CHICAGO – Antonee Robinson didn’t overthink it. 

“Commit to it, hit it hard – as hard as you can,” 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. 

“Try and hit a target. If it goes out, it goes out.” 

Instead, it resulted in a strike so pure and scintillating that U.S. captain Tim Ream was in awe.

“Unbelievable strike,” Ream said. “It’s otherworldly, really. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him hit one better than that.” 

For a player who admitted earlier this season he “couldn’t really see the light at the end of the tunnel,” the goal was nothing short of a relief for the England-born left back.

The United States still lost 2–1 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. 

“We competed and were unlucky,” Pochettino said. “I 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.”

Here are six takeaways from the match.

A sellout send-off

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.

Ream called it “incredible,” adding, “that’s two games in a row now that we really feel their energy, we really feel their support.” 

Forward Christian Pulisic echoed that sentiment. 

“Chicago today really showed out. To see all the fans showing up and getting excited around this moment is so big for us,” he said.

The presence of the 1994 U.S. national team added an extra layer of importance. 

Ream said it felt like “connecting the past to the present,” noting, “I watched all those guys play in that World Cup. It was a neat experience.” 

German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann felt it, too. 

“The stadium is cool, the fans were good,” he said. “Extremely friendly, a very special atmosphere. You don’t always get that in Europe.” 

He called it “a great honor” that the U.S. chose Germany for the match, saying the environment “was important for us” as the team heads into its own tournament prep.

Robinson’s rocket

Robinson’s strike in the 37th minute to tie the match was the highlight of the day for the U.S. 

“Luckily, it flew in the back of the net,” he said. 

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.

“For everything that he’s gone through over the last 18 months, he deserved that one,” Ream said. 

Robinson said perseverance has been critical to put him in this position.

“Everything I was doing to try and get well wasn’t working,” Robinson said. “But now, I’m feeling in pretty good shape, happy that we got through the game.”

He even credited his new platinum blonde hairstyle for the crowd-pleasing moment.

“The first time I dyed it, I scored back‑to‑back games. Thankfully, I’ve done it again,” he said. “It feels like it’s a lucky hairdo at the minute.”

Impressive attack

The U.S. created enough offense to feel encouraged, with 16 shots attempts to Germany’s 12 and an overall edge in possession time

“We put on another good performance today,” Pulisic said. “We 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.”

Nagelsmann acknowledged the danger Pochettino’s side presented. 

“From the controlled game, they had few situations,” he said, “but from the switch, two or three.” 

He said the U.S. “invested a bit more in the offensive” and forced Germany into uncomfortable defensive phases.

Despite the result, U.S players said it’s clear that there is chemistry up front.  

“I enjoy playing with them a lot,” Pulisic said. “There’s a really good bond between the attacking guys.” 

Resilience on display

Germany scored off an early set piece, almost before the U.S. even had the chance to touch the ball. 

“I’ve not seen it back yet,” Robinson said of Kai Havertz’s goal in the second minute. “I’m not quite sure how we had a man so free.”

Pochettino admitted he was “sad” and “upset” in the moment, but immediately saw it as a learning moment.

“It’s good for us to see the reaction of the team, to show character, to show togetherness,” he said. 

Nagelsmann said Germany “lost a bit of control” after the opening spell and credited the U.S. for forcing the issue. 

Ream welcomed the response.

“If you don’t go back and punch back, then that game gets out of hand,” he said. “It was a great reaction from the guys and really encouraging going into Friday.”

The United States plays its opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday.

Rough and tumble prep

The match was physical from the jump, and Pochettino did his best to make light of it.

“Germany was a little bit more aggressive from the beginning,” he said. “The referee didn’t manage really well. Every time we play games, it’s like the referee forgets that we are the USA team.”

Ream relished the confrontations. 

“That’s exactly what we expect,” he said. “The 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.”

Pochettino noted how these types of games are crucial for World Cup preparation.

“We have to be aggressive, and we have to be competitive,” he said. “And we have to know how to play in that limit set by the rules.” 

Winning culture

U.S. midfielder Malik Tillman, who grew up in Germany and currently plays in the Bundesliga, called the matchup “a special game for me, a proud moment.” 

He also put his journey with German club Leverkusen – defined by immense pressure to replace a star player, managerial instability and early injury setbacks – in context. In so doing, he displayed the mentality Pochettino looks for in his players. 

“I know it wasn’t as easy as I wished for, but sometimes it’s like this,” he said. “I just have to keep going, keep working hard.”

Pochettino has been instilling a hard-working mindset since he was hired 21 months ago.

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” he said. “It’s not about the quality of the coaching staff or the tactics. It’s about culture, values, trust, confidence.”

Pulisic called the team’s closeness one of its strengths.

“No one’s really on the outskirts,” he said. “I really like coming back into camp. We have a team with such good chemistry.”

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.

Ream said the team is “right where you want to be mentally and physically” as they head to Irvine, California for base camp training. 

With the games about to begin in earnest, Pulisic admitted the emotional weight that comes with representing the host nation.

“To play in a World Cup representing the USA, it’s the best honor of my lifetime,” he said.

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