The Coming ‘Golden Generation’ Will Not Accomplish What the 2002 Team Accomplished

Sports journos use it for engagement in the build-up to tournaments. It’s likely those teams will disappoint (most teams do). And sports journos can use the disappointment too. “Golden Generation Crashes Out!” sells better than “Team We Overhyped Doesn’t Live Up to Hype!”

 

Agree to this statement to infinity!

 

I never saw this article. Wow…

This almost seems he was trying to reduce pressure on himself by taking this casual attitude. I could see this coming from a mental coach of some sort…

But you know what?

He genuinely internalized it. And that explains the lack of fire and passion.

 

Uruguay had a golden generation. Suarez and cavani, Godin. Won copa America

Same with Chile with king Arturo and alexi sanchez.

Weston, pulisic, Tyler adams etc never deliver in big international matches.

 

Also serginho dest should never be allowed to wear the usmnt shirt again.
Let scalley or Bryan Reynolds play.

 

What was the agreed upon standout moment for this Golden Generation?

 

Bring back Ethan Horvath.

 

Dest? Dest was great against Paraguay and Australia. He’s a fantastic player. He didn’t play well against Belgium, but he wasn’t alone in that regard.

Dest absolutely should be a big part of the team moving forward.

 

I’d say it’s beating Bosnia a man down after winning their group in the World Cup. That’s it.

 

Agreed upon is probably going to be tough.

The Bosnia win and the 3-2 Nations League win in 21 are both good choices.

I'd pick the 4-1 Paraguay win. It's been like a 100 years since we scored that many or won by that much. (From 1990 to 2022, I think we only have the one win by more than one goal?) Paraguay aren't world beaters, but they did sneak their way into the round of 16. We made them look pretty bad.

Other big moments: Tying England in 02 and the qualifying 2-0 win against Mexico in 21.

 

And he almost scored against Belgium. Imagine what we’d be saying if that goal had somehow reinvigorated the team to rally against Belgium?

His passion is what I want to see from an American player.

 

If folks think this generation doesn't have standout moments, then they haven't been paying attention. I don't know...............you just saw a couple with the three USMNT wins at the World Cup. We'd never done that. If you didn't take joy from that romp over Paraguay than I feel sorry for you. The Paraguay team that eliminated Germany and gave France all they could handle.

[Maybe we can call the start of this generation as the fall of 2017 after we turned the page once being eliminated from 2018 WCQing. That friendly against Portugal in which McKennie and Adams got their first caps to join Pulisic.]

What's amazing is that many of the players of the 2002 generation never won a single trophy in a USMNT jersey.

You know, many of that 2002 squad were on the team that failed miserably in 1998 and then failed to get out of the group in 2006. It wasn't Shangri-la.

Claudio Reyna never won a thing with the USMNT. There is no image of Claudio Reyna lifting a trophy in a USMNT jersey.

Maybe there's a new generation of fans that don't realize this:

When I started as a fan, we'd won NOTHING in my lifetime. Not until the 1991 Gold Cup. That was the only trophy we'd won before the year 2000.

From 1937 to 1991 we'd beaten Mexico once. [1982 WCQer for which there's no tv footage because Mexican tv has put it in some vault never to be seen again.]

...............................Most of the guys of the current generation's core have won at least three trophies.

We EXPECT to win Gold Cups and Nations Leagues (which I understand is a recently constructed event). We expect to win our share against Mexico now. We don't think of those things as standout moments any longer. But there are plenty in the generations ya'll are comparing the current players to that never won those things. How many trophies did John Harkes win with the USMNT?

Yes, this group lost badly to the Netherlands in 2022 and to Belgium in 2026. By the way, I watched the 2002 generation lose badly to Poland at that World Cup. Badly. Luckily for us, Portugal failed to beat South Korea or we were out.

 

You can't have a golden gen without one top player. We still haven't produced one

 

We've had a lot of backlash on the thread about calling this a "golden generation."

Its not.

Most international teams that are labeled with that never live up to the expectations.

Like............................this Belgian generation that just came to an abrupt end. Didn't win a damn thing.

Cuz this whole thing is hard. The margins are thin at this level.

Spain didn't make it past the round of 16 in 2014, 20218 or 2022.

 

Gotta say Round of 16 seems to be our consistent level whether we have guys starting in MLS or for relegation fodder teams or even starting for big clubs in Europe.

 

Yes, Golden Generation is an accolade that should be awarded historically, after a team wins something significant.

That "was" our Golden Generation.

Unfortunately that doesn't generate clicks.

 

Mexico called the Vela/Dos Santos generation the "golden generation" because they won the Gold Medal at the Olympics.
At least that one made sense..........................

They never made it past the Round of 16 at the World Cup.

 

Yep, if anything this World Cup should quiet the Europe vs. MLS wars as they relate to the national team and put the focus back on the overall pool’s quality and shortcomings.

 

Other than in 1970 and 1986.

 

I was saying the Vela/dos Santos "golden generation" didn't make it past the Round of 16.

Mexico has made it to the Round of 16 two of the times they've hosted. That's it.

Saying the US is a "round of 16 nation" isn't news. That's everybody other than the powers capable of winning the World Cup.

How many nations have been to the Round of 16 at 5 of the last 7 events? Its a pretty exclusive list. So even saying we're a regular round of 16 participant is more of a compliment than some give it credit for.

 

Belgium had a few world class players during that time so yes its a golden unit.

I like thr Chile example. 2 copa America's with vidal and alexi Sanchez. We don't have anyone near those two. One day I hope.
It certainly isn't gio reyna and Tyler the backpass adams

 

Right? How much of a cliff has Chile fallen off? UGH

 

It has gotten real bad for them. In their latest 26 man roster plus anyone else called up in the last 12 months they only have 5 players who play in the Big 5 leagues and 4 of those are on 'bottom feeder' type teams.