Tyler Adams has declared himself prepared for the "responsibility" of being a prominent figure at this summer's World Cup. The Bournemouth midfielder, aged 27, is a major star in the United States. Although he enjoys relative privacy in his life on the serene south coast of England, he is ready to feature on every billboard, advertisement, and television station during the tournament.
Adams is accustomed to embracing challenges. His football journey has taken him from the New York Red Bulls to RB Leipzig, Leeds United, and now Bournemouth, driven by a relentless pursuit of his goals. For him, this summer is not about pressure but about seizing an incredible opportunity. He believes Mauricio Pochettino's US side can ride a wave of support and help "grow the game" in the United States.
"You know, so many people have an opportunity to play in a World Cup. Not so many people have an opportunity to do it on home soil," Adams said. "When I play games here at Bournemouth, it's a special occasion. My kids are in the stands, my wife, and it's great. But I'm gonna have my mom, my dad, my brothers, everyone. They don't get to see me on a daily basis and they'll be there to support me. I think that's the most special thing. To be able to take that all in, and it really be a family experience, is going to be special."
"But I wouldn't say pressure. I think I feel a responsibility of some sorts that we can really change the way people view the game in the US. We have an opportunity to really grow the game at ten folds. In the past, you go and play a World Cup in Qatar and, yes, some people will watch and it's the biggest viewed sport globally. But not necessarily in the US. Fans are going to gravitate towards the game now with it being in the US and so many opportunities to watch so many different games. So, for me, I feel a responsibility that if we play well, there will be young kids out there that are going to want to play the game and really have an impact on the game as well."
Adams is a special character. He was the youngest captain at the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and, at 23, the US's youngest captain since 1950. This time, Mauricio Pochettino named veteran Tim Ream as captain. Adams has watched the team develop under Pochettino while improving his own game immeasurably after moving to the Premier League, first with Leeds and then under Andoni Iraola, who led Bournemouth into Europe before leaving the club.
Adams sees similarities between the two managers, who have both championed him to become the energetic, tenacious, and classy midfielder he is today. "I feel like this season, even with the hiccup with injury in the middle of the season, I've been able to play some of my most consistent football of my career," said Adams, who feels he is nearing his peak. "I feel like I am getting to that point. I have been able to take in and develop over the past years so much. From my journey in New York to Leipzig, playing Champions League football at such a young age, and then my biggest dream was to play in the Premier League. Making that transition to Leeds and playing at a club with such stature before coming here to Bournemouth... They set out what they wanted to achieve and we feel as if that is coming to fruition."
"The manager (Iraola) was such a genuine human being, a great guy to go to work with every single day. He's someone that you want to fight for, compete for, and ultimately learn from. He's done an amazing job. I have a great relationship with Mauricio. Every manager is a little bit different, but they're so detail-oriented on every single thing. The relationships that they have with the players are very similar. When I go into the national team, it's a sit-down with Mauricio, and we get to start talking between 30 minutes and an hour about 'what's the season been like for you? What are you working on? What do you need to improve on?' So that relationship means a lot. But in terms of on the field as tacticians, they play a similar style of football which is very demanding, very chaotic. I think we're finally coming together. It took a period of time to adjust to the process of Mauricio and his tactics, but wow, it's starting to come around. When everything clicks, you see the team that we have and what we're capable of."
Adams admits the 2022 World Cup was a blur, hard to take in. But if that was a learning process, it has set him up well for this summer. He is a player with his head screwed on: a father of two boys, settled in Bournemouth, enjoying the quiet life, with career decisions reaping rewards. Adams graduated from the New York Red Bulls academy, moved to Germany at 16, arrived at RB Leipzig not speaking the language but ready to learn. He loved his time at Leeds and is now at his best at Bournemouth, prepared for the next challenge with huge expectation and hope on his shoulders.
"Mauricio has stressed to the team that all this outside noise is out of your control. It's what's on the inside of this team, and that's why he's making sure that he picks the best 26 players that are going to be the best team. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best players, and that uncertainty has allowed me to free my mind up as well. I am not thinking that I am guaranteed a spot on the national team. I am playing every single day like I have a point to prove to him and make sure that I give myself the best chance to be there."
"I think I've been through a lot in my career and as a person. I'm a father now. I have kids. I look at things from a different perspective. On the field, I'm an animal. I get after things. I want to win. That's just my personality. I'm competitive, I get on you, but off the field, we're relatable. We can talk about family or any scenario. Having a family and becoming a father has been a great change for me and my life and in my career."
Adams can see Pochettino returning to the Premier League in the future; the ex-Tottenham boss has never hidden his desire to return to club football. But for now, they are both focused on the World Cup. "He's super focused and keen on obviously having a successful World Cup," said Adams. "The preparations go into that. That being said, any Premier League team that he might manage one day will be very fortunate to have him."
There is no limit to Adams' own ambitions this summer, and they want to embrace home support as an advantage rather than pressure. "I think you go into this experience, into this World Cup, with one goal in mind, and that's to win. When you're in a tournament format, anything can happen. People might want to label us underdogs or put certain expectations on us, but we don't put expectations on ourselves. Mauricio even said a couple of weeks ago: 'Why are you going to a tournament if your mindset isn't to win?' You don't go to a tournament just to have fun. We know we can compete. When we get all cylinders fired, we have an opportunity to do something special. I mean, you've seen what's possible in previous years. I think that the fans are going to help us and push us to that level. When you're playing in an eighty thousand seat stadium and you have seventy-five percent of it rooting for you as a home team, that could be something special. So we're going to be riding on that."
