It’s safe to say that the last five years have been a very disappointing stretch for the United States men’s soccer team. The failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and the heartbreak in the last Gold Cup final against their heated rivals Mexico, means the US needs to find a way to bounce back in 2021 after a lost year due to the pandemic. Luckily for America, the good times seem to be ahead.

It’s no secret that in the past, Americans have struggled to break into many squads in Europe on the club level, but in the past few years that trend is beginning to change, with players like Christian Pulisic playing for Chelsea. Daryl Dike, who plays for Barnsley, is another player performing well in Europe. In the EFL Championship, he is scoring goals, getting assists, along with being crucial in the hold-up play for this team.

“They have plenty of players out in Europe,” junior Ramon Mata said.

People may be wondering why this would be such a big deal. Fans are talking about the men’s national team, not the club teams, but the matter of fact is this is an important detail. With the newfound exposure of our players in Europe, the U.S. is constantly challenging against the best in the world week after week.

“Seeing our players go toe to toe with the best in the world every matchday will only make us better as a nation,” senior Landon Erickson said.

This upcoming Gold Cup in July is also so important for the USMNT as it is a chance to start a new era for the squad. The talent of this year’s group of players on the USMNT is unprecedented. The national team is in a time where they are looking to move on from long time veterans on the squad such as Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley. Luckily, the pool of upcoming players are not only ones for the future but can easily perform now. In the upcoming Gold Cup, the USMNT will play big names like Weston Mckennie, Gio Reyna and Pulisic, but there are also many young players here in the MLS that will hope to make a stamp on the tournament.

“It’s crazy how good some young Americans are in the MLS,” said senior John Springer.

There are big talent pools for young American players here in the MLS, but there are a few names to look out for in the upcoming Gold Cup. The first player that fans will expect to see make big strides this Gold Cup is FC Dallas forward Jesus Ferreria. US Coach Gregg Berhalter has loved the look of him playing a false 9 in his system. Another interesting player to see if he makes the squad would be San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Jackson Yueill. Berhalter once again enjoys him as his deep lying playmaker and looks for him to make a huge impact off the bench, as proven by the big minutes he’s been given in recent friendlies and U-23 matches.

Another crucial factor that the USMNT has been lacking over a big part of their history is the fact that they truly have strong fan support now. Soccer has always been a joke here in the US and finally it’s starting to get a better reputation. Seeing the support for new coming MLS teams like Nashville, Miami, and Austin show the growing support here. Since the tournament will be played here in the US with greater fan support, the US can win the Gold Cup and defeat their heated rivals, Mexico.