Welcome one and all to the first OFFICIAL squad prediction for the United States Men's National Team for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar! Now, there is still a chance the USMNT don't end up qualifying, but as of right now, they sit second in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying table with 15 points after beating Mexico and then escaping with a draw against Jamaica. They are just behind Canada, who have 16 points, after beating Costa Rica 1-0 and Mexico 2-1 on November 12th and 16th.
Like I said before, there is still a chance the US don't qualify, which makes this post pretty much useless, and after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, that though will live rent free in the back of my head. That being said, I'm trying to be optimistic, and am going to try and predict the squad Gregg Berhalter will select for 2022.
There is still some more games to go in qualifying, but at the end of the 2021 cycle, the US is sitting in an alright position. So, without further ado, let's get into it! The OFFICIAL 2022 World Cup squad prediction for the United States Men's National Team! Enjoy!
Link to my YouTube page so you can see s'more USMNT content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7HeM1P8Gx14wgcBZ4MxVeA
Pictured: Matt Turner, NE Revolution; Christian Pulisic, Chelsea; Weston McKennie, Juventus
In the Mix
Down below are a list of players, by position, who I think are in the running for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Now, some of these players haven't played for the USMNT in a little bit, i.e. Jozy Altidore, but I still think they'll be in the conversation. Also, with every position comes some easier picks than others, but for the most part, I think the squad I am about to chose speaks for itself, and I hope the reasoning I provide down below allows you to see that. So, let's get see whose in the mix for the World Cup.
Goalkeepers - 5
Brad Guzan, Atlanta United
Ethan Horvath, Nottingham Forest
Sean Johnson, New York City FC
Zack Steffen, Manchester City (LOCK)
Matt Turner, New England Revolution (LOCK)
Goalkeeper may be the toughest position to pick out of the lot. Out of all the position groups, goalkeeper really is the only spot where we do not necessarily know who the starter is, and that can be an alright problem to have, as you have two very capable number ones in the form of Man City's Zack Steffen and the New England Revolution's Matt Turner.
Before the 2021 calendar year, Zack Steffen was relatively unchallenged as the USMNT's number one, starting game in and game out and even being named captain on five occasions. That all changed in some capacity during the 2021 Nation's League Final vs Mexico. A game which saw Zack Steffen leave early with an injury and Ethan Horvath step up and save a crucial penalty, which saw the US win the game 3-2 after extra time. Though most people didn't consider Horvath to be a real threat to Steffen's number one spot, conversations were starting to be had. Then came the 2021 Gold Cup.
In a tournament that was kind of supposed to be a "squad filler" tournament, that saw a squad of relatively unexperienced players on the international level, go out there and win the whole damn thing. The main cog for the USMNT in this tournament was the aforementioned Matt Turner, who allowed only one goal through open play and two for the entire tournament, which saw him take home the Golden Glove Award for the tournament's best goalkeeper. For Turner, who had a singular cap to his name prior to the tournament, this tournament was massive. I think most people believed he'd at least be on the plane to Qatar, but after that tournament, some out there are saying that he should be the main guy headed to Qatar, and those who have said that can make some very compelling arguments.
For me, I see this as an even tie. Steffen has yet to really put a foot wrong for the United States and has been a leader for this relatively young team. That being said, I don't know if Steffen has put together a string of performances like we saw from Turner during the 2021 Gold Cup, which makes this spot a tough one to figure out.
As far as the third choice goes, I think that really comes down to Sean Johnson or Ethan Horvath. As we said before, Horvath made the save that saw the US defeat Mexico in the Nation's League Final, but has made a grand total of five appearances at club level since the 2019-20 season. For Johnson, he's one of the older guys in the US' goalkeeping room and has played consistently for NYCFC over the past few years and has made the past few squads for Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT. If we're going off of recent USMNT performances, it'd have to go to Horvath, especially since Johnson hasn't registered a cap for the US since 2020. That being said, it is kind of hard to give the third spot to a guy who doesn't really play for club or country. So just like the starting spot, this one is a tough one, but I'll give the edge to Horvath solely because of the save vs Mexico.
Right Backs - 5
Reggie Cannon, Boavista
Sergino Dest, Barcelona (LOCK)
Shaq Moore, Tenerife
Bryan Reynolds, AS Roma
DeAndre Yedlin, Galatasaray
For the right back position, I think the two obvious candidates are Barcelona's Sergino Dest and Galatasaray's DeAndre Yedlin. Though I believe those two will be the guys heading to Qatar, I do think the others will provide some stiff competition.
Though Shaq Moore was one of the fairytale stories from the 2021 Gold Cup, it's the person he started above in the tournament, Reggie Cannon, who I think will push the pair of Dest and Yedlin the most. Out of these five right backs, I could make a fairly solid argument that Cannon is the most defensively sound while also being capable going forward as well, making him, arguably, the most complete right back the US has. One could also make the argument that he's is the most complete right back out of all the right backs the US have, even outside these five. Which I guess is pretty self explanatory, since I think these are the five best the US have, and if he's more capable defensively than the rest of them, it would make sense he's the best overall.
About Shaq Moore, who we brought up earlier, he is a very exciting right back moving forward, more than capable playing as an out and out right back, right wing back, or even right wing/midfield, playing further up the field 18 times so far during his young club career. Like we said before, Moore was one of the biggest surprises from the US' 2021 Gold Cup winning squad, but, I think we are all aware that if Reggie Cannon hadn't hurt his hamstring right before the US' first game, Cannon would have started almost every game. That being said, the fact of the matter is that Cannon was hurt and even when Cannon came back, Shaq Moore started, and even made the Gold Cup's Team of the Tournament. I would say he is more of a threat going forward than Cannon, but Cannon's ability defensively ranks him just above Moore for me.
Finally, I felt like I had to include Bryan Reynolds in this list, even though I think it's very unlikely he is on the 2022 World Cup squad. Reynolds will certainly be included more in the squad going forward, but at this point and time, I think he comfortably sits fifth out of these five.
Centerbacks - 9
John Brooks, Wolfsburg (LOCK)
Aaron Long, NY Red Bulls
Mark McKenzie, Genk
Matt Miazga, Alaves
Tim Ream, Fulham (CB/LB)
Chris Richards, Hoffenheim (Bayern Munich)
Miles Robinson, Atlanta United
James Sands, New York City FC (CB/DM)
Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC
Center back has arguably seen the most rotation ever since Gregg Berhalter became the manager of the USMNT. That being said, though there have been a lot of faces in the center of defense, I think the starters are fairly straight forward for 2022. To me, the US' two best center backs are John Brooks and Miles Robinson. If Brooks can stay healthy, he is clearly the best center back the US have at their disposal and, if he did stay healthy, may actually be in the conversation in becoming the next captain for the USMNT. Next to Brooks, again, I think should be Miles Robinson, who, somewhat like Shaq Moore, has elevated his stock within the squad thanks to a very strong Gold Cup performance, being named in the team of the tournament as well as scoring the winning goal against Mexico in the final. I think Robinson and Brooks would make for an insanely athletic partnership, making them damn near impossible to get behind with both of them more than capable of tracking down some of the world's fastest forwards.
Now, with Brooks and Robinson being my starters, I would imagine Berhalter would like to get two more center backs in the squad, to back up and maybe spell the pair if needed. To me, I think Tim Ream is within a real shot of going to Qatar. I think his ability to play both center back and left back, his abilities as a leader, and his experience within the team make him a very intriguing prospect. Not to mention Berhalter seems to really trust him, being captain seven times throughout his USMNT career. Though I think Ream has a real shot at making it, I think the first or "main" back-up will be the current and reigning MLS Defender of the Year Walker Zimmerman.
For what Zimmerman lacks in athleticism, he makes up for with fantastic leadership qualities while also being a threatening presence in the back for opposing teams, not to mention the pulled back hair makes him look like a friggin viking. If it weren't for him getting hurt in the US' final group stage game in the 2021 Gold Cup, we may have seen Zimmerman captain the squad for the remainder of the tournament, captaining their last two group stage games before, again, getting injured. Zimmerman may not be the sexiest pick for the US to back-up Robinson and Brooks, but he's a reliable no nonsense center back that is a very good leader when he is on the pitch.
For the final center back spot, I think it'll be between Genk's Mark McKenzie and Hoffenheim/Bayern Munich's Chris Richards. Both are young and exciting center backs that, for what they lack in experience, make up for in athleticism. That being said, out of the pair, I feel Berhalter will turn to the latter, and select Chris Richards for his World Cup squad. Richards' ability to play all across the back line and the fact that he hasn't really ever put a foot wrong for the United States' gives him the slight edge over Mark McKenzie, for now.
No offense to McKenzie, but he struggled mightily against Mexico in the CONCACAF Nation's League Final and didn't play the greatest against Honduras back in September. Though there is plenty of time for him to get back in the squad (for me), right now, I think he'll lean towards Richards.
For the other players, starting with James Sands, who can play both at center back and as a defensive midfielder, I think would be best suited if the United States' lined up with a back three, because a couple times in the 2021 Gold Cup, after Zimmerman's injury, Sands had to get bailed out by Miles Robinson and Matt Turner. That being said, I would say James Sands has the best passing range out of any of the other center backs, which comes from being a natural number six.
As for Aaron Long, I think if he could stay healthy, he may be one of the US' starting center backs, as he seems to have Berhalter's trust, after Gregg made him the first captain under his reign as USMNT manager. Long is a very natural leader and never really backs down from anybody, but he just can't stay on the field and may not be fully fit by the time the World Cup comes around in 2022 due to him tearing his Achilles back in the early portions of this past MLS season. For Miazga, though he is a giant shit house, and we love him for that, I just think his time may have passed to be a key man in future squads. Seemingly every time Miazga was in the squad it was more so for a rotational piece, rather than a starter, at least now a days. I could be wrong, but I think Miazga is the least likely out of these center backs to make the World Cup squad.
Left Backs - 4
George Bello, Atlanta United
Tim Ream, Fulham (CB/LB)
Antonee Robinson, Fulham (LOCK)
Sam Vines, Antwerp
Going into this tournament for the United States, left back has by far the least amount of depth by any position, with just three real options for the trip to Qatar. We can pretty much guarantee Antonee Robinson's spot in the starting eleven, let alone his spot on the roster, so the only real battle here is to be his back-up and right now, unless they register Tim Ream at left back, the battle will be between two recent Gold Cup champions, Atlanta United's George Bello and Antwerp's Sam Vines.
Now, though Sam Vines started more games than Bello in the 2021 Gold Cup, five games to two, I think a strong argument could be made for Bello's inclusion in the squad over Vines. Out of the two, you could say Vines is the more solid defender, but you'd have to give to Bello for his natural speed/athleticism and just overall ability going forward, which fits Berhalter's style a little more, in my opinion (look at Dest, Yedlin, and Robinson for example, speed kills). Throughout this season and his career, Bello has shown the ability to play at left back, left wing back, and even left winger. This season for Atlanta United, Bello has lined up at left back on 18 occasions and left winger on 12 occasions. Whereas Vines has played every game of his career, apart from five, at left back.
I don't really think you can go wrong with selecting either Vines or Bello as Robinson's back-up for the 2022 World Cup, I just feel that you'd lose less if Robinson somehow got hurt by putting Bello in than Vines. So, for the reasons I've mentioned above, I'm going to take George Bello.
Defensive Midfielders - 5
Kellyn Acosta, Colorado Rapids
Tyler Adams, RB Leipzig (LOCK)
Owen Otasowie, Club Brugge
James Sands, New York City FC (CB/DM)
Jackson Yueill, San Jose Earthquakes
To me, this is one of the more straight forward selections out of the entire list. I would be willing to bet that you couldn't find anyone that wouldn't say Tyler Adams and Kellyn Acosta are by far the two best candidates to travel to Qatar, in regards to the defensive midfield position.
Starting with Adams, he is not only one of the first names on the team sheet, but is also one of the top candidates to become the next captain for the USMNT. He may not be the biggest player on the field, but Adams covers every inch of grass on the field and never backs down from anyone. He may not be as "in your face" as Christian Pulisic is, but Adams always makes his presence known of the field.
As for Acosta, I am so happy that Berhalter has put him back in the team. To me, Acosta is the best set piece taker the United States' have at their disposal, and I was vindicated in that thought after he put a beautiful ball into the box for Miles Robinson to head home against Mexico in the 2021 Gold Cup Final. Besides being a very good set piece taker, Acosta is the ultimate shit house, and that couldn't be more of a compliment. Whenever you need him to get in someones head, he's right there, annoying the absolute shite out of the opponent. And though he may not be a starter, he always seems to make an impact off the bench with his positional versatility coming in to play all the time.
Like I said above, Adams and Acosta are the two most obvious candidates for the defensive midfield role. Do I really think Otasowie and Yueill have a shot at making this squad? No, not really. Otasowie has only registered one cap for the US, where he played just three minutes against Wales in November of 2020. That being said, Otasowie is a physical specimen that can play either in midfield or in defense, so maybe he just needs that one break and he could make the squad. (I severely doubt it but I'm trying to be optimistic) As for Yueill, I just think that ship has sailed. Basically another Wil Trapp esc. player who yes, has made 15 appearance for Berhalter and was in the recent Gold Cup squad, but has only registered 26 minutes of action ever since getting benched in the 2021 Gold Cup tie against Haiti before losing his starting spot to Gianluca Busio.
NOTE: James Sands could be an option here as well. Like we said above, Sands is a natural number six with the ability to play as a center back, more so in a back three than a back four. That being said, I still think Acosta should be the pick as Adams' backup.
Central Midfielders - 8
Gianluca Busio, Venezia
Luca de la Torre, Heracles Almelo
Julian Green, Greuther Furth
Sebastian Lletget, LA Galaxy (LOCK)
Weston McKennie, Juventus (LOCK)
Yunus Musah, Valencia (LOCK)
Cristian Roldan, Seattle Sounders
Eryk Williamson, Portland Timbers
For this position, I would argue that there are three locks, meaning three players that I think are almost guaranteed to be named in the 2022 World Cup squad. Those players are Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, and Sebastian Lletget. The first two I think are pretty obvious, as McKennie has been one of the most important players for the US and is in the conversation for the being the best player with Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams. Though McKennie had that "incident" back in September, he has really bounced back, scoring a decisive goal against Mexico back in November to give the US a 2-0 win, and has seemed to regain the trust of Berhalter and the team as a whole. McKennie loves to push forward but can play any position in the center of the park, or even out wide, as he does sometimes for Juventus. He is easily the first, second, or third name on the team sheet.
As for Musah, ever since announcing he'd represent the United States at international level, he has rarely missed out on a call up and has started in midfield in the US' last five matches. For being only 19 years old, Musah has shown that he deserves to be one of the first names on the team sheet. His tireless running works very well with Weston McKennie's eagerness to push forward, and his ability to play both centrally and out wide make him a real asset for Berhalter going forward.
Now, as for Sebastian Lletget, I think this is a pretty obvious one as well, just maybe not as obvious as McKennie and Musah are. Ever since Berhalter became the manager of the USMNT, Lletget has been one of the names in the squad. He's a player that will do whatever he can to help the team win, and that attitude is something Berhalter likes. He trusts Lletget and has played him in multiple positions because he knows he'll be able to do a job for the US. He even named Lletget co-captain for the 2021 Gold Cup along with Walker Zimmerman and Paul Arriola. Let's just hope he doesn't force his way on to set pieces for the 2022 World Cup.
For the final spot in midfield, though I listed eight players, I think there's really only two players I will consider for this last spot. Those players are Seattle Sounders' Cristian Roldan and Venezia's Gianluca Busio. Now, as a Sporting Kansas City fan, I really want to put Busio in. His ability to play anywhere in the midfield comfortably makes him very appealing as well as the fact he may be the best set piece taker the US has next to Kellyn Acosta (in my opinion). Before leaving for Venezia, Busio had lined up as a traditional number eight, lined up in a more box-to-box role, lined up as a defensive midfielder, and even had spells as a false nine. All that being said, sadly, I think Berhalter will pick Cristian Roldan.
Even though I made it feel like I it's awful he won't pick Busio, it's not. Roldan is a very solid player that'll come in off the bench and be another shit house much like Kellyn Acosta. He's a very hard worker and will dive all over the field to make sure his team either takes possession back or keeps possession from the opposing team. Roldan is also a very underrated leader, which was noted when he was chosen as the captain for the MLS All Star Team, over the likes of US teammates Walker Zimmerman and Sebastian Lletget, over Jamaica's captain Andre Blake, and over an international star like Nani. I feel Roldan would be a very nice role player for the US in the 2022 World Cup, and though he may not get a whole lot of minutes, I feel like Berhalter trusts Roldan to see out a game.
Wingers - 9
Brenden Aaronson, Red Bull Salzburg (LOCK)
Paul Arriola, DC United
Konrad de la Fuente, Marseille
Nicholas Gioacchini, Montpellier
Matthew Hoppe, Mallorca
Jordan Morris, Seattle Sounders
Christian Pulisic, Chelsea (LOCK)
Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund (LOCK)
Timothy Weah, Lille
Three of the biggest locks for the USMNT, in regards of who is going to the World Cup, line up at winger, in the form of Christian Pulisic, Giovanni Reyna, and Brenden Aaronson. Now, one would suspect that Berhalter would like to bring at least one more winger to Qatar, and though I did list quite a few options above, I think the two most likely candidates are DC United's Paul Arriola and Lille's Timothy Weah.
Starting with Paul Arriola, ever since Berthalter took over as the manager for the USMNT, Arriola has been one of his favorite players, seemingly being in every squad since his rein began back in 2018. Arriola is one of the elder statesmen in the USMNT camps in regards to camps, registering 42 appearances for the USMNT, with most of those caps coming from the right side of a front three. Though not the biggest goal threat, Arriola has totaled six of his eight goals with Berhalter as the manager.
Not only is he one of the more experienced players in a relatively young squad in regards to caps, he's also the most experienced when it comes to tournaments under Berhalter, being named in the 2019 and 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup squads while also being co-captain with Sebastian Lletget and Walker Zimmerman for the 2021 tournament.
Though Arriola may have the experience and trust of Gregg Berhalter, my gut is kind of telling me that he'd take the younger, but more explosive, Timothy Weah, especially after coming off a very impressive two games for the USMNT is their recent games against Mexico and Jamaica.
After being one of the United State's most promising youngsters while playing at PSG, Weah went through somewhat of a rough patch, both at club level and appearances for the USMNT, registering just two caps between 2019 and 2020 after receiving eight in 2018 alone. Since that rough period for Weah, he has been a key figure in the USMNT's most recent squads, assisting and scoring big goals for the USMNT in those aforementioned games.
One of the other things I like about Weah is the fact that he can play both as a winger and as a striker, lineup up as a striker most of the time for his club side Lille. Also, where Arriola can lineup on the left side, he's predominantly a right winger, whereas Weah has split time between the left and right flank throughout his tenure with the USMNT.
If we were looking for the safer option, I'd be willing to bet Berhalter would take Paul Arriola. But with Weah's ability to play through the middle and on the wing, as well as his athleticism and natural ability, I would think Gregg would take him, along with Pulisic, Aaronson, and Reyna, as the four wingers for the Qatar World Cup.
Strikers - 7
Jozy Altidore, Toronto FC
Daryl Dike, Orlando City
Jesus Ferreira, FC Dallas
Jordan Pefok, Young Boys
Ricardo Pepi, FC Dallas
Josh Sargent, Norwich City
Gyasi Zardes, Columbus Crew
Though earlier I stated that the left back position has the least amount of depth, I would say the striker position is the USMNT's weakest position group as a whole, with no real front runners at this point and time. If I were to just look at the United States squad and point out Berhalter's favorite players, Gyasi Zardes would be on that list.
To me, Zardes has been the most consistent number nine for the US ever since Berhalter took over as manager. In that time frame, Zardes has made 27 appearances while chipping in with eight goals, with nine coming back in 2019, which is where Zardes staked his claim as the US' best number nine. I think his ability to do a little bit of everything makes him a real threat for the US. Not only is he going to score the goals himself, but he's also going to find runners in behind, providing multiple assists for his forward partners and becoming the fastest player in USMNT history to reach double digit goals and assists since the great Landon Donovan. Along with providing assists, Zardes have never been afraid of tracking back and his tireless work rate makes him a really strong asset for the United States.
To me, Zardes is almost a lock to make it in Berhalter's 2022 World Cup squad. To go along with him, I think it should be, the youngster, Ricardo Pepi. Now, this could just be recency bias at it's finest, as we've seen Pepi play more recently than some of the other forwards but to be honest, this kids got it. Just look at the games he's played, damn recency bias, Pepi is playing and starting for the US in World Cup qualifiers. Not only is he starting, but he's scoring goals, chipping in with three goals of six caps for the US, with the first two being game winning goals, scoring his first in a 4-1 comeback win against Honduras and the other two coming against Jamaica in October. Dude might only be 18, but he's playing well beyond his years and, at this moment in time, definitely deserves a spot on the pain to Qatar. Maybe even more if you ask me.
Though there isn't a great crop of forwards, it could be worse. To me, Jordan Pefok is the one who just missed out. A very athletic forward that always seems to provide a spark for the US coming off the bench. Josh Sargent, to me, is another one who just missed out. There's no denying Sargent will always give 110% while on the field, seemingly covering every inch of grass of the field. The issue, to me though, is that he does not have that goal scoring touch to be the US' main guy going forward, just watch his miss for Norwich City this season if you wanted/needed an example (36 seconds in).
For the final three, I don't think Jozy Altidore has any shot of making the squad, I just felt like throwing him in here because regardless, his name will somehow be in the mix. As for Daryl Dike, other than being big and athletic as hell, I just don't see him in this squad. Even though he can offer the physicality no other striker here can, I just think he'll miss out (as of right now). Finally, for Jesus Ferreira, another FC Dallas forward, though he's scored two goals in four caps for the US, I just don't think he has a very good shot at making the final 23-man roster. That being said, he will be in the mix, just think he'll be on the outside looking in once it's all said and done.
23-Man Squad
*from left to right
Goalkeepers - 3
Matt Turner, New England Revolution
Zack Steffen, Manchester City
Ethan Horvath, Nottingham Forest (Sean Johnson, New York City FC)
Right Backs - 2
DeAndre Yedlin, Galatasaray
Sergino Dest, Barcelona
Centerbacks - 4
Chris Richards, Hoffenheim
Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC
John Brooks, Wolfsburg
Miles Robinson, Atlanta United
Left Backs - 2
George Bello, Atlanta United
Antonee Robinson, Fulham
Defensive Midfielders - 2
Kellyn Acosta, Colorado Rapids
Tyler Adams, RB Leipzig
Central Midfielders - 4
Sebastian Lletget, LA Galaxy
Weston McKennie, Juventus
Yunus Musah, Valencia
Cristian Roldan, Seattle Sounders
Wingers - 4
Brenden Aaronson, Red Bull Salzburg
Christian Pulisic, Chelsea
Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund
Timothy Weah, Lille
Strikers - 2
Gyasi Zardes, Columbus Crew
Ricardo Pepi, FC Dallas
Captaincy
Tyler Adams, RB Leipzig
Christian Pulisic, Chelsea
Ever since taking over as the USMNT's manager, Gregg Berhalter has done some very nice things. From beating Mexico three times in a calendar year for the first time in their history, to making it to the 2019 Gold Cup final and winning the 2021 Gold Cup with a relatively inexperienced squad, to going on the longest unbeaten streak in USMNT history, and so on and so forth. The only thing Berhalter has not done in his four years as the USMNT's manager is name a full time captain. That being said, with the World Cup coming up within the next year, I would imagine Berhalter would give that honor to someone full time for the tournament and though there as some other players that could be mentioned, I think the only two real options are Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams.
Starting with Christian Pulisic, plain and simple, he's the United States' best player, and has been for some time now. From the moment he made his first appearance, he has been the face of United States soccer, becoming the youngest American ever to make an appearance in a World Cup qualifier, and later became the youngest American to score for the US in the modern era in a friendly against Bolivia. Then, in 2018, at 20-years old, Pulisic became the youngest captain in United States history in a friendly against Italy. Then finally, in arguably the biggest moment in his United States career, Pulisic captained the side and scored the winning penalty against Mexico in the 2021 CONCACAF Nation's League Final. He has also since scored another winning goal against Mexico, scoring the first in a 2-0 win in World Cup qualifying on November 12th.
Now, for Tyler Adams. Though he doesn't have the same draw, flair, or attitude as Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams is a natural born leader, captaining the USMNT four times, most recently captaining the US in their recent World Cup qualifiers against Mexico and Jamaica, being the youngest player in USMNT history to captain the squad in a World Cup qualifier. Adams may not talk the same amount of shit that Pulisic does, but he bosses the midfield for both club and country and never backs down from a challenge. About being a captain/leader, Adams has said, "I want to put a lot more weight on my shoulders as a leader."
I think it's a real coin flip for the US' full time captain, but as of right now, I think I'd give the slight edge to Christian Pulisic. With international soccer, usually, the best player is the captain. Now, I'm just saying Pulisic should be the captain because he's the US' best player, but because it seems like every time the US needs a savior, Pulisic comes in to "save the day." Look at the first and last game against Mexico in 2021, scoring the game deciding penalty in the Nation's League Final while also scoring the game winning goal in World Cup qualifying. That first game against Mexico is what you would call a real "captain's contribution." If we're looking for one game to base on giving the captaincy to, that game against Mexico back in June will live on forever. When you think of a captain, you should think of thank performance. (that being said I give Pulisic a 51% chance to become captain with Adams at 49%)
Starting XI - 4-3-3
GK - Zack Steffen, Manchester City (Matt Turner, New England Revolution) (Ethan Horvath, Nottingham Forest)
You could literally flip a coin to decide who should be the USMNT's starter in net for the 2022 World Cup. Though Matt Turner had himself an insane summer with the US and was named the MLS' Goalkeeper of the Year for the best team in the regular season, I just think Berhalter will name Steffen the starter for the World Cup. This is just a gut feeling and this is probably my least confident prediction for the 2022 World Cup, but I think with Steffen never doing anything to really lose his job, mixed with the fact that Steffen is much better with his feet and that Berhalter has named him captain on several occasions, I think Steffen will be the US' number one in the 2022 World Cup.
RB - Sergino Dest, Barcelona (DeAndre Yedlin, Galatasaray)
I think there could be an argument made that says DeAndre Yedlin has retaken the number one right back spot from Sergino Dest. Though he is more experienced (by quite a bit), I think it'd be hard to leave someone as talented as Sergino Dest on the bench. Though Yedlin's closed the gap, he does not posses Dest's natural threat going forward, as we've seen him chip in with a few amazing goals in his time with the national team. Though he can be frustrating at times, Dest is an insane talent and should be the starting right back for the USMNT for the foreseeable future.
CB - Miles Robinson, Atlanta United (Chris Richards, Hoffenheim (Bayern Munich))
CB - John Brooks, Wolfsburg (Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC)
LB - Antonee Robinson, Fulham (George Bello, Atlanta United)
If Berhalter wants to go crazy, he could play Sergino Dest at left back with Yedlin at right back to spare Robinson, if needed, instead of putting Bello in. Not that I think he will or should do that, I'm just saying, he has done that before.
DM - Tyler Adams, RB Leipzig (VC) (Kellyn Acosta, Colorado Rapids)
CM - Yunus Musah, Valencia (Cristian Roldan, Seattle Sounders)
CM - Weston McKennie, Juventus (Sebastian Lletget, LA Galaxy)
RW - Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund (Timothy Weah, Lille)
ST - Ricardo Pepi, FC Dallas (Gyasi Zardes, Columbus Crew)
This one, kind of like the goalkeeping position, is a toss up. Whereas Zardes gives you a little bit of everything from the striker position, Pepi brings that youthful exuberance and that confidence that anything he does will work for the US. He, Pepi, is one of the most talented players the US have at their disposal. He's almost a guaranteed starter now, what will he be able to do in a years time? We will have to see, but the future certainly looks bright for Ricardo Pepi.
LW - Christian Pulisic, Chelsea (C) (Brenden Aaronson, RB Salzburg)
Now, this may sound stupid but here me out, I almost had Brenden Aaronson starting here. No, it wasn't him starting over Pulisic, rather than moving Pulisic to central midfield, which is where Berhalter liked to play him when he first became manager. That being said, though I love Aaronson and would love him to start, he is the USMNT's "super sub," meaning he'll come on and make an impact in the game for the better. Pulisic's place in the starting lineup was never in question, it was just more of me trying to tinker a little bit, but based off his current tactics, Aaronson will be the first player off the bench to create a spark for the team.
Squad Numbers
Zack Steffen, Manchester City (Matt Turner, New England Revolution)
Whoever is the starting goalie will wear number one
Sergino Dest, Barcelona
Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC
Tyler Adams, RB Leipzig (VC)
Antonee Robinson, Fulham
John Brooks, Wolfsburg
Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund
Weston McKennie, Juventus
Gyasi Zardes, Columbus Crew
Christian Pulisic, Chelsea (C)
Brenden Aaronson, Red Bull Salzburg
Miles Robinson, Atlanta United
Matt Turner, New England Revolution (Zack Steffen, Manchester City)
Whoever is the back-up goalie will wear the 13 jersey
Cristian Roldan, Seattle Sounders
Chris Richards, Hoffenheim
Ricardo Pepi, FC Dallas
Sebastian Lletget, LA Galaxy
Yunus Musah, Valencia
Ethan Horvath, Nottingham Forest
Timothy Weah, Lille
George Bello, Atlanta United
DeAndre Yedlin, Galatasaray
Kellyn Acosta, Colorado Rapids
Just Missed Out
GK - Sean Johnson, New York City FC
RB - Reggie Cannon, Boavista
RB - Shaq Moore, Tenerife
CB - Mark McKenzie, Genk
CB - Tim Ream, Fulham
CB/DM - James Sands, New York City FC
LB - Sam Vines, Antwerp
CM - Gianluca Busio, Venezia
W - Paul Arriola, DC United
W - Konrad de la Fuente, Marseille
W - Jordan Morris, Seattle Sounders
FW - Daryl Dike, Orlando City
FW - Jordan Pefok, Young Boys
FW - Josh Sargent, Norwich City
Thank you for taking the time to read through the list! Hope you enjoyed it! If you did, give the article a like and comment down below how you felt!
While you're at it, go subscribe and/or follow me on all forms of social media!
Facebook: The Logan Blackman Show
Instagram (personal): @blackmanlogan
Instagram (show): @theloganblackmanshow1
LinkedIn: Logan Blackman
Twitter: @logan_blackman
YouTube: The Logan Blackman Show
Yorumlar