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When U.S. men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino takes his place on the sideline this week, the pressure will feel entirely different—the World Cup is right on the horizon.
Having announced his final 26-man roster for the tournament this week, Pochettino faces several pressing questions across two pre-tournament friendlies, beginning with Sunday's matchup against AFCON runners-up Senegal in Charlotte, followed by a farewell fixture against Germany before a packed house in Chicago.
Here, Sports Illustrated examines three critical questions the USMNT must address in these two friendlies, ahead of their Group D opener at the World Cup against Paraguay on June 12.
Can Pulisic Rekindle His Confidence?
Last summer, Christian Pulisic was conspicuously absent, opting to rest and recharge ahead of the 2025-26 AC Milan season and the 2026 World Cup rather than featuring in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. Between that absence and his continued struggles at club and international level, it has now been 18 months since he last found the net in a USMNT shirt.
At his peak, Pulisic is the cornerstone of the USMNT attack. He remains the most accomplished American attacking player in European football, having become the first U.S. player to appear in and lift the Champions League trophy. At the outset of the 2025-26 campaign, he was in stunning form, emerging as a dark horse for the Serie A Golden Boot with eight goals across the opening 11 matches.
Since the turn of the year, however, things have gone sideways. He has gone scoreless in 19 appearances since November with Milan, compounding his extended USMNT drought. While Pochettino has expressed confidence that Pulisic will find the net at the World Cup, rediscovering that sharpness in the friendlies will be crucial to how far the USMNT can go.
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Will Matt Freese Claim the No. 1 Job?
Ever since Matt Turner delivered two underwhelming displays in defeats to Mexico and Canada at the March 2025 Concacaf Nations League finals, the USMNT's goalkeeping duties have largely fallen to Matt Freese. Freese started every match at the Gold Cup and throughout the fall friendlies. However, the March window saw Pochettino give each goalkeeper a game, signaling that the starting spot remains very much up for grabs.
While no decision has been made on the starting goalkeeper for either friendly or the June 12 World Cup opener, both MLS Eastern Conference shot-stoppers are expected to see action, with Freese holding a slight edge for the top position.
Freese's advantage, however, may not be as firm as it appears. In MLS action, Turner boasts a 76.9 save percentage, the best in the Eastern Conference and second across the entire league, compared to Freese's 70.4. Turner has also been more impactful for the New England Revolution, posting a league-best six goals prevented, versus Freese's 0.5—a metric that measures how many goals a goalkeeper conceded relative to what would have been expected.
The two friendlies look set to be a genuine contest between the pair. Both are capable starters, and Freese appears the frontrunner, even with Turner's superior statistics and World Cup pedigree—either way, it will be one of the most compelling storylines to follow.
Which Formation Works?
Despite the various experiments Pochettino has conducted with his squad selection, lineups, and tactical systems throughout his USMNT tenure, these matches will likely see minimal tinkering—provided his preferred setup delivers. He is no longer in evaluation mode; the focus now is on getting the team performing at their highest level and unlocking each player's potential through clear tactical structure.
There are several viable options. That said, expect him to deploy a 4-2-3-1, with Balogun as the lone striker, a double pivot of Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, and an attacking midfield trio of Tim Weah, Malik Tillman, and Christian Pulisic. That shape is likely his most reliable, with the potential to introduce Gio Reyna into the starting lineup if he can demonstrate a more well-rounded performance than he has managed in recent seasons at club and international level.
Should Pochettino find the 4-2-3-1 unsatisfactory, both a 3-4-2-1 and a 3-4-3 remain on the table. Whichever system he settles on, the more time devoted to a single formation across these games, the greater the benefit heading into the tournament.