Former Chicago Fire defender DaMarcus Beasley appeared 126 times for the U.S. Men's National Team throughout a sterling playing career that spanned nearly 20 years.
Among those 126 appearances, 11 came on the sport's biggest stage - the FIFA World Cup. Beasley suited up for the States in four editions of the tournament (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014), with his first call-up to the competition coming as a 19-year-old plying his trade in Chicago.
In a letter published to MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday, Beasley shared his memories of receiving that memorable phone call before a Fire training session, and how it felt to represent his country at the highest level at such a young age:
"I was about to start training when the phone rang. I had to quickly answer because we were not allowed to take phones calls inside the training facility. It was Dave Sarachan, then the USMNT assistant coach and all I remember him saying was: “Beas, you are going with us to the World Cup.”
I don’t remember how I trained, if I trained, I just remember those words. I was stunned and shocked.
Later that afternoon, I got a call from Bruce Arena. He also congratulated me and went on to confirm that I was going to South Korea. And then he asked, “You ready?"
In addition to his successes with the U.S. Men's National Team, Beasley appeared 117 times for the Fire from 2000-04, winning a pair of U.S. Open Cups (2000, 2003), the 2003 Supporters Shield, and being named to the league's Best XI (2003) along the way.
To read Beasley's letter in its entirety, visit mlssoccer.com.
October 7 vs Charlotte FC
Chicago Fire FC celebrated Fan Appreciation Night on October 7, 2023 to give back to our dedicated fans and their commitment throughout the season!
