:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70694481/1388085281.0.jpg)
THE USMNT IS BACK IN THE WORLD CUP
That’s it, pack it up, show’s over. That’s the article.
The United States Men’s National Team has qualified for the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, and that’s all that matters.
I know from literal decades of experience that the U.S. plays worse in Costa Rica than any other CONCACAF nation (including Mexico), yet games like this still manage to surprise. Sports are so dumb.
— Alexander Abnos (@AnAbnos) March 31, 2022
Ok, ok, fine, let’s talk a tiny little bit about the Costa Rica game.
The USMNT went to Costa Rica, a qualifying fixture that the USMNT has never won, and, with qualification all but assured, a pretty first choice squad (missing key players from injury) coming off short rest from two extremely important games within the week with only small amounts of rotation (and a stomach bug, apparently) went and lost 2-0 against a rotated and fresh team of Costa Rican freshman who were hungry to show that they should go to the World Cup. That’s the story. That’s what happened!
What did we learn? I don’t know, man. That Berhalter should have rotated and rested Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman? That the USMNT is more liable to give up goals when Tyler Adams is not on the field? Like, whatever. Yeah, ok, those things are true, but who cares? We are going back to the World Cup!!
Losing the last game sucks, but, you know what? There’s no trophy for finishing top of qualifying. Finishing first and finishing third have the exact same prize. And it’s a very nice prize.
No one will care how you qualified in November.
— Jeremiah Oshan (@JeremiahOshan) March 31, 2022
You know what I learned? What I really, really learned?
The point v. Mexico turned out to matter A LOT. If Costa Rica actually could have overtaken the USMNT on points, losing that game would have felt a whole heck of a lot different.
World Cup qualifying is like really, really hard. And missing it sucks so, so, so freaking much. I for one have learned not to take qualifying for granted.
THE UNITED STATES MEN’s NATIONAL TEAM IS GOING BACK TO THE WORLD CUP. We are in the World Cup! We are going to Qatar! We are in the World Cup!!
I feel like it would be nice to finish just with some words from the players who actually did the job of qualifying, just what it meant to them.
I remember where I was when we failed to qualify for 2018. I couldn’t fathom that as a fan, and I sure as hell didn’t think I would have anything to do with getting our country back to the World Cup! What’s a journey it’s been, thanks for sticking with us through thick and thin https://t.co/1BOFTlqYvp
— Matt Turner (@headdturnerr) March 31, 2022
Cristian Roldan on qualifying for #Qatar2022: "We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but the important thing is we stuck together. There were a lot of young guys getting a lot of experience and we’re going to be better off because of it. ... I’m really excited for the future."
— Jeremiah Oshan (@JeremiahOshan) March 31, 2022
Se sumó un periodista más a la zona mixta con Tyler Adams #USMNT pic.twitter.com/hSD9USFQEx
— Daniel Nohra (@cantogoles) March 31, 2022
The FIFA World Cup draw will take place this Friday, April 1st, and will determine who the US will face in Qatar. In the meantime, why don’t you tell us a bit about your own celebration performance in the comments section down below? Oh, and one final thing:
THE USMNT IS GOING TO THE WORLD CUP!
Loading comments...