United States defensive midfielder James Sands is hoping a mid-season switch to Bundesliga side St. Pauli can help him earn a ticket to the World Cup next year.
The 24-year-old Sands, who joined St. Pauli on loan from New York City FC in January, has made six league appearances for his new team, and has played the full 90 minutes in his last three games, suggesting he has already become a key player for coach Alexander Blessin.
St. Pauli was promoted as second division champion last season, so Bundesliga survival is the goal for this campaign. Sands was one of four players to reinforce the squad over the winter, and his four starts for the club so far have yielded two wins and a draw.
“I think that speaks a lot to how quickly my teammates and the coaches here have helped me get on board with things,” Sands told journalists in an online call this week. “It’s a very good group here. We’re really building in the right direction.”
New York City FC’s first academy pro, Sands has already made 13 appearances for the U.S., helping the team win the 2021 Gold Cup after making his debut in the opening game against Haiti. He started every game of the tournament thereafter.
But Sands hasn’t made a national team appearance since the Gold Cup semifinal loss to Panama in July 2023, and he’s keen to get involved again.
“Being a part of the World Cup team next year would be an amazing achievement,” he said, noting “whether you get selected or not for the team is really out of your control. The only thing I can control is how I perform on a day-to-day basis with my club. And I think being consistent and putting in strong performances will hopefully get my name back in the mix.”
Sands faces strong competition to win a place in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.
“There are a lot of talented players and a lot of them are playing in Europe. So I knew to have a realistic chance at the team, I would have to be competing at a very high level in Europe,” he said.
Sands can also play in central defense, as he did when he helped New York City FC win the MLS Cup in 2021.
He joined Scottish club Rangers on loan for a year in January 2023 and is confident the experience there will help in Germany. Though he stressed the playing style is different, with Rangers usually dominating possession while St. Pauli will look to hit on counterattacks.
“I think being exposed to that many different styles and rhythms in the game only makes you a better player,” Sands said.
St. Pauli, which is 14th in the 18-team division, next hosts Freiburg on Saturday.
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