Bring on Belgium: USA can make World Cup history in Seattle | OneFootball

By Alejandro Bedoya

USA vs. Belgium in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16. We’ve seen this matchup before!

It was Brazil 2014, a knockout game where I was fortunate to play 105 minutes. Tim Howard delivered his iconic Secretary of Defense performance, making a World Cup-record 16 saves against a nation’s golden generation.

We finished regulation time tied 0-0, but ultimately lost 2-1 in extra time and were eliminated from the tournament. That Belgium team was special, though. We created some chances, but winning that game was always going to be difficult.

I’m confident things will be different on Monday night when the US host Belgium in Seattle (8 pm ET | FOX, Telemundo, Peacock).

Not like 2014

Some stars remain from Belgium’s iconic 2014 squad – Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Romelu Lukaku – but they’re aging and the collective isn’t nearly as good. With how the US are playing right now under Mauricio Pochettino, and with home-field advantage behind them, they’ve got a much better chance and are arguably even favored.

We were the heavy underdog going into that knockout game in Brazil. That's not the case this time. This US team is strong, they're confident and they’ve found their rhythm. The match will be a bit more open, which favors the US, and we'll probably have more possession and create chances.

Also, what people might not remember about the 2014 game is that if we had won, we would have played the quarterfinal on Fourth of July weekend against Argentina and Lionel Messi. Imagine the level of attention that game would have gotten against the world's best player. We missed out on that opportunity. Now, here's another game on the Fourth of July holiday weekend where, if you win, you're making history and further cementing a legacy. 

The guys are obviously focused on Belgium, but they also know Spain and Portugal are alongside them in the bracket. Win and there's another unbelievable opportunity to face an amazing football nation with incredible star players. Imagine if they get to play a quarterfinal against Spain or Portugal. The viewership and interest would reach even bigger heights.

Replacing Balogun

Here’s the tricky part: the USMNT will be without Folarin Balogun. He’s serving a red-card suspension after being sent off vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a very harsh call. In this day and age, when you put things in slow motion on Video Review, plays often look way worse. But when you watch it in real time, you see there was no malicious intent; it's just a normal soccer play that happens throughout a game, and Balogun was unlucky. I would have given it a yellow card and moved on.

Funny enough, the Balogun red has given the USMNT more motivation. They want to make the quarterfinals to get their striker back. That can be powerful and shows how united the team is.

As for replacing Balogun, you’re not going to do it directly. He's the best striker we have in the pool and has been in great form, not just for the national team, but also for AS Monaco. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a move to a bigger club or league after the World Cup.

You could go with Ricardo Pepi, who Pochettino has obviously favored but hasn’t had the best tournament. You also have to consider Haji Wright. He’s physical, strong in the air and can stretch a defense. Or you could go with a false No. 9 like Christian Pulisic, but that runs the risk of changing the team too much. 

I’m confident Pochettino will make the right call and find solutions to replace the team’s leading scorer.

Chasing history

One more piece of motivation: If the US win, they’ll match the program’s 2002 World Cup team by making the quarterfinals. They’d also become the first US men’s team to win two World Cup knockout games.

The stakes are massive, and I can't wait to see what the atmosphere in Seattle will be like. The guys really feel the energy in the crowd, and it gives them that extra five or 10 percent boost.  That could make the difference.

Let’s go!!!

Why the 2026 World Cup feels different for USMNT