"Let's Go, Let's Shock Them All"

President Joe Biden has phoned the United States team in Qatar to urge Gregg Berhalter's players to 'shock them all' at the World Cup.

Ahead of their opener against Wales on Monday, the squad gathered to listen to Biden offer words of encouragement to a group he acknowledged to be strangers.

The United States men's team took third place at the first World Cup in 1930, but have never made it past the quarter-finals since, reaching that stage only once. times, in 2002.

By comparison, the United States Women's National Team are four-time World Cup winners and will chase a treble of consecutive titles at next year's finals in Australia and New Zealand.

Biden, who turned 80 on Sunday, told Berhalter, "Coach, put me in, I'm ready to play."

He added: "You guys, I know you're the underdogs, but I'll tell you what, man, you have some of the best players in the world on your team, and you represent this country, and I know that you are going to play with all your heart, so let's shock them all.

“Keep trusting yourself, play as hard as you can, for yourself and your families, your teammates, and the whole country is supporting you.”

Berhalter replied, "That's a very nice message Mr. President, the whole team is here right now and we really appreciate your support and we're good to go."

USA will also face England and Iran in Group B, returning to the World Cup stage after missing the Russia 2018 final.

Biden added, "I would love to be there to see you, really, go get them guys, just play with your heart. I know you will, I know you will."