As the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers approach, the Argentine and US men's national soccer teams are navigating their respective challenges under contrasting circumstances. Argentina is successfully reducing its reliance on the absolute presence of Lionel Messi, building team depth and tactical flexibility, while the US has experienced a shocking defeat amid extensive generational change and tactical experimentation, raising concerns for the upcoming Gold Cup. The contrasting trajectories of these two teams vividly illustrate the importance of team building in modern football and the impact of star players on a team.

 
Strong Argentina Without Messi: Coach Scaloni's Successful Transformation

Lionel Scaloni, the head coach of the Argentine national soccer team, expressed confidence ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Colombia, stating that the team no longer relies on Lionel Messi. Scaloni emphasized, "The team has now reached a point where it can play in the same way whether Leo [Messi] is there or not." He noted that in the past, Messi's absence required a complicated restructuring of the squad, but that necessity has now disappeared.

 
Efforts to Emerge from Messi's Overwhelming Presence and Shadow

Messi, since his senior debut in 2005, has played 192 games for the Argentine national team, scoring 112 goals and leading them to the 2022 World Cup title, two Copa América victories, and a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, solidifying his status as a "football god." While his presence brought glory to Argentine football, it also led to persistent criticism about an over-reliance on him. The team's performance often declined significantly when Messi was not on the field.

However, Coach Scaloni has consistently worked to overcome this "Messi dependency." This past March, in a 1-0 victory over Uruguay and a dominant 4-1 win against rival Brazil, both without an injured Messi, Argentina displayed excellent performances, securing their qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals. During this period, the team's young players and solid organization compensated for Messi's absence, which was interpreted as a positive sign for the future of Argentine football.

Messi rejoined the squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers, making a substitute appearance in last week's 1-0 victory over Chile to check his fitness. Coach Scaloni's remarks suggest that Argentina has now evolved into a "system football" team, moving beyond reliance on a single player. This implies enhanced overall team capability and tactical flexibility, which is expected to significantly boost the Argentine national team's competitiveness in the long run.

 
Colombia Match and World Cup Preparations

Argentina has already secured its spot in the North American World Cup finals, but Colombia is currently in 6th place, the last automatic qualification spot, making a win crucial to widen the gap with 7th-placed Venezuela. Coach Scaloni remained cautious about the opponent, stating, "Colombia is a great team, they have excellent players, and with their clear style, they can put us in trouble." In the World Cup qualifiers last September, Argentina suffered a 1-2 loss to Colombia. This upcoming home game will be a good opportunity for Argentine fans to witness the players' skills firsthand.

Coach Scaloni's comments reflect his intention to test various tactical options and elevate the overall performance of the squad in preparation for the World Cup finals. Reducing reliance on Messi is not merely about preparing for his absence but serves as a foundation for players to move more actively and organically in all tactical aspects, including team pressing, defensive transitions, and attacking patterns. This will be a crucial factor for Argentina to maintain its status as reigning World Cup champions and be considered a strong contender in the next World Cup.

 
US National Soccer Team's Shocking 4-0 Loss to Switzerland… "Poch's Ship" Wobbles Ahead of Gold Cup

In stark contrast, the US men's national soccer team suffered a shocking 0-4 defeat against Switzerland in a friendly match, intensifying pressure on head coach Mauricio Pochettino's leadership. The jeers from home fans echoing through Geodis Park starkly revealed the current state of US soccer.

 
The Cost of Excessive Experimentation: A Disastrous First Half

The US conceded four goals to Switzerland in the first half alone, effectively surrendering the match. It was a one-sided affair, resembling a practice game between a university team and a high school team. Coach Pochettino made nine changes to the starting lineup from the previous 1-2 loss to Turkey, with five of those players having fewer than five national team caps. This excessive experimentation with a largely inexperienced squad led to catastrophic results.

Switzerland opened the scoring in the 13th minute with Dan Ndoye, followed by Michel Aebischer (23rd minute), Breel Embolo (32nd minute), and Johan Manzambi (35th minute), who scored consecutively, dismantling the US defense. The American defense crumbled too easily, with little to no organized pressing or defensive transitions. This raises serious questions about the depth and tactical completeness of US soccer.

 
Coach Pochettino's Self-Blame and the Grim Reality Revealed by Statistics

Coach Pochettino admitted after the match that his decision to give players an opportunity was excessive, stating, "All criticism should be directed at me. It was my decision, my mistake." He also explained that his intention was "to give players a chance to compete for a spot in the World Cup," but the devastating result remained unchanged.

According to ESPN statistics, it was the first time since November 1980 against Mexico that the US conceded four goals within the first 40 minutes of a home game, marking a historical first for such an occurrence on home soil. Furthermore, the US has now recorded four consecutive losses for the first time since 2007 under Bob Bradley. At that time, the team was not at full strength, suffering three consecutive defeats in the Copa América and losing friendlies against Sweden and Brazil. Four consecutive home losses for the US have not occurred since 1988, a period often referred to as the "dark ages" of US soccer.

 
Lack of Competitiveness and Shallow Player Pool

The problem was that Switzerland's attack was not particularly complex. Simple diagonal passes completely bewildered the US defense, and their ability to build from the back was significantly lacking. Basic mistakes were rampant, with missed tracking by players, a lack of pressure on the ball in midfield, and uncooperative pressing in the final third – the list goes on.

The youthfulness of the starting lineup was undoubtedly a factor in the defeat. However, the issue was not simply about youth. The lack of competitiveness was a bigger problem. Coach Pochettino praised the team's competitiveness after the Turkey match, but it was nowhere to be found against Switzerland. Given the significant skill gap between the two teams, combined with a lack of competitive spirit, such a result was inevitable.

Specifically, right-backs Nathan Harriel and Max Arfsten, and midfielders Sebastian Berhalter and Quinn Sullivan, were completely overwhelmed. Quinn Sullivan's loss of possession even led to Switzerland's fourth goal. This exposed the painful reality that the depth of the US national team, particularly the level of depth that can contribute to the next World Cup, is very shallow.

 
Gold Cup Concerns and Challenges

The only glimmer of hope came from the performances of substitutes, particularly Diego Luna and Tim Ream, but it would be reckless to interpret their play during what was essentially "garbage time" in the second 45 minutes too optimistically. The only comfort might be the thought that this starting lineup from the Switzerland match will never play together again.

Tim Ream said in a post-match interview, "We're making individual mistakes, and at this level, you pay for them," adding, "For a lot of the younger guys, it's a learning process, and we have to stay calm and analyze the things we can do better, especially in the first half versus the second. If we do that, we'll be okay."

Expectations for the upcoming Gold Cup are already on a downward trend. At this point, it would not be surprising if the US were eliminated before reaching the final. To avoid such an outcome, Coach Pochettino will need to build the team around more experienced players rather than an excessively youth-oriented lineup. The recovery and return of midfielder Tyler Adams, who missed the Switzerland game due to a foot injury, will be a significant help for the young players navigating difficult situations.

However, the US heads into the Gold Cup with numerous questions about the team's quality, mentality, and willingness to adapt to situations. Questions about the coach are also pouring in. As of now, none of these questions can be answered positively. Over the next four weeks, it remains to be seen whether the current US national team can dispel these doubts.

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