The U.S. men’s national team entered 2024 with huge expectations for what the summer could bring. Things did not turn out as planned.
Instead, it served as a turning point for the U.S.
Copa América didn’t bring a major trophy or a scintillating run that upped expectations for the World Cup in two years. Instead, it brought change. A new coach. New faces pushing for jobs. A reset of the discourse around the player pool.
Hope remains for fans of the USMNT, but now it centers on Mauricio Pochettino and how he might pull more out of a group that is still young, but has plenty to prove. As the calendar turns, it will be about how new ideas are building on a foundation that had so many excited after Qatar.
Best moment
Mauricio Pochettino is hired as coach
An early Copa América exit was a worst-case scenario for the U.S. men’s national team, cutting short a huge opportunity to build excitement around the group ahead of the World Cup in 2026. More importantly, it was a harsh return to reality for a pool of players that has often been dubbed as this country’s golden generation.
Failing to emerge from the group stage unsurprisingly led to coach Gregg Berhalter being fired. From that low point, however, came the chance to reinvigorate the discourse around the U.S.
The U.S. Soccer Federation aimed high on this hire, targeting some of the biggest names in the sport. They landed the coach that, from the early stages, had emerged as their top target: Pochettino. His success, especially at Southampton and Tottenham, created a real sense of optimism that he would be able to coax the best out of a group that seemed to be heading in the wrong direction after the Qatar World Cup.
After the Copa, the federation needed to make a splash. Landing one of the most famous coaches in global soccer undoubtedly fit the bill — and gave new life to a program badly in need of a refresh.
Worst moment
Panama 2, United States 1
It wasn’t that night’s most closely watched debacle in Atlanta, nor the most impactful. But while most of the nation watched the first (and, ultimately, only) presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, the USMNT had their own fortune-altering night a mere 3.5 miles away at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Coming off of a group-opening win against Bolivia, the United States knew three points against CONCACAF rival Panama would all but ensure a place in the Copa América quarterfinal. Early signs were encouraging, as Weston McKennie seemed to score in the fourth minute before VAR deemed Tim Ream to have impacted the play from an offside position. The good vibes wouldn’t last much longer.
Weah was sent off as the United States crashed out of Copa America (Hector Vivas / Getty Images)
Ultimately, the 18th minute proved most pivotal, as VAR led referee Ivan Barton to show Tim Weah a red card for a needless off-ball shove to the back of Panama defender Roderick Miller’s head. What was supposed to be a showcase for a team filled with ambitious, attacking-minded players became a fight to keep just one point against a nation that often performs well below the USMNT in regional competition.
A 21st-minute goal from Folarin Balogun gave some hope and reason for Berhalter to play more compactly, but Panama’s numerical advantage proved too much. Cesar Blackman leveled the match five minutes after Balogun’s opener, before Jose Fajardo put the game to bed with an 83rd-minute goal as the United States committed to its bunker.
In one night, not only did the team’s tournament hopes crumble but it was clear that Berhalter’s handle of this group had slipped.
Best game
USMNT 4, Jamaica 2 – CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal
Pochettino has had just two international windows to work with the U.S. team, and it was in the last of those matches that we started to see glimpses of how the Americans might function under the Argentine manager.
After scrapping out a result on the road in Kingston, the U.S. returned to St. Louis needing a positive result to advance in the CONCACAF Nations League. Pochettino showed that not only was he willing to put his teams on the front foot, but also that he would use unpredictability to make his opponents uncomfortable.
The U.S. inverted Antonee Robinson, arguably one of their best players, into a central midfield role in the build-up against Jamaica. The change not only got Robinson on the ball more in a central position but it also opened a channel on the left side that Christian Pulisic moved into underneath Weah, who swapped from his usual right-wing spot to start on the left.
The combo of Pulisic and Weah overwhelmed Jamaica, who struggled to adapt to the U.S. shape in build-up. The U.S. moved the ball beautifully, especially in the first half, to take a 3-0 lead at the break. Though they failed to close the game out as cleanly as they would have liked, the first 45 minutes was some of the most attractive soccer the team has played.
Per Opta, the U.S. attempted five shots with build-ups of 10 or more passes, equaling the most in any match since Opta began detailed data collection of all U.S. matches in 2010.
“I am so pleased, the first 45 minutes is the way that we want to grow, build our journey together,” Pochettino said. “It was fantastic to see the players perform. Yes, that is, for me, the way that we need to continue growing, improving.”
Best player
Christian Pulisic
While a torn calf muscle brought his year to a cruel end, 2024 will be remembered as the year Pulisic cemented a place among the world’s most impactful attackers.
Since joining AC Milan in the summer of 2023, the Pennsylvanian has finally had the consistent starting role that he’s needed since emerging with Borussia Dortmund. His 29 goal contributions in Serie A are tied for 30th among players in the top flights of England, Germany, Italy and Spain. The shortlist of players narrowly trailing the USMNT star contextualizes how impactful he has been: Phil Foden, Kai Havertz, Bruno Fernandes, team-mate Rafael Leao, Jamal Musiala and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, to name half a dozen.
He wasn’t a slouch for the USMNT, either. Pulisic’s opening goal against Bolivia gave the impression (albeit, in hindsight, too briefly) that he and his team could make an extended run at the Copa América. Even a change in coach hasn’t slowed him down, as Pulisic scored his fourth international goal of the year in Pochettino’s second camp as USMNT boss.
Fans will understandably remain nervous as Pulisic recovers from his calf injury, as a rash of leg muscle injuries repeatedly hampered his ability to stay on the field with Chelsea. Until then, however, he’s left us with quite a highlight reel from the latest in a growing number of years in which he can take pride.
The stat that sums up 2024
10: the number of places the USMT has fallen in the Elo ratings since the 2022 World Cup
After exiting the Qatar tournament ranked 24th in the world using the head-to-head scoring system, the USMNT fell four spots throughout 2023 (which, to be fair, saw both an Asian Cup and an African Cup of Nations boost top tournament performers) before falling a further six spots in 2024.
The Elo Rating system originated with chess, using head-to-head results to size up every national team in men’s soccer. The last time the USMNT cracked the top 10 teams was in August 2013, after they had won that summer’s Gold Cup and logged a 4-3 win away at Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently ranked 34th, the United States ranks immediately behind Mexico (32) and Scotland (33) and ahead of the Czech Republic (35), Sweden and Venezuela (tied at 36).
Favorite quote
“We need to really believe and think of big things. We need to believe that we can win, that we can win all (of the) games; we can win the World Cup. Because, if not, this is going to be so difficult.” — Pochettino
Hiring Pochettino was about rebuilding belief around the USMNT, both externally in the fanbase and even internally within the group itself. Pochettino’s comments in his opening press conference harped on that idea time and again: belief.
Did that really happen?
While the entirety of the Panama match was undoubtedly the year’s low point, the focus could be further narrowed to simply Weah’s shove. It was the type of infraction that was indefensible by even the player’s loudest backers: a red card without clear rationale or provocation. It was also especially surprising to see Weah, who had become one of the team’s coolest heads and most dependable big-game performers, have a moment of madness when his team most needed him.
After the match, his team-mates backed him by saying it was a “learning experience.” Ultimately, it brought into question how studiously this once-youthful core was taking these lessons, with evidence suggesting there were still considerable gaps in their big-game approach. Coming into the game, they knew Panama would play a physical game and try baiting them into needless fouls. Instead, the most damning infraction required little to no luring from an opponent.
Player to watch in 2025
Tanner Tessman – midfielder, Olympique Lyon
A mere month after the senior team failed to advance from its Copa América group, the Under-23s embarked on their own tournament run at the Olympics. Drawn with New Zealand, Guinea and hosting France, the U.S. managed to advance from its group thanks to its fortified defensive approach and some opportunistic attacking from Kevin Paredes and Djordje Mihailovic.
Perhaps no Olympian put himself in better stead for a senior international future than Tessmann, who patrolled the midfield for all 360 of his team’s tournament minutes. The former FC Dallas homegrown was among the Olympics’ most impactful midfielders, keeping himself involved in defense while helping his team advance upfield with tidy progressive passing and keen identification of when a sequence needed to recirculate.
At 6ft 2in, Tessmann has the build of an aerial ball-hawking defensive midfielder and the on-ball skill set of a confident box-to-box patroller. Pochettino has a fresh perspective to assess the pool, which may need to rejuvenate its engine room as the long-entrusted MMA trio of Yunus Musah, McKennie and Tyler Adams hasn’t been able to all stay healthy and in form for long since Qatar.
Pochettino summoned Tessmann in both the October and November windows. Tessmann made enough of an impression as a late call-up in October to not only rejoin camp the next month, but earning a starting role in defensive midfield. He was steady and impactful from a deeper midfield role, earning Pochettino’s praise.
“Tess today, I think was fantastic,” Pochettino said after the win over Jamaica in St. Louis. “I think if you said to me you need to put a (grade) from 0 to 10, it’s an eight or a nine. He played a fantastic game. I think it was amazing the way that he was in two phases, in defensive and offensive, with the ball and without the ball. That is what we expect.
“He is young, but he is a very good talent and I hope that he can play more in Lyon and be ready to help us.”
While he’s been largely rotational for Lyon since joining in August, he’s well-positioned for further improvement and, if so, greater international involvement.
A wish for 2025
Paul Tenorio – The return of a healthy, in-form Sergiño Dest
This U.S. team is made up of a group of good players contributing to big teams in Europe, but it still needs the type of difference-makers that can change a game at any moment. Pulisic is undoubtedly the key man for the U.S. and Robinson has matured into potentially the best left-back in the Premier League, but Dest’s confidence and attacking ability opens the game up for the U.S. against top opponents.
Yes, sometimes there is a trade-off on the defensive side, but Dest remains quite comfortably the best right back in the U.S. pool. Dest recently got back into training at PSV in the Netherlands, and it will be quite intriguing to see how Pochettino uses him once he’s healthy enough to be back in the fold.
Jeff Rueter – A dependable alternative at left-wing
While Pulisic can score against an opponent from anywhere along the forward line, his success at right-wing and the No 10 role with Milan leaves me hoping Pochettino can keep him in similar roles. In recent years, that hope has remained elusive as the USMNT has cycled through backup left-wingers while Weah has been a dependable starter on the right when available.
The pool of prospective alternatives still has more questions than answers. Alex Zendejas and Cade Cowell are both in fine form with their Liga MX clubs, but neither has been convincing at the international level. Brenden Aaronson and Malik Tillman both look more at home in central roles. Young Burnley winger Luca Koleosho is provisionally cap-tied to Italy.
Still, no wishlist is complete without a truly aspirational ask, and shoring up this role could keep the team’s best player in an even better position.
(Top photo: by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
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