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Jermaine Jones knows his time is coming to a close. At 34-years-old and with nearly 350 games under his belt, Jones only has so many chances left to shine under the brightest of lights before his international career comes to a close.
That fact was in the back of Jones’ mind on Tuesday night against Costa Rica in what turned out to be one his most impressive and commanding performances in a U.S. Men’s National Team uniform.
With both his and his team’s back against the wall following a loss to Colombia, Jones unleashed a Man of the Match performance in a 4-0 win over Costa Rica. The veteran midfielder provided the USMNT’s second goal, but it was perhaps his pure desire to cover obscene amounts of ground that made Jones so valuable. On Tuesday night, Jones simply turned back the clock while helping the U.S. find new life in the Copa America.
“Before the season with my club, I said that I understand that it goes year by year, so I’ll say that I try to enjoy very game I play, both for my club and my country,” Jones said following Tuesday’s win. “Today I knew that a big tournament could be over, if we lose that game, so I tried to do my best for the team. My quality, to get that freedom to go forward, to go back. Today was a completely different one than what we had with Colombia, so I went out there and tried to enjoy it.
“Today, you know if you lose that game, you’re out. It’s a big tournament, and when it’s played in your country, you’d have to watch the whole tournament on TV. That’s something we didn’t want, especially me. That’s why me and the team came out with that performance.”
What made Jones’ efforts more remarkable is the performance that preceded it.
Against Colombia, Jones was about as ineffective as you would expect a 34-year-old midfielder to be against the world’s third-ranked team. Tasked with helping control Juan Cuadrado, Jones played an atypical game. He rarely registered one of his trademark marauding runs forward and was unable to make that one big defensive play that always seems to get his game going.
On Tuesday, it was just the opposite. Jones’ goal provided the best glimpse into the match he played. After bustling into challenges with two Costa Rica attackers, Jones bursted down the left sideline before finding the ball at his feet. After sprinting at least 75 total yards in just a matter of seconds, Jones showed no signs of exhaustion in firing a pinpoint effort to the far post.
It proved a game-changing effort from a player that has made a habit of changing games when it really matters. From his 2014 World Cup goal against Portugal to the Snow Clasico to his recent exploits with the Colorado Rapids, Tuesday’s efforts proved to be just another highlight in Jones’ illustrious career.
“The goals came and the goals are a confidence builder and some players really stepped it up. Jermaine was one of them today, putting his stamp on this game,” said head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. “He kind of gave the message with Michael (Bradley) in the midfield that this is our game. This is our three points.
“We want to put ourselves in the driving seat for the last game against Paraguay, and that’s what these guys did in the middle of the park, so they have every right to enjoy that moment.”
Jones was the first to admit that he cherishes every moment he gets the opportunity to put on a USMNT jersey. Tuesday was his 65th appearance for the U.S., and with the 2018 World Cup looming, the veteran midfielder is unsure how many he has left.
Performances like Tuesday’s will keep Jones in the fold for a long, long time. With a combination of athleticism, technicality, hustle and veteran guile, Jones showed once again that he is a player that is crucial to the USMNT’s efforts in the here and now.
“We showed today that we can beat the good teams, and that there’s no reason to be scared about somebody,” Jones said. “We know that Colombia is a real good team, so they can lose against (Costa Rica). It’s a normal game. Costa Rica, we all respect Costa Rica, and we know, with the quality that we have, we can beat both of them.”
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