The biggest FIFA World Cup in history has arrived, and expectations for the United States men’s national team are higher than they’ve been in years. With the tournament on home soil and a talented roster in place, many believe the Americans could make a surprising run.
Former U.S. men’s national head coach Gregg Berhalter is among those optimistic about the team’s potential. During an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Berhalter broke down why he believes the Americans could surprise some people this summer.
“The players, as you mentioned, 13 of them have played in a World Cup before,” Berhalter said. “Last time, we had 25 that hadn’t played in a World Cup, so now you have 13 that have. They’re in the prime of their careers. This team is ripe for a great World Cup performance.”
(Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP via Getty Images)
Cowherd has questioned whether Christian Pulisic can handle the leadership responsibilities that come with being the face of the U.S. men’s national team. Meanwhile, Berhalter explained what he believes is the best way to coach Pulisic and put him in a position to succeed on the international stage.
“I think it was establishing trust and building a relationship,” Berhalter said. “Christian is the type of guy that he’s careful and he listens a lot. He doesn’t talk in the beginning, but you have to really know him and show him that your intentions are true and good.”
Berhalter said earning Pulisic’s trust was key to helping him reach his potential.
“All we wanted was for him to develop in his career,” Berhalter said. “We got him at a very young age and a lot of pressure is on him at a young age and we wanted to put him at ease and really put him in the best possible position to help the team. He’s an absolute game-changer.”
(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
