Key facts
- U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino stated that no American players are currently ranked among the top 100 globally.
- The Guardian's annual list in December did not feature any Americans in its top 100, with Christian Pulisic at 116th and Tim Weah at 183rd.
- Despite the lack of top-ranked players, Pochettino expressed belief that the U.S. team can win the World Cup.
- Former player Jozy Altidore believes the U.S. possesses talent comparable to other nations.
- The U.S. team has a historical record of 1-7 in World Cup knockout games.
- Several U.S. players are on highly-ranked European clubs, including Christian Pulisic at AC Milan.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino has stated that no American soccer players currently rank among the top 100 globally, a sentiment supported by The Guardian's annual player list. Despite this assessment, Pochettino expressed confidence in the team's ability to win the World Cup, urging players to believe in their potential.
Pulisic, who was ranked 116th on The Guardian's list, stated that the team's focus is on proving themselves rather than seeking external validation. He noted that the U.S. has good players competing at top clubs worldwide. Retired forward Jozy Altidore echoed this sentiment, believing the U.S. possesses talent comparable to other nations and that they are capable of winning.
The U.S. team has a challenging history in World Cup knockout stages, with a record of 1-7. Their last semifinal appearance was in 1930. Pochettino has encouraged the team to 'dream' and believe they can achieve victory.
Several U.S. players are on highly-ranked European clubs, including Pulisic at AC Milan, Malik Tillman at Bayer Leverkusen, Weston McKennie at Juventus, and Sergiño Dest and Ricardo Pepi at PSV Eindhoven. Goalkeeping is identified as a potential weakness, with Matt Freese expected to start despite limited international experience.
McKennie highlighted the potential advantage of playing in front of a home crowd, noting that American fans show up for major events.