Loser: Lowered Expectations4 of 5Bai Xuefei/Xinhua via Getty ImagesUnfortunately, the downside of having such high expectations is that anything substandard will be criticized. Heading into the 2026 World Cup, the U.S. already had high expectations. A home tournament, combined with a home crowd and favorable seeding, made it the perfect combination to dream the impossible. "I think football is possible if you believe," Pochettino told the media after the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 2027 CONCACAF Gold Cup will be the next major tournament for the U.S., giving the team another opportunity to impress fans and live up to expectations.