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If you’ve tuned in to watch Norway’s stellar 2026 World Cup at any point, you’ve probably had questions about their signature celebration, the “Viking Row.”

Whether it’s in the stadiums or in the streets of New York, this Norwegian celebration has been a fan favorite during the tournament. But what is the ‘Viking Row’ and where did it come from?

Here is everything you need to know about Norway’s viral celebration:

What Is The Viking Row?

The “Viking Row” involves a group of people — in this case, Norway’s men’s national team and their fans — sitting down and moving their bodies back and forth in a rowing motion. Fans will do it at any time of the game, with a drummer setting the rhythm. Every two beats, the crowd shouts, “ROW!” and the chant commences.

The celebration is in tribute to Norway’s history as one of the primary homelands of the Vikings between 800 and 1050 AD. The Viking Age played an integral role in the formation of modern Norway. 

Who Invented The Viking Row?

Norwegian superfan Ole Frøystad is credited with inventing and popularizing the “Viking Row.” He debuted it with the supporters’ group in a friendly against Switzerland in March 2026 and it became an instant hit. However, it wasn’t until the World Cup that the celebration exploded into a viral sensation.

It’s so big, in fact, that even Norway’s players are doing it now. Norway’s star striker Erling Haaland and midfielder Martin Ødegaard led the Viking Row prior to their knockout stage game against the Ivory Coast and after to celebrate their advancement to the Round of 16.

When Is Norway’s Next Match?

Norway and the Viking Row will continue their 2026 World Cup journey against Brazil in the Round of 16 on Sunday, July 5 at New York New Jersey Stadium. Norway won its first-ever knockout stage match on Tuesday against the Ivory Coast to advance to the round of 16.

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NASCAR has a new playoff system in 2026. It’s back to the Chase.

Instead of win-and-in, it’s the top-16 drivers in the regular-season standings that will make the 10-race Chase, which will be a mini-season of its own with no eliminations. 

The 16 drivers will have their points reset for the start of the final 10-race stretch with the regular-season champion at 2,100 points, second place at 2,075, third place at 2,065, fourth place at 2,060 and so on by five-point increments with 16th reset to 2,000.

Eight races remain in the regular season: Chicagoland, Atlanta, North Wilkesboro, Indianapolis, Iowa, Richmond, New Hampshire and Daytona.

So who is in and who is out? 

Here’s a look:

While Denny Hamlin has four wins on the season, he hasn’t yet clinched a spot in The Chase.

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Clinched

No driver has clinched a spot.

In Good Shape

There are eight drivers who are 120 points or more above the cutline, and they would have to lose an average of 15 points a race to fall out. There appears to be enough of a buffer that they should feel good even with a DNF or two.

— Denny Hamlin (+330 on the cutoff): The Joe Gibbs Racing driver should clinch in the next few weeks.

— Tyler Reddick (+329 on the cutoff): The 23XI driver should also clinch in the next few weeks.

— Ryan Blaney (+226): The Team Penske driver has just one win but his 13 top 10s lead the series.

— Ty Gibbs (+200): The JGR driver earned his first career Cup victory this year and has seven top fives. Four DNFs are the only thing holding him back in the standings.

— Kyle Larson (+182): The Hendrick Motorsports driver and defending series champion leads all drivers with 152 stage points this year.

Kyle Larson doesn’t have a win on the season but does lead in stage points.

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— Chase Elliott (+165): The Hendrick driver has enjoyed his best start to a season with two victories already.

— Chris Buescher (+129): The RFK Racing driver doesn’t have a race win or a stage win all year, but he has consistent finishes.

— Carson Hocevar (+120): The Spire driver has a win this year with four top fives, seven top 10s and no DNFs.

On The Bubble

One or two good or bad races could change who is in and who is out, especially if any drivers below the bubble win a race or two. With 76 points being the most available in a race, I’d say right now any driver 100 points above or below is on the bubble.

— Daniel Suárez (+95): The Spire Motorsports driver might be the biggest surprise of this group. He did go from 116 points up to 95 points ahead of the outline after Sonoma, so he drops to “bubble” status.

— Christopher Bell (+83): The JGR driver is feeling the pain of a broken left wrist. But he went from 60 points above the cutoff to 83 after Sonoma, so he’s feeling much better.

— Chase Briscoe (+79): The JGR driver had a rough start to the year and has yet to win a race or a stage. He is good under pressure, but this is harder than it should be for him.

— William Byron (+57): The Hendrick driver has had an uncharacteristically inconsistent season and still seeks his first win.

— Bubba Wallace (+55): The 23XI driver had a few bad races amid posting a pair of runner-up finishes in the last four events. A couple more of those and he should be good. But he’s still perilously close to the cut.

— Shane van Gisbergen (+36): The Trackhouse Racing driver won at Sonoma to go from five points below the cut to 36 points ahead. Now it’s time to race for points over the next eight races. That could be tough. 

SVG is fresh off a victory at Sonoma.

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— Ryan Preece (+13): The RFK driver is a fighter and likely has a chip on his shoulder after a 25-point penalty earlier this year for intentionally wrecking Ty Gibbs.

— Austin Cindric (+12): The Team Penske driver likely expected to not be on the bubble, but seeing teammate Joey Logano below the cutline is a sign that the organization has work to do.

— Erik Jones (-12): The Legacy Motor Club driver has surged as of late but a rough Sonoma dropped him back below the cutline. He has some work to do.

— Brad Keselowski (-25): The RFK driver, the 2012 Cup champion, was up 55 points on the cutline five races ago. He could rally quickly, but he’s going to have to get going.

— AJ Allmendinger (-26): The fact he lost five points to the cutoff at Sonoma isn’t a good sign — it means Shane van Gisbergen’s win shifted where the cutoff would sit. 

— Joey Logano (-31): The Team Penske driver, a three-time Cup champion, should never be counted out. 

— Michael McDowell (-32): The Spire Motorsports driver didn’t take enough advantage of the last road-course race (Sonoma). He can’t have a bad finish the rest of the way and that still might not be enough.

— Ross Chastain (-45): The Trackhouse driver had back-to-back top 10s entering Sonoma. He has shown more speed in recent weeks, but likely will need to find even more over the last eight races.

Ross Chastain has been showing improvement of late.

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— Zane Smith (-61): The Front Row driver will need to rattle off some top-five finishes to get back in the mix. 

— Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-72): The Hyak Motorsports driver’s best hope might be to move up enough that, if he can win at Daytona, it could vault him into the Chase.

— Riley Herbst (-84): The 23XI driver lost 26 points to the outline at Sonoma and now has even a bigger hill to climb.

— Todd Gilliland (-87): The FRM driver has been just a little too inconsistent this year.

— John Hunter Nemechek (-91): The Legacy driver could ride the wave of improvement in the Legacy cars, but it will be a tall task.

Little Or No Chance

No one has been eliminated from contention yet, but these eight drivers appear too far back to have even a remote chance to rally.

— Austin Dillon (-121): The Richard Childress Racing driver will be a favorite at Richmond and could win one of the drafting-style races at Atlanta or Daytona. But even a win or two doesn’t appear will be enough.

— Alex Bowman (-170): The Hendrick driver missed four races because of vertigo earlier this year. He has two top-five finishes and just one additional top-10 finish.

— Noah Gragson (-180): The FRM driver has shown speed at times but the finishes aren’t there.

— Josh Berry (-184): The Wood Brothers driver already knows he won’t be back next season, and it could be a tough final half of 2026.

Josh Berry won’t return to his Wood Brothers car next season.

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— Cole Custer (-190): The Haas Factory Team driver still seeks his first top 10.

— Ty Dillon (-197): The Kaulig driver still seeks his first top 10 of the season.

— Connor Zilisch (-203): The Trackhouse rookie has had a miserable season, having failed to finish six of the 17 races.

— Cody Ware (-245): The Rick Ware Racing driver also seeks his first top 10 of the year.

O’Reilly Series: 

Five races remain in the regular season and 12 will advance. Clinched: Justin Allgaier.

Truck Series:

Five races remain in the regular season and 10 advance. Clinched: None.

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As you probably know by now, diving into regular-season win totals for college football might be one of my favorite pastimes. 

And I believe where I’ve landed recently could get us a return on our investment when it comes to one squad’s Under.

I also believe that my Oregon Ducks and last year’s championship runner-up, the Miami Hurricanes, are bound to make deep postseason runs.

Here’s my latest.

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Memphis Tigers regular-season win total

Will head coach Charles Huff lead Memphis to at least eight wins in 2026 (Getty Images)?

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Memphis won at least eight regular-season games in the last three seasons under former coach Ryan Silverfield. 

Silverfield left for Arkansas and nearly 50 players left the program. Memphis hired Charles Huff to lead the squad and Huff has a proven track record of rebuilding programs. He just took Southern Mississippi from a one-win team to being a bowl team before joining Memphis. 

However, I don’t think he’s going to see the same success as Tigers head coach in Year 1.

It used to be that returning production was a favorite of mine when previewing a team’s early-season success. But the portal has changed how I view it. 

If you lose snaps to the portal, then acquiring players with starting experience and snaps should count as returning production. Memphis only returns 42% of its production from 2025, which is near the bottom of the sport. The Tigers’ quarterback graduated, and they lost their most prized backup to Arkansas. They also lost their top three running backs and receivers, and most of their offensive line will be new this season. 

Huff addressed some of these areas with portal additions, but there are still so many questions. 

Who is the quarterback? Well, Dylan Stokes transferred from West Florida and appears to have the lead for the job. Memphis has a handful of productive portal additions as skill players. It appears the offensive line is going to start four transfer players. 

In other words, there are lots of unknowns on offense.

The defense hovered at just below average for most of Silverfield’s time at Memphis, so it’s possible that nearly everyone who could tackle left in the portal. The defense projects to start 11 new players. Even most of the backups are new players. There are some high-upside athletes, like J’Mond Tapp who followed Huff to Memphis. He recorded 7.5 sacks and 67 tackles last season. The rest of the defensive line needs players to emerge as playmakers. One of the linebacker spots is set with Michael Montgomery transferring from Southern Miss, as well as some of the secondary pieces. 

But just like the offense, there are so many unknowns.

The Memphis schedule does have wins built into it. The Tigers are over a touchdown favorite against UNLV in Week 1 and will be a big favorite in Week 2 against Arkansas State. They will not win at Boise State but should beat UT Martin in the final out-of-conference game. 

Ultimately, they should be 3-1 to start the season.

The Tigers have two wins on paper in conference games with Charlotte and UAB. At least I hope so. 

The rest of their schedule looks like 50-50 games. However, with so many new pieces on the roster, uncertainty at quarterback and an entirely new depth chart, I could see this season being a struggle.

Because of inexperience, Memphis could lose games that it actually should win.

PICK: Memphis Under 7.5 regular-season wins

Will Oregon and Miami make the College Football Playoff?

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning will look to build on his program’s success in 2026 (Getty Images).

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Oregon has been a Playoff team two straight seasons. 

In 2024, the Ducks went 13-0 in the regular season (including the conference title game) and followed that up with 11-1 last season, when their only loss was to eventual champion Indiana. 

Oregon also went 11-2 in 2023 but did not make a four-team playoff after losing to Washington in the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Ducks don’t lose games against teams they shouldn’t lose to. In fact, most of the games against those types of teams aren’t particularly close. 

Their schedule is set up for success again and this might be the best Oregon roster in school history. 

The Ducks will be underdogs just once this season, when they travel to Ohio State. Oregon does travel to USC and hosts Michigan. Otherwise, the Ducks’ schedule is full of wins. Get one win of those three games (even though it’ll be more like two) and Oregon is into the Playoff.

Miami head Coach Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes could end up making another deep Playoff run next season (Getty Images).

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A few weeks back, I wrote about Miami’s chances to win the ACC. I love it. 

The Hurricanes might be more complete this season. They lost quarterback Carson Beck but Duke transfer Darian Mensah is better. They return their outstanding running back and their best receiver, who’s also one of the best in the country. 

We know that staff can replace offensive and defensive linemen that they lost. The Miami defensive line and secondary will also be outstanding. The Canes are just far better than anyone in the ACC. And after losing in the national title game, they will be thirsty to get back there again. 

Both of these teams are making the Playoff.

PICK: Oregon and Miami (-120) both to make College Football Playoff 

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Lionel Messi has already made history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but Kylian Mbappé is on his heels.

The France star has already broken his team’s record for the most international goals scored, and he’s right behind Messi’s ever-increasing record for the most goals scored ever at the World Cup, which now stands at 19 goals. Mbappé currently has 18 career World Cup goals.

Will Mbappé catch Messi before the World Cup is over? Follow along as we track Mbappé’s road to potentially catching up to Messi: 

Mbappé At 2026 World Cup: 6 Goals

France vs. Sweden (Round of 32, June 30): Two goals

Kylian Mbappé Scores Brace vs Sweden 🇫🇷 His Third in 2026 FIFA World Cup™

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It was the third game at this tournament with Mbappé scoring two goals in one game. He has now scored 10 goals in the knockout stages of the World Cup, the most of any player in history.

Let’s just do the numbers:

• He has now recorded seven multiple-goal games at the World Cup (six braces, one hat-trick), at least three more than any other player in the history of the competition.
• He has now scored multiple goals in seven of his 18 World Cup appearances.
• He is now the second Real Madrid player to score six goals in a single World Cup, joining Davor Šuker (1998).

And this was all before he actually was subbed off early to cap yet another amazing day.

France 3-0 Iraq (Group Stage, June 22): Two goals

France’s Kylian Mbappé Scores Two Goals vs Iraq | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

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Mbappé moved into a tie for the second-most goals scored by a men’s player at the FIFA World Cup after scoring two goals against Iraq on Tuesday. He scored his first goal of the day in the 14th minute, making a strong, left-footed shot from outside the box for his 15th career World Cup goal.

Then, after a two-hour-long rain delay, Mbappé scored his 16th career World Cup goal thanks to a mistake by Iraq. The French star was able to go one-on-one with Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil after he turned the ball over in his own penalty box. The goal moved Mbappé back to just two goals behind Lionel Messi for the most goals scored ever in the World Cup. 

Mbappé’s second goal of the day also helped him break a tie with former Brazil star Ronaldo for the third-most goals scored by a men’s player in the World Cup, while he tied former Germany star Miroslav Klose.

France 3-1 Senegal (Group Stage, July 16): Two goals

Kylian Mbappé Becomes France’s All-Time Leading Goalscorer in the FIFA World Cup™ 🇫🇷

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Mbappé became France’s all-time leading goalscorer with his second goal of the tournament and his 58th for France. Olivier Giroud, who retired from France’s national team following Euro 2024, was previously France’s all-time leading goalscorer, scoring his 57th goal in March 2024 at the age of 37.

Mbappé also eclipsed France legend Just Fontaine and Lionel Messi to Gerd Müller for the third-most goals in World Cup history with 14.

Mbappé At 2022 World Cup: 8 Goals

(Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

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At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Mbappé had a remarkable tournament, scoring eight goals to win the Golden Boot. His tournament included a historic hat-trick in the final against Argentina, making him the first player to score three goals in a World Cup final since 1966. Nonetheless, Mbappé and France came up short against Argentina, losing on penalties. 

Mbappé At 2018 World Cup: 4 Goals

(Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

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At the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Mbappé broke onto the international scene, scoring four goals as a 19-year-old and playing a key role in France’s championship run. During that campaign, he became only the second teenager to score in a World Cup final when he found the net in France’s 4-2 victory over Croatia in 2018.

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One of the first things that stands out about Norway star Erling Haaland is his signature ponytail, something that used to be true of legendary Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimović. With Ibrahimović now playing the role of a mentor for this generation of strikers, he’s offered some sound advice to Haaland.

“Zlatan, you know what he told me? ‘Never cut your hair because the strength is in the hair,'” Haaland said during a game of table tennis on Monday’s “After Hours with James Corden.” “What can I do? I have to listen to him, no?”

Ibrahimović confirmed the story following Norway’s win over the Ivory Coast on Tuesday, and he explained that it came from his personal experience with his ponytail.

“I truly believed that when I was playing,” Ibrahimović, a 13-time title-winner in Europe said. “When things were going well, I had my ponytail.

“I remember when Haaland showed up on the big stage, we had the same agent, who unfortunately passed away a couple of years ago. I saw him with his long ponytail, and my agent was telling me, ‘Listen, I saw Zlatan in him,’ and I said, ‘You keep that hair because that hair is going to take you where you want to go.'”

Whether it’s the ponytail or not, Haaland is delivering on the biggest stage. The star striker helped Norway win its first-ever World Cup knockout stage match on Tuesday, scoring the go-ahead goal in the 86th minute against the Ivory Coast to send the country to the round of 16; Haaland has scored five goals in the 2026 World Cup, scoring two goals against both Iraq and Senegal in the group stage; he didn’t play in Norway’s June 26 loss to France.

Erling Haaland Delivers Late Go-Ahead Goal for Norway Against Ivory Coast | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

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Outside of starring for Norway, Haaland is coming off his fourth season playing for Manchester City in the Premier League, winning a championship in each of his first two seasons with the club (2022-23 and 2023-24). Over Haaland’s four-year stint with Manchester City, he has averaged 28 goals and six assists per season.

Next up for Haaland and Norway in the World Cup is a showdown against Brazil in the round of 16 on July 5.

Ivory Coast vs Norway Extended Highlights 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Round of 32

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“Bear Bets” are real wagers that Chris “The Bear” Fallica is actually making.

When it comes to the World Cup, heartbreak comes with the territory.

Such was the case on Tuesday for the Ivory Coast, as Norway got a late goal and a narrow victory. 

Here’s what I’m eyeing for Match Day 21.

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World Cup Best Bets — Wednesday, July 1

England vs. DR Congo

“The Bear” likes England to get past DR Congo in clean fashion (Getty Images).

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I don’t think DR Congo is going to score, but it’s hard to lay -200 on that. England to win to nil is a little better at -150, but I’m also not sure England pours in goals here. I’ll go exact score with these two options and try and create a little plus-money alternative. But if you’re comfortable laying -150, then that’s a pretty good alternative. 

Fallica’s Picks:   England to Win 1-0 (+450), England to Win 2-0 (+400)

Belgium vs. Senegal 

Can Belgium get past a scrappy Senegal team (Getty Images)?

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I really don’t know what to do with this match. There’s a part of me that wants to play Senegal to advance, but there’s also a part of me that thinks Belgium found a little something in the second half of its match against a far inferior New Zealand. Senegal will certainly offer a much stiffer test. But at the same time, Senegal didn’t really look great until the final group-stage match, when it got the must-have 5-0 win over Iraq. Belgium also has a keeper in Thibault Courtois who can single-handedly steal a match. I’m not going to get too invested here, but will land on Belgium to win in 90. 

Fallica’s Pick:   Belgium to Win on Three-Way (+125)

United States vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina 

The United States should advance, but that price is a hefty one to lay. Bosnia will offer some challenges, though, as that squad has great height, structure and will be tough on set piece opportunities. But Bosnia is also lacking pace and that’s an area the U.S. can exploit. This has potential to be a very ugly match, which would kind of favor Bosnia, but I still am not sure that side is capable of scoring. Italy probably would have said the same thing. In the end, the U.S. should get through, but I don’t think it will be comfortable. 

Fallica’s Pick:   Both Teams to Score — No (-130)

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Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has responded to speculation linking him with the Germany manager role after the national team’s World Cup round of 32 defeat to Paraguay. The 59-year-old insisted it was not the time to discuss replacing Julian Nagelsmann, while launching a scathing critique of the team and demanding systemic grassroots reform.

Germany crash out

Die Mannschaft suffered a monumental sporting disaster after being dumped out of the tournament by a side ranked 31 places below them. Despite swinging in a record-breaking 55 crosses, Nagelsmann’s side lacked a clinical edge and drew 1-1 over 120 minutes following Kai Havertz’s second-half equalizer. A nerve-shredding sudden-death penalty shootout eventually condemned the four-time world champions to their first-ever World Cup exit on spot-kicks.

Klopp dismisses immediate vacancy

Appearing on Magenta TV, Red Bull head of global soccer Klopp was asked directly whether he would consider stepping back into the dugout to rescue his country.

The ex-Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund boss stated: “I haven’t thought about that yet. I understand that when the national coach position is discussed, my name is mentioned in some form. But it’s not the moment to really talk about it. There’s nothing to say about it. I have a job that I enjoy very much. As far as I know, it’s not a part-time job.”

Tactical approach heavily criticised

While Nagelsmann remains under contract until 2028, Germany’s struggles to break down Paraguay’s stubborn low block has triggered immense national debate. Klopp highlighted a distinct lack of execution from the team’s marquee creative talents, before suggesting that the German Football Association (DFB) requires an entirely fresh developmental philosophy from top to bottom.

Klopp added: “You have to attack down the wings. There’s no alternative. We all know how well these guys can play, but they didn’t bring that to the pitch. In three months, we’ll be raving about [Florian] Wirtz and [Jamal] Musiala again about how great they are, but not now.

“Paraguay had the opportunity to achieve something, Germany was under pressure to achieve something. Everyone in the stadium thought: Now they’ll turn it around! But we didn’t. We let them off the hook.

“We can talk about the DFB. We absolutely have to change a few things. We can start with the U-10s and wait a few years to see what the results are.”

Severe structural introspection awaits

A devastated German setup faces an uncomfortable post-mortem as pressure intensifies on the technical staff and hierarchy. With the next international cycle on the horizon, the DFB must decide whether to back Nagelsmann’s long-term vision or initiate immediate changes. Conversely, Paraguay march forward with immense confidence to a historic last-16 matchup with either France or Sweden in Philadelphia, completely unfazed by reputation.

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Ronald Koeman has resigned from his role as Netherlands men’s national team head coach after suffering the country’s worst-ever finish at a World Cup, getting knocked out in the round of 32.

The Netherlands has missed World Cups, most recently in 2018, but in every World Cup it has participated in, it has reached at least the last 16. That all changed when the Netherlands lost to Morocco in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw at Monterrey Stadium.

Koeman has been heavily criticized for his approach to the match vs. Morocco. He played a back five, abandoning the Dutch philosophy of attacking football and total football. The Netherlands played with a traditional back four in the group stage, where it finished with seven points and really impressed, but the sudden formation change against Morocco left everybody confused, including Thierry Henry.

“I was really surprised because the Netherlands doesn’t usually play this way, but it’s clear that Koeman had a different vision,” the World Cup-winner said.

Zlatan Ibrahimović went as far as to blame Koeman for the defeat.

“It’s always sad to see somebody lose. But I think this loss is on Koeman because I didn’t recognize this Dutch team,” Ibrahimović said.

“And he lost with an identity that is not the Dutch identity,” Ibrahimović continued. “And that makes me angry. Lose with your identity, and try always with that. That’s who you are. That’s who you represent.”

The Netherlands is now looking for a new manager who will lead the project for Euro 2028 and try to shake off this disappointing tournament.

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The U.S. men’s national team may have lost its World Cup group-stage finale on a last-second goal to Türkiye, but that hasn’t changed any of this squad’s objectives.

Wednesday’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 has the USA primed for a deep run at this tournament. The last time the USMNT won a knockout game was in 2002, so there is plenty on the line at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium against an upstart European side. 

Here is everything to know about the USA’s round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina:

Key Storyline: The Stakes Are High

Although this has been a terrific World Cup for the USA so far — the team won two consecutive games for the first time in almost a century and its group with a match to spare, allowing the starters to rest and the reserves to gain valuable experience in the loss to Türkiye — it instantly becomes the biggest failure in program history if this squad can’t beat the Bosnians.

Zlatan & Thierry Henry Preview United States’ Round of 32 Matchup vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

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That’s a hell of a swing. To be clear: The Stars and Stripes should win this game. They have a better lineup, a deeper bench and will be playing at home. Blowing this would take some doing. But being the clear favorite is tricky, and anything can happen in one game. So the U.S. must mitigate the risk by coming out flying and, crucially, scoring the first goal — something it has done in all three of its games so far. The longer the match remains scoreless, the more the visitors’ belief will grow, as will the pressure on the hosts to avoid disaster.  — Doug McIntyre

Not to be cliché, but I am going with Christian Pulisic. He’s only played 77 minutes total during this World Cup, and now that the U.S. is in the knockout stage, it’s a massive moment for him to shine. As Folarin Balogun told reporters earlier this week, the knockout stage is the time when “big players step forward, and the big players carry the pressure and make things happen.” 

On this team, there’s no bigger player than Pulisic. He masterfully contributed to the team’s first two goals vs. Paraguay, but then was forced to miss the next match vs. Australia with that calf injury. He came on in the second half vs. Türkiye and immediately lifted the quality of play. 

On Tuesday, Pulisic told reporters that he’s “feeling good.” We expect him to start against Bosnia and Herzegovina and be the star this team needs to keep pushing through the World Cup. — Laken Litman

Projecting USA’s Starting Lineup

Goalkeeper: Matt Freese

Defender: Antonee “Jedi” Robinson

Defender: Tim Ream

Defender: Chris Richards

Defender: Alex Freeman

Midfielder: Tyler Adams

Midfielder: Malik Tillman

Midfielder: Weston McKennie

Attacker: Christian Pulisic

Attacker/Defender: Sergiño Dest

Forward: Folarin Balogun

In a tournament setting, when Mauricio Pochettino finds a formation and lineup he likes, he tends to stick with it. We saw this at the 2025 Gold Cup when he kept a consistent lineup through the knockouts. As we saw against Australia when Pulisic was hurt and Pochettino went with a two-center-forward formation, he can adapt in interesting ways when he must. Now, he has no restrictions as yellow cards have been wiped clean (meaning Adams, McKennie, Richards and Balogun are back). Pulisic is also available, while both Ream and Robinson are rested. 

The good thing about this lineup is there are a number of very versatile players that offer Pochettino ways to adjust without making a substitution. McKennie and Tillman can sit deep or move into a No. 10 or winger role if needed. Pulisic can cut in and play as a No. 10 or second striker. Dest can play as a winger or as a right back. 

This was the lineup Pochettino chose in the very important opening game. It is hard to see him changing something that worked so well. — Brian Sciaretta

What To Expect From Bosnia And Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s approach will be similar to what the USA saw against Paraguay. I’m expecting more of a mid-block instead of a low one, like what Australia played. Bosnia will defend higher up the field but still won’t leave itself too exposed.

Bosnia and Herzegovina had the third-fewest entries into the opponent’s 18-yard box and the lowest of any team that advanced to the round of 32. That should give you an idea of what to expect from them in this match.

That should not sound like I’m discrediting what Bosnia and Herzegovina is capable of, since the squad does have a couple of players who are more than capable of making an impact in attack. — Walker Zimmerman

USA Related Stories

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Malik Tillman likes watching penalty shootouts. But participating in them? Not so much.

“I try to avoid it,” the American midfielder said before training on Tuesday. “Everyone tries to avoid it. But sometimes, it happens, and, of course, you have to be ready for it because you never know. We’ll give our best to finish the game in 90 minutes.

The U.S. men’s national team faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Wednesday night. With the 2026 World Cup now in the knockout stage, any match that remains tied after regulation and extra time comes down to one thing: the dreaded, stomach-churning penalty shootout.

On Monday, Germany and the Netherlands were both sent home after cruel and dramatic penalty shootout losses to Paraguay and Morocco, respectively. Across the two shootouts, players missed 10 penalty kicks, setting a World Cup record for the most misses in a single day. It was the first time in history the four-time champion Germans left the World Cup via penalties.

It was a stark reminder of the stakes now facing the U.S. because, in the knockout stage, one mistake can send a team home.

“We’ve seen two big boys fall,” defender Chris Richards told a group of reporters. “So it’s just a matter of us getting through this game and putting on a good performance, and, hopefully, we continue that.”

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The last time the USA found itself in a penalty shootout was exactly one year ago, when it beat Costa Rica in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals after a six-round thriller. The win came largely thanks to Matt Freese’s heroics in goal, as he made three saves to send the squad through.

Tillman, who missed a penalty in the first half of that match, bounced back by converting in the shootout. He said that while players can practice penalties all they want, it’s “impossible” to replicate what it actually feels like in that spotlight.

U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino agrees. That’s part of why the squad has used sports performance company neuro11 for the past 18 months. The company works with elite athletes and teams around the world — including Liverpool F.C. and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez — using innovative brain-based training and neurofeedback to help athletes stay sharp and composed under pressure.

Pochettino has a dedicated group of coaches and analysts focused on neuro11 and penalty kicks, working to improve the team’s execution from the spot and expand the pool of PK takers, much like another group uses TrackMan technology to aid in set pieces.

“I don’t want to say too much,” Pochettino said Tuesday, careful not to reveal information that could give a future shootout opponent an edge. “As a coaching staff, we believe that we can provide some tools to the players to be better or to improve or to try to find the best way to face this type of situation, knowing that it’s impossible to replicate the emotional stress and the pressure and expectation, how you are going to feel.

“Because it depends on your performance – if you came from the bench, if you played 120 minutes, if you are tired, if you are not tired. If you feel something in your body, that is impossible when you practice penalties to have the same feeling.”

Pochettino added that he and his staff choose the penalty kicking order.

“It is going to be our decision – the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5,” Pochettino said. “We are trying to arrive at this moment and not ask the player if they feel confident or not confident.”

Malik Tillman and the art of the penalty. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images)

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According to a German media report, there was controversy over who would take Germany’s sixth penalty, as some players didn’t want to. Ultimately, it was Jonathan Tah, whose miss proved decisive and allowed Paraguay to convert and advance.

“I don’t know about that situation, but yeah, it’s a difficult thing,” star forward Christian Pulisic said when asked about Germany’s exit. “The guys who feel the most confident to go up and shoot will want to go shoot. I think that’s normal. There will be some players that maybe don’t practice them as much and don’t feel as good. I don’t think it’s necessarily a big problem.

“Haven’t been in many shootouts with these guys, but I feel like it’s a pretty brave, courageous team. I feel like guys will give it a go.”

How Do USA Players Take Penalties?

Penalty kick style and technique have evolved over the years. Some players opt for stutter steps and elaborate long or short run-ups, while others simply place the ball and strike it.

Tillman said he’s experimented with different approaches throughout his career and doesn’t necessarily take them the same way he once did. Still, he added, “I’m confident in the way I take them.”

Richards, who scored a penalty for Premier League club Crystal Palace last season, doesn’t overthink it.

“I don’t want to give away too much,” Richards said with a big smile. “Some guys change it up. Me personally, I’m a defender for a reason, so I’m gonna put it down and place it where I think it needs to go.”

Chris Richards and Matt Freese were part of the USA’s penalties against Costa Rica at the 2025 Gold Cup. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

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Pulisic doesn’t read too much into everyone else’s process.

“Everyone has their own style,” said Pulisic, who also noted that he’s feeling good after dealing with a calf injury that has limited his time on the field. “I don’t think you watch [the Germany and Netherlands shootouts] and can take so much away and try to change your style in one day. I mean, it’s just part of the game. 

“It’s an extremely hard thing to do for sure. It takes a lot of courage and it’s not easy. Goalkeepers are getting better and better every single year. Everyone has their individual style, and you just go with what you feel most confident with.”

All this is to say, the U.S. hopes any penalty shootout talk is moot during their run in this World Cup.

“Ultimately, you don’t want to get there,” Richards said. “But honestly, we’ve done a lot of training with penalty shootouts, so if it comes down to it, I think every guy on this team is going to step up and take it.”

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