Sporting Kansas City defender Matt Besler has been selected to the United States Men’s National team for an international friendly against New Zealand on Tuesday at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. (7 p.m. CT, ESPN, UniMas).
Besler joins a 20-player U.S. MNT roster that includes several changes from Friday’s 2-0 friendly win over Cuba. Kellyn Acosta, Juan Agudelo, Terrence Boyd, Bill Hamid, Michael Orozco and Tim Parker will also join the team in the nation’s capital.
Tuesday’s meeting with New Zealand will be the Americans’ final tune-up before the Hexagonal begins next month with two pivotal World Cup qualifiers. The U.S. will host arch rival Mexico on Nov. 11 at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, then visit Costa Rica on Nov. 15 at Estadio Nacional in San Jose.
Besler has earned 36 career caps for the United States, including two starts at the 2016 Copa America Centenario in June. He most recently featured in a 6-0 World Cup qualifying win over St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Sept. 2, scoring his first international goal on the same day his daughter Parker Rhea was born in Kansas City.
A native of Overland Park and the first Kansan to play for the U.S. Men’s National Team, Besler has featured regularly along head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s backline since debuting in 2013. The center back helped lead the U.S. to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup title and started all four matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil as the Americans reached the Round of 16.
Besler joined Sporting Kansas City in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft out of Notre Dame. He ranks fifth in club history with 236 appearances across all competitions, having led the side to two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles (2012, 2015) and the 2013 MLS Cup. Besler is a two-time MLS Best XI selection (2012-13), a five-time MLS All-Star (2011, 2013-16) and was named the 2012 MLS Defender of the Year.
U.S. MNT ROSTER BY POSITION:
GOALKEEPERS (3): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)
DEFENDERS (7): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Matt Besler (Sporting KC), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Parker (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland), Perry Kitchen (Hearts), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Danny Williams (Reading)
FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Terrence Boyd (RB Leipzig), Julian Green (Bayern Munich)
