The former USMNT defender addressed USMNT’s friendlies, highlighting issues for Mauricio Pochettino's World Cup preparations
Lalas sees friendlies as solid, not elite-level testsUSMNT to face Turkey and Switzerland in JuneRaises concerns about top-tier oppositionGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED
Alexi Lalas, former U.S. men's national team defender and current FOX Sports analyst, shared his perspective on the USMNT's recently announced pre-Gold Cup friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland.
The matches, scheduled for June 7 and June 10, respectively, are part of the team's preparation for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup and, more broadly, the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Lalas said that both European sides are quality opponents, but the matchups underscore future scheduling issues for Mauricio Pochettino.
“This also highlights another problem for Pochettino in that he’s going to have very few games, certainly next to none, when it comes to a competitive standpoint against the elites of the world before we ultimately judge him in the summer of 2026,” Lalas said on his State of the Union Podcast.
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“Look these are two, I think quality opponents – not elite but quality opponents in the same vicinity as the United States in terms of the, you know, a 20th ranked team. US is ranked 16th and I know they’re just FIFA rankings and then Turkey and Switzerland’s like up around 20th and Turkey is around 28th or something like that. But I think they’re all in the same vicinity, the same area of level, so I think these are good warm-up games, but again, these are just friendly games,” Lalas said.
“These are warmups for the Gold Cup and they might even – dare I say it, unless and until the US plays Mexico and Canada – cause more problems and therefore be more competitive than some of the games the USMNT are going to play at least in the group stages of the Gold Cup."
AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The Gold Cup, set to be hosted in the U.S. and Canada from June 14 to July 6, will provide additional competitive matches against regional rivals.
The USMNT will compete against the likes of the reigning champions in Mexico, fellow co-hosts Canada, Panama, Haiti, Saudi Arabia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Curacao in the summer of 2025. The USMNT will play Panama on March 20 in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?
The USMNT will face Turkey on June 7 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, Connecticut, followed by a match against Switzerland on June 10 at Geodis Park in Nashville. These games will serve as the final tune-ups before the team enters the 2025 Gold Cup.
