The US Men’s National Soccer Team (USMNT) entered the World Cup mired in inconsistency and their World Cup campaign was filled with thrilling victories and disappointments, but the team left nothing but optimism for US soccer supporters.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar is one filled with controversy and unpredictability but not much was expected of the four qualifying nations from the CONCACAF and while there was much potential in the US team that hadn’t qualified for the previous World Cup, it was unknown how they would fair out against the other proven opponents in the competition.
In their first game of the group stage the US was favored over the opposing Wales team and for a majority of the game, the US was in control with Tim Weah scoring a goal in the 36th minute and giving the US the lead for most of the game. The US had a very strong defense in the back of the field led by Walker Zimmerman (Center-Back) and further fortified by Matt Turner (Goalkeeper). However, in the 82nd minute of the game, Wales was awarded a penalty kick which was scored by Gareth Bale, resulting in the eventual conclusion of a 1-1 draw. This heartbreaking draw saw the US team fall in a crucial first game and one that they should have won.
The Second game of the group stage for the US was against England, a formidable team and one that was the fourth favorite to win the World Cup entering the tournament. The US came into the game as huge underdogs with most people outside the US believing this would be fairly manageable for the experienced English team. However, this was a completely different story inside of the US. Almost the entire country’s attention was brought to this captivating game and amplified with advertisements featuring Peyton Manning and David Beckham bickering over whether the game is called Soccer or Football. The game itself is one that arguably lived up to the hype, albeit ending in a scoreless tie. It was a hard-fought defensive battle that once again showed how the United States was a legitimate opponent with a strong defense. Although scoreless, it provided a huge morale boost to the US team that they were able to go toe-to-toe against one of the most successful and challenging teams and not just avoid a loss but appear as if they could have legitimately won the game at times. Which highlights the US team’s biggest issue, their inability to convert their offensive attacks into actual points. Throughout the various games, the US excelled at all points in the field except scoring. In this game, the US took 10 total shots on goal but only one of those shots was on target. But at the end of the day being able to withstand the English team proved the potential of the US team and this draw resulted in a very different mood and reaction than the previous game.
The third game of the group stage for the US was against Iran, a must-win game for the US to move onto the round of 16. Again what felt like the entire US was drawn to their screens to see if their country could make it past the opening round of the tournament they had not even qualified for the time previous. The US defense was again very reliable, but the offense also seemed intent on scoring and winning. Throughout the match, the US shot at the Iranian net a total of 12 times, five of which were on target. However, it was Christian Pulsic who scored the singular US goal just 38 minutes into the match, although essentially sacrificed himself in the process. In a moment filled with bittersweet emotion, the US went up 1-0 on Iran to take the lead but star Chrisitan Pulisic suffered a pelvic injury in the process that would take him out for the rest of the game. Luckily, the US defense was able to hold out and although not scoring another goal, the US would hold on to the lead and qualify themselves for the round of 16, being the only team from the CONCACAF to do so.
The star of the match, Christian Pulisic had this to say, “Maybe [soccer] hasn't been the top sport back in the States and we want to change the way that the World sees American soccer - it’s one of our goals. We haven’t been at the level of some of these world powerhouses in recent decades, but we’ve had good teams with a lot of heart. We can take it to the next step - a successful World Cup would change a lot”. After the win against Iran and qualifying for the round of 16, there is definitely a growing attraction towards soccer in the US. An article from Forbes outlines this by explaining that “according to Nielsen data, this year’s U.S. men’s national team delivered its biggest group stage average ever, with an average of 11.7 million viewers…”. The victory meant that the US would qualify for the round of 16 for just the fifth time ever.
In the round of 16, the US would go on to face the 8th favored team to win the World Cup, the Netherlands. The hype and optimism leading into the game were insurmountable with US fans everywhere believing a US upset was right around the corner especially with star Chrisitan Pulisic recovering in time for the match and being the face of hope for the team. The US, who was still undefeated in the World Cup with a 1-0-2 record, was hoping to continue this Cinderella story. However, the issues that the US had been able to remain undefeated despite, proved to be too much in the now sudden-death round. The US had 17 shots in the game, only 8 of which were on target. The US had been able to create numerous openings in the game but was unable to capitalize on them and that proved to be their downfall. The US team had a very strong defense for the course of the tournament and was able to move the ball forward very well and create opportunities to score goals, but they were unable to utilize these opportunities, and far more often than not these offensive advances would result in no points.
While the disappointing loss ruined the chance of the US’s underdog story, upon reflection the US's success at the world cup should leave nothing but hope and optimism for the future. The US did not qualify for the World Cup in 2018 mostly due to the aging of many of the players on the roster. The 2022 World Cup saw a new younger generation take over for the US national team and have their first experience in the global competition. The 2022 World Cup demonstrated just how much potential this team has and how powerful they may become in the future. Especially with stars Chrisitan Pulisic, Matt Turner, and Tyler Adams. Tyler Adams, the captain of the team at just 23 years old, making him one of the youngest captains at the World Cup, was able to lead the team through both disappointments and thrillers and showed that he is a very capable leader with nothing but growth in front of him. Matt Turner, the goalkeeper for the USMNT, who was a late addition to the roster, was an absolute brick wall for the team allowing now open field goals during the group stage although slightly older at 28 years old, he is not out of his prime yet and will likely be a largely impactful player for the team going forward. Lastly, Chrisitan Pulisic, at only just 24 years old has become the star and face of the team rejuvenated the US love for the sport of Soccer, and has served to bring the USMNT back into the national spotlight with confidence that this team can compete against these other nations with success dating back to before many of these players were born. The largest thing that the team as a whole lacked was an experience on the largest national stage and the knowledge of how to survive and succeed in these situations.
With the next World Cup in 2026 being co-hosted in the US, the USMNT has already qualified, setting up this team for a chance to come back better and stronger. The players and pieces that this team already has made the team a serious contender for the next World Cup leaving much enthusiasm for this national team. The next four years will also allow all these players to grow and become more experienced and the feeling of success in the World Cup coupled with the loss in the round of 16 should be a powerful motivation for all of these young players. So how will the US fare in the 2026 FIFA World Cup… only time will tell.
Art Credits to Charles Longsworth