The United States men's national soccer team faces Turkey on Thursday evening in Inglewood, California, with a chance to make history despite having already clinched its spot in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32.
The American squad has never won more than two games in a single World Cup tournament. Thursday's match presents an opportunity to break that barrier, even though the outcome will not affect the team's knockout-round placement. Earlier victories over Paraguay and Australia, combined with Turkey's losses to those same opponents, have secured the United States the top position in its group regardless of Thursday's result.
"The group stage is not done yet. We want to end it the right way. We want to end it the way we came into it and continue to build off of the momentum that we've been creating," defender Mark McKenzie told reporters Wednesday, according to NPR.
The match offers strategic flexibility for the American coaching staff. With advancement already secured, the team can rest key players who are carrying yellow cards and would face suspension in the Round of 32 if they receive a second caution. Defenders Antonee Robinson and Chris Richards, midfielder Tyler Adams, and forward Folarin Balogun all enter the match with yellow cards that will be cleared once group play concludes.
Forward Christian Pulisic is expected to be available after missing the Australia match with a minor calf injury, though the team may choose to ease him back into action given the low stakes of Thursday's contest.
For Turkey, the match represents a disappointing end to what had been high expectations entering the tournament. The Turkish squad, featuring talented young attackers including 21-year-old Arda Güler of Real Madrid and Kenan Yildiz of Juventus, was widely considered a dark horse capable of advancing deep into the competition. Instead, they were eliminated last week following their loss to Paraguay, which came after the United States defeated Australia.
"We had high expectations. I know because all of our country was supporting us and thought we will come very far," Yildiz said Wednesday, speaking to NPR. "Hopefully for the next game we can make a good result and go out with pride."
The two nations last met in an international friendly in June 2025, which Turkey won 2-1. That United States roster was missing several key players, including Pulisic, Robinson, Balogun, and midfielder Weston McKennie.
"We had a really young team, but we went out there and put in a good performance. I don't think the result necessarily reflected how we played," Richards said, according to NPR. "Whoever's on the field, I know we're going to go out there and give 110 percent."
The match represents more than just a statistical milestone for the American squad. It offers an opportunity to build momentum heading into the knockout stage while demonstrating the depth and ambition of a team that has been vocal about its aspirations in this tournament. With the pressure of advancement removed, Thursday evening's contest becomes a chance for the United States to make a statement about its readiness for the challenges ahead.
