HANOVER, N.J. – DaMarcus Beasley isn't thinking about playing in a fifth World Cup with the US national team just yet. For now, the Houston Dynamo's veteran left back is simply focused on getting the Yanks into next year's tournament in Russia.
Still, the 35-year-old Beasley is in solid MLS form and shows no signs of slowing down going into a pair of crucial Hexagonal qualifying matches against Costa Rica on Sept. 1 and at Honduras four days later.
“I haven’t given it much thought, being the fifth or whatever," Beasley told reporters on Monday following a training session. "I take every camp as it is, another opportunity to get three points and qualify for the World Cup. I’m not really thinking about personal accolades right at the moment; it’s really in the back of my head, to be honest.
“I’m just enjoying every moment because as you get older, you never know how many opportunities you are going to get from these kind of camps and this level. I’m just enjoying every time I get in, try to work as hard as I can and help the team anyway I can.”
Currently on 125 international appearances, Beasley’s first call-up to the national team was in 2001 – during Bruce Arena's first tenure as coach.
“He brings experience and the fact that he’s got that body type has allowed him to play this long. It’s not like he has to worry about putting on too much weight or those type of things,” Arena said. “I think he has the right body to play for many years. He’s experienced, clearly.
"Towards the end of his career, he’s moved to the back line, which certainly helped him.”
Beasley acknowledges that as he gets older, the preparation and maintenance of his body has gotten to be more important. He sought out the advice of veteran players on how to take care of himself physically.
“When you’re young, you don’t do that much before training; you just get out there and play," he said. "You’re 18, 19, you don’t really think about anything. You just go out there and kick the ball around. You don’t really need to stretch. You don’t need to warm up. Your bones and muscles are pretty limber; that part is different.”
Beasley does have one thing besides the qualifiers on his mind right now, though.
Over the course of the weekend, Hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc on the Houston area. Beasley lives in the suburb of Pearland – and while his house is at a sufficient elevation to avoid flooding, he still is following the events and hearing from teammates about the devastation.
“I left on Friday. Obviously the game got cancelled this weekend with Kansas City, I was able to get out early,” Beasley said. “I’ve been here ever since.”
