'Incredible' World Cup Moment Caused Immense Stress: 'I Was So Afraid I'd Forget a Name'

"The most beautiful moment of my career? That would have to be captaining the team at the 2002 World Cup, leading the squad out against Portugal," the PSV director recounts in conversation with Robert Maaskant. A great anecdote follows. "I remember being incredibly nervous, as it was the first match of the tournament."

It turned out to be a special moment not just on the pitch, but also beforehand. In the run-up to the match, Stewart had an official duty to perform. "Then the important people arrive, and you have to introduce everyone to them," explains the 101-cap international. "I was so stressed, afraid that in my nervousness, I wouldn't remember everyone's name. But I managed it," he laughs.

Then came the moment he still looks back on with pride. As captain, he led the team onto the field. "That was truly an incredible moment. I didn't get tears in my eyes, but it was an honor to lead the players out at such a major tournament while hearing The Star-Spangled Banner," the former forward refers to the national anthem. "Incredible," he reiterates.

Stewart is still lauded in his homeland for his contribution as a player to American soccer, but he had an even greater impact as a director for the national federation. "The national team and MLS are doing great, as they are taking very important steps," continues Stewart, who served as a policymaker for the federation for about four and a half years.

Nevertheless, he believes there's a unique history behind the development of soccer in the United States. "The soccer pyramid has been completely inverted. In the United States, they started with the national team, then built a league, and only after that did they begin to think about talent development. That's 180 degrees different from how it normally works. It's quite strange, and that's still the crux of American soccer."

According to Stewart, significant progress has been made in recent years. During his tenure at the federation, there was a strong focus on establishing a clear structure for player development. "We worked very hard on that and presented a plan for it. Ultimately, you're all there to guide players as best as possible and help them perform. That's something we implemented back then. I'm certainly happy to say that I still see that happening," he states.

In a new episode of Sportnieuws.nl's De Maaskantine, PSV director Earnest Stewart joins Robert Maaskant. The technical director speaks candidly about his path to directorship, the collapsed transfer of Ricardo Pepi, and the toughest transfer window of his career.

He also discusses his collaboration with coach Peter Bosz, reflects on the most memorable moment of his career, and shares a striking anecdote about a videotape that never reached the U.S. Soccer Federation.