The 20-year-old is a symbol of a generation of footballers who may finally make the US men’s team a global force
A very strange thing happened in 2020. After years of ludicrous farce, highlighted by their inability to draw with Trinidad & Tobago to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the US men’s soccer team suddenly started to look, well, competent. And maybe a little more than competent … maybe like a team that could make a deep run when the US co-hosts the World Cup with Mexico and Canada in 2026.
Frankly, Sergiño Dest’s name could have been swapped out here for any of the young talents coming through for the US – Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Chris Richards (Bayern Munich), Weston McKinnie (Juventus), Konrad De La Fuente (Barcelona B), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen) and, go on then, Christian Pulisic (Chelsea). All of those players are 22 or under and all of them will be in their prime once 2026 comes around. Of course, we’ve been told that American men’s players are about to hit the big time since the days of Freddy Adu. But the sheer volume of young US talent at Europe’s top clubs, means some of them will mature into very good players indeed.
Related: Is the USMNT in danger of developing into a world-class outfit?
SERGINO DEST.
FIRST GOAL FOR BARCELONA
(via @UCLonCBSSports) pic.twitter.com/p6AiL291xu
This series is not necessarily a list of the best US athletes of the year, but focuses instead on the impact they have made on the sports landscape and beyond. Having said that, they could probably still beat you at any sport of your choosing.
