The American midfielder hasn't quite broken through with the national team, but it feels like that may be about to change
Malik Tillman finds himself at the intersection of a whole bunch of U.S. men's national team storylines at the moment. His club, PSV, features three USMNT stars and is still alive in the Champions League, making them the de facto American team. With the Nations League coming and Gio Reyna struggling, Tillman's case for USMNT minutes has never been better. But, looking ahead, his future at Bayern Munich remains uncertain, with his loan deal at PSV expiring this summer.
All that is to say that Tillman is at a key point in his young career. There are so many big moments ahead for both club and country, so many chances for the young midfielder to take a giant leap. His recent steps forward have gone somewhat under the radar, but there's no denying how far he's come in just a few short months.
Now a regular starter with PSV, playing plenty of minutes and providing important moments, Tillman will look to continue that run in the Champions League. And, shortly after, he'll look to play a key role for the USMNT in the buildup to this summer's Copa America.
It's a massive moment for the 21-year-old star, who will have plenty to prove over the next few weeks and months.
GettyFinding form at Rangers
Heading into the 2023-24 season, Tillman was looking to find his level.
He never quite broke through at Bayern, leading to a move to Rangers. The Scottish league would toughen him up, conventional wisdom said. Ultimately, his time in Glasgow proved the perfect starting point for Tillman's club career.
After scoring 10 league goals in 28 appearances, Tillman was named Scotland's Young Player of the Year during his season at Rangers. Additionally, he was named to the Scottish Team of the Year, having emerged as one of the best players in the country despite his youth and inexperience.
When summer rolled around, he needed a new challenge, and he found it at PSV, where he's also been able to shine much like he did at Ibrox.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe season so far
Tillman hasn't always been a starter for PSV. Competition is fierce, after all, for a team that currently sits unbeaten and mostly unchallenged atop the Eredivisie.
The American, though, has played a big part in the club's run, emerging as a regular attacking option for a team who look destined to win the league this season.
Tillman has six goals and five assists so far, a sizeable haul considering the fact that he's played less than 1,000 minutes. He's tied for third on the team for goals, with fellow American Ricardo Pepi and Johan Bakayoko all level on six behind Guus Til (8) and Luuk de Jong (22). Pepi is in his own stratosphere, having scored his six goals across just 362 minutes, but Tillman is no slouch, having netted his six in roughly 800 fewer minutes than Bakayoko and 400 fewer than Til.
Tillman, meanwhile, is tied for third in assists as well, level with the other American in the team, Sergino Dest. Only Bakayoko, De Jong and Joey Veerman have more, having, once again, played significantly more minutes than Tillman.
All of that goes to prove how Tillman has fared in the Eredivise this season: pretty well. That's one side of it, though. Everyone knows that the Netherlands' top division is an attack-heavy league, one seemingly designed for more players like Tillman to thrive.
The Champions League, though, is a different animal, and Tillman has shone there, too.
GettyChampions League highs
The stats don't jump out at you, really. Zero goals and one assist in eight games isn't a life-altering number. The impact, though, isn't explained by those figures and Tillman's so far has been massive.
First up was the penalty drawn on one of the best players in the sport's history, Sergio Ramos. With PSV 1-0 down in the final moments of a group stage game against Sevilla, Tillman was wily enough to be fouled by the ex-Real Madrid man, helping his side earn what eventually became a 2-2 draw. That result proved massive, with PSV edging out French side Lens by just one point to make the knockouts.
Once there, Tillman did it again, drawing a penalty on one of the game's best. This time, the victim was Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels, who fouled the American to pave the way for De Jong's equalizer in a 1-1 draw in their last-16 first leg.
Two top-tier defenders, two penalties conceded at massive moments, with Tillman the common thread. Even when he isn't getting on the scoresheet, he's certainly impacting games, which is what makes him such an intriguing player for the USMNT.
GettyUSMNT opportunities
It hasn't quite been two years since Tillman made his switch from Germany to join the USMNT. In that time, we've seen glimpses of his talent, but it hasn't quite ever been put on full display. He's featured eight times for the U.S. but he's started just twice and in total he's played just 276 minutes.
One of the reasons why minutes have been a bit sporadic is Tillman's profile. In the USMNT's 4-3-3, he's not a pure winger, although he has played there. He's also not really a No.8 that can threaten to break up the MMA-like midfield of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams.
The U.S., though, has switched things up in recent months, playing more of a No.10. It's the position that Tillman prefers most and the one where he can make the biggest impact. With Adams possibly out for the upcoming Nations League matches, it's a system that the U.S. could turn to again.
However, Tillman faces one big competitor in that position, another one of the most talented prospects in the U.S. system.
“I’d prefer to play as a real No. 10,” Tillman told The Athletic. “But obviously we also have Gio (Reyna), who is a great player. We have a good squad with strong competition in every area.”
Reyna's spot, though, is nowhere near secure as, unlike Tillman, he's really struggling for his club at present.