World Cup 'surprise' 12 years after Liverpool dream ended

Article excerpt

Thelo Aasgaard, a Liverpool-born Norwegian midfielder, was cut from Liverpool's academy at age 14, a rejection that stings all the more now that he's heading to the World Cup. The 20-year-old, who plays for Sarpsborg in Norway's top division, represents the kind of prospect that slips through the cracks at elite academies, only to resurface on the international stage. His journey from the Reds' unwanted list to World Cup squad offers a familiar cautionary tale: that early academy decisions don't always predict a player's trajectory, and that talent can flourish elsewhere.