Who should USA be worried about against Bosnia & Herzegovina?
Who should USA be worried about against Bosnia & Herzegovina?Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros of The Cooligans identify some players that USA should focus on as they face Bosnia & Herzegovina in the knockout round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Check out the full conversation on the “The Cooligans” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.2:40Now PlayingPaused
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Who should USA be worried about against Bosnia & Herzegovina?
Alexis Guerreros·Christian PolancoTue, June 30, 2026 at 6:34 PM UTCChristian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros of The Cooligans identify some players that USA should focus on as they face Bosnia & Herzegovina in the knockout round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Check out the full conversation on the “The Cooligans” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.
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For me, they haven't faced a level of wiliness, a level of talent, and a level of wise, understanding how to play the dark arts and understanding where to be and, and how to play off the shoulder like an Edin Deko.
And for me, that is the player to watch when it comes to, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
I'm expecting that Bosnia's not gonna have a ton of possession.
I'm expecting that it's gonna be those little moments where Edin Deko can turn Tim Ream, who's an, an incredible defender, and this is probably the player he probably wants to face the most because Edin Deko is very much not known for pace.
AdvertisementAdvertisementUh- Yeah but he's a smart player, and he understands where to be- And he's tall as hell and how to be the He's tall, but that's on corners that where I'm most worried about that.
His hold-up play is gonna be exceptional, and he's gonna be releasing other players into those counters or attacking in, 1v1, def- against our corner, you know, our other defenders, where I'm not that worried about Alex Freeman and, and, and, Anthony Robinson, Jedi.
But for the most part, he can be so influential in that middle.
Can he play those mind games with Tim Ream?
Can he pull Tim Ream out?
Can he pull Chris Richards out?
AdvertisementAdvertisementCan he do those things that create the space for other players to hurt us?
If there's one player that can do it that we're gonna face, it's probably Edin Deko 'cause he's so freaking smart.
I have I'm not worried about Edin Deko at all.
Okay.
I don't even think he's gonna start this game.
I think- I think he will.
You saw how- I'd be very surprised you saw how upset he was to get taken off the pitch.
Sure.
dude, I think he is gonna start.
He's, he's We're looking at his age.
He's 40 years old.
he's not the same player he was.
Him and Tim Ream both graduated high school the same day.
He got, in He shot He scored a goal, but it was I think it was an own goal, so he hasn't technically scored in this tournament just yet.
AdvertisementAdvertisementthe I am not worried even in the slightest.
So I'm, he, he scored against Qatar- Mm-hmm with a, a lethal shot from outside the box.
pacy, clever.
Karim, and I'm obviously not gonna get the name correct, but Alagbegovic, he was, fantastic in the game against Qatar.
Uh- He's super techy, bro.
He's had, he Well, he started, he didn't start against Canada.
He started against Switzerland, w- which they lost, and then he started against Qatar.
So this- Where does he play?
he plays at RB Salzburg.
Okay.
So he's gonna have a, a, a difficult time playing against obviously better defenders.
And, so he's, to me, is a player that they just have to worry about, make sure he doesn't take too many shots in the box.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe midfield has to, mark him.
I think McKennie.
I think it's not even about marking him.
I think it's, it's really one of those things of, we need to just have the We're gonna have the ball more.
Yeah.
And less they have the ball, the less they have o- opportunities.
But, uh- Remember when I said- I think he's a fantastic player Edin Deko was gonna be doing a little hold-up play and releasing those other players?
May you like
Mm-hmm.
This is the guy I was talking about
- Who should USA be worried about against Bosnia & Herzegovina?Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros of The Cooligans identify some players that USA should focus on as they face Bosnia & Herzegovina in the knockout round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Check out the full conversation on the “The Cooligans” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.2:40Now PlayingPaused
- Can USMNT use ‘bitter’ loss against Bosnia & Herzegovina?2:25Now PlayingPaused
- Canada-Bosnia and Herzegovina Preview: Will home field help Canada in opener?3:00Now PlayingPaused
- Why USA should ‘run it back’ with first WC roster2:32Now PlayingPaused
- Why Matt Freese could be the x-factor in Round of 321:59Now PlayingPaused
