Houston Dynamo defender DaMarcus Beasley was named to the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) roster for the Americans’ upcoming round of FIFA World Cup Qualifying, U.S. Soccer announced today.
Beasley will join the team today, after playing 17 minutes in Houston’s 2-1 victory over Minnesota United FC on Saturday night. The USMNT will face Panama on Friday, Oct. 6 in Orlando, Florida and will close out the Hexagonal Round of qualifying in a visit to Trinidad & Tobago on Tuesday, Oct. 10 in Couva, Trinidad (QUALIFYING SCENARIOS).
Beasley, 35, is one of the most decorated players in American soccer history and is the only man to represent the United States at the FIFA World Cup four times. His 11 appearances at the World Cup are tied for second-most in U.S. history.
He has been capped 126 times for the U.S. Men’s National Team, most recently in the Yanks’ 1-1 World Cup Qualifying draw against Honduras at the Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano on September 5, and has scored 17 goals. The Fort Wayne, Indiana native has displayed remarkable longevity at the international level, having represented his country in at least one match in 16 of the last 17 years.
Beasley has played in 35 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches and has scored six goals in qualifiers. His 126 caps are the fifth-most in U.S. Soccer history; and he ranks eighth in assists, with 13, and is tied for ninth all-time in goals scored.
Beasley has played 85 MLS regular-season games, starting 83, since joining the Dynamo in 2014. This season, he has played in 23 games with 21 starts and has worn the captain’s armband in seven games. He picked up his first assist of the season on Wednesday night when he helped set up Dynamo midfielder Tomás Martínez’s goal in the 26th minute. Last season, he started 24 games for the club and scored one goal on the year, a right-footed effort following a quick counterattack at Vancouver on May 28.
Beasley is one of five Dynamo players to be called up by their respective national federations for World Cup Qualifying duty, joining defender Adolfo Machado (Panama) and forwards Alberth Elis and Romell Quioto and midfielder Boniek García (Honduras). Midfielder José Escalante has also been called for international duty by the Honduran Under-22 national team for a pair of friendly matches in China.
Following this round of World Cup Qualifying matches, the Dynamo will play the game that was postponed due to Hurricane Harvey against Sporting Kansas City at 7:30 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at BBVA Compass Stadium. Tickets for that game all regular season games start at $25 and are on sale now at HoustonDynamo.com, by phone at 713-276-GOAL and at the BBVA Compass Stadium box office.
