USMNT defender Tim Ream wants to make the World Cup roster : NPR

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Playing for Charlotte FC, the Major League Soccer team in Charlotte, Tim Ream is hoping to
make his second World Cup roster for the U.S. Men’s National Team.

Courtesy of Charlotte FC

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Courtesy of Charlotte FC

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, expectations are high, especially for the U.S. as one of the co-hosts.

There’s hope that the U.S. Men’s National Team will not only perform well but also progress far in the
tournament. Additionally, with the U.S., Canada, and Mexico hosting, there’s an aspiration that the event will
ignite a passion for soccer among a new generation of fans.

Despite the growing interest fueled by the success of the women’s national team, doubts linger about the
sustainability of a long-term American soccer audience.

Tim Ream, a key defender for Major League Soccer’s Charlotte FC, understands these challenges. If chosen for the
final 26-man roster of the U.S. Men’s National Team, Ream could help dispel the notion that America isn’t a
soccer-centric nation or that the men’s team is destined to fall short.

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Tim Ream, playing for Charlotte FC, the Major League Soccer team in Charlotte, sees the 2026
World Cup as important to inspire a new generation of soccer fans in the U.S.
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“I have no doubt in my mind that we can win in a knockout stage game. I have no doubt that we can win multiple
games in the knockout stages,” Ream said in an interview with All Things Considered host Juana
Summers.

Tim Ream, at 38, participated in all four matches during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The 2022 team, the
tournament’s second-youngest, was eliminated by the Netherlands in the Round of 16. They missed out on
qualifying for the 2018 games in Russia, losing a chance to establish a global identity.

“At the last World Cup, none of us had played. We had one guy who had played in a World Cup previously,” Ream
said. “And now I think guys have a much better understanding of what it takes.”

Ream is the only player currently eligible who remembers the last time the tournament was held in the United
States, back in 1994, when he was just 6 years old. He is a strong contender for the final roster, having served
as team captain in the past, and is prepared to fulfill any role the team requires.

“Whether it’s starting every game and playing every minute like I did in 2022, coming on to help secure wins, or
being the leader and voice behind the scenes, I’m ready to do anything asked of me,” he said.

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U.S. defender Tim Ream (L) and Netherlands’ defender Denzel Dumfries fight for the ball during
the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between the Netherlands and USA in Doha on
December 3, 2022.

Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images

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Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images

Ream acknowledges the pressure on this year’s team. “People want to believe that [soccer in America] is going to
continue to grow and that [the 2026 World Cup] will be an even bigger catalyst than 1994,” he noted. The
momentum from the 1994 tournament led to the formation of Major League Soccer, the MLS.

Ultimately, Ream believes success can take many forms. On the field, it’s about winning and “making people proud.”
Off the field, he feels the weight of the moment.

“I think the biggest hope and dream would be to say we’ve inspired our own country of 330-plus million people,
that we’re inspiring the next generation of players who are already fully focused and ingrained in the game and
want to become the next iteration of the U.S. national team,” Ream said, emphasizing the importance of fostering
a love of soccer among children.