Amid the soul-searching following the USMNT’s jarring World Cup exit, the work of moving forward begins quickly.
That includes identifying and developing a new generation capable of taking the program beyond the round-of-16 plateau.
New generation. The USMNT’s next action comes with four friendlies in Sept. 21-Oct. 6, but on July 25 the U.S. U-20s, coached by Rob Valentino, embark on their qualifying quest for the 2027 U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
Olympic potential. The U-23s will compete at the USA-hosted 2028 Olympics. Their recent preparation has been guided by Coach Russell Payne with a squad of current U-21s. The choice of Olympic coach will be tied to U.S. Soccer’s decision on the future of the USMNT coaching job.
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