EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Between now and the summer of 2026, when the World Cup comes to North America, the U.S. men’s national soccer team needs to learn and grow. The goal is not just to compete with the sport’s elite squads but to beat them.
Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Germany in a high-profile friendly brought encouraging play in the first half but exposed U.S. youth and weakness.
Christian Pulisic scored an astounding goal, but four-time world champion Germany drew even before intermission and struck twice in a three-minute span before a sellout crowd of 37,743 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium.