In early 2019, Tyler Boyd found himself in Ankara, Turkey, playing for Ankaragücü in the Turkish Süper Lig, on loan from Vitória S.C. in the Portuguese first division. The 113-year-old club wasn't footballing purgatory, but it wasn't exactly London or Madrid or another major soccer center, either.
Boyd played well at Ankaragücü, ultimately scoring six goals in 14 appearances, but he was just another 24-year-old winger. Then, however, he got a phone call. "It actually came out of the blue," Boyd, now with the LA Galaxy, said. "And yeah, it was a nice surprise.