USA Must Rediscover Intensity In Tuneup v. Portugal: 'It's Non-Negotiable'

Win or lose against 2026 World Cup dark horse Portugal, what United States coach Mauricio Pochettino wants to see most is more fight.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 4:26am

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U.S. men's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino is calling on his squad to rediscover their intensity and fighting spirit ahead of Tuesday's World Cup preparation match against Portugal. After a disappointing 5-2 loss to Belgium on Saturday, Pochettino wants to see the same level of aggression and effort that France displayed in their recent exhibition against Colombia.

Why it matters

The U.S. has struggled with maintaining intensity in recent matches, including losses to regional rivals Panama and Canada last year. Pochettino has made rebuilding the team's fighting spirit a priority, and the Portugal game provides an opportunity to show they can compete with top international teams.

The details

Pochettino became animated when asked about the team's lack of intensity against Belgium, citing the France-Colombia match as an example of the kind of effort he expects. He noted that the U.S. 'all but folded up shop' when Belgium went up 2-0, rather than responding with increased aggression. Pochettino has made instilling this mentality a focus since taking over the national team 18 months ago.

  • The U.S. lost to Belgium 5-2 on Saturday, March 30, 2026.
  • The U.S. will play Portugal on Tuesday, April 1, 2026.

The players

Mauricio Pochettino

The 54-year-old Argentine is the head coach of the U.S. men's national team, taking over the role 18 months ago. He has extensive managerial experience in Europe with clubs like Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

Tim Ream

The U.S. national team captain acknowledged the team's lack of intensity against Belgium and said it is 'non-negotiable' that the team rediscovers their fighting spirit.

Matt Turner

The U.S. goalkeeper said the team's response to going down 2-0 to Belgium should have been the opposite - to fight harder rather than fold.

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What they’re saying

“If you watched the game [between] France and Colombia, that is intensity. You can win, or you can lose. But do you think the coach of Colombia, [despite] losing the game, is going to complain about [the effort of] some players? They played like this was the final of the World Cup. And France, when they saw the intensity and the aggression of Colombia, said, 'If we aren't as intense, they'll kill us.' That is intensity.”

— Mauricio Pochettino, U.S. Men's National Team Head Coach

“It's a conscious decision. It's just an overall effort. It's not that guys don't want to do it. I think sometimes it's like 'I've just made an effort,' and now it's about making the second, the third, the fourth. And sometimes, that doesn't happen. That's something that's non-negotiable, really. It's something that we were doing really well in the fall last year. And it's something we have to get back to.”

— Tim Ream, U.S. National Team Captain

What’s next

The U.S. will look to show improved intensity and fight when they take on Portugal on Tuesday, April 1, 2026 in their final World Cup tuneup match before the 2026 tournament begins in June.

The takeaway

Maintaining a high level of intensity and aggression will be critical for the U.S. as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup on home soil. After a disappointing loss to Belgium, coach Mauricio Pochettino is challenging his team to rediscover the fighting spirit they displayed last fall, which will be essential against top international opponents.