This World Cup cycle began for the U.S. men’s national soccer team with young holdovers from the Qatar adventure, new players seeking opportunity and, without fanfare, veteran center back Tim Ream, the oldest member of the 2022 squad.
At the time it seemed clear the St. Louis native would remain on the scene to, for all intents and purposes, help bridge the gap and offer stability ahead of soccer’s jamboree coming to North America in 2026.
Along the way, however, Ream kept his place — for interim coaches, for Gregg Berhalter’s second tenure and now for Mauricio Pochettino.
And with eight months and three training camps remaining before the World Cup squad is set, 38-year-old Tim Ream appears almost certain to not only make Pochettino’s roster, but remain in contention to start in the Group D opener June 12, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in greater Los Angeles.
“I know I said after the last World Cup that, OK, it could be my very first and last,” the Charlotte FC player said Monday, one day after celebrating his birthday. “And, you know, here we are.”
The former Fulham standout was among 26 players invited to camp in Austin, Texas, ahead of Friday’s friendly against Ecuador. Next comes Australia on Oct. 14 in the Denver suburbs.
Through 14 U.S. matches this year, Ream leads the team in minutes played and is second to left back Max Arfsten in starts. In all 10 starting assignments, Ream has worn the captain’s armband.
“When I think of Tim, I think of poise, I think of leadership, I think of control in every aspect,” U.S. midfielder Cristian Roldan said. “He brings a different aura to the team, and he creates a really good environment, a really welcoming environment for a lot of guys. That’s the type of leader we need.”
That Ream remains a pivotal piece after playing every minute at the 2022 tournament could be received in different ways. On the positive side, he continues to offer the experience, leadership and wisdom vital to World Cup preparation and the actual competition for a program still finding its way on the international scene.
On the flip side, the lack of positional depth has left Ream almost indispensable — even with his physical limitations. “Listen: We all know I’m not the quickest,” he said with a smile.
At the moment, with World Cup veterans Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson not at full strength, Ream and Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards are the only sure bets on a backline that could include two or three center backs. The other central defenders in camp are Celtic’s Cameron Carter-Vickers, Toulouse’s Mark McKenzie and FC Cincinnati’s Miles Robinson.
Should someone supplant Ream, “I’m the old guy in the corner, handing out orange slices and giving pep talks to these guys,” he said. “Then, OK, I’ve still contributed something to the team environment, to the culture, but my aim and my goal is to be starting games. Whether that happens or not is obviously down to me, but then also down to other decisions and down to other players and their form, as well.”
Selection to next summer’s squad would make Ream the oldest U.S. player at a World Cup since the program began qualifying regularly for the tournament in 1990. In 1994, Fernando Clavijo was 38, but four months younger than Ream would be next summer.
Asked Monday to share tips about career longevity, Ream said, “I don’t think we have long enough to sit here and go through everything. To be honest, find a good girl to have your back and settle down with her.”
Kristin, his wife of more than 13 years, is also a former Saint Louis University soccer player.
On the field, Ream stressed the importance of “finding things that work for you,” he said. “What works for me isn’t going to work for Christian [Pulisic]. What works for Christian probably wouldn’t work for me. It’s finding even the small things that help you along in that path. Adaptability is a huge one — being able to adapt to different coaching styles, to different managers, to different leagues.”
Ream adapted last year, when, late in the MLS season, he signed with Charlotte after more than 12 years in England with Bolton Wanderers and Fulham. Under English coach Dean Smith, Charlotte enters the international break in fourth place in the 15-team Eastern Conference and assured of a playoff berth. The Queen City side recently boasted a nine-game winning streak, tying a league record.
Ream’s ability to extend his career — both at the club and international level — has inspired his teammates.
“He’s essentially revitalized his national team career at an older age, and it provided me with a little bit more added motivation to get back here, to really believe that I could get here,” said Roldan, 30, a 2022 World Cup player who, until last month, had gone more than two years without a call-up. “He’s an example that you can not only play at a really high level, but sustain that throughout your career. And what Tim brings to the team is something that is really hard to replace.”
