The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) suffered a humbling blow on Tuesday night, falling 4-0 to Switzerland in a friendly that raised serious alarms ahead of the 2026 World Cup. With four goals conceded in the opening 40 minutes, the Americans looked anything but prepared for the spotlight they’ll face as co-hosts of the next World Cup. This defeat marked their fourth consecutive loss—a troubling milestone not seen since 2007.
From the start, it was clear the U.S. was on the back foot. Dan Ndoye found the net in the 13th minute, sprinting past Nate Harriel to meet a through ball and slot it past goalkeeper Matt Turner. Just ten minutes later, Michel Aebischer tapped in the second after Johan Manzambi weaved his way along the endline, easily bypassing Max Arfsten. The floodgates opened further when Turner mishandled a shot from Ricardo Rodriguez, allowing Breel Embolo to capitalize with an open-net finish. The fourth dagger came in the 36th minute, after a miscommunication between Quinn Sullivan and Sebastian Berhalter—son of the team’s former coach—led to a giveaway and Manzambi’s first international goal.
The Swiss side, riding high on form, made it three consecutive wins with this commanding performance. Meanwhile, the loss extended the USMNT’s winless streak against European opponents to eight matches, dating back to 2021. The home fans at Geodis Park in Nashville made their frustrations known, booing loudly as the Americans collapsed in a first-half disaster not witnessed since November 9, 1980, against Mexico—and for the first time ever on home soil, according to Opta stats.
The match took place almost exactly one year before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, a tournament the U.S. is set to co-host alongside Mexico and Canada. But rather than looking like contenders, the Americans looked lost. Heading into Sunday’s Concacaf Gold Cup opener against Trinidad and Tobago, the team sits at 5 wins and 5 losses under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who took over following Gregg Berhalter’s dismissal after a group-stage exit at last year’s Copa América.
While some of the blame can be placed on the absence of several star players, the team’s lack of chemistry and poor decision-making were glaring. Missing from the lineup were key figures like Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, and Sergiño Dest. Their absence left a void in experience and leadership, and it showed.
This match also featured several notable milestones and firsts. Matt Turner returned to action for the first time since March 23, while Sebastian Berhalter made his first start for the senior team. Brothers Brenden and Paxten Aaronson became the fourth pair of siblings to start for the U.S., the first to do so since George and Louis Nanchoff in 1979. In total, Pochettino made nine changes to the lineup from Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Turkey, retaining only Arfsten and midfielder Johnny Cardoso in the starting XI.
The reshuffling didn’t help much. At halftime, the U.S. coaching staff made five substitutions in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding. Damian Downs eventually made his international debut in the 75th minute, but the damage had long been done.
If this match was meant to be a measuring stick, the results are crystal clear: the U.S. has serious work to do before the World Cup spotlight arrives on home turf. From defensive breakdowns to a lack of offensive cohesion, the team looked miles off the pace expected of a host nation.
Now, with the Gold Cup on the horizon and time ticking toward 2026, Pochettino and his squad must regroup, refocus, and rediscover their identity—or risk stepping onto the world stage as underprepared hosts in front of a global audience.
Description:
"The USMNT suffered a heavy 4-0 loss to Switzerland in a friendly match, raising concerns ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Read the full breakdown of the game, key moments, missing players, and what this result means for Team USA."