via Getty
MUNICH, GERMANY – SEPTEMBER 19: Malik Tillman of Bayern II runs with the ball during the 3. Liga match between Bayern Muenchen II and Tuerkguecue Muenchen at Stadion an der Gruenwalder Stra?e on September 19, 2020 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
via Getty
MUNICH, GERMANY – SEPTEMBER 19: Malik Tillman of Bayern II runs with the ball during the 3. Liga match between Bayern Muenchen II and Tuerkguecue Muenchen at Stadion an der Gruenwalder Stra?e on September 19, 2020 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
The World Cup in Qatar is almost here and nations are putting the finishing touches on their squads for the tournament. However, the USMNT has failed in that respect, as Gregg Berhalter still doesn’t have a definitive player to lead the line. Maybe Malik Tillman can now change that.
The Bayern Munich academy graduate has been in top form for the club’s youth teams and has scored a lot of goals. He started out as a midfielder and quickly moved up the pitch after coaches realized his potential. He had represented Germany at the youth level too, scoring three goals in four games for the German U-21 team.
However, Tillman has now announced that he would play for the USMNT, a move that could greatly help the team. Gregg Berhalter’s men need a striker, and now he has another name in the fold to consider.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The Germany U-21 coach responds to the news
Tillman is still only 19 and has a bright future ahead of him. The striker was a great prospect for the German national team too, and as a result, they aren’t too happy with his decision. His coach for the U-21 team, Antonio Di Salvo, reacted to the news and revealed that it surprised them.
“We regret Malik’s decision – it surprised us a lot. We promoted him as a young player in the U21s, we placed a lot of trust in him and gave him match practice. In addition, we were in intensive talks regarding his prospects in the senior national team,” Di Salvo said.
ℹ️ FC Bayern has extended the contract of goalkeeper Christian Früchtl until 2023, while Malik Tillman has signed a professional deal until 2024!#MiaSanMia
— 🇺🇸 FC Bayern US 🇨🇦 (@FCBayernUS) September 23, 2021
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The stars Malik Tillman could replace in the USMNT
The USMNT does have options at striker, but most of them have failed to grab their chance. West Brom forward Daryl Dike was the last man to lead the line for his nation in the Gold Cup, but he failed to perform.
FC Augsburg star Ricardo Pepi is a prospect for the future, but it’s yet to be seen if Berhalter trusts him enough to start in the World Cup.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
A surprising name for the role is Young Boys star Jordan Pefok, who has scored 22 goals in the Swiss super league this season. The 25-year-old will most likely play for the USMNT, and given his form, it’ll be interesting to see if he can nail his spot down in the team.
