Joe Gaetjens place in US Soccer history was secured on 29th June 1950. His goal secured the ‘miracle on grass’ as the USA beat England, then the self-proclaimed kings of soccer. On Sunday 11th July 2010, just over sixty years to the day since Gaetjens famous striker, is it possible that another US soccer player could write his name into the history books by scoring the goal that puts the USA on top of the soccer world?
Qualification is never guaranteed but the squad currently head the group table going into the last round of matches. A 3-1 reverse in San Jose put a dent in the US’ hopes but the 4-0 thrashing handed out to their last opponents by their next opponents in August gave Bob Bradley’s boys renewed belief that securing their place for South Africa 2010 is in their own hands.
Some countries have already gained qualification to next years tournament and the list includes many familiar squads but also its fair share of surprises. Five-times winners Brazil who have never missed qualifying for a tournament have been joined by Paraguay from the South American qualification pot. Another previous winner, Argentina, is yet to find consistent form and participation is far from a given. The World crown has never left the continents of South America and Europe and the latter will also produce strong challengers. So far, they include1966 winners England, reigning European Champions Spain, and the Netherlands who are former European Champions and widely considered to be the best side never to have won the World Cup.
2002 joint hosts Japan and South Korea have both qualified as have Australia. North Korea make a surprise appearance after a 44 year absence from the tournament. Ghana are the first African representatives to successfully come through qualifying, although South Africa are already there as hosts.
The US MNT currently lie 11th on FIFA’s ranking list, lower than 3 of the above teams and with another 2-3 almost certain to join them in South Africa as a minimum. Yet form goes out the window once the World Cup begins as more often than not previous form is not a necessary factor for for tournament success.
The US national team took part in the initial tournaments in the 30s before appearing in the Brazil World Cup of 1950. However, without an established domestic league and overshadowed by other popular sports in the US, soccer maintained only a minority following. It was all change in 1990 when the national side qualified for the tournament after being granted host status for the 1994 tournament on the condition the MLS was established. Expectations for the success of the national side have been risen further after 3 subsequent qualifications for the tournaments in France, Korea/Japan and the 2006 World Cup in Germany. USA went as far as the quarter finals back in France ‘98 where they lose 1-0 to Germany amidst controversy.
The current crop of players to wear the Stars and Stripes have regular competition at home and abroad. Record breaking Landon Donovan may play in the MLS for LA Galaxy alongside David Beckham but many of his international team mates ply their trade abroad.
Amongst the higher profile stars are DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson (both Fulham FC, England), Carlos Bocanegra (Stade Rennais, France), Michael Bradley (Borussia Monchengladbach, Germany), Oguchi Onyewu (Milan, Italy) and former Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard who currently plays between the uprights for Everton FC also on the English Premier League. However, the list of US internationals on the rosters of foreign clubs continues to grow with representatives of the national squad also in Portugal, Denmark, Norway and Mexico to name but a further four.
With the tournament itself scheduled to take place during the South African winter, the players from North American but with European experience should find the climate to their liking. 1994 (USA) and 2002 (Japan/South Korea) apart, the tendency in more recent tournaments has been for teams from the host continent to win. Brazil have always been he exception to the rule with wins in ’94 and ’02 but the hosting of the FIFA World Cup in Africa for the first time produces an interesting question – who will acclimatise best and enjoy the most success?
The US Women’s National Team have World Cup and Olympic successes in their history. As the MLS increases the popularity of the game known to the rest of the globe as ‘football’, the ability of the men to step up to the plate and produce their own piece of history will only grow as more and more players register opening up soccer as a game to those athletes who would previously have been lost to track and field, basketball, baseball, hockey, football….amongst others.
England’s proud national game has only produced one instance of World Champions in over a century of competition. Meanwhile an impoverished Brazil have picked up 5 separate triumphs and achieved a great reputation amongst neutral supporters worldwide. The enthusiasm for sport in the US coupled with the available population and economic prowess make them almost unique on the world stage. And if all these pros combine one day, a new order may well have started in World Cup soccer.
