Charlie Davies Is Training for Sochaux As World Cup Chance Looms

Throughout the last year for the United States National Soccer Team there have been many major accomplishments that have been secured by the Red, White, and Blue.

From making the Confederations Cup final to a Gold Cup final to qualifying for a sixth-straight World Cup, this has been a year that has really helped the United States become a side that can compete with the best in the world.

But during this time, the one player that has really emerged to be a starter and future star for the United States has been forward Charlie Davies.

Since his start in Rustenburgo against Egypt on June 21 in the Confederations Cup, Davies has cemented himself as a starter for the United States. In that game, he started and scored before starting in the upset against Spain, and earning himself yet another start against Brazil in the final, in which he supplied an assist to Landon Donovan.

After the Confederations Cup, Davies got some limited time in the Gold Cup, in which he was able to score once in his three appearances in the group stage before getting some time off.

On August 12, Davies returned to the US National Team against Mexico in the famed Estadio Azteca and was able to score an early goal to give the United States their first ever lead in Azteca, even though the Americans lost the match 2-1.

Throughout the rest of qualifying, Davies continued to have a big impact as he cemented his status as a starter for the United States, and on October 10, Davies was part of the US squad that won in Honduras to clinch their sixth-straight World Cup appearance.

But on the morning of October 13, Davies and two women were involved in a single car accident on the George Washington Parkway in Virginia, taking the life of 22-year-old passenger Ashley Roberta and causing Davies to have a lacerated bladder, fractured right tibia and femur, a fractured elbow, and facial injuries.

After the accident, Davies was lucky to be alive, but his career was put into jeopardy and Davies was all but eliminated by many people from even having a chance of making the United States squad for the World Cup.

But to Charlie Davies' credit, he started rehabilitating his entire body along with national team teammate Oguchi Onyewu (who ruptured his Patellar Tendon in the final qualifier) as both players aimed to make the World Cup squad.

On December 4, an interview between Davies and ESPN Outside The Lines reporter Jeremy Schaap was aired during ESPN's coverage of the World Cup group draw, and Davies said that he would be ready to play in the World Cup.

In the weeks after the interview, Davies was able to continue his rehab and on February 2, it was revealed in an interview by Soccernet that Davies was on a remarkable comeback and that he saw himself playing for Sochaux (his club in France) by the end of April.

And as we continue to move forward, Davies has now rejoined Sochaux in training today, March 22, and it appears that Charlie Davies will be able to play for Sochaux by the end of the season.

To me, this news shows us not only that anything is possible with hard work and determination, but that Charlie Davies is now extremely close to making the World Cup squad for the United States.

Now, barring any setbacks, Davies could be starting on June 12 against England in Rustenberg (where the United States lost twice in the Confederations Cup before Davies became a starter).

During his time with the National Team, Davies was able to provide speed and energy up top, which was the Americans' biggest weakness. With Davies, they are capable of beating any country on the planet.

And now, the impossible dream might come true as Charlie Davies could be playing in his first competitive match in a month's time for Sochaux as one of the most incredible stories in the history of US Soccer could be completed.