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Pulisic!

I'm gonna say a word

and I'd love for you to tell me

what comes to mind
when you hear it.

CONCACAF.

Uh...

CONCACAF, that's, uh--

Yeah, there's a lot
you could say about that.

In one word? Chaos.

CONCACAF to me is a mystery.

It's always been challenging.

It's a lot, man.

It's different playing
down there. I'll say that.

This is a crash
course in CONCACAF.

It's like a boxing match.

12th round.

I think it's
an underappreciated federation.

One that's probably not talked
about very frequently, globally.

Do you know what
the acronym stands for?

Yeah, I mean, let me
look that up, actually.

Cause I, you know,

Confederation of North,
Central America

and Caribbean
Association Football.

Like the first and second,
third and fourth,

fifth and sixth,
whatever letters,

each stand for one
of the regions.

It's stupid.
I don't know.

It prepares players
for everything.

The conditions
you're playing in,

the temperatures,
the crowds.

Denver's very hot
on both sides right now.

You know,
I think it's probably

one of the dirtiest
regions as far

as on the field
and off of it.

The issues we've had
traditionally over the years

playing away from home,

the officiating, all of that.

The atmosphere
is gonna be different.

The fans are gonna be
against you.

You know, it's definitely war.

I played
in some games in CONCACAF

where I truly feel like I'm
playing another sport at times.

It can be the most sloppy,

physical game that--

that feels like there's just,
like, no rules at times.

They were throwing
beer on us

and we went in the corner
and celebrated,

and Gio got hit with a bottle.

It is an absolute shit show.

This book will be finished
when I return.

That's a Christian guarantee.

Can you imagine if the NFL

just allowed
all their best players

to go home in the middle
of the season

across an ocean
to play with another team?

I got my cleats,
running shoes.

All the travel
and all the fatigue

and all the risk of injury,

everything that goes
along with that,

it just doesn't happen
outside of this sport.

I travel two time zones
and I-- I can't fall asleep.

These guys are traveling
across an ocean,

playing at
the very highest level

and then often going back
very quickly

to do it on the weekends
somewhere else.

It is a hugely challenging
thing to do.

And I will say
it's also something

that's just unique to football.

How you feeling over there?

I'm feeling good, man.

Training's been tough.

Balancing between
club and country.

It is a challenge,

especially depending
on where you play.

And, you know, nobody
cares about

how far you have to travel.

Nobody cares about
the field conditions.

Nobody cares about any of that.

They want a result.

And so I always found that
to be a bit challenging.

What's going on in here?

To play
with the national team,

it can be tough, but truly,

I wouldn't want it
any other way.

Ooh...

I mean, this is just
what it takes.

And obviously I've known
a lot of those guys

for so long as well.

So, I mean,
it's like going home

and hanging out
with your friends.

I just gotta say.

Yunus, how you doing?

Yeah.

When you're
in the thick of games

and you're physically tired,

exhausted from all the travels,

it's really easy to lose
perspective and to think,

you know, I'd rather
get some rest than play.

But then you know that

if actually you wasn't
selected to go to camp

or you wasn't selected
for the games,

you would be sad
about that, you know,

so we definitely rather
be going to the games

and traveling to the U.S. and
playing for the national team.

It's a great privilege
and great honor.

Pulisic for Aronson.

Back towards Christian Pulisic.

Across goal...
put in by Musah!

The first goal!

Mr-- Mr. Musah,

what do you have to say
for yourself after that?

What's the feeling like
to actually--?

Whenever you have
26 guys on a roster

that all have
that same mentality,

that all have that connection,

that all understand
the assignment,

you don't just see them
as teammates,

you see them as brothers.

And that's what makes it
even more enjoyable,

to stand up for each other,

to fight for each other.

Ah, man, when we're--
when we're all together

for national team, it's amazing.

It's a great vibe.
I mean, we're all brothers.

I think a lot of us have known
each other for-- for years,

so having that bond
is very special.

I mean, it's just
like one big family,

and it brings out
the energy and the vibe.

So, yeah, we have fun, for sure.

Well, thank you all
for being here today.

And I think I speak
for all of us at U.S. Soccer

when I say that this
is a great day for U.S. Soccer.

You know, my whole
motivation

to take that position in 2017

was to qualify the team
for the World Cup,

and I-- I failed.

And I felt that the right
thing to do was to resign.

We are thrilled,
absolutely thrilled,

to welcome Gregg Berhalter

as our new head coach for
the U.S. Men's National Team.

You know,
they just had arguably

the biggest failure
in the history of the program,

and I think Bruce
knew to step aside,

and I think they needed
some new blood.

Thank you.
Um, I first want to start

by thanking Carlos Cordeiro

Ernie Stewart,
and the board of directors

for giving me this opportunity.

I'm a product of U.S. Soccer.

It means a tremendous amount

to represent your country,

and it was an opportunity
that I said to myself,

if I was offered the job,

you know, I can't--
I can't turn it down.

It's something I have to take.

I think when I took
the team over

and there was a lot of
negativity

surrounding U.S. Soccer
at the time.

Let's go.
Let's go, let's go!

It was obviously a great
disappointment not qualifying.

And, you know,
I think that, you know,

a lot was put
on Christian's shoulders

that shouldn't have been put
on his shoulders.

And, you know, he was angry.

Trinidad.

I think it fueled me
for sure

to be in a World Cup
that much more,

to get back up and show
a little more fight

and have a moment where I was on
the field afterwards and said,

"You know what? Now we're
going to the World Cup.

This is-- this is real."

Christian is now the one link,
and there's that pain,

the agony, the trauma,

which for him, I think was
deeply personal.

A lot of understanding him

is to understand
what he feels

when he pulls on
a U.S. jersey.

That pain and feeling,
never again, never again.

Pulisic, he's onside here!

He can finish,
and he does finish.

That's the first time he scored

for the new coach Berhalter.

If you look
at the team in 2019,

we were intentional about how
we're gonna have players around

that understood the culture

of playing for
the U.S. Men's National Team

and understood what
it was like to compete

in international soccer.

But it was pretty clear

that Christian was
gonna be the guy

that you build the team around.

Pulisic on it,
onto his right foot--

Pulisic, shot, goal!

Christian Pulisic
with goal number 16.

You know,
for a player like Christian,

who grew up in the sport
intensely focused

on representing the United
States at the World Cup,

and having come
so painfully close in 2017

at such a young age,

it had to be a harsh
reminder that despite

years of success
in his lifetime,

just getting there
was no easy task for the U.S.

And that's simply because of
how World Cup qualifying works.

So it goes like this.

There are different regions
throughout the world.

Each region has a designated
number of teams

who qualify for the World Cup.

They are Oceania, Asia,
Africa, Europe,

South America,
and then this crazy region

that we call CONCACAF.

So if you're the U.S.,
like it or not,

if you want to go to
the World Cup,

you have to go through CONCACAF,

which is a region that has
historically been dominated

by one country,

which is America's most
bitter rival, Mexico.

Mexico! Mexico!
Rah, rah, rah!

You know, traditionally
in CONCACAF,

meaning prior to, you know,
the mid-90s,

it was Mexico,
you know, only Mexico.

Goal!

Gol de Mexico!

Mexico is a completely
soccer-devoted nation.

So just to give you an idea

of how rough it was
for the United States

between the 1950s
and the 1960s,

the U.S. played Mexico eight
times in World Cup qualifiers.

Somehow, by some miracle,

the United States
pulled off two draws.

The other six games
were pummelings by Mexico.

I think the years
of going at it

have just made this rivalry,
like, insane.

We respect Mexico
to this day, for sure.

I mean,
they have so much talent.

They'll always have
a really great fan base,

especially when you play
down there.

But also in most places
in America, too.

Even if you play them,
you're going to get

a really good Mexican crowd.

Even at home.
It's tough.

I mean, back then
U.S. Soccer said, you know,

we're gonna play our home
game in the LA Coliseum.

And I said,
"Why would we do that?"

And they said, "We're going
to have 90,000 people

and we make a lot of money."

And I said, "Isn't the idea
to beat them?"

And that's when
we started Columbus.

Here's Diskerud.

Oh, playing to the--

And Landon Donovan
makes it two!

It's that score line again.

Columbus, 2-0,
USA over Mexico.

It's dos a cero, again.

We played in Columbus, Ohio,

and that was the start of
the 2-0 victories over Mexico.

For sure, there's more
confidence nowadays, obviously,

having some good results,
but, you know,

it's-- it's good to go
into games with confidence

and believe that
we're gonna beat them.

Quick, hurry, we gotta go.

We gotta go.

You know, everyone's
different, right?

Every player
is different in terms of

what responsibility,
what pressure they want.

Christian's a superstar.

Point blank period.

I think once you start
to embrace it,

doesn't necessarily feel
like pressure.

You can start to really
just thrive in the moment

and enjoy what you're doing,
recognizing that, yes,

there is going to be
a trickle-down effect.

And yes, there are millions
and millions of people

who are expecting
something of me

and anticipating me
to do something.

And you know,
nothing comes easy,

nothing's given to you.

You gotta claw, you gotta scrap.

You gotta be prepared
for the unpredictable.

And be ready to rise
to the occasion

when your name is called upon.

Here we go, guys.

Right? What are we here for?

Change the way the world
views American soccer.

2022 will be the year
that we can do that.

Well, the mandate was to qualify
for the next World Cup.

That was the mandate.

And it was something
where we had to,

you know,
get through that first year

and then start integrating guys

in the second year

to get a team ready
to qualify

and then compete
in the World Cup.

You know,
we're at a point now

where we have so
many young American players

that are doing well in Europe,
playing at big clubs.

Yunus and Christian
and Timmy and Weston and Tyler

and Antonee Robinson and
Sergino Dest and Ricardo Pepi.

I mean, it goes
on and on, right?

But when you have
talent like that,

what it means is we can compete.

Mexico topped
the CONCACAF qualifying group.

A U.S. win would see
Berhalter's men leapfrog El Tri.

USA! USA!

There was a moment we saw

where it was clear that this was

no longer the kid
in tears on that pitch

in Trinidad and Tobago,

but now he's
the leader of a team.

A team that has
traditionally struggled,

quite frankly, with respect.

respect from countries,
from media,

fans all around the world,

but also a team
that has struggled

for respect in the region,

especially from their
arch rival, from Mexico.

You know,
some of those comments

that we had heard from Mexico

right before
that qualifying game,

they just didn't sit right
with me.

I just felt like
saying, you know what?

We had had some good results
recently against you guys.

We don't want to be you guys.

We're creating
our own thing over here.

CONCACAF's
collision of heavyweights,

the ultimate rivalry

backed by fervent support.

The night
when senses are sharpened,

tensions are heightened.

I remember
Aaron Long speaking to him,

and he's like, what if we just,
like, wrote

"Man in the mirror"
on a shirt?

And everyone was like,
it would be crazy

if Christian put that
on a T-shirt.

And Christian was like,
light bulb.

On comes the prodigal son.

Just over 20 minutes to play.

Sure enough, you know,
one of my first touches,

I came into the game
and scored and,

you know, gave us the lead
in a big qualifying game.

And where does Weah--

Going well!

Christian Pulisic
with a decisive moment

against the old enemy

in a World Cup qualifier.

I think, especially
in soccer, man,

scoring, you know,
it can be such a big moment.

And I feel like
after my career,

those are kind
of some of the moments

that I'm going
to look back and goals

that I'm going
to remember the most.

I mean, the "man in the mirror"
celebration,

that'll always be
an iconic moment.

My mom keeps that shirt secure
somewhere back at the house.

I think that was
a marquee moment,

certainly in terms of the way
that I viewed Christian Pulisic

and I think the way
that he was viewed

by others in the game as well.

Just the balls it took

to make that kind of statement
against Mexico,

knowing how Mexico have
dominated in the region

and to kind of put himself
on the map

and take leadership
of the team in that way.

He was ready to kind
of take on that mantle.

He was ready to be
the new leader, the captain

and everything that we expect
from captaincy of a team.

He was ready to be that guy.

Here we go, boys.

Let's get a tight little
circle right here, baby.

Time to hunt, boys.
Time to hunt.

Right from the opening whistle,

we get after these boys.

We do it together, boys.

We do it with
the brotherhood.

What do you got, Christian?

Let's punch our tickets
to the World Cup.

- One, two, three...
- USA!

Fantastic sold out crowd

here at Exploria Stadium.

The U.S. an inch away from
the ultimate goal.

By the time the Panama
game came around in March,

we knew we had a chance
to qualify right there,

and we were gonna take it.

So we-- we definitely, uh,

yeah, walked out on the field

and felt a little different
type of confidence.

Only a spot at the
World Cup at stake right now.

Pulisic scores!

In the biggest moments is when
he did the most for the team.

Yes!

In one of our
pivotal qualifiers

and he scored,
you know, three goals.

Look at this.
Okay. Busting out the worm?

To me, it's really

the culmination
of a journey for him.

Christian Pulisic
with a chip on his shoulder,

the angry, intense
win-at-all-costs...

Shaking off that disappointment
of not qualifying

and learning
to trust his teammates.

Pulisic!
Oh! Around--

A hat trick!
What a night!

And really he
lean on his teammates.

Even though, you know, he's
the biggest star on the team.

You see a guy tonight

that is determined
to get this team back.

Truly, the only thing
as a kid that I really thought

about and dreamed about
was playing in a World Cup.

That was kind of everything

I always wanted to do.

Captain America
is leading this team

back to the promised land.

This is just sensational stuff.

And you see a guy that
is feeling the moment,

and, boy,
has he lived up to it.

Incredible. What a night.

This thing goes to...

A captain performance tonight
from the captain...

So once I kind of had that
weight lifted off my shoulders

and knew that we were
going to World Cup.

It meant everything to me.

- Yeah!
- Come here!

Good evening from
the 2022 FIFA World Cup draw

in which the USA
was drawn into Group B

with England, Iran
and the winners between

Wales, Scotland and Ukraine.

We are joined right now
by the captain

of the U.S. Men's National Team,
Christian Pulisic.

Christian, welcome.

Are you guys able to hear me?
Everything?

- Yep.
- Okay, good.

You know, a few months
before the World Cup begins,

there's this thing
called the draw,

and that is where every team
competing in this competition

finds out who their opponents

are going to be
in the group stage.

Hey, Christian, what are
your thoughts of the World Cup

and what do you think
this can do

for American soccer
on the biggest stage?

I'm-- I'm really excited.

I think it's a great draw.

And sometimes it seems

that things happen
for a reason during this draw

where rivals end up being
drawn against one another.

And at this draw, I guess
it seemed like destiny

that the United States
would face

their oldest rival, England.

England.

USA.

And the funny thing
about this rivalry

is that they don't actually

compete against
each other very often.

When they do, though,
it's always noteworthy.

It's obviously a big team,

and I know a lot of these guys,

but I think it's going to be
a really nice matchup.

There's also a quirk which,

as somebody who was
born in England,

I'm often reminded of this by
my American colleagues,

that is that the several times

that they have faced
each other in World Cup play,

both on the men's and
the women's side,

England, a country known for
creating this game of football,

has never actually beaten
the United States.

And so now it's up
to Christian Pulisic

and his teammates to keep
history going

with the entire world watching.

It's gonna be a fun year
in the buildup to that

preparing, and, hopefully,
the time will fly by.

And here we are,

five years
after that night in Trinidad,

your men of
the United States are back.

When he walked
on the field in Qatar

for the World Cup,

it was kind of a whirlwind
for my wife and I.

We were couldn't believe it.

Now that they're here,

the question is how long
can they stick around.

For him to get over
the ghosts of the past,

finally being able to represent
his country on the world stage.

You know,
I teared up a little bit.

I know Kelley did.

I definitely remember

this feeling of like,

wow, this is really happening.

And now it's time.

And I really need
to get focused

because
this is the biggest stage.

And I felt like
my whole career

had led up to this one moment.

And then once you get there,

you kind of go into
this out of body experience.

So you gotta really calm
yourself down

and get back into the zone
where you know,

you know you can be at your best
and play at your best.

It was just such a long wait

from that moment in 2017.

And that feeling of him
being so heartbroken

and just waiting
and waiting and waiting

until the next opportunity
to even get to the World Cup.

U... S... A!

I think coming up
in the U team,

you dream of one day playing
in a World Cup.

And, you know, my dad, who is

one of the greatest,

didn't even get the opportunity
to play in the World Cup.

So to be in that moment was...

a dream come true for me.

Pulisic on the run.

How's Weah--

Pulisic,
lays it through...

Tim Weah!

The United States'
first World Cup goal

in eight years.

This is a young team
given the keys to the car

of, you know,
the national team,

and they have to navigate that.

And through that,
there will be pitfalls.

Bale is down.
Penalty kick.

Wales with a late chance
for an equalizer.

Bale scores.

For them
to have to take the reins

so early as they did,

we have to allow them the grace
to kind of work through that.

Because I actually look
at things on the other side

and I think we're very lucky

to be where we are right now,

to still be
in within touching distance

of doing great things.

That's how the game ends.

The United States of America
one, Wales one.

What do you expect

Gregg Berhalter's messaging
will be?

It's gotta be,
"Boys, get your heads up."

Obviously, this is a game
that we should have won.

We still got a point out of it.

There's still games
to be played,

and we have a big one
coming up.

Work to be done.

Start the clock.

Black Friday against England.

I think we were
in a really good headspace

going into the game.

I think we went in there
really confident.

It's England,
it's a World Cup.

That's all that matters.

Of course, you're going into
it as the underdog.

And we were
a little disappointed

because we wanted
to win the first game.

So it was tough to get
a draw out of that.

Can this be
Christian Pulisic's night?

So I think we kind of played
like we had nothing to lose.

We are underway.

Saka, pulled it back!

Oh, and a chance for Kane,

but a heroic block in there
from Zimmerman.

A run from Mount!

And the first real test
for Turner.

Christian Pulisic now takes it,
off the crossbar!

What a strike.

It was such a great match.

I mean, Christian
hit the crossbars.

Oh, this game of inches.

The U.S. knocking
on the door right now.

Yeah, we put on

a really good performance
against England, I thought.

He's trying to get
this crowd on their feet.

We didn't play
like underdogs and had,

you know, maybe even
the better of the game.

I think we had moments
that we could have scored

and potentially won the game.

The big question
was whether the U.S.

could hang with England.

Well, they've done that.

It finishes here.

England nil,
the United States nil.

A draw in the group
against England,

probably the toughest opponent.

You're not gonna be
disappointed,

but for sure,
after how the game went,

I think we definitely came out
of it with a feeling like,

"Yeah, dang, we could have
beat them for sure."

It was an exciting game.

I think people were
on the edge of their seats

and I think kids back home
watching this game,

they got inspired.

And there's a lot for our
country to be proud of

from this performance.

You know, for us,
I think that showed us

what it was all about.

And we went into the last game

with everything in our hands,

so we knew
what it was gonna take.

If we win,
we go to the next round.

I put so much
pressure on myself

in the buildup
to this game.

I was like, "Now's your time."

"You got to step up, you got
to make the difference."

You know, if you want
to be seen as a leader,

you want to be seen, seen as,

you know, one of the best
players to put on a U.S. jersey.

This is when
you have to perform,

this is when you have to do it.

So I think we were
confident for sure,

but there was definitely
this weight

of, you know,
it's win or you go home.

So some players got to step up

because now-- now's the time.

There's some space
here for Pulisic,

already in transition,

Sargent in front of him.

Pulisic gets around
the two defenders

and it was the last
man back, Hosseini...

Weston plays
a really good ball

over to Sergino
and I saw the chance

to kind of just get
in front of the defender.

It's just one of
my strengths,

getting in that six-yard box

and hoping the ball arrives.

And sure enough, it did.

Dest has snuck in behind,

Dest in the middle--
Pulisic!

Scores!

Might have paid the price,

but the U.S. takes the lead.

It was such a weird goal

because it was one
of the biggest goals

I've ever scored and I didn't
even get to celebrate.

So it was definitely
a strange one.

It's Captain America,

lays it all on the line

for his team
and for his country.

Obviously I got hit pretty hard,
and it was just pain.

And everyone
just kind of looked at me

laying down in the goal.

You know, the stadium
had this weird buzz to it.

And obviously I was
in so much pain, but I was--

I had also had
so much adrenaline going

and I was worried.

Did it not count?
Was it offside?

There were so many things
going in my head.

He's gonna give it a go.

I mean, this
would really be something.

You saw how hard
that collision was.

My goodness.

The most emotions
hitting me at once

for sure in a moment

was right after that goal.

Just it didn't feel real.

Obviously I was
in so much pain,

but I think the adrenaline
was kind of telling me, like,

"You're fine,
like, keep playing."

But the doctors were like,

"No, you need to go
to the hospital."

The United States
back on the field

in a game they must win
against Iran.

Christian Pulisic
is not with them.

He has not come back
out of the locker room

in the second half.

It was really strange.

I was watching
the second half, you know,

all the way to the hospital
and then sitting in there

on my doctor's phone
and it just seemed surreal.

Like I just scored in this game

and now I'm watching it
from the hospital, like--

The last moments,
hoping we hold on.

It was just a--
Just an insane experience.

Ramin Rezaeian,
stands over it.

An Iran goal will end
the Americans' World Cup.

Six minutes to go.

Rezaeian in...!

Wide.

I'm sure that's
the face of many at home

as the United States
trying to hold on here.

From a hospital bed,

it was still an incredible
moment for me.

I was so proud
of the way the guys

fought and held on

and proud that I had
a part in it.

So we're in
the 100th minute of the game.

Only the referee knows
how much time is left.

The U.S. players are gassed.

It comes into the box.

Jump--
Flicked header!

It's loose and cleared away
by Zimmerman

and the game is over!

Whoo!

Exhale, America, you're on
to the knockout rounds.

I remember
we called some of the guys

from the hospital and they
were all in the locker room

celebrating and the emotions
were so high

and, obviously,
they were checking in on me.

Gregg, Christian Pulisic,

any update on his status

and just what he means
to this team?

No update,
but you know,

I've been saying all along

it's a wonderful thing when
you're one of your best players,

is also one
of the hardest working

and he's certainly that.

Yeah, I just wanted
to get back to the hotel

and see everyone and kind
of join in in the celebrations.

To see him reach
one of his goals,

to play in a World Cup and
obviously scoring a big goal

to get them through,

you know, and he was able
to celebrate it back

at the team hotel with his--
his teammates and, uh--

Just what a night.

Oh, he's back!

We've been hearing
about this kid

since he was 15-years old.

- Yeah.
- And you know what?

It's hard to live up
to that and he did.

It's funny, all
the comments on the goal itself

were like,
"Yeah, he sacrificed it all."

You know,
"It was such a brave play."

But for me, it wasn't.

It was just a play
that I would make, um...

in any game.

To know you're gonna
take a spike

or a knee to the abdomen.

And he took it.

And I just thought, wow,

this kid is living up
to his legend.

How great is that?

I was still, you know,
in a little pain,

but, you know, I think by
kind of the second day

after the game, I already
knew in my head

there's-- there's no way
I wasn't playing.

Christian,
what did it feel to you

now that you have
that forever moment?

I'm hoping I haven't had
that moment yet, to be honest.

I'm hoping
it's in front of me, so.

Feels great to be where
we're at right now,

but...
there's still more to come.

And so the knockout stages

are upon us.

Football at its most
unforgiving,

where magic moments
or mistakes

are career-defining.

No second chances now.

This is the World Cup

and we were
in the knockout round,

so we felt pretty good
as a team

and I felt pretty good
personally.

So the plan was
to just continue to push

and make the difference.

Christian Pulisic
gave everybody a scare

with his injury against Iran,

but he is ready and available.

If you win one game like this,

you can see how quickly things
can just swing your way

and bang, you're into a quarter
final, you're into a semifinal,

and anything's possible.

So I think that was
a message going into it.

It's a U.S. team
that left a lot on the field,

physically and mentally
Tuesday night

to get that win against Iran.

I mean, you're
riding on adrenaline

and you just keep
this thing going.

It didn't feel
like it was a game

that we were just
completely outplayed.

You know, we had our chances.
I had a chance as well.

Adams is trying
to keep it alive.

Pulisic is in!

And the giant Noppert
makes the save.

When I think about

Christian Pulisic's
World Cup,

obviously think about
the goal against Iran.

I think about the goal he missed
against the Netherlands.

You see the way
Christian gets the ball

10 to eight yards from goal.

I would put money
on him finishing that

99 times out of 100.

And I know it has
to stick with him.

I lived
a lot of tough moments

and played a lot of big games

and that's just kind of the way
soccer is sometimes.

Who knows, you go up 1-0,

put them a little bit more
on their back foot.

You know, things could
have ended differently.

Forced wide to Dumfries

gets the cross, cut back--

And it's a goal
for the Netherlands.

All of a sudden felt

like they scored
the same goal twice

and the game kind of got
out of our hands quickly.

Dumfries working on
Adams now cuts back the cross.

Blind is there
and the Dutch score

with the final kick
of the half.

Such a gut punch
for the U.S.

Netherlands 2- USA nil.

When you go through
times together as a team

on the biggest stage,

you grow this--
this certain kind of bond

that you just can't explain.

Pulisic's gonna get there.

Pulisic running into
the middle to get touch--

It's in!
The U.S. has scored!

15 minutes to go!

Game on,
puts us right back in it.

I can never explain
how I felt

just going to bed
each night,

just sitting there in my room

and that feeling in
your stomach of, you know,

having to get the job done
and knowing that this is it.

Free, out of offside,

third goal for the Dutch.

It feels like everything
at the time.

If it ends here, there's
a lot to have been proud of

from this young team, but it
ultimately was not enough.

Once it was over,

you want to go see your family

and just give
them a big hug

and it's just really sad.

Not just because
you lost the game.

It's just the whole experience,

the whole buildup, everything.

And then it's time to go home.

It's, uh--

Yeah, it's really tough to take.

We just told him
how proud we were

of how he handled
the whole situation.

So much pressure is on him
to do everything.

Just telling him,
just you keep your head up.

Because you did
everything you could do.

You played your heart out

and gave everything.

And on to the next.

It felt like
a 90-minute period

of soccer life lessons,

something that
they can use, Clint,

four years down the road,

Look back to 2018,
where we were.

Where we didn't qualify
for the World Cup.

I was excited about the way
that these kids played.

They showed a lot of heart.

They got this country
believing again.

We need to inspire these kids
that are coming up,

that are gonna break
into this team

and make it better for 2026.

- They were watching this game.
- They were watching.

That's who it was. They're
watching that game at home.

We spent a few weeks
together as a team,

we had, you know,
in between games,

all our families visiting us,

and it just felt really special.

So I think it's just kind of
knowing that that was over

and that it was
just time to go home.

How do you feel right now?

You know, I still feel
very proud of our team.

We weren't supposed to make it
to this round.

You know,
they played their hearts out.

They never gave up.

They fought the whole match.

I think they did very
well for being a young team,

for just getting back
into the World Cup.

Actually, the U.S. team
played very well,

I have to say.

The USA played really well.

I feel sorry for them,
but I'm glad Netherlands won.

Being a part
of the World Cup, for sure,

that's where we want to be
every single time around.

- USA, baby!
- 2026.

At the same time,
I set even bigger goals

for myself and for the team.

You know, in these major
tournaments,

we haven't had
that really, really big win

and that big finish.

And that's, for me,

that's-- that's the next
step for us, so--

I'm always looking forward

and-- and want
to continue to kind of,

yeah, up our game

and, you know, really

take this team to another level.

♪ Mm-hmm ♪

♪ Hold the light ♪

♪ Make it bright ♪

♪ Keep it right on ♪

♪ On the floor ♪

♪ Through the fight ♪

♪ Be the fighter ♪

♪ The igniter ♪

♪ Till it's done ♪

♪ Oh-oh-oh ♪

♪ Hey, hey ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Hey, hey ♪

♪ Hold the light ♪

♪ Hold the light on ♪

♪ Make it bright ♪

♪ Make it brighter ♪

♪ Keep it right on ♪

♪ Keep it right on ♪

♪ On the floor ♪

♪ On the floor ♪

♪ Through the fight ♪

♪ Through the fight ♪

♪ Be the fighter ♪

♪ Be the fighter ♪

♪ The igniter ♪

♪ The igniter ♪

♪ Till it's done ♪

♪ Till it's done ♪

♪ Whoa-oh ♪

♪ Mm-hmm ♪

♪ Mm-hmm ♪

♪ Mm-hmm ♪