- Tom Patey
- 24 May 2021
Tim Weah wins Ligue 1, Josh Sargent relegated
A plethora of American talent played their final games across Europe over the weekend, with some having cause for celebration and others for commiseration.
Sargent was an international youth prodigy, becoming the first American to feature for U-17, U-20 and men's national team camps in the same calendar year.
He won the Silver Boot at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup as he scored four goals and claimed one assist in South Korea.
He scored, with his first touch, on his Werder Bremen debut on December 7, 2018. Sargent headed home from close range as Werder beat Fortuna Dusseldorf 3-1.
In the 2021/22 season, Sargent moved to Norwich in the Premier League for a fee reported to be £9million, but he was unable to prevent them being relegated to the Championship.
Early career
Sargent was born in O'Fallon, Missouri, not far from the soccer mad city of St Louis.
His mother, father and two sisters all played the game, making soccer a natural career choice for the young striker.
Like Tim Ream, he played for the Scott Gallagher Soccer Club in St Louis, taking part in their US Soccer Development Academy training.
In 2015 Sargent joined the U-17 MNT Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida. The Residency Program provides coaching and education for the cream of USA U-17 talent, on the road to potentially becoming full internationals.
During his residency, Sargent starred for the USA U-17's at the 2016 Nike International Friendlies. He scored four goals and made two assists as USA beat Portugal, Turkey and Brazil to take the series.
Stars and Stripes
After shining in the Nike International Friendlies, Sargent was included in the 21-man roster for the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championships in Panama.
Coach John Hackworth's faith in the young forward was repaid as Sargent scored five goals in the tournament, including two versus Mexico in Group C.
Sargent scored in the penalty shootout as USA faced Mexico again in the final, only to lose out this time.
His rapid rise continued as Sargent was named in the squad for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea.
USA team opened their account with a 3-3 draw against Ecuador and Sargent netted twice to become the youngest American player to score at the U-20 World Cup.
Sargent scored again in the round of 16 as the U-20 team demolished New Zealand 6-0. The US fell short in the quarter-finals, losing 2-1 to Venezuela in extra time but Sargent had earned his stripes in a top international tournament.
As a versatile young forward, Sargent then fell back to the U-17 camp for November's FIFA U-17 World Cup in India. Sargent scored three times, including against England in the quarter-finals. However, the young Three Lions team ran out 4-1 winners.
On November 7, 2017, Sargent received his first call-up to the US senior men's team for the friendly with Portugal. He became the first American player to feature for the U-17, U-20 and USMNT camps in a single year.
He was named US Soccer Young Player of the Year in 2017.
His first full cap for USA came in May 2018 when he started up front against Bolivia at PPL Park. He made a scoring debut, taking advantage of a weak clearance from goalkeeper Carlos Lampe, controlling with a feather-light first touch before firing home.
Sargent was not selected for the USA's Gold Cup squads in 2019, and the successful side of 2021, but has featured in their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Joining Werder Bremen
Sargent was hot property in MLS for his first professional contract and Sporting Kansas City acquired his Homegrown rights. However, Sargent was free to explore options overseas and had trials with PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands.
He went on to choose Werder Bremen of the Bundesliga and signed for the Weser Stadium club on his 18th birthday in February 2018.
His Werder Bremen debut couldn't have gone any better as Sargent scored with his first touch versus Fortuna Dusseldorf on December 7, 2018. He pounced with a close-range header just a couple of minutes after coming on as a 76th-minute replacement.
In comparison to his fast rise through the US youth ranks, his time in the Bundesliga has been a patient growth process. He scored four goals in the 2019/20 season with a superb goal against FC Augsburg the pick of the bunch as he showed his special first touch to scoop the ball over Tomas Koubek and slot home.
In the 2020/21 season Sargent grew into a mainstay of a Werder side which lost their battle against relegation from the Bundesliga.
Taking flight with the Canaries
In the summer of 2021, Sargent made a £9million move to Norwich City, but was at first limited to being a substitute under Daniel Farke.
The German coach was relieved of his duties in November, and under new boss Dean Smith the American striker battled his way back into the first team.
He scored just two goals in 26 appearances before an ankle injury curtailed the final few months of the season as Norwich were relegated from the Premier League.
Personal life
Sargent is engaged to Kirsten Lepping, and the couple had thier first child in January 2022. Away from soccer he enjoys playing Call Of Duty:Warzone and learning the piano.
His father Jeff and mother Liane both played soccer in college.
