US Men’s National Team Faces Heavy Loss to Belgium
The U.S. men’s national soccer team experienced a disappointing 5-2 defeat against Belgium during a friendly match over the weekend.
Now, a former star player is expressing concerns about the potential “psychological damage” this loss could inflict on the team.
Landon Donovan critiqued the USMNT’s performance in an interview, voicing doubt about whether the players showed enough “pride” on the field, especially with the World Cup approaching.
He stated, “We understood our identity clearly. It wasn’t a worry to concede five goals; we never expected that. We could have just lost the game, and indeed we did, but it wasn’t a topic of discussion—ever. I am worried for this team. Conceding five goals at home just three months before the World Cup can have a lasting mental impact on the players.”
Tonight, the USMNT is set to play against Portugal, and by the time the match kicks off, they will find out who will join them in group play for the upcoming World Cup. Kosovo and Turkiye are set to compete for the last spot in Group D earlier in the day, with the victor joining the U.S., Australia, and Paraguay.
Currently, the U.S. is ranked 24th in the FIFA standings, while Kosovo sits at 78.
Donovan sees tonight’s match as an opportunity for the team to rebound but notes that fans will gain insight into the squad’s character based on their performance.
“The positive is they have a chance to quickly erase that loss. The downside is they’ll be facing Portugal, so it will reveal a lot about the squad,” he remarked.
He also shared a memory from his own experience on the USMNT.
“I’ll never forget playing a match in Houston during an MLS season. It was over 97 degrees, and we were down 3-0 after just 23 minutes. I gathered everyone on the field. No one wanted to listen,” Donovan recalled.
“Everyone was looking away, and I said, ‘Look, if we lose today, we still lose. But don’t shy away. Take pride in your actions.’ We ended up losing 3-0. This morning, I had a podcast with Howard, and we couldn’t understand why no one seemed to care too much about adversity, even though they were putting in effort.”
When asked about the team’s attitude, Donovan shifted the focus from “care” to pride.
“‘Care’ isn’t quite the right term,” he added. “It’s not like they don’t care, but perhaps they lack enough pride. I might have to say that.”
“Losing three months ahead of the World Cup in front of 70,000 fans would be really disappointing. A score of 4-1 or 5-1 would feel quite embarrassing; honestly, I would have likely lost my cool. I’m puzzled as to why there’s a lack of urgency or accountability among players. This has left me questioning: is it a generational issue or something specific to this team?”
Donovan also expressed concern about the team’s defense. Chris Richards and goalkeeper Matt Turner started against Belgium, with Matt Freeze expected in goal for the World Cup. However, Donovan believes that fixing the defense should be a priority.
“I’ve always thought this would be an issue against strong teams,” he noted. “It simply is what it is.”
He raised further questions about the defense, suggesting there are still many uncertainties that need addressing.
“All of that might improve with the right spirit and determination. The collective effort should outweigh individual talent,” Donovan emphasized. “Going up against Belgium, with their world-class players, can be tough. Forget about formations or tactics; if you can’t compete one-on-one, you won’t stand a chance.”
The quest for clarity and improvement continues tonight against Portugal, where even more will be revealed about the team.
