what is next for the US soccer team?

NUREMBERG, Germany -- Now what? (SportsIllustrated.com)

The U.S. sent the most talented team in its history to the World Cup, and it barely managed a single point. We can sit here and argue that the Americans drew perhaps the toughest competition it has ever faced, but -- except for one match -- the simple fact is that the U.S. didn't come to play.

Talent means nothing if you can't put together a team effort.

So let's look to the future while the body is still warm. We've probably seen the last of veterans Kasey Keller, Eddie Lewis, Claudio Reyna, Brian McBride and Eddie Pope. Those are all big cleats to fill.

U.S. Soccer has a blueprint to be a legitimate contender by the next World Cup in South Africa, a plan called "Project 2010." Are the players at the U.S.' disposal good enough? Or is it all a pipe dream?

Here's what the future may hold...

Coach: U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said after Thursday's crushing 2-1 loss to Ghana that he isn't ready to make a decision on Bruce Arena. But in all likelihood, we may have seen the last of Bruce Almighty. Arena has already enjoyed a tenure longer than most national team coaches can even dream of. And after this letdown, a change is likely in order. There are rumors the U.S. could eventually snag German national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who is a full-time resident of Southern California. But don't be surprised if a bigger name enters the mix, such as Dutch legend Guus Hiddink (who will take over the Russian national team after his tenure at this year's World Cup with Australia).

Goalkeeper: Another question mark. Could Keller really play in his fifth World Cup at age 40, as he has suggested? Don't bet on it. That leaves No. 2 Marcus Hahnemann, who would be 37 and will still likely have some game left. He'll certainly be tested in the near future, as his club team, Reading, will play in the English Premier League next season for the first time in its history.

Behind "Red Bird" is Tim Howard, who will be 31 in 2010. Manchester United did Howard a huge favor by loaning him out to Everton for this coming season, which means he'll no longer be rotting on the bench and will have a huge opportunity to cement himself as a regular keeper in England. A young player to keep an eye on is Chivas USA's Brad Guzan, a 21-year-old who showed some promise in his rookie season last year.

Defense: This is one area where the U.S. is in fairly good shape. Oguchi Onyewu's first World Cup was a success -- "Gooch" was one of the only Americans who performed well in all three matches. Just 24, he's likely to be the anchor of the team for years to come. Expect to see Gooch eventually move from Belgium to a big-time European league, where he'll gain valuable experience.

Steve Cherundolo and Carlos Bocanegra will both be 31 and should still be able to contribute. Cory Gibbs will likely crack the national team for good as well. Other names to toss into the mix are 20-year-old Jonathan Spector, who will be getting some minutes in England next season at West Ham United, and 22-year-old Heath Pearce, an intriguing prospect who's currently playing in Denmark.

Midfield: We may have seen a sign of things to come when Reyna handed the captain's armband to Landon Donovan as he came off the field in the 40th minute on Thursday. For better or for worse, Donovan is the most visible face of U.S. soccer, and he'll have more responsibility than ever in the coming years. The biggest challenge now is for Donovan to kick his reputation for disappearing in the most crucial of games. Donovan has to learn to be a leader, and that starts now, as the team boards its flight back home with its tail between its legs.

Donovan's fellow alum of the '99 U.S. Under-17 squad, DaMarcus Beasley, took three steps back after his step forward on the international scene. Despite his assist to Clint Dempsey on Thursday, Beasley played perhaps the worst three-game stretch of his career. Beaz will have a long four years thinking about what went wrong. Dempsey, on the other hand, stepped into the spotlight with aplomb. He'll be remembered as the only American to score at the '06 Cup, which may be a dubious distinction. Dempsey will be only 27 in '10, and could also become one of the faces of U.S. soccer. Winger Bobby Convey, another of the infamous '99 Under-17 quartet, will also be expected to become a star.

Attack: This is where things get cloudy for the U.S. With McBride surely playing in his final Cup, the Americans officially have no aerial threat. Brian Ching is the only thing even close; he's 6-foot-1 with decent jumping ability. He'll be 32 in '10, but he has yet to impress. The only pure striker the U.S. currently has is Eddie Johnson, who will be depended on to carry the U.S. attack in the years to come. His Cup debut was fairly solid, and he's a fan favorite. With Europe calling, don't expect him to stick around MLS for too long. His partner in attack in 2010 could be the Chicago Fire's Chris Rolfe, who is showing potential and would be only 27.

We can't talk about the future of U.S. soccer without mentioning Freddy Adu. We're still awaiting the arrival of the most overhyped player in American history. Adu will be 21 when the next World Cup rolls around, and the next four years of his development are crucial. He's finally a regular starter at D.C. United and will get the opportunities he needs to develop his game. His lack of patience, however, is working against him. Adu needs to learn he's not going to become a superstar overnight -- an attitude that earned him a snub from Arena for this World Cup. Well, that and the fact that he just isn't ready yet.

The work needs to begin now for the U.S. If anything, the Americans learned they need to work harder to compete with the world's best. Four years and counting to South Africa.