Arlington's Miles Robinson Makes His First World Cup Team

Miles Robinson got on FaceTime with his family and delivered the news they'd been waiting for: "Guys, I made the team."

The Arlington, Massachusetts native just earned his spot on the U.S. Men's National Team roster for the 2026 World Cup. For the 29-year-old defender, it's a comeback story four years in the making.

Robinson missed the 2022 World Cup with an Achilles injury. Instead of letting that setback end his international career, he spent the next four years fighting his way back to peak form.

The journey started in Arlington, where Robinson began kicking a soccer ball at age three. He played varsity soccer for just one season at Arlington High before joining a club team, but he made his mark on the basketball court instead, scoring over 1,000 points and landing fourth in school history.

After starring at Syracuse University for less than two years, Robinson entered the MLS Draft in 2017. Atlanta United selected him second overall, and he won trophies with the team before moving to FC Cincinnati in 2024.

Now with 39 appearances for the national team and three goals, Robinson is finally getting his World Cup moment. He played in last weekend's friendly against Senegal, entering at halftime and helping preserve a 3-2 victory.

His father Jeff knows what's coming. "When Miles is locked in, he is extraordinary," he said. "He wants to win the World Cup. He doesn't want to be just there."

Why This Inspires

Arlington is buzzing with pride. John Bowler, Robinson's former basketball coach and current athletic director at Arlington High, says the whole town is celebrating their hometown hero.

Robinson became the first person from Arlington to play in the Olympics and now the first to make a World Cup team. Kids who never thought those achievements were possible now have living proof from their own community.

But it's not just Robinson's athletic talent that has people excited. Bowler says Robinson was always the best teammate in the room, a great friend, and a role model who represented the town with class.

His mother Jane says playing on home soil makes this World Cup extra special. The family is heading to Los Angeles to watch Robinson and Team USA face Paraguay on June 12th in their World Cup opener.

From a three-year-old kicking a ball around Arlington to a defender ready to compete on soccer's biggest stage, Robinson's journey shows what persistence looks like.