Something About Every Player the USMNT is Bringing to the World Cup
Matt Turner: definitely our starter for the upcoming World Cup. One of the best in terms of shot-stopping. 100% save percentage right now for Arsenal in the Europa League. Well deserved start.
Ethan Horvath: a fantastic back up for the USMNT. His save in the Nations League final against Mexico cemented him as a legend. Provides reliability if we are forced to turn to him.
Sean Johnson: a veteran presence for the national team, which is never a bad thing to have at the World Cup. Has been quite good for NYCFC this season and has been a part of a system that plays out of the back.
Cameron Carter-Vickers: has been one of, if not the best, defender in the Scottish Premier League this season for Celtic. Absolutely deserving of his place and should be looked to as a starter in the back.
Tim Ream: a surprise inclusion for some USMNT followers, but certainly not undeserved. With Brooks and Richards out, Ream will be the best central defender on this roster. His age of 34 will both help and hinder his minutes, but expect him to be a starter at some point during the group stages.
Walker Zimmerman: currently playing for Nashville SC, he has consistently improved under club and country. A presence in both the air and on the ground, he makes a reliable back up for this roster.
Aaron Long: easily the most controversial inclusion for the defenders, ahead of other prospects like McKenzie or injured Richards and out-of-favor Brooks. But Long has played his career in systems built around pressing and while his current form might leave him out of the starting line up, he has been a staple of this team throughout qualifying.
Sergiño Dest: incredible talent that has at least been getting more consistent minutes since his move to Milan this past summer. A threat going forward, Dest’s chemistry with our starting wingers cannot be understated. Expect him to start at this World Cup.
Antonee Robinson: likely the USMNT’s most important defender due to his impact on both ends of the pitch. His speed is a great weapon on defense and he has been a mainstay at left-back for Fulham for several years.
Joe Scally: another absolute deserved inclusion. A 19-year old playing every game for Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga. Gladbach’s coach even praised him as their “player of the season” last year. Consistently overlooked in Europe, don’t be surprised if he gets the start over Dest.
DeAndre Yedlin: it cannot be understated how important his presence in the locker room will be. The only player on the roster who has been to a previous Word Cup. An electric youngster in 2014, he will be looked at as a level-headed leader in 2022.
Shaq Moore: the inclusion that surprised me the most, Moore had struggled in La Liga to find consistent minutes, but since moving to Nashville SC, he has been a top performer in the MLS. A sold back up for this roster.
Brenden Aaronson: an absolute revelation of a player this year at Leeds. The biggest critique from club fans has been that the youngster occasionally tries too hard. An elite presser, Aaronson is best at playing the “pass before the pass” and an excellent creator of goal scoring chances.
Tyler Adams: a similar stand out for Leeds, Adams has been looking like one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. Who I want to see wearing the USMNT captain armband, Adams is a leader on and off the pitch. Superb reader of the game.
Yunus Musah: a 19-year-old starter in La Liga, Musah has been instrumental to the USMNT’s game play. When Musah is not on the pitch, the team suffers. A true ball carrier, Musah is often where the USMNT’s attacks start.
Luca De La Torre: although questionable due to recent injury, USMNT fans let out a collective sigh of relief upon seeing De La Torre’s name. An essential back up for McKennie, De La Torre has decisively earned his spot on this roster.
Kellyn Acosta: going from Europe-Bound youngster to being dropped from the National Team and traded is tough to come back from and lesser players may have crumbled. But Acosta boards the flight to Qatar an MLS Cup Champion (with a stunning opening goal) and a well earned spot on the roster.
Weston McKennie: arguably one of the best players the US has ever produced, McKennie is a mainstay in Juventus’s midfield and often the only positive about many of their games. A personality that you need in your locker rooms and on the field, McKennie will look to be a stand-out performer at this Word Cup.
Christian Roldan: another controversial inclusion, but Roldan’s presence and tactical mindset can only benefit the US. While not expecting much playing time, Roldan is a coach in the making and his attitude will be instrumental in leading this young squad.
Christian Pulisic: heralded as the greatest USMNT player, Pulisic will be looking to prove himself at the World Cup. But to most USMNT fans, he long since has. A leader in the team, his ability and skill will be imperative for US success.
Giovanni Reyna: for a while, it was doubtful Reyna could stay healthy enough to make this roster, and while it is still unlikely he will play a full 90 this tournament, Reyna is the difference maker you need at the World Cup. It may be controversial to say, but the most talented player on this roster.
Timothy Weah: a player with the potential to be our most dangerous player during any given game, a hard worker on and off the ball. Weah has the potential to change a game when he comes on the field and is often overlooked by the fan base.
Josh Sargent: a story of perseverance. Looking like one of our best strikers in the youth leagues, Sargent struggled in bad teams under bad management and went through a downturn in form that ended him in the Championship where he become a formidable player once again.
Jordan Morris: another controversial inclusion. Once on the precipice of a move to Europe, Morris found himself instead fighting back from a gruesome injury. To see him make a World Cup roster is a heartening. With tough completion ahead of him, it is unlikely he will see much of the field, but Morris is always a hard worker during his minutes.
Haji Wright: a surprise inclusion in this roster, Wright has just 3 caps for the USMNT, where he scored only 1 goal. However, Wright has found form this season in the Turkish League, being one of the top strikers, and his like-for-like replacement for Ferreira puts him ahead of others who were fighting for this position.
Jesus Ferreira: his work rate off the ball truly cemented his place on this roster. While it is a toss up with Sargent over who starts, you’re likely to see Ferreira at the 9 in most of the games. While he sometimes occupies space in which our wingers like to develop, he is a worthy inclusion for work both on and off the ball.