Belgium face Spain Friday as the USMNT exit still stings

Belgium face Spain Friday, and your team's exit still stings

The World Cup rolls on without the USMNT. Belgium, who knocked you out 4–1 in the round of 16, face Spain in a quarterfinal at SoFi Stadium on Friday (4). That same Belgium side tore through a backline Pochettino later admitted "did not connect" with the game (1).

Your World Cup ended with two 4–1 scorelines, one high, one brutal

The US opened with a 4–1 win over Paraguay, then crashed out with a 4–1 loss to Belgium in the last 16 (1). Two matches. Two mirror-image scorelines. One tournament that fans will replay for years.

Pulisic played through a bone bruise and microfracture

Christian Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and a microfracture of his tibia and fibula during the Belgium loss. He is sidelined for several weeks. After the match, Pulisic kept it short: "It is just frustrating to end like that, of course, but now I get time to rest. Hopefully it will be okay" (2).

US Soccer wants the 2029 Club World Cup

US officials are in talks with FIFA about hosting the 2029 Club World Cup (3). After the infrastructure push of 2026, the federation sees a chance to keep the momentum going, even as the senior men's team figures out what comes next.

Fan-reaktioner

The Pulisic injury news hit hard. The bone bruise and microfracture detail changed the conversation, what looked like a quiet exit now reads like a player who gave everything and broke down doing it. The thread is part frustration with the Belgium performance, part genuine worry about how long the ankle really needs. Full discussion here.