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Despite a disappointing finish, the U.S. men's national team delivered a historic group stage performance on home turf to open the 2026 World Cup. Even so, the real challenge is just beginning for manager Mauricio Pochettino's squad.
Following a stoppage-time 3–2 defeat to Türkiye on Friday, after opening victories against Australia and Paraguay, the USMNT will face Group B third-place finishers Bosnia & Herzegovina in the round of 32, entering the contest as heavy favorites.
While the USMNT's potential route to a deep World Cup run largely sidesteps the highest-ranked sides, victories won't come without a fight. Bosnia, despite sitting at No. 64 in the FIFA Rankings, held No. 27 Canada to a 1–1 draw and stunned No. 12 Italy in the final round of World Cup qualifying.
Here, Sports Illustrated examines three concerns that could trouble the USMNT ahead of Wednesday's clash with the Balkan nation.
The Sheer Size
Bosnia & Herzegovina is the tallest squad at the tournament, averaging 6'1", with defender Stjepan Radeljić towering at an impressive 6'7".
Although Radeljić is unlikely to feature in the starting lineup, the preferred center-back duo of Tarik Muharemović and Nikola Katić both exceed 6'1". This presents a genuine physical challenge for USMNT forwards, comparable only to what 6'4" Australian defender Harry Souttar posed during the group stage.
In attack, Bosnian veteran striker Edin Džeko stands at 6'4". Meanwhile, the skillful and powerful secondary attacking option Ermedin Demirović measures 6'0" but carries a broad build and is difficult to dispossess.
Averaging 5'11" in height and ranking as the 21st-tallest team among the tournament's 48 sides, the USMNT lacks many imposing players, and physicality isn't central to how Pochettino's men operate. Bosnia will frequently look to win the ball in the air and will be combative in every duel, holding the advantage in nearly every aerial contest.
The American and the Teenager
Controlling the wide areas will be crucial for the USMNT, with wingbacks Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson set to play pivotal roles, particularly given the opponents they are likely to face.
Bosnia's most exciting young talents operate on the flanks and can exploit space while cutting inside to create openings for their physically dominant attacking players. On the right is 21-year-old U.S.-Bosnian Esmir Bajraktarević, while 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegović is expected to feature on the left.
Bajraktarević has shone in the biggest matches so far and was instrumental in the World Cup qualifying victory over Italy. Born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin, he represented the USMNT in friendlies before committing to Bosnia, where his pace and agility have become key weapons in attack. Alajbegović, meanwhile, contributed nine goals and three assists in the Austrian Bundesliga this season and arrives on the back of a dazzling display against Qatar, in which he scored and completed six threatening dribbles.
The Set Piece Threat
Given Bosnia's height and physical presence, set pieces have become a cornerstone of their tactical approach. Against Canada, a minor defensive lapse allowed them to convert from a corner kick, and they have created opportunities from dead-ball situations against both Switzerland and Qatar.
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
When breaking down where chances originate, Bosnia has generated 0.45 expected goals (xG) from set plays compared to 1.46 xG from open play, highlighting just how significant dead-ball situations are to their game plan.
Competing for aerial balls on these set pieces will be a tall order for the shorter USMNT, and goalkeeper Matt Freese won't be able to claim every delivery. That makes it all the more essential for the USMNT to minimize the number of set pieces they surrender.