USA Soccer Today

By John Paul Chunga

When Jürgen Klinsmann inherited a reeling US men’s national team, the 2011 Gold Cup roster started only one player from the MLS, Landon Donovan. In the U.S. win over Antigua and Barbuda, the squad was without the Galaxy star and still managed to start two MLS regulars. 

AP Photo/ Alex Brandon

In fact, when San Jose Earthquakes striker Alan Gordan entered the game, it was an all-MLS goal that won it for the red, white and blue. Eddie Johnson’s two goals represented the shift by the Klinsmann regime that placed an importance on club performance. Simply put, MLS players who succeed deserve a chance to play with the national team.

World Cup qualifying games, however, have not always gone this smoothly for other MLS players. Chris Wondolowski, another Earthquake, got his chance under Klinsmann but failed to score a goal in eight caps.

Benny Feilhaber of the New England Revolution fell off the national team map after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The list of MLS players not translating to international success could go on and on, but in the 2014 qualifying calendar, domestic players are thriving. 

However, with the good comes the bad. US-based players forced national team regular Jozy Altidore out of recent matches even though he leads the Dutch League in goals with AZ Alkmaar.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Coach Klinsmann explained, “Now it looks a little bit different in Jozy's case because he's doing well with Alkmaar, and he's scoring goals. But he hasn't done well with us in the last couple of camps. That's why I have more trust for these upcoming two games in Eddie Johnson and Alan Gordon."

Certainly, the German coach must thank MLS commissioner Don Garber for supplying the US with players, but most importantly with wins. When the Stars and Stripes qualify for World Cup 2014, it will do so with the best players the country has to offer on the field. It just so happens that those players are from the MLS, a new form for the USA today.