Photographs by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

When Anderlecht clinched its 31st Belgian title last Sunday after a 1-1 draw with Club Brugge, it was a career milestone for Sacha Kljestan who has been a consistent presence this season in central midfield for the Brussels-based club.

Kljestan, 26, signed with Anderlecht in June 2010 after playing in Major League Soccer with Chivas USA since 2006. He made 35 starts and scored 4 goals in all competitions this season.

It was a transformative year for Kljestan who believes he developed as a player both on and off the field.

“It’s probably been my best season,” Kljestan said. “I’ve grown a lot this year in many ways. I’ve become more all-round and I think I do a lot of things now that help the team. I also think I’ve become a good leader both on the field and in the locker room.”

It was an emotional moment for Kljestan when Guillaume Gillet converted a penalty in second half stoppage time against Brugge to tie the game and secure the title.

When the referee blew the whistle for full time, Kljestan draped himself in a United States flag given to him by his fiancé and celebrated the title on the field with his teammates.

“I instantly was crying,” Kljestan said in a telephone interview. “It’s a special feeling to win a championship and know you were a big part of it. During any home game there are typically 15 or so American flags hung. I’m the only American at Anderlecht so you realize it’s all for you and how you’ve touched the supporters.”

One of the most important factors in Kljestan’s breakout season at Anderlecht has come in the position he now plays. When he was with Chivas USA, he played a typical No. 10 role where he was advanced in the attack and was the primary play-maker on offense.

At Anderlecht, Kljestan has played a deeper position in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Playing just in front of the defenders, he and the Argentine international Lucas Biglia are responsible for controlling the pace of the game. The position requires a lot of defense and leading the transition to attack.

Kljestan has thrived in that role and feels that it plays to his overall strengths as a player.

“I am more of a controlling midfielder and have to do a lot of the dirty work because the four guys in front me are attackers,” said Kljestan, who played in college at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. “I’ve always been able to run a lot. My ability to cover ground and help the team stay organized is where I think I’ve grown a lot.”

With the title now secure, Kljestan has begun to think about his future. His current contract runs through 2014 but he knows that there will be many new faces at the club next season.

The Belgian league, while solid, is considered a smaller, feeder circuit in Europe. Anderlecht is the biggest club in the country and its top players are usually bought by teams in the elite European leagues.

This year there is the expectation that many of the players at Anderlecht will be moving on. Kljestan and his agent, Richard Motzkin, however, are currently in discussions with the club for a contract extension.

Kljestan is happy at Anderlecht and admits it would be difficult to leave because he is in a situation where he is likely to play in European competitions every year. Next season could even see Anderlecht bypass the qualifying rounds and begin play in the Champions League group stages if Bayern Munich defeats Chelsea in this year’s final.

Even a move to a mid-table club in a top league would likely not provide that opportunity.

“I don’t really have this dream where I want to play in England or Spain,” Kljestan said. “But if you do think about it, it’s a tough decision. At Anderlecht we play in European competitions every season. That’s something you can’t look past. Once you play in the Champions League or the Europa League, it’s something you never want to [miss out on] again.”

While this current season has been remarkably successful for Kljestan at Anderlecht (see highlight reel below), his situation internationally has been far different. To date, Kljestan has earned 34 caps for the United States but lately callups have proven to be difficult despite his club success.

Since Jurgen Klinsman was hired as the United States coach last August, Kljestan has played for the team twice. In the most recent U.S. game, a 1-0 win over Italy in February, Kljestan entered as a 73rd-minute substitute, but he was not on the team’s initial roster. He was added later only because of injuries.

Kljestan has not heard from Klinsmann since the Italy game and admits his status on the team is difficult to plumb. Still, he remains determined to continue working hard to impress the coaching staff as World Cup qualifying is set to begin next month.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Kljestan said. “I don’t want to brag about myself and I don’t think I’m the best player on the U.S. team by any level, but on my best day and certainly after a really good season, I kind of think I’ve merited a spot on the national team. I’ve accepted it and I have to keep doing better to keep breaking myself into the team.”

Despite the recent struggles under Klinsmann, Kljestan’s priority is making the next World Cup team. In 2010, he was named to the preliminary World Cup roster and was one of the last players cut for the final roster by coach Bob Bradley.

That was a difficult time for Kljestan and he hopes that his fate will be better in two years.

“I’m always a supporter of the U.S. team and I’ve loved them since I was a kid,” Kljestan said. “I’m going to continue to work to play in the World Cup in 2014. That’s still one of the goals I haven’t met in my career. I’m waiting for my chance and when I get it, I’ll make the most of it.”

Does Kljestan’s play this past season earn him a new callup to the national team?

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