:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62210701/usa_today_10906335.0.jpg)
The US Men’s National Team will be in Europe for the November international window, playing England in England on November 15 and Italy in Belgium on November 20. A 28-man squad has been named for the trip, including two New York Red Bulls: Tyler Adams and Aaron Long.
5️⃣0️⃣ players have earned at least one #USMNT cap in nine matches this year.#TheFutureIsUS // https://t.co/RpRxsXaXQG pic.twitter.com/gflJIuX3hn
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@ussoccer_mnt) November 6, 2018
The squad also includes former RBNY player Matt Miazga and former Red Bulls Academy player Tim Weah.
Adams is approaching the one-year anniversary of his first USMNT cap: he made his debut for the senior national team against Portugal on November 14, 2017. Since that first appearance, Adams has been a regular for USMNT, albeit during a year when the team is being selected by interim head coach Dave Sarachan, who appears mostly to be working to broaden the player pool and provide the next USMNT head coach with as much tape of US national team prospects as possible.
Long won his first USMNT cap in October, putting a creditable 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Peru. Unlike Adams, Long was not a regular youth international in the early stages of his career; indeed, his career appeared to be flatlining in 2016, when he landed with NYRB II after unsuccessful efforts to make it in MLS with Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders.
Famously (to RBNY fans at least), since joining the Red Bulls and converting from midfield to defense, Long’s career has been steadily rising: USL Champion and Defender of the Year while with NYRB II in 2016; ever-present MLS first-teamer with RBNY since 2017; a key part of the Red Bulls’ record-breaking, Supporters’ Shield winning squad in 2018. His achievements over the last three seasons have made him increasingly hard for USMNT to ignore; USMNT, to its credit, is no longer ignoring Aaron Long.
Before seeking to extend their tally of national team caps, Long and Adams will look to extend RBNY’s 2018 MLS season. The Red Bulls face Columbus Crew on November 11 at Red Bull Arena in the second leg of their 2018 MLS Eastern Conference semifinal series. RBNY must win (by the right margin) to advance any further in the playoffs.