Mauricio Pochettino didn’t mince words following the USMNT’s devastating 5-2 loss to Belgium. Beyond dissecting a defensive performance that looked well below World Cup standards, the manager sent a blunt message to those currently on the bubble for the 2026 roster.
“If I’m the player, I say, ‘Why are you calling me with bad news?’” Pochettino said regarding the upcoming roster cuts. “If they need to call me, I am very open to explaining… but of course, it’s going to be a very sad process making these decisions.”
The atmosphere around the squad is growing increasingly tense. Between USMNT legend Landon Donovan publicly questioning teenager Noahkai Banks’ commitment after he declined a recent call-up, and the fallout from this five-goal collapse, Pochettino is navigating a locker room under fire just months before the tournament kicks off.
Even former manager Gregg Berhalter, now with the Chicago Fire, noted Pochettino’s previous bold claims to Donald Trump that the U.S. can win it all. After the Belgian masterclass, however, the U.S. status as a tournament favorite is facing its harshest scrutiny yet.
Who is missing from the camp?
Pochettino’s recent comments have cast a long shadow over several regular starters who were left out of this international window. Whether due to injury or tactical preference, the following players face a steep climb back into the World Cup picture:
- The medical room: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth, quad), Sergino Dest (PSV, hamstring), Haji Wright (Coventry City, groin), and James Sands (NYCFC, ankle surgery) all remain sidelined.
- Fitness concerns: Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).
- Tactical shocks: Yunus Musah (Atalanta).
- The “fringe” list: Lennard Maloney, Kristoffer Lund, Patrick Agyemang and Folarin Balogun.
The road ahead
The U.S. have little time to lick their wounds. Their next test comes against Portugal in the final leg of this international window.
It is a massive opportunity to silence the critics and prove that the Belgian disaster was an outlier rather than a preview of their World Cup exit. With the pressure to perform on home soil reaching a fever pitch, a statement win is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity.
