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American sports have been at a standstill for some time, and fans have been looking for ways to fulfill their need to watch live athletic events. Luckily for soccer fanatics, the Bundesliga is set to resume play on May 16th. Several American players will be playing in the German league, and we’ve identified a few you can root for while leagues in the United States are on hold.
1: Weston McKennie, Midfielder, FC Schalke
McKinnie, 21, has started in 16 games for Schalke this season and has a goal to show for it. The versatile midfielder has already been a captain for the United State’s senior national team and is a regular contributor to the Bundesliga’s sixth place squad.
2: Gio Reyna, Midfield, Borrusia Dortmund
Reyna is following in the footsteps of Christian Pulisic. He’s played in eight games for the Bundesliga’s second place team this season. While he hasn’t scored or tallied an assist yet, but the 17-year-old could be the future of US Soccer.
3: Josh Sargent, Striker, Werder Bremen
Sargent might not be on a contending team, but he’s been a more valuable contributor than the players list before him. He’s tallied three goals and two assists through 18 appearances this season and has started nine times.
4: John Brooks, Defender, Wolfsburg
Brooks, 27, is older than the wonderkids on this list and should be a familiar face. He’s tallied 38 appearances with the national team since 2013 and scored a game-winning goal on a header as a World Cup substitute in 2013. The German-American is Wolfsburg’s top defender at centre-back.
5: Fabian Johnson, Winger, Borrusia Mönchengladbach
Johnson is another German-American with national team experience. The winger has 57 caps for the US and has two goals to show for it. He was a starter early in the year before suffering a groin injury and has since been relegated to a supporting role. Could the pandemic have helped him re-assert himself as a key player? His team is fourth in the standings and has a legitimate shot at winning the title if it finishes out the year strong.