Call it vindication, or vengeance, or the USMNT’s rendition of the “Redeem Team.” The Americans are back on the big stage after a disastrous qualifying campaign left them watching the 2018 tournament from home. 2022’s qualifying run wasn’t always pretty, but key results against Mexico and Concacaf’s weaker teams gave the U.S. enough cushion to secure a spot in this year’s World Cup.
It’s been a long journey from the embarrassment in October 2017, one that began with the hiring of Gregg Berhalter in December of the following year. Since then, the U.S. has developed a number of young promising prospects into stars and built a squad capable of winning every Concacaf competition.
In June 2021, the U.S. beat Mexico in a thrilling Nations League final, then just weeks later topped El Tri again in the Gold Cup final with a markedly different squad. Pair those results with a win over Mexico in qualifying, and the Americans picked up three consecutive wins against their neighborly rivals for the first time since 2007.
