The U.S. men are heading home, stopped short of the World Cup quarterfinals again.
The Americans were eliminated from the tournament in the round of 16 on Saturday after falling to the Netherlands, just like the teams from 2014, 2010, and 1994. Since participating in the World Cup again in 1990 after a 40-year absence, the USMNT has only achieved one knockout round victory, when the 2002 team advanced to the quarterfinals.
The Americans’ defeat will come as a shock since they believed their talent and team spirit could overcome for their inexperience on the international scene. They discussed winning the World Cup as a means of transforming how the rest of the world views American soccer.
The Americans were down 2-0 at the half, the goals by Memphis Depay and Daley Blind both coming off defensive breakdowns. They managed to pull a goal back in the 76th when Christian Pulisic’s corner kick got recycled and his cross hit Haji Wright on the back of the leg. The ball ran up Wright’s leg and took a wild bounce into the net to cut the Netherlands’ lead to 2-1. But the USMNT got caught napping again in the 81st minute when Denzel Dumfries was left unmarked at the back post. Dumfries saw the opportunity, waving his hand to call for the ball, and Blind found him with a cross that Dumfries put into the far corner.
As soon as they realized the game was officially over, the Dutch players on the bench surged onto the pitch. In stoppage time, the Dutch supporters were humming, “Na na na na, hey hey, goodbye.”
Despite the ugly loss, the USMNT has plenty of positives to take away from this World Cup.
After the USMNT missed out on qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, it underwent a thorough rebuild. Although it is a young team—even with Ream, 35, and Sean Johnson, 33—it has some of the most talented players ever gathered by the United States—and is perhaps the finest the country has ever had.
Five of the 26 players are on teams competing in the Champions League this year, and 17 of the 26 play in Europe. Pulisic was a member of the 2021 Champions League-winning Chelsea squad.
They have established a collective identity that transcends American grit. When Pulisic is on the field, he poses a constant offensive threat that his opponents must watch out for. The USMNT was fast to block up space when playing defense, giving opponents limited chances.
What Americans hope for FIFA World cup 2026
Ebrahim Noroozi, AP
It is already a charismatic group that charmed the American public. If the USMNT can keep developing talent, shore up the center back position and identify a true striker, talk of contending in 2026 could be more than just American exuberance.
