COLUMBUS — For plenty of players, moving from a European or South American league to MLS has posed challenges, but for LAFC midfielder Timothy Tillman, the move to the United States has looked like a smooth transition.
Tillman is on the verge of lifting his first trophy with LAFC on Saturday as the reigning league winners face off with the Columbus Crew in MLS Cup. The 24-year-old joined LAFC in February from German second-tier side Greuther Furth, embarking on the next chapter of his career.
Despite making the long cross-country move to the United States, Tillman has become a key player in Steve Cherundolo’s squad, scoring four goals, adding two assists and logging over 2,000 minutes (29 appearances). He’s also gelled nicely in the LAFC midfield with fellow American Kellyn Acosta, as both players aim to end their season on a high note.
“Tim is my boy, he is one of my closest friends on the team and I was lucky that I kind of knew him a bit through his brother {Malik],” Kellyn Acosta said when asked by SBI about his relationship with Tillman. “I think he’s done exceptionally well, he’s really found his feet and he’s hit the ground running for us. He’s been a key distributor for us.”
Unlike his head coach Cherundolo, Tillman was born in Germany and played majority of his club career in the top-three divisions before moving to the U.S. A former Bayern Munich youth player, Tillman also featured for Nuremberg’s first and second teams, as well as Greuther Furth in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga.
Tillman’s move to the United States also led to a major decision on the international level as the midfielder filed a one-time switch with FIFA to represent the USMNT. FIFA approved Tillman’s switch in May, which now has him eligible to partner his brother Malik in Gregg Berhalter’s squad heading into 2024 and beyond.
LAFC has certainly benefitted from Tillman’s transfer to the club and Cherundolo praised his instant impact in MLS ahead of the most important match of his career to date.
“I think our relationship on the field is pretty simple,” Cherundolo said about Tillman during Friday’s press conference with media. “I know his technical upbringing very well and I know what to expect of him. “It’s very easy for us to talk about what we expect of each other and what we need from him at certain moments. He has a strong technical foundation and is able to play multiple positions that understand the differences and behaviors on the field.
“I also think it’s been amazing for him to move to the United States from Germany,” Cherundolo added. “He’s even developed and grown throughout the year off the field too and he always has a smile on his face so I know he is doing well and enjoying his time in the country.’
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