Tim Ream, USMNT World Cup captain, retires from international football | OneFootball

Tim Ream has retired from international football. The 38-year-old, the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup captain, announced his decision in St Louis on Tuesday, ahead of the United States’ friendly against Chile.

According to NY Times, he earned 86 caps for the United States, captaining the side 32 times, sixth most in programme history. Sixty of those appearances came after the age of 30.

His international career spanned 16 years, the second-longest from first to last cap for the United States behind DaMarcus Beasley. He played every minute at the 2022 World Cup, then this summer became the oldest field player in USMNT World Cup history. He also lifted two Concacaf Nations League titles.

He was honoured before kick-off in his home city, receiving a loud ovation and a jersey bearing the number 86, and was joined on the pitch by his wife and three children.

Ream came through St Louis University and New York Red Bulls before moving to England, spending nearly 13 years there with Bolton from 2012-15 and making more than 250 appearances for Fulham between 2015 and 2024.

He joined Charlotte FC in August 2024 and has spent the last two-plus seasons in MLS. He said he will decide on his club future after the campaign.

Ream said he had long targeted 37-38 as the moment to consider retirement. He still feels physically good, but is weighing desire and workload, taking things day by day and accepting he is closer to finishing completely than six months ago.

Source: NY Times

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”