The United States roster was recently announced. The roster consists of 30 players. The players are listed in the first box below.

The American club will be led by Bob Bradley, a former assistant to the U.S. coach in the 2002 and 2006 Cup, Bruce Arena. Arena replaced Steve Sampson after the U.S.'s dismal performance in the 1998 Cup. Anyone see a pattern here? After the 1994 Cup surprise, soccer fans did not accept a first round exit. Sampson was one Cup appearance and out, Arena was provided with an exceptional Cup display in '02 but after a disappointing '06 showing, he was dismissed. Bradley may already feel the heat.

Bradley has been in the soccer hierarchy since 1981 when he started out coaching at Ohio University. As history proves, the group seeding has a moderate amount to do with how far a team advances. Whether the U.S. is in a group of world powers or a weak pool, nothing short of a Round of 16 is accepted. Even though the U.S. tied eventual '06 champion Italy, they fell to the Czech Republic and Ghana and Arena was dismissed.

The U.S. is positioned in Group C (with England, Algeria and Slovenia). The Group C winner will face the Group D runner-up and the Group C runner-up will face the Group D winner. Group D consists of Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana. Ghana dashed any hopes of advancement in the '06 Cup and Germany defeated the U.S. in Round 1 of the '98 Cup and in the quarterfinals (Elite 8) in '02. Conventional wisdom would place the U.S. as the Group C winner and a historical upset in Group D, placing an unknown as the runner-up.

In reality, the U.S. will play England extremely well, probably better than any other opponent. It would take at least one win and two draws to advance. England should escape Round 1 with two wins and a draw. England and the U.S. on paper should each defeat Algeria and Slovenia, leaving the head-to-head critical. As of April 2010, the U.S. was ranked 14th in the world, England 8th, Algeria 31st, and Slovenia 23rd. Countries from Group D were ranked as follows: Germany 6th, Serbia 16th, Australia 20th and Ghana 32nd.

The first round of Cup play will begin June 11th. The Round of 16 is slated for June 26th, the quarter-finals July 2nd, semi-finals July 6th, and the finals on July 11th. The Round of 16 "should" include the following countries listed in the  second box below.

After Round one, anything is possible. The U.S. would match-up favorably against Australia if they could capture Group C. If England prevails, Germany will await the C runner-up. The last time the Cup was mentioned, incorrect times were posted.

The following are the three Round one games the U.S. is scheduled for: