USMNT captain Tim Ream described a silent and stunned locker room after a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the World Cup round of 16.
Ream said the players were trying to understand a performance that felt completely different from everything the team had produced earlier in the tournament. The defeat also quieted the crowd at Lumen Field in Seattle.
The United States had topped Group D with a match to spare before recording its first World Cup knockout victory in 24 years. That 2-0 win came against a physical and organized Bosnia and Herzegovina side in the round of 32.
Belgium broke through after nine minutes against an American team that struggled to match its earlier aggression, pace and confidence. Christian Pulisic was among the players who had a difficult night and left injured before the hour mark.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese later fumbled a clearance that led to Belgium's third goal. Ream said it seemed as though everything that could go wrong did go wrong after the team had worked hard to reach that stage.
The captain contrasted the loss with the energy and intensity the USMNT had shown with and without the ball in previous matches. He said the players were left in shock as they tried to understand why their level had dropped so sharply.
Despite the heavy defeat, the United States viewed its home World Cup run as an important step because of the history made and the strong engagement from supporters. Ream, 38, knew the Belgium match would be his final World Cup appearance.