The U.S. men’s national team rose in Thursday’s FIFA world rankings following a strong return to World Cup action.
The Americans jumped up one spot to 13th place in the final FIFA rankings of 2022. Gregg Berhalter’s side made their return to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, finishing second in Group B behind eventual quarterfinalists England.
The Americans tied Wales 1-1 in their group stage opener before tying England 0-0 and defeating Iran 1-0 in a must-win third match. Despite suffering elimination at the hands of the Netherlands by a 3-1 scoreline, the Americans showed several positive moments with many players making their World Cup debuts.
The USMNT was the only Concacaf nation to rise in the rankings, with fellow World Cup participants Mexico, Costa Rica, and Canada all dropping. Mexico fell to No. 15 in the overall rankings after suffering a group stage exit, while Costa Rica dropped to No. 32 and Canada fell to No. 53.
Mexico, Costa Rica, and Canada all were eliminated in the group stage of the tournament.
FIFA World Cup winners Argentina rose up to No. 2 after defeating France in the final of the competition. However, Brazil retained its place as No. 1 while France, Belgium, and England helped round out the top five.
The Netherlands and Croatia also saw big moves up the rankings, sitting No. 6 and No. 7 respectively. Italy, Portugal, and Spain rounded out the top ten while Morocco received the largest boost, moving from No. 21 to No. 11 following its best-ever World Cup finish of reaching the semifinals.
The USMNT will return to action in January with a pair of home friendlies against Serbia and Colombia.
This team was lacking in three areas against the Dutch:
1. A goal scorer that would scare the back line. This one was obvious
2. A few more Savvy players(experience in certain areas on the pitch).
3. In game tactical adjustments by not only the coach, but also by the players recognizing the need for adjustment.
3 lapses of judgement by WC inexperienced players caused the US to be undone in the game. Also if Pulisic puts the ball in the back of the net in the third minute the game would have been different. Pulisic has even acknowledged this.
The Dutch would have had to come out of that more defensive shell, and I believe the Dutch and Van Gaal knew if they had to chase the game the US would have tore them open on the counter and in transition moments.
Not only were in game tactical adjustments sorely lacking, but the initial plan was incredibly naive. GB’s WC proved given months to prepare and analyze an opponent, he can put together an effective game-plan. He also confirmed what we already knew, He is flawed, at reading a match, determining what it needs in tactical adjustment, substitutions… making timely decisions on the fly. Even tactical decisions with a few days to prepare are apparently a struggle. Unfortunately, he is slow and plodding in evaluating talent as well… latest example among many: frustrating number of starts were wasted on Long, a player it was glaringly obvious was not up to the level many, many months before Gregg. Onward and upward? Thank you for your service? Pretty please?
FIFA rankings make it all worthwhile.
It’s humbling. The soccer world was supposed to be getting more even, with global scouting, better youth development, global fan bases, technology, etc.
All of the players from Africa, Asia, and North America playing in top leagues should have made the traditionally weaker regions more competitive in this world cup. Throughout qualifying we kept explaining poor results with the narrative that Concacaf was actually getting better all the time.
But the world order remains as strong as ever. The world cup produced a handful of surprises from weaker regions, as it always does. But they were just that – surprises. No one’s mind was changed about which regions produce the best soccer.
For the US specifically, the quality of play in the first three matches was better than ever, and that’s the real sign that there’s a lot to look forward to. But man… results come slowly in this game.
They do. Try being on the coaching end of it. Progress is…glacial, and you can sometimes only see how much of it there’s been when you look back to the Stone Ages of the ’90’s when I played. We’ve come an immense difference…in not very long. You realize MLS only started in 1996?
We’re closer that we’ve ever been, though. We’re definitely inching towards that top 7-8 teams that have a legit chance of competing for trophies and if we’d had a money striker I think we’d now be cracking that hallowed group. In the past it’s been our money strikers like Dempsey and Donovan and McBride who carried us (along with keepers who could stand on their heads) and most of the 9 guys in between weren’t particularly good…now we just need to find a Dempsey or a McBride again.
How about the Paleolithic Age of the ’70s when I played! I’m 66 and doubt I will ever see a WC Championship won by the US in my lifetime. The progress is slow, but we have come so far with so many players now in Europe which was unheard of in my day. There are many more options available to players now at a young age, and we have a viable domestic league; it will only get better.
“All of the players from Africa, Asia, and North America playing in top leagues should have made the traditionally weaker regions more competitive in this world cup. ”
Why should it?
How did all of those players from Africa, Asia and North America get better?
By having more players playing on the teams in the top competitions in Europe.
Who else plays on those teams? Most of the players from the traditional “world order” .
We’re getting better. But the likes of Brazil, France, Argentina, etc. aren’t sitting around doing nothing.
They are getting better too.
It would be one thing if the 2022 USMNT WC squad had to play against the 2010 USMNT WC squad.
But that’s not how it works .
And be honest, is Dest that much of an upgrade from Dolo? Were Zimmerman, Ream and CCV that much of an upgrade from Gooch, Demerit and Boca? Turner vs. Howard? Weah vs. Clint?
Is Pulisic , just talking USMNT here, an upgrade from Landon? Be honest.
And most of all is Gregg an upgrade from Bob?
In the World Cup, for some time now, the USMNT has been a team that , with a bit of luck and if was their day, the USMNT could beat most anyone. The hope was that we move up from that level to more of a serious contender.
That did not happen.
Had we beaten Louie and the Dutch we would have had to beat Argentina.
While that was possible, Saudi Arabia did it after all, it wasn’t very probable
Yeah, we’re agreeing, we over-hyped our progress a little.
We are thrilled to have six premier league players, more than ever. England has 14 just on Liverpool’s roster. Humbling.
I would argue that you’re cherry picking your player comps. Our players are objectively better and deeper than ever, and it’s awesome to be a fan and watch it all grow. With a better coach who knows.
My point is that everyone’s better. Nothing controversial here, just pointing out that the world of up-and-coming soccer nations got another little reality check, ourselves included.
Dave P.
My player comps were cherry picked for a reason. They were the spine of the team. The spine of the defense and the offense. For example, Landon and Deuce are slightly more reliable scorers than Christian and Timmy.
That’s a big deal.
Keeper, Center backs, main attacking fullback,
and our biggest attacking threats, Weah and Pulisic vs Deuce and Landon.
The fact that the remainder of the roster is “better” is debatable. Yes, they play for clubs I can see watch more readily than I could in 2010 and that is wonderful.
Are Musah or Weston better than Michael Bradley? If you’re talking World Cup, I think it’s a wash. The 2022 WC they did not significantly out perform Nepotism 1.
And the proof is in the pudding because 2022 finished exactly where 2010 and 20 14 did, losing the knockout game in the Sweet 16.
That’s what matters.
For me the biggest improvement is that I can watch these guys more
regularly than I could in 2010. I don’t have to wait for USMNT games.
Gregg, who did a good job overall but was just fair to middling in the actual WC games, was a negative. I think USMNT fans greatly underrate the importance of the manager.
Talking about the World Cup and just the World Cup I believe Arena, JK or Bob would have had this team more competitive in that Netherlands game and maybe won it. We’ll never know but all three of those guys were better game day managers than Gregg is .
the US midfield is the best it’s ever been, by far
MB on the same plain as Adams? no way. On the same level as Musah and Weston when JK forced MB to play higher? no way. Ramos at their level? lol. Claudio Reyna? absolutely not. Could go on
But the CBs? and the 9s? so we leak stupid goals and flub excellent chances. Not good for the scoreboard in soccer.
Those are the holes in this team. I would argue we showed up with the weakest group of 9s at the tournament, save Qatar. And our CB pool is missing a lot. yet this team still advanced
re. Louie, if CP buries it early, he might have looked like a donkey. but again, the talisman player is missing imo. LD and/or Clint on this team, we’d be awesome, that ball is in the back of the net, and who knows….
even with GB as the coach, who contrary to many opinions here, coached his ass off in the group stage, especially against England, can’t overcome the lack of a 9. Gio might have helped if he’d shown up with his big boy pants on, but oh well
re. ex players as coaches, some are ok at it, some are great at it, and many absolutely suck at it. is Ramos the guy anyone would want coaching the USMNT? I doubt it, and definitely hope not
re. Brazil, they were TERRIBLE
all that talent but tactically STILL incompetent
after all these years, as a soccer culture, they do not get it. The world caught up to them a LONG time ago yet they refuse to adapt. They are arrogant, self righteous, and they fail over and over again because of it. They are not one of the best teams in the world, no way. The best teams always beat them actually
Mr. bum,
Yes on Brazil. Someone, somewhere forgot that regardless of the overall talent level to the 26, someone coherent, normally the manager, has to put it all together and get everyone pointed in the right direction. The USMNT need to learn that lesson.
“the US midfield is the best it’s ever been, by far…. MB on the same plain as Adams? no way. On the same level as Musah and Weston when JK forced MB to play higher? no way. Ramos at their level? lol. Claudio Reyna? absolutely not. Could go on”
You’re 100% right, if you’re talking about these midfield players and what they have done with their club careers.
But I’m talking about how these guys play in a USMNT midfield in a World Cup.
That’s the only reason I’m interested in them.
MLS, Championship, EPL, BL, Serie A. wherever, these guys are playing well there. That’s great and it bodes well for our depth but how well do you play for the USMNT in the World Cup?
You like to diss Claudio, but I would remind everyone that Claudio was named to the 2002 World Cup FIFA Official Best 11, the only USMNT player ever so honored. And Landon was named to the young World Cup team.
In 2002 the USMNT played a 442 and a 352, so there’s a formational difference with Gregg. That midfield included Claudio Reyna, Earnie Stewart, JOB, LD and later DMB and Kobe. For those who may not remember JOB was called “the best US soccer player” he’d ever met by Landon.
Those guys, and MB 90, their club accomplishments don’t match up with what Tyler, Yunus, Weston and co. have done with their clubs but in terms of the USMNT?
The 2022 guys have yet to catch up with the old guys. By 2026 perhaps but not yet anyway.
“But the CBs? and the 9s? so we leak stupid goals and flub excellent chances. Not good for the scoreboard in soccer.
Those are the holes in this team. I would argue we showed up with the weakest group of 9s at the tournament, save Qatar. And our CB pool is missing a lot. yet this team still advanced
even with GB as the coach, who contrary to many opinions here, coached his ass off in the group stage, especially against England, can’t overcome the lack of a 9. Gio might have helped if he’d shown up with his big boy pants on, but oh well”
You’re comparing groups ( CB’s , #9’s) of players.
But the team is everyone, players and staff and how they come together, the old cliché about the sum of the parts being greater than the whole.
That’s what matters.
And the 2022 team didn’t get past their knockout game. The 2014 and 2010 teams didn’t either. So, there’s no progress. With the 2022 team the sum of the parts came up to maybe a little less than the whole. In English, given their talent level, they underachieved just a bit.
And there’s no progress because soccer is a zero-sum game.
Whether the loss vs Netherlands was closer than the losses vs. Belgium or Ghana is irrelevant. A loss is a loss.
The USMNT is a 4-year cycle national team not a 2-year cycle national team. And it’s not a club team. The 2022 team is history. They won’t be playing a meaningful competition again; unless we do Copa America 2024 and if they do that, they better be quite different by then and closer to what they might be in 2026.
The 4-year cycle forces the USMNT to go back to square one for the 2026 World Cup.
While the WC experience the kids got this year will be invaluable to those players, how much help it will be to the team remains to be seen.
Three and a half years later it will hopefully be a significantly different , hopefully, upgraded team. Not to mention it will be a different format (48 teams) and a different schedule (end of season instead of mid-season). That’s two significant differences along with others that will tend to dilute the value of our player’s 2022 experience.
Gregg will still be the manager but who knows what kind of manager he’ll be in 2026. Those of you who think he’s the best bet to get the most out of the USMNT I’d be curious to know your reasoning for that conclusion.
More to the point it remains to be seen what kind of players emerge for the USMNT.
Pulisic’s club accomplishments put Landon way in the rearview mirror, but you can’t say the same thing about his USMNT accomplishments and leadership. Not yet anyway.
The USMNT lack a talisman, a Messi, Modric, Mbappe, Kane, etc., that kind of talismanic leader. Christian did a nice job overall, but would it have been so impressive if he hadn’t “proved his manhood” by getting kicked in the balls? And he didn’t follow it up with scoring vs Netherlands which really would have cemented his World Cup. Instead, the Dutch gave him his “Kane missed penalty” moment. Not necessarily fatal but not helpful either. So, he has some way to go yet.
Gio has the talent to be “the man” and y’all can get on him for being a punk but pro sports in general are full of insanely talented kids who are prima donnas and need “handling”. The Gio issue has been building for a while and it was Gregg’s job to get something out of him. The USMNT is not so bursting at the seams with talent that they can afford to flush a talent like Gio down the toilet.
And Gregg’s failed with Gio. Do I blame Gregg for it?
Yes.
Does anyone think for one second that MBappe, for example, isn’t a raging egomaniac prima donna? Of course, he is but Deschamps a finds a way to deal with it and keep Mbappe productive and engaged.
Arena was an unpleasant sort, but he handled Landon, who can be a very sensitive soul, to perfection his entire time with him. Bob wasn’t quite so lucky but did do well with LD for the most part. And JK did to LD what Gregg probably wishes he had done to Gio.
Gio’s a prima donna but you pay Gregg to get production out of Gio and he didn’t. Spare me the Gio is a punk bit. Fuck Gio. He’s stuck with the USMNT. He can’t get a trade. Gregg has him over a barrel. If Gio wants to play in a World Cup he’s going to have to bend.
As for scoring, so far, if you’re talking like for like with the USMNT I’m taking Landon over Pulisic. And since Weah seems to be the second part of a dynamic duo, I’m easily taking Clint over Timo, even though they aren’t really similar players.
Lacking a #9 is not an excuse when you have potential scoring in guys like Weah, Christian, Gio.
The lack of a #9 didn’t cause Walker to whack Bale for that penalty.
And it was Gregg who insisted on investing a ton of time leading up to Qatar on Ferreira when he could have spent it on Pefok, Vasquez or Pepi.
Ferreira proved himself to be a midfielder disguised as a Fake 9 and in over his head. We’re left to wonder whether one of the other three would have been a better investment. I doubt they could have been worse.
Mr. V,
comparing Gio to Mbappe is not credible. Period. Beginning, middle and end of that discussion imo. if/when Gio does anything to enter the same Galaxy as Mbappe, I will happily change my tune. Instead, the whole idea of comparing him to Mbappe reveals your very biased and foggy perspective regarding all of this.
Re. Brazil, with Zidane I predict they win it all in 2026. He immediately addresses their two glaring achilles heels: arrogance and tactical ineptitude
Re. the 2002 team, I was up in teh middle of the nught with a buddy jumping up and down vs. Portugal. I LOVED O’brien as we all did. Great midfield…this one now is better, for sure. Only becasue of it di we exit the group. if we had a McBride on this year’s team on top of this midfield, and an LD on the wing…….
come on man
this year’s team DOMINATED the midfield vs. England, and only missing the talisman. Gio maybe someday, but he’s no Mbappe, he’s no LD either…spoiled prima donna? earned how? He’s done nothing but spend the majority of his career injured
Happy New Year V
Mr. V,
“comparing Gio to Mbappe is not credible. Period. …”
I’ve got news for you.
Mbappe is far from the only hyper talented prima donna at this World Cup or anywhere. Mbappe is Deschamps business.
Gregg was paid to get something out of the USMNT prima donna, Gio. he failed. That’s very unfortunate.
USMNT players have long had a reputation especially abroad as coachable, disciplined and professional. So organizing them into a solid professional team should be pretty straight forward.
So, where the good managers really make their salary is in getting the outliers, the prima donnas like Gio to buy into whatever it is they are selling. Gregg’s failure to make the sale is a negative for Gio but an even bigger one for Gregg and the USMNT.
What Gio has, Gregg and the USMNT need and want.
Gregg’s failure to pull of that selling job is a big deal. A talent like Gio doesn’t come along for the USMNT every day.
“, with Zidane I predict they win it all in 2026. He immediately addresses their two glaring achilles heels: arrogance and tactical ineptitude”
In other words, they need a better manager than Tite. Maybe Zidane should apply for the job. That’s unlikely to happen but would be fascinating if it did.
“Re. the 2002 team, I was up in teh middle of the nught with a buddy jumping up and down vs. Portugal. I LOVED O’brien as we all did. Great midfield…this one now is better, for sure. Only becasue of it di we exit the group. if we had a McBride on this year’s team on top of this midfield, and an LD on the wing…….
come on man”
You seem to be under the impression that you are the only person who followed that 2002 team very closely. You also don’t pay attention. For me it’s about results. That midfield got us into the quarters and if we’d had VAR might have gotten us into the semis. That’s a tangible result that beats anything the 2022 midfield produced.
Again soccer in the knockout stages is a zero sum game- if you don’t win you lose. 2002 got to the quarters. 2010, 2014, 2022 lost the knockout game. Those three are all the same to me. I don’t care about prettier players.
I care about a team that can win.
2022 did not know how to win.
“this year’s team DOMINATED the midfield vs. England, and only missing the talisman. ”
They didn’t beat England, the big team in the Group.
The 2002 team beat Portugal, the big team in their group and they did it without Claudio Reyna. My opinion is obviously subjective but the difference in results are pretty stark. They figured out how to win.
This is not Olympic figure skating. There are no style points in the World Cup.
“Gio maybe someday, but he’s no Mbappe, he’s no LD either…spoiled prima donna? earned how? He’s done nothing but spend the majority of his career injured”
It doesn’t really matter why Gio is a prima donna, what matters is he is one.
And what also matters is he is a very talented player who the USMNT could have used in Qatar. And yes, he’s been hurt a lot but he was fit enough for Qatar. Gregg should have found some kind of use for him. Gregg found a use for Jordan and he even wasted some time on Ferreira, a useless fake 9.
Ream was useless for the USMNT years until he started vs. Wales. He then went on the have the 4 best games of his USMNT career.
Like Timmy, Gio was useless before Qatar. And , like Timmy, Gio was really needed in Qatar. And he failed to show up. That’s a World Cup that Gio will never get back so he’s paid his price for being a dick.
But Gregg failed us too. He was paid to find a way to get some much needed production out of Gio.
A lot of that is of course on Gio but a lot of it is on Gregg. And it’s just too bad that Gregg, through his inability to manage a fantastic talent like Gio, made the team pay for that.
Gregg should have seen this coming and handled it before it detracted from the World Cup effort. If i’m Gregg’s boss, and I do manage supervisors in real life, I hold Gregg mostly responsible for this debacle.
Happy New Year V
Stay Safe over the Holidays!
Real parity among nations takes an immense effort and generations to achieve. The reason is that it’s not just getting players into the top 5 leagues and top shelf clubs. it’s about what it takes to get players to that level. Look at other sports where the US players are the best in the world….Basketball, Baseball, Hockey….Why do we produce such great players? Because we have great coaches at all age levels. Ex Pro’s coach college, ex college coach high school & younger. That’s what sets us apart from the rest of the world in these sports.
I grew up playing in the 80s & 90s where most coaches were parents with little or no understanding of the game. None of them had coaching licenses and few had what could be considered even remotely high level experience playing the game.
Many of my teammates went onto play in college (MLS didn’t exist yet), and have since become coaches at the grass roots level….and some have progressed in coaching beyond that (2 are College coaches, 1 was a successful USNT youth coach).
What US Soccer needs to make the next significant leap forwards better coaching at all levels. We need our past player talents coaching the next generation(s) from an early age….and we need our current National Team(s) to be coached by people with real accomplishments as coaches. We’re getting there…but it’s slow. Few of the 1990-06 US WC players have become notable coaches at the professional level (Vermes, Dolo, GGG, Olsen, etc…), but it’s too few. Until we have higher standards in coaching we won’t really take the next step forwards. S. Korea, Japan, Canada, & the USA are making strides forward, it just takes time to make sustained progress in these areas. Other countries and regions have the same struggle….lack of quality coaching from a young age….but aren’t as likely to ever close the gap due to other issues (finances, corruption, etc…).
Those are good points.
It’s why I argue that if Jesse Marsch can be a success over the long term at Leeds that is overall more important to American soccer than him taking over the USMNT and having a successful 2026 run,
If he can open doors to more Americans getting coaching and managerial jobs at higher levels in the game it can only help. We have comparatively speaking many USMNT players in the Top 5 leagues.
But Jesse is the only manager.