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<H2 itxtvisited="1">The United States doesn't stand a chance at the World Cup.
That is a common belief outside the United States, and even for some American soccer fans. The reality, however, is that Bob Bradley's team has a good chance of going well beyond the group stages. It will take a run of great form, and some breaks have to bounce the Americans' way, but writing off the United States from being a factor at this summer's tournament would be a mistake that has been made before.
Best WC result: Semifinals in 1930
FIFA World Rank: 14
Consider 2002, when the United States was in a difficult group including heavily-favored Portugal, the host South Koreans and a Poland team that had been unbeaten in qualifying. The Americans shocked the Portuguese and tied South Korea to earn enough points to reach the Round of 16, where a date with arch-rival Mexico loomed. The United States put together another strong showing to beat the Mexicans and reach the quarterfinals, where they outplayed Germany in a 1-0 loss.
Think about that run, and about the fact that the United States pushed Germany to the brink, with only a Torsten Frings handball keeping the Americans from knocking off the Germans and playing a World Cup semifinal against the same South Korean team it tied in the group stage.
To be fair, that was eight years ago. If you want more recent evidence, consider the 2009 Confederations Cup. The Americans were placed in a group with Italy and Brazil and given little chance of advancing. They were thoroughly outplayed by Brazil, but outplayed Italy for a half before wearing down after a first-half red card. The United States regrouped, thrashed Egypt, and qualified for the semifinals with some help from Brazil.
You know what happened next. The Americans put on a defensive performance for the ages in a stunning upset of Spain, followed by a perfect half of soccer in the Confederations Cup final against Brazil, which was followed up by a second-half collapse that cost them the most improbable of titles.
These two tournaments, some seven years apart, show us that the United States can put together a strong tournament run no matter the opponents or circumstances, so long as disciplined defending, stellar goalkeeping and effective counterattacks are at the forefront.
The Americans can enjoy a strong World Cup this summer if the same defenders who played so well last summer in the Confederations Cup can once again find that rhythm. The key to that will be Oguchi Onyewu's full recovery from the knee injury he suffered in October. He is the team's most imposing defender and, when he is at his best, makes the defenders around him better. He can also take away set piece threats like no other American can.
As important as defending will be, the United States must convert its chances, and Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey are enjoying a strong run of form that should carry over into the World Cup. Donovan's ability to set up teammates and Dempsey's ability to find and finish chances should give the Americans a puncher's chance in every match in the group stage.
Then you have Tim Howard, who has been waiting eight years for the chance to play in a World Cup. He didn't make the 2002 team when he probably should have, and he was the back-up in 2006 when he could have easily started. In 2010, Howard is the unquestioned No. 1 and this World Cup will give him a stage to show the world why he should be considered one of the top ten goalkeepers in the world.
Just like in 2002 and 2009, the United States also need some youth to emerge and provide a spark. Twenty-year-olds Jozy Altidore and Jose Torres could provide just that, while 21-year-old Michael Bradley can secure himself a major transfer move with a breakout tournament performance.
Just how far can the Americans go? The World Cup bracket could provide the United States with a reasonable path to the quarterfinals, and perhaps even a dream run to the semis.
Sound impossible? Consider this scenario:
The United States qualifies for the Round of 16 as the second-place team in Group C. The Americans face surprising Serbia in the Round of 16. Tim Howard delivers a stunning performance in a 1-0 victory, setting up a quarterfinal match-up against none other than Mexico (which will have upset Argentina in a rematch of its 2006 Round of 16 loss).
The Americans, who haven't lost to Mexico outside of Mexico with their first team in more than a decade, will dispose of 'El Tri' yet again as head coach Javier Aguirre has flashbacks of 2002, when he coached Mexico's last World Cup loss to 'Los Gringos.'
Where would that put the United States in the semifinals? Pitted against none other than Spain, the same team the United States upset a year earlier in the Confederations Cup semis. Asking the Americans to upset Spain twice in a year is a bit too much to ask, though, so look for the Spaniards to exact revenge, leaving the United States to play in the third-place match against -- who else? -- England.
Beating England in a third-place match wouldn't matter, but it would be a sweet cap to a dream tournament run, the type of run that could really give soccer in America the boost it needs to climb into the national conversation.
This might all sound implausible, but so did a World Cup quarterfinal run in 2002, and so did a Confederations Cup final run last summer. The U.S. men's national team proved plenty of people wrong then, and stand poised to prove even more people wrong this summer.
-- Ives Galarcep
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That is a common belief outside the United States, and even for some American soccer fans. The reality, however, is that Bob Bradley's team has a good chance of going well beyond the group stages. It will take a run of great form, and some breaks have to bounce the Americans' way, but writing off the United States from being a factor at this summer's tournament would be a mistake that has been made before.
Best WC result: Semifinals in 1930
FIFA World Rank: 14
Consider 2002, when the United States was in a difficult group including heavily-favored Portugal, the host South Koreans and a Poland team that had been unbeaten in qualifying. The Americans shocked the Portuguese and tied South Korea to earn enough points to reach the Round of 16, where a date with arch-rival Mexico loomed. The United States put together another strong showing to beat the Mexicans and reach the quarterfinals, where they outplayed Germany in a 1-0 loss.
Think about that run, and about the fact that the United States pushed Germany to the brink, with only a Torsten Frings handball keeping the Americans from knocking off the Germans and playing a World Cup semifinal against the same South Korean team it tied in the group stage.
To be fair, that was eight years ago. If you want more recent evidence, consider the 2009 Confederations Cup. The Americans were placed in a group with Italy and Brazil and given little chance of advancing. They were thoroughly outplayed by Brazil, but outplayed Italy for a half before wearing down after a first-half red card. The United States regrouped, thrashed Egypt, and qualified for the semifinals with some help from Brazil.
You know what happened next. The Americans put on a defensive performance for the ages in a stunning upset of Spain, followed by a perfect half of soccer in the Confederations Cup final against Brazil, which was followed up by a second-half collapse that cost them the most improbable of titles.
These two tournaments, some seven years apart, show us that the United States can put together a strong tournament run no matter the opponents or circumstances, so long as disciplined defending, stellar goalkeeping and effective counterattacks are at the forefront.
The Americans can enjoy a strong World Cup this summer if the same defenders who played so well last summer in the Confederations Cup can once again find that rhythm. The key to that will be Oguchi Onyewu's full recovery from the knee injury he suffered in October. He is the team's most imposing defender and, when he is at his best, makes the defenders around him better. He can also take away set piece threats like no other American can.
As important as defending will be, the United States must convert its chances, and Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey are enjoying a strong run of form that should carry over into the World Cup. Donovan's ability to set up teammates and Dempsey's ability to find and finish chances should give the Americans a puncher's chance in every match in the group stage.
Then you have Tim Howard, who has been waiting eight years for the chance to play in a World Cup. He didn't make the 2002 team when he probably should have, and he was the back-up in 2006 when he could have easily started. In 2010, Howard is the unquestioned No. 1 and this World Cup will give him a stage to show the world why he should be considered one of the top ten goalkeepers in the world.
Just like in 2002 and 2009, the United States also need some youth to emerge and provide a spark. Twenty-year-olds Jozy Altidore and Jose Torres could provide just that, while 21-year-old Michael Bradley can secure himself a major transfer move with a breakout tournament performance.
Just how far can the Americans go? The World Cup bracket could provide the United States with a reasonable path to the quarterfinals, and perhaps even a dream run to the semis.
Sound impossible? Consider this scenario:
The United States qualifies for the Round of 16 as the second-place team in Group C. The Americans face surprising Serbia in the Round of 16. Tim Howard delivers a stunning performance in a 1-0 victory, setting up a quarterfinal match-up against none other than Mexico (which will have upset Argentina in a rematch of its 2006 Round of 16 loss).
The Americans, who haven't lost to Mexico outside of Mexico with their first team in more than a decade, will dispose of 'El Tri' yet again as head coach Javier Aguirre has flashbacks of 2002, when he coached Mexico's last World Cup loss to 'Los Gringos.'
Where would that put the United States in the semifinals? Pitted against none other than Spain, the same team the United States upset a year earlier in the Confederations Cup semis. Asking the Americans to upset Spain twice in a year is a bit too much to ask, though, so look for the Spaniards to exact revenge, leaving the United States to play in the third-place match against -- who else? -- England.
Beating England in a third-place match wouldn't matter, but it would be a sweet cap to a dream tournament run, the type of run that could really give soccer in America the boost it needs to climb into the national conversation.
This might all sound implausible, but so did a World Cup quarterfinal run in 2002, and so did a Confederations Cup final run last summer. The U.S. men's national team proved plenty of people wrong then, and stand poised to prove even more people wrong this summer.
-- Ives Galarcep
</H2>