USMNT head into knockouts with quiet confidence

IRVINE, Calif. — On the cusp of their biggest game in a generation, the USMNT said farewell to their base camp in Irvine as they head into what many hope will be a historic World Cup run.

Despite the lofty expectations of advancing deep into the knockout stages, the mood at the Great Park Sports complex was jovial. The team hit the SoCal practice fields one last time (lest we jinx a quarterfinal return to SoFi) with as much laughter as intensity. 

“Would it be weird if I told you I don't really feel too much pressure at this minute?” said defender Tim Ream, when speaking to the media. 

Asked about the pressure going into the round of 32 match-up against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ream suggested the light mood was neither the result of the expanded format nor the opponent, but rather past expectations the players had put on themselves. “I think we felt more pressure for that first game against Paraguay more than anything.”

Away from the chaos and gaze of Los Angeles proper, the US has cultivated a refuge that seems to be paying dividends. From playing video games at the team hotel in Dana Point, to beach-side sound-baths, it’s not just Ream but players and staff alike who all seem to be exuding remarkable calm. “We’re just relaxing,” said Gio Reyna. 

However, the calm vibes aren’t merely a matter of environment. “The maturity level has gone up in the last three and a half years,” insisted Ream, the oldest American to ever feature in a World Cup. A cycle later, a few years older, and a newfound perspective seems pervasive throughout the squad. “I actually think it feels very different this time around than in 2022," he said. 

It’s a feeling fans hope will buck an otherwise unnerving trend. The US has gone 13 games against European opposition without a win, dating all the way back to 2021 when they bested Northern Ireland in a friendly. They’ve lost the last 10 games against UEFA teams outright – including the group stage defeat to Türkiye last week. It’s a streak that has raised alarm among some media and former players. 

Still, despite both the statistical trends and the historical weight of their round of 32 meeting with Bosnia, the USMNT seem to have shaken the proverbial monkey off their backs. “With knockout rounds, anything can happen,” Reyna said, hat backwards. “This team really does well with challenges.”

Calm, it seems, is not one of those challenges. 

The USMNT face off against Bosnia & Herzegovina in Santa Clara, at 5pm Pacific Time, Wednesday.