The U.S. World Cup roster is out, and the list of 26 men who will carry the Stars and Stripes in Qatar is a reminder that while the tournament is a culmination of four years of tactical and individual development—and of the careful establishment of on-field and locker room chemistry and culture—it’s also an event that happens at a single moment in time.
As much as U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter has stressed the former while guiding an historically young roster back to the World Cup after an eight-year absence, several of the names announced Wednesday reveal his acknowledgement that temporary form, or just sheer talent, matters too.
The biggest shock is the exclusion of goalkeeper Zack Steffen, whose status had slipped somewhat over the past year but who still seemed like a lock to be one of the three World Cup netminders. Arsenal’s Matt Turner now appears to be the likely U.S. starter in Qatar. Other noteworthy exclusions are striker Ricardo Pepi, who was a World Cup qualifying hero last fall; fellow forward Jordan Pefok, a regular scorer at the club level; and veteran winger Paul Arriola, who’s been a Berhalter favorite.
