It was Christmas time in the Ream household and, for the first time in a decade, he was able to celebrate. For the entirety of his three children's lives, Tim Ream's mind was at least partially elsewhere. There was always a game on the horizon and - always the professional - that was constantly in the back of his mind.
Such is life when you play at the top level of English soccer. Boxing Day is a holiday of its own and, for those scheduled to play on it, Christmas Day is often spent preparing, not celebrating.
Not in 2023, though. Ream was dealing with an injury, leaving him out of the Fulham squad. While nobody looks to be injured, there was a bit of an upside - in a way, it was freeing. It also ultimately led to him making one of the biggest decisions of his playing career and, most likely, the penultimate decision he'll have to make when it comes to his club career.
"I could have stayed at Fulham. I could have played, but spending Christmas with the kids for the first time in their life, it was such a big eye-opener," Ream said. "I think that was probably the exact point where it was like, 'You know what? I think it's we need to start exploring options and where we can go'."
Ream ultimately landed in Charlotte, joining Charlotte FC as the team's biggest signing yet. With the club in its third year of existence, Ream became the team's first U.S. men's national team star, adding a legitimate veteran to the backline. He's helping spearhead the team's playoff push, bringing the experienced presence that Charlotte FC was crying out for.
It's a role he's lived in for some time with the USMNT. Since his shock inclusion in the 2022 World Cup squad, Ream has been the USMNT's elder statesman. At 35, he was one of only two outfield players over the age of 30 in Qatar and, was five years older than the second oldest, Aaron Long.
In the two years since the World Cup, he's remained an outspoken leader of this team and an undeniable force for what still is a young group. The USMNT has leaned on that presence to help navigate the rough waters that ultimately led to a new era under Mauricio Pochettino.
Set to turn 37 on Saturday, Ream knows as well as anyone that his place in that new era is far from guaranteed. After all, it wasn't under Gregg Berhalter, just as it wasn't under Bruce Arena or Jurgen Klinsmann, either. For the entirety of his career, Ream has felt a need to prove himself and, as his career winds down, he's willing to admit the obvious: there isn't much left to prove.
How long can he hold on? Can he maintain his form through the World Cup? And if not, can he help lay the foundation for a group determined to make history in 2026? This is the final phase of Ream's USMNT career, but what will it look like?
"I want to continue to play," Ream said, "but I also know, and I'm not stupid, I'm gonna be 37 years old this week. The World Cup is a year and a half away. If I'm there, amazing. If I'm not, there's not a whole lot that I can complain about, right? There's not a whole lot that I can sit there and feel hard done by because I've lived it. I've played in the World Cup. I've been with this program for 14 years."
For this week's Wednesday Convo, GOAL sat down with Ream to discuss his USMNT career, his expectations after being named to Pochettino's first U.S. squad, his major move to MLS and why he'll never be one to "cliche" away from the hard conversations.
NOTE: Some responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.