Six weeks before the last four teams standing in the Concacaf Nations League gathered in the Los Angeles area, the U.S.' new geopolitical realities positioned themselves as a massive cloud that would linger over the North American soccer championship.

U.S. men's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino dismissed the political overtones surrounding the Concacaf Nations League finals, calling it a "big mistake" for his team to discuss politics.

The stakes are high for the United States on and off the soccer pitch with all three of the other teams at the Concacaf Nations League Finals.