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RAYYAN, Qatar – With one man, the coaches and players of the USA men’s national soccer team spoke of a bright future, renewed interest in the program and renewed respect around the world. Their World Cup ended on Saturday in a 3-1 Round of 16 defeat by the Netherlands in a match against an experienced opponent who revealed flaws and innocence.
Within the ambitious group, however, one had the feeling that they had only scratched the surface.
Thirteen players who have helped form the core are aged 25 or under and most are employed by clubs in major European leagues. Others in that age group, from that roster and wider player pool, were waiting in the wings.
USMNT’s hopeful World Cup run fizzled out in defeat by the Netherlands
It’s not just a promising group, but a tight-knit group that has spent most of their stay turning chemistry into cohesive accomplishments. Even after the disappointment of being eliminated, the players stayed together late into the night and talked about what’s possible in 2026 when the World Cup is played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
“Can we win against top teams? Can we do well enough against top teams to win? I think this group is tight,” said coach Gregg Berhalter. “The American public should be optimistic.”
The US team showed they belong here by taking on England, pressuring the Netherlands and going unbeaten in the group stage as one of five of the 32 countries. However, the moment of breakthrough against the game’s titans remains elusive.
In 32 years and eight appearances, the US record is 2-13-7 against teams from Europe and South America, football’s dominant continents. In Qatar, the Americans drew against Wales and England and lost to the Netherlands.
Baby steps for a youthful team.
Brewer: Don’t see the loss of the USMNT as the end. It’s a down payment for the future.
“They have a bright future to look forward to,” said Dutchman Denzel Dumfries, who dominated the right wing and recorded one goal and two assists. “They can definitely grow into an elite team.”
The first task is who leads the way. Berhalter’s contract is about to expire and the US Football Association must decide if he is the man to take the program to the next level.
Assuming Berhalter wants to stay in the job; he could decide to return to the day-to-day demands of a club’s managerial role.
“For the last month and a half I’ve just been focused on the World Cup and focused on getting something done with this group,” Berhalter said on Saturday when asked what his future holds. “Over the next few weeks I’m going to clear my head, sit down and think about what’s next.”
Berhalter earned recognition for fostering a family atmosphere, integrating young players and implementing a style that, when effective, was fun and enjoyable.
Under his supervision, the United States returned to the World Cup after a compact qualifying calendar, defeating rivals Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League and Gold Cup Finals in the summer of 2021.
Berhalter has also received criticism for tactical decisions and roster and lineup choices – not unlike the scrutiny aimed at almost every coach at this level.
The USA have the youngest captain of this World Cup. When he speaks, his team listens.
At the World Cup, the USA were defensively strong until Saturday and created numerous scoring chances, but there was a lack of sophistication and fine-tuning. Individual goals against Wales and Iran were well crafted and persistence resulted in a late goal against the Netherlands, but numerous chances were missed, most notably Christian Pulisic’s golden moment early in Saturday’s game.
In eight of their last nine games in total, the Americans have scored multiple goals only against Grenada.
The best players in US attack stay on the flanks and in midfield, not on the forward. Josh Sargent, Haji Wright and Jesús Ferreira all received World Cup starts, with Wright scoring as a substitute on Saturday. A deadly goalscorer at this position isn’t essential, but with one there’s some level of threat and the ability to pull defenders, opening up space for others.
As Berhalter — or whoever coaches the team — continues to form the player pool, the USSF will outline plans to prepare the team for the 2026 tournament.
The first camp of the next cycle will be held in the Los Angeles area next month, where friendlies against Serbia and Colombia will be played. As the dates do not fall within an international FIFA window, most European-based players are unavailable. The first full availability will come in March for the Nations League games against El Salvador and Grenada.
As the United States, Mexico and Canada are expected to receive automatic spots for the expanded 48-team World Cup in 2026, they will not participate in the qualifiers. Without those games, tournaments like the annual Nations League and the 2023 and 2025 Gold Cups will take center stage.
The pain and promise of USMNT’s elimination from the World Championship
Several US world champions have age-appropriate eligibility for the France 2024 Olympics, which is largely an under-23 tournament. The US men last qualified for the Summer Games in 2008.
There were also talks of hosting the 2024 Copa America, the prestigious South American championship, in the United States, an event likely to seat all three World Cup hosts.
All activities over the next 3½ years will prepare US players for a World Cup which will provide another opportunity to expand both the program and the sport.
“It was a great opportunity for a lot of us,” midfielder Weston McKennie said of the Qatar odyssey. “We did really well with that. We went out [with Saturday’s defeat]and it sucks, but at the same time, a lot of us will use that as a chip on our shoulders over the next four years to try and prove what we can do.”
World Cup in Qatar
The newest: The world championship continued on Saturday with the knockout round. Argentina beat Australia 2-1 in the round of 16. Argentina, with world star Lionel Messi at what may be his last World Cup, are among the favorites to win the tournament and managed to top Group C and progress to the quarter-finals despite a shock defeat by Saudi Arabia in their first game.
USMNT: The US men’s national team lost 3-1 to the Netherlands in the opening game of the round of 16 on Saturday. The Netherlands, winners of Group A, had finished the group stage undefeated, conceding just one goal. His winning streak continues while the US run is over.
Knockout Round Schedule: A World Cup group stage full of shocking upsets and dramatic twists is now giving way to a knockout round that promises more upsets.
Today’s worldview: Ishaan Tharoor, the Post’s foreign columnist, recounts his week at the World Cup in Qatar.
What you should know about the World Cup
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