The Bournemouth midfielder has outlined what he believes will be crucial for the USMNT success in the upcoming 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Adams highlighted running and winning duels as non-negotiable elements Entire squad acknowledged their shortcomings following Nations League lossesStressed that they need to make sure they play football on their own termsGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED
Following the USMNT's disappointing results in the CONCACAF Nations League Finals against Panama and Canada, it has many fans and critics alike are questioning their future at the upcoming Gold Cup. The 2025 iteration of the tournament is the last section of competitive action the USMNT will play, and Tyler Adams asserted that the team has a lot to do. He identified fundamental competitive elements that have gone missing from recent performances and outlined how the team needs to use upcoming friendlies as critical preparation before the Gold Cup.
“Yeah, I think we have a great opportunity to get a good preparation period under our belt going into the Gold Cup,” Adams said on “I think we have two good friendlies beforehand, and I think it’s not always easy, as you’re going to have guys finishing at different points in the season, where a few won’t be available for the friendlies, and you’ve got guys going to the Club World Cup.
He added, “Regardless of our schedule, I think that the most important thing is to find a way to get back to our basics. What’s always made the national team good, you know, which is running, competing, winning duels, making the game difficult for others, and I think atthat point when we establish those things is when we’re really going to allow our quality to seep through. So for me, the most important thing going into this camp is making sure the mentality is right and everyone is ready to prepare for this Gold Cup.”
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Adams also touched on the team’s reaction to their performance at the Nations League and believes they know what they need to do going forward.
“We spoke directly after the Nations League, and everyone agreed that obviously it wasn’t good enough. I think it’s one thing to lose to Panama and Canada when you’ve just had a bad day, but in football, if you’re not going out there and competing, you’re going to lose to anyone, it doesn’t matter what opponent it is," he said. "So I think we just need to do a better level of competing and everyone agreed with that, that we need to run more, we need to win more duels, we need to tackle people, and we need to foul people more.
Adams stressed the need to play for the full 90 minutes.
“We’re getting fouls against Panama and Canada, where we’re just sitting there on the floor, and it’s like, what are we doing? We need to make sure the game is on our terms for 90 minutes, no matter who we’re playing, and that’s when we’re going to give ourselves the best opportunity to win.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The USMNT enters the 2025 Gold Cup at a critical juncture in their development cycle. Following the disappointing Nations League performances that led to losses against regional rivals Panama and Canada, questions have emerged about the team's mental toughness and competitive spirit. Adams' emphasis on returning to basics represents a potential turning point as the squad attempts to rebuild confidence before the 2026 World Cup.
Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?
The USMNT announced their 60-man preliminary roster list Monday and CONCACAF requires each nation to submit their 26-man roster by June 4. The Americans begin their redemption journey with friendlies against Turkey on June 7 and Switzerland on June 10 before opening their Gold Cup campaign against Trinidad and Tobago on June 14. The Americans will then face Saudi Arabia on June 18 and Haiti on June 21 to complete their group stage matches. For Adams and his teammates, these matches represent crucial opportunities to establish the competitive mentality he believes has been lacking, with the ultimate goal of building momentum toward the 2026 World Cup.