Frankfurt right back and former U.S. National Timmy Chandler joined GOAL Convo to talk about his legacy as a dual national
Timmy Chandler was part of a unique era of the U.S. men’s national team. In the early 2010s, under the reign of Bob Bradley, the USMNT changed its recruitment strategy. Sure, American talent would be the focus here. But dual-nationals, players with eligibility for multiple nations, would be brought into the fold. These days, it’s a fairly standard part of U.S. Soccer. But back then, with the USMNT doing anything to find an edge, it was novel. Chandler loved every second.
“It was a great opportunity for such a big country with great players. Directly, I said yes, got invited for the first time, and it was great for me,” Chandler tells GOAL.
Chandler was born in Germany to an African-American father and a German mother. His parents separated with Chandler was still young. He stuck around with his mother and underwent his footballing education in Germany. The USMNT didn’t even register until Bradley arrived. There were complications. He was in and out of the side under Bradley and didn’t technically declare as a USMNT national full-time. But when Jurgen Klinsmann stepped into the fold, Chandler committed in full – and pledged his international future to the USMNT.
He would go on to make 29 caps for the U.S. and was named on the roster for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. To date, just being there was the highlight of his international career.
“The World Cup in Brazil will definitely be in my legacy when I write a book one day,” Chandler says.
But more than that, Chandler is now seen as an important figure that many would follow. The current USMNT team is stacked full of dual nationals. Ricardo Pepi flirted with both Mexico and the U.S. — he is now Mauricio Pochettino’s best striker. Yunus Musah captained England sides at the youth level; he is now a versatile all-round midfielder who will certainly be a part of the XI if the World Cup started today. Chandler is part of the reason why this has all happened, a solid right-back who scored just one international goal influencing a generation.
Chandler joined GOAL Convo, a weekly Q&A with central figures in the American soccer scene, to discuss dual nationals, his best days for the USMNT, and what might lie next for him as he enters the twilight of his career…
NOTE: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.