Ready or not, it’s now only about 53 weeks away.
The US men’s national team are barely a year away from their opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and a broad acknowledgment that the program is not currently on an ideal trajectory has led to some newer faces and a renewed urgency as the Yanks gather at Chicago Fire FC’s training facility this week for their final camp before the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.
The USMNT’s disappointing displays at Concacaf Nations League finals weekend in March, piled atop last year’s three-and-out Copa América campaign, have ratcheted up the importance of this summer’s tournament, their last competitive event before a massive Mundial adventure on home turf.
“Ultimately, I think if you ask anyone to write down 26 names for next year, there'd be a lot of spots that people would objectively say are available,” Nashville SC and USMNT center back Walker Zimmerman, who’s gotten just his second call-up in the last two years, said in a media availability on Tuesday afternoon.
“We as players have to recognize that and take this opportunity that we have, each and every day of training, each and every camp that we get called into, to try and be one of those spots.”
Fostering competition
The particular topic of commitment and intensity has risen to the fore, with head coach Mauricio Pochettino repeatedly emphasizing his desire to raise the level in all such departments. By U.S. Soccer’s count, he’s now called 59 different players into the five gatherings he’s led since succeeding Gregg Berhalter last September, underlining his insistence that more competition and hunger is needed, and a large chunk of that group are MLS standouts like Zimmerman.
“I don't think that messaging was that different, honestly, in the last regime either; we had a lot of MLS guys that were also involved, and you felt like you still had a chance,” said Zimmerman. “But certainly that belief helps when you have a coach that's saying, 'I don't care where you play, I care what you do, it's when you show up here, how you perform, and I'm going to evaluate you on that.' And that's refreshing to hear, it's refreshing to see.”
Sitting next to Zimmerman on Tuesday’s video conference was Diego Luna, perhaps the poster child of this phenomenon. Real Salt Lake’s young star seized his chance during January camp, earning warm praise from Pochettino after he shook off a broken nose to play the game-winning assist in a 3-0 win over Costa Rica.
“That experience for me was, I could say life-changing, as it gave me an opportunity to come back into more camps and show the type of the grit and the hunger that I have to play and represent for my country,” said Luna. “Mauricio really liked that about me, and really liked the fight that I had, and I think that shows other players what's needed in this team, and to fight through everything.”
Proving ground
This summer’s absence, for a range of reasons, of several established starters like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah opens the door that much further to those eager to prove themselves.
“There are some top, top talents in Europe that are also involved with the national team, and sometimes you would think, ‘Oh, some MLS guys might get overlooked,’” said Zimmerman, a veteran of the Yanks’ 2022 World Cup campaign. “Certainly the tone since Poch has stepped in is, 'I don't care where you play, I just want to follow you with your club team, watch your form with your club and make sure that when you're in camp, that you're contributing and playing at a high level.'”
Nashville's central-defensive talisman returned to full action in the nick of time, returning to B.J. Callaghan’s starting XI last weekend after a concussion sidelined him for nearly two months. While he wasn’t listed on the original squad for this camp, injuries elsewhere earned him a late call and reassured him he’s still on Poch’s radar.
“It's not just words, right?” added the 32-year-old. “He's calling in a lot of these MLS guys that have had good seasons, been in good form. And then also, same thing, calling in the European guys who are in good form and playing well. So that's the way it should be. I think for both sides, it should be equal treatment on your form. And I think he's been pretty clear with the expectation.”
Official Gold Cup rosters must be submitted this week, and friendlies vs. Türkiye (on Saturday afternoon in East Hartford, Connecticut) and Switzerland (next Tuesday in Nashville) will be high-level proving grounds for those craving big roles on the team.
“When you set that tone individually and that goal for yourself, and now you have everyone who's in camp trying to do the same thing, that level is going to go up,” said Zimmerman. “You want us to be more competitive, more feisty on the field? Well, that starts in training, and that starts with us getting on to each other, on your team, against the opponent. It's just a great challenge, and that's what we have to do to make sure we keep elevating.”
