U.S. roster set for World Cup
[World Cup, and Sean Johnson. Pepi, who leads Groningen of the Dutch Eredivisie with five goals in eight games, was replaced by Haji Wright, who made his national team debut in June.
Berhalter, who began calling players Sunday to inform them of their World Cup status, said the call to Steffen was among the toughest. Steffen made his MLS debut under Berhalter with the Columbus Crew and started six of the 14 World Cup qualifiers.
“Me and Zack go way back and Zack’s been there for me a bunch of times,” the coach said. “To tell him he’s not going to be part of the World Cup team was heartbreaking.”
Steffen missed time with Middlesbrough, his secondtier English team, to injury this fall, but Berhalter said his decision wasn’t based on Steffen’s fitness.
“It’s more about who we do have,” Berhalter said, “and the comfort level with the guys that are on the roster.”
Wright, meanwhile, won his spot based on recent performances in Turkey, where his nine goals for Antalyaspor is second in the Super Lig.
“Haji has pace, he’s got the ability to go one-v-one, he’s got finishing with his head, both feet. And he’s performing really well,” Berhalter said.
Injuries affected Berhalter’s roster in other ways though. Defender Miles Robinson, who started 11 times in World Cup qualifying, tore his left Achilles tendon in May and defender Chris Richards, who hasn’t played since August, said earlier this week he would not be available.
There are also fitness doubts with defender Sergiño Dest and midfielders Weston McKennie and Luca de la Torre, but all three made the team.
McKennie, who plays in Italy with Juventus, is part of a team core than includes Chelsea forward Pulisic, Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams, Lille’s Tim Weah, Fulham defender Antonee Robinson and former LAFC defender Walker Zimmerman, now with Nashville SC. Only Zimmerman, 29, is older than 25.
“Looking at us as a young team, people see positives and negatives,” Robinson said. “But this group, a good part of us have been together for four years now. I look at this team and see young talent playing so well, so many different levels, so many different leagues. The only thing I see is hunger, determination, intensity, energy.
“When you step on that pitch it doesn’t matter how old you are. I don’t feel like anyone feels like they’re young and inexperienced. People are just fired up and ready to go.”
Berhalter agreed. “It’s a little bit underrated how this young group has developed, how this program has developed,” he said. “We virtually started with a new player pool in 2018 and now we’re back in the World Cup [and] the final determination on this group will be at the World Cup. That’s how generations are measured.
“We can talk, ‘Oh yeah, it’s great, we beat Mexico three times or we won a Gold Cup or a Nations League.’ But the real measuring stick for this group is certainly going to be how we perform in Qatar.”
The first game is less than two weeks away.