US Men’s National Team Prepares for World Cup

IRVINE, Calif. — After an extended wait of eight years, the airstrip is no longer there.

The U.S. men’s national team landed in California on Saturday night, taking Sunday to rest and recover before facing the media at their World Cup base camp in Orange County.

In the last three and a half years, they haven’t had many significant football matches, and now, there’s no meaningful football left. This team has been quietly gearing up for a home World Cup, a chance to showcase soccer in a way never witnessed before across the 50 states.

So, what’s the vibe among this group of 26 players?

“We’re ready,” captain Tim Ream declared on Saturday.

Despite losing 2-1 to Germany, the Americans left Chicago with a sense of momentum after their match against one of the world’s elite teams.

There’s a lot still to prove, though. The inability to triumph over top-tier teams from Europe and South America remains a glaring gap in their track record.

But Group D isn’t stacked with those heavyweights.

While Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey aren’t considered powerhouses, the USMNT is optimistic about advancing past the group stage, especially on home turf.

“We showed reactions, character, and resilience against Germany,” Tyler Adams noted. “We need to elevate our quality moving forward, focusing on passing, finishing, and understanding everyone’s mentality—not just the starters, but those coming off the bench, too. We need a cohesive team.”

Mauricio Pochettino has dedicated over 18 months to instilling a strong culture and belief in the squad.

He aims for the players to approach each camp with the same urgency as teams from the world’s top soccer nations do, feeling that their World Cup spot is always at risk.

Following Saturday’s game, Pochettino recounted a discussion with Dan Cathy, a significant supporter of U.S. soccer, stressing that “culture eats talent for breakfast.”

“About a year and a half ago, when I joined the U.S. Men’s National Team, my teammates and I thought… Pochettino said: ‘That was our challenge, and we began moving away from a very complacent situation, because we started our World Cup journey a year and a half ago. Maybe that was our oversight. But yes, we’re very excited,’” he shared.

While it’s clear this USMNT may boast the most skilled roster ever, they aren’t exactly considered the frontrunners.

Reaching the quarterfinals would be viewed as a significant accomplishment.

The recent goal against Germany illustrates the challenges ahead, particularly with the defense appearing shaky without Chris Richards and the USMNT struggling with set pieces.

Regardless of any warnings, Chipper’s outlook remained positive after the loss.

Even with two friendly matches where the team performed relatively well under Pochettino—except for a shaky start against Germany—much of their potential hinges on upcoming games. Richards’ ankle will play a crucial role in his ability to maintain a high level for a full 90 minutes by Friday night.

“I feel good after the friendly, but ultimately, it doesn’t count for much,” said Christian Pulisic. “We need to perform when it really matters on Friday.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for us.”