The USMNT will kick-off their World Cup campaign against Wales in a month's time, and former goalkeeper Tim Howard has given his advice to the national team following Christian Pulisic 's lofty ambitions.
Pulisic has claimed that USA are going to Qatar with the intention of winning the World Cup, and isn't bothered by the odds that are stacked against them. The USMNT didn't qualify for the last World Cup in Russia, but they did reach the round of 16 in 2014, when Howard was their starting goalkeeper.
The USA will face Wales, England and Iran in Group B, but are heading into the tournament with confidence that they can progress to the knockout stages. And Howard has offered the team advice based on his experience in the World Cup.
Howard previewed their chances of progressing on Ben Foster's Fozcast, and claimed that the first match against Wales is the most important fixture of all. "I could see them getting out the group and I could see them not, it's a strange one," Howard said.
"The first game against Wales is the most important, in my experience in the World Cup four points can be enough to get you through. But you have to be in with a shot on the last game, so they can't walk away from he Wales game with no points.
"If they get three, then brilliant, happy days. If they get one I don't see them getting a result against England but that's okay because they then go into the last game against Iran knowing that they can get through as the second team on four points.
"If you don't get a result on the first game then you're kind of like a dead man walking. You want to get to that third game with it all to play for."
But four points should be easily enough judging by Pulisic's standards, as the USA captain is confident of staging an unlikely run in the competition. Speaking on the GQ interview, Pulisic said: "Listen, I don't know what the odds are or any of that kind of stuff.
"We're going in there with the goal of winning the World Cup. We're going in there with the mentality to win. Maybe we don't have the highest odds and we're by no means favourites, but we're gonna go in there and give everything we got and hopefully make some Americans proud."
Pulisic will need to be on top form to inspire success for his side, but is struggling for a place in the starting line-up at club level. Pulisic has only made two starts for Chelsea this season, but Graham Potter has dealt the American a blow by stating that he won't see his team selection influenced by personal interest.
Potter said: "You can imagine my focus is on Chelsea. I understand that all the players have ambition and want to play for different reasons, for their families, careers or World Cups.
'That's all fine but it's my job to select the right team for whatever game. [I'm] not saying I am right all the time, I am not, but somebody has got to make the call."
