USA's World Cup run is already historic. Beating Belgium could make it legendary

Show Caption

SEATTLE — The U.S. men's national team has already accomplished plenty at this World Cup.Never before has the USMNT won three games at a World Cup. Mauricio Pochettino, who had never coached a World Cup game a month ago, is now the program's all-time wins leader at the tournament. And for only the second time ever, the U.S. has won a World Cup knockout game.And yet, if this team wants to truly prove that it is different than previous generations, winning the next game is vital.The USMNT takes on Belgium in the round of 16 at Lumen Field on Monday, July 6. Win that game, and the U.S. will be in a World Cup quarterfinal for only the second time ever.It's the kind of moment that, per U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams, could help this team be remembered for a long time."As a team we want to leave our mark on the game and a legacy behind," Adams said on Friday, July 3. "I want it to be more than just what this moment has created and the hype around it."If we're talking about the team and the success that they've had, you know, two years from now, then we've done something right. I don't think in the moment it's as important, but again, we want to have success. We know the further that we go, the more success we're going to have, and the game is going to grow."Buy USA-Belgium World Cup ticketsAdams and several of his teammates now have the experience of playing in multiple World Cup knockout games. That's something precious few USMNT players could say in recent years, following the team's failure to reach the 2018 World Cup.While missing the tournament in Russia was a program low, it could hit a high-water mark just by participating in a World Cup quarterfinal on home soil against Spain or Portugal.Before they get there, though, Adams and his teammates have to first get through Belgium."You need to embrace the moment, that's for sure, to have an opportunity to play in a round-of-16 game," Adams said. "Last World Cup we did, but it was obviously the first knockout game, not the second."It was nice to get a little bit of a taste of what it feels like to play with something a little bit more on the line in the last game (against Bosnia and Herzegovina). I think that's good preparation."Adams wants this team to be remembered. Beat Belgium, and it will.