The most-successful U.S. World Cup manager in recent history said the current team is not prepared for the World Cup following the group’s 1-1 draw against Wales on Monday.
It is “clear this team, in this cycle, didn’t have enough experiences against quality international teams to be fully ready for a World Cup,” two-time team manager Bruce Arena said following the draw.
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“That’s mainly because of the pandemic, so it’s hard to toss blame, but it’s also a fact we played a bunch of Concacaf games that were way too easy. You need those top-tier teams that really challenge you.”
The American team appears to have lacked a strong schedule to get it ready for the sport’s greatest tournament, according to Arena.
Only one team that the United States played in 2020 friendlies made it to the 2022 World Cup, according to a report.
The team’s 2021 schedule was only slightly more difficult, and in 2022, the group struggled against Saudi Arabia and Japan.
“The first game at a World Cup is so important, something I’ve experienced twice with the U.S. Men’s National Team,” Arena said. “In 2002, we beat Portugal 3-2, setting up a quarterfinal run. Then, in 2006, we lost 3-0 to the Czech Republic, setting up a group-stage exit.”
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“Where will things go after the USMNT’s 2022 World Cup began with a 1-1 draw against Wales on Monday? A point to start their Qatar 2022 trip isn’t the worst thing, but this young squad should have won 2-0 and not allowed Gareth Bale’s group to stick around.”
