Hugo Perez on U.S. at World Cup: “It is a talented team”

MIAMI, Florida – Long before he was the Head Coach of the El Salvador National Team, Hugo Perez represented the United States at two FIFA World Cups, playing at Italy 1990 and then on home soil in 1994.

Perez has had the chance to see the U.S. team up close and personal in the last year, as his El Salvador team took on the U.S. both in Concacaf World Cup Qualifying and then last June in the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League.

With the U.S. roster now official, Perez believes Gregg Berhalter’s team has the make-up to have a successful tournament in Qatar.

“It’s a very young team, one of the youngest there at the World Cup. That is good in one sense, but in another sense, it could be difficult, depending on the circumstances on how they start,” said Perez in an interview with Concacaf.com.

“The advantage for them is that most of their players are playing in Europe. That makes a difference because then they are used to the big games, the atmosphere and playing against the best teams and the best players in the world. I think that helps a lot,” added Perez.

Having now faced the U.S. in three different games in the last 15 months, Perez has a clear idea as to how the U.S. can hurt opponents Wales, England and Iran in Group B.

“I think their transition is excellent. Their transition from defense to offense is the best they have, the way they press you with so much energy, those are some of the key things that they possess as a team. Certainly, from midfield up, they are talented with [Christian] Pulisic, [Gio] Reyna, [Timothy] Weah, [Yunus] Musah, [Weston] McKennie… Those are players that can make a difference,” said Perez.

Yet Perez also believes that the biggest key for the U.S. in Qatar will be their reaction to their first taste of adversity.

“For me, it’s the attitude and character that they are going to have when they are down a goal or two goals in the first game. How are they going to react? Are they going to keep their calm? Or will they get desperate just to see what they can do on their own?

“I think they have to be very careful with that and be very poised and very disciplined without taking freedom from them, because you have players there who can create anything from nothing,” said Perez.

The U.S. open the tournament on November 21 against Wales, which could well dictate how the team fares the rest of the way.

“The big thing is that in the first game you cannot lose, because if you do, it puts so much of a burden on you in the second game. The important thing will be to try to get a win in the first game, or at least a tie, and then build up from there, especially for a young team like the U.S.,” said Perez.

Prior to becoming Head Coach of El Salvador, Perez spent many years within U.S. Soccer as a coach of various youth national teams. He had the opportunity to coach five of the players who will be in Qatar: Pulisic, McKennie, Adams, Weah and Luca de la Torre.

As someone who wore the U.S. shirt in two World Cups and spent so many years helping grow and develop its players, Perez knows the unique responsibility the U.S. team is about to assume.

“Going to their first World Cup, they will remember that for all their lives. There’s no comparison when you hear the national anthem of your country. It gives you goosebumps and you are forever in the history books of the World Cup and that accomplishment is something that nobody can take away from you. It’s a beautiful responsibility, it’s not a burden. The players should enjoy it, cherish the moment, but once the whistle blows, it’s business. It’s your country and you have to make it proud,” concluded Perez.