USMNT World Cup expert predictions: How far will Christian Pulisic and USA soccer make it?
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- USMNT will host the FIFA World Cup for the second time, seeking to end a 24‑year knockout‑stage drought since a 0‑0 draw with Mexico in Jeonju, South Korea.
- Folarin Balogun is singled out by expert Cattry as the USMNT’s best player, expected to thrive in Mauricio Pochettino’s attack‑focused system.
- Weston McKennie is highlighted by both Cattry and Booth as a breakout performer, with Herrera naming Ricardo Pepi as an alternative breakout forward.
- USMNT is projected by all three experts (Cattry, Booth, Herrera) to be eliminated in the Round of 16, despite the expanded 48‑team format.
- Cattry contends that a quarter‑final appearance would be the benchmark for a successful tournament, the deepest run since 2002.
- Booth adds that a respectable Round of 16 finish without a blowout would satisfy the team, though the host nation’s public will likely demand a deeper run.
Why it matters: A quarter‑final run would be the deepest USMNT performance since 2002, allowing the U.S. fanbase to latch onto the team longer and potentially altering international perceptions of the program. It would also let McKennie become a face of the USMNT, while a Round of 16 exit would be viewed as a modest outcome for a host.
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