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Timmy Tillman GFXGOAL
Tom Hindle

‘Win as many games as possible’ – Timmy Tillman on LAFC’s playoff heartbreak, a new era under Marc Dos Santos and USMNT hopes

GOAL Convo: Tillman looks forward to an important 2026 after shining for an ambitious LAFC side and getting a rare chance with the USMNT last year.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Timmy Tillman had no idea the call was coming. Sure, he had talked to U.S. Men's National Team manager Mauricio Pochettino before, said hello here and there as mostly a byproduct of his brother, Malik, being a more established player in the USMNT setup.

But a call-up for Tillman? He didn't think that was imminent. Yet in November, during an LAFC practice, then-head coach Steve Cherundolo pulled him aside and broke the news: Tillman had been selected for the USMNT.

"It was a great feeling, a great boost of confidence, especially at that part of the season when we were in the playoffs. Just going to camp, it was super easy to fit in. The team spirit was incredible. It was a lot of fun," Tillman tells GOAL at MLS's Media Tour. 

And Tillman took his chance. The midfielder performed admirably against Uruguay, running the center of the pitch in a 5-1 thumping of one of South America's best sides. It was exactly the vote of confidence he needed during the playoffs. Of course, it wasn't quite to be for LAFC, who lost to Vancouver in the Western Conference semifinals. But that group, which arguably outplayed the Whitecaps over the course of three games, has mostly stuck together. 

"That's just how it goes sometimes, and I think especially because we are staying together that will help us, that will make us stronger and prepare us for next season," he says.

And they have a new-old head coach, with top assistant Marc Dos Santos promoted to replace the outgoing Cherundolo. If continuity is important in professional sports, then LAFC have nailed it. Dos Santos is a new manager with new ideas that will come into play. 

"I think there's going to be some kind of changes. What I'm hoping for is that we are just playing a little more aggressively, just in general," Tillman explains.

But he certainly has the squad to make some noise in the West on a team that features a global superstar in Son Heung-Min and MLS star Denis Bouanga. Accordingly, the goals are lofty.

"The goal for us as an ambitious team in the league is just to win as many games as possible and compete for trophies and just see how far we can go," he says. 

Tillman joined GOAL Convo, a weekly Q&A with central figures in North American soccer to talk USMNT expectations, Mauricio Pochettino, and LAFC under a new coach...

  • Timmy TillmanGetty

    ON HAVING A NEW COACH

    GOAL: You've got a new coach who's also the old coach, with Marc Dos Santos being promoted from assistant. What are you expecting from him, and how's the vibe around the guys?

    TILLMAN: Yeah, what I think is good about this year is that we don't have too many changes on the roster. That will probably help Marc as a coach, but also us as players, just to work better, have a better environment, have a better knowledge of each other, and just a better understanding on the field. I think there's going to be some kind of changes. What I'm hoping for is that we are just playing a little more aggressively, just in general. And a bit better in possession, I think that's what we can improve on.

    GOAL: It seemed like you guys were very direct towards the end of last year...

    TILLMAN: Exactly, yeah, we have to find better solutions in possession sometimes. And yeah, that's what we have to work on and focus on. And then we'll see what happens.

    GOAL: And to round it off, what are the expectations for this year?

    TILLMAN: Win every single game! No, that's just the goal, and obviously it will be very hard. Yeah, the goal for us as an ambitious team in the league is just to win as many games as possible, compete for trophies, and just see how far we can go.

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  • Timmy Tillman 2025Getty

    ON THE END OF LAST SEASON

    GOAL:  Obviously, it was a tough end to last year for you guys, losing on penalties in the playoffs. How was it recovering from that?

    TILLMAN: It always takes a little bit of time to just realize "Okay, it's over," especially playing playoffs. It's like boom, out of nowhere, the season's over. You're ready to go until December, and then at the end of November, it's over. Out of nowhere. It was a very sad and disappointing end. But that's just how it goes sometimes, and I think especially because we are staying together, that will help us, that will make us stronger and prepare us for next season.

  • Timmy TillmanGetty

    ON GETTING CALLED UP TO THE USMNT

    GOAL: What was it like being back among the U.S. squad after an absence from the team?

    TILLMAN: It was cool. It was a great experience. It honestly came out of nowhere. We were practicing with LAFC at the time when they called. And Steve [Cherundolo], I think, answered the call. And then Steve came up to me during practice, like during training, yeah. He walked up to me, and he was like, hey, Timmy - he was talking to me in German - but like to translate, it was like, "You just got called up for the national team."

    GOAL: How'd it feel?

    TILLMAN: It was a great feeling, a great boost of confidence, especially at that part of the season when we were in the playoffs. Just going to camp, it was super easy to fit in. The team spirit was incredible. It was a lot of fun. 

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  • Tillman PochettinoGetty

    ON MAURICIO POCHETTINO

    GOAL: Had you talked to Pochettino before? 

    TILLMAN: I've been watching games. My brother was there. So I've met him, but I never really spoke to him before. We've said hi and everything. But yeah, we didn't really speak to each other until then. And yeah, at the camp, we spoke to each other. We got to know each other better. 

    GOAL: And how were those conversations, if you don't mind me asking?

    TILLMAN: He's a really nice guy, very humble. I remember one conversation where he told me he knows he's probably not a tactical genius, or anything like that, but he knows people, and he can work with people. And that's what he's doing at the national team right now. I think you could tell by the way we're playing right now, or, like, accepting that we are representing our friends, our families, the whole country, and just fighting and representing that. He put that on the minds of every single player. That's what I really like about him.