Tag: Yunus Musah

Yunus Musah is pretty ‘meh’ on the USMNT World Cup kits

The USMNT star gave a fairly damning verdict in the most polite way imaginable.

Yunus Musah was at his diplomatic best when asked his opinion on the U.S. men’s national team World Cup kits.

The kits are expected to be unveiled next week but several leaks have shown a potential design that has been, shall we say, polarizing among fans and players.

A couple of those players, Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah, have even gone as far as to publicly declare they were not a fan of the design from Nike, which features the crest in the middle of the shirt and the Nike swoosh on the sleeve.

On a call with reporters Thursday, Musah did not verify if the leaks were true but did confirm that he had seen the kits. When asked his thoughts on the kits, Musah tried his best to avoid stating too much of an opinion, instead confirming that they are, indeed, “the kits that they made.”

“I can’t say but the kits are … they’re the kits that they made, so I’m sure they’ll look good on us on the pitch,” Musah said.

The Valencia midfielder was later asked to rate the kits and, in another instance of diplomatic ju-jitsu, rated them “in the middle” by signaling they are neither a thumbs up or thumbs down.

“Yeah I’ve worn it,” he said. “I’d rate it in the middle. It’s not there,” he said giving a thumbs up, “or there,” giving a thumbs down. “It’s in the middle I’d say.”

Musah may just be in agreement with McKennie and Weah, but you can’t help but admire his effort to say so in the most polite way imaginable.

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Yunus Musah hopes to face old friends in USMNT vs. England World Cup clash

Musah hopes to see Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe in Qatar

Yunus Musah is looking forward to an Arsenal reunion at the World Cup.

Speaking to reporters via conference call Thursday, the Valencia midfielder—who spent seven years in the Arsenal academy system—said that the U.S. men’s national team drawing England has special meaning to him.

“I enjoyed my time in London so much. Playing for Arsenal, playing for England, it was so fun. I have great friends from there that I’m still in contact with,” said Musah. “I call it my home as well, because that’s where my family lives….that place is very special to me.”

Given that Musah was in the England youth national team system from the Under-15 level all the way up to the Under-18s, it’s no shock that he hopes to come across some old teammates when the USMNT faces England in Group B.

“Being able to have the opportunity to hopefully play against (England) in November will be very special,” said Musah. “Playing against Bukayo Sako for example, and Emile Smith Rowe, I played with them in the academy a few times. To be playing at a World Cup, (what) a special moment that would be.”

Saka has, like Musah with the USMNT, carved out a regular role with England despite his young age, and both players have a distinct chance of starting at the Al Bayt Stadium on November 25. Smith Rowe, meanwhile, was left out of England’s Nations League squad in June, but has three caps, most recently playing for the Three Lions in a 3-0 friendly win over Ivory Coast in March.

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Yunus Musah, finally playing centrally at Valencia, is poised for breakthrough year

“It has to be my year,” the USMNT midfielder said.

Yunus Musah appears to be a locked-in starter at central midfield for the U.S. national team heading into this year’s World Cup but at the club level, Musah has barely featured for Valencia in the middle of the field.

Until now.

Under new Valencia head coach Gennaro Gattuso, Musah has been playing central midfield in the preseason after being used mostly out wide during his first two seasons with the La Liga club.

That change has Musah optimistic that 2022-23 could be a major breakthrough season for club and country.

“I like to play in the middle, it is a position where I have played since I was young,” Musah told Plaza Deportiva. “When I came up to the first team I played on the wing and I had to take advantage of the opportunity and do my best. At Valencia, they have not yet seen me in the middle.”

Asked if he feels central midfield is his best position, the 19-year-old responded: “I think so, I think I can show my quality there and I hope to.”

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Musah has made 61 total appearances for Valencia over the past two seasons, starting around half of those games. It’s an impressive track record for a player who is still a teenager, but his stellar displays for the USMNT this summer show he is still capable of more.

“It has to be my year,” Musah said. “I’ve been with the team for two years and I want to keep improving, I want to do very well in La Liga, help the team as much as possible and I know I have to improve in goals and assists. Being able to start in this team is something very important to me.”

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Four USMNT players make shortlist for Golden Boy award

Tuttosport awards the annual prize to the top under-21 player in European men’s soccer.

Four U.S. men’s national team players have been named to the shortlist for the Golden Boy award, Tuttosport‘s prize for the top under-21 player in European men’s soccer.

The Italian publication named a 100-player list on Wednesday, which included Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman and Joe Scally.

Three of the four players participated in the USMNT’s recent four-match window in June, with Reyna missing out due to injury.

Musah, who plays with La Liga side Valencia, is the only player of the four to ply their trade outside of Germany. The 19-year-old was hugely impressive for the USMNT over its recent four games, causing coach Gregg Berhalter to say “he just blows me away” after the game against Uruguay and declare him the man of the match after Tuesday’s draw in El Salvador.

The 2021 Golden Boy award was won by Spain and Barcelona star Pedri, with the 2020 award going to Erling Haaland.

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‘He just blows me away’ – Gregg Berhalter awed by Yunus Musah’s ‘crazy level of talent’

The USMNT head coach seems to know what he has in the ultra-talented teenager

Gregg Berhalter seems to know what he has in Yunus Musah.

After the ultra-talented 19-year-old impressed for the U.S. men’s national team again in its scoreless draw with Uruguay, the head coach couldn’t help but gush over his burgeoning star in midfield.

In his post-game press conference, Berhalter heaped praise on the Valencia midfielder.

“Yunus is a guy that just blows me away, at his age, what he can do – crazy level of talent. We need to work with Yunus on his final product, the final pass, the finishing because he has a huge ceiling.”

Musah has quickly established himself as a starter for the USMNT, forming one third of the team’s “MMA” midfield alongside Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams.

The teenager played for England’s youth national teams at various levels but he accepted a call-up to the USMNT in 2020 and the following year, he officially committed his international future to the U.S., the country of his berth.

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