INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The U.S. men’s national soccer team faces Turkey in their final group match of the FIFA World Cup. Despite the outcome, the U.S. has already secured a top spot in their group, advancing to the knockout round.

Recent victories over Paraguay and Australia have established the U.S. team’s strong position. Turkey’s defeats to these teams guaranteed the U.S. as group winners. Only a win against Turkey would mark a new milestone, as the U.S. men have never achieved more than two wins in a single World Cup. This reflects the team’s ambition and confidence in the tournament.

Defender Mark McKenzie expressed the team’s determination, saying, “The group stage is not done yet. We want to end it the right way and build off the momentum we’ve been creating.”

Given their secure placement, the U.S. can afford to rest key players with yellow cards, including Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, Tyler Adams, and Folarin Balogun. Acquiring another yellow card would lead to suspension in the knockout stages.

Christian Pulisic might also see action, recovering from a minor calf injury sustained earlier.

Turkey entered the World Cup with promising expectations, led by young talents like Arda Güler and Kenan Yildiz. Despite their elimination, Yildiz vowed to “give our best” in the final match against the U.S.

The last encounter between the U.S. and Turkey in 2025 ended in a 2-1 victory for Turkey. Chris Richards remains optimistic, noting the impressive performance despite missing several key players.

Richards stated, “Whoever’s on the field, I know we’re going to go out there and give 110 percent.”

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