USMNT back – The U.S. men’s national team heads into its World Cup opener Friday against Paraguay with a familiar worry: its back line. After a 2-1 loss to Germany, the team’s defensive record this year—11 goals conceded in four games—and uncertainty around center back Chr
CHICAGO — The U.S. men’s national team walked off the field against Germany with plenty to admire and one part of its game that wouldn’t stop replaying in the mind. How far it can go at the World Cup may come down to what happens in front of goal when the pressure spikes and the space closes.
The U.S. lost 2-1 in its final match before the World Cup begins Friday against Paraguay. Germany. the opponent. is a four-time World Cup champion and currently ranked 10th in the world—hardly a convenient measuring stick for a team trying to build confidence. Still, the back line remains a concern going into the tournament.
The night at least offered a sign of grit. After conceding a goal just two minutes into the game, the Americans responded immediately. Antonee Robinson equalized in the 37th minute with a goal described as a banger, and the U.S. kept pushing until the final whistle.
But the closer the focus returns to defending, the sharper the questions get. In its games so far this year, the U.S. has given up 11 goals in four games. It has not recorded a clean sheet since a 2-0 win over Japan in September—a span of eight games. Goalkeeping, once viewed as a steady strength, also carries uncertainty. Neither Matt Freese nor Matt Turner has offered what the story describes as “security-blanket vibes” comparable to past U.S. keepers such as Tim Howard, Kasey Keller, or Tony Meola.
That’s happening while the status of Chris Richards—one of the players who. along with Tim Ream. had locked down starting center back roles—remains unresolved. Richards tore two ligaments in his ankle at the end of the Premier League season. He was unavailable for the Germany game, though the story says he was able to train with the U.S. national team the day before.
Ream sounded hopeful afterward. He said Richards is a “big-time player. ” and that it would be “good to have him back.” Ream added that Richards is a big voice. a big personality. and a commanding center back who has been relied on heavily over the past 18 months. Ream said the plan is to see what combinations get picked. but that it would be “nice to hopefully have him back in full and raring to go for the group stage.”.
If Richards can’t go—or if he has a setback—the team could be left more exposed. The Germany match supplied the warning signs. Kai Havertz is described as a menace who will make life tough for opponents, but the U.S. can’t afford to leave him with enough room to get his head on the ball. nor can it allow breakdowns that leave a goalkeeper exposed.
The second goal came from exactly that kind of vulnerability. Havertz made a nifty pass to Leroy Sané, who slipped into an alley between Ream and Miles Robinson. Freese tried to make a diving save, but the ball was just beyond his outstretched hands.
Defending also showed up in how the U.S. pressed. Antonee Robinson pointed to moments where the team looked eager to go. trying to win the ball back. and then moments where it seemed disjointed in its pressing. He said teams like Germany want you to jump in one moment and then not follow behind so they can play around it. He added that after the U.S. grew more comfortable with when to press and when to just sit on the block, it played better.
The unsettling thing is that these are the questions the World Cup doesn’t wait to answer. The U.S. won or drew in the last game before each of the 2006. 2010. 2014. and 2022 World Cups. yet didn’t get further than the round of 16 in any of those tournaments. The last time the send-off match ended in a loss was in 2002. and the team responded by reaching the quarterfinals—its best finish since 1930.
For now, the U.S. gets a buffer. It won’t face a team of Germany’s caliber for at least three weeks after Friday’s tournament opener. The hope is that a team can grow into the tournament during the group stage, establishing chemistry and plugging holes. The story points to what Argentina did four years ago: it lost to Saudi Arabia in the opener. entered the final group-stage game needing a win to advance. and then went on to win the World Cup—led by Lionel Messi.
Robinson captured the mindset the U.S. is trying to carry forward. He said the team was disappointed about losing, but felt it had many positives to take. He said conceding early could have been enough for the U.S. to crumble. and it could have turned into a very. very bad day heading into the tournament. but the team fought back. He said it played some really good football at times and looked competitive.
Robinson also insisted the time is still there to clean things up. He said the tests are for that, and that the team still has time to shore up a few mistakes it has made.
With World Cup starts arriving fast, the margin for defensive uncertainty gets smaller. The back line will be where the U.S. either steadies itself—or continues to pay for the openings Germany showed it could exploit.
USMNT World Cup Paraguay Germany back line Chris Richards Matt Freese Matt Turner Tim Ream Antonee Robinson Havertz Sané