HARRISON, N.J. — The U.S. men’s soccer team is consistent as it prepares to co-host the 2026 World Cup: The Americans keep losing to teams ranked among the top 25 in the world, and home games feel like road matches as fans cheer opponents.
“Going up to the World Cup we need to build confidence within ourselves and give the fans confidence, so it’s disappointing to lose the game, for sure,” forward Folarin Balogun said after Saturday’s 2-0 loss to South Korea in an exhibition.
With a crowd of 26,500 cheering on the Taegeuk Warriors, Son Heung-min scored in the 18th minute and set up Lee Dong-gyeong’s goal in the 43rd. The 15th-ranked Americans are winless in their pas seven games against top 25 teams and have been outscored 17-3, including 11-1 in five straight losses.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s ever-positive outlook was essentially: What, me worry?
“We need to start to win when the World Cup starts,” he said. “Too many examples that teams — they win during five years and then arrive to the World Cup, and then they don’t arrive in the best condition. I was involved in 2002 with Argentina, we were beating (teams) during five years, and then we arrived to the the World Cup and we were out in the group stage.”