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Tim Ream, the captain of the United States men’s national team, is thinking big for the World Cup and doesn’t care who knows.
Ream, 38, said there was no reason to hesitate in adhering to the team’s goals: to win it all.
“The mindset is: Let’s win the World Cup,” Ream told PK Press Club Digital in a recent interview.
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United States defender Tim Ream reacts after the match at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 31, 2026. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
“I don’t think there’s any reason to hesitate to say it, and every team is going to want to win, right? And there’s no reason for us to be afraid.”
The United States reached the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup despite being an inexperienced group, and Ream said the team wanted to build on that experience. Ream said the team adopted the mentality of trying to win everything from the first day of practice.
For Ream, the selection process for the World Cup team was different from 2022. In 2022, he said he had no preparation and made the team after a last-minute call-up, whereas this year he felt like time was running out.
The St. Louis native called it a relief to make the team.
“I would say it was a relief this time. It was such a long process – I wouldn’t say a process, but it just felt like the weeks were going by so slowly until this announcement,” Ream said.
U.S. defender Tim Ream passes the ball during a CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose, California, June 15, 2025. (Jeff Chiu/AP)
“I dropped everything and called my wife, and I choked up. I’m not going to lie. There was a little relief and that release of pressure and the thought of, okay, everything you’ve done has been worth it, right? Everything you’ve been through, all the decisions you’ve made between 2022 and now, has been worth it.”
Ream said playing in the United States for the World Cup adds extra meaning, but the expectations are the same regardless of where they play.
“I think it definitely has a little bit of a different meaning. I don’t think the pressure or the expectations change. I think some people get it a little bit wrong, which is that it’s a World Cup. It doesn’t matter where you play it. It’s a World Cup. The expectations, the pressure will be there,” Ream said.
“The difference is that we hope – and we love it – to have stadiums full of American fans and people from all over the country supporting us. To feel that energy and enthusiasm in every city we are in.”
Ream said he wants to make sure he takes advantage of the moment, enjoys it as much as possible and sees how far the team can go.
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Defender Tim Ream is shown during the United States men’s national soccer team roster announcement in New York on May 26, 2026, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Eduardo Muñoz Álvarez/AP)
At 38, Ream isn’t wondering if this would be his last World Cup, but he recognizes his age and what lies ahead.
“I’m not really thinking about it yet. I said after 2022, oh, that’s probably it. And here I am sitting here again in 2026. So, I haven’t really thought about it. I’m not stupid, I know at 38, I’m well past that, I think most people would consider a great (player) or someone who can be here regularly after that,” Ream said.
“I’ve done so much to put myself in this position and be part of this group, to compete in a World Cup at home, that I’m not even thinking about what happens next. I think once the World Cup is over, I’ll think about where I go from there.”
Good nights
About one in six children suffer from bedwetting between the ages of 3 and 12, and Ream suffered from bedwetting until the age of 11. He teamed up with Goodnites, an underwear brand, to show children who might feel isolated or ashamed because of bedwetting that it’s a common part of childhood and nothing to be ashamed of.
“(As) someone who’s been through that,” Ream said. “I don’t need to be ashamed, it doesn’t define who I am. It doesn’t take away from what they dream of doing or their future.”
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U.S. defender Tim Ream controls the ball in the first half at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 31, 2026. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
“It’s about inspiring kids. It’s about helping parents, like I said, and reminding families that bedwetting is a common occurrence in childhood and they shouldn’t be ashamed.”
Ream is a father of three and said he and his children would wear Goodnites to bed to protect their confidence and normalize the experience.
“It’s really as simple as saying, ‘Hey, look, boys, we’re going to wear this tonight. It keeps you safe. You’ll get a good night’s sleep. It’s nothing like I said, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And it was really the best thing. They would wake up feeling great. We wouldn’t have wake-ups at night where we were all trying to calm people down and calm the kids down and keep them calm. put to sleep,” Ream said.
