Did Odell Beckham Jr. nearly play for USMNT? Superstar WR was closer to soccer career than NFL
Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the most famous NFL players in the world, and his success off the field is comparable to his success in the game. While OBJ was a three-star recruit coming out of high school, he drew the attention of the entire country during his time in college at LSU.
Later, the New York Giants drafted him with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. However, he very well could have played a different sport as well.
During an appearance on "Cold As Balls" with Kevin Hart, OBJ confessed that he was pretty good at soccer. He might even have chosen to pursue a professional career in soccer rather than football.
🤝🏼
Odell Beckham Jr et Devin Booker 🏀🤝🏼🏈https://t.co/uPXqgl0JON
Here's what Odell Beckham Jr. said on "Cold As Balls" with Kevin Hart:
"So, soccer was the first sport I played since I was three. When I was about 13, I was gonna go join the national team but you know, growing up how we grew up, we couldn’t just leave the country and go play another sport. So I had to stick with basketball, baseball and football."
Kevin Hart later asked OBJ who his favorite footballer was growing up, to which the former Los Angeles Rams receiver answered and said, "Ronaldinho."
Beckham Jr. was undoubtedly influenced by Ronaldinho's style of play, which drew a great number of young fans. Who knows, OBJ may have become one of the greatest American footballers of all time, as he certainly has the name of a very successful football player attached to himself.
Odell Beckham Jr. will be back next season
Odell Beckham Jr. suffered an ACL injury during the 2022 Super Bowl, which kept him sidelined for an entire season. While there was obvious speculation of his return to play last season, OBJ was ultimately unable to regain full health.
Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. link back up @TalkinGiants (via @EliManning) https://t.co/yIyod7SVWp
Nevertheless, it is widely expected that Beckham Jr. will be completely healthy for the upcoming season, and he may have a number of suitors. With a complete training camp before the start of the season, OBJ will be able to build chemistry with his teammates, which will be beneficial for both sides.
The Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys remain the leading candidates to sign OBJ for the upcoming season.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Cold as Balls and H/T Sportskeeda.