CHICAGO -- Historically, the friendlies immediately before a World Cup mean about as little as friendlies can. More warm-up than litmus test, the results rarely reflect a team’s ensuing tournament form.
And yet, with two solid performances against Senegal and Germany by the United States men’s national team, some American soccer fans are already getting carried away.
Good. They should be.
Earlier today, the USMNT loss to Germany 1-2. That comes only a few days after defeating Senegal 3-2, and less than a week before their World Cup campaign kicks off against Paraguay on June 12th. On paper, these aren’t results to get excited about.
Across the two games, the U.S. conceded as many goals as they scored (4), were prone to individual errors, and displayed inconsistent levels of intensity. Perhaps even more telling were the 11 substitutions Pochettino made against Senegal and the further 10 he made against Germany.
There were inconsistent tactics, novel player pairings, and a trifecta of goalkeepers. Some choices prioritized fitness. Others, group dynamics. But aside from the first 45 minutes against Germany, none of Pochettino’s selections suggested winning as a top priority.
And yet, out of all that un-serious soccer, a very serious sense of promise has emerged.
Across the two games, the USMNT showed promising patterns of play, excellent pressing, and good individual performances from some of their most important players. Pulisic, Dest, Balogun and Robinson all scored, while Pepi, Adams, and even Sebastian Berhalter, showed why they’re essential.
Most promising of all, was the collective performance in the first 45 minutes against Germany. Despite giving away an early goal, the U.S. slowly grew into the game, becoming more confident as the half drew on and eventually heading into the break with the scoreline at 1-1 and the Germans on the back foot. All of this with a lineup that was likely the closest we’ve seen to Pochettino’s preferred starting eleven for the World Cup itself.
In other words, it was a mood-boosting performance. The second of two that were desperately needed after the setbacks felt in March.
The 0-2 loss to Portugal and 2-5 loss to Belgium during the last international break saw the positivity that had grown over the previous windows turn sour. Suddenly the win against Uruguay last November didn’t seem so convincing and the top teams - especially those with world class attacking threats - looked miles ahead of the USMNT.
Now, not so much.
Beating the (de facto) African champions and pushing European juggernauts feels good. And right now, it’s feeling good that matters most.
As Pochettino said after the Senegal game, “it’s important to find our feelings, our focus, our state of mind.” Because that’s the state of mind that both the team and the fans will carry into the tournament.
These games might just be friendlies but that doesn’t mean they should be taken for granted. For most American soccer fans, this opportunity - a World Cup on home soil - will never come again. And bringing optimism into the opening game against Paraguay isn’t foolish, it’s priceless.
With the ongoing ticketing scandal, FIFA’s water bottle ban (yes, they’re that shameless), and the countless other controversies surrounding this World Cup, there are plenty of options for pessimism. But between Senegal and Germany, the USMNT has given fans something to get excited about: soccer.
So go on - get carried away. Make bold predictions, fire up the hot takes, and let yourself be swept away in irrational fandom.
Because the next game the USMNT plays will be the real deal, and who knows what the vibes will be coming out of it.
But right now, on the eve of the World Cup, the vibes are good.