The USMNT have spent the final World Cup build-up talking like a team that wants more than a respectable run on home soil.
Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that the target inside the camp is to win the tournament, not simply reach the knockout rounds and accept praise for progress.
That ambition is healthy for a host nation, especially one trying to make a statement in front of its own fans at this tournament. But Gary Lineker has now offered his view, and the England legend did not sound quite ready to indulge the dream of a historic home triumph.
Gary Lineker gives brutal verdict on USA World Cup chances
Pochettino has already made it clear that the USMNT aim is to win the World Cup, which is exactly the kind of mindset a host nation should want.
There is little point entering a home tournament with a ceiling already placed on the squad. The USA have talented players, a serious manager and the benefit of playing in front of their own supporters.
Lineker, though, has taken the conversation back toward reality. Speaking on The Rest Is Football, he said: “But it was interesting that the Americans actually think they can go all the way.”
He added: “I was interviewed on one of the big TV stations I think it might have been CNN, and they were saying to me, you know, who do you fancy? I was going, well, Spain, I think, and really take some beating, obviously France, possibly England, blah, blah, blah. The usual suspects.
“And then they said, well, what about the hosts? Can America go all the way and win it? And, and I went, ‘What?’ And I said do you want me to be honest or diplomatic?
“I wasn’t diplomatic. I said you have zero chance. They can’t win it, but I think they can perhaps get to the knockout stages.”
That is blunt, but it is not especially unfair. The USA can be ambitious without being placed in the same category as Spain, France, England, Brazil or Argentina before a ball has been kicked.
This tournament already has a different feel, with Lineker raising Trump and ticket price concerns around the 2026 World Cup just days ago.
Once the football starts, though, the USMNT’s job is simple. Get out of the group first, prove they belong in the knockout rounds, and then see whether Pochettino’s belief can turn into something more than just brave talk.
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