The U.S. men’s national team has continued to receive plenty of criticism this month for its sloppy string of results, but midfielder Tyler Adams revealed that the group isn’t worried about what goes on outside of their bubble.
Adams did not feature in the USMNT’s recent 4-0 friendly loss to Switzerland on Tuesday due to a precaution for a potential foot injury. The USMNT midfielder is part of the current squad for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup, while fellow stars Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Antonee Robinson are among those absent for respective reasons.
While McKennie, Weah, and Gio Reyna are unavailable due to FIFA Club World Cup duty with their European clubs, Pulisic was rested this summer after playing in 50 matches for AC Milan. U.S. Soccer and USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino made the decision to rest Pulisic in order to keep him healthy long-term heading into 2026.
The decision has since been met with ample criticism from former USMNT players Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, questioning Pulisic’s commitment to the growth of the program with the World Cup only 365 days away.
Adams was not only asked about the recent stir of comments, but also about his confidence in the squad going forward.
“We don’t talk about that internally as a group,” Adams said Wednesday during an interview with The Associated Press. “The noise on the outside is the noise on the outside. I think we need to focus on what we need to do as a group and continue to build.
“This is part of the process,” Adams added about the USMNT’s recent four-match losing streak, its worst since 2007. “You’re going to win games. You’re going to lose games. It’s about continuing to build that. I think we’re on the right path. We have to continue to build and try the things that we’ve been training. It’ll take a little bit of time, but it will come together.”
Should the USMNT want to make a deep run in the Gold Cup, Pochettino will need a healthy and vocal Adams to lead the squad. Adams entered camp fresh off of a productive season with AFC Bournemouth, where he made 30 appearances in all competitions.
After making just three league appearances during the 2023-24 campaign, the 26-year-old looked back to his old self for Bournemouth, logging ample minutes and helping the Cherries deliver a positive season overall. Adams admitted that the return to full health has helped his game, while the struggles of going through a long inactive period due to injury can definitely affect your mentality.
“It’s definitely enjoyable when you’re healthy,” Adams said. “The 16 to 18 months that it was just on and off inconsistency is something I never had in my career and never had to battle. And then when it hits you and you go through that, you just learn different ways to navigate things, enjoy life, just not take things for granted, all the little things.”
Loved the way Adams came in the game vs Turks and took charge, both with his leadership and with his play. He even made the play and sent in the cross that should have been the equalizer. Agree with everyone as to his importance. Bigger picture, I think what we are dealing with is the unfortunate reality that our player pool does not have the depth we thought or had hoped for. Without our top 8 guys, we are having trouble competing against world cup caliber teams. If we’re looking for positives, Tillman Luna Tolkin Agyemang and yes Ream absolutely helped settle the team against the Swiss and showed they probably are needed for depth. Was really glad McKenzie stayed in the game and showed better, his first half was a nightmare.
No worries – we’ll beat up some crap concacaf teams pretty soon and pretend we’re making progress. It’s the USMNT way!
Lose lose huh. If they win its because Concacaf is crappie if we lose fans fall off the edge. Fandom makes me laugh.
Lose lose? Well some point if you can’t beat any team other than lowly minnows for years on end, the proof is in the pudding. During the past 2-3 years, please list the European teams we have managed to defeat and also please list any top 15/20 ranked teams we’ve had victories against. But hey if you’re happy with big wins vs. T&T and El Salvador good for you!
Mat, 2 tone,
The last time we beat a team in a competitive game that was better or equal to us in a competitive game was Ghana in the 2014 World Cup.
That was over ten years ago.
Friendlies don’t count because the motivation on both sides is suspect and both teams tend to shut down around the 80th minute.
And as we all know, many real, non -practice games are decided in those last 10 minutes.
For those of you, like IV, who insist on the importance of the final score in friendlies I give you the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Jets, the Tennessee Titans, the Denver Broncos, and the Chicago Bears.
All five teams went undefeated in the 2024 NFL preseason games.
You can look this up but in six years under Gregg the USMNT did not upset any teams.
Their best showing was at Qatar where they beat an inferior Iran and drew with a team full of retirees in Wale after foolishly conceding a penalty.
So after six years or more you have an entire generation of USMNT players who have no experience in beating anyone worth a fuck while wearing the shirt.
Thank you Gregg and your feel good tolerant locker room culture.
Mat,
Amen, brother! Beating up on the minnows of CONCACAF is so old hat. Time for the USMNT to stand up and produce results vs high level national team opponents, and that does not include Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, or Mexico.
That said, currently, the USMNT can’t even say they are the big fish in the little pond that is CONCACAF, as Panama and Canada have their number.
V: when we beat Ghana they were ranked 37th. Iran was ranked 20th when we beat them. It just feels like that Ghana win was bigger because we were used to losing to them in 2006 and 2010. Mexico was 11th when we beat them twice in the Summer of 2021 and 12th when we beat them in qualifying in 2022.
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The US had never beaten a European team on European soil before Klinsmann. JK usually did it by actually trying to win friendlies. He was famous for making tactical subs when his opposing managers were just giving guys minutes. Our players have better clubs so we expect more but this is just who we’ve always been. We’re hanging our hats on beating Spain in 2009, Portugal in 2002, Brazil’s B team in 1998, Argentina in 1995 and Colombia 1994. We’ve had 5 solid competitive wins in 75 years. Important in those wins Friedel, Keller, and Howard in 4 of 5 of them.
JR,
“V: when we beat Ghana they were ranked 37th. Iran was ranked 20th when we beat them. It just feels like that Ghana win was bigger because we were used to losing to them in 2006 and 2010. Mexico was 11th when we beat them twice in the Summer of 2021 and 12th when we beat them in qualifying in 2022.”
I’ll take the chicken shit , easy way out and say that I was never a believer in FIFA rankings. And it was the World Cup. I believe you can throw FIFA rankings out the window, most every WC game is a bitch. And you’re right, it’s Ghana, I consider them a USMNT bogey team. .
Having said what I just did, I thought Iran were curiously subservient. I felt we had them pretty much under control.
I thought that Mexico 2021 and 2202 were garbage and not up to their usual standard.
FIFA rankings to me are like climate. which is what the area is like over a period of time. Whereas, actual game day?, thats the weather today.
The climate might be rainy in Seattle but there are sunny days.
This is the way!
Thanks for keeping it 💯 Mat, USMNT has gotten sluggish performing against non concacaf teams. Panama beating us makes the wound sting even more.