This game is perfect for: USMNT’s Sergiño Dest is primed to shine vs. Paraguay

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The United States’ World Cup opener against Paraguay on Friday will provide opportunities for a number of American players to shine. But one stands out to me.

This game is perfect for Sergiño Dest, who is exactly the type of player U.S. sports fans love to watch — and exactly the type of player Paraguay might find impossible to contain.

Every World Cup team needs characters. Players who capture the imagination. Players who make people stop scrolling, lean forward and wonder what might happen next.

What American soccer craves is for, years from now, people to look back on this team and this World Cup as something special and iconic. Just like the last time the U.S. hosted the tournament, hopefully with an even deeper run. The 1994 squad had personalities everywhere. Marcelo Balboa and Alexi Lalas stood out and there was Tony Meola, too, who had that Steven Seagal-style ponytail that I still tease him about to this day. Then there was Cobi Jones, all pace and yep, that hair.

Those players gave fans something to connect with, and when I look at Dest, he has that modern-day connectivity. He brings a freestyle tendency to dribble at players. He likes to be expressive on the ball, daring and creative. That’s typically what American supporters — not necessarily soccer-specific supporters, just sports fans — want to see. They want that X-factor, the player who’s trying moves, doing tricks, and entertaining. That’s the kind of player he is.

He’s the wild card with the U.S. men’s national team because he’s not afraid to beat players. When he’s doing that as a right wingback, he opens up the field for everybody else.

And he’s far more than just an entertainer. He’s one of the tactical keys to this entire U.S. team.

When I rewatched that U.S.-Paraguay game from November, one thing stood out immediately was that he found himself in great positions higher up the pitch.

He forced Paraguay to shift over and, in doing so, unbalanced them. When he beats the first player he’s going up against, everyone has to shift over. He’s creating space for Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and, on the opposite side, Antonee Robinson.

He’ll have a chance to make a big impact not only in this Paraguay game but also against Australia, because he’s great on the counter. He’s not afraid to take risks and make runs into the box. Sometimes he’s the closest guy to the goal.

This is a genuine chance for him to shine. The Paraguayans have already seen the problems he can cause, because they struggled against him once. They’ll undoubtedly pay him more attention this time around, but that creates a different problem altogether. If you overload one side to stop Dest, you’re leaving space somewhere else.

That’s where Robinson enters the picture. He doesn’t possess Dest’s close control or improvisational ability, but he is every bit as aggressive with his forward runs. One of the biggest reasons for optimism around this U.S. team is that it can hurt opponents from both flanks.

You can’t simply focus on one of them.

If Paraguay commits extra bodies to dealing with Dest, then Robinson suddenly has room to attack on the opposite side. If Paraguay tries to cover both fullbacks, gaps start appearing centrally for Balogun and Pulisic — which is a best-case scenario!

Let’s remember, Dest brings genuine star quality to this side.

In 2020 he was signed by Barcelona on a five-year contract. It seemed like anything was possible for him then, and while it did not quite work out, it feels like this might become a relaunch for him.

Even before the Barça signing, he was thriving at Ajax in the Champions League, who was competitive at that level. He has high-level pedigree. He plays for the U.S. but had the option to play for the Netherlands. And he chose Barcelona, when Bayern Munich was a strong option.

When he was in Spain, the timing wasn’t ideal because the club’s entire project was in transition. There were good moments, but ultimately Barcelona moved in a different direction. I actually think he would thrive there right now.

Nevertheless, after some strong performances with PSV and a successful return from injury, Dest finds himself with another huge opportunity. This is a perfect chance for him to propel himself back into that category of the elite right attacking fullbacks in the world.

If he has a standout tournament, his name will be linked again with the biggest clubs — and if he stars Friday night, the U.S. will have a great chance at three massive early points in the World Cup.