The next six months could be the most important in U.S. soccer history. It may sound like an exaggeration, but it cannot be overstated how important the summer of 2024 will be for the country, which is only two years away from co-hosting the World Cup. Starting with the third Nations League in just under two weeks, the U.S. has three tournaments to play in in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
2024: A year of opportunity for U.S. Soccer
CONCACAF Nations League Final 4. All four teams will also automatically qualify for the 2024 Copa America to be held in the United States.
Panama🇵🇦
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Mexico🇲🇽Jamaica 🇯🇲
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America🇺🇸— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) November 22, 2023
During Gregg Berhalter's six-year reign as head coach, the U.S. men's national team has had to heal from the 2017 failure in Cuba. However, after qualifying in Qatar and making it through to the group stage, the wound has been stitched up and it's time to put more effort into it. Never before have so many Americans contributed to their teams at the highest level of club soccer. England's Premier League, Italy's Serie A, Germany's Bundesliga, Dutch Eredivisie, France's Ligue 1, and Spain's La Liga. Every league considered to be the top league in the world has Yanks who influence the top clubs. Never before has there been such an abundance of talent.
The Concacaf Nations League isn't necessarily a foregone conclusion, but bringing home the trophy for the third time in its three-year history is the bare minimum for now. But things really start in June when the Copa America is held in each state, with the United States, Mexico, Jamaica, Panama and two other Concacaf teams joining Conmebol's 10 teams.
A strong performance in the Copa America would be a big step for American soccer, with Conmebol touted as the second most soccer-rich region in the world after Europe. With matches against the likes of Brazil, Argentina and group stage opponent Uruguay, they will need to aim for a place in the semi-finals, but winning the entire tournament is not too far away and if they can do so, they will be on the radar of the rest of the teams. will collect. The rest of the world, and certainly at home, don't necessarily take it seriously.
The Paris Olympics will be held in July, and the team will likely receive even more attention. Now, true soccer fans know that the Olympics are not a great barometer of a country's soccer ability. This is an U-23 tournament, and three players over the age of 23 can be on the roster. But a motivated Neymar led Brazil to gold in 2014, so if you take it seriously, this watch could be a treat. This should be a great way to assess what kind of players the U.S. has in the pipeline that could help land Pulisic and others. A generation over the hump. For casual American viewers, just seeing the U.S. advance to the semifinals or win some kind of medal could go a long way toward supporting this country's team.
2026 has the potential to be more than just a launching pad for the growth of the sport. It could potentially put the United States on a trajectory to become a major threat on the world's biggest stage. It all starts with her three tournaments to prove to the country and the world this year. When the World Cup campaign begins at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe U.S. men's national team has the potential to make some noise as the host nation.
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