After a 1-4 loss to Belgium, the USMNT was eliminated from the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. USMNT captain Tyler Adams reflected on the defeat, the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun's suspended red card ban, and the next generation of young American players in an exclusive interview with The Athletic.

Looking back now, what went wrong against Belgium?

Tyler Adams: "It wasn't about a specific play or mistake that caused everything. After the match, I looked at the stands and saw how emotionally invested so many people were in our exit. They really believed we could go further. That was really difficult and hard. It hit even harder because so many people believed in us. I wish we could have heard 'Country Roads' one more time after the game."

John Denver's classic song became the USMNT's victory anthem during the World Cup, but the loss to Belgium ended it abruptly. Tyler Adams said this elimination was harder than the Round of 16 exit against the Netherlands four years earlier.

Tyler Adams: "I remember losing to the Netherlands. It was personally painful, and it hurt all the players and the entire team. But at that time, looking at the stands, not as many people seemed to really care that the USMNT was eliminated from the tournament."

Now 27 years old, Tyler Adams is ready to move forward, but he believes the USMNT needs to seriously address how to avoid early exits from major tournaments going forward.

Tyler Adams: "What matters most for us is continuing to put players in these environments and having them experience big matches. That way, when the most important moments come, nothing rattles us. I sometimes feel our entire team lacks that experience."

"How do all 25 of us do that? Whatever role we need to play, adapt to that situation. For me, that's incredibly important. But honestly, I don't necessarily have all the answers."

Regarding the USMNT's performance in the tournament, Tyler Adams believes the team has earned genuine belief from more people.

Tyler Adams: "We dominated matches in a way no previous U.S. national team has achieved at a World Cup. What else do we need to do to get people to believe in us? I think everyone believes now, and the next step is to continue raising our level."

The USMNT's match against Belgium also came with significant controversy. Folarin Balogun had received a red card in an earlier match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but FIFA later suspended the ban. Former U.S. President Trump's call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to reconsider the incident ultimately became a source of motivation for Belgium before the match.

At the time, how did the team view Balogun's availability?

Tyler Adams: "To this day, I still feel like the whole thing was very strange. We knew about as much as you did. We found out Folarin could play when the news broke. Even he didn't know the process was ongoing. Different factors suddenly came together."

Tyler Adams said that personally, having Balogun available was an advantage, not a distraction.

Tyler Adams: "Why would that affect me negatively? We just got a crucial player back for our team. But how did it affect Folarin? And how did it affect Belgium's motivation? I don't know. Why would it negatively impact us? Honestly, I thought it was a good thing for us at the time. But I don't know how it affected the other players on the team. I can only speak for myself."

Balogun had scored three goals in four World Cup matches up to that point. Tyler Adams praised his teammate for handling the enormous scrutiny.

Tyler Adams: "I don't want to say Folarin was destined to be in the spotlight, but he never actively sought it out. It was just a natural expression of his true personality. I'm very proud of how he handled it. He was very genuine, exactly who we know him to be."

Tyler Adams himself experienced similar intense scrutiny at the 2022 World Cup. As captain, he had a tense exchange with an Iranian journalist during the USMNT's pre-match press conference before the Iran match. However, he believes his experience then and Balogun's current situation are not entirely comparable.

Tyler Adams laughed and said: "Honestly, I don't think what he experienced is the same as what I experienced. They were two completely different situations. My situation at the time could have potentially sparked a war, but his situation was... something different. But certainly a different situation. That said, I can definitely understand how he felt being in the spotlight at that time."

With the 2026 World Cup cycle complete, the USMNT has entered a new phase. Coach Mauricio Pochettino has called in the team for friendlies against Peru, Chile, Canada, and Mexico. Eight teenage players have been included in the squad, including Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan.

Tyler Adams himself was once a young prospect for the USMNT, making his senior debut at 18 in 2017. Today, he is one of coach Mauricio Pochettino's most trusted veteran players.

How would you describe coach Mauricio Pochettino?

Tyler Adams: "I have maximum respect for him as a coach, but I respect him even more as a person because the way he respects and treats everyone aligns with my values."

"He genuinely cares about you deeply from the bottom of his heart. Anyone who's been in soccer for a long time knows this is actually very rare."

Regarding the newly added young players, Tyler Adams said he welcomes and helps them while encouraging them to train with patience and seriousness. Before 17-year-old Adrian Memé and 18-year-old Julian Hall joined the national team, Tyler Adams spoke with these two New York Red Bulls players to ease their nerves and build their confidence.

Tyler Adams: "We just experienced failure. Now they'll have time to grow gradually in the right way."

However, Tyler Adams was also clear that he won't give these players special treatment based on their age.

Tyler Adams: "I'm not going to coddle anyone, believe me. Nobody gets coddled here."

"I don't care if you're from Dortmund, from Europe, or from anywhere. When you come to the national team, you're a U.S. national team player. All that matters is how we can help you perform at your best."

"If I have to go into a 50/50 tackle with you, I'm going all out. Whether you're 16, 25, or 35, it doesn't matter. That's how I think, and that's how I was raised."

Finally, Tyler Adams offered advice to these young players aiming to take the USMNT to new heights.

Tyler Adams: "The only thing these young players need to understand is that they have to work hard every day. Get knocked down, miss a pass, make a mistake—so what? Move on to the next play. That's how you improve."

"Now you've walked through that door. This is your chance. I don't want to set exaggerated expectations for anyone, but the opportunity is right in front of you—grab it."

AI翻訳。

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