Tim Ream just etched his name into US soccer history. The 38-year-old defender and USMNT captain has become the oldest American men’s player to appear at a FIFA World Cup, taking the field at 38 years and 250 days old.
The record he surpassed had been standing since before most of his teammates were born. Fernando Clavijo held it at 38 years and 162 days, set during the 1994 World Cup, the last time the United States hosted the tournament. Ream broke it by a margin of 88 days.
A career built on quiet consistency
Ream earned his first cap for the national team back in 2010, and has since accumulated 82 appearances in a US shirt.
His credentials were on full display at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he started every single match for the US. That included both group stage contests and the knockout round, playing every minute as a central defender.
