With the US Men's National Team set to face the Netherlands in the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup, manager Gregg Berhalter reminded the assembled media just how special reaching the knockout stages at a World Cup can be.
This is the fourth time in the last five World Cup appearances the Stars and Stripes have reached this stage and they hope to equal their-best ever result in the modern era of the tournament, a quarterfinal appearance in 2002.
Berhalter knows how important this match is, saying "at this stage, it's go time", he said, "and if you can push through it, you do it."
The Dutch have all sorts of quality throughout their side with Cody Gakpo and the now-fit Memphis Depay forming a fearsome strike partnership up front, Frenkie de Jong and Davy Klaassen running the midfield and Virgil van Dijk anchoring the back-line.
"It's tough; they have talent ... really top-end talent", Berhalter said.
"I learned so much in Holland"
The Stars and Stripes boss cut his teeth in Dutch football, having played six seasons in the Eredivisie from 1994-2000 with Zwolle, Sparta Rotterdam and Cambuur Leeuwarden.
"I learned so much in Holland, great experience being there", he remembered. "When you're in Holland, basically, after every training session, you have a debate with your players about the training session.
"Everyone has their opinion, everyone shares their opinion. And it was a great time for me. I went to Holland just out of university, totally unprepared for professional-level soccer.
"And if I wasn't in Holland, I don't think I would have had that background, that building that really helped me shape my ideas."
"Really doing a deep dive on them"
Berhalter indicated that he and his coaching staff have been keeping an eye on the Oranje for almost a year and they received a scouting report on the Group A winners immediately after defeating Iran.
"We've been watching Holland for the last 11 months, watching all their games. We've had multiple people at their group-stage games watching live, we have the wide angle. So really doing a deep dive on them", he assessed.
He also knows that his side, one of the youngest at the World Cup, must be patient and play within the moment to have success against an experienced Dutch side.
"It's literally one game at a time, one minute at a time in this knockout stage. Anything makes the difference in the result. And you have to be patient, you also have to realize it could be a 120-minute exercise, and you have to plan your lineups and substitutions accordingly.
"So we're game-planning all that and then finally have the penalty kicks, which we practiced yesterday, and we'll practice again today."
Dest a key figure to USA success
USA managed to secure the services of Sergino Dest, who holds dual American and Dutch citizenship and has been one of the Stars and Stripes top performers at the World Cup.
After starting for the Americans at the 2019 U-20 World Cup, then-Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman tried to lure Dest away.
US sporting director Earnie Stewart, himself with Dutch roots, flew to Amsterdam and convinced him to stick with the Stars and Stripes.
"Basically, it was about me just making a connection with him, talking to him about what his role could be with us, what we think the plans are of this group for the next eight years, and then introducing him to his teammates and getting him into our environment", Berhalter said.
"It's a very tight-knit group, very welcoming to people coming into the group. And I think that's what ultimately helped him decide."
Long known for his ability to join the attack, who raced forward from his defensive position to set up Christian Pulisic's game-winning goal over Iran in the group-stage finale that qualified the U.S. for the knockout stage the AC Milan right-back has been lauded for play in his own half.
"What I've seen from Sergino in this World Cup, in particular, is him take it to another level with his mindset and his mentality", Berhalter said. "He's been fantastic for us this camp. I can't say enough about his defending in the penalty box."
Dest spoke about facing some of his former international teammates, stating "it's going to be fun. I was born there, I speak the language, I know all these guys. They want to go through, but we have the same dream".
He also revealed how close he is with his American teammates, saying "we have a brotherhood. I can't wait to play the next match because it's going to be a pretty fun one, playing against the country I was born in."