A knockout tournament is the definition of something demanding but unpredictable. While it is true that teams like the United States step into the World Cup 2026 next summer feeling, as hosts and on their record, like legitimate contenders, even that does not offer any certainty. The players who anchor the US Men’s National Team had the chance to talk about exactly that.

First up, the facts. One of the three hosts for World Cup 2026, alongside Mexico and Canada, the USMNT will face Australia, Paraguay and the winner of the playoff between Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo in Group D. A group they will fancy their chances of getting out of.

Acting as the team’s two main stalwards, Christian Pulisic and Tim Ream spoke at length after the draw yesterday about showing up with optimism while refusing to lose sight of the work still ahead.

Overall, the mood in the press conference revolved around one message from the Stars and Stripes: there is pressure, which means there will be criticism, but nothing compares to the chance to play a monumental World Cup on home soil.

A once-in-a-career opportunity

The long-time captain used the moment to revisit a phrase from AC Milan’s leading scorer, although with a twist. Hosting a World Cup is not a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is a once-in-a-career opportunity that appears for players only at the highest level of the sport.

Ream noted that the team already carries the experience of Qatar 2022 and, although they did not deliver their best performances, he looks back with the confidence that there is plenty to build on.

“I’ve been playing for 16 years, and this is my 17th. This stage of my career is the most important. Forty-nine games this year for club and country. People tell me I should rest, but I’ll do that when I retire,” the 38-year-old defender said with a grin.

Alongside him was Chris Richards, Crystal Palace’s rising star who is about to experience his first World Cup, a pairing that neatly illustrates how Pochettino’s US boys blend youth with seasoned veterans.

Although an injury wiped out his chance to go to Qatar, Richards’ presence now is one of the fresh elements in this squad. He also acknowledges that the steady rhythm he has maintained with the national team in competitions like the Gold Cup has given him the confidence to treat the upcoming matchups with Paraguay as chances to prove to themselves that they can keep improving.

“We realized we’re a strong team, and our opponents see it too. We can improve in every area of the game. We’re still learning, and if we take something valuable from every training session and every match, then we’re right where we need to be,” he said, outlining the mindset the United States brings into this next FIFA window.

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