USA vs Germany Preview: One Last Test Before the World Cup Begins
By World Soccer Wire Editorial
This is the one that matters.
When the USMNT takes the field at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday afternoon, it won't be just another friendly. This is the final dress rehearsal before the biggest tournament in American soccer history kicks off five days later. Germany are the opponents — four-time world champions, ranked 10th in the world, and hungry to prove they're a genuine contender in 2026. There is no better test available.
Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. ET. It's on TBS, HBO Max, Peacock, and Fubo. A sellout crowd in Chicago will make it feel like a World Cup match. For all intents and purposes, it is.
Germany Are Not Here to Be Kind
Julian Nagelsmann's side arrived in the United States having just dismantled Finland 4-0 in their farewell match on home soil. Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, and Deniz Undav — who scored twice against Finland — form one of the most talented attacking trios in world football. This Germany side may not have won a major trophy since 2014, but they are loaded with quality and desperate to end that drought on North American soil.
They come in with an 8-4-0 all-time record against the United States and haven't lost to the Americans since a 2-1 result in Cologne in June 2015. The most recent meeting, in October 2023, ended in a 3-1 Germany win in Connecticut. The history here does not favor Pochettino's side.
One notable absentee for Germany: Manuel Neuer, who came out of international retirement to play one final World Cup, is a doubt with injury. If he misses out, Oliver Baumann starts in goal.
What the USMNT Need to Show
Fresh off the 3-2 win over Senegal, Pochettino's squad arrives in Chicago with genuine momentum and a captain who is back scoring. Christian Pulisic's performance in Charlotte — a goal, an assist, and a dominant first-half display — was exactly what the team needed heading into the final stretch.
But Germany will provide a different kind of test. Senegal pressed high and left space in behind. Germany are more disciplined, more technically precise, and will make the US work for every inch. The US hasn't won against European opposition in their last 10 attempts — that's the number Pochettino will be focused on changing Saturday.
One significant injury concern: Chris Richards, who anchors the US backline, is not fully fit. Tim Ream, named captain for this camp, will lead the defense. How the back four handles Musiala and Wirtz in tight spaces will be the key tactical battle of the afternoon.
The Key Matchup: Wirtz vs. Adams
Florian Wirtz is the most dangerous player on the field Saturday. The 22-year-old Bayer Leverkusen star is the kind of technical midfielder who finds pockets between the lines and makes things happen in an instant. Tyler Adams, who carries enormous responsibility in this USMNT midfield, will need to be everywhere.
If Adams can disrupt Wirtz's rhythm in the first 30 minutes and force Germany to go wide, the US has a real chance of keeping this competitive. If Wirtz is allowed to turn and play, it's going to be a long afternoon.
Prediction: Germany 2-1 USA
Germany are the better side on paper and the better side historically in this fixture. But this is not a normal friendly. The USMNT are playing in front of their own fans, five days before the World Cup begins, with genuine belief after the Senegal result. Pulisic scores. The crowd at Soldier Field goes wild.
Ultimately Germany's quality tells in the second half. A narrow defeat is not a disaster — it's information. Pochettino will learn more from 90 minutes against Nagelsmann's side than he would from three wins over weaker opposition.
The World Cup starts June 11. Saturday is the last chance to get ready.
USA vs Germany kicks off Saturday, June 6 at 2:30 p.m. ET from Soldier Field in Chicago. Watch on TBS, HBO Max, Peacock, and Fubo.