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2017 U17 World Cup Roster Update

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Where are they now as of 07/21/2020


The Fall of 2017 was a rough period for all USMNT fans, but even during this difficult time, there was a distant shimmering light. That beacon in the distance was the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup that took place in India. This tournament occurred between October 6-28. Also at this time was that particular USMNT match that I’m still very salty about (🤬 Couva). The conclusion to that Men’s World Cup qualifying debacle occurred on October 10, 2017. The 2017 U17 World Cup kept going and it was that bunch of kids that gave me hope for the future.


So here we are today, 3+ years later, gazing upon the fruit that are growing from all of those talented seeds planted during this youth tournament. This article will give an update on the US 2017 U17 roster. 

July 2017: U-17 Men’s National Team at Lake Burton

July 2017: U-17 Men’s National Team at Lake Burton


Let’s review what happened to help jog the memories…

India 0 – USA 3 (group stage) 10/6/17

Ghana vs US U17

Ghana 0 – US 1 (group stage) 10/9/17

USA 1 - Colombia 3 (group stage) 10/12/17

USA 1 – Colombia 3 (group stage) 10/12/17

Paraguay 0 - USA 5

Paraguay 0 – USA 5 (knockout stage) 10/16/17

USA 1 – England 4 (knockout stage) 10/21/17

England went on to win that tournament with the likes of Rhian Brewster, Jadon Sancho (withdrew as per request of Borussia Dortmund), Callum Hudson-Odoi and Phil Foden.

So here we go… Where are they now?

2017 U17 Goalkeepers


Alexander Budnik 

Club during U17 WC: Sockers FC 🇺🇸

Current club: none

U17 WC: DNP

Update: After being part of Sockers FC Chicago, Alex enrolled at Dartmouth College. As a freshman, he started 1 of 17 matches.  As a sophomore, he started 15 of 16 matches and was named 2nd team all-ivy league.  

Current Transfermarkt value: NA


Carlos Dos Santos

Club during U17 WC: SL Benfica Academy – Portugal 🇵🇹

Current club: Benfica U23 🇵🇹

U17 WC: DNP

Update: Carlos had moved up from Benfica U17 to U19 to currently at U23’s.  A new contract with Benfica was signed on 9/18/18 which runs through June 2023.  Later in December 2018, Carlos started for the Benfica U19 squad in the last match of the UEFA Youth League and kept a clean sheet as Benfica U19 defeated AEK U19 3-0.  On 3/22/19, Carlos was called up for the US U20’s and started vs France U20 in Spain which ended up as a 2-2 tie.  Later, Carlos was selected to be part of the 2019 U20 World Cup squad but was behind Brady Scott and David Ochoa who both started matches.  For the Benfica U23 2019/20 season, Carlos had started in 6 of 23 matches.  Benfica U23 is rotating between 3-4 keepers where Carlos appears to be 2nd in the depth chart at this time.  

Current Transfermarkt value: $110k


Justin Garces

Club during U17 WC: Atlanta United Academy 🇺🇸

Current club: none

U17 WC: 90’ (match1 start), 90’ (match2 start), 90’ (match3 start), 90’ (match4 start), 90’ (match5 start)

Update:  Justin started all 5 matches in the 2017 U17 World Cup for the stars & stripes.  He gave up 7 goals and grabbed 3 clean sheets.  Playing for Atlanta United Academy in 2017/18, Justin earned U18/19 US DA Eastern Conference Player of the Year honors.  (Some other notable DA awards that year: U16/17 East Gio Reyna, U18/19 Central Chris Richards, U16/17 West Ulysses Llanez, U18/19 West Richard Ledezma.) In February 2018, Justin signed a letter of intent to enroll and play for UCLA while playing for Atlanta II in the USL.  As a freshman, at UCLA, Justin started in 14 of 19 matches in the fall of 2018.  As a sophomore, Justin started in all 18 matches in the fall of 2019.  Justin’s last YNT camp was an appearance in one of Tab Ramos U20 camps in January 2019.  

Current Transfermarkt value: NA

2017 U17 Defenders


Sergiño Dest

Club during U17 WC: Ajax U19 – U19 Eredivisie Youth Leagues 🇳🇱

Current club: Ajax – Eredivisie 🇳🇱

U17 WC: 63’ (match2 RB start), 90’ (match3 RB start), 46’ (match4 LB start), 35’ (match5 sub)

Update:  For the 2019/20 season, Sergiño played for first place Ajax in the Dutch Eredivisie and is under contract until the end of the 2021/22 season. Sergiño logged 1,445 minutes for the 2019/20 season and only missed 5 matches. He started in 15 of 20 matches with 5 assists. Also, Sergiño started in 4 of the 6 Champions League matches for Ajax. Committed to represent USA on October 28, 2019 which I like to consider as the day Dest saved our soccer. Sergiño has 3 caps for the senior side… so far. Additionally, he is rumored to have Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona interested in his services. 

Current Transfermarkt value: $19.8 Million


Chris Durkin

Club during U17 WC:  Richmond Kicker – USL1 🇺🇸 (on loan from DC United Academy – MLS 🇺🇸)

Current club: Sint-Truiden – Belgium Jupiler Pro League 🇧🇪 

U17 WC: 90’ (match1 CB start ⚽️️), 90’ (match2 DM start), 90’ (match3 CM start), 90’ (match4 CB start), 90’ (match5 start)

Update: Chris became a big part of the DC United roster for the 2018 season.  He began the season getting late match substitutions and eventually got a starting job. His form faded a bit in the 2nd half of the season, but he ended up playing 1,671 minutes starting 18 of 25 matches. After his breakout 2018 season, Chris got a lot of interest from European clubs including Benfica and Sporting CP as well as a rejected loan bid from Bayer Leverkusen. For the 2019 season, Chris had a dip in form in addition to missing 8 matches for U20 work and an ankle injury. He ended up logging 725 minutes and starting 7 of 14 matches he played in.  At the end of the 2018 season, Chris was loaned to Sint-Truiden of the Belgian First Division.  By the middle of the 2019/20 season, Chris worked his way into the lineup. The Belgium season was cut short due to COVID but Chris logged 737 minutes starting 9 of 12 matches he played in for the first team. Sint-Truiden made Chris’s loan permanent on May 7, 2020 for a transfer fee of $1.1 million. 

Current Transfermarkt value: $743 Thousand


Chris Gloster

Club during U17 WC: NY Red Bull Academy – MLS 🇺🇸

Current club: Jong PSV – Eerste Divisie 🇳🇱

U17 WC: 90’ (match1 LB start), 90’ (match2 LB start), 90’ (match3 LB start), 44’ (match4 LB sub), 90’ (match5 start)

Update: After a solid U17 World Cup performance, Chris went on trial with Schalke in January 2018. In March, Chris signed with Hannover 96. He started the 2018 season with the U17’s and soon got time with the U23’s, Hanover 96 II. Chris logged 1,185 minutes with the U23’s and 346 minutes with the U17 for 2018. After a solid U20 World Cup in the summer of 2018, Chris was bought by PSV in the Dutch Eredivisie for $330 Thousand. Chris logged 1,265 minutes starting 14 of 16 matches for Jong PSV in the Eerste Divisie. Currently, Chris is training with the first team, PSV. 

Current Transfermarkt value: $275 Thousand


Jaylin Lindsey

Club during U17 WC: Sporting KC Academy – MLS 🇺🇸

Current club: Sporting KC – MLS 🇺🇸

U17 WC: 90’ (match1 RB start), 90’ (match2 CB start), 90’ (match3 CB start), 90’ (match start)

Update: Jaylin signed a Homegrown Player contract with Sporting Kansas City on 9/15/2017. He made his Sporting Kansas City debut on June 3, 2018. For the 2018 season, Jaylin started in 6 of 7 matches he played in for the MLS side totaling 555 minutes. He also played 540 minutes for Sporting Kansas City II or Swoop Park Rangers in the USL.  Jaylin had a rough start to his 2019 campaign as he suffered a torn meniscus that took him out for most of the season. After his recovery, he still logged 1,172 minutes with the USL side and made an MLS start for the final match of the season. Jaylin hopes to make an impact for the 2020 season; He has yet to appear for MLSisBack tournament. Jaylin has expressed an interest in playing in Europe one day.

Current Transfermarkt value: $220 Thousand


James Sands

Club during U17 WC:  NYC FC – MLS 🇺🇸

Current club: NYC FC – MLS 🇺🇸

U17 WC:  90’ (match1 CB start), 90’ (match2 CB start), 90’ (match3 CB start), 90’ (match4 CB start)

Update: James was the first Homegrown Player to sign with NYCFC in June 2017 prior to the U17 World Cup. Sands made his professional debut with the senior team on September 16, 2017 as a substitute for Andrea Pirlo. For the 2018 season, James played in 4 matches for NYCFC and was sent to Louisville City in the USL for a short term loan where he played in 3 matches under his former U17 World Cup coach, John Hackworth. The 2019 season saw a significant jump in playing time for James. He started 18 of 19 matches and logged 1,488 minutes playing CB and DM. For the current 2020 season, James is currently a regular starter for coach Ronny Deila. 

Current Transfermarkt value: $1.1 Million


Tyler Shaver

Club during U17 WC:  NYC FC Academy – MLS 🇺🇸

Current club: none

U17 WC: DNP

Update: Tyler enrolled at Stanford University and played 78 minutes in five substitute appearances as a freshman in 2018. 

Current Transfermarkt value: NA


Akil Watts

Club during U17 WC:  Portland Timbers Academy – MLS 🇺🇸

Current club: Louisville City – USL 🇺🇸

U17 WC: 27’ (match2 sub), 90’ (match4 RB start), 81’ (match5 start)

Update: Akil took advantage of a good showing at the U17 World Cup where he moved from the Timbers Academy and signed with Spanish club RCD Mallorca on July 9, 2018. He initially played with the U19 team then moved up to Mallorca B. In August 2019, his former U17 world Cup coach John Hackworth may have helped convince Akil to return to the States as he signed with Louisville City of the USL. He ended up playing in 4 matches for the 2019 season. Akil continues to be a part of Hackworth’s squad for the current 2020 season. 

Current Transfermarkt value: $55 Thousand


2017 U17 Midfielders


George Acosta

Club during U17 WC:  North Carolina FC 🇺🇸

Current club: Inter Miami FC – MLS 🇺🇸

U17 WC: 24’ (match1 sub), 78’ (match3 AM start ⚽️️)

Update: George has jumped around since the U17 World Cup. He trialed with RB Leipzig and had interest from Seattle Sounders. He joined Club Atlético Boca Juniors U20 in Argentina in August 2018 and later moved to play with Boca Juniors II in January 2019. In August 2019, George joined Austin Bold FC in the USL and played in 5 matches totaling 131 minutes. Currently, the Miami native joined Inter Miami CF for the 2020 season. 

Current Transfermarkt value: $165 Thousand


Taylor Booth

Club during U17 WC:  Real Salt Lake Academy – MLS 🇺🇸

Current club: FC Bayern Munich II – Liga – Germany 3rd tier 🇩🇪

U17 WC:  11’ (match4 CM sub), 55’ (match5 start)

Update: After the U17 World Cup, Taylor laid low until he was able to obtain an Italian passport through his father.  In 2018, Taylor made some appearances for the US U18’s and U19’s. He was holding out for Bayern and was finally signed at the end of January 2019 where he was part of their U19 squad. Taylor ended up playing in 7 matches totaling 410 minutes. For the 2019/20 season, Taylor started out with the U19’s but also made 2 appearances for Bayern Munich II in 3. Liga.  In total, over all competitions, he racked up 1,126 minutes in 18 matches. As a 19-year-old, he is positioned to start out the 2020/21 season with Bayern Munich II in 3. Liga where they look to defend their title. Taylor is under contract until the end of the 2022 season. In May 2020, there were rumors of Tottenham offering Taylor a contract with hopes to bring him to England. 

Current Transfermarkt value: NA (wait, what!?)


Blaine Ferri

Club during U17 WC:  Solar Chelsea SC 🇺🇸

Current club: Fort Lauderdale CF – USL 🇺🇸 

U17 WC:  90’ (match1 CM start), 90’ (match2 AM start), 9’ (match3 CM sub), 34’ (match4 CM start), 73’ (match5 start)

Update: In August of 2018, Blaine joinedSpVgg Greuther Fürth in their U19 roster. He signed his first professional contract in April 2019. For the 2019/20 season, Ferri played for the U23 squad, SpVgg Greuther Fürth II who plays in the Germany 4th tier, Regionalliga Bayern. There he logged 1,453 minutes starting 16 of 18 matches he played in. In an odd turn of events, Coach Petr Ruman announced that Blaine along with 3 other teammates were suspended for “disciplinary reasons” for a 11/9/19 match. Later the player contracts for these 4 individuals were canceled. In February 2020, Blane signed with Fort Lauderdale CF which is the USL club for Inter Miami CF of the MLS. 

Current Transfermarkt value: NA


Chris Goslin

Club during U17 WC:  Charleston Battery – USL 🇺🇸

Current club: none

U17 WC: 90’ (match1 CM start), 90’ (match2 AM start), 87’ (match3 CM start), 90’ (match4 CM start)

Update: Chris started 14 matches for USL Atlanta United II for the 2018 season where he also played 1,414 minutes including an appearance for the senior team in a US Open Cup match on 6/7/2018.  Chris was released after the 2019 season where he only logged 79 minutes for Atlanta United II. Currently, Goslin is searching to land with a new club. He has trained with FK Sūduva in the top division in Lithuania, A Lyga. 

Current Transfermarkt value: $165 Thousand


Indiana Vassilev

Club during U17 WC: IMG Academy 🇺🇸

Current club: Aston Villa – EPL 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

U17 WC:  3’ (match1 sub), 9’ (match2 sub), 56’ (match4 LW sub), 17’ (match5 sub)

Update: Indiana (yes he is named after Dr. Jones) was scouted by Aston Villa as early as November 2016. He signed his first pro contract with Aston after his performance at the U17 World Cup.  For his 2017/18 season, he tallied 824 minutes with the U18 squad. In his 2018/19 season, he primarily continued with the U18’s totaling 1,293 minutes but also saw time with the U23’s seeing 418 minutes. Currently, for the 2019/20 season, Indiana has tallied 915 minutes with the U23 side and seen some time with the senior team. Indiana Vassilev made his EPL debut with Aston Villa on 1/18/20 getting subbed in against Brighton. He signed an extension with Villa that puts him under contract until June 2022.

Current Transfermarkt value: $275 Thousand (wait, what?)


2017 U17 Forwards


Ayo Akinola

Club during U17 WC: Toronto FC Academy – MLS 🇨🇦

Current club: Toronto FC – MLS 🇨🇦

U17 WC: 90’ (match1 RW start), 24’ (match2 sub ⚽️️), 90’ (match3 RW start), 79’ (match4 RW start), 90’ (match5 RW start)

Update: Ayo signed as a Homegrown Player with Toronto on 12/18/17. He did a trial with PSV earlier in November 2017. Ayo made his MLS debut on 7/5/2018 with Toronto FC. For the 2018 season, he made 4 appearances totaling 45 minutes with the MLS side as well as playing 904 minutes with the USL side, Toronto II. Similarly, for the 2019 season, he split time getting 368 minutes with the senior team and 539 minutes with the USL side. Ayo started for Toronto FC in their first MLSisBack tournament and banged in a brace. Next match, he bags a hat trick. Ayo remains eligible to play for USA (provisionally cap tied) as well as Canada or Nigeria.

Current Transfermarkt value: $440 Thousand


Andrew Carleton

Club during U17 WC: Atlanta FC – MLS 🇺🇸

Current club: Indy Eleven – USL 🇺🇸 (on loan from Atlanta)

U17 WC:  90’ (match1 AM start ⚽️️), 81’ (match2 LW start), 69’ (match3 LW start), 90’ (match4 AM start ⚽️️), 90’ (match5 AM start)

Update: Andrew was Atlanta United first Homegrown Player signing on 6/9/2016. He made his MLS debut on 5/21/17 prior to the U17 World Cup. For the 2018 season, he spent some time with the senior team (251 minutes) but mostly with the USL side (1,179 minutes). Similarly, for the 2019 season, he tallied 1,228 minutes with Atlanta II in the USL and just 193 minutes with the MLS side. Unfortunately, Andrew encountered some off the field issues mainly due to questionable maturity. He’s been given a fresh start with his loan to Indy 11 in the USL for the 2020 season.

Current Transfermarkt value: $440 Thousand


Jacobo Reyes

Club during U17 WC: CF Monterrey youth – Liga MX 🇲🇽

Current club: Monterrey U20’s – Liga MX 🇲🇽

U17 WC: 5’ (match1 sub), 9’ (match2 sub)

Update: Jacob left Monterrey and spent a season at the University of Portland, the Pilots. For the 2019 season, he finished with 3 goals and 5 assists. He was selected as Freshman Best XI for Top Drawer Soccer. He re-joined Monterrey U20’s in January 2020.

Current Transfermarkt value: NA


Bryan Reynolds

Club during U17 WC:  FC Dallas Academy – MLS 🇺🇸

Current club: FC Dallas – MLS 🇺🇸

U17 WC: 9’ (match5 RB sub)

Update: After the U17 World Cup, Brian remained with FC Dallas making the bench on 10/13/18 for his first senior team appearance. For the 2019 season, Brian has split time with Dallas and North Texas Soccer Club.  He tallied 1,365 minutes over all competitions.  He is currently behind Reggie Cannon in the RB depth chart and is under contract until the end of the 2020 season.  

Current Transfermarkt value: $275 Thousand. 


Josh Sargent

Club during U17 WC:  IMG Academy 🇺🇸

Current club: Werder Bremen – German Bundesliga 🇩🇪

U17 WC:  90’ (match1 CF start ⚽️️), 90’ (match2 CF start), 90’ (match3 CF start), 90’ (match4 CF start ⚽️️), 90’ (match5 CF start ⚽️️)

Update: Josh logged 1,712 minutes for the 2019/20 season and only missed 4 matches for an injury. He started in 18 of 34 matches with 4 goals & 6 assists over all competitions. Josh is under contract until the end of the 2021/22 season. He has 12 caps for the senior national team and scored 5 goals… so far.

Current Transfermarkt value: $7.37 Million. 


Timothy Weah

Club during U17 WC: Paris Saint-Germain Youth Academy – Championnat National U17/19 🇫🇷

Current club: Lille – French League 1 🇫🇷

U17 WC: 85’ (match1 LW start), 63’ (match2 RW start), 3’ (match3 CF sub), 90’ (match4 LW start ⚽️️⚽️⚽️), 90’ (match5 LW start)

Update: Timmy was sold from PSG to Lille in July 2019 for $11.4 Million. Prior to an August 2019 injury, he was a starter for Lille and is under contract until the end of the 2023/24 season.  Timothy has 8 caps for the senior national team and scored 1 goal with 1 assist… so far.

Current Transfermarkt value: $7.92 Million. 


Players that were part of the CONCACAF U17 championship that were not part of the U17 World Cup include AJ Vasquez, Adrian Villegas and Zyen Jones. 

Coach John Hackworth

Coach John Hackworth


Head Coach John Hackworth

Coach Hackworth took over as manager of Louisville City of the USL in August 2018.  Louisville City defeated the Phoenix Rising in 2019 to be crowned USL Champion in his first year. For 2019, he holds a record of 34-12-12 where Louisville finished 4th in the Eastern Conference and were runner-up in the playoffs losing to Real Monarchs 1-3. They defeated the season champions Phoenix Rising in the quarterfinals.

So there we have it.  Thank goodness for those kids in the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup.  It is safe to say that out of this 21 man boy roster, we may get 5-7 legitimate USMNT player pool candidates with 3 genuine starters.  May the soccer gods continue to bless our USMNT with young talent!

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USMNT

Exploring Dual Citizenship in U.S. Soccer: The Rise of Dual Nationals in the USMNT

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Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

Dual-national players have had a significant impact on U.S. soccer, bringing a range of styles and influences that have enhanced the team’s level of play. These players often possess the technical skills, tactical awareness, and experience that make them valuable assets to the U.S. national team.

The U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) has been active in recruiting dual nationals, recognizing the growing importance of players born or raised abroad who have ties to the country. As globalization continues, it’s likely that the U.S. will continue to benefit from players who have the option of representing multiple nations.

The 1990s were a pivotal decade for the USMNT, marked by the strategic inclusion of dual-nationals that significantly bolstered the team’s talent pool. This influx of players with diverse international backgrounds allowed the team to compete at a higher level and achieve success previously out of reach. Today, the USMNT faces similar challenges in terms of depth and quality, leading many to wonder if a new wave of dual-nationals will emerge ahead of the 2026 World Cup, potentially reshaping the team’s future prospects.

Here’s a brief history of dual-national players in U.S. soccer:

Early History (Pre-1990s)

Dual-national players existed in the early years of U.S. soccer, there was no distinct “culture” of dual nationals as we know it today. In the early years, the U.S. was not a global soccer power, and many of the players had connections to other countries, but they were not as visible or influential as they would become in the coming decades.

Bert Patenaude (USA/Canada/France) – Scored the first hat-trick in FIFA World Cup history in 1930.

Aldo Donelli (USA/Italy) – Scored all four U.S. goals in a 1934 World Cup qualifier against Mexico.

Joe Gaetjens (USA/Haiti) – Scored the historic game-winning goal against England in the 1950 World Cup but later disappeared in Haiti under Duvalier’s regime.

Frank Borghi (USA/Italy) – Goalkeeper for the U.S. in the 1950 World Cup, born to Italian immigrants.

Harry Keough (USA/Ireland) – Defender on the 1950 World Cup squad, of Irish descent.

Walter Bahr (USA/Germany) – Midfielder and key player in the 1950 World Cup, of German descent.

Werner Roth (USA/Germany/Yugoslavia) – Captain of the U.S. team in the 1970s, born in Yugoslavia to German parents.

The Rise of Dual Nationals

In the mid to late 1980s and 1990s, the USMNT made a concerted effort to identify and recruit quality dual-nationals, significantly strengthening the team as they worked to assemble their best squad for the 1994 World Cup, which they were set to host.

Here is a look at some of the most prominent dual-national players for the USMNT during the 1980s and 1990s.

Hugo Pérez-20 (1984): Pérez held citizenship for both El Salvador and the United States.  Pérez became a key player in the USMNT’s development during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Paul Caligiuri-20 (1984): Caligiuri held two citizenships, and his Italian heritage gave him the option to play for Italy. Instead, he chose to represent the U.S. at the international level and became a key figure in the team’s rise in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His commitment to the U.S. national team was crucial in helping shape the team’s success in that era.

Mike Windischmann-18 (1984): Windischmann is a clear example of a dual-national player who had the option to represent either the U.S. or Germany, given his family’s roots. Ultimately, he chose to play for the U.S. national team, and his contributions helped pave the way for U.S. soccer’s future success.

John Harkes-20 (1987): Harkes, with Scottish heritage through his parents, was eligible for dual citizenship. His father, Jim, hailed from Dundee, Scotland.

Jeff Agoos-19 (1988): Agoos holds citizenship in both the United States and Switzerland, where he was born. Despite his Swiss heritage, he chose to represent the USMNT and became one of the country’s most reliable defenders during his international career.

Marcelo Balboa-20 (1988): Balboa was of Mexican descent and had the option to represent Mexico; he is considered a dual-national who chose to represent the United States at the international level. His decision to play for the U.S. was a significant one, and he became one of the prominent figures in U.S. soccer during the 1990s.

Tab Ramos-21 (1988): Ramos holds both United States and Uruguayan citizenship. Ramos had many great moments for the USMNT and played a pivotal role in shaping the development of American soccer during the 1990s.

Fernando Clavijo-33 (1990): Clavijo is a dual-national because he held citizenship in both Uruguay and the United States. Despite his strong connection to Uruguay, he chose to represent the U.S. Men’s National Team during his playing career, where he became an important figure for the national team during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Earnie Stewart-21 (1990): Stewart was born in the Netherlands to American parents and played for both the Netherlands youth teams and the USMNT. Stewart chose to represent the U.S. and had a successful career, becoming one of the most well-known dual nationals in U.S. soccer history.

Thomas Dooley-30 (1992): Dooley is an excellent and notable example of a dual-national player, holding German and U.S. citizenship. He played for the U.S. Men’s National Team despite his German heritage, making significant contributions to the U.S. team’s success in the 1990s. His decision to represent the U.S. was pivotal for the team, especially during the 1994 World Cup and the subsequent years of growth in American soccer.

Roy Wegerle-28 (1992): Wegerle being born and raised in South Africa, became a U.S. citizen in 1991 and represented the United States in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

Claudio Reyna-20 (1994): Reyna was able to obtain a Portuguese passport through his parents. The former USMNT captain was a key figure in four World Cup squads, appearing in three of them throughout his illustrious career.

Predrag Radosavljević-33 (1996): Born in Serbia, Preki made his USMNT debut in 1996 at the age of 33, making him one of the oldest dual nationals to earn his first cap. Although he played in just 28 matches for the U.S., Preki earned a reputation as a “super sub,” often coming off the bench to score and assist in crucial second-half goals for the team.

The Future of Dual Nationals

With the 2026 World Cup just 14 months away and set to return to U.S. soil, will U.S. Soccer and Mauricio Pochettino look to bolster the squad by recruiting additional dual-national talent? With a fully healthy player pool, roster spots on the USMNT are limited. Strengthening the squad’s depth could be a crucial factor in building a competitive team capable of making a deep run on home soil.

Lucho Acosta-30 Reports suggest that Acosta is expected to obtain his U.S. citizenship in early 2025. If he joins the USMNT, he would be one of the older dual-nationals to do so, as he turns 31 at the end of May. His experience and leadership could provide valuable depth to the squad.

Noahkai Banks-18 Banks, recently named to the USMNT’s 60-man provisional roster for the March 2025 Nations League, is a promising teenage center-back who could provide much-needed depth to the squad’s backline.

Nathaniel Brown-21 Brown, a German left-back, could provide the USMNT with much-needed depth at the position but would need to complete a one-time switch to represent the American squad.

Noel Buck-19 Buck, who recently featured for England’s U-21 team, would need to file a one-time switch to rejoin the USMNT after reportedly being mishandled by the previous manager. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, it will be up to Matt Crocker and Mauricio Pochettino to persuade him to return to the American setup.

Cole Campbell-19 Campbell, another dual-national named to the USMNT’s 60-man provisional roster for the March 2025 Nations League, spoke with former USMNT dual-national Aron Johannsson, who is trying to convince him to switch his allegiance from Iceland to the United States.

Anrie Chase-20 Defender Anrie Chase, already competing at a high level in both the Bundesliga and Champions League, previously represented Japan’s U-23 team in 2021 and 2022 before making a single appearance for the U-23 USMNT in October 2023. At the moment, Chase appears more focused on his club career with VfB Stuttgart than on his international future. However, hopefully, Matt Crocker and Mauricio Pochettino will keep the lines of communication open as the USMNT continues to monitor his progress.

Damion Downs-20 Down, the third player on this list to be named to the USMNT’s 60-man provisional roster for the March 2025 Nations League, has been in excellent form with 10 goals and 5 assists in the 2. Bundesliga. His goal-scoring ability adds valuable depth to the USMNT’s striker pool.

Luca Koleosho-20 Koleosho’s club form has dipped in recent months, with playing time becoming increasingly limited. However, as an eligible dual-national, he remains a potential option for the USMNT, which is in need of added depth on the wings.

Conclusion

Dual-national players have played a critical role in the development of U.S. soccer, and this trend is likely to continue in the future. With global scouting networks and more players born abroad to American parents, the U.S. has the opportunity to draw from a diverse talent pool, giving them an advantage in international competitions.

Many believe that dual-nationals only choose the USMNT because they aren’t good enough to represent other countries. While it’s true that some players—past, present, and future—may not have a deep-rooted passion for the red, white, and blue, that doesn’t mean all dual-nationals lack pride in representing the United States. Until FIFA revises its rules regarding eligibility, the USMNT will continue to actively recruit and promote top talent—regardless of background—in its effort to build the strongest possible team.

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American Transfers: Stock Up & Stock Down

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The 2024 summer transfer window closed on September 1st and over a dozen Americans made a move in the two-month span.  These players range from youth players, like Mathias Albert, to veteran players like John Brooks.  Some moves were great, and some were not.  This article will review several of these transfers and determine if it was a stock up or stock down.

Sergiño Dest & Malik Tillman to PSV- Stock Up

Both Dest and Malik Tillman went on loan (with option to buy) to PSV in the Eredivisie at the start of last season.  Both had a great season where they could have gone to a better league for this season.  PSV decided to trigger both player’s buy option, making them permanent players for the Dutch club.  These are good moves in my opinion because Dest had a regrettable loan to Milan two seasons ago and a difficult relationship with Xavi Hernandez. 

Dest needs another season (in his case, half a season) with the Dutch club to develop, recover his young career, and show clubs that he can compete in the UCL.  The same goes for Tillman, who needs to further develop his attacking, work rate, and ability to compete in the UCL.  If both can replicate and/or take a step up from their performance from last season, they should return to a top 5 league.  (Note: Bayern has a buy-back option for Malik Tillman)

Santiago Castañeda to Paderborn- Stock Up

The Tampa-born Colombian-American spent last season with the 3. Liga with Duisburg where he appeared in 31 matches with 2 goals and 2 assists.  This season, he is with Paderborn, a consistent 2. Bundesliga club and he already has a goal in 5 starts across all competitions.  This is impressive when you realize that Santiago will be turning 20 years old on November 13th.  US fans (who do not follow USL closely) are just now learning about him and some probably have already written him off because of his background. 

He is taking a similar path as Lennard Maloney, who played in both 3. Liga and 2. Bundesliga before moving back up to the Bundesliga.  In Santiago’s case, he started with Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Championship before moving to Duisburg.  To add to the move being a stock up because of moving up a league, he is also a CDM, a position that the US is lacking depth at.  Other American CDMs who are in about his age (+/- 1 years old) are Daniel Edelman, Moses Nyeman, Marcel Ruszel, and Ethan Kohler (although, he is being converted to an RB) to name a few.  If he continues down this path, he can become the #1 American CDM in his age group followed by Pedro Soma (who is 2 years younger than Santiago) in the next age group.

Paxten Aaronson to Utrecht- Stock Up

The Paris Olympian will be heading back to the Eredivisie, but this time, he will be joining fellow Americans Taylor Booth and Rickson van Hees at Utrecht.  Paxten had a successful half season with Vitesse where he had 4 goals in 14 appearances.  As a CAM, he is competing against Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman (both being only a year older) for a spot on the USMNT.  Right now, he is not beating either one of them out, even with Gio being injury prone and Tillman’s lack of producibility for the USMNT. 

Gio has had several occasions of great moments with the national team and Tillman is coming off a 24-goal contribution season.  Going back to the Eredivisie would greatly help his development before heading back to Eintracht Frankfurt.  Also, if he has a more productive season than Tillman, then there is an argument to make Paxten the #2 CAM for the USMNT.  Currently, Tillman has 4 goal contributions in 5 matches across all competitions to Paxten’s 1 assist in 4 matches.

Caleb Wiley to Chelsea with loan to Strasbourg- Stock Up

This is one of the players who needed a move this summer and who was able to get an upgrade.  Caleb Wiley arguably has the highest ceiling amongst our U23 LBs.  Now, Strasbourg is employing him more as an LWB, which is, in my opinion, his best position.  Last season at Atlanta, Wiley started as a LW that led to a fantastic form.  When he moved to LB, he became inconsistent and stagnated, but he played more as a LWB and his form went back up.  Along with that and with him turning 20 in December, he needed to get out of MLS. 

We see what happens to players who stay in the MLS too long, i.e. John Tolkin, who has struggled to transition his club form to the USMNT, and Brandon Vazquez, who is now struggling to start for Monterrey and out of the USMNT picture.  Playing in a top 5 league and being developed into an LWB can help him unlock his full potential.  To add, Wiley already has 2 starts, a halftime substitution, and an assist for Strasbourg.

Rodrigo Neri to Atlanta 2- Stock Down

This is one of the most disappointing moves for those who follow the USYNT U20 team and the future state of the USMNT striker position.  Neri’s young career has dramatically fallen in just one year.  He was part of the Atletico de Madrid academy since 2021 but left their U19 team for Valencia U19 to now Atlanta 2.  Based on Be Soccer, Neri had 0 goal contributions in just only 11 matches for both Spanish U19 teams.  7 games in and Neri already has 3 goals and 1 assist for Atlanta 2.  This can either mean he has improved, returned to his Atletico U19 B form (where he had 17 goals in 32 matches), and/or that MLSNP is weaker than División de Honor Juvenil (the league that Atleti U19 is part of).  Either way, we can already see that his lack of goals has impacted his international career. 

The last time that he was part of the team was the U19/20 March camp against Morocco and England.  He was left off the CONCACAF U20 Championship for Keyrol Figueroa and Marcos Zambrano.  This is after being part of the U19 team that participated in the 2023 PanAm Games where he had 1 goal in 5 matches.  Besides that, he had scored a goal against England and a brace against Norway when he was part of the U17 team in 2022.  AS USA even had a piece on Neri back in 2022 calling him the next big thing for the US. 

Usually, this far of a drop would almost take you out of the international conversation but knowing US Soccer’s habit of calling up MLSNP players like Sergio Oregel Jr., there is still a chance that Neri can be back in the conversation in time of the 2025 U20 World Cup.  The only positive thing about this move is that it could help him get his career back on track.

Vaughn Covil to Las Vegas- Stock Down

For Covil’s career, this was the right move to make.  For his international career, it only leaves the Philippines for him.  His chances with England were never going to happen.  2-3 years ago, you could have said he had a chance with the US and even more with Canada with the right development.  Now, he is better off committing to the Philippines if he wants to have an international career. 

It’s a stock down move because it would’ve been better if he had made a deal with an EFL League 2 club than coming to the USL Championship and because he is limited to just one national team instead of four.  Hopefully, he does well at Las Vegas and can get a call-up by the Philippines.

Jonathan Gomez to PAOK- Stock Down

This move is one of the most disappointing of all the transfers this summer by an American.  While at Louisville and with the USYNT, he looked like a future LB/LWB option for the USMNT and another dual national battle with Mexico.  When he went to Real Sociedad and after his successful loan to Mirandes in La Liga 2, things were in an upward trajectory.  He left Real Sociedad (likely because they didn’t want to extend his contract, so they opt to sell him to make a profit) for reigning Greek champions, PAOK.  When it should have been a positive that he will be playing in his first season at a 1st division, it is a negative because of it being the Greek Super League 1.  PAOK is also in the Europa League and that should’ve been a positive for his career, but the Greek champions left him off their UEL roster. 

He is still only 21 years old and if he does well enough for them, then he can move up to a better league in a season or two.  At this moment, he has slipped out of the conversation to compete with Lund, Tolkin, and Wiley to be the future #1 LB/LWB.  To make matters worse, Caleb Wiley’s 2024/25 season has started off well at Strasbourg with 2 starts and an assist.  You could argue that during the 2023 U20 World Cup that JoGo was the better of the two at the LB/LWB position but now Wiley is above him on the depth chart.

Aidan Morris to Middlesborough- Stock Up

Like Caleb Wiley, Morris needed to leave MLS to further his development and avoid the situation that John Tolkin is in.  Even though Morris has been underwhelming for the USMNT, he has the potential to be a consistent player of the 23-26 men roster.  So far this season with Boro, he has been a standout and quick favorite amongst the fans.  Going to the EFL Championship was one of the best choices he could have made as his next stop.  The physicality of the league will teach him how to become more physical and his quick decision-making.  The development could easily put him in the top 4 CDM options for 2026. 

The biggest question for him is, can he transition his great club form to the national team.  If he can pull it off, he can jump ahead of Lennard Maloney and Tanner Tessmann, depending on how he does with Lyon this season.  This is a top 3 move by an American player not just because how the season is going so far for him but because Boro will be competing for promotion and development potential.

Tanner Tessman to Lyon- Stock Up

Tessmann’s transfer saga is one for the books.  He was closely linked to Inter Milan and Fiorentina until both fell apart because of disagreements.  Towards the end of the transfer window, he got a move to a top Ligue 1 club, Lyon.  If he had stayed with Venezia, he still would’ve been playing in a top-five league, but Lyon is the better option.  Venezia will be fighting to stay in the Serie A like they did in 2021/22, whereas Lyon is consistently a top 10 French club, and in many cases a top 5 club. 

To add to that, Lyon is in the UEL.  The season is not going well for Lyon right now, but they can recover and compete for UEFA qualification.  The club and the fans will be more demanding than Venezia because of their prestige, he can learn from veteran players like Matic and Veretout and it would require him to compete for starts.  It’ll be a real test for him after his last time in a top 5 league did not go as well and two great seasons in the Serie B.

All of these will help him take the next step and help him be in the top 3 CDM USMNT conversation.  The battle Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Maloney, Johnny Cardoso, and Tyler Adams (once he returns) for the top 2 CDM spots on the USMNT will be a joy to watch this season.

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Who’s a Keeper?

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Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

The USMNT has had a solid track record with goalkeepers over the last three decades. There seems to be a problematic situation with their current group. Is this an overreaction or a real concern for the USMNT which is less than 2 years away from hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The average age of the last seven USMNT goalkeepers to regularly start in one of the top two tiers in Europe is 27.5 years old and while it took several seasons for Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, and Brad Guzan to settle and have continued success they did while all having the opportunity to be the number goalkeeper for the USMNT.

Where there has been a lot of deserved criticism towards Matt Turner’s play with the USMNT lately it’s clear that he remains the best shot-stopper in the pool, but also clear that a transfer from Nottingham Forest is desperately needed to provide regular playing for Turner. Turner’s foot skills remain weak along with the rest of the USMNT goalkeeper pool very much an area that needs improving. Something they could learn from Tony Meola who was hands down the best USMNT goalkeeper with his feet.

Struggles also continue for Ethan Horvath whose transfer to Cardiff City last February was supposed to provide him with the needed playing time to push Turner for the number one goalkeeper spot of the USMNT but, his performance at Copa America didn’t inspire many, along with a recent match for Cardiff City where he conceded five goals.

DOHA, QATAR – NOVEMBER 27: Matt Turner (L) and Ethan Horvath of United States interact during the United States Training Session at Al Gharafa Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)


November 27, 2022, in Doha, Qatar (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

USMNT Youth Goalkeepers

The current group of USMNT goalkeeper prospects appears to be solid, but if history has proven anything there are no guarantees. The list of the failed USMNT youth keepers over the last decade is long. It includes names like Joe Bendik, Alex Bono, Cody Cropper, Tally Hall, Clint Irwin, Dan Kennedy, and Luis Robles, of the over 15 USMNT prospect goalkeepers who have only been capped 18 times, eight of those held by Bill Hamid.

At the moment goalkeepers Antonio Carrera (20), Matt Freese (25), Chituru Odunze (21), and John Pulskamp (23) are on the outside looking in compared to the goalkeepers listed below.

Currently playing for Fulham U-21 Premier League 2 (Reserve League) Alex Borto (20) who was part of the 2023 U-20 World in May and June, but didn’t receive any playing time will need to increase his current playing time to get more opportunities but, I feel Borto is much lower on the youth USMNT depth chart at the moment.

A regular starter for the Chicago Fire over the last couple of seasons Chris Brady (20) is another highly touted USMNT goalkeeper, who has been held back from regularly being called into USMNT youth camps by his club. A move to Europe would provide him with the next level of competition needed to continue his growth as a goalkeeper.

Who would trust a now 18-year-old who hasn’t had any professional experience to start for the USMNT? Not many but Diego Kochen (18) who is currently with FC Barcelona Atlètic in the Third Division is a name that continues to be mentioned, but highly unlikely in my opinion.

As the starter for all four of the U-23 USMNT Olympic matches Patrick Schulte (23) has earned a call-up to the USMNT. Schulte has had a very strong season with the Columbus Crew which accounts for 8 clean sheets over all matches at the time of this article.

Many fans think Gaga Slonina (20) is the best U-23 goalkeeper in the player pool and is destined to be the number-one goalkeeper after the 2026 cycle. Slonina is currently playing in EFL League One the third division in England. Slonina was the starting goalkeeper for U-20 USMNT where he had four straight clean sheets helping lead the US to the quarter-finals. He also was part of the U-23 USA Olympic team but failed to receive any playing time.


October 4, 2022, (Photo by Christian Hansen/Chicago Fire FC)

Aging or Bridge Goalkeeper Options

The list of recent third and often injured USMNT goalkeepers Drake Callender (26), Roman Celentano (23), Sean Johnson (35), and Zack Steffen (29) provide little to no confidence when looking at a current solution and none are likely to break into the top two of the depth chart but, stranger things have happened in the world of USMNT goalkeepers.

Looking Ahead

With less than 2 years until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it’s unlikely that any of the younger USMNT goalkeepers will be able to play at higher levels and contend for the number one spot, which I believe still belongs to Matt Turner, but, Turner needs to do whatever possible to get a transfer to another top five leagues or worse case Eredivisie or EFL Championship as he needs to be playing matches every week to ensure he’s in form and improving headed into the World Cup with the backup position is up for grabs.

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