"Christian Pulisic vividly remembers watching it with his family. So does Tyler Adams, who saw it with his friends from soccer camp. Memories of Tim Howard catching an Algerian header in Pretoria, and hurling it upfield to ignite the counterattack that would lead to Landon Donovan's instantly iconic goal. The goal that spared the United States men's national team's blushes at the 2010 World Cup, sneaking them out of the group stage at Algeria's expense."
"World Cups drag on for weeks. The group stage already felt like an interminable slog when there were 32 participating teams. With a field of 48 in 2026, the first round alone will stretch to 72 matches more than the entirety of the last edition of the tournament put together over 17 days in June. Knockout rounds lumber along, too, with only the rest days breaking the spell."
"The trick is to somehow make those memories, for your nation and for the next generations. For the frustration to dissipate, however briefly. In a shot. In a punch. In a save. That's the beauty of the sport. Next summer, the US men's national team will have at least three opportunities to make indelible imprints on the minds of tomorrow's would-be fans and potential future national teamers."
Many current U.S. players remember Tim Howard's 2010 save that launched the counterattack leading to Landon Donovan's goal which advanced the United States out of the group stage. Christian Pulisic was almost 12, Tyler Adams had just turned 10, and Matt Turner was about to turn 16 when the moment occurred. By the 2022 World Cup, those three were the USMNT's star player, captain and starting goalkeeper. The 2026 World Cup expands to 48 teams, making the first round 72 matches over 17 days and lengthening the tournament overall. The tournament's scale makes singular moments essential for forging lasting national memories, and the USMNT will have multiple chances to create them.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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