If former Rhody soccer player Geoff Cameron’s big idea was to play in the World Cup, then he’s going to need a new big idea. That’s because he is now on the U.S. men’s national team roster for the 2014 World Cup this summer in Brazil, and he’s already competed with the team in a win against Ghana and a tied match with Portugal in the competition’s opening round.

Last month, after learning that he’d made the team, Cameron posted on Twitter: “So blessed & truly honored to be able to represent in the World Cup! Appreciate all the love & support!”

It’s not like Cameron’s selection to the team was unexpected. He entered the national team training camp fresh from his second season in the English Premier League, which is considered the most competitive soccer league in the world and where Cameron’s been a mainstay in the Stoke City lineup. And he has appeared in 23 games for the U.S. national team over the past two years, scoring his first international goal for the team a year ago against Belgium.

Prior to his move to the United Kingdom, Cameron was a two-time Major League Soccer All-Star for the Houston Dynamo. Before that, he made a name for himself here at URI as a starter for the 2006 Atlantic 10 Championship team, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The next year, he was voted to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team and received the league’s inaugural Midfielder of the Year award. Following the conclusion of his senior season, Cameron was Houston’s first pick in the MLS draft.