She concluded her live television segment with a direct warning to the opposing team ahead of Wednesday's knockout match.
"Get prepared Bosnia, because you don't want it. You don't want it like that.
But you're gonna get it," Velez said.
USMNT Coach Defends Strategy After Group Stage Loss
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino separately addressed the media after rotating his squad significantly in a 3-2 group-stage loss to Türkiye, emphasizing his long-term tournament strategy.
"We had other priorities.
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We did want to win, we wanted the victory, but there were other things that we need to balance out, and I made the very best decisions," Pochettino said.
The manager defended his selections during a tense press conference, looking ahead to the critical single-elimination rounds.
"What does it mean to win three (group) matches if you're going to be losing the next one, and you're not going to be winning the World Cup?"
Pochettino asked.
Scotland Coach Steps Down After Elimination
In other World Cup developments, the Scottish Football Association announced a major leadership change following the national team's official elimination from tournament progression.
"Scotland Men's Head Coach Steve Clarke has stepped down from his role.
Our most successful National Team Head Coach has called time on his seven years in charge following our participation at the FIFA World Cup 2026," the association stated.
Prior to the formal announcement, the departing manager had openly shared his bleak outlook regarding the squad's tournament future.
"For me, for sure, I think we're going home," Clarke said.
Clarke later expressed deep gratitude toward his roster of players in a formal letter released to the public.
"The most emotional part of this goodbye is for my players, without whom we wouldn't have had any of the memories that we've accumulated from 2019 until now," Clarke said.
The veteran coach concluded his statement by praising the dedication of the team and offering wishes for the future of the program.
"They deserve all the praise and adulation that they receive and it was truly an honour to be called their gaffer.
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Thanks for having me and good luck to my successor," Clarke said.
