The United States Men’s National Team could be lining up some big time friendlies for the March international window. According to several reports, with Adam Crafton of The Athletic first to report, the USMNT are in talks to schedule a friendly in March against Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The team is also in talks to line up a match against Belgium in the same window, with Atlanta or another southeastern city being the locations for that match. Fox Sports’ Doug McIntyre also reported
that the Belgium friendly could be also be in Atlanta, with the DC area also being considered.
The Atlanta friendly against Portugal could be the centerpiece of the opening of U.S. Soccer’s new national training center, which is being built just south of Atlanta in Fayette County. Having a match against a big time opponent from Europe would hopefully line up with the grand opening, allowing the USMNT to train there for the first time.
The USMNT last played Portugal in a friendly in November 2017, just after the team failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. The match was a 1-1 draw, with Weston McKennie getting the goal for the USMNT in his first ever cap. The two teams played to a 2-2 draw in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup, with 2 memorable goals from Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey. Cristiano Ronaldo set up the equalizer in that match. The March friendly would signal Cristiano Ronaldo’s first match on American soil since Real Madrid played Manchester United in the summer of 2014 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
The last time the USMNT played Belgium was in the 2014 World Cup Round of 16. There, the United States lost in extra time despite a record 16 saves from then-goalkeeper Tim Howard. Belgium is currently 8th in the FIFA world rankings, while Portugal is 6th. They would be the final tests for the USMNT before the World Cup roster is named. And, for fans, it would present some World Cup-style competition with the strength the United States will have to face and beat if they want to do well next summer.
