USMNT Setbacks Against Belgium and Portugal Raise Alarm for 2026 World Cup Prep

The United States Men’s National Team closed its latest international window with back-to-back defeats, adding fresh questions about how prepared the side is for the 2026 World Cup, which the United States will co-host. The losses came at a moment when head coach Mauricio Pochettino is using competitive matches to measure depth, test roles, and narrow options for the tournament roster.

On March 31, the USMNT fell 2-0 to Portugal in Atlanta. That result followed a 5-2 loss to Belgium on March 28. The two games left the team without a positive result across the break and put the spotlight on execution, decision-making, and how quickly the group can absorb tactical changes.

Pochettino said the outcomes turned on “small details” and brief lapses, pointing to mistakes that he indicated were punished by high-level opponents. He also suggested that officiating leaned toward more established teams. At the same time, he acknowledged a gap in top-end personnel, noting that Belgium and Portugal have multiple players ranked inside the global top 100, a category he said the USMNT does not currently match.

Even with the defeats, Pochettino said he came away more encouraged by the team’s competitive edge. The window was also defined by experimentation in shape and personnel usage. After employing a back-three system that had delivered results in the autumn, he switched to a back-four against Belgium before returning to a three center-back setup versus Portugal.

One of the most notable adjustments came against Portugal, when Christian Pulisic—normally used as a winger—was moved into a central striker role. Pochettino had not used him there in any of Pulisic’s 84 international appearances. The change was framed as part of an effort to address Pulisic’s four-month scoring drought in 2026 and to explore alternative ways to generate goals against elite opposition.

Roster competition remains wide open. Pochettino indicated that roughly 35 to 40 players are still being evaluated for a final 26-man World Cup squad. With the tournament approaching on home soil, the coaching staff’s challenge is to convert these trials into a settled approach while maintaining enough flexibility to respond to different opponents.