USA is on to World Cup Round of 16, which is no small feat for the Stars and Stripes

This U.S. men’s national team has a mentality that is different from its past versions. It keeps reminding us of its resilience and the various ways it can win and survive in the World Cup. It doesn’t have to be pretty, but the team has been pretty effective.

For the first time, the Americans have won three matches in a Cup, with a Round of 16 meeting with Belgium looming in Seattle on Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

How the U.S. got here

For the first time since 1930, the U.S. won twice in the group stage. The Americans let everyone know they were for real, recording a stunning 4-1 triumph over Paraguay and blanking Australia, 2-0. The team lost to Turkiye, 3-2, using reserves in its final match, but it already had secured first place in Group D and a knockout-round berth.

The Americans have their standouts. Chris Richards has been the cornerstone of the backline. Tyler Adams is a superior defensive midfielder. Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman are invaluable midfielders who work both sides of the ball. Forward Christian Pulisic and team-leading scorer Folarin Balogun (three goals) have been dangerous.

They may not be in the class of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, France’s Kylian Mbappe and England’s Harry Kane, but sometimes you don’t need superstars. After struggling to find an identity under coach Mauricio Pochettino, the Americans have found a harder mental edge, playing much better as a team.

Case in point: After Balogun was red-carded in the 64th minute against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, his teammates never panicked. In fact, they were relentless, adding Tillman’s late set-piece goal in a 2-0 victory.

“We had to dig deep for that one,” Pulisic said. “It didn’t go exactly to plan with the red card, but that just shows what a good team we are. We said in the hydration break, ‘This is what it takes to be a really strong team.’ We were able to do it.”

The significance of reaching the Round of 16

This year’s World Cup has an expanded field of 48 teams, up from 32, so reaching the Round of 16 means the U.S. had to win a knockout-round game first. Now the Americans are vying to book a quarterfinal spot for the first time in a generation. They defeated archrival Mexico, 2-0, in the Round of 16 in 2002.

Since then, the USMNT has reached the Round of 16 three times (2010, 2014, 2022) but failed to advance. The U.S. also lost in the Round of 16 to eventual champion Brazil in 1994.

The U.S. hasn’t enjoyed much success in 12 World Cup appearances. It reached the semifinals when only 13 teams participated in the 1930 inaugural edition.

There have been historic wins, mostly in the group stage. The team pulled off one of the greatest upsets in history, a 1-0 triumph over England in 1950, but did not advance out of its group. At USA ’94, the team recorded a 2-1 stunner over Colombia to make the Round of 16.

So going deep in the tournament on home soil is vital.

“The team showed the qualities, the capacity to compete, to fight for each other,” Pochettino said. “So proud of the players. They are the heroes.”

What’s ahead vs. Belgium?

Both teams are coming off emotional wins on Wednesday. The Belgians overcame a two-goal deficit late in regulation before Youri Tielemans recorded a 125th-minute penalty kick in extra time to secure a 3-2 triumph over Senegal. How Belgium recovers from an extra 30 minutes will be key.

The USA overcame that red card to Balogun in its 2-0 victory over Bosnia. Can the Americans overcome Balogun’s absence against Belgium because of the red card?

The Belgians haven’t played up to their potential but have found ways to win.

The teams have met twice in the World Cup. The USA won, 3-0, in 1930. In 2014, goalkeeper Tim Howard made a Cup-record 16 saves, but the U.S. fell in extra time, 2-1.

In a friendly in Atlanta on March 28, the U.S. conceded five unanswered goals, four in the second half, in a disappointing 5-2 loss to Belgium.

Using that as a barometer, it might sound like a bridge too far for the Americans. But this U.S. team has been transformed, playing with a different mentality and resilience.

“It’s going to be really tough and it’s going to be very competitive,” Pochettino said. “For us, it’s about to keep dreaming. It’s about keeping working really hard and competing. All is possible.”