The USMNT is out of rehearsal time.
Mauricio Pochettino’s team faces Germany at Soldier Field on Saturday in its final match before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the lineup tells a pretty clear story: the U.S. is close to its tournament shape, even if one major injury question still hangs over the back line.
U.S. Soccer’s official lineup notes for USMNT vs. Germany confirmed Matt Freese in goal, Tim Ream as captain, and a front group led by Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun. That is not a throwaway friendly XI. It is a last public look at the choices Pochettino may be leaning on when the World Cup begins next week.
Pochettino’s XI looks more like a final check than an experiment
The starting lineup against Germany: Matt Freese; Sergiño Dest, Miles Robinson, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie; Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman, Alex Freeman; Folarin Balogun.
There are still moving parts, but the spine is familiar. Ream brings experience. Adams and McKennie give the midfield its bite. Pulisic remains the attacking reference point. Balogun starting up front is the kind of detail that matters this close to a tournament opener.
The goalkeeper call is the one that jumps out fastest. Freese getting the start against Germany puts him in a spotlight that does not usually come with a friendly. With Matt Turner on the bench, this match gives Pochettino one more high-level read before the U.S. opens against Paraguay.
U.S. Soccer noted that Pochettino made five changes from the team that beat Senegal, adding Freese, Miles Robinson, McKennie, Tillman, and Balogun to the starting group. That is enough rotation to test details, but not enough to suggest a reset.
Chris Richards is the injury question that still matters
The most important absence is Chris Richards.
Richards was not dressed for the Germany match as he continues to work back from an ankle injury. According to U.S. Soccer’s player availability update, Pochettino said Richards was progressing but “still not ready to compete and play.”
That makes the timing uncomfortable. The U.S. opens World Cup play against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles, and Richards is one of the center backs Pochettino included in his 26-player roster. U.S. Soccer also noted that injury replacements can be made up to 24 hours before a team’s first match, which gives the staff a little room but not much comfort.
For now, Miles Robinson stepping into the starting XI beside Ream is more than a minutes-management choice. It is a live contingency plan.
The USMNT World Cup schedule starts fast
The U.S. is in Group D with Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey. That group is manageable on paper, but it is not soft. Paraguay brings defensive edge, Australia is used to making tournaments awkward, and Turkey has enough attacking talent to turn the final group match into a real pressure point.
Here is the USMNT group-stage schedule:
- Friday, June 12: USMNT vs. Paraguay, Los Angeles Stadium, 9 p.m. ET
- Friday, June 19: USMNT vs. Australia, Seattle Stadium, 3 p.m. ET
- Thursday, June 25: USMNT vs. Turkey, Los Angeles Stadium, 10 p.m. ET
The opener is the one that will frame everything. Win it, and the U.S. can control the group. Stumble, and the Australia match becomes heavier than it needs to be.
Why the Germany match carries extra weight
A friendly against Germany is not the World Cup. It does not decide the tournament, and it will not answer every roster question.
But it is a sharper test than a low-pressure sendoff. Germany gives the U.S. the kind of opponent that can punish loose defending, expose spacing problems, and force the midfield to play through contact instead of around it.
That is exactly why this match matters. Pochettino does not need a perfect performance. He needs clarity: who handles the speed of the game, who looks comfortable in the final third, and whether the defensive shape can survive against elite attackers before the stakes become permanent.
Reuters described this as a defining home World Cup for the U.S., with the team carrying real pressure to turn home-field energy into a deeper run. That pressure starts before kickoff against Paraguay. It starts with the lineup decisions being made now.
Where fans can watch the final tune-up
For viewers in the U.S., U.S. Soccer’s USMNT vs. Germany watch guide lists English-language coverage on TNT and HBO Max, with Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock. Radio coverage is available through Westwood One Sports and Fútbol de Primera.
After that, there is no more warmup window. The next time the USMNT takes the field, the conversation shifts from projection to results.
