USMNT World Cup group draw: USA react to getting England and Iran

There were three Concacaf qualifiers in three countries over seven days, a pair of red-eye flights, a lengthy coaching meeting in Qatar, FIFA pomp and grimace, and then multiple media interviews. It’s a lot to endure and absorb. But United States coach Gregg Berhalter still had enough energy to relish Friday’s World Cup draw in Doha, not to mention the opportunities and challenges awaiting his young side in November. That was what the last three years were for – all that effort, planning, and redesign. Absent in 2018, the American men are back in the World Cup.

“I don’t even know what day it is. But I go on emanations and it’s a positive type of emanations that you go on. I’m in the World Cup draw. I’m not complaining right now about being tired,” Berhalter said Friday.

There are complications amid the relief and excitement, underscored by the fact that the United States will face an undetermined opponent on November 21, the opening day of the World Cup. Alongside first-seeded and runners-up England England and Asian heavyweight Iran, the Americans landed in Group B with the country emerging from the qualifiers Wales v Scotland/Ukraine in June. Participating at the start of the World Cup eats into the potential preparation time, which was already abnormally short. Clubs are not required to release their players until November 14.

“We had planned to go to Dubai a week before with the whole team. I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Berhalter revealed. “So a bit of a change in plans depending on when we play, but we’ll deal with that.”

Moises Castillo/AP

The United States will use six matches played in June (four) and September (two) to prepare for the tournament. He will then have to start in Qatar. Following their opener against the UEFA playoff survivor, the Americans will play two story-heavy matches. First comes England, the top contender for the top-flight title who occupy an odd role, compared to the United States, as benchmark, barometer and condescending big brother. Group play then ends with Iran, the highest ranked team in Asia. The geopolitical connotations of this confrontation will generate many discussions between now and November.

They’re not the toughest group the United States could have drawn. Reigning champions France, Brazil, Argentina and Spain were among the elite seeds that were shunned. And the United States, who were placed in Pot 2 as FIFA’s 15th-ranked team, avoided having to face Pot 3 powerhouses Poland, Serbia and Senegal. , while long-time foes Ghana and, potentially, Peru were out-of-pot possibilities No.4. newspapers and Iran is an intriguing and possibly dangerous unknown.

“It was amazing to have England in our squad. I think it’s a game that always gets a lot of attention because of England and their fans, and their established place in football” , Berhalter said.

“Iran, in general, I think it’s going to be a big challenge for us. I’m a bit afraid that the public or the media will take Iran lightly. But they’re not a team to take it lightly. They’ll be a good opponent,” he added. “So overall it’s going to be a solid group. When you add this European team to it, it’s going to be a well-balanced group and it’s going to be difficult to move forward, but it’s positive, because I think everyone is going to fight and… I think it will be decided in the last match.

USA captain and qualifying stalwart Tyler Adams said groups tend to play out differently on the pitch than expected on paper.

“I feel like you’re starting to realize, now that you’re going through processes like qualifying and watching World Cups before, that there’s really no easy game,” explained the RB Leipzig midfielder. “When everyone is playing on such a stage, what you think is the easiest game ends up being the hardest game.

“So honestly, I had no expectations before [the draw]. I’ve had a few draws in the Champions League now, and I’ve had what’s ‘group of death’ where we had Man City and PSG and then I’ve had groups that are in quotes one bit easier. And they didn’t turn out any easier,” Adams added. “So for me, just before, it was just exciting to see our country called at the end of the day.”

Shortly after the United States was called, Christian Pulisic’s phone rang. It was his Chelsea teammate, Englishman Mason Mount.

Tess Derry/PA Pictures/Imago Pictures

“We are already talking, excited, looking forward to playing,” Pulisic said. “We are good friends, good teammates, and it will be interesting to play against them in a World Cup.”

Pulisic is one of the few American players with links to England. Several play in the Premier League or in the league, left-back Antonee Robinson is a native and midfielder Yunus Musah spent part of his childhood there. And these ties are just the beginning for two countries that share such important cultural and sporting ties. While one is the birthplace of the game and the other is relatively new, the exposure of English football in the United States is massive and its influence on American football is immeasurable. The young Americans will hope the familiarity will bridge some of the potential gap in experience and comfort in the World Cup spotlight.

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“I think everyone really knows a lot about England and what they have to offer, and their composition and their players, their caliber,” said American midfielder Weston McKennie. “We all know what we are up against and we are all quite familiar. Some players play with them in England. Some players play against them in England. Some play against another place. So we kind of know what our opponents will look like.

England are a surprising 0-1-1 at the World Cup against the United States, but the British press were predictably expecting a victory later on Friday. The Daily Mirror’s front page screamed “Yankee Doddle Dandy” – “doddle” is Britishism for something easy to accomplish – and called Group B “England’s Qatar Group of Life”. The Daily Mail called it “Dream Qatar World Cup Draw”.

This disrespect is not shared by England manager Gareth Southgate, who told the BBC: “They have good players and we know what they could be capable of as a nation. So that, in particular, is It’s an intriguing game.

Like Berhalter, Southgate prioritizes team culture and relationships and has presided over a shift in national team generations. England, who finished fourth in the 2018 World Cup and then lost the Euro final on penalties, are a more modern, close-knit and dynamic team than many predecessors. Berhalter was so impressed with Southgate’s work that he called the England manager while considering the job in the United States.

“Gareth was the first person I contacted outside of former American coaches, and the reason for that is that I saw a lot of synergies or similarities between the team he took over and the team we resumed,” Berhalter said. “We knew it would be a new generation of players coming. We knew we were going to be working with a very young group. I thought it was important to establish a strong culture within the team, and I chose his brain at the start of 2018.

“As soon as I was hired, my first trip [to Europe] I met him and we talked for a long time and we have stayed in touch since then. I consider him an excellent coach and have a lot of respect for what he has done with the program.

Hassan Ammar/AP

Berhalter is well aware, however, how the meaning and symbolism of this particular game can transcend others.

“You hear [new Leeds United coach] Jesse Marsch and some of his comments about what he has to go through, and I think at some point it’s almost too much, right? You are an experienced trainer. You’re doing very well and you’re treated like that. Whereas if he came from elsewhere, from Portugal for example, he would be treated completely differently. And [former Swansea City coach] Bob Bradley in the same way,” Berhalter said of how American coaches were viewed by the English press and public.

“I know there’s a lot of respect for American football, but I think it’s an opportunity. Of course, it’s an opportunity for us to show what we’re made of,” Berhalter continued. They’ve got a good team, but so are we. We’ve got a young team. We’ve got a sports team. We’ve got a team that’s not scared much, and it’s going to be a great game. And I think even for the fans , being so familiar with their players, their household names, and then seeing us face them, I think that will provide some context.

It will take more than seven months to dissect the multitude of intrigues and discussion threads. Iran will become less of a mystery and that opener opponent will emerge. On Friday, as Berhalter and his players took it all, it was more about the excitement of getting back to that stage and, as Adams said, just seeing the United States included in the draw and imagine what might be possible.

“Qualifying for the World Cup was a task that we had to do, and we ticked it off. But now is when we are going to be able to enjoy this moment as players,” Adams said. “We wanted, again, changing the way everyone perceives us as players and as a nation, and ultimately earning the respect of fans around the world, not to mention our own fans, so it will be important that we now have the state of mind before this tournament that we have very good performances.

Pulisic does not want to wait. In fact, he said he was happy to play the first day.

“To be honest, the sooner the better for me. I think it will be good to play from the start of the tournament,” he said. “I’m just counting the days, so I guess the the sooner the better. I don’t really mind. I’m just looking forward to it.

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