“Welcome back.”
Justen Glad scored the fourth goal in a 6-0 rout of New Zealand in the Round of 16 in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, his first start since returning from a knee injury that had him sidelined for nearly three months. So when he heard those two simple words from a U.S. U-20 teammate in South Korea, it was the final pivot in the pendulum of emotions that took some dramatic swings over the course of the year.
“You’re not really back until you’re playing,” Glad said. “To be able to know that I’m available to help that team and RSL feels great.”
The 2016 Real Salt Lake Defensive Player of the Year started the year with a series of camps with the U.S. U-20 National Team, then was among the top players in the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championships, helping the U.S. top Mexico for the first time since 1990 and then win the title for the first time in history.
However, in the championship match, a knee injury in the 47th minute prevented him from closing out the match, as RSL teammate Danny Acosta converted the winning penalty in a shootout against Honduras.
He wasn’t able to get a full diagnosis until after he returned from Costa Rica. A rupture in the anterior ligament of the fibular head in his right knee would put him out 8-12 weeks. Upon learning the diagnosis, he started to do the math and quickly realized that his recovery would have him back on the field right around the time that the World Cup started.
And so the rehab process started with a solid goal, but he also knew that overexerting himself could result in a longer recovery if he were to reinjure himself. He followed his schedule diligently and when Tab Ramos included him on the roster for the World Cup, it was with the caveat that he come with the U.S. to train in Japan prior to the start of the tournament and show that he was ready to contribute. While in constant communication with the RSL training staff, those sessions went off without a hitch.
“I was just trying to get back. Even up until the last minute it was up in the air,” Glad said. “Fortunately, I was ready and I ended up getting my shot.”
Although he was held out of the opening match against Ecuador, he made a cameo appearance against Senegal, then played a half against Saudi Arabia, setting him up to start in the knockout round. He wasn’t just in the XI though. He played out of position and excelled at right back.
“I had some butterflies for sure. You want to show well in the World Cup,” he said. “I was just grateful to be on the field and grateful that he had the faith in me to play out of position in a time when we needed that.”
Now back with Real Salt Lake after playing a total of 261 minutes in the World Cup, he is ready to stake his claim as the club’s top defender. With an important stretch of matches upcoming as RSL looks to get back on track, it couldn’t come at a better time.
Welcome back, indeed.
