USMNT's Midfield Conundrum: Who'll Make the Cut?

Pochettino's USMNT midfield dilemma

Mauricio Pochettino faces tough midfield decisions for USMNT ahead of World Cup warmups vs Portugal, Senegal, and Germany.

Pochettino weighs options for USMNT midfield as injuries and form issues complicate World Cup preparations...

Mauricio Pochettino is gearing up for a tough match against Portugal, despite his team's recent 5-2 loss to Belgium. He believes the upcoming friendly will be an even bigger challenge for the USMNT, but he's actually happy about it - it's his last chance to evaluate his players before finalizing the World Cup squad.

Pochettino is under pressure, and he's aware that his team needs to bounce back from their disappointing performance against Belgium. The match against Portugal is a great opportunity to do just that, and Pochettino is taking it seriously. He's focused on assessing his players and preparing for the World Cup.

“We never thought that facing Belgium or Portugal would be easy,” said Pochettino after Saturday's crushing loss to Belgium in Atlanta.

“We knew we would have to dig deep and that it would give us a bit of a reality check.”

“We have many things to improve... Portugal will present us with the same level of challenge - or perhaps even greater - and we need to raise our game.”

The pressure's on Mauricio Pochettino and the US team. They're co-hosting the World Cup, and fans are expecting big things. Their group stage opponents - Paraguay, Australia, and either Turkey or Kosovo - seem like a decent draw, but it'll still be a challenge playing on home turf.

The real test is making it out of the group and doing well in the knockout stages, which would also be played on US soil. Can they capitalize on this opportunity? 

Mauricio Pochettino's got a tough job picking the right opponents for the US team's final World Cup warm-ups. They need teams that'll boost their confidence without breaking them. Meanwhile, Argentina, Pochettino's home team, is facing off against Mauritania (ranked 115th) and Zambia (91st) - quite a contrast in opponents.

“We need competitive games to arrive at the World Cup at our best,” Pochettino told reporters.

“I think we can arrive with the wrong idea - that we are so good, we are so handsome, we are so well dressed, and we are Americans.

“It is good to feel that. But if you want to win the World Cup, you want to go to the next stage of the group and beat Paraguay... do you think they're not going to fight?”

USMNT's Tough Selection Decisions

Mauricio Pochettino is facing a challenging task in selecting the final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup. Despite fielding a strong team against Belgium, featuring stars like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, the USMNT's performance was underwilling, making Pochettino's decision even tougher.

The midfield is a particular area of concern, with several talented players vying for spots. Pochettino has emphasized that club form isn't the only factor, but it's clear that players like Gio Reyna, who hasn't played much for his club, are being considered for their potential impact on the team.

Mauricio Pochettino admitted his team was superior in the opening half hour against Belgium but dropped their intensity, allowing the elite opposition to score five goals. “In the moment that we match the intensity of Belgium, we were even and in some moments we were better,” Pochettino said, adding that this was a valuable lesson for his team.

"Losing a game... in my mind, is never really good," said McKennie.

Mauricio on the mic following yesterday's match. pic.twitter.com/PbKWbx37N8

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) March 29, 2026

Nonetheless, he expressed hope the team would be “stronger for it against Portugal,” who are fifth in FIFA’s world ranking..

Injury Crisis Forces Pochettino's Hand

Pochettino's injury woes forced him to get creative, deploying Timothy Weah at right back against Belgium. Weah struggled to contain Jeremy Doku, highlighting the challenges of playing out of position. With key defenders and midfielder Tyler Adams missing, Pochettino's options are limited.

The experiment didn't quite work out, but Pochettino's got to consider his options for the upcoming friendlies and World Cup. 

Pochettino experimented with Johnny Cardoso and Tanner Tessmann at the base of midfield, but neither impressed. Cardoso, who excels for Atletico Madrid, was substituted at half-time, while Tessmann “can do better” according to Pochettino. “I saw him play better games than today,” Pochettino said, indicating room for improvement.

Pochettino's got a midfield puzzle to solve. The US faces Portugal, then Senegal and Germany in their final warm-ups, and he needs to nail the squad selection. Players like Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Gio Reyna are in the mix, but who'll make the cut?

But Pochettino insisted he was “not going to change the approach because of the result” against Belgium.

“We need to keep going with the plan.”