With four days left before the U.S. national team’s World Cup campaign kicks off, Tyler Adams has admitted he has “no idea” who the team’s captain will be in Qatar.
Rather than naming one consistent captain, USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter has opted for a rotating cast of players wearing the armband during his tenure.
So far in 2022, Adams has worn the armband three times, while the USMNT has also been captained by Christian Pulisic five times, Weston McKennie once and Walker Zimmerman three times.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Adams said that he and his teammates were still in the dark over who would wear the armband against Wales on Monday.
“We have no idea who the captain is going to be yet,” Adams said. “Obviously, since Gregg has taken over it’s been a shared responsibility amongst our ‘Leadership Council’ quote-unquote and we have a bunch of guys that can wear that armband.
“We all lead in various ways. Of course, I’ve worn it at times and feel very comfortable wearing it but I have total belief in my other teammates as well that if that’s a decision that’s made, that’s a decision that’s made.”
The Leadership Council is a group of six players that are tasked with serving as the team’s representatives. From a Sports Illustrated story last year:
Instead, there’s the Leadership Council, a group of six players elected by their peers who consult with Berhalter on issues big and small. The Council acts as a conduit between coaches and players, and as a vehicle to empower emerging U.S. leaders. Established as a permanent fixture in the fall of 2019, it represents a noteworthy approach in world football, as well as the end of a long line of established, big-name U.S. captains, from Claudio Reyna and Carlos Bocanegra to Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley.
The USMNT will face Wales on Monday to open Group B, before taking on England and Iran.
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