Juan Agudelo: “It’s an opportunity you have to take” (Andy Mead/YCJ Photo)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Juan Agudelo knows about second chances.
This could be his third chance if not more.
If he plays well in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, that could open the door for the New England Revolution forward for an opportunity to play in next year’s World Cup.
“It’s definitely a great opportunity for all of us,” the former Red Bull said earlier this week. “It’s strange to think that I’ve been here a couple of times. It’s an opportunity you have to take.
“You don’t know when you’ll have another chance like this in a major tournament before a World Cup. As a kid, I always wanted to play in a World Cup, Russia, no matter where it is.”
Agudelo made history when he scored as a substitute in the U.S.’s win in South Africa in November 2010. He was only six days shy of his 18th birthday, making him the youngest American player at the time to score in an international match.
Big things were expected of Agudelo. And while he has showed potential, he was in and out of U.S. training camps for a variety of reasons, including being injured or out of form.
“There’s a lot of guys who started with them in the January camp when I was younger and to see them grow and to see them play in such big tournaments and the world cup is special to me,” Agudelo said. “Luckily, I have a relationship with them from before that I am comfortable to speak with them and learn off of them because they have played in huge games.”
He has made 23 international appearances, scoring three times.
“There’s some inconsistent call-ups,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s frustration. I’ve been disappointed at times — in myself, not anybody else, because i believe that I belong in the call-ups, But I don’t show myself at the club level. That’s the only thing I’m disappointed on, just myself.
The U.S., which plays Ghana in a friendly in East Hartford, Connecticut Saturday, kicks off Group B play against Panama here on July 8
“It takes a full lineup [to win the cup],” Agudelo said. “There’s got to be a bunch of 23 players ready to play. There’s a lot of games, short time in-between to recover. I feel the deepest squad wins the tournament.”
