Irvine, Calif.- The former Colorado Rapids defender, Auston Trusty, has been named to the 26-man World Cup roster for the United States.
It’s a chance and opportunity he’s waited his whole career for. From Philadelphia to Denver, London and Scotland, Trusty has proved himself everywhere he’s gone.
Trusty joined the Rapids in November of 2019 after spending four years with the Philadelphia Union Academy. He moved away from his hometown in Pennsylvania, pursuing regular professional playing time. The trade was for $750,000 in General Allocation Money, plus incentives and a sell-on clause.
It was a transition Trusty recalled as difficult to Jordan Angeli on the official Colorado Rapids podcast.
“It was a really really hard year, knowing it was COVID and I didn’t play many games for the Rapids. That allowed me to dig deep and focus more on my craft and what I wanted to achieve,” Trusty said.
In 2021, the Rapids had a record season, one that Trusty excelled in. Colorado finished first in the Western Conference in the regular season. Trusty played almost every minute of that season. He appeared in 33 games and recorded his first goal for the club.
Trusty’s start at Colorado was difficult. He played just 525 minutes in the shortened 2020 minutes. There was chatter among the fans about his lack of minutes and expectations. Trusty matured and grew during his second season in Colorado. Former head coach, Robin Fraser, described it as a difficult time in a Colorado Rapids media availability leading up to an FC Cincinnati game in 2021.
“To be honest he struggled, he struggled when he came in and a lot of it was to slow down and just be solid, don’t feel like you have to set the world on fire,” Fraser said of Trusty when he first arrived in Colorado.
“At the end of last year, he started to play really well. This year (2021), he’s had a renewed enthusiasm, I think Auston is better than he’s ever been, and he is now of the mindset to just give me more, feed me more, I just want to keep getting better,” Fraser added.
In his final game for Colorado on July 4th, 2022, Trusty spoke on how grateful he was for his time in a Rapids jersey.
“I just want to say thank you to everybody who has helped me along the way. The coaches, the organization, all the staff, especially the players, my teammates. I couldn’t get to this point without them. And yeah, I just want to say thank you so much to everybody and you all helped me get there,” Trusty said to Rapids media postgame.
Trusty’s performances during Colorado’s 2021 campaign drew interest from European clubs and helped launch the next stage of his career.
In January of 2022, Arsenal acquired Trusty from Colorado, and he stayed with Colorado on loan through the 4th of July.
He featured on the squad in some national team friendlies, making his debut in 2023 against Grenada.
From there, Arsenal loaned Trusty to Birmingham City for the remainder of the 2023 season. Trusty was a standout in Birmingham. He appeared in 48 matches in all competitions, recorded four goals and two assists, and was recognized as the Player of the Season. His stint at Arsenal and loan form earned him his first senior cap for the U.S. National Team in 2023.
Following that success, Trusty permanently joined Sheffield United in 2023. In a Premier League season that ended in relegation, Trusty appeared in 34 total matches.
Aiming to further challenge himself, Trusty moved again and joined Celtic at the start of 2024-25. He’s become a standout defender and a keypiece in Celtic winning the Scottish Premiership this year.
The chance with the USMNT came in November of that year. He had a strong showing against Portugal in the USMNT’s 2-0 loss in friendly play.
Trusty spoke to GOAL in the buildup to the final roster, discussing his career and his dreams of a World Cup.
“I know what it’s like to feel like my dream is in someone else’s hands. Not everyone is going to believe in you, but I’m going to take that power and put it in my hands,” Trusty said.
Throughout his career, Trusty has proved himself everywhere he’s gone, the Colorado Rapids being a big influence on the player he’s become. Leaving Philadelphia’s academy was difficult, and he matured into a hungry, composed, standout center back at the heart of the Rapids 2021 team.
He took that mentality and approach to Birmingham, Sheffield, and Celtic, proving and improving himself every step of the way.
Now, Trusty prepares for the biggest stage and the opportunity to play in the FIFA World Cup on home soil. Not bad for a kid who was a distressed asset in 2021.
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Spencer Baldwin 
Matt Pollard 