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Rihcard Ledezma is certainly one of 10 gamers on the brand new U.S. roster who might earn his first cap in opposition to both Wales or Panama. The 2019 U.S. U-20 World Cup playmaker just lately impressed in his PSV debut final weekend and ASN’s Brian Sciaretta spoke with the Arazona native about his eventful month.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
November 05, 2020
8:00 AM
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WHEN GREGG BERHALTER unveiled his roster for the US nationwide staff’s upcoming friendlies in opposition to Wales and Panama, one of many fundamental speaking factors was that it included 10 gamers who’re uncapped.
A few of these uncapped gamers have been principally new to the U.S. program whereas different have been steadily progressing throughout the youth nationwide staff setup for years. Among the many latter, Richard Ledezma is likely one of the gamers who has proven nice promise over current years however the previous week has seen him obtain a number of crucial profession milestones.
On Sunday, the Phoenix, Arizona native made his first staff skilled debut for PSV Eindhoven when he got here off the bench within the 74th minute together with his membership holding a 2-0 on ADO Den Haag. Ledezma was wonderful in his time on the sector as he assisted on the staff’s third objective of a 4-0 win. In whole, he accomplished 100% of his 16 passes – with 12 coming within the attacking half.
Then on Wednesday, additional progress was made when Ledezma was named to the U.S. nationwide staff for the upcoming friendlies. There was a time when it appeared as if each the US and Meixco have been searching for his providers. And whereas each nonetheless are, Ledezma is firmly centered on the US proper now.
“I was speechless,” Ledezma mentioned upon studying of the U.S. call-up. “I went straight to my agent then right after, straight to my mom. It was a good moment for me and my family.”
As large because the previous week has been for Ledezma, the subsequent few weeks might be even greater. On Thursday, PSV will go to PAOK Thessaloniki FC within the Europa League and that recreation might see Ledezma make his European debut. Then after PSV hosts Willem II within the Eredivisie on Sunday, Ledezma will then journey to Wales to take part in his first camp with the U.S. nationwide staff – together with his first cap looming.
Ledezma is aware of most of the gamers in camp from his youth nationwide staff days however might be taking part in with Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, John Brooks, and Gio Reyna for the primary instances.
“I’m excited, I can learn a lot from them,” Ledezma mentioned. “Having those players like Christian, Weston and Tyler Adams and John Brooks, I feel like they’re going to help the young guys be confident because there’s for sure going to be young players making their debuts in the in the games versus Wales and Panama. We’re going to need that extra boost in confidence.”
The primary staff debut at PSV wasn’t stunning for Ledezma as head coach Roger Schmidt instructed him to be prepared earlier than the match. Ledezma imagine that was an indication he was going to enter into the sport and it turned out to be right.
When he walked onto the sector, Ledezma insists he wasn’t nervous and that it felt like another recreation as a result of he felt ready. He obtained good suggestions afterward from Schmidt and hopes that may carry over into the Europa League on Thursday.
“We were heading into a hard week, so getting three points in the Europa League and then the league games are hard because of the corona cases,” Ledezma defined. “The coach was actually blissful about our profitable. He simply instructed me that he is actually pleased with me and I actually deserve it. So simply maintain working exhausting. The opposite issues he mentioned to the entire staff was that we have now a extremely younger staff that we are able to go far within the Europa League and within the league. General, he was pleased with the staff.”
“Now that I’m training every day, mostly every day with the first team – it feels like I’m growing up faster, getting stronger, getting better on my weak foot and not being scared of fighting for the ball and all that stuff,” Ledezma added. “That’s the culture here, they like to fight. That’s one of the things I learned here, in the Dutch style, they go hard in everything and they work hard for each other. I feel like that’s really helped me become a really good team player.”
Richard Ledezma’s help in his PSV debut… the usU-23 playmaker connecting with New Zealand’s Ryan Thomas – who had an excellent end. Ledezma went an ideal 16/16 in passing (12/12 within the attacking half) in his 16 minutes of motion in a 4-0 win over ADO den Haag https://t.co/v2DgWlstnp
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) November 1, 2020
“I feel like we needed players. Look at us now. Now that we’ve signed so many players, it’s helpful. And especially the experienced players like Mario Gotze, it is fun being around him and playing around him. He’s just a world-class player. And I can go on – for the whole team. They’re all good players. For me, it was just for me to get better as a as a player. That’s how I see it.”
Subsequent week will certainly be a giant event for American followers to look at Ledezma as this would be the first high-profile slate of video games he has performed for the US for the reason that 2019 U-20 World Cup when he was the chief playmaker for a staff that superior to the quarterfinals.
The U.S. roster comprises seven gamers from that U-20 staff (Ledezma, Tim Weah, Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Sebastian Soto, Konrad de la Fuente, and Ulysses Llanez) and 5 of them will arrive in camp on the lookout for their first cap. The gamers from that staff, together with these not on this camp, stay close-knit and are all excited to be taking necessary steps collectively of their careers.
“I mean I’m really proud of all of them,” Ledezma mentioned. “I mean it’s not easy to get into a senior national team at that young of age, especially this many of us. It’s great to see that Tab did a really good job with us and he should be really proud of us. We should thank Tab for giving us a chance to show ourselves that the World Cup and thanking each other for making ourselves look good.”
Earlier this week Berhalter instructed the media that he’s trying ahead to getting Ledezma into camp for the primary time and seeing the way it matches into the group and discover one of the best function for him throughout the squad.
“When you’ve got a roster of 24 gamers, you should use some spots to take a look at guys and undertaking and produce them in and see how they work together with the group,” Berhalter mentioned. “Richie is a guy that fits in that category. He can be an important player for the U-23s, and we want to get him in to get a look at him. He has very good ability to make a final pass, a good scoring ability. We see him primarily central [based] but we could have the same type of issue where we’re talking about on the defensive side where we are defending in a 4-3-3, can he do that role defensively? We’ll see how that works out. PSV has played him wide sometimes as well. He had an assist in the last game with the first team. It was nice to see him get on the field for the first team. But he’s really a player with nice talent.”
Transferring ahead there’s a number of alternative for Ledezma. Along with the U.S. staff and PSV, there’s additionally the U.S. U-23 staff that may try to qualify and take part within the Olympics subsequent summer time and turn into the primary U.S. staff to take part within the males’s event since 2008.
Ledezma was slated to be on the qualifying staff in March however that event was postponed till early 2021. This camp could have an eye fixed to the Olympic staff as 19 gamers are age-eligible for the U-23 staff and the Olympic head coach, Jason Kreis, can be on Berhalter’s employees for the upcoming camp.
Whereas there’s loads of competitors for Ledezma on the U.S. staff, the U-23 staff is one the place Ledezma might be anticipated to be a pacesetter.
“Our team, it was great,” Ledezma mentioned of the U-23 staff that was slated for qualifying final March. “I mean, we’re still missing a lot of players, like Alex Mendez and Sebastian Soto and many more. But it was a group that can do it easily. We had special players and even now, they’re getting a name in MLS, like Brendan Aaronson and Mark McKenzie.”
For now, nevertheless, the main focus is on the upcoming camp, making his debut, proving himself, and attending to know a lot of his teammates – a few of whom he has by no means met.
“I’m excited and I’ve never experienced this,” Ledezma mentioned. “This is my first time and I hope I get on the field and can do whatever to help the team – do my thing.”
Author : usa-foot
Publish date : 2025-01-10 23:40:34
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