There's no doubt the pressure will be on the U.S. men's national team during the 2026 World Cup.
The prestigious tournament will be on home soil and current promising prospects will be two years further into their respective developmental paths.
In 2022, the U.S. fell to the Netherlands 3-1 in the round of 16, a fitting end to a campaign where the team struggled to score all throughout the group stage. The expectation in 2026 will be to advance a few rounds more.
Both the 2022 World Cup and 2026 will be managed by Gregg Berhalter, who was briefly moved on from after his contract expired and a past domestic violence incident surfaced.
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But after a months-long process of interviewing potential replacements, the U.S. Soccer Federation ultimately brought Berhalter back, which drew divisive opinions.
Is Berhalter the right coach for the Stars and Stripes entering the 2026 World Cup? Former USMNT and Premier League goalkeeper Tim Howard believes so.
"He's the right coach if he wins," Howard said in an exclusive interview with NBCUniversal Local. "You know, I think that's just kind of how it goes, the way that U.S. Soccer has chosen. Gregg Berhalter, I think he initially created the team by getting a bunch of young kids and allowing them to grow together...taking a lot of the veteran players, pushing them aside and allowing this team to grow together."
Howard added on to how Berhalter should continue overseeing the players' paths for 2026 after being the one to essentially create the current project.
"And this is his team, this is his team," Howard said. "And so, you know, in terms of who's right to lead that charge, sure, absolutely he is because he's brought this team through, right. And so now they're at a pivotal moment because potential is an awesome thing. And so you have to fulfill it, you know, then that's where the pressure is.
"And I think when you come to 2026, not only is it a time for these young kids to have already matured and be the team that they are, but they're doing it on home soil, which adds pressure. So obviously we wish them luck, rooting for them. And do I think Greg is the right guy? Absolutely."
Howard also is looking forward to his home country hosting the World Cup because of the impact it's likely to have, especially after he witnessed the 1994 tournament in the States.
"We've come a long way in a short period of time and I think '94 was an awesome World Cup," Howard said. "This one, from by all accounts, will shatter every record. You know, financial records, viewing records, more teams involved in the World Cup. And so this is kind of like a coming-of-age moment for the United States, for North America.
"And I think it's, you know, having been to three World Cups, I think I went to nine World Cup games in '94, and I feel like I have a good grasp on what the World Cup is and what it means. I even think I'm going to be blown away by the enormity of what 2026 will bring and certainly the final."
