USMNT batter Uruguay, Sebastian Berhalter is a set piece king, and the Gio Reyna renaissance with Vamos' Herc Gomez 11/19/25

0:00You're listening to the Men in Blazers Media Network Suboptimal Radio. I can't tell you how long it's been that I have not seen a U.S. men's national team that is intense, that fights, that claws, that doesn't give up a single play. That's what I saw yesterday. You can say what you want about Uruguay. You can say what you want about the Darwin Nunes of the world not being there. But what I saw last night, what I've been seeing this window, I've not seen in quite some time.

0:33soccer's coming home and yes after fending off a roughhousing paraguay the u.s last night faced down uruguay in the final game of 2025 a truly experimental team experiment me up delivered a redemptive obliteration this happened usa 5 uruguay won first time the u.s has scored five goals against a Comma Bowl nation or a top 30 team ever, ever. The vibes, they're at 11. As a ball rocker wrote in our MIB Discord, don't play up to Comma Bowl, bring them down to Conquer Caf. But with so many of our biggest players missing, what does it all mean? To answer that question, examine the magic, the joy, God, we needed this, and the underlying lessons of the window.

1:19It's magical to welcome back from ESPN. and on our own VAMOS network, former US men's national team striker turned black belt broadcaster. Oh, it's Mr. Herc Gomez. Black belt broadcaster. I don't know about that because trying to analyze this game, it's going to bring me down a few belts, a few notches, if you will. How are you doing, Rog? I am confused, but full of wonder. So let me ask the simple question first. Should they just give us the World Cup now? Is there even a point in playing the tournament, Herc? I think a concafe nation scores five goals on a common ball nation and X world cup winner.

1:55I'll be it whenever it was automatic. You get the trophy. I think that's in the bylaw. Yeah. 1934. Was that not the last time that you're a quite wonder? Well, I love that stat. The first time we ever hung five on a world cup winner. I'm sure the 1934 team are just like reeling in very underrated team. Very underrated team. By the way, we got into the semifinals in 1930 when they also, well, we don't talk about that enough in this nation, But before we get into it, I want to give huge thanks to Bank of America, the official Bank of US Soccer and FIFA World Cup 2026 for supporting the Men in Blazers media network.

2:29Discover what's possible in sports and in life. What would you like the power to do? I would like the power to get the United States men into the World Cup quarterfinals. But let me not get ahead of myself. Let's go back to the big one. I want to go back before kickoff, if you can unwind what our eyes did witness. That was some starting lineup for Poch. Nine changes from the Paraguay team. I think it was just Matt Fries in goal and Seginio Des carried over. Be honest, Herc. When you saw this deeply inexperienced team sheet with Mark McKenzie captain, John Tolkien, my friend Diego Luna, Austin Trusty back, Timmy Tillman in the Tillman role.

3:12this was this was not even a b team really it was like a b slash c team yeah you know it's funny because i did the discord yesterday for men and blazers and i was answering some questions somebody asked me what's the score going to be versus uruguay and i saw them play against mexico and i was like oof they looked rough against mexico i think the u.s is going to drop three on them i think three one and then 45 minutes before kickoff i look on you know social media and i see the lineup and I said, wow, nine changes, nine changes. And I thought to myself, what's one of the last times they did nine changes and things didn't go well?

3:49Well, it was Switzerland. It was Turkey, Switzerland, nine changes. And I said, wow, this is, this is interesting. This is interesting. I thought the idea was now to gain familiarity with one another, to build a base in 11. And I have to be honest, I didn't think things were going to go well. I was proven wrong Raj very wrong I mean this is what I'm trying to unlayer this whole thing I'll be candid is magical and confusing and there's two teams on the field we do need to acknowledge Uruguay are I mean you saw them play against Mexico a team let's say in transition they're very different to the Uruguay of our imagination the Uruguay of the Copa you know they're in a moment of transition themselves I think in 2025 they've just been Peru and Venezuela both not in the World Cup and then the two friendlies in October, the mighty twin powers of Dominican Republic and Uzbekistan.

4:41Marcelo Bielsa, a legend, but he's currently trying to push every single lever, every button, desperately to find any kind of cohesion and is under fire himself. Honestly, I watch the team, I will talk about it, unless I look like they've given up on the manager. But as a symbol, they've used four different goalkeepers in the last four games. They were without Federico Valverde, who is genuinely their brain. I mean, you could go on with that list, but it's still a Bielsa team, Still Uruguay. And it was an open game from the off. 16 minutes. Incredible this. Free kick. Acute angle on the edge of the area.

5:13Sebastian Berhalter. 1-2 with Des to improve his angle. But the finish, Herc, was technically incredible. 16 months ago, Greg Berhalter's last game was the Cooper disaster against Uruguay. Was this proof that revenge is the greatest human motivator? I don't know about revenge, but it is proof about taking advantage of your opportunities. And Sebastian Berhalter is one of many who have taken advantage of the opportunities that have been afforded to him by Marisa Pochettino and this coaching staff. Listen, Raj, how long have we been here watching, analyzing the U.S. men's national team and seeing corner kicks that don't clear the first post, seeing free kicks that go awry never being a danger really on a set piece for a team that has a lot of stature a lot of size and a lot of players they're very good at getting on the end of things now you have a player and we can debate what his role will be if and when the world cup comes that is very good at set pieces that is not only a good servable piece in a set piece but a dangerous asset in front of goal like sebastian burr halter the strike was exquisite technically it is very difficult to get around and not just blow it over the crossbar he wrapped around very nicely and he put it side netting almost upper v that's a hell of a ball the goalkeeper's gonna have a lot of problems there i don't care who you are that's a very dangerous clearly good set piece must have felt amazing for him and within five minutes it would be two set piece fc again um first goal the free kick second the set piece too this is this is training That's what I thought about these two goals.

6:52I mean, this is being drilled together as a collective over and over. It was Berhalter again floating in the deep, stunning cross with curl and arc and venom. By the way, you said it, such a refreshing upgrade on the set piece, which had been almost a flaw of this team. Christian Pulisic taking them. I don't think it's the most clinical part of his international game. This was beautiful. Alex Freeman, first goal for him in an international jersey. another incredible finish that header back across the keeper so intelligent third set piece goal this window third set piece goal this window the u.s men's national team has some size alex freeman tim ream miles robinson follow him balligan get on the end of him haji wright tanner testman i mean they have some real size to them weston mckinney uh even guys like christian raldon have been proven goal scorers off set pieces with their head.

7:47You could put player you want there, and we could have a conversation about who starts, who doesn't. But what I'm trying to say here is you have real lethal pieces when it comes to set pieces. And now Alex Freeman's getting on the end of things. He played as a center back last night, by the way. He played as a center back, a third center back behind Serginio Dest. And I'm going to tell you something. That partnership may be here to stay. Remember, I just said that. Remember, I think we're going to see a lot more of that partnership. Who are you dropping? Well, there's nobody who's actually won that position.

8:18Miles Robinson was the guy who was playing there. I think we may see a Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Alex Freeman, three-back line partnership.

8:32You glimpse the future, but going back to the past, because this was an exclamation point moment for this young pot side. The energy, the belief. You can see it flowing, crackling through the entire side. Diego Luna suddenly flinging and track back tackles. John Tolkien just swaggering around, flicking the ball in the air like Brazil 1970 Tolkien. Poch has been talking a lot about mentality, hunger, competitive desire. You've been on teams that have that, Herc. When it crackles across the culture, it's infectious, right? Was that what we were seeing last night? Yeah, absolutely. When a coach empowers a player, gives confidence to a player, well, that ceiling is all of a sudden a little higher.

9:19Alex Freeman was playing as a third center back and weaved his way like Prime Vinny Jr. and put Ronald Araujo on skates. Barcelona center back, a player that not too long ago was estimated value of$100 million. He's gone out the window. you know they're going to sell him put him on skates made him look amateurs and scores a golasso that's confidence and that's infectious now the rest of that on the field I can't tell you how long it's been that I have not seen a U.S. men's national team that is intense that fights that claws that doesn't give up a single play that is a tough team to play against that's what I saw yesterday you can say what you want about Uruguay you can say what you want about the Valverde of the world not being there, the Darwin Nunes of the world not being there, whatever you want, that is their problem.

10:12But what I saw last night, what I've been seeing this window, and for the last two windows, I want to say, I've not seen in quite some time. Well, like you were going back, I do want to hit this though. It was wide open. It was bedraggled. This was the team that conceded, I think just once in the last six games. Suddenly they're down 2-0 inside the first 21 minutes. What was shocking to me about last night, because there are two teams on this field, But Uruguay had zero resolve. They played like they're on vacation, mid-table Premier League team, putting on their flip-flops, you know. Was that something we did?

10:46Or was the quality of their performance just dead inside? Yeah, Uruguay were poor. They were poor. But the U.S. men's national team put them in those poor positions and then capitalized. How many times have we seen U.S. men's national team of old not have that killer instinct, not know how to put their foot on the pedal or on the throat, if you will, here? They did that. They were very good in clinical moments. And they use that energy and fight to really make Uruguay look more dead than they actually were. I mean, Uruguay were sloppy AF, couldn't connect a pass suddenly. They seemed incapable of maintaining possession.

11:22There was the thunderous shot off the crossbar they had. But then on half an hour, Timmy Tillman, crunching tackle, huge respect. You've already talked about it. Freeman exchange passes with trusty, dancing feet, deflection, stunning football. You said confident football. In that moment, I was wondering if you were Weston McKinney. Watching along at home, what do you think you feel? Well, if I'm Weston McKinney, if I'm a lot of players being at home, a lot of players who maybe feel important in this national team because of past events or past equity, I'm feeling a bit uneasy. I'm feeling good about what I'm seeing because this is my team, but I'm starting to think about myself.

12:03I'm starting to think they're playing pretty good without me. It's an easy feeling right now. I don't feel too good. Yeah. I mean, for Potch, I'll tell you what's feeling. This must have felt unbelievable. Bielsa mentored him as a footballer and as a manager. This must have felt amazing. Bielsa sitting on his chest, simmering with anger. Everything felt like it was going right. We had Mark McKenzie delivering big hits, Matt Freeze clearing crosses. is um you know jürgen klinsman won some friendlies he had first wins for the u.s in germany in italy and the netherlands but if you actually watch them they were often against c teams you know stolen scrappy goals in in in moments this was utterly dominant football it was it was like seeing sunderland smite all comers and just rise to the top of the premier league kirk it was good football it wasn't just scrappiness it wasn't just you sat back and you held on for dear life you really made Uruguay pay for their mistakes and you put them in those mistakes you pressed them at the right moments you took advantage of set pieces you had individual flair the U.S.

13:07men's national team were an exciting team to watch they were actually an enjoyable team to watch and it's been some quite some time Raj quite some time since we've said this. Yeah, I mean, there was more. Trusty, chipping to Tolkien, ball worked ultimately to Diego Luna. Fine, calm side foot finish through bodies. Four goals in the first half against Uruguay. All four by MLS players. All four of the players who've been under fan scrutiny. And what was fascinating was the cameras cut to Poch on the sideline after Diego Luna scored and he wasn't celebrating. He looked bloody furious. Yeah, I think that's a competitor in him.

13:43And I'm sure, Raj, and you know this very much, that Marcelo Villalosa had something to do with that. Anytime you play against a team or somebody that means something to you, you want to prove something. You want to show them in a thankful, respectful manner that you've learned from them, that you are better because of them. I saw this with Marisa Pochettino, which is why I think Marisa Pochettino on the night was so emotional. 4-0. By the way, the most dangerous lead in football. The Arascheta overhead kick, really one small blemish on the night. I mean, you've already mentioned this. You think Matt Fries will want that goal back?

14:16Absolutely. They're just a letter of the law for goalkeepers. If you come out, regardless if you shouldn't have come out, if you come out, you got to get it. And when you don't get it, you put your team in a compromising position. Now there's another error. It's the ball's not cleared right back into the area. And then it's a wonder goal. But you can't do that in World Cup qualifying, in World Cups. You can't do that in important matches because I know it's 4-1. I understand. But that last goal for a team gives them belief right before half. It gives them belief. And what I enjoyed about this is I listened to Marisa Pochettino at the presser, and he said at halftime he told his team that he wasn't happy about the goal, but that he wanted them to go out there and prove something.

15:03Win the second half, which I thought was very intelligent. Oftentimes there's a lull, and you're sitting with four goals, and the team's like, we're winning by four. And then they allow the other team to come back, maybe two, three goals. They still win the game, but they lose the half. He said, I just want you to win the second half, which made them go out there and fight, which made them go out there and be intelligent, which made them go out there and want more. They did that. Yeah, they won the second half with another lovely moment. Fine fluted ball from Gio Reina to Double T Tanner Tessman.

15:33I think both men have been on the field for less than 10 minutes. 5-1 Dreamland. I will say how Tessman was allowed the header from there. I don't know. But who cares? This was magic. And I do need a quick blast on Gio Reyna. Back, a goal, two assists. Can I get a quick blast on his performance? Is he now a fixture? I believe he's a fixture. I've always believed he was a fixture, just on ceiling and talent alone. And I think Marisa Pochettino understands this because at the beginning of the camp, when they asked if he was contradicting himself, and I'm okay with this contradiction. It is a contradiction, but I'm okay with it.

16:07He mentioned how special of a player Gio Reyna is. And there are players in the U.S. men's national team who are special, who maybe at the club level have not performed. But when they come to the U.S., always perform. We look at Christian Pulisic during his Chelsea years when he wasn't playing. He would use the U.S. men's national team as a refresher. I believe this is the case with Giovanni Reina. And I think Mariusz Pochettino sees the value there. What a win. Best result. Best U.S. performance of Mauricio Pochettino's era. done without Pulisic, without Tyler Adams, without Chris Richards, no Tim Weah, so on, so on, so on.

16:41And the question is, what does it mean, big picture? I want to break this down. But big picture, I mean, number one, this was a statistical aberration. Paul Carr tweeted, five goals offer 0.74 expected goals. That's amazing. The other thing, Herc, as we've always said on this show, don't read too much into friendlies. We U.S. fans, we've got nothing but a steady diet of friendlies until the World Cup. So what should we allow ourselves to read into this? And what should we not? Well, first of all, bask in the glory. Take the victory lap. You deserve it. You enjoy it. It's not every day that you ever deserve it.

17:19It's not every day that a CONCACAF team, that the U.S. men's national team, drops a manita, drops five, a hand on a team like Uruguay, on a World Cup contender, on a team with so much rich football in history, A team that is known for being intense. And if you would have told me that the U.S. men's national team would have scored more than two goals and won, I would have said there's probably about three red cards for Uruguay. Not that that would be the case of why they won, but there would be a reaction, an emotional reaction for Uruguay. They just stepped on the throat and they crushed Uruguay.

17:51So enjoy this moment. It's a marquee win for Mauricio Pochettino. And I would say, I would dare say for this group of players that's been around since the World Cup qualification to Russia fiasco. What came of that, these U.S. men's national team players that were gifted opportunities, they've never won a game like this. Their marquee win was Mexico. The game that they said, look, this is what we did was a 0-0 win versus England. That was their claim to fame. this is the biggest win in these players tenure in the era of these players and marisa pochettino is responsible for that so you know a lot of incoming and i want to read some uh some fans comments on last night as they lived it uh pulled a couple from our from our discord at pass pass chico said as a fan but not a super fan how is it realistic to compare uh what happened tonight against the first World Cup game since more than 50 % of the players will be different.

18:55At Swarrow 4 framed it differently. This is great framing. It's our B team, now our A team. You know, I've already hit her. The list of players who were not starting is enormous. Pulisic, Richards, Tyler, Weston McKinney, Balogand, Chris Richards, even Tim Ream. Gio Reyna did not start. How do you understand it? are the one or two players who we think are B team, Herc, but they're now actually A team. Yeah, we're living in the upside down. I agree with you. I 100%. I started asking myself, well, I know who I would consider the A team. I know who I think the prime players are, but are those the players that Marisa Pochettino considers the prime players, the A team?

19:42So then I went and I looked up the minutes. I look up the minutes of players under Marisa Pochettino in the plus 20 games he's been with the U.S. Men's National Team and guess what Tim Ream Matt Freese Max Arvston Chris Richards Alex Freeman Diego Luna Malik Tillman Patrick Ajiman Mark McKenzie Sebastian Berhalter and then we get into a regular like Tyler Adams then we get into the Christian Pulisic's the Tanner Tessman's the Miles Robinsons, the Brendan Aaronsons, the Timothy Weahs, the Weston McKinneys. Then we get into those, the Foller and Baligans. That's when we get into those, and the lower half.

20:20So maybe what we would consider the A-team is not what Poch thinks is the A-team. Yeah, I mean, this is the great unknown as we face this team. Over 70 players called up in the Pochettino area, still shuffling through options, still five games till World Cup, squad announced. We don't know what he's looking for and we don't know what that means for players we think are definite gimmies. Again, I'll say like Weston McKinney for different reasons. Anthony Robinson, we've not seen him and he's nowhere near the top of the minutes chart for you in terms of minutes played. Players who are near and dear to our heart, who we see as established fixtures for so many different reasons.

21:04At what point do they have question marks? I mean, I was fascinated by Pochettino postgame. That rant he went on. I don't want to start negative. But when he was asked about regular players, he said, what does that mean? It's so disrespectful. Went on to talk out of the squad. The pool is what's important. This is the United States national team. He asked when asked about players missing. Essentially, what we do know, the one thing we know is this starting 11 is wide open for the 2026 World Cup. cup squad. None of us know anything. We're 204 days away from kickoff. It is utterly wide open. Do you think even Potchurk has a sense of who his squad is?

21:4626 players. How many do you think he actually knows? I think he knows a good amount of them. I think he knows at least eight of the starting 11. I really feel that. I really do believe that. And yeah, I do. I do because he's proven in the call-ups. He's proven in the minutes he's afforded these players. I think he knows exactly who he wants to trust. I really do. Is Alex Freeman one of you starting 11? Is Berhalter? Is Diego? I mean, it blew my mind. I think we're going to see a heavy dose of Alex Freeman at the World Cup. I think we're going to see a more than expected amount of time for a Max Arfston.

22:20What role that would be for Max Arfston is still unclear, but I think you're going to see him feature a lot. I think you're going to see the likes of a Sebastian Berhalter more than you would have thought. I really do. And Matt Fries, that boat is sailed. He's decided he's the number one, and I need him to get all the minutes as possible to feel comfortable in his own skin. He's there. That's gone. Tim Ream? We thought Tim Ream was going to retire the day after 2022. You're going to see Tim Ream captaining the World Cup team for the U.S. men's national team. There's going to be a heavy dose of some players that maybe most fans aren't ready for.

22:55And this rant that Marisa Pochettino went on, I think there's a loss in translation moment. because when Doug McIntyre says regulars and when Paul Tenorio doubles down and says regulars, when they're trying to toss a layup to Marisa Pochettino to talk about how deep this team is, to talk about how there are no secure positions, he kind of gets offended. And I think because in Spanish, when you say jugador regular, you're saying it's an average player. That's what he's thinking. And that's why he's saying it's disrespectful. I think he's shown us who he trusts in these call-ups and I think he's made it clear that nobody is secure I think there are a few secure spots I think that's fascinating it's a lost in translation moment I actually took it that he's trying to send a message to the players themselves who consider themselves to be regulars Oh, I agree I agree but the whole, this is so disrespectful I think he's using the word regular as you would in Spanish as average I was also fascinated by another essentially another rant the day before the game that also I didn't fully understand because it was in potch English and delivered with real energy and when he does that it's hard to fully you know get the the detailed grasp of what he's saying but I love it because he was trying to talk about what he's trying to inculcate you talked about the problem is the mindset we've changed it if you come here and you're on holidays if you come here and worry about being injured essentially he said that was the problem basically he was saying that the coaches didn't have a serious culture around the team.

24:27You know, there was a vacation for the players. It wasn't serious. It wasn't a tough environment. And it's taken this long to change it and change the identity, Herc. I mean, it feels to me right now, the only given, I don't think we know anything on the outside about that 26 and definitely not the starting 11. The one star of the team right now is Mauricio Pochettino. Yeah, I'm going to give Marisa Pochettino's flowers because the only thing I know, we could sit here and we could debate and throw darts at the players who are going to start, but the only thing I know is who's going to be in that starting 11 is going to represent you the way you want to be represented.

25:07The fight, the spirit, the attitude, the mentality, that's the only thing I know because that's what he's told us and that's what I've seen reflected on the field for the last five, six games. Even the game they lost, they were outmatched, South Korea. but you saw some fight. And since then, it's been fight. It's been passion. It's been mentality. So I can't sit here and say, I know the definite 11. I can sit here and say, I know what this team is about. Tactically and mentally.

25:43So let's close by looking at this journey, this rollercoaster year, Herc. You know, the darkness of the Conquer Calf Nations League in March, which saw us soil ourselves back to back against Panama and Canada. And then the deeply humiliating pair of friendlies where we were outgunned, out classed against Turkey A in Switzerland. The Gold Cup, which felt like a poch reboot with an inexperienced raw squad. It felt that was our B string. But he stayed with many of them. We do not know what we don't know what is A, what is B, what is up, what is down right now. That 2-0 defeat to South Korea We're outplayed again, as you mentioned.

26:22But we're now in the midst of a five-match unbeaten streak, all friendlies. That's what we have. Japan, Japan 11, Australia, Paraguay, now Uruguay, all of whom are in the World Cup. So where are we, Herc, right now? I want to be very careful. Take the victory lap, enjoy the moment, bask in it, because it's not every day you drop five on a team like Uruguay. Because those World Cup teams that have already qualified that we just mentioned, a lot of them were using alternate lineups. And I'm sure many here could say, well, so is the U.S. I don't know if that was an alternate lineup for the U.S. anymore.

26:58What I do know is those teams were more interested in looking at players because they already qualified. They went through their moments of already finding their 11 and they're looking for pieces. Manisa Pochettino is looking for his 11 against those teams. Take it with a grain of salt. Be very happy. I like what I've seen. I like what I've seen, but let's not fall into the trap of thinking this is it. We are ready. Yeah, I mean, I loved last night. I really did. It was it was a beautiful emotion. We have suffered together. And to sort was was a true, true joy. We we kind of lived the football and the result that so many of us dream about, not as a one off or an aberration, but just like this is who we are now.

27:43It was a glimpse of that. I'll be honest, I've kind of given up right now trying to work out who we are. Because for me, the deviation on this team is almost impossible to handicap, to understand, to pass. It's partially the context. It's really important to note these are friendlies. We beat Japan. It was a Japan 11. It wasn't the Japan 11. We beat Paraguay. We beat Uruguay. That felt great. We don't know if it was their first 11. We don't know if it was our first 11. We don't still quite understand Potch's habit of letting what we thought were major players stay with their clubs. We don't know if this team is our real thing.