“Sport unites people and I think it’s huge for us to use the beautiful game to unite people of all cultures and all communities to come together and enjoy as one,” Kellyn Acosta, midfielder for the U.S. MNT and LAFC.
As one of the more senior players representing the United States in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Acosta finds himself uniquely poised as an emissary of what this youthful team actually heralds – embracing our position as an ever-evolving melting pot where the best of many cultures blend into one. Fresh off winning the MLS Cup with LAFC, Acosta, who hails from Texas is just a 27-year-old, but he has seen the best and worst of this country, and whether he realizes it or not, he embodies many of the qualities of his teammates, his team, the very 26 men who are about to make history as the second youngest U.S. side at a World Cup who are also remarkably a fusion of many cultures, both by birth and by training. The only player with prior World Cup experience is defender DeAndre Yedlin, who was at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, and even he played in England (Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham) as well as in Turkey for Galatasaray.
Ranging from homegrown and fully MLS-trained like Jordan Morris, to Gio Reyna who was born in Sunderland with Argentinian, Portuguese roots, trained at NYC FC’s academy system before beginning his professional career in the Bundesliga, the majority of the team has played in more than one country. That is their biggest strength. Eight had options to represent other nations either for being foreign-born or for their parents’ nationalities: Cameron Carter-Vickens was reportedly being sought after by both the English FA and Jurgen Klinsmann, Ajax defender Sergiño Dest has a Surinamese-American father and Dutch mother and was recruited by Greg Berhalter in 2018 while the Netherlands were also actively pursuing him, Shaquell “Shaq” Moore had the potential to represent Trinidad and Tobago as his father and uncle did, Antonee “Jedi” Robinson was qualified for and invited to both the U-21 English and U.S. national camps, Yunus Musalah, in spite of being born in New York, was eligible to play for the U.S., Ghana, Italy and England and he even played with the English U-15 through the U-18 levels, Gio Reyna was asked to play for Portugal, England, Argentina and the U.S., Lille winger Tim Weah was also eligible to play for France, Liberia, and Jamaica and even turned the French Football Federation more than once, and Haji Wright could have represented Liberia, Ghana, or the United States.
Dual-national players have had a constant presence within the U.S. Soccer system, particularly since the Klinsmann era, however having a rich tapestry of international leagues coursing through the experiences of the roster was not. It’s an entirely purposeful and intentional decision to develop as a player in multiple nations, to create a more well-rounded and intelligent mindset and skillset, recognizing that each league and each nation has its own set of strengths.
Ethan Horvarth started his journey playing with U.S. Soccer Development Academy team Real Colorado, but his senior career began in Norway’s first divsion league at Molde when he was an 18-year-old. In 2015, he became the fifth American goalkeeper to play in the UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup group stage joining the ranks of Tim Howard, Brad Friedel, Kasey Keller and Brad Guzan. He continued at Belgium’s Club Brugge then Premier League club Nottingham Forest. He’s currently on loan to second division Luton Town. He’s been a part of the U.S. national squads from the U-14 level and was noted by Klinsmann as being one of the “biggest hopes for the future” in an interview in 2016. On October 7, 2016, Horvath made his first start for the U.S., keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 win against Cuba.
Horvarth’s teammate and likely starting (barring any recent groin injury flares up) goalkeeper for USA, 28-year-old Matt Turner, is currently Premier League team Arsenal’s number two after spending six years with New England Revolution. He made his USMNT debut on January 31, 2021 against Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly, recording a clean sheet. Since being signed by Arsenal earlier this year, he’s only made four appearances but aided his team to win all, recording three clean sheets along the way. Sidelined by an injury that kept him out of the past few matches, he’s fit and expected to start against Wales.
Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is the son of former NBA player Howard Carter and Geraldine Vickers who is British. His training began at Tottenham Hotspur’s academy system which fast-tracked him through within five years. The centre-back made his first appearance for the club in 2016 but was loaned to six other teams for six years before he joined Scottish side Celtic in 2022. His entire career has been abroad, save his experiences on the USMNT which began in 2014 as a U-18 member.
Fullback Sergiño Dest was born in the Netherlands, was brought up within Ajax academy system and currently plays in Serie A for AC Milan, on loan from La Liga’s FC Barcelona, after being signed by them last year at the age of 21. Barca were looking for a replacement for their Brazilian right-back, Dani Alves. Dest fit the bill. Former manager of Oranje, Ronald Koeman, attempted to convince Dest to join the Netherlands team after spending a decade with Ajax, but he opted for the U.S. for his experiences there in the U-17 and U-20 teams. In total, he has made 19 appearances for the USMNT. As an attack-minded fullback with speed and agility, it’s no wonder he became the first American to play for and score for FC Barcelona.
Shaq Moore may have begun his training with FC Dallas in the spring of 2014, but he moved to Spain months later where he signed with segunda and tercera division teams for six years before signing with Nashville SC in 2022 where he plays in the backline with Walker Zimmerman. Moore has 15 caps with the USMNT, making his debut in 2018. He helped the US win the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and played in for four 2022 World Cup qualifying games.
British-born Antonee “Jedi” Robinson, who came through Everton’s academy from age 11, and after stints with Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic, joins a long line of USMNT players that have starred for Fulham – Eddie Lewis, Carlos Bocanegra, Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey, Kasey Keller, Eddie Johnson and Tim Ream. Born in Milton Keynes, England, Robinson was eligible to play for both the U.S. and England and in 2018 was called to both U.S. Senior and England U-21 camps, and made his USMNT debut on May 28, 2018 in a friendly against Bolivia when he also got his first assist. He’s now made 29 appearances with the team, recorded five goals and amassed two assists.
New-Yorker Joe Scally started his professional career at 15, when he became the second youngest player to sign a contract in MLS. Within two years he joined Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and by October 2021, he had scored his first Bundesliga goal. He has only earned three caps with the USMNT, all friendlies in 2022. He’s only 19-years-old now but being younger than his teammates hasn’t ever been a problem. Scally was a youth international for the U.S. U-15 and U-17 teams in spite of being three years younger.
In May 2022, Brenden Aaronson, a.k.a. Medford Messi, moved to Leeds from Red Bull Salzburg in a transfer worth $30.2 million, as the second most expensive American soccer player of all time (after Christian Pulisic). Aaronson began his professional career with the Philadelphia Union in 2019, and helped them win the 2020 Supporters Shield, before leaving for Red Bull Salzburg in the top flight in Austria who he also assisted in winning the Austrian Cup in 2021. Aaronson scored his first Premier League goal in August, helping ensure Leeds first victory over Chelsea in 20 years. Aaronson’s first call-up to the U.S. senior team was in 2019. He led all players on the team with seven goal contributions (4 goals, 3 assists) in 2021.
Midfielder Tyler Adams, a homegrown New York Red Bulls academy player, joined the Red Bulls first team as a 17-year-old. Adams joined RB Leipzig in 2019, making 75 appearances for the Bundesliga team and becoming the first American player to score in a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. He signed with Leeds United in July 2022. His USMNT debut was in 2017 against Portugal. Adams has captained the USMNT nine times prior to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the players voted to have him captain the squad in Qatar as well.
Luca de la Torre moved from San Diego to Fulham and spent four years there before signing with the Dutch Heracles Almelo club where he made 64 appearances. De la Torre is yet another Fulham-product the USMNT is reaping the benefits of. A new signing for Celta in Spain, he has been playing abroad since graduating from high school. He was in both U-17 and U-20 World Cups and made his first USMNT appearance in 2018 as a sub, and most recently appeared in 8 of the 12 matches in 2022.
Weston McKennie brings more depth to the USMNT’s midfield with his experiences in Bundesliga. Born in Washington state but spending three years in Germany in his youth, McKennie transferred to Schalke after seven years with FC Dallas. Five years later, he became the first American to play for Serie A’s Juventus. His versatility is one of his strengths – whether as a box-to-box midfielder, striker, or fullback, McKennie can be counted on. That has also carried over into his experiences for the USMNT. His accomplishments include U.S. Soccer’s Male Player of the Year in 2020, captaining three times, getting the fastest hat trick in their history (13 minutes), and Man of the Match honors seven times in 2022 (second only to Pulisic).
As the son of former Rangers, Sunderland, Manchester City, New York Red Bulls, and United States player Claudio Reyna, and Danielle Egan, a former member of the United States Women’s national team, Giovanni Reyna has soccer lineage. His paternal grandfather also played for Argentina. He was even named after his father’s teammate Giovanni van Brockhorst. Current contender for the 2022 Golden Boy award given to the most talented footballer in Europe under the age of 21, Reyna is arguably the most promising talent in the USMNT. The 20-year-old is an attacking midfielder for Bundesliga’s Borrussia Dortmund. Though he was born Sunderland, his family moved back to the States when he was five. He joined the NYC FC academy system when he was 15, then moved to Germany four years later to join his German team’s academy where he made his jump to the senior team less than a year later. On his very first match day, he not only scored as a substitute, he also broke the record set by his prodigious U.S. teammate, Christian Pulisic as the youngest American to play in the Bundesliga. A month later he broke another record becoming the youngest American to record an assist in a Champions League match. Even though he was heavily sought after by Portuguese, Argentinian and English national teams, he made his debut for the U.S. senior team a day before turning 18. Naturally, he scored in it as well.
Midfielder Yunus Musah, made his international debut playing for England at the U-15 level. Musah, although born in New York City, was eligible to play for Italy, England, Ghana and the United States. His family moved to Italy right after his birth, and his training began there at Giorgione Calcio 2000. When he was nine, he became a member of Arsenal’s academy. He then moved to Italy to join Valencia when he was 16 where he played for their second division before getting his start with the senior squad in 2020, also becoming the first American and Englishman to play with the La Liga club. He was not even 18-years-old at the time. In total, Musah played for England’s youth national teams 30 times. In November 2020, he joined the U.S. senior team for a friendly and the battle between the U.S. Soccer Federation and English FA ensued, both vying for his commitment. He did not make his final decision until March 2021. He has made 19 appearances and recorded 2 assists with the USMNT so far. Fathoming the number of soccer suitors he’s turned down is daunting. And, he has yet to celebrate his 20th birthday, a milestone he will reach during this World Cup.
Josh Sargent, who was the number 2 high school player in the United States, trained through the U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy system in his formative years, playing with the U-15 and U-17 teams, before signing with German side Werder Breman. He started with their senior squad in 2018 when Sargent was 18-years-old, and remained there three years amassing 11 goals over 83 matches. The young forward then signed with English Premier League’s Norwich City in 2021, went through the relegation process with them at the end of his lackluster first season, and has since regained his confidence, tying for the Championship lead with nine goals in 19 appearances. He earned his first cap and scored his first goal in a friendly against Bolivia in 2018 where he also scored his first national team goal. His regular experiences playing against Welsh and English players throughout the last two years will make him a valuable player on the World Cup pitch, especially in the Group stage.
Haji Wright’s talents and drive have taken him from the LA Galaxy academy system and U.S. Soccer developmental system to Schalke 04′s academy in the Bundesliga where he then remained for three years before making the move to Dutch football. After struggling there, he moved to the Danish super league side SønderjyskE where he initially surged. He signed a 3-year contract with Turkish team Antalyaspor in 2022 and hit his stride, scoring nine goals this season. In spite of his lack of experience with the U.S. senior team, his recent performance and fortitude across multiple leagues make him an attractive member of Berhalter’s roster.
Timothy Weah was taught to play by perhaps the greatest African footballer of all-time (and current President of Liberia), his father, George Weah. He started with the U.S. Soccer Development system and moved on to New York Red Bulls academy before wanting more. At the age of 13, he went to Chelsea for a trial. A year later, he moved to France to join Paris Saint-Germain’s academy. In his first match with them he notched a hat-trick. He signed with PSG in 2017 and continuing the tradition of greatness of his father, won Ligue 1 titles with both PSG and Lille, as well as a Scottish Premiership title with Celtic while on loan. While he was eligible to play for France, Jamaica, Liberia or the United States, he repeatedly turned down French Football Federation offers to play for the country and teammates he loves. He began with a call-up to the U.S. U-14 team in 2012, and made his debut with the USMNT senior squad in 2018 (at the age of 18). He was a part of the team that won the 2019-20 CONCACAF Nations League.
Back in 2014, a sixteen-year-old Christian Pulisic from Hershey, Pennsylvania sparked a trend with his move to Germany, heralding in the Generation Z era of U.S. Soccer where young U.S. players opt to train abroad, to build their early careers across multiple leagues, in many soccer cultures, for themselves and for their nation. The international tapestry of styles and methods, failures and successes have built this team of young, athletic, physical and technical players, breaking individual records and already proving that age doesn’t equate to ability or insight. Their combined global journeys actually may provide the tactical advantage the USMNT will need to make it further into the tournament than their earlier predecessors. Just as Acosta described, “When we all come together and unite around our diversity, it’s special and what makes us unique…”
