YOUNG AMERICANS
The USMNT was by far the youngest team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, garnering valuable experience going through the rigors of World Cup qualifying. Through 14 qualifiers, the USA Starting XI came in at an average of 23.82, almost two years younger than the next closest team, Ghana at 25.67. Together, the other 31 participating teams averaged a Starting XI age of 27.5 through qualifying, nearly four full years older than the U.S. Sources say this is one of the youngest, but most talented teams the U.S. has ever fielded. While they may not win the world cup this year, they may garner the experience needed to make a serious run on home soil in the year 2026 when the World Cup comes back to North America.
2022 USA World Cup Roster
FORWARDS
Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders)
Christian Pulisic (Chelsea)
Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund)
Josh Sargent (Norwich City)
Timothy Weah (Lille)
Haji Wright (Antalyaspor)
DEFENDERS
Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic)
Sergiño Dest (AC Milan)
Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls)
Shaq Moore (Nashville SC)
Tim Ream (Fulham)
Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach)
DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami)
Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
GOALKEEPERS
Ethan Horvath (Luton Town)
Sean Johnson (NYCFC)
Matt Turner (Arsenal) [Reply]
Originally Posted by TripleThreat:
Pulisic & Aaronson would be safe choices.
Do we think Pulisic could run the 40-yard dash in under 4.8? I myself am very impressed by Ronaldo's 30 inch max vert. Perhaps Pulisic is very similar. I've read Pulisic is a great athlete! If only we could get these guys to play defensive back for the Chiefs! Think how good they would be with their amazing athletic ability [Reply]
Originally Posted by BWillie:
Do we think Pulisic could run the 40-yard dash in under 4.8? I myself am very impressed by Ronaldo's 30 inch max vert. Perhaps Pulisic is very similar. I've read Pulisic is a great athlete! If only we could get these guys to play defensive back for the Chiefs! Think how good they would be with their amazing athletic ability
Originally Posted by Razaele:
He is nowhere close to one of the world’s better players.
I wouldn’t be that dramatic about it. If he’s not close to the better players around the world then who is?
He’s not in the mbappe, Suarez, lewandowski, Ronaldo category, but he is fighting to earn a spot right below that bracket. He’s on that cusp, so I think you could make an argument either way, and me being biased wouldn’t be a fair assessment. [Reply]
There's a reason why Pulisic has been mostly a bench player for both Chelsea and Dortmund. He will have 2 or 3 absolutely incredible games a season and in the other 20+ games he plays he will be anonymous and stink up the place. He has the talent to be a great player but he always follows a great performance up with 3 bad ones. I'm now past getting excited when he does show up and I no longer think "this could be his moment to kick on" because he never does. Hopefully he plays well enough in this World Cup so we can get more money from his sale. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Womble:
There's a reason why Pulisic has been mostly a bench player for both Chelsea and Dortmund. He will have 2 or 3 absolutely incredible games a season and in the other 20+ games he plays he will be anonymous and stink up the place. He has the talent to be a great player but he always follows a great performance up with 3 bad ones. I'm now past getting excited when he does show up and I no longer think "this could be his moment to kick on" because he never does. Hopefully he plays well enough in this World Cup so we can get more money from his sale.
To be fair, though, Chelsea have had no leadership at all this season. Tuchel made all those big moves and the team regressed back to their natural position at the middle of the table. Sterling is about the same player as Pulisic at this point in their careers so that move was just stupid to spend that much on a like for like replacement essentially. I don’t think anyone will be upset when Pulisic is free from that nightmare. That ship has been sinking for awhile and Pulisic has wanted off. It’s sad they couldn’t free him during the last transfer window [Reply]
Originally Posted by TripleThreat:
I wouldn’t be that dramatic about it. If he’s not close to the better players around the world then who is?
He’s not in the mbappe, Suarez, lewandowski, Ronaldo category, but he is fighting to earn a spot right below that bracket. He’s on that cusp, so I think you could make an argument either way, and me being biased wouldn’t be a fair assessment.
He is nowhere near that good. He isn't in the top 20 players in the Premier League. He doesn't get into Chelsea's first team.
He has good potential but hasn't tranlsated to consistent form at the moment. Hopefully he manages to at some stage. [Reply]
