The energy for the United States Men’s national soccer team (USMNT) seemed to hit a low following the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun’s rescinded red card in this summer’s World Cup and the subsequent humiliation at the hands of a Belgian team that ran the hosts off the field in the round of 16. But just three months on from their tournament exit, the USMNT is back and showing that there may be a brighter future ahead for the US in international soccer.
The new international break, running for over two weeks and combining what were previously separate, shorter breaks in September and October, has allowed the USMNT to play four friendlies in this time. The USMNT won all four. Wins over South American opposition in Chile and Peru provided a warm-up to two rivalry games against neighbors Mexico and Canada. Over the four games, the United States outscored its opponents 11-2. But the real story is not the results themselves. It’s the makeup of the squad that is the most promising sign for the future.
With his sights set on building a squad that will be ready to compete at the 2030 World Cup, head coach Mauricio Pochettino, fresh off a contract extension that will run through the full four-year cycle, named a 28-man squad that included 12 players never selected before. Of these 12, the oldest was 25-year-old goalkeeper Brian Schwake. The Goalkeeper has been a problem position for the USMNT ever since the retirement of legendary goalkeeper Tim Howard in 2017. Schwake and fellow debutant Diego Kochen, currently out on loan from Barcelona in Denmark, are two of the leading candidates in the search for a reliable number one.
Another problem has been the defense. 39-year-old captain Tim Ream retired at the end of the World Cup, and while Ream was clearly past his prime, no clear replacement was in line to take over his spot. 18-year-old Philadelphia Union center back Neil Pierre was given 82 minutes across three games and looked promising, albeit still raw, in that position. Two more young Major League Soccer (MLS) defenders, fullbacks Peyton Miller and Frankie Westfield, also saw time in these games. In addition to other young American defenders, such as Seattle’s Stuart Hawkins, earning starting minutes in MLS, the defense may not be as much of a problem for much longer.
Higher up the field, New York Red Bulls midfielder Adri Mehmeti is considered an elite talent, likely to earn a move to a European league sooner rather than later. Mehmeti’s most attractive trait, unlike many American prospects, is his technical ability rather than physical readiness for the senior level. If all goes well, Mehmeti will be a key player in a strong American midfield in 2030.
The headline debutants, however, came in the forward positions. 19-year-old Orlando City striker Justin Ellis became the fastest debutant goalscorer in USMNT history against Peru, before adding another goal in the game against Canada. Fellow striker Julian Hall scored three goals in four games. Two different players broke the record for the youngest goalscorer in USMNT history in back-to-back games. 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund winger Mathis Albert scored against Chile, before his record was broken days later by Philadelphia Union winger Cavan Sullivan. Sullivan has long been regarded as one of the greatest American talents, and while he still has a way to go, his stellar performances for both club and country have backed up that assessment so far.
Pochettino’s willingness to hand out debuts and try out new players has worked wonders for the depth of the USMNT player pool so far. New players are emerging across MLS, from the college ecosystem to European academies. The future looks brighter than ever for the USMNT.