Duty calls: Charlotte FC players represent their countries 

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Idan Toklomati is one of four Charlotte FC players participating in international matches with their national teams. Toklomati is playing for Israel.

The MLS season ended earlier than anyone with Charlotte FC wanted, but the competition goes on for four Crown players representing their countries. 

Tim Ream (USA), Idan Toklomati (Israel), and Bill Tuiloma (New Zealand) are all on national team duty for their senior teams. Nimfasha Berchimas is with the U.S. U-17 national team.

Ream continues to be a first-choice selection for Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. side. He started and played the entire match wearing the captain’s armband in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Paraguay in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and is likely to get the call again against Uruguay in Tampa Tuesday. 

“When I think of Tim, I think of poise, I think leadership, I think of control in every aspect,” Cristian Roldan said in October of Ream, his 2022 FIFA World Cup teammate. “He brings a different aura to the team, and he creates a really good environment, a really welcoming environment for a lot of guys, and that’s the type of leader that we need.”

That doesn’t mean the 38-year-old defender will give any quarter to anyone wanting to take his place on the American World Cup squad next summer.

Talking on SiriusXM FC’s Counter Attack show last week, when asked about being a mentor to the younger players working to make their first World Cup team, Ream, who has 79 caps, said, “I think it’s twofold. I think you still have to beat them out for the job. You still have to do everything you can to keep the shirt and keep the jersey, and keep your place in the team. And for me, that's motivation and driver number one.

“But at the same time, I love helping the younger players and giving them every bit of info that they want, everything that I’ve learned over many, many years playing at different levels. I want to see them succeed as much as they want to succeed. And so, I'll do whatever I can to help them along, whether that's guys who play the same position or guys who play different positions.

“When we're in between the lines, I'm going to do everything I can to beat you to that spot. But I definitely want to help these guys develop even further and become even better people and players, because at the end of the day, I'm not going to play forever.”

As for the level of the U.S. team in this window, Ream noted, “We’re constantly trying to build towards the World Cup, and creating a good feeling within the team, and continuing to push that forward, obviously working on the ideas that Mauricio wants us to implement in in game. But at the end of the day, it boils down to who wants it more, and we have to continually show that in every single training session, and take that into every single game.” 

“We're pushing the intensity, pushing the envelope in training. And it's been getting a little bit spicy in some of the sessions, which is a good thing. It shows that guys are wanting to be here. They want to impress. They want to put their name in the hat to be a part of the group that goes to the World Cup.” 

As for himself, and dealing with the different formations and tactics that club and national team coaches bring to each situation, Ream said, “My career has been all about adaptation.“

“I think that's one of the biggest keys for players now, is be able to adapt, be able to play in different systems, to play different positions, because coaches come and go, and they have their own ideas, and you have to be able to take those ideas on board and implement those if you want to stay relevant and stay within a team.”

T time

Toklomati played in both of Israel’s FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, coming off the bench in both. He entered the 78th minute of a 0-0 draw with Lithuania and the 84th minute during a 4-1 win against Moldova. Both times, he came in for Dor Turgeman of the New England Revolution. 

Israel finished third in their group (4-4-0) behind Norway (8-0-0) and Italy (6-2-0) and is out of contention. Norway is in, and Italy moves into the playoff round for the 2026 World Cup.

Tuiloma lined up at right fullback and played 65 minutes in a 2-1 friendly loss to Colombia, his 44th cap for New Zealand’s senior team. The match was played in Fort Lauderdale at Chase Stadium, home of Inter Miami. They play again against Ecuador on Tuesday at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. 

Another youth World Cup for Berchimas

Berchimas had been competing with the U.S. at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Doha, Qatar. He started and played 84 minutes in as the Americans defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 in their first match on Nov. 5. 

In their second group game against Tajikistan on Nov. 8, his headed goal off a corner kick in the 30th minute equalized for the Americans in a 2-1 win. Berchimas was also responsible for the winning goal, which came on a penalty kick after he was fouled on a run into the box. Cavan Sullivan converted the kick. With his goal, Berchimas became the only U.S. player ever to score in two different FIFA U-17 World Cups, having scored three goals during the 2023 edition in Indonesia.

He came on as a 76th minute sub in the third match, a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic on Nov. 11.

The tournament ended abruptly for U.S. as they fell to Morocco in the Round of 32 last Friday on a penalty kick tiebreaker after a 1-1 draw. Berchimas started and played 74 minutes.

Berchimas has made three appearances off the bench for Charlotte FC, all in 2024, and 42 (28 starts) for Crown Legacy over three seasons, where he has scored 10 goals and had 2 assists.

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