SAN JOSE, Calif. — The time is now.
Now to push the momentum of this tournament. Now to raise the level of the U.S. men’s national team program. Now to reward the American fans who have dreamed of a team and a month and a chance just like this one.
Now to make history.
“This group,” Gio Reyna said, “deserves something special.”
It does. The old sports adage that success is when preparation and opportunity meet has never felt more meaningful for an American men’s team: The U.S. has its most talented roster of players. Its most successful coach. A favorable draw. And a home FIFA World Cup, where it is literally experiencing the most frenzied and widespread support it has ever known. (Chris Richards said his daughter told him that even the children’s entertainer Blippi recently put out national team content.)
“In my experience, the best way to break history,” striker Folarin Balogun said, “is not to think about what hasn’t been done, but just think about what you need to do. That’s the winning mentality.”
Balogun, of course, will be critical. He scored two goals and created a third in two group stage games before resting in the finale against Türkiye. The connection between Balogun, Christian Pulisic and midfielder Malik Tillman has been a revelation for the Americans, and Balogun’s prowess in front of goal makes for exactly the type of striker the U.S. has always needed but rarely had.
The players know Bosnia will be difficult to break down. The Bosnians are a gritty, defensive team, and the U.S. will likely hold the majority of possession. Will the Americans be mature enough to handle the game’s impetus and avoid a counterattack in a game where the stakes are win-or-go-home?
The knowledge that players such as Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Tim Ream gained in Qatar should help.
“Having that experience,” Pulisic said, “helps us go into this with a clear mind.”
