France's 1998 World Cup winner Christian Karembeu has praised the United States men's national team following their exit from the 2026 World Cup, saying the squad exceeded European expectations on home soil. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Karembeu suggested the USMNT's progress under head coach Mauricio Pochettino was so encouraging that he would not be surprised to see them reach their first-ever final at the next tournament in 2030.

The USA were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Belgium in a 4-1 defeat at Seattle Stadium on 6 July 2026, with several defensive errors contributing to the goals. Despite the loss, the team had secured three wins in the tournament, including a Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the country rallied behind one of three host nations alongside Mexico and Canada. Karembeu, who played at the 1994 World Cup held in the USA, described the tournament as "successful" and argued the Belgium defeat should serve as a learning experience ahead of 2030. He made his remarks while promoting the "Every Throw-In Counts" initiative with Coca-Cola and FIFA.