Two years ago, John Anthony Brooks grabbed a permanent marker and scribbled his signature into the annals of American soccer with the game winning goal in the United States' 2-1 win over Ghana at the 2014 World Cup.
It proved to be a vital goal, as the USMNT advanced out of the Group of Death with four points, edging Portugal on goal differential.
The Hertha Berlin defender was a tempestuous 21-years old at the time. Many questioned Brooks' inclusion and Jurgen Klinsmann's reliance on him.
The faith has paid off and he's now being described as an "anchor" of the U.S. defense.
Here's what Klinsmann had to say about the towering center back:
"I think John over the last two or three years had his ups and downs, little roller coasters like youngsters in general have, but he stayed very determined, very committed to what he is doing. ... I think he's just now realizing the sky is the limit for him," U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "He's getting calmer. He's becoming more mature communicating with the whole back line. As a center back you need to keep a high level of aggressiveness because you are there to intimidate those strikers. So he does all those little things better and better. Doesn't mean he is perfect, but he is really maturing his game and it's fun for us coaches to watch."
You're only as good as your last performance, but it's important to respect and appreciate past glories. The sky's the limit for Brooks, and in the future he'll be providing a lot more moments like his goal against Ghana and his recent Man of the Match performance against Paraguay.
U.S. fans undoubtedly hopes he'll have a few more standout appearances in the very near future, starting with tonight's Copa America quarterfinal against Ecuador.