USMNT 2022 World Cup Roster Projection 1.0: The Locks and Likelihoods for Qatar

[{"selector":"#anim-49e4aa24-353d-49a4-9eeb-517185449260 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-16.442051982178448%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-968e95fd-c9d5-431a-8f39-c5f7bc139abe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63c978a3-b3a9-44fb-84ba-b33c23bb5c22","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.24149%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Now that the U.S. men have qualified for the 2022 World Cup, who will be representing the nation in its return to the competition?

[{"selector":"#anim-8cd4bf18-6eaa-4e09-ac55-b8d45f7b25c0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-16.442051982178448%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1d4768b2-0fa0-4bf2-b626-235643c2ddff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-38cbe36c-c1ca-44a3-b862-06d6511f7fa3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.24149%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

To get there, manager Gregg Berhalter turned to an expanded player pool, and for good reason.

[{"selector":"#anim-b6217444-ae3e-494c-9ff2-10a0e6ff0a78 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-16.442051982178448%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e4d6131-b5f4-4689-b631-2c14be283c83","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-68ca6bf1-6115-43f7-96cf-2b3776e13a89","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.24149%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

This qualification slog was unlike any other in modern USMNT history.

[{"selector":"#anim-aa557f20-6c24-4013-a83d-db6d0b5d0096 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(18.31519714470513%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93ca69ef-5f64-4c3d-8fd5-b1b6788b2106","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-414e0de2-0aaa-4f04-a06e-54aa994b712e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.24149%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

USMNT seals World Cup qualification, banishes demons of 2018 failure

[{"selector":"#anim-aa407e7d-9686-45c5-a177-712bb2bc6ce0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82b956b3-3412-49db-887e-7a131b164bfd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.24149%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-807b5e54-75cc-45e0-9d67-4e06e344dc79 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Hope seemed futile during a 14-month coaching search that landed on Gregg Berhalter, and shaky during his uninspiring first year on the job.

[{"selector":"#anim-abe0077a-2e30-40e3-a631-f916e92de2c5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d7aa6e61-6430-4ad3-88bc-861c8e0ada0a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96822316-6351-4b11-8c46-983fcdd1ee3c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.24149%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Only a 6-0 loss or worse could have delayed their plans for Qatar.

[{"selector":"#anim-5f0ae603-7b05-441c-ae4f-6d9c3ab77933 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b981b72-2c03-424a-a7d0-7a695e2be52e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff1e4c90-b12a-4444-a414-76db7c88522e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(112.07430%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

A 2-0 loss brought mixed emotions, but was comfortably sufficient.

[{"selector":"#anim-dcbb4055-5f3b-4c06-82f4-2b466937e9f0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8cb4ec4b-3ff8-41af-b39e-9ee4f842c452","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5cd821b9-3101-48ae-92c2-3a096a98b761","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(112.07430%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The qualifying failure took down two head coaches and longtime U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati.

[{"selector":"#anim-f88e85df-a548-46d2-9044-c9ecf77494b4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6ef5c31-b7ce-4b89-bb44-f0cbce347175","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36eaa988-39cd-466b-a242-8da025a3be7e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.17027%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]