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United States forward Christian Pulisic could only watch from the bench as Belgium extinguished his team’s World Cup bid, ending a tournament in which the American star was hobbled by injuries and largely ineffective. The most accomplished U.S. striker, Pulisic was held scoreless in his second World Cup. He has 33 goals in 90 international appearances but has scored just once in eight World Cup games — against Iran in the group stage in 2022. For the second time in this World Cup, Pulisic left a match in the second half with an injury, leaving Monday’s 4-1 loss to Belgium after twisting his right ankle when he extended for a shot attempt and hit the boot of Belgium captain Youri Tielemans in the 52nd minute. After spending a few moments lying on the pitch, Pulisic began favoring the foot and was replaced in the 59th by Sebastian Berhalter with the U.S. trailing 3-1. Having to come out of the game was “difficult for me to deal with,” he said. “I felt really good this summer with the guys and I thought my level was high,” Pulisic said. “It’s disappointing I didn’t quite have the moments I was hoping to and to try to help us to get over this next step of beating a really good team.” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said after the game he hoped Pulisic’s injury was nothing serious and that Pulisic would be able to reintegrate with his club, AC Milan. Players typically get 21 days off after the end of the World Cup before having to report to their clubs. Pulisic was slowed by a calf injury during the group stage. After a sparkling first half in the first U.S. game, a 4-1 victory over Paraguay, he sat for the rest of the match due to stiffness from a calf injury incurred in training. He sat out the Americans’ win over Australia before entering as a substitute in the group-stage loss to Turkey. Pulisic returned to the starting lineup for the Americans’ 2-0 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 32. He said Monday he will “try and stay positive,” adding: “I did a lot of good things and the team did as well.” “He’s going to bounce back,” American defender Alex Freeman said. “He’s a great player and a person that’s always going to fight.” Reporting by The Associated Press.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

What was such an inspiring World Cup journey came to a disappointing end. When the competition gets harder, there are more consequences for not performing. It can’t be a day when so many guys are passengers. On the day, it was simple: Belgium was the better side. The performance today was nowhere near what these players expected of themselves, and I think that’s where the most disappointment will come from. It was not where it needed to be to give the U.S. a chance to win the game. Instead of just rating the players for their performances against Belgium, let’s take a bigger-picture look at how they did throughout the tournament. (We’ll start with the coach, though.) U.S. Player Ratings I thought he managed the tournament well. Some people gave him stick for making changes in the final group-stage match against Türkiye when there was nothing to play for, but ultimately, those were warranted. You saw what happened in the next game against Bosnia and Herzegovina when a well-rested squad performed very well in the round of 32. The lineup Pochettino picked against Belgium was the right one. It was the best XI available. Ultimately, I think there’s going to be some criticism because the belief was that he could take us that step further than we’ve been. But I tip my hat to him and thought he managed this group well throughout the group stage. For me, Weston was the best player in the tournament for us. There’s a reason why he played the most minutes of anybody on this team, and there’s a reason why Pochettino trusts him so much in midfield. He offers a lot on both ends of the pitch. I think getting a second World Cup under his belt will bode well for him going forward. He’s going to remain a big part of our spine in midfield. Flo was right up there with Weston throughout the course of the tournament. As I have said throughout the World Cup, he is the No. 9 we have been waiting for. Balogun was man of the match on multiple occasions, and his influence was felt throughout the course of this World Cup. He’ll continue to be the target man for this team. Tillman is a special player. He offers something different compared to Weston and Tyler Adams and delivers constant quality on the ball. I’m very excited about this midfield trio going forward. Freeman showed really well for himself against Belgium. He had moments but ultimately wasn’t at the level of consistency that we’d seen throughout the course of the group stage or against Bosnia and Herzegovina. For a 21-year-old, he conducted himself incredibly well. He’s our anchor and a huge part of our spine moving forward. Getting Chris this experience at the World Cup, to me, was vital. He’s going to assume even more responsibility moving forward. Part of Christian’s rating is because of the calf injury he suffered in the group stage. A lot of his tournament was impacted by that, since he maybe wasn’t on the field as much as we needed him. Then against Belgium, he struggled to have the type of involvement that he knows he can. When Christian is at his best and sharpest, we win that game. When that’s the case, he’s committing defenders to him, beating players off the dribble, getting shots off, getting access to the final third. If nothing else, he’s attracting the defense’s attention. Ultimately, he wasn’t able to have that kind of impact against Belgium because he didn’t have the chances to play more minutes earlier in the tournament. Without the performance against Belgium, this is a 7 or an 8. My rating definitely was impacted by that defeat, though. I felt Tyler could have been more authoritative and dictated more of the play against Belgium. It was a disappointing end to an otherwise solid World Cup. Ream wasn’t at his best against Belgium, as he was involved in conceding three of them. Ultimately, I thought he had a good tournament minus this performance. Unfortunately for him, this match against Belgium was when we needed him most and the opponent got the better of him. Against Belgium, Antonee was just a little less effective than he has been throughout the course of the tournament. Still, he’s one of our most consistent players from game to game. It’s interesting with Sergiño because he is playing somewhat out of position. He is traditionally a right back and plays there for his club and has, in the past, for the national team, but he was a right-winger for this tournament. Against Belgium, it wasn’t his best day, but he looked threatening at times throughout the World Cup. Throughout the course of the tournament, he made the saves that he was supposed to make, along with a couple bigger saves, even against Belgium. What’s going to stand out, though, is the glaring mistake he made that led directly to the third Belgium goal. That one really put the game out of reach for us and made it even more difficult to get back into it.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

While the USA’s World Cup run ended in difficult fashion on Monday night in Seattle, former national team players noted that there are plenty of positives to take away from this tournament. Belgium knocked the U.S. out with an impressive performance that ended with a 4-1 win. The Americans conceded in the ninth minute. Malik Tillman scored from another free kick in the 31st minute, and then, less than two minutes later, Belgium struck back. USA never came out of its stupor after that, with a down performance that coach Mauricio Pochettino believes falls on him. The run ends on a down note, but it shouldn’t be all doom and gloom for the future of U.S. soccer. The Americans won Group D and delivered a memorable performance in the round of 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina. That knockout-stage match clearly captivated the nation, with more than 27 million people tuning in for the victory on July 1. “You can’t get away from talk shows talking about soccer, the U.S. men’s national team, talking about these individuals and how brilliant they’ve been,” former USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan said on “World Cup NOW” from Seattle Stadium after the defeat. “On the day, it’s disappointing, but overall, they should be extremely proud of what they’ve been able to do.” “I’m really proud of the inspiration that they gave the United States and a lot of young kids out there and a lot of fans,” former U.S. midfielder Sacha Kljestan said, “that casual sports fan that locked in on this team and was so excited to watch them play. That was special.” This was the second time in U.S. soccer history that the team won a game in the knockout stage, although it has still only reached one quarterfinal since 1930. While the crew of former players acknowledged that there will be frustration and disappointment after this defeat, this will be a positive for U.S. soccer over the long haul. “The bigger picture still exists,” Edu said. “What I would say to this group of players is hold your head up, right? Yeah, it’s difficult right now in this moment. It’s difficult, of course, because of the circumstances, but hold your head high and don’t for a second stop dreaming, stop daring yourself to be the best version of this national team that we’ve ever seen. Don’t, for a second, ever, question what your ability is and what the standard is.” Many players who started for the U.S. compete in some of the top leagues in the world. Midfielder Weston McKennie and winger Christian Pulisic play in Italy’s Serie A; midfielder Malik Tillman plays in the German Bundesliga; striker Folarin Balogun is in France’s Ligue 1; defender Alex Freeman moved to La Liga in Spain back in January; and defenders Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson are both in the English Premier League. The performances that this U.S. men’s national team put together will no doubt have raised some eyebrows across the world. Edu added: “It’s a global perspective that’s looking at this country, looking at us saying, ‘Yeah, they seem to have something. That country is producing players. They’re not scared of the moment, they’re ready for the moment, and they’re going to win a World Cup soon.’”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It was a disastrous night for the co-hosts. And the United States men’s national team’s leader thinks the blame should fall squarely on his shoulders. After falling 4-1 to Belgium in Seattle, United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino spoke with FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft about the bitter result. “Maybe the explanation is so easy: it wasn’t our day, collectively and individually,” Pochettino told Taft. “Of course, the principal responsible is myself. And yes, we need to see and to check what we did because it wasn’t the performance or the way that normally we play.” Pochettino went on to congratulate his opponents, while acknowledging USA did not play to the fullest of its abilities. “To congratulate Belgium, they were better than us,” Pochettino said. “I think it wasn’t our day. That is. It’s not to find excuses or to find arguments because we didn’t show what normally [our] team can show. And that is the reality.” Belgium cruised into the quarterfinals behind a brace from Charles De Ketelaere, a goal from Hans Vanaken and a late finish from Romelu Lukaku to cap off a dominant performance. Malik Tillman managed to equalize for the co-hosts at 1-1 after converting a free kick in the 31st minute, but it wasn’t anywhere near enough. “I think everything was short,” Pochettino said. “From the beginning, we didn’t connect the game. We never were on the game, even when we scored. And we scored the goal, 1-1, we conceded the next action. It was really tough from the beginning.” Pochettino said the United States will need to evaluate what went wrong after failing to approach the game with the same intensity and sharpness it had shown earlier in the tournament. “I think we need to learn. I think it’s a process to learn. We need to assess that game, and we need to see why we didn’t approach the game in the same way [as] the rest of the World Cup.” Belgium moves on and will take on Spain in the quarterfinals in Los Angeles on Friday, July 10.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

If you’re looking for an epic Golden Boot race, we’ve got you. If you want the defending champs and a GOAT trying to outrun Father Time, it’s there too. And if you want pure starpower, fear not: the 2026 World Cup has already delivered, and we’re not even to the quarterfinals. An eye-popping 46 players out of our Top 100 are still in action as we wind down the round of 16. The winners of Colombia-Switzerland and Argentina-Egypt will close out the bracket, and as the action tightens up, the best of the best will clash as the stakes get even higher. France has 13 Top 100 players. Spain has double digits still in action. And Argentina has, well, Messi (along with other superstars of its own). Get caught up with the best of the best as we get closer to seeing who will lift the World Cup trophy. *The rankings reflected are from our pre-tournament Top 100. Age: 23Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) Age: 28Club team: Manchester United (England) Age: 28Club team: Inter Milan (Italy) Age: 29Club team: Real Sociedad (Spain) Age: 27Club team: Arsenal (England) Age: 29Club team: Arsenal (England) Age: 30Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) Age: 25Club team: Manchester City (England) Age: 26Club team: Chelsea (England) Age: 27Club team: Barcelona (Spain) Koundé will likely start at right back for the French, who are among the favorites this summer. He has made at least 40 appearances in each of the last four seasons for Barcelona. Age: 27Club team: Barcelona (Spain) Age: 27Club team: Liverpool (England) Age: 30Club team: AC Milan (Italy) Age: 25Club team: Arsenal (England) Age: 19Club team: Barcelona (Spain) Age: 26Club team: Liverpool (England) Age: 33Club team: Liverpool (England) Age: 27Club team: Arsenal (England) Age: 25Club team: Chelsea (England) Age: 23Club team: Athletic Club Bilbao (Spain) Age: 27Club team: Arsenal (England) Age: 27Club team: Chelsea (England) Age: 33Club team: Aston Villa (England) Age: 34Club team: Real Madrid (Spain) Age: 35Club team: Fenerbahçe (Türkiye) Age: 22Club team: Manchester City (England) Age: 23Club team: Manchester City (England) Age: 20Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) Age: 34Club team: Napoli (Italy) Age: 24Club team: Arsenal (England) Age: 28Club team: Inter Milan (Italy) Age: 26Club team: Real Madrid (Spain) Age: 29Club team: Bayern Munich (Germany) Age: 27Club team: Arsenal (England) Age: 22Club team: Real Madrid (Spain) Age: 39Club team: Inter Miami (USA) Age: 29Club team: Manchester City (England) Age: 26Club team: Atlético Madrid (Spain) Age: 23Club team: Barcelona (Spain) Age: 27Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) Age: 25Club team: Manchester City (England) Age: 24Club team: Bayern Munich (Germany) Age: 28Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) Age: 32Club team: Bayern Munich (Germany) Age: 27Club team: Real Madrid (Spain) Age: 18Club team: Barcelona (Spain)​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

After losing to Belgium in the 2026 World Cup, the United States national team will soon begin a new cycle to build toward 2030. Projecting the player pool four years out is nearly impossible, but when looking at the current U.S. national team and the status of the youth teams, there are certainly some players who are worth following closely in the coming years, regardless of who coaches the team. There are a few important things to consider when looking into the future. First, the U.S. national team player pool is going to see many key players of this 2026 World Cup roster either age out or be past their prime years. Tim Weah and Chris Richards will be 30. Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Mark McKenzie will all be 31. Haji Wright, Alex Zendejas and Antonee Robinson will be 32. And of course, Tim Ream will be 42. Players in their 30s can still be vital to any team’s World Cup effort, but the U.S. has a critical mass of players turning 30 where, unless the player pool shifts younger in the coming years, the team will be one of the oldest teams at the 2030 World Cup. And as the team shifts younger, there will be several measuring sticks along the way. The USMNT player pool will benefit from the U.S. hosting the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. That is going to be instrumental for many top prospects to bridge the gap between the youth national teams and the senior teams. On top of that, there will potentially be important U-20 World Cups in 2027 and 2029, if the U.S. qualifies. That has traditionally been an important stepping stone for top national team players. Plus, there will be players who simply missed out on this 2026 World Cup but who will be in their prime years in 2030. Let’s look at the strongest candidates for the USA’s 2030 World Cup roster. Highly Likely: Center back Chris Richards, winger Christian Pulisic, striker Folarin Balogun, midfielder Tyler Adams, midfielder Malik Tillman, striker Ricardo Pepi A Good Chance: Midfielder Weston McKennie, right-winger Tim Weah, right-winger Sergiño Dest, right back Alex Freeman Will Have To Fight For It: Winger Gio Reyna, right back Joe Scally, goalkeeper Matt Freese, goalkeeper Matt Turner, left back Max Arfsten, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, goalkeeper Chris Brady, winger Brenden Aaronson, striker Haji Wright, center back Auston Trusty, center back Mark McKenzie, winger Alejandro Zendejas Unlikely To Return: Center back Tim Ream, fullback Antonee Robinson, midfielder Cristian Roldan, center back Miles Robinson It is never easy to predict where players will be in their careers in four years. Even when not considering injuries, many predictions made from 2022 to 2026 were incorrect. In 2022, Tim Ream was a player who seemed to be in the twilight of his career. Most figured he would have retired by 2026. Instead, he was the World Cup captain. In 2022, most people viewed Yunus Musah as a budding star after starting for the U.S. team in Qatar. Instead, he was not even close to making this summer’s team. Looking at the 2026 team, it seems like a safe bet that Adams and Pulisic will be back for a third World Cup. Malik Tillman should return for his second attempt, as should Chris Richards, who could be a potential captain in 2030. Meanwhile, Balogun and Pepi seem very likely to be the top-two strikers, given how well their careers have progressed. After that, there should be a lot of competition among those looking to move onto the team and those trying to keep their spots. That competition should ultimately be healthy and beneficial to the team. Diego Luna: The Real Salt Lake attacking midfielder and winger was injured at the start of 2026, and it likely cost him a spot on the World Cup team. Luna impressed Mauricio Pochettino for most of 2025, including at the Gold Cup and in the year’s final friendly, a 5-1 win over Uruguay where he scored. He still remains one of the better and more fearless playmakers in the pool, and, at 22 years old, he will be right in his prime for 2030. Tanner Tessmann: The 24-year-old Lyon midfielder and 2024 Olympic team captain was the most widely discussed omission from the 2023 player pool, given how few central midfielders made the team. Tessmann did not play in Lyon’s final two games of the season, and it is not clear if that played a role in his omission. But Tessmann’s career remains on the upswing with one of France’s biggest teams, and he will be continuing to play at a high level for the years ahead. Gianluca Busio: The Venezia midfielder has a lot of experience at just 24 years old. He was a top young MLS player and moved to Italy, where he has fluctuated between Serie A and Serie B with Venezia. But the 2025-26 season was the best of his career, and he captained the team to promotion, where it looks set to remain in the top flight. He should be back in the mix this cycle. Johnny Cardoso: The Atlético Madrid central midfielder was likely going to be on the 2026 team if not for an ankle injury he suffered in May. At 24, he clearly will be back with the American squad soon. The concern for Cardoso is that he is still yet to look fully comfortable with the U.S. team. Patrick Agyemang: The Derby County striker emerged with the U.S. team in 2025, and he made a smooth transition from MLS to the Championship. He appeared to be a good fit for Pochettino’s U.S. team but was derailed by an Achilles injury. If he can recover well, he will be in the mix. Aidan Morris: Morris has been a top midfielder in the Championship and nearly got Middlesbrough promoted. The former Columbus Crew midfielder has a solid reputation in England that he should continue to make strides in the coming years. He was likely among the last cut for 2026 and should get more looks. Jack McGlynn: The Houston Dynamo midfielder had poorly timed injuries this past cycle, but he still has one of the best left foots among the options. Whoever is managing the player pool will want to give a solid look. Zavier Gozo: The Real Salt Lake right back/wing back is likely the top American teenager in the game right now, and he was in the mix for the 2026 team. He is likely going to be fast-tracked onto the U.S. team very soon, possibly with a leading role on the 2028 Olympic team in between. Peyton Miller: The left wing/left back for the New England Revolution is also a top prospect who should be expected to be important to the Olympic team and the full national one in the coming years. Adri Mehmeti: The 17-year-old central midfielder is in the midst of a breakout season with the New York Red Bulls, where he has impressed with his passing and ability to read the game. He is still eligible for a lot of youth soccer, including two U-20 World Cups and two Olympics, but he has shown enough to be fast-tracked quickly. Julian Hall: Despite only being 18 years old, Hall already has 12 goals in all competitions this season for the New York Red Bulls. He is known for his sophisticated moves inside the attacking box to get on the end of passes for close-range goals. Mathis Albert: The Borussia Dortmund midfielder made his Bundesliga debut last season at just 16. He is now 17 and set to begin a full preseason with the club’s first team. He still needs to get out of the youth levels to be in the full national team, but that should happen sooner rather than later. In the meantime, there is the U.S. U-20 team and the Olympic team coming up where he should be a key player. Diego Kochen: The young Barcelona goalkeeper has spent time training with the full national team, and he is likely going to be the starter for the Olympic team. This will be a big upcoming year for Kochen, as he will be on loan with Lyngby, which was just promoted to the Danish Superliga. This will help him learn to deal with the responsibility of first-team minutes. Luca Bombino: The San Diego FC left back has an opening on the full national team as Antonee Robinson might show signs of aging in the coming years. Bombino does not have elite athleticism, but he is a very good player and was a key contributor to San Diego FC’s success in 2025. A veteran of the 2025 U-20 World Cup team, he is likely the frontrunner for the left-back job on the 2028 Olympic team. Cavan Sullivan: The Philadelphia Union playmaker will be heading to Manchester City in the coming years, and many have him pegged as a future U.S. national team mainstay. The 2025 U-17 World Cup showed his high-potential talent, and the 2027 U-20 World Cup and 2028 Olympics should be his next steps. He needs to aim for a big remainder of the year in 2026 for the Philadelphia Union. Neil Pierre: The U.S. national team desperately needs to have central defenders break through in the coming years, and Pierre, 18, is the top American teenager in that position. He spent last season on loan with Lyngby in Denmark, and he helped lead that team to promotion to the Superliga. Now he is back with the Philadelphia Union, where he is likely to play serious minutes the rest of 2026 and then play in the U-20 World Cup next year. Josh Wynder: The Benfica central defender made his first-team debut last year in a Cup game but also missed a lot of time due to injuries. Now 21, he needs to get himself into a place where he can play first-team minutes because he is aging out of “prospect” status. But he still has a high level of talent and the U.S. team needs central defenders. Wynder is likely a starter for the Olympic team.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The penultimate day of round of 16 play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup marked the end for two of the tournament’s biggest attractions: the United States men’s national team and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, for Spain and Belgium, the quarterfinals await. Here’s the best from Match Day 26 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: BEST OF THE DAY Moment Of The Day Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup journey is over. The 41-year-old played in his final match at the tournament after 27 matches across six different World Cups, starting in 2006. Ronaldo didn’t find the back of the net in Portugal’s 1-0 loss, but he received a warm reception from the fans at Dallas Stadium as though he did. A fitting sendoff for a legend the game. Goal Of The Day Romelu Lukaku might not be fit enough to be Belgium’s starting striker anymore, but it doesn’t matter. Even off of the bench, Lukaku continues to find the back of the net, bagging his 93rd career international goal for Belgium and second of the tournament. Save Of The Day Costa had a great tournament for Portugal, stepping up in both knockout-stage games against Croatia and Spain. The FC Porto keeper’s best moment against Spain came early on when he saved a shot from Lamine Yamal and then was called right back into action. The initial save went out to Spanish winger Alex Baena, whose effort forced Costa to stretch fully so he could get a hand on it. Assist Of The Day With the ball in the air, headed toward the edge of the United States’ box, Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin had four defenders closing in on him. He beat the first two by splitting them with his first touch, and the other two watched as he whipped a grounded cross into Charles De Ketelaere to give Belgium the lead in the ninth minute. Portugal vs. Spain USA vs. Belgium​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

SEATTLE STADIUM — It’s the end of the world for the U.S. men’s national team. The USA was the final 2026 FIFA World Cup co-host still standing after Canada and Mexico were eliminated over the weekend. On Monday, the Americans joined them, losing 4-1 to Belgium in front of another raucous home crowd with a spot in Friday’s quarterfinal against Spain on the line. “Tonight was not a good performance,” midfielder Tyler Adams said. “It sucks.” Despite the controversial return of striker Folarin Balogun to coach Mauricio Pochettino’s starting lineup — Balogun, who was originally suspended for Monday’s contest because of the red card he received in last week’s 2-0 victory in the round of 32 over Bosnia and Herzegovina, was allowed to play by FIFA’s disciplinary committee following pressure from U.S. Soccer and government officials — the U.S. couldn’t top an opponent global soccer’s governing body ranks No. 9 to the Stars and Stripes’ No. 16. It only took Charles De Ketelaere eight minutes to put Belgium ahead. And while USA playmaker Malik Tillman pulled the hosts level with his second free-kick goal in as many knockout games, the Belgian forward killed whatever momentum Tillman’s strike had generated by notching his second — the eventual game-winner — moments later to restore the Red Devils’ lead. They wouldn’t relinquish it again, with Hans Vanaken adding the backbreaking third in the second half following a mistake from Stars and Stripes keeper Matt Freese. Romelu Lukaku added insult to injury with Belgium’s fourth in stoppage time. “Today we didn’t show our real quality as a team,” Pochettino said. “We need to accept that sometimes this type of thing happens. But in a tournament like a World Cup, when that happens, you don’t have another chance.” Monday’s defeat marks the fourth time the U.S. has been eliminated in the round of 16 since 2010. The Americans’ only win at that stage came against regional rival Mexico in 2002. Here are my four takeaways from the USA’s World Cup elimination loss: 1. Belgium Was The Better Team… As impressive as the Belgians were in coming back to beat Senegal in the round of 32, despite trailing 2-0 late, the Red Devils hadn’t been overly convincing at this World Cup. In group play, they couldn’t beat Egypt. They couldn’t beat Iran. Rumors of infighting persisted even after Rudi Garcia’s team had advanced to the last 16. Perhaps it was FIFA’s decision to overturn Balogun’s ban, but Belgium appeared as cohesive as could be from the first whistle on Monday. It’s not as if either of De Ketelaere goals came against the run of play; Garcia’s side outshot the U.S., 11-2, in the first half and enjoyed 53% of possession, even though the Americans trailed for all but 10 of the opening 45 minutes. When the U.S. did have the ball, it didn’t do much with it. Pochettino’s squad had looked so sharp and assertive all tournament; suddenly it appeared sloppy and tentative in its biggest game. Even Tillman’s free kick lacked precision; only a fortunate deflection off the Belgian wall allowed the effort to beat veteran backstop Thibaut Courtois. “I wouldn’t say we weren’t as aggressive” as in previous games, Christian Pulisic said. “Belgium had a good game plan. They played balls in behind us when we pressed and caused a lot of problems, won a lot of second balls, and they were good in the boxes. That’s what the game comes down to. And they were clinical.” The second half wasn’t much better for the U.S. And when Belgium went up by two, the mountain was simply too tall for the Americans to climb. 2. … But Unforced Errors Doomed The USA. Again. Four years ago in Qatar, the U.S. began its round of 16 contest vs. the Netherlands superbly. But the Dutch punished the first mistake the Americans made — Memphis Depay was allowed to arrive in the box unchecked, easily finishing Denzel Dumfries’ deft cutback pass — and never looked back on the way to a decisive 3-1 victory. With that unhappy experience under their belts, an older and wider USA was supposed to know better this time. That’s not how it played out. Errors are rarely forgiven at World Cups. That goes double in elimination games. Yet both of De Ketelaere’s goals were preventable; the other U.S. defenders were slow to react to Alex Freeman’s wayward clearance on the first. On the second, the Italy-based striker out-jumped flat-footed U.S. captain Tim Ream. The timing of Belgium’s second goal was terrible, coming just 61 seconds after play restarted following Tillman’s equalizer. While that strike killed the momentum, the fatal blow came just before the half-hour mark. Freese was the culprit this time, with Vanaken firing Belgium’s third into the Americans’ vacated net after Freese raced out of his 18-yard-box for an interception, only to promptly give the ball away. “Obviously, disappointed for my error and judgment on the third goal,” Freese said. “I wish the result was different.” 3. Mauricio Pochettino Owns This Failure On Sunday, Pochettino sought to insulate himself from criticism in the event of a loss, saying that he is but “a small part” and that his “players are responsible” for the outcome. But the buck stops with USA’s high-profile 54-year-old coach, who simply couldn’t coax a good performance out of his team against the only elite opponent it faced at this World Cup. Lured as a mercenary with a salary several multiples higher than any previous men’s or women’s boss, the Argentine was supposed to be the man capable of taking perhaps the most talented collection of Americans ever to new heights. Instead, it turned out to be more of the same. While he set a new U.S. record with three World Cup wins, Pochettino was only able to equal what every one of his predecessors this century also achieved: reaching the round of 16. Gregg Berhalter did it four years ago in Qatar. Jürgen Klinsmann’s 2014 squad took Belgium to extra time. Bob Bradley did the same in 2010 after winning a group that included England. And none of them had the advantage of playing at home. “It was a very bad day,” Pochettino said. And it ensures that the Americans’ best showing since the inaugural World Cup in 1930 — Bruce Arena took the Americans all the way to the quarterfinals in 2002 — will remain so for at least another four years. All that talk about reaching the semis this summer, about leaving a legacy, about potentially even winning the World Cup — “Why Not Us?” Pochettino asked at every opportunity — was just that: talk. Top-level sports are a results business. You are what your record says you are. After winning his first two games and a round of 32 match at this World Cup, the former Paris Saint-Germain manager, in the end lost the game that mattered the most. It was surely his last with the U.S., though he didn’t say so explicitly. “Now,” Pochettino said when asked if he might return, “is not a moment to talk about that.” 4. What Comes Next For The Stars And Stripes? Expect changes in the short term. Pochettino was probably never coming back after the World Cup anyway, despite the U.S. Soccer Federation offering before the World Cup to extend his contract through 2030. If that offer isn’t off the table now, it should be. Who will replace Poch? With a search led by USSF CEO JT Batson, new COO Dan Helfrich and acting sporting director Oguchi Onyewu, my money is on Portuguese manager Roberto Martinez, who announced following his team’s loss to Spain that he would not return to the Lusos’ sideline. Or, perhaps the USSF will buy American. There aren’t many obvious domestic candidates; among those, former U.S. assistant B.J. Callaghan might have the best case, having led the U.S. to the 2023 Nations League title as interim coach. Beyond that, who knows? Wednesday’s defeat doesn’t fall on Batson or U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone, who both have been wildly successful in their respective roles. Finally, this was surely the international swan song for players such as 38-year-old captain Tim Ream, reserve midfielder Cristian Roldan and others, too. Will Antonee “Jedi” Robinson’s knees last to Morocco, Portugal and Spain for the 2030 World Cup, when he’ll be almost 33? What about the fragile hamstrings of Tyler Adams or Gio Reyna or Sergiño Dest? Adams, McKennie and Pulisic will all also be on the wrong side of 30. Matt Turner will turn 36 during the 2030 World Cup. Pochettino’s roster featured 13 holdovers from 2022. It’s hard to see that many mainstays returning four years from now. “Right now it definitely stinks,” Pulisic said. “[We’ll try to] get some rest now and bounce back as best we can.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16 concludes on Tuesday night with a pair of intriguing matchups. First up, defending champions Argentina take on an Egyptian team that is in the middle of its most successful World Cup. The day concludes with Colombia and Switzerland meeting in Vancouver. Both teams have been improving throughout the tournament, and the winner will be a team nobody wants to face. Here is all you need to know for Tuesday at the World Cup: Argentina vs. Egypt When: Tuesday, July 7, noon ET Where: Atlanta Stadium TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Argentina and Egypt meet on Tuesday at Atlanta Stadium with the winner claiming a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals. Both teams had grueling matchups in the round of 32, as Argentina needed 120 minutes to find its way past Cape Verde with a 3-2 win. Egypt, meanwhile, only prevailed past Australia through a shootout after both teams played to a 1-1 draw after 120 hard-fought minutes. Argentina is the clear favorite in this one, as Lionel Scaloni’s squad has won all four of its games at the tournament and has looked like a strong contender to defend its World Cup title. Of course, La Albiceleste are still heavily reliant on Lionel Messi, who, at age 39, remains a dominant figure in the sport. Messi enters this game having scored seven of Argentina’s 11 goals this tournament. The issue for Argentina in this game, and in every remaining game, is whether the supporting cast can contribute in the rare event that Messi struggles to score. Thus far, the signs are not that encouraging. What is key for Argentina is to see other top scoring options, such as Lautaro Martínez and Julian Alvarez, find the back of the net. In this tournament, Alvarez has no goals and no assists, while Martinez has just one goal. On the flip side, Argentina’s midfield — led by Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Thiago Almada and Rodrigo De Paul — have all played well and have been important to the team’s success. While Argentina continues to play well, Egypt arrives in the round of 16 having won just one of its four games (counting the shootout win over Australia as a draw). It has drawn both Belgium and Iran 1-1 while defeating only New Zealand 3-1. Egypt has fought incredibly hard in this tournament, but wins have been difficult to come by. The Pharaohs are led by legendary Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who, at age 34, is potentially playing at his last World Cup. This tournament has been a huge success for him and Hossam Hassan’s team, as it is the first time Egypt ever advanced out of the group stage at the World Cup. In addition to surpassing that barrier, Egypt has now advanced past the first round of the knockout. Argentina is heavily favored in this game, while Egypt has not kept a clean sheet yet in this tournament and now face one of the world’s most powerful offenses. Player to Watch It is hard to think of things that have not been said about Messi, but the Inter Miami attacker has now scored in eight straight World Cup matches. In his career, Messi has 12 goal contributions in the knockout stages of the World Cup. He remains at the heart of everything Argentina does, and even at his age, that might be enough for Argentina to win a second straight title. Switzerland vs. Colombia When: Tuesday, July 7, 4 p.m. ET Where: BC Place Vancouver TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One The World Cup round of 16 will conclude on Tuesday evening when Switzerland and Colombia meet at Vancouver Stadium. It promises to be a distinct clash of styles as Switzerland play with a very disciplined and tactical–oriented approach. Colombia, meanwhile, is very aggressive and possession-oriented with several technical players who can all make big plays. Switzerland began the tournament poorly with a 1–1 draw vs. Qatar. Since then, Murat Yakin’s team has improved significantly with each passing game. First, it was a 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Then it was a 2-1 win over co-hosts Canada in Vancouver, the same site as Tuesday’s game. Most recently, however, it was a convincing 2-0 win over Algeria, also in Vancouver. Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi, 20, has been one of the tournament’s breakout young players. In his last three games at this World Cup, Manzambi has three goals and two assists. Another encouraging sign for Switzerland has been that its captain, Granit Xhaka, 33, has turned back the clock and played as he did five-to-seven years ago, when he was Arsenal’s captain. His performance against Algeria was instrumental to the win, and if he can play like that again, Switzerland can win this game. Colombia comes into this game playing very well on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Nestor Lorenzo’s team has kept three clean sheets out of four games this tournament, and its high level of possession has forced opponents to chase its players for long stretches. Offensively, Colombia has a lot of weapons, and the attack is led by winger Luis Díaz, a national icon in Colombia, who is coming off a great season with Bayern Munich. Forward Luis Suárez was a difference maker in the 1–0 win over Ghana in the round of 32. Suarez was subbed into the game in just the eighth minute, but was the most dangerous player on the field for the next 82 minutes, setting up the only goal minutes after coming on. It’s hard to say who the favorite is in this game. Both teams had been playing very well in the last three games. But one thing that is in Colombia’s favor is the massive support it has received from its large contingent of fans who have followed the team. Thus far in the tournament, it has arguably been the best-supported team outside the three hosting nations. Vancouver Stadium will be decidedly behind Colombia on Tuesday night. Player to Watch The Swiss captain is essential to his team’s chances of playing the way it wants to play. Switzerland cannot afford to chase the game for too long, and Xhaka, at his best, can win possession and set up his teammates in the attacking third while also defending well. Switzerland needs him to be in his top form like he was against Ghana.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

On Monday, a battle between Iberian neighbors, Portugal and Spain, came to Dallas for a spot in the quarterfinals. It was a matchup of UEFA giants and extreme talent as the past decades of iconic excellence, Cristiano Ronaldo, met the present and future of the game, Lamine Yamal. ​It was also the first meeting between two top-five FIFA-ranked nations at the World Cup ahead of the final eight since 2014, when Germany won 4-0 against Portugal in the group stage. ​In the end, it was Spain who pulled it out thanks to a late goal from Mikel Merino. Just like 12 years ago, Portugal sadly bowed out. And Ronaldo had his last dance. ​Here are my takeaways. 1. ​Ronaldo’s Incredible World Cup Journey Comes To An End ​The Portuguese superstar became the first player to score in six different World Cup editions, which is just an astonishing record. He also became the oldest player to play (41 years, 147 days) and score in a knockout match, and his penalty against Croatia was his first-ever goal in the knockout stages. ​But sadly, the trophy never came. And that was it. ​A tremendous, world-class icon whose longevity can only be admired. Even if the silverware on the biggest stage never materialized. ​Goodbye, Ronaldo. Thanks for the memories. ​2. Tremendous Tournament From Diogo Costa ​The Porto goalkeeper was fantastic in this tournament and kept Spain out for a large part of the day. He made three key saves in the first half, including some impressive, reactionary saves from Lamine Yamal, and added two more in the second. As Spain continued to push, it was Portugal’s stopper who kept La Roja away from taking the lead until Merino netted the stoppage-time winner. ​You can’t blame the keeper for the loss; he did his part. 3. ​But Unai Simón, My Goodness ​More than 200 minutes of keeping a clean sheet, including today’s performance. There’s a reason why he’s Spain’s no. 1 and keeping Arsenal’s David Raya at bay. We always talk a lot about Spain’s formidable attacking fluidity, but from a goalkeeping perspective, the Athletic Club stopper is such an important factor for Luis de la Fuente. 4. ​Great Battle Between Yamal And Mendes … Until The Latter Exited ​This was clearly the battle of the day as the PSG full back and the Barcelona star clashed once again. Yamal has said that Nuno Mendes is the toughest opponent he has ever faced, and rightly so, as he is arguably the best left back in the world. ​Tonight in Dallas, the matchup was a balanced clash, and the Portuguese full back was keeping Yamal at bay until the 56th minute, when he had to come off after picking up an injury. In the end, it was Yamal who came out victorious as Spain won.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports