When it comes to men’s soccer, the US national team hasn’t quite hit the heights that fans would like. So far, the USMNT’s best finish at a World Cup has been reaching the quarter-finals back in 2002. Most recently, the team failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia but will now be playing in Qatar after finishing third in their group. They’ll be playing in Group B alongside England, Wales, and Iran.
Most sportsbooks have the USA as the second-favorites to advance from the group, although the odds are fairly close between them and Wales. Meanwhile, they’re a huge underdog to win the tournament at odds higher than +20000. Not many people rate the USMNT’s chances in Qatar, but could they upset the odds? If you’d like to bet on this tournament, you can find all the latest World Cup odds at Betway. Here are some of the reasons why team USA could upset the odds.
Stronger Defense
Over the past few seasons, the USMNT has undergone a lot of big changes. Failing to qualify for Russia in 2018 was a huge blow to the team and saw several managerial changes. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann left after consecutive losses to Mexico and Costa Rica and was replaced by Bruce Arena. However, Arena failed to turn things around for Team USA, and they failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
Since then, Gregg Berhalter has come in as the permanent head coach, and the former USMNT defender has brought some steel to the defense of this team. Under Berhalter, the U.S. defends in a 4-3-3 shape and often presses in the attacking half. The press is the defining feature of the team’s defensive style, allowing them to win possession in the opposition half and defend as a team.
Under Berhalter, the defense has improved significantly over the past two World Cup qualifying campaigns. The United States missed the World Cup in the 2018 cycle after giving up 1.3 goals per game. In comparison, the team allowed the fewest expected goals (xG) in the Concacaf qualifying of 2022, surrendering just 0.7 goals per game.
Matt Turner has also been a huge factor, with the former MLS goalkeeper of the year and current Arsenal player showing an exceptionally high save percentage rate compared to his peers. Everyone knows that championships are won on defense, and this could be a key factor in the heat of the Qatar World Cup.
Anticipation of 2026
One of the most overlooked factors in how successful the USMNT could be in this World Cup is the anticipation of 2026. Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you’ll be aware that the US and Canada will be hosting the World Cup in 2026. This is huge news and will give the country an opportunity to show just how big soccer has grown over the past few decades.
Every player in the current squad will be hoping that they get the opportunity to play in the World Cup on home soil. It will be a huge moment in any athlete’s career, and some good performances in Qatar could be enough to guarantee them a place in the squad. Although it’s still four years away, it can make all the difference to who the coach considers for the 2026 squad. Therefore, this factor definitely shouldn’t be overlooked.
Aside from that, the standard of play in the MLS has been steadily growing over the last few years, and this has led to a big increase in the number of options available. Although there’s no one of the level of Clint Dempsey or Landon Donovan, the USMNT is more well-rounded than ever before.
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