Do you want to impress your friends during the Copa América? We’re helping you accumulate smart observations about the USMNT that will make the group chat flood you with adoration. Or, like, at least some thumbs-up emojis. From key players to expectations, you’ll become the expert of your local football bar, viewing party or group of friends.
It’s getting real
For many, the last time they watched the USA was at the 2022 World Cup.
That World Cup, which ended in defeat in the round of 16, was not a failure. But it also wasn’t designed to be the USMNT’s last stop on the international football mountain climb.
The USA had the youngest team in Qatar. According to FBref, the average age, weighted by minutes played, was just 24.5 years old. Eighteen months later, the USMNT is approaching its peak. Based on Copa América warm-up friendlies against Colombia and Brazil, the average for Gregg Berhalter’s starting lineup this summer is 25.3.
There is no doubt that this is still a young team. Performing well at home during the 2026 World Cup is the USA’s main goal. But this team has great tournament experience and is entering a golden window to compete.
“Things are getting real for the US,” you message in the group chat.
Related: Copa América predictions: can anyone stop Messi and Argentina?
After all, how will the USA play?
Expect to see two different versions of the USMNT. These two versions will overlap – both will play some version of 4-3-3 and both will feature a patient possession game at the back. But there will be many distinctions.
The first version of the USA is the one we will see against Bolivia and Panama in the first two group stage matches.
When the USMNT has a talent advantage, they try to use the ball to break through defensive blocks. The defenders will advance, the full-backs will rotate and the entire team will counterattack. Without plenty of visionary passers at his disposal, Gregg Berhalter’s team won’t look like Spain. But they have enough skill to overcome their first two opponents.
The second version of the USA is the one we will see against Uruguay in the last match of the group stage and in the round of 16 – if they advance.
Against South American giants with attackers who simply cannot be left unattended, the core of Berhalter’s game plan will shift from passing patterns to disciplined defending in a 4-3-3 mid-block. The USMNT will not abandon using the ball entirely against Uruguay and other countries – they put together some beautiful passing sequences against Brazil in a recent friendly. Still, they will be more selective in possession.
“Look how much deeper the USMNT is in this game against Uruguay than they were at the start of the tournament,” you say to the man next to you as you both sip your drinks.
Watch these guys closely
His role in the 2022 World Cup was limited, initially shrouded in mystery and then filled with drama. Now, Gio Reyna is a guaranteed starter.
Reyna’s mix of close control and creative passing is unmatched in the US group. Earlier, I mentioned that the US has few visionary passersby. Reyna is the closest active American to that benchmark. Playing as an attacking central midfielder, he hits beautiful slippery passes like this one on a semi-regular basis:
If the USMNT creates a dangerous chance in the middle, Reyna’s fingerprints will be all over it. If he can find a way to unblock Pulisic on the left wing, the US offense will reach another level.
At quarterback, Tim Ream brings veteran experience and accurate reads on and off the ball. Ream, 36, is the elder statesman on the U.S. national team. He is occasionally error-prone, but his intelligent distribution will be an advantage heading into the group stage, just as his defensive timing will be crucial later in the tournament.
An unknown USMNT player is the man between the sticks: Matt Turner. His season at the club was a disaster, but he has been a reliable defender at international level. For the USA to advance past the quarterfinals, they will need Turner, who started and made 11 saves against Brazil.
“Reyna is losing possession very deep. He needs to be closer to the final third so he can thread Pulisic in from behind,” you mutter under your breath as everyone around you nods, appreciating your wisdom.
Greater strength and weakness
No part of this USA team is perfect, but it’s easy to fall in love with the midfield balance when everyone is in good form. With Reyna taking on the creative duties and McKennie and Adams covering every blade of grass, the USMNT’s control in the middle is their biggest asset.
Take Adams off the team while he returns to full strength and, well, things get a little more complicated. The U.S. should be able to reach the playoffs with an Adams replacement, but will need him in the lineup as the games become more challenging.
Looking further up, offensive production is one of the main concerns. Without the injured Sergiño Dest, right winger Timothy Weah will be forced into an exaggerated attacking role. Pulisic is a crucial piece on the left. But in the absence of an elite striker, opposing defenses may sell out to stop the USMNT talisman. Folarin Balogun should be the best striker, but he has yet to establish himself as a true game-changer. He scored just three goals in 12 international football appearances, only one of which came in an official match.
“If Balogun looks dangerous early on, defenders will have to close in on him, giving Pulisic more space. This could be huge in the second half,” you post on social media. Likes start raining from above.
Related: Fans treat the USMNT like a club – and it could cost Berhalter his job
Measuring success
The USMNT had a tough draw this summer – their side of the bracket features three of the four favorites. If they finish in the top two of the group with Uruguay (there is a favorite), they will probably face Colombia (there is second) or Brazil (there is third). On the other side of the bracket, Argentina is the favorite to reach the final.
Berhalter and company would welcome a move to the other side. There’s a convenient part of the draw, though: It makes it pretty easy to define the USMNT’s success.
Couldn’t leave the group? This is a big failure. Beat Brazil or Colombia and advance to the semi-finals? This is an unequivocal success.
And the most likely outcome of all for the US this summer: dropping out of the group and losing to Brazil or Colombia in the quarter-finals. If the USMNT played poorly in a loss, it would be marked as a failure. If they play well in a narrow defeat, it would simply be unsatisfactory. It’s not a failure. But it wasn’t a success either. Just unsatisfactory.
“The USA won’t be the favorite in the qualifiers, but this team has enough quality to stick around and compete,” you say as a “USA, USA, USA” chat thunders around you. Nobody listens to you.
Okay, this insight might not play well at the bar. It’s up to you to choose your seats. I can’t do everything for you.
