Ready or Not, a Young U.S. Team’s Moment Arrives

Credit...Michelle RohnDOHA, Qatar — Together they share the convivial closeness of fraternity brothers. They are blessed with fresh legs and unlined faces. They don’t know any better than to be brimming with confidence.

They are the United States men’s soccer team, and they are young — very young. With an average age of 25 years 214 days, they will be the second-youngest of the 32 squads when the World Cup begins on Sunday in Qatar, according to Nielsen’s Gracenote, a data provider. Only Ghana, with an average of 25 years 108 days, has a younger 26-man squad.

They are America’s first Gen Z World Cup team. Time will tell whether they represent, as many hope, a golden generation. For now, at…