Cary, N.C. – It’s not so much the United States’ No. 5 world ranking. FIFA’s world rankings are as complicated as the Bowl Championship Series’ but not nearly as credible.
It’s not so much the U.S. going 12-2-4 to win its World Cup qualifying group. Europe and South America still consider CONCACAF the Big Sky Conference of world soccer.
The U.S. won respect on the world stage by making a dent in the World Cup four years ago, where it became one of the world’s biggest surprises in advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time. Eleven players return from that team, and if the European powers needed reminders, 13 U.S. World Cup players play for European clubs.
“Definitely, we won’t be overlooked,” said goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who plays for Borussia Moenchengladbach of Germany’s prestigious Bundesliga. “I think their press possibly will try a little bit. The true football fan won’t.”
In 2002 the U.S. made the world take notice, and fans followed suit. The U.S. opened with a 3-2 upset of Portugal, knocked off favored Mexico 2-0 in the round of 16 and lost in the quarterfinals to eventual runner-up Germany 1-0 with the Americans challenging until the final seconds.
Now the U.S., which is holding a weeklong training camp here, returns to Germany on June 1 for the World Cup with some reluctant supporters meeting them.
“Every person in the German press who talks to me about the quarterfinal game says we were better,” Keller said. “And that’s the German people saying that. They were like if (goalie Oliver) Kahn didn’t have the game he had we win 2 or 3-nil. That’s a sign of respect.”
Experience overseas has been huge. The 11 U.S. holdovers have a combined 18 World Cups and average 41.9 caps (national appearances). In 1990, the U.S.’ first return to the World Cup in 40 years, it averaged 24.6.
The players are making names for themselves, too. Claudio Reyna, in his fourth Cup, made the All-World Cup team in 2002 and plays for Manchester City in England’s Premier League. Keller is a huge fan favorite for one of the most popular clubs in Germany and considered one of the top 10 goalies in the world.
“They really do have more respect now than before because they know the players,” said midfielder Bobby Convey, who led Reading to a title in England’s second division and promotion to the Premier League for next season. “They don’t just talk about Cobi Jones and joke around about the national team guys’ names they recognize only because they have long hair.”
Pablo Mastroeni, the Rapids’ captain, remembers the first time he stepped on the field in South Korea for his World Cup four years ago. He remembers testing the turf and seeing a giant banner put up by his family reading, “There’s a dream. We love you, Pablo.”
“That’s all I remember from that game,” he said. “I saw video clips and you could’ve fooled me that I was out on the field. It happened so fast.”
This time it will be different.
“We’ve been there,” Mastroeni said. “We’ve seen it before and we know what to expect. And I think that makes the game a lot slower as far as playing on the field and not being so caught up in the moment and the glitz and glamour of the World Cup.”
However, don’t expect the U.S. to be favored when it opens against Czech Republic on June 12 in Gelsenkirchen.
First, the U.S. has won only twice in its past eight games on European soil. And while no Czech player has appeared in a World Cup, they finished third in the 2004 European championships. Star Pavel Nedved is a regular in Europe’s club championship, the Champions League, with Italian power Juventus, which just won its 29th Italian title.
“Believe me, we’re not playing against a bunch of inexperienced players in the Czech Republic,” said U.S. coach Bruce Arena, the longest-tenured national coach in the World Cup.
Also, Jan Koller, Czech’s 6-foot-8 scoring star, is back from an injury and should be 100 percent for the U.S. But Italy, the favorite in the United States’ Group E, has suddenly become a question mark after a bribery scandal targeted four teams, including Juventus.
At the center of the controversy is Gianluigi Buffon, the Juventus and Italy goalie, who is being investigated for gambling charges. Who knows what the fallout will be – or who Italy’s goalie will be – by the U.S. game June 17.
If the U.S. finishes second in Group E and advances to the knockout phase, it will need all the experience it can get. The likely opponent as winner of Group F?
Brazil.
John Henderson can be reached at 303-820-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com.
