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.
NOTE: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.