Projecting the USMNT World Cup starting lineup

By IVES GALARCEP

We are less than 12 weeks away from the 2014 World Cup, with the U.S. Men’s National Team’s opening match vs. Ghana fast approaching and plenty of questions still unanswered about the likely starters Jurgen Klinsmann will call on for that all-important match.

The team has some clear-cut choices, such as Michael Bradley and Tim Howard, and some others that are safer bets than some might  think, like Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore and Jermaine Jones, but there are a handful of positions that are clearly still up for grabs.

In my latest Goal.com column, I projected the starting lineup Klinsmann will trot out against Ghana, and there aren’t many major surprises, though there are a handful of players left out who could easily wind up playing their way into the lineup in the coming months.

Chief among them is Aron Johannsson, who is scoring goals like no other American player at the moment. It isn’t a new development that he doesn’t project as a World Cup starter, but with him scoring goals and Altidore not scoring goals, many fans are clamoring for the current AZ striker to get the nod over the former AZ striker.

Give my column on the projected USMNT World Cup starting lineup a read and let us know what you think of the selections. You can also make your own lineup selections on the top positions up for grabs after the jump.

Cast your votes after the jump: