'Relaxation brings concentration' - Folarin Balogun's game-changing ability, Christian Pulisic's fitness and five keys to the USMNT's World Cup clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - "I start the conversation with the words of Jorge Valdano," Mauricio Pochettino says, referencing the Argentine legend known as the Philosopher of Football. "'Relaxation brings concentration.' That is the best sentence and quote we can apply."

Those words have been the general theme of the U.S. men's national team's buildup this week as they prepare for their Round of 32 clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is, of course, one of the biggest games in American soccer history. Playing in a home World Cup, in primetime and in the knockout stages with the world watching, this is more than a game. It is a moment, one that could dictate the next phase of American soccer.

That, theoretically, comes with pressure. That word, though, isn't being used. Instead, the United States Men's National Team have spent the week going in the other direction: relaxed, calm and prepared. The challenge is there, and they know it's there. And yet, they feel ready for it.

"Would it be weird if I told you that I don't really feel too much pressure at this minute?" captain Tim Ream asked before continuing: "It's a game we want to win. It's a game that we have to put everything into and put in a performance the way we have in the group stage. Then we see where that takes us. In terms of pressure, there's nothing added, nothing extra, and that's the way we've approached every single game."

As many have pointed out, the pressure is on the USMNT. They are the "favorites," although Pochettino himself pushed back on that claim Tuesday. Germany were favorites, he said. So, too, were the Netherlands. Maybe the title of favorite can be saved for after the game, he says. Until then, it means nothing. For now, it's nothing to worry about.

In an ideal world, Pochettino said, his players won't worry about much of anything for the next day or two. They'll rely on their preparation, rely on the confidence built through the group stage and rely on their own ability to go out and win a game. That's the only thing that matters now: winning.

"It's going to be really tough," Pochettino said, "but we're believing in us and going there and transforming all that expectation and pressure and energy and trying to be natural and play. All that we were working on is the moment tomorrow to apply on the field. It's true that it depends on too many factors and situations where you can perform better or not, but I think the job is done and they need to be relaxed and not think.

"Tomorrow, play with intuition and with the confidence that we were preparing with and, hopefully, it is going to appear on the field."

So what might the game on the field bring? GOAL looks at five keys to the USMNT's clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina...

There was a significant ovation when Christian Pulisic took the field against Turkiye. That ovation was partly because fans were anticipating what the USMNT star could do that day. It also meant something else, though. It meant everyone could exhale a bit about Pulisic's status going forward.

After dealing with a calf injury that caused him to miss the Australia game, Pulisic's return in the final group-stage match offered hope. It also offered a glimpse of what he brings, as the AC Milan star had several standout moments driving the attack forward.

"I felt great in the last game against Turkiye," he said. "I'm feeling good this week, and I'm definitely ready to go tomorrow."

How ready? If Pulisic is at or near 100 percent, the USMNT, as a group, reach a different level. He showed that against Turkiye, and the hope is that he can do it again against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.

Unlike Turkiye, this week's opposition are likely to be a bit more defensive-minded, which puts more emphasis on the work Pulisic and fellow winger Sergiño Dest do out wide.

"There's a lot of different ways," Pulisic said when asked how to break down the next opponent. "I'm not going to give away our whole game plan, but, yeah, just not being one-dimensional, finding ways, moving the ball and trying to find ways to break through."

For the USMNT to break through, Pulisic will likely need to be at his best. He says he's ready to do that for 90 minutes or 120 if called upon.

"Yeah," he said when asked if he can go the distance. "I feel ready."

If you've followed this game long enough, you've seen Edin Džeko. He's the fifth-oldest player at this World Cup at age 40. The Bosnian icon has been doing this for a long, long time. Richards was stunned, though, to learn that Džeko was actually older than Tim Ream. That revelation led to a light moment in training.

There's nothing light about facing Džeko, though. He's scored more than 400 goals for club and country and is the Bosnian national team's most-capped player and all-time leading scorer. The former Manchester City, Roma and Inter Milan striker, now at Schalke, has been doing this for nearly two decades, but just knowing the threat doesn't mean he's easy to defend.

"I've played some experienced strikers in my career, but he's a guy who might be Bosnia's figurehead when you think of their national team," Richards said. "For me, it's making sure that you don't get dragged into his games. Obviously, he's been at the top level for a reason for a long time. I'm just making sure that I do what I do best, which is frustrate people, and ultimately I plan on coming out on top of that battle."

There's another familiar face on the other side as well. Esmir Bajraktarević earned a cap for the USMNT in 2024 and represented the U.S. extensively at the youth level. He made the switch to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024 and has since joined PSV, making him teammates with Sergiño Dest and Ricardo Pepi.

Like Bajraktarević, Dest and Pepi made international decisions, choosing to represent the USMNT. As his teammates at club level, they know what he brings.

"We didn't speak about this game yet," Dest said. "I didn't call him or he didn't call me yet, but he is a good player. He also had to make the choice between the U.S. and Bosnia. He chose the other side, but hopefully he will not regret that after Wednesday."

All week long, members of the USMNT have said this week feels different. A total of 13 of the 26 players in camp were there the last time the USMNT fell to the Netherlands at the first knockout-round hurdle. Again, though, something about this week feels different.

"It's not easy to say exactly what it is, but for sure," Pulisic said. "Just with experience, as I've gotten older, your first time, you feel those nerves even more. It can be that much more difficult. When you've been there before, you say, 'Okay, I can handle this,' and I think a lot of the guys feel that way."

There were plenty of lessons from that 2022 defeat. The U.S., at that World Cup, were a bit too naive and inexperienced. They were punished for it by a Netherlands team that did not lack talent or know-how. That same Dutch team are a reminder, though, of how fine the margins can be at these tournaments, as they, and Germany too, crashed out Monday in their first knockout-round match.

So what do the USMNT take from that: confidence after crushing the Paraguay team that beat Germany, or a little bit of worry knowing it could happen to anyone?

"This is up to you guys," Malik Tillman said. "We also lost to Germany. Of course it gives us a little bit of confidence, but I think the most important lesson is that you have to be ready because anything can happen."

No room for error, then. Not one like the long ball that gave Paraguay a goal in the opener, nor the three that led to Turkiye's 3-2 win. From this point on, teams have to play as close to perfectly as possible. The USMNT, having been punished for their imperfections in 2022, know that well.

"The knockout round is unforgiving," Richards said. "It's not like the group stage. Every team that's in the knockout round has earned it and deserved it, so we're gonna go into it with the same mentality: that we also earned it. Hopefully, we can get the job done."

In the words of Valdano, or, in this case, Pochettino, "relaxation brings concentration." The USMNT are concentrating on the next job, and they'll need every bit of that concentration.

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