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Sporting KC's Besler, Zusi join USMNT ahead of World Cup qualifiers
Graham Zusi will be part of the U.S. Men's National Team as it participates in two important World Cup qualifying matches.
With two extremely important World Cup qualifiers coming up for the U.S. Men's National Team, two members of Sporting Kansas City have been called on to represent their country.
Sporting KC defenders Matt Besler and Graham Zusi were named to the U.S. Men's National Team on Sunday for a training camp ahead of World Cup qualifying matches against Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico.
Besler and Zusi will join the 27-man roster in Denver as head coach Bruce Arena's side continues its Hexagonal campaign on Thursday, June 8 versus Trinidad and Tobago at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. Three days later, the U.S. will visit Estadio Azteca in Mexico City to battle the Mexican National Team.
The United States currently occupies fourth place in the six-team Hexagonal, with six qualifiers still to play between now and October. The top three finishers will qualify automatically for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, while the fourth-place team will face an Asian team in a two-legged, intercontinental playoff in November with a World Cup berth on the line.
Besler and Zusi are two of 11 players on the roster who have made at least 10 World Cup Qualifying appearances, and two of 10 who have previous qualifying experience at the vaunted Estadio Azteca. The duo featured in all four matches for the U.S. MNT at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, helping the Americans emerge from a daunting group that included Portugal, Ghana and eventual world champion Germany.
The 30-year-old Besler has earned 39 caps for the USMNT since debuting in 2013. In addition to featuring at the 2014 World Cup, he helped guide the Americans to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup title and competed at the Copa America Centenario last summer. The Overland Park, Kansas native has amassed 253 appearances for Sporting Kansas City in all competitions -- the fifth-most in club history -- and has garnered MLS Best XI (2012-13), MLS All-Star (2011, 2013-16) and 2012 MLS Defender of the Year honors during his nine-year professional career.
As Sporting Kansas City's captain, Besler has anchored a backline in 2017 that boasts an MLS-low 0.71 goals against average. He has played every minute of all 14 matches for the Western Conference leaders.
The 30-year-old Zusi has tallied five goals and six assists in 46 career appearances for the USMNT, having made his debut in 2012. After competing at the 2014 World Cup, he represented his country at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2016 Copa America Centenario, playing all five matches for the U.S. at last summer's tournament.
Like Besler, Zusi joined Sporting Kansas City out of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. He has totaled 29 goals and 63 assists in 241 competitive appearances for the club, ranking second on the team's all-time assist chart. He has received MLS Best XI (2012-13) and 2011 MLS Breakout Player of the Year honors and was the only player to appear in every MLS All-Star Game from 2012-2015.
Zusi has enjoyed a strong 2017 MLS campaign thus far, contributing to Sporting KC's league-leading seven shutouts while creating 23 chances from open play at the right back position -- second most in MLS behind teammate Benny Feilhaber.
