Tag: Benjamin Cremaschi

Cremaschi leaning toward USMNT after exclusion from Argentina Olympic plans

The USMNT is getting close to locking down a highly regarded dual national

More and more, Benjamin Cremaschi sees his international future with the United States.

Born and raised in Florida to Argentine parents, the Inter Miami midfielder has been involved with both Argentina and the U.S. at the youth level.

Last fall, the 19-year-old was called into the U.S. senior national team for the first time, earning his first cap in a friendly against Ghana.

Cremaschi hasn’t been involved with Argentina since a call-up to a U-20 camp in December 2022, and a recent conversation with Argentina U-23 coach Javier Mascherano appears to have pushed the midfielder even closer to U.S. Soccer.

Cremaschi was interviewed on Argentine radio station Urbana Play 104.3 FM, and was asked if he’d had any conversations with Argentina senior national team head coach Lionel Scaloni.

“I haven’t spoken to Scaloni, I spoke with [Mascherano],” Cremaschi said. “The truth is he was very honest with me. He said he wants the best for me. It wasn’t an egotistical conversation and I’m very thankful for it.”

Asked if he would consider a call-up to Argentina if it ever came, Cremaschi replied: “Yes, but [Mascherano] had things clear. He told it to me in the best way and I understood him perfectly, so I’m leaning toward the United States.”

With Mascherano apparently not considering Cremaschi for a spot on his 18-player roster for the Olympics this summer, the Inter Miami midfielder said he was hoping that he would be selected for the United States roster.

“I hope it’s my turn to go,” he said of an Olympic place.

Cremaschi missed the first two months of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery on a hernia, but has recently returned for Inter Miami. He scored his first goal of the season on Saturday as the Herons beat the New England Revolution 4-1.

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Inter Miami youngster Cremaschi impressing Pulisic, Ream at first USMNT camp

Add Pulisic and Ream to the list of players who see big things for Cremaschi

These are heady days for Inter Miami’s Benjamin Cremaschi.

Less than a year ago, the 18-year-old was suiting up for the club’s MLS Next Pro side, pursuing an MLS contract.

Flash forward just 10 months, and the dual national is routinely connecting with Lionel Messi and getting U.S. men’s national team call-ups.

The latest chapter showing just how much Cremaschi’s life has changed came Thursday, when USMNT veterans Christian Pulisic and Tim Ream both singled the versatile Miami midfielder out for praise.

Asked on Ream’s The American Dream podcast for new faces in camp that have impressed, Pulisic cited Cremaschi right away.

“I really like this kid out of Miami, man,” said Pulisic. “Nice kid. It’s been exciting to follow Miami recently for obvious reasons. And yeah, I like him. In the few trainings I’ve seen him, I see a lot of potential there as well. So that’d be one that I would say [has impressed], but, I mean, [I’ve] seen good things from a lot of them, to be honest, a lot of the new guys.”

Cremaschi has been a high-energy compliment to Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, producing one goal and four assists since the trio of former Barcelona stars joined Miami. New manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino has used the Miami native as both a box-to-box midfielder and on the wing, and like teammate Robert Taylor has thrived in the open space created by opponents collapsing on Messi.

Cremaschi looking ‘sharp’ at USMNT camp

For his part, Ream’s evaluation of the USMNT’s newcomers took him to the same conclusion, with the Fulham defender praising Cremaschi’s game as well.

“Yeah, I would agree,” said Ream, adding that in his view, Cremaschi “has looked good.”

“He’s looked sharp. He’s technical, not afraid to get into a tackle,” continued Ream. “Benja and I think Kristoffer [Lund], he’s kind of settling in [too]. Obviously English is more of a second language, but both very good with their English. [Cremaschi] has been the most impressive for sure in the couple of training sessions that we’ve had.”

Ream alluded to another dual national in camp, the Danish-American fullback Lund. That proved timely, as FIFA approved the Palermo left back’s one-time federation switch shortly after the podcast episode was published.

For Cremaschi, meanwhile, an appearance in the USMNT’s friendlies against Uzbekistan (Sept. 9) and Oman (Sept. 12) would not guarantee his international future to U.S. Soccer. As both matches are friendlies, Cremaschi would still be eligible to play for Argentina, who have Messi lobbying his club teammate to keep the Albiceleste in mind.

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Cremaschi headlines USMNT roster for September friendlies

The Inter Miami teenager is a dual-national who is also still eligible to represent Argentina

Inter Miami midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi was named to Gregg Berhalter’s 24-man U.S. men’s national team roster for September friendlies against Uzbekistan and Oman.

Cremaschi, 18, has spent time with the youth national teams of the U.S. and Argentina, and remains eligible for both. The midfielder has impressed with Miami in his first season of senior-team action, and said recently that he’d been speaking with Inter Miami’s Argentine superstar Lionel Messi about his international future.

Along with Cremaschi, Kristoffer Lund is the other newcomer to the USMNT roster. The 21-year-old Palermo left back represented Denmark throughout his youth career, but has filed a one-time change of association to switch to the USMNT.

The USMNT will host Uzbekistan on September 9 at CityPark in St. Louis (5:30 p.m. ET, TNT, Telemundo), before facing Oman on September 12 at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT).

The two games will also mark the return of Gregg Berhalter, who was re-hired as head coach in June following six months away from the team.

“We are thrilled to have a number of core players in this group while also being able to introduce some new faces to the senior team,” Berhalter said. “Uzbekistan and Oman are types of teams we could face in the World Cup, so it’s an important opportunity to gain that experience.”

Berhalter’s roster features 12 players who were part of the 2022 World Cup squad, including Christian Pulisic, who has the most caps on the current roster with 60.

Some key players will miss out due to injury, including Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Walker Zimmerman, Taylor Booth and Josh Sargent.

USMNT September 2023 roster (club; caps/goals)

GOALKEEPERS (3): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest; 8/0), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; 32/0)

DEFENDERS (9): Sergiño Dest (PSV; 26/2), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo; 0/0), Mark McKenzie (Genk; 11/0), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; 0/0), Tim Ream (Fulham; 51/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; 10/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham; 36/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 25/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; 6/0)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; 7/0), Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami; 0/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo; 16/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus; 44/11), Yunus Musah (AC Milan; 27/0), Malik Tillman (PSV; 4/0)

FORWARDS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin; 32/7), Folarin Balogun (Arsenal; 2/1), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; 8/1), Ricardo Pepi (PSV; 16/7), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; 60/25), Tim Weah (Juventus; 31/4)

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The next Balogun? Here are the dual nationals the USMNT will target now

Securing the striker was a huge win, but there’s still plenty of work to do for U.S. Soccer

Folarin Balogun’s commitment was the latest, and perhaps biggest victory in a recent string of major recruitment wins for the U.S. men’s national team.

Ricardo Pepi, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, Jesús Ferreira and Sergiño Dest all committed in the last few years, and the latter four started against the Netherlands in the World Cup knockout round.

More recently, Alex Zendejas committed to the U.S. over Mexico and Brandon Vazquez said he was all in for the USMNT — though he’s technically still able to represent Mexico for now.

Even after a major win like Balogun, there is still plenty of work to be done at U.S. Soccer. There is a seemingly never-ending supply of promising dual nationals who could help the USMNT, either now or in the future.

Here are a few of the more pressing names that U.S. Soccer will be focused on after securing Balogun. The players are listed alongside the non-American countries for which they are eligible.