Football
ESPN staff 7y

Jozy Altidore 'itching' to represent the United States at Russia 2018

Toronto FC striker Jozy Altidore is "itching" to represent the United States in another World Cup after a hamstring injury cut short his time at Brazil 2014.

The former Sunderland player entered the competition as his nation's leading goal-scorer in 2013, but only lasted 20 minutes in the U.S.'s opening group game versus Ghana after pulling up short chasing down a loose ball.

The Americans currently sit fourth in the CONCACAF Hexagonal table, six points behind first-placed Mexico and one behind Panama in third. The top three teams will automatically qualify for next year's World Cup in Russia, with the fourth-placed team sent to a difficult intercontinental playoff against a team from Asia.

Altidore, however, is purely focused on getting some results with the U.S. national team, and letting the table work itself out.

"I am itching," he told USA Today. "I missed [most of] the last one and I think about it every day.

"We know that now is the time to deliver and we are ready to do that.

"We are moving in the right direction and we know these next two games are hugely important to what we want to achieve.

#INSERT type:image caption: A torn hamstring ended Jozy Altidore's World Cup in 2014 after just 20 minutes. END#

"People always talk about the location of a World Cup, is it going to be ready, will it be good? I don't care.

"I just want to be there, to play there and if we can get some results, help the country come together behind the team."

The U.S.'s next match will be against Trinidad and Tobago on June 8 in Denver, followed by showdown with fierce rivals Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on June 11.

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