Tim Ream doubted he'd ever play in a World Cup. At 38 he's Captain America | Opinion

IRVINE, CA – There was a time Tim Ream thought his chances of playing at a World Cup were over.

He was already in his early 30s. Despite being a starter at Fulham, he’d had large gaps between appearances for the U.S. men’s national team. He wasn’t part of the squad for the USMNT’s last international window before the 2022 roster was announced, usually a good indicator of who’s going to the World Cup and who isn’t.

When the 2022 roster was announced, though, Ream was a surprise inclusion. He wound up playing every minute of the USMNT’s four games at the World Cup in Qatar, too, anchoring a backline that gave up just one goal in the group stage.

Now, at 38, not only is Ream playing in his second World Cup, he’s captain of the U.S. team.

"Being out of the picture for 14 months leading into 2022, I pretty much accepted that my opportunities to play in a World Cup were not going to be there," Ream said on Monday, June 29.

"So yeah, to be sitting here now and being able to play in a second World Cup, a home World Cup, is pretty special for me, for my family," he added. "I don't take (it) for granted because I know how quickly things can change. I know how quickly you can be in and how quickly you can be out."

The USMNT plays Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 on Wednesday, July 1.

Even Pep Guardiola was impressed by Tim Ream

Ream went to England in early 2012, after two seasons with Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls. He played first for Bolton Wanderers, which was in the Premier League when he arrived but was relegated to the Championship in his next three seasons.

He then moved to Championship side Fulham, which earned promotion in Ream’s third season with the Cottagers.

Fulham would bounce back and forth between the Premier League and the Championship for the next four seasons, but the higher quality of opponents gave then-USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter a better idea of Ream’s skill.

He wasn’t the only one. After a game against Manchester City ahead of the 2022 World Cup, Pep Guardiola told Ream he’d sign the American if the defender was 10 years younger.  

"He put himself in a position where we couldn't leave him off the team because he's starting for a good team in the Premier League and he's one of the best passing center backs in all the Premier League," Berhalter said earlier this month.

"That's an example of a guy self-selecting based on his performance."

Tim Ream vital to USMNT on, off field

Ream is more than just a feel-good story of perseverance, though. He’s become as important to the USMNT as Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie.

"I think everybody knows what he means to this team. It's weird to call him like a father figure to this group, but he really is," Gio Reyna said.

On the field, Ream is the quintessential coach, offering both a calming presence and tactical instructions. He's an invaluable source of information for his younger teammates, too, given he's seen just about everything in his career.

And he provides comedic value, the jokes about his age almost writing themselves. Ream is a good decade older than many of his teammates, and 17 years older than Alex Freeman, the youngest player on this USMNT squad.

"He will score in training and they'll say he's the oldest scorer in World Cup history. Stuff like that," Balogun said, grinning.

"My personal relationship with Tim is great," Balogun added. "He gives me lots of advice and he's somebody who has tons of experience. I'm a younger player, so I love to learn from him."

Mauricio Pochettino depends on Tim Ream

When Mauricio Pochettino took over as USMNT coach in September 2024, he was quick to identify Ream’s importance to the team. He appreciated Ream's calmness, and his ability to be a bridge between the coaching staff and the players.

Pochettino named Ream captain for his first match in charge, and has continued to give him the armband. Of the USMNT's 29 matches under Pochettino, Ream has been captain in 21 of them. The other eight matches? Ream didn’t play in those games.

"I am so grateful that he is with us because he's a great captain not only on the field, he's maybe more important off the field," Pochettino said when he named Ream his World Cup captain. "He has the experience, he has the capacity to be the leader that we want and to be a positive leader."

Tim Ream has left mark on U.S. men's soccer

The World Cup is the pinnacle for every player, the goal they chase from the time they first put on cleats. When Ream finally realized it, after he thought the window for him had closed, he promised himself that just making it wouldn’t be enough.

He would make a difference. And he has.

"I've done everything I possibly can to be a part of this group. I've done everything I possibly can to push myself and push the guys," Ream said after the USMNT clinched a spot in the knockout rounds with their win over Australia.

"I don't really think about my age or everything that I've done. I just know that everything I've done has been for a reason and it's all been worth it to be here and stand here and have this conversation."

Pochettino likes to say that soccer rewards hard work, and no one is a better example than Ream. He's made the most of an opportunity he once never thought he'd have, and the USMNT is better because of it.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.