DaMarcus Beasley (white jersey), shown in 2014 FIFA World Cup action against Portugal, is expected to play for the USA against Panama in the CONCACAF Gold Cup's match for third place on July 25, 2015, in Chester, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Mexsport)

CHESTER, Pennsylvania – It didn’t take a neodymium magnet to pull DaMarcus Beasley back onto the active United States roster.  A request and an opportunity to win more silverware did the trick.

In December, the Houston Dynamo standout announced his retirement from the national team after 14 years, 121 games and 17 goals.

Then, earlier this month, after the completion of group stage play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup – a tournament that Beasley has won four times – an invitation was extended by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann for him to join the squad as a replacement player.

“I asked him to reconsider his retirement, to come and help us in the knockout stage,” the 50-year-old manager said on Friday. 

Beasley, naturally, was delighted to reemerge on the international scene and boost the Americans bid to retain their Gold Cup title.

“I was really humbled and honored that Jurgen asked me to come back and maybe play a part in the Gold Cup again,” said the 33-year-old.

Everything was set-up perfectly for a triumphant return and a storybook ending until something got in the way.

“It was all going by plan until he hurt himself in the first training,” commented Klinsmann.  “Unfortunately, that kept him out of these two big games, the quarterfinal and the semifinal.”

The Caribbean champion’s win on Wednesday in Atlanta may have derailed the USA’s dream for back-to-back crowns, but not Beasley’s desire to work himself and his ailing calf back into shape for the third place match against Panama on Saturday.

Klinsmann confirmed that the left back will make an appearance on the PPL Park pitch, saying, “The plan for tomorrow is that DaMarcus will definitely play the second half for us.  We won’t kind of overdo it because it might be a 120-minute game, so I don’t want to risk anything on his side either.”

That news was music to Beasley’s ears.

“We want to win the game,” he stressed.  “We want to end on good note.  Third place is not what we wanted, but there is a game to be won.  We are professionals.”

After the final whistle, regardless of the result, is it possible that Beasley will remain with team?

“It looks like it comes to an end tomorrow, if he doesn’t reconsider…maybe,” Klinsmann laughed.

Beasley was noncommital, but it sounded as if his heart is telling him to remain in consideration for selection.

“It’s difficult, I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,” he finished.  “We only spoke about the Gold Cup and if I could play a part.  I don’t know.  I’m not going to say this is 100% I’m going to retire…again.

“For me, it’s not about that.  It’s not about me retiring or me coming back.  The national team is so much more than that.”

In the history of soccer in the U.S., however, it doesn’t get much bigger or better than Beasley’s impact on the game.