It’s the question that’s been on every American soccer fan’s mind since Oct. 10, 2017: Will USMNT qualify for World Cup 2022? More than four years later, the Americans are in the thick of qualifying, and it may again come down to the wire. So what are the odds USMNT makes World Cup 2022, and do we think it will happen?
The USMNT will begin its next World Cup qualifying campaign window with a home game against El Salvador in Columbus, Ohio, at 7 p.m. ET. The 28-man roster was announced on Jan. 21; now the starting USMNT lineup needs to be decided.
Head coach Gregg Berhalter routinely employs a 4-3-3 formation with his squads and would be expected to do so again against El Salvador. With the players he has chosen, this is the starting lineup expected for Thursday.
There’s been a lot of talk — A LOT — about how the USMNT is going to play three World Cup qualifiers in frigid temperatures this international break. Almost every post the @USMNT Twitter account has made this week has highlighted the fact it gets kinda cold in the northern parts of the U.S. in the winter.
Built for the elements. ❄️ pic.twitter.com/vvVJyO3QBY
It is, we're learning, a question that can be framed in countless ways — "Will it be an advantage? But will it really be an advantage? How will you prepare? How will you mentally prepare? Will you put hot chicken broth in your water bottle so it doesn't freeze?" — but really only ever has one definitive plan of action: Deal with it.
The Yunus Musah goal vs Atlético Madrid on Saturday was the 19-year-old’s first LaLiga goal of the season and the second of his career. Musah was given the start against the Spanish giants and silenced the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano when he opened the scoring in the 25th minute.
Yunus Musah gives Valencia the lead over Atletico!
That's his first LaLiga goal since November 2020. pic.twitter.com/Dyi2LhSPFB
USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter released the latest national-team roster that has, as always, caused controversy. Before we get into the roster, let’s see who Berhalter thinks has what it takes to qualify the USMNT for Qatar.
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The number of USMNT winter transfers to Europe continues to grow by the day. With Major League Soccer not beginning until Feb. 26, some of the brighter stars are skipping out on next season with their respective MLS clubs and looking for minutes in Europe.
There was a bizarre Ricardo Pepi quote making the rounds in Germany this week. Thankfully, the fine folks at FC Augsburg were kind enough to dispel it as fake. But we still have so, so many questions.
The U.S. men’s national team has a striker problem. Players like Ricardo Pepi, Jordan Pefok, Gyasi Zardes and Daryl Dike have all attempted to fill the No. 9 vacancy on the team with mixed results. The team has been searching for an answer, but little did they know the solution has been one step away from the field this whole time.
Gregg Berhalter needs a go at striker. Don’t believe me? Check out this video from the USMNT’s Arizona training camp and try telling me that Mr. Nike Shirt couldn’t score a goal for this team.
Comoros, making its first-ever Africa Cup of Nations appearance, has knocked out four-time champion and enemy of the USMNT Ghana after scoring its first three goals in tournament history during an insane 3-2 victory.