The Three Most Important USMNT Players for World Cup Knockout Clash With Bosnia and Herzegovina

The USMNT has not won a World Cup knockout game since 2002.

Christian Pulisic (right) will look to lead the USMNT to the first knockout win of his career. | Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

The U.S. men’s national team will look to become just the seventh Concacaf team to ever win a World Cup knockout match on Wednesday when it battles Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, Calif., in the round of 32. 

After winning Group D with victories over Paraguay and Australia and a loss to Türkiye, the USMNT enters the knockout stage with high hopes. Given the expanded format, there is a possibility of winning a first-round knockout game, since the team qualified for the quarterfinals in 2002. 

Things won’t be exceptionally simple against Bosnia and Herzegovina, though. As the tallest team in the tournament, the Balkan nation can be physically imposing on set-pieces and also features several stars, including American-born winger Esmir Bajraktarević and Premier League legend Edin Džeko up top. 

Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look at the three most important USMNT players in the clash that will see its winner take on the winner of Belgium and Senegal on July 6 in Seattle. 

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Folarin Balogun

Folarin Balogun will enter the match on plenty of rest. | Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Folarin Balogun isn’t the fastest, and at 5'10", he’s anything but imposing—yet, he’s still the most important attacking piece for the USMNT, given his prowess for goalscoring through the first two matches of the World Cup. 

While he told reporters that he wanted to play against Türkiye to keep pace in the race for the Golden Boot, he didn’t get on the pitch and will enter the match after 12 days of rest since he last played in the win over Australia. Fresh and ready to go, he’ll look to build on the goal he netted against the Socceroos, as well as the brace he finished against Paraguay back in the opening match. 

With a towering backline, Balogun’s agility will stand out, as well as his ability to sneak behind taller defenders and play with the ball on the field, instead of in the air. At the same time, his clinical finishing ability will be needed in an elimination match against an often physical and stingy Bosnian side. 

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Alex Freeman

Alex Freeman powered the USMNT to victory over Australia. | John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images

There are a few players who can rival the size of Bosnia’s defenders, but Alex Freeman, at 6'2" and playing in a wide position, is one of them. Although he could start in the back three, his breakout performance against Australia showed that he can contend with physically focused defenders, as he will have to do this week. 

His pace and dribbling skills also make him an indispensable option, given the lack of speed among most of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s talents and the opportunity to help the USMNT find space in counter attacks if they are to absorb pressure. 

While the Villarreal man’s 13 minutes off the bench against Türkiye were underwhelming, his qualities from the start could be vital to winning the battle against tenacious and skillful Bajraktarević down his wing. 

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Christian Pulisic 

Christian Pulisic returned from injury in the USMNT’s loss to Türkiye. | Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Big games call for big players. The USMNT hopes there’s plenty more on offer this summer than just the round of 32 clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but to reach the global giants, they have to get past the Slavic nation. Christian Pulisic, who returned from injury off the bench against Türkiye, will have to be part of the solution. 

At a high level, Pulisic simply has to show that he’s fit and up to the pace needed to play World Cup knockout-round soccer; after that, he also needs to show that his ability to take over an attack can stand out against a lesser opponent on paper. 

Should he play a wide left role and cut inside when in possession, he should be tasked with beating Bajraktarević, Ivan Šunjić and Ivan Bašić, all of whom play at a lower club level than he does with AC Milan. 

This will be just the second World Cup knockout game of Pulisic’s career as well, and he’s still looking for his first win. The round of 32, instead of a round of 16 clash in the newly expanded World Cup, makes a win more likely, but it is still a hurdle he has yet to pass in his career.

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