training, supporting staff, supporting the players around you, and really giving it your all.”

Another center back in the mix is Robinson, who has earned 38 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team in his career. The two matches this week in Atlanta marks Robinson’s return to the same training site and stadium where he began his professional soccer career. In 2017, Robinson was the first MLS SuperDraft pick in Atlanta United history, going No. 2 overall out of Syracuse. The center back played seven years at the club, making 123 regular season appearances and winning the 2018 MLS Cup with the 5-Stripes, before moving on to FC Cincinnati.

“First and foremost, I’m very grateful to be back and representing the stars and stripes here,” Robinson said. “Atlanta definitely did a lot for me, in terms of my career.”

The most-capped center back in March camp, Ream, described earlier this week the importance of playing loose and confident, to not feel like your knuckles are turning white from such a tight grip. His two teammates on the backline both agreed that this moment heading into the two Atlanta matches is about staying focused on the present moment and making the most of the opportunities in front of you.

“Every day, every game, every training session is to put itself in position to make that spot, make that position for the team to be one of the key players,” Trusty said.

“It’s about understanding that every day is a mission,” Robinson said. “You have to compete at your best, recognizing that you have to be coachable. You have to understand what Poch wants from you but also have that mentality to be focused in every aspect of the game. Keep as many clean sheets as possible and do the most you can in any opportunity that you get.”

Why Mauricio Pochettino wants the USMNT’s ‘right 26 — not the best’ for the World Cup

Steven GoffContributing writer

Wed, March 25, 2026 at 7:08 PM EDT·

MARIETTA, Ga. — In the two months before he finalizes his U.S. World Cup roster, Mauricio Pochettino will weigh factors that go beyond soccer ability.Without pure talent, of course, the Americans will not go very far in the 48-team tournament unfolding this summer across North America. Accordingly, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and many other regulars are sure bets for a 26-man squad revealed May 26.But Pochettino has also said he will select “the right 26 — not the best; the right 26.”In other words, he is looking to curate a team that functions well both on and off the field — one that will fortify bonds over at least five consecutive weeks at hotels, on buses and jets, and handles the searing pressure of playing in the sport’s greatest spectacle on home soil.The last thing Pochettino wants is a breach like the one involving Gio Reyna and, by extension, Gregg Berhalter’s entire unit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Over the tournament’s history, multiple teams, notably France in 2010, have been knocked off track by bad chemistry or preventable incidents.“Yes, you want great players who are going to make great plays within the game,” Brad Guzan, a reserve goalkeeper for the 2010 and 2014 U.S. World Cup teams, told Yahoo Sports. “But the reality is probably not everyone is going to see minutes, and if that’s the case, you need to make sure they’re going to be able to fit within a team environment and be able to help and contribute in other meaningful ways.”

Building the right locker room

Upon his hiring in the fall of 2024, Pochettino set out to change the team culture and set a fresh vibe. It did not come easy. It took until last summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup for Pochettino’s message to get through and for the players to fully buy into his plans.

With everyone aboard, positive results began to follow. The Americans will carry a five-game unbeaten streak against World Cup-bound opponents into daunting tests at Mercedes-Benz Stadium versus Belgium on Saturday and Portugal on Tuesday. The nine-day camp marks the final assembly before Pochettino selects the “right 26.”Pochettino’s bonding efforts seemed to have taken hold. Veteran defender Tim Ream said arriving to Atlanta this week after four months since the previous camp was “like “seeing family all over again.”Because camaraderie and results went hand in hand through the fall, “Guys have a hunger,” Ream said. “They want to be a part of a team that’s moving in the right direction and playing well and fighting for each other.”

The team’s fighting spirit revealed itself in an actual fight late in the 2-1 victory over Paraguay last November. Alex Freeman was at the center of it, and within seconds, Sebastian Berhalter and others had rushed to his aid.“We backed our guy,” midfielder Tanner Tessmann said. “That is what it’s all about, man.”In the transactional period between Berhalter’s firing after the 2024 Copa América and Pochettino’s hiring months later, however, such reactions were not a given. A native of Argentina, where representing La Albiceleste is the greatest honor, the new boss needed to rekindle the U.S. fire.Now that the blaze is almost self-sustainable, Pochettino must go about picking his World Cup unit with compatible pieces.The idea of selecting the “right” players rather than the “best” players is not original.“You pick the best 26 members that make the best team, which is a concept difficult to understand,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez told Yahoo Sports. “If you’ve got a player that plays every minute and is the star of their [club] team and he comes to a national team and he can only play five or six minutes [as] a supportive player, it’s a completely different role. It’s very, very difficult to have a committed player in that role.”

Martinez, of course, has a trickier task than Pochettino, juggling many more world-class players — and egos. But the concept remains the same: constructing a team that functions on and off the field for an extended period, even if that means passing over a quality player.So how will the process play out for Pochettino? Soccer is not like basketball or baseball, sports where statistics tell most of the story.He and his staff will weigh players’ form with their respective clubs and the national team. They will consider experience, versatility, on-field partnerships and data analytics. They will rely on intuition. And they will weigh how a player fits in the group.They don’t expect any distractions from Reyna, who, from all indications, is more mature and focused than four years ago. Despite scant playing time at German club Mönchengladbach in 2026, he was invited to camp this week.Every player seems to recognize the importance of putting the team first.“You have to do your thing and play your game and be in the best position to [stay] with the team,” center back Auston Trusty said. “But while you’re on the team, while you’re in camp, it’s being the teammate that’s working hard during training, supporting the players around you and really giving them your all. That’s really just about the mindset.”Center back Miles Robinson said “you have to understand every day is kind of a mission, that you have to compete at your best, recognizing you have to be coachable. You have to understand what Poch wants from you.”

• USMNT’s European edge: The stunning rise of Alex Freeman and Patrick Agyemang from MLS to final World Cup camp
• USMNT roundup: Matt Freese tested by Lionel Messi before camp opens in Atlanta
• U.S. Soccer narrowed its coaching pay gap — then hired Mauricio Pochettino

Guzan — Atlanta United’s newly appointed club ambassador and sporting adviser after a 20-year playing career — said the days between World Cup matches are when teams can come together or slip apart.“Whatever the result of the game, there’s going to be training the next day and there’s going to be guys that maybe are upset they didn’t play or play more,” said Guzan, who, as Tim Howard’s two-time back-up, didn’t play in the World Cup. “You need guys that understand what’s needed in certain moments. So from the outside, you may have the opinion that this player should be there or that player shouldn’t be there, but inside of camp, they’re offering things that aren’t seen.”A U.S. player who seems to personify that role is Seattle’s Cristian Roldan, a seasoned midfielder from the 2022 squad who, since last fall, has become a Pochettino favorite for his leadership, experience and acceptance he might never step onto the field. That doesn’t mean Roldan isn’t good enough to contribute on the field, but with a large roster and no more than five substitutions per match, Pochettino values his intangibles.“I expect competition every camp, but this one, especially leading up to the World Cup, with the things Coach said that no one spot is guaranteed, proving yourself each and every day is extremely important,” Roldan said.

As the World Cup nears, USMNT’s center back corps remains uncertain, unsettled

Kyle Rivas / Getty Images

By Henry BushnellMarch 25, 2026 3:10 pm EDT

ATLANTA — At nearly every position, the U.S. men’s national team enters 2026 with depth. It has multiple strikers who would have started in 2022. In midfield, regulars at Champions League clubs might need to settle for places on the USMNT bench. Even at wingback, there are three players starting (when healthy) for top-50 clubs, a fourth who just moved to one, and a fifth who’s a fixture in the German Bundesliga.And then, on the other hand, there is center back.The position, USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said back in September, is “really open.”He and his predecessors have seemingly spent much of the 2026 World Cup cycle waiting for central defenders to emerge. With the tournament less than three months away, only one, Chris Richards, really has.Tim Ream, of course, is still around. For a while, he felt like a placeholder whose value was as a bridge and a veteran presence. Now, at age 38, he’s the USMNT’s most-frequent captain and apparently a starter, even as he sometimes struggles to cope with the speed of MLS.

Ream is a starter because no others have emerged to seize his place. Pochettino, who was a center back himself in his playing days and should have an intimate knowledge of the craft, called up 11 players in that position throughout 2025. He tried two other natural fullbacks on the right side of a back three. Many are decent players, but beyond Richards and arguably Ream, none would inspire confidence if thrown into a World Cup game.Noahkai Banks, left, remains undecided about his international future.Adam Pretty / Getty ImagesNoahkai Banks is the most talented. And when Pochettino welcomed him to a maiden camp in September, he said that the now-19-year-old Banks “can be a really important player, in a position that, for every single national team, is difficult to find.” He speculated that Banks, by season’s end, could “be maybe the best center back in Europe or in Germany.” As of March, he isn’t quite that, but he’s broken through and is now considered one of the top young defenders in the Bundesliga.

The problem: He’s never actually played for the USMNT, and he hasn’t yet decided whether to represent the U.S., the country of his birth; or Germany, the country where he’s spent the vast majority of his life.Banks made it “very clear” that he was “not available to be selected” for the USMNT’s March roster, Pochettino said last week. He has also said he won’t rush the decision or make it “dependent on a World Cup.” So, it feels highly unlikely that he’d commit and debut on the biggest stage of all this summer.“So,” Ream said Monday, “we work with the group that’s in [camp] right now.”That group is Richards, Ream, Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson and Auston Trusty, plus Alex Freeman and Joe Scally, the two fullbacks whom Pochettino has played on the right side of a three.Of the group, only Ream was at the 2022 World Cup. Richards and Robinson would have been if not for injuries. Over the three years since, Richards has grown into a consistent starter at Crystal Palace in the English Premier League. But Robinson never quite resumed his pre-Achilles tendon tear ascent. He has settled in at his level, as one of the better center backs in MLS.McKenzie has found his, too, at Toulouse, a middling club in France’s Ligue 1.Trusty, who has bounced from Birmingham City (on loan) to Sheffield United to Celtic, started the USMNT’s very first game of the 2026 cycle… and then didn’t start another one until the very last game of 2025.Trusty’s Celtic teammate, Cameron Carter-Vickers, was at one point a promising prospect, but plateaued and is now injured.Walker Zimmerman, another 2022 World Cup veteran, is now 32 and has seemingly fallen down the depth chart. At best, he would be brought to the World Cup as something of a closer, because of his ability to win aerial duels.Pochettino, in search of long shots, called up Tristan Blackmon in September, but that experiment didn’t pan out. The coach’s piloting of a hybrid back three made Scally and Freeman options on the right, but it didn’t really change the broader calculus.

And even Freeman, who earned Pochettino’s trust throughout the summer and fall, has hardly played competitive soccer since November. He moved from Orlando City to Villarreal in January, and has played just 38 minutes in four substitute appearances thus far.What You Should Read NextUSA or Germany? Noahkai Banks’ personal decision more nuanced than casual discourse around itThe 19-year-old is eligible to play for both the U.S. and Germany and faces a tough decision amid a sea of outside noise“Obviously I haven’t got the minutes I’ve wanted,” Freeman said Tuesday. He noted that the competitiveness of training sessions at Villarreal, plus “extra work” in lieu of playing time, helps him “stay sharp.” But without actual match sharpness, it’s tough to see Freeman being a reliable starter for the national team this summer.So, there is currently a question mark to the right of Richards. And to his left, there is Ream, a model of longevity but a player who has seemingly lost a step since 2022.Ream spoke this week about the secrets to his longevity. “If I had to pick one, I would say just being adaptable; understanding that different coaches do and want different things,” he said. He has adapted to Pochettino’s ways and wants. He gives the U.S. precisely what it needs as a ball-playing defender and distributor. But his lack of pace could be a liability.So the position, it seems, remains open and uncertain as friendly tests here against Belgium and Portugal beckon.“I think every day, every game, every training session we get, it’s to put ourselves in a position to make that spot, make that position for the team and be one of the key players for the team,” Trusty said Wednesday.

USMNT’s European edge: The stunning rise of Alex Freeman and Patrick Agyemang from MLS to final World Cup camp

Steven GoffContributing writer Tue, March 24, 2026 at 5:52 PM EDT·

MARIETTA, Ga. — Alex Freeman and Patrick Agyemang were among the two dozen or so U.S. players on the team bus rumbling into this Atlanta suburb Tuesday morning for the second day of the final training camp before Mauricio Pochettino selects his World Cup roster in two months.Distance from the team hotel: 12 miles. Lengths swiftly traversed in their career arc: incalculable. A year ago, Freeman was in his first full Major League Soccer season with Orlando City, best known to some as the son of a Super Bowl-winning wide receiver, Antonio Freeman. Alex had played for youth national teams but never for the senior squad.A year ago, Agyemang was still harnessing his 6-foot-4 frame after a breakout season with Charlotte FC in 2024. He had auditioned for Pochettino early in 2025, but, as with Freeman, the World Cup seemed a million miles away.A year later, both have matriculated overseas, with Freeman at Villarreal in Spain and Agyemang at Derby County in England. Both have received regular U.S. call-ups. And with the sport’s quadrennial carnival kicking off across North America in less than three months, both are in serious contention for Pochettino’s 26-man squad.“It’s been very quick,” said Freeman, who had started just 16 MLS matches before making his U.S. debut last summer. “It’s been just a moment for me to realize how serious things are but to adjust. I feel like it’s been a blessing. [I’ve] been grateful to be able to have eight or 10 months [that] kind of changed my life.”Freeman and Agyemang are among six regulars who have taken full advantage of opportunities since last summer when Pochettino broadened and accelerated the roster-building process. The others are goalkeeper Matt Freese, wing back Max Arfsten, and midfielders Sebastian Berhalter and Diego Luna — players who, for the most part, were not seriously in the mix as of early 2025.Except for Luna, who recently recovered from a knee injury, all are in the nine-day U.S. camp, which will feature heavyweight friendlies at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against Belgium on Saturday and Portugal next Tuesday. Pochettino is scheduled to announce his World Cup squad on May 26.While those four have expanded their MLS profiles, Freeman and Agyemang parlayed performance for club and country into missions abroad.

Alex Freeman’s Villarreal challenge

Freeman, a 21-year-old right back and wing, joined Villarreal in La Liga in late January, though an initial dearth of playing time could cloud his World Cup outlook.“Obviously, I haven’t gotten the minutes I’ve wanted,” said the South Floridian, who has logged 42 minutes in four Villarreal appearances. “But I feel like I also got the experience at a high level in Spain to be able to stay sharp against [some] of the best players on the team and maybe even the league.”Joining a prominent club was challenging enough, but he was joining one in the middle of the season and now sitting third behind superpowers Barcelona and Real Madrid while pursuing a 2026-27 Champions League berth. As Freeman has learned, the lineup does not typically change much when things are going well.Because of his MLS offseason and Villarreal bench time, Freeman has not started for any team since a two-goal performance in the 5-1 U.S. romp over Uruguay more than four months ago.U.S. teammate Cristian Roldan cautioned that “it’s going to take a whole lot for him to see the field [in Spain]. The level of competition is very high over there, but I fully expect him to tap into even more of his potential, grow as a player, be uncomfortable in certain situations, so that he continues to grow.”Before joining Villarreal, Freeman consulted with Pochettino and U.S. star Weston McKennie, a Juventus star. Freeman said they told him the move was “high risk, high reward.”Roldan, a 30-year-old midfielder in his 12th season with Seattle, praised Freeman’s ball skills and his ability to “wiggle out of pressure.”With Sergiño Dest, Pochettino’s first-choice right back, sidelined with a hamstring injury, Freeman should get the chance to continue proving his value – even if he’s not in prime form.He said he wants to show he is “the same Freeman you guys all see on the field.”

Agyemang thriving in the Championship

Agyemang, a 25-year-old striker, has been a hit at Derby County in the second-flight English Championship, recording 10 goals and three assists while starting 29 consecutive league matches for an East Midlands club locked in a heated race for a promotion playoff berth.Since arriving in England, Agyemang said, “I’ve grown into the person and player I am now. It’s been amazing. I feel myself building in all types of areas, on and off the field, and I think it could obviously translate here as well and help the [U.S.] team.”This camp is critical for Agyemang, who appears to be No. 4 on the depth chart behind Monaco’s Folarin Balogun, Coventry City’s Haji Wright and PSV Eindhoven’s Ricardo Pepi. Wright, however, is sidelined with a groin injury. For the World Cup, Pochettino is expected to select three or four from the pool, which also includes Toronto FC’s Josh Sargent and Vancouver’s Brian White. (Neither was invited to this camp.)Agyemang acknowledged having to adapt to the unmerciful rigors of the English Championship.“At times you think you get a foul or something, and it’s just not a call,” the Connecticut native said. “It’s play on and play on. So obviously it’s very aggressive in that nature. But I’m always a guy that always likes to go [to] new places and just work hard and put my head down and keep focused on that. It’s been a great experience for me, but [there] definitely have been differences [with MLS], for sure.”Tim Ream, a veteran center back who played in the English Championship for part of his Fulham career, was Agyemang’s Charlotte teammate last year until Derby County came calling.“You just never know with the Championship, what kind of reaction you’re going to get from guys,” Ream said. “I don’t think he could last 90 minutes when we were in Charlotte and now I’m seeing he’s playing full 90-minute matches. That tells me he’s in a place mentally and physically that he feels good. And when you feel good, you just feel like you can do anything.”With Agyemang in U.S. camp, Ream joked, “I’m going to have to knock him down a peg or two just to make sure that he doesn’t get too far ahead of himself just because that’s the way I am with him.”

Sitting next to Ream, Agyemang smiled.“It’s impressive to see what he’s done in a short amount of time,” Ream added. “Hopefully, that continues. But he’s got a good head on his shoulders and he knows that if he continues to do the small things and focus on himself within the group, he’s going to be playing a long time.”Like all players, Agyemang is trying to balance the demands of club and country and maintain focus on whichever crest he is wearing at that moment.He said he is “taking care of the business here and then when I go back [to England], it’s the same thing. … I just want to continue doing that until the end of the season and potentially the World Cup, so just trying to not stress too much about anything and just enjoy as much as possible.”

World Cup 2026: U.S. host cities awarded $625m in security funding after delay

The funding is being administered via FEMA under the FIFA World Cup Grant Program Michael Regan – FIFA via Getty Images

By Adam CraftonMarch 18, 2026

The 11 U.S. cities set to host World Cup games this summer have been awarded $625million in security funding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has informed members of Congress.The funding is being administered via FEMA under the FIFA World Cup Grant Program, which it says will be used to “hold operational exercises, conduct staff background checks, and strengthen cybersecurity defenses”.In a release first shared with members of Congress and seen by The Athletic, a statement from FEMA said the cities can also use awarded funds “to pay for increased police and emergency response at FIFA venues, hotels, and transportation hubs”.Representatives of the cities, who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, told The Athletic that the funds had began to land.What You Should Read NextWorld Cup 2026 stadium guides: Kansas City Stadium – home of the loudest sports crowd in historyWhat can fans expect from the Kansas City Chiefs’ stadium, usually known as Arrowhead, at the 2026 World Cup?

The funding was first pledged in President Donald Trump’s domestic policy bill last summer – which he called the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill – but the processing had been delayed during the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in early 2026.Democrats were requesting more guardrails against ICE activity after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. As FEMA falls under DHS, the World Cup was dragged into the fight.The now former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Democrats of “shut[ting] down the government,” and wrote on X: “The longer DHS goes without funding, the less prepared our nation will be for threats at the FIFA World Cup and America 250.”Noem claimed that “FEMA was in the final stages of reviewing applications to ensure proper oversight” of the World Cup funding when the partial shutdown started on February 14.Yet Nellie Pou, a Democratic congresswoman representing New Jersey, subsequently claimed that the anticipated award date of the funds was “no later than January 30, 2026” — in fact prior to the shutdown.The original award of the funding represented a considerable success for U.S. Soccer, which supported the host cities in their lobbying, as well as for FIFA, whose president, Gianni Infantino, has developed a close relationship with President Trump. Yet it has taken longer than expected for the funds to be awarded.

In a memo to members of Congress, FEMA claimed that staff were impacted by three separate funding lapses, but claimed that the administering of the funds “is a testament to the Trump Administration’s commitment to getting resources into the hands of law enforcement.FEMA also awarded $250m to states hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches through the Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program. They say this is to defend against the threat of drones.In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Pou said: “Finally. Matches begin in less than 90 days. Congress passed this funding long in advance and officials needed this money months ago. So I’m glad to see DHS finally do the right thing and release these overdue funds.“I am hopeful that with this money released, host cities and law enforcement have what they need to make the 2026 World Cup a massive success. We cannot waste a once-in-a-generation chance to show the best of America.”In a subsequent news release, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, said: “We are proud of the collaborative efforts between federal agencies, local partners and the White House Task Force in preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This grant program provides valuable funding to host cities, helping them strengthen security operations and protect their communities.”

World Cup fans from several nations facing $15k bonds to enter U.S. – and players may not be exempt

Senegal supporters are among those impacted by the bond payments Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images

By Adam CraftonMarch 25, 2026Updated 8:30 am EDTv

Fans from several countries participating in this summer’s World Cup must deposit up to $15,000 in bond payments to be granted a tourist visa to enter the United States, while organizer FIFA is privately pressing the Trump administration to make exemptions for players.The difficulties have emerged as nationals from certain countries travelling to the U.S. on a business or tourist visa — known as B-1 and B-2 visas — have been subject to bond payments after policy changes by President Donald Trump’s administration.The “Visa Bond Pilot Program” relates to 50 countries, five of which have qualified for the World Cup. The policy has impacted nationals from Algeria, Cape Verde, Senegal and the Ivory Coast since January 21 this year. Last week, World Cup participants Tunisia were among the countries added to the list, which comes into effect from April 2. Cape Verde — an archipelago of only 525,000 people — has qualified for the men’s World Cup for the first time in its history.A U.S. State Department spokesperson told The Athletic that all applicants, regardless of age, are subject to the same legal standards and must demonstrate they qualify for and intend to comply with the terms of a visa. They added that those who depart the U.S. in a timely fashion before their visa expires will recover their money, while they also said the visa bond requirement is not retroactive and does not apply to holders of existing valid visas.However, there is no wording outlined in the Visa Bond Pilot Program that grants immunity to athletes competing in major sporting events such as the World Cup. Athletes who do not already have U.S. visas will largely apply for the B-1 or B-2 visas during the tournament, meaning they, too, could be asked to deposit bonds. The State Department said that all visa applications will be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis by officers.The policy states that there is “no procedure” for applicants to apply for a waiver of the bond, but consular officers can determine whether a waiver “would advance a significant national interest or humanitarian interest based on the applicant’s purpose of travel and employment.”When contacted by The Athletic this week, neither the State Department nor FIFA took the opportunity to rule out that players from the designated countries would be required to pay the bonds. FIFA declined to comment on all aspects of this report.

The situation is causing concern among the soccer federations of designated nations. Sources, who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, told The Athletic the matter was raised with FIFA at pre-World Cup preparation workshops that competing federations attended this month in Atlanta. Fewer than 80 days out from the World Cup, FIFA is attempting to convince the Trump administration to waive the bonds for official members of a competing federation’s delegation, which would likely include players, coaches and support staff, as well as federation executives and possibly key personnel from sponsors.ABehind the scenes, FIFA is working on contingencies, with the organization seeking to help the soccer teams of designated nations circumvent the bonds by supplying invitation letters for the official delegations of national federations competing at the World Cup. FIFA wants these letters to act as a waiver for the bonds. According to sources close to the matter, the current expectation is that, if successful, this will extend only to players, staff and federation executives, but possibly not to the immediate relatives of players, who may be subject to the bonds.When The Athletic asked the State Department about FIFA seeking to influence the U.S. government’s policies, a State Department spokesperson stressed that “rules, policies, and procedures for visa processing are set in Washington, D.C.,” before adding that the U.S. government “continues to engage robustly with FIFA in support of the largest and greatest FIFA World Cup in history.”While negotiations are ongoing over possible player exemptions for the visa bonds at the World Cup, it does not appear that any such privileges will be extended to fans.For supporters from the impacted countries, the bonds add a huge financial burden on any trip to watch their team in the U.S. this summer, compounding the highly expensive World Cup tickets and hotels this summer.FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly claimed this summer’s men’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico will be the “most inclusive” in the competition’s history. Yet a national traveling from the impacted countries, who is deemed otherwise eligible for entry into the U.S., must now also have the means to post a bond of either $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, which may preclude or deter many from traveling at all.Gianni Infantino (right) has repeatedly stressed the World Cup will be an “inclusive” eventAndrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty ImagesThe bond payments are per person, rather than per travelling party, meaning that a parent travelling with a child would have to make two separate bond payments. Sources familiar with the process indicate that the $5,000 payments will be broadly reserved for children entering the country, with payments of $10,000 or $15,000 for adults.A State Department spokesperson told The Athletic that America’s safety and border security “will always come first” and reiterated that nationals of designated countries would be required to post a visa bond of up to $15,000 before a visa can be issued. This would appear to be an issue for Algeria, Tunisia, and Cape Verde, with Senegal and the Ivory Coast designated for broader travel bans, which would limit travel in any case.The State Department further claimed that the program “has proven effective in deterring illegal immigration and the Trump Administration is expanding it to additional countries based on a range of immigration risk factors, including high overstay rates, screening and vetting deficiencies, concerns regarding acquisition of citizenship by investment without a residency requirement, and foreign policy considerations.”FIFA has also been asked by impacted nations to ensure that the State Department provides B-1 or B-2 visas that offer multiple entries into the U.S.This has become a challenge as the State Department has increasingly been providing single-entry business or tourist visas to nationals of designated countries, when equivalent visas previously offered multiple entries.Federations, players and fans need multiple-access visas to the U.S. because some teams in the tournament will play in more than one country during the World Cup. Ivory Coast, for example, have a group game in Toronto sandwiched between two games in Philadelphia, while Senegal’s final group-stage game is in Toronto, and they may need to return to the U.S. for knockout games. Tunisia’s first two games will be in Mexico before their final group game in Kansas City. Algeria and Cape Verde’s group games are all within the U.S.A State Department spokesperson said an applicant’s “individual circumstances” will be taken into account when a consular officer makes the final decision on whether to issue a single- or multiple-entry visa.

Football Writer