With the FIFA World Cup just days away from kicking off, former USMNT striker and forward, Jozy Altidore, wants the 2026 team to not get too carried away with the American home field advantage.
“[It is] a lot of pressure, but I’d like to call it good pressure,” Altidore says. “You’re having the opportunity to play for your country, represent your family, represent the United States at the global level in a way that we haven’t seen quite before, and so I think the players are really excited. I was able to spend some time with them this past weekend, and just to be in and around the group and to see the focus, to see the excitement, I can’t wait to get things going next week.I think we have a team that can really make a good run in this tournament and really put soccer USA on the map.”
Altidore has plenty of experience playing on a big stage.
While he first had his taste of the World Cup as a youth in 2005 with the U-17 team, he played again with the U-20 team in 2017. He made his way to the pros shortly after, playing four games in the 2010 tournament in South Africa while helping the U.S. advance to the round of 16 where they were ultimately eliminated by Ghana. Then in 2014, Altidore suffered an injury only 23 minutes into the game in Brazil, sidelining him from the rest of the tournament. The U.S. ultimately lost to Belgium again and were subsequently eliminated in the round of 16.
The USMNT has yet to win a World Cup trophy, but with such a competitive team going into this year’s games, Altidore thinks they have a great shot if they utilize the home field benefits.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” Altidore says of the opportunity this squad has. “I think every player dreams of scoring a big goal in front of their family and friends where they grew up. Having people that kind of took part in their journey really being able to be there with them and experience it, I think it’s pretty special. It’s something that happens maybe once in a lifetime. So I think for the guys, it’ll be a really fun moment, and I know that they’re all really, really excited to live it and experience it.”
How Altidore Wants the USMNT to Train, Focus, and Recover
While professional athletes are arguably almost always training, Altidore sheds some insight on what the players do going into their final weeks leading up to kickoff.
“I think obviously the focus is a bit more,” says Altidore, who partnered with Advil for their rewriting campaign that aims to debunk the “no pain, no game” stigma. “You do everything with, I think, the same intention, but obviously when you’re representing your country, it’s a huge honor. It’s a huge pride. And so I think most players try to approach it with that exact attitude and want to put their best foot forward in a way that is very different than club competition because of the significance of what a World Cup brings and how many eyeballs that will be watching, and that’ll be encouraged by your performance.”
Altidore notes it’s important for the players to stay locked in and peak at the right time while also staying in the moment and studying their next opponent, too.
“When I played, it was just focused,” Altidore explains. “Keeping the main thing and really just enjoying the moment. It’s an incredible opportunity to play at this level. It’s a childhood dream, so you just want to make sure that you enjoy it as much as you put the work in.
One simple piece of advice for the players, he suggests, is to enjoy the experience of playing in a World Cup tournament, something he relishes nearly 12 years to the day he last stepped on the field for Team USA in the World Cup.
“You have to take it all in and make sure you take some mental pictures of what’s around you and how incredible the experience is, because they are few and far between and there’s nothing quite like it,” he says.
At the same time, he advises to stay balanced and not to get too caught up in the moment. After all, there’s still a goal to be completed. A first United States World Cup crown.
“You’re obviously conscious at this level of the players, of the talent pool,” says Altidore. I think everybody’s pretty aware with the individuals. It’s more of understanding how each country will approach the games, some of their strengths and weaknesses, because it’s a bit different than club play. But I think all the guys won’t really be losing too much sleep over it. I think at this level, you expect everybody to have an element of world-class playing on their team, and so you’re always ready for the absolute peak competition. It just comes with the territory at this level.”
Rest and recovery is just as important as the game itself and Altidore has some final words of wisdom for the USMNT going into their first big game on June 12 against Paraguay in Los Angeles, Calif.
“A lot of fluids [and] a lot of rest,” Altidore says. “Just really taking time to let the body recover. There’s I think four or five days in between matches, so I think guys will make sure that they take the time to get the fluids in, get the legs ready to go back under them for what will be another high intensity matchup a few days later.”
And as an added benefit, he says simple remedies like the ones he’s been using since his days on the pitch still work as well.
“And Advil has been really helpful because it’s always been a part of my recovery,” Altidore continues. “It targets all the pain that I’ve dealt with in my career at the source.”
