ARLINGTON, Texas - When Walker Zimmerman was first called up to the U.S. men's national team as a late replacement for the Gold Cup, one of the first things he did was reach out to some of his younger teammates. It wasn't a message informing them he was on the way as much as it was a subtle declaration of war. It only took a few words.
"We running Clash?"
For members of the 2024 U.S. men's Olympic team, those words carry meaning. They refer to Clash Royale, a head-to-head mobile game that became an obsession last summer and, at the Gold Cup right now, remains a bitter point of contention for an ever-growing group of USMNT players.
It leads to bus ride arguments. It directly impacts training, some say. Factions have splintered off among the USMNT's squad, with players claiming they are highly skilled at the game, and that everyone else, by default, is trash.
Video games are often the go-to for players in quiet moments. Clash Royale, though, is anything but quiet. For many of the younger members of the USMNT, and one particular slightly older one Zimmerman, 32, it's all consuming - and no one is immune. Jack McGlynn bears the brunt of it. The team unites to battle the Aaronsons, Brenden and Paxten, knowing they have each other's backs. Zimmerman, the most level-headed of them all, is accused of being the most emotional about gameplay.
"The Clash fights are still going strong," Zimmerman says. "Every bus ride, you can guarantee that there are some 2-v-2 matches going on. Jack McGlynn is still catching 'Ls' so not much has changed over the last year. Chris Brady is a welcome addition to the Clash group. He's a strong player, a strong competitor, so bus rides are always entertaining. It gets us focused on that competitive mindset."
One year after the Olympics, Clash Royale remains a uniting force - or depending on how you look at it, a dividing force - for the USMNT this summer. But how did it begin? What does all of this nonsense mean? Most importantly, who is really the best? Those questions split opinions and, as the USMNT continue to march through the Gold Cup, you can bet that the clashes away from the field will be just as tense.
