With the World Cup kicking off, the United States Men’s National Team, one of the host countries, has picked the squad, and they have been rigorously preparing the physicality, mentality, and readiness of the team. The squad of players that made the 26 man roster includes: Goalkeepers Matt Turner, Matt Freese, and Chris Bradley; Defenders Serginio Dest, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Austin Trusty, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten, Mark Mckenzie, and Joe Skally; Midfielders Tyler Adams, Weston Mckennie, Gio Reyna, Sebastian Berhalter, Christian Roldan, and Malik Tilman; Forwards Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Brendon Aaronson, Hagi Wright, Florian Balogun, Tim Weah, and Alejandro Zendayas. These players will be managed by Mauricio Pochettino, an Argentine coach with an impressive resume, having coached top club teams such as Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain. The team has all the resources they need to compete.
This edition of the USMNT is full of talent and big names. Christian Pulisic, a Hershey, Pennsylvania native, is widely considered to be the best American soccer player of the last decade, always coming through in key moments. He will lead the team into the hardest challenge in his career alongside captain and veteran centerback Tim Ream. These stars will need to be at the top of their game in order for the Americans to make it far in the tournament.
In preparation for the World Cup the USMNT have been competing in friendly matches against the likes of Senegal and Germany. The team defeated the Senegalese 3-2 in the match, a convincing performance from attackers Pulisic and Florian Balogun. The Germany match however, was a different story, as the team lost 2-1 after conceding an early goal at the hands of Germany’s Kai Havertz. Although the game ended as a loss, the team showed real promise, proving that competing against a strong European team like Germany is not out of their reach.
The USMNT will be facing the toughest challenges that the country has ever come up against. Being the host nation, the pressure is on now more than ever to compete. They have top players, talented prospects, and a proven, professional coach. But, none of that matters if they do not perform. With their first group stage game against Paraguay on June 12, the entire country and world will be watching, waiting to see if they will perform to the expectations that are set.
