On Monday, November 21, Wales will play the US men’s national team for the first time in a 2022 World Cup match.
With a 1W-0L-1D head-to-head record, the American team has the advantage historically. While Wales’ star player Gareth Bale maintains that his team is confident going into the game, he acknowledged that the USMNT should not be underrated.
“I have some experience of playing against and with some of the US team. They’re a good young squad with some fantastic players,” he said.
“We’re under no illusions that they’re here to win the game just as we are. We know their weaknesses, I can’t share them with you right now as long as we stick to our game plan and do what we do we’ll be ok.”
Gregg Berhalter, head coach of the US men’s national team, added, “It’s basically a Premier League squad,” in response to a question about Wales.
“I think that, at least to the American media, Wales is underrated,” he told reporters. “When I look at their squad, it’s basically a Premier League squad. To me, it’s a really good squad, a formidable squad. They’ve been in international competition before, they know what it’s like. And it’s going to be a very difficult game.”
The Group B match on Monday is expected to be a deciding one, with England as the favorite to advance and Wales and the United States trailing in a battle for the other spot in the round of 16.