What USMNT must stress test in final World Cup tune-up vs. Germany

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What USMNT must stress test in final World Cup tune-up vs. Germany

Chris Dodson, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, Jun 4, 2026 ·

6 min read

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With a surreal 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Paraguay just days away, U.S. Men's National Team manager Mauricio Pochettino has one final 90-minute laboratory session on the books. Christian Pulisic seems fine after a goal drought, but the rest of the squad still needs sorting. A high-profile friendly against Germany at a sold-out Soldier Field represents the last chance to iron out structural flaws and test tactical depth before the games start counting for Group Stage points.

The Americans are coming off a 3-2 victory over Senegal in which Pulisic, Folarin Balogun , and Ricardo Pepi showed their threat, and Sergiño Dest provided some elite wing play. It also exposed vulnerabilities that a world-class German side will ruthlessly exploit if left unaddressed. usmnt /meet-the-team-world-cup-roster" rel="noopener">Questions remain about overall depth, goalkeeper rotation, and squad cohesion, specifically.

Fans are clamoring for certainty, which they will not get in Chicago. Sorry. There will always be some sleight of hand at play in these matches. Still, given a top-10 opportunity in a final diagnostic run before the real race begins, Pochettino must experiment with an eye towards this team's ceiling, not the floor. The USMNT requires more hard-to-measure chemistry-building data . So, with all of that in mind, here are seven stress tests to conduct at Soldier Field.

Trying a new attack

Looking at the last game is easy. Pepi started against Senegal and found the net, while Balogun scored the match-winner. Pulisic also scored, continuing his strong run of form. Long-term, well, Balogun has established himself as the most natural No. 9 in the player pool, while Pepi's movement and finishing have consistently produced goals at the club and international level. Pulisic remains the side's most dangerous attacker when healthy and confident.

Rather than forcing a choice between Pepi and Balogun, Pochettino should see whether the pair can coexist with Pulisic floating underneath or drifting in from the left. Playing all three together would give Pochettino a clear picture of how his best attackers combine ahead of the World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 12.

Pepi's movement causes unique problems. Balogun's bully-ball occupies defenders in the box and unlocks the counterattack through elite hold-up play. Pulisic is best on the ball, darting through the gaps, and spraying passes into the lanes. Can they coexist for 60–70 minutes without occupying the same spaces or slowing transitions? Germany will let Pock know within 45 minutes.

Go for goals, it's the only way to win. On the other end…It's hard to imagine the USMNT chasing a goal without these three on the field. They need to play together for at least 10-20 minutes.

Oh Captain, benchings happen

Tim Ream should start on the bench. The USMNT captain needs rest and looked woefully slow against Senegal. It's time to realize this squad needs a backup plan at center back, pronto. Giving Ream the day off would force Pochettino to evaluate Mark McKenzie , Auston Trusty , or Miles Robinson in a high-pressure setting.

Richards remains the USMNT's best defender. But if the Crystal Palace center back is not fully fit after tearing ankle ligaments last month, the center back depth chart suddenly looks dangerously thin. Who steps up if Ream can't handle a full World Cup workload? Finding a viable contingency plan at center back is a matter of immediate urgency.

This is not a knock on what Ream has meant to this group. It is age plus minutes equals expected goals allowed math.

Chris Richards crystal clear

No player may be more important to the American defense. Missing Chris Richards against Senegal magnified just how dependent the USMNT has become on the Crystal Palace star's athleticism, composure, and ability to clean up mistakes. The back line looked vulnerable whenever turnovers exposed it to quick counterattacks.

That is why Richards was included on the USMNT's 26-man World Cup roster despite suffering torn ankle ligaments in mid-May. The 26-year-old is Pochettino's most important defender when healthy, but hasn't played in weeks. This FIFA friendly is the last chance to see if Richards can log meaningful minutes before the World Cup begins.

"Available," though, is not the same as "sharp." If Richards can get even 30 minutes against Germany, it answers the central question of the U.S. defense and reframes the Ream conversation entirely. If he can't, Pochettino is improvising at the back heading into the most important match in program history. Watch this one above all, especially if you're Auston Trusty.

Keeping the Matt math

The goalkeeper battle should remain open for one more night. Matt Turner has delivered on the biggest stages before and looked solid against Senegal. Matt Freese deserves the opportunity to show whether his distribution and command of the box better suit Pochettino's preferred style.

Matt Freese was the presumed starter but sat out the Senegal match, while Turner and Chris Brady split the minutes. Germany is the moment to flip that allotment. Give Freese and Turner a half each against a side that will actually test them, and get Freese the high-pressure reps he has not had this camp. Then the math is simple. Which keeper commands the box and organizes the back line more effectively?

Brady, by contrast, looked below the standard in his cameo and isn't pushing for tournament minutes. That's fine. Every World Cup squad needs a Nick Rimando-type third keeper who becomes the locker-room glue, the connective tissue who keeps the group loose. Brady should lean into that role.

Poch winging it

Tim Ream was making jokes about the outside positions after beating Senegal. Well, Germany is not the laughing type. Wingers and wingbacks alike will be asked to cover a lot of ground during the World Cup. It's time to settle the right back competition between Sergiño Dest and Joe Scally .

Dest is irreplaceable in the buildup, as evidenced by the goal against Senegal, but he's also a yellow‑card magnet. But Scally has logged heavy minutes in the Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach and provides a more defensively sound option. Pochettino needs to decide when to use Dest's attacking verve and Scally's steady defending throughout the World Cup.

Pochettino's preferred look has Dest operating as a hybrid right back bombing forward in possession. Alex Freeman or Joe Scally then tuck in to form a back three out of possession. It's a clever solution that worked against Senegal. Against Germany's quicker, more incisive wide players, it's a different exam.

Alex Freeman has answers

Dest is also still rounding into form after a lengthy injury layoff earlier this cycle, and that whole right channel is where elite teams will look to attack. Who can defend elite wingers for 20–30 high‑leverage minutes? Poch needs someone else to step up.

Thankfully, one of the biggest revelations of this cycle has been Alex Freeman's rapid rise. Germany offers the perfect chance to see whether that promise translates against elite opposition. Can Freeman defend one-on-one without constant help? Can he recover after turnovers? Can he still contribute going forward?

The United States already knows what its veteran fullbacks can provide. It still needs to learn how much responsibility Freeman can shoulder in a World Cup knockout match.

Go with Gio , Bren-Bren

Few American players possess Reyna 's vision and creativity. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Pochettino should hand him the responsibility of connecting midfield to attack and let the game flow through him. World Cups are often decided by moments of individual brilliance. Pulisic provides one source of magic, but the Americans are a far more dangerous side when Reyna is healthy, confident, and involved.

However, though Reyna remains one of the USMNT's most talented players, his central, drifting between lines workflow often conflicts with Pulisic's preferred role. Poch has tried Reyna on the wing and as a No. 10, with mixed results. Germany's well-oiled machine offers a final opportunity to integrate Reyna without sacrificing the attacking balance that Pulisic, Balogun, and Pepi provide.

Once Reyna has run the show for 45 minutes, give Brenden Aaronson a wedding gift. While the frontline has plenty of vertical pace, the USMNT often struggles with central creativity when teams sit deep. Pochettino should test Aaronson in a central attacking midfield role during the second half.

Aaronson's relentless pressing and chaotic energy could unbalance an organized German midfield, offering a completely different tactical look than the standard overlapping winger system the U.S. typically deploys. The USMNT has lost seven of its last eight matches against Germany dating to 2002. A result on Saturday would build genuine momentum.

More importantly, how Pochettino uses these final 90 minutes will tell American fans everything they need to know about their team's World Cup prospects. If the USMNT can leave Chicago knowing who starts in goal, who partners Chris Richards, whether Pepi and Balogun can coexist, and whether its midfield can stand up to a world-class opponent, the evening will have been a success regardless of the final score.

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