Auston Trusty was once considered strange by his friends for preferring football over the traditional American sports that dominated his neighbourhood.
The Celtic defender is now part of the USA squad preparing to compete on home soil at the World Cup, kicking off against Paraguay this weekend.
The United States will also face Australia and Turkey in the group stage, with the entire nation watching on with enormous expectation and pride.
Trusty spoke candidly about growing up as a football lover in an environment where the sport was far from mainstream or celebrated.
Trusty, speaking to the Celtic Podcast, said: “When I was growing up playing soccer, it wasn’t the cool thing to do – I was considered weird for wanting to play that.”
He recalled how he would bribe his brother to play soccer with him, offering 30 minutes of lacrosse in exchange for 30 minutes with a football.
Trusty added: “I ended up getting really good at lacrosse – I was getting recruited for that but I loved soccer.”
As the youngest of six children in a highly sporting family, Trusty was constantly surrounded by siblings competing at high levels across multiple disciplines.
His sister Onnie proved to be a pivotal influence, having represented the US National youth team before her career was tragically cut short by a hip injury.
Trusty said: “I don’t know too many male footballers who were inspired by their sister playing,” highlighting the unique nature of his footballing journey.
Watching Onnie travel the world and thrive in the sport helped Trusty visualise a clear pathway for himself at the highest level.
Every career decision he made, including his move to Celtic, was guided by the singular ambition of representing the United States at a World Cup.
Trusty said: “Coming to Celtic put me on a pedestal, that was a big plus coming here,” pointing to the pressure of performing and winning consistently as crucial development.
He also credited his time playing overseas with helping him and his teammates grow physically and mentally to handle high-pressure situations.
Trusty is confident in the quality of the current USA squad, suggesting it could make a strong argument for being the most talented group the nation has ever assembled.
The 2010 South Africa World Cup provided him with genuine inspiration as a young player, hearing the team song and seeing the flag igniting something deep within him.
Trusty said: “Playing in a World Cup has been my ultimate dream, representing your country, being one of the best players for your country at that time.”
As a host nation, the United States carries additional responsibility to put on a performance that encourages more young Americans to choose football over other sports.
Trusty did acknowledge a bittersweet element to the occasion, expressing sympathy for Celtic teammate Cameron Carter-Vickers, whose injury ruled him out of the tournament.
Trusty said: “It’s the highs and lows of football, so it’s unfortunate what happened to Cam,” before adding that his teammate has a strong mind and will power through.
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