Former NBA player and current TNT television personality Charles Barkley Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

NBA analyst Charles Barkley makes bold World Cup prediction about USMNT

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 11/30/22

Basketball star turned analyst Charles Barkley has never been one to hold his tongue or shy away from making bold predictions. But usually, those predictions involve hoops since he played in the NBA for 16 seasons and -- for the most part -- knows what he's talking about

But Chuck has branched out this week into soccer and made a pretty bold prediction ahead of the United States men's soccer team's big match on Saturday against the Netherlands.

"We're going through the Netherlands. We opening up a can of whoop ass," Barkley said on Tuesday, via USA Today. "I guarantee the Netherlands are in trouble."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ESPN FC (@espnfc)

Barkley continued to call out several elite nations that USMNT could face.

"I want Spain. I want Brazil. I want Germany," Barkley said. "I want France, but they got that boy [Kylian] Mbappe over there. He ain’t no joke. But, we going to beat the Netherlands."

The United States held on for a 1-0 victory against Iran on Tuesday in order to advance out of the first group stage of the World Cup and into the Round of 16. Christian Pulisic scored the game-defining goal in the 38th minute of Tuesday's match but was also injured after colliding with Iran's goalkeeper. He is considered day-to-day with a pelvic contusion ahead of the faceoff against the Netherlands.

Saturday's match is slated to kick off at 10 a.m. ET.

More must-reads: