There will be plenty of storylines in Saturday’s U.S. men’s national team showdown with Germany and there will also be one key reunion between player and manager.
USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams will face off with his former manager Julian Nagelsmann in the first international meeting between the two. Adams’ first European involvement came at Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, where he featured in 54 matches under the now-German national team boss.
The New York midfielder has continued to take major strides in his career, going from
RB Leipzig to Premier League sides Leeds United and AFC Bournemouth. He recently helped the Cherries seal their first-ever berth into a European club competition, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.
As for Nagelsmann, he has rapidly grown into one of the top managers in the sport, also using RB Leipzig as a springboard to later positions with Bayern Munich and Germany. Nagelsmann is now preparing for his World Cup with Die Mannschaft as the four-time winners seek a fifth-ever tournament triumph.
While Adams and Nagelsmann will be opposite sidelines on Saturday, Nagelsmann had plenty of positive things to say about his former player.
“I got to know Tyler Adams very, very well from his time at Leipzig,” Nagelsmann said in a press conference in Chicago on Friday. “He is a player who played in the last World Cup. He is a player at the number six position who moves around a lot and attacks everything. He is rock solid, a player with an incredible mentality, and to add to that a very fine person.”
“I’m really looking forward to seeing him again,” Nagelsmann added. “But it will not be very pleasant to stand across from him on the field. Something I’m glad I don’t have to do, but he does [referring to German midfielder Florian Wirtz, who was seated next to him at the press conference.
Adams played 45 minutes against Senegal on Saturday and could see a large role against the Germans at Soldier Field.