Opinion: A sputtering and naive performance against a three-time finalist should not fully take away from the growth this young team has on the horizon. They may yet catch up with the women’s team someday.
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Who wanted to win the World Cup in Qatar, anyway? That’s why the U.S. Men’s National Team, in a sign of solidarity against all human rights violations in this tournament, protested their final game and refused to defend. That’s why we let a late runner go unmarked to score on three separate occasions. I’m proud we took a stand against intolerance, and it should be noted that the Netherlands did not show the same support for the cause.
Our campaign was unfortunately over when Christian Pulisic couldn’t finish the game’s first chance. The first goal is always crucial in any knockout game, even more so against this Dutch side.
If we had grabbed the first, the Netherlands would have had to commit bodies forward and concede space in their defensive midfield. That would allow players like Weston Mckennie and Brendon Aaronson real estate and time to drive further at the Dutch defense, creating more chances. When the Dutch scored, they were more than comfortable sitting back with Virgil Van Dijk to defend crosses and overloading the midfield, bogging down any advances.
The U.S. was haunted by the chances not taken through all four games. The absence of an established striker who can finish chances was an apparent hole in this roster. Sargent, Ferreira and Wright (apart from one inexplicable flick-up) were largely uninvolved and far from clinical in the final third. One of those names (or one that didn’t make the plane) will need to step forward and produce goals if this team is to take the next step to become an international contender.
That step forward is not that far away anymore. Despite shrinking when faced with the towering standard of that level Saturday, this tournament was still a success for the USMNT; they did what was expected of them.
It wasn’t quite an escape from the “group of death” like in 2014, but making it out was no small feat. We allowed one goal in three games (off one bonehead penalty), held the Three Lions in a zoo for the second match and stepped up and won against Iran when we needed nothing less. Only 16 teams in the entire world got to the spot we did.
Tyler Adams put himself in the conversation of world-class holding midfielders and leaders, covering about 28.3% of the Earth’s surface over the course of four games. I counted his steps, trust me. Tim Ream was rock-solid throughout; keeping the likes of Gareth Bale, Harry Kane, Mehdi Taremi and a red-hot Cody Gakpo quiet should not be ignored (even if his career internationally is at an end). Matt Turner kept us in games multiple times, and his distribution was a welcome bonus. Yunus Musah was industrious at times. McKennie, Aaronson and Tim Weah showed they can be spark plugs.
There are players that, with improvement in four years, will solidify the team. Antonee Robinson’s marauding runs forward helped create space up front. If he finds a gear other than first and sixth and can pick his head up to supply that space, he will be effective for more than just covering ground. Sergiño Dest was a good outlet going forward, and if he becomes more reliable defensively, he could very well become the star he was tipped to be. If McKennie finds his shooting boots at some point, he could quickly become one of the more complete midfielders in the world.
Cristian Pulisic came in with lofty expectations strapped on him as the face of the team. He wasn’t perfect, but he was still our best player creatively and showed bravery and determination I wasn’t sure he had. He proved that he still has his potential with him, and hopefully soon he’ll find a club that will give him the experience he needs. Those four years will hopefully be healthy for him and his co-star Giovanni Reyna, as well.
I had my doubts about coach Gregg Berhalter going into the tournament, and I assume I still will. However, he got all his lineups right, and aside from a few questionable substitutions, he brought this team to the highest ceiling possible.
This campaign will mean more to the nation than just a knockout stage appearance. This generation of players was galvanized by the runs made in 2010 and 2014, and they are much younger than both of those squads. They will be back, and the nation getting stirred up in this run will pave the way for the generation coming up directly behind them.
While it is a stark reminder of the financial inequity the U.S. Women’s National Team has had to deal with, they will receive a healthy share of winnings from this run the men made. It’s ridiculous that back-to-back World Cup wins did not give them those winnings they more than earned themselves, but funds are funds. They are preparing a new generation themselves, led by Rose Lavelle and Trinity Rodman, and deserve the support they need to get back up to their sky-high standards.
The men’s team is just not there yet. The final game against a World Cup powerhouse made that clear. We’re on the precipice of a continental shift, though. This promising young team will only reload in four years, arriving more experienced as individuals and together. This tournament we announced our return, and with the games coming to our shores in 2026, we will announce to the world that America took over yet another sport.
