Things couldn’t have gone much better for the United States men’s national team in the group stage. It clinched the top spot in its group with a win in just the second match — it beat Paraguay and Australia — and ended its third and final match against Türkiye on Thursday without any serious injuries or suspensions.
But there is one serious area of concern that still exists for the United States entering its round of 32 matchup with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, July 1 at Los Angeles Stadium. And it reared its ahead again its group-stage finale loss against Türkiye.
Cracking The UEFA Code
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With its 3-2 loss to Türkiye on Thursday, the United States extended its losing streak against UEFA opponents to 10 matches and its winless streak to 12 matches. Its overall record against UEFA teams in the last 12 matches is 0W-2D-10L.
Pochettino Not The Answer
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Despite his experience in Europe managing Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino hasn’t been the answer to the Americans’ UEFA woes. After, the U.S. had lost all six games against European opponents under Pochettino, scoring just six goals and conceding 18.
The results of those matches were as follows:
- June 7, 2025: Türkiye 2, USA 1 (Friendly)
- June 10, 2025: Switzerland 4, USA 0 (Friendly)
- March 28, 2026: Belgium 5, USA 2 (Friendly)
- March 31, 2026: Portugal 2, USA 0 (Friendly)
- June 6, 2026: Germany 2, USA 1 (Friendly)
- June 25, 2026: Türkiye 3, USA 2 (Group D).
The Silver Lining
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The U.S. hasn’t beaten a UEFA opponent since December 2021. The opponent? Bosnia and Herzegovina — the same team the U.S. will face in the round of 32.Â
Bosnia and Herzegovina is also the lowest-ranked UEFA team the U.S. has faced under Pochettino with a ranking of 62. The previous lowest was Türkiye (32) and the highest was Portugal (8).
