Going into the World Cup, the media was buzzing over Jurgen Klinsmann’s inclusion of five German-Americans into the 23-man squad. While many of them were controversial fringe players, one US veteran was somewhat overlooked, Jermaine Jones. Often called a “walking yellow card”, Jones’s aggressive attitude during games often leads to less than friendly interactions with opposition. Going on 32, Jones was surely entering his last World Cup and was a shoe-in to the starting XI.
Heading into qualifiers and friendlies, American’s couldn’t take their eyes off Bradley. It seemed that the wonder kid from New Jersey was going to lead the team from the center. Jones had other ideas. During the game against Ghana, Jones was a force to be reckoned with. He commanded the defense and corralled Ghanian wingers more than once. While Bradley failed to make an impression, Jones had his best game in a United States jersey, using his experience in the Bundesliga and Champions League to alleviate the relentless pressure that befell Besler and Cameron that game.
The game against Portugal was no different. After Bradley played to subpar levels once again, Jones used his physicality to pressure the Portuguese midfield. He also took the opportunity to make pass after pass, entering the role of the playmaker and launching Dempsey and Bedoya forward. He capped the day off with an absolutely stunning goal to revive the United States.
After making mincemeat of two of the most dangerous teams in the World Cup, it’s clear that Jones is the leader that Klinsmann has been waiting for. With 43 caps under his belt, Jones has become a hero for the national team, and has rallied an inexperienced defense to show that the US is ready to take on the biggest teams. Dempsey may be Captain America after a pair of goals, but Jones is the true player of this tournament.
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