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Mauricio Pochettino was sharp in his assessment of American soccer talent.
“We’re the United States and we’re competing against Belgium, Portugal,” the American coach said after a pair of friendly March losses. “I think for sure Belgium and Portugal have a few or some players playing [who are] in the top 100 [I don’t think we have that].”
No Americans were in the top 100 when The Guardian published its annual list in December. Christian Pulisic came 116th in the poll by a panel of 219 former players, coaches, technical staff and media. Tim Weah was next in 183rd place.
Spain placed 14 in the top 100, France 10, Brazil and England 9 each, and Argentina and Portugal eight each.
“I don’t think our talent is far or much less than any other country, in my humble opinion,” said retired US forward Jozy Altidore. “I think we’re equally talented. So for me, I’m the crazy guy. I think and I know the players think, but why not? Why not us?”
American players and staff are thinking big, hoping the red-white-blue can win its first World Cup title or at least reach the semifinals for the first time since 1930.
The Americans still have to prove themselves to large parts of the soccer world.
“We want to do this for ourselves. We want to do this for our own country. We don’t have to prove it to anybody else,” Pulisic said. “We have good players, really good players who play in top clubs in the world. We have a good team and yes, we will do the best we can to prove that we are right more than anything else.”
Tyler Adams, the 2022 captain and the team’s top defensive midfielder, sees the goal as “going as far as any team has gone before.”
“It’s just been a while I feel like we’ve knocked off a big boy,” he said. “I think we have to try to find it in our character, and I think we will.”
USA has won only 1 World Cup Knockout game
Dreams and reality have collided for the USA in the World Cup. The Americans are 1-7 in World Cup knockout games, their only win coming over regional rival Mexico in 2002 before a quarterfinal loss to Germany.
Since then, they lost in the Round of 16 in 2010, 2014 and 2022, failed to progress from 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 that we can be there. We have to dream.”
Only a handful of players at top European clubs
Christian Pulisic and Team USA were eliminated in pool play at Copa América 2024. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In 2021, Pulisic became the first American to play in and win a European Champions League final, helping Chelsea to the title. One of six American World Cup players at clubs ranked in the top 40 by UEFA coefficient, he has spent the past three seasons with No. 30 AC Milan.
That 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
Goaltending, once an American strength with Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard all starting for England teams, is now a weakness. This will mark 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 outstanding goalkeeper now for a number of years, but still you have an opportunity to change the perception of who you are at a tournament.”
Matt Freese, the likely starter, made his international debut last June and has just 15 caps.
“Not really, not really listening to anybody outside of the guys with me and the coaching staff,” he said.
Home Field Crowd Advantage for a change
The American team often plays home games in front of crowds with a majority cheering for the opponent, which happened during games against Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Morocco, South Korea and Turkey.
“Americans are the kind of fans who show up and show up for the big things, even if they don’t love football,” McKennie said. “Any big event, we know how to put on a show and we know we’re going to step up, so I think that’s a huge advantage.”
Report from the Associated Press.
