USMNT's Patrick Agyemang, once an overlooked striker, is now a World Cup hopeful
Patrick Agyemang was playing Division III college soccer the last time the U.S. men's national team sent anything resembling a first-choice squad to the Concacaf Gold Cup.
It was the summer of 2019, and Agyemang was about to enter his second season at tiny Eastern Connecticut State University, a 30-minute drive from his hometown of East Hartford. His goal of becoming a professional soccer player — let alone a legitimate candidate for the USMNT's 2026 World Cup squad — was a distant dream for the then-19-year-old striker.
"Obviously, I had doubts," Agyemang told FOX Sports in a recent phone interview. "I've always had the utmost confidence in myself. But I wasn't sure. I'm playing D-III, and all I really knew was guys get drafted from Division I. Where I'm from, not many people make it in this game."
Jump forward five years, and Agyemang is about to come full-circle. On Saturday in East Hartford, he'll likely take the field as the U.S.'s starting striker in the Americans' pre-Gold Cup friendly against Türkiye. With top forwards Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi unavailable because of injury, Agyemang figures to log big minutes in the national team's final tournament before the main event next summer. A strong showing would go a long way toward sticking around for the World Cup.
And there's no reason to think Agyemang won't have one. A towering center forward at 6-foot-4, he has succeeded at every level he's played at so far. His stellar two seasons at ECSU got him a transfer to D-I school Rhode Island. In December 2022, expansion team Charlotte FC picked him 12th overall in the MLS SuperDraft.
This winter, he earned a January camp invitation to the USMNT on the strength of his breakout 2024 MLS season, during which he had 10 goals. He then scored in January exhibitions against Venezuela and Costa Rica, which earned him a roster spot for the Nations League finals in March.
Playing alongside first-teamers like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, Agyemang had the Americans' only goal in a 2-1 loss to Canada in the third-place game. Over what was a disastrous weekend for Mauricio Pochettino's team, the play of Agyemang and Diego Luna — who helped set up Agyemang's strike — was the lone silver lining.
"I think the confidence in him has grown," Luna said this week of his fellow USMNT newcomer.
"Just to feel like you're able to compete and play with these guys and contribute with a goal — it's a good feeling," Agyemang said. He's carried that self-belief into this camp.
"You look at a forward and you can tell when they're confident; they start taking their chances a little bit better," U.S. defender Walker Zimmerman said following Tuesday's training session in Chicago. "They're more energized to make those extra runs on both sides of the ball. And that's what he's doing right now."
Still, Agyemang has plenty of room to improve. Pochettino described him as "raw" in January. Privately, the Argentine has encouraged him to be cleaner on the ball, though Poch is clearly happy with his progress. He and assistant Miguel D'Agostino even went to visit with Agyemang and veteran defender Tim Ream at Charlotte's training facility this spring.
"First touch, the first movement to get the separation between defenders — those are little things I'm definitely trying to learn," Agyemang said. "They want me to believe in myself, because they see potential to keep going."
After almost a year together in Charlotte, Ream has gotten to know Agyemang well off the field, too.
"He's got a personality," Ream said. "He's not quiet or shy, he has his opinions, but he's also a sponge.
"He's trying to constantly improve and be a better player in the locker room, in video sessions, constantly asking questions," continued Ream, a veteran of the English Premier League and the 2022 World Cup, where he played every minute of the Americans' four games. "That's kind of what propels you and helps you get to that next level."
Agyemang's performances for both the national team and The Crown are generating interest from European clubs. A move overseas seems inevitable at some point, before or after the World Cup.
But before that comes Saturday. Agyemang's parents and two older brothers have yet to see him play for the U.S. in person. They'll get that opportunity just steps away from where Patrick's unlikely journey began.
"I've always dreamed of playing in that stadium," said Agyemang, who has asked U.S. Soccer for 25 tickets to Saturday's match. "That it can potentially happen this week is surreal."
The same can be said about his journey to this point.
"To see where I've come from, even two years ago, to where I am today, that development is crazy," Ageymang added.
"I just want to keep going."
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ ByDougMcIntyre .
The USMNT's final 26-man roster for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup is here. With Sergiño Dest and Zack Steffen being added to a long list of key players missing out, the spotlight turns to the youth-driven squad. Alexi Lalas, David Mosse, and special guest Rob Stone break down who's in, who's out, and what it means for the U.S. heading into the tournament and leading up to the summer of 2026.
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San Francisco Chronicle
38 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Small sport stirs up controversy in Spain as Basque Country makes its international debut
MADRID (AP) — A small sport popular in Spain's northern Basque Country has stirred up a political controversy that triggered court action and fanned the region's long-held feelings of nationalism. There has been back-and-forth spats between sports officials and politicians after the Basque Country region was allowed to compete as a nation in international competitions in pelota vasca, a sport that was in the Olympics more than 100 years ago but is now rarely seen in most parts of the world. Even sport's highest court was asked to get involved. The dispute culminated this weekend in what many had thought was an impossible scenario: The Basque Country and Spain playing against each other in an international sporting event — the pelota vasca Nations League. The Basque Country, also known as Euskadi, maintains a strong cultural identity and traditions in a region once scarred by violence. The Basque separatist movement began in the late 1950s and was led by the now-defunct militant group ETA. In 2011, the group declared a 'definitive end' to an armed conflict that killed nearly 900 people, and it officially disbanded in 2018. What is pelota vasca and who won? Pelota vasca, also known as Basque pelota, is played on a court with players using their hands and different types of rackets to hit the ball against a high wall. Depending on which version of the sport is being played, there are different court measurements — all of them with a high front wall and most with another high side wall. The biggest court is 54 meters long (177 feet long). There were jeers when the Spanish national anthem played at the awards ceremony in the Basque Country location of Gernika-Lumo. The Basque Country won the men's final on Friday night, while Spain took the victory in the women's decider. Legal fight The sport's Spanish federation had strongly opposed the recognition of the Basque team, citing alleged illegalities in the recognition process by the international body. It denounced 'pressure, threats and coercion' against Basque players who had chosen to play for Spain. Spain eventually went to the Court of Arbitration for Sports and asked for a ruling on the legality of the changes made in the bylaws of the international federation to allow the Basque team to be recognized. The Spanish federation said it was not allowed to vote in the general assembly in late December. The CAS decision is still pending. 'It's essential to emphasize that this is not an issue against the Basque Country, but rather a matter of legality,' the Spanish federation said in one of its many statements. The Spanish federation at one point complained of a lack of government support and was especially upset when the nation's top sports official, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, said that pelota vasca shouldn't be considered a Spanish sport in the sense that it is not played throughout the nation. The Spanish federation said the sport has an 'unquestionable national presence' with more than 10,000 athletes in the country. 'Exciting step' Politicians in the Basque Country had deemed the recognition by the international federation as historic. They had been working on making that possible for several years but lacked legal backing within local laws and statutes. 'It was unimaginable not too long ago to see these athletes wearing the Basque Country jersey in an international competition,' said Aitor Esteban, president of the Basque Nationalist Party. 'I think it's an important and exciting step. It's another step toward national recognition as a country. This international presence gives us visibility.' The Spanish federation said the Nations League can't be considered an official competition because the international federation did not meet the requirements needed to be able to host the event on Spanish soil, which included proper approval by Spanish officials. The Spanish federation said it only participated in the event out of consideration for its athletes who wanted to play and were afraid that the competition could eventually serve as a qualifier for next year's world championships in Argentina, as indicated by the international body. The Spanish federation insisted it can't be considered an official competition. The Basque federation of pelota vasca praised the fact that its national team became a 'reality.' 'We were born to grow and promote pelota vasca. It is part of our culture, of our identity and of our people," it said. 'We look to the future with hope, the future is ours.' In addition to Spain and the Basque Country, the other participants in the Nations League were the United States, France, Mexico and the Philippines. Pelota vasca was an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Paris Games and has been a demonstration sport several times since then, most recently in Barcelona in 1992. Variations of pelota vasca include jai alai, which in the United States is mostly played in Florida. Other countries where the sport is seen include France, Argentina, Mexico and Cuba.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Small sport stirs up controversy in Spain as Basque Country makes its international debut
MADRID (AP) — A small sport popular in Spain's northern Basque Country has stirred up a political controversy that triggered court action and fanned the region's long-held feelings of nationalism. There has been back-and-forth spats between sports officials and politicians after the Basque Country region was allowed to compete as a nation in international competitions in pelota vasca, a sport that was in the Olympics more than 100 years ago but is now rarely seen in most parts of the world. Even sport's highest court was asked to get involved. The dispute culminated this weekend in what many had thought was an impossible scenario: The Basque Country and Spain playing against each other in an international sporting event — the pelota vasca Nations League. The Basque Country, also known as Euskadi, maintains a strong cultural identity and traditions in a region once scarred by violence. The Basque separatist movement began in the late 1950s and was led by the now-defunct militant group ETA. In 2011, the group declared a 'definitive end' to an armed conflict that killed nearly 900 people, and it officially disbanded in 2018. What is pelota vasca and who won? Pelota vasca, also known as Basque pelota, is played on a court with players using their hands and different types of rackets to hit the ball against a high wall. Depending on which version of the sport is being played, there are different court measurements — all of them with a high front wall and most with another high side wall. The biggest court is 54 meters long (177 feet long). In the Basque Country region, it's considered by many as a national sport. There were jeers when the Spanish national anthem played at the awards ceremony in the Basque Country location of Gernika-Lumo. The Basque Country won the men's final on Friday night, while Spain took the victory in the women's decider. Legal fight The sport's Spanish federation had strongly opposed the recognition of the Basque team, citing alleged illegalities in the recognition process by the international body. It denounced 'pressure, threats and coercion' against Basque players who had chosen to play for Spain. Spain eventually went to the Court of Arbitration for Sports and asked for a ruling on the legality of the changes made in the bylaws of the international federation to allow the Basque team to be recognized. The Spanish federation said it was not allowed to vote in the general assembly in late December. The CAS decision is still pending. 'It's essential to emphasize that this is not an issue against the Basque Country, but rather a matter of legality,' the Spanish federation said in one of its many statements. The Spanish federation at one point complained of a lack of government support and was especially upset when the nation's top sports official, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, said that pelota vasca shouldn't be considered a Spanish sport in the sense that it is not played throughout the nation. The Spanish federation said the sport has an 'unquestionable national presence' with more than 10,000 athletes in the country. 'Exciting step' Politicians in the Basque Country had deemed the recognition by the international federation as historic. They had been working on making that possible for several years but lacked legal backing within local laws and statutes. 'It was unimaginable not too long ago to see these athletes wearing the Basque Country jersey in an international competition,' said Aitor Esteban, president of the Basque Nationalist Party. 'I think it's an important and exciting step. It's another step toward national recognition as a country. This international presence gives us visibility.' The Spanish federation said the Nations League can't be considered an official competition because the international federation did not meet the requirements needed to be able to host the event on Spanish soil, which included proper approval by Spanish officials. The Spanish federation said it only participated in the event out of consideration for its athletes who wanted to play and were afraid that the competition could eventually serve as a qualifier for next year's world championships in Argentina, as indicated by the international body. The Spanish federation insisted it can't be considered an official competition. The Basque federation of pelota vasca praised the fact that its national team became a 'reality.' 'We were born to grow and promote pelota vasca. It is part of our culture, of our identity and of our people,' it said. 'We look to the future with hope, the future is ours.' In addition to Spain and the Basque Country, the other participants in the Nations League were the United States, France, Mexico and the Philippines. Pelota vasca was an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Paris Games and has been a demonstration sport several times since then, most recently in Barcelona in 1992. Variations of pelota vasca include jai alai, which in the United States is mostly played in Florida. Other countries where the sport is seen include France, Argentina, Mexico and Cuba. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Small sport stirs up controversy in Spain as Basque Country makes its international debut
Arai Lejardi, right, and Erika Mugartegui, left, members of the Spanish national team, pose with their team during the Nations League at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) A woman holds a Basque flag or ''Ikurrina'' during the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Elaia Gogenola, a member of the Euskadi national team, competes with her teammate Maia Goikoetxea during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Arai Lejardi, right, competes next to her teammate Erika Mugartegui, members of the Spanish national team, at the Jai Alai fronton during the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Elaia Gogenola, a member of the Euskadi national team, competes with her teammate Maia Goikoetxea during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Jai Alai balls are pictured prior to the start of the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Jai alai baskets are pictured ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Spectators gather during the Nations League between Spanish national team and Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) A man receives a Basque flag, or "Ikurrina," ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Arai Lejardi, left, and Erika Mugartegui, members of the Spanish national team, pose for a photo ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Elaia Gogenola, left, and Maia Goikoetxea, members of the Euskadi national team, pose for a photo ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) The Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team play during the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Arai Lejardi, right, member of the Spanish national team competes during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) People react during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) People react during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Arai Lejardi, right, and Erika Mugartegui, left, members of the Spanish national team, pose with their team during the Nations League at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) A woman holds a Basque flag or ''Ikurrina'' during the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Elaia Gogenola, a member of the Euskadi national team, competes with her teammate Maia Goikoetxea during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Arai Lejardi, right, competes next to her teammate Erika Mugartegui, members of the Spanish national team, at the Jai Alai fronton during the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Elaia Gogenola, a member of the Euskadi national team, competes with her teammate Maia Goikoetxea during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Jai Alai balls are pictured prior to the start of the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Jai alai baskets are pictured ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Spectators gather during the Nations League between Spanish national team and Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) A man receives a Basque flag, or "Ikurrina," ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Arai Lejardi, left, and Erika Mugartegui, members of the Spanish national team, pose for a photo ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Elaia Gogenola, left, and Maia Goikoetxea, members of the Euskadi national team, pose for a photo ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) The Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team play during the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) Arai Lejardi, right, member of the Spanish national team competes during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) People react during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) MADRID (AP) — A small sport popular in Spain's northern Basque Country has stirred up a political controversy that triggered court action and fanned the region's long-held feelings of nationalism. There has been back-and-forth spats between sports officials and politicians after the Basque Country region was allowed to compete as a nation in international competitions in pelota vasca, a sport that was in the Olympics more than 100 years ago but is now rarely seen in most parts of the world. Advertisement Even sport's highest court was asked to get involved. The dispute culminated this weekend in what many had thought was an impossible scenario: The Basque Country and Spain playing against each other in an international sporting event — the pelota vasca Nations League. The Basque Country, also known as Euskadi, maintains a strong cultural identity and traditions in a region once scarred by violence. The Basque separatist movement began in the late 1950s and was led by the now-defunct militant group ETA. In 2011, the group declared a 'definitive end' to an armed conflict that killed nearly 900 people, and it officially disbanded in 2018. What is pelota vasca and who won? Advertisement Pelota vasca, also known as Basque pelota, is played on a court with players using their hands and different types of rackets to hit the ball against a high wall. Depending on which version of the sport is being played, there are different court measurements — all of them with a high front wall and most with another high side wall. The biggest court is 54 meters long (177 feet long). In the Basque Country region, it's considered by many as a national sport. There were jeers when the Spanish national anthem played at the awards ceremony in the Basque Country location of Gernika-Lumo. The Basque Country won the men's final on Friday night, while Spain took the victory in the women's decider. Advertisement Legal fight The sport's Spanish federation had strongly opposed the recognition of the Basque team, citing alleged illegalities in the recognition process by the international body. It denounced 'pressure, threats and coercion' against Basque players who had chosen to play for Spain. Spain eventually went to the Court of Arbitration for Sports and asked for a ruling on the legality of the changes made in the bylaws of the international federation to allow the Basque team to be recognized. The Spanish federation said it was not allowed to vote in the general assembly in late December. The CAS decision is still pending. 'It's essential to emphasize that this is not an issue against the Basque Country, but rather a matter of legality,' the Spanish federation said in one of its many statements. Advertisement The Spanish federation at one point complained of a lack of government support and was especially upset when the nation's top sports official, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, said that pelota vasca shouldn't be considered a Spanish sport in the sense that it is not played throughout the nation. The Spanish federation said the sport has an 'unquestionable national presence' with more than 10,000 athletes in the country. 'Exciting step' Politicians in the Basque Country had deemed the recognition by the international federation as historic. They had been working on making that possible for several years but lacked legal backing within local laws and statutes. Advertisement 'It was unimaginable not too long ago to see these athletes wearing the Basque Country jersey in an international competition,' said Aitor Esteban, president of the Basque Nationalist Party. 'I think it's an important and exciting step. It's another step toward national recognition as a country. This international presence gives us visibility.' The Spanish federation said the Nations League can't be considered an official competition because the international federation did not meet the requirements needed to be able to host the event on Spanish soil, which included proper approval by Spanish officials. The Spanish federation said it only participated in the event out of consideration for its athletes who wanted to play and were afraid that the competition could eventually serve as a qualifier for next year's world championships in Argentina, as indicated by the international body. The Spanish federation insisted it can't be considered an official competition. The Basque federation of pelota vasca praised the fact that its national team became a 'reality.' Advertisement 'We were born to grow and promote pelota vasca. It is part of our culture, of our identity and of our people," it said. 'We look to the future with hope, the future is ours.' In addition to Spain and the Basque Country, the other participants in the Nations League were the United States, France, Mexico and the Philippines. Pelota vasca was an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Paris Games and has been a demonstration sport several times since then, most recently in Barcelona in 1992. Variations of pelota vasca include jai alai, which in the United States is mostly played in Florida. Other countries where the sport is seen include France, Argentina, Mexico and Cuba.
