The United States was not shy about celebrating its CONCACAF Nations League title on Sunday night.
Following a 2-0 USMNT victory over Canada in Las Vegas for the Americans’ second consecutive Nations League championship, the party exploded into the locker room.
As players doused themselves in champagne and downed beer, the nascent champions created a makeshift bowling alley, sending Christian Pulisic — named the best player in the tournament — flying down a slick floor to knock over champagne bottles acting as bowling pins.
Though the team is jubilant, one player seems to realize the danger of using one of the most important men in American soccer as a bowling pin on Folarin Balogun’s Instagram Live: “That was not smart, bro!”
Almost every player got in on the fun, as midfielder Weston McKennie and defender Antonee Robinson chugged Bud Light out of the Nations League trophy.
The United States extended its home unbeaten streak against Canada to 22 games, dating back to 1957.
Chris Richards and Balogun scored the two goals on Sunday night, becoming the first and second players to score their first U.S. goals in a final.
Midfielder Gio Reyna was also involved, assisting on both goals as he added to an already-impressive Nations League final resume, in which he has one goal and three assists.
The USMNT defeated Mexico 3-0 on Thursday in the semifinals.
The team, which now looks toward a World Cup in 2026 co-hosted by the U.S., was excited about what the victory meant for the up-and-coming group.
“It’s another step in the right direction,” Pulisic said. “It’s just going to be about these knockout games. Come those big tournaments, Copa América, World Cup, it’s time to get tough. We got to step up and score the goals when it counts and keep them out of our goal.”
Following a months-long coaching search for a replacement, the USMNT decided to stick with Gregg Berhalter as its manager last week, despite the coach’s personal drama with the 20-year-old Reyna, one of the team’s rising stars.
