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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Jeff Rueter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

USMNT looked disjointed, uneven and unrehearsed in big loss to Belgium

Mauricio Pochettino United States USMNT Belgium Jérémy Doku Tim Weah Rudi Garcia Zeno Debast Christian Pulisic Matt Turner
Jeremy Doku #11 of Belgium controls the ball during the first half against the United States during an international friendly at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jérémy Doku was Belgium’s best player against the US on Saturday. Photograph: Johnnie Izquierdo/USSF/Getty Images

Two years can feel like an eternity – just not in international football.

The USMNT hit restart on their 2026 World Cup cycle at its midpoint, changing coach after exiting the 2024 Copa América at the group stage. Mauricio Pochettino admitted as he arrived that he had scant familiarity with his inherited player pool, then embarked on an experimental year-plus of trying fresh faces and combinations in search of a winning formula.

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