Tyler Adams says US knows ahead of World Cup it's been awhile `since we’ve knocked off a big boy'

NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Tyler Adams had just finished helping Bournemouth extend its Premier League unbeaten streak to 13 on a typically English afternoon where rain fell at the same time the sun was shining at St. James' Park. The 27-year-old midfielder had entered midway through the second half of 2-1 win at Newcastle, his second appearance following an injury, as his fourth season in the Premier League winds down. Up next for Adams is his second World Cup, where the co-host Americans will be in the brightest of spotlights amid questions about their readiness. Group D for the U.S. includes Paraguay, Australia and Turkey. The stark truth is the Americans have lost eight straight games against European opponents, including losses to Belgium and Portugal in March friendlies that Adams missed. “Maybe a little bit of a wake-up call but we’ll get there in the end,” he said. Adams was the U.S. captain at the 2022 World Cup and he is well aware of the underdog status, The U.S. is ranked 16th and is a 40-1 long shot to win the World Cup. Adams says the goal is to “go as far as any team has before.” The U.S. reached the semifinals of the initial World Cup in 1930 and the quarterfinals in 2002. “That’s the one that obviously everyone remembers,” he said. “If we can match that and continue to improve — but for us, we need to obviously continue to try and find a way to navigate playing against big teams.”

Picking the U.S. roster

Coach Mauricio Pochettino announces his World Cup roster May 26, and the U.S. has pre-tournament friendlies against Senegal and Germany before starting the first round against Paraguay on June 12. Adams has 52 international appearances and he played every minute at the 2022 World Cup but has struggled to maintain fitness since. He in training with in March 2023 and that September, requiring a second operation. He returned in March 2024 but was slowed by back spasms and played just three league matches in his first season with the Cherries. delayed his 2024-25 debut until late October. His current season was interrupted by layoffs after he and a tore his left MCL against on Dec. 15. He missed 12 of 15 league matches before entering in 70th minute of a stirring 2-1 win at on April 11 and then came on in the 65th minute last weekend. “I wouldn't say anybody’s a sure lock for the World Cup,” Adams said. “That's one thing Mauricio’s harped on since the first day he’s come in, is that everyone needs to continue to play well with their clubs to have an opportunity to play with the national team.” Preparing for 2022 was far different because the Americans had to navigate 14 grueling World Cup qualifiers. “Anyone that knows what it was like to go through that qualifying process for ’22 knows how enduring it was and at the end, the reward was playing in the World Cup,” Adams said. “Whereas I feel like we’ve known we were going to play in this World Cup now for years and it’s just —- I don’t want to say it’s taken its toll, but playing friendly after friendly, it feels strange.”