The non-MLS starting 11, the scary stat, the end of group drama, CONCACAF woes, Fox's stumbles and why the US women have a huge financial stake in this World Cup
When Gregg Berhalter dropped Nashville FC defender Walker Zimmerman and replaced him Tuesday with Cameron Carter-Vickers, he quietly achieved national-team history. It was the first time since the inception of Major League Soccer in 1996 that no current MLS players started for the U.S. in the World Cup — a span of 22 games.
It’s not a stinging indictment of MLS, which has made great strides in a mere 27 years — still in its infancy compared to its competition around the world — and has 37 players on World Cup rosters in Qatar. It just means it’s not there yet, nor is this country’s flawed youth development system. But Berhalter and Co. don’t have to actually “beat” the Dutch on Saturday. They can prevail in a penalty shootout, which in soccer statistics is counted as a draw.Hope you enjoyed the scintillating drama from Match Day 3 of the group stage, because this is the last time you’ll see it.
That also likely ends qualifying drama. There might still be some in Europe, which gets only three extra spots from 13 to 16. CONCACAF gets six plus a chance for a seventh through an intercontinental playoff. Asia gets eight, Africa nine. Oceania has a guaranteed berth now. The Qatar performance: 3-6-2 with a minus-13 goal differential. Canada and Costa Rica finished last in their groups, Mexico finished third and the U.S. second.
The flip side: The U.S. and Canada both sent young teams to Qatar with an eye toward 2026, and Mexico has too much talent, too good a domestic league and too strong a soccer culture not to reinvent itself in four years, when, remember, it will play games at altitude on home grass.The plan was to send a skeleton crew to Qatar and produce games remotely before the networkwith government-owned Qatar Airways and sent what it called “a little army” of 150 staffers.
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