Exclusive Interview With US National Team Midfielder Wil Trapp

A recent break out star in Major League Soccer, Wil Trapp has burst onto the scene as one of the best young US midfielders. In 2015, the MLS ranked him as the 4th best player under the age of 24. Trapp has consistently shown that he is worthy of his ranking with his play for Columbus Crew SC.

Wil Trapp is one rising US star that everyone soccer fan needs to know about.

Trapp is from Columbus, Ohio and signed a Homegrown Contract with Crew SC in late 2012. Since then he has started in 63 matches for the club. He also recently has played for the United States National Team in friendlies against Chile and Canada.

He has been referred to as the “heartbeat” of Crew SC and he has earned high praise for his play from many people including Thierry Henry. After coming back from injury last season, he started 18 out of the final 19 matches for Crew SC. He played in every minute of the teams run to the MLS Cup last season.

He had a significant role in Crew SC’s playoff run last season, most notably shutting down Drogba and providing the long ball on Justin Meram’s goal after just 9 seconds against New York Red Bulls.

Trapp plays a strong defensive midfield role and you will find him in between the two center backs during matches which allows the outside backs to get up the field. He usually does not make a lot of headlines from this position as he has only scored one goal for Crew SC. But why do you think Crew SC did so well last season?

If you said Wil Trapp, then you are correct. He is one of the best in MLS at what he does. His ability to shut down attacks and immediately find the right pass to put Crew SC into attack plays a vital role in keeping Crew SC playing the attacking soccer they like to play. There are a lot of similarities to Trapp’s game and new English midfield star, Eric Dier. Dier, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, plays the defensive midfield role very well and does not make lots of headlines, but also rarely makes mistakes.

As the new MLS season starts, I recently sat down with Trapp to get his insight on many soccer topics. Here is the full discussion with the US midfielder:

Josh Russell, ISH (JR) : What is the best part about being a professional soccer player?

Wil Trapp (WT): Best part is being able to have my passion be my job.

JR: What is it like playing for a team in the city you grew up in?

WT: It’s great to play in my hometown for the team I grew up supporting. Means a lot to me to have a connection to the club and its history.

JR: How is playing for the US national team different than playing for Crew SC?

WT: Playing for the national team is different because it’s a new group of players that are all trying to blend their playing styles into one team.

JR: What does MLS have that other leagues around the world do not have?

WT: What makes Major League Soccer special is the parity. Any team can win the title, and it makes it that much more exciting.

JR: What are some struggles players go through playing in MLS?

WT: I think the biggest struggle for players is the travel schedule. MLS differs from most leagues because of the amount of flying required for the season.

JR: How do you see MLS improving in the future?

WT: I think MLS can always improve its relevancy as a major professional league in the US. Continuing to grow with bigger television deals and on the field product.

JR: Who is the best player you have played against?

WT: Paul Pogba or Thierry Henry.

JR: Do you hope to one day play in Europe?

WT: I would love the opportunity to play in Europe. It’s a matter of situation and preparedness but I think the best football in the world is played there.

JR: Do you watch a lot of soccer, and who is your favorite club?

WT: I watch a great deal of games: MLS, BPL, La Liga, and Bundesliga. I really enjoy watching Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

JR: Who is going to win Euro ’16?

WT: I think France has an excellent chance, being the hosts, but I think Germany wins.

JR: Messi or Ronaldo?

WT: Messi, every time.

Do not be surprised to see Trapp feature in many more matches for the US national team as he progresses as a soccer player. He should play a pivotal role in Columbus Crew SC’s quest to win a second MLS Cup this season.