USMNT’s Home World Cup Dream Ends in Humbling Loss to Belgium

The United States men’s national team had a rare chance to win over new fans at a home World Cup. Instead of triumph, they suffered a painful defeat. In the final moments of the US team’s 3-2 victory over Portugal at the 2002 World Cup, ESPN commentator Jack Edwards reminded viewers of the match’s deeper meaning. Speaking from Suwon, South Korea, he described how the result honored the 1950 team that beat England, the families who grew the sport, and the children who would wake up inspired to dream. That 2002 run ended in a quarterfinal, still the best result for the modern USMNT. Now, at a home World Cup, the team faced Belgium. But the outcome was a humbling loss, wasting the biggest opportunity in American soccer history.