Thomas Müller Reveals Tristan Blackmon’s USMNT Call-Up
In a surprising moment during a post-match interview, Thomas Müller inadvertently disclosed that Tristan Blackmon is set to join the roster for the U.S. men’s national team (USMNT). This revelation came shortly after Müller netted his first goal for the Vancouver Whitecaps in a thrilling 3-2 win against St. Louis City on Saturday.
Post-Match Comments
Müller, while reflecting on the upcoming international fixtures, remarked,
“During the international break, we’ll miss some guys at that moment. Tristan is nominated for the USA.”
However, right after stating this, he caught himself realizing that the official roster announcement had yet to be made. He added, somewhat sheepishly,
“If he plays good today. Ahh, the game is already played. In the end, it is what it is, I heard what I heard… congrats to Tristan and congrats to USA.”
Tristan Blackmon’s Background
The 28-year-old Blackmon, who has been a mainstay in Vancouver’s defense for the past four seasons, was previously included in the preliminary roster for the Gold Cup but did not make the final cut. His potential call-up comes as the USMNT prepares for two crucial friendlies: one against South Korea on September 6 in Harrison, New Jersey, and another against Japan on September 9 in Columbus, Ohio.
International Allegiance Discussions
Interestingly, discussions about Blackmon’s international allegiance have also been in the spotlight. ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle noted back in May that Jesse Marsch, the manager for Canada’s Men’s National Team, had conversations with Blackmon regarding a possible switch to the Canadian team. Although born and raised in Las Vegas, Blackmon could potentially expedite his application for a Canadian passport through the Canada Soccer Association if he decides to represent Canada.
Current Focus
For now, his focus remains on his role with the Whitecaps, where he has been instrumental in leading the team to the finals of this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup and securing their strong current position in the MLS Western Conference.
