U.S. Versus Germany: A Soccer History

The Germans Hold the Better Record, With the U.S. Having Some Stunning Victories

The United States and Germany have built one of soccer's more compelling international rivalries, meeting 12 times with Germany holding a dominant 8-0-4 (WDL) edge. Their history stretches back to June 13, 1993, when the two nations met at Chicago's Soldier Field—the same venue hosting Saturday's friendly—in a thrilling US Cup match that Germany won 4-3. Notably, German-American Thomas Dooley scored twice for the Americans that day. A rematch later that December ended in a more comfortable 3-0 German victory.

The rivalry took on greater stakes at the 1998 World Cup in France, where Germany dispatched the US 2-0 in the group stage with goals from Andreas Möller and Jürgen Klinsmann. Four years later came perhaps the most painful meeting of all—a 1-0 quarterfinal defeat in 2002, decided by a Michael Ballack goal and forever shadowed by a controversial, uncalled handball by Torsten Frings on the goal line.

The Americans have had their moments, though. A pair of wins in 1999—including a 2-0 group stage victory at the Confederations Cup—showed early promise. Then came the 2013 centennial celebration friendly, a jubilant 4-3 win featuring two Clint Dempsey goals, a Jozy Altidore strike, and a Marc ter Stegen own goal.

After Germany's 1-0 group stage win at the 2014 World Cup, with both sides advancing, the US responded the following year with a famous 2-1 comeback victory over the reigning world champions, sealed by Bobby Wood in the 88th minute. Germany reclaimed the bragging rights most recently in October 2023, winning 3-1 in Hartford despite a stunning early strike from Christian Pulisic.

Germany in Chicago

After a Friendly Win Over Finland at Home, Germany Comes to the U.S. For Its Final Friendly

Germany arrives in Chicago as one of the tournament favorites, carrying both immense talent and a few notable question marks into their final warm-up match against the United States at Soldier Field on Saturday.

Julian Nagelsmann's side is stacked with attacking quality. Kai Havertz comes in riding high after scoring Arsenal's lone goal in the Champions League Final against PSG in Budapest, while Florian Wirtz has netted three goals in international friendlies dating back to the March window. Deniz Undav matches that tally across just two appearances, giving Germany a genuinely dangerous forward line heading into the tournament.

Bayern Munich's fingerprints are all over the squad, with Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, and others forming the spine of Nagelsmann's setup. However, questions linger about whether that Bayern core can truly deliver. Musiala has been below his best in recent months, and Kimmich will be deployed at right back rather than his preferred central midfield role—an arrangement that carries risk.

The bigger uncertainty heading into Saturday is in goal. Veteran Manuel Neuer, who came out of international retirement to play in a fifth World Cup at age 40, has been sidelined with a calf muscle injury and was unable to train fully with the squad as recently as Thursday. A final call on his availability is expected Friday, with Oliver Baumann ready to step in if needed.

Tactically, Nagelsmann favors fluid systems and emotional intensity, though his tenure has drawn criticism for inconsistency. Germany will need their star players, particularly Wirtz, to perform against top-tier opposition if they are to go deep in the tournament.

Ready for Another Strong Performance

The USMNT Needs to Keep the Momentum Heading into the Match Against Germany

With one week to go before the 2026 World Cup kicks off on home soil, excitement is building rapidly around the U.S. men's national team as they prepare for their final pre-tournament tune-up against Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday.

Coming off a confidence-boosting 3-2 friendly win over Senegal, the mood in camp is upbeat. Sergino Dest, who opened the scoring in that match, described it as a "great start" and called the Germany clash "a really important test." Despite the positive result, Dest was quick to keep expectations measured, noting that friendly matches carry a different kind of pressure than tournament football and that lineups and tactics often remain experimental.

One of the more encouraging signs from the Senegal game was the atmosphere. Dest expressed genuine surprise at the level of fan support inside Bank of America Stadium, saying a packed, pro-American crowd helps the team and even unsettles opponents. It offers a tantalizing preview of what awaits when the tournament begins in earnest.

Defender Joe Scally echoed the growing sense of anticipation, noting that excitement is building daily across social media and beyond. Still, the squad appears grounded. Midfielder Malik Tillman summed up the team's mindset simply: focus on the present, give everything, and leave no room for regret.

With a favorable group draw and home advantage in their corner, the USMNT head into their Germany matchup with momentum, clarity of purpose, and a fanbase that is finally, fully tuning in.

Mistakes Led to Both Goals Conceded

Multiple Mistakes Lead to a Tight Match Against Senegal

For all the attacking brilliance the United States displayed against Senegal on Sunday, the two goals they conceded served as a stark reminder of the defensive fragility that has dogged this team throughout Mauricio Pochettino's tenure.

The first came in the 44th minute, and it had a painfully familiar feel. Antonee Robinson, who had been impressive going forward throughout the first half, gave the ball away carelessly in midfield. The turnover immediately triggered a Senegalese counter, with Habib Diarra racing forward before sliding a composed pass through to Sadio Mané. With Tyler Adams beaten to the ball and Matt Turner unable to stop a well-placed low finish at the far post, Mané made no mistake. A 2-0 cushion had been gifted back, and the pattern of conceding right before halftime continued.

The second goal, seven minutes into the second half, was, if anything, even more damaging to watch because of how preventable it was. Miles Robinson, a veteran defender who should know better in those moments, played a loose back pass that was pounced on immediately by Jackson. Substitute goalkeeper Chris Brady, making his international debut, came rushing off his line but hesitated fatally, leaving himself in no man's land. Jackson had the presence of mind to lift the ball over the onrushing Brady, leaving Mané with a simple finish into an empty net.

The two goals brought Mané's international tally to 54, a Senegal record, and both came gift-wrapped by American mistakes rather than through any particularly brilliant buildup play from the visitors.

Pochettino acknowledged the issues were self-inflicted. "The chances that we concede were all through our mistakes," he said. "If we improve in the way we manage some situations, I think we will avoid them."

With Germany on Saturday and Paraguay on June 12, that improvement cannot come soon enough.

One Worrying Statistic

Conceding Before Halftime Continues to be an Issue Heading into the World Cup

The US men's national team has plenty of reasons for optimism heading into the World Cup, but a persistent and troubling pattern has emerged over their last four matches—one that Mauricio Pochettino will need to address before the tournament begins: an alarming inability to protect leads heading into halftime.

The trend started back in November against Uruguay. Leading 4-0 and cruising, the US switched off defensively and conceded a stunning overhead kick from Giorgian de Arrascaeta in stoppage time. Pochettino was visibly irritated, pulling no punches at the halftime whistle. "We need to keep our intensity and our concentration," he said. "That can't happen."

It happened again in March against Belgium. Weston McKennie had given the US a 1-0 lead in the 39th minute, only for Belgium to score twice before the break, flipping the game entirely. What followed was a humbling 5-2 defeat, one of the program's worst results in recent memory. Against Portugal days later, Francisco Trincão scored in the first half, and the US never recovered, falling 2-0 in a match they were rarely competitive in.

Then came Senegal. Despite holding a commanding 2-0 lead and playing some of their best soccer in months, the US again switched off in the final moments of the first half, allowing Sadio Mané to pull one back after an Antonee Robinson turnover. It was a nearly identical lapse to those that had undone them in previous matches.

The US recovered on Sunday and won, which is good news. But in a World Cup knockout match, surrendering a lead right before halftime could be fatal. The mental discipline to hold a lead for 45 minutes and enter the break with momentum intact is something Pochettino must demand before June 12.

Two Different Attacks Over Two Halves

Pochettino Made Wholesale Changes at Halftime, Giving Two Different Looks in Attack

The first half against Senegal offered a glimpse of what the United States could be at its absolute best. Pulisic and Ricardo Pepi built an almost instant chemistry, combining twice in the opening 20 minutes to put the US firmly in control. Pepi's movement pulled the Senegalese defense apart, creating the space that led to Sergiño Dest's opener—a goal that capped a remarkable 20-plus pass sequence involving every outfield player. Minutes later, Pepi sprung Pulisic again in behind, and the AC Milan man did the rest, rounding the goalkeeper to double the lead. Gio Reyna, making his first start since December, nearly got in on the act early but couldn't convert a low Pulisic cross that begged to be finished.

Then came halftime, and 10 new players, which included an entirely different attacking unit.

Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, Malik Tillman and Folarin Balogun brought a different kind of energy to the second half, one built on pressing, physicality and direct running. Balogun had the ball in the net twice, though one was ruled out for offside. Tillman had another called back after a Balogun "foul" in the build-up. When Balogun finally got one to stick in the 63rd minute, deflecting in off a Weah cross, it sealed a victory that felt thoroughly deserved.

What Sunday demonstrated more than anything is the kind of attacking depth this US squad possesses, something genuinely unprecedented for this program. Nine players, including Alejandro Zendejas, rotated through dangerous positions, and each looked capable of influencing a World Cup match. Any of them could realistically start the June 12 opener against Paraguay.

"We all know what we like. We know the qualities each of us have," McKennie said of the second-half group.

For Pochettino, that is an enviable problem to have, and for opponents, a genuinely unsettling one.

Pulisic Shines in the Victory

Winger Provided an Assist on the Opener Before Scoring One of His Own in the Win Over Senegal

For months, the narrative surrounding Christian Pulisic had become almost impossible to escape. America's best player hadn't scored for club or country since late December, a drought that stretched across 22 games and consumed nearly every conversation about the US men's national team heading into a home World Cup. The questions were relentless. The scrutiny was exhausting.

Pulisic, to his credit, never stopped believing. "I've felt this confidence," he said after Sunday's match. "I've played really well in recent months, too, but all people seem to care about is goals. So hopefully now people can stop talking about it."

They can. At least for now.

Against Senegal in Charlotte, the 27-year-old looked every bit the player who tore through Serie A in the fall, constantly probing, pulling defenders out of position and arriving in dangerous areas. His connection with Ricardo Pepi was the story of the first half, the two combining for both goals in a 20-minute stretch that reminded onlookers just how good this team can be when Pulisic is at his best. He set up Sergiño Dest's opener with a perfectly weighted cross, then calmly rounded goalkeeper Mory Diaw to slot home his 33rd international goal. When he dropped to his knees at the corner flag, fists pumping, the relief was written all over him.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino, who had publicly declared earlier in the week that Pulisic would score at the World Cup, pointed to the work his star put in during training as the foundation for what unfolded.

With Germany next Saturday and Paraguay in the World Cup opener on June 12, the timing could not be better. A player who carries the ceiling of an entire program finally looks like himself again, and that should worry everyone else.

Strong U.S. Beat Senegal

An Early Pair of Goals Sets the Tone in a Friendly Victory Before the World Cup

The United States men's national team picked up a confidence-boosting 3-2 victory over Senegal on Sunday in Charlotte, with Christian Pulisic delivering a standout performance that fans and coaches had been waiting months to see.

Pulisic had gone without a goal for club or country since late December, a drought spanning 22 games, but the AC Milan winger emphatically ended that run in front of nearly 58,000 fans. He set up Sergiño Dest's opener in just the seventh minute with a perfectly weighted cross, capping a slick team move, and then added a goal of his own in the 20th. Taking a through ball from Ricardo Pepi, Pulisic used a deft first touch to beat goalkeeper Mory Diaw before slotting home from a tight angle. The celebration—a sprint to the corner flag and a drop to his knees—said everything about what the moment meant. It was his 33rd international goal in 85 appearances, and the eighth time he has contributed both a goal and an assist in a single US match, a feat only Landon Donovan has surpassed in program history.

Senegal, no pushover, rallied through Sadio Mané, who scored on either side of halftime to bring the visitors level, with both goals stemming from avoidable American defensive errors that will concern coach Mauricio Pochettino heading into the World Cup. The go-ahead goal came in the 63rd minute from Folarin Balogun, who turned a deflected Tim Weah cross into the net to seal the win.

The result snapped a run of back-to-back losses from the March friendlies and gave the US real momentum heading into their final warmup, a June 6 clash against Germany in Chicago, before the tournament kicks off against Paraguay on June 12.

First Send-Off Friendly

USMNT Ready to Test Themselves Against Senegal in World Cup Dress Rehearsal

The countdown to the World Cup is almost over, and Sunday's friendly against Senegal in Charlotte represents the first real opportunity for Mauricio Pochettino's squad to show what this group is capable of ahead of the June 12 opener against Paraguay.

The match at Bank of America Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET, TBS) kicks off just under two weeks before group play begins, giving Pochettino valuable time to sharpen his tactical approach before a second tuneup against Germany in Chicago on June 6. With the roster finalized and the squad settled in at the new national training center outside Atlanta, the focus has shifted entirely toward execution.

The Americans enter the friendly with questions still swirling. A difficult March window that produced losses to Belgium and Portugal raised eyebrows, and the concerns about midfield depth that followed Pochettino's roster decisions remain unresolved on paper. Pochettino has hinted at a more possession-oriented system, saying "if we play with one holding midfielder, it's enough," suggesting Tyler Adams could anchor the middle with more attack-minded players around him.

Adams himself returns to the squad after an injury-disrupted club season, though he finished the year strongly with AFC Bournemouth. The captaincy question also lingers, with Tim Ream the likely choice to wear the armband again, though teammates like Weston McKennie have downplayed the significance. "The captaincy band is honestly just a symbol of who the referee talks to," McKennie said.

Senegal, ranked 14th in the world and two spots ahead of the U.S., offers a genuine challenge. Their ability to control possession and create chances through dangerous wingers like Ismaila Sarr and Sadio Mané will test a defense still awaiting the return of injured center back Chris Richards.

For this generation, the World Cup moment has nearly arrived.

Richards on the Bench for Conference Final

Defender Wins European Trophy, Eyes World Cup Return

Chris Richards capped a dramatic week by collecting a winner's medal as Crystal Palace claimed the UEFA Conference League title on Wednesday, defeating Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in Leipzig, though the American center back watched the entire match from the bench as Palace's medical staff deemed him not yet ready to feature.

The 26-year-old had suffered two torn ligaments in his left ankle during Palace's Premier League draw with Brentford on May 17, sparking immediate concern about his availability for the World Cup. He was subsequently left out of Palace's final league match and was the only member of Pochettino's 26-man squad absent from Tuesday's roster reveal in New York, instead submitting a video message from London.

His appearance on the bench in Leipzig, however, offered an encouraging sign. Palace manager Oliver Glasner had set a clear standard heading into the final, saying neither Richards nor midfielder Adam Wharton would play unless fully fit following late fitness tests. Wharton started, while Richards was held back, but simply being dressed for a European final suggested meaningful progress.

Richards is now expected to link up with the USMNT at the national training center in Georgia later this week. Pochettino, for his part, has remained measured in his assessment. "We don't know. We'll see tomorrow if he plays, and then we will decide," the coach said Tuesday. "We have time before the World Cup to make changes if needed."

That flexibility matters because Richards is widely considered Pochettino's most important defensive piece. He missed the 2022 World Cup with a hamstring injury and has waited years for this opportunity on home soil. With the U.S. opener against Paraguay set for June 12 in Los Angeles, the timeline for a full return remains tight, but very much alive.