The United States will not win the World Cup in 2022, unfortunately for American fans. A 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Netherlands ensured that.
Of course, it was a young American team with only a handful of team calls that failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. For example, the USMNT was the second-youngest team in this year’s World Cup. Only Ghana, who exited in the group stage, had a younger team.
Thus, the likes of Tyler Adams, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, and other young stars gained invaluable experience. That experience may come in handy in 2026. Then these players will play a World Cup on home soil, a rare privilege for any player.
However, the question remains whether or not the US will ever win a World Cup. The signs of improvement in the squad are clear. The Stars and Stripes went toe to toe with England in the group stage, even if there was a draw. Also, he left the group. That’s something Germany, Belgium, Denmark and rivals Mexico can’t say.
At the same time, while the US is showing progress, other more soccer-focused nations are showing just as much progress, if not more. France and England fielded young teams at the 2018 World Cup. While France won, England finished fourth. The two teams that will meet in the 2022 quarterfinals are among the favorites and, once again, each are among the 10 youngest teams at this World Cup.
Can the United States win a World Cup in our lifetime?
Regardless, the potential and projections of this batch of American talent is something to celebrate. There are players at the best clubs across Europe, and Major League Soccer continues to grow.
Winning the World Cup is a tall order, particularly as only eight countries can claim to have won the competition in their history. On top of that, only the nations of Europe and South America claim the honor. The furthest any North American team ever got was the United States, but that was before World War II when they finished third.
So, what do you say? Can the United States win the World Cup in our lifetime? If so, what needs to happen for that dream to come true?
World Cup 2022 Guide
Here are some resources to help you make the most of the biggest event in soccer!
