Jozy Altidore (U.S. Soccer Podcast): "I'm really bullish on this World Cup. I think this is an incredible opportunity to get to a final..."

U.S. Soccer Podcast · April 1, 2026 · 1h 6m

Jozy Altidore: From the pitch to the pitch deck

World Cup 2026 predictions

I'm really bullish on this World Cup. I think this is an incredible opportunity to get to a final, to get to a semifinal. People think I'm crazy, that's fine. I don't think so.

Career reflection

I went to the Premier League, to Sunderland, and from the second month, I'm into things off the field that completely take away from my focus on the field. I wasn't equipped at that time to handle everything.

MLS development pathways

With the continued growth of MLS and the influx of young international talent, do you think the league is prioritizing development pathways for American players enough to strengthen the U.S. Men's National Team long term?

Striker mentality

My dad never really got disappointed with me. He got disappointed only when one thing occurred: if I played a game and I had an opportunity to shoot and I didn't shoot. He always says that if you don't shoot, you can't score.

European football experience

When I walked in that locker room in Spain, I had it in my head that these guys were going to say, 'Man, that's a good player.' These are World Cup winners, Champions League winners. Every training after I settled in was a game.

Youth development/Business

I'm trying to be somebody that is part of soccer becoming like what football is, what basketball is. In the U.S., we have that for baseball and football, but we don't have that for soccer. We want kids to stay in the game, to have fun, to gain confidence.

Tactical analysis

I'm a striker, I love to join the play, take the ball, beat a guy and try to find a teammate. But that aspect took me a while to understand: your job, you can do all that, but you better make sure you're in the box when the ball comes.

If you are playing against Germany and you haven't played with your seven or 11 more than five caps, then typically I would say, keep it more simple. Just get a slushy and relax.

Culture shock

I'll never forget my first breakfast in Spain. I get down there and it's small little pieces of toast, ham, cheese, some jelly. I'm like, where's the cereal? Where's the eggs? I woke up hungry for six months. I felt like I was in a black hole.

Retirement

My biggest regret was that I didn't bring my family to the game for my retirement. It's not until seeing somebody else go through it that I saw how much that meant to the family members to get to watch them one more time.