MARIETTA, Ga. — Brazil’s national team coach Carlo Ancelotti suggested on Monday that the World Cup champion may not be the team that scores the most goals, but rather the one that concedes the fewest. This idea doesn’t seem to bode well for the United States.

U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino found this perspective intriguing. “It’s a very interesting consideration,” he remarked. “The players need to hear that.”

This comes after the U.S. let in five goals against Belgium recently. Much of the chatter leading into Tuesday’s friendly — or maybe “unofficial” match — against Portugal focused on how to avoid a repeat of that performance.

Portugal, ranked sixth in the world by FIFA, will head to Atlanta missing Cristiano Ronaldo, yet they still likely possess more talent than Belgium. Players like Bruno Fernandes, Vicinha, Ruben Neves, Gonzalo Ramos, and Joao Felix are all set to compete.

A key decision for Pochettino is whether to stick with the back-four setup that crumbled so easily in the last match or revert to the successful 3-4-3 formation from last autumn.

To clarify for those who may not be familiar, a 3-4-3 formation employs three center backs and two wing backs who advance up the field. Conversely, the U.S. typically plays in a 4-2-3-1, where the two center backs and outside backs have more defensive responsibilities.

While Pochettino and Tim Ream tried to minimize the differences between formations, Chris Richards, returning after a knee injury kept him out of Saturday’s game, pointed out that using a back four requires more tactical discipline. “We probably need to play more centrally and protect the central area,” he noted. “It’s different in moments like this, but it’s tough sometimes on the national team. We make substitutions here and there, so it’s challenging. But I think our main job is to protect the goal.”

Richards is likely to be one of the two center-backs starting in the World Cup alongside Ream, who played the full match on Saturday. If a third center-back spot opens, it might come down to Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, or Auston Trusty. Joe Scully, Alex Freeman, and Tanner Tessman could also be considered, even though some are in atypical positions, and there’s the possibility of Noakai Banks being invited to the World Cup squad despite not having played for the senior team.

McKenzie’s performance on Saturday wasn’t particularly strong, while Robinson is at camp but sidelined with a groin injury. Trusty didn’t play last match but is expected to get a chance against Portugal.

Of course, getting the tactics right matters, but it’s even more imperative for the U.S. to showcase a level of urgency that seemed absent in the second half of the last game. They need this to compete against top-tier teams.

“When you think of the best defenders, you picture players willing to run through a brick wall,” Richards said. “I think that’s an element we can bring to our game. There are moments when we show toughness, but sometimes we allow soft goals. That grit is essential.”

“It’s going to take time,” he added, acknowledging the urgency. “We’re aware there’s not a lot of time left, but these high-level matches can boost our confidence if we perform well.”

If the discussion post-camp revolves around the U.S. struggling to maintain performance for the full 90 minutes, it could lead to a rather bleak two months ahead of a pivotal tournament.

“The key is not just to make the first effort; it’s about the second, third, and fourth,” Ream said. “That’s what we did well last fall, and we need to get back to that.”