‘It’s a dream’: Union goalkeeper Andrew Rick is helping the U.S. World Cup team

IRVINE, Calif. — It was the day after Andrew Rick played in the one MLS game he had featured in for the Union this year, and it had not gone well. The 20-year-old was in net for a 4-3 loss at Orlando City, with the decisive goal landing in the 90th minute after the Union had rallied from 3-1 down to tie the score.

Rick was still in a bad mood when he got home, so he decided to distract himself by playing video games.

Then the phone rang.

“It wasn’t a saved contact, and I just saw that it was U.S. Soccer,” he said.

He picked up, of course, and found veteran U.S. men’s national team staffer Sam Zapatka on the line. The program wanted to have some extra goalkeepers on hand for practices, and wanted Rick to be one of them.

“It was not a great day for me up until that call,” Rick said. “He let me know the news, and I changed my mood immediately, to say the least.”

Two weeks later, he set off for the journey of — well, maybe not a lifetime, since the point is he might play in a World Cup some day. But certainly his lifetime to date.

» READ MORE: Can the USMNT really win this World Cup? Probably not, but the players are allowed to believe it.

“It’s a dream,” Rick said. “I wouldn’t think that at this stage of my career, I would be in the place that I am in now, and to have the ability to train with all these [players] — and a lot of them I’ve watched play when I was pretty young — to now get this experience to train with them and be a part of the group, it’s unbelievable to say the least.”

Rick is one of three goalkeeper prospects, all the same age, who have been with the U.S. team this summer. At first, it was him and Diego Kochen of Spanish superpower FC Barcelona, a highly-touted player who has been to a few senior camps already. Kochen left in the first week of the tournament, amid news of a potential loan move for next season, and Julian Eyestone of English Premier League club Brentford came in.

So not only has Rick gotten to hang with the stars, but he’s the only one of the trio who will have been there the whole time.

“Me and Julian are super-close,” he said, noting they were roommates on a U.S. under-20 squad that went to Argentina in March. He had not met Kochen until now, but they got along well too.

» READ MORE: ‘Two Delco-heads,’ Matt Freese and Auston Trusty, helped the USMNT make World Cup history

“We have a lot in common just from age alone, and there’s not a lot of other guys here that are our age,” Rick said. “So just being able to be around those guys and have someone closer to my age is nice, just because we can talk a bit more and fit in together. And Diego, he’s been in this environment before, so he also kind of helped me fit in with the other guys and reach out and talk to them a bit.”

Among the senior players, none means more to Rick than Matt Freese. They’ve known each other for around eight years, and Rick watched Freese on a similar journey to his: from the Union’s youth academy to becoming Andre Blake’s backup on the first team.

“Freese has been there for my first Union II training, my first [Union] first team training, and my first men’s national team training,” Rick said. “I’ve known of him for probably, I don’t know, since I’ve been a Union fan. When he was joining was kind of when I started to really get into it, and when I was joining the academy … And obviously he’s a great role model, amazing person.”

Freese returned the favor, joking that Rick “might have been, like, two when I met him.” But the praise that ensued was sincere.

» READ MORE: Philadelphia’s World Cup love affair shows just how far we’ve come

“He’s doing a great job,” Freese said. “I think for [all of] them, it’s such a unique experience to be able to be within the group in an environment like this, training every day but also getting to know us off the field. Certainly on the field as well, and being tested and seeing what the future may hold for them.”

Manager Mauricio Pochettino has been paying attention too. There’s certainly a practical side to having extra bodies on hand, but Pochettino is also happy to do something for the bigger picture.

“I think, always, we’re thinking to try to help develop young players, even if we don’t know if we’re going to be here or not in the future,” Pochettino said, referring to his contract expiring after the World Cup. “But I think we need to work like we are going to be forever here, on a long-term process. That is why one thing is to get the result today, and provide everything to the federation and the team [for] the possibility to perform now, today or yesterday; but at the same time, to help, in parallel, the evolution and development of the young kids that are going to be the important players for the future of this country.”

Rick confessed to being an extra level of thrilled because he’s a fan of English club Tottenham Hotspur, perhaps the best-known former home for Pochettino.

» READ MORE: Mauricio Pochettino’s worst moment as USMNT manager became the stage for his best one

“My first day he welcomed me. We just a quick conversation about just where I’m at and all that,” Rick said. “I was a huge ‘Poch’ fan as a kid, now I get to to be coached by him. So it’s an honor.”

On most practice days — and there have been more than usual, with a week between games so far in the first 48-team World Cup — Rick has been amid the first team’s action. Other days, the prospects work separately with assistant goalkeeper coach Jack Robinson.

“I think this World Cup’s a bit different to the last, at least talking to some of the other guys, and just seeing it in general,” he said. “But I think the main thing is just being exposed to the environment. If I ever want to get back to this level — and hopefully when I do get back to this level — just knowing what it’s like, and knowing some of these guys and building that relationship with them now while I’m here, is going to be so important down the road for me.”

When game day arrives, Rick and Eyestone get to spend most of it with the first team.

» READ MORE: Rob Stone has spent half his life broadcasting World Cups. This summer, he leads what could be Fox’s last.

“We’re basically with the team until they walk out, and then we go into these seats that are right behind the bench,” Rick said. “So we’ll walk in with the team, we’ll watch warm-ups from the pitch. We’ll be in there for the team talk before the game, and then once they walk out, we’ll go to a separate section that’s right behind the bench and watch from there.”

At halftime, it’s back to the locker room, then back to the stands, then on to the field to join what have so far been celebrations and applause for the big crowds.

He’s well aware that his up-close perch would cost a fan thousands of dollars.

“The ticket prices are crazy, but the good thing is it’s not affecting attendance,” Rick said. “I’m not going to lie, I was a little surprised — I was expecting a lot of people to be scared of $3,000 tickets for one [person], but it seems thankfully I’m wrong. Because, I mean, Seattle was amazing. Best experience I’ve ever had with a crowd, there.”

» READ MORE: When storms hit the France-Iraq game in Philly, a French radio station stayed on air from under a tarp

He has talked with colleagues back in Chester, naming goalkeeper coach Phil Wheddon (who worked with U.S. national teams in the past), Nathan Harriel, and fellow goalkeeper George Marks. Rick also was well aware that he’ll come home to a new manager, as Bradley Carnell was fired a few days after he left town.

Rick knows interim manager Ryan Richter well, since Richter was promoted from coaching the Union’s reserve squad. But it turns out their relationship goes back much farther.

“He was my Union Juniors coach when I first started, he was my u-12, coach. He was my u-15 coach, he was my union first team assistant coach, then he was Union II coach, and now he’s the first team head coach,” Rick said. “So I feel like I’ve kind of been there every step of the way through the pathway with him. He’s a great guy, and I know how he wants to play and all that super-well just. … I’m proud of him.”

That moment of reflection led to Rick looking back at his own growth along the way.

» READ MORE: The joy the World Cup has brought to Philadelphia feels like the escape we didn’t know we needed | Kerith Gabriel

“If I’m being honest, coaching u-12 Andrew is very frustrating, and then coaching u-15 Andrew is also very frustrating,” he said. “But I give him credit, because he’s been dedicated through it all, and now he’s got the ultimate goal which is being the first team head coach.”

At a moment like this, Rick can dream of his ultimate goal, too. However long it takes him to get there, at least this summer has given him a special way to see the path.

Watch the latest episode!

In this World Cup, underdogs are stealing the spotlight, the U.S. men are on a roll, and Philadelphia has not only welcomed the world but has given visitors a crash course on just how real the curse of the Rocky Statue can be.

Join Jonathan Tannenwald, the Inquirer's soccer writer, and host Lisa Carlin, analyst for CBS Sports Golazo, as they dissect the matches, the moments, and more as Philly has its moment in soccer's brightest spotlight. Watch our latest episode right here. 

Watch previous episodes:

Episode 1: The Wait is Over! 
Episode 2: Groups, Goals, and Glory
Episode 3: Electric Action in Philly