Sporting Kansas City player Gianluca Busio finally made his senior US men’s national team debut during their 2021 Cup opener against Haiti on Monday night.
The American side won 1-0 over the Caribbean nation with an early goal from Sam Vines before switching to a defensive strategy. The MLS midfielder became the second youngest player to play for the United States in the Gold Cup.
During the match, Busio did not disappoint USMNT’s head coach Gregg Berhalter. The Sporting Kansas City player completed 28 of his 31 passes (90 percent), according to data from Stats Perform. He also made several defensive interventions to maintain the 1-0 lead for USMNT.
Three points, three #USMNT debuts!
Congratulations @ gbusio13, @ jamessands_16 & @ erykw19 for earning their first caps in our @ GoldCup opener? pic.twitter.com/4YUXdMQoWG
– US Soccer MNT (@USMNT) July 12, 2021
“It was a really special feeling for me,” Busio said. “I thought it was really a good game for me to get into, get used to Concacaf. It was a bit chippy, but I’m glad we can do with the win and to do it in front of my home crowd, it was really, really big for me.
The teenager has worked his way into the spotlight after making his debut for Sporting Kansas City at the age of 16 in 2018. He first arrived in Kansas in 2016 to join Sporting’s academy, where he quickly established himself as a figure to watch. Current head coach Peter Vermes tracked the player’s progress before calling him to the first team and predicting his stars. Before leaving for the camp, Vermes expressed his excitement over Busio’s call.
“It’s a deserving call for him,” Vermes said. “He has played incredibly well. I think his development in recent years has been fantastic. I can not say enough about his attitude; I can not say enough about his maturity for his age. “
Since 2018, Busio has appeared 61 times for Sporting Kansas City and recorded seven goals and eight assists throughout his time. He has scored two goals this season and won MLS Week of Goal on one occasion for a phenomenal free kick against Houston Dynamo.
His commitment to the team’s success has sparked rumors of transfers, inspiring reports to mention European interest. Although the player claimed that his focus remains on the Gold Cup, his young age and determination make Busio the perfect candidate for any team abroad.
