Joe Scally’s family celebrates his World Cup debut after years of waiting

Some things are worth waiting for. For Joe Scally and the family that has followed him from Long Island youth leagues to German professional football, June 19, 2026 was that day.

Scally, a 23-year-old defender born in Lake Grove, New York, entered the field during the United States Men’s National Team match against Australia in Seattle, becoming the first male player from Long Island to debut at a World Cup.

A long time coming

The milestone had a complicated road. Scally was named to the USMNT World Cup roster in 2022, which should have been his introduction to the tournament. Pandemic-related disruptions intervened, and he never saw the field that year.

Four years later, he got his moment, entering the Australia match in the 80th minute.

His family was in the stands, as they have been throughout his career. According to reporting from the New York Post, Scally has always known exactly where his family is sitting at any given match.

Scally was born on December 31, 2002, which makes him one of the younger players in the tournament pool despite having already built a substantial professional resume.

From New York City FC to Bundesliga regulars

Scally came up through the New York City FC youth academy before making a move to Borussia Mönchengladbach in Germany in January 2021.

He has since exceeded 150 appearances for the club. He is the youngest non-German player to reach that appearance milestone at Mönchengladbach.

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