A 22-year-old playing in Italy’s second division, and not even from one of Europe’s traditional powerhouse footballing nations wouldn’t turn many eyes normally.
Then again, Tanner Tessmann is not a normal player. The midfielder, playing his trade for Venezia in Serie B, has all the traits of a late bloomer who is coming into his own with every composed performance.
The USMNT is undergoing a revolution as a new generation of genuinely top-quality players are holding the flag high for the nation at tournaments. Players like Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, and Antonee Robinson are just some of the names who are bonafide starters for a team in the top-five leagues in Europe.
Count on Tanner Tessmann to add his name to that list by the next season if things according to plan.
So, who is Tanner Tessmann and why is a 22-year-old American playing in Serie B getting flirtatious glances from some of Europe’s top clubs? Here’s all you need to know-
Who is Tanner Tessmann?
Tanner Tessmann is a product of USMNT’s soccer revolution where a new crop of physically imposing and technically proficient players is emerging to compliment the slight but trickery of players like Pulisic.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, his talent was first spotted at the age of 14 by FC Dallas, an increasingly proficient conveyor belt of talent for the national team.
He came through their academy and earned a lot of plaudits for his mature play that belied his years. He was the recipient of the U18/19 Golden Ball in the 2018/19 season as he led FC Dallas to the U18/19 league championship that season.
Growth continued, as he made his senior debut for the team on Feb 29, 2020, marking the occasion with an assist against Philadelphia Union.
An international call-up followed soon after as he made his debut for the UMSNT on January 31, 2021. However, that international spell was the last time he turned out for the national team as his career and form hit a bit of a roadblock.
Eager to challenge himself further and get out of his comfort zone, Tessmann joined Venezia at the end of 2020/21 season. At the time, the Italian side were preparing for the return to Serie A after getting promotion through playoffs.
The fall and rise at Venezia – A late bloomer
Clearly, Tessmann, who had started to struggle at FC Dallas by then, found Serie A and his new surroundings a step too big. He made 20 appearances for Venezia but played only 671 minutes, failing to register a goal or an assist.
To add to the misery, Venezia were relegated right back to Serie B and thus, Tessmann’s first experience in a top-five league turned into a certified nightmare.
However, that’s when the first signs of that steely mentality started to emerge. Instead of feeling sorry for himself and how things were turning out, Tessmann got his head down, dug deep, and established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet in Serie B the next season.
Three goals and two assists in 32 appearances followed and it was the first time Tessmann looked at home. A drop in level had done him good and now he was ready to kick on. Kick-on is exactly what he’s doing this season.
With four goals and three assists in 29 games so far, last season’s tally has already been smashed. Venezia are sitting in second in Serie B so Tessmann could get the chance to right the wrongs of his debut Serie A season. He’s much more ready now.
Tanner Tessmann playing style
Standing at 6’2″, Tessmann is not cut from the cloth of traditional Serie A defensive midfielders who sit deep, dictate the play, and avoid getting into physical duels, relying on positioning and technical skills to boss the game.
Tessmann has a background in American Football so he is well versed in the art of pummeling opponents into submission with his physical gifts. In that sense, his spell in Italy, which has forced him to improve upon his on-ball skills and technical proficiency has come as a blessing.
He has combined his physical gifts with ever-improving technical skills to become a complete midfielder. He plays Hollywood passes sitting deep, he crashes the box to create overloads and get the odd goal, and he can just as easily stifle opponents’ attacks by sticking his long limbs out.
While the skill gap and talent are not comparable, his playing style reminds one of Paul Pogba when he was taking the world by storm in his first spell at Juventus.
Pogba had a silky dribble as well, something which Tessmann is still working on, but in terms of defensive aptitude and positioning, he is better. He is also a workhorse at heart which makes him a manager’s dream, as evidenced by his ever-increasing role for Venezia.
With deceptively good set-piece abilities and a mean shot on him, his skillset might be used further forward in Serie A as Venezia will look for more goals from him next season.
Future at Venezia
Tessmann has undoubtedly been on an upward path since hitting the nadir of his career with relegation to Serie B. He has rebuilt his reputation to the extent that a call-up to the national team looks a matter of when and not if.
Having said that, the next challenge for him will be replicate this skill level at Serie A. Venezia are unlikely to have as much control over games in the top division as they enjoy in the second. That will demand Tessmann to dig deep and persevere so his team can make the best of their moments in the match.
He will get the chance to test himself against the likes of Weston McKennie in midfield in Serie A and good performances in those will makes the noise around his future reach a fever pitch.
For now, he has to focus on getting Venezia promoted to complete a story cycle of his career. A good season in Serie A and who knows, he might even be Weston McKennie’s teammate in the future for both USMNT and club side!