da supremo： Gregg Berhalter claimed that the USMNT can "beat top teams" in the wake of the 5-1 humiliation against Colombia.

da betcris： Article continues below

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USMNT succumbed to heavy defeat against ColombiaBerhalter unphased by the lossInsisted they have potential to compete with world's bestWHAT HAPPENED?

The USMNT succumbed to an embarrassing 5-1 defeat to Colombia and social media was ablaze asking for Berhalter's dismissal. However, the Stars and Stripes boss has brushed off this criticism.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT BERHALTER SAID

Berhalter, when questioned about the significance of achieving specific results to secure his position for the 2026 World Cup, said: "I don't think I'm the right person to answer that question but what I would say is that we do see this as a building block. We see this group as a talented group, a group that's able to do good things".

He further expressed his optimism and added: "I think we can beat top teams, but we have to go show it. We've talked a lot about doing it and for us it's really about the performance, going out there and having a solid performance that you putting yourself in position to actually go ahead and win."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Berhalter has already consigned the defeat to Colombia in the history books and is not much concerned with the scoreline.

"The natural tendency would be to say, OK, now it's only about the result [against Brazil]. But the reality is it is a friendly game. We are preparing for a tournament," Berhalter said. "We have to be brave and we have to continue with our plan. And, obviously, a lot of pressure from the outside after a 5-1 defeat at home but, again, it's about preparing this group for a Copa América."

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR USMNT?

As the USMNT continues its preparations, the friendly against Brazil on Wednesday evening serves as a crucial opportunity for the players to showcase their readiness and form. Although they haven't had much success in the past against the Selecao, the Colombia defeat should spur the players on.