USA (Eliminated in Round of 16)

The USA showed us their potential, raising hopes for  the 2026 World Cup. They proved to be a well-organized team, strong in possession and strong in defense behind 35 year-old center-back Tim Ream. As well as they performed (edging out a great and unexpected draw against England, defeating Iran, and nearly beating Wales if not for an idiotic mistake by Walker Zimmerman), they still need to make changes. As I mentioned in the preview, the lack of a formidable striker in the attack could prove to be worrisome for the USA, and in fact, it did. Haji Wright was awful in the games he played, his one goal being a fluke flick that really shouldn’t have happened. Josh Sargent was effective as a big body up top, but ultimately didn’t do much. The other striker option, Jesus Ferrierra, barely even played. Additionally, the USA might have to look into getting a new manager if they want to succeed in 2026. Gio Reyna’s reported clashes with current manager Gregg Berhalter led to him barely playing at all in the tournament. The USA can not afford these types of clashes if they are looking to cash in on their golden generation, and they will need a manager that can better take advantage of their players.