If things go as planned in the USMNT, this summer could be viewed as a watershed moment for soccer in the United States.
The United States hosts Copa America later this month, before moving on to host next year's Club World Cup and, more importantly, the FIFA World Cup in 2026. The eyes of the world will be on the United States, and by extension the fortunes of the North American National Football Confederation.
As Gregg Berhalter's team continues to prepare for this summer's Copa America, they will face… Colombia And Brazil In the pre-tournament friendly matches, two tough matches against two of the best teams on the continent. Colombia is one of the best national teams in the world, having recently won over Brazil and Spain. Brazil, in turn, is still getting used to life under the leadership of new coach Dorival Junior But they boast some of the best talent in the world, including Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid's rival for the Ballon d'Or.
It's a demanding pillar of the USMNT's “warm-up” fixtures as they embark on a crucial period of USMNT football. Talking to Like the United States of America Ahead of this summer's games, the USMNT and AC Milan star Younis Musa He insisted he enjoyed the challenge.
“Testing ourselves against the best is very important to us because you become better when you play against the best,” Musa explained. “Before the Copa America, that's great, testing ourselves against these teams to see what we need to work on and also trying to win that game, build momentum.. “It will be a great experience to face these great players.”
The physical Colombia will provide a real fight for the USMNT
Colombia failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup but look like they have been reborn under the coach Nestor Lorenzo. He took charge in the summer of 2022 and did not lose a single match with the national team, achieving 13 wins and five draws in 18 matches. They show off Liverpool Luis DiazAston Villa striker John Doran And the former Real Madrid star James Rodriguez, along with a strong and fighting defense line. Speaking before the meeting, Musa explained the challenge posed by Colombia.
I think Colombia is a very difficult opponent, they play with great intensity in every match. He continued: “They have a high physical structure, especially in defense, and I think they have great talent in attack as well.” “This match is very important for us before the Copa America, to see how we will look“.
Teammate Cameron Carter Vickers He comes into action this summer after a title-winning campaign with Scottish giants Celtic and knows what it takes to perform in big games. A win over Colombia would provide real momentum ahead of the Copa America, but he remains focused on the level of performance, seeing it as an opportunity to fine-tune the team before the real match.
Obviously, Colombia is a good team with great players who play for big clubs around the world. For us, it's just about trying to find a good performance level and trying to make sure we find the way we want to play before the tournament. It's about trying to get the most out of it and learn more over the course of these games“.
With upcoming matches against such strong opponents, it is clear that the USMNT is aiming to go deep in the Copa America tournament this summer. The last time the United States hosted this tournament, eight years ago, it made a historic run to reach the semifinals. This time, with a squad full of players from the most famous clubs in the world, there is real belief that this could be the start of something special.
