Arena - best ever side (Allsport)

By Paul Walker, PA Sport, Ulsan

Click here to place your World Cup bets!
Click here for USA team section
Click here for teams index
Click here for latest World Cup headlines
Click here for World Cup photo gallery
Click here for World Cup Bettingzone

Whatever the result, USA coach Bruce Arena believes his World Cup quarter-finalists are the best side his country has ever produced.

They play Germany in the quarter-finals with a prospect that the winners could face host South Korea in Seoul on Tuesday in the semi-finals - if Guus Hiddink's miracle side can account for Spain in the same way they have shattered Poland, Portugal and Italy in this tournament.

The way the Koreans are playing, few would gamble on them not being in with a shout of reaching the final.

But for Arena it has been a major triumph for his squad, who are earning their livings mainly scattered across Europe where their standing will have improved considerably by their showing in the Far East.

USA reached the semi-finals in 1930, when there were only 13 teams in the first tournament and they had to play only two matches to get to the last four before losing 6-1 to Argentina, but Arena said: "If it's based solely on performances in this World Cup, then it's fair to say that this is the best USA squad in history.

"We have done our country and our region a lot of good with the performances out here. People tend not to treat CONCACAF with enough respect."

Germany, in their 14th appearance in the last eight of a world finals, are hot favourites to go through and are aiming for their fourth championship, equalling Brazil's record.

The game has a heavy British flavour, with Germany bringing back into the side Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann and Spurs defender Christian Ziege after suspension.

The Americans have six English-based players in their squad, including Blackburn's Brad Friedel and captain Claudio Reyna from Sunderland.

The Britishness is added to by Scotland's top referee Hugh Dallas taking charge of the match.

Arena had some words of comfort for the official after a serious of recent controversial decisions. Arena said: "One thing I have learned is that I have no control over referees.

"Some of the decisions here have been very good, but then again there's some recently that are questionable. As a competition the refereeing has been pretty good, but as the tournament has continued and the games are becoming more important, it has become very difficult for referees. It's becoming an extremely difficult job for them."