The Interview: Kellyn Acosta
The LAFC Midfielder Is Set to Replace Injured Weston McKennie in the USMNT's Huge World Cup Qualifiers This Month
How versatile is LAFC’s Kellyn Acosta? After replacing Tyler Adams at the No. 6 in the last USMNT World Cup qualifier, he’s set to fill in for the injured Weston McKennie at the No. 8 in this month’s huge World Cup qualifiers against Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica. You’d better be good if you’re going to be the first choice to replace two of the U.S.’s best players when they’re out, and Acosta has been Mr. Reliable for the USMNT in the last two years.
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Grant Wahl:
Our guest now is a rock-solid midfielder for LAFC and the U.S. men's national team. Kellyn Acosta just started his 10th MLS season. He made 21 appearances for the national team in 2021, becoming the first U.S. men's national team player to earn that many caps in a calendar year since 1994. Kellyn, it's great to see you. Thanks for coming on the show.
Kellyn Acosta:
Yeah, thanks for having me.
Grant Wahl:
I know you just got out of the training room in Los Angeles. How are you? I know you looked a little uncomfortable at the end of the last game.
Kellyn Acosta:
Yeah, no, I'm good. Back in first training of the week. I'm feeling good and ready for the weekend.
Grant Wahl:
Nice, good to hear. There's plenty to talk about obviously with LAFC, which we'll get to very soon here, but let's start with the national team. Huge World Cup qualifiers coming up: Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica. What stands out to you as the most important things for you to be thinking about as a player heading into these games?
Kellyn Acosta:
Yeah, it's the first game. You can't really worry about the second and third if you can't get the first game out the way. So yeah, I mean, we turn our focus on Thursday versus Mexico. Mexico's a tough opponent, a team that we're familiar with, a team that needs points just as we do. It's going to be a battle, but it's something that we're definitely up for, but yeah, it's going to be a big task ahead, but I think with the quality of players that we have and the talent that we have we're going to go out there and get the result that we need.
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Grant Wahl:
Weston McKennie is out of these games with a broken metatarsal situation. That means a lot of people think you might play a big role filling in. You came in for Tyler Adams in the last game had a really good game. How different would it be if you filled in for McKennie’s role, which isn't the same exactly as Tyler Adams’ role.
Kellyn Acosta:
Yeah. I mean it's definitely a position that I'm familiar with. I play as an eight here at LAFC, and getting the repetitions here definitely will help me transition if I were to play there with the national team. I've also played there under Gregg [Berhalter, the U.S. coach] as well. So I know what he asks of his eights. I mean obviously Weston is a great player and an important piece for our team. So missing him is obviously going to be a challenge, but for us it's next guy up, and for me I'm going to be playing there and giving my best foot forward and bringing my attributes and helping the team in any which way possible.
Grant Wahl:
You saw Weston McKennie in person at the game in LA the other night. What did you two talk about?
“My dad, he was born in Japan. Japanese was his first language. So when he was 12, he moved to the U.S. He actually doesn't speak any Japanese anymore. So unfortunately for me I didn't really learn too much Japanese, but my grandma is 100% Japanese. I actually haven't met my dad's real dad, but my dad's stepdad, his adopted dad, is actually Mexican, and so that's where you get the name Acosta, which is a Mexican last name. So I come from a very diverse background in a sense, but that's what I'm made up of, and I've been embracing it, and it's been great.” — Kellyn Acosta
Kellyn Acosta:
I was just asking him how he is doing, just mentally. I think this is the first major injury for him, and obviously at a point of his career where he's playing really well. So I know it's kind of disappointing for him, especially this big stretch of games where he's going to have to be sidelined for it. So I just kind of asked him how he's doing, how he's holding up, enjoying his time in LA, seeing him out there. So I'm glad he got some time away, just reset for him, but it was obviously great to see him. He's a big personality, great dude, but yeah, I wish him well in his recovery and hopefully recovers quickly. We're going to need him.
Grant Wahl:
As I mentioned earlier, you made a huge difference in the last U.S. game, especially with your set-piece delivery among other things. Three set piece goals, the first ones for the U.S. in the 11 games of the tournament so far. When you take a set-piece delivery, what exactly are you looking to do with it?
Kellyn Acosta:
I mean for me, it’s just put it in a spot where the big boys are able to challenge for it and let them do the rest. And we have guys that are strong in the air, the Westons, the Walker [Zimmerman]s, Miles [Robinson], you name it. I mean there's several guys that have scored a lot of goals with their heads. So if you put them in dangerous positions, guys with that quality are able to make a play on it, and you saw in the past game we were able to capitalize and score some goals.
Grant Wahl:
Was there a sense at all of finally, because set pieces have always been a huge U.S. advantage. You won the Gold Cup final against Mexico on a late set-piece goal, and then you went 10 games in qualifying without getting a set-piece goal. Was there in any sense the team wondering why haven't we scored on a set piece?
Kellyn Acosta:
Yeah. In a way, I think it's definitely a factor in the game that you’ve got to be mindful and paying attention to. I think set pieces are definitely crucial, and especially in these high stakes games. I mean, these games are moments of details, and if you execute right you’re able to make a difference in the game. And for us I think what we struggle most with is obviously the lack of service in terms of the quality of it, and it wasn’t great for guys to make plays on it. So when we can put guys in good spots and the ball and good spots, you can see what can happen. And that's what we've shown previously in the finals that we played in, put the ball in a dangerous area and guys will make plays. And so we were definitely rewarded in this past game, and able to have some set pieces in these upcoming games and hopefully we can make the most of it and execute positively and score some more goals.
Grant Wahl:
I thought it was interesting that you mentioned everything in your mind right now is about this first game in the qualifying window against Mexico, which leads to my next question. Everyone is putting a lot of importance it seems on the second game in this window, the home game against Panama. If you win that game, Panama cannot catch the U.S. But that also has some folks asking the question, well, there's a short turnaround after the Mexico game, should the U.S. perhaps not put its very best lineup on the field in Mexico for Game 1 and save it for Panama? What do you think? Are we overthinking all of this?
Kellyn Acosta:
I think for us each game is a final, and we treat it accordingly and let the chips fall where they may. I think with our roster and our group of guys, anyone can play in any which game and we'll have a team out there ready to perform and execute. Like I mentioned, I mean the first game is always the most important. Everyone's always thinking about the second game, but the very first game is the game that you’ve got to come prepared and come ready for battle, because Mexico's not going to just fall down and tremble easily. And the first game is obviously very crucial, very important. Then after the first game, we turn our sights onto the second game and then from the second game then you turn your sights to the third game. Each game plays a pivotal role to where we want to go. And so we plan accordingly and look and treat each game like a final.
Grant Wahl:
Obviously, you played a ton of games for the national team last year. You've become a really important part of the team again, it seems like. But there was a timeframe for a while where some of us were wondering how much you were going to be used by the national team. I think it's accurate to say that you revived your national team career. How did you go about doing that?
Kellyn Acosta:
Yeah, just kind of buckling down and changing my focus. I think it was kind of a pivotal moment for me because it was kind of like a reset. Sometimes you ride the highs for so long, you kind of forget the little details that go along with it. So when I wasn't getting called in for, I don't know, a couple years, it was just one of those things where I'm like, okay, obviously I'm not there for a reason. What can I do to change my game, help put myself in the best form to give me a chance to have another opportunity in front of Gregg and the coaching staff to be out there?
And for me, I mean, those dark times actually helped me tremendously as a person, as a player, and I learned a lot about myself, and I was able to kind of change every aspect, whether it was my diet, getting more sleep, watching more video, watching more football all around, and I kind of had that necessary reset that kind of put me into position where I am today. And it's definitely been truly helpful, as weird as it is. But sometimes obstacles help you grow, and that growth was definitely needed for me. And it's weird to say it was almost like a big thank you to the staff for doing that for me, because it kind of put me in the position that I am today.
Grant Wahl:
That's really cool, thanks for sharing. In terms of LAFC, it wasn't that long ago that you got traded to LAFC from Colorado. You’re two games into the new season, LAFC has four points. What have been the biggest adjustments for you coming into a new team?
Kellyn Acosta:
Just getting acclimated to the players around me and people's tendencies. I think it's always difficult because you're like, okay, you're playing with good players, you should automatically be able to play well. But sometimes just forming relationships on the field and off the field is two different things. Obviously, I mean the guys are a great group of guys, but just knowing what players like what, where do they want the ball, when they want it, times to come to, times to go away. Kind of all those little details and aspects, I mean you start to grow as you play more and train more. As you can see, I think as a team we're getting better and better as the days go on, we know we're definitely not at where we want to be, but I feel like we're in the step in the right direction, four points so far.
Another big game on the weekend, so it's just an opportunity for us to just keep growing as a team. And every training session is an opportunity for us to get better, and I think we're utilizing that time to do so. The guys have been brilliant. The coaching staff have been great. So just adjusting to the different tactics and different systems and different players. I mean, it's the hardest part, but I feel like I'm adapting and investing pretty quickly. Obviously I want to adapt overnight, but sometimes that's not the case, but for me just trying to better myself and better the team in any which way possible.
Grant Wahl:
What have you learned so far about Steve Cherundolo as a coach and what he's looking for?
Kellyn Acosta:
He's a guy that kind of just lets me play freely, and he gives me little pointers here about adjusting my position, adjusting my height, shows me a lot of videos. So he's trying to get me comfortable and bring the best out of me, and I think he's done a great job. I had the pleasure of working with him with the national team. He was like an assistant when we went to England and Italy, a guy that I was somewhat familiar with before, and just kind of hearing about him and before I came in, I mean it was just awesome. Kind of just being with a guy that's played at the highest level and knows what it takes to play at the highest level and be a great player.
So just learning under him has been tremendous. I mean obviously he's a great dude, but the coaching has been great, has been tremendous, and he’s one of those guys where you don't get fooled because he can bring some toughness out of him as well, and I think that's definitely needed as a coach. But he's definitely a player's coach, and yeah, it's been so good so far. I'm hoping that things can continue staying positive. Hopefully he doesn't yell at us too much down the road, but sometimes it's needed.
Grant Wahl:
I really enjoyed the recent podcast you did with former U.S. player Eddie Johnson. And on that podcast you thanked him for his influence on you and your playing career. How would you describe that influence that he had on you?
Kellyn Acosta:
I think it was surprising for him, because he had no idea. I mean, I was just a young kid going to Dallas Burn games. My dad used to take me, and it was different because he was 17 years old, 18 years old, I forget how old he was at the time. And he was a guy that kind of looked like me playing at a high level, being in a position where I only dreamed of. And so just kind of watching him and seeing his mannerisms, seeing how he was confident, seeing how despite his age he was going out there and giving his all, scoring goals, being a force. I mean, he was definitely inspiring to me, and I kind of just want to utilize that aspect and that manner for myself, because I feel like there's players that are probably looking up at me, like oh, they want to be Kellyn Acosta.
So keeping that in mind and Eddie especially what he does with the youth is tremendous. And so I kind of try to implement that into my everyday life, which is to help inspire the next generation and help grow the sport, because I'm hoping that there can be future Kellyn Acostas out there, or players that are definitely going to even be better than me. So just help grow the sport, help grow the national team, help grow the league, and help form a better future for the whole community around us.
Grant Wahl:
I remember covering Eddie Johnson in 2005 when he was with Dallas and you're right. He was sort of an anomaly or something fairly new, and there weren't that many Black players in the league at that point. And I'm wondering what you think about today with the national team. There's a lot more Black players on the national team than there used to be. Is that something that you’ve noticed, that you talk about with other players?
Kellyn Acosta:
We kind of just joke around about it, but I mean it's not really a main focus for all of us. Obviously it's kind of inspiring to see, but it just shows the quality and how diverse our team is, not just African Americans, but Mexican Americans, German Americans, I mean, you name it, we got it. I mean, it's a diverse team, that's kind of just like our anchors, BDR, which is, diverse is one of them how we come together, culturally evolved, different communities, and we come together and we're able to form our team and build this relationship and bring our different qualities into the team. So I mean, it's not a surprise there, but it's just great to see how diverse our team is as a whole and how we can come together and play the beautiful game and get the results. And I think that's the most important thing.
Grant Wahl:
I was telling you before we started recording that you and I have done interviews after games before, but never a one-on-one interview until now, and I'm glad we're getting the chance to rectify that.
Kellyn Acosta:
Better late than never [laughs].
Grant Wahl:
Exactly. I was reading a little bit about your background and had read that you have some Japanese heritage as well. Is that accurate?
Kellyn Acosta:
Yes, that's accurate.
Grant Wahl:
Is that from parents? Grandparents?
Kellyn Acosta:
My dad, he was born in Japan and lived in Japan until he was, I don't know, 10 or 12. Japanese was his first language. So when he was 12, he moved to the U.S., he actually doesn't speak any Japanese anymore. So he is full-on American. So unfortunately for me I didn't really learn too much Japanese, but yeah, my grandma is 100% Japanese. I actually haven't met my dad's real dad, but my dad's stepdad, his adopted dad, is actually Mexican, and so that's where you get the name Acosta from, which is a Mexican last name. So I come from a very diverse background in a sense, but yeah, I mean, that's what I'm made up of, and I've been embracing it, and it's been great.
Grant Wahl:
That's really cool. I actually was just over in Venice and did an interview with Gianluca Busio there, and his dad is Italian, and yet he was saying he didn't learn much Italian in his family growing up because his dad spoke only English growing up. He's wishing he'd actually learned some Italian now that he's over there. Do you have much connection to the Japanese side culturally over the years?
Kellyn Acosta:
No, I mean in terms of just of the food, that's about it. I mean, other than that not too much, I'm full blown American. I grew up in the Dallas area. I mean, as close to Japan I get is going to like my grandma's house and eating the food and watching Japanese news. But I mean, I'm hoping in the coming years, there's a big Japanese population here in LA. I'm hoping that I could meet some more people out here and kind of tap in more so into my Japanese heritage inside. So maybe in the near future.
Grant Wahl:
Kellyn Acosta is a midfielder for the U.S. men's national team and LAFC. Kellyn, good luck in all of the games coming up. Thanks for coming on the show.
Kellyn Acosta:
Awesome, yeah. Thanks for having me.
