The World Cup Final is the jewel in the crown of the beautiful game, and this year’s event is sure to surpass all others, with more teams than ever and the action taking place across huge distances in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
While the 1994 edition of the finals, also held in the United States, opened the doors for the popularization of soccer in the country, the host nation was largely unheralded and surprised many with progression from the group stage, including a memorable 2-1 victory over Colombia. But fast forward more than 30 years and (one of) the hosts will have bigger expectations for their heroes. So what can the USA hope to achieve this time round?
Realistic expectations
The facts laid bare don’t stack well in the United States’ favor. While the US has had good runs in some World Cups, the quarter-final against Germany in 2002 stands out; they have never beaten a team from Europe or outside Concacaf in a knockout match before.
To get to the latter stages of the competition, they’d likely have to best teams from Europe or South America several times, and that is no mean feat.
On the other hand, they have what many are calling a ‘golden generation’ squad of players, although not everyone agrees with that moniker. That said, the squad, featuring the likes of Champions League winner Christian Pulisic, Juve’s Weston McKennie, Marseille’s Tim Weah, Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams and Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards, is certainly a strong one. The home advantage might also reap dividends, as highly partisan crowds cheer them on from the great stadia of the continent.
The group stage
While it is highly unlikely we’ll see this group of players lift the trophy this time round, the team does have a good chance of getting out of the group stage and into the knockout phase of the tournament.
While their opponents won’t be a pushover, many pundits and bookmakers are favoring the US to reach the second round, with bonuses such as 100% deposit matches and first bet resets from some of the best apps to bet on the World Cup. For instance, BetMGM gives odds of +140 to the USA team to beat Turkey. They’ll also face Paraguay and Australia, which may seem like a soft draw, but all of those teams have been known to upset major players in tournaments gone by. A great opportunity to reach the knockout stages stands before this group of players.
Further popularization of the game
1994 was seen as a way to introduce soccer to the US, and in subsequent decades the game has become hugely popular at elite and grassroots levels. Top-level competitors such as Lionel Messi now compete in the MLS franchise, and hosting a World Cup will only add to the game’s appeal on the continent. Soccer is among the most played, supported, and bet-on sports in North America now, and is a firm fixture at high-school and college level. It has also created many global franchises which attract supporters from around the world. Let’s see if the North and Central American World Cup can match the heady heights of previous tournaments.
It seems highly optimistic to expect the United States to lift the ultimate prize in global soccer. But with a strong squad, wild and dedicated supporters, and home-soil advantage, a run through to the knockout stages could be on the cards, and a thrilling spectacle it would be.