CHESTER, Pa. — Sergino Dest hasn’t been in the U.S. men’s national team picture as much as he would’ve wanted in 2025, but admits he’s finally back to his old self heading into the final international window of the year.
Dest took part in his final training session before the USMNT’s friendly vs. Paraguay on Saturday at Subaru Park. The versatile fullback/wingback has been reduced to only two USMNT appearances this year as he fought back from an ACL tear during the 2024-25 season.
Despite being out of the picture for most of the calendar year, Dest has fought his way back into Mauricio Pochettino’s plans with the FIFA World Cup seven months away. After getting his first taste of the World Cup in 2022 under Gregg Berhalter, Dest is excited to back and to have another opportunity next summer to play under the World Cup’s bright lights.
“I feel good, I always try to improve,” Dest told reporters during media availability on Friday. “My body feels good, it just feels good in a different way. I am just trying to get stronger, improve it every day.
“The last World Cup was amazing to be a part of and to have the next one at home is very special,” Dest added. “It’s a different World Cup with more teams so I feel there is more joy to it and everyone is trying to win it. I am really excited because it’s going to be different.”
Dest missed most of PSV’s last campaign due to his injury rehabilitation but was able to feature over the final weeks of the Eredivisie campaign. Peter Bosz’s squad repeated as league champions in dramatic fashion over rivals Ajax in May before lifting the Dutch Super Cup this past August, a match in which Dest scored in.
The 25-year-old has since scored two goals and added three assists in 15 appearances this fall as PSV currently leads the Eredivisie table on 31 points. He’s also helped PSV to a 1-2-1 record in the UEFA Champions League, most recently going 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Greek side Olympiakos.
Dest has certainly made the most of his opportunities in the Netherlands, a chapter of his career that he certainly needed to continue his development.
“The reason why I went to PSV is because I needed playing time,” Dest said when asked by SBI about how PSV has helped him. “I needed to show myself to the world again and I am really grateful that I could do it. We won the championship twice, we had some good games in the Champions League.
“It’s a really good league to play in, especially if you want to build yourself up and make yourself ready for big leaps,” Dest added about the Eredivisie.
While two of his former PSV teammates, Malik Tillman and Richie Ledezma, left the club this summer, Dest remains united with Ricardo Pepi in Eindhoven. Pepi is with Dest as part of the current USMNT squad after not featuring for the program since November 2024, a window in which he scored twice against Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals.
Pepi mainly served as a No. 2 striker at PSV last season, scoring 17 goals in all competitions. After Luuk De Jong’s departure to FC Porto, Pepi received the No. 9 jersey from Bosz and has since scored five goals in 13 appearances this campaign.
Despite once again not receiving consistent starts under Bosz this fall, Pepi is still contributing for the club and Dest has faith he will get the starting job back.
“It’s not easy to come back from injuries, but he’s been able to do that and deliver,” Dest said about Pepi. “He needed some time to get back and help us and he’s now doing that. I think he will definitely get his position back.”
Dest has mainly featured in a back-four at PSV which is a bit different to what Pochettino has been using with the USMNT. The Argentine head coach has mainly played a three-center back system with wingbacks deployed on the left and right sides of the formation.
While Dest brings plenty of versatility on the field, a shift to a wingback role will be something different for him than he’s been used to for club and country. However, regardless of the challenge, Dest is ready to adapt for the good of the squad and backs his fitness to play at wherever Pochettino needs him.
“It’s a bit different playing as a wingback and obviously that is how we are playing at the moment,” Dest said. “I feel like I have to adapt to that formation. For me personally, I have always been an attacking outside back so I feel it’s still not that hard. I like playing in both roles but it will depend on how we decide to line up.
“I feel like I am on the right track, Dest added. “I am working really hard and taking my rest and treatment serious too. Obviously it’s a long season until the World Cup starts but I feel good.”
The USMNT ultimately will want to end the November window with a pair of victories on home soil. After going unbeaten in its last three matches during the last two international windows, Pochettino’s squad will want to end 2025 on a major high note against two qualified nations such as Paraguay and Uruguay.
Dest knows the importance of November’s matches with minimal fixtures left until June’s World Cup opener, admitting the team is moving in the right direction.
“Yeah I think so,” Dest said when asked if the USMNT has an identity under Pochettino. “Being in Philly has been fun and we’re excited to be back because we know this is another opportunity to work together and work towards our goals as a team.”