"This team has the capability to beat any team in the world. I really mean that." Landon Donovan isn't hedging. The U.S. men's soccer legend thinks Team USA should not just survive the 2026 World Cup group stage — they should top it.
With the tournament being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the Americans face Paraguay, Australia, and one team from UEFA Path C (Turkey, Slovakia, Kosovo, or Romania) in the group phase. On paper, it's a winnable group. Donovan's expectations reflect that.
"The assumption for all of us is that we will get out of the group stage, and, in fact, I think we should win our group," he told Fox News Digital. "That is a realistic target for this team."
McKennie is the name to watch
If there's one player Donovan wants fans to pay closer attention to, it's Weston McKennie. The midfielder is in his sixth season at Juventus and has been one of their standout performers — four goals and four assists in 29 Serie A appearances this season, with Donovan claiming he's been their best player across the last 15 matches.
"He plays for Juventus in Italy and he has literally been their best player for 15 games in a row — and that's a top five team in that country," Donovan said. "If Weston continues that form into the World Cup, he could absolutely explode onto the scene."
That's a legitimate case. Juventus aren't just a recognizable name — they're a legitimate Serie A contender. Sustaining that level of performance there is a meaningful benchmark, not just a talking point. McKennie's odds as a tournament standout deserve a second look.
The squad around him includes Christian Pulisic, Tim Ream, and Matt Turner, with the U.S. playing high-profile friendlies against Belgium, Portugal, Senegal, and Germany before their opener against Paraguay on June 12. Those four matches will do more to set expectations than any pre-tournament interview.
Home advantage is real — but so is the pressure
Donovan knows what momentum feels like at a home World Cup. He's seen it build since 2002. "You win the next game, and you win the next game, next thing you know, you might find yourself in a quarterfinal or semifinal and then anything can happen," he said.
That's the optimistic read. The harder truth is that the U.S. hasn't yet shown they can consistently beat elite opposition when it matters. Donovan acknowledged it himself: "The challenge so far is that this team has not shown that they can do that yet."
Home crowds amplify everything — good and bad. A stumble in front of 70,000 Americans cuts deeper than it does in Qatar. The pressure of hosting is as real as the opportunity.
Donovan, whose memoir is released this week, made 157 appearances for the national team — tied with Clint Dempsey on 57 goals, and just seven caps short of the all-time record. When he talks about what wearing the crest meant, he's not speaking in clichés: "Outside of military duty, there's nothing that compares to that."
