Scally: “We want to get more Americans interested in football”

Joe Scally is set to play with the US in his first Copa América. The defender has big ambitions for the tournament being held at home.

Joe, you are set for your first Copa América with the United States. How excited are you for the tournament?

Scally: I’m really looking forward to it, it’s the biggest event for us aside from the World Cup. The Copa América is a great tournament with top-class players and attractive teams. We have two friendlies before the tournament against Brazil and Colombia. As a right-back, I would possibly come up against Vinicius Jr. and Luis Diaz on the left wing. They will be two tough tests, but I’m excited to test myself against the best – both in the friendlies and at the tournament. We may even come up against Argentina in the knockouts. To play against the reigning World Cup winners and Lionel Messi, one of the best footballers of all time, would be incredible.

This year’s Copa América will be held in the US, making it a home tournament for you. What are you expecting from your fans?

Scally: The best atmosphere I’ve experienced in an international game was at our home match against Germany last October. I’m therefore certain that our fans will give us some amazing support. In recent times, we’ve all seen how much more important football is in the United States and how much people enjoy it. People are really excited for Copa América and I think the fans will love the tournament. On top of that, with it being a tournament in our own country, we’ve got the chance to get even more people interested in our sport and we’ll therefore try our best to go as far as we can in the tournament. I’m also happy that a lot of friends and family, who I rarely see during the season, will be at the games live to watch.

What are your aims for the tournament?

Scally: The US reached the semi-finals in 2016, the last time we played in the tournament. We definitely want to get at least as far again this time. We’ve improved a lot since then and have great team chemistry. A large part of our squad plays in Europe’s top five leagues and has experience at the highest level. We’ve performed well in recent internationals and won the CONCACAF Nations League. I therefore think we’re in a good place right now and can achieve a lot at Copa América. (Photo: Imago Images/ZUMA wire)