The Concacaf Nations League may not be prestigious or historic. It doesn’t capture the imagination, or even much attention. But the region’s secondary men’s national team tournament is a reminder that there’s more to international soccer than the four-week World Cup. That competition, while drowning in prestige and history, doesn’t necessarily have to define a given player. It doesn’t have to be a coda.
We’re more than three months removed from Qatar, and the U.S. already is a bit of a different team. There are obvious and significant changes at the top, where the resignations of U.S. Soccer Federation sporting director Earnie Stewart and men’s GM Brian McBride, along with the expiration of coach Gregg Berhalter’s contract, has left a leadership void. There’s also change in the locker room, where the young core that reached the round of 16 are now seasoned international veterans hitting their primes. Tyler Adams, who was 23 at the time, proved to be a model captain in Qatar, while the evolution in Christian Pulisic’s tone and approach has been noticeable.
Then there are the twists in individual on-field fortunes and trajectories. Missing a World Cup, through exclusion or injury—or stumbling once you’re there—can be devastating. But it’s not a death knell. During Nations League wins at Grenada (7–1 last Friday) and over El Salvador (1–0 on Monday), several men just a few months removed from disappointment successfully reinserted themselves into the U.S. picture.
