CHESTER, Pa. – When you count it in months or weeks, the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup can still seem abstract, even as it now looms barely half a year away.
So this week Mauricio Pochettino dropped a different metric to hammer home to the US men’s national team just how quickly the time is dwindling down to next summer’s monumental event on home soil.
“Ten training sessions to go,” explained Charlotte FC’s Tim Ream to reporters in a Friday media availability at the Philadelphia Union’s WSFS Bank Sportsplex, where the Yanks have been preparing for Saturday’s friendly vs. Paraguay at Subaru Park (5 pm ET | TNT, HBO Max, Peacock; Telemundo, Universo).
While approximate, that math is attention-grabbing. After this month’s camp, only the March FIFA international window remains before ‘Poch’ must make his final decisions about the USMNT’s World Cup roster.
“When you talk about length of time, number of days, probably not,” added Ream when asked whether the tournament feels close yet. “But when you talk about number of games, number of training sessions, number of camps, I mean, it's knocking on our door.
“There's a little bit more bite in trainings. There's intensity, there's more aggressiveness. Guys are doing everything they possibly can to be a part of the team.”
Now or never
With four months until that next gathering – and here it should be noted that the USMNT will not hold its usual January camp for domestic-based players this winter – there are precious few chances left, be it individuals looking to make an impression on the technical staff or groupings trying to craft understanding on the pitch.
“This is a big camp,” said Real Salt Lake star Diego Luna. “There's a big gap between the next camp. And I think performing well here is going to lead a lot of the guys to positive things.”
As usual, the scoreboard also matters a great deal.
“A better chemistry, and two wins,” said Sergiño Dest when asked about the team’s goals for this camp. “The chemistry needs to be better, and as well the way how we play sometimes, you know, we can improve on that, and the little details. But let's see how we play, and then we can improve more.”
Or as Folarin Balogun phrased it: "We need to see good performances and results."
World Cup-level tests
In Paraguay and Uruguay, Tuesday’s adversary in Tampa, the Yanks can expect stern tests from seasoned, World Cup-bound sides hardened by the crucible of CONMEBOL qualifying. Poch hinted that on Saturday at least, they’ll also feature a new-look lineup, with regulars like Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic not available this month.
“Paraguay is a very good team, is a team that is very competitive. I know [Gustavo] Alfaro is a great coach, and he's doing a fantastic job,” said Pochettino.
“In the qualification for the World Cup, it was really tough; they finished in a very good place. I think it's a good test for us, even if for us is maybe the first time that we are going to play with this starting 11.
“It's good, because I think we need to translate our capacity to adapt quick, the capacities to build quick in the culture and ideas, in the philosophy that we want to play.”
MLS watchers will recognize talents like Atlanta United's Miguel Almirón, Vancouver Whitecaps FC mainstay Andrés Cubas and RSL’s Braian Ojeda among this version of Los Guaraníes, who continue to punch above their weight under Alfaro. On Friday the manager took care to praise the positive influence of MLS on his program, which also features Inter Miami CF alum and past 22 Under 22 winner Diego Gómez, now at Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Premier League.
All eyes on Gio
Notably, USMNT observers will be watching keenly to see if Gio Reyna is given substantial minutes in these matches as he makes his return to the program after months on the outside. Despite his enormous talent, the New York City FC academy product has struggled for fitness and playing time in Germany over the past couple of years, but is said to be showing well in this week’s training sessions.
“He's not really let the challenges overseas seep into camp, which is great to see,” said Ream. “I've had a few conversations with him, nothing crazy, but he's speaking up a lot more in the trainings, in terms of, 'OK, I'm seeing this, what are you seeing?' He's really getting involved in the understanding of the movements, and what we're doing in the buildup, and then in the defensive shape.
“So I feel like he's more in-tuned and more focused on the field than I've seen in the past, which is a great thing. Whether it was injury or other things that were going on, I think his focus is so much greater now.”
