Even though the USMNT run ended earlier than hoped, they will be remembered for how they played and presented themselves

During their time at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) exceeded the expectations of many by putting in a good name for themselves and performing well on and off the field. The men’s National team capped off their time in Qatar following a loss to the Netherlands on Dec. 3, losing 3-1.

The USMNT failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup (Russia), and last played at the World Cup in 2014 (Brazil). The U.S. was definitely not one of the favorites to thrive in Qatar due to this, however, they proved that they were worthy of being on the world stage. 

Though the tournament is over for the U.S., they will be remembered for how they carried themselves through the competition.

The USMNT played their first game against the Welsh on Nov. 21. The US opened the score with a goal scored by Timothy Weah, assisted by Christian Pulisic. They held onto their lead until the 82nd minute when Gareth Bale Scored a penalty for Wales following Walker Zimmerman’s incautious tackle inside the box. The game finished 1-1.

Next, The U.S. played England on Nov. 25. The U.S. The U.S. was able to obtain a draw vs the English which was a big achievement for the national team given that England was the favorite to win the game.

The U.S. was then in a position where they needed to secure a win against Iran to be able to move on. They did so in a 1-0 win thanks to a Christian Pulisic goal minutes before halftime. With this win, the U.S. was guaranteed a matchup against the Netherlands.

The two teams played each other on Dec. 3. The U.S. was able to put a goal up on the board with a goal from Haji Wright in the 76th minute, however, it was not enough to stop the Dutch from winning the game 3-1. 

Off the field, the men’s team represented themselves in a professional manner. Most notably, 23-year-old captain, Tyler Adams, was interrupted during his press conference before the game against Iran. An Iranian reporter told Adams that he was mispronouncing “Iran”, to which Adams responded apologetically and told the reporter that he meant no harm by the mispronunciation.

Adams was also questioned on what it’s like to be representing a country that has so much discrimination against Black people within its own borders. Adams, a Black soccer player, thoughtfully responded, “There’s discrimination everywhere you go. In the U.S., we’re continuing to make progress every single day…through education, I think it’s super important. Like you just educated me now on the pronunciation of your country. It’s a process. As long as you see progress, that’s the most important thing.” 

Ultimately, The USMNT played an important role in the 2022 World Cup and represented their country well. Due to their actions on and off the field, they will be remembered as professionals on and off the field and were a major part of the competition itself.

During the time that they spent in Qatar, they more than proved their worth to take part in the World Cup and gained new fans across the country. The United States will be definitely a team to look out for during the next World Cup competition in 2026.