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As you’d expect, New England Revolution players will be watching when the US national team faces Iceland on Sunday. More than a civic duty, the players will be keeping a close eye on teammate Lee Nguyen, who they hope will be given an extended run.
After making his international debut in 2007, Nguyen went over seven years before returning to the USMNT in 2014. Since then, the Texas native has earned five caps, though each appearance has been shorter than 45 minutes. Nguyen has made the most of these short shifts, however, giving glimpses at what makes him so dangerous in MLS.
Now in a camp that consists largely of domestic league players, Nguyen could be in line for more minutes, which is something that his Revolution teammates are hoping to see.
"We’re all excited to see him play," Chris Tierney told The Bent Musket. "We’ve all been singing his praises for a while and think that he should probably be getting more minutes than he has."
Nguyen has been nothing short of sensational for the Revs since joining in 2012. His best season came in 2014 when he was named as a league MVP finalist after grabbing 18 goals and five assists. He most recent season was also impressive as he ended with seven goals and ten helpers.
More than numbers on a score sheet, Nguyen is a talented dribbler with precise vision. Opponents tend to focus on the creative midfielder as made evident by the team-leading 80 fouls he suffered in 2015. Many teams view Nguyen as the key cog for the Revolution.
While Nguyen’s talent is recognized by his teammates, opponents, and the league at large, becoming a regular for Jurgen Klinsmann would certainly help raise his profile. This would be fully deserved in the eyes of the players who see him on a daily basis.
"Hopefully he finally gets a chance to really show what he can do because we’ve all seen it," Tierney said. "We’re excited for all the national team fans and people around the country to really see his ability. We’ll all be watching him closely and rooting him on."