Gregg Berhalter could only take 26 players to the World Cup, and he's made up his mind.
On November 9, Berhalter and U.S. Soccer unveiled their squad of players that will compete at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The USMNT head coach knows he and the rest of the group will ultimately be judged on how they perform at the tournament in Qatar.
"I think the final determination on this group will come at the World Cup," Berhalter said after the 2014 roster reveal at an event in Brooklyn, New York. "That's how generations are measured. The real measuring stick for this group is certainly how they perform in Qatar."
While Berhalter was asked about his decisions to include certain players that were not expected to appear on the 26-man list, he was also asked to discuss his choices to leave others off.
"There's a lot of emotion involved for both me and them," Berhalter said about telling players they didn't make it. "To tell them they're not part of the World Cup is heartbreaking, but those are the decisions that we've made and we move forward. Now it's about who do we have in camp and how do we be successful."
Berhalter then proceeded to discuss a number of key roster decisions on an individual level for the United States at the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
MORE: A complete breakdown of all 26 players who made the USMNT World Cup squad
Tim Ream selected to USA World Cup roster
It's amazing the difference two months can make.
Back in September, before ahead of the friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia, Gregg Berhalter made it quite clear what he thought of Tim Ream, now 35 years old and in his third Premier League stint with Fulham. "Some of the things that we’re looking for in our center backs is to play a high line, cover a lot of space behind, be dominant in the air, dominant on offensive and defensive set pieces," Berhalter said at the time. "And that’s not Tim strength."
Fast forward to early November: Tim Ream is on the plane to Qatar, and his coach is glowing: "Have you watched any Fulham games lately? Then you know why he's here," Berhalter said with a laugh. "It's really clear. In Tim's case, he was in the Premier League three years ago and he struggled. The whole team struggled. He went to the Championship and performed better, they got promoted, and now he's in the Premier League and he's a top performer in his team. It's really hard to ignore that."
Berhalter isn't wrong. Tim Ream has been one of the top-rated players on the Fulham squad, and one of the top-rated defenders in the Premier League on a non-Big Six team. He has been extremely successful at aerial duels, and his rate of defensive actions is high. The 35-year-old's career renaissance is stark, and he could potentially start for the U.S. in the World Cup alongside Walker Zimmerman.
MORE: Biggest snubs on USMNT 2022 World Cup roster, as players fall short of making 26-man squad
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen left off USMNT roster entirely
One of the biggest surprises regarding players not appearing on the USA World Cup roster is goalkeeper Zack Steffen. The Man City goalkeeper, on loan at Middlesbrough, made six appearances in World Cup qualifying and appeared to be jockeying with Matt Turner for the starting role.
Instead, Steffen was left off entirely. The 27-year-old battled injuries earlier this season as well as rumors that he would lose his starting job at Middlesbrough, but he hung on and has started in every game this season he's been fit and available to play in.
Berhalter was asked numerous times why Steffen was left off, and he wouldn't budge, instead insisting "it's really about the guys we do have." He did offer a bit of emotion, saying that he and Steffen "go way back" and that leaving him off the roster was "heartbreaking," but he refused to explain a tangible reason for Steffen's exclusion.
Instead, he talked up the two guys who made the roster behind likely starter Matt Turner, in Ethan Horvath and Sean Johnson.
"Evaluating the goalkeeper position is somewhat different," Berhalter said. The head coach talked up the idea that the 33-year-old Johnson "has been with this program since day one" and discussed his contributions to the team cohesion. "He's a really valuable piece of this team."
He then talked up the value of having a goalkeeper who is comfortable coming off the bench in a pinch, and highlighted Ethan Horvath. "Ethan is a guy that always responds when his number is called. Let's not forget this is a guy who subbed into the Championship final last year, and was able to hold on and get his team to victory. He subbed on to our Nations League final and saved a penalty. He's a guy who's johnny on the spot and I think that's valuable in this competition."
MORE: Get to know all 26 players competing for the United States at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Haji Wright selected over Jordan Pefok to USA roster
The most surprising name on the U.S. World Cup roster, without a doubt, was Haji Wright.
The 24-year-old has just three international caps, and like Ream, has recent criticism from Berhalter to point towards as a reason why it was unlikely for him to be included in Qatar.
Back in June, after Wright played 45 scoreless minutes against El Salvador in CONCACAF Nations League play, Berhalter gave the striker a harsh critique. "It's always difficult when players get a chance and they don't capitalize on it. It's difficult for the coaches and it's difficult for teammates. We thought he could be a force, but it just wasn't his night tonight."
Gregg Berhalter isn't often publicly critical of his players, so this quote stood out. It felt like a challenge more than anything, and sure enough, Wright responded. He has nine league goals for Turkish club Antalyaspor, and his form earned him a spot on the plane to Qatar.
"When we were looking as coaches, we were evaluating Haji versus Jordan Pefok," Berhalter said after the roster reveal. "Haji is in great goalscoring form. They're both physical strikers, Jordan maybe a little more so, but Haji has pace, he's got one-v-ones, he's got finishing with his head and both feet, and he's performing well in the Turkish league.
"Let's not forget the starting striker for Belgium [Michy Batshuayi] also plays in the Turkish league — he has five goals, and Haji has nine goals, and the Belgian I'm talking about plays for a better team also. It's not an easy league to score goals in, and he's doing a great job."
For Pefok, it's a tough pill to swallow after starting the season in great form with a very defensive-minded Union Berlin side. Unfortunately, he hit a sudden skid and that recent form cost him a World Cup place.
"If we would've made the [World Cup] decision mid-September he [Pefok] would've probably been a lock to be in because of his form at Union Berlin," said Berhalter. "But since then it's been a different story and Haji has come on more."
MORE: Can the United States make it out of its 2022 World Cup group and reach the knockout stage?
Why Ricardo Pepi was left off USA World Cup roster
The striker position was one of much intrigue over the past year, with few players truly grasping a spot at the World Cup with their club and international form. Ricardo Pepi was ultimately left off despite his recapturing of form on loan at Dutch club Groningen.
"With Ricardo, we were judging him against Josh [Sargent] and Jesus [Ferreira]. We felt it was valuable that Josh was playing in a competition [the Premier League & Championship] where two of our three opponents are coming from, I think that brings value and physicality. The Dutch league is a great league, but it doesn't bring the same physicality that the Premier League brings and the Championship brings. That was something that went in to our decision."
Then, interestingly, Berhalter conceded a rare admission of vulnerability. "These may not be the right choices. These are the choices that we picked. Ricardo Pepi could have a great argument for why he should be there, and I can understand that, but we chose to bring three strikers and these are the three that we've chosen."
It's expected that Jesus Ferreira will have the first shot at leading the front line for the United States at the World Cup, having the most consistency of form with both his club and national team, and Berhalter has long had an affinity for his fit in the tactical system.
"Jesus is a guy that we've seen have very good overall understanding for our game model," Berhalter said. "He has the ability to really bring other players into the game as well. He's clever with his movement in the penalty area and really good ability to press the opponent."
Behind him, Josh Sargent will provide cover at the position and could end up as a late-game substitution depending on game flow. "Josh does a lot of things well. He's also competing against these guys from England and Wales. He'll have familiarity with the opponent which we think will be valuable. And I think he gives a physical presence with his aerial duels and his competitive nature that's going to help this group."
Berhalter's curious right-back call-ups for World Cup
Full-back has long been a position of weakness for the United States. The player pool at the full-back position is coming on slower than others, and as a result, the team has struggled to find consistency.
Lately, the development of Sergino Dest on the right and Antonee Robinson on the left has given the United States a pair of full-backs who have secured clear starting roles. Behind them, however, there are no obvious second choices.
The USA's full-back group for the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a jumbled, patchwork bunch that offers little balance between left and right flanks. There is no natural left-back behind Robinson, meaning a right-back or left center-back would have to slide over in the event that the Fulham defender cannot play. The roster is, instead, significantly unbalanced, with three other right-backs in the group.
DeAndre Yedlin is the only member of the entire roster with prior World Cup experience, and Berhalter referred to him as a "glue guy" as an elder statesman of the squad.
He's a guy who's been to a World Cup before and can share his experiences," Berhalter said of Yedlin, now with MLS side Inter Miami. "But more importantly just continue to do what he's been doing for us. He's there for the team, he creates the atmosphere for the team. Sometimes he's a shoulder to cry on or to talk to, other times he's a motivator. Overall he needs to continue to do what he's been doing because he's been doing a good job for us."
While Yedlin brings a veteran presence, young Joe Scally was included after earning a starting role with Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach, and will add a youthful exuberance, while Shaq Moore of Nashville SC is "relentless," and is mentioned as a player who could shift over to the left if needed to cover for Robinson.
"He's been grinding out his career and doing it in a way that he had to rely on his one-vs-one defending," said Berhalter of Moore's inclusion on the roster. "We think that in the World Cup, particularly on the left side of the field for our opponents, they've got good one-vs-one players and we think he's a guy who can help us in that role."
Paul Arriola left off World Cup roster due to winger depth
The most emotional Berhalter got during the entire media availability was when discussing FC Dallas winger Paul Arriola at the end of the press conference. When asked about Arriola's exclusion, Berhalter thanked the reporter for asking about a player that clearly means a lot personally to the U.S. head coach.
"I don't think there's been enough talk about Paul," said Berhalter, who called his chat with the player a "painful conversation". "That was another difficult, difficult decision to make."
Berhalter pointed to the depth at the winger position for the United States, with Brenden Aaronson, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, and Christian Pulisic all healthy and on the World Cup roster.
"For one reason or another we haven't had all our wingers fit and available [in the past], but now as we lead into the World Cup, every one of those wingers is fit and available. And it just made that Paul was the odd man out. And it sucks. It's the worst thing to have to tell him that. We feel there are other players - those other wingers that are ahead of him. That's the worst possible thing. This guy has been with us since Day One and you've got to tell him he's not coming to the World Cup."
