Tim Howard calls USMNT's World Cup title hopes 'literally impossible

Tim Howard expressed skepticism about the USMNT's chances of winning the 2026 World Cup on his podcast with Landon Donovan. Despite the team's confident victories over Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0) in group play, Howard believes that the U.S. would need to perform exceptionally well consecutively to advance through the knockout stages. Donovan acknowledged the team's potential but echoed Howard's doubts about beating top-tier opponents consistently. The U.S. has already secured a place in the knockout round and will face Türkiye in its final group stage match on Thursday at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Star player Christian Pulisic, who missed the match against Australia due to injury, may return for the Türkiye game.

• 3:33 PMYahoo Sports — World Cup 2026: Former U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard believes it's 'literally impossible' for USMNT to win tournament