Tim Howard calls it 'impossible' for the USMNT to win the 2026 World Cup despite strong start

Former U.S. men’s nationalist squad goalkeeper Tim Howard understands the aboriginal occurrence this radical has successful the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but helium doesn’t deliberation they volition beryllium hoisting immoderate trophy by the extremity of the tournament.

In fact, Howard believes it’s "impossible" for them to triumph the World Cup.

"The U.S. cannot, unequivocally, triumph the World Cup," helium said connected his "Unfiltered Soccer" podcast alongside erstwhile USMNT teammate Landon Donovan. "The U.S. volition person to play the top crippled they’ve ever played…four games successful a row. Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, finals.

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Tim Howard, goalkeeper for the United States, plays during a crippled against Azerbaijan astatine Candlestick Park successful San Francisco, California, connected May 27, 2014. (Michael Burns/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

"It’s virtually intolerable for the U.S. to triumph the World Cup. That’s conscionable the reality."

Donovan, though, was a spot much optimistic than the Hall of Fame goalie.

"Can we? Yes. Has this radical proven they tin bushed a apical team? No," Donovan added. "If they play the mode they’re playing, they tin perfectly vie with immoderate squad successful this World Cup. For sure."

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Thus far, the USMNT has had beardown victories against Paraguay, a 4-1 triumph that marked the astir goals scored by Team USA successful a World Cup match. Then, they followed it up with a commanding 2-0 triumph implicit Australia this past Friday to notch a spot successful the knockout rounds.

Donovan believes Mauricio Pochettino’s radical is gathering momentum, which could yet assistance them marque that Cinderella run.

United States goalkeeper Tim Howard stands connected the tract earlier the CONCACAF Gold Cup last against Jamaica astatine Levi's Stadium connected July 26, 2017. (Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports)

"I’ve said this implicit and over. Can you bash it 4 times successful a row? Can you bash it successful the circular of 16, the quarter, the semi, the final. That is wherever it gets truly hard," Donovan explained. "But momentum gets going, you ne'er know."

The USMNT inactive has 1 much Group D lucifer to go, arsenic they look Türkiye connected Thursday, which volition lone interaction who they volition look successful the caller circular of 32.

It’s a caller format for the World Cup, arsenic they expanded radical from 32 to 48 teams has present led to a circular of 32 alternatively of the accustomed circular of 16. The apical 2 teams of each group, arsenic good arsenic the apical 8 third-place teams, volition beryllium heading for the knockout rounds.

While this crippled technically doesn’t substance for the U.S., Pochettino volition surely beryllium stressing its value to proceed gathering connected the momentum they’ve created passim their archetypal 2 matches.

Christian Pulisic had an assistance successful the archetypal fractional of the USMNT World Cup opener against Paraguay. (Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images)

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Also, the presumption of Christian Pulisic, the team’s superstar midfielder who sat retired against Australia owed to a near calf injury, volition beryllium nether a microscope erstwhile again heading into the last radical signifier match. Considering the spot successful the knockout signifier is secured, it volition beryllium absorbing to spot if Pochettino decides to beryllium cautious and beryllium Pulisic erstwhile much to guarantee he’s acceptable for the elimination game.

Can they marque a tally successful those games and daze Howard with a tally to the final? The entity is the bounds for this radical that has made a connection frankincense far.

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