After 5 years away, Aron Johannsson eyes USMNT return ahead of 2022 FIFA World Cup | ESPN FC
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- Published on Nov 25, 2020
- Aron Johannson has not played for the United States men's national team since September 2015. Five years later, healthy and in top goal-scoring form for Swedish side Hammarby, the man known as "Iceman" by American soccer fans is determined to return to the USMNT fold. In an exclusive interview with ESPN FC's Sebastian Salazar, Johannsson opens up about his determination to get back in the U.S. squad ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 30-year-old striker discusses his conversations with head coach Gregg Berhalter, playing in the 2014 World Cup and what he made of the team's matches against Wales and Panama, led by rising American stars like Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie, Sergino Dest and Yunus Musah. Johannsson also reveals what it was like to train earlier this year with one of Hammarby's owners, AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whom he calls a "freak of nature." Plus, the Alabama native explains why he has no regrets about choosing the United States over Iceland and why his next career move could bring him stateside to play in MLS.
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Greg call him up for the January camp
Anyone else remember Julian Green
Honestly I really like this dude I hope he does get a chance to play I think he brings different attacking option then the other guys I think he maybe a good option that the squad has especially if altidore is done
Love everything he's saying, hope he's involved in wcq.
I like this guy more than Jozy! Hope he kills it wherever he goes
This interviewer always looks nervous to me. Almost like a shy kid trying to be outgoing
Injuries really screwed up his progression for a long time. But he looks and sound health now and is knocking in alot of goals in Europe. I'd love to see the iceman come back and play with this very young exciting USMNT.
Get Bobby Wood on an interview like this.
Anchor babies and foreigners wont save the USMNT, when AMERICANS begin to play football for our nation, then there will be change and progress.
@Paul Surinamo but we seen how many of them dont have the desire and passion to really fight and battle for our nation, like a True American.
Sergino Dest is foreign born and is starting for Barcelona so as long as someone wants to play for the US and has the talent, that’s what counts.
is it a bit hypocritical for a country to be xenophobic, and yet allow foreign players to represent it?
@Independent_Bully_Maguire you can just say yes.
Another clown.
Remind us again how the most diverse country in the world is xenophobic. Which country are you from?
Please oh please Johannson stay healthy cause we need him. It would great if he goes back to Germany and score like 5 goals during the 2nd half
Would love to see him back and to work with the young guys.
I don't know...I would prefer easing the youngsters in. Weah, Soto, Gioacchini...
Wow I forgot about this dude
Its funny all of those young guys Aron came up with on the US pool are all out of the mix. Oh no wait Tim Ream still around but what a horrible pool and that's why US missed the WC in 2018. Aron and Boyd injuries at CF really hurt. I'm glad Aron off to a great start and I really hope he stays healthy cause we need some CF depth to go with Sergent
Samuel Wells season
@Kevin Covino szn?
Samuel Wells JG comeback SZN he’s killing it rn
Good point i think brooks is still there . but good point . fabian, mix, yedlin, juilian green, bobby wood are all out or close to being fully out the picture
Great interview Seba.
Normally I’d say no. But this guy was good, probably better then Altidore
hi Seb, could we have more of these interview segments of past and neglected players? good show.
He should be the captain of the team
Why not he's usmnt wc experienced in form he says he's still got gas in the tank, still rather have him than lletget zardes and at this point altidore. Wouldn't mind seeing him as a striker option along with Sargent Soto and Gioacchini 🤷🏻♂️
One of my favs.
Please do not go to MLS i am begging you
Dude good. I use to watch him all the time when he was in Germany.
He had so much potential and looked so promising back in 2013, would be great to see him stay fit and getting called back up to the USMNT!
I'd like to see him get called up so the team can ease on solely relying on Altidore as the starting striker. No offense to Zardes but I don't think he has what it takes. We need to have experienced forwards so the younger strikers can learn from.
@Drake Ula True but he knows that NT people love MLS
Sad thing is I think Zardes might be the best CF in the pool right now with Jozy always banged up. Its between Sergent and Zardes right now
@Joshua Simmons MLS is also a bad league
@Joshua Simmons idk about a bad league, but that league doesn’t give someone great exposure that’s why he’s seeking a move.
No he plays in a bad league and he knows it that's why he's trying to come MLS or Bundesliga
LA Galaxy? Chicharito needs to go. Need someone who isn’t a DP but has some fire and passion.
They should sign Connor McGregor lol 😂 I seen those soccer skills he could be like Roy Keane and just shatter everyone's legs
He sucks!!!
If it wasn't for injuries and Klinsmann refusing to let Jozy ride the bench Johannsson could have been the next Dempsey
without question. Johannsson was going to be the next big thing for the US but then it wasn't just one injury but a bunch of them. Mexico still sends him flowers for helping them get into the World Cup. Now not as good as Aron but Terrance Boyd was another one that would have been a big help at CF. Without Boyd and Aron that's what destroyed the US depth at CF
He has the right mindset..He could be a depth player..I cannot see a starter role for him..Soto looks like a difference maker and I am a buyer on the kid at Bremen as well..
Many of the younger players are too promising to ignore..
Wow he’s 30 and looks younger than all of the guys right now.
I honestly don’t want to see this dude on the USMNT roster. He’s old news and we know what he is. I Wasn’t impressed by him in Brazil. I’d rather continue to see the young talent get chances.
He’s clinical you have no idea what you’re saying
Thats only because you have zero ability to judge talent.
Great interview Seba. Really enjoyed it. Hopefully he can make it back to the US National team🇺🇸👍
Germany league is farmers league
He needs to come and play for Red bulls!!!
He was a good player, probably still is. Let’s give him a chance. Let’s put him in a friendly and see how he does.
No he plays in a bad league and he knows it that's why he's trying to come MLS or Bundesliga
Yo need to reinvite this dude to the camp
It's true that usmnt have great young attacking players coming up now but y'all putting too much pressure on the youngsters, over burdening them with expectations...
Let them mature into the national team n they'll improve.
I agree and disgree. I only disagree cause a lot of those guys are already best at their positions for the US pool. Some guys I do agree like Richards, Konrad, Soto, Ledezma etc... the fans need to be patient and are putting way too much pressure on that group, as many of them aren't even starters or playing or in a 2nd tier league.
Main goal at the moment is to qualify for the World Cup then it’s to make it out of the group stage and after that it’s making it further than Mexico. Hopefully all that can happen this upcoming World Cup that way the bigger goal for the next World Cup or the ones after after is to win it or end up in 3rd or 2nd but obviously winning it all is what people are going to dream about.
No Way this guy is 30 years old ? 😱😱
@Jazz 24 having more than wife and lors of money too
i can believe it. it is all about lifestyle and diet. even here in US, do you notice many Mormons look younger than their age? due no less than Mormons' no drinking, no smoking lifestyle. think Mitt Romney (73).
Icelandic genes
Ray Giovanni soccer mind is loaded with soccer wisdom but is too young for the game cause it be kind of hard for him to handle league preasure which might make him bad player sometimes
Jeorge Sergent is a sports period.
He definitely deserves a call up to prove himself at the very least. He is our most inform striker which is the position group that has the most question marks for us. More competition for places in the squad can only help
@jimmy byrd no he won't
For 2022..absolutely! Depth qnd quality like we have never seen and I think he would add both!
@Joshua Simmons That's actually true but I stil would take Aron in form over any of the US strikers from the MLS. I would say outside of Jozy but his banged up again
No he plays in a bad league and he knows it that's why he's trying to come MLS or Bundesliga
Aaron Johannson is probably a better option than Zardes and Altidore he has really found his form and scoring a lot of goals in Sweeden if he does move to the Bundesliga and score at least 8 goals for the second half of the season that he still got it/
@Drake Ula I said as a third option. Of course Johansson is better right now, but Soto is young and will improve. It makes no sense to throw a 30 year old on the bench unless he provides a win now impact, which I'm not convinced of considering he is only playing in the Swedish League.
@David Montgomery Soto plays in a league worst then the Sweedish league and MLS. If we depend on Soto he needs to get a lot much better
@David Montgomery well the next time Abroad players can attend a camp is not until March 2021. If Aron somehow makes it to a Bundesliga club and has scored some goals I don't see how you would not call him up, but again that's if he's making the right moves and performing in a high level he's only 30
@Bryan V Yeah, but it's a massive leap to say he is scoring in Sweeden right now, so he will move to the Bundesliga, start, and play well. My point was that, as things currently stand, it doesn't make sense to include him in the squad.
@David Montgomery if Aron moves on to the Bundesliga in the January transfer and score some goals, that would put him ahead of Altidore and Zardes. Soto and Gioacchini are very young and the goal for those two guys is to start transitioning into a first division league next season.
I prefer Jesus Ferreira than Aron Johannsson
@Matthew Jesus Ferreira is only 19 years old. He has a lot of future!! He is going to be in Europe very soon
So you care about name over form... that’s mindset is why the US missed the 2018 World Cup
Jesus has been struggling recently
I’m sorry but there’s way better strikers for US than him
No there isn’t
There is???? Like who? We only have Sergent, after that its a big hole. Guys who can barely score double digits in the MLS and then guys who are in 2nd tier leagues. Aron got a great chance if he stays healthy
No reason not to. European experience and also a fairly good player.
Lol
The squad needs to be young
What’s the point of taking washed up players
@C J our old guys are on a Sunday league level
We have about 1.5 years to develop
Thats easy to say but the young guys have to win those spots. Im optimistic for the young guys but they have to prove they’re better.
@Caleb Adams lol weah ahead of him
Weah does nothing
@Javier Cota Exactly, how can he can develop if isn't even playing first team soccer at club? Llanez, Weah and Ledezma are all ahead of him right now
@Caleb Adams Konrad will never develop if he doesn’t play.
The point is to build team chemistry
Konrad is at Barca for a reason
I forgot about this dude lmfao
Same l he should have played for Iceland?
@logirex Ya you fail to mention he only played 28 games in 4 years at Werder Bremen who no one scores at and he was always injured, thus why he only had 28 appearances in 4 years 😉
@Almost Counts Sometimes He got 12 goals playing in one of the weakest leagues in Europe.. When he was in Bundesliga he spent four years and scored a total of 5 goals ;)
@logirex He had 12 goals in one season last season. You can’t put that “goal” stat without stating how many games he played due to injuries. This kid is good, but the issue is injuries. Injuries will make you fall off the face of the planet and people will forget you. I pray it doesn’t happen to Pulisic.
BROOO WAS THINKING THE EXACT SAME THING 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Werder legend
Lmao really?