USMNT captain Tim Ream insisted every player must shoulder responsibility for the defeat to Belgium, as he came to the defense of Christian Pulisic.
Earlier this month, the United States faced Belgium, aiming to make history and secure a quarterfinal spot for just the second time ever — and match the country's finest-ever performance at a World Cup. However, the Round of 16 clash turned into a one-sided affair, as Belgium dismantled the co-hosts in Seattle.
Even with Folarin Balogun in the starting lineup, following the contentious suspension of his one-game ban for his red card that saw Donald Trump intervene, the USMNT was thoroughly outclassed. Charles De Ketelaere struck twice, either side of Malik Tillman's equalizer, before Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku put the finishing touches on a comprehensive 4-1 rout.
For supporters across the United States and around the globe, the defeat marked the devastating conclusion of an exhilarating run that had ignited genuine optimism. In the immediate fallout, many looked to apportion blame for the humiliating exit — and Pulisic found himself at the center of the criticism.
Pulisic was called out by sections of the media for his underwhelming displays throughout the tournament and his anonymous performance against Belgium. However, he had sustained an injury during the game, suffering a bone bruise and a microfracture in his right leg early in the defeat.
During his segment on 'The Pat McAfee Show,' while analyzing the defeat, Ream took the opportunity to stand up for Pulisic. He rejected criticism directed at the 27-year-old and emphasized that accountability should be distributed throughout the entire roster instead of being pinned on a single individual.
"You mentioned Christian there, but I don't think anybody had their best game by any stretch," Ream said. "It just seemed like everything that could go wrong was going to go wrong that night, which is a shame because we put so much work in to get to that point."
The U.S. found it difficult to contain its rival from start to finish. De Ketelaere converted an early opportunity to give Belgium the advantage after defensive uncertainty, while his second saw him overpower Ream to head home forcefully.
That strike arrived mere moments after Tillman's deflected set piece had brought the USMNT level. However, the tide shifted when Matt Freese committed a disastrous mistake that allowed Vanaken to put Belgium ahead by two, before Lukaku sealed the outcome in added time.
Ream seemed to indicate that the squad as a whole found the outcome difficult to process. He added: "It's disbelief. It's trying to put together and understand what had just gone on because it was polar opposite of the way we had played up to that point. I think the feeling in the room was shock and trying to understand where and why we had the game that we did."
The crushing Round of 16 defeat to Belgium will stand as one of the tournament's most memorable moments, but Ream insists it shouldn't eclipse the strides the USMNT took across its five World Cup fixtures. The 38-year-old fulfilled dual roles as captain and one of the team's most seasoned leaders, shepherding a comparatively youthful squad through the demands of soccer's grandest stage.
