Former U.S. national team player Damarcus Beasley joined Cheddar News to weigh in on this year’s World Cup in Qatar as the tournament got underway and also discussed the growth of Major League Soccer.

Former U.S. national team player Damarcus Beasley joined Cheddar News to weigh in on this year’s World Cup in Qatar as the tournament got underway and also discussed the growth of Major League Soccer. “As kids growing up playing soccer, you dream about representing your country at the highest level of our sport and to be able to do that is truly a blessing and not just for yourself personally, which it is, but for your family, for your friends that come and watch you play and for the millions of Americans that are supporting you behind you,” he said.

Damarcus Beasley Discusses World Cup and MLS Growth

and it's been a long journey for the US men's soccer team to get to the 2022 World Cup. Overcoming a lot of adversity after missing the cup in 2018 and now the team's first match is upon them and I was joined by U. S. Soccer legend and MLS ambassador demarcus Beasley who came here to the stock exchange to talk to me about what he is watching as the squad takes the field in Qatar, take a look. I'm optimistic. I'm excited. We have a really good group of players. They're young, they're, they have that, they still have that kind of no fear attitude. Uh there's only one player that's ever played in the World Cup. So there'll be 25 new experiences going into into this game. So I'm really, really um excited to, to watch them play. I think that they'll get out of the group and hopefully they get start with three points. What is it like to step on that field with all of those fans in the stadium watching you for a match. It's amazing. You know, as kids growing up playing soccer, you dream about represent your country at the highest level of of our sport and to be able to do that is truly a blessing and not just for yourself personally, which it is, but for your family, for your friends that come and watch you play and for the millions of americans that are supporting you behind you. So to be on that field hand over heart, listen to your national anthem before that whistle blows. It's really truly an amazing feeling and you had all sorts of experience. I see here, in fact the only american male to represent the country in four different world. So you are the real expert here. I wouldn't call myself an expert, but You know, yeah, I had hair back in 2002. So you know, but no, it's, it's been a great ride. I'm retired now obviously. But um, yeah, my experiences were amazing. We, we we had some ups and downs in different, in different, different world cups, but just the experience and being able to experience that with your team, uh, win, lose or draw. You know, you're together and having that spirit inside the group inside the camp was was really great to be a part of, have you been able to talk to any other players competing in this year's World Cup of course, before the big game. You know, that's a good question and I and I really didn't want to, I want them to experience it for themselves. I know that there's a couple and one is Geo Geo Raina, his dad played with me in the World Cup in 2002 and 2006 and I'm sure his dad gave him a lot of insight of what the, what to expect, but I want these guys to just go out there and play play free play to play, how they know how they've been doing in these last couple of years and we'll be fine, you know, Major League soccer has just been wildly increasing in popularity. What do you think is behind that? Especially in the U. S. Yeah, I think it's the the academy academy system, the program that the MLS has put aside in 2007 was when the, the standard was okay, we're gonna start having player development, start really developing players to uh to help our national team and our club teams in this league. And it's showing you see guys like Tyler Tyler Tyler Adams, which is the captain, he's 23 years old. He came through new york Red Bulls system. Now, he's the captain of the national team in the World Cup. He's only 23. That's that's remarkable for for a young man to be able to hold that that much on his shoulders and and and be able to play well and but I think with that aspect of it, the academy system in MLS is really growing and you'll see that now and in 2026 well, I think what's unique about this particular World Cup is it's not played during the summer, right, It's in different weather conditions in Qatar around the thanksgiving holiday as an athlete. How do you prepare for something like that? It's it's a bit weird. I'll be honest. It is because usually in the summer it's warm, the seasons, the european season is done. So you can, you change your mindset to get ready for a world cup, but to play in the middle of your season, it's it's different, you know, and I didn't experience that as a player, but just thinking about, you know what these players are thinking and going through um for one, it's the World Cup, so every player is ready to play. You don't get, you know, um you know what, you're, what you're about to get yourself into you mentally, you get yourself ready. But uh it's the World Cup, I think that every player, it doesn't matter if it's in november, if it's in september, if it's in january they want to play and they want to win for their country. Yeah, so as someone who's been to the World Cup four times again extremely impressive. I'm assuming you're gonna be watching every match Of course, of course, yeah. How do you celebrate, how do you follow along? I mean, I celebrate the game, but I wanna, I'm american so I want our team to do Well, I'm I'm rooting for for usa, I love watching good football, I love watching different players, You talk about messi Ronaldo, this could all ultimately be their last World cup, I think they're playing their fifth world Cup this year, so you look at players like that and see their performances, but I'm a fan of the game, I love watching soccer and you know, like I said, I hope my my US boys do well, you watch from home or do you have a favorite spot? I watch them home. I like to watch. So you know, all the distraction and this and that. I mean it's cool to, you know, to go to watch parties. I wish we will do soon, but I really enjoy just being home, watching the game and going and doing it that way. Oh what a fun conversation with former U. S. Soccer star DaMarcus Beasley, now serving as a major League soccer ambassador as the World Cup kicks off and cutter.