But what if accepting an international call-up wasn't so easy?
Meet Mikkel Diskerud; 22 years old, and promising, yet still somewhat of an unknown commodity to so many. Diskerud has had a rather eventful and successful month in international football. As of yesterday, he can add the title of "Gold Cup Champion" to his ever-growing list of achievements this July, right next to his newly-added title of “United States Men's National Team Player."
Mikkel prefers to identify solely as 'Mix,' a nickname that he’s embraced since a young age. Aside from his long, wild curls and performances on the pitch, it's his name that's made him a standout for fans until this point, and he's even fighting to go against U.S. Soccer regulations and have simply 'Mix' grace the back of his jersey, rather than his last name (the typical protocol for official jerseys). His full birth name is Mikkel Morgenstar Pålsønn Diskerud, a doozy for fans and not much of a pleasantry for commentators either; it's Norwegian. Mix was born in Norway, raised in Norway, and even currently plays his club football for Rosenborg BK, 22-time champions of Norway’s domestic league, the Tippeligaen. But upon stepping onto Portland's JELD-WEN field for the United States' first Gold Cup match a mere three weeks ago, international soccer became possibly the only thing Mix won't be able to do in Norway- unless he's the visiting side. Thanks to his mother, who hails from Arizona, Mix Diskerud is FIFA-eligible to play for the United States, as well as Norway, and has chosen to represent the beloved red and white stripes. After much switching between the youth teams of both nations, Mix can finally call the USA his international home.
But don't be fooled; it's not as if he didn't already. Because of his American roots, Diskerud isn't unfamiliar with the United States Men's National Team (USMNT), in any sense. He's been a crucial part of the nation's soccer picture since 2010. As a member of the Under-23 team and this year's Gold Cup squad, he even claimed the prestigious number ‘8’ shirt, worn more-regularly by USMNT captain, Clint Dempsey. His English is probably as close to accent-less as possible, although you might recognize a bit of a Euro-twang if you listen for a while, and luckily for him, participation in this year's Gold Cup has allowed him to see a bit more of his newest football home, a task that's been on his to-do list for a while.
The newly cap-tied Mix is adjusting to life here as an American player, and judging by his performance in yesterday's Gold Cup final, he's doing a pretty good job.
For being the youngest capped member of the USA squad during this Gold Cup run, Mix has adapted to the popular position of holding midfield quite readily. A self-proclaimed runner-at-heart, his speed is often just the edge that the U.S. Men's National Team need, especially at crucial times. Despite a number of consecutive starts early on in the tournament, Diskerud found himself watching the kickoff of yesterday's final on the bench; just his third match without a start in the entire tournament. Not a bad record, for a young guy fighting for his spot against a number of experienced veteran players. Claiming his holding midfield spot for the start of the Gold Cup final was Stuart Holden, the spunky, Scottish-born midfielder working on his return to the USMNT following a number of side-lining knee injuries. USA coach, Jürgen Klinsmann, suspended for the Gold Cup final after an expulsion from the USA's 3-1 semifinal rout over Honduras, had spent the entire tournament working carefully to ease Holden back into the intensity of international play and was doing what appeared to be a fairly good job. Stu, as he’s more-commonly known by his fans and teammates, was looking sharper and gaining confidence with each match following his return for the USA. But it was from the suspended Klinsmann's press box that he watched the nightmare of he and an entire nation unfold before his eyes. In the 18th minute of the Gold Cup final, against a feisty Panama side, Stu Holden collapsed onto the pitch after a collision with another player; clutching his right knee. Holden was immediately assisted off of the field, and the results of his MRI scan have returned as every American prayed they wouldn't; Stuart Holden has, once again, torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), an injury well-known to soccer players and fans alike as the king of all side-lining injuries, and one that will keep Stu fighting against the clock if he wishes to recover in time to be considered for the World Cup next June..
Although the severity of his injury was unknown to the USMNT players during yesterday's match, it was needless to say that the possibility of Stu sustaining another difficult injury crossed everyone's mind. Less than 20 minutes into a Gold Cup final and Klinsmann’s fill-in coaches were forced to bring on an early substitute, without his guidance. Their choice; Mix Diskerud.
In a major tournament final, no one expects things to go wrong. No one expects the head coach to be confined to a press box, without any means of contact with his players and staff for the duration of the match. No one expects the recovering player, a real force and soul, to have to leave the game with a recurring injury. And when these things do happen, teams are pushed to their limits. While everyone is expected to step up to the plate, embrace the moment as it is, and make it what they can, we look for leaders. Game-changers. Those willing to push through with the true American fighting spirit.
He may have only been cap-tied for the Americans three weeks ago, but that American fighting spirit is exactly what Mix Diskerud brought to the pitch yesterday.
Coming on for Stu Holden in the given situation, Mix had some very big shoes to fill. He had to perform at his best, though he hadn't prepared for such an early entrance to the game. He also had to raise the spirits and intensity of a team in heartbreak. No one expects the youngest player, the lanky kid with long, free-flowing curly hair, newly cap-tied and all, to step up, to take control. But when Mix Diskerud entered yesterday's final, he owned his position. He, paired with veteran Kyle Beckerman in holding midfield, made magic happen for the United States. Considering his incredible mixture of perfect vision, passing accuracy, crossing ability, scintillating speed, fearless defensive work, and perhaps a bit of that Euro-flair, if it weren't for Brek Shea's unbelievable quick-fire, game-winning goal upon entering the game, Diskerud without a doubt would have been yesterday's Man of the Match, or at least a top contender. It was by far his best performance of the tournament, and an absolute pride and pleasure for Americans to see such beautiful, passionate football from one of the squad's newest additions.
Now, the Champions are off to resume their lives outside of the magic of the Gold Cup. For player of the tournament, Landon Donovan, and joint tournament top-scorer Chris Wondolowski, it means off to Wednesday's Major League Soccer All-Star game in Kansas City. Midfielder Joe Corona, another young talent that seized his opportunity to shine during this tournament, is already back at home in San Diego and meeting up with his Club Tijuana teammates, as per his Twitter account. And as for Mix Diskerud, perhaps he'll be returning right away to Rosenborg in Norway, who sit at the top of the Norwegian league currently, in the midst of their season. Though surely not until finishing up that US tour he’d so anticipated, as well as inquiring once more to change the name on his jersey; perks of being a champion.
Action for the US Men's National Team will resume in early September with World Cup Qualifiers. And as they have before, American fans will likely sit back and Trust in Jürgen when it comes time for the call-ups to face the revenge-seeking Costa Rica and Mexico, who succumbed in the early stages of the Gold Cup, as USA fights to remain at the top of their World Cup qualifying Hexagonal group. Aside from the Gold Cup, it's games like these that will get Klinsmann thinking about the special 23 that will make the squad for Brazil next year. And for Mix Diskerud and the rest of this championship-winning US team, the chances of being included are better than ever.