They may have reached the semi-finals in 1930, written ‘The Miracle of Belo Horizonte’ in 1950 and terrified Germany in the 2002 quarter-finals, but something’s not up for discussion: the most star-stacked squad in USA history will head to Qatar for the World Cup.
While Gregg Berhalter’s most esteemed team-mates 20 years ago were based with Blackburn Rovers, Colombus Crew, DC United, San Jose Earthquakes and Sunderland, the former defender can now call upon pupils owned by Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Juventus and Manchester City.
As an American golden generation prepares to test themselves against the global elite, FIFA+ picks out five talents they will rely on to advance from a group that also includes England, IR Iran and Wales.
Christian Pulisic
Position: Attacking midfielder
Age: 23
It took Milton S. Hershey, indebted to the Hersey’s Kiss, merely 15 years to found a chocolate confectionary and transform it into the biggest of its kind in America. It took the Pennsylvanian city’s second-most famous son just over a third of that time to rocket from pro debutant to the most successful soccer player his country has ever produced.
Pulisic has already inspired Borussia Dortmund to DFB-Pokal glory, and helped Chelsea win the UEFA Champions League – he dazzled at the Bernabeu and Stamford Bridge as they eliminated Real Madrid in the semi-finals – the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
And ‘Captain America’ is not only the poster boy for the Stars and Stripes, but also their main man. Pulisic has set innumerable USMNT records, headlined their Concacaf Nations League conquest, and boasts 21 goals and 10 assists from 51 caps.
“He’s unbelievable on the ball – one of the most creative players in the game,” raved Berhalter. “Then you have his energy, his pressing, his leadership. I think he can have a big World Cup.”
A ’big’ tournament would, perhaps, prove dissatisfactory to this uber-ambitious playmaker. After lifting a trophy on the Arabian Peninsula at the start of 2022, Pulisic wants to end the year there with the sport’s biggest prize.
“We're going to go in with the mentality and mindset of wanting to win the World Cup,” he declared. “That's exactly where our heads are going to be at, and we're going to go in and believe it. Because if you believe, I think you can do it.”
Sergino Dest
Position: Right-back
Age: 21
“Spectacularly good,” was how Xavi described Sergino Dest. Berhalter agrees: “We’re very fortunate to have Sergino. It’s like having two players in one.”
The USMNT are not only blessed because Dest is as good at terrorising fullbacks as he is at nullifying wingers, but also because he was wanted by the Netherlands, his nation of birth. Dest’s first trip to the US – his father hails from Brooklyn, New York City – nevertheless made an indelible impression on him.
“It was 2014,” he said. “The World Cup was on. I remember how big of a deal it was. I knew then I wanted to wear the US shirt.”
Dest is immoderately experienced for his age, having appeared in two FIFA youth competitions and represented Ajax, Barcelona and AC Milan, whom he recently joined on loan because “I need to get as many minutes in as possible for the World Cup”.
“He can defend,” said Berhalter. “His attacking play is unreal. The sky’s the limit for him.”
Weston McKennie
Position: Midfielder
Age: 24
McKennie has been “obsessed with the World Cup” since he was seven. An American living in Kaiserslautern, where his father was a US Air Force sergeant, he got to meet his idol before USA played Poland in a Germany 2006 warm-up, with Landon Donovan signing Weston’s cleats. Now McKennie, a box-to-box midfielder who has been juxtaposed with Edgar Davids and Arturo Vidal, is set to realise his dream at Qatar 2022.
“The first time I saw him I couldn’t believe his energy,” said Berhalter. “He’s still the same. On the field, off of it. He never wants to stop training. He’s powerful. He’s good at winning the ball. He’s become really efficient.”
McKennie, who is now in his seventh season in Europe and third at Juventus, also has experience belying his birth certificate. A huge Harry Potter fan, can the Fort Lewis native help write American fantasy on the Persian gulf?
Yunus Musah
Position: Midfielder
Age: 19
Gareth Southgate has enthused over the depth of midfield options at his disposal. The fact he made a personal plea to sway Musuh, who won over 30 caps for England at youth level, to commit his senior international future to the Three Lions speaks volumes about how highly he values the prodigy.
The Valenica man’s rejection of that offer was a resounding boost for Berhalter, who has already handed the New York City native 19 caps, a majority on the right of a midfield three. Musah boasts power, sprinter’s pace and electrifying dribbling, has taken inspiration from N’Golo Kante, Paul Pogba and Christian Pulisic, and has reportedly interested Barcelona.
“Stopping him is a big problem for any team,” said Berhalter. “He constantly drives at defences. He’s so fast, agile, mobile and keeps the ball close to his feet.”
Ricardo Pepi
Position: Forward
Age: 19
Berhalter couldn’t stop striker-tinkering until he saw ‘The Train’. “Incredible,” the USA coach said of Pepi’s international debut in September 2021. “Eighteen years old – just incredible.”
Pepi now has nine starts for the Stars and Stripes to his name, and Berhalter continues to be in awe: “He’s intelligent, he makes great runs, he scores goals – he’s got all the tools.”
The El Paso, Texas native, who elected to pursue representing USA over Mexico, joined Augsburg in January and is now on loan at Groningen in the No9 jersey sported so admirably by Luis Suarez.
It's another legendary, Qatar-bound striker to whom former USMNT international Heath Pearce elected to compare the boy wonder: “Ricardo Pepi is probably the best natural finisher that the US has ever had. When you watch Pepi score, his goals are similar to a Lewandowski. He scores in every single way, from everywhere on the pitch.”
