Welcome to USMNT Only 🇺🇸

American States United Is Now USMNT Only 🇺🇸

Rog writes: As we crash towards the Gold Cup with all of the competitive fire of Magnus Carlsen losing at chess, it is a delight to re-launch our U.S. Soccer-obsessed newsletter as USMNT Only. The 2026 World Cup is now just 372 days away. We have no idea what is going to happen at that tournament – OK, we know the United States is going to play Saudi Arabia in the final – but apart from that, the rest is anyone’s guess. This newsletter, however, is designed to act as your informed go-to source for backstories, insights and narrative surrounding the USMNT in the run to glory. 

Since the last time we reached out in January, we welcomed USMNT Only, the largest independent, USMNT-dedicated social platform, into the Men in Blazers Media Network. I have long admired how that community has built with a rare mix of passion and intelligence, and so it felt like a natural fit to update our USMNT-focused newsletter, American States United, to follow suit. 

We are planning on spending time with some of the biggest players on the road to the tournament. We also have Tyler Adams weighing in with his experiences in the run up to a once-in-a-generation World Cup on home turf.

As the United States have Avenger-assembled for the next month or so, I will be writing my regular thoughts and reactions after each USMNT friendly and Gold Cup match. We will also have Herculez Gomez weighing in, and more. As a reminder, here are the big games on the upcoming USMNT calendar (and where/how to watch them):

🇹🇷 Friendly vs. Türkiye (June 7 - 3:30 p.m. ET, HBO Max/TNT)

🇨🇭 Friendly vs. Switzerland (June 10 - 8 p.m. ET, HBO Max/TNT)

🇹🇹 Gold Cup Group Stage vs Trinidad and Tobago (June 15 - 6 p.m. ET, FOX) 

🇸🇦 Gold Cup Group Stage vs. Saudi Arabia (June 19 - 9:15 p.m. ET, FOX Sports)

🇭🇹 Gold Cup Group Stage vs. Haiti (June 22 - 7 p.m. ET, FOX)

🚨 Here is some news: WE ARE ALTCASTING this Saturday for a USMNT vs. Türkiye watchalong (on TruTV and HBO Max at 3:30 p.m. ET) with USMNT legend Clint Dempsey, NBA great Chris Paul, NFL star Cam Jordan, and myself. After the self-immolation of the Nations League, and the lack of key players like Pulisic and Musah who have not reported to camp, this team must prove itself to itself with the World Cup almost at the one-year-out mark, and almost every single position still up for grabs. We hope you’ll tune in. 📺

The State of the State of the USMNT 🇺🇸

This is the best of times, the worst of times, for all of us who love the men’s game in America. Football – the Premier League and Champions League – has never been bigger. The World Cup is poised to be played on home turf in 16 cities across North America. Its kickoff is so close, I can almost smell Gianni Infantino’s Drakkar Noir. However, after the Copa implosion of last summer, and the Nations League flatline in the last window, our U.S. team has rarely felt in greater disarray in the modern period. The reasons why are complex and intertwined, and the fact that we American fans only have two gears, jackknifing between, “We gonna win it all, just hand us the damn trophy” and “All is lost, we have no hope,” only makes the journey more fraught.  

Christian Pulisic’s voluntary absence has owned the headlines. The fact the player has not made a statement, leaving U.S. Soccer to put out a surreal briefing that it was his choice, has only added to the confusion. Things are always lived differently on the inside than the outside. There may well be very good reasons – be it physical or mental fatigue for CP10 – but we simply do not know them. That vacuum forces us to wonder what this decision says about the seriousness of the Gold Cup, or indeed about our seriousness as a football nation. Can you imagine what would happen to Harry Kane’s reputation if he decided to sit out the Euros so he could be fresh for the World Cup? The English fanbase would never forget, and the media would go into overdrive. This moment makes the American game feel like it is still lived in the shadows here.

The parallel story to this is the sweeping number of changes made by Mauricio Pochettino, who has called up 16 MLS players, including five uncapped newcomers. European-based talents like Josh Sargent, Joe Scally and Cameron Carter-Vickers were not invited. Can you imagine the mentality of players like Philadelphia Union’s Nathan Harriel or Orlando City’s Alex Freeman as they report to camp and have an audition for a World Cup placed in their own hands? I was speaking to Clint Dempsey this week and he talked about how he and Eddie Johnson used to talk about wanting to play so hungry, they would ask each other, “Are your ribs touching?” Each of these new, young faces can prove they are like a young Clint in 2006, who used a January camp to show he had that dog in him, and make themselves undroppable through training.  

This was the Poch playbook at Tottenham when he inherited an underperforming squad. He gave the big names like Emmanuel Adebayor and Younes Kaboul their chance, then dumped them, preferring young, unproven talents like Harry Kane and Eric Dier, who would run, and fight, and listen to the command: that to win is to suffer, and give your all. I look at the big American names who have either been exiled, or will sit this tournament out, and do wonder who could be “Adebayored” here, because Poch, as an Argentinian, will have culture shock at the very idea of a player who would not fight, and kill, and do whatever it takes to wear their nation’s jersey. 

For the players, Poch’s words during the squad reveal will still be reverberating. "If you come here to play golf, to have dinner, to see your friends… This is not the culture we want to create." I spent Saturday morning with Tyler Adams in Philadelphia where he was opening a mini-pitch in an underserved community.  Our interview comes out Monday, but he said, “We can't view going to the national team as as a break from what we do on an everyday basis with our clubs. If anything, the mentality needs to be as similar to a club setting as possible. Where you come in, you're competing with other players at a high level in order to get an opportunity to play on the weekend. That's how we grind it out.”  

When I think about that grinding mindset, I think about that 21-year-old scrapping maverick, Diego Luna, whom Pochettino has praised in the past for his “big balls.” When I spoke to Clint yesterday, he talked with joy about how he sees some of his spirit in Diego, the Moon Boy, who plays with the same cocksure attitude he once did. Let’s approach these two friendlies with the spirit of the Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”: In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity. That is the life truth that gives me optimism in this moment. 

AND: I can’t wait to watch Saturday’s game with you, Clint Dempsey, NBA Star Chris Paul, and NFL hero Cam Jordan on TruTV and HBO Max starting at 3:30 p.m. ET. To revel in this moment with Clint is a wonder and a delight. Come and join us, ask your questions, and give us your insights. We will take them all. 🍻

📬 Enjoying USMNT Only? Check out our other newsletters covering the USWNT and Premier League here.

Next Up: The Artist Formerly Known as Turkey 🇹🇷

Türkiye (or the Turkey they told you not to worry about) became the second team for so many of us at Euro 2024 until their valiant quarter-final exit to the Netherlands. They’re managed by former Italy and Roma goal-addict, and possible Sopranos background actor, Vincenzo Montella, and are ranked 27th in the world, 11 places behind the U.S., but don’t let the numbers intercept the depth of quality they have. The Italian coach is unafraid to line up without a recognized striker, and his inventive and reactive tactics mean he can fluidly switch his side to a back three in-game.

Most of what’s beautiful and incisive in Montella’s team comes down to the wizardry of Real Madrid’s 12-going-on-20-year-old, Arda Güler. With Luka Modric finally moving on, Güler’s reportedly one of the players Xabi Alonso plans to build his iteration of Los Blancos around, which can only richly benefit his international coach. Türkiye’s captain, Inter Milan’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu, may no longer call himself “the best midfielder in the world” following the pummeling handed to his side in the Champions League final last Saturday, but he’s a quality player whose ability to win the ball and feed it to Güler and 20-year-old Juventus winger-come-striker, Kenan Yıldız, will be a threat that Pochettino’s midfield will have to quell in order to succeed.

All Around the Men in Blazers Network 📣

This Friday, USWNT legend and World Cup winner Sam Mewis and The Women’s Game are coming to The Green Mountain State ahead of Vermont Green’s women’s week – which Sam is coaching! – for The Women’s Game Live! in Vermont. The evening will be one of storytelling, soccer, and celebration of what makes Vermont soccer so special and the creativity used to make the state soccer-mad. This is part live podcast, part community gathering—with smiles, laughs, and a whole lot of heart. Get your tickets here. ⛰️

ii. Speaking of TWG, Sam was joined by USWNT goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce this week on Friendlies to talk following in Alyssa Naeher's footsteps, her first cap at SoFi stadium, and why she trusts the process. They also get into what Phallon appreciates about U.S. manager Emma Hayes' coaching style and how patience has been the overarching theme of her career. The full episode is out now on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. 🇺🇸

iii. The Women’s Game is also heading to DC later this month! Join Sam, myself, and her Good Vibes FC co-host (and World Cup-winning teammate) Becky Sauerbrunn to celebrate one of soccer’s greatest rivalries, USA vs. Canada, ahead of the Allstate Continental Classico. TWG will welcome football icons at DC’s historic Howard Theater on June 30 as they revel in the past, present, and future of these two storied women’s teams. Join us for what is sure to be a magical night ahead of an unforgettable matchup. Tickets are on sale now. 🏛️

iv. I headed down to Philadelphia this past Saturday to sit down with Tyler Adams, the spiritual leader of this U.S. team. Tyler was opening a special small-sided football pitch with the WGFOPs at Allstate in Yearden, Penn. We also taped an incredibly honest discussion of where this team is at, what needs to change, and the mood inside US Camp. Look for it on our pod and YouTube feed on Monday. 🦅

v. The Gold Cup is only 10 days away. We will be previewing the tournament, team by team, including a deep dive into the U.S. squad with VAMOS' Herc Gomez, head north of the border to talk Canada in a special sit down with their manager Jesse Marsch (you will not want to miss this), and break down El Tri and the field (get ready for CONCACAF, Saudi Arabia) with our friends at the Give N Go. Look for all of that next week. 🏆

Six USMNT Players to Keep an Eye on this Month 👀 

• Johnny Cardoso: Last week, the beating-heart of Real Betis’ midfield became the first USMNT player to start in a European final, when his side lost to Chelsea at the summit of the Conference League. Despite his defensive instincts, he’s become a clutch goalscorer in a great campaign for the Sevillan club, attracting interest from Premier League sad bois, Spurs and Manchester United, but it looks like his reported ‘unequivocal wish’ to join Atletico Madrid will be fulfilled. With 18 caps, the 23-year-old is still relatively inexperienced, but it seems he’s one of Pochettino’s solidified undroppables. 

• Malik Tillman - No one wants to be “the next guy,” but Malik Tillman is absolutely the player we should all be pinning our USMNT hopes on ahead of the Gold Cup. OK, that might not be fair, but he’s a very good footballer who led Dutch Champions PSV’s miraculous late-title turnaround, logging 14 goal contributions during an injury-shortened season in the process, and in the absence of Christian Pulisic, he has the chance to be the special attacking sauce over the next five weeks (and potentially beyond).

• Patrick Agyemang - The 6’4” Charlotte FC striker has two goals in as many games for the USMNT, and the recency bias of this cool 90th-minute finish on Saturday, will do his cause to fill the elusive No 9 spot for his country no harm. 

• Diego Luna - As the reigning young MLS Player of the Year, in only 16 games, the 21-year-old attacking midfielder has already equalled the eight-goal tally he hit in his full season for Real Salt Lake last year. Europe probably beckons for him, but he should be in no rush to move, with Poch already proving he’ll happily utilize the MLS talent pool. His next challenge? Jump above his acting namesake in a Google search.

• Damion Downs - Another wildcard in Pochettino's inexperienced squad, at only 20 years old, the German-born striker is auditioning for a part that many want, but no one has proven they have the chops for yet. He scored 10 in 26 for 2. Bundesliga winners FC Koln this season, meaning ahead of the World Cup, he can hopefully flourish in one of Europe’s most competitive leagues and secure his place in the squad. Downs has played for both Germany and the USMNT at youth levels, so if capped in the upcoming fixtures, he confirms his international allegiance. 

• Paxten Aaronson - It’ll be a proud moment for the Aaronson family as 21-year-old Paxten and his big bro Brenden are in the same USMNT squad for the first time ever. As a winger-come-attacking-midfielder, he competes in the squad’s strongest field, but has impressed as one of the Eredivisie’s breakout stars, with eight goals and four assists on his loan spell at FC Utrecht. Like “Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom”, he only just slipped under the door of this squad thanks to late-injuries, but with Olympic experience under his belt, this is the natural next step for the New Jersey boy.

Good Reads 📚

• From Doug McIntyre at Fox Sports, ‘13 USMNT World Cup hopefuls who could, or should, switch clubs this summer’

• From Jonathan Tannenwald at the Philadelphia Inquirer, ‘A year from the World Cup, Tyler Adams embraces life as USMNT’s leader on and off the field’

• From Michael Lewis at Forbes, ‘While Pulisic Gets a Rest, USMNT Will Need to Get Creative in Gold Cup’

What’s to Come via USMNT Only 🇺🇸

Once the June friendlies and Gold Cup are in the rear-view, and we start to gear up for the 2025-26 European season in August, you can expect a weekly newsletter full of:

🗞️The latest intel on American players abroad: the young guns, established vets, and lesser-known characters plying their trade in Europe’s lower leagues

📺 A full schedule of games involving key USMNT players and their clubs

✍️ Answers to the biggest questions surrounding this team – submitted by you, the reader

We are about to hit the one-year-out mark from the 2026 World Cup, and we’ll be with you every step of the way. Let’s make memories together and hope this team can become a cohesive force over the next year.

Lastly, if you know any fellow USMNT fans looking for community, or just some soccer-curious friends who want to learn more about the U.S. Men’s team, please spread the word and share this newsletter far and wide – we would love for them to join us.

Courage all,

Rog and the USMNT Only team 🇺🇸 🦅

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As always, you can send any feedback, thoughts, or Poch-themed poems to [email protected].