SANTA CLARA, Calif. – By making his first significant impact on a major tournament, Darlington Nagbe has scaled new heights, internationally speaking.
The preternaturally gifted Nagbe never had his talent fully unlocked by former US national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann – who near the end appeared to fall out with the Portland Timbers midfielder, although Klinsmann said otherwise.
That’s not been the case these past couple of weeks for Nagbe. Called in by new coach Bruce Arena as a reinforcement for the Gold Cup knockout rounds, Nagbe started both of the Americans’ elimination games. And while it was Clint Dempsey who took home the plaudits for his one-goal, one-assist performance in the semifinals against Costa Rica, it was Nagbe who softened up the Ticos through the first hour, bedeviling them with the dribbling prowess that made him the second overall selection of 2011 MLS SuperDraft.
With a World Cup on the horizon, Arena thinks there is even more to come for the 27-year-old native of Liberia, who has 26 goals and 28 assists in six-and-a-half MLS seasons.
“I think he’s got a higher ceiling and I think he’s going to continue to get better,” Arena said Tuesday. “I think he’s a special talent and I’m hopeful that we can help move him along because I think he’s got some great qualities.”
Those qualities could again be on display Wednesday evening at Levi’s Stadium as the Americans attempt to win just their second Gold Cup crown since 2007 (9:30 pm ET | FS1, Univision, UDN in the US; TSN 1/3/4/5 in Canada). For Nagbe, the final against Jamaica will cap a triumphant tourney after seeing just 47 minutes in three substitute appearances at the Copa America last year.
“It’s been fun getting called in,” Nagbe said Tuesday. “Hopefully I continue to do better as it goes on. Bruce says that, and he’s the coach and he’s seen players. So if he says that, I believe there’s another level I could possibly get to.”
Nagbe's renaissance is perhaps emblematic of the US players' comfort level with Arena, who has done more than simply steady the ship in the wake of Klinsmann's tumultuous departure. The Americans are 8-0-5 since Arena’s return, and are back on solid footing in terms of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, sitting third in the CONCACAF Hexagonal table with four matches to play.
“Very, very enjoyable,” US captain Michael Bradley said of the experience playing for Arena. “I think, from the beginning, there was a real sense within the group, that this is what it was supposed to feel like.”
While veterans like Bradley – whom Arena has known since birth – are no mystery to the coach, this year has been an opportunity to learn more about players such as Nagbe.
“When he started playing with us in March in the World Cup qualifiers, I was very impressed,” Arena said. “I thought he was an outstanding player. Anything he does now doesn’t surprise me.”
