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Tim Ream, the US men’s national team captain, is thinking big about the World Cup and doesn’t care who knows.
Ream, 38, said there’s no reason to shy away from embracing the team’s goal: to win it all.
“The mindset is let’s win the thing. Let’s win the World Cup,” Ream told Pakinomist Digital in a recent interview.
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USA defensive lineman Tim Ream reacts after the game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC on May 31, 2026. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
“I don’t think there’s any reason to shy away from saying that, and every team wants to win, right? And there’s no reason for us to shy away.”
The U.S. reached the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup despite being an inexperienced group, and Ream said the team wants to build on that experience. Ream said the team has taken that mindset of trying to win it all from the first day of practice.
For Ream, the process of being selected for the World Cup squad was different than in 2022. In 2022, he said he had none of the build-up and made the team after a last-minute call, while this year it felt like time was crawling.
St. Louis native called it a relief to be on the team.
“I would say it was a relief this time. It was such a long — I won’t say process, but it just felt like the weeks went by so slowly until that announcement,” Ream said.
United States defender Tim Ream passes the ball during a CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose, California on 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 bit of relief and that pressure release and the thought of, OK, everything you’ve done is worth it, right? Everything you’ve been through, all the decisions you’ve made between 2022 and now, it’s been worth it.”
Ream said playing in the U.S. at the World Cup adds some extra significance, but the expectations are the same no matter where they play.
“I definitely think it has a slightly different meaning. I don’t think the pressure or the expectations change. I think some people get it a 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 and the pressure are going to be there,” Ream said.
“The difference is that hopefully – and we’d love it – we’ll have full stadiums of American fans and people all over the country supporting us. To feel that energy and that excitement in every city we’re in.”
Ream said he wants to make sure he’s enjoying the moment, taking in as much as he possibly can and seeing how far the team can go.
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Defender Tim Ream is presented during the announcement of the United States men’s national soccer team roster in New York City on May 26, 2026 ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP)
At 38, Ream hasn’t thought about whether this would be his last World Cup, but he acknowledges his age and what lies ahead.
“I don’t really think about it yet. I said after 2022, oh, that was probably it. And here I am again in 2026. So I haven’t really thought about it. I’m not a dummy, I know that at 38 I’m well past I think what most people would consider a major player (player) said after this,” Ream regularly.
“I’ve done so much to put myself in this position to be part of this group, to be part of a home World Cup, that I don’t even think about what happens next. I think once the World Cup ends, I’ll think about where I go from there.”
good night
About one in six children experience bedwetting between the ages of 3 and 12, and Ream experienced bedwetting until the age of 11. He partnered with Goodnites, an underwear brand, to show kids who might feel isolated or ashamed about bedwetting that it’s a normal part of childhood and nothing to be ashamed of.
“(As) someone who’s been through this,” 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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United States defender Tim Ream controls the ball during the first half at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC on May 31, 2026. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
“It’s about inspiring children. As I said, it’s about helping the parents and reminding the families that bedwetting is a normal part of childhood and it’s not something they should be ashamed of.”
A father of three, Ream said he and his children will wear Goodnites to bed to help protect their confidence and normalize the experience.
“It’s really as easy as saying, ‘Hey, listen, boys, we’re going to wear them tonight.’ It protects you. You get a good night’s sleep. It’s nothing, like I said, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And it really was the best. They would wake up feeling good. We would have no, night time to fall down, where we woke up and try to relax with all the children, where we could calm down. put them back to sleep,” Ream said.
