Cherundolo Named Olympic Team Head Coach

Former National Team Defender and MLS Manager to Lead the Olympic Cycle

U.S. Soccer has turned to a familiar face to lead its Olympic ambitions on home soil. Steve Cherundolo was announced Thursday as head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team, which will compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The 47-year-old arrives with a resume that spans both playing and coaching success. A three-time World Cup veteran and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, Cherundolo made 87 appearances for the senior national team and spent 15 seasons at Hannover 96, where he made 423 appearances across all competitions.

His coaching path took him through the German youth ranks before he returned stateside in 2021 to lead the Las Vegas Lights, LAFC's USL affiliate. A year later, he took over at LAFC and immediately delivered, winning the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup double in his first season while setting a league record for most wins by a first-year head coach. He added a U.S. Open Cup title in 2024 before stepping down last November to move his family back to Germany.

Now he takes on a new challenge in familiar territory. "Representing the United States at the Olympic Games is one of the greatest honors in sports, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to lead this team," Cherundolo said in a statement, adding that the group's job is "to compete with courage, humility, and a clear identity."

Cherundolo's first order of business will be identification camps at U.S. Soccer's National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia, as he begins building a roster for the tournament in the U.S.

Criticism of Pulisic

Winger Faces Backlash After Underwhelming World Cup Ends in Injury

Christian Pulisic entered his home World Cup as the face of American soccer, but the tournament he'd hoped would cement his legacy instead left him fielding pointed criticism after a quiet exit against Belgium.

The 27-year-old struggled to find rhythm for most of the first hour against the Belgians before departing with an ankle injury in the 59th minute, unable to influence a match the U.S. would go on to lose 4-1. It was a deflating way to end a tournament that began with real promise—Pulisic looked lively in the opening 45 minutes against Paraguay before a calf injury interrupted his run, sidelining him for stretches of the group stage and preventing him from ever recapturing that early form.

His postgame comments only intensified the scrutiny. Asked by Fox's Jenny Taft what had forced him off, Pulisic explained he'd sprained his ankle, called it a frustrating way to end things, but added that he now had time to rest. That final remark didn't sit well with a fanbase already stung by the elimination, and it opened the door to sharper criticism elsewhere.

Former USWNT World Cup winner Carli Lloyd was among the most vocal, saying on air that she'd expected more from Pulisic across the tournament and suggesting the USMNT's star players looked tentative and lacked confidence from the outset. She followed up on social media with a blunt jab, arguing rest is something reserved for after a career ends. Former forward Sydney Leroux echoed the sentiment, suggesting Pulisic had coasted through the tournament.

The severity of that ankle injury has since come into focus. Pulisic's setback against Belgium has been diagnosed as a bone bruise and microfracture of the tibia/fibula, and he was seen on crutches at the team hotel the day after the match. He's expected to be sidelined for several weeks, putting him in a race to be ready for AC Milan's preseason. Pulisic later expanded on his disappointment beyond the injury itself: "I'm disappointed with myself, of course, but I'm going to try to stay positive. I did a lot of good things and the team did as well."

For a player often described as the best of his generation to wear the U.S. crest, the numbers told their own story: no goals and a single assist across the run. It leaves Pulisic, still very much in his prime, facing an uncomfortable reckoning over a home World Cup that never delivered the signature moment so many expected from him.

A Month of Dreams and Disappointment

Recapping the USMNT's 2026 World Cup Run

The United States' home World Cup began with a statement. In front of a raucous crowd at Los Angeles Stadium, the Americans dismantled Paraguay 4-1 in their opener on June 12, with Folarin Balogun scoring twice in the first half and late substitute Gio Reyna adding a stoppage-time finish. It was the most goals the USMNT had ever scored in a single World Cup match, and it set an electric tone for the tournament to come. However, Christian Pulisic, who was untouchable in the first half, was subbed off at halftime with an apparent calf injury.

The Americans followed that up with a composed 2-0 win over Australia in Seattle on June 19, with an own goal and Alex Freeman scoring, clinching their spot in the knockout rounds and, shortly after, their first group title since 2010. With qualification already secured, Pochettino rotated his squad heavily for the group finale against Türkiye, and the experimental lineup paid the price, falling 3-2 on a stoppage-time winner on June 25. Even in defeat, the U.S. closed the group stage with its highest point total and largest goal tally in tournament history. Pulisic was left on the bench for the victory over Australia and came on in the second half against Türkiye, showing signs of life and recovery.

The knockout rounds brought a new format wrinkle with an added round of 32, and with it, the USMNT's first win at that stage since 2002. On July 1, Balogun opened the scoring against Bosnia-Herzegovina before halftime, and after his red card sent him to the locker room early, Malik Tillman sealed the win with a stunning free kick. It marked just the third time in program history the U.S. had beaten a European opponent in a knockout match.

Then came the chaos. Balogun's suspension for the red card was controversially lifted by FIFA a day before the Belgium match, a reversal reportedly prompted by a call from President Trump to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Belgium's federation said it received no explanation for the decision, and manager Rudi Garcia said he initially thought the news was an "April Fools'" joke. The episode sparked a wave of pointed reactions across Europe after Belgium won the ensuing match.

That match arrived Monday, and it unraveled quickly. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice in the opening 33 minutes, sandwiching a deflected Tillman free kick that briefly tied the score. A second-half hesitation by goalkeeper Matt Freese gifted Belgium a third goal, and Romelu Lukaku added a fourth in stoppage time, sending the U.S. out 4-1 and prompting Belgium's Twitter account to post "Overturn this" afterward.

For all the disappointment, the run left plenty to build on. The U.S. won three World Cup matches for the first time ever, scored a tournament-record 11 goals, and gave Pochettino his first three victories as a World Cup manager. Tillman became the first American to score in consecutive knockout matches and just the second player on record with two direct free-kick goals in a single World Cup.

Still, questions linger about whether this generation—Pulisic, McKennie, Adams and the rest—can ever get past the round of 16, a wall the program has now hit in five of its nine World Cup appearances since 1990. As the buzz of a home tournament fades, the USMNT's next real test begins the long climb toward 2030.

Freese's Disaster Error

Goalkeeper's Costly Hesitation Proves Decisive in USMNT's Belgium Defeat

Matt Freese entered the World Cup as a relative unknown at the position, having only claimed the USMNT's starting goalkeeper job the previous year. He'd largely justified that trust through the tournament, including a sharp early save on a long-range Timothy Castagne attempt Monday night. But one moment in the 57th minute undid much of that good work.

With the U.S. trailing 2-1, Freese ventured well outside his box to intercept a long ball forward, initially reading the situation well and cushioning it down with his chest. That first touch actually wrong-footed Charles De Ketelaere, buying Freese a window to clear the danger. Instead, he hesitated over the ball, allowing De Ketelaere to recover and poke it away toward Hans Vanaken, who curled a shot from distance past a stranded Tim Ream and into the net with Freese nowhere near his goal.

The sequence proved decisive, effectively ending any hope of a U.S. comeback and setting up Romelu Lukaku's stoppage-time goal that sealed the 4-1 defeat. Belgium manager Rudi Garcia credited his team's pressing with forcing the mistake, saying afterward that his side pushed Freese into the error by playing aggressively up front.

Freese was candid in the aftermath, acknowledging his misjudgment while praising his teammates' effort. Asked about the specific moment, he explained that he felt De Ketelaere so close that he thought he was going to kick his leg, so he tried to get out of the way.

He didn't shy away from how much the moment stung personally, calling it one of the most painful experiences of his career, but he also expressed belief that the setback represents part of a longer journey for a U.S. program he sees continuing to build toward bigger things.

Tillman Over The Wall Again

Midfielder's Free-Kick Magic Becomes a USMNT Trademark

For the second straight match, Malik Tillman delivered exactly when the United States needed him most. The 24-year-old midfielder's equalizer against Belgium in the 31st minute wasn't just a highlight; it confirmed he's become the USMNT's most reliable set-piece weapon at this World Cup.

The goal came after Folarin Balogun drew a foul just outside the box, setting up the free-kick chance. Tillman stepped up, and his effort deflected off Belgian defender Hans Vanaken before finding the net, sending Lumen Field into a brief frenzy before Belgium regained the lead minutes later.

It was Tillman's second free-kick goal of the tournament, following a similarly decisive strike in the round of 32 against Bosnia-Herzegovina. That back-to-back feat put him in rare company, becoming just the second player in World Cup history to score twice from free kicks in a single tournament, joining France's Bernard Genghini from 1982.

The goal also extended a milestone run for the Americans, who found the net in all five of their matches at this World Cup, the first time the program has done so across an entire tournament. Born and developed in Germany, Tillman came up through Bayern Munich's youth system before spells in Scotland and the Netherlands. He now plays for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, notching eight goals this past season in all competitions.

Tillman didn't score his first international goal until last summer, when he found the net three times during the Gold Cup. His World Cup heroics have since pushed his USMNT tally to five career goals, a modest number that belies the outsized impact he's had in the moments that have mattered most for this American side.

American Horror Story

Belgium Ends USMNT's World Cup Dream, Then Rubs It In

The United States' bid for a historic quarterfinal run collapsed Monday night in Seattle, as Belgium dismantled the Americans 4-1 in a round-of-16 clash at Lumen Field. The result extended a difficult pattern for U.S. Soccer: this marks the fourth time in the last five World Cups the program has been eliminated at this same stage.

Charles De Ketelaere was the night's chief architect, scoring twice and setting up a third goal as Belgium exposed defensive breakdowns that had lingered as a concern throughout the tournament. Malik Tillman's deflected free kick briefly leveled the score at 1-1 in the 31st minute, continuing his knack for set-piece scoring, but Belgium answered within minutes to seize control for good. Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku added second-half goals, the former compounding a costly error from goalkeeper Matt Freese.

The buildup to the match had already been consumed by controversy. Folarin Balogun's red card from the Bosnia-Herzegovina game was lifted by FIFA just a day before kickoff, a decision that stunned Belgium's federation—manager Rudi Garcia said he initially believed it was an "April Fools'" joke. Balogun played the full match against Belgium before being subbed off in the 90th minute, but didn't factor into the scoring.

Belgium made sure the moment wasn't forgotten. After the win, the team posted an image of Lukaku celebrating with the caption "Overturn this," a pointed jab at the eligibility reversal. Another post played on the "soccer" versus "football" divide, crossing out the American term entirely.

For a USMNT team that had captured the country's attention with a group-stage title and a milestone knockout-round win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, the abrupt exit left a promising run feeling unfinished, and Belgium, advancing to face Spain, made sure to have the last word.

American History in the Knockout Rounds

Two Knockout-Round Victories and Looking for a Third

USMNT knockout-round history spans nearly a century of near-misses, one golden run, and now a chance at revenge in Seattle.

The story begins with the deepest run in program history. At the inaugural 1930 World Cup in Uruguay, the U.S. reached the semifinals before falling 6-1 to Argentina at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo—a result that, combined with the group stage, still stands as the best finish in USMNT history. Four years later, the run ended quickly: at the 1934 World Cup in Italy, the U.S. lost 7-1 to Italy in the Round of 16, a single-elimination format that offered no cushion for the young American program.

Decades of absence from the tournament followed before the U.S. returned as hosts in 1994. The Americans advanced past the group stage for the first time since 1930, before losing to eventual champions Brazil 1-0 in the Round of 16 at Stanford Stadium on the Fourth of July.

The program's high-water mark in the modern era came in 2002. The United States beat CONCACAF rival Mexico 2-0 in Jeonju, with Brian McBride and Landon Donovan scoring, sending the Americans to the quarterfinals. There, the quarterfinal against Germany ended 1-0, though German midfielder Torsten Frings clearly handled a shot on the goal line in a moment the referee missed entirely—a result that remains the deepest run by an American men's team in the modern tournament era. 

2010 brought another gut-punch. Ghana won in extra time after Asamoah Gyan broke a 1-1 deadlock, following Kevin-Prince Boateng's early opener and a Landon Donovan penalty equalizer. Four years later came the Tim Howard heroics against Belgium, a 2-1 extra-time loss defined by a record-setting goalkeeping performance. In 2022, the U.S. fell to the Netherlands 3-1 in the Round of 16 in Qatar.

Now, in 2026, the USMNT returns to the same round against the same Belgian opponent—this time as co-hosts in Seattle—with a chance to finally push past a stage that has defined, and often frustrated, this program for nearly a century.

12 Years For Revenge

After Elimination from the 2014 World Cup, the Americans Have Been Waiting for this Monday Rematch

The last time the USMNT faced Belgium on this stage, it suffered one of the most memorable losses in American soccer history, and Monday's rematch in Seattle carries the weight of unfinished business that is twelve years in the making.

Back in the 2014 Round of 16 in Salvador, Brazil, a heavily favored Belgian side dominated the run of play but couldn't find a way past goalkeeper Tim Howard, who turned in a legendary performance under coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Howard made 16 saves, still a World Cup record, keeping the U.S. level through 90 scoreless minutes despite Belgium controlling the game almost entirely. The dam finally broke in extra time, when Kevin De Bruyne scored in the 93rd minute before Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead in the 105th. Teenager Julian Green, on for his World Cup debut, volleyed home a stunning goal off a Michael Bradley assist to cut the deficit, and the Americans nearly completed a miraculous comeback when Clint Dempsey saw a close-range effort denied by Thibaut Courtois. Belgium held on, 2-1, ending the run of a USMNT team that had shocked observers by escaping the "Group of Death" ahead of Portugal.

That defeat became legend more for Howard's heroics than the result itself. President Obama even joked about nominating him as Secretary of Defense. But it also cemented a lopsided head-to-head record, with Belgium winning six of the last seven meetings between the countries.

12 years later, De Bruyne and Lukaku remain on Belgium's roster, but both are past their prime years, no longer the same players who tortured Howard in Brazil. Meanwhile, this USMNT group enters as something closer to an equal. Most oddsmakers list the Americans as slight favorites rather than the significant underdogs they were in 2014. For a program still chasing its best World Cup finish since 2002, avenging that Salvador heartbreak, this time on home soil, in a rocking Seattle atmosphere, would mean settling an old score while opening a new chapter entirely.

Belgium Preview

The European Side Comes into the Match Higher Ranked and Victors Over the Americans in March

Belgium arrives in Seattle as a side built on continuity and star power at the top of an aging core, ranked ninth in the world under manager Rudi Garcia and looking to improve on a 2022 campaign that ended without advancing past the group stage.

The Red Devils punched their ticket to this World Cup by winning their UEFA qualifying group outright, and their path through the tournament has been steadier than dramatic—until it wasn't. After drawing both Egypt and Iran to open Group G, Belgium found their form with a 5-1 rout of New Zealand to top the group. The Round of 32 brought real drama: a 3-2 extra-time win over Senegal that required overcoming real late-match pressure to advance.

At the center of that comeback was captain Youri Tielemans, who equalized in the 89th minute before converting the winning penalty in extra time. The Aston Villa midfielder now has 15 goals in 89 international appearances. Kevin De Bruyne, still directing play at 34 for Napoli after his long Manchester City career, remains the engine of this team; how much space he's afforded against a U.S. midfield of Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie could decide the match. And lurking is Romelu Lukaku, Belgium's all-time leading scorer with 92 goals, now used as a super sub but no less dangerous. He's scored in each of his last two appearances, including sparking the comeback against Senegal.

This is a program with pedigree, a third-place finish in 2018 and 15 total World Cup appearances, but also one whose golden generation is entering its final chapters. For the USMNT's back line of Chris Richards, Tim Ream and Alex Freeman, containing Lukaku's introduction off the bench may prove just as important as anything that happens in the run of play beforehand.

Pochettino's Eventful Weekend

The USMNT Celebrated Before Hosting Belgium on Monday

Mauricio Pochettino has spent the days leading into Monday's Round of 16 clash with Belgium immersed in the same full-hearted embrace of American life that's defined his tenure, and he'll enter the match with his full squad at his disposal after all.

The Argentine coach capped a whirlwind stretch of cultural assimilation with a ceremonial first pitch before Friday's Blue Jays-Mariners game at T-Mobile Park, having taken batting tips from goalkeeper Matt Turner beforehand. It capped a run that's included everything from a newfound country music obsession to leading "U-S-A" chants to celebrating Independence Day by wishing American reporters a "happy birthday." Yet for all his affection for his adopted home, Pochettino was unequivocal about his identity: "I am 200% Argentine. … I am 200% Argentino, sorry. I'm not going to lie, I'm not going to lie."

The relief of having Folarin Balogun available removes what looked like a genuine selection headache. The striker had been facing a one-match suspension after a controversial red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina—a call Pochettino himself dismissed as "a normal action that happened because by accident. … Never a red card." With Balogun back in the fold, Pochettino avoids having to choose between starting Ricardo Pepi or Haji Wright, or shifting Christian Pulisic into a more central attacking role.

Midfielder Tyler Adams had struck a confident tone about the group's ability to adjust regardless, saying the team has "been flexible" no matter who's asked to step up. Beyond the roster clarity, Pochettino continues framing the tournament in his signature terms—moonshots, belief, touching greatness—as the U.S. chases a first-ever multi-game knockout run at a home World Cup, with a quarterfinal date against Spain or Portugal awaiting the winner.

Balogun is Back

FIFA Suspends the Suspension, Allowing the Forward to Play on Monday

In a stunning turn on the eve of the USMNT's Round of 16 clash with Belgium, FIFA announced Sunday that Folarin Balogun's one-game suspension has been shelved, clearing the striker to play in Seattle.

The decision leans on the same disciplinary mechanism FIFA used to keep Cristiano Ronaldo available earlier in the tournament. Under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the governing body may suspend the implementation of a sanction and instead subject the player to a probationary period—in Balogun's case, one year. FIFA specified that "the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one [1] year."

U.S. Soccer confirmed its acceptance of the ruling in a statement, saying it was "pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow" and that the program's focus had shifted fully to Monday's match. President Donald Trump also weighed in, calling the reversal "a great injustice" being corrected.

The turnaround is notable given how firmly the suspension appeared to be locked in just days earlier—U.S. Soccer had confirmed as recently as Friday that the one-game ban would stand, with red cards carrying no formal right of appeal under tournament rules.

Balogun's red card came in the 64th minute of the U.S.'s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, after he scraped his boot down the ankle of defender Tarik Muharemovic while the two battled for the ball—a decision replay showed only after a VAR review reversed the referee's initial no-call. Balogun had scored the U.S.'s opening goal in that same match. Speaking Friday, before the reversal, he defended his positioning in the challenge: "If you played the game, you would understand there's scenarios that you simply can't avoid, and it has to be taken into context when it's being reviewed."

With Balogun back in the fold, the USMNT will look to advance to its first World Cup quarterfinal since 2002 when it faces Belgium Monday at 8 p.m. ET in Seattle.

Tillman's Stunning Free Kick

With a Bloody Sock, the Midfielder Had His World Cup Moment

Malik Tillman has quietly become one of the USMNT's most vital players at this World Cup, and Wednesday's 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina was his signature moment. With the Americans down to 10 men after Folarin Balogun's red card and clinging to a one-goal lead, Tillman stepped up in the 82nd minute and curled a free kick over the wall and past goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, becoming just the second player in USMNT history to score from a direct free kick at a World Cup, joining Eric Wynalda's famous 1994 strike.

The goal was no accident. Tillman has reportedly taken well over 100 free kicks in training during the tournament, working with a side-foot technique designed to make the ball knuckle and dip. He also played through pain, switching boots at a hydration break after a Bosnian opponent's stud tore through his cleat and sliced his foot.

Beyond the moment itself, the free kick capped a broader breakout run for the German-born midfielder, who helped set up Balogun's opening goal and has drawn praise from teammates for his all-around contributions. Captain Tim Ream called him one of the team's best performers, crediting his growth in confidence since last summer's Gold Cup. Tillman, known for his understated demeanor, said simply that the moment let him show "what I can do."

With Balogun suspended for the round-of-16 matchup against Belgium, Tillman's set-piece ability and increasingly complete game are expected to be central to the U.S.'s hopes of advancing.

Balogun's Goal and Red Card

Despite Scoring His Third of the Tournament, a Second-Half Dismissal Keeps Him Out for the Round of 16

Folarin Balogun's World Cup week has swung from euphoria to frustration and back to quiet dignity. The striker's 45th-minute finish against Bosnia and Herzegovina, his third goal of the tournament. put the U.S. ahead before a video review turned his night upside down. Referee Raphael Claus, prompted by VAR, ruled that Balogun's challenge on Tarik Muharemović constituted serious foul play, sending him off in the second half and triggering an automatic one-match ban that rules him out of Monday's round of 16 clash with Belgium.

Balogun has been open about his disagreement with the call, arguing the contact was unavoidable given the positioning and that a yellow card would have been the fairer outcome. Still, he's stressed there was no intent behind the challenge and said he has no choice but to accept the outcome and move forward.

What's stood out most, though, is how he's carried himself since. Balogun made a point of shaking the referee's hand after the final whistle rather than protesting, saying he felt a responsibility to model the right response for the young fans now watching the U.S. team's tournament run — many, he noted, tuning into American soccer for the first time.

He's described the week as an emotional roller coaster, torn between the high of scoring and the sting of the red card, but has tried to stay even-keeled and channel his energy into supporting teammates from the sideline. FIFA confirmed Friday his ban won't be extended, meaning he'd be available again should the U.S. reach the quarterfinals.

Big Win Over Bosnia

Americans Score One Goal in Each Half For The Team's First Knockout Round Victory in Over 20 Years

Ten-man USMNT clinched a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara on Wednesday, ending a 24-year drought without a World Cup knockout victory and keeping alive American hopes of a deep tournament run.

Folarin Balogun broke the deadlock just before halftime, poking home a loose ball after a scrambled sequence in the box for his third goal of the tournament—his earlier effort had been chalked off for offside, part of a frustrating first half in which Bosnia's compact defense and shirt-tugging tactics limited clean U.S. chances. Shortly after the restart, Balogun's night ended early. Referee Raphael Claus, prompted by a VAR review, ruled that his challenge on Tarik Muharemovic constituted serious foul play and issued a red card. Balogun will now sit out the round of 16 due to suspension.

Rather than wilt a man down, the Americans tightened up and held firm, with Malik Tillman delivering the decisive blow in the 82nd minute, a curling free kick that beat the wall and goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj to seal the result.

The victory also snapped a 10-game skid against European teams and sets up a rematch with Belgium, the side that eliminated the U.S. in the 2014 World Cup Round of 16.

"I felt we put on such a good performance and didn't deserve the red card," Pulisic said, "but for us to dig in deep like that... it took a real team effort."

Coach Mauricio Pochettino praised his group's resolve, saying, "They are the heroes."

U.S. Versus Bosnia: A Soccer History

The Americans Will Play Their Fourth Match Against the European Nation and Hope to Remain Unbeaten

The rivalry between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina is short on history but long on drama, and Wednesday marks the first time the two nations will meet in competitive play.

Their series opener, a friendly in Sarajevo in August 2013, delivered one of the more memorable American performances of that era. The U.S. fell behind 2-0 at halftime, with Edin Džeko and Vedad Ibišević—the latter a Saint Louis University alum who had become one of Bosnia's most reliable strikers—doing the damage. What followed was a stunning second-half revival. Jozy Altidore, in the form of his life during a summer that saw him score in five consecutive appearances, orchestrated the comeback nearly single-handedly. Eddie Johnson cut the deficit, and then Altidore took over, completing a hat-trick that included a precise left-footed finish, a free kick from just outside the box, and a nimble one-on-one finish after a perfectly weighted ball from Michael Bradley. Final score: 4-3, the first time the U.S. had ever come back from a multi-goal deficit on European soil to win.

The next two meetings came on American turf, both in Carson, California, and both were far quieter affairs. A January 2018 friendly, used largely to evaluate domestic-based fringe players, ended scoreless. Nearly four years later, in December 2021, Cole Bassett's 89th-minute goal gave the U.S. a 1-0 win that sealed a then-record 17 victories in a single calendar year for the program.

Three meetings, two American wins, one draw. Now, for the first time, something is actually on the line.

Bosnia is the Next Test

 After Sneaking Out of the Group in Third Place, Bosnia is a Tricky Opponent

Bosnia and Herzegovina arrive in Santa Clara as underdogs, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

The Dragons earned their place in the Round of 32 the hard way, navigating a turbulent group stage that included a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Switzerland before bouncing back with a 3-1 win over Qatar that clinched their spot as one of the tournament's best third-place finishers. It's only their second World Cup appearance, and already they've gone further than they did in Brazil in 2014. For a side that also failed to qualify for the two tournaments that followed, Wednesday night represents something genuinely historic.

They didn't arrive here by accident, either. Bosnia famously eliminated Italy in qualifying to punch their ticket to this World Cup—a result that underscored the belief running through Sergej Barbarez's squad. That belief hasn't wavered despite the prospect of playing on American soil before a packed, partisan crowd. "We will be extremely relieved, and we will try to take on any team that comes our way," Barbarez said after the Qatar win.

Their blueprint is familiar: defensively structured, dangerous on the counter. The wing pairing of Esmir Bajraktarević and Kerim Alajbegović, products of PSV and Bayer Leverkusen, respectively, gives Bosnia genuine pace and width in transition, while 40-year-old Edin Džeko, still searching for his first goal of this tournament, remains a constant aerial threat.

Center-back Tarik Muharemović returns from suspension after missing the Qatar match, shoring up a backline that will need to be disciplined for 90 minutes if Bosnia is to pull off one of the tournament's early upsets.

U.S. Ready for the Knockout Round

After a Defeat in the Final Group Stage Match, Americans Need to Come Out on the Front Foot

The knockout rounds are here, and the U.S. Men's National Team is ready to meet them, even if the weight of the moment hasn't fully landed yet.

"Would it be weird if I told you I don't really feel too much pressure at this minute?" captain Tim Ream said Monday ahead of the team's departure from Southern California for the Bay Area. "I just think there's so much pressure that we put on ourselves. It feels very different this time around than 2022."

Wednesday's Round of 32 opponent is Bosnia and Herzegovina, who punched through as one of the best third-place finishers after a 3-1 win over Qatar left them with four points. For the Dragons, it's just their second World Cup appearance; they didn't survive the group stage in Brazil in 2014. Coach Sergej Barbarez wasn't rattled by the draw, though. "We are confident enough to face anyone," he said.

The U.S. arrives as Group D winners, having dispatched Paraguay and Australia in convincing fashion before rotating heavily in a dead-rubber loss to Türkiye. That record against European opposition—no wins in 13 consecutive matches against UEFA nations—lingers in the background, the kind of statistical ghost that tends to follow a team into a knockout bracket.

Bosnia's structure figures to be compact. They attempted the third-fewest passes into opponent boxes of any advancing team across three group games, leaning on width and the aerial presence of veteran striker Edin Džeko. Gio Reyna, who played his longest stretch since December against Türkiye, is the type of puzzle-solver the U.S. will need to crack a disciplined defensive shape. Kickoff is Wednesday at Levi's Stadium.

Pochettino Unfazed

Manager Pleased With Group Win, Despite Loss in Final Match

Mauricio Pochettino wasn't going to let a last-second loss ruin his mood, even if he had a hard time hiding his irritation with the media afterward.

Speaking at his postgame press conference following the 3-2 defeat to Turkey on Thursday, Pochettino pushed back sharply on questions suggesting the result could dent the Americans' momentum heading into the Round of 32. He pointed out that Germany also lost their final group game and questioned what "momentum" even means in this context.

"I think it's all positive, and I am so positive, and I am happy," Pochettino said. "Maybe I am not showing because your questions are a little bit weird, but I am so happy, and the players are happy because I think we perform, we compete, and we are first."

He also noted, more than once, that nobody in the room had congratulated him for winning Group D. "Sorry guys, we won," he said before standing and leaving.

His rotation strategy was entirely deliberate. With first place already secured before kickoff, Pochettino made nine changes from the side that beat Australia, resting key players like Chris Richards and Folarin Balogun while shielding Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson from yellow card accumulation ahead of Wednesday's match with Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also used the match to give Christian Pulisic meaningful minutes following the calf injury that had sidelined him since the Paraguay opener.

Reports from ESPN, meanwhile, indicate that Pochettino and U.S. Soccer have had positive preliminary discussions about a contract extension through the 2030 World Cup, though no decision is expected until the tournament concludes.

Knockout Round Awaits

History Shows The U.S. Has Struggled After Surviving the Group Stage

For most of its history, the United States men's national team has been a group-stage survivor at best, and Thursday's defeat to Turkey was a reminder of how far the program has come, even as it raised familiar questions about what happens when the knockout rounds begin.

The U.S. has appeared in twelve World Cups, but the resume is thin when it comes to advancing. The Americans made the semifinals in the inaugural 1930 tournament, still their best-ever finish, and famously knocked off England in 1950, but were then absent from the competition entirely until 1990. Of the eight tournaments they've entered since returning, they advanced from the group stage five times: 1994, 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2022.

Knockout success, however, has been rare. The U.S. has won exactly one knockout match in its history—a 2-0 victory over Mexico in the 2002 quarterfinals, before falling to Germany in the next round. Every other knockout appearance has ended in defeat, including losses to Brazil, Ghana, Belgium and the Netherlands.

That context makes 2026 feel different. The U.S. won Group D with two wins before the Turkey match, the first time in their history they'd clinched top spot before the final group game. They've scored eight goals in the group stage alone, setting their all-time record for goals in a World Cup. And they've done it on home soil, in front of crowds that have turned every match into a genuine spectacle.

Now comes the part that has always tripped them up. Bosnia and Herzegovina await Wednesday in Santa Clara.

Türkiye Beats U.S.

Group Winners Fall to the Last-Place Team in Final Group Stage Match

Kaan Ayhan's stoppage-time strike handed Türkiye a 3-2 victory over the United States on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium, spoiling what had been a compelling comeback by Mauricio Pochettino's side in a group stage finale that carried little consequence for the Americans.

The U.S. had already clinched Group D with wins over Paraguay and Australia, and Pochettino reflected that by rotating nine starters for the contest. The move paid dividends in the opening minutes when Auston Trusty volleyed home in the third minute to send the sellout Los Angeles crowd into a frenzy—the Americans' seventh goal of the tournament, tying their all-time World Cup scoring record.

Türkiye answered quickly, though. Arda Güler and Orkun Kökçü struck in the first half to flip the scoreboard, with Güler, the 21-year-old Real Madrid standout, involved in both goals. Sebastian Berhalter restored parity just after the break with a thunderous effort from distance, setting up a frantic final half hour.

The most anticipated moment of the night came in the 58th minute, when Christian Pulisic checked in for his first action since leaving the Paraguay opener with a calf injury. The AC Milan midfielder was electric immediately, creating chances and nearly scoring before a 63rd-minute effort rattled the post. Brenden Aaronson couldn't convert the rebound.

In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Can Uzun found space at the back post and laid the ball across for Ayhan to slide home the winner—a gut-punch finish that snapped the Americans' perfect record heading into their Round of 32 date with Bosnia and Herzegovina next Wednesday.

U.S. vs Turkiye: A Soccer History

All Five Matches Between the Two Nations Have Been Close Contests

Thursday's group finale at SoFi Stadium will mark just the sixth all-time meeting between the United States and Turkey, a rivalry that, while brief, has produced no shortage of drama across three decades.

The two nations first met in September 1991, when Frank Klopas earned the Americans a 1-1 draw in Istanbul. Their most consequential clash came at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Turkey handed the U.S. a 2-1 group-stage defeat. DaMarcus Beasley provided the lone American goal on the way to the USMNT's early elimination from the competition.

The Americans then strung together back-to-back friendly victories. Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey scored in a 2-1 win in Philadelphia ahead of the 2010 World Cup, and Dempsey joined Fabian Johnson on the scoresheet for another 2-1 result at Red Bull Arena in 2014.

The most recent meeting came just last summer, a tightly contested friendly in which Jack McGlynn struck in the opening minute before Turkey rallied to win 2-1.

That leaves the all-time series perfectly deadlocked at two wins, two losses and a draw apiece. Both nations also have significant World Cup history—Turkey's remarkable third-place finish in 2002 and the USMNT's consistent presence on the global stage—making Thursday's dead rubber a chance to tip the balance.

Turkiye Eliminated

Expected to Get Out of Group D, Turkiye Eliminated Before Their Final Group Stage Match

Turkiye arrives in Los Angeles on Thursday as a team already heading home, eliminated after two matches, scoreless, and still searching for answers.

The Crescent Stars entered their first World Cup in 24 years, riding enormous expectations, buoyed by a golden generation anchored by Real Madrid's Arda Guler and Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz. Instead, they produced one of the tournament's most bewildering collapses. Across defeats to Australia and Paraguay, Turkey launched 62 total shots without finding the net—the most by any team in a two-match span without scoring since records began in 1966.

Against Paraguay on Friday, Turkey mustered 32 attempts and faced a man-down opposition for more than 45 minutes, yet still fell 1-0 to Matias Galarza's stunning opener just 70 seconds in. A Mert Muldur header that struck the crossbar and post in the 35th minute was the closest they came.

"We tried very hard, but it didn't work," Guler said afterward. "Everybody's sad, everybody's crying."

Coach Vincenzo Montella's rigid 4-2-3-1 system was consistently decoded by opponents, and his reluctance to adapt proved costly. For the USMNT, Thursday's dead rubber represents a low-stakes audition for fringe players, and one final tune-up before the knockout stage begins.

A Manager's Plan

Pochettino's Patience Pays Off as USMNT Silences Doubters

A year ago, Mauricio Pochettino faced calls for his job. Now, after a 2-0 win over Australia sent the United States to the World Cup knockout stage with a game to spare for the first time in tournament history, the Argentine coach is being celebrated as the architect of something genuinely special.

Pochettino arrived in late 2024 carrying an elite résumé, having led Tottenham to its only Champions League final and won league and cup titles at Paris Saint-Germain while managing some of the world's best players. Landing him was considered a coup for U.S. Soccer. But results soured quickly: losses to Panama and Canada at the 2025 Nations League finals, followed by a damaging defeat to South Korea in September, fueled growing frustration among fans and pundits alike.

Pochettino stood by his group throughout, then closed out 2025 on a five-game unbeaten run capped by a lopsided win over Uruguay. Still, defeats to Belgium and Portugal in March reignited criticism just before he named his 26-man World Cup roster.

Through it all, his players never wavered. Goalkeeper Matt Freese said the squad maintained total belief in Pochettino's process even at the lowest points, while defender Chris Richards pointed to the coach's track record and the passion the team has tried to channel from him.

That faith has been vindicated in Seattle, where fans chanted Pochettino's name after Friday's win, and he called the support from nearly 70,000 fans amazing. With the Americans now unbeaten through two group games and into the knockout rounds, the narrative around Pochettino has flipped entirely—from a coach on the hot seat to one whose long-term vision is finally being realized on the sport's biggest stage.

Freese Quietly Steady

Though Undertested in the First Two Matches, Goalkeeper Holding Strong as USMNT's World Cup Run Continues

Through two World Cup matches, Matt Freese has done exactly what's been asked of him: very little, and done it well.

The New York City FC goalkeeper made history simply by stepping onto the field against Paraguay on June 12, becoming the first active MLS player to start a World Cup match in net for the U.S., and the first Harvard alumnus ever to appear in a men's World Cup. He played the full match in that 4-1 win, facing only two shots on target and conceding once, a workload kept light by a U.S. backline of Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Alex Freeman and Antonee Robinson that gave Paraguay little room to operate.

Five days later against Australia, Freese was barely tested again, recording two saves in a 2-0 victory that clinched the Americans' spot in the knockout rounds with a match to spare. The clean sheet marked his second straight World Cup start, with the U.S. controlling play from the opening whistle behind an early own goal and a first-half header from Freeman.

There's been little drama in Freese's tournament so far—no costly errors, no moments of real peril, just a composed, low-event presence behind a defense that has done much of the heavy lifting. That precision tracks with his background: Freese, the son of a neurosurgeon and nephew of a theoretical astrophysicist, even penned an analytical research paper on penalty kicks while at Harvard, once describing goalkeeping as a matter of "maximizing the surface area of the goal that you can cover at any given point."

With his World Cup debut now behind him, Freese's next test arrives June 25 against Türkiye, as the U.S. looks to close out Group D play, though Freese may be rotated out for Matt Turner ahead of the knockout round.

Freeman's Rapid Rise

An Eventful 18 Months for the Defender Culminate in World Cup Goal

A year and a half ago, Alex Freeman didn't have a single cap for the U.S. men's national team. On Friday in Seattle, he scored the goal that sealed the Americans' place in the World Cup knockout rounds.

Freeman's header, finishing off a deflected Sergiño Dest shot, was initially flagged offside before video review confirmed he'd timed his run correctly. As the goal was awarded, Freeman sprinted to celebrate with teammates gathered on the opposite side of the field. He later explained he'd planned to celebrate elsewhere before Cristian Roldan and others waved him over, joking he nearly bolted for the corner flag instead.

It capped a whirlwind year for the 21-year-old, who made just his 19th international appearance Friday after debuting with Orlando City's academy and breaking into the first team in 2022. A $7 million move to La Liga side Villarreal followed in January. Reflecting on the pace of his ascent, Freeman admitted it's been difficult to fully process, saying he's adjusting to a "fast pace at such a young age."

Coach Mauricio Pochettino credited much of Freeman's development to his time under former Orlando City coach Oscar Pareja, calling Freeman an eager, coachable presence the staff has thoroughly enjoyed working with, and suggested the young defender could become one of the world's best at his position.

The son of former NFL receiver Antonio Freeman, Alex has been careful to carve out his own identity, saying his father's success shows him that he, too, can find greatness in his own way. He grew emotional during the national anthem before kickoff, reflecting on years of work culminating in that moment in front of a home crowd loud enough to register seismic activity after his goal—a fitting exclamation point on his breakout tournament.

Own-Goal Luck

USMNT's Own-Goal Total Carries Deep World Cup Roots

The U.S. men's national team made history at the 2026 World Cup by becoming the first squad ever to open the scoring via an own goal in back-to-back matches—both the product of relentless American pressure rather than chance.

Against Paraguay on June 12, midfielder Damián Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net just seven minutes in, setting the tone for a 4-1 U.S. win. A week later against Australia, Folarin Balogun surged down the left and fired a dangerous cross into the box that Cameron Burgess could only deflect past his own goalkeeper, opening a 2-0 American victory built on heavy pressing and 75% possession.

The pair of own goals pushed the Americans' all-time World Cup total to five, placing them second behind only France in goals gifted by opponents' own players.

It's not the first time fortune has smiled on the U.S. in this fashion. At the 1994 World Cup on home soil, Colombian defender Andrés Escobar inadvertently redirected a U.S. cross into his own net, helping the Americans to a stunning 2-1 win over Colombia in Pasadena—a result that preceded the tragic murder of Escobar back in Medellín. Own goals have also factored into other landmark U.S. results, including the 2002 upset of Portugal, when a deflection off Jorge Costa contributed to an early 3-0 lead in a 3-2 victory, and the chaotic, three-red-card 2006 draw with Italy, leveled by a Cristian Zaccardo own goal.

Taken together, the pattern stretches back more than three decades, reinforcing a recurring thread in American World Cup history: aggressive, high-pressure soccer that has repeatedly forced opposing defenders into costly, self-inflicted mistakes at the game's biggest stage.

U.S. Roll Past Australia

Americans Punch Ticket to Knockouts Without Pulisic

The United States didn't need Christian Pulisic to keep its World Cup surge alive. Missing its biggest star due to a calf injury, the Americans dispatched Australia 2-0 in Seattle on Friday, clinching a spot in the knockout round with a group-stage match still to play.

It's the first time since 1930 that the U.S. men have won consecutive World Cup matches, and the formula looked familiar. Folarin Balogun beat his man down the left in the 11th minute and whipped in a cross that Australia's Cameron Burgess could only turn into his own net—the second straight match the Americans have benefited from an early own goal. Alex Freeman, the 21-year-old son of former NFL receiver Antonio Freeman, doubled the lead just before halftime, heading home a deflected Sergiño Dest strike after a lengthy video review confirmed the goal stood.

Ricardo Pepi stepped into the lineup in Pulisic's absence and helped anchor the American press, while the midfield trio of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman controlled the tempo throughout a physical, foul-heavy contest. Australia coach Tony Popovic later admitted his side struggled to match the Americans' pace and intensity early on.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino praised Freeman's rapid development, saying the young defender has the tools to become elite at his position, and credited the team's overall approach for the result. Pulisic, who has battled the calf issue since before the tournament opener, remains questionable for the U.S.'s final group game, though the team says his injury is trending in the right direction.

With the win, the Americans need just a draw in their next match to secure the top spot in Group D and a more favorable path through the knockout rounds—a milestone moment for a program hoping to ride this momentum deep into the tournament on home soil.

U.S. vs Australia: a Soccer History

Friday Will Be The Fifth Meeting Between The Two Nations

Friday's Group D showdown in Seattle will mark the first time the United States and Australia have ever met on a World Cup stage, but it's far from their first encounter.

The two sides have crossed paths four times across three decades, all in non-competitive settings, with the Americans holding a 2-1-1 (WDL) advantage in the all-time series. Their first meeting came in Orlando in 1992, a 1-0 Australian victory that remains the Socceroos' only win in the rivalry. The nations reconvened six years later in San Jose, playing to a scoreless draw in 1998 before the series went dormant for over a decade.

The next chapter arrived in Roodepoort, South Africa, just days before the 2010 World Cup opened. The USMNT rolled to a 3-1 win, with Edson Buddle bagging a brace and Herculez Gomez adding a third to send an emphatic message ahead of the tournament.

The most recent meeting, last October in Commerce City, Colorado, set the tone for what's brewing in Seattle. It was a physical, combative affair — Pulisic was forced off early after absorbing a series of hard tackles, prompting Pochettino to push his side to match Australia's intensity. Haji Wright answered with a brace and Cristian Roldan orchestrated the attack with two assists, completing a 2-1 comeback win. Notably, 17 of the 24 players on that matchday squad earned spots on Pochettino's final World Cup roster, meaning Friday's clash carries institutional memory on both benches.

The stakes have never been higher between these two teams.

Pulisic Update

Winger Still Training Individually Ahead of Australia Clash

With less than 24 hours to kickoff against Australia, Christian Pulisic's status remains the central question hovering over the USMNT camp in Seattle.

The AC Milan winger first injured his left calf in training before the tournament and aggravated it before he was subbed off at halftime of Friday's 4-1 win over Paraguay. He has yet to return to full training with the group, instead spending the week rehabbing with the team's medical staff. Wednesday marked a small step forward — Pulisic walked to join a pre-warmup huddle before heading into the gym, and later emerged to do light ball work on the field with a trainer. He did not sit. He was not on the main pitch with his teammates. The spokesperson confirmed he didn't take the field at all on Tuesday, making Wednesday's activity an improvement.

Concern is growing. As a point of comparison, defender Chris Richards, who dealt with an ankle issue heading into the tournament, had already returned to full training at this same point in the week before the opener.

Teammates have been measured in their optimism. Antonee Robinson offered a diplomatic read when asked about the situation: "We've still got a couple of days to see where he is at. Thankfully, we've got a lot of boys on the bench eager and ready to get involved."

If Pulisic can't go, Mauricio Pochettino's most likely options include Giovanni Reyna, Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson and Alejandro Zendejas — each capable, none a true like-for-like replacement for the team's best player.

Don’t Sleep on the Socceroos

Coming Off Their Win Over Türkiye, the Aussie Prepare for the Americans

Entering the 2026 World Cup widely dismissed, with American pundits labeling them a "lay-up" and predicting they'd finish dead last in Group D, Australia silenced the noise in emphatic fashion on matchday one, stunning Turkey 2-0 in Vancouver to pull level with the United States at the top of the group standings.

Tony Popovic's side did it the hard way. Australia surrendered 72 percent of possession and absorbed 30 shots, yet never buckled. The hero was 22-year-old goalkeeper Patrick Beach, who delivered eight saves in his competitive national team debut, embodying the kind of low-block defensive resilience that has become the Socceroos' calling card. The goals came on the counter with Nestory Irankunda, 20, becoming Australia's youngest-ever World Cup scorer, before Connor Metcalfe added a second in the second half.

Those two names are central to Australia's attacking threat Friday. Irankunda is a volatile, explosive presence whose pace and ability to beat defenders in tight spaces makes him a genuine danger on the break. Up top, Mohamed Touré, who netted nine goals in 11 Championship matches for Norwich after a January move, brings a clinical edge that belies his age.

Tactically, Popovic deploys a compact 3-4-2-1 that prioritizes defensive organization and transitions. Left wing-back Jordan Bos, one of the Eredivisie's standout fullbacks, provides the primary outlet going forward, and scored the opener the last time these teams met, in a Colorado friendly last October that the USMNT eventually won 2-1.

A team built to make your life difficult, this is no gimme.

Pochettino’s Stunning World Cup Start

After Months of Tinkering, the USMNT Finally Looked Like It is Fulfilling Its Potential

Mauricio Pochettino's blueprint came together perfectly in the USMNT's 4-1 demolition of Paraguay, with the performance offering the clearest evidence yet of the attacking identity he has worked to build since taking over.

Rather than channeling everything through one outlet, the U.S. attacked from multiple directions, stretching Paraguay both wide and in behind their backline. Christian Pulisic was at the center of it, repeatedly isolating defenders down the left with his speed and dribbling, while also drifting infield to link with Weston McKennie and help the Americans overload central areas. Paraguay right back Juan Caceres had a miserable night trying to contain him, picking up an early yellow card out of sheer desperation.

The dominance wasn't built on individual moments alone. McKennie and Malik Tillman helped create numbers in midfield, while Sergiño Dest, though slower to get going, eventually made his mark with a pair of driving runs that turned defense into attack in an instant. And when Folarin Balogun finished off a defense-splitting ball from Tillman just before halftime, it showed the U.S. could hurt Paraguay through the middle just as easily as out wide.

With Paraguay's Julio Enciso and Antonio Sanabria starved of service and forced into low-quality chances, the U.S. controlled the game's territory and tempo for long stretches. After the first half effectively settled the contest, Pochettino began making changes, pulling Pulisic at the break and later subbing off Balogun and Dest, a sign he was already managing his squad with Australia looming on June 19.

The attacking intent never wavered, though. Even after Paraguay clawed one back, the U.S. carved out another chance late, capped by Gio Reyna's finish. For Pochettino, the result wasn't just three points, it was validation of the system he's been building.

Reyna’s Redemption

Playmaker Scored on a Audacious Attempt, Bringing the 2022 Drama Full Circle

Gio Reyna provided the perfect exclamation point to the USMNT's World Cup opener, and the moment carried meaning well beyond the scoreline.

Entering as an 82nd-minute substitute for Malik Tillman, Reyna needed just 16 minutes to make his mark. With the U.S. already cruising and deep into stoppage time, the team strung together a sweeping move that carried the ball from end to end without a single Paraguayan touch. Alex Freeman slid a pass to Reyna at the edge of the box, and with two touches to set himself up, he curled a trivela, struck with the outside of his right foot, past goalkeeper Orlando Gill and into the far corner. It was his first World Cup goal and the 10th of his international career, and it sent Pochettino sprinting down the touchline to join the celebration.

Reyna marked the occasion by tucking the ball under his jersey and sucking his thumb, the traditional gesture for an expectant father. He revealed afterward that his wife, Chloe, is pregnant with the couple's first child, news he'd been sitting on for a couple of months while waiting for the right moment. He credited Chloe and his parents, former USMNT players Claudio and Danielle, with pushing him to be more aggressive and take more chances when the opportunity arises.

The goal also represented a measure of redemption. Reyna arrived at this tournament as one of Pochettino's more debated selections, having struggled for minutes at his German club and carrying baggage from the drama that overshadowed his role at the 2022 World Cup. Teammates, however, weren't surprised by the quality. Pulisic noted that Reyna shows that kind of skill in training regularly, adding that it was rewarding to see him produce it on the biggest stage.

For Reyna, the explanation was simple: he reacted instinctively, recognized the angle to the far post and let it fly.

Balogun Shines

Forward Scored Twice, Showing Why He Committed to the U.S.

Folarin Balogun delivered the kind of World Cup debut American soccer fans have long dreamed of, scoring twice in the U.S.'s 4-1 demolition of Paraguay to become the first USMNT player with a multi-goal World Cup match since 1930.

Both goals showcased different facets of his game. The first came from a clinical first-time finish off a Pulisic cross, while the second, just before halftime, saw him hold off a defender, cut inside another and curl a shot into the top corner. Pulisic raved about his teammate afterward, saying Balogun is "lethal right now in front of the goal" and praising not just the finishing but his ability to battle center backs and win fouls. When Balogun was substituted in the 71st minute, the crowd gave him a standing ovation.

Balogun's path to this moment has been unconventional. Born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents, he moved to London within weeks of his birth and grew up entirely in England, becoming a standout in Arsenal's academy and representing England at the under-21 level. He was also eligible for Nigeria. But after struggling to break into Arsenal's first team, loan spells in France revived his career, and in 2023, he made the surprising decision to commit his international future to the United States.

Balogun has said the choice felt natural, calling it a "no-brainer" and describing the support from American fans as a major motivating factor in repaying that faith. His mother reportedly had long hoped he'd choose the U.S., a wish tied to circumstances around his birth in New York.

Since switching, Balogun has scored 11 goals in 28 USMNT appearances. Asked about his expectations heading into the tournament, he admitted that even his imagined debut didn't match what actually happened on the field Friday night.

Pulisic’s Strong First Half

Winger Leads the Americans to Victory With a Splendid First 45 Minutes

Christian Pulisic was the catalyst behind the USMNT's emphatic 4-1 win over Paraguay in its World Cup opener, even though he didn't make it through the full match.

For the 45 minutes he was on the field, Pulisic was a constant problem for Paraguay's defense. He set up the opening goal in the seventh minute, slicing between two defenders before feeding Weston McKennie, whose pass deflected into the net off a Paraguay midfielder. Pulisic then drew a yellow card with a burst of speed, had a setup for Balogun wiped out by an offside call, and finally delivered the assist that counted, driving down the left flank in the 31st minute to tee up Balogun's opening goal.

By halftime, with the U.S. holding a commanding 3-0 lead, coach Mauricio Pochettino opted not to take any chances. Pulisic had been struggling to loosen up his left calf and was unable to properly warm up for the second half, so he was replaced by Sebastian Berhalter. Pochettino said the decision came together quickly, noting it was a late call but that things looked better by the time the substitution was made. He added that Pulisic had taken a kick to the area two days before the match and that the hope is it won't become a bigger issue, with optimism he'll be ready for the next game.

Pulisic downplayed the injury afterward, saying he took a knock early in the match and is hopeful it's nothing serious. He described the move as a precaution, pointed to having dealt with similar situations before, and said he's staying positive that he'll be fine within a few days.

With a full week before the U.S. faces Australia on June 19 in Seattle, there's time for Pulisic's calf to settle. After a performance that showed him at his sharpest, his health will be one of the top storylines heading into the next match.

Americans Dominate

The U.S. Came Out Firing, Rolling Past Paraguay to Open the World Cup

The United States opened its home World Cup campaign in spectacular fashion, dismantling Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium in front of 70,492 fans on Friday night, putting on a performance that lived up to the glitz of its Inglewood surroundings.

The breakthrough came early. In the seventh minute, Christian Pulisic split a pair of defenders with a sharp dribble and found Weston McKennie, whose pass deflected off Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla and rolled into the net for an own goal. It was the kind of fortunate bounce that can go either way early in a match, but the Americans made sure it set the tone rather than becoming a footnote.

From there, Folarin Balogun took over. The Monaco striker, making his World Cup debut, doubled the lead in the 31st minute by finishing off another driving run from Pulisic. Then, with the first half winding down, Malik Tillman sent a long ball forward for Balogun, who shook off a challenge and curled a left-footed strike into the top corner. It marked the first multi-goal performance by a U.S. player at the World Cup since Bert Patenaude's hat trick against Paraguay in 1930.

Pulisic didn't return for the second half, replaced by Sebastian Berhalter, though he appeared to wave off concerns to family members in the stands. Without him, the U.S. attack lost some of its rhythm, and Paraguay capitalized in the 73rd minute when a scrambled clearance led to a goal from substitute Mauricio.

The Americans had the final word, though. Gio Reyna, on as a late substitute, curled a shot with the outside of foot inside the far post in stoppage time for his first World Cup goal, sealing the 4-1 final and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

The result puts the U.S. atop Group D ahead of its next match against Australia on June 19 in Seattle.

Roster Recap

Each Player Described in 10 Words or Less

#1 Matt Turner — Veteran presence, reliable shot-stopper, strong in the air.

#2 Sergiño Dest — Versatile, attack-minded wing-back with European pedigree.

#3 Chris Richards — Defensive anchor, U.S. Soccer's 2025 male player of the year.

#4 Tyler Adams — Defensive engine, tenacious ball-winner, former Qatar captain.

#5 Antonee Robinson — Explosive left wing-back, capable of stunning attacking moments.

#6 Auston Trusty — Celtic's dependable defender, brings physicality and composure.

#7 Gio Reyna — Mercurial talent when healthy, capable of match-winning brilliance.

#8 Weston McKennie — Box-to-box warrior, brings goals and intensity from Juventus.

#9 Ricardo Pepi — Physical PSV striker, proven scorer with a nose for goal.

#10 Christian Pulisic — Captain America, the team's talisman and greatest threat.

#11 Brenden Aaronson — High-energy presser, dangles creativity. Chaos merchant.

#12 Miles Robinson — Aerial threat, competing to start alongside Ream.

#13 Tim Ream — Captain, 38-year-old veteran, composed and excellent in possession.

#14 Sebastian Berhalter — Young midfielder, disciplined and positionally smart. Dead-ball specialist.

#15 Cristian Roldan — Dependable, hardworking option, knows these venues intimately.

#16 Alex Freeman — Young Villarreal defender, athletic and quickly developing.

#17 Malik Tillman — Creative, technically gifted Leverkusen midfielder with big-game experience.

#18 Max Arfsten — Versatile domestic option with surprising attacking output.

#19 Haji Wright — Powerful, unpredictable forward with a knack for big moments.

#20 Folarin Balogun — Clinical Monaco striker, the No. 9 the U.S. has craved.

#21 Timothy Weah — Pacey Marseille winger, son of a legend, danger on the break.

#22 Mark McKenzie — Intelligent center-back, vocal leader with Toulouse experience.

#23 Joe Scally — Young, technically sound right-back based in Germany.

#24 Matt Freese — Likely starter, still proving himself at the international level.

#25 Chris Brady — One-cap youngster, Chicago Fire's rising shot-stopping talent.

#26 Alejandro Zendejas — Club América winger, brings flair and an X-factor option.

U.S. Versus Paraguay: A Soccer History

A Rivalry Forged in 1930: The History Between the USMNT and Paraguay

When the United States and Paraguay kick off Friday night in Los Angeles, it will mark the latest chapter in a rivalry that stretches back nearly a century—one defined by memorable moments, unexpected upsets and a healthy dose of competitive fire.

The story begins at the very first World Cup in 1930, when Bert Patenaude etched his name into the history books by scoring the competition's first-ever hat-trick, lifting the U.S. to a 3-0 group stage victory. It remains one of the most historically significant individual performances in American soccer history.

The two nations wouldn't cross paths again for 67 years. When they finally did, in a 1997 friendly in St. Louis, neither side could find the net in a scoreless draw. A second friendly followed in 1998, this one ending 2-2 with Chad Deering and Marcelo Balboa on the scoresheet for the U.S. Then in 2003, Landon Donovan and Earnie Stewart combined to power a comfortable 2-0 American win.

Paraguay got its revenge in the 2007 Copa América group stage, handing the U.S. a 3-1 defeat—their first loss in the series. They followed it up with a 1-0 friendly win in 2011, briefly flipping the momentum in the rivalry.

But the U.S. has dominated since. Clint Dempsey's lone goal won a 2016 Copa América group-stage meeting; Bobby Wood converted a penalty in a 1-0 victory in 2018; and, most recently, Gio Reyna and Folarin Balogun, both on this World Cup roster, each scored in a 2-1 friendly win last November.

The all-time record stands at 5-2-2 (WDL) in favor of the United States. Friday night, both sides will be eager to add another memorable line to the ledger.