Bold USMNT predictions for 2023

Happy New Year! We have made it to 2023, and fresh off a World Cup year, the USMNT still have a lot to accomplish as we enter a new cycle. With this cycle ending with the United States co-hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside North American neighbors Canada and Mexico, the USMNT will have plenty of opportunities to find the opponents it feels can help them improve over the next 3 years.

However, this year they have some confederation titles to defend in the form of the Concacaf Nations League and Concacaf Gold Cup. They will also have some friendlies where they could schedule some big name teams to play in the fall. So, what could the USMNT do this year? Let’s set some predictions!

The USMNT will repeat as Concacaf Nations League champions.

The USMNT enter 2023 as the only team to ever win the Concacaf Nations League, and the team will make sure they continue to own the greatest tournament on the planet. They will reach the final, where they will not play Mexico, and they will easily win the final to once again hoist the Nations League trophy.

The USMNT will once again beat Mexico in the Gold Cup final.

The USMNT also will get back to the Gold Cup final, where once again it will be USA vs. Mexico. The USMNT, who haven’t lost to the USMNT since September 2019, will continue to dominate against their biggest rivals. It may not be Dos A Cero, but the USMNT will have tired arms from lifting the Gold Cup trophy after a victory over Mexico.

The USMNT will finish just shy of the top 10.

The USMNT will do well enough with winning the Nations League and Gold Cup to raise a few spots in the FIFA World Rankings, but the lack of other competitions or qualifying will see them end 2023 at #11, just outside of the top 10.

Gregg Berhalter will still be the coach at the end of the year.

The biggest question for the USMNT is who will be their coach for the next cycle. Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired yesterday, and everyone is still unclear on whether he will return in his role as head coach. When the calendar hits December 31st, Gregg Berhalter will still be the coach of the United States Men’s National Team, having signed on for another year and a half to cover the 2024 Copa América.

The USMNT will beat a European team on the road.

The USMNT will have a couple of friendlies on the road in Europe in the fall, where they will have a true road test against a European team. That test will be successful, with the USMNT beating a European team at their house for the first time since they beat Northern Ireland in Belfast in March 2021.

Only 5 goals will be conceded by the USMNT in 2023.

The USMNT will play at least 18 matches in 2023 if they advance to both the Nations League final and the Gold Cup final. It will be a very good year defensively for the USMNT. Led by the establishment of Matt Turner as the starting goalkeeper for the foreseeable future, the USMNT only concede 5 goals this year.

The USMNT will score 9 goals in one match.

There will be one match in 2023 where the USMNT will put it all together offensively. The most goals that the USMNT have scored in a single match in their history is the 8 they put past Barbados back in June 2008. This year, they will have a match where they put 9 goals past their opponent. Of course, there may only be a couple of opportunities the USMNT realistically have to make this happen, and they will seize one of those chances.

There are some bold predictions for 2023. Hit the comments and give your own predictions for the calendar year.