Yazbek tells GOAL why Australia is circling the USMNT clash, how MLS has changed him, and why the World Cup feels within reach.FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Like just about everyone else, Patrick Yazbek had his eyes glued to December's World Cup draw. As an Australian international with ambitions of playing in this summer's tournament, he couldn't wait to see what the path would look like and who would be in the Socceroos way this coming summer.So, when Australia was paired with the U.S. Men's National Team, the reaction was instant: excitement. The Nashville SC midfielder had just played in a tense, physical, and heated friendly between the two sides in October. Now, they'll meet again on the biggest stage with a little bit of animosity already built."We're both English-speaking countries with a bit of a similar history," Yazbek told GOAL at MLS's Media Tour. "So there is a rivalry between us. We relish the idea of getting one over on the Americans. It's two similar situations, two similar nations with points to prove, I guess, so it's gonna be a very fun matchup."Yazbek isn't the only one to wade into the rivalry since that fixture was confirmed. In the U.S., sports media highlighted the draw as a win for the U.S., describing the Australia game as a "layup". Australia, meanwhile, have already started assembling bulletin board material from that media coverage, adding extra fuel to the fire. It promises to be an intense game in Seattle this summer. More than anything, Yazbek wants to be a part of it. The 23-year-old midfielder, now in his second full season in MLS, knows he faces a fight to make Australia's team. It's a talented group, one that includes players featuring at high levels in Europe. He hasn’t come through with the same pedigree as some of his teammates, something he readily acknowledges himself. It doesn't stop him from imagining being on the field in the big moments this summer, particularly that battle with the USMNT that's set to be such a memorable one for everyone back home."I was a bit of a late bloomer and a late developer," he says. "I never really represented my national team on any youth level until I was 20. When it comes to looking back on my career so far and the type of player I am, I think I'm someone who was always a little bit of an underdog. I came through the ranks a bit later and surprised some people a lot. I want to continue to do that, I think, especially this year."October's friendly at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado was a fierce one. It started well enough for Australia, who took the lead in the 19th minute on a goal from Jordan Bos. The U.S. fought back, though, with Haji Wright netting on either side of halftime to seal a 2-1 win. In between those moments, though, things got testy. A rough tackle injured USMNT star Christian Pulisic, leading to some confrontations between the two sides throughout the game. Tensions never quite boiled over, as they had when the USMNT faced Paraguay just days earlier, but it was clear that something was bubbling throughout the friendly."I was involved in that game," Yazbek says. "I came off the bench, and I think we always knew there was gonna be a little bit of something. I think they responded well in the first half but, overall, I think it was an exciting fixture for everyone, not just Australians or Americans. I think it's a good opportunity to now come up against the U.S. in the World Cup, and I think it's in both of our favor because we've had that experience against each other. Who's going to make the most of the lessons learned? I think we are."In many ways, Australia is similar to the U.S. when it comes to soccer culture. It isn't the most popular sport and, more often than not, a player needs to stumble their way into it. Those who do love it love it passionately, though. There's an intense sense of pride involved, particularly with the Socceroos. Yazbek fell in love at an early age. The son of Lebanese immigrants, Yazbek started playing soccer with his brothers before he could walk. "I was the one with a knack for it and a passion for it," Yazbek says with a smile and a laugh. "My younger brother loves the sport, but he's not good at it. My older brother? He never had any interest."Success didn't come quickly for Yazbek. He didn't sign his first professional deal until he was 19. He didn't represent his country until right around that point, too. He was no teenage prodigy, but rather a player who worked his way right on up to the A-League after playing for six different youth clubs at one point or another. Now, he's a World Cup hopeful with eight caps and an eye on a tournament that could change his life forever. In his eyes, though, it's also a tournament that can change Australian soccer for good, too."The scale of soccer, I think, is a lot higher in America than it is in Australia at the moment. Nonetheless, I think Australians are very nationalistic and, when their country is participating in any sport, they're going to support them," he says. "It's about making sure that support is consistent as well. There's a tendency that, when World Cups and Asian Cups aren't on, the support can die down a little bit, which can be an issue because you want that continuous support and fans coming out. "It's something where we can get energy back into the country with the sport if we can put in good performances and good results, and I think that's happened with us recently. We went 13 games unbeaten until we came up against the States, and we have had a good record under our new coach [Tony Popovic]. He's implemented new systems and new tactics, which I think can revitalize soccer in Australia."After a stint with Viking FK in Norway, Yazbek arrived in Nashville in July 2024. He's one of five players called up by Australia in the last year to be playing in the United States, with MLS becoming more of a hotbed for Australian talent in recent years. Nashville is, of course, a unique city in American culture. Known for live music and hot chicken, it's a different type of city from any that Yazbek has lived in before. "You don't really need to be into country music to enjoy Nashville, that's for sure," he says. "It's a very vibrant city, a lot going on, and I think I'm quite blessed to be in a city like Nashville doing what I love. I've really come around to the culture there. I think honestly, if you don't immerse yourself in any culture that you're in, you're gonna have a bit of a miserable time. I've just tried my best to get amongst it and immerse myself in the culture, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now."That comfort has translated off the pitch. After earning a two-game suspension for violating the league’s Non-Discrimination Policy in his first game, Yazbek has worked hard to earn trust in Nashville. He appeared 32 times last season, scoring a goal and providing four assists from a deeper midfield position. He's established himself as a centerpiece for Nashville SC, a team that continues to have big aspirations.In many ways, the adjustment to life in MLS has been jarring, even for someone who grew up in a country as large as Australia. It's a tough league, Yazbek says, one that people don't fully understand."MLS has shocked me in the right ways," he says. "If you look at where it was a year and a half ago when I came, it's changed dramatically already. Who's to say what happens in the next two years and who else is going to come? I think my impression has been that it is a competitive league that is constantly changing and evolving. You may feel comfortable, but then there's a new challenge or a new hurdle or a new obstacle. You're not going to the same places all the time. You're constantly getting new experiences. That's the biggest takeaway from moving here. In any other league in the world, it's going to be consistent. Here, you're always doing different things."He'll need to be even better this season, though, if he's going to head to the World Cup. To be a part of it, Yazbek will need to perform in MLS, and time is against him, just as it is against all players kicking off their seasons in the coming weeks.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingYazbek and Nashville will kick off the MLS season on Feb. 21 against the New England Revolution. Their season, in reality, starts four days prior with the first match of the CONCACAF Champions Cup: a clash with Atletico Ottawa. From there, Yazbek will have about three months to earn his place with Australia, who will play friendlies against Cameroon and Curacao in March in their final pre-World Cup friendlies."I've just been focusing on preseason, coming back healthy and ready and fit, because I know I have a huge six months to make an impression and put my foot down and let everyone know that I'm here to be selected in the squad," he says. "At the end of the day, that's my number one goal for these few months and, obviously, the only thing that can facilitate that is a good performance from Nashville."Until then, Yazbek will have a few dates circled on his calendar. One, of course, is June 19, the day that Australia faces the USMNT at Lumen Field in Seattle. His big goal is to be there and, if he is, he'll be ready to play in a tournament that feels like it could be a defining one for everyone back home.