SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The World Cup can end in the harshest ways.
A penalty shootout, where skill and strategy can falter after just five kicks, can wipe away months of hard work and years of dedication. What could be a celebration instead turns into despair, with a shot misfiring into the crowd or, perhaps worse, ending in the goalkeeper’s hands.
The knockout stage of the tournament has a knack for transforming this celebrated event into a grueling challenge, as we saw recently.
The U.S. players tuned in from their plane to San Jose, catching Germany’s upset against Paraguay, and later, they observed the intense shootout between the Netherlands and Morocco from their hotel. They were engrossed, absorbing valuable lessons from those matches.
Defender Chris Richards reflected, “Once I became a fan, it hit me—we’re all part of this tournament.” He noted, “Two surprises happened. We can’t let that be us.”
Germany’s exit served as a cautionary tale. Some experienced players seemed hesitant to step up during their extra round, leaving defender Jonathan Tarr to face the pressure alone. Unfortunately, his first penalty kick sailed over the bar and into the stands.
This, the U.S. team assures us, will not be their fate when they face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.
Members of the national team, speaking in San Jose, mentioned that penalties have become a regular part of their training. No one wants to guess who will volunteer after 120 exhausting minutes, but they’re definitely preparing just in case.
“I don’t want to share too much,” U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino said, “but we’re equipping our players with the tools they need.” He added, “Recreating the stress and pressure of the moment is, well, impossible, but we’re trying to prepare.”
In a potential penalty shootout scenario, the decision of who steps up would lie with Pochettino. Christian Pulisic would likely spearhead the effort if he’s still on the field after the full duration of play.
Folarin Balogun, leading the team’s scoring efforts with 25 goals—including 17 in his career—also stands out as a prime candidate. His confidence in crucial moments is apparent.
Ricardo Pepi could be subbed in during the match. He has faced 10 penalties in his career, having committed eight. Gio Reyna has a flawless record from the spot, scoring all five penalties he took. Tyler Adams has two career goals, with his only U.S. appearance in the 2025 Gold Cup quarterfinals. Others like Malik Tillman, Sebastian Berhalter, and Alex Freeman have also stepped up for penalties, ready to answer the call if the game goes to extra rounds.
Tillman confidently said, “I’m ready to take on penalties.”
Then there’s Matt Freeze, the goalkeeper, perhaps the team’s most significant asset. With his nickname “Matty Ice” rooted in his knack for saving penalties, he once dedicated a project to studying penalty kicks at Harvard. He looked into biomechanics and shooting tendencies to enhance success rates.
“Penalties are my specialty,” he mentioned after a successful game against Costa Rica where he blocked three shots.
The U.S. team has had a mixed record in shootouts recently, standing at 6-5 with notable wins over Canada and Costa Rica. Interestingly, they’ve never faced a penalty shootout in World Cup history.
This could remain unchanged, but perhaps this time, history calls for five courageous volunteers to step forward and embrace the pressure of representing their nation.
