Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Opinion: This is the most important USMNT roster in U.S. Soccer history

usmnt roster

OPINION – The USMNT heads into the final camp of the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying cycle, and this is the most important camp, roster, and three game stretch, maybe in the history of this federation. Kicking off with Mexico at the Azteca, the USMNT then comes home to Orlando for Panama, and then away to Costa Rica to close things out. As things stand the USMNT are in 2nd in the octagonal, but level on points with Mexico. But the key is fending off Panama and Costa Rica, who sit in 4th and 5th respectively, with 17 and 16 points. As we inch closer to the camp, here’s a look at the roster that has maybe the fate of the sport in this country on it’s shoulders.

Opinion: This is the most important USMNT roster in U.S. Soccer history

The first and biggest addition to the roster is Giovanni Reyna. Reyna hasn’t featured in a WCQ since the opener away to El Salvador, where he picked up an injury that kept him sidelined for months. He picked up another slight knock, but has been featured for Dortmund twice and even assisted a match winner since. He’s ready to go.

Sergino Dest is on the roster,  but George Bello will be replacing him. Dest picked up a hamstring injury the day of the roster announcement. My favorite addition of the roster is the inclusion of striker Jordan Pefok. He’s been tearing it up in the Swiss League, and I’ve been singing his praises all season long. Some head scratching omissions include Josh Sargent, Joe Scally, and John Brooks.

So why is this potentially the most important roster, and camp this federation has ever faced? It’s pretty simple. The growth of the sport in this country could be at stake.

Soccer is a growing sport in America. MLS has recently passed the NHL in terms of popularity in the USA, but it still has a long way to go before it catches the MLB, or even comes close to the NBA/NHL. I believe that starts with consistently qualifying for World Cups as a nation. The failure of 2018 kneecapped a chance at major growth, and this may be the last chance. If the USMNT isn’t in this World Cup, four years before they co-host it, we may be to a point where no one cares come 2026.

With the amount of young, growing talent the USMNT has accrued since the 2018 failure, there is no reason why this team can’t contend for this world cup, but especially the next. Securing qualification is a must for this team. If they don’t, the sport in this country as we know it, could dwindle away for good, and if we ever want to be taken seriously around the world, World Cup qualifying needs to happen every cycle.

Embed from Getty Images

Share:

More Posts

Send Us A Message