San Jose, Costa Rica — Christian Pulisic walked throughout the sector with a towel draped round his head, offended after one other U.S. defeat.
"We're rivals, man. We hate to lose. Within the second I used to be annoyed," he mentioned. "It took me somewhat bit for it to sink in, that the qualification hit."
Almost 4-1/2 years after Pulisic buried his head in his arms to cover tears of failure, the U.S. rebounded to qualify for this yr's World Cup. A 2-0 loss to Costa Rica on Wednesday left the People in third place after the ultimate evening of qualifying, the ultimate assured berth from North and Central America and the Caribbean.
It is going to be their first look since July 1, 2014, when the U.S. males's nationwide group misplaced to Belgium in further time within the spherical of 16, CBSSports.com factors out, including that the group's "future is shiny."
"Trying on the huge image," Pulisic mentioned, "we're clearly so proud to characterize our nation at a World Cup, so we're thrilled for that. In a few days, I do not assume we'll be eager about this sport," he mentioned. "I feel we are able to do loads of injury, man. I feel we're a assured bunch of men, and, yeah, I feel the nation will get behind us."
For Pulisic, DeAndre Yedlin, Kellyn Acosta and Paul Arriola, smiles of reduction broke out after an unrelenting burden was lifted.
"That is no matter I've at all times needed to be, and proper now feelings are a bit loopy," Pulisic mentioned, his voice quavering.
On the 1,267th day after a 2-1 loss at Trinidad and Tobago ended the People' streak of seven straight World Cup appearances, Yedlin addressed the group earlier than the kickoff.
"I simply thanked every one among them for giving me a second alternative to redeem myself, and the nation a second alternative to redeem itself," mentioned the 28-year-old defender, the one American left from the 2014 event.
The U.S. remained winless in 12 qualifiers at Costa Rica, with 10 defeats and two attracts.
Coach Gregg Berhalter, who performed for the U.S. on the 2002 World Cup, congratulated the gamers within the locker room. Beginning lineups within the 14 qualifiers averaged an American-record low of 23 years, 302 days.
"Being the youngest group on the earth to qualify for the World Cup isn't any straightforward process," he mentioned. "It is a proud second for the group, proud second for U.S. Soccer, and we're trying ahead to competing within the World Cup once more."
A sellout crowd of about 35,000 in Nationwide Stadium got here to life with the objectives, however the People' 5-1 rout of Panama at residence final weekend gave them an enormous goal-difference margin over Costa Rica. That meant the U.S. merely needed to keep away from dropping by six objectives or extra to be able to declare an automated berth.
Canada, which had clinched its first World Cup journey since 1986 with a win Sunday, completed first within the group with 28 factors after a 1-0 loss at Panama, forward of Mexico on purpose distinction. El Tri clinched its eighth straight World Cup berth with a 2-0 residence win over El Salvador, whereas the U.S. (25 factors) completed third with a plus-11 purpose distinction to plus-five for Costa Rica (additionally 25 factors).
Ticos coach Luis Fernando Suárez did not embody six starters from Sunday's win at El Salvador who carried yellow playing cards, not eager to threat a suspension for a June playoff towards Oceania champion New Zealand.
As Berhalter spoke to his group, 24-year-old defender Erik-Palmer Brown popped open the primary bottle of Duet Mosseux Brut, beginning a quick bubbly and beer celebration earlier than some gamers caught a constitution flight to London. Berhalter headed with employees for a red-eye flight to New York and a connection for Qatar forward of Friday's draw.
U.S. bench gamers walked onto the sector on the closing whistle and exchanged handshakes and hugs with their teammates, whereas residence followers cheered the Ticos. Then American gamers placed on ski goggles and let unfastened.
"The social gathering goes. I feel we've run out of beer," mentioned Zimmerman, a 28-year-old defender who did not play within the first three qualifiers, then began 9 of the final 11. "Coming into the locker room, everybody simply determined, what, we realized our purpose, which was to qualify, and we did that, so everybody form of forgot about tonight. We put ourselves in that place, the place we might afford to do this."
The U.S. finds out at Friday's draw which three nations it's going to face within the group stage, which begins Nov. 21 at a event pushed again 5 months to keep away from summer season desert warmth. A rising and more and more hypercritical fan base is hoping to see Pulisic & Co. attain the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2002.
"Now we've to check ourselves towards the very best gamers on the earth, the very best groups on the earth," mentioned midfielder Tyler Adams, who got here off at halftime with a bruise above his left knee from a sort out. "This was solely the primary stage in our growth."
Pulisic, the primary American to play in and win a Champions League closing, had been consumed with attempting to elevate the U.S. again to a World Cup. The 23-year-old led the group with 5 of its 21 objectives regardless of making simply seven begins as a consequence of COVID-19, a sprained ankle and shaky kind when he first got here again from the damage.