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Gregg Berhalter’s Legacy

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2 years ago

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Gregg Berhalter’s time as the USMNT manager has come to an end.  USSF has made the announcement that they have terminated Berhalter’s contract after 5 years in charge of the USMNT.  There are many highs and lows during his time as manager with just as many praises and controversies.  After the humiliating defeat at Couva during the 2018 World Cup Qualifying, there needed to be a change and the goal for 2022 was to qualify no matter what and how.  It was understandable for many fans to let bad results during Berhalter’s first cycle because of the goal we had set for 2022.  Now that we made it out of the group during the 2022 WC, the expectations for the USMNT would increase.  Those expectations have not been fulfilled since the rehiring of Gregg Berhalter.  Here are the top 10 reasons he had to go.

Crashing out of the 2024 Copa America

We were invited and given the rights to host the 2024, Copa America.  The USMNT’s first time participating and hosting the tournament since 2016.  The only players to appear in both tournaments were Christian Pulisic and Ethan Horvath.  On paper, the 2024 squad was better than the 2016 squad in almost every position.  Jürgen Klinsmann had a weaker squad but managed to reach the Semi-Finals in the 2016 Copa America.  It is one of the biggest accomplishments for the USMNT in recent history.  When you look at this year’s roster and what they did last year, the minimum goal should be the Quarterfinals and at most a Semi-Final appearance.  The USMNT did not come anywhere close. 

Players like Weston McKennie and Musah greatly underperformed.  A lack of discipline cost us games, like Tim Weah’s red card, and the foul that led to the Uruguay goal.  Against Bolivia, the USMNT only scored 2 goals against the worst team in CONMEBOL (1 win and a -10 GD in their WCQ campaign).  Giving up a lead when a man down and ultimately losing to Panama should never have happened, especially against a team that the USMNT has only lost to at home 3 times since 1993.  This put the USMNT in the worst possible situation in the tournament, a result against Uruguay and a win or draw for Bolivia. 

Good news did arrive for the USMNT when Bolivia tied the game, but this led to Berhalter informing our players prior to a set piece about the score.  This gave the indication that he wanted to chase for a draw, which has been a common theme during his tenure.  You cannot rely on Bolivia to bail you out.  You MUST go for the win.  As Herculez Gomez said, it is a loser mentality. 

People will blame the refs, Weah’s red card, or not having Dest, but that is not an excuse for poor in-game management by Berhalter.  After the firing of Gregg Berhalter, ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle wrote an article where he said that our group exit from the 2024 Copa America is the first time the USMNT had been eliminated in the group stage of a tournament that was being hosted in the US.  That is just one more stain on the legacy of Gregg Berhalter.

Poor Match Results

As mentioned, the poor result against Panama, a team we should have defeated even with a man down.  There are plenty more matches to talk about.  Since being rehired, Berhalter has a 7-1-6 record.  The most infamous would be against Trinidad & Tobago away.  Again, people will use the excuse that Dest got a red card, and it does not matter since we had qualified for the next round of the 2024 Nations League.  That was a game you should not have lost even with a man down, more so than the Panama match.  There are many other games that can be mentioned but let’s look at more record first.  Berhalter has an overall record of 44-13-17.  When playing outside of the US, the record is 4-7-8. 

Against top 20 FIFA ranked teams, the record is 5-5-8.  Four of those wins came against Mexico and the other being against Iran.  When we compare him to Klinsmann and Bob Bradley against top 20 FIFA ranked teams, Klinsmann was 10-6-14 and Bradley was 9-5-15.  For Bradley, only 3 of those wins were against the same team (Mexico) and 6 in total were against the same teams (2 times against Ecuador, Germany, and Mexico each) for Klinsmann.  This record would make Berhalter the winningest coach by percentage in USMNT history, but there are important contexts to include.  Jamaica was just seconds away from eliminating us in the NL Semi-Finals until an own goal by Cory Burke.  The USMNT did rally to defeat them 3-1 in extra time, but it was still humiliating for the team. 

Then you have the loss against Colombia before the Copa America where we lost 1-5.  The last time the team conceded 5 goals was in 2009.  A 1-3 defeat against Germany back in Oct of 2023 where we were not competitive at all.  From June 5 to November 25, 2022, the US had a 1-5-1 record.  The last match I will reference is the match against Honduras in San Pedro Sula where we had no control over the game in the 1st half.  It was not until Ricardo Pepi helped save Berhalter’s job with 2 assists and 1 goal to give us a 1-4 win.

Tactics

One of the biggest problems that Gregg Berhalter has is in-game management and pre-game tactics.  His go to formation is a 4-3-3, which is not always bad, but it is defensive minded and creates little chances.  We have seen that over the 5 years of having him as a manager.  During the 2022 WCQ, our goals per match were 1.5 and 1.8 during the 2021 Gold Cup.  The goals conceded per match was 0.2 during that Gold Cup and 0.7 during the WCQ.  Yes, statistically we would not concede a goal, but the USMNT was likely to only win 1-0.  No one likes a 1-0 game, because not only is it boring, but it is risky.  All it would take is for the opposition to score 1 goal to take 2 points from you.  Make it a mission to get 2 goals every game to give you some breathing space.  Berhalter also looks to park the bus, even when it is a tie. 

Against Panama in the Copa America, Berhalter decided to park the bus when it was tied and with a man down at the start of the 2nd half.  That is a high toll to ask the players to park it for 45+ minutes.  You knew you were playing Uruguay next, and that Panama has a very good chance of beating Bolivia.  A draw against Uruguay was going to be very difficult.  Yes, we were a man down, but that does not mean we should have given up getting the 2nd goal.  As we saw, we conceded a 2nd goal and it cost us to be in the worst possible situation in the group stage. 

Besides parking the bus, Berhalter wants us to score primarily off the wings and from crosses.  Against Jamaica during the 2024 NL, we attempted 41 crosses with only 11 being accurate.  None of the 3 goals in that match came from a cross.  Against Trinadad & Tobago at home during the QF of the 2024 NL, they went 11 for 39 on crosses.  The first goal did not come until the 80th minute mark, which should never have come close to being a draw against Trinadad & Tobago at home.  Only 1 of the 3 goals we scored in the last 10 minutes were from a cross.  When BJ Callaghan led the team during the 2023 NL, our crosses were reduced to 17 attempts in both matches.  In both matches, the goals came from up the middle where the team scored a total of 5 goals and 0 goals conceded. 

It was some of the best football that this group of guys have played in the last 5 years.  The players can score more goals than 1 and can score goals without crossing the ball.  As we can see, Berhalter does not know how to react when things do not go to plan as we saw against Panama and against Colombia.  A coach needs to be able to react and make the right call when things go sideways.  That is a major weakness of his and pundits have pointed it out in the past.  After Wales got their goal in the 2022 WC against the USMNT, Berhalter responded by substituting in Jordan Morris instead of Gio Reyna.  Gio Reyna is a playmaker, Jordan Morris is not.  At the time, the US did not have a playmaker on the pitch and that would be the time to use our best player in that role, Gio Reyna.  That is not the first time. 

During his 2nd cycle, Berhalter would commonly substitute Gio Reyna off when he decides to hold a draw or goes a man down.  The US did not win a single game when Gio was subbed off.  During the Copa America, Berhalter left Johnny Cardoso on the bench for Tyler Adams.  Johnny was developed in Brazil and played in several Copa Libertadores and was a standout in LaLiga once he arrived. Tyler Adams only played a total of 138 minutes between the EPL and the EFL Cup last season (Adams was out for majority of the season due to injuries).  Common sense would say to start Johnny Cardoso, but Gregg Berhalter did the complete opposite.  Besides that, Weston McKennie had been playing poorly for the USMNT all year and looked visibly unfit during the Copa America. 

Berhalter continued to start McKennie and gave him a total of 258 minutes.  Berhalter continued to award McKennie with starts and minutes when common sense would say that he must be benched.  Berhalter also had a major problem with rotating players and that had a major impact on the endurance of the players when it came to tournaments.  It was noticeable during the 2022 WC and Copa America.  These are all things that will be remembered by fans.

Player Selection

During his 1st cycle, Gregg Berhalter called up an astounding 65 different players in just competitive matches alone.  During the WCQ, he called up 39 different players to the camps.  Yes, after the 2018 cycle, the USMNT had to rebuild, but does it really require trying out 65 different players to figure that out?  For the WCQ, 13 of the 39 did not make the final cut.  I can understand making 2-3 changes every camp at the youth level, but this is the senior level.  He had already been with the team for 2 years.  He should have had a better idea who he needed to bring with him to the WCQ, which started in the Fall of 2021. 

The changes in the WCQ roster make sense if there is an injury, but not all the changes were made due to injuries, i.e., Gianluca Busio and Paul Arriola.  Berhalter had from 2019 to the Summer of 2021 to determine his WCQ roster and the alternate players.  When creating a team, either for business or sports, you need cohesion, or brotherhood to Berhalter, to get the best out of the team when the results matter. 

Continuously making changes for the most important competitive matches in your tenure will lead to problems.  By the end of the WCQ, the USMNT tied for 3rd in points and only qualified through goal differential.  The USMNT had a record of 7-4-3 with the away record being 1-3-3.  Who knows what that record could have been if the roster was more consistent.  Berhalter has improved his roster selection by focusing more on the players in Europe than the players in the MLS.  The argument for having half the roster or more being MLS players because they were veteran players and the players in Europe were too young.  It is an understandable reason, if that is the case. 

He did make significant changes to the roster when he took back control of the team by removing Jordan Morris, Jesus Ferreira, and Cristian Roldan from the team.  In this current cycle, Berhalter called up 36 different players in the 14 matches he oversaw.  To note, 7 of the 36 are or were MLS-based players.

Achievements

Gregg Berhalter does deserve big credit to the achievements he made while the manager of the USMNT.  While in charge of the team, he won the CONCACAF Gold Cup and won the CONCACAF Nations League in 2021 and 2024.  Now, you can make an argument that the players had a bigger part in that, when this is the best generation of players we have ever had.  Berhalter was still the manager and deserves the credit as well. 

After the US failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018, Gregg Berhalter accomplished qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.  It might not have been the prettiest World Cup for the USMNT, but the team did advance to the first round of the knockout stage.  That will be a positive note for his legacy as a USMNT manager.  The only thing that is missing from his list of achievements is a signature win.

There is one more piece to Gregg Berhalter’s legacy that will be remembered by many fans, but I doubt would be a footnote to his legacy (it would eventually be forgotten).  That being his relationship with the players.  I touched a little on in the “Tactics” section by awarding players starts and minutes when they did not deserve it, but it goes further than that.  It is known and visible that Berhalter showed favoritism towards certain players, those being the players on the “leadership committee”.  These players continued to play match after match when they did not deserve it or were too physically tired to continue. 

Tyler Adams mentioned in a press conference during the 2024 Copa America that he never speaks to Berhalter about soccer outside of the camps.  Whether with just a few or everyone, it is a concern that a coach does not speak to his players about the sport, on or off the field.  During the Copa America, it began to look like the players saw Berhalter as more of a friend than a coach.  It can be seen just as a fan by comparing the discipline of the players in the 2022 cycle to the 2024 cycle.  That is a huge concern within a team because it creates complacency and that was visible during the 2024 Nations League and the Copa America.

On paper, Gregg Berhalter will appear to be a top USMNT manager in its history, but once you peel those away and look deeper, he would be ranked below the likes of Bob Bradley, Bruce Arena, and Jürgen Klinsmann.

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Entry into US Men’s National Fandom

Published

4 days ago

on

January 31, 2026

By

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

Every soccer fan has a player or a moment or signature win that pulls them into the game and binds them to a team, no matter how high or low the journey becomes.

For me, that moment was tied to the U.S. Men’s National Team hosting the 1994 World Cup, along with my own recent introduction to the sport as the starting goalkeeper for my school team. Tony Meola, in particular, stood out as one of many important icons and trailblazers for the USMNT during that era.

I imagine there are countless young fans around the world who have already had, or will soon have, that defining moment over the last few years: discovering their first international team and the players they’ll root for and follow for years to come.

Before the 1990 World Cup cycle, those moments were rare for the USMNT. The United States hadn’t even reached the final round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying. Their closest opportunity came during the 1986 cycle, when all the U.S. needed was a draw at home against Costa Rica, a result they had achieved just five days earlier on the road in Costa Rica.

In the 1980s, the USMNT qualified for the Olympics three times, once automatically as the host nation in 1984 and twice through the qualifying tournament. It’s also worth noting that Mexico was disqualified during both the 1980 and 1988 qualifying cycles.

Despite qualifying, the U.S. withdrew from the 1980 Olympics in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In the tournaments they did play (1984 and 1988), the USMNT struggled to make an impact, failing to advance out of the group stage and managing just one combined win across both competitions.

USMNT on the Rise (1988-1998)

This generation of trailblazers put the U.S. Men’s National Team back on the map—ending a 40-year World Cup drought, hosting the 1994 World Cup, and advancing further than the world expected.

1989 WCQ neutral side in Honduras vs El Salvador

A rare win away from home soil keeps US in hunt to qualify for 1990 World Cup. 

1989 – Qualification at Trinidad & Tobago

The win in Port of Spain sends the US to its first World Cup since 1950.

1990 – Return to the World Cup (Italy)

Results were tough, but simply qualifying restarted the program on the world stage.

1991 – USA 2–0 Mexico (Gold Cup)

The USMNT’s first “Dos a Cero” win against Mexico to advance to the first Gold Cup Final.

1993 – USA 2-0 England (U.S. Cup)

The USMNT first win against England since the 1950 World Cup.

1994 – USA 2–1 Colombia (World Cup)

One of the biggest upsets in World Cup history; launched U.S. soccer into the mainstream.

1995 – USA 3-0 Argentina (Copa America)

The apex win for this generation of USMNT trailblazers.

1998 – USA 1-0 Brazil (Gold Cup)

The USMNT only win over Brazil to date.

Earning Respect from the World (1999-2010)

After a disappointing performance at the 1998 World Cup, the USMNT reset by hiring American coach Bruce Arena. That decision, combined with the emergence of impactful young players, helped restore credibility and earn growing respect on the global stage—culminating in a deep and memorable run at the 2002 World Cup.

1999 – 2-0 Win over Germany (Confederations Cup)

USMNT second win over Germany in 1999.

2001 – First “Dos a Cero” vs Mexico in Columbus (World Cup Qualifier)

A rivalry-defining moment and a psychological turning point.

2002 – USA 3–2 Portugal (World Cup)

The world took notice. One of the greatest performances in USMNT history.

2002 – USA 2–0 Mexico (World Cup Round of 16)

Dominance over rival Mexico on the biggest stage.

2002 – World Cup Quarterfinal run (loss 1–0 to Germany)

Even in a loss the USMNT deepest World Cup run got attention from most.

2005 – USA 2-0 Mexico in Columbus (World Cup Qualifier)

USMNT WCQ win over Mexico qualified them for the World Cup.

2007 – Gold Cup Final: USA 2–1 Mexico (Gold Cup)

A signature win in Chicago with a classic Donovan goal.

2009 – USA 2–0 Spain (Confederations Cup)

Ends Spain’s 35-match unbeaten streak in a historic semifinal upset.

2010 – Donovan vs Algeria (90+1’)

The most iconic goal in USMNT history; dramatic group-stage escape.

The Klinsmann Era (2011-2017)

When Jürgen Klinsmann was hired to replace Bob Bradley, he introduced a new mindset for the USMNT, challenging players to compete at higher levels with their clubs. The opponents he scheduled during his tenure reflected that philosophy, consistently pushing the team against stronger international competition.

2012 – USA 1-0 Italy (Friendly)

A key road win for the USMNT under Klinsmann.

2012 – USA 1-0 Mexico (Friendly)

The Americans first ever win at Azteca in Mexico.

2013 – USA 4-3 Germany (Centennial Match)

Celebrating their centennial match in style with a win.

2013 – USA 4-3 Bosnia-Herzegovina (Friendly)

A comeback road win against the 13th ranked Bosnia-Herzegovina.

2013 – USA 2-0 Mexico (World Cup Qualifier)

Nothing better than Dos a Cero that qualifies you for the World Cup.

2014 – USA 2–1 Ghana (World Cup)

Revenge at last, with a clutch John Brooks header helping to advance from Group of Death.

2015 – USA 4-3 Netherlands (Friendly)

A thrilling comeback victory on the road against the Netherlands.

2015 – USA 2-1 Germany (Friendly)

Days after beating the Netherlands, the USMNT topped Germany in a hard-fought match.

2016 – USA 2-1 Ecuador (Copa America)

A quarter-final win for the Americans who advance to the semi-finals of Copa America.

The Rise of a New Generation (2018-Current)

After the failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the USMNT landscape began to shift. A greater emphasis was placed on integrating younger players into the national team, even as it became increasingly difficult for the U.S. to schedule friendlies against top-level opponents from Europe and South America.

2021 – USA 3-2 Mexico (Nations League)

This extra-time win sparked a period of dominance over Mexico.

2022 – USA 3-0 Morocco (Friendly)

A victory over the eventual fourth-place finisher at the 2022 World Cup.

2022 – USA 1-0 Iran (World Cup)

A first-half strike from Christian Pulisic propels the U.S. into the knockout stage.

2023 – USA 3-0 Mexico (Nations League)

A dominant semifinal win preceded Gregg Berhalter’s rehiring.

2024 -USA 2-0 Mexico (Nations League)

Another victory over El Tri, extending the unbeaten run to seven matches.

A Chance to Win will bring in New Believers Ahead of 2026

The USMNT has a prime opportunity to build momentum and attract new supporters ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with upcoming friendlies against European powers Belgium, Portugal, and Germany, along with AFCON champions Senegal. These high-profile matchups offer a rare spotlight and a chance to measure themselves against the world’s best.

A deep World Cup run, reaching the quarterfinals or beyond, would go a long way toward winning and retaining new fans. But to truly grow the fanbase, success must be consistent, with fewer lapses and a standard of performance that reinforces belief long after the tournament ends.

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Breaking the Mold: Freese a Unique USMNT Goalkeeper

Published

2 months ago

on

December 12, 2025

By

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

With only the March window left before Mauricio Pochettino finalizes the 2026 World Cup roster, one major question remains: who can truly be trusted to guard the net? It’s a debate still dividing media, fans, and observers alike.

The USMNT has produced some legendary goalkeepers over the past four decades, but the current pool has yet to see anyone truly seize the No. 1 spot. For a while, it looked like Matt Turner might start in back-to-back World Cups, but after a poor summer performance against Switzerland, he lost his place to Matt Freese. Freese went on to start the last thirteen matches, yet outside of his heroics in the 2025 Gold Cup penalty shootout, echoing Turner’s run in 2023, Freese hasn’t fully convinced me he should be the starter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Since the 1990 cycle, five USMNT goalkeepers, Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, and Matt Turner, have earned the World Cup starting role. Each of them logged minutes in the grueling World Cup qualifying process before taking the job. But Matt Freese could become the first USMNT goalkeeper to start a World Cup without ever playing a single qualifier.

Tony Meola – 1990 Italy World Cup

1990 World Cup Finals, Florence, Italy, 10th June, 1990, Czechoslovakia 5 v USA 1, USA’s goalkeeper Tony Meola shouting instructions to his defenders (Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty Images)

Creator: Bob Thomas | Credit: Getty Images

Tony Meola remains the youngest goalkeeper ever to start a World Cup for the USMNT. He went on to start in back-to-back tournaments and later served as the backup at the 2002 World Cup alongside Brad Friedel and Kasey Keller.

First Cap (Age) – June 7, 1998 (19 years, 3 month & 17 days)

World Cup 1990 (Age) – (21 years, 3 months, 10 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 17
Matches Started – 15
Minutes Played – 1,395
Wins – 7
Shutouts – 6

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 4
Matches Started – 4
Minutes Played – 360
Wins – 2
Shutouts – 4

Kasey Keller – 1998 France World Cup

21 Jun 1998: USA goalkeeper Kasey Keller throws out during the World Cup group F game against Iran at the Stade Gerland in Lyon, France. Iran won 2-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Ben Radford /Allsport

Kasey Keller, one of the backups to Tony Meola at the 1990 World Cup, was left off the 1994 roster but later reestablished himself in the USMNT picture. He went on to become the primary starter for the 1998 and 2006 World Cups and served as the backup on the 2002 team.

Creator: Ben Radford | Credit: Getty Images

First Cap (Age) – February 4, 1990 (20 years, 2 months & 6 days)

World Cup 1998 (Age) – (28 years, 6 months, 15 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 34
Matches Started – 33
Minutes Played – 2,790
Wins – 18
Shutouts – 16

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 9
Matches Started – 9
Minutes Played – 810
Wins – 5
Shutouts – 6

Brad Friedel – 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup

1 Sep 2001: USA Goalkeeper Brad Friedel organises his defence during the FIFA 2002 World Cup Qualifier between USA and Honduras played at the RFK Stadium in Washington, USA. Honduras won the match 3 – 2. \ Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill /Allsport

Creator: Clive Brunskill | Credit: Getty Images

Brad Friedel, who started all five U.S. matches at the 2002 World Cup and made one start in 1998, earned a place on three USMNT World Cup squads during his career.

First Cap (Age) – September 3, 1992 (21 years, 3 months, 16 days)

World Cup 2002 (Age) – (31 years, 0 months, 5 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 76
Matches Started – 74
Minutes Played – 6,453
Wins – 25
Shutouts – 23

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 13
Matches Started – 13
Minutes Played – 1,125
Wins – 7
Shutouts – 4

Tim Howard – 2010 South Africa

Creator: Ronald Wittek | Credit: Alamy

Tim Howard, the oldest first-time World Cup starter among this group, may also be the most accomplished. He appeared on three World Cup rosters, and likely would have made a fourth had the USMNT qualified in 2018.

First Cap (Age) – March 10, 2002 (23 years, 0 months, 4 days)

World Cup 2010 (Age) – (31 years, 3 months, 12 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 51
Matches Started – 50
Minutes Played – 4,185
Wins – 31
Shutouts – 23

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 16
Matches Started – 16
Minutes Played – 1,440
Wins – 12
Shutouts – 8

Matt Turner – 2022 Qatar

goalkeeper Matt Turner of the United States clears the ball away with a header during the World Cup, group B soccer match between the United States and Wales, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Creator: Francisco Seco | Credit: AP

Turner seized his opportunity when an unwell Zack Steffen was forced off the roster to start the World Cup qualifying, stepping in to start the first of eight World Cup qualifiers. His performances solidified his place as the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper for the 2022 World Cup.

First Cap (Age) – January 31, 2021 (26 years, 9 months, 3 days)

World Cup 2022 (Age) – (28 years, 4 months, 21 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 20
Matches Started – 20
Minutes Played – 1,800
Wins – 14
Shutouts – 14

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 8
Matches Started – 8
Minutes Played – 720
Wins – 4
Shutouts – 4

Matt Freese

Courtesy USMNT

Matt Freese would have the shortest runway of any USMNT goalkeeper, from earning his first cap to potentially starting at a World Cup. He would also become the first U.S. keeper to start at a World Cup without having played a single World Cup qualifier.

First Cap (Age) – June 5, 2025 (26 years, 9 months, 3 days)

World Cup 2026 (Age) – (27 years, 9 months, 12 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 13
Matches Started – 13
Minutes Played – 1,170
Wins – 7*
Shutouts – 3*

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – n/a
Matches Started – n/a
Minutes Played – n/a
Wins – n/a
Shutouts – n/a

It’s clear the USMNT doesn’t have a true front-runner in goal even though Mauricio Pochettino currently leans toward Matt Freese, but as we’ve seen, things can change fast. Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte, Chris Brady, Roman Celentano, and Jonathan Klinsmann will all need to push hard to earn their place on the final roster.

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2025 Summer Transfer Window Review

Published

2 months ago

on

December 2, 2025

By

Last year, I wrote a stock-up/stock-down article covering ten Americans who either made a move to Europe or to the U.S.  We are closing in on New Year’s and about 6 months until the World Cup (June 11th, 2026), giving us enough data to know if these transfers have been beneficial not just for the players’ club careers, but to make it onto the USMNT for the World Cup.  As American soccer players, this season is the most important season of their international career.  The players are making one last argument for them to be at a USMNT camp and be part of the team when the United States of America co-hosts the FIFA World Cup.  So far, a lot of the European transfers have not gone so well, compared to the domestic transfers.  

*All information is up to date as of December 1st, 2025.

Yunus Musah to Atalanta (loan)- Stocks Down


When Massimiliano Allegri took over AC Milan, he cleaned house.  Twenty-four players were permanently transferred out of the club or sent on loan (some for positive reasons and others, not so much).  Yunus Musah happened to be one of those 24 players.  AC Milan sent Musah on loan to fellow Serie A club, Atalanta, with an option to buy that is worth $28 million.  As things stand, it does not look like Atalanta will trigger their buy option at the end of the season.  Musah has only one start and has appeared in 9 matches (a total of 203 minutes) while being available for a total of 16 matches since joining the Nerazzurri.  When it comes to goal contributions, Musah has only one assist coming from the Champions League match against Club Brugge.  When it comes to passing, Musah’s accuracy has not been bad (83.5%), but he is lacking in chances created with only 3. 

He has never been known for scoring goals, but his total shots this half of the season are as low as 0.6.  As for his defensive work, it has been average.  He has only 2 interceptions, has lacked successful tackles (25% success rate at 1/4), and he has committed a penalty.  The only positive is his ball recovery rate, which is at 16.  Statistically, the only areas where he sees positive results have been in his dribbling (60% completion) and duels won (59.5%).  From Atalanta’s standpoint, if he is offering little in the final third and in your defensive half, then what is the purpose of starting him?  As for the USMNT, his poor form at his club has not gone unnoticed by Mauricio Pochettino.  The last time Musah received a call-up to the USMNT was for the Gold Cup, which he turned down and that could be a contributing factor to why he has not been called up since.  Others in the midfield, and at right wing, have been able to stake their claim onto the team.  At this point, we will not be seeing Yunus Musah make it onto the 26-man team this coming summer.

Johnny Cardoso to Atlético Madrid- Stock Down


One of the biggest transfers this past window for an American, and one of the closest followed transfers in Spain, was Johnny Cardoso’s $35 million (according to Goal) move to Atlético Madrid on a 5-year deal.  Johnny was coming off a solid season with Real Betis that showed a promising career in Europe.  He collected 4 goals and one assist as a defensive midfielder.  In just two months of being at Real Betis, Johnny won the LaLiga U23 Player of the Month for February 2024.  Fast forward to today, due to his lack of opportunities with Atleti and his USMNT form, his hopes of being at the World Cup are fading. 

During pre-season, he made his way onto the starting XI for Atleti starting in the first three matches of the season.  Sadly, he picked up an ankle injury that led him to miss 9 matches.  Since returning on September 13th, 2025, Johnny went 5 matches without receiving a single minute.  Diego Simeone has opted to go with veteran player, Koke, to start alongside Pablo Barrios and Conor Gallagher as the substitution.  He finally got his chance when Simeone named him on the Starting XI in their UCL match against Inter Milan on November 26th, 2025.  For someone who had not played a single minute since August, Johnny had a good game in the 59 minutes he received.  When we look at the stats from those four matches, there were positives.  His pass accuracy sits at 77% with 62% total duels won.  Johnny also completed 67% of his dribbles, had 4 interceptions, 2.65 tackles per game, 9 clearances, and 9 balls recovered.  Obviously, stats alone will not keep you on the pitch and the performances of the other midfielders as of late have made it difficult for Johnny. 

Atleti fans on social media are happy with his performances, believe he should be a starter, and believe he is an important player to the team.  Time is running out for him at the international level though with the final USMNT friendly camp coming up in March.  He must make an argument for himself to get into that camp to get one last shot at the World Cup.  If Johnny builds on his performance from the Inter Milan match, he could see himself in that final camp.

Paxten Aaronson to Colorado Rapids- Club: Stock Down

This will be seen as controversial by many MLS fans, but Paxten receives a stock down mostly because the move has not improved his chances of making it onto the USMNT and the impression that his career has regressed.  Eintracht Frankfurt’s sporting director, Timmo Hardung, said, “With a view to the 2026 World Cup, which is taking place in his home country, among others, he made the request to take his next step at the Colorado Rapids.”  During the Gold Cup, we saw 16 MLS players take part in the campaign.  Paxten only received 58 minutes in total, when you include the friendly against Switzerland.  It was the only camp he was called up to in 2025.  We saw the likes of Diego Luna, Brian Gutierrez, Jack McGlynn, Luca de la Torre, and Sebastian Berhalter were either getting called up ahead of him and/or receiving more minutes than he was at the Gold Cup. 

It set a precedent that no matter how well you perform in a top seven league, like the Eredivisie, the performance of those in the MLS will outweigh yours.  In Paxten’s case, he had 8 goals and 4 assists in 30 starts for Utrecht, helping them finish 5th in the top Dutch league.  His performance at Utrecht was enough for him to be part of Eintracht Frankfurt’s 2025/2026 campaign, who is competing in the UCL, part as stated by Hardung, Paxten submitted a transfer request to join Colorado Rapids.  Yes, Paxten is getting regular minutes at Colorado instead of being a bench player, but he is coming back to MLS after just 2 ½ years in Europe.  Despite receiving 571 minutes, Paxten only scored one goal and got 0 assists.  It was not enough for Poch to give Paxten another chance with the USMNT, and the transfer had been all for nothing.

Malik Tillman to Bayer Leverkusen- Stock Up

Three seasons ago (the 2022/2023 season), Malik Tillman left the Bundesliga after agreeing to a loan deal to Rangers F.C. from Bayern München.  For the following season, Tillman went on loan to PSV Eindhoven, which became a permanent deal.  This season, he is back in the Bundesliga, but this time with Bayer Leverkusen.  In his debut match for Die Werkself, he scored a goal at the 35-minute mark.  It has been a slow start for Tillman in the G/A department with only 3 goals in 12 matches, but there are still many positives to this move that show he can make it in the Bundesliga.  When available, Tillman started in 10 matches, 3 of which have been UCL matches, and a total of 815 minutes played.  Right now, Tillman has 1.50 xG in the Bundesliga with 187 goals per minute. 

He also has a goal conversion of 25% to add on top of that.  Outside of scoring, his pass accuracy is at 85%, but he has 0 assists and only 6 chances created.  Defensively, Tillman has intercepted the ball 8 times, recovered it 33 times, 3 blocked shots, and has a success rate of 79.9% (18/24) tackles.  Additionally, he has won 50% of his duels.  A major reason why Tillman gets a stock up is because of one reason, he is playing consistently at a high level.  Diego Luna is in the MLS and towards the end struggled with his production (it also did not help when Tillman looked like the better 10 in the Gold Cup). 

Paxten would not be a starter for Eintracht Frankfurt if he had stayed and he took a step backwards.  Gio Reyna is in the Bundesliga as well and is one of our most talented players, but he only has 189 minutes for Mönchengladbach.  Despite Tillman’s continued issue of performing consistently, the fact he is getting regular minutes at a top five league club and finally performing for the USMNT, has locked him in as the #1 CAM for the U.S. at the World Cup.

Damion Downs to Southampton- Stock Down


Damion Downs scored 2 goals in 179 minutes just shy of turning 20 years old.  He followed this up with 10 goals and 3 assists in his first full season in a professional league when FC Köln was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga.  FC Köln won the league and with-it promotion back into the Bundesliga.  Downs contribution to the campaign got him a move to English Championship club, Southampton.  Anyone who understands English football and Southampton’s striker depth knew this was a risky move.  Prior to Downs joining, the club had Cameron Archer, Adam Armstrong, and Ross Stewart.  So far, the transfer is going poorly and that is disappointing for a promising player.  In 395 minutes, Downs has only one assist and gone 2 matches as an unused substitute.  To make matters worse, he has only been on the matchday team sheet 16 times out of the possible 21 matches (Downs missed one match due to illness). 

This move was not only important for Downs’ domestic career, but also his international career.  During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Downs tried out for the U.S. Olympic team, but Marko Mitrović cut Downs from the team just before the Games.  This led him to join Germany’s U20 to take part in their U20 Elite League campaign.  It took Pochettino to give him an opportunity at the 2025 Gold Cup for Downs to rejoin the U.S.  The goal for Downs would be to take that third striker spot with the USMNT this coming World Cup.  Looking at his club form, that will not happen. 

If you are looking for any positives, there are two.  One, Downs is only 21 years old, so there is still plenty of time to recover his domestic career.  Second, Downs is not the only striker at Southampton that has been struggling.  Ross Stewart and Cameron Archer only have 2 goals, and one assist each this season.  There is still the second half of the season to recover to possibly slide into the 2026 World Cup roster.  If not, there is still the 2030 World Cup, which he will be 26 years old.

Patrick Agyemang to Derby County- Stock Down


When the Gold Cup campaign began, Patrick Agyemang started all but one match, when you included the two friendly matches.  Prior to the Gold Cup, Agyemang was part of ‘Camp Cupcake’ and the Nations League finals in March.  In the three camps, he scored five goals.  Many fans and pundits were calling him to be a lock for the USMNT and that appeared to be certain after the Gold Cup, but that is where it ended for him.  For the September camp, Folarin Balogun, Josh Sargent, and Damion Downs were selected over Agyemang.  Hope returned when he was called in for the October camp, but he did not receive a single minute in the two matches. 

Then came the November camp where he did not get the call from Pochettino.  What could have happened that led him to fall out of favor with Pochettino?  There are two reasons: Balogun and Pepi have returned from injury, and Agyemang has been in poor form at Derby County.  In 11 starts and 953 minutes played, Agyemang has only 3 goals and 3 assists.  In comparison, fellow American and Championship player, Haji Wright has 9 goals and 2 assists in 14 starts.  To make matters worse, Agyemang has 318 goals per minute, and his goal conversion is a meager 11%.  His passing has not been the greatest sitting at 69% accuracy, but Agyemang is just short of creating a chance per game at 0.9 (13 chances created).  Besides having a poor goal conversion rate, his ball retention is also poor.  Agyemang has lost 66% of his duels and losses possession 11.2 per game. 

Before his move to Derby County, Agyemang scored 8 goals in the current MLS season and finished last season with 10 goals.  The move has not only been a stock down for him domestically, but also internationally.  Agyemang needs to find his form quickly or he will not be part of the USMNT again this World Cup cycle.

Benjamin Cremaschi to Parma (loan)- Stock Down


Benjamin Cremaschi was someone whose chances of making it to the World Cup were slim, but he took part in ‘Camp Cupcake’ and performed well in the U20 World Cup.  Prior to the U20 World Cup, Cremaschi had yet to make his debut since joining Parma on loan at the end of the summer transfer window.  After winning the golden boot at the U20 World Cup, Cremaschi got his debut, but he has only clocked in 14 minutes in 2 matches.  On seven different occasions, Cremaschi has been an unused substitution by Carlos Cuesta.  The loan deal includes a buy-option and so far, it does not look like Parma will exercise that option.  Cremaschi needs to find his way on to the pitch to convince Parma to make the move permanent. 

The move at first gave some hope that he could get back into the USMNT picture and his showing at the U20 World Cup reinforced that.  Since he has not even reached 25 minutes in Serie A with barely any data and footage to go on, his chances at the World Cup are even less now.  Cremaschi would have to try again during the 2030 World Cup cycle.

Timothy Weah to Marseille (loan)- Stock Up


Even though Tim Weah set a personal record for goal contribution with 10 goals and assists, he only started in 24 matches.  Now, he is on loan where his dad spent a spell at Marseille.  The loan has worked out for Weah so far, starting in 12 of the 15 matches he has appeared in.  Currently, Weah has 2 goals and 2 assists with a goal conversion of 23%.  His passing accuracy is at 87% with 15 chances created.  Weah’s defense has been decent with 59.1% tackles completed, 35 recoveries, and 15 clearances.  The one stat that has been negative for him is his duels at 50%, which is not too bad.  The move back to Ligue 1 has been beneficial to not just his playing time, but more fitting to his playing style. 

Weah is still in the USMNT picture and there should be no doubt that he will be at the World Cup.  The question is, at what position?  Weah has been playing all along the right side for Marseille, mostly at RB.  Now that the USMNT is using a 3-4-2-1, Weah is fighting with Sergiño Dest for that starting RWB spot.  If Pochettino does not plan to have Weah at RWB, does he move to CAM, where the depth is deep, or to striker?  It is likely that Weah would be placed at RWB, but I do not think it is a matter of being #1 or #2.  Depending on who our opponent in the World Cup is would decide if Poch starts Weah or Dest.

 Kristoffer Lund to 1. FC Köln (loan)- Stock Up

A surprise transfer over the summer came from Kris Lund when he joined FC Köln in the Bundesliga on loan.  Lund started off strong when he joined Palermo in Serie B back in 2023/2024, but last season he struggled with his form and getting starts (he only started 24 of the 35 matches he appeared in).  That is why when the report broke out that newly promoted Bundesliga club, FC Köln, signed him on loan with a buy-option, it took U.S. fans by surprise.  It has been up and down for Lund since joining Köln, but the club is midtable and will likely avoid relegation.  Lund has also been starting consistently for Die Geißböcke with 10 starts out of 14 matches.  Due to him getting consistent starts for a midtable Bundesliga club, many USMNT fans have suggested that Pochettino should give Lund another chance. 

That has not happened, either because there is something about his club performance that has not impressed Poch to call him up over John Tolkin and Max Arfsten, or Lund’s performance back in the October 2024 camp that left a bad impression.  Looking at his stats, Lund has not really done anything offensively and that could be a reason why he has not gotten another look by Poch.  His xG is at a low of .20 while his xA sits at .41.  Lund did get his first Bundesliga assist recently in Köln’s match against Werder Bremen.  Lund’s passing has not been too bad with an accuracy of 72.5%, but his chances created are only at 6.  Defensively, he is doing better where he has 10 interceptions, 95.8% (9/12) completed tackles, 31 recoveries, and 36 clearances.  A major negative in his records is that he has committed two penalties. 

The loan has been good for his domestic career and caught the attention of USMNT fans again.  If we are giving a midtable 2. Bundesliga player call-ups, then a midtable Bundesliga player should get another opportunity.  It is doubtful that Lund will be at the March camp and at the World Cup.  The LWB position will likely be covered by Antonee Robinson and Arfsten, one who has been reliable for us since the 2022 cycle and the other who has a 6 G/A this year.  He is 23 years old, so there is always the 2030 World Cup.  Lund simply needs to end the season on a positive note, make his move to Köln permanent, and then perform consistently throughout the next cycle.

Honorable Mention

George Campbell to West Brom Albion- Stock Up


Another surprise transfer was when George Campbell left Montréal for English Championship side, West Brom.  So far, it has not gone too badly for him.  While healthy, he has started in 13 matches with a total of 1,259 minutes.  Campbell has collected 2 clean sheets with 9 interceptions, 81.94% (21/30) successful tackles, 47 recoveries, 73 clearances, and 8 blocked shots.  The only major negative defensive stat Campbell has is committing one error that led to a shot.  He has been successful with his passes by completing 89% of them, but Campbell’s duels have been average, winning 50% of all duels. 

Like Lund, Campbell recently got his first English Championship assist in West Brom’s clash against Swansea off the bench.  Due to the USMNT’s current lack of quality CBs, there were fans suggesting that Pochettino call up Campbell to give him a shot.  The thing is though, Campbell has mostly played at RB, a position that is covered by Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, and Joe Scally.  On the upside, Poch has moved to a back 3, which could give Campbell access to the USMNT.  It is doubtful that he will get a chance at the March camp, but he is only 24 years old, and he is now in Europe where he can continue to develop.  The 2030 World Cup is still a reality and that is why he gets a stock up.

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