Just before the game against Germany, the Berlin native is about to make his debut for the US national team.
Called up for the USA senior national team for the first time: Lennard Maloney. IMAGO/Langer
Most recently, the question of who would become 1. FC Heidenheim’s first senior national player seemed to come down to Eren Dinkci. But now the Bremen native with roots in Turkey has serious competition. Because Lennard Maloney was nominated for the USA A team for the first time. This doesn’t stop the highlights for the Heidenheim shooting star.
The Berlin native was promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time with Heidenheim, celebrated his first point win in the upper house with FCH at his former club Borussia Dortmund (2:2), and most recently against his training and heart club Union Berlin in the Bundesliga with 1: 0 won and was named “Player of the Game” by kicker.
Now came the next positive surprise for the German-American: Maloney is in the US national team squad for the first time, making his debut for his father’s country ahead of the upcoming test match against Germany.
Deployment for the USA is a “matter of the heart”
“My dad is American, I’m bilingual and have both nationalities. I’ve played for both associations, so if someone asked again I wouldn’t mind. To be honest, my heart beats more for the USA, I can’t do that either explain, it’s simply a matter of the heart,” Maloney had already revealed to kicker in the summer, now his dream is becoming reality, “it fills you with pride to play for this country.”
The midfielder has already played four junior international matches. Two for the German U-18 team, one for the DFB’s U19 team, but in his last one to date, the defensive midfielder was on the pitch for the USA U20 team and scored five goals in a 3-1 win against Jamaica in September 2018 Minutes before the final whistle, the later Munich and Hoffenheim player Chris Richards, who now plays for Crystal Palace.
Debut against Germany?
But now Maloney could make his debut against Germany for the USA, which will host the DFB team for a test match in Hartford/Connecticut (9 p.m., LIVE! on kicker) on October 14th, a premiere for the new national coach Julian Nagelsmann.
And as the strongest player in the Bundesliga to date and a regular at Heidenheim, who have so far been positively surprising to be promoted, Maloney shouldn’t have the worst chance of playing. The 23-year-old, who is enjoying a stellar career in second-chance education, may be joining the US team, which is hosting the 2026 World Cup together with Canada and Mexico, at just the right moment.
2023-10-05 15:47:03
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