Colorado’s Sam Vines starting for USMNT, next stop World Cup roster?

When the red, white and blue take to the pitch in Qatar in two months, they could be featuring a local.

Colorado Springs native and former Colorado Rapids left-back Sam Vines is getting the start for the United Stats Men’s National Team in a friendly against Japan Friday morning. Vines debuted for the national team in 2020 and has made eight appearances representing his home country.

Vines has scored a goal and added an assist in his limited action with the senior national team. He didn’t get called up for the summer window, but head coach Gregg Berhalter announced Thursday that Vines will get the start in Germany vs. Japan.

𝙎𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙧

Gregg Berhalter confirms that Sam Vines will start tomorrow versus Japan. pic.twitter.com/LLtViRTzO7

— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) September 22, 2022

In 2018, Vines signed with the Rapids as a homegrown player, spending most of his season in the United States Soccer League. Vines became a club mainstay in 2019 and then was the Rapids ironman in 2020. He ended the season ranked as one of the best young players in the sport. In 2021, Vines helped the Rapids to a best in the west finish and was transferred to Royal Antwerp of the Belgian Jupiler League at the cost of $2 million.

After his move to Europe, Vines suffered a collarbone injury that limited his play. But this season, his club got off to a 9-0-0 start in 2022, leading the league.

The UMSNT has one more friendly after the Japan game before the World Cup begins. One person with knowledge of the situation says Vines has a good shot at cracking the American roster at the biggest soccer tournament in the world.

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