SEATTLE (AP):For all the growth in United States football over the past quarter-century, the country’s men’s national team remains stagnant.Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and Weston McKennie fared no better at the World Cup in 2022 and 2026 than Tim Howard, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore did in 2010 and 2014.“We want to be able to go and compete with some of the best in the world and we just still have that next step to come,” Pulisic said after Monday night’s error-filled 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16.

Monday's one-sided loss to Belgium highlights that not much has changed for the U.S. men's soccer team despite the perceived progress over time.

Belgium’s 4-1 victory was more than a round of 16 defeat. It was the end of what should have been a defining tournament for American soccer.