SEATTLE — "Great moments are born from great opportunity." It’s little wonder why USA coach Mauricio Pochettino co-opted one of the most famous quotes in American sports history in the build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, noted fan of the Miracle on Ice that he has become. Originally, the sentiment applied to the entire tournament. Now, it perfectly encapsulates Monday’s all-or-nothing round of 16 contest here against Belgium. This is the big one. In the last three World Cups the U.S. mens national team participated in, it was eliminated at this stage. But none of those teams was riding the wave of momentum that has captured the imagination of the American public over the last month. None talked openly about winning the whole thing. Most crucially, none of them were playing here at home. "As a team, we want to leave our mark on the game and a legacy behind," veteran midfielder Tyler Adams said on Friday. "I want it to be more than just what this moment has created and the hype around it." Only a victory will accomplish that. As well as the co-hosts have done so far at this World Cup — including winning a World Cup knockout match for the first time since 2002 — what has long been considered a golden generation of players has yet to manage even one so-called "signature" win against a truly elite foe. In the round of 16 at Qatar 2022, they were thoroughly outclassed in a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands. Monday represents a chance to show how much they’ve improved in the almost four years since. Last week’s do-or-die 2-0 triumph over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the new round of 32 was a good start. Now it gets real. "You need to embrace the moment, that's for sure, to have an opportunity to play in around a 16 game, which obviously in the last World Cup we did," Adams said before the U.S. trained Saturday at Husky Stadium on the University of Washington campus. "It's exciting. It was nice to get a little bit of a taste of what it feels like to play with something a little bit more on the line in the last game. I think that's good preparation." Still, topping Belgium is another matter entirely. The Red Devils embarrassed the Americans in a March exhibition in Atlanta, coming from behind to beat the home team 5-2. Adams didn’t play in that match because of injury. Neither did five others who started against the Bosnians: keeper Matt Freese, defenders Alex Freeman and Chris Richards and wing back Sergiño Dest. "It doesn't matter," Ream said of the last meeting with Belgium. "This is a completely different game than in March." He's right. It's easily the Stars and Stripes' biggest game of this World Cup so far. Although Belgium is an aging team — coach Rudi Garcia’s roster still boasts four players who featured when the Belgians topped the U.S. 2-1 in extra time in the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, including keeper Thibaut Courtois and the two goalscorers that night in Salvador, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku — they’re still stacked. Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku, in particular, gave the U.S. fits in Atlanta. Containing him will be a team effort, with Dest and Freeman requiring support from destroyer Adams, center back Richards and anyone else in the proximity. "We will make it really difficult for their wingers to even go behind our defense," Dest vowed. Easier said than done. "Not a lot of teams in the world can slow him down," said Adams. That’s the assignment nonetheless. Chances like this don’t come along very often. The fanbase that has wholeheartedly embraced this team will quickly forget the three games they've won at this World Cup if they don’t take advantage and go at least one step further than they have in almost a quarter-century. If they do, though, the legacy Pochettino, Adams and others have talked about leaving will be secure. The U.S. would then have a chance, mostly pressure-free, to upset Spain or Portugal and reach the semifinals. Do that, and these 26 players will walk together for the rest of their lives. "Taking this thing as far as we can is the most important thing," Adams said. "We have a good opportunity here to do so." Locked in as they are on Belgium, the bigger picture must remain in the background for now. But they all know it's there. "We are, as we all continue to say, very aware of the impact that we're having around the country," said Ream, who called Monday’s game an "opportunity to continue to inspire tens of millions of people, inspire kids." It's one this U.S. team has earned. We'll see if they can turn it into a moment no American soccer fan will ever forget.
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