The United States confirming a place in 2022's FIFA World Cup, the horror of the shaky qualification in 2018 has been put to rest and USMNT fans are looking forward to the big celebration.
Now, the debate begins which players will be among the 23 players who will be brought to soccer's most anticipated event and who will be excluded from the group? (All expectation is that FIFA will eventually increase rosters between 23 and 26.)
Director Gregg Berhalter and his USMNT team will be spending in the coming months working on their final roster of players and we will attempt to predict who will be included on the final roster around the middle of November.
Naturally injuries will have an impact on the outcome and there is one player who is likely to not be able to play unless they have an extraordinary time recovery from an Achilles injury.
USMNT World Cup roster for Qatar 2022
World Cup rosters currently consist of 23 players, with three goalkeepers. The process of narrowing down to the U.S. player pool to the top 23 -- or most valuable players will prove very difficult for Berhalter.
The lineup of the starters and principal contributors appear fairly stable however, every roster spot is important and the aim is to make the most of each position by utilizing players who can be involved in different ways off and on the field.
In that mind this is the list of 23 footballers The Sporting News predicts to make this year's World Cup roster.
Predicted USMNT roster
Goalkeepers (3): Matt Turner, Zack Steffen, Sean Johnson.
Defenders (7): Walker Zimmerman, Aaron Long, Antonee Robinson, Sergino Dest, DeAndre Yedlin, George Bello, Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Midfielders (6): Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Kellyn Acosta, Yunus Musah, Luca de la Torre, Cristian Roldan.
Forwards (7): Christian Pulisic, Brenden Aaronson, Gio Reyna, Tim Weah, Jesus Ferreira, Haji Wright, Jordan Morris.
A breakdown of the roster
There are several options here that were important to make.
In the beginning, fullback was once a weak spot to the USMNT. It is still is...but just on the one hand. Antonee Robinson was able to establish himself as the left-back of choice however, the best option could be George Bello.
There are plenty of options for right backs ahead of the established starter Sergino Dest. Also, while Reggie Cannon would be a good addition to the team (he is also able to play as a center back in times of need) the fact that there are three right backs can be a burden on the team, and DeAndre's long-standing presence is required in this young team.
Center back John Brooks has done his best to demonstrate that the ability to returning to the national group, however Berhalter has repeatedly refused requests for the defender who is out of contract to be considered for inclusion. Brooks was dropped from the squad at the time of the qualifiers for internationals in March and then again during the summer season, as it seems that he's not able to get a spot in the team. The team instead chose Aaron Long, fresh after a recovery from an ACL tear was brought in to replace Brooks. This is like putting an end of Brooks's prospects.
Although it seems like Long is likely to be named the starting center back with Zimmerman and Zimmerman, the third central defender slot is still left. There are many possibilities, including Cameron Carter-Vickers returning from USMNT obscured by an outstanding season with Celtic, Chris Richards of Bayern Munich, Erik Palmer-Brown of French club Troyes and Genk Central defender Mark McKenzie. Carter-Vickers' present form at Celtic is his best, however Palmer-Brown was a force in the league and has a great range of position and agility, as does McKenzie.
Another tricky decision is made up on the front. In the winter of 2012 it was like the striker's position was Ricardo's to lose, but it seems that he has been sacked after a poor beginning in the Augsburg career. In the meantime, Jesus Ferreira led the MLS goalscoring charts when the calendar shifted to June. And while he was still struggling at the goal on the international stage the way he has pressed is the way Berhalter would like to see. Haji Wright is in top team form and scored an international debut goal in the game against Morocco during a tuneup game and then he simply is able to slap Pepi to make a space.
In the midfield, Yunus Musah will also have a chance to play and could be a regular in the team as well as veteran Kellyn Acosta offers stability. The options in the domestic market Sebastian Lletget and Cristian Roldan are battling to be the last player in the squad, as Paul Arriola is one of the first few players to be cut off.
USMNT starting line-up for the FIFA World Cup
And now that we've got the final 23 on the roster, what will the team look like? The lineup that was announced is fairly simple to comprehend, however there are a few options to make.
The most important question is through the pipe. With the recent goalkeeper who was the starting goalie Matt Turner moving to Arsenal where he'll compete with his teammates and most likely be a backup for Aaron Ramsdale, that makes two USMNT goalkeepers who play for upper-echelon Premier League teams...both as backups. Goalkeepers' form is vital for them and it is yet to be seen if Steffen or Turner have enough time to feel they are game-ready and ready for World Cup matches.
Further analysis of the best USMNT starting XI of the FIFA World Cup
Another big question is the third position in the midfield. Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams in good health, are likely to make the starting line-up. The final place was uncertain until Brenden Aaronson was a revelation as the leader of the middle-field three in Morocco. Perhaps this is the method to have all the best U.S. attacking players on the field simultaneously?
Predicted USMNT starting at XI
Proposed USMNT World Cup roster cuts
There are only 23 players to be on the roster (though 26-player rosters are likely) Some players will be with a view from the outside.
On the in front, and left out Ricardo Pepi and Jordan Pefok, who has enjoyed a successful year in the club of Young Boys in Switzerland, however, there aren't enough roster spots for him to get him in the game. Gyasi Zardes and Josh Sargent are also not able to make it into the team. Paul Arriola is a steady veteran player however, with a crowded squad, Jordan Morris gets the position.
The center back battle for backup is a wide-open affair and includes Palmer-Brown, Carter-Vickers, McKenzie, and Richards all in the mix. A season-ending injury to Richards has kept him off the list of players for the summer tournament and could hurt his chances. McKenzie hasn't been at ease during any in his USMNT appearances so far. Carter-Vickers fluctuated throughout his 45 minutes of action against Morocco and Palmer-Brown still unproficient.
A player like Cristian Roldan as well as Sebastian Lletget will likely be not included on the roster in the event of injuries. although the two are like each other in several aspects, Roldan is three years youngerand has his range of options in the World Cup roster is valuable. It is worth noting that the Seattle midfielder was selected to be on the March qualifying squad and Lletget was not included which indicates where the two sit in the pecking line.
As a goalie, Sean Johnson is an experienced player and is a feasible option on the field should his skills are needed. The veteran Brad Guzan tore his ACL during his time at Atlanta United and will not be a possibility for this World Cup comes just a little too early for the younger Gaga Slonina. Stefan Frei had a wonderful performance in the CONCACAF Champions League for Seattle however, he didn't receive an opportunity to play during the summer, despite injuries to Zack Steffen that saw Ethan Horvath as the next player selected.
Proposed USMNT World Cup roster cuts
Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath, Stefan Frei, Gabriel Slonina.
Defenders: Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Reggie Cannon, James Sands, Shaq Moore, Mark McKenzie, Joe Scally.
Midfielders: Sebastian Lletget.
Forwards: Ricardo Pepi, Jordan Pefok, Konrad de la Fuente, Paul Arriola, Josh Sargent, Gyasi Zardes, Matthew Hoppe.
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