Joe Scally trains with the USMNT Tuesday. (Amanda Rossmann-USA TODAY NETWORK)

By Michael Lewis
FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

CINCINNATI – He hasn’t played a game yet with the U.S. men’s national team, but Joe Scally already has been shown respect from his teammates.

Midfielder Tyler Adams told the 18-year-old defender that “you deserve to be here.”

The Lake Grove, N.Y. native has trained with the squad this week in preparation for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Mexico at TQL Stadium.

Adams, 22-years-old in age but his maturity well beyond his years and who has captained the team, said the Borussia Moenchengladbach fullback deserved to be called in. Adams plays for the rival RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

“I’ve talked to Joe a couple times,” Adams said Thursday. Obviously, coming from New York, I think he played against my younger brother when I was growing up. That just goes to show how young the group is that we have here.

“When I first talked to him, I told him [to] feel comfortable around the guys. ‘You deserve to be here. What you’re doing in the Bundesliga speaks for itself. Now you’ve kind of established yourself as the main starter there.’

“When he comes into this camp, he can feel well respected. Everyone respects him. He’s quality. He has shown well in all the training, working really hard. So it’d be interesting when his opportunity comes how he does. We’re going to support him every step of the way.”

Scally, who made his professional debut with New York City FC in 2018, has trained up to the expectations of head coach Gregg Berhalter as well.

Berhalter said Scally was “very mature for his age. Very mature player and how he plays for his age.”

“It’s been really nice to see,” he added. “He’s been competing. Any player that we bring into camp. “We believe has the potential to play, so I can envision Joan playing one of these two games.

The USMNT will visit Jamaica in another qualifier on Tuesday.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.