LOS ANGELES – Bradford Jamieson IV is ready to test himself on the global stage as the LA Galaxy Homegrown Player will serve as one of the leaders of the U.S. Under-20 squad when they begin their campaign at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The U.S. U-20’s open up Group A play on Friday (9 p.m., Fox Sports 1) against Myanmar.
Jamieson and the rest of the young Americans are widely considered favorites to advance from a group that also includes hosts New Zealand and Ukraine.
Thanks to a favorable draw, this talented American side will have every opportunity to make a deep run in the tournament but Jamieson admits that it will not be easy.
“This won’t be child’s play,” Jamieson told LAGalaxy.com earlier this month. “These are important games and it’ll be important to help establish the profile of the youth in the United States. It’ll showcase our talent and show the rest of the world what the U.S. is about… This is a dream come true because a lot of players don’t get a chance to play in something like this. It’s a great place to showcase talent and it’s a perfect opportunity for young players.”
When the U-20’s kick off on Friday, Jamieson is expected to play a major role for Tab Ramos’ group after starring at the U-20 CONCACAF Championship earlier this year, scoring twice. Once he returned from the U-20 Championship, Jamieson immediately set about locking down a spot with the Galaxy first team, notching six appearances, and scoring one fantastic goal against the New York Red Bulls on April 26.
Although Jamieson’s form dipped slightly before he departed for the U.S. squad earlier this month, the 18-year-old is confident that those bumps will serve him well in New Zealand.
“I think the biggest part of my last few games with the Galaxy is that I’ve been working hard while the coaching staff has been giving me opportunities to perform and to start,” Jamieson said. “I’ve got plenty of experiences under my belt for the tournament which is similar to what I’ll be facing at the World Cup.”
If Jamieson and the rest of the U.S. squad can hit their stride, the young Galaxy attacker is confident that the Americans can make waves in New Zealand.
“I think that we have to take it game-by-game,” said Jamieson. “As far as success goes, as long as everyone is taking advantage of every chance that they get and taking all that they can get out of every match, then we can go as far as we want.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
