USA Would Love A Pre-World Cup Win. But Do They Actually Need One?

Mauricio Pochettino compares his painful 2002 World Cup exit with Argentina to the U.S. team’s buildup — a reminder that big-tournament stakes make the World Cup “completely different.”
The U.S. has two final tune-ups — vs. Senegal (Charlotte) and Germany (Chicago) — sparking debate: warm-ups can build winning momentum but are also for experimenting and avoiding injury.
Stars like Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams want confidence going in; Senegal (with Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly) is a stern test before the USA opens vs. Paraguay.