The U.S. men’s national team showed up for just 45 minutes and ended up getting destroyed 5–2 against Belgium on Saturday afternoon.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side was superior for most of the first half, and the USMNT struck first through Weston McKennie. The goal woke up Belgium, and Zeno Debast equalized before half time.
The USMNT then suffered a dramatic collapse in the second half, and Belgium was merciless. Strikes from Amadou Onana, Charles De Ketelaere and a brace from Dodi Lukébakio completed the massacre, before Patrick Agyemang scored late to make the final scoreline a little more flattering.
Following a promising start, the USMNT crumbled and was unable to muster a response in the face of adversity. It’s a massive wake up call for the Stars and Stripes, given the gap to one of the top national teams in the world became abundantly clear. There’s plenty of work to do for Pochettino and Co. ahead of the World Cup.
One Thing We Can’t Ignore
Pochettino’s decision to switch to a 3-4-2-1 formation with three center backs last fall sparked a surge in form that saw the USMNT arrive to the clash undefeated in its last five with four wins. This explains why many were left scratching their heads when Tim Ream and Mark McKenzie were the only two center backs included in the lineup against Belgium.
However, while the profile of players changed, the recently adopted system didn’t. Instead either Johnny Cardoso and Tanner Tessmann—mostly the latter—dropped from midfield to operate between the center back pairing whenever the U.S. had the ball.
Malik Tillman often dropped to the base to complete the double pivot, with Cristian Pulisic and Weston McKennie as dual No. 10’s behind Folarin Balogun. Natural wingbacks Antonee Robinson and Timothy Weah were free to dart forward, giving Pochettino’s side depth down the wings.
It’s the first time Pochettino sticks a natural midfielder between the center backs in the six game he’s deployed this formation. Utilizing an extra midfielder in that third center back role could be a wrinkle worth exploring further ahead of the World Cup, since it gives the U.S. a more capable passer in build-up.
Still, it must be said that doing without an extra defender also contributed to the second half collapse, giving Pochettino more to think about moving forward.
USMNT Player Ratings vs. Belgium (4-2-3-1)
GK: Matt Turner—5.3: Got the nod ahead of Matt Freese and he made a couple of fine saves. His distribution was up-and-down and he likely could’ve done more to stop Debast’s equalizer, thogh it must be said his vision might’ve been impeded. Nothing he could do to prevent the rest.
RB: Timothy Weah—6.3: Was adventurous going forward but was quick to track back given he had to deal with the dangerous Jérémy Doku. Although he had some solid interventions, the Manchester City winger gave him trouble.
CB: Tim Ream—5.5: Routinely one step too late to intervene and the penalty he gifted Belgium is unforgivable.
CB: Mark McKenzie—5.4: Failed to inspire any semblance of confidence defensively. Caught between assignments way too often, turning him into another spectator while Belgium’s attackers feasted.
LB: Antonee Robinson—7.0: Stout defensively and his darting runs down the flank were an outlet in build-up, exploiting the space down the wing to perfection. His deliveries from set-pieces were precise, assisting McKennie’s opener. The best player on the pitch.
DM: Tanner Tessmann—6.2: Balanced Pochettino’s side and constantly dropped down to operate as a third center back both in and out of possession.
DM: Johnny Cardoso—6.2: Looked comfortable on the ball, never misplacing a pass while constantly starting possessions from the back. Did well containing Kevin de Bruyne.
RW: Weston McKennie—7.2: Cleverly found pockets of space to operate in in the final third. Missed a one-on-one inside the six-yard box but made up for it with a nice header to open the scoring.
AM: Malik Tillman—7.2: Brilliant first half from him, creating three chances with nice first-time passes that slid open Belgium’s defense. Disappeared after the break.
LW: Christian Pulisic—6.3: A poor showing from the USMNT talisman. Erratic on the ball and the few actions where he showed glimpses of his quality ended with subpar attempts on goal.
ST: Folarin Balogun—6.1: Left to battle by himself against Belgium’s center backs, the Monaco forward was a non-factor.
SUB: Cristian Roldán (46’ for Cardoso)—6.6: Built on what Cardoso did in the first half and was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dreadful final 45 minutes.
SUB: Alex Freeman (64’ for Tessmann)—6.4: Wasn’t really tested from the moment he came on.
SUB: Max Arfsten (64’ for Robinson)—6.2: Had some nice line-breaking passes but his deliveries into the box were poor.
SUB: Sebastian Berhalter (64’ for Weah)—6.2: A dreadful attempted clearance teed-up Lukébakio’s brace.
SUB: Giovanni Reyna (70’ for McKennie)—5.7: Had no chance to make a considerable impact.
SUB: Joseph Scally (71’ for Tillman)—6.1: Picked up a yellow card in an otherwise uneventful cameo.
SUB: Patrick Agyemang (71’ for Balogun)—7.2: Capitalized on a gift from Belgium’s defense to tuck in his side’s second with a nice finish.
SUB: Ricardo Pepi (71’ for Pulisic)—6.7: Another spectator for the entirety of his cameo.
Subs not used: Chris Brady (GK), Matt Freese (GK), Patrick Schulte (GK), Auston Trusty, Aidan Morris, Brenden Aaronson.
What the Ratings Tell Us
- The complicated start of Christian Pulisic’s 2026 continued on Saturday. The playmaker couldn’t get much of anything going, and he even look out of sorts as time, frustrated at himself. Rediscovering his best form in the coming two months is essential for the USMNT’s World Cup aspirations.
- Tim Ream might be one of the leaders in the dressing room, but at 38-years-old, he has clearly lost a step. He looks unable to handle the speed of the game and that leads to mistakes such as the penalty he gifted. Pochettino would be tempting fate if he sticks with Ream in the XI come the summer.
- Timothy Weah is certainly a very worthy alternative at right wingback going forward, but against one of the top wingers in the world in Doku, his defensive deficiencies were targeted. Pochettino should be pragmatic; against low-blocks, Weah is a valuable asset, but against elite wingers, Joseph Scally or Alex Freeman are much better suited defensively.
The Numbers That Explain the USMNT’s Nightmare in Atlanta
- Belgium had 10 shots on goal to the USMNT’s five and also almost doubled the host in total attempts with 21 to 12.
- After a solid defensive showing in the first half, Belgium produced three big chances in the second half and missed two of them, highlighting how much worse it could’ve been for Pochettino’s men.
- The USMNT conceded five goals for the first time in 28 games dating back to June 2024, meaning it’s the first time they concede five during the Pochettino era.
| Statistic | USMNT | Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 52% | 48% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 1.51 | 2.31 |
| Total Shots | 12 | 21 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 10 |
| Big Chances | 3 | 3 |
| Passing Accuracy | 85% | 85% |
| Fouls Committed | 8 | 10 |
| Corners | 6 | 6 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT Player Ratings vs. Belgium: Embarrassing Defeat Raises Alarms for Pochettino .
