NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Mauricio Pochettino has been blunt in his assessment of American soccer talent.
“We are the United States and we are facing Belgium and Portugal,” the American coach said after two friendly defeats in March. “I think, of course, Belgium and Portugal have a few or more players who play [who are] in this top 100 [I don’t think we have that]”.
No Americans made the top 100 when The Guardian published its annual list in December. Christian Pulisic finished 116th in the vote by a panel of 219 former players, coaches, technical staff and media. Tim Weah was next, 183rd.
Spain ranked 14th in the top 100, France 10th, Brazil and England nine each, and Argentina and Portugal eight each.
“I don’t think our talent is much lower than any other country, in my humble opinion,” said retired American forward Jozy Altidore. “I think we’re just as talented. So for me, I’m that crazy guy. I believe, and I know the players believe, but why not? Why not us?”
American players and staff are thinking big, hoping the red, white and blue can win their first World Cup title or at least reach the semifinals for the first time since 1930.
The Americans have yet to prove themselves to much of the soccer world.
“We want to do it for ourselves. We want to do it for our own country. We don’t need to prove it to anyone else,” Pulisic said. “We have good players, very good players who play for the best clubs in the world. We have a good team and, yes, we will do our best to be right more than anything.”
Tyler Adams, captain in 2022 and the team’s best defensive midfielder, sees the goal as “going as far as any team has before.”
“I feel like it’s just been a while since we took out a big kid,” he said. “I think we have to try to find that in our character and I think we will.”
The United States has only won one World Cup knockout match
Dreams and reality collided for the United States at the World Cup. The Americans are 1-7 in World Cup knockout matches, with their only victory coming against regional rival Mexico in 2002, before a quarterfinal loss to Germany.
Since then, they have lost in the round of 16 in 2010, 2014 and 2022, failed to make it out of the group stage in 2006 and didn’t even qualify for 2018.
Despite the lack of pedigree, Pochettino told the players in March that they could win the title.
“Why not us? Why not us? Why not us?” he said. “We really have to believe we can be there. We have to dream.”
Only a handful of players at Europe’s top clubs
Christian Pulisic and the American team were eliminated in the group stage of the 2024 Copa América. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Pulisic in 2021 became the first American to play in and win a European Champions League final, helping Chelsea win the title. He is one of six American players heading to the World Cup at clubs ranked in the top 40 by UEFA’s coefficient, spending the past three seasons with No. 30 AC Milan.
This list includes midfielder Malik Tillman (No. 9 Bayer Leverkusen), midfielder Weston McKennie (No. 25 Juventus), defender Sergiño Dest and forward Ricardo Pepi (No. 26 PSV Eindhoven) and defender Alex Freeman (No. 39 Villarreal).
Decline of American goalkeepers
Goalkeeping, once an American strength with Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard all starting for England teams, is now a weakness. This will be the first time a Major League Soccer goalkeeper has appeared for the United States at a World Cup.
“Goalkeeping is definitely a concern,” said former U.S. midfielder Stu Holden, now a FOX commentator. “We haven’t had an exceptional goalkeeper in several years, but you have the opportunity to change the perception of who you are through a tournament.”
Probable starter Matt Freese made his international debut last June and has made just 15 appearances.
“Not really, I don’t really listen to anyone outside of the guys with me and the coaching staff,” he said.
Crowd advantage on the field for a change
The U.S. team often plays home games in front of crowds with the majority cheering for the opponent, which happened in games against Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Morocco, South Korea and Turkey.
“Americans are kind of fans who show up and show up for big things even if they don’t like football,” McKennie said. “For any big event, we know how to put on a show and we know how to present ourselves, so I think that’s a huge advantage.”
Associated Press reporting.
