Loons connections give Minnesota World Cup roots

As expected, no current Minnesota United FC players made the U.S. men's national team World Cup roster.

Yes, but: Fans will still have an opportunity to root for soccer stars with local ties when the tournament kicks off next month.

🇳🇿 🇵🇦 Zoom in: Loons defender Michael Boxall is part of New Zealand's national team, while Carlos Harvey is set to play for Panama, "The Loony Bin" podcast host Dan Elias tells Axios.

• 🇨🇴 Midfielder James Rodríguez, who left the Loons earlier this month to prepare for the World Cup, headlines Colombia's squad, though he's not expected to return to Minnesota's club once the tournament is done.

🇨🇦 Plus: Former Minnesota United players Dayne St. Clair and Tani Oluwaseyi are both on Team Canada.

📬 Know of other players with Minnesota ties? Hit reply!