USMNT’s rout of El Salvador shows it has depth and goals on both sides of the Atlantic

As a new World Cup cycle approaches, however, the projected makeup of the U.S. team is swaying heavily overseas.

Consider: A few hours before an MLS-heavy U.S. squad smashed El Salvador, 6-0, in a friendly Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., goalkeeper Zack Steffen posted a Champions League shutout for Manchester City and Chris Richards saw second-half time for reigning champion Bayern Munich.

A day earlier, Weston McKennie — Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate and Lionel Messi’s opponent — scored a fabulous goal for Juventus against Barcelona, which started American Sergiño Dest.

Many other U.S. players were preparing for weekend league matches in England, Germany, Spain, France and Portugal.

At full strength, U.S. Coach Gregg Berhalter could fill a lineup and several reserve slots with players employed by the biggest brands in the sport. For a program with modest success, that’s extraordinary.

Berhalter gathered many of those hotshots last month for a 0-0 draw at Wales and a 6-2 victory over Panama in Austria.

Until he has the opportunity to summon them again in March, Berhalter will focus on his MLS candidates. He is planning a longer camp and one friendly early next year.

There is great value to these domestic get-togethers. Berhalter needs to continue broadening the player pool, creating depth and addressing roster gaps.

In 2021, the United States will compete not only in World Cup qualifying, but the Concacaf Gold Cup and Nations League. The top players can’t play in all of them, and then Berhalter has to worry about burnout for those overtaxed on the European club circuit.

Because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, World Cup qualifying will come fast and furious: 14 matches in five windows over seven months. Four of those week-long windows will involve three games instead of the usual two.

Berhalter is also helping under-23 coach Jason Kreis mold the roster for the Olympics, which is essentially a U-23 tournament. The Americans have failed to even qualify on three of the previous four attempts. Many of the players called into the recent camps are Olympic eligible.

There are MLS players very much in Berhalter’s plans for the senior team, such as Seattle forward Jordan Morris, who wasn’t available Wednesday because the Sounders are preparing for the MLS Cup on Saturday at Columbus.

Paul Arriola, D.C. United’s high-energy winger, was among Berhalter’s favorites before tearing an ACL last winter. After returning for United’s finale last month, he received a U.S. call-up and notched the opening goal in the 17th minute as part of a five-goal rush over 10 minutes.

“If you’re the right fit and you’re playing the best and you’re able to do what is asked of you, you have a shot” of receiving call-ups to the full squad next year, said Arriola, 25, whose 34 U.S. appearances are by far the most in this group. “The players playing in Europe, that’s an amazing step for them, for the country and for U.S. soccer. For the guys in MLS, it motivates us.”

Another player to watch is Brenden Aaronson, a stylish 20-year-old midfielder who next month will move to Austria’s RB Salzburg from the Philadelphia Union.

Orlando City forward Chris Mueller made his national team debut Wednesday, scoring twice and setting up goals by Arriola and Toronto FC’s Ayo Akinola, all before halftime.

Granted, El Salvador was terrible, but Mueller and others took full advantage.

Los Angeles Galaxy attacker Sebastian Lletget, the only MLS player called into the European camp last month, scored on a cheeky chip over goalkeeper Henry Hernandez.

D.C.’s Bill Hamid, vying for a backup goalkeeping job on the full squad, had little to do until the second half.

Five minutes after intermission, Aaronson scored his first international goal in his second appearance.

“Everyone was watching the games in November, so when this group came in, they knew a bar had been set and they had to maintain that bar,” Berhalter said. “The guys are pushing. People are saying, ‘If we have a top group, I want to be part of it.’ ”