For the USMNT, a failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup would have been catastrophic, almost unimaginable considering how many players in the squad ply their trade at strong European clubs. However, because of the disappointment from 2018’s cycle, it was not unimaginable, and this young group got the job done while learning and growing along the way. Of course, it would have been nice to beat Costa Rica Wednesday night and finish top of Concacaf, but in the end booking a ticket to Qatar was the goal, and it was accomplished.

Christian Pulisic deserved to play in Russia in 2018, but he missed out after being let down by most of his teammates. At times during that qualification process it looked like the U.S’s attack was a one man show, and while Pulisic is still Captain America, others such as Weston Mckennie, Gio Reyna, Tim Weah, Ricardo Pepi, and Brenden Aaronson have stepped up in big moments to deliver goals or create key chances this cycle. All of these players are still so young but for the first time it feels like the USMNT has real depth going forward, and when everyone is healthy Gregg Berhalter will have a headache deciding who joins Pulisic in the front three.

This qualification cycle was a journey where the country had to put faith in exciting young talents who were also unproven. CONCACAF matches can be chaotic, and it is especially difficult to win away from home, as the U.S showed by winning just one of them. Yet it is still impressive to see a team that would field as many as four teenagers on the field at once handle the huge expectations, and get the job done. This squad’s youth could be their eventual downfall, but it also gives them irrational confidence such as when Mckennie and Yunus Musah slice and swerve through midfield, or when Weah chops and flicks his way around fullbacks. The fearlessness they have shown is admirable, and a big reason why they successfully navigated qualification. 

Now that qualification has been achieved, all eyes will be on keeping everyone healthy, if anyone can emerge from the unknown and into the squad, and position battles at goalkeeper, center back, right wing, and most openly, striker. As stated earlier, Berhalter has many choices going forward, but the issue is that most of these players are primarily creators. He and many others will be hoping one of the American’s true number nines will step up in the coming months and make the position their own. Pepi, Jordan Pefok, Josh Sargent, Jesus Ferreira, and Daryl Dike have all had a shot, yet none have made the position their own. Finding a reliable striker and hoping everyone stays healthy are the two main goals for Berhalter and his staff until Qatar.

The U.S will obviously want to go as far as possible in Qatar, and put in quality performances, but it is no secret that many fans are hoping this tournament will be a building block for the 2026 edition on home soil. The team is still so young, so expectations must be dampened a little bit for 2022 despite it being unquestionably the most talented American side ever. They have won trophies recently, by bringing in the Nations League and Gold Cup last summer but the World Cup is obviously a completely different beast. It is truly the greatest platform in soccer, maybe even the greatest in all of sports. Gaining experience and putting on a good showing will be crucial in 2022 in order to really go for it as many of these current young talents enter their primes in 2026. 

The USMNT has officially qualified for the World Cup in 2022, and while this was the expectation it should also be celebrated. This crop of players has breathed new life into the country’s soccer hopes, and now we wait to see what they can do on the biggest stage.