Football General Manager
Ultimately, the position of captain in soccer is largely ceremonial. Many competitions have rules that say only a captain can speak directly with the referee, but that’s – how shall we say – loosely enforced. The player with the armband is more of a figurehead, the one who has been designated as a leader and motivator for the team.
In total, nine players who have featured under Mauricio Pochettino have had the honor of captaining the U.S. men’s national team at some point in their careers. Five players have worn it since Pochettino arrived in last fall. At the moment, the USMNT has leaders, several of whom stepped up at the Gold Cup this summer.
But less than a year out from the World Cup, there’s no confirmed permanent captain.
There are reasons for that. It’s generally hard to rely on just one player to wear that armband on the international level, where rosters can be inconsistent are often pieced together for each window. The armband is also passed around, handed to various players as a reward for their service and leadership. Next summer, though, there will likely be one USMNT player given that honor for the biggest tournament of all.
Who will it be?
BALLGM looks at the five key contenders to wear the armband for the Pochettino’s side next summer.
Ultimately, the position of captain in soccer is largely ceremonial. Many competitions have rules that say only a captain can speak directly with the referee, but that’s – how shall we say – loosely enforced. The player with the armband is more of a figurehead, the one who has been designated as a leader and motivator for the team.
In total, nine players who have featured under Mauricio Pochettino have had the honor of captaining the U.S. men’s national team at some point in their careers. Five players have worn it since Pochettino arrived in last fall. At the moment, the USMNT has leaders, several of whom stepped up at the Gold Cup this summer.
But less than a year out from the World Cup, there’s no confirmed permanent captain.
There are reasons for that. It’s generally hard to rely on just one player to wear that armband on the international level, where rosters can be inconsistent are often pieced together for each window. The armband is also passed around, handed to various players as a reward for their service and leadership. Next summer, though, there will likely be one USMNT player given that honor for the biggest tournament of all.
Who will it be?
BALLGM looks at the five key contenders to wear the armband for the Pochettino’s side next summer.
Generally, most teams don’t hand the armband to goalkeepers – unless a specific set of circumstances leads to them doing so. Largely, such an honor has been exclusive to all-time great shots-toppers. Iker Casillas, Manuel Neuer and Gianluigi Buffon are among the notable examples to have captained their countries for an extended period.
For the U.S., Tony Meola, Kasey Keller and Tim Howard all had double-digit appearances with the armband.
Turner has worn the armband five times for the USMNT most recently in that mess of a loss to Switzerland in the run-up to the Gold Cup. Prior to that, he was the team’s designated captain at the 2023 Gold Cup as is one of the group’s few World Cup veterans.
At the moment, though, Turner has more important matters at hand. He spent the summer as Matt Freese’s backup and, although he was largely praised for the leadership he showed, the captain has to be an unquestioned starter. Turner isn’t that. And as he looks to get his club situation sorted – and more minutes in more games – it’s hard to see him wearing the armband much going forward.
He’s been given the moniker of “Captain America” – even if he hasn’t always embraced it. But after the events of this summer, it’s hard to see Pulisic captaining the USMNT any time soon.
Pulisic’s back-and-forth with Pochettino made headlines, seemingly creating a divide between the player and coach. Whatever side of the argument you fall on, the only thing that matters going forward is for Pulisic and Pochettino to get back onto the same page – something that the coach insisted will happen. He also said, however, that no one’s spot on the roster or role on the team is guaranteed. Not even Pulisic.
In terms of a captaincy, Pulisic’s leadership has always been tied to his ability, not to his vocal or inspirational nature. Pulisic has always led by example and was handed the armband against Canada in the spring because of it.
He’s worn it 28 times throughout his USMNT career, good for seventh-most all time. Now, though, it seems any hopes of him captaining the U.S. on home soil are long gone, particularly after his decision to skip the Gold Cup this summer.
Make no mistake: Richards wants to be captain. He wants to earn it, too.
“I understand I’m a leader and I want to act like it,” he told BALLGM during the Gold Cup. “Regardless of who’s on the team at the World Cup next year, I still want to be that person. I came into this summer with the confidence to say, ‘Man, I’m doing my own f*cking thing and I’m going to be me’.
“Like, I’m going to earn my spot, but I’m also going to try and be captain or whatever the case may be. That’s been my No. 1 goal this camp.”
Richards certainly helped his case. The Crystal Palace defender was lauded for his leadership, on and off the field. He stepped up as a vocal presence and certainly raised his game, too, arguably putting together the best tournament of any USMNT player. He also raised his visibility after the Gold Cup by appearing as an on-set guest analyst for DAZN/TNT during the final stages of the Club World Cup.
Richards is surely in the mix to get the armband next summer. Even if he doesn’t get it that soon, he will wear it plenty over the next few years.
Nearly three years out since the last World Cup, Adams still has arguably the most impressive moment of leadership in USMNT history. It didn’t come on the field, but rather on the podium as he navigated a politically-charged pre-Iran news conference with maturity, poise and, ultimately, humility.
On that day, Adams showed why he was the youngest USMNT captain at a World Cup.
Since then, the USMNT hasn’t seen quite enough of Adams due to injury, but he’s now back playing for both the U.S. and Bournemouth. He shook off a slight injury to feature prominently at the Gold Cup and, although he didn’t look anywhere near his best, it will surely be appreciated by Pochettino that he showed the commitment.
Adams didn’t wear the armband this summer but, in reality, is clearly one of the team’s core leaders. He was Gregg Berhalter’s captain and, while he may not yet be Pochettino’s, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him leading the team at a second consecutive World Cup.
There’s a reason that a team’s most senior player is often considered to be captain. Experience brings a certain sense of calm to a team. Younger teammates can lean on the veterans in moments of chaos, and a captain can help guide a team through those stretches.
That’s what Ream tends to do. At age 37 with 75 caps, Ream has seen it all. It’s why he was the one who gathered a young USMNT ahead of the Gold Cup semifinal and told them to breathe, relax and enjoy their moment. Ream is vocal, experienced and thoughtful, both with his teammates and others.
In many ways, he’s the perfect leader, which is why he had that armband all through the Gold Cup.
The only question: Can his legs can last? At the moment, Ream is fighting to start next summer as he looks to complete an improbable run to another World Cup. If he does lock down a starting spot, he’ll be in contention to wear the armband. Even if he doesn’t crack the XI, though, he’ll be vital leader in the locker room for Pochettino’s side.
