In short: a lot of small issues that added up to a big one.

Segares leaned into the attacking strength of this group, consistently pushing his midfielders high to create a five-man front line in possession. But that left enormous pressure on the backline and the DM — in this match, Cooper Sanchez — to absorb transition moments and stall counters until help arrived. That approach magnified the team’s biggest weaknesses: limited speed in the backline and midfield, and a lack of size at full-back and central midfield.

To their credit, Sanchez, Villa, and Guimaraes held up well for long stretches. But it only takes one moment.

That moment came after Mathis Albert was forced off injured, leaving the U.S. temporarily down a man. Morocco immediately played Ouazane up the right channel. He isolated Guimaraes, and Carrizo was slow to recover and support. Guimaraes allowed the cutback to Ouazane’s left, Carrizo arrived a step late, Sanchez tracked the near run, and Moisa rotated softly and was bypassed. The shot deflected off Martinez and found the net. Too many breakdowns at once.

Before that, the U.S. had a golden chance to put the match away when Albert earned a penalty — but he missed. The decision for him to take it instead of Sullivan, who had converted earlier in the tournament, created some controversy. You feel for Albert. He was excellent all tournament, and moments like that happen. Credit to him for burying his attempt in the shootout.

Stokes made one strong save in penalties, but Morocco’s keeper guessed correctly twice and stopped poorly placed attempts from Sanchez and Carrizo. And that, my friends, was that.

Mostly no, with a sprinkling of yes.

On one hand, youth tournaments ultimately exist to develop future senior players — and you can clearly see several in this group who have USMNT potential. Cavan Sullivan and Mathis Albert, the two headliners coming in, were consistently the best players on the field whenever they played. That alone is a major positive.

On the other hand, the United States continues to fall short in knockout matches across age groups. They struggle to make meaningful runs, and these teams often lack the “it” factor required to grind out a result against elite opponents. They find ways to lose instead of finding ways to win. It’s becoming too consistent to dismiss as coincidence. Something in the collective mindset and identity seems missing.

AM/W — Cavan Sullivan, Philadelphia Union
‍Sullivan did the hardest thing possible: he lived up to the hype. He was the best player on the field in nearly every game, usually as the youngest player out there. He showed an elite all-around skillset, contributed to four of the team’s five goals, and demonstrated an incredible mentality. Stay healthy, young man — the senior team is not far away.
‍
‍W — Mathis Albert, Borussia Dortmund
‍Albert’s profile has skyrocketed since moving from LA Galaxy to Dortmund, and he validated all of it. He was brave, dynamic, and consistently dangerous, including the match-winner against Czechia. The missed penalty is unfortunate, but it shouldn’t overshadow the reality: he’s a modern winger the U.S. rarely produces, and he continues to be highly rated in Germany. His stock remains high.
‍
‍CB — Christopher Cupps, Chicago Fire
‍While Sullivan and Albert stole the headlines, Cupps was excellent throughout. Yes, he was exposed occasionally in space and could be more aggressive breaking lines, but he defended at a very high level. He broke up countless attacks, stayed calm on the ball, and showed real leadership. He made a compelling case as the top 2008-born prospect in the pool.

‍GK — Aidan Stokes, New York Red Bulls
‍Stokes wasn’t my first-choice keeper coming in, but he delivered. He made key saves in key moments and allowed just two goals all tournament — neither of which were on him. He had some shaky moments in distribution, but that’s normal for a 17-year-old. The tools are there.

‍DM — Cooper Sanchez, Atlanta United
‍Sanchez had an almost impossible assignment as a lone six behind an attacking midfield that often stayed high. He’s not Tyler Adams, yet was asked to play that role. Despite that, he handled himself admirably, especially against Morocco. He moved the ball well, switched play effectively, and competed hard in difficult conditions.

The U17 World Cup is now an annual event, so every class will get its chance. Technically, both Sullivan and Albert (2009s) could play again next year. Would they? Should they? Hard to say. If they did, the U.S. could instantly have one of its best U17 teams ever — the 2009 group is loaded, and adding two superstars with this experience would be ridiculous. But realistically, it’s unlikely.

The more probable path is that both players move into the next U20 cycle, joining several 2008s immediately. Expect Stokes, Cupps, Terry, Sullivan, Albert, Berchimas, and Hall to become core players alongside the top 2007s as U20 qualifying begins next summer.

As for Gonzalo Segares — it’s no secret I’m not his biggest fan. I didn’t mind most of the roster decisions; Ian James was the biggest snub, but Martinez and Hamouda weren’t major issues. The midfield was always going to be the problem area. The best reinforcements (Adri Mehmeti and KK Spivey) are both 2009s and were never considered for this team, like it or not. Tactically, Segares tried to lean into the strengths of the roster, but the attack did not produce enough goals to make up for the fragile defensive structure. Rumors suggest he’ll lead the U20 cycle next, but I think U.S. Soccer would be wise to explore other options first.