The USMNT star has evolved into a legitimate difference-maker with PSV and is poised for a bigger role with the national team
Malik Tillman believes last season was his breakout. It's hard to say otherwise. While on loan at PSV, he scored nine goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions, establishing himself as one of the brightest young talents in the Eredivisie, a league known for, well, young talents.
If the 2023-24 season was his breakout, though, what should the world make of his 2024-25 campaign? The 22-year-old midfielder looks poised for a another giant leap, at least given what we've seen of him so far.
Through the first 10 matches, Tillman already has five goals and an assist, having established himself as a creative force with the Netherlands' best team. The U.S. men's national team star has evolved into a legitimate difference-maker with PSV and, as a result, looks poised for a bigger role with the USMNT going forward.
Tillman doesn't talk about all of that stuff often. He's, admittedly, rather shy. However, he opened up on what has been a wild year or so, one that included a move from the club of his dreams to the club that was best positioned to help him rise. GOAL sat down with Tillman to discuss the move to PSV, what really happened with Bayern Munich, the USMNT and some career-defining moments.
Getty ImagesON HIS RISE
GOAL: A lot changed for you in the last year or so: the permanent move to PSV, some big moments in the Champions League, starting to break through more with the USMNT. What has it all been like?
Tillman: The move to PSV has been a great move for me. Last season, we had a great season as a team. Me individually? I would say it was my best season so far. To be fair, I haven't played a lot of seasons, but it was definitely a standout season for me. I think, more or less, it felt like a breakthrough season for me. With the national team, I guess I kind of have a spot in the team, but there's definitely more to come, hopefully, more to improve. I'm still getting to know the players, so there's just so much more to improve everything that I can.
GOAL: Has it gone quickly? Big games, big goals, big moments with club and country… does it happen quickly or do you get to appreciate it all?
Tillman: If you think about it, yeah, you've been working your whole life for this moment, but as soon as you're in the moment, you feel like, 'Oh yeah this is quick'. This all can – this can happen quick, and then it cannot. It can also change quickly again. You just have to live through the moment and then maybe after my career, I will say, "Yeah, I've been working hard for these moments." I'm glad I'm part of it.
AdvertisementAFPON THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
GOAL: What was the Champions League experience like last year? One second, you're a young player trying to prove yourself and the next, you're winning a penalty off Sergio Ramos in a huge game. How did you handle the big moments on the big stage?
Tillman: For me, it's more like, before a game when we have those meetings about how the opponents play, you see the players and just think like "Oh yeah, that's a big, big name." But then as soon as the game comes, for me, I'm not afraid of anyone. It's hard to say, but I just look at everyone like they're a regular player. Obviously, they're way more experienced than I am so far in their careers, and that's a great thing. I'll do the best I can to show them what I can do, too.
Getty Images SportON VIRGIL VAN DIJK
GOAL: Obviously you do want to show them what you can do, but you've also gone head-to-head with some of the best in the world. What was the first time you looked around and went, oh, this is a different level?
Tillman: As a youth player, when you go to the first team with Bayern, to be honest. You could say the whole Bayern squad back then but, when I moved to Rangers, we played in the Champions League against Liverpool, so I would say Virgil van Dijk. That game was tough. He treated me like a little kid. He's too strong, too big, too quick.
Those defenders, they train their whole lives to do exactly these moments, to defend the other guy. I can't really explain it, because I'm also in that bubble, but it's different. It's definitely not as easy as it might seem sometimes.
Getty Images SportON THE BUSINESS SIDE OF SOCCER
GOAL: During your media availability with the USMNT, you said that Bayern didn't want you anymore. How did that go down?
Tillman: That's just basically the short story of it all, but it's more or less a longer story. Basically, the same almost happened when I went back from Rangers. It's just a business. Sometimes clubs have to care about the money or they want to make money, make profit, and that's more or less what they did. Obviously, I'm a youth product of Bayern, so I didn't cost them any money when I came there, and they had the opportunity to sell me for some money. It wasn't a lot of money, but every team can use some money.
The guys that are in charge right now, I think some of them wanted me back, but the guys who were in charge before, they basically said, "Let's take the money, let's make some profit." If one day I reach the Bayern level, for example, if one day I can fit in the team, they always have the right to buy me back. That's what they do with a lot of players. They sell them now, see how they develop, and if they have a chance, they can always buy me back.
GOAL: What's that like? That's the team that developed you, so it must be hard to have those types of conversations. What was it like leaving Bayern for PSV permanently?
Tillman: Honestly, it's more or less part of the business. You grow up with it. In my case, so far, it's more been like, "Yeah, this club wants me" and it's also a good thing that the other clubs want me. I'd been on loan. I've done my thing. I had relationships in the club. It wasn't really that hard. With Rangers, I also wanted to go out on loan. I told Bayern that, if they don't want to sell me, let me go out on loan and let me try and join a club to play on a higher level. I guess it's different if you're part of a club and then they tell you, "Yeah, we don't want you to be part of the team anymore." Luckily, I haven't experienced that so far.