The USMNT are far from being one of the favourites to win the World Cup next year, but that will not stop their fans dreaming of Mauricio Pochettino’s men going a long way on home soil.
The excitement for the 2026 World Cup has ramped up following last week’s group stage draw.
The USMNT have been drawn with Paraguay, Australia, and a side from the European playoffs. With that, Pochettino’s men will be expected to at least reach the knockout stages.
And perhaps their chances of progress would have improved had one of the best golfers on the planet right now decided to head down a different career path.
The world number four golfer who could have played for the USMNT
Xander Schauffele is currently fourth in the world rankings. The 32-year-old has been a stalwart of the PGA Tour for the best part of a decade now.
And his career reached new heights in 2024 as he won both the PGA Championship and The Open Championship, two of the sport’s major events.
Golf’s gain is football’s loss, it seems.
Two of Schauffele’s great-grandparents played football professionally. And speaking to Bunkered in 2024, his father Stefan shared his belief that his son had the ability to reach the very top.
“He was an excellent soccer player,” he said. “It was astonishing the talent he had. When he was four, half-volleys, both legs, left and right.
“I thought he would rescue the American soccer team because, oh my God, they need help. They all run after the ball, get to the end [of the pitch] and go ‘Oops!’
“But no, when he was 14, he had been promised by the soccer team he played for that he would be allowed to play attacking midfielder. He had always been a sweeper until then.
“Anyway, the new season came around and the coach – my buddy, a Brazilian guy – comes running across the field, saying to me, ‘Quick! You have to speak to Xander!’ And Xander comes trotting behind him saying, ‘I just quit. They lied to me. Now, I’m going to get on the PGA Tour’.
“He was fourteen. Those words literally came out of his mouth and here we are.”
Xander Schauffele goes into 2026 looking to make up for lost time
Like the USMNT, Schauffele goes into 2026 with a point to prove.
He did win the Baycurrent Classic on the PGA Tour this past season. However, it was largely a year to forget for the 2020 Olympic gold medallist.
Much of that was down to injury. Schauffele missed the early part of the year due to a rib problem. And it took some time for him to get back to his best.
But he did enjoy an impressive Ryder Cup – finishing as the joint highest points scorer on the American side – and followed that with his win in Japan.
He will hope that momentum allows him to hit the ground running in 2026.
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