USA midfielder Tyler Adams dey ginger the national team say dem for set the bar high for the 2026 World Cup. E say dem for try pass any American team wey don go before for the tournament.
If Adams dey think of now now, e mean say e dey look towards reaching the semifinals. But if e sabi history well, especially when USMNT finish third for the first 1930 World Cup, e mean say dem for aim for the final!
Even though dem draw Mauricio Pochettino team for a good group with Paraguay, Australia, and one European team wey go qualify, if dem reach semifinal or final next year, people go see am as big success.
Adams talk say for the 2022 tournament, na only one player for the USMNT 26-man squad don go World Cup before. So, “we no fit set bar or standard for anything.”
“We no know wetin to expect. We never pass through the process. We no know how e go be,” Adams talk.
Adams, wey yarn via video call two hours after the World Cup draw, continue: “Now, when we look back, I think say we get more experience, we don mature pass before, we don grow as individuals and as a team. Everybody go want make we say winning (the World Cup) na the goal. Our idea na to win. But I think say setting the benchmark of ‘the furthest a U.S. team has gone’ dey realistic.”
“So, we want go make run. But again, na game-by-game mentality.”
Pochettino dey urge USMNT make dem treat every World Cup game ‘like final’
Mauricio Pochettino say e no be advantage or disadvantage say the United States World Cup group get two – and maybe three – teams wey e team go play for friendly matches within one year before dem start their opening game.
USA draw with Australia, Paraguay, and the winner of European play-off wey involve Turkey, Romania, Kosovo, and Slovakia. USA play Australia for friendly for October, dem win 2-1 for Commerce City, Colorado. Dem play Paraguay for another friendly for November – the game wey make Gio Reyna return to form with the national team, dem win 2-1. Turkey, if dem qualify through the play-off, go get advantage for preparation, because dem beat USA 2-1 for pre-Gold Cup friendly for June 2025.
Plenty things fit happen for one year. And Pochettino, like Tony Popovic for Australia, emphasize say the things wey dey surround friendly matches dey different from World Cup, where the world go dey watch and the stakes dey high.
“The truth be say the things go change,” e tell reporters. “Na why dem go be different games, maybe with different players.”
Pochettino praise the event well well, e talk say e dey typical of any draw.