What was such an inspiring journey came to a disappointing end.
When the competition gets harder, there are more consequences for not performing. It can’t be a day when so many guys are passengers. On the day, it was simple: Belgium was the better side.
The performance today was nowhere near what these players expected of themselves, and I think that’s where the most disappointment will come from. It was not where it needed to be to give the U.S. a chance to win the game.
Instead of just rating the players for their performances against Belgium, let’s take a bigger-picture look at how they did throughout the tournament. (We’ll start with the coach, though.)
U.S. Player Ratings
I thought he managed the tournament well. Some people gave him stick for making changes in the final group-stage match against Turkiye when there was nothing to play for, but ultimately, those were warranted. You saw what happened in the next game against Bosnia and Herzegovina when a well-rested squad performed very well in the round of 32.
The lineup Pochettino picked against Belgium was the right one. It was the best XI available.
Ultimately, I think there’s going to be some criticism because the belief was that he could take us that step further than we’ve been, but I tip my hat to him and thought he managed this group well throughout the group stage.
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s future with the national team is uncertain following the World Cup. (John Todd/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Rating · 8
For me, Weston was the best player in the tournament for us.
There’s a reason why he played the most minutes of anybody on this team, and there’s a reason why Pochettino trusts him so much in midfield. He offers a lot on both ends of the pitch.
I think getting a second World Cup under his belt will bode well for him going forward. He’s going to remain a big part of our spine in midfield.
Rating · 8
Flo was right up there with Weston throughout the course of the tournament. As I have said throughout the World Cup, he is the No. 9 we have been waiting for.
Balogun was man of the match on multiple occasions, and his influence was felt throughout the course of this World Cup. He’ll continue to be the target man for this team.
Rating · 7
Tillman is a special player. He offers something different compared to Weston and Tyler Adams and delivers constant quality on the ball.
I’m very excited about this midfield trio going forward.
Rating · 7
Freeman showed really well for himself against Belgium. He had moments but ultimately wasn’t at the level of consistency that we’d seen throughout the course of the group stage or against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For a 21-year-old, he conducted himself incredibly well.
Alex Freeman was a standout performer for the U.S. during this World Cup. (Jane Gershovich/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Rating · 7
He’s our anchor and a huge part of our spine moving forward. Getting Chris this experience at the World Cup, to me, was vital. He’s going to assume even more responsibility moving forward.
Part of Christian’s rating is because of the calf injury he suffered in the group stage. A lot of his tournament was impacted by that, since he maybe wasn’t on the field as much as we needed him.
Then against Belgium, he struggled to have the type of involvement that he knows he can. When Christian is at his best and sharpest, we win that game.
When that’s the case, he’s committing defenders to him, beating players off the dribble, getting shots off, getting access to the final third. If nothing else, he’s attracting the defense’s attention.
Ultimately, he wasn’t able to have that kind of impact against Belgium because he didn’t have the chances to play more minutes earlier in the tournament.
Without the performance against Belgium, this is a 7 or an 8. My rating definitely was impacted by that defeat, though.
I felt Tyler could have been more authoritative and dictated more of the play against Belgium. It was a disappointing end to an otherwise solid World Cup.
Ream wasn’t at his best against Belgium, as he was involved in conceding three of them. Ultimately, I thought he had a good tournament minus this performance.
Unfortunately for him, this match against Belgium was when we needed him most and the opponent got the better of him.
Against Belgium, Antonee was just a little less effective than he has been throughout the course of the tournament. Still, he’s one of our most consistent players from game to game.
It’s interesting with Sergiño because he is playing somewhat out of position. He is traditionally a right back and plays there for his club and has, in the past, for the national team, but he was a right winger for this tournament.
Against Belgium, it wasn’t his best day, but he looked threatening at times throughout the World Cup.
Throughout the course of the tournament, he made the saves that he was supposed to make, along with a couple bigger saves, even against Belgium.
What’s going to stand out, though, is the glaring mistake he made that led directly to the third Belgium goal. That one really put the game out of reach for us and made it even more difficult to get back into it.
