USMNT vs Uruguay, November 2025 Friendly: Preview, Time, and How to Watch
Not too long ago, the USMNT was in a desolate place. Sandwiching the Gold Cup tournament over the summer where a team missing several stars failed to overcome Mexico in the final, the team had suffered bad results and worse performances. In June, they lost to Turkiye 2-1 and then were humiliated by Switzerland days later 4-0. A dispiriting 2-0 loss to South Korea in September meant that the US looked unprepared to compete on the World Cup stage, and fan confidence in Pochettino’s tenure was shaken.
Then, Pochettino changed the formation and tactical idea for the squad in a friendly against Japan. Japan saw a massive turnover in starters for that game, but Poch’s 3-4-2-1 (which at times looked a bit like a rarely seen 5-2-3) seemed to work much better for the players, leading to a 2-0 victory that came not a moment too soon for the team’s confidence.
The team would go on to tie Ecuador 1-1, and defeat both Australia and Paraguay 2-1 in subsequent friendlies. Leading us to today’s clash with Uruguay, coached by famed coach Marcelo Bielsa, who, like Pochettino, is also Argentinian, and indeed was a mentor for the man who now coaches the US. Their relationship in fact stretches back to when he successfully recruited Mauricio as a 13 year old for Newell’s Old Boys, and continued into La Liga and the Argentine national team.
Despite finishing 4th in COMNEBOL Qualifying and coming in to the match on a 6 game unbeaten run, Uruguay’s performances have left some room for improvement. Three of those results were 0-0 draws, including away in qualifying to Bolivia. The good news for Uruguay is that Bolivia were not the worst performing team in qualifying. The bad news is that the two who finished at the bottom of qualifying overall are the results that have flattered Uruguay the most in their recent run of matches.
That said, Uruguay boasts plenty of pedigree in their squad, despite absences from Darwin Nunez and Frederico Valverde. They also have a long storied identity as a team that are tough to play against physically, and Bielsa will be eager to prove he’s still a managing talent to be reckoned with. Expect a challenging match for the host tonight.
Gio Reyna had an excellent return to Poch’s lineup against Paraguay Saturday, registering a cleanly taken headed goal while being robbed of an assist stat, as well. He is expected to start again tonight.
Let’s see what happens between these two hungry squads and two managers who know each other extremely well.
How to Watch
USA vs. Uruguay
Advertised Kick-off Time: 7:00pm Eastern, 4:00pm Pacific
Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
Available TV: TNT (English), truTV (English), Universo (Spanish)
Available streaming: Max (English), Peacock (Spanish), FuboTV (Free Trial)
You’re right–this should be an excellent test. Uruguay is such a small nation, they’ve “punched above their weight” for so long that people just take it for granted that they are always a tough match, an opponent that is challenging to play against. It’s almost an “unfriendly” to play against them.
Uruguay are consistently physical on the pitch, and can employ the dark arts perfectly well. But if I was to try to pinpoint what makes them such an imposing national team throughout the years, it’s that they seem to, to a man, understand the game at an incredibly visceral and granular level. Soccer IQ is not a weakness for them.
This was especially apparent when I saw the US-20 team take them on at the 2023 u-20 World Cup. The US had entered the quarterfinals after an athletically dominant group stage showing. Diego Luna was a pivotal part of the offense. Uruguay made them look like blithering idiots when it came to decision making. Uruguay went on to win the tournament. I don’t remember a single mistake from them the entire quarterfinal. It wasn’t flashy, wasn’t even particularly impressive in terms of buildup play or individual skill. They just were that much more aware of what to do and what the game required.
The US will have to at least compete with them between the ears to achieve a result.
Per Goff, US rotated the squad heavily.
Freese; Freeman, Dest, McKenzie, Trusty, Morris, Tolkin, Luna, Tillman, Berhalter, Wright.
Uruguay lineup
Fiermarín; Viña, Olivera, Araújo, Nández; Bentacur, Ugarte, Zalazar; Araújo, Vińas, de Arrasceta
Have a night Sebastian Berhalter. A goal and an assist in less than 20 minutes.
USMNT needs to keep the throttle down.
Up in Chester, I had some great convo with the dude next to me. I told him he was selling Berhalter short. He might be a one-trick pony, but it’s one helluva trick. Every team needs someone who serve in a good ball. We agreed that Freeman has amazing potential. and we both thought that Gio Reyna was playing himself into a starting spot in the World Cup.
Berhalter has so many weaknesses in his game but lord can he serve up a sweet ball. Freeman was outstanding as well. Posting 5 goals against Uruguay is meaningful. I thought Tillman looked sloppy to me and our backline wasn’t clean enough either snuffing out attacks or clearing balls away–against a better frontline we’d have give up more than 1 goal. But this is a really good game to end 2025 with for the USMNT.
I created this thread, but had to watch the whole thing on record. My viewing isn’t even over, but these are the dirtiest fouls I’ve seen in a while.
Uruguay were clearly stunned that two MLS players mugged them for game state so effectively, but if I didn’t see Bielsa on the touchline on the feed, I wouldn’t believe this was his team. They played old, static, and slow, and eventually just tried to find ways to injure MLS products like Tolkin and Berhalter with plausible deniability.
Shameful, lame, verging on evil in intent.
Glad it was a thumping.
It was a comprehensive beat down.