Do the USMNT have a problem, or should we ride with the positivity?

Things aren’t looking good for the USMNT, but don’t tell them that. Despite two losses in two games, against Belgium and Portugal, the public-facing mood in the camp is more upbeat than a hamster’s heart rate, and they’re committed to telling us their clothes are clean, despite being covered in mud.

A line from Pochettino hung in the air like a preying hawk after the throttling 5-2 defeat to Belgium: that they want to get to the semi-finals. They were outclassed, outfought, and outplayed by the European side who made light work of their opponents in the end, firing off 21 shots to 12 and creating almost double the amount of expected goals.

But that didn’t stop them from showing off their new clothes. Pochettino doubled down - tripled down - afterwards, mentioning goals of winning the World Cup one day, something only 8 nations have done since 1930.

And then came Portugal. Another European test. Not one of the all-time greats, but a great team with genuine aspirations of making it deep in the tournament. A solid start quickly washed into subservience to the superior talent of the Portuguese players, who began to find their feet and knock the ball round with the intensity they know can break down most sides.

Abysmal set-piece defending also came into play, with a goal volleyed in from corner made possible only by a stunning decision to have 8 players inside the six-yard box as the ball was played in, leaving João Félix all alone on the edge of the box to smash home. His words, that “I don’t believe they live soccer here, they don’t play under pressure” will hurt hard today. And even more for the person who has to peel the news clipping from the dressing room wall.

“I’m doing a lot of good things... I feel like I’m close"

It might have been Pulisic, who presumably put the piece of paper into his pocket to keep before handing out some defiant comments to the press in the aftermath of the game:

“I feel like we are a lot closer than people think,” said the player who is yet to score or assist in 2026. “We put a lot of pressure on [Belgium and Portugal] in the first half of both the games.”

“We were able to create chances, which if I finish chances, which I know I’m going to, then things are going to be a bit different. There was just a couple moments were there was a lack of concentration and we’re giving up goals, but I feel like we are right in the game.

“Physically I feel really good, feel really sharp, and I’m doing a lot of good things. I have to help my team to create assists and score goals and create chances. Obviously when I don’t do that it’s frustrating, but I feel like I’m close and I feel good things are coming.”

Is the USMNT glass half-full, or half-empty? In one sense, remaining defiant is a testament to the hard work behind the scenes and the true belief that things will get better. In another, it’s a blatant avoidance of waking up and smelling the coffee. By mid or, hopefully, late July we will know which version we should have listened to back in early April.

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