For many years now, World Cup pundits have dubbed the most competitive group in the initial stage of the World Cup as the “group of death”. As cliché as it may sound, the group of death has rarely strayed far from its grizzly sounding label. The group of death usually consists of four teams that, on their own, would be favored to advance from the group stage. However, combine four teams of that sort of caliber and you get a mouth-watering exhibition of skill, rivalry, and cut-throat competition.
As a neutral soccer fan, watching the games that the group of death brings would be as enthralling as any blockbuster movie. However, insert your favorite team into the equation and you add nail biting, cold sweats, and in some cases, even nervous breakdowns.
Sadly, this will be the case for U.S soccer fans around the country this summer. The United States is said to be in the group of death in this summer’s World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, drawn with Germany, Portugal, and Ghana.
In previous World Cup tournaments, U.S soccer fans would have lost all hope of a chance of progression out of this sort of group. However, the current national team coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, has given soccer fans across the nation the much needed inspiration and belief that fans have lacked in former World Cups. With wins over international giants like Germany, Italy, and Mexico, Klinsmann has U.S soccer fans everywhere shrugging off the impossible.
John Chtchekine is a member of the class of 2016
