When a footballer has two nationalities, together with expertise, it makes them ready to decide on between two nationwide groups to play for.
That’s exactly the case of Sergino Dest, who opted for america over the Netherlands, and is now one step away from reaching the dream of taking part in in a World Cup in Qatar.
The USA had full confidence in Sergino Dest
Ultimately, Sergino Dest’s resolution to characterize the USA got here down to 2 issues: belief and loyalty. The sensible Ajax right-back remoted himself from the noise as he weighed whether or not to play for the USA, whom he had represented at numerous youth ranges, or for the Netherlands, his nation of delivery. Amid the social media frenzy, Dest knew he had made the best resolution.
“Lots of people solely love you when issues are going effectively,” Dest instructed ESPN as he sat within the coronary heart of Ajax’s De Toekomst coaching base.
“The USMNT helped me when issues weren’t going effectively, and I am grateful for that. They helped me via the robust instances, and in the event that they hadn’t given me an opportunity, possibly I would not be right here now with Ajax. Perhaps I’d by no means have made it to this stage.”
Dest is a key participant for the US
However that is only the start. The 22-year-old desires to make historical past with this promising technology of American gamers, together with Christian Pulisic, and attain a stage of collective greatness by no means earlier than seen in US soccer.
Though he nonetheless lives together with his mother and father (his mom is Dutch, his father Surinamese-American) there is no such thing as a signal of his fame altering him. “I keep targeted. I am not an individual who talks nonsense to the opposite guys,” Dest mentioned. “I do not have a look at different guys. I simply deal with getting higher.”
Dest and the dream of turning into a footballer
“There was a man I used to play road soccer with, and he as soon as instructed me, ‘You by no means need to stress as a result of should you stress out, you are going to do unusual issues in soccer.’ And that is what I at all times suppose,” he mentioned. “Even now, if somebody is attempting to push me or run after me, I simply give it some thought and have it at the back of my thoughts.”
“That is why I am so grateful to America,” he mentioned. “They helped me via the robust instances.”
Dest represented the US on the U17 World Cup after which performed a key function on the U20 World Cup. It was his early introduction to performing in entrance of huge crowds.
He has since gone on to play for a few of Europe’s largest golf equipment in Ajax, Barcelona and, now, AC Milan.