LA Galaxy coach Greg Vanney says Team USA was ‘too naive,’ explains Christian Pulisic’s struggles

CARSON, Calif. — On a hot Thursday in Carson at Dignity Health Sports Park, LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney stood on the practice field answering questions.

When we asked about Team USA’s World Cup exit just days earlier, Vanney pointed to one problem: the Americans were too naive.

Later that afternoon, Belgium, fresh off eliminating the United States, was scheduled to train at Dignity Health Sports Park ahead of Friday’s World Cup quarterfinal against Spain, prompting heightened security around the Galaxy’s training complex.

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“Collectively, the team entered that final match entirely too naive from top to bottom,” Vanney said.

“It immediately put us on our heels. Against world-class opponents, it is incredibly difficult to recover your rhythm once you fall behind like that. We have to be less naive in a World Cup knockout setting.”

The Galaxy coach expanded on why Team USA fell short, why Christian Pulisic never found his footing and what North American soccer must change before the next World Cup.

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We also asked Vanney about Christian Pulisic, whose World Cup never fully got off the ground.

“It was a difficult tournament for Christian because he arrived sharp but picked up an injury in the opening match,” Vanney said.

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“The World Cup waits for no one; it gets progressively harder every round, and he didn’t have the time to find his rhythm. When you carry a knock in an unforgiving tournament, you risk losing your form and your connection to the system. He is a world-class player who belongs on this stage, but he was simply unlucky.”

For Vanney, Pulisic’s struggles reflected a larger issue. Against Belgium, Team USA simply wasn’t ready for the demands of a World Cup knockout match.

Then came Belgium’s arrival.

As the media session wrapped up and vehicles exited Dignity Health Sports Park, a bus bearing a massive Belgium flag rolled through the gates.

Belgium only ended up at Dignity Health Sports Park after FIFA approved a last-minute venue change. Extreme heat and heavy use had damaged the turf at the team’s original base at Loyola Marymount University, creating an injury risk ahead of Friday’s World Cup quarterfinal against Spain.

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While Vanney reflected on Team USA’s shortcomings, his attention will soon return to the Galaxy, who host cross-town rival LAFC next weekend.

The Galaxy will look to defend home turf following the departures of Gabriel Pec and Mauricio Cuevas when El Tráfico arrives.

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