USMNT
USMNT and the 3rd Olympic Qualifying Failure
The night of the qualifying failure, I could not sleep and tweeted a thread discussing the failure. This article is a more in-depth discussion of the topics I mentioned in that thread. It is linked at the end of this article.
No Olympics…Again
For the 3rd Olympic cycle in a row, the US Men have failed to qualify. There is no way around the truth, this is unacceptable. Completely and utterly unacceptable. Afterward, the excuses flowed almost immediately from those that instead should have taken responsibility. This too, is completly unacceptable. There needs to be accountability for this failure because that is what it is, however, it also important to look at the situation on a macro level.
Olympic Qualifying Final Roster
First, let’s discuss the tournament roster. As the Olympics contains a smaller roster, player selection is even more crucial than for regular youth and senior tournaments. And yet the roster Jason Kreis selected contained several natural defensive midfielders and very few if any creative attacking players. The roster was designed to feature very physical and defensive players. It is not surprising that the biggest area of weakness was goalscoring and creative play to break down low-blocks. Even the decision to replace Uly Llanez, a creative winger, with Tanner Tessman, a gritty central midfielder, illustrates the direction of the roster. Concerns about the ability of the selected roster were raised almost immediately and only intensified throughout the tournament. Given the failure to qualify, those concerns were more than valid.
Another crucial part of this team is the lack of time together. When compared to the Honduran U23 team, the US seriously lacked team chemistry and experience playing together. One factor was the lack of U23 specific camps leading up to the tournament. The federation will claim that holding U23 camps was not possible due to the pandemic, and perhaps it was, but the truth is the lack of collective team experience was evident. Another unavoidable factor is the movement of top domestically based U23s to Europe during the extra year following COVID postponement. With key U23 talents such as Mark Makenzie and Brendon Aaronson moving abroad, the ability to have them available for qualifying vanished. This was obviously going to upset the balance of the team, making training camps and even friendly matches even more critical.
The roster that was brought to the Olympics should still have easily qualified for the Olympics. Yes, even with the issues and the challenges related to this particular cycle. It really is that simple. A team of players consisting of veterans of the senior national team and MLS regulars should be able to easily qualify out of Concacaf. The circumstances were not ideal, but this was a team of professional players, some with several senior caps, there really is no excuse.
Questions for USSF
Following a failure of any kind, there are always questions asked of the governing body. In this case, that is USSF. US Soccer needs to have a serious look at what went wrong during qualifying. There needs to be open communication with the fans regarding their conclusions as well. Three cycles in a row of failure, speaks to a larger issue than individual circumstances surrounding each tournament. One failure and it is a fluke. Two in a row, it is suspicious. Three in a row, it is a pattern and speaks to a culture and mentality problem around the Olympics.
An issue that USSF needs to address is the youth coach and camp situation. Going so long without youth national team coaches and without having youth camps hurt the Olympic Qualifying tournament. Without getting full youth camps together regularly to evaluate the full player pool, and without getting a look at the top U20s, the ability to select a roster was impeded. With the best U23s unavailable, USSF should have looked to bring some of the top U20 attacking talents, the weakness of the available U23s, yet they did not. Why? Even if those players were brought to bring in off the bench for some added spark when chasing a goal, it would have been better than subbing on another defensive midfielder.
One of the things we learned from this qualifying situation, is that USSF needs to improve on depth identification. Given the high end talent the USMNT is producing, there is a steep drop-off when it comes to depth players. Having top talents is important of course, but having good depth is equally important. The first choice lineup will almost never be available at the same time. There has to be depth. Right now, this qualifying failure shows the struggles with managing and getting results with depth players. This needs to be rectified.
However, the big question for USSF is this: what was your ultimate goal? The roster selection leaves a lot of questions. Take the defensive midfielders. Why bring so many? Is it because they are the best available or because defensive midfield is one of the shallowest positions depth-wise for the senior team? Here is another: why force this team to play the same style as the senior team? The skillset and talent level of the players on the roster do not match the senior team’s style, why force it?
Looking at the situation objectively, was the goal to qualify for the Olympics or exhibition players? It does not seem too far-fetched to conclude that the ultimate goal was in fact, the latter. In a lot of ways, it seemed USSF thought Olympic qualifying would be easy and the tournament could be used in place of youth camps. If that was indeed the thought process, they wildly missed the mark. Given the history of the federation’s failures, it would also speak to a lack of culture change within the organization, despite the leadership changes. In essence, the same mentality that resulted in the Couva disaster in 2017.
Big Picture, Everything Really is Okay
Despite the concern and negativity surrounding the Olympic Qualifying failure, the fact is that 16 out of 26 players named to the senior roster for March friendlies, were U23 age-eligible players. There is no need to draw conclusions about the entirety of the US U23 player pool based on Olympic Qualifying. For context, Christian Pulisic (22) captained the senior squad the same day as Jackson Yueill (24) captained the U23s in the semi-final.
To say there is anger over the age-eligible players participating in friendlies instead of qualifying is an understatement. It is justified anger. However, it is FIFA that is responsible, not US Soccer. FIFA rules require the release of players for senior squads during a FIFA sanctioned tournament or international window. FIFA does not mandate release for youth tournaments or camps. This means that the more U23 talent that is overseas and playing in big roles for their clubs, the less likely they are to be released for Olympic Qualifying, a youth tournament.
Where the USMNT differs in this compared to the rest of Concacaf, is in the number of U23s overseas. The USMNT has by far the most top talent in the best leagues of any Concacaf nation. As a result, the US was missing the most players from the U23 qualifying roster. This is how almost an entire U23 roster ended up with the senior team instead. Not to mention those that were unable to be released due to COVID quarantine (Tyler Adams, Tim Weah) or minor injuries (Weston McKennie). The truth is our best U23s have outgrown the U23 level at a rate faster than the rest of Concacaf. This is great news for the future of the USMNT, even though at the present moment, it left us exposed for Olympic Qualifying.
The best roster of U23s we have is frankly too good to let the Olympic Qualifying failure speak to the overall look of the future of the USMNT. The level of U23 talent available to the senior squad is unrecognizable compared to the talent available for Olympic Qualifying. Looking at the big picture of the USMNT’s U23s, it is hard to be anything but absolutely ecstatic. The best U23s are some of the best players the USMNT has ever had. Failing to qualify for the Olympics is an embarrassment and unacceptable, but there is still so much to be excited about.
The Original Thread
USMNT
From Maradona to Messi
From Maradona to Messi: A Quick Look at World Cups 1986–2022
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
A quick look back at the last ten World Cups reveals how the world’s greatest sporting event has evolved and grown through the decades. With over 200 days until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, here’s a high-level recap of the tournaments that shaped its legacy, and a glimpse of what’s next.
1986 – Mexico
Diego Maradona delivered a World Cup for the ages, scoring both the “Goal of the Century” and the infamous “Hand of God” in the same match, then leading Argentina past West Germany to claim their second World Cup title.
1990 – Italy
The USA returned to the World Cup after a 50-year absence in what became the lowest-scoring tournament in history, as West Germany edged Argentina 1–0 on a late penalty. It marked West Germany’s final World Cup before reunification.
1994 – United States
The USA hosted its first-ever World Cup, setting all-time attendance records as Brazil defeated Italy in the tournament’s first final decided by a penalty shootout in front of the largest crowds in US since the 1984 Olympics.
1998 – France
FIFA’s first 32-team World Cup saw host nation France capture its first-ever title, becoming the seventh country to win the trophy. Led by Zinedine Zidane triumphed on home soil with a commanding victory over defending champions Brazil.
2002 – South Korea/Japan
The first World Cup with co-hosting nations saw South Korea stun many by reaching the semifinals, while Brazil claimed their fifth title, powered by Ronaldo’s two goals in the final against Germany.
2006 – Germany
Germany came up short on home soil, losing in extra time to eventual first-time finalist Italy in the semifinal. Italy went on to claim its fourth World Cup, edging France on penalties in a final forever marked by Zidane’s infamous headbutt in extra time.
2010 – South Africa
The first World Cup hosted by a CAF nation, South Africa, saw the host nation become the first ever to fail to advance past the group stage. Meanwhile, Spain captured their first World Cup, showcasing their tiki-taka mastery and defeating the Netherlands in extra-time with Andrés Iniesta’s decisive goal.
2014 – Brazil
Host nation Brazil reached the semifinals on home soil but suffered a shocking 7–1 defeat to Germany and then fell 3-0 to the Netherlands in the third-place match. Germany went on to defeat Argentina in extra time, with Mario Götze scoring the decisive goal, while Lionel Messi claimed the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
2018 – Russia
France’s golden generation, spearheaded by tournament Best Young Player Kylian Mbappé, captured their second World Cup title with a thrilling 4–2 victory over Croatia, led by Golden Ball winner Luka Modrić.
2022 – Qatar
The 2022 World Cup, overshadowed by controversies over migrant worker treatment and extreme heat, which pushed the tournament to November and December, ultimately delivered a historic finale. Lionel Messi achieved crowning glory as Argentina triumphed on penalties in a thrilling 3–3 final against France, highlighted by Kylian Mbappé’s hat-trick.
2026 – United States/Mexico/Canada
The 2026 World Cup will feature a major expansion from 32 to 48 teams and, for the first time ever, be hosted by three nations. Mexico will make history as the first country to host matches in three different World Cups, while the United States becomes the sixth nation to host at least twice. What unforgettable moments will define this landmark tournament?
USMNT
One Home or Many? The Debate Over a Primary Venue for U.S. Soccer
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
The logics of the United States make it almost impossible for the USMNT or USWNT to have a primary venue to play all of their home matches but a trend of playing in a handful of stadiums has been developing over the last couple of cycles. US Soccer says there are specific factors behind where matches are played, some make sense, while others come across as lazy or lacking creativity.
If and when Major League Soccer aligns with the FIFA calendar and observes international breaks, more MLS stadiums could become available for matches. While not all MLS venues currently feature natural grass, US Soccer has indicated they would be willing to invest in installing grass, though at a cost of around $500K and with potential concerns about surface reliability.
Global Approach to Scheduling
Many of the top-tier international teams play their World Cup qualifiers and other critical matches in a primary venue or two. Here’s a sample of some of those countries and generally where they play based on my research.
Here are some of the more notable nations that play nearly all of their home matches at a single venue, a setup made practical by their smaller size and simpler logistics, which also makes it easier for fans.
Germany and Spain are known for rotating their non-critical home matches across multiple venues.
Argentina-Estadio Monumental (River Plate)
Belgium– King Baudouin Stadium (Brussels)
Colombia-Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez
England-Wembley Stadium
France– Stade de France (Saint-Denis, near Paris)
Italy-Stadio Olimpico
Northern Ireland-Windsor Park (Belfast)
Norway-Ullevaal Stadion (Oslo)
Portugal– Estádio da Luz (Lisbon)
Republic of Ireland-Aviva Stadium (Dublin)
Scotland-Hampden Park (Glasgow)
Uruguay-Estadio Centenario
Wales-Cardiff City Stadium
What’s in a location?
Here’s a look at the past few cycles, highlighting the USMNT’s home matches and the venues they’ve used. While US Soccer has clarified that they don’t control Gold Cup or Nations League venue selection, a point still under debate, they do manage the locations for Friendlies and World Cup qualifiers and continue to review and adjust those choices.
2026 Cycle (Matches Scheduled Through the end of 2025) – 46 Home Matches – 30 unique cities
So far, half of the USMNT’s home matches in the 2026 cycle have been held across eight venues. Only two more windows, March and May/June, remain for Friendlies before the 2026 World Cup.
- 4-AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- 4-Energizer Park, previously CityPark, St. Louis, Missouri
- 4-Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas
- 3-Inter&Co Stadium (previously Orlando City Stadium and Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida
- 2-Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada
- 2-Geodis Park, Nashville, Tennessee
- 2-Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Connecticut
- 2-TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
2022 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 24 unique cities
I can almost give US Soccer a pass on city and venue selection during the 2022 cycle, given the global circumstances at the time. That said, it’s interesting that they scheduled three consecutive home World Cup qualifiers in Ohio, with final round two matches in Columbus. Columbus has been a recurring choice, hosting multiple qualifiers in 2014, 2018, and 2022, handling one match each during both the semifinal and final rounds of qualifying in 2014 and 2018.
Lower.com, Columbus, Ohio
2018 Cycle – 47 Home Matches – 33 unique cities
During the 2018 cycle, the USMNT played in a wider variety of cities and venues. Aside from four matches in Carson, California for the January camp, they only repeated a location eleven times.
Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA
2014 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 29 unique cities
During the 2014 cycle, the USMNT repeated cities twelve times, but only two cities hosted more than two matches: Carson, California, where two of three games were for Camp Cupcake, and Kansas City, Kansas, which hosted three matches.
Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
2010 Cycle – 35 Home Matches – 18 unique cities
One of the leanest home schedules in recent cycles saw the USMNT play in just 18 different cities, with 11 of them hosting only a single match. Over half of their home games were concentrated in four cities: Carson, California (7 matches); Chicago, Illinois (5 matches); and Foxborough, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. (3 matches each).
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
2006 Cycle – 44 Home Matches – 24 unique cities
The USMNT played eight matches in Foxborough, Massachusetts—double the number held in the next two cities, Columbus, Ohio, and Miami, Florida, which each hosted four matches. Notably, the team has excelled in Foxborough, losing only once in 22 games played there.
Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, MA
2002 Cycle – 38 Home Matches – 16 unique cities
During the 2002 cycle, California was clearly a preferred destination for the USMNT, hosting matches in five different cities across twelve games. Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. each hosted five matches as well.
Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA
1998 Cycle– 40 Home Matches – 21 unique cities
Washington D.C. was the city of choice for the USMNT during the 1998 cycle playing six matches. The USMNT would also play more than two matches in Los Angeles, California (5 matches), Foxborough, Massachusetts (4 matches) and Pasadena, California (3 matches) while playing only one match in twelve other cities.
RFK Stadium, Washington, DC
Long Term Venue Strategy
While US Soccer may favor a single venue for most USMNT and USWNT matches, doing so would limit access for thousands of fans across the country. However, with the move to Georgia and the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center set to open in early 2026, ahead of the World Cup, it’s likely that future matches will focus on venues within three to four hours of Atlanta. We can expect the majority of games to continue taking place in roughly ten to twelve core cities.
Club News
The constructing of a World Cup roster
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
With the September FIFA window now in the rearview mirror, and only three more windows left before final rosters are set in late May or early June 2026, Mauricio Pochettino has drawn a clear line.
He’s stated that September’s camp was the “last camp to have the possibility for new faces.”
If we take him at his word, the nearly 70 players who’ve been called across six camps and the Gold Cup will form the pool from which he selects the 2026 World Cup squad.
Of the 60 players named to the 2025 Gold Cup provisional roster, only five, Maxi Dietz, Richie Ledezma, Tim Tillman, Caleb Wiley, and Griffin Yow, have yet to appear on a #USMNT roster under Pochettino.
Comparing the 2025 Nations League provisional roster to the Gold Cup list reveals over a dozen different players, raising the question: are these minor differences simply the edges of the player pool Pochettino intends to draw from?
Goalkeepers
Nine goalkeepers have been called into Pochettino’s camps, but it’s clear that Matt Freese is his first-choice right now, with Matt Turner likely the No. 2 as we sit just 10 months from the World Cup.
- Chris Brady
- Drake Callender
- Roman Celentano
- Matt Freese
- Ethan Horvath
- Jonathan Klinsmann
- Diego Kochen
- Patrick Schulte
- Zack Steffen
- Matt Turner
Fullbacks
Outside of Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson, the USMNT’s fullback depth remains a concern. Pochettino appears high on MLS defenders Alex Freeman and Max Arfsten, while Caleb Wiley, though yet to feature in a USMNT camp but named to recent provisional rosters, could still be on his depth chart.
- Max Arfsten
- Sergino Dest
- Alex Freeman
- Marlon Fossey
- DeJuan Jones
- Kristoffer Lund
- Shaquell Moore
- Antonee Robinson
- Joe Scally
- John Tolkin
Centerbacks
Center back remains another position with uncertain depth. Chris Richards and the veteran Tim Ream look like locks for now, leaving three spots up for grabs. If Pochettino opts for a back three, that tactical shift could influence which players ultimately make the cut. Notably, Jackson Ragen and Maxi Dietz are the only center backs from the recent provisional rosters who haven’t been called into a USMNT camp.
- Noahkai Banks
- Tristan Blackmon
- George Campbell
- Cameron Carter-Vickers
- Mark McKenzie
- Tim Ream
- Chris Richards
- Miles Robinson
- Auston Trusty
- Walker Zimmerman
Central Midfielders
The central midfield position is the deepest for the #USMNT, with many players in the pool capable of also playing fullback, center back, or winger. Although Richie Ledezma has primarily played as a right back and right wing-back for his current club and for PSV last season, USMNT coaches view him primarily as a midfielder. This likely explains why he hasn’t yet been called into a USMNT camp.
- Tyler Adams
- Sebastian Berhalter
- Gianluca Busio
- Johnny Cardoso
- Ben Cremaschi
- Luca de la Torre
- Emeka Eneli
- Jack McGlynn
- Weston McKennie
- Aidan Morris
- Yunus Musah
- Tanner Tessmann
- Sean Zawadzki
Attacking Midfielders
There are several players at this position who could add real quality and play pivotal roles for the #USMNT at next summer’s World Cup. Gio Reyna remains a major question mark, but his talent is undeniable. With his recent club change, there’s hope he can return to the high level of form we’ve seen from him in the past.
- Brenden Aaronson
- Paxten Aaronson
- Brian Gutiérrez
- Djordje Mihailovic
- Matko Miljevic
- Gio Reyna
- Malik Tillman
Wingers
The winger position remains thin for the #USMNT, though several players there can also slot in as attacking midfielders, strikers, or even fullback. Notably, two young wingers, Cole Campbell and Griffin Yow, appeared on provisional rosters but have yet to be called into any Pochettino camp.
- Cade Cowell
- Diego Luna
- Christian Pulisic
- Quinn Sullivan
- Indiana Vassilev
- Tim Weah
- Haji Wright
- Alejandro Zendejas
Strikers
Another area of concern for the USMNT is striker depth. While the top options have all produced well for their clubs when healthy, injuries have kept the pool thin. If everyone is fit, the primary competition for the starting role likely comes down to three players: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Josh Sargent. Haji Wright and Tim Weah can also step in as center-forward options if needed.
- Patrick Agyemang
- Folarin Balogun
- Damion Downs
- Jesus Ferreira
- Ricardo Pepi
- Josh Sargent
- Brandon Vazquez
- Brian White
Conclusion
It’s tough to read Pochettino’s mindset right now. Many expect fewer MLS players to be called for the October window, partly because the league continues through FIFA dates and the regular season ends mid-October.
Most World Cup rosters largely select themselves, with only a few surprising omissions, think of the 1994 squad, which left out several players many felt deserved a spot.
But with Pochettino still showing a shaky grasp of the USMNT player pool, this cycle could produce more notable snubs than ever, though there’s still time for him to get it right.
From Maradona to Messi
One Home or Many? The Debate Over a Primary Venue for U.S. Soccer
The constructing of a World Cup roster
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