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To frame it in a way even the most casual American soccer fan can grasp, the U.S. men's national team possesses the same 'magic' that defines Super Bowl champions.
The USMNT has been a dominant force at the 2026 World Cup on home turf this summer, breezing through two group stage wins to secure first place in Group D and a spot in the knockout rounds — all with a game still remaining. The squad takes on Türkiye on Thursday, though the match carries no bearing on tournament positioning, giving the team a welcome breather before facing a tougher opponent in the round of 32.
It's difficult to identify exactly what's been driving the Stars and Stripes' recent run of form, something the team has historically struggled to find at soccer's grandest stage.
Former NFL All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Freeman believes it's the very same ingredient that transforms an American football team into Super Bowl champions. And he speaks from experience.
Freeman not only made consecutive Super Bowl appearances with the Green Bay Packers (1996, 1997), hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XXXI with a 35–21 win over the New England Patriots, but he also has a personal connection to the USMNT. He is, after all, the father of standout defender Alex Freeman.
"I've had the opportunity to be around these guys, at their hotel and I got the chance to stop by practice," Freeman said about the USMNT on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday. "... Man, what I see is magic. I don't like to compare a lot, but the love and camaraderie we had in that locker room when we were winning Super Bowls and making Super Bowl runs, [it's there].
"It's almost electrifying when I walk into his team hotel. They all like each other. They all get along. They all just want to win, and they want to win for this country."
That Super Bowl-Caliber 'Magic'
When the Seattle Seahawks claimed Super Bowl LX this past February, topping the Patriots 29–13, star linebacker Ernest Jones stepped up to the microphone ahead of the victory parade through downtown.
"If you got anything to say about my quarterback, if you got anything to say about my defense, if you got anything to say about our o[ffensive]-line, and you got anything to say about the city of Seattle, I got two words for you: F--- you!"
Jones's colorfully-delivered speech echoed the numerous moments throughout the NFL season when he and his teammates had rallied around one another, particularly quarterback Sam Darnold, who had faltered in high-pressure situations earlier in the year.
It was this intense sense of brotherhood that defined the Super Bowl-winning squad and enabled them to surpass all expectations. A comparable fire burns within the USMNT.
It isn't just evident in the synchronized way the U.S. operates on the field — shifting fluidly, moving in harmony and frequently stringing together 30-plus consecutive passes. It's also visible in how star player Christian Pulisic's teammates passionately stood up for him during his extended goal-scoring slump.
It's the way the players erupt in celebration after scoring, pulling in even the substitutes and 54-year-old Pochettino into the jubilant pile-on.
It's the way Pulisic encouraged striker Ricardo Pepi, who stepped into the starting lineup against Australia while Pulisic nursed a leg injury. It's the way the team has remained steadfast in its conviction that it can win the whole tournament, despite what the history books might suggest.
"This is the best team in the U.S. that they have put together, and all of these guys just want to win. Their camaraderie, it glows, whether they know it or not," Freeman said. "It glows. Not only on the field."
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The USMNT has already started making history, recording two group stage victories for the first time since 1930 and the first time ever in the modern World Cup era, with the team looking well-positioned to add even more milestones.
"I just hope that these guys continue to glow, keep that energy, play hard, play physical and believe in themselves because they are right there on the cusp of doing something great," Freeman added.