The USMNT should prepare to be without star midfielder Tyler Adams for the entire 2026 World Cup cycle and 'cannot count on him' to return, insists Alexi Lalas - after Bournemouth star had second surgery on hamstring injury to rule him out until February

The latest hamstring injury for Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams is forcing the United States men's national team to search for immediate alternatives.

For one commentator, his injury should force the team to try and plan for the worst case scenario - that Adams might not even return for this World Cup cycle. 

Under a clip of Alexi Lalas's latest 'State of the Union' podcast - wherein they try to grade the USMNT's performances against Germany and Ghana - one account said that the team should get an 'incomplete' until Adams returns.

Lalas disagreed, saying that the team shouldn't be counting on Adams while he recovers from a second hamstring surgery inside a calendar year.

'Horrible news for Tyler Adams and #USMNT,' Lalas began. 'But given severity of injury, 2nd surgery, and out at least until Feb, Berhalter & staff should be preparing now for possibility of cycle w/o Adams.

Alexi Lalas (R) believes the USA should be planning for a World Cup without Tyler Adams (L)

On Twitter, Lalas said that Berhalter has to 'adjust/adapt' after Adams got a second surgery

'If he returns, great, but can't count on it. Adjust/adapt, that's Berhalter's job.'

Those comments echo similar ones Lalas made before the two friendlies played in Hartford and Nashville last weekend.

'From a practical perspective, this kind of kicks the can down the road, hopefully, for Greg Berhalter in terms of making that ultimate decision as to who to play in that three in the midfield, because there is an odd man out,' Lalas said on October 4.

'Now, it opens up another space there. But again, we had feared or talked about it with a caveat, that this is a hamstring that went through a massive type of injury. 

'And if immediately he gets back and he's already in trouble right now, it sucks. And now he's got to get back from a whole 'nother injury and who knows when we are going to see him again. 

'But I think Greg Berhalter and company now have to start thinking about not just the immediate in the next window, but going into 2026, having backup plans. And it sucks because he is, so far, irreplaceable.'

Adams suffered a setback in a September 27 Carabao Cup match against Stoke City, his first match since March of 2023.

It was a debut with his Bournemouth, after he moved from Leeds United that summer.

Adams hurt his hamstring back in March, then re-injured it in a September Carabao Cup match

Adams was forced to the sidelines after a first hamstring injury that saw him miss the rest of Leeds' ill-fated survival campaign.

In the summer, he moved to the south coast of England - joining Bournemouth but not playing until late September.

Now, Adams will likely be out until mid-February at the very earliest as he recovers from a second surgery.

His presence was clearly missed in the Germany game - where the USMNT lost 3-1 - and the Americans suffered. They rebounded against Ghana, but there were plenty of times in both matches that could have benefited from his play.

The USMNT will play another window without Adams in November - when they play a two-legged fixture against Trinidad and Tobago both home and away.

That will be a must-win match for the Americans - as victory secures their spot in the 2024 Copa America. Despite being granted hosting duties, CONMEBOL did not allow the USA to get an automatic spot.