South Jersey's U.S. Soccer Star Gets Cheers From Ted Lasso, Carli Lloyd As World Cup Nears

MEDFORD, NJ — Brenden Aaronson got the call for the upcoming World Cup, but fans on both sides of the pond have been calling his name for a long time.

The 22-year-old Medford native is on coach Gregg Berhalter's 26-man roster for the tournament in Qatar, which begins Sunday.

When not with the U.S. men's national soccer team (USMNT), Aaronson operates as a playmaking midfield for English club Leeds United. Fans at the club have their own song for him — changing the words of Estelle's song "American Boy" to fit Aaronson's journey.

Supporters have also dubbed Aaronson the "Medford Messi," a name which even casual soccer fans will recognize as a huge honor. Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi himself will be playing in his fifth World Cup, as will Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

The creators of Apple TV show "Ted Lasso" put up a message in support of Aaronson on the side of a barn in Medford, which fans of the show can certainly hear read in actor Jason Sudeikis' voice. Real Jersey Football Club, where Aaronson used to play, posted a photo of Coach Lasso's message.

The TV show put up billboards in all players' hometowns, and one for coach Berhalter.

Women's soccer legend Carli Lloyd, also of Burlington County, has been a vocal supporter of Aaronson on social media.

Lloyd, a two-time Olympic gold medal and World Cup winner, will be part of the FOX Sports World Cup broadcasting team.

Aaronson attended Shawnee High School before entering the Philadelphia Union's academy. He made his MLS debut for the Union on March 17, 2019 and had a breakout season in 2020, sparking interest from overseas. Aaronson moved to Austria in 2021 to play for Red Bull Salzburg on a record-breaking transfer fee. Salzburg won the Austrian Cup final that season.

This May, Leeds United announced they signed Aaronson on a five-year deal for a £24.7 million transfer fee.

Leeds United is helmed by one of the few Americans to have ever coached in the Premier League. Manager Jesse Marsch, of Wisconsin, took over at the club in February and survived a relegation scare to stay in the top flight of England's soccer hierarchy.

Fellow U.S. World Cup player Tyler Adams, of Dutchess County, N.Y., also plays for Leeds.

The U.S. team is the youngest of the 32 World Cup teams by average age, as the Associated Press reported. Nine players are from Major League Soccer; eight are with English clubs; two each are based in Germany, Italy and Spain; and one apiece plays in France, Scotland and Turkey.

Aaronson and the American squad begin their quest for the first U.S. men's World Cup on Monday, Nov. 21 with a match against Wales.

You can read more about the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, including when to watch the American side, in Patch's tournament guide.