Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at the US national team's reshufled January camp, manager Gregg Berhalter didn't mince words about the upcoming task of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
The USMNT failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the first time they'd missed the tournament since Mexico '86.
"I wouldn't call it pressure — I'd call it a responsibility," Berhalter said. "The players, the coaching staff, the whole organization feels a responsibility to the nation, to the fans, to get back to the World Cup."
Berhalter also confirmed that the US will play another qualifier for Euro 2020 in addition to the Dutch national team in March, which he believes will help fuel the competitiveness of those friendlies. And he leaned into the idea of 2020 as a whole being a pivotal one for his side, from those March friendlies to the Concacaf Nations League finals in June and then the start of Concacaf World Cup qualifying next fall.
"We're going to play 60% of our World Cup qualifiers in 2020," Berhalter said. "So an absolutely massive year for the team, and we're looking forward to it."
