Maximum Optimal Depth Chart Center Forward: Balogun(28), Pepi(27), Danjaji(20), Sargent(30), Kimbrough(20), Fields(23), Figueroa(23), Jones(22), Downs(25) Wide Attacker: Pulisic(31), Albert(21), Weah(30), Berchimas(22), Paredes(27), Campbell(24), Hall(22), Cowell(26), Johnson(21), Hassan(21), Gozo(23), Gitau(22) Attacking Mid: Reyna(27), Tillman(28), BAaronson(29), Luna(26), Medina(23), Ramos(23), Carrizo(22), Sokoloff(21) Center Mid: Sullivan(20), McKennie(31), Musah(27), Cremaschi(25), Busio(28), (Spivey(21), Morris(28), PAaronson(26) Defensive Mid: Adams(31), Cardoso(28), Tessmann(28), Terry(21), Emenalo(22), Soma(24), Raines(25), Mehmeti(21) Right Back: Dest(29), Duru(25), Scally(27), Reynolds(29), Villa(22), Baker-Whiting(25) Left Back: Miller(22), Robinson(32), Wiley(25), Forfor(21), Romero(21), Tolkin(27), Lund(28) CB: Banks(23), Richards(30), Wynder(25), McKenzie(31), Neal(26), Pierre(22), Akinmboni(23) Goalie: Kochen(24), Schulte(29), Turner(36), Slonina(27), Beaudry(25), Beavers(26), Eyestone(25)
Will be interesting to see how many of these players are utterly forgotten by the time 2030 rolls around.
So, we will most likely have: Better depth Good combination of experience and youth Average CD and GK Best player who will be starting or on the downside of his career. We are going still going to need the forwards to continue to develop (Balogun and Pepi) and probably a younger player step up. I don't see a resolution of the CD issue for the next 3-4 years, possibly longer.
1) The better depth comes from 2 factors. One is the Lost Generation. That would be the group aging out between now and 2030. The second factor is the specialness of the 08-10 birthyear groups who will be 20-22 come 2030. Those of us who follow youth soccer closely can see they bring depth (as well as top end talent) that is different from prior age groups. 2) Yes. We'll have both experience and youth come 2030. Experience from guys like Pulisic, Adams, McKennie, Robinson, Weah and Dest. The oldest will be Robinson at 32. And the influx of youth from the 08-10 birthyears. 3) I don't think CD and GK will be average. Banks and Kochen are exceptional talents. 4) Agree there. Pulisic will be on the downside of his career and we have to hope it is a gentle decline.
I don’t know that the 2030 World Cup will be ours necessarily, but the 2030 cycle will be the point where we have the most talented pool ever. And both goalkeeper and center back seem to be a cycle away with all the up and coming prospects we have at both positions. The other part is we will no longer be missing a generation of players (as the current group is). The major X factor of course will be how does Pulisic age.
They're playing like an etc right now in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. But anyway, even with the projected talent at our disposal in 2030...................the point remains that Argentina, France, Spain, and company aren't going anywhere. In theory, England is always there. In practice, we know they'll lose in the quarterfinals on penalties in 2030. When you look at some positions on that chart by the original poster, there is a LOT of projection. Centerback, for instance. A lot of prospects we need to "make it." It's like predicting who is going to win the World Series in 2030 based on who has the best AA team right now. That's not the way sports works.
What is difficult to account for is the Lost Generation. Since it is not there it won't be aging out. Every other team experiences losses every cycle from attrition. We will have very little attrition from 2026 to 2030. It means everything being added from the junior ranks will be a sort of upgrade rather than trying to offset normal attrition. Aside from that mechanistic view what is coming up from the youth ranks is very good. Very good in terms of volume and quality. And very good in terms of occurring at positions where we are currently weak.
I wouldn't say stars but solid big time starters in good leagues. Stars are those few that win games at any level and each of those teams will have 2-5. Depth is another matter as Argentina had a MLS guy on their squad. We're gaining but the targets don't stand still.
Will they? Their last four tournaments are making the finals of the Euros twice, making a World Cup semifinal, and a quarterfinal loss to France where they played quite well but were undone by an unexpected penalty miss by Kane. At a certain point they’re going to break through if they keep knocking on the door like that.
The superagers mostly fall in two categories: CBs and generational talents. The common characteristic across both is a high soccer IQ. I'll throw out a wild guess. Antonee Robinson moves to CB in his thirties and remains an important national team player into his mid-thirties. I left Zimmerman off my list but he is another candidate who could age well. Certainly his leadership qualities are strong, which is another component of the guys who stick around a long time.
Yawn, of their two Euros Finals, one was at home, the other, they avoided all the "big boy" sides. Any of the teams on Spain's side of the bracket would have utterly throtted and curb-stomped them well before the final. In short, they've been more lucky than good. They don't have a Kane replacement, their GK is English Matt Turner, and their back four are all bad at soccer. All that said, they'll still probably be ahead of the US in 2030.[/QUOTE]
I think our trajectory is moving upwards...................................but Spain just won the Euros with a young team. The big boys aren't going anywhere. I think we're still generations away from seriously competing for a World Cup trophy. There's something very USMNT fandom about being eliminated in the group stage of Copa America, and then later in the year saying "the 2030 World Cup is ours." That's just our optimism for the future. We're a little delusional, but hey....we're fans. We're allowed to be. I bet we can go back 20 years and see a thread about how the "2022 World Cup is going to be ours!!"
You and me brother and I suspect most on here. My Grandpa lived to 101 so I may be able to see 2054, 2058 and 2062 too!
We all know how talented the 2009s are, the 2010s are likely the final age group that would be relevant for the 2030 World Cup as they will be 19-20.... from guys who are 31-32 down to 19-20 we'll finally have a complete national team again that isn't held back by a "lost generation" https://www.ussoccercollective.com/rankings/2009 1. Cavan Sullivan 2. Mathis Albert 3. KK Spivey 4. Adri Mehmeti 5. Prince Forfor 6. Manu Romero 7. Tyson Espy 8. Marcelo Avalos 9. Omar Hassan 10. Zidane Cadet https://www.ussoccercollective.com/rankings/2010
80% of the guys on the 2030 team are already known and in the system. The exceptions are some CBs and goalies who currently are in their mid-teens. It takes longer to figure who the best players are at those positions. There might also be 1 or 2 dual nats who we currently are not aware of and maybe 1 late blooming player a la Clint Dempsey. Maybe a young player not currently a citizen. So 21 of a hypothetical 26-man roster are known to one extent or another.