For the soccer players in the USA, an abstinence phase of more than eight years ends: The US boys play again at a World Cup. And certainly with ambitions.
Comeback with a young team and hopes for the round of 16: On Monday (November 21, 2022, 8 p.m., live ticker at sportschau.de), the USA will return to the World Cup stage in the game against Wales. The team only has a few big names and is led by a calm, no-nonsense coach.
Captain: Adams instead of Pulisic
The Star of the “US Soccer Boys“Christian Pulisic is very clear. The 24-year-old former Borussia Dortmund striker is currently in the Premier League on a goal hunt at Chelsea. Pulisic was the top US goalscorer in World Cup qualifiers with five goals. “All eyes on Christian Pulisic“, so headlined that “time”-Magazine. The 24-year-old, 52-time national player, will not wear the captain’s armband.
Christian Pulisic (left) and Tyler Adams
Instead, the choice fell on ex-Leipzig Tyler Adams. “Tyler leads a team by the way he performs and how hard he works”US coach Gregg Berhalter justified the decision after consultation with a “Leadership Council“. Adams moved from RB Leipzig to Leeds United in the English Premier League this season. The 23-year-old is a key player in Berhalter’s team, the midfielder made 13 appearances in the 14 World Cup qualifiers and made 12 appearances in the starting eleven.
Strong in front – vulnerable in back
Other well-known names are Weston McKennie (former Schalke 04, now Juventus Turin) and Giovanni Reina (Borussia Dortmund), who are known from the Bundesliga, or the offensive player Brenden Aaronson from Leeds United.
In general, the offensive shines: In the 56 games under Berhalter, the USA scored 115 goals. In defense, however, the North Americans showed themselves to be vulnerable again and again. In addition, the defender is out with the injured central defender Mile Robinson (torn Achilles tendon).
The most experienced international of the US boys is right-back DeAndre Yedlin with 75 international matches. Yedlin is also an exception for another reason: at 29, the defender is one of the oldest kickers in the Berhalter team.
Second youngest World Cup team
After the only moderately successful era under coach Jürgen Klinsmann (2011-2016), Bruce Arena (2016-2017) and Dave Sarachan (2017-2018) with the low point of missing the World Cup qualification for Russia in 2018, Coach Berhalter had a consistent rejuvenation of the US teams set.
With an average age of 25.2 years, Team USA in Qatar is the second youngest team in the tournament (after Ghana/24.7 years). The majority of the kickers play in the top European leagues in England, Italy, France or Germany.
Berhalter best US coach in history
Success proves Berhalter’s rejuvenation routine: The USA won 34 times in 56 games under the former Energie Cottbus and TSV 1860 Munich defender. In addition to qualifying for the World Cup, winning the Gold Cup with a final win against arch-rival Mexico is the biggest success of the Berhalter era so far. With an average of 2.11 points, the 49-year-old is the most successful coach in US history with at least five games.
Chance for the knockout round?
This is not the only reason why the “Red, white and blue” for a place in the World Cup round of 16. In addition to World Cup favorite England, the USA have feasible opponents in the preliminary round group B in Iran and Wales. Statisticians, however, see the chances of the knockout phase more critically. The US American “time“-Magazine quotes calculations this week that the United States has a 45.4 percent chance of reaching the round of 16. That’s still better than Wales (41 percent) and Iran (30 percent). Favorites in Group B are England (84 percent ).