ASN: After a transformative month, Lund wanting to make strides with Palermo & the USMNT

Kristoffer Lund has had a giant yr and a giant summer time. After serving to BK Häcken to an Allvenskan title, Lund earned a switch to a CFG-backed Palermo group and switched his nationwide group affiliation from Denmark to america. After making his USMNT debut, ASN’s Brian Sciaretta spoke with Lund from Sicily.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
September 21, 2023
9:30 AM

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WHEN THE UNITED STATES nationwide group assembled in St. Louis earlier this month to kickoff the September window, it was a return to familiarity. Gregg Berhalter was again in cost, and of the 26 gamers who he referred to as up, 25 of them had both been referred to as up earlier than or have spent significant time with U.S youth nationwide groups.

For Kristoffer Lund, nevertheless, it marked the beginning of a brand new journey. Till that time, Lund had been taking part in as a left again for Denmark’s youth nationwide groups. However as a U.S. twin nationwide, he lately opted to make the most of his one-time change to play for america following discussions with Berhalter.

Upon his arrival in St. Louis, every part was new to him. He had watched the U.S. group on tv however had by no means met any of the gamers. He was unsure how they might react to a newcomer or how he would match right into a group whose core had now been collectively for years.

“Sometimes when you jump into new stuff, it’s pretty scary, but I also think that doing new stuff and getting out of your comfort zone helps you develop,” Lund advised American Soccer Now from Italy. “I was afraid going there would be very difficult to be part of the group because ‘oh here’s a new guy and maybe we have to fight against him for positional stuff, yadda, yadda.’ But the team and everyone was very nice and took very good care of me.”

“I enjoyed every second I was there,” he added.

#USMNT followers, meet Kristoffer Lund ???? pic.twitter.com/9Xf5bN3oEN

— U.S. Males’s Nationwide Soccer Staff (@USMNT) September 4, 2023

Particularly, one participant he linked with was Antonee Robinson, who has been with the group since 2018 and can be a twin nationwide raised overseas. For now, Lund is pushing for the backup left again place behind Robinson, however even with the potential competitors, the 2 acquired alongside effectively.

“I met him, and he was very nice,” Lund mentioned of Robinson. “He’s played a lot for the national team, and he also was in the starting eleven at the World Cup where they did so great last winter. I also have followed him at the club level where he is in the Premier League every day. I have great respect for him. Even though we fight for the same position, he was very open and congratulated me a lot when I got on for my debut and when I started my first game.”

Like for many twin nationals in his scenario, the choice to make a everlasting change of affiliation is a crucial second. Lund had performed for 5 Danish youth nationwide groups from the U-17 by way of the U-21 ranges and was snug there. However following his conversations with Berhalter, he was struck by the chance the U.S. provided him.

“For me, it was all about the end result,” Lund defined. “My ambition as a player and as an individual is to get as good as possible and achieve as many great things as possible. I saw that as an opportunity for doing that for the US… But then [Gregg] talked with me, and he told me what he thought about me. For me, it sounded very promising.”

It additionally helps that Lund is shut with the American aspect of his household. He was born in Kerteminde, Denmark on the island of Funen. His father, Klaus, is Danish however his mom, Kirstin, is an American marine biologist and U.C. Santa Cruz alum who moved to Denmark from her native Colorado.

Lund, 21, spent a whole lot of time together with his mom rising up. When he was a lot youthful and she or he was working at a zoo, he would usually accompany her and “do as much work as she would let me.” And Kristin would additionally converse English with him.

Yearly rising up, they might journey as a household to america. He nonetheless speaks often together with his stateside family members which incorporates his grandfather in Colorado, his grandmother in Gig Harbor, Washington, and his aunt in Alabama.

“Growing up, my connection with America was great,” Lund mentioned. “My family flew to the states every year. If we didn’t go to the states, the family came to us in Denmark. My mom has spoken English to me and my siblings and my dad for as long as I can remember. Family-wise and nationality-wise, I’ve always been very close to America.”

However now with the change, Lund’s ties to america at the moment are linked on the sector to his skilled profession.

His first camp turned out to be greater than easy introductions. His debut got here within the remaining 10 minutes of the 3-0 win over Uzbekistan the place he was on the sector for the ultimate two objectives and was complemented afterward by Berhalter to the media. Within the second recreation towards Oman, Lund began and performed the total 90 in a commanding 4-0 win.

Previous to camp, Berhalter acknowledged that U.S Soccer had been monitoring Lund for a while. However in 2022 and 2023, Lund made big strides the place he was a starter for Sweden’s BK Häcken and performed a giant position within the membership’s first ever Allvenskan championship. That paved the best way for a switch to Palermo in August and a call-up from Berhalter.

“With Kristoffer, he is a guy who has been on our radar for the last two years,” Berhalter mentioned. “We’ve been watching him play for his club. Unfortunately, before the last World Cup, I just didn’t think he was ready. Since then, he’s gone on to win the Swedish league. He’s got a transfer to Palermo in Serie B with an emerging talent club – a Man City owned club. We think that he could potentially fill the void that we had at the left back position in terms of our depth. It’s something that we’ve struggled with for a while.”

? Mikkel Rygaard with a objective.

– Him and Kristoffer Lund are near profitable the Swedish championship with BK Häcken.#DanskerDong #Allsvenskanpic.twitter.com/GyEameBtja

— Danish Scout (@DanishScout_) October 15, 2022

With Palermo FC, Lund can be a newcomer on a really formidable membership which was acquired by Metropolis Soccer Group in 2022. As lately as 2019, Palermo was primarily compelled to restart in Serie D attributable to insurance coverage points. However after two fast promotions to Serie B and now underneath the umbrella of one of many sport’s most profitable and highly effective possession teams, there’s optimism that Palermo’s finest days are forward.

With CFG’s backing, Palermo has been upgrading their group and buying Lund was a part of that. He accomplished his switch to Palermo on the finish of the window and he’s now a part of what he hopes, and lots of imagine, will probably be a robust promotional marketing campaign. By 4 video games, Palermo has 10 factors.

When Lund was the topic of switch curiosity this summer time, Palermo checked a whole lot of containers for him – particularly, it was all the time a objective of his to play in Italy. He has that chance now and he appears ahead to the strain and expectations of serving to Palermo not simply return to Serie A but in addition to thrive there.

“I knew that Palermo was a very big club, but also a very big city, and I knew that they had big ambitions on playing in the best league in Italy,” Lund mentioned. “I like a club with ambitions. At the same time, I felt that the squad was looking very good and City Football Group was doing everything they could to help the team and the players to perform as well as possible. I only saw that as a good and positive opportunity for me to evolve and develop as a player. At the same time, going to Italy for me has always been a target point regarding getting better as a football player.”

“I feel like we’re very strong and we’re also a group with a lot of new players, me included,” he added. “As you can see, we’re winning games. I know that from winning the league last year with my Swedish team that had never won it before, that the start of the season is very important. Regarding pressure, I don’t really feel it. Of course, as time goes on, the pressure increases, but I think everyone in the team knows this and I look forward to it.”

Each strikes have definitely opened the door for him when it comes to alternatives shifting ahead and he now appears ahead to seeing what’s subsequent.

“It has been a bit difficult with all the change and the new staff and new teammates but at the same time, it has also been an honor and it’s been a very big moment for me – moving to Italy and at the same time playing for the U.S,” Lund mentioned with a smile. “It’s been tough but at the same time very enjoyable.”