Gregg Berhalter Explains Differences Between USA’s 2022 And 2026 World Cup Squads

The biggest FIFA World Cup in history has arrived, and expectations for the United States men’s national team are higher than they’ve been in years. With the tournament on home soil and a talented roster in place, many believe the Americans could make a surprising run. Former U.S. men’s national head coach Gregg Berhalter is among those optimistic about the team’s potential. During an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Berhalter broke down why he believes the Americans could surprise some people this summer. “The players, as you mentioned, 13 of them have played in a World Cup before,” Berhalter said. “Last time, we had 25 that hadn’t played in a World Cup, so now you have 13 that have. They’re in the prime of their careers. This team is ripe for a great World Cup performance.” Cowherd has questioned whether Christian Pulisic can handle the leadership responsibilities that come with being the face of the U.S. men’s national team. Meanwhile, Berhalter explained what he believes is the best way to coach Pulisic and put him in a position to succeed on the international stage. “I think it was establishing trust and building a relationship,” Berhalter said. “Christian is the type of guy that he’s careful and he listens a lot. He doesn’t talk in the beginning, but you have to really know him and show him that your intentions are true and good.” Berhalter said earning Pulisic’s trust was key to helping him reach his potential. “All we wanted was for him to develop in his career,” Berhalter said. “We got him at a very young age and a lot of pressure is on him at a young age and we wanted to put him at ease and really put him in the best possible position to help the team. He’s an absolute game-changer.” To make a deep World Cup run, Berhalter believes the U.S. will need mental toughness, and Pulisic should be at the forefront of it. “Christian Pulisic has the ability to change games,” Berhalter said. “We have guys I think that have played at such a high level and understand what this stage is and that’s the most important thing in understanding the World Cup because it’s different.” Still, even though the United States has never won a World Cup or been a true threat, Cowherd asked Berhalter what should be considered a successful tournament. The answer was perhaps a bit surprising. “If we get to the quarterfinals, that would be a solid performance for the World Cup and then from there anything can happen,” Berhalter said. “I think it’s going to get the public behind the team and put everyone in a great mood to watch. That would be a good achievement by the group.” The United States has not reached the quarterfinals since 2002 and has struggled to get past the Round of 16 in recent tournaments, and it also failed to qualify in 2018. Still, Berhalter, who coached the team from 2018 to 2022, remains a strong believer in this group.