WE WATCH. We dissect performances in friendlies in Glasgow, Carson, and Larnaca.

We game out scenarios under which our boys can get out of a brutal group composed of the No.2-ranked team in the world, the team led by the reigning winner of the Ballon d’Or, and the team that dumped us from the last two World Cups.

We are American soccer fans, and as much as we might spend the rest of every four-year cycle wrapped up in the fortunes of Dortmund, Derby, or D.C. United, the U.S. men's national team is the team whose performance is going to determine our emotional well-being in the coming weeks.

Moreover, it’ll all happen on a global stage and define our cred as a young footballing nation—in front of the game’s grown-ups—for years to come. It’s a heavy trip, so let’s take a step out of this ulcer-inducing cycle and get some impartial advice.

Over the past two weeks, I contacted a few professional scouts—people who have worked as talent evaluators for clubs in Germany, France, England, and the Netherlands—to get their thoughts on the US squad and how it measures up to its Group G opponents. Here’s some of what they told me.

THE INDIVIDUAL TALENT GAP between the U.S. and its European group opponents is wide, but the collection of European club role-players at Jürgen Klinsmann’s disposal could yet prove a strength.

The first thing Alfred Nijhuis, a scout for Dutch giants AFC Ajax, told me was that on paper, “the only team the U.S. can beat in this group is Ghana.”

“The U.S. players are not playing for the absolute top clubs of Europe,” he said, so the Yanks will have to rely on effort—something he trusts them to do.

“You have to give 100% to beat the U.S., so it won’t be easy for Germany or Portugal.”

Part of what makes the Americans so tough to beat might in fact be its very makeup: a collection of solid starters for MLS and European clubs, rather than centerpiece superstars whose outsize talents need accommodating.

A scout who covers Ligue 1 (and told me he’d prefer it if I didn’t use his name), told me this about Nantes midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, for example:

“From the very start of the campaign he was a willing worker, and also versatile, playing in several different positions,” he said.

The 2013-14 campaign was Nantes’ first season back in Ligue 1 following promotion; the venerable club has become a bit of a yo-yo in recent years, so the priority was merely to stay up. In order to do that, Nantes needed dedicated professionals who would work hard for one another and sacrifice for the team.

“Bedoya fit into that category as a disciplined, competitive member of the squad. But there were also some moments of class on the ball, especially on the occasions he was able to find space between the lines in the opposition half. A good example of his ability to find space and then make good attacking runs into the penalty area was the goal he scored in Nantes’ excellent 6-2 win at Valenciennes in April.”

So while it would be nice to have players starring for “absolute top clubs” in Europe, having a string of reliable pros from the big five leagues who are occasionally capable of something brilliant is no bad thing. And it could be big plus for a side like the U.S, that, just like Nantes, relies on teamwork. Which brings us to the next point...

THE GERMAN-AMERICAN CONTINGENT brought in during this World Cup cycle are not stars either, but were well worth the trouble. Each has something to contribute.

“Fabian Johnson is a hard-working player with a lot of pace,” said Nijhuis. The versatile defender/midfielder was a regular for a much-improved Hoffenheim side, and finally looks to be delivering on some of the promise he showed when he played a key role in the knockout stage of the German U-21 side’s run to the European Championship title in 2009. (Witness that stunner of an opening goal against Turkey.)

Back in 2009, Johnson didn’t look out of place among the likes of Mesut Özil, Mats Hummels, and Sami Khedira. And while his career hasn’t hit the heights theirs have, Johnson’s move this summer to the ambitious Borussia Mönchengladbach shouldn’t be underestimated. Gladbach are a club that are aiming for a Champions League berth, and “Johnson earned his transfer there,” says Nijhuis.

The Dutch scout, who played in the Bundesliga himself in the 1990s for MSV Duisburg and Borussia Dortmund, also had praise for Besiktas’ Jermaine Jones (“I liked him at Schalke—very strong and great pace”) as well as for the Eintracht Frankfurt-bound speedster Timothy Chandler (“a good Bundesliga player, and well suited to Jurgen Klinsmann’s style”).

Perhaps surprisingly, the German-American player Nijhuis was most effusive about was Hertha BSC’s John Brooks, who he says “has all the ingredients to become a top player.”

“His development has stalled a little bit, but all young players go through these stages in their career development. His passing is fantastic—he just needs to grow up a bit defensively. Do a bit more dirty work and show opponents that nobody can get past him.”

Nijhuis, a former central defender, thinks Brooks’ ceiling is very high. “He could grow into a player like Rio Ferdinand,” he said.

THE WORLD CUP COULD BE a coming out party for two of the team’s other young players with big upsides.

“Genuine new discoveries are hard to come by at the World Cup, because every single player taking part would already have been scrutinized and watched by European clubs,” said Tor-Kristian Karlsen, a Norwegian who has scouted for the likes of Bayer 04 Levekusen, Watford FC, and Hanover 96, as well as served as sporting director at AS Monaco.

Still, players who have not been tested as much against top-level opposition will have plenty to gain. That means Julian Green, a potential impact sub for the United States who has spent most of the past season scoring goals for FC Bayern Munich’s reserves, will be under the spotlight more than ever. So will another player with a good deal more first-team experience under his belt.

“I'm particularly intrigued to see how Aron Johannsson does in Brazil,” Karlsen said. “He's probably one of the players in the squad with the highest potential.”

Johannsson, who scored against Azerbaijan, is coming off a 17-goal, seven-assist season in the Eredivisie with AZ. His speed and fearlessness taking on defenders with the ball at his feet has not gone unnoticed, said Karlsen.

“He’s being watched by Champions League level clubs right now and I'm sure he can make the step to that level quite soon.”

PICKING THESE YOUNGER, less experienced players and dropping the likes of Landon Donovan does mean Jürgen is looking ahead to 2018—and that’s OK.

Karlsen said that while the World Cup isn't a development ground per se, “it'll be a great learning experience for the younger players in the group.”

And despite all the hand-wringing over the omission of Landon Donovan as well as the team’s inexperienced back line, the small talent differentials involved might mean Klinsmann is making a smart choice.

“If [he] considers the new, fresh faces on par with—or only marginally weaker than—the more experienced players, why not select them?”

STILL, THE REMAINING core of veteran leaders will be important.

Karlsen singled out Tim Howard (“an underrated keeper with a wealth of experience”), Michael Bradley (a midfielder “who can hold his own at the top level of European football”) and Clint Dempsey (whose “energy, work rate and mentality” are top class) as the key players for the U.S.

Nijhuis added Jozy Altidore to that list, but had reservations about the talented striker.

“He’s got all the qualities needed to one day make it with a top team, but I always sense he can do better. He’s not yet a killer in the penalty area.”

A senior scout for a mid-table Premiership club told me that the player whose performances this past club season had impressed him the most was a guy who may not set foot on the pitch this summer.

“Brad Guzan singlehandedly—literally—kept Aston Villa in the Premier League,” he said.

The scout went on to say that of the American players expected to start in Brazil, Clint Dempsey was the likeliest difference-maker.

“Dempsey was Fulham’s only bright spark in an otherwise dire season, even though he was only back on loan. He can unlock defences with control and measured passes.”

TAKING ALL OF THAT UNBIASED input into account, it could be that we’re back where we started. The U.S. national team does have a chance to advance from a Group G that is stacked with talent, but the odds are not on its side. It will be a queasy next few weeks for American soccer supporters.

Getting to the knock-out stage will require Germany or Portugal stumbling against a well-organized U.S. team; the likeliest outcome is an early exit. If that happens, perhaps the best takeaway we can hope for is a young player like Johannsson or Brooks snatching his chance and showing us he can form part of the backbone of a team that can make a deep run in Russia in 2018.

Matt Hermann is an anchor/producer at DW-TV and the host of the German football podcast Talking Fussball. Follow him on Twitter.