World Cup 2022: Which USMNT players are on plane to Qatar?

By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports activities Soccer Author

Editor’s Word: “Aircraft to Qatar” is FOX Sports activities’ new weekly characteristic monitoring the progress of gamers hoping to crack the United States Males’s Nationwide Crew’s 26-player roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Now that three of the world’s prime 5 leagues have kicked off — the English Premier League, German Bundesliga and Ligue 1 in France are underway, with Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga following this weekend — the 2022 World Cup is beginning to really feel imminent.

For the primary time, the most important occasion in sports activities will happen in the midst of the European season. And with extra members of the USMNT employed at prime golf equipment abroad than ever earlier than, now’s the right time to take common inventory of the USMNT participant pool.

Introducing “Aircraft to Qatar” 

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter is predicted to call his squad round 10 days earlier than the Individuals’ Nov. 21 World Cup opener towards Wales. That is three months away. Many of the spots are accounted for, after all. However there’s nonetheless room for motion out and in of the beginning lineup, and there is additionally nonetheless time for a shock or two.

As such, each week over the subsequent 90 or so days, we’ll take a look at not simply which gamers are more likely to be on the flight to Qatar but in addition the place they’re sitting and on the gamers nonetheless hoping a late run of type or stroke of fine fortune shall be sufficient to snare them a seat.

Firstclass

F/M Brenden Aaronson (Leeds): Whether or not or not you consider Aaronson scored the game-winning purpose for his new membership Saturday towards Wolverhampton, “The Medford Messi” was electrical in his Premier League debut. He is establishing himself as a lock to begin in Qatar — if he weren’t one already — both on the proper wing he mans for American coach Jesse Marsch at Leeds or centrally, the place he lined up for the USMNT in June.

M Tyler Adams (Leeds): Adams struggled early towards Wolves however improved as the sport went on, beginning the sequence that led to the winner. The 23-year-old defensive midfielder will solely get higher as he adjusts to the Prem.

D Sergiño Dest (Barcelona): After his robust end to the 2021-22 season was interrupted by harm, Dest seems to have fallen out of Barca boss Xavi’s first-choice lineup this preseason. Irrespective of. The ultra-talented Dest is a shoo-in at proper again for the U.S. on the World Cup even when he isn’t getting 90 minutes commonly on the Camp Nou.

F Jesus Ferreira (Dallas): Ferreira’s blistering scoring tempo in MLS has slowed a bit of this summer time, however there isn’t any purpose to suppose he is not nonetheless Berhalter’s No. 1 quantity 9. 

M Weston McKennie (Juventus): Regardless of a dislocated shoulder that can pressure McKennie to overlook the primary few weeks of Juve’s season, the Texan ought to get loads of enjoying time when he returns, with fellow central midfielder Paul Pogba nursing a persistent knee harm.

USMNT and Juventus star Weston McKennie out because of a shoulder harm

We’re virtually 100 days away from groups taking the sphere on the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and U.S. star Weston McKennie is sidelined because of a shoulder harm.

M Yunus Musah (Valencia): Nonetheless simply 19, Musah is hoping to show an eye-opening preseason right into a breakout marketing campaign in La Liga.

F Christian Pulisic (Chelsea): Pulisic performed the ultimate 25 minutes of the Blues’ opener and seems set for spot obligation once more this season. The excellent news? That ought to cut back the damage and tear on the USMNT’s most irreplaceable attacker’s physique forward of the World Cup.

F/M Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund): The 19-year-old did not play for BVB final weekend, and he nonetheless is not absolutely match after hamstring accidents price him virtually all of final season. Nonetheless, Reyna can have no less than a job off the bench for the U.S. in Qatar, even when he isn’t fairly 100%. 

D Antonee Robinson (Fulham): A lock at left again, Jedi helped the Cottagers have a good time their return to the Prem with a 2-2 draw towards Liverpool.

F Tim Weah (Lille): Whereas Weah missed Lille’s curtain raiser with a suspension that carried over from final season, he’ll push for a beginning function with each membership and nation.

D Walker Zimmerman (Nashville): The USMNT’s most constant middle again throughout qualifying has completed nothing to lose his beginning spot.

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Consolation Plus

M Kellyn Acosta (LAFC): As the one actual backup to Adams, Acosta may very well be eligible for an improve right here. 

M Paul Arriola (Dallas): A daily all through qualifying, Arriola is aware of his function, runs tirelessly and is a good presence within the locker room. These issues do matter at World Cups. Oh, and he is additionally having a profession season with FCD.

D Reggie Cannon (Boavista): Cannon can play at proper again in a four-man again line or in central protection in a 5. That form of versatility ought to assist get him on the flight.

M Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo): So long as playmaker De la Torre will get no less than some common enjoying time in La Liga after graduating from the Dutch Eredivisie, he ought to make the lower.

G Sean Johnson (New York Metropolis): Johnson seemingly moved into the No. 3 keeper spot for good in June. Can he climb into the highest two between now and November?

D Aaron Lengthy (New York Pink Bulls): Lengthy hasn’t been nice in MLS currently, however it will most likely take a extra drastic lack of type to maintain him from making the journey.

M Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders): Morris been scoring commonly for the Sounders, with three strikes in his previous eight video games. He additionally gives a defensive tenacity and physicality which might be distinctive within the participant pool.

F Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin): After successful the Golden Boot in Switzerland final season, Pefok opened his account in Bundesliga on his debut. He’ll play himself onto the squad if he retains scoring.

D Tim Ream (Fulham): He turns 35 in October and hasn’t performed for the USMNT in virtually a 12 months, however do not rely Ream out. Timing issues, and Ream — who was glorious towards Liverpool, regardless of his involvement on the Reds’ late equalizer — is captaining a Premier League staff this season. Like Cannon, the sweet-passing lefty can also be snug in several defensive formations.

M Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders): One other glue man, Roldan is in good type in Seattle, is aware of Berhalter’s system inside out and will not rock the boat if he stays on the bench in Qatar.

D Chris Richards (Crystal Palace): Richards did not play in Palace’s opener following his switch from Bayern Munich, however he is virtually assured to make the U.S. roster even when that does not change quickly.

G Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough): Steffen had a shocker in his second match in England’s second tier, and the frequency of his errors at each the membership and worldwide ranges has change into inconceivable to disregard. That mentioned, he nonetheless has a few months to place issues proper and discover his sport.

G Matt Turner (Arsenal): As anticipated, Turner began his first Premier League season as Aaron Ramsdale’s backup. If Steffen continues to wrestle, although, he would possibly discover himself beginning in Qatar regardless. 

F Brandon Vazquez (Cincinnati): The highest-scoring American in MLS with 14 targets, Vazquez has the look of a man who’s enjoying himself onto a World Cup squad.

D DeAndre Yedlin (Miami): The one member of the participant pool with earlier World Cup expertise — that ship has sailed for John Brooks, who nonetheless does not have a membership — Yedlin gives cowl at proper again ought to an harm to Robinson pressure Dest to the left. 

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Standby

D George Bello (Arminia Beilifeld): The left again, 20, started on the bench in second-tier Arminia’s first three video games, all of which had been losses.

M Gianluca Busio (Venezia): Like Bello’s, Busio’s inventory has fallen since his staff was relegated final 12 months.

D Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic): The fourth and closing center-back spot will most likely come all the way down to Carter-Vickers or Ream. 

F Daryl Dike (West Brom): The massive striker’s World Cup aspirations took one other important blow when he suffered a thigh harm earlier than Monday’s tie with Watford.

G Ethan Horvath (Luton City): He is again enjoying commonly for the primary time in years, however Horvath’s path seems blocked except one of many keepers forward of him will get harm.

D Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes): A tough exhibiting towards Qatar-bound Uruguay in June dropped him down Berhalter’s depth chart.

D Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp): The pure left again has been glorious for Belgium’s prime staff by three video games. If the ultimate fullback spot comes all the way down to Vines or Yedlin, although, wager on the vet.

F Haji Wright (Antalyaspor): The rangy striker drew a penalty and was his staff’s most harmful participant in a 1-0 loss to Turkish energy Galatasaray. However Wright will want targets — a lot of them —to say a seat.

M Richy Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven): Though a September call-up is feasible, the 21-year-old is a extra lifelike candidate for 2026.

F Ricardo Pepi (Augsburg): Now in his second season within the Bundesliga, Pepi continues to be on the lookout for his first purpose.

D/M James Sands (Rangers): An harm to Adams or Acosta might nonetheless open the door for the versatile Sands.

M/F Josh Sargent (Norwich Metropolis): Now enjoying in England’s Championship, the transformed striker is getting used within the midfield for the second straight season.

M Malik Tillman (Rangers): One other 2026 undertaking, Tillman must gentle up the Scottish league to sneak into the cabin. Luckily for him, he began on the proper foot (or head) Tuesday.

M Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers): The extra skilled Roldan probably stands between Williamson and the ultimate midfield slot. 

F Gyasi Zardes (Colorado Rapids): Whereas Zardes stopped getting referred to as towards the top of qualifying, the veteran ahead was simply named MLS participant of the week after netting a hat trick towards Minnesota. Might a scorching streak get him again within the combine?

One of many main soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has coated United States males’s and ladies’s nationwide groups at a number of FIFA World Cups. Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities in 2021, he was a employees author with ESPN and Yahoo Sports activities. Observe him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.

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