The US Men’s National Team has done something it hasn’t managed in 16 years: win its World Cup group. And the reward is something even rarer in tournament football. A game that genuinely does not matter.
The USMNT locked up first place in Group D on June 20, collecting six points from their opening matches and watching Turkey get knocked out by Paraguay’s results. Their final group stage match against Turkey on June 25 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, is now a competitive ghost. Neither team has anything to play for in terms of advancement.
Pochettino’s rotation chess match
For coach Mauricio Pochettino, the knockout stage begins July 1, and the calculus shifts entirely from winning to preserving.
Players sitting on yellow cards become the most obvious candidates for rest. Pick up a second yellow in a game that means nothing, and you miss one that means everything. Chris Richards and Tyler Adams are among those who could be held back for exactly this reason.
