United States placed in favorable group for the 2026 World Cup
‘Outkick Hot Mic’ podcast host Jonathan Hutton joins ‘Pak Gazette Live’ to discuss the United States’ placement in the 2026 World Cup, his predictions for the upcoming College Football Playoffs and more.
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Former US women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe poked fun at the US men’s national soccer team’s World Cup campaign in a recent podcast episode last week.
The American team presented “Never Chase Reality” as a campaign leading up to the 2026 World Cup. The 90-second film featured narration by Marcello Hernandez. The team said in a statement that “‘Never Chase Reality’ reflects the journey at age 26 for the Men’s National Team.”
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Megan Rapinoe (15) warms up before the NWSL Championship Semifinal match against San Diego Wave FC at Snapdragon Stadium on November 5, 2023. (Ray Acevedo/USA TODAY Sports)
Rapinoe mentioned it during the latest episode of “A Touch More” with her partner Sue Bird and sports presenter Katie Nolan.
“The team’s slogan heading into the World Cup was like their downfall, and their slogan is ‘Never chase reality.’ I was like, guys, I don’t think I’m saying what you think,” Rapinoe said. “I wonder why we didn’t just stick with ‘Do you dream big?’
“He told me that you already thought you were no good. So I didn’t like that.”
Hernández explains what the campaign means to him.
TRUMP PROMOTES THE SUCCESS OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP DRAW AND CALLS FOR A MASSIVE AUDIENCE
The starting lineup for the United States men’s national team before an international friendly against Uruguay at Raymond James Stadium on November 18, 2025. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Image Images)
“This campaign is not just about football; it is about the American dream. Never chasing reality means ignoring the odds and daring to dream,” he said in the statement. “I played soccer from the age of four through college and have been a fan of the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams since I was a child, so it’s an honor to bring my passion and enthusiasm for the game to U.S. soccer.”
The reality is that the United States men’s soccer team has not had much success on the world stage despite the team being considered the “golden generation.”
The United States reached the knockout stage in 2022, even tying with England in the group stage, but lost to the Netherlands. The United States reached the quarterfinals in 2002.
The Group D match table is shown during the reveal of the match schedule for the 2026 World Cup in Washington, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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In June, the United States will compete for a place in the knockout phase with Paraguay and Australia and any team that makes the UEFA playoffs.
