CHICAGO (Dec. 2, 2022) – The U.S. Men’s National Team will kick off the knockout stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a Round of 16 clash vs. Netherlands on Saturday, Dec. 3. Following an undefeated run through the group stage, including a thrilling 1-0 victory against IR Iran to clinch its knockout round berth, the USA is aiming for its first quarterfinal appearance since 2002.
Kickoff for Netherlands-USA from Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar is set for 10 a.m. ET on FOX and Telemundo.
The USMNT has qualified for the knockout stage in seven of 11 FIFA World Cup appearances and three of the last four. Netherlands, currently ranked No. 8 in the world, are also back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament. After finishing third at Brazil 2014 and runner-up at South Africa 2010, the Dutch are looking to make another deep run in Qatar.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Luton Town/ENG; 8/0; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Sean Johnson (New York City FC; 10/0; Lilburn, Ga.), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 23/0; Park Ridge, N.J.)
DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 12/0; Southend-on-Sea, England), Sergiño Dest (AC Milan/ITA; 22/2; Almere, Netherlands), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 29/3; Oak Hills, Calif.), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; 17/1; Powder Springs, Ga.), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 49/1; St. Louis, Mo.), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 32/2; Liverpool, England), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 3/0; Lake Grove, N.Y.), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; 76/0; Seattle, Wash.), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 36/3; Lawrenceville, Ga.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 27/6; Medford, N.J.), Kellyn Acosta (LAFC; 55/2; Plano, Texas), Tyler Adams (Leeds United/ENG; 35/1; Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 12/0; San Diego, Calif.), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 40/9; Little Elm, Texas), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 22/0; London, England), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 32/0; Pico Rivera, Calif.)
FORWARDS (7): Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 15/7; McKinney, Texas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; 50/11; Mercer Island, Wash.), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 55/22; Hershey, Pa.), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 15/4; Bedford, N.Y.), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 23/5; O’Fallon, Mo.), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 28/4; Rosedale, N.Y.), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor/TUR; 6/1; Los Angeles, Calif.)
Date
Opponent
Venue
Time (ET)/Result
TV Info
Monday, Nov. 21
Wales
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium; Al Rayyan, Qatar
1-1 D
—
Friday, Nov. 25
England
Al Bayt Stadium; Al Khor, Qatar
0-0 D
—
Tuesday, Nov. 29
IR Iran
Al Thumama Stadium; Doha, Qatar
1-0 W
—
Saturday, Dec. 3
Round of 16 – Netherlands
Khalifa International Stadium; Al Rayyan, Qatar
10 a.m.
FOX, Telemundo
Needing a win against IR Iran to secure advancement to the knockout stage, the USMNT delivered with a dramatic and hard-fought 1-0 victory. Despite a spirited effort from Team Melli and a raucous pro-Iran crowd, the U.S. dominated the first half and finally broke through with a goal in the 38th minute from talismanic forward Christian Pulisic. The Pennsylvania native crashed towards goal to finish off a well-placed header from defender Sergiño Dest, colliding with Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.
Looked just like 1930 tonight 🧤 pic.twitter.com/u5gtMwVtDb
Pulisic puts it away! 😤
🎥 » @FOXSoccer
pic.twitter.com/HPId4hsu4a
Tuesday’s lineup was also the fourth youngest in USMNT history at the tournament, coming in behind the team’s three Starting XIs at the 1990 World Cup: vs. Italy (24 years, 49 days), vs. Austria (24 years, 53 days), vs. Czechoslovakia (24 years, 78 days).
Youngest Lineups at the 2022 FIFA World Cup (through early games on Nov. 29)
Team
Date/Opponent
Age
Result
USA
Nov. 29 vs. IR Iran
24 years, 321 days
1-0 W
Spain
Dec. 1 vs. Japan
25 years, 99 days
1-2 L
USA
Nov. 21 vs. Wales
25 years, 102 days
0-0 D
USA
Nov. 25 vs. England
25 years, 169 days
1-1 D
Ecuador
Nov. 25 vs. Netherlands
25 years, 257 days
1-1 D
Ecuador
Nov. 29 vs. Senegal
26 years, 27 days
1-2 L
Ecuador
Nov. 20 vs. Qatar
26 years, 81 days
2-0 W
GOALKEEPERS (3): Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord; 6/0), Andries Noppert (Heerenveen; 3/0), Remko Pasveer (Ajax; 2/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Nathan Aké (Manchester City/ENG; 32/3), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool/ENG; 52/6), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan/ITA; 40/5), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen/GER; 0/0), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich/GER; 39/2), Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United/ENG; 6/0), Jurriën Timber (Ajax; 12/0), Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan/ITA; 59/3), Daley Blind (Ajax; 97/2)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Steven Berghuis (Ajax; 42/2), Cody Gakpo (PSV; 12/6), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona/ESP; 48/2), Davy Klaassen (Ajax; 38/10), Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta/ITA; 13/1), Marten de Roon (Atalanta/ITA; 33/0), Xavi Simons (PSV Eindhoven; 0/0), Kenneth Taylor (Ajax; 13/0)
FORWARDS (6): Steven Bergwijn (Ajax; 26/7), Memphis Depay (Barcelona/ESP; 84/42), Vincent Janssen (Antwerp/BEL; 22/7), Luuk de Jong (PSV; 38/8), Noa Lang (Club Brugge/BEL; 5/1), Wout Weghorst (Beşiktaş/TUR; 17/3)
The USMNT is the second youngest team at the World Cup and was by far the youngest team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, garnering valuable experience going through the rigors of World Cup qualifying. Through 14 qualifiers, the USA Starting XI came in at an average of 23.82, almost two years younger than the next closest team, Ghana at 25.67. Together, the other 31 participating teams averaged a Starting XI age of 27.5 through qualifying, nearly four full years older than the U.S.
From the available data for qualified teams, the USMNT played 10 of the 11 youngest lineups worldwide during the qualifying cycle, with all 14 lineups falling in the 23 youngest Starting XIs in the world dating back to October 2020.
The 2022 team ties the 1990 USA side for most U-23 players on a USMNT World Cup roster with nine: Tyler Adams (23); Brenden Aaronson, Sergiño Dest, Josh Sargent and Tim Weah (22); Jesús Ferreira (21); Gio Reyna (20); Yunus Musah and Joe Scally (19).
With the inclusion of Musah, Reyna and Scally, this is the first USMNT World Cup squad with more than one teenager named to the roster, though Gio Reyna turned 20 on Nov. 12 and Yunus Musah will do so on Nov. 29, the day of the USA’s final group stage match against IR Iran.
While 25 of 26 U.S. players arrived to Qatar sans World Cup experience, the USMNT roster is no stranger to some of soccer’s biggest stages at the club level. Five of the 26 are participating in this year’s UEFA Champions League, the sport’s premier club competition, while 14 play for teams in the world’s top five leagues (England, Germany, Spain, Italy and France).
This USMNT World Cup roster boasts perhaps the most impressive list of club homes ever at the tournament, with players at some of Europe’s most storied teams. Forward Christian Pulisic helped Chelsea win the UEFA Champions League in 2020-21, becoming the first American to play in the UCL Final. Defender Sergiño Dest moved this season to reigning Italian champion AC Milan, while goalkeeper Matt Turner is plying his trade for English Premier League leader Arsenal. Midfielder Weston McKennie’s club Juventus won the Italian league championship nine times in a row from 2011-12 through 2019-20.
The USMNT’s World Cup squad reflects the success of the U.S. Soccer player development pathway, as many of the players came up through the U.S. Youth National Teams program and spent time in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy and/or the U.S. Soccer U-17 Residency Program.
Fourteen players – just over half the roster – have represented the USA in at least one FIFA Youth World Cup. Four took the field together at two separate tournaments: Tyler Adams, Luca de la Torre Christian Pulisic and Haji Wright at the 2015 U-17 World Cup in Chile, and Adams, Cameron Carter-Vickers, de la Torre and Josh Sargent at the 2017 U-20 World Cup in Korea Republic.
Seventeen of 26 played in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, run by the Federation as the nation’s highest level of youth soccer from 2007-2020 to maximize youth player development by positively impacting everyday club environments. Seven players participated in the Residency Program, an elite training environment for the country’s best youth players at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. From 1999-2017.
Following the death of George Floyd in May 2020 and continuing growth of the important Black Lives Matter movement, the members of the U.S. Men’s National Team were inspired to develop their own mission statement to send and spread a meaningful message. From a diverse and united group, a call to action emerged: Be the Change.
The spirit of our message is that each and every person has the ability, opportunity and responsibility to make a difference in their own way. The motto has been brought to life in a number of different ways. Last June, the USMNT advocated for stricter gun control with armbands and an imploring letter to Congress to pass legislation.
Now, with the eyes of the world on the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the USMNT and U.S. Soccer will continue to elevate and advance the Be the Change message, inviting everyone on the journey to make a positive and lasting impact.
Get unrivaled matchday access
