On April 1, groups were drawn for the FIFA World Cup which will be held in Qatar in November of this year. The United States qualified for the World Cup this year by earning a 3rd place finish in the 3rd round of Concacaf World Cup Qualifying. The U.S. return to their first World Cup since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after they did not qualify for the last World Cup in Russia in 2018.
USMNT fans couldn’t be more thrilled about watching their team in a World Cup and also the teams that will be in their group. The U.S. will be in Group B with England, Iran and TBD (Scotland, Wales, or Ukraine). The last spot in the group will be determined by a European playoff match for each of the teams. The top two teams in every group will advance to the Round of 16 and the rest eliminated. My predictions along with several soccer analysts is that the U.S. should beat Iran handly as Iran usually doesn’t produce a strong side and they rarely qualify for big tournaments.
I think England should beat the U.S. as they have arguably the best starting 11 in the World, but we never know because the U.S has been known to shock big teams as they did against England in 1950 (1-0). I think whoever the last team is, whether that be Scotland, Wales, or Ukraine, should be the most tightly contested game, as all of those teams are on about the same level as the U.S.
The World Cup this year is in November instead of its normal June date due to extreme heat in Qatar during the summer. I am personally excited about this, as it will mean that I will get to watch the World Cup games with the soccer team and friends at Covenant.
According to USMNT legend, Clint Dempsey the predicted starting 11 for the USMNT will be Zach Steffen in goal (Manchester City), Miles Robinson at left center back (Atlanta United), Walker Zimmerman at right center back (Nashville SC), Sergino Dest at right back (Fc Barcelona), Atonee Robinson at left back (Fulham), Tyler Adams at CDM (RB Leipzig), Weston Mckennie (Juventus) and Yunus Musah (Valencia) both at CAM, Christian Pulisic at left wing (Chelsea), Timothy Weah at striker (Lille), and Gio Reyna at right wing (Borussia Dortmund).
Positions such as center back, midfielders and wingers are more solidified as wing/outside backs, goalie, and striker are still up for grabs. Players to watch out for: Obviously, Christian Pulisic, aka Captain America, is regarded as the USMNT’s best player. He will be our best option when it comes to scoring goals, assisting and creating chances.
Another player to watch will be 19 year old Gio Reyna who has impressed recently at Borussia Dortmund (one of the top clubs in the world). If he can recover from his current hamstring injury and get back to 100% then he will be a top player for the United States. The last player to watch for is Brenden Aaronson who has been excellent since joining RB Salzburg from Philadelphia Union. He is only 21, but what he lacks in experience he makes up for in a massive work ethic and loads of skill.
The average age of the U.S. Men's National Team this year is 24 which is the youngest team the U.S. will have ever sent to a World Cup. The USMNT has a bright future and I can’t wait to see what November holds.