USMNT target for Copa America? Why no ‘crazy goals’ are being set as Tyler Adams reveals what success would look like in 2026 World Cup countdown

The United States are in a winning habit for 2024, with another CONCACAF Nations League crown being secured. They boast plenty of ability and experience in their squad and intend to put on a show at Copa, event that will be taking place on American soil.

Gregg Berhalter and his coaching team are, however, working towards more long-term targets – with the World Cup also heading to the Americas in 2026. With that in mind, the USMNT are not fixated on competing with the likes of Argentina and Brazil for ultimate Copa glory.

Adams, who captained his country at the 2022 World Cup, has told the Men In Blazers podcast of collective ambition heading into another major event: “Everyone has to understand that this is another stepping stone towards the World Cup. It’s obviously easy to put out crazy goals and say the goal is to win the tournament. Everyone’s goal that reaches the tournament is to win – you don’t want to lose and go home early, you want to lift a trophy at the end of the tournament. Although we have won the Nations League multiple times now, we know the feeling of lifting a trophy and we know the joy that it brings us and how it brings the fans closer together. But the biggest test for me is navigating through the group stage again. When it comes to knockout time, how do we handle ourselves and conduct ourselves in those moments? In those games do we stay composed and understand our roles, understand the tactics of the team we are playing against? We understand that we have to compete and that is a quality and a trait of every USMNT and American. Getting out of the group is going to be important, but we know if we do that we are going to play Colombia or Brazil. How do we match up against those teams, two of the best in CONMEBOL, and really find our way to advance on?”

The USMNT did not match up particularly well against Colombia in a pre-tournament friendly game, as they suffered a humbling 5-1 defeat. A meeting with Brazil is next on the agenda, at AT&T Stadium in Texas, before opening a Copa quest against Bolivia on June 23.