Was 2015 really that bad for the United States men's national team?
In 2015, they went on the road and defeated Germany and The Netherlands, teams that sat first and sixth, respectively, in FIFA's world rankings at the time. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann's squad finished the year on top of their World Cup qualifying group, set up to easily qualify for the Hexagonal round.
The Americans integrated a few talented new faces like Gyasi Zardes, Darlington Nagbe and Matt Miazga, players who can make a significant impact on the Road to Russia and beyond. Near the end of the year, the head coach seemed to (finally) learn from past mistakes, deploying sensible line ups that put players in familiar positions where they could succeed.