When it comes to perspectives of the U.S. men’s national team, there probably isn’t one as unique as Earnie Stewart’s.
He featured in 101 games for the team from 1990-2004, going to three World Cups during his playing career. Stewart spent 18 seasons in the Netherlands, was voted the U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year in 2001 and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2011. He also spent nearly three years as sporting director for the Philadelphia Union in MLS.
He then helped develop several of the current national team’s biggest stars, serving as USMNT general manager and U.S. Soccer sporting director during a five-year stay with the federation. He left the U.S. in February 2023 to become director of football for PSV, and now oversees a club that features four USMNT players – all of whom have legitimate hopes of being on the USMNT on the road to 2026.
Because of that, Stewart’s fingerprints are all over this USMNT program, even nearly two years after he left.
He’s built his own little USMNT enclave at PSV, one featuring Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman, Sergino Dest and Richy Ledezma. PSV recently went back to the American well again to sign Bosnia international Esmir Bajraktarevic, the American-born New England Revolution rising star. Even from his office in the Netherlands, Stewart remains an influential figure in the American game.
GOAL caught up with Stewart to discuss his signings at PSV, his departure from U.S. Soccer, his thoughts on player development and how he remains the USMNT’s biggest fan in the latest Wednesday Convo.
NOTE: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.