World Cup updates: Team USA looks forward to 2026
The Americans lost 3-1 to the Netherlands in the knockout round.
After years of controversy around its location, the 2022 World Cup is underway in Qatar.
There have been allegations of payoffs to FIFA members to earn the bid, criticism of Qatar's laws against women and LGBTQ individuals, the deaths of migrants used to build the sparkling new stadiums and even last-second controversy over beer sales. The tournament was also moved from its usual summer timeframe to the holiday season to avoid Qatar's intensely hot weather.
But on the field, the best players in the world -- such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar -- are ready to go. And the U.S. is back with a hungry, young team after failing to qualify for the last World Cup.
Key headlines:
Ghana defeats South Korea, Cameroon and Serbia tie
Ghana won over South Korea 3-2 in a high-intensity match that saw the momentum change several times over.
Ghana started strong, with Mohammed Salisu scoring 24 minutes in and Mohammed Kudus at 34 minutes, bringing the score to 2-0 by halftime.
But then Cho Gue-sung of South Korea scored twice, at the 58th minute and again just three minutes later. He scored both goals on a header from a cross, the second powerful strike followed by an exuberant team celebration as it tied up the game.
Ghana met the challenge just minutes later, with Kudus scoring once more to put Ghana back in the lead.
With 10 minutes of extra time, South Korea was not able to score again as the Ghanaian team successfully defended multiple goal opportunities.
Earlier Monday, in Group G, Cameroon and Serbia ended in a 3-3 tie.
Germany, Spain tie
Germany and Spain ended their high-energy match in a 1-1 tie Sunday.
Both goals came late in the game, with Spain's Álvaro Morata scoring at 62 minutes and Germany's Niclas Füllkrug at 83 minutes.
Croatia beats Canada 4-1
Croatia handily beat Canada four goals to one. Croatia's goals were scored by Marko Livaja, Lovro Majer and Andrej Kramaric, who scored twice.
Canada's Alphonso Davies scored their sole point, the country's first in a men's FIFA World Cup, within the first three minutes of the match.
Croatia is now the top team in Group F, while Canada will not advance.
Morocco beats Belgium 2-0
Morocco beat Belgium Sunday with two goals over zero.
The first goal was scored by Abdelhamid Sabiri 73 minutes in on a free kick near the corner. The second goal came in extra minutes, scored by Zakaria Aboukhlal chipping off a smart assist by Hakim Ziyech.
This win puts Morocco at the top of Group F.
White House won't comment on Iran flag flap
The White House declined to comment on the Iranian flag flap created by the U.S. Soccer Federation's removal of the Islamic emblem from a photo on the U.S. men's national team's Twitter account.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the White House would not have comment during a White House press briefing Monday afternoon.
"This isn't the kind of thing that you would -- that the White House would -- comment on," Kirby said at the briefing. "USA soccer is a private entity, and they make their own decisions about those kinds of things, and we wouldn't comment on that. We wish them all the best tomorrow."
Kirby also said he wasn't aware of any conversations or consultations involving anyone from the U.S. government about the U.S. Soccer Federation's decision to alter the flag.
The logo was later added back to the flag in the team's Twitter header. The federation had said it was done to support protesters in the country currently demonstrating against the totalitarian regime and its treatment of women.
-ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky