It was a rough year for several veteran American players around the world, but proved to be a breakout campaign for a number of promising youngsters
It was a bittersweet year for American soccer players plying their trade in leagues outside of the United States. Along with managing the hangover left by missing out on the World Cup, it was a year that saw several veterans endure rough campaigns, while some talented youngsters took big steps forward in their careers.
Geoff Cameron endured a nightmare season at Stoke City, with the Potters being relegated in a campaign that saw him lose his long-standing hold as a regular starter. Omar Gonzalez also endured a roller-coaster year that saw him go from playing in the Club World Cup in December to not even dressing for Pachuca for much of the Clausura season.
Bobby Wood has also had a season to forget, with his Hamburg side on the verge of relegation from the Bundesliga. John Brooks and Fabian Johnson weren't a part of the national team last October, but they were members of last year's Americans Abroad Best XI. Both have endured injury-riddled club seasons in Germany.
Ethan Horvath was another American who has struggled to get playing time in 2018, stuck on the bench at Club Brugge since losing his role as a starter last October. But who did make Goal's Americans Abroad Best XI?
Guillermo AriasWilliam Yarbrough | Club Leon
A repeat selection, William Yarbrough had a strong year with Club Leon, but he is also the only American goalkeeper to spend the past year as a regular starter abroad. Ethan Horvath's benching at Brugge eliminated Yarbrough's toughest competition for this spot, with Bill Hamid's move to FC Midtjylland yielding just three appearances to date.
Yarbrough was consistent in net for Club Leon, helping the team reach the Apertura play-offs. The Clausura campaign was an overall disappointment, with Leon finishing in 13th place. Landon Donovan's surprising arrival grabbed the attention, but it was Yarbrough who finished the season as one of his team's better players.
AdvertisementTim Ream | Fulham
Tim Ream is in the final stages of what has been a standout season at Fulham, which he has helped guide to the brink of promotion to the Premier League. The Cottagers fell just short of automatic promotion, and now face a promotion play-off clash with Derby County.
The 30-year-old has been instrumental in Fulham's success, serving as his team's most dependable defender. Ream's next match will help him set a new personal record for games played in a season.
Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty ImagesMatt Miazga | Vitesse Arnhem
Miazga is another repeat Best XI selection, delivering a second strong season on loan with Dutch club Vitesse. The 22-year-old center-back set a new personal best for matches in a season, and he has developed into a threat on set pieces as well, scoring three goals this season. Miazga's confidence on the ball grew as well, as he posted nearly twice as many completed passes this season as last season, converting at an 84 per cent rate.
A much more well-rounded player than he was when he first left the New York Red Bulls, Miazga will be expected to rejoin Chelsea and contend for a place on the Blues squad next season.
Stephen PondCameron Carter-Vickers | Ipswich Town
It isn't often that a player as young as Cameron Carter-Vickers becomes a starter for two different teams in the same season, but he successfully made the transition from his loan stint with Sheffield United to his loan with Ipswich Town. His play improved in the second half of the season, and he finished strong despite logging more minutes than ever before.
The 20-year-old central defender played a combined 34 matches, settling in as the right center-back in a three-man system. That experience should help him make a case for a role with Tottenham next season.