Why the USMNT’s road to the World Cup looks clear after years of toil

Four years ago the US were humiliated as they failed to make the grade for Russia 2018. Talented young players and a new coach have turned things around

There are two versions of the US men's national team, depending who you ask.

There's the USMNT that exists in the consciousness of those who have paid little attention to the team since October 2017, when they failed to qualify for the World Cup. That USMNT is an embarrassment, and the image wasn't helped when a hybrid Olympic team failed to qualify for Tokyo this year.