It stays to be seen which participant will emerge as the most important winner from the nationwide workforce’s January camp, which concludes with Saturday’s friendly match in opposition to Slovenia in San Antonio, Texas (kickoff at 3 p.m. ET).
But the participant who has the most effective story? That’s straightforward. It’s 22-year-old FC Dallas winger Bernard Kamungo.
For most professionals, reaching the worldwide degree is the dream. Kamungo’s dream eight years in the past was solely to search out his subsequent meal. Born in a refugee camp within the African nation of Tanzania, Kamungo and his 5 siblings had been merely attempting to outlive.
“If I woke up the next day,” Kamungo mentioned in an interview final 12 months, “I thanked God for that day.”
His diversion was soccer, which he performed for hours on finish with a makeshift ball — garments wrapped in plastic baggage.
Everything modified when the International Rescue Committee helped Kamungo and his household relocate to Abilene, Texas, a metropolis of 125,000 about 180 miles west of Dallas. Slowly however absolutely, he settled in his new residence, studying English and ultimately turning into the star of his highschool soccer workforce. Midway via his senior 12 months, Kamungo’s older brother scraped collectively $90 for him to attend an open tryout for North Texas SC, the reserve aspect for MLS aspect FC Dallas that was additionally the primary professional cease for United States men’s national team common Ricardo Pepi.
Kamungo survived the reduce and, 22 targets later, FCD supplied him an MLS contract. He hasn’t stopped scoring since. In simply over 800 minutes of motion final season, Kamungo discovered the online eight instances in 24 MLS and Leagues Cup matches — together with one in opposition to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.
Now Kamungo is amongst 16 gamers within the present U.S. camp who may make his worldwide debut in opposition to the Slovenians.
“It’s unbelievable, looking back only a few years ago to where I came from to where I am now and everything that happened,” Kamungo advised FOX Sports ahead of the competition. “I think about it sometimes and I get emotional. I’m so thankful.”
Kamungo turned an American citizen in 2022. He dedicated his future to the U.S. program final 12 months after being known as up by Tanzania for an African Cup of Nations qualifier.
“It was a hard decision, but it was also easy,” he mentioned. “I’m fully in.”
Scheduled exterior a FIFA window and subsequently restricted mostly to out-of-season MLSers, January exhibitions are often immediately forgettable slogs for the USMNT. Just seven gamers on the present roster have represented the senior nationwide workforce earlier than. Miles Robinson’s 27 caps lead the squad. Shaq Moore is the lone member who was additionally on the 2022 World Cup workforce a bit greater than a 12 months in the past.
But January camps even have a confirmed monitor file of producing at the least one new participant who sticks with the varsity for years to return. There’s no scarcity of intriguing candidates this month, Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender and Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna amongst them. Kamungo, one of 12 gamers in camp who can be age-eligible for this summer time’s Olympics in Paris, can be proper up there.
“The kid just has a knack for scoring goals,” USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter mentioned of Kamungo, who first appeared on this system’s radar early final 12 months following a glowing advice from FCD boss Nico Estevez, Berhalter’s shut pal and former assistant.
“He gets in front of goal, and he’s very effective,” added Berhalter, who in contrast Kamungo’s ending to USMNT star Christian Pulisic’s. “Those are qualities you can’t teach.”
You cannot train want, both. Kamungo has loads of that.
“I’m always hungry,” he mentioned. “Growing up, I never really had the opportunity to do anything, so every time I’m given one I’m always ready to take it. Opportunities like this don’t come often.”
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Kamungo arrived in camp nursing an ankle damage however says he is now absolutely wholesome. He’s made an impression on the veterans, each on and off the sector.
“He’s a good guy and a hard worker,” Robinson advised FOX Sports final week. “He likes [passes] in behind defenders and he likes to shoot, so he’s definitely a dynamic forward who can score if he gets the chance.”
That probability may come on Saturday; Berhalter mentioned Friday that as many as 14 of the newcomers may play. What would making his first USMNT look in his adopted residence state imply to Kamungo?
“Obviously there’s quite a few things that have happened to me the past few years, but it would be my proudest moment,” he mentioned.
“I’ll be ready for sure.”
Doug McIntyre is a soccer author for FOX Sports. Before becoming a member of FOX Sports in 2021, he was a employees author with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has lined United States males’s and girls’s nationwide groups at a number of FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
Bernard Kamungo
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