"The adrenalin jolt that accompanies the start of the European club season has long since passed. The weather is getting colder -- in most places, anyway -- and the grind of the season is very much underway. The ups have given way to downs, or vice versa. So it goes for members of the U.S. men's national team. Injuries have piled up, and in some cases, FIFA World Cup dreams are in peril."
"Throughout the season, ESPN will be monitoring the progress of the player pool, delivering insights into those whose form or fitness has made them particularly intriguing. We call it the USMNT's countdown to the World Cup. ESPN will count down to June 11 every week so that way, when the U.S. team is announced for this highly anticipated World Cup on home soil, no names on that 26-man roster will come as a surprise. Only 224 days to go."
"In the not too distant past -- just last year, in fact -- there were concerns about whether Adams would ever be healthy enough to be much of a contributor to the USMNT this cycle. He underwent back surgery following the 2024 Copa América, this after undergoing hamstring surgery during the previous club season. He made just three league appearances during the 2023-24 campaign, and didn't make his first appearance in 2024-25 until late October."
The European club season's initial excitement has faded as colder weather and the season's grind set in. Injuries have affected multiple U.S. men's national team members, jeopardizing some World Cup prospects while others gain momentum. ESPN will monitor the player pool through a weekly USMNT countdown to the World Cup, tracking form and fitness ahead of the June 11 roster announcement, 224 days away. Tyler Adams underwent hamstring and back surgeries but rebuilt fitness, making 28 appearances last season and returning late in 2024-25. Adams is now a key contributor to Bournemouth, appearing in 97% of league minutes and earning praise for leadership and consistency.
Read at ESPN.com
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