USMNT FAN VIEW: Expectations for this World Cup must be kept in check to build momentum for 2026

Before any anger or frustration boils over in the run-up to this World Cup, American football fans need to ask themselves a serious question: What is THIS team’s goal at THIS tournament NOW?

Some would say, ‘Well, we’re at the World Cup, so the goal would be to win it, right?’ and sure, they would be right. Any team entering this tournament, whose goal is not to win everything, should be questioned first and foremost about their desire to be athletes.

But let’s be honest with ourselves, the United States is unlikely to lift the trophy.

If the USMNT finishes second in their group, they will most likely play against the Netherlands in the round of 16. If they somehow win their group consisting of England, Wales and Iran, there is a good chance they will play reigning champions France in the quarter-finals. .

Every possible path is full of landmines and superpowers in the sport, so while Americans all want the men’s team to finally do something the women’s team has been able to do four times, it’s not likely.

So again, let’s get back to the question: what is THIS team’s goal at THIS tournament NOW?

If you had listened to USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter’s press conference in Brooklyn after the roster for Qatar was revealed, he would give you an answer to that question.

“Do you really want to hear my response to expectations again? I felt like I’ve told this a million times,” Berhalter told reporters.

“There are two tournaments, right, that’s how we really look at this. There’s the group stage tournament – and we have to finish second to earn the right to play in this other tournament, the knockout tournament.

“And anything can happen from there. And for us it’s about, how do we… play the best possible game we can in the knockout stage to keep progressing? And if we don’t get any further but play as well as possible, we will leave the tournament with our heads held high.’

It was a somewhat brisk answer that reads worse on paper than it sounded at the press conference – where Berhalter injected some humor into his inflection at the beginning.

For a man who comes across as a level-headed, friendly, and generally good person, it’s a shame his tactical and personnel decision making was lacking.

Since about September, US fans have been unable to agree on who should and should not be on the roster during this qualifying cycle – with the arguments mainly centered around the position of the striker.

When the roster was revealed, there was anger that Ricardo Pepi was absent, even though he failed to score for the USA this year. There was also anger that Jordan Pefok was absent, even though he too has experienced a goal lag.

The problem is that most can’t agree on who should play. If someone stays home, who would you replace them with?

Not everyone can answer that question, and sometimes the answers to those questions don’t match the statistics.

That reality was reflected at the roster announcement event at the Brooklyn Steel music venue earlier this month — when the throng of fans directly in front of the stage was the only loud part of the gathering.

When they spoke up, it was never for the same reason. Some outbursts were joyous as they saw certain MLS players walk onto the stage. Others were shouts of rage directed at Berhalter for his exclusion of certain players – especially Pepi, which caused a few American Outlaws fans to get heated.

Inclusions also saw mockery. There was an audible gasp in the room when Shaq Moore was revealed as a member of the roster. A small number of “angry” surfaced when Aaron Long was mentioned (although that was also met with cheers for the New York Red Bulls defender). Shocked ‘oh!’s’ erupted as Ethan Horvath and Haji Wright were shown to the public in the absence of Zach Steffen and the aforementioned Pepi and Pefok.

But even with the player roster out of the way, fans are still feeling uneasy about what’s in store for them when the games get underway.

Which brings us back to coaching. In the friendlies played after qualification was confirmed, Berhalter has changed tactics and style of play to the point where it’s hard to remember what the core identity of American football is.

We can pick players who are the most important parts of the system – think Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Sergino Dest – but how they will work and be used on the pitch seems to be a bit of a mystery. .

And that’s what it’s all about. It’s not that American fans think Berhalter will put the United States in a position to fail, it’s that Americans don’t know what position Berhalter will put the United States in to begin with.

For a man who many believe was put in charge only because his brother held a senior position in the U.S. Soccer Federation at the time, that lack of consistency and identity will not sit well with fans. Berhalter didn’t have much success in MLS before getting this job, and since he’s been in charge, the USMNT looks as good as it is horrible.

More recently, the team appears to be more of the former thanks to CONCACAF Nations League wins and the CONCACAF Gold Cup title from a still-struggling Mexico team.

Since Steve Sampson in 1998, no American coach has been fired or resigned from the USMNT during the World Cup. If you ask most American fans, they’ll think Berhalter is probably next on that list.

That leads us back to the same question at the beginning, but it requires a rewording. Gregg Berhalter has told us what the goal IS. But what SHOULD be the goal for this team in this tournament?

In short? An audition.

The United States should go to this tournament to give the team great experience on a much bigger stage than what CONCACAF offers. Crashing could even earn them a chip to put on their shoulder for future tournaments.

If the US fails to go far in this World Cup, this is the positive framing to use. They are the youngest team in the tournament and it should pay off in the future to play them now under high pressure in a situation like this.

By doing so, the USMNT will build momentum and team bonding towards a more likely scenario: dominance at home in the 2026 World Cup. By then, they’ll likely be rid of Berhalter, core players will be in the middle of their primes, and will be a team that can’t beat each other. strengths and can work together as a team.

Although it will help that team building and morale even more if they don’t embarrass themselves doing so.