Welcome to the scuff podcast where we talk about U.S. soccer.

Our guest today is a native of Lawrenceville, Georgia, a two-time MLS defender of the year,

a father of two, and the man who made a

98th minute goal line clearance against Iran to ensure we went to the knockout rounds of the World

Cup in 2022.

Nashville SC and U.S. Men's National Team Centerback Walker Zimmerman.

Welcome to scuffed.

Thank you guys for having me.

Pleasure be here.

So I want to start off with the subject of aerial

dominance. I just watched the last few minutes of that win over around. I think you headed the

ball away like 300 times in the last 10 minutes. So to what do you attribute your ability in the

air besides the obvious height, know yeah on i think timing is

huge i think the mentality and aggression piece is also big um i don't know if it's from like

playing other sports growing up just like the recognition of as soon as the ball kind of leaves a foot

or is in the air i feel like knowing exactly where it's going to be the apex of where I can meet it,

I feel like I can recognize that super early relative to other people. Because I've worked with other

centerbacks in the past on various teams. They're like, hey, how do you work on this? And I'm like

watching them do it. And I realize it's like it's picking up the flight of the ball to where you can still be aggressive and commit to your jump and

like read it at its height meet it at its height so i think there's something with timing there

obviously the height helps but yeah i don't know if it's from other sports growing up just kind

of hand-eye and recognition but playing outfield in baseball in little league or i was playing shortstop

...