Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT won their Round of 32 game against Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 and continue their way in the World Cup knockout round.
The next opponent will be Belgium. Although the rest of the bracket is still in flux, we’re starting to get a look at the USA's potential route to World Cup glory. Whisper it quietly, but the path is looking quite nice.
Next Opponent: Belgium
Belgium is not the team they used to be, and you’d have to expect that the USMNT would be favored in this match. The crowds will relish the chance to face Kevin De Bruyne, and in reality, they shouldn’t be afraid.
The pace of the European side in attacking positions could cause problems if they can get at Tim Ream, but with the USMNT full of confidence and truly playing for each other under Pochettino, I’ll be backing them on the moneyline.
Most likely opposition: Spain or Portugal
Both the Portuguese and Spanish have blown hot and cold this tournament, but you’d have to think this could be the end of the road for the USMNT if Spain plays near their best.
They have real pace and trickery in wide positions, and in Lamine Yamal, they have the best young player in the world. That said, across 90 minutes, anything can happen, and Spain would be worried about facing the US, especially with a packed crowd at SoFi supporting Pochettino’s men.
You can plus-money odds on the USMNT to reach this stage at bet365, which shows how much the market respects the USMNT.
However, at those odds, you’d be better off betting the USMNT to win the Last 32, then putting those winnings on the Last 16.