After a hard road to Qatar, the United States Men's National Team will try to put their critics to rest when they play on the World Cup stage for the first time in eight years.
Four years ago, their inability to make the finals caused the sport's national governing body to do extensive introspection.
This occurred right as the female side was thriving.
But when they won one of CONCACAF's three guaranteed World Cup slots in March, it seemed as though they had exorcised the ghosts of that failed endeavour.
This was in spite of their campaign's mediocre beginning, which included draws against Canada and El Salvador.
Relief over the accomplishment was felt in the US, which, along with Canada and Mexico, will host the finals in 2026.
But if the old saying: “You’re only as good as your last performance,” is true, the Americans have plenty to worry about.
They failed to record a shot on goal in their penultimate warm-up match, a grim 2-0 defeat by Japan in September.
Days later, Saudi Arabia, ranked 51st in the world, held the US to a 0-0 draw as the Americans failed to find their rhythm.
Overall this year against World Cup contenders, the US record is worrying with one win, three draws and three losses.
Coach Gregg Berhalter said his side were moving in the right direction after the Saudi friendly, telling reporters they could be “very dangerous” when they get their confidence up.
“It comes down to a little bit of tightness, a little bit of a lack of confidence and anxiety,” Berhalter said.
“Everyone’s fighting for roster spots.
“And, you know, instead of coming out and really performing like the team we know we are, we lacked a little confidence.”
The US World Cup squad will be announced on November 9.
The heart of the team will be Christian Pulisic, the charismatic forward the US hope will drum up the sport’s popularity among fans usually more concerned with the NFL.
Berhalter, the youngest coach to manage the US since 1995 when he was appointed four years ago aged 45, knows all about the pressure of playing for the national team.
He was in the squad the last time the US reached the quarter-finals in 2002.
“Confidence is a tricky thing,” he said.
“We want them to just play and play with, you know, that aggression and that intensity and the speed that we know they can.”
The 16th-ranked Americans will need every bit of talent available to them when they take on fifth-ranked England in Group B alongside Iran and Wales.
Reuters/NAN.