U.S. fans show their support before a game against Jamaica at Sporting Park on October 11, 2013, in Kansas City, Kansas. Kyle Rivas\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
The United States Men's National Team has arguably the hardest road to World Cup success in Brazil of any of the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, despite being ranked 14th in the world by FIFA as of May 2014. It's just the luck of the draw at the world's biggest sporting event. <\/p>\n
Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann told the media last year after FIFA revealed the Americans' brutal path forward for the world's biggest sporting event: \"It's a real challenge and we'll take it.\" <\/p>\n
If the Americans hope to do anything in Brazil, it's precisely that moxie they'll require. Below is a breakdown of what they need to overcome. <\/p>\n
The U.S. men have to travel farther once in Brazil to play their matches than any other team. <\/p>\n
21 Photos <\/p>\n
A look at the cities hosting games in Brazil ahead of World Cup 2014 set to begin on June 12th <\/p>\n
It's estimated the USMNT could log 11,500 miles from their base camp in Sao Paulo in a 10-day span just to play their games - which, by the way, will all take place in the sweltering tropics under the second-highest average temperature per city of any other team's schedule, including one game against Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal in a stadium in the middle of the Amazon jungle. <\/p>\n
The all-time leading U.S. men's player in appearances for the national team, Cobi Jones, a three-time World Cup participant, told CBS News the travel situation was \"unfortunate.\" However, Jones added he believed Klinsmann's vast international experience, as well as a little help from modern science with things like compression suits, will negate the travel schedule's difficulty. <\/p>\n
While the distance may be hard, the negative affects of travel on athletic performance are largely linked to jet lag and the crossing of time zones. Brazil's games are being played in two simultaneous time zones, and the U.S. will only cross them once, again to play Portugal. <\/p>\n
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World Cup 2014: Does Team USA stand a chance?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" U.S. fans show their support before a game against Jamaica at Sporting Park on October 11, 2013, in Kansas City, Kansas. Kyle Rivas\/Getty Images The United States Men's National Team has arguably the hardest road to World Cup success in Brazil of any of the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, despite being ranked 14th in the world by FIFA as of May 2014. Continue reading