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Alabama’s little-known connection to USA’s FIFA World Cup team

Alabama native Aron Jóhannsson, striker, U.S. Men's National Team
Alabama native Aron Jóhannsson, striker, U.S. Men’s National Team

Alabama native Aron Jóhannsson made his World Cup debut Monday during Team USA’s 2-1 victory over Ghana.

Jóhannsson, a 23-year-old striker, was born to Icelandic parents in Mobile, Alabama in 1990, but spent most of his formative years in Iceland while only occasionally visiting the United States. He did, however, graduate high school in The States.

As recently as September of 2012, Aaron had not even considered playing for the U.S. Men’s National Team, according to the New York Times. “But if (USA Coach) Jürgen Klinsmann calls me and says he wants me to play for the United States, then it would be pretty hard to say no,” he admitted.

The following month, the Icelandic national team chose Aron to play for them in a World Cup qualifying match. If he had played, he would have been tied to Iceland’s team. But an injury kept him out of the match, and Coach Klinsmann did end up calling. In July of 2013, Aron announced he would play for the U.S.

“I never really thought about playing for the U.S. until a few years ago when my dad said, ‘Why don’t you just play for the U.S.,’ and I was like, ‘ehh, stop it, don’t say that, it’s not going to happen.’ The dream was too far away I guess,” he explained. “One evening I get a call from a number that I didn’t know so I just let it go to voicemail. Then I listened to the voicemail and it was a guy saying he was the coach of the U.S. soccer team and he wanted to talk to me. The first thing I did after I heard that was call my agent and ask him if he was playing a joke on me because I didn’t believe it.”

Jóhannsson has already made his presence known on the world stage since joining the U.S. squad. His first goal for Team USA was one of the most dramatic in recent internationals. He shattered Panama’s 2014 FIFA World Cup hopes with a last-minute, game-winning goal to end a qualifying match.

The goal was devastating to Panama, which had been on the cusp of its first World Cup, but also had the indirect effect of propelling USA’s rival Mexico into the World Cup field.

“It was the strangest feeling I’ve had in my whole life,” Jóhannsson said of the goal, which left the Panamanian fans sitting in stunned silence.

Jóhannsson made his World Cup debut on Monday about 20 minutes into the game when starting striker Jozy Altidore pulled up with a hamstring injury.

“It appears Johannsson will be the target man going forward,” USA Today sports noted after Monday’s win. That’s a lot of pressure for a 23-year-old kid.

But as we already know, Alabama breeds champions, so the world’s biggest stage shouldn’t be a problem for Johannsson.

(Video below: Aron Jóhannsson shares his story)


Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

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