Pro Soccer Wire's Seth Vertelney breaks down the current state of the USMNT after a solid finish to an up and down 2025.

U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino did not have long to bathe in the afterglow of a thumping 5–1 victory over Uruguay—instead he engaged in a war of words with the assembled media.

But an inexperienced USMNT side ran roughshod over the Uruguayans, as defender Alex Freeman scored a brace and was joined on the scoresheet by Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann. The goals from Freeman, Berhalter and Tessmann were their first on the international level.

The USA have leapfrogged Mexico to restore their status as CONCACAF's top side, at least on the FIFA Men's World Rankings, which have also confirmed advantageous seeding for the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq, who will get a bye to the finals of the World Cup's inter-confederation playoffs.

2022 World Cup hosts Qatar are the most challenging Pot 4 side, although the USMNT would likely conquer the reigning Asian champions with little fuss. They won their only meeting with FIFA’s 52nd-ranked nation during the CONCACAF Gold Cup back in 2021.

Germany have moved into ninth place ahead in the latest FIFA men's rankings ahead of the 2026 World Cup draw, likely sealing a place in Pot 1 for the draw.

With each passing day, new layers of seriousness take shape in the USMNT's environment, the looming deadline of their World Cup opener quickly approaching. The tone shift may seem natural and to some degree, it is, but Pochettino suggested that a lot of behind-the-scenes work went into creating an ideal working environment.

Two goals from Alex Freeman added cream to a superlative performance from the USMNT, thrashing Uruguay 5-1 to close out 2025.