not being a host city<\/a>, Chicago treated this final friendly as if it were a World Cup match, as a sellout crowd of 63,636 packed Soldier Field.<\/p>\nReam called it \u201cincredible,\u201d adding, \u201cthat\u2019s two games in a row now that we really feel their energy, we really feel their support.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Forward Christian Pulisic echoed that sentiment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cChicago today really showed out. To see all the fans showing up and getting excited around this moment is so big for us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The presence of the 1994 U.S. national team added an extra layer of importance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ream said it felt like \u201cconnecting the past to the present,\u201d noting, \u201cI watched all those guys play in that World Cup. It was a neat experience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann felt it, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe stadium is cool, the fans were good,\u201d he said. \u201cExtremely friendly, a very special atmosphere. You don\u2019t always get that in Europe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He called it \u201ca great honor\u201d that the U.S. chose Germany for the match, saying the environment \u201cwas important for us\u201d as the team heads into its own tournament prep.<\/p>\n
Robinson\u2019s rocket<\/p>\n
Robinson\u2019s strike in the 37th minute to tie the match was the highlight of the day for the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLuckily, it flew in the back of the net,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ream noted the importance of that moment for his fellow defender, whose journey has required plenty of resilience, taking him from heartbreaking transfer collapses and near-misses to stardom with Fulham and now the USMNT.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor everything that he\u2019s gone through over the last 18 months, he deserved that one,\u201d Ream said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Robinson said perseverance has been critical to put him in this position.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything I was doing to try and get well wasn\u2019t working,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cBut now, I\u2019m feeling in pretty good shape, happy that we got through the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
He even credited his new platinum blonde hairstyle for the crowd-pleasing moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first time I dyed it, I scored back\u2011to\u2011back games. Thankfully, I\u2019ve done it again,\u201d he said. \u201cIt feels like it\u2019s a lucky hairdo at the minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
Impressive attack<\/p>\n
The U.S. created enough offense to feel encouraged, with 16 shots attempts to Germany\u2019s 12 and an overall edge in possession time<\/p>\n
\u201cWe put on another good performance today,” Pulisic said. \u201cWe created a lot of chances. I feel good. We have a good team with a lot of depth, a lot of good attackers around the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nagelsmann acknowledged the danger Pochettino\u2019s side presented.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the controlled game, they had few situations,\u201d he said, \u201cbut from the switch, two or three.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said the U.S. \u201cinvested a bit more in the offensive\u201d and forced Germany into uncomfortable defensive phases.<\/p>\n
Despite the result, U.S. players said it\u2019s clear that there is chemistry up front.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoy playing with them a lot,\u201d Pulisic said. \u201cThere\u2019s a really good bond between the attacking guys.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Resilience on display<\/p>\n
Germany scored off an early set piece, almost before the U.S. even had the chance to touch the ball.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve not seen it back yet,\u201d Robinson said of Kai Havertz’s goal in the second minute. \u201cI\u2019m not quite sure how we had a man so free.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pochettino admitted he was \u201csad\u201d and \u201cupset\u201d in the moment, but immediately saw it as a learning moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good for us to see the reaction of the team, to show character, to show togetherness,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nagelsmann said Germany \u201clost a bit of control\u201d after the opening spell and credited the U.S. for forcing the issue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ream welcomed the response.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t go back and punch back, then that game gets out of hand,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was a great reaction from the guys and really encouraging going into Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n
The United States plays its opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday.<\/p>\n
Rough and tumble prep<\/p>\n
The match was physical from the jump, and Pochettino did his best to make light of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cGermany was a little bit more aggressive from the beginning,\u201d he said. \u201cThe referee didn\u2019t manage really well. Every time we play games, it\u2019s like the referee forgets that we are the USA team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ream relished the confrontations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s exactly what we expect,\u201d he said. \u201cThe response from all the guys to not shy away from that physicality. Guys jumping over the signboards and getting involved is exactly what we expect.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pochettino noted how these types of games are crucial for World Cup preparation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to be aggressive, and we have to be competitive,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd we have to know how to play in that limit set by the rules.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Winning culture<\/p>\n
U.S. midfielder Malik Tillman, who grew up in Germany and currently plays in the Bundesliga, called the matchup \u201ca special game for me, a proud moment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He also put his journey with German club Leverkusen \u2013 defined by immense pressure to replace a star player, managerial instability and early injury setbacks \u2013 in context. In so doing, he displayed the mentality Pochettino looks for in his players.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know it wasn\u2019t as easy as I wished for, but sometimes it\u2019s like this,\u201d he said. \u201cI just have to keep going, keep working hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pochettino has been instilling a hard-working mindset since he was hired 21 months ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cCulture eats strategy for breakfast,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not about the quality of the coaching staff or the tactics. It\u2019s about culture, values, trust, confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pulisic called the team\u2019s closeness one of its strengths.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one\u2019s really on the outskirts,\u201d he said. \u201cI really like coming back into camp. We have a team with such good chemistry.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the night ended with a loss and some aspects of the game were far from perfect, the performance on the pitch showed the U.S. that it is heading in the right direction.<\/p>\n
Ream said the team is \u201cright where you want to be mentally and physically\u201d as they head to Irvine, California for base camp training.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With the games about to begin in earnest, Pulisic admitted the emotional weight that comes with representing the host nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo play in a World Cup representing the USA, it\u2019s the best honor of my lifetime,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAntonee Robinson\u2019s goal highlights USMNT loss to Germany in final World Cup tune-up<\/p>\n
Elijah Grayson Murray, Cronkite News
\nJune 6, 2026<\/p>\n
CHICAGO \u2013 Antonee Robinson didn\u2019t overthink it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCommit to it, hit it hard \u2013 as hard as you can,\u201d the U.S. defender said, replaying the moment a loose ball fell into his path at the top of the box off a corner kick.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTry and hit a target. If it goes out, it goes out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, it resulted in a strike so pure and scintillating that U.S. captain Tim Ream was in awe.<\/p>\n
“Unbelievable strike,” Ream said. “It’s otherworldly, really. I don\u2019t know that I\u2019ve ever seen him hit one better than that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a player who admitted earlier this season he \u201ccouldn\u2019t really see the light at the end of the tunnel,\u201d the goal was nothing short of a relief for the England-born left back.<\/p>\n
The United States still lost 2\u20131 to Germany on Saturday at Soldier Field in its final exhibition match before the World Cup, but that goal, a sustained U.S. attack and its overall response delivered what coach Mauricio Pochettino wanted to see from his squad in its last tune-up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe competed and were unlucky,\u201d Pochettino said. \u201cI think it was an even game. After we finished the first half, we dominated Germany and created chances not only to draw the game, but to win the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here are six takeaways from the match.<\/p>\n
A sellout send-off<\/p>\n
Despite not being a host city, Chicago treated this final friendly as if it were a World Cup match, as a sellout crowd of 63,636 packed Soldier Field.<\/p>\n
Ream called it \u201cincredible,\u201d adding, \u201cthat\u2019s two games in a row now that we really feel their energy, we really feel their support.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Forward Christian Pulisic echoed that sentiment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cChicago today really showed out. To see all the fans showing up and getting excited around this moment is so big for us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The presence of the 1994 U.S. national team added an extra layer of importance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ream said it felt like \u201cconnecting the past to the present,\u201d noting, \u201cI watched all those guys play in that World Cup. It was a neat experience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann felt it, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe stadium is cool, the fans were good,\u201d he said. \u201cExtremely friendly, a very special atmosphere. You don\u2019t always get that in Europe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He called it \u201ca great honor\u201d that the U.S. chose Germany for the match, saying the environment \u201cwas important for us\u201d as the team heads into its own tournament prep.<\/p>\n
Robinson\u2019s rocket<\/p>\n
Robinson\u2019s strike in the 37th minute to tie the match was the highlight of the day for the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLuckily, it flew in the back of the net,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ream noted the importance of that moment for his fellow defender, whose journey has required plenty of resilience, taking him from heartbreaking transfer collapses and near-misses to stardom with Fulham and now the USMNT.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor everything that he\u2019s gone through over the last 18 months, he deserved that one,\u201d Ream said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Robinson said perseverance has been critical to put him in this position.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything I was doing to try and get well wasn\u2019t working,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cBut now, I\u2019m feeling in pretty good shape, happy that we got through the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
He even credited his new platinum blonde hairstyle for the crowd-pleasing moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first time I dyed it, I scored back\u2011to\u2011back games. Thankfully, I\u2019ve done it again,\u201d he said. \u201cIt feels like it\u2019s a lucky hairdo at the minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
Impressive attack<\/p>\n
The U.S. created enough offense to feel encouraged, with 16 shots attempts to Germany\u2019s 12 and an overall edge in possession time<\/p>\n
\u201cWe put on another good performance today,” Pulisic said. \u201cWe created a lot of chances. I feel good. We have a good team with a lot of depth, a lot of good attackers around the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nagelsmann acknowledged the danger Pochettino\u2019s side presented.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the controlled game, they had few situations,\u201d he said, \u201cbut from the switch, two or three.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said the U.S. \u201cinvested a bit more in the offensive\u201d and forced Germany into uncomfortable defensive phases.<\/p>\n
Despite the result, U.S. players said it\u2019s clear that there is chemistry up front.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoy playing with them a lot,\u201d Pulisic said. \u201cThere\u2019s a really good bond between the attacking guys.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Resilience on display<\/p>\n
Germany scored off an early set piece, almost before the U.S. even had the chance to touch the ball.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve not seen it back yet,\u201d Robinson said of Kai Havertz’s goal in the second minute. \u201cI\u2019m not quite sure how we had a man so free.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pochettino admitted he was \u201csad\u201d and \u201cupset\u201d in the moment, but immediately saw it as a learning moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good for us to see the reaction of the team, to show character, to show togetherness,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nagelsmann said Germany \u201clost a bit of control\u201d after the opening spell and credited the U.S. for forcing the issue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ream welcomed the response.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t go back and punch back, then that game gets out of hand,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was a great reaction from the guys and really encouraging going into Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n
The United States plays its opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday.<\/p>\n
Rough and tumble prep<\/p>\n
The match was physical from the jump, and Pochettino did his best to make light of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cGermany was a little bit more aggressive from the beginning,\u201d he said. \u201cThe referee didn\u2019t manage really well. Every time we play games, it\u2019s like the referee forgets that we are the USA team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ream relished the confrontations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s exactly what we expect,\u201d he said. \u201cThe response from all the guys to not shy away from that physicality. Guys jumping over the signboards and getting involved is exactly what we expect.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pochettino noted how these types of games are crucial for World Cup preparation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to be aggressive, and we have to be competitive,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd we have to know how to play in that limit set by the rules.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Winning culture<\/p>\n
U.S. midfielder Malik Tillman, who grew up in Germany and currently plays in the Bundesliga, called the matchup \u201ca special game for me, a proud moment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He also put his journey with German club Leverkusen \u2013 defined by immense pressure to replace a star player, managerial instability and early injury setbacks \u2013 in context. In so doing, he displayed the mentality Pochettino looks for in his players.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know it wasn\u2019t as easy as I wished for, but sometimes it\u2019s like this,\u201d he said. \u201cI just have to keep going, keep working hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pochettino has been instilling a hard-working mindset since he was hired 21 months ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cCulture eats strategy for breakfast,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not about the quality of the coaching staff or the tactics. It\u2019s about culture, values, trust, confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pulisic called the team\u2019s closeness one of its strengths.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one\u2019s really on the outskirts,\u201d he said. \u201cI really like coming back into camp. We have a team with such good chemistry.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the night ended with a loss and some aspects of the game were far from perfect, the performance on the pitch showed the U.S. that it is heading in the right direction.<\/p>\n
Ream said the team is \u201cright where you want to be mentally and physically\u201d as they head to Irvine, California for base camp training.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With the games about to begin in earnest, Pulisic admitted the emotional weight that comes with representing the host nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo play in a World Cup representing the USA, it\u2019s the best honor of my lifetime,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.<\/p>\n
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