Despite what you may have read on social media while drinking your morning coffee, all is not lost following America's defeat to Turkey in their final group-stage game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Christian Pulisic of the United States looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Türkiye and the U.S.at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on June 25, 2026.
(Fran Santiago/Getty Images)No, the USMNT won't be heading into the knockout stages unblemished, but they are also still heading to the knockout stages as it is, which was the goal all along.This was the first time since group stages were introduced that the United States won their group before the last match day, so this is uncharted territory for many American fans.USA SCORES SECOND-FASTEST GOAL IN TEAM WORLD CUP HISTORY IN GROUP-STAGE FINALE VS.TURKEYWorry not! Think of this as a week 18 game in the NFL after your team wrapped up their division, because there really wasn't too much to play for.The starting 11 reflected this sentiment, as many players were seeing the pitch for the first time this tournament, while several starters got some much-deserved rest or were held out to avoid any yellow card problems.Auston Trusty celebrates with teammates after scoring the United States' first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match against Türkiye at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, on June 25, 2026.
(Jared C.Tilton/FIFA via Getty Images)USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino certainly isn't worried, either.The confident skipper had to remind members of the media and fans alike that the team had already won their group, so there was no need to make a mountain out of a molehill from this result, telling FOX's Jenny Taft the performance was "pretty good."Sounds to me like a guy who hates losing but is still able to see the bigger picture.Judging by the way he handled his postgame presser with the media, he was even a little irked that there wasn't a more celebratory mood to the en...