A Tampa Bay Statement: USMNT Shines in '25 Finale

By Joey Johnston

Red, white and … whew!

It was a result to take your breath away. What a show put on by the U.S. Men’s National Team on Tuesday night at Raymond James Stadium.

World Cup, here we come? That may be a bit premature. But the USMNT’s not-full-strength 5-1 victory against Uruguay certainly provided confidence for a squad that will carry the 2026 mantle next summer as America plays host to the world’s largest sporting event for the second time in history. It was the final 2025 match for the USMNT, which will pick up again in March.

“The spirit, the passion, you just can’t beat this,’’ said Tampa’s Jamie Hahn, who had a tiny American flag painted on his left cheek while wearing the shiny red, white, and blue boxing-style trunks once favored by Rocky Balboa. “This is a great event for our town, and it’s great to see such support.’’

Meanwhile, there was a fair amount of support shown by the fans of Uruguay, a section that turned out in great numbers to cheer for the men in sky blue (La Celeste) and reverently sing the National Anthem of their South American nation (Himno Nacional del Uruguay) with a full version that is recognized as the longest in the world (five minutes).

Not long after that, the Americans were already on the board.

Sebastian Berhalter scored off a set piece in the 17th minute for his first international goal, cutting a beautiful shot that twisted into the top-shelf right corner. Then it was Alex Freeman with a brace, including a header off a corner kick (from Berhalter), and the USMNT led 3-0. Freeman, a defender who plays for Major League Soccer’s Orlando City, is the son of former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman, who once had a nice run of his own at Ray-Jay.

“We wanted to make a statement,’’ Berhalter said. “We wanted to show what U.S. soccer was all about. To get this win in front of these fans, it was special.’’

By the second half, the rout was on. Uruguay was playing a man down due to a red card. Diego Luna got on the board, then Tanner Tessmann also got his first international goal. And the nonstop drum-beating American rooting section in the south end zone got louder and louder with their patriotic chants and bawdy songs.

“This is a lot different than an American football game,’’ said Susie Lewis, a USMNT fan from Brandon. “I just love the energy.’’

Officially, the USMNT-Uruguay match was termed a “friendly,’’ a tune-up of sorts that allowed each squad to test the waters and see how they stacked up against level competition.

“Actually, there’s nothing friendly about it,’’ said former Tampa Bay Rowdie Farrukh Quraishi, a founder of the Tampa Bay Soccer Hall of Fame, which had its inaugural 11-person class introduced on the field at halftime. “It’s important. It’s a big time for American soccer. You hope for a breakthrough (at the World Cup) and these are big matches as we lead into a big year. 

“It’s great to see the support and interest from our Tampa Bay fans. We have quite a soccer heritage in this area, and we’re happy to see that tradition continuing with our National Team performing. It’s a great thing for young players to see and aspire to.’’

The Tampa Bay Sports Commission has long been committed to promoting and developing soccer events for the Tampa Bay area. It was the 16th international men’s or women’s soccer match to be hosted by Ray-Jay.

This one was special. It was the first time for the USMNT to score five goals against a World Cup-winning nation (Uruguay won the event in 1930 and 1950). The USMNT also finished unbeaten (4-0-1) in its last five matches against opponents that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup. 

“Tonight was a chance to build our chemistry and build our confidence,’’ Freeman said. “I think we go up from here. What a great night.’’

For the USMNT.

And for Tampa Bay’s ongoing support of soccer.