DOHA, Qatar — Gregg Berhalter made the mission statement at his very first meeting with the U.S. men’s national team. It was almost four years ago now, not long after an American soccer nadir. He stood in front of two dozen players, as their freshly minted USMNT coach, and told them that their North Star stretched beyond wins and World Cups.
“What we’re looking to do,” he said, “is change the way the world views American soccer.”
And on Friday, near the end of a four-year journey, they will get their golden opportunity to do that.