With 100 days until the 2026 World Cup kicks off on home soil, ESPN gathered USMNT legends to assess the team's prospects under new manager Mauricio Pochettino. The roundtable featured Landon Donovan, Bruce Arena, Steven Cherundolo, Eric Wynalda, Herculez Gomez, and Kasey Keller discussing whether this generation can match or exceed the quarterfinal run of 2002.

Former coach Bruce Arena believes reaching the round of 16 should be the minimum expectation, citing the advantage of playing at home and being seeded. Landon Donovan emphasized that success means captivating the nation with iconic moments rather than just advancing deep into the tournament. Meanwhile, Eric Wynalda set an ambitious target of reaching the semifinals, pointing to players like Folarin Balogun scoring against top European clubs as evidence of the team's quality.

Herculez Gomez outlined a realistic path: win the group, beat a third-place team and Belgium, then face Spain in the quarters. However, Kasey Keller noted the current squad hasn't endured the rigorous qualifying campaigns that hardened previous successful teams. The consensus suggests while this may be the most talented U.S. team ever based on club affiliations, translating that potential into World Cup success remains the ultimate challenge.