The 8 Words Tim Ream Said About the World Cup Opener That Tell You Everything

Holy smokes, Seattle, can you feel that electricity in the air? This Friday isn't just another game. The USMNT is kicking off their World Cup journey on home soil against Paraguay, and believe me, the red, white, and blue vibe is gonna be off the charts. It's been 32 long years since the World Cup Final hit U.S. ground in Pasadena, and after an eight-year wait since our joint bid with Canada and Mexico was accepted, this opener is gonna be absolutely wild. We've got Christian Pulisic, our star playmaker from Hershey, ready to lead the charge, and the home crowd is absolutely going to embrace every single second of it.

"It Kind of Is Our First Rodeo"

This isn't just any World Cup for our guys. Manager Mauricio Pochettino, despite being from Argentina and boasting experience managing giants like Tottenham and Chelsea, has brought together a squad ready for a truly unique challenge. His selection features 13 players with previous World Cup experience and 13 first-timers, a perfectly even split. But even the veterans know this one hits different. Captain Tim Ream, at 38, is the only one who even remembers the 1994 World Cup. (Goalkeeper Matt Turner was only born during it, wild, right?) Ream put it best when he said, "You say it's not our first rodeo, but it's our first one on home soil. So it kind of is our first rodeo." He's been telling the guys this is a "once-in-a-career opportunity" with huge expectations and pressure, but that's exactly how it should be. The 1994 World Cup was a massive moment for U.S. soccer, seeing the Americans finally break out of the group stage for the first time since 1934. Pochettino, who played in the 2002 World Cup for Argentina, was brought in back in September 2024 to maximize this team's potential right here at home.

Squaring Up Against a Familiar, Fiery Foe

While the road to the World Cup has had its bumps, the squad looks like they're finally hitting their stride. They took down Senegal 3-2 on May 31 in Charlotte and put up a super competitive fight in a 2-1 loss to four-time champ Germany just last Saturday in Chicago. Pochettino was happy with the Germany game, saying, "Overall, I think it was a good performance. I'm happy with the performance of everyone. We played one of the most important teams in the world. I think we need to be happy with that. We competed and were unlucky. I think it was an even game, similar stats."

Their opponent, Paraguay, is no stranger. The U.S. actually snatched a 2-1 friendly win against them last November in Chester, Pa., in a match that got pretty scrappy, with six yellow cards and a red for Paraguay's Omar Alderete after a closing-minutes brawl. This World Cup's expansion to 48 teams benefited Paraguay, who are making their first appearance since 2010. Their coach, Gustavo Alfaro, isn't holding anything back, declaring, "I know what this country feels. I know what 16 long years of waiting, of frustrations, of heartbreaks... feel like." He added, "We are prepared to fight. We are prepared to offer our hearts. We are prepared to leave our skin on the pitch." That's some serious passion! We'll have to see if their 22-year-old striker, Julio Enciso, is available for the opener after he was stretchered off with hamstring and quad injuries in their final warm-up game. This Group D opener is going to be an absolute battle, and it's a must-watch to see how our USMNT steps onto the world stage at home.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.