ST. LOUIS — The buzzword was “generational expertise.” The probabilities, everybody agreed, have been limitless. The U.S. males’s nationwide group had been ravenous for a inventive No. 10, and up by means 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 high 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 an alternative, one other languid playmaker born in 2002 is seizing management of the U.S. assault.
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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 probably 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.
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Tillman was removed from good 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 there are solely two: Tillman and Reyna. (Perhaps Pulisic.)
Reyna, although, hasn’t performed 90 minutes of aggressive soccer in a yr. Over the past 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 the moment on the Membership World Cup, however, as per common, he’s caught on Dortmund’s bench.
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Tillman, in the meantime, is rising.
Malik Tillman’s easy, laid-back tempo can catch opponents off guard. (Photograph by John Dorton/ISI Photographs/USSF/Getty Photos)
(John Dorton/ISI Photographs/USSF through Getty Photos)Malik Tillman on the rise for membership and nation
Born in Germany to an American father, he first rose by means of Bayern Munich’s academy. He realized on mortgage at Rangers in Scotland. Then he actually rose at PSV Eindhoven. In 2024-25, regardless of lacking three months with an ankle damage, he was one of many best possible gamers in all the 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. Coming into this summer time, he’d by no means scored or assisted a senior nationwide group aim. Nonetheless, , Pochettino constructed a makeshift Gold Cup squad round Tillman. And the 23-year-old has repaid Poch’s religion.
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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.
(Unique video: Fox Sports activities)
On paper, he began without any consideration winger; however in actuality, he lives within the so-called “half-spaces,” within the inside “pockets” between an opponent’s fullback, heart again and midfielders.
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He roamed these areas on Sunday, with the “freedom” that Pochettino has given him. He discovered house, however far too typically, the U.S. didn’t discover him — and on a couple of events, he appeared pissed off.
(Screenshot: Fox Sports activities | Illustration: Henry Bushnell/Yahoo Sports activities)
However at halftime, coaches confirmed gamers a couple of instructive clips. The message, Tillman stated, was to “discover totally different areas” and “the other facet.”
Positive 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 go. Tillman, with the ball en path to his ft, 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 aim.
That you just noticed. What you in all probability do not recall is how the U.S. gained possession within the first place. That, too, was because of Tillman.
(Unique 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 approach 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.
(Unique 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 aim, when he tried to power a by means of ball right into a non-existent window. After which, when it was intercepted, somewhat than race again into place, he introduced his fingers to his head and nearly sulked, enabling Los Ticos to construct their possession.
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His utility, although, outweighs his shortcomings.
“He is a very high-level participant in between the traces,” teammate Tyler Adams stated. “That place is uncommon to come back by these days. Increasingly more groups are enjoying with no No. 10. However while you discover a participant like that that may sluggish the sport down and take strain off of the group, I feel it is actually worthwhile. Even within the recreation towards Costa Rica, when issues get hectic, and he will get on the ball, he can discover conditions to get out of it, and assist our group break down the opponent. So, yeah, he is a high participant.”
Tillman’s finest traits
He has even added long-range taking pictures to his arsenal, and practically scored a banger Sunday. He’ll in all probability be the chief aim menace when the U.S. meets Guatemala in Wednesday’s semifinal (7 p.m. ET, FS1/Univision).
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It’s his off-ball motion, although, that’s maybe his finest trait. And it’s much less about dynamism, extra about intelligence. It’s sneaky, and infrequently sluggish, nearly Messi-like. As 19 different gamers jog facet to facet, following the ball, Tillman will typically stroll — as a result of he is aware of {that a} lack of motion, coupled with the motion of opposing midfielders, is typically the easiest way to create passing lanes.
He may also run off a goal man like Agyemang. He can be part of strikers within the field, as he did for a aim towards Haiti.
And “he is so calm,” fellow midfielder Sebastian Berhalter stated Tuesday. “He by no means seems to be pressured a day in his life. “
He doesn’t have Reyna’s imaginative and prescient or creativity. The truth is, all in all, the 2 are very totally different gamers. However he at the moment has the spot that after appeared earmarked for Reyna, and an opportunity to make it his personal forward of the World Cup subsequent summer time.
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The query, after all, is how he’ll deal with greater 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 each one this success is a mirage.
There may be 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.
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For now, nonetheless, there’s real pleasure that the USMNT has discovered a No. 10, a playmaker who can function between traces and choose locks that, prior to now, have confirmed unbreakable.
“Malik is an unbelievable expertise,” Pochettino stated final fall, shortly after taking the U.S. job.
Maybe not generational, however, as Pochettino stated extra just lately, “probably the most proficient gamers that now we have within the USA.”