New HBO docuseries filmed Team USA for four years leading up to 2026 World Cup

SoccerNew HBO docuseries filmed Team USA for four years leading up to 2026 World CupOnce considered a “golden generation” of talent, the Americans have had a rocky few years. Now, Christian Pulisic says, “We want to change soccer in America forever.”Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Christian Pulisic of the U.S. dribbles during against Portugal in Atlanta on March 31.Jared C. Tilton / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 11, 2026, 6:34 PM EDTBy Doha MadaniFor the last few years, headlines have swirled around the U.S. men’s national soccer team with mounting pressure over the squad’s inconsistency on the field and questions about player dedication leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Between the losses, the changes and the phone-shaped hole in the drywall, a film crew has captured it all. The result is a five-part docuseries, “U.S. Against the World: Four Years With the Men’s National Team,” to be released Tuesday on HBO Max.Director Rand Getlin and his partner, Janina Pelayo, hope their docuseries will allow audiences to invest in the journey of a team fighting to be taken seriously on a global scale as the world descends on the U.S. for the World Cup this summer. “The players, of course, are never going to tell you exactly how heavy it is, but they tell us, and that’s what we’re hoping to share with viewers,” Getlin told NBC News. “It’s a deeper look at the cost of pursuing this end — which for them is: ‘We just want to make the country proud. We have to put on good performances to do that, and I’m willing to sacrifice damn near anything to achieve that outcome.’” Weston McKennie, right, celebrates scoring a goal with his U.S. teammate Mark McKenzie during a match against Belgium in Atlanta on March 28.Jared C. Tilton / Getty ImagesSoccer is the most popular sport in the world, except in the U.S., whose men’s team has appeared in only 12 of...