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American Youth Soccer Media Survey

Published

6 months ago

on

 Welcome to the American Youth Soccer Media Survey! 

13 analysts were tasked with the following task: Rank the top 10 players in each age from ‘01-’09. Points would be awarded on a scale of 10-1. 10 points for 1st place, 9 for 2nd place, 8 for 3rd place, 7 for 4th place, and so on. Each analyst contributed to assessing as many age groups as they felt knowledgeable for. The age groups that each analyst contributed for are listed below. The total points were tallied up for a composite ranking. The goal of this is to give a “combined rankings” of the media, yet to also show where opinions diverge from analyst to analyst.

For ties, the first tiebreaker was how high the “high” vote for the tied player was, and if still tied, the second tiebreaker was how many of that “high” vote players had. There wasn’t a need for a third tiebreaker.

The following players were deemed ineligible to be ranked having been provisionally cap-tied to another nation: Luca Koleosho, Devan Tanton, Noel Buck, Adrian Pelayo, Cole Campbell, Fidel Barajas, Alejandro Granados, and Christian McFarlane, along with plenty of others who are provisionally cap-tied to another nation. 

Analysts were asked to give some quotes to explain their views. Not all did so, but roughly half did, and their quotes will help you understand how the results ended up being what they were.

Contributors:

@chai_asc (all age groups)
USMNTrev/@Eyesandvibes (‘01-’07) 
Alex Calabrese (‘01-’08) 
Matt Hartman/@MattSHartman: (‘01-‘08)
Filippo Silva/@ManagerTactical (‘01-’03)
NoHammies/@NoHammiesJozy (‘01-‘05)
@joshua_reports (‘01-‘06)		Zach McCabe/@zjmccabe (‘01-‘07) 
Justin Moran/@kickswish (‘01-‘06)
@yscentral (‘06-’09)
Marcus O’Malley/@Chasingacup (‘01-‘06)
Lucas Aguirre		Matt Hartman/@MattSHartman: (‘01-‘08)
Filippo Silva/@ManagerTactical (‘01-’03)
NoHammies/@NoHammiesJozy (‘01-‘05)
@ProspectsUSMNT (all age groups)
@nico_ricoo (‘01-‘05)

2001 (13 ballots)

1. Folarin Balogun: 130

2. Johnny Cardoso: 108

3. Taylor Booth: 107

4. Bryan Reynolds: 80

5. Tanner Tessmann: 69

6. Duncan McGuire: 59

7. Aidan Morris: 48

8. Konrad de la Fuente: 27

9. Patrick Schulte: 18

10. Matthew Hoppe: 16

11. Aziel Jackson: 15

12. George Campbell: 10

13. Leon Flach: 5

14. Johan Gomez: 4

15. Sebastian Berhalter: 4

16. Indiana Vasillev: 3

T17. Ben Bender: 2

T17. Bryce Duke: 2

18. Cole Bassett: 1

The highest ranked player in 2001 was unanimous: Folarin Balogun. 

As one analyst put it: “I selected Balogun as a 2026er in the 2019 Scuffed Future Draft for all the same reasons the USMNT recruited him so heavily post-COVID – his talent is simply undeniable and has been for quite some time. Balogun is the type of striker the American development system simply doesn’t produce, complete footballers with positional intelligence.”

Put another: “Unquestionably the number 1 here”

The vote for second place was very close with Johnny Cardoso beating out Taylor Booth by one point. 

The case for Cardoso: “If it wasn’t for Balogun committing to the US, Johnny would be the #1 player in his year group.  People are still getting used to him because they don’t watch Brasileiro, but we have seen what he can do for us so far this year.  A bright future for Johnny and keep in mind, Brazil was looking at him before he was cap-tied.”

The case for Booth: “Very versatile and dynamic player. Been one of the top 01’s for like 7 or 8 years.”

The fourth player who made all ballots was Bryan Reynolds. He placed no higher than 3rd yet no lower than 6th. All the analysts saw him in a similar range.

Summed up one analyst: “All the tools in the world but he switched to right back relatively late and still is undergoing some growing pains as a result. He is beginning to really put it all together, but faces stiff competition for the USMNT RB spot.”

One player that had some volatility in how the analysts viewed him was Konrad de la Fuente. He only made 7 of the 13 ballots, but 2 of the ballots had him in the top 4. 

One of his proponents sold him this way: “One of the most, if not the most, promising player in this year before his move to Marseille. He has had a difficult time since that 1st season ended with Marseille where he may never live up to the hype, but if can sort things out, he can be a top LW option for the future.”

2002 (13 ballots):

1. Gio Reyna: 129

2. Yunus Musah: 117

3. Malik Tillman: 102

4. Joe Scally: 90

5. John Tolkin: 58

6. Ted Ku-DiPietro: 52

7. Kristoffer Lund: 50

8. Gianluca Busio: 45

9. Bernard Kamungo: 29

10. Damian Las: 14

11. Max Dietz: 6

12. Nico Carrera: 5

13. Agustin Anello: 4

14. Josh Atencio: 3

15. Jonathan Tomkinson: 2

T16. George Bello: 1

T16. Peter Stroud: 1

T16. Julian Gaines: 1

It was nearly unanimous for Gio Reyna. 12 of 13 ballots had him #1. 1 ballot didn’t. 

The analyst who didn’t said: “Controversial opinion, Musah over Reyna. Will get 100+ caps without major off-field/injury questions. Can’t question Reyna’s ability. We don’t produce many as good. For various reasons, can he be trusted long-term?”

The many Reyna proponents had this to say: “Another unquestioned #1 and the highest ceiling in our national team pool currently.”

“Most talented player the U.S. has ever produced to this point, full stop.”

“The player with the highest ceiling of all the players right now. Injuries have sadly limited his minutes, but whenever he plays, he is one of the best if not the best player on the pitch.”

The other four player to be on every ballot were Malik Tillman, Joe Scally, John Tolkin, and Kristoffer Lund. The analysts had the following to say about them.

Tillman: “Has beaten out Saibari at PSV as a loanee. That should tell you what the coach sees in him.

Scally: “He’ll get 100+ caps without ever being one of our 5 best players. He’s reliable. I’ll take it.”

Tolkin: “The question with Tolkin was always if he’d be able to hold his own on the defensive side of the game. Tolkin spend 2021 and 2022 proving he could before exploding as an offensive contributor for the Red Bulls in 2023. The Red Bulls won’t let him go cheap.”

Lund: “After just a few matches, he has become a starter for Palermo, who are in position for promotion to the Serie A. He has looked good so far in the 2 matches for the US, best so far for the #2 LB spot. Only time will tell if he retains that spot, goes up to #1, or falls down.”

2003 (13 ballots):

1. Ricardo Pepi: 130

2. Kevin Paredes: 99

3. Paxten Aaronson: 88

4. Brian Gutierrez: 82

5. Jalen Neal: 75

6. Jack McGlynn: 61

7. Jonathan Gomez: 47

8. Diego Luna: 47

9. Alex Alvarado: 28

10. Cade Cowell: 24

11. Justin Che: 13

12. Daniel Edelman: 8

13. Caden Clark: 6

14. Dante Sealy: 5

15. Danny Leyva: 3

Ricardo Pepi got first place votes from every voter in the 2003 category. One of only 3 to be the unanimous 1st place in their age group.

Put one analyst: “Best ‘03 by some distance.”

Kevin Paredes got second place. He made every ballot, was 2nd on seven ballots, and wasn’t lower than 7th on any of them.

Said one analyst: “Technically good enough, but needs to match his competitors physically. Ceiling just as high as anyone in the pool.”

Paxten Aaronson got third place. He also made every ballot. He placed no higher than 3rd, but no lower than 8th.

One analyst stated: “Already showing more promise than his older brother, but he does need to bulk up if he wants to improve his game. We might see a situation where Paxten makes it on the 2026 World Cup roster and not Brenden.”

Brian Gutierrez finished 4th. He placed on 12 of 13 ballots, and had two votes for 2nd place.

One analyst was a huge fan: “One of my favorite MLS guys to watch and an absolute mystery as to why he’s still in MLS. A European move should be coming.”

2004 (12 ballots):

1. Chris Brady: 106

2. Gaga Slonina: 94

3. Caleb Wiley: 87

4. Rokas Pukstas: 86

5. Brandan Craig: 51

6. Owen Wolff: 41

7. Noah Allen: 37

8. Antonio Carrera: 35

9. Quinn Sullivan: 25

10. Alex Freeman: 22

11. Zach Booth: 18

12. Damion Downs: 17

13. Darren Yapi: 14

14. Jackson Hopkins: 7

15. Jack Panayotou: 7

16. Kobi Henry: 4

17. Korede Osundina: 4

18. Cody Baker: 3

19. Thomas Williams: 2

20. Joel Imasuen: 1

Chris Brady finished in 1st place. He placed on all 12 ballots, was 1st on 6 of them, and no lower than 5th on any.

One analyst was very enthused about Brady’s potential: “His upside is as high as any young American. Not unreasonable he’s a top 10 Goalkeeper in the world eventually.”

Another who was just as enthusiastic said: Best goalkeeper in the pipeline, dramatically underrated at this point. One of the better goalkeepers in MLS, and should be close to the senior National Team picture. 

However, not everyone agreed Brady was the best ‘04, let alone the best GK in the age group. Finishing second was Gaga Slonina. He placed on every ballot, had three first place votes, and finished no lower than 8th.

Said one analyst who ranked him first: “Our highest-rated GK in the youth pool and perhaps the one to succeed Tim Howard. He does have great competition in Diego Kochen. The race for the future #1 GK for the USMNT will be exciting.”

Placing in third was Caleb Wiley. He placed on 11 of 12 ballots, including one first place vote.

Put one analyst about Wiley: “Look, his defense is a major work in progress, but he’s very athletic and has technical quality.”

The last to place on all ballots in this age group who placed on all 12 ballots was Rokas Pukstas. He placed no lower than 9th on any, had a first place vote, and overall finished 4th.

His first place voter stated: “I believe he stands a shot of making our 2026 World Cup roster as a midfielder. That’s how high I am on this kid’s potential.” Another high on him stated: “Stillwater, Oklahoma’s Pukstas flashes fearlessness and crafty play from the 8 that reminds me of a young Weston McKennie. A strong second half to his year at Hajduk Split and Pukstas should have plenty of suitors in bigger leagues.” 

Two players who had some big proponents, although not everyone, were Brandan Craig and Alex Freeman. Each had a second place vote, although they only finished 5th and 10th respectively.

One analyst on Craig: “Passing is a difference maker. Very good defender. Just needs his chance in MLS.

One analyst on Freeman: “Amazing athlete and he’s technical. He has so much potential. Can do things going forward at RB no other American fullback can.”

2005 (12 ballots):

1. Benja Cremaschi: 97

2. Josh Wynder: 84

3. Obed Vargas: 82

4. Reed Baker-Whiting: 79

5. Esmir Bajraktarevic: 71

6. Kristian Fletcher: 56

7. Niko Tsakiris: 55

8. Rodrigo Neri: 39

9. Serge Ngoma: 25

T10. Marcos Zambrano: 9

T10. Grayson Dettoni: 9

12. Miggy Perez: 9

13. Brooklyn Raines: 7

14. Brandon Marshall: 6

15. Nolan Norris: 6

16. Santiago Suarez: 5

T17. Gavin Beavers: 3

T17. Emi Ochoa: 3

19. Wyatt Nelson: 2

20. Sergio Oregel: 1

21. Chris Thaggard: 1

Finishing first was Benja Cremaschi. He placed on every ballot, had 5 first place votes, and was no lower 7th on any ballot.

Said one of his first place voters: “The first touch is rough, but man can he play. Work rate and off-ball-movement is special.”

2nd through 4th was extremely close, separated by only 5 total points. Josh Wynder finished second. He placed on every ballot, including two first place votes, and placed no lower than 7th on any ballot.

Said one of his first place voters: ““Doing well in Benfica from the games I’ve seen. Just awaiting his opportunity with the first team, which will come eventually.” 

Obed Vargas finished third. He had 3 first place votes, and was no lower than 9th on any ballot.

One of his first place voters made the case for him as the best ‘05: “One of the highest, if not the highest-rated 8 the US has for a U20 player. He can become a very important player for the US. The only thing stopping us from having him for the senior team is Mexico.”

Finishing fourth was Baker-Whiting.

Said one analyst high on Baker-Whiting: “A two footed outside back with the strength to muscle off veteran players and the skill to play devastating crosses. It’s no wonder he’s watched from Europe.”

The last 2005 to place on all ballots was Kristian Fletcher. While he placed no higher than 3rd on any ballot, all analyst were fans of him.

Said one: “We have so few quality wingers. He’s one of the better ones. 

Another player that had a few big proponents was Serge Ngoma.

Said one: “Has looked bright but injuries held him back in 2023. 

Said another: Athleticism and a sneaky good right foot. That’s Ngoma’s game in a nutshell and like is the case with Cade Cowell, it’s often enough to cause nightmares for MLS defenders. He’ll have to round out his game to get into the Men’s National Team picture.”

2006 (11 ballots):

1. Pedro Soma: 104

2. Diego Kochen: 95

3. Keyrol Figueroa: 65

4. Noahkai Banks: 61

5. Matai Akinmboni: 60

6. CJ Olney: 42

7. Matthew Corcoran: 31

8. Adrian Gill: 22

9. Taha Habroune: 21

10. Oscar Verhoeven: 14

11. Owen Presthus: 9

12. Cruz Medina: 11

13. Aiden Harangi: 9

14. Byce Jamison: 9

15. Jude Wellings: 7

16. David Vazquez: 6

T17. Chris Aquino: 5

T17. Adem Sipic: 5

T19. Dylan Borso: 5

20. Tyler Hall: 4

T21. Shakir Nixon: 3

T21. Julian Eyestone: 3

T21. Paulo Rudisill: 3

T24. Micah Burton: 1

T24. Tahir Reid-Brown: 1

T24. Bajung Darboe: 1

T24. Lalito Moreno: 1

Finishing 1st in 2006 was Pedro Soma. He was the only player in the 2006 age group to place on every ballot. 5 ballots had him 1st, and 6 had him 2nd. The other player garnering first place votes was Diego Kochen. He also got 6 place votes, yet he was 3rd on one ballot, and left off another altogether. 

Third place through fifth place was very close. Keyrol Figueroa finished 3rd. Other than Soma and Kochen, he was the only player to get a 2nd place vote. He was however left off two ballots. CB’s Noahkai Banks and Matai Akinmboni and Noahkai Banks finished a point apart, with Banks edging it. Both were featured on 10 of 11 ballots, and had a high finish of 3rd.

2007 (8 ballots):

1. Peyton Miller: 60

2. Caden Glover: 59

3. Nate Worth: 50

4. Santi Morales: 27

5. Axel Perez: 24

6. Adyn Torres: 22

7. Axel Kei: 17

8. Justin Ellis: 12

9. Zack Campagnolo: 12

10. Zavier Gozo: 11

11. Kyrome Lumsden: 10

12. Neil Pierre: 9

13. Ben Manfroy: 7

14. Nelson Hernandez: 6

15. Jonathan Shore: 6

T16. Brady Boulanger: 5

T16. Ruben Ramos: 5

17. Davi Alexandre: 5

T18. Luis Rivera: 4

T18. Drew Baiera: 4

T21. Stiven Jimenez: 3

T21. Zeke Soto: 3

T23. Gavin Turner: 2

We had a very close race for first place. Peyton Miller and Caden Glover finished one point apart. Miller placed on all ballots, had 3 first place votes, and a low of 8th place. Glover also placed on all eight ballots, with a low of 6th and 1 first vote. 

Close behind them in 3rd place was Nate Worth. He was placed on 7 of 8 ballots, and had two 2nd place votes. 

Interestingly, Justin Ellis was able to finish in 8th place from only placing on two of eight ballots. That’s because those analysts placed him 3rd and 7th.

2008 (6 ballots):

1. Maximo Carrizo: 54

2. Nimfasha Berchimas: 53

3. Jude Terry: 41

4. Julian Hall: 40

5. Luca Moisa: 21

6. Jamir Johnson: 21

7. Ramiz Hamouda: 17

8. DeCarlo Guerra: 17

9. Jack Mize: 17

10. Pedro Guimaraes: 15

11. Chris Cupps: 11

12. Gio Villa: 7

T13. Tanner Rosborough: 3

T13. Camron Estala: 3

14. Aidan Stokes: 3

T15. Tanner Adams: 2

T15. Ollie Tan: 2

17. Dylan Judelson: 2

18. Isaac Tortola: 1

First place in 2008 went to Maximo Carrizo. He placed on all 6 ballots, including two first place votes. No ballot had him lower than 3rd. 

Second place in 2008 went to Nimfasha Berchimas. He only finished one point behind Carrizo. He placed first on 4 ballots, was featured on every ballot, and had a low placing of 6th. 

Third place went to Jude Terry. He had a second place vote, and no ballot had him lower than 7th.

Fourth place went to Julian Hall. He placed on 5 of 6 ballots, and had two second place votes. 

Finishing fifth was Luca Moisa, in a tiebreaker over Jamir Johnson. Moisa placed on 4 of 6 ballots, and had a high finish of 2nd place. Johnson placed on 4 of 6 ballots, and a high finish of 5th place.

2009 (4 ballots):

1. Cavan Sullivan: 40

2. KK Spivey: 33

3. Linkon Ream: 27

4. Omar Hassan: 21

5. Adri Mehmeti: 20

6. Chelo Avalos: 19

7. Mathis Albert: 16

8. Ethan Degny: 9

9. Tobias Szewczyk: 6

10. Nick Morella: 6

T11. Javier Martinez: 4

T11. Warren Boyce: 4

T13. Van Parker: 3

T13. Peter Molinari: 3

T13. Daniel Wright: 3

T17. Tyson Espy: 2

T17. Jakob Garcia: 2

T19. Duncan Green: 1

T19. August Nystrom: 1

Cavan Sullivan joined Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi as the only players to win their age group unanimously. Sullivan placed first on all four ballots for 2009. 

Second place was KK Spivey. He finished second on three of four ballots, and 5th on the other. 

Linkon Ream finished third. He finished 3rd on three of four ballots, and 8th on the other.

Fourth through sixth was separated by two points. Omar Hassan finished fourth. He placed on all four ballots. He placed no higher than 4th, but no lower than 9th. Adri Mehmeti finished fifth. He placed on only three of the four ballots, but that included a second place vote. Sixth place was Chelo Avalos. He placed on only three of the four ballots, but that included a 3rd and a 4th place vote. 

The following players made every ballot sent in for their age group: Balogun, Johnny, Booth, Reynolds, Reyna, Musah, Scally, Tillman, Tolkin, Lund, Pepi, Paredes, Aaronson, Brady, Slonina, Pukstas, Cremaschi, Vargas, Wynder, Baker-Whiting, Fletcher, Soma, Miller, Glover, Carrizo, Berchimas, Terry, Sullivan, Spivey, Ream

Highest Ranked Per Vote: This shows how high each player was ranked per vote for their age group. Of course, the initial comparison was to players in their own age group, not to players in any age group, yet it does give you an idea, on average, of who the absolute highest-rated players were. There was a statistical tie for the first two players, but the rest where tied tiebreakers were capable of breaking the tie.

T1. Folarin Balogun: 10

T1. Ricardo Pepi: 10

3. Cavan Sullivan: 10

4. Gio Reyna: 9.92

5. Pedro Soma: 9.45

6. Maximo Carrizo: 9

7. Yunus Musah: 9

8. Chris Brady: 8.83

9. Nimfasha Berchimas: 8.83

10. Diego Kochen: 8.64

11. Johnny Cardoso: 8.31

12. KK Spivey: 8.25

13. Taylor Booth: 8.24

14. Benja Cremaschi: 8.08

15. Malik Tillman: 7.85

16. Gaga Slonina: 7.83

17. Kevin Paredes: 7.62

18. Peyton Miller: 7.5

19. Caden Glover: 7.38

20. Caleb Wiley: 7.25

21. Rokas Pukstas: 7.17

22. Josh Wynder: 7

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Is the MLS Specifically Targeting Expansion to USL Cities?

Published

1 week ago

on

April 29, 2024

By

In 2019, Don Garber and MLS announced they would expand to 30 teams.  A year later, Don Garber said the cities of Las Vegas, Indianapolis, San Diego, Detroit, and Phoenix were clubs interested in joining MLS.  Four of those cities had a USL or NISA club at the time of the announcement.  Today, one of those USL teams has ceased to exist, another may be in jeopardy now, and the NISA club is now a USL club.

On April 25th, 2024, the Mayor of Indianapolis, Joe Hogsett, announced an unnamed ownership group would put in a bid for an MLS club.  Along with the announcement, the owners of Indy XI (the USL Championship team in Indianapolis), Keystone Group, announced the City had backed out of the $1 billion fund for Eleven Park.  The stadium was announced in 2022 and was planned to be a 20,000-seat stadium.  It would also include additional apartments, office buildings, and other amenities.  Last year, the stadium broke ground.  That means that the mayor and city council agreed to stop the funding of a sports facility in mid-construction that would also add additional jobs to the people of Indianapolis and stop their backing of an existing club for a potential club.  If the city does not get the bid, it could have repercussions for elected officials.  When you look at social media, the people of Indianapolis are not happy about the announcement.

https://twitter.com/ManagerTactical/status/1783628831695184283

This is not the first time a team in the USL was in danger by the expansion by the MLS.  San Diego Loyal played their final season in 2023 after the announcement by the MLS that they would expand to San Diego with the club San Diego FC.  SD Loyal made the announcement just three months after San Diego FC was announced.  The reason was due to not being able to find a stadium solution.  As for San Diego FC, they will play their matches at the Snapdragon Stadium, which the Loyal could have used to play their matches.  Instead of looking for a solution to integrate San Deigo Loyal, MLS had their club created which led to the destruction of a club in a rival league.

Miami had a soccer club before Inter Miami, Miami FC.  Miami is a different story than San Diego.  Unlike the Loyal, Miami FC attracts a very small audience.  They averaged only 190 people a game a year before the arrival of Inter Miami, per Transfermarkt.  It has gone up since Inter Miami’s inaugural season.  Last season, the average attendance was 1,432 and this season it is 826 so far.  The problem falls on the people of Miami though.  Inter Miami increased their attendance by 35% to 17,061 last year from the prior season.  It still begs the question of how much longer Miami FC will last when they are competing against a club with Leonel Messi for attendance.

Las Vegas Lights is another USL Championship club but are in a city being looked at by MLS also for expansion.  Even worse, the current owner, José Bautista, is not part of the organization and is in talks with Don Garber to join the MLS, who would be the owners of Aston Villa.  Phoenix is a different story.  The USL team, Phoenix Rising, talked to MLS to join the league, which is a more positive solution.  Tampa Bay Rowdies did the same thing when they were pursuing an MLS bid.

MLS does speak to the current existing clubs in the city.  They did it with Louisville City, San Diego Loyal, Sacramento Republic, and others, but when that failed, they move in with their own clubs, i.e., San Diego FC and now potentially Indy MLS club.  What MLS is doing is not helping the growth of the sport.  They are aiming to monopolize the sport by destroying their competition, USL.  This would not be a problem if USSF would create an open system or step in to put it to a stop.  If MLS is the sole soccer league in the US with only 30-40 cities with a team, then you would isolate the hundreds of cities that have fans and players without a club to help accomplish their dream.  Even in other sports leagues in the US we do not see a campaign like this.  NFL did not actively work to end the XFL and the other football leagues.  The NHL and the MLB have minor leagues all over the country.  I do not prefer having minor leagues in soccer here in the US.  It would be preferable that the MLS and USL work together to expand the sport and/or USSF implement policies that protect smaller leagues from bigger leagues.

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USMNT Kits Come in Different Styles and Colors

Published

2 months ago

on

March 11, 2024

By

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

US Soccer kit releases are something fans get excited about and lately have resulted in disappointment. US Soccer’s recent schedule for kits release during the cycle has seen them releasing another road and or third kits in Gold Cup years and home and away pairs in the even years. 

US Soccer is expected to release the 2024 Copa America kits for the USMNT in the coming weeks headed into the Nations League Finals. Last Thursday evening Footy Headlines, who has had a good track record of leaking USMNT kits in the past, provided the below pictures of the home and away USMNT kits. These kits haven’t officially been announced by Nike or US Soccer, but the anticipated announcement is expected in the coming weeks headed into the Nations League Final.

Photo from Footheadlies.com – February 29, 2024

Fake Leaked USMNT Kits

The below USMNT kits were leaked over the last decade, but none of them came to fruition, it’s fun to look at what could have been for the USMNT.

2014 World Cup Kits

These leaked kits headed into the 2014 FIFA World Cup were where loved by many USMNT fans due to the sash and the use of the Centennial Crest, but unfortunately, these kits were fakes and never released.

Photo from SportsLogos.Net – September 13, 2013

2015 Alternative Kit & 2016 Copa America

Generally, US Soccer releases an alternate kit in the years that the Gold Cup is played. This leak kit was reported back in 2015 by NBCSports and then again by MLS Soccer when it was suggested it could be used during the Copa América Centenario.

Photo from NBCSports – April 2, 2015

2022 World Cup Kits

I would have much preferred for the USMNT to have worn these kits at the 2022 FIFA World Cup when they ended up, but alas it was another leaked kit that never was. 

Photo from proscoccerwire.com – May 6, 2022

2024 Copa America Kit

This rumored kit for the USMNT was based on similar kits worn by the USMNT at the 1924 Olympics and the 1930 World Cup.

Photo from the18.com via Footieheadlines.com – September 14, 2023

History of US Soccer Crest and USMNT kits

Over ten years ago I began my research of USMNT soccer data in search of a single source site, which I quickly found didn’t exist. Through my research, I started to comply with old USMNT kits and crests from the past. As I acquired more and more kits worn by the USMNT and was able to start to fill in the gaps between them I decided to digitally recreate these kits and share them with the USMNT fans. 

Here’s a look at what I was able to find while it seems like a lot I am sure there are many more kits I missed and if so I would love to know which ones so I could create and update what I have already.

History of US Soccer Crests

Here’s the history of the US Soccer crests. I had to recreate several of these crests based on old pictures I found throughout my research since there were no digital images available. 

USMNT Kits – 1916-1973

These were the first kits worn by the USMNT which weren’t sponsored. There are variations of these kits worn by the USMNT which comprised of variations of crests and styles, likely due to available funds during this time. My favorite kits in the group are the ones with the sashes from the 1928 and 1936 Olympics and the 1959 Pan American Games. 

USMNT Kits – 1974-1983

The group of kits for the USMNT were the first that were sponsored by Adidas. There were a lot of similar styles of kits during this time which really lacked any creativity. My favorite kits in the group are the ones from the middle to late 1970s, there is something about their simplicity and clean look. 

USMNT Kits – 1984-1994

Adidas’s 20-year run of creating kits for US Soccer ended in 1994, with few quality kits made during those couple of decades, which is ironic considering how nice Adidas’s kits are today. My favorite kits in the group are the 1985/1986 blue hoop kit and the 1988 Blue Olympic kit.

USMNT Kits – 1995-2011

In 1995 Nike took over the creation of the US Soccer kits and started by making three similar kits for the 1995 Copa America and 1996 third kit for the US Cup. Nike did release three Special Edition kits in 2003, 2004, and 2006, which were only worn for one match each. My favorite kits in the group all had a sash on them, which were both the 2010 World Cup kits and the red 2011 Gold Cup kit. 

USMNT Kits – 2012-Current

Most USMNT fans would agree that recent kits released by Nike haven’t held the standard seen in the 2010s, where the hoops/stripes that some many fans loved for the 2012 Waldo kits were incorporated. My unsung kits of this group are the 2018 home kit, which would have been worn at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the 2017 Gold Cup kit. 

USMNT Kits going forward

Nike and US Soccer signed what was considered a historical long-term sponsor agreement, in November 2021, that went into effect in Janaury 2023 that will run for at least a decade which will cover the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics and possibly a 2027 or 2031 Women’s World Cup hosted in the United States, so for fans who has hoped for a different kit creator they will have to wait a while.

Once the 2024 Copa America kits are released US Soccer will likely only release one more kit for the 2025 Gold Cup for the USMNT before releasing the 2026 World Cup kits. One idea that I’ve had for a long time was for US Soccer to release Special Edition Kits with styles from the past, with the limited release of those kits, coupled with playing matches in locations and venues throughout the United States to build the fan base and excitement for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In conclusion, I am somewhat optimistic that US Soccer and Nike will create some variation of the 2012 Waldo kit & 1994 Stats and Denim kit to be worn as the hosts of the 2026 World Cup.

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USMNT

2024: A Pivotal Year for the USMNT

Published

3 months ago

on

February 6, 2024

By

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X/Formally Twitter)


Photo From: USA Today-John Locher, AP – 18, June 2023 – 2023 Concacaf Nations League 

As the fog hovered over Estadio Parque Artigas Stadium in Paysandú, Uruguay in the 58th minute Eric Wynalda received the ball on the right wing with Joe-Max Moore making a run forward and in front of  Wynalda who delivered a pass to Moore who then went down preventing the ball from being taken away and sending it back to Wynalda who slides forward and scores the third goal of the match and his third goal of the tournament, making it 3-0 USA over tenth-ranked Argentinians and all but sealing the win and the top spot in Group C at the 1995 Copa America. The win for this USMNT consisted of 17 players from the 1994 World Cup team who reached their pinnacle with this group of players finishing fourth at this Copa America.

Over the previous three decades, the USMNT has had some of the biggest wins in the team’s history. During the 1999 Confederations Cup, which was played in Mexico the USMNT played a hard-fought match against the fifth-ranked Germans defeating them 2-0 in the final group stage match and finishing third overall in the tournament. The USMNT would also have an even bigger result against second-ranked Spain in the semi-finals of the 2009 Confederations Cup when they ended Spain’s 35-game unbeaten streak in a 2-0 victory that would send them to the final against Brazil.

2024 is the midway point of the 2026 FIFA World Cup cycle, and the next two windows for the USMNT who as a team and federation need to start ascending to their apex with this group to ensure that they have an amazing performance at the 2026 World Cup.

The USMNT has already played their first match, a 1-0 defeat to Slovenia, but need to quickly focus on the March window 2024 CONCACAF Nations League Finals where they will play Jamaica in the semi-final round and a win would put the USMNT in their third straight Nations League Final where they would have a chance to play either Mexico or Panama and win their third straight Concacaf Nations League trophy.

Some 90 days later the USMNT will be kicking off only their fifth appearance at the Copa America Tournament, with the stakes for this group at an all-time high and where success is demanded from the players, coaches, fans, and the federation. Will this current group of USMNT players and coaches be able to progress to the next level against the elite teams of CONMEBOL? It’s worth noting that the USMNT has finished fourth twice at Copa America in 1995 and 2016, however, the USMNT finished 32nd at the 1998 World Cup and failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

The U-23 USMNT will also be playing the Olympics for the first time since 2008, which provides a great opportunity for those U-23 players to get noticed on a big stage. There are many eligible players who if released by their clubs will have a great opportunity to impress while helping the U-23 USMNT make a deep run at the 2024 Olympics in France.

As it becomes increasingly harder for the USMNT to schedule non-Concacaf opponents the US Soccer Federation will need to get creative in who and where they schedule these Friendly matches. The June window offers up the best opportunities for the USMNT to schedule matches against other CONMEBOL teams, preferably in Groups A and B which feature Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. 

Edgar Moreno on X, formally Twitter, reported that the USMNT and Colombia have scheduled a Friendly headed into Copa America. It was also reported on Goal.com that Colombia will be scheduling a total of four matches leading into the tournament, two of which will be taking place in Europe. While there are challenges with timing and logistics around scheduling Friendlies with UEFA teams, USSF really needs to do everything possible to secure a similar type of schedule headed into Copa America but, rarely schedules USMNT Friendlies outside of the FIFA International window, which Colombia would need to do to make that schedule work. 

 It has been recently rumored that the USMNT might close to scheduling a Friendly with Colombia headed into Copa America. The September and October windows have few quality opponents available, at the time of the article it appears that the September window could be an opportunity to play schedule matches with teams from the CAF Confederation, but those matches would likely need to be played at neutral sites in Europe. 

2024 USMNT Window

MarchJune WindowCopa AmericaSeptemberOctoberNovember
CNL Finals                 March 18-26Friendlies            June 3-11                                  June 20-July 14Friendlies           Sept. 2-10Friendlies           Oct. 7-15CNL quarterfinals       Nov. 11-19

Below are eight years since the 1994 cycle that at the time were considered big years for the USMNT as they were playing in FIFA tournaments against teams from other confederations. Below is a look at how they fared.

1992

6 Wins, 4 Draws, 11 Losses, GF-21, GA-27

Third Place at the King Fahd Cup renamed Confederations Cup in 1997 edition.

First at U.S. Cup (Participating teams –Ireland, Italy & Portugal)

Top Goal Scorers

5-Eric Wynalda
3-Hugo Perez
3-Marcelo Balboa
2-Bruce Murray
2-John Harkes

Goalkeeper Stats

5 Wins – Tony Meola
4 Shutouts – Tony Meola


Photo From: Soccer International, Volume 3, Issue 12, December 1992

1993

10 Wins, 11 Draws, 13 Losses, GF-45, GA-44

Twelfth place at Copa America 

Second Place at Gold Cup

Third Place at U.S. Cup (Participating teams – Brazil, England & Germany)

34 matches played 1st All-Time

11 Draws tied for 1st All-Time with 1994

13 Loses 1st All-Time

44 Goals Conceded 1st All-Time

Top Goal Scorers

8-Joe-Max Moore
7-Dominic Kinnear
4-Alexi Lalas
4-Thomas Dooley

Goalkeeper Stats

Photo From:  El Grafico Number 3847, June 16, 1993

7 Wins – Tony Meola
8 Shutouts – Tony Meola

1995

5 Wins, 3 Draws, 6 Losses, GF-20, GA-18

Fourth Place at Copa America

First at U.S. Cup (Participating teams – Colombia, Mexico & Nigeria)

Top Goal Scorers

3-Eric Wynalda
2-Joe-Max Moore
2-Alexi Lalas
2-John Harkes

Goalkeeper Stats

3 Wins – Kasey Keller
2 Shutouts – Brad Friedel & Kasey Keller

Photo From: DIEGO GIUDICE Associated Press file, July 14, 1995

1999

7 Wins, 2 Draws, 4 Losses, GF-19, GA-11

Third Place at Confederations Cup

Second Place at U.S. Cup (Participating teams – Bolivia, Guatemala & Mexico)

Top Goal Scorers

3-Joe-Max Moore
3-Brian McBride
2-Ben Olsen
2-Jovan Kirovski
2-Frankie Hedjuk

Goalkeeper Stats

2 Wins – Brad Friedel & Kasey Keller
2 Shutouts – Brad Friedel & Tony Meola


Photo From: FIFA Report- 1999 Mexico, July 30, 1999

2003

10 Wins, 2 Draws, 4 Losses, GF-28, GA-10

Seventh Place at Confederations Cup

Third place at Gold Cup

Top Goal Scorers

7-Landon Donovan
4-Carlos Bocanegra
3-Brian McBride
3-Chris Klein

Goalkeeper Stats

6 Wins – Kasey Keller
5 Shutouts – Kasey Keller

Photo From: FIFA Confederations Cup, June 23, 2003

2007

12 Wins, 1 Draws, 5 Losses, GF-31, GA-19

Twelfth Place at Copa America 

First Place at Gold Cup

Top Goal Scorers

9-Landon Donovan
3-Clint Dempsey
3- DaMarcus Beasley
2-Eddie Johnson
2-Benny Feilhaber
2-Carlos Bocanegra

Goalkeeper Stats

8 Wins – Tim Howard
4 Shutouts – Tim Howard

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Guillermo Legaria/EPA/Shutterstock (8021271j) Argentinean Striker Lionel Messi (r) and U S Mildfielder Ricardo Clarck Figth For the Ball During the Copa America Group C Soccer Match Argentina Vs Usa at the Pachencho Romero Stadium in Maracaibo Venezuela 28 June 2007 Venezuela Maracaibo Venezuela Soccer Copa America – Jun 2007


Photo From: Guillermo Legaria – FIFA Copa America, June 28, 2007 

2009

13 Wins. 3 Draws, 8 Losses, GF-43, GA-36

Second Place at Confederations Cup

Second Place at Gold Cup

Top Goal Scorers

6-Jozy Altidore
5-Landon Donovan
4-Clint Dempsey
4-Michael Bradley
3- Sacha Kljestan
3- Charlie Davies

Goalkeeper Stats

7 Wins – Tim Howard
4 Shutouts – Tim Howard


Photo From: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

2016

12 Wins, 1 Draw, 6 Losses, GF-37, GA-20

Fourth Place at Copa America

Top Goal Scorers

6-Jozy Altidore
4-Bobby Wood
4-Clint Dempsey
3-Christian Pulisic
3-Gyasi Zardes

Goalkeeper Stats

8 Wins – Brad Guzan
6 Shutouts – Brad Guzan


Photo From: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Expectations for the in 2024 USMNT

The USMNT is expected to once again advance to the Nations League Final and with their full fit A Squad should be able to bring home their third Nations League trophy, but the 2024 Copa America tournament is very possible the most important non-World Cup the USMNT has even competed it. How success and failure will be determined by the USSF and fans will be interesting to follow. Gregg Berhalter has to prove that he can put together a roster, a formation that allows for simple and effective tactics that will allow the USMNT to not only compete against some top-tier nations but beat them. Success for me isn’t just advancing to the semi-finals of Copa America The USMNT needs to perform at the next level against the top-tier nations, something that I’ve only seen a handful of times in my nearly 35 years as a USMNT fan.

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