FIFA World Cup (Men's)

When it comes to attack-minded players, the USMNT has never been more exciting. Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie, Brenden Aaronson and Konrad de la Fuente are all footballers that bring you to your feet when in possession around goal, but they all share two common traits: (1) they’re not strikers and (2) they’re young.

These are important points because now we’re going to move on to talking about USMNT strikers who, for the most part, are all also fledglings.

Nearly four years after ignominiously bowing out of 2018 World Cup qualifying, the USMNT is ready to begin qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. The last four years have felt like a lifetime on and off the pitch in the U.S., but Sept. 2 marks the start of an opportunity to rewrite the script, a chance to cast off the miserable low of 2017 and show the country how much the team has improved.

Or not — we’ll see. 

Concacaf World Cup qualifying begins for the USMNT on Sept. 2 against El Salvador. After the match in El Salvador, the U.S. hosts Canada on Sept. 5 and then travels to Honduras to play on Sept. 8. The last game of this first WCQ window is the one that has me concerned.

I predict the USMNT to get seven points from these first three qualifying games in the form of victories against El Salvador and Canada, but a hard-fought draw in Honduras. Why is that? The Olímpico Metropolitano, and really anywhere in Honduras, is a fortress.

The reason you won’t see some of the best men's soccer players at the Olympics is sort of peculiar. In order to preserve the status of the World Cup as the greatest international event for men’s soccer, an Olympic soccer age limit was instituted for the men's tournament.

The men's Olympic soccer tournament only features players under 23 years old, with three exceptions for each country.