Lucas Herrington was among four current or former Rapids players to earn a spot on a World Cup roster this summer. He’s also, by far, the youngest.
At only 18, Herrington was the — and the youngest MLS player to do so. After making history on the world’s biggest stage, the Rapids center back is back in Colorado ready to help the local MLS side finish the season strong. Colorado resumes its season .
The call-up to the Socceroos shouldn’t have been much of a surprise given the level that Herrington has played at all season, but it still meant a lot to the teenager.
“I’m so proud to be from Australia,” Herrington said. ”So to be able to be the youngest player (to start for Australia) at the World Cup means everything.”
Herrington was an unused substitute for Australia’s first two games. He watched from the bench in a win over Turkiye and a loss to the United States. History beckoned in the third game of group play after Herrington was told he would start against Paraguay.
“It was special. I found out through training, match day minus one, minus two. I was being put into the starting team, so I could get a little taste of it there. I knew that might happen, so I was just preparing myself for (starting),” he said. It was just the best experience of my life. To be able to start at a World Cup, even play at a World Cup, was so, so special and so rewarding. It was just a great moment for me that I’ll never forget.”
The World Cup is the ultimate stage, offering unparalleled highs, but it can also expose players to brutal lows. Unfortunately for Herrington, he suffered one of these moments.
After helping Australia to a penalty shootout against Egypt, he stepped up to the spot to take the fourth penalty kick for Australia. His shot was well-struck, but it .
“It was a tough moment for me,” he said. “Obviously, that was the biggest moment of my career. So to miss was tough.”But to be given the opportunity to step up and play for the country and take a penalty for the country at a World Cup was so special.
“To the coaching staff who gave that opportunity, that was a great moment for me, and just to realize how much confidence they have in me, and I have in myself. Being the youngest pro on the team, them putting me out for a penalty and me wanting to take a penalty was a great moment. Even though I missed, it’s still something I’ll take a lot of confidence and courage from.”
He added: “Hopefully I get another chance like that one day, and I can score and take the country through.”
Fans’ reaction to a missed penalty is often angry — but that wasn’t the case for Herrington. The world seemed to appreciate the bravery in such a young player and had his back. It didn’t go unnoticed.
“It meant a lot,” he said. “Obviously, I was gutted after the game, so it took me a few hours to get over that. I still probably really haven’t, but to be able to see all the support that I got from legends of the game, even people back home, people here just meant so much to me, and to my family because it was a tough moment.”
Despite the Aussies’ World Cup ending not being a fairytale one for the Rapids youngster, he is still bringing loads of confidence and experience back from the world’s biggest stage.
“It was definitely a dream come true for me to be able to play at the highest stage and to represent my country at the highest stage,” he said. So it just gives me just the the ability and the confidence to keep working hard, and just hopefully many more of those opportunities come, and I can just bring that back to Colorado.”
Herrington’s rise has been a surprise, even to the youngster.
“It has happened really quickly. Obviously, seven months ago, I was just playing in Australia and was taking a risk by coming over here. But it seemed like a great project from what I’d heard from the club, and I was excited to get going,” he said. “But to be given the opportunity to play this many minutes and to be given the opportunity by the club to put me on the map for that World Cup selection has been everything to me, so it’s definitely something I’ll forever be grateful for.”
Herrington has become a sensation around the world, with many top teams in Europe looking to snatch the youngster from the Rapids. While he has heard all the noise, Herrington remains focused on Colorado.
“You hear a lot of things, some that are true, some that aren’t true. Being back here, I’ve just loved being back in training, and my only focus right now is Colorado, and I’ve got a game in a couple of days, so I can’t wait,” he said. “I work as hard as I can for the team, for the fans, for the club, just to help push as far as we can. Hopefully, winning the Open Cup and making a good push in the playoffs to finish as far as we know we can.”
