USMNT: Copa America could be first test for next crop of players
By Daniel Garza
After missing the 2018 World Cup, the USMNT could get it’s first real test at the 2019 Copa America since the disastrous qualifying campaign.
Earlier in the week, more reports came out confirming the USMNT was indeed invited to participate in the 2019 edition of the Copa America. There’s been no indication of the U.S. accepting the invitation yet, as they would be among five other countries to be named “guest” participants.
The tournament appears it will be comprised of the 10 teams from the CONMEBOL and the six guest teams. Other invitees to be linked to the competition include Japan, Qatar, China, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates.
In 2016, the USMNT went up against South America competition in the Copa America Centenario which was a joint tournament between CONCACAF and CONMEBOL teams. They finished fourth in that competition.
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So, where does that leave the CONCACAF Gold Cup? According to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl, the U.S. will send an A team to the Gold Cup and a B team to the Copa America.
Additional note: If US does agree to play in Copa América 2019, I’m told it would send A team to Gold Cup and B team to Copa América. https://t.co/JwJIxecbyr
— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) April 4, 2018
What the future could hold
Now, the interesting storyline here is what exactly is meant by an A team and a B team? The USMNT has played a very young lineup since missing out on the World Cup and the majority of its veteran players have not seen action for over six months.
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One would have to think that the A team would be comprised of the veteran players and the very talented young players like Christian Pulisic. That would leave the B team with the young group of players we have been seeing as of late in the international friendlies.
However, the U.S. could send players like Pulisic to play with the younger crop since they will most likely be his teammates during the next phase of World Cup qualifying. That’s why this news has been so intriguing to American soccer fans everywhere. There really are so many ways this could go in terms of who plays with whom.
With that being said, this might be the best thing to happen to the U.S. as they eye making a return to the World Cup in 2022. For one, this will give the next group of players up for selection for the next qualifying phase to showcase themselves against some of the world’s best teams.
The Copa America will give the younger players a chance to grow together and build chemistry in a tournament setting. Playing friendlies only shows so much and the teams they will be playing against will likely be fielding the best they have to offer. That’s why this will be the real first test for this group of players and it may be indicative of who is in and who is out for the first round of the Americans 2022 World Cup qualifying matches.
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With over a year to go to the two competitions, there’s still plenty of questions to be answered including who is going to be the long-term manager of the team. But for now, we have something to look forward to after a heartbreaking result last fall.