Jozy Altidore Interview: The USMNT’s World Cup, Hydration Breaks, MLS & More

Hard Rock Bet recently had the opportunity to run a few questions by Jozy Altidore, one of the most accomplished players in United States Men’s National Team history. A veteran of the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, Altidore earned 115 caps and scored 42 international goals for the U.S. while also enjoying a club career that took him to some of the world’s top leagues, including the Premier League, La Liga, the Eredivisie, the Turkish Süper Lig, and MLS. He now co-hosts the Man On show alongside former NBA All-Star and soccer superfan Joakim Noah.

In our Q&A, Altidore shared his thoughts on the USMNT’s performance on home soil at the 2026 World Cup, the impact of hydration breaks, the Messi vs. Ronaldo GOAT debate, current storylines in Major League Soccer, and more.

What did you make of Team USA’s World Cup overall?

I enjoyed the World Cup. I thought the USA played well. I was disappointed with the last game. Not because they didn’t win, but you know, obviously you can go out in these tournaments, you’re playing against great teams. It was the way. They didn’t—and I’m sure they would say this themselves—they didn’t show up in the last game in the way where, hey, if you lose, you say okay, we were outplayed, whatever. But I don’t think they even gave themselves a chance with how they started the game, especially in the low block.

But it’s a good learning experience for the players. I think for this group it’s important because they’re going to be early 30s in the next World Cup. So you mix them in with some young talent and I think the USA has another team coming up that they can be proud of and look to do hopefully some special things in the Spain-Morocco World Cup.

The new hydration breaks have basically turned matches into four quarters instead of two halves. Are those extra opportunities for instruction and adjustment something that can meaningfully impact a game? Would you like to see these breaks stick around after the World Cup?

So here’s my issue with the hydration breaks. In soccer, getting through that first 15 to 20 minutes, the game changes. So my issue with the hydration break is after the first 15 to 20 minutes for, for example, for a team that starts fast, you’re going to see a different team in those next 15 to 20 minutes. So now with the hydration break, it takes away from that a little bit. You know? So I don’t love it. I think it breaks up the game. I think players are conditioned for the 45, two 45-minute halves. So I don’t love that they’ve implemented that. I understand the sponsorship side, but I hope that it goes back to how it was because I think that’s what makes soccer beautiful, that it’s 45 minutes uninterrupted, full action, full sport.

Alexi Lalas has been getting a lot of attention this World Cup, especially with Zlatan constantly challenging him on air. Your former teammate Jermaine Jones even tweeted that he “almost” felt bad for him. What do you make of it?

Very interesting. So I will say, I think it’s been great – the World Cup coverage, on all networks, especially Telemundo. Telemundo es el mejor número uno. But I think, from what I’ve seen, you know, Alexi, it’s interesting—even on this side, it’s competitive, right? They’re not players anymore but they all love to compete and I think you see that in the booth. They’re trying to give their best. So in the end, I think it makes for great coverage. I think people want to be entertained, they want to watch something that’s entertaining. And whether Alexi was part of it or not, I think he provides that entertainment. I think in the end people like to watch entertaining TV. I think whether he planned it or not, he’s played into that.

You played in Spain when Messi and Ronaldo were both competing against each other in La Liga. Who impressed you the most while playing against them, and who do you think the GOAT is?

So I’ll go backwards to forward. I think they’re both the GOAT. And I’ve said that many times because of—listen, Messi is Messi. He’s a very special, different player. So I think he has a little bit of an edge in terms of the way he can affect games because of the playing style than Ronaldo.

But on the other side, as a professional, when I look at Ronaldo in the different environments he’s had to go in and perform, it’s unbelievable. To go to a new place, having to learn everything again and produce what he’s been able to produce, it’s fantastic. So for me, they’re two of the best players to ever have played, in their generations, maybe in the game entirely. So, I think Messi and Ronaldo are the GOATS of this generation of football.

Inter Miami are set to sign Casemiro; does this signal a possibility of dominance for the rest of the season, and is it a controversial signing with LA Galaxy reportedly having the rights to sign him first?

I don’t understand the rights discovery crap, so with all due respect, it doesn’t matter. I think the player, wherever they want to go, they should be able to go.

Is this a signal of dominance for the rest of the season? MLS is a tricky league. MLS has proven to be a tricky league. I think since Messi has gotten there, I think people have seen that. They thought that Inter Miami would win everything all the time and it’s—it’s a difficult league. It’s a difficult league for many reasons. Casemiro adds an element to their team, but I think Casemiro will find out as Messi found out, as Suarez found out, MLS is not an easy league.

The players maybe are not the most tactically savvy, but physically, it’s very difficult. And so I think Casemiro will see that when he gets there. Although a very good player, he will struggle physically because Messi struggled physically, Alba struggled, Busquets struggled because that’s what MLS is. It’s more running, it’s more physical. The players are good athletes. So I think it’s no different. Casemiro will start off strong like all the players start, but then you will see holes there because of his age and the physicality of the league.

MLS is moving to a summer-spring schedule to align with the top leagues around the world. What are your thoughts on the change and what sort of impact do you see it having on the league as a whole?

10 out of 10. And I’m going to clap because I think MLS is making a big boy move. If you want to continue to progress as a league, you want to be one of the best leagues in the world, finding ways to align with how the best do it can only help you. So I think it’s a big move, but I think it’s a needed move at the very least to see how it goes, right?

MLS has very extreme winters. We don’t know how the players will fare during those extreme conditions, but I like them attempting to try to be on the same schedule as everybody because that will make player choices in terms of which leagues they choose to play in and for what teams, it’ll make it easier for them because now the MLS clubs will align with how their countries and federations see the calendar. So I hope it’s a success.

What level is the MLS? Which team do you think could compete in the Premier League?

What level is MLS? I think MLS is a good level. I don’t think it’s a European level yet.

When you look at the top 10 European leagues, or even top 8 leagues, I don’t think MLS is in that conversation yet. Mainly because of—and I’m not necessarily a fan of it, but I think mainly because of promotion and relegation. I think when you have a consequence and you reward teams that are doing well at the bottom, it makes it uncomfortable for other teams. So I think for that reason alone, it’s not there.

But quality-wise, I think it’s there. I think having Messi there, having some of the best players in world football play there, I think you’d be silly not to say that it doesn’t possess some of the best quality when you’re looking at leagues.

Your former club Sunderland secured European football in their first season back in Premier League. How impressed have you been with them?

I’ll tell you man, I went to Sunderland at a very confusing time. There was a lot going on in my life where football wasn’t the most important thing. But out of everywhere I’ve played, there’s nowhere that captivated me like the Northeast. It will always stick with me. The fan support, the amount of fans that would come to support, whether it be training, whether it be preseason, it was wonderful.

It’s a massive club. And I cannot wait to see the scenes. I think people will be impressed. It’s some of the best fans in the world. They’re going to celebrate this all season. Congratulations to Sunderland. I cannot wait to watch you in Europe. It’s going to be beautiful to see the Black Cats on the world stage.