[TV static drones]
[bright tone]
[soft dramatic music]
- It's been a crazy
four-year journey.
The cameras have
seen everything.
- Probably everybody would
say a roller coaster, right?
- The beauty and the madness.
- The injuries.
The question marks.
- Trials and tribulations.
- It's absolutely been
one hell of a ride.
- This is gonna show
what it is to--
to be a part of this
U.S. Men's National Team
and what we're about and who
we are as people and players.
- Pulisic on the run.
Pulisic on his way out...
[dramatic music]
[indistinct chatter]
- Well, here's another
mountain to climb,
but this is the one we've
always been climbing towards.
- Being close to it,
you always want more.
- Bleeds out Matt Turner.
- I needed him
to keep playing
'cause I needed us
to keep moving forward.
- Everyone in this room
has been on a f*cking journey
to get to this point.
There's a reason you're here.
Everybody's reason
could be different.
There's one common theme.
We're here to represent
this patch.
From the first whistle
to the last,
we go out there and we f*cking
show what it means
to f*cking represent
this crest.
Let's f*cking go.
USA on three.
all:
USA!
♪ ♪
- ♪ We going for it ♪
♪ We going for it ♪
♪ Jumping off the block ♪
♪ Baby, I was born for it ♪
♪ No need to tally up ♪
♪ We keep on scoring,
scoring ♪
♪ I already been
in that mode ♪
♪ Just pushing ♪
♪ Yeah, I'm just
pushing through it ♪
♪ All eyes on me ♪
♪ And they hate
to see me do it ♪
♪ I can't drive on ♪
♪ That's no longer
on me the choices ♪
♪ Only choice is just
to say my name in vain ♪
♪ You cannot tell me they're
feeling the same thing ♪
♪ Us against the world ♪
♪ It's really us against ♪
♪ Against the world ♪
- The legends
and special guests,
a very, very warm welcome
for the 68th FIFA Congress,
So we have a winner
for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The member associations
of Canada, Mexico, and USA
have been selected to host
the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- Doesn't get much
bigger than playing
in a World Cup on home soil.
- This is where you wanna be.
- 16 unique cities
unite the world.
- North America will be the
heartbeat of a global party
like we've never seen before.
- The scale of this
opportunity,
it's hard to grasp.
- 6 million people
coming to the stadiums.
Dozens of millions
in the fan fests.
The biggest spectacle that
the universe has ever seen.
- Being on home soil playing
on the world's biggest stage,
there's definitely gonna
be a lot of eyes on us,
a lot of pressure.
- Pressure comes with
the game of football.
I mean, there's gonna be
a lot of expectations.
There's gonna be a lot of
people wanting us to do well.
- This U.S. team almost has
a responsibility to do well.
- Can you imagine 30 years
down the line and be like,
well, what--what was the--
what was the turning point?
Who was on the team?
[tense music]
♪ ♪
- So my mom has a very famous
chocolate chip cookie recipe,
and I promised my teammates
when it was my birthday
that I would
bring these cookies in
'cause I thought my mom
was gonna be here.
But she didn't
end up being here,
so I'm just trying
to get it all perfectly
right as she does.
I think I got pretty close.
All right. See how that goes.
- They look a little puffier.
- Yeah.
- Do you know why?
- Why?
- When they're--when they
come out of the cold.
- Yeah.
- But they'll be fine 'cause
they're gonna taste amazing.
That's what the key is.
- Yeah.
- So when you take them out--
- Hershey, Pennsylvania,
if there's a place
that'll always be home to me,
that's it.
It's about as normal American
a town as you can get,
a pretty good example
of a place that
could compare with most
of the rest of the U.S.
when it comes to, you know, not
giving two damns about soccer.
It was football,
you know, basketball,
all the other stuff.
When I was six,
seven years old,
watching those
World Cup games,
and Landon scores that goal--
- And he's missed it!
Donovan has it!
From home!
Doing the slide!
And the United States
are going through!
- And Clint scores
that goal against Ghana.
- On the back foot here.
Dempsey! An early goal!
One of the earliest scores
in World Cup Final history.
Clint Dempsey!
- That memory right there,
that moment just watching
a screen is a huge reason
why I wanted to do what I--
what I do.
I think back to that kid,
if he saw what I was doing now
in a top club in Europe.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- What a finish!
[announcer shouting
indistinctly]
- At this moment, he's one of
the best players in the world.
- He's a star.
[soft guitar music]
- Getting to play in some of
the biggest stadiums
in the world with some
of the best fans in the world,
just the passion of the fans
and what it means
to the city...
It's huge to me.
- Oh, they look really good.
They got the golden on top.
- Yeah, I think I nailed it.
All right, who wants a fresh
chocolate chip cookie?
Anyone?
But truly when I go back and I
get the opportunity to play
with the national team--
that means just as much
to me if not more.
Representing your country,
it's the greatest joy
of my life.
It'll be the best memories
I have after my career,
is being a part of this group.
So we made a pact to each
other that we wanna change
soccer in America forever.
And there's no better
opportunity than to play
a World Cup on home soil.
That 2022 team is really
where the story started at.
♪ ♪
[distorted voices]
["The Star-Spangled Banner"
playing on piano]
♪ ♪
- Hey-o.
[indistinct chatter]
Oh, my goodness goodness.
You like--you like Milan
Fashion Week, that's all.
Man, that's crazy.
Isn't that what you wanted?
- Yeah, I have it.
- Did you borrow that?
Wherever he goes,
you're gonna get it redone.
- To be able to play
in a World Cup for the U.S.
really is a tremendous honor.
Now as a coach,
it's also a tremendous honor.
It starts today.
[soft music]
From the moment you first
kicked a soccer ball
when you were
how many years old.
[children shouting]
- It's right there.
- Everything you've done
since then
has led you
to this opportunity.
All the hard work...
[coach shouting indistinctly]
All the hours
you put in training,
all the traveling,
and now it's about just taking
advantage of that opportunity.
talking to your kids,
what story do you wanna
be able to tell them?
I've been in two World Cups,
the one I talk about
all the time...
- The U.S. have their first
ever victory in the knockout
stages of a FIFA World Cup.
- And one I never talk about.
And you can probably figure out
what we did in one
and what we did in the other.
It's all about...
There were two major things
that led me to this job.
The first thing was the honor
of coaching your national team.
The second part was
the rebuild project.
- Ladies and gentlemen,
the United States
have not qualified
for the World Cup.
- This is an utter
embarrassment.
You can't get a draw
against Trinidad?
- It was a wake-up call
to everyone.
We gotta be better.
- What are we doing?
What are we doing!
- When we missed
the World Cup in 2018,
it set the program up
for--for change.
- We reorganize our staff.
- A new technical development,
technical leader,
and our first ever GM
for the men's national team.
- We are absolutely
thrilled to welcome
Gregg Berhalter
as our new head coach
for the U.S. Men's
National Team.
He knows what it means
to wear the crest.
- Six months after we didn't
qualify for the World Cup,
we found out we were hosting
the World Cup in 2026.
Here's where we are,
and here's where we
need to go.
[dramatic music]
Because of the young
talent that we have,
it was almost
an immediately cleaning out
of one group
of players and bringing in
another group of players.
And now it's about,
how do we create
the closest knit group
of players that we can?
How do we rally
around a vision?
How do we play a game in a way
that represents who we are?
United States...
this young,
talented generation...
It's their time.
- Why do you think
the United States has
lagged so far behind, Coach?
- Because very natural boys
are looking up for--for idols
and for heroes.
And so far, you haven't
got heroes in soccer.
So we must create
a successful national team
to make up heroes.
- The chance here
for Christian Pulisic!
Awesome!
Pulisic!
- Wes McKennie!
Weston McKennie!
- Timothy Weah!
- The reason they call it
a Golden Generation is because
there's a group
of young American players
all around the same age,
all playing at big clubs
and big European leagues
at the same time.
That's something
that's never happened before
in American soccer history.
- One, two, three.
all:
USA!
- So when this U.S. group
is on the field together,
the belief of the country
behind them
is that they can do something
that's never been done before.
♪ ♪
- Will take a penalty--
spot off the woodwork!
Weah!
This one back post. McKennie!
Pulisic!
Turner--the save of his life!
It is a milestone moment
for this marquee generation
of U.S. internationals
as the U.S. win
the CONCACAF Nations
League title.
- The Gold Cup Final
is underway.
Swinging ball
header for a score--
saved by Matt Turner.
Pokes it into the traffic.
And it's good!
The United States has done it!
They've won the Gold Cup!
- If you were questioning
if the U.S. Men's
National Soccer Team
program was back,
you just saw your answer.
The great moments
in U.S. soccer history.
Well done, Gregg Berhalter.
Well done to every single
player on this team.
- Time to hug, boys.
- What do you got? Push it.
- Let's punch our tickets
to the World Cup.
- Congratulations to the U.S.
Men's National Team
for qualifying for FIFA
World Cup in Qatar 2022.
- We are back, baby.
- It's been like 3,000 days
since the last time
we were in the World Cup.
Everyone's calling us
the Golden Generation.
And to be honest,
I really see it.
- This group has been working
together for four years now.
We've earned the right
to get to this point.
We wanna change soccer
in America forever,
and now it's about
going out and doing it.
[indistinct chatter]
- The World Cup,
it's a life-changing moment.
the games, you know.
It's gonna come with
newfound recognitions.
They're going into
a tournament
that only comes around
once every four years,
and it's pretty much the
pinnacle of everybody's career
who's ever played in it.
- The World Cup is
a stage like no other.
You're the only soccer game
that's going on in the world.
Literally the whole world
stops to watch these games.
- It's something that
as a kid, you dream of.
- Pretty incredible. Yeah.
- It's crazy to even
think that we went
from playing community
soccer to being here
in seven years.
It's dope.
So, yeah.
I'm just a kid from New York,
you know what I mean?
Mom from Jamaica,
dad from Liberia,
household full of immigrants.
Football has always been
a part of my culture.
That's in my blood.
It's just something
that's naturally in me.
When people ask me how is
it being George Weah's son,
it's the best thing.
There's nothing better to have
George Weah and his son.
We running it up twice now.
You feel me?
- ♪ I got, I got,
I got loyalty ♪
♪ Got royalty inside my DNA ♪
- Weah!
- ♪ I got hustle, though ♪
♪ Ambition flow
inside my DNA ♪
♪ This is my heritage and I'm
inheriting money and power ♪
♪ The Mecca of marriages ♪
- This sh*t for me is crazy.
My father was a really
special player,
I mean, one of the best.
Winning Ballon d'Or.
But to me, he was
always just my dad.
- From the same football
pitch that propelled him
to global fame,
George Weah took the oath
as president of Liberia.
- His dad is
always busy playing
or in politics in Liberia.
What I was thankful for was
that Timothy didn't grow up
during George Weah era.
He was still very young.
He didn't know that
his father was a star.
There's just a big
misconception
that his dad has everything
to do with his success.
It's not true.
He had to fight
for everything.
- Good crossing for Tim Weah,
his first goal in just
his second appearance.
- Timothy, people
will always judge you
because of George Weah, but
you can't keep that in you.
You can't say, oh,
my father did that,
so I have to be that way.
Focus on who you are
and fight for what you want.
- You know, this is what
family's about, you know,
chilling with my pops
back home.
This is my favorite pic
of me and my mom.
This is the team that my mom
first coached and my sister.
She was, like,
the assistant coach.
This is where
the dream started.
You know what I mean?
- If anyone had an impact
on Timothy playing football,
it's more me than George Weah.
I enrolled him
in a program because I see
that's what he loved.
I take him to extra training.
He always want to do more
to improve himself.
- People always think
it was a silver spoon,
and, you know, he's not gonna
work hard when he's out there.
He's just one of those kids
who got it easy.
For me, I think
that's what drives me.
It also comes from
a family standpoint.
If I can go out there
every time and make sure
that my family's proud of me,
I'ma do whatever it takes.
- Timothy taught me
a valuable lesson.
This is a young man who,
I said to Timothy, you have
to start playing for yourself.
You have to be
a little selfish.
I wasn't saying it badly
against other players,
but I wanted him
to show more of himself
in terms of what
he can do individually
because Timothy's always about
passing the ball.
And he said, Mom,
it's not about me.
As long as my team wins,
it's the most important thing
for me.
I was like, oh, my God.
You know what,
I felt somewhat ashamed
because I'm the scared mom.
You know, you have
to fight for yourself,
and he said to me, calm down.
We're a team,
and I love all my teammates.
And I'm gonna fight for them
so that we can all
get the glory.
- When I envision reaching
at the end of the line
and being great,
I don't envision only myself
or my teammates present.
I envision the future
of U.S. soccer.
We're fighting not only
for ourselves, but for,
you know, the--the young kids
that are coming after us.
Our team is not only,
you know,
who's playing present day.
Our team is the players that
came before us,
present, future.
We're not the only
group that is--
is fighting to make history.
I'm just happy to be,
you know,
another number in the system
and someone who can inspire.
[crowd chanting "USA"]
- You excited?
- Hey, how are you?
- Good.
- Thank you.
- Thank you. Appreciate it.
- I'm doing red, white,
and blue for my--
- It's only--keep--
- No, I'm keeping--
I'm keeping this.
But, dude, I haven't gotten a
haircut in, like, three months.
I'm, like, a 4 on the sides.
I'm like, you know--
the length of your hair
on the sides--
- Do whatever you
want with this.
Whatever you want.
This here motivates me.
- I'm shaving my eyebrows.
- [laughing]
- Hey, guys, meet again
in 10 minutes.
[soft exciting music]
[indistinct chatter]
- Guys, how would you
describe the pressure?
- Good morning, America.
- Like a dream come true.
I mean, I can't
really ask for more.
- Typically when
we've been traveling
to and from
the national team...
- Truly excited
but also embracing the...
- Source of pride for all
of us to represent our...
- We wanna change
the way that the world
sees American soccer.
- We're just ready
for that moment.
- Now it's about staying in
the present and just focusing.
- For Tyler.
We've known that the captain
badge has been changing.
You talked with Gregg
about being
the captain in this World Cup.
- So we don't--
we have no idea who--
who the captain
is gonna be yet.
And we have a bunch
of guys that--that
can wear that armband.
Of course,
I've worn it at times
and feel very comfortable--
comfortable wearing it.
But I have total belief
in my other teammates
as well that if that's
a decision that's made,
that's a decision that's made.
[whistle trills]
- Tyler Adams is
a pillar within the team.
- Hey, Yunus, make sure
when the outside backs
have the ball,
if we're gonna play the two
that you--you go to the 10.
Like, we're at an,
like, an angle.
You know what saying? Yeah.
- Good, Yunus. Stay, Yunus.
Stay right there.
Stay right there.
You're good. You're good.
Good. Good.
- The team gets confidence
when he's on the field.
- Good, Wes.
Yeah, good, Tim. Wide.
- But really the starting point
for--for coming to terms
with Tyler Adams, he competes.
[dramatic music]
[indistinct chatter]
- People describe me
as a pest on the field.
Dribble by me once,
that's great.
But you probably
won't dribble by me again
'cause I'm either
fouling the sh*t out of you,
or I'm just gonna be up
in your grill the whole game.
I always have
something to prove.
Never being the kid
when I was younger
that everyone was
talking about me
and I was never
in the headlines,
I just always feel like
I have something to prove,
and I love that
extra motivation.
That's just who I am.
It's always who I've been.
- Tyler always said
when you asked him
what do you wanna be
when you grow up,
it was professional soccer
player or in the NBA.
As a mom, I'm like, ugh.
Like, it's so unrealistic,
but how are you
gonna crush your kid?
You just have to go with it.
When he vocalized it
as a 12-year-old,
I'm like, shouldn't he
have outgrown this?
Tyler, the statistics on being
a professional athlete.
He goes, Mom, if you
want something enough,
you get there.
And I'm like, dang it.
That's him.
He wants it bad enough,
he'll find a way.
- It'd be a huge honor
for me to go to a World Cup,
compete for a World Cup,
be the captain
of the national team.
There's a lot to do to prove to
a lot of people that, you know,
you're the right person
for the job.
- And it comes
from Tyler Adams.
- Here comes Tyler Adams.
Adams first,
Bundesliga assist.
- And Adams has
got a chance here.
He scores! Tyler Adams!
He gets his first U.S. goal!
- Before we start,
we're speaking
to the leadership council
about the World Cup,
and they all said
they wanted to have
a permanent captain for the
World Cup for this tournament.
And I'm pleased to announce
that Tyler will be
the captain for the World Cup.
[applause]
- We're all just
living in our moment
on living our dreams out.
You know, our average age
is 24 years old.
So, I mean, you know,
getting this experience
is huge for a lot of guys,
and the future
is definitely bright.
But we wanna live
in this moment
and definitely create history.
- These guys are
They're the second
youngest team
in this World Cup tournament.
And when you get young
tournament teams together,
they don't know what
they don't know.
[pensive music]
They don't know to be scared.
They don't know to be nervous.
And you add another layer
to that with these guys
because they've played
Champions League finals.
They played Barcelona,
AC Milan, Chelsea, and Juve.
So with that mentality,
this team believes
they can beat anybody,
and when they play their best,
they can.
- This is a player pool
that's ready to perform
despite their age,
and--and it's go time.
Bring it in. Bring it in.
- Going into the Wales
game tomorrow,
I'm really excited
about this starting 11.
- ♪ There's a w*r
going on outside ♪
♪ No man is safe from ♪
♪ You can run
but you can't hide forever ♪
♪ From these streets
that we done took ♪
♪ You walking with
your head down ♪
♪ Scared to look, shook ♪
♪ 'Cause ain't no such things
as halfway crooks ♪
♪ They never around
when the beef cooks ♪
♪ In my part of town
it's similar to Vietnam ♪
♪ Now we all grown up
and old ♪
♪ And be on the cops control ♪
♪ They better have
riot gear ready ♪
♪ Trying to back me
and get rock steady ♪
♪ We living this
to the day we die ♪
♪ Survival of the fit,
only the strong survive ♪
♪ We still living ♪
♪ We living this
till the day that we die ♪
♪ Survival of the fit,
only the strong survive ♪
♪ We living this
till the day that we die ♪
♪ Survival of the fit,
only the strong survive ♪
♪ ♪
- The first game
is so important
to get off on the right foot
because it sets you up
for the next--
you know, next two games.
It puts you in a really good
position to--to qualify
and get out of the group.
And that's what our goal is.
- We're about 25 hours away
from the start
of the World Cup for the U.S.
[apprehensive music]
Today talking to some players,
the butterflies
are starting to kick in.
It's getting real.
- They'll be 32 teams
in the World Cup.
For 30 of the teams,
getting out of the group
is a major accomplishment.
That's how hard
the World Cup is.
I mean, the United
States has only won
eight games in the history
of the World Cup.
- You could look
at the group stage
and say, I don't know
how far this team can go.
They're young.
They're unproven.
Wales presents some
specific challenges.
England is one of the
favorites in this tournament,
and Iran is a very
seasoned veteran team.
Everything about the way
this World Cup will be judged
comes down to the group stage.
Gregg's known that
since the day he took the job.
He says he wants
to change the way people
think about American soccer.
All right.
It's gonna be about,
did you get out of the group?
- I love when people say, oh,
yeah, get out of the group.
Yeah, get out of the group.
Yeah, sure.
Get out of the group. Yeah.
You know.
[laughs]
No problem.
Just get out of the group.
It says POTUS.
That's where it's coming from.
- Coach, put me in.
I'm ready to play.
[laughter]
I know you're the underdog,
but I'll tell you what, man.
You got some of the best
players in the world
on your team, and you're
representing this country.
And I know you're gonna
play your hearts out.
So let's go shock them all.
[dramatic music]
- This is a moment
of opportunity,
that opportunity to make us
believe that we can be.
We get to shed that
insecurity that we have,
that inferiority complex
that we have.
We have to stop apologizing
for what we are
or what we aren't.
We'd be bold. We'd be brave.
If you're gonna go down,
you go down swinging tonight.
You grab ahold
of that opportunity,
and you make us proud.
That is the American way.
That is the American team
that I want to see tonight.
♪ ♪
- Showdown
of the United States
against Wales is underway.
Big shout there.
That's gonna be a foul and
a yellow card on Sergiño Dest.
- Weston McKennie
getting stuck,
and he's gonna pick up
a yellow card.
So now the United States
two yellow cards
on this right hand side.
- Dest, Weah's
gonna get there.
Breaks it down.
Now the touch!
Turned on frame.
That was almost an own goal.
Hennessy blocked it
with his body.
Going as far as
Antonee Robinson
to get around Ramsey and does.
Robinson--he touched it.
And that will be
outside of the post.
It might have
been an extension.
Those little moments
can prove big.
♪ ♪
Pulisic.
Sargent.
Pulisic on the run.
Pulisic has Weah.
Tim Weah!
[crowd cheering]
♪ ♪
That is the end
of the first half.
Tim Weah the decisive goal
to give the U.S. the lead
in their return
to the World Cup.
- Hey, don't stop, boys.
Don't stop!
[indistinct chatter]
♪ ♪
- They have no answer
for what we're doing
on either side of the field.
The left side, Christian,
you're getting
too wide sometimes,
and if Antonee gets the ball,
he's all there.
Really good job.
Guys, good stuff.
Hey, 45 minutes,
♪ ♪
- Let's go, let's go!
- Second ball knocked down.
Adams with a touch in the air.
Can he win the next one?
It's a free header!
Save from Matt Turner!
- What a save, Matt Turner.
- Quickly in.
Ramsey's there first,
cutting it into the middle.
Oh, it's dangerous
for Zimmerman.
It's a penalty.
Penalty for Wales
as Bale goes down.
Millions upon millions around
the world as Gareth Bale
squares off with Matt Turner.
[ominous music]
♪ ♪
- We just go up
from here, boys.
[indistinct chatter]
- The Wales game was
disappointing not
to get 3 points.
It now creates a scenario
going into England
where you have even more
emphasis on that game.
There is no margin
now to say, oh, well,
we're not supposed
to beat England.
Like, no, I think this is
a game where we should
be trying to get some points
because we dropped two
against Wales.
- Good afternoon,
ladies and gentlemen.
Welcome to Coach
Gregg Berhalter,
team captain Tyler Adams.
First question
to the gentleman in the middle.
- Tyler, this question
is for you.
Are you okay to be
representing a country
that has so much discrimination
happening against Black people?
[pensive music]
♪ ♪
- It never really felt like
the odds were in my favor,
growing up
with a single mother.
My dad at a young age went
to prison for selling drugs,
so he was never
a part of my life.
My mom was extremely
hard working.
I saw her work ethic and
always tried to mirror that.
- At the time, I was raising
Tyler, working full time,
and going to school
in the evenings.
I was trying to counteract some
of the other negative things
that he was seeing or had seen
or lack of other things.
So I just did it
because I needed him
to have a good role model.
I was Mom. I was Dad.
I was it.
- Well done, Darryl.
That was so lucky.
Oh, my God.
- Let's go, baby!
- It felt like my life
actually came together
when I was about
when my stepdad,
who's my father in every way,
came into my life,
and I gained three brothers
all on the same day.
[growling]
What a throw!
Me and my mom have very
similar characteristics
in a lot of ways, but me and
my dad are even more similar.
And that's a little bit scary
considering
we're obviously
not blood related.
- Love doesn't have
to be with blood.
Tyler has shown that.
You know, as much
as he's thankful for me...
I'm that much thankful for him.
I had an impact
on him, you know.
There's no doubt about that.
And, you know,
his brothers did.
His past did, you know.
But he has that impact on me.
- He's helped me
so much with soccer,
but he's helped me so much
more as becoming a man
and knowing how you show
respect to people,
and people are
gonna remember you
as a person, not as a player.
It's more important
that they remember
the person you are,
the leader you are,
the mentality that you have,
how you make
the people around you better.
That's the most
important thing.
- Happening against
Black people in America?
- You know,
there's discrimination
everywhere you go.
You know, one thing
that I've learned,
especially from living abroad
in the past year,
in the U.S., we're--
we're continuing to make
progress every single day.
You know, growing up,
for me, I was--
I--I grew up in a white family
with an--
obviously an
African American heritage.
I had a little bit
of different cultures.
You know, not everyone
has that--that ease and
the ability to do that,
and obviously,
it takes longer to understand.
And through education,
I think it's super important.
It's a process.
I think as--as long
as you see progress,
that's the most important
thing.
- Thank you.
- I'm not surprised at all
that he was voted the captain.
I think we saw why
in the press conference.
It's not just leadership on,
like, a sports level.
That's leadership, period.
And we're gonna continue
to see it.
I mean, he's still so young.
And on the field, this has been
the most irreplaceable player
for the U.S. period.
And that's been more true here
at the World Cup
than anywhere.
- His ability
to break things up,
to get into passing lanes,
he's an important part
of this midfield match-up
against England tomorrow.
We can talk all we want
about wins over Mexico,
but they've never played
against a team like England.
This is one of the favorites
of the tournament.
- Some of the biggest names
we see every single week
in global soccer--
Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham,
Bukayo Saka.
- You should probably
be scared of pretty much
everything England have.
- Predict the score.
- 2-0 England.
- 3-0 England.
- 3-1 to England.
I'll let you guys have a go.
They're a much better team
than the U.S.
[dramatic music]
- For years, we were told
we weren't good enough.
For years, we weren't given
the respect
or the opportunity.
Tonight, we f*cking take it.
- One, two, three.
all: USA!
- England in all white,
the U.S. in all blue.
- Weah's cross.
Oh, and McKennie with
a glorious opening.
For England,
it's a real escape.
- Some nice, patient
football from the USA.
- Musah shifting it
and sh**ting.
Excellent play once more.
- And McKennie powering on.
And Musah arriving.
And here's Pulisic.
Oh, and he's so unlucky!
- He'll be well
pleased with the way
that his team have
started the game.
- Lovely skill by Weah.
And this is Dest.
- Bellingham.
- Pulisic in the box as well.
But Dest will go himself.
- Tigerish play in that
midfield by Musah.
Some really good football
here from the States.
It's Dest.
Pulisic was in there.
And another moment where
English hearts are pounding
that little bit faster.
Sterling now.
Gonna run for Mount!
Well, a half in which
the United States
have had the better of it.
Christian Pulisic rattling
the English crossbar.
Weston McKennie
not making the most
of a glorious opportunity
before that.
But it is England 0,
the United States 0.
- We gold now.
- I promise you,
they're not getting that.
- Don't f*cking relax.
- We f*cking relax
against Wales,
and they f*cking
dominated the second half.
- Don't play the ba*ls
in the air back post.
[indistinct chatter]
- Hey, 45 minutes,
we need you guys.
You're doing a great job.
Now it's about
finishing it off.
All right?
[indistinct chatter]
- Echoes of 1950
may come to mind.
The States famously beat
England in the World Cup.
Saka.
Tyler Adams.
- What a challenge.
Brilliant work out
from Tyler Adams.
Sensational play.
- Now there's a bit of space
for Dest to move into.
Pulisic might run for right.
Weah finally by Trippier.
But there's no valve
to release the pressure here
for England.
They can't get out...
- Can't.
- 'Cause this guy
has been everywhere.
♪ ♪
It's Pulisic.
It is wide...
[whistle trills]
And he's fouled.
And a free kick
coming for England
as we will cross
in the 93rd minute.
- Free kicks can really
hurt you at this stage.
- Anxiety abounds.
Shaw plays it in,
and it's headed wide.
Big chance, that.
I cannot believe they
didn't put that in the box.
- Well, the spoils shared,
a point apiece.
But it's the United States
who will emerge
with a bigger slab
of the credit,
that's for sure.
United States certainly
the better side then.
Christian Pulisic's shot
rattling the bar
the closest call...
- Happy with the performance?
- I think they all
should be proud.
Everything was almost
played to perfection.
- They were the better team,
and they controlled the game.
People are so happy with the
way that England game went.
They're proud of the way
the team performed,
the way that they were the
aggressors, the way that
they wanted to control
the game,
the fact that
they weren't afraid.
But you gotta get
out of the group.
If you win,
you are starting to write
a little bit of a legacy.
- You're the
Golden Generation.
You're this group that
everyone believes in.
You can change
the sport in the USA.
All right. Prove it.
- Well, Tim,
Gregg Berhalter's message
following the performance
against England
was be proud of what you guys
did on the pitch,
but we still haven't
accomplished anything yet.
What do you make
of those words,
and how has the team kind
of taking that to heart
as you prepare for this match?
[suspenseful music]
- What in Iran
just specifically
is gonna make them difficult
to break down tomorrow?
- Tomorrow's gonna be a f*cking
battle like you've never saw.
It's a good team.
There's probably
seven starters that
started in the last World Cup.
It's a knockout game.
Both teams are desperate
to go to the next round.
But 1998, we played them
in World Cup,
and they kicked our a*s.
They kicked our a*s
with the intensity.
It wasn't even close.
And it's gonna be
the same tomorrow
that we're gonna be bringing
'cause they're gonna be
sensing the opportunity
to go to the next round.
- It's only when
the players have--
have completely
bought into that,
know that another good
performance won't just do it.
We have to win.
♪ ♪
- His right arm's not
direct enough to bend it
to the penalty spot.
Like, it's only ever...
Playing at a World Cup,
looking back at my story,
it just kind of becomes this,
like, full circle thing.
I work so hard through
the ups and downs,
grind through everything,
and to now turn around
and look back, be on the other
side of that mountain and say,
well, here's another mountain
to climb, but this is the one
that you've always been
climbing towards.
I grew up in North Jersey
of New York City.
American football was the
biggest sport in my hometown.
But when I got to
high school, I was only,
like, 5'4", 105 pounds.
Football would have kind of
been a disaster for me.
I decided to try out
for the soccer team.
My dad gave me a pair of my
sister's old goalie gloves.
It just kind of
came naturally to me.
[indistinct chatter]
Get to college, third,
second on the depth chart,
no real chance to play.
The chips were always
stacked against me
because of my background
because I don't
have a lot of experience.
I've never played
at a high level.
But I decided
to work really hard.
I was like,
he's gonna get his chance.
He's gonna get his chance,
and I did.
We were playing against
our biggest rivals.
The coach made a goalkeeper
change at halftime.
He put me on...
- Matt Turner.
- My first real
appearance in college.
I'm having a great game.
I'm focused, locked in,
come out for a couple crosses,
make a few good passes,
one save and then,
like, sort of this
disaster happens.
[tense music]
I'm just gonna tap it over.
I decide in the last
moment, like, oh,
I'm feeling pretty good.
I can just catch this.
♪ ♪
- All right, it's time
for the Not Top 10.
- Iona versus Fairfield
college soccer.
And, yes, this poor kid.
- Oh, that is unfortunate.
- Maybe with--
- No, I mean--
- Sarcasm today.
- That wasn't sarcastic.
I felt like his mother
on that one.
That was sad.
- I sort of failed on this,
like, big, gigantic way.
I considered
giving up soccer forever.
Yeah. Crazy, man.
The conversation ends up
being with my mom,
who's like
the ultra competitor.
And she's like, well,
you can go one of two ways.
You can either just stop
playing, or you can, you know,
go for it.
End up playing again, becoming
a starter in my third year.
Ended up having
and set a few NCAA records
along the way.
Get to MLS pretty luckily.
I was undrafted,
and I just went on trials
and got signed, no namer.
Became a third string and then
through hard work again
became a starter
two years later.
- Cottie.
Oh, my word!
Sometimes a guy
just has your number.
[laughs]
- The next goal became,
how can I break
into the national team picture?
I never played
on a youth national team.
I didn't know
any of the people.
I didn't know how I was
gonna get recruited,
but I knew that if
I consistently played in MLS,
I would at least have a shot.
And at the end of 2019 is when
I got my first
national team call up
for Nations League games.
[line trills]
And then, you know,
fast forward.
- Hey, what's up, man?
- Hey, not too much. Yeah.
Just stepped outside.
How you doing?
- Hey, on--on Wednesday,
we're gonna be
announcing you as one
of the 26 players
in the World Cup roster.
Congratulations.
- Thank you. Thank you.
I'm so, so excited.
[pensive music]
♪ ♪
Playing for the national team
is a huge honor.
It's about something
much bigger than yourself.
That is the beautiful thing
about our team,
is that it's such a great
collection of people
from so many
different backgrounds
that are proud to be American.
- Wanting to spend
some time today
to talk about why we wanna
win this game, personally why.
So I wanna win
because two reasons.
We can win and I want you guys
to believe you can,
and the second reason is this
group here, this circle here,
after this tournament
will probably never
be together again, guys.
♪ ♪
And you're such a good group
of guys, we deserve this.
- For me, it's about--
it's about leaving a--a legacy,
not individually.
I don't really give
a sh*t about that.
But we could be the best team.
- For every single kid
watching us back home.
- We've been through so much
sh*t to get to this point--
the meetings, the training--
- I wanna do it because
I wanna prove us right.
Like, this is for every
last one of you guys.
- We win this game, we plant
ourselves in history.
- Change the way that
we view ourselves.
- The way that everyone
is rallied around...
- Come as a unit and come
together as a family, we can--
we can do better things.
- Not going as far
as we should, because...
- I don't feel ready
for this to be over.
- Sacrifice so much.
- Just a single better
thing in my life
than winning the World Cup.
- And moments like these
are--are timeless.
- I don't know
how many guys have been told
that they would
never play at the World Cup,
that they'd never
be a professional.
They'd never make it.
For me, this game tomorrow is--
is just another step
and another middle finger
to all those people.
I want everyone else
around the world to believe
that we belong,
because we f*cking belong.
[applause]
- We need to be smart.
We need to be focused.
We gotta do f*cking both all
the time, every moment,
anything it takes,
refusing to leave
the f*cking field
till we extend our f*cking
journey tonight
when we get to earn
another game.
all:
USA!
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- It's straight forward
for the United States tonight.
If they win this match, they
will go on to the round of 16.
If they lose tonight,
if they tie tonight,
the U.S. will be
on an airplane tomorrow.
Weston McKennie just
making a big run.
It's meant for him.
Dest just snuck in behind.
Dest into Pulisic!
Score!
Might have paid the price
but the U.S. takes the lead!
[indistinct chatter]
- Come on, let's go.
- Okay, here we go.
You can finish
'em off right now!
Right now you finish 'em off!
Knockout punch! Right now!
- Let's do it
for Christian here.
Let's go, let's go.
Two minutes. Here we go, boys.
Two minutes, here we go!
- Here we go, fellas.
Here we go, fellas. Here we go.
Here we go.
- Whatever it takes, boys.
- Here we go.
- In a game they must
win against Iran,
Christian Pulisic
is not with them.
He has not come back
out of the locker room.
- Rezaeian gets the cross in,
and it's over there.
Turner rooted to his line.
What you don't wanna do
is be defending
for your life
in the final minutes
knowing that an Iran tying
goal can knock you out.
Foul coming for Iran.
- Barely contacts but enough
to win a free kick.
You want to advance,
mark your man.
Clear it out.
These are big time
set piece defending here
for the United States.
- Rezaeian.
It is wide.
♪ ♪
Last man back is Hosseini.
He'll lift it up.
Ringing back.
Tracking out.
Jump flick header.
- It's luck.
- Cleared away by Zimmerman.
And the game is over!
- Exhale, America.
They're on
to the knockout rounds.
♪ ♪
- Let's go!
Come on!
[indistinct chatter]
♪ ♪
- Let's freakin' go, Christian!
Let's go!
[all cheering]
Let's go!
- Yeah, buddy.
We did it.
Let's f*cking go!
[all cheering]
all: Hey, hey, hey,
hey, hey, hey, hey,
hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!
- Tonight, World Cup mania
in America.
- Let's go, round of 16!
We're gonna take
the Netherlands!
- The United States
missed the last World Cup.
This tournament now becomes
a resounding success,
doesn't it?
- Of course.
Of course.
- USA! USA!
They did it. God love 'em.
- I get it!
Jeez.
That's a little bit of trouble.
Lasers fired up.
- [yelling]
Everybody and they mama
doubted us.
They doubted us
against England.
They doubted us against Iran.
- Start with a couple
deep breaths.
Inhale in through our nose.
Exhale.
Rotate that hip down,
the left hip down.
Inhale, our hands come out.
Reach, reach, reach, reach.
[soft upbeat music]
- It's a great feeling.
Now it's time
to enjoy this day.
♪ ♪
[shouting]
- Like when you're
out at the lake house.
- You know, we still
have business to finish.
I didn't come here to--
to play around.
It's not a--it's not
just the, you know,
group stage thing for me.
It was--it was, like,
a whole tournament thing,
and we definitely wanna bring
it home for our country.
I mean, this is--
we have an opportunity
to--to make history.
[indistinct chatter]
- Damn, bro. What the hell?
- Like, what's this, bro?
- f*ck me.
[mumbling] Damn, we hot.
- Stop whispering.
- R&B voice.
- Say it with your chest, B.
- Right. Going to the beach?
- Bro, it's a mellow moment.
Like, relax, bro.
Come on, bro.
- Smack the ball.
- Can I get, like,
five minutes? Thank you.
- My question
is for Christian.
How optimistic are you
that you're gonna be able
to play on Saturday?
- Yes, I'm gonna go meet now
with the team
and the medical staff.
Taking it day by day
but doing everything
in my power to be able
to be out there
on the field on Saturday.
- How's everything else going?
You all right?
- Yeah.
Kind of f*cking got
really emotional
at the end of the game
'cause it was just--
everything kind of hit me,
like, all that sh*t.
- Yeah.
- The actual joy of the game.
Like, just everything.
- Imagine thinking about
when you were little
how you were gonna
perform at the World Cup
and you perform this level.
- It's nuts.
- It's amazing.
We keep it going, man.
Trust me. We can win.
- We're gonna win.
- That's right.
- We've learned a lot
about this team.
They've been in control
of a lot more games
than I think anyone
would have anticipated.
Now you're through
to the knockouts,
and anything can happen.
- Anybody want one?
- Go on. Score.
- It's crazy to think, like,
how can you increase the stakes
of a win or go home
knockout game?
Well, you're kind of carrying
the hopes of a country,
of a sport in a country,
on your shoulders,
you know, as part of a--
an eight-year mission
that you are responsible for.
And what happens in 2026
is as part of this narrative
here in 2022 is anything else.
- We're super excited
for 2026.
It's a home World Cup.
But how can you look
four years into the future
without focusing
on the present?
We're not thinking about 2026.
[dramatic music]
- The agonies and ecstasies
along the way,
probably tears and tantrums.
Definitely tricks,
flicks, and dropkicks.
Careers defined.
Stars on the rise.
Stars in decline.
The business end of this
♪ ♪
- Sergiño Dest
gets that cross in.
Not gonna reach McKennie.
In a drive to get in the way.
Tyler Adams battling
hard trying to reset.
Pulisic
and he gets up offside.
Noppert the save.
The flag stays down.
That would have
counted on the field.
Goal scored in all three games
in the group stage
for the Netherlands.
Forced wide.
Dumfries gets the cross.
Cut back!
And it's a goal
for the Netherlands.
Here he is again.
Dest crossing in.
Stabbed away only
as far as Weah.
Saved by Noppert.
Cuts back across.
Ream is there.
And the Dutch score with maybe
the final kick of the half.
- Gut punch is the right word.
- All right.
Good half and we're down 2-0.
That happens in soccer.
We gotta f*cking pick our heads
up, and we gotta keep going.
All right?
Here's what we need to do.
- U.S. tries to fashion
a 2-goal comeback.
Back into the middle it comes.
Turner will make the save.
The rebound save as well.
- What a save.
- Pulisic's gonna get there.
Pulisic running
into the middle.
A good touch.
And it's in!
The U.S. has scored!
Haji Wright getting the touch.
The United States
have made a way.
- Daley Blind.
Gets the cross.
- Three-headed outside.
Third goal for the Dutch.
Dumfries.
- They gave the Dutch a lot
throughout this match,
but it ultimately
was not enough.
- This World Cup is over.
They fall to
eighth ranked Netherlands.
[somber music]
♪ ♪
- Being close to it,
you always want more.
You're always
striving for more.
When I contextualize it
and look at the youth
of our player pool,
they met expectations.
But for the next World Cup,
that won't be good enough.
- None of the guys
are gonna wanna say
this tournament is about 2026
in any way.
They're so focused on the now.
But of course it is.
Every moment that
this group has together
informs the next moment
and the next moment
and the next moment.
The next four years is
going to be about which player
is going to seize
that opportunity.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- We hit our minimum goal,
which was to get out
of the group,
and now with the experience
we have
with the player pool
that we have,
the expectations are
much, much higher.
- We have another World Cup
soon coming up, so let's--
let's change the outcome there.
- I think it was
a beautiful start to something
that I'm pretty sure is gonna
end really, really well.
- To 2026 with being back
at home, I'm excited.
- I'm excited to watch this
U.S. team be a dominant force.
- This positive feeling that
we have towards this group
is justified.
- I don't think that
you are being delusional
to believe that
they compete for a World Cup.
You would need
everything to go right,
and you would need very,
very little to go wrong.
[soft dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[bright tone]
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01x01 - The Golden Generation
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Follows U.S. men's national soccer team stars including Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Tim Weah and Weston McKennie in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, including footage from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Follows U.S. men's national soccer team stars including Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Tim Weah and Weston McKennie in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, including footage from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.