MINNEAPOLIS — The buzzword was “generational expertise.” The chances, everybody agreed, have been limitless. The U.S. males’s nationwide workforce had been ravenous for a inventive No. 10, and up by way of the ranks got here a blessing, . He broke into Borussia Dortmund groups earlier than his 18th birthday. He broke a number of of Christian Pulisic’s “youngest to” information. He cracked numerous lists of soccer’s prime teenagers, and by 2026, everybody assumed, he’d be driving the USMNT.
However with 2026 close to, Reyna’s profession is on ice, and as a substitute, one other languid playmaker born in 2002 is seizing management of the U.S. assault.
Commercial
Malik Tillman has the keys, and he’s utilizing them.
In a span of lower than 9 hours Sunday and Monday, right here within the Midwest and throughout the pond in Europe, two occasions additional established Tillman as a possible USMNT centerpiece. First, he . Then, by the point he awoke — or maybe earlier than he went to sleep — Bayer Leverkusen reached an settlement to purchase Tillman for effectively over $40 million.
He’ll doubtless develop into the second-most costly American soccer participant ever, behind solely Pulisic, when the deal is finalized.
And an ocean away, at U.S. Financial institution Stadium in Minneapolis, he confirmed why.
Commercial
Tillman was removed from excellent in a . (And sure, it was solely Costa Rica.) However he glided round a subpar pitch, dictated the USMNT’s most harmful strikes, contributed to 2 objectives, and likewise gained a penalty (which he missed).
He spent a lot of the sport lurking, on the prowl for house between Costa Rican traces, and when his teammates discovered him, he did issues that only a few gamers within the U.S. pool are able to doing.
Some may argue the checklist contains solely Tillman and Reyna. Possibly Christian Pulisic.
Reyna, although, hasn’t performed 90 minutes of aggressive soccer in a 12 months. During the last 4 years, he has performed 70-plus minutes in solely seven official matches for his golf equipment. He has solely performed as soon as, for 21 minutes as a sub, beneath U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino. He’s at present on the Membership World Cup, however, as per ordinary, he’s caught on Dortmund’s bench.
Commercial
Tillman, in the meantime, is rising.
Malik Tillman’s easy, laid-back tempo can catch opponents off guard. (Picture by John Dorton/ISI Photographs/USSF/Getty Photos)
(John Dorton/ISI Photographs/USSF by way of Getty Photos)Malik Tillman on the rise for membership and nation
Born in Germany to an American father, he first rose by way of Bayern Munich’s academy. He discovered on mortgage at Rangers in Scotland. Then he actually rose at PSV Eindhoven. In 2024-25, regardless of lacking three months with an ankle harm, he was one of many highest gamers in the whole Dutch Eredivisie. That’s when Leverkusen got here calling; that’s why Leverkusen apparently sees him as a substitute for Liverpool-bound Florian Wirtz.
For the U.S., Tillman had by no means fairly justified the hype. Getting into this summer season, he’d by no means scored or assisted a senior nationwide workforce objective. Nonetheless, , Pochettino constructed a makeshift Gold Cup squad round Tillman. And the 23-year-old has repaid Poch’s religion.
Commercial
He scored twice in a . He . Sunday, although, introduced the primary true-ish check … and Tillman dazzled once more.
All through the 90 minutes, his full repertoire was on show. He mixed with Patrick Agyemang a number of instances on the sting of the field. Within the thirty first minute, with U.S. possession stagnant, he enlivened it with a stunning flick, a bursting run into the field, and a harmful cross that earned the U.S. a penalty.
(Authentic video: Fox Sports activities)
On paper, he began with no consideration winger; however in actuality, he lives within the so-called “half-spaces,” within the inside “pockets” between an opponent’s fullback, middle again and midfielders.
Commercial
He roamed these areas on Sunday, with the “freedom” that Pochettino has given him. He discovered house, however far too usually, the U.S. didn’t discover him — and on just a few events, he appeared pissed off.
(Screenshot: Fox Sports activities | Illustration: Henry Bushnell/Yahoo Sports activities)
However at halftime, coaches confirmed gamers just a few instructive clips. The message, Tillman mentioned, was to “discover totally different areas” and “the alternative facet.”
Certain sufficient, lower than two minutes after halftime, when the U.S. circulated the ball from left to proper, Chris Richards activated Tillman with an expertly disguised move. Tillman, with the ball en path to his toes, glanced ever so briefly over his left shoulder; noticed he had time and house to show; performed a 1-2 with Agyemang, and arrange Max Arfsten’s first profession USMNT objective.
That you simply noticed. What you most likely do not recall is how the U.S. gained possession within the first place. That, too, was because of Tillman.
(Authentic video: Fox Sports activities | Illustration: Henry Bushnell/Yahoo Sports activities)
His urgent — together with his back-pressing, as seen above — is an underrated a part of his recreation. The nonchalant, nearly leisurely manner that Tillman strikes can idiot some first-time observers. Statistically, at PSV, in comparison with different attacking midfielders and wingers in mid-tier leagues, his tackling and interceptions ranked within the 97th and 99th percentile, respectively, this previous season. Even in comparison with true midfielders, he’s within the 81st percentile, . And he’s been equally lively defensively for the U.S.
(Authentic video: Fox Sports activities | Illustrations and edits: Henry Bushnell/Yahoo Sports activities)
He’s hardly flawless. He bore some fault on Costa Rica’s second objective, when he tried to power a by way of ball right into a non-existent window; after which, when it was intercepted, reasonably than race again into place, he introduced his palms to his head and nearly sulked, enabling Los Ticos to construct their possession.
Commercial
His utility, although, outweighs his shortcomings.
Tillman’s greatest traits
He has even added long-range capturing to his arsenal, and practically scored a banger Sunday. He’ll most likely be the chief objective risk when the U.S. meets Guatemala in Wednesday’s semifinal (7 p.m. ET, FS1/Univision).
It’s his off-ball motion, although, that’s maybe his greatest trait. And it’s much less about dynamism, extra about intelligence. It’s sneaky, and sometimes gradual, nearly Messi-like. As 19 different gamers jog facet to facet, following the ball, Tillman will usually stroll — as a result of he is aware of {that a} lack of motion, coupled with the motion of opposing midfielders, is usually the easiest way to create passing lanes.
Commercial
He may also run off a goal man like Agyemang. He can be part of strikers within the field, as he did for a objective towards Haiti.
He doesn’t have Reyna’s imaginative and prescient or creativity. In reality, all in all, the 2 are very totally different gamers. However he at present has the spot that when appeared earmarked for Reyna, and an opportunity to make it his personal forward of the World Cup subsequent summer season.
The query, in fact, is how he’ll deal with larger ranges. Costa Rica isn’t Colombia; Haiti isn’t Japan. And Heracles Almelo isn’t RB Leipzig. Eredivisie stardom, traditionally, is notoriously not predictive of stardom elsewhere. There’s a likelihood that Tillman’s occasional slowness and inconsistent sharpness humble him within the Bundesliga and towards higher nationwide groups. There’s an opportunity that every one this success is a mirage.
Commercial
There’s additionally an opportunity he doesn’t mesh with Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Weston McKennie and the remainder of the USA’s A-squad. There’s an opportunity he doesn’t finally slot in Pochettino’s beginning 11.
For now, nonetheless, there may be real pleasure that the USMNT has discovered a No. 10, a playmaker who can function between traces and choose locks that, up to now, have confirmed unbreakable.
“Malik is an unbelievable expertise,” Pochettino mentioned final fall, shortly after taking the U.S. job.
Maybe not generational, however, as Pochettino mentioned extra just lately, “one of the vital gifted gamers that we’ve got within the USA.”