Exclusive: Jozy Altidore Makes Thoughts Extremely Clear on USMNT’s 2026 World Cup Squad
*Jozy Altidore takes on an Austrian defender in Vienna, 2013. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
- On Mauricio Pochettino’s links with AC Milan: “Quite frankly, you want to have a coach that is wanted around the world. That shows signs that the project, what you’re doing, is good.”
- On Christian Pulisic’s on-and-off form: “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. If anything, I think Christian is the least of our worries.”
- On co-host Canada’s prospects: “I’m bullish on Canada. I think they have a really good team. Looking at the growth of that team, there’s a lot of pride there, to watch them now on the world stage performing in their backyards and showcasing all the growth that we’ve seen in Canada. I think they’re gonna have a good World Cup.”
- On USMNT’s minimum expectation: “The minimum I think is getting out of the group, especially in a home World Cup.”
The USMNT, like every other team across the world, is putting together its final preparations for the 2026 World Cup. Expectations are higher than usual, and while that’s a testament to the talent of this squad, it’s also due to the fact that games will be played on their home soil. Put it all together, and many folks simply can’t wait for the tournament to get underway. That’s certainly how former USMNT striker Jozy Altidore feels.
Altidore was part of a group of players during the 2010s that helped soccer in the United States grow into what it is today. Now, a new group of budding stars, led by Christian Pulisic, will look to help the USMNT take the next step forward, with veteran head coach Mauricio Pochettino being tasked with guiding this group on a deep run.
Ahead of the action, though, Pochettino turned heads with his squad selection, particularly when it came to the omission of Real Salt Lake forward Diego Luna. Altidore knows that decision caught some folks’ attention, and while he is well aware of how talented a player Luna is, he has full faith in the squad that Pochettino has assembled.
“There’s a lot of quality here in this team, and I think he’s done a great job building out the roster,” Altidore said in an exclusive interview on behalf of Panini America. “Diego’s a really good, talented young player, and he’s still got some ways he’s got to improve. Obviously, every player wants to make the roster, but this is an incredibly talented team. You have to understand that, and you have to take these lessons from this cycle and apply it to the next cycle.”
Pochettino’s squad selection isn’t the only reason he’s been in the news ahead of the tournament, though, as he’s also been linked to AC Milan’s head coach vacancy in recent weeks. Anytime you have these sorts of rumors floating around in the news, it could be a distraction for the team, but Altidore doesn’t think that’s the case in this scenario. In fact, he thinks it’s a testament to just how good the USMNT is heading into this competition.
“When you play at the highest level of the game, rumors, tabloids, are part of it,” Altidore remarked. “Quite frankly, you want to have a coach that is wanted around the world. That shows signs that the project, what you’re doing, is good. The way people speak about it is positive … It says a lot about the work he’s done with this team, to continue to push things along and push it forward.”
Should the USMNT Be Concerned About Christian Pulisic?
You can make an argument that this is the most talented team the U.S. has ever featured heading into a World Cup, and at the center of everything for this group is Pulisic. Prior to scoring in a friendly against Senegal on Sunday, though, Pulisic hadn’t netted a goal for the USMNT since 2024, and his form for AC Milan tailed off late in the year. Altidore knows Pulisic hasn’t necessarily been great as of late, but he isn’t worried about him ahead of the World Cup.
“I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. If anything, I think Christian is the least of our worries,” Altidore opined. “What’s important for this team is to have different guys step up. Have good forward play, have good goalkeeping play, and then be solid at the back. Those are the things that are far more important.”
Expectations are high for Pulisic and his teammates, and it’s not too hard to see why. While many folks wonder how far this team could go, it’s also worth considering what absolutely needs to be accomplished during this tournament. For Altidore, that involves making it out of the group stage, as failing to do so would be a major disappointment.
“The minimum I think is getting out of the group, especially in a home World Cup,” Altidore said. “But in saying that, this is a very different situation that I don’t think anybody has experience playing, at least I don’t, a home World Cup … Getting out of the group has got to be one of our targets, and then from there, you take it game-by-game.”
Canada Emerges as Dark-Horse Contender Ahead of 2026 World Cup
While Altidore starred for the USMNT at the international level, he also enjoyed a successful club career, with arguably his best stretch coming during his time with Toronto FC in the MLS. Having spent time playing in Canada, Altidore is familiar with expectations for their group heading into the World Cup, and while folks aren’t as high on them as the United States, he still thinks this group could do quite well.
“I’m bullish on Canada. I think they have a really good team,” Altidore stated. “Looking at the growth of that team, there’s a lot of pride there, to watch them now on the world stage performing in their backyards and showcasing all the growth that we’ve seen in Canada. I think they’re gonna have a good World Cup.”
Much of the attention is on the U.S. ahead of the tournament, but Canada will also be hosting games as part of the World Cup this year, so you can make a case that this tournament is just as important for them as it is for the USMNT. Altidore certainly believes that’s the case, as he thinks the game of soccer has grown just as much in Canada as it has in the United States over the past few years.
“It's important that they have a good World Cup for their continued growth,” Altidore said. “I’m very hopeful of that because of the soccer fever and the soccer appetite that there is in Canada, especially in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal. The whole country I know is ready. The whole country is crazy for soccer, like the U.S., we’ve seen so much growth in Canada.”