John Brooks on USMNT World Cup qualifying roster snub: 'My American identity is at stake'

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The United States will not have a lot of time to prepare for the final World Cup roster, as the team will not play a single match until after the tournament.

- World Cup qualifying: CONCACAF standings

- 2022 World Cup: How the USMNT, Mexico can qualify

On Thursday, Berhalter revealed his 27 man roster for the upcoming games against Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica, but he didn't include the center-back. The defenders will be reporting to the USMNT training camp in Houston this weekend.

Speaking to the play-by-play commentator of the German league, he said that he would like to be on future squad as if his American identity is a stake.

I took responsibility for my play and the decision that kept me off a roster. "Now, I'm happy I've regained my form, but unfortunately, I wasn't invited to camp."

I accept this as the coach's decision, but I won't accept that I can't change it before the final World Cup roster selections. There should be no questions about my desire to play for this team. My plan is to fight as hard as I can to get back to the US.

My American identity is at stake, an identity that has been questioned for many years. We have been down and out at different times, but we always fight back and I plan to do the same.

"My American identity is at stake, an identity some have questioned over many years. We (Americans) have all been down & out at different times, but we always fight back & I plan to do the same."

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) March 17, 2022

The son of an American father and German mother, he has 45 caps for the USMNT and appeared at the World Cup.

Berhalter told reporters that he had a good conversation with him and explained to him that the window was the reason for the exclusion.

This is what we did in the window. His future with the national team is not determined by this. Berhalter said that it doesn't mean that they don't have a role to play.

We did what we thought was best for this window in a way we want to play and sometimes we leave players out, sometimes we bring them in based on our opponents and what we are trying to do in this window.

He hasn't been called into camp since October of last year because of a back injury. He has worked himself back into the starting lineup of the team after taking a dip in his form. The 29-year-old would be leaving the club at the end of the season.

In addition to his 200 appearances with Hertha Berlin and Wolfsburg, he has played in 13 games in the European competition.

The U.S. is in second place in the eight-team group, level on points with third-place Mexico and fourth-place Panama. The top three teams will qualify automatically, with the fourth-place team going to a playoff against a representative from Oceania in June. Five points from the three matches is needed to guarantee automatic qualification for the U.S.