"This isn't an excuse, as both teams faced the situation, but it really shouldn't happen. It was quite strange," Pulisic stated after the match. "Many times you receive the ball, look up, but cannot clearly locate teammates, relying only on jersey color. When the colors are too similar, that becomes difficult."

The 27-year-old forward revealed the team only noticed the issue after removing their warm-up shirts before the match. "Everyone was shocked," he added.

On 29/3 at Mercedes-Benz stadium, the US debuted their World Cup 2026 kit, which included a red-and-white horizontal striped shirt and blue shorts. Belgium wore a white shirt with pink and light blue accents, complemented by white shorts. This combination created a noticeable color similarity between the two teams' uniforms.

Christian Pulisic (center) dribbles the ball during the US's 2-5 friendly loss to Belgium at Mercedes-Benz, Atlanta, Georgia, US on 29/3. *ISI*

A representative from the US Soccer Federation (USSF) stated that the kit color conflict check process involved multiple steps before the match. These steps included submitting uniform images to the referees and organizing a coordination meeting. Despite this, the referees did not consider the color similarity to be an issue.

Midfielder Weston McKennie echoed Pulisic's concerns, though he did not attribute the US's defeat to the jersey issue. "When you take a quick glance to distinguish, it feels almost 50-50. You have to hold the ball longer or pass with one touch to avoid errors," the Juventus midfielder explained.

McKennie opened the scoring in the 39th minute. However, Belgium had an explosive second half, scoring 5 goals. Zeno Debast, Amadou Onana, Charles De Ketelaere, and a brace from substitute Dodi Lukebakio contributed to Belgium's tally. The US managed to score one more goal through Patrick Agyemang.

The 2-5 defeat ended the US's five-match unbeaten streak. This marked the first time the US lost by a three-goal margin at home after scoring first, a scenario not seen since their crushing 1-8 defeat to England in 1959.

Belgium players celebrate their third goal against the US. *Reuters*

Coach Mauricio Pochettino regarded the loss as a necessary reality check. "We need competitive matches to prepare optimally for the World Cup," he stated. "We cannot enter the tournament believing we are too good or too perfect simply because we are American. If we aim to advance deep and defeat Paraguay, we must be ready to fight."

The Argentine coach acknowledged the heavy defeat was painful but expressed no major concern, as the World Cup is still over two months away. "In the first half, we played better than Belgium and created many chances, but the goal conceded at the end of the half changed the dynamic. The second half was truly difficult," he explained.

The US has three more friendly matches scheduled: against Portugal on 31/3, Senegal on 31/5, and Germany on 6/6, before the World Cup 2026. In the tournament, Pochettino's squad will be in a group with Paraguay, Australia, and a team advancing from the play-offs.

By Hong Duy (via ESPN)