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Major League Soccer

·30 June 2026

By Alejandro Bedoya

We’ve all seen the viral clip by now — the United States national team taking a victory lap around Seattle Stadium after their win over Australia, with more than 65,000 fans passionately singing John Denver’s iconic “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

It was a truly memorable sight — players applauding the crowd, soaking in the moment, while an entire stadium joined in harmony. The energy, the pride, and the sheer American spirit created an unforgettable post-match tradition.

That emotional connection only builds the excitement for Wednesday’s Round of 32 clash in the Bay Area, where the USA will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in a primetime encounter (8 pm ET | FOX, Telemundo, Peacock).

If the US secure victory, you can be certain that same song will echo once again, with fresh scenes of jubilant fans and players celebrating together. Personally, I’ll be singing along too! As a player, you feed off that crowd energy — it fuels your performance and drives you to deliver in the biggest moments.

However, Bosnia and Herzegovina will not be easy opponents. With seasoned campaigners like Edin Džeko and Sead Kolašinac, alongside emerging young talents and several players competing in Europe’s top leagues, they possess both experience and quality.

Don’t be deceived by their third-place finish in Group B — this is a disciplined, tactically sharp side. Comfortable defending deep and breaking on the counter, Bosnia are also dangerous from set pieces. Let’s not forget, they eliminated Italy in the UEFA qualification playoffs.

That said, the US remain favourites. After commanding performances against Paraguay and Australia in the group stage, they have every reason to feel self-assured. On paper, the Americans are the stronger side and have demonstrated they can raise their level when needed.

I’d like to see the US start aggressively once again, bursting out with energy and finding an early goal. We’ve witnessed it before — forcing own goals against Paraguay and Australia, and Auston Trusty’s corner-kick header against Türkiye. A strong start sets the tone, energises the supporters, and shows clear intent.

Maintaining that intensity shouldn’t be a challenge. Nearly the entire first-choice lineup was rested against Türkiye, a decision that, in hindsight, was absolutely the right one by Mauricio Pochettino.

No starters picked up injuries, yellow-card suspensions were avoided, and the team’s top player managed to get a few minutes while recovering from a knock. Christian Pulisic reminded everyone just how crucial he is to this group. I was also impressed by Weston McKennie wearing the captain’s armband — he’s been a true leader throughout the tournament.

That loss to Türkiye shouldn’t cause any alarm. Every match offers lessons, but I don’t think the defeat will have any major bearing on how they approach Bosnia.

The players know just how significant the coming weeks could be.

A win on Wednesday would see them advance to a Round of 16 clash against either Belgium or Senegal on July 6 in Seattle. The path ahead could then include a quarterfinal in Los Angeles on July 10, possibly against Spain, and maybe even a semifinal in Dallas on July 14 versus France or Morocco.

Those are dream fixtures — the kind that define careers and establish a team’s legacy on the world stage.

The US squad won’t get ahead of themselves, but the supporters surely will. They’ll envision a deep run, and from what this team has shown, it’s not out of reach. It’s far from guaranteed, but entirely possible — especially with home support driving them on.

It all begins on Wednesday against Bosnia and Herzegovina. I can’t wait to watch this team continue to inspire the nation.