Teen brilliance to Pochettino’s haters: Winners and losers from the USMNT’s perfect window
The United States completed a perfect international window with four victories, providing breakthrough moments for several players and vindicating manager Mauricio Pochettino's balanced approach. Most notably, 17-year-old Sullivan impressed on his debut, particularly against Mexico, showcasing the energy and movement that captivated fans and offered hope for the future after the country's disappointing World Cup campaign.
Beyond Sullivan, goalkeeper Kochen made a composed debut suggesting he may be ready as the first-choice keeper, whilst midfielder Berhalter proved effective with excellent distribution and set-piece delivery, and young striker Hall demonstrated promise with spatial awareness and improving finishing. The notable loser was Christian Pulisic, whose absence Pochettino declined to explain publicly, though hints suggested potential disagreement over commitment and attitude to representing the country.
- USMNT won all four matches with 17-year-old Sullivan impressing
- Kochen, Berhalter and Hall also enhanced their cases
- Pulisic's absence raised questions about Pochettino's priorities
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The United States men's football team has struggled in recent years, notably after disappointing results at the World Cup. This prompted changes in leadership and approach, with focus on rebuilding the squad for future competitions.
Mauricio Pochettino was appointed manager to lead this rebuilding effort. His strategy emphasises blending young, talented players with experienced professionals, creating opportunities for newcomers to develop and prove themselves.
During recent matches, the team performed well and several young players impressed. This success suggests that Pochettino's balanced approach may be working, providing hope that the rebuilding process is on track.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The USMNT's four consecutive victories validate Pochettino's strategic approach of integrating promising youth talent alongside established systems, with Sullivan's impactful debut and Hall's development suggesting genuine institutional progress. These results demonstrate the programme is building tangible depth and coherent tactical identity rather than relying on circumstance alone.
The case against
International match results, particularly across friendlies and lower-profile fixtures, provide limited insight into programme sustainability; meaningful assessment requires consistent performance against elite opposition and in tournament contexts. The Pulisic situation—an unexplained absence from a star player—raises substantive questions about player management that a successful window may obscure rather than address.