USMNT youth development took a visible step forward Sept. 26, when coach Mauricio Pochettino started three teenagers and gave 11 players their first senior caps in a 4-1 friendly win over Peru in Orlando, Fla.
Afterward, Pochettino pointed the praise away from himself and toward the clubs that raised the players. “That is credit to all the coaches and coaching staffs in MLS and the teams in MLS,” he said, according to MLSsoccer.com.
USMNT youth development runs through MLS
Of the 13 newcomers in camp, all but one play or trained in MLS. Eight of the uncapped players were teenagers.
Three of them started against Peru. Orlando City forward Justin Ellis, 19, scored in the fourth minute on a header from a Gio Reyna free kick, playing in his club’s home stadium. Ellis grew up in South Florida and previously left Inter Miami’s youth system. He said he had “probably been dreaming about this day probably about 500 to 1,000 times.”
Cavan Sullivan of the Philadelphia Union started on the right side of the attack at 16 years, 363 days old. That makes him the fourth-youngest debutant in modern USMNT history. “I’ve dreamed of this day my entire childhood,” he said.
New England Revolution defender Peyton Miller, 18, also started. Julian Hall, an 18-year-old forward for the New York Red Bulls, came off the bench and scored on his debut. Union teammates Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield also earned first caps.
Veterans set the tone
The starting lineup averaged 23.5 years old, and Pochettino leaned on experienced players to steady it. Reyna, captain Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman started, and Tillman converted a penalty. Right back Alex Freeman, who left Orlando City for Villarreal in January, also started.
That mix shows where USMNT youth development is heading: MLS clubs develop teenagers, and the national team bridges them to players already established in Europe. We looked at a related player move back to MLS earlier this year, and at how the U.S. struggled against Belgium in March.
What’s next for the pipeline
The U.S. followed the Peru win with a 4-2 victory over Chile on Sept. 29 in St. Louis. Hall scored again, and 17-year-old Mathis Albert became the youngest goalscorer in USMNT history, according to MLSsoccer.com.
Both games were friendlies, and the real test comes against stronger opposition. For now, the early results suggest USMNT youth development is off to a promising start as Pochettino builds toward the 2030 World Cup over four years. Read our World Cup Group D preview for context on where the program stood this summer.
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