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A breakdown of the 2004 USMNT USYNT age group

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4 years ago

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In our last three articles we broke down the 2001, 2002, and 2003 USMNT USYNT age groups, in this age group we will take a look at the 2004 youth national team age group.  The previous three age group breakdowns covered the age groups that will comprise the 2021 u20 World Cup cycle.  The next two breakdowns of the 2004’s and 2005’s will highlight on the core age groups for the 2021 u17 World Cup cycle and the age groups that will provide depth for the 2003’s in the 2023 u20 World Cup.  In this breakdown we will look at the strengths and weaknesses of this age group, highlight the high potential players, take a look at the current 23-man depth chart for the 2004’s, and look at the top 25 ranking for this age group. 

It should be noted for the 2004 and 2005 age groups that things will constantly change over time.  Prospects who are currently at the top of their age group will get jumped as other players have breakout seasons or hit a period of excellent form.  There is often a trend of completely unknown players during a u17 cycle breaking through and becoming key players for a u20 cycle.  Examples of this are Chris Richards, Richie Ledezma, and Johnny Cardoso.  The main takeaway’s from these articles are what USMNT USYNT players are currently standing out among their peers and are there any players who fans should be paying close attention to with long term potential.  

Strengths

There are four main areas of strength in this USMNT USYNT age group: defensive and center midfielders, wingers, center backs, and goalkeepers.  Each of these positions have players with high ceilings and solid depth that if one player was hurt then another player could step into the team and fill the spot without the level of play suffering.  The USMNT USYNT 2004 group is overall pretty average compared to the other u20 eligible age groups but does have a few notable high ceiling players.  The three standout players so far in this age group are Malick Sanogo, Antonio Leone, and Evan Rotundo but like other age groups, there are a few other players who have also separated from the pack.  

The biggest strength in this cycle is definitely in the midfield.  In particular, the defensive and box-to-box midfielders are notably deep.  Do you remember watching the 2019 u20 and u17 World Cups and seeing the midfield getting run over by physically superior teams?  Well, don’t expect to see this happen often with the 2004 age group as they have very athletic players who also possess solid technical skills.  The defensive midfielders are loaded with Allan Rodriguez, Aethan Yohannes, Cooper Flax, and Brendan Lambe who are all amazing players and would have improved the 2019 u17 World Cup squad.  The center mids are even better with Kenan Hot, Rokas Pukstas, and Zack Booth who are all players with the potential to play in Europe someday.  After watching the midfield get smoked at the u17 World Cup last November, seeing the quality in this age group’s midfield is a relief.  

The wingers are another position of notable strength for this age group.  There are four wingers that I feel have particular talent that can really have special careers if they keep their head on the group and grind to get first team minutes.  The four wingers that make me consider this position to be a strength are Federico (Fede) Oliva, Darren Yapi, Leo Torres, and Quinn Sullivan.  When the last u17 cycle took Griffin Yow, Andres Jasson, and Ethan Doubellaere to the u17 World Cup then I am particularly optimistic about the 2004’s wingers because these four players, as well as Osvaldo Cisneros, Luis Lima, and Kaile Auvray, would have started over the 2002 wingers as they are all more talented players.  

The next two positions of notable strength are the center backs and goalkeepers.  The center backs for this cycle are loaded with Antonio Leone, Brandan Craig, Nigel Prince, Thomas Williams, Efrain Morales, Cody Baker, Jonathan Dadzie, Alejandro Cano and Samuel Jones.  The 2002 cycle was so thin at center back that Kobe Hernandez-Foster had to slide over and fill in because they could not confidently play two center backs from their age group, the 2004’s will not have this issue luckily.  

The goalkeepers for the USMNT USYNT 2004 age group are the most likely position to carry over into the 2023 u20 World Cup cycle.  This is not because the 2003’s goalkeepers are bad, this is because the 2004’s goalkeepers are great.  This age group has Chris Brady, Gabriel Slonina, Jeff Dewsnup, Fred Emmings, Damian Alguera, Antonio Carerra, and Donovan Palomares.  This is arguably the best goalkeeper cycle that the United States has produced outside of the 2002’s who had players like Damian Las and Chirutu Odunze.  

The 2004’s have a lot of promise in these positions and should make USMNT fans very excited to tune into their progression over the years.  Will any of the afromentioned players make the jump up to the 2023 u20 cycle?  That one will remain to be seen as the 2003’s are stacked but there are tons of players with USMNT potential in this age group.  

Weaknesses

The weak spots in this USMNT USYNT age group are the fullbacks, attacking mids, and strikers.  The fullbacks in the 2004 age group are by far the worst of any youth national team cycle in a very long time.  The best of this group is Erik Duenas who could have a good career with LAFC but if I was a betting man, I would not bet on any of the full backs to progress any further than the current u17 cycle.  Luckily, Nati Clarke (the best 2005) has superb athleticism that allows him to play any where on the back line and should be relied upon to start at right or left back for the 2021 cycle.  

The attacking mids and strikers both have one player each who could turn this weakness into a strength but the depth behind those players is concerning.  For the attacking mids, that player is Evan Rotundo.  Rotundo is a special player but if he does not pan out then Victor Valdez is the next who, although he is a good player, I believe does not have a USMNT or European ceiling.  The best striker is Malick Sanogo and it is not even close but after Sanogo it is all question marks.  If I am the, hopefully soon to be hired, u17 head coach then I am looking at the 2005’s for strikers because Italo Jenkins could easily play up a cycle and then some.  

The standout players for the 2004 age group

Malick Sanogo

The best player for this age group is easily Malick Sanogo.  Sanogo is the highest profile multi-national in this age group as he is eligible for the United States, Germany, and the Ivory Cost and all three countries will be trying hard to get his allegiance.  Sanogo is fast, strong, makes intelligent runs, and is an elite finisher.  In 21 games at the German u17 level this season, Sanogo has 16 goals and 7 assists in 21 games.  Union Berlin have also hired his father, Boubacar Sanogo, to train the youth strikers in their academy so being an elite forward runs in Malick’s veins.  

Malick is the player in this cycle that fans should be looking to for a Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna type breakthrough.  Malick is at a club where he will get moved to the first team early as Union Berlin do not have a reserve team so he will quickly be brought into first team training which will only help accelerate his development.  if Malick Sanogo decides to choose the United States over Germany then he will become an automatic starter at the u20 level and could even usurp Ricardo Pepi for the 2023 u20 cycle, he is that good.  Sanogo will most likely not be a player to count on for the 2022 FIFA World Cup but should be one to watch for the 2026, 2030, and 2034 World Cups.  

Antonio Leone

Antonio Leone will be the largest dual-national battle that the United States will have for the next few years and this is because Leone is currently the least committed high profile dual-nat to the United States.  Tony is a hulking center-back who is an elite defender for his age.  Tony can also distribute well from the back and is a aerial threat as well.  If is rare that there is a consensus notion that a player is a top prospect in a u17 cycle as a center back but this is a very consistent opinion of Leone.  He is a lock in the back four for this cycle and is one of the two best center-back prospects to be involved in a u17 cycle since the early-mid 2000’s cycles (the other is Nati Clarke, a 2005).  Leone is not the fastest player but is fast enough to keep up at the men’s level already and should be the first homegrown signing in LAFC history.  

Sadly, we may lose Antonio Leone to Mexico for this cycle as there have been numerous reports that Leone was very unsettled after being benched at the last u17 youth national team tournament in England.  That tournament in my opinion was more meant for evaluating the pool than playing the best prospects but being benched will never end up making a prospect happy and for good reasons.  This is concerning because Mexico rolled out the red carpet to Antonio in December when he was brought into a u17 camp and was given the arm band in multiple games.  Leone most recent call up was to Mexico for a short camp in early March.  Whoever is chosen as the coach for this cycle should be flying to his doorstep with their first move with a promise to start every game and wear the arm band.  

Evan Rotundo

This is most likely the first player that will come to mind when you think of the current u17 youth national team and the 2004 age group and for good reason.  Evan Rotundo is one of the most exciting prospects in the youth national team pool and this is because not only is he a flashy and skilled prospect, he is a number 10 which is currently vacant for the USMNT.  Rotundo is an attacking mid who has elite vision, elite passing, and can punish a back line with both feet in a split second.  When you look for players on the field, Rotundo will be the hardest to find at first because he will be the smallest player, but his skill and high soccer IQ will immediately standout.  While most youth national team level players are often one or two steps ahead of the game, Evan is four or five steps ahead at all time.  His off the ball movement, one touch passing, and ability to hide his decisions are second to none and make him an elite prospect who has rightfully gained recognition for it world wide.  

While Rotundo is an exciting prospect, there is one glaring weakness in his game, Evan is not the most athletically gifted player.  Evan may have the best vision and IQ in the entire u20 pool but he will likely be one of the slower and weaker players on the field in every game he plays.  On defense, Rotundo will be a liability in a team that has to defend with numbers behind the ball.  However, if you can pair Evan with two other midfielders who are solid defensively and can cover a lot of ground then Evan will be your team’s best player as he will be able to freely navigate spaces and dissect the other team with ease. 

Evan should not be looked at as a player who will break through in the fashion that Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna have as he will take longer to physically develop but Rotundo is on track to be a full-time Bundesliga level player by the time he turns 19 or 20 years old which is still notable.  In Germany, Evan will bulk up and better develop his dribbling skills to he can eliminate defenders in even more ways at the next level which is his last major offensive quality to still develop before he becomes elite at his position.  Currently, Evan is a member of the San Diego Surf u19’s and has been widely reported to be heading abroad (has even been confirmed by Evan on his Instagram but his future destination in Germany is still unknown).  Evan’s landing spot in Europe is huge and if he can find the right team then the USMNT will be looking at their first big time number 10.  

Federico Oliva

Fede Oliva is a highly promising winger who is currently playing at Athletico Madrid in Spain.  Fede is the same style of player as Gio Reyna but is not as explosive in his first step so he does not blow by players as easily.  Fede is a physically imposing winger with fast feet, a great cross, and a good finishing ability.  Highly rated in the Athletico Madrid system, Fede will be one that is highly likely to move up into the next u20 cycle and further in the youth national team system.  While Fede may not have the ceiling of a Athletico Madrid first team player (very few players around the world do), Fede will likely have a very long career in the Spanish La Liga.  

Fede’s weakness is that there is not a quality that is truly elite in his game yet.  Fede is well rounded and is great at most things but has not turned one of them into a true standout factor which is needed to make it at the highest levels.  If Fede can improve his speed or become an elite dribbler then he could very well become a player who may have the quality to break into a team like Athletico Madrid.  But, if Fede does not develop any elite aspect to his game then his ceiling may end up being a mid-table La Liga player (which is not a bad thing by the way).  Fede can reach the USMNT but has a lot to improve on if he wants to displace guys like Pulisic, Reyna, Uly Llanez, and Tim Weah long term.  

Brandan Craig

Brandan Craig is currently the best 2004 at the Philadelphia Union academy and is my favorite prospect in their system currently.  Brandan is a very versatile player who is currently being converted into a center back by the Philadelphia Union because he won’t stop growing (he is easily 6 feet tall and will continue to grow still).  Much like Joe Scally, Craig grew up as a right back and defensive midfielder which allowed Craig to develop into an elite passer and a valuable asset driving forward.  With Brandan Craig being turned into a center back, his game has to adapt because the weakest quality he has is his defense as he is beatable 1v1.  This is likely to be something that the Philadelphia Union constantly work on with him as he will be an automatic first team starter once he becomes a solid defender at a young age similar to Justen Glad with Real Salt Lake. 

Craig is such a good prospect because he can play defensive mid, right back, and center back and still manage to be one of the best 2004’s in all three positions which is something that most prospects can’t do.  Craig does have access to a European passport so it will be interesting to see if he decides to head abroad or stay a the Union.  In the past, Craig has trained with numerous European clubs including Liverpool and Bayern Munich.  When Craig starts to put on muscle and sharpens his defensive ability he will be an elite prospect and European clubs will be hunting to give him a fast pass to their first team.  He is a player with a bright USMNT future. 

Kenan Hot

Kenan Hot is one of the most underrated prospects in the 2004 cycle.  Most people do not think of Kenny when they think of the top 2004’s but they should.  When comparing Kenny’s game, just imagine Michael Bradley but more reliable on defense and better dribbling.  Kenny is currently at the New York Red Bulls who have a great track record with their prospects and Kenny has also received interest from a number of European clubs as well.  Kenny has a fantastic passing range, has a soccer IQ that is amongst the best of all youth national team center mids, is the most composed prospect in the 2004 age group, is unusually good at finding the back of the net for a center mid, and has bite defensively.  Kenny is one of the more likely prospects in this age group to blossom long term and become a USMNT player.  

Playing soccer is in Kenny’s blood as well.  Many New York Red Bulls die hard fans will immediately recognize the last name Hot because Kenny is the cousin of former u17 youth national team standout and Red Bulls homegrown Sacir Hot.  With a good family background who knows the right steps to take, a club that is good at developing young players, and a skill set that is ideal for the senior level, Kenny is a elite prospect.  

Allan Rodriguez-Lopez

Allan is my personal favorite prospect in the 2004 class but that is because he is the first major American professional soccer player to come out of the South Bend/Elkhart area (where I am from as well), the best player historically from the same area is Femi Hollinger-Janzen who managed to have 32 appearances and 2 goals for the New England Revolution.  Allan Rodriguez recently signed a contract with the Chicago Fire and is the best prospect at the club currently and will hope that the new ownership will lead to a long and prosperous career for him.  

Allan is a pit bull on the field.  Allan may not look like the most mobile player but will manage to consistently shut down the other team’s attack time and time again.  Allan will always be the most frustrating player for other teams to play against because he rarely loses the ball and is a beast defensively.  The weakness in Allan’s game is he is not the most athletic player and it is unknown how he will transition to the first team level but people also said that about him playing with the youth national teams and then he ended up being the standout at the 2019 Concacaf u15 Championships, so don’t doubt this kid’s abilities.  If Allan can improve his lateral quickness and develop the ability to create plays from the deep lying position then he will quickly jump over to Europe as he would become one of the best 6’s in the Bundesliga.  Allan is a dual-nat concern because Mexico are actively inquiring about his desire to play for El-Tri and Allan would be a massive lost for the USMNT pipeline.  

Darren Yapi

It is not often that Charlie Kennan is bullish about a prospect, but when he is you should listen to him and Darren Yapi is one of those prospects.  Yapi currently plays for the Colorado Rapids and is almost a guarentee to be their next homegrown signing.  Darren is an intriguing player because he has a very good chance of breaking into the MLS level within the next year and a half because the Rapids like to play young players and Darren Yapi is already a first-team ready player physically.  Yapi also has the technical skills to match his superb athleticism which make him a can’t miss prospect.  

Yapi has the same weakness that the majority of physically unstoppable wingers his age have, he still has to improve his soccer IQ.  Right now Yapi does not always make the right plays because he does not have to at the Development Academy level where he is a man among boys.  To put it lightly, Yapi is a bully in the Development Academy.  At the senior level, Yapi will need to be more creative in his approach to taking defenders on and combining with other attackers.  If Colorado can teach Yapi how to make better runs off of the ball and when and when not to take a player on then Yapi will go far in the professional game and likely to a German side.  

Watch Darren Yappi bully kids on his Hudl page here.  

Leo Torres

Like with Charlie Kennan, when Adam Belz (@Scuffed on twitter and host of the Scuffed podcast) singles out a player in an age group then you need to take that player seriously as the last player Belz championed was Richie Ledezma and if you are reading this far into the post then you know the quality of Ledezma.  Like Richie Ledezma, Leo Torres will come up through the USL with San Antonio FC.  Leo Torres is a younger and just as skilled Uly Llanez.  Leo is a skilled winger who loves taking players on 1v1 and making plays by either cutting in or serving the ball in from out wide.  

Like Uly Llanez and Richie Ledezma, the largest battle that Leo Torres will face to break into a first team is developing physically and athletically as Leo is a undersized player as well.  Leo will be given minutes with the San Antonio first team this year so he will be given more time than other prospects to adjust to the professional level which is why Leo is an A+ prospect.  Leo’s ceiling is still yet to be determined but if he ended up in Europe I would not be shocked.  

Rokas Pukstas

Every youth national team age group has a kid from a random state where no one expects a soccer star to be from and this cycle’s player is Rokas Pukstas from Stillwater, Oklahoma.  Pukstas is one of the most well-rounded center mid prospects in the youth national team systems.  It is very possibly that Pukstas becomes a starter for this u17 cycle and pushes Kenan Hot back to the starting 6 role.  Pukstas is a cerebral center mid with a pristine first touch who can cover a lot of ground and make plays in the final third.  While most people thought Allan Rodriguez was the standout player at the Concacaf u15 Championships, I thought Pukstas was the other player deserving of recognition.  

Rokas is a player bound for Europe as he has recently left Sporting Kansas City for Barca Academy at Casa Granda, Arizona, where he will be searching for an opportunity in Europe.  Rokas currently needs to work on becoming an elite passer as that will be key for him breaking into the next level.  Pukstas is one of the most technically gifted midfielders in the youth national team pool and will consistently be one of the more underrated prospects until he lights up the u17 World Cup next October.  

Quinn Sullivan

When you look at a prospect with a high ceiling, fewer have a higher ceiling than Quinn Sullivan.  Sullivan currently is in the Philadelphia Union academy where he is one of two 2004 born players (the other being Brandan Craig) to be promoted to the Union u19’s and will likely be a USL player within the next year.  Sullivan has the same athletic tools and skill that Gio Reyna is gifted with and has a high soccer IQ to go along with it.  Quinn is a roaming 10/winger who drifts between being out wide and cutting in an creating danger Sullivan is either raved or completely passed over by USMNT USYNT die hard fans.  Last season, Sullivan dominated the Development Academy with 19 goals and 6 assists in 20 games but this season his production has slipped which is why he is not ranked higher. 

If Quinn carried the same rate of production in the later half of 2019 he would be in the top five players for this age group and a lock starter.  His largest flaw is consistency as he moves into the older age groups.  He is still an elite play maker but he needs to start having that skill reflect in the stat sheet.  If Sullivan can polish his end product then he will be quickly promoted to the Union first team where he would have a Brendan Aaronson like breakthrough.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knu0o1qPN-Y&feature=emb_logo

A 23-man depth chart for the 2004 USMNT USYNT age group

Overall this USMNT USYNT cycle is pretty average based and will need help from the 2005’s if they want to succeed in the 2021 u17 World Cup.  Going into the 2023 u20 World Cup I do not see many of these players pushing out the 2003’s but the players who we’re previously highlighted have the best shot at doing so.  The strengths in this roster lie in the midfield and the attack where there is real quality and can do some serious damage at the u17 international level.  

Defense

The USMNT USYNT defense is led by Chris Brady who in my opinion is the best goalkeeper in the age group and has surpassed fellow Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabe Slonina.  The fullbacks are weaker for this age group the starters should be Erik Duenas on the right, and Tristian Viviani on the left.  I would not be shocked to see Nati Clarke start at either right back or left back for the 2021 u17 World Cup cycle for USMNT USYNT.  The center back pairing for this age group may be the strongest that a USA u17 youth national team has ever seen as there are two actual center backs with long term potential which is even more rare than a competent left back for the USMNT USYNT.  If either Antonio Leone or Brandon Craig get hurt then both Thomas Williams and Nigel Prince could both walk into the lineup and we would not have to worry.  

Midfield

The success of the u17’s USMNT USYNT midfield completely rides on the form that Evan Rotundo shows that day as he is the creative spark for this team.  The best support to Rotundo would be Kenan Hot and Allan Rodriguez who can both keep possession and break up the other team’s attack allowing Rotundo to focus on creating up top.  If Rotundo gets hurt then Victor Valdez would be tasked with stepping in which would help defensively but would hurt the team offensively.  Aethan Yohannes and Rokas Pukstas are amazing backups and could very easily push into starting roles as well.  Should any of the six midfielders get hurt then Zack Booth would be the replacement as he can play the 6, 8, and 10 at a high level.

Offense

The offense for this USMNT USYNT cycle will really depend on if Malick Sanogo chooses to play for the United States or Germany.  Should Sanogo choose the good guys then this attack would be lethal as he would be paired with Darren Yapi and Federico Oliva and would be just as good if either Leo Torres or Quinn Sullivan were put into the linup.  The attack would drop in quality without Malick Sanogo but Christian Torres would be the next man up.  For the actual u17 cycle, I would not be surprised if Italo Jenkins is actually moved up an age group and moved into the backup striker role as he would still be the most athletically dominant player on the team.  

The top 25 players in the 2004 age group

  1. Malick Sanogo- Striker (FC Union Berlin)
  2. Antonio Leone- Center Back (LAFC)
  3. Evan Rotundo- Attacking Midfield/Winger (San Diego Surf)
  4. Federico Oliva- Winger/Striker (Athletico Madrid)
  5. Brandan Craig- Center Back/Right Back/Defensive Midfield (Philadelphia Union)
  6. Kenan Hot- Center Midfield/Defensive Midfield (New York Red Bulls)
  7. Allan Rodriguez- Defensive Midfield (Chicago Fire)
  8. Darren Yapi- Winger/Striker (Colorado Rapids)
  9. Leo Torres- Winger/Attacking Midfield (San Antonio FC)
  10. Rokas Pukstas- Center Mid/Attacking Midfield (Barca Academy AZ)
  11. Quinn Sullivan- Winger/Attacking Midfield (Philadelphia Union)
  12. Zack Booth- Center Midfield/Attacking Midfield (Real Salt Lake)
  13. Chris Brady- Goalkeeper (Chicago Fire)
  14. Aethan Yohannes- Defensive Midfield/Center Midfield (AZ Alkmaar)
  15. Nigel Prince- Center Back (Atlanta United)
  16. Gabriel Slonina- Goalkeeper (Chicago Fire)
  17. Eric Duenas- Right Back (LAFC)
  18. Christian Torres- Striker (LAFC)
  19. Thomas Williams- Center Back (Orlando City FC)
  20. Victor Valdez- Attacking Midfield (LA Galaxy)
  21. Jeff Dewsnup- Goalkeeper (Real Salt Lake)
  22. Osvaldo Cisneros- Winger/Striker (Sporting Kansas City)
  23. Justin Reynolds- Right Back/Left Back (Chicago Fire)
  24. Tristian Viviani- Left Back (San Jose Earthquakes)
  25. John-Carlos Cortez- Left Back (New York Red Bulls)

If you enjoyed this article please take a look at the breakdowns of the 2001, 2002, and 2003 articles as well as following David Kerr (@dkerr0118) on Twitter for more information on the USMNT United States youth national team prospects!

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American Transfers: Stock Up & Stock Down

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4 weeks ago

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September 9, 2024

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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?

Published

2 months ago

on

August 21, 2024

By

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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The Top 10 Americans in Europe this Season

Published

4 months ago

on

June 10, 2024

By

The season is over for most of the major European leagues and compared to last season, this was a better season for Americans in Europe.  The US had several Americans win a trophy this season or were promoted with their club.  Both Tim Weah and Weston McKennie won the Coppa Italia, while Cameron Carter-Vickers won the double in Scotland.  You also had Nick Gioacchini, Gianluca Busio, and Tanner Tessmann gain promotion to Serie A in their respected clubs.  In this article we will cover who we consider to be our top 10 Americans this season in Europe.  The stats information for each player comes from FotMob.

Lennard Maloney

Few Americans played in the Bundesliga this season and even fewer had a good season in the German topflight.  Lennard Maloney was one of those Americans who had a successful Bundesliga season.  Maloney was the main central defender for the newly promoted club Heidenheim.  Last season, he helped them win the 2. Bundesliga to get their first ever promotion to the Bundesliga.  This season, he helped Heidenheim qualify for the UEFA Conference League, their first ever continental competition.  Few American soccer players can say they have that accomplishment.  It was only until this season did Maloney get his first call-up to the USMNT.  Maloney was spectacular on the stats sheet, but it was what he did off the ball that made him one of the best American players this season in a top European league.  At one point during the season, Maloney was leading in distance covered.  His ability to stop the opposition’s transition to the attack helped Heidenheim to have 1.6 goals conceded per match and a possession of 42.1%.  Maloney outperformed 97% of Bundesliga midfielders in aerial duels won and 90% in defensive actions.  Between the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal, Maloney started in 29 matches out of 31 matches played with 2 goals and 1 assist.  He also had an 83.5% passing accuracy, 69.4% long ball accuracy, 29 tackles for 80.2%, 79.1% aerial duels won, 29 interceptions, and 144 recoveries.  For me, Maloney barely makes it in the top 10 list due to his low stats.  His accomplishments for Heidenheim and being a major piece to their successful season can’t be ignored.

Chris Richards

April 21, 2024: Crystal Palace v West Ham United Premier League 21/04/2024. Chris Richards 26 of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and West Ham United at Selhurst Park, London, England on 21 April 2024. Editorial use only DataCo restrictions apply See www.football-dataco.com , Copyright: xNigelxKeenex PSI-19528-0101 (Credit Image: © Imago via ZUMA Press)

It took a while for Chris Richards to get a start for Crystal Palace and it was worth the wait.  When Richards began getting minutes this season, it was at defensive midfielder.  He took people by surprise with his solid performances in the position.  With the injury of Marc Guehi and Crystal Palace moving to a back 3, Richards became a lock starter in the defense.  It was rocky at first for him, but that all changed when Oliver Glasner took over the club.  In the first match under the new manager, Richards got a goal.  Richards became one of Crystal Palace’s best CBs.  In the 30 matches played, Richards started in 27.  Richards finished ahead of 83% of the CBs in the Premier League in aerial duels, and 66% in both defensive actions and goals.  Across all competitions, Richards had 1 goal and 1 assist, 85% passing accuracy, 59.2% tackles won, 54.5% duels won, 37 interceptions, and 106 recoveries.  There is hope next season for Richards.  Guehi is gathering interest from other EPL clubs once again and Glasner will be returning next season.  If Richards retains his starting role next season, we could see Richards be one of Palace’s best defenders.  Due to not appearing in every match, having some inconsistent matches before the Glasner Era, and not unlocking his full potential this season until Glasner took over is why Richards is 9th on my list.

    Josh Sargent

    Norwich City v Southampton – Sky Bet Championship – Carrow Road Norwich City s Josh Sargent during the Sky Bet Championship match at Carrow Road, Norwich. Picture date: Monday January 1, 2024. EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRL Copyright: xAdamxDavyx 74979369

    One of the US’ most prolific scorers this season came from Josh Sargent in the English Championship.  Missing 22 matches due to an ankle injury did not stop him from scoring double-digit goals, but it did stop him from winning the league’s golden boot.  Sargent finished 6th in goals scored with 16 in 26 league matches played with 2 assists.  If Sargent had not sustained the injury, he would have been in the argument for the league’s golden boot.  Across all competitions, Sargent started in 25 matches out of 28 matches played.  When you compare his traits to other strikers in the English Championship, Sargent finished ahead of 65% strikers in chances created, 83% shot attempts, and 96% goals.  In league play, Sargent had an 81.8% passing, 23 chances created, 47.5% dribbles completed, 45.4% duels won, and 39 recoveries.  Even with the injury, there have been rumors that Premier League clubs are monitoring him.  Maybe we will see him back in the EPL next season.  The reason he falls just short of the top 5 is because between the months of May and April, he had only 2 goals and 1 assist.  As a striker, you cannot have only 3 G/A in 2 months.  The injury also allowed others, mainly Haji Wright, to pass him in the top 10 Americans in Europe this season.  If he was not out for 4 months and was in contention for Championship Golden Boot, he would have been a top 5 American.

      Johnny Cardoso

      Johnny would be much higher on this list if he had played a full season in Europe based on his form with Los Verdiblancos since joining in January when you compare him to the other Americans in a top 5 league.  Johnny took LaLiga by storm and quickly took a starting role in just his second match, which happened to be against Barcelona.  He also received how praises from Manuel Pellegrini just after his first week with the club.  Johnny was awarded the LaLiga EA Sports U23 Player of the Month in February, his first full month for Real Betis.  Johnny’s quick adoption to LaLiga and excellent performances has already caused inquiries from major clubs, one of those clubs being Barcelona, and being a LaLiga U23 Player of the Season nominee.  Across all competitions, Johnny had 3 goal contributions, 72% long ball accuracy, 9 chances created, 78.9% successful dribbles, 34 tackles won for 65.9%, 51.2% of duels won, 35 interceptions, 101 recoveries between LaLiga and Europa Conference League.  In just half of a season, Johnny beat 96% of midfielders in LaLiga for defensive actions and 92% of them in aerial duels.  For playing only half a season in a top 5 league, these are very impressive numbers, and it made him one of the most exciting Americans to watch in Europe this season.  His nomination for LaLiga U23 Player of the Season, winning a U23 Player of the Month, and the quality of the teams he faced compared to other Americans in Europe is very difficult to ignore when placing him on this list.  Johnny only playing half the season in Europe does keep him from being higher up in the top.  If he can continue this form next season, he will for sure be a top 5 American in Europe.  Next season, Real Betis will be taking part in the Europa Conference League once again.

        Malik Tillman

        The American player who had one of the best loan spells this season was Malik Tillman.  After his successful loan at Glasgow Rangers last season, Malik Tillman proved that he could conquer a top 7 league after putting up 19 goal contributions for PSV in the Eredivisie.  His effort on the offense helped PSV win the league title.  Amongst all attacking midfielders and wingers in the Eredivisie, Malik finished ahead of 94% of the players in touches and 92% in chances created.  Also, he beat out 90% of them in defensive actions and 71% in goals.  Malik started in 24 matches out of 39 across all competitions with a total of 21 goal contributions (his one match with Jong PSV is not included).  Tillman also had 71% shots on target in league play; 81.6% passing accuracy, 67.8% long ball accuracy, 61 chances created, 47 successful dribbles for 47.8%, 3 penalties won, 36 tackles for 81.2%, 48.2% duels won, 25 interceptions, 9 blocks, 171 recoveries, and 39 possessions won in the final third.  On May 10th, PSV made the announcement at the end of the season that they had acquired Tillman permanently through 2028 and Bayern retained their buy-back clause.  PSV were not the only club that was pleased by his performance this season.  His parent club, Bayern, was reportedly to be very happy with his season as well.  Maybe we will see Tillman back in a Bayern shirt in the future.  Tillman not being higher on this list was due to his inconsistent performances in the Champions League and early in the Eredivisie season.

          Segiño Dest

          The player with arguably the best loan spell of the Americans in Europe was Sergiño Dest.  After appearing in only 14 matches for Milan AC last season and his second season with Barcelona under Xavi Hernández.  A step back to the Eredivisie was the right move for Dest to rejuvenate his career.  Due to Jordan Teze being PSV’s RB, Dest played LB this season and was successful at it, showing he can play on both sides.  In the Eredivisie, Dest made it on the Team of the Month on multiple occasions.  There are still improvements that need to be made in his defensive game, and that was evident in the UCL matches.  In the Eredivisie, Dest finished ahead of 90% of other fullbacks in chances created, 88% in touches, and 90% in shot attempts.  Across all competitions, Dest finished with 9 goal contributions, 86.9% passing accuracy, 69.1% long ball accuracy, 52 chances created, 62.4% dribbles completed, 58.5% ground duels won, and 163 recoveries.  Dest played a critical role in PSV winning the Eredivisie this season.  He did make some mistakes in the UCL matches, but he was still one of PSV’s better players in the competition.  Even though the Eredivisie is not a top 5 league in Europe, Dest was one of our top performers and most informed American players in Europe.

            Haji Wright

            Arguably one of the top 3 Americans in England this season, it did not start well for Haji Wright in his record transfer to Coventry City.  In his first 3 months at the club, Haji only had 2 goals and 2 assists.  Things did not start to turn around for him until November when he scored 3 goals in 4 matches.  By the end of the 1st half of the season, Haji had 12 goal contributions.  What changed for him?  Manager Mark Robins moved Haji to LW and occasionally as a left striker.  That move in position helped provide Haji Wright his best season of his career and one of the best American players this season.  His most iconic goal in my opinion this season was scoring the winning goal at the last minute against Wolves to help get Coventry City into the FA Cup Semi-Final followed by his goal against Manchester United.  By the end of the season, Haji had 25 goal contributions across all competitions, tying him with Christian Pulisic for most goal contributions by an American in a top 10 European league.  In league play, Haji and Sargent tied for 6th in goals with 16.  Haji was better than 93% attacking midfielders and wingers in aerial duels won, along with 97% in goals, and 98% in shot attempts.  Haji finished the season with 75.9% in passing, 32 chances created, 4 penalty goals, 36 completed dribbles, 49 fouls won, 63.9% tackles, 47.8% aerial duels won, and 114 recoveries.  If Haji Wright can recreate this season again next year in the English Championship, I will have no doubt he will be linked to a move to the Premier League.

              Weston McKennie

              Another player who was consistent for his European club this season was Weston McKennie for Juventus in the Serie A.  McKennie was one of the most informed players for Juventus this season and their leading player in assists with 7.  There has been discussion by Serie A media since January that McKennie deserves to be on the Serie A Team of the Season.  He spent a good amount of the season at RWB and was very successful.  He did not move to his natural position (central midfielder) until later in the season due to injuries.  Even with being one of Juve’s best players this season and being in discussion for Serie A Team of the Season, Juve refused to give the salary raise that McKennie asked for, leaving his future with the Italian giants in doubt.  McKennie started in 33 matches out of 38 matches.  He finished the season with 10 assists. 77.4% passing accuracy and 64.4% long ball accuracy across all competitions.  He also created 46 chances, 60.8% completed dribbles, 31 completed tackles for 80.2%, 168 duels won for 42.3%, 20 interceptions, and 128 recoveries.  When you compared McKennie to other Serie A midfielders, he outperformed 87% of them in chances created and 65% for aerial duels won.  After how things went last season for him, he had one of the biggest improvements in performance for an American along with Christian Pulisic.  The reason he finishes behind Pulisic is because he did not score a single goal and he was beginning to struggle in form towards the end of the season.  He was one of the few Americans to win a trophy this season by winning the Coppa Italia.

                Christian Pulisic

                It is a close call between Pulisic and Weston McKinnie for the 2nd best American this season and even 1st between Pulisic and Antonee Robinson.  I must give it to Pulisic because of his offensive work rate and productivity, and his European competition performance this season.  Pulisic finished the season with 15 goals and 10 assists across all competitions (1 goal being in the Champions League (UCL), and 2 goals and an assist being in the UEL) bringing a total of 25 G/A, the most he has had in a single season.    In Serie A, Pulisic tied for 4th of all players in the league for goals and assists.  For Milan, he was their 2nd highest goal scorer and had the 2nd most assists.  Pulisic started in 44 matches out of 55 matches played across all competitions.  Pulisic was nominated by the league for best midfielder of the season.  When compared to attacking midfielders and wingers in Serie A, he scored more goals than 91% of other players in those positions.  He also had an 83% passing accuracy, 60 chances created, 28.5% crossing accuracy (in the league, Pulisic was in the 72.7% ranking), 66 successful dribbles for 49%, 181 touches in opposition box, 71.3% tackles won, 198 ground duels won for 46.3%, 24 blocks, 11 interceptions, and 138 recoveries.  Since becoming a professional athlete, this was Christian Pulisic’s best season of his career.  People would argue he only performed as well as he did because he took a step down.  Even with Serie A not being at the level that the EPL is at, it is still a top 5 league in the world and Milan is one of the biggest clubs in Europe.  The reason why he is not the #1 American for this season is because Pulisic was not being consistent, especially against major opponents.

                Antonee Robinson

                  It was a tight decision between Antonee Robinson and Christian Pulisic for best American player in Europe this season, but I must hand it to Antonee.  Antonee Robinson was arguably the best LB in the English Premier League this season and even argued to be the best fullback this season.  This is very challenging when talking about the best league and the world where you have the likes of Kyle Walker, Reece James, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Andrew Robertson.  For the USMNT, he was perhaps the most consistent American in Europe this season.  Antonee started a total of 42 out of 44 matches.  He had a total of 6 assists this season, making him one of the top EPL defenders in assists this season.  He also finished with the most interceptions in the EPL with 80, 15 more than Lewis Cook, who had the 2nd most in the league.  This does not just include the EPL, but Jedi also had the most interceptions across Europe’s top 7 leagues.  In the top 7 European leagues, he came in 3rd in possession won in defensive 3rd with 145.  When comparing him to other fullbacks in the EPL, he outperformed 95% of the league’s fullbacks in defensive actions, 80% in touches, and 68% in aerial duels won.  Across all competitions, Antonee had 35 chances created, passing accuracy of 76.5%, 23% crossing accuracy, 49 successful dribbles for 60.3%, tackles won, 56.5% duels won, and 264 recoveries.  Antonee has made it on several reviewers’ EPL Team of the Season and is being monitored by top clubs for this summer by the likes of Liverpool and Bayern.  Compared to other Americans in Europe this season, Jedi made it on more continental stats leaderboards and competing in this best league in the world making him the best American in Europe this season.

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