Will USMNT's star absentees hurt their FIFA 2026 hopes?

FIFA 2026: There were unquestionably some narrow escapes in the group phase, but the U.S. men’s national squad has thus far accomplished the mission in the Gold Cup. Securing their group with a flawless three victories from three games against Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti, head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his championship hopefuls have gained momentum and steered clear of a catastrophic early departure from the tournament.

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Getting ready for Sunday’s quarterfinal versus Costa Rica in Minneapolis and still in contention for an eighth championship as they’ve endured blistering heat, there’s one blazing hot debate that has yet to be cooled in American football discussions: Where are the Americans’ top talents?

For multiple reasons ranging from physical setbacks, recovery and Club World Cup obligations, the USMNT is presently missing a lengthy roster of star players, which features Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic.

Roster Instability Raises Concerns Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 for U.S. National Team

Since the Gold Cup is hosted every two years, it’s not uncommon to have secondary squads like the one the U.S. is showcasing this summer, but one year ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, it’s reasonable to wonder if this will impact the continuous progress of the national squad under Pochettino. Especially considering how rarely these prominent figures have taken the field together since the previous year.

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You never know six months from now what players are accessible, who’s injured, who’s performing at their club … I don’t believe that [time] is as critical as most individuals might assume. I feel that you can assemble the team in the end, Tab Ramos, who has represented the USMNT and coached inside the national team framework, told ESPN.

But we’re probably going to enter the World Cup 2026, not truly with Pochettino, not knowing fully what his lineup can achieve because he hasn’t had the chance to use the roster in varied scenarios.

Limited Playtime Among Key U.S. Stars Sparks Doubts Before Football World Cup 2026

Dest, Robinson, McKennie, Pulisic and Tyler Adams (who is part of the Gold Cup squad) have not all appeared on the pitch simultaneously since a Concacaf Nations League final triumph over Mexico in March 2024. Under Pochettino, they’ve also featured infrequently, with Pulisic being the only individual of the previously mentioned five to log more than 350 minutes under the manager since he was appointed last September.

Looking further, it’s simple to start to feel concerned when you uncover additional instances. Fullbacks Robinson and Dest have not been on the field together in the last year, and during the same span, midfielders Adams and McKennie have only logged 294 minutes side by side. Will this absence of familiarity damage the squad on the planet’s grandest platform in one year? Ramos remains uncertain.

We are providing ourselves with fewer opportunities. There’s no doubt, he stated. When you don’t have the group united, you give yourself fewer chances to succeed because you don’t know the response as a head coach. You don’t comprehend the reaction of players and of various combinations in a specific match against a specific rival. That’s where you’re going to feel the absence.

Chemistry or Form? USMNT Faces Crucial Decisions Ahead of World Cup 2026

The truth is that those reduced odds could be the separator between victory and defeat in a knockout round. Considering the USMNT’s history in such fixtures — just one knockout round triumph in its complete World Cup legacy, covering 10 editions — that is a variable that must be acknowledged, even though Ramos still believes it’s more about the condition of the players.

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Regarding having the squad assembled, it’s truly about who’s going to be performing well by May of the following year, he commented. That’s significant. Reviewing the summer lineup, defender Mark McKenzie didn’t exhibit any indication of concern when questioned if there’s adequate time to achieve unity before the World Cup 2026.

Team chemistry is a subjective concept. I believe when you arrive at camp, I think we all recognize a shared objective we aim for. At each camp we attend, there’s a possibility to keep improving that, he told reporters during the Gold Cup group round. That doesn’t matter whether it’s now, whether it’s in a few months, and every game will come with its obstacles.

Tactical Depth Over Time? U.S. Strategy Evolves Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026

Hugo Perez, a former USMNT midfielder who trained players such as Pulisic, McKennie and Adams during their youth national team period, also didn’t raise concern. Pochettino understands who the core group of players are … it’s beneficial for Pochettino to evaluate if the Gold Cup players from the MLS are on that standard, the former El Salvador coach stated to ESPN. You miss [the stars] being involved and possibly being around the team, but I don’t view that as a significant issue in the long run.

While speaking with Perez, it became obvious that he was more focused on discovering a method to maximize the potential of the U.S.’s elite players through a more diversified tactical plan, and not on requiring a long stretch to bond together.

I still think that the U.S. is missing a personality in a playing style where they’ll have to change things up, he mentioned. We know we’re fast, we know we attack through the wings, but I still feel that they can enhance their play in tight spaces, keeping more possession and then, boom, exploiting the open field. I believe we should include that type of strategy to compete.

Limited Matches Raise Concerns Ahead of FIFA 2026 for U.S. Team Development

I know these athletes: I trained them when they were 14 and 15. They’re able to play that form of football, but again, the coach must make that call. That’s, to me, more crucial than having them every time report for FIFA [international] windows. However, those chances have been scarce.

Over the past year, the U.S. has competed in only nine official games. In that identical duration, South American titleholders Argentina and European champions Spain each have participated in 14. With no qualification matches set for next year’s World Cup, due to the U.S.’s position as co-hosts, the opportunity to evaluate and examine a broader sample has just not been equivalent.

And in the limited, intense scenarios the Americans have been involved in, results have been disappointing: a group stage elimination in the 2024 Copa America and a fourth-place result in the Concacaf Nations League. Building the connection on the pitch is, I think, the priority, Ramos expressed. To create that, you need to go through some matches where you struggle collectively and observe how you recover from it.

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