The United States Men’s National Team failed in their World Cup run at the hands of the Netherlands. The Dutch team may have had less possession and fewer shot attempts. However, it still seemed much stronger than its American opposition.
A credit to the Dutch, Louis van Gaal came out and said that the United States did not adapt or adjust. Gregg Berhalter kept the same formula offensively and defensively with his young unit. And, despite several players plying his trade in Europe, Berhalter added that he didn’t have a ‘Memphis Depay’ at his disposal. Memphis scored the first goal and Daley Blind reflected his goal just before halftime.
It was always going to be a difficult task leading the Oranje. Memphis Depay is a great talent when he’s on his game. Virgil van Dijk is still one of the best defenders in the world. Frenkie de Jong is a midfield game changer for both club and country.
Still, the World Cup knockout showed something else. He showed the need for the United States to play in elite competition.
That could be a USMNT entry in the UEFA Nations League or Copa América, as it has on several occasions in the past. The opportunity for growth and experience is essential if this team wants to achieve the dreams of success that it has set for itself.
A need for superior experience
Mexico and Canada are good teams. Costa Rica is getting old, but it has certainly posed a challenge to the United States over the last decade or so. The constant opposition against these CONCACAF teams did well to make the United States the best team on the continent. That is, at least, looking at the Gold Cup and the CONCACAF Nations League.
What it didn’t do, however, was prepare the United States for big, meaningful games against teams packed with world-class talent. While the Netherlands had “warm-up” games in the Nations League against Belgium, Poland and Wales, all World Cup teams, the United States played Nations League games in June against Grenada and El Salvador. Those two countries have a combined two World Cup appearances, and none in the last 40 years.
The Netherlands, in addition to being talented both on and off the pitch, must adapt to play different styles of play against those opponents. Belgium, Poland and Wales are different teams that have players who can compete with the Dutch. For the United States, his talent simply surpasses both Grenada and El Salvador. That said, Berhalter’s squad only drew with El Salvador, 1-1, with Jordan Morris saving a point in stoppage time.
A USMNT appearance in the UEFA Nations League
It may seem like a crazy idea to jump from CONCACAF to UEFA for the Nations League. To be fair, there have been no intercontinental jumps for the League of Nations. The closest thing to this outside of friendlies is the Finalissima, most recently contested between Copa América winner Argentina and Euro 2020 champions Italy.
However, it is possible that teams from South America will compete in the UEFA Nations League soon for the same reason that the United States should. CONMEBOL’s 10 teams are considering joining the UEFA Nations League starting in 2024. To accommodate them, the top six teams in the World Cup qualifying table would join Liga A, the top division. That means Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia will join League A. The other four teams would join League B.
All games would be held in Europe to limit necessary travel to South America.
The reason CONMEBOL linked up with UEFA is to present direct competition to FIFA’s plans for a biennial World Cup. However, it also provides more interaction and practice between elite teams. Argentina and Brazil are surefire contenders in every World Cup. However, this gives teams like Ecuador, Peru or Chile more games against top European rivals on a regular basis.
How the USMNT can fit in with the best teams
As we saw in the World Cup with the USA against Iran, the USMNT fielded a roster that was based in Europe for the first time in its history.
Having the vast majority of USMNT players playing in Europe means that it makes more sense for the national team to play competitive games in Europe than in the United States or South America. It’s less travel for the players and provides the United States with tough tests on the road against European competition.
We have seen how competitive European teams are in the UEFA Nations League.
Also, looking at the last four World Cup tournaments, the winners have all been European teams. Facing European competition would be a tougher test for the United States. That experience is valuable.
Logistically speaking, it may be overkill to see the USMNT compete in the UEFA Nations League. That being said, the inclusion of South American teams sets a precedent. The unfortunate case for the United States is the missed opportunity to make a North American and South American League of Nations. Competing against Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Uruguay would greatly add to the experience of an increasingly younger USMNT team.
However, there is still the possibility of competing in the Copa América, a South American tournament that usually sends invitations to other teams. The United States played in four Copa América tournaments since 1993. In two of them, they were eliminated in the group stage. In the other two, they reached the semifinals, losing to Argentina and Brazil.
In addition, it hosted the 2016 tournament when it lost to Argentina. The United States played Colombia, Costa Rica, and Paraguay in the group stage, winning two and losing one. The Stars and Stripes then defeated Ecuador in the quarterfinals. The 2016 tournament was the only instance of the Copa América not taking place in a CONMEBOL country.
Grant Wahl, a reporter covering the USMNT, says the United States “absolutely has to play” in the 2024 Copa América. Wahl even went so far as to say that it should consider hosting the tournament. Wahl added that Ecuador, the intended host, has lost interest in hosting the 2024 Copa América. It could create an opportunity for 2026 host cities.
On that subject, the 2026 World Cup means no World Cup qualifying games. Those were the best competitive games this batch of USMNT players had, as is the case with many teams. For example, Qatar did not play competitive matches in preparation to host the World Cup. They are the first host nation not to score a point in the group stage, and only the second not to reach the knockout stage.
competitive games
Whether those competitive games come from the Copa América or the UEFA Nations League, they are paramount to the USMNT. In 2026, the expectations for the current team will be higher. Fans will not only expect better quality, they will also expect a better tournament.
If Gregg Berhalter remains manager until then, he must try different tactics and player selections against top teams. He was wrong against the Netherlands, but he will not be allowed to be wrong as one of the three host nations.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Colorsport
