BRAD FRIEDEL: I love that Tyler Adams was voted USA captain at the World Cup, but I’m not surprised
Tyler Adams as USA captain? I love this. love kid I really couldn’t speak more highly of a person I trained than Tyler.
I heard how USA coach Gregg Berhalter held a vote among the players to choose their World Cup captain shortly before the game in Wales. And it’s not a surprise to me in any way, not one ounce, that Tyler emerged victorious.
It is one of the favorites that I have trained. He’s a true warrior guy, firm on the tackle, but what I like most about Tyler is how he handles himself.
Brad Friedel has praised Tyler Adams, the USA’s World Cup captain, a lot.
Adams, 23, was voted captain for his USA team before the first game with Wales.
USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter conducted the vote and midfielder Adams was the first.
He was with the US Under 18s when I was coaching the US Under 19s. When the really good U18 players were ready to take the plunge, they would come to my camps and Tyler was one of those players.
But it was so good that it was only with my group for a short time! However, I continued to work with him, as he was also an assistant at the Under-20s. Even then, he was 99.9 percent of the time doing everything right.
The times he wasn’t? Well, that’s where Tyler stood out too, in the way he responded.
Soccer is an emotional game, training sessions and matches are competitive, there are players who want contracts, players who are fired, there are things everywhere.
But with Tyler, you can have a disagreement or even an argument, you can tell him this and that and the other and once you’re done, you shake his hand and he crosses the line and gives it his all.
Many players can’t do that. There is a lot of ego in football. Many players let bad feelings fester for months. If he doesn’t agree with something, he will say so. But he’ll get 100 percent in whatever he’s about to do: his recovery, practice, scrimmage, the game, whatever.
Adams will lead his USA team against England in the highly anticipated game on Friday.
Following the 1-1 draw with Wales on Monday, the England game for Adams and USA is important
He’s as fit as can be, all the time. When you do that, you have the opportunity to have a wonderful career, but you also earn the respect of your teammates.
If Tyler plays well it’s because he’s good and he earned it and he works hard. If he plays poorly and has a bad day, he’s still 100 percent. He will never have a bad day for lack of effort and the players know it. They respect him.
He plays for Leeds in the Premier League and is approximately 5ft 8in. But the way he carries himself, the way he plays, the touch and challenge of him, the strength of him, you’d think he was over six feet.
He’s off to a great start at Leeds under his American coach, Jesse Marsch, after making a $25m move there this summer, from German outfit RB Leipzig.
By the way, Leeds bought him after English midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who is likely to be a substitute against the United States on Friday, left them for Manchester City.
Adams joined English Premier League side Leeds in a $25 million transfer over the summer
Leading the USA against England is probably the most significant moment of Tyler’s career so far. But whatever happens in Qatar, there are many more big moments on the road for him.
At 23, he could be captain for years to come and even the next World Cup, a World Cup on home soil.
But for now, he will focus on Friday and his midfield duel against England’s Jude Bellingham and the equally impressive Declan Rice.
That midfield fight will be key for whoever emerges victorious in Qatar and wins the game. Don’t count against Tyler.
