All those wins in the 2021 Concacaf Nations League and at the 2021 Gold Cup added up, boosting the USA’s points in the FIFA rankings and assuring it a second seed in the 2022 World Cup draw.

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Paul Kennedy edited Soccer America for 41 years (1985-2026). He began writing for SA in 1974. He started writing for France Football in 1978 and has served on in Ballon d'Or jury since 2007.