Robinson calls USA vs Bosnia the 'most important game' in USMNT history ahead of World Cup round of 32

Antonee Robinson has called the United States’ World Cup round of 32 fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina the most significant match the USMNT has ever played, with the winner advancing to the last 16 and a potential quarterfinal berth — something the USA have not reached since 2002 — within reach.

“I fully would say that this is the most important game that any of us played for the states,” Robinson told Colin Cowherd. “I hope we all go into it with that mindset of, you know, it’s do or die.”

The stakes are clear. A victory on Wednesday would give the United States their first World Cup knockout-stage win over a European opponent and set up a round of 16 tie. The last time the USA reached the quarterfinals, their run ended with a 1-0 defeat to Germany in 2002.

Robinson was equally direct about the ambition driving the squad. “We’ve got the opportunity to do something incredibly special this summer on our home soil,” he said. “We’re looking to win the tournament, and you can’t get there without winning this next game.”

The USA arrive in the knockout rounds with genuine momentum. They won two of their three group-stage matches, highlighted by a 4-1 opening victory over Paraguay — the same Paraguay side that has since eliminated Germany in the round of 32, lending further weight to the USMNT’s early performances.

Robinson, however, was careful not to let the group-stage form breed complacency. “We’ve got to find a way to win, even if we don’t necessarily perform as well as we have,” he said. “We just have to find a way to get a result.”

The pressure of hosting a World Cup on home soil adds another layer to an already loaded occasion, and Robinson’s framing — “do or die” — reflects exactly how the squad is treating it.