The Athletic reports that as Tim Ream gradually steps back from the US national team, the team needs to find a new captain. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino stated that the team might consider appointing a new captain after the match against Chile, with Adams being one of the candidates.

On Monday, when Pochettino arrived at CityPark Stadium in St. Louis for a press conference, a Caesar salad was on the table in front of him, with a card next to it that read: "From Tim Ream."

This was a callback to the US team's first match in St. Louis under Pochettino's tenure in November 2024. It was Pochettino's fourth match in charge, and Ream had taken the team to a restaurant where everyone enjoyed a Caesar salad.

Pochettino said with a smile, "I think we had the best Caesar salad in St. Louis."

The salad also served as a reminder that the US team is undergoing changes. In the 29 matches Pochettino has coached the US team, Ream has captained 22 of them, including all five World Cup qualifiers this summer. The US team will pay tribute to Ream before Tuesday's friendly against Chile.

Ream, 38, has represented the US national team for over 14 years, earning 86 caps with 32 as captain, the sixth-most in US team history. At the 2022 World Cup, he started every match and played every minute; four years later, he became the oldest non-goalkeeper to appear in a US World Cup squad.

Ream has not yet officially announced his retirement from the national team and continues to play for Charlotte FC in MLS, but this tribute is widely seen as a sign that his national team career is nearing its end.

Pochettino praised Ream as an exceptional person while also highlighting his competitive performance.

Pochettino said, "He has done a fantastic job for us. For me, he will always be a very important part of my coaching career. Being able to meet someone like him helped me a lot in adapting to the US and its culture."

"I think he is humble. He always protects the team and his teammates, and he is very empathetic towards our coaching staff, helping us with every decision we make."

Ream once joked that he was like the "grandpa" of this team. Now, young players like Cavan Sullivan, Noel Pierre, and Mathis Albéri have emerged in the US team. As a new generation of players enters the national team, finding someone who can succeed Ream and play a leadership role in the locker room has become an important task for the US team's new cycle.

Adams captained the US team at the 2022 World Cup and has since been an important voice for the team on and off the field. Even after missing time due to injury, he remains one of the players other US internationals are willing to rely on.

Adams wore the captain's armband in the US team's match against Peru last Saturday, his first time captaining the team under Pochettino. The Athletic believes that Adams and center-back Chris Richards are clear candidates for future leadership roles in the team.

As the 2030 World Cup cycle has begun, Pochettino also revealed that he will not wait too long to determine the next captain.

He said, "Tyler has done very well. I think over the past two years, he has proven himself to be a very good leader alongside Ream."

"He can convey the culture of this country to new and young players, and he can also communicate to fans what it means to represent this country. At the same time, he can convey these things to the coaching staff and to everyone."

"For us, he is a very suitable representative. Whether in front of the media, or facing fans and everyone else, he can express what it means to defend this badge. Of course, perhaps after tomorrow's match, we will consider appointing a new captain. There is no doubt that Tyler is one of the candidates."

Adams also spoke to The Athletic earlier about the disappointment of the US team's exit from the World Cup this summer.

He said, "I looked at the stands and saw people who were very emotional because we were eliminated, because they truly believed we could go further. It was painful, really hard."

However, compared to the World Cup exit itself, Adams is currently more focused on how to help the new generation of US players integrate into the national team.

He himself has gone through similar stages. After the US team missed qualification for the 2018 World Cup, a young Adams joined the national team, and along with Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Giovanni Reyna, they were once considered the "golden generation" of US soccer.

The Athletic believes that after an earlier-than-expected exit from the World Cup this summer, the US team needs to recognize that there is no "savior" in the national team. One of the important tasks for the future is to have experienced players like Adams help young players navigate a more demanding national team environment.

To this, Adams said, "I don't treat anyone like a child. Believe me, no one gets special treatment."

"I don't care if you're from Dortmund, I don't care if you're from Europe, and I don't care where you're from. When you come to the national team, you are a US national team player. What we need to consider is how to help you perform at your best."

"If I'm going for a 50/50 challenge with you, I will go all out. It doesn't matter if you're 16, 25, or 35. That's my mentality, that's how I grew up."

"These young players need to understand that the most important thing is to do their job diligently every day. What if you get knocked down, make a bad pass, or make a mistake? Move on to the next play. That's how you improve."

"Now you've gotten the opportunity to be in the national team, and this is your chance. We don't want to set exaggerated expectations for anyone, but since the opportunity is here, seize it."

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