CF Talavera de la Reina Overview

Throughout the last few years, American soccer has routinely pleaded with Christian Pulisic to acknowledge reality. The question has come in different forms, but it has always circled the same idea: Does he feel the weight of being the face of the U.S. men's national team heading into a home World Cup?

A convincing win over Senegal, followed by a spirited defeat to Germany have the USMNT with a clearer idea of who they are ahead of the World Cup

GOAL breaks down who boosted their case, who still has questions to answer, and what Mauricio Pochettino may have learned from the USMNT's final pre-World Cup friendlies.

The 2026 World Cup has been plunged into fresh diplomatic controversy after it was revealed that Iran's national team will be forced to follow strict same-day entry and exit rules for their matches in the United States. Following a series of security claims and heightened geopolitical tensions, the squad has been told they can only step onto American soil on the actual days they are scheduled to play.