There is a passion that comes with Copa America that is unique to the soccer cultures of North and South America. With the vast majority of those countries participating being traditional soccer powers in the region and around the world like multiple-time World Cup champions Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay as well as top-10 world powers Colombia and Chile, there is a common dialect to that enthusiasm that permeates the crowds and teams on the field.
With Kyle Beckerman, those lines are blurred. The Real Salt Lake midfielder has a different approach than many of his American counterparts and when the U.S. National Team takes on Argentina in the semifinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. MT in Houston, the 34-year-old veteran of 56 caps with the U.S. is likely to be part of the starting lineup.
"He's American, but his passion for soccer is kind of different," said RSL teammate Javier Morales. "It's like he's coming from another country playing a long time ago."
Beckerman is a candidate to start Tuesday night in place of the suspended Jermaine Jones. With Alejandro Bedoya and Bobby Wood also out for yellow card accumulation, the impetus will be on whoever is in Jones’ place to help neutralize a potent Argentina attack.
Morales, ever prideful of his Argentine heritage, would not go as far as to say that he was rooting for Beckerman or that he thought the U.S. had a chance to win against Lionel Messi and Argentina, but he knows that Beckerman provides something to the American squad that few can replicate.
That intangible quality has made him successful for club and country since making his debut with the U.S. in 2007.
“Every time I see Kyle playing, I’m always cheering for him … except for in this game,” Morales smiled. “I like the way that he plays and he’s good for us to have a player like that playing for us at a high level.”
