Tyler Adams wanted more, as he usually does. You can't blame him. After spending the better part of a year-and-a-half on the sideline, the U.S. men's national team's star midfielder is back healthy just in time for the Copa America, and seems eager to make up for lost time.
If it was up to Adams, he'd be out there kicking ass for all 90 minutes. But, in these initial moments of this tournament, it isn't up to Adams. It's up to Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT coaching staff and they have a primary job to do: protect their midfield star.
That's why Adams came off a bit earlier than he expected in the USMNT's 2-0 tournament-opening win over Bolivia. Was he frustrated? Yes. Did he want to stay on? Yes. But did he understand? Begrudgingly, also yes.
"That was the plan," Adams said when asked if he hoped to play into the second half, "but he [Berhalter] changed the plan. He's the coach. He said, 'We'll check in at halftime and see how you feel.' I told him that I felt fine. He still took me out, so that's his plan."
Adams' response wasn't a shot at Berhalter. The USMNT midfielder wasn't rocking the boat or looking to make a headline. Again, he was just frustrated to not contribute more. Those moments are coming, though, and they're coming fast.
As the USMNT marches through this tournament, continuing with Thursday's group stage match with Panama, they're going to need Adams. If the U.S. wants to achieve this summer's aims, the 2022 World Cup captain will need to be a key part of it all. He's arguably the team's most important difference-maker, and when he's at his best, so is the USMNT.
On the field and off of it, Adams remains a USMNT leader - and his teammates are eager to follow. And, as the bigger battles loom, how often Berhalter deploys Adams is a key to this USMNT's run.