Joe Gaetjens secured his place in US Soccer history on the 29th of June 1950. The goal secured a shock win over England, then the self-proclaimed kings of soccer. On Sunday 11th July 2010, just over sixty years to the day since Gaetjens famous striker, is it possible that another US soccer player could write his name into the history books by scoring the goal that puts the USA on top of the soccer world?
Whilst qualification for next summers tournament is not yet guaranteed, heading the group entering the last two rounds of matches and a trip to Honduras following a 2-1 win in Chicago may, if other results go their way, render the visit of Costa Rica in the final match immaterial. A 3-1 reverse in San Jose put a dent in the US’ hopes but the 4-0 thrashing handed out to their last opponents by their next opponents in August gave Bob Bradley’s boys renewed belief that securing their place for South Africa 2010 is in their own hands.
Some countries have already gained qualification to next years tournament and the list includes many familiar squads but also its fair share of surprises. Brazil carry on their record of never missing a tournament and are also joined by Paraguay from the CONCACAF rounds. Argentina a previous winner of the World Cup is yet to fire on all cylinders under Diego Maradonna and qualification is far from secure. The World crown has never left the continents of South America and Europe and the latter will also produce strong challengers. So far, they include1966 winners England, reigning European Champions Spain, and the Netherlands who are former European Champions and widely considered to be the best side never to have won the World Cup.
2002 joint hosts Japan and South Korea have both qualified as have Australia. North Korea will also take part for the first time since 1966 when they caused a major upset by beating the might Italy 1-0. Ghana are the first African representatives to successfully come through qualifying, although South Africa are already there as hosts.
The US MNT currently lie 11th on FIFA’s ranking list, lower than 3 of the above teams and with another 2-3 almost certain to join them in South Africa as a minimum. Yet form going into a World Cup is in no way a guide to the identity of the hands who will ultimately lift the trophy.
The US national team took part in the initial tournaments in the 30s before appearing in the Brazil World Cup of 1950. However, without an established domestic league and overshadowed by other popular sports in the US, soccer maintained only a minority following. It was all change in 1990 when the national side qualified for the tournament after being granted host status for the 1994 tournament on the condition the MLS was established. Three subsequent qualifications for the tournaments in France, Korea/Japan and Germany in 2006 have raised international expectations of US performance. Indeed, France ‘98 saw the USA reach the quarter final stage losing to eventual finalists Germany by a single goal in a controversial match.
The current players chosen to enter the national team come from leagues and competitions home and overseas. Record breaking Landon Donovan may play in the MLS for LA Galaxy alongside David Beckham but many of his international team mates ply their trade abroad.
Some of the higher profile members of the squad include DaMarcus Beasley of Rangers, Eddie Johnson and Clint Dempsey currently playing for Fulham and ex Man U keeper Tim Howard currently plying his trade with Everton. However, the list of US internationals on the rosters of foreign clubs continues to grow with representatives of the national squad also in Portugal, Denmark, Norway and Mexico to name but a further four.
The 2010 tournament will take place in South Africa’s winter which will suit many US players who ply their trade in Europe. 1994 (USA) and 2002 (Japan/South Korea) apart, the tendency in more recent tournaments has been for teams from the host continent to win. The Brazil side have always been the anomaly to this trend after wins in 1994 and 2002 but the 2010 World Cup in South Africa raises the interesting question of who will be able to acclimatise best to the climate and enjoy success?
The women’s equivalent of the USA national team have experienced success in the Olympics and World Cup tournaments in recent history. As the MLS increases the popularity of the game known to the rest of the globe as ‘football’, the ability of the men to step up to the plate and produce their own piece of history will only grow as more and more players register opening up soccer as a game to those athletes who would previously have been lost to track and field, basketball, baseball, hockey, football….the list goes on.
England’s national game for over a century has produced a single set of World Champions. Brazil’s poor but huge population has seen five separate triumphs. The combination of available population, facilities, ability to attract the best in the world to both play and train is present in very few nations – the US is one of those. And if all these qualities come to bear one day, a new order may well have started in World Cup soccer.
Tags: soccer, USA, World Cup, World Cup Soccer