When the draw for the 2006 World Cup was held in December 2005, the United States was hoping to avoid some of the better teams in the tournament. Fresh off a quarterfinal appearance in 2002 and ranked in the top 10 in the world, the USMNT had eyes on doing better under then-coach Bruce Arena. Some of the stars from 2002 were on their last legs with the national team, while its younger stars were beginning to form the core of the future of the squad. They were looking to head to Germany to show that their performance from 4 years prior was not just a flash in the pan.
Throwback Thursday: USMNT use blood, sweat, and red cards in a World Cup draw against Italy
